Happy Wednesday!!! My Mom just sent me a thing about it being LM Montgomery’s birthday, isn’t that nice? Also Mark Twain and Winston Churchill (Bengal famine).
I’ll start!
Reading: I finished Kim! The ending is as amazing as it always is. And now I can concentrate on Dunnett. I’m trying to get a friend to be my reading buddy so I’ll have an impetous to go on and finish it. Oh, and I’m listening to the podcast “The Dream” which is really excellent and I recommend highly if you are interesting in learning about the wellness industry and the home sales industry.
Watching: I just watched The Manchurian Candidate for the first time for a film group. That movie is SO GOOD!!!! Like. not just clever, but actually really really good. And weirdly Masala, in that there are moments of humor, moments of action, moments of romance, all mixed together. Highly recommend it for those who haven’t watched it yet, and it is ABSOLUTELY the movie that should be made in India today.
Thinking: Ugh, I’m stressed again. I gotta stop feeling overwhelmed by life. Here’s an interesting thought, the host of The Dream podcast was talking about how she was plagued with medical issues in childhood, especially migraines. I was too, and she talked about how that is what has made her a Type A kind of person, knowing that at any moment she could be incapacitated means she feels the need to make every productive moment count. And wow, now I am realizing that’s the way I think too! I have to do everything now-now-now because tomorrow I could wake up sick and unable to do anything. So now that I have that piece of the puzzle, and understand my sense of “I could run out of time” as related to the way I was suddenly bedbound for days on end without warning in childhood, should make me less stressed! But, it doesn’t. Brains are stupid.
Listening: CHRISTMAS MUSIC! Always Christmas music in December. Check out “Santa Claus Goes Straight to the Ghetto”
Now, question for you! What are your de-stress activities?
My de-stress activity is to make a to-do list and try to finish as many things as possible as fast as possible. Which is less of a de-stress activity and more of a reflexive reaction to stress activity.
dontcallitbollywood 
When I’m stressed before the travel making a do-list and fosusing on it helps me a lot. But when it’s other kind of stress I repeat myself that the things I’m stressing about are probably not real and my brain just needs vitamins and stuff.
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I watched the newest Maddy’s movie Dhoka: Round D Corner, because it appeared on Netflix. It’s a perfect fit for my “Bad movies I watched for my crushes” list. It looks like another movie Maddy made for money to finish Rocketry. And I’m pretty sure the conversation between the producers and him was like:
-Maddy please make this movie
-I’m not sure, I’m busy with my Santa film
-But we will give you money, and you don’t even have to change the clothes or shave or nothing, just act like you are in your home.
The movie is bad and boring . It would be a total waste of time if not for the two final songs. Because yes, it has 2 final songs. First there is a sad, blue love song filmed in a mental asylum, and right after a red party song. It was so ridiculous and unexpected I just couldn’t stop laughing. It made my day and I can’t dislike this film now.
The party song:
For me, an European, it’s a remake of Modern Talking hit “Brother Louie” but when I wrote about it on twitter I discovered that for Indians it’s a remake of “Zooby Zooby”. It’s funny because I didn’t know Zooby Zooby exists, and they haven’t heard about Brother Louie.
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I’m glad to hear this about Dokha, because I was sort of thinking about watching it. I might still watch it for Maddy, but I will lower my expectations.
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Pingback: Wednesday Watching Put up: What Are You Studying and Watching and Considering and Listening to on LM Montgomery’s Birthday??? - Zeerangi Entertainment
My destress activity is to ignore the world, lay on the floor, and read DCIB.
I haven’t been reading anything because I need bifocals and don’t have them.
But watching….. I signed up for Peacock so my family could see the once every 4 year soccer sensation in Qatar… and Peacock has GIRLS 5 EVA – I haven’t laughed so much since I watched The Mitchells vs The Machines.
I went to a friends house and saw a Nicholas Cage sequin pillow, where you could wipe his face away, or his body, and then BRING IT BACK. And now I really want one with SRK. The only one I have yet found for sale has Kajol with him, but I really want just him; I could wipe away everything except his eyes!
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Aw, Girls 5 Ever! I watched the first season, but not the second yet. I just love Tina Fey and all her works.
I am very honored to be your de-stress activity and that probably means I need to write more posts. Oh heck, I’ll do fanfic posts, those de-stress me to write, and then you will have something to read!
By the way, I almost visited you this month when I was in CA! Well, not really, but I asked my friend in the Bay Area (she lives right by Richmond, does that mean something to you?) how hard it would be to go to Bishop and her response was basically “really really REALLY hard”. So now I am way more impressed with the remoteness of your life! And next time I visit her, if we dedicate multiple days to the drive and wait for good weather, she is willing to try it.
