Rain In Summer

This is something familiar to my ears!" Miss, Its gonna rain! I love watching rain! I love to dance in rain"- I have heard Vaibhavi say this whenever the sun hides himself behind the clouds. Somehow, I have never been able to get such a feel about rain. When it rains, the first thing that comes to my mind is about the clothes in the balcony which will get wet !!!!! Hahah! 

So, I have never been a great rain lover. But, this one was special -the Rain in Summer! This reminds me of Madhavikutty's much-loved poem "The Rain in Summer" - my write up has nothing to do with it, though! 

Our vacations are always planned in Alleppy and Cochin, but this year it is the Capital City - Trivandrum - my bro-in-law's place! After hitting Tvm a coupla days ago, I have been busy doing NOTHING! Its so relaxing to stay in a place far away from the hustle and bustle of the city! So, coming to what I wanted to say!

Morning!

I woke up hearing the roaring sounds of thunder! Reluctantly, I got out from the bed! I moved to the window to check what was happening downstairs. The kids had already got up and I felt they were sure a competition for the thunder outside!!!!! All the three were shouting at the top of their voices, and the usual fights were happening! 

By the time I came to click, rain had stopped and sun started peeping in!
Missed clicking those wonderful rain moments!
You can spot the rain patches, though!

Standing there, I drank in those beautiful rain moments, oblivious of what had been happening around, I didn't know how those 20-30 minutes went by! I can't really make out how I could stand there for such a long time just to enjoy the rain drops! It may be because of the beautifully constructed traditional Kerala house, which has the Nadumuttam through which the showers dance into the house, it could be because I didn't have any other burden in mind, so that I could afford to give myself a lil time to think about the beauty that Nature offers us! Why didn't I allow myself these luxuries before? May be time has come for me to realize small things fetch JOY to heart. Yes, I can hear the raindrops whispering - they say -It is not Pleasure that we should look for, but Joy which can make our life special!

Life

At 5, we were like butterflies who enjoy the taste of every other flower that came their way! We didn't bother much about the taste of life! It appeared sweet...

At15, we were like free birds soaring high into the sky, with unlimited dreams! Here, we started tasting life - its sweetness and bitterness!

At 25, we almost started our lives as caged birds, isolating ourselves from many things we loved! Life started showing its real taste here - Is it predominantly bitter, we doubt!

At 35, we have gone through it all! That's were I stand too! Aren't we completely imprisoning us at this stage? Why should we? Say "No"!

Most of us are going through a hectic schedule, which really doesn't even remind us that we are LIVING! We are too much engrossed into this work-home schedule that we don't get enough breathing space at all. What is it that we ultimately gain? Aren't we just performing the chores just like a machine? Aren't these questions asked time and again? How can we make our lives more interesting and exciting?

I guess the "ex" factor can help!

Expel your negative thoughts!

Expand your World!

Experiment new Things!

Explore the world around U!

And then You will Excel!

Excitement will follow U! 

Don't U Agree?

Weekend is Here!

Oh! Yeah!

I guess this has been the craziest and the longest week of the year! May be, bcoz we are looking forward to the vacation which is just one week away! Anyways, I am glad that Saturday is here! For me, it had been a pretty good week! 

I did complete a lotta work which had been on the to-do-list for a long time!

I also feel congratulating myself for a few good decisions I had taken this week! It had been a long pending one, I wasn’t really able to bring myself into taking those difficult decisions! Finally I am there, and I am 100% happy that I have done it, though it was a tough one! 

I am also glad that I have been blogging quite frequently, but I also know that it won’t happen once we are back into the academic schedule! 

I am also totally into the Mega Event Talent Hunt, which is gonna be organised next year! Very Very EXCITED about it!   

There had been a few good sessions with the commerce buddies! Also happy about finding a good friend, Mrs.Vijayalakshmi, a new colleague!

Okie, that’s a quick wrap up of what has been happening!

Mountains or Molehills - What do you Prefer?

I love idioms!

I love the way they ornament the language!

