My first NaNoWriMo.

The closest one goes to publishing their novel is when they complete writing it. The closest I went to publish mine was when I started writing it. It was on the 1st of November this year when I decided to be a part of NaNoWriMo. It took me a few years to decide which of the tales in my happening life I should use in my book. A fiction story that you write for the first time is always inspired by your real life, unless you start as a pro. So I kept searching for MY most spicy tale. I had a dozen options till 6pm of the first day of NaNoWriMo. Then I remembered that old saying about how a thousand mile long journey starts with the first step. So I started typing before I had my story in my mind. I kept deleting and re-typing the first couple of lines of my story for an hour when the bulb floating above my head flashed bright! I had finalized one spicy tale to reproduce! Yay!!

My new first line came into being. And then the second. They lived for a few minutes, till I decided that it wasn't framed well and rewrote them. When my day ended, I had two lines. Yes, still just two! The two final first lines of my story. I was happy that I had at least begun. I am so easy to please!! With 50,000 words to be completed in 30 days, each day should ideally end with 1667 new words. I had about 20 at the end of my first. Genius! I will write 2000 everyday, I told myself and slept happily.
Next day I did not sit to type my story. I only thought of it. And then I had a debate with myself about the choice of story I had made. My day ended with the same 20 words of 1st Nov. AND a new calculation!. 1072 words per day, starting Nov 3rd. Sounded fair.

The next 28 days were different. Because I had a new calculation each day and there were days when I didn't even bother to think of this project called NaNoWriMo or even about the fact that I am a blogger.

Finally, on 30th November, my National Novel Writing Month ended with a two lined super suspense novel.

At this rate, I should shift to writing those six-worded stories. My mind will do all the thinking, editing and rewriting. Mighty convenient! :D

Passion appreciated

Finally, the day came when my guru enjoyed my song :) Bliss. Today has to be really special.

Karan Singh Rathore: Part I - Falling in love with a voice

It was one of those seasons when completing assignments was more important than brushing the teeth, when the only source of entertainment in our cozy, wrecked hostel room, amidst A4 sized pages and books that weighed more than my birth weight, was that little talking-singing box, my radio walkman. We listened to RJ Aniruddh’s flirtatious voice in the afternoon, RJ Geeta Modgil’s naughty rants in the evening, unidentified, staccato advertising voices, all this in the middle of songs, new and old, that played all day long. I usually stuck to Radiocity 91 FM because they always played Hindi songs and that’s what I loved to hear.

One night, as my pen scribbled out on yet another bundle of A4 sheets, in between songs, a voice spoke out. My pen paused. I sat still, wide eyed, heart beating hard, full of awe and admiration for the voice that spoke. “Mere sunnewalon, aap sun rahe hain Yaadein..”, went the voice. Poetry followed, thoughts followed, listeners called him up and he spoke to them on air... as I sat there awestruck, dumbstruck, just letting the best voice in the world wash over me, the voice of Karan Singh, radio jockey of Radiocity 91 FM. It was the year 2002.

We were 4 roommates and we all listened to him together with a lot of admiration and appreciation (and a lot of shivers and little shreiks from me). We’d write down or record his shers and his panktiyaan.. his lovely writings that he used to recite passionately to all of us, on air. His style of reciting was incomparable, matchless, and that teamed with his deep, husky, heartfelt tone, it was heavenly!! :)
An urge grew within me, irrepressible urge. I wanted to talk to him. But silly me, every time I heard his voice on air, I’d go weak in the knees.. if I heard him on phone.. talking exclusively to me !!!! I’d ... THUD!! drop to the floor!

And so, I remained a craving fool, just listened to him and envied the people who, unlike me, were not nervous to call and talk. Thursday was the day of the week when he used to take calls. On that day, he used to ask his listeners a common question and the callers used to answer one by one. It’d be a question that made people think, analyse and then answer. I always had stuff to say. Everything I had to say filled up within me till I couldn’t contain anymore. That’s when I decided to start mailing him. I’d mail him elaborately about my thoughts, my views. For every little thing asked on air, be it questions or suggestions, I would mail him my replies.

