In all fairness

When the test result papers are given to us, it is always semi thrilling. Not knowing how my parents are going to react makes planning the presentation of the mark sheets that much more interesting.

Well, in a term test, I had done decently (that's what I thought). But you never know!

madhurA - appA, answer sheets indhA (Here are the answer sheet)

appA - ok... (looking keenly) - inga nee pochu 1 mark.. konjam gavanam venum (Here, you lost one mark. You should have shown attention)

appA - What is the spelling of "Environment"?
madhurA - (tells the spelling correctly) yen kettA?
appA - nee thappa ezhudirkka AnA onnoda teacher "tick" potturukkA (You have written it wrong but your teacher has put a tick against it)

appA - onnoda teacher kkum attention porAdhu. eppadi sollikudupAlo! ida kAmi and mark koraikka sollu (Even your teacher does not show attention. Don't know how well she teaches. Show this and get you marks reduced)

madhurA gets visibly upset. The next day while going to her music class...

madhurA - nee-um appA-um thappey pannadhu illayA (Have you and appa never made a mistake?)
ammA - Of course thappu pannirkomey. ellarum edAvadhu thappu pannuva. thappey pannAdhavA pArkardhu romba kashtam ( Of course we have done mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. It is hard to find a person who does not do any mistake)
madhurA - appA-um thappu pannuvA nA, appo appA eppadi yen teacher patti appadi sonnA nethikki (if appA also makes mistakes then why did appA say something like that about my teacher)

madhurA - yen teacher good person and nanna sollikudupA. oru mistake dhaane. appA sonnadhu ennaku pidikalai (My teacher is a good person and teaches well. It is just one mistake. I did not like what appA said)

ammA - correct madhurA... namba appadi judge panna kudAdu (We should not judge people like that) (feeling proud of madhurA's respect and love for her teacher and in awe of how her teacher has won her heart that madhurA comes in her defence standing up against her parents)

P.S. - appA sincerely apologised to madhurA for the comment

Argumentative me

ammA - Madhura, poi ippo violin practice pannu (go practice violin now)
madhurA - (completely ignoring and continuing to do what she is doing)
ammA - (a few minutes later) - nAn enna sonnen? (What did I say?)
madhurA - practice panna sonna (You asked me to practice)
ammA - nee enna pannara (What are you doing?)
madhurA - vilaiyAdaren (playing)
ammA - (agitated with the disobedience) - madhurA (loudly!)
madhurA - ennA (what?)
ammA - thiripiyum solla matten (I won't say once more) enna pannanum (what are you suppose to do?)

madhurA - violin vAsikanum (I should be playing the violin)
ammA - yen pannala innum (Why are you not doing it yet?)
madhurA - onakku nAn violin vAsikkanum (You want me to play violin) AnA nee enakku enna pannanum nnu ketkalai (you did not ask me what I want to do) ennakku ippo violin vAsikka vendAm (I do not want to play violin now)
madhurA - enakku yenna pannonamo adhu  important dhaane? (What I want to do is important right?) onnakku enna venumo nAn pannanamA? enakku enna venumo adhu pannanumA? (Should I do what you want me to do or should I do what I want?)
ammA - okay ( what next? will she lawyer up! :)

Beautiful as Urvashi

pAdukA - ammA Urvashi Attam irukka (ammA looks like Urvashi)
ammA - (what is happening here?!*#)
madhurA - illave illai (not at all)
madhurA - Urvashi azhagA irukka (Urvashi looks beautiful)
pAdukA - ammA enna sonna theriyum-a? (ammA, do you know what she said?)
ammA - ketten (I heard)
madhurA - AmAm.. correct dhaane ammA? (yes.. Isn't it correct?)
ammA - appadiyA? (really?)
madhurA - (a little doubtful if she has said something wrong) ammA-um beautiful dhaan.. but Urvashi is beautiful and young
pAdukA - (totally enjoying this and could not control herself) - ammA, kettayA (ammA, did you hear it?)
madhurA - (have I messed up big time?) (bringing the Amar chitra katha book and showing a picture) - ammA nee ippadiyA irukka (Are you like this?).. Urvashi parappa and romba make up pottupa (Urvashi flies and wears make up)
madhurA - nee appadi illa dhaane ammA (You are not like that ammA)
pAdukA - chumma adjust pannarA ma (She is just trying to save the situation)
ammA - (smiling) ok madhurA nAn beautiful ila young-um ila (I am not beautiful and young)
madhurA - (hugging ammA) - But you are the best ammA
padukA - (I am sure ammA will fall for this :( madhurA.... only I know you like no one else. Will tell this incident to appA and put you in a spot)

Smart (watch) argument

Yeah, I get carried away by the new things that my friends bring along when they come to play. Recently I saw my friend wear a smart watch and I thought that it will be cool to have one for myself. 

madhurA - ammA, onnoda phone pAru.. Yen friend amma message anuppuvA (ammA, check your phone. My friend's mother will send a message)

ammA - Birthday invitation-a?

madhurA - illa smart watch patthi (it's about smart watch)

ammA - yEn (why?)

