A movie after aeons!

While I was still at work, a friend called me to ask “Shall we go watch blood diamond at night?” And I was just being my usual self, suffering from paranoia, when I asked… What time is the show? How will we go? How will we get back? What time does it end? Knowing me very well, she already had the answers to these. So it was 5 of us… My friend B, her dad (of course! That’s why I agreed to go out at night!) , And two kids along with us – S and I. (Names changed to protect the innocent.)

I caught up with I after work, and we went to B’s place to drop off my laptop. However B was with a friend(boy) and told her dad she was waiting for us at the mall!!!! Gosh we screwed up! So, after exchanging some bitter and twisted remarks, I finally got to watch a movie with lots of popcorn in my hands, after around 6 months (Yes, I’m not much of a movie buff but I had gotten to the bitter end… I was compelled to watch one now!), and I’m glad B chose this one! My expectations from the movie were not very high at all cause the last couple of movies I watched were just plain disappointment! A movie about conflict diamonds, also called Blood diamonds, managed to grab me from start to finish. It touches upon hugely sensitive issues and opens one’s mind to brutality of civil wars, of how child training could turn a child to a rebel!

DO NOT go there to watch Jennifer Connelly, she didn’t look good, AND her role was unwanted. However I’m glad the romance between Caprio n Connelly wasn’t developed. J I won’t reveal much here for the sake of people who haven’t watched the movie! And since it is an action thriller, the kids (I and S) were a bit scared. They refused to sleep at night!

Just for kicks...People who know me, may want to answer this - WHO DO YOU THINK THE KIDS ARE??

Could i speak to Mr. Gun Gun

In a Sikh's household, soon after the birth of a baby, the naming ceremony is held at the Gurudwara. A name starting with the first letter of the shabad of the holy hukam (command) should be proposed by the granthi (man in attendance of Guru Granth Sahib), and after its acceptance by the congregation, the name should be announced by him.

It so happened that in my case they bent a rules a bit and my uncle named me... so here I am... Gagandeep Arneja! My name has and will go a long way in making me the sport I am (Thankyou :) ) But for the life of me I cant remember more than two or three (if i stretch) people, who could pronounce my name as it is supposed to be! (As pavan says - In your face suckers!)
There are many common deviations to it - Ganga, gungun, gangdeep, gaga and the list knows no end... In fact I even got my first internship pay cheque with one of these on it.

Here is what people are capable of making out of my name:

I'm in the training room on a fine morning and an HDFC representative rings me up.
Me: Yes?
HDFC: Can I Could I Could I speak to Mr. Gun - Gun - deep ?
(All the Can I's to get time enough to pronounce this extremely complex name)
Me: Speaking (what else could i say !!)
HDFC: (Baffled, still expecting a man on the other side) Mr. Gun - Ga?
Me: (going beet red) YES!!!!!!!
HDFC :Is this Mr. Ganga ?
Me: YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HDFC: (switches to a language he is more comfortable with) Idu ladies aa gents aa?
Me: (I'm in training...ten people around..how can i get myself to say.. I'm a lady speaking) Kiwi kelsalva?
Rest as they say is history.

Anyways, after i was born and before i was officially named, i was given a pet name - Preeti. Just when I thought this could be my hot back up...yes this is what i can tell people when they ask me "What is your name?”,I came across this.

Here is how you pronounce my name -
gag - say gun replacing the n sound with the g sound.
an - remember how they taught us way back in school that it is "an" ice cream.

That should be enough! :)

Opening night

After a long day of reading all the blog entries of all the people I know who blog..I'm finally blogging! I don't think my blog can ever have a title suitable enough to encompass all that I am and everything I could think and write of. Yes, you are right... I can be complex sometimes but harmless otherwise :) Anyways, keep visiting for more... lets see how long I can keep this going!