Baby George and reading

So Baby George was nursing a cold and fever .... so his ever concerned aunt went to meet him....

But when I entered the house Baby George who was sitting and watching SRK belt out a foot tapping song on TV, on seeing me, suddenly decided to grab a "Tinkle" comic and pretend that he was reading.... my sister and I were really amused at his sudden interest in a book which I am sure he will take another year to figure out what is happening......

ofcourse the good aunt that I was - I went and picked him and put him on my lap... and Baby George sat snug in my arms till I left for office... without a book mind you...

So I am a little distressed by an event that should ordinarily have been a source of great joy.... the recent infighting in the BJP and with the latest expulsion of Jaswant Singh from the BJP has caused me concern... why you ask?

Cos I fear our democracy is going to the dogs... okkk we have a coalition government at the Centre so it is unlikely that one single party will have too much sway... but I always saw the emergence of an "alternate" option to the Congress as a great sign of our democracy... one of the tenents Nehru always based his parliamentary behaviour on was the respect he gave the opposition (ofcourse he didnt have much)..... but that is sign of a functional democracy... a vibrant, aggresive, opposition who is ready to cut the government to size if required.... I feel opposition parties do as much service to the nation as the serving government...

So to see my opposition splintering is really sad... I hope BJP gets their act together... something I never thot I would say.... I also hope they stop playing divisive politics....

Patriotic Duty

So SRK got frisked in the US... and the cool guy he is, when asked whether he think all americans should also be frisked when on visit to India, he responded by saying "Well if Angelina Jolie is coming to India, I wouldnt mind frisking her at all..".... Hmmm... very funny and witty response.

ofcourse I am also ready to volunteer to frisk foreign nationals in the interest of the nation... particularly in retaliation against the unfair treatment meted out to Indians abroad... so bring on Hugh Jackman for all the atrocities against the Indians in Australia.... and then bring on Bradley Cooper (the guy in Hangover) for the trouble that SRK went through in the US.

Things you have to do for the country!

Love Aaj Kal

I watched Love Aaj Kal yday... and I have to say I loved the concept... two parallel love stories being told ... from two different eras... I especially loved the love of the yesteryears.... with respect to the Deepika and Saif's modern day love story I got really baffled... I mean I consider myself to be one of those people who are part of the "modern day" love story and I just could not relate to it.... first of all the concept of break up party, then the concept of continuing to talk to your ex about everything in your life, continuing to miss someone and not acknowledging it.... I just dont buy that today's generation is all so confused about love.....

But perhaps the younger generation does complicate matters..... they consider a lot of factors while deciding on a life partner... and also perhaps take more time.... and question more... and perhaps even are ready to walk out at the slightest problem.... I am not sure whether this is a new generation factor but yes nobody I know will actually spot a woman, follow her around without speaking to her and then marry her.....

So ever since Baby George started attending school his vocalbulary has jumped to 10 words!! yay.... so now Baby George regales his aunt (who is an infrequent visitor to his house nowadays), with new words that he has learned in school... So Baby George nows says "Gande Bache" and "Sala" with the flourish of a pro....

The most recent conversation I had with him was when he started asking "Whats ur name?" ... so he would point to his mother and ask me "Whats ur name?" and when I would respond by saying his mothers actual name he would mock me and say she is "mummy"... and then he would turn to me and ask "Whats ur name?" and when I replied saying "Alice" he mocked me again and said "Vavaaunty".... hmm... so the kid was pretty determined to stick to the information he had... and finally in exaperation I asked him "What's ur name?"... which perplexed Baby George no end.... and finally wiping off his confusion he looked me straight in the eye and said "Baby"...

That ends the discussion I suppose - there is no debating.

Baby George fell down and his mum came tumbling after

So that is the latest on Baby George... both he and his mom fell down... Baby George apparently hurt his nose and now sports a scar like a war veteran!.. I say apparently cos I have not yet seen him.... I have never seen Baby George with a scar on his face... hmmm.. must be my something new this year...

Something new also happened in Baby George's life... he went for his first school trip... the school took a bus load of 2 - 3 year olds for a field trip to the Bandra -Worli Sealink.. so officially Baby George was the first one in the family to see the Bandra Worli Sealink... pity he didnt understand the import of the majestic structure in Mumbai.... next time I took him in my car and he promptly slept off....

