Days of Future Past – The Effect Lingers. Still

I went for the movie for one reason. One man: Hugh Jackman.

And when I left the theatre, my thoughts were exactly this, “What I want is what I got” (Westlife is so incredibly relatable) I was awed. And so was the rest of the audience. I didn’t know I was the only one. Until… Bobby’s entry was met with rapt silence, Charles Xavier’s entry was met with more silence. And the Wolverine’s entrance was marked by a cigar and loud applause, coupled with cheers.

Half (more than that, really) of the audience was there for the same reason we were: Hugh Jackman.

Incredible it was. Not just Hugh Jackman, but also the dialogues, and the scenes. There was a brilliant scene of Quicksilver as a kid. (Magneto’s son) That scene was the hardest I laughed in a long time.

The attitude was unmistakably brilliant. Not the Wolverine’s, that’s obvious. I mean the kid’s. It shook me, what a little attitude can do. A piece of mind, you know.

My popcorn lay forgotten. It was the first time that had happened, and mind you I love popcorn. And it was a 3D movie. I didn’t see that coming.

The glasses were too big, even for the bespectacled me. But I wasn’t in the mood to complain. I went to have fun and fun, I had. Good day out in the city, with great company, a perfectly brewed cold coffee and an out-of-this-world movie experience.

Good day? Hell yes!

P.S: Here’s a little something I brought back from the movie. Particularly for the X-Men fans.

What would you do if you needed to locate a mutant and Prof X’s powers were out of the question?

Use a phonebook.

I’ve been using the wrong dictionary all my life

Back in school, when I got bored, I’d take my copy of the Oxford dictionary and look up random words. You can always trust me to have a dictionary. I even influenced a few of my classmates to start referring to the dictionary.

Now though, I mostly use Google dictionary.

I read an article recently and it made me realize a lot of things about dictionaries. It was a long, but good read. The main reason I’m posting it here is because I couldn’t not talk about it.

I found it on the new Longreads series on WordPress. Regular WordPress followers would already know about this. And if you’ve come across other articles that you think I must read, please let me know.

“You’re probably using the wrong dictionary.” The title jumped out at me. I’m a great believer in compulsive titles, and I couldn’t resist. Even before I opened it, I knew it would be long. 1500+ words. I had my doubts. I was at work, could I manage it?

I decided I could. And I’m glad I did.

Read it if you can. If you’re a lover of the English language and literature, you will surely enjoy this article. And once you’re done, you might want to check out Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 and 1828 editions.

You’ll find a sense of the word that is somehow more evocative than any you’ve seen. “2. To convey as by a flash… as, to flash a message along the wires; to flash conviction on the mind.” In the juxtaposition of those two examples — a message transmitted by wires; a feeling that comes suddenly to mind — is a beautiful analogy, worth dwelling on, and savoring. Listen to that phrase: “to flash conviction on the mind.” This is in a dictionary, for God’s sake.

And, toward the bottom of the entry, as McPhee promised, is a usage note, explaining the fine differences in meaning between words in the penumbra of “flash”:

… Flashing differs from exploding or disploding in not being accompanied with a loud report. To glisten, or glister, is to shine with a soft and fitful luster, as eyes suffused with tears, or flowers wet with dew.

Did you see that last clause? “To shine with a soft and fitful luster, as eyes suffused with tears, or flowers wet with dew.” I’m not sure why you won’t find writing like that in dictionaries these days, but you won’t. Here is the modern equivalent of that sentence in the latest edition of the Merriam-Webster: “glisten applies to the soft sparkle from a wet or oily surface <glistening wet sidewalk>.”

Who decided that the American public couldn’t handle “a soft and fitful luster”? I can’t help but think something has been lost.

Read more…

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

I recently watched “The Perks of being a Wallflower”. Though I don’t usually watch movie adaptations, without first reading the books, I know I can’t read every book that was adapted into a movie. So I decided to shed my useless ego and watch the movie.

First, I liked Emma Watson’s look in the movie. Free spirited, smiling girl. With short hair.

But the movie was more than pretty faces.

From sexual abuse, to introversion and deaths, the story speaks of stuff that any teenager can easily relate to.

And yes, bad relationship decisions too.

Thing is, a lot of movies nowadays, cover all these topics. But, this wasn’t just another story.

The protagonist, Charlie, is an introvert. The story begins with him writing a journal entry about his fears for the following day, his first day of high school.

Personally, I could relate to this character unlike, any movie I’ve seen before. (And yes, I’m selective when it comes to movies) An introvert, he makes his action plan for the next day, but as all plans go, he was flunked.

That’s when I felt like shouting, “That is so me.”

At the end of his first day, Charlie is left with one friend. Which, his English teacher thinks, is good for starters.

“If my English teacher is the only friend I make today, that’ll be sorta depressing.”

Then come his friends. Patrick and Sam. Step-siblings. And seniors.

Those two, reflect simplicity. Their love for old songs, and the way Sam enjoys tunnel rides, all of that will bring a smile on to your lips. If it didn’t, well you need to loosen up a bit.

All seems fine, until Charlie realizes his feelings for Sam (Sam’s a girl (FYI)). Yet again, he does something realistic, he ignores it. He wants Sam to be happy, but he also knows that she has chosen the wrong person.

The English teacher Mr Anderson is a perfect embodiment of a great teacher. He lends Charlie books to read, and does give away some brilliant relationship advice,

“Because we accept the love we think we deserve.”

We, as an audience, are constantly surprised at the depth of the characters. Patrick, shows that he is capable of some deep thoughts as well.

“Why can’t we save anybody?”

This is probably one of the most relatable quotes of the movie. We’d have all had the same thought at one point of time. I know I did.

And though it might sound trivial, the situation is not.

This movie is full of wonderful dialogues. Even though I can’t tolerate romance, I’m wondering if I should read that book, only for the dialogues.

“You see; you understand, you’re a wallflower” – Patrick

They were that good.

Yet Another Face of Poetry

Slam poetry, sometimes also called spoken word poetry is something I’ve already written about. Here’s another one, a slam by a teacher. The name’s Tylor Mali.

What do teachers make?

I have always been doubtful of our education system, but even I can’t deny the work of teachers. I have laughed at the thought of being a teacher, because I never thought they mattered. I know better now.

I’ve had had a few teachers who were much more than what they were paid to be. Those teachers changed my view of teaching. They make a difference. But not everyone, not everyone who’s taught can be a teacher. That is probably the most annoying thing about the profession.

Teachers do make a difference, and a god damn good one too.

Anyway, here’s Tylor Mali himself slamming.

Here’s the poem in cartoon form. From Zenpencils | “What teachers make”

The Rime of the Ancyent Marinere

April is National Poetry Month. And although I didn’t publish a single poem of my own, this is the time to celebrate poetry.

It’s kind of funny how this poem, first published in 1798, is relevant still.

Day after day, day after day,
We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
As idle as a painted ship
Upon a painted ocean.
Water, water, every where,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink.

This has become the state of our world now. We have water — too much of it — but it won’t quench our thirst. Blame it on global warming, or air conditioners or even the UV rays.Whatever it is, it’s melting snow, and all we have left is water. And it’s useless.

Water, water, every where,
Nor any drop to drink.

Why am I posting this?

Enjoyed this poem and thought you should too.

You’re welcome.

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