...it means nothing......I swear!

.....I haven’t mused and murmured in quite a while.....and my Blog is fully justified in being miffed...there is someone else! (*g-asp*) (*NO!*) (*who?*)…..oh, don’t get your knickers in a twist. Am talking about the omnipresent…the all-pervading Grand Poobah of Social Networking:FaceBook. Yes, I am a compulsive status-message changer…yep, I comment like a fiend and YES! I tag like there’s no tomorrow. There I said it…I am not ashamed…I am a FB addict.

So what…may you ask, made me turn back to my much-neglected blog? A book…a sweet, funny crackhead of a book that goes by the quirky name of BIG WOO-My not so secret secret teenage blog by Susie Day.
Getting back to the book…the title is self-explanatory, so I won’t expound on it’s many delights. (I WILL ofcourse write a long, tedious review once am through…so ya-ayy!!! something painful to look forward too.) But the book got me thinking that I should blog…I need to blog…before my poor, neglected blog gets relegated to that happy place where all the other shunned blogs romp about in mock-glee.

So here’s a few topics to get back in the loop:
NEWS THAT I CAN USE: Today is International Children’s Book Day. It usually coincides with Hans Christian Anderson’s birthday, 2nd April. So I did my bit…and went to my sweet-spot: CrossWord and picked up five, luscious books. One even happened to be Anderson’ s Fairy Tales. I took it as a sign. (am a great believer of the 'signs'. I am known to smile like a prat when I see the 'signs'. The 'signs' are the bedrock of my miserable existence.) So imagine my surprise when I look up a review on GoodReads which claims that Hans Christian Anderson DID NOT write any children’s stories. His books were meant for adults and he would most probably have a hissy-fit at the comment that his books were meant for children!!!.....go figure

NEWS THAT MAKES ME SWEAT (literally and profusely) : The heat: it is bad…it is hell-filled-with-sweaty-ill-mannered-tourists- BAD!! I would have gotten all whiny and cribby and crotchety…but I am slowly but steadily wiliting…and *g-asp*…can’t………talk………anymore.

NEWS THAT IS TOTALLY IRRELEVANT BUT GRABS MY EYEBALLS, NEVERTHELESS :on Yahoo!Filmy Masala: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's relationship has hit rock bottom after an explosive row……AGAIN!!!. Seriously Angie baby, you make it very hard to stay a dispassionate observer. You steal a supremely fine man from his lovely wife….and then proceed to turn him into a glorified nanny. He does more than his fair share…but it’s never, ever enough for you. So the guy grabs a beer and puts up his feet for awhile. Stop acting like a twonk and give the man a break

Seriously...put her on the line. We need to exchange words!


So there you a go…a personal, filled with gratuitous -bile post at your fingertips. I feel good and virtuous and am waiting to be knighted any day now! :)

My Family and Other Animals

~a wine…like the blood of a dragon and as smooth as a fish

~Albatrosses flapping around the house making noises like defective plumbling

~A giant watermelon with an inside like pink ice

~chaffinches were pinking like a hundred tiny coins among the leaves

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No one makes sigh-inducing comparisons quite like Gerald Durell. Rich and varied…these and many more generously pepper the pages of My Family and Other Animals.

Gerry has been blessed with a truly eccentric family : a long-suffering mother, a pompous elder-brother Larrie (who later becomes the eminent Lawrence Durrell), a gun-crazy brother Leslie, an acne-inflicted sister Margo…and bringing up the rearguard; a budding naturalist,Gerry himself. The story is a rambling, autobiographical account of the family’s five year stay in the picturesque Greek island of Corfu, told from a 10-year old Gerry’s point of view.

As the family hops from one villa to another…we are treated to an oddball mixture of rustic pheasants, quirky instructors and garrulous guests. And then ofcourse, there is the over-abundance of animal life…many of whom find their way into the Durrell household as Gerry’s pets. So we have: the two pups, prodigiously named; Puke andWiddle…Quasimodo, the pigeon (who discovers to his embarrassment that he is infact a ‘she’ )...Madame Cyclops, the one-eyed, pregnant turtle…the wicked pair of magpies known simply as The Magenpies…and the sardonic seagull, Alecko. Many more whacky and weird creatures make an appearance and all are described in loving-detail by the wide-eyed Gerry.

The book is tailormade for plant and animal lovers. Each page is a tribute to the beauty of Corfu and it’s innumerable treasures. You can almost savour the warm sun on your back and the frothy waves tickling your toes. You wish you had a fat bottomed boat called ‘ The Bootle-Bumtrinket’, which would sail along merrily as you tried not to turn an unbecoming shade of green with all the rocking and rolling! You can feel the restful shade of the gnarly olive-trees, the tartness of the small grapes and the headiness of a hearty-wine. Weaved in with the antics of the Durrell menagerie, the story makes you smile and even have a hearty laugh occasionally.

Bless you, Mr.Durrell, for creating such a marvellous and memorable gem.

...yet another HAPPINESS quote

For most of life, nothing wonderful happens. If you don't enjoy
getting up and working and finishing your work and sitting down to a meal with
family or friends, then the chances are that you're not going to be very happy.
If someone bases his happiness or unhappiness on major events like a great new
job, huge amounts of money, a flawlessly happy marriage or a trip to Paris, that
person isn't going to be happy much of the time. If, on the other hand,
happiness depends on a good breakfast, flowers in the yard, a drink or a nap,
then we are more likely to live with quite a bit of happiness.

~ Andy Rooney

FUZZ THERAPY

Got the proverbial blues? Need an instant pick-me-up? Have a quick look at the following strips. Calvin & Hobbes can always be counted on to make you forget your dreary moments!

