Kaapi & Tea

This post has been brewing in my mind for quite a while now but what with the spring fevers and spring breaks! Next to sweets, the kaapi/tea comes in my irresistible list! I try to limit one of each per day but any bonus is absolutely relished. As a kid, Amma made it more special by banning it for kids. It was an absolute triumph when Amma, vexed with our pestering, lifted the ban! Till date, the thought of hot kaapi  is my boost to the chore-some 'waking up in the morning'! 

For Appa, anything more than 1/2 tsp of sugar in the kaapi is panagam but the rest of us would enjoy the kaapi with a generous 2-3 tsps of sugar. But that made it impossible to enjoy kaapi anywhere outside of home. Especially, in the kalyana mandapams, in the plane, at Starbucks etc. Initially, it used to be embarrassing to ask for more sugar packets at the counter all the while wondering how this sugar crazy land is content with one teeny-tiny sugar packet for the giant lotta of coffee! Also, it took a long time to realise that the little too milky cafe latte is the one which is as close to our kaapi from among the big list of capuccinos & espressos in the coffee shops. 

Even though the filter kaapi wins hands down and it is worth waiting for the thick dicoction to drip & fill the filter, there is no time for these indulgences during the hurry-burry week days. As it is my dislike for microwaved milk has raised a few eye brows. Whatever the beverage, I only prefer the good old pongalo pongal stove boiled milk!

Like the English language, the other British custom left by the British and adopted by some Indian families is the afternoon Tea. With a couple of biscuits and soothing hindi songs from Vividbarathi, it was bliss. The best tea I ever had was at a roadside tea shop in Mettupalayam! Tea is good if someone makes it for you. And making tea for one person is torture! Hubby is from a kaapi and kaapi only family! After several ghajini attempts, this got him hooked onto tea so much so that these days he gets Chai Latte from Starbucks for both of us!! 

Lately the kollywood movies can be categorised into the kaapi or T type movies. Kaapi types are from big banners, big casts, big names and copied/lifted from foren films. (Originali)T types are small budgets, new faces or forgotten faces, too realistic, sad and/or gory! There are few boost/bournvita type movies but don't stay in the mind too much!

Anyway, as per the tradition of including arusuvai (of including veppam poo & mango pachidi) on the Tamil new year's day to signify the ups and downs of our life, I am thinking may be I'll start a tradition of having 1/2 cup of unsweetened kaapi and 1/2 cup of sweetened kaapi! To all my Virodhis and Friends, puththandu vaazhthukkal!!

Vattam, Maavattam!

The Appas, Ammas, Athais, Mamas of desis who come to visit the states spend most of their time converting $ into Rs or vice versa. But as a pudhu ponnu in the states, I appavi-ly use to exclaim, "haiyo, tape recorder 55 dhaana! Vangidalamley?" much to the horror of Hd! Then came the icing, sales tax! Especially with all prices ending with a .99, the final payment always seem a mockery! To my knowledge, I always remember paying either the MRP or sticker or the kadakaran sollara price at stores in India. Or if one is really lucky with no 'no bargain' signs, can even come out of the store with a big grin having saved Rs. 2!! Here in the States, if one is lucky enough to live in a no sales tax state or even in the vicinity of such states then orey the alattals dhaan!! To save 5%, we used to drive 50+ miles in the North East! 

It was a revelation that not just the tax, driving rules, immunizations, speed limits and many other things varied from state to state. And when we moved here, it went another step further,  the county level! With our city lying across 3 counties, it took me a while to understand the county level rules, tax(take the right turn and save 1% sales tax!), school systems etc. Anyway, all this build-up is for my latest bungle. 

As a pudhu ponnu in the states knowing nothing about the big deal about long weekends and the mandatory big plans for trips that one has to make and with an absent-minded professor hubby who might thankfully remember on Sunday evening that the following Monday is a holiday, I took over the holiday planning committee chair(wo)man post. All was well until this past President's day long weekend. With hubby having a holiday, relatives' kids having a holiday, Balavihar on holiday and even the stock market enjoying a holiday, not in my wildest dreams did I imagine A1's school district county would be sincerely working on President's day! Now hereafter, every holiday I will be subjected to the "Are you sure its a holiday for me today?" 

Slum God!

When the hares of bolly, kolly and all the o'llywoods were racing for the os'car', slowly, steadily and smartly ARR has won the 'ஞானப்பழம்' (gyana pazham)!! Congrats to Madras Mozart(!!)! More than all his recent awards, its his acceptance speech with a punch(billion people in GG, in tamil at Oscar)that really was more surprising! "இவ்வளவு முத்து கூட உதிருமா இவரிடம்(Ivalavu muthu kooda odhiruma ivaridam)!!"

