Saturday, February 23, 2013

Shimmer and shine!!


Shimmering notebook,
crystal paper inked with gold-
sunbeams kiss water.

*****************************************************

Pinks, greens and purples,
shimmering color ribbons-
polar sky dazzles.


*****************************************************
Endless beads of light, 
behold starry spectacle-
shimmering night sky.

*****************************************************

This post is shared with Haikuheights and this week's prompt is SHIMMER


Pictures are  from Google images

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Route no. 204


She sat all by herself on the bench near the lake waiting patiently for him. It was a chance delay in getting to the bus stop on time that fateful afternoon after her classes that resulted in her meeting him. Although it was more than an year since then, she couldn't help but smile each time she thought of it.

She had never missed her bus until then but that day, destiny had willed otherwise. Realizing she had missed her bus, route no.204 and with the next one due in an hour, she could only sit on the bench waiting. That was when she noticed the other person waiting like her.He was neatly dressed, the bag slung across his shoulders meant he too was a student just like her. Having nothing else to do, she began observing him, trying to discern more about him from his appearance. He seemed like a regular college student who had a liking for gadgets for he had what looked like a blue-tooth hands-free, but she was unable to place it against any of the popular models she knew. He was fiddling with his cell phone, probably playing a game or messaging someone constantly she thought. He suddenly looked up and she realized she had been staring at him long enough. She gave a smile hesitantly not knowing what else to do and he returned it before returning to his cell-phone. Soon the bus came along which they both boarded. While she managed to get a seat, he was not that lucky.


She forgot all about him until she saw him again at the bus-stop the next day. This time she avoided looking at him and took out her cellphone and pretended she was busy till the bus arrived. This continued all through that week and even the week after that. And then it was the dreaded day of the year , the day the world seemed to remember love existed and celebrated it. It was "Valentine's day", the day she would love to remove from her calendar if she could. She detested all the candy-floss hullabaloo for she felt she would never be able to sing her way into someone's heart. Curiously enough her new-found silent companion at the bus-stop was not to be seen that day. He must have skipped his classes to be with someone she thought.God!! How she hated that day of the year the most.

He was back the next day though and she went back to her "pretending-to-be-busy-with-cellphone routine". The routine would have continued for weeks after that, but he seemed to think otherwise. That day when the bus arrived, he got in right after her and managed to grab the seat beside her. He smiled at her and said something about the weather but she only smiled at him and looked out of the window as if enjoying the sight of traffic. But he didn't give up. He began talking about himself and his classes and the subjects that he loved and the classes that he hated. It didn't seem to bother him that she was not even looking at him for he knew she was listening inspite of herself. What happened next was something she would not have dreamt even in the wildest of her dreams. He told her he knew why she was not talking. When she turned towards him surprised, he spoke to her in a language she would have never guessed he knew, her language. He had spoken to her in the sign language that even her family had learnt so that they could speak with her for she could never speak their language, at least not the way they could understand.

The wait at the bus-stop soon became something she looked forward to. They spoke animatedly about anything and everything. They both had special education background which explained how he knew her language. He had been diagnosed with Auditory Neuropathy , a type of hearing loss even before he joined school and was lucky to get special education that enabled him to seamlessly integrate into the mainstream student life to pursue a degree in digital forensics. She was learning animation in the special school, it had been her dream to be a part of the world of her favorite cartoon characters. She was happy in her world where her friends too never had a voice of their own just like her, for she had been born into strange silence. Little did she know fairy tales happen in real world. While she liked to read and could spend days on end by herself at home, he was the kind of guy who could not stay indoors for long even if his life depended on it. With his group of friends, he loved to trek spending days or even weeks in wilderness away from the worldly din. They were so different in their likes and dislikes, yet they enjoyed each other's company. How did he know that she spoke a special language, now that was something he never told her.

While she sat reliving the early days of their friendship, he arrived with a bouquet of her favorite flowers,  charming white daisies. As she smiled while caressing the flowers, he cupped her lovely face and kissed her gently on her forehead.While his loving eyes smiled at her, her heart sang
"Love me tender,
 Love me sweet,
 Never let me go.
 You have made my life complete,
 And I love you so...
" , the song she would sing if only she had a voice...




Pictures are  from Google images

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Sweet nothings



Eyes smile in silence,
Sweet nothing whispers fill ears-
sugary dream waltz.

****************************************************
Danger lurks sweetly;
truth hidden in illusion-
sugar coated lies
 ****************************************************

Man clings to life, love;
desperate for happiness-
like ants on sugar


****************************************************


This post is shared with Haikuheights and this week's prompt is SUGAR


Pictures are  from Google images



Tuesday, February 12, 2013

My first award - A Liebster!!


It was indeed a pleasant surprise to find a comment on one of my posts from Ayushi that said I was nominated for an award. Thank you Ayushi Khare for nominating my blog for the "Liebster Award". I'm thrilled to bits, this being an award for upcoming bloggers with less than 200 followers and me having been on the blogosphere for nearly 6 months now, it is truly motivational. To be appreciated by your fellow blogger is a huge morale-booster that also means you have to live up-to the expectations your readers have from you.

