This is me - Right here!

Some interesting facts that nobody (including me) knew about me and I was blessed enough to learn from www.blogthings.com

My Russian Name is: Parashie Galina Morozov
My wrester name is: Jade Wildcat (!!!)
If I was one of the Brady Bunch I would be:Marcia Brady- Confident yet kind. Popular yet down to earth. You're a total dream girl. You've got the total package - no wonder everyone's a little jealous of you.

The planet I should rule: Saturn - Saturn is a mysterious planet that can rarely be seen with the naked eye. You are perfect to rule Saturn because like its rings, you don't always follow the rules of nature (damn straight!). And like Saturn, to really be able to understand you, someone delve beyond your appearance (Ahem!). You are not an easy person to befriend. However, once you enter a friendship, you'll be a friend for life. You think slowly but deeply. You only gain great understanding after a situation has past. (On some planets that is called 'slow').

If I was a cake I would be: Marble Cake - Eclectic, inventive, and peaceful.
You are never willing to accept what's "normal." You live to push the envelope.
You find it hard to make up your mind. You prefer to have everything you want, right away!
(I was really hoping for Tiramisu, but I guess it doesnt count as a cake!)

If I was a flower I'd be: Yellow
What kind of pie I am: Pumpkin (Yuck! for my sake I hope it is butternut) -
Which English speaking country am I: New Zealand (Yippeekayayyy!! and a tad scary how accurate that is!)

My Inner Blood Type is: A (and other 'famous' personalities with the same inner blood type are ...wait for it... Britney Spears and Hitler. Now I am going to take this as a sign, because this 'Hitler' thing has come up one time too many. I did a test online to see which famous someone-or-the-other my personality was most like and it came up with Hitler. I am more than a little disillusioned.)

My brain colour is: Purple (and this has nothing to do with 'preferences', on the contrary it had very nice things to say about people with purple brains!)
My French Name is: Louise Faure

So there we have it, simple yet very complicated. Im rather glad I have a simple name and didn't choose to become a wrestler. I am also thankful to whatever determines the odds that I ended up as me and not a perishable, flora or a dictator! However, Louise Faure does have a nice ring to it, I might use it as a pseudonym under which to publish.

It ain't over till its over...

Watched 'Rocky Balboa' over the weekend. I was very sure this was the fourth in the Rocky series but now I know better!
Verdict - I liked it! Especially these lines.
The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very rough, mean place… and no matter how tough you think you are, it’ll always bring you to your knees and keep you there, permanently… if you let it. You, me or nobody ain’t never gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit… it’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward… how much you can take, and keep moving forward. If you know what you’re worth, go out and get what you’re worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit.

So true, so true. Even though Stallone delivers the lines with his usual Italian drawl (overly exaggerated with age this time!) the message is loud 'n' clear. In fact I think this is time it has been spelled out - the 'message' was present in them all!
We left the movie thinking it was worth the money and wondering if we should wait with baited breath for a Rocky vs. Terminator.
Anyhow, so I am progressing with 'The Kiterunner' and slowly the pieces of the puzzle are falling into place to reveal a very gory and disturbing image. The book tells a tale of fathers and sons, relationships amidst the growing turmoil of the final days of Afghani monarchy to the present day atrocities. I was very curious about whether this story drew from the author's life and so naturally, I googled it. Turns out, this is KH's first published novel and he is a medical doctor by profession. His second novel is due to be released in May '07. No mention of disturbing goings on such as in the book but it does not take a great deal of imagination to understand the horrors that people of that land must have been subjected to during government coups.
I would completely recommend this book but it is not for the faint hearted. I wonder immensely at hearts and minds of people that cause war and hope to draw from it a victory. Nobody emerges victorious from war.

How much land does a man need?

Just read a short story by Tolstoy (ref: blog title for title). Who am I to judge the works of such genius - but for whatever its worth, it is brilliantly written. Tolstoy writes with such vigour and passion. It is almost like somebody shaking the vices out of you - revealing so basic a truth that you wonder how you missed it.
I have had a wonderful week thanks to the Annual Workshop. I am not at liberty to give away many details but I can say this. Once again we were driven off to exotic Murramarang Resort near Bateman's Bay (South Coast) for three days and a night. We wined and dined with some bright minds in the business.
The South Coast is beautiful and teeming with flora and fauna. Wallabies frolicked outside my cabin which was amidst the wilderness (the big wigs had the beachside cabins!). So late last afternoon I set off armed with some towels and a book to read on the beach. It was peaceful (relatively) but for some crazy Danes snorkeling! I read The Kiterunner, while I still have a long way to go, the first quarter is very well written. I also proceeded to fall asleep on the beach - sun surf 'n' all! Something that counts as a first, in spite of having spent nearly a decade in New Zealand. Try it, you'll like it (New Zealand and sleeping on the beach on a warm, sunny afternoon).
Right now I am experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Oh! to be back there ... 'No worries' however, Ill be off on another conference soon. C'est La Vie.

Confirmation

Disclaimer: The writing below is not my own work. It has been copied and pasted here for your reading pleasure. The views and opinions expressed are in agreement with my own but need not be in agreement with yours. The gross generalisations apply to many - dead and alive however they might not apply to you. Especially if you are female. Enjoy!





"Lord, I have a problem."

"What's the problem, Eve?"

"I know that you created me and provided this beautiful garden and all of these wonderful animals, including that hilarious comic snake, but I'm just not happy."

"And why is that, Eve?"

"Lord, I am lonely, and I'm sick to death of apples."

"Well, Eve, in that case, I have a solution: I shall create a man for you."

"Man? What is that, Lord?"

"A flawed creature, with many bad traits. He'll lie, cheat and be vain; all in all, he'll give you a hard time. But he'll be bigger, faster and will like to hunt and kill things. I'll create him in such a way that he will satisfy your physical needs. Well, more or less. He will be witless and will revel in childish things like fighting and kicking a ball about. He won't be as smart as you, so he will also need your advice to think properly."

"Sounds fabulous," says Eve, with unmistakable irony, "but what's the catch, Lord?"

"Well... you can have him on one condition..."

"Yes, Lord? "

"As I said, he'll be proud, arrogant and self-admiring. So you'll have to let him believe that I made him first... but it will have to be our little secret. You know, woman to woman."

Doom 2 and the Holiday

Many a night I have fallen asleep on the couch with the TV blaring some inconsequential nonsense. It is just a co-incidence that this always happens when Im home alone, although I still firmly hold that the two have no correlation. So one such fateful night I watched Dhoom-2 while working my way through a dinner of fish 'n' salad (fish 'n' chips is so much tastier!). Only a handful of movies, even in the history of Bollywood, could be categorised as utter and total disasters. I was willing to put 'Snakes on a Plane' in this same category till I found out that the concept was rather unique (Google it!)
There is only so much that the Greek-God like masculinity of Hrithik Roshan can do for a movie and frankly I think he did all he could for Dhoom-2, Alas! the inclusion of Ash meant that this was doomed from the word 'like'. Dhoom -2 has nothing going for it, people. Watch it just for HR - mute the sound and shut it off as soon as Madam Ash makes an appearance.
On a much much brigher note, I went to Melbourne for the weekend! I love the city, it has it all! The feel of old, churches, a river runs through it. MCG and Tennis arenas, beaches, trams, horse driven carriages and shopping!
What makes it tick for moi - Max Brenner, Nandos and of course friends! This weekend truly made me live the saying 'Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention to arrive safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, loudly proclaiming: Wow!! What a ride!"