I like "கஷாய"(kashaaya-isn't that the opposite of masala?) movies even though I am an emotional party(you know!)! I have been keeping my fingers crossed for our ultimate gutsy கஷாய director Bala's latest கைவண்ணம்(kaivannam), 'Naan Kadavul'. Before I had kids, a couple of dozens of handkerchiefs and I was all set to watch those real movies. But now, emotionally and mentally weak, I have to muster enough strength to sit through those serious stuff. Having not been able to watch beyond 30 mins of 'Slumdog..', severe penance, I mean, preparations are needed to see kadavul, I guess!

Something something!

In our local Indian store, the newest attraction is 'Madras Samosa'! It's only around the late 90s, that Chaat houses started creeping up in Chennai but now there is a local version of the Samosa??  The crust of this new entrant is crispy which makes me wonder if some wrap (tortilla or wanton wraps) is used for the crust. So, does that mean from scratch preparations are punjabi(?) samosas and semi-homemades (Sandra Lee ishtyle) are Madras versions?!! If so, what wraps do they use in Madras?

Sometime back during a discussion with A1(my older one) about eating habits, I happened to mention that my grandma often said kids can & should eat anything & everything and that they are even capable of digesting stones. These days the pulses / lentils/ dals' (especially tur dal) quality has come down a lot.  Either it takes too long to cook(some don't cook very well even after an over-night soak!) or there are impurities in them. So, when A1 discovered a stone in her food once, she asked me, "do you want to test my digestive system, Amma?" 

Repeat-u!

A2 stepped into infanthood from babyhood. A2 is still too young to comment/reject Amma's homemade cakes but for A1 the yummy cake with icing from the store is worth waiting!

December in Chennai is kutcheri season and here in the US, it is 'jingle bells' season. I was remembering how some people used to get tired with the ''oliyum oliyum' team in the DDO(doordarshan only) days for featuring appropriate songs around the pongal, navarathri, Christmas festival times("போச்சுடா! இன்னிக்கு ஒரே பொங்கல்/கிருஸ்மஸ் பாட்டா வெப்பான்!"). Also, repeat programs wasn't much welcomed in DDO days, isn't it? But I am grateful to the numerous channels here which repeat old comedy serials. Even if I've watched it numerous times, some serials like Friends, Everybody loves Raymond, Cosby show, Spin City etc. are so enjoyable that I don't mind watching it again and again! And the entire cast in some shows(Spin city, Everybody loves Raymond) are just too too good!

Once again, its the time of the year, to say goodbye to one and welcome the next. It can be just another year for some or a new beginning for others. Whatever, asusual, wishes for a happy year ahead. Ey meri Guzarish(Asin, you lucky girl! First Surya then Kamal and now Aamir-a!! BTW, the credit shows Javed Ali/Sonu Nigam. Who has actually sung the song?) !

Andrum Indrum

In my grandma's generation, coconuts were got directly cut down from trees in the backyard, then fibres removed, outer shell cracked open, white edible part grated and used in cooking;
In my mom's generation, coconuts were bought from stores and then outer shell cracked open, white edible part grated and used in cooking;
My generation, frozen grated coconut packet is cut open and used in cooking;
My daughter's generation might just read it in the ingredients section of ready-made meals!!

In my grandma's generation, they hardly knew their exact birthday;
In my mom's generation, they were aware of their exact birthday;
my generation knew to celebrate their birthdays;
my daughter's generation start planning their birthdays as soon as that year's party get over!!!

அன்று கிளி ஜோசியம் பார்த்தார்கள்
(Andru kili josiyam paarthaargal)
இன்று டார்ரொ ஜோசியம் பார்க்கிறார்கள்!!
(indru tarrot josiyam paarkiraargal!)

Digital(l) age!

Ever since I heard/saw in the news about television broadcasting in the US going all digital from February next, it's been unbelievable that there are television antennas in this part of the world and that there are users too!! It looks like eons now those good(!) old days in the then, Madras with most houses showing off (multiple, sometimes!) antennas which was crows' kuttichuvar' for their daily discussions. There had been numerous times when we had to dance with those antennas moving it in different directions to get some decent audio or grainy video.

For me, digital age started with those Rs. 35 digital watches. Aaah, those were the days! Now almost every room in our house has a clock with digital display like clock radios, cooking range, cable box etc. that sometimes I doubt my clock reading skills from dial clocks!

