Day 1 : Commencing a blogathon

Prodding this idea in my mind for a few days now, I think I should give it a shot! A blog marathon! Writing a blog post each day for one whole month. I know it is not the beginning of a month, but I think it is better late than never.

Where did I flick this from? I have been reading Preeti Shenoy's blog for quite some time now, and she does this blogathon once a year. Taking it from here, let me write a bit about why I like this blogger cum author cum artist cum just a mother of two (and so many more facets to her, which are often revealed through her blog). 

If you like reading, you will absolutely LOVE the way she writes. Its everyday life put in simple words that guarantees a smile on your face. Most of the times I associate myself with every big and small details mentioned therein. I do not always drop in a comment, cz her blogposts have rendered me speechless. I often shake my head and say "Now, how come I didn't think of that?". When I say author, you'd expect some heavy language with heavier philosophical gyaan about how to count chickens and turkeys and how to survive rat races... not her. Navigating through her work is as easy as breathing. She's one blogger, whose blogs if I do miss, I do not feel lethargic to hit the "older posts" link and read them. 

That's the reason why I bought her first book "34 Bubblegums and Candies". Its a compilation of short stories of her life, some hilarious, some merit just a smile, some touch your heart, and overall, its a feel good book. While reading her book, in some places I was like, "hey, that's my story!" It is a warm, soothing book. 

After reading it, I sent her an email and within a few hours I got a reply. The humility in her email touched me immensely. It takes a lot not to let success intoxicate you; and she is, by far one of the best examples I could quote.  

I call her Preeti akka, and she's my daily dose of Chicken soups. :) She's the motivation behind this blogathon and a gentle kick to my lazy, self-induced writer's block.  

Here's to blogging and inspirations in life! Cheers!

Friends?!

Everyone has them - with varying degrees of friendship. I have them too. Some are close, some are very close and a few are close to getting close.

Friendship is kind of vague to understand. But it a basic tool required to pull, push and squeeze through life. Sometimes you make friends for life and sometimes you just can't keep them for more than a month. The latter simply fade out; friendship fizzles out; and the chemistry you once shared begins to seem obsolete. And there will be surprising few incidents where you are not in contact for 15 years and still, when you find them through non conventional medium, you'll start from where you left it off. 

I have tasted each one of these in my life too! I have solid friends that I know are gonna stay with me forever. By forever I mean, even if we do lose touch, we will not feel awkward to connect after eons. However, for the moment they are there with me, like they have been since a long time. They know who they are. :) 

And there are other close friends too who have been my pillars in times of extreme necessities. For me, moral and emotional support mean a lot than any other kind of help. They have extended a helping hand and lent an ear. They know when to listen, when to give an advice and when to keep mum. They have provided me with different perspective when everything I saw was in one direction. Especially when I was to get married, there were a lot of great guidelines by friends who have been there done that. No points for guessing how badly I needed these sessions when not many in family would encourage my feelings (nervousness, anxiety, insecurity, curiosity, fear of rejection)

Opposite sex friendships rock too, with a tad bit risk of tipping over to the other side. Not many can carry on with a platonic relation and NOT necessarily think each time you laugh at their jokes and play a prank on them mean you have fallen in love with them. I have struck gold with these too, who have been good listeners, entertainers, jokers, logical thinkers. I married one of them. And my marriage to him hasn't affected the bond and friendship with many others. Of course, there were a few who tried to tip the balance discreetly. And, it was up to me to maintain or throw the person off balance. Some took it graciously, others reacted childishly. I am sure I am not the only girl in this world to have gone through this.

The unexplained ones. Their whooshing presence in life makes me wonder. How they came and how they went never seem to find a logical reason. They hit off with me beautifully, accepted me wholeheartedly, laughed, cried, back slapped, high fived and one fine day abandoned all of it. Coming to think of it, the feeling was mutual. It's like we dumped each other at the same time with no hard feelings... in fact with no feelings at all. One day I come to know that they have just struck me off their friend list. Suddenly, the birthday wishes, excitement over "changed relationship status", phone calls, texting dwindled and I was ok, although I would have loved to have a closure on it. 

