2k15- Another new year resolution

Dear readers, it has been long. A bit too long I suppose. But, I'm back! Here's wishing you a very happy new year. Thank you for being such a wonderful audience for 2014. I hope our journey doesn't end here and goes on for a long time, because I'll be here, writing. So my resolution for this year is to be more active on this blog and write fantastic reviews and poems. Let's see till when I'm able to uphold it.

New year resolutions have now lost their touch and meaning. They've become so cliched that not many take them seriously. But what we tend to forget is that a resolution is something for yourself, for your peace of mind, to see yourself achieve something, do something you never thought you would. It's one step closer to your dreams. You've always wanted to go to Paris, so your new year resolution probably will have "learning French" chipped in somewhere. You've wanted to start a small deli in your locality. So you resolve to do more cooking, spend more time with food and learn more about it. Maybe you want to look better for the next year, so you start the exercises, eating healthy food and all that goes with it.

This is the delicate balance between a new year resolution and what you want to achieve. All said and done, let's hope everyone is able to keep their resolution and more importantly accomplish it soon. A very happy new year to all of you, once again. 

Depth- The beauty of eyes in the form of a poem

Dear readers.

Here is another one of my self-composed poems. This one is based on green eyes. Without further ado, here's presenting, Depth.

Depth 

On that summer morning when we first met,

It was a normal day turned into a special one.

How I stumbled and saw your silhouette,

Shifted my eyes towards you to see who was this person who made me run. 

That was when I saw them,

Those beautiful, beautiful eyes!

Perfect and pretty at the same time, 

They felt like knives piercing through my heart. 

They were an amalgamation,

A puzzle of colours. 

The first one I could decipher,

Was green, as sharp as a needle pricking my skin. 

Green seeped into the iris,

Like water gushing into a dry lake.

It gave life to his eyes,

The way they danced in delight. 

Then came brown, with small specks of grey,

And a small black pupil.

It felt like staring at an ocean and watching the sun drown in it,

Like a million seas had come together to this one beach. 

The brown resembled the sand, 

The green and grey took shape of the water.

The black pupil, was more like a reflection,

Of someone in the sea. 

That was when I fell for them,

Their depth and their shine.

The way they danced off the sunlight,

It felt almost too good to be right. 

The Young Statesmen's Meet- My first MUN

Dear readers, after a long break I'm back in action with a review about my own experience of an MUN. For all those who don't know what an MUN is, it's basically a school version of the proceedings held in the UN. Schools conduct these Mock United Nations all across the world and our school had it's second inter-school MUN from 15th-17th December 2014.

The committees for this year's session were, the Eichmann Trial, the Bandung Conference, the Formation of USSR, Chernobyl Accident and the State Reorganisation Commission. Students could either take part as delegates and represent countries in one of these committees, or be reports and play the role of the International Press, or be part of the photography group. I was chosen in the International Press as a reporter for the Bandung Conference.

A quick recap on the conference- Afro-Asian countries who had recently gained freedom from colonialism came together in a conference in Bandung, Indonesia to discuss about good economic and cultural relations with one another. This conference was held in 1955 and the students here were to recreate the whole conference. The IP (international press) had to give articles for the daily newsletter. So, right from day one, we were bombarded with debates and other discussions and were expected to write articles and opinion-based editorials during the day and submit it by lunch time. By day two, we sort of got a hang of choosing topics and submitting them on time. Day three was all about interviews and press conferences. The State Reorganisation Commission held a press conference which later influenced the debate! In all other committees, delegates who were worth interviewing were asked questions and these interviews were then published in our newsletter.

It being my first MUN, I didn't know what to expect! I had no idea how to write reports or interviews and was very scared at first. Then, as the writing set in, I got a good idea of what was asked and delivered pretty good results. In the end, the experience was all positive. I got to learn so much about our history and politics, rethink about ideas and decisions taken years ago and write on topics that I wasn't very familiar with. Even though I didn't win any award, I took back a bunch of amazing memories, made some friends who'll stay in touch and had a total blast! But, the one thing I'm sure of after this MUN, is that I'm not going to stop writing because this is just the beginning.

New Delhi Palate Fest 2014- The one place all foodies must visit

Dear fellow Delhites, Nehru Park hosted one of the biggest culinary events in India, the New Delhi Palate Fest-2014. With top restaurants, bars and patisseries, it was heaven for any foodie. The fest lasted for three days, from morning 10 to evening 10. Stalls of Spanish embassy, Mexican embassy, Leela Palace, Red Dragon, The Great Indian Kebab Factory and many more were set up in and around the park. Prices were exorbitant, but the food was exquisite.

Getting straight into it, this fest was a convergence of all the top notch restaurants in Delhi. Some had an on-the go menu, a few had lounge type seating and others had take away. The Spanish counter had an amazing array of dishes, but my personal favourite was the paella. It was nothing but rice cooked in vegetables, but it had its own charm. Although it was bland and didn't have a good kick of spice, I wanted more. 

Keventers, an age old milkshake joint reinvented a shake, called the Oreo shake. That was heaven in a cup. Not too sweet or too cold, the shake reminded me of Oreos in milk. The Hungry Monkey was the next busiest joint. Right from lavish main courses to small take-away sliders, they were the best at it. Walking around the park, trying to choose what to eat and what not to was a difficult task. Leela Palace offered its spinach and ricotta cheese ravioli and the Great Indian Kebab Factory gave us it's best biryani. 

To end it on a sweet note, we had lemon cupcake with buttercream icing and strawberry tart from Sucré. As much as you'd like to go to a proper restaurant, spend a good amount of money and have a great meal, this was definitely better because in the same budget you got to taste a larger variety of food. So all Delhites unaware of this fest need to get themselves down to Nehru Park, Chanakya Puri because today (30th November) is the last day and the fest winds up by 10.

