As I sit back and think about the year 2008, reliving the events of the year one word comes to my mind - eventful!!

The year has been pretty eventful, mostly very good! :D
The year started off on an interesting note, with me shifting location for work, and then coming back... moving from one line of business to another - all within the first month of the year!!

As a Rahmaniac, this year was a blast! 2008 will be a memorable one for Rahman-fans, what with ARR delighting us with 7 amazing albums (Jodhaa Akbar, Jaane Tu, Sakkarakatti, Ada, Yuvvraaj, Ghajini and Slumdog Millionaire). And, we got to enjoy two wonderful live conerts in Chennai! :) However, it was even more special for me, cos i got to meet ARR a few times this year!!! :D

And, the year ended with a pleasant surprise - Thanks to Dreamy Dryad, I got to see my name scroll up in the credits for music, in a short film! Yes! I composed for the short film, Maami's Memories directed by Sandhya!

What I loved in 2008?
Movies: WALL·E, Jaane tu ya jaane naa
Songs: Difficult to pick one... but Kahin toh and Khwaja have a slight edge! :D
TV show: Airtel Super Singer
Singer: Benny Dayal (Kaise Mujhe, Tu hi mera dost and Taxi Taxi)


What I hated in 2008?
Most IRRITATING songs: Naaku mukka, and that utterly annoying "Mozha mozha nu" song from the dumb Kuruvi...
Movie: Sakkarakatti - there can be no competition for this one!!
TV Shows: all the copied programs in Sun TV (ozhungaa copy adikka kooda mudiyaadhaa?! :P) and the commercialisation of Mumbai attacks on all news channels


As 2008 draws to a close and 2009 dawns, here's wishing everyone a very Happy New Year!!!

Yes... it's more than 3 years now, since I started blogging! (Sorry bloggie, I missed ur birthday... Belated Happy Birthday! )

It seems it was just yesterday that I thought of the name for the blog! I remember it distinctly. Just as the Chennai-Bangalore KSRTC bus was nearing Bangalore at about 4:30 am, I was wide awake thinking about starting a blog (though it was in my mind for quite sometime, I wasnt serious before) and thought of the name just then! One of the first things that I did when I got to campus was to start this blog and make my first post!

3 years! The blog has had an impact on my life, and how!! That, my best friends and confidante now are people who I discovered through blog, is incredible! (The crazy gal in Pune hates to say we know each other through blog coz it takes the closeness out and makes it sound very superficial but getting close to someone whom u met through blogs is something interesting in itself, illai??)

I'm not much of a writer, but the blog has certainly helped me improve and kept me writing. The blog has brought out my creativity. It has been there for me to vent out my frustration! It has helped me boost my ego many a time. (It is really surprising and heartening when someone you don't know comes to you and says "You are 'Aravind' of Rahmaniac's Reflections?"... Trust me, it has happened. And, No.... I'm not talking about any bloggers meet!!)

3 years down, I'm so glad I started blogging! Haven't been able to be very regular, but will try to be regular!

My dear A A K,
It's been a long time, right?
Yeah... 13 years to be precise... The summer of 1995 - that was when I first came across you. I still remember that day - a cultural event in Trichy. All thanks to a dance performance that morning, for that was when our rendezvous happened! You bowled me over that very instant. You were very different, extremely pleasant, totally bubbly, amazingly exuberant, instantly likeable (now... now...let me stop here or I'll keep adding enough adjectives about you to fill an entire book!)

Hmmmm.... 13 years have passed... During this period, many others came about in my life. I probably got carried away. I guess that's why our closeness has reduced. I've not been as crazy about you over the past few years, as I was during the first few years!

Now, one day last week when I was so tired and worn out, and I wanted some one to boost me up, you came to me - quite unexpectedly. Though I've been coming across you on and off, I failed to give much importance to you off late. But, that day, when I was in need, you came in with so much energy, so much freshness to pep me up totally. Everything was just as it was during the first ever meeting! I was bowled over by you - yet again, after 13 years. That too, after I had come across so many others, who are supposed to be modern and up-to-date. You haven't changed, my dear, but you still match up to others who claim to be following today's trend. That's because u were way ahead of your time, in the 90s itself!

How many ever dance-songs come and go, my dear Andha Arabic Kadaloram, I know you will always be fresh and will be there to pep me up, and will always be one of my top favs!!!

With luv,
The ever crazy Rahmaniac!

