Fall Already?

The pristine blueness

Of the morning sky,

The mystic coolness,

Of the breeze rushing past the rye.

The manifestation of sepia ,

In the leaves of every a tree.

The surge of freshness in the bronchia,

Effected by the winds of sea set free.

Everything suggests it is already fall,

Even the glow of the sun;

But season’s are not known to ignore time’a call

Whether it is winter or autumn or none…

Skewed Nation: Grey

The constipated pastor left out an air of relief; as the non-punctual groom limped hurriedly to his blushing bride. Soon she would officially become the happiest girl in the world. After all, he was the stuff that girls often dreamt of! He had promised to take all those lyrical pains away. Enough of the dark life. Things were now going to brighten up. Gods had specially sent him to put the stars back on her barren night sky.

The local news didn't report of any survivors from the ancient church whose building collapsed during some wedding ceremony.

Skewed Nation: Black

She was a young inhibited girl in a family of little or no means. She had never had friends. She wasn't unfriendly, but was too timid to talk to anybody. Somebody convinced her that sharing food helps make friends. So she took a leap of faith next day, and shared all her little food with a stranger. Voila! They became friends. She tried the trick again but with an another stranger. And it worked again! She was euphoric. She now had the secret that she had always longed for! She was soon trading away all her food for new acquaintances. The peak of social popularity was soon conquered. Everybody loved the food and her.

She died of malnutrition a few months later.

Skewed Nation: White

It was the last day of the year, and this man woke up to a sense of a mid-life crisis of sorts. He had been really judgemental of others since as long as he could remember. And this was burning a hole in his system of peace. No, he would not carry this negative trait to the next year, he decided. He made the necessary amends to his personality and thus started the new year with a thoroughly cleansed soul. He wasn't critical of people any longer and beat the urge to look for flaws. He accepted them as they were and even blessed them as they walked past him. The whole of humanity was welcomed with open arms, for the first time.

This was the single most career-wrecking New Year resolution in the life of a high-ranking and respected Judge.

Out Of My Head

Phew! Past couple of days have been turbulent; though not a bad turbulent. But you know, like a happy and chaotic one. I had been having some really diverse experiences and to put it plainly, a kick-ass Summer 2014! I travelled around a small fraction of Western Europe, and also made love to my bucket list in the process. (Which explains my sabbatical from writing.) 

*Time-to-rejoice-my-imaginary-loyal-readers!*

A heavily advertised airline hospitality brought me to my first destination, Paris. Everything about the city was so poetic. It was like an artist constantly at work. Creating and painting. Bringing to life every little detail. And the best part about Paris? It is so effortless! You just sit at the window of your ride and absorb the city. Paris will come to you on its own. And at that time, life will make perfect sense. The land of cheese and wine is dreamier than I had thought.

Next up, were three weeks of London, where instead of going touristy, I had a pure student life. Summer School, you see. I adapted to survive on the bare minimum amount of sleep and the London night scene was very encouraging in that respect! The classes were really proper and hunky-dory in the first week; but eventually those well- groomed hair gave way to bed-heads and those ever attentive eyes reeked of sleeplessness and last night's tales. I made some great new friends, and altogether it was the best time of my life in more ways than I can tell. Except the liver, all of me had a gala time in London!

What happens when some 20-year-old-Snapchat-and-Instagram-happy individuals go to ummm... TOMORROWLAND? Havoc. Pure social media havoc. Precisely. Up next on the itinerary was Belgium's crowning summer glory, Tomorrowland'14. Hands down, it was by far the craziest experience! It still feels surreal to be a part of world travellers, coming together to create one EDM haven. Tomorrowland was every bit as crazy as the hype is and even more! Designed like a fantasy, it literally owns you while you are there.

"It is your life. Make it legendary." Amen.

Belgium, otherwise, was a total surprise. I wonder why it is so understated here in India. Brussels's is an amazing city with an extreme aesthetic relevance and architectural prowess. And it had the warmest and the most helpful people that I came across on my entire trip.

