Cycle of re-incarnation would have you believe that you will reap, as early as within next life, what you sow. While this is certainly a fancy notion, this isn’t truth by any notion of reasonableness. Hence even if you wouldn’t have enjoyed what you do now – for example, luxuries of material progress, benefits of freedom struggle, developments of modern technologies – there is hardly an obligation, let alone nagging sense of guilt, for doing something for future generation.
May be I am selfish but I’ve got only one life. Barely 40 years of pleasurable existence (excluding pre-puberty and senility). There is nothing wrong in me to want to live only life the way I like. I didn’t ask to born, so there isn’t any purpose I am supposed to fulfill. If I am dead tomorrow, why should I even care what happens to rest of the world and rest of the people (and ants, mosquitoes, etc. for that matter). I wouldn’t even know and feel ever. Why should my narrow sense of kinship with fellow humans overshadow my sense of connectedness with the entire Universe? Should I feel depressed by falling of a star somewhere?
Admittedly, my progeny and kins will inhabit this planet after I’ve departed. Yet, what I do for future generation wouldn’t benefit them as much as what I do for my kids directly. If I think about it, I haven’t even met my descendants and I am not kind of person who gets worked up on what his bloodline is going to suffer in future. In that way, I am kind of a model citizen, beyond narrow interests of family and clan, equally indifferent to all.
Some will say that had this attitude been taken by our forefathers we wouldn’t have had what we do. But, who really knows? Could we have not been better? Did all those who worked on what they did do it for future generation i.e. us? What they did was their choice. My choice is to make optimal decision based on information in my hand at this juncture of my existence.
Assuredly, do what you like, and if it benefits next bunch of people in the world, well and good, but if it doesn’t, don’t worry. Want to buy plastic bags and drink water in paper cups? Be my guest (though you might want to check if it will start hurting you in this generation!) It’s a beauty of this big world that there will be some people who will disagree with even the best construed arguments. My role is to convince you that I (and you too) shouldn’t worry about future generation, with awareness that some of you wouldn’t get convinced, and end up doing (possibly) something good for future generation, which makes my not worrying not as troublesome as I could be. Ironically, success of my argument depends on the failure of my argument. But, either way, who gives a damn?
Thursday, April 28, 2016
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Every conversation with Child
This has to be saved. Yes, this represents almost every conversation with our daughter too.
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/low_concept/2015/10/every_conversation_between_a_parent_and_a_child_in_four_conversations.html
Child: Can I have this?
Me: No.
Child: Ah, perhaps I’ve miscommunicated. I’m asking for it because I want it.
Me: I understood that, actually.
Child: I think maybe you’re not hearing me. I’d like it because I want it.
Me: I’ve heard you quite well, I’m saying that’s not actually an argument.
Child: PERHAPS IF I SAID IT LOUDER.
Me: There’s no problem with my hearing. The problem is that your argument is, as the Romans would say, circulus in probando.
Child: Well then, let me offer this new information: I want it.
Me: That’s the same information. That’s what you just said, and it’s also the information I assumed when we started.
Child: Well, can I watch YouTube?
Me: You also can’t watch YouTube.
Child: If I can’t watch YouTube, then can I have it?
Me: No! Sorry. No. Why would you think you can have it now?
Child: What if I ask more politely?
Me: I support your decision to behave more politely, and it might increase your chances of getting the next thing you want, but it won’t affect your access to this thing now.
Child: Can I have part of it?
Me: No. No, the having of it is what I’m saying no to. Having part of it is the same as having it.
Child: So can I have all of it?
Me: No! I’m answering the same question. The answer is no.
Child: Why not?
Me: BECAUSE I—Look. No.
Child: But, OK, look, here is some new information.
Me: Yes. What is it?
Child: I need it.
Me: Put your shoes on.
Child: Let the games ...
Me: Nonononono ...
Child: BEGIN!
Me: Just put your shoes on.
Child: In the vacuum of space, are there free-floating molecules?
Me: Put your shoes on.
Child: Did you know that we don’t actually vote for president, we vote for people who vote for president?
Me: I don’t care, put your shoes on.
Child: I am.
Me: You’re not. Put your shoes on.
Child: Why do we have shoes anyway?
Me: Just put your shoes on.
Child: That reminds me, where are my shoes?
Me: What? They’re right there! Right next to your feet!
Child: Oh, these shoes?
Me: YOU ONLY HAVE ... I’m sorry. Yes. Those shoes. Your only shoes.
Child: Why don’t I have more shoes?
Me: No more questions, just put your shoes on.
Child: I can’t. I’m not wearing socks.
Me: Did you take your socks OFF?
Child: Well, I’m not wearing them any more, so it’s a fair bet.
Me: Put on your socks and then put on your shoes.
Child: I am!
Me: You’re not! You’re just sitting there!
Child: This is me putting on my shoes! This is part of it! All of this, this is the putting on of the shoes. It says in the I Ching ...
Me: NO. NO MORE I FRIGGIN’ CHING. PUT YOUR ... I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Just ... put your shoes on.
Child: I found my socks. They were right here next to my shoes.
Me: If you put your shoes on by the time I count to five, I’ll let you choose what we do next. One ...
Child: (with socks and shoes already on) YouTube.
Me: OK, come eat dinner.
Child: This is dinner?