Sad Day

Michael Jackson is dead. I feel really sad about this - dont know why. Its like an icon you grew up with suddenly passed away... I was first introduced to MJ by my brother who played the thriller video for my sister and me - we must have been all of 6 or 7 at that time... i remember having got really scared seeing all those scary figures walking around and watched the entire video clutching onto my brothers arms...

As I grew older I resolved that one day I would watch a MJ concert live... ofcourse I kept postponing the whole idea for a time that would be "better".... I regret that now - I wish I had the opportunity to see him perform live somewhere....

I guess life is short - one must watch all the concerts today itself!

Recently a friend pointed out to me that I am someone who waits for other people to have fun and then join them! I never go out and do things which I consider to be fun... That got me thinking - Do I really wait on the sidelines? do I really wonder who next is going to do something fun?

Anyways so I decided that if that is the case I shall wait no more - the fun is going to start now. Now if only someone would tell me how to have fun....:)

Some of the pictures I took on my holiday to Eastern Europe - I went to Hungary, Slovakia, Czech and Poland

I loved Poland the best... it was such a magical country... but the weather was really dull and hence the pictures were not really good... or it could be that I dont have a nice enough camera to take proper snaps... hmm.. who can I con into buying me a high tech SLR camera?

Schools and Baby George

So Baby George has started going to school....

sister says initially it was exciting for Baby George to get dressed every morning to go out in a taxi.... he must have thot - "Wow, my mom is so cool - she takes me out everyday"..... till the realisation dawned on him that he was wearing the same clothes everyday and ugly shoes (he was not allowed to wear his funky green shoes)..... so after a few days Baby George started showing my sister the way out of school....

Anyways I decided to go and pick up Baby George from school one day.... so there I was waiting along with anxious parents waiting for the school bell to ring... 15 mins, 20 mins, 30 mins... and then... the BELL RANG! And suddenly there was a swarm of little yellow creatures coming directly at me... I was almost ready to swat some of these creatures before I was totally swarmed .... till I realised that they were tiny little people coming out of the class and running towards the freedom of the bus... they were so tiny - they were not even as tall as my knee... and most were holding hands of their classmates and looking at the adults as if looking at some dangerously overgrown acacia trees ... infact I saw some of the little ones picking up mud and stones enroute to the bus - in defensive strategy I would think....

Ofcourse Baby George was missing in all this commotion.... my sister and I went frantically searcing for our own little yellow creature.... only to find him hiding behind a desk and eating his lunch!!! on spotting me standing there Baby George was a bit confused about where he was - he looked around expecting to find himself in Atria mall or something... but quickly regained his composure.... and tucked his lunch box into the really huge bag he was carrying... and promptly ran to his mom and said "Taxi"!

and unlike his classmates he didnt pick up mud or stones en route to the taxi .....

Hi world - so I am back... with exciting news....

Since I last wrote Baby George has joined school... has learnt a few words in Malayalam.... learnt to hit back at Christy (but Christy still lords over the 2 ft Baby George).....

Shoe Stopper

So this is the update on Baby George and his antics....

Baby George accompanied his brother to a shoe shop... the aim was to buy a spanking new sport shoe for the "always under inertia" Christy.... sensing that his brother was getting something more than he had Baby George insisted that he be given the same treatment... He insisted and insisted and insisted till he got his own pair of green shoes!! And apparently went around the colony showing off his new shoes....

So I am not the only one in the family to have a shoe fetish...

Yes I am

Yes I am. Sitting numb watching TV. Waiting for the terror strike to end. Waiting for Mumbai to breathe again. Waiting to let myself grieve.

No. I am not trying to sensationalise anything. I am just trying to be human again. To feel fear. To accept fear. To acknowledge that I am feeling scared and threatened. To allow myself to feel lost and helpless. And above all to feel anger.
Yes I am angry. Angry at the Government who let this happen. Angry at Narendra Modi for milking this situation. Angry at L.K. Advani for trying to get mileage. Angry at Manmohan Singh for total collapse of leadership. Angry that at a time like this, India has not leaders who can inspire us.

Am I justified? I dont know. I just know that I do. I am angry, sad, lost, confused, worried and scared. Yes I am. And I dont know whether I Can.

