This Year I ...

(In no particular order)

Lost  a friend due to misunderstandings and fights.

Fell in irrevocable, deep, irrational, stupid & mindless love. A good feeling, you must try it sometime.

Had my heart broken. And thought it was the end of the world.

Won a contest hosted by a fellow blogger. I never win anything, so it is quite a big deal.

 

Made tons of new friends, met new people. Gathered experiences, memories and insights :)

Finally got a dog, to complete the family and understood the real meaning of selfless love.

Started something new, career wise. Made the best out of what I had and gave into the passion. 

Attended the wedding of a really close family member for the first time. Very Jutte Do Paise Lo Moment >_<

Bought my own laptop with my own money (: Installments FTW !! :D

Grew up in so many ways :) A year older, much wiser and smarter.

Survived the Mayan's idea of the end of the world. 

Was stunned by an incident that shook the nation and realized, I don't have a NOT IN MY BACKYARD attitude after all. 

Wrote more than double of how much I wrote last year. Me is happy :)

Spent a lot of time charging my phone and I intend to do it in 2013 as well. 

So a very good year in terms of a lot of things. I am almost content...almost:)

Even  in the smallest accomplishments and the biggest joys, 2012 has been the best year of my life ( no exaggeration). And once you are set to climb upwards you can only go higher. A very HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EACH ONE OF YOU READING THIS . May this new year be a rebirth of sorts and bring you a lot of new luck, joy , and love. 

Ashamed.

"@jhunjhunwala This girl can either live on as a martyr who heralded the start of an anti-rape movement or die as a rape victim.The choice is ours."

As that one news shakes the country. I feel ashamed. I feel guilty and I feel shattered all the same time. I feel I am no better than the men who did this to her. And I am no better than the Parliament who is doing nothing about it. You know why? Cause I didn't do anything either.

 Every time I got groped in a public place or was touched by someone in the wrong way, I kept quiet. I felt dirty and ashamed. Not angry and empowered.  Didn't  tell anyone. Mostly I just dealt with it myself. Maybe gave a terrible look or moved away to stop it, but that was it. I didn't make a scene and I didn't beat the man red. I should have.

"@saffrontail Next time ANYONE makes a sexist joke about women, get up and ask them to STOP. Even if it's your father, husband, son, or a woman herself!"

Every time I guy made a snide remark or gave filthy looks to me or a friend. I kept quiet. I was scared that if I say something he might come closer instead of just molesting me with his words. I didn't show him his place, or report it to someone. I should have 

I am coward and she paid the price for my cowardice. I haven't been able to stop my tears since the news broke out. I feel helpless and hopeless even. I cry for her loved ones, I cry for her and mostly I cry for myself. I feel unsafe. They are calling her a brave soul. She didn't choose this, she isn't brave, she was raped. Use the word RAPE ! Cringing aren't you.?

"@hankypanky RIP Damini. You want to know her real name? Its the name of your sister, wife or mother. In this India, THIS could have happened to anyone."

Out of the 5 men one is under-age, he will be let off easy and that is not okay with me. We need to stop underestimating the youth and their understanding of life. I'm sure he is no innocent child who didn't know what was happening. I can't get myself to watch the news because I feel an instant guilt and I can't stop the tears.

"@blublubling Its a dress, not a yes. And you are psychopath not a misguided teenager."

Let not the flame she lit die within. I want to take part in the protests and I want to punch the policemen who have the audacity to say "Peaceful protests are not allowed with a straight face". But you know what I didn't do that either. Why? Cause I was at work. I didn't take a stand and walk out to light a candle for her. Lets make sure our women are safe. Lets get laws in place. Let men know that it is not okay. If they can't handle there dicks they need to stay in after 9 not us. Be Brave Be Safe.

"@BucketHeadCaseHi. I am an Indian. My superpower, is being helpless."

But yet some mindsets hurt me though I have no right to be hurt;
Yesterday a teenage girl came to visit my dog, she is regularly coming over to see her. I was watching the news when Jaya Bachan's speech was being aired, and she breaks down. That girl comments " Isko Acting karne ka chance mil gaya " Really? If women won't understand this how can we ever understand men to.
Its sickening and I'm just not able to get out of this. In office when they speak more about Tony Greig dying of Cancer than her I want to yell and say you people are sick . An old man is dead because of cancer but a GIRL DIED BECAUSE SHE WAS RAPED. Why are we so inhuman.

