AtoZ Challenge Theme Reveal

Happy Birthday Wifey!

Capt. Kuljeet blew off the remaining castor sugar off the freshly baked cake and placed the last strawberry on icing.

His wife preferred a strawberry cake over chocolate; he would bake one for her since five years.

The strawberries look fresher than last year, he thought as he carefully placed it on his lap moving the wheel chair towards the cellar.

He opened the door of the cellar and threw the cake right on his wife’s face yet again and fired the customary gunshot right at her heart.

He turned the wheels and moved out licking his fingers of the icing singing Happy Birthday to his disloyal wife.

#AtoZChallenge – Theme Reveal

With super zeal filled nudge from Shashank, I for the first time have taken this challenge. He made the AtoZ April Challenge sound real simple and exciting with me having to post everyday of April except for Sundays! Both of us have decided to support each other, embark with mutual thoughts and keep each other happy and motivated all through this journey. Today is theme reveal and mine is EmoIntel where I will touch, tickle and pick your hearts and mind every single day through an Emotion that would make an interesting read.

My best wishes to all participants!

So brace yourself and watch this space for more of us. Find the inaugurating story and more on Shashank’s theme here.

March 15, 2015

Moonstruck! First Valentine!

She stormed in through the door pushing the waiter aside walking straight at the end of the restaurant. The waiter turned and so did all the young couples seated to celebrate the occasion. The slow jazz in her head had been replaced with hard rock where the image she saw in a split second was playing like a leaf falling from a tree in slow motion again and again.

She dumped herself on the last large round corner table, which was beautifully laid with a white laced tablecloth, flowers neatly arranged, a red candle lit next to ‘reserved’ label placed. She was neither in a state nor mood to notice any detail around. Her head was on fire and her tears were play hide and seek of not embarrassing her in public.

“How could he?” she said to herself disconsolately.

“Who?” a voice fell on her ears like the cold breeze that comes through when you open the window to a heated room.

She tried to look at the frame on the other side of the candle; the candle light was not enough to get a glimpse more than a white shirt, a side of a neck and his lips.

She was shaken from her thoughts, “I am sorry, this is reserved.” She said trying to get up noticing the label placed on the table.

“No, it’s not reserved, it’s complicated, you can sit here!” he said on a lighter note. As she stood he noticed her over the candle light in a beautiful white dress, long earrings that dangled and playfully touching her shoulders, her delicate hands holding yellow lilies making a perfect combination against her white background. She kept moving her bracelet against her wrist with one hand making a public display of her mental state. She was in six inch stilettos, moving her weight from one foot to another making it obvious she wasn’t used to them.

“You may sit, till you gather yourself.” He gestured with his hand. She noticed his hand, sleeves rolled up, strong hands, long fingers.

She sat dropping the flowers next to the gift, “I don’t need to gather myself, I did all I could.”

“Am sure you did, I mean flowers, gift and…what more could you do.” His voice had a charm and she could feel the chuckle.

“and…”

“I mean and you, perfect for the occasion, isn’t it, so I truly agree how could he?” now she could see his smile too.

“I never thought it would be her, I saw them today, hand in hand, kissing zealously.”

“oh so that the problem, he kissed her. Anyway, I am Rohan. He said moving his hand towards her.

“Hi, I am Ananya, she shook his hand hesitantly and immediately took it back.” She hadn’t felt rougher hands than those. “and that’s not the problem….I mean the kissing bit.”

“Then…the hand in hand bit…by the way nice to meet you Ananya.” He chortled again.

“No, it’s my 25^th birthday today.”

“Ah, that’s the problem Ananya, It shouldn’t be women get better with age.”

“Ahhh, no, it is him with her, that’s the problem.” She at last blurted out.

The waiter stood there like the hour hand of the clock looking at the minute and the second’s hand.

“Now what?” she looked arrow straight at him.

“Can you please get us two white wines and something to eat please?” Rohan directed the hour hand to move.

“Vegetarian” the seconds hand announced.

“So he with her, how long?” Rohan tried getting analytic.

“I don’t know, I don’t want to know, she didn’t look great, I thought my birthday would be a big thing for him, at least that’s what he said a few days back. And this was my first formal Valentine.”

