Liar liar pants on fire

I am at a stage in my life where I am testing my limits and capability of lying. I have confessions to make. So here it is :-

I did not finish my lunch one day. Once again.. Don't judge me. This is my confession! Yet again I managed to eat just 2 spoons of my lunch and snacks. I had already planned what I am going to tell ammA as my excuse just because I did not want to eat my lunch after coming home.

ammA - yen sApadalai (Why did you not eat?)
pAdukA - yAro en box-la thuppittA (Someone spit into my box)
ammA - Nee enna panna appo? (What did you do then?)
pAdukA - nan bathroom ponen kai alamba (I went to the bathroom to wash my hands)
ammA - appo onakku eppadi theriyum (Then how do you know?)
pAdukA - friend sonna (A friend told me)
ammA - nee enna avalai panna. avo yen thuppanum ( What did you do? Why would she spit into your food)
pAdukA - nAn edhuvum pannalai? ( I did not do anything to her)
ammA - onnoda school diary-a thaa. nAn teacher kku note ezhuda poren (Bring your school diary. I am going to write a note to your teacher)
pAdukA - no ammA. She said sorry.
ammA - yen? ¨sorry¨ porAdhu. nee teacher kitta yen sollala? (Sorry is not enough. Why did you not tell your teacher?)
pAdukA - sonnen. Teacher sonna ¨sorry¨ sonna it is ok nnu (Yes, I told and teacher told that if she said sorry it is ok)
ammA - no not enough. anda ponnu peru sollu. nAn note ezhudha poren (Tell me the name of the girl who spit. I am going to write a note)
pAdukA - no ammA. Teacher already punished her.
ammA - no, diary konduvA (No, bring your diary)
pAdukA - no no
ammA - yedhu ellAm poi? (what are all lies?)
pAdukA - lunch pidikalai. athukku vandhu sApada vendam. (I did not like the lunch and I did not want to eat it after coming home.)
ammA - adhukku poi sollinde irupayA? Nee thappu panna unmaya solli ¨punishment¨ vAngiko. poi sonna onna nAnnum appAvum eppovomey pesamAttom. (So, will you keep lying? If you do a mistake, then say the truth and get the punishment you deserve.)
pAdukA - ok ammA. inimey ippadi pannave mAtten (I will never do like this again!)

Hmm.. I have been wondering when my ammA knew I was lying. What was the give away?

But I can tell you this, the lecture that followed this conversation was a long long one and every small thing became a teaching point for my parents during the week. Lying.... is definitely a bad idea....especially if you have parents like mine who will never let go and probe deep making you build on the lie and make it sound ridiculous :(

My musings - Helen Keller

My parents are trying to make it a habit for me to read a book periodically. So, I read a children's book on Helen Keller. The first time I read it, it seemed like an unusual book to me. There were no cartoons or silly animals in the story. I was confused and did not understand the book. I asked my ammA to read to me and explain it. It was not a fun story. How can something not be jolly and rosy?! I tried my best to ask questions to get the jolly side of Helen Keller's story but found none. The next couple of days I read the story over and over trying to wrap my brain around her story.

"Helen Keller cannot see or hear?!" "Even after she grew up?! How is that possible?!"

"She learnt languages, studied and authored books?!"

I was curious to know how not seeing and hearing feel like. I tried closing my eyes and ears and doing things. I asked ammA to show me alphabets with her hands just like Helen Keller learnt from her teacher. It IS tough. How did she live like this....?

I wanted to know more about Helen Keller and her life. I spent 45 minutes of a bus ride discussing about Helen Keller with ammA. I saw her pictures and wanted to know the other books  I can read about her. I want to read the books she has written. I try being her closing my eyes and ears to feel the world she felt. I came to know of Braille. 

It is so interesting and I don't know the feeling I get when I read her story. I have never felt this way. My parents say that the feeling is "inspiring". 

Helen Keller is my star and hero. 