She is in a happy place. Cause its better to be dead than face this day in and out. Even if she survived she would be too sick to even eat anything solid. Her will power pulled her through for so many days. I pray for her and I only hope all these protests and ideas don't die. The government is answerable as to what was the need to move her in such a delicate situation. WHY? So that they don't need to take the blame. We need answers. And you know what even killing the rapists is not enough. Its too easy.

"@ob_noxious We need an Amar Jyoti Betiyaan for rape victims - a monument that will stare back at us; a monument that will make us feel ashamed."

Love & All that Jazz : My Entry for the Get Published Contest

I feel Mills and Boons are a drag and that romantic writers are scum . Because if you look around , the stories that actually touch your heart are of the people you know personally . Your parents , grandparents and now that we have entered the marriageable bracket even friends. I'm not that cheesy , okay maybe a little but that's it . So when Indiblogger came up with the contest for anthology of love stories I thought there would be no better time to write about my  our story. Also its like a lifeboat that is saving me from dying a painful death in "Writer's block Hell"

The Idea 
Name : Love & All That Jazz
This is my story :) Like in first person. (Names are obviously different cause I'm a superhero and I cannot reveal my identity)

Rahul and Isha were blog friends. Rahul was from Bangalore and Isha from Mumbai. They met at a party once through a friend and exchanged numbers. Rahul went back to Bangalore and they became chat buddies till one drunk night when Isha called Rahul and started talking to him, from casual flirting to how it would be to marry each other. Their relationship sprang out of nowhere going at the speed of lightning. 

And then they started talking since that day on, day and night till the next morning when the milkman rang the bell and woke the household. He would put her to sleep. She would send him handwritten love letters. Is this a normal relationship, were the cliques not met? Their story totally had the cliques though, orthodox parents , 892 kilometers between them, a big age difference and bulky phone bills. The distance never bothered them nor did the fact that they had seen each other just once.
But can a relationship survive on Skype Facetime or phone calls . And that isn't all, 3 months into the relationship and Isha is told that Rahul is selected to join the Indian Air Force a dream he has been cherishing since he was a young boy of 10. The training period is one and half years. Is it really going to be so easy?

But what when Rahul comes to Mumbai to meet Isha, will it be any different ? Do they make it. :)


Another Idea maybe ?
Name : High Flying Love
This is a story of a friend. And it was absolutely like a fairy tale. Makes you want to believe in faith and heavenly forces that seem to be uniting lovers all around the world. Cause someone somewhere is made for you...says Dil Toh Paagal Hai. Okay now with the plot ;

Anaita was late as ever , she had a very important meeting in  Hyderabad and she was going to miss her flight , her boss would kill her. She looked at the watch one last time and made a dash for the boarding terminal when she tripped over an abandoned suitcase. She could barely move, she made a painful cry and looked for some help. Just when her eyes fell on HIM.

Ishaan Awasti the apple of his parents eye, the hot shot billionaire and investment banker. Ishaan was always on time , to the degree of a lot of people's annoyance actually. Today he was going to Hyderabad to visit his cousin sister who recently had a baby. He was early as usual but the airline seemed to have not booked his ticket at all. His anger was making his face red and eyebrows curve into an inverted 'U' , that is when he saw HER

Ishaan lifted Anaita , and apologized for leaving the suitcase that way. Anaita was about to scream when the air attendant asked both of them to board, they finally confirmed Ishaan's reservation.
As Anaita took a deep breath and praised her Ninja skills , Ishaan took the seat next to her.
" Seriously I have to see your face for the next two hours " said Anaita disgusted
" You could look at that bald man there if you'd like , suit yourself " Ishaan said with a smile.

2 years from this day their wedding card said , " Marriages are made in heaven , so it was no surprise that we met in the air"

How did that happen ? How did they fall in love ?

To know watch this space :)

Both these stories are very much real .  I had been meaning to write an entire short story since a very long time, until one day I finally found the motivation to do so. Indiblogger's initiative with Harper Collins " Real Love in New India " .
They basically want you to write a gist of your story and post it on your blog. Then they will revert to you while you can build on your story. The best stories get published in an anthology of stories by Harper Collins.

This is my entry for the HarperCollins–IndiBlogger Get Published contest, which is run with inputs from Yashodhara Lal and HarperCollins India.

Pliss to vote for me here

Ps: I will be posting these stories soon, whether I hear from them or not :) So wait up.