After almost two years of not having had Adai, I visited Annapoorani near Cambridge Layout and gorged on one while the Arien declined to take a bite, adding "Its too thick and looks burnt - you go ahead!" While hogging on my Adai, I tried to convince him that not all Adais were thick ... or burnt ... I mean, my adai is not burnt... Grrr...So like him to make a comment tht infuriated me while he continued to eat his Ven Pongal nonchalantly. Ufff!!! Well, I cud have been talking to the Adai for all the attention he gave me!!
For the uninitated folks, Adai is actually a rich relation of our traditional dosai. It is rich in protien, plump but not obese, drinks like nobody's business, and is usually accompanied by avial, chutney, or molaga pudi. Sambrr, as Northies call our Saaambhaar, should ideally not be allowed to accompany Adai because familiarity breeds contempt.
Naturally, I cud not or rather wud not let the issue remain unsettled for looong and so I got Adai Maavu (batter) so I could make Adai for the Arien. The Arien was adamant tht he wud not like Adai and I was insistent tht he cud not make the decision without trying it.
It was almost as if tht statement was sm kinda time machine dialogue which sent me back to the tm when I was cranky kid. I was suddenly part of those old flashback moments used by black and white movies to indicate that we are back in the past! You know the one tht has this doin doin doin circle that meant tht time itself was going backwards.... I was wearing a beautiful pattu pavadai chattai with flowers clipped on my short hair using a hair clip, a beeg boil on my nose, tears in my eyes, while my mom glared at me. The waiter had happily served Thair pachiddi on my Yelai while I was busy making plans with my older cousin 'bout how we cud play in the Oonjhal (Swing) before the Mappilai and Ponnu (Groom and Bride) sat on it. I did not like the look of the dish - I wanted it removed - or I wanted a new Yelai - none of which was likely to happen. Mom came closer and said in her no-nonsense firm tone "Do not make the decision without trying it." Tht was one of the most hated dialogues of my childhood especially 'cos I was a fussy eater. Me saying exactly the same thing to smne else was actually scary!! I tasted a teeny bit and gagged or rather did a decent job of pretending - mom was ready to thulp me for the natak but grandma came to my rescue and tht was the end of the lesson.... Hmm.. Hmmm...
Anyway, back to the future, the Adai was looking golden brown and so I quickly turned it over and tadaen - the Adai was ready!! After having the first Adai, the Arien said "Its interesting - not so bad" and I was doing the Yippe Yippe Yeah Yeah bing dance when he decided to christen our Adai. While I waited for wht seemed an age - he came up with Masala Dosa. Because he had so sweetly tried the Adai, I tried very hard not to burst into giggles. Adaingappa (pun unintended) ~ What an idea, sirji!!
Monday, October 26, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Jack Nicholson Vaaaram
After seeing Unnai Pol Oruvan a week ago and being more impressed with Mohan Lal, I decided to dedicate the extended weekend towards catching up on some ole movies that I truly enjoyed. I surprised myself by picking 3 movies of the same actor and then decided why not see 5 movies of the same actor and dedicate the week to one of the finest actors, Jack Nicholson.
The first movie that I saw of Jack Nicholson was "The Shining" and I saw it when I was in my early teens, sitting on the floor, late at night, with cousins. The movie completely terrified me. An older cousin had purposely made us sit on the floor so we could experience the movie from the psychic son's perspective. All I could remember of the movie was a hotel, a kid cycling, twins in blue, and of course the dialogue "Danny boy, Danny boy". Seeing it again, it was not as scary but it definitely gave me the chills. Its not like the horror movies of today where a creaking sound, a scream, a door slamming happens every second jes to create fear and to prevent U from getting bored. The movie started slowly, fleshed out the characters, and then let the movie take over.
The second movie that I saw was the amazing "A Few Good Men" which also starred Tom Cruise, Kevin Bacon, and Demi Moore. I spent most part of the film, agonizing over how Tom had to achieve the impossible. Towards the end, in the last courtroom scene which was supposedly the winning scene for Tom, I was floored by the honesty that Jack Nicholson brought to tht scene. I have seen the movie a zillion times but I can never forget Jack's famous dialogue "You cannot handle the truth". Over the years, whenever the movie came on TV, I found that Tom and Demi seemed raw and barely impressive and I would surf channels until the final courtroom scene came on. Watching the movie again was like a super treat.
