tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16271518605704100522024-03-14T01:12:16.317+05:30Life Unlimited[Work in Progress...Always!]Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.comBlogger154125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1627151860570410052.post-18794993914827010292018-04-29T23:56:00.001+05:302018-04-29T23:56:20.906+05:30Of Life & Wake Up Calls<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiheu4KCOTwL8doWRbbxVipJwqO3_RxL7cR-x4oDtnmsHDZoNUH8p6fr6fObE_czpv1fW7fuqPzINYyQp2jQ25Jf067RU83tbZQuM-tq8hz3V7170hghqlprfz6jgZFEdfLqsQ7NjYyMHkL/s1600/IMG_9684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiheu4KCOTwL8doWRbbxVipJwqO3_RxL7cR-x4oDtnmsHDZoNUH8p6fr6fObE_czpv1fW7fuqPzINYyQp2jQ25Jf067RU83tbZQuM-tq8hz3V7170hghqlprfz6jgZFEdfLqsQ7NjYyMHkL/s640/IMG_9684.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">“Writers are pretentious fucks!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">He spat this at me. Right in the middle of an outrageous fight.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">And I laughed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">“Just because you’re insecure doesn’t make us pretentious fucks.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I frankly don’t remember how that fight ended. I’m guessing it wasn’t very pretty, to say the least. But I also remember the feeling of…well…I don’t know how to put it in a nice way… almost… satisfaction. Satisfaction in the feeling that I was something that he secretly aspired to be. That I had knowledge gained from years of reading things that helped me live a thousand different lives all from my little room at home. Satisfaction that I perhaps understood this world in a way and from a perspective that his common brain was completely untrained to do. And extreme satisfaction from the fact that I could use words to spell out beautiful sentences and paint images that he could only comprehend in color while sitting like an idiot in front of the television set.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Wait.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Writers ARE pretentious fucks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">They just don’t admit to it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">And it doesn’t really hit you until you surround yourself with other writers. Who think they’re better than everyone else.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Actually, who think they’re better than <i>you.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Of course I’m generalizing. There are a lot of humble and down-to-earth writers out there with inferiority complexes.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I’m just yet to meet them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The ones I have met (including myself on most counts, though recently I’ve found myself in a world where I can’t actually call myself a writer out loud to begin with, you know, in front of all the other REAL writers), are the ones who when asked their favorite book will quote a quaint Russian or Japanese author, even though the latest read in their kindle archive would be a Jeffrey Archer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The ones I know will now find it a necessity to write simple words as poetry, because they HAVE to show they’re serious writers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The ones I know are probably judging the seriousness of other writers on the number of followers on social media right now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">And sure this is a rant. It’s a rant that will probably never see the light of day. A rant that’s a by-product of the existential crisis that seems to plague my life every few months. (Man, how did that sentence end up sounding so pretentious as well?!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It’s a rant at the futility of trying to fit in, when writing to begin with was always an outlet, a way, of being myself when I couldn’t.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Writers ARE pretentious fucks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">But I’m not ready to give up on either parts of those sentences.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I still want to write.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">And I definitely never want to stop being myself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Oh hello, blog, my old friend.</span></div>
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Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1627151860570410052.post-19659047872981274852017-10-30T07:44:00.000+05:302017-10-30T11:45:29.540+05:30Stop.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh03VFW-yvYT1xRtPh0QtoDXymNuwcUwkSP0SSUA1gf_7e7HJFo9N52LzYy7WsMNGBRL4TVVZJG_0vgjOuvYLgutdYdhzzWEbCcLx6kLxkrVkeW3mdSFV9I22pOUN1PsS-nvewRKludTOdc/s1600/stop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="450" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh03VFW-yvYT1xRtPh0QtoDXymNuwcUwkSP0SSUA1gf_7e7HJFo9N52LzYy7WsMNGBRL4TVVZJG_0vgjOuvYLgutdYdhzzWEbCcLx6kLxkrVkeW3mdSFV9I22pOUN1PsS-nvewRKludTOdc/s640/stop.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You tell me to stop<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So instead I type<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Because to stop would mean<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That this world is fine<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And it’s okay to accept it<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just the way it is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But there, you see<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lies the problem<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I cannot stop<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For to stop would mean<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That I’m finally comfortable<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Wearing hot pants and walking<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On a dark empty road at night<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That my gender no longer<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Matters at work<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That I won't be asked</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Without realising</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To book the meeting room</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Or arrange the hospitality</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To leave after work</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Early before a drink</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That paternity leave<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Is as important as maternity<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That popping out a baby<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Is no longer just my responsibility<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That I don’t have to spend my life<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Being Superman<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And Wonder Woman<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Morphed into one<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For I still don’t know how <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To make that perfect<i>
roti</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And manage my retirement fund<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And pay my EMIs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And manage to find a job<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That doesn’t make me<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Tear out my hair<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Drown a little everyday<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Give up my dignity just a little more<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Within these corporate walls<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Closing in, closing in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I’ll stop when I no longer<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Feel guilty about sitting<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In a women’s compartment<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A ladies seat<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A ladies special<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Or worse<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For taking up space<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In a general <i>dabba</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Which men choose to believe<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Is now for men<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For why do girls bother entering<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">When they have a place of their own<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ironic, wouldn't you say<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Since the only reason we need that place<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Is because your hands decide<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To nonchalantly not stay your own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I’ll stop when I no longer<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Need to share my Uber details<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Need to carry a pepperspray<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Need to worry about what I say<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Need to hide my night time escapades<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My clothes, my choices<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My brains.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You tell me to stop<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So instead I type<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For what else can I do<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Except fight a little<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Every day<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My way<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And hope<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That one day<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You won’t tell me <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To stop<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This <i>mahila morcha<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This feminist crap<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That one day<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I won't need to</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And this world will be fine</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And I’ll stop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1627151860570410052.post-2321685670320561762017-10-13T14:48:00.000+05:302017-10-13T14:48:18.824+05:30Hadness<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That feeling of <i>hadness.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The inevitable low after the high.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That moment when everything is so beautiful, so perfect that you walk around with a smile on your face. But it falters, by just a fraction, as you begin to feel the tiny weight of a nagging feeling, tugging at a corner of your heart you’d have preferred stayed in the dark.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But the feeling grows, feeding off of your happiness, slowly but surely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The feeling of <i>hadness.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The feeling of fairy lights and balconies and perfect moments.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Moments never meant to be, moments that won’t be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The feeling trying to tell you, that the happiness you feel right now, will soon be something you <i>had.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The feeling when you wonder<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Is this the last hug, the last look, the last smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The feeling that this will all be over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The feeling warning you<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To steel yourself<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For the emptiness ahead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1627151860570410052.post-81478267696857351632017-07-25T07:02:00.000+05:302017-07-25T13:05:12.630+05:30Monsoons and Shit<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgGGeNKnqIGvxaCx34F76gdrtui0P19kO_Xn8jTntCbYH5AORZs-novXSwHnpka_lv8S0YfQqsyZGa-PlTQXG2txEpQiyES9AZlgiIEjJgIK-shyubbZTlxqtzissFbGFBzdACmhJfujfI/s1600/stock-photo-umbrella-in-the-rain-in-vintage-tone-191113115.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgGGeNKnqIGvxaCx34F76gdrtui0P19kO_Xn8jTntCbYH5AORZs-novXSwHnpka_lv8S0YfQqsyZGa-PlTQXG2txEpQiyES9AZlgiIEjJgIK-shyubbZTlxqtzissFbGFBzdACmhJfujfI/s640/stock-photo-umbrella-in-the-rain-in-vintage-tone-191113115.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Monsoons are back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So this post had to be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">That annoyed post grumbling about this sewer of a city we