Angels and Demons- Robert Langdon's first adventure

Robert Langdon is your average university professor of the most unlikely subject, symbology. Life is normal and blissful until that one fateful night when his phone rings and he leaps into an adventure before he knows it.

Mr. Maximillan Kohler, the director of CERN, a secret scientific society, calls Robert Langdon in the middle of the night about the death of one of his fellow scientists who has been branded on the chest with an ambigram of "Illuminati". Robert, being a professor of symbology had all the knowledge needed to solve this murder and is flown from one corner of the world to the other within hours. He meets Maximillan Kohler and they go to take a closer look at the victim, Leonardo Vetra. Only then does Kohler reveal that the killer has taken Leonardo's eye ball, which is why he suspects the killing to be connected to his work. He calls Leonardo's daughter, Vittoria Vetra who explains the project she and her father were working on, antimatter. Antimatter is highly volatile and explosive and just a few milligrams could wipe off a small town. The power harnessed by it, if gotten into the wrong hands could cause huge mass destruction. Vittoria and her father had collected a pretty large amount of it, which was stolen.

Our journey begins from here, when Kohler gets information that the canister containing antimatter is somewhere in Rome and they had less than twenty-four hours to recover it. Robert and Vittoria leave for Rome and the Vatican City is also in mourning as the Pope had recently died and all the Cardinals were in the Sistene Chapel to elect their next Pope. With a race against time, the two get help from Camerlengo Carlo Ventresca, the person closest to the Pope, and try locating the canister.

Robert uses an old Illuminati process to retrace the steps of the Path of Illumination which leads him to four locations based on the basic elements, Earth, Air, Fire and Water. After he gets this information, one by one four cardinals are chosen to be killed. The first Cardinal is killed by earth, suffocating him by choking him on soil. The second Cardinal is killed by air, by puncturing his lungs and the third Cardinal is killed by fire, by burning him alive. Langdon understands the chronology of the events and goes to Santa Maria Della Vittoria Basillica but is too late to save the Cardinal. He is able to get a glimpse of the assassin who also kidnaps Vittoria.

To solve the mystery once and for all, Robert must find Vittoria and the assassin, complete the Path of Illumination and locate the canister containing antimatter.

Angels and Demons is a lightning paced novel with a brilliant storyline. It's a nail-biting experience right from the turn of the first page. The ending is a bit dramatic and unpredictable which some may find entertaining while others won't. The way Dan Brown shifts from one scene to another by the end of each chapter is want makes you want to keep reading. All in all, this is one of the best novels I've ever read.

Why should boys have all the fun?- A girl's point of view

I'm a girl in tenth grade from India. I study in a reputable school, have amazing parents who love me more than anything and friends who adore me. But by being a girl are there a few stereotypes that still go around schools, colleges and workplaces? I'm here to share my point of view and not to point fingers at people and accuse them of something. It's just my observations and I'm sharing it with the world.

Usually Indian schools have an annual day each year where they have a theme on which students perform. And I being a singer have been in the choir since grade one. So, as faithful as I am, I decided to participate in the choir this year too. Choir and orchestra together give a ten-minute long performance after which all students help in carrying the instruments (drums, keyboards, sitars) back to their respective rooms. These "students" are somehow always boys! I mean can't a girl carry a keyboard? Is she that fragile and weak that she'll be crushed under its weight? I don't think so. If we have women like Mary Kom and Martha Salazar, the world has tangilble proof that girls are no less! We can move mountains, tame seas and can change the world if we decide to.

As much as we'd like to believe that the world has evolved into a better society which respects every citizen regardless of sex, religion, caste or race, we can't deny that the third world countries still lag behind. India for instance has come out of the dark world of patriarchy and has learnt to respect and treat women as equals. But still girls face discrimination one way or another. It may not be something monumental but definitely worth fighting for. If a girl is portrayed as weak, shy, gentle and naive, the world will squash her like an insect and keep moving on. We as girls and women need to take the initiative to show the world that we are no less. We are a huge force that can overthrow any country, bring peace at any war and at the same time keep us healthy and happy. Women have a bigger role in everyone's life than what we give them credit for. But hey, I'm just a sixteen year old kid and chances of me being wrong are higher than chances of girls being bullied and being discriminated around the world.

Daughter's love for a mother- Not all girls are "father's daughters"

Hello viewers! Tomorrow is my dear mother's birthday and I wrote a poem for her. It's basically her life, right from the day she was born to this day, when I'm sixteen years old. Here it is.

From one generation to the other 

On a dry winter eve

Came an angel down to earth.

Destined to shape the world,

Into a better place after her birth. 

As the clock struck twelve,

The hallways echoed with the cry of a child.

It was a beautiful baby girl,

With skin so tender and eyes ever so mild. 

As days turned into years, 

She grew into a wonderful girl.

Curiosity budded in her,

When she wanted answers to why the telephone wire twirled.

Even in her school days,

She was bright as ever.

A magician in language,

But when it came to mathematics, it was terror.

Finally she found her ground,

And knew she was destined to be with Biology.

She sprouted into the best student,

And paved her way to become a legacy.

But with great power comes great responsibility,

And she stepped down her biggest test.

All for the love of her life

To make sure they had a future in which her family could rest.

She became a teacher,

And loved her job none the less.

And through the years came another girl,

Much like her mother, to change the world and undo the mess.

As destiny had planned it,

It was another baby girl.

She was not exactly like her mother,

A bit more rebellious right from birth.

She carried her mother's traits,

In both language and music.

Though she also had a few negatives

Like her short comings in maths and physics.

She was more of a dreamer than a thinker,

Thought she'd shape the world with her art.

Her mother stood by her each day,

And she vowed to make her proud.

So for her mother's sake,

She works hard everyday.

To become a better person, like her mother,

And give her an opportunity to be proud of her baby.

After all she was her mother's daughter. 

It is a pretty long one, but it's worth a glance. 