“Formal?”

“Yes for the rest, I just told my friends I had one, but actually sat back home watching movies and munching popcorn. Are you writing something?”

“ahhh get that, so formal Valentine.” He paused, “Writing, no, nothing.”

The wine arrived and so did the VEG starters. Rohan raised the glass and looked at her; she had plunged into the eateries.”

He raised his glass, “Happy Birthday Ananya”…Ananya gave a puzzled look with her mouth stuffed.

“You know I have been starving since last 2 months, to look the best this day…and he just didn’t care…now I realize, I am so hungry.”

“Mission accomplished, eat to your hearts content.”

She spoke of her quirks and he heard it with delight giving her a new perspective to look at things. A long dinner went on for 2 hours exchanging details about her.

“And that’s how I fell for him; I was so looking forward to have him as my valentine and to exchange gifts, but the sight I saw. I would never speak to him ever.”

“Ananya!” Rohan stopped her from whining further and came a little close to her and sat next to her.

She saw him, “Ruffled hair, sharp eyes and nose, thin lips, light stubble and his strong arms made him look very handsome.

“Ananya” he shook her from her reverie. There is nothing that ever is bad, everything happens for a reason and happens for good, okay!

For Ananya, she has fallen in love at first sight…”yes” she murmured hiding her admiration being exposed.

“Do you love or miss him?”

“No, I realize I don’t but it was my first valentine, I had thought of a lovely dinner, flowers, exchange of gifts….”

“Did you have one already?” he smiled.

She noticed the candle light, the beautiful ambiance, then flowers…it was all there.

He picked up a flower from the vase, “Will you be my Valentine?”

“Yes, I will…” she was happiness personified. “But my gift?” added gleefully.

“Oh..” he made a gloomy face and handed over a piece of paper to her, “will this do?”

She was mesmerized at what she saw, a beautiful portrait of hers. “It looks so live, thank you…I …I don’t believe you drew me so well. Thank you…I mean…”

“Shhhh…so now you have a gift too.” I am an artist, had come to capture some valentine moments for my story…with no idea I would meet my Valentine here.

“Can I drop you home?” Ananya offered, “I promise I wouldn’t whine now.”

“Okay, let’s go, I wouldn’t let you whine ever.”

March 2, 2015

V-Day Dilemmas Part II – Make the right choice

This is the concluding part of V day Dilemmas. The story was intended to be a standalone one piece however the end of part 1 made my reader friend demand a part 2. Tried penning it, hope you like it. You can read the first part here.

Saturday 17^th Feb Sky bar 19.30 confirmed, message blinked on Ranjit’s mobile as he rubbed some after save on this chic face. A quick look at the mirror again adjusted his hair before leaving. Sky bar was packed with people in groups, some cribbing about a Saturday working policy, girl gangs discussing what’s in vogue and there in the middle he saw Rohan sitting by the bar chatting with the bartender on origin of mojitos. Ranjit came and patted his back, “hey Rohan, glad you see you again. I thought we wouldn’t meet.”

“Yeh and you sent me 20 messages in 3 days! Dude you are quite a persistent guy!” So how was your Valentine? Did your girlfriend like the gift?”

“Oh yeh she did.” Ranjit said casually. “But tell me about you. How are you? And what do you do?”

“Oh me, well my valentine was classic, all just fell in place. The terrace was decorated with a table for two, wine, olives, cheese and loads of conversations. I carried her favourite cupcakes and she really loved the white and yellow lilies. When two people are in love for a long period they start loving the unsaid, the mundane, the silence and then comes some evenings when you sit and converse, reminiscing getting nostalgic till they fall asleep in each other’s arms.” Rohan went silent and dazed for a moment.

“Hey Rohan, dude…” Ranjit shaked him, “You are totally in love with her!” he added.

“I surely am.” Rohan blushed.

The rest of the evening went over several glasses of long islands and tequila shots, discussing politics and technology. At 2.30 am at the last round called, Rohan thought to himself that this was a start of a long lasting strong friendship.

“Hi Vasant, get the car out in front, I’ll be there.” He slipped his phone in this back pocket helping the completely sloshed Ranjit move towards the elevator.

