Directed by Stephen Daldry, this movie follows the life of a young 11 year old growing up in a small coal mining town where his Dad and brother have worked for their entire lives. He gets interested in ballet and starts to attend classes: and he finds he's particularly good at it.
It is a sweet good film and I was surprised to learn that Stephen Daldry also directed The Hours and The Reader - both superb films as well.
Jamie Bell, the kid who plays Billy was awesome. I liked everything about the movie and I recommend it HIGHLY. If you have not seen it - please do. It is 5/5.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Ancient Megastructures: Chartres Cathedral
It is amazing how much there is to learn out there in the world today. I didn't know about this UNESCO World Heritage site called Chartres until I watched this NatGeo documentary on ancient megastructures called Chartres.
It is a Gothic style cathedral made almost 800 years ago. Located almost 100 kms from Paris, it is shaped in the form of a cross. The documentary focused on the architectural features of the cathedral - many of which I didn't know about. I've seen Notre Dame in Paris but I had no idea about why the cathedrals in the Gothic style were shaped the way they were, the significance behind the butresses outside, the pointed archways, the blue windows, the rose representing Mother Mary - all this was new to me.
I hope to go and see this cathedral one day. It is said that Napoleon said that even an aetheist would feel uncomfortable in this place. It was meant to impress and astound and to show the power of the church, which was at loggerheads with the French aristocracy. The main issue: taxation of the areas around the Cathedral and the town by the church.
All in all a good documentary to see. National Geographic sure does do a good job with their documentaries. I hope to see a few on some Indian megastructures as well. I saw one on the Taj Mahal, but I really want to see one on Red Fort in Delhi and the Jama Masjid.
Another place that I've seen on Nat Geo is Cambodia and the Angkor Wat temple there. That looks superb and I hope to see Phnom Penh one day!!
It is a Gothic style cathedral made almost 800 years ago. Located almost 100 kms from Paris, it is shaped in the form of a cross. The documentary focused on the architectural features of the cathedral - many of which I didn't know about. I've seen Notre Dame in Paris but I had no idea about why the cathedrals in the Gothic style were shaped the way they were, the significance behind the butresses outside, the pointed archways, the blue windows, the rose representing Mother Mary - all this was new to me.
I hope to go and see this cathedral one day. It is said that Napoleon said that even an aetheist would feel uncomfortable in this place. It was meant to impress and astound and to show the power of the church, which was at loggerheads with the French aristocracy. The main issue: taxation of the areas around the Cathedral and the town by the church.
All in all a good documentary to see. National Geographic sure does do a good job with their documentaries. I hope to see a few on some Indian megastructures as well. I saw one on the Taj Mahal, but I really want to see one on Red Fort in Delhi and the Jama Masjid.
Another place that I've seen on Nat Geo is Cambodia and the Angkor Wat temple there. That looks superb and I hope to see Phnom Penh one day!!
Saturday, November 6, 2010
The Capital of Culture : Istanbul
This year, 2010, Istanbul has been labelled the Cultural Capital of Europe. And I was priviliged to get to see it!!
It was AWESOME - in one word! The Aya Sophia (Divine Wisdom), the Blue Mosque, the cruise down the Bosphorus - it was all amazing. I enjoyed seeing the Topkapi Museum, though it wasn't as big as I thought it would be. The views were amazing. Definitely a city one should see in one's lifetime.
I stayed at a very cutsie wootsie hotel near the main square called The Sultan Hill. It was just a stone's throw away from The Blue Mosque, and I thought the room was very nice and quaint. In the morning there was a huge breakfast feast to eat which I thoroughly enjoyed. The sights were nice to see and the visit to the castle overlooking the mouth of the Black Sea is something I will not forget.
I picked up nazar bandis from that small town. Euros were scarce and liras even scarcer. All in all, a trip I enjoyed.
It was AWESOME - in one word! The Aya Sophia (Divine Wisdom), the Blue Mosque, the cruise down the Bosphorus - it was all amazing. I enjoyed seeing the Topkapi Museum, though it wasn't as big as I thought it would be. The views were amazing. Definitely a city one should see in one's lifetime.
I stayed at a very cutsie wootsie hotel near the main square called The Sultan Hill. It was just a stone's throw away from The Blue Mosque, and I thought the room was very nice and quaint. In the morning there was a huge breakfast feast to eat which I thoroughly enjoyed. The sights were nice to see and the visit to the castle overlooking the mouth of the Black Sea is something I will not forget.
I picked up nazar bandis from that small town. Euros were scarce and liras even scarcer. All in all, a trip I enjoyed.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
It really takes it toll
Stress really takes its toll on the body without you even realising it!! It is amazing what one has to do in this life - at least that's what I think. One has to remain positive no matter what I think!!
I think that meditation would be a good way to counter stress. It would put the mind at ease and help you to bring shanti. But it may not be able to curtain a stressful situation. How and why are two different aspects.
The root of all that stress is to take on too much stress. One should try not to. The heavens will not fall when stress lands up. I think if one gets a good boss who doesn't give too much stress one should be happy!
Reading about topics that you like also helps to counter stress. I have a favourite author these days called Kathy Reichs and I've read most of her books. I really like these murder mystery books. It's all about bones and there are some anthropological bases that are covered as well. 206 bones in the human body btw.
:) :) Don't worry, be happy now!
I think that meditation would be a good way to counter stress. It would put the mind at ease and help you to bring shanti. But it may not be able to curtain a stressful situation. How and why are two different aspects.
The root of all that stress is to take on too much stress. One should try not to. The heavens will not fall when stress lands up. I think if one gets a good boss who doesn't give too much stress one should be happy!