27 Dresses- A bridesmaid's fantasy

All weddings are the same. There's cake, dancing, good music, delicious food and amazing fun. But the best part about a wedding, for any girl, is dressing up for it. The dresses, the shoes, accessories and makeovers, all come in the "pre-wedding fun" for a bridesmaid. But this bridesmaid is a little different. She is the ultimate bridesmaid, the Maid of Honour, the one person who takes care of the bride right from her guest list to her wedding gown measurements. Jane Nichols' life is in and around weddings. She loves everything about them! I mean what's not to love when your friend is getting married and her life is just about to become bliss right? And if it's your sister's wedding, you need to be the captain of the ship, making sure every minute detail is in order, making sure her cake is perfect, her dress fits her perfectly. But a huge kink comes in the way which turns everything around. We'll come to that shortly.

Until then, Jane was having the time of her life, dodging between two weddings in one night! After both the weddings get over, she meets a writer, Kevin Doyle, and they share their perspectives of weddings. He's  more on the negative side while she's all for positive. They part ways as unlikely friends, but she leaves her diary in which all her wedding dates are written for the next six months, which is picked up by Kevin. He sees this as an opportunity to write something about her in his column in the newspaper in the wedding section (really, life is full of irony. A man who hates weddings writes wedding announcement columns).

Meanwhile, at work, Jane has always had a huge crush on her boss, George,(which she denies most of the time). When her sister, Tess seems interested in him, it really gives her a nasty shock. Things get wild between the sisters once Tess and George start dating. Jane almost loses it when she gets the news that the two lovebirds are getting married, but right then our good old writer, Kevin comes to the rescue! He annoys her with flowers and phone calls, desperate to meet her and finally she agrees. They meet and talk about how she feels being the maid of honour for her sister's wedding. What Jane doesn't know is that Kevin is actually writing an article about Jane and has taken her sister's wedding as a cover up.

So he comes over to interview her and sees a clost full of bridesmaid dresses. He forces Jane to wear each one of them and soon Jane sees 27 of her pictures staring at her right form the wedding section of the newspaper. She feels betrayed and upset that Kevin used her as an object, a theme for an article and leaves, never wanting to see him again. A big whole comes up on the wedding when Jane decides to reveal all the lies Tess told George to win him over. Her life turns into a big mess...
How she gets out of it, whether she gets out of it or not? It's all in the movie. This may be a one time watch movie, but it's worth watching.

Monsters University- A prequel-sequel

Everyone has a past. It may be very different from your present or it may be exactly like it always was. Monsters too have a past and in this movie we delve into the friendship of Mike and Sully, the two best mates. Let's see the huge change in them through college years to the working life.

It starts with a dream. A dream of becoming the best scarer in the world. Mike Wazowski was probably the youngest monster to have a dream and the will to achieve it right from his childhood days. Finally the day dawned when he entered Monsters University. It had departments for door making, scream container designing. But the main attraction was the Scaring Programme. It brought out the best scarers from the amateurs and trained them for a job at Monsters Inc. At uni, Mike expected recognition right from day one. But things never really went according to plan (yes, even in monster world things can go wrong) and he was tossed at the back of the class with the other geeks and nerds because that place was ruled by the kids of legacies. As expected, these kids were snobbish, self-centred and had never heard of the word "studying". Soon James Sullivan, the son of the legend Sullivan, took centre stage and immediately was taken as an enemy by Mike.

He felt that if he proved himself better at the theory, even Sullivan couldn't take him down. Mike was right on that, but what he lacked was being scary. The uni had given them a time slot after which they would give an examination. If they cleared the exam they would continue in the Scaring Programme or else they were sent to other departments. Soon the examination day arrived and both Mike and Sully didn't get in because Mike had the knowledge but wasn't scary and Sully was scary but didn't have the knowledge. And inevitably, the two were sent to scream-container department.

On a normal day after scream container class, Mike had a sudden epiphany! He recalled that on the first day of uni he saw a poster of Scare Games. It was the ultimate scaring competition! Brutal, scary, lethal and challenging, this was ultimate challenge for a scarer. So to enter the games, he had to be part of a fraternity.

So basically, all Mike had to do was find a good fraternity (which would accept him), make sure they're good scarers and mainly beat Sullivan in this and rub it in his face that not everyone from royalty are the best. But as things never go as planned, improvisation is the best thing (more like the only thing) to do.

So don't waste any more time and watch this awesome movie! And with that I'm done with my spree of animated movies. I'll be focusing more on Rom-Com for sometime. Watch out for more reviews!

Monsters Inc.- The fun side of monsters

You're in bed and it's dark. Suddenly you hear your cupboard door hinges squeak. The trees outside shiver in the cold breeze and a shiver goes down your spine because you know a monster's going to come and scare you. Reading your thoughts a scary, two-headed, green coloured monster comes out of your closet. You scream your lungs out and he leaves...strange isn't it? It's as though he wants your scream and nothing else. Well, on the other side of your cupboard a whole new story is taking place and you'll never come to know about it.

 That's right an incorporated company of monsters who "scare because they care" bottle up children's screams and use it to power their homes, offices, schools and buildings. Being a scarer was the best career a monster could dream of! James Sullivan was the best scarer of all times (also our protagonist. Coincidence? I think not). With his best mate Mike assisting him with all his moves, roars and other things that make a scarer scary, he broke the all time record and became the best scarer and took centre stage. Just as any predictable movie, a rival, Randal Boggs became jealous of Sullivan and was put to make him look bad and best his score.

How would Randal achieve this goal? By hardwork, determination and perseverance right? If you're looking for this answer, my advice is not read further and never watch the movie because you'll be let down, immensely, because he cheated (shocker) and worked extra hours which is against the rules! The next morning Sullivan and Mike find a door on the scare floor and go to inspect it. Only if they had known it would lead to a huge disaster, leading to end of the world, they'd have stayed clear of the door. But, curiosity kills the cat. So they opened the door and didn't find any kid there. But when they came back to monster-world, a cute, adorable, dangerous, loud girl stood in front of them!

