pass the tissues

All quiet on the midwestern front. What have I been doing instead of watching Bollywood? Actually learning Hindi, that's what. I've made it through the consonants; watch out, vowels! But I'm home sick today, so maybe I'll re-watch something I've seen before but never reviewed.

Of course, what I'd really like is for Akshaye to call in sick too and then go get me some ice cream, but he's out promoting a film or something. Babasko has kindly offered to call her FPMEMA to be the heavy, but I hope it won't come to that.

Anyway. Guru will be in my local art theater February 2, but hopefully I'll get to something before that. I keep promising Teleport City that I'll watch Shaan, but I'm not sure I have enough concentration for a new movie, especially one with Amitabh and Sunil Dutt and Parveen Babi and Rakhee and Helen and Bindu and Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Shahsi Kapoor and.... Coughing fit. It's all too much.

Comments

Anonymous said…
ok ... completely irrelevant but check this out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrgi7ZG4it8

i love shahrukh :)
Anonymous said…
Hey Beth - hang in there and I hope you feel better soon. Watch something light and fluffy. Eye candy (of the viewer's choice) is also recommended for viewing while sick.
Maja said…
Aww, I hope you feel better soon!
Which book (or CD?) are you learning Hindi from?
Maja said…
PS. omg, that youtube link from anonymous is priceless :D I wish our version of Who wants to be a millionaire was that fun, but it's so bland and boring that no one bothers to watch it any more. I'm trying to picture the host doing a music video like this one, teehee!
Katrin said…
Go and watch Shaan right this moment! It's better than any medicine ever!
The music is fantastic (Januuuu meri jaaaaaaaaan), the actors are even more fantastic and the whole film is more fun than should by rights fit on one DVD.
Anonymous - indeed that is choice! Thank you for posting it - I would never have thought to look for it online, even though I just read about it a few hours before I saw your comment. The fur legwarmer thingies in the hip-hop scenes might have to get fugged.

Carla - oooh, good idea. I was thinking of rewatching Dil Chahta Hai anyway, and it is eye-candy-licious, even if there is news of Akshaye's non-availability (like that should stop me).

Maja - I'm using the Teach Yourself Hindi book (and accompanying CDs) by Rupert Snell and Simon Weightman, but I'm starting with the Devanagari book from the same series. I also have a tutor, thank heavens. I've been told by multiple people that Snell is the mac daddy of Hindi instruction for English-speakers, although the written explanations of pronunciations seem geared towards English-English, because sometimes the examples make no sense if you speak North American-English. (Now is probalby not the time for me to grumble about how there are a lot more of us anyway, by the way.)
Oh and Katrin - your post came in as I was writing my response - I will definitely watch it very soon! I hope this weekend!
Anonymous said…
Beth, I used the same "Teach Yourself" books that you are using and I swear by them - I think they are truly excellent, challenging and rewarding for a learner willing to put in the work. Good luck!

Sorry to hear the news about Akshaye, though. Better to do what I did and pick a FPMSO who's been married 25 years - you know what you're getting that way. :)
Carla - do share who your FPMSO is (although I have a hunch). I've been trying to find your email address on your blog to ask you, but I couldn't, so the cry for info will have to rest here (but you can email me, of course, if it is still an intimate affair, and not tell anyone, even me, if it is very on the DL). Anyway, I'm glad you have liked those materials. I've only glanced at the Hindi one, but the Devanagari one is fantastic so far.
Maja said…
Brilliant, that's exactly the same books that I've been thinking about buying! And the explanation for using British rather than American English is probably that the author is British ;)

What's FPMSO? FPM significant other?
Oh dear not you too?

However, I am almost over my attack of consumption (ahem!) and while I would *never* recomment this under normal circumstances, ginger tea helps.

As for FPMBFs, they are a fickle lot, the wretches!
Maja - exactly, yes. And if you get them, do yourself a favor and don't even open the Hindi one until you've gotten through the bulk of the Devanagari one. Much less scary that way.

CS - completely tragically ill - but stir-crazy enough to go back to work. I bought some peppermint tea on the recommendation of a friend who is in veterinary school, figuring what's good for the four-legged critters is good for me too. And yes, quite fickle. I am thinking of making a change to the system. Stay tuned.

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