Finding Heart

Hello you guys!

I know I quit the blog for a while now, and I just posted a story last week (again, quoting that I’m really not coming out of hiatus). But, I can’t help it anymore. I am coming out of my break, having accomplished close to none of my hiatus-goals.

Seems depressing, doesn’t it?

Only, it’s not.

I have never loved myself or my life more than right now and I wanted to spread that very love over here on WordPress. Hell, I’d missed this!

I’d missed writing for no reason and actually resented my own book for streamlining me into boredom. I know it really is not boring, and I know that I actually have a piece of my heart etched into the plot, the characters, and the story line. But, I was sick and tired of forcing myself to write for my mind (which wanted me to focus only on my book). Now, I want to write for my heart and for the poor souls reading my ramblings.

Because, you know what? At the end of the day, all that matters is whether you spent that day following your heart or being prudent.

Can all of you swear that your entire day has been about the love you had for the activities you had carried out? I’m sure that most of you would frown and shuffle the topic away if I posed that above question.

That’s okay. I won’t be mad. I would react the same way.

As human beings, we are set in such discipline that survival, earning a livelihood, responsibilities, pride (yes, pride), and self-imposed rules all matter very much and influence even involuntary thoughts.

Have you really laughed out loud when you type ‘LOL’ into a text message? No? I didn’t think so. Then, why do you type it at all? It was force of habit and nothing else. You are hardwired into giving that reply.

Next time (when you actually have the breathing space for it; not when you are in an all-important hurry), question yourself. Live the moment as you see it happening and love the mystery of it all.

The human emotions.

The involuntary reactions.

The sudden gasp of horror at a slipping coffee mug.

Things like that.

There you will see the Heart in it. The Heart in everything you do and say and every way you choose to behave.

Love yourself.

Love,

Priya

PS : Totally random, and slightly insane. Definitely involuntary. I love it!

PPS : This is the kind of act I’m talking about! 😀

Announcing : Blogging Hiatus

Hi everyone!

Very short post here. As my New Year post quoted here, I am officially swamped due to my novel commitments. I had hoped to balance WordPress and writing with a bit of self-motivation and courage. But, my novel is on tenterhooks right now and I have seen very minimal progress. Also, I assume that the guilt of not posting here has distracted me a little in this (along with my usual procrastination tendency).

Hence, I hereby declare a hiatus on WordPress. I am extremely sorry and sad that I have to do this. And anytime I have a pressing inclination to blog, I swear I will be posting that. But, officially, I am closed for the next few months, at the very least.

So long, and wish me loads of luck with the book!

Bye!

Priya

Blogger Recognition Award!

Hi everyone!

I had a totally different, totally sober post in mind for this week. But, BLOGGER RECOGNITION AWARD!!!!!!!!!

I am too excited to chill! Now, moving on to the Interview!

Thank the person who nominated you by linking their blog

Thank you so much for nominating me, Sudalai. I am very honoured to be nominated by such an awesome poet.

Please check out Sudalai’s blog for Tamil and English poetry!

Write a post to show your award

Duh. This is the post!

Tell how you started blogging

Interesting question. I believe I started blogging after very successful diary records of my thoughts (successful because the audience, a.k.a. I, totally loved the diary). My first blog at Google Blogger was a poetry blog due to an emotional upheaval I was going through about seven years ago. I took it down because I felt the poems too personal to share.

(You can check two of them out at Wattpad; Shattered and Canvas of My Life)

Then, I started a more comprehensive blog on my thoughts, also at Blogger. Somehow, college exams, interviews for job applications and irritability got in the way and I gave it up. And last year, I yearned to live my Writer’s Life and my very good friend suggested WordPress. Let me tell you one thing, WordPress is Love.

*beams in pleasure*

Advice to new bloggers

1. Never give up on your blog. You might write an essay-sized post one day, but draw a blank slate on another. Despite it all, never give it up. Write about a beautiful cloud shape you saw that day if you can’t think of anything. The blog will induct more abstractness into it, for all you know.
2. Read a lot of blogs and voice your opinions on them. This is a lesson still in progress with me. I don’t read a lot on WordPress. And I really want to change that. As you explore, several blog ideas pop up and you can also stand in awe of the Writing World here. It’s beyond beautiful.