While waiting for the elevator he felt Ranjit’s hand in his back pocket. He gently pulled it out thinking he might be looking for his phone. Just as the elevator arrived, Ranjit pushed him in placing his lips on Rohan’s in a passionate kiss. His one hand pressed Rohan’s butt hard while his other hand slipped in his shirt. Rohan just froze in the moment not knowing how to react. He instantly pushed Ranjit, his lean body collided with force on the other side of the elevator as he fell hard and broke into a tears. The door opened Rohan picked Ranjit up around his arms as people waited to enter the elevator.

“I had never realised until recently what my preferences were. By that time it was too late.” Ranjit gathered himself for once his melancholy.

“Why late Ranjit, we all have rights to be ourselves choose our lives.” Rohan placed his hand on Ranjit’s comforting him. “And if you are clear then why Sheetal, aren’t you keeping her in shadows. It would do no good to anyone.” He added as the waiter served black coffees.

“Sheetal’s father has invested in my venture which is a start-up apart from my regular job. That’s my only chance to make big. I share no feelings for her just a rope hung around me. ” Ranjit placed the warm black coffee mug on his forehead and continued, “I can’t avoid Sheetal.”

“Life is to be lived with someone you love, your soulmate. It can’t be a compromise Ranjit. It wouldn’t help you or her. Make your choice clear as soon as possible, with regards to funds, well I can help you provided you don’t try your kissing skills on me.” Rohan said smiling turning the atmosphere light. Ranjit smiled back profusely apologizing for his behaviour.

Rohan was right; it indeed was a start of a strong friendship.

Special Note: Homosexuality is a punishable offense currently in India. More about it can be read here. My heart reaches out to people who do not have a right to chose their partner. Hope India awakens to a better change.

February 5, 2015

Sisterhood of The World Bloggers Award / The Versatile Award

It’s raining awards since January for me and I am super delighted for two reasons, first, of course the satisfied feeling you get to know your fellow blogger friends consider you worthy of such an award. And secondly, it’s an award after all 🙂 Guys this is going to be a long post, but I assure you would get to know a lot about fellow bloggers, some jaw dropping facts about them and of course some not so interesting about me too 🙂 So brace yourself, here we go.

So I received the Most Inspiring Blogger Award and wrote a post to start 2015, you can read it here. After which I again received the same from Sandhya Suri who writes at Sandhya Suri Photography and Between Cups of Coffee. I love the title Between Cups of Coffee makes be visualize some beautiful moments of life. Thank you Sandhya for considering me for this award.

I also received the same award from Shreedhar Bhattaram ji. Shreedharji is a retired DGM from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and writes at Reflecting on Life. I am inspired by his writing as he is a regular blogger and his posts give us a glimpse of life that we tend to miss on a day to day living. Thank you Shreedhar ji I feel so nice you considered me for this award.

Got nominated for Very Inspiring Blogger Award from Qamar Waheed Naqvi ji who writes at Raag Desh. With a strong background in Hindi journalism, QWN was a strong link in the founding team of Aaj Tak. Feel lucky and honored to be considered by him for this award. Thank you sir for nominating me.

I received the same award from Somali K Chakrabarti who writes at Scribble and Scrawl. Scribble and Scrawl for me is a platform where she shares beautiful nuggets on leadership, CSR and Innovation among many others thought provoking and inspiring posts. A recent feather on the cap was receipt of best blogger award from guess who, none other than Mr Vikram Chandra and Mr Amitabh Bachchan for Dettol- NDTV Banega Swachh India campaign on 14th Dec, 2014. That’s just awesome! Congratulations Somali and thank you for nominating me for the very Inspiring Blogger Award.

And last and certainly not the least from Shruthi Raghunandan who writes at My views in my words. Shruthi is in an interesting profession of teaching people to converse and I look forward for my first conversation with her. Thank yu Shruthi for considering me for this award.

All I want to say is the inspiration and admiration is mutual rather more from me to you. Thank you once again.

Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award, yes quiet a mouthful but an amazing award. I received it from my namesake Shweta Chooramani who writes at Sinhas at 302. It’s such a unique title and so is her blog. Well with the name Shweta awesomeness is a synonym. (get it its too much :)). Shweta is a mother of a beautiful baby girl and is enjoying her motherhood thoroughly. Thank you Shweta for this award, means a lot 🙂

As per the rules.

Thank the blogger who nominated you, linking back to their site
Put the Award logo on your blog
Answer the ten questions sent to you
Make up ten new questions for your nominees to answer
Nominate 5-10 blogs that you adore.

A super thank you to Shweta once again and I will proudly put the logo on my blog too 😉

10 questions is it, hmmm I am too boring for anyone to know me

1. If someday God ask you to measure happiness, how would you do that ?

Every moment when I smiled and every moment when thinking of me someone else smiled is happiness. So for me happiness is a moment 🙂

2. What is that one life changing moment that you will never forget?

Well there are two, while the important one is kind of a story so I skip that and keep this light. I think when my mum brought me to this world. My life changed from a coziness of her womb to a world that would make me laugh, cry, cherish and over all live 🙂

3. What’s your take on the the statement ” As we get wealthier we trade off emotions” ?

That definitely not true. Firstly I think no one is wealthier these days, a person might think the other is better off but who knows he might be wealthier but under debt. So its relative. I think the other way, a person is wealthy if that person can feel the emotion, has people she loves and can make people love her.

4. We all face failures sometime in life. How did you face it ? Share an incidence.

A thing with me is I am so organised (in my head of course) that before a result for any situation I would have thought option B and trained my mind that the other option isn’t bad either. So I dont feel bad if I failed in the first option. (disclaimer – this does not apply to the men in my life 🙂 )

5. How you keep yourself motivated when things are not going as you wished them to be?

Same as point 6 for me, I keep options ready always. Plus unfortunately, I am very good at convincing myself on things I don’t get in life.

6. What you cherish more – reading or writing ?

Writing, its like your baby without the flesh and blood. If I take the liberty, reading is self pleasure and writing pleasuring yourself with someone else involved, if you get what I mean 🙂

7. Do you agree when I say ‘sense of humour’ is the most important ingredient in a happy marriage ? If not, then share your recipe?

I skip this question, not sure.

8. Who are you – simple ‘chai /tea ‘ person or the glamorous ‘coffee’ one !

Chai with cinnamon and ginger, nothing at all can beat that. I make my own chai masala. But in Europe chai sucks, coffee is what I thrive on or else green tea. Bottomline addicted to caffine!

9. Define three qualities that make you – You, unique.

Loyal, Emotional/Sensitive, and third (not everything can be disclosed lol)

10. Share something about yourself that you want us to know. It can be anything.

I can’t boast about myself like that, common!

I loved all the questions and would like to keep them as is (hell no, I am not trying to be lazy ok!)

Blogs I would want to nominate for this award,

My soul-sis of course, isnt it obvious Anita who writes fiction, poetry, gyan post, technology, social cause and BOLLYWOOD…at Anita Explorer.

Kokila Gupta, my bestie who is now my mum’s friend as well, that’s her charm. Kokila is an avid reader and writes beautiful posts in English and is dhamaka in Hindi. She writes at Sunshine and Blue Clouds now you know why this award to her, our titles too match.

Maniparna Sengupta Majumdar is the ultimate Haiku Queen and writes super book reviews plus nail biting fiction. Trust me you visit her blog and you arn’t leaving it for hours.

Moon Roy, we were acquaintances and became friends rather quickly. I really like her blog, she write at Footloose Forever and has this mesmerizing collection of photos.

I consider the Sisterhood Award as really special and would like to restrict the list for blogger friends very close to me.

And the finale, I told you its raining awards, so I received The Versatile Award from Moon last week. I loved what she said, as it gave me immense satisfaction.

“Hi Shweta, I have nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award here – http://footlooseforever.com/20…. When this nomination came my way and I had to choose 15 blogs Sunshine and Zephyr was on top on my mind as I find it truly versatile.”

Wow is all I could say (makes this surprise face with little tears of joy tricking).

So now the rules.

Display the award on your blog
Thank the person who nominated you
Share 7 facts about yourself
Nominate 15 blogs
Link your nominee’s blogs and let them know

Will again proudly display this award on my site. Yes, I thank Moon for considering me for this award, it really motivates me to try my hand at various new things.

