Another year is coming to an end. I am not sure if I have to consider the birthday as the end of an year or December 31st as one. How much does it matter? Both indicate end of yet another period in life spent meaninglessly. At least till date, the lack of a direction and meaning in life has ruined year after year of happiness or sorrow, achievement or failure. At the end of each tunnel, irrespective of light or continued darkness, I have only gained one thing.

Experience.

Experience of being alone, doing things alone and choosing loneliness over company. Experience of being unsure of things, decisions that take longer than a girl choosing a dress for the farewell/freshers' party, a bride choosing flowers/dress for her marriage, or a guy choosing which toolkit to buy (stereotype alert!).

Bah! I thought I will get in some serious stuff here but as usual, the incongruous humor takes over. So be it. If life has to be a joke, played on self or others, be a bitch to me, let it be. I can't do anything but laugh and crib about it.

It's a journey I will cherish for a long time. These compartments are superb. The first train from Buffalo to Chicago was a single-tier one. But comfortable nevertheless, partly due to the lack of a traveler beside my seat (So I get the entire stretch). It started at 2am in the morning so nothing much to peek outside. Got some sleep, and I could tide over the 10 hours journey relatively easily (or sleepily).

Chicago Union Station is HUGE. Of course not as huge as an airport but, underground, well connected and well managed (as usual). But it was damn cold. My friend came down to meet me for the brief period I was going to stay there (train transfer). We went for lunch nearby and returned back just in time for the train to Osceola. California Zephyr # 5. The name itself sounded grand. And it was GRANDER. Double-deck cars with a sight-seer segment to look outside, huge windows, attached pantry and dinette services. The only sore point being no electrical outlets for seats (only two, but in the sight-seer area). Seating is plush with thigh support and feet supports. Leaning back-rest and ample amount of storage. Looking outside from the window of the upper tier is different. You are at a vantage height and it helps in taking some good photographs.

Though I haven't been able to click many, there is a huge potential. ;)

This route is said to be the most beautiful or the best among the rail tracks since it runs from mid-west (Chicago) to the south-west coast (San Francisco Bay area) through the Rockies, Colorado and High Sierras (what's that?). Unfortunately, my destination arrives even before they start, so I guess I have to make that trip again (hopefully this time with some good company). The whole journey, from Chicago to SFBA is about 29 hours and the sleeper (Superliner) coaches have individual private spaces with shower facilities too (WOW!!!!). But that requires a lot of greenery in the pocket.

The train sways and moves as any train does, but there is some beauty in this too (yes, am now boasting!).

Sigh.. no wireless so I guess this post has to wait till I get some Internet access at my aunt' place. Till then, this post has to wait.

Pictures will be posted here.

My company for the long journeys I have undertaken were three things or 5 if you are particular about it.

My laptop, for typing out such things, at the fag end of my journey, as well as the beginning.

My Sansa Mp3 player for smoothing out or complicating my moods (depending on the time).

And finally, 3 books. Darwin Awards, Disclosure by Michael Crichton and The Complete Short Stories of W.Somerset Maugham, IV. The Human Element & other stories.

I'd read Maugham's stories way back in school prescribed as text in english and somewhere else likewise. So when I went scourging for books in my library, this one sounded familiar and so I picked it up. (Why I am even boring you with this nonsense? As always, another useless question this one).

Anyway, if you can, read this one story called 'Virtue'. It got me in splits after reading this. Halfway through the story I realized the plot but it was nothing about the plot. It was the way he handled the story. One would feel bored to actually read through the story knowing the plot but trust me, the final treatment was just unbelievable!!

Go read!!!!!

On the other hand, if you don't find it as spectacular as I do, then I can't help it. Its perfectly normal. For, I myself, don't know why I am so taken by this one.

:D

"Hey, don't act smart, OK? Eh problem kya hai yaar"

Rani Mukherjee looks like proper prostitute, 2nd such role in a short time.

Appearing and disappearing nose-pin... shez so much better off without it though!!

Our poor hero doesn't wear one trouser for more than one scene!! Ear accessories change too!!

What was he thinking dancing naked!! Ewww!!! That's not even close to what actresses do!! :P

"Hai allah! Kitne acche bolte hai aap!!"

Salman Khan is completely dry in spite of sitting outside in the rain (in his first scene) !! He looks as if he just got back after a night with Katrina ;)

Salman has 2 different color lens?? And got choke-slammed by a running Sonam.

Designer BOOTS!!!! FUCK!!!

She resembled Bips in few scenes.. in fact a lot many scenes!!!!

Everybody and every-damn-body (word borrowed from someone's vocab) can whistle.. that too beautifully :P

OSO and Saawariya has one other thing common than Rani Mukh. Guess what?  - "Rock Star"

The choreography in the song on the eve of Id was gooooood!!!

As far as I remember, he never played the guitar in the movie!

Rani's final philosophy!!! Awesome!!!! Superb ending!!!

Samjho Raj!! Hame maaf kardo!! Salman tujhse bada actor hai.. hame maaf kardo!!!

Overall, the movie is heavy on heart and mind but simple on eyes. Timeless settings in the backdrop, not even once the setting mentioned its time or date. Looks like it was made almost exclusively for those lovey-dovey couples and art buffs, but has the universal appeal for a flop.

Haunting background score and a superb art direction make it a reasonable "one-time" watch (there might be people who would want to watch it the second time, I wouldn't.. unless of course).

Finally, another "hatke" movie like Black was. This time, the experiment may not have worked with the masses, but then, does Bhansali care? I don't!

P.S. This movie is the exact opposite of OSO. OSO had huge star power in the leading roles (Deepika could be considered more like a la Rani Mukherjee in Saawariya) a typical masala movie whereas Saawariya is the exact opposite.

I will admit, I was scared. Hmmm, I still am. But come on, give me some slack here, I am alone in this house now and frankly, Deepika Padukone (if not the settings) gave me creeps!!

Man! wasn't she awesome in the final scene (Original Bhoot one)!!! She was scary goooooooood!! (in that one scene only).

Ok, I finally saw Om Shanti Om. After sitting though almost 1.75 hours of nonstop Bollywood-ish fare, I was screaming No Shanti No!!!! But thanks to the some really good twists and acting, I enjoyed the last 15 minutes or so starting from the Karz type song.

Yes, after a long time, a typical bollywood masala movie! Given the recent "hollywoodization" of our movies and not to mention few good off-beat movies, this is surely a break, welcome or not, 'cos it is a TAKE-IT-OR-NOT, IN-YOUR-FACE bolly (I am developing an aversion to this word now) movie.

In the other events, both my roomies have left for their vacations leaving me alone, for 2 days. I will be soon leaving too, for Des Moines, Chicago and Indianapolis. We have a storm alert for tomorrow and day-after. Mid-west US already had its share of storms, iced-cities and power black-outs. And am heading right into it now.

It's 4.14am here, and I have no clue why I am writing this other than the fact that I missed writing. Pch!