We have to drive into the city to pick up Big A--who’s, sadly, working nights most this week. And as I woke Li'l A by slipping a hoodie over his head for the ride, he got this totally Sophie’s Choice look. He's clutching Ninni (a.k.a. “stinky Goat Ninni,” his baby blanky) in one fist and Licky (equally stinkalicious except he’s a still somewhat adorable stuffed dog) in the other.
Can I bring them both?
This is the same kid who in his waking hours claims he’s too old to kiss me in public.
_
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Friday, January 26, 2007
After _Rabbit-Proof Fence_
Occasionally, I’ll watch serious cinema with Li’l A. Our favorites so far have been the Iranian director Majid Majidi‘s delightful Children of Heaven and Danny Boyle‘s somewhat murky Millions.
We started Rabbit-Proof Fence this evening with the caveat that we might have to turn it off if it got too heavy. But it didn't, and anyway Li'l A really got into RPF, which is about three aboriginal children who are separated from their families by the Australian government and trek the 1500 miles back to their home by themselves.
Cousin S wonders if it’s okay to let a little kid watch “real” i.e. non Disneyfied films. And I say yes, because I hope that empathizing with those frequently considered “Other”--
(a) may make him a kinder person
(b) stave off any Gautama Buddha drama later.
(c) Okay, whatever--I didn’t really want to watch it all by myself.
_
We started Rabbit-Proof Fence this evening with the caveat that we might have to turn it off if it got too heavy. But it didn't, and anyway Li'l A really got into RPF, which is about three aboriginal children who are separated from their families by the Australian government and trek the 1500 miles back to their home by themselves.
Cousin S wonders if it’s okay to let a little kid watch “real” i.e. non Disneyfied films. And I say yes, because I hope that empathizing with those frequently considered “Other”--
(a) may make him a kinder person
(b) stave off any Gautama Buddha drama later.
(c) Okay, whatever--I didn’t really want to watch it all by myself.
_
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Meet Cute
My parents, the lovebirds, celebrate Nov 3rd--the anniversary of the day they first met each other. How cute was their meet? They had an arranged marriage, so it was a very formal meeting.
The first words my mother ever said to my father were in chaste and polite Telugu as she offered him coffee, “Coffee Theesukondi.” To which, my father said, “Thank you.” Adequate. Even well executed. Except to hear my dad tell it year after year, it almost rivals R&J :)
He:
If I profane with my unworthiest hand
This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this:
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.
None of my friends’ parents celebrated anything like that, but I thought I would. Except that despite serious mind dredging, Big A and I can’t recollect the day we actually met. So instead we celebrate our first date, which was on a snowy Jan 26th.
This isn’t a very good poem, but it makes me smile--and what the H-E-double-toothpicks-- it’s my blog and my anniversary :).
Update: Pulled my poem. You've got Old Will so you shouldn't complain, it's not like i'll ever compare :).
_
The first words my mother ever said to my father were in chaste and polite Telugu as she offered him coffee, “Coffee Theesukondi.” To which, my father said, “Thank you.” Adequate. Even well executed. Except to hear my dad tell it year after year, it almost rivals R&J :)
He:
If I profane with my unworthiest hand
This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this:
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.
To which, she:
Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much
Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,
And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.
Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much
Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,
And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.
None of my friends’ parents celebrated anything like that, but I thought I would. Except that despite serious mind dredging, Big A and I can’t recollect the day we actually met. So instead we celebrate our first date, which was on a snowy Jan 26th.
This isn’t a very good poem, but it makes me smile--and what the H-E-double-toothpicks-- it’s my blog and my anniversary :).
Update: Pulled my poem. You've got Old Will so you shouldn't complain, it's not like i'll ever compare :).
_
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Temple Dogs
My boys.
I can take them to the temple despite the one being a non believer and the other being too young to know his mind. And for the occasion, I can wear a thin tissue sari totally unsuitable for 13 degree weather and be too lazy (or vain--with me that‘s likely too) to cover up in a wrap.
Not only do they follow me around like gentle, well behaved puppies inside the temple, they’ll bring the car around for me, rev the heat way up and try to wrap me in a jacket before I’ve even clipped on my seatbelt.
Which kind of explains the temple visit. Because I don’t know what I did to deserve this, but I do know when I need to say thanks.