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Your friend knows her geography! I do know Richmond. At this time of year it is a 7 – 8 hour drive out of the city, through Stockton or Sacramento (depending on weather) and over multiple Mountain passes on roads that can be icy – but once your are over the passes the drive on the East side of the mountains down to Bishop is one of the most beautiful in the world.
Summer is easier, you can go through Yosemite and get here in 5.5 hours. But now the trick is getting a pass to get through Yosemite.
Most people here have ties to Southern California, which is a lot easier to get to, 4 hours to LA. Unfortunately I don’t know a soul in LA, so we never go.
I have a guest room, so as my in-laws haven’t moved into it You and your friend are welcome to visit! But be warned, my children are chaotic, perhaps moreso because I limit screens.
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I watched Bad Timing, the Nicholas Roeg movie, and contrary to my expectations it was good. It has flaws, and I think it´s too brutal and explicit for anyone here to be really into it but it plays with expectations in an interesting way, so I don´t know, maybe it´s worth a shot for someone.
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Sorry, I’ve been MIA due to the holiday season startinh and my birthday happening during the last week.
Usually my favorite de-stress activity is to cook or bake. It’s really relaxing!
Btw I saw Bhediya last night. It wasn’t as good as Stree with it’s social commentary but it was still a fun horror comedy. Varun was really good and the vfx was impressive!
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For a movie that was so touted for its VFX, I thought Bhediya’s were on par with Brahmastra. Forgot to mention that in my comment, but I agree with everything here too.
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Hello! I turned into a lurker because I’m so dead by the end of the day I have no brain cells left to make words with. Apparently my reaction to stress is to work super hard then crawl under a blanket and watch TV until I’ve stayed up too late again. Wash, rinse, repeat. This week, though, there is a new thing bringing me joy. What can anyone tell me about Ritviz? So hard to discover new to me music in algorithm world, finding these songs made me happy – and how cute and lovely are the videos? Like little movies.
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Thanks for sharing Emily. The second video is so cute, and I love the last song with all those drums 💗
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I love the drums too! I read his bio online, he has actual classical music training.
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Yaaaaaay, it’s not just me who is feeling overwhelmed! This first semi-post pandemic year is HARD.
And I’m glad you are still enjoying DCIB 🙂
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It is hard! I don’t even know why exactly, but it is.
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You should listen to UDD Gaye:
This is what made him really break out in fame. As AIB used to support a lot of indie artists.
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I didn’t know that about AIB, and now I’m impressed. Love this song too, I’ve had his playlist on all day 🙂.
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I’m remembering that a very long time ago I said I’d watch Thar and report back about the Harsh question. On the off chance that anyone is still breathlessly waiting for my thoughts on Thar: UGH. I am ok with a dark film, and even (some) violence as long as it serves the plot. Like, I’ll never watch Badlapur or Ugly again but they were good movies and the unpleasantness had a coherent point. But this is just two hours of pure torture porn, surrounding the most tedious and worn-out plotline. Anil and Fatima are pretty good in it. I couldn’t tell how Harsh was–you could read his performance in a number of ways, and I’ll spoil the plot if I say why. Although it shouldn’t matter, because don’t watch this. Yeah, yeah, yeah, the cinematography is gorgeous but it does not make up for the rest of the movie.
Now I deserve to watch something nice. Should I watch Virata Parvam? For Sai Pallavi and Rana?
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Aw man, sorry you sat through that and for no pay off at all. Now we’ll have to wait for another terrible Harsh movie for the conclusion.
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Virata Parvam is a very mixed bag, I wouldn’t recommend it right after Thor. It has some great ingredients like Sai Pallavi, the first scenes that show her character greatly and the cinematography. But it’s also long , feels even longer and what irked me the most (a person born in a communist country) it shows romanticised and simplified version of Naxalism and revolution.
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Thanks; I might watch it later, then, if I watch it.
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Thank you thank you! You have saved me! Well, all of us really. No one wants to see a bunch of violence and Harsh not being beautiful.
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Harsh IS beautiful in this movie and it is mentioned kind of a lot for a movie in which he is an executive producer! It’s very reminiscent of all the dialogue about how good Kangana’s English is in Manikarnika. By the third time someone starts talking about his sensitive limpid pools of eyes I was rolling mine.
Yet another reason to not see this movie! If all my toil saved one person then it was worth it.
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Watching: I watched Jaan E Maan. I liked it a lot however I felt it needed more bromance from Akshay and Salman. Like Mujhshe Shaadi Karoge. However I loved the music a lot, especially sau dard.
Listening: I’ve just been listening to Ilayaaraja a lot. As I’m listening, I’m getting even more confused with the Ilayaaraja and AR Rahman debate. As I’m not a Tamillian I can’t contribute much but there is a truth to the idea that Ilayaraja gives perfect compositions. By the way, this interest came from watching Psycho(2020 by Mysskin) last year and loving the music so so much.