Now, coming back to the topic... I put my entire ARR collection on shuffle mode these days and leave it to my Sansa to decide what song I'd be listening next! This is when my Sansa does very interesting stuff!!

One day, it played Mujhe Rang De (Takshak) and immediately followed it up with Rang Hai (Meenaxi). I thought to myself - has it selected these songs back-to-back, because both songs start with the same word? Then, I got a surprise - the next song was Pachchai Nirame (Alaipayuthey) - again something to do with colour!!

And on another instance, Rang Hai (Meenaxi) was followed by Satrangi Re (Dil Se)!!

Here's one more - It played Ishwar Allah (1947 - Earth) and Ek Tum Hi Bharosa (Pukar) back -to-back. Though both songs have the words "Ishwar" and "Allah" repeated throughout the song, nowhere in the ID3 tags or the filenames were these words mentioned (which was the explanation I had before I checked the ID3 tags)!!

These are just 3 of many such instances in just 10-15 days in shuffle mode... I've given up... I've stopped analysing and have started enjoying my music these days!!

I was tagged by Ponnarasi! Tag's simple - write about your new year resolutions!
Have been so busy that I'm writing about my resolution almost at the end of the month!!!

Hmmm... what are my resolutions for this year?!!

Only one that I can think of, right now - I have started many "projects" and most of them are incomplete!! I start something, and then I hit a roadblock... and then, I find something more interesting, and I start off the next one, leaving this one behind... As of now, I have three audio recording/mixing stuff, one flash animation, and one video editing in different levels of completion!

Hope I complete all of them this year, before I start off anything more!! :D

I'm not tagging anyone... If anyone's interested, take it up and post your resolution in ur blog!

Every Wednesday is 'fans day' on Rahmania (6-8 pm weekdays), the Radio show dedicated to A.R.Rahman on Aahaa FM (91.9 FM - Chennai). And last Wednesday I was interviewed on the show!!

On Tuesday night, I switched off the radio at 8:00 pm after listening to Rahmania. And my phone starts calling me with my Hai Rama BGM ringtone. I pick up the phone and I'm in for a total surprise. Raihanah ma'am was on the line, and she asked me if I could come to the studio the next day!!! Oh My God!!!!!!! It was a real surprise! She needn't have spoken to me... She could have asked one of the sound engineers to speak to me... but no, such is her simplicity!

I was asked to come to the studio at 4:00 pm sharp. I was there by 3:30 itself, and was received by Mr. Radhan who is the sound-engineer for the show and it turned out that he was a hardcore Rahmaniac too!

Raihanah came at 4 pm sharp! After exchange of pleasantries and clicking a few snaps, we set down to decide on what we would talk about. I had prepared some 4 pages of stuff to talk, neatly printed out and thus surprising Raihanah, who, with her classic laugh, remarked "Ivlo prepared-aa vandhirukkaru... Innikku enakku velai-ye illai nu nenaikkaren... Naan late-aa've vandhirukkalaam!" ("He's come so prepared, I have nothing to do.... I could have walked in late today!!!")



So, I was just chatting with her till the show started. Rahman's simplicity is well known to everyone. I could find the same trait in his sister too. She was so down-to-earth talking to and everyone chatting so freely!

Once inside the studio, she made me feel so comfortable as this was the first time I was gonna be on Air. I was explained the process, the way the team functioned for the show, etc. The first 'link' was well planned, in terms of what we would say and what question would be asked etc. But, the rest of the show was more or less ad hoc!!

I was kinda hesitant to ask if they would air the duet version of Kannathil Muthamittal song that I made. When I told Raihanah about this, she asked me if it was a remix. I assured her it was not, and told her I would never tamper with ARR's music. When Raihanah listened to it, she immediately agreed to use it in the show, and I finally dedicated that song, during the show, to A.R.Rahman himself (Thanks to the Dryad for reminding me to dedicate it to him!!)

On the show, I spoke about how we Bangalore Fans met ARR at midnite before Bangalore concert, about ARR's unreleased music that Shivmani played for me from his mobile, about Pt. Vishwamohan Bhatt playing for Rahman's Narumugaiye! But there was loads and loads more to speak... so little time But, yeah.. I'll never be content! I can go on and on about Rahman!!

This will always be one of my most unforgettable moments ever!

(pic in the prev post)

12 September 2007 it was!! From 6-8 pm, I was on air on Aaha 91.9 FM on the show Rahmania. A.R.R's sister Raihanah interviewed me on the show!! More than 24 hours past, and my excitement is still to go down!!