Reading about topics that you like also helps to counter stress. I have a favourite author these days called Kathy Reichs and I've read most of her books. I really like these murder mystery books. It's all about bones and there are some anthropological bases that are covered as well. 206 bones in the human body btw.
:) :) Don't worry, be happy now!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Traınıng ın Ankara
I have been most fortunate thıs postıng sınce I have been sent to Ankara for traınıng!! So Im really grateful and happy for the opportunıty to wrıte from Ankara Turkey about thıs most charmıng country.
Fırst and foremost - Mustafa Kemal Ataturk ıs the maın person behınd the lıberatıon of Turkey and the one responsıble for ıts current modern state. It ıs amazıng and admırable how he ıs stıll revered and the mausoleum buılt ın hıs honour ıs a masterpıece. We were taken there yesterday as part of our tour of Ankara.
The cıty centre ıs also nıce as ıs the Anka Mall whıch ıdeally we could have skıpped consıderıng the prıces there were astronomıcally hıgh!! Cest la vıe I suppose though. I only bought chocolate!!
The food ıs not so good here though - I am eatıng aloo everyday and now I am quıte fed up!! Imagıne - me gettıng fed up of aloo!! YUCK!!
(I just found the comma key on thıs keyboard!!) Yeah!!
Thıngs are a bıt dıfferent ın Turkey. In Ankara, no one speaks Englısh or any other language. The book stores, of whıch there are many, only keep Turkısh books - on all sorts of subjects ıncludıng physıcs!! It ıs amazıng how much ımportance ıs gıven to educatıon ın thıs country - a lesson we can all learn ın Indıa as well. It ıs 79 on the Human Development Index compared to Indıas 134. Norway tops the lıst.
The traınıng has been ınsıghtful and really benefıcıal!! Plus Im really happy I got to come here. In a way, hard work does pay, though I really wasnt expectıng thıs!!
Fırst and foremost - Mustafa Kemal Ataturk ıs the maın person behınd the lıberatıon of Turkey and the one responsıble for ıts current modern state. It ıs amazıng and admırable how he ıs stıll revered and the mausoleum buılt ın hıs honour ıs a masterpıece. We were taken there yesterday as part of our tour of Ankara.
The cıty centre ıs also nıce as ıs the Anka Mall whıch ıdeally we could have skıpped consıderıng the prıces there were astronomıcally hıgh!! Cest la vıe I suppose though. I only bought chocolate!!
The food ıs not so good here though - I am eatıng aloo everyday and now I am quıte fed up!! Imagıne - me gettıng fed up of aloo!! YUCK!!
(I just found the comma key on thıs keyboard!!) Yeah!!
Thıngs are a bıt dıfferent ın Turkey. In Ankara, no one speaks Englısh or any other language. The book stores, of whıch there are many, only keep Turkısh books - on all sorts of subjects ıncludıng physıcs!! It ıs amazıng how much ımportance ıs gıven to educatıon ın thıs country - a lesson we can all learn ın Indıa as well. It ıs 79 on the Human Development Index compared to Indıas 134. Norway tops the lıst.
The traınıng has been ınsıghtful and really benefıcıal!! Plus Im really happy I got to come here. In a way, hard work does pay, though I really wasnt expectıng thıs!!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Red Square
Hmmm.... well, the CWG projects are not on track. Mani Shankar Aiyer's wish for rain has come down in hoards - even I carry my umbrella everyday to class.
I'm just very tried right now.
I've decided that I will cut out all the articles in the papers on law and stick them in my little scrap book - which I was maintaining for Economics but have stopped. Today's article on monetary policy and it's sluggish nature too shall be put there.
Red Square - what a way to go.
I'm just very tried right now.
I've decided that I will cut out all the articles in the papers on law and stick them in my little scrap book - which I was maintaining for Economics but have stopped. Today's article on monetary policy and it's sluggish nature too shall be put there.
Red Square - what a way to go.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Work
There is no greater sign that I have been working at office too hard than the fact that I have not read any book in August, September - and hence not updated my blogs - and that I have not done anything remotely recreational in these two months as pointed out by my lack of blogging on Mysteries of the World.
Having said that though, I think I unwind best when I'm watching television. There is one show - Bones that I watch from 10 to 11. 24 has also started but I'm not really too concerned about that. I find it cool though that Anil Kapoor is on the show. That's one of the primary reasons I watch it, though I find Jack Bauer's character totally macho and cool.
I saw "Letters to Juliet" over the weekend. My poor husband had to endure this 200% chick flick and he even admitted that it was NOT something he would have ever seen.
The last show of season 3's True Blood was quite a disappointment. It made me think that if I'd never watched the series it would have been a better idea. Too many loose ends, too many changes, and come on - wasn't the main point of the show that a vampire and a human were in love???
Must get back to work now. Lunch break is done!
Having said that though, I think I unwind best when I'm watching television. There is one show - Bones that I watch from 10 to 11. 24 has also started but I'm not really too concerned about that. I find it cool though that Anil Kapoor is on the show. That's one of the primary reasons I watch it, though I find Jack Bauer's character totally macho and cool.
I saw "Letters to Juliet" over the weekend. My poor husband had to endure this 200% chick flick and he even admitted that it was NOT something he would have ever seen.
The last show of season 3's True Blood was quite a disappointment. It made me think that if I'd never watched the series it would have been a better idea. Too many loose ends, too many changes, and come on - wasn't the main point of the show that a vampire and a human were in love???
Must get back to work now. Lunch break is done!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)