Portrait in Sepia by Isabel Allende

Good book, the summary at the back of the book is terribly wrong . They just talk about the last chapters. This book is like an interesting history lesson. It's about Aurora Del Valle, she talks about her grandmother, her parents, then about her life. Set in the early 20th century. It's quite interesting the way she talks about her marriage, her lover, her memories. Well written, finished it in 3 days. Praise:It is an intimate examination of the inner lives of a woman and the canvas of Chile and San Francisco. A family epic described through the eyes of Aurora (because she was born at dawn), full of eccentric characters.

Good book but I'm also sure that are other novels by Allend that are even better

The Palace of illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Gifted to my by Ridhi on my 24th birthday last year, Palace of illusions is a novel based on Mahabharat, Draupadi's version. Sort of historical fiction, actually more like mythological fiction or novelised mythology. It's well written and told me a lot about Mahabharat, I knew it in bits and pieces but not the whole thing, so that was nice.
One thing I really liked was that Divakaruni doesn't dwell too much on the biggest and most famous parts, so there's no feeling of being repetitive and boring. The book starts of very well. Interesting and refreshing & for me very informative on mythology. This book actually started my trend of reading mythology. Draupadi comes across as a strong character. This I feel largely stems from the fact that she is not portrayed as a super sweet, beautiful, self-sacrificing and obedient woman. That alone makes her  interesting and real. She has definite choices, likes and dislikes, anger and love. Makes Draupadi a character we can relate to. One of us, just set in ancient times.
I think Divakaruni had a very good plot to begin with, her descriptions and her narrative style is very good. It's hard to tell such a famous story in a new way. A way which makes it more compelling for women. Who ever thought of Mahabharat from Draupadi's perspective, she was always a side character who makes the story go forward. Just a tool, not someone you think about too much. But this book changes that, you actually see her emotions, she is human.
Now that I have praised book enough , I have to say that this book doesn't go into my favourites book list. Somewhere near the end of her book she loses steam. The writing doesn't hold your attention as before. The intensity wanes. There are a few other points I can't remember as I read this book last year.

Plains of the Wolf by Con Iggulden

Plains of the Wolf by Conn Iggulden is the first book in the Conqueror series. It is about the journey of Genghis Khan.

It's a good book, slightly slow on the pick up but carries on to become very interesting and engaging. If anything I would describe it as an almost page turner, almost like Sidney Sheldon's books, with the exception that this book has a soul, it has depth. It's historically quite accurate, all the more reason to like it. He writes well, crisp, to the point and never overly verbose unlike Christopher Paolini in the last books of the Inheritance Cycle. Clearly a much more seasoned writer, and a stronger story to tell. That would be the advantage of writing historical fiction, you don't need to invent worlds and a true story is usually the root or inspiration of our imagination. There is only so much we can imagine, if we imagine a dragon it is mostly what we already know about a dragon. Exception exists but many literary fantasy worlds lose their steam after the first book itself. Historical fiction takes you to a part of ourselves, of our history that is now alien to us. Terribly captivating. After my Philippa Gregory phase about the Tudors and Plantagenets, it seems this could be a new obsession. I would recommend this to everyone who likes adventure books. 

This blog still exists

Now might be a good time to change my blog name from Irregular Ramblings to Once-a-year Ramblings.
What can I say in my defense  Nothing except that i's hard to write without a PC and internet and even harder when you don't know what to write.

My resolve for this year is to write as much as I can and not really bother about how it sounds. This part is of course easy as I have built up my readership to a steady zero.

Words that flow out my mouth are not always poetic or insightful they are sometimes thoughts stemmed from boredom but as I now endeavor to write something people might want to read, I would want something genuine and honest if not always gripping posts.

So to all my future readers or existing readers (if they still exist or if I manage to force people to read this blog :p), kindly share your thoughts on how to keep blogging.

Hasta la vista baby

Wisdom from a lost soul

And here are pearls of wisdom from a mom to her kids:

 1-Never feel guilty for moving away from me, for traveling or going on an adventure. I want you to leave me, to travel far away and only send a post card once in a while. I didn’t birth you to burden you. I birthed you to release you. My love is here whether you are two feet from me, or 20,000 miles away, go be you.

2. Check in with yourself when you leave someone’s presence. Ask yourself, Do I feel uplifted and happy? Or, do I feel depleted and lethargic? If you feel uplifted, the person you were just with is a supporter, keep them around. If you feel depleted, the person you were with is an enemy to your heart, don’t associate with them and make no apologies.

3. Clean your room. How you keep your space, is how you keep your mind. When things are neat, clarity will walk with ease.

4.There's nothing people find more attractive than kindness and sensitivity , rather than mouthy and domineering types

5-Get out of your comfort zone, even if that's extremely uncomfortable. Boats are always safe in the harbor. But that's not what boats are built for." So sail away, even if the waters are choppy and the territory uncharted...you'll be amazed at what you learn about the world and about yourself...and through it all, cherish the handful of people you can always depend on to throw you a life preserver when you need it the most.

6-.If you only remember one thing, remember this: You are the most important person in the whole world. You determine your own direction, and if you trust your own compass, you will always remain on your path. 

