With Tattoo and Mehndi competitions going on in college, the artist in me is Rejoicing!
Until the next post,
Keep Smiling :)
Love,
Swathi :)
Wednesday, 25 March 2015
Tuesday, 24 March 2015
Variety is Good
Every morning, my day starts with something like this:
Me: Mom what's for breakfast?
Mom: (Says something like fried rice, chapati or Idli)
Me: (A little irritated) Why do you always cook the same things? I am bored of it. I won't have breakfast today.
Mom: (Gets angry) I wake up early and cook so that you can have breakfast before going to college and this is what I get for it? It's all my fault! I should let you starve every morning. That's when you will learn your lesson. (This goes on... until)
Me: Okay okay am sorry. Just give it to me fast. I am getting late!
Don't get me wrong. I love my mom's cooking but I am just bored of lack of variety. Every morning the same thing. Who wouldn't get bored? I am already! She says I will long for these very food next year when I go to hostel and I know its true. But right now, all I want is something different and yummy for breakfast in the morning!
I am not alone in this one. Me and my friends are on the same boat. That is why we take tiffin boxes and exchange it in college so that we can eat something different. But it has been going on from four years and that too is getting, well yes, boring! That is why I am waiting for an invite from Guptaji's Home!
You know him right? The one from Kellogg's. I am waiting for an invitation from them. Recently, I bought a pack of Kellogg's corn flakes so that I can have it for breakfast in the morning. It was a welcome change from my previous attempt of having just milk and biscuits. That used to make me too hungry in the middle of the day and I couldn't concentrate on classes! Then I bought Kellogg's corn flakes and I so love it.
But I hardly know the recipes as Guptaji's wife knows! I just throw in some flakes, milk and any fruit that is available, mix it and have it for breakfast, while mom stands staring, waiting for me to complain about it too! It's tasty too but at Guptaji's home, I tell you! His wife knows over a 100 recipes! Can you believe it? 100!! I can spend my time there without complaining about the lack of variety for breakfast. May be I can take my mom along so that she could learn those yummy recipes too. Then I would never have to argue with my mom every morning! It is a win-win situation for both of us. All I want now is an invitation to Guptaji's house to make my mornings happy and yummy.
PS: This post is written for Kellogg's - Aaj Ka Nashta.
Monday, 23 March 2015
A Reader's Take - The Grand Theme Reveal!
I just can't believe it's already been a year since A to Z challenge!! Gone is the girl who was still a newbie in the blogging world, unsure if she could survive the challenge. I absolutely loved the thrill I got from participating in the challenge last year and completing it successfully. I have even met some amazing people through this challenge. So, this time I am back with a bang for more.
Last year, I had selected the theme 'Flavors of Live' and had written about emotions. I had selected one emotion from each letter and had written a short story or poem about it. This time, I wanted it to be something different, something more challenging. So, after a lot of brain storming, I and my friend Nibha decided on a common theme with different approaches. So, are you excited to know about my theme? Red carpet and Drum rolls please!
My theme for this year's A to Z Challenge will be 'A Reader's Take'. In every post, I am going to pick a name of some novel starting from that day's letter and use it as the title of my post. To make it more challenging, I have decided to weave a serial story using these titles. Here is the blurb of my story:
Kayra is the kind of girl who you would fall in love with. With her cheerfulness and enthusiasm, she can make anyone smile. 'Radiator' is what people call her. But something happened, that changed all this. Kayra is no more her bubbly self. The girl who made others' smile has now lost her own smile. She refuses to even talk with people. A worried Mrs. Sharma, Kayra's mother, seeks Kayra's best friend Ayaan's help to bring her daughter back to normal. But things get difficult when Kayra refuses to talk to even Ayaan. Will Ayaan succeed in finding out the reason behind Kayra's strange behavior? What happens when the secret Kayra has been keeping comes to light?
'Leave Me Never' is a story about dreams, love and friendship. Join Kayra and Ayaan in their journey to find out more.