Me: Yes.
Child: I see. I see. So you’re saying this is dinner.
Me: It’s getting cold.
Child: But this is whole pieces of food that you’ve just … cooked.
Me: Yes. We’re eating something healthy for dinner.
Child: How can we be sure this is healthy?
Me: It’s healthy. And it’s dinner. Eat it.
Child: I had cold pizza and Skittles for breakfast, and then I got a 100 on my spelling test.
Me: You’ve stumbled into post hoc ergo propter hoc there, buddy, and that hasn’t worked since the second century.
Child: PERHAPS IF I EXPLAINED THAT I DON’T WANT IT.
Me: You can yell all you want, this is dinner.
Child: I think it’s cold.
Me: It’s not cold.
Child: Look at it. It’s cold. It’s gone cold.
Me: Eat it, it’s not cold.
Child: I’ll eat it if you eat it.
Me: No! That’s not the way it works!
Child: Why not?
Me: BECAUSE I’M THE GROWN-UP AND I SAID SO NOW QUIT ASKING ME AND GO DO SOMETHING ELSE BESIDES TALK TO ME FOR THE LOVE OF GOD OR I WILL LITERALLY BLOW UP FROM SITTING ON MY ANGER AND IMAGINING HOW MUCH TROUBLE I WOULD BE IN IF I PULLED THIS SHIT WITH MY PARENTS IN 1978!!!!
Child: Why are you yelling?
Me: I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to yell, I’m really sorry. I’ll order pizza.
Child: Where is Mom?
Me: Why do you need her?
Child: Sometimes one just needs one’s mother.
Me: I’m standing right here, perhaps I can help you.
Child: This falls under Mom’s purview, so …
Me: She’s busy right now, and I’m taking care of you.
Child: Busy where?
Me: Upstairs. But don’t go there.
(Child leaves room)
(Long pause, muffled discussion from upstairs)
(Child returns)
Child: I spoke with mom.
Me: So I gather.
Child: Mom says to ask you. Where is the thing from before?
Me: The thing I wouldn’t give you before?
Child: Yes.
Me: Why do you want to know?
Child: I’m a curious person. I thirst for knowledge.
Me: But you can’t have it.
Child: Boy, you are really jumping to conclusions here! I know I can’t have it! OF COURSE! I’m just curious.
Me: If I tell you where it is, will I find out that at some future time, you have the thing?
Child: Does anyone truly know what the future holds?
Me: So, there is a future where you’ve gone and gotten the thing.
Child: Hold that thought.
(Child leaves room)
(Long pause, muffled discussion from upstairs)
(Child returns)
Child: Mom says she’s busy and that you should just tell me where the thing is, because I promised not to get it.
Me: You promised.
Child: As Mom is my witness.
Me: You know you aren’t getting it, right?
Child: I just like to know where things are, in our house.
Me: The thing is on top of the refrigerator.
Child: Why did you put it there?
Me: Because I don’t trust you.
Child: But … how is that possible? I trust YOU.
Me: Thanks.
Child: I trust you so much that I know when I go and get a stool and bring it over by the refrigerator, and climb up it, the thing will be there.
Me: You promised you wouldn’t do that.
(Child leaves room)
Me: DO NOT GO TO THE KITCHEN. I SWEAR TO GOD IF I HEAR THAT STEP STOOL—
(Child comes back into room)
Child: Why were you yelling at me?
Me: I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled.
Child: Can I play on the computer?
Me: Yes.
(Child opens computer and begins watching videos on YouTube)
(Mom walks down stairs)
Mom: I specifically told you not to get on the computer.
Child: Dad said I could.
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/low_concept/2015/10/every_conversation_between_a_parent_and_a_child_in_four_conversations.html
1.
Child: Can I have this?
Me: No.
Child: Ah, perhaps I’ve miscommunicated. I’m asking for it because I want it.
Me: I understood that, actually.
Child: I think maybe you’re not hearing me. I’d like it because I want it.
Me: I’ve heard you quite well, I’m saying that’s not actually an argument.
Child: PERHAPS IF I SAID IT LOUDER.
Me: There’s no problem with my hearing. The problem is that your argument is, as the Romans would say, circulus in probando.
Child: Well then, let me offer this new information: I want it.
Me: That’s the same information. That’s what you just said, and it’s also the information I assumed when we started.
Child: Well, can I watch YouTube?
Me: You also can’t watch YouTube.
Child: If I can’t watch YouTube, then can I have it?
Me: No! Sorry. No. Why would you think you can have it now?
Child: What if I ask more politely?
Me: I support your decision to behave more politely, and it might increase your chances of getting the next thing you want, but it won’t affect your access to this thing now.
Child: Can I have part of it?
Me: No. No, the having of it is what I’m saying no to. Having part of it is the same as having it.
Child: So can I have all of it?
Me: No! I’m answering the same question. The answer is no.
Child: Why not?
Me: BECAUSE I—Look. No.
Child: But, OK, look, here is some new information.
Me: Yes. What is it?
Child: I need it.
2.
Me: Put your shoes on.
Child: Let the games ...
Me: Nonononono ...
Child: BEGIN!
Me: Just put your shoes on.
Child: In the vacuum of space, are there free-floating molecules?
Me: Put your shoes on.
Child: Did you know that we don’t actually vote for president, we vote for people who vote for president?