They didn't know what to do! They panicked and security came through searching the place. Sullivan thought of taking the kid to Mike's place and returning her back home the next day. Only the next day it was almost impossible to not get into trouble, and not getting the kid under the radar! They have their bunch of adventures and soon Boo (that's what Sullivan named her. Go figure) and Sullivan got pretty attached. They finally get the door, after a lot of ups and downs, but will Sullivan be able to let go of Boo? It's all in the movie. All you got to do is watch it.

Another animated film worth your time, this one is an oldie but a goodie. The mashup of monsters and humans is so beautifully portrayed and the transitions from fear, to pity, to love is just heart-touching. So, if you're in for fun, laughter, love, monsters and a little screaming, this is the movie you need to watch. With a sequel come out, which is more of a prequel as it tells us the story of Mike and Sullivan's friendship, these two movies are a must watch! More on the prequel in my next post.

Open Season- Animal or man hunt?

Everyday in the morning you wake him up and you get a lick of appreciation. You feed him, give him a bath and play with him. Basically just your everyday routine with your pet...bear. Spooks up on you doesn't it? Well, this is the story of a Boog the bear (not a very crafty name, agreed). When he was just a cub he was rescued by Beth a forest ranger. She raised him as her own pet, with the intention of letting him go to his natural habitat when he is old enough, but she just wasn't able to let go. Boog loved his life as a pet. He had everything any pet would need, good food, water, a loving master, a favourite toy and a lovely couch to spend the night in. He never wanted to go out in the wild! Until he met Elliot, a one-antlered deer and accidentally rescued him from Shaw, a hunter. After the accidental rescue Elliot followed Boog to his home and taunted him by calling him a "pet". So the two decided to hit the streets and have a swell time. Their party turned into a disaster after they rampaged and destroyed a convenience store! Boog was then caught by Beth, who gave him a good scolding after promising the forest officer that she would let him in the wild, soon.

The next thing Boog remembered was waking up in a forest! He flipped! He didn't know what to do or where to go when he bumped into the old friend Elliot who promised to take him back to his little town if they agreed to be partners and if he could share Boog's home. Boog agreed and they started their little trip. Soon Boog found out that Elliot was leading them around circles! Angry and let down, the bear really lost his temper and in the process destroyed a beaver dam, flooding the whole area and displacing a few animals to the other side of the forest, the side where open season was starting. Soon that part of the forest would be sprawling with hunters and the animals had to stay extra careful.

With the help of Boog the animals fooled the hunters and gave them a hard time in the jungle. Beth came to check the wreckage when she met Boog. She decided to take him back home, but Boog was already home. He gave her a hug and licked her, telling her that she had found his home and that he belonged here. Everything was back to normal and life went on well.

A laughter riot right from the beginning, this movie is a mashup of humour, love, friendship and animal rights. So it's time to add another movie to the list of amazing animated movies.

Tropic Thunder - Real war v/s Reel war

You're in perfect attack position. You're unit is ready for battle. The fight was legendary! Blood spurting everywhere, crushing enemies like ants. After all the bloodshed, it's time to head back to the chopper when you realise you're one man down! You run back searching for him, hoping he's alive and...cut it! That's right you're in a movie.

After a devastating war in Vietnam, a veteran wrote a memoir which was being made into a film, 'Tropic Thunder'. Directed by an amateur and starring some of the most reckless yet good actors, this film was bound to have some problems. And they arrived right on schedule, destroying huge tracts of land needed for shooting. The Studios Executive, Les Grossman, gave the team a warning to get back on shooting and just as things were ready to go back to normal, the Vietnam veteran gave an idea. He said that if the actors were put in a jungle for a few days, they'd get the necessary training they need to act as soldiers. They had hidden cameras to record everything and the director had an additional camera for shooting on the spot. What they didn't know was that at that point, that jungle was a hideout for a heroin factory and was highly dangerous. As they landed, their director gave them instructions and before he could take another step he was blown sky high by stepping on a detonator bomb set by the factory.

The actors thought of moving on with the shooting and so they did. Tugg Speedman had taken charge and was leading the unit until Kirk Lazarus realised they were headed in the wrong direction! They decided to go back and abandon the film but Tugg was too devoted to acting to do that. So he went his way and the rest went their way. Tugg then got captured by the heroin suppliers and was held for a ransom of millions. Soon the three others who went the other way reached the heroin camp and saw Tugg being held as hostage. So they decided to rescue him. Using the climax scene of the "to-be-filmed" movie, they get Tugg back safely and are rescued by their special-effects man, Cody Underwood.

Soon they reached Hollywood. After viewing their journey in the jungle from all the hidden cameras, the studio decided to compile it into a film called 'Tropic Blunder' which actually unbelievably got Tugg Speedman an Oscar.

This movie is satire redefined! With actors like Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Tom Cruise, Steve Coogan and Jay Baruchel, you can't expect anything less than awesomeness. I mean the guard from Night at the Museum, Iron Man, Gulliver, Ethan Hunt, Phileas Fogg and our very own Hiccup, need I say more? The main focus was on Ben Stiller (Speedman) and Robert Downey Jr. (Lazarus), but the rest of the cast really complimented the movie in their own way. A laughter riot right from the word go, this movie is an amazing spoof of any war movie ever made. So if you want a nice peaceful evening, my advice is, don't see this movie. But if you're in for some gruelling action and bloodshed in a heavily satire dripping story, then this is you're pick.

Life of a blogger

Blogging changed my life. There's no denying the fact that blogging has made me a better analyst, a better writer, a better critic and a better reader. Blogging has both its pros and cons just like anything else in the world. So it's time to travel through the mind of a blogger and get to know what happens behind the scenes. Get answers to your fundamental "blogger" questions and hopefully get inspired to start your own blog soon!