One day, to my pleasant surprise, there was a mail from Karan Singh in my inbox, awaiting to be read. I screeeeamed in joy!! :D :D A mail from the man whose words and voice I admired and whose voice I knew was the best in the world! I'm falling short of words to explain my excitement at that time :). Soon, he started mentioning my name on air, thanking me for my mails, reading out my suggestions and mailing me off and on :)

One Saturday, Geeta Modgil, another RJ of the same radio station, before going off air after her show, announced that Karan Singh would be off air for 2 days because he had got married and was on his honeymoon. 2-day honeymoon?? Karan Singh got married?? :-O Technically, it shouldn't have made a difference to me, but like all female fans, I was.. not a bit happy. Na.. not one bit! It didn't seem fair! I sulked for a few hours, but slowly spoke to my head that I should be happy about it. The next day (Sunday), I sent an e-card to him and distributed chocolates in the hostel. (Everyone there knew that I was a HUUUGE fan of his!)
Monday night came and Karan was on air again. He began the show with, "*sigh* main thak gaya hoon.. Geeta ki harkaton se.. Nainashree aur Shrutiji, thanks for your ecards." (Nainashree was another regular caller). He assured us that there was no marriage and that Geeta was just being a little brat.

The next day, I distributed chocolates in the hostel again :)

(...to be continued...)

Death

The last of my grandparents expired - my maternal grandmother. She is the only grandparent I have really had a sensible conversation with, the only one I 'knew' because by the time I was 10, she was the only one left. She was 93, frail and weak with no ailments and died in her sleep in her house. Not in a hospital. That's a very peaceful death.

But I don't want to die like that. I still stick to my brain tumour fantasy. With all the passive smoking and excessive pollution inhalation (added to my liking for the smell of pollution), I am sure I will not even reach my eighties. I don't want to. I know I will be suffering from ailments that don't even exist now! Moreover, I am not the kind of person who takes care of their health.  I don't eat right or sleep right. How many youngsters these days take care of their health just because they want to live longer? Going to the gym, taking brisk walks or jogging are not the only things that keep one healthy. There are numerous don'ts to be followed too.

Forty cigarettes a day. Have you heard of that? What level of elasticity must be left in those alveoli? Zilch!! Heard of anyone who has quit smoking only once and never smoked again? That's a fictitious species. The more common kind you find is one that quits every night. Then they start again the next morning. EVERY next morning! They have an excuse each time too, just like they have, each time they drink and damage their liver and kill their brain cells. But who cares?

What these uncaring fools don't know is that at a point in their life, they might be with the perfect partner, with lovely kids and their love for life will have increased. They will want to live longer so that they can feel all the beautiful moments. How would it be if one such beautiful moment is near and our uncaring smoker finds himself on his death bed, never weaning off the ventilator, trying hard not to slip into unconsciousness, yearning to live a little more to witness that blissful moment which might just slip out of his reach? How will repentance help then?

Sleeping less has adverse physiological effects. And I am sitting up at 2am and preaching about how one should take care of their health. This habit is enough to make sure that I don't live beyond 80. Nice thing. Like I said before, I don't want to be dependent. A late brain tumour detection would mean quick death, with a brief period of pain and suffering.

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Vrijilesh from Chai Biskut With Vrij got into a blogging treaty with me yesterday. Only bloggers who've had a family in blogosphere can understand  how it hurts to miss blogging for so long. The treaty says that at the end of my post, I tell Vrij what he should next write about. The post has to made within a week. At the end of his post will be his question for me. I am allowed to make a post totally unrelated to his question.
Okay, the last line there is a lie :P


So, Vrij, I want to hear about the oldest patient you've had.

Alive now

Long break. I know. The break happened because of a lot of things, about which I might tell, some other time. But for now, I have something important to report. Who knows what might happen?

I got my first real death threat today. It was from the father of a seemingly mentally abnormal girl who enjoys cheap gossip. Can I just post this much and go? Posting this so that there are at least a few people who know that there really WAS a threat. Just in case I get killed or something... you know :-/

Am active on facebook. So you know when I'll really be dead ;)

The day my phone took revenge

It took me a month of research before I zeroed in on my Sony Ericsson k790i two years ago. That was after my k750i had got stolen. It was with a heavy heart that I got separated from my k750i. But the heaviness did not stay for long. k790i turned out to be such awesomeness that I fell in love with it and when the camera proved to be a hit, I was drooling!

