Category: Unplugged

Reignited Interest

I’ve begun making fancy bead jewelry again.

beads

It’s been long since I had given up on the art of making do-it-yourself jewelry. It all began with a class in school, where we were asked to get creative with thread and beads.

I came up with stuff I never knew I could do. With the help of the internet and other fancy stuff we see on television, I learnt to create patterns on my own to make bracelets, chains and ear rings.

One thing led to another. And soon, I was sitting up all night making bracelets, even though I never had the interest to wear them.

The suddenly, it all changed when a “friend” asked me to do a bracelet for her, and then displayed it as if she had made it. That was the end of it all. The friendship, and my interest in putting beads together.

You can call it childish , because I was young. Thirteen, if I’m not wrong. And at that age, you get offended for things like that. (Honestly, I’ll get offended for something like, no matter how old I am.)

Now though, it’s all back.

Life goes on… as it never ends

Living. No Life

The city was crowded. There was the hum of people, walking dead. Joy was long gone. Now there’s only survival. And money.
She was at work. Watching the outside world, burning with greed. An airplane took off from the airport nearby. People walked by. Nothing changed.
People lived. No life.

This fifty word post is for the “Weekly Writing Challenge: Fifty“.

The dawn of day in the city

Point of view

Man, the sun’s scorching, and it’s not even summer yet! Really, where is the world going to? In this rate, the world is going to come to an early and ugly end.

Look at the maniacs, driving around recklessly. Don’t they ever care about the environment? It’s so annoying to see these people, talking about global warming, but doing nothing. Irresponsible idiots.

Whoa! Wish I had a bike, so that I don’t need to walk all the way, sweating like a labourer.

 

Wow! This car is awesome. Such a smooth ride, I really can get used to this.

Heck, who’s that kid? “Hey, watch it! I don’t want your blood splattering all over my new car. Find someplace else to die.”

Idiots! Spoiling my mood, early in the morning. Why can’t these people sit in the safety of the pavement and beg? Why do they have to ruin my day?

This country is never going to change. Wonder what happened to my visa. Gotta call them today.

Oh, my stomach. Please stop growling.

It’ll be so good if I can get some money today. Two days without food, Ma’s become so fragile. I have to get something today.

What an easy life these people have! No worries at all, about anything. Wish I were born rich!

They drive huge, colourful cars, but so carelessly. Who’d watch out for their families if something happened to them?

I would be more careful if was driving that car.

Oh, my throat’s so dry.

There’s a young man in a bike. He might give me something. Must get to him before he leaves.

“Hey, watch it! I don’t want your blood splattering all over my new car. Find someplace else to die.”

“Sorry,” Why aren’t the words coming out?

Where’s that man on the bike? Oh, there he goes, shaking his head, talking to the girl sitting behind him.

Sigh.

Perhaps, I could ask that someone in that tea shop. Hopefully, I’ll get a job. Maybe today, we could eat.

He smiled to himself.

How great it is to be young. How great to be able to walk without the help of a rigid stick.

These young people don’t understand what it is like, to stand here everyday, begging — and how much I hate it — and displaying my helplessness.

Look at that girl, so self possessed. Not caring about anything other than her salary. She’s probably making plans for the weekend. And here I am, not knowing if I’d have another meal today.

What is that perfume? Whoa, makes me dizzy.

Urgh. I’m going to kill her. How dare she test her new perfume on me? And why is that beggar staring at me like that? As if he’s never seen a girl? I just hope I don’t stink.

What’s the date? Ah, salary day. How glad I am to think of it. Got to send some money to Ma and Pa.

I just hope they use it, instead of saving it. The dues on the loans are piling up. Got to speak to Ma and persuade her to talk to Pa about paying off the loans from the savings.

Display ids, display ids, display ids, display ids, display ids.

It’s become like my mantra. Why can’t these people just have their ids on them? I’m tired of reminding them every day.

Who do they think they are, big people? Ok, maybe they earn more than us, but we have families to support too. And here we are standing, looking at thousands of faces every day reminding them to display their ids.

Ah, it’s almost time. Can’t wait for my duty time to end. So excited. My child is going to see daylight today. Will it be a girl or a boy?

Hope she’s fine at the hospital. Hold on dear, I’m coming.

“Display ids”

Why should there be so much traffic in this city? Ya, ya, here’s my id. Stop yelling at me. I can’t even hear you through the glass.

