Advanced Financial Accounting

Today I sat for the 1 exam every accounting student in SMU dreads, Advanced Financial Accounting. It has been proven year after year to be the toughest, most challenging and demanding course in the accounting faculty. Being an accountancy student I too had to come face to face with AFA one day. After postponing it for as long as I could I finally subjected myself to the experience of AFA.

Unfortunately for me as I studied more and more accountancy subjects I realized that accounting is not my cup of tea. By year 3 I was 200% sure I didn't want to do anything with the field of accountancy, be it as a degree or as a career. However I stuck to my degree, Bachelors of Accountancy, and forced myself through the accountancy courses. Though I stuck on and went through the courses, I lost all motivation to study. Just getting myself to pay attention during the seminars was a fight of mind over body. Not surprisingly the grades I have been getting for accounting subjects are nothing great. I made peace with this and my motivation fell even more.

With such a mental state regarding accounting and its subjects I can safely say I was not at all looking forward to doing AFA. Alas I had to face my fear and take the class this semester. How I sat through the seminars and the 2 class tests and the final exam I cannot explain. I am just praying I clear the module so I can graduate with my Bachelors of Accountancy degree. The job market is bad as it is, without a degree I can just forget it.

Coming back to AFA, I have to admit it is not all that bad. I enjoyed the finance part of it. I just hated the accounting part. Writing journal entries, making consolidated statements, etc.. just not my cup of tea. I had my final exam today. It was the longest and haziest 3 hours of my life. I have no idea what I did or what I didn't or how I did or how I didn't. I just know I am done with the exam. Now I just pray what I did was enough for me to pass the module and add AFA into my chest of past experiences.

My Solo Dance

Drona

Date Watched: 23rd October 2008
Venue Watched: My Room
Watched With: Me, Myself and I
Ratings: 5/6
My 2-cents worth: An interesting concept and story that held me interested after the first half of the movie. Sit through the first half and you would enjoy the movie.

Golmaal Returns

Powered by: Chakpak.com	Golmaal Returns

Date Watched: 16th Novemeber 2008
Venue Watched: My Room
Watched With: Me, Myself and I
Ratings: 4/6
My 2-cents worth: The only comedy I found was Tushaar and his dumb act.

Dostana

Powered by: Chakpak.com	Dostana

Date Watched: 16th November 2008
Venue Watched: Jade
Watched With: Mummy
Ratings: 4.5/6
My 2- cents worth: Good movie, with good comedy.. But the whole guy angle was overdone according to me. Priyaka looks dammm ****ing HOT!! Oh and John is delicious in his teeny weeny undies and swimsuits. I love the song desi girl! Its got amazing beats and rhythm.

Karzzz

Date Watched: 29th October 2008
Venue Watched: My Room
Watched With: Me, Myself and I
Ratings: NA
My 2-cents worth: Looking back at the original movie Karzzz doesn't hold a candle to it. The story and the dialouges are lifted wholesale. However the characters and their acting doesn't match up. Its entertaining, at the most a comedy, watchign Himesh enact the role of Rocky. What was disturbing was watching Himesh romancing Urmila, that too him as a 20 year old "rockstar" and she as a late 40 year old "queen"...

Fashion

Date Watched: 8th Novemver 2008
Venue Watched: Prince
Watched With: Shaffalika, Shreosi and Param
Ratings: 4.5/6
My 2-cents worth: Priyanka sizzles together with Kangana in a wonderful story. Very realistic and well directed. Though it stretched at parts making me restless. The twist at the fashion show was too sad. The twist could have been better and more positive. Oh and all the girls look extremely hot and are dressed in gorgeous outfits.

Powered by: Chakpak.com	Fashion

Illuminate Beats- Dance medley

Dance to the medley of 3 songs by Roger, Ritin, Urmila, Talisa, Nirali and me for the SMU Indian Cultural Society's Diwali celebration 2008..

Something humid, something cool..

