Cho chweet!!!!

Adding on to the post below on kids!!!!! I jus love this!!!

kIdSsssssssssssss.......

We were on a treat to “Unnale Unnale” sometime back. Some were bugged and some watched the movie for a time pass. At a stage when people started getting really bored, this happened. There was a point when the heroine wanted to meet the hero and apologise. When she came to meet the hero, a kid behind us remarked, “Ippo I am sorry nu solla pora illa??” (The heroine is now gonna say, “Am sorry” right?). The entire crowd burst into laughter. Cho chweet kid!!!!

Kids are just terribly sweet. Once my kutti cousin had come home and my sis prepared Peas pulao for him. Later, my sis started reading and clarified with dad regarding the Power of Attorney . They both were talking so much about the Power of Attorney that when she came back for lunch and served Peas pulao to my cousin, he just exclaimed, “The power of pattaani!!”. (pattani in Tamil means Peas).

This cousin (whom I was talking about in the previous instance) was always our victim, esp. coz he was the youngest among us and the only boy :P. He was attending Abacus classes and one day, as we were going out in auto, we started asking him about the classes. A small boy, he’d generally put a big scene and as usual he said that he can add and subtract any two digit numbers within seconds. So we started with what is 47-29, 83-42, 64-18 and so on. He would use his fingers, do some calculation and give the right answers within seconds (we weren’t checking much for we took more time :P ). Finally, we asked him what is 98-97, he accidentally calculated that too using his fingers and then exclaimed 1 just to see us bursting into a loud and heavy laughter. He found the driver laughing too and started fighting and showing his face and all that. Whenever we meet him, we ask him what’s 98-97 only to see him grow red.

This happened as soon as this boy started riding a bicycle. He saw his elder sister and her friends walking along the road. He wanted to show off and he shouted “Hoodibabaaaa!!!!!” letting both his hands high up in the air. There was a big pit and you should have realised by now what would have happened J. The girls started giggling, filmy types eh??

We had a neighbour who had two kids and both of them were damn sweet and attached, they used to spend all their time at our place. I remember takin the younger one (he should have been four years old then) in my two-wheeler. I was so worried about him sitting behind and kept telling him to hold on to me tightly. He knew that I was worried and whenever I raised the speed, he would leave both his hands, hold them freely up in the air and shout “Sagiye!!” in the typical Madhavan style in the song “Pachai Nirame” and I will have to stop my vehicle then, only to see him laughing. This kept happening throughout the drive.

A one year old baby. A few relatives had a get together one day and were having dinner seated in a big circle. She was crawling behind us and found my mom who was tying a similar-coloured saree as her mom. So she tried standing up, holding my mom (whose face she didn’t see), hugging her and caressing her. Slowly she peeped and looked into my mom's face (just like that). Man, you should’ve seen her expession then, it was the movie types, where at the first glance she didn’t realise, but the next second, she glanced at her again, her eyes grew big and she immediately moved away. We broke into a big laughter and she laughed with us too not knowing why :-) . And sometime back, my aunt and uncle had come over with this baby to our place. That day she saw our maid coming and washing the utensils in the balcony. The next day the maid came and smiled at the baby and she was shocked to see this baby show her hand to the utensils in the balcony directing the maid to go and wash them. Our maid was awestruck J. She said she will never forget it. J

There was a mason we knew and he had a real cute kid. The boy was around 5 years, he was cute and had a sharp, shrilled way of talking. His Tamil was terrific, the typical Madrasi language. He would shout “Yekkaaaaaaoo” to me and I would shout back “Call me Akka” and he would shout again, “Yekkaao inga vaayen”. He would turn to my mom and say “Aundy” and my mom would say “Dey, naan aandi innum aala da, aunty-nu koopdu” and he would come back the next day saying Aundy again. One day he shouted “Aundy , tea pathikkudhu aundy”, we later realised what he meant was that the tea was very hot. And lots more, the chap was the sweetest.. now he’d have become a big boy, we really miss him.

Am sure everybody would have splendid unforgettable experiences with kids, maybe you can share them here :-). In the meanwhile , let me check if I remember more...

Hayyo!!!!!

