camp site

here you go guys, eat your heart out!...my cabin by the lake!camp site, lake pleasant spread over a mile of waterfront, the camp houses over 200 people, mostly teenagers from around the world, counsellors, facilitators n delegation leaders like me. has a baseball field, basket ball, tennis courts, volleyball n of course the entire lake to swim, go boating, sailing, etc...

i mean, what a far cry from the camps we used to go to while at the ssl in xaviers. two of us went a couple of days earlier to dig bogs (loos) for the 40 that would follow. buy provisions, arrange transport, etc. but i think i've said that before ;)

off to america!

"Kathy, I'm lost," I said, though I knew she was sleeping
I'm empty and aching and I don't know why
Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike
They've all gone to look for Americanew york arrived under cover of pre-dawn...i'll need to fly in again just to see more!

football nights n late mornings!

the european cup's been throwing too many suprises too late...am so pissed off that holland is out n my favs portugal :( germany is so boring, so i'm gonna be rooting for russia!

go see persepolis!...now

n if you haven't read marjane's satrapi's graphic novel yet...then do so, quick! it's just fantastic. the story itself n of course the illustration is brilliant in it execution n detailing, stark gripping tale of a young outspoken girl growing up in tumultuous iran. the film takes the novel to even greater heights - the way they've maintained the integrity of the style n adapted it to motion so beautifully!...go see!

off to camp!!

yes! so it is all happening...am off to an international youth peace camp by the lake pleasant in maine, usa!...as a delegation leader of 12 teenagers from india who will interact with other teens from around the world, from nations in conflict...india, pakistan, afghanistan, israel, palestine, lebanon, egypt, morocco, yemen, etc. it is a us state dept funded project called seeds of peace. no, not a shooting assignment...need to take the kids there n bring them back n be responsible for them at camp. 3weeks starting 24th june...with daily discussions/interactions in order to get to know each other better, reduce hatred n foster peace among the next generation...
all very well this, but we should not forget that the us has been the main culprit in a lot of the ongoing conflict n hate we are experiencing across the globe today. a good way to assuage guilt n spend some blood money, i guess ;) "they're not all bad, ajay", some of my friends have been beseeching me...
but i am so looking forward to this camp...while at xavier's we used to go to a rural camp in nov every year to do some kind of manual work at the jesuit-run schools in talasari distt. we dug wells, foundations for school buildings, helped build roads, etc. for 10days we'd be cocooned in some desolate village with no access to running water, electricity n toilets. two of us would go earlier n dig loos, organise rations n transport for the group of 50 that followed. we'd work our butts off n enjoy every minute there. but more than anything else, i learnt a lot there...learning for life - they'd call it. a lot of my insights i gained there which helped shape my outlook to life...
almost 20years later, i'm off again to camp...will keep you posted! :)

second workshop in goa

so once again the dried leaves were swept off n the fallen over-ripe cashews cleared...up went the blue tarp while tino n me anxiously waited for the participants to stream in. we weren't expecting a deluge for sure! but yes, to break even this time...by 9.15, we had 9 paying participants and we both smiled in relief. the previous evening, the sky grew dark n with the cloudburst, we lowered our expectations too! cursing the fact that we had to postpone this workshop till end may (thanks to paachvi pass)... >but all that was a haze when this enthu bunch landed up. from benaulim, from altinho, from vasco... the youngest - a 4th std boy n the oldest, a granmom...and two special kids! this time, we wanted to explore "summer" as a theme. but that kinda fizzled out with the overcast wonderfully cool weather! we started with associations, imagery n drawing before moving to story-telling. they brought along their digital cameras n wanted to know everything that was on it! tino did his thing - began with clay n went on to tile painting. o we even made it to the newspapers this year ;) n tino to page 3!!pooja, my niece came along...in her final year at shristi, i was keen she help me here. anything for beer n sausages, she said!! in fact, she even took the entire session one day when i had to fly back for p pass! the best part, this year was the decision to do a half day workshop. that way, afternoon siesta is taken care off n evenings by the sea gauranteed ;) but the bad part was we were hopelessly short on time, esp for the film-making part. we never got there. on the last day, one of the boys goes, "uncle, when's the next workshop?"...i beam widely, "soon, perhaps diwali"...then, i'll pursue once again my idea of exploring a theme, learning different media n then choosing any medium - be it clay, drawing, theatre, film, photography, writing to express oneself. We drove to the verna springs n tino goes shit shit shit...it's a mess now. empty beer bottles, styrofoam cups, food plates, etc...the usual gandh...and the spring reduced to a mere trickle...thinking about taking up issues/projects like these and get into every aspect thru a workshop/camp...what say you?

alien in transit!

...while applying for a US visa, you need to mention if you've travelled to the us before n what visa was issued to you. some lifetimes ago i went there as a cameraman on-board a cruise ship...a c1 visa it was...an alien in transit is what popped up!! :) ahay noronia, i was...very alien indeed!!
this time round i hope it's a regular b1 visitor visa...going there for an international peace camps for youth from conflict areas around the globe...more about that later...

here today there tomorrow!

what a month it has been...one weekend in delhi, the next in amba with the family, following weekend in goa...phew!...and if that wasn't enough, the guys at paanchvi pass decided to shoot the grand finale tomorrow, so i flew in back to bombay n fly back day after...dimaag ka toh poora dahi :)

the noronha clan @ amba ghat

the don looks on
the noro clan on the edge ;)
into the valley of death walked the six hundred!
paavan khind - 12km away from the resort...an area rich with maratha history...panhalal n vishaalgadh forts...here it was that auranzeb's troops were ambushed by a handful of bajirao's men...chatrapati shivaji maharaj ki jai!
sunil - the charming resort owner, energetic story-teller, excellent driver n cook...all rolled into one!
the deccan plateau rises over the western ghats

the cheera collection

cheera or cheerai are these laterite blocks used for construction in the konkan region...nice backdrop they make huh?! that's gaurav-mynephew, karen-my niece, lina-my sis in law :)

here we go again!

