The End

No more Harry Potter to look forward to. I watched the final movie today, and all the thoughts that I had after I finished the last book came back after watching the movie. After I read the book, I got the feeling that JKR just wanted to get over with the book, even at the cost of sounding a tad bit illogical - case in point being, Voldemort died because he didn't understand how wands work while all this while Voldemort was supposed to be the greatest wizard, albeit dark, after Dumbledore. Surely, Voldemort would know something as simple as that being a genius that he is. I got the feeling that JKR had run out of ideas to finish the story.

And that's how I felt after watching the final part today. The movie was carelessly executed, confident that people would watch it no matter what. The movie concentrated on stunning visual effects than the storyboard or the acting or the screenplay. Especially the screenplay. It felt like a bad cut-paste job. Much left to be desired. But, it's Harry Potter after all. The last Harry Potter movie. So I'm not going to complain too much. Certainly not the best movie, but an entertaining and emotional one nevertheless.

I want to write more, but I just found out (2am) that we have a quiz tomorrow, and I've never opened the book for the (faff) subject. Got to study. Bye.

P.S. I ♥ Snape

Phineas and Ferb

Cartoons are the best thing that happened to mankind. After music, of course.

"Mom! Phineas and Ferb are making a title sequence"

Phineas and Ferb is the Tom and Jerry of my adulthood and I have every reason to believe it might soon be the Tom and Jerry of the new generation. I haven't seen a funnier and wittier animated series in recent times. Even the new Tom and Jerry series aren't as much fun. Quite frankly, I don't even like the new Tom and Jerry series. They've turned too violent for my taste. And that is true for most cartoons on TV today. Well, at least, the shows on the cartoon channels in India viz., Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Animax and Hungama. Pogo and Disney/Disney XD are probably the only channels that have good, healthy, fun and mentally stimulating shows for kids. I personally am of the opinion that there is a limit to schadenfreude even when it is a cartoon.

And that is why Phineas and Ferb is such a great show. There are lot of good things about the show, apart from the neat flash animation (If I'm not wrong I remember reading about the show winning an award for the best flash animation) and great comic timing. You see, Phineas and Ferb are step-brothers and they make a great team. The show takes place during their summer vacation and the duo wants to spend their vacation productively. Nothing is impossible, but nothing happens by magic either. And everything they do is for the benefit (or fun) of not just themselves but everybody in the neighbourhood. They don't cause harm to anyone, neither does Candace, nor Doofenschmirtz (thanks to Agent P aka Perry The Platypus). The dialogues are clever and witty. No lowbrow humour. It has also got catchy musical numbers, my favourite being Gitchee Gitchee Goo and Backyard Beach. So you see, it's the perfect show.

Perry The Platypus fights Doofenschmirtz, who wants to destroy the entire Tri-State area

Heinz Doofenschmirtz is my favourite character. His antics are so endearing, not to mention his accent (voiced by one of the creators, Jeff "Swampy" Marsh Dan Povenmire). Wait. I think I like Candace more. Especially that wicked laugh of hers when she thinks her brothers (Phineas and Ferb) are "busted" for sure. Or the cute little noise that Perry The Platypus makes. And the way Isabella says, "Hey Phineas, Whatcha doooin?". Ah well I can't decide who it is. The entire show is just so wonderful. 

So, go on then. If you aren't a fan of the series yet, watch the show and join the club.

Wall Street

So I watched Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. After all the hype and hoopla around this movie, it was such a huge let down. It had such a weak weak plot, or no plot at all I should say. The movie starts from where it left off in the 1987 movie. I didn't watch the 1987 movie, but it seems like it must have been a very good and intriguing movie. I could feel it while watching this movie. Maybe that's what makes this movie even more boring.

You could easily skip this movie and not miss a thing. Wait for the DVD, rent it or download it, but don't waste your money watching this in the theatre. I had such high expectations from this one, especially after Stephen Sackur, THE Stephen Sackur, mentioned this movie in his interview with Oliver Stone. What a disappointment. Sniff.

