Beauty in the Beast!

I saw one of the trending topics on Indiblogger inspiring us to write about what real beauty is! Funny I thought! Why would I want to write about real beauty? Why is this such an over rated concept? But, then in a very Barney-ish style I said 'challenge accepted' and thought of actually giving it a shot. I have never been very good at writing on topics someone else provides - so I thought this might be a good time to start.

My first writing reflex was to talk about the truly beautiful girl-child that I see almost everyday on my way to work. She sits with her brother at the corner of the metro station and runs up enthusiastically to the each slowing vehicle. The simplistic needs of childhood replaced by the sheer need to out-survive the others - melancholy, empathetic, and yet beautiful in its own sadistic way. The way each one of us defines what is really is beautiful is as different as Dhoni's ever-changing hairstyle I believe. So, why do we make such a big deal out of it? Why do we have this need to preach to people about what is beautiful and what is not?

If it were up to me, I would rename Beauty and the Beast to Beauty in the Beast! Let's not define, lets not overly complicate, let's not try and point out beautiful things around us and define the how and why of it. Acceptance comes with peace I say - and lets accept that we all have the power to recognize what is beautiful within in each beastly object.

With so many posters and banners around us telling us what's beautiful and what's not - we can be easily brainwashed into believing a highly morphed vision of beauty. Why singularize it? The fact that we are here - we are alive and we are surviving is miraculously beautiful, isn't it?

We have done every possible wrong, we have created havoc - but from stone ages till now, we have survived. There is something beautiful in each one of us, in each individual, in each and every aspect of our overly complicated existence. Like a director's dreamboat - We are the inspiration! We are are the real beauty!

Quick Updates!

So, I have been MIA for almost two weeks so I am trying to fit a lot of interesting and not-so interesting updates in this post. But, I absolutely can not start this post without talking about rapture! Yea.. RAPTURE! what the eff is up with this viral story? I actually found a website which is selling doomsday t-shirt for $20 - so much so for fashionably dead :|

On another note - I almost lost my engagement ring! It hurts to even write about it actually. After a not so enjoyable show of Pirates 4 - I came out of the theatre to realize that my precious ring is not on my finger! :( After an hour of zombie walk, crying, consolations and 4 of my friends running around a huge-ass mall trying to retrace my footsteps and stalling the next movie show.. we finally gave up and accepted the sad truth that I have INDEED lost my engagement ring. My whole life almost flashed in front of my eyes and I almost couldn't breathe. Anyway, after my friend dragged me back to my apartment I realized that I had very conveniently left the ring on top of my tv. It all came back to me then - I had gone for a spa earlier in the day and while trying to get the olive oil/essential oil/whatever oil out of my hands I had opened the ring and kept it on the TV. How convenient right?! Anyhoo, this was followed by a serious round of cursing, screaming and F-bombs from my dear friends and I wasn't complaining much - cos as long as I got precious back - Im good to go.

Also, this week had been really really crazy at work. Deadlines and reports and some more client meetings and I was so worn out by Friday that I realized that I almost had some sort of short term memory loss. I was having trouble remembering names even. Sigh. No wait- I always had that problem I think. But, I was also helping my friend apartment hunt at the same time and I saved her from finalizing a house which had no windows! yea.. you heard me - no windows. At all.

On a more happier note - I have a new flatmate starting next month: one of my closest college friends just got a new job and is moving to Delhi - which is like YAY!

Cheers to more parties, more girl-talks and no more loosing my ring!! ( Imma gonna get it drilled to my finger )

The Nap That Never Was!

It was almost 4 pm and I was desperate to get some sleep. There is nothing like a sweet power-nap right after a home-cooked meal. My mom has always been an afternoon napper- and she makes the whole process look extremely alluring. She finishes her work and household chores just in time to catch up on half an hour of sleep. God forbid, if you choose to disturb her during her 30 mins of bliss- you would be crossing the worst side of her. This is not the time for someone to ring the bell, or ask her for where something is kept. If you do- then God bless your soul.

Anyway, coming back to the real topic- now that I am visiting my folks for a couple of days, I couldn't resist taking a quick nap with mom. My childhood syndrome of creating afternoon trouble for mom has left gracefully with age- and that department is now under the supervision of my brother. So, once me and mom realized that my brother was out playing with friends- this was our opportune moment to catch up on our power nap.

For an extremely hot and humid city like Kolkata- the true blessing is something called the AC.
I really cannot imagine life without air-conditioning. And to make things worse, right when I was about to drift into sweet sleep, there was a power cut. Almost instantly the room was filled with air so hot that could melt my PJs. Not fair I say! Just not fair.

Helpless and devastated by the twist of fate, I picked up an old newspaper in an attempt to fan myself- and within moments realized that I had gone back in time. We might as well go back to the stone ages I told my mom- why isn't the power back up working!!! My mom was silent for sometime, and then she asked me to get up and open the door to the terrace.

As soon as I opened the door to the terrace, I was greeted with sweet sweet breeze. The air was fresh and soothing, the breeze so light that it brought an instant smile on my face. How I miss the real breeze. I mean AC is awesome! It's a lifesaver no doubt- but this... this is the real stuff my friends. Nothing un-natural, nothing man made- just pure afternoon breeze, that fills you up with the familiar scent of the neighbor's magnolia.

The nap never made it, but what followed was a state of total relaxation. And, I'm gonna end this post with a note that is worthy of inclusion into the aesop's fables -

Sometimes, in an attempt to revolutionize and modernize our surroundings, we tend to forget the simplest means of comfort. Something which is so simple can't be overlooked- so once in a while sit back, relax - switch off the ACs and take a stroll on your terrace! Amen.