Oscar season 2012

Oscar season has started, and movie lovers are watching it with expectations,and ,some with indifference.

English movies have been part of our movie going experience since the time we were teenagers. The first English movie I remember watching was Benhur , in English , escorted by our School teacher , who was so kind to make us all appreciate good cinema. We were enthralled , watching a colour movie, did not follow any dialogue, except "yes /no", but loved the hero, cried with the crucifixion, heavenly downpour, the river of blood, acts of kindness etc etc.

Courtesy Google



Hyderabad had a movie loving crowd. May be to make up for lack of any other outlet for time-pass, except Tank bund and Public Gardens. We used to have theatres all over the place and movies used to run packed houses, even dubba movies, sometimes. English movies were "happening " time-pass. Not that all the movie goers were elites/English knowing persons. The lower stalls used to be filled with guys mostly from all walks of life , just wanted to enjoy the movie , either action, (James Bond!)/ romance( pretty ladies and other interesting scenes).The advance booking system was not around then.

Therefore Saturday and Sunday matinee time was the best ,to get to see a movie and "sight seeing", due to long Q's in front of the ticket counters in scorching sun. All the good looking ladies with their families, friends were on view. The full glare of the sun, the crowds in the Q and the cars coming gracefully and dropping memsahibs for getting into the theatre -the guys had a great time. All innocent fun.

In the first week , the publicity was mostly by word of mouth. After the first week Saturday matinee, people would ask the crowd getting out, about the movie. During one such adventure, while my husband was looking at the posters of the movie he went to watch, heard someone say in Hyderabadi language " Bah, Yeh Bomma hai tho movie dekna hi nahi, Kuch Samaj mey nahi aathi( If this Statue is there,it is not worth watching. We cant follow anything).

Courtesy Google




There are thousands of blog posts on Oscar Awards from all over the world. Hundreds from India, and a few from Hyderabad. But , here is one blog written about the Oscars, which is superb.

In case you would like .. Please read ..Seeti Maar- Diary of a Movie Lover

http://seetimaar.blogspot.com/

Enjoy!

படிதத்தது - சிந்திக்க வைத்தது - தமிழவன்

ஒற்றை மொழி, பன்மொழிக் கலாச்சாரம் - தமிழவன்

ஒரு அருமையான கட்டுரை. உயிர்மை.காம் உயிரோசை வார தொகுப்பு மின் இதழில் வந்துள்ளது. கட்டாயம் படித்து சிந்திக்க வேண்டிய வேலை கொடுத்து விட்டார்!

//இரட்டைநிலை வேஷதாரித்தனம் அல்ல; அதுதான் உண்மை - தமிழவன்


என்போன்ற ஒருவன் வாழ்க்கையின் பெரும்பாலான நாட்களை ஒற்றைமொழிக் கலாச்சாரத்தின் மையத்தில் கழித்தவனல்ல. மலையாளம், கன்னடம், தெலுங்கு போன்ற பிறமொழிக் கலாச்சார மனிதர்கள், இலக்கியவாதிகள், அவர்களின் நடை உடை பாவனைகள், விருந்துகள், விழாக்கள் என்று பரிச்சயம் கொண்டவன்.

ஒற்றை மொழிக் கலாச்சாரத்தின் மையத்திற்கென்றே உள்ள உறுதிகள் இல்லாதவன்; அதன் லாபங்களைப் பெறாதவன். பன்மொழிக் கலாச்சாரங்களுக்கான உறுதியின்மை, 'என் கருத்தைப் போல் இன்னொரு கருத்தினனுக்குக்கூட ஒரு நியாயம் இருக்கலாம்' என்ற எண்ணம் கொண்டவன்.

இத்தகைய குணநலன்களை ஒற்றைமொழிக் கலாச்சாரத்தில் வளர்ந்தவர்கள், வேலை பார்த்தவர்கள், பெரும்பாலும் மதிப்பதில்லை.

தமிழ்ச் சமூகம் எத்தகைய ஒற்றைமொழிக் கலாச்சாரம் என்று யோசித்துப் பார்க்க வேண்டுமென்று படுகின்றது. முப்பதாம் வயதுக்குள்ளேயே தமிழகத்தைவிட்டு வெளியே வாழ வந்துவிட்டவன் என்ற நிலையில் எப்போதும் தமிழகத்தை இன்னொரு பார்வை வழியாகவே பார்த்து வந்திருக்கிறேன். '//





மேலே படிக்க இங்கே http://www.uyirmmai.com/Uyirosai/ContentDetails.aspx?cid=688

My experiment with Gadgets

Sometimes, life gives nasty surprises. I was having a big uncalled for pride in being a person of good health all my adult life. I was thankful to the gene on my father’s side where everyone enjoyed robust health. I was also very active and enjoyed life as much as I could.