I wonder if Legend Of The Guardians will release in India. It had better. I'll be watching Beauty And The Beast 3D with Mahi this Sunday, and then next week, the one I've been eagerly waiting for -- Anjaana Anjaani. Ranbiiiiiiiir!!!

Peepli [Blogged]

I don't really want to make this a blog that talks only about movies, but I couldn't help blogging about what I think of Peepli [Live].

Aamir Khan has done it yet again. Made a movie on a pressing current affair, but honestly Peepli Live didn't really work for me. Trying to squeeze entertainment out of something as grave as farmer suicides, according to me, isn't really the ideal way to make the impact that the movie intended to make. One could clearly tell that the moviemakers were trying hard to make a point without being too preachy, but I doubt if they were successful enough. You see, I'm saying this because of the reactions I saw during and after the movie.

In one of the very first scenes, when Naththa's wife shouts at him when he breaks the news of their house being auctioned, people in the theatre laughed. I did not understand why. There really wasn't anything to laugh at - either at the dialogues, or the acting , or the situation. I mean, the wife is clearly upset that they are soon going to be homeless and is venting the frustration on her husband. It really wasn't a scene one should enjoy and laugh at. People were not looking beyond the ostensible entertainment factor. The movie was entertaining only because the tactics that these journalists employ to increase their channel's TRP is, at best, laughable. What I sensed from the audience in the theatre was that people were only trying to get entertained, entirely missing the bigger point - poverty and its exploitation... for TRPs, votes and what not. Or maybe they do their thinking when they go back home, but I certainly couldn't laugh much thinking about how it would be to really be in such a situation. Of course, that doesn't mean I did not enjoy the movie. I enjoyed it, laughed too, but not as much as the other people in the theatre with me.

My favourite scene in the movie has nothing to do with the story of the movie. I loved the time-lapse depiction of the changing landscape from the village to the city; shows us the extreme contrast between a village and a city. Couldn't help being awed and sad at the same time. Awed at how much our cities have developed with buildings touching the clouds, sad that the villages are still drowned in extreme poverty; amazed at how some people boast about darjeeling tea while some people are literally digging their own graves. Couldn't help wondering what these labourers at construction sites must be feeling - building houses they can never imagine living in, building homes for rich people when they themselves are homeless.

Couldn't help feeling a little contemptuous towards journalists though. I don't want to feel such feelings against journalists. They do an amazing job of reporting from the most inaccessible of places, going through hell to reach there and do what they're doing, but I can't help wondering what kind of a job is a job where one only has to report heartbreaking incidents but do nothing about them. As a journalist in the movie puts it, "We're journalists and this is what we do."

That said, in other news, today I finish exactly one year and two days in Bangalore. While there are so many things to hate about Bangalore, there are so many things to love too - the best thing being the weather. It's just perfect. Bangalore is so much different from what I imagined it to be, from how I imagined a capital city to be. It's way below expectations, but I realise that only capital cities or places that are economically vibrant can be like this. So, I'm over the initial shock and am really beginning to like this place enough to call it my second home. The next best thing - movies! I have watched more movies in this one year in Bangalore than I've watched in all my life before I came here. Not just Hindi and English, but Telugu and Kannada as well (thanks to my awesome roommate). Third best thing - shopping! (though I haven't done much of it). In short, yay Bengaluru!

And ooh, before I forget, Happy Independence Day!

Despicable Movies

Ahoy! Just in to say if you haven't watched Despicable Me, please do. I've been waiting to watch this for about three weeks, thought it wouldn't release in India, but it did and it was soooo worth the wait. It's the cutest movie I've ever seen in recent times. No. Ever.

When I read in the newspaper about the movie being a comedy, I was doubtful. Kids' comedy, you know, isn't my favourite kind of comedy... As in, Tom and Jerry... they're cute but they don't make me laugh anymore. So when I went to watch the movie, I was thinking Tom and Jerry type of silly comedy. But when I saw in one of the first few scenes, Mr. Gru (the badman) going to a bank named, "Bank of Evil, formerly Lehman Brothers" I knew in an instant this wasn't Cat and Mouse. I must say it wasn't rip-roaring comedy; the movie has those moments where you unconsciously laugh. I didn't realise I was laughing until I... realised. The three little kids in the movie are so adorable, you want to just pick them up from the screen and take them home. The entire movie is just so cute. The story isn't much, it's highly predictable. But it's not for the story that you must watch, you must watch this movie only for its cuteness factor.

