APED: Train of Life

Sitting huddled near the window of an almost empty First Class Ladies compartment in the Mumbai Local, clad in a red kurta and jeans, with clunky junk jewelry adorning her ears and neck, colorful bangles on her wrist sounding like distant bells with a big tote bag on her right, an open book on her lap and legs kept crossed on the empty seat in front of her.

It made a perfect picture of serenity looking at her, wisps of loose hair, adorning her face made her look like a little grown up pixie.

Looking outside the window, she saw the full round moon following he, cutting through the clouds, it looked as if the moon was was protecting her like silent protective lover, calm, quiet and bright. Just like her mind, which had a million emotions piling up at this very moment.

The rhythmic "khadak khadak" of the train was like a lullaby to her tired body. Moving on slowly from station to station, sometimes the platforms on the left, sometimes the right.
Many people getting in the train and getting off it.

Just like life, every train is a person and the tracks are life
Everyone has a destination to reach,
Some reach there fast, some reach there slow
Many trains have gone through the way that you are going on, many train will in future come by the same way
On the way many people, get in and get off at different stations of life
The stops of your life, like the station are sometimes on the right, sometimes left and sometimes both the ways
The other trains are like the people who pass by us.
Strangers become friends, friends become strangers
Some people get pushed, some get a permanent place
Some smiles, some anger, some hate, some love
Some trains have made a mark somewhere, some are just another everyday trains

Trains breakdown too...people hurls stones at it when angry...they garland it when happy...just like abuses hurled on a person

Like Life...The trains moves on.......

This post is written for A Prompt Each Day, Prompt 40
This post was written in 2014, I could think that this is apt for this prompt

FSF: Thief

He started from nothing, A selfish man,  A thief in a disguise.

He wanted everything a man could possess, He was ambitious, A thief in disguise.

Along the way, he gathered gold, Along the way, he hurt, killed and stole, For, he was the thief in disguise.

And came that day when, destiny struck its Golden sword, Without no friends, was lying his bloodied body so sore, All the riches, gone and washed away, No one to console, when alone he lay. That day he, loneliness made him realize, He was nothing.

 It was Time always,who is a thief in disguise

This post is written for Lillie Mcferrin - FSF: Thief

Mag 277: Water Girl

Bathers, 1950 by George Tooker

Those long legs

That smooth skin

My eyes follow her all along

In the waters, she leaps

The sun streaming on her golden skin

She comes out, with dripping water on her sculpted self

Oh this girl! she are like a loaded pistol, on my head

She are perfectly innocent, but I can't stop thinking about how she can blow my mind

This post is written for Magpie Tales, Mag 277

APED: Innocent

She has innocent eyes

An angel face

A delicate walk

The way her hips sway, might make any man fall for her way

The personality of a charmer, and instict of a killer

She looks with those big baby eyes and gives a grin, 

Those innocent eyes have more dark secrets than one can imagine

This post is written for A Prompt Each Day, Prompt 36

3-Day Quote Challenge: Day 3: Tribute to Mariyln Monroe

One woman whose looks, whose quotes really amaze me is Mariyln Monroe. She is the fantasy of every man who has lived on this planet.

She was witty, sexy, sarcastic, true and absolutely blunt on what she said, and about how she felt.

Like the above quote,

Life is never a bed of roses, there is always something that might not go the way you like.
There might be people better than you
there might be people, who have or get what you always wanted
There might be times, when you might hate yourself
 But, smile, keep your head high even if you feel like crying, life is beautiful. There are many things in the past, in the present and in the future to smile about, think of all those lovely moments and smile.

XOXO MM, You are one awesome woman

Versatile Blogger Award

Usha Menon. Thank you

Who doesn't like awards?
Who doesn't like to be known by the work they do? especially, the work that they are passionate about.

I am like totally passionate about my blogs,I do write crap many times, but hey that's why i am the Drama Queen.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Usha Menon. You are a darling. I have been reading your blog for about a month now.
Lovely lady, who loves her family especially her grandchildren. God Bless her and them.

