Musical Diplomacy

Reading all the articles about NY Philharmonic's performance in Pyongyang made my hopes soar - maybe North Korea was finally opening its doors.

Watching a short video clip on NY Times brought it down with a thud.

Collecting cell phones from the international contingent to restrict 'open' communication, watching a traffic officer directing cars like a wound up toy soldier and a NY Philharmonic musician saying she saw darkness outside her hotel window. It painted an even starker image in my mind.

After the red carpet has been rolled back and the banquet hall cleared, the world will fast forget how its citizens struggle for food and freedom alike.

Adoholik

I got thinking of the Onida advertisement from the 80's and that brilliant tag line that has stayed with us - Neighbor's Envy, Owner's Pride.

I 'googled' it to check for the print ad and came across this advertising site Adoholik that compiles creatives that Indian agencies put out.

I really do miss watching/seeing Indian advertisements both in print and on TV.

Rain

It has been one of those rain-drenched New York days. Everything looks gloomy in a cozy kind of way...

Walking out of a meeting and into the slick rained covered street reminded me of two childhood memories.

Returning from school one day, I got caught in the rain and my notebooks got drenched to a pulp. I remember being upset and my mom trying to salvage everything she could. And then I have this vivid memory of her making little paper boats and floating them on puddles that had formed on our balcony.

And I was reminded of those little wiggly brown earthworms which you see in India when in rains.

The sweetest sound

Today Isaac and I turned 5 months. Or to be precise, this turbulent whirlwind relationship called 'Parenting' turned 5 months. I haven't had 6 continuous hours of sleep for 5 months. I haven't read a book for 5 months. It's been tiring to say the least.

Often as I have sat half-asleep in my rocking chair at 3am nursing my baby, I have thought of those picture perfect moments you see in a J&J baby soap commercial and wondered why the 'joy' of parenting eludes me?

But today it happened. Isaac laughed for the first time. Not just smile or gurgle... but LAUGH. And it was the sweetest sound that I have EVER heard.

Our nanny was pureeing his dinner and that's when we heard it. Just like that!

I managed to capture some of it on video after we figured it was the blender that amused him.



Isaac choosing to laugh today (of all days) was such a riot! It melted away all the exhaustion of the past 5 months.

My husband and I chose 'Isaac' because it's derived from 'Yitzchak', a Hebrew name meaning "he laughs". Isaac is going to live up to his name and I am so looking forward to it.