On-and-off hookup with the popular iPhone (Amrita)

[I didn't suggest this topic for the month just because I will get to flaunt my iPhone ;) lol]
I got an iPhone around January 2008. It's been about 7 months and I'm in a love-hate relationship with it. I never seriously coveted the gadget may be because I never realised its impact on the people, just happened to buy it this because someone needed my old phone and I ended up having a new one. When I started using it, though, I felt power-packed. Even in New York City where every other person has it, still makes you feel good when you carry it around. Agreed the size is too big to fit in a girl's palm, but then again don't we make fashion statement with huge handbags (which are too big even for the maximum stuff we girls might want to carry)? When a friend had flaunted his gadget by showing me a YouTube video in Central Park, I had thought, "I dont need it, I need to infact stay away from so much internet and technology so I can give some time to actually looking at trees/nature or people-watching than staring at a techie hand-held." The surge of happiness I felt when I actually heard "ye jeena hain" from Khatta Meetha on my phone on the bus to my college: all thanks to the makers - Apple!

There is an easy access 'weather' feature which is really important a deal when it comes to dressing up for the day, so I just check it on the phone. There's 8 GB for my songs, so I don't have to carry an ipod along. There is internet, calender, thousands of photos (from my last india trip saved on my phone!) and the very cool Maps feature. Last time I took my mom to the Flushing temple, I had forgotten to take directions online, so I took them from the phone. Now, which other thing has ever impressed moms so much after spending $400 on them?


Though, about the 'hate' part, there are too many things like you cannot forward an SMS (which is so important for the desi mentality because we need to share cool jokes thru sms, even if it charges you!) How else are you going to cheat on an open-book exam in-class if not with fwding each other the answers? The camera quality is good, but it will not zoom in! And I miss the girlyness of my red colored Blackberry Pearl. It was so systematic, and it has a to-do list feature which kept me happy. The reminders were easier to set and it never gave any trouble. I've had to take this phone to Apple when the screen had jammed and wouldn't move. Apple refused to give me any service from my warranty because there was a slight scratch on the back of the phone. Its the kind of back it is, no matter what, it will definitely have scratches - you need to buy a cover, which makes it even bigger to handle!!

Phones of my past: I only had a basic Motorola in my 11th and 12th class in India (which was handed down to me from an uncle). It wasn't very expensive, but it was so elegant that I didn't feel too awkward to keep it on the table while out with friends, unlike the temporary very basic Nokia made me feel. It may not matter to us, but the onlookers, these college kids they have so much competition for rich gadgets and stuff.

Book Review (non-fiction): Benazir Bhutto's Autobiography (Amrita)

"Daughter of Destiny" is an autobiography of Benazir Bhutto. It's a very empowering book in a sense that its a real-life tale of a fight for democracy, and basic rights for the people of Pakistan. Benazir writes about her father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, how much politics meant to him and how involved he was in bringing a secular government to the countty. She writes about her childhood in Pakistan, her family life, her siblings, her education at Harvard and Oxford, then coming back home to Pakistan after graduating. She describes General Zia-ul-Haq very calmly, but you get the sense of how he had tortured, and murdered her father on the basis of wrong charges. I dont know how can one suffer so much and still stand upright. How much she herself endured, losing her family members one by one. She never gives in, she has the courage and it shows through her experiences. Even in the maddening Solitary Confinement for months, she maintains her sanity. There's a lot to learn and feel in this book, and its all fact, its non-fiction, so you get a taste of what really went on in Pakistan, with its people and with Bhutto family from July 1977 to August 1988. A full decade of military rule, forced on Islamization which was a twisted version of Islamic rules just to rule the people and terrorize them if they wanted to go against the Martial Law.

You cannot put the book down without its having a tremendous effect on you. I hadn't known Benazir's life and her work the day I saw the news of her assassination, I had felt sad but I did not grieve on the news. Now when I've known a woman of that courage, of that nobel nature to give even her life to at least give the people some basic human rights by democracy, of fighting against the bad, I now feel deeply hurt. What bold hopes she must have had to return to Pakistan in December 2007 when she knew how close she would be to death. Her life is an example of kind of an ideal life, read it, see for yourself that the life worth living is only a life of courage and honour and truth. She was assassinated on December 28, 2007 in a country where she had come back from exile, back to get into polictics and elections, with denied security from the President.

This is an auto-biography to read! It's not hard-core politics, so even if you're not at all political, its a smooth read taking you into the lives of people, their powers and their effects.

Moliere (2007) Movie review by Red Soul

I just saw Moliere (2007). Didn't know it was a French movie.. I was expecting English dubbing at least. This was my second French pick-up after La Dolce Vita, which was also picked up by mistake. I didnt finish watching La Dolce.. but I enjoyed Moliere, even in French. Well I did have english subtitles.