_
I can take them to the temple despite the one being a non believer and the other being too young to know his mind. And for the occasion, I can wear a thin tissue sari totally unsuitable for 13 degree weather and be too lazy (or vain--with me that‘s likely too) to cover up in a wrap.
Not only do they follow me around like gentle, well behaved puppies inside the temple, they’ll bring the car around for me, rev the heat way up and try to wrap me in a jacket before I’ve even clipped on my seatbelt.
Which kind of explains the temple visit. Because I don’t know what I did to deserve this, but I do know when I need to say thanks.
_
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
SNORKELING
She had spoonfuls of sky
Nothing close or nearby
Ever seemed same again.
So in another land,
In some softly alien sea
They consent to band
In lithe experimental ties
With elongated limbs,
And buckled lungs,
Talking of walking water
Minus primness or miracle
Finding the sea suddenly
Small as a lapping pet,
Animated in assault,
Circling them for treats.
Then too soon, in ten or so days,
Their rules and goodbyes unsaid,
They fly; the red of an airline blanket
Flowers, in her lap, like a miscarriage.
_
Monday, January 22, 2007
Aaj Chelli ka Happy Birthday Hey!
Today is the birthday of the best sister in the whole world (mine:)!
Happy, Happy Birthday, Chelli!
[AA, my favorite aunt in the whole world, calls me to get the birthday girl’s new digits. I give them to her and then somehow a go-to call turns into an hour-long talkfest.
At the end of 60-odd minutes, AA says sheepishly, “M, can you give me the number again? I ummm, doodled all over it and I can‘t make out the numbers anymore.”
My favorite aunt, I tell you!]
_
Happy, Happy Birthday, Chelli!
[AA, my favorite aunt in the whole world, calls me to get the birthday girl’s new digits. I give them to her and then somehow a go-to call turns into an hour-long talkfest.
At the end of 60-odd minutes, AA says sheepishly, “M, can you give me the number again? I ummm, doodled all over it and I can‘t make out the numbers anymore.”
My favorite aunt, I tell you!]
_
LTTE's Child "Soldiers"
KS pointed me to this report in Sri Lanka’s Daily Mirror, which has several testimonies from child soldiers about being kidnapped and forced to perform military duties for the LTTE.
Horrible.
Wrong.
And the reason I won’t support any commercial ventures that validate or replicate LTTE culture.
The children are quoted as being 16 and 18--and I’ll forgive you once if you're thinking that they’re more adolescent than child. Because, really, we have to take into account that they are generally drafted around 12 years of age. That is incontrovertibly a child, dammit.
I meandered down the rest of the article and perked up a little when I saw Radhika Coomaraswamy mentioned. I met her once upon a time in Colombo--a very unassuming, highly efficient, and quite jolly person. It turns out that she has recently been appointed as the UN’s special representative for children in armed conflict. Here's hoping that she can hold the LTTE to their frequent denials and resolutions regarding child soldiers.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Incidentally, Radhika Coomaraswamy’s is the *only* Tamizh name amongst the reams of Sinhala and European names on the acknowledgements page of Michael Ondaatje’s Anil’s Ghost. It's a dismaying indication of a lack of balanced research in an otherwise dazzling book.
_
Horrible.
Wrong.
And the reason I won’t support any commercial ventures that validate or replicate LTTE culture.
The children are quoted as being 16 and 18--and I’ll forgive you once if you're thinking that they’re more adolescent than child. Because, really, we have to take into account that they are generally drafted around 12 years of age. That is incontrovertibly a child, dammit.
I meandered down the rest of the article and perked up a little when I saw Radhika Coomaraswamy mentioned. I met her once upon a time in Colombo--a very unassuming, highly efficient, and quite jolly person. It turns out that she has recently been appointed as the UN’s special representative for children in armed conflict. Here's hoping that she can hold the LTTE to their frequent denials and resolutions regarding child soldiers.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Incidentally, Radhika Coomaraswamy’s is the *only* Tamizh name amongst the reams of Sinhala and European names on the acknowledgements page of Michael Ondaatje’s Anil’s Ghost. It's a dismaying indication of a lack of balanced research in an otherwise dazzling book.
_
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all the things
I managed to do all the things today: I'm mostly packed (carry-on only for two weeks). Took Nu to see Sinners again per request. (My TH...
