It is late evening and you and your nephew (a 4 or 5 yr old kid) are on a crowded road. The kid is the most dreaded kid known ever, known for his adamancy! Let’s call the nephew as S. S spots a road side shop and the seller of it sells choppu saman – basically it is the stuff which is kind of a kitchen set for kids. As they approach the shop, S turns to his uncle
S: Mama, I need it.
Mama (knows about the kid, but still tries his luck): No, S. We can buy that later, we have already bought enough. Your mom would have already bought you this, and I think I have seen it as well.
S: Yes, I do have one, but you see it is old, and the set here has many more that I do not have.
Mama: No, S. Not today. Let’s leave. Sometime later.
S: No, I need it. And I need it now.
Mama: Sorry, not possible.
S: Mummy! I need it, I need it, I need it! (Sits on the road next to the pavement where the shop has spread out)
Mama: You can do whatever you want it, but the answer is “No” (Oops! He chose the wrong words and asked for it)
S starts to roll on the road and creates the biggest scene as though Mama is a kidnapper.
The seller sees this for some time and thinks its time and a necessity to clear.
Seller: Dai! If you are not going to leave now, I would throw you into the dungeon at my home.
S takes a look at the seller (Massively built with a big mush) and thinks “Namma batcha edupadathu pola irukku” – My tricks are not helping me and cannot be sold to this seller. Gup chup, S wipes his tears away and takes his Mama’s hand and departs. Mama would have had a very big “Thank you” expression on his face for the seller for saving his pride!
Episode 2 –
There was always those good old days when you can see temple elephants roaming on our streets to get alms for the mahout. It was a perfect Sunday afternoon and S was sitting outside and waiting for his day to end (The last day of the weekend and you have the homework to complete, repeat the tables to your dad – all these yes, after 1800hrs. And it was still 1700hrs. With dad yet to arrive from his overtime work on a Sunday, you are the king in the house.) S spots a big black object at the end of street (far far away). As the object nears, he recognizes it – the elephant. Damn excited about it, he runs inside the house pesters his mom, grandma to com outside and watch (little did they know scene next!) Elephant comes nears the house, S goes nears it (totally fascinated) and places the 25 paisa (big money that time – you get a chocolate/bubblegum) on the elephant’s trunk. The elephant passes the money to the mahout. S is thrilled – imagines how would it be if he goes to school in this rather on a torn down rickshaw. He would be the best amongst his friends. Adrenaline pumps!
S: Amma, I need that elephant. Ask him to leave it here and leave.
Amma (perplexed – what the?): No, S. The mahout earns a living with that so, we cannot just ask him to leave it here.
S: In that case, give him the money for the elephant and ask him to leave it.
Amma (aahaa! Tries the next trick): Look S, maintaining the elephant is a big problem. Where do you think we can keep him? (Tries to put into S’s head that they are a middle class family). We have just enough space to keep your dad’s motor cycle. Moreover we have your sister to take care of. (Not that she’s trying to equate my new born sis to the maintenance of an elephant).
Finally the family is saved. Thanks to S’s dad timely entrance. S (bugger became very silent even as his mom started her last conversation. He heard the sound of the motorcycle – chalaak!) hides behind his mom.
S was the most notorious kid as well, he had kept (along with his friends) fire to a stacked up (many) dried plants in his play ground and never accepted that he did it!
He had literally threatened his mom a million times (imagine this: what would you do if your kid stands on an edge of the terrace or a place that is a storey high and threatens that he would jump because you were against his wishes on something?) I would have actually taken the privilege of pushing him and get done with it!
So, life moves on, his adamancy reduces and he becomes a normal guy. Still he never appreciated things. Like have you ever complemented on the food your mom makes? He never did it. Realization always occurs very late, don’t they? He realized all these when he lived alone away from family, when shouldered the responsibility of undertaking the ownership of the well being of his family.
Yes, all this while I was talking about myself. I’m alone, away and on my own, but still owning the responsibility. All this time how many times have I missed to say “Amma, food tastes awesome!” – million times – Everyday! I realized when someone fails to appreciate my effort. If even a small task, a right amount of motivation and complement would actually boost the complemented to do more.
