The Voice In My Head…

Now don’t misunderstand me - especially not after my post on ‘Godly Porn’

I have a Viral Flu… was home really sick all day… and though I did go out to check up with the doc, still feel terrible. Am now on antibiotics. Darn.

Been sleeping most of the day & still feel like I need some rest. Double Darn.

Well the Holy Week came & went.. all in all the services were good.

Maundy Thursday our choir (Sun 10am) sang for the High Mass. The Mass went well, singing was great & the music was great [so I'm told ] - I accompanied them on the new keyboard bought by the church; a Yamaha PSR 650. Don’t know why they went in for the 650 - in Tabor we were using the 1000 about over a year ago & a friend told me he just bought a 2000!!

More on Yamaha Keyboards here.

Khush joined me for the Good Friday Service as well as the Easter Vigil . After the latter of the two, went for a BBQ at Andrew (D)’s place to celebrate his birthday & Easter.

Stayed for a while before proceeding for a quiet dinner at Frangipani at the Hilton. Did a couple of places (Indigo, Lobby) after that too & basically had a nice time

Started Easter Sunday, with a second Mass (!!) as I had to play for the regular 10am Mass.. Followed that up with Trevor & Aloyna’s baby Trinese’s Christening et party.

From there went directly to A. Chris’ for family lunch. It was really great as the whole of mum’s were there - and the two who were missing Sim & Karl, both called up & spoke to everyone

Had a bit of shut eye for less than an hour & caught up with dear Gail for a lovely walk at Bandstand, followed by dinner at Thai Ban. Khush joined us after dinner & we went for a drive to Juhu before settling back at Barista Bandstand for coffee & a great game of scrabble [dig graves ] until early in the morning.

Running a website, I receive daily mail from strangers all over the world… unfortunately having my address posted on the website, means that I also receive spam daily (though now have a very good spaminator).

Yesterday I received a mail from the webmaster@oldstonechurchonline.org the subject of the mail was “RE: god blessed kids”.

The entire mail containted nothing but links to porn - and that too, child porn…

While I was trifle irritated with myself for not recognising it as spam (big clue - a RE in the subject line, when you haven’t sent a mail to that person/org), it really got to me that these people were using a holy sounding email address & targetting people like me (though frankly am not sure how many million others may have recd this mail)…

I decided rather than checking out the porn links, to check out the website & it was REAL…

http://www.oldstonechurchonline.org is an actual church that is in NJ. I was further appalled… imagine - someone can now use your website url as a base to send porn links to others…

I wrote to the church’s real web admin (& copied it to the office) & the Pastor of the Church immediately wrote back to tell me that they were taking the necessary police action.

All’s well that end’s well?

Unfortunately not.

Who’s to know how many sick ppl are still using holy sound addresses (like in this case, from actual websites) to further their ulterior (& evil!) motives….?

And is there a permanent solution to this problem of receiving unsolicited porn into our homes?

Had another looong day today (gosh it’s been a tiring weekend - sometimes I think I need a weekend to recover from the weekend!)

Started the day off with Palm Sunday Holy Mass. Was feeling terribly weak & would have ideally slept late (praise God I didn’t go out last night) but seeing as I play keyboards for the choir, got up & going. As such, sat down most of the Mass - esp. during the gospel which was the Passion reading.. even as I sat there my mind couldn’t help but picture Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ, scene by scene, as it was being read out. Must watch it again before Good Friday.

After Mass felt a little better. Had plans with parents but was called out by some friends (with pleas of “please please come”) so ended up having a silly brunch at the Carter Rd Cafe Coffee Day. Note: Def. do NOT have the veg. pizza - big time terrible.

After that we had originally planned on having lunch but since we had anyway just eaten, decided to go for a movie instead. 4 of us went to Fun Republic & finally got to see “Meet the Fockers”

Before I review the movie, would like to say a word about Fun Republic. Though I’ve been there twice before, never really went in as there weren’t any movies playing that I wanted to see. Got to have a good look around this time though as we were about a half hour early for the 3.15pm show.