When we met he made me hot with his cool cool talk

We went for dinners and went on walks,

Leaving our name written in chalk

His kiss, his touch, his look and his hug

His love, his care, his passion and his lust

His laughter, his anger, his mischief and his stare

His eyes, his lips, his chest and his hair

Feeling danger, excitement and almost like a tart,

I fell into his arms giving him my heart

Something humid, something cool,

His charisma turned me into a fool

Poverty

The rich are happy, the poor are sad
The rich party as the poor stare
The rich waste but the poor starve
The poor slave as the rich laugh

Why this divide of rich and poor?
The world is all's to share and love
Love thy neighbour, love thy friends,
Love the poor.... give them a hand

They deserve a chance from you and me.
Don't turn your back to their pleas

Illuminate- Diwali celebrations in SMU

For the 1st time in the 8 years of SMU history Diwali will be celebrated. SMU Indian Cultural Society (ICS) is organizing "Illuminate". Illuminate will be held from 22nd to 24th October at the Big Steps at the School of Information Systems, Singapore Management University. I will be dancing for the "Beats" events on Friday at 3.30pm. So come down and check out the dance!!

Who am I?

A Wednesday!

Date Watched: 4th OCtober 2008
Watched With: Mummy
Venue Watched: Jade
Rating: 6/6
My 2-cents worth: A brillaint movie, the best of the year! Embellished with great actors and characters the movie gripped every second. You are riveted to the screen and holding your breath as the scenes unfold. The movie never disappoints and that is the best thing a story can do.
DO NOT MISS THIS MOVIE!!

The Bunny House

Date Watched: 4th October 2008
Watched With: Preeti, Param and Yasin
Venue Watched: The Cathay
Rating: 5/6
My 2-cents worth: Hilarious movie that makes you pounder just how dump a person can get... But having said that the story is not insulting to "dumb blondes" but heart-warming. Great movie to get relief from our stressful lives

I

I is the lion

I is the wind

I is the sun

I is king

I is pink

I is blue

I is me or is I you?

I is dance

I is music

I is the girl who laughs like a lunatic

I is the voice

I is the words

I is the thoughts of the world

I is the cupcake

I is the cookie

I is the sister

I am the mummy

I is whoever you want me to be,

Your dream, your reality

But who is I, who is me?

I is all I want to be

Vote for me

I got an interesting message in my youtube account inbox. The following is the message..

Hey there!

I watched the video you uploaded and wanted to let you know about the Bollypop competition that Verizon and Saavn are putting on. It's your chance to be in a Bollywood movie!

You can enter the Bollypop competition by uploading your video to http://www.bollypoptv.com and clicking ‘join now’. Better yet, we can upload your video for you. Let me know if you would like us to do that. You can e-mail me directly at bollypop@saavn.com.

The entry with the highest rating will fly to India and get a role in a major Bollywood movie, so tell your friends to vote for you!

Here's a link to the contest's promo on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qhnzLAvDRw

Please feel free to forward this to friends and shoot me any questions you might have. Thanks and good luck!

Priya Patel
bollypop@saavn.com

So basically I decided to try my luck and have entered the contest. Now I need yor votes to hopefully get me closer to my life dream of walking in the path of my passion of dance. This is the link for my profile at BollyPop.com http://affiliate.kickapps.com/38708/madancer

My Dance Videos

If you want to enjoy my dance video you can check out the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/user/icharuamadancer

Feel free to comment and rate the videos

Welcome to Sajjanpur

Date Watched: 28th September 2008
Venue Watched: Prince
Watched With: Parents
Ratings: 5/6
My 2-cents worth: It is a nice movie with a real stroy. Village life and the characters are well potrayed. But there was a kick missing in the movie. However I loved Illa Arun's portions, especially the wedding part. Overall a enjoyable movie. The language might be a problem as it is typical village talk.

Shaurya

Date watched: Can't remember
Venue Watched: My room
Watched With: Me
Ratigs: 5/6
My 2-cents worth: Lovely movie with a real story and characters. The corrupt army officer is really repulsive yet believable. Love Rahul Bose in a strong role.

