WEEKLY WRITING CHALLENGE : FIND A ‘MUSE’ IN THE MASTERS
In today’s writing challenge, you’ll choose a scenario (or invent your own) and write a poem, a short story, a vignette, a scene, or flash fiction based on Nighthawks by Edward Hopper.
Monthly Archives: October 2014
Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Bare Feet and/or Shoes
My ‘Heart & Hearth’
The Daily post prompt yesterday , asked us to imagine going to a friend’s house , only to discover that it was an exact copy of my own house…right from the books to the paintings and so on.
Now ,that is what really got me wracking my grey cells to try and remember a time , when I did actually experience anything similar . But there was none…
This is because I believe , our house is a reflection of us…And just like our blog , that we customize according to our own personal taste , sometimes adding a few widgets here and there , our house too represents us , our tastes, way of thinking and most of the times , even our personality !
Those who have witnessed my blog , from the time of its humble origin( which was only about 3 months ago ) , will vouch for the fact that it has gone through many experiments and changes , till it evolved into what it is today…Even now , I am trying ,everyday to make it look ‘more me’ than it already does .
Just the same way , my house too has gone through an entire process of evolution. If the four walls is what one calls a House , then mine changes every few years ( an occupational hazard of my husband ! ). But to me a House is more than a concrete construction , to me it is the reflection of one’s being and hence , its essence lies more in the things that adorn it like the paintings , lamps and cushion covers , rather than the building itself .
In that sense , I could say I carry my hearth , my house with me , every time we have a ‘Transfer’. Every little piece of furniture , and artifact , is something I have collected over the years and has a story to tell …
I am a very vibrant person , and love bright colors. Unlike in the west ( particularly in Europe ) , where we get to see more of blacks , whites and browns , Indians love bright colors . So whether it is the clothes I wear or the interiors of my house , you can spot my love for colors everywhere…
What I love most are my bright, cushion covers , which I think gives a nice twist to the otherwise boring furniture. Since , my husband got his posting to Nepal , immediately after our wedding , we set up our first house there , which is why most of my furniture and paintings are Buddhist in theme and have a Tibetan , colorful feel to them…
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Our walls are decorated with picture post card frames and our corner tables ,with souvenirs of our travels ..So every one who visits our house will know about our love to travel 🙂
Every small thing present in the living room , is hence ,very close to my ‘Heart and Hearth’ , so I can never imagine another house , with the same interiors , because their journey and experience , is different from mine…and no two journeys can be exactly the same…
Every house tells a story ..and the story of my house will always be
different from that of my friend’s ! ……….
The ORANGE hue of a FLAME
Imagine we lived in a world that’s all of a sudden devoid of color, but where you’re given the option to have just one object keep its original hue. Which object (and which color) would that be?
If the world ,was to become color – less
But one object I could keep ;
that would retain its original zest…
and hue , amidst the tone -less heap
I would choose to have the ‘Flame’
with its vibrant ‘orange’ tint…
The new darkness , it shall tame ;
with its sharp , fearless glint !
The flame , shall reveal ‘Exuberance’…
A new world filled with ‘Hope’…
An end to the black and white existence ..
For a new beginning , there would be scope !
Cee’s Black & White Challenge – toys
Here is my response to Cee’s Black & White Challenge – toys for kids or adults . I should thank my toddler for these pictures ! 😉
COVER ART – Daily Post Weekly Photochallenge – ‘Do you know your stars ?’
Wow…when I read the topic for Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge , I was very excited.. Though I am a new bee blogger , It is a long cherished dream to write a book…(not that I have written one yet ! ). I have been trying my hand at writing short stories , but I don’t know if I would ever have the patience and perseverance required to write a book .
But if I were to write a book in the future , it would probably be a fiction genre , involving elements of Passion , Mystery and Romance.…
So , here is my response to the photo challenge , the cover page of a Book I might decide to write and publish in the future…I have edited the picture using pic monkey as suggested in the challenge and to add an element of fun , I have also given it the name I would probably give my book …
This picture was taken , a few years back in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands….I hope you like it !!!
Advice or ‘Add Vice’ ?? your choice !
From the time we enter adulthood ( actually even much before that !! ) to the time we hit our graves , there is one thing that is sure to follow us ,even more religiously than our faithful canine , and that is ‘UNWANTED ADVICE’ !
Right from the dress we should wear , to the guy we should marry ( or not marry perhaps ! ) , to the number of kids we should have , or to losing the baby fat ! , there is no dearth of unsolicited advice in our world . It pours in , generously , without provocation , and often from the most unexpected quarters …
Thankfully for me , I got married , much before people could began to wag their tongues , on me ‘not getting married‘ ! But then , that doesn’t put an end to it…
Till you have your first child ( even if it is probably the only ,you intend to have ! ) , these so called , ‘Messiahs‘ of ‘unsolicited advice’ , try to preach you on the urgent need to have a child . Some even go to the lengths of prescribing medicines or giving out names of doctors we must visit ( Thanks…but no thanks ! )
And once you do have a child , you think it is the end to all unwanted advice ! Phew…
But , lo and behold , you see it coming…
The ‘temporary’ excitement in lives of the ‘mommy experts’ , dies , when you have that much awaited child , leaving it drab and lack lustre , a sort of vacuum enveloping it…..
This sets their empty minds racing again ,till they finally find another victim or a new subject to haunt ‘me’ with….like ‘ Do you feed formula milk to your baby..?…..You must plan for your second child now…blah..blah……’ and it just goes on…
But wait…this is just the beginning…!