Reading: I’ve been reading a short story collection called ’50 Greatest Short Stories”, it is not only a genius way to finish many renowned short stories. It is also a way for me to not get attached to a story and be able to fall asleep.
Thinking: I want Christmas to come as soon as possible. Seriously right before the holidays, there is always so much work and I haven’t been able to do anything I wish to do. All I can think of is sitting comfortably and eating tons of good food.
Also are you planning to watch Qala, Tripti Dimri’s new film? I would recommend to listen to the music as it is gorgeous.
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Yaaaaaaaaaaaaay, Jaan-E-Mann! I love that movie.
I am trying so hard to slow down and enjoy december, but it’s hard! Especially because my work is being a bit crazy at the same time as everything else. Biggest problem right now: what do I do with the ten million empty cardboard shipping boxes in my hall?
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I think the best idea is to give it for recycling. Also I agree December is so hard, its also my birthday month and I feel like I can’t enjoy it due to all the work.
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I think the best idea is for me to break them down and neatly stack them as soon as they are empty, but of course I don’t do that so now I have huge empty boxes everywhere, blech.
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I forgot to add two series I watch now. The first one is Avenida Brazil, brazilian telenovela I found by accident on one of the polish tv channels. I started watching a random episode and saw that one of my first crushes ever – Murilo Benicio is in it. I haven’t seen him in ages. He still looks good, and plays a perfect Angie hero – a nice man with heart of gold who yearns for his old flame. Basically similar role to the one he played over 20 years ago when teenager me felt in love with him. Of course I’m obsessed with the series now.
The other series I started is “I, Claudius”. I love it, but must admit I watch it with my phone in hand to check who is who , and if the facts are right. I’m sure I’ve learned more with those 3 episodes than on history lessons in my high school.
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I’ve heard I Claudius is amazing! But I’ve never tried it, for the reason you mention, the need to look everyone up as you watch.
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Watched: Qala on Netflix and highly recommend it. Find a time to just shut down all the lights and watch it while concentrating on the screen. It is that kind of film that deserves the immersion so much. Also, Margaret, Thiruchibalam is on Einthusan and won’t be coming to Netflix as we all first thought by the early OTT reports. If you want something light, great characters etc. then it is a good one! You will love it.
Reading: Books for essays, mostly.
Listening: Qala soundtrack which has become my top 3 soundtracks of the year after PS-1, and Gangubai Kathiawadi – just so good. Also, this one song from Shikara has been on repeat. My de-stress is always to put on music in my headphones, helps take my mind off things and calms me very easily.
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See, my de-stress is often to watch brainless TV stuff Which takes up all the time I could be spending on quality stuff like Qala. But I need my brainless Bake Off background noise
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My de-stress is litening to audiobooks or music and working along with stuff that doesn’t need much thinking…actually, I very seldom get stressed…I made a comittment to me when I was 40 to get stressed the less possible.
Watched Qala, too (what a wonderful, wonderful movie) and Goodbye (with Amithab – a fine family centered movie, sad and yet uplifting)
Reading: Crime novels from the Japanese writer Keigo Higashino.
Question to Margaret: Which of both Manchurian Candidate ? The one with Frank Sinatra or the one with Denzel Washington?
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The Sinatra one! It was far more modern and enjoyable than I expected.
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Reading: Radio Silence by Alice Oseman. Lovely YA novel about friendship between teenage boys and girls with no romantic attraction whatsoever, as well as academic pressure and having your life defined by your achievements. Probably would have hit me a lot harder when I was in high school.
Also accidentally started a book club with my friend where we just read romance novels, and the first, Wolf Gone Wild by Juliette Cross, was a hit. So fun and flirty and sexy. I’m not a fan of the next pick, The Wild One by Danelle Harmon. Maybe I’m just not a historical romance novel person but I think it’s boring so far.
Watching: I saw Bhediya over the weekend and I had such a great time! There’s a decent amount wrong on a technical level–the twist was extremely predictable, the humor didn’t translate well, and between the horror comedy universe films, Stree is still the best–but Varun did such a great job, he played a morally gray character that you could actually root for, and I just had a blast. Great timepass.
Also started Khaali Peeli on my own, and oh man, the vibes are there. Not really sure what the plot is, even though I’m halfway through, but it’s fun and sexy and flirty and childhood friends to lovers, and I’m also having a good time.
Thinking: I had a cold over Thanksgiving, and that’s mostly gone away, but I still have this gross, kind of phlegmy cough that won’t go away. I ended up canceling plans because I didn’t want to get anyone sick, but now I feel like it’s gonna linger for a while and I don’t wanna be a recluse during the holiday season. Also my friend knows she’s getting engaged before Christmas and I am just obsessively waiting for her messages about it.
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Oh man, you really make me want to watch this! and I don’t think I’ll be able to make it in theaters. I tried to go on Friday but couldn’t make the showtimes work with my friend.
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