PHASE 1- The Begining
This is when the idea of blogging comes to you from all directions. Your family, friends, co-workers, everyone keeps pushing you until you finally say yes and start blogging.

PHASE 2- The Idea
Now just as make your blog, the most difficult thing is choosing an appropriate topic for your first post. Usually it's easy if a certain event lead you to blogging (that's what happened to me). But when you decide to start blogging right out of the blue, it becomes difficult to choose between a huge array of topics. Some would like a small introduction about themselves, others would choose to describe what they'll be blogging about and some might just decide to go random. My advice is to go in all directions. Start with something about yourself, then move on to your likes and dislikes and then top it off with what your viewers expect from you.

PHASE 3- The Bomb
Once you've created your blog you will have a sudden burst of thoughts and things you want to write about. I've experienced it first-hand. When I first started blogging I wanted to go in so many directions ranging from food to movies to novels! So I decided to go simple and wrote a review of one of my favourite novels.

PHASE 4- Recognition
The best thing about blogging is when you reach Phase 5. You start getting readers from all over the world. They view and like your posts and the feeling is amazing! And it just elevates when you get appreciation from someone the minute you post something. That's right, I've got a "blogger stalker" and I hope he or she really does like whatever I write. So, here's a personal thank you from my side to you, if you see this. It really makes my day when I see your appreciation.

All these phases make blogging worthwhile. Though it has all these pros the cons can't be overlooked. Not many to go with, but time-consuming is definitely one. You tend to spend hours on your blog once you've got a good base. Writing more posts and eagerly waiting for your readers to react, it consumes most of your time. Other than that, there really seem to be no more cons from me. Overlooking the cons, blogging can be a fun and amazing experience.

Cartoon shows that changed our lives (part 2)

As promised, here is my list of amazing shows aired on Pogo. Let's go down the memory lane another time and cherish those moments. These four shows were my all-time favourite.

MIFFY AND FRIENDS-

Miffy was the cutest animal ever! She made cooking and baking look so easy, she made studying look like the most interesting thing ever done and she had such amazing friends. The adventures they went through are still missed by all her viewers I'm sure. The narrator was probably the reason we even understood Miffy. She gave life to the whole story! Without her, it wouldn't have been the same.






OSWALD-

The best person to be with when you need to cheer up, when you need a friend, when you're bored or when you need just about anything to turn that frown upside down is Oswald. His character was built to help everyone and he did a marvelous job of it. Winnie, his dog loved him! Henry, his penguin friend was also fond of him, but never showed it much. Daisy, the flower was always happy to have Oswald as a friend. He helped out everyone in town one way or another.



BOB THE BUILDER-

Need any help with that water leak? Or fixing the roof after a storm? Well, Bob the Builder can fix anything for sure! With an elite team of cute appliances and machines, Bob is the best builder. He has Scoop, Muck, Dizzy, Rolley, Lofty and his lovely wife Wendy. Working togther they always get the job done. Although a few troublemakers get in the way, Bob does his job with complete dedication and doesn't leave until all the problems are not solved.




NODDY-

Toytown's boy and everyone's darling, Noddy was best driver. He'd help all the townsfolk by delivering things to the railway station, getting things from the railway station. Big Ears, Mr. Plod and Martha the Monkey were my favourite characters and from all these shows I remember only Noddy's theme song completely.












Cartoons have made our lives so much more better. They've helped us live our childhood to the fullest, taught us our values like friendship, bravery, love and loyalty. They have shaped us into the wonderful people we are today and we were definitely lucky to be born in the era of some of the best cartoons. Only if we'd be able to see them today, have a last glance at them and remember the good old days, life would be bliss.

Cartoon shows that changed our lives

In the morning from about seven to twelve, Cartoon Network and Pogo aired some of the best cartoons the world ever saw! Powerpuff girls, Jonny Bravo, Popeye, Oswald, Baby Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, Noddy, Bob the Builder! If you're a twentieth century kid, you know exactly what I'm talking about. So I'm here to take you down the memory lane and revisit those spectacular mornings all over again.

THE POWERPUFF GIRLS-

Aired on 25th March 2005, Powerpuff girls was an inspiration to all the girls out there. With just a dab of sugar, spice and everything nice, the girls saved Townsville from the evil Mojo Jojo and his minions. Bubbles was my personal favourite. People often tend to get her image wrong. She's seen as a naive little girl, whereas when the right time comes, she unleashes her inner strength to save the world!





JOHNNY BRAVO-

The ladies man and a complete charmer, Johnny Bravo had six year olds swooning for him at that age! Released on July 7th 1997, this cartoon was a hit right away. Well, you can't expect anything less from Elvis Presley inspired character, with a dazzling smirk and perfectly set hair.




DEXTER'S LABORATORY-

Dexter. Now if there was a cartoon version of Sheldon Cooper (Big bang theory) as a child, it's dexter alright! That kid knows how to invent. He has a secret lab behind his bookshelf which no one else knows about...except his sister Dee Dee. Once she's in the lab, all hell breaks loose as she goes around playing with all kinds of devices and machines! The pilot was aired in 1995 which explains why I don't recall seeing very many episodes of this cartoon.





SCOOBY DOO-

Scooby Doo was one of the reasons I always wanted a dog. Right from 1969 to present day, Scooby Doo has been created as a cartoon and several movies! But I always preferred the cartoon more than the movie. Solving mysteries and searching for clues, it was the ultimate kid detective show! And always the actual monsters turned out to be humans, which teaches us something so deep and valuable, that the real monsters are always the bad guys.




POPEYE-

This guy was the reason I ate my spinach on a regular basis. I mean really, mother used to use him as a role model and tell me that if I had to be as strong as Popeye, I had to eat spinach. So Popeye really saved a lot of kids from anemia right? Well, he was loved so much by all his viewers. He was always there for his sweetheart, Olive Oyl and protected her against the big villian Bluto. One can of spinach and Bluto was ready to see stars in daylight. Released in 1933, Popeye was probably the oldest cartoon I've ever seen.