So that takes this year's animated movies count (from the industry biggies) to four - Shrek Forever After, Toy Story 3, How To Train Your Dragon and Despicable Me. I still maintain that How To Train Your Dragon must win the Academy award this year. And Despicable Me should go into your movie collection. It definitely is going into mine. And when I say go into my movie collection, I must also say that I still don't own any of the Pixar movies or Dreamworks movies or Blue Sky movies (I own a DVD of Pixar Short Films though, but that doesn't count here). That's how much I liked Despicable Me. I'm telling you. Watch it.

Speaking of DVDs, I am now a proud proud owner of the entire series of Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister. Bought the rest of them today. Can't wait to watch them. Sir Humphrey Appleby is one of the greatest characters to have graced the television.

Also bought Bolt, only because Mittens calls Bolt, "Cujo".

Dell Inspiron 1525 - A Review

It’s been 2 weeks since I got a new Dell Inspiron 1525 laptop, and here are my thoughts and opinions about it.

First of all, the specifications:

• Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo Processor T8100 1
• 2.1GHz, 3MB Cache, 800 MHz FSB
• Genuine Windows Vista(TM) Home Premium - with AERO experience
• 15.4" Widescreen WXGA+ (1440x900) TFT Display with TrueLife(TM)
• Design: Street with Custom High-Gloss
• Integrated 2.0 mega pixel web cam
• 3GB (1x2GB+1x1GB) 667MHz SDRAM
• 250GB SATA Hard Drive
• Internal 8X DVD+/-RW Combination Drive with dual layer write capabilities
• Intel(R) Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator X3100
• Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945 Dual Band 802.11a/g 54Mbps Wireless Mini Card
• 1 ExpressCard Slot, (Does Not Support PCMCIA Cards)
• Integrated Sound Blaster Audigy Advanced HD Audio Software
• Dell(TM) Wireless 355 Bluetooth Module 1
• 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
• Dell Bluetooth Wireless Headset
• Microsoft(R) Works 9.0 (Does Not Include Microsoft(R) Office 2003/2007 Software)
• McAfee(R) Security Center(TM) – 30 days trial
• 8-in-1 media card reader
• Dell(TM) Keyboard with Touchpad (English)
• Integrated 10/100 Fast Ethernet
• Internal 56K Modem
• RJ-11 Modem cable (AP)
• Dell(TM) Travel Remote Control
• Noise Isolation Ear Buds
• Dell(TM) Media Direct
• Dell(TM) MediaDirect DVD Kit
• 1 Year Complete Cover Accidental Damage Protection
• 1 Year Telephone Technical Support
• Regional Support Within Asia Pacific Countries For Laptops
• 1-Year Limited Warranty (Next Business Day Service - parts & labour)
  

Before I write any further, I must also tell you my background of laptop usage. Prior to the Dell 1525, I had used just one other laptop - an Acer Aspire 5102 (with 512 MB RAM, 1.6GHz, 60GB HDD, AMD Turion processor, Windows XP Home Edition OS, 15.4” Widescreen 1280x800 etc etc..) which my parents bought for me a year and a half ago (Oct 2006, to be precise). The laptop was never without problems, and performance wasn’t good either. Well, to put in few words, it wasn’t a laptop I enjoyed working with.

The Dell Inspiron 1525, however, is a laptop I thoroughly enjoy using. From the time we placed the order (through the Dell website), through the processing of the order, and the delivery, it had been a pleasant experience. Yes, the system was delivered late by a day, but they compensated for it by increasing the warranty period by a year. Dell was very prompt at every stage of the order processing; and listened to and clarified our doubts and apprehensions patiently. I, honestly, was very impressed with their customer service.

