Achoo!

"Achoo!" Patricia gave out a couple of continues sternutations, and it made everyone in the audience silent.

She was embarrassed.


Apologized!

While wiping her nose and fidgeting with her slides she speculated over her decision of taking a spoonful of honey made from the local bees for the last few months or popping in the anti-histamine each day to avoid this moment.

"Jeez! it sure is not an easy decision when one chooses to go the alternate route to fight pollen allergies, huh!" she snickered with a sniff and watery eyes while commenting over her act of sneezing.

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In 99 words (no more, no less) include insects in a story. Periwinkles, bees laden with pollen, ants building hills. What can insects add to a story?

The Turn of the Century

Long, long time ago when life was simpler, and there was not much distraction except for the radio. An individual used to perform just mere counted chores and be satisfied with his day and would call it a night.
Children would be happy to wake up since they had slept well and would be glad to go to school to unite with their friends along with studies and would be satisfied to come home, spend time with their parents and have dinner together without any interference of any kind of correspondence with the outer world except for the radio, which would hum their favorite songs in the background.

It was the world where priorities were the passion. Fun was unadulterated. Laughter was authentic. Family time was genuine. Relationships were respected since people had the time to appreciate things around!


Turn of the century...man realized his potential.

He is amazed how he can juggle five things on each of his finger of his hand. He calls it liberation and is impressed with the progress humankind makes towards the end of the day. Seeing that kind of evolution united humanity and they have joined forces to continue this marathon.

Amidst this run, infants are neglected, while moms and dads venture out in the society that has got smitten by the 'multi-tasking' bug to get more comforts for their home, which is actually a home just for the namesake since the family is out for most of the hours.

Children in school first agitated against the changes but have adapted quickly since they have got lots of comfort in the name of food, technology to correspond and enjoy. Time is getting precious since all have the same complaint, "No Time!" and excuses are made left right and center.

Passion is hidden somewhere since all want to lead and no one wants to follow thus, lots of hard work put in along with stress and urgency for everything.

Alas! The human body cannot take the beat for long, and health is degrading thus, allowing medical professionals to pump in chemicals to keep us going. Wonder for how long these chemicals can maintain the man churning for more!

Two Cents
 The culture that we have created is gradually eating us away.

Mantra for today: We are the society. Time to tame it.

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Wordless Wednesday #127

In the above picture, it seems the Earth and the Sky are meeting at some point.

This lead me to think when 'things' integrate. The turnaround is magnificent!

Mantra for today: Nothing can be achieved without Harmony!

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Spotlight of Wrong Means Right End by Varsha Dixit

Wrong Means Right End  

by 

Varsha Dixit 

Blurb 

Readers fell in love with Sneha and Nandini, two best friends who stuck to each other through heartbreak and joy in the bestselling novel, Right Fit Wrong Shoe. Now they are back in a delightful sequel that follows the two women as they begin the next phase of their lives in Mumbai.

After a failed marriage, Sneha, a single working mom, has no time, or inclination, for love. She resists every matchmaking attempt made by the overzealous Nandini, married to industrialist Aditya. But then the past intrudes in the form of the gorgeous and rich, Nikhil, who brings along Gayatri to break-up her ex-fiance, Aditya's marriage. Sneha enlists Nikhil's help to salvage the situation. But how does she even talk to a man who clearly loathes her? As Nikhil and Sneha try to grapple with their egos and combustible chemistry, love blossoms.

Wrong Means Right End, an exuberant story about love and friendship, is filled with surprises and a wicked twist at every turn.

Grab your copy 

amazon.in | amazon.com

About The Author 

Varsha Dixit, the best selling author of four successful contemporary romance books. Her debut book, Right Fit Wrong Shoe was a national bestseller for the year 2010. Varsha was a part of the Indian Television Industry and worked as an assistant director and online editor. She considers herself a dreamer who thinks deep but writes light. Even though creativity is gender free, Varsha feels blessed and enriched to be a woman. Currently, with her family, Varsha resides in CA, USA.

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Review of A Thousand Unspoken words by Paulami Duttagupta

A Thousand Unspoken Words 

by 

Paulami Duttagupta

A Readomania Publications 

Blurb 

A hero, a person who displays great courage for the greater good, can also fall. But what happens to a fallen hero? A Thousand Unspoken Words is the unique journey of a hero who falls.

The champion of the underdogs, the writer who uses the nom de plume Musafir is famous in Kolkata. His incisive criticism of the injustices around him earn him many enemies but he holds his ideals above all else. Scathing attacks at his books and a night of hide and seek from political goons leads Musafir unto a path he never liked, faraway from his ideals. He runs away and chooses the comforts of money over the travails of following one’s ideals. The hero falls.

But Tilottama, passionate fan’s hopes don’t. When he comes back after many years, emotions, love and lust take charge and an affair brews. Will she bring back her hero? Will he rise again? Or will the thousand untold words, the many stories of the ideal writer be lost forever?

My Review

When a human's adoration for somebody becomes a reality, it's like a dream come true, and even if she is in the dungeon of problems she would see only the luscious bushes, music being hummed 24*7 and find everything so serene and beautiful around her. 

Such was a scenario with Tilottama (Love the name!)

