Ishwarya's Blog, page 7

Not My Cup Of Tea

I’ve never written about the progress of a book I’m reading here on my blog before. I usually write a review after I complete it, choosing the books I really loved alone. But the book I’m currently reading urged me to create an excuse to my resolution. I wonder if I’m the only one with this reaction to Game of Thrones.

After turning left and right to see girls swooning over Jon Snow and both boys and girls fervently watching the television series (I’ve also heard how people deactivate their Facebook accounts when a new season starts, preventing spoilers from crossing their eyes), I decided to pick this one up to see what the fuss is about. I’ve only completed, like, 30% of the book but the first few chapters themselves didn’t give me a good impression. I got introduced to more characters than I could keep track of and more places than, what I believe, a normal human mind could accustom to remember. True, I do like characters like Arya, Daenerys, Tyrion and Jon Snow but it doesn’t seem enough to actually love this book. I had to go through the Game of Thrones Wikipedia page to sift through the summary of what I have read so far last night, to keep me updated to read on. I definitely will finish this book, since I don’t like having an unfinished book on my shelf, but whether I’ll be bothered to pick up the second part is a mystery. I really can’t handle some of the violence and the abominable nuptials between brothers and sisters, and it’s only the start. I ranted about this to my trusted best friends about this who’ve read all parts of the A Song of Ice and Fire series, and who assured me the beginning is exactly how I reacted but that impression will vanish after the first half of the book. I don’t know, I’m not exactly keeping my fingers crossed.

As some people already know, one of the loves of my life is the script of the Mahabharata, a story which, like Game of Thrones, has a multitude of characters and so many stories amalgamating together. The Mahabharata is a game of thrones too, with the Pandavas and Kauravas disputing over the throne of Hastinapura as well as Indraprastha, but the one big difference I find between the two is that in the Mahabharata, each character has an introduction and an explanation of where they come from to allow the reader to familiarise themselves with them.

One particular trait of mine is that I’m sometimes not a fan of the same worldwide phenomenon like everyone else.

It’s not the case with everything, because I do heart sensational stuff I really love, but when I take to engaging with certain hyped phenomena to check them out myself, I find my eyes highlighting flaws in them that have me wonder just what is it about this piece of work that has everyone going mad for it? It could be anything, like books, or movies, or even celebrities. Anything.

This has been the case with some songs too. When I find the lyrics to be abominable or the slang in it to be annoying, nearly everyone else absent-mindedly sing along to it.

Some popular and much loved movies have inspired the same reaction too. When I mention the name, I’ll have the person in front of me gush about how much they watched it over and over again, while I hate it for its lack of any logic. Certain much loved movies I loathe make me wonder if stupidity of the main characters is the only way to create a successful movie.

To each his own, I guess.

Do you guys, on a general level, find that there is sometimes nothing much to brag about famous stuff too?

Please feel free to share your thoughts.

Have a beautiful and blessed day ahead.

Jai Shree Krishna ❤

 

Laugh Out Loud

Hello, my trusted, readers, how are you all? I trust you are all safe, healthy and well. It’s been over a month since I last blogged. I was caught up with other stuff to allow me to spare no proper time for blogging. My last post was my hundredth blog post and to start off with the 101, I wanted to do it with a smile, earning the same from you.

This could be easily attained by videos I know everyone will love, from some much loved movies.

Since I’m always nostalgic, I’m choosing the following.

First up are the funny scenes from Tangled.

 

The best of Dory from Finding Nemo:

 

The best of Scrat from Ice Age:

 

Hope you loved them!

Keep smiling and stay blessed.

Jai Shree Krishna ❤

A Universe of Love

I am so happy to have attained and announce my hundredth blog post. It really was surprising to see it approaching last week when I saw the post number halfway through its nineties. I got inspired with blog ideas meanwhile, aware of how many should be chosen before that hundredth one, which I wanted to be really special. I debated on what to write for a while, before knowing a letter to my pen would be the best candidate. I initially thought of writing it to my current active protagonist as a thank you for gifting me a memorable journey of writing her story, but I owed more to the pen that has been sticking with me since childhood. This is my chance to tell it how much it means to me.