That security looks worried. Bad news on the phone, perhaps. Where is he rushing to, I wonder?

She’s in pain. I have to go. The baby will be here any minute.

Hey watch it. You’re lucky you missed my car, you uneducated fool!

Ah, work awaits. Sigh.

Heck. What’s that sound?

Goodness what happened there? Why’s everyone crowding there? Did someone get hit?

Anyway, I got more important things to do.

I didn’t do that. I didn’t do that. I didn’t do that.

It was an accident. He came right in front of me. I didn’t do it on purpose.

Oh, my God. Poor man. Why was he running?

What do I do now? Am I going to get caught? Will they arrest me? Oh, hope he’s fine. Hope he’ll recover. Please don’t be dead. Please don’t be dead.

“The security’s dead, Miss”

What’s the hold up there?

Oh, another accident. Reckless women, holding us up.

My clients would be waiting. Going to be late for the meeting. The Boss is going to be furious.

 

This post is my response to the Weekly Writing Challenge: Leave your shoes at the door. A brief insight into the thoughts of the various people on the city streets, at the dawn of day.

Liebster made my day

When I logged in to my email, I thought it would be just another ordinary day, but no, a surprise awaited me in the form of the Liebster award. Now, where have I heard that before? Oh yeah , in a lot of places that I can’t mention one. ;)

It’s thanks to Aadi who thought I would appreciate the award. Thanks, a lot buddy. You thought right!

liebster

If I have to start thanking people who have encouraged me, I will have to create a long list. To make it short I’ll thank each and everyone reading this now, because they are the folks who read my posts every time I publish one. Just knowing that they spent their minutes on my writing is the biggest encouragement I could get. Also my brother, who really believed that I am a decent blogger. Thanks bro!

For those who look to know what Liebster is, here’s how it works.

  1. Thank the Liebster Award presenter who nominated you and link back to his or her blog.

  2. Post 11 facts about yourself, answering the 11 questions you were asked and create 11 questions for your nominees.

  3. Nominate small (no more than 200 followers) blogs who you feel deserved to be noticed and leave a comment on their blog letting them know that they have been chosen.

  4. Display the Liebster Award logo.

  5. No tag-backs, meaning you can’t just re-nominate the person who nominated you.

Those are the rules, now for the factual part. Here are eleven random facts (?) about myself.

  1. I hate the colour pink.
  2. I like the salty spray of the sea waves on my face.
  3. I like travelling adventures.
  4. I love my mother’s way of cooking mutton.
  5. I can spend a lot of time doing absolutely nothing.
  6. I’m addicted to freshly brewed coffee.
  7. I dream of being a novelist.
  8. I’ve tried hard, and failed many times, to write poetry.
  9. I don’t like romantic movies or novels. I avoid them if I can.
  10. I find it really difficult to orally express my feelings.
  11. I fancy photography.

My answers for Aadi’s questions.

1.  What do your friends and family think about your blog?

My mother and brother give me objective criticism that has helped me loads. My father reads my blog whenever he gets time and is the first person to rate my post with five stars. They’re encouraging and supportive.

As for my friends, there are only few who click on links and they mostly are the ones who come back for every post, encouraging me.

2.  If you must tell someone your secret – a scary embarrassing secret – who would that someone be?

My brother.

3.  What makes you laugh your head out?

My friends and certain books. Of late, Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality (I haven’t finished it, yet it’s funny (particularly to Harry Potter fans))

4.  If you could change three things about yourself – be it physically or mentally or anything – what would it be?

Nothing; if I change anything, I wouldn’t be me.

5.  What are your “philosophies” that you strictly adhere (or at least try) to? (Eg. I must not tell a lie, I must not cheat etc)

  • I never cheat in any examination. ( I never thought it worth the trouble (but, it can also be said that I never had the guts))
  • I never have SMS conversations; I prefer voice.
  • I try not to make judgments based on first impression. I believe they can change.

6.  Name three films or three books (or both) that changed your life.

Paulo Coelho’s ‘The Alchemist’
Mitch Albom’s ‘Tuesdays with Morrie’
Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul – Letters

7.  Name three films (or books) that you despise.

This is really tough. I choose books and movies selectively, but I do hate exaggerated love stories.

8.  What Myer-Brigg type are you? Take the test here. 

ISFP – Stands for Introvert, Sensing, Feeling, Perceiving.