Ok, now people who do not know what "Versatile Blogger Award" is here is the gist,
Its an award given in recognition for great commitment, diverse talents and generosity shown by a blogger. Its is a great motivation and celebration of their work in the Blogger's world "Blogosphere"

Whoop! Whoop! *drumrolls*

The Rules, if you get an award is
1. Display it on your blog - *Whistles*

2. Thank the person who nominated you. - Thank you, Usha Menon

3. Share 7 Facts about yourself
a. I am an Aquarian
b. I  love to get my pictures clicked, but I am not that fond of selfies
c. I love to eat junk food, and try out new restaurnats in any city
d. I love all my blogs 
e. I love shopping online & I have never regretted my buys
f. I hate those "feeling loved with" "feeling shitty with" things on Facebook

4. Nominate upto 15 bloggers. Link them in your blog & let them know
Rashmi Kartik
Bekkie
Helena
Gemma
Keith
Rosey
Butterfly Kisses
Dimsribbles
Candy
Vinay
Real Toads
Yolanda
Sreeja

3 Day Quote Challenge: Day 2 - Love

I always wanted to fall in love, and get married.

i am a total Mills & Boon fan. I have grown up reading tall, dark, handsome, rich men saving the damsel in distress and falling head over heels in love with her and sweeping her off her feet.

When the idea of me marrying someone came up, I was 22. My idea of a perfect husband was, drop-dead gorgeous man, with a lovely mane to die for, charming eyes, broad shoulders.
At that age, I was dumb, for me the family, guy's education, his nature didn't matter.

Then I grew up.

I realized, life is not about looks, there is much more to a relationship.

There are fights, bad long loud arguments
There is patching up.
There are lame inside jokes, even lamer names for each other.
There are those never -ending talks
there is sharing pizza's last piece, or keeping the best piece for them
There is encouraging each other to pursue their own interests

In the end, looks were the least important in the list, what topped was communication skills, a man who can make me laugh, is the man I fell in love with

Thank you PWD for nominating me

I nominate Sameen, Mridula & Neha for this challenge

This is what the 3-Day Quote Challenge is all about.

1. Post one of your favorite quotes (different quote on each day) on three consecutive days. The quote can be from your favorite book, author, or your own.
2. Nominate 3 bloggers to challenge them.
3. Thank the blogger, who nominated you.

3 day quote challenge: Day 1 - Sarcasm

This post is written for the 3-Day Quote Challenge, and This is my Day 1

I have always been the person who loves to read funny quotes, keeps me smiling all day.

And, i am known for my sarcasm, and i am married to a man who is 10 times more sarcastic than I am.

The biggest urn off, is a person who is dumb enough to not understand my sarcasm, its like a total waste of energy.

How has this quote inspired me?
Well, its made me popular and witty

SO, yeah

I am allergic to stupidity, and break-out into sarcasm.

Adios

Thank you PWD for nominating me

I nominate Sameen, Mridula & Neha for this challenge

This is what the 3-Day Quote Challenge is all about.

1. Post one of your favorite quotes (different quote on each day) on three consecutive days. The quote can be from your favorite book, author, or your own.
2. Nominate 3 bloggers to challenge them.
3. Thank the blogger, who nominated you.

APED: I am Sorry

It is that hour of the day, when the church bells ring

The sun burns the tar road, where children play

In this crowd, I search one face

There she is, trying to learn and cope with her white cane

Its been two years, to that incident

All I want to do is hold her small soft hands, and say sorry

But, what I do is stand here, looking at her from far

For I am a coward to admit, that I robbed the eyes of the woman I last kissed Goodbye

This post is written for A Prompt Each Day, Prompt 31

Mag 276: That Lady

This was my sister's old house.

Every evening, after like 8pm, this cat used to come to my sister's house. That's why my sister started keeping cat food that remained untouched.

Her neighbor's dog Peanut, howled every time seeing this stray cat.

One evening, my 3 year old niece Mary was sitting on the stairs, facing this window and was making funny faces.