GOD - decoded

I have been wondering and asking questions about God to my parents. Once during one of my autorickshaw trips, I revealed my conception of God.

pAdukA - ammA, namba Mahabharat munnAdi povomA? (will we reach home before Mahabharat (T.V. serial) starts? )
ammA - povom nnu ninaikaren ( I think we will reach )
pAdukA - enakku Krishna oomachi ya irukkanum ( I want to be like Lord Krishna )
ammA - yen (why?)
pAdukA -  nee paarthayA Krishna oomaachi andha pAtti ya seripanna (Did you see Lord Krishna made the old lady ok (meaning he made her hunchback go away))
ammA - ammAm pArthen (yes I saw)
pAdukA- eppadi pannA (How did he do it?)
ammA - silent hoping something in the road will distract her (too hard to explain.Don't know how to handle the topic)
pAdukA -  ammA, sollu (ammA, tell me )
ammA - still silent

pAdukA starts rambling

pAdukA - Krishna oomachikku mindla best scientist and best doctor irukaa nnu ninaikaren (I think there is the best scientist and the best doctor in Lord Krishna's mind)

pAdukA - adhaan ellam seri panna mudiyum oomachiyala. (that's why he is able to solve everything)

pAdukA - naan scientist and doctor aatum think pannen na, naan Krishna oomachi aaidalaam. naanum ellarukkum help pannalaam (If I think like a scientist and doctor, then I will also become Lord Krishna and help everyone)

pAdukA - ammA hard work panna best scientist and doctor aagalaamaa ? (Can I become the best scientist and doctor if I work hard?)
ammA - yeah sure (relieved that pAdukA found her own interpretation of God)

(Pictures) Jan-Jun-2014

More here

A stop over

Solar system is so fascinating. I have many many questions about planets, gravity and Sun. I just can't get a grasp of how Earth and other planets are just floating in space and also moving in an orbit.

Here are a few questions I always ask when we start reading about solar system.

Why isn't Earth falling because of gravity?
Which other planets do humans live in?
Isn't there any living being on other planets? Really? Why?

pAdukA - vera planet pona jolly-a irukkum ila ma? (woundn't it be fun to go to other planets, ammA?)

ammA - enda planet? (which planet?)

pAdukA - Saturn or the dwarf planet pluto.

ammA - yen? (why?)

pAdukA - Saturn azhagA irukku. enakku Pluto pidikkum (Saturn looks beautiful and I like Pluto)

ammA - avalavu dooram laam poga mudiyaadhu innum (We cannot travel so long right now)

pAdukA - rocket la kudavA (even with rocket?)

ammA - yes

pAdukA - appo Mars or Jupiter la stop pannittu Saturn polaam. apparam Neptune la stop panni Pluto kku polaam dhaane? (Then we can stop at Mars/Jupiter and go to Saturn and later stop in Neptune and reach Pluto, right?)

ammA - ???!!!

Will she understand?

We just got down from the bus from airport. ammA walked carrying Madhura who was sleeping and was dragging a suitcase and a bag while holding my hand. I do not know what came upon her when she decided to stop at a store to buy veggies, milk etc.. Once in the store Madhura woke up but refused to walk and insisted on being carried. With a added bag, ammA carried madhurA. I tried my best to make her walk and also offered to carry her. My little sister was very adamant arrgghh... She was such a trouble for ammA till we came back home.

I decided to talk to her and explain what she did was wrong.  I thought it will be a good time to tell madhurA about why she was a trouble while eating our favourite food (noodles:)