'Nevertheless'

by

Catherine Widgery

The Old Cherokee's advice

"One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, 'My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.`

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: 'Which wolf wins?'

The old Cherokee simply replied, 'The one you feed.'

~ Author (Unknown)

The Odyssey Retold by Geraldine McCaughren

A simplified, easy-on-the-senses retelling of the literary classic. The original is tucked away somewhere at the back of my book-shelf. It had me quaking in my boots.This, I get....and enjoy.

My interest was actually piqued by the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. Constant references to Odysseus's epic trip had me curious about the original.

Odysseus, the brave (although, slightly pompous) warrior is sailing back home after the epic battle of Troy. A lovely wife,Penelope and Telemachus, a son he hasn't seen in eleven years await him in his kingdom of Ithaca.

As he sets sail with his fleet of ships, he encounters mythical creatures, love-struck nymphs, grumpy cyclopses, the odd cannibal or two and a couple of other seriously depraved characters. Adding to his woes are the fury of the sea-god Poseidon.....a crew which doubts their captain....and a route that seems to have been put together by a sadistic travel-agent.

The end of the journey throws another nasty surprise : unruly suitors for the hand of Penelope and the riches of Ithaca.I tell you....a Greek Hero's work is never done!!

In all, an engaging read....lots of mayhem, chaos, and what-have-you.

La Maison en Petits Cubes

2009 Academy Awards : Best Short Film, Animated
The story is about a crusty old man who lives in a constantly submerging town. As the water level slowly rises, he keeps building on his original home.....something akin to placing cubes on top of cubes. When his favourite smoking-pipe falls into the water, he dons scuba gear and dives in to retrieve it.

His descent shows him the earlier levels of his home, now undewater. And each level brings back an old and cherished memory.

Hand-drawn animation, sepia tint and the underlying melancholy.....all effectively convey a sentimental tale.

La Maison en Petits Cubes
Uploaded by andybe29

B-ball.....memories....and my low boredom threshold...

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…..I used to follow professional basketball. I loved the slickly polished court...the squick of sneakers.....the impossibly tall players and the way they used to move. I remember Shaquille O’Neal , Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant and the one…the only…Michael Jordan (I even watched Space Jam!!!*sh-udder*). The semantics of the game never mattered…for me it was all about the slam-dunk! I ♥ slam-dunks!! Poetry in motion!

...’n’ then with the attention span of an ant in the throes of puberty.....I forgot all about three pointers and forwards and alley oops and what have you……

So when today’s TOI had a fantastic spread of Nate Robinson of the New York Knicks do a super-classy slam-dunk over Dwight Howards during the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest on All-Star Saturday Night…it was a happy flasback to my teens.

Here’s are a few pix I am storing for posterity.....

Inkdeath

663-pages strong…emotionally intense characters …and more twists and turns than the best of labyrinths.Inkdeath has it all.

The book starts off where Inkspell left off. Things are chaotic in the alternate land of Inkworld. Fenoglio, the original writer has lost his confidence to pen words and is now just a weary, crotchety old man. Mo has successfully donned the mantle of the noble robber Bluejay. Dustfinger still lies in the world of the dead. Farid has become a reluctant slave to Orpheus, in the hope that the latter will read back the dead Dustfinger. Mo’s daughter, Meggie has a new contender for her affections, the young Doria. Orpheus, in possession of the original Inkheart, twists and manoeuvres Fenoglio’s words to build up dubious fame and fortune for himself. The evil Adderhead, who was made immortal by Mo in Inkspell, is living a life far worse than death. He needs Mo to bind him another White Book. Ombra is under the torturous rule of The Milksop and The Piper. The Adderhead’s daughter and rightful heir to the throne, Violante (also known as Her Ugliness) still hopes to gain power. Till then she loses herself in her books and the songs about the Bluejay while dealing with her son-from-hell,Jacopo.

All this sounds like a lot of gibberish to the first-time reader of the trilogy. But Funke has very kindly inserted a synopsis of Inkheart and Inkspell at the start. There is also an A-Z of the Inkworld. Wise to check them out before plunging in. Inkdeath is marvellous…if you are a true-blue book lover and have the patience to wade through a lo-ong and winding tale.

Alternate worlds are always delightful, especially when they are well-drafted out right down to the smallest details. The well-etched cast of supporting characters especially The Black Prince, Resa, The Strong Man, Elinor, Roxanne and Brianna reprise their roles with enthusiasm and unexpected twists. Besides the main characters…there is a delightful array of giants, glass-men, brownies, strolling players, shape-shifters, princes, noble robbers.....and villains; old, new and unexpected.

The story of course belongs to Mo and Dustfinger or to put it more aptly……The BlueJay and The Fire-Dancer.

Mo with his noble heart and kindness is effortlessly seamed into the roles of Silvertongue and The Bluejay. As a marauding robber, his sense of adventure battles with his true personality of loving husband, protective father and simple bookbinder. His spoken words still weave magic around all those who hear him…including the White Women from The Land of The Dead. He strikes a dangerous bargain with Death. And though we all like a happy ending, things seem pretty nasty for a very long time.

Dustfinger, the fire-dancer comes into his own in this book. Gone is the helplessness and utter despair that haunted him in the previous books. A new, self-confident Dustfinger emerges…with sparks dancing in his hair and shimmering on his clothes. Fire bends to his every whim and like a true anti-hero he works miracles around every corner. I personally, felt very happy to see a favourite character get his righteous due. And that for me…is a good book.

Good strong characters who wrestle with their conscience…come across insurmountable odds……reach the points of utter despair…but at the end of the day…rise like the proverbial phoenix to make all the struggle(and the 600-odd pages) worthwhile.

Inkdeath demands patience, a love for fantasy and a genuine appreciation for the written word.