Aura of Sleepless Dreams

Well wisewit ,my dear blogger friend, tagged me with this a long time back but I was way too lazy to respond to it.I'm hoping he isn't too mad at me. :(
Anyway before I proceed any further let me tell you this is a story tag which is completely unlike the tags one usually finds across the blogosphere.Basically someone starts a story and passes it to other people who add a bit more to the story and then pass it on to other people and so on. . ...you get the idea right?
However wisewit has a few conditions.I'm copy-pasting them below-

1. If you are tagged and choose to participate, paste the rules, the guidelines, and the story into your own blog page.
2. At the end of the story, add a few paragraphs of your own.
3. On a new line at the end of your contribution, put your screen name and the address of your blog in the following format: by [screen name] at [blog address]
4. Add a list of the people you are tagging, if any, at the end.
5. Participation is voluntary; even if you are tagged, you are not required to contribute. In particular, if you feel that any part of the story is inappropriate for your blog, you do not have to post the story on your blog.
6. By participating in this game, you indicate that you agree to allow other people to use your contribution as required to participate in this game.

1. Try to make your contribution consistent with the rest of the story.
2. At some point, someone will need to write an ending to the story, but the object is to keep the story going as long as possible without it getting repetitive or boring.
3. You can choose to tag as many or as few people as you want, but I would recommend tagging about three or four people—if you know that many.
4. For the sake of variety, it is better not to tag the person who tagged you.
5. In principle you can write whatever you want, but, if you write something other people find offensive, they are likely to choose not to participate. I recommend keeping it “family friendly” if you can.

That's done then.Now we come to the story-finally!

by wisewit at windingstair.blogspot.com

Here goes my contribution-
 

After my last post I'd decided to take a break from blogging.You see attending college regularly and keeping up with all the assignments and lab-work takes out quite a portion of your time.And besides at the end of the day when you get back home all exhausted all you wanna do is sip on a cup of coffee(or any soft drink in my case :P) and relax.You hardly have any energy left to sit down and type out a blog post.
But hey I like blogging.A lot.So I can't stay away for long now can I?

Just consider the following 55-word story as a come-back post.




P.S:Do let me know what you think. :P

P.P.S:I might disappear for a while again.But I'll pay a visit from time to time and try to comment on all your posts.But just in case I can't please be a little considerate guys.After all I'm busy! :)

Have a wonderful Diwali everyone!
(without the noisy crackers)

Before I begin let me inform you all that this is not to be considered a conventional book review.Without giving out a summary or spoilers(I'm sure many still haven't read it) I'd try to sum up my views on Dan Brown's latest installment.
So then let's start at the beginning.The fact that I got hold of this book on the very day it released worldwide and yet managed to finish reading it only yesterday should,in itself, be considered a miracle.That's because if a book manages to capture my interest I usually devour it within a single day(at the most 2 days) no matter how lengthy it might be.But unfortunately I read The Lost Symbol over a span of a week.
This probably speaks volumes of how unimpressed I'm with Dan Brown this time.
Anyway before digressing any further let's come to the plot-
To tell you the truth this novel has no actual plot because it had no aim from the very beginning.
So what does this book have then?
The answer consists of-Robert Langdon,his long time friend and mentor Peter Solomon who's in mortal danger,a deluded lunatic as the bad guy(just like always),Peter Solomon's beautiful sister as Langdon's companion for the night who's conducting some highly important research work on Noetic Sciences(just another replacement for Vittoria Vetra or Sophie Neveu),Freemasons,the CIA and of course an all-too-familiar routine of figuring out hidden codes,symbols,puzzles so as to thwart the villain's plans and save the world from disaster before it's too late.

Okay that's all good.But what is Robert Langdon doing here?-Half the time he is arguing quite uselessly with the other characters saying he doesn't believe in an ancient Masonic legend,around which the entire plot revolves.
I think a man who had discovered Mary Magdalene's tomb in his earlier adventure should have a more broad-minded perspective than that.
The time he spends deciphering few codes spans only 15-20 pages of the 339 page book(e-book).The rest of it is filled with too much information about the Masons,Solomon family stories and the warped thoughts of the psychopath villain.

Even though Angels and Demons had quite a far-fetched plot it never failed to make the reader gasp.Atleast it had some edge-of-the-seat suspense to offer.Also the age-old animosity between the Illuminati and the Church provided quite an intriguing backdrop.
Same with The Da Vinci Code.The controversy surrounding the Holy Grail,Mary Magdalene and the Merovingians was spicy enough to keep the reader enthralled till the very end.
But the Masons are not that interesting.
On one hand they are an ancient brotherhood dedicated to searching for light(symbolizing supreme knowledge) amidst darkness and on the other hand they're protecting an ancient wisdom for centuries which supposedly has the power to bring about man's ultimate enlightenment.
Contradictory isn't it?
And why keep something secret that is supposed to benefit mankind?
Uh yea right 'cause it might fall into the wrong hands and result in disasters of unimaginable proportions.
As if the world isn't already in chaos and on the verge of destruction.We could sure do with some ultimate knowledge(or whatever) in these troubled times.

