live blogging ndtv's coverage of the solar eclipse.

pallava bagla, not known for being the most enthusiastic guest has been invited by ndtv to cover the solar eclipse along with vishnu som the host, who is comically excited.

host: this is a once in a lifetime experience. can you explain to us what is happening to the sun.

bagla: see it's not a big deal. it is just that the moon is coming between the earth and the sun. see slowly slowly it is coming.

excited host: guwahati is seeing the eclipse first. we were not expecting this. why is this happening?

bagla: it is very simple. it is because there is cloud cover in other places. if you had a clear sky you would have seen it. see if u ask me i would rather see rainfall than a solar eclipse. we need some rain.

host: what advice would you give people today? what should they do? what should they not do?

bagla: it is just a normal day. do what you always do. i say go for your morning walk. take your dog out for a walk. take your children. just do not look at the sun directly. if you have to look use these special glasses.

shows us his special glasses. explains in detail the dangers of not using such glasses. asks the audience to make sure there are no scratches on the glasses.

host: can you use regular sun glasses?

frustrated bagla: NO you cannot! neither should you look at a reflection of the eclipse in the water. or in coloured water. watch it on tv if you really have to.

excited host: beautiful images we are seeing.....

bagla sighing deeply: what you are seeing right now is not a solar eclipse. it is just a cloud coming in front of the sun and the moon.

unperturbed host: right... NOW you can see...

bagla: NO it is still just the morning sun. it is your camera filters that are giving that hue.

a few moments of awkward silence.

host: the sun looks like the moon right now. ha ha.

bagla rolls his eyes.

host: alright. let's go to tanima right now who is with a group of people gathered to witness the solar eclipse. tanima i haven't the foggiest idea where you are right now. ha ha. can you see anything?

tanima complains about fog cover where she is.

host: is it true there will be an eclipse next year also?

bagla: yes! that is what i have been saying. every 18 months there is a solar eclipse somewhere in the world. this time it is happening in our backyard. that's all.

host: wow! these are new images we are seeing. explain to us bagla what has just happened.

bagla: the sun has been eclipsed by the moon. this is darkness at dawn.

they show us a blank screen for a couple of minutes.

host: wow. look a diamond ring!

bagla: yes. it is not the sharpest image but it is a diamond ring.

host: this is the celestial spectacle of the century!

host: we have some new images from china where it looks like the eclipse is just starting.

bagla: it is in fact just ending.

host: fantastic images. stunning.

bagla: i wish i could have seen it myself, outside the studio. i brought my glasses.

host: ha ha. we wont let you get away so easily.

pic - http://www.toothpastefordinner.com

i wish someone would produce a cd featuring the best music from indian ads over the years.

let's make a list. add a link if you've got one. and i'm not taking just ads that make you nostalgic but ads with great tunes. here's ten i can remember.


ek limca churalo na

dairy milk - kuch khaas hain hum sabhi mein

hamaara kal hamaara aaj

my favourite [in both tamil and hindi] jeevan mein aapke naya sunrise

perk - thodi thodi bhari thodi thodi halki

colgate fresh - sanson mein zinda dil tazgi

garden sarees - music by a r rahman

titan music

doodh hain wonderful this one was more fun to watch.

jab ghar ki raunak badhani ho. deewaron ko jab sajaana ho nerolac nerolac.

music to make me happy

i have a new amazon obsession. i go on there and find all kinds of music. music that i feel guilty buying for such low prices. but it's there, you know? ready to be purchased. so this past month i've just been buying and buying and it's so exciting. all this music comes to my front door from all over the world. the parcels are small enough to fit in my mail box so i don't have to go to the post office. so none of this. i also like that a lot of them come handwritten. and if they're from out of the country there's a little customs declaration form and i can see the sender's signature and their sworn testament that they're not mailing me dangerous explodable material. it's all very exciting.

i'm one of those of people who hasn't moved on to newer cooler technology. i still listen to cds cause they work in my car and that's the one place i really need my music. it's important to me to have great music on my way to work. it sets the mood you know. like all of last week i listened to three regina spektor songs over and over again. song number 1 , 4 and 6. fidelity, on the radio and hotel song. i went to work happy each day. and that's hard to do especially on a monday. the other cool thing about cds is i can play them at work. well most of them. my office really digs goldspot now. and travis and death cab for cutie. alright maybe not as much. but they're catching on. most importantly though i'm ridding the world of horrific 96.5 type music. next week i'll be educating them on some more travis and the ost to garden state [thanks art] and once and maybe some steven fretwell if it arrives soon enough.

No, this is how it works
You peer inside yourself
You take the things you like
And try to love the things you took

And then you take that love you made
And stick it into some
Someone else's heart
Pumping someone else's blood

And walking arm in arm
You hope it don't get harmed
But even if it does
You'll just do it all again

And on the radio
You hear, 'November Rain'
That solo's awful long
But it's a good refrain
You listen to it twice
'Cause the DJ is asleep

On the radio, on the radio
On the radio, uh oh, on the radio, uh oh
On the radio, uh oh, on the radio

***
in fantastic news my mother is going on vacation for a couple of weeks. yay peace and quiet. boo frozen food. i'm a terrible daughter i know.

***

in embarrassing news some lady tried to set me up with her son. in front of her son! but that's a whole other post.

***
also dear blaudience i don't feel the need to apologize for my posts. this right here is me explaining how i don't feel the need to apologize. like if you think i was funnier back in 2007 go read 2007. okay? and quit bitching. this is a personal blog. at least it's still here. with disco and the really short sentences. and i still update it. i haven't deleted it. i haven't switched urls on you. i haven't packed up and gone back to college and forgotten about you. hint hint. i'm not off writing a secret book. none of that. i'm still here. i still write about tv. and crap i buy. and movies i watch and people that annoy me. and i realize you miss gaysin but he's been in hiding ever since his dad got here. also that got old. you know it did.

p.s. who's watching the iifa awards tonight? why do they always show these things like a month after it actually happened?