Me: I don’t care, put your shoes on.
Child: I am.
Me: You’re not. Put your shoes on.
Child: Why do we have shoes anyway?
Me: Just put your shoes on.
Child: That reminds me, where are my shoes?
Me: What? They’re right there! Right next to your feet!
Child: Oh, these shoes?
Me: YOU ONLY HAVE ... I’m sorry. Yes. Those shoes. Your only shoes.
Child: Why don’t I have more shoes?
Me: No more questions, just put your shoes on.
Child: I can’t. I’m not wearing socks.
Me: Did you take your socks OFF?
Child: Well, I’m not wearing them any more, so it’s a fair bet.
Me: Put on your socks and then put on your shoes.
Child: I am!
Me: You’re not! You’re just sitting there!
Child: This is me putting on my shoes! This is part of it! All of this, this is the putting on of the shoes. It says in the I Ching ...
Me: NO. NO MORE I FRIGGIN’ CHING. PUT YOUR ... I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Just ... put your shoes on.
Child: I found my socks. They were right here next to my shoes.
Me: If you put your shoes on by the time I count to five, I’ll let you choose what we do next. One ...
Child: (with socks and shoes already on) YouTube.
3.
Me: OK, come eat dinner.
Child: This is dinner?
Me: Yes.
Child: I see. I see. So you’re saying this is dinner.
Me: It’s getting cold.
Child: But this is whole pieces of food that you’ve just … cooked.
Me: Yes. We’re eating something healthy for dinner.
Child: How can we be sure this is healthy?
Me: It’s healthy. And it’s dinner. Eat it.
Child: I had cold pizza and Skittles for breakfast, and then I got a 100 on my spelling test.
Me: You’ve stumbled into post hoc ergo propter hoc there, buddy, and that hasn’t worked since the second century.
Child: PERHAPS IF I EXPLAINED THAT I DON’T WANT IT.
Me: You can yell all you want, this is dinner.
Child: I think it’s cold.
Me: It’s not cold.
Child: Look at it. It’s cold. It’s gone cold.
Me: Eat it, it’s not cold.
Child: I’ll eat it if you eat it.
Me: No! That’s not the way it works!
Child: Why not?
Me: BECAUSE I’M THE GROWN-UP AND I SAID SO NOW QUIT ASKING ME AND GO DO SOMETHING ELSE BESIDES TALK TO ME FOR THE LOVE OF GOD OR I WILL LITERALLY BLOW UP FROM SITTING ON MY ANGER AND IMAGINING HOW MUCH TROUBLE I WOULD BE IN IF I PULLED THIS SHIT WITH MY PARENTS IN 1978!!!!
Child: Why are you yelling?
Me: I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to yell, I’m really sorry. I’ll order pizza.
4.
Child: Where is Mom?
Me: Why do you need her?
Child: Sometimes one just needs one’s mother.
Me: I’m standing right here, perhaps I can help you.
Child: This falls under Mom’s purview, so …
Me: She’s busy right now, and I’m taking care of you.
Child: Busy where?
Me: Upstairs. But don’t go there.
(Child leaves room)
(Long pause, muffled discussion from upstairs)
(Child returns)
Child: I spoke with mom.
Me: So I gather.
Child: Mom says to ask you. Where is the thing from before?
Me: The thing I wouldn’t give you before?
Child: Yes.
Me: Why do you want to know?
Child: I’m a curious person. I thirst for knowledge.
Me: But you can’t have it.
Child: Boy, you are really jumping to conclusions here! I know I can’t have it! OF COURSE! I’m just curious.
Me: If I tell you where it is, will I find out that at some future time, you have the thing?
Child: Does anyone truly know what the future holds?
Me: So, there is a future where you’ve gone and gotten the thing.
Child: Hold that thought.
(Child leaves room)
(Long pause, muffled discussion from upstairs)
(Child returns)
Child: Mom says she’s busy and that you should just tell me where the thing is, because I promised not to get it.
Me: You promised.
Child: As Mom is my witness.
Me: You know you aren’t getting it, right?
Child: I just like to know where things are, in our house.
Me: The thing is on top of the refrigerator.
Child: Why did you put it there?
Me: Because I don’t trust you.
Child: But … how is that possible? I trust YOU.
Me: Thanks.
Child: I trust you so much that I know when I go and get a stool and bring it over by the refrigerator, and climb up it, the thing will be there.
Me: You promised you wouldn’t do that.
(Child leaves room)
Me: DO NOT GO TO THE KITCHEN. I SWEAR TO GOD IF I HEAR THAT STEP STOOL—
(Child comes back into room)
Child: Why were you yelling at me?
Me: I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled.
Child: Can I play on the computer?
Me: Yes.
(Child opens computer and begins watching videos on YouTube)
(Mom walks down stairs)
Mom: I specifically told you not to get on the computer.
Child: Dad said I could.
Monday, December 22, 2014
My favourite Podcasts
I've been listening to various podcasts while commuting to and fro from work for last couple of months, and I couldn't be happier.
Before I discovered podcasts, my options of utilizing a considerable amount of my daily waking life were limited to music from FM radio station or music from my USB stick. Former were annoyance due to abundant number of advertisements, which are often repeated, and limited selection of latest songs, which were also repeated, and which were less of musical delight but more driven by latest movie marketing. Later was considerably preferred, but became boring due to my inability to update my collection often and hence repeating same collection. I tried audio-books few times but quickly discarded the option for they required too much concentration detrimental to safe driving.
