Writing101 : trying my hand at dialogues!

Focus today’s post on the contrast between two things. The twist? Write the post in the form of a dialogue.

“He didn’t call again, doesn’t remember me like I miss him!” she said through gritted teeth.

“Must have dozed off, you know his habit.” she replied calmly with her voice trying to calm her.

“How can he just doze off without even thinking of me?” she asked angrily.

“He would wake up dreaming of you!” she replied smilingly.

“I really look forward to that daily call, you know. Why isn’t it important to him?” she asked, more sadly.

“It is, that’s why he calls everyday! Just slipped in doing so today”

“Aaaargh! Yesterday too he was so sleepy. Has time for everything else but me” she vented again!

“Calm down! No point arguing over this and ruining your day. He has slept and you still have half the day waiting for you!” she tried reasoning to calm her.

“I wish he understood me and my small needs” she wished, her head drooping low.

“He will! With time!” she ensured.

“How long? Been together for forever now!” she asked impatiently.

“Have patience!”

“Seem to be running out of it lately”, she sighed.

I opened my eyes, inhaled deep and continued with my Excel sheet.

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Writing101: My special person of 2014!

Today, you’ll write about the most interesting person you’ve met in 2014. In your twist, develop and shape your portrait further in a character study.

I was glad to get role rotation in my career path as I had lots of problems in my previous role and used to remain quite tensed and tired. My new role was more about writing, analyzing and talking to people everyday. However with new role rotation came the new desk. I was quite skeptical about the move and to sit with another department. Again the whole cycle of trying to befriend new faces. I didn’t manage to build a very friendly relation with my previous neighbors (colleagues who sit next to me) and didn’t want to expect anything any more. I simply chose to believe that making friends with co-workers was perhaps something not in my destiny.

Here is where my work life turned a new leaf. My new neighbor, a friendly girl of a short height but a very big heart, with straight but fluffy hair and a contagious smile started talking to me. She is fair in complexion, black hair reaching just beyond her shoulders and a petite figure. She is very soft spoken and polite by nature, always curious about things she doesn’t know and a patient listener. She also has a big chest of knowledge regarding cultures, traditions, languages and more and she loves sharing (I love listening). I come from a different culture compared to most of my co-workers and faced a lot of language barrier, and if not that then sometimes, they did not want to associate with me because I look different. She broke those barriers and treated me as an equal. She did not alienate me!

I started to looking forward to come to office as she would look up smiling everyday never mind come rain or sunshine, and we both would greet each other ‘Morning!’. Soon our conversations became more than that and I learnt her love for music. She can sing so many English songs and is currently learning to play piano. We found our common liking of series like ‘Glee’, ‘Once upon a time’ and movies like ‘Frozen’. We also started hanging out together and doing new things starting from trying new cuisines to Zumba class and even entertained the idea of learning German (well that didn’t suit our schedules so we had to drop the idea) I was amazed by her zest to try new things. She even went to watch movies of my culture on my recommendation and liked them. I started finding many similarities between her and me.

Although I know her before year 2014 but I actually came to know her in year 2014 and she made my life better by simply her presence. Today I can proudly say that I too have a friend among my co-workers. She has also helped me a lot to understand the different culture and language and we share our problems. She listens to me even though I am younger than her. As I am not as hardworking as her, she made me understand lessons on ‘how and why one needs to take their work seriously’. She has indirectly inspired me for many things in life. Her positive outlook to life and the will to strive for things that she wants in life are among the other lessons that I learnt. I will definitely miss her once I leave this place but for now I thank God for her, as without her, I would not have made it through so many days in office. 🙂

 

my colleague!

Yes I am in love! I am in love!

I see him everywhere; something about someone reminds me of him,

If there is nothing to remind, I still recall him, wishing for him to be here, wishing for him to be near.

Those honey brown eyes, quite fascinating, quite unique

Love makes me understand what is the want to take a plunge into lovers’ eyes.

