Feliz Año Nuevo!

Happy New Year Everybody!

We made it to 2010!

Good Work!

Now pat yourselves on the back.

The Noughties are over.

A new decade now. The 'Tens' perhaps?

And it's fraught with new challenges (and exasperating resolutions!).

So stand tall and proud and fight them down!

Ready?

Here We Go!

OMG!

Oh.My.Gawd.

Oh Your God?

Oh my God!

Honestly?
I just don't get it.

Why do people exclaim OMG! :O at the slightest provocation/surprise/upheaval/upset/intense moments (pick one!)

It's like, Oh My God, What the Foo?

In my mind, it's a holy equation, an involuntary association:

OMG! = Paris Hilton

It's come to a point when even atheists shake thier heads in disbelief and absent-mindedly mutter 'Oh My God!'.

Even Scientologists! Tom Cruise would have looked at his plummeting movie/popularity ratings and ferociously cursed under his breath with the words 'Oh My God' on his lips.
Not, I repeat, Not, 'Oh My Supreme-Alien-Commander'.

Ahh. The once heavy words, weighed down by devotional importance have become a slang thrown around more than confetti in New Year's Eve parties.

Sigh. So much for the Ten Commandments, eh?

Though shall not take thy God's name in vain!

For Real?

OH MY GOD!

Shade It Grey

Chapter 2 : Quadratic Equations, Functions and Inequalities



Functions? Do they have functions?

I am quite bemused why my enormous Math text is filled with graphs and visual representations of equations of little importance.



Don't get me wrong.

I love Math.

It's a challenge - a bit of mental gymnastics, if you like.

There's funny numbers, squiggly lines, odd brackets, exasperating asymptotes and tangents and unrealistic variables - Yet they can all be eroded till a single satisfactory answer to a seemingly impossible question is obtained. A quest to reveal the fortified elusive truth!



Personally, I enjoy Algebra - All the transposing, xs and ys, hilarious word equations. (If Amy left New York on a train travelling 50 kmph and Zoe took a train from Toronto travelling 60 kmph, at what time would both the trains pass each other, considering they both started at the same time? I mean, how would you know if the train stopped at a junction or something?)



But Geometry, Alas! , I fail to comprehend the mysterious purpose it conceals.



Endlessly, we sketch surreal shapes - measuring their supposed volume- and draw imaginative graphs with even more complex numbers (some of which are made up).



Thus it is with great impatience that I try to decipher which side of a Quadratic Inequality to shade to get an apparent correct range of answers to the inequation.



Help.

Wishy-Washy

Since I am in a silly mood, I'm whipping up random lists.
The caffeine must be getting to me.

10 Signs You Haven't Done Your Laundry! -

1. You've finally discovered that your closet has a panel at the back.
2. You're wearing last year's Halloween costume in the middle of December.
3. You seem to be using far more perfume then you usually do. Just a bottle or two more.
4. You've unearthed the horrific relics of the '70s and claim Bell-bottomed pants are back in style. (And when they scoff at your fashion sense, you say you're a trend setter and they just don't understand avant garde!)
5. Your laundry basket weighs more than you do and you can see the pile of rotten, smelly, dirty garments at eye-level.
6. Suddenly, green cycling polyester shirts and pink ripped jeans seem to complement each other very well and you're astonished you couldn't find such a perfect matching outfit before.
7. You couldn't find any underwear; So you're not wearing any. You claim it's because you're free-spirited.
8. You're very careful with new Ketchup bottles; aiming them in the opposite direction because you can't afford to get your only pair of clean jeans stained with tomato goodness.
9. You replace your usual Dog Tag chain with a Fresh Autumn Pine Scented Air Refreshner.
10. You strongly believe that socks are overrated. And to prove your point, you go without them and wear flip-flops. Who cares if there's two inch deep snow outside?

Ho Ho Ho

Wishing everyone a Very Merry Christmas!

Deck The Halls With Boughs of Holly...

Tis the Season to be jolly!

Dreaming of a white Christmas…

“Merry Christmas and God Bless us all!”-Charles Dickens

The holiday season is upon us once more and the days are full of hustle and bustle, cramming in last minute shopping, decking up the house in festive glory and posting huge stacks of Seasons Greetings cards.

As carols ring out from chapels and hymns float through the wind, we are warmed by the very spirit of gaiety and cheer. The town’s alight and the delicious aroma of garnished food wafts through the air. We take pleasure in the season’s delight indeed.

Yet, as I sit penning my thoughts, I wonder of yesteryear and the very spirit of this holy month when people of all faiths joined in unison to celebrate love, peace and benevolence to brethren. As we rush to add a touch of class to out festivities, we tend to forget the main purpose of celebration. As carols ring out from chapels and hymns float through the wind, we are warmed by the very spirit of gaiety and cheer. The town’s alight and the delicious aroma of garnished food wafts through the air. We take pleasure in the season’s delight indeed. Yet we hardlyWe hardly know the origin of this ritual, this customary celebration.

The feast is set, the gifts exchanged and the Christmas tree stands proud and tall, decked with the finest of ornaments and streamers, topped with a magnificent gilded star; each has a story, an origin, a tale behind the tradition.

December is a month celebrating goodwill and generosity to others. It teaches us to foster this spirit and whole-heartedly indulge in charity and the happiness of the less fortunate. The entire season of festivity and cheer is as scrumptious as a warm steaming cup of hot chocolate.

It is often said that Christmas isn’t Christmas without the touch of snow; falling from the heavens above. The powdery snow seems to blanket this cozy season, tucking everyone into the spirit. The This sparkling, awe striking sheet of snow and ice seems to be the picture postcard equivalent to Christmas.

I stop and sigh, thinking of the delight of a white, snowy Christmas, tucked away in a cozy home, surrounded by my closest relatives celebrating God and the gift he has given us all. A happy picture it paints.

As I write, envisioning blissful, joyous moments, I’m bathed in bright sunlight streaming from my window, foretelling the impossibility of snow. That yearning for snowflakes must grip the hearts of many at this time of the year. The swirling snow outside your window whilst you join in a particularly enthusiasticrousing chorus of “Joy to the World” can be very satisfying. Yet, the mercury seems to be riding high as the thermometer grins and announces temperatures in the 20s.

However, gifts wrapped, donations made, heart warming cards received and the squealing of exuberant children pumped up with holiday spirit seems to bring my wish true. I may be dreaming, but whilst the sun shines merrily through my window, tiny snow flakes cascade from my bedroom ceiling ,ceiling, sprinkling Christmas cheer and goodwill, falling upon my writing desk, and I think it’s going to be a very white Christmas after all…

Happy Bee Day!

21st December 2009 has been christened 'Bee Day' in honour of the world famous Bee! ;)

Today, my friend 'Bee' turns 17! *Cue cascading confetti and rapturous applause*

Happy Birthday to her! *Release the colossal amount of multi-coloured balloons!*

So, to commemorate this should-be-an-international-holiday occasion, here's a list I made -

10 Reasons Why We Love (And You Should Too!) Bee :

1. She's adorable! And does the cutest things! :)


2. Her insane love for Bobby! (It is also one of the cute things mentioned in #1)


3. She's exceptionally generous and loves to make others happy. And her amazing hard disk ;) with which she lends everyone movies whenever they want.


4. She takes pride in her friends and makes their euphoria double with her zealous nature! She also cheers you up tremendously when you're down. Not to forget, she's really talented and creative herself!


5. She's good at keeping secrets!


6. She is a great and patient listener! She has heard all the crap I've had to say!


7. Her amazing fashion sense ;) and her delight at the smallest of things!


8. Her chocolate/sweet cravings are precious! :)


9. Her ability to burst out laughing and not stop for quite a while ;) And she has an Adorable Laugh! :D


10. She is the Bestest Bestest Friend a person could have! (For whom, I've flouted the rules of grammar and superlatives!)
    

So, Bee, Have an absolutely fantastic Birthday and may your 17th year be exploding with fun, good luck and plenty to cheer about!

HABEE BEEDAY!

Now, Save me some Cake! ;)

The Tiger in the Wild Woods

Golf, arguably the most dignified, regal sport has had its world spiced up in the the past few weeks as a scandal erupted, scorching the greenish innocence of the fairway.