9.  Do you think that the type that you got above actually describes you?

Yes. It does describe me quite well. Thanks for that!

10.  Name three of your favorite authors and three favorite directors.

Authors – J. K. Rowling, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christy. I don’t have favourite film directors.

11.  Inevitable question : Why do you blog? What got you into it? And how’s the experience?

I blog because there are certain things that I cannot say effectively. Instead, I write them, to make a lasting impact. I write things I can’t keep in my head. I write because I like experimenting on the power of words. I blog because I have to.
Experience? I love it. Makes me feel important, like I am giving something to myself and others.

Now, my turn. Here are the questions for my nominees.

  1. How would you describe yourself?
  2. Who introduced you to the blogosphere?
  3. If you have one, what is your publishing pattern? (e.g. a post a day or a post a week)
  4. In which part of the day are you comfortable writing? (e.g. afternoon, mid-morning)
  5. Name three of your favourite books.
  6. What are your hobbies?
  7. From where do you draw your inspirations?
  8. What kind of music do you often listen to?
  9. What is the main purpose of your blog?
  10. What’s your favourite cuisine?
  11. What were your last year’s resolutions? Did you adhere to them?

Here are the bloggers whose blogs I enjoy, and nominate.

  1. Gitanjali – Poetry Espresso
  2. Nithya Grace – Well! It’s all Mine…
  3. Ana Jain – Pretty Pink Pebbles
  4. Pamela Satpathy – Resonner
  5. Haiku For You

P.S: I was nominated a long time back. But I am accepting it only now. I don’t know if I can do that, please let me know if I can’t.

மேல்படிப்பு

“போறாளே பொண்ணுத்தாயி, பொல பொலவென்று கண்ணீர் விட்டு தண்ணீரும் சோறும் தந்த மண்ணவிட்டு”

 கண்ணீர் மட்டும் தான் இல்லை, அதுவும் அப்பா மனசு காயப்படக்கூடாது என்பதற்காக. தனது ஊரிலிருந்து சென்னைக்கு மேல்படிப்புக்காக செல்லும் முதல் பெண், பொன்னி. அவளை வழியனுப்ப ஊரே திரண்டிருந்தது. வண்டியும் வந்தது.

“ஏம்மா, பொன்னி, போனவுடனையே கடுதாசி போடு. என்ன புரிஞ்சுதா? ஒன் மாமங்காரர் ஹாஸ்டல்ல ரூம் போட்டு வச்சிருப்பான். நீ கவலப்படாம போ” – அப்பா, எப்போதும் போல தைரியம் கூறினார்.

“ஏ பொண்ணு, உனக்காக வண்டி நிக்காது. சீக்கிரம் ஏறு”; கண்டக்டர் அவசரப்படுத்த, சென்னை வண்டியில் ஏறினாள் பொன்னி. பேரூந்து இருக்கையில் அமர்ந்து ஜன்னல் வழி தன் உலகத்தைப் பார்த்தாள். கண்ணீர் கலந்த புன்னகையுடன் நின்றிருந்தார், அப்பா.

பேரூந்து புறப்பட்டது.

இருக்கையில் சாய்ந்து விட்டத்தை பார்த்தாள். வெள்ளந்தி மனிதர்களும் மண்வாசம் மணக்கும் திண்ணையும், தென்னந் தோப்பும், கன்றீனும் பசுவும், துள்ளித்திரியும் ஆட்டுக்குட்டிகளும், பொன்னியின் கண் முன் தோன்றின. பொங்கும் கண்ணீரை மறைக்க கண்களை மூடிக்கொண்டாள். நினைவுகளுடன் தூக்கமும் அலை மோதியது.

“ஏ பொண்ணு, சென்னை வந்துருச்சு, எறங்கு” கணீரென ஒலித்தது கண்டக்டரின் குரல். திடுக்கிட்டு எழுந்தாள் பொன்னி. வண்டிகளின் ஹார்ன் சத்தம் காதை கிழித்தது. ஜன்னலின் வழி, தெரிந்தது புகை மூட்டம் மட்டுமே. வண்டியில் இருந்து இறங்கினாள்.

