A Good Month with a Little Anti Jinx Thrown In

February this year has been very kind to me. It looks like I have done so many things this month, so many doors opened, so many things that I had been waiting for has happened, and that too very suddenly, after nearly 2 months of waiting, in a flash- like some blocked valve getting cleared.

When I posted passing thoughts in the beginning of the month, I talked about the waiting game.

So yes, the valve got unplugged and the waiting game did get over. I received my Nokia N8 and what a phone it is. A 12 Mega Pixel camera which we happily used without removing the film and since conviction is more important than the proof that we see- we swore by the picture quality inspite of being mildly sceptic, until we got round to removing the thin plastic film covering the lens of the camera. Inspite of being black, it looks sexy. But let me hastily add- not $exier than the orange one- J from Nokia, are you listening?! In another news, the husband has appropriated the phone without so much as a by your leave, the moment he came to know of a certain mail from Nokia. More surprises due! Now I have to wait for the weekend when the weekend husband arrives and I can lay my hands on the phone to review the OVI feature.



And I was waiting for a few more things to fall into place and while there is still some loops to be closed and the most important one that too, I am still happy that it progressed.



I recently got a review copy of Chanakya's Chants by Ashwin Sanghi, much to my delight. Thanks Kiran. I have already started reading it and it is the kind that makes you want to turn to the last page to sneak peak into what really happens in the end. Very contextual. I am eager to get to the end of the book.



Feb was really packed. We had a fun filled holiday with lots of work to do. And I made some much coveted and treasured purchases - including saris from Manmandir, Chennai- my favourite Sari shop. The good part is that these saris are unique. And they have class. I only wish I wore saris more often to justify the price. Take a look at one of them- a never-before-seen-by-me-anywhere-tussar with warli art. I have seen madhubani tussar but never a warli tussar. I fell in love with it at first sight as I was entering the shop. Clutched at it and never let it go even as I was making the other purchases I really came for.

I talked of the Universe conspiring. Yes, I attended the annual day- nothing was there to stop me. What they say be careful of what you wish for. I wished so badly for it that I got to attend it - fingers crossed. A proof that one doesn't know what is going to happen the next moment. I was to go to Singapore for a conference on Sunday afternoon. I was miserable that I would not be attending the Annual concert. Wednesday morning, I counted some foreign exchange lying with me to add to the cash I would take with me. I spoke to the school teacher checking if they are doing a dress rehearsal before the actual event so that I could take a sneak preview. And I come to office and get to know that I cannot travel. My passport expires in less than 6 months. The travel agents had told me that they would get me an emergency visa inspite of the 6 month problem, and they were unable to do it. Therefore I am not travelling. I was livid for a couple of days - I was so looking forward to going and the workshop was really supposed to be fun, but then suddenly, since yesterday, I feel at peace. Perhaps my kids are after all more important to me than foreign travel as I always thought! Maybe if it had been any other country I would have been down in dumps. But it does not hurt so much because it is only Singapore- where I have been to so often. May be this was the anti jinx the month needed because a lot more important stuff is supposed to happen in March.


Including a visit from the dear school friend NS! And the much awaited bonus which as a matter of fact I have already spent. And the Nokia surprise, not to forget. And the new book from Jeffery Archer which incidentally Indiaplaza is offering at just Rs 150 - the lowest so far- I have pre ordered mine. Have you?


So my dear readers, do do pray for me. I need all the prayers, all the push of good luck, all good words to the power above and lots and lots of do good vibes my way. Pray that all goes smooth for me!

And while we are on the topic of the passport... even tatkal takes a month to materialise- one goes online, fills the form, gets an appointment that may be 1 month away, then apply and wait for atleast 1 week to 15 days to get your renewed passport back. So ideally the travel agent should have instructed me in December to go for renewal instead of asking me to hold back.