I am not the kind of person who dives deep, head first into any relationship. I take my time. If that does happen, I stop to analyse , look through and think on it. Like many others, I find it hard to gulp disappointments. I'd rather brake my speed than get my hands burnt and cry over it. 

Friends are like stickers, some of them are glued to you till death and some of them just fall off due to lack of gum. I guess we have to take them as they are. 

Love at Five

Her eyes fluttered open when she felt his arm on her. Still sleepy, she checked the time on her cell phone. It was 5 AM. She yawned, stretched and said “Why are you up so early today? I told you I wanted to sleep, right?” He said nothing; he was stark awake; he just smiled at her.

Even in their dimly lit room, his lopsided smile melted her like butter. He shook her; she tried to pretend that she was asleep. However, now he had learned to catch her bluff. He tapped her on her belly. She opened her eyes and met his. There he was... again smiling that mischievous smile of his. Slowly, he slid his hand under her orange T-shirt. She knew what he was up to. She threw a stern look at him. He wasn’t even looking at her. He was busy concentrating on the job at hand.

His soft hands on her bare belly always made her giggle. She was vulnerable to tickling. “Stop it! I told you not to do that! Stop!!!” she managed to throw up these words among her fitful giggles. “You are in a mood to play, eh honey?”

Meanwhile, he had successfully pushed her T shirt up. His capers were well known to her. And moreover, she loved him when he did those silly things to her. He sat up languidly and set his brown eyes on his prey. Suddenly, without any intimation, he put his head on her curved waist and started nibbling it gently. She felt his teeth on her flesh, tickling and tingling her. She tried to stop him... but she couldn’t... rather she wouldn’t, because she wanted it as much as he. At first he bit her softly, then hungrily.

“Hey!!!” She complained. But he was beyond hearing her voice anymore. He was enjoying the feast. In a wink, he stopped his activity. He sat up alarmed. He waited exactly two seconds before jumping on top of her. “Hey!!!” she complained yet again. “Slow down, baby. It hurts.” Still he wasn’t bothered. He smiled so deep, it formed a dimple on his right cheek.

He lay his head on her chest. He loved hearing the rhythmic thump of heartbeat. Eventually, his right hand found a new territory to fondle with. Her ear. He was well aware that it gave her goosebumps when you did that thing to her - roll his pinkie along the circumference of her ear. She gripped him to keep him from falling off her.

Against her grip, he rolled off on to the bed. Again he diverted his attention to her stretch marks lined tummy. This time he went for the kill. He dived straight for her belly button. His tongue lapped over the crater as if it held liquid chocolate in it. She squealed, held his jet black curly haired head and tried to back him off. He was a leech when it came to this. He was gurgling and cooing. Her complaints, mixed with heavy laughter and breathlessness, excited him further.

She could no longer take it. She sat up causing him to fall backwards on the bed. Too stunned by her sudden action, his expression turned bitter and hurt. He stared at her with frightful, big eyes. She couldn’t help but laugh at the sudden change in his demeanor. She grabbed his hands and pulled him close to her. She kissed his forehead and collected him in her arms. He nuzzled in the crook of her neck. Her hair smelt awesome. She squeezed him as tightly as she could manage without causing him any pain.

They swung together for a while and she sang his favorite song. Within seconds, he was in dreamland. Slowly she set her 10 month old baby beside her.

Fire Freeze Contest - Melting emotions

One of the worst things to happen to you during childhood is having to see your parents go through a bitter divorce. And that's precisely what comprised mine. I guess they have been at loggerheads since the day they were married. Perhaps no; else I wouldn't be here to narrate my story.

Since the day I remember, there was not a single day when they did not see it customary to argue with one another. In fact, my wake up alarm used to be one of them hurtling accusations at another followed by hot tears. There were days when I returned from school to a house full of sinister silence. At such times I wondered if mom had killed dad or the other way round. Thankfully, I was spared from that scene. 