TOM AND JERRY-

This post would be incomplete without this duo! They were the only reason I woke up at seven in the morning everyday. Their endless chasing and occasional teaming up against a common foe would make my day! They've been bringing laughter in the house since 1940 and you can still catch a glimpse of them on Cartoon Network sometimes.






Cartoon Network gave us so many more shows, but these were my favorites. Another post on the shows of Pogo are to follow. Until then, keep that child in you awake!

Percy Jackson and the Greek Gods- Your one-stop godly info line

Ok let's take it from the top. Zeus, Poseidon and Hades are the three brothers. Zeus marries Hera and has occasional affairs with quarter of a bajillion other women. Poseidon's a bit better with just a million affairs. Hades marries Persephone. Now, Athena is Zeus' daughter and Hephaestus is Hera's son, which makes them step siblings, yet Hephaestus asks Athena's hand in marriage!

I know, Greek gods and their stories! Knowing all the tales is a monumental task, even if you're Ella the Harpie (Percy Jackson followers, you know exactly what I'm talking about). So, our myth master, Rick Riordan, has written yet another fascinating novel about the Greek gods. All information one needs to know about them, in one book. How cool is that?

Our encyclopedia starts with the time before the gods, when Gaia and Ouranos ruled the world. Slowly and steadily we move towards the Titan Age and then finally to our Olympian God age. One complete chapter is dedicated to each of the gods (because we don't want to be hurting their ego. You never know who might decide to take revenge on you). In those chapters, we have a complete detailed analysis of the God. Right from the how they came to the world, which is usually quite disturbing, to who asks them out and what were their hobbies. Basically all the deep, dirty secrets of any God.

So, if you're into Greek gods and can go through bloodshed, backstabbing, cheating and an occasional happy ending, this book is for you.  

Looking for Alaska- Debut novel by John Green

Are you depressed? Do cynical thoughts haunt you day and night? Does death feel like a better option than going through life? Then this is the book you've been waiting for! Ok yeah I know, how can a depressing, suicidal book be good for anyone right? That's what I thought first before reading this mind-blowing novel. But there's more to it than what meets the eye.

Miles Halter is a high school student who shifts from Florida to Alabama to attend his Junior year at Culver Creek High. He was never a standout and always stayed in the shadows with even less than a handful friends. He expects the same at his new boarding school, but things change after he meets his roommate, Chip. Now Chip here is the ideal bad boy. Getting in trouble, pulling off pranks and some how always managing to slip away in the end, that's his daily routine. So Chip introduces Miles to his friends. At Culver Creek there was a tradition to pick nicknames. Chip was also known as the Colonel and he decided that Miles would be called "Pudge". That reassures Miles physical qualities  now doesn't it. Miles is introduced to Alaska Young...and that my friends is where our story begins. Alaska Young. Free-spirited, volatile and unpredictable as ever, Alaska is the heart and soul of the school. Her amazing prank-planning, execution and timing, her obsession with books and her unbelievable good looks. Isn't she the perfect girl time bomb ever made? One wrong move and she'll burst, but one right move and she'll be swooning on you. But Alaska is much more complicated than that. She has a boyfriend she really loves, but has her occasional, I wouldn't call it flings, but yes definitely something more than just friendship.

So when Miles sees her, he instantly falls for her. She thinks he's cute and leaves it at that. Here, I'd like to give a moment of silence for all those boys stuck in the friend zone. Don't worry, you'll get there eventually. Getting back to novel, a series of events leads to a total mess up which involves the Colonel, Alaska and Pudge. Alcohol after school hours in the forest has got suspension written all over it no doubt. But they were proven innocent before the school jury. Things started getting back to normal. I'll just skip a few more incidents that took place (not very interesting to put forward in a review, just your everyday drinking, smoking that's about it). Up until this point, the story moves in sloth pace, just enough to make you read on. Things change drastically after an incident which leads to Pudge kissing Alaska. In the middle of this, she gets a call and promises to be back. But when she comes back, she's shaken and in a bad mess. She asks the Colonel and Pudge to cover for her, said that she had to go somewhere really urgently. They did as instructed, but that led to something unexpected and something Miles couldn't remove from his conscience.

This novel is the definition of a changeover. The first half isn't that great, but the second half really gets you going and makes you want to read more. But as a diehard John Green fan, I can tell you that this isn't the exact style of the author as we know him today. So all TFIOS fans, be ready for a let down. In saying that, Looking for Alaska isn't a bad novel, it's just one of those novels you don't expect from John Green.

Diwali- The festival of lights

India is known for its festivals. The sheer colour, atmosphere and the delicacies are all to die for. But nothing can match the festivities of Diwali. Being a South Indian brought up in North India, I have seen both the sides of this wonderful festival. The festival is celebrated on different days because they have different stories in north and south.

In south India, Diwali is celebrated on Naraka Chaturdashi, the day Lord Krishna slayed Narakasur. Legend has it that Narakasur was a demon who wanted to control the three worlds, underworld, earth and heaven. Drunk with power, he waged a war against all the three world. Where there is no hope, Lord Vishnu gives the beacon of light. He incarnated himself as Krishna and slayed Narakasur. Before dying, Narakasur's wish was that everyone in the world should celebrate his death. And so, most (maybe not all) south Indians celebrate Diwali on Naraka Chaturdashi.

North India has a slightly varied tale behind the festival. Here, Diwali is celebrated as a welcoming ceremony. Lord Ram, another incarnation of Lord Vishnu, comes back to Ayodhya after a fourteen year long exile. During this, his wife, Sita is kidnapped by the evil Ravan. Ram, his brother Lakshman and his mighty army of monkeys defeat Ravan and bring Sita back home. Everyone welcomes the heroes with lit diyas and crackers. Sweet and savory delicacies are made and everyone has a marvelous time.

