Kids make you realise more about life than the words of your elders ever can. Truly. Ever since I've held my little niece in my arms, there's so much more that I see in everyday life, and so much more that I think I should become more responsible about. And the flood of confusions comes back to engulf me once more.

If I haven't written here for ages, it's probably because I haven't spoken to myself in ages. Oh no, I have questioned myself aplenty in all these months that I haven't come here, but there's been no time, and honestly no guts to address my own self. I guess I've been too meek and too cushioned to figure out what I really want to do; or perhaps too dwarfed by all that's happening around.

Guess the start of the year is the start of another attempt. I wish to be successful this time around

Words have begun to fail me. I wonder why

When the urges get creative, the creative go blogging, or at least, that's what's happening to me, and am glad that it's so. Between yesterday and today, I've managed to clear a lot of clutter - mentally and physically - and dude, it does make me feel that I've cut down on a lot of my problems. Spring cleaning not just for the house, but also for the mind...

Anyway, work also begins now on my photography blog Eternal Revelations (http://photographerinquest.blogspot.com), where, thankfully, I can put pictures of people and things I like, without having to think of how perfectly lit my subjects were.

But of course, all this is not without reason, and for those who know me the bestest, like I've been telling you, the aspiration this time around is not just a whim. I know I'm meant to tell stories, and tell them my way. Along the way if Sassy Satan needs to don the garb of an entertainment journalist, so be it. If capturing the essence of Delhi in my camera is the first lesson that I must learn in order to understand my subject better, then so be it. If stories need to be created before stories are told, I've been tempted long ago to become part of this cult practice. I must say, it's taken me the longest while - 25 years of my life - to know that I'm headed towards the magic of the moving screen. And now that that's been decided, it's time to think of a title and let the work begin!

The second role

I think I was far more romantic and dreamy four years ago, and I'm definitely jealous of that fact today. For almost two years now, I've been making sporadic attempts at being regular here and penning my thoughts, instead of looking for random friends who discard my emotional outpourings as flippant conversation. But, I've failed each time, rather miserably. But, the believer that I am, I saw so many 'signs' today that it was difficult not to make the attempt again, for the umpteenth time to forgo of old inhibitions and rewrite my role here. And the oddest names have come together for this - Rushdie, Neruda and Sassy Satan.

My day began with me going back to start Rushdie's Satanic Verses, a copy of which I finally managed to find in Hong Kong, and which is more precious than the most precious of things. By afternoon, I finished watching Il Postino,which reaffirmed my love for Neruda and all things that sprang forth from his pen. And by the time I came back to changing the look of Eternal Temptations so that it becomes the new face of the new Sassy, I saw Neruda on one of my lists on this blog, and also found one of my best older posts (http://saintinquest.blogspot.com/2007/04/eternal-temptations.html).

I am not going to look dreamily back at the past and wonder how easily words had rolled off my tongue at that time. How easily I had proposed to be a seller of indulgences! Along the way, I think, I've been robbed of most of the indulgences that I could give away, save what is most precious to me, in my heart. I know I want to come back, and I think I will. But now, the seller of indulgences has also become the teller of stories, and inshallah, that is where the new role will start.

Twenty five is the new thiry five

Career horoscope for the month. Is this as random as it gets, or does everyone face the same question after a year? I'll come back. Tonight.

What's your work worth? You may be spending a lot of time kicking that question around on the 1st and 2nd. Sure, financial compensation is important. But before you get too wrapped up in whether or not you're going to get that bonus, take a step back and think about other ways your work is worthwhile to you. Do you get emotional satisfaction? Do you feel like you're good at your job? Does your work add something to society? If not, maybe a job that doesn't pay as well but that does bring other kinds of satisfaction is worth considering. You feel fulfilled on the 7th and 8th, and that's wonderful. Balance your budget and your budget won't send you for a spin on the 9th. That remarkably healthy exercise routine pays off, with high-energy days on the 16th, 17th and 18th. Don't be satisfied with the superficial on the 23rd. It's time you figured this whole thing out. Travel for work, if you possibly can, on the 26th or 27th. Tell your friends what you've been thinking, job-wise, on the 30th. They can really weigh in on what your plans are worth.