Enter world of podcasts! Podcasts are best described as audio blogs. They are delight because they are almost inexhaustive, being updated weekly, and are not as distracting in effect being similar to listening to radio news, and are wildly interesting, entertaining, educational and useful. In some way, I feel they have made my driven less stressful since I am no hurry to reach my destination, instead preferring continuation of my favourite show.
Below is collection of some of my favourite podcasts, in decreasing order of my preference, alphabetically within each sub-group, and my commentary on the same:
List Updated on 11th June 2020
Great:
Before I discovered podcasts, my options of utilizing a considerable amount of my daily waking life were limited to music from FM radio station or music from my USB stick. Former were annoyance due to abundant number of advertisements, which are often repeated, and limited selection of latest songs, which were also repeated, and which were less of musical delight but more driven by latest movie marketing. Later was considerably preferred, but became boring due to my inability to update my collection often and hence repeating same collection. I tried audio-books few times but quickly discarded the option for they required too much concentration detrimental to safe driving.
Enter world of podcasts! Podcasts are best described as audio blogs. They are delight because they are almost inexhaustive, being updated weekly, and are not as distracting in effect being similar to listening to radio news, and are wildly interesting, entertaining, educational and useful. In some way, I feel they have made my driven less stressful since I am no hurry to reach my destination, instead preferring continuation of my favourite show.
Below is collection of some of my favourite podcasts, in decreasing order of my preference, alphabetically within each sub-group, and my commentary on the same:
List Updated on 11th June 2020
Great:
- Anthropocene Reviewed — Host's personal opinion on various random things, often including esoteric history and personal anecdotes, told in soothing narrative
- EconTalk (Library of Economics and Liberty) — This isn't very entertaining but if you want your mental horizon to be stretched with very deep fundamental concepts, this it it. Falls into a category of podcast you should listen to but probably you won't.
- Every Little Thing — is discussion on minor topics and histories of science.
- Futility Closet — Extremely affable narratives from history of world telling history of minor things and incidents. As they describe themselves, will suit you if your mind is curious about oddities and find pleasure in information for sake of it.
- Indicator from Planet Money — News and stories around current economic metrics from USA.
- Planet Money — Stories of past and present things that make modern economy.
- Radiolab from WNYC — Interesting informative stories about various themes, primary around science and technology.
- Science Vs — This is one the best show to learn about the scientific basis of many common conceptions and misconceptions. Each episode looks at academic literature and tries to synthesize positive, neutral, or negative decision on key questions. Examples of questions explored are the effectiveness of vaccines, diets, multi-vitamins, political questions on abortions, gun control, etc.
- What Trump Can Teach Us About Con Law — Show talks about various topics in US Constitution Law and how they are interpreted in the current environment, their history, their usefulness, key cases, etc. and ties them back to US President's Trump's actions.
- 60-Second Science — Quick bites into latest scientific research. Mildly interesting.
- 99% Invisible — Short stories about man-made things that shape the world, and design consideration thereof.
- Completely Optional Knowledge — Simple explanation of science queries. Can be too simple and verbose at times for my knowledge.
- Criminal — Stories of crimes, laws, and their history from USA
- Freakonomics Radio — Logic and data driven look at almost everything in world around us. Built from book of the same name, this is absolutely wonderful podcasts which brings out best practices in various fields from all over the world. Intelligent and stupid questions, all are honored.
- Linear Digressions — Discussion on recent paper in Machine Learning space, or general topic related to Data Science world in simple to understand language.
- The Allusionist — Etymology of words explained in saucier language.
- The Data Skeptic Podcast — This just fits into my groove of analytic science, so I love it for its discussion and references. Will work if you have interest in the science of data driven decision making.
- The History of India Podcast — No one told story of ancient India sourced from ancient text better than this! Making history informative and fun.
- The Infinite Monkey Cage — This is general discussion, with some comedic input, on scientific concept done in live stage setting.
- Reply All — This is discussion on internet, technology and social issue surrounding them. Fairly humour, creative, except for its 'Yes-Yes-No' segment where conversation on dissecting an viral tweet.
- Science Friday — Interviews on cutting edge research or latest discovery in world of Science.
Good:
- A Skeptics Guide to Conspiracy — This is very good in content but not so much in editing. I think they could say that same in half the time as there is a lot of repetation in conversation. However, this discusses latest research in science, with few good puzzles thrown in.
- HBR IdeaCast — Management gyaan isn't my cup of tea, but listening to key stories of Harvard Business Review is still worthwhile.
- Hidden Brain — Anecdotes from behaviour science and psychology.
- Inside Forbes India — India related stories from business world.
- The Economist — Weekly round of world new and explanations on money, market and science. Useful for getting critical international news, and free! Content is heavily biased towards US and UK with bit of Japan, China and Europe but then one can assume it's driven by where money is.
- This American Life — Interesting, emotional and amusing stories from various walks of life, on varying theme
- Sawbones — Humour filled history of medicines and surgery
- StarTalk Radio — This has decent enough content on astronomy, astrophysics, and anything Universe related, but there is lot of banter and chit chat which makes it inefficient for me.
