Joy!

Monday, December 10, 2007

Winter

Surprise, surprise.

I am in America now. In Rutgers University doing a double major in Physics and Journalism. I haven't lived in America in many years. Since 8th standard to be exact. That's...umm...(despite the fact that I am taking advanced calculus classes, clearly, my counting skills could use some improvement)...7 years I think? A little less than that. Anyway, you know how you think you remember something, you think you know what if feels like and how it works, but when you actually experience it again after years and years, it's all wrong, all different? That's what this is like. Forget the rest of it...the friends, the academics, all that rot. I'm talking about the weather.

When I left India, I thought I had mentally prepared myself for the drastic weather change. This is what I remembered of the winter.

1. It is cold. And unlike the Chennai winter, cold goes lower than 20 degrees Celsius.
2. You have to wear a lot of clothes. Many layers. Gloves, thick jacket, a hat to cover your ears from getting frostbitten when it's really cold, and so on.
3. If you're traveling by car, you have to start the car and turn on the heater a couple minutes before you're actually leaving so that it'll be a comfortable temperature when you get in.

And that's pretty much it.

Here's what it's actually like.

1. It is not cold. It is freezing. It is beyond freezing. It is terribly, brutally freezing.
2. It is very, very windy. Everywhere you go outdoors, there is a strong, cold, biting wind blowing right into you. When you're walking against the wind, it's difficult to even breathe.
3. The above point holds even when you're wearing so many layers of clothing that it's difficult for someone from a slight distance to tell that you're a human being and not a huge lump of clothes someone's decided to use to build a makeshift hut in the middle of the street.
4. You can never feel your hands, your feet, the tip of your nose or your ears. Ever. You need to constantly be rubbing your hands together to be able to use them at all. And your toes? You can forget it.
5. Your car will not move unless you start it at least half an hour before you want to leave. Yes, engines actually freeze.

Basically, it's awful. Granted, the snow is really, really pretty if you're sitting indoors and watching it fall outside while drinking a nice big mug of hot cocoa, but otherwise, yay for Chennai weather! (Yes, I'm home in 10 days :D)

Much lowe!

Thursday, October 25, 2007

A Fairy Tale

In the bowels of the valleys where I live the smell of anger comes in bouts. The smell rides down from the mountain sides on great horses wearing heavy armor and large blades; the smell drives at us with the sound of hooves pounding on soft valley soil. My father could scent this smell twenty-four hours before it came, but when he was hungry for something angry, to him the smell of war was everywhere. The day he left to find the source of the scent was the day he left me all alone.

I forget sometimes what people tell me to do or not do. What they tell me slips away into the backwaters of my memory where it drowns in all other memories forgotten.

"I can go anywhere I want to with a turn of this ring," I boasted to the group of asinine country men.

"Sugar and spice," the old woman beckoned as she held out palms filled with cinnamon falling between her fingers like sand. As she sprinkled it across the floor my head swum up in a dizzy spell of hunger. I could no longer control my feet moving towards the cheap gimmicks of an old woman.

"What weighs you down will make you drown," he said with a loud crescent shaped grin. I believed him. I may have been a fool but with my head thrown asunder by the crashing tides of water I took off my shoes and bag and threw them across the stream on the other bank.

From the corner of my eye, I saw the man from the mountain open his razored jaw and draw a poisoned needle from underneath his tongue. I watched the needle fly from his finger through my father's ear and out the other, turning all his fluids into ones of pure jade and stone. Then the foreigner strapped my jaded father to his back and continued to ride into forbidding wastelands.

"Let me go to find what I seek," I said.

After I took the needle from its place, I pryed my father's bones from the floor and put them in my satchel.

The fairy placed a single seed in my palm which I immediately planted and tended to for months. For days, I watered the seed, showered it with words of encouragement as it grew into a young sprout, and gave it proper space and care as it blossomed fully into a magnificent red rose that granted any wish that I whispered lovingly into its soft petals.

As I approached the top of the mountain a white spectacle blinded me for an instant. When I blinked again I saw a white dragon shifting over the mountain like a layer of foam riding ocean waves. I could tell by its movement that it was a territorial creature; I could tell that it would fight me before allowing me to press further.

Forms circulated around my body on all sides and I could no longer breathe. Lungs tight and waist constricted I watched as my skin turned into the color of soil. I could no longer distinguish my body from the mountain's.

When he placed his hand upon me he let out a great cry and then vanished into the earth.

The handsome man presented a room full of gold, silver, and precious jewels. "All of this is yours," he said. My mind was in a whirl: there wasn’t a dream in the world I could not obtain with these riches. Heaven was as close as the sparkling gems I beheld all around me.

With each step I took, the people of soil tried to clench my feet harder and began to pull me down.

As I felt the creature take me into her jaws I saw my father come, from behind a tree. From thirty feet away he shot the creature and the jaws fell lose, emptying me onto the floor. The skin on my chest had impressions of teeth marks, but no blood appeared.

