Para(web)sites

Last Saturday was one of my friend's birthday and I meant to send her a wish all weekend, only I never got around to it. On Monday morning I was greeted by a thank you msg from that very same friend on facebook and I was wondering if I sent her the wish after all or does facebook even read my mind?! After probing my facebook page, I realised when I accepted a greeting card from another friend a while back, that greetings app(or whatever!) had got stuck to my page and sends cards on my behalf!! Phew!!

Youtube is my best friend now! Any old, new, in-the-middle song, show or any audio/video of the past, present or future I just go scratch the youtube genie and lo! Recently I found a song so divine that I picked up courage to hit the 'like' button! The next day all our hotmail inboxes had extra junk mails! I was like "How?"(like Varun(Nagesh Kukunoor) says with a stress on the "H" in Hyderabad blues!)!

My latest research... Extroverts have twitter accounts and post one liners all thro' the day. Introverts have blogs and write paragraphs after paragraphs! You ask what about people who tweet as well as blog? I am working on that for my PhD!

Almost!

Almost is an often heard word in our household. "Are you done with your food?" "Almost" comes the reply regardless of how much food is left over in the plate. "Is your TV program done?" "Almost" hands still meddling with the remote. A2 has gone a step ahead in this. She used to show four fingers to anyone who asked her her age even before she turned 4. When I correct her, she would say "I am almost 4, Amma!" And now that she has really turned 4, she is telling everyone she is almost 5 now!

Some recent movie that made it to my almost list!

1000-il oruvan - Almost good!

Been in my 'to watch or not to watch' list for the longest time! Not a big fan of the director but he needs a pat on the back for experimenting in a genre like this. Like usual, watched it in installments and the first half almost made me change my opinion about Selva but the second half although had more potential than the first was a debacle! Good casting especially Parthiban! Nice songs which blend in with the flow of the movie. This is my first Karthi movie and he is also making his Dad proud! Like "Kamban veetu kattu thariyum kavi paadum", Manirathnam's ex-assistants are also dhool kelappi-ing in acting!!

Oh my friend - Almost better!

My search for some urban jolly movies(*) made me cross border, language to this one! A pleasing to the eyes, youthful and less melodramatic version of "Piriyamana thozhi". This was the first time I was watching Annathey Kamal's varisu on screen! Shruthi seemed an honest and down to earth personality in interviews and I had my fingers crossed for her onscreen performance and She passed in flying colours! Both Shruthi and Siddarth(aww.... such a cute couple!) were a bundle of energy! Their respective pairs were kind of paavam side characters! Except for the cinematic Kochi music competition sequence, the movie was a nice watch! Superb songs!! "Aalochana..." is in repeat mode!

7-am Arivu - Almost best!

Really appreciate A R Murugadoss for his intention and effort. Except for the unecessary and unwanted song sequences and a rushed climax, ARM did better than Ghajini, IMO. Dong Lee(Johnny Nguyen) was superb! Shruthi did well. Even though she is half tamizhachi, the accent didn't go too well especially in the scene where she speaks for the tamil language. Surya odamba pottu ippadi paadu paduthareengaley, ARM!! Surya gave 110% in the first 20 mins itself so he relaxed in the rest of the movie!!

* - Before the release of Kadhalil Sodhapuvadhu Yeppadi. Hope KSY's success brings the romantic comedy genre back to kolly... er, Tamil cinema! Keep up the good sodhappal work, Producer Siddarth!

Footie!

While going through old photos, A1 spotted A2's first day of school picture and exclaimed to me, "You made her wear this shoe with this dress, Amma?"! Thankfully, she didn't go too much further with the photos or she would've found out that I had dressed her up the exact same way on her first day of school!!!

Eons back I was also footwear fashion conscious micro-mini Imelda Marcos of my time with half a dozen pairs of variety footwear, each one for a different purpose(A buckled one for running & catching( a bus!), a hawaii chappal for around the corner(potti) shops, rubber ones for wading thro' the monsoon rainwater, slip-on for a bandha look, a regular one for the traditional outfits etc etc.).

The roadside shops of Pondy bazaar/Ranganathan st. used to be a favourite haunt. The cheaper ones worked for me as it wouldn't last long so I can go get another pair! Though a customary trip to the cobbler for mending the shoes step was done first. Are there cobblers anymore in Chennai? They have been saviours many a time! Their skill have always been a fascinating sight. At times I've felt tempted to try my hand at it too!

Inspite of all the varieties, I had never worn/owned a pair of sneakers before coming here. So, my first purchase of a sports shoe was a big deal and walking in it felt like Neil Armstrong's moon walk! Though after the initial honeymoon, the lace tying became a big nuisance(especially for a person like me who is always running late, rushing out the door)! Until a friend taught me the trick to use the shoes like a slip-on with the lace tied!

With all these varieties for different seasons like flip flops, sandals, slip ons, sneakers, boots, A2 is always so confused at the time of going out as to which pair she should be wearing. One day when I cautioned her against running on the sloped cement driveway, she said, "don't worry, Amma! I am only wearing my running shoes!"

Inspite of learning it the hard way many times that ordering shoes and clothes online is not a good idea, I still get tempted and succumb! But with kids so choosy("ellaam onna maadhiriye" everyone conveniently points the finger at me!), browsing and ordering stuff on the internet seemed better than wading thro' the stores and malls in the busy holiday season. In a latest case. saving a trip and pe... er.. gas didn't happen as we got shoes each leg different size!!