My parents loved me dearly. In spite of repulsion between them, they made sure I was not deprived of worldly things. They tried to make everything perfect for me. Only they never realised that more than material things in life and their individual love, I wanted to see them love each other. I wanted a home and not just plain walls and windows and negative vibes. Alas, I was never able to make them recognize my yearning for one. 

You would wonder what I did when they fought. I was a silent spectator, praying for arguments to end. After all, my parents never forgot to teach me the right things in between their hatred. I was not supposed to speak when two adults were "in communication". Likewise, mom told me not to spill our household news to others. As a result, I had no one to talk to. My feelings ebbed and surged but remained bottled up, howsoever. 

No issue was too small to arouse conflicts between them. They battled incessantly on the colour of walls to arranging finances. By the age of nine, I knew the intensity of each of their confrontations. While I hoped for the day when they would make peace with themselves and start mending their shattered relationship, their mutual loathing was turning passionate by the day. 

For a very long time, I was the zip that kept them attached. But soon things started getting out of control - accusations were wild, words stung poison and disgusted glances at each other became so common that they pierced my soul. Even I could no longer be the clasp that hoped to bring them together.

Two months before I turned eleven, my mom shook me awake. Her eyes were red like I had seen them before. 

"Wake up! We are going to grandma's place." she said. She did not think it was necessary to give me any details. Without asking any more questions I followed her out of the house. Dad was in the bedroom and did not even come to see us off. I sensed a familiar feeling, however this time there was a finality to it. 

Dad did not come for my birthday. Mom had told him not to. She did not want to see him. I was never asked my opinion anyway.

A few months later, I found my mom sitting at the table brooding over a document. I guessed it right, it was the divorce notice. They were going to be separated for good. 

I was torn between relief and tension, hatred and love, happiness and deep sorrow. It was difficult to say if I celebrated the moment or mourned it. My parents' missteps lead me to suffer. I had asked for freedom from daily domestic haggles, parents bargained it at the cost of our family. 

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No One Killed Jessica - Movie Myview

 I was eager to watch this one as soon as I saw the promos which seemed promising. I must say I was not let down. Usually I have low expectations from movies that are inspired by real life stories. This one turned out different though.

No One Killed Jessica, as you all might be aware, is a representation of the Jessica Lall murder case. So there is not much that I can further elaborate about the plot. It is a mix of fact and fiction, but this is as close as it can get to reality.

Kudos to the whole team who put this movie together. Portraying reality onto the screen is a tight rope walk, which was successfully carried out. As far as acting is concerned, Rani Mukherji and Vidya Balan stand tall individually, and I couldn't make out who was better. While this movie might rekindle Rani's career life, Vidya Balan's managed to put up a worthy achievement in her resume!

About the movie as a whole -  Some found it slow, whereas I found its pace consistent and just enough to keep my interest level high. Since the audience knows the story, it is not about being hooked to find out what happens next - rather you look forward to know how the subject is being treated. And according to me, it is very well done. The movie highlights the influence of power and politics over justice, futile attempts of Sabrina Lall to ensure that the guilty is punished and finally the nation wide anguish and uproar against the so called verdict.

Not even for a single moment does the movie deviate from the subject and that's what makes it worth a watch. No One Killed Jessica is not an out and out entertainer, which makes you forget your worries back home and is certainly not light hearted movie meant to enjoyed over popcorn and drinks. This one makes you think and question our faith in legal system; even wonder in amazement how frivolous reasons can take your life just like that.

NKJ merits more than just stars.

Finally, a movie worth paying for. Do watch it.

Happy 2011

A year is like a ride on a roller coaster. Beginning of any year is like a starting point of the ride. You know it is going to be one helluva ride, you are clueless how it will turn out for you - whether you will enjoy or will you end up sick - you want to enjoy every bit of it; but before you know it, it has already come to an end!

Happy New Year to all my readers! :) May this year and each one after that bring you many occasions to smile, laugh and celebrate with your loved ones!