Golf's main man, Tiger Woods has been bitten and scratched by the recent scathing headlines and not to forget, by the vicious, razor-clawed, zealous paparazzi that seem to prowl in his wake.

This poor little feline, once proud of his squeaky clean reputation has had to curl up in the corner with his head hanging low.



It was a diminutive incident that the press vultures attacked with savage eagerness, tearing up the event to the carcass and then proceeding to make sense of it all; putting the pieces together - a couple of telephone calls, numerous insiders, consultation with Tabloid headlines and BAM! They had themselves a full-blown juicy scandal. Everything they could hope for - A seemingly good guy, a Swedish model-wife, a bit of violence with the crowning touch of a golf club being used, a car crash, extramarital affairs, rowdy parties - The gossip columns practically wrote themselves. Extra, extra, EXTRA!



But in all fairness, Tiger Woods did publicly apologise, regretting every 'transgression' as he called it.
He even admired his wife's courage after the crash.

And then, the media speculation hyped up once more as "Elin files for Divorce!" made the Front Page. Big Picture. Exclusives. Pull-out Editions. Obscure people began that very night jabbing on rickety typewriters 'The Life and Times of Elin Nordegren : From Top-model to Tiger '. Click. Clack.

She is now demanding half of his fortune and full custody of their kids. Tiger Woods is being hit hard, risking all the endorsements he gets from being the Good Guy who wears a Tag Heuer watch and shaves with a Gilette blade.

Worse. It's affecting his Golf. The thing that made him who he is today, why he's famous in the first place. He is undoubtedly the King of Golf and now, his empire is crumbling.

Ahh. Tiger Woods. I'm torn between pity and shock.

Hopefully, he can make it through this horrific episode and continue to putt and swing like a pro because he really does belong on the Green.

Golf without Tiger Woods would be like Pop without Michael Jackson. Dead and gone...

Good Things Come in Small Packages

Yet another column I wrote for the Gulf Weekly....

Over the last week, Bahrain has been given a rigorous wash-down against a dramatic backdrop of overcast skies, forks of lightening, rumblings of thunder and torrential downpours.
This sudden cascade of rainwater came rather unexpected and naturally, no one was prepared for the consequences.
The slippery roads were filled with both wary and reckless drivers. The vast open lots of sand soon morphed into gigantic pools of muddy water. And shoes squelched in synchronization to the melancholy notes of depressed moods.

Rainstorms can be rather disheartening at times, especially coupled with Sunday Morning blues.
Sleepily on my way back to school, I couldn't help but notice a couple of kids ecstatically playing in puddles.
There is this wonderful, enigmatic joy and energy in watching children play; envious almost, as though we're missing out on something utterly magnificent.

They were enjoying a mere puddle and it got me thinking.
It astonishes me how as we grow up, we forget the little things that dot the sidelines. We're always focused, driven by ambition and in sight of a prospective big picture. We dream of big and better things; accomplishments, glory and success. Every day of our lives, we worry, we strive and we work – a monotonous rut that seems to have blended into our big plans for the unfathomable future.

But in the process, we forget the pixels, the little things that make living such a fantastic experience. When is the last time you took out time from your busy schedule to just stop and smell the flowers? Live in the present. Don't race time; take it on with your own pace. Stop and experience time stand still as you listen to the twitter of birds or feel the wind in your hair, Laugh when a dog licks your face or feed pigeons in a park. Growing up doesn't have to mean all ties, stiff chairs and briefcases.

A puddle may have seemed such a hassle to you but to those kids, it was a glorious time of indulging in the diminutive joys that life has to offer us.
With the holidays fast descending on us, remember to unwind and take some time off. Kick back and relax and see the world in a new light and all those little things that you've been missing yet make your life worth living.

Happy Holidays! :)

The Roaring Twenties

We've studied The Great Gatsby by Francis Scott Fitzgerald in our IB English classes; A book bedazzled with luxury, riches, gold and silver, jewellery and cars, sequined dresses and scrumptious food.
So what better way to experience the sights and scents of the time than to have a 1920s themed tea party!

So today, clocks turned and the wheel of fashion reeled back as we dressed up.
The girls got on pretty little flapper dresses with large shady hats, long strings of pearls and beads, cigarette holders, feathered boas and headbands.
The guys suited up with ties and fedoras and tried to not to look as scruffy as usual.

As for me, I decided to be more eccentric and stepped into Nick Carraway's shoes; with a smart blue striped tie, business shirt and a classic black waistcoat.

We then got to sit around a long table that had been set with napkins, frilly doilies and a mocktail each and a humoungous mountain of food that we had all brought in. Strictly 1920s.

Cucumber and finger sandwiches, Scones, Muffins, Cakes, Crackers with Dip, Fruit Kebabs, Assorted Savories, the works.

Cameras were a-clicking at this stunning glitzy affair with dolled up ladies and daper looking guys.

And not to forget the infamous Tea! A tea party after all! We used sophisticated china, kept our pinkies pointed high and were courteous enough to ask for 'Milk and one spoon of sugar with my tea? Yes, Please.'

Quite an experience I must say.

It was enormous fun, pretending to 'socialise', flitting through the crowd, patting others backs saying 'Good one, ol' chap' and 'You look ravishing, dah-ling. You must tell me where you got that wonderful dress'.

The 1920s seemed to be a rather exciting time; a period of experimentation - with an eye for new, explosive innovations in the field of fashion, luxury, convenience and even, food. People were experiencing new, unpredictable and exciting things - Progress.

It was the age of the birth of etiquette and modern civilisation and the breakthrough in the fashion industry when people began to embrace the beauty of clothing.

Well, it was fun while it lasted. Time for Nick to retire and the clocks have to be set back; back to reality.

Oh well. My tie is extremely awesome though. Spiffy.

Deciembre

December.
The very last month of the year.
Seems like a long journey we have traversed

December.
Such an ironic month
Fraught with disappointment and depression
Yet sprinkled and garlanded with streamers of euphoria

December.
Champagne and partying
Rich feasts and bedazzled, sequined robes
Celebrating the festivals of the world
Being together, relishing the moment

December.
Mopping up the tears of grief
Endings and letting go
Change is overwhelming

December.
Death and Birth
Old and New
Fusing together with a blurred horizon

December.
Time to take a step forward
And never look back
Reflecting on the footsteps of the past
Impregnating the sand with fresh ones

December.
End of a Chapter
Close the Book
And brace yourselves
For a whole new beginning



A few thoughts I penned down on December as we see 2009 shrinking to a close. It's been an odd year, full of promises and high expectations and mostly, aspirations. There has been both ecstasy and plenty of dejection definitely. And the last few days thin out...

Enjoy yourselves and be merry.

Happy Holidays!

King Henry and the Unlucky Irish

Hand of Frog?
Le Cheat?
Irish newspapers heralded the dismal news, concocting ridiculous headlines, wishing to tarnish the Frenchies reputation.
The controversial World Cup play-off between Ireland and France ended badly.
If you didn't know that, you've either been (a) hiding under a rock, (b) completely sports illiterate or (c) been hit by rocks for being sport illiterate.
Thierry Henry, in the last stages of the game, handled the ball. A big no-no in football, if you haven't heard.
And get this, everyone knows he did it and they admit it as well.
Thierry Henry himself apologised for the unfortunate contact with the ball- which later was converted into a goal, throwing the balance off equilibrium, shaking the formerly equalised score.
That was the last goal of the match.
Result?
The French went home happy, mumbling Mon Dieu under their breath, with a ticket to South Africa and a place in the World Cup next year.
So the luck of the Irish had deserted the four-leaved clover holding, green men. When they deserved a chance.
Even with Henry gallantly apologising and the Irish campaigning for a replay, nothing is being done.

King Henry
Slayed not his spouse
But hundreds of hopes
He did dowse

Ball in Hand
Leprechauns did cry
'Sorry', said the King
En route Africa, 'And Good Bye!'


Oh Lordie. What is happening to the world of Footie?

Who Let The Dogs Out?

Sorry for the cliché title.

It was inevitable.

This morning, I spent a good two hours being pawed by over enthusiastic dogs.

I'm volunteering at the BSPCA, a branch of England's RSPCA. For now, just walking the dogs.