Diwali is one of the few festivals celebrated not only by Hindus but by people of all religions. Around the country, the night sky is lit by thousands of diyas and crackers. It is definitely a sight for sore eyes. But with the increased problem of global warming, crackers are just one more step towards it. Things this year are slightly different. Over the past few days, lesser and lesser crackers have been bursted in my locality. Classmates and teachers have also pledged to celebrate a green Diwali. Although Diwali is not Diwali until we light a few crackers, I think we can let go this much for the environment. All in all, it's a festival which brings families and friends together. So here's wishing all of you a very happy Diwali!

Hakuna Matata- A motto that never fails

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade! You can't change the past, so just as our wise friend Timon says, "When the world turns its back on you, you turn your back on the world! Put your past behind you and life will never be complicated.

I always believed this motto was the perfect one for any person. At some point in our lives we all went through our "Hakuna Matata" phase. Be it because of an exam, a relationship, a job or anything for that matter, this motto saved many of us. If it wasn't for this, we'd be stuck up in our past and we would go through depression. We'd have to spend hours of therapy to get back to our normal lives. So, if we look at the large picture, we've saved ourselves, our time and our money! Who knew that two words can cause such a huge impact, right? And undoubtedly, the result was always positive. Once you've accepted the past, you get the courage to move on in life and learn from your mistakes. If we take Simba's example, he goes through his "Hakuna Matata" phase during his childhood. When Nala finds him and asks him to come back home, he refuses because he's scared to face his past. That was the mistake he did. Then Rafiki puts some sense into him and he goes back to Pride Rock and reclaims his land!

In my life, Hakuna Matata never existed because I never went through anything in my past that I would want to forget...up until now. Grades and fathers. It sometimes feels as though they've got a deal! "Ok remember this time you're supposed to be good. I need my son to pass his language with a decent score. In return I'll make him do an hour extra for maths. Do we have a deal?" And if you plummet down once, that's the last straw! No explanation can get you out of this! So, I recently went through this and now my "Hakuna Matata" phase has just sprouted. I've taken the bold risk to forget the past and move on with my life and ignore what my grades are shouting at me. I'll work hard no doubt, but not to redeem myself but just to get a good score.

So there you have it, Hakuna Matata. It really is a wonderful phrase and it's certainly not a passing craze (see what I just did there!)

Story of the tree- My prize winning composition

Hello readers! I recently won the first place in a self-composition competition. So, I thought why not share it with my viewers. A note before we begin, this poem is a lot like another one I had written. It's actually a modification of that. So, here it is!

Story of a tree

I was a seed locked away,

Waiting for my future to blossom.

Then one fine day, soil found me where I lay,

And started changing my form.

She said she was my mentor,

And guided me to be a sapling.

She then said it was time for me to enter,

The next phase of my learning.

When the time came, water, air and sunlight found me,

Shaped me to be who I am today.

They said that nature had written my destiny,

And that I would be cherished everyday.

I saw how I helped everyone,

How I changed everyone's lives.

The health and happiness I gave them had no bounds,

And I was proud of my form.

Then one day someone cut me,

Tore me from my root.

I was scared and wondered who would do this to me,

Then I saw it was man who had come to loot.

With my destruction, he sealed his fate,

For without me, he would perish.

Filled with sorrow and hate,

I left this world searching for a better place. 

13 going on 30- For all girls out there

When a girl enters her teens, she not only goes through physical change but also mental change. She starts looking at things in different perspectives, starts becoming rebellious and most often goes through peer pressure. If you're a queen bee or a cheer leader, you'd probably find your ground but if you're a normal school-going girl, not very popular in class with only a handful of friends, then trust me, you're in for trouble. All the pressure around you starts building up! You need to look perfect, be popular and have good social connections at all times.

Jenna Tink was going through pretty much the same thing. For her thirteenth birthday, she called all the popular kids for her party and her best friend Matt helped her set up the place and be ready for everyone. Matt makes a special gift for Jenna. A house crafted by him, with "wishing dust" sprinkled all over it! Things turned ugly after a game of "seven minutes in heaven". Everyone leaves without saying anything and Jeena held Matt responsible. She locked herself in her closet and wished she would be thirty years old. Just as she wished for it, a speck of wishing dust fell on her and she falls asleep only to wake up in her apartment at 5th Avenue, New York, seventeen years later! Amazing right? Wishing dust needs to come out in all retail stores, don't you think. Anyway, it took a lot of time for Jeena to understand what had happened to her. She learned about her life and saw what kind of a woman she had become. She never dreamt she'd be an editor at "Poise", the one fashion magazine she wanted to work in since she was thirteen! But also, she couldn't believe that she lost all contact with Matt and didn't want to see her parents! She felt let down by herself and didn't know what to do.

Things got real after the magazine started working for a make-over. Jeena decided to be the woman she dreamed she would be and undid all her wrongs. She got in contact with Matt and hired him for a photoshoot, talked to her parents and visited her house. Just as everything was coming back to normal, Matt threw a huge bomb on Jeena that he was engaged and was to get married in a week. Jeena was almost certain that she loved him and even Matt had the same feelings. But things didn't go as planned. On Matt's wedding, Jeena went to his place and got the house he had made for her on her thirteenth birthday. Just as the wishing dust fell on her again, she wished that she would be thirteen again and never let all these mistakes happen in the first place.

This movie is a really different movie. I mean you have others like this, but at the smarmy time it's unique. As a girl and a writer, I believe that every girl goes through something like this in her life and probably is going through right now. But popularity or beauty never crafted who you are today! Be yourself, and that's all anyone could ask for.

