AAA:Award,Answers and Aaekay....

Sorry, Aaykay. I'm very late in answering to your questions. If at all an excuse can help me with my apology, it's : I had my exams and almost lost contact with my blog for as long as two months. 

Thanks a lot for the award Aaekay :)

Here goes my answers. Loved the questions. (Found a few difficult to answer-especially the 5th and 8th ) :)

#1: Which post that you have written on your blog is your most favorite of all and why?

After a year of blogging, I have come to realize that with time, people evolve and so do I. With every blog post I write, I gain a better insight into things, about life itself. So, AaeKay, I really love this question of yours. A blog post entitled “Searching for an answer and... yes, GOT IT!!..:)” is still my favourite as it’s very close to my heart even though it’s a very simple one.

#2: Which post that I have written on my blog is your favorite and why?

I read a poem in your blog-“Suicide is never the solution”. Liked the way you expressed what you wanted to, wonderfully through a poem. The following lines were the best.

“When the sun rises and reaches its peak,
When the problem reveals its intricacies and therefore its flaws,
There, one will see a solution,
And the solution will NEVER be suicide.”

#3: How would you define love, hope, faith and life in a sentence?

To define these my way:  Life is a single delicate thread entwined around love, hope and faith; any imbalance in these three may cause the thread to break apart or sag down.

#4: What is that one thing that you cannot tolerate in a person?

Excessive pride. The ones who are always in the seventh heaven because of a minor success of theirs and look down at others surely deserve my contempt.

#5: What defines YOU in one word?

 Different ;)

#6: If we were to meet somewhere out of the blue, what would you say to me? How would you identify me, if you had to approach me and confirm that it is AaeKay indeed!?

If miraculously you and I meet in the near future and I somehow see you,my response would be……Hi, so do you still remember the 6^th question and my answer to it?? ;)

#7: Do you believe that people are allowed to break your heart in a relationship? (I know we trust them not to.)
 A flat no. Why a relationship, if one breaks the heart of the other? (though, sometimes unintentionally, one may hurt the other’s sentiments..but that definitely doesn’t entail SHATTERING ONE’S HEART INTO PIECES)

#8: What is one thing that you love about yourself? 

Talking of an attribute (if that’s what the question demands as an answer), I do only those things which I love to do ;)

#9: How productive are you? What do you follow in order to be productive? (This is because I'm trying hard to become productive; not working!)

Productive..umm..and not working…..well, that would be just lay back, read a book or travel.

#10: How did you come across my blog and what was your first thought about my blog and me?

You commented on a post in my blog. Then I went on to browse through ‘A Blog To Remember’ and found it really interesting. The blogger who maintains an interesting blog has to be equally interesting and a flourishing writer. Glad to have come across you and your blog,Aaekay. 

mY SpAcE : mY RuLeS :: mY KiNgdOM : my ThRoNe

The use of punctuation marks in the title isn’t correct. Sorry. Not that I used to get them all correct in the grammar section of my test papers ,but still this is quite awkward. I agree. But then, to talk of math, I haven’t excelled in it either. So, this explanation leaves me a total jerk- ‘an adha-adhura knowledge’ kinda person. Well, that suits me best! Anyway, I learnt the use of : and :: long back. So the only thing I remember now (that too, very vaguely) is that : is for ratio and :: is for proportion(Sorry again, if I got that wrong. It’s been years I have smelt the calculating repulsive scent of a mathematics textbook).

Try arguing with an auto rickshaw-wallah near his auto stand where all his buddies sit comfortably under the thin short-lasting stretch of synthetic covering around the rust-eaten rods of their three-wheelers. He might utter an inexplicable fare in the most inexplicably confident voice. Then suddenly you realize that you are a minority in the area where you are standing and feel yourself shrinking into an agitated electron among a lane-full of anti-charged protons. You relent. The fare no longer a matter of concern. Your skin is!

And that’s the absurdity of it all. Ask the same auto rickshaw-wallah to come to your colony. You and your whole lot of like-minded people can argue with him. The reason of argument?? Oh, leave the reason. Now that you are a majority, why do you need a reason?? (Darn, am I stepping into political swamps with the last statement?? I suppose, a big no! Politics is the last thing in the universe that would grab my interest!)

Dare to step on a lonely stage- the platform vast and a forlorn stranger. But then, you were the one who was laughing your uvula sore, back among the audience. And then the same light when focused on you, you hear your heart recklessly beating drums within your atria and ventricles. The absurdity of it again.