My mom has done lots, just like everyone else’s. Getting up early, cook for an entire family, get ready to work, slog there and come back make coffee, prepare tiffin for her kids and then do some homework from her office, serve food in the night and sleep last.
After work I used crave for that cup of coffee kept ready and steaming hot, has she ever wanted it that way? Someone making her day by making coffee, massage her legs and hands for the hard work she has done? Nope, I failed many times.
The same applies to your dad or sis, yes, but on a lesser extent than what deserves for your mom!
You would have scolded her, been cross with her, but she always knows that it is not for long. (I would actually be pissed if someone does that to me).
THANKS AMMA! I would have missed this many times, but never forget!
All these years alone has actually made me think on appreciating things. Made sure people are very comfortable moving with me. Never to put anyone in a spot.
I’m the Bad Kid! I was like the kid in the video -
What are the odds of betting “God Exist!” against “There’s no God!” well there might be the other odds which says “God exists, but he does not have influence on our lives!” or wait, “He exists and we are the coins on his chess board!”?
I always liked to debate on His existence. I liked the topic very much – GOD! And when I started to read about “The Blind Watchmaker” by Richard Dawkins, the stir started again! Anbe Sivam emphasizes on the concept of God in a different meaning. Now, there’s always the point when the atheist and the theist are cornered and on the similar question –
Atheist: Can you prove the existence of God?
Theist: Can you prove not His existence?
It is the similar to the forward “Dialogue between the Prof and a student”. It is not necessary that if you cannot see it, it does not exist. Though the thought here is, we can always prove its existence, can’t we?
Life started from where? It was not a just like that! It was not by chance, it was continuous evolution. Makes sense. Yes, I’m quoting Richard here. Yes and for all there must be a starting point, or there’s never a starting point, but only a circle.
It is always to link, Humans from Ape, Apes from Chimps, Chimps from Monkeys and Monkeys from Partial Amphibians (or some sorts), and they from Aquatic species and Aquatic species from lesser known ones… Yes, they from where? Micro organisms, and they from something else, may be chemical compounds. Earth was because of solar system and solar system from Big Bang. Now, how did Big Bang occur? I do not know the answer; a scientist would have the possible, correct, explanation. The questioning continues until you hit upon saying God would be the starting point. And next question would be: How was he created? You cannot have something that comes up by itself! Well, you would say “That’s God!” Yeah, talk to me! Or “God was created from another God!”
This goes on, and I believe it is just a circle or cycle! But how did this cycle result? From where? I’m sure there must be a starting point, but that contradicts as that starting point needs an initiator and which in turn requires to be made! Who made it? Confusion! I hope I’m clear on my confusion – an Oxymoron. Clarified Confusion!
OK, well. There’s no God, no Super Power, no Supreme, no Creator. Tell me how it all started? A point or a cycle? If cycle, how?
Been a while since I had inked my experiences as a blog. Now is the chance to do it, sitting in a hotel called StudioPLUS, using their broadband wireless cable connection. Yes, I’m in the land of Americans. My assignment: On-site coordinator, to operate from Charlotte, North Carolina. (By the time I completed this, I have moved into an apartment. I took exactly 21 days to finish this!)
I was informed about my travel well in advance, but the confirmation on the surety was done a day before I’m to leave. This left just a day to be with my folks – a day – less than 12hrs. I traveled to Madras, the day before the travel, packed and left! A sentence to finish the entire trauma is very unjust! There was lot of emotional stuffs, physical tiredness and everything, even as I re-collect, it is very painful.
I couldn’t express it, but everyone else did.
Reached Airport to take a flight to Bombay, flight got delayed by an hour, which helped me in staying close with my family for some more time… Clock ticked and the time called me to depart. Took the Jet Airways plane to Bombay (Maddy was in the Business class – No one bothered to talk to him!). With him on the plane, every time I went to the loo, I used to recollect his comic sequence in the plane – “Jacuzzi? no no kakku^&*” – from the movie “Naladamayanthi”, and I use to giggle within myself. – Credit to NB for reminding me about this!
With the mobile phone switched on till the time I boarded the plane and hope of making my people in the viewing tower to see me was a great trauma. Gash! Finally, they got the glimpse of the plane and not me standing next to it – whom am I kidding? It was dark and no way possible to notice.
