A day to celebrate books and reading

World Book Day is celebrated in the UK and Ireland on the first Thurday in March, which would make it today, 7th March 2013. Internationally, it is celebrated on 23rd April as World Book and Copyright Day, declared by the UNESCO to promote reading, publishing and copyright.

I was introduced to the wonderful idea of having a day set aside for books when we were in the UK all of 9 years ago. (That long ago, hmm? Feels like yesterday sometimes, when I remember all the lovely times A and I had there together.)

A went to a montesssori there, and one day, we received an envelope addressed to us in her school bag. It contained a book token for one pound, and a list of age appropriate books that we could choose from to buy through the school. We could choose one book from the list to buy with our book token. Not only that, we could choose more books from the list at a discount, as the school had a tie-up with the local indie bookstore. We would then receive our treasure package on World Book Day.

I was charmed by the whole thing. Every school child in the country would be extended this privilege. That, in the UK, would mean almost every child above school going age, unless one is living under a rock. Schooling for children there is subsidized after 3 years of age; even free in certain schools. World Book Day, then, served as a wonderful means to introduced a child to the pleasures of actually owning a book. This is different in many ways from actually being introduced to books - possible for any child as County Council run libraries are free and usually well stocked. And there were libraries everywhere. At least until a few years back when many faced closure due to lack of state funding. Lack of funding for these libraries due to budget cuts coupled with negative attitudes like Terry Deary's would further deplete this wonderful resource if things do not change. Sad.

Which brings me to India. Our country. We are far far away from a utopia where we have such an extensive network of free libraries, let alone book tokens for an affordable amount. There are some people doing some good in this field, though. Pratham Books, with their Read India Movement, aim to put a book in every child's hand. This is what they say in their mission statement:

"At Pratham Books, we believe that every child has the right to enjoy good books.  And we believe they should have stories set in surroundings familiar to them and in a language close to their culture. We believe that to make books accessible to every child, the price points have to be very low. Pratham Books is a brand of story books as Indian as the children who read them. As a not-for-profit publisher, our dream is to see a country where every child wants to read, is able to read, and has something good to read.
With a range of stories created to excite children with different likes and tastes, the books are illustrated by some of the most enthusiastic and talented illustrators. Our aim is to have something good for every child, in every part of the country, and in the process spread the joy of reading far and wide."

This vision has had them creating books like these, wonderful books for throwaway prices. For example, this exquisite book, my favourite from the Pratham stable, has loads of stuff to see, read about, talk about, and so many possibilities for activities. At Rs 35 for an English edition and Rs 25 for an Indian language one, it is a steal. Pratham books also are available in most Indian languages, and there are books that feature the everyday life of ordinary people. They are also more rooted in reality than those of other publishers whose book are for a similar demographic. As a result, any and every child can identify with these stories, and can be encouraged to pick up these books. The low cost, local language, and quality reading values make these books ideal for 'putting a book in each child's hands'.

Let me tell you of an experience - I volunteer at a school for special children. Among other things, I also read stories aloud. (On an aside, yesterday, 6th March 2013, was World Read Aloud Day. Another way to spread the joy of books to those who can read, as well as those who cannot.) Many of these children have difficulty in imagining much beyond reality, and fantasy, mythology, fairy tales, etc., are a big no-no. I often find myself pulling out a Pratham books publication to read to them, which they enjoy thoroughly as they can easily visualize things that commonly happen at home, in schools, or in any other 'real' setting. I find myself struggling to hold their attention with the books of many other publishers, unless that book matches these criteria. This makes these books so much more inclusive.

There are many other players who are doing good work in this kind of an initiative. It would make for a separate post altogether, which is a positive thing - the fact that these activities can provide more fodder means that there are good people out there. I would like to dwell on a recent such initiative before I sign off.

Bookalore, in Bangalore, is founded by a group of writers working with children's books. They describe themselves as Bangalore's Big Little Book Club.

"Bookalore is an independent group of children's writers, illustrators, editors, librarians, teachers and filmmakers. Its monthly fun-based events for children and young adults will be held across Bangalore at libraries, schools, bookshops, art galleries, museums, theatres and other public spaces."

They share wonderful book and reading related links on their Facebook page, and these links would make me a fan even if I wasn't in Bangalore. Their sessions are free and open to anyone, though they do require you to register the child's name with a parent's email for a session.

As the area of publishing for children in India opens up more, grows, and matures, hopefully, so will the outreach of books and reading to all our children. For every child needs to have their own books to love. Or at least a library at which books can be accessed.  

As I contemplate writing my 200th post...

...I think of all the things that have changed for me since I began blogging. It hasn't all been plain sailing: there have been many hiccups, but I've recovered, dusted off, and continued from where I had left off.

I have indulged in my first love- reading and writing- something that had almost been eclipsed by the passing of time and the nitty-gritties of everyday life.

I have re-visited many childhood favourites, some that I had almost forgotten about, and others that I just had to dust the surface of.

I have found another way of connecting with my fast-growing and book-discerning daughter. I had always read to her and with her through all these years...my blogging about the books we enjoy together has made me something of a hero in her eyes. Something that I'll always be thankful for and cherish.

Not just her, my nephews- my siblings' sons, to whom I was 'just the pesky aunt that visits every year', have of late been looking at me through new, respectful, eyes. It is almost as if I had suddenly become worth taking seriously. They're tweens, too: grown-ups begin to become persona non-grata beginning now. How refreshing for things to look the other way! Of course, I have to thank my ruminations about Harry Potter for that.

I have found new and wonderful friends past my 40s. Choxbox, Sangi, Starry, Veena, Zoe, the Saffrontree gang specially the mad momma, utbtkids, Artnavy, Vibha, Ranjani, Sheela and Arundhati. There are many others - bloggers and non-bloggers, both- Swapna, Subhashree, Suranga, Abha, Shankari (where are you?), Monika, IHM, R's Mom, TGND, Shruti, Simran, Rashmi, Aparna, Padmini,...some of whom I've met and others whom I've only ever interacted with online. Any names that I may have missed- consider yourself tagged. All of you have enriched my life in your own special way. Some of you have been pillars of strength when I needed it- you know who you are.

I've participated in some fun activities and competitions online, notable of which are the Tulika blogathons. Won some, lost some. A prestigious award on IHM's blog- this is something I cherish.

I've been a participant and raised my voice in some awesome drives- Child Sexual Abuse Awareness Month and Violence Against Women Awareness Month. One may call it armchair activism, but even that has its uses: and if that is all I can contribute, that is what I will.

