Melange

Year end thoughts

Posted on December 20, 2013 by Archana K B / 4 Comments

The holidays are at the doorstep. The air is cheerful. It has indeed some positive vibes. The annual holidays in some companies is sometimes a boon to the persons who want to travel but are too workaholic. Next week, we are on a Rajasthan vacation covering Jaipur, Ajmer Pushkar and Jodhpur.

As much I wish to cover it as a photo essay or a travelogue, the absence of day to day motivations for the same never allows the dream to get fulfilled. The NaBloPoMo original month got over. There is a recently discovered group of bloggers, WriteTribe which encourages writers by providing occasional prompts to break you out of the mental block. Then there is the Facebook group for Women Bloggers discussing problem issues with blogging and making money, but does not provide prompts. I remember being part of similar Marathon Bloggers group which provided prompts, but I removed myself from it as I felt I was not doing any blogging at all that time. I read many of the blogs, and started writing with great urge in last december but I felt I could not stand up myself to the commitment and shunned myself away. Though I wish a miracle had happened, and words could just flow from me, completing a challenge which would really shake me up and put me into groove again.

Recently, I have playing more with my DSLR and the response in Flickr has encouraged to seek in more and more photography related forums. They speak of similar prompting challenges like Project 365, 52 weeks, 30 days(similar to NaBloPoMo), AtoZ which encourages you to take photos daily. And then there is the internal conflict for identity and independent crisis for which I think finally, I would really need a life skills and career coach for giving myself a fresh start in 2014.

Last two years, after moving to the new home, I baked a cake in a pressure cooker, from the scratch. This year, since the preparations have been in full swing for the vacations, the Christmas atmosphere is missing from the home. Though I did setup the small plastic Xmas tree with lights and the decorations, I forget to turn on the lights every night. Moreover RK has been lazy and I have been more lazier to remind him to put up the Xmas star. And so, no plans of making a cake for the holidays.

Nevertheless, it was a great year from my personal side. N joined playschool this year, and have started become slowly independent, which means I can more concentrate on improving my life and career skills. And finally, my dream of having a personal laptop on my own got fulfilled this November. You may ask what the big deal. But to spend around 50k for an electronic gadget is like finally buying an high-end Iphone. But still unsure of what and where to draw the line in this blog. If I had to blog daily, it would turn out to be diary revealing more on N, RK and myself. But if I want to nurture the writing in me by doing daily practice, I need to think more professional. So confused on that part. There had been huge explosions with RK this year, and also with N which I never imagined would happen. Many instances which make it seem I really need to work on my anger management or on my support system.

So some good things and bad things to end the year. Life is like that. A mixed bag of experiences. Aint it?

Happy Christmas and a Happy new Year!

Personal

Music memories

Posted on November 29, 2013 by Archana K B / 1 Comment

It all started when I stumbled across the INKtalks video by Usha Uthup in INKtalks 2013. The waves of memories flowed into my mind with music as background. It took me back to an era when I was learning music. This post is mostly embedded in music, the links of which I have given at the end.

Usha Uthup is famous in Kerala for her western style of singing from the early days. She talks of how music has no barrier like age, gender, sex, languages, time etc. She reminded me then of my mother, whose name is also coincidentally Usha. She was my unofficial music teacher. Every evening, she used to sing bhajans in front of photos of God, and I took actively took part in it. I was too young to ask questions, and went along with the flow of music at home. She inspired me to sing along, searched and found music teachers for me, enrolled me, and wished sincerely that I would attain great heights in the music field. But with adolescence, shyness creeped in me and I never got to stage. Her wish of hearing me sing music remains unfulfilled. Every Navratri, we would sing special songs for bhajans which were meant to be sung only on those days. Recently, I captured one of those sessions in my smartphone, unknown to her.