Umrika Amaiyrica

Imagine making the 20 odd hours journey from across continents and time zones. Since I was a kid, though as I said I was not interested in making that a long journey, I was nevertheless fascinated by America and Americans.   This was the time when my comprehension was limited to thinking that foreign country means the one and only, USA.

The word itself had a lot of *bling* to it. Anyone mentioning that name, and I would imagine a mesmerizing wonderland. With all the facts and files stuffed into my head by someone making a passing comment about the country, I had no reason to doubt that this was a place which held magic. I can't help but look back and laugh at my innocence.

What can a child's mind make of a place where it was day when you slept and night when you went to school? I remember, in those times ["in those times" already now! :'( ], it wasn't common for people to go abroad... or maybe it was and I wasn't aware. But we rarely knew as many people as we know today who are abroad. So, all kind of news would make our eyes go wide. V and me used to go ga-ga over the details that any American return would narrate to us. There are ovens in the wall, homes come with built in air conditioning and heaters, roads never have bumps in them, 911, snow feels like heaven, every block looks like a picture postcard... and so many more things!!! And, of course, who can forget the famous Amaiyrican twang they had to their English. It sounded uber sexy than our plain desi English accent. Oh! I remember the time V told me "You know, in America, even beggars own a car." Immediately I had this image flash in my mind, beggars driving in a car to beg for money! No wonder we thought our country was way too boring in comparison.

I remember, the biggest fact that ever stumped me was the night and day funda. This was much before geography introduced the rotation of Earth etc. One of our acquaintances was here and, her parents did not have a land line then. She would call at our place asking for her parents. It was a wow moment for us! They used to have breakfast when we would have had our dinner!

In return for our favor to receive their calls at odd times, whenever they came back home, they used to bring us GIFTS. American maal was so 'in' at that time! The precious Hershey's Kisses and variety of other dark chocolates with nuts in them. V was pretty high with the idea of studyinghere. He would promise to bring me the same chocolates. Oh, how I waited for him to grow up!! (W/o realizing that I would be growing up too!)

Gifts were particularly worshiped by me. And why not? It gave me a chance to show off in school. I had these sketch pens that would change colors with a flick of another pen. It had an eraser too! I loved it. I still do, I think. Mom would warn me a thousand times not to lose it in school. She used to tell me how costly they were and I would never have another if I lost them. That made me pretty possessive about my color pens. However, that did not stop me from sharing it with my class mates.

Umm.. share? No, show it off is a better word. Who said I wanted to share it, anyway? One look at those, and the kids would be all over me to catch a glimpse of it. Lucky ones got to see it, luckier ones could touch it and best friend for the day would be able to hold it in her hand. Well that was that then! Proud presentation of gifts, smug face, being a snob to all the heavy pleading to use them once - all because it was "imported maal".

If you think I was being a mini b***h, then think again. Each one had their day of showing off one thing or the other and I would be at the begging end too. Such things spiced up our lives then. What else could we expect in a school where we had to wear the same ol' uniform 6 days a week and not have a fancy dress party like in a far far country, 24 hours away?

The reason I write all this today is because, I am finally in this country where I never dreamed I would be. Even last year, whenever I chatted with K (oblivious to the fact that he would be my partner), I told him even wild horses couldn't get me to USA. I must say it didn't take any wild horse to drag me to this end of the world but one man with extraordinary convincing powers to do so. :)

When I came to know that I would have to come here, I did not exactly give a whoop of joy. This place takes me away from what I call home, my parents and tons of memories that I have built. But gradually, I realized that my days here are fulfilling too. I commenced my new life here and may I say, it has started with a pleasant blast. Whatever good/ bad I thought about this country is behind me and I already have my "treasured moments"; making way for new memories.

I love this place as much as I can call it my home. But not so much that I will condemn my country as I have seen people do it. I have decided to make it worthwhile while I am here.

Most of the times I never find anything special here. Its like back home with an exception of a few things. At other times, when I look around, I sense wonder and amazement that I once felt. I guess the little girl in me is still alive. :D