It arrived in this big box, neatly packed, all safe within the thermocol casing. As you open the box, you first see the laptop bag. This bag has so many pockets you could use to hide stuff and never find it; very spacious you could stuff a lot of things in there. The quality of the bag is as good as it can get, and the soft pad on the handles gives you a feeling of the laptop losing a few pounds when inside the bag. That’s a good thing because the laptop is, kind of, heavy. Removing the bag, you see another box. This box contains all the CDs, manuals (the owner‘s manual is rather thick and has about 200 pages), cables, and other stuff that a laptop comes with. I was surprised to find a mouse, since I hadn’t expected it. There was the Bluetooth headset as promised, a noise-reduction earphone set (in a small black pouch, at the bottom right corner in the picture) and the remote control. The Bluetooth headphones work fine, though they don’t stay tight on my head and hence can use them only when I wear a pony-tail. The Bluetooth connection stays within the room and gets disconnected when I leave the room (that is, go beyond 12 feet, in accordance with the manual). The noise reduction earphones are really good and the ones I mostly use. The remote control, there’s nothing much to say about it really, except that what’s on the manual, with respect to the control buttons, is a little different from what the actual remote control has on it. I assume that the extra features shown on the manual are for 1526 and not for 1525. Nevertheless, as a remote control, it behaves just like it should be.
Now, coming to the laptop itself, it’s a beautiful piece of technology. The speed and performance is awesome. If there is a problem, then it’s because of the formidable Windows Vista, and not because of the hardware. I’d read in a review (by a professional reviewer) that the laptop that they had received had tiny scratches and the paint on the casing was peeling off. So that was the first thing I had checked before anything else. No scratches, no peeling off anywhere. Like I said, it was safely and neatly packed.

The webcam is good and can take pictures of 3200x2400 resolution and videos(not very impressive) of 1600x1200 resolution. Don’t expect what you expect from your digi-cam though. The webcam software also includes remote monitoring, motion detection and time-lapse video. The webcam console has a lot of features built into it, such as audio effects, video effects, face tracking, pan and zoom, and doodling - all fun to play with.

The display is impressive with no colour-inversion from ‘normal’ viewing angles and is susceptible to finger prints. The speaker, located above the keyboard, is normal for a laptop, nothing to brag about. It doesn’t bother me because I use the headphones/earphones 99% of the time. There are these touch-sensitive buttons for the media player above the keyboard that light up only when pressed. I found the volume control button a bit annoying since it responds to touch only once every second, and hence it becomes difficult to reduce the volume by large amounts. I’m able to use it only when I want to make minor adjustments with the volume/sound.

Now we come to the keyboard; the keyboard is one of the best things of the laptop, and for me, personally, there are many reasons. First of all, it’s the softest keyboard I’ve ever touched. That was the first thing I was really ‘really’ impressed with. Second, the layout of the keyboard was the same as the Acer laptop and so I didn’t have to get used to anything. The touchpad is good, can be over-sensitive at times, but not so much to really bother about. You just need some time to get used to its working. With respect to the touchpad, I will have to agree that my Acer laptop was way better.

I’ve used the Media Direct feature only thrice until now. It truly is Media ‘Direct’, meaning, it switches on almost immediately. But.. Yes, there is a ’but’ here. My computer has about 4GB of music, and it takes a lot of time to show me the list of tracks. I, somehow, am not patient enough for the list to load. The only reason I’m keeping the Media Direct feature alive on the laptop is because it uses the visualizations of Windows Media Player 9, which includes my all-time favourite visualization called Vox, which I cannot let go of. I know, it’s crazy to block 2GB of space because of a small visualization, but.. *shrugs* whatever.

About the graphics card, I don’t really have much to say because I don’t play games. I’ve played Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and that worked fine. I don’t know if it made a difference to you, but that is all I can say at the moment.

The DVD writer is very good. I don’t know if it’s because of the previous laptop, but I was amazed to see that writing a 4.7GB DVD took only 10 minutes as compared to 20 minutes on the Acer laptop.