It's not as simple as it sounds. BSPCA hosts over 150 dogs; overflowing and bursting at its seams. The BSPCA is structured to hold not more than about 50 animals. But Bahrain's alarming rate of stray animal population has led the BSPCA to open up more than just their humongous, caring hearts.

So, with clear skies and prevailing winds, it was tally ho! With tails wagging and leashes straining, paws and feet were out at nine in the morning, exploring the untravelled roads of lonely, fly ridden Saar.

Twas fun!

I walked three dogs, met new people and pets and had the bit of exercise I've been long deprived of.

Doggone it! I'm tired.

Blog later then.

Nighty-night.

Not So Study Periods

What's the link between a guitar, a stapler, CAS forms and SAT books?
They all point towards the CAS office/Sixth Form library.
It also means I am pointlessly wasting my 'Study Period' whilst a tottering pile of homework awaits me when I manage to drag my sorry tired self home.
I don't really know why teachers even bother to emphasise that it is a Study Period while in the common room, it goes under the pseudonym of 'Free'.
I am blocking out the horrid, excrutiatingly painful image of my Biology Practical write-up and wistfully enjoying in the simple pleasure of idleness. Oh the joy.
Oh waddya know? I've already let ten minutes of my 'free', or to be politically correct 'study period', leak through my lethargic fingers.
Now I shall jet away, to make more fruitful use of my time. For time is never returned, it is transient and temporary available of engraving.
Or I could always go and get a laugh out of past Year 8 Yearbooks...
Toodles.

So You Think You Can Veggie?

You claim yourself to be a discipline of the growing religion of Vegetarianism. But are you as Veggie as you think you are?

I think not.

I'm not ashamed in saying I am exceptionally paranoid with the stuff I eat. There has to be written proof that it is 'Suitable for Vegetarians' and any packaging has to be stamped boldly with that Veggie friendly holy green symbol.

Do you still doubt the fact that you may not be truly Vegetarian?

Are you aware of the things you eat and what goes in them?

Here's just 5 things that may appear to be a Veggie Buddy but in the stark, bitter truth of reality, they cunningly conceal the tainted remains of slaughtered animals.

1. Jelly: If you didn't know this by now, you might as well go around with a tatoo on your forehead saying that you're a carnivore. Gelatine is a major component in Jelly. What's gelatine you ask? Gelatine is the icky substance obtained by boiling animal (usually cow's) bones. Shudder.

2. Sweet Corn Soup: Surprised? So was I. I was paralysed with horror as I flipped over the soup powder carton to find the words Chicken Flavour hidden within the ingredients. Oh the cruelty! Well, not all Sweet Corn soups do have chicken in them, but a majority do.

3. French Fries: It's suprising the many varieties of fries that are made with animal derivatives. McDonald's french fries. Ever wondered were that distinctive taste came from? Well, it's from the beef they fry it in. Eew. And a couple of other brands of fries put fish gelatin in them. Yes, fish guts. How utterly revolting.

4. Tofita: The chewy that nearly everyone ate as a kid because of its uber-cool wrappers with the little bizarre fact printed on it. Turns out Tofita does have beef gelatin. Ouch. Won't be eating that anymore, are we?

5. Donuts: Some donuts actually contain pork, lard or other animal derivatives. What a shocking sugar glazed secret! Krispy Kreme was, for a while, thought to have treated their donuts with animal derivatives. Turns out, it was a hoax. The Krispy Kreme donut is one good goody.

So there you have it. 5 normal, nearly daily consumed foods that you thought may be safe. Till you find what's lurking in its contents...

Fishy

This is a poem I wrote for an English Activity in class. It's a bit crude with a few frayed ends but I decided to post it up anyway. We were given or asked to pick images from a farrago of black and whites and I ended up with a picture of an aquarium crammed with fish. A single normal fish was trashing about in its confines, stuck in the mass of ugly fish. The glass was at the point of collapsing by the looks of it. Using it literally or as a metaphor, we were meant to write a poem. And here is mine.

The neon lights flickered outside
Its dull buzz
Reverberated in the fish tank

A dozen fish
Squirmed
Cramped in its dreary confines
They breathed shallow
Every bubble, a struggle

The farrago of fishes
Trashed in their entrapment
Fighting for the top
To be the tyrant of the tank

The fittest survived at the surface
The weak bore scars of pebbles

The glass cage was their world
In it they were shackled and bound
Under the glowering eyes of microscopes

For aren’t we all…
Prisoners of Civilization?
Specimens of Society?
With Actions so transparent.

We’re all just fish.
In a treacherous sea
Just fish.
Indistinguishable fish.
Trying to be
The King of the Ocean ---x

Not so (Pet)ty

This post is dedicated to our furry friends. No, not the abominable snowmen. I mean the animals in Bahrain, with special emphasis on those that have been abused and abandoned on the streets.
For a relatively small country, Bahrain has an alarming number of stray animals lurking around in alleys and streets, traumatized and scared out of their wits. They are often seen scavenging for food in the rubbish piled high in dumpsters or zipping across streets, frightened and dazed by the blaring honks and the glowering high beams of cars.
It is not their fault that they have been subjected to such a hellish existence, it is ours.
It is we who shut them out of our lives. It is we who refused to care for them. It is we that turned our backs on them and never went looking for them afterwards.
It is infuriating that people adopt pets without a long term plan. They do not sketch out the demanding responsibilities that come with being a pet owner. Is there enough space? Is there time to exercise my dog/cat/flying monkey? Is there a place for him/her to stay while I’m gone?
Summers are the worst time to be a pet. Holiday makers ruthlessly decide to let go of their animals rather than making arrangements for them till they return. This leads to a manifold increase in the stray population in the summer and even though BSPCA is a messiah, it has to be acknowledged that it is just one organization and that it is already overflowing with animals beyond its capacity.
That brings up yet another issue. Dumping your pet in BSPCA during the summer is NOT an option. BSPCA is not a boarding kennel service; it is a sanctuary to care for unfortunate animals.
Another horrific truth about strays in Bahrain is the sickening, gut wrenching abuse they are subjected to. Youngsters find it ‘highly amusing’ and ‘entertaining’ to inflict pain on helpless strays, cutting their ears or setting them on fire; images that make me go sleepless on many nights.
Also, I was aghast to learn that many people were writing letters to newspapers stating that wild(a derogatory term for street animals) dogs should be shot! It was an appalling idea. How can anyone be so cruel as to hurt innocent animals?
Please put an end to this animal holocaust and end the atrocities committed to these defenseless creatures.
Make wise decisions and think twice before adopting or leaving a pet. Do think about your pets and their needs when you move, go for a holiday or are unable to support them any longer.
And also, if you are interested in caring for a pet without bringing it home, contact the BSPCA and you can financially assist an animal by ‘fostering’ it.
Remember animals are just as important as people and abusing them is equivalent to ‘Crimes Against Humanity’.
Help out and do your part! Help Bahrain get animals off the streets and into good, caring homes where they belong!

Dream to Live; Live the Dream

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably know who Pablo Picasso was.
My mother said to me, "If you are a soldier, you will become a general. If you are a monk, you will become the Pope." Instead, I was a painter, and became Picasso.
Every artist, every writer, every inventor and scientist in the world, began small. They were nobodies in this big vast frightening world. They weren’t just born great. They made their mark in this world by sole hard work, determination and the will to succeed.
It doesn’t matter who you are, or where you’re from, which race or colour you belong to; greatness is set alight by the spark of ambition. You may be small, but you can always dream big.
It doesn’t matter what you desire to be. Let your dreams be great. Let them be glorious achievements. Let them be crazy. But just dream.
You may want to be a rock climber. Or a photo-journalist. Or a paleontologist. Or even a member of a rock band. Anything is possible if you just believe.
Don’t get disheartened with failures because in reality, they’re the ones that lift you up. Walt Disney didn’t sit at home when he was fired from his first job because of lack of creativity. Albert Einstein didn’t give up when he flunked out of grade school. J.K.Rowling didn’t give up hope when her book was turned down by dozens of publishers. Even Winston Churchill didn’t hold back when his father told him quite plainly that he was good for nothing.
Every great person who made it big in life started no more than we are. They dared to dream and they chased it relentlessly.

So remember dream big, work hard and keep your goals in sight. For every individual may not be destined for greatness but can make greatness their destiny. And there is nothing to be afraid of as William Shakespeare said “Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.”

