Trapped by Creative Stationery ;)

There are a bunch of things in your home that you don’t use. You never intended to use it either; not because you don’t like them, but for the reason that you have unique reminiscences attached to each thing that you possess. They can be either gifted by someone, or you may have bought it fo yourself. You always want to preserve it as long as you can; may it be clothes, crockery, stationery, jewellery, toys etc. So do I. 

My dad gifted me a cute writing pen, as you can see in the photograph here. This pen has an adorable cat photograph. This is the famous cat named ‘Puss in Boots’ from the film Shrek. This pen was just standing as a show piece for almost 2 years. 

Yesterday, when I was cleaning the showcase I looked at the writing pen and placed it back in the penholder, and moved on. Later in the afternoon, a parcel got delivered and I wanted a pen to sign the receipt. (As a rule, I never find things like nail cutter, scissor, needle-thread, keys, hairclips, stapler, torch, and pen etc ;) in my house.) But guess what; this time I knew where I can fetch the pen. 

While I was signing the receipt, with the ‘Puss in Boots’ pen, I also realized, that the ‘Puss in Boots’ kept looking at me, and waggled happily with each letter that I wrote. I was allured by this act. Without ado, I decided, that I wanted to write more with this cute pen. In a jiffy, I pulled out a notebook, and sat down to write. 

At the outset, I just scribbled, and drew some cartoons on the notepad just to see and admire the ‘Puss in Boots’ boogie as I wrote. I also realized that it had been ages since I have used a pen for writing. All the writing that I have done in recent times was predominantly on computer, and phone, where I minimally typed my thoughts. Besides, I also realized that my handwriting… now was totally shabby, and illegible! You know… I had an excellent handwriting once, but now I just couldn’t construe my dire handwriting :)

I decided to write this blog post first on the notepad, and then transfer it here.Wow! I was absolutely enjoying writing in this fashion. I know it’s kind of a double work, but I don’t mind.

The entire act of writing seemed magical. As I wrote, I also concentrated on my handwriting. I could see that, the more graceful my handwriting was, the more graceful ‘Puss in Boots’ dance was. 

No wonder, kids are trapped by creative stationeries ;) and so are adults. :)

Thank you dad for this beautiful gift; it took me back to my childhood days.

LIFEISNOWHERE

LIFEISNOWHERE

What did you read? Life Is No Where or Life Is Now Here?

It is just a beautiful line to say that, “Life Depends on the Way We Look It”

Life is moves at a great pace, and in an interesting manner but, sometimes, lot of negativism swathes you suddenly in middle of nowhere. You either may be in office, in a party, or may be at home. The negativism enters through a window, finds you, and instantly clings on to you. You discern the fact that negativism has wrapped you, yet you cannot do anything about it. You are left mindless, motionless, and depressed. 

Same thing happened to me yesterday. I suddenly felt bizarre, irritated, melancholy, miserable, and scared. I felt like slapping someone, felt a bit exhausted, and felt like being alone, at the same time felt petrified of being alone. I felt nostalgic, wanted to shout loudly, felt offended, and wanted to natter but could not, I wanted to snivel but could not, and felt sardonic. I felt envious, annoyed with myself, felt mindless, triggered, ignored and isolated. I felt as if my life has become dilapidated and felt that no one on this earth understands me. I felt that not a soul cares for me. I felt that, I am all the time available for people, but no one is there for me when I need them shoddily. Felt like unfettering my social contacts. I felt unprovoked and pale, oblivious, and naive. I felt angry, rude, arrogant, thwarted with what I was doing. I felt Life is No Where.

The worst part was that, I could still manage to keep a smile on my face throughout the day! Ha!

I think I was missing my mom too much. Evening, when I returned home, I was surprised to see my hubby at home. He had come early from office. I looked at him; and smiled. However, I could not stop my tears… I burst out crying. He hugged me and said, “Cheer up; we are going out on a small outing this weekend.” I was back to normal in a while. While we ate dinner, I told my hubby about all the negativism that disturbed me all through the day. He just smiled and gave me a hug, and said I know you are missing your mom. 