love to wade through every day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And all those amazing people who find it romantic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But whether in a good mood or bad, I do have a tendency to
attract a lot of crap, like literal crap everywhere. It’s one of those things I’ve
come to accept (and it doesn’t help when palmists and random numerologists look
at you with almost pitying eyes when they try to predict your future). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Some people are just luckier than others. I guess that’s a fact. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And then there are people like <i>me.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If there’s a jam, I<i> will</i>
get stuck in it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If there’s a cab about to break down, I <i>will</i> take it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If there’s a dead stinking rat submerged in a pool of icky
water, I <i>will </i>manage to step on it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If there’s a shop with water collected on the roof, of the
thousands of people on that road, I <i>will </i>singularly
stand under it at the exact moment when the wind decides to blow it over and
make the water dump its glorious self on my head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sometimes I feel like the honorary star of a Charlie Chaplin
comedy film being made somewhere… just that they somehow forgot to inform me
about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">At the very least, if not the money, the paparazzi, or the knighthood, I deserve
a Star in the Walk of Fame. Or maybe a statue in Tussaud’s. Something to make
the next surprise shoot day a little easier to deal with.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Is that <i>really</i> too much to ask?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1627151860570410052.post-35080778441627711372017-07-17T10:13:00.000+05:302017-07-17T11:07:49.728+05:30Serendipity<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_6sZbyJZMxsYNamM9p3HC9tuouxSL2G6ujbaL67QwrNlpQvxxISHJE8KmJs9oidEGepbEOKydVok6qhBLxJDhDRwdj38jPj7lB9fa9WACZygcXAeapC_6GXorGHV8qbdyiUhwbVA0w14/s1600/serendipity.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_6sZbyJZMxsYNamM9p3HC9tuouxSL2G6ujbaL67QwrNlpQvxxISHJE8KmJs9oidEGepbEOKydVok6qhBLxJDhDRwdj38jPj7lB9fa9WACZygcXAeapC_6GXorGHV8qbdyiUhwbVA0w14/s640/serendipity.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“I believe in Fate.” She said, smiling at him, her heart
beating hard against her rib cage. He was the <i>One</i>, she could feel it in her bones. It was fate. It had to <i>be.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As they stepped out of the <i>Serendipity</i> Café, she picked up a book from the pile in front of the bookstore, and wrote down her number in the old copy of Love
in the Time of Cholera. As she put it back in the middle of the pile, she looked at him with sparkling eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“Well if we’re meant to meet again… then we’ll meet again.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And with that they parted, trusting their lives to an
unknown force, that infallible and brutal sense of hope.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Years later, in a different country, an unexplored
library around the corner, her hands shook as she opened a
tattered copy of Love in the Time of Cholera, and found her writing sprawled
across the last page.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The ink slowly spread, mixing in with her tears to form psychedelic
patterns.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Fate finally confirmed what she’d cruelly spent her entire
life learning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<i style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">She</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"> was always
meant to be </span><i style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">her own</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"> true love.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1627151860570410052.post-10819058170094864312017-07-15T21:11:00.002+05:302017-07-15T21:59:37.052+05:30Satan<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3a_AxM6X5mgputTKWfrXd4XfMlXtr8O0t-1g3bxLtxX7p7mEtS9XhDfa0kvqr_PcmKpKHKA72lyxRGL3km0qMkE5Ve4vAbfqREKRUc7i34rCkUQGHrAUYOwh86gHINWK3WwgvlztkLwwj/s1600/botticellimap.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3a_AxM6X5mgputTKWfrXd4XfMlXtr8O0t-1g3bxLtxX7p7mEtS9XhDfa0kvqr_PcmKpKHKA72lyxRGL3km0qMkE5Ve4vAbfqREKRUc7i34rCkUQGHrAUYOwh86gHINWK3WwgvlztkLwwj/s640/botticellimap.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">She squinted at Botticelli’s replica hanging on the wall in
front of her, trying hard to concentrate in the midst of the storm brewing
inside her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Dante’s inferno and the Map of Hell… she’d read so much
about it, and yet the irony wasn't lost on her as she tried half-heartedly to
concentrate on each level, barely able to make out the shapes in her head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">She looked at all the pain, the punishment, the anguish… for
the unbaptized… the gluttons… the greedy… the wrathful writhing in slime… But as she rocked back and forth one level held her attention the
most.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“Faster…” she moaned, and he complied.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Her mother and Sunday school had spent their entire lives warning
her of <i>Satan</i> and Hell, but right now,
midst the throes of passion, <i>lust </i>didn’t
seem like a sin to be avoided anymore. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1627151860570410052.post-59539474348945561632017-07-12T10:56:00.001+05:302017-07-12T11:01:05.277+05:30Coincidence<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg58rhALjZiX93yw2Jf5tidn_WG2CXj7rKMaZ2J7P_n6uN0CggNxLdRkjVrJc-3sN57-LsdpyDWxglERM0ZT7apgl_9zk5IeHLxMp9A0NbQBv_UVifubaf_3Fmx6g4Ho8cfyfV_LqJkV8Wi/s1600/coincidence.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg58rhALjZiX93yw2Jf5tidn_WG2CXj7rKMaZ2J7P_n6uN0CggNxLdRkjVrJc-3sN57-LsdpyDWxglERM0ZT7apgl_9zk5IeHLxMp9A0NbQBv_UVifubaf_3Fmx6g4Ho8cfyfV_LqJkV8Wi/s640/coincidence.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“So you see, as it turns out… <i>coincidences</i> can lead to beautiful things…” he said, smiling
lovingly at her. She smiled back at him. The act had now been perfected to the
last word, for he really did love telling the story of how they met to anyone
who’d care to ask. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It was plain to see just how madly in
love they were – their story inspiring to all, the thought of finding your soul
mate when you least expect it. Listeners found themselves at the edge of their
seats, amazed at how a series of unseemly events could so suddenly have aligned
to ensure they met, so beautifully. It was almost like fate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> “It’s like the world
conspired to ensure I met her. Luck really is an amazing thing.” He’d often
say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">She looked at him, her infatuation with him just barely contained.
Ever since she first saw him, she knew they had to be together. And finally she
had him all to herself. She didn't believe in luck… All those hours of stealthily following him and her
copious notes on his every movement every day to orchestrate their first meeting… you
just can't leave things to </span><i style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">coincidence</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">
these days.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1627151860570410052.post-48176039892238273112017-07-11T10:17:00.002+05:302017-07-11T10:20:04.321+05:30Infidelity<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDEBbBdzFVmUCJhtVv_Xbk1ytDzpBgNAVdloYy8vgsQCgExdmt7TlWYCcppHAqrxl9V3EkIW_X8En4Ul4boQUuV7kZ3Ptbhoq_TMO2gqBxPC3iVaXynzy3CbBaU3Gh4ePQJiT_NwWOnKb/s1600/infidelity.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDEBbBdzFVmUCJhtVv_Xbk1ytDzpBgNAVdloYy8vgsQCgExdmt7TlWYCcppHAqrxl9V3EkIW_X8En4Ul4boQUuV7kZ3Ptbhoq_TMO2gqBxPC3iVaXynzy3CbBaU3Gh4ePQJiT_NwWOnKb/s640/infidelity.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">She looked at her own reflection in the
mirror, and knew at that moment, everything was about to change. If she decided
to go through with this, there was no turning back. Some things you can’t undo,
some bonds of trust can never be rebuilt.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">She saw him walk around, ignoring her in an
almost painfully obvious way. He wanted her here. She could almost feel her
bones ache with tension, knowing what was coming next. He wanted her just the
way she was, in that exact position, just the way he liked it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">He finally walked up behind her, and she
closed her eyes as she felt his naked fingers run through her hair. She
shivered slightly at his touch, then blushed, hoping he hadn’t noticed the
effect this was having on her.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But the knowing half smile on his face told
her he knew.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">She squirmed, suddenly more uncomfortable
than before.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">She felt rather than saw him bend down
behind her, and just as she felt the slightest sliver of his warm breath on her
neck, she jumped out of the chair, and mumbling a hurried apology ran out of
the swanky salon.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Running back to her trusted hair stylist, she
let out a sigh of relief. This </span><i style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">infidelity</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">,
she would never have forgiven herself for.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1627151860570410052.post-59585511902672389142017-07-10T10:19:00.000+05:302017-07-10T10:19:33.086+05:30Drama<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKBbnCOa9DYx5QpbSJeCmDvq789AeSPBMWrgFZugwHSD8QPnzZHLZYPbZpDeXV7JIjHlUbMtF8uOUmkLY5PKORjsRWTkxSrZ3N9a3JvjVSv_XP8AFzPHML7eTh4tmuqOh-YReko6nyYCNH/s1600/drama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKBbnCOa9DYx5QpbSJeCmDvq789AeSPBMWrgFZugwHSD8QPnzZHLZYPbZpDeXV7JIjHlUbMtF8uOUmkLY5PKORjsRWTkxSrZ3N9a3JvjVSv_XP8AFzPHML7eTh4tmuqOh-YReko6nyYCNH/s400/drama.jpg" width="382" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">She sipped her morning cup of coffee, breathing in the
heady aroma, and looked at their immaculate apartment. She touched their
pictures framing the walls…family…friends…beautiful memories… The furnishing
was just as she liked it, almost out of a magazine catalogue, but with just
that slight touch of craziness that seemed to define her. A scarf covering the
lamp…. Colorful disjointed cushions lining the sofa… a cozy blanket lying there
from the night before…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">She walked into the bedroom and looked at him, sleeping like
a baby, soft sunlight playing hide and seek with his hair. He was a good one.