Me: "Mary, What are you doing baby"
Mary: "I am imitating that lady over the window who has her braid around her neck"
Me: "What lady?"
Mary: *pointing towards the window near that cat* that lady

I started walking up the stairs thinking that its just a child playing when, suddenly Mary started to make choking noises. I got petrified, "Baby, are you OK?"

Mary: "Aunt Lou, I am imitating her"

Midsummer Night's Melancholy by Michael Sowa

That's when I realized those "funny faces" Mary was making was actually a woman gasping for breath, hanging with her braid around her neck.

I almost fell off those stairs. That's the day I would never forget in my entire life.

This post is written for Magpie Tales, Mag 276

APED: I am back

I don't know where I am.
I am floating in the air. Below me, my mother is weeping, my brother is consoling her, my father is holding my hand with tears in his eyes, my husband standing behind my dad.

What? Wait, my father is holding MY hand? But, I am floating, what is happening?

Oh, wait

The doctors, Yes, I remember now The Accident. I was brought to the hospital.

The doctors are trying to do something to me?

Am I dead?

What is this bright light?
Is it God? Is this heaven?
Do I have to leave my family already?
But there is so much to say, I have to tell them that I love them. I want to tell them then I am sorry if I have ever hurt them?

I just cant go.


FLASH

*Deeep breath* *gasping for air*

"Mom, dad, Don't cry. i love you guys. I am here, I couldnt just go. Not now"

And I am alive...All over again

This post was written for A prompt Each Day, Prompt #22

FF: What's Up

Teenagers these days think its "cool" to make fun of us old people,

Teen Kid: "Yo, Ol Lady, Wha-ssup"

Me: "The Chandelier"

Trolled by his 78 year old Grandmother - Like a Boss

This post was written for Friday Fictioneers at Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

APED: My ship with White Sails

Image Source: Ship Mary L. Cushing by William G. Yorke (via Wikimedia Commons)

I see it, I see that ship. The biggest ship in these waters. One of the prettiest and the most beautiful ships with white sails.

Bobbing up the waters. The feel of the ship makes me proud. I'm the owner of this ship

The door opens, I turn back.

"Baby, we are done with our bath here, C'mon now, lets dry your ships"

And there dries all my water in the tub.

I am Chan, and I am 2, and I love my ships

This post is written for A Prompt Each day - Prompt - 18

I am not a mistake, I never was

So much to say, but no words

So many reasons to come close but, still the distance

An eerie silence prevails

So many things inside the head, so much to share but something got lost

Something inside broke

So much love, but don't know to how to express

No gain, but so much pain

Something died inside

Some words said, some unsaid

A broken heart, million shards apart

Now lonely and tired,

 Tired of being tested

Tired of saying what it feels

Tired of its innocent words being twisted

Tired of being hurt

It wants to give up,

But it beats alone, It beats for love

With a lesson learnt, its better to be a closed book, than sharing feelings with the one you love.

So many words in the eyes, pleading to be heard

Hands that are trembling, wishing to be held

A body that needs to be hugged

Tears that need to be wiped, wiped for real

I might smile,

That smile is not real

I might talk to you like nothing happened

But inside, I'm not the same

You may  have said something to end a fight

But, I know that I have lost

You may think a gazillion times that I am your mistake

You have always been my blessing

I hugged, you pushed.

I opened my heart,

you broke it

Its not just my heart, Its me who broke inside

Now, my heart will never open up. For, its scared, scared to be hurt again

Today I say,

I am not a mistake, I am real, I am pain, A pain of a broken heart

To make you smile, I would do anything even if it kills me inside.

yet again I say,

But, I am not a mistake, I never was

Mag 271: Memories

What do I see in the picture above?
I see memories, I see an old man and an old woman holding hands, under one umbrella. Smiling at each other.
Old, frail, but still in love with each other.
That hat has seen many suns,many rains, it has seen the hardships that old man has gone through.
That bag might have been his gift, a bag that has extreme sentimental value
That umbrella has seen love, it has seen beautiful memories been made.

