news

What a terrible news day. I am seriously considering adding chocolate as a major food group. First, the news from Sri Lanka is awful, and it seems as though there is finally going to be a conquering, with the Tamil Tigers about to be decisively wiped out. What will happen to Tamil civilians, Tamil IDPs is yet to be known. Only the vanquished remember history, someone said. Then news that the bailout was rejected and the Dow fell 5% in a day, in A DAY! If the bailout doesn’t succeed (and the problem does not seem to be the version of the bailout, but the principle of it, as many members of Congress seem ideologically opposed to it on both sides of the aisle), then the country, and the world is in for a serious, serious recession, approaching Depression-like proportions. And I don’t use the D word lightly. And what else? McCain seems to be up in the polls post-debate, and my personal life is also blowing up.

autun

It's been a busy few weeks in New York. The weather is changing too, with surprising rainstorms that bring the hint of autumn in the air. The city is waiting for the first nip in the air that signals fall, and certain trees in Central Park are already changing colour, heralding fall. Autumn is my favourite season of all, the kiss before dying (I am currently enamoured of that phrase).

Today I saw a trailer for Revolutionary Road, by Sam Mendes, with DiCaprio and Winslet, and it was set to my all-time favourite song, a spooky, ghostful rendition of Wild is The Wind by Nina Simone and it was the first time i've ever seen that song featured in any commercial movie, ad, tv serial whatever. I'm sad, because I thought it was all mine and now everyone is going to be downloading it off iTunes.

eat, pray, love

“People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that’s what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. A true soul mate is probably the most important person you’ll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then they leave. His purpose was to shake you up, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light could get in, make you so desperate and out of control that you had to transform your life.”

Eat, Pray, Love.

Again and Again

Again and Again

Again and again, however we know the landscape of love
and the little churchyard there, with its sorrowing names,
and the frighteningly silent abyss into which the others
fall; again and again the two of us walk out together
under the ancient trees, lie down again and again
among the flowers, face to face with the sky.

- Rainer Maria Rilke

Mr. and Mrs. Iyer

I watched Mr. and Mrs. Iyer last night, a Hindi-Tamil-Bengali movie directed by Aparna Sen, about a young Tamil Brahmin girl who falls in love with a young Muslim man during a bus ride through communal riots between Hindus and Muslims. Although it was slow at parts and the cinematography absolutely abysmal, it was absolutely moving, poignant and sad. Rahul Bose, where have you been all my life? This is the kind of movie I want to make, with actors that know how to act, and with a subject matter that deserves wide exposure, and that needs to be treated sensitively and analytically. More than the issue of religious intolerance, the poignancy arose from the forbidden affair between a married Tamil woman and a Muslim man, who shows her how beautiful life can be.

election

I vowed that I wouldn't blog about politics in Election 2008, as opposed to 2004, as faithful readers of my blog will no doubt remember (in fact I remember persuading one faithful reader to hold a sign in an election rally in Paris for Kerry-Edward). Because it's just futile and emotional and utterly useless.

But. The entry of Sarah Palin in the race is just so bloody infuriating, especially now that the Democrats have a real chance of losing. As Tom Friedman says in today's article: If John McCain can win after 8 years of Bush, and a terrible economy; then the Democrats deserve to lose. But I'm also tired of this logic: that somehow the election was Gore's to lose in 2000, Kerry's to lose in 2004 and Hillary's to lose in 2008. Guess what? THEY ALL FUCKING LOST. And what chance does a black man have against a redneck crowd?

I cannot imagine, but am terribly fearful, that it's real, that the Republicans are going to win for another 8 years. Another 8 years of the same kind of policies. (And for anyone who thinks that McCain is different from Bush, I have got an earful for you.). Jesus.


We're holding an Election Night party up here in Harlem. Time will tell if there're going to be tears of joy or sorrow, but there're definitely going to be tears.

random

I enrolled at the Digital Film Academy yesterday, for a sixteen week evening film making program, including some basic lessons in sound, lighting, cinematography and camera work, as well as working with some real actors (albeit struggling waiters). I have to conceptualize a ten minute work, so am looking for ideas, and if you have any, send them over! Am thinking about a five minute music video (set to Bollywood music of course), and a five minute public service announcement type of thing.... but we shall see.

Am also thinking of joining a writer's room, but it occurs to me, that I only have a finite amount of time in the next four months, and there is a limit to its elasticity. Other than that, have been traipsing about, discovering the new neighbourhood of Hell's Kitchen, (very nice), and of the Upper West Side. Very soon, I shall be reduced to blogging solely about my consumer experiences and nothing else.

Last night was a rousing night spent throwing popcorn at the television with my room mate, as we watched John McCain deliver his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention. Everytime we saw a black man or woman, or an Indian man or woman cheering, we'd say "Traitor!! Shut up and sit down!". But I have to say that Obama is soon going to have to face a decision over whether he is going to go into the gutter with them, or if he can win without it.