MERMAID SAND SCULPTURE

Remember I posted about the beautiful blue sea I was gazing at before my walk, well, you know, I turned around and I had to walk through the sand inorder to get to the walkway, and I was looking at this mount of sand. At first, I thought, its a broken sand castle or something...as I moved close to it...I was smiling...it was not a broken sand castle...it was a mermaid. Doesn't it look nice?. Whoever took the effort and interest to create this piece of art on sand, has a done a nice job. I could not leave without taking a picture of it.

MOVIE - THE HELP

Wondering how to spend the weekend? How about watching a really nice movie, The Help,  a 2011 comedy drama based on a novel by Kathryn Stockett of the same name. My daughter had recommended that we watch this movie and I enjoyed it! The movie is about a young lady journalist who aspires to become an author, and her friendship with two black maids during the Civil Rights period in America during the early 1960’s.  The journalist wants their cooperation in order to write a book from the point of view of the maids, that talks about and exposes the racism, difficulties and traumatic situations faced by the maids at the homes of white families. Steeker the journalist, was raised by a black maid whom she had grown to love and became an integral part of her upbringing and her life. The movie is set in Jackson, Mississippi.

The movie is directed by Tate Taylor, starring, Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jessica Chastain, Sissy Spacek, Mike Vogel, Mary Steenburgen and Allison Janney. The movie with a budget of $ 25 million, became a huge box office success with a gross of $ 196.6 million!

I am not sharing any further about the movie, except that its wonderful! Visit Kuwait Cinescape here for list of cinescape venues, where ‘The Help’ is being screened, timings and online booking.

LITTLE THINGS MEAN A LOT

This little book is available in Hallmark, Marina Mall

In our stress filled, fast paced life we tread, mostly waiting for big things to happen to fill us with happiness, its nice to remind ourselves of the little things in our day to day life that matter which can make us happy. When I was at Hallmark the other day, I saw a little book, 'Little things mean a lot'. I didn't have time to go through the contents, but I am sure it would be nice inspirational book. When I saw it, it reminded me of a famous and beautiful poem by Julia Fietcher Carney.

Little drops of water,

Little grains of sand,

Make the mighty ocean

And the pleasant land.

So the little moments,

Humble though they be,

Make the mighty ages

Of Eternity.

So the little errors

Lead the soul away

From the paths of virtue

Far in sin to stray.

Little deeds of kindness,

Little words of love,

Help to make earth happy,

Like the Heaven above.

In the summer of 1845, Julia attended a class for teachers. She along with her classmates were given a mere ten minutes to complete a writing assignment and as a part of that, she wrote the first four lines of this poem and later extended the poem. I just love this poem!

What are the little things that mean a lot to you? What are the little things that make you happy?

JAPANESE TAIKO DRUMS CONCERT

Japanese Taiko Drums concert was held on Thursday November 24, at Abdulaziz Hussein Cultural Center in Mishrif, organized by the Japanese Embassy in cooperation with National Council for Culture Arts and Letters. I am glad I could attend this beautiful concert. The soulful rendering of the fusion of Japanese and Western music, with the amazing beat of the Taiko  drums by talented Shuichiro Ueda, the beautiful violin rendering by Wasei Suma and the impressive rendering of the saxophone by Masahiro Tamura, enthralled the audience. Drummer Shuichiro Ueda also played an original piece which he composed, to convey the hopes for the recovery of Japanese people after the March 11 devastating earthquake and to give survivors support and encouragement through traditional art. Its called Hikari no Douhyou (Guiding Light), to calm the souls, bring light of hope with taiko beat. This concluding piece was totally amazing.

The concert rendering included:

1. Hana Yoi no Tsuki (Splendid MorningMoon)

2. Mukyuu no Sora (Infinite Sky)

3. Ringo Oiwake (Apple forked road)

4. Nyudou-gumo (Gigantic Towering Clouds)

5. Takeda no Komoriuta (Lullaby of Takeda)

6. Nami (Ocean Waves)

7. Saku o Hibiki (Resonance of New Moon)

8. Hikari no Douhyou (Guiding Light)

Here are some pictures from the concert

YOU CAN'T WALK ALL OVER ME

WORLD'S SMALLEST EGG

Donnie Russel of Raleigh county, West Virginia claimed that his chicken laid the world's smallest egg. The chicken that laid the tiny egg is of normal size. As usual, when Russel and his wife went to gather the eggs, they were quite surprised to see the tiny egg. Its 2.1 cm long, a bit bigger than a penny, weighing 3.46 grams (one tenth of an ounce)!

"We thank the good Lord above for this being a West Virginia egg," said Russel.

 

Donnie Russel, wife Karen Russel, grandson John Kenny Russel with the world's smallest egg

HUMOUR STONE AGE TO COMPUTER AGE

NEAR THE BLUE SEA

On a clear and bright day, one of the things I truly enjoy is being by the sea. The sea has a calming and soothing effect if we just stood or sat watching it for a while. Before I started my walk at the beach, the other day, I just stood for 10 minutes in the sand, watching the beautiful blue sea in front of me, the clear blue sky, kids playing at a side and really, what an amazing feeling. Let me take you to a short journey of that experience through the pictures I took.

SPARROW

Kuwait is a place, where sparrows are in plenty. Its not easy to capture them on camera. Simple reason, they fly away if we would try to get close. Though bit of a blurred shot, I was able to click a photo of this lovely sparrow, by chance.

BEAUTIFUL THINGS

WATERFALL AT KUWAIT SCIENTIFIC CENTER

There is an nice little waterfall at the outer premises of the Scientific Center opposite the Fateh Al Kheir dhow. The sound from a waterfall, is always so soothing and peaceful to listen to. Here are a few pictures I took. The first photo has a white pigeon sitting on the top of the rock from where the water starts to flow. There were two pigeons. I must have disturbed the one who flew away first when I lifted my camera. I just managed to captured the other on camera, before it flew away as well. If you pass by the Scientific Center somewhere close to sunset (on a clear day), take a walk up the waterfall, enjoy the natural music of water, enjoy the sea across, and the beautiful sunset. Feel all that uplift your spirits and energise you.

Look carefully to the top right part of the picture (on top of the rock), can you see the white pigeon?

JAPANESE TAIKO DRUM CONCERT

The Embassy of Japan, in cooperation with National Council for Culture Arts and Letters,  is organizing a Japanese Taiko Drum concert today, which will have a fusion of Japanese and Western music, that is bound to enthrall the audience. Taiko means big drum, it also stands for the art form itself. Shuichiro Ueda will perform on the Taiko drum, Wasei Suma on the violin and Masahira Tamura on the saxophone. The concert will be held today (Thursday, November 24) at 7.30pm at Abdulaziz Hussein Cultural Center, Mishrif (near the Mishrif co-operative Society). This is being held as a part of the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Japan and Kuwait.

Shuichiro Ueda - Taiko Drum

Masahira Tamura - saxophone

Wasei Suma - Violin

IS ANGELINA JOLIE LOOKING TOO THIN

Angelina Jolie is reportedly looking too thin and she is believed to be weighing a mere 99 lbs for a person whose height is 5' 8''. She is said to be on a 500 to 600 calorie diet. Its also reported she 'forgets' to eat during her busy schedule.