What I see? I see eternal love

This post is written for MagPie Tales: Mag 271

New Driver

Confession till 2014: I do not know to drive a car

Confession today (as of 14th May 2015): I am a newbie driver

Confession next month and so on and so forth: I am a pro driver

Tell you what, till date, I was one of those who used to camouflage my "not knowing to drive" thing as "Oh, I have a chauffeur everywhere" dialogue
All these years, my brother has persistently been after my life to learn to drive, and I being lazy always stalled it until I shifted cities, actually a little before that.
There was an incident that just made me realize that you have to know to drive, even if its not as good as a pro.

Before my wedding, we went Saree shopping to this amazing place in some place in interior of South India. We hired a car and reached the place shopped, suddenly our driver started profusely sweating and his left hand started aching.
Yes, he had a minor heart attack, I, my father and my mother, none of us know to drive, luckily for us, the villagers were very helpful, they called a doctor but advised the driver to go to a bigger hospital since this certainly was a minor attack.
Its on humanitarian grounds that he shouldn't drive, one of the village boys knew decent driving and took us back to the city.
Thank God! our driver was safe, bless him
Also, that's the day I realized, driving is not a luxury its a necessity at times.

So, I promised myself that I will join a driving school and start driving, soon will drive like a Pro (Amen!)

Now, that I have started driving, I realize that driving does liberate a girl in some ways.

As on 14th May 2015

In a small way, it makes a person independent.

This new found small independence, makes me feel good every time. But, also it makes me feel sad when I cant do a particular action (say like reversing, I suck at it)

Till yesterday, I was driving the driving school vehicle with the clutch and brake with the instructor, so in a way you know, heart of hearts that if you mess up, someone will save your ass.
But, today my husband, (I don't know where he got that confidence from) let me ride his precious car, the Polo that had just come out of the garage after giving out a 5 figure bill.
Trust me, I was terrified, I was shivering inside, but i did do a good job, coz my husband did have a smile on his face.
Woah! I mean the experience was exhilarating. I have no words.
You know, that feeling when you are in this giant roller coaster, initially you are shit scared, and suddenly, you are free, flying happy, screaming.

I feel like I am on top of the world, flying to Pluto

Yaay! Moi is driver :D

Thank you hubby & my little brother who have put enough trust and confidence in me to lend me their cars to drive. Love you both
XOXO (last line sounds like a Miss India speech, well its a Ms. Driver speech)

Pic Courtesy: Google Images

30 Things I should have told my teen self

Someone in my work place was sighing out real loud "Wish I had done this 10 years back..."

This phrase got me thinking, Things I should have told myself when I was a teen, 

1. You ain't going to be this thin all your life. Stop hogging on junk, eat healthy

2. Work out

3. Parents know the best

4. Its OK to get your heart broken, your present self knows that the guy wasn't worth anything

5. Best friends today, gone tomorrow. People who matter will stay no matter what

6. Heels are bad news

7. You are loved much more than you realize now

8. People who make fun of you today are going to envy you in years to come, so key rule IGNORE

9. Stand up for what you believe in, you're are not alone

10. Patience is the key to success,

11. Apologizing is not going to make you stupid and the other person mighty. It will save a lot of pain

12. You are good at many things, never do it for free

13. Your orkut / facebook/ twitter/blog popularity doesn't matter

14. There is no man whom you can't get over.

15. There is an awesome man who will sweep you off your feet and become your husband

16. Whatever happens, whatever is happening is happening for good

17. Get the right attitude to any job you find, and your work will be awesome

18. Its OK to swear

19. Let people judge you, their opinion is not your concern. People who matter know what you are

20. Don't regret that your life isn't a party, coz Life really isn't a party

21. You don't have to do what everyone says, follow your path, success might be late but there sure is success

22. Save money, trust me someday you will wish that you had saved enough

23. Its OK to bunk and sleep all day.

24. Me time is important and special

25. Enjoy life now, soon the Internet is going to screw you over

26. Its OK to be crazy and be called cray, coz that's what you are crazy and different and awesome

27. You are amazing, don't let anyone tell you otherwise

28. Not everyone is going to like you, ignore people who hate you, Their bad!

29. Its OK to be vulnerable, no one can be strong all the time

30. Dress like what makes you comfortable and not what is trending or what people ask you too. If they think you look dumb or old school, tell them that's the 'in' thing

Virginity Test

This topic might be repetitive. The topic is so compelling that I just had to put it into words,

I have shifted to another city, and I was travelling in a bus back home and I heard a group of guys in formals with a big IT company id cards hanging on their necks.

