I picked up ‘The Lost Symbol’ with high expectations of it being another racy educational unexpected narrative from an exceptional Author. The book opens with all the usual interesting tidbits from secret depths of masonic history. The books’ in-depth architectural tour of Washington was fascinating and street view from Google maps made it all the more interesting. The 3-D view of the monuments that Google offers is almost like being there!  

The book’s references to the ancient mysteries and the possibilities of human ‘apotheosis’ struck a note with me. I’ve always been intrigued with the power of the mind and the influence of thoughts on shaping our reality. The book’s references to the possibilities of emergence of new super human abilities through the expansion of the human mind resonated with the principles of some of my favorite books like ‘The Secret’ and the ‘Travelers of the Universe’. I was especially intrigued with the part on noetic sciences and even checked out the website for the Institute of Noetic Sciences (Yes, it is an actual institute!). Their website has some interesting online psi games on telepathic healing, strength of intuition and the power of collective thought. Check out the games at http://www.noetic.org/research/psi.cfm

In his usual style, Dan Brown pits the narrative as a race against time. The multi layered unfolding of the secrets of the pyramid kept me glued to the book and the crazy super tattooed villain added to the mystery. But somewhere in the middle, I started to suspect the identity of the villain and as the book unfolded, it became quite predictable. When the twist in the tale came, it wasn’t such a twist after all. And when the final end came, saying I was disappointed doesn’t even begin to cover it! After all the build up to the historic moment of human transformation, the end was like ending up with a gift voucher for ‘tea for two’ when you were expecting your annual bonus.

‘Angels and Demons’ was most definitely Dan Brown’s highlight. Fast paced, unveiling of secrets that felt worth unveiling, the big bang magnificent end… now that’s a good book. This one probably will sell on the expectations set from the previous book. Dan brown will definitely lose some of his fan flowing for letting them down with such a lack luster closure to this book.

Only other good things that might come out of this are that tourism in Washington might increase and institute of noetic sciences website will get more hits!

‘Hot’ Vampires and ‘Cute’ Werewolves sound like oxymorons, but that is exactly what Stephanie Meyer’s ‘Twilight’ series is about.  The first book, ‘Twilight’ introduces the reader to the world of Vampires in the cloudy town of Forkes. It starts like a regular book on teenage issues…moving to a new town, the scariness of a new high school, blah… blah. But it quickly turns interesting with the entry of the intriguing ‘Cullen’ family.

Into the narrative steps the ‘Hot’ ‘Mr. Perfect as Adonis’ Edward Cullen. I was having difficulty imagining someone as good looking as the author describes Edward. So I picked up the movie ‘Twilight’ to give the characters in my imagination some shape. (To start with, I only saw the beginning of the movie…just up to the point I had read since I did not want the movie to spoil the fun of the book!)

Robert Pattinson (who btw was Cedric in Harry Porter movies) plays Edward. My first reaction to that was ‘uh huh…not that good looking’. But once you sit through the movie, he sort of grows on you. Interestingly, some info on the net says that the millions of ‘Twilight’ fans were initially disappointed with the casting of Robert as Edward. Stephanie Meyer’s official site says that Hayden Christensen (the actor who plays Aniken Skywalker in the newer Star Wars series) was the first choice for ‘Edward’.  I am not sure if he might have been able to carry off the cool marble skinned hot vampire look.

Anyways, back to the book. The story line of a vampire who falls in love with a mortal girl and his internal conflict of wanting to drink her blood vs loving her and wanting her to live, keeps the story edgy and interesting. The book pulls the reader in with the slow unfolding of the mystery of the Vampires, the unraveling of Edward’s character, his unique family and his unique confusions with respect to Bella. To the author’s credit, she has managed to create an epic love story of sorts. Bella’s emotions of being in love for the first time, the breathlessness and euphoria of first physical contact, the indescribable feeling on a invisible connection are quite well portrayed. The anticipation of ‘what next’, kept me hooked. The book is fast paced and I found myself sitting through late nights to just read one more page.

What I wasn’t ecstatic about that the slight whiny edge that Bella has sometimes. Her continuous internal dialogue on how she is unworthy of the love and attention of ‘Adonis’ Edward can sometime get to your nerves. But I guess, having the plainness of the Bella reiterated so often, even the reader is left wondering the same. As the author says, she supposedly plain and as the reader can make out isn’t exceptional witty. The character as described in the book would have still been ok…but when one starts to visualize her as Kristen Stewart (the actress who plays Bella in the movie) is when the disappointment happens. She definitely needs acting lessons and her blinky, unsure, lack lusture portrayal of Bella was really a dampener.  