Invictus by William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

Update on my life

I haven't blogged in so long that blogger had time to change and it's disconcerting to find how white everything is and how I have to search for small things but still the upgrade is very welcome.


Have you ever noticed how we all promote middle class values and take pride in it. Of course by we I mean everybody who is middle class and the biggest brand ambassador of it Miss Ekta Kapoor and all her dreadful shows. How we have our accomplishments based on merit and yada yada. It's all great because I am from a middle class family and never did I feel even for a second I am inferior to the elite (not that I met any) nor did I feel I have to own brands to belong. But one of my friends told me I'm posing as a middle classer, showing fake modesty she told me I'm from the High-society minus the money. I don't know what to say, what is that supposed to mean? How can you be rich without money?!! Sometimes people say the most stupidest things and you're left thinking about it until it hits you: they're nuts.


I got a blackberry torch a while back, and now I'm busy downloading all the coolest apps:

Like Shazam: to recognize the song playing in a pub or a movie, I've wanted this for the longest timeEvernote: can help you keep notes, very cool because you can search images and do loads, 'm still discovering it
Indian Recipes: just in case I discover a hitherto unknown desire to cook
Guidepal Paris,
Whatsapp messenger: you can send free smses between using your number between people who own this app
Deezer: for music duh
And the mother of all applications meant only for girls so guys skip the next few lines: it's called Period Deluxe Calendar( IP free is also good) it allows to keep track of menstrual cycle, you can save the symptoms according to day, and it will tell you when you are due, how many days are left, on which day are you, how long do you last, and best of all it has a password to open it, so if your phone lands in children hands they can't access it


Other than that I've made new friends and I'm really sad I met them only now before leaving...but still it's fun


My mom and all my rishtedar are after my sister to get married, it was entertaining to poke fun at her in the beginning years but now it's such a boring topic. After all if a girl is not married she is not happy or settled and is a "burden" on her parents. If you ask me the girl is very happy before marriage and goes in for hell later. My own personal views, you don't have to agree. Now my mother is saying now it's my turn, that she'll get me married, so that my sister in a fit of jealousy will get married too. Wow. Just amazing. Getting people married so that they live unhappily ever after is the obsession of every aunty I know. I think it's a bit sad that if my sis doesn't want to get slaughtered I should become the next bakra. But if you're a Desi girl you have to go through this.


Other than that I'm searching ways to get fit. I tried looking into the Kareena Kapoor diet, but I think I'll have to buy the book which I'm really not keen on doing. I may be over-weight or a voluptuous babe but that is no reason for people to give me unhelpful tips on how to lose weight. Waise bhi I cannot tolerate unsolicited advice. Advice, fundas, gyan that come at the drop of a hat. EXCUSE ME!!! BUT IS IT WRITTEN ON MY FOREHEAD THAT I WANT TO LISTEN TO YOUR RUBBISH?!!!!!!


That's all for now folks,Peace Out

Nice Song

Vampire Mania

Is it just me or is being a vampire the new fad. Vampires, Werwolves everywhere. First it was the twilight craze, now it's Vampire diaries. Whewwwwww now people actually want to be bloodsucking vampires, and notice how they are unbelievably good looking too. I want one of them too now!!!!
Of course now they are depicted with a conscience (Angel),as a vegetarian (twilight) and very much in love (the vampire diaries). It's the eternal love story, doomed from the start, good versus evil, dark versus light, human versus vampire. It seems to work predominantly for girls in their tweens, teens and a few adults.

DSK

Does anyone remember the Tiger Woods scandal, how when one affair was revealed it led to a deluge of one-night stands coming to light. Now it seems the same is happening to Dominique Strauss Kahn, one case just got done (although they are appealing), and now there is Tristane Banon accusing him of attempt to rape in 2003. At first it seemed she was milking this opportunity for publically bashing DSK, but now she has come with tangible proof and not just her own words. People were doubting her word because she is accusing him now 8 years later. Now to top that, his previous affairs are coming to light, all when he was married, first an employee at the World Bank, and now a jurist who said she had a year long affair with him. Another blow on his already hugely tarnished image. Now I can't help wondering if all these accusations are real. Cheating, multiple affairs, manipulative, asshole he defintely is but rape is another thing, you really have to be depraved to sink to that level. I can't help feel bad for someone who represented a lot of hope for people who were against right and extreme right gaining power in France. The only person happy with this development, indeed possibly throwing parties would be Sarkozy and the UMP, he was about the only strong person in a imploded PS party. He was highly respected, spoke with clarity about dense economic problems. His interviews show how charming he was, he could charm viewers through a screen, so in person it was lethal. People would be chanting his name for the presidential elections for 2012, now of course they spit on his name. Over active libido ruined his career , his image. I can't comment if he actually raped the girl, because initially I didn't believe it at all, so high was his integrity considered, but now I am less and less sure at his morals. Somebody who did so much for development could be a closet scum bag is hard to digest, could the opposition party be behind it. I don't know and most likely not. More comes to light and we will be able to know beyond a shadow of a doubt what exactly he is capable of.