Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Aasim’s exams are almost over and he was quiet bored today after he finished with his syllabus for the computer paper. He picked up Jonathan Livingston Seagull, read it in one sitting, and while I and Tarique were discussing the book after he finished reading it, he summed it up in one line ” There are no limits”.

Aasim’s first trip by train.

Aasim returned form Hyderabad today where he had gone as a part of a study/fun tour from School.

We were very apprehensive about his going by train that too sleeper class and as it turned out i discovered that he was not the only one who has not travelled in sleeper class. There were several parents who had the same apprehension and kids were asking questions like why do we have to take sleeping bags? They give sheets and blankets in train don’t they?

They reached hyderabad on 16th early morning without too much problems, only one boy lost his bag in train and children complained that they could not sleep in the night because sleeper coaches make too much noise.

The stay was arranged at Hotel Tara in Ramoji film city. Hyderabad/Secunderabad was fun for all of them. Aasim got extremely enamored by “Rebbecca” and called me to ask if its a veil on the lady or is it really carved!! He hated the animals trapped in cages in the Zoo though he enjoyed watching migratory birds and loved the snow world. He packed his suitcase properly and got back everything that he had taken for which he gets a +1

As parents we were apprehensive all the days while he was gone and missed him but we pulled through. He has come back a little more grown up and ls looking forward to another such trip.

Creative writing by Aasim

Here’s what he wrote yesterday

“My tooth is breaking. It pains very much when your tooth breaks. Its like being pregnant for a few days.
Till now eight teeth of mine have broken. The first two were taken out by the dentist The dentist recommends you to have ice cream after he or she has a tooth taken out”

Grammar, parts of speech

Aasim – “Mamma, what happened after the Wright brothers took their first flight?”
I – “They became immortal”
Aasim -“ who was the second one fly the plane?”
I – “Aasim, no one remember’s the second person who did anything, its always the first one that the world remembers”
Aasim (with a very straight face, emphatically) – “The third person is always remembered.”
I – “huh?”
Aasim -“ I was talking grammar!!”

Question my 10 year old asked!

Yesterday night.
“Mumma, can i ask you a question? it is very personal and silly for a man to ask but… ”
“How does it feel to have breasts?” “I mean, do they feel heavy or something”
“it does not feel strange, they are a part of a woman’s body. Do you feel strange to have hands? or heavy”
“no”
“its the same with breasts”

White Zorro

Yesterday night Aasim got very bored, we were watching some movie on TV and he was playing in his room.

After a while he comes to our bedroom galloping a white paper mask covering his eyes, a white scarf on his head, white gloves in hand and announces, “here comes the white Zorro!”

Return of the asthmatic attack

Day before y’day I was speaking with my neighbour yogeshpatel about my rarely having problems sleeping at night, and that very night I could not take a wink after 0030 hrs thanks to the “Return of the Asthamatic Attack” after almost three years. I did not have my inhaler handy, and the homeopathy SOS did not work. It was perhaps the worst of my asthama attack, I was wheezing for almost 12 hours and just could not lie down.

Today seems much better, I still have cough, itchy nose and rhinitis, but all of it seems under control.

In another news, Aasim scored extremely well in his first ASSET exam He is over 90% in the subjects he took the tests in (English, Maths and Science) which is good, however he still needs to work a lot the silly mistakes he makes.

Aasim

On 8th Of February, 2007, Aasim gave an exam for his Karate Orange belt and passed it.

The very next day, on 9th February, he had to appear for an entrance test for class IV at “The Jain International School (TJIS) Nagpur, which he passed in flying colours scoring 85% in the written test. He even gave an impressive one to one interview to the School Principal who asked him questions like ”Tell me about yourself“ and ” what are the criterion’s on which you decide who is your friend“ The boy spoke of things we did not know he could understand, let alone make his judgments on them – one of the things he listed as an answer to the second question by the principal was -”personality“ and even went on to explain it. The interview was tough, but Aasim came out of it impressively resulting into his getting admission at TJIS, Nagpur.

On 10th February, he did his first Karate Camp -a three day camp at Fun and Food Village, about 30 kms from the city, A first overnight camp for Aasim and a tough camp for all karatekas -it was meant to teach the basic tenets of Karate, discipline and self control. The boy came back stronger but extremely tired and totally tanned (thanks to the water park where they enjoyed during their off time from training).

Life since then has been been back to normal, he keeps talking of things like ” I have my rights too“ but then those are perhaps his pre-teen harmones kicking in.