In America

 "Ranjini is going to come, and she is going to scold everyone for not using the stand. We are all going to say it is Cinish's idea".  And so, a few of us started using the wall in the hall directly to do the decorations. Divya Vipin mentioned that Ranjini has arrived at the parking lot. I had recently watched "Jailer" (not "Petta") from theatres, and even Rajni had not got as much build up.  Meanwhile,  ladies were setting up the pookkalam on the stage. As part of the hall decoration, the circular top over which the pookkalam was to be put, got some expert level centering to position it at the middle of the stage, aligned with the "nettipattam". Ranjini was fine about the decision to use the wall, and not wait for the stand.  Divya Vipin said - "See how nicely she handled.". I think every single time I got to speak to Divya Vipin, it was all praise and adoration for Ranjini. Vijesh and Anoop had the most important task of bringing ...

The hall was bursting with activity - three rows of seating for the sadya,  women in kerala saree, men in white mundu, serving and eating a full plantain leaf of potluck homemade tasty and nostalgic dishes. What stood out on one corner was a photobooth in "vanji" theme.  Next up was cultural programs outside the hall, in the open lawn. Kids surfaced good talent in a guitar performance, and a duo song with traditional touch.  The vibe fun dance performance from the core guys hit a surprise note when maveli did not show up after heavy "maveli vanne.. " notes. As it turned out, kids had misplaced maveli's crown, and maveli decided to not show up instead of showing up without the crown.  I had turned up at Jacob's house for a group song practice yesterday. Bobby and Jacob had their laptop open, and were in a serious discussion against an excel sheet. They were not contemplating an investment decision, or doing office work. They were meticulously setting up rules...

 Yesterday night, I felt like four laborers were sitting on top of a rock that is my head and gonging on it as they please. As morning came in, nausea also hit in. I felt like my system was hanging - like it had given up.  Then suddenly, I got up, went to the wash basin and vomited.  That clarified things a bit for me - I was sick. Today, I am supposed to visit Amruth and Anjana's family in Fremont for Onam get-together. Looks like Divya and kids will have to go. I will let him know closer to lunch time and I slept. I was woken up by Amruth's call asking me to get three chairs over. So I let him know that I am a little sick, and may not be able to make it. He told me to try and make it as much as possible. Immediately after, Anjana called Divya and insisted that I go along, and that I can lie down at their home. I also thought atleast someone would be there if I were to actually need some help. Amruth had also asked whether I had eaten anything outside - I had said no....

 Aneesh stole the limelight from the seven damsels dancing around him for the grand finale of a fun-filled evening at Gafoor and Ramshi's house on the occasion of Eid 2023.  The core group is based off of friendship built over ten years all the way from Kochi to America. Amazing vibe, mouth watering pot luck food, fun filled games organization under the captaincy of Jacob and the refereeship of Junaid. Fish fry, fish biriyani, appam, beef biriyani, chicken curries - not a single item fell short. Tasty lively food. I was excited to meet the director of the critically acclaimed "Porshce Leben" and to realize that it is the same down-to-earth always smiling Harish that I have met multiple times already without realizing that he is the one and only talent that I have been raving about to multiple folks. And to also have him right next door is definitely exciting should a short film/a video project ever kick off. At the same time, corporate life is pretty much killing quite a ...

 Job Kurian's grandmother had passed away 2-3 days back. He shared that with his audience naturally. He is sad, his heart is there. However, he gave himself fully to his high energy performances. The connect between the audience and the performers was amazing.  Harish Sivaramakrishnan when introducing a song had said that this is a song I usually sing for my friends, and you guys are like my friends. Cheesy as that may sound, the connect was real with every performer. Sitara came in with a song directly and then continued the conversation. Audience shouted out requests and she sang them out.  Very talented.  Sitara engaged the audience very well.  Harish Sivaramakrishnan shone with his characteristic top-of-the-voice improvisations to yesteryear musical masterpieces.  He connected very well with his audience as well. The consistency in performance was impressive. Every song from every performer came out great. Hardly any fluff. No long-draws sponsor message...

  Prakashettan announced clubhouse keys receipt at 10 AM. Gafoor, Vipin and myself brought the chairs and tables over to the clubhouse. Girish was setting up the sound system. We put the chairs into a stage and gallery arrangement and left home to bring our families over. ....... An hour later,  when we dropped in with family, clubhouse was pretty much filled with the tracy hills keralite families in traditional attire,  ladies in kerala sarees, men in munde and shirt/juba, kids in traditional style clothes. The pookkalam was setup, sadya items had been arranged on the side tables,  sound system setup was complete and playing,  audience had occupied the gallery. The place just got live! Prakashettan took the wireless mike and announced the program start,  each family got on the stage and introduced themselves. We had Thiruvathira kali performed around the traditional kerala style "vilakku". Audience enjoyed the dance and clapped loud to express appreciation...

Flat   "Dupp.." - that was roughly the sound and the car swerved to the right suddenly in Mohan Lal style. Luckily I realized right away what just happened and navigated the car to the side of the road safely as the images of the car with a burning bonnet and another overturned van that we had seen last couple of weeks on this highway played slideshow in my head.  Called Geico insurance and got redirected to a service that would charge me one hundred twenty dollars to tow the car two miles. And on asking why, I was told that that is because I am on the highway. Ok in that case,  let me get out of the highway and I will call you back. Well, if I can get out of the highway, then I can drive on my run-flats to the tire shop. And I inched into the tire shop.  Having reached the tire shop, I decided that I can drive fifty miles to the Fremont home to open the rental home and get the deep cleaning done which was the agenda for the day so as to return the house keys. Tire r...