When he is at peace, looking at them brings me certain calm on the inside,

When he looks at me lovingly, they seem to change their color to molten honey,

When he is angry, hot lava spreads in them

Yet all in all, I always hope to remain in their shadow, to have him glance over me all time

Yes, I am in love.. I am in love

His perfectly arched eyebrows and those long tender lashes,

Bird’s beak like nose, so cute, so glistening

The curve of your smile, setting all other curves straight

That majestic beard, so soft, so nice

His turban, quite distinctive in style

His style, quite different, quite cool.

Him, his hug; my home, my peace

Yes, I am in love.. I am in love

Strength to cross oceans hand in hand yet the nervousness over the grip

Hopes to make to our happy ever after yet the uncertainty based on todays’ actions

Wishes for a family of our own but anxious to be first accepted by his’ and make them my own

May god stand by us like he always did, may we keep holding on to the faith

May we make it happy and healthy, may the lord be ever so great

Growing up brings many questions; may we find our answers or realize other questions are wrong

May we not take each other for granted but cherish all the limited time we have got together

Life is beautiful when I am by his side, both of us can tackle any tide

May god give us wisdom and courage to always stick together!

‘Papa, I want to get married’ says now the grown up daughter.

Yes, I am in love.. I am in love

 

(my hand at writing poems, wrote it months back, just thought of sharing:)

Writing 101:Random Letter

You stumble upon a random letter on the path. You read it. It affects you deeply, and you wish it could be returned to the person to which it’s addressed. Write a story about this encounter.

Today’s twist: Approach this post in as few words as possible.

(I know I am super late but I had got the time wrong )

It’s snowing and the mail box is ice cold with a post-card waiting to be eagerly read. I pick it with my brown gloved hands and see grassy landscape with two white puppies peering through the front, twist the card around to read ‘Send Kathy over for John by 5pm, let them make some babies’. What!?? I re-read the neat hand writing on the lined background. How absurd does this sound? What is the writer talking about? And what is this mail doing in my mail box? Who is this message for? Why is poor Kathy being talked of in a way that she doesn’t have her wish? I don’t think I like John already! I find the writing indecent, my thoughts are almost vulgar. I make a face and decide against taking this sheet of puzzlement inside my home. I put it in the garbage bin but end up taking it home, in my mind!

 

writing101: one of my greatest loss

“How is your fever today and the stomach?”

“It’s better, so sweet of you to ask!”

“How was your day? Had fun in your world civilization class?”

“It was actually good, we learnt about Michael Angelo and his creations. The teacher showed a slideshow … (conversation continues)”

“Lets go out tonight, which cuisine do you prefer?”

“All is okay with me as long as I have not imagined something and set my mind on it, you know me!”

The one asking questions is my friend, always concerned, always thinking of me and showering me with his care and love.

The one replying is me relishing his concern, cherishing his attention and presence and imagining a rosier future.

There are certain figures like that in our lives with whom we connect in a special manner and feel the happiest with our own self . We enjoy thunder rains and hot blazing Sun with them. They are so special and each moment with them passes just too quick to hold on to. So much positivity, hope and mutual dreams float around  that one forgets reality and believe in those dreams to be present and the future.

So what happened? Oh just the general… we grew up! and not quite the way we had dreamt of. Today our conversations are more of mere sentences and replies of one word. I really don’t know about his world and because I started feeling so, I shut him out of my world. I don’t know how his day goes or what touches him. He knows nothing about me either. I keep it to myself but I do still want to share everything with him and learn about his days. I try to ask some times, he doesn’t reply much. His reluctance pushes me away, but I do miss him.

We grew up but are still together but not actually together. I lost my friend in him and sometimes I think, he too lost his friend in me which was a reciprocation actually. I don’t know if he misses me? I miss him! I would even be happy to just restart the whole process to be friends again because even though today we are surrounded by only negative vibes when together, there was a day that positive vibes didn’t leave us. Today we end up arguing whenever we talk and our respective ego has become a barrier but I remember days of pure happiness and joy.