My laptop gives a battery backup of 3 hours, which I'm really happy with.

The cover of my laptop has a glossy design and is highly susceptible to finger-prints. If that bothers you, then don't go for a glossy finish.

That is all I can write for now. If you want to know more about a feature, or have missed something important, let me know, I’ll include it here.

All in all, I’m in love with my new Dell Inspiron 1525, and would happily recommend it to anybody who wants to buy it, without a second thought.

Update [29 April]: Scratch what I said about the touch-sensitive volume control. It's working perfectly fine and I can make any kind of volume adjustment with it. I still have so much to learn about the laptop.

The design

Front view

Dan Brown

I recently finished reading all the four books by Dan Brown. I'm not a review writer, so I can't really write a detailed account of the experience of reading the books. All I want to say that each book is a master piece. I'm really amazed at the amount of research, study and hard work he's put into writing the books. Clearly, he's one of my best authors. I can't wait to read more books by him. Here's the list of my favourite Dan Brown books, in order of my liking:

The Da Vinci Code (This may be a prejudiced opinion because of the movie and all..) In close contention with Da Vinci Code is Angels and Demons. Then is Digital Fortress and finally, Deception Point.

Riviera '08 : Day 4 : Shankar Mahadevan's concert

Shankar Mahadevan's concert last night was simply SUPERB! This time I really don't have words to describe my experience. One of the best concerts I've ever attended (not that I've attended many, but still). Shankar Mahadevan is now going into my list of favourite singers, not only because he's such a versatile singer, but also because of his humility and jovial nature. I love famous people who are humble and down-to-earth. I just loved Shankar Mahadevan!! Way to go, Shankar!!! *love*

Here are some pictures of the concert and me ;) --I was trying to look good, but didn't really end up looking ravishing or anything. Anyway, this is me with my favourite Riviera background.

Somebody told me that there would be fireworks before the concert. There wasn't any. I was disappointed (which is wrong, since I have decided to be environment-friendly, but *shrugs* I love watching them *shame* *hides face*). That wasn't for long though, because Shankar gave a break of about 5 minutes for dinner, during which they had this display of fireworks.

And last, but not the least, here are a few pictures from the concert:

Riviera '08 : Day 3

I had decided never to miss Riviera ever, as long as my parents were working here.And now my determination not to miss is even stronger. I have found yet another reason not to miss it for anything (well, except, may be, exams). Riviera's Day 3 was more awespiring than I'd imagined. And the end of it all, my mouth lay hanging open. Though I didn't watch the prelims of any of the competitions (because of my addiction to the internet, and the unputdownable book I was reading - Dan Brown's Deception Point), I did catch a glimpse of the prelims for the personality contest called Mr. and Ms. Riviera. I was a little disappointed with the entries. Nevertheless, it was fun. I also saw the entries for the finals of the Sand-Castle competition. And this little one caught my attention, and is my favourite. The theme for the competition was "Anything Indian". So this is a model of the Charminar at Hyderabad.


In the evening, at the stadium were the finals of the personality contest, throughout which my parents and me, thoroughly got bored. My mum was insisting that we should go back home. I refused, and it was a good thing I refused, because what happened after that I can never forget in my life. There was this stunning visual glow juggling show by a group called Feeding The Fish (consisting of Ms. Alix Wilding and Mr. Simon Mylius). What kind of juggling articles they used, I have no idea; they were fluorescent, changed a million colours, and most amazingly, even changed SHAPES!! At the end of it, gosh.. I just don't have words to describe what I felt. Truly fantastic, MESMERIZING, I must say. Wow! Visit their website: http://www.feedingthefish.com/

Did I ever think I'd see even more jaw-dropping performances that day! Before the Frisk-Facter (dance) competition could start, the host college, VIT, performed a dance representing five human emotions - anger, happiness, hatred, love and fear. That was AWESOME!! The dance got a standing ovation and the judges invited the whole group to perform at celebrations in various parts of India.

