Tejas experience
This morning he was got me on my nerve while he was getting ready to school. So i told him. "Thatz it tejas you are not uttering a word until you get ready". Immediately he got upset and with a puppy face told me "amma can I atleast say a bye to you when i get inside the van". He is a charmer truly. I melted immediately.

Some funny experience with my son 3 year young son Tejas

From now on I have decided to post them as they happen so that I can read back and relish.
Last week I was about to leave office, and I was wearing an old watch which he hasn't seen until then. Tejas asked me "Are you going to office" I said yes. Then he said "you are wearing a watch?" I said yes. He said "Amma you should not wear watch and go to office" I said "Really who said so?" instantly without think he told me "Valluvar" I was laughing out loud.

Official website for Kalaivanar N S Krishnan and T A Mathuram.

www.kalaivanar.com this site takes you through the life and works of Kalaivanar N S Krishnan and T A Mathuram. As a team N S Krishnan and T A Mathuram stand unrivalled in tamil comedy field.

This site is based on the research materials collected and publised as a book by Mrs. Anbukodi Nallathambi (Retd. principal Quaid-e-millet college for woman, chennai) on the life of Kalaivanar N S Krishnan and T A Mathuram.

The site has some of the rare photographs which includes their family and childern, contemporaries, pictures from their trip to Russia, interesting events from their life, Filmography, biography etc.

I'm sure you will enjoy www.kalaivanar.com. Do post your comments on the site.

Play school in ramavaram (closer to Mugaliwakkam also)

After a long search finaly I found a good play school for my son tejas. It is The blue bells, ramapuram. They have branches in 3 other places also. A friend of mine suggested I should take a look at this place. I did and I was super impressed. Though it is a bit far from mugalliwakkam, it is definitely worth the time and travel. A very nice thoughtful play school. I can see that they have a in depth knowledge in handling toddlers. Right from things like dress code 'no zipper shorts for boys', 'tissue papers instead of towels simply because kids will want to own another kids towel if it has Dora cartoon :)'. They have a very nice process to get the kid used to the school. Diwali celebration, children's day. Nice play school for enthusiastic moms like me :).
I actually did a puppet show for the kids on childern's day. 2 very good teachers, enough and more attenders to take care. A very passionate couple are running this place. They think, breathe, sleep every little aspect of the play school. I do teach whatever I can at home about colors, animals, birds, etc etc (one enthusiatic mother, you ever imagine) but i was so excited the day he drew a sun for me which the school had taught... it goes like this 'BIGGGGGGGG circle - small line... big line...small line... big line. and there is it. The most beautiful sun I have ever seen.
I strongly recommend The Blue Bells.

Had this funny experience this morning after a longtime. I ensured I spend some time to blog about it.

I'm on a look out for a play school for my son. We reside in mugaliwakkam, porur there aren't any good recognized playschools. There are some that operate out of small houses. So I decided to give it a shot and this morning i visisted one of the playschools (???) playhall may be. There was this instructor who stepped out to give me details. So i started my conversation with her.. I was sounding more like a concerned parent and she was very straightforward and business oriented. I asked her so do you have a play area... she said "playarea??? (more like for what) this is all we have" and showed a hall. I asked her if i can step in and take a look... she instantly said "step in??? for what. it is just a hall"... at this point i was not sure if i should continue to talk.. then decided to dig her more about the school... I asked her so what do the children do here... she told me in very seriuos note "I have a defined curriculum. I will complete all the syllabus thats is required to equiq them to get into LKG...", Curriculum??? syllabus??? she sounded like some IAS training center. And my last question was so how many kids do you teach... "45" at this point i was shocked, i peeped in a bit and noticed a hall full of toddlers sitting with their lunch bags typically like a crowd which you would see in these political meetings. I forgot to ask her what was the fees. probably will stop to check that 2morow :)

I told to myself NO. This is not the place for my son. and drove to work. I might stop to visit another one probably in the evening today.

Periyar... The movie.

Well been thinking to update my blog right after the movie got over.... but took sometime to do it.

The movie started off portraying inital days of periyar and what made him take the rationalist path. Some people are not made they are born that way... I guess periyar is one such kind... as the movie progressed one could get a feel what kind of person periyar was... scene from movie: inspite of being a non-believer of rituals and all the supersition that existed in the society periyar successfully administrated the temple accounts... he says belief is different from management skills. This is responsibility and he does it with atmost sincerity.

Post interval the movie is at its best... one actually forgets the actors and gets a feel of watching periyar in real-time. kudos to the lead actor 'satyaraj' is has definitely done a great job.