I always wanted to read the French playwright's other works after I studied his "The Misanthrope" in my Art of Drama class. He wrote comedies and farces. In this movie, he wants to write a tragedy, but the strange events lead up the way how Moliere became what he became, the master at comedy!
The plot is a fictional account of his disappearance for a while from the public society. The time when he was away from his acting troupe, is what is the movie about. He meets people who later form characters in his plays. The movie is filled with sweet dialogue, picturesque scenes, and sensible acting. My favorite part was when Moliere, played by Romain Duris, acts out three different horses to teach acting. He says "acting is more about feeling than appearances" to teach a very shallow guy Mr. Jordain. This Mr. Jordain is so awkward, totally tactless. Even the villain was great.

I totally loved watching it. Couldn't help myself but watch the making of it too on DVD. Makes me want to learn french right now so that I wont have to rely on subtitles for other such movies.

Instant Messaging and Me - Amrita (Red Soul)

I started chatting online when I was in high school. Since then, I've seen Rediff Bol, Yahoo Messenger, MSN, GTalk etc, and avoided some like AIM or AOL because they never really crossed path with me. It was a wonder in the beginning for me because I had never communicated openly with even my friends in school, and here I was: just username and password away from millions of fascinating people, all over the world, as if just sitting there, typing away to talk to me about their culture, their countries, their lives, their college grades or boyfriends/girlfriends. When it comes to something new, I always get greedy about it. I want to have it all. And such a platform was just what I needed to really start the process which I loved so much - observing people going through their lives.

I made some really great friends through IMs. With it, I've lived red and blue times (happy and sad times.. lol). At times in India, when my internet package used to get over, it felt like I was so far away from the world - I had to reconnect to my space, to my comfort zone which I had created in my messenger list, to keep in touch with my best friends that I had made online.

Instant Messaging and me are like best buddies now. I've shared good music through it, movie reviews and updated my to-read books lists all the time through chatting with friends. These days, who really has the time and energy to talk on phone. IMs are very convenient to keep relationships intact, without letting a lot of distance come between the people who mean a lot to me. I have grown as a better person through the things I have learnt from people, strangers or friends through this little chat software. I love Technology when it is used in the right way. (This is how I would have concluded my school essay on "Science - a boon to the society or otherwise?" :p ) Way to go IMs!!

P.S. Oops I missed Skype!! I remember I once had a chat with an elderly African American man who was still enraged at every mention of a blonde because of all the racism against blacks in the early years. It gave me an insight to a black American man's feelings in current world and it shook me. This was just before I was preparing myself to come to US to study. So you can imagine how IM touches you.

here comes Amrita..

Hello friends at BUF,

I am Amrita, your new fellow blogger here on this space. I live in New Jersey and study at a college in New York City. I'm 20 and interested in English literature, more than my major which is computer science.

Usually, I can talk at length about myself, but somehow this introduction post is something awkward to write. Probably because I've been surrounded a lot by other unwanted writing assignments like emailing professors or writing cover letters for the internships I want.

My birthdate is May 21 (Gemini) and my marriage anniversary is Nov 19. I love reading and I can remember favorite songs, quotes, dialogues etc. My college is very interesting because I had to take a variety of classes like Psychology, Philosophy, Contemporary History, Art of Drama etc. Except for these classes, college is a bore. lol.

I talk to my parents in India in about two days so you can tell how much a parents' daughter I am. You will know more about me through my posts here.

Last but not the least (Oh I so hate that cliche, but continuing) I am here on BUF because AmitL invited me to join this amazing new group of people who express themselves with words. Thanks Ishi for this opportunity to blog at BUF. I am looking forward to making a lot of good friends here. I'm keeping me real name as my user name here because I want to "keep it real", New York style. :)
I also blog as Red Soul.

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Current topic: My favorite time of the day

Choosing topics like this and writing about them is a very nice idea of removing the writers block. Let me see how my favorite time of the day as I write this post.

I guess it has to be the night (time of the day?). Yes, the time when I come home after a long day in the city and in college, is my favorite time. Around 11pm I come home and then there is dinner time and TV time! I believe I am a good eater, in a sense that I like to savour the flavour with each bite..

This time is very relaxing and refreshing because I get to watch my favorite TV sitcoms - Sex and the City, Fraiser, Will and Grace, Celebrity Apprentice, Lipstick Jungle, Comedy Central, just to name a few ;) .. This time is my own time, I get to paint my world with my colors, my favorite music or my thoughts - through the things I can do at my comfy little home.. I blog in this time, summing up the happenings of the day, I call home in India and speak to parents..

I love the peace of the night, and I study better somehow in that time. lol, I hope "night" can be counted as a "time of the day".