All in all, yesterday was my best day of the whole celebration. I'm sure there's more awating today, because today, a very popular Indian singer, Shankar Mahadevan is going to perform for us. All of the staff who haven't attended the celebrations of the previous two days, have cancelled appointments to attend today's concert. I'm just too excited, and I'm trying to look my best today, even though it's not a necessity because all I'm going to do is SIT and enjoy the show. ;).

Taare Zameen Par

I saw this wonderful, beautiful, touching movie yesterday: Taare Zameen Par (Stars On Earth) ( तारें ज़मीन पर ). It's about a child with learning disabilities and how a substitute teacher helps him and gets him out of his world of gloom, before it's too late। It has been beautifully acted out, the music scores and lyrics heart-touching (it made me cry) and has a heart-touching social message, a message that is really needed for the current Indian middle-class soceity. If you ever have a teeny-weeny chance of watching the movie, watch it. It's a must-watch movie. My mum too, who NEVER cries at the emotional scenes, couldn't control her tears. If my mum couldn't help being emotional, then NOBODY can. Well, all I want to say is that it's a beautiful movie, and if you have a chance, don't miss it for anything.

J K Rowling

Wow!! I've finally finished reading the Deathly Hallows. It's a wonderful book!!! I love it. Dobby's and Snape's death made me cry. Tears swelled out of my eyes. The Battle of Hogwarts too made me cry too.. such unity! :) *sniff* This book takes equal place with the Half Blood Prince. So, I've got two favourites now.

Here's a video of Jo reading the second half of the first chapter, in my favourite accent. Oh, I love it so!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

I finally have access to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I've finished reading half the book, and I must say, that the book is very intriguing. It's bloody, full of death, but it's a wonderful book. Nevertheless, right now, I cannot get myself to say that this is my favourite book. As of now Half-blood Prince, the sixth one, is my favourite. Well, I suppose, it's too early to judge Deathly Hallows. It's upsetting that this will be the last Harry Potter book. I think that Harry Potter is one of the best things that has happened to this world. Hats of to Jo for writing such a wonderful series. I hope that she gives us many of such wonderful books.

Shreya Ghoshal's Khoee Khoee Yaadein

Here is Shreya Ghoshal's (my 2nd favourite singer) video from Sa Re Ga Ma. Khoee Khoee Yaadein.. beautifully sung!

Umrao Jaan

One of the most boring movies I've seen. Music is good though. I like Salaam, Pehle Pehel, and Agle Janam Mohe. Not that the others are bad. Alka Yagnik is at her best in this movie. Aishwarya Rai looks awesome, but her dances are awful. Every time she danced, my head said "Madhuri would have been perfect. Where is she?". Ash's voice reminded me of (I think it resembles) Rekha. I couldn't watch more than 1 CD, so I didn't watch enough to comment about Abhishek's performance. I guess it's ok. He's improved a lot. Thank God, I didn't watch this movie in the cinema hall. There are a thousand better things I can do, than watch this stupid chewing-gum movie.

Moin and the Monster

I know it's too kiddish to be reading this book, but I must admit it's one of the funniest (in a kid-like way) books I've ever read. The innocence of the boy, Moin, is brought out very well. I'm talking about Moin and the Monster by Anushka Ravishankar. Anuska Ravishankar is an award-winning writer and playwright. Her books include Tiger on a Tree, Anything but a Grabooberry, Excuse Me, Is This India? and Today is my Day, among others.


Moin and the Monster by Anushka Ravishankar

•Published by Penguin Books India
•Published: February 2006
•Imprint: Puffin
•Cover Price: Rs 155.00
•ISBN: 0143335154
•Edition: Paperback
•Format: 129 x 178 mm
•Extent: 112pp (with 31 2-colour illus)
•Classification: Children
•Rights: World

One night, in the dim darkness of his room, Moin heard something shuffling and sniffling under his bed It is a monster, and soon Moin has to learn to live with the monster and its habits, which include a love for bananas, singing, and new hairstyles. However, keeping the monster a secret from his parents and teachers is a tough task, and finally Moin decides that the only thing to do is to send the monster back where it came from ...