I had my own mindset about periyar... but his thiniking is different and very genuine... i had 2 questions which had been in mind for a long time... why he said Indian Independence day is a black day in the history of India and why he actually got married to maniammai... The reason why he called Indian independence day as a black day is because "independence without social freedom is not really freedom" congress those days were only against British rule not against the social injustice that were prevailing and they were not interested in that at all... thatz the reason why periyar said independence without social freedom is not worth anything. made absolute sense to me. While I din't get strong reason why he did the later... Periyar was 60 when he got married to maniammai and he lived upto 90. the reason why maniammai joined periyar and helped him was to ensure he lived long enuf to serve the society which is a very valid cause and she lived upto it... it is because of her periyar managed to live a healthy until 90...

well a must see movie. What was more interesting is to watch the movie with people who enjoyed it more like how i did....

the only thing I felt would have added more value is that 'the incident should have been dated' was not able to relate to the year...

I wish someday My grandfather NSKrishana's life should also be picturized.

Life is beautiful...

with a very very heavy heart i start out to write this... It's because of the movie life is beautiful.
I started out to see the movie without knowing much about the story. I was thinking it would be one of the movies where miraculously people survive after bad times....

Half way thru' the movie i realised I'm definetly going to feel heavy. How stupid of me I thot hitler had is idedologies defined. And they did something that made sense from there point of view... I don't want to talk about what the jews did to the germans i'm sure it would have irked to form the nazi party... but then how valuable a life is a family is.... when my sister malar showed me the photographs of the hitler's concentration camp after her german trip i was shocked but i din't feel heavy.... after reading Anne Frank's diary I was wondering how it would have been for that girl but it would have definitely been like hell. A hell unimaginable.... A Hell, is that how you feel in a hell.... Hatsoff to the director and all the actors. having a son i some how related my self to the father in the movie.... But i think i would have lost hope for sure in life would have bought in the fear factor to my son also. Guido, this character has impressed me.

Between you and me blog I cud'nt control my self. I feel like crying out loud. Is it fate... if guido had hidden in with his son maybe he would have survived to see the sunshine.

Save the country from Industrial Waste.

Hi Ppl,
Last evening I had been to Alliance Francaise to check out the photography exhibition titled "Bhopal 1000". Followed by screen of the documentary "Hunting Anderson" (CEO of Union Carbide, chemical company reason for the Bhopal gas tragedy).

Well I dropped in because it was longtime since I had touched base with the art world. But it turned out to be a thought provoking evening. I happened to know a lot about gas tradegy. There were about 8000 poeple who were killed in this. Union Carbide the company which was responsible for this mishap had actually switched off most of the safety plant as a cost cutting measure on that particular night. India governement had put up a compensation case for 3billion and the UC has paid a fraction of it 470million. and the worst part is only a fraction of that has reached the the affected people...

The photo exhibition was not just to highlight what happened at bhopal but also to bring to light the problems faced due to industrial waste in places like cuddalore, mettur, manali etc. This was an awareness camp. I believe cuddalore is the most affected place in tamilnadu with these kind of industrial pollution. And governement is planning to setup couple of more industries in cudddalore.

The exhibition and documentary touched me for a lot of reasons, the most important one being am I not conscious about the nature and people around me? and I told to myself I will spread the awareness of industrial pollution and its adverse effect to people whom i know.

You can get more info about this in: http://www.sipcotcuddalore.com

There is an online petition which you can sign which is available at:
http://www.sipcotcuddalore.com/action.html

If you get the time please visit Alliance francaise, chennai. The exhibition is on until 11th. (11 am-7pm)

Icons... the first most usable icon design - Susan Kare.

This afternoon I was surfing to web focusing mostly on icon design. There poped-up Susan Kare's website.... like usual i saw the portfolio (i believe in "see it to believe it") but to my surprise i ended up seeing some single bitmap icons.... like the ones you see in MS paint. i was laughing at the portfolio thinking to myself... what the heck somebody as actually dared to put stuff as primitive as this and claims that to be there portfolio... but to my surprise when i read the description at the base... it read like this "created for Apple corporation in the year 1983. I was like give me a break!. I got so hooked on i saw the entire portfolio and moved on to read about Susan Kare. Here's a portion from her bio data:

"Susan Kare received a B.A., summa cum laude, from Mount Holyoke College, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in fine arts from New York University. In 1989, she was a founding partner of Susan Kare LLP. She is a 2001 recipient of the Chrysler Design Award.

read more at: http://www.kare.com/design_bio.html

If i'm asked to do a design (not just me all designers for that matter) the first thing I will tend to do is look for reference :(. I'm kinda trying to put myself in kare's shoes 24 years back creating something out of nothing... unimmaginable. I've become a great admirer of Susan Kare.

Awesome. I felt i have learnt something worthwhile... while sometimes you tend to get carried away with all peer pressure.... meaning whats your friend's designation in another company, how much does she get paid. we kind of fail to get in terms with the fact that all of that is just a superficial hype. I believe in good design, creative design and simple... similar to the ideologies of susan ;). Suddenly I felt a sense of confidence I can do far far better than what I'm doing. There is more to my career than just designations and money.