I was quick to pick up the next book in the series -‘The New Moon’. But was as quickly disappointed. The lack of Edward, itself was a downer. The first half of the book is all about how Bella is dealing with the loss. Her whiny self effacing feelings really got to me after a bit. The books picks up with the introduction of the werewolf angle. The twists and turns toward the end are interesting but really not worth the wait. Even the Werewolf vs Vampire angle was not dealt with in an in-depth manner and with the re – entry of Edward in the narrative, Jacob was dropped like a hot potato. The whole first part that built up to the werewolf transformation falls flat ineffectively and it’s sad to see Jacob dismissed with a twist of the pen.

There are two more books in the series – ‘The Eclipse’ and ‘Break of Dawn’. I’m looking forward to laying my hands on them and finally seeing how Bella’s transformation happens.

The series really falls into the ‘Fantasy Chick Lit’ category. I don’t think men would find the detailed introspections into the emotions of a teenage girl all that engrossing… even with a little vampire and werewolf action thrown in. The series are actually hugely popular with the women. There is even a FB test on how much you know about Twilight. I got a 100% on it! J

‘Farmville’ is the new thing on Facebook with tons of people playing the game. I’ve been on it for some time now. I am currently at the level 15! (That’s like the mid stage of the game). The more one plays the game, the more hooked one gets to it. It got me thinking that the designers of the game must know the human psychology quite well. How else can a game about repetitive planting, ploughing and harvesting become the new fad with almost everyone on Facebook?

Come to think of it, the game is very much like life itself. You have to start from scratch with basic stuff (Level 1 with basic seeds and land). You have to gain experience to get to the next levels. The little incentives that keep you going on (and get through the repetitive planting, ploughing & harvesting parts) are the new things that you can plant and buy with each new level that you gain. Isn’t that very much like life, where one keeps at the regular routines just to get to the next level in life so that one can get the little incentives it offers(like the bigger house, bigger car, bigger TV, etc)?

And that’s just not it, in ‘Farmville’ you have neighbours and neighbours’ neighbours whose farms you can visit. ‘Farmvillers’ can usually be seen checking out everyone’s farms (and of course helping them out) and wondering how some of them have pets, trees and decorations that their levels don’t offer! Very much akin to life, people with neighbours / friends at a higher experience level (or higher station in life) are recipients to special gifts that are only available to the people with the higher levels of experience.  

Well, like life the game definitely is… and I guess that’s what keeps people hooked to it.  Oh, gotta go now… my ‘super berries’ are ready for harvesting! J

I was reading an interesting update from silicon India. It said that 42% people in offices spy on their colleagues! Here is the link for the article

http://www.siliconindia.com/shownews/Watch_out_half_your_colleagues_are_spying_on_you_-nid-60351.html

It got me thinking about how we leave a very personal imprint on the internet that is just waiting for anyone and everyone to look up. Social & professional networking profiles, blogs, tweets… there is so much out there about you that people have access to in order to know you better (if not spy!)

It made me also think about the impact of personal opinions that one expresses on the net on the way potential employers view you. I know of some recruiters who look up networking profiles to get a better understanding of the candidates that they shortlist. I’m not sure it’s a widespread trend now, but I’m sure it is catching up fast. Some people may blog/ comment about work that they are doing in an unflattering manner (maybe in jest)… does that mean they could be overlooked by recruiters? How careful should one be with their personal content, comments and profiles on the net? Sometime ago I read about a teenage girl in UK who got fired because she made a FB status update that said she was bored at work! There’s even a ‘youtube’ video about ‘how your FB profile could get you fired’.

These examples may be a little extreme, but I can’t help wondering if this explosion of online action with networking, tweeting, blogging is slowly and steadily blurring the lines between who we really are and who we pretend to be at work.

This is not really a post about anything in particular…Just some random stuff I was wondering about.

Staring at People

I wonder what really is the science behind being able to ‘feel’ it when someone stares at you. How does that work? How can you ‘feel’ someone’s eyes on you? Stare at someone for a bit (even their back) and without fail they will ‘feel’ it and turn around and look at you. It’s just strange isn’t it?