The Sound of Music- A melodious story

In the criteria of musicals, Sound of Music is the only musical I can recall. I still remember the first time I saw it at home. I was seven years old and my father had recently brought the movie home. So, that night, we all sat in front of our television and watched the movie. All the songs with their lilting tunes and meaning full lyrics brought me to a whole new world of music I never knew! Within days I knew most of the songs and I still remember them. The movie teaches us many things that one goes through life, like love, heartbreak, responsibility, childishness, bravery and rejection. The story begins with the mountains. Maria is a mischievous and naughty girl. She's kind of a rebel and loves wandering in the woods or running off to the mountains and sing to them. What's the problem with this? Nothing really, it's just that she's a nun! These trips to the mountains always make her late for singing in the abbey. So, Mother Abbess decides to send her as a nanny to the seven children of the von Trapp family. At first Maria is scared of leaving the church. But after much persuasion, she agrees to go.

After seeing the children, she quickly understands each one of them but the children are always upto mischief and try to get Maria in trouble. Their father is a navy officer and expects discipline and order at home. Maria is bewildered as to how the children are treated at such young ages. Soon the children start liking Maria and she teaches them a few songs from the abbey. All this while the captain is out of town and he returns with Baroness Schraeder, the woman he wants to marry. The children try bonding with her, but they never click. Eventually, both the Captain and Maria fall in love with each other, but because she's a nun, she cannot admit it. She then decides to leave them and goes back to the church. After she's back, everyone notices that she's not the same Maria who was there before. Mother Abbess asks her to go back and tell Captain about her secret love and if he also accepts it, then she is allowed to stop her practice of being a nun and can marry him. Maria gathers the courage, asks the Captain and soon the two get married. The story doesn't end here. With the rise of Nazism and political conflict, the Captain gets involved and the family has to flee. In the end do they reach their happily ever after?

The songs in this movie are to die for! The kind of music, the quality of singing, everything is spot on! It's a movie which has a balanced amount of humour, love and sorrow. It's one of those movies that one can watch over a hearty brunch with the family.

Toy Story series- a complete guide to toys

Toys and childhood always go hand in hand. One cannot imagine a perfect childhood without toys! They're the only ones who understand you, support you, be with you whenever you need them. And the best part is that they don't expect anything from you except playing with them and never getting bored of them. But what if there's a whole new side to toys that we owners never got to see. What if they are living and talk and act as normal people when we're not around! This would be a nasty shock to any kid. This series is all about the fact that toys can talk!

This story is about a boy, Andy and his toys. Just as every other kid, Andy has a favourite toy, Woody. On his birthday his mother gets him a new space toy, Buzz Lightyear. This new toy now becomes Andy's favourite and Woody gets extremely jealous. On the other hand, Buzz thinks he's a real space ranger and doesn't believe that he's a toy! Buzz and Woody go through a lot in the movie and finally accept each other as friends.

In the second part, we focus more on Woody. During a yard sale, Andy's mother accidentally puts Woody in the sale box. A toy designer who has been searching for Woody for ages sees him and tries to talk Andy's mom into selling it to him. On refusing, he steals Woody and takes him to his place. Buzz sees all this and goes on a journey to find Woody and get him back home. He is accompanied by Ham, Mr. Potato, Rex and Slinky. On the flip side, Woody encounters a few more toys And finds out more about his past. Buzz successfully rescues Woody and his friends, though there were many pit stops and break downs.

The third part is a straight leap to the time when Andy has to go to college. He doesn't use his toys anymore, but he doesn't have the heart to throw them away. So he decides to put them in the attic. But things go haywire after Andy decides to take Woody to college and the rest are put in trash bags to be kept
in the attic! Andy's mom mistakes the toys for trash and leaves them at the curb. The toys escape and go into the box for donation at Sunny Side, a daycare. Once they reach, they are welcomed whole-heartedly by the toys there and are very happy to see new faces. Little do they know that beneath all the happiness and joy lies a terrible, dark and deceitful toy who changes the daycare into a prison for all the toys..

Do they get back home? Does Woody go with Andy to college? What happens to the daycare? Well, all your questions can be answered only by watching the movie. This series particularly is very touching and relatable because we've all had toys and thrown a few of them too. But you always remember them no matter what.

Masterchef Australia- Paradise for all foodies

Food is something that transcends all boundaries and brings people of different regions together. It is something that is seen in every household, three times a day and brings joy around the table. In the past decade the new fad of cooking competitions has gained much popularity. As a foodie myself, I can say that one of the best shows so far is Masterchef Austarlia. Masterchef has a wide reach and has an Indian, UK and an American chapter as well, though my personal favourite has always been Australia.

Masterchef Australia has its own charm and warmth. Right from the word go, contestants and judges are pally with each other and through the competition form strong friendships even though they know its a competition and they have to beat the other person. This is where Austarlia is unique. Instead of cut-throat competition, there is a positive energy in the Masterchef kitchen and things never turn ugly. Getting straight into it, Masterchef Australia is judged by three of the most world-renounced people, the chefs, George Columbaris and Gary Mehigan and the food critic, Matt Preston. Together they judge all dishes that the contestants make. Usually on Mondays, they have a mystery box and an invention test. So, the mystery box is the tricky one. Contestants are given a box with the most bizarre ingredients with which they need to create a cohesive dish. The winner of this round gets a crucial advantage in the next round, the invention test. Mid-week, they have team challenges. As we go deeper into the competition, team challenges become more and more difficult. In between all this, usually on Saturdays, a Masterclass is held where all contestants and judges get to sit back and relax for one day. During these sessions, guest chefs come and teach different techniques that can be of useful to the contestants in the future. In the end, the finale is usually held in three rounds between the top two and the winner is declared Masterchef Austalia. Masterchef Australia has had six amazing seasons so far.The new series of a children's cooking competition has also come up recently, Junior Masetrchef Australia. It is a platform where children showcase their culinary talents. The same concepts applied in the same kitchen but only with children! This show has had two spectacular seasons.

So if you are into cooking you must already be following this series. If you are not, then you know what you're missing. But, Masterchef is not only a reality show. It's also the one-stop place for all culinary knowledge. As a sixteen year old, it has got me from making sunny-side up for breakfast, to making my own pasta and cooking a brilliant red sauce pasta for my family!