One Picture.

They say a picture can say a thousand words. Maybe it can, maybe it can't. It's all a matter of perspective. This picture isn't brilliant. It was taken by an average photographer (i.e. me) with a 3.2 megapixel crappy phone camera. And yet, there's something about it that makes me want to look at it. Maybe it's the calmness of the sea or maybe it's the reflection of the sunlight on its still waters. It's a pretty crappy picture I'd say, but it's been my wallpaper for quite a while now and I quite like it for some reason. So here's my one picture. :)

And with that, my ten-day challenge stands successfully completed. Mission fait accompli. Yay! :D I feel quite good and would've written more but I'm dead tired and Spiritus begins tomorrow so must get sleep. Shall be back with more in three days. Till then, adieu folks!

Two Songs.

Okay this one is going to be nearly impossible. Two songs. Just TWO. No matter which songs you choose, I don't think you can do justice to music in two songs. But that aside, what is to be done, must be done. So here they are.

1. Breathe (2 am) by Anna Nalick. I love her voice. And I love this song. It's an awesome song although admittedly not extraordinary. But it's the one song that I listen to every day. Every single day. Not kidding. There's something about it. I can't point out what but there's just something about it. 

2. Sooraj Ki Baahon Mein from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. I'm putting this here only because it's my latest addiction and I don't want to be unfair to the tonnes of amazing music that is out there by listing only some of it. Not that this is isn't amazing! But there's definitely better music out there. 

Hah. This was actually way easier than I thought. Two songs will never be enough. Period. No point bothering about picking out the bestest songs you've ever come across. Phew. One day to go. See you on the other side :D

Three Films.

Okay I think I must give prior warning for this one. I like watching movies, yes. But I'm NOT a movie fan or a person who loves films. I'm pretty much neutral. So don't be shocked out of your wits if my selection includes movies which you think are horrendous or excludes some all-time best movies or anything of the sort. Everyone is entitled to their own choices. You'll probably judge me for mine but I'm okay with that. :) Also, I really can't remember all the movies I've ever seen in my life so I'm going to put down three off the top of my head!

1. Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. I don't know if it's a great movie in terms of technical aspects of movie making or even acting skills on display. But I loved the feel of the movie! Even more than Dil Chahta Hai, although they're similar in many ways. Maybe it's because I'm now in college and can relate to it much better. Or maybe it's because Spain just seems so amazing. Plus, the music is pretty awesome. Anyhow, it's only the second or third movie that I actually went and saw twice in a theatre. I think that says it all.

2. Inception. What. A. Movie. It's so friggin brilliant! It has everything that you want from a movie without having anything that you wouldn't want. Loved it. Plus, Leonardo Di Caprio is always cute :D

3. Conflict between Shawshank Redemption and A Walk To Remember. Admittedly, they stand in stark contrast to each other. One is about grit and determination, the other about love. But I'm conflicted because they're both inspiring in different ways. And I happen to think they're both amazing in their own ways.

I don't quite believe it, but I'm feeling a little sad that this ten-day challenge is beginning to end now. Hmm.

Yes, I'm a bookworm.

Yes, I love reading. Yes, you can call me a bookworm. Period.

These four book aren't necessarily the most well-written ones that I've ever read. But I've listed them here because they're the ones I'd want to go back and read again and again, for varying reasons. Never judge a book solely by its cover. :)

Four Books

1. Sherlock Holmes. I'm a sucker for detective and mystery novels/stories and despite being written ages ago, I think Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's creations continue to be, by far, some of the best works of all times. I've read them a gazillion times, can read them another gazillion times. They're just so friggin awesome!

2. The Elephant, the Tiger and the Cell Phone: Reflections on India - the Emerging 21st-Century Power by Shashi Tharoor. Also, Being Indian by Pavan K. Varma. They both fall in the same genre of books and I love them both for their keen insight into everything that is Indian. It's one thing to observe the idiosyncrasies of people around you and entirely another to be able to put it down in words which portray every little, intricate detail with such precision and truth. I've always believed that writing about real-life situations is more difficult than writing fiction. Kudos to these guys for some stunning work.