The collective consciousness of City Traffic

I’m not much into driving…It’s just tough for me to focus on so many things together. The pedals, the gear, the car, the traffic….So sometimes when I’m being driven around; I often think about how it seems that the traffic has a collective consciousness.  It feels like every driver on the road is tuned into a collective consciousness system and subconsciously knows what the other drivers are thinking … a little turn here and subconsciously the driver behind turns/brakes a little. They don’t even have to think about doing it. Packed roads…with less than a few inches of space between vehicles…and everybody moving like some smooth flowing river. It’s like watching a well coordinated show…. Most of the time that it. Sometime, maybe the collective consciousness misses a few beats and there are scrapes and accidents.

When I heard about Bonobo at Bandra and its fancy new concept of ‘Mix-O-logy’, I was intrigued. The review in the papers said that the food was good and the cocktails heavenly. The concept of Mix-O-logy’ was completely new and one could supposedly make one’s own cocktail, pick any ingredient, interact with the bar tender, learn a few tricks and generally have a good time while making their drinks. That itself was enough to get us to try the place.

We decided to go there on a warm sultry April evening and were disappointed to find that it was largely an open air place. There was a small section sealed off in the A/c which was packed with people. The outside, done up tastefully, was still quite sultry and without effective ventilation/ fans was not very inviting.

The initial disappointment overcome and settled in for the evening, we were indeed happy to find a wide range of fresh fruit cocktails on the menu. But the sad part was that there was no one at the bar, besides of course some depressed looking bartenders. The ‘Mix-O-logy’ bar just did not look inviting. There was no one at the bar trying anything. The waiters did not offer any information or invite you to try making your drink at the bar. The new concept was quite downer in reality.  

The food was ok. For the starters we had some very nice smoked Salmon. For main course I had some average tasting Bonobo chicken, that is, some char grilled chicken on a bed of mashed potatoes and steamed veggies. Abhi had some pasta, which though tasty was in such a small portion that he was quite put off. The portions of the food were like the one we see on ‘Top Chef’. Tiny miniscule portions, just enough to fill a little tummy space but never the appetite.

The service was nothing to write home about. Actually it was something one can write in one’s review. We were disappointed to find people on the adjacent table smoking away to death. On being asked, the waiter said that they could very well do what they wanted. I tried to point out that smoking in public places is supposedly banned, but the waiter did not care for any general knowledge on my part or for the law. It actually made me wonder if there was any helpline on which such violations could be reported. Does anyone know of one?

All in all, a decent evening… more credit to the company we had than the place. With a bill of Rs 3000 for 3 people, it was a relatively affordable meal, given Bandra standards. Though I don’t think we will return to it in a hurry.

I had read an excerpt of one of the stories of this book in a literary magazine…..and I quite liked it. In a small dose, the excerpt showed Jhumpa Lahiri as an accomplished writer. Her prose is simple and strong with an ability to connect with the reader on a variety of shared emotions. So when I found the book at a friend’s place (Rupa…! Finally I put your name in a post…. happy?! J), I picked it up with much excitement.

A few stories down and for me the book became a good example of how one must not judge the book by its cover (Also made me recall a sermon my dad gave me long ago on why I should pick my friends after a more careful thought through examination). The first few stories are interesting… one is amazed by her artistry with feeling and describing human emotions. The story telling style keeps one hooked and wondering where its leading… but invariably when one gets there, the end is so mundane that sometime’s one is found wondering if the journey through the pages was worth it.

And it’s not just that… After the first few stories…it gets a little repetitive. One can’t but say ‘Enough with the Indian American Immigrant stories with the Bengali people!’ I like variety when I’m reading short stories…. And this book was a disappointment from that angle. Bengali Parents, Macher Jhol, Misfits in American society, Calcutta reveries, Death and changing relationships… yeah…yeah… we get it.

I know she’s an award winning writer and all, but I don’t have to like the book just because of that. So final verdict…. . 2.5 stars on a 5 star scale. And No, I don’t think I’ll pick up her next book… especially not if it’s about a Bengali in the US!

1200 pages in small print…. I knew reading this Ken Follet book was going to be a daunting task. But more than daunting, it turned out to be an all consuming task.

For me books are high involvement items. When I’m reading one, I find myself researching things about it and finding out more about actual events referred to in the book. So after the initial 100 pages, (where I was tempted to throw away the book more the once) the book transformed into a different world that I found myself wondering and researching about.

Set in a small town in UK (Kingsbridge) in early 1300s, the story chronicles the life and times of a cross section of protagonists. Royalty, Peasantry and Clergy…the book shared the struggles and victories of people from different backgrounds and whose lives intertwine through the 50 decades the book covers.  The commerce vs the church issues, the basic medical knowledge and treatments, the hardships of peasants, the destruction of the Black Death and the challenges of basic scientific knowledge, made me think about these times in wonder. We take so much of the knowledge and things we have today for granted… its only when we read about these times does one realize that we have so much to thank human endeavor and curiosity for.