ICSE demands flowery language and so ever since I started teaching ICSE students, I have put in more interest and effort into collecting and sharing idioms. 

This week, while I was making ready a list of idioms for grade X, this one grabbed my attention. It is not that I had never come across this one earlier, it is not that it is such a great one to be discussed, but it may be because I have sensed and seen a lot associated with this one! 

I am talking about the idiom “making a mountain out of a mole hill”, which means “ to exaggerate”. 

Though we say, “Practice makes a man perfect”, man is by nature, imperfect! If we really analyze, we all have a set of good qualities and a set of imperfections. We may be good at something which others are not. In the same way, they may have some qualities which we don’t possess. So how can we really blame others for their imperfections? 

At home, at work, or with relatives/friends, we may come across this problem! We feel, we do things better than others, and others are not as good as us! Eventually, we will end up finding, or rather inventing only flaws in others! We may even end up developing superiority complex, which will do more harm than inferiority complex!!!!!!!!!!! 

Why can’t we just stop cribbing and complaining and instead help the other person to better himself/herself? Why should we always MAKE MOUNTAINS OUT OF MOLEHILLS” about their imperfections, when we obviously know we have a set of our own? Why can’t we leave small things small? Why can’t we just make lives happy for people around us, instead of making their lives difficult? What joy do we derive by torturing people around us with our words and deeds? Why can't we spread happiness around? 

Wouldn't it be nice if we follow this great message? It is really a wonderful message for us to embrace!

“When it comes to myself and my work, 

I give complete attention even to small details. 

But when it comes to others, 

I will not give any attention to the SMALL stuff. 

That way, I will excel and will produce excellent work 

and enjoy excellent relationships!” 

- Rangarajan, Alma Mater

A Road Less-Travelled!

Though I enjoy reading and teaching poetry, writing poems has never been my cup of tea!

Even now, I feel the same!

But don’t know what had happened today, when these lines flowed out of my pen! I know it doesn’t have any poetic form, yet it filled me with a special kind of feeling, which is really difficult express through words! Many may not even understand what is really written or meant, but I can say, I have gone through what has come out through these words!

Yeah, that’s enough I guess!


Clouds

I hope

I do hope

You never had come under murky clouds

If you had

You will know

How agonizing it is!

For no fault of yours

When you are put under dark, gloomy clouds

For no fault of yours

You have to survive through those lies!

But

I believed in the power of silence

I knew these clouds

Will, one day, come down as rain drops!

And, indeed they showed their face

Now, I can feel those fresh raindrops on me

Drop by drop

They make me dance wild with glee!

I am starting to realize

They give me fresh, new hopes

But again, I know

These clouds can come all over again!

From my missteps

I have come to know

Clouds or no clouds

‘You’ are ‘you’

Just for the sake of Clouds

You need not change your form

If you are sure

You have done things good!

Being a human

I know

You can’t elude these clouds

But, the least you can do

Is to fight them with your inner might!

Reliving Talent Time.......

I have always felt this! 

Every time I plan to update the blog, I end up with some stuff connected to the school! 

It’s hard to believe that 2011-2012 has just gotten over. Time sure does fly. It seems to me as if I was on a merry-go-round that didn’t stop long enough for me to think about getting off. 

I am surprised! 

Peeping back at the year, what should I say! There have been good times and bad times, predominantly ……..Hmmmmm, I don’t wanna say! 

Whatever it may be, undoubtedly, Talent Time was the best thing that I could associate myself with! Daffodils was good too. Now, when I am breaking my head planning for next year’s TALENT HUNT ( I just wanted a different name this year), I thought it would be a good idea to have a look at TALENT TIME as an outsider, and energize me! Knowing me, I can’t or really don’t wanna repeat whatever we had done last year! I just hate to do same things year after year! That can’t be creativity, that can’t be innovation, that can’t fetch excitement, at least in me! I believe, every year, we should come up with some novel idea and this can always create a great sensation! 

So, let me dive into the year that has gone by and relive TALENT TIME, I hope that it will do a great deal in bringing in new ideas!

Okay!

