Reliving magic

Anush watched Laurel and Hardy and Charlie Chaplin's Circus .
The B&W look did not detract from the slapstick.

These are the latest to join the list pioneered by Sound of Music and ET and the songs DD's Ek Chidiya and Que Sera Sera.

The rain a few days back also introduced Singing in the Rain to the girls.

Play Time

Some very interesting plays on air

There is one by Shuba Mudgal- Stories in Song
Katha Collage with Naserrudin Shah
Another week long fest sponsored by Deccan Herald

Then there is Kahaani and Paan Singh Tomar - two movies that seem like must watch ones.

Parenting tale

Being a mom teaches me so many things. I am not always sure what I have learnt but I still feel a bit more grown up/ wiser at the end of it.

I was pretty good at reciting poems in my school days. Both memorising and the drama and pauses that come with it. Anush had a poem to memorise and recite a couple of days back at school.

She memorises pretty quick but the rhythm and intonation seemed too sing song/ nursery rhyme like to me.

I kept pushing her to do better and then after a point she declared that she did not want to recite the poem at all, ever.

I did not debate it and was mortified. I tried and distracted her completely successfully after that.

The next morning I just suggested that she enjoy and feel what she is reciting and have fun with it ( yes, I can be pretty persistent) but then I laid off after that.

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Here is an Inetrnational Film Fest at our doorstep....hope i can see some at least.

Anush spontaneously recited the poem as we sat there drinking coffee, once again as Navy woke up, yet again as we waited for her bus and did it with such aplomb !

But yes, it is as important to back off as it is to guide.

These are growing young ladies we are talking about, after all!

Introducing TON

My new serial story The Times of Nishka has begun in Chandamama this month. I am not so hot on the illustration style this time. Not a patch on Nancy Raj.

Mister Muthu continues. The illustrations have changed here as well.

Meanwhile, saw Toonpur ka Hero ..oops as Anush corrects me- Super hero- and the Target Audience was pleased.

So much on my table!

This pic is for Patty's post on what is on your table today. A pencil cap-doll from Bali.

I was in Chennai yesterday and did not have to do the overnighter. Anyway I cannot escape it next week. I managed to get photos printed at my regular shop in Velachery and sorted and placed them in two albums during my wait at the airport. Got back at about 11pm to find Anush asleep. Aditi woke up to welcome me !

Just realised there is so much to do (apart from the regular routine )and so little time:
the Great Prabhat circus ( on only till this weekend)
a much postponed trip to Kaveri emporium
Our Native village
a trip to Mysore - with the zoo and the rail museum for a nostalgia trip
an art show by a cartoonist
a cousin is auditioning at Voice of Bangalore at Garuda Mall
a much needed trip to the parlour to control the return of the jungle
meeting chox & kids( long overdue)
a trip to Cmani with my SIL
just plain chilling out at home ( no- not an option)

The are movies to be seen- Once upon a time, Inception, Khatta Meetha, Tere bin laden and so on

BTW last week bought a cd off nowhere, Toy Story 3. It turned out to be in Russian without subtitles!

Do I hear you saying" Serves you right for encouraging piracy. Hmmm." Can't refute that.

Finished reading Palace of Illusions - great concept, gripping, not tight enough in style/ editing.

Ramayan retold

I love Abhishek. ( yeah yeah)

I like Vikram.

I can tolerate Aishwarya.

I adore ARR

I favour Mani Ratnam films

BUT I WILL NOT RECOMMEND RAVAN TO ANYONE.

Read these reviews from my favourite reviewers before you decide- here and here.

Singham, lion heart and more

Anush has been a rather timid/ clingy child, in the sense she does not venture out much with out me. She refuses to enroll in activities outside of school unless pressed to do so.

On Sunday, she proclaimed that she wants to go to her cousin's place and stay the night there as well. I was not prepared but put on a brave face and we packed and I reinforced my gyaan on susu, sharing , eating, taboos etc

As she was leaving, I told her ( half hoping she would change her mind) that she could call for us to pick her up if she wants to get back sooner.

As the day progressed I began wondering what she finds more exciting at her cousin's place than her own home. Of course she has kids who adore her and she hero worships. Other than that maybe??

Navy said I was reading too much into all this and she is trying to be independent and we shld encourage blah blah.... he was right.I used to scoff when they said mothers need to learn to set their children free- little did I know....I am a clingy mom!!

Anyway I was relieved ( no thrilled) when Anush called by evening to say she wanted to get back home.

What would I have done if she had really stayed on... maybe I would have joined her myself ... Just kidding. What, you don't believe me?

