A love poem - Valentine's Day Special

"I'm better off alone, it was never meant to be,"
I keep telling myself that; but it's hard to believe. 
Because every time we talk, I'm swept off my feet,
Dropped head first into that fantasy. 

Once in a blue moon, we would
Bump right into each other
Those glimpses of you, so fascinating...
Etched into my thoughts, and created a longing
For you, to see you, to be by your side
They haunted my day, and most of the night
All I could think of was you. 

That we rarely met or hardly talked, it did not matter
It were the texts that drew me in
Into a dream, into a fantasy
Where anything could become a reality. 
Changing my perception and opening my mind, 
You showed me what I failed to see. 
Teenage spend on celebrity crushes
Were nothing more than a child's folly. 

It might never work, you and I 
But how do we know if we don't try?
Let's give it a shot, and create memories
To last us all our nine lives
Just you and me...
How thrilling would that be?
And thus I ask, this one time
Will you be my Valentine?

In too deep

My eyes burned as I glanced at the page. I went over each line at a steady pace, so engulfed in the story that I was aware of neither time nor place. I read the last line of the chapter and looked up, in awe of what I had just read.

Everyone had just gone to bad. The only light in the house was the one in the living room, where I sat on the couch, hugging the paperback in my hand: Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix.

I can't stop. Not now. It's only 10:30. There's still plenty of time.

I read the next chapter, and then two more in quick succession before I looked up again. It was past midnight. But I couldn't stop now. Not when the last chapter ended in a cliff-hanger. I need to know more....

And so I kept reading. It did not matter that my entire body ached from uncomfortable sitting positions. It did not matter that my butt was sore from not having stood up in a while. It did not matter that it was way past my usual bed time. All I cared about was the story.

I got up after that chapter and took a walk around the house. My parched mouth thanked me for the large glass of water I gulped down. But I was far from done. Sleep is for the weak. I need to get back to the story. And so I kept on reading.

The story developed, pulling me in deeper and deeper until it became my reality. The silence of the night was broken only by the monotonous ticking of the clock; that and the voices of the characters I heard in my head as I read eagerly.

As another chapter came to a close, I realized what was happening. I had gotten in too deep. And now I couldn't get out. This is exactly what I was afraid of, right from the start. This is why I had limited myself to just one chapter a day.

Now I had broken my own rules that I had set up only for my own good. I tried not to care. About any of them. But it had become increasingly more difficult as I had broken the one rule that was set up to protect me. I care a lot. And as much as I know I will regret it, I care about all those brilliant characters I know wont make it. Dumbledore. Lupin. Snape. Fred... and most importantly,

Sirius. 

I've been dreading reading this book ever since I found out that my favorite character would die in this. But I can't stop reading. I know with each page I'm getting closer to Sirius' death. But I can't stop. I can't stop now. I thought I could just... not care and emerge unscathed. But now I see that its too late for that. I'm in too deep. And the only way out is down.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to reading.

To drink...or not to drink..?

Thursday morning started off as a pretty normal school day. So it was a surprise when we were quickly and inexplicably called down from class. My Eleventh grade classmates and I exchanged confused and bewildered looks as we filed down to the assembly ground. There we found all of Ninth grade waiting, looking just as puzzled as us.

Our Principal beckoned us closer and explained, "We're going to protest."

We were brought out of the dark soon enough. A Beverages Corporation (BevCo) outlet was just opened outside our school. We would be protesting, alongside the residents, against that.

A government-run liquor shop, smack in the middle of a residential area. Just a few meters from an all girls' high school. Right next to a children's daycare. Between two apartment buildings. Opposite a bank. With churches and temples nearby. I mean... this is outrageous!

What were they even thinking?

Now, what's so bad about a liquor shop, you might ask. Nothing, really, if not for the drunk old men standing in long lines day and night, constant traffic jams, irresponsible drinking on the streets and overall disruption caused to the peaceful lives of nearby residents. Most of these men are spending a good part of their life earnings getting wasted, only to stagger home and beat up their wives and children. Alcohol in the hands of such people destroys lives and families.

That's what's wrong with most people here. They don't know how to drink.

Or rather, they don't know how to drink responsibly. There is nothing wrong with the occasional glass of beer or shot of vodka. Things get nasty when it goes overboard. And more often than not, that's exactly what happens. There wouldn't have been much of a problem had they maintained civility in and around liquor shops. Problems arise when they start drinking right then and there, and it often leads to indecent behavior, drunk driving, and obscene exposure in public. Just buy a bottle and leave. It's that simple.

People see the act of drinking an entire bottle in one sitting as a magnificent feat to be proud of. They couldn't be more wrong. It's nothing to be proud of if you throw up after one too many drinks, knock yourself out and then wake up with a hangover. It's disgusting, and pathetic. Seriously. Stop.