Reached Bombay around 2100hrs – lots of air traffic, so the pilot circled the city once and finally landed. God bless him… Finance capital of India has the busiest airport and a huge one as well! To go from the Domestic terminal to the International terminal, took 15mins in the shuttle. Sigh!
Once in the International terminal I noticed a big queue – for the Delta Airlines to Atlanta. Well, there came a nicely dressed woman officer to inform us that the fight is delayed – just – by 3hrs! Wackow! During that process the customs was cleared and I used that time to speak to all people before I can board the plane… My bill should have gone for a SIX! Let’s see how much it comes up to?!
I finally boarded the plane at 0245hrs on Nov 5th, from Bombay. The feeling of leaving the place which saw me grow up weighed on me along with the pressure built during take-off – well not mine, the pressure inside the plane, you perverts … IO IO!
Dinner was served at around 0400hrs, quite a time to have it… It was tasty and I was tired, three in a seat and I’m in the middle, you can imagine… There were lots of people from Jimmy Carter’s Habitat program in the plane, like the person sitting next to me, near the window. His name was Al. On the other side was an old lady! Plight – miserable. Air hostess – very miserable, but their service was good. ;-)
Each of us had viewer before us and it played 12 channels with one channel dedicated to the course of the plane, statistics of altitude, pressure, speed (measuring > 800odd mph), temperature (-52F) and time for destination. The rest were Video, Music and some more. The video channel played the same 6 movies over and over, again and again! The only watchable movie was Cars!
It could have taken the staright route over the Arabian sea through the Sahara and over the Atlantic... But it went over Afghan, over Dubai, Over England and touched Green Land and then touched NY, and Al explained that it may be due to the reason “If we are suppose to crash, we would better do it on the land than in the water!” Immigration/Security was done at New York; it took about 2hours, there. And the next stop was Atlanta – The world’s biggest Airport! I met the GM of Delta Airways, Swiss, in the train (used to travel across terminals = huge terminal!), he is an Indian from Goa, was GM in Swiss, then went to Belfast, now settled in Atlanta for the past 6yrs…
I had to wait at the Atlanta airport to get my next plane to Charlotte. And it was almost 1600hrs when I reached Charlotte.
All throughout the journey, my stomach grumbled many times, not for food – but for other reasons. I refrained myself only for… Not because I was afraid of the heights (Just like what Lodukku Pandi says in Vasool Raja MBBS – “Illa na, khonjham height-a irukku-a, slip aiyduveno-nu oru bayam, namakkku height oththukkathu! 40000feet above sea level) Nay! That was not the reason; it was the paper that scared me. Silly Indian, you might think, yes I’m. Had grown up there and old habits die hard!
And I would do anything for love I'd run right into hell and back I would do anything for love I'll never lie to you and that's a fact
But I'll never forget the way you feel right now-- Oh no--no way-- I would do anything for love But I won't do that I won't do that Anything for love I would do anything for love I would do anything for love But I won't do that I won't do that
Some days it don't come easy Some days it don't come hard Some days it don't come at all and these are the days that never end
Maybe I'm crazy But it's crazy and it's true I know you can save me No one else can save me but you
As long as the planets are turning As long as the stars are burning As long as your dreams are comming true-- You better believe it!--
That I would to anything for love And I'll be there until the final act-- I would do anything for love! And I'll take a vow and seal a pact--
But I'll never forgive myself if we don't go all the way-- Tonight-- I would do anything for love! I would do anything for love I would do anything for love But I won't do that I won't do that...
I would do anything for love Anything you've been dreaming of But I just won't do that...
Somedays I pray for silence Somedays I pray for sould Somedays I just pray to the God of Sex and Drums and Rock'N Roll
Some night I lose the feeling Some nights I lose control Some night I just lose it all when I watch you dance and the thunder rolls
Maybe I'm lonely And that's all I'm qualified to be There's just one and only The one and only promise I can keep
As long as the wheels are turning As long as the fires are burning As long as your prayers are coming true-- You better believe it--!
That I would do anything for love! And you know it's true and that's a face I would do anything for love! And there'll never be no turning back--
But I'll never do it better than I do it with you So long-- So long-- I would do anything for love I would do anything for love I would do anything for love But I won't do that I won't do that
I would do anything for love Anything you've been dreaming of But I won't do that...