The teacher you mock at while he’s lecturing in the class. You scribble his outline on the last page of your notebook. The cartoon sketch turns out to be a divine bucket of laughter. The balding head, the sagging gravity-loving belly and the strands of hair protruding from where they should n’t. Gosh! You try to hold back that laughter-pressure inside you to such an extent that had your body been a pressure cooker, your intestine would have got satisfactorily boiled to be gulped down like a long Chinese noodle,by the time the lecturer leaves the class.

The contrast- The pot-bellied brat makes a joker out of you in the viva table. He laughs and sips coffee, finding faults in every word you utter. You wonder-how the funny cartoon character featuring on the last page of your notebook turns into a blood-sucking vampire overnight. Damn! But that’s what the ratio is all about. As you sit sweating your way out and wetting your dry throat by painfully swallowing the minimum amount of saliva sticking to the insides of your famine-struck buccal cavity; you realize : this time it’s his space: his rules. As you walk out of the examination hall and walk back to your gang, it’s your kingdom: your throne.

• (P.S. Though it’s often difficult to predict which king wins the broader battle at the end, we always are the triumphant crown-bearers in our own territory housing our gang of friends, family and well-wishers and once we step out that comfort zone, we suddenly feel like an outcast ) :)

So the next time I comment to my friends about a girl wearing an awkward dress, I’ll at least think once before commenting as to how many others might be laughing at my own dressing sense. But to wind it up all- WE ALL ARE SO GROSSLY DIFFERENT !! AT THE END, IT SIMPLY DOES N’T MATTER-until of course we get something to laugh at and there's someone else to laugh at us. NOBODY SURE IS 'UNLAUGHABLE' and we all are miniature freaks at one level or the other. )

• [P.P.S. If the title with its punctuation marks still does n’t make sense, then……well……I have admitted before, I never got them all correct!!]  ;-)

AwArD !! :)

Thanks a ton AaeKay for tagging me with the the Libster Award:):)                                    ..(and I felt my lips stretch into a smile on coming to know of the surprise you mentioned in the comment)

Here are my answers to some of her questions....

1. How would someone describe you to a stranger?

Well, that depends on who that ‘someone’ is. Only a close friend can describe the ‘real me.’

2. Is there anywhere in the world you want to go and anywhere you don't want to go? 

  There are lots of places in my wish list where I want to go. But if I have to shortlist a few places where I don’t want to go, those would be the places where there’s a lurking danger to life( Nope, I’m not hinting towards the unexplored interiors of the Amazon rainforests or the deepest parts of the Indian Ocean.. I’m talking about the places which would be more livable if monsters called ‘terrorists’ were never born)

3. What or who you inspires you the most?

   My mom

4. What was the last good deed that you did?

   Switched off the fan and lights of my room before heading to the hospital today. (In the morning rush of getting ready for my classes, I tend to forget the importance of conserving electricity and often leave them switched on) ;-)

5. What do you do to destress?

   Talk to myself (sounds absurd, though), write, listen to music ,read a good book or watch a movie.

6. What's the funniest thing that has happened to you?

‘Funny’and ‘embarrasing’- I still remember a day during my school days when I hopped into my school bus with my socks in my hands and shoes (laces untied) well in their appropriate place. I was very late and the bus (not to mention the whole lot of school mates sitting inside) was waiting for me honking the horn every 4 seconds. Angry, my mom rebuked me and I could do nothing but run straight to the bus, with socks in my hands where several dozen eyes directed their not-so-friendly gaze and ‘oh-my-God-Is-she-a-nutcase?’expressions at me. Back then, those were the five minutes of my life, I so badly wanted to forget. But when I think of that incident now, it seems to be a funny.

7. Where do you see yourself ten years down the line?

    A platform where I can be myself- the one I always want to be-an eminent doctor, a writer and a person who lives a worthwhile life,is cared for and cares for others and has many reasons to be happy.

8. What is one quote that you live by?

“Believe you can and you are halfway there.”

   

    
9. Which book has made the biggest impact in your life and how?

     Since a lot of books have influenced me, it wouldn’t be appropriate if I name a single book. The impact is not one big bolt of lightning but a constant dose of positive impulses over months and years.

10. What's the most rewarding thing about being a blogger?

      Starting a blog was a decision I made a year ago.