But you know what is something to be proud of? Self control. Knowing where to draw the line. Never losing control of yourself. Restricting what may cause harm. Because responsible drinking is classy. And that classiness, ladies and gentlemen, is hella attractive.




Our school's strong protest against the liquor shop in our vicinity was a huge success. Although there were a few attempts to open shop and conduct business, the consistent and powerful voice of the people was heard. The shop has now closed, hopefully, for good.

Girl students' protest force closure of Bevco outlet in Kerala - Times Of India

Here's hoping there will be change in this society. It all starts with education, and instilling a sense of responsibility, for oneself and his/her actions. Here's to drinking, but never going overboard, for our good, and the good of everyone around us. Change starts with each of us.

Cheers.

Fangirl Problems

Being a fangirl in a mostly male fandom can be... challenging, to say the least. Life as a fangirl can be tough, when you're the only girl around who is really into Marvel/DC or Star Wars.

Here are just some of the problems we face. I'm sure some lonely fangirl in a distant corner of the globe can relate to this.

1. Shopping woes: Tell me if this story sounds familiar. You are shopping for clothes... Girls t-shirts - glitter, flowers and some random quote about love that makes absolutely no sense. Boys t-shirts - official comic merchandise that is every fan's dream. If you're going to look for Avengers t-shirts in the girls section, you might as well look for water in the desert. I would say I have gotten used to the strange looks the store employees give me as I try on different boys' t-shirts. But then, what choice do I have? The world we live in is anything but fair. 
2. Forever alone: The geek stuff is not something you can talk about with your clique. The girls in my clique don't care who played the best Spiderman or that Aquaman has got a sick new look. Finally finding someone to geek out with is like finding a needle in a haystack... that one, rare, precious needle you never want to lose. 
3. Watching in theaters: I am jealous of how guys can just grab their buddies and go to the cinema every time a new comic book movie hits the theaters. Not having fellow fans to go with really sucks, and crippling social anxiety prevents me from going by myself. So, in the end, I'm left stuck at home, missing out on so much. 
4. Blatant sexism: "Why do you like that? It's for boys." "You like superheroes? Are you a boy?" "That's not very lady-like." *deep breath* Why don't you do the world a favor, and shut up?
5. Certain misunderstandings: This has happened on more than one occasion. Some distant relative or cousin brings a present that is clearly some pretty cool merc, and gives it... wait for it... to my brother! NO! I'm the one who's into it! Me! Not him! He's into pro wrestling and pokemons. I'm the one who's collecting Marvel merchandise! Give it to me! What follows are two hour long negotiations with my brother, discussing what I would give him if he were to give me the stuff. I have to fight for merchandise every single time. 

 So, there you go. Just some of the many problems faced by us fangirls. Sure, life is tough. But we'll get by. Right now, we're just counting down the days left for Logan.

Just 35 days to go...

 

Pulled into a book

Every successful writer has a writing style that they have made all their own. A style so complex, advanced and evolved, that they are truly its masters and creators.

I was asked who my favorite author is; I didn't really have an answer. I am an admirer of different styles; styles that evoke entirely different moods and emotions.

On this occasion, I must admit, that it took me a long time to finally get started on the Harry Potter franchise. It is something that I've, rather embarrassingly, missed out in my childhood, and, as of now, I am yet to read the last three books.

Thursday night, I finished Goblet of Fire, and that book left me in a puddle of my own tears. I was depressed all night, as though a Dementor had been in my vicinity. It was not a pretty feeling. But it was a great book, as only the great ones manage to squeeze out a tear from the reader. And it's purely due to the way J. K. Rowling has paced the story, and her style of writing.

It is soft, sweet and emotional. Vulnerable. Moving. Engaging. Like a river, soft in itself, but able to cut through mountains; cut through the hardest hearts. With this style of writing, she had me at her mercy by the end of the book. I was lost, saddened, confused... I was an emotional wreck.

I needed comfort. I needed solace. I turned to books that I trusted to wipe my tears. Those of Lee Child.

I grabbed my copy of Never Go Back to pull myself out of my misery. And it worked. Partially. It was like crying on the shoulder of an old friend, over a lover who gave you an amazing time and then left you with a broken heart.

Reading Lee Child was like getting the big warm hug I so badly craved. There was no pain in this. No slow, soft stabs with deaths of beloved characters.

Child's writing is more or less the opposite of Rowling's. It's hard, unemotional, sharp and edgy.  It's very technical and has got a certain mechanical smoothness. Cold. Relentless. Unapologetic. The kind that translates to, "Stop crying and get over it."