More about it in the next post!!

So, here we go!

1. My smile. That is definitely the first thing anyone will notice about me.
He he... I am not called smiley for nothing!! (For those who don't know, Smiley is my nickname at IIMB)
2. I am a hardcore Rahmaniac. And am proud to be a Rahmaniac. This is my identity in my college - some people even call me Rahman!
3. I am totally tech-savvy! Wanna try out new software and new gadgets!
4. Extremely optimistic.
5. I'm totally a morning person. I can easily wake up at 4 or 5 am - even without an alarm. But, find it very difficult to stay awake late in the nights!
6. I always want recognition for whatever I do and get upset when I don't get it!
7. I thrive on music. Whenever I am in my room and am not sleeping or studying, music (Rahman's, of course) has to be on!
8. I find it very difficult to say "no" for anything to anyone.
9. I get irritated when people take advantage of my point no. 8, but I will never want to show that I'm irritated, for fear of hurting them!
10. I am totally quiet and look like a very reserved person. But once I get even slightly close to someone, then I am totally unstoppable - I keep going on and on!!

I tag Sheks, Witchoo, Neha, Aysh, Visithra and Vani.

to the gal who never forgets birthdays!

Many happy returns, Visithra! May everyone keep thinking forever, that u are 22!

... to blog ulagin kuzhal illaa Kannan 'Magix n Curses' Harish. This self-proclaimed "appaavi pulla" is turning 21 today.
And here's my wishes to him for being lucky to have got CAT exam as a birthday gift!! All the best to everyone writing CAT today!

It is two weeks since you left me. I haven't got over you. How can I? I still can't digest the fact that I am not going to see you again? I miss you so much. We were together for only 2 months. But, the impact is so big!

You always rememberd when I had to wake up early and woke me up on time, lest I should get late. With you around, I was never bored. I still remember the way you lit up on my touch.

It is two weeks since you left me. I know I am never gonna get you back. I know life has to move on. I know that there will be a replacement for you. But the transition phase is tough and long, you see. Buying two cell phones in a span of 2 months is not easy on the pocket too! Damn the guy who stole my mobile!!!

The Bangalore Edition of Mid Day dated 26.11.2006, carried an article about my blog.
But I came to know of this only today and I could not get the newspaper despite looking for it all over the city!
If anyone reading this blog has that particular issue, please.. please.... please let me know (My mail id and yahoo id are on the left side-bar). I will come and collect it!

There's something written about me and my blog, and the world has read it - only I dont know what was written!!! Cha... unfair!

Tagged by PK
Am supposed to write 6 wierd things about me... so, here we go!

1. I love to hangout with friends, but wouldn't mind being alone in my room too - only if I have my comp!
2. Addicted to F.R.I.E.N.D.S off late, watching 5-6 episodes daily!
3. I sometimes get addicted to one song (not necessarily a new one) and listen to it even 20 times a day!
4. I dont drink coffee, tea or Pepsi/Coke!
5. I wake up really early (5.30-6.00 am) even without an alarm clock, even if I hit the bed pretty late!
6. I'm just not able to find out 6 wierd things about me!!!

Ok.. me not tagging anyone.... Whoever is interested can take it up...

One of my long term chinna aasai-s was fulfilled yesterday! Ya... finally got the A.R.Rahman T-shirt on independence day.



Thanks to rahmantimes team for the brilliant work!

Yeah... Its one year since I started blogging...
And it has been great - Got many new friends - many of whom, I am yet to meet! (will try to be present for the next blogger's meet!!)

I got tagged by max-enthu gal Mythreyee (aka Vasu). She is also celebrating her b'day today. Before i get on to my tag, here's wishing her a very happy birthday!!!

And, here's the tag: Middle-age Mutant Kizhinja Kattil (enna title...Epdi vasu... epdi....epdi!!! )

What kinda power(s) would you choose, if you could undergo bad-ass mutations? You can mention a maximum of 3 powers you'd like. And try to be imaginative... We don't want another Nightcrawler or Mystique! Tag 4 more people.

Powers I would want:

1. Selective invisibility - similar to stealth settings in Yahoo! Messenger. U decide who can see u and who cant. Woud be fun as well as useful, right?
2. Power to convert any food stuff to chocolate/ice cream at will!

Now, I tag Visit, Sheky, Shriedhar and Ponnarasi. Let ur creative juices flow.. lets see some interesting powers.