This Independence Day has been the most different experience one I have had in ages. No flags or anthem singing or feeling slightly teary eyed hearing Vande Mataram (or singing Sare Jahan Se Accha). I didn't even need to find the white salwar kameez.
We were out last night at a friend's place. We were the last to arrive so it was acceptable that we were the last to leave as well (I hope!). I jumped at the chance to drink The British Empire which is this new beer brewed somewhere in Tamilnadu that the Tasmac guys claim is 'imported' !
I had an early morning run with the guys. I showed up a bit asleep, I admit. Every since I had my cycle stolen, I have to run to the start point- this is like 2.5 kms or so from home. I always miscalculate and reach too early or too late. Today I was a minute or two late I think, thankfully they were waiting for me.
We were supposed to sprint/stride up flyovers a few times. I was mentally not in the run at all. My feet have been hurting - nothing new or strange just something I have not attended to properly in recent times. I desultorily did the needful and was glad to have a ride back home.
At home chaos reigned supreme all day. The painters waltzed in and took over our rooms. The bathrooms were being acid-washed (all at once - brilliant organisation eh?). I ran around covering up stuff and trying to find some bathroom in which I could bathe in.
Friday is a test in Sanskrit for the child. In between a work-related set of phone calls (most upsetting and emotionally unsettling and confusing thing; hope its achieved closure now), we studied Sanskrit. So far its just vocabulary and spellings, so it was fun.
I set up a small quiz - conducted by child, participated by parents. One parent was most forceful in grabbing points illegally. The other parent kept focus on the aim of the exercise - viz. - child should get some practice in for her test. You can guess which was who.
This segued well into our evening. The child and I drove away from painters, carpenters, cleaners, cook, leaving the man of the household holding up the fort. A security guard took pity on me & my little i20 and let me squeeze in to a small spot at the Music Academy.
The Landmark Quiz was in full swing and after running into a close friend and his kid, we found seats. Don't know how the next umpteen hours passed, but we all had a fantastic time. I was blown away by some of the questions. So intricately detailed and awesome.
Ludwig (he will occasionally be referred to as The Quizmaster for various) who has been cribbing constantly and being mean to me incessantly, pulled ahead and won the damned thing by a HUGE margin. I was screaming my lungs out every time he picked up the mike and spoke into it (he was invariably right in his answer too). The kids tried to shush me. Well. My other friend who was also on stage pulled through to third place, so much happiness in KennyLand.
The child was so into the whole thing that I couldn't drag her away till it all finished. Even then she wanted to wait for ludwig to step down from the stage so she could congratulate him. After all these years of trying to convince her, I think she finally accepts that his head is that big because of the brains inside that giant skull. He was really brilliant - I mean I know he is, just awesome to see him win the National Landmark Quiz without ifs and buts. Just spectacular.
We returned home to maggi and curd rice (screw you SRK). Yes, having a cook visit home twice daily and asking her to make maggi for a meal is all kinds of wrong. So sue me. 10 pm. If this room could stop stinking of paint, I could sleep now, thinking about how much Navin looks like Mr. Bean....
We were out last night at a friend's place. We were the last to arrive so it was acceptable that we were the last to leave as well (I hope!). I jumped at the chance to drink The British Empire which is this new beer brewed somewhere in Tamilnadu that the Tasmac guys claim is 'imported' !
I had an early morning run with the guys. I showed up a bit asleep, I admit. Every since I had my cycle stolen, I have to run to the start point- this is like 2.5 kms or so from home. I always miscalculate and reach too early or too late. Today I was a minute or two late I think, thankfully they were waiting for me.
We were supposed to sprint/stride up flyovers a few times. I was mentally not in the run at all. My feet have been hurting - nothing new or strange just something I have not attended to properly in recent times. I desultorily did the needful and was glad to have a ride back home.
At home chaos reigned supreme all day. The painters waltzed in and took over our rooms. The bathrooms were being acid-washed (all at once - brilliant organisation eh?). I ran around covering up stuff and trying to find some bathroom in which I could bathe in.