Guy 1: "Dude, but she has a past man, 2 boyfriends. am sure something must have happened between them da. How can I marry a girl who has already "done it"?"
Guy 2: "you have also done it da"
Guy 3: "so what he can do it, he is a guy, but she is a girl and this is marriage we are talking about not some passing affair, she is not a virgin and he is getting a used maal"

I was appalled, I wanted to turn and give a piece of my mind, but my stop just had to come.

We are in the 15th year of the 3rd millennium, claiming that India is progressing.
People flying to different parts of the world to work and study, science so advanced that people have started booking a land on moon but still we think a girl has to be a virgin on her martial bed.

Virginity is still a base to check a girl's morality. A non virgin girl is not supposedly a good wife material.

Its claimed that women have equal rights in the society, still white sheets are used on the first night to check if the bride is a virgin.
Men date many girls its ok
If a girl dates many guys she is a slut.

There is even a dialog in a movie "a girl is like a lock, should be opened with only one key. if its opened with many keys its a bad lock. A man is like the key if he opens many locks he is called the master key"
I mean, what double standards.

A girl who has had boyfriends and has had break-ups is tagged "easy", automatically guys start thinking its easy to "patao" her and take her to bed.

"easy" is the nicest words I am using here, there are even more cuss words that are used for her in Indian mother tongue.

Virginity is not an exam.. Its a small invisible tissue called hymen that determines virginity. A tissue that can rupture during cycling, workouts, jogging, running not just sex.

In an age where women are as educated as men, where they have male friends and colleagues. the age where she too has fallen in love and has had her heart broken in the past.
She too is just like any other boy.
She loves her family as much, She has pressures at work, She too wants a big degree and a lot of money and a big house and a foreign vacation.

If a woman gets promoted, she has slept with her boss

Google Images

If a woman comes home late, she is sleeping with her friends
If a woman parties, she is sleeping with strangers.

A woman who doesn't
fit in the "ideal girl" bill, she is a slut
Her "purity" is determined even today.
The day she has her periods, she turns impure for 20% of the month. But, they need the same woman to bear children for them, Enough evidence that India is the 2nd most populated country in the world and people talk about virginity.
Hypocrites

Holi for me

Holi is originally is a spring festival, a festival of colors, a festival of love.

Holi is a free-for-all carnival of colours, where everyone play, chase and colour each other with dry powder and coloured water, with some carrying water guns and coloured water-filled balloons for their water fight. Anyone and everyone is fair game, friend or stranger, rich or poor, man or woman, children and elders. The frolic and fight with colors occurs in the open streets, open parks, outside temples and buildings. 

I have been playing Holi from as long as I know.

I remember we used to have fierce competition with our neighboring buildings with water balloons, "who would bomb more balloons, It wasn't any less than an India vs Pakistan cricket match"

It was always fun to gather wood, paper, ghee everything for Holika fire, where all ladies of our colony would do pooja and promise to make us yummy sweets the next day.

Next morning, is the D day, the Rang panchami, colors, water, music, dance, friends, family, Thandai, mithai, and yummilicious food. 

And Bhaang, who can forget bhaang, Oh my God! Tasty intoxicating drink made of cannibi leaves, that drives people crazy.

There have been so many funny bhaang memories.

Hoil is all in all a total entertainment package.

It has its set of side effects too. 

Adulterated colors spoil your skin, people pelting stones at women in the name of Holi, putting colors on animals that effect them later. Deforestation for Holi fire.

