The Weekend Rant...that's just one week late.

The less said about the game the better, for me. We shipped in like 6 or 7 goals, and I could be the reason for at least 2 or 3. If Jewel bhai had not come on and joined it could have easily been the double of that. He is a pro, and the kind of reassuring presence any team's defence would love to have. Someone like a Puyol.

So it finally seems to shape out that the position where I can play with the least number of blushes is defence, at last. Well, who'd have thought ? When I reached the ground there was this old chettan who was coaching a kid. He joined our team, and he put out a performance that defied his age. So after a while his advice to me was this : "Use the best of your abilities. Six pack clearly doesnt seem to be one. You've got long legs, lad. Use them". I didnt ask his name, but the chettan tried to give me lessons in going forward to support your nearest team mate who has the ball - be present in a free position to receive the ball to give him options.

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The interview was, well, meh. I should be surprised if they call again. Anyways the guy was quite nice, and didn't make much of a mockery of my knowledge, or lack thereof. It was very discomfiting experience anways, to be honest. I didnt think I'd say this, but blatant lying is the hardest part. And the B.S we make up.

"How much do you rate yourself in WCS ? Java?"
If total honesty were a the part of interview agenda I'd have frankly said, "Dude do I sound like someone who suffer from excess self esteem?"

Another awkward part is when I don't know the answer, and I make random incoherent noises expecting him to smugly tell me the answer but he doesn't, and what does he do ? He devilishly waits for the "well.."'s "er...."s will grow up into the answer he expects.

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The interview was scheduled for 3:30 and they called me at 5, (do I have a choice but to wait ?), so my Life of Pi plans had to be cancelled. Anyways I found that they were playing this German movie Wintertochter (Winter's Daughter), at the Goethe Zentrum. I made it just in time, and there were some odd 15 people gathered already at this comfiest tiny amphitheatre you can imagine. [Could spot some firangs too. Germans ? I dont know.] Which turned out to be very good, by the way. Rightfully has some 7/10 cumulative ratings on IMDB too. Nice.

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Oh depressing game man. To lose to Swansea is one thing, but its the manner in which they lost that hurt more than the loss. There simply wasnt any intent from anyone, just some blokes passing the ball around aimlessly ("Oh I dont know man, you take it"). It hurt more than those times when the norm was that we'd be the better team on pitch and still the losers on the scoreline. I hate Mancs and United for all I know, but have you seen them when they are in a losing position in a match ? They dont give up. They give it their all. All that coming back from goal downs can be a fluke. Its just the mentality that's accepted there.

Going down without a fight like that - Not acceptable. I saw the game on TV, I can only imagine how frustrating it would be for the people who actually pay that much money for season tickets (already one of the costliest in the league anyways) and see this.
No, I am not among the WengerOut brigade and dont think if I ever would be.  He genuinely loves this club, and I want him to succeed once again, to may be see can still stand tall against the Sheikhs and the crazy Russians. I want him to change though. Like you know, be a bit more flexible tactically ? Sell deadwood ? Spend some money on reinforcements wherever needed? Try to hold on to your best players ? Not play Gervinho ?
And then after the match what do I see ? Man U coming back twice to win, RvP scoring the winner. Meh.

*

I am at the Book Fair, finally. I told that part of my mind which still wanted to hold on to the "no-more-buying-until-finished-with-all-the-pending-ones" resolve that I'd just go, look around, and come back. The moment I stepped in, as RvP would have said, the little boy inside me shouted "Buy!". It was beautiful. I was like a 6 year old let to run riot in a chocolate shop. What do I pick ? Books, lakhs of them.

At the end of some lazily and well spent two hours, I ended up with a English Short Story Compilation, Anne Frank's Diary (Finally! Been planning to buy/read this for a long time now), മയ്യഴിപ്പുഴയുടെ തീരങ്ങളില്‍ (Mukundan) and a short story collection of Kesavadev.

 

There was a small makeshift stage near the fair, and a book release function was about to soon start. I saw this really beautiful lady who was running around. I asked the DC Books guys who was organizing it, and they told me  (after gaping at my ignorance of course) that she is a well renowned dubbing artist, named Bhagyalakshmi. The book was her autobiography, named "Swarabhedangal". Here's an article on the book, and a video of the function.

And here are a couple of snaps (the best my retarded phone camera could manage), since I am getting verbally challenged, by the day.

Srikumaran Thampi presents a copy of the book to Sibi Malayil. The lady in between is Bhagyalakshmi.

Balachandran Chullikkaadu delivers the Book Introduction address

 So long.