The third movie that I truly enjoyed was "As good as it gets". He was brilliant as a famous M&B kinda writer with a serious obsessive compulsive disorder who falls in lowe with the waitress who waits on him everyday. If you have not caught it yet, catch it on a lazy saturday afternoon and I am sure you will fall madly in lowe with him and his fantastic potrayal of the OCD writer.
While the next movie I saw was "Departed" - I felt it was more a Matt Daemon and Di Caprio movie. Though I liked the movie, I would rather discuss "The Bucket List". I heard that Jack Nicholson had actually shaved his head for the role. When two men (Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman) are diagnosed with a terminal disease, they work on a list of things that they want to see or achieve before they die. Their sojourns also includes a short trip to India - to visit the Taj Mahal and Morgan Freeman is actually wearing a pale white embroidered Sherwani.
The last movie that I saw was the totally unexpected "Somethings gotta give". Jack plays an aging senior citizen who likes young women and unexpectedly falls in lowe with the mother of the young woman he is currently seeing. Its actually an "Apoorva Raagangal" with a dollop of humour and of course Jack Nicholson.
The first movie that I saw of Jack Nicholson was "The Shining" and I saw it when I was in my early teens, sitting on the floor, late at night, with cousins. The movie completely terrified me. An older cousin had purposely made us sit on the floor so we could experience the movie from the psychic son's perspective. All I could remember of the movie was a hotel, a kid cycling, twins in blue, and of course the dialogue "Danny boy, Danny boy". Seeing it again, it was not as scary but it definitely gave me the chills. Its not like the horror movies of today where a creaking sound, a scream, a door slamming happens every second jes to create fear and to prevent U from getting bored. The movie started slowly, fleshed out the characters, and then let the movie take over.The second movie that I saw was the amazing "A Few Good Men" which also starred Tom Cruise, Kevin Bacon, and Demi Moore. I spent most part of the film, agonizing over how Tom had to achieve the impossible. Towards the end, in the last courtroom scene which was supposedly the winning scene for Tom, I was floored by the honesty that Jack Nicholson brought to tht scene. I have seen the movie a zillion times but I can never forget Jack's famous dialogue "You cannot handle the truth". Over the years, whenever the movie came on TV, I found that Tom and Demi seemed raw and barely impressive and I would surf channels until the final courtroom scene came on. Watching the movie again was like a super treat.
The third movie that I truly enjoyed was "As good as it gets". He was brilliant as a famous M&B kinda writer with a serious obsessive compulsive disorder who falls in lowe with the waitress who waits on him everyday. If you have not caught it yet, catch it on a lazy saturday afternoon and I am sure you will fall madly in lowe with him and his fantastic potrayal of the OCD writer.
While the next movie I saw was "Departed" - I felt it was more a Matt Daemon and Di Caprio movie. Though I liked the movie, I would rather discuss "The Bucket List". I heard that Jack Nicholson had actually shaved his head for the role. When two men (Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman) are diagnosed with a terminal disease, they work on a list of things that they want to see or achieve before they die. Their sojourns also includes a short trip to India - to visit the Taj Mahal and Morgan Freeman is actually wearing a pale white embroidered Sherwani.The last movie that I saw was the totally unexpected "Somethings gotta give". Jack plays an aging senior citizen who likes young women and unexpectedly falls in lowe with the mother of the young woman he is currently seeing. Its actually an "Apoorva Raagangal" with a dollop of humour and of course Jack Nicholson.
Of Injuries, Pain, and finally Relief
Have you ever had agonizing pain in your foot everytime you stood up after sitting for a while? Have you ignored it for over two months telling everyone that you are in the middle of a release? Have you limped all the way to the dias at Weddings, smiled at everyone like you are Colgate's brand ambassador and then hissed "Where the F are all the bloody chairs??" to ur near and dear ones who are accompanying you to the wedding? After a painful walk in your stylish shoes at the latest mall - have you sat in the car, hugging your feet so they do not pain so muchh... Well, well - you have lived the past two months of my life :(
When I finally decided to visit a doctor to check on the misbehaving right foot - this was jes after my book was approved for the release - I find that the foot behaves perfectly normal at the clinic. I had been worried 'bout this and the Arien rushed up and turned the foot in a diagonal manner and I let out one of those blood curdling screams which I had on reserve. The doctor managed to look nonchalant and asked the Arien why he had to twist it tht way and smiled while we both stared. He said smthng tht sounded like "metatarsal" and asked me to get an X-Ray jes to rule out any fractures. So, we got the X-ray. Well, the bones were fine - perfectly normal.