pAdukA - noodles pidichirkA? (Do you like your noodles?)
madhurA - cheese ikku (There is cheese)
madhurA - nanna ikku (It's good)
pAdukA - ammA nanna panna (ammA has made it well)
madhurA nods
pAdukA - appo nee yen ammA va paduthina thookku nnu? (then why did you trouble ammA to carry you?)
madhurA - ila naan paduthala. (I did not trouble her)
pAdukA - poi vera sollarayA? (Are you lying too?)
pAdukA - ammA eppadi potti, bag thookindu onna thooka mudiyum? (How can ammA lift box, bags and you?)
madhurA - ammA, pAdukA bad girl-a pesaraa (ammA pAdukA is speaking like a bad girl)
pAdukA - naan bad girl ila nee dhan. oru naal nee big girl aanaparam amma aavai. appo onnoda paappa onna thukku thukku sonna eppadi irukkum. appadi dhaan ammA kku ippo irukku. bad girl! (I am not a bad girl, you are. You will grow up to be a big girl and become a mother. Think about how you will feel when your baby will trouble you to carry her. That is how ammA is feeling right now. Bad girl!)

madhurA - nee dhaan bad girl ( you are a bad girl!)

Will my sister ever understand??

(Pictures) Aug-Dec-2013

More pics here

Questions!

pAdukA - nan ipo pudhu edathula okkAcchikaren ma ( I sit in a new place at school now)

ammA - good. ellarodum pesanum (speak with everyone)

pAdukA - pesaren ma ( I talk ammA) nAn Isha oda pesinen (I spoke with Isha)

ammA - chammathu...(good girl)

pAdukA - Isha oda amma/appA avala romba love pannara ( Ish'a parents love her a lot)

ammA - hmm.. appadiyaa (Is that so?)

pAdukA - avalakku appo appo gift kudupaalaam avaloda appA/ammA. ava sonna avaloda

ammA/appA adhanala romba love pannara (They give her gifts now and then. She told that her parents therefore love her a lot)

ammA - ok

pAdukA - neeyum appavum ennakku gift kudukardhe ilai. love ilai-a? (you and appA do not give me gifts. So don't you love me?)

ammA -!!!!!!! ammA and appA huggie and mutthA kudukarom la? appA/ammA onna romba romba love pannarom (ammA and appA give you hugs and kisses all the time. So we love you a LOT)

pAdukA - naan nalaikku Isha kitta solla poren (I will tell Isha tomorrow)

ammA - !!!!!!




ammA - pAdukA ashadA irukka ippo (you are being a bad girl now)

pAdukA - ana madhurA dhaan first pudinganA (but Madhura snatched it from me first)

ammA - azha vekkara madhurA va (you are making madhurA cry) Bad girl pAdukA...

pAdukA - nee enna bad girl-a valatthaya ammA (Did you bring me up as a bad girl ammA?)

pAdukA - enna good girl la dhaan valattha ila? ( didn't you bring me up as a good girl?) appo enna bad girl nnu solladhey (Don't call me a bad girl)

ammA - !!!!!!!!

naa nana naa naa bad boy

School, home work, dictations are all a part of my life and I have happily adapted to it. Riding the bus to and from school is the most important experience that I am getting. Life lessons from the bus bully is preparing me for competitive environment so early on.

This boy R who sits like a small mouse in the bus in the morning when bigger kids are around turns into a bully on the ride back when only KG kids come back mid day. Seeing that I am a new kid to ride the bus he has been calling me bad girl and other bad words (even quoting him will land me in trouble with my parents).  ammA heard from another parent who reported that R had bitten her son's finger and her son had to be taken to the hospital. She has been asking me not to talk to R, ignore and move away.

But I could not take it anymore and without telling ammA, I went to R's class and reported to his teachers. On the way back R came up to me and said he will call me a good girl if I bring chocolates in a bag for him from home. I wonder if this was his version of an apology since his teachers had spoken to him. I asked ammA if I should be taking chocolates for him and I almost knew ammA's response. "NO.. not at all pAdukA" came the answer.

"Yen avanakku chocolate kudukanam (why should I give him chocolates?) avan bad-a irukkaan ( he behaves badly) naan kudukka maatten (I will not give him)" I thought aloud and went with nothing for him the next day.

Now I have joined force with my friend Prisha who studies with me and also rides the bus with me and we are standing up to R. I have even taught MadhurA to sing "naa nana naa naa bad boy" when ammA and MadhurA pick me up. I am learning the ways of the world and toughening up :)