My Sunflower

Fascinating is the sunflower
Bright as the sun,
Whom it follows around

Standing tall and proud,
Drinking up the warmth
Be it in the open fields,
Or the pretty vase in my house

Fragrant it may not be,
But it has its own beauty

A natural wonder, a bright marvel
A creation of mother earth,
That is the sunflower

My Rose

http://wiphotographers.multiply.com/photos/album/4/Rain#12

Red as blood is my rose
Its fragrance filling this prose
Its beauty shining like a torch
Lighting up what I see not

My rose delights with beauty
Yet thorns too bite with cruelty
Kiss of my rose is purer then dew
Its touch is soft as silk

Captivating, seducing
Passionate and loving
My rose is what it is,
Simply a beauty

Wall.E

Date Watched: 6th September 2008
Venue Watched: Orchard Cineleisure
Watched with: Darren
Ratings: 5/6
My 2-cents worth: Really cute robot love story filled with "oww" moments. I felt the movie was too Bollywood filmi. It had the love story, the villian, the "poor guy", the "rich girl", the "social misfits" (who gang up with the poor guy and fight the enemy). Good date movie.

Khuda Ke Liye

Date Watched: 4th September 2008
Venue Watched: My room
Watched With: Myslef
Ratings: 5.5/6
My 2-cents worth: Really great movie showing both sides of a religion I personally feel has been over scrutinized yet still remains largely misunderstood. I love the weaving of the 3 stories showing different contexts of Pakistanis and Islam. I really really felt for Mary, Mansoor and Shohib. I hope some misconceptions gets cleared via this movie

Fire

Date Watched: 3rd September 2008
Venue Watched: My Room
Watched With: Myself
Ratings: 5/6
My 2-cents worth: A truely bold ad taboo breaking movie.. Even after so many years it remains shocking. The acting is superb. Each actor breathes life into the character. I was especially impressed by Nandita Das. Also the extent of lesbianism shown was shocking even to me. But a movie to be watched as it is as real as the person next to you.

My Body, Your Body

Creative Writing Poem 1.
Background on poem: Titled 'My Body, Your Body', the poem is about my body and your body. My body is my body but your body is the Singapore History Museum. That was all the brief we got. We were told to go to museum and use that as inspiration for the poem. So on Saturday I spent 2 amazing hours at the museum. The result of all this is the poem below. I hope you enjoy reading it.

My Body, Your Body

What is a body,
an object occupying space?
My body, your body both the same
Yet we differ in what we hold inside us
Me, I hold emotions and a life living
You, tales and stories of lives past

Bodies, yours and mine, are nothing without our souls
Just empty spaces waiting as moulds
My body, your body await the unknown
To give our existence a reason for being

Each day passing adds something to my body, your body
My body lives for the now as with time
Your body lives for the past as gone with time

Still I ask what is your body, my body?
An enigma with treasures hidden?
Or
Just an empty shell?

Creative Writing Class

So one of the 4 classes I am taking this semester is Creative Writing. It is quite a contrast to my accounting modules. But hey I am not complaining. The class is relaxed with the professor super chilled out. He is the some what famous Singapore author Kirpal Singh. He is kinda witty and wacky and very liberal.

Anyways for this class I will have to write a collection of 10 poems. Each week Kirpal Singh would give us the title and basic background to the poem. We are then required to pull out a poem from the air (or where ever else we do)..

I will be posting these poems here.. Do leave your comments and critics. I am not a professional and I am certainly not a technical poet. I just write from the heart.

Gates to Buckingham Palace

Gates to Buckingham Palace, originally uploaded by madancer.

I took this photo on my first trip to Buckingham Palace. It was an accidental visit meant for Hyde park. Fortunately the weather that day was gorgeous. It actually felt like summer!

Looking at this photos makes me think of the Pearly gates of heaven.. Well either ways I love this shot. The sky looks amazing and the ornateness of the gate can be appreciated.

Bachna Ae Haseeno

Date Watched: 30th August 2008
Watched With: Mummy
Venue Watched: Prince
Ratings: 4.5/6
My 2-cents worth: The movie doesn't excite. The 1st half is decently more enjoyable compared to the 2nd half. Ranbir has acted well. His dancing is great. However his tiny mouth (compared to the size of his face) just irritates me! The girls are alright. Theek thak movie for me. Might have been more enjoyable had I watched it with my boyfriend..