If I share anymore about myself, my readers will serious run away so skip it.

Nominate bloggers 15, who are regular and seen and to receive this award will be keen!

On top of my mind is Shashank Tiwari, oh didn’t ring a bell. Ok I will rewrite it. On top of my mind is Shanx, there you go. A smile crack up as soon you read that name. Shashank writes lovely Haikus and short fiction which I eagerly wait to read. He writes at Embark with my thoughts and I can vouch you will fall in love with his writing style and twisted ends.

Kokila Gupta @ sunshine and blue clouds

Maniparna Sengupta @ Scattered Thoughts

Ravish Mani @ My Way of Looking

Yogi Saraswat @ Musafir Chalta Ja

Fayaz Pasha @ Muslim Wedding Flight

Aditya Sinha @ Facets of Adi – Enigma Unfolded

Arpita Dash @ Jollity Life

Saru Singhal @ Words

Vishal Grover @ Me Time Diary

Vartika @ Vartika for you

Meenal Sonal @ Aura of Thoughts

Renu Vyas @ The Turning Point

Uttpal @ Fashionable Foods

Meoww @ Meoww’s Musings

D. Nambiar @ Tipsy from the Trip

Thank you and best luck to all nominees.

February 3, 2015

V Day Dilemmas – A Fiction

Ranjit had planned it all well; he was particularly waiting for this Valentine’s Day to gift Sheetal, his girlfriend since 8 months (ok, 7 months 9 days 14 hours according to Sheetal) a nice tangible present. Times have surely changed Ranjit thought to himself, who believes in the emotion of love or beautiful words, it’s all about the occasion “Valentine’s Day” and “the tangible gift” for which he had left on a half day leave from work to scout and keep his girlfriend happy.

The yellow and white lilies were picked and a check marked on the list. He walked into Palladium and started window shopping the big brand shops that would match her taste. None of the hand bags on display had a price tag on it. He wasn’t sure if walking in and just asking for prices and not buying was as per “rules” of brand shopping. He was casually walking down the aisle when he peeped into the Gucci shop. The two saleswomen gave pleasant comforting smiles that prompted him to walk in. The store was a huge hall with a big chandelier in between, he got seated on one of the leather fur sofas as the saleswoman started displaying the new, regular and vintage collection. After seeing around 7 bags he was thoroughly confused on which one to pick, all of them were elegant and would suit Sheetal he thought. He checked the prices and was relieved that he had saved more than enough to select the best.

Rohan entered the store in great hurry. “Could you show me the Cabas collection in bamboo, both leather and en python please.” He crisply asked and lost himself in his blackberry. He looked at the handbags and frowned a bit. “I think she already has these, in the new collection anything?” he said irresolute. “Sir, this is the new collection.” said the saleswoman curtly. He started glancing through the store at all the beautifully displayed handbags when his eye fell on the uncertain Ranjit and he smiled.

“Hi there.” Walking up to him he tried starting a conversation. Ranjit turned and stood next to him. “I am Rohan.” “Hello myself Ranjit.” he responded ambivalently. “I am here to get a present for my wife, Ananya. I know this sounds a bit odd, but would it be possible for you to give me that bouquet of yellow and while lilies. They are her favourite and it would remind her of our first Valentine when I gifted these. I would accompany a hand written poem of mine, she would value it over any other gift I’d buy for her.” He completed in one go ending with a broad smile. “Yes sure Rohan, take it man. Anything to keep the woman happy.” He said handing over the bouquet and patting Rohan’s arm. “Thanks dude, you are here to buy your wife a gift?” Rohan added. “No, haven’t reached there, still a girlfriend, it’s difficult to choose one in this large collection.” He smiled. “I insist please let me do something for this bouquet that you so gratefully gave me without any apprehension.” After much hesitance and lot of insisting Ranjit accepted the best of Cabas collection from Rohan. They exchanged cards and decided to meet over drinks the next Saturday.

January 23, 2015

The Verdict

“Do you realize what you have done?” she asked ashamed.