 Just the way singers sing their way to people’s hearts, express their feelings; just the way painters paint to let loose the creativity bound in them; I do the same by writing. It gives me a rare satisfaction and is a great stress buster, but above all, I love writing. Blogging brings one in touch with people who share the love for writing. It’s always been a great experience to read the posts of some wonderful people and ponder over what they have written.

Lastly, attempting to these questions was fun. Thanks for the SURPRISE.. loved it :):)

Twenty four carat GOLD and a piece of CAST IRON....

The pleasant evening had given way to the slight drizzle and the ambient temperature reduced to a comfortable level. The A.C. was switched off before she got on the bed to take her afternoon nap. Forty five minutes later, she woke up suddenly, feeling groggy. Her stomach didn’t hurt, nor did her occasional migraine bother her this time. She analyzed the reflection in the mirror- did she have blood-shot red eyes? Did she look ill? No..not really.

But something held her down. She felt heavy. A rare kind of heaviness. Downstairs, a queer discussion ensued. She could hear people’s voices mingle into a disinteresting, disheartening chatter.

Rewind 2 years. She was wearing the same night-suit ,sitting on the same bed. Her mother had asked her to change into a more decent dress. A few neighbours sat on the couch discussing something with her father. Her father, an euphoric smile splashed jubilantly on his aging face, cast a loving glance at her when she entered the room. She felt like she was the fastest horse in the race, the triumphant Czar in the battle, the sole survivor in the massacre-a twenty four carat gold pendant.

The difference. The heaviness. The strangeness. The fake sympathies flowing out downstairs. The groggy feeling- She knew exactly what it was. The sudden rise and fall. The applause once tasted, a long-forgotten thing at the present. The winning and losing. The changes in attitude of people around. The cliché seemingly coming true-‘Winning is the only thing’.

She was a state top ranker. She was a cynosure of several eyes at that time……..2 years later…..She couldn’t get into the college she dreamed of-a difference of 2 marks took a toll. Cut-offs turned out to be very high.

She was wearing a twenty carat gold pendant with a piece of cast Iron. She was still that precious metal her parents so lovingly brought into their world. She was that shiny gold pendant, embedded with a piece of brittle Iron.She was that perfect daughter, with a perfect degree of imperfection. She was herself and she loved every inch of her.

The grogginess disappeared in a few minutes. Downstairs the conversation among the neighbours continued. They took a rare kind of satisfaction in discussing failure and pouring out fake sympathies. She didn’t care. Her parents didn’t care. The twenty four carat gold pendant embellished with cast Iron was an antique possession and a focus of envy. No wonder, when kept among other jewels, it shone the brightest.


P.S- A year back, I started this blog. Writing blog posts and reading posts of some other wonderful bloggers has been a wonderful experience. Even though I am not that regular at writing posts for Mosaic (given the time constraints), I have discovered how ecstatic it feels to write what comes in my mind. Hoping to continue with writing (though a bit irregularly)..Lastly, thanks to all the people who have stopped by this blog and those who have left behind a comment ( would have never got the encouragement to continue with this blog,had it not been for you).. Do keep reading........ :):)

The REAL "CONNECT"...

She sat on the sofa still. Twenty seconds… thirty seconds.. She realized that in order to restrain that bolt of lightning setting her temper to fire, she had to practice the ‘not-always-effective’ tip of counting till hundred. She closed her eyes; the lids almost wore the ragged sign of exhaustion. The black-rimmed specs with its crystal clear high powered lenses rested on her sharp nose as the gazelle eyes behind them made a desperate effort to see the world revolving within the brightest galaxy of her spacious mind. An ambitious aura surrounded her whenever she sat to work and she preferred a perfect quietude to prevail during that time. The cell phone beeped and there flashed the ‘deserving-only-disgust’ or DOD face of her boss. He was the last person on earth to whom she wished to talk at that hour. The hard task master that he was he wouldn’t let anyone working in his office to even breathe in peace.

She took a few seconds to gather her composure, cleared her throat touched the back of her hand on the cup of coffee that went cold and finally received the call. And before she could say ‘hello’, the DOD spat out his words as if he would be constipated for the next few days if he didn’t vomit what he had to say in one hastened single breath. It took some time before her vocal cords could regain their original vibration. She spoke in a tone which despite being soft, exuded a rare determination that somehow made her boss elated for having an employee as talented and dedicated as her under him. “Yes, sir. It’ll be done by today. I’ll send the edited copy via mail to Shubhankar tonight. He said he’ll get the illustrations done by tomorrow. So, you needn’t worry about that column of ‘Elegance’.” Mr DOD (though his name was “Mr Manish Manchalwar”, what could be more suitable for the boss at the ‘Elegance’ magazine office other than DOD ?The name was coined by Shubhankar, the chief layout and graphic artist).