Rock On!!

Date Watched: 29th August 2008
Venue Watched: Jade
Watched with: Mariya and Preeti
Ratings: 12/6 ( its THAT good)
My 2-cents worth: We have been deprived of an amazing actor in the form of Farhan Akhtar! He's brilliant, the total package.. Good looking, charming, hot body, good voice and awesome acting. The movie itself was just simply beautiful. Simple story but filmed amazingly. A MUST watch movie, esp if you loved the songs. I had to contain myself from dancing in the theatre...
Every actor is flawless and just adds to the story.. Arjun Rampall is hot as ever but its Farhan who stole the show for me!

Kismat Konnection

Date Watched: 28th August 2008
Venue Watched: My room
Watched With: Alone
Ratings: 4/6
My 2-cents worth: How predictable can a movie get? Yet another story we have seem with a borrowed twist from Hollywood (Just My Luck).. Nothing great.

Maan Gaye Mughall-E-Azam

Date Watched: 27th August 2008
Venue Watched: My room
Watched with: Alone
Ratings: 3/6
My 2-cents worth: I don't really know what Rahul Bose was thinking when he agreed to do this movie.. Such a let down from an actor of his potential

Summer of 2008

Number of Countries visited: 5

1. Sweden
2. Denmark
3. United Kingdom
4. France
5. India
   

Number of days in each country

• Sweden: 5
• Denmark: 5
• United Kingdom: 45
• France: 3
• India: 11

Number of days in Singapore: 8

Number to airports travelled through: 6

1. Schiphol airport, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2. Arlanda airport, Stockholm, Sweden
3. Københavns Lufthavn airport,Copenhagen, Denmark
4. Changi airport, Singapore
5. Chattrapathi Shivaji International airport, Mumbai, India
6. Heathrow airport, London, United Kingdom

Number of flights taken: 8

1. Singapore - Amsterdam
2. Amsterdam - Stockholm
3. Copenhagen - Amsterdam
4. Amsterdam - Singapore
   
5. Singapore – Mumbai
6. Mumbai – London
7. London – Mumbai
8. Mumbai – Singapore

Courses cleared: 3

1. BSM Scandinavia at SMU
2. Business development and ICT Innovation at LSE
3. E-business in the Digital Age at LSE

Friends made: Countless

Memories created: Priceless

It was a memorable summer. It was the best one of my life so far. A wonderful to way to spend my last summer as a student.

Singh is King

Date Watched: 22nd August 2008
Venue Watched: Prince
Watched with: Mummy and Preeti
Ratings: 5/6
My 2-cents worth: Akshay is brilliant in yet another comic role. His stunts are amazing and leave you wondering at his abilities. Katrina looks smoking hot. Hate her outfit in Je Karda song.

Outsourced

Date Watched: 17th August 2008
Venue Watched: Onboard Jetairways flight from Mumbai to Singapre
Watched with: Me
Ratings: 5.5/6

Astitva

Date Watched: 16th August 2008
Venue Watched: Onboard Jetairways flight from London to Mumbai
Watched With: Alone
Ratings: 4/6

The Reunion

Glancing at his watch for the umteempth time he paced the length of the airport car park. The seconds seem to be crawling by. Clutching the single long stem red rose he strode impatiently to the flights arrival information display. Glancing over he saw that her flight had just landed. Breaking into a smile he felt a shiver of anticipation run down his spine.

The waiting for her to walk out of the airport was excruciating like it always was for him. Finally around 20 minutes later he caught sight of her dark brown curly hair. Restraining himself from running past the airport security into the arrival hall, he waited for her to come out. The moment she emerged into the arrival hall he sprinted towards her. Engulfing her in a bear hug he lifted her off her feet.

“I missed you honey. The past week without you has been a torture for me. I can’t stay away from you for so long.” He said burying his head into her hair.

Laughing she tore herself from the hug and planted a kiss on his lips. Their reunions after each of her frequent business trips were always this exciting and melodramatic. She loved them! They made her remember how much he loved her and genuinely missed her. Accepting her customary rose she slipped her hand into his as they walked towards their parked car.