Bdays and all that goes with it

So October - November is a big month in my family for b'days... first there is me! and then within 3 days of each other Christy and Baby George celebratet their b'day.... so this year was the 8th b'day for Christy and 2nd b'day for Baby George... Last year I remember having bought Christy a remote control ferrai car... yayyyyy!!! I think the ferrai car is now languishing in the bottom of my sisters "never to be used" again pile... so when I asked him what he wanted this year, Christy was prompt in his response - he wanted a remote control car! Again! So when I reminded him (more than once) that I gave him a remote control car last year as well Christy finally in exasperation said "How many times are you going to keep saying the same thing?"... well the kid knows how to shut me up....

Last year for Baby George was quite a blur... I really dont think he knew that he had turned a year old... and spent most of his time eating and sleeping.... not that it was any different this year round... he still slept and ate ...and I decided to gift him books......

except for one difference - Baby George decided to fight his brother for the remote control car!....

So there I was watching a 2 ft Baby George pulling at the remote control with all his might and screaming "gie me" and Christy refusing to let go at any cost.... I am not sure what the outcome was ..... except that I am pretty sure the car cannot be driven again....

Obama - oh what a day

This is just illogical. I mean I am an Indian. I am not the one who would be affected (at least not directly). I have issues in my life that he will never be able to solve. Yet why is it that I feel that Obama's victory is in some way a victory for all ....

I have been feeling elated ever since Obama was declared the new president of the United States. I saw the black man walking with his black family on stage greeting the american people courageously saying "Yes, we did". Truly an inspirational moment! To me the victory of Obama represents the victory of all people who have ever doubted their capability of overcoming innumerable obstacles. Its an inspiration to people who are constantly berated, constantly told that you are not in the pecking order of things, that you should be grateful that we allow you to breathe without any taxes, who constantly go to bed with a heart as heavy as lead wondering what purpose they serve in life. For them, Obama is an inspiration.

Personally for me, I loathe the drama that accompanies the US election. The ballons, graffiti, the crowd arousing speeches. But I have to admit, despite my obvious support for Hillary, I rooted for Obama silently. His presence, his calm demeanour, his diction, his freshness etc in some way made me long for a leader like that in my own country. I know Manmohan Singh is not a bad PM but is it him that I am inspired to vote - no Sir. Having heard stories from my father about how Nehru and Gandhi inspired millions of India in an era where there was no internet, telephone or even planes, I always saw leaders in that manner - committed, determined, thinking of the greater good and above all inspirational.

But today its about the man who came from difficult and strange background to become the most powerful man in the world ( I hate acknowledging it). And if I knew him personally I would say - Thankyou! Cos now I believe that anything is possible for me. I dont have to be bogged down by the limitations that the world sees in me. I can change.

Yes, I can. Yes, I can. Yes, I can.

The world be damned!! I feel like re-strating this blog space for my own sake... and if anyone feels compelled to read and pass comments, be snide or be judgmental then so be it... I am glad at least I have given you a distraction from your humdrum existence...

The best realisation I had was that this blog is for me and for me alone....I write for myself.. it is my space, my therapy, my life......

Hello world?

Is anybody out there?

Just taking a peek to see how the world is?

I really miss this blog space... hmmm....

Goodbye folks!

I have been wanting to shut down this blog for a while now... mainly cos i was not able to say what I wanted to say on this blog freely.... my pleasures, my pain, triumphs, tribulations...

and that is stifling my ability to write what I feel like...So I think it is time to say goodbye .... and move on.... to better and bigger things hopefully.... I will miss this blog cos of the familiarity, cos of the excitement of not knowing who the reader is, cos of many of you who gave me such valuable feedback about my writing, my blogging, my experiences, my photographs etc.... I will miss all that....

But like sharks die if they remain stagnant I must also move on.... we had some pretty good times here.... now it is time for me start afresh on a new blog and be anonymous for a while.... am not sure whether I will just shut down this blog completely..... I may come back with some innocous posts... but its mostly done here....

anyone who is curious about my next blogging destination can email me at alice.george@gmail.com...

This picture reminds me of Baby George and me... Baby George usually finds me sleeping and comes over and rubs my cheek.... and while I may sometimes mistake him for Christy and slap him for disturbing me, he is what Douglas Adams would say "mostly harmless"....