Boo hoo hoo, I was so looking forward to the shopping 0rgy, eating, and what nots. And even though I have made my peace with it, everyone around me seems to be tch tching that so sad you are not going, it is going to be a lovely program, you are missing it. I start feeling sorry for myself even though I am not so much sorry for myself in reality. The Singapore colleague so endearingly said - I am so bummed you are not coming, that I felt like crying! Sob.


This post was drafted for 28th and due to some major problem in blogger my blog vanished and the post did not appear.

Of Doing Lotpot in the Ghaans

"Pack a spare dress" said cousin R. "You never know they might just do lotpot on the floor and mess up their clothes"

Well, I always do pack a spare but I have been doing that being more concerned about spills or vomits or may be susu but never lotpot. C'mon, my kids don't do lotpot (rolling) on the floor.

But this holiday, I happened to notice some greenish patches on their jeans. And I went WT Hey. What exactly are these never-seen-before green stuff on their jeans. And I was like brushing it away with no success.
Then I observed. Indeed, my delusions of the kids not doing lotpot was shattered. The lush green lawn was duly utilized for rolling over, falling, lying doing, crawling over, pushing the others on the ground and all that. The kids played like a bunch of puppies frolicking on the grass.
At best what they do at home are sit on the staircase/ cemented floor or may be sometimes on the cement blocked-flooring of the complex. Yes there is mud but they never really roll over on that- the muddy surfaces are not so large.
But this was a huge lawn and opportunity to lotpot-ofy on the grass was extremely attractive.
And the most endearing moment- all kids sitting on the shaded cemented section silently watching the rain in the dark, not even once venturing out but silently sharing a companionship - just staring into the lawn that was inaccessible on a rainy wintry night! Wish I had taken a photograph to capture the moment.

Anant Amar Chitra Katha

I grew up on a steady diet of Uncle Pai's Amar Chitra Katha. In fact, whatever little knowledge of Hindu Mythology I have, can be attributed to the Amar Chitra Katha Comics.
One of the first thick books I read was the Ramayana. It took me days to finish the book. And then I also had the Shiva Sati/ Parvati- 3 in 1 collection and the Krishna 3 in 1 collection. These were my thick hard cover Amar Chitra Kathas. Others were all single story-comics. Collected lovingly over the years, many times lent to friends, many times read, over a meal, or just like that.
We would exchange, borrow unread titles from friends, and buy new Tinkles - though not regularly for a steady supply of humour and wit.
And the good part was they came really cheap. Affordable, not like the Enid Blytons that time which we would prefer to borrow from the school library.
Amar Chitra Kathas were for keeps. They were pieces of History available for the youngsters.
Starting from mythology to the kings and queens to the freedom fighters. The freedom fighters- ah well, I somehow never liked reading about them. I was more fascinated with myths. Even the ancient kings and queens did not hold magic for me. Call me unpatriot but then that's the way I was.
I loved Tinkle or the Jatak Kathas or Panchtantra stories but nothing heldf my attention and fascination as the mythology.
When the Ramayan and Mahabharat series came on TV, it was as if the Amar Chitra Katha comics came alive for me. I already knew what is going to happen, so deep was my understanding of the epics- all because of ACK.
Uncle Pai passed away on 24th Feb. It seems that a part of nostalgia, a piece of history has left us. It leaves me with a bitter sweet sense of loss. The legacy will go on but perhaps it will never be the same again without him?
A salute to the departed soul...

On Protesting

What would you do if you want to protest against children playing in the society complex after a given time say 7.30 pm?
1. Call up the president every day after 7.30 and chew his/her ears out
2. Take video recording of the children as proof (like the residents need proof like that)
3. Start polishing your driving skills and honk so much that the parents get scared and take teh children away
4. Park your car in the centre of the play area
5. Smoke near the playing children so that the moms take the kids far away
6. Scream at the children, confiscate their ball or other such playing stuff if it lands in your garden
7. Campaign for restricting play hours in the association meeting

Ok, seriously what is your view on kids playing after 7.30 pm? I ask because once you decide to live in a society, there should be a certain higher threshold of tolerence for everything including noise. I remember when my kids were born, my block had lots of kids who would play right outside my window and disturb the kids' sleep. The best I could do was either close the window which is unhealthy or shift them to the back room which is more private or just request the kids to play a little away from my window.
But I wouldn't do any of the above at all.

