Flashback 2012...

A quick recap of my 2012 before waving off a final good bye:

January - Car Hunting & M's birthday celebrations

February - Car Booking & House hunting

March - Finally Car brought home and new home setting

April - Took Driving classes

May - Serious thoughts to blogging and started devoting time to my blog

June - Nothing great happened except the heat

July - Tickets booked for Diwali

August - Visit to Ahmedabad and My birthday celebrations

September - Lots of shopping

October - Friend's Engagement & again lots of shopping

November - Visit to home for Diwali, Our marriage anniversary, Seen JAB TAK HAI JAAN (not so impressive) 

December - Christmas Celebrations, Friend's Wedding

Time to welcome new year full of hopes and aspirations :)

Goodbye!!! 2012...

Its Party Time :)))))

Loads of Love

Cocktail of Thoughts...

It seems just yesterday when our gang was storming their brains to decide upon the theme and color code for the new year party 2012....and today as the year is almost bidding goodbye with 2013 knocking loud...I feel that time really does fly and more so when we want it to hold on.

2012 has been fairly okay for me with its share of mixed moments of good and not so good times.

My black beauty aka my car became mine after months of contemplation and frustration of deciding which one to buy. It is a different feeling and yes owning a four wheeler is not a luxury anymore.

Happy Birthday to my BLOG...Imprints of the MIND.....I entered the blogging world in Dec 2011 but have started putting stuff here from May 2012...So going by the writing phase its still midway but going by the records...my blog turns a year old and here is me wishing my blog a very Happy Birthday....

I have seen a number of movies..both good and bad and like the movie buff I am, any movie has to be damn irritating to-be not liked by me...so you know my choice...I can watch any damn movie except few but in theatres of course...at home I have lot more other options and engagements..also 2012 gave a wide variety of movies....some very good ones with excellent social messages.

Attended a good friend's engagement and wedding...and believe me it was fun...reminded  me of my own wedding...same anxiety, confusion, planning, budgeting...lots of shopping.

This year has witnessed a lot of deaths of some very popular figures and yes many others of course. Life is short, so enjoy it...and whoever you may be....everyone has to face the same fate. Ya, sounds philosophical but its true.

There has been increase in the crime rate...deaths, kidnaps, rapes, murders, extortions...The latest being the brutal gang rape case of Delhi..This all saddens me. Makes me think that no place is literally safe for girls and why parents are right when they say they are more worried about the girls than the boys..the logic stands clear apart.

The inflation has touched a new peak. I have come to realize this as I have felt this in my daily routine. Sugar has risen from 16Rs/kg to 40Rs/Kg, Gas cylinder increases four times the rate I remember...from 100 to 430 Rs....Petrol has become priceless...and is continuously doing so. What irks me is that our salary is not increasing in that proportion and our hard earned money which we pay as the so called taxes is adding to the bank balance of the corrupt politicians.

Lot of other events have happened across the year but these are few which I can think as of now that have been directly or indirectly added to my memory.

So my 2012 was ok ok..How's your been?

Love

Bollywood 2012 - My Bests & Worsts...

2012 has been great for me as far as movie watching is concerned. I & M have seen number of movies...handful of them planned and a number of them unplanned. As 2012's last big banner and the most awaited movie 'Dabangg 2' is released now,  the filmi pundits have also gone on a new year break.  This year had its share of  some mind blowing hits along with some mind baffling ones too. Here are my picks of best and worst of 2012 from Bollywood.

MY BESTS

ENGLISH VINGLISH: Being Gauri Shinde's debut film, this one is hard to be unliked by anyone. Sridevi, in her comeback movie, has done fabulous job and has proved her acting talent yet again. Truly depicting the emotions of a woman who wants to do everything possible to please her family only to be humiliated by kids and husband for her speaking skills. Truly a mirror of society. Hats Off Performance by Sridevi!

OH MY GOD: Another fantastic movie which is a brave satire on commercialization of religion and God. Fabulous acting by Paresh Rawal. This movies preaches to believe in GOD not to follow traditions blindly. The way to God's heart is by helping the needy not by spending money in temples. Wonderful message :)

VICKY DONOR: Totally out of the league with an all new star cast, this movie can be termed as the most hilarious movie of the year made on a sensitive topic like sperm donorship. It has spread the message in a very light yet convincing way. Fabulous acting by handsome Ayushmann Khurrana and ever charming beauty Yami Gautam. Also special mention to Annu Kapoor.

BARFI: This film by Anurag Basu proves Ranbir Kapoor as the scene stealer. No bold dialogues, no loud music, this movies echos the silence of its two main protagonists. A perfect example showing the celebration of life. Standing ovation to the charismatic appeal of RK. Priyanka also does a fabulous job but her acting skills could have been extracted for more. But a must watch different love triangle with  refreshing set of songs. Paisa Vasool!!!