Since one of us insisted on playing a silly little jigsaw puzzle game (part of a shampoo promo) & couldn’t play to save her soul - I stepped in & won her a “free shampoo-ing”… yes - not a free Shampoo but a Shampoo-ing. Yeah right. Like ANYONE in their right mind would want their hair shampooed by some weirdo promo strangers just before going to see a movie in an AC-ed theatre.

Unfortunately though, my friends are NOT in their right minds & were insisting that I go get it as I was the one who solved the puzzle.

Mercifully I was able to convince them I would do it after the movie (yeah RIGHT…). We also managed to have the time to browse the book cum CD store & I bought the “Bombay Rockers” CD for one of the guys who really wanted it. Along with the rest of Bbay’s party crowd, I really love the “Teri Toh” song (which is actually called “Rock Tha Party”) - it’s really hard to get out of your head… After the movie blasted it in the car all the way home.

Teri To, Teri Ta, Hamesha Yaad Satave
I dont know what you’re saying but all I know is that I came to party!
Teri To, Teri Ta, Hamesha Yaad Satave
I dont know what you’re saying but all I know is that I came to party!

The movie itself was good fun (review following this post).

We ran home afterwards though - no time for that shampoo - “Oh, how sad guys” (tee hee)… as the other three all hadn’t gone for Mass. Made it just about in time but not before making dinner plans.

Was so zonked though that I cancelled last minute. Think I’ll just make it an early night - have a meeting tomm morning & a long week ahead. All in all, a GREAT weekend.

Let’s start out by saying I loved “Meet the Parents”. I also have noticed 2 things about movies I’ve been to:
(01) Sequels rarely match up to the original (ok, so this is not an uncommon observation)
(02) Whenever a movie is over hyped, I sometimes expect too much from it & it ends up not being “all that” eg: “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” which I saw after everyone else in the universe (who all told me that I “must see the movie”)

So “Meet the Fockers” really started off with both things against it - much like poor Gaylord Focker (Ben Stiller), who seems to have destiny itself against him. Fortunately for both Stiller’s character & me, the movie turned out to be excellent! I totally loved it!

It was a laugh a minute riot! The characters have all grown up; maturity wise (including the cat - who now can flush as well as use the potty..!) - except for Pam’s dad (Robert DeNiro) who’s still active with his spy-toys. I especially loved Dustin Hoffman, who I thought was excellent as Gaylord’s dad Bernie. Barbra Streisand who plays his mum Roz the sex therapist is great too.

Won’t say much else - except GO SEE IT!! If you like comedy this is a must see!!

Now on a more pensive note, Part 1 was “Meet the Parents” (where Gay meet’s Pam’s parents) , Part 2 was “Meet the Fockers” (Pam & her parents meeting Gay’s parents)…. any ideas on what - should it be made (given the fact both movies are box office hits) Part 3’s plot would be? And what it would be called?

Yesterday went out with Nishit & Sujata for lunch - who to quote Nishit “insisted on coming & being a Haddi” to “The Noodle Bar” at Kala Ghoda. Had the Prawn Pasta. Was more Punjabi than Italian but tasty nevertheless (hey, I’m Indian after all)…

In the night had dinner with dear Priya at Olive. Was really good to catch up with her after so long. She’s now insisting I join her & holiday in Maldives in the coming month.

After dinner joined Khush & gang (big group; more than 10!) at Seijo . From Seijo we hopped over to Zenzi (where I met an old college friend Mikhail, who apparently DJs there).

After a while at Zenzi we decided to move on & go to town. Didn’t happen quite as one would have liked - it took the guys a whole HOUR just to move…

Finally arrived at Lush (High Street Phoenix). Was there till it shut & moved on to Rah (on the upper level). Must comment on them both here - Lush is Absolutely Pathetic… it felt like bacchalok ka day out - too many unhip college types & phirangs. Also the DJ was playing terrible music - what Simone would have termed as “Druggie Music”.

The DJ at Rah on the other hand played good music to a point (later he kinda went into Enigma-ish DJing style). Enjoyed myself at Rah (unlike Lush) but finally (at around 4am) decided I had enough of music.

So we left the rest & went for coffee (ahhh!!! just what the doc ordered!!) and great Pizza at Vista’s at Taj Land’s End.