Unlike his previous adventures Langdon does not make a startling discovery at the very end.Nobody gets to know what the Ancient Mysteries actually are.Brown only provides us with a brief overview which is not enough.And this is where the readers are bound to feel disappointed.

I think maybe it's time to put Robert Langdon to rest.We've had enough of religious symbology,secret societies and historical controversies.Though I won't mind another Deception Point or Digital Fortress.(I liked these 2 novels much better than your latest work Mr. Brown)

I rated The Lost Symbol 2 stars on Shelfari because 'I didn't like it'(Shelfari interprets it that way).But then again I'm sure different readers will feel differently about the same book.So don't harbor any prejudices based on my views.

Read it yourself and find out :)

Well so I got tagged by Sid and then Sreya-the common tag being the one concerning all the brands that you use on a daily basis.
So here I go-

My Nokia N72 phone which is my constant companion.Inspite of it's considerable weight and size I seldom leave it inside my bag and can always be seen clutching it.And since I don't possess an iPod yet the music-player is a life-saver during boring free periods or prolonged bus commutes.
If you ever empty the contents of my purse you'd invariably find these inside-




1.)My Revlon nude-shimmer lip-gloss -










2.)Lakme eye-liner-







3.)Elizabeth Taylor compact:(was a gift from my cousin who's in the U.S)

I have a variety of watches but somehow the Fastrack one is my favorite.

Same with sunglasses.I love the Fastrack one the most.
(high-fives Guria :P)



Next up are my shampoo and conditioner-both products are from Garnier.
(am planning to use Dove next)
I also use a lot of products from Himalaya and Lotus Herbals(especially the apricot facial scrub).

Okay if I go on mentioning the brands of my deodorants and perfumes I'd probably end up writing a book.So let's put a stop to the cosmetics and healthcare products here.


Another important brand in my life would be Samsung-I'm deeply attached to my 17 inch LCD monitor and also our 29 inch television. 







The last important brand that I simply can't do without would be-
Funny ne?Yea I'm that much of a sucker for Diet Coke.
 :P
Cheers!^^


These are the only brand names that come to mind right now...

Tagged by Guria....again.
RULE 1- You can only say Guilty or Innocent.

RULE 2- You are not allowed to explain anything unless someone messages you and asks!

RULE 3- Copy and paste this into your notes , delete mine and type in your answers and tag your friends to answer this.

So here I go again-

Asked someone to marry you? Innocent.

Ever kissed someone of the same sex? Innocent.

Danced on a table in a bar? Innocent.

Ever told a lie? Guilty.

Had feelings for someone whom you can’t have back? Innocent.

Kissed a picture? Innocent.

Slept in until 5 PM? Innocent.

Fallen asleep at work/school? Innocent.

Held a snake? Innocent.

Been suspended from school? Innocent.

Worked at a fast food restaurant? Innocent.

Stolen from a store? Innocent.

Been fired from a job? Innocent. 

Done something you regret? Guilty.

Laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose? Guilty.

Caught a snowflake on your tongue? Innocent.

Kissed in the rain? Innocent.

Sat on a roof top? Guilty.

Kissed someone you shouldn’t?Guilty.

Sang in the shower? Guilty.

Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes on? Innocent.

Shaved your head? Innocent.

Had a boxing membership? Innocent.

Made a boyfriend cry? Guilty.

Been in a band? Innocent.

Shot a gun? Innocent.

Donated Blood? Innocent.

Eaten alligator meat? Innocent (eww)

Eaten cheesecake? Guilty.

Still love someone you shouldn’t? Innocent.

Have/had a tattoo? Innocent.

Liked someone, but will never tell who? Guilty.

Been too honest? Guilty.

Ruined a surprise? Guilty.

Ate in a restaurant and got really bloated that you couldn’t walk afterwards? Innocent.

Erased someone in your friends list? Guilty.

Dressed in a woman’s clothes (if you’re a guy) or man’s clothes (if you’re a girl)? Guilty.

Joined a pageant? Innocent.

Been told that you’re handsome or beautiful by someone who totally meant what they said? Guilty.

Had communication with your ex? Innocent.

Got totally drunk on the night before exam? Innocent.

Got totally angry that you cried so hard? Innocent.
Phew that's done then.Remaining 2 tags I'll take up later.