You will find my work (other than this blog) at Saffrontree (my online family), Book Reviews, Zealot Readers, Women's Web and Mom's Diaries. Maybe in a small way at each place, but it's me.

I read the writing of all the aforementioned friends, and some more, as also the awesome stuff shared by every one of them. All of which has slowly pulled me out of the deep well I was in. I've learnt a lot from all of them, and hope to continue learning. My reading also has gone places, much more than it would have if I had  been just a reader.

I've challenged myself now and again, and have loved the experience. My writing, too, has evolved over the past two-and-a-half years, and I see the road opening in front of me.

Wish me luck as I end this 200th post. Looking forward to many more such posts where I can interact with like-minded friends. For you guys make it all worthwhile.

In which we wish Harry and JKR a Happy Birthday

Before we go on to the topic of our post, let me also tell my readers that today is also the birthday of another literary great, Munshi Premchand a.k.a. Dhanpat Rai,born on 31st July 1880 in a village near Benaras.

******************************************************************
In my mind, there is clearly a before Potter and after Potter.

Rowling is one of those beautiful people who think of humanity beyond the me-and-mine, and for that, she is my hero. Every Potter reader knows the story of how it all happened. Not many know of the rest.

1990: The idea for the Potter books came to Joanne, a single, impoverished mother of a daughter.

1997: Seven years later, the first Potter book was published by Bloomsbury in June 1997. The consecutive books were published in June 1998, July 1999, July 2000, June 2003, July 2005, July 2007. The release of each book saw unprecedented frenzy at book-stores the world over. JK Rowling had truly wrought a miracle: reading had become cool!

2001: Rowling wrote : Quidditch Through The Ages and Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them. Both purport to be curriculum books followed at Hogwarts, and contain interesting back stories about Hogwarts, the game of Quidditch, and detailed references to magical beasts, most of them from actual mythology. Both books are supposedly copies belonging to Harry, with a lot of amusing marginalia by Harry, Ron and Hermione. Worth picking up for a true aficionado.

All proceeds from these books until 2009, and a percentage of all published after that goes to Comic Relief, a UK based charity working for eradicating poverty.

2008: Tales of Beedle The Bard was published. Initially published as a limited edition of 7, six were given away to persons closely associated with the Potter books, and the seventh was auctioned to raise a whopping 1.95 million pounds for LUMOS, a UK based charity founded by Rowling herself, that works towards bettering the lives of disadvantaged and institutionalized children. The book was then published for the public by Bloomsbury in collaboration with LUMOS, and a percentage of the sales goes to the charity.

She has also set up the Volant Charitable Trust, named after her her French great-grandfather Louis Volant a decorated WW1 hero. Quoting from the objectives of this trust:
The Trust has two broad areas of funding:
1. Research into the causes, treatment and possible cures of Multiple Sclerosis.
J K Rowling is supporting major research into neuroregeneration and Multiple Sclerosis at the University of Edinburgh. The Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic is being set up in Edinburgh with the substantial donation J K Rowling made in 2010. The Trust is therefore not considering any health care applications, including other medical research, for the foreseeable future.
2. Charities and projects, whether national or community-based, at home or abroad, that alleviate social deprivation, with a particular emphasis on women’s and children’s issues.
At present the Trustees consider the funding of major disaster appeals and this is the focus of the Trust’s International support; therefore, applications for other projects overseas are not being considered for the foreseeable future.

***************************************************************

Over the years, JK Rowling has been the recipient of a multitude of honours and awards, notable among which are the OBE, 2001, for services to Children's Literature and Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award, 2010, which is given to a writer of enduring and rich children's literature.

Come September 2012, Rowling will be releasing her first book after the Hogwarts books, this one for adults. The Casual Vacancy, published by Little, Brown, promises to be quintessentially British.

Other than all of this, there have been the Harry Potter movies that have spread the magic of the Potter books further. I know of at least six of my daughter's friends who are not big-time into reading, but who have been inspired by the movies (and the constant nudging by A) to pick up the books and read them through. Enjoy them thoroughly too.

The spell of Potter has gone to enchant the online world, too. A and I are members at Pottermore, which gives one an insider's experience of Harry's world. This is a safe site for your children, where one joins, gets a wand, gets sorted into houses, all based on questions one answers about what one would do given a particular situation. One then goes on to discover exclusive and intriguing back stories on the various characters, places, spells, events, etc., that comprise the wizarding world. No personal information is asked, and one is even given a magical username, so that one can be anonymous.

There will be much more that happens around JK Rowling in the future. I leave you here with the Commencement Address given by her to Harvard Graduates of 2008, the full text of which can be read here: The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and The Importance of Imagination.

For those who would rather listen to it directly from JK Rowling, here is the video link..

One is struck by the honesty, humour and humanity of feeling.

"So why do I talk about the benefits of failure? Simply because failure meant a stripping away of the inessential. I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was, and began to direct all my energy into finishing the only work that mattered to me. Had I really succeeded at anything else, I might never have found the determination to succeed in the one arena I believed I truly belonged. I was set free, because my greatest fear had been realised, and I was still alive, and I still had a daughter whom I adored, and I had an old typewriter and a big idea. And so rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life."

Think not just of the books she has created and the charities she has given so generously for. Think of the worldwide phenomenon that has created so many jobs, fed so many mouths, and interested people again in the art of reading. She is truly a hero.


Have a very Happy Birthday, Joanne Kathleen Rowling! And a very Happy Birthday to Harry, too, the Boy Who Lived!

Dear Veena

This is an open letter to you. I have never met you. But I feel, since you are a friend of a friend, and fellow book lover, I can take this liberty. This is also a pretty longish letter, so please make yourself comfortable while you read it. 

pic courtesy goodreads

First, this has been a wonderful read. A book tailor made for the likes of me. Ever since Sangi recommended this book, I had wanted to lay my hands on it. I ordered it from flipkart. None of the book stores I visited had it on stock. They still don't. It is their loss, in my opinion.

Spoiler alert for readers other than the author: Do not read this post if you would rather read the book first.

You had me at chapter one. To Kill a Mockingbird is a favourite here too. I must have first read it around the age of 12. I got it out of the school library. (I wonder now, why I was not prevented from issuing it out in my 6th grade!) Sure, some of it went over my head at the time, but I loved it for the holiday 'adventures' of Scout and Jem. Something about it intrigued me, though, and I picked it up again when I was older, in my late teens. I understood the nuances much more then. I have revisited it a few times since, and each time, I have learnt something new, noticed something I had missed earlier. Actually, I could say this about many books I have had the good fortune to read. As it is truly said, “A classic is a book that always remains fresh, and yields something new at every reading.”  But that is more relevant to your last chapter- Read. Rinse. Repeat.