I miss our friendship and his companionship. Sometimes I wish to be able to revive time but that cant happen in ‘real’ world so, I wish for us to let go of our negative feelings and embrace the warmth of friendship we feel for each other.  I want to spend time with him and find myself wondering how the hours ticked by so fast and not count the minutes. I want to go for those brunches we used to do and spend the day happily. I miss how I happy I used to feel around him. I miss his smiling face.

Writing101: my 3 fave songs!

Thinking of my three favorite songs… well I am not allowed to think hmmm. Since I am fluent in two Indian languages and have a lot of Indian cultural knowledge, I like many Indian songs and they relate to various phases of my life. In the sense, if I listen to one of those songs, I get transported directly into that time and amazingly, I also get enveloped by those emotions that I felt during that particular time in my life… does that make sense?

My favorite childhood song even though I couldn’t sing it (that urge to put a coma in front of ‘song’ but can’t go back… free writing) was ‘yuhi kat jaayenge din saath chalne se’ from the movie Hum Hai Rahi Pyaar ke (means we are companions in love) and the song means that difficult days would all pass by walking together and we will reach our destination. However, during my childhood I couldn’t figure out the meaning, what I use to like was that there are kids in this song and a lot of naughtiness and fun. I like the actors: Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla (her laugh haha). There was a scene in this movie where they use to throw eggs out on to other people and I used to find this scene way funnier than I find it now (I grew up!).

My second favourite song is from my teen years and its a favorite till date (I misspelled my first favorite in this sentence… that Red line aaaa). This song is in fact from my favorite movie too ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’. Its quite a famous movie directed by Karan Johar (One of India’s biggest directors) and actors are Shahrukh Khan, Rani Mukherjee, Kajol and little girl Sana Khan. My favorite song from this movie is the title song itself “tum paas aaye..yu muskuraaye…tumne najaane kya…sapne dikhaaye’. I can play this song to lift my mood whever and it always works (smiling correctly… just realized I misspelled whenever aaaa). The song means ‘you came near and smiled this way and you have no idea what all dreams you have shown me’. I also like the fact that the song is quite romantic.

My third favorite song is actually quite latest I must say and it is probably a favorite song of many people. I like the ‘let it go’ song from Frozen. Besides the fact that Elsa turns hot in this song and her attire is amazing (haha) I like the meanings. Its a good let-all-my-frustrations out song. Singing this song aloud makes me feel better whenever things aren’t going my way and gives me sense of relief (temporarily yaah but it works). I like Demi Lovato’s version better though, I find her voice really powerful. And now that I have written about all this, let it go is ringing in my head so lets let go of this assignment now as times up 🙂

Seviyaa di kheer (Indian sweet dish)

Mom made seviyaa di kheer. I dislike normal rice kheer and thus seviyaa are made especially in Mehak’s honor. I run and hop towards the fridge, open it, feel cold air on my face, frantically search for that dabba with glorious milky liquid sequined with seviyaa and almonds and keep it out on to the table. Quickly fish the biggest spoon possible and am gonna start right from the dabba “Mehak! don’t start eating from the dabba itself, leave some for others too!!” Aww man…how does she (my mom) know me so well! Goes and gets a small bowl and takes just one portion  But hey! she didn’t stop me from taking many portions  seviyaaaa…

Place I would like to be at right now

The place I’d like to be in right now  instead this office chair and finely lit top floor of the building would be a place where I can close my eyes, feel all my worries leaving me one by one and burden on my shoulders lessening. A place where I can smell that familiar fragrance that I know of since I was born, be caressed with those gentle hands and yet feel most protected, cocoon myself into a ball and shut the world out.

I would like to place my head in my mothers lap with her caressing my head and saying reassuring words that I hold on to, drive strength from, I would like to put my head in her small yet spacious lap that feels better than any other pillow and look at the crack of sunlight coming through fully drawn curtained window in my room. My room, it feels like haven of peace to me, it’s decorated in the shades of sunset and evening Sun light completes the whole look. Walls are in shade of dark peach and the ceiling in the shade of a faint peach. Opening my eyes while lying in my mothers lap and seeing this magic of shades and light unfold brings me a certain sense of peace.