She rescued a nobody one strange, eerie night and expressed her emotions, her keen interest to this person about a writer whose writing would give her goosebumps. Little did she realize that this nobody was a body who used to write under a pseudonym. Thus, started the journey of Tilottama on discovering herself amidst the confusion and realization when this individual comes back to town as a wealthy and famous writer who has a publicist and his book in the wraps of becoming a movie. His ideals are different to what Musafir used to pen upon. This individual Riddhiman aka Musafir, who would change from one personality to another with a wink of an eye, would attract Tilottama yet sometimes she would loathe him. These dual feelings towards him made her confused for a long time until love won over and they decided to marry. But, Riddhiman's character took over, and he portrayed the irresponsible, nonchalant son who deserted his family under distress when his dad passed away, and he followed the same when his mom was no more. 

The author has shown the two sides of this human beautifully. Musafir and Riddhiman same individual but such conflict personalities that not even his wife is not spared when he acts crazy. At first, she gives up on him, but then seeing him in a suicidal form, she sticks to him 24*7 and brings him out of this lunatic behavior while resisting to talk less and agreeing to his emotions most of the time. Gradually, this individual sets his priorities straight and finishes his commitments that Musafir had left unturned thus, allowing him to set free. 

The slow life of Calcutta was not a deterrent to the reader in me, as I savored even the visit of Tilottama's to the NGO. Her conversations with her Mashima were charming esp since she did not have a mother while growing up. I could relish the Darjaleeing Tea that Tilottama would prepare often. 

Two personalities same individual. This is a tale of a woman fallen over a particular trait that is no more. The question is:  Will she still persuade the person or be free from it all! 

The amount of emotions flowing made the reader engaged in the tale of a Thousand Unspoken Words, which could be translated as an unhurried, lazy novel with the kind of surroundings the author has portrayed, but the characters play a profound pivotal role thus, giving justice to the book. 

Grab your Copy @

amazon.com | amazon.in | 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Paulami DuttaGupta is a novelist and screen writer. She shuttles between Kolkata and Shillong. She has worked as a radio artist, copy writer, journalist and a television analyst at various stages of her life, having been associated with AIR Shillong, The Times of India—Guwahati Shillong Plus, ETV Bangla, The Shillong Times, Akash Bangla and Sony Aath.As an author, her short stories have appeared in various anthologies and literary magazines. A Thousand Unspoken Words is her fourth book. Paulami also writes on politics, social issues and cinema. Her articles have appeared in Swarajya, The Forthright and NElive.

Paulami is associated with cinema and her first film, Ri-Homeland of Uncertainty received the National Award for the Best Khasi Film. Her second film Onaatah—Of the Earth is at post production stage and will release in 2016. She is currently working on her third screenplay. A short film tentatively titled ‘Patjhar’ is also in the pipeline.

Paulami is a complete foodie and is almost obsessed with watching one film every day. She also loves reading—political and social commentaries are her favourite genre. Literature classics and books on cricket are also a part of her library, apart from a huge collection of romances. Jane Austen’s fictional character Mr. Darcy is her lifelong companion. She is an ardent fan of Rahul Dravid and has been following all news about him for almost twenty years now.

Stalk her @

               

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The White House

"You must be familiar with most of the rooms, but I thought 'give you the latest update on some changes." he commented with a warm smile and friendly vibes as he moved across the hall while ushering her around.

"Time changes everything," she remarked as she followed him around while appreciating the developments. "You and your lovely family preserved this house while making it your abode for the last eight years."

He embraced the comment while she chuckled on her life as she followed him while reliving her past wherein she was the First Lady and now the President.


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99-word flash on the theme of showing someone around a property. Join in the fun at CarrotRanch

Flirting with Disaster..

Picture this....A Scene at a get-together!

"Hi X, How are you?"

"I am ok. How about you? OMG! What happened to you?"

"Oh, X don't ask. These couple of days, it had been so hot, and then suddenly the temperature dipped. Alas! My body could not take it."

"Jeez! this weather thing is killing me too!" Y took in a quick breath and continued, "My kids are sick. There is this strange bug floating around and in spite of ingesting airborne tablets. We all got it." 

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BesidesTerrorism, Pathogens, and Pollution are killing humankind. Not to forget all the three are man-made! We are the creators of it although not intentionally, but all parts of the world are experiencing the brunt of it. 

Result: Sorrow! 

When tragedy strikes, and there is a loss. It is an eye opener, and we all pause, but then with the kind of competitive world, we live in. Soon we start to run along with the others, not realizing what is of importance and needs to be prioritized.

Amidst the cut-throat and aggressive life that we lead, most of us have forgotten what actually drives us. Passion is lost somewhere, and again most of us don't have the time to pause and look for it. Honestly, we are living in a world of zombies where we clown around just to get a 'LIKE' from others, thus, losing our identity. 

Sure, there are a handful of people who talk about consciousness, awareness, and Life. But, most of the time it is perceived during the weekdays and boom! When the weekend is here..it's time to party, socialize, mingle. After all, networking can take us a long way!

Amidst all the above some of us want to be unique, gimcrack and shine out of the crowd. Thus, doing something extraordinary! Needless to say, this definition is defined differently by all of us :) 

As I watch --- those wrinkles develop around my face, joints are getting frail. 

I fear!

I fear for the coming generation. The Baton that we are carrying is all of the above, and needless to say; it is black and murky. I hope these children can shine it bright or else they will disappear into thin air as we have not taught them anything valuable!

Mantra for today: We are flirting with disaster. Let's pause and comprehend the situation. 

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This has been a Finish the Sentence Friday post. This week’s sentence is “One of my biggest fears I ever had to face…”

Hosts are yours truly (Kristi from http://www.findingninee.com) and sentence-thinker upper Michelle Grewe of http://crumpetsandbollocks.com/