The latest in these are the Harry Potter books- books that have fascinated my daughter as much as me, and which, I am sure, we will be re-visiting many times over.

Of course, it goes without saying, as far as To Kill a Mockingbird is concerned, that I have watched the movie many times, too. As much for Harper Lee's story as for Gregory Peck, I must confess!

Let me now go from chapter to chapter. Completely agree with the curiosity about the birds and bees in chapter 2. All I came across in my innocent past were the books that a college student who would come to our house every day to oversee our homework, as my parents would not be at home in the evenings. She was an ardent fan of all things Mills & Boon, along with the auxiliaries- Barbara Cartland, Danielle Steele, and the like. She was also big-time into best sellers like Sidney Sheldons, Perry Masons, etc. Not what I'd pick up now, but then- I was fascinated by the stuff she read. I was in my 9th then, and I must admit that she was not the most scrupulous of persons, and she would let me borrow her books. I would then read them behind my school books. Curiosity did kill the cat to an extent, colouring my world-view for a long time. Somehow, I regret reading those books then. I should have put my time to better use- there were so many more wonderful books to choose from in my world. But then I was unfortunate at the time, in that I did not have much guidance on the subject.

Paper v/s Pixel? Yes, any visitor to my home will vouch for my leanings. My home is drowning in books. They are everywhere. Somehow I have never been able to adapt myself to digitized versions of books. They might have the same stuff on them, but they are just not the same. As even my 11 year old know, (thanks to Inkheart) books and characters are made up of paper and printer's ink. I agree completely with Hermione Granger when she says that one of the smells that comprise her perception of the love potion is that of freshly printed books!

Have to admit that we, too, wonder sometimes about the erstwhile owners of some of the books we pick up at used book shops. Inscriptions like- "Dear Jenny, Hope this book is something you always wanted. Love, Walter." - bring to mind The Wonder Years.

Love in the aisle- Wonderful. Escapism at its best. OK, I'll admit to being a bit different on this one. Of course I had my fantasies, but they were always, always, about having my book up there on the shelves. Mundane, I know, but true. I still have these.

The chapter about books read in Mumbai trains tickled my funny bone the most. I was laughing uncontrollably as I read it. Why? First-hand experience. As a true blue Mumbaikar, I have done my share of travelling by the local trains in amchi Mumbai.

The running on to the platform as the 7.13 fast local thundered on to the platform, dodging the oncoming crowd, to be straightaway swallowed up by the motley group desirous of getting into the already packed ladies compartment. The split second pause to allow for the commuters being regurgitated from the compartment and the rushing in to fill up the vaccum created. Quick, practiced movement towards potential seats, and asking those seated where they would be getting off- I know it is an irksome practice, but I look at it as a necessary evil. Necessary in a city where survival of the fittest matters, and I think most people living in it understand this. I look at the journeys in a Mumbai local train as an environment of networking that works wonderfully well in maximum city. Complete with friends, friends of friends, social updates, status updates, pokes and multitasking.:) 


Have been there, done that, however. Rushed, pushed, been the social climber up to the window seat, sat/stood with a book in hand, (yes!) getting lost in a book in the midst of the enveloping chaos. Yes, laughed and giggled, too, much to the chagrin of co-travellers. Made friends over the books read- much like in the blogosphere. Hidden books, too, covering the clandestinely read ones with newspaper. Actually, the covers served only the purpose of hiding the title; the very fact of having the book covered screamed out the inappropriateness of the book being read.:)


And the story about Belfast- very Brysonesque indeed!

I won't say much about chapters 6, 7 and 9, except that they sent shivers up my spine, and that I can fully understand the paranoia. When I was expecting my baby, I was in my mid-30s, and everything that I had learnt about complications of late pregnancies kept playing on my mind. I drove my obstretician- who is also a dear friend- up the wall with my worries, until she had to threaten me with dire consequences if I did not shut up and stop being such a worry wart till the end of my pregnancy.

The joy of reading- that has been a project in progress since the past 11 years. 11 wonderful years, in which i have tried every variety of rhyme book, story book and every other kind of book. As Maria says in 'The Sound of Music', I must have done something right, because, gloriously, happily, thankfully, I have managed to pass on my love of reading the printed word to my daughter. I am content.

Ah- the whodunit! Love, love, love the books by Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle and Wilkie Collins. Would love to read books by Henning Mankell and Dorothy L Sayers. But the one I started off with as a young teen was Alfred Hitchcock with his Three Investigators- oh, that is nostalgia!

Cookbooks and books by food writers- I don't agree with you on the point that only men can stir our senses with their descriptions of all things culinary. I can name one kitchen goddess at least, whose books and shows are to die for- Nigella Lawson. More than can be said of her non-dessert recipes, though. We didn't like a single one we tried out in the throes of our gustatory desires. I would like to recommend one book to you here. Try Eat Cake by Jeanne Ray. I can guarantee you'll love it.

Arabia- the land of a Thousand and One Nights. I would fantasize in my Mills and Boon days about Arab sheikhs and such, but the adult me is completely disillusioned. Combine the reading of books like Not Without My Daughter, In the Land of Invisible Women, and the horrifying books by Jean Sasson with the media coverage of the Gulf War over the years, and Arabia no longer has me in its thrall.

Hide the author- yes, sometimes there is something called too much information. I have always regretted reading the biography by Barbara Stoney of my favourite childhood author- Enid Blyton. My idol had feet of clay, and I didn't like it one tiny bit. It hasn't stopped me from reading the biographies or autobiographies of favourite authors, however. I like to know what makes them tick, and what is it that drives them to pen their particular kind of books. So I tried to undo some of the damage to my psych by reading this newer biography of Enid by Duncan Mclaren, in which he discusses the whys and hows of her life as it is reflected in her books. Portraying her as a human being capable of mistakes just as much as you or I, instead of the villian of the piece!

And re-reading-? What do I say of that? Yes, I do love to go back again and again to my favourite books. Love all of them!

A wonderful read, Veena, full of a lot of nostalgia for me. I hope to meet you someday, though it is likely that like most readers who write, you'll find me quite tongue-tied at first. I express myself better in writing, of course. I hope you will see beyond that, and maybe find a kindred reader.

Also hoping to read much more from you.

warmly,
Sandhya

On reading!

