Spell-bound ??

Jr. is now into spelling.. At least she can figure out what any word starts with..

We are having fun with Phonics now.

However, She spent 10 minutes telling me "Crocodile starts with a K daddy !!".. After much persuation, Crocodile finally starts with a C.

She was also trying to convince me that America starts with M !! I will leave that as an exercise for her teachers.

Pretty soon we will be spelling entire words... looking forward to more of

"you dont know anything daddy.. this is how it is done !!"

What is in a Citizenship ???

As most of you already know, I will be a US Citizen in a few days. I have been outspoken about pretty much everything in my entire life.. so why change the trend here ? I will tell you all about this major decision!

Most of the naturalized Americans that I have known changed their National affliation as a matter of convenience or did so as an eventuality . In a way, they gave reasons like :

What choice do I have ? My kids are Citizens ! or the
What else can I do ? I have decided to stay in the US. Might as well be a Citizen!

Most of these people know that they are godfearing, taxpaying honest working folk who know that once they apply for US Citizenship, they will not be turned down! After all, they would be model citizens for any country.

If it was that easy to switch nationalities, why doesnt every Indian guy I know who has settled here gone for it ? In my opinion (based on my limited observation of these people), the only tricky part, is the oath of allegiance. People who love their country too much to consciously say these words, especially envisioning the scenario of the US going to war with their former fatherland/ motherland, get emotionally drained and feel conflicted by this.

I reproduce the oath here for people who do not know what it is :

"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the armed forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."

I know a lot of naturalized citizens who held on to their permanent residency status for more than 10 years and finally decided to go for it .. their main problem .. the oath.

As for me, I am a very attached to India. Twenty years of growing up, being born and raised Indian, I do believe in "Mera Bharat Mahan" (India is great).. I also believe that just because one fine day I take an oath, I erase my past or change my belief or value system. So why do this ?

I for the most part want to VOTE !! My kids are growing up here and most likely I will stay in the United States because I like my work here and my life here. But, I dont have any say in any policy making that affects my kids or my future !! A local city council candidate came to my door recently tryiing to get my vote. When he realized I wasnt a citizen, he gave me a look that said "Why did I waste my time with you ?". I wasnt offended by that. It made me think "Here is this guy who is going to decide what is going to decide important things from my kids lunch menu to the fate of local parks to how much money our local public library gets !!!" and I dont have the power to vote this dude down because he doesnt think about people like me who are working very hard to get where we are !! That kind of decided it for me.

I am going to take the oath in all sincerity, in the hope that I wont have to bear arms. Maybe there are people who take the oath so they can actively subscribe to the homegrown militia groups, but I have plenty of american friends who have never touched a gun and are turned off by the thougtht of ever having to fire one.. They will be my role models!! At the end of the day a good citizen of India or the United States should be a good citizen of this world and should strive for a better world !
I am changing affiliations with that goal.

One thing I can promise : This new citizenship will not stop me from taking on the happenings in India or the United States with my usual dose of satire...

Bedtime Yarns ..

Jr. is in the habit of listening to bed time stories now. No going to bed without a bed time story. The same story wont do everyday. So I have to get creative.

Stories which are wild and imaginative, or stories which involve real people including me and her in fantastic situations are appreciated more.. I am learning as time goes by.

Granted I am no JK Rowling, but her favorite story is Zebu and Chimpu.. one of those yarns I came up with two weeks ago..

Here is the unabridged version. (finally all those years of reading Champak as a kid are paying off !!)

Zebu and Chimpu

Once upon a time, there was a savannah. A savannah is a large field full of yellow, brown and green grass..there lived in the grass a baby zebra called Zebu. His best friend was a baby monkey called Chimpu. They both loved to play together.. One day Zebu asked Chimpu to race him. So Chimpu sat on Zebu's back when Zebu was going really fast "tic tic tic tic... "..
Zebu : " you are not racing me chimpu.. you are just sitting on my back!!".
Chimpu :"can you climb a tree with me ?"
Zebu : no. How can I climb a tree.. I dont have hands and a tail like you.. how can I climb a tree ?
Chimpu : I dont have long legs and muscles like you either.. so how can I race you ?
Zebu realized his mistake and said "Sorry chimpu. I realize we are different. From now on I wont ask you to race me.. lets play something else." They played for some time and then got bored.. Chimpu asked Zebu what he wanted to do next..