Our Director is a person, who appreciates anything that comes under the extracurricular stream, and so when I made this proposal for Talent Time, it was wholeheartedly welcomed by her! She was far too excited than I had expected and offered me all the back up I needed! My needs were catered to and I was very delighted to see that my plans were just going the way I had planned, may be better than what I really expected! 

From the inaugural ceremony to the prize distribution ceremony, each event generated so much enthusiasm in the kids, and it all felt like a dream just unfolding!

I wanted the inaugural ceremony to be a very grand one! How lucky we were to have this gentle lady to inaugurate Talent Time! I had met her a coupla times earlier, but those were just parent –teacher meetings! I still believe her ‘grace’ had something to do with the HUGE success of Talent Time! Yes, we were blessed with the presence of Mrs.Anuradha Sriram, Co-founder and Joint Managing Director of Integra, Pondicherry.

Best things come to you in the best possible way, and this was the best way, and Anu Mam, I believe was the best person to inaugurate TT! Talking about Anu Ma’am, I really can’t find words to express the kinda person she is! Rarely you may come across such a personality – Humble, Modest and Graceful! She can fascinate you just by the way she talks! No wonder, she is an inspiration to many! In spite of very busy schedule, she spent almost half a day with us! After a few days, she made my day, by calling me up to tell me how much she liked the event!

Anu Ma'am inaugurating Talent Time

                                               

Once inaugurated, what followed was FIVE days of pure excitement, fun and frolic! The excitement grew by the day and reached its maximum with the Champion of Primrose Contest! Even the Prize Distribution ceremony was one such event and I loved every moment of it! Earlier, we used to announce the results before hand, and it did not really create much excitement in students, as they already knew the results. So this time, we decided to announce the results only on the last day! This idea proved successful, for we could feel anticipation and tension and excitement in the air, from the morning session! 

On the Prize Distribution Day, the forenoon session was dedicated for the Primary Section and Kindergartens. By 2 in the afternoon, excitement reached its peak, when the function was about to commence. I remember many kids coming behind to ask me who the Champion was! Again, we had small session of speeches by the chief guests before we really got into the announcement of the results! Flavia and Me did the MC and what fun it was! Flavia is an excellent partner in such activities, she gives you her 100% when it comes to SUPPORT! Needless to say, I miss her these days! 

Never will I forget the excitement in kids as we geared up for the Champion! The box containing the result was up on the tree and we invited Leslie Mam, our director to announce the name of the Champion! No one knew the result and everyone was tooooooooo excited to know it! We could see the tensed faces of the finalists and finally the teddy who had the box came down the tree and Leslie Mam grabbed the box! Kids scurried around, some of them danced and then started the celebration as Sunil was announced the Champion! Photograph session followed and thus we drew curtains on TALENT TIME-2011. 

Those times will never be forgotten! I should really thank many of my students who had really worked hard for this great success of Talent Time. My advisor, as I call Rhea, though a grade X student was always ready to help, do the running around for the conduct of the event. Haritha, Chetan, Sunil, Swathi, Smiti, Nitin, Priyanka, Gokul, Bala, Vaibhavi, Arvind were all really helpful in fulfilling the “Talent Time” dream! Many of my colleagues too had put in their time and energy into TT. And they gave me FIVE glorious days! This is a token of my gratitude to all those who had given me the much-needed support for organizing such a mega event! 

I hope Talent Hunt -2012 will also be embraced with the same zeal and zest! 

Let it give us another series of memorable events! 

Sissy's Food Blog!

Long time since I thought of posting my sissy's food blog link here!

Food Lovers,

Plz check out!

Its a wonderful blog!

http://www.cookingwithkairalisisters.com/

Try out a few and I am sure You will love it!

Grrrrrrrrrrr

UUUUGGGGHHHHHH YUCK BOOOOOOOO!


I didn’t wish to blog today!

What a YUCKY day it was!



I really hate to write such posts, but at the same time, I felt blogging may help revive my spirits!



I had planned to make a post on our Panchavati trip, but now I am keeping it for another day!



I can’t pluck up enough energy to get into that mode of mind.