Friday is a test in Sanskrit for the child. In between a work-related set of phone calls (most upsetting and emotionally unsettling and confusing thing; hope its achieved closure now), we studied Sanskrit. So far its just vocabulary and spellings, so it was fun.
I set up a small quiz - conducted by child, participated by parents. One parent was most forceful in grabbing points illegally. The other parent kept focus on the aim of the exercise - viz. - child should get some practice in for her test. You can guess which was who.
This segued well into our evening. The child and I drove away from painters, carpenters, cleaners, cook, leaving the man of the household holding up the fort. A security guard took pity on me & my little i20 and let me squeeze in to a small spot at the Music Academy.
The Landmark Quiz was in full swing and after running into a close friend and his kid, we found seats. Don't know how the next umpteen hours passed, but we all had a fantastic time. I was blown away by some of the questions. So intricately detailed and awesome.
Ludwig (he will occasionally be referred to as The Quizmaster for various) who has been cribbing constantly and being mean to me incessantly, pulled ahead and won the damned thing by a HUGE margin. I was screaming my lungs out every time he picked up the mike and spoke into it (he was invariably right in his answer too). The kids tried to shush me. Well. My other friend who was also on stage pulled through to third place, so much happiness in KennyLand.
The child was so into the whole thing that I couldn't drag her away till it all finished. Even then she wanted to wait for ludwig to step down from the stage so she could congratulate him. After all these years of trying to convince her, I think she finally accepts that his head is that big because of the brains inside that giant skull. He was really brilliant - I mean I know he is, just awesome to see him win the National Landmark Quiz without ifs and buts. Just spectacular.
We returned home to maggi and curd rice (screw you SRK). Yes, having a cook visit home twice daily and asking her to make maggi for a meal is all kinds of wrong. So sue me. 10 pm. If this room could stop stinking of paint, I could sleep now, thinking about how much Navin looks like Mr. Bean....
10 comments:
> The kids tried to shush me. Well.
This is the bestest thing I've heard in ages.
> My other friend who was also on
> stage pulled through to third
> place, so much happiness in
> KennyLand.
Do you know that he was wearing those webbed things on stage? He's like surgically attached to them.
> The child was so into the whole
> thing that I couldn't drag her
> away till it all finished. Even
> then she wanted to wait for
> ludwig to step down from the
> stage so she could congratulate
> him. After all these years of
> trying to convince her, I think
> she finally accepts that his head
> is that big because of the brains
> inside that giant skull. He was
> really brilliant - I mean I know
> he is, just awesome to see him
> win the National Landmark Quiz
> without ifs and buts. Just
> spectacular.
Aww Kenny, aww. What can I say but aww? This was the first time I think we had an explicit cheer squad, seems to have done the trick! Thank you, thank you, thank you.
really? i didn't see him wearing those. btw i have a new pink pair. its pretty awesome! and did you hear me hooting? for a prof i am pretty loud. there was another rival gang shouting Kiddo Kiddo somewhere but I beat them I think!
what is this utter naansense of a Madras-based Hyderabad team, I say -- too much.
Congratulations Ludwig!
**nThe Hyderabad team that called itself ‘Na gun ki license ledu, mee life ki insurance ledu’ comprising Ravi Mundoli, Anil Kumar K. and R. Jayakanthan, all residents of Chennai, won the national finals. **
madrasi, yeah there is that. it was so awesomely geeky though super fun.
Ludwig -- I think I just verruppathified Samanth by congratulating him. He said I was only 2. I said I know my friend's team won first place
Kenny, why is the Man who knew too much called Ludwig?
How did the Sanskrit test go? I love the way you review.
Congratulations Ludwig.
Shiuli- There is some long-winded explanation on his blog (choultry.blogspot.com). Go read it. I warn you that its super boring! (Dont tell him I said that he is really very mean to me and he will retort in mean and clever manner and I will be struck dumb). Sanskrit test is postponed to this week AAAAAAH.
When you were at MIT you should've joined this group which was surprisingly fun.
+ would have helped you now
http://web.mit.edu/samskritam/www/
madrasi- yes of course. :-0
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