Kavya, let out a long sigh. The long journey imprinted its side effects on her eyes and heels. I must complete the task by tonight, she resolved. She switched on her laptop and opened MS  Word. She was just about to type the first few words when the screen went black. And that was it. Frantic attempts to switch it on, charging its battery and following a few advices poured in by friends through the cell phone didn’t help. When disasters strike, they sometimes leave you so crippled that you can’t even make an effort to escape. She was new to the town she had just arrived at a few hours back. Adding to her agony, she was all alone. She put on her shirt, ran her fingers through her tresses, added a tint of pink to her lips, wore her stilettos and set out.

Once on the road, she began scanning the area. She had been once to this place before for some work and stayed in the same hotel. But changes are so rampant that if you don’t oft-visit a place, you tend to forget everything. The Manager at the hotel told her that she would find an Internet Café if she walked a little distance.  Exactly as he said, she saw the glaring sign board reading “Mintu’s Net Palace”. She wondered whether the inclusion of the owner’s name (she assumed Mintu to be the owner’s name) on the sign board attracted more customers to his café. She signed in the register where one had to write one’s name and time of entry in the café. She scrutinized the place. The café was more ancient than the monuments of India of which we Indians are so proud of. There were about ten cabins, each housing a computer. Whenever someone typed, you could actually hear the loose worn out keys of the keyboard being pressed. At the centre of the roof, a fan brandished its slow dancing moves. She was shown a computer at the corner and she settled down there. It took a couple of minutes for the program to start. She breathed in a long breath, although it was not worth it. A person sitting in a nearby cabin was stinking, thanks to his socks which could even drive rats nuts if they came near them to gnaw them (what an an effective rat-repellant!)

She had been working on the story for some time now. It would be a little different this time, emanating to a great extent from her heart rather than her brain unlike previous ones. But she didn’t know how to end it- ‘happily-ever-after’ type or ‘all-stories-don’t-have-a-happy-ending’ type. Nevertheless, her swift fingers initiated a move and the words took shape. She started typing the mail.

"In Search of a Soul mate"

"This is an anonymous girl’s saga. I often search for that ‘perfect My Fairytale Prince’ to sweep me off my feet. But the fact is, while I juggle with my career, choices and hope, I end up being single. We girls, sometimes.. just can’t figure out the perfect ‘he’ from amidst the crowd. Sometimes we are so confused about this whole thing of falling in love that we find ourselves reduced to a minion when compared to the whole big concept of it. Choosing one person to accompany you all along the peaks and valleys of life is indeed a great decision to make. This however, doesn’t apply to those who like experimenting on hearts, who don’t think twice before entering into or out of a commitment. And with  Mark Zuckerberg’s wonder child facebook in play, the whole quagmire of falling in love and out of it has become as easy as pressing a key and pronouncing oneself  ‘single’ from ‘in a relationship’, literally….”

Suddenly, everything went dark except the computer screens. The voice of the owner sounded, “Oh, current chala gaya. Generator bhi kharab he. Aab kam se kam ek ghanta toh lagega hi current wapas aane me. Aap logon ko computer switch off karna padega.” Kavya frowned. She was not even half way through her story when the power-cut occurred. She quickly sent the e-mail but before doing so, added a few more words- “I am done. This story’s never going to end and the boss wants it tonight.”

She waited for a good half an hour outside the café, drank a cuppa in the nearby stall, but the current still didn’t come. Besides, it was late- 9:30 pm and her eyes hadn’t stopped burning and her soles didn’t stop paining. She didn’t want to take a risk at that hour of the night in a not-so-familiar place and hurried to the hotel.

All she could do after reaching her room was sleep until it was morning and the landline rang. “Madam, what are you taking for breakfast today?” She recollected that she had survived on only a cup of cappuccino, a sandwich and a cup of coffee the previous day. “Umm, yes. I’ll take a cup of strong black tea and an aloo parantha.” Her headache had accompanied her to wish her in the morning and realized all she needed to do was relax for the next couple of days. Her work had taken a toll on her happiness, and to a great extent-her health and life itself. She switched off her phone, lest DOD would show up his face again and remind her of her task. She said to herself ‘I’ve always been so sincere, let’s see how it feels to break loose once in a while.’

