Merry Christmas!

Wishing you, your family, friends and all the human beings in the world all the blessings and peace that this Christmas season brings. Merry Christmas everyone!

(My nephew Anthony and niece Minna Rose looking at our crib yesterday).

One happy note

On the way to Velankanni this month, my brother-in-law met a young man in the bus. They spoke to each other and my BIL asked him what he does. He said he works in the software field and my BIL told him that I work in the same sector. He asked my name and place. Then he told my BIL that he knew me. He said in fact a major shift in his life happened because of me. This guy was working in the city market for daily wages, roaming around doing several jobs. Then one day, he saw an article in Mathrubhumi daily, Thrissur edition, and the story moved him. The story that was published back in 2006 featured me on the second page detailing about how I was transformed to be a web designer from being a goldsmith. He told my BIL that he went to learn computers after he read the article and now he has an IT job that helps him earn a good living.

It was Umechi who thought that M-Pod (the Malayalam podcast) needed more attention for the effort I was taking and print media would be helpful. She brought me along to Surendran sir who was the chief editor of Thrissur edition of Mathrubhumi. When he heard about M-Pod, he sent me to a reporter to talk about. While taking notes, the reporter asked me what I do and how I came to learn computers. After I told him the story, he told me that he would like to change the nature of the article. He asked me if I have any problem in mentioning that I was a goldsmith. I said I don’t have any problem with mentioning the past but I didn’t want it to look like a personal promotion and would rather be happy if more people came to hear about M-Pod instead. He said the story could be inspiring to many people and M-Pod will definitely be the focus. I think that reporter’s name is Retheesh M B. I should thank Umechi, Surendran sir and Retheesh for this article.

It makes me so happy to know that there is this one person who was inspired by my life and it got his life changed. 🙂 Here is the article that was published in Mathrubhumi daily in 2006. The title reads something like, “Joseph’s world of computers glitters more than gold“.

Mathrubhumi article from 2006

Malayala Manorama news blooper

From the house of Malayala Manorama comes the biggest Malayalam print media blooper of the year. One of their news titles today says that united nations chief has condemned (അപലപിച്ചു) the death of U. S. Ambassador Holbrooke, when it should have been mourned (അനുശോചിച്ചു). And it’s repeated in the article portion. Funny thing is that even after 14 hours, they still haven’t bothered to correct the mistake. So much so to Malayala Manorama who would run after finding a Malayali connection even to the UN chief.

(Thanks to my friend Pradeep for the tip)

The Hollywood-phobia

I don’t understand what it is with our intellectuals that they hate Hollywood so much so that they cook up some ridiculous claims when they talk about something. I read an interview with film editor Beena Paul that was published in the last week’s Mathrubhumi weekly. The interviewer says this in his question –

“The biggest cultural invasion in the world is from America. Hollywood movies in particular try to portray the past tortures (especially the persecution of Jews) in the markets and film festivals these days. After 9/11, they have created a logic that says ‘not just the Muslims but we also were persecuted ‘. Movies like “Usama” and “Passion of the Christ” are examples to this.”

After cunningly weaving this highly (pseudo) intellectual question, he goes on to ask, “have you noticed such global political tactics gaining ground in our film festivals?”

Either this fellow, I remember his name is Sreekumar, has not seen many Hollywood movies or he is just weaving some intellectual conspiracy. One thing that is beautiful about America is that there are so many people in it’s society and intellectual/academic circles who would openly voice against any injustices of their Government in the public. People like Sean Penn or Michael Moore and some others were vocal against war in the off-reel world. So while most of our academicians and intellectuals would observe a criminal silence on sensitive issues most of the times, for a couple of awards that their political friends might fetch them, the Hollywood never hesitated to voice themselves even in the larger events like Oscars or Grammys. Against their own president or government and it’s strategies, knowing that the whole world is watching them. If it was our film industry, our patriotism would have drooled out first.

Secondly, there have been many movies from Hollywood that does not victimize themselves but take sides of the side-liners. The quick ones I can remember are Rendition (which was based on the Islamophobia post 9/11), Green Zone (which Michael Moore called the most honest film about Iraq) and not to mention a number of movies which had  been made on Vietnam war (many of them are now classics). I also heard of the recent movies like Redacted which are also based on the Iraq war.

So I have one suggestion for such kings of their small dens like Sreekumar. Try to watch some Hollywood movies before you start criticizing them. And try to learn something about producing movies that would be artistically and technically perfect (Learn from Enthiran that just spending some crores won’t fetch you quality of work). Just blabbering something and making up conspiracy theories won’t help.

Of becoming a father

I realize that ever since this blog came into existence, I have never been this far away from it. 🙂 And there is a good reason. I and my wife have been blessed with a baby boy on 22nd of November at 7:44 PM. I have become a father! Yes!!

It is the most amazing feeling I have ever had. I have never been happier in my life than the moment I held my child in my arms for the first time. I couldn’t stop smiling when I watched that most beautiful, precious baby as he made some movements. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. I softly touched his head, his hands, his fingers and I was being extra cautious when someone else took him in their hands.

Many people had told me that life would change after marriage. But I haven’t felt much of change except for the first couple of weeks. But this… this has made me feel very different. It reminds me of the bigger responsibilities I have from now on, being a parent.

Some people said this moment on you would begin to respect your parents more. I don’t know how true that would be to me, because I always understood that it was not an easy task to bring up a family of 8 children and I have been trying to give my best to them ever since I have begun to take care of them. But there is one big difference of parenting in those days compared to our time. In those days, they were most worried about one thing – primarily about giving food (not even “enough” or “best” are the words to be appended to it) to their children and give them basic medication available when they were sick. In my time, I think there are a number of things to worry about – to provide them with the best possible options for every important step in their life.

And then there are even more thoughts. Will I be able to pass on the values that my mother taught me to my son? Will I be able to pass on the good things I learned from my life to my son? Will he become caring enough about the world he lives in? Will he care for the family? Will I be able to continue to provide the financial support that my family expects from me? The thoughts are terrifying at times, so I am going to give it a rest. 🙂 For the moment, I am happy and working hard to contribute my best to the family.

And here is a pic of my son, taken when the nurses brought him outside the labor room.

That's my son!

Manju Pole Oru Swapnam: Song video

Back in 2008, I had an interesting music project to work on. Those of you who follow my blog would have read about it. The opportunity was to compose and sung for a Malayalam telefilm project but the song was never officially released. This is a UK Malayalee production and was entirely shot in the UK. You can read more about it in this blog post. Now the song video is complete and it will soon appear in the Malayalam TV channels. So here is an exclusive online release of the song. Do check it out and let your honest comments pour in. 🙂 Thanks much!

Song video credits:

Lyrics: James Bright
Composed and sung by: Joseph Thomas
Camera: Chris Stevens
Editor: Prem & Xian
Director: Jayaram Sthanumalayan

Music credits:

Orchestration: Ajit Gopalakrishnan
Rhythm Programming: Bharath Venkatesan
Mixing: Nandu Mahadevan

(My thanks to Dr James Bright and Jayaram for making this happen!)

“The Juniors”

Got the link to this shortfilm through an email from someone I don’t know. I don’t have any details, but this is a brilliant work. I could see glimpses of a Quentin Tarantino style in this movie and the guys who did this really deserve a thumbs up! Watch it.