ESCAPING TV: Work yourself to sleep theory

Work yourself to death all day, let the sweat flow, let your mind drag itself ploughing through; let creativity get the whip on the back, be your own slave all day; that by evening you are crawling to bed.


There...you see the result!

SURRENDER TO TV: INDIA _ PAKISTAN DELHI TEST MATCH : SHIFTING SCALES DUE TO BLUNDEROUS CRICKET

THE TURNING POINT: Ganguly gets Misbah caught in the deep on the third day of the test match ( November 25) that led to restricting Pakistan to 248 in the second innings; India were set 203 to win on a pitch that had no demons in it for a determined batsman

The first test match ended today morning with India acquiring the remaining 32 runs for the loss of Saurav Ganguly; won by five wickets.
I finally succumbed to TV as the second day and the third day showcased enthralling cricket. But a match that must have gone down the wire, was marred by lacklustre fielding and bowling by both sides. More noticeably, Pakistan had no fire in their bowling except for Shoiab Akhtar.
On the third day, Pak batsmen just gave their wickets away, trying to slog sixes like one-day cricket..
Where are the bowlers like Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis who set up such exciting contests...?


Tendulkar and Akhtar share a water bottle after India won the first test on a cold November morning (November 26)


Akhtar engaged in a humorous duel with Tendulkar


Indian captain Anil Kumble poses with his man of the match award for his captainship and bowling


Indian team members applaud as Sachin hits the winning runs on Monday morning (November 26), India required only 30 odd runs before the start of the fourth day's play, with six wickets in hand

PHOTO COURTESY: CRICINFO and AL-JAZEERA

TV WAR: FIGHT BACK: THE COMPLETE PEANUTS : THE ART OF CHARLES M SCHULZ

On an idle afternoon, I bought myself the first volume of the enjoyable and endearing comic strip Peanuts by Charles M Schulz, titled - The Complete Peanuts(1950-1952). The publishers claim to have collected every Peanuts comic strip ever made.

Lovingly designed, the volume is a great companion for lazy, back from work evenings, alternative to being a zombie before the TV.

The special thing about the first volume is that it takes us to where it all began.
Charlie Brown looks different, Snoopy is an unnamed dog and the other characters make their first appearance.
You can also notice where Bill Waterson got his inspiration for Calvin and Hobbes; one thing noticeable is that the early Charlie Brown drawings have similarities to Calvin.


The 1957-1958 volume of the collection

Fighting TV: lost battle

It was a lost cause when my family left the battleground all open for me.
They went on a two day trip to Mumbai. I could have accompanied them but then decided that this was the time to test myself.
Hour one, goes to the TV.
HOUR TWO
My arms are laid.
HOUR THREE
I do not surrender. I change sides.
HOUR FOUR
The devilish TV soul has taken over my body.
HOUR FIVE
FINISH

ENDNOTE
Round 2 begins now. November 19, 2007. 1800hours.

Escaping TV: Go to the cinema: Om Shanti Om: disappointing

Yeah, I ended up watching the Hindi Diwali film release Om Shanti Om on Friday afternoon.
Yeah, the same Shah Rukh Khan one. Like formulaic Hindi movies go, it was a cold evening when the show got over.
Farah Khan has great ideas in setting up comedy, the celebration of Hindi cinema, this can be seen in the Filmfare awards scene - the only light moment of the second half.
The first half lights up with the fervour of the 70's cinema. But whenever Farah goes for drama and more drama, the goings are torturous to say the least.
The fault, if one say so in the satirical script that follows Subash Ghai's 1977 reincarnation hit Karz, and takes itself too seriously.
That is it for short, a great idea as Farah's first film, but the mix of drama, spoof and comedy doesn't flow convincingly.

Too much has been made by Manoj Kumar of the supposed ridicule and insult made of him in the film. The scene is funny, celebrating the actor's style rather than mocking him. Placing the story on the Times of India front page seems more like a advertisement than anything.

FIGHTING TV ADDICTION: ha ha ha

Ha ha ha, laughed the family on my suggestion of doing away with the satellite TV service.
I suggested that we embrace World Space Radio and only watch movies on TV, that is on weekends.
HA HA HA
The family fell off chairs, tried getting up and fell down again.
For a start, this was me versus the TV, and the temptation of joining the family when they sat like logs before the Satan incarnate...