First- a warning. This post has a bit of 'patting-my-own-back' flavour to it. So read on only if you love reading as much as we do here!

I recently came upon this article that speaks at length about the love of reading, and goes on to give many tips on how to get children enjoy reading books.

The writer speaks about inculcating a love of reading in a child, and how that helps in its development. A must read. (Pun unintended!) Some of the points she makes made me smile, and look back on our journey of reading at home until now. I'm glad I did quite a few things right there, purely by instinct. I hope I continue doing that!

Some points from the article that I would like to highlight- her words in quotes, in red, followed by my comments.

"What this means is that adults and caregivers should be working at home to develop a child's  motivation to read rather than teaching her how to read." - wish more people thought of reasons they could have TO READ instead of just teaching the kid to read.

"Pretty soon, your child will make the connection between the pleasure of undivided attention and the pleasure of reading." All kids like parental attention. So if you give it to them associating it with positives like reading, they won't try to get it with negatives like bad behaviour.

"Young children love rhyming words. They are fascinated by the rhythm and repetition of sounds contained in them." Dr Seuss certainly knew what he was doing. So did Lewis Carroll, Edward Lear and Spike Milligan.

"In addition to regularly reading to your child , keep books readily accessible to them at home.
If you can afford it, work slowly on building a good library at your own home." -maybe the reason my home has more books than anything else, everywhere possible?

"Read books that you personally like. Your enjoyment can be infectious."- Oh, yes, WE know about THIS! We're book mad, we are!

"Continue reading to your child occasionally even after she is an independent reader. She will love the interaction and it will help add to that special relationship you already have with your child. Use that opportunity to assess and steer introductions of new books." - So now you know the secret of my reading aloud the Harry Potter series to A! This is something that most parents lose sight of, once the child is off reading on its own. Oh, I wouldn't trade those times for anything!

A summer reading programme

I am a reader of books. A is a reader of books, too. She has always seen me reading with pleasure, and her mind has naturally imbibed it as the default thing to do.

When I look around me, I see that reading does not feature anywhere in the 'top 10 things to do' for an average child. I wonder where they are headed as a generation of non-readers. Even if they do read, there is not much attention payed to the quality of the stuff they read. Last I heard, the top three series read were Geronimo Stilton, Junie B. Jones and the Diaries of a Wimpy Kid. None of which I would recommend for anyone. They are just a lot of froth without much substance, IMO. No matter how popular they may be! You may call me a book-snob if you want!

So it is with pleasure that I share this with you- Utbtkids, who also writes for Saffrontree with me, is holding an exclusively designed summer reading programme for children 6-9 years and 10+ years old.  It is to be held at TreasureHouse, a Children's Library and Experience Centre in Hyderabad. Do check out their site.

http://utbtkids.com/2012/04/12/treasurehouse/
http://www.treasurehouse.in/

Please share it on your blog or on your facebook account, and help spread the word. Even if a few children get hooked to good, quality reading, it will be great!

I'm hoping for something similar in Bangalore. Are you reading this, Utbtkids, Choxbox?

  

2011 reading challenges wrap-up

It is already 2012, time for me to take stock of my reading challenges. For all books listed, please link to the relevant review from the list on the left-hand-side panel on the blog. Listed alphabetically.

A. Reading the World Challenge.  Hosted by Papertigers.

I signed up here both for A and for myself. We had to complete six books each, based in/about different countries or written/ illustrated by people from different countries. 3 of which had to be from different continents. At least one from your country/state/city. There had to be at least one each of fiction, non-fiction, poetry.

For A: Status- complete.
*The Wolves in the Walls. Written by Neil Gaiman. British. Fiction.
*Ajoba-my grandfather. Written by Taruja Parande. India. Non-fiction.
*Hana's Suitcase. Written by Karen Levine. Czech Reublic. Non-fiction.
*Oranges in no-man's land. Written by Elizabeth Laird. Fiction.
*A Kick in the Head. Anthology by Paul B Janeczko. Poems sourced from Britain, USA, Canada, Australia. Poetry.
*On my Honor. Written by Marion Dane Bauer. US of A. Fiction.
The continents represented are Europe, Asia, North America and Australia. 

For myself: Status- complete.
*Anne Frank- Diary of a young girl. Holland. Non-fiction.
*The Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler romance triology. Historical fiction.
*A Poem for CRY. Anthology. India. Poetry.
*The boy who harnessed the wind. Malawi, Africa. Non-fiction.
*Dear Zari. Written by Zarghuna Karghar. Afghanistan. Non-fiction.
*Nanberry: Black Brother White. Written by Jackie French. Australia. Historical novel.
The continents represented are Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa and North America.

B. 2011 South Asian Challenge.  Hosted by S. Krishna's books.

I signed up here for the South Asian Explorer level, which required me to read at least 5 books. The books had to be by a South Asian author or set in a South Asian country or about South Asians living elsewhere.

According to the UN and the World Bank classification, the countries of South Asia are Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and the Maldives.

Status: Complete.
*The Groaning Shelf and other instances of book love. Written by Pradeep Sebastian. India.
*A Poem for CRY. Anthology of poems recommended by famous Indians. India.
*The Other Side of Silence: Voices from the Partition of India. Written by Urvashi Butalia. India/Pakistan.
*Dear Zari. Written by Zarghuna Karghar. Afghanistan.
*Belonging. Written by Sameem Ali. Pakistan.

C. 2011 Global Reading Challenge.  Hosted by Dorte.

I signed up here for the easy level. For which I had to read one novel each from each continent, and include a seventh continent of my choice, which could be science fiction, future, past or fantasy.

I did not fare very well in this challenge, as I realised halfway through the year that I tend to favour reading non-fiction for myself, although I read a lot of fiction with A. Consequently, I did not really read 'novels' for this challenge, unless one counts those read under North America, Australasia and the seventh continent. Also, I have not yet got through my book for South America, though the year is over. I will be finishing the book in due course, though, and linking it up here.

Status: Incomplete. For both the above reasons- not finishing, and not being able to stick to the rules.

Asia : The Groaning Shelf and other instances of book love.
Africa : The boy who harnessed the wind.
Australasia : Nanberry- Black Brother White.
Europe : Anne Frank- diary of a young girl.
North America : The Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler trilogy.
South America : (to be finished)
Seventh continent : Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

D. 2011 Read-a-Myth challenge. Hosted by Bibliojunkie.

I signed up here for the Athena level, for which I had to read 2 books based on mythology.

