Books 2025

I did get to Books to counter smartphone scrolling. But its tough to fit book reading in all the 5-10 minute waiting's I have to do all day. By the time I get the glasses, right bookmarked page & paragraph and focus back to the non-fiction (which is extra effort from fiction), phone is right there with zero wait. But I continue to wager the Smartphone vs books war.

God Bless American Libraries. We will get all books there. Just do online search on your topic and we will find it all. 

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I did that to learn more on art thanks to these Art books.

Start Here - Paint - Moira Clinch

These trilogy by By Austin Kleon

Steal Like An Artist 

Keep Going
Show your Work! - 10 Ways to Share your Creativity and Discovered

What Color Is Night? & Nothing Ever Happens on A Gray Day - By Grant Snider

How to draw Robots - books of different titles - by Carolyn Serace, Keith Thompson, @markberginart & Ralph Masiello @RalphPaints

Here the Robotos I made from them: Part 1 and Part 2.

Artist's Photo Reference books of Tigers, Fish, Sharks, Flowers, Birds

Lots of Art education and photo reference books. This is one steps ahead of looking at masters work coffee-table photo books. 

Norman Rockwell - Behind the Camera - by Schick, Ron
In Search of Norman Rockwell's America - by Rivoli, Kevin
Norman Rockwell - Pictures for the American People 

Bloomberg showed the Quantum computer & its chip. So I ordered a bunch of books with the title "Quantum Mechanics". Was nice to read about that "wave & photon" gondogol. This was my non-fiction quota. I am still wading through them.

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Okay I did it. Stayed away from fiction (for most part of the year) like I had been trending towards past few years. And in the last quarter of the year, I found a few gems, so read them with enthu.

The Bangalore Detectives Club series:

The Bangalore Detectives Club. 2022. 

Murder Under a Red Moon. 2023.

A Nest of Vipers. 2024.

By Harini Nagendra

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping - Suzanne Collins

Ofcourse I finished Hunger Games Book 5. No way I couldn't not read the next installment of my existing fav series. 

2025 OTT & TV Shows

Loads of releases this year and caught up with some which had some connection or the other with me.    

INDIAN WEB SERIES

Family Man (S3) - clif-hanger wait for S4. Lot of dejavu with Paatal Lok S2.

Two Much of Kajol & Twinkle - for the babble

Do You Wanna Partner - for Tammananh & Dianna

Paatal Lok (S2) - I skipped S1 and watched S2 for Nagaland & all the main char actors. Did not disappoint. The Nagaland portions & their houses - all great. Also the story & twists & turns. Jaideep A is impressive 

Duphaiya (Prime) - Well made cause well written characters who were in multiple. Every char with seaking line seemed to have a huge backstory. Plot twists unfolded well and every loop was well answered.

Panchayat (S5) 

The Hunt: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case -

Special Ops - S2 - as reliale as ever for the cast & thrills

Criminal Justice - Family Matter - cause Pankaj Tripathi and reoccuring cast and the show format with weekly episode release.

Mistry - Because Monk remake. Not bad but not great. Same story but some modified or fused into one.

Salakaar - spy story and keeps the thrill with switch between current & 70s. 

The Secret of The Shiledars - National Treasure template Treasure hunt related to Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Vijayanagar Empire.

Mrs Deshpande - for Madhuri Dixit & Nagesh Kukunoor.

Chacha Vidhayak Hai Hamare

Bigg Boss (S19)

Gram Chikitsalay (Prime) 

Bada Kaam Karenge - Great music and lyrics. 

Roshans - Netflix Docu

Cubicles S4

The Trial (S2) - starring Kajol

Khakee - Bengal Chapter - I finished it but Eww.

ENGLISH TV SHOWS

Squid Games (S3)

Man on the Inside (S2) -  coz Charles Nieuwendyk and the crew.

Running Point (Netflix) - for Katie Hudson, Mindy, refreshing.

