The world according to Prerona…….

If you have even a little faith in my judgment, watch this gem of a movie. It’s barely 15 minutes long and one of the finest I’ve ever seen.

Ever since I heard of this series of a serial killer trying to lead a normal life as a forensic expert, I had been dying to watch it. It was only last week that I finally got round to picking up the Season 1 DVD at Blockbuster. And I was not disappointed. I’m now eagerly waiting for August 2008 when season 2 will be released on DVD. Love you Dexter.

This MBA from Oxford is representing India on Last Comic Standing ( NBC-8/7c). Last time I saw, he’d made it to the semifinals in Las Vegas. Unfortunately I’m too distracted by his sing-song English accent (his tone changes the way it would if he were reciting a poem) to actually listen to his jokes. If you have watched avant-garde movies like “English August” where even the chaprasi and the aunty in a middle-class Indian neighborhood talk in a similar accent, you will understanding how ludicrous it sounds. Result: I have no clue how he got this far as a stand-up comic.

When I called home this weekend, Maa had some news for me. The education minister of Assam was arrested by the CBI. He had been under investigation in a murder probe and tried to bribe the CBI official to hush it up. The bureau laid a trap for him which ended in his arrest. Although nothing about politics surprises me anymore, it’s ironic that out of all the portfolios, the douche bag had to be minister of EDUCATION. Talk about setting an example!

Of late, I can’t seem to put a word down without getting all maudlin and teary eyed. So on a lighter note, watched “Iron Man” yesterday, had been meaning to for a while but couldn’t find company. Have yet to muster the detachment/lack-of-self-consciousness to watch a movie at a public theater all by myself. Movie reinforced my faith in Downey Jr. and reminded me yet again how hot he is. Left theater with a crush on him and feeling a decade younger. Feel less irritated now by Sarah Jessica Parker and her annoying voice, giving her a few points for having once dated Downey Jr. Loved it that the movie ended with “Iron Man” playing in the background!

Every evening Maa fills the small earthen urn with dried coconut husk and lights it to create enough smoke. She then adds dhuna to it and takes it on a round all over the house to drive out the mosquitoes. The temple-like ambiance created by dhuna was like a sign to us kids to go sit at our study table and prepare for the next day. Often the timing of dhuna would coincide with the regular load shedding by the state electricity board and I would be thrilled not to have to go sit at my table using the absence of light as an excuse to prolong my leisure.

On a day like today, I would probably be sitting next to mom as she prepared the duna for the evening, catching up with the latest gossip and adding my two cents, speculating what Tulsi or some other character would be doing in the next episode of “Kyunki…” or whatever her favorite was at the moment. Then the conversation would turn to dinner and what to cook that night. If both of us were in the mood, we might even go over to Mrs. Das’s, the chatty lady who albeit served a very good cup of tea. On warm lazy summer afternoons like these, I long to sit on the veranda with Maa.