3. Ruskin Bond and Enid Blyton Books. I've grown up reading these books and they remain some of my most favourite ones till date. I know people who think I'm weird because I like Ruskin Bond books but honestly, as a kid, I loved his stories, what with the hill station charm, the boarding school tales and the grandma love! Definitely on my all-time favourites list. 

4. Shakespeare. How could I forget! I love his writings. Although I've read only Julius Caesar in the unabridged version, I love the others as well. Romeo and Juliet included.

There. I actually managed to put down some four books/writings. Not bad. But really, this is cruel. Books are far too awesome to be narrowed down like this. There are SO many more that I want to include. Anyhow, a task is a task and I've completed mine for today. Three Films tomorrow!

Yummmmy :D

I'm now getting the feeling that this challenge is actually very carefully designed. As the numbers go down, making choices more and more difficult, the things become more and more fun! At least for me, it seems to be so. I'm a complete foodie and this one was a pure delight, although it was the toughest in terms of having to choose. I mean how can you choose between food! My mouth hasn't stopped watering. *slurp*

Five Foods

1. Chicken Seekh Kebabs. Don't ask me what's quite so special about them because I can't point it out. It beats me too. But I love Seekh Kebabs. Simply love them. Specially the ones Dad makes at home. Sheer bliss.

2. Chocolates. Any shape, size, kind. White, Milk, Nutty, Dark, anything. I'm a self-confessed chocoholic. Although somehow my capacity for eating them seems to have reduced mysteriously, my love for them is as abundant as ever. Mmmmmm.

3. Fruits. All possible varieties. Mangos, apples, kiwis, watermelons, peaches. You name it and I'll eat it. I can survive on them. True story.

4. The dal and roti that Mom makes. Honestly, it's the one thing that I miss the most in hostel. Simple home food.

5. Grilled/Baked Fish. It can be done in a gazillion ways but unfortunately, there are only a handful of places that know how to do it right. But if done to perfection, it's pretty darn awesome. It makes me want to go back to Johnson's Cafe in Manali.

Mission for today accomplished. Phew. Whatte task.

Six Places! :D

This was definitely the most fun. Maybe it's because the thought of going anywhere just gets me so damn excited! :D Here goes.

1. Paris! I've heard good things and I've heard not-so-good things. Maybe it won't be as good as I expect it to be, maybe it'll be far better. Who knows. But I really really want to go. I'm a die-hard romantic and it's the city of love. It's really that simple.

2. Delhi. It's home. It's where I've spent the first 18 years of my life. It's the one city I'll always call mine. Period.

Oh you look so beautiful tonight,
In the city of blinding lights.
<3

3. Kasauli. It's got this amazing aura of peace that I've never found anywhere else. The charms of quaint little hill-stations have always worked on me anyway.

4. Hostel (Narmada) terrace. It's been my escape from Law School. Fights and rants, confessions and consolations, discussions about life and much else, smiles and tears. It's seen 'em all. So many memories. Popo and TenG will know exactly what I'm talking about.

5. Any place near the sea. I adore the sea. I can sit for hours just staring at its vast expanse. It calms me down in some strange way. The waves, their crests crashing over each other, make everything else seem so mundane. It's quite amazing really!

6. Under the stars. Night skies are beautiful everywhere. Even when they're red, like in Bangalore. Especially with Snow Patrol playing in the background.

And now I feel like just packing my bags and setting off to some place. Dammit. That day shall come soon. Hope is what we live for. :)

Seven Wants.

This was surprisingly difficult. Obviously there are a billion things everyone wants but listing out the ones you really really want can be tough at times. Anyhow, here they are.

1. iPod. Any shape, size, colour. I don't care how it sounds but my old one decided to stop working at the beginning of this trimester and I've been going a little crazy ever since. I love my music and I like to have it with me at all points of time. So iPod is definitely top priority right now.

