2 months ago
Her Doubts
Once upon a time there was a little girl who wouldn't venture out of the protective atmosphere of home unless it was SO essential.. She couldn't understand, nor appreciate what was so rosy out there beyond the seas, far from homeland.. And what made people who did go out, stick there and not come back.. But abroad she did go... and the place just grew on her... Time came when she had to return.. but she wasn't exactly pleased.. Has she grown intolerant? Has she ceased to think like the little girl that she was? Has she got SO used to BEING AWAY FROM HER OWN PEOPLE, that she's now confused about returning? Does she find it easier living away?
Of phone calls
BEFORE
Me : Amma, how are you?
Amma : You tell me first.. How are u doing? Are u eating well?
Don't have oats or cornflakes for breakfast.. don't be lazy to make idlis..Don't forget to check if the door is locked properly... Don't read too much and strain your eyes.. or sit in front of the laptop for a long time.. ETC.
AFTER
Me : Amma, how are you?
Amma : let that be.. You tell me first.. How is panju doing? Are you sterilizing his feeding bowls & spoons properly? Don't bring the porridge anywhere near him when its too hot.. Don't be busy reading while he's playing, or he'll put something in his mouth... btw what's he doing now? sleeping?? then why did u call now?u can take rest only when he's sleeping...
Ok. I am still being cared about.
Me : Amma, how are you?
Amma : You tell me first.. How are u doing? Are u eating well?
Don't have oats or cornflakes for breakfast.. don't be lazy to make idlis..Don't forget to check if the door is locked properly... Don't read too much and strain your eyes.. or sit in front of the laptop for a long time.. ETC.
AFTER
Me : Amma, how are you?
Amma : let that be.. You tell me first.. How is panju doing? Are you sterilizing his feeding bowls & spoons properly? Don't bring the porridge anywhere near him when its too hot.. Don't be busy reading while he's playing, or he'll put something in his mouth... btw what's he doing now? sleeping?? then why did u call now?u can take rest only when he's sleeping...
Ok. I am still being cared about.
Family Matters-Rohinton Mistry
If I ditch a book mid-way it could only mean it is one hopeless book. But if I toy with the idea of giving up reading a book albeit a brilliant one, it means that the book is forcing me to ruminate on issues that I choose not to think about i.e., if the book disturbs me. I found myself picking and dumping "Family Matters" off and on. Pun intended. Mistry has sure chosen the best possible title for the book, which is in itself a double entendre.
Nariman Vakeel, a retired English professor and an aged widower, lives with his middle-aged step children (Coomy & Jal). He is haunted with memories of his deceased lover (Lucy), whom he never got to marry. Memories of love haunt his mind, Parkinson's disease enfeeble his body. To make matters worse, he fractures his ankle during one of his perfunctory walks, making him bed ridden...He's considered an unwanted burden and is forcibly dumped in his biological daughter's (Roxana's) place. Roxana's husband who is not very pleased about the whole thing finds himself helpless in the hands of fate. Amidst Roxana's laborious yet affectionate care, Yezad's inability to alter the hapless situation, Coomy's cunning plots to distance her step father, is the dignity of an old man at stake.
Ofcourse, as with most of Mistry's other novels, its a Parsi family that the story revolves around.
Its both funny and sad, to think of the ways parents do so much for children, and children grow up and have second thoughts in taking care of elders at their twilight years. Isn't oldage called second childishness?
Not only is the author's narration strikingly honest and down to earth in portraying the lives of the various characters involved, the sarcasm with which he gets across the message is incomparable. Few highlights-
-Nariman inadvertently dirties the bed with his feces and the stink gets Coomy confused. "Nariman decided:he would open his eyes and come clean. He smiled the next instant, amused by the thought-clean was a state much to be desired in his present condition.". His thoughts are hopelessly sad, yet conveyed in a lighter vein.
-Roxana leads a happily married life with Yezad and their two sons in "Pleasant Villa". The name of the house only becomes an irony after the sick Nariman's entry into their family. What's more incongruous is "Chateu Felicity" which is what the house which Nariman shared with his step children is called. Though the house seems palatial what with seven rooms, the hearts of the stepchildren aren't accomodative enough.