When my husband bought his first digital camera, I thought it was an unnecessary expenditure(little did I know, mega pixel count was in competition with mega serials!). Although I agree that digital cameras help us record every smile, every step, every milestone of our little ones, it is no match to looking at a physical photo album. And with the numerous pictures sitting in supposedly organised, appropriately named folders, it's become so tedious to find 1-2 specific ones from the chakravyugam! I fondly remember those 24-36 film roll camera days when finishing a film roll was a big task followed by the wait for the prints('aanandha avasthai'!). The look on our faces at the photo lab - priceless(can be 'Salangai oli' Jayapradha style or that podi payal style!)!

Ragasiyamaai...!

"Can you keep a secret?" asked a (relatively, at that time) new friend. Why and how she trusted me with that big secret which I had to keep for 2 semesters is still beyond me. But the hardest of all was when on the big secret reveal day, I had to pretent as if I was hearing it for the first time infront of the rest of the gang!!

Recently read this in a fwd message

3 fastest means of communication

1. Tele-phone
2. Tele-vision
3. Tell to woman

Need still faster - tell her not to tell anyone.

LOL!! But that's because most Men have communication and/or memory problems! When my friends prided about having conspired with my husband for my surprise baby shower, I was glad he remembered about the party and taking me there!!

I used to be a better secret keeper in my younger days probably b'cos I didn't talk so much then! Infact, I was so good that it upset some close friends later when they found out that I hadn't shared some of the secrets with them!! These days I am having to do a lot of 'mennu-muzhungi' to guard secrets. It is easier if we know how long we got to keep it a secret and if we don't have to mingle/face the concerned parties.

Having said all these and with a blog mostly about me(2), what secret have I got to share for this tag of yours, mitr? :)

Lost (and found) in translation

Isn't it a shame that perseverance like some other qualities like innocence, shrewdness which as children we casually and effortlessly master but let fade with age? It is both amazing and bugging when after lengthy discussions with a child about why (s)he is not allowed to do something or why (s)he is not ready for something or why (s)he cannot have something, the child goes back to square 1 the very next day(and the next day and the next day...) and asks 'Can I have/do it?' just in case Amma forgets and let her/him have/do it!! But then, thinking about it, as parents, we do persevere in repeating some gems handed down thro' generations hoping they would echo like 'அசரீரீ' in their later years just like it did/does to us.

எடுத்தால் எடுத்த இடத்தில் வை(Eduthal edutha idathil vai) - The most common 'asareeree', I guess! Even if you are an organised person, if your spouse/partner is not, then 'searching...' is unescapable!!

கண் பார்த்தா கை செய்யணும்(KaNN paartha kai seiyanam) - If there are things strewn on the floor or water dripping from a faucet or see any unfinished task, my hands will go 'para-para' because of this gem from my grandfather!

Do you hear any (more) of these 'asareerees'?



Cho says in Muhammad-bin-thuglak, 'அரசியல் ஒரு சாக்கடை, அதில் எது வேண்டுமானாலும் கலக்கலாம்(arasiyal oru saakkadai, adhil edhu vendumaanaalum kalakkalaam!)!' Not-so-very-similarly, English language has a lot of kalakkals! Didn't know that a word's language of origin gives clues to its spelling! Kudos to those kiddy bees! Anyway, coming to my point, I'm wondering how some English words got totally different meaning in India. Like how 'smart' got to mean beauty instead of brains. How wild 'assault' got tamed to mean 'casual'? And how 'hold on' became to function as bus' stop chain!!

Truth (sometimes) Triumphs!

Writer Sujatha's passing away was shocking inspite of the knowledge about his poor health and hospitalisations in the recent years. For many of my generation, reading(novels) mostly meant in English language but the limited reading in Tamil would definitely include his works. I really admired the balance with which he dealt with science and religion.

Long time back he did a Q & A in Junior Vikatan. I remember someone asked him about 'maru jenmam'(rebirth) and I vaguely remember his explanation about how it can't be true sighting that the human population has always been on the increase. Now thinking about it, according to Hindu religion, rebirth can be as any creature and not necessarily human, right? So, if we take the total count of all life forms on this earth, will it be a constant no? That all those extinct animals are reborn as humans now?

Vaimaiye (sila samaiyam) Vellum was my very first attempt in reading a 'thodar kadhai' and not surprisingly it was Sujatha's. Talking of truth, when I read reports about person(s) confessing to a crime in India, I can't help doubting if (s)he is the real culprit? Is (s)he being framed? etc.(too much of movie influence?) Similarly, I can't help wonder why and what prompts people to confess to their crime after many years!

தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்து - தமிழ்நாட்டில மட்டும் சொல்லாதீங்க!!
(Tamil new year wishes - say not in TN!)

Going, going.... green!!

It's been months since I wanted to post on this topic but by the time it got the chance to see the light of day, all these have become old news!! Anyway, better late than never!

Green - never been my favourite colour. Probably because the colour is always associated with raw, dirty etc. in Tamil. The colour's association with our arch rival neighbouring country could have added to it. In my nenavu theriyadha vayasu, Amma tried to get me a parrot green with rose border pattu pavadai but luckily the store didn't have that combination and I ended up with a peacock (neck) blue with rose border pattu pavadai! But in the recent years, the dislike for green has begun to change like tamil movie hero-heroine's modhal-pin-kaadhal style(starting with 'pachai nirame', may be?).

After pillayar suzhi with this, information super highway (mis?)led to very many scary articles about pesticides in produce, rBGH hormone fed cow's milk etc., that I began 'organic-organic' chant. Like (mythological) Markandeyan's parents I had to choose between short life-spaned almost-never-on-sale organic produce or pesticide friendly regular produce. A friend was helpful enough to add to the confusion commenting that since proper regulations aren't yet in place for organic farming, even her garden vegetables can get passed as organic produce. Appo aadha-aadha(adhanga, 50-50!) dhaan!

Next it was time to buy a new washer-dryer. The kathukutty armchair environmentalist was all for the neela nira energy saver tag. For the budget which would have fetched a laundromat size washer-dryer, we ended up with a petite front loading W/D(Now about the comforters... which can't be washed in our petite machine... Should I wash them in non-energy saving-laundromat machines or replace them every season?). Oh, btw, the uncomfortableness and back-ache caused from loading the clothes crouching infront of the machine will go away when visitors' exclaim, "oh, front loading machine-a!". ;)

Now what is the use in having energy saver appliances if one is using environment unfriendly detergents! Chi-chi-chi! Try, try and try again with detergent names starting with eco, bio in Whole Foods or Natural/Organic sections of Supermarkets. With Indian cooking, Curious Georgina(s), any detergent will need some extra help, isn't it?

Since the beginning of the new year, 'Going Green' has become 'hot'(almost topping the new resolution list!!) Like SVSekar says in 'Ellarum Vaanga', 'ella porukki pasangalum namma technique-y follow panranga'! So, in TV, magazines and everywhere there is tips, tips and more tips to go Earth friendly.
First in the list is car pool and/or switch from gas-guzzling vehicles. Except to work, we never let my husband go anywhere without us(hey, he gets to drive peacefully on the car pool lane!) and so what if in place of Accord we have Civic now, it is hybrid!
Next in the list is energy conservation - shut off unnecessary electrics. Hey, we are from a country where it is in the genes like our elders to follow people from behind and shut off lights/fans even when they just step out to get a glass of water! 'Yaar kitte pesureenga', huh!
And then there are those recycle/reuse plastics(anga dhaan naama nikkaromey!), run dishwasher/washing machines on full loads(overload pannamey irundhaley perusu!) etc. etc. on which we don't need any more lessons!
I mostly adhere to and even change my lifestyle if it would mean doing my bit for the Earth/Environment but for #1 in this recent article in RD - Iyaa, mudiyadhaiyaa!!

Taare zameen par

Preschoolers, A1(my older one) & B are good friends. B's mom often complained about this boy, C who bullied B at school. From the teacher, we came to know that C was not only troublesome but a troubled kid too(his parents were in the midst of a divorce!). After learning this, I kind of sympathised with C than with B. Don't know if I would have been as sympathetic had the bullied kid been mine. During one of my visit to the school, C once told me, 'A1 doesn't like me!'. I didn't know how to react. My heart went out to this little boy who for no fault of his, was undergoing stress at this young age. C no longer comes to school. Wonder which parent won custody of him!

Update

I am not done yet, like A1 says! I was in a hurry to publish my post on the special leap day of the year! Anyway, while browsing through the TV channels, I landed on 'Supernanny' programme recently after a long time. I told my mom about this programme and she was appalled at how kids were disciplined. "Manushaal illadhadhanaaley ennannamo seiyaraangapa, indhoorley" was her comment!