NO Go For YES; Aspiring Students, Shattered Dreams

Imagine having all the pieces in your life just falling into place. Imagine your dream coming true. Imagine that after all your hard work and perseverance, you have attained the goal you have yearned for.
77 students, from 16 Middle East countries, experienced this adrenaline rushing thrill, having received confirmation from the Youth and Exchange Student Programme (YES); giving them the green light to head to various American universities for a year long study programme.
They underwent rigorous training complete with interviews and examinations for six months gearing up to the challenge.
Four days before their departure, when their bags were packed and the goodbyes had been said, the unforeseen happened. Their visas were cancelled.
They were left devastated, reeling from shock. Disappointment, disbelief and hopelessness came crashing down whilst their dreams were shattered and their faiths were shaken.
Inadequate housing was the poor reason given to these poor unfortunate youths.
While the 77 were left behind, the remaining 913 applicants from other parts of the world will descend upon the United States of America to embark on a new journey.
Isn’t this the height of unfairness? Not only do these unlucky teens miss out on ‘their opportunity of a lifetime’ but they have to carry the burden of seeing their fellow counterparts living the dream they once fantasized.
Further implications pursue this dilemma as these 77 applicants require re-registration at their old schools, half way through the academic year, to complete their education in their respective countries.
This programme that intended to give aspiring academics hope instead has left them heartbroken. Alternative arrangements or compensations are definitely due to these students.
Deferred participation for the next academic year, a six month YES programme starting next January and a short term four-to-six weeks YES summer leadership programme are some of the suggestions put forth by the authorities who hold the reigns of the YES programme.
However, for the Middle Eastern students, these options are not viable as it insinuates that they will remain idle for up to six months or worse, find it difficult to get a diploma.
As a student, I realize how important it is for these teenagers to fight for their ambitions to guarantee a propitious future. They cannot afford anything that jeopardizes their chances of reaching that ultimate aim.
So I propose that the committee responsible for the YES programme look into this issue seriously and provide them with temporary housing or at least pay them compensation with a guarantee that they will participate in their exchange programme in the near future.
I wish all 77 of them the very best of luck and hope that they will be requested to jump aboard the YES express once again!
They are indeed upcoming future leaders, fighting for their rights and will no doubt have a bright, successful future!

Life is too short to be somebody else

“Just be yourself.”
Sounds queer, doesn’t it?
If we’re not ourselves, who else can we be?
It’s not unknown that we like fitting in, feeling at home and being part of a ‘family’.
Sometimes along the road to being inducted, we tend to lose ourselves, the people we really are.
They say everyone is unique just like everybody else.
But with the pressure of ‘fitting in society’, our individualities have been eroded and rubbed blunt till we all now seem quite alike.
What is ironic is the fact that toddlers and infants, the ones considered least mature, educated and developed, are the ones that harbour the most uniqueness.
It is later that replication begins and the distinctness is lost.
Imitation usually starts stemming from high school.
Being a teenager in high school is frustrating. The very empire of high school is built on a foundation known as ‘a delicately balanced status quo’.
And all we try to do when we’re at school is to be an undistinguished, accepted fish in the sea, finding comfort in being a part of a club, a group, a crowd.
Well, that’s plain wrong.
Everybody IS somebody.
You can be whoever you want to be.
Don’t be afraid to be unique. Be different- Don’t fit in, stand out!
Sure you’ve heard people preach this a million times and you usually retort that it doesn’t rake in any friends.
But it’s better to have a friend who likes you for who you are not what they want you to be.
So remember, don’t let the World change you, you change the World!

Misunderstood Metal

Metal is a form of music that has gathered the following of a few in Bahrain.
But for most part of it, it has been snubbed and has picked up a nasty reputation as it is largely not understood.
Like abstract art, metal music is merely raw expression with limitless freedom.
But this rejection and lack of appreciation has driven the metal scene in Bahrain underground.
There are dozens of unsigned bands out there playing in garages without the means to turn their amazing talent to something productive.
The Bahrain authorities have a rather severe attitude towards Metal having stated 'that it is synonymous to satanic activities', closing down a major concert last year, making people think twice about heavy metal.
Yet metal, besides the black t-shirts and elevated sound levels, is quite harmless and is usually fraught with meaning and emotion.
It is an opportunity for people to express themselves artistically.
The Reflux Festival held recently in the Bahrain International Circuit was an enjoyable experience, with people even conforming to less gothic clothing and all the rules for the sake of the music.
Yet, Bahrain still doesn't understand metal enough to come out in numbers.
The MPs of Bahrain should be less hostile to the Metal scene if it has to develop.
Bahrain is teeming with potential and talent and it is only right that it has to be channelled effectively.
Metal is just like any other genre of music, maybe a few decibels higher. But it still reaches out to the audience with the same messages of hope, change and a better tomorrow.

Think Pink- The Reality Behind The Ribbon

Imagine a family portrait without a Mom. Imagine old fairytales without a Grandmother to tell them. Imagine a classroom without the loving guidance and care of a female teacher.
Women are an integral part of the society and they are undoubtedly irreplaceable units of the family and community.
Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers that threaten the lives of thousands of women each year.
A large proportion of women contract Breast Cancer at some point in their lives and if not nipped in the early stages, it can be life-threatening.
And surprisingly, a small proportion of men are susceptible to breast cancer as well!
In Bahrain, a rather conservative society, breast cancer was some what of a taboo. People felt ashamed to talk about it freely and a large number of cases went unnoticed till things became serious and irreversible.
But over the last couple of years, Bahrain has opened up and people are readily voicing their views and problems and seeking necessary medical attention.
This October, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Bahrain dons pink in an effort to create as much as awareness as possible about breast cancer.
The Think Pink campaign has enjoyed a lot of success since its beginning drawing in breast cancer victims and survivors and their families and friends and undoubtedly, public support.
The message of Think Pink has traveled far in Bahrain with charity walks, mountain treks, golf tournaments, celebrity support and social gatherings.
The little pink ribbons have caused a big stir and have woken people up to the seriousness of the issue but not all of us are following through with necessary procedures.
Women are urged to consult doctors and go through a general check-up.
Moreover, breast cancer victims and survivors need support more than medicine as they go though a rough emotional trauma and a series of unpredictable moods and feelings.
Dear readers, help fight the battle against breast cancer. Ask your mothers, sisters, grandmothers, aunts or any other close female friends whether they’ve gotten their check-up and help them learn more about breast cancer and how they can identify symptoms early and safeguard themselves from future harm.
And remember to make Bahrain and its people aware of the seriousness of breast cancer this October; wear pink- pink ribbons, pink shirts, pink shoes and even matching pink accessories!- and most importantly, Think Pink!

Which Books made the Shelf?

Before we get on with it, here's a notice: Read Gulf Weekly. My column actually came out... not half bad! Hopefully my run of luck will continue.
This week has been crazy, hectic and nerve-wrecking with life-changing decisions being made. Big thing to say for a now sixteen year old. But that's life, every decision we make seems to rattle the future as we know it.

Here are the Books I'm reading/ I have read over the summer and early autumn:

*CHERUB- Robert Muchamore: A book about teenagers(and kids) working undercover as spies; the main objective being that no self-respecting adult would believe a kid was doing the espionage job. Apparently it is a well-sought after book for young adults and is raved about by teens. Still reading.

*Benny and Omar- Eoin Colfer: Hilarious, light-hearted and engrossing- Colfer has pulled off a captivating story with laugh out loud moments and true emotions. There is an impressive character development, helping readers relate to alot of scenarios and helps them see the outrageous exploits through Benny's Irish eyes. A great read and a cheer-me-up book that is sure to make you laugh. Truly Irish.

*Holes- Louis Sachar: I must confess that hadn't I seen the movie, I wouldn't have picked up this book with the drab cover and no synopsis on the book jacket. Goes to show you never judge a book by its cover. Though the writing style is a bit choppy it helps you to live in the moment and imagine it from the point of view of a chubby, innocent kid with a bit of 'farm' in him. It's an original concept and that's the best plus point this book holds. And yes, Shia LaBoeuf had something to do with me reading the book. Still Reading. Not decided on character development of book.