The first teacher I could remember was Dr. S. Bhagyalakshmi in Thiruvananthapuram, though according to mother, there was some other teachers too before her, whom I do not remember now. (She had written some music books too, daughter in law was a violinist.) We had neighbours who became family friends afterwards. Their daughter and my sister were same age friends and studied in same school and we together went to music classes, walking hand in hand. I was like the shared younger sister for both of them. Time has drifted away, and she went on to learn professional music though she could not make it a career. Recently in Dubai, she gave a performance in a local family club.

After we shifted homes, I joined Noopura, academy of dance and music, which was famous in the district for nurturing dancers and musicians. I remember performing one classical song, my first on stage, a simple basic geetham, ‘janaka sutha‘ in saaveri raga (listen song), with my teacher playing tampura just behind me. I had a fever the previous day, or the next day, not sure exactly, but I remember wearing a blue frock with dots on the top and pleats in the bottom, with a white ribbon just below the chest, my favourite for that season. I also remember that I could not see anyone in the audience since all the lights were on me and I could not see my parents in there. I had forgot the last line and turned back embarrassed towards the teacher behind me, who reassured with a nod to continue and end it graciously.

At Noopura, I shifted my attention to the instrument Veena, not before trying my legs once in dance classes. The tall male teacher who taught dance made too much jokes. I was tall for the age, and had to bend down in lotus form with too much stress on my legs for the basic steps. I remember him scolding me once, and making fun of my posture, and that was my last straw for withdrawing from dance classes and sticking to just vocal and veena classes.

Slowly, I moved onto Sree Swathi Thirunal Sangeeta Sabha where I applied for diploma in music. At the reception, my father and I waited patiently, before being called for interview. I was asked to sing a song, to which I sang few starting lines of simplest version of ‘yaare rangane‘ in hindolam raaga (view song) . I passed the selection test, but stage shyness had unknowingly prevented me from vocal music being my first subject. There were weekend classes (Saturday and Sunday), there were music concerts to listen to in the academy, there was syllabus, real exams, both theory exam for which we need to study and write essays and one to one practical exams just like the audition of the latest talent shows. I learned veena classes for three years before retiring to concentrate more on my school studies.

When I joined engineering college, and had some free time, we went again to another veena teacher for private classes. She remained my last and best teacher. Her playing of veena was an absolute masterpiece I had ever heard. But for me, these classes were a hobby. The IT job and then the marriage, has distanced me from touching and practising my veena, though its still standing beautifully in my present home,fully covered.

In 2008, I found this website, Muziboo.com to upload music, another Facebook for music lovers, and had uploaded few and blogged about it already.

Now in 2013, I am revisiting all these just because I heard another piece of music today. Indeed music can connect with another person, revitalize someone, change your moods and emotions, and even bring back memories…

films/Reviews/Thoughts

Film Review – Gravity 3D

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Archana K B / 3 Comments

Gravity was my first 3D film. I have seen 3D effects in all the electronics showrooms selling the latest 3D TV’s, but the visual effects and cinematography for this movie was so different and unique that the 3D viewing actually made sense. Needless to say I was in awe and feeling can be described as mesmerized, flabbergasted, hair-raising and all those similar words.

The concept is indeed beautiful. The story is very simple. The music is fierce and also blending. The digital photography was brilliant and looks real.

For me, though I had read before that it was an emotional thriller, nothing prepared me for the philosophical dialogues thrown at me. More than the eeriness and terrifying silence of the space , which is expected in every Hollywood thriller movies, it was the direct and simple conversations, that shook me up. It preaches loud how to pull yourself up and move on and live life, without giving up. There may be instances when you have to decide practically, and not emotionally. I loved the character portrayal of George Clooney, Matt Kowalski, the easy going, relaxed, humming and listening to music all the while, who knows to enjoy the sunrise and beauty of the space even when danger looms around, wishes to break the longest spacewalk record, remains positive and inspires positivity in Dr. Ryan Stone, played by Sandra Bullock.