My dearest,

      I don’t have an official name for you, but I do hope you’re okay with me calling you Pole Star – a name to show how you shine as that one glow of happiness whenever I feel blue. As you know, I have trouble emoting myself without you. If someone tells me something extremely nice about myself or my works, what comes out of my mouth in response to the created overwhelming reaction is only half, sometimes not even up to that, of what I really feel. I don’t label myself an introvert girl with an extrovert pen for the style of it. As much as I love talking to my loved ones face to face or through the phone, there’s always something soulfully satisfying in writing to them.

      Do you remember anything of me in Mum’s womb? I had no idea you were there – as if I remember anything being inside her – until a few years ago when she told me she wrote Dad’s medical study notes while pregnant with me. Activities of a pregnant mother does have an impact on the baby she’s carrying. Mum and Dad have always been and will always be my backbone. Together, they proved it by gifting me with you – even though they weren’t aware of it – while I was still nurtured in the womb.    

      You started taking your first strokes across paper with fairytales inspired from Cinderella and Snow White, scribbling with a five year old’s handwriting for two to three pages. There used to be heaps of them, but none saved properly due to the transfer from place to place. I don’t know which number of houses it is I’m sitting in and writing this letter to you, to put it bluntly.

      For a few years in my childhood, you got lost along with those fairytales and I never bothered to find you, as back then none of us gave any credit for your presence. Miraculously, you forgave me and found me around when I was 14 and helped me win the first prize in a poetry competition in school, which I remember was about NATURE, a topic I was allotted from three. Little did I know that category was foreshadowing itself choosing me again for a fantasy series three years later. I forgot about you for another year. I didn’t even spare you any thought. So ignorant and insensitive of me. But then you decided to give me one last chance and it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I caught you in my arms and hugged you close, this time determined to never let you go. You have permanently superglued yourself to my hand since then, giving birth to a little girl and her pet deer first. She lasted for only a few months, before deciding this wasn’t really going to work out between us and left our imaginations with a sweet smile of good luck. Though I never let go, you became deliberately invisible in my hand till towards the end of high school – I sadly had no choice but to do that – when you shone with everything you had. My Pole Star.

      I knew you were my everything, knowing no matter what, I’ll always come back to you. I knew you were the one drive to keep me anchored to always seeing the sunny side of life.

      Out came Nikki Delaine to star in Dance Dream, the debut teen fiction you gifted me with when I was almost 17. And then came Nashira Jaynes a few months later, a shape shifting unicorn controlling the five elements of nature in an Ethereal world. I could afford to give her my full attention only after my UG course was over, but you and I both remember how we explored her and her world so many times throughout college, experimenting with different paths and assets with which the story was to progress. None of them worked out the way we wanted, before the real story unravelled itself to us as soon as I finished college. Things fell in place as we started to spend all our time with Nashira and the fantasy world of Saturna. Whatever else may be gifted in the future, this gift of Nashira Jaynes and the chance to travel with her through five books is the most memorable phase I’m spending with you. I don’t know what reception awaits Nashira. So far, she’s received a very kind one based on part one and regardless of whether that will be consistent or not, including the future four books, I know I will always cherish every single minute of spending with her. For a mother, her child is always a blessing from heaven.

      You and I have loads more adventures to venture into after our journey with Nashira ends. The door to a next one got created recently. We don’t know what’s behind that door, since our newly born protagonists are yet to hand us the key, but one thing I do know is that with you, it’s going to be as precious as the rides in the stories we’ve written so far. Fun with weaving stories as far as our imaginations are capable of, regardless of whether they will be readers’ choices or not, is immortal. I’m blessed to have you, Pole Star. You’re always there to entertain and make me feel better any given second of the day. I don’t have to worry about losing the spark of life while you’re there in my hand.

      I know I said I can only emote myself through you but the irony is that I can’t elucidate the exact amount with which I love you. But you are aware of it, always. I know you are, as you are fused to my soul. You are aware of every beat of my heart, how long is it going to take for you to know how grateful I am to you.

      A universe of love to you, Pole Star.

Yours, Deepika

 

 

 

Sculpted Wonder

When a stone is being hammered, cut and subjected to vast phases of blows, it’s in the process of being sculpted to something beautiful. If your life knocks your knees out too many times to count that you’re bruised horribly, and feel like no matter what, you’re always going to get hit, always remember a spirit that loves you is sculpting you into someone who will end up being the person people will admire the most.