I especially found the section on the Black Death intriguing. They made me recall some paintings and models of the plague that I once saw in a museum in Canada. I remember looking at the paintings and wondering about the destruction. Only after reading the book did I grasp the real magnitude of the tragedy. 1/3^rd of Europe’s population was wiped out! That’s about 75 million people….

All in all, the book is interesting, a tad long, but worth the time. A book recommended only for the brave hearted.

Writing my review on Watchmen got me thinking about all the other Super Heroes I’ve watched and loved. That gave me this idea of listing the Best Super Heroes according to me and why I like them.

Please feel free to contradict and fight for your hero (In the comments section) in case he/ she don’t make it to this first list. J So here goes…

1.      Suuuuperrrrman! (* Drum Roll !!! *)

My front runner and ahead of others by the million miles…Superman has been my quintessential favorite for a long time. One of the first few super heroes to taste screen success, Superman is the ultimate Super Hero. He has super abilities in a multitude of areas. He can fly, has super strength and is the ultimate Man of steel. Ok, I know he could have done with a better costume designer, but hey this was the 1970s. Everyone dressed weird back then!

2.      Batman

3.      X Men

Super Hero he is, but in a Hamlet sort of way. Spider Man seems to battle with himself in a pitiable sort of way…wondering about ‘to be or not to be a hero’. Spider webbing, roof hopping aside, Spider Man is just another kid with girl issues. Yet, he makes my cut because he is still a hero and makes for some interesting movie watching (his various adversaries included!)

So those are the ones who made the first list! Though I can’t wind up the post without a special mention of the other Heroes who almost made the list.

·        The Incredible Hulk: Not so much of a Hero, The Hulk is just a poor hunted mutant.  What I like about him is the way he throws his arms around and stomps when he is angry! It always makes me smile.

·        Iron Man: Love his Suit and the awesome things it’s capable of. Also like Robert Downing Junior J

·        Transformers: Autobots rock! I wish my car was one of them.

·        Dr Manhattan: My latest addition. Love his omniscient powers, though he’s a little high on the whole human philosophy piece.

Ok, I know…corny title, but I couldn’t help it! I recently saw the movie ‘Watchmen’ (hmm… it’s definitely more fun to say watched the watchmen) and liked it.

And hey, I admit it….As far as super hero movies go, I’m a fan. Not a fan like some of the crazy people on ‘Who wants to be a Super Hero?’ (Where they go trapizing about in spandex going ‘ heeerrreee comes the Fat Momma!!)’, but a fan none the less. I mean there is something so inherently wondrous about having abilities beyond human constraints…it opens up the mind to possibilities and dimensions that one doesn’t usually think about.

Anyways… back to the review. For starters…don’t see it if you don’t like Super Heros. For its Looooong…and if you’re someone who can’t fathom how electrocuting someone can make them blue in colour and give them telekenetic powers, it’s going to be a really long 2 ½ hours for you. But if you’re someone like me… the length of the movie only adds to its appeal. I mean lay it on… I want to see people being teleported to Mars and all the Super Hero action!

Set in the 1980s, the movie chronicles the cold war and how close to nuclear destruction the world came to. After the swinging 60s, the Super Heros have been forced to go underground and when the world needs them, they rise from their ashes and save the world. Yeah… it’s a beaten path, but the execution of the plot with the interlacing stories of the different Super Heros and their pasts makes the movie interesting. Even the dark side of Super Heros is explored and exposed. How can one not hate the Comedian, or wonder about the real personality of masked Rorschach?

The one thing that didn’t satiate my appetite for super powers, was that many of the Super Heroes really didn’t have super powers or this was not adequately covered in the movie. Running about in Spandex and beating up some people doesn’t make the cut for Super Heros (maybe that’s why some people like to refer to them as costumed Vigilantes). But Dr Manhattan made up from everyone else’s inadequacies. Omni powerful, Dr Manhattan could be the ‘Baap’ of all Super Heros! Liked what a news anchor says in the movie, ‘We know that God exists (Ref Dr Manhattan) and that he is definitely American!’ J

Zack Synder’s treatment of the movie is mature. While one might think (being a Super Hero Movie) that it’s aimed at the kids (and the Super Hero Buffs), it’s definitely not suitable viewing for anybody under 18. Overall, I liked the movie and would give is a 3.75 on a scale of 5. For Super Hero buffs, it’s a must see.