2. A small wooden cottage in a pretty hill station. I just adore the idea.

3. An old Victorian architecture style building with the arches and the huge compounds, by the beach in Goa. This is a combination of two things that I really want - an old style building and a house by the beach. Since Goa seems to have both, I think I'll settle for a combo. :)

4. Peace. In this country and in this world. Just live and let live, for God's sake! And I'm not saying this because it sounds cool or anything. I really want it. Don't we all? Or most of us at least. 

5. The power to apparate and disapparate. Now THAT would be cool. Also, so much more convenient!

6. An opportunity to do Pinocchio again. 6 months of music, dance, crazy rehearsals, exhaustion, bruised knees and endless amounts of fun. I want to do that again. Just once. 

(Just fyi, Pinocchio was a huge musical that we staged in Delhi about 4 years ago. With a script by Gulzarji, music by Ustad Zakir Hussain and direction by my guru, Smt. Vaswati Misra, it was quite an experience. Some 500 students from schools across Delhi participated.)

7. I don't believe this but there isn't anything else that I really really want! Wow. I feel blessed and I think I want it to stay this way :D

There. 4 down, 6 to go!

The only thing you should fear, is fear itself.

As I was writing this, I realised that confronting and accepting things you're afraid of is so much harder than say, revealing secrets. But it feels good also. In a strange way.

Eight Fears

1. Fear itself. I mean think about it, being afraid sucks! That helpless, pathetic feeling is so horrible. *shudder*

2. Horror movies. Yes, you can mock me for being a loser. But I just CAN'T watch horror movies. I get nightmares, okay!


3. Pushing myself too hard and burning out. Law School really isn't helping the cause.


4. Losing loved ones. Nearly universal, I guess. But true nonetheless. 


5. Hurting people unknowingly. I'm not afraid of it per se, but it's just one of those things that make me really sad.


6. Waking up to find that I'm a dumb blonde. Pardon the stereotype.


7. Plane crashes! It's one of those deep-seated, irrational fears that you can never quite get over. I've made some 10 trips back and forth in the last year itself (since that's the fastest way to get home). But every time I sit in the plane, the only thing I pray for is to not let it crash. The gruesome images of plane wreckage on TV don't particularly help either.


8. Alien invasions. I just don't like the idea of Martians attacking us. What, it's true!

Nine Loves :)

This one, as anticipated, was much more fun. Also, it does resemble the text on the sidebar but then I really do love those things! Here goes:

1. Dance, dance, dance. Without even a shadow of a doubt. The sad bit is that since I've come to Law School, it's kind of taken a back seat. But I've promised myself I'll keep it alive to the best of my abilities. Some things you just can't take away from a person. :)

2. Rain. As clichéd as it may sound. I love the smell of the wet-clay and the feel of the drops on my hand. That's one reason I'm loving Bangalore. Even though it gets a leetle too much at times.

3. Pretty, long hair. It's one of those things I wanted ever since I was a child but my mom would inevitably convince me to cut them off. They are a pain to maintain but then where's the gain without the pain? :D

4. Lying under the stars, listening to music. Love it! It's my calm-self-down mechanism. Though I wish I could do it more often and not just when I really need to.

5. Hills/Mountains (Never quite understood the need to differentiate) and Beaches. I love both equally. Beaches are more fun while hills are more relaxing. Most people seem to hate one and love the other, but I think they both have their own charm. To each his own!

6. Travelling. New people, new places, new experiences, whatte fun :D My secret ambition is to make enough money and then travel around the world. Wheeeeee!

7. Home. Delhi. 'Nuff said. <3

(I'm beginning to realise there are too many things to put on this list. Hmm.)

8. Independence. In all spheres. I've been told that being fiercely independent is a very Aquarian trait. Who knows? Maybe some of these things aren't absolute hocus pocus after all.

9. Food. I love food. Period. My dad and I have a thing for trying out different cuisines. Yes, it can turn out to be disastrous but that's part of the fun :D

Task for today accomplished! This is turning out to be fun stuff.

Finally! :P

So. Finally, I'm starting. Ten-day challenge, here I come!

Ten Secrets.