Some gyaan about Liebster - What is a Liebster?  Liebster is German word and means sweetest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, and endearing.. In short, Liebster award is an appreciation award. Though there are many versions of this award, the underlying message is one of encouragement and sharing.
The rules of this award are simple and are as under: 
  1. Each person must post 11 things about themselves.
  2. Answer the questions that the nominator set for you and create 11 questions for the people you’ve nominated to answer.
  3. Choose 11 bloggers you feel deserve the award and link them in your post (You must choose bloggers with less than 200 followers)
  4. Visit their page to inform them of their nomination.
  5. No tag backs! 

  About me: 
  1. I am a coffee-holic, even the aroma of filter coffee wafting in the background works wonders for me
  2. Like a typical Sagittarian, I am guilty of shooting off my mouth on several occasions and then realizing that honesty is not always the best policy. A little diplomacy goes a long way in saving you from the guilt that you hurt your loved ones with your "Oh-so-frank" opinions.
  3. Of the many parallel-universe existences that I like to think I have, I love the one where I have a bird's  flying ability (the sense of freedom) and the sleeping-with-eyes-open ability of fish (Oh how useful in boring seminars :P )
  4. If God were to appear in front of me and ask me for just one boon I'd be tempted to ask for a huge library of my own that would offer me an endless collection of delectable reads or for the boon of gorging on sweets at will without the fear of putting on weight or dental troubles. But I think I'll settle for thinking about a place and finding myself there in a matter of seconds. Much like "apparating" a la Harry Potter. This one stems out of the traffic jams and the long distance travel and the fact that I'm far off my loved ones across the seven seas
  5. I am very afraid of doctors, the degree of my fright is almost to the level of phobia. I have fled from doctor's clinics during childhood :P
  6. I love curds, I can enjoy it with almost all foods except sweets of course. Come to think of it I love all milk products...
  7. I am quite fussy about food, I like the vegetables to cut to a particular size, cooked in a particular way using only certain spices. You got the gist, Fussy with a capital F. Though I realized the true value of mom-made food during my 2 year hostel stay as a student, it did not make me any less fussy about food.
  8. I  find cleaning and organizing therapeutic...
  9. Religion to me is a way of life and in that sense all of us humans are religious. As to whether God exists and the related questions, God for one may be an idol or a book or science or a higher power or a person, something that you subconsciously reach out to whenever you feel you are in a dilemma and believe that whatever it is you are reaching out to will help you in your quest. For me, he's my best friend and lives in my heart always
  10. My favorite season is the monsoon. I just love the sweet smell of rain, it refreshes me second only to coffee.
  11. I still enjoy watching Tom and Jerry and Donald Duck cartoons.


    My responses:

    1) What is the meaning of your name? Do you believe you are living up-to it?
    My name Reshma means silken soft. I look tough on the outside but the ones who know me well know that I'm super-sensitive and soft-natured, so yes I might be reflective of my name.

    2) Which moment do you wish to live again and again?
    I believe the beauty of life lies in the fact that the gravels of time slip by gently leaving behind treasures of memories both happy and hurting that can be reminisced any number of times but not relived.

    3) Are you happy with your profession? If yes, why? If no, what you want to be?
    Oh yes,life is all about finding happiness in whatever you do. For happiness is not something that can be found by searching all over, you only have to open yourself to it, its just waiting around the corner :)

    4) Do you have any childhood dream you want to accomplish? If yes, what it is?
    As a child when I looked at some of my friends' handwriting, I wished mine were half as beautiful as that, mine is legible and neat but I wished to have a beautiful writing...With the world going the e-way, writing seems to be fading away...But I'd still love to learn calligraphy...Someday I will...

    5) In what other way do you help poor apart from giving them money?
    By being a normal human around them and not making them feel inferior.

    6) What one thing you want to vanish from this world?
    Fear of loneliness.

    7) What do you hate most about online social networking?
    The fact that it can all be just make-believe and fantasy while the reality may be scary.

    8) Any celebrity you want to date? and why?
    No, I don't subscribe to the concept of dating. I might like to be friends with a celebrity to use their celeb-status to get the world to focus on issues that haunt the world today like child abuse and of course a couple of news mentions :P

    9) If given a chance to exchange lives with anyone in this world? Who will be the person and why?
    Nobody, cos nobody's life is perfect and I'm nobody :P

    10) Which possessions of yours, you can't tolerate to be touched by others?
    Actually my braid, not that it is thick or long or anything but it somehow irritates me when somebody tries to tug at it or play with it. I'm weird right ? I know :P

    11) Define yourself in 4 words.
    Outspoken, ambivert, romanticist, quasi-homebird

    Tell me:


    1. Given a choice between a world without feelings and a world without words which one would you choose and why?
    2. What's the one thing about you that you think irritates others the most?
    3. Describe what writing means to you in 3 words.
    4. If you were to be marooned on an island and could wish for only one thing(except return to the mainland), what would that be and why?
    5. The one blogger you wished you could write like would be...
    6. If you could choose to be born as a celebrity, who would you be?
    7. If you could possess a superpower, what would you like it to be?
    8. Who or what influenced you the most to write?
    9. Science or God?
    10. What is/are your Favorite book/books (limit to 3) and why?
    11. If you could change one thing in this world, what would it be?