I have read the two requisite books, but have not yet reviewed them. Which I will this year. They are
*In Search of Sita: revisiting mythology. Written by Namita Gokhale and Malashri Lal.
*Women of the Mahabharata: the question of truth. Written by Chaturvedi Badrinath.

Both these books take a look at these women from the two great Indian epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, in that order, from a fresh perspective.

##############################################################

A few observations:

*My reading is centred mostly around Europe, Asia and North America. Maybe a few stray books from Australia and Africa. I am hard-pressed to find any good books from South America, and cannot name any writers/illustrators/books from there off the top of my head. Something I should look into.

*As a corollary to the above statements, I can cite this map which shows countries around the world where English is the de jure (official)/ de facto (commonly spoken) language.



map courtesy wikipedia

The only exceptions perhaps are classics, books on the holocaust, and books on women's issues from elsewhere that I pick up- usually translations or for some reason originally published in English.

*I tend to favour non-fiction over fiction, at least among the contemporary books.

*In fiction, I favour classics, historical fiction, fantasy fiction. Am not very enamoured of contemporary fiction. I'm sure there is plenty of good stuff that I am missing out on, so I must learn to look beyond the tottering piles of the current best-sellers at bookstores.

*I do a lot of reading about conflict in any form. I wonder what that says about me!?

*I have very exacting standards for what I pick up for A- one could call it the Saffrontree standard!:)

#############################################################

I have certainly enjoyed, and learnt a lot from my reading journey in 2011. Another post will soon be coming up on my reading plans for 2012.

Of work, books and Harry Potter

So what have I been upto?

My house-help was on leave for many days due to seasonal illnesses in her house- first her daughter, then herself. I have just this one lady who comes to clean- washing vessels, sweeping and mopping. I have never had a full-time maid or cook- I do all the rest myself as a matter of course. But it is a real drag when I have to do the washing vessels and sweeping-mopping. Not really complaining, as it is my house, but one wishes it didn't have to be for so many days at a stretch. I did all of that when we were out of the India, of course, but then there were things like dish-washers and vacuum cleaners that made life easier, leaving one with enough time to pursue one's interests, and of course one was younger and nimbler!

Anyway, as a consequence I wasn't really upto blogging by the time all the chores were done. Reading- yes, I've been reading, of course. It was my way of unwinding.

I have been reading 3 books in parallel. One is In Search of Sita - Revisiting Mythology, edited by Namita Gokhale and Malashri Lal. An anthology of essays on and discussions about Sita, that much misunderstood and iconic figure from our epics.

Another is Looking for Enid - The mysterious and inventive life of Enid Blyton, by Duncan Mclaren. Biographical, but not your everyday biography. More a discussion on the incidents and influences in her life that made Enid, Enid, and the association of what was going on in her life with what she wrote then. An interesting read, one that was a must-read for a Blyton fan like me.

And the third is When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, by Judith Kerr. Autobiographical fiction, based on the real-life incidents during the childhood of the author, when her family fled from pre-Hitler Germany.

I would like to review all three books at length, in later posts, if I may.

What has A been reading? On her own, three books lent to her by Choxbox's FB. (I must read them before we return them, they seem to be delicious!) And more.
1. Play Time by Julia Donaldson.
2. Return of the Hundred Mile An Hour Dog, by Jeremy Strong.  Which made her want to get the prequel, The Hundred Mile An Hour Dog, which we did, and she read- with lots of giggles.
3. The Perfect Hamburger, by Alexander McCall Smith.
4. St Clare's series by Enid Blyton. And identifying with a lot of it- the friendships, the fights, the bickering, the feeling left-out, the dynamics in class with the teachers- she's in middle grade now, so she can really get under the skin of the characters and is really enjoying it. Although I do try to bring to her notice some of the politically incorrect things Enid Blyton writes, and how they may be wrong if imbibed!

Reading together- of course Harry Potter. We finished Half-Blood Prince around the end of the holidays, and are on the verge of finishing the last book, Deathly Hallows, - nicely in time for the last movie, which she wants to watch on the big screen. She wants to watch it with her friend, Choxbox's FB. Let us see how that works out.

Which brings us to the movie itself. We are so looking forward to it. I don't know when we will get to watch it, as this weekend is booked for something else already, but maybe next weekend? With A, and hopefully with Choxbox and her FB. I probably will watch it one more time, as I can't just watch it once. The trailor promises a great experience. How different it will be from the book, has to be seen.

Other than all this, A has been back at school for about 6 weeks now, and we have settled down to our routine more-or-less. Remember the homework monster? Well, we have been trying out charting, a time-table, and it has been working- somewhat. I am keeping my fingers crossed. Thanks for the pointers, Starry!

A also had a music examination. She did OK according to her, and came out a bit bemused, as the examiner had been a little intimidating. She has been learning Hindustani Classical vocal music for a few years now. Much as I would like her to learn it purely for the love of music we all have, for the sake of the pleasure a knowledge of music can bring in her life, and the discipline such a training instills, her teacher would like to measure it by exams. So be it.

My househelp turned up for work since yesterday, and I immediately took the opportunity to make a visit to the ongoing Strand books sale at the Institute of Engineers on upto the 17th of July. It wasn't as great as it normally is. There was a lot of stuff for the preschool and early readers, plenty of Dr Seuss, Martin Waddell, Magic Tree House and such. Not much for A's age, not unless you count the Harry Potter books, Ruskin Bond, and Enid Blytons. We have a lot of those. There was also a whole load of Tulika books, but we have or have read most of that which were on display. So after spending some time in the children's section, I turned to the rest.

What did I pick up? These.

On the love of books - and a giveaway!

First: My friend Zoe, over at Playingbythebook has a fabulous new giveaway that I would love to get my hands on. It is a children's movie, Eleanor's Secret, a must-see for those who love books, and those who would love to see a movie which promises some lovely 'un-adult-rated' fun (Zoe's word, not mine!) You may go over to her post to view details of the giveaway! I have put in my claim, too, and am keeping all fingers (and toes) crossed!



Pic courtesy flipkart.com

Talking about love for books, I recently came upon this wonderful book that I would love to share with fellow book lovers.

THE GROANING SHELF
and other instances of book love
Written by Pradeep Sebastian
Published by Hachette India

This is that ultimate fantasy for me- a book about books and about love for books- that explains a lot about my inexplicable book-lust:

Why I need to explore every book shop there is in any place.

Why I need to visit every book sale.

Why I need to own every book that I feel A or I would love to read.

Why I have more books in my house than an average person would need in her/his life, lying around in piles.

Why I need to read and re-read many of my books.