The only good choice she’d made in years. After years of self destructive
decisions… here she was…in a life that was almost… perfect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">She bent down and with a quick kiss on his cheek, left the
envelope next to his pillow. There wasn’t much he’d find in that envelope when
he woke up later. Just a blank sheet of paper with one word… “Sorry”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">She picked up her bag, and with one last look at her home,
stepped out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">After all, what’s life without a bit of <i>drama</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1627151860570410052.post-3427679675578352592017-07-07T07:19:00.000+05:302017-07-07T16:23:41.644+05:30Superficial<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjusEihEOJHQzTQoNFq1lMSqwzVhj7k2U93hn1fRSPVBbJR4Nc4YzFuEqSYSX4-HxrXHWfsC6FYTFyEKSuVHKT8eH0rxnt6Mbls2S1nanfOr6ofgR3i_-VqtNmiK_lR2UAtLpm4mz9wD2As/s1600/File_000+%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjusEihEOJHQzTQoNFq1lMSqwzVhj7k2U93hn1fRSPVBbJR4Nc4YzFuEqSYSX4-HxrXHWfsC6FYTFyEKSuVHKT8eH0rxnt6Mbls2S1nanfOr6ofgR3i_-VqtNmiK_lR2UAtLpm4mz9wD2As/s400/File_000+%25281%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">She opened her eyes lazily, almost willing her mind not to,
knowing she wasn’t going to like what was in front of her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Another morning, another unknown face, another unknown bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It was becoming a habit, almost.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If only it felt like a bad one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Slipping quietly out of bed, she tiptoed across the room
gathering her clothes, and quietly let herself out to breathe in the fresh air.
Looking at her watch, she smiled…just in time for her appointment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Later, as she felt the first prick of the needle gliding
across her skin to ink a beautiful design, she lay back and let a tiny tear
escape the corner of her eye.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sometimes the pain from <i>superficial</i> wounds is so much
sweeter than the deep ones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1627151860570410052.post-65312873439300190242017-07-05T07:21:00.000+05:302017-07-05T14:26:42.547+05:305 Seconds<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-aO98R93SmnMTLyz1pH4rV2CQuAHDj9mC3Kjavws4V3LxN3fRdtag0VLYQwq2BfSh2zl4kMVLSvszkuVsl0OWflrMyBnHyYz7kKZ_1poZLi_7PU9U4CB5YShtU7g1wLGqAmer4q6L1a2/s1600/clock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="450" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-aO98R93SmnMTLyz1pH4rV2CQuAHDj9mC3Kjavws4V3LxN3fRdtag0VLYQwq2BfSh2zl4kMVLSvszkuVsl0OWflrMyBnHyYz7kKZ_1poZLi_7PU9U4CB5YShtU7g1wLGqAmer4q6L1a2/s640/clock.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The alarm pierces through my agitated dream, disguised as a
respite, an escape from the world of nightmares that seems to play havoc in my
head all night long.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And just as I try to concentrate on my cellphone screen, the
numbers burning bright, the annoying tone ringing ever clearer, the real world
of nightmares begins to hit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">5 seconds is all it takes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">To decide between switching it off, or hitting the snooze
button.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Hoping for some respite, even if temporary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">5 seconds to decide.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">To think of a purpose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A reason to get up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Some passion, a dream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There has to be something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Something compelling enough to make me open my eyes wide and
get up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And look forward to living this day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And not just getting through it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">5 seconds can be the longest time ever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When you’re searching for something that doesn’t exist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When you’re grabbing at air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And so you hit the snooze button.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And hope for respite.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Even if temporary.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1627151860570410052.post-65630965146463486512017-06-25T21:57:00.003+05:302017-06-26T14:26:20.053+05:30Spark<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5UX7S4x1zRjKKFOv0HNJ3OnDaMj0UZDCA_J5hXRe2BPGiFER8rStqUC_GRrFxffSW7SQrDfLHnzfqy8-aPn5qltYPYyvtQCrYqhAj2akgnXEzRKQEC0i92vjBKjaJc2wE81Ua8TuQT-xO/s1600/stock-photo-wooden-matchstick-close-up-637314412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="450" height="451" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5UX7S4x1zRjKKFOv0HNJ3OnDaMj0UZDCA_J5hXRe2BPGiFER8rStqUC_GRrFxffSW7SQrDfLHnzfqy8-aPn5qltYPYyvtQCrYqhAj2akgnXEzRKQEC0i92vjBKjaJc2wE81Ua8TuQT-xO/s640/stock-photo-wooden-matchstick-close-up-637314412.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">5 AM.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Rubbing her eyes, she opened the door to absolute chaos
outside. All she could see were heads of people, half of them in uniform.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">She looked at the cop staring quizzically at her. “What’s
going on?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“Ma’am, the CCTV shows that your neighbor came over to your
house last night. What did she want?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“Err… ya… a matchbox, I think.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“What for?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">She looked at the cop, evaluating how much to tell him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“Can I know what’s going on?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“Sure, but what did she need the matchbox for? Did she tell
you? You were good friends I’ve heard”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“Well… She’d found Sid… I mean her boyfriend cheating on her…
I think she wanted to burn some of his clothes in anger.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“And you didn’t find that weird?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“Well… it’s just a silly girly ritual we sometimes did… I
didn’t think that’s a big deal. What’s happening? Is she hurt?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“No Ma’am… so she burnt his clothes last night?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Exasperated, she pushed past the cop towards the door across
the hall. “I don’t understand. Did he complain to the cops about her burning
his clothes? That’s ridiculous!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As she made her way past the crowd, she gasped at the sight
in front of her.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“No Ma’am, he didn’t complain about his clothes. It’s just
that he was still in them.”</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1627151860570410052.post-8022225909720924852017-04-24T07:49:00.000+05:302017-04-24T14:52:04.841+05:30Dreamless.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg94p_xya0tsqIOFFpDYj1xi8oMnoExafc9Lfx6OSCh58NNSoCmbau8wlDGdtjkvHPBKu0hK_EFue4WCGEJN15PZ-0SjHzCkf6QqGtJPvp8olN7A814MKVauvCph6u8vAPn9CLnN09iu3kj/s1600/reflection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="507" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg94p_xya0tsqIOFFpDYj1xi8oMnoExafc9Lfx6OSCh58NNSoCmbau8wlDGdtjkvHPBKu0hK_EFue4WCGEJN15PZ-0SjHzCkf6QqGtJPvp8olN7A814MKVauvCph6u8vAPn9CLnN09iu3kj/s640/reflection.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As we stumble out of bed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">These mundane mornings<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We look into the mirror<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">To see all the brightness drowning<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The shadows of youth<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">That no longer come to light<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The remains of lust & lore<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Of the nights that burnt bright<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The shattered hopes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And painful dreams<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Of everything we could be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So much has gone wrong<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And what has life become<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Dream big, they said<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Behind the shallow smirk<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Not warning us that one day</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We won't dream at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So we look into the mirror<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And see the spotty face<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Dark shadows and baggage<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Of dreams long past a fade<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We see all we never became<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And the life we have to accept<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If only the heart would stop<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Beating <i>I am I am I am</i>….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1627151860570410052.post-8781237819069953992017-02-09T07:27:00.000+05:302017-02-09T10:28:16.114+05:30Let's Pretend<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7AEG1WDABUDPXobZuUV5zFfMOXsDYp68Xx3hHZP6W0ExYfWOpFTXi7qqHpdxBLG9V_xanab1QI8Eypd8h7D3N1HN3NLIYlfM9V1JzCvjc8vnc3edvw_hskk88eWkUWGQUoW_qbM67PPxu/s1600/Mask.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7AEG1WDABUDPXobZuUV5zFfMOXsDYp68Xx3hHZP6W0ExYfWOpFTXi7qqHpdxBLG9V_xanab1QI8Eypd8h7D3N1HN3NLIYlfM9V1JzCvjc8vnc3edvw_hskk88eWkUWGQUoW_qbM67PPxu/s640/Mask.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Let’s Pretend<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">To be who we’re not<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Smarter<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">More Successful<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Adulting like a boss<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Let’s Create<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">With updates of life<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Check-ins and likes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pouts and kisses<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A mirage of life<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Let’s be hypocrites<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And throw around advice<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On relationships & life<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On jobs & success<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On how to adult<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Without pretense<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Let’s hide everything we are<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The misery, the plight<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">All the difficulties in sight<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Singing in the spotlight<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">About our beautiful life<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Let’s put on a happy face<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Because at the end of the day<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">That’s really all we are<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Exhausted unpaid Actors<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In this never-ending rat race.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1627151860570410052.post-39089806522288072602016-12-29T07:01:00.000+05:302016-12-29T11:14:10.453+05:30It’s a man’s world, but I really don’t think I’d want to be a man<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1NfUJbJJCZmfyAhXNFmQGlcBte6q_scwEymsJAKIvhxzC-NZIpjtv_S7A6p-qh888Yw6forZ8OHuGiGwuLB3zuBdM8w47uYCbVd97eTzakdQ_IZ11EVnzD75bkTUSkEW4z3MKKDJ0suS/s1600/be+a+man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1NfUJbJJCZmfyAhXNFmQGlcBte6q_scwEymsJAKIvhxzC-NZIpjtv_S7A6p-qh888Yw6forZ8OHuGiGwuLB3zuBdM8w47uYCbVd97eTzakdQ_IZ11EVnzD75bkTUSkEW4z3MKKDJ0suS/s640/be+a+man.jpg" width="611" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I’m pretty sure there’s this recurring thought that passes