Then there are scenes, which makes you think whether the script was influenced by Bollywood masala movies. Just like the unnecessary melodrama and the flashback of the daughter. Trying to distinguish fire when the first thought would be to escape in normal scenario. The unwanted disappearance of Matt. Thinking back, I would say it made sense in a philosophical or emotional angle but certainly not in a technical way. The fear of death, remembering your loved ones when you are close to it, the fighting spirit till the last moment, and the pain of longing is beautifully depicted.

Apart from the visual excellence, the film takes you through an emotional roller coaster ride. I felt it is a must watch for the unique theme, in a unique atmosphere like space, and for the unique journey of human being facing the worst. Or you could also take the film lightly in a philosophical approach like an analogy to living life.

“Either way, it’s going to be one hell of a ride.” – Dr. Ryan Stone

Rating: 4/5

books/Reviews

Thoughts on Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother – Book Review

Posted on November 19, 2013 by Archana K B / 1 Comment

When the book, Battle hymn of the tiger mother by Amy Chua, was released, it created sparks on internet and in the newspapers. I remember reading in the papers vaguely on how the author was criticized for her revelations on her style of rearing up her children. The new edition of the book has some post notes on it, describing what she went through the interviews and the feedback she got. It also contains letter from her elder daughter published in the Huffington post.

I had pinned that book to my reading list, since I thought as an Asian counterpart I could relate to it. And then, every mother feels guilty at one point or the other for being strict on their children, just as I did every often.

The real life story perceived in the book was more extreme than I imagined. Forcing a child into learning something which is common and traditional in the family may be natural for some parents. But it requires deep determination and grit in from the parents, to dive deep into the ocean race, along with the child and pushing the child to extreme limits to swim to the shore, just for attaining the first position.

The initial chapters contained many instances of detailing into learning of piano and violin. It also references music by famous musicians like Mozart, which kind of makes it feel over the head for a person ignorant of western music. But the intentions are clear, though sarcastically humorous.

The last chapter was more on teenage rebellion and the conclusive remarks regarding the style of parenting. Though the book has an expected ending, there are details and references, with the support of practical examples, in making you realize the importance of adaptability and prioritization.

Overall, the book is an easy read, reinforces the message to the mothers, to be guilt-free, and that irrespective of the parenting style, every mother thinks alike, that of better future for the children. This book at Rs.350, is over priced for me and I would rate at 2.5/5.

Bangalore life/Personal

Tale of PBM

Posted on October 25, 2013 by Archana K B / 0 Comment

I love paneer. The first dish I tasted in a restaurant, on officially going out for lunch in college (when someone gave a treat, of course), was paneer butter masala. And I literally fell in love with it in the first sight. Thereafter, whenever I go to a north indian restaurant, the side dish or the starter has to be paneer. It used to be precious item bought from the grocery store, along with fancy sauces, when I wanted to splurge. I know, you can make it easily at home, but I just have not tried it yet. Recently, as the cooking hobby is creeping onto me owing to my food loving husband, I wanted to do the most common dish, PBM (Paneer Butter Masala).

The first time I did at home, I did it on last Saturday. Inspired by Masterchef Australia, I kept my egg timer at 60 minutes, and started off with a bang. But at the end of 75 mins, I ended up with a dish that was not creamy, but sour and bitter to taste.

The next day, on a Sunday lazy morning, when I was emptying my pans for the cooking maid to clean, I saw the mixie jar atop the mixie, with flies flying in all directions just like the pigeons on one of the famous junctions in Delhi . It was the cashew paste I forgot to add to my experiment, the day before.

The next time I did PBM was yesterday. I finished it in a jiffy within 40 minutes, without referring to the recipe. The previous day, I had planned to make Aloo and paneer tikkis in the evening for my kid, but there was no salt. And by the time, I got few spoons from my neighbour, the chit chat started and went on and on. So to go along with PBM, I had stuffing for parathas ready.

Thus, on October 24th 2013, we had an awesome dinner with restaurant style parathas and the fatty creamy paneer butter masala with a dollop of butter.