55 Questions

55 Reading Questions ( Courtesy bookedformonths.tumblr.com )

Here are the questions, Answer them under comments. Let it be a fun ride!

1. Favorite childhood book?

2. What are you reading right now?

3. What books do you have on request at the library?

4. Bad book habit?

5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?

6. Do you have an e-reader?

7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?

8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?

9. Least favourite book you read this year (so far)?

10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?

11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?

12. What is your reading comfort zone?

13. Can you read on the bus?

14. Favorite place to read?

15. What is your policy on book lending?

16. Do you ever dog-ear books?

17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?

18. Not even with text books?

19. What is your favourite language to read in?

20. What makes you love a book?

21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?

22. Favorite genre?

23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did)?

24. Favourite biography?

25. Have you ever read a self-help book?

26. Favourite cookbook?

27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?

28. Favorite reading snack?

29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.

30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?

31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?

32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?

33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?

34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?

35. Favorite Poet?

36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?

37. How often have you returned books to the library unread?

38. Favorite fictional character?

39. Favourite fictional villain?

40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?

41. The longest I’ve gone without reading.

42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.

43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?

44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?

45. Most disappointing film adaptation?

46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?

47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?

48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?

49. Do you like to keep your books organized?

50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?

51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?

52. Name a book that made you angry.

53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?

54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?

55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?

Decoding Deadender speak - Part 1

Hello fellow Deadenders and all other souls who have stumbled upon this post. I, Sniper Assassin, am planning to go on a little R&R (for the uninitiated that is shortened form of rest & recuperation) this long Vishakh day weekend. Before that I decided to start this blog post and leave it at the mercy of fellow Deadenders.

Before I proceed further about this blog post I bring a motion to collectively call the contributing authors of this blog as Culs-de-sacers (today I and Madiba>> Profile here>> were discussing the word cul-de-sac because of this post, and voila we actually figured out that cul-de-sac means a deadend in, believe it or not, French!). I sincerely hope this motion passes unlike the some of the laws in our Parliament.

This is meant to be a group blog post, where anyone and everyone can contribute (when I say anyone, anyone with the admin rights). This is basically a list of culture references the Culs-de-sacers will use in day to day life, and also in their writing, which for the not so closely associated readers will mean absolutely nothing. That's right, zilch unless we have this wonderful list of references and the reasons.

So I shall start this list and I expect everyone to add whatever they feel is relevant.

1. When we say Captain there is only one Captain we are talking about. Not Captain Vijayakanth, nor Captain Arjuna Ranatunga, but Captain Jack Sparrow. So get on the with the program.

P. S: If you are going to use the name of Jack Sparrow without the Capt. expect a Cul-de-sacer to correct you by saying it's Capt. Jack Sparrow.

2. When we speak of the Diary, suffice to say to we are NOT speaking about Anne Frank's Diary. We are actually speaking about ..... Bridget Jones' Diary. Even though some of us have read Frank's Diary, at this stage of our lives the probability of us relating to the latter Diary is more than nominal.

So this is it from me. I expect the others to continue with the various references. Ciao.

Some obscure awe-gasmic movie moments

Recently I had the good fortune to see the Avengers movie on a 3D cinema hall. It was absolutely brilliant, well it was brilliant at that time, with all those hi-fi gadgets, stunts and gymnastics, and prowess of the superheroes, Tom Hiddleston and Robert Downey Jr. umm.. you get the gist of it right. But when I reflect on it in my mediocre dorm room the memory seems awesome, but the plot line.. not so much. In essence, the awesomeness of the movie moves away from the plot line to the moments in the movie that our brain is capable of remembering.


So basically, what I am going to do in this post is to list the totally awe-gasmic movie moments in some obscure movies or obscure scenes in famous movies. I will try to find the Youtube videos which are there and try to link them up as well. If you have not watched these movies before please be warned that this post contains spoilers.

1. Wanted

This movie is panned by some of my friends just because it has James McAvoy. But I loved the movie. The movie is about a sceret society of assassins called "The Fraternity" (now you see why I have placed this movie at the top of the list) and how it's members are instruments of fate. The movie introduces some novel concepts like, the path of bullet maybe bent, flies maybe shot with guns, and time is not constant for everyone, that it maybe stretched and shrunk as one wishes it. It's a totally awesome movie. And add the fact there is lots of shooting and people dying, brilliant!


There is one scene which is entirely from another planet, the scene where Angelina Jolie and McAvoy have a competition, where whoever takes a flag planted on a bridge wins the race and mind you all this whilst on top of moving train. The scene was completely surreal. I am sorry I could not find that particular scene, but here is the theatrical trailer of the movie.

2. The Quick and The Dead


As far as Westerns go, this move is not talked amongst the same league as the Man With No Name trilogy but it had some very very awesome moments. It has Sharon Stone, who is more known for her ahem ahem other movies, Gene Hackman, Russell Crowe and a very young Leornardo DiCaprio. 


The awesome moment comes right at the end of the movie where there is a stand-off between Crowe and Stone, and someone has to kill the other. Only one survivor is allowed and Crowe kills Stone, or so we think. Anyway, I love the advice Crowe gives Stone; Listen to the tick, watch with your ears. 
Here are two scenes from the movie.