through every girl’s mind every now and then, even if not very seriously… life
would be so much easier if I was a guy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This could happen when you’re stuck in office late night,
and are fretting over how you’ll make it home. Or when you think twice before
getting onto a sparsely crowded bus with only men. It happens when you get left
out of a dirty men’s joke in office, or when your parents refuse to give you
permission to go clubbing in Delhi. It happens every time you hear about
learning to make a round chapatti, and it definitely happens when you’re on a
road trip with a painfully full bladder and no clean restroom in sight for miles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But then, there are times that I imagine life as a guy in
this world, and I feel so much insane pressure that I feel very happy to be
exactly who I am.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">All the way from when we were kids, I always felt that a guy
could be the best in studies, or a talented singer, but the one thing on which he
was judged </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">by peers always somehow came down to how he was at cricket. Because
that’s what all the boys in school did during all their breaks. Every boy
wanted to bat, and the ones who weren’t athletic enough were banished to field
endlessly. But not playing was not an option. <i>It’s what boys do</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And this display of physical masculinity doesn’t change
through life. Sure, you can move onto tennis or snooker or some sport that
suits you more. But I don’t think it’s still very acceptable for a man to claim
he doesn’t like to play any sport at all. He’s judged. Way more than I am
judged when I make the same statement. Because it’s easy to assume that I’m a
delicate girly girl who wouldn’t want to break a nail. (That isn’t the real
reason, though. I actually just suck at anything that needs hand eye
coordination. So I’d rather just spend my time reading… Why spend time being
bad at something when I can spend that time enjoying something instead?). But
if a guy my age makes the same statement, I’ve seen the judgemental looks he
gets.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Looks that are almost as bad as the derogatory jokes about
men who can’t grow beards (yeah, like that’s a bloody talent!), men who have some
effeminate characteristics (“<i>woh jo gay
hai?!”</i> Let’s not even get started with everything wrong with the words and
tone of that sentence), the rare guy who chooses to stay at home and take care
of the household and kids while the wife earns instead. Like what’s with the
pressure of being the man of the house?! In today’s world, why must the guy earn
more, and be the decision maker of the house? What if he doesn’t want to be? What does '<i>Be a man!</i>' even mean?!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When I chose to move to Mumbai before my marriage, <i><b>A</b></i> took a transfer to join me. I thought
it was super sweet of him to change for me. But I didn’t think it was out of
the world to expect him to. But the world did. The concept of a guy moving for
a girl instead of vice-versa was very amusing to a lot of people, who let their
thoughts be known rather openly by their smirks and jokes. <b><i>A</i></b> took it rather well, I’d say, and for that I’ll always be
thankful to him. But what a load of crap to have to deal with to begin with!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And then I think, the worst of the lot. <i>Boys don’t cry</i>. Like, why the hell not? Why are little boys told to
not behave like a girl? One small sentence to insult both boys and girls in one
go. Just as bad as it is to say that you have to be careful with what you say
to women or they’ll start crying, it’s horrible to expect men to not cry. It’s
a bloody natural reaction. Stop gender-ising it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Wow this ended up a very long post. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But like I said, it pretty much sucks to be a guy in this
world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Not that being a girl is a hoot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But about time people realized feminism isn’t just about
women, no? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Like really, about time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
</div>
Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1627151860570410052.post-65034843396062008492016-12-28T07:58:00.000+05:302016-12-28T11:02:35.435+05:30The Year That Was... Again!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL4LBb3Va3Pr_S17f4J0SFOT_5al_WYDyaT_35ap6u8Oa0y7WwOEYdvhi43By_jOrf0cFb49MAP8cjTa4dqQBjJMLE-Y26OaGx4oSytMTNhapJ7Ns-lpxi9tGKVxpJArzkg7HTXxpr91SF/s1600/2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL4LBb3Va3Pr_S17f4J0SFOT_5al_WYDyaT_35ap6u8Oa0y7WwOEYdvhi43By_jOrf0cFb49MAP8cjTa4dqQBjJMLE-Y26OaGx4oSytMTNhapJ7Ns-lpxi9tGKVxpJArzkg7HTXxpr91SF/s640/2016.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It’s that time of the year again… time for the annual round
up of all moments happy and crappy! And some bullet points, because if you know
me even one tiny bit, you know I love bullet points!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This year started full of promises (like every year now and
then, smirking and deceiving)… with a major annual vacation on the cards,
awesomeness at work with another promotion and a generally happy 2015. As it
turns out, it had quite a few surprises in store for me.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My health took a massive toll, complete with chronic
tiredness, a back spasm and imported chicken pox.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My sweet lil ‘cozy’ house decided to enter its teenage
years, and became a rebellious brat. Over the year we’ve dealt with leaking
roofs, fungus on every surface with a special repeated love for my clothes, remotes
that creepily decided to malfunction together, the magical cupboard where
watches slowed down by an hour, light switches that commited suicide, and a
very moody tube light that decided to function when you least expected it to.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Work, well, I’ll continue to follow the policy of not
talking about work here. Let’s just say that despite a great start, satisfaction
levels were rather low, and plummeted quite a bit as the year wore on.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I feel like I spent half the year literally sitting in an
Uber on my way to or from office. But let me just say, that’s better than
driving, or standing squished in the train. I think.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The last two months have been spent crazily house hunting,
trying to reduce my dedicated love affair with Uber… but at the moment there
seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel for that one. Oh well.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On the bright side, I started my tete-a-tete with Europe
finally this year, and spent a beautiful two weeks exploring the ruins of
Italy, the beautiful coast, and DDLJ sceneries of Switzerland. Until I managed
to catch chicken pox, but that’s another story.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I’ve changed jobs, and, well, that’s that.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I had my first article published on a site I’d been
devouring for years, and if nothing else, it felt timely.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I’ve experienced more joy than ever before with fostering
more and more kittens. There have been ups and downs, some helped much more,
and some with pure bad luck which resulted in complete helplessness from our
side. And more than enough days you come home after a tiring day and find stuff
overturned and on the floor and feel irritated at how the house smells. But
then the kitten looks up at you innocently, and cuddles onto your lap and goes
to sleep. And at that moment, everything, the whole year, is completely worth it.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Overall, this year has been a mixed bag, where I found it
easier to remember the crappy stuff than the nice ones. But as per my theory
(yes, another one!!), I alternate in my awesome and bawl-some years, so 2017, you’re
eagerly and positively awaited!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I mean, no pressure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But just be awesome, <i>ok</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1627151860570410052.post-76252648442983234262016-12-02T16:23:00.001+05:302016-12-02T16:31:38.423+05:30The Cho-Cha Returns!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdgXNkbMpkwMENzR8irbkaRjE_mUm-p5E1fK6cUapJpvlcO2GaBTcUbvLUwFSvJxD6bHAwh82GXXDQloD-e_iQ3Mnd-vtRhtg0su2aOmDa4qzZRpzY5vHonOH78saW_SOAk08GfHZQbPnn/s1600/chocha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdgXNkbMpkwMENzR8irbkaRjE_mUm-p5E1fK6cUapJpvlcO2GaBTcUbvLUwFSvJxD6bHAwh82GXXDQloD-e_iQ3Mnd-vtRhtg0su2aOmDa4qzZRpzY5vHonOH78saW_SOAk08GfHZQbPnn/s640/chocha.jpg" width="612" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sometimes, I truly believe that when I have kids, specially
a daughter, I won’t bother reading fairy tales to them. Not that I have
anything against the Grimm brothers. On the contrary, their non-edited gory
versions of the stories aren’t that different from my own writing (glass shoe
full of blood because toes were cut off to fit the foot in…man!). But I do
believe a large part of the dream of Prince Charming and happily ever after
starts off at a very young age thanks to books like these. Growing up, Rom-Coms
don’t help, and Bella Swan swooning over vampires and werewolves definitely takes
feminism back quite a few years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against romantic stories or
happy endings, I DID read the entire Twilight series rather eagerly after all.