-When questioned if Coomy isn't feeling even the least bit guilty, she answers "Conscience is easier to look after than Pappa".. Bloody brilliantly blunt, I'd say.
If Yezad's woebegone family scenario isn't a trouble enough, his employer adds to his exasperation by announcing his desire to run the elections at one time saying that his "beloved Bombay is being raped" and playing Santa to all others, not considering that his own employee would do with few extra bucks. But Yezad is sketched as having an amicable relationship with his boss. Wonder what stops him from openly asking for a hike/promotion instead of ploying unnecessary tactics. The lengthy description of the Parsi death ceremony was another uncalled for detail. Another area which I found faltering was the solution which Jal finds to all problems, financial and otherwise. It was disturbingly sudden.
.
But what stands out the most is the transformation of Yezad from a moody person to an elightened one. Helping a dying person to die peacefully, sure is the best way for one to assuage all other misdeeds. The conversations between Yezad and his father in law are witty and seem real.
The book is definitely worth a read. Though heart wrenching at places, its not a gloomy book in its entirety. To live with parents, or to leave them by themselves is a tricky conundrum. Be it as it may.... ultimately Family, matters...
rating:4/5
Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella
Feeling blue? Chocolates and Soft Music aren't the only ways to up your spirits. Books that could make you grin ear to ear promise even more fun!
Lexi (the protagonist) wakes up in a hospital bed after an accident, only to find out that she's forgotten the last 3 years of her past. And in those 3 years, she's become a high-nose boss from a merrily gossiping girl, an absolute fitness freak from an indulging glutton and a well-groomed perfectionist from a snaggletooth, unorganised giggling just another girl.
Needless to say she's confused. And she's hardly able to obtain any help from her sister (who's a scheming extortionist) and her mother (who feels her dogs require more attention than a recovering daughter). To add to the chaos, out of the blue comes Jon who claims to be Lexi's lover. Now, why would she have had an extra marital affair when she's married to the love of her life! Lexi's also clueless about why her old buddies seem to desert her. How has she got herself transformed into a person whom some people hate to even recognise, while others are proud to be associated with? And is this Jon guy telling the truth? How funny would it be if Lexi happens to recover her lost memory ?
Sophie Kinsella has a contagiously cheerful way of writing. One is sure to be entertained. There's something to laugh out loud in every page. This feel good factor is one reason I make sure to grab every book of hers. While reading her book "The Undomestic Goddess", I was being all critical about the flaws here and there. But there are times when you should NOT put on your thinking cap... instead just sit, have a good laugh and move on. Especially works when one is stressed out or weary of reading/watching all tear jerkers and serious heavy subjects. I would liken this book to giving way to temptations for a day, when on a strict diet.
The author also has a knack of making the main character unfailingly adorable. If you fell in love with the innocence and gaiety of Becky in the Shopaholic series, you're sure to associate with the snap decision-maker and emotionally vulnerable Lexi. There's a certain degree of suspense in WHY the protagonist becomes hell bent on her career overnight. Ofcourse any vigilant reader could easily guess half-way through the book, but the author does manage to maintain the tempo for most part. And didn't I say earlier not to prod on this and that?
Lexi (the protagonist) wakes up in a hospital bed after an accident, only to find out that she's forgotten the last 3 years of her past. And in those 3 years, she's become a high-nose boss from a merrily gossiping girl, an absolute fitness freak from an indulging glutton and a well-groomed perfectionist from a snaggletooth, unorganised giggling just another girl.
Needless to say she's confused. And she's hardly able to obtain any help from her sister (who's a scheming extortionist) and her mother (who feels her dogs require more attention than a recovering daughter). To add to the chaos, out of the blue comes Jon who claims to be Lexi's lover. Now, why would she have had an extra marital affair when she's married to the love of her life! Lexi's also clueless about why her old buddies seem to desert her. How has she got herself transformed into a person whom some people hate to even recognise, while others are proud to be associated with? And is this Jon guy telling the truth? How funny would it be if Lexi happens to recover her lost memory ?