This happened last week, there was a Circular from our Flat Association (I have just moved in here after my wedding) that there will be a General Body Meeting addressing major and all issues of all the Flats on May 1st, Tuesday at 9:00 am. I was shocked to see a major meeting being held on a week day during office hours. I didnt sign the sheet and told the flat helper that I will consult with my husband and ask the Flat Secretary to reschedule the meeting to a convenient timing. He was a little reluctant about me not signing the sheet but went away. I spoke with my dad-in-law later that afternoon and as I was saying this, he suggested me writing down in that sheet itself that it will not be a convenient timing, rather than going and talking with the Secretary. And my husband came home and said that had it been him, he would have written it down that way. The next morning, the helper came again, I told him that I was going to write the details in the sheet, he kept asking me as to why I dont just sign, but then, why would I do that? Shouldn't I voice my opinion against a totally useless scheduling? I wrote in detail asking the Association to reschedule the meeting to a more convenient timing like late evenings during weekdays, or on Sundays and that we will not be able to attend this meeting and that we feel that there is no point in conducting such a meeting. I was glad that I had done a good job only to find my husband asking me later in the afternoon as to when the meeting was scheduled. He asked me after he got a call in which I heard him saying a SORRY and all that. I told him that it was on the 1st of May at 9:00 am , he asked me what is 1st of May and I realised that it was a holiday being May Day.. oops!!!! so that was a call from the Association asking us why we had issues when the meeting was being conducted on a holiday and why write behind and that they are getting into the official records.. well, but nobody realised that it was May day, probably becoz I stressed more on the fact that it was a Tuesday at an office hour ... And what more, I had written everything and signed "For Vivek" :P:P:P . Idhukkudhaan over-a unarchivasa pada koodadho :-(

P.S. : But how many of you actually observed the May 1st there? ;-)

Call it presence of mind?? :-)

This happened in my final year of Engineering. Time to start off with our projects and we had our 0th review (zeroth review?? sounds terribly crazy?? but that was how it was called). Each team had to come and give a presentation on the project that had been taken up. Premalatha and me had planned to automate the Attendance Management System (idhellaam oru project-a nu nariya per kettanga) and we were the fourth team to present. We were taken by shock when we saw the second team giving a presentation on "Leave Management System " (adhu mattum oru project-a?? ;-) ) . And when our turn came, as soon as I started giving my presentation, our HOD stopped me asking a valid question with a strict tone, "Looks like your team and Rajesh' team are doing the same project, tell me what's different about your project and then proceed with your presentation, if not, stop and take up some other project". Before I could realise, I found myself blurting "Sir, they concentrate on absence while we concentrate more on presence" just to see an outburst of laughter from everybody with a "Very Good, Very Good" from my HOD. But then, I saw the other team going red and I tried to soothe things saying "Well, we just touch leave system while they are analyzing it in detail" and had to stop to see my HOD still laughing.... :-)

Clay Modelling from Astha

My friend Astha, is pretty passionate about clay modelling and she had given this article earlier. Here she goes...

Got a Hobby: Clay Modeling!



1. What ingredients are required?

Clay modeling is an art that deals with shaping up soil. The basic ingredient is wet mud, usually covered with wet sacks to keep it moist. Nowadays an ingredient called ‘patti’ (used by glass workers to join pieces of glass) is available in the market. This is less expensive and can be used instead of mud.

Secondly, you require tools. There are many tools available for modeling clay. If you are a beginner on a tight budget, it is possible to make your own tools from hair pins to old credit cards; anything can be used as a tool here.

Last but not the least, you require good imagination. I’ve seen many people confuse this art with painting and give up on it. I’d like to clarify that these are two different art forms. I feel clay modeling is specific and simpler than painting.



2. How does one get started?

One just needs a clay blob to get started. Your hands are your best sculpting instruments.



3. Method for making clay models...

There are three steps to modeling clay:


Creating form
Adding detail
Finishing

When you start, you just have a clay blob. First, you need to create a rough shape. You can do this with your hands. This method is called creating a form.

Once you’ve come up with a rough shape, you need to add details to this form. You might require cutting some portion of clay or adding some more parts to it. Cutting can be done by using slim wires.

The third step is to smooth the imperfections. If you’re using clay, you can wet your hands in water and then use fingers to smoothen the edges.


4. Tips for beginners...

Always remember the CAF rule: Create Form, Add Details, and Finish
Beginners can work well with just plain mud and use their hands to craft it. This is the basic art of clay modeling
Begin by creating simple items like bells, jewellery, crockery, etc. Once you gain confidence, take on sculpting human figures


5. How can one enhance their models?

One can enhance their models by using paint or accessories. Using tools also helps. Clay modeling, according to me, requires an individualistic approach. Finally, it’s you ideas that are taking form.

Now that's a pretty good article...Any questions, contact : asthadhar@gmail.com

Is cooking an art??