I find my bed very comfortable too, not soft like hotel beds and not hard like marble flooring, just good enough for my back to let go of all the built up tension. I close my eyes and feel her hands caress my forehead. I open my eyes and see her  reflection in the mirror doors of my almirah facing my bed. I see our reflections. I see her using my Orange colored pillow as a back rest against the wall behind my bed. I see my orange and brown striped quilt nicely folded at the foot of my bed covered in Orange and yellow polka dots colored bed sheet. I close my eyes and again submerge into the darkness to feel her hand going through my hair and her love giving me warmth through out my body, enough to strengthen me through any battle. I open my eyes.

I look at the clock that till date is waiting to be hung on to the wall. Its an Orange colored clock with silver needles sitting on another small wooden cabinet in my room next to the Brown mahogany bathroom door. It strikes five thirty pm. I am glad more than half the day is gone. I see mess of my earrings, bracelets and bits of paper next to the clock. I promise to tidy the place, not just now. I see silver paint coming off handles of the cabinet underneath the clock. All things wear out, just like us. I close my eyes.

I feel her tiny hands and inhale the smell of lemongrass, her favorite soap. I open my eyes, I see the wall towards my left and glance at the mosaic of our family pictures. Everyone dressed and smiling in their individual frames. I think of the day when number of frames would increase on this wall as more members get added into the family. I smile. I realize they are my strength and the makers of my identity. I don’t know what would I have done without them. Each one with their own fragrance. I close my eyes and hug my mom and push my head into her tummy. I feel completely at peace. I tell her “this is world’s best place for me, no comparison, I love you mom!”.

20 free minute writing assignment!

What do I begin with? I am new to this. I have a passion for books and writing in my diaries and after reading lots of fiction based books (and chic lit), I cook up certain instances with a view of writing my own book some day.

If I could get another chance, may be I would have taken writing more seriously as now I am a bit shy and presume that others would find nothing great in the way I write. I know you will say its wrong to assume on someone else’s behalf but hey! we all are human at the end of the day and over thinking is one of the best parts of us.

Writing liberates me, doesn’t always solve things, increases the mess rather but still, helps me reduce my headache. I never go back to read my diaries for they take me back to that very moment and if it wasn’t a good one, I end up clouding my today with the skies of yesterday.

I am glad we have words in our life but after words comes understanding which doesn’t come to everyone, this I am talking in relation to spoken words or even written actually. If we all value what we say or hear and quickly apologize or forgive when one uses words wrongly, world would be a better place.

It’s these words that take us places: from kindergarten rhymes to middle school history classes to high school science classes to college business projects to a job interview. It’s these words that make me imagine sitting behind Harry Potter on his broom and zooming through Quidditch fields to seeing Bella when Edward left her OR seeing Italy through Dan Brown’s eyes in Inferno to laughing and being unable to keep down any Chetan Bhagat book.

I love the power these words as they are able to affect biggest of the kings to the meekest peasant. They can strengthen you or destroy you, make you love or hate, take you high in the sky or bring you down crashing. Yes! these words, yet you can’t touch them (well yes you can write and touch but not in real sense).

Humans did find a way to lock them by seal of signatures and bond of words after which there is no turning back. We did find a way to manipulate these words into such a sequence to be able to cheat or to be able to gain someone’s affection. We definitely found ways to play with them.

However, words are amazing to be able to make us feel without exactly touching us and yet being able to touch the deepest part of us. Words indeed are amazing for they take such a small space on paper but can create (or cement) bigger spaces in our hearts.

I love words. But I request you to handle them with care for these mighty words are very powerful. They are a gift to the mankind and its our duty to use them positively because life would be hell if you are surrounded with negative words only and life would be at mute, if there aren’t any words in our lives.