- Stuff You Should Know — This is 'how things work' of podcasts. It's mildly entertaining but content is too low key and slow for my taste.
- 30 Animals that Made Us Smarter — How science and tech uses "biomimicry" to learn from nature and animals.
- 50 Things That Made the Modern Economy — Stories of small things and their impact on world.
- Dissecting Love — Science and biology of relationship and sex. Need I say more?
- More Perfect — This show goes into the story behind pivotal cases in front of US Supreme Court, past and present, and how law and precedent and arguments are shaping the legal opinion.
- Invisibilia — Bit verbose and emotion insight into hidden psychological narrative governing current world and human life.
- It's Your Universe — Journey into Solar System. It's only one season though!
- Serial — This is a serialized radio show with one story. First season presented a true murder mystery thriller. Very gripping.
- The Intersection — Melting pot of Science, History, and Culture in this Indian quality podcast.
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Vedika - Day 825
I've not been able to update this blog and my frequency is dwindling. It may die natural death. Hence, I've moved to Twitter. That is, Vidhi is on twitter since 13th Jun'14. Follow her (but who is reading this blog anyway?) at here handle: VG01AG01. This gives me incentive to post because (1) posts are smaller (2) it's new platform. Let's see how long I stay there.
Below is screencap of tweets in last one week.
Below is screencap of tweets in last one week.
Friday, May 9, 2014
Vedika - Day 784
Vidhi understands that she has many names. She responds to them well. She connects Vidhudi to Chachu. Vedika Gupta to formal name when asked by stranger. And more. Her emphasis on Vedika Gupta, not yet uttered clearly enough to let stranger understand completely, is absolutely adorable.
As her vocabulary increases, she often corrects us. Having forgotten teaching her, we sometimes slip in something simpler for more complicated word, giving her opportunity to correct us. And her correction takes always the form: <full wrong phrase> NOoooo, <full right phrase>. For example, when inquired about whereabouts of her Chacha by her, we may respond that he has gone out. She quickly chimes, "chacha gone out, No..., chacha gone to gym". As she has started talking, her voice and dialogues are source of surprise and joy, and worthy of recording for preservation. We have not found a quick way to record her utterances, unlike quick video shooting by phone. Unfortunately, she has become conscience of videographing, and immediately stops whatever she is doing and demands to be shown what is being captured.
In a new twist — which her mother finds corruption of her English grammar, and I find sign of her ability of go beyond specified words and understand deep context — she has started making-up fake words. Specifically, fake verbs. She announced other day that she is "office kaaming" when pretend working her mother's laptop. Looking at cats sleep, she said that they were "needing". When her toys fall down, she rues that they are "bumbing." She has, for reasons unknown, also started adding "only" to end of each setence. We worry her deviation from grammatically English to Indian English! Her most common sentence these days is: "They are bumbing only!".
She has picked up names of most vegetables, fruits, letters, numbers, days of the week, months of year, seasons, opposites, and shapes by now. She has even started recognizing letters in written form even when presented out of sequence. Her favourite, now, being letter A. Her understanding doesn't disassociate 'A' from 'Apple' now. So, as she spots an A, on keyboard often, but also in newspaper, she shouts that there is Apple there.
Her sentence structure of some of common phrases brings out hilarity. As perhaps mentioned earlier, she declared few weeks ago that vidhi ke ghar main to daadi bhi hai as way of saying that there is dadi in the house. Yesterday, she went on sing-song about vidhi bhi su-su karti hai, chacha bhi su-su karte hai, papa bhi...you get the drift.
In playgrounds, I find her silent and non-interactive. She is timid, and doesn't reach out to, nor responds when reached out to by, other children. She prefers going one round on each of two identical but different coloured swings and see-saws. She avoids slides, for reasons unknown. I want her to run and do bit of body movement, which she avoids. If, and when, she runs, it is hilarious with her both arms raised and bent at elbows, whole body shaking.
Her nightly tantrums are still ongoing. She not only wants things to be done in certain very very precise way to her, but also wants you to align yourself to her precise specifications. That means direction of sleep, where your body parts lie, speed of fan, presence and location of her soft toys, and whether or not you use blanket. She instruct once, and then cries till her demands are met. Which are often, but when not, can lead her to cry for hours, and then fall asleep sobbing. This happening every night is naturally source of huge annoyance to her mother and I. Once in a while she would get a slap for it. That is more of outlet of our frustrating demeanor rather than any step towards solution. And solution, most of the nights, is none, for it feels that she wants to cry.
As her vocabulary increases, she often corrects us. Having forgotten teaching her, we sometimes slip in something simpler for more complicated word, giving her opportunity to correct us. And her correction takes always the form: <full wrong phrase> NOoooo, <full right phrase>. For example, when inquired about whereabouts of her Chacha by her, we may respond that he has gone out. She quickly chimes, "chacha gone out, No..., chacha gone to gym". As she has started talking, her voice and dialogues are source of surprise and joy, and worthy of recording for preservation. We have not found a quick way to record her utterances, unlike quick video shooting by phone. Unfortunately, she has become conscience of videographing, and immediately stops whatever she is doing and demands to be shown what is being captured.