Now time to torment err tag others( :P)-

• Nightwing
• NesQuarx
  
• Sourav
• Shruti
• Karthik
• Deeps
• Aparna
• Aditya
• wisewit 
• Schrei
• Sid
  
• rimz
• Amit
• Vidhu
• Ranjith
  
• Akansha
• freelancer
• Manju
• Pramoda
• N J
• Ashish
• Simba tago
  
• Hopeless Romantic(also an Amit)

If any of you have already done these 2 tags then leave it.Rest...well you know what to do. -_-

                                                            1

‘I’m so..sorry… I just forgot….thank you.’ Her vocabulary was failing her for the first time in her life.
The man just looked at her for a while and then repeated what he had said earlier…
‘Go on…take it.’
And this time she obliged. She took the handkerchief and dabbed her eyes with it. But that did not stop the tears.
Instead she started crying even harder.

The man did not leave her side nor did he say anything. But he just stood there staring at the open sea with his hands in his pockets while she kept crying.

It was embarrassing to cry in front of a complete stranger. But somehow it also felt highly satisfying.

‘Thank you.’ She finally looked up and held out the handkerchief to the man who just shook his head.

‘No you keep it.’

‘I can’t. It’s yours.’

‘Never mind that. It’s just a piece of cloth.’ he insisted.
And giving her an uncertain look he started to walk away.

It was weird how a few minutes ago Akruti would’ve given anything to be alone on the beach, disturbed by no one or nothing.
But right then as she looked at the stranger’s back she wanted anything but to be on her own.

‘Wait.’ she shouted out over the sound of crashing waves not sure whether her voice would reach him across this distance.

But thankfully enough it did ‘cause he stopped in his tracks, turned around and looked at her.
                               
                                                                3.

The sand still felt warm from the afternoon heat of the sun. But it had started to cool down. The wind was a bit stronger now but she liked the way it blew her bangs out.


Sitting right there far away from home with a total stranger, watching the progress of the sun along the western sky, Akruti felt a strange sense of calm spreading through her. It felt as if it were healing her from within.

‘So…’ said the man finally breaking the silence and interrupting her chain of thoughts.

‘Boyfriend troubles?’ he asked without looking at her.

Akruti smiled.

‘Can’t there be anything else troubling a girl in her twenties except boys?’

‘Well..’ he mused… ‘there could be I guess.’
‘…If you’re either on drugs or pregnant’ He added.

Akruti glared at him.

He just shrugged.

‘I was just trying to cheer you up.’

‘Wow that’s a real nice way of doing it.’ Akruti said sarcastically.

He looked at her squarely in the face, his expression serious.

‘I’m right ain’t I?...someone ditched you and that’s why you were crying so hysterically before.’ He said.

This time Akruti couldn’t avoid the question and strangely enough she didn’t even want to.

‘I ditched him.’ she said stoically.

‘Why?’came the counter-question.

‘He was two-timing me.’ she said simply.

‘Ouch.’ he said.

‘I know.’

‘It’s okay if you don’t wanna talk about this.’ the man said wrenching his gaze away from Akruti and concentrating on the panipuri-vendor instead. A group of teenaged girls had gathered all around his tiny stall by this time.

A few moments of silence followed.

‘It’s not his fault. Who’d want to stay with a control freak like me?’
she said bitterly.

‘I used to call him to wake him up for college, nag him 24*7 to finish his assignments on time, be more serious about his life and career…’
She went on.

‘I didn’t even allow him to get as physical with me as he wished to…now who’d want to put up with all this crap?’

She finally looked at him.

‘Do you think this is why he cheated on you?’ he asked.

‘He shouted at me saying all those things.’

She tried to swallow her tears back but couldn’t.

‘He looked so angry…’ she sobbed pitifully.

‘I..it felt like there was nothing in this world….he hated more…’

‘All those times were a lie weren’t they?..’

‘I lived a lie for 3 years..’ she continued sobbing.

‘I’ve never quite liked the beach.’ he said suddenly.

Akruti looked at him.

‘I’ve hated the sea ever since I was a kid. I feared I might drown.’ He continued.

‘But then Meera came into my life and things changed. She loved coming here on short trips, gorging on sea food,clutching my hand and walking barefoot on the sand.’

‘And slowly I fell in love with the place too. We used to come down here every year...until..’ his voice trailed off.

‘Until?’ Akruti asked breathlessly.

….until she fell sick.’ He sighed.

‘She died of cervical cancer last year.’

Akruti felt like the wind had been knocked out of her.

‘The 7 years I had with her were the best years of my life. We shared everything-the good times, the bad times,the sadness and laughter….
And every one of those moments are dear to me. ‘Cause being with her made me happy.’
‘And it is only then that Esha’s face comes into view and I get my answer.’

‘Esha….my 5 year-old.’ He smiled.