1. I'm a happy person in life :D I don't like moping and I can't be in a bad mood for too long. Or so I like to believe at least.

2. I can't sit idle for too long. Like in life, generally. I start going bonkers if I don't have something constructive to do.

3. I don't like being mean to people. I really don't. Not unless they really really piss me off. 

4. I'm a pedant when it comes to formatting and grammar. Every time I see a spelling error or a comma gone awry or anything of the sort, I get this obsessive, compulsive urge to correct it. I hate the squiggly red lines that MS-Word makes every time it thinks there's a mistake. Stupid software.


5. I get a headache when people talk too much, for too long. Nonsense, that too. I really don't mind the silence, please stop talking?


6. I suck when it comes to expressing feelings and emotions. I tend to keep them to myself and ponder over them endlessly. My friends have now devised their own mechanisms to get me to spill the beans. I'm strangely grateful. :)


7. I can't stand dirty rooms. Or stinky people. Ew. Unfortunately, Law School has an abundance of both. Sigh.


8. I hate when people lie to me. It makes me sad and I feel like I shouldn't have trusted them in the first place. I lose faith in them.


9. I'm crazy about earrings. Can. Not. Resist. Them. Must change them every day. I feel incomplete if I don't.


10. Never thought I'd say this, but I love Law School. Really. As much as I crib, there's no other place I'd rather be. My school holds a very special place in my heart and I never thought any institute could take that place. But Law School seems to be doing the unthinkable again. Admitting it to other people mostly invites an expression of disgust coupled with an inevitable rant about what's wrong with this place. Which is exactly why I mostly prefer to not profess this fact publicly.


There. Phew. Nine Loves should be more fun :) 

Anti-Lamentation.

I don't know whether it's the simplicity or the utter truthfulness which is so striking but it makes you want to read and re-read it. Yet again, thanks to Piper. :)

Anti-Lamentation

Dorianne Laux 

Regret nothing. Not the cruel novels you read
to the end just to find out who killed the cook.
Not the insipid movies that made you cry in the dark,
in spite of your intelligence, your sophistication.
Not the lover you left quivering in a hotel parking lot,
the one you beat to the punchline, the door, or the one
who left you in your red dress and shoes, the ones
that crimped your toes, don’t regret those.
Not the nights you called god names and cursed
your mother, sunk like a dog in the livingroom couch,
chewing your nails and crushed by loneliness.
You were meant to inhale those smoky nights
over a bottle of flat beer, to sweep stuck onion rings
across the dirty restaurant floor, to wear the frayed
coat with its loose buttons, its pockets full of struck matches.
You’ve walked those streets a thousand times and still
you end up here. Regret none of it, not one
of the wasted days you wanted to know nothing,
when the lights from the carnival rides
were the only stars you believed in, loving them
for their uselessness, not wanting to be saved.
You’ve traveled this far on the back of every mistake,
ridden in dark-eyed and morose but calm as a house
after the TV set has been pitched out the upstairs
window. Harmless as a broken ax. Emptied
of expectation. Relax. Don’t bother remembering
any of it. Let’s stop here, under the lit sign
on the corner, and watch all the people walk by.

So cool. A refreshing break from the convoluted ideas of Rawls, Raz and all that jazz (The rhyme wasn't intentional, I swear).

Penn Masala.

First things first. I'm not trying to avoid/delay taking up the ten-day challenge. Just haven't been able to start it. In my defense, the net wasn't working plus mid-terms start tomorrow. Will start the day after mid-terms. For sure. Yeah go on, give me the I-know-what-you're-really-trying-to-do look. But it's not going to work. I shall prove it. Five days. Just.

Also, I hate mid-terms. Well, not really. But it's just damn annoying to have to read all this crap. Can't wait for this trimester to end, these Arts subjects will finally be over! Some part of me wants to be a fifth-year. Sigh.