At a temple, everyone’s eyes are drawn to the sculpted deity within. They walk towards her/him by either stepping over or kicking aside the stones that lay exactly the way they’ve always been – never been subjected to any painful blows.

Every time you face something that hits you and makes you feel like you want to pick a bone with justice for being merciless, remember that you’re in the process of being shaped to one of a kind. There’s no one like you with the same uniqueness or same beauty – inside and out.

You’re a sculpted wonder in this world.

Double Standards

Father of the bride (smiling): My daughter does not know her way around a kitchen or anything about managing a home. She only wakes up at nine in the morning and likes to be her own person. She is very unique.

Father of the groom (smiling back): I see. Well, my son doesn’t like going to work or earning either. He therefore can’t afford to give her the pampered life she’s been used to, is that okay with you? Okay with her?

Father of the bride is no longer proud to state his spoiled daughter knows nothing about being a lady. 

The Indicator

I’ve seen quite a handful of vehicle drivers – motorbikes, scooters, cars, lorries etc – turning on the indicator and then swerving in the opposite direction of what the flashing light indicates.

Because it’s not a sign to show where they’re going.

It’s a sign to show which direction you’re supposed to go.

Apparently, the rest of us have been using the indicator the wrong way all these years.

 

The Best Kind of Beauty

The best kind of beauty are the people who are not afraid to be themselves.

The best kind of beauty are the people who won’t hesitate to react naturally in however way to things with their crush sitting on the next desk.

The best kind of beauty are the people who don’t blindly follow another person’s style.

The best kind of beauty are the people who stay calm and never make a scene.

The best kind of beauty are the people who respect older people.

The best kind of beauty are the people who love what they have and turn a deaf ear to snobbish criticisms.

The best kind of beauty are the people who don’t add artificial to natural.

The best kind of beauty are the people who never ever call another person ugly.

The best kind of beauty are the people who look for the beauty in other people.

 

Orca Love

Ever since I watched the movie Free Willy, I’ve always been in love with orcas. I dislike the term “killer whales”, as it stamps a false killer image to these beautiful sea mammals. Right from my single digit ages, I’ve always nurtured a desire to stroke an orca. Look at how God has created them, with a curvy muscular form under a sleek black and white coat.

Before I realised I had a writing pen, orcas, whales and dolphins were all that I could think of. Dreams starred myself going out into the ocean as a marine mammalogist, diving into the water, documenting my favourite creatures and basically spending a part of my life with them. My besties know how much of a nut I was about whales and dolphins in our last year of high school, and I bet they can also remember how I said I wanted to surf alongside a gigantic blue whale one time. But my main focus was orcas, and it remains to be the same. This special desire of mine has never left me, always nestled warmly in one corner of my heart. I admit large creatures scare the bejeezus out of me, which turns my dream of swimming beside any whale, let alone the blue whale, into a silly idea, but I can’t seem to let go of it. I can’t pursue a career in marine mammology now, but I can always go on a whale spotting holiday, to satiate my craving to look at whales and dolphins without a screen.

Everything to do with oceans and sea mammals always consume me subconsciously, I don’t know how or why I’m so attached to them, but it makes me happy to look at pictures of the underwater world or images of orcas and dolphins. I find my refuge within them, even if they are just a collection of pixels. Anytime I go to a beach, I stare off into the ocean hoping I can see a breaching or a lobbing of a fluke. Wishful thinking, I know, but a girl can always dream.

Fortunately, my desire to see a dolphin at least gave me justice once two years ago.

I was taking an early morning walk at the beach in Pondicherry with my mother and cousins, when we spotted a series of dorsal fins slicing through the water, just thirty feet away from the shore rocks. I first thought they were sharks and became shocked at what they were doing there, when the next second, I looked closely and noticed the unmistakable curve of the fins and backs, a style only dolphins adopted. My jaw dropped at the fact I was actually seeing dolphins, in the ocean. I wished they were jumping, but this was a blessed sight too. We jogged to keep up with them and they remained in our sights for quite a while before we had to stop and wave goodbye.

My affinity for oceans and marine mammals ended up having a little influence in my fantasy series. I hope I can see orcas without a screen one day too.