Two days later, she was in a mall selecting a few clothes.  The cell beeped. For once, she thought she would ignore it. But the very next moment, picked it up instinctively. “Hey, Miss Elegant, you almost disappeared from the scene. What happened? Saw the copy of ‘Elegance’ today? They are out on the stands and that’s an awesome story you wrote. I thought of sending you the blue-print of the whole issue but seems your laptop is still dead!” “What did you say, Shubhankar? My story? Oh, come on, I never wrote one this time.”

It took another half an hour for Kavya to grab hold of a copy of ‘Elegance’ from a nearby stall. Her eyes widened on reading the rest of the story…..

“At the other end of the server, sits Mr anonymous. Well, I don’t prefer facebook or technology to prove my love to anyone. I am just this simple guy who had a heart before the  this ‘Zucked era’ and have one even now. I am tech-savvy. I keep track of the latest smart phones available in the market, sell my old laptop to buy a new one every year, but that doesn’t mean I would sell or rather ‘give’ my heart to somebody more than once. Dear, Miss Anonymous, you needn’t perceive the idea that the whole lot of guys go gaga over fb and make and break friends there. As far as real friends are concerned, they are always near you. Just look around you. You may find your Mr. Perfect sitting somewhere near the water cooler in your office, stealing a glance at you. And sure wants to ask his ‘Miss Princess’ on a fairytale date but lacks the gut for he won’t be able to tolerate the sadness that may come if she says a shattering ‘no’. The whole real world of ‘ Social Networking Site’ is everywhere around you. And you can feel the real network between hearts and mind. Someone not belonging to the virtual world may be awaiting your answer in the real world."

Kavya sensed a dewdrop sensation on her cheek. How could her real life love story ever be complete without Mr. Anonymous- Mr. Shubhankar. She immediately typed a SMS on her cell and sent it to him. Shubhankar, still sitting on his office chair near the water cooler, smiled the happiest smile on reading the SMS – “Request accepted. Status- in a relationship with Mr. Anonymous.. Can we go out for coffee tomorrow? I’ll be reaching home today. J”

The Fine Line Between Destiny and Intervention....

The heels of my footwear make an assaulting noise as they slap the marbled floor smeared with tiny drops of red at places. The pace increases as the soles touch the stairs. The narrow corridor flanked by walls made dirty by the ‘paan’ stains at the corners, lead to the room.

A lady sits pensive, her hands surrounding her flexed knees. Beside her, sleeps quietly the 4-year-old. From the area that was left bare, his scapula and back bone were clearly visible as if the skin concealed only the colour of the bones, sans the muscles or fat to hide their contour.

On another bed, a small girl, probably 11 years of age, comes alive in sudden motion when her body shapes itself into a bow and froth keeps dribbling from her mouth. The father holds her by his hands as her back arches into a typical bow. The mother rushes to wipe clean the froth from her mouth. Not that there is a hue and cry about her child having an attack, she is as composed as everyone in the room. With each fresh attack of her daughter, she has learned to multiply her patience.

A cute little fellow plays with a balloon and cheerfully replies when I ask him his name. He has recovered a lot. The tube connecting his chest with a bag hanging down his bed drains the fluid from his lungs. He pulls his balloon away as I playfully try to snatch it away from him. His mom sits on the corner of the bed and smiles a relieved laughter which had disappeared for a few days in the past.

While there are kids with congenital heart diseases who turn blue at the slightest attempt of activity, there are also those who turn out restless like the 11-year-old and just fail to have control on them once an attack starts.

As I stand there, trying to figure out what they might be suffering from, with the very little knowledge that I possess, I am compelled to think- “How thick is the line that separates destiny from intervention”. Can each one of them be saved or restored to a normal livelihood if Medical Sciences intervene? Can the intervention bridge the distance and change the destiny of these less lucky children and their parents?

Some sense of relief pervades as a confident doctor passes by the 4-year-old, muttering,” He’s going to be alright.” I can only vaguely fathom how reassuring that sentence is for the parents as they sit hoping their children will play, shout, laugh and sulk in front of them once again. Hopes, prayers and sleepless, they wait to hear the chuckles again………

But this is far more than just CHUCKLING, isn't it ??  :D

BizArreLy InTo dEtAiLs- the fashionable and colour coded ones !!