An elongated post, just like my long FACE!

Can't Help!

This is for You Arvind!

I couldn’t get this guy out of my mind. His face kept bouncing back and I found myself at the desk writing this for him!

It is a big pain being a teacher, if you have not really mastered the art of saying goodbye to students who pass out every year! It is more painful when you have to say goodbye to students with whom you have a great rapport! 

Last week, it was Swa who called up to say bye, and today Arvind came around to bid adieu! I was quite taken aback by the way he entered and greeted me in the library, for the typical ‘Ara’ style was missing!!! But when he came near, I could see his usual expression, followed by this dialogue -“Miss, Two fotographs!”

We spent almost an hour talking, I asked about his future plans, his new school and such other stuff! We clicked a few pics, I know pics are not really needed, coz he will never be forgotten, for he is one of the best students I have come across! Now, he is moving to a classroom, where I will not be his teacher and it really twinges me!

There are many fond memories about this handsome guy! We have had a lot many sessions of arguments and fights too!

Oh Arvind, I will miss all those!

I can never forget the speech you gave during the Champion of Primrose, the wonderful presentation of “The Road not Taken”, the way you expressed your gratitude for the opportunity, the cutest expression you gave during Rheu’s victory speech, your wonderful essays and letters, the myriad ways that you employ to ANNOY me and all those fun sessions we had!

I really don’t know what to say!

As you move on to the highways of life,

I wish you drive your life-car with utmost care!

For highways offer much freedom,

But seamless freedom has its own pitfalls!

So, think twice before you change gears,

And press hard on the accelerator!

Wishing you the very best in the years to roll,

And I am sure

One Day, You will make me PROUD with the thought

That I was once your Teacher!
Oh, How I 'HATE' You Arvind

For making me so emotional!

I will equally miss my friend and colleague, Hema,  his mom and the lovely twins!Hmmmmm..................

At the Close of the Academic Year!

This is the 12^th year that saw me as a teacher!

We are almost at the close of this academic year. Looking back at this year, I am not really sure about the changes it had brought in me as a teacher! Good or Bad – There are changes!

I have always believed that teaching teenagers helps me in keeping my energy level high! (Of late, this philosphy has changed, but let it be a secret for the time being-ha ha) Being with the teenagers and listening to their kinda talks is something that keeps you in high spirits.

I never had moved closely with the higher graders, but this year, somehow, the ice got broken! I guess LUCK struck in the form of Talent Time -coz it was only after Talent Time that the girls started sharing their leisure time with me! These sessions are wonderful, as I had already mentioned, it is so much fun to listen to their fights and arguments.  Most of the time, they would bring up a topic which I love and we head for a gala argument session! I consider myself a queen of sarcasm and I am delighted when I am in the company of these girls as I get ample opportunity to make use of my skills.

Oh, I didn’t introduce the girls here. Five of them – DP, the loner, Samyu, the dreamer, Savi3, the enigmatic beauty, Jeni, the philosopher and  Vaibhavi, the Mother Teresa. To be frank, I was awed, when they first came to spend time with me! But, I am happy that I got to know them better! 

Sometimes, Anu, my colleague too joins us in these sessions! As our chit chatting session ensues, I get a feel of my good old days with my friends….when mind was free from all silly worries! Today mind is always crowded with silly worries like –“What innovative work have I done today?, How soon can I go home and start cooking? And, what should I be cooking – Should I make Parathas or Rice? 

These teenagers are lucky, they don’t have the burden of such thoughts, they are unaware of the real treats that life has in store for them….How I wish I too was one among them! I too long to be there! “Life must have a rewind button!”

I started off with something in mind and ended up with something that is totally unrelated to what I really wanted to pen down.

What a stupid post!

Hey No!

At least, I made a post! I am a good girl, I am, like Eliza Doolittle says! (B/w, Xcuse me for using the word “girl”)

My X

My journey with them began in 2009, when I joined this school. I was their class teacher, I still am!