That was 2 years ago. With the phone churning out class pictures, my love for my phone kept increasing and it made me overlook all the better stuff that came my way.

Diwali offers were flowing in through the roof and my brother got tempted with one of them.
Buy a phone and get a free LCD TV.
That sounded a lot like 'buy a milk bottle and get a baby free'. He wanted the TV and he knew I was a sucker for phones. As expected, I got tempted too. Since I had to replace my phone anyway, I started thinking about all the negatives that my current phone had. Annoying joystick, hangs a lot, short-lived battery. Awesome camera though, so I'd just use it as a camera till I bought my.. err.. real camera. (That will have to wait a li'l more. For now, I have other priorities.)
I was almost considering replacing my phone I loved so much with a new 'thing' just because my Chota Hitler would get his TV?

So a couple of days ago, I was late to college on the very day when I was internal examiner for that day's vivas. I was in the bus reading 'Eclipse' on my phone and the conductor came by. I took my ticket and decided to rest my eyes till I got into the train. My stop came, I got off the bus and checked the time. I was really late. Had to tell the external examiner to leave a little late from home so that we'd both reach approximately at the same time. AND I remembered that I hadn't taken care of the phone that I had left on my lap while taking my ticket. I checked in my bag, just in case... It wasn't there.

*PANIC ATTACK*

I knew as I looked at the bus that was swiftly making way through the crowded narrow road, (something it never did when I was in a hurry to reach home), that I'd never catch up with it if I tried to chase it on my two legs that never gave me an athletics position better than second last. So, not sane enough to bother about what people on the road would think, I frantically waved to an autorickshaw and screeched as loud as I could. One of the auto drivers probably got worried and drove upto me. I jumped into it.
"Follow that bus, that bus, that.. that one." I almost pushed him to get the auto running faster.

"What happened, madam?"

"Go, go, faster, pleeeeasee!"

"Yea yea, but tell me no, madam, what happened?"

"My phone fell in it." I didn't drop it. IT FELL. Phone's fault.

He drove as fast as he could, without killing any pedestrians hurrying for work.

"Stop right in front of that bus", I was getting increasingly hopeful as we swiftly neared the bus.
Just as we overtook the bus, we turned to come in its way, but the driver did not stop his rick there.
"STOP STOP STOP!!!" I pleaded. I meant to plead but I'm sure it sounded like I'd grab his lungs out of he didn't.

 "Madam the bus will run over us if I stop here!" Saying that, he managed to bring the auto at a place where he could talk to the driver and shouted in Marathi, "Madam's phone fell in the bus. Please stop."

I stuck my head out of the auto so that the bus driver could see my tortured face and feel sorry for me.
It worked. Suddenly, everyone seemed to co-operate. The bus slowed down to a stop, the auto stopped, I rushed out of the auto and into the bus to see the conductor walking towards me with my phone in his hand.

My dear phone *sniff sniff*

"We were going to deposit this at the depot," he sang calmly. Everything was music to my ears then. I'm not even sure if that's what he said because the heavenly violins playing in my head drowned his voice too.
With my head floating in the space above seventh heaven, I beamed at my 2 year old faithful companion and danced away happily to where I had to go.

"Madam!! Madam!!" Someone called out, snapping me back to reality.
Uh oh!
"At least say a thank you if you don't plan to pay me," the auto driver teased.
Aww shucks! I ran back to him with a sheepish grin, poured out a dozen sorries, completely meaning it and paid him. He laughed and thanked me and of course I thanked him too.
I'd hug my phone if it were bigger and I'd smack it too for taking revenge for my goodbye act, if it were not as fragile.

That lovely summer evening

It took me a thoughtful, slow 10 minute walk from college to reach my second home- my second floor room in the hostel. My mind was full of thoughts about the lovely trek that he and I had been planning to go for. For one reason or the other, it kept getting postponed. It wasn't the trek that was really important. What mattered was the fact that we were going to do something difficult together, be together for a long time, help each other on the rocks and enjoy a beautiful view up there. Together.