கண்ணுக்கு எட்டிய தூரம் வரை எண்ணிலடங்காத பஸ் வண்டிகள். மக்கள் கூட்டமும் அலைமோதியது. அவ்வளவு ஜனங்களை ஓரே இடத்தில் பார்த்ததே இல்லை. கிராமத்தில் பெண்கள் நெல் மூட்டைகளை சுமந்து பார்த்திருக்கிறாள்; ஆனால் இந்த ஊரில், மக்கள் இவ்வளவு துணிமூட்டைகளை சுமந்து எங்கு செல்கின்றனர்? புரியவில்லை.

“சீக்கிரம் வாங்க, பஸ் கிளம்பிடப்போவுது”

“வாங்க, வாங்க, சீக்கிரம்…”; பொன்னியை தள்ளியபடி, ஒரு பையன் வண்டியில் ஏறினான். இல்லை, இல்லை, பையன் இல்லை; பொண்ணு! அவளை ஒரு கல்லூரிப் பட்டாளமே பின்தொடர்ந்தது.

இதையெல்லாம் பார்க்க முடியவில்லை. சற்று தள்ளி வந்தாள், பொன்னி. வரிசையாக நின்றன முச்சக்கர வண்டிகள்.

“எங்க போவனும்?”

தன் பையிலிருந்து ஒரு துண்டை எடுத்து ஆட்டோகாரரிடம் குடுத்தாள். வண்டியினுள் ஏறிக்கொண்டாள். கிளம்பியது வண்டி.

புதுமையான சென்னை மாநகரைப் பற்றி மேலும் அறிய, வண்டியிலிருந்து ஆர்வத்துடன் எட்டிப்பார்த்தாள். வேகமாக வந்த ஒரு இருசக்கர வண்டி, இவர்களை முந்திக்கொண்டு சென்றது. நூல் இழையில் தப்பியது பொன்னியின் தலை.

“அட, கைய காலை வச்சுக்கிடு சும்மா இருமா. உசிர விட்ர போற” – எரிந்து விழுந்தார் ஆட்டோகாரர்.

பயந்துவிட்டாள் பொன்னி. ‘என்ன இது, கண்ணு மண்ணு தெரியாம வண்டி ஓட்டுறாங்களே’.

அதன் பின் அவள் வெளியில் எட்டிப் பார்க்கவே இல்லை. இருக்கையை இறுக்கப் பிடித்துக்கொண்டே வேடிக்கைப் பார்த்தாள். நிற்கக்கூட நேரம் இல்லாமல் எதிர்திசையில் ஓடிக்கொண்டிடுந்த சென்னை வாசிகளை கவனித்தாள். ஆண்களும் பெண்களும் வித்தியாசம் இல்லாமல் கும்பல் கும்பலாக சுற்றிக்கொண்டிருந்தனர். அப்போதுதான் குளித்துவிட்டது போல் தலைவிரி கோலத்தில் திரிந்தனர் பெண்கள்.

இவர்களைப் பார்த்தால் ஆத்தா என்ன கூறுவாள்?

“என்னங்கடி, எழவா வுளுந்துருச்சு? இப்படி திரியுறீங்க. ஒழுங்கா எண்ண வச்சு இழுத்து பிண்ணுங்கடி!”; ஆத்தாவின் நினைவு பொன்னியின் உதட்டில் புன்னகை பூக்க வைத்தது.

“இந்தாமா, நீ சொன்ன இடம் இதுதான், இறங்கு”

“எவ்ளோ, அன்னா?”

“70 ரூபா”

திடுக்கிட்டாள். “அவ்வளவா?” அது இரண்டு நெல் மூட்டைகளின் விலையாச்சே!

“இதல்லாம் ரொம்ப கம்மி, வேற எவனா இருந்தா இன்னும் அதிகமா கேட்டிருப்பான்.”

பணம் குடுத்தாள். “நன்றி”

அவள் நன்றிக்கு பதிலாக கிடைத்தது பெரும் புகைமூட்டம். அவள் நின்றுகொண்டிருந்த கட்டிடத்தைப் பார்த்தாள். Women’s Hostel. உள்ளே சென்றாள்.

“Yes, what can I do for you?” – ஆங்கிலத்தில் கேட்ட ரிசப்ஷனிஸ்ட்டிடம் தன் பெயரை கூறினாள்.

“Yes, your room number is 24″

“நன்றி”

பதில் இல்லை.

தனது அறைக்கு சென்றாள். கதவை தாழிட்டுக் கொண்டாள். கட்டிலில் அமர்ந்தாள்.

“அவ்வளவு பெருசா சொன்னாங்களே, இதுதான் சென்னையா?”

X–X