A certain new member in the building has been doing all of the above and it is really disturbing the peace of the building at the cost of her peaceful existence. She even asked some parents to change the tuition timings so that their kids could come home early and play instead of come back from tuition and play beyond 7.30 pm.
She even said that we parents send our headache to the playground as we cannot tolerate them making a ruckus inside the house -which I silently agree! But I am not agreeing when she accuses us!!! My kids and their freinds spend almost the entire weekend or holidays outside the house- in the staircase, or the garden, or the common area. This is something even I as a child used to do. I find it much better to let kids play outside than remain inside and watch TV or err mess the house!
I want my kids to do free play, mud play, look at butterflies, or plants or flowers rather than watch TV.
Some of the evenings my kids have music classes. It becomes very difficult to restrain them at home after that because in their opinion, they have not played enough. True, I like them to be home by 7.30 pm so that it gives them time with me. But there are days when I come back at 7.00 plus, do the cooking and then walk out for some gossip with the neighbours and by the time I get inside after shepherding the kids, it is 8.00 pm. I wouldn't want anyone to restrict my freedom.

So what say?

On Criticism

I really really hate it when people takes special care to critisize my choice.
To assess the worth of what I buy and declare (spitefully) that it is not worth the amount I paid.
For the worth of anything I buy is only for my eyes/ mind/ soul- not for any one else's.
It is different when I am trying to take help and I ask - do you think it is worth it? Should I spend my hard earned money on it?
The perception of worth is different for different people and so also their choices. If everyone were to select the same stuff, imagine how unidimensional the world would be.
I wonder, whatever happened to good manners, restraint and all that when admiring someone else's purchases.
Why can't one just say - nice and then keep their trap shut?
Especially when one can see clearly that I am very happy with my purchase and really see the value in it.

Beware, the Blogger is Observing

1. There is a lot many seats vacant in the airport. You need not sit right next to me or right behind me, forcing me to sit in perpetual fear of knocking my head against your oily hair or the elbow against your elbow.
2. Would you please move towards the centre of your seat? Rather than looming over to my side on your right?


3. No, I am really not at all pleased to see you. In fact, I want to smack your face at the slightest opportunity. So please do not grin and look at me trying to catch my eye.


4. Do not stuff your gills with the booze just because it is free


5. You B*&^h. Why did you allot me the aisle in the last row right next to the toilet when the row 12 was nearly empty?


6. And yes, I so want to hate you. You get upgraded because the airline made the mistake of double booking the same seat while I beg with pinched nose to move to row 12.


7. Oh no no no. Don't come this way. I am eating chicken and I really do not have the willingness to exchange pleasantaries with you. Shoo shoo, go away. Meet some one else.


8. Don't keep that fake smile plastered on your face while on the treadmill. Ah well, a half an hour walk and a jaunt on the EFX will cure you of that smile and soon you will be panting for breath. See, I told you so.


9. You don't know any of us on the dance floor. Then why the F are you photographing us while we are dancing. Just hang on till your people come on the floor.


10. 1 effing 50 Rupees for dry cleaning the kiddy coat?
11. No matter how much you jostle, the flight will not leave until I get in.
12. Put that arm down. My nose is insured. I do not want my sense of smell damaged because of your underarm odour

pl note- this post has been inspired from the jottings series at thirtysixandcounting

On God

Mamma- Ojas, did you touch Mamu's feet?
Ojas- much awed asks in stage whisper- woh God hai kya? (Is he God?)

