A Bundle Of Contradictions

Date: 24th October, 2015

Time: Around 8 in the Night

Place: NCSI @ Dome

It is not everyday that you get the chance to watch one of your favourite Disney movies as a live-action musical.

Yes, dear reader, I got to watch Disney's Beauty And The Beast The Musical at NCSI @ Dome in Mumbai! And you know what? This is the first time ever that a musical on a scale as grand as that of Broadway has taken place in India!

Naturally, being the colossal Disney fan that I am, to say that I was giddy with excitement would be the understatement of the century.

Outwardly, I seemed (somewhat) calm, because:

a) I was with my uncle, aunt and nine-year-old cousin because I'm supposedly an influence on my cousin. One stupid move, she'd ape it and my uncle and aunt would be very disappointed in me.

In case you're a regular reader of my blog, you do realise how much I care about not disappointing my family, right?

b) There were fancy people about, dressed in uncomfortably tight clothes, face…

Dear God (or any other superior being that presides over our lives),
Hi there.  I know, a lot of people out there doubt the fact that You exist. I know, a lot of people out there apparently know that You don't exist (because there's no 'scientific proof' or maybe because they want to sound cool because come on, haters are the 'new cool'.) But, after years of being confused and befuddled whether You're really there or not, I've realized that You are there. You are there within each and every one of us. You're there in the air, You're there in the water, You're there on the earth, You're everywhere. You are infinite and You don't have a typical form. You have a strong presence though, which always, always helps people to move forward. You help people, not directly or magically, but with your mere presence. You're Hope, You're the Light that people find in a dark abyss. You're the Giver of positivity and it's only up…

Today is a special occasion, everyone.

It's not every day that your oldest best friend turns seventeen.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, my oldest best friend, Anushree Natraj, turned seventeen on 4th of November when the clock struck twelve!

I know that the previous line sounds quite dramatic, but such nautanki dialogue are allowed on such special days, nai?

***

Let's begin with a few stories, shall we?

It was nearly twelve years ago (yes! That long!) when I first met Anu.

I don't remember the exact date or the exact moment when we actually met because childhood memories are so distant and so blurry — you hardly remember anything at all.

It's kind of like being drunk, to be honest.

What I do remember about that hazy period was that Anu and I were new girls in our old school. And I do remember that we were in the same class (G Division!) and we had managed to become good friends (you know, the hi-bye-and-play-for-a-while kind, not the ones who exchanged friendship bracelets…

I wrote this for my school magazine which has not been published so far. I hope this gets published in the magazine! :)  
Hope you all like it! xx 
It’s been many years,
Since I came here -
This lovely place,
That once was my childhood escape;
Bushes filled with roses,  Trees of maple lined in the perimeter,
Just to guard this heaven,
 From those who dared to destroy its peace;
I stroll along the sidewalk, Under the late afternoon sunlight,
Lost in my current worries,
When I hear –
A horde of children clad in uniforms,
Arrive from the floral entrance,
Chattering, laughing and jumping –
Not caring about the world;
I stop on my tracks,  And silently observe,
Some children,
Buy ice-creams from a local vendor;
I see some of them,  Rushing to the swings,
Climbing up the monkey bars,
Schoolbags tossed into a corner;
Some of them,  Pass by me,
Joking about school teachers,
And bursting into peals of laughter;
It’s been quite a while – Oh! Ages, actually! –
Since my lips have,
Curved into a…

So, I wrote a new story. It was supposed to be for a competition but then I found out that I'm not 'old enough' to enter the contest. 

My mum was pretty disappointed, though. 

Me? I'm fine with it. I guess I hadn't read the instructions properly. :p

However, I'm glad that I wrote this story. I've always wanted to write a saaaad story. 

I hope you like it! :) 



Amelia’s Swing Morning, 25th April, 1991 It was a nice spring day. The small village of Willborough was sunny for once. There was a pleasant breeze wafting in the air. The flowers in the Ferguson s’ yard were blooming to the fullest. Mr. James Ferguson was seated in an old rocking chair, out in the porch, immersed in reading his novel, when – “Daddy, I want a swing.”    Mr. Ferguson kept his book on his lap and looked at his five-year-old daughter. Amelia Ferguson strongly resembled her mother – she had the same fair hair, baby blue eyes and her smile was utterly unique. Her hair was – as always – braided mess…

I'm supposed to be studying for a test.

The competitive side within me is screaming out loud: Get your butt off that chair, right now! Or else you'll flunk! 
The procrastinating side is like, Pshhh! Whatever, as if anyone else's studying right now! 
The competitive side: STUDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
But here I am, listening to Tiffany Alvord's amazing cover of Wrecking Ball and blogging. I'm constantly licking my lips because they've dried up (curse you, winter). My grandmother's asleep in the other room and there's no one else in the house. 
As everyone knows it, Christmas is fast approaching. Every shop in the vicinity will be decorated, so will the houses. People will hang laurel wreaths outside their doors and bring Christmas trees. People will make cakes and gingerbread houses. Kids (like my seven-year-old cousin) will write letters to the nonexistent Santa Claus, begging him to bring new toy-cars and dolls. You'll hear annoying, though endeari…