I was surprised to realize that my hubby knows me better than I know myself.

I felt happy about the fact that, he understood what had happened to me without me telling him anything... 

Small things in life matter a lot. Life is Now Here… :) is what I felt.

Just Being Childish for a While

It was Monday, and I was on time for office.

As I moved out of my apartment with my bike, I saw some neighborhood kids approximately 4 to 5 yr old playing. They were curiously looking at some creepy little insect lying on road. 

While I was wearing scarf and helmet, I was also watching the kids.

What I saw was very funny. Out of the four kids, one kid would touch the creepy thing lying on road, and the next moment the other kids would scream scarily and then all of them would burst out laughing. This went on for quite some time turn by turn.

I smiled at them, and then sat on my bike. In a moment, the kids gave me a hint to take a close look at the creepy crawling thing.

I gave them a skeptical smile and waved bye at them while I started my bike. (Well, there was no way; I was going to touch that creepy thing or even see it… yuk.)

The kids requested me again to look at the creepy thing for just once. Looking at their cute little faces, I got off my bike, walked towards them, and bent down to find out, the entertainer.

Before I could even say a word, one kid said… “Didi, don’t be scared. Just touch it once”. In a moment, the other two kids started pulling me down to sit with them. By then, I was on the dusty road, sitting on my toes not thinking of my ironed clothes!

For a moment, I thought that, the kids were playing a prank. On second thought, I was totally convinced that it was a prank. I soon realized that the creepy thingy was a rubber made insect! Eeww, it looked very scary! I soon decided to let the kids have their piece of fun, by showing them that I was scared :p 

One of the kids clutched my hand and guided it towards the creepy thing lying on the road. Each time my hand moved a bit closer to the creepy thing, I pulled it back. Then, the kid would again drag my hand towards the creepy thing.

When my hand was just 1 inch away from that creepy thing, the other kid suddenly screamed aloud. I got scared, and I actually sat on the road. The other two kids joined me on road but rolling out laughing. One kid picked up the creepy thing and came towards me… and I could not stop yelling. Each time I yelled, the kids laughed. J

These kids took me back into my childhood days, where my friends and I used to play similar pranks on people, unaware of the fact that in future, someone would play similar pranks on us.:)

 

The kids were euphoric. They smiled, hugged, and waved a good bye to me.

Well…I smiled back at them, said good-bye, and then drove off to office. I was almost an hour late for office. However, I knew it was worth.  


It is good to be childish for a while. Isn’t it?

I Don't Know Which Way To Go When I Hear You Everywhere

Finally it rained and it rained a lot. Today morning, I woke up listening to the pitter-patter of the rain drops on the window panes. In a jiffy, I jumped out of my bed, and rushed to see and feel the rain.

As soon as I opened the door, a cool fresh wind blew through my hair rubbing my face gently, with few rain drops on my face. The green grass looked even greener and the mango tree in my garden was happily swaying, the rain-laden clouds were lingering around, the birds were chirping, and the rain water was dripping from the terrace on the ground just to form a puddle. The addictive smell of wet mud was calling me to come out in the garden.

The panorama seemed like an ideal description of a rainy day. It was a perfect A-ha feeling, and a perfect morning.

It is one of those days, when I feel like staying at home lazing around either snuggling under blanket and listening to my favorite music, or just sitting on my cane swing with a novel in one hand and a cup of ginger tea in the other, or may be just sit and stare the raindrops fall...!

For a moment, I had stopped thinking about everything and everyone… even me and you.

But soon, I realized that I had to get ready for office… I smiled at the rain, and said, “Rain rain, please don't go away..." :)

I hope it rains enough to give me a feeling that the rainy season has begun.