Got her mail ID from the site... I think I'm going to mail her and tell how nice i felt knowing about her.

Wow i've become a frequenter to blog spot.

mmm... is it because these days i have an opinion in things around it... maybe i do. Well its ok if nobody wants to listen. You are there bloggy i can count on you.

Here you go.... there are 2 things i would like to discuss with you.

a. Why is it that men take women for granted??? is it because thatz the way they are brought up in India.... not really this trend is there across countries... I have read somewhere that in primitive days matriarchy was the thing... as a human being man used to wonder how on earth does this woman deliver a one more of our kind.... and gradually as days went by he started realizing it is he who is responsible and ever since that i guess he had started to revole things around him.... so why did i actually talked about this.... just remembered (i sincerely wish there was a time machine which will enable me to travel time backwards)

so here's the thing :) 2 incidents 2 days just to re-ensure the fact that i'm a man and you do things my way. sometimes i feel like laughing at there attitude sometimes i think it is the fault of the society which has actually brought them up like that.... now i'm a part of this society... can i make a difference i genuinely will make a difference 'cos i have a son i will make sure that i give him exposure to a woman's point of view.... well it's upto to him to take it or not. lets see how it goes...

b. Today a colleague of mine told me eating animals (chicken, mutton etc) does not fall under cruelity towards animal.... does it not?

If killing is not good then i guess that holds good to even plants. Y'day i saw this program on discovery which showed a small seed growing into a plant it was all continuos guess they would have had the camera rolling continuously for about 3 days atleast. It does have life it actually had put so much effort to come out from under the ground just because it can't move doesn't mean they don't live. All these people who preach vegetarianism convinently eat stuff which has life and cnsistently make fun of non-vegetarians and how creul they are.

Now my only logic towards building a food habit for my son is concentrate on health more than anything else. I don't intend to give him mutton i don't see any value as food to be taken in except taste but fish is different it has good proteins which i guess my son will need. thatz the point of arguement i always end up having with my husband... because he preaches vegetarianism and i'm very sure that rice which is rich in carbohydrate need not be taken in the quantity we take in... it is of no use... but we still keep eating it 'cos we are used to that food habit... so really the point is eat good healthy food period.

coming back to cruelty part... you know what is worser than getting killed living as a cripple for life... I hope that doesn't happen to the dog in our office (well that is a big story... someother time bloggy)

got to go now.

weekend was good...

lot of thing to tak about. I had gone to a tamil movie Paruthi veeran. the storyline was simple... when the movie got over it really din't leave a trail in me... but as you keep thinking about u.... it really makes one think. Sometimes people are so carefree including me simply because if we get into trouble it is ok we really don't get hurt... 'cos it s just me in trouble but when it happens to our loved ones it shatters us completely. Now thatz the storyline. kuddos to the debut actir karthi but more than him i guess it is a directors film....

It turned out to be a confident weekend for me... i was absolutely non-dependant on anybody i just enjoyed my weekend. I slept like a log which i guess i missed doing for sometime now. The luxury of going to my house i guess...

Dreamzzzzzz......

Is my dream dorm or gone once for all.... yeah it has become dreamzzzz... dozed off really.
Well lemme explain. This afternoon i was reading the Brand Equity of ET. There was an article about a creative guy who has made it big in this industry Bogusky. i forgot his first name.... his name has been joined as a part of the company name.... His company is Crispin Potter + bogusky.

He started to work for crispin potter growed gradully up worked for brands like IKEA and lot of other international brands has won cannes ad awards too.... he was featured in BE because he is on the otherside of the table this year at cannes....

over to my flash back.... I want to be in the entertainment industry specifially ad film making... i know i have the creative ability to be there of course I would require some fine tunning.... back in college too thatz what i wanted to do.... but I gave up. and until today i haven't faced the reality that I have lost it for making it big in the ad world.... whats wrong with me am i the HEM (thanks for shanmu to for that mail that reminded me on who moved my cheese) not willing to change comfortable with what i have and just keep following the flow.

We had this discussion about what the other person's aim was... most of them ended up saying I want to have a peaceful life.... agreed. Thatz is what even i want. peace and happiness does that mean we stay as is go on and do nothing to prove your fullest potential??? isn't that mediocre attitude? Well I say it is for teju that i'm hanging on and ofcourse this US thing coming up. i should seriously give it a time with in my mind... if it doesn't look any good within the the defined time i should move on.... thatz a thought which i got just now as i'm writing the blog. maybe I shoud think more in that line and get some time frames defined. I don't want to be HEM.