My final destination was Amsterdam! Oh, Amsterdam! It is one of those few places which welcomes you with open arms and umm... open legs. I went there on a whim. I had no company and no reservations whatsoever. Got myself a ticket, and there I was! It was an adventure in the truest sense and I have some great stories from there. I ditched my phone's GPS for old-school paper maps. I realised that it is very important to stop a little and talk to people. Amsterdam has the most fascinating liberal culture and I still am completely in love with it!

Aren't we always pressed to think outside the box? You know, thinking of something out from the ordinary. Taking a cue, why can't we live out of our heads once in a while? Why do we spend so much time inside those things that we call skulls? We need to loosen up. We don't have to take life so seriously all the time. There is a lot to be discovered and the time is running out! As much as Hollywood-ish it may sound, we must travel to discover ourselves. Renew ourselves. Because sometimes, the greatest secrets lay within than without. Don't they?

STRANGE PEOPLE FROM THE FUTURE

Meeting an old friend, 

After a long, long time

Is like sending yourself a 

Postcard.

Only that it gets lost,

Somewhere in the middle.

And wanders off with mails

Of other destinations.

It is in transit for years and years,

And soon you doubt, 

That in the first place,

Was it even sent?

It only thrives on memory,

Resting in the unfrequented corners

Of your evolving mind.

It is an unparalleled proof,

Of the good old days. 

It is that funny nostalgia

Which appeals to all

The Five Senses.

It is like that treasure,

From a different lifetime.

One stormy day 

It does finally arrive,

Bringing the essence

Of all the fine places it has absorbed.

To be greeted, however

Not by familiar faces.

Instead, cherished and celebrated

By, for all that is worth,

Strange people from the future.

RAT'S ASS

In crowded hallways and all places public, we have all had intense eye-contact moments. With random strangers. Sometimes we ignore. Many times we are creeped out. Other times we are game. For a session of hot and reciprocated stare. Okay, no heat, but reciprocation, yes. And as scientists who have closely observed social behaviour in Antarctica, suggest, we might go down in history as level amateur bad-ass people. (There, there, hold your champagnes yet.)

My peanut of a brain has rigged images of bad-assery for me. I am sure you will relate. Think bad-ass. Think Bear Grylls. Think Bruce Willis. Or Seal Team Six, anybody? Think Evey Hammond. Or Uma Thurman. Think Bane. Think Lara Croft. Or Walter White. (Breaking Bad-ass.) Random thought number one: Notice the lack of hair in half the people here.

You don't actually have to be bad and live on the edge to be badass. Free-spirited and having an eye for adventure in life's tiniest details works. Listening to your inner Beelzebub can be fun sometimes. But only a little, because you sure don't want to deal with Karma later. It is good to be careless and not give a shit sometimes.

It is okay to pose stupid for the CCTVs. Bunk classes. Dress inappropriately. Venture into restricted places. Sneak out. Manage multi-personalities. Pull practical pranks. Guys will understand this; use a urinal which is next to an occupied one, in an otherwise empty row of urinals. *Urinal politics gone wrong, anyone?*

Be careful of other imposter asses. Here's a small walk-through that will help. You took the pills your vet prescribed? Sick-ass. Literally. You bought Apple shares when they were cheap? Smart-ass. You got upgraded to Business Class at no extra charge? Lucky-ass. You pelted stones at Yuvi's house over some World Cup? Dumbass. You took a selfie in the loo and shared it all over internet? Insta-ass. Yes, I like all my puns intended.

Random thought number two: Doesn't selfie seem like a legit euphemism? I gave myself a quickie or ummm...selfie! Think about it.

Don't confuse innocent badassery for notoriety. You don't want to be that prick who is conveniently hated. Don't get personal and more importantly, don't be a badass at somebody else's expense. 

Being bit of a badass will add to your charm. It is like a crooked next level of a good sense of humour. A tinge of bad-assery will take you a long way. And so will those heavily endorsed extra-mile fuels. Same pinch, huh?

WANDERLUST

There is funny solace

In length of the road

And the breath of destination.

If I could be anybody

I would be a secret, 

Kept alive by centuries of tradition; 

Native to some,

And yet mystery to most.

I want to see everything,

Be everyone,

And get lost in my own translation.

If I finish soon

And if it's not too late,

Then take me home.

Seventh World Problems

Almost there.