Curious? I hope you are! Come back in April to read more about Kayra and Ayaan. Now, if it is going to be a single story stretched over 26 posts or whether it will be split into half remains to be seen. This is the first serial story I am writing and your opinions matter a lot. Hope to see you all in April. Till then, stay tuned.
Until the next post,
Keep Smiling :)
Love,
Swathi :)
Sunday, 22 March 2015
Happiness is...
In today's world, we all are so busy running after big things in order to achieve happiness that we forget the most basic truth - Happiness is not to be searched for; instead it should be felt. Happiness is not running after big things but often happiness can be found in little things; things we forget to notice due to our busy schedule!
Last year when I started doing 100HappyDays Challenge on this blog, I realized how small things that happen in our day to day life can contribute in making us happy. From then on, I have made it a habit to write at least one thing that made me happy everyday. Every time I go through that list, it never fails to make me smile.
Happiness is being surrounded by people who love you. Happiness is family and friends who cherish you and love you for who you are. Happiness is having people who can look past your imperfections and see the real you; people who can even understand your silence and people who can go out of their way just to make you smile.
Happiness is looking at your book shelf and realizing there are still books waiting to be read. Happiness is falling in love with the characters of the books and living their life along with them. Happiness is reading to quench your thirst!
Happiness is following your heart. Having a clear goal in life and working towards achieving it. Happiness is when people appreciate your work.
Happiness is cooking. It is when something you experimented with turns out really tasty and everyone starts asking for more.
Happiness is enjoying the final semester of college. Participating in different activities because you know it is the last time you will be having fun with your friends. Happiness is giving your best and seeing your efforts getting rewarded.
Happiness is having that one friend whose level of craziness matches exactly with yours. Having such a friend is the best gift you can ever receive. The world becomes a laughing zone when with them because you cannot stop finding things that make you laugh!
Happiness is clicking pictures. I have developed a new craze for clicking photos all thanks to Instagram! Happiness is clicking pictures to preserve a memory and revisiting it again and again, reminiscing the happy times.
Happiness is forgetting the world and being yourself, not caring what others might think about you! Happiness is letting go of people who hurt you and moving on with your life with renewed enthusiasm.
Happiness is travelling; visiting places that you love. Happiness is listening to music. Happiness is getting window seat while travelling. The feel of air playing with your hair as you sit by the window listening to the music, I just have one word for it - Heavenly!
The list goes on. There really is no end to this list of happiness; because happiness is all about the little things and little moments of our life.
PS: This post is written for http://cokeurl.com/96jnc.
Until the next post,
Keep Smiling :)
Love,
Swathi :)
A Battle of Thoughts
Kriya sat in the corner of the room again,
hugging her legs tight for she was afraid that if she let go of them, they
might take her somewhere she didn't wish to go. She felt like she was at The Edge of the World. One step forward and she would fall forever into the
unknown.
Her thoughts had been scaring her a lot today. There was a voice
inside her that was teasing her, calling her a coward for not being able to do
it earlier. She had sat at this very place a few hours ago, knife in her hand,
wanting to slice through her wrists for she didn't know any other way out of
the mess she had gotten herself into. She wasn't scared of the sin she was
about to commit nor did she care about the after effects of it. It really won't
be any of her business, right? She would be free from all this. The voice was
encouraging her, luring her to do it, for it was tired of the emotional pain
that she had put it through. The only way to let it all would be to cause
physical pain. She vaguely smiled at the logic. She took the knife closer to
her wrist and touched the tip to her wrist, applying a little pressure.
Surprisingly, it didn't hurt! Instead it felt good; it felt like that was the exact
moment she was waiting for so long.
She felt the voice inside her begging to
finish it soon. And just when she was about to slice her wrist mercilessly, she
heard his voice saying he loved her. “Lies” she cried through gritted
teeth as his voice refused to stop ringing in her ears. He had claimed eternal
love but when the time had come to prove it, he had escaped! He had left her to
pursue his dreams. “I do love you Kriya, but I have to go. I might never get an opportunity like this” he had said before flying to The States! Did he consider
her so selfish to become an obstacle in his path? Where did all the love go?