Why I need to shuffle my books around on shelves periodically, taking them off the shelves, sorting through them, opening those that I haven't looked at in a while, losing track of time, and then putting them all back over a period of weeks, by which time it is again time to sort through them!

Why I do not consider the above described work as a chore, but enjoy it thoroughly, spinning it out.

Why I start the work with an intention to clear clutter, (shame on me for considering books clutter, but an excess of even books takes up space.) but end up putting most of the books back, as I cannot bear to give them away. Yeah, Sangi, I need the Serenity Prayer too!

Why reading a well-loved book, caressing the pages and breathing in the fragrance of paper and ink is the ultimate sensual experience.

"This pleasurable, absorbing ritual of rearranging books, even trying to downsize one's library, now seems to be really about getting to know these books all over again. To pick up one from the shelves, remember where and when you bought it, and recall the pleasure that finding the book gave you - this is why a book collector gets all her books off and on the shelves every year."

Pradeep Sebastian speaks of the collecting of books, even of first editions, and brings to our notice the difference between a bibliomaniac (...has a rage for collecting and possessing books) and a bibliophile (a book collector of refined judgement, the quality of whose library reflects his or her exacting bibliographical standards). Where do I stand? Somewhere in between.

We come to know of the different reasons we buy a book - not just for its content. The edition, the cover design, illustrations, paper quality, the font used, the whole look and feel of the book, too matter. Ask me- I often buy whole lots by a favoured author, and favour certain publications which add to the overall experience of reading.

First editions, especially if in a pristine condition with their book jackets, and if they are signed or inscribed by the author, could become valuable additions to one's collection par with rare pieces of art by masters.

We have chapters on rare books, history of books in the world, and in India.

A whole section on notable works by his favourite authors, which include works by Pico Iyer, J.D.Salinger, Arthur Conan Doyle, Ayn Rand and Ira Levin. He discusses both the life and works of these writers, giving us a peek into how their creative energies worked.

A whole section on noteworthy bookshops in India, book museums and a chapter on books in movies. Yes, 'You've got mail' is one of the movies discussed, as are '84 Charing Cross Road', 'The Name of the Rose', 'The Mystic Masseur', 'Fahrenheit 451' and 'The Jane Austen Book Club'. There is also a real story, about how a documentary about an out of print classic, the only book by that author (The Stones of Summer by Dow Mossman) resurrected that book in print.

Some of the chapters on the actual experience of reading gave me an eerie sense of 'he's reading my mind'!.

"The books we read make us part of a larger (invisible) community of readers. Could the opposite be true as well? That our reading makes us lonely. Wrapped up in a book, we shut the world out, cutting ourselves off from those who cannot share in our private world."

Maybe. But then I find that my reading can also open up a world of like-minded friends, where we can share our mutual love of, and impressions of different books, enriching us all. I think the reading-aloud of books shared by A and I is a part of this process, as is this compulsive sharing of a book I loved with all of you in my reviews. I want to convey what I loved about a book, maybe compel you to pick it up!

There is an interesting chapter on re-reading. I'll quote - "What a commited reader has with a book is a relationship. And like most relationships, it is sustaining, volatile, vulnerable...the question is - does the book remain the same book the second time around? Are we even the same readers when we revisit these books?...it seems to me that our experience alters the book even as the book alters our experience."

Very true. A book that I have loved reading could not be read just once. One reads it rapidly at first, then mulls over what one has read for a while- which could be anything from a few hours to a few years. One then HAS to return to the book and read it over and over again, finding things one has not noticed or noted at the first reading, somehow managing to internalise the book, until it becomes a part of one's self.

As J.K.Rowling said while announcing PotterMore: "the experience of reading requires that the imaginations of the author and reader work together to create the story."

There is obviously more to reading than just a pastime, just a gleaning of information or learning of something. It is a whole experience that has to be, well, experienced. Even books that one has loved and lost, or books that one has encountered in a store or library, found interesting, but not gotten around to really reading through, never to find them again, are part of this experience.

Let me end with one more quote from this wonderful book by Pradeep Sebastian. This one for non-readers, too!

"I often envy non-readers for all the wonderful books out there that they have never read. Imagine the number of books that await them and the joy of encountering these great works for the first time. A favourite literary fantasy of mine has been to turn amnesiac for a year and read all my favourite books as though for the first time." 

I am entering this review for the 2011 Global Reading Challenge under Asia and in the 2011 South Asian Challenge at S.Krishna's books.

Our Great Mumbai Holiday plus

So the kid is off to school, and as Starry so succintly puts it: the chains are off! First time in 2 months that I have managed to sit down in front of my laptop without someone wanting my attention.

So what did we do in the holidays? Quite a list.

Attended a super Carpentry workshop at Hippocampus, our library, run by a dear friend. We have a working model of a sun-dial, and a toy aeroplane to show for it. Thoroughly enjoyed by A.

Went to Mumbai after a very long 2 years, visiting parents and in-laws.

Sisters-in-law (2 of them) and I carted the kids (4 boys aged 12-17 years and A) over to the over 200 year old Shree Siddhivinayak temple  in Prabhadevi, which is believed to grant wishes to devotees. It is a favoured place to visit for those who revere Ganesha/ Ganapati- the elephant headed god of learning, who is also believed to remove obstacles from one's life, and is invoked as 'Shree' before undertaking anything of importance.

Also visited the Mahalakshmi temple in Worli, which is built right next to the sea, with the waves breaking on its walls at high tide. The sea fascinated A more than anything else, as the last time we saw the sea was the North sea off Scotland when she was just 3, and she doesn't have any memory of it.

Went shopping with the entire gang (ladies and kids only) to Crawford Market built by the British in 1869 after travelling by the mumbai local trains. A was horrified by the crowd, the rush, and the chaos of both, but enjoyed the outing with her cousins.

Also checked out the extremely high end and absolutely unaffordable Palladium mall and the adjacent High Street Phoenix mall at the place where the famed Phoenix mills- cotton mills- were situated. The only place there that we could even think of buying something was the absolutely enormous Landmark, which had such a wide range of books that I could not do justice in terms of browsing. Picked up a few titles there- but of course. It was literally like getting into Alladin's cave for both A and I, and I plan to make a visit to just that one store on a later visit to Mumbai.

