Showing posts with label A - Z Challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label A - Z Challenge. Show all posts
April 09, 2014

Short Messages to Dad -

My A_Z journey ends here. I have been down with a heat related stomach infection for a couple of days. Having missed three posts in a row, it's only fair I quit. I will continue to post a-z tidbits when I get better.

A big thank you to Alex, Michelle and others who visited and tried to make me feel better.
April 07, 2014

Short Messages to Dad - Letter F

Letter F - Future


Conversation to Past & Future

Image courtesy -InspirationBoost/quotes

Life goes on... Nothing's changed, snail paced at times and missing an important element - you.
Someone said,"You don't die with the dead". True enough. You can - you just don't. 

Mom is coping badly...Work keeps my grief at bay but for someone who made you the focus of her life, time has slowed down. 
Rifled through your clothes - found the birthday ones with shopping tags intact - planning to give them away.

All I need is a future plan to bring a smile on mom's face - one not dependent on your grand kids.  

Any ideas, dad? I am desperate. 
April 06, 2014

Short Messages to Dad - Letter E


Letter E - Ethics


Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do - Potter Stewart

You could have been a rich man with luxurious apartments and fancy cars. You were surrounded by ones who build personal fortunes through devious means and never got caught. You worked in the banking industry - loans and advances - and held a position that offered such opportunities. You never took those bribes and commissions for breaking rules - never gave it a second thought.

Money was important but not enough to discard professional ethics. You watched bosses, colleagues and juniors take hefty cuts from businessmen. Those bundles of money never swayed you. 

This was your greatest asset that you passed on to me and bro. You considered us your assets - your wealth. 

 My greatest joy - honest, hardworking parents who scrimped and sacrificed to give us the best they could. My greatest regret - my inability to fulfill those professional dreams you had, for me. Where I failed, your son made you proud. He truly deserved to hold your remains - your ashes.

I try to follow your footsteps. You know I don't write false web copy or blog reviews for harmful products, and have never written fake book reviews for monetary compensation. 

Were you proud of me, dad? 
April 04, 2014

Short Messages to Dad - Letter C and D

* The auto posting failed and I failed to notice. I have edited it to add letters C and D in today's post. *


Letter C - Crab

Anyone who's lost someone to the crab will say this, that you have to struggle to try to remember the person before the diagnosis happened, because they really do change - as anyone would change - Mindy Kaling

I've met my share of crabs in my short life. Most of these have been the homo-sapien kind, although I encountered a couple of eight-legged ones on the beach. 

Some become close friends - one of them, 20 years older than me, still is - you know who I am talking about, don't you dad? You liked her too, as did any everyone who met Aunt. 
Other crabs were nice, shy, weird or rude. They were friendly and reserved; moody and talkative - much like me. 

And then - there were three - possessing all the negative traits of this sun sign and more - they made my life miserable, and yours by extension.

I believed all crabs were made equal. I was so wrong.

The worst of the lot was the invisible one - the villain who attacks innocents by pretending to make perfect cellular copies of them. It doesn't discriminate - age, colour, religion, sex, race, language, education, wealth, and country - doesn't matter.

This black monster chose you as his next victim - started off as benign and curable - weakened you -  an everyday viral infection killed you. No symptoms except constant back pain - brushed off as old age and worn out bones - could we have saved you?


Letter D - D Day

It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was - Anne SextonAmerican poet 
Today is the fourth day of the four month of this year. 
It's been a month since I last heard your voice. Come to think of it, I haven't heard your voice for longer than that, ever since they shifted you to the C.C.U. 
Four was my lucky number - my birth number, but now, I will forever associate it with the day you moved on to another realm - we will argue about these realms some other day.

You made promises - you broke them. I made promises - I broke them. You died early in the morning, in your sleep - in a coma.  A gentleman till the end -  making sure your children didn't have to run around getting things arranged. You gave loved ones enough time to make it to the funeral site. I called up two banker friends from Mumbai, who kept in touch with you, post retirement. Other cried over the phone but I had to hold back my tears, for later. 

Every one whose company you enjoyed turned up - some by the first available flight and some by road. It was a small group of 30 odd relatives that gathered around us, giving us strength and comfort. 