“Yes, but it just happened and I didn’t initiate it, Sunil did.” He said without remorse.

“And more over Pa says, I will be out in 10 days.” He continued, eating the first morsel from the tiffin.

“Yes, sure you will be, have you wondered you spoiled a young girl’s life? The media has exposed her name…newspapers are running stories on her like an autobiography. Where would she get work, who would marry her? Don’t you feel sorry for what you did?” She almost screamed.

“Are you my mother or hers? She shouldn’t have been in a pub at 11 pm in the first place. Delhi anyway is not a safe place. On top of it, she started arguing with Sunil when all he had done was to ask her to dance with him as she looked really hot. Her telling him ‘be a man and back-off’ cost her. Good she will now never try it again, she knows how much of men we four are.” he said sarcastically, drinking the kheer his mother had brought in the tiffin.

“Yes son you are so right, I was relieved when the nurse had announced it’s a boy as I was under a lot of pressure from your grandparents. Your father’s joy knew no bounds as his business empire got an heir. I know I cannot reverse what happened to the girl but this is my way of proving to her that I am by her side. And all I pray God today is may you be born as a woman the next birth.” She said wrapping the tiffin containers, as her son turned blue oozing froth from his mouth.

January 18, 2015

Just a little more….Life!

She found herself running endlessly towards the light at the end of the tunnel. It was as if she would breathe only if she reached that light. She looked around just to find pitch darkness; she felt tired at times but could not stop and kept running. She would look around again and again but it was too dark to see anything. She did not understand what made her run; she did not once look behind. The road looked endless, one look at her made her feel she was feather light. She wore a white satin gown, free flowing, weightless. She looked around again and could see her face on the wall of the tunnel, her face looked radiant, it had the glow she had never seen and she felt happy like never before and beautiful than ever. Where the light wrinkles she had seen a couple of days are gone? She thought to herself as she kept running. She turned her face to the other side of the tunnel and could see a girl in a mother’s arms; the mother delighted looking at the bundle of joy.

There were people whom she recognised and some she didn’t. She placed her fingers on her brow and tried to recollect a man standing next to the mother but just couldn’t. She looked again and saw a young girl in school listening attentively to her teacher; the image vanished in a jiffy. She could then see her young self with her best friend laughing and enjoying. When was the last time she laughed that loud, she wondered? By now the images on the walls of the tunnel had completely captivated her and she had forgotten of the tunnel, the run and the distance. She could see her beloved on his knees holding a ring proposing her, she hadn’t been so happy ever. These flashes would appear and disappear rapidly and being replaced by the next one. She wanted to think or say something but was not able to. She saw her husband and daughter sitting on a dining table praying. She wanted to run towards her daughter but couldn’t change course of her path.

She closed her eyes but could see the images, the ones she saw on the wall. Everything was clear when she heard shouts and opened her eyes startled. She was confounded and looked down; she saw her feet were above the ground as she ran towards the light. Completely mystified she tried to stop running but couldn’t stop her feet. She heard shouts again and a big thump on her chest as if a train in full velocity had hit her chest, she ran faster towards the light and another big jolt! She couldn’t contain it in herself any further. She was perplexed at the thought of her running without her feet on the ground, the light at the end of the tunnel seemed very far now.

The last one came as a thunderbolt pushing her on her chest so hard that she fell backwards as if being sucked by the vacuum towards the other side of the light. She could see being pulled and the light at the end of the tunnel vanishing in a distance. It was so quick she had no time to react. The ‘pulse is back, doctor! She is back!’ ….the words sounded like a distant echo….’it’s a miracle, doctor, the defibrillator worked!’ She opened her eyes at a hazy frame of a man in a white coat and a young woman standing next to him. She could vaguely hear a familiar voice chanting the Mahamrutyunjay Shloka….

ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे
सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम्
उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्
मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात् ॥
Om Triyambakam Yajaamahe
Sugandhim Pushtti-Vardhanam
Urvaarukamiva Bandhanaan
Mrtyormuksshiya Maaamrtaat ||

Meaning:
1: Om, We Worship the Three-Eyed One (Lord Shiva),
2: Who is Fragrant (Spiritual Essence) and Who Nourishes all beings.
3: May He severe our Bondage of Samsara (Worldly Life), like a Cucumber (severed from the bondage of its Creeper),
4: … and thus Liberate us from the Fear of Death, by making us realize that we are never separated from our Immortal Nature.