So , as you have seen ( and in all probability , experienced it yourself !! ) , our lives and its rules are often dictated by what others think or say ( most of these ‘others’ ,perhaps do not even know us well enough to be able to guide us clearly! )
At this point I am reminded of the lyrics of an old Hindi movie song... ‘Kuch toh log kahenge…logon ka kaam hain kehna..‘ ( loosely translated in English , it would mean…People will talk , it is their job to do so ! )
Our life is our own , and what we do with it is our prerogative ! Advice is a good thing , especially when it comes from elderly people in your family ,who know you well and have seen you grow , into the individual you are today .
But then ,again ,it is your choice ,completely , whether to adhere to it wholly , to modify it ,according to your own thinking or to avoid it altogether !.
We have but one life…So , I believe we must live it on the basis of the choices we make . Do what your heart tells you to do , not what the neighbor tells you to !
My parents have always supported me in all my decisions right from the time I was in my eleventh grade. That was when I made one of the early ( yet important ) decisions of my life – to pursue ‘Arts’ as my calling . But ,even back then , I remember a lot of my friends being forced to take up a certain subject against their will.
I wasn’t spared from unsolicited advice , even then . But I stuck to my resolve , to take up arts and my parents stood by my decision…
Do I regret it now..?? If I were to run back in time, would I change my decision..? No..never…in fact whenever I look back in time , and remember all the advice ( some welcome , others unwelcome ) I was given , yet making my own choice , I feel a certain pride for myself… I may not be a millionaire today , but I am a contented soul , happy with the little blessings in life…and that is what I think is important…You may beg to differ…But , to each his own !
Life had guided me to one of the most noble ( yet underestimated ! ) jobs in the world , the job of moulding hundreds of lives , every day ………the job of a ‘TEACHER‘ !
Listening to others is a good trait , but following their advice blindly ,without thinking about yourself or your aspirations is Tomfoolery…! and I am no ‘nincompoop’ !!
A good well meant advice is welcome anytime…
It helps us grow as a person and broaden our horizons …In fact if it were not for the advice of a well meaning individual , I wouldn’t be writing out this post or having my own blog today…
Sometimes we need to let things be…Sometimes we have to let someone grow out our shadow , and learn things on his /her own.. We may advise , but trying to thrust one’s opinions on others , is a sign of immaturity………
In the end , it is your life and you are the master of it !
Now does this sound like an advice..?? 😀 Well…your wish !
CEE’S WHICH WAY PHOTO CHALLENGE
One lovely blog award
Today is the ‘Festival of lights’ , DIWALI , in India. Hence ,I think it to be an apt occasion to accept one of the two rewards , bestowed upon me in the recent times – One lovely blog award , express my gratitude and spread the joy ,as Diwali is the time for sharing gifts !!!
I take this opportunity to thank Rashmi , of soul n spirit blog , for considering me deserving enough for this award. Rashmi comes across to me as a very positive and inspiring person and her blog , is a reflection of her. Her posts , exude a lot of warmth and optimism , that passes on to the reader as well. The fun element in her writings and her travel photographs , are a great way to know her and India , better. I love the way she includes the elements of Indian culture , capturing its essence through her writings and pictures.So if you haven’t already checked out her blog ,you must ,without delay 😉
Now for the rules to follow ,once nominated :
- Thank the person who nominated you for the award.
- Add the One Lovely Blog logo to your post
- Share 7 facts/or things about yourself.
- Nominate 15 bloggers you admire and inform nominees by commenting on their blog.
Now since I am done with the first two points ,time to move to the third , that is SEVEN FACTS ABOUT ME :
- I appreciate HONESTY in others ,and try to remain honest myself .
- I love TRAVELLING and exploring different places across the globe.
- l am fond of trying out DIFFERENT CUISINES of the world , and make it a point to taste the local food , where ever we go..
- I love GETTING CLICKED ,as much as I love clicking pictures
- I love reading , but I love READING OUT ALOUD even more , especially when I am reading fiction
- I love ALL KINDS OF ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES , my dream to skydive and bungee jump !
- I have always loved the stage as a school going kid and have a passion for ACTING.
So now ,time to nominate a few favorite blogs , ( I shall not be nominating 15 right away , but shall keep adding new blogs as and when I find them ! ) though some of you may have been nominated a zillion times before or perhaps have a NO- REWARD POLICY and I completely appreciate that , but I shall still be nominating you as a token of my appreciation for you work….
- http://chrisbreebaart.wordpress.com/
- http://travelwithintent.com/
- http://meaningfulmommy.wordpress.com/
- http://sayadpoet.wordpress.com/
- http://mojowritin.wordpress.com/
- http://sixdegreesphotography.wordpress.com/
As I said , will be upgrading my list soon……….And coming up a new post for my ‘PREMIO DARDOS AWARD‘…..
Till then , adieu and happy diwali to all 😀
Live life ,while you can…..
http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/finite-creatures/
Death is inevitable !
This fact I have known..
This ‘life’ is not ‘stable’
-the one we call ‘our own‘….
Every second is a ‘breath’ lost
every year – a candle blown
‘Mortality’ is the dreaded cost
we pay , to be as ‘humans’ born..
The day I saw my grandpa’s corpse ..
lying still before my eyes ;
That day this truth, before me dawned –
‘Every human being dies’
Some die young , some die old
A few , have time enough to plan
Some unlucky ones are never told
Others have just life ‘began’
So here is my advice to all …
‘Live life while you can’
Express your feelings, make that call……
Help someone needy , and be a good man !
The 'Pen'lightenment Of The Soul 