April 02, 2014

Short Messages to Dad - Letter B

 B - Beaches
The sea does not reward those who are too anxious, too greedy, or too impatient. One should lie empty, open, choiceless as a beach - waiting for a gift from the sea.Anne Morrow Lindbergh


You loved beaches. It was befitting your ashes were scattered at Elliot's Beach, a favorite spot in Chennai.

Hindu women aren't supposed to, but the priest (to my surprise) allowed me to accompany your son and nephews on this last leg of your earthly journey. I wasn't allowed to touch that small brass urn containing your ashes. Another feminist rant from me, but you've heard these and more for over 30 years, haven't you?

I stood on the short wall surrounding the beach. Teary-eyed, I watched three lonely figures wade into the water and release you from mortal confines.

Short Messages to Dad - Letter A

My first post for the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge 2014. Almost a month ago, I had decided against participating and I had emailed Michelle (one of the co-hosts and bloggette friend) about it. This, after informing her about an event that rocked my life.

My dad, aged 70, passed away 29 days ago. These short messages -100 words (drabble) or 200 words (droubble) are a mix of past, present and future happenings, memories, and thoughts.

I apologise if some of these letters end up on a sad note.

A - Acceptance 
Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward - C.S. Lewis 
How do I accept you will never return home? Your desperate attempts to breathe haunt me - 36 hours turned hope into despair. How do I stop this recurring image - your bidding me good night and walking slowly to your room, wearing those black and red flip-flops?
I wake up everyday and expect to see you in the living room – I imagine myself grabbing the newspaper while you're distracted by the news on television.

How do I assuage my guilt over those words repeated every day of your hospital stay - false words I believed in – back home soon?


March 05, 2012

A to Z Video And A Parting Shot



This is my entry for the video contest that serves as an appetiser before the main course of the A-Z challenge.
The blogfest, third year in running demands just two things:

A Prepare 26 posts for 26 consecutive days (except Sundays) based on the 26 alphabets in the English language.
Can be any topic in line with your usual posts or a particular area of interest like music, book, movies, sports, art, science, religion even your photographs, artwork, poetry and flash fiction (anything P.G rated, non racial and inoffensive).

B Comment on as many fellow A-Zers as you can or wish to, at least a dozen a day since there were over 1500 participants last time and may be more this time.

A great way to have fun, get out of the writing rut and make new friends, some of last year's A-Z friends still visit my blog. To join click on this Link on or before 31 March - A-Z Challenge

Now for Jenny Matlock's Saturday Centus...I missed it for almost a month.
Fellow Centusians have tolerated my crazy love for mixing challenges/memes...so do bear with me as my centus is based on this first uploaded YouTube video of mine.

For Saturday Centus at Jenny Matlock's blog...any genre, P.G as far as possible, not to exceed 100 words excluding the prompt in bold. Based on the given picture, this time permission to add as many pictures granted.
Check the other adieus there.


She sifted through the growing collection, the idea slowing taking shape.
As she glanced at them, some evoked forgotten memories, some an unplanned smile, some leaving her feeling nostalgic and sad. Their expressions, bright colours, careful outlines were indeed deserving of more curious eyes, inquisitive minds.
It took her all day to choose the final pieces, yet some would not make it to the board. They would be discarded, often without a second thought.
After much chopping and crafting, were ready, each one decked in complimentary accessories.
It was time to create a video out of them and yet…saying goodbye was harder than she thought...








April 30, 2011

Zeitgeist?? # 35, # 36 And # 37 Random Musings For The Day

Is today's "shout out to be heard" world not really for introverts and shrinking wall flowers  ???......



Is a pretty face a prerequisite for a singer or can the voice outshine everything else???
A post on Susan Boyle and her acidic reception on Britain's got Talent on a blog I visited got me thinking.....



Does character assault and bullying start at kindergarten??


