Jumpin’ Jiminy!

Tara has learnt to jump. She jumps three clear inches off the ground several times before falling down splat. Mrini still can’t jump. She thinks this is something she’d rather not broadcast too widely, so when Tara is showing off her jumping skills, Mrini attempts one or two jumps, then changes the subject by starting [...]

Taare Zameen Par

This movie came highly recommended, so Amit and I finally sat down and watched it last night.
It is the story of a boy who fares miserably in school and also is a bit of a misfit amongst his peers. He is happiest alone, observing things, painting or involved in creative activities, playing with pets. Unable [...]

Hair Today, Shorn Tomorrow?

For the past several months, it has been a topic of discussion between Amit and me and whoever we happen to meet: should we, or should we not, shave the twins’ heads?
Most (about two-thirds) of those we’ve spoken to say that we should, because their hair will grow out thicker, straighter, and blacker after shaving. [...]

Un-holi-day

I hate holi. Ever since I was a child, I have never enjoyed this festival. I just don’t have the required degree of extroversion, nor the required minimum level of comfort with the dirt, the disorder, the shocking physical liberties, and the sheer exuberance to enjoy the festival.
For those who don’t know, holi is the [...]

Chicken? Delicious!

Since the advent of the twins, I have done plenty of cooking, if you can count boiling (or sometimes burning) dal-rice and eggs and making cottage cheese/paneer. But I have done very little by way of cooking as in cooking up a storm. I managed to bake a couple of cakes on separate occasions, but [...]

Party Animals? Not Yet!

Today was another first for us with the twins: their first birthday party. Not their birthday, of course, that’s in August, but the first birthday party they were invited to.
When I was a child, birthdays were simple and fun. Parties were usually held sometime in the afternoon or early evening, in the birthday boy’s house. [...]

Two Brothers

If you want to see tigers, watch this movie. It is about two tigers and how they get separated at a young age (by cruel humans, of course) and what becomes of them. It is a treat for just the tigers, specially when they are tiny babies. There is a story, but it doesn’t matter [...]

Quitting Unemployment

It’s not so much about whether to be or not to be: it’s about what to be, how to be, when to be, and for how long.
In the past, whenever I’ve changed jobs, I’ve always hated the new job. I hate the new, unfamiliar workplace, the new work, the new colleagues, the new learning - [...]