To My Friends & Family Enjoying Turkey, Pumpkin Pie, Cranberries, Stuffing & Sweet Potatoes Today...

...ok I better stop now before I make myself drool. I, unfortunately, will most probably dine tonight on rice (sigh!) and chicken from the office canteen. So, please do spare a thought for me as you are stuffing yourselves with your feasts. :) Wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving-may you realize you have a lot to be thankful for!

The Night of Thanksgiving

TWAS THE NIGHT OF THANKSGIVING, BUT I JUST COULDN'T SLEEP
I TRIED COUNTING BACKWARDS, I TRIED COUNTING SHEEP.
***
THE LEFTOVERS BECKONED - THE DARK MEAT AND WHITE
BUT I FOUGHT THE TEMPTATION WITH ALL MY MIGHT
***
TOSSING AND TURNING WITH ANTICIPATION
THE THOUGHT OF A SNACK BECAME INFATUATION
***
SO, I RACED TO THE KITCHEN, FLUNG OPEN THE DOOR
AND GAZED AT THE FRIDGE, FULL OF GOODIES GALORE.
***
I GOBBLED UP TURKEY AND BUTTERED POTATOES,
PICKLES AND CARROTS, BEANS AND TOMATOES.
***
I FELT MYSELF SWELLING SO PLUMP AND SO ROUND
'TIL ALL OF A SUDDEN, I ROSE OFF THE GROUND.
***
I CRASHED THROUGH THE CEILING, FLOATING INTO THE SKY
WITH A MOUTHFUL OF PUDDING AND A HANDFUL OF PIE.
***
BUT, I MANAGED TO YELL AS I SOARED PAST THE TREES...
HAPPY EATING TO ALL PASS THE CRANBERRIES, PLEASE.
***
MAY YOUR STUFFING BE TASTY, MAY YOUR TURKEY BE PLUMP.
MAY YOUR POTATOES'N GRAVY HAVE NARY A LUMP.
***
MAY YOUR YAMS BE DELICIOUS MAY YOUR PIES TAKE THE PRIZE,
MAY YOUR THANKSGIVING DINNER STAY OFF YOUR THIGHS.
***
HAVE A SAFE AND WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING!

Jaan-E-Mann

So I went to see a Hindi movie in the theater today-the new Salman Khan movie, Jaan-E-Mann(Sweetheart): Let's Fall In Love...Again. I feel that I should state right here that I am not a Salman Khan fan. I think this is due, in a large part, to the opinion of one of my friends who had a large influence on my Hindi movie-watching experiences. ["What's this movie?" "Chori Chori Chupke Chupke."* "Who's in this movie?" "Salman Khan. *disgustedly* I wonder if he'll take his shirt off in this movie too?"**] But, from my own personal opinion, if you look at his eyes in many of his movies he looks like he's on some sort of drugs.

Anyway, despite the fact that it was a Salman Khan movie, one of my friends convinced me to see it. He adores Salman Khan, and he's already seen the movie like 4 times, so I didn't feel too bad about asking him to translate it all for me. It was a typical Hindi movie-love triangle, family interference in true love, lots of singing & dancing (though no wet saree scene). And, it was a typical Salman Khan movie because not even a half hour into the movie, he rips his shirt off.

However, the part I found most interesting was the Indian movie representation of New York City and of New Yorkers. (I think that having the characters visit NYC is the new trend in Indian movies-see also Vettaiyadu Vilaiyadu). In this movie, the two heroes get out of a cab in NYC to find the address of the heroine. They meet a guy (an American) coming out of her apartment building and they ask him if they are at the right address and he starts giving out all sorts of personal details about her: "Oh, you must mean the sweet and pretty girl that lives right next to me" etc to these two strangers! And she lives alone! Plus, the dialogue for all the Americans was rather stilted, not the way we speak at all! Then, there is a fight scene where Salman Khan single-handedly trounces six tough guys...in the middle of Times Square! I mean, come on, do people really think it's like India where you can pay everyone to look the other way while you beat someone in public?

I don't mean to sound negative, though, because I really did enjoy the experience altogether. I do have a certain love for Hindi movies, no matter how bad they are!

*Secretly, Quietly
**Of course he does.

In case you missed my voice...

I've been waiting to leak this for quite a while now, but I had to check it out while I was in the US...

"If you are calling about N***** Anti-virus 2007,

please press 1"

Over the past month or so, I have been recording the new IVR menus for one of our clients. (I'm being a little vague about it cuz I'm not sure if I am allowed to share this, but I figure, hey, I didn't get paid any extra for it, so why not get some enjoyment out of sharing it!)

"If you are calling about N***** Anti-virus 2006 or

N***** Anti-virus 2005, please press 2"

It was kind of fun...especially since they chose my voice over Tim's after the first recording! :) But, I have to admit, after listening to the recordings, I can now recognize that I definitely have a regional accent...and a Rochester accent on top of a Pittsburgh accent is not necessarily a good combination...

"If you are calling about N***** Anti-virus 2004 or earlier,

please press 3"

I was actually kind of disappointed when I checked it out at home and found that you have to pay to even hear the menu options; however, when I got back to India, I recorded another one, which anyone can hear. 1 800 927 3991 or 1 800 441 7234.*


*Please note that, at this time, the first voice is not me, but the second voice is....in case it has been that long since you've heard my voice. :)