    I nominate :
    I had a tough time compiling this list for most of the bloggers that I follow seem to be veterans with a huge following. The amazing fellow bloggers I wish to nominate for "Leibster Award" are listed below.
    Each of them are brilliant writers whose posts never fail to surprise me.


    1. Odyzz - http://odizzey.wordpress.com/
    2. Amrit  - http://livinglifegreenspeck.blogspot.com/
    3. Sayantini  - http://sayantini-bhattacharya.blogspot.com/
    4. Rahmath - http://rahi30384foru.blogspot.com/ 
    5. Divya -  http://stardustsprinkles.blogspot.com/
    6. Lolly - http://foralovelything.blogspot.com/
    7. Nimue - http://wordpossessedlady.blogspot.com/
    8. Tarang -http://tarangsinha.blogspot.com/
    9. Robyn - http://laughwithme45.blogspot.com/
    10. Sruthi - http://sruthiharidas.blogspot.in/
    11. Neha - http://nehasjournal.blogspot.com/ 

    Happy Blogging folks!! 

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Redhot!!

Behold titans' clash- 
fireball kisses cool waters; 
fiery hot union


**************************************************
Red hot embers fly -
young hearts weave exalted dreams,
passion flames rise.

**************************************************
Tickles the taste-buds
fore setting off fire alarms-
spicy red chilli

**************************************************


This post is shared with Haikuheights and this week's prompt is RED

Pictures are  from Google images



Monday, February 4, 2013

Pride



Fledgling wings flapping,
heart in mouth - solo flight show
mother's eyes shine- proud 


************************************************
 Pride unites townsfolk,
pride weaves a dangerous web,
 pride fells mighty oaks.

************************************************


This post is shared with  Haikuheights and this week's prompt is PRIDE


Picture is  from Google images


Our hero

With you by our side,
We opened our eyes to life.
your smile, our sunrise.

Your smile, our sunrise;
your touch righting all wrongs-
you are our hero.

You are our hero-
courage you sowed in us;
 our fears simply died.

Our fears simply died,
the world we could take on,
with you by our side


HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMMA!!
                                                                Hugs n kisses
                                                                                                S n D


This post is dedicated to my mother who is celebrating her birthday today, My brother and me may be adults in the world's eyes but we will remain her little kids forever. 

Picture is  from Google images

Friday, February 1, 2013

Farm-talk


One of the first differences I felt when I moved to US was how our typical morning never began with getting milk or the call of the milkman unlike in India. Here we get a gallon of milk in plastic cans that have the best-before date printed on them and this lasts 4-5 days for us. A gallon is 3.78 liters for those uninitiated into the US measure of gallons, pounds and miles that are the counterparts for the Indian measure of liters, kilograms and kilometers. Thankfully time is measured in minutes and seconds just like how it is back in India. But that's beside the point. On noticing that our milk-can reached near-empty state, I decided to replenish it from the near-by farm. Before you jump up in excitement, this farm is a plush departmental store named "Bristol farms". It feels nice to think that we get our milk fresh from the farm and so I like to call it just 'farm'. So there I was, on my way to get milk from 'farm'.

A retirement community is located in the same neighborhood and generally a lot of the elder population also comes to shop at the 'farm'. They usually come in groups, generally around 11am in the morning and wander around leisurely in the store, chatting about loudly when they make their purchase. For some strange reason, although it was a bit crowded, only one counter was open. When I queued up at the billing counter, there was an old lady ahead of me with her list of purchases who I think was alone for she was standing quietly by herself. She gave a hesitant smile which I promptly returned. The rainy weekend earlier seemed to the most favored topic for a conversation starter and she commented about the same. "Its been a lot of rain lately and unexpected too ", she began to which I replied "Yes, the forecast said it was only for the weekend". She continued oblivious to my reply, "Oh I love the rain, it reminds me of when I had to bundle up my children for school". Mind you she looked quite old, may be well into her seventies. So I just smiled politely and asked her for how long she had been here in San Diego and she took a long walk down her memory lane. She said she had been here for more than 40 years and how less crowded this city used to be. She went on to say she missed the hustle-of her home-town New york when she first moved here and now she feels more at home here. She would have reminisced more about her life but the clerk at the counter greeted her and she bid a hurried goodbye saying "All that is long gone, but I'm happy now". The way her eyes shone when she spoke about all those times of the past were in sharp contrast to the somewhat drab look they had when she smiled hesitantly.

After I paid for the milk and walked back home, I could not help but think about her parting words feeling that she had now accepted that times had changed and she too must move on... Sometimes just an ordinary chat with a stranger makes you evaluate life and introspect. Life is not easy when your loved ones are far off and the heart does what it knows best, it feels. At such times, it is hope and the priceless memories that carry us through.

My chance talk with the old lady in the store prompted me to pen down this haiku-

Drab eyes pulsate joy
clutching dry tendrils, wistful
bygone times relived.



This post is shared with 3WW and the words for this week are Drab, pulsate & tendril
Picture is  from Google images