The Killers - Human

Remembering Patrick Swayze

It's been exactly a year since he died, on 14th September, 2009 - after a long battle with pancreatic cancer - and I thought I'd take this chance to talk about the things that made him special and also my favourite movies.

Patrick was a true romantic - on screen and in real life. He married his childhood hometown sweetheart, Lisa Remi, who was his mother's favourite student at the performing arts academy they both attended. Back in the '80s, where macho ruled supreme on the silver screen and action heros were the order of the day, Swayze brought in his own flavour of the romantic hero, but with a generous dose of masculinity along with it.

Even though his biggest hit by far was Ghost (1990), I actually like Point Break (1991), directed by Kathryn Bigelow (Hurt locker) a lot better. Swayze overshadows everyone in the movie, including Keanu Reeves with his Zen-like rendition of Bodhi, the misguided surfer.

Although his debut on the big screen was in the 1983 Coppola movie, The Outsiders (also featuring Tom Cruise, Matt Dillon and several other future Hollywood stars), followed by the 1984 cold war rendition, Red Dawn, it wasn't till a few years later than Swayze finally arrived in the big league.

And then, who could forget Dirty Dancing (1987), an iconic film when I was growing up - also featuring Jennifer Grey, who carried off the role of the girl-next-door to perfection. Grey says of Swayze - he was a "real cowboy with a tender heart." Patrick even sang on the soundtrack to the movie score, which so many of us know by heart, with a tribute song to his wife - 'She's like the wind'.


But if you're looking for the serious committed actor, look no further than Darko (2001), where Swayze plays a celebrity pedophile, in what has to be the most challenging role of his career. Not his most celebrated performance, but it shows off Patrick Swayze as the mature actor who could pull off a demanding role, just as he was so successful playing the open-shirted, big-hearted hero that so many in my generation grew to love.

R.I.P Patrick Swayze, animal lover (he bred horses), doting father and husband.

Demi Moore tweeted a quote from Ghost - "'It's amazing Molly. The love inside, you take it with you.' I love (you) and will miss you, Patrick."

So will we.

We remember you this day.

oRiOn

Friends are forever

It's amazing what a friend can do to you - your mood, your emotions, your day, your life.... This song is for you my friend!


Shoulder to Shoulder
- From 'Pooh's Heffalump Movie'
- Composed by Carly Simon

We stand shoulder to shoulder
We see eye to eye
We dive deep under water
We jump high in the sky
High

We stand shoulder to shoulder
We stand side to side
When one of us gets a tiny bit tired
One gives the other a ride
Ride

I've never had a best friend before
So I can't be sure
What it feels like
But I think it feels more like this, I do
I think I feel more like myself
When I'm with you

Finding, finding
Losing and finding
Making, making a bond that is strong
Building, building a house for a friendship
Breathing a breath for our song
Song
For our song

Ultimate expressions of my MIND!

There was a time when I was so allergic to the F-word that I would object to people using it in my presence, even though it wasn't used on me. Yes, I was quite a prude - in more ways than one! And then, I met this person who, I claim, is responsible for bringing out the beast in me, and he ends up enriching my vocabulary of offensive expressions. I start using not just the F-word but other abusive words quite liberally in my conversations.

When BG wrote his blog post Of Samosas and Abuses, it simply dawned on me how far I had come in life: my prudeness has been mostly replaced by crudeness. So much so that a few times, I have heard Mehuli use expressions like 'Shit man' and 'Shuck man'!

It's gross, coming from a four-year-old. I am perpetually paranoid and often hope that nobody follows her accent and understands what she's saying. I wonder if she will forget her childhood vocabulary and grow up to a 'prude' like her mum. Wishful thinking, did you say?

MIND the yap!

Not very long ago I had written a post on how I was teaching my one-year-old to communicate so that one day I find my best friend in her
( http://paularay.blogspot.com/2007/05/games-your-mind-plays-with-you.html ).

Three years later, she talks non-stop - starting even before she opens her eyes in the morning - and asks innumerable 'irrelevant' questions. So much so that most of our time together is spent with me trying to shut her up either with a Walt Disney movie or a book about a 'Hairy-Scary Monster'! But then, if I get too upset with her and she is kind of forced to do as I wish, she comes to me and asks: "Are you happy?"

Now, how am I supposed to respond to that? She isn't mature enough to use sarcasm, is she? So yes, I take her question at face value and say: "Yes, I am."

She has made a couple of good friends at her creche. But the other evening after returning home, in between her chatter, she asked: "Mamma, are you my best friend?" I was engulfed with such emotion that I could only hug her and say: "Of course, I am."

A positive MIND!

Wake up Sid is one film I have wanted to watch for a long time now and no, I haven't yet been fortunate yet! Heard this song at an 'Indian' birthday party recently... Wanted to share it with you.





O re manwa tu to bawra hai
Tu hi jaane tu kya sochta hai
Tu hi jaane tu kya sochta hai
Baware

Kyun dikhaye sapne tu sote jaagte
Jo barsein sapne boond boond
Nainon ko moond moond
Nainon ko moond moond
Jo barsein sapne boond boond
Nainon ko moond moond

Kaise main chaloon
Dekh na sakoon
Anjaane raaste

Goonja sa hai koi ektara iktara
Goonja sa hai koi ektara
Goonja sa hai koi ektara iktara
Goonja sa hai koi ektara
Goonja sa hai koi ektara iktara
Goonja sa hai koi ektara
Goonja sa hai koi ektara iktara
Goonja sa hai koi ektara

Sun rahi hoon sudhbudh kho ke
Koi main kahani
Puri kahani hai kya kisi hai pata
Main to kisiki ho ke yeh bhi na jaani
Ruth hai yeh do pal ki ya rahegi sada
Kise hai pata
kise hai pata

Jo barsein sapne boond boond
Nainon ko moond moond
Nainon ko moond moond
Jo barsein sapne boond boond
Nainon ko moond moond

Kaise main chaloon
Dekh na sakoon
Anjaane raaste

Goonja sa hai koi ektara iktara
Goonja sa hai koi ektara
Goonja sa hai koi ektara iktara
Goonja sa hai koi ektara
Goonja sa hai koi ektara iktara
Goonja sa hai koi ektara
Goonja sa hai koi ektara iktara
Goonja sa hai koi ektara

- Kavita Seth

Konkona is turning out to be a pretty face, of late. It goes well with her extremely good acting skills. Keep it up, girl!

Of birds and bees... and a baby!

My three-and-a-half year old daughter is shocked to see a pregnant woman on the magazine cover. She comes running with it and asks, "Mamma, why is her tummy so big? What's inside it?"

"She is pregnant. There's a baby inside her tummy," I explain to her. But she continues to look at the picture in surprise. So, I add, "When you were a baby, you were also inside my tummy."

She digests this information and takes a few moments to comprehend it. Then asks, "Can I get into your tummy again?"

I tell her she is too big now. When she was smaller it was possible, but not any more. She ponders over it for the next few minutes and then comes up with an explanation: "If I try to get in now, it will break your teeth. You will get hurt. That's why you are saying it's not possible."

I nod in assertion!