Sophie Kinsella has a contagiously cheerful way of writing. One is sure to be entertained. There's something to laugh out loud in every page. This feel good factor is one reason I make sure to grab every book of hers. While reading her book "The Undomestic Goddess", I was being all critical about the flaws here and there. But there are times when you should NOT put on your thinking cap... instead just sit, have a good laugh and move on. Especially works when one is stressed out or weary of reading/watching all tear jerkers and serious heavy subjects. I would liken this book to giving way to temptations for a day, when on a strict diet.
The author also has a knack of making the main character unfailingly adorable. If you fell in love with the innocence and gaiety of Becky in the Shopaholic series, you're sure to associate with the snap decision-maker and emotionally vulnerable Lexi. There's a certain degree of suspense in WHY the protagonist becomes hell bent on her career overnight. Ofcourse any vigilant reader could easily guess half-way through the book, but the author does manage to maintain the tempo for most part. And didn't I say earlier not to prod on this and that?
I'm overwhelmed
Two posts, same day? That's not like me, is it? And I'm not any less busy for goodness sake!
Here I prepare dinner, (which is rasam, rice and potato fry for records sake heheh), come here and pour out the trivial taxi talk in the form of blog, and then get back to have dinner. I ask if all others are done with dinner, my father-in-law says "I'll eat after ur done". Yet again. And even without peeping into the kitchen, I could foretell that he would leave few potatoes just in case someone is tempted to have some more. Yet again.
As I was attacking the potato curry (unmindful of the baby bulge which I'm still fighting to get rid of), he asks me to come and join him to watch the Chelsea Flower Show on the telly. All because I once remarked very casually that I like gardens. Honestly, this might be a tiny gesture, but I'm touched. So though the show was more on some boring seeds, fertilisers and manure, and less on the blooms, I watched the show.
ps:Other than b/f lunch and dinner, I snack on ...err, fruits! My fil has just lunch and dinner and NO BREAKFAST!! people who could give their meal a miss, please please share how ur able to cope! as for me, I explode like a volcano out of anger
pps:I'm back to my pre-preg weight, which is... ok, let's just say not too bad! Guys, treat yourself to low-fat icecreams on my behalf!!
Here I prepare dinner, (which is rasam, rice and potato fry for records sake heheh), come here and pour out the trivial taxi talk in the form of blog, and then get back to have dinner. I ask if all others are done with dinner, my father-in-law says "I'll eat after ur done". Yet again. And even without peeping into the kitchen, I could foretell that he would leave few potatoes just in case someone is tempted to have some more. Yet again.
As I was attacking the potato curry (unmindful of the baby bulge which I'm still fighting to get rid of), he asks me to come and join him to watch the Chelsea Flower Show on the telly. All because I once remarked very casually that I like gardens. Honestly, this might be a tiny gesture, but I'm touched. So though the show was more on some boring seeds, fertilisers and manure, and less on the blooms, I watched the show.
ps:Other than b/f lunch and dinner, I snack on ...err, fruits! My fil has just lunch and dinner and NO BREAKFAST!! people who could give their meal a miss, please please share how ur able to cope! as for me, I explode like a volcano out of anger
pps:I'm back to my pre-preg weight, which is... ok, let's just say not too bad! Guys, treat yourself to low-fat icecreams on my behalf!!
Lan-guage-s
So the snail is back again. Yeah, me... Just when I was thinking of one post per day (!!), I slacken.
Today's conversation with the taxi driver triggered this post.. Taxi drivers are either too grumpy or too chatty.. How I react depends highly on my state of mind, how good my lunch was etc. Today I boarded the taxi with the baby, and this driver was a cute wrinkled 50 something. ( Wrinkles DO look cute on some!). He had this cheery air around him, as he asked me if I speak to the baby often. To my reply in the affirmative, he asked with huge curiosity if I baby talk in English or my own language. I found this funny. I mean, isn't there something called mother tongue? I told him any baby could only understand his/her mother tongue for the start.. and other languages need to be taught! The driver was relentless.. He emphatically said, the language that you guys speak at home is easily grasped, and its not that the baby's got some innate knowledge of the same. (This got me thinking and I made a mental note that I need to google this out. Any idea people?)