I love the waiting in the movie, the quickness of hand slights and of course Russell Crowe. 


This is it for now. I shall update this post sometime soon with the rest of the awe-gasmic moments I have in mind. 


Part 2


3. Collateral 


OK, seriously what's not to love about a pepper and salt haired Tom Cruise who comes as a hired assassin? But the movie bombed and God only knows why. I find the movie exhilarating simply because the idea that you resolve yourself to killing for money is a wonderful notion. And then there's Jamie Fox who comes as a taxi driver who has more intelligence that what is good for him. It all adds up to a wonderful movie. Then there is this one scene which takes place inside the taxi whilst Jamie Fox is driving it, right after Cruise has killed four people. There is this one line Tom Cruise says which is just awesome


Get with it. Millions of galaxies of hundreds of millions of stars, in a speck on one in a blink. That's us, lost in space. The cop, you, me... Who notices?


Here is the scene below.

4. 

Office talk

I'm sitting in a place surrounded by people who don't like me. At least as a professional. the moment I leave the room and shut the door behind me I could here a buzz breakout. A bit stupid I should say because if someone wants to talk about someone without that someone knowing shouldn't they wait till the door shuts properly?

Maybe I should give a lesson or two about the Art of talking behind someone's back.

 Lesson Number 1: Do not look up, immediately turn your chair and stare at your computer screen for a few minutes before you resume your normal work, when the person enters the room.

 I thought that was basics? 

I'm not against gossip/talking behind someone's back because hey, I do that all the time. And when someone tearfully declares to you "why didn't you come and ask me to my face?" well I simply say if I do, either you won't give me an answer or you might for obvious reasons lie to me or you might say "it's non of your business".And well such disappointing answers simply don't fill my curiosity.

However I'm against spreading stories which you know to be are lies. Or saying something with certainty without first clarifying yourself whether it is in fact the utmost truth.

However,

 Lesson Number 2: There is an easy way to over come this problem. Simply add a clause in your statement. For example" A told me this about B. But knowing A I don't believe it 100%) And you have done your part and your conscious in clean (mostly)   ; )   

Of course the people in my room would never read this blog. So I guess there is little purpose in this. 

Tata! (sending happy waves from my office...even though the transmission is likely to be interrupted by the hate atmosphere resonating so heavily in this tiny room)

Hello!!! (fellow EDS and other lucky people who have come to/stumbled across our blog)


I usually find myself spectacularly tongue-tied when I'm expected to say something useful (or perhaps it's pen-tied in this case), so, uhh..........
What??? No smileys? (Did you know about this Sniper Assassin???)
Anyhow, I'm sure we'll all get a kick out of referring to each other by their pen-names. Other advantages could include feeling like you're doing something productive, when you're, in reality, procrastinating doing something else that actually needs to be done.


So long!

Hello helloo hellellooo!!!
 Nice to be releasing my thought waves (or boxes or particles) in to a small box.
Right now I'm wondering why blogs are called blogs. Does it have a meaning?

Hello Beautiful Blog-World!!!

It's a gorgeous double digits day here in Edmonton and there's nothing more relaxing than sitting on the patio with Watson and enjoying a bottle of cold Früli while the sun's rays warmly penetrate my pale skin. The aroma of my Chettinad chicken curry seeps out into the air through the slightly open kitchen window is just heightening my excitement to savor the delicious dish. Unwinding and relaxing on this beautiful Sunday afternoon....I hope the rest of you are doing the same :)

வணக்கம் and Hello World!

Finally!!! after procrastinating for months we have started our blog.

Our leader wanted us to write an introductory note and I have no idea how to start. So I thought of giving a brief introduction about my display name. வண்டுவார் குழலி (vanduvaar kuzhali) is the name of Lord shiva's consort at Thirumarugal, A Hindu temple  built by the Chola King Kosengannar. My profile picture is an image of the Mahabalipuram shore temple built by Narasima Pallava in the 7th Century.

I have always been fascinated by History and anything related to History be it Architecture, Literature or Religion. I am also an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva. I think my display name represents all things I am passionate about.

Ok now I am clueless again and have no idea how to continue this post, so till we meet again.... bye bye

Finally.....

So here we are finally...putting our many talents to use with our very own blog. This is definitely the place for us seven awesome (if I  may say so myself) young professionals to let loose and have our fun.  As this is my first post I want to mention Johnny Depp here, he's really been an inspiration, no kidding ;) the rest of my girls know what I mean right ;) I welcome all of you to our wonderful rantings on life and everything else........

An awesome windy Saturday Morning, Perfect to launch a Blog of soon to be epic awesomeness. A salute to all of us!

Jest awhile

First and foremost a hearty welcome to all of you homo sapiens reading this. This is more of an introductory blog post since this is the first time all seven authors (they will get here, eventually) are involved in a group blog. So, wish us luck. This more of an artistic outlet as much as it is an ode to freedom of expression. So enjoy the ride as much as you can!