Monday, April 18, 2011

One fine night

=> 11 PM,
=> A big chocolate slab,
=> Popcorn in hand,
=> A bottle of coke,
=> George Clooney and Michelle Pfeiffer romancing on TV.

Sigh! George Clooney!
What more could a gal want?





Friday, April 15, 2011

My thoughts this week!


=> Had gone with my friend to this Tanjore painting gallery and shop in mylapore. Was great. They had some awesome stuff. Which is saying something, coz I dont particularly care for Tanjore paintings. I have always thought they were too bright and garish. My friend though was going crazy with all the choices.

Even I was tempted to buy a piece or two. (Despite the prices being a little too steep)

But I didnt. I have great respect for people who decorate their houses with these paintings and what not, but if I buy them, they will be carefully wrapped and stored in my loft.
Dust catchers! That is my first thought. How would I clean those things regularly if I put them up. Worse! how will I live with them if they are dusty.
So decided to save myself the money and the pain and just admire them in the shop and come back and feeling quite righteous about it too ..hehe

=> Ponds Dreamflower .. that pink talcum powder box ... They have changed the box and they have changed the perfume of the powder.. Aaargh! Have the Ponds people not heard about not trying to repair a working machine. The perfume of the old talcum was sooo good, the new one is too strong and just no good.. hmph! Idiots


=> Its my considered opinion that John Keats would have written an Ode to a cuckoo and not a nightingale, if he had had the opportunity to listen to one. I have been rather curious about what the big deal is. Everywhere the nightingale is praised, from poetry to fairy tales to titles (Nightingale of India - Sarojini Naidu). And the poor cuckoo has only been degraded (atleast in the English language). I mean have you heard of anyone being  titled the Cuckoo of India?

Well! here is how a nightingale sings ... Now don't you think a cuckoo sounds better? (Unless it sings right outside your bedroom window every morning at 3, of course).
And so I thought since its the IN thing to fight for someone, everyone and anyone's rights, I would fight for the rights of the Cuckoo bird :-). Interested in Joining?
.

Saturday, April 02, 2011

My Laughter, my joy

I found this post all deep and hidden in my drafts. I seem to have written this about an year or so back. Not sure why I did not publish it then. So I decided to dust it out and put it up here.
---------------------------------
I was always known for my smiles. I remember this gal I used to meet in the bus once telling me that I was always smiling and that was what she first noticed about me.

So when I did I lose my laughter and smile? It was a very slow process and very subtle. It happened over the two years at my last work place. I had not realized it was gone. All I knew was that life was no fun anymore. I was fun no more. While it might sound very dramatic, it felt like I was in this deep dark smothering place.

But now I have been out for some time and today when I laughed with my friends about something, I startled myself. I was suddenly filled with this great whooping big joy inside, I had been out of my fetters for quite some time and had just not known it.

I had got my laughter back. Something that I had not realized losing but had missed desperately.
-----------------------------------
Today, when I smile and laugh at home, at work , with friends or just at life. I know I will never take it for granted again.
Even the sorrow and rant of today is a sweet memory or amusing entertainment of tomorrow.
.

Friday, April 01, 2011

CSA Awareness Month - April

Like the little squirrel who helped Ram build the bridge to Lanka, I think its only right that I put in my little bit towards this very worthy program that http://csaawarenessmonth.wordpress.com  has taken up.

The 2009 movie Achchamundu Achchamundu (There is fear, there is fear) deals with pedophiles. It forcefully brought out the issue into the lime light (at least for me). I was shocked to learn that every 7 minutes a child gets abused in India.

I know of women so abused at their tender ages whose whole lives have been ruined while the men responsible went their merry way and have never been punished. Felt anger at fate and just plain miserable at my helplessness.

My beautician once told me about this case another client of hers, a police woman, handled. This girl was found abused and dead, the morning of her third birthday. After intensive investigation the culprit was found to be the child's own uncle. He later confessed apparently saying that he was just not able to control himself, but was very sorry now.

But what was absolutely mind blowing to me was the reactions from the parents and family,

One family, though angry with the perpetrator, was unwilling to do anything about it, as it would cause social stigma. The another woman was happily married off to the abuser, despite his family knowing all about it  while the abused girl is still too traumatized to even come near any male.

Another family actually screamed at the child for talking nonsense and told her that it was all her imagination and that she should respect her elders, while she looked on helpless, with nowhere to turn, as the abuse continued for years.

It was a close relative or friend in both the cases. Some one familiar with the whole family and trusted.

I've seen and read enough about the physical and psychological trauma, to want to do everything in my means to never see it again in a child or adult. Especially when I think of the innocent, joyful and trusting eyes of my nephew and nieces and all my friends' children.*shudder*

I do not really have many ideas on how to be more aware and safe except some common sensical ones such as keep an eye on your child always, be sure to let the child know he/she can come to you for ANY issues and that you would believe them, teach them the Good Touch/ Bad Touch and be very wary of strangers around your children.

Its a great initiative and if even one more parent became more aware after having read this post, I am satisfied.