Of course I got good time with Aditi and caught up with Navy and we also saw a movie Singham. Mostly mindless, rather violent, fun ride. Some questions to the director- Does Air Deccan still fly? Why does Surya insist on wearing blouse shirts?

P.S. Anush went smiling to school finally!!

Metro mela

Chennai
"Thursday Talks" are being held in various Montessori schools in Chennai on the last Thursday of every month. They are intended to cover subjects that relate to various aspects of child development. Yesterday's talk titled ‘Language development in children – from birth to twelve years of age’ was delivered by Carla Foster, Norway.

My mother attended it and found it reinforcing most things that most parents follow. It touched upon humour and sarcasm as a child sees it and how we must not thwart it. Also the lecture was delivered very effectively by the speaker without any visual aids!

The Hindu's November Music fest has been announced and the Korean band and Osibisa sound inviting.

Nalandaway which has really nice ads on air, is sponsoring a Children's fest this November first week.

Mumbai
The Kala Ghoda festival where handicrafts abound is on the anvil. Hope Blogeswari will bring us an update soon
There is a Children's film fest as well in Mumbai for all you mommy bloggers there

Delhi
There is a kids theatre fest which I am sure adults can also enjoy- I do wish I was there in Delhi right now

Rashees, Stars and Death

Saw What is your Rashee and wished Tata sky had a fast forward facility- cannot believe it was a film by Ashutosh. The tele serial Mr Yogi long back on DD was fantastic and this was a complete let down. The lead TV actor there - Vikram or Mohan Gokhale - and in this the lack lusture Baweja- no comparison at all!!

When I was in college I followed everything from Ganesha says( Daruwala) to Linda Goodman , Peter Vidal to Chinese predictions. Now it took me a month to figure out Aditi's star sign!!

While on stars, Anush was offered a lame explaination of death by me- saying Mufasa (Lion King) went on to become a star. My mother had told her that people once they get very old - go to God. Adding both explanations, now she asks if my aged grand ma would also become a star after she goes to ummachi ( God) . She is also anxious that her parents do not become stars without her!! I told her not to worry about such things and that we would always be there for her. What all goes on inside a 4 yr old's not so tiny head!!

On a lighter note, slept through Mr And Mrs Khanna and discovered why it is already out of the theatres and on cable !!

Read Fear by Jeff Abbot- an interesting plot about drug testing for trauma patients.

Rest of life

Saw Dil Bole Hadippa, Eeram and Wanted. Liked them in that order though none of them are all that great. Waiting to see Wake up Sid- whenever possible

Read Visitor and reading The Hard Way by Lee Child. Am unable to get through the latest Dan Brown which Navy has finished

Swami and friends is being staged by Madras Players this weekend- should be good- those who are able to catch it do let me know...

Velachery has its own branch of Kailash Parbat- eat your heart out the rest of you!!

Visitors have started coming in to see the baby and each and everyone of them has been getting gifts for Anush as well. God bless them for their thoughtfulness. I had kept some back up gifts ready for her which I have not yet had to use.

Anush's BIG cycle and Zapper scooter became a reality and were gifted by my grand ma and my mother to her.

The last few weeks, Anush is sometimes so over excited -for extended periods of time- so much so that I have taught her the yoga style breathing exercise with count to calm her down...I understand kids need to be kids but then am worried she should not tire herself out or end up cranky.

Navarathri special

I took Anush to my office golu on Saturday. She was fascinated not just with the dolls, a lot of which I was proud to note that she could identify, but thought my room was "amazing" though my boss's room was bigger. She enjoyed the joolah in our office aangan as well and was wondering why my friends were not around.

We visited an organic veggie shop near Infosys on OMR and she discovered that Navy likes green tomatoes.

Sunday we managed another golu courtesy Minka's apartment which puts up a great show- truly grand with performances by kids and teenagers and a pretty cosmopolitan crowd

Saw Unnaipol Oruvan, a Tamil remake of Wednesday. It did not capture our interest as much as the original- possibly because we knew what to expect. While Mohanlal was better than Kamal, Shruti Hassan's music score was good and the two mid level police guys were very handsome and competent.

Chandamama website recently updated the Mister muthu episodes- 3-4 new ones there- pl do visit and catch up....

Velachery update
Brown tree( a shop like Nuts and spices) , Tapas ( a coffee pub) , The chocolate shop ( on bypass road) have all opened in Velachery as also a veg restaurant called Krishna ( on Taramani rd) and The Rock( opp Adyar anand bhavan). Not yet been to any of them and unlikely to do so in the near future.... let me know if you visit them.

