Duh!

One of the mistakes which all parent commit is to teach non-educational things to their kids, particularly the slangs n stuff. Its like a boomerang and comes back n hits u very soon!! So here is my tale... The Tale of "Duh!"

For reasons only known to nobody, I thought I will teach the 2-half year old in my house on the "nuances" of Duh! (Actually I myself was kinda intrigued by this word after I first heard it and have been attempting to use this at every potential place!!) Anyway with all my teaching skills honed up, I told her that when mommy asks here "Baby, did u finish your pudding?" you should say "Duh!" and I explained to her that she infact has finished the pudding which mommy didnt see.... So far so good....

An hour passed and she was next to me cuddled in the couch watching TV and suddenly got up and went to her mommy in kitchen... In her own phonetics, it seems she asked mommy to ask her if she finished dinner. Mommy was curious.. but to keep the lil one's enthusiasm, she asked. Well I saw mommy calling me with hands on her hip and a growling look at me "You taught her that" and the lil one was laughing hysterically. Well apparently she said "Duh!" with such american perfection. And she was saying that everytime mommy turned towards her and laughing hysterically....

Well my dinner and next day's breakfast was at threat so without wating time, I packaged the 3-footer in my arms and shifted her to the living room. We were laughing in whispers, saying "Duh!" to each other and both of us almost in tummy pain!!. DAYEM!! We got find out... Man! Women have sharp ears dont they?

Well time to be a stern dad, I told the lil girl "You shouldnt say Duh, often but only when u actually mean it (or something like that).." she said, "Duh!"... This fun-time took almost an hour to subside with mommy ending up red-faced and my dinner hanging in a single weak thread!! So i turned the attention to Mickey Mouse and it was forgotten then....Next day evening, I thought well she has forgotten the word. As usual I asked her when I reached home, "So did my lil baby girl go to play-school today?"

She said..... "Duh!"

Now it was my wife's turn to peal into laughter and with a sheepish grin I joined too...

Amazing fact is how sharp these young minds are and how quick they can grasp the usage, purpose and phonetics of a word. Especially when its funny. And these days my daughter has picked up a third language from school, apart from English and the one we speak at home. And its not just words but ACTUAL sentences with grammar and she responds to questions in that language!!! I think we are far outsmarted by these youngsters and as I always say, she's gonna tell me one day, "Dad, really, what did they teach u at school? Did u go to school regularly?"

Now, Here is a fair warning to all of those who could meet my 2yr old daughter, Whatever u ask, please dont ask any "obvious" questions otherwise be ready to hear the "Duh!"

Placid Hearts.... A Poem from Venkat

Hmmmm its been like a long time since I wrote a poem... I just thought of something and here are few words that escaped my "Editor's Scissors"!! Hope y'all like it... Please dont forget to leave your comments...

Placid Hearts

Placid the surface seems
with smiles and rhymes galore
Among the heart's reams
lay those pages wore

Pain, as some cite
yet they cant warrant why
Dolor, it be might
yet those smiles, they defy

Fear not, worry not
what the heart hath keep
For life sustains, fails not
nay, melancholy never run deep

.:Venkat:.

A Quote from "George Costanza"

There are some quotes that make you think... Some make you wonder... Some make you want it!! This one is from the TV series "Sienfeld" and spoken by the (in)famous George Costanza played by Jason Alexander. Its a line that amused me and equally intrigue me.

"The most unfair thing about life is the way it ends. I mean, life is tough. It takes of a lot of your time. What do you get at the end of it? A death. What's that, a bonus?!? I think the life cycle is all backwards. You should die first, get it out of the way. Then you go live in an old age home. You get kicked out for being too healthy, go collect your pension, then, when you start work, you get a gold watch on your first day. You work forty years until you're young enough to enjoy your retirement. You drink alcolol, you party and you get ready for High School. You go to primary school, you become a kid, you play, you have no responsibilities. You become a little baby, you go back, you spend your last 9 months floating with luxuries like central heating, spa, room service on tap. Then you finish off as an orgasm!! Amen!"

Wouldnt life be so different if the end of you life is going to be actually an orgasm!! WOW!!! Then you will actually start living it to its fullest extent?