Have always wondered if cooking is really an art.. For whenever I cook, either it is awesome or awful, never consistent. I have prepared rasam about hundred times already, and I still go wrong sometimes. Reminded of the Shahi Tukda that I prepared when I was in my eleventh standard. Noted the recipe from TV and prepared it that evening. It was awful, I had to throw it away just like that. Vaaila vekkakooda mudiyale. Was telling my cousin about how bad it was and she heard my Shahi Tukda as Saaptu Thuppuda!!! ;-). Right hearing and right name!!!! :P:P

Well, we have always loved our mom's cooking and I have always wanted to be a super cook too, but laziness never made me go into the kitchen and try out new recipes. I do cook, but take hours (not anymore , you see :-) ).. I remember preparing a supposed-to-be-Naan with a supposed-to-be paneer peas masala for three hours. My uncle and dad had come for dinner and 7:00 pm and I remember serving them at 10:00. Though it was good, I realised that cooking means tasty dish at the quickest time, add nutrition to it. And more to it, I usually cook in huge quantities, and just because we shouldnt waste it, we have excess food which prevents one from relishing it. And dad always says, that whenever you cook, cook the correct quantity or less, makes the consumer (consumer?? ;-) ) ask for more and leaves a lasting taste too. Have found that to be true. So one more recipe to good cooking skills.

And we need to love what we do for it to turn out well. And that holds good for cooking too. My husband has a passion for cooking, prepares multicuisinary dishes, mostly innovative stuffs and everytime they turn out to be jus yummy. Have seen how he cooks, he adds this, he adds that, he adds whatever he feels like adding and finishes. Thats why he cannot explain any recipe, because he has no standard way of cooking (like what I have). I've started admiring his way of cooking thats pretty neat and interesting and SIMPLE. When I see him cook , I just feel that cooking is nothing, just a matter of interest and love for food. He added vegetables, tomatos and onions to our Dosai maavu and called it Kuzhi Paniyaaram ( I've always thought that preparing Kuzhi paniyaaram was very difficult), stuffed all the remaining vegetables in chappathi maavu and made stuffed paratha and a lot of such things. Well, maybe they are really simple, but I never knew that things can actually be prepared with so much ease.

Actually speaking, seems that love for the person you cook for adds taste to food and thats why moms cook so well. Vivek heard about this from his mom and came home once when we got engaged and asked me to cook. I told him not to link this and that, was terribly worried :-) but actually, the dinner was pretty good that day. He said he really loved it (is that true or a consolation for himself?? I dont know ;-) ) but found my sis growing red saying that I'v never prepared such a food for her :P:P. But last Sunday I prepared a complete meal in less than one hour and Vivek said that it was terribly awesome and the best food I've prepared, well, we actually fought then :P:P Anyways, love for the food and for the person being served (provided he is a lover of food) is an essential ingredient to good cooking.

Cooking is definitely an art :-)

Me writing about cooking?? Difficult to believe, but looks like I've got a passion for it. My friend, Kaushik, was saying the other day "Aunty (Jayanthi ezhuthufied as Jayaanthi Jayaaanthi and Jaya Aunty) no more talking about work (have I ever done that?) only molagu kozhambu and seeraga rasam from now on"... well, I think that's right, Kaushik :-)

Do check out my cousin's site --
http://aarthirajesh.sslpowered.com/kitchen/

P.S : Cutting the vegetables is also an art, adds more interest to cooking, actually. And to add flavour, a passion towards maintaining the kitchen, using appropriate dishes and arranging them makes cooking an interesting art.

Are helmets really necessary?

Came across an accident last week at Kotturpuram. The guy should be around 25 only and had passed away the moment the accident had happened. Not sure if a bus hit him lightly when he was on his bike. But he had lost his life. No injuries anywhere in his body, no blood stains anywhere on his shirt or pant, just that his head was smashed with his brain lying partly outside. Does that ring a bell? Well, all of us know the vitality of helmets, yet, either we are lazy because am one too who doesn't wear a helmet just coz it has to be dusted or cleaned which I take ages to do or we feel that the helmet is suffocating and irritating. But isnt suffocation better than losing our life? Have heard people saying that its all fate and that if we are to die, however careful we are , we will die and if we are to live, even if we lie on a track, the train would just stop. Well, I strongly feel that they are mere justifications and aren't we supposed to treasure this life that comes just once? Helmets are necessary, both for the driver and for the pillion rider.

Do check out this site that I came across : http://www.bhsi.org/crashmor.htm