In a new twist — which her mother finds corruption of her English grammar, and I find sign of her ability of go beyond specified words and understand deep context — she has started making-up fake words. Specifically, fake verbs. She announced other day that she is "office kaaming" when pretend working her mother's laptop. Looking at cats sleep, she said that they were "needing". When her toys fall down, she rues that they are "bumbing." She has, for reasons unknown, also started adding "only" to end of each setence. We worry her deviation from grammatically English to Indian English! Her most common sentence these days is: "They are bumbing only!".
She has picked up names of most vegetables, fruits, letters, numbers, days of the week, months of year, seasons, opposites, and shapes by now. She has even started recognizing letters in written form even when presented out of sequence. Her favourite, now, being letter A. Her understanding doesn't disassociate 'A' from 'Apple' now. So, as she spots an A, on keyboard often, but also in newspaper, she shouts that there is Apple there.
Her sentence structure of some of common phrases brings out hilarity. As perhaps mentioned earlier, she declared few weeks ago that vidhi ke ghar main to daadi bhi hai as way of saying that there is dadi in the house. Yesterday, she went on sing-song about vidhi bhi su-su karti hai, chacha bhi su-su karte hai, papa bhi...you get the drift.
In playgrounds, I find her silent and non-interactive. She is timid, and doesn't reach out to, nor responds when reached out to by, other children. She prefers going one round on each of two identical but different coloured swings and see-saws. She avoids slides, for reasons unknown. I want her to run and do bit of body movement, which she avoids. If, and when, she runs, it is hilarious with her both arms raised and bent at elbows, whole body shaking.
Her nightly tantrums are still ongoing. She not only wants things to be done in certain very very precise way to her, but also wants you to align yourself to her precise specifications. That means direction of sleep, where your body parts lie, speed of fan, presence and location of her soft toys, and whether or not you use blanket. She instruct once, and then cries till her demands are met. Which are often, but when not, can lead her to cry for hours, and then fall asleep sobbing. This happening every night is naturally source of huge annoyance to her mother and I. Once in a while she would get a slap for it. That is more of outlet of our frustrating demeanor rather than any step towards solution. And solution, most of the nights, is none, for it feels that she wants to cry.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Vedika - Day 754
When Vidhi visited her Mama's house in Hyderabad early this year, she heard her mom being addressed by her name, Radhika, by her elder brother and mother, who are, Vidhi's Mama and Nani respectively. Quick to pick anything new, she has taken on to call her mom Radhika and Radhika Mummy, apart from Mummy. And she does take on more assertive tone with name when she has to call her mummy second time or more. Which kind of makes sense. But is very odd to hear, and extremely difficulty to get rid of.
In Vidhi's world, each object, person, activity, emotion is a fully fledged entity. It appears that she understands that her doll is not exactly same kind of friend to her as are her classmates at Day Care. But then, sometimes, as adult you find that perhaps that's not true. In her world, her plastic dog feel hungry when she does, demands milk, requires petting and hugging, and gets tired. She requests, often, to feed her toys/furniture and ascribes other anthropomorphic qualities to them.
Her obsession with Lakdi ki Kathi was talk of the house. Well, everything she does is talk of the house, but this obsession went a level higher. She would demand and listen to this song for hours at end. She would dance in circle as in the song. She would notice a flicker of Teddy Bear near the end of song and point it out to us. She would make hand gestures to mimic tiny Urmila Matondkar. So, of course, as doting parents we decided to find out where to acquire one for her. We knew that that can be bought from Channapatna, a toy town, about an hour's drive from Bangalore. But we wanted to find something in town. Two local hangouts were found wanting, and once we rejected because she swung so much that we felt that she would fall off the horse. In the end, we bought one when we visited Bannerghatta National Park with her bua Khushboo Gupta. As anti-climax go, her fanaticism has subsequently tapered off quite a bit. Lakdi ki Kathi is neither as much demanded on video nor actually played with.
In Vidhi's world, each object, person, activity, emotion is a fully fledged entity. It appears that she understands that her doll is not exactly same kind of friend to her as are her classmates at Day Care. But then, sometimes, as adult you find that perhaps that's not true. In her world, her plastic dog feel hungry when she does, demands milk, requires petting and hugging, and gets tired. She requests, often, to feed her toys/furniture and ascribes other anthropomorphic qualities to them.
Her obsession with Lakdi ki Kathi was talk of the house. Well, everything she does is talk of the house, but this obsession went a level higher. She would demand and listen to this song for hours at end. She would dance in circle as in the song. She would notice a flicker of Teddy Bear near the end of song and point it out to us. She would make hand gestures to mimic tiny Urmila Matondkar. So, of course, as doting parents we decided to find out where to acquire one for her. We knew that that can be bought from Channapatna, a toy town, about an hour's drive from Bangalore. But we wanted to find something in town. Two local hangouts were found wanting, and once we rejected because she swung so much that we felt that she would fall off the horse. In the end, we bought one when we visited Bannerghatta National Park with her bua Khushboo Gupta. As anti-climax go, her fanaticism has subsequently tapered off quite a bit. Lakdi ki Kathi is neither as much demanded on video nor actually played with.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Vedika - Day 751
Having trained her to use appropriate words for relieving herself, we decided that may be now is time for her to sit by herself on commode. So we got this.
