Good old days

Me, Rashmi and Mummy visited Lake Tahoe this weekend. Its been a while since I have been here in Bay area but never visited Tahoe before. People often visit the lake during summer and do all sorts of water sports and here we were in middle of snow on a glaringly sunny winter day. The drive was smooth as the last week snow had been cleared and with such a clear day, it was extremely scenic. At our first destination, we got an opportunity to drive a snow mobile and it was great fun. I wanted to do this sometime but not sure why we didn't in Minnesota. I had skiing plans also but there was a lot of rush and also after the snow mobile experience, I was a bit tired.
We had a nice lunch by the lake and played with snow. Some of the visuals were spectacular as the sun began to descend. The area was lively with lots of people visiting and we do plan to return for some skiing next time.
It was a nice trip and close to 3 yrs since I last visited a place with snow. The lasting memory would be the full moon we saw over the mountains during twilight as we headed back home. It was indeed beautiful!

Sensitively embellished

Aamir Khan's directorial debut is by far the most sensitively handled piece of cinema coming from Bollywood this year. We saw the movie "Taare Zameen Par" last night and it is definitely a worthy watch. The movie leaves you with a nostalgic charm about childhood, a period everyone yearns to visit that once more. There is a fair sprinkling of colors on the canvas and they replicate the emotions the movie drives you through.
The best thing Aamir as a director has done is that he has handled the subject in a simplistic manner, taking his time at some opportune moments to convey what he wants to. The only complaint I have is that the film could have been trimmed a bit more in the second half.
Now about the real hero of the movie, Darsheel (the protagonist Ishaan), by far the best performance ever from a child in a bollywood movie. He conveys so much through his eyes, his mannerisms that he leaves his mark on even the mundane of scenes. Aamir Khan, the actor, plays his part well delivering lines in a measured manner. Other characters enact their parts well, the one standout being Ishaan's Mother Tisca Chopra, well cast as a doting but unsure mother.
Music and background score from Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy is well blended with the storyline. The title song stands out and Prasoon Joshi lyrics are out of the world (I have them on my headphones as I write this). The song "Maa" is also well sung by Shankar Mahadeven and it manages to pull a string or two in your hearts.
Overall, the movie achieves what it perhaps was set to and is a definitely recommended to all the child caretakers so that they leave childhood as unadulterated as it is supposed to be.

Back from a slumber

I am just coming back from an exam week as I completed my first quarter at the business school. It's been bustling and enriching experience so far. Coursework has been really good and I am looking forward (after a break) to the next quarter. Yeah, I know a lot has happened in the world since I wrote last time around but well, a lot always happens. I am looking forward to the break for a month or so from school (I still have to work) and then the India trip in January.
The winter has descended here in the bay area and things have gone a bit calm. It's still not as slow as in some other places I have been. Just for the near term, I am looking forward to India playing cricket in Australia starting this month, a couple of movies (as we discussed prior), and a good rest for the holiday. We might even make a short trip somewhere. Happy Holidays to everyone!