Tee hee.. I thought Anuskha Ravishankar was Anoushka Ravishankar, who is the daughter of Pt. Ravishankar, but it's not. Thanks to my ignorance.


Here's an excerpt:

"That's another monster rule. You can only see me if you draw me"
Moin was confused. 'But I can only draw you if I can see you,' he said.
'I can describe myself, can't I? Then you can draw me. If you disobey the rule you'll ... you'll ... you'll turn into a ... a ... suitcase'
Moin didn't want to turn into a suitcase. So he switched on the light, got out his crayons and a piece of paper and waited for the monster to decribe itself.
'You can't draw me on that tiny bit of paper!' the monster told him. 'I'll be as big as you draw me, and I don't want to be the size of your foot.'
'Okay! Okay!' said Moin. He took the calender off the wall, selected a month that had passed, tore off the sheet and turned it around. 'There. That's the biggest sheet I can get, and if you don't like it, there's nothing I can do about it. So describe yourself.'
'Humph,' said the monster and began to sing in a high pitch which sounded quite horrible with it's shreiky voice:

Eyes like flames
And nose like pails,
Ears like horns
And teeth like nails,
A scary, fearsome sight to see
Monster, monster, monster me!

Skull-shaped mole
On rock-like chin,
Long green hair
And purple skin,
In the dark, you'll scream to see
Monster, monster, monster me!

Drum-shaped chest
And arms like trees,
Bamboo legs on
Feet like skis,
Terrifying as can be
Monster, monster, monster meeeeeeeee!

There was a silence as Moin drew the monster, part by part, slowly, carefully and precisely.
'Finished?'
'Almost,' said Moin. 'Right here you are.'
'Now hold the paper up', the monster said. 'I'll look at it as if I'm looking into a mirror. Then I'll appear.'
So Moin held the paper up.
And..
'Eeeeeek!' said the monster.
'Eeeeeeeeeeek!' said Moin, startled to see his drawing suddenly turn into a live creature.
'Owowowowow! What have you done? What have you done?' wailed the monster.
'Why? What's the matter?'
'This is not how I should look,' wept the monster. 'I'm fearsome. You've made me look funny!'
'I've drawn you exactly as you described yourself,' said Moin, miffed. He thought he'd done a splendid job of drawing the monster. 'I can't help it if you don't know how to describe yourself.'
'I'm supposed to be purple.'
'Oh, yes, um ... sorry. I ran out of purple so I used the closest colour I could find.'
'Pink? Bright pink is closest to purple? And why are my legs so thin?'
'They're bamboos, aren't they? That's what you said - bamboo legs.'
'These are not bamboos, they're drumsticks!'
'What rubbish! Drumsticks don't look like that.'
'Bamboos don't look like this either. And what are these things I have instead of feet?'
'Skis, of course'
'These? You call these skis? They look like brooms.'
'I don't know what skis look like. I guessed. I'm very good at guessing. They look kind of ski-ish to me. You know, skittish and kind of brushy.'
'And which animal has horns like these?'
'Oh, were they supposed to be animal horns? I thought you meant the kind of horns that autorickshaws have.'
'You mean I'm going to be walking around with autorickshaw horns? Oh, woe!'
'You complain too much,' said Moin.
'Of course I'll complain; look at this - you've drawn my teeth upside down! How am I going to eat with these blunt nail heads?'
'If you wanted them with the sharp side down you should have said so. I can't read your stupid mind, can I?'
'So many millions of children in the world, and I had to get the one child who can't draw,' sobbed the monster.
'Then go find some other stupid child,' said moin, throwing down his crayons. 'I didn't ask you to crawl under the bed and wake me up and make me draw all kinds of things in the middle of the night. Go away and find some great painter. Go and hide under Picasso's bed.'
'I can't. Now that you've drawn me, I have to stay with you. Besides, Picasso's dead.'
'Forever?' asked Moin, alarmed.
'Once people die, they're usually dead forever.'
'No, I mean are you going to stay with me forever?'
'Forever,' nodded the monster glumly. 'That's the rule.'
'Oh no,' said Moin.
'Exactly,' said the monster.