Update

11:31 PM, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2010

I guess I got out of the habit of writing...since April! That was when I was busy with AP coordinating and never returned!

1. 9/9/9. Newlyweds for one full year and now we are starting our second year of marriage. We went to our favorite restaurant, Seastar, to celebrate. I totally recommend the King crab legs...to die for! I made VJ a book of the time we've been together and some baby pics.

2. Hawaii Trip 2010. We visited the big island this time. It was amazing. We stayed at the Hilton Waikoloa resort...kind of like Disneyland. Rachelle flew over from Oahu to visit for a couple days. We mostly visited beaches, snorkeled daily, played putt putt golf, and saw lava flow from 700 feet. The snorkeling at Captain Cook's Monument was the best I've seen. However, Kauai still holds that special place in our hearts.

3. Yellowstone Road Trip.
We went with another couple on a 6 day road trip to Montana/Wyoming. We had high goals of seeing wolves and bears and we did! Actually, there were two bears and one wolf trying to get their food in one location. I recommend taking a little longer to see the park, but it was amazing!

4. New job. I'm working at a new high school part time. So far I love the working environment and it has drastically reduced my commute.

5. Art classes. I found a great art teacher over the summer. She taught me the basic cartoon face structures. Now when I sketch, the person actually looks attractive!

Puerto Rico!

4:41 PM, FRIDAY, APRIL 02, 2010

I ADORE board games. Of the regular games, Pictionary and Taboo are my favorites. My least favorite are Monopoly and Scrabble.

In the past couple years, friends have introduced a new type of game that VJ and I enjoy. Puerto Rico is one of the best so far. It's a strategy game that has a 30 page manual explaining all the rules. Sounds complicated, but once you play, it starts to make sense and then you can focus on developing strategies. Each game can take about 2 hours but you don't even notice the time go by!

The same company develops quite a few simulation games like Settlers of Catan, Carcassonne, and more. We have a couple groups of friends who like to play them, who have the patience to play such a long involved game :)

Check 'em out!
Puerto Rico.
Settlers of Catan.

Modern Family

5:18 PM, THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010

I've discovered my new favorite show, Modern Family! There was a funny episode this week about how the woman in the household can't figure out the complicated stereo systems that the guys buy and set up.

This has been going on for decades. When I was growing up, we had a super long typed out document for babysitters explaining how to change from the TV to a movie. They just decided to play board games instead of figure that out!

I used to have to call VJ at work to figure out how to watch regular TV! I think now I have it down :) On the show, the wife calls her husband and he says something like "Honey, are you doing that frantic thing where you press every button possible without logic?" Been there many times!
Hilarious!

More Tamil Videos

9:34 PM, TUESDAY, MARCH 09, 2010

I am now in the habit of looking up Tamil videos, so I'll include my favorites. Translating music is working well to expand my vocabulary. We've started watching Tamil videos (usually about 3 hours long) and they almost always have 4-5 music videos incorporated into the film.

Here is a song from one of his favorite movies... about a newlywed couple. I especially like this song because it goes through the colors and I know those words!

From the movie: Alai Payuthey.
Pachai Niramei.

Cool Tamil Videos

7:36 PM, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2010

From the movie: Sivaji

Ballelakka . It's pretty good quality.

From the movie: Azhagiya Tamil Magan

Maduraikku Pogathadee. Not the best quality, but you get the idea.

Valayapatti.

Indian cooking website

8:43 PM, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 09, 2010

When Vijaye and went to the East Coast to visit his family, we had a great Indian chicken dish. It is from the website below and is called chilli chicken. I haven't tried it yet, but maybe during mid-winter break (next week!!!).

www.vahrehvah.com

Thuli Thuli

8:00 PM, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 02, 2010

Vijaye has introduced some amazing Tamil soundtracks to me, especially lately. I was very inspired to learn one of the songs...too many good ones to choose from. Since I've noticed that the word for "rain" or "drizzle" is in quite a few songs, it seemed appropriate to start with this one. The title, "Thuli Thuli Mazhaiyaai" means a drop of rain.

You can listen to the song and watch a slideshow of photos from the movie, Paiyaa. Thuli Thuli Mazhaiyaai.

I have three related goals...

1. To learn how to sing the song within a week
I've heard it enough that I can almost sing it but now I'm following along with the words in English script.

2. To translate the song with Vijaye's help.
Of course, it is poetry and the translations don't sounds as beautiful in English, but it's great to finally decipher what it means after listening for at least a month without a clue!

3. To read the words in the Tamil Script.
I can read the first paragraph so far... (after that my brain hurt... I have to work in 30 minute periods! ) Here is a sample of the first two lines.

???? ???? ???? ??????? ???????...
Thuli thuli thuli mazhaiyaai vanthaaley…
She came as the rain (a drop of rain)

??? ??? ??? ??????? ??????...
Chuda chuda chuda marainthey ponaaley…
She evaporated/disappeared with the heat.

Silencio

5:23 PM, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2009

One of my latest favorite songs... one day I listened to it for the entire ride to school (on a non-carpool day, of course!) This video is a short interview with Nelly Furtado and Josh Groban.

Silencio, Mini Interview

Silencio, the song

Another day off!!!

11:01 AM, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2009

Just last week, we had Friday off of work. Today is Veterans Day. I am thinking of my Grandpa, who served in WWII, under the sea in submarines. Len and Duane also served in the military.

Today I'm headed off to the gym, to Grandma's house for a visit, and later today preparing Phad Thai for our neighbors. Grandma and I are going to write her Christmas letters and hopefully get them printed and ready to send.

Excited for a productive and fun day!

11/10/09

7:13 PM, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2009

As I was filling out paperwork in regards to my 9/9/9 work absence (oh, you know, that was the wedding ceremony!!!) , I realized that today's date is ALMOST equally cool...11/10/09.

And to make it cooler, no accidents were found on 520W...and tomorrow is a non-work day...and I just mastered the Lil' Wayne rap from the song "Down" by Jay Sean (Vijaye inspired me with his rapping talent). In addition, the wedding photos were posted today for us to proof..and Taylor got us tickets for the opening of New Moon!!!