Why I love reading detective novels

I just finished reading two Hercule Poirot novels and so for the time being Agatha Christie is my favourite author (again). Be it Sir Arthur Canon Doyle, Agatha Christie or even Enid Blyton, detective novels have a special place in my heart.

There is a certain mystique surrounding detectives: how they think, how they look at things, how they talk…

Ever since I picked up my first detective novel from the school library (which incidentally was also a Agatha Christie), I was hooked. I remember as I kid I used a magnifying glass to read the “big” Sherlock Holmes book my brother once issued from the library.

So, why do I love reading detective novels?

1. Everything ALWAYS comes together in the end
2. The detective gets to say random things that make no sense, and people think s/he is so very intelligent (well, of course, in the end the “random” things aren’t just random and the detectives really are intelligent)
3. Detectives don’t Google, they just know
4. I secretly I want to be a detective, pick up random clues, make sense out of them, and say “Voila!”

PS: If you haven’t already, watch the BBC Sherlock series. There are no words to describe it. Just three one-and-a-half hour episodes, but WOW!

Prostitution

"This one's too short."

"Oh God! Did you see the tyres on that one?!!"

"Aaahh! Are you crazy? She's so damn dark."

"You expect me to sleep with thhhaat?!"

"Hmm, not bad. But not good enough either."

"You think I can't do better?"

"Oye! This one looks good. Actually, she's perfect!"

"Shri RNT

solicit your gracious presence

on the auspicious occasion

of the marriage of their son

BNT

with

PLM

on

Saturday, the 15th of April, 2006

as per programme."

© Prasheila Lookhar 2006

(Wrote this on April 14, 2006. Many people think that I am comparing marriage to prostitution in this. But that is not the case.)

My Santa

A roaring laughter
An infectious smile
My Santa

A helping hand
A ready hug
My Santa

Words of kindness
Words of encouragement
My Santa

22 years of love
22 years of guidance
22 years of memories

My Santa
My guardian angel
My dad

© Me 2006
25th December, 4:26 PM

And then...

Well, after a long gap of posting, there is no way I am going to just write that one post!

Yes, life's good right now, but that doesn't stop ME from thinking. ;)

I just remembered a wonderful poem I had read in school, written by Harivansh Rai Bachchan. Wait, let me try and find a link to it... [10:32 PM]

Or better still... [10:34 PM]

जीवन में एक सितारा था

माना वह बेहद प्यारा था
वह डूब गया तो डूब गया
अंबर के आंगन को देखो
कितने इसके तारे टूटे
कितने इसके प्यारे छूटे
जो छूट गए फ़िर कहाँ मिले
पर बोलो टूटे तारों पर
कब अंबर शोक मनाता है
जो बीत गई सो बात गई

जीवन में वह था एक कुसुम
थे उस पर नित्य निछावर तुम
वह सूख गया तो सूख गया
मधुबन की छाती को देखो
सूखी कितनी इसकी कलियाँ
मुरझाईं कितनी वल्लरियाँ
जो मुरझाईं फ़िर कहाँ खिलीं
पर बोलो सूखे फूलों पर
कब मधुबन शोर मचाता है
जो बीत गई सो बात गई

जीवन में मधु का प्याला था
तुमने तन मन दे डाला था
वह टूट गया तो टूट गया
मदिरालय का आंगन देखो
कितने प्याले हिल जाते हैं
गिर मिट्टी में मिल जाते हैं
जो गिरते हैं कब उठते हैं
पर बोलो टूटे प्यालों पर
कब मदिरालय पछताता है
जो बीत गई सो बात गई

मृदु मिट्टी के बने हुए हैं
मधु घट फूटा ही करते हैं
लघु जीवन ले कर आए हैं
प्याले टूटा ही करते हैं
फ़िर भी मदिरालय के अन्दर
मधु के घट हैं,मधु प्याले हैं
जो मादकता के मारे हैं
वे मधु लूटा ही करते हैं
वह कच्चा पीने वाला है
जिसकी ममता घट प्यालों पर
जो सच्चे मधु से जला हुआ
कब रोता है चिल्लाता है
जो बीत गई सो बात गई

The power of the Internet is, indeed, great!
------------------------------------------------------

The thing is that I really want to meet Marcus Fenix right now, IF IF IF and when my brother gives up Niko Bellic. GRRRR The X-Box wars begin!
------------------------------------------------------

I'll just sleep then [11:05 PM]
------------------------------------------------------

19/11/2008

Happy post!

Life's good, that's all there is to it! :-D

How?!!

How do people do it?!

Regularly update their blogs?
(I am posting after a gap of a little over a month!)

Have a flat stomach after gorging?
(I look at least 4-5 months pregnant!)

Have a 'balanced' life?
(I don't even know what that means!)

Get up on time?
(It's always at least half an hour after the alarm goes off!)

Not get tempted by chocolate cake, or anything chocolate?
(I mean HOW?!)

So many questions, so many questions...

-Prash
5/11/2008 9:16 PM

© Me, me and me

The post some people expected

This post is long overdue...

Two weeks back, blasts rocked the city. Today, another blast.

Today, was home. On the 13th, was about 100-200 metres away. Could've been nearer--call it luck, fortune, blessing, or nothing at all.

Left Costa Coffee with three friends and were walking towards the car parked in the parking near Rajeev Chowk metro station. Crossed Central Park.

While friend was taking the car out of the parking, got a call from home. "Bomb blast in Karol Bagh, get home straight!"

Was thirsty. Saw a vendor just before Palika's gate 1, but realised was ice cream, no water. Saw another one, just after the entrance to the parking lot. Parked car to buy a bottle of water. A friend got out to get it.

And then, it was like one of the bombs people pollute the air with at Diwali. Was confused as to what exactly had happened. Friend got back in the car shouting, "Bhagaa gaadi bhagaa, it's a (&^$^*& bomb blast." Went numb, don't remember who said what for the next couple of seconds. And then BOOM! Another one. This one sounded more dangerous, even though was much farther away. Were just before the Kharak Singh Marg exit, so just about missed the chaos and traffic.

Saw people running, smelt the smoke in the air, felt a chill. Started frantically calling friends. Was beginning to get slightly hysterical, coz networks were jammed. Got news about blasts in GK Market. Fear, anger, more calls.

Dropped one friend at Dhaula Kuan. Reached home. Saw relief in faces. More calls, more messages. Sat in front of TV, watching news. Still a little numb.

Was there, was just there. At just the safest distance. Thousands of what ifs started crossing mind. Went crazy with that. Decided that watching the news wasn't the best thing. More calls, more messages.

Slept with the light on.

Darkness usually doesn't scare me. That day it did.

27/9/2008 11:59 PM

© Prasheila

Next post--maybe tomorrow, maybe day after, maybe after a week--what I think of terrorism.

What do you not like?

There are so many things that a person doesn't like. Food, clothes, TV programme, movie, music, website, design, book...

Right now, it's a feeling. Not exactly helplessness, but confusion. The "where is life going" confusion. That's the simple way to put it. There are so many things, I wouldn't know where to start.

Just so many things...

-Prash
20/9/2008 10:54 PM