As they drove home she laid her head on his shoulder, enjoying the familiar feeling of his body. She smiled thinking how even after 3 years of marriage a week of separation still felt like a month. She prayed that this feeling would burn strong 10 years down the road.

Original Story Written by,
Charu

Luggage Woes

Time

The seconds tick by,

Taking along the minutes and hours,

The days and weeks

The months fly by and the years follow

We age with time,

Living our lives

Making our memories on which to live by

Time is precious that we know

Yet why is it that we treasure it not?

Tashan

Date Watched: 22nd July 2008
Venue Watched: My room in London
Watched With: Me, myself and I
Ratings: Not Rated (I have no idea what basis to rate it on)

21

Date Watched: 6th July 2008
Venue Watched: In-flight on Jet Airways flight from Bombay to London
Watched With: Me, myself and I
Ratings: 5.5/6
My 2-cents worth: Loved the movie! Loved the guy!

Drillbit Taylor

Date Watched: 6th July 2008
Venue Watched: In-flight on Jet Airways flight from Bombay to London
Watched With: Me, myself and I
Ratings: 4/6
My 2-cents worth: I expected more from an Owen Wilson movie.

Superbad

Date Watched: 2nd July 2008
Venue Watched: Room in Bombay
Watched With: Me, myself and I
Ratings: 3.5/6
My 2-cents worth: I was too sleepy to appreciate the movie..

Love Story 2050

Date Watched: 3rd July 2008
Venue Watched: R Mall Adlabs
Ratings: 0.5/6
My 2-cents worth: Anything has been passed off as the "future" in the movie. Special effects and random shit has been shown under the guise of the "future". Harman Baweja can't act to save his life!

Jaane Tu.. Ya Jaane Na

Date Watched: 4th July 2008
Venue Watched: PVR Nirmal Lifestyle
Ratings: 6/6
My 2-cents worth: Please everyone watch this movie! Brilliantly made, simple and entertaining. Embellished with stellar performances. Imran Khan and Genelia both were fantastic. But Genelia's accent irritated me.

The Incredible Hulk

Date Watched: 2nd July 2008
Venue Watched: R Mall Adlabs
Ratings: 5/6
My 2-cents worth: Some parts are really gruesome.. Nevertheless I enjoyed the movie. Great movie to watch with your boyfriend.

Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic

Date Watched: 1st July 2008
Venue Watched: R Mall Adlabs
Ratings: 4/6

A short love story

It was a cool-wet monsoon morning. He stood in his towel, his hair dripping from his shower. The morning sun shone on the sleeping figure. As the sun rays hit her face she murmured and rolled to the other side hiding her face. A smile played on his face as he watched her.

Half an hour later he stood dressed for work. Taking a final look in the mirror he walked over to the bed. His brown eyes twinkling with mischief he bent over and kissed her slightly parted lips lightly. She smiled in her sleep and pulled him close. Prying open her sleep laden eyes she kissed him back.

“I’m off to the office darling. You go back to sleep. I’ll see you at home in the evening.”

Holding him tight she sat up in the bed. She then instructed him to stand by the door where she could get a good look at him.

“You look very handsome baby. Don’t break too many hearts today” she said with a grin on her face.

He chuckled as he walked back to her and held her in a tight embrace. He stroked her hair and kissed her forehead. Glowing with the happiness only true love could bring she sat back on the bed watching his retreating back. As the last of him disappeared from her sight she went back to bed thinking how lucky she was to be married to her true love.

Original Story Written by,
Charu

Which is my final flame?

I chase after something,

I achieve it.
I wonder if there is something else I should chase.
I start chasing again.
Am I crazy to leave everything for something I don't know?
What lies shrouded in mystery, in the veil of unknown?
Will it be good or will I great my sacrifice?
I know not,
Yet I gravitate like a moth to a flame.
Though I know not which is my final flame.

It is said being satisfied in life is akin to saying no to anything else out there. It may be worse or better than what you have.

How wise is it then to sit back and be content with what you have?
Does the curiosity of what is out there, waiting for you fill your mind? Should you let it fill your mind and stop you from enjoying what you already have?