We girls. I wonder the level of planning the Mighty Providence must have done before sculpting us- both our body frame and mind frame. Just the other day, I and one of my friends wandered off from our talks to discuss how emotional girls are and how vulnerable they often become due to this aspect of theirs. Talking of vulnerability, yes, we are vulnerable not only to emotional outbursts but also to fall for all things pretty and fashionable.
Step into a mall and you have to wait to count the number of shops catering to men while all around you, you see the enticing boutiques housing female stuff. Talk of shopping and we just go crazy( until of course we are restrained by monetary constraints).

    

That's quite a collection...but most of the time, I prefer my nails transparent clean !!

We pay attention to the minutest detail- which nail colour looks best, which colour will go with the recent dress we bought, which company’s nail color is safer for nails, whether the colour adds that extra shine to our nails ……phew! We can drive men insane if ever they accompany us throughout our shopping spree. But nail colour is just an example. Including all other female accessories will made this post all the more boring (and so I’m abstaining from it)

But the question is- does anybody notice? The fashionable girl sitting next to you wears a fluorescent pink on her nails. They are a good 2 cm long and you raise an eyebrow as she scratches her forehead gently with her forefinger, making a dry sound. She clasps the fingers of both her hands in a slow move and the guy sitting behind wonders how she might have been eating her food with her nails that long (if at all she doesn’t use a spoon). He stretches his shabby face into a disgusting smile when he asks her to feature in a horror TV seriel where, he says, her fingers were enough to make people palpitate.

But we don’t care. Do we? I mean, most of the girls don’t! Back at school, we had to get our nails neatly cut and any colour on it( even Mehendi) would land us in danger. Once out of school, we try all things possible, all colours available. Come on, we are meant to be like this, most of us are. And we don’t give a damn whether anyone notices the intricate design on our hair clip, the colour of our lip gloss, the height of our stilettos, the extra pair of ear rings we have put and ………. Because we love giving attention to details and decorate ourselves, no matter others notice or not. After all, getting dressed up and looking beautiful can be fun. And nothing is as satisfying and enthralling as going through the process of decking ourselves up. Don’t agree? Give a second thought ... :)

Book Review : "Is This Love" & "Autumn-The Last Leaf"

This is the first book review I am writing in my blog. Arti Honrao’s “Is This Love?” and “Autumn- The Last Leaf” are two wonderful stories and I read them in a single sitting.

Her art of expressing human emotions to such depth deserves appreciation. The feeling of friendship flourishing into love with time is the centre stage of both the stories. What crossed my mind while reading the book is- the dilemma people often face when it comes to matters of the heart, the failure to reveal emotions at the appropriate time and the eventual consequences and crushing wave of pain that creates turmoil in the concerned person.

“Is This Love?” is a story that depicts how two souls loved each other right from the start but failed to confess it to one another at the right time. The level of closeness between Vishaal and Sheetal – their constant extension of support to each other when it was needed, the maturity and composure in Vishaal’s character and the plight of Sheetal as she was invaded by confusion as to whether Aman really loved her ; are all described beautifully. The ultimate acceptance of Sheetal by Vishaal even after he knew what had transpired between her and Aman provides ample evidence of his true love for her. The story was gripping from the start till the end. One can actually understand the crux of Sheetal’s situation and it provides an insight of the ability of the author to pen down emotions marvelously.

In “Autumn- The Last Leaf”, the main protagonist, Neha has a rare power to see dreams which transform into reality. She wanted to confess her feelings for her friend, Kedar but it was too late and he married Samiksha. Though at first it was difficult to make out whether Kedar loved Neha, at the end it becomes clear that he married Samiksha just because his parents forced him to. Neha’s initial heart ripping pain and eventually ‘rising again like a phoenix’ (as the author has put it) is described vividly. The twist at the end and the revealing of the real culprit of Samiksha’s murder are executed in a smooth and expert fashion. Loved the way the author has compared Neha to a tree.

The title of the story couldn’t have been more apt. The story starts off with a gruesome murder ( which was actually a dream) but as it progresses, it makes the reader feel that it’s a blend of emotions, mystery and a strong plot( plus a hint of supernatural power-as Neha’s dreams used to convert into reality).

Two stories worth reading. Great reading experience. Thank you Arti di for sending a copy for me. Keep writing..  JJ Hoping to read more books by you…..

Let Me Sink In My Slumber

That drowning in the waters of physical lethargy

The engulfment with the mercury-heavy lids

Sparing only a white slit, open

A doorway for the penetrating cone of rays

That slowly creeping smile of the face

Then a sudden monotonous jerk, a conflict of the senses

Trying to grab on to the dream, chasing it

The shutting of eyes in vain  

Beckoning the estranged subconscious pictures to grow roots

Why don’t they come alive all over again?