Oh and the title. So. I just discovered this group (called Penn Masala, duh!) via my Facebook News Feed (surprisingly, it does turn up good stuff at times). Anyhow, so they're a group of students from UPenn who've formed their own a cappella group. The world's first Hindi one actually. Many of their renditions are an amalgam of one Hindi and one English song though they have others as well. Sheer brilliance. Inspiring also, in a strange way. They make me want to travel the world on a dance tour. This is what life should be. Anyhow, like I was saying, these guys are quite amazing. Check out some of their renditions here. Or at this link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cR_oK2buZEk. Must listen though!

Shall go now, History and Political Science await. Tada!

Circle of Life.

I'm not quite sure how I should refer to well, um..it. Was a girl I think, but I'm not too certain. 'It' seems most appropriate, I guess. It lay there. The baby. Lifeless. Serene, almost. The last traces of a faint smile still on its face. The mother picking up its motionless little figure, arms wrapped around ever so tightly even as her eyes poured endless streams of tears. The father, pain writ large on his face, still reeling, watching the nurse write "Brought Dead" in big, bold letters. 

And then out of nowhere, unexpectedly, my own memories. Flashing through my mind like a film reel. Those images I thought I had erased forever, suddenly as fresh as ever. Memories. Two figures, perfectly still, lying next to each other. Together even in this one last experience. Dad hugging me, Ma standing there as if turned to stone. And the countless relatives. Offering condolences. 

And yet others, happier ones. Dadaji's imitations of a chortling, 1-year old me. Dadi's letters to me, offering her pearls of wisdom, as always. 

I now know why people dread hospitals. They're strange places. 

Some experiences leave you at a loss for words. For a moment, you stop breathing, stop feeling and exist in this state where you are completely emotionless. Blank. Witnessing the dead is one of them. It leaves you with something more than just morbidity. Like an impression in hot wax. Deceptively permanent. And yet, it changes you. In more ways than you ever realise. 

That's how life goes on, I guess. It's these strange experiences which mould us. Play ever-so-tiny a part in making us who we are. And so we live on, hopeful as always. Tomorrow will be another day. And the new sun will bring new life and new experiences. 

R.I.P. little one and my two stars. 

Halt.

Projects. Are. Finally. Over. Phew. Icanstoprunningfornow! Catch my breath for a day or two before mid-term mania begins. Joy :D

Anyhoo, I have decided to take up the Ten-Day Challenge. Read about it somewhere, can't remember where though. Here's how it goes:

Ten Secrets
Nine Loves
Eight Fears
Seven Wants
Six Places
Five Foods
Four Books
Three Films
Two Songs
One Picture

I can anticipate that this is going to be a little tough. The honesty bit, I mean. But I want to be honest. With myself more than anything else. So I shall endeavour to complete this daunting task. Ten days. Phase II of Operation Revamp begins. Wish me luck!

Friday Perfection.

Every day should be like Friday. Just right. This is how a perfect day goes:

1. Fun classes. Or as fun as they usually get.

2. Three day holiday! 

3. Brilliant pre-rain breeze.

4. Food :D

5. Book and Hot Coffee, curled up on a couch. Whatte combo.

6. Shower in the rain. 

7. Bliss.

:)

The rain makes everything so much more green, so much more loveable. So pretty. Sigh. Who would've thought it? I might just be liking Bangalore. You never know.

My Lorelei.

I wish I could write such awesome lyrics. Whatte song! Thank you Piper, for making me re-listen to it after a while :)

P. S. - Vis Rounds are over. Operation Revamp is now officially underway! See you on the other side :D

How fragile is your thread?

Everyone and everything in Law School hangs by a thread. Literally. People, emotions, moots, relationships, projects and attendance (:P), everything. It's a little sad because at some level you feel like nothing is meant to last. And it makes you cynical. In ways you never imagine. Which is why you should concentrate on the things which make you happy. Admittedly easier said than done but saying it out loud also has an effect. Trust me :D

One of the crappiest days in Law School, by far. And I'm not even talking with regard to the state of the Vis Rounds. Hah. True story.


P.S. - I've always said it's creepy how shuffle knows my moods. It's also what I love most about it, though. Atleast some things are meant to last :)