But I do believe a lot of important things in life should not revolve around
finding your Prince Charming. I hope you find your love, if that’s what you
want, and live happily ever after. But I also hope that your own happiness
doesn’t only depend on the <i>ever after.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Take my love for American Chopsuey, for example.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">American Chopsuey (which is frankly more Indian by now than
American or Chinese) is one of the least liked dishes on a Chinese menu in
India. The biggest reason being the fact that it’s sweet, and that’s rarely
liked by spicy Indians.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">On the other hand, it’s one of <i>my</i> favourite dishes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But the biggest issue with the dish is the size of the
serving, which is almost always too massive for one measly human being to
devour. And thanks to that, I was always on the look-out for someone to share the
dish with. While at home, my sister and I became best friends at the time of
this meal and happily shared what no one else really liked. But once out of
Delhi, I suddenly found myself Chopsuey-less.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And so it came to be… the random crazy belief that the one way I’ll know
that a guy really is perfect for me, is if he also likes American Chopsuey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Ya, go figure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Years and multiple relationships (both Chopsuey-full and
Chopsuey-deprived) later, of course this sounds beyond stupid. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And yesterday, having heard my sister recite similar Chopsuey-longing troubles (sans the silly Perfect guy theory, <i>duh</i>) it suddenly hit me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I didn’t need a guy’s true love to be able to hog on
American Chopsuey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I just needed <i>my own</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sure I might not be able to finish it, but that’s what doggy
bags are meant for!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sure I’m about to gain weight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And maybe give my sweet tooth an ache.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But I think it’s time to bring the <a href="http://shreyashively.blogspot.in/2011/05/cho-cha.html" target="_blank"><b>Chopsuey Challenge</b></a> back,
no?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So whether alone, or with <i>A</i> (who will definitely be ordering
something else!), or maybe with you, I’m gonna hog on a whole lot of American
Chopsuey!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Know a place in Mumbai worth trying? Let me know!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1627151860570410052.post-86604555870914510252016-11-30T12:52:00.000+05:302016-11-30T12:56:33.227+05:30Home Sweet Home<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTrV54-03iA24VIxhz-b0gKesSZ84poFn4EvRkrEaG78nNimJRPq-mQS57_9W6wMxGs3TU-2aTg2f5VnuxYCzyG_znjbHaoh-xVde_h2YIEafs08SULmsNS8FtzsWbGywilPa2la_JHj2/s1600/house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTrV54-03iA24VIxhz-b0gKesSZ84poFn4EvRkrEaG78nNimJRPq-mQS57_9W6wMxGs3TU-2aTg2f5VnuxYCzyG_znjbHaoh-xVde_h2YIEafs08SULmsNS8FtzsWbGywilPa2la_JHj2/s640/house.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Disclaimer:</u></b> This is a rant. Not necessarily a logical one. Definitely a cribby frustrated one. Feel free to skip this. And yes, I know happiness is not about materialistic stuff. So go, be happy, who's stopping you?!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Let's talk about Housing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It’s the one thing that is by far the biggest headache I’ve
faced in this cramped up litter box of a city. The one thing that Bollywood
conveniently skips over in all their dreamy-starry-eyed-in-Mumbai stories. Yes,
I’m in a bad mood. No, I’m not over-reacting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It’s been six and a half years since I first stepped into
this city, where I started with staying in a dilapidated PG, sharing a room
with two other girls, paying a rent of 6k. Because that’s all I could afford.
And that’s all I thought I needed. And life was good, for quite some time,
until of course the ceiling collapsed in one room, and the ceiling fan in
another. Then someone tried to break in through the window at another point of
time, but that’s another story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Salaries go up and so do basic needs. And then the wants. I
have by now stayed in 6 different houses in Mumbai, for different durations of
time, and been house-hunting for around half of those times.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And house-hunting in Mumbai is a surreal experience.
Actually, yeah, that’s exactly the word, <i>surreal.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">From creepy brokers who spend more time checking you out
than your requirement, to houses that are so horrifying that you wonder how
people actually live there… from kitchens that would ensure that I don’t even
enter them once (from the 3-4 times a year I might right now)… to washrooms
where you literally bathe on top of the pot… from owners who think it’s perfectly
normal to demand your life’s savings as deposit, and a pound of flesh as rent….
To brokers who you’re not completely sure might just have underworld linkages.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">To the dream house, that seems just beyond your reach, that
you start considering selling your soul for that comfortable bed and clean
living.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And then everyone has an opinion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">People who have never searched for houses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">People living comfortably with their parents.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">People so far from <i>reality</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And first you laugh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Then it starts creeping up on you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The horrendous truth of it all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Of how this might be the city of dreams.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But dreams remain just that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Because while you chase your dream, you sell away parts of
your life that would be basic requirements for sanity anywhere else.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And you wonder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">How you got yourself into this vicious cycle of un-pleasantry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Where wholehearted happiness is always</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Just a bit too far.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1627151860570410052.post-62922129394379927512016-11-11T10:15:00.001+05:302016-11-11T10:36:17.085+05:30Of Growing Up and Ageing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUh8raiKwL-TRZouBMY6FCtqAE3-fJnj-aqxTwBOriP2o4TDBgbXMByQPdYGsAdWju04fbQHpzyzo5OglK5AwSa2z4Rr59woJGUjLxsoo9ChyphenhyphenxT9WvYdKAA1b03ytVzvlB3q_Z71ZtGrSz/s1600/growing+old.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="491" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUh8raiKwL-TRZouBMY6FCtqAE3-fJnj-aqxTwBOriP2o4TDBgbXMByQPdYGsAdWju04fbQHpzyzo5OglK5AwSa2z4Rr59woJGUjLxsoo9ChyphenhyphenxT9WvYdKAA1b03ytVzvlB3q_Z71ZtGrSz/s640/growing+old.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I stood in the loud darkness outside my office, willing <i>A</i> to reach a little faster, all the
while feeling the dull choke of cigarette smoke from all the meandering
chimneys standing nearby. As luck would have it, all traffic jams of the world
seem to occur outside my office compound, which always results in a spiralling boring
wait on the road.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And just like that, yesterday, a guy asked me for
directions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Which I gave.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And then he introduced himself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And then he made more small talk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Small talk that seemed to be heading towards not-so-small directions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It gets difficult to keep giving monosyllabic answers beyond
a point. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So instead I picked up my phone and called <i>A</i> instead, and proceeded to talk to him
for the next 5 minutes till he arrived.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Not that there was anything even mildly threatening about
the guy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Or weird.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Or shady.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Maybe he was just bored.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But I think more than anything else, he took me by surprise.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I can’t remember the last time a guy randomly tried to talk
to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I think somewhere along the years flying by, time went from
crazy evenings at pubs, meeting new people, flirting and enjoying yourself, to
a tame life revolving around excel sheets, Uber rides home, and worrying about
the maid’s tantrums.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Time went from being one of the few girls in an all guy’s
team, to being yet another married girl hiding behind her cubicle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Time went from a lot of attention, to startling randomly
scattered experiences.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Time went from perfect skin to spots and the first signs of wrinkles.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">But as narcissistic as this whole post has sounded, I don’t miss
it one tiny bit.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Because after the excel sheet, and the Uber ride, I finally
reach home, cranky as hell…but knowing there’s a cushiony diwan, a puffed up comforter,
a laptop set up to watch the latest season of <i>Black Mirror</i>, and <i>A</i> to
snuggle up to.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And life is, as it should be, when it should be.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1627151860570410052.post-67146692111144752992016-09-24T12:18:00.001+05:302016-09-24T12:56:41.207+05:30Of Mumbai Rickshaws and a Few Good Men<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKA2yDlP-3lvmPTygVJqekCXOLy27eeIMd6MT3mFkJBxjPGqG8oDkPSZpVxLVnsLU5DNG7GmocrtJZmVh39xD3ZMN8H8rmIfRSD3W4cBKy0HBeroutuFrIxbFiUV387XxonIm-DZcWlwFP/s1600/rick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="539" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKA2yDlP-3lvmPTygVJqekCXOLy27eeIMd6MT3mFkJBxjPGqG8oDkPSZpVxLVnsLU5DNG7GmocrtJZmVh39xD3ZMN8H8rmIfRSD3W4cBKy0HBeroutuFrIxbFiUV387XxonIm-DZcWlwFP/s640/rick.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My rather rocky relationship with Mumbai rickshaws goes back
six years, ever since I stepped into Andheri West and realized that while Mumbai
ricks are so much more economical than their Delhi counterparts, they are also that