Not good people. Not good at all

Its not nice to harm innocent animals.

Luckily, people are turning to organic and natural colors. Thank god.

Well, that is a generic picture oh Holi that I get when I close my eyes right now.

Pic Courtesy: Google Images

But, also this year I remember something  that happened to me,

So, Holi is on 6th and very enthusiastic people have already started playing Holi with colors.

There I was coming back from work in my pristine white formal shirt and my favorite trousers and my Guess bag, admiring my Cartier watch. 

*Stop rolling your eyes at my "branded" description you will soon know why*

Well, back to my Holi-day, suddenly out of nowhere a splash of colored water came and ruined my whole attire and as you know Holi Gulal does not, I mean does not go off your clothes, so there goes my whole outfit for a toss.

Off late I have been too lazy to go out to shop. 

Yes, seriously

And why not? Now a days we get everything delivered at home.

So, I log-in to Amazon through 27 coupons for obvious reasons. They have the best discounts and the choicest products from so many shopping sites. I get every product under one roof.

I had planned to shop for a shirt, a nice pant a bag and a watch. But, the collections were so good that  I ended up buying a watch, 2 bags, a shoe, 2 kurtas, 1 tshirt and a shirt that too without running a huge bill on my credit card. Yaay, happy wallet, happy me!

Thank you guys for coloring my outfit, else I wouldn't have had a reason to shop, not that I really need a reason to shop, but I can atleast justify this shopping 

Your wish is my command

Thank you www.baggout.com

Lets see, who doesn't want to be perfect for their partner. And what would be better then having the power to give them anything and everything they wish for.

I wanted to play Genie for a day, and my wish was granted for 14th Feb the Valentines Day.

I knew what my man wanted, I am Genie, no?

His eyes opened to a new shiny Apple Macbook Air neatly tied with a ribbon with a post-it "Its your day today XOXO"

He gleams and walks into a an already warmed shower, with his favorite "Kyoku shower gel" on the counter. he comes out all wet, steamy and super ravishing looking. He is invited by an aroma of his favorite breakfast "Filter kaapi and Plain dosa with sambar and 3 chutneys"

He is like "Woah, babe! what is gone into you"

Me: "Love, Love for you hun"

He opens the door to find a long stretched pristine white limo waiting with a uniformed chauffeur.

Stunned he turns and gives me the tightest hugs ever. 

In the limo, he gets a call on his phone from his manager saying "A, you are off today, there is some shutdown happening with our system. Have fun"

Smiling, he come to me and says "Babe, Is it you or is the world turning into a miracle today?"

I wink and turn back into our house.

I wear the best saree I have and ask him to wear a tux.

Me: "we have a lunch with someone important"

We drive in our limo to a posh looking house. With a look, of confusion he gets down and is greeted by his idol, "Mr. Kamal Hasan"

Astonished, he turns to me "Dee, are you kidding me, is this even real?"

me: "its your day love."

After a lovely meal, my beaming husband and I drive to a near by canal where a Venice styled gondola waits for us, with a bucket of sparkling champagne .

The boat rider, sings us the most romantic number while we sip our champagne holding hands. We drive back home.

The house, is all decorated, dim lit, with aroma candles, and romantic music.We go into each others arms and dance softly to the music.

The oven tings, to signal us that out amazing Italian themed food is ready.

Me: "I love to see you smile"

Him: "A day like this and a wife like you, I would forever smile"

After our amazing dinner, We set out for a walk under the star-lit sky, while I present the latest mobile phone and a large bouquet of flowers and get on my knees to tell him how much I love him.

He hugs me and we come back home.

me: "Happy Valentines day sweetheart, May you get all you wish for"

Him: 'I already have all i have ever wished for. YOU" *kisses me on my forehead*

Some days are perfect, sealed just with a kiss

This post has been written for Baggout's Blogging Contest on Valentine's Day. Baggout provides some awesome deals on Flipkart, Myntra,Jabong, Snapdeal, Amazon and 100+ other online stores.