1 April
2014
27 March
2014
Amazing!!
USA Today headline this morning “Thai satellite spots 300 objects in the Indian Ocean”.
Everybody is like “It is absolutely amazing what advance technology has made. It is unbelievable what a little piece of gadget thousands and thousands of miles away in the space can spot in the high seas….”
And I am like “Thailand has a satellite!!! Who knew?”
22 March
2014
Nikispeak early in the morning!
Early this morning Niki and I woke up and we sat in her bedroom chatting in hushed tones so the rest of the house would not wake up. During the one hour chat, the topic came up about a livecam set up by Berry College in an eagle’s nest that she saw. (You can show your kids, it is very cute : www.berry.edu/eaglecam).
In any case, she was excitedly telling me about the egg hatching and the mom taking care of the baby eagle, feeding it and all that. Then, she mentioned that in the evening, the “husband” eagle flew in.
Barely concealing my amusement, I asked her how did she conclude that it was the “husband” eagle?
Niki just shrugged her shoulders and said “Oh! It was constantly fighting the mother eagle”!!!!
I conceded that no further proof is required 🙂
18 March
2014
Where is Rumsfeld when you really need him?
18 March
2014
Funny!
9 March
2014
Daylight Savings and my Mom
We had just finished the Sunday morning group run. I had a twenty minute drive home. Decided to make my daily call to mom from the car. So far so good. But, at a moment of indiscretion, I let her know about the clocks being reset today in US due to Daylight Savings. And then for the next ten minutes, I had to try my best explaining day light savings to somebody who has never been exposed to day light savings. She had quite a few questions and you could see that she was getting really confused with the whole concept. I think the core question she was trying to get past was “Why bother? It is not saving you any time”.
Finally, I tried explaining the practical ramifications. For example, when we ran today, it was much darker than last Sunday since today’s 8 am was last Sunday’s 7am. For a few moments she was very quiet. I figured she was now getting the hang of it. And I was sure the next thing she was going to ask would be a worried question like – “So, you did not sleep well last night?” or “Did you ever miss a flight due to this?”.
Instead, her question was “Khaabi ki ghori dhorey?” (“Are you going to have your lunch by the clock time”?). Only my Mom!! Only she can cut thru all the confusion of this stupid thing that sounds like you will save some time when you don’t and get to the central essence of her entire existence – “When will my son get to eat”?
I was so taken aback that I myself took a few seconds to process it. And then desperately trying to muffle my laughter, I offered “Keno? Khidey pele kheye nebo”. (“Why? I will eat when I feel hungry”). Even she admitted, after a few seconds of due consideration that given all the complications of daylight savings her son has to suffer thru, his logic was as sound as it will ever get!!
Heaven help all Indian moms if and when India ever switches to day light savings!!!
8 March
2014
International Women’s Day
6 March
2014
Nikispeak again!!
So, there is a Miley Cyrus show coming up. And I asked my usual question to the girls (by SMS) if they wanted to go. (I never go but many times they show up for all these concerts). I was anyways wary of exposing any of the girls (including Sharmila 😉 ) to “twerking” (I think that is the word, right?). So I asked the question in a negative way.
Again, Niki’s response was hilarious. I so wish this firecracker would remain 10 years old for ever!!!!
Here, see her response for yourself…
6 March
2014
Nikispeak
After two very tiring days in Dallas and then rushing back for a customer dinner yesterday, I was dog tired and late to bed last night. Decided to change up my routine this morning – slept in till 6 am and then had a leisurely coffee at home instead of going for a run and all that. And since I had missed Nikita’s birthday day before (I was on the road), offered to accompany her to school today.
While driving there, I opened with an ice breaker – “Can you think of some
English words that have three consecutive vowels?”. She gave me one long look, answered “Aaaaaaah”and “Wheeeeee” and then closed her eyes!!!! But not before reminding me “No more academic questions before school hours”!!!
Needless to say, the rest of the trip was very quiet and decidedly vowel-less!!!!
4 March
2014