This post is a submission to the IndiSpire topic #DeathisBeginning

January 12, 2015

An unusual love letter

My post is a hope and motivation filled dedication to all Paraplegia patients in the world. Paraplegia is a spinal cord injury that results in an impairment in motor or sensory function of the lower half of a person’s body. In India there are around 10,000 new cases out of which 82% are men in the age group of 18-30 years. You can read more here

Sources: Content and Image – Shweta Dave

January 8, 2015

Happy New Year and Very Inspiring Blog Award

Wish all my reader friends a very very happy new year….ok it’s just a week into January, so no cribs.

I had a dream year end…was in India for almost all of December and hopped Singapore and Malaysia in between (more of it coming in the subsequent posts).

Well December 2014 also saw my post as a top post for the entire month, what else could I ask for, reminds me of someone saying your popularity would shine as a seductress writer than a sad drama author.

A dream year end because I was with my parents, met up with my cousins and loads of friends too!

Well, my virtual bestie and I met up in Bangalore at Forum mall and spend some quality time 😉 over coffee. It was amazing, we got hooked immediately as we met and trust me guys it was super fun J. Who the bestie is, I am not giving that away easily…guess from the pictures. Oh from the pictures I can remember the number of times we posed and changed the location for better light, better background and so on…. We asked the security guy to click one for us and he took more than a couple of minutes so I walked to him asking, ho gaya and to my surprise he was browsing my gallery…fortunately I had no dynamites there.

Promises are to be kept so promise is that we are going to be a gang of three the next time we meet, Kokila, Maniparna (the haiku turned suspense queen) and your sweetheart (oops…that’s me). We have some men (okay boys) for company too Shanx and Ravish are you listening….

Ab mudde ki baat pe aate hain my dear friend Shanx had given me this award, I am delighted to receive this once again from two of my blogger friends Jatin and Moon. Thanks a lot for considering me for this award. I would now proudly display it on my site. Jatin is a very modest and humble soul and writes at http://wanderingjatin.wordpress.com/2014/12/21/inspiring-blogger-award/ , reading his travel experiences on his bike is great fun. Moon has a beautiful blog and writes at http://footlooseforever.com/ which has amazing clicks from her travel escapades.

As per the rules 7 things about myself

I am a borderline OCD case, my mom told me I am a pain this time when I kept complaining of dust in Mumbai.
I can make ridiculous faces at unchivalrous men (as am old school and I’d like a man pull a chair and not walk ahead of me).
The farthest I have traveled so far is Tromso, Norway and it was mesmerizing, I don’t find Venice romantic and am in love with Paris.
My dream is to do a road trip for a month in Gujarat.
I love gadgets (wasn’t like that before, its grown on me), my latest priced possession is the Huawei Mate 7….
That said, I can’t do without my phone
The last one is controversial, my views on the recently debated topic pre-marital sex, if they want to do it who are we to stop them lol, btw when we go to buy a machine, don’t we say demo dikhao to confirm if its working fine 😉

And now to nominate 15 blogger friends for this award, so here you go guys

http://www.makeupera.com/

http://maniparna5002.wordpress.com/

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Have a rocking 2015 as we keep meeting on blog posts and beyond!!

November 10, 2014

Unstoppable force meets an immovable object

This post is not a movie review nor is this a kind of post you generally see on my site. But it was important for me may be a must write for me as It’s a dedication. It’s a dedication to you – to all Christopher Nolan fans. There are times when we eagerly await a movie with plans that we would watch it first day first show, with friends or family – together and then as planned the movie justifies the wait. So is the case of Interstellar.

For me the unison of Christopher Nolan and Matthew McConaughey in Interstellar personifies the famous quote by Joker from The Dark Knight, ‘You just couldn’t let me go, could you? This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. You truly are incorruptible, aren’t you, huh? You won’t kill me out of some misplaced sense of self-righteousness, and I won’t kill you because you’re just too much fun. I think you and I are destined to do this forever.’