April 26, 2011

Valiant Spirit

"Akshay" meaning
 'Eternal, immortal, indestructable
 a short post on my nephew  akshay who celebrated his  first birthday last week…he is just one of the thousands of babies born everyday, you might say…but he is special not just because he is my Brother’s kid but because of the fact that he is a fighter to the core…

He was born too early, almost two months before time…a premature baby whose first home after his mother’s comforting womb was the incubator….he was not alone, more than enough company but that doesn’t take away the pain, the fear, the worry, the heartache watching a tiny baby with more tubes than his tender body could hold, more medicines than an adult can withstand….
The thrill of hearing him cry, the joy of seeing the relief on his parents' face when he was certified as healthy enough to be taken home, the satisfaction at seeing him grow slowly, millimetre by millimetre, Grams by grams is something one can only experience…
The picture at the side belies the trauma this sweet angel of ours underwent at a nascent stage of his hopefully long, healthy, happy life. His smile, mischievous ways, tantrums belies the struggles, making them a distant memory best carpeted…
April 23, 2011

Torturous Days

Life is never straight nor calm, tragic
when he turns on that so called charm
Not a funny bone in the body
and yet speak of comic timing.
 The party is on in full swing
wishing you have a shift to still be in.
The stunned silence isn't quite adulation
the life of this one?, funny thought.
Costume themed? definitely not.
 Bet, you purposely forget.
 Blue velveteen and floppy ears
stands out among jeans and T shirts
This to mock me, I know
Easter bunny stunt pulled out,
just means, "now is time"
to give you the marching lines...


Added To Saturday Centus





April 21, 2011

RandomMusings For The Day #33 and #34

If Black is the colour of darkness, why does every woman worth her salt fancy a little black outfit for those "wow" moments.


Why is it, if you do your thing, you are staying true to character.....but if I do my thing, I am an older woman rebelling??


P.S : Thanks to A.M. Trumble at http://www.bttrflyscar.blogspot.com for deeming me worthy of the stylish blogger award. :)

Qué Será, Será - Whatever Will Be, Will Be.....



Makes me ponder...its it really okay to let things in the future be?...be complacent....a Zen like contentment...
Not sure, how would the stories end if the heroes and sidekicks let things drift on their own....
Where would our greatest love stories be if the feuding families adopted this philosophy?...
How different would our world have been if Thomas Edison had adopted this piece of advice and stopped trying?...candle wax on our hair and clothes most likely...not to mention this post wouldn’t have happened!!

On the other hand..it may have its uses...
If Colombus and Amerigo Vespucci hadn’t kept on searching for India in the wrong places, the Aztecs and Incas wouldn’t have literally vanished from the face of Earth.
The nuclear wars wouldn’t be a scary Damocles Sword hovering over our lives....

A simplistic conclusion, not quite ...but sometimes the ruthless pursuit of changing fate or the future leaves a green house planet heading its way to Mars- like barreness.
April 19, 2011

Past And Present

Past -
“Think it’s possible?”
“Frankly Andy,  the skull is too small  to be human.”
“Request Brown to create a new branch. Lucy*  will soon be passe.”


*Lucy as in Hominin of whom only one species - homosapiens (us) survives




Present -
Hammering talks of Pattinson’s hair everywhere
Swear never has anyone else been discussed threadbare.
Can understand a hyper, emotional teen,
But an older  woman screaming, a disturbing scene.
If omelettes were to be his tingle,
A vegan’s wife will soon be single. 


April 18, 2011

Operation - Critiques, Vote Of Thanks, Appreciation


Since Its time for  Saturday Centus, I am saving it for letter O....  I've always loved  lists, And as the assignment demands and hasn't stated otherwise, I am selecting  3 posts(not reviewed yet) randomly  to review....they are works I have read and reread...whew...I would be eating 100 words  for each, most likely 100 + word review for all three... Off we go...
1.   The first by  up in the cosmos @
 

The tears they fall and I wonder why?
It’s almost like my skin’s just too dry.
They stream and flow like rain from the sky.
I feel maybe something’s gone awry.

Outside the snow has come and gone
and all I see is that dirty lawn
but soon all the new growth will spawn
all the while as spring flaunts its brawn.

It’s said April showers bring May flowers.
Do the tears I cry have those same powers?
My cheeks do get rosy after some hours
but I think it’s the salt in them that scours.

It’s a time of renewal, not one of demise.


    The author has chosen to convey in rhyming verse, starting off on a sad melancholic note, using  a powerful metaphor. She speaks of the ending and  arrival of the seasons and the changes brought along.....a reference perhaps to the state of mind and heart that is  accepting and healing....The last verse has the reader ponder on the power of tears to rejuvenate and cleanse the heart and soul....reminding me of Gandalf's words ”not all tears are bad”  
The end sums up the beauty of the philosophical words by leaving a beacon of hope.