madhurA - nee apodane enakku vAnga mudiyum yen friend Attumey (then you can buy like my friend's watch)

ammA - no smart watch. indhavayasula vendAm (Not at this age)

madhurA - appo avo mattum eppadi vechikalAm-a? (then how can she have?)

ammA - idhulAm namma Athula 16 years apparam dhaan (in our household, all of this will be given only after you are 16 yrs)

(throws a tantrum and makes a scene)

madhurA - not fair

ammA - madhurA sure-a nAn onnaku 16 yrs Anaparam vAngi kuduppen (madhurA, I will surely buy it for you after you turn 16 yrs)

madhurA - adhuvaraikkum nee old aaittu umachi kitta pogama irupayA.. onakku nannA theriyumA.. (Till then do you know that you will not become old and reach God?)

madhurA - ippovave irukkum podhu vAngidu (Buy it when you are here)

ammA - !!!!!! (contemplating the impermanence of life and forgetting about the watch :)

Beginning of my musical journey

I have been watching and accompanying my older sister to her music and dance classes. I have been engaged in second hand learning and my older sister loves to play teacher and take class for me. My ammA believed that I am untethered and need some more time before I can sit down and learn something in a class. She always attributes this to the initial Montessori learning system at school :\

Once during my sister's guru's concert, we (students and siblings) kids sat right below the stage. I was enjoying the music and company of the children (tried to keep up with thaalam) and was fascinated by violin accompaniment. I let me goofy side shine ;) I copied the bowing and hand movements of the violinist and did not notice that she was watching me.

At the end of the concert my mother was exhausted from prodding me to behave well as I was sitting right in front. We were ready to leave but my appA went missing. He had other plans. He walked upto the violinist and asked her if she will teach. The violinist to his pleasant surprise was able to identify me due to my goofiness and accepted to teach me.

On September 5th, 2017, accompanied by the entire family I joined (my own) music class. Today I hope is the first day of the rest of my life enjoying playing violin.

ammA, this goofy is is getting serious....

I am my own person

I am yet to understand why people think that we (should) behave the same way someone behaves towards us. I am a person who has her own nature and I stay true to it. Sometimes I have tell this aloud to my parents.

It was my school picnic day and I have been excited about this for a week now. On the day of the picnic, I woke up at 5:45 a.m. and got ready. I was about to leave home at 6:45 a.m. My older sis was happily sleeping and did not get up to say "bye".

A week later, it was my older sister's. I am more excited than her :) I checked out the snacks that she is going to take. The night before I felt I am going to miss my sister since she will come 2 hours after I return from school and she will not come with me in the school bus that day.

madhurA - pAdukA, nAn onna miss pannuven ( I am going to miss you)
pAdukA (making a face) - enna? miss-a? (what? miss?)
madhurA - nAn theniyA bus la varuven and nee late-a varuva ( I will come alone in the school bus and you will come a little late)
madhurA hugs pAdukA.. pAdukA is confused as to why this is an emotional deal:)

Next day morning, pAdukA wakes up at 5:45 a.m. and getting ready.

ammA (seeing madhurA) - nee yen ezhundha? (why did you wake up?)
madhurA - pAdukA kalambara (pAdukA is leaving)
pAdukA - adhunAla (so what?)
madhurA follows pAdukA around and gets the things she needs to her. Once again she hugs pAdukA before she leaves.
madhurA (almost in tears) - miss pannuven. bye (I will miss you, bye)
After pAdukA leaves
ammA - madhurA, nee yen ezhunda evalavu sikkaram ( Why did you get up so soon?)
madhurA - Bye solla ( to say bye)
ammA - pAdukA ippadi ezhundu onakku "bye" sonnalA (Did pAdukA get up like this to say bye to you?)
madhurA - no
ammA - appa nee yen idhu ellAm pannara (Then why do you do all these things)
madhurA - avo vera person nAn vera person (she is a different person and I am different.) avo behave pannaraa madhiri dhaan naanum bahave pannanum-a? (Should I behave like her?) nAn avalavida different-a feel pannaren. (I feel differently from her)

I can do better

Well I have homework to do every week end and it so happened that the weekend got extended because of festival holidays.  Yay...! is what you would think now that there are 5 days of holidays and plenty of time to do the homework. But my ammA wants me to finish it right away.. :(

While walking with me and my my sister to a shop ...
ammA - madhurA, homework aachaa (homework done?)
madhurA - illa

ammA - evalavu dhavara sollanum. mudi homework-a. apparam marandhu poidum. ippo mudiche na adutta 4 days kavalai padavendaam ( How many times should I tell you? Finish it now and you need not worry about it for 4 days)

madhurA - seri (OK)

my sis (in low voice) - Don't worry.. innum 4 days irukku. Nee last day panna kuda porum (There are 4 more days. You can even do it on the last day before school)

my sis - naan onakku last day remind pannaren ( I will will remind you on the last day)

madhura ( in low voice) - Ok. actually ennakku avalavu homework illai. Last day pannalena kuda OK. Schoool bus la porche kuda mudikalaam (I do not have much of home work. Even if I do not finish on the last day, I can finish it in the school bus on the way to school)

my sis (surprised) - wow ! (she learns faster than I thought)

ammA (listening to the hushed conversation) - (Am I even being heard! One tops the other in postponing work1)