Resident Aliens (S1 &S2) - funny like lol funny meanwhile the characters stay deadpan.

Stranger things (S1-2)

And then the usual lot

Elsbeth

Matlock

Ghosts (S4 & S5)

2025 Movies

 Good year of good Movies. But too many to watch. Lot of theatre watching this summer.

KANNADA

Su from So - (Theatre) - Weeknight show was also housefull. It was fun laughing with the entire theatre. I enjoyed repeat viewing on Hotstar when it came. DK Kananda language and humor is a unique thing.

Kantara Chapter 1 - (Theatre) - Wednesday evening show also got housefull. Lot of violence, good stunts, engaging music throughout. No stretch felt boring. Comedy element was fast paced by Deepak Rai Panajeas Sankappa (Architect of Jail & Ship), Booba & Peppe & Prakash Thuminad. Sprinkling of Chinese, Arab, Spanish traders. A huge audio & visual treat.

Bellbottom (2019) - Risabh Shetty detective movie. Good one for all the reasons.

HINDI

Dhurandhar - (theatre 14-Dec) Grandly Impressive !  Extremely violent. Wild music ! Great story telling infused with so many recent history events.

Raid 2 - Best

Inspector Zende 

Sitare Zameen Par - entertaining, humorous & education mixed in. Every gag, skit & character had funny stuff going on.

Pushpa 2 - isko bolte hai theatre wali picture  

Joly LLB 3 - followed by a binge of Jolly LLB 2 & 1.

Akshardham Operation Vajra Shakti

Detective Sherdill

Ground Zero - coz Emraan Hashmi after a long time.

Costoa

Jewel Thief: Hiest Begins

Logout - Babil & SM addiction

Superboys of Malegaon

Bhool Chuk Maaf - very well made. like Reels. scene or camera angles changed every 

Loveyappa - Saw in theatre with a childhood friend. So great exp. Also a good fun movie. Also liked it cause I liked the Tamil version too.

Dhoom Dhaam - for Pratik & Yami Gautam

Bobby Jasoos (2014) - Very good comedy detective movie. Vidya did Sridevi level acting.

ENGLISH

Karate Kids - (Theatre) - Cause Jackie Chan, Danny Loruzo and Johny cameo.

Superman  - (Theatre)

Jurrasic World Rebirth - (Theatre)

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning - (Theatre)

Hidden Strike - cause Jackie Chan and John Cena

Mule - unbelievable . Admiration for Clint Eastwood working at that advanced age.  Each scene. Family dynamics vs personal freedom. Dynamics with diff groups of people.

Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado

Nonnas

Ice Road: Vengeance -  coz Liam Neeson

Happy Gilmore 2 & Happy Gilmore

The Old Guard 2 - coz sequel

The Thursday Murder Club

Nobody - Great selection of music.

Accountant & Accountant 2 - again good music

My Yearly Movies List here.

College room cookoff playbook

 Guide playbook

Food Menu

Aloo matar - https://youtube.com/shorts/RHtv44J36b8?si=csAkBPYQqDksUpkX

With rice or naan or bread

Pasta in rice cooker - https://youtube.com/shorts/xOF4Hdq9yV8?si=dWZTH9BjuwvPZ_ox

White pasta on Instapot

https://youtube.com/shorts/ZZy5HSkRhZc?si=3yjPeMSj5Uqt_60i

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DM_XJYYBrUM/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Sambar rice

Vegetable egg fried rice

Curd rice pickle papad

Puliyogyre rice

Bisi bele bath rice

Salad - Chopped cucumber, tomato, onion , With a dash of Lemon & Salt

Boiled eggs

 

Breakfast

Cereal milk

Bread Toast

Egg – Omlette, Sunny side, Boiled, Poached

 Sandwich maker Sandwiches

 

Recipes (add salt in all)

 

Tadka

Heat 1-2 spoon oil

When hot, add jeera and/or mustard seeds and wait for them to pop.