I’ll sleep longer, try harder

If only it continued from where it ended

For welling up many fathoms deep in my heart,

Is my burgeoning hope that it transforms into reality

And hate to realize that I have been woken

  

Cajole me to that surreal land

And I promise not to hesitate to step ahead straightaway.

Let me sink in my own slumber

And I promise I’ll visit you again

Until then, lend me a hand

Let us wipe clean the creases on the path.

(P.S. How often we wish that while having a quiet peaceful sleep, we not be woken or disturbed, lest the sweet dream with which we cocoon ourselves will be ripped apart. How we wish that we could cling on to our sleep and reach the very end of the dream that we dreamed. How we wish it to shape into reality......

But if it's a horror dream that we are seeing, how we wish later that we hadn't slept at all  ;):))

I HAVE BEEN TAGGED by 'Me'

Hey, Me. Thank you for tagging me. It was fun attempting to these questions. This is my first experience of the tagging arena. I have read the rules.I haven't tagged anyone as of now, but I hope I'll come up with something of this sort very soon.



·                      If you could have any superpower, what would it be?                                                                                                                                        
              If Pandora’s box did exist in reality, (if superpowers can exist, I got to believe that  Pandora’s box did too)I would revert the very act of the opening of its cover. Thinking of the situation that will ensue after that makes me smile- no worries, no hurt, no ailment, no death, no jealousy,  no wars-only happiness enclosing over everyone’s life. 
·                 What was your favourite childhood television program? 
      I still remember, I used to sit glued to the television on Sunday mornings. Mentioning the show I used to love the most makes me feel I was crazy back then( but no, it was better than Ra One!). Shaktimaan used to awe strike the ‘tiny me’. Gosh, no one could move me away from the idiot box when the seriel was on. And occasionally I used to watch ‘Taarang’ in DD, only in the hope that they would show a ‘Meena’ animation slide(I wonder if ‘Meena’ the animation character was famous among other children of my age back then, but I loved her and still doJ)


·                     Have / had any celebrity crushes?
         It was Ranbir during the days of ‘Ajaab Prem Ki Gazaab Kahaani’(he looked cute in it). As of now, none         specifically.

·         If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Switzerland

·                      Name 1 thing you miss about being a child.
The carefree days, the cuddling, life sans tension and endless pampering from parents.


Name the one comic/book character that you loved the most and why?
I used to read ‘Tinkle’ a lot. The idiotic ‘Supandi’ used to fill me with pity for him. I loved ‘ Hagar’  from ‘Hagar the Horrible’ and Dennis from ‘Dennis The Menace’. They are funny. Dennis, a dangerous mixture of innocence and cuteness ( I doubt if I will be right if I include the word ‘menacing’ for him. He is such a sweety)J


·                     What is the one thing that you are dying to try but haven’t had a chance to do so yet?
            Learn Painting

·                     Do you have a role model – someone you want to emulate? Whom do you admire the most?
             I look for the best in every person. Everyone has at least one best quality or the other. I won’t mention specifically any person who has made it big enough to grab worldly attention, but there are some among them who inspire me too.

·                     What do others make of you?
            Umm…well if I have another superpower to delve into the minds and soul of people, I will be able to know for sure what they make of meJ                                                                                                                                  
·         Have you ever gotten into a fight or punched someone?                                               
          Oh, talking of punching, I love those action movies in which the actress punches flat a nose or two of the opposite party. I would love to try something of that sort, provided I get the assurance that it won’t land me with multiple hand fractures.
Fight? Of course! Haven’t heard of any person who has never fought in his/her life. As a child, I used to fight with my sibling and friends over petty issues and forget about it just a few minutes later. 
As of now, I avoid fights in any form.They are useless, aren't they?

·  For Girls – If you woke up tomorrow to find out you are Brad Pitt, what would be the first thing you’d say upon looking in the mirror???
            Gosh, I look so handsome! I deserve someone better than Angelina ;-)

·                      Is there anything that others complain about you..?
             In many cases, I can’t wake up on time and consequently indulge in last minute rushing and hastening .

Lastly, I thank 'Me' for awarding me my very first award for my blog. I am honoured :)

tHe uLtImAtE PrOmPt..

This is the last prompt by Preeti Shenoy. This entire experience of writing on her prompts has been an enriching one and I loved it. I'll really miss her prompts:(

 1. If you had Rs.50,000 to just blow up (you have to spend it on YOURSELF. Giving to Charity or buying gifts for others not allowed), what would you spend it on and why?