Nominate 15 bloggers

Like I said, I don’t read a lot on WordPress. So, I’m just going to nominate some blogs which I have read in the past. I have no idea if they’ve at all received the Award previously (most likely, they have).

1. Pages that Rustle
2. Discover Deepika
3. BEcoming Bala
4. Hanady Kitchen
5. Frank Solanki
6. Musings Lounge
7. Small World, Smaller Girl
8. America Maaplai
9. Beauty Beyond Bones

Love and lots of thanks,

PPD

WordPress Live

Hiya folks!

This is going to be a very short post. I know, I know that this title is weird and there’s no point in writing this one. But, this is my first on-the-fly post. So, you all can excuse my total lack of a subject.

(This is inspired by Facebook Live and Instagram Live, I now realise)

I’m sitting at the railway station at Bangalore right now and scribbling with this real awful handwriting, whatever I’m seeing around me. I will flabbergast myself with the crap that is my penmanship in a couple of hours when I start transcribing.

(It really IS awful)

My earphones belt out the majestic tune of Emperor Akbar from the movie Jodhaa Akbar (its Tamil version). I watch a pair of shiny ballerina slippers in a beige colour tread past my giant red travel-trolley. I like the small flat bows atop their tips. There’s that relentless cockroach (it made me pull out my notebook in the beginning) peeking from the edge of the platform again. It vanishes as a kid in a pink sweater is being helped onto the train by his mother.

The air is cold. The opposite pages of my scribbling book flutter in the breeze. The guy next to me travelling with a Jayachandran Textiles shopping bag (Yes, the branch from my hometown) gets up to walk around with a phone pressed to his ear. The train sitting at my platform is the one that has been scheduled to leave before mine arrives. The lights are still down and people move around within its darkened carriages, holding up their phone torch lights.

A couple of people who are seeing off their friends, have been leaning against the windows, talking. The train sways on its tracks a little as the brake is lifted for a second. Those people are startled at the movement. Lights come on as if on cue.

I spy a tattered lungi walk past out of the corner of my eye. I wonder how girls travel with any peace dressed in netted taffeta materials?

I suddenly panic about missing my train and check the time. It’s only 8:07. Phew, what a relief!

My heavy laptop bag is weighing down my lap. I try to shift it away, but, it’s the only flat surface on which I can write. So I replace it on my lap.

Seems like my MP3 player has programmed itself to play only A. R. Rahman’s music. Oh, wait. I’d added only those to the player! 😀

There’s a thin old man with a shock of grey hair. He has a child of four in his arms. That mango-yellow hoodie is so sweet-looking! ❤

Okay now, you’ve gotta be kidding me! Sleeveless top with jean SHORTS? During Winter? REALLY?

-_-

I think I’m gonna need my sweatshirt myself. The air is CHILLY.

Whoa! Twins! One had straightened hair, of course, she ain’t a little child! And the other has natural waves! How cool! I don’t generally meet twins ever, unless you count those who’d gone to my school, whom I’d had to meet everyday.

Finally, something smells nice! The two men sitting nearby eat their dinner. I suppress a burp as my tummy churns pleasantly.

Bangalore City Junction, Platform Five, has a pretty awning type thing keeping off rain and sun. I don’t know what it’s called exactly. I like it very much though. My feet jiggle to the new song on my player as I seek out interesting things to report.

Oh, I just remembered! I was so stupid as to forget the new dress for tomorrow’s puja at my home here before I left for the station. I curse myself once again for that. I am so NOT looking forward to tomorrow morning when my mom curses me for doing that as well.

Hmm.. I wonder how often do they scrub clean trains?

Holy-moly, there is an announcement! Oh God, a train scheduled for tonight has been re-scheduled for tomorrow morning. I’d better check my own! Be back in a bit!

I’m back!

There is no problem with mine, thank God! I was already bummed about reaching my Madurai home AFTER the Pongal has been cooked. Thankfully, there are no further delays!

Okay, what was I on, before?

Yeah, the cleaning!

I see that the external walls of this train – OMG OMG!!!!

That cockroach is scampering under my seat! Please, please, please do NOT climb up!!!!

I’m signing off! Bye bye, folks!

Forget all about the cleanliness of trains!

I do not care!