Made a family trip to the absolutely wonderful Tikuji-ni-wadi with brother and his family- A now had two cousins, my nephew aged 11 and niece aged 5 with her. It is very near the city, a few kilometers from my parents' house, but it is like stepping into another time zone. Of course there are the rides and the water parks that were fun for the kids, but the part I enjoyed most were that there was a sprawling chickoo orchard, with village style cots scattered around on which we could relax after a morning of activity and just chill. Which the sister-in-law and I did, as the brother took the kids off for rides. The food is very ordinary, though, just routine noodles-pizza-sandwich-chelpuri-other chaats stuff, not very inspiring. I was hoping for a homestyle gujju spread, and was much disappointed.

Immersed myself in many things marathi-

Typical food cooked by my mother- pithla bhakri, ambadichi bhaji, puraN poLi, kadhigoLe, waTli daL, waraNphaL, shrikand (home made) puri, and most of all, alphonso mango in many avataars. I even picked up aambawadi (a burfi like preparation from mango pulp), aambapoLi (alphonso pulp put out on plates and sundried), phaNaspoLi (made from jackfruit pulp), aambyacha satha (just a lump of dehydrated alphonso pulp).

I also picked up the all important Goda Masaala which is an important and indispensible ingredient of maharashtrian cuisine, and which is unfortunately not available anywhere. At least I have never found it. It is a difficult masaala to make at home, as it has many ingredients and is quite labour intensive. Something I have been too lazy to make at home, as my mother and grandmother always did.

pic courtesy lokvani.com

Took A to many Marathi theatre performances for children. The most notable of which was Durga Zali Gauri, a dance drama, which moves forward only in song and dance. A loved it, and we heard nothing but those songs for a few days. It is comparable to Agatha Christie's play "Mousetrap", in that it has been running to a full house for the last 29 years, and its popularity shows no sign of abating. Unfortunately, it has still not been released on DVD, but I picked up an audio CD at the time of the performance. Something I would recommend to any theatre lover visiting Mumbai during the summer vacations. Performances are only then, as the children acting in it are free at the time. I spoke to Arun Kakade, the person behind it all, about having shows in Bangalore. He was interested, and told me that he had spoken to some people here about it, but that the logistics of transporting a 50+ troupe of dancers, housing them, almost all children, was daunting. Our loss!

I went for a few Marathi theatre performances too- two of which were written by the noted playwright, Sai Paranjpye, better known outside of Maharashtra for her sensitively made movies like Katha, Chashhme Baddoor and Sparsh. Also saw a few Marathi movies- some on DVD and one in theatres- the newly released Bal Gandharva which is a biographical film based on the life of one of Marathi's greatest and pioneering singers, and actor Narayan Shripad Rajhans, better known by his alter-ego : Bal Gandharva.

On DVD, saw quite a few. Am convinced that regional movies have a lot more to offer on realistic and well made movies- of an extremely high calibre as compared to the staple bollywood fare. I can probably count those bollywood films that impressed me in the last five years on the fingers of my hand. I do not really know much about regional films in other Indian languages, but going by those that are aired on LokSabha channel, there are quite a few world-class movies being made. When will bollywood wake up and smell the celluloid?

Anyway, the ones I saw this time-

Rita, based on the book of the same name by renowned marathi writer Shanta Gokhale- it is the story of Rita Welingkar, the eldest of three daughters, who starts working at an early age when her no-good father loses his job, and pretty much becomes the parent for her sisters, inspite of having both her parents alive. On the way she gets into a relationship with her much older and much-married-with-kids boss. The movie captures very well Rita's struggle to make things more meaningful in her life- wonderfully played by Pallavi Joshi.

Mee Sindhutai Sapkal (I, Sindhutai Sakpal) based on her autobiography named Mee Vanvasi (I, the exiled), is the story of a poor woman born in rural Maharashtra- pulled out of school and married off at age 12 to a man more than twice her age, and her struggle for a life of dignity. She is thrown out by her husband, pregnant, near term, with her third child, on a false charge of infidelity. This is the story of how she stands up in dignity, not just for herself, but for the rights of many more of the downtrodden, establishing 5 orphanages in the process, and travelling to the US on invitation to raise funds. Sindhutai, or Mai as she is known, is a living legend, doing her work even today. Wonderful performances by the actors, the movie may be seen just for the underplayed performance of Tejaswini Pandit, who plays the protagonist in her youth, her real life mother, Jyoti Chandorkar playing the elderly Mai.

Went to a few book exihibitions exclusively for Marathi books. Found out that many of our favourite Tulika books are been published by Jyotsna Prakashan, a well known publishing house of Marathi children's books, at a fraction of the price, with full credits to Tulika's copyright.. Was thrilled on finding them. Picked up a lot of Marathi books for A and for myself. Now that she knows the Devanagari script, common to both Marathi and Hindi, A can read simple books on her own. Am really thrilled about it.

It goes without saying that both A and I read a lot of books including Harry Potter 6, which we will be finishing in a day or two. To be followed by book 7, so that we will be all set for the last movie due in mid-July.

Ate at a lot of interesting restaurants many times with family and friends, too many too enumerate. The high point was a small place where we ate home-style Malwani food. Yum!

Met a lot of my old friends after a loooooonnnngggg time.

Also met a new friend, Ugich Konitari, a wonderful blogger whose posts I love for the clear headed analysis of so many different things, done with a wry sense of humour. She has written a whole post here about our meeting. We met midway between our houses, and had lunch together at a mall where we even had icy cold gola for dessert. She was exactly as I had visualised her, and much more. It was lovely meeting you, Ugich.

Chilled out totally over our trip, and was back home with a few weeks to spare before school re-opened. Soon after we were back, A had her birthday party.

And we made mango pickle at home- A helped in lot in the process.

We also had a long awaited meet of Saffrontree members from Bangalore at Artnavy's lovely home.

Then there were the usual round of dentist, doctor, etc., shopping for school, and here we are. School has started!

It is never too late for mommy to learn

Sangi has tagged me with this very interesting tag. I need to pick out 5 things that being a mother has taught me. Hmmm...let's see.

1. Are you there, God?
I grew up in a household which put a lot of premium by God, prayers, going to temples, rituals, etc., but I was never convinced of the existence of the said almighty. If anything, I actively rebelled against all of what seemed to me to be a lot of foaming at the mouth over something that was not proven to be existing anyway.

Oh, I knew all the scriptures I was expected to know as a child- the mythology, the epics, the prayers, what could/could not be done- the works. I have to thank my grandmother for much of that.  Not complaining! It has definitely enriched me.

I was, however, entirely confused by a ritualistic approach to God- an insistance on the paraphernelia of religion- that one must have red flowers/ white flowers/ leaves of a particular plant/ coconuts, etc. for a God that seemed to me too petty to have wanted all that JUST SO. My belief thus bordered on atheism, but, as I feel sometimes, I threw the baby out with the bathwater. Pun not intended.