I opened my cupboard and picked up that little green bottle of perfume; closed my eyes and inhaled ..deep in. I could feel him right next to me, because I could smell him there. It felt heavenly. I was sleepy and tired after a long day at college but this little green bottle always helped me feel nice and new. Moreover, the desire remained fresh, wanting to fulfill it as soon as I could.. I couldn’t wait for another right opportunity. I set off right away for that long awaited trek.

It was still bright and sunny outside, so we'd get to watch the lovely sunset together up there. From a distance, I saw him waiting for me. As usual, he had reached on time and I was late. I knew I was late, but I slowed down my pace. I have always loved watching him, his actions, watching him while he spoke, sang, smiled, thought, while he rested, slept.. I simply loved watching him. Now, he was facing the other way, feeling the breeze in his hair, running his fingers through them. Then he turned and walked a few steps, kicked a stone, walked a few more steps, checked his phone, probably selecting a song, turned back again and continued feeling the breeze in his hair. I couldn't help smiling at the cuteness of his every action :"> I slowly sneaked up behind him and lightly ruffled his hair. He stood still for a few moments as if he didn't feel it. Before I could realise what was happening, I was lost in those lovely arms. A few seconds of bliss in the midst of a busy crowd.

"Lead the way", he said with a mocking smile.

"No.. we're going together", I whispered.

He stroked my chin and arm in arm, we proceeded to the top of the world.

This was a place I had been to, twice already, so we weren't going to get lost at least. Thinking of it now, getting lost would've been a lot of fun ;) Our climb upwards was quick and smooth. So unlike how I had thought it would be. I loved the proximity, it was always a pleasure to have him close to me; totally loved just walking around with him. He was one person who truly made me happy just by the fact that he was there, somewhere there, within my reach. He was his usual naughty, cute self, teasing and playing with me all along. His little 'games' were always fun ;)

Surprisingly, we met no one during our climb. There was no one around, unlike the previous times I trekked here.

"I'm not complaining, but, where IS everyone? No one wants to trek today?" I asked aloud.

"Maybe the Gods are just letting me be me today..", saying this, he held me by my hand and pulled me close to him. For the next few moments, I was not in this world. How can a hug feel so nice? I felt as secure as a kitten sleeping in its mother's warmth. There was no worry that I knew of, I was safe, no one could ever harm me. I have no idea how long those few moments lasted. It could be anything from 10 seconds to 10 hours. I had completely lost track of time. I could feel heartbeats; just didn't know whether they were his or mine. I could live all my life like this. Wouldn't even complain to God if I had died during that wonderful embrace. That would've been the most peaceful death in the history of mankind.

But I guess he realised it'd be sunset time soon. He slowly released me from his grip and gently stroked my cheeks.

"Let's go", he whispered into my ears and led me along. Dreamily, I went along.

Soon, we reached the top - our destination. We found a safe, open, breezy spot towards the edge and sat there together, wrapped in each other’s arms. Safe.. secure.. It was the most peaceful feeling. It was just him and me and no one else in this world. We watched the beautiful evening while the soft breeze brushed against our bodies. We talked and talked of little little things and big little things. Impromptu kisses, ruffling the hair, resting our heads on each other, innocent, naughty, sweet things in between our talks... and soon, the sun was a dark shade of orange. Silently, bodies fused to each other, we watched this beautiful phenomenon called sunset. Within seconds, the dark orange had turned crimson red and soon it blended with the surrounding sky and disappeared. He held me tighter, closer and..

..passion overflowed, passion that I had not known, existed. Red sure does something to him.

It would get dark soon and we had to climb down all the way. Reluctantly, lazily, after looking at the photos we had taken, we got up and got ready to climb down. I picked up a thick stick, just in case we needed it.

"Why do you need this measly stick when I'm here?" he mocked and asked me to throw it away.

I threw the stick down. It sounded like a half filled can of Coke though.

"What was that?" I asked and looked around...

...and saw, beneath my outstretched arm, the little green bottle lying on the floor of my hostel room.

The sun was still a dark shade of orange.


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P.S.: For anyone who feels the male character's charm is a lot like Twilight's Edward's, thanks a ton ;) But this piece was written two and a half years ago :)