much harder to catch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Over the years, I’ve gotten used to the disgusted looks they
give when you mention your destination (Like…eewww…who goes to Oshiwara?!), the
way they don’t even bother stopping while you try to flag them down, or how
they’re suddenly more precious and rarer than diamonds when it rains. And it
rains a lot in this city!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In fact, I’ve faced more rejection by Mumbai rickshaw-wallas
than men and employers put together in my life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And they taught me how to abuse in Hindi. Like, not actually
taught me, but that’s what comes out when they refuse to take you where you
want to go after an hour of being stuck on the road looking for them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So last night, I was standing on the highway at a spot where usually it’s not that difficult to spot an empty
rick, but thanks to the torrential rain they were nowhere to be seen. And
slowly more and more people started crowding up looking for that knight in
yellow-and-green armour, who when he would slowly roll by without stopping,
would get his pick of destinations to go to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And then, miraculously, I managed to flag one down, but the idiot in Schumacher mode, only managed to stop in front of another guy
standing much further down the road. And the guy was about to get in, but then
probably saw a desperate me huffing puffing down the wet road towards him, and
offered the rick to me instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Now this might be the way it should have been, and this
might be the city with amazing people, but I’ve barely ever witnessed either in
my years here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And so, I was shocked, not even just pleasantly surprised.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And so I decided to shock myself, and share the rick with
him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This might not sound like a big deal, but for any girl born
and brought up in Delhi, offering to share your cab / rick with an unknown
stranger at night is like going against the first rule of how to stay safe in
this world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But for once, I decided to repay his niceness with gratitude.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I did however barely talk to him throughout, or share my
name or any details about me. Old habits die hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But I did turn the rick and take it into a galli out of my
way to drop him at his friend’s house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I did smile when he parted with an apple for a little beggar
girl (the same one who loves fleecing people at Juhu circle every day) from the
packet of apples he got from Kashmir for his friend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And I did feel better after the ride, even if it meant I
reached home a little late.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It’s sad that we live in a world where we have to think
twice before doing something that should come as basic human nature to us. It’s
sad that we’re all so hardened and cynical that any niceness offered is met
with skepticism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And it’s sad, that all that cynicism, is necessary.</span><i><o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1627151860570410052.post-4226734256349535422016-09-10T15:22:00.000+05:302016-09-10T15:27:59.327+05:30Of Vacations and the Revenge of the Chicken<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6BS2Yn6C7L1UiLzgW6Ve8NP4MQ4dLXKhfQjyx2mee1makHvwkCzdIcMMpBZ2_ETrIcqggwragOA7jqQruBFDdCejrRz4retp3cDzqCwvuA_gbqogKggg_4cSpzILqhAKI1Uq6_-CbVKRJ/s1600/IMG_20160816_181427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="489" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6BS2Yn6C7L1UiLzgW6Ve8NP4MQ4dLXKhfQjyx2mee1makHvwkCzdIcMMpBZ2_ETrIcqggwragOA7jqQruBFDdCejrRz4retp3cDzqCwvuA_gbqogKggg_4cSpzILqhAKI1Uq6_-CbVKRJ/s640/IMG_20160816_181427.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">After months of what seemed like the biggest planning
project I had ever taken on in my life, August finally happened, and with it
our much anticipated Europe trip. Well our two-countries-in-Europe trip, but
neither of us had been that direction before, so we were super excited.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Firstly, if you know nothing about Europe, it takes a LOT of
time to get your itinerary and bookings right. Specially if you’re not doing
the usual Thomas Cook type tours with the typical cities and touristy places to
see. We did do those as well, because as Indians apparently a vacation isn’t really
justified till you’ve taken a pic in front of a monument, but managed to throw
in a lot of unconventional stuff, which we obviously ended up loving way more!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I don’t intend to bore anyone with the details, but if I
think back about the trip now, some points do pop up in my head:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The best of the airlines can have the worst of service when
you’re in a foreign country. One of our suitcases was misplaced en-route to
Rome, and we went through all sorts of translation and unhelpful hell to manage
to get it back before we moved onto the next city. I think both </span><i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> and I almost cried with joy at the
first view of our boring grey Samsonite. Never underestimate the happiness of
seeing your own shampoo!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Rome is amazingly grand with its history. The Colosseum
itself is enough to make you go </span><i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Whoaaa</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> when you first enter it. That said, it’s
so much like India in terms of the people (both the warm and the crook types),
the disregard for how difficult it is to get from one place to the next, and
somewhere the resistance to a foreign language, it was uncannily comfortable.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I finally wore a bikini and swam in the clear blue sea,
spending a day at the beach doing absolutely nothing at all. And that, I think,
is my most cherished memory from this trip. Not the bikini bit, but just the
fact that it’s okay to just stare at the sea and do nothing else. Not have places
to be at, photos to take.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I think India is more prone to body shaming than a lot of
the western world. Sure, there’s New York and California (and I’m sure a lot of
other places which I have never been to) where everyone’s expected to look like
a model or feel horrible about themselves… But it was so refreshing to see
people of all ages and body shapes roaming around Europe wearing whatever they
wanted, and no one cared! It was liberating, and inspiring, to say the least.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Switzerland is beyond beautiful. But more than that, it’s
also full of extremely happy and helpful people. And they seem to have thought
of every trouble a human being might face reaching their tourist sites, and have
come up with a solution to that. Their trains, buses, as well as their highest
peaks are disabled friendly. I can’t even think of getting onto a local train
with a leg injury in Mumbai!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Indians are everywhere. And more often than not, their
touristy behaviour is rude and embarrassing.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We met more than our share of extremely helpful people, especially
in Switzerland. People who randomly stopped on the road simply because we were
looking lost and gave us directions without being asked. People who spent half
an hour helping us plan our day. And I will never ever get used to people
stopping their cars in peak traffic hours just to let you cross the road. And
in which other country could you forget your jacket in a train, have an attendant
call up every station that train must’ve stopped at until it was identified,
and have a ticket collector load it onto the next train back towards you?</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The trip was amazing. Travel may be the in-thing and
privilege of the newly stuck up bourgeoisie, but there is a reason travel is
beautiful. It makes you realize how tiny your world really is. And makes you
never want to go back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Oh wait. That kind of means travel sucks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Because I absolutely hate my life now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Oh, and I somehow managed to catch chicken pox at the end of
the trip, which I only realized two days later in Mumbai.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I’m that case study of the 29 year old who catches European
chicken pox. I can almost hear the evil laugh of all the chicken ghosts haunting me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Yup, now I sound more like me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1627151860570410052.post-12415477593298411742016-07-25T07:35:00.000+05:302016-07-25T17:35:57.498+05:30Sexism and the Workplace<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">No, this has nothing to do with the Happiness Project, but
everything to do with an article I had read quite some time back. An <a href="https://medium.com/girlsay-stories/ad-girl-interrupted-5c3dcc16c94f#.rkk4zogmz" target="_blank"><b>article</b></a>
that created a thousand thoughts and retorts in my head, but me being the lazy
person that I am, I never really got down to actually putting them on paper (or
to be more precise, MS Word).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And perhaps that’s for the best. It’s a sensitive topic, and
writing about work is something I usually prefer steering clear of on my blog,
if for no other reason, to at least not get fired for my words.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But this is something that really should be written about. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So when the article went viral recently, it saw a lot of
friends and acquaintances jumping in and talking about how much they agreed
with it. It’s the story of a girl in the advertising industry, and the insane
amount of sexual discrimination she faced in her career. Let me at the outset
be clear, I have not worked in the advertising industry, and if this is
industry specific, I would not be aware of it. But at the same time, what she
faced seemed so extreme, my first reaction was, what if she really is a
horrible person to work with, and hence lost all those jobs and opportunities?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But then I wondered, what IF she was right? What IF she
really did face that level of discrimination? What a horrible experience to
have at work, over and over and over again. What if others are going through
that as well?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">At this moment, I have to say I’ve been lucky to have worked
in organizations and teams where at least knowingly I have never faced
discrimination of the kind mentioned by the writer. I haven’t been skipped for
promotions because there was a guy in my team who got it instead. Nor have I
been told that I am difficult to work with (<i>yet</i>).