When A1 was in her terrible 2s-3s stage, I thought these Supernanny, Nanny 911 etc. would be interesting and helpful in learning to handle toddlers. But after watching a couple of episodes, I realised what a gem A1 was and more, I didn't want her catching me watching it for I feared she might think, 'oh, ippadiyellaam pannalaama!' I've often wondered, how those children captured on camera would feel years from now!

Mahanadhi

Sa...d movies, always make me cry!

அதுவும் மஹாநதி-யை பார்க்க எவ்வளவு தைரியம் வரவழைத்துக் கொண்டாலும் முடிவதில்லை, முழுவதுமாக பார்க்க!

Echo

In those good old DD only days, there used to be a programme called 'Ediroli' where viewers sent in their comments, suggestions about the week's programmes. The one & only highlight of the programme was that the name of the Sunday evening movie MIGHT get revealed! Does something like this exist in any of the Channels these days? Lately, I've been catching up on some of the Tamil channel programmes and my letters to the imaginary 'Ediroli' team.

Watched your(Sun TV) "Koottu Pongal" with Pushpavanam Kuppusamy, Nithyasree and Lakshman Sruthi shown as part of the special Pongal programmes. The concept was novel where Pushpavanam Kuppusamy & co sang a folk song and based on its raagam, Nithyasree sang a classical song and Lakshman Sruthi & troupe sang a film song. Only the choice of songs by Lakshman Sruthi was 'naaraasam'!!!

The other musical programme called "Pattikaada Pattanama" compered by Gangai Amaran with Manika Vinayakam, Gana Ulaganathan and co on the Pattikaadu side and Harini, Tippu, Haricharan, Jaydev & co on the pattanam side was quite enjoyable. It started off well with both teams singing songs based on a theme like Bakthi, Pengal etc.(Especially hilarious was when for the 'thaikulam' theme pattikaadu team sang 'ammadi... ponukku thanga manasu' and the pattanam team retorted with 'ammadi.. athadi..'). Kadaiseeley, konjam sodhappal!!

"வாயுள்ள பிள்ளை பிழைக்கும்" என்பற்கேற்ப, இன்றைய தேதியில், தமிழ்நாட்டில் பேசத்தெரிந்தால் போதும் பெரிய ஆள் ஆவதற்கு!!

In Vijay TV, the 'Neeya? Naana?' is the jolly kind of 'Arattai Arangam'. The Kalyanam, Rasipalan topics were interesting. The compere, Gopinath doesn't let any discussion to grow into an arguement. Surprisingly, he speaks good Tamil too! But the casualness that has come to this kind of speaking in public is making people say anything and everything without shame! In the rasipalan episode, one boy proudly told the audience how he scored less than 300 marks in his 12th Std and how when everyone said he couldn't get into any college, one josiyar predicted he would definitely get into a good college. The boy proudly showed off his AMJain college ID card!! "இழுத்து ஒரு அறை விடவேண்டுமென்றிருந்தது. என்னால் தலையில் தான் அடித்துக்கொள்ள முடிந்தது"

New 'A'ddition!

Me too is now Mommy of two! We welcomed baby girl, A2 on Wednesday. Back to blogging has now made it to the New year resolutions list! Anyway, wish you all a safe holiday season and happy New Year!

Pch..!!

Most of the times, it is only disadvantageous to be a person of understanding/adjusting type!!

Second Chance

Have you ever got the feeling that you deserve another chance to do something better/ right? I used to get that feeling after every exam!! Jokes apart, there is this relative of mine, very affectionate but very demanding. In the past, everytime we visited/called, we have had to be on the defencive for something or the other. It was due to her insecurites, I used to reason. I heard that she is now a drastically changed person! Infact, I found out for myself when I called and talked to her recently. The most surprising thing in this is not that the lady is remorseful of her actions but that she is lucky to have got that second chance to mend fences with the people!

And btw, we are getting a second chance in parenting! Yes, the second one is expected to be a new year release!! Talking of parenting, it is a never ending lesson! I learn new/different things from every family. This recent scenerio is one:

Guests arrive. Host and guest's kids go wild after seeing each other. They hyper-actively run around, play/throw ball etc. Guest kid hits the ball and brakes a photo frame. Guest Dad admonishes kid for the act. Guest Mom comes in defense of kid and admonishes Dad for not cautioning the kid before! Host Dad and Mom don't know how to react!! On second thoughts, the Guest Mom seems right in the sense that it was the elders' fault that they didn't stop the kids from playing inside. Then, did it shock because the guest Dad is related to me? Or does it sting me for the numerous times my daughter gets admonished by us in other's houses for little things?

WCTT!