*The Second Summer of the Sisterhood of Travelling Pants- Ann Brashares: The first movie showed promise otherwise I wouldn't have picked up the book. I hate choosing books based on movies but nowadays it happens inevitably. First off, girly. Girly, girly, girly. And why is that wrong? Because I don't read those kind of books. Yet this book did have something below the surface that made me read on. I rather grudgingly sort of liked it. The parts about Bee were my favourites as the character was so polished and deep and emitted positive radiation. Tibby's part came in second. But what made me nauseous was the Lena parts. Help! It was mushy and just too much, and made me hate the book at that point of time. Boy, that girl's got some hormone issues. Carmen's role was mediocre and her character could have used a better development. She should have been deeper and more philosphical, like my expectations. A good tie-up none the less. It far surpassed its frayed movie nonetheless.

*The Wish List- Eoin Colfer: A MUST-READ!!! You'll fall off your chair with stitches in your sides. This roll-on-the-floor book is highly unique and the plot is so ingenious. Dead girl done both good and bad. Now heaven and hell fight for her soul. It's an epic struggle. The best thing about Colfer's fantasy writing is the way he interweaves technology with the magic, making it more relatable and a lot more humorous. This book is multilayered with alot of vivid emotion and deep philosophy making you question life itself. Thought provoking! What are you waiting for? Run to the library and GET IT!

More reviews will be posted soon. Till then, Keep Reading!

Alliance or Strategy?

I never get royal weddings, the ones between empires and kingdoms.
It's always for the greater good that some poor unfortunate prince or princess gets married off to some unknown partner in an even more obscure corner of the world to strengthen ties between countries.
Bridges do that as well.
So how fair is it to let them go through with the wedding?
And, No, I'm not watching re-runs of Mulan 2.
It's just that it is such a fragile bond that hopes to bring greater prosperity to the two nations.
What if the marriage was to fail and end in divorce; what kind of repercussions would it trigger? A war, perhaps?

This is an odd, ancient topic to post about. But it did spark my curiosity while reading the announcement of our country's Shaikh Nasser's wedding to the daughter of the President of Dubai in UAE.

The old and powerful empires of the Orient and even many kingdoms and reigns around the globe, especially the British, have followed this tradition for centuries to the dismay of the unhappy silver-spoon-bestowed, royally bred child.

Ethics and scepticism aside, I do congratulate His Highness Shaikh Nasser on his 'joyous alliance and union' and wish him a bright future.
And heck, whoever he marries is très lucky- their kid is going to look amazingly gorgeous with a dad like that!

Sweet 16

It's OFFICIAL!
I'm SIXTEEN!
That means I'm legally allowed to drive in the USA!
Well, I'm not in the USA...
But who cares?

I've woken up to a breakfast of blueberry waffles and a brand new Chanel watch!
I've just tickled my second favourite dog in the world.
I'm going to watch a rented 17 Again DVD.
I had a chocolate pizza for lunch with marshmallow, strawberry and pistachio toppings.
I'm going right out now to play tug-of-war with my favourite dog in the world, Sirius.
And I get a Baskin Robbins' ice cream cake, to top it up!

So it's a sweet sixteen in more ways than one!

So with a new year comes new promises and I promise that year 16 will be Epic or I hope I will make it so.
I'm going to write better than before, with commitment spilling out of my ears.
I'm going to work harder at my grades and work towards a propitious future and an amazing University application.
I'm going to give Sirius more time, care and love because he deserves every bit of it.
I'm going to write better columns, devastatingly interesting, hard-hitting and absorbing.
I'm going to take bigger, brighter, intense pictures. My Photography is going to be polished.
I'm just going to seize life by the collar and enjoy the zest of being alive and a teenager. I'll give it all I got, getting better at my passions and hobbies.

There are so many promises to keep, deadlines to meet and goals to score.
It's a new year, a new beginning, a new age!
I'm Sixteen going on Glory.

Popcorn Potential

The summer, with all its glorious listless days of pure unadulterated leisure time, is just the perfect time to lay back, armed with remote and flip on a rented DVD for your viewing pleasure.

So this summer, I managed to get through a couple of flicks, some grainy antiques that seem to have drifted in from the 1970s and some techno-crazed, action-packed thrillers, plastered with animatronics and computer generated graphics movies of 2009.

So here's a random selection of a few movies that I rate and slate and some of which, I contemplate and wonder why I ever sat down in the first place.

Drumline

A fish-out-of-water comedy, a rather old one which I have managed to see a part of long back. This time round I sat through the entire movie. And how did it go? Awesome.
For those unfamiliar with the term 'drumline' it refers to the drummers in a marching band, and in this movie belong to a college marching band.
It's the classic rivalry between colleges and the fight for pride, victory, triumph and greatness.
So here's where it all starts. Our hero is accepted in college because of his prowess of smacking the drum. He's brilliant, one of the best and he's out to prove it.
But it's a band, a band where everyone is equal and the voice is one.
So it's the story of the drummer who could, fighting his way to glory, learning along the way the rise and fall of greatness, friendship, love and leadership and most of all, being a part of a team, a greater voice.
The choreography in the movie is amazing, with mind-blowing synchronization, precision and formations. The music was terrific and the final 'band-off' was unbelievable- a must see.

Popcorn Potential: 4 popcorns



The Proposal

Ahh. Romantic Comedy. Rom-Com. The tricky thing with these so called 'rom-com's is the fact that is one goes off the balance the other ends in tragedy.
A moment's deviation. A quote comes to mind. "It's a romantic comedy. That's ironic." How true.
So back to the review.
Sandra Bullock gets back to the big screen acting in one of many 'rom-com's she's done till date. Miss Congeniality being a star in her crown. She managed to pull that one off. But did she manage it with The Proposal?
No.
The story is however interesting but it falls apart past 30 minutes. It's a fantastic plot having a boss you hate, ready to be deported due to a visa difficulty, pulling on every last string and then ingeniously decides to declare spontaneously that she'll be marrying you. So that's that, no questions, Shut up, marry me, to hell with you, I keep my job, I get my visa, then we get divorced.
So it looks promising in the beginning with that ironic, devious twist. But don't be deceived.
In order for her nefarious scheme to work, she has to jet to Alaska to meet her potential husband's(Reynolds) family.
The whole thing is a hoax. The family is overjoyed on hearing of the union, oblivious to the real plan.
They hate each other. They're going to marry. Each other.
You'd think of great scenes at this point, funny, laugh-out-loud moments of kicking and screaming. But they never come. It gets as funny as Sandra Bullock falling off a boat into the water without knowing how to swim. Not promising.
The plot is tearing at the seams and is transparent and cliche. It's obvious to the viewer what's going to happen and how it's all going to end.
This comedy is a farce with poor acting from Bullock and sloppy lines.
The only thing crunchy in this movie was my popcorn.
So before you even get the movie, The Proposal, you're given the chance of openly declaring your vow. Please say, "I Don't".

Popcorn Potential: 1 popcorn (Reynolds makes up for the movie a bit in the looks dept.) Stay at home. Read a book.



The Hangover

One of 2009's box office hits, enjoying the top spot for about 2 weeks.
Many critics believed that the key to the success of this movie was the fact that it introduces 3 relatively new actors to the stage. I agree. It makes the movie believable and fresh and adds to the clueless factor that keeps this movie hysterical.
Yes, it is hysterical. It's an odd fusion of humour. With bizarre explosions and weird bursts of events.
The story focuses on 4 guys, one of them the groom-soon-to-be and they're heading to Vegas for the inevitable bachelor's party.
They get wasted over the night and get up in the morning, blurry and bewildered.
What the hell happened to them last night? That's the big question. That's what they can't remember.
Furthermore, the groom is missing- PANIC!
So it's a race against time to find him, by tracing back over the night's disjointed events and talking to people they seemingly knew when they were drunk.
It takes them on a wild ride, roping in a Chinese guy who they owe 80 grand, Mike Tyson's tiger, a Las Vegas divorce, a baby and a cop car.
Take a ride with the hilarious trio as they scour Las Vegas for their buddy before his wedding and soak in the soft side of the story as they help put each other's lives in place.