KAHAANI: An amazing suspense thriller, with a beautiful Durga Pooja backdrop and an unexpected ending. Vidya Balan has rocked in the movie. This proves that if the story is strong, film can be a hit inspite of a male lead. Be it the story, the dialogues, the narration or the acting, the film excels in all. Truly an award winning performance. 

Not to forget Jab Tak Hai Jaan (special mention as it is a SRK movie :D ), Gangs of Wasseypur ( not yet seen but going by the general acclaim), Talaash, Dabangg 2, Ishaqzaade.

MY WORSTS

AIYYA: Don't know what was Rani Mukherjee thinking while signing this film as her comeback. Poor story and script has let down the audience. Nothing much to say about the film just that this can give a shock to your mind. Awful...Aiiiyyyyoooooo!!!

DANGEROUS ISHQ: Again a bad choice for a comeback. Too less of a time to depict a story spread across a timleine of 500 years. Karishma is a superb actor but her skills get wasted here. Nothing to offer. Jimmy Shergill looks cool but has only a limited role. Don't dare to watch.

JOKER: Another mindless film with nothing to offer. Not expected by Akshay Kumar. Perfect example of how too much madness spoils the movie. Dont watch if you want to avoid a headache. Event the aliens would be amused at their picturisation. Total Bakwaas!

HEROINE: The much hyped and controversial film of Madhur Bhandarkar finally banked on Kareena Kapoor's shoulders. But there was nothing new. Earlier it was fashion industry and now its film industry. Rest is the same. This cannot be expected from an award winning director. Kareena Kapoor looks glam and classy but lack of good screenplay & direction spoiled the film. Over-hyped...

KHILADI 786: Go to the theatre after keeping your brain and logic at home as there is no need for both of them. Mindless comedy and mindless action forms the part of the film. Akshay Lumar should now go for something serious. Picturisation is colorful and I like the songs. The worst logic is the story of Akshay's family. Total paisa & time wastage...

There are many in the list but these are the most highlighted ones? Is your list something different from this? Wanna share with me :)

Bollywood Rocks!!!

Jaago Mohan Pyare...

I just don't like getting up too early in the morning. I am a night person.You ask me to be awake all night and I would be up like an owl but to get up early or rather really late night (for me) is just not my cup of tea...I set up four alarms to get up in the morning. If I have to get up at 7 then my alarm starts at 6.30 then 6.45 then 7.00 then 7.15, just in case, if I missed the last ones. Two days later, I have a 6 am flight to board for my friend's wedding and I am loosing my sleep over it now only. A 6 am flight means, I will have to get up at around 2.30 am to get ready in time with my  last minute packing and to have my refreshing cup of tea without which I feel I am sleep walking.  Whether I sleep early last night or late, it's always difficult. Sometimes I think to get up at 2.30, I should not sleep at all but foreseeing the busy days of wedding I have decided to take a quick nap to rest my ever wandering eyes.

Apart from this hard task, I am really excited about the trip as I love to attend marriages and its long ending affair of rituals & celebrations. Really looking forward to it. Will update on the details of my trip later.

I swear I will never book an early flight.  Getting out of bed so early is the hardest challenges of the day. 

Ain't this funny !!!

Just remembered this quote, slightly twisted but quite apt in today's scenario...

"Early to rise, and early to bed, makes a man healthy but socially dead...."

Ciao till then :)))

I want to LEARN...

A few days ago when I saw a person playing guitar in a mall, I was just enthralled by his performance. His fingers were giving birth to melodious music. That made me realize, how much I wanted to learn guitar but somehow never found out time. So I thought to write down things which I want to learn and make sure that I manage to take out little time for myself to know them one by one.

I WANT TO LEARN:

Dance - The several reality dance show presenting skilled dancers has invoked in me the burning desire to learn a dance form. This has been my wish from my school days. I fancy Salsa but also feel that the classical training is a must to know the intricacies of basic dancing and to acccustom the body to various dance forms.

Guitar - I had always wanted to learn a musical instrument, either a synthesizer or a guitar......and decided on  guitar when I saw that Mhmd. Rafi's song 'Kya Hua Tera Vada' from movie Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahi......in which Tariq Khan is playing guitar along with Rishi kapoor in the frame. Remember that song? Ya...very old one but one of my favorites :)

Baking - I wish to learn baking one day and make some really yummy mouth watering cakes, muffins, cookies :) and to decorate them

Stiching - I want to learn some basic stitching as I am or rather M is tired of my unending visits to my tailor almost every other day for some alteration.

Whistle - I know this might sound funny but this I so want to learn to be able to blow a super powerful whistle.

Foreign Language -  I want to learn at least one foreign language out of the main four European languages like German, French, Italian or Spanish...Which one should I learn has not been decided till now.

Swimming - I wish to learn swimming for two reasons. One is that for learning the art and second which is more important is to save me from drowning first and then someone else...No, I am not being selfish but its just that I have to be safe to save somebody.

There may be some additions to this list as the time progresses, but for now these things are what I want to learn in my life. And I promise myself to take out some time for my aspirations.