** When I was writing, I remembered the time I spent with you.

- The time we spent shooting for my film at Khadakwasla dam and in college
- The Mahabaleshwar trip in rains [Falero ;)]
- Bike ride to Girivan (Banglow) and trip to Nagao and Kashid beach ;)
- The cutting chai memories in Mumbai
- Sitting at the Katta in Pune
- Japanese classes, exhibition time
- Puppet shows and storytelling time in school
- Drive to Mulshi lake
- Lunch time in IIIT Hyderabad
- And the special one was, the Green Apple drink at the ccd ... and the drive ofcourse from camp to pirangut plot :)

Thank you everyone for making those moments....... 'Special'.

Hello :)

Have you ever faced a situation where you have said a “Hi” or say “hello, how are you?” even when you really don’t have time for the response. May it be face to face or on social networking sites, sms, or on the latest messenger bbm. :) Well, frankly speaking I have faced a similar situation, but a contradictory one.

I can relate the concept of Social Contracts here. I had read it somewhere, that Social Contracts are something that makes you say “Hi” or say “fine” even when you really aren’t fine.

But do you really care? Care about the other persons feelings?

I understand that Social Contracts keep the mood light and counterfeit. Well it is a socially acceptable lying. Rather let us say, it is a socially encouraged lying. It just crafts a feeling that you have contrived an interest in someone else's life, and they also did the same right back to you. Does that mean everything is really fine?

Regardless of how the world is outside, the best thing is that you are all safe and sound, and warm in your cozy little shell.


I am sure; I won't stop participating in the so called “Social Contract”. And for my friends, when I ask them “how are you, it is because I really… really care and really do want to know...
This is altogether a different world that I like to stay in. I just want to know whether your shell is leaking or leak proof. For me, Social Contracts are not a waste of time at all. It just bothers me sometimes because it always seems as though we’re lying to each other day … in and day … out.

I had plenty of time to sit and ponder the things around me. This was just one side of the story. The other side is that, I do wanna keep in touch with you and the whole world. But I’m afraid, of getting attached to you.

I recently got a BlackBerry phone, which is making my addiction to stay in touch stronger. For example, I have this urge to say a small “hi” to this special friend of mine. But I don’t know why!
I know it is very difficult to control addiction to keep in touch with the world and special friends. But I’m sure one day I will. Just need a little more time. :)

Leisure at Work

On job I have been extremely busy since 7 to 8 months. Whilst working on the project, I’ve have hardly found some leisure time. The good news is that the project is now officially completed. It seems I’m going to have some good time socializing and doing a bit of self learning.

At this instant, I discovered some time to share a thought or tea with my friends, colleagues, and family. I have been waiting for the moment to spend some good time with them. Now that I have acquired an opportunity, I don’t want to miss it. So here I am, just sipping a cup of gloriously brewed tea with my friends.

Ventriloquism

Whenever I performed in front of the young audiences, I longed to see their responses. Being a puppeteer, however; I always had to stay backstage and handle puppets. It was not possible to face the audiences, and see them responding to my show. I could here them though; and when I heard their excitement and enthrallment, a small part of my longing was satisfied.

However, I could always hear the audience’s excitement and enthrallment, which nevertheless encouraged me during the performance.

Puppets are all that the audiences can see and hear! But for me, they are the one who bridge the gap between me and the audiences.

Earlier when I had started off with my hobby it took me a few years to realize that I had to be a puppeteer since I work with puppets more often; despite the fact that I always wanted to be a ventriloquist. The best part of being a ventriloquist is that they can see as well as hear the audiences’ spur-of-the-moment responses at the same time.

Well! When I compared a ventriloquist and a puppeteer I found many similarities between them.

Ventriloquists are like puppeteers. Both use sense of humour, and sentiment in their shows. It is all about storytelling, magic, and illusion which mesmerize the audiences. Then why can’t a puppeteer take a role of a ventriloquist.

Once I realized I wanted to get out of the box and stop calling myself just a puppeteer, I began practising ventriloquism too.

I understood how puppetry moves an audience, and tried to apply the same methods, and trick to ventriloquism. Being a performer, I learned to have the audiences in my pocket. I need to “wow” them again and again.

After all the audiences should have seen and heard something unique and feeling worth for a show.