Came home maybe by around 5.30am to mum who greeted me with a “Is this the time to come home?” - lol (I replied with a “Good night mum” Slept for around 4 hours (till 9.30am) but couldn’t sleep anymore after that.

Had to take Toby to the vet (he’s terribly sick) & so made a trip of it & took Stacey for her shots as well. Came home & parents( &maid) vamooshed to Khandala.

Had originally planned to get a Pedicure & maybe see to my hair (note to self: call Ram), but think I’ll settle for a Mask & a nice long afternoon nap

ser·en·dip·i·ty

(01) The faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident.
(02) The fact or occurrence of such discoveries.
(03) An instance of making such a discovery.

Been meaning to watch this movie for ages now… and really have to say that I loved it completely!!

Due to Toby (my Dalmation pup) being ill and parents being in Khandala, I had to change a lot of my plans for today. Anyway, as destiny would have it I ended up watching this lovely little pic on Destiny… and it’s funny ways.

Being highly romantically inclined (& why not, I say?!) I was swept off my feet by this film… it was just delicious. I was also somehow lulled into peace knowing at the right time, the right guy will come into my life!

In the meanwhile, guess I’ll have to wait to meet the Fockers.

Maybe that’s what destiny has in store for me.

(Mandira Bedi & Samir Soni in “Anything But Love”)

Was dying to see Raell Padamsee’s “Anything But Love” since it opened & today was the day it finally happened.

Unfortunately the play didn’t turn out to be half as good as I hoped. There were some nice jokes & the plot was overall a good one (estranged couple who keep bumping into each other), somehow it didn’t quite happen. And towards the end it even dragged on a bit.

Afterwards had a lovely time though. Though 5 of us went for the play, only 4 of us made dinner plans (Ram had a night shift). The four of us went a little crazy, driving from St. Andrew’s Audi (where the play was) to Yoko’s, Santa Cruz.

Then hearing it had a minimum one hour waiting period.. we thought “Let’s do Dynasty” (which was next door).. but no. Decided to head down to “Kobe’s” (back to Bandra)… before we reached there though we get a call from the other car - now it’s “License to Grill“… which was for an unknown reason - Closed! lol

So finally the four of us got into one car (easier to argue & cheaper than using cells) & agreed (wonders of wonders) on “Out of the Blue“.

It was fabulous, we enjoyed our starters (a great Fondue) and also the Stakes (though I had a veggie pasta). All in all a fun night!

Still recovering from Murphy… (was in bed most of Thursday after I posted & all of Friday with unbearable shoulder & neck pain), I went to the doc to check on the shoulder. It was already better but I thought it was worth checking into. Muscle Spasm apparently - and apparently nothing that could be done about it. Humph.

Visited Arthur with Sean. Arthur’s on his way to Goa & we all sat down & prayed for his work to be successful. Also dropped into Jorden’s & for a quick bite at Barista before heading home.

Night was U. Cyril’s (pre) bday celebration at his home. The boys were unbelievably naughty & were insisting I sing (there was a live two piece band) something right from the time I came in. Ultimately sang “Hello Dolly” (!!!) - the mic was shoved into my face & I was sooo forced into it. As if that was not enough, I got an “Encore Encore” (yeah guys, enjoy yourselves at my expense). Sang “Words” this time, by my choice.

After that went to Seijo’s with some of the kids & then out again to Lobby, (though not all of us) before calling it a night. Recovered well from Murphy, me thinks.

Little review on Seijo for those who haven’t been there yet *By the Business Standard, India

The A-list of all the new, stylish places you can check out, without counting those in the five-star category — though the likes of Wasabi at the Taj, Mumbai, and 360o at The Oberoi, Delhi, have pushed the envelope

Seijo and The Soul Dish, Mumbai: Despite an ill-advised attempt by the municipal corporation at razing the “illegal” mezzanine floor of this three-month-old Bandra restaurant, it continues to rock. Popular as much for its Bollywood crowd as for its Asian cuisine.

My take:
Please go there! It’s worth the visit even just to check out the decor & the LOOs which are free standing egg shaped & tres cool!!