Popcorn Potential: 4.5 popcorns


That's it for now. Watch out for more movie reviews. Lights, Camera, ORLANDO BLOOM!(sorry! Couldn't help myself)

New York, New York

The Big Apple glistens with a shine of its own.
What makes it tick?
Here's a list of "Why I ♥ NY":

1. The taxis. The brilliant eye-catching yellow with black checks taxi with the illuminated glowing sign, complete with an advertisement plastered on its side.
2. The Bling-bling baby. Fashionistas catwalk the pavements.
3. Starbucks. The good ol' cuppa that winds up New York every morning.
4. Bikes out and about.
5. Central Park
6. The green that dots the sidewalks and freshens the lanes. Foliage! Trees, trees and look, another tree!
7. The "I ♥ NY" T-Shirts. Classic. You've gotta love 'em.
8. Times Square and the countless luminous neon lights and billboards!
9. Broadway!!!
10. The view of the New York skyline from Liberty Island
11. The block appartments and condos and the brownstone and bricks they're made of, giving them a distinguished antique, classic look.
12. Fire Escapes!
13. The Skyline of Skyscrapers against the sunset and just after the sun has set, when the sky is painted a glorious fusion of purple, blue and black.
14. Its stores and haute couture!
15. The graffiti- in the tunnels, on the walls, on dumpsters, on pavements!!! I adore them.
16. The New York Yankee hats
17. The pedestrian crossings and the little white man running on the warning signal.
18. The city is just bursting with colour!
19. NYU!
20. The nice people and street/subway artists!

Why the World Wide Web should actually be worldwide...

Have you ever had that adrenaline rush, that incredible 'ting' of a light bulb when a beyond brillant, awesome idea kicks you in the face and leaves you too stunned for speech?
Well, something like that.
Or just have an idea that you really want to blog down.
And you're just thrilled to finally do away with the that infuriating wooden chunk of a writers' block clogging your creative juices?
Then how annoying is it to find that the only time you feel imaginative and in a mood for a quiet isolation time, sitting at a French cafe, sipping iced mocha and scribbling away on a parchment, that you can't find a computer to sit at and type in a post for your blog?
You got it. Argh.
On holiday, there's the discovery of brand new sights and sounds, aroma and ambience, landscapes and legends. A whole world lies before you ready for digging into and exploring.
It's like being in a parallel universe, a dimension you've heard of in the glossy pages of a magazine you once read on the bus before tossing it on the adjacent vacant seat.
So here I sit, so many ideas on pogo sticks in my head when the internet connection can snap off any moment.
So while it lasts and while I get to stay in a place with 'Web' access for more than a day, I'll blog out my ideas and then maybe, just maybe I can fall asleep at night without wildly waking up at midnight from a dream about catfish and frozen hair.
Yeah... I'll tell you about it if the Internet lasts.
Peace out.

Dial R-E-A-L-I-T-Y

Just the other day, when my dad came home from work, he flourished a piece of paper and declared that I was to speak to a girl whose phone number was incidentally scrawled on the paper, for some required information.
"Call her?" I echoed in a hollow voice.
I then proceed to ask him for her email address.
"I've got only her phone number"
I shook my head, reluctantly. How could I just 'talk to her on the phone'?
But then it hit me.
I was unwilling to talk to someone on the telephone, not because I'm phenomenally technologically advanced, just disinclined to an actual live conversation.
I realised that man has propelled himself so far into the future that he has forgotten the touch and feel of what's real.
We converse with our friends through Facebook, chat, video conferencing and an array of applications.
We 'text' our mates sitting two seats away rather than just getting up and telling them what we want to say.
We no longer listen to the comforting, deep, reassuring voices of humans and rather to the hard, metallic pings of computer notifications and cell phone rings.
So it's time we changed our mechanical habits.
Try taking a stroll with a friend or drop by for a visit at your neighbour's house. Keep in touch with your friends by talking to them and they'll like you better for that rather than artificial SMSs.
Now I must leave you for I have to make a rather important phone call to a girl I've been meaning to talk to.

Summer Slumbers

If you're a teenager and your high school has let off for summer break, you would probably be the most ecstatic person on earth.
What's queer about summers is that, while the days seem longer, we tend to turn nocturnal.
Here I am jabbing at my keyboard at 3 in the morning(shhh!) with my headphones on and the volume turned up high.
Have you ever noticed that the epitome of a Utopian summer 'freak-out' concerns slumber parties, midnight movies, night clubs etc.
The listless couch potatoes of the morn mystically transform into the life of the party by night.
While the sun is glowering outdoors at noon, the only insane nomads of daylight are workaholics choking and retching with their stifling, horribly fluorescent ties; the rest of the world is under covers, with slumber kissed eyelids and the adrenaline pumping energy of a sloth.
Yes, we, humans are exotic creatures.
We choose to rest while the animals frisk in the glory of radiance and warm light and while they hibernate with peaceful arrogance in the bitter, biting cold months of unforgiving Winter, we are alive with esprit, up and running!

The Domino Effect

The great thing about holidays is the fact that you have so much excess spare time on your hands that you find room to dig through old family relics and heirlooms.
Every summer, I find myself headfirst in some dingy cupboard sorting through pictures and souvenirs of a time that seems so far back, it might not have happened.
Just yesterday, I produced a rather battered green-and-black-checkered box from my excavation site and found them to contain a pile of ancient dominoes.
I can remember the joy I used to be bursting with, meticulously aligning them in winding serpentine patterns and then watching the dominoes fall upon each other with such excellent timing that they resembled a rather dark, rippling wave.
But dominoes weren't all arrange-and-destroy toys. Turns out they have a long, winding, complex history and play like any old traditional past time.
So being the wonderful researcher I am, I devotedly, sat myself down in the swivelling chair and tapped in 'Wikipedia' on my Google Search.
Now everyone knows Wikipedia- the monster storehouse of information pertaining to every speck present on Earth.
So, there it was, all ready, digested and processed.
Here are excerpts from the website describing the two popular adaptations of playing dominoes.

Basic rules
Most domino games are blocking games, i.e. the objective is to empty one's hand whilst blocking the opponents. In the end, a score may be determined by counting the pips in the losing players' hands. In scoring games the scoring is different and happens mostly during game play, making it the principal objective.
Block game
The most basic domino variant is for two players and requires a double six set. The 28 tiles are shuffled face down and form the stock or bone yard. Each player draws seven tiles; the remainder is not used. One player begins by downing (playing the first tile) one of their tiles. This tile starts the line of play, a series of tiles in which adjacent tiles touch with matching, i.e. equal, values. The players alternately extend the line of play with one tile at one of its two ends. A player who cannot do this passes. The game ends when one player wins by playing their last tile, or when the game is blocked because neither player can play.
Draw game
In the more interesting Draw game, players are additionally allowed to draw as many tiles as desired from the stock before playing a tile, and they are not allowed to pass before the stock is (nearly) empty. The score of a game is the number of pips in the losing player's hand plus the number of pips in the stock. Most rules prescribe that two tiles need to remain in the stock.The Draw game is often referred to as simply "dominoes".
Adaptations of both games can accommodate more than two players, who may play individually or in teams.

There's much more to Dominoes then hit-and-run, eh?