Mother could not recognize the sound of my footsteps at the door.

"This man," he pointed at me, "this man killed our father. See the blood on his shirt Mother? See it? The smell is like one of our own."

"As a child, my son could dance along the soil so quickly that the men who died and live in the ground could not catch him. Prove this to me now,"

Everyone then stared through the guise of the false man beside me. The person, who acted as a substitute for my accomplishments, began to bite his nails in a rampant manner.

My mother's embrace rendered the burns and boils on my skin pristine.

A girl with snow white hair came to the house later that day, looking for the man with the leather-bottomed shoes and coat of dragon scales. She told me she was betrothed to that man who had taken her creature form and made her human. She reminded me of the mountain. She was beautiful.

http://www.brown.edu/Courses/FR0133/Fairytale_Generator/gen.html

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Morning has broken.

Morning has broken. Somewhere in New Zealand, that is. Over here, it's 12:48 AM. Morning technically, but the feeling is somewhat lost without the sunshine, birds chirping, roosters crowing and the like. I am awake because I am supposed to be working hard for submission, but I was suddenly overcome by an acute desire to blog, and since I haven't been feeling urges of that sort in a while (as you can see by the sky-high frequency of my posts recently) I decided I might as well.

So hello. It's been a while. Things are different, yet the same. What do I say? It seems like at every given point in time, my head is about to burst with thoughts, with things to say and questions to ask. My life right now seems to me like one big muck-up. Like a scene gone wrong in a play, like water spilt over a painting, like a sustained off-key note in a song. Everything I do seems to be just a little bit off. A little too much to the left, a little too bitchy, a little too late, a little too close. I don't know what it is. Is it a phase? Or is something really wrong?

Am I forgetting who matters, what matters? Have I got my priorities all wrong? But then, who gets to decide? Not me, apparently. The universe seems to be protesting vehemently against all the decisions I take. I suppose life becomes easier when you know what you want. Problem is, I haven't got the slightest bit of a clue.

I'm having fun though I think. Lots and lots of new people to talk to, to laugh with. Lots of new ways to have fun. Many new discoveries, many new nonsenses :). All in all, I'm having a pretty nice time. It's nice to mess up once in a while I guess. I just want some direction. An arrow or a finger pointing right or left, close or far, early or late. At least I'll know where I'm going. Or if I'm going anywhere at all.

Excuse my rant. I promise a more fun post next time. Which will be soon, hopefully.

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

(Hai) Ku.

Haiku are a bledgy lot of fun to read and write, and a great way to spend a fine arts period in college. Dingbat (Sonali) and I wrote these earlier today (with the exception of Someone’sku). Have fun!! And if you read or write any nice ones, pweez do send them to me! :)

Beachku –

Sand between my toes

Twinkling stars within my reach

It’s fun being me

By Me

Terraceku –

The inky blue sky

And its dark blanket of night

Cold whispers of wind

By Dingbat

_______ku –

Confuzzled, befused

Life is an oxymoron

Olamacheeka!

By Me

Someone’sku –

An early morning

Dressing in my warm grey flannel

Follows me to work

By Someone

Psychoku –

Eyes shut, silence screams

The tip of my nose feels cold

I really need a hug

By Me

Movieku –

Hugs and kisses in

Glorious Technicolor

Pass the popcorn, please

By Dingbat

Morningku –

The alarm is going off

I’ve already pressed snooze thrice

It’s time to get up

By Me

Plutoku –

Melting chocolate

Eyes and floppy velvet ears

Dog breath in your ear

By Dingbat

Magiccarpetku –

Wind whips through our hair

City lights beneath our feet

And drycleaners tag

By Dingbat

Café Mochaku –

Hold it in your hands

Feel its warmth seep into you

Chocolate coffee

By Me

Badgerku –

Clap! Badger badger

Badger mushroom, mushroom! *breathe*

AAAAGH!! Snake! Badger * snort*

By Me

Mommyku –

McKinley water

Scent of a tea flavored rose

I love you, Mommy

By Me

Sadnessku –

Chocodip softies

beckon. But my empty wallet

stifles my reply

By Dingbat

Friday, October 27, 2006

Hide and Seek

where are we?
what the hell is going on?
the dust has only just begun to fall...
crop circles in the carpet
sinking, feeling

spin me 'round again
and rub my eyes,
this can't be happening
when busy streets a mess with people
would stop to hold their heads heavy

hide and seek
trains and sewing machines
all those years
they were here first

oily marks appear on walls
where pleasure moments hung before the take over,
the sweeping insensitivity of this still life

hide and seek
trains and sewing machines (you won't catch me around here)
blood and tears
they were here first

ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
midsweet talk, newspaper word cut outs
speak no feeling
no I don't believe you
you don't care a bit,
you don't care a bit

hide and seek

By Imogen Heap

Saturday, September 16, 2006

101 things that make life worth living

Chumbawumba (nice word)
Blowing the gel out of gel pens
Being loud at inappropriate times
Smelling the rain and drinking hot coffee at the same time
Hot chocolate just after getting soaked
Feeling your stomach hurt after laughing too much
That feeling of being in a movie
Everything about the beach
Hearing the right song at the right time
Hugs when you really need them
Knowing that someone understands without having to tell them J
Pink Floyd and terrace. Actually, ANY good music and a terrace.
Waking up really late after one hell of a crazy night
Purple sugary marshmallows
The first sip of Coffee Day hot mocha
The stage minus stage fright
Singing
Freaking out innocent passersby on the road
Lying on the beach at night staring at the stars
Road trips with friends
Sleepovers with no sleep involved J
Realizing your crush likes you
Being a bitch
Olamacheeka, swee and drrrrrey
Canceling out huge terms in a really big sum and getting a one digit answer
Dancing in the rain
*Sparkly purple stuff*
Swinging really high on swings and singing tunelessly
Feeling loved
Foodfights with gooey food
Making people laugh
Being part of a winning team
New clothes!!
Doggy kisses
Being happy-high
Smelling nice and knowing it
Going into random stores, trying on stuff, taking pictures and then leaving J
Playing practical jokes on teachers
Laughing for no reason at all
And going on and on laughing for insane periods of time until people think you’re mad
People thinking you’re mad
And then laughing at them
Big Bear Hugs!! J
Chocodip ice-cream
Seeing someone you love after a long time
Hearing a song you love after a long time
Going crazy!
Making eye contact with a cute stranger
Laughing and crying at the same time
Wish you were here
Crying when you see or hear something really beautiful
Looong walks with friends
Blowing BIG bubbles
Wearing prettiful clothes
People playing with your hair
Waterbeds!
Cheesy pizza
Cold water when you’re parched
Exchanging lame-o-supremo jokes and laughing until you cry
Peeing after holding for a long time
Dressing up
Taking a nice bath just before going to sleep
Bonding with friends in silence
Knowing you aren’t the only one
Bunking classes
Doing well in an exam
And realizing you’ve scored highest
Gossip
Mushy parts of a movie/sitcom/book
Knowing something no one else does
Scoring a goal/basket by fluke
Being the *best*
People remembering you as ‘that girl who won that competition’
People you don’t know recognizing you
Having long late night phone conversations J
Having a lot of cash
Presents!
Having NO work to do
People calling at midnight to wish you a happy birthday
People coming over at midnight
Surprise birthday parties – planning one or having one!
Knowing you did the right thing
Tripping on someone
Being tripped on and laughing at yourself with everyone else
Having a shoulder to lean on when you’re crying at a movie
Going to school again, seeing all your friends and special places in school…the nostalgia
Doing something nice for someone you love
Being in your happy special world
Being wicked
Being absorbed in your drawing/writing
Reading a really good book
Cuddling up in a quilt with a good book, hot chocolate and good music when it’s cold and rainy outside
Lazy afternoons with friends (Movie + AC + appy + pizza) J
Going fast on an open highway with the windows down and the music up
Jumping on a trampoline
Cotton candy and ice-cream
Pani puri
Compliments J
Secrets!

100. Dancing like no one’s watching

101. Making lists

(Note: This was written by Sodu and I during a seminar thingy. Rather productive, don't you think?)

Much love!

Friday, September 01, 2006

How to sprain your ankle

I sprained my ankle yesterday. Ouch. It hurts. Anyway, the point is that since I've experienced it so recently, I remember the process quite clearly. And you know me, forever wanting to be of assistance. So here's a step - by - step guide to spraining your ankle. Just in case.

Disclaimer : Any excess pain or other injuries may occur. These instructions are followed at your own risk.

1. Join BSc Visual Communication at MOP Vaishnav College. You will have to climb five flights of stairs to get to class every day.

2. Bunk a lot of class so you have just about 80% attendance (minimum requirement).

2. Wake up late.

3. Forget about a submission and try and finish it in the morning.

4. Leave the house in a mad rush at 7:43 in the morning (you're supposed to be in class at 8) without even fastening the velcro part of your floaters properly.

5. Reach college at 7:59. Realize you have exactly one minute to climb up five flights of stairs.

6. Run up the stairs like a maniac.

7. Get the strappy thing of your floater to get caught in the side railing of the staircase somewhere between the third and fourth floor.

8. Don't realize that your floater's gotten caught, and continue climbing.

9. Realize that your floater's gotten caught just a little too late after suddenly feeling a flash of mind-numbing pain in your foot.

10. Swear profusely under your breath for a few seconds and then with a great deal of difficulty, hobble up the remaining stairs to class just in time to get attendance.

Bleargh.