Happy Onam

Happy Onam!! We made this this morning.

Mom and Anush also did the rangoli together( look up corners of our home on the side bar)

The day began with severe cramps in my calf muscle. Anush was so anxious she kept asking " Is your calf gone amma?" ( presuming it is a variation of cough?) till i told her what calf meant!

Onam Sadya seems to be all over- Ente Keralam, Rasam(Krishna Sweets), Sanjeevanam. . .

If you do need a break from all the mallu food, opt for the Amritsari fest that is on as well in ???.

This Onam is still more special as Navy begins his new job today.

Saw Quick Gun Murugan yesterday- very gory and bloody, too much to take. But some dialogues/ digs were awesome. It should have been a tele serial of 20 minutes duration- that would have been just enough is my guess.

My 600th Post

Saw Naadodigal- a rustic tale of friends to the rescue of lovers and how they feel let down. First half is simply superb, the second half in its attempt to give a message is a drag. Also it is inconsistent and difficult to believe that a friend who turned to you for help, will suddenly shun you completely. I also fundamentally disagree with the thought that marriages are meant to be forever at any cost- if they go bad it may be better to call it off. Anyway definitely worth a watch. The cast is fantastic. The music is good.

An Anushism I want to place on record- " Amma this elaneer ( tender coconut) is cut very well. Superb na , the coconut boss is?"
Me- "Did u say Boss Anush?"
Anush-" Yes amma, I don't know his name, I can't call him sir, so I can call him boss na"
.....Something she had noticed her Dad doing . . .

Michael Jackson is dead. I am not very sad but I loved his music back then.
Revisited an old biography of his that my mother had gifted me in school- I noticed that I had highlighted two things that long ago- that he was a vegetarian and that he loved the Carpenters . . . anything to feel linked to MJ those days.

And yes, this is my 600th post!!

Anushisms again

Was in Bangalore this Monday and had a lot of work to catch up on on Tuesday. Hence the silence. Just in case....one or two of you wondered.....

On the baby's food habits:
Anush- "Amma what will the baby eat?"
Me- "Only Amma's Milk Anush at least to begin with"
Anush- "Why is that? Then you will have to mix milk again for yourself?"

On again visiting the mango farm:
Why we need to pluck green mangoes again? We can buy nice yellow mangoes in the shop from uncle na?

After the home pedicure she witnessed, she is always wanting me to do it or fetches the
Scholls foot scrub and finds imaginary dirt on my feet to scrub away!!

Anush is back at school and she is sad each day as she enters school - her explanation
"Amma I keep yawning in school. I want to stay home and take rest!!"

We saw Wall E (and the Incredibles the previous Sunday ) yet again at the Radio One Kids Film Festival at Satyam last Sunday. Anush kept asking questions as we munched away on the caramel popcorn. Luckily she was soft enough not to disturb others.....

We went to Spencers after a long time and Anush enjoyed the glass elevators there the most. She also loudly proclaimed on seeing a lady in a burka- the first one she has ever noticed" Amma, see her clothes!! Fully covered even the face. Dangerous na?" ( strange she thought instinctively that it was a woman and dangerous because we advice her not to cover her face with the bed sheet when she sleeps)

We visited Little Buddha as he turned one and his folks and Anush came back delighted with the little fellow and excited by the goodies showered. Also found out that Lav's dad was my client's colleague!! Small world.

Most exciting update on the food scene:
Street food fest at GRT
Kailash Parbath The chat place from Colaba, Mumbai opens in Chennai!!

Anushisms and some more

Anush - When we grow vv old we will go to God ? Why? Even Amma Appa and me? We will go together okay?

Anush was asking her father to take her out:
Navy- I am really not feeling up to it baby.
Anush- Appa please try and feel up to it !!

Nowadays, Anush brings things and wants me to draw it and teach her as well
This time she fetched a bra!! Amma please show me how to draw this

Anush and I watched Charlie and the Chocolate factory ( adapted from Roald Dahl's story). Very nicely done. The part where Charlie chose family over the factory - Anush seemed to understand and agree!

This time the Mister Muthu illustrations look different from the usual but Anush still picked it out and asked me to read her the story. And it is very encouraging to receive fan mail on the series from kids :-)) Do pick up a Chandamama copy since the website has not been updated. . .

******

I saw The Reader alone once Anush had slept off. The nudity was a bit too graphic for me in the first half but a touching movie all the same.

Finished reading The Perk by Mark Gimenez. I skipped when I felt there was too much gyan about Texas but otherwise a nice plot with a murder, mystery, racism/ undercurrents of unrest in a small town, plight of immigrants, justice versus law, family and friendship sentiments galore. And it does not fail to surprise at the end.

