Children’s Day in India is November 14th, because that’s Nehru’s birthday, and Nehru loved children. Isn’t that sweet? And, just like World Animal Day and all the other sub-holidays, I am marking the occasion with a theme video post. (this is an updated and reposted post from last year)
I feel bad only giving her a dozen, but on the other hand I am also taking time from visiting my sister to write this post, and using my sister’s stupid mac computer to do it (the mouse only has one button! What is this MADNESS!), so that should count for something. Oh well, next year I will give her 2 dozen reasons to make up for it.
Well, I’m already homesick. But then, I get homesick like immediately (which is why I don’t travel so much). My own bed! My own stuffed animals! My own Ovaltine glass! My own TV!!!!! I miss it so much! Although it is also nice being here, my sister has okay beds and glasses and TV and stuff. No stuffed animals, but that’s just because I stole all of when we were kids, so I can’t blame her for that. Anyway, distract me from missing my stuffed bear Helga by asking me questions!
Happy Sunday! Much later than usual. Because I am visiting my sister and I was busy learning how to crochet and stuff. Which brings me to this post! In honor of my sister industriously knitting away next to me, and our conversation on the TGIF post of the lack of nice handmade sweaters in the world, a knitting themed fanfic post!!!!
Well, here I am at my sister’s. And I am having so much fun, I forgot to put a name in the Christmas Giveaway post until an hour after it went up (who noticed? Be very proud of yourself if you did!). If you are curious, here is what we have done so far.
Second week already! And second winner. And first reveal of this year’s new cards. This first one is one of my favorites.
The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month! Very easy to remember, very hard to ignore. That’s when WWI officially ended. Over one million Indian troops served overseas, and 74,187 died. 2 million Americans served, and 116,300 died. Although the majority of those deaths were from the influenza epidemic, not battle. (this is an updated and reposted post from last year)
Happy Veteran’s Day! I bring you greetings from my sister’s living room while we watch Nagarjuna on the TV (we needed something nice to wake up to). Very exciting to wake up to, SO MUCH NEWS!!!! Including the continuing saga of Abhishek.
Dabangg! Finally getting around to it. And feeling “wasteful”, since I am going to have to come up with at least 7 posts for Salman week and now here I am wasting a topic I should have saved. At least Salman was considerate enough to release his film right before his birthday, so it will all just sort of flow together. Anyway, I will have to come up with another 7 topics without Dabangg (or possibly 14 if I decide to give him the full movie week and birthday week he is owed), because I have stuff to say about it and I want to say it this week! A lot to say, as it turns out, this ended up being the longest Classics Friday post so far.
Snow isn’t exactly the magical wonderment for me that it is for people in Indian movies. It’s been a part of my life for 4 months out of the year (at least) as long I can remember. But even so, there is something about the first snowfall of the year that is still kind of magic. Anyway, men in snow! Let’s look at them!
I’m visiting my sister this weekend, leaving this afternoon. Which either means I will be posting less, or more. Because sometimes I get really bored waiting around for other people to be ready to do things.
Nothing super interesting to discuss today, but some little bits of things to throw out there for all of us to chew on (now I am imagining myself as a zookeeper throwing news meat to my pack of lion-commentators to fight over and masticate down to nothing).
In case it wasn’t clear on the last post for this, I’m not trying to actually help you learn Hindi that you could use in the real world. This is strictly the words that will be helpful in adding a slightly higher layer to understanding films you are watching with subtitles, and to help you follow along if the subtitles go wonky. You will almost never hear most of them in real life.
I am just cranking through commentator Niki’s recommendations! She’s going to have to start nagging me about new stuff. Not that I mind because once again, I very very much enjoyed what she suggested! Oh, and this is a Tabu film, in honor of her birthday week.
Happy Wednesday! I finally got around to making this week’s box office video. Not anything really different from the box office post I already put up, but with hand gestures and stuff to make it more interesting.
Happy Wednesday! Halfway through the week, and I get to leave early on Friday to go visit my sister, woo! Oh, and in the meantime, I have a question for us all to chew on from Niki.
You, anonymous person, mentioned your birthday kind of sideways in a comment a month ago, and I immediately figured out when it was and leaped over here to write this post. Ha-ha! You thought you could escape me, but I have followed your trail of clues! And now I get to give you nice things. Oh, and if I am slightly off, sorry, and you can just save this for your actual birthday! Or take it as a late present. And if you are no longer regularly reading/commenting on the blog by now, oh well, it’s the thought that counts.
Phew! Finally! A film doing exactly the same as it would have done last year, bring us back to “normal” instead of continuing the shocking slide downhill. (as always numbers from rentrack by way of bollywoodhungama)
Maybe it was because I hadn’t had breakfast yet, but this was an action film trailer that actually made me tear up a little. Okay, almost certainly it was because I hadn’t had breakfast yet.
This is inspired by Alisa, our new commentator who is trying to get a handle on the films. And also likes Aamir, thus the orgy of Aamir at the end this. It’s half tongue in cheek, just an excuse for fun songs, but also serious, these songs will really give you a leg up on some common words.
Happy Monday! Time to see what everyone’s been up to over the weekend. Not as exciting as some Mondays, but there are a few mildly interesting stories out there.
Same as my post here. But in video format! So you can see my hands moving and stuff. Oh, and high quality video, because daylight savings finally ended so the sun is out before I leave for work now and decent lighting is available again.
Happy Monday! And I have a sequel post! A sequel to my long think piece post on Saturday about what makes a film “feminist” beyond simplistic slogans and all that.
I really hope everyone who wants to has had a chance to see this film now. I put off posting until Monday morning India time/after the last evening show has started America time so that you could. If you have not seen it yet not, here is my regular no spoilers review, read that instead. And if you haven’t but are going to be able to later, DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW. Or if you aren’t sure if you will enjoy it, YOU WILL ENJOY IT, DO NOT READ THIS AND GO SEE IT INSTEAD!!!! But if you have already seen the film, or live somewhere where you won’t be able to watch it for months and months and want to know what happens, then you can read on.
No Shahrukh, so sad! But I can do my belated Halloween post with ghosts! Nice ghosts, because I don’t like scary ones.
dontcallitbollywood 