During the past few years, my life had taken a big turn. I had to brave a lot of unpleasant turmoil and ups and downs. Even then I was glad I did not have any health worries. Pride went before the fall, and it all ended when one Doctor made an in the face announcement” you have blood sugar”!!!

Oh, my, how I had to be strong to face that taunt. It took me weeks to come to terms with it. I felt idiotic for being so proud about my health!. Silly me.

It was a big effort to keep a tab on that. I did quite well for the past 2 years. And once again I thought “ all in control”.
But the lifestyle changes did not last for long it seems. For the past few months , I had to go for hike in medication, (hateful), and admonishment from the Doctor. Hiked medicines played havoc , so reduce it.

Once again , a brave front ’ let me tackle my food intake, and selective food blah blha,’

The tests showed, the glucose level is still unacceptable.

That is bothering me a lot. What with the holiday season, and spate of weddings and allied parties, the food intake is gone haywire. Every day, I resolved to use the blood glucose monitor. Everyday get up , and drink coffee before remembering the trial. May be I did not want to face the reality of the nagging result. I am sure it is gone above normal levels.

I can feel it in my body. There are symptoms when you feel that the sugar levels are higher than normal. But after a lifetime of not putting oneself above other daily chores, it is difficult to think, what to eat, how much sugar, what to cook, added to the stress of cooking for others, cooking for self.

This is a vicious cycle. But the nagging in the mind does not stop. “I have to do this, I don’t want to end up in hospital bed, I don’t want to add to other’s problems”. These thought are important and they egg me on to take some step into monitoring the sugar levels.

Another big win, is to go and buy the Glucose monitor. ( at home, some slight reserved comments: “do you really want to buy, will you really do it?”, Years of spending your life together, people know you better than you do – so reservation is the key to daily life, doubt.. doubt..)

It took 2 months to think of self testing, few weeks more to actually do it.First day, trying to understand the OneTouch Ultra 2.

Here is my experiment with OneTouch Ultra2 :
First, taking the meter out and trying to switch it on. Poked the hand, and inserted the strip. Nothing happening, the meter would not get “on”. Strip promptly thrown into waste paper basket, with feigned lightness. Glare from the most important person in life! I am cringing here, “oh I can do it, let some strip get wasted, but I am going ahead” That moment one wishes one is alone, can decide, go ahead not think of a few strips wasted down the drain, just for the education of it. Anyway, I tried to make light of the situation and quickly folded the kit away. So that domestic peace is not disturbed. However, a few drops tears of self-pity flowed.

The next day “I can do it”, again, put the strip on the wrong side, and wasted one more. But finally, had the patience to read the instructions book and found how to switch it on, ( by inserting the strip properly and deep – it comes on automatically).
Then the lancet. It fumble with it and by mistake the level goes to 6, Poke.. Oooch .. Shock, realized the level can be 3 or 3 and it will do. draw blood,.. test.. Hey. This is so easy:-D

But everything is not comical. The meter is showing mega readings, the levels area way too high.
I need to waste lots of strips before reaching the accepted level good for my health. It is a kind of battle. But I am brave still I am going to fix it soon.

PS: My big boost came from that nice blog by Varsha Tiwary (http://wholesomeoptions.blogspot.com/2011/04/eat-your-way-out-of-diabetes.html), which led me to look into another blog by Alan Shanley and buy his book “what one earth Can I eat”.
It is a costly book, for the slim volume , and all it says is “ test, test, test”. The strips are expensive , but gives a satisfaction of knowing where you are heading with your blood glucose levels.
And it has given me confidence to battle my blood glucose.

It is a challenge, and readers, I am going to achieve it.

(very brave indeed!)

River Ganga , again in news.

The river is sacred to all of us Indians. We venerate it , worship it. Now there are doubts that it may dry up in a few decades.
That thought is unthinkable for all Indians who have been brought up on many stories about Ganga ,at various levels.

How come the people have allowed it to be rampaged and on slow death so soon? ,Is the river not sacred to all those who also spoil it? . What is their responsibility to the river, to the land and to the religion.There was some talk from the Government on cleaning up, nothing seems to have materialised, obviously no funds for such unimportant subject!
I feel very confused and sad.

Here is an article written in New York Times blogs
http://latitude.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/02/grunge-in-the-ganges/

(All images Google).










I tend to believe how unfair we are becoming and agree with this opinion about our unfair attitudes.http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column_indians-are-more-tolerant-of-unfairness_1476202

:-(