‘Everyone
is self-centered; it’s just the radius that differs’ said a small voice at the
back of her mind. Wasn't she being selfish too, trying to end her life for
someone who didn't care enough about her, when she should have been thinking
about the others in her life who loved her? She sat there for a long time, her
thoughts fighting a battle of their own. She could either take a step forward
and end it all or go back to living her life, which was a mess at that time. 'But
you could always work it out' said the sane voice again. It was a hard battle
but gradually, her grip on the knife loosened as the selfish part was
defeated. She stood up slowly dusting herself and wiping her tears, determined
to make a fresh start.
PS: Last month, on my Blog's first anniversary, I had written a guest post about Self confidence on my friend Gayu Di's blog - Outside the Kitchen Window. She is a friend I got on Facebook and her writing inspired me to start this blog. So, while you are here, do give it a read. You can read my guest post here.
PSS: This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Blogger by BlogAdda and Wordy Wednesday #9 by Blog-A-Rhythm.
Until the next post,
Keep Smiling :)
Love,
Swathi :)
Thursday, 19 March 2015
Snap of the Week #6
Finally after lot of complaining and pleading, I got three new book shelves done in my room :) Happy Happy!!
Until the next post,
Keep Smiling :)
Love,
Swathi :)
Saturday, 14 March 2015
Friends are Forever
I was irritated after a busy day. Seminar, project, classes and more work! I definitely was having the worst time. My mood was a mess and anyone who dared to talk to me at that time, regretted it instantly. Because, all I could do was take out my frustration on anyone who dared to interfere in my routine and try to waste what little spare time I managed to get. When I was in such a mood, I got a call. If it was from anyone else, I would have just ignored it, busy that I was. But it was from a dear friend, that too after months! I stopped whatever I was doing and took the call. I walked up to the terrace so I could chat with her in peace.
"Swathiiiiiiiii" she shouted as soon as I picked the call. I could already feel my mood lightening. "You remembered me now? After all these days?" I complained. Don't get me wrong. I was obviously happy to get a call from her. I was just pulling her leg and she knew it. "If you don't stop complaining, I will disconnect the call" she made an empty threat. I knew she would do nothing of that sort. I could sense she was excited about something and that is why she had called me. So, I decided to stop pulling her leg and let her spill the beans. "So, tell me what is that you are dying to tell me?" I asked and laughed when she complained how I already knew what she was about to say before she could even put it in words.
It took me back to our college days. We used to have so much fun together. We always used to stick together - in bus, or sitting in the last bench and making fun while the lectures went on. Playing pranks, scribbling on the last page of notebook, gossiping or going on a shopping spree, it was always the best time when we were together. Friends are like that. They make your life worthwhile. They add color to your boring days and make you laugh when you don't even feel like smiling. In short, they are the angels sent by God to accompany us on earth. Blessed I am to have few such precious angels in my life. It was difficult when we joined engineering in different cities but we had kept our friendship alive through constant messages and 'get together's.
"Are you even listening to me?" my friend shouted on the phone. That pulled me out of my wool gathering and I murmured a 'Sorry' on the phone. "You were saying?" I asked. "I was saying that I am coming over to Shimoga this weekend and we are having a night out at your place" She almost shrieked it and I had to keep my cell a little away from my ear. Of course, I was excited now. We chatted for few more minutes before disconnecting the call reluctantly with promises to catch up in the weekend. By that time, my mood was already refreshed.
I was smiling after a long time. It was definitely a memorable time, chatting like this with your best friend and forgetting your worries. All the complaints of not having time amidst my busy schedule were forgotten. I was already feeling optimistic of finishing my assignments on time to make time for my friend's visit. I had already started making plans for the weekend. After all, what is life if we cannot spend some quality time together with our loved ones.
PS: This post is written for https://housing.com/.
Until the next post,
Keep Smiling :)
Love,
Swathi :)
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