But I'll never stop dreaming of you Every night of my life-- No way--
I would do anything for love I would do anything for love I would do anything for love But I won't do that I won't do that!
Girl: Will you raise me up? Will you help me down? Will you get me right out if this Godforsaken town? Will you make it all a little less cold?
Boy: I can do that! I can do that!
Girl: Will you hold me sacred? Will you hold me tight? Can you colorize my life I'm so sick of black and white? Can you make it all a little less old?
Boy: I can do that! I can do that!
Girl: Will you make me some magic With your own two hands? Can you build an emerald city with these grains of sand? Can you give me something I can take home?
Boy: I can do that! I can do that!
Girl: Will you cater to every fantasy I got? Will ya hose me down with holy water--if I get to hot--? Will ya take me to places I've never known?
Boy: I can do that! I can do that!
Girl: After a while you'll forget everything It was a brief interlude And a midsummer night's fling And you'll see that it's time to move on
According to my room-mate’s suggestion, I came up with this. These are purely his ideas.
Your position: You are an onsite coordinator for an Indian Software company with whom lies many projects out-sourced from the US of A.
Situation: Explain the concept of Bandh to your peers, there. All are Americans.
Over the phone –
Off-shore team: ONC, there’s a bandh declared here tomorrow, and the company is closed tomorrow. Can you please tell our Architect that our deliverables will be postponed by a day? Please talk to our client about this as well.
ONC: What? Why is the bandh?
Off-shore: Bandh was called to protest against the Centre's decision to change its affidavit in the Supreme Court on the Maharashtra Government's writ petition demanding the merger of Belgaum and other Marathi-speaking areas with that State. That’s it.
ONC: Oh OK! Will talk to them and let them know about it.
At onsite –
ONC: Architect, off-shore will not be working tomorrow. And thus, their deliverables will be delayed by a day.
Architect: Oh! What seems to be the problem? Is it a public holiday for the country?
ONC: No, the holiday is for the state only. They have declared a bandh!
Architect: What was that? Come again… A WHAT? What’s the reason?
ONC: Bandh is more commonly is performed to protest. There’s some border problem.
Architect: Damn! Again you guys are fighting for border? I thought the PM of India and President of Pakistan had agreed upon some factor benefiting both. You guys are still fighting for it?
ONC: Oh no no no… It is not the cross-country border, but within the country – Across the states. *BLSUH*. Different lingual borders fighting for their neighbouring state’s portion which speaks the same language.
Architect: Ridiculous! Sigh! And you guys are fighting over inter-country border.
Something to think, I guess. Yes, yesterday's stuff. Is it that I have not grown yet, or He has? He had always tolerated jokes on him, and all of us had tolerated other's nag. Quite alarming, that I cannot sense other's comfy factor. Or not realised that times have changed, and everyone has and I've to as well! I am yet to, as my manager quotes "Show maturity", show signs of it.
All these years, I thought I had known people enough, but yesterday’s incident was revelation that I was wrong. Little devastating, it was for me! I think, I was roaming around with wrong ideas about people and their attitude towards me. I was wrong in taking people for granted. Yes, that is the mistake. Like the Old English folks, I should address people with respect and never should expect in return. Never take anything for granted, respect other’s opinion, give room to their emotions, respecting every bit of it. Distance – something that needs to maintained even with your folks, closest kin, friends and others. Never, ever do the mistake of giving less than what you can.
I vividly remember my friend quoting me “clumsy” – the first time I had ever heard that word – from school. Do not know whether he remembers it, but surely, I do and now, I still believe that I have not changed, for him to say, “You are not clumsy”. Never had I realised how many of them felt awkward, irked, displeased, ill at ease, poignant, and finally just-like-Brendan-Fraser-in-Bedazzled in my company. What a character?! Never have I felt bad before, for committing such an act. Now more dubious is that, do my folks back home, feel this way? Holy shit! They could.
It is time to grow-up and show some maturity, responsibility and above all be a human. Yes, I know what you people think I am going to sum it up as. Nope, I am not going to end saying “It is common to make mistakes.” It is, but to learn is more talking towards evolution. I am yet to evolve, and I am wilfully going to put myself to be this way, forever. Should I still be a child, crack silly jokes and fool around hurting people?