Anjaani Anjaani ki kahani

Movie: Anjaana Anjaani

Director: Siddharth Anand

Actors: Priyanka Chopra, Ranbir Kapoor

So, my first pre-release assessment of a movie hasn't been that accurate. From the promos on air, and considering the fresh casting in the movie, I'd deduced that Anjaana Anjaani would become another addition to the quintessential love stories in Hindi cinema, just like Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. Sadly, I was disappointed on that front. Anjaana Anjaani for me is a mesmerising tale of cosmopolitan romance, urban humour, fashionable characters and good music that'll stay around for a while. What's missing - the intensity of romance, which I'd primarily say is a scripting lack. The story is straightforward and vividly portrayed. And Priyanka Chopra and Ranbir Kapoor have truly given memorable performances, perhaps by far their best. Sadly again, this isn't reciprocated in the script.

AA is the story of Kiara (Priyanka Chopra) and Aakash (Ranbir Kapoor), two defeated souls who meet on a bridge while trying to commit suicide. Catch 1: Does every Indian looking soul in the US necessarily speak Hindi? Anyway, so the two are unable to commit suicide, and part ways to end up in separate accidents which bring them to the same hospital. They decide to commit suicide together and having failed yet again deduce that they are supposed to live life once again. So, they set a deadline for the approaching New Year's eve and decide to do everything they wanted to before that and their impending suicide. Predictably, they fall in love during this time. While Aakash recognises this love, Kiara doesn't. It's this part of the movie that has the two actors at their emotional best.

The humour is good, not the uncouth types actually, and a few scenes actually remind you of SRK and Kajol's chemistry. In a particular scene, when Kiara wipes Aakash's face, you are almost reminded of the rain scene between Anjali and Rahul from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. There are a few inconsequential characters and the only other known face in the movie is Zayed Khan, who has done a decent role.

While the trailer misleads you into believing that AA is the stuff that Hindi love stories are made of, there's still something missing. It's a good tale told nonetheless and a good watch for the weekend. If nothing else, watch it for the Ranbir and Priyanka’s acting skills and the great wardrobe the two are sporting. Oh, and not to miss the cadillac in the movie.

What do you guys think of this (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Im-like-a-gypsy-Ranbir/articleshow/5972589.cms)

Heya. Another Sunday comes to an end without me cleaning my cupboard. Sigh. Convince myself on every Monday morning that it's not that big a deal. Anyway, today has been quite significant in a lot of ways. Spent the whole day chilling with mum, since bhai and shruts are outa the country. Feels nice to be back in mom's company... works snatches away many little pleasures of life from one.
Also saw Rocket Singh. The movie was quite slow actually, but Ranbir's acting was the saving grace. But, it's the couple of messages in the movie that I really likes. One - even Spiderman has to take a risk. How concise and cool is that!!! The other is about working hard and honestly. It's so surprising that many of us, even 'seniors' in hierarchies refuse to work ethically. Like always, am plagued with the existence of such folks around me, time and again. I dunno why it happens so frequently with me, or if I just have a painfully low threshold, but I can't seem to be able to tolerate insecure people. Be it personally of professionally, why can't people think about building their own capability, instead of feeling bad about someone else's work? The ways of the world are strange.
Nothing much to say now. Shall be back soon.

Ok. I am back. Again. With the same sentence. But on the positive side, at least there's consitency in my comeback, if not the comeback itself!
Anyway, crappy jokes aside, life's busier than it was the last time that I posted something on this blog. But you know what? It's fuller than it was ever before too. Of course there are certain elements who still bother me, but the gross result is that I'm smiling at the end of each day, smiling, as the cliche goes, from ear to ear.
In the past five months, many a thing happened, when I thought I should come here and write something, put my frustrations and joy in words and be done away with. But, I guess those things weren't compelling enough. Then again, the simplest thing brought me here today. Actually, two simple things - one that I got free from office slightly earlier. And second, that I saw the most quintessentially romantic thing take place today, without realising how it would push me into a thinking mode that was possibly buried for the last so many months.
Was travelling in the metro today, when a girl hurriedly made her way inside. As the doors were just closing, her boyfriend quickly grabbed her and gave her a quick kiss. While all the people near her kept staring at her for the rest of the distance, I don't think that beyond the intial embarassment, it really mattered to the girl. She seemed so unaware of public glares because, possibly, it was the kiss and the bigger emotion behind it that mattered.
It got me into a very strange mood - about love and my constant longing to be in a love relationship. Not that I haven't had my share of some of them, but in retrospect, those all seem so empty - and so created purely because of infatuation or strong emotion. But you know, there was this kind of pure, love relationship that I always envisioned myself in. Of course, it was full of corny and cheesy stuff, but, it also had the elements of ever lasting romance - the kind of stuff that makes you tickle even when you are 60.
Anyway, don't think that that sort of love is meeting me anytime soon. But when it does, I'll be back here. Again.