That is what I love about these writers and their specific styles. They have the power to engage the reader with their writing. To grip us by the throat and pull us into the deepest fathoms of their imaginations, until we are one with the characters. One with their journey. One with the story. They are more than just words on a page. It is an experience, forever remembered and cherished.

So many different styles; all so powerful; incomparable. I will always find peace from this busy world, between the pages of a good book.

Stop Waiting

Time flies.

Here we are, at the beginning of 2017. The previous year flashed by in the blink of an eye. There is so much each of us have to do. And we are running out of time.


There is nothing as harmful and destructive as waiting. What are you waiting for? Waiting for the exams to finish. Waiting to get out of school. Waiting to get out of college. To get a job. To have a home. To start a family. Waiting for your life to finally begin?

If so then, buddy, you'll be waiting all your life. Waiting for nothing but sad, pathetic little excuses to keep you confined to the bland, boring normalcy. You'll be watching from the sidelines as your life rushes past you. Because you cannot pause time. You cannot pause your life so you can make a living. Because life goes on.

This is 10th grade. Don't go about writing books now; wait another year. They said.
This is 11th and 12th grade. Don't do anything but studies for now. Wait a couple of years. They said.

There was a part of me, screaming from the inside, suffocating under the stress. There was a part that wanted to be let out, to be heard, to be free. Every moment was precious, and I was done waiting.


Passion is like a fire, burning inside you. How long are you going to ignore it? Your dreams haunt you, making their presence known. How long are you going to keep setting them aside? All that gives life meaning, makes it beautiful, is rejected, disregarded and replaced by the chase after success as defined by society.

Life is too short to keep waiting. To live someone else's dreams. Your time is valuable. And it is limited. You have just one life, and you have to make the most of it. This is your life, and it's ending, one minute at a time.

Stop waiting. Go out there, and do all that you need to do. Take risks. And live life to the fullest.

Have a great year ahead.

What makes villains so great?

There is no good without evil; and there is no hero without a villain.

In every story, the hero and the villain are two opposing forces, fighting against each other to come out on top. In some cases, the villain is the obstruction that the hero must overcome to fulfill his dreams. In other cases, however, the hero exists simply to prevent the villain from achieving their goals.

A great story is defined by a great villain. In most stories, we see that the villains are often much more complicated and developed than the heroes they face. The presence of an underdeveloped villain can completely ruin the experience of the story, no matter how entertaining the rest of the story may be.

So what makes a villain great?

1. Backstory (or lack thereof) : A backstory is the best way to reveal the motives and history of a villain. We understand why the villain is the way he is rather than just having to accept that he is bad for the sake of the plot. Loki Odinson, the villain of the Thor movies and The Avengers, is one of the most engaging villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His backstory shows us how a young, adopted boy, 'living in the shade of [his brother's] greatness', grew up to be resentful and angry towards his father and brother. This sets him off on a quest to prove his worth, wanting to rule the Kingdom of Asgard to show his greatness.However, in certain cases, a lack of backstory may be what works best for a villain. Heath Ledger's interpretation of The Joker in The Dark Knight went down as one of the greatest villains in the history of cinema. In the movie, The Joker appears out of nowhere and goes about doing what he does best - causing chaos. There is no explanation given about the past of the character which makes him all the more mysterious; and threatening.
2. Embodiment of Fear : The villains are not only the polar opposites of the heroes, they are also the embodiment of their deepest, darkest fears and nightmares. The villain is everything the hero despises and fears. But it is not enough that our rebellious, freedom-loving protagonist must face a fascist dictator, the hatred must be profoundly personal. Luke Skywalker does not just want to bring down the Empire, he wants to take revenge on Darth Vader for the death of his loved ones. Great villains are made when things get personal.
3. Sympathy : No one is all bad. Villains are no exception. All the great villains have something good about them, no matter how bad or evil they are. Wilson Fisk, from the Netflix series Daredevil, is a ruthless kingpin who shows no remorse over the people he has killed. However, there is another side to him - he cares deeply for his ill mother, is madly in love with his fiance and only wants to rebuilt the city because he loves it. Every great villain has such a side. And this helps humanize them. This is what makes them deep, complex, three dimensional; real.

Villains are only villains because we haven't heard their side of the story yet. When we do hear a story from the villain's point of view, then they cease to become the villain. They become the anti-hero. So, how well does this translate to real life? Simply with the realization that there is no absolute right or wrong. No absolute good or bad. There are only perspectives. There are two sides to every story. Great villains reflect real life, showing there is good and bad in everyone. That's what makes them memorable, and fascinating. Look around you. There is good and bad in all people. You may be the hero of your own story, but you're the villain in someone else's.

Art imitates life; and life imitates art.

Have a nice day.