 

A Personal Sense of Beauty and the Beast

Seeing Emma Watson as Hermione Granger was the last character I saw her in. As it was for all the cast of Harry Potter. Maybe it’s just me, but after Harry Potter, I couldn’t digest to see any of them in another role. I’d always been unable to erase the unwillingness to replace the imprint of themselves as the magical wizards and witches.

One day, I was looking up Emma Watson’s Wikipedia page where the announcement of a live action adaptation of the Disney classic, Beauty and the Beast, starring her as Belle captured my attention.

The concept of Beauty and the Beast is about a cursed handsome prince locked inside a frightening beast’s body, who keeps a beautiful young girl as his prisoner. The first time I saw a live adaptation of it was the song Ennodu Nee Irunthal from the Tamil movie, I. The lyrics and the motion picture captures the concept flawlessly, right from the opening lines themselves.

Ennodu nee irunthal, uyirodu naan irupene

Meaning: If you stay with me, I will stay alive.

The beast’s rose in the original story sheds each petal to symbolise the end of his humanity is edging nearer and nearer. For humans, being alive is to honour their existence of humanity. It’s rather better to die instead of living as an out of control wild animal, which applies to all of us and not just the beast. That’s what I perceive the first line of the song as.

Incidentally, the title – Beauty and the Beast – frames Belle and the beast, but I suspect there is another imperative shade to the words. Some may look upon Belle’s love for the beast as Stockholm Syndrome, but I disagree with that idea. Because the frame I see for the title is the beast and Gaston, the brawny egomaniac who sets his psychopathic eyes on Belle and is ready to go to any vicious lengths – such as killing her father – to make her his wife. Under the assumption the sun shines out of his head, his opinion of loving a woman is having a maid at the house. In the end, he spares no patience or understanding to Belle’s repeated pleas to him to leave the beast alone and that he’s harmless. All he cares about is his pride over muscular strength and to use it on something to prove he’s the best man in the world. Throughout the story, we see a beast in a man’s physical beauty, and a beautiful heart in a beast. Hence the title, Beauty and the Beast. That beautiful heart wins another beautiful heart.

It’s interesting to see how turning oneself into an animal, physically, causes purity to blossom in their hearts. The beast realises the true meaning of humanity and being a man during his curse and in Brother Bear – one of the most underrated movies to exist and one of my most favourite – Kenai learns the true meaning of love as a bear.

After I watched the 2017 adaptation of Beauty and the Beast, I wished I could have a positive opinion – even though a wonderful effort to create the beast’s appearance, his castle, the enchanted household items and furniture, and the overall fantasy element goes a long way – but sadly, it wasn’t possible. Though I love Emma Waton and she’s an incredible actress, I felt she wasn’t the right person for the role as Belle. I know I’m earning appalled reactions from people who loved her in the movie, however, I prefer Saoirse Ronan in her place.

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But above who played who in the movie, I’m unable to warmly receive this story as a live motion picture after falling in love with the original animated version. It works both ways, the Baahubali TV Series to name another example. Live motion picture to animation doesn’t give me a good vibe either. This is not a subject of broad mindedness but the toying with originality. According to me, first will always come first.

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Please share your opinions on Beauty and the Beast as well. I would love to see your views.

 

A Fish Out Of Water

Every time I look at a fish tank with the little fishes swimming around or bumping their noses against the glass, I wonder if they are ever truly happy in there.

[image error]“You know, like I’m from Bob’s Fish Mart”, “Pet Palace”, “Fish-O-Roma”, “Mail Order!”, “Ebay!”, ‘Soooo … which one is it?’
[image error]The ocean?! He hasn’t been decontaminated yet! 

Because through their clear window, they see us walking about and at places where the tank is placed at the verandah, they can easily see people coming and going through the gate, proving people are at liberty to extend their boundaries.

[image error]You gotta be kidding me

Or do they assume their lives are only confined to their tank as opposed to sea fish, whom they have no idea exist, and that human beings are the ones with all the space in the world? And if they do, do they ever consider walking themselves? Is that why when there is no hood on the tank, they jump out?

Or do they jump out accidentally and panic because of leaving the safety of the tank, lack of water a mortal danger aside?

Do they see the tank as God or as their prison?

Maybe fishes only with an ocean view from their suite attempt to break free.

[image error]Now what?