In fact, some of my bosses I’m pretty sure didn’t even realize I was a girl so
to say, and for that I absolutely love them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But that doesn’t mean the workplaces have been completely
free of sexism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Nobody <i>knowingly</i>
has ever discriminated against me, I think. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And that’s the biggest issue. Everything is done without
knowledge, without a thought… Things that are so harmless that they shouldn’t
matter, and yet, added up over the years, they do. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As my luck would have it, I have always worked in roles
where my team has majorly been made up of men, with women as a far minority,
because somehow you just don’t have as many women who deal with numbers and
excel. I don’t know why or how, but that’s how it seems to be. And it’s made no
difference in my head. But over the years I’ve heard a lot of things.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I was <i>jokingly</i>
told by a colleague that I shouldn’t expect a promotion in the team that I
joined, since only girls with moustaches do well there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I was <i>jokingly</i>
told by a senior, how a pretty girl in the team manages to get all her work
done quickly by our client, and I should try her methods as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A client, a senior head of department would watsapp me good
morning every day on the pretext of getting an update on the project. Weirdly,
my male colleague was asked for no such good morning updates.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Another client inferred that his colleagues were asking him
to extend the project I was working on, so I stick around longer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I’ve been reprimanded by a female colleague for wearing a
dress (one which fell below my knee, mind you) in an organization where there
were only seven women, as against a hundred men. Because, well, how can you
dress like that in a place with dominated by men (Like, whaaaa???)?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And then there are the super subtle harmless ones. Harmless,
but annoying. Ones that you can avoid so easily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Don’t hire me because I’m a girl, and you need a better
gender ratio in your team. Hire me because I was the best suited for the job.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Don’t assume I’ll order food for the team lunch, or decide
where to dine just because I’m a girl. Ask me to do that because you like my
choice in food.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If your values forbid you from abusing in front of women, then
don’t. Don’t abuse and then apologize because I’m in the room. Whether or not I
have an issue with expletives becomes irrelevant at that point. It just makes
things awkward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Don’t ask me leave office early because I’m a girl and it’s
getting dark. How about you don’t work that late? Don’t make me miss out on
important meetings that the men can attend, and women aren’t able to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If I am not asking for special concessions because I have a
meal to prepare / clothes to wash / housework to do / kids to get home to,
then, don’t ask me to do anything at the workplace specifically because you
think <i>girls</i> can do it better. Like,
why should a <i>girl</i> present a bouquet
to a guest speaker at the office? Like, <i>really</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Work place behaviour is so complex, I find myself
contradicting my own thoughts very often. I consider myself a feminist, and yet
so many practicalities get in the way. Some people call it wanting the best of
both the worlds, but this world isn’t perfect, and as much as I want to be
equal to the men, I find I want some considerations. I don’t want to travel
back home alone post 11pm. I do want my preferences and comfort levels to be
taken into account when planning team outings. And if tomorrow, in the middle
of a lot of work pressure, I was asked to choose between hiring a girl about to
start a family (with promises of a maternity leave and a lot of shorter office
days ahead), and a guy with the same experience, but maybe marginally weaker, I
can’t honestly say who I’ll give the job to. And for that, I hate myself, and
the current work environment, and pray that I never have to make that choice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But people do make that choice, every day. And I don’t see
that choice changing, unless we see a major overhaul of the entire work culture
in this country. And maybe some things can’t be helped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But these silly unknowing tiny sexist choices can.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Because really, what’s our excuse for that?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">P.S. One of my biggest fears in life is that one day, when
I’m leading a team, I’ll be labelled as a stereotypical bitchy female boss. Isn’t
it weird that <i>that</i> should be my fear
at the workplace? Not if I’ll be able to manage the job, but whether my juniors
will dislike working with me because I’m a female boss, and most female bosses
are absolute bitches? If they’ll comment on how it’s <i>that</i> time of the month for me, always? It’s funny how we never make
that comment about cranky male bosses, no?</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1627151860570410052.post-5752373395044298732016-07-15T07:53:00.000+05:302016-07-15T11:00:25.974+05:30Of Uncle-Aunty Gyms and The Happiness Project<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-Cv_fIFQLaEAa321PEZxhctdCRk4SfsIUeJ5ErnGu982WLWKHaVgonfleAKtuSJowApr1cLQLrhe9Vh6-oTuj8v2OQAo85Tg6YRyOZnoy8ULllFH49jgKT6rL9dWiyo8bEQnsbweGVk9/s1600/gym.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="455" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-Cv_fIFQLaEAa321PEZxhctdCRk4SfsIUeJ5ErnGu982WLWKHaVgonfleAKtuSJowApr1cLQLrhe9Vh6-oTuj8v2OQAo85Tg6YRyOZnoy8ULllFH49jgKT6rL9dWiyo8bEQnsbweGVk9/s640/gym.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So of course I’ve been annoying people with reminders about
their happiness projects, and gotten everything from grunts to confused looks.
Also random texts about, <i>yeh kya bakwass hai?<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And no, don’t worry, I’m not explaining it all over again.
But more importantly, what I’m seeing is different versions of the project
popping up, and that makes it all worth it! You see, it doesn’t matter whether
you made a list of resolutions and an excel to track it. Or whether it’s daily
resolutions or doing something different that makes you happy every day. Because
the entire point of this project was one simple thing, really, take some time
out and think about what makes you happy. And all the variants are doing that,
in one way or the other. And that’s really all that matters!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In related news, while I haven’t been super successful in
most of my goals this week (missed hitting the gym in between, missed sleeping
by 10.30 on MULTIPLE counts!), it still has been fun to think about these
things at the end of the day and hope to do better tomorrow. On the other hand,
I have actually found a tiny voice in my head chastising me for getting annoyed
at work or elsewhere and poking me to see the brighter side, or at least <i>create</i> one. And that tiny voice, as
annoying as it might be, helps.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The one goal that makes me the happiest though, is going to
the gym. Now this is one activity I genuinely enjoy, I love the aching muscles
at the end of a session, that reminder with each step that “Hey! You actually
have muscles here dodo!”. And while I have visited gyms quite a few times in
Andheri in hopes to sign up, I’ve been dissuaded rather easily. Yes, the timing
and distance and need for sleep have been major reasons for not sticking to my earlier
gym routine, but another major reason is, there is no such thing as an <b><i>actual</i></b>
gym in Andheri West.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Let me explain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Those of you familiar with Andheri West and Lokhandwala,
would also be familiar with the majority of the population this little township
boasts of. Yup, all the starlets and strugglers, and a lot of directors and
producers. So, it’s hardly surprising when you realize that 90% of the Andheri
West population is highly fit. In fact, <i>fit</i>
is an understatement. Rippling muscles, six packs, and washboard abs describes
it better. And while the entire area is filled with fancy gyms, all you find in
them are <i>already</i> fit people. Already
fit people who come to the gym as dressed up as when they go to the party.
Because, that’s just how it’s done.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And then I enter the fancy gym. Baggy t-shirt and sweat and
insecure fat. Conscious of how much the treadmill might shake, and how the 1kg dumbbell refuses to go over my shoulder. All the while looking at some TV star
who was until recently fighting with a snake-turned-woman on screen flexing his
pecks. With the snake-turned-woman flashing the latest branded sports bra and
perfect abs near him. And chances of my stint with the gym lasting get
considerably reduced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But I recently discovered a small treasure in the midst of
this protein shake jungle. A tiny gym, inside a society, with unfriendly
timings and no fancy equipment ti records every centimetre of you and remind me how little I worked out, <i>you silly
pig</i>. With an average membership demographic of 40+ years of age, this gym
is full of real people, with real fat. And women who wear actual baggy t
shirts on <i>top</i> of their sports bras. You know, because actual women sweat.
And don’t always look like Nike Ads. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And I absolutely love it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Even though the instructor suddenly decided I needed to do
squats. And I couldn’t really get back up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Even though I am now acutely aware that even my butt has
muscles, and they can ache bloody murder.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Even though all the Uncles & Aunties can kick my ass at
crunches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I feel <i>happy.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
</div>
Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1627151860570410052.post-43092190392115798362016-07-12T07:56:00.003+05:302016-07-12T12:27:35.268+05:30Your Happiness Project<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjK0QN8cU2tW-TYIzKk4kZSNrXEyZCXn363yKP7Gqam4hhoenJA9dHLDqCBlSvN3LSbw7DgSDKWBSAMYwKceXFmyk58c4nMg7m7X8pZ4YxA3zJtxrBAR8rC5IVYvtC3VJ3QvRSBpGeu2JY/s1600/happy2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="451" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjK0QN8cU2tW-TYIzKk4kZSNrXEyZCXn363yKP7Gqam4hhoenJA9dHLDqCBlSvN3LSbw7DgSDKWBSAMYwKceXFmyk58c4nMg7m7X8pZ4YxA3zJtxrBAR8rC5IVYvtC3VJ3QvRSBpGeu2JY/s640/happy2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So now it’s time to actually get down to business. It might
sound a bit tiring or tedious, but bear with me and read this through. In case
you have no clue what I’m talking about to begin with, you might want to read
the intro post to this project <i><a href="https://wherehopelives.blogspot.in/2016/07/the-happiness-project.html?showComment=1468298382426#c1391258793228384844" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a></i>. The
original Happiness Project lasted a year, but given my lifestyle and tendency
to really not manage anything long term, I’m proposing a <b>3 month project</b>. A quarter sounds pretty doable, no? While that’s
what the duration of <i>my</i> project will
be, the beauty of this is there really is no format. Every project is unique,
and you could choose to just plan a one month project, or an adventurous 5 year
plan (who are you, exceptionally planned latter human being?!). In Gretchen
Rubin’s words:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>“Your happiness project can start anytime and last as long
as you choose. You can start small (putting your keys away in the same place
every night) or big (repairing your relationships with your family). It’s
totally up to you.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Resolutions, as mentioned in my earlier post, are integral
to this project. They’re the pillars of deeds that will add tiny increments of
happiness to your day. And hence, it’s highly important to take some time to
think about what your resolutions will be. You could try answering the
following questions, truthfully to yourself:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><i>What makes you feel good?</i></b> What activities do you find fun,
satisfying, or energizing? What did you love to do as a kid but no longer have
time for, or are maybe too embarrassed to do now? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><i>What makes you feel bad?</i></b> What are sources of anger, irritation,
boredom, frustration, or anxiety in your life? One of the facts to accept about
happiness is that it isn’t just positive actions that lead to happiness, it’s
also the lack of negative actions. Do you get annoyed returning to a messy
house (I know I do)? Do you have a bad temper, and snap at people, but later
feel bad about it? Are you so negative at work that you sap all your
motivation? Maybe try to eliminate some of the factors that annoy you? Maybe
try to change your behaviour or attitude towards your work? Maybe remember to
count to 10 every time someone says something stupid, instead of responding
sarcastically?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Is there any way in which you don’t feel right about your life?</i></b>
Do you wish you could change your job, city, family situation or circumstance?