The second by Christine
http://aninklingofsorts.blogspot.com/2011/04/question-of-day.html

So I asked my kids:
"what do you think about when you hear, April showers bring May flowers."
 the Reader said, "I think about showers and flowers."
the Helper said, "lying on flowers while it's raining."
the Professor said, "I think about people wearing flowers on their private parts
while taking a shower."
the Artist said, "our really ugly shower curtain."
 Is it that bad?  I guess I need to take a trip to Walmart next week.

This piece uses the conversational style to make the point with a dose of humour added .
It demonstrates the diverse thought process and the association that is unique to each one of us even on a simple, common topic.
The author provides a wonderful example of stereotypes and their expected reactions.
The fact that they were all taking of the same thing, in this case the shower curtain, in subtly different ways is brought out in the end...a master stroke.

The last one by  CJ Schlottman



Arrangements of flowers decorated the house. The date, April 10, 1955, 36 hours since Estelle’s husband died in a car crash.
She and her four children, the youngest two months old, rode to the church in silence. Grandmother smoothed the childrens’ clothes and hair.
At the church, the perfume of the flowers assaulted Estelle’s senses, making her almost swoon, but she was not a woman to swoon. Head high and carrying the baby, she passed the open casket and made the other three look at their dead father. 
“April showers bring May flowers?” She would never enjoy flowers again - never.

This is a moving, succinct tale of a tragic event recollected, as seen from the eyes of one of the children perhaps .
It depicts the strength and will of the recently widowed Estelle as her husband's final journey commences....
The flowers here, are perfectly used to describe her true emotional state beneath the calm exterior.... that she tries to pass on the children.
The author has brought out the story through striking imagery and the final words are creatively used to convey the turning of symbols of joy into reminders of pain.

2.  My vote of thanks to Deirdra at http://astorybookworld.blogspot.com for the Creative blogger award ....
and to Jingle Poetry And Thursday Rally for giving  me a choice of 1 to 5 awards, not being  that greedy, I take the one I feel fits me best....

3. Which reminds me that its time I acknowledge my earliest supporters and daresay “friends” with the  delectable  blog award (my creation) to the Enticing Eight whose wordsman/wordswomanship I enjoy and who browse through patiently all that I spew...You don’t have to display the award if it makes you shy.  ;P 

4.  Well Nonna  Beach@ 

 For reviewing my centus with such honesty and glowing words you get the cool blogger award... !

The awards are displayed here.

April 12, 2011

Just A Reminder - Yuri Gagarin

 There she was...
after a dizzing burst
into the cold dark space
leaving jet streaks behind...
The enchantress
so blue, even Misha's eyes
paled in comparison
Numero Uno means little
In this void....
Hammering heart
as Home beckons
Nikita seemed happy for once.
What’s with the Babooshka and loaves
When samogonka would make me float.



("babooshka" - grandmother, "samogonka" or "moonshine" - homemade vodka, Nikita Khrushchev - the then Russian President.)




April 09, 2011

Hunger Strike - My Take

The occasion called and many rose to it...not all could tamper their schedule to represent...the ones that did, were splendid and articulate...bringing to its knees...an adamant, corrupt serpent of a government was no mean achievement...
They fasted under camera glare...I skipped my dinner in the unseen confines of my den...raised slogans, placards, held candlelight vigils...I applauded quietly forming the backdrop...
The goals achieved, the promise proclaimed before millions of witnesses...they parted, extolling the virtues of meeting again...
I wondered if things would indeed change how many of those raddled, weary denizens could withstand the urge to take the easy way out of bribe and scribe....or stay steadfast on the moral high ground they preached from, to one and all.

April 07, 2011

Friends - Love Them Or Leave them - Here To Stay


I came, I saw, They conquered 
Anxious
Ballistic
Charming
Diffident
I came, I saw, They conquered
Enriching
Fierce
Gullible
Honest
I came, I saw, They conquered
Inspiring
Jealous
Kempt
Lovable
I came, I saw, They conquered
Miserable
Nerdy
Opinionated
Popular
I came, I saw, They conquered
Querulous
Restless
Sacrificing
Temperamental
I came, I saw, They conquered
Unique
Versatile
Worldly
Xenophobic
I came, I saw, They conquered
Yesterday’s
Zenith
We met, We lingered, We parted, We reminisced.
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