At 44, Nolan has achieved what other directors dream after a mature career, well nothing comes easy certainly not success. Nolan’s brilliance has been proven with marvelous script writing and direction in wonder gems such as Memento, Insomnia, Inception, the Dark Knight trilogy and he has struck gold with Interstellar.

Just a year older to Nolan, McConaughey too an actor par excellence has had a career actors can’t achieve in their life time. The smart move of getting away from romcoms introduced a new him to the audience. He proved himself time and again be it Lincoln Lawyer, Killer Joe, The paperboy and was at his best in the cameo for The Wolf of the Wall Street and the Oscar winning The Dallas Buyers Club.

I was delighted when someone important in my life shared McConaughey’s inspiration speech after receiving the Oscar, “There are a few things, about three things to my count, that I need each day. One of them is something to look up to, another is something to look forward to, and another is someone to chase. And to my hero, that’s who I chase. Now, when I was 15 years old, I had a very important person in my life come to me and say, “Who’s your hero?” And I said, “I don’t know, I’ve got to think about that. Give me a couple of weeks.” I come back two weeks later; this person comes up and says, “Who’s your hero?” I said, “I thought about it. It’s me in 10 years.” So I turned 25. Ten years later, that same person comes to me and says, “So, are you a hero?” And I was like, “Not even close! No, no no!” She said, “Why?” I said, “Because my hero’s me at 35.”

So you see every day, every week, every month, and every year of my life, my hero’s always ten years away. I’m never going to be my hero. I’m not going to attain that. I know I’m not. And that’s just fine with me, because that keeps me with somebody to keep on chasing. So, to any of us, whatever those things are, whatever it is we look up to, whatever it is we look forward to, and whoever it is we’re chasing. To that I say: Amen.”

I leave you with the best Christopher Nolan’s movie quotes and the trailer for yes – Interstellar.

Memento – “I have to believe in a world outside my own mind. I have to believe that my actions still have meaning, even if I can’t remember them. I have to believe that when my eyes are closed, the world’s still there. Do I believe the world’s still there? Is it still out there? Yeah. We all need mirrors to remind ourselves who we are. I’m no different.”

Batman Begins – “People need dramatic examples to shake them out of apathy, and I can’t do that as Bruce Wayne. As a man, I’m flesh and blood. I can be ignored. I can be destroyed. But as a symbol, as a symbol I can be incorruptible, I can be everlasting.”

The Prestige – “Every magic trick consists of three parts, or acts. The first part is called the pledge. The magician shows you something ordinary. The second act is called the turn. The magician takes the ordinary something and makes it into something extraordinary. But you wouldn’t clap yet, because making something disappear isn’t enough. You have to bring it back. Now you’re looking for the secret. But you won’t find it because of course, you’re not really looking. You don’t really want to work it out. You want to be fooled.

The Dark Knight – “You crossed the line first, sir. You hammered them and in their desperation they turned to a man they didn’t fully understand. Some men aren’t looking for anything logical. They can’t be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.”

“Don’t talk like one of them, you’re not! Even if you’d like to be. To them, you’re just a freak, like me. They need you right now. But when they don’t, they’ll cast you out, like a leper.”

Inception – “What is the most resilient parasite? Bacteria? A virus? An intestinal worm? An idea. Resilient. Highly contagious. Once an idea has taken hold of the brain it’s almost impossible to eradicate. An idea that is fully formed — fully understood —that sticks.”

The Dark Knight Rises – “You think darkness is your ally. But you merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, moulded by it. I didn’t see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but blinding!”

“A hero can be anyone. Even a man doing something as simple and reassuring as putting a coat around a little boy’s shoulder to let him know that the world hadn’t ended.”

And the final one from Interstellar – “We’ve always defined ourselves by the ability to overcome the impossible. And we count these moments. These moments when we dare to aim higher, to break barriers, to reach for the stars, to make the unknown known.”

Hope my humble try would at least bring a smile if not do justice to the fans of this duo.

Watch the trailer here:

Happy Birthday Wifey!

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Link back to the person who nominated you

State 7 things about yourself

Nominate 15 bloggers, link to them, and notify them about their nominations