Akele hum akele tum

Tonight we raised a toast of mirinda (in my case spiked with a little rum) to our success in pulling of a week of RRS's visit to south america without compromising on any of the activities that make a regular week for the remaining two of us in Chennai. Above all we made it with a grand and frankly speaking unbelievable score of 7 for 2. 7 for the number of days and 2 for the number of 'fusses' as counted by RRJ so no chance of fudging that data. Only one trump card, an IPL team jersey, was used.

Just a month ago I was sipping Mai Tei in Hawaii and stating the obvious to myself "US is just too far, not just geographically but also the life one leads there has absolutely no connection with the life we lead in India. It is still not that small a world. And while it is great that it is the home of my siblings, but it is also sadly evident that what future holds for us is a virtual bond that we will share through photos, skype and emails about our respective lives which will make less and less sense to each other as time moves on. But that is life so embrace it and head home to people who are part of the everyday present." Up on landing, there was my present, waiting for me holding each others hand, the little face leaning side ward to get a view of me and on eye-contact breaking into a smile that just makes me the happiest person on the face of earth. And on reaching home the door being opened by my beaming parents who are also now a frequent part of my present. It is all for real.

Coming to the point, the score in my absence was 7-8. So you see, RRS arrives tomorrow morning little knowing the absolutely stunning upset pulled off by the underdog parent.

Welfare?

Feel completely outraged by this enormous tragedy that is unfolding in Norway for the past eight months and that too in the name of child welfare. Such an extreme measure that of separating family members and for completely laughable reasons cited like changing diapers on bed, feeding with fingers and children sleeping in the same bed with parents! This not only shows insensitivity but also insularity of the highest order. And even if such ridiculous rules have to be in place can't the system provide some counseling to the parents first before taking the children away. Imagine being allowed to see your children once a year till they are 18 years old! This is one of my pet peeves against the western world, they take the value of doing things as per a fixed procedure just too far. It works with machines but controlling human behaviour to the minutest details, in my opinion, takes away the very freedom that they swear by every minute.

Favourite moments of life.....

....... that I have no memory of.

Page turner

I wouldn't wish the worst of my enemies a page-turner in their class. A member of that rather annoying species who are so utterly bored in the class that for the entire duration the only activity that interests them is to turn the pages of their notebook as if it was a page-turner.  Sadly enough I had the misfortune of having one in my class last semester who by the mere act of turning pages rattled me no end. Hate to admit but instead of ignoring PT, I became totally obsessed with PT. Has PT come today-oh there is PT-hmmm maybe today's class will interest PT-oh no PT is at it again-turning pages-damn! There was hardly any class that gave me the natural high that I so crave for. In short, the semester was a complete disaster for me and I was much relieved to see the end of it.



Imagine my horror when I found PT registered for this semester's elective. Why would PT want to ruin another semester of mine? Why? Why? Why? I prayed to concerned authorities up there and things seem to be working. While I am really happy that PT hasn't turned up in the class yet but fear lurks in the mind as neither has PT taken the permission to drop the class. Happened to talk to a colleague in whose class PT had surfaced for a day and needless to say the colleague was a bit ruffled wondering why would anyone turn pages of a notebook that is totally empty. Long semester lies ahead.

Are deewano..... Mujhe pehchano

Loved Don-2 immensely. From start to finish. Superb action, fun dialogues, SRK was super cool and PC has never looked better. Om Puri and Kunal Kapoor were a bit off mark but the rest of the cast was just perfect. Totally convinced that I like Farhan Akhtar in his directorial avatar the most.

Driven by reminders

Most politely and using the tone that I think is just appropriate my phone is back in the business of reminding me of what has to be done and when and patiently wait for another ten minutes before letting out yet another gentle reminder of the task undone. So the year couldn't help but take an energetic start because getting things done does that to you. And at the moment the plan is to let this state of unstable equilibrium persist and not perturb it with thoughts like 'Life is not all about getting things done. What about look out of the window and stare at the bumble bee, buzzing its way into the hollow of a broken branch to take a short rest before taking a bumbling flight into nowhere' and all that crap.

Cricket front has been excruciating painful lately, just last night I was arguing with father that the series so far hasn't been half as bad as he is making it out to be and of course Clarke and Ponting chose to slap three centuries on my face today. To the big man: what is with this leaving the ball and yet connecting! Happened at least three times in the limited time I saw. And getting bowled! Is something weighing on the mind, I hope not a ton! The only good cricket news has been "Amma, we finally played cricket in school today." "Oh, they allowed?" "No, we just used the volleyball as the ball and our leg as the bat". There you go, we have resourceful cricketers in the making. If there are any worries then they are the discouragement  these budding cricketers meet from parents who have had enough of the imaginary matches that take place in the house. They are tired of hearing the ball bouncing of the walls, followed by a screeching appeal which if met by the imaginary finger going up is duly celebrated with fist pumping and all the offensive gesturing but when the appeals are turned down much glaring at the umpire takes place. Sometimes for close calls the UDRS is invoked and then the replay is played. Oh things can get pretty intense out here. Some times the said parents are not half as bad as they can be, they sit at the dining table, apparently busy with their tea etc. pass each other an approving glance at the extraordinary catch that was taken and enjoy the imaginary game immensely. Until the reminder sets off.........