14/11/2007
18:30 hours

KICKING TELEVISION OUT OF MY LIFE: Day 1

I am only more and more convinced of television killing us quietly.
Every time I press the remote control and vile away hours switching channels, the feeling of being a slave is more evident.

Here is a petition that is available on the net:
________________________________
To: The government of the world

TV is corrupting the minds of our world. Without TV, there would be so many less deaths in the world, and everyone would be more peaceful. TV is responsible for so many deaths around the world, and, a rare fact that not many people know, World War II was actually started because of TV. And the more recent war on Iraq! TV is evil, surely. TV will one day take over the world, and we will be mindless sheep who don't even notice so! This day will come, it is prophesised. Also, I don't have cable. And that sucks. So please, help me with my goal to BAN TV WORLDWIDE ONCE AND FOR ALL!

Sincerely,
The Undersigned

_________________________________

Thing is, it is easier to sign a petition than to give up television.
My only reason, it kills our minds, our time, kills us alive, if not make wars or cause death...


So..
My time starts now.
My subsequent posts will document my adventures in fighting this invisible devil.

Will I be able to resist the temptation to give up my source of voyeurism and obscenity?

What changes shall I see, for worse or for better?

Let's see...

The festivals of lights: the light of knowledge and thought

My senile computer shall require upgrading for me to post my village travel photos and posts, that should take a week or more. 

Happy Diwali to all. Do not induce the Earth to wear a gas mask and a hearing device because of loud and smoke filled crackers. 

Diwali is the season of getting together of old friends and relatives and beautiful light. My introvert behavior ensures things will be different. 

The lighted oil deeps (not 'deep' of the English language) does illuminate the senses with comfort and awareness, dispelling fear and ignorance. That is Diwali for me; the incentive to change.

VILLAGE TRIP CURTAIN RAISER

OCTOBER 23
I TURN 25 YEARS OLD; WE LEAVE BY THE 5:30 BUS TO MANGLORE,KARNATAKA.

OCTOBER 24
11:30 HOURS
WE ARRIVE:I AND THUNDERMAN.
WE DO NOT KISS THE NATIVE SOIL.
OUR DESTINATION, TO MY UNCLE'S PLACE AT SHIRIYA, KERALA.

OCTOBER 26
12: 30 HOURS
TRAVEL TO ULLAL, MANGLORE TO MEET MY GRANDMA. THE WELL SWELLS WITH WATER, THE FALLEN BANYAN TREE LIES HUGE, BROKEN AND SCATTERED.

OCTOBER 27
BACK TO SHIRIYA,LOCATED 10O METRES FROM THE SEA SHORE.

OCTOBER 29
18:30 HOURS
BACK AT GRANDMA'S PLACE

OCTOBER 31
17:10 HOURS
A SHAVE AND A HAIRCUT AT THE OLD VILLAGE BARBER SHOP. WE TALK, AND THE BARBER REMEMBERS MY GRANDFATHER AND MY UNCLES BEING HIS CUSTOMERS.

NOVEMBER 1
14:40 HOURS
WE CATCH THE TRAIN, TRAIN JOURNEYS ARE WONDERFUL. EXTRA LUGGAGE: 25 COCONUTS IN A GUNNY BAG AND LITRES OF COCONUT OIL.

NOVEMBER 2
6:30 AM
WE HURRIEDLY ALIGHT AT PANVEL, MUMBAI AND BOARD A STATE TRANSPORT BUS TO PUNE.

9:35 AM
WE ARE IN A TRAFFIC JAM. LOTS OF SMOKE, HONKING HORNS, A RUNNING AUTO METER. JUST LIKE "HOME"?

From tranquil stagnancy to self destruction

Hello to anybody out there who reads my posts.
It is very hard to believe anyone reads these pages, just as hard it is to believe that life exists outside our planet.
Welcoming me from the village trip to Pune today morning, was Carbon Monoxide. Felt it in my breath again, stranded in the traffic, the auto meter snapping at my purse all the time.
Travelogue dairies shall follow.
Goodbye till then....