so the noronhas are off again!...this time to amba...bang in between ratnagiri n kohlapur nestled in the western ghats/deccan plateau. this annual family picnic thing which my mum does is getting to be quite a hit with the family!...anil helped design a resort there - hornbill, n we're all looking forward to a weekend of togetherness n rest n birds n of course the occasional rum n cola!...cheers!...will post pics when i'm back.

there's a lot we're celebrating - lina n jim's birthday, anillinababa shifting to chembur, anil's exciting new job...n mum's bday in advance ;)

bbye bd12f pic post

untitled

Sitting there slightly bent at his usual place at the table, he stares deep into the mosaic floor. These things are all transient, he says to me without looking up…after rattling off some figure in crores. His memory hazy… he recalls with so much pride the flat he bought way back in the early 70’s. After a full life, he now contemplates losing the last one big thing that was his…that had HIS name!

The world’s a blur around him now as his family whizzes in n out anxiously salvaging all that remains – memories, fragments, furniture, heritage, photographs, sarees, more memories. I don’t pick up anything…nothing here in mine…instead, I pick up moments…fractions really. Faces... in extreme close up…eyes, fingers, an outstretched hand…dust, light, shadow…over a hundred in one day! I surprise myself.

A smile breaks through…eyes moisten…laughter bounces off the bare walls…i move from room to room, face to face…the fragile soul slowly revealing…diving deeper. An email from afar ruptures the cracks, the floodgates burst open… I still don’t have the nerve “to make the final cut”!

my second summer workshop in goa

SummerTime - The Second Summer Workshop
in association with Red Earth Pottery, Verna
27th to 31st May 2008 9.00am to 1.00pm

A 5 day multi-media workshop introducing adults and children to the exciting world of digital video, photography, music, theatre and art. We will learn exciting new ways to express ourselves and learn about the environment around us.

The theme of this year’s workshop is “Summer”. What does the “Summer” mean to us? What are the memories, the textures and stories it evokes. Using various media, we will explore and deepen our own understanding of how it affects us. Participants will be encouraged to write, draw, paint, use clay and drama to express their ideas. In doing so, they will also learn the basics of creative writing, story telling, digital photography, film making and theatre.

The Workshop will be conducted by Valentino Gaspar and Ajay Noronha at the Red Earth Pottery Studio. It is tucked in a quiet verdant corner of Voddlem Bhath at Verna, 2km away from the old Panaji-Margao highway.

Valentino Gaspar – is a ceramic and terracotta artist who runs the rustic Red Earth Pottery Studio. He is an accomplished stain-glass restorer and theatre director.

Ajay Noronha – is a film-maker, cameraperson who divides his time between big television game shows, documentary film and teaching.

Course fees: Rs 1000 inclusive of consumables like paint, clay, video tape, etc. Please carry your own compass box, brushes and camera (if you have one).

Registration open! Hurry, limited seats only.
Email: redearthpottery@rediffmail.com or noro69@gmail.com
Call: Tino (0832) 6555862 or Ajay 09820291396

he's out! n let's make sure he stays there

so at last the madman has been red-carded! kps gill should be tied to his bed post n not be allowed anywhere near women's derrieres n astroturf. of course, the sheer lunacy of dissolving the entire ihf leaves me befuddled...it's like disbanding the bcci coz of bhindra...cheechee! but of course they'll never do that. such cash rich milch cows should only be fattened further.

anyways, now that the worst is behind us, can we get on with some real good hockey?! 80years on we need to start from scratch again...

the who rains love on me!

Only love
Can make it rain
The way the beach is kissed by the sea
Only love
Can make it rain
Like the sweat of lovers

Only love
Can bring the rain
That makes you yearn to the sky
Only love
Can bring the rain
That falls like tears from on high

Love Reign O'er me

On the dry and dusty road
The nights we spend apart alone
I need to get back home to cool cool rain
I can't sleep and I lay and I think
The night is hot and black as ink
Oh God, I need a drink of cool cool rain

da car!...me??!!

so that's mah new ol baby!...a friends' treasured 'keep' recently bethroed to me...a fiat sienna circa2000...a lot more than i had ever wanted...not that i wanted a car to start with, but that's another story. now that i have it, better i learn to drive it...n exactly what i've been doing this month...finally mustered enough guts to drive it to the studio today...license should happen next week...a lpg gas tank next...n a road trip to goa by n by!!

learning on a santro n aspiring to drive a sienna is a huge jump. this one's just so huge n powerful...kinda keep hoping i won't be the next mac alister;) but good fun! i think i can get used to it...quite like i got used to the ac in summer however big my moral pangings...

but you know my worst fear?- that i'll simply leave the car in a jam n walk away! wanna ride anyone?!

are you in poon in june?

Self Portraits
By Ajay Noronha
Exploring our sense of self through the visual, this workshop aims to help us “see” ourselves in unique ways. We will understand the act of seeing while learning how to use a digital still camera. And finally, we will make a self-portrait! Just one? Let's see!
7th-8th June 2008
check out

the paanchvi pass dons!

tania-the babuji's righthand gal
gd-the online editor, bob-srk's cam, ashwin-the recordist, rd-the writer

sai baba twin towers!

...inviting me n inciting me to fly right thru them...