Akruti just stared at him.

‘So would you say that all the times I spent with my wife were a lie too?’ he finally asked her.

She had no answer.

‘He was the wrong guy to be with. But you did love him, didn’t you? And that can never be a lie.’

And suddenly she understood what he was trying to tell her.

Even though it was meant to end in heartache all those moments she shared with him had given her memories to be treasured for a lifetime.

Maybe right then they were causing her a lot of pain. But someday she’ll realize the significance of it all.

She could see the silver picture-frame in her mind's eye-

~THE BEST OF TIMES~

Maybe it wasn’t such a lie after all.

They say nothing is greater than the joy of giving.So today I'm going to devote this post solely to those special few who have provided me with encouragement time and again and because of whom I still continue to find pleasure in blogging.
Yes you've guessed correctly.It's time for Samadrita's Special Blog Awards.
I haven't received any of these from anyone but hey who says I can't hand out some on my own?
But before I begin let me inform you about the rules.

1.)You have to display the award in your sidebar mentioning who you got it from with a link to his/her blog....well in this case my link (well wouldn't you say I deserve a li'l  gratitude? :D)


2.)You can keep this award only to yourself or pass this on to more deserving bloggers of your choice.I leave the decision to you.(I'd say pass it on to others...spread the warmth)


That's it.

Now let's get this started-

First one goes to-


Thanks for making my blogging days a little extra special all of you! :)

I have just recently gotten acquainted with Aditya,Sid,Simba Tago,Aparna,Deeps!! and their blogs.But I just couldn't leave you people out.. :)

(Note:I'm leaving out Manju 'cause she has already been awarded this one by someone else but hey I take you to be a Blogger buddy anyway. :D )

Love all your posts and you truly are awesome bloggers.So this is for you guys-

NesQuarX
Sreya
Nightwing
Saim
Writu
Dylan

Arr0w
Aditya
Aparna
Ipsita
Sid

Up next is the Blogger dudette award.Come to think of it I made this one(yes with the help of a not-so-sophisticated photo-editing software named Picasa) with a single person in mind who truly is a wonderful girl and a fabulous blogger whose witty posts make my day.And that's Writu. :D
But these are the awardees-








Hope you girls like them. :D




This award goes to only 2 people who genuinely deserve it-











The last two awards are very special to me since I made them myself.

First one is the My Favorite Poet award.And this goes to two very special people who pen amazing pieces so effortlessly-




Atindriyo(have I ever told you how awesome you are?)

Soumya da (another brilliant poet who truly is my favorite)





And the very last one will go to two people who write the most amazing stories.
This is for you-

wisewit
Omkar










Phew that took a long time.
Anyway I sincerely hope I ain't leaving anyone out.But just in case I am pardon me.There were way too many names on my mind.
But hey there's always a next time and feel free to give me a poke to remind me.I would like that a lot :)

1.)You feel viciously jealous when the phones of your friends keep ringing left,right and centre and you look gloomily at yours trying to think of the last time you heard your own ring-tone.

2.)When people(read lovey-dovey couples) are most likely dressing up for a date on Sunday you end up watching some shitty Bollywood flick(nothing better was on tv) with your mom because you're tired of watching movies alone on your pc.

3.)You get tagged along with your friend and her boyfriend on their shopping excursion(even though you had tried to wriggle out of it citing numerous lame excuses) and end up pretending to be invisible when they are having one of their 'us' moments.

4.)You have to come up with silly sms-es to forward to all your contacts to exhaust your sms balance that has somehow managed to remain half unused even 25 days after you got that promo.



5.)The last and obvious reason-you feel LONELY dammit! :(


1.)Your tiny little world which had previously only housed both of you suddenly grows larger and your clouded vision becomes crystal clear.Now you can 'see' things that previously your eyes were blind to(like for example how good-looking a guy in your college is :P)

2.)You don't have to think of lame excuses for being late,forgetting to call...yada yada.You get the point right?You suddenly become free as a bird.


3.)When a random hot guy checks you out in a shopping-mall you can totally stare back without experiencing any pangs of guilt. *evil grin*

4.)You don't have to bother with remembering important dates or worrying about gifts,cards and other trifles.

5.)And the reason why I love single life the most...
You get lots and lots of 'me' time for doing things that you couldn't do while you
were with him-like finishing with 8 romance novels in a week(and actually enjoying reading them) or cutting your hair short(something he didn't approve of).


P.S: I'm working on a story that I'm gonna post soon enough but meanwhile why
don't you people read this post?(well if you're reading this line then you've already read it I guess -_-)Hopefully it will lighten your mood. :P

P.P.S:The idea has been borrowed from Aparna's (a talented writer)blog but the feelings are solely mine and based on personal experiences.