One mroe big event in my house.... my younger sister's wedding... waht an event with all faces smiling my bil tied the sacred thread on her... oh how i wished i had a wedding as simple and as neat as this one... well whats over is over.... but see even after 2 full years that longing for having a wedding ceremony which you would cherish is there....

hey i seriously need counselling...

i want someone to take care of my child.... really. I'm not able to concentrate in work ever since i moved in here. men are very selfish... bloggy i hope you are not a guy. Have started thinking if i should give up my career for the sake of my child... my job involves thinking... if i can't think then what is the point getting paid. am not being selfish... from morning no... i have not done anything productive... my mind is breaking... hey wait a minute... i just spoke with a friend was very close to me during my college days... guess he is the only person whom i can be little open with these days. he is nice... unconditional friend. just felt like telling about him. feeling better now. bloggy why am i having this mood swing. This blog has become like my personal diary which i din't want it to be...

anyways. life hasn't changed a bit. few decisions change our life completely... :(

Is it convenience or good time... that matters...

wondering what... u have become my only friend these days with whom i can open up completely.... mainly because you can only listen and not talk back. few days ago i had to attend function formality sake at 5 in the morning when i asked whether it can be rescheduled... they gave me all crap about auspicious time and all that crap and it cannot be changed. well i din't bother to argue and change 'cos i don't have any sentiments about it... and as long as my son is not going to be tortured touring around i don't have a problem... now they are calling up and saying timing is changed to 9. point number 1... what happen to the auspicious time funda??? the it seems the carpenter has said work will not get over until 9 so the time is changed. So time is always available... we have to choose depending on our convenience... some people just don't get it in their heads... y am i becoming the scape goat always. I'm in worst of my mood... need to relax. some decisions change our life completely... can't tell u more. bye.

chill bloggy... here's a funny event.

y'day i had to interview couple of people to replace the designers who are quiting my organisation. there was this character who came in for the interview, his profile seemed to look like he has lot of experience. Well he looked very profound too... as we started to chat he made me feel like as though i was on the other side of the table... i asked him what are the questions you will ask before you start a website design... he said "questions meaning..." i had to gve him an example like say "what does the site deal with" he said oh... then he is looking at me a smiling and asking me what else... i think thatz all i will ask... i said what about who the user is... he said yeah.... what else thatz all... i cudn't help laughing.... he was rejected right away. but if i think of that interview session i can't help laughing.

hi.... i've become such a boring person these days. have also developed sharp tongue. I hate people. i look back and wonder what kind of person i was in life... jovial fun loving, friendly, lovable... but these days. S*** is not the word. why am i feeling so old and miserable. i only like to stay inside my house. thats the only place i'm feeling comfortable with.

yeah my son seems to be my only consolation... of course not to mention my sis shan and my mum. even with her i go over board. take her for a hike. i feel silly. sometimes i hurt her so much she actually doesn't mistakes me... but next moment i feel bad... this is not me... where is the real me. i feel like going out of station somewhere a place where i don't know anyone. but i'm not able to do that... i need a's permission, b's permission. i hate that.

Sometime back i had all the freedom in the world to go out anywhere come in anytime... have fun... but those days i prefered to be at home. now i want to do all these things but i'm not getting a chance. This is not what i wanted out of life... but y god....

today someone i knew by just name introduction called me... i was such a mess over the phone. she would have thought why the heck she called me... you know the worst part is i don't care what she thinks about me. i'm happy if she doesn't call me again also. i have started hating to socialise with people around me. where am i heading...

search....

These days i feel an emptiness within me. Darkness. I'm searching for guru... not exaclty guru but a guide sorts or whatever you name it... someone who has experienced what i am experiencing... emptiness. I think i'm attracted by Osho and his ideologies. Have started to read a book authored by him called 'Courage - the joy of living dangerously' the foreword matches what i'm expecting out of this book. let see how it goes.

hey bloggy....

its me again. well not to crib about others. its about me. I keep telling myself don't crib about others but i stil do that. bad mouthing if i have to be literal. Y do i do that... i like to talk to my creator sometimes... I'm not bad but my feelings are so rusted these days. I'm losing patients...
while i sincerely try to stay cool it doesn't happen. will time heal.. I doubt.

hey... y is that i always remember you when i have a problem and when i don't have ahuma company to share it with. I guess i feel like talking... and really i want someone who will just listen and not start to blurt out their profound advice based on their intutions... seriuosly i don't want any advice from anyone... If a person is doing something wrong to i guess he knows it is wrong and wudn't require a third person to say it is wrong...

things havn't changed much since my last post. when i was feeling really low y'day din;t know whom to talk with suddenly remembered this page, my own page. the only change i have from what i wrote last is that. I am a mother now and that does not change my character and attitude completly.

work seems to be fine like always but it is just my personal life which is always on toss... boy i can't tell more. remember i decided this is not going to be my personal diary...