In the shop, we wanted to ensure that size fits her well, and we asked her to sit on it, while kept on floor. Later, at home, having recalled seeing swimmers use ring floaters to swim, and her own experience of being asked to sit in center, Vidhi decided that it is her ring floater!
She, announced to our amazement how she will swim in this. When her Chacha decided to give the potty seat a try on real potty, she followed, saw, screamed and snatched this from his hand. Her words, "udhar mat rakho, ganda ho jaayega." Hilarity ensues!
In the shop, we wanted to ensure that size fits her well, and we asked her to sit on it, while kept on floor. Later, at home, having recalled seeing swimmers use ring floaters to swim, and her own experience of being asked to sit in center, Vidhi decided that it is her ring floater!
She, announced to our amazement how she will swim in this. When her Chacha decided to give the potty seat a try on real potty, she followed, saw, screamed and snatched this from his hand. Her words, "udhar mat rakho, ganda ho jaayega." Hilarity ensues!
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Vedika - Day 736
We are going to be shameless and announce that Ms. Vedika has won two prizes this year in her day-care in today's annual day program!!
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Vedika - Day 650
Over course of time, these posts will change their tones. Dear Vidhi, sometimes I write these in your tone, since this is supposedly your journal. Sometimes, I write as your father. Today I am writing as later.
Of course sacrifices of mothers are all well known and need no elaboration. But they must still be acknowledged. Your mom Radhika Gupta has done a lot for you in last 21 months you have been with us. There is no example in far and wide, neither among friends and relatives, nor among colleagues and neighbours, for a working mother who is able to take care of young infant along with house, husband and job.
Yes, she had help. Her job is, so far, amenable to work from home, a privilege denied to many. She has an 8 hour helper maid, which you may or may not recall/remember with fondness. Yet she also has a job which requires time and commitment like any other jobs. She also has series of maids which need to be supervised and chaperoned and trained. She also has to cook. And, of course, she has you.
You, who is not easily accustomed to new touch. You, who still cannot live or sleep with your papa or chacha. You, who yet cannot entertain by yourself. You, who needs constant attention and supervision. You, who still requires hours to feed. And you, who still cannot sleep uninterrupted at night. This is not litany of complaints about you. After all, you are you. And you are a baby.
But what this has meant is that there is a not a moment of time for your mom, for herself. Her nightly sleeps are interrupted in your unconsolable nonchalant cries for hours. Her mornings are disturbed by a late or absent maid, and who must abandon her office work to feed, bath and entertain you. Her day is spent trying to work yet keep you company. Her evenings stretch coping up with work which could not be completed in day time, and who must also attend to you after maid has left. Her business calls are filled with screams of baby Vedika trying to claim her mom back. And who must often take phone calls with you on her lap, or run software programs with you on her back. Not a moment can be wasted on personal items and TV and entertainment are at sole mercy of your Highness.
She did so and she will do so. But you must remember this, for what she is doing, hasn't been done by too many.
----
A nice poem I found on internet...
Of course sacrifices of mothers are all well known and need no elaboration. But they must still be acknowledged. Your mom Radhika Gupta has done a lot for you in last 21 months you have been with us. There is no example in far and wide, neither among friends and relatives, nor among colleagues and neighbours, for a working mother who is able to take care of young infant along with house, husband and job.
Yes, she had help. Her job is, so far, amenable to work from home, a privilege denied to many. She has an 8 hour helper maid, which you may or may not recall/remember with fondness. Yet she also has a job which requires time and commitment like any other jobs. She also has series of maids which need to be supervised and chaperoned and trained. She also has to cook. And, of course, she has you.
You, who is not easily accustomed to new touch. You, who still cannot live or sleep with your papa or chacha. You, who yet cannot entertain by yourself. You, who needs constant attention and supervision. You, who still requires hours to feed. And you, who still cannot sleep uninterrupted at night. This is not litany of complaints about you. After all, you are you. And you are a baby.
But what this has meant is that there is a not a moment of time for your mom, for herself. Her nightly sleeps are interrupted in your unconsolable nonchalant cries for hours. Her mornings are disturbed by a late or absent maid, and who must abandon her office work to feed, bath and entertain you. Her day is spent trying to work yet keep you company. Her evenings stretch coping up with work which could not be completed in day time, and who must also attend to you after maid has left. Her business calls are filled with screams of baby Vedika trying to claim her mom back. And who must often take phone calls with you on her lap, or run software programs with you on her back. Not a moment can be wasted on personal items and TV and entertainment are at sole mercy of your Highness.
She did so and she will do so. But you must remember this, for what she is doing, hasn't been done by too many.
----
A nice poem I found on internet...
Slow down mummy, there is no need to rush,
Slow down mummy, what is all the fuss?
Slow down mummy, make yourself a cup tea.
Slow down mummy, come and spend some time with me.
Slow down mummy, let's put our boots on and go out for a walk,
Let's kick at piles of leaves, and smile and laugh and talk.
Slow down mummy, you look ever so tired,
Come sit and snuggle under the duvet and rest with me a while.
Slow down mummy, those dirty dishes can wait,
Slow down mummy, let's have some fun, let's bake a cake!
Slow down mummy I know you work a lot,
But sometimes mummy, its nice when you just stop.
Sit with us a minute, and listen to our day,
Spend a cherished moment, because our childhood is not here to stay!
