L(p)ast week...

It was a bit different from the normal with indulgence in various things. Birthday was very normal which is different in my case...I always had a blast in almost all the birthdays since those college days. As age increases, birthday fun decreases :) You can call this as Raji's law of birthday action....Jus kidding!!! I made a sweet for myself but did not feel like having it since it did not come out well :( Friends came over late in the evening and there was a formal cake cutting although I did not enjoy it to the fullest except having the delicious 'Tiramisu' which is my favourite. I was invited to a friend's place for dinner on that day. And the day got over...September looks full on my calendar with the markings on most of the dates...Wedding Anniversaries, B'days, Baby showers...Need to wish people for those which I remember atleast...

Dance practise for the diwali show is shaping out well and I am glad that I am picking it up fast than I expected. Although it is a very new experience of trying out a classical number, I like it :)

Picked out 3 books from the library and in the verge of completing one which is 'Being in love' by Osho. This being the first book of Osho's that I am reading, I have had lot of thoughts that I felt like contradicting as I read. Now, I am curious to read the next one of Osho's that I have put on hold - 'Emotional wellness'. And the other two - 'Tipping Point' and 'Talent Overrated' is yet to be touched...Have a pile of magazines that remains unread and the other gifted books too. Have to get back to the speed, I guess...

Long weekend went off very quick with travel and spending time watching movies, cooking and chatting with Sis. Movie part now...
Malaikottai - With a so called comedy grip of Urvasi and Ashish Vidyarthi's, there's nothing significant to talk about the movie. Priyamani was very homely and Vishal was as usual trying to prove his choreographic abilities by doing so much extensively...
Sakkarakatti - Lokesh, hero's friend is better in dancing than acting. I used to be a fan of him when I was watching MM in Kalaignar TV. Saanthanu - I wondered sometimes why is he trying to speak unnecessarily with a different accent sometimes? Dipali - A dolly :) Vedhika - Wat to say? No idea....The whole movie itself tried to convey something but came out as an utter failure...except the songs...Although Taxi Taxi may be a humongous hit, and 'I miss you da' might have won accolades for the singers, my favourite is 'Marudhaani....'
The Proposal - Watched during the flight journey. Ryan Reynolds as Andy and Sandra Bullock as Maggy...watching two opposite poles like them in the whole movie was a good timepass. I thought that only namma oor movies has the family sentimental in a certain way and this particular movie had something similar when Maggy/Andy's marriage is arranged and Andy's grandma gets the necklace and the wedding gown from the family clan...looked like 'Idhu enga amma kalyanathukku potathu...Andy-a kalyanam paanika poravalukkaga naanga bathirama edhuthu vachirukom...Idhu enga kudumba sothu...Kudumba vizhakkaga vara pora unakke' types....And when Sandy...sorry Maggy runs away from the wedding ceremony justifying her act, the drama played by the Grandma after that...marks a closing act :)

And surprisingly met a college junior in Boston...Couldn't recognize her until she came and told me 'my rapport with juniors' in college. She was excited to talk to me and kept talking for few mins in a flow...:)

Its been years since I played with kids...Sis's friends visited her place and got a chance to play with one of them :) Also, had a great dinner time with them - After having great food in India, this is the best so far, I would say - Sambar, Rasam, Aviyal, Potato Chops, Beans poriyal, Curd rice, Veg Pulav and raitha made a 'wholesome' dinner and ending it with a home made 'Tiramisu' made by my sis...I wish I had hibernated there itself :):)

I was reading Murali's blog on 'Quietitude weighs heavy' and now I could feel that :( Whatever, life goes on...

The 'diversity' show

It's the first time that I participated in the Colorado Springs Cultural Diversity show. I did not know that there would be a big crowd and a floating crowd of around 5000...Booths, volunteers, performers, kids - it looked like a festival. Car parking was not at all easy although I went with my co-participants in one of their cars. When we entered, there was some African dance that was going on. Then there was a song by a very small girl. Once that got over, it was the Indian community's turn which started with a classical Bharatanatyam dance by kids. Believe me, although there were performers from different countries, with the outfits and the expressions, the Indian community performance stole the show. After the Bharatanatyam performance, there was a 'Krishna Jayanthi' dance by high school kids. They looked charming and so as their dance with the bamboo attempt. Then came our performance for 'Jai Ho'. It always happens to me that my heart pounds fast till I enter the stage but once I enter, I dont know where I will get the energy and excitement. I did forget one step and did something else but people said it was not noticeable and we were the only ones on the entire show who got 2 rounds of applause :) This is the first time I put a thilak on my forehead to depict 'Jai ho' and I loved it. After our performance, there were lots of other performances but I loved two of them - One is the ballet dance and the Taekwando show by the US group. It was amazing! Overall, I enjoyed performing as well as watching others perform. A good experience!!!

1..4..3..

I was into this new place for the first time. Although I have done it lot of times in a different place, this is a new place where I came to shape my eyebrows for the first time. It was an Indian lady's house. Me and my friend went there. She had to put Mehendi on her two hands for an occassion called 'Karva Choudh' (I guess i spelled it correctly). Last week during my dance practise classes, people were talking about this KC and I got information about it (not meant for me though ;)) After we went there, I got my thing done in 15mins. Since Mehendi stuff takes time, I had to sit and watch it. Then there came these two kids - Dhikshu and Siddhu. First, I was watching them play and later I joined in their team. Dhikshu said that I look very dark and I nodded. I played with them for about 2 hours and without any problem, they ate their stuff in between. Then we played till my friend's mehendi was done. I told the kids that I am leaving and Dikshu came and hugged me saying 'I love you!' and looking at me 'When will you come back?'. I bent my knees and sat closer to her and hugged her saying I will come there often and play with her. Siddhu was hiding behind his mom's dress and smiled at me when I waved bye to him. I came back home with a sense of happiness and fulfillment and when I said this to my mom, she said 'You always attract kids! You are a hit among the kids!' Oh..ok! I know - I said that and smiled. One thing I have realised is that when you are with kids, you can be yourself. Kids are very honest and they tell whatever comes to their mind. I love kids! (Who don't?)

Oh...watz in a name?

As few of my friends and office buddies are in the verge of giving a life to someone new in their life which brings 'My joy knew no bounds' type, I headed for a 'What can I name my kiddo?' conversation. I am the odd woman out in that conversation but people thought I am good at giving different names and included me. All those religious type names and 'I like these names' came to my mind. There's no website needed to identify a great name - You have to come to us to find one. Oh...The list was flowing in tonnes and I was like 'Is there any other name left out in this world?' and everyone laughed. There were Ryans, Rohits, Pranavs, Rahuls, Ananths, Adityas, Nitins, Nikhils, Joshuas and much more in the boys category (My brain couldn't hold more :)) and Aditis, Akshayas, Pratyusha, Vaishnavis, Samyuktas, Sambhavis, Ruchis (reminds me of pickles though), Rias under the girls category. After discussing so much, everyone had to tell which is the one name that they would opt for and my turn came. I said 'Rishi...' as it's my most favorite name ;) This name Rishi seems to have a poorva kaala bandham with me...Whenever someone asks me for a name, I end up in Rishi (is this something to do with sainthood in the last jenma?;)) Jus kiddin! For that reason, I have never come across anyone by that name. Am going to wait and watch how many of my friends are going to end up in a name that's favourite to them.