Are you living up to your expectation of yourself? Are you the best wife, mom
or team member you know you can be?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Are you growing?</i></b> Are you learning new skills? Meeting new
people? Understanding different cultures? Reading news? Listening to different
opinions?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Answering these questions can help identify areas that need
work, or activities you’d like to undertake. Once done, form specific goals
that seem measurable. For example, ‘Go to the gym everyday’ is more specific
than ‘Get fit’. Again, these aren’t new year’s resolutions. These are simple
deeds meant to become habits to lead to a happier, satisfied you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Finally, figure out a way of tracking your happiness goals.
I’m using a print out of this <i><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8pxV9WrH29YeFBxYXlvQno1N1k/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank"><b>excel</b></a></i>,
and putting ticks and crosses each day. You could customize this same sheet for
yourself, or use a habit app, create your own chart, post its, diary, whatever
rocks your boat! Though, I have to mention, research indicates things written
and drawn by hand are ingrained far more than prints and apps. <i>Just saying</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So to get your started, I’m outlining what my happiness
resolutions are like. I’m starting off with the ones I have for the first
month, starting yesterday:</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ol>
<li><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;">Go to the
gym</b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;">: A recent tryst with a back spasm brought into light what I was
ignoring for a long time. I had the muscles and stamina of an 80 year old. 14
hours a day spent sitting in office or a cab, followed by sleeping just doesn’t
help. And with my current hours, it’s always too easy to say there’s no time to
actually exercise. It’s true, but easy. So once the physiotherapist looked at
me with pitying eyes, I realized it was time to make things a little difficult.
I signed up for a gym near my house, and now am in the process of trying to get
up at 5.30 AM every day and push myself out of my comfy bed and onto a
treadmill. Moreover, this isn’t just about getting healthier. I’ve spent my
whole life battling with weight. I’ve never been fat, but never really slim.
And yo-yo-ing weight doesn’t do much for the self esteem. I find myself rather
depressed when I try to try on jeans, and realize my waist size has gone up, or
try to fit into last year’s dress only to realize it’s no longer possible. </span><i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;">That’s</i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;"> the kind of sadness I can really
do without!</span></li>
<li><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;">Sleep by
10.30pm:</b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;"> This is something I’d love to do, but given I only reach home post
9, is quite a challenge. It’s just so tempting to catch yet another show or
movie on TV, or just stay put on the sofa out of sheer inertia. More than
anything, I hate the thought of my day including only office and sleep. But
given that now I’m trying to fit in more stuff into my day, and that my day’s
starting earlier, getting into bed by 10.30 is more a requirement than a
good-to-have point on this list!</span></li>
<li><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;">Read half
hour every day: </b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;">Simply because reading actually makes me feel calm, gives
the feeling of time well spent, and alleviates my bad mood pretty fast. I do
usually manage to catch up on my kindle during travel hours, but if not, half
hour before bed is a must!</span></li>
<li><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;">Don’t
crib!:</b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-indent: -18pt;"> Now THIS is the biggie. If you think getting up at 5.30 is going to
be hard, this is going to be so much tougher for someone like me! It’s just so
easy to get grumpy and sarcastic about life and everything in it. It’s so easy
to be pissed off by taxi drivers who refuse to take you where you want, a job
that’s too demanding, colleagues who don’t get along with you, even family and
your spouse. Life is difficult. And it’s SO easy to make it sound exactly that,
difficult. But, if there’s one thing I’ve realized, my mood rubs onto those
around me and vice versa. Even if I start my day on a good note, a cribby
colleague get’s me cribbing as well. And then everything looks so much worse
than it is! I get annoyed even more than I should, react worse, snap harder. So
this one is about me making a conscious effort to take things in their stride,
to try and see the positive, to realize that life isn’t as bad as I’m making it
seem. And if you do hear me crib, point it out, just so I’m more aware, just so
I’m reminded to make an effort. Because I’ll need all the help I can with this
one!</span></li>
</ol>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Other resolutions for the coming
months include learning belly dance, sorting out my finances, finally writing
my novel, concentrating more on my freelancing etc. You get the drift!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So this is what I propose, think
about the questions posed above, make a list of everything you think could make
you happy, or less annoyed at the very least. Shuffle them to see what you want
to tackle head on first, and distribute amongst the length of your project. I’d
suggest start small, maybe half an hour dedicated to painting every day, maybe
an hour of </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">‘me time’ away from all family
duties, maybe some time in office dedicated to work that you love… the
possibilities are endless!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I’d love for you to share your
goal chart online on Facebook or here in the comments, and let me know of your
status and how you’re doing. Of course, while I would love this, it’s totally
up to you. If you’d rather keep it a secret, if there are certain resolutions
that are private, feel free to keep it with you. I’ll be sharing all my updates
here, and would love to hear from you! So don’t forget to tag me if you do
share something publicly! Put up your gym selfie... Your little notes to self... A pic of your progress chart. Document it however you like! Let’s catch up at least once a week to see how we’re
doing, no? Because while this might not work, what if it does? What do we
really have to lose, by trying to be a little happier?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So go on, #GetHappy!</span></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
</div>
Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1627151860570410052.post-13497270247913621322016-07-11T16:56:00.004+05:302016-07-11T16:59:59.983+05:30The Happiness Project<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju2BQGLj4bT86FAtpREwU4WxPCyP5jI11zqvUPgoYRMBojOIGymB1uxks-QkNG9eHXNzK_RM07PCL2_wr0EoI0y5OcerMT9FZsssZ3nNY9h6VTyZqIXwLSwM6V0UkYRWg2Bm-N0gBJOxmw/s1600/happiness+project.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju2BQGLj4bT86FAtpREwU4WxPCyP5jI11zqvUPgoYRMBojOIGymB1uxks-QkNG9eHXNzK_RM07PCL2_wr0EoI0y5OcerMT9FZsssZ3nNY9h6VTyZqIXwLSwM6V0UkYRWg2Bm-N0gBJOxmw/s400/happiness+project.jpg" width="383" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I recently chanced upon a book by Gretchen Rubin, in which she
documents a project of self-discovery undertaken by her called, you guessed it,
<i>The Happiness Project</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Now anyone who knows me even half-decently, would pretty much
know I’m one crib-pot of a human being. It isn’t something I’m proud of, but
the simple fact is, shit happens, and my life seems to be a bit full of it.
Given this awesome nature of mine (Oh, and sarcasm seems to totally flourish in
my head), I was naturally intrigued by the topic of this experiment. The simple
thought that happiness could be turned into a controllable year-long project
with actual results seemed a bit laughable. But intriguing, nonetheless.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So I spent an entire day pouring over her book, and was
pleasantly surprised. And a bit <i>inspired</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This isn’t necessarily just a project for people who are
miserable, looking to be happy. In fact, her research revealed that majority of
people claim to be happy. And I’m sure, so are most of you. In fact, despite
all my cribbing, so am I. After all, I have a good life, a happy marriage, a
decent job, a loving family and good health, all basic markers of happiness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But do I think I’m as happy as I have the potential to be?
Definitely not. There’s always a happier image in mind, of how life <i>should be</i>, rather than <i>is</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And what do we have to do to be as happy as possible?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The truth of the matter is, while grand gestures like quitting
your job to travel, moving cities or countries, taking a sabbatical are often
on our minds (well, at least on mine), they’re tough to accomplish and usually
far off. So it’s a little sad to stay sad in lieu of them, isn’t it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>The Happiness Project</i> is actually about identifying tiny
deeds to be done every day that could increase your happiness. And I don’t mean
like tiny deeds of kindness and selflessness (though if that’s what makes you
happy, sure, go ahead!). I mean absolutely selfish things, done purely after
introspecting what you’d like to do, or not do, that could contribute that tiny
marginal amount of happiness in your day. It could take some time to identify
these deeds (or resolutions as Gretchen called them), or they could pop up in
your mind as the most obvious thing ever. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And unlike New Year’s resolutions, which are literally meant
to be broken, these deeds are divided across the months. Start with a few small
changes, track them on a daily basis, and next month add a few more!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">You’re reading this because either I tagged you, or you
somehow managed to tumble upon my blog. Either way, as it’s quite obvious by
now, I’m embarking on a Happiness Project of my own, and I’d really like to
encourage you all to do the same.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It will require some introspection, some nerdy tracking and quite
some bit of will power. But isn’t it all totally worth it if at the end of it
all, you feel better… <i>happier</i>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Thousands of people across the world claim their projects
worked. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So, what’s the harm in trying?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I’ll put up further details about exactly how to go about
this project, and my own project resolutions soon (since this post has already
become a bit too long). I hope some of you find it in you to take this up,
because I’d love to see how it’s helping, and how different it can be for each
person, and share our progress and experiences. Either way, I’m going to be
boring the crap out of you with my own experience here, so, oh well!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Shreyahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00412756553910777775noreply@blogger.com2