Waitlisted

I don't know if this is common practice only in India...or if other countries do it too. Whoever heard of filling out an application form for school admission even before the baby had arrived into this world? What would one even fill?

Name - not sure...we're still fighting over it

Date of birth - not sure...approximately November 10?

Sex - not sure...it's illegal to find out in India, don't you know?

Parents name - yes, that we can fill in (yay, finally something to write)

Hmmmm.

Where do all these applications go? To the 'to be born in 1 month, 2 months, 3 months' drawer? What purpose does it serve? What priority will these children be given? Why can't these schools that follow this process simply issue forms like other schools do? When the child is actually born and about 3 years old and ready to go to school? Is this some sort of ego-inflating process for the school? Or a publicity stunt?

Does anyone else think this is weird?

Adiosio!

Harry Potter came into my life as 4 free books when I joined Doubleday Book Club in 2001. 10 years later, all 7 have a safe place in my library, the last of which is the British edition (I will buy the American edition too, the set needs to be complete...whole...). I remember buying tickets well in advance for the first film and q'ing up with friends at the movies. I also remember going alone to the next 2 as I didn't have company :). Watched the next 4 at home. Became an owner of Half Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows Part 1 just 2 weeks ago.

One part of me couldn't wait to watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. The other, no...it didn't want to go to the theater at all because that would mean that it would all be finished. With a friend for company and sporting 3D glasses for the first time, I watched the movie. And as I thought, I just didn't want it to end. It was so bloody good! Not much deviation from the book either. Simply superb effects and excellent soundtrack.

True magic...will miss it.

Highway to hell

The Madras-Bangalore highway has excellent roads, decent loos, ok places to eat and simply amazing and super corny warning signs! Read at your own risk :)

• Don't learn safety by accident.
• If you want to stay married, divorce speed.
• Fast drive, last drive.
• Safety never takes a holiday.
• Don't mix drinking and driving.
• Lane discipline gives you long life.
• Safe driving is like breathing. Don't stop it.
• Cautious drive ensures longevity.
• Drive like hell, you will be there.

I warned you...!

10 things I don't like about Nadal

I've been watching tennis for ages now. Seen all the rivalries over time. My favourites have changed...Lendl to Sampras and now Federer. While Lendl and Sampras lost regularly to many players, I've never ever detested (hated, abhored etc...) any of the players that they lost to. Maybe that's because they never lost to anyone as consistently as Federer has lost to Nadal. Even then, I just can't understand why I have such a strong feeling of dislike towards him. I need to clear this out of my system...so here goes....10 things that I hate about Nadal...

1. His constant constipated expression
2. His "habit"
3. His time wasting tactics
4. His game (and I'm sure this will be a point of contention with many)
5. His constant looking at his box, especially when he wants to challenge a call
6. Getting coached in the middle of matches

I can't think of any more. Can you?

PS: (The only thing I like about him is his mental toughness)

Fini

A song called Felicidad

Even after a year in Bangalore, my ties to Telugu-land still continue...imagine my surprise when I was asked by someone at the Heritage store (owned by former CM Chandrababu Naidu) whether I watched Telugu films when all I was doing was humming Felicidad. Hmmmm......weird? No, it's quite normal. The music maestros of Tollywood have copied yet another classic.

Mama, O Mama O Mama come tell me that you wanna, you wanna O Mama ... is now

Mama O Mama Sathyabama Sathyabama something something...(can't find youtube link)

Get ready Mamma Mia, I think you're up next.

Brush, brush, brush your teeth...with what?

Toothpaste advertisements are hilarious. They either show someone in a ridiculous amount of pain, which vanishes upon using the said paste. Or they show someone with ridiculously bad breath, which makes the better half turn away in disgust only to come running back when they see sparkly, coloured 'things' freshen up the air around the planet!

Do you want to prevent toothache and be pain-free or do you want your mouth to be germ-free for 24 hours straight and have your girlfriend/boyfriend cozy up to you? That's the question that Colgate is asking these days.

Take your pick - Colgate Active Salt or Colgate Total. If you think you can use a bit of both on your brush and beat the system, think again.

That's the next ad campaign. Colgate Totally Salty. The paste of the future.

Say cheese!

Mini goodbye

She was nervous. Very nervous. She knew this day would come but hadn't expected it to happen so soon. And she was surprised about her reaction. She had always thought of herself as being chilled out. Au contraire, she even went through a mildly sleepless night and a very early morning wake-up.

So many emotions went through her while she waited...and waited. Finally, there it was. And without much drama, she went. Her little one. Proud, confident and full of smiles! First day at the big school, first time in the bus.

Bye bye little one...you aren't little any longer.

Growing (up) pains

Growing up and being a grown-up are two different things altogether. One means you're older, maybe a tad wiser. The other means that you're in a position where you must do a few things to merit that title. Like teaching your kids, setting an example (a good one, obviously), passing on tradition and customs and so on.

Today, we celebrated Tamil New Years day like we always do. We ate. Period. But like I always do on festival days, I dressed up my children in Indian clothes. My tomboy daughter didn't want to wear a 'paavadai' but I insisted and said "I'm going to wear a salwar". And she said, "That's not fair, amma. You anyway wear salwars. If you want me to wear a paavadai, then you wear a sari"!

Touche!

And so we celebrated, wearing paavadai, kurta-pyjama, dhoti and sari!

My first lesson in this new year is the realization and acceptance that I have a lot of growing up to do to in order to call myself a grown-up.

And all thanks to my 'little grown-up'.

Junkie and loving it!

I've always been a sports junkie...for most of my adult life. Following different sports, different leagues, different players and so on. If you think that's easy, think again. So much tension, so much heartbreak, so many anxious moments and sooooooo much drama! There is constant action throughout the year with hardly any time to recover from victory or loss. Aussie Open, Superbowl, IPL, NBA playoffs, French Open, Wimbledon, US Open, year-end tennis masters and the numerous cricket tours that happen these days.

Don't think for a second that following all of this and dealing with the heartbreak, especially, is easy. Sleepless nights follow many a victory and defeat alike. Hard to explain why I feel the way I feel. But I'm glad that my spirit hasn't changed and I'm still addicted...passionately, even.

For the moment, it's all laughter, smiles and trash talking. I've bled blue and have now moved on to yellow! Yellow IS the new blue...bring it on everyone!

Blue

2 teams, both blue.

2 teams, both tough.

2 teams, both champions.

What a great, clean, awesome match!

Bleeeeeeeeeed Blueeeeeeeeeee!