I told him you Britishers are lucky in that you'll have the same language at home and school. And I was reminded of how some Telugu girl struggled with Tamil being her second language at school. But, hey she got to learn and excel an additional language. As the taxi arrived at my destination, I paid and told the guy with finality "maybe u guys aren't that lucky! you seldom get the necessity to learn an extra language and that sounds boring!!". He chose not to respond..rather I chose to get out of the car before he got a chance to respond. I had barely stepped out, while someone announced the clinic is closed due to a suspected gas leak! I had to make a detour in the same taxi. I kept my big mouth shut. So did the cute old man.
As for the lump in the neck, something which could wait for 5 months, could wait a month longer, no? India, here I come!!
Today's conversation with the taxi driver triggered this post.. Taxi drivers are either too grumpy or too chatty.. How I react depends highly on my state of mind, how good my lunch was etc. Today I boarded the taxi with the baby, and this driver was a cute wrinkled 50 something. ( Wrinkles DO look cute on some!). He had this cheery air around him, as he asked me if I speak to the baby often. To my reply in the affirmative, he asked with huge curiosity if I baby talk in English or my own language. I found this funny. I mean, isn't there something called mother tongue? I told him any baby could only understand his/her mother tongue for the start.. and other languages need to be taught! The driver was relentless.. He emphatically said, the language that you guys speak at home is easily grasped, and its not that the baby's got some innate knowledge of the same. (This got me thinking and I made a mental note that I need to google this out. Any idea people?)
I told him you Britishers are lucky in that you'll have the same language at home and school. And I was reminded of how some Telugu girl struggled with Tamil being her second language at school. But, hey she got to learn and excel an additional language. As the taxi arrived at my destination, I paid and told the guy with finality "maybe u guys aren't that lucky! you seldom get the necessity to learn an extra language and that sounds boring!!". He chose not to respond..rather I chose to get out of the car before he got a chance to respond. I had barely stepped out, while someone announced the clinic is closed due to a suspected gas leak! I had to make a detour in the same taxi. I kept my big mouth shut. So did the cute old man.
As for the lump in the neck, something which could wait for 5 months, could wait a month longer, no? India, here I come!!
The Colour Question
When it comes to clothing or any accessories for babies : Pink for girls & Blue for boys. Its almost like an unwritten rule, eh? atleast in the west?
I did a li'l research on why it is so, this colour allocation. None of the theories seem THAT very satisfying. All this its-there-in-the-genes thing.
Bored of seeing rows and rows of pinks and blues I now cautiously avoid both colours.
I love pink. But I'm weary of seeing baby girls mercilessly invaded by pink accessories! Especially I find the pink prams a tad uncool. Seriously.
The other day I attended a Baby girl's b'day party, and the gorgeous little one was in a cute blue frock with pretty laces. Unable to contain my emotion, I lauded the girl's mum for buying something non-pink. And was ready to get into a row with anyone who'd remark why she's in the supposed-to-be-boy's-blue colour dress.
Sometime back I decked by little boy with hat, mittens, booties and babygros all in pink. The mother gets to decide what her baby would wear. huh.
I did a li'l research on why it is so, this colour allocation. None of the theories seem THAT very satisfying. All this its-there-in-the-genes thing.
Bored of seeing rows and rows of pinks and blues I now cautiously avoid both colours.
I love pink. But I'm weary of seeing baby girls mercilessly invaded by pink accessories! Especially I find the pink prams a tad uncool. Seriously.
The other day I attended a Baby girl's b'day party, and the gorgeous little one was in a cute blue frock with pretty laces. Unable to contain my emotion, I lauded the girl's mum for buying something non-pink. And was ready to get into a row with anyone who'd remark why she's in the supposed-to-be-boy's-blue colour dress.
Sometime back I decked by little boy with hat, mittens, booties and babygros all in pink. The mother gets to decide what her baby would wear. huh.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