Visas: The daunting pre-vacation task

Going to the USA requires procedures. Strict, non-bendable procedures. We're talking sniffer dogs and motion sensors.
A US visa application is quite similar to a first job interview-You're sweaty with shaking limbs, constantly rifling through your documents making sure you've got them all right.
However I assure you no normal job applicant has ever been subjected to frisking and will not be jabbed by those annoying beeping probes. Nor will they have to produce their CPR for inspection or require to walk through a metal detector barrier.
We made it to the American Embassy at 8- scurrying, for they are very punctual and irritable.(Plus we didn't know what other weapons they had up their sleeve)
We shuffled through the numerous safety checks and were forced to turn out our pockets when the probe bleeped like an insolent whining siren at the magnetic stir of metal coins, watches and jewellery.
Then, clipping on our visitor badges, we strolled through the heavy, thickly reinforced doors, escorted by a security guard in a murky green uniform and matching, no to mention ridiculous, straw hat.
The path through the luscious garden soon melded into cement and tile and before we knew it, we were walking into an angular, silent waiting room.
The visa hopefuls sat themselves down, anxiously on the edge of the comfy chairs. They drummed their fingers, read the boring year old magazines ,lined on a shelf, front-to-back twice and looked around the room restless, wondering how the walls seemed so much more crowded together than the last time they had stared at them.
An intercom buzzed every seven minutes or so, calling upon applicants to submit their documents with their id-photographs.
So here's Lesson #1 of How to Apply for an American Visit Visa:
Always bring Passport-id photographs with a white backdrop and ensure the dimensions of the photograph(length of head-to-chin, length of ear-to-ear, length of left nostril-to-second-last-shirt-button. Okay, except the last one) is EXACTLY as specified. Ground Rule is that each photograph MUST be 2x2 inches. Exactly. Not a centimeter more, not one less.
Moving on...
After the verification of documents, applicants then sit their aching bottoms down once more to wait long and hard to be called for finger-printing.
After making our way back to the counter through the security checks(we needed to head back home to get pictures exactly 2x2 inches as ours were a few centimeters off) we placed our fingers- first left hand four fingers, right hand four fingers, two thumbs together- on an intriguing electronic device with a glass screen which emitted a startling green light that scanned the surface.
And back to the seats again before being called upon for the last- oh thank heavens- stage of the Visa Application Process. The Interview. The most dreaded, risky hurdle in visa procurement.
You can get shot down, straight there and cruel, and drag your sorry self back home with a rejected application, no hope of ever going to the US and the guilt of a massacre of five good whole morning hours of summer.
It took an incredibly long time for us to get our interview over with.
There was one lady who had brought what looked like a haystack of papers and she was rifling threw them, organising and sorting it- Police papers, most likely.
One horrible thing about the US Visa application process is that you have to confess all your details to the interviewer; be honest and truthful about your personal life in front of all the other applicants or rather strangers in that room.
Lesson #2 of How to Apply for an American Visit Visa:
Do not, under any circumstances, fight with the interviewer or slip her twenty dollars through the slit in the window.
Beads of perspiration began to dot my forehead as I nervously witnessed two women ahead of us be brutally rejected and sent home. It was harsh considering that usually when people are not permitted to attain the visa once, they are hardly ever likely to do so in the future.
We walked up to the sealed, reinforced glass and began what turned to be a rather short interview.(I must confess disappointment as I had imagined a lengthy questioning and had come up with ridiculous answers to various probable questions in many such hypothetical scenarios. Also we had waited for what seemed forever.)
And we did it.
Yes, we got through.
The lady behind the counter whose expressions were a give-away whether you were likely to get a visa or not, smiled at us- and our hearts leaped- her blue eyes twinkling and said,
"Right then. Enjoy your trip."



Blog Bubble: Randomly, there was also a rather interesting poster depicting a man with a morbidly sad expression behind bars for not having told the truth during his visa interview. And for most part of the long wait, I was staring up at a curious device positioned on the ceiling which looked like a hybrid of a megaphone and a thermal scanner/laser gun, wondering what it does.
I still haven't figured it out.

B.R.B. A.S.A.P. k?

Just as the future of the gramophone is the iPod and the horse-drawn cart is the V8 engined SUV, the future of the English language is sickeningly, the 'chatting jargon'.
Little acronyms, halved words and techno-talk have wormed into the heart of the English language itself- Yes, the worst has happened, "Web 2.0" has been listed in the Webster's dictionary.
With progression and development, men have felt themselves superior and rather brilliant by concocting complex names to christen their inventions/discoveries/findings.
The SONAR, the LASER, the SARS virus, the Y2K bug, EBIDTA, the ENIAC etcetera.
What happened to the good old days, when people would spend lazy summer mornings sprawled in the sunlit grass, breathing in the fresh air and casting fishing lines into the still pond. Now, we have overweight slobs drooling over their "Macs", "ass-whupping gangstas" in some mindless "PC game". Or even "killin' off losers" in some trashy "PS3/Wii/Nintendo" video game.
Casting away the fact that the movie was too unreal and flimsy and flawed in the story plot structure department, The Sisterhood of Travelling Pants 2 does have a rather heart-melting scene capturing a bit of chemistry between Carmen and Ian, they talk about the dying legacy of English and how the old English used to feel- good and rich to speak, pleasure to your throat, royal and regal.

Carmen Lowell: "Oh, Lady Fortune! Stand you auspicious!" God! Why don't people talk like this anymore? It's just, we've gotten so lazy! We don't say "Oh, Lady Fortune! Stand you auspicious!" We say "Dear God, help me..."
Ian: Or instead of "Enjoy the honey heavy-dew of slumber", "Yo, get some Z's"
Carmen Lowell: It's just... It sounds so good and it feels so good to say. It's rich and luscious.
[Carmen touches her cheek]
Ian: "See how she lays her cheek upon her hand. Oh, that I were a glove upon her hand and I might touch that cheek"
[Carmen blushes]
Ian: See what I mean?
Carmen Lowell: [blushing] Yeah...

More than acronyms(which by the way is an acronym itself. Dear God.), jargon gets to me. A myriad of 'so called chat lingo' has sprung up and infested the Internet like weeds to a garden, ruining the sheer beauty and tranquility of a once glorious language.

A farrago of 'words'(not really words, but you know what I'm getting at) like 'brb', 'ttyl', 'asap', 'g2g', 'idk', 'ily', 'u', 'skol', 'btw' and the ever popular 'k'.

It's quite unnerving to decipher the gibberish, no even better- gobbledygook, that get posted as 'sms' s. Par Example: "hope u f9. cnt cum 2day. sori. wanna mke it up 2 u. tc. hf. ttyl. ily."

I mean, can I at least have the dignity of understanding English the way it's supposed to be understood. Are we so primitive and immature to mix our numbers and alphabets and type out incomprehensible syllables that make no sense when strung together logically?

And don't get me started with the excessive usage of exclamation marks.

Lord help us. Thy fiery might and awesome power shall be the only reasoning pillar in this jungle of madmen. It is you, the erudite, that hold the staff that controls these blabbering buffoons. You the great Linguist who can stop them from brb-ing with their 'techno-junkie-jargon'.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday J.K.Rowling and her brainchild, Harry Potter!!!

31/07/09

Tyranny of the Toothpicks

I was mall-walking the other day, browsing through stores, running my hand against the soft, smooth fabric of clothes on the rack, giving an approving nod or two and taking in that pleasant fresh scent of new garments.
It's not that I like shopping. Heavens, no.
But it is fun to act skeptic, walking tall among clothes that seem to have been laid down for your final scrutinizing and judgement.
It was when I was examining a rather Cornish-pixie-dotted pair of pants(They really do exist. Check the last display rack, right of the changing rooms.), that a girl walked past; to be precise- a stick of a girl walked past.
She was so rigidly skinny and wrapped in miniature clothes- It made me marvel at the fact that people come in such small sizes.
This is in no way a ridicule of said girl. She merely is an example, or rather a representative of thousands of teenage adolescent girls who have fallen prey to anorexia nervosa.
Yes, yes, we know- Nicky and Paris Hilton, Victoria Beckham, Lindsay Lohan... all disappearing and vanishing before the eyes of the paparazzi and the public, wilting away like yesterday's salad lettuce leaves.
I did a bit of Google Image Searching on anorexia and I nearly needed a bag to puke into when the pictures hit the screen.
There are female beings with limbs that seem to be sticking out of them like oddly bent straws and their skin is stretched faintly over the pile of rickety bones, they call their skeletal structure.
Tripping over some one's feet may end up as hairline fractures for them. Fragile, breakable, light as thin ice, their bones are.
There is no need to starve yourself or take drugs to drop a few dress sizes or loose a couple of extra pounds.
Be happy with your body and you feel lighter already with the weight off your shoulders.
J.K.Rowling once wrote about the 'wanarexia' craze spreading contagiously in clear, logical, pragmatic writing. http://www.jkrowling.com/ is her website where she wrote her article posted in the 'Extra Stuff' section of her website under 'Only for Girls, probably..'
Take a read and think about the whole idea rationally.
Does it matter the size you are? Isn't it more rewarding to be a better person rather than a starved, malnurtioned, underweight product of society.
Your Food, Your Body, Your Future.