I was now more worried than ever. When we returned to the clinic - we were sent to a shop to purchase a "metatarsal silicon cushion". It looked ughhy! I cud not believe I had to wear smthng like tht. I was actually embarrassed to carry it in my hand :( When we met the doctor, he gave me more information on my bad right foot. He said tht either by wearing shoes with heels or shoes that have a tapering end, I had caused the toe bones (digits) to press the viens - resulting in the pain. So, essentially, in college parlance, my bones were ragging my veins and by wearing the scary silicon cushion, I was introducing a warden who would not let the bones rag the viens.
He also showed me how to wear my ugghy cushion. The relief was immense and immediate. The Arien had noticed the change in my expression, the moment I stood up. Usually, when I get up after being in a seated position, I have a pinched expression and then I hobble for 5 minutes before I can actually walk normally. When I stood up, the warden jumped in and provided support for the veins. The bones dared not rag the veins in the presence of the warden. I was so surprised, I actually said "I can walk - n its not paining". The doctor made me walk around the room and told me to wear the cushion for 15 days at least. He also prescribed some anti-inflammatory tablets, asked me to soak my foot in hot water, perform sm stretching exercises for the foot - in water, and asked me to see him after 15 days. I was still repeating "No pain" when we were asked to leave.
When we were driving back, I was dreaming 'bout new footwear when the Arien, in his typical sarci-cum-astute manner, said "Do you know that we jes spent 1000 + bucks on your right foot? Why is ur right foot troubling you - oh yes!! Ur shoes. " All my plans for buying new footwear quickly vanished.
For the folks who are interested to know more 'bout this particular ailment, it is known as Morton's Neuroma.
When I finally decided to visit a doctor to check on the misbehaving right foot - this was jes after my book was approved for the release - I find that the foot behaves perfectly normal at the clinic. I had been worried 'bout this and the Arien rushed up and turned the foot in a diagonal manner and I let out one of those blood curdling screams which I had on reserve. The doctor managed to look nonchalant and asked the Arien why he had to twist it tht way and smiled while we both stared. He said smthng tht sounded like "metatarsal" and asked me to get an X-Ray jes to rule out any fractures. So, we got the X-ray. Well, the bones were fine - perfectly normal.
I was now more worried than ever. When we returned to the clinic - we were sent to a shop to purchase a "metatarsal silicon cushion". It looked ughhy! I cud not believe I had to wear smthng like tht. I was actually embarrassed to carry it in my hand :( When we met the doctor, he gave me more information on my bad right foot. He said tht either by wearing shoes with heels or shoes that have a tapering end, I had caused the toe bones (digits) to press the viens - resulting in the pain. So, essentially, in college parlance, my bones were ragging my veins and by wearing the scary silicon cushion, I was introducing a warden who would not let the bones rag the viens.
He also showed me how to wear my ugghy cushion. The relief was immense and immediate. The Arien had noticed the change in my expression, the moment I stood up. Usually, when I get up after being in a seated position, I have a pinched expression and then I hobble for 5 minutes before I can actually walk normally. When I stood up, the warden jumped in and provided support for the veins. The bones dared not rag the veins in the presence of the warden. I was so surprised, I actually said "I can walk - n its not paining". The doctor made me walk around the room and told me to wear the cushion for 15 days at least. He also prescribed some anti-inflammatory tablets, asked me to soak my foot in hot water, perform sm stretching exercises for the foot - in water, and asked me to see him after 15 days. I was still repeating "No pain" when we were asked to leave.
When we were driving back, I was dreaming 'bout new footwear when the Arien, in his typical sarci-cum-astute manner, said "Do you know that we jes spent 1000 + bucks on your right foot? Why is ur right foot troubling you - oh yes!! Ur shoes. " All my plans for buying new footwear quickly vanished.
For the folks who are interested to know more 'bout this particular ailment, it is known as Morton's Neuroma.
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