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Vedika - Day 649
These days Vedika is absolutely adorable. Unless she is crying. And she still does, waking up suddenly in night, reciting unknowable phrases, and indicating perhaps, though one cannot be sure, signs of nightmares.
Her vocabulary is expanding at rapid rate. Her knowledge has moved from nouns to colours and shapes. She understands equivalence of Hindi and English words referring to same object and action. We had feared her lack of understanding colours which is quickly disappearing. She has gotten decent grasp on vegetables and fruits. And while she still cannot, naturally, carry out conversation in any specific domain, her word repertoire is enough to carry out regular conversation to all extent of daily life.
Her imagination is seeing signs of ripening for she can discern patterns of animals in shadows and dirt marks. She can mimic her mom's cooking with grass, stone and dirt as ingredients. She can recite counting from one to fifteen, alphabets from A to Z, and all seven days of week. Often times she does this subconsciously for when asked, she falters. She has great memories of all the rhymes which we played to her over the years. She can sing along fully to Johny Johny, Twinkle Twinkle, ABCD song, and few others. She has developed preference for Teletubbies too and while it's not sure if she understands anything other than Twinky-winky, Dipsee, Lala, Pooh she does recite and delights in these names.
She has matured a little to be managed by her papa and chacha for hours as long as she is paid full attention to. She plays, demands action (swings on legs, or horse-riding), and teases. Her shoulders half hunched, eyes sparkling, hands raised, ready to dhappi is often her favourite way of sneaking at our back or reaching out to us. She still doesn't understand concept of hide-and-seek and while she can find someone who is hidden, when asked to hide, remains obviously visible and near the seeker.
She has developed a new style of hand twisting, sign of her early dance moves, which she repeats when excited. On recent birthday of her Chacha, she was the one who blew candles. Four times. She seem to love this!
Vedika was fond of brushing her teeth from day one. She still is. We've got her an small toothbrush. She demands toothpaste too, though dentist recommended fluoride free toothpaste for kids, we cannot find any, and we give her a sliver of regular one. She must participate in any tooth brushing session, morning or evening. Currently, she just eats her toothpaste but still does all the regular motions. As touchy as she is in any other matter, you can freely take her toothbrush and brush her teeth yourself, and she'll let you do it. She tries to spit but cannot and having drunk toothpaste and water, just spits out her spit.
She has become absolutely choosy about clothes she wants to wear. There isn't any pattern though, and it appears primarily to be driven by her desire to not wear anything. She runs about when robing or disrobing her. And if her mind is set of not wearing a baniyaan or frock then God have mercy. Her tiny naked frame running around avoiding clothing is a sight to see.
Her vocabulary is expanding at rapid rate. Her knowledge has moved from nouns to colours and shapes. She understands equivalence of Hindi and English words referring to same object and action. We had feared her lack of understanding colours which is quickly disappearing. She has gotten decent grasp on vegetables and fruits. And while she still cannot, naturally, carry out conversation in any specific domain, her word repertoire is enough to carry out regular conversation to all extent of daily life.
Her imagination is seeing signs of ripening for she can discern patterns of animals in shadows and dirt marks. She can mimic her mom's cooking with grass, stone and dirt as ingredients. She can recite counting from one to fifteen, alphabets from A to Z, and all seven days of week. Often times she does this subconsciously for when asked, she falters. She has great memories of all the rhymes which we played to her over the years. She can sing along fully to Johny Johny, Twinkle Twinkle, ABCD song, and few others. She has developed preference for Teletubbies too and while it's not sure if she understands anything other than Twinky-winky, Dipsee, Lala, Pooh she does recite and delights in these names.
She has matured a little to be managed by her papa and chacha for hours as long as she is paid full attention to. She plays, demands action (swings on legs, or horse-riding), and teases. Her shoulders half hunched, eyes sparkling, hands raised, ready to dhappi is often her favourite way of sneaking at our back or reaching out to us. She still doesn't understand concept of hide-and-seek and while she can find someone who is hidden, when asked to hide, remains obviously visible and near the seeker.
She has developed a new style of hand twisting, sign of her early dance moves, which she repeats when excited. On recent birthday of her Chacha, she was the one who blew candles. Four times. She seem to love this!
Vedika was fond of brushing her teeth from day one. She still is. We've got her an small toothbrush. She demands toothpaste too, though dentist recommended fluoride free toothpaste for kids, we cannot find any, and we give her a sliver of regular one. She must participate in any tooth brushing session, morning or evening. Currently, she just eats her toothpaste but still does all the regular motions. As touchy as she is in any other matter, you can freely take her toothbrush and brush her teeth yourself, and she'll let you do it. She tries to spit but cannot and having drunk toothpaste and water, just spits out her spit.
She has become absolutely choosy about clothes she wants to wear. There isn't any pattern though, and it appears primarily to be driven by her desire to not wear anything. She runs about when robing or disrobing her. And if her mind is set of not wearing a baniyaan or frock then God have mercy. Her tiny naked frame running around avoiding clothing is a sight to see.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
-
When I started reading Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome, a humourous book written in 1889, I had not imagined that what lay ahead of ... -
One of the option on Orkut for describing your looks is "mirror cracking material". I always wondered if it's extreme on posi...
-
When I tinker with my eyes, as in when I am trying to put on contact lenses, specially when it takes longer than usual and my eyes become wa...