Having A was a miracle of sorts. I had her quite late, also having complications during pregnancy, a difficult labour and finally, an emergency C-section. The anxiety and heartache I went through during all this, and finally having her, healthy and whole, in my arms made feel that yes, there must be a God.

So did I finally get religion? Not quite. I cannot still abide by rituals. The occasional pooja I do, on festive days, is more to introduce this part of her culture to A, rather than for its own sake. I do not pray everyday, for then, I feel, it will become a meaningless ritual; or go that extra mile to get those red flowers/ white flowers, etc. I do pray the day I feel like praying, for, on that day, I know that my prayer is true and heart-felt, and it will certainly reach God. And A knows all the prayers, songs and stories that are part of her inheritance, her birthright as my grandmother's great-grand-daughter.

At times, I even feel close enough to God to quarrel or fight, if need be. When I feel the presense of the divine, my eyes close of their own accord and I bow my head. Spiritual yearnings? Maybe.

2. A smile in my heart.
"The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new." Osho Rajneesh.

When I see the affection A has for younger children, the raptures she goes into over any baby, see the affinity younger children have for her, I think back to myself as a child- heck, myself as a grown-up and wonder over how different she is from me in this aspect. As an adult, I loved babies, still do, and am a natural in handling the extremely fragile lovelies. But I normally cannot have easy coversations with older kids, unless they share my interest in books. I was never what you would consider 'mother material'. I never fantasised over having babies as she does, never wanted to get the little kids in the neighbourhood together to raise rabble. I was fine with my book in my corner, inhabiting my imaginary world, thank you very much!

When I saw the two purple stripes, and later A's heart going 'twinkle, twinkle' at an impossible rate on the screen at an ultrasound, I realised how much I wanted my baby. Connecting with her when in utero was an out-of-this-world experience, and I was absolutely smitten by her once I had her in my arms.

Please bear with me over the next paragraph.

The day she was born was an extremely hot day even by Mumbai standards. Since all AC rooms were occupied at the time, I was moved to a non-AC room temporarily, just for one day's time. A could not yet suckle, and as a result she got dehydrated. She was taken away by the nursing staff on duty for some time (the nursing home believed in rooming in; babies were NOT taken away to the nurseries like in most hospitals those days. AND the obstetrician was a dear friend, who had hand-held me through my extremely difficult pregnancy, with me going ballistic over things that could go wrong- a distinct disadvantage of being in the know in medicine) on the doctor's orders, so that she could be given some glucose water orally to tide over till she could suckle. The panic I went into over that was unimaginable. This was my baby. Where were they taking her? Why? So what if these were doctor's orders? Couldn't they do whatever they needed to do right there, in front of me? Blah, blah, blah, blah...you fill it in.

Love is here to stay. Always, in my heart. No matter what, no matter when, no matter how.

3. They are not always right, nor always wrong.
As a child, I often thought my parents were always right in everything, until came a time when I thought just the reverse. Now they could do nothing right. And one's peers also thought the same of their parents at the same time. So I often ended up blaming my parents for things that I did not do right.

While some of it may be true, (see, I have a long way to go yet!) I realise now as hands-on mom that my parents always did that which they thought was right at the time, and what was humanly possible for them. The realisation has gone a long way in making my peace with them over issues we didn't see eye-to-eye.

Something I hope my daughter also realises over a period of time- that her mother is just human, and that I do the best I can do, the best I believe I should do. I hope to God that it is the right thing.

4. Just a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down!
Coming from a background where my mother was the rulebook, and considering that I rebelled against it wholeheartedly, sometimes even to my detriment, I always thought that with my child I would be different. I would not do this, or that, that I would always talk to my child, explain things, do things right. I am not saying that I had bad parents, just that they were very conservative, old-fashioned, and pretty much followed the norms of the times they lived in.

I was living in a fool's paradise. No, not till she came along, but till she learnt to stand up to me and say NO! WON'T! pretty early in her toddlerhood. A true-blue Taurean, she knew very well how to dig her heels in and...err...so did I.

I had to go great lengths to unlearn all that I had absorbed. As always, I took the help of books. It was a lot of trial, and much more of error. Still is sometimes. I learnt that logic works more wonders with A than putting my foot down. I need to back off and calm down, be less authoritarian. I who needs to get my act together if I am to make any headway with teaching this lovely but stubborn as a mule child of mine the right things. Blogs by friends who are wonderful parents, like Starry,  Choxbox  and  Sangi help. Their views and extremely clear headed analysis of so many little things often show me the light.

5. It is never too late to get an education.
Having a daughter taught me so many things.
*That one cannot learn everything from books.
*That I cannot bear it when she is in pain, but have to be strong enough for both of us to make it bearable.
*Everything that is humanly possible is certainly achievable, especially if your child needs it of you.
*The human body is amazing- and this doesn't include just what they teach you at medical school. One can survive on the barest minimum of sleep, oxytocin and lots of TLC.
*That much more can be achieved by being patient and explaining things instead of laying down the law.
*That sometimes one is only human and wishes one does not have to explain things so much but can lay down the law!:)
*That one can have conversations with an extra-chattery child where one can switch off and yet make satisfactory rejoinders.
*That even though one loves the child so much, one can wish that someone takes her away for the day, on the stipulation that she is returned in the evening safe and sound. Sending her off to school is the best option.
*That the best part of the day is when A comes home with a smile and a hug for mommy, followed closely by the time in the morning when everybody, including the husband, are out and one can finally rest one's errr...backside with a hot, steaming cup of tea.
*That children can ask the darnedest questions. And one never has an answer for them when they are asked in company.
*That one has absymal / long forgotten / outdated knowledge about the things children learn as early as in middle grade. And that one has to read up a lot to be able to keep up.
*That it is a lot of fun to do things together, and it does not always have to cost a bomb.
*That the best times we have spent together are when we have sat together on the bean-bags near the wide open windows, reading aloud to her in the light streaming in from a book I have loved and wanted to share with her.
*That one has to exercise tough love at times and settle for being the bad cop- mommies often are, as they are the ones usually around. That certainly goes for SAHM mothers like me, as also for working moms, though that bit is slowly changing.
*That there is no single rule about how things should be done, although a large portion of love, faith, hope, belief in oneself and patience is required on our plate.

I have to tag five others as part of the rules. I would like to tag Starry, Utbtkids, Ranjani, Crazy mum and Arundhati.  Let us know what you think, ladies.