I am hungry. I feel like eating some "desert apples" said Zebu.

"Desert Apples huh ? but the desert is 3 miles away !!" said chimpu.
Dont worry, hop on my back and I will race to the desert ! said Zebu and they went "clickty click, clickty click.... " and in a jiffy they were at the desert. But the desert apple tree was tall and the apples were way up in the tree..

How will I ever reach those apples cried Zebu. "Dont worry. I will get them. Climbing trees is what we monkeys do best" said Chimpu and using his long hands and legs and his big tail he went up very fast and threw 10 apples down to Zebu.

By the time Chimpu got down, Zebu had already finished all the 10 apples. Chimpu said " It is getting dark, we have to go home soon.. lets go back " and hopped on to Zebu's back. But guess what Zebu said ?

No Chimpu. I cannot run now because my poppai (stomach) is full !! I can only run after I go potty !
Chimpu : Then why did you eat the apples you silly goose ? we could have put them in a bag , ran back home and then had the apples ?
Zebu : I am very sorry Chimpu. I was really hungry, so I ate the apples without thinking about the Potty !
Chimpu : Okay then, run as fast as you can.. If you have to go, you have to go and we will stop and find a restroom on the way at some Mcdonalds or Burger King !
Zebu said "Okay, hop on my back! I will do my best ".. and off they went clickety click. clickety click..
They had gone halfway when Zebu suddenly shouted "Urgent, Urgent. I have to go potty, RIGHT NOW!!" (just like you know who !!)
Chimpu said, "okay, I will get down.. you see that restaurant there ? Go in and go potty".
So Zebu walks into the restaurant and everyone is surprised. What is a zebra doing in a restaurant ? Zebu said "Sorry, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, I have to go urgent potty !!". A little girl said "Why are you standing there, silly !! We are eating here.. run to the restroom in the back !!" So Zebu went to the restroom, did potty, wipey wipey and then came out.. He looked fresh and he told Chimpu

NOW we can go back home real soon. Hop on my back again !!

Did you wash your hands ? said Chimpu!! "Oh no !! I forgot " said Zebu and he ran back in to wash his hands.. "NOW , we can go!!" said Chimpu and hopped on Zebu's back.

They raced home and as soon as they went back to the savannah, Zebus mommy and daddy were there at the door.. They were very mad at Zebu. Why did you go to the desert without telling us ? they asked. Zebu said " I am sorry mommy and daddy. I was bored just playing with Chimpu here all day and I was also hungry". Just then Chimpu's mommy and daddy came and they were also very mad with him. "Chimpu, you little rascal, there are snakes in the desert. What if they had bit you. We would have to take you to the doctor and give you a Oosi (injection) !!. Is that what you want ?"

"No.. I am sorry mommy" said Chimpu.. I was bored too..

Then the daddys and mommys talked to each other and looked at Chimpu and Zebu :

From tomorrow, both of you are going to go to Montessori school. You will make a lot of friends with girls like "you know who" and you will not be bored again"..

So, Chimpu and Zebu said "Thank you so much" to their mommy and daddy and they lived happily ever after !!

THE END !!

The chair is back. Long live the chair !!

The rocking chair is back. I got the first one for 125 bucks at a store that was going out of business. Paid 175 bucks for the same chair 3 years later !!

The old chair still works, just doesnt rock anymore..

:(

I am pretty sure I could have fixed the first one in India by taking it to the local auto mechanic shop and getting new bearings and a weld... too bad labor is so expensive where we live and we have no friendly neigborhood auto mechanics..

Then and now ...

A photo from the old archives, superimposed with one from last night..The old photo was taken by San when the first one was 4 months old.. We used to call the first one Batgirl.. She would latch on to me and sleep.. even if I didnt hold her..The little one seems to do the same..



The old photograph was San at her artistic best, creeping up when we were sleeping to take the picture.. The later photograph, was er, a commissioned photo at my request.. so she was waiting for us to sleep and took the picture..

One thing is obvious.. I am not getting any younger.. 3 years has taken a significant toll on my face and physique !!