Last year, on the last day I told them – “I don’t know if you are torturing me or I am torturing you. Let’s wait for the next year to see if I will get a chance to torture you again!” Lady Luck smiled at me and I was given yet another year to trouble THEM.  Yes, third year as their class teacher!

I have been wanting to write about them for quite some time. I enjoy every minute that I teach this class, ‘coz such is the kind of attention that they give you. Be it, drama, poetry or short story – it’s wonderful teaching them.

Eighteen – Yes, 10 girls and 8 boys - and each one unique!

Chetan would give me good start – This guy is full of energy and it is infectious too. He is available for anything and everything. Being a commerce buddy, he has a lot of time in hand. What I admire in him is his ‘always-ready-to help attitude’. He is the Vice President of my Club and we have had a lotta time together. I have always felt that he is really able to pass on his high energy to people around too. Adorable guy, naughty though!

Then comes Natus, the Viliyanoor guy – simple, studious and highly responsible.

Nitin – Once upon a time, I used to think that he is the ‘gentleman’ of the class. Recently he has been successful in turning this notion of mine to be a false one, for I can see his tail coming out inch by inch!!!!!!!!! You can’t help admiring him for the kind of hard work he puts into his work, nor can you help noticing his adorable expressions in and off the classroom.

The Trio – Naren, Rahul and Sai. There is something common in them. They give you the funniest of expressions, when reprimanded. All the three are great friends and that is why I preferred the word “TRIO”.

Guru – I think I can describe him as the most obedient guy in the class!

How can I forget the dancer cum artist Shubam? I don’t really know if he enjoys – I thoroughly enjoy pulling his legs – mainly a play with the word “attitude”. I love to see him smile when I pass this comment. There is always this mysterious smile on his face and that is something that I simply adore.

Now, the GALS!

Who would give me a good start here? Why should such a question surface at all? Haritha is the only answer! Like Chetan, she too is a commerce buddy and that way we have had many free sessions together. A girl with great potential, I should say! What I love about her is her willingness to change. She puts in tremendous effort to grab good comments, but I have always shocked (rather surprised) her with rude comments, many a time intentional. But I should say, she is very sportive and would give such an innocent expression which makes you think that she hasn’t heard anything at all. I can see a great entrepreneur in her, I am sure she will tower great heights! OMG – I just forgot to mention about her high sense of responsibility!!!!!!!!!

Japna comes from Kashmir – the adjectives that come to my mind right at the moment are silent, polite, well-behaved, studious, shy and cute – Yes, that describes her!

Another TRIO here – Nimanshi, Nivedha, Ashi! All three are great dancers, not to mention about their style consciousness! Ashi , (she is as shy as her name sounds) the mallu girl is a new addition this year, but she has managed to fit well into this group.

Divya Ben Patel, from Gujarat is studious, shy and a lil reserved! I feel she has diverse talents, which she is yet to open up. 

Shakthipriya is the poet of the class and she owns a personal blog too. Vimeena too is a dancer and is always full of energy. Bhuvi or Bhuvana –the badminton champion – She is one girl, on whom you can rely for any work. But you can never spot her in class during the tournament season. An occasional visitor to class during those times, she has always come up with excellent grades, despite her absence in class. She has a cute smile, which often flashes across, especially when you are pulling her legs!

Hey Hey Hey, how can I forget Smiti, the most studious girl in the class. She is in love with Biology, but does well in English too. A budding microbiologist, she is also good at compering, speech and tennis. It is a pleasure to have her in class, she comes up with the most intelligent queries! I can’t help mentioning about her love for spellings too!  

So, THEY, make my WONDERFUL class. Though there are silly tussles, they make a wonderful class. Most teachers have commented that it is a pleasure teaching this class. I feel happy that I have been able to  sail with them for three consecutive years! But for their hard work, Dew Drops and Daffodils would not have turned out to be such Mega Hits. I should really give them the credit, coz it was this class which helped in materializing my plans!

Having said about these 18, I think I should be mentioning about Samriddhi too. She moved to Madhurai last year and I sure miss her in my class! There were two other guys too -Logesh and Mathi....

Cheers Yo Guys n Gals!

My X, U Rock!