Melange

Of Queen and Quills

Posted on April 19, 2014 by Archana K B / 3 Comments

#atozchallenge archanaonline.com alphabet Q

The first word that came to my mind for the letter Q was Queen. I had thought of writing a review on the recently released film Queen, since I could so relate to it. But they would end up being a narration of my personal thoughts and past experiences which got rekindled on seeing the movie. The shaky individual with low self-esteem and confidence, venturing out into the world and growing up on our own. Ain’t that relates to many of us?

There were days when I would make fun of the people wearing shorts and sleeveless tanktops, just because I was not advised to wear them. The “values” taught comprised of covered up wearing, and to act without being ourselves. The narrow mindedness which we were accustomed to, were hard to get out of. I could so remember being laughed at my humor sense and my ignorance of the popular jokes, in my younger days, to the extent of being called tube-light. This still creates problems in the present, when I try to be myself and seek for people who matches my wavelength and frequency, and end up finding very few ones.

Then there was the parallel track of writing on quilling, which is an art I have added to my Pinterest boards. Though I was interested in them, I never could do much of a project based on it apart from a small nameplate.

Post by Archana Ramakrishnan.

I so wish someone could just push me up just like they do to a car (do you remember the ambassador of olden days), so as to get my engine running. The laziness and the lack of motivation disease is really a hard bug to shake off. Do you have any tips? I did find one or two online.

#Monday #Tips “How to Overcome Laziness: 26 Steps (with Pictures) – wikiHow http://t.co/rV9ofdCro8

— Archana K B (@archonline) April 21, 2014″

So true!!! "Arguments with mind cause Laziness | Psychology Today http://t.co/pRX7prRyVC"

— Archana K B (@archonline) April 21, 2014

Yeah I do search online for such stuff!! 😀 Follow me on twitter for such quirky tweets and links!

blogathon/Stories

Painted Dreams

Posted on April 18, 2014 by Archana K B / 0 Comment

#atozchallenge archanaonline.com alphabet P

The jar of paints and brushes were strewn all around. She had come to wake her son.

He had skipped the breakfast and the lunch. Yesterday’s dinner plate on the table was untouched. She had placed the dinner on his table and left quietly after soothing him with her eyes. The words from her husband had sparked off an emotional upheaval in him, which only she understood.

She was about to wake him up, when her eyes fell on the painting. It depicted a green parrot in a cage, in a beautiful balcony, with skies and sun above. There was another parrot faraway on another tree, as if calling the caged parrot.

He woke up slowly, as she was picking and cleaning up things in his bedroom.
“Its okay, ma, I will do it later. You don’t bother cleaning it now. ”

Her rebellious son was springing up in action. She reverted back with her usual tactic.
“That’s a nice painting, dear..”

He didn’t reply back, he was now looking out the window.
She realized it was futile to stay back and moved towards the door. Before going down the staircase, she said excitedly,
” Its a pleasant evening.. I think I would have some tea.. I would love to get some company for having it…”

She knew he needed time to calm down.

After a while, in the kitchen,while she was pouring the tea for two, he stood near the kitchen door…

blogathon/Stories/Thoughts

The other side

Posted on April 17, 2014 by Archana K B / 0 Comment

#atozchallenge archanaonline.com alphabet O

It was a daily routine for her. The breakfast, preparing children to school, then the lunch and laundry. Her time was allotted for the small things which had no pay or appreciation.
She hoped for that one day when she would start working.
Then she would experience the pain of being on the other side.

blogathon/Stories/Thoughts

Threading the Needle

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Archana K B / 2 Comments

They had to get this working. Her family was waiting for the damn certificate. Though she was under their pressure, she knew its for her own good.

She took some deep breaths in the exam hall, while her scribe helped with threading the needle successfully.

Few months later, they marveled at her first creative work.

***

The credit for the keyword, “Needle” goes to Leo, for his invisible inspiration and his beautiful story. The 55 fiction is a beautiful way to express the theme and story without elaborating much and delving into the details. Its perfect for the ongoing challenge, since most days I churn out the posts on-the-go, and doesn’t go through much revisions. Though I feel happy at the brevity accomplished, I personally like the short stories of medium length, with some amount of descriptions and hence making a mental note of this as a learning in the challenge.

PS: And by the way, did you read the parallel story (with double meaning) in between the lines.. 😉 Does this image clue looks familiar?

blogathon/Thoughts

M for Mamma

Posted on April 15, 2014 by Archana K B / 5 Comments

#atozchallenge alphabet M

What would be the word starting with M you could remember hearing everyday? My answer would be mamma.. Though the dialect changes the name from Amma to Mom, the word mother is prominent in daily life.. Be it remembering the older generation or hearing the voices called out by the new generation. I went across many other fellow bloggers in the Facebook group to get inspired for the letter M, and stumbled upon many Ms, ranging from motherly, money, mystery, mind, mosquitoes, memories to maroon mask. But the word mamma stuck onto me like none other.

So today’s post is to remember the “mamma” story I wrote few years ago. It was one of the top visited posts in my blog for quite sometime. I had seen Dasvidaniya (watch the movie here)few weeks prior to writing this, and the song touched my heart like anything. It pulled at my heart to pour out the feelings, especially considering the personal situation I was in, at that time. But I couldn’t. And then I heard many stories of relatives undergoing uterus removal. My mind would have put all these together to churn out some words.

Excerpt for Mamma

The ending words of the film were still ringing in my ears. When had I said the same to my Mom? But how to say? I am not a child or boy anymore. I am a grown up man now. I have a wife now. We have been married for around 5 years now. It was her plan to watch the film in theater. Among the Indian audiences. After all, we had been living abroad for 3 years now. And maybe living again when she is well enough. Mom. no, Mamma. That’s how I call her.

Its already two weeks into the AtoZ challenge and I am already feeling exhausted with my theme, Fiction Fragments. As readers, how did you like the fragments? Or do you think “free write” posts like what I did today, is better?

blogathon/Stories/Thoughts

The Letter

Posted on April 14, 2014 by Archana K B / 6 Comments

atozchallenge alphabet L

He was watching me from the same spot for past several weeks now. My heartbeat always rose when I cross him everyday.

I was walking through my usual pathway to my office nearby, around the corner.

One day, he came near me. I began to walk fast. But he called out, “Hey I just want to give you this”.
I turned around and saw that envelope.
He gave it to me and walked away.

“Should I open it now here?”

Boom!

He turned back to see her pieces lay strewn on the road.
He walked away fast, wiping his tears…

***
Wordcount: 100
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