Thats the deal isnt it. Its always unfair. Seriously I dont believe in "sin" but I do believe in "Good deeds". So should we live life with the fear of sinning or its repurcussions or just look at the green fields of our good deeds and take pride in them? In my opinion the concept of Sin itself is hypocrisy. Anyway, let me not stray out of this blog...
Maybe we should concentrate on how we make the lives of ours and the people around us as enjoyable and happier till the day the eyes are closed and the coffin is shut on our mortal self...

Hmmmmm Im getting too much philosophical! Blame it on George

And then they walkaway....

They grab ur finger with their nimble hands...
Pull that and suckle on to it...
They giggle in your lap..
Sit-up and crawl, lookin back at you each time..
Stand-up and take their first step...

And then they walkaway from your life...

A life you created for them forgetting everything around you....
And there you stand wondering should you reach out and stop or just watch with pride....
Nevertheless a drop of tear crawls down the cheek...

A poem by Venkat

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Monday was the first day at Playschool for my daughter. Backpack with spare clothes and biscuits and a name tag. New dress for the first day. And in a brand new car..... Her mom n me were preparing ourselves for her crying like any kid :: "No school please, Take me home with you.."
We walk upto the gate of the Playschool.. The lady who handles these kids standing there with a smile and some candy (to bribe some easy-to-get kids) and some toy-pedal-cars (for those tougher ones). She looks at us and then greets my 2 year old.
Suddenly the nimble hands holding our finger wasnt there and the 24 months old bundle of joy vanished through the gate and into the classroom!!! She didnt even turn back to say Bye!!
Here is the twist:: She was the only one who went into so eagerly because the candy box was getting empty faster and some kids refused to climb down from their parents' safe hands despite the best-in-the-house candy bar!! Ofcourse a large number of them were in tears and tantrums...
There we were standing, first glowing with pride under the jealous glares of those parents. Then like someone knocked in our heads and we realised the most treasured treasure of our lives has just vanished behind that door to find a new world for herself..
"Well, atleast we wont cry when she gets married", I told my wife, "Atleast, she is much practical and not a sentimental fool like us..."
That brings me back to the topic: We build a secure world. Shower them with love and affection and care. Mixing baby foods, washing feeding bottles. Changing diapers. Practically we turn our world upside down. But then the eventuality dawns on us as our kids become an individual...
Giving us pride and also wishing secretly they remained that little bundle of joy giggling and crawling...
I could hear my wife muttering "..Midnight feeds and diaper changes is better than this..."
And I wink at her with a grin.... Reading my mind, she gives me the look that says "Yeah right"...

The Circle of Life....

Topic of an argument with a colleague of mine: Which one fullfills your life, taking care of your parents on their twilight of lives or being a parent and bringing up a child.
The basis of this discussion started with two movie stars who are equally successfull where one is unmarried and is taking care of her parents and the other who adopted a girl child and bringing her up as a Single mom. I must add both have had their string of failed relationships and love lifes.
In my opinion, its the being a parent and bringing up a child and making that child a good person with all values and virtues that you and your parents have stood by, which is the most difficult, rewarding, emotionally fullfilling and yes finally, completes your responsibility in this Circle of Life...
You can take care of your parents by providing the best of the medical care, personal care, money, so on and so forth. A little time from you, they will also be happy till the sun sets on their time. Despite that I believe, you will ALWAYS be the one who _receives_ love from them in abundance. For you are their living footprint...
Waking up in the middle of the night for a nappy change, late night feeds. Running behind with a bowl of porridge or a change of clothes. Carrying them on your shoulder when they are sleepy or staying awake when they are sick. Telling them stories and reading books. Choosing the best dress with a price tag that might buy you your whole wardrobe. In short giving them the best than what you had as a child.
Watching that little bunch of joy first rollover, then crawl, then situp, then hold your hand and stand and then walk away....yes walk away from you. Only to become an adult often turning back to see you are still there. Holding that bicycle and promising you wont let go, but letting it go to see them cycle on their own....
Well you have just paid back your dues that you have been accumulating since you were born. If you are a mother, I feel, you have more than repaid what you owed....
I believe that untill a person becomes a parent he/she has not completed that Circle of Life and in net is overdue in their payments to the nature.....