Back

Well I am back from my holiday and just raring to go (not!)
Funny how kids are so resilient. The moment they came in, they badgered me to give their gift- the Titan watch that R Mami gave them and the rail museum paper weight that R Mama gave them and rushed out of the house into the neighbour's house to show their spoils off!
While the kids did this, all eager and excited to be back, we were lying / sitting feeling exhausted- the Husband making noise at the sorry state of the house and getting back to his beloved blackberry and I was feeling all exhausted and ready to hold a pity party and generally feeling that I should have stayed there for some more time.
Of course, nothing like home- your own room/ cupboard/ bed but nothing like being on a holiday with relatives. I could really do this for ever- have the whole wintry day ahead of me- peppered with breakfast, lunch, dinner, gossip, languishing in the sun lit garden, having a host of cooks and helps to do your bidding and someone to run around with the kids as they go wild rolling on the grass.
And the icing on the cake- some shopping thrown in- I finally managed to do Dilli Haat though I found it a disappointment- maybe because I was not in a buying mode and because I can get these at any of the dastakari exhibitions that happen every year in Kalakshetra.
It was a long holiday but not a moment to spare. I couldn't do any of the things that I had planned to do. Except the Dilli haat and taking the kids on the metro.

Event Managers?

A couple of days ago we were discussing about event management people who make a big buck and don't do such a great job as per expectations.

Which brought us to the neighbours telling the two of us who organised events for the flat day and the last couple of birthdays of our kids and the independence day 2010, that we will do a much better job if we ventured into this. With a big shock I remembered that I never got around to posting the pictures of the last event that happened in August.

Anyway, the principles that we both use during organising these events or games for our kids' birthday parties are..

- activities should be centred around movement. All of them racing, gathering, running around and all that.. Like the potato gathering relay race below

...Events have to have an element of challenge and not very easy peasy- like the filling the bottle with water gathered in the palm relay race.

We noticed that the races around brain work application- solving jumble, maths olympiad were not a big hit.

...For older kids we like to have some thinking and application though- the importance on being able to learn something apart from some fun.

We gave them products and ask them to make a marketing plan. They did a brilliant job of the same.
...Similarly, we need to make stuff exciting for the kids below and focus on stuff they know well.

Like the bead threading race or bean sorting race

.... or something very very fun. Like gathering toffees in their boxes. Ojas gave the last few toffees he collected t o Tejas and Tejas emerged the winner.

...More adding variety to a standard running race by introducing stuff to gather on the way to finish line.

Like getting ready for school- carry the basket, tiffin, bottle, napkin and rush to finish line.

...Of course, not without talent show for them too.

colouring competition

...Involve the adults too.

Really getting them involved through badminton matches

Rangoli competitions by the ladies . (pictures pending!!!)

...or active games done by select people- like ice cream feeding, potato peeling or done by teams like newspaper costume making or treasure hunt.

...Not repeating events else they become boring

...Keep gathering ideas and place them in a file

...My favourite- Lists, lists, lists. Excel sheets that tell what items are needed for each game.

....Being Organized- gather items for each game in a single bag

....Get help- request people to be the judges, or stand on finish line, or help for organising the items needed.

...Gather people, make them participate- it takes very little to get people involved. After the initial inertia is tackled, their own steam takes them through- like the kaaoke event that I was hosting- I selected some songs on my own and allotted them to each team. Once the starting trouble was overcome, they began doing their own thing.

...And above all, add your unique touch. Each time, it has to be different!

Tell Me How & What

1. How Do I make the kids eat a decent treat during parties. They just refuse to eat and I end up making noodles at home later on. The whole purpose of going to a birthday party is lost according to me.

2. How do I tell them that food that is junk food in school lunch pack remains junk food at home also. So they cannot demand the same at home whereas refuse to eat them in the snack box- something like Noodles?

3. What are the good options for a snack box. I am dreading class 1. Just because of the snack box demon. Long hours mean wholesome snacks and my kids will never eat on their own, the stuff that remotely look wholesome.

4. What makes my kids shy away from participating in any "fun" games organised by the event management people during parties? Or interact with the kids during a party.

5. What is the cure for clingfestness especially when I am busy organising a party or event?