Then add wet stuff to cool the oil – like curry pata leaves, minced garlic, sliced green chillies,  onion, tomatoes (in this order)

 

Aloo mutter recipe

Microwave 2 potatoes. Then peel & chop potato as cubes.

Make tadka on pan.

Add washed Frozen peas & Chopped potato

 

Aloo Bhaja

Peel & chop 2 potatoes in long fries format.

Make tadka (without tomatoes). Add Potatoes. Stir from time to time. When potato is cooked, sprinkle salt.

 

Dal Fry

Boil Toor dal in Instapot with turmeric & salt & hing.

After dal is cooked, give it a stir to melt/mash all dal together.

On stove & pan, add Oil & tadka with jeera seeds, curry pata, garlic, cut red chilly.

Add onion, tomatoes & cover cook till it melts.

Add mashed dal & give a boil.

 

Vegetable Egg Fried Rice

Bag of frozen mixed veggies.
Wash rice in rice cooker. Add peas, salt, jeera, ghee/butter. 
Add water & cook rice.
Eat with Egg

Curd rice pickle papad

Make rice in rice cooker. When done & steaming, add salt, curd & water and mix together.

Give small tadka of oil, mustard seeds, urad (1sp), curry pata.

Add chopped apple, grapes or pomegranate.

 

Puliyogyre rice

Make rice in rice cooker. When done & steaming, mix MTR Puliypgyre paste & salt.

 

Bisi bele bath rice

Make dal & rice & peas & salt in Instapot. When done & steaming, add MTR Bisibelebath paste and mix.

 

MTR Sambar recipe

Boil Toor dal in Instapot with turmeric & salt & hing.

After cooked, give it a stir to melt all dal together.

On stove & pan, Oil & tadka with mustard seeds, curry pata, garlic, cut red chilly.

Add onion

Then add cut veggies (brinjal, drumstick, bhi NRI, beans, carrots, small potatoes, peas, Lima beans)

Then chopped tomatoes.

Let it melt, then add salt & Sambar powders.

When all mixed up, transfer pan contents to Instapot with dal. Cook it all for another round of Beans 15 minute mode.

 Sandwich maker Sandwich Fillings

Sliced tomatoes, boiled potato, cucumber. Chutney & butter on bread on the inside.
Butter bread & boiled egg slices with sprinkled salt & pepper.

After college dropoff

One week after college dropoff and this song played in Friday evening yoga class and after the 3rd Antara repetition, melted me into a pool.

Song: Tu Hain Toh | Mr. & Mrs. Mahi | Rajkummar Rao, Janhvi Kapoor | Hunny, Bunny, Sagar | Team Jaani

Sath tere na safar vo safar nahi lagta 

Tu hai toh dil dhadakta hai 

Tu hai toh saa’ns aati hai 

Tu na toh ghar ghar nahi lagta 

Tu hai to darr nahi lagta 

Tu hai toh gham na aate hai 

Tu hai toh muskurate hai 

Ke tere bin so nahi sakte

Kisi ke ho nahi sakte

https://open.spotify.com/track/6egfWbtFFhMToV2DvmEzmo?si=trvmt3g5RDO8ZkxntB33jA&context=spotify%3Atrack%3A6egfWbtFFhMToV2DvmEzmo

Cricket Wives Wishlist

Bagwan kare Param fields mein aag lag jaye.

Aur ACF Fields mein ghode ki lind phail jaye.

Baki grounds mein gadhe pad jaye, aur paani bhar jaye.

Indoor practise facilities mein termite lag jayi aur rat-infestation ho jaye.

Har sports adda/bar ke samne police skateout karen aur DWI chalen baatathi phiren.

Amer Cricket League corruption mein band ho jaye.

BCCI corruption mein gir jaye.

ICC bankrupt ho jaye.

Why you ask ?

Through the core youth years of the women, 

this infrastructure made them single moms of kids plus one man-child.

Cricket wives, aur kuch ?