Happy Families: Not Just A Game

Quite a while back, I saw a rather interesting episode of Ugly Betty. Its thirty minute lifespan questioned the very essence of the concept of family and prodded intriguing questions about what really makes a family a family.
After the customary shenanigans were undertaken like any good sitcom/soap, the closing scene zoomed in on America Ferrera, who was sitting and contemplating beneath the summer moon.
Family, she thought, is not always made of blood-related people. You are not tied to family by blood but love. Your neighbour, your teacher, your best friend… all these little people in your life who make a big difference, though not even distantly related to you, can be a part of that conglomeration of love, that we call family. Families can be eccentric but what makes it a family is the fact that they accept you for who you are and don't ask you to change even for the world.
So as the credits rolled past the screen, I sat there lost in thought with a hint of a smile on my face. There was something about that message- the tone, the style of expression, the message itself?- that flickered into existence like a candle of truth.
True, they say your immediate family is 'your family' as they love you, care for you, understand your every thought and emotion, know you more than you know yourself and encourages you all the way, believing you are capable of accomplishing the impossible. The trust they harbour is impenetrable.
Yet not every family is the dream family that seems to worm its way into every fairytale.
But sometimes, if you feel deserted and alone and you feel alien in your dysfunctional family, you can always depend upon your 'family'; your true friends, your dog or even like in Ugly Betty, your gay work colleague. They'll always be there lending their hand, their shoulder and their heart at your disposal.
Your true family is the one that says you don't need to change the person you are. They accept you without any grudges and they believe and have faith in you. Courtesy is not a word they know but they do have dictionaries with the phrases 'eternal friendship', 'make yourself at home' and 'I truly love you' and sometimes call you their son/daughter absent-mindedly. They may scold you for raiding their fridge and you'd probably know their pantry more than you do yours.
Families are more than a group of tight knit blood relatives who spend their lives with each other. They are like little units of love and friendship consisting of any possible member that make up this world, a little love at a time.

Sleepless: Wicked Wakefulness

Insomnia.
It's nearly 4 A.M. in the morning and I'm by my laptop wide awake in a deadly silent household, armed with pathetic re-runs of sitcoms and a rather bulky comforter wrapped across my shoulders.
It's practically unearthly as I look around and notice that everything in the surroundings has this pre-dawn eerie bluish glow emanating from them.
I'm wide-eyed and conscious as any Tuesday workaholic who is high on caffeine yet unable to do anything but sit at the glare of my screen in the dark.
Bathed in blue light, I can only imagine the horrific thought of having someone suddenly burst into the room, glaring at me with insanely terrifying eyes.
At this point, I remember a small snippet of information that many people normally don't remember in the wee hours of a lonely morning. An interesting fact- The Anglo-Saxons deeply believed that a miraculous remedy for insomnia is eating lettuce. Yes, Lettuce.
They believed that gnawing on green leafy vegetables could ward away and dispel the likes of sleep deprivation.
Hilarious, isn't it?
Now, you must excuse me. I seem to be in search of lettuce which is probably somewhere buried deep in my refrigerator.
I'm an insomniac.
I'm desperate.

Potter Hungry

My Marathons are thinning out and I'm almost out of Harry Potter material.
If this keeps up, I might have a breakdown before the movie even gets to the screen :D

Honestly, why does time deliberately lethargically crawl by when something amazing is on the other side?
It's like Biology class before Break.

I've logged on to Muggglenet countless times now and even have the countdown toolbar flashing on my desktop!

So Close, Yet So Far!

After nearly a year and a half of waiting, it all comes down to this.

The Tomatometer on Rotten Tomates.com rates this movie extremely high, a rare occurence for movies; so this pumps up my adrenaline to bursting point!

HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE!!!!!

Less than 24 hours!

Counting down...

If you've ever been to Mugglenet, you'll be acquainted with the countdown toolbar pasted at the header of the the website. For months, the clock has been ticking(and quite infuriartingly it was set back after the 'postponing' chaos).
Fans have eagerly watched the numbers dwindle slowly day after day, finally becoming one digit numbers.
It is thus, historic to watch the number 1 flash on the screen as the number of days left for the movie.

I'm beyond myself with excitement, dwiddling my thumbs in anxious ecstasy whilst reading the book or seeing the movies to make fruitful use of the time(which seems dreadfully slow) before the film hits the Big Screen.
The first shows have been sold out and the streets are once more filled with long, winding, unending queues of people in cloaks and wizard hats, brandishing wands.

So till Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince opens at theatres, keep practising those wand movvements.... Swish and Flick!

Movie Marathon: Potter Preparations

Harry Potter Movie Marathons. Classic way to make up a big finale drum roll upto the sixth part. It keeps us busy and brings back all the old laughter and memory.

The most fun part of watching the movies for Harry Potter fans is ironically, finding the inaccuracies and standing up in the theatre, yelling at the screen 'That was never there in the books', throwing a shoe and getting a warning from the obese security guard with his glowering stare in torchlight. A bit of a Mugglenet joke there.

The Internet is littered with little snippets and videoclips of the movie. But what's the fun of watching the movie after two years of impatience if you're going to see all the crucial/hilarious/intense moments on YouTube, just the day before the release date?

B-Rolls are like a movie massacre; squandering all the good scenes of the anticipated movie.

I'm nearly done with my Marathon by the way! Even though I've watched them countless times, it's just so thrilling to see them all over again, seeing their little innocent faces morph into mature grown-up stars, seeing the magic brew more powerful, seeing the legacy of Harry Potter scrolled out in spectacular fashion- where reality meets fiction.

Brushing up: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince- the Essential Re-re-re-read

Obviously with the movie on the way, re-reads are a crucial must-do for any Harry Potter fan.
A serving of Quidditch, a dose of Felix Felicis, a vial of memories and the good ol' cauldron of mystery and adventure... ahh, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.
Now, shhh..... I'm trying to read here!

Potter's Great Expectations

While the anticipation grows to heightened pitch, interviews from various actors and actresses that have had the envious fortune of working on the set of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince are flooding newspapers and fan sites as devoted aficionados scramble about for even slivers of information.
The midnight shows across the USA have been sold out and the box office is predicting a colossal hit, raking in dollars by the million.
With an undoubtedly propitious premiere, the bar has been set sky high.
Now the million dollar question is... Will it live up to the Hype?

Potter Premieres: Wild, Wet and Wonderful!

The Potter Premieres in the UK and the USA went off spectacularly with hundreds of fans descending upon Leicester Square and the equivalent venue in the USA to witness the star studded red carpet event, which turned out a huge success with an unexpected twist or two!
A rather gloomy, black cloud seemed to hover over Leicester Square and shake down torrential rain.
The resulting downpour did soak the actors and actresses as they hurried up the red carpet, waving and cheering and signing autographs to a booming, screaming, mad crowd( half of which was painted red and gold).

Whilst a few enjoyed the atmosphere of yelling fans under an umbrella others like Rupert Grint was quite literally hopping about in the rain puddles to the delight of his aficionados.

The most pleasing outcome of these premiers is no doubt the critics' review. Now that's an uncommon comment!
The critics and reviewers loved the movie and had an analysis raving about the sixth installment of the Harry Potter movie franchise.
Fans now are eager more than ever, if that's possible! Over the moon happy!
And that goes for me as well.
Voracious viewers- we are watching with a vulture appetite at the countdown, ready to relish what David Yates and his cast and crew have to offer us- Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince-The Movie!

PotterWatch

4 days left for the blockbuster summer movie of the year!
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is slotted for release on 15th July, after being rescheduled from the initial launch date- 21st November 2008.
Yes, the act of postponing the film caused outrage among us fans, having waited eagerly, starved of Harry Potter for well over a year. (Except for The Tales of Beedle The Bard, which was fantastic and just in time for Christmas!)
So finally, after two years, Warner Brothers delivers the movie adaptation of the penultimate book in the Harry Potter series in what critics acclaim as the 'best yet of the first six movies'.
Harry Potter movies have quite recently been notorious for disappointment, quite understandable due to the pumped up hype and the intense speculation that these movies are scrutinised with.
However, I was quite thrilled when the tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes measured a solid red bar of 96% and a 7.4 rating- which if you are new to the 'rotten tomatoes concept' is a stupendous feat.
So with hopes running high along with the adrenaline and the gigantic promotion and premiering of the film, I, along with the millions of Harry Potter fans in the world, wait on tenterhooks for midnight of 14th July to draw closer and arrive with a breathtaking bang!