"கழுதை தேஞ்சு கட்டெரும்பு ஆன கதையா", from test cricket to ODI to 20-20 now!! I guess, the 'real' cricket fans wouldn't be too thrilled about this latest version but helps poor souls like me to unglue(!) their spouses from out of the laptop screens sooner!!

From the team line-up, I could only recognise and name a handful of players and wondered if the 20-20 actually meant that eligibility for players was that they should be in their 20s! "ஏதோ கெலிச்சா சரி, அதுவும் பழம் பெருச்சாளிகள் இல்லாமல்!!"

Tring tring!

Recently, my preschooler daughter left a (her first ever!) message on her Dad's answering machine. Oh, what a big milestone we made it to be!! I had got introduced to these answering machine thingies only a few years back and was reminded of those initial years of awkwardness & uncomfortable feeling I had towards talking to a machine aka leaving a message.

For that matter, telephones themselves were among the luxurious items list till recently in India. Around age 10, we had shifted to a house whose earlier occupants had a telephone connection. The instrument(along with the connection!) remained for a few days after our move and it used to be exciting to dial numbers on the huge black instrument, pick up and say 'hello' when it rings etc.

After that it was around my high school time when we were in the then, Bombay that we had phone connection at home. That was a pretty good time as a typical teenager, I used to be on the phone with friends for hours(after just returning from school where we would've already chatted the whole day!), call up from outside(read cinema theatre!) after bunking classes to safely inform mom about it etc. There once was a promotion by a company called Cello(casserole makers) in which if you say 'Cello' instead of 'Hello' when they call, you win a casserole! My Dad used to insist all of us to say cello on the phone. I hated doing it and as luck would have it, it was I who picked up the phone when Cello company called and I said 'hello' and lost a casserole for my family!!

Back in Chennai after a few years and back to phone less days! Though phone connections were getting easier in Chennai, there were 2 schemes in those days. Pay $15000 and get connection in 15 days or pay $3000 and get connection in 3 years! Our rich neighbour got the phone connection in 15 days and all in our colony were happy as if we had got our own phone connection. The phone owner's initial pride started to melt when everyone in the colony started giving their phone no. as their contact no. The phone owners were mostly receiving other's calls and seem running to each house to give the messages the whole day! To discourage this, they stopped giving msgs and even charged $1 for incoming calls!!

Then, came my phone allergy days. That was when almost every Chennai household started getting their phone connections. I never liked attending phone calls for I was bad in recognising voices. I hate when someone calls and asks, "யாருன்னு தெரியலையா?". Even worse was at work, when all of us used to avoid cabins with phone extensions for the fear of being caught by the Boss("Let's discuss the new requirement!") at lunch time or 5 PM!

The phone allergy worsened after coming here, for the new English accent was difficult to decipher on the phone. Ah, the tele-marketing calls!! How many papers/magazines have I subscribed to because of my "can't-say-no" nature to the tele-marketeers!! I fought a(yet another!) losing battle with my hubby in avoiding cell phones sighting radiation fears. But then mobile phones made it convenient when each of us wanted to go to different stores at the mall and India trips. In India, cell phone technology is/was far ahead. Sibling, cousins would come to visit me and would either be talking on their cell phone or text messaging and might talk to me in the gaps! People who meddle with my cell phones would change some settings or change the ring tone and when it rings I would wonder if someone was at the door(most houses have musical calling bells) or someone was backing up their car!!

Now with 2 landlines, 2 cell phones, Internet connection and all, I sometimes wouldn't be able to reach my folks. They would've gone out forgetting to take the cell phone, forgetting to switch on the cell phone and/or answering machine!! And on my part, with all the technology, I don't know anyone's phone no. from memory! With all these technologies around, I've lost touch with many of my friends! Atleast in those early cell phone days, people called from their cell phones at the end of the month, so as not to waste the expiring minutes! Sigh!

Where from?

Years back, on my first sight seeing trip to Boston with some relatives, the tour guide asked the visitors one by one, "Where are you from?" The others were answering 'California', 'New Jersey' etc. and so, when it was my turn, I said, "Massachusetts!". Me in plaited hair, pottu on the forehead etc. the tour guide must've thought, 'really?'!! When it was my relatives' turn, they chorused 'India' almost immediately.

Recently, on a trip to Ruby Falls in Tennessee, again the same 'Where are you from?' from the tour guide and this time I said "India" almost the same time my husband answered, 'Georgia'! The tour guide commented, "So, you guys are not sure, huh?" Oops, I did it again!!