Book Trail

Have been reading a lot of David Baldacci lately

The Simple truth is a beautiful and poignant story of injustice and redemption set largely in a Supreme court backdrop- more Grisham like.

Stone Cold- a part of the Camel Club series, it is better read in order, but can also be read stand alone- a thriller with two parallel plots and a very for the movies style about it

The Winner- a quick read about rigging a lottery and then trying to escape detectio

Read Michael Criton's The Great train robbery and saw the film immediately after- since he directed the film it was pretty true to the book and Sean Connery was very apt.

Saw Doubt- an unnerving portrayal of what gossip and conjecture can do to you and the target

Went for a wedding and Anush wore a Mauja Mauja harem pants- she looked so cute even if I say so myself. Sorry but no pics- I forgot.

By chance

We watched " Luck by chance"

I guess Farhan is here to stay as an actor. Konkona is the Smita Patil of this generation. Rishi and Dimple are caricaturised but delightful. The digs at some star traits are nice. The last dialog, a repartee to Farhan, rendered by Konkona is mind blowing- look for it. Yet the film is not as fresh as I had expected.Parts of it were a drag. Two of the songs were unnecessary.

Verdict- You can wait for the DVD.


Sacking out with Anush at home in my mother's absence- she is off to Mumbai post a short stopover at Delhi. This will be a test of whether I would really want to do what I often feel I should be- being at SAHM

This incident caused so much delay last evening, that my mother reached Mumbai a good 4 hours later than ETA!! Anyway I am glad she was not on that craft at least.

Busman's Holiday

Friday evening we went to the Grand Finale of Chennai Sangamam at Elliots Beach. My mother and I were as delighted as Anush by the folk artists and the fervor. The lad on the fake horse ( poi kal kudurai) was so friendly with Anush - I felt this fest was surely giving artists and spectators much needed exposure/ interaction.

The food stalls were full of variety but most of them smelt of non veg- and masala and hence I gave it a pass. The Kambar payasam ( kheer) was really interesting though. Anush had a frappe at the Tamil Food fest!!


We chanced upon a lovely kids clothes shop called Fashion Hut if I recollect . Bought a few things for Anush.


Next day we went for Chandni Chowk to China and was it a let down! Despite the bad reviews we went for it- have only ourselves to blame. Too much slapstick. Only Mithun was nice but his kicking Akshay was definitely not.

Saw a cute movie on mistaken identity with Dustin Hoffman/ Geena Davis called Hero. Liked it (particularly the digs at media and their undying thirst for drama) but somehow it seemed a bit too simplistic.
Sunday we went yet again to the regional rail museum ( ICF) and since it was Navy's first visit , Anush and I spent more time at the play area and he went into the details of trains, rails, brakes and the mechanics of it. We also met an unsung hero- a gentleman who had restored an ancient engine called the Fairy Queen.

For more on the title go here. I must admit I did not know it till recently. Our friends were to join us to the rail musuem but dropped out when we suggested a Sunday morning. I realise we keep oursleves pretty busy even on holidays - unlike most who would use the time to rest and catch up on sleep.

Pongal Off

Celebrated Pongal with a new paavadai chattai for Anush and a movie. Anush was very excited to shout out Pongal O Pongal,helped fill in the colour in the small rangoli outside our home, was enchanted by the rangoli in the building entrance and enjoyed both Villu and the folk artists at Mayajaal . She was most happy with the crepe and ice cream at Lydies.

Villu- a Tamil Pongal relase. Old flame's sake- I adore Prabhu Deva who is the director. First half was good and the second half was a drag. Vadivelu's humour is annoying and Nayantara is obnoxious in reality and in her role as a nut- bimbo. This is the FIRST Vijay movie I am watching and must say that he is a wonderful dancer.

Watched a movie a night, Milk and Billy Elliot - both about breaking stereotypes- one on gays and one on boys doing ballet. Very good acting , though both were a bit disturbing and violent.

!!!!

Pic Courtesy google


She saw an Amul ad and said" This is like Gajini- bad man or good man amma?"
Kudos to Amul and to Anushka!!
BTW I saw the movie and found Aamir great, Murgadoss excellent, AR Rahman bang on, Asin pretty and Jiah khan- bad.

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How many of you (above 30 yrs) recall the National pledge?
I got stuck at rich and varied Heritage....
Anushka was to repeat after me and the moment I said Heritage she said ". . . like C**** Heritage??" ( as in our apartment name)