Pity, I do not even know how to end this. May be only kala-chakkara can answer this. For all you folks out there, I seek no pardon for what I have done unto you. However, I am really sorry for what happened and may be in the future I’ll avert such things.
I will never grow-up, look at the mess I had written up. I’m actually complaining. Childish!
My friends tried to console me as the child in me is what keeps me going and that is what I should not lose. Being a child I have lost what I could have got if I could have acted as a man, I have lost, yes, aplenty of beautiful things!
Where do I start? Hmmm… Yes, Surya – Jyothika combo’s much awaited movie. Well, let us watch it (despite the bad reviews posted everywhere), was the general feeling in the air. Reasons aplenty – Rehman, Rehman, Rehman… and eventually the much-awaited Surya and Jyothika’s marriage. Date decided and tickets booked in advance in Madras’s most premier theatre group – Satyam Cinemas!
Neatly guided to our seats by the hosts, we sat and gaped at the screen for the entertainment to begin. It began well. An hour into the movie, it was beautifully done and well handled. Then, came the tragedy in the name of ‘flashback’!
Illogically introduced and pathetically misfit into the mainstream of the theme, it spoilt the whole show. The film showed a bad implementation of a good theme. Logic was absent at every aspect of flashback. And finally, Jo’s idea of re-uniting the lost loves stole the limelight! With all doors tightly shut, dogs!, including the ‘Emergency Exits’ sealed from outside, we were made to stay in the theatre – similar to the old-movie-type’s-poison-gas-chamber. We were tricked! Saachuputtaya saachuputtaya! io! Enagala veliya vittudunga! BANG BANG BANG BANG – Jalianwalah Bagh Massacre is a perfect analogy. RDB’s scene (Madhavan –> Audience and Defence Minister –> Director) can be satirically associated with the director laughing away hysterically watching our plight! Is this what they call sweet revenge?
Resemblance of scenes from many movie’s famous clips were combined to give a wholesome CRAP – Mouna Raagam, Ghajini and Kaaka Kaaka. Rightly pointed by Prabhu –
Some movies follow all the below, or just a few.
1. In cine football, there is no concept of defender, midfield player or striker. All 20 players (except the goal keepers) will run after the ball at the same time. 2. The heroine will watch the game from stands 2a. If the hero and heroine havent fallen in love yet, then she will be impressed with the hero’s game and that will be a catalyst for the love. 2b. If they are already in love, then the hero will be hurt during the game. Or there will be a dream song in which the hero will be playing football 3. Cine hero MUST score a goal, even if he is a goal keeper! - HIGHLIGHT
Hero was portrayed to be a sportsman and Heroine instantly falling in love with him for – Looks, style, percentage of funkiness, sportsmanship, vagabondism, and of course – ability to be winner (Later: goes on to present a paper on torque, shafts and engine in New York) albeit having plenty arrears! Santhanam’s cameo of making us laugh repeatedly proves that he is the next best to Vivek. Vadivelu was average in his performance – an unnecessary addition to elongate an already worn out rubber band.
Overall, my friend’s money went waste! I’ll have to ask him to pay the money back! A much awaited ‘sweet’ revenge is waiting for him in Bangalore. Rehman’s music was misused all throughout the movie, I guess thalai would have refused to do the BGM after watching the movie and would have asked his servants to go ahead and show their hand at it. Ob guys, dude would have seriously been disappointed.
Plus points – Rehman, Santhanam, Surya – Jo and their kid.
Minus points – Bhumika, Dialogues, Badly shot movie/songs and scenes.
Summary – Apple Pie presented without apples!
Their marriage had sparked the hype for the movie and it would sell is a hard stone to digest. Rumours go around saying that Surya produced the movie and presented it as a gift to Jo. Well, I’m starting another – Rehman foresaw this and made it as a gift for Surya so that he gets what he had put. With all the stills of thalai posing for the movie should have put around a warning sign, but who cared?! It was Surya Jo all the way.
“God does not play dice with the universe; He plays an ineffable game of His own devising, which might be compared, from the perspective of the players, (ie everybody), to being involved in an obscure and complex version of poker in a pitch-dark room, with blank cards, for infinite stakes, with a Dealer who won't tell you the rules, and who smiles all the time.”