• A grand sum of Rs.50,000 just to blow up on myself! The very day I have the crisp notes in my purse, I’ll set out for shopping. I am a shopaholic (but still within limits). I have always nurtured a dream of having a closet full of clothes. Clothes suitable for different occasions-the smart wears, the casual wears (to be worn while going out with friends), the party wears and the kurtas to be worn only to the college. Then there are other small accessories I go gaga over like hair clutches, scarves, wrist watches and anything on display, pretty enough to grab my attention.(Oh, I sound so girlish! But I can’t help it.)

• Having satiated my shopping urge, I’ll head to a cozy restaurant along with my friends and have a grand meal. We can go to the nearest theme park and shed the monotony of the entire week. (Well, if paying the bill at the restaurant and buying their tickets in the park is considered as a gift, I won’t do so; after all, I have to spend on myself. Do I sound selfish here?)
• Next thing to do with the money is to go to the best bookstall in the nearest market and browse through a few novels and buy them. Not to leave behind my Medical books-I still haven’t bought my surgery and gynaecology textbooks (With a plethora of books for each subject, one gets confused as to which one to buy)
• Hmm..what more?? Yeah, I have to get a new specs for myself. I have been using the present one for the last 3 years and I just want to have a change of look(If at all a specs can change the way you look). Or I can go for a pair of coloured contact lenses(the ones I use are transparent and the colored ones are costlier and last shorter and need repeated replacing). Or I can get a LASIK laser surgery done to get rid if my 6 year old myopia! (No, that might be far beyond my budget right now and it can wait) Phew! My dreams.

• Why not get a bagful of crafts material and indulge in the work I love. That old uncle in the store has housed all kinds of stuff required for creative work. I may collect a few rectangles of transparent glass, a square mirror, a few packets of glass color, glitters, ribbons, ply board and all other things required to transform my room into a colourful, yet elegant one.
• Having done all this, I’ll get myself a few bars of chocolates, enough to last for a month. My palate will be so satisfied with the pampering, at least for a month!

• If I still have some money left after all this, I will channelize it into my back account( but I doubt if any thing will be left after my shopping spree)

2. Name three of your closest friends (not family or spouse) and say why you love them.

• My friend from class nursery till date-Mousumi. Though we have lost contact over the years after I changed school, I will never forget her. Back then, I used to cry at school a lot .She was the one who held her tiny hand forward in friendship and I never realized then that she was to be my friend forever! Yeah, we played together, shared our tiffins, sometimes fought over silly issues and again made up after sometime. I clearly remember how one day she got rebuked from our teacher for no fault of hers (In fact, I was the one who was responsible for the prank). She stood up taking the blame on herself. That was probably in my 2^nd grade, but some incidents get imprinted in the juvenile mind forever and can never be erased. She was smart, confident and acted as an elder sister towards me. She would be there when I needed her. She would be there to console me when my performance in the test fell below what I expected and I would be there for her too. She and me- we were bound by an invisible thread of trust, a thread too strong to break(evidence being-I haven’t met her for years but yet when I am asked to name my closest friend, the first name that comes to my mind is hers). You taught me a lot about life at a tender age, Mousumi.

• Pranami, my friend since grade 4, is another close friend of mine. She is fun to be with-we share a lot of similarities and we are so open to each other. I still remember how we indulged in long talks and there seemed to be no end to our blabbering, how we used to reply back to anyone who passed any comment on us while we were walking by the road.

• Addie-perhaps I was destined to meet this person. You are great! I like your spirit and outlook towards life. Kudos to your sense of humour ,composure when needed and childishness at times:)  (If at all you are reading this..I like it all)

3. Name three books which have profoundly affected you and which you would recommend to everyone to read.

1.Les Miserables-the first novel on which I had to submit a written review at school. I was touched by the story.

2. Doctors -by Erich Segal.

3. 34 bubblegums and candies( It has so much reality infused into it that I loved it!)

4. If you know for certain that you can never ever fail, what would you attempt to do?

To be a good doctor (yes, that’s what I have been writing as an answer to ‘My aim in life’ of slam books) and if possible, I will love to pursue my hobby of creative writing. But most importantly, a good human being, a great daughter, a great sister and a good friend.

5. What is THE ONE THING that you want very very badly?

I want a happy (and yes, disease-free!) life for myself and all my near and dear ones. And I want this very very badlyJ