The human psyche is simply too complex for anyone to comprehend fully. It is an enigma that intrigues me and forces me to think. It makes me ponder and search for answers. Alas I think my quest for these answers is one with no end in sight.

Superstar

Date Watched: 27th June 2008
Venue Watched: In-flight on jet Airways on way to Bombay
Watched With: Me
Ratings: 5/6
My 2-cents worth: Nice movie.. Kunal acted the 2 diverse roles well

Sarkar Raj

Date Watched: 25th June 2008
Venue Watched: Prince
Watched with: Mummy
Ratings: 6/6
My 2-cents worth: Amazing movie embellished with top-notch performance by AB Sr and Jr and AB daughter-in-law. The dialouges were power packed and meaningful. Although the movie was short it was engaging enough to not seem like a rushed or half baked affair. Like the first movie Tanisha was hardly in the movie. But the time she was she looked pretty.

I survived the exams and my BSM

Like promised, having survived my exams I am back to blog. The exam week was.... very unlike the other 5 exam weeks I have had at SMU. It felt doable, survivable and conquerable.

There was no last minute dash to complete syllabus (for at least for 3 of my 4 exams). I wasn't feeling as stressed as I always do. I had more than my exam usual 3-4 hours of sleep each night. I didn't break out into cold sweat sitting in the exam hall and I managed to complete the exam papers (all except for 1). All in all it felt good completing the last paper. I knew I had put in my best and just prayed that my hardwork would be rewarded.

On the last day of my exam I was woken up by mom. She was really cute as she woke me up saying "Wake up beta, end of year 3!". Isn't my mother the best?! I seriously love her. She puts no pressure on me for my studies. She accepts my results without a question. She tolerates my mood swings, my messy room and my erratic behavior around the exam time. Best of all she supports me through everything. She is the best mom I could ever want!

My messy study table that only unfolds during exams

It is an utter mess..

Anyways my results are out and I cleared all my exams. *woohooo* I'm officially done with year 3. It proved to be the longest year in SMU with the normal term, modified term and term 3A. Now I am getting geared for summer school at LSE and the final forth year at SMU.

Sex and the City

Date Watched: 23rd June 2008
Venue Watched: GV Plaza
Watched With: Anju
Ratings: 5.5/6
My 2-cents worth: I loved the movie.. It is the perfect movie to watch with female friends. I loved the strength of the friendship between the 4 characters. The beautiful clothes and shoes are of course an added bonus. Though I must say Sarah looked manly at many points.

Sarkar

Date Watched: 20th June 2008
Venue Watched: My room
Watched With: Me
Ratings: 5/6
My 2-cents worth: Amazing acting by AB Sr and Jr, as well as by Kay Kay. Katrina was hardly there. I liked the story though the pacing could have been faster.. The story dragged in the beginning

Girl with a pearl earring

Date Watched: 18/19th June 2008
Venue Watched: On board KLM flight to Singapore from Amsterdam
Watched With: Me
Ratings: 4.5/6
My 2-cents worth: Too arty a movie for me..

Jannat

Date Watched: 12th June 2008
Venue Watched: IKEA hotel at Almhult, Sweden
Watched With: Me
Ratings: 5/6
My 2-cents worth: I didn't like the ending.. Love the songs.. The actress was almost pushed to a side during most of the movie..

Enchanted

Date Watched: 7/8th June 2008
Venue Watched: On board KLM flight to Amsterdam from Singapore
Watched With: Me
Ratings: 4.5/6
My 2-cents worth: Interesting movie but very close to the point of getting cheesy.. Not my kind of movie though I did look the dresses

Definitely, Maybe

Date Watched: 7/8th June 2008
Venue Watched: On board KLM flight to Amsterdam from Singapore
Watched With: Me
Ratings: 5/6
My 2-cents worth: Loved the movie! The little girl was so adorable. Good date movie

Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal

Date Watched: 7/8th June 2008
Venue Watched: On board KLM flight to Amsterdam from Singapore
Watched With: Me
Ratings: 4.5/6
My 2-cents worth: The in flight move was without songs so I missed the famous "billo rani" song. But the movie was entertaining. Loved John's naughty expressions, such a killer.. *sign*