We interrupt the Deepavali / Diwali programming to bring you a violin recital.. the Little One (now she is a teen-y little one) did her recital as part of her music school.
She knows this by heart, but was a little timid while playing. Getting used to a Piano that is not in your control can be an interesting experince, or so I thought..
Here is a video..
this was at the Valley Christian school. I had no idea that there is such a beautiful "school" overlooking the valley. This place was like brand new.. still amazed by the view from the school..
The little one is doing better every year.. the name of the game is to stay in the game. I keep telling her that!
Deepavali 2018 is almost here.. it is a bummer that it falls on a weekday but it will be celebrated, rain or shine!
San made some besan laddoo's and has a commitment to make some Gulab Jamun's.
Today I made some Omapodi..
San made a lot of laddoos.. but I already finished most of it in the last 24 hours.. by Deepavali night she might not have any left.
This is not something I make every year. Was in a rush and did not grind the Chilli and Omam (Ajwain seeds) too fine. So some of them got caught in the nazhi (extruder) and I had to keep cleaning the holes to continue. Won't make that mistake again.
The end result is good. We still have two days to make more Deepavali bakshanams.
The little one comes out and tells me "we don't like oily stuff. it is mostly you and amma who are going to eat this!"
Sometimes you realize you have failed as a parent if your kids take this health stuff overboard! Deepavali comes once a year.. it is not every day that your dad labors in the kitchen to make this stuff..was going to launch myself into a lecture and decided to take the "fine.. just taste a little bit".. in hopes that the Savory Gene that has been passed on will do the trick..
Kids these days! bah!
want to wish one and all a wonderful Deepavali! Deepavali is literally a celebration where the light of learning dispells the darkness of ignorance.
Jr. gets the same advice from me for pretty much everything this year. Given Jr. is in Jr. year, it is by far the most critical from a college preparation stand point.
First she decided to have the Arangetram this year. I told her not to do it but if she did, it better be good and it better not compromise school.
Second, she decided to go for her driving permit in summer. I told her not to do it but if she did, it better be good and it better not compromise school.
Third, she decided to take Marching band this year in school so she can do band and marching band to get PE credits. I told her not to do it but if she did, it better be good and it better not compromise school.
She has a tendency to try multiple things, not do well on multiple things and point fingers at other activities.
The Arangetram is done and the fallout of that w.r.t. exams is still being felt in the house. She did do a good job of it.
She has stopped driving temporarily and will resume in a month. While she did drive me around, she was a good and careful driver. Thank god she doesn't have mom's driving gene.
The marching band is still going on and it is one big time sink. There is three hours plus of practice twice a week and a game almost every week where it is another 4-5 hours. She likes it and is happy doing it, but it might be the one thing that helps Jr. point fingers at for grade misses.
In any case, I can only watch her dress up and do marching band and enjoy her enjoying it. On top of all the games and practice there was a high school marching band expo where all high schools had their bands display the routines. I got to see this from the front row. It was great to see all the kids put in so much effort into this.
Jr.'s high school music teacher was hesitant at first when he got the marching band back again last year after a long gap, but this is definitely a plus. The kids seem to thoroughly enjoy it and this builds a team spirit among the kids and it teaches them co-ordination within the instruments coupled with co-ordination with other members while moving around.
Have been watching them practice since summer and they have improved significantly as a group in just 3 months!
Here is Jr. in her marching band uniform..
and a video of the Monta Vista school marching band at the expo..
At this rate we don't know were all this is going. We know she is doing a bunch of things and she is happy doing them.
Given I never went through any of this in high school and grew up in a different place in a different time, all this just makes me happy and scared simultaneously.
Hope she uses what she learns here to some value in real life and more than anything, hope she does go to college and have a career that makes her happy.
