Of Valentines

And majestic, unsinkable boats.

It’s the festive season, and Singapore is gearing up for a grand Chinese New Year. I believe this is a beautiful start to a year, because Asian culture incorporates quite an exotic amount of celebration into your calendar.  Growing up in India, in a country with so many religions, races and ethnicities; it’s but a necessity to explore every new alley and memorialise every festival that comes your way.

 

Chinatown has goats!

I'm sure most of the world is currently awash in colours that encompass a delicious range of reds, pinks and peaches. Of all the holidays in the world, this week also heralds the inauspicious Friday the 13th, followed by the romanticized (and heavily commercialized) Valentine’s Day.  Anyway, before this post turns into a fact-sheet about the special holidays of the year, I must get to what I really want to say.

This Saturday, the day when most of the world suddenly realizes that their romantic partner/friend/pet is alive and existing and must be loved is also a source of annoyance to a billion other people who prefer solitary lives. BUT, we are humans and humans want to love and be loved and if William Shakespeare had not introduced the concept of “romance” into Literature, the world would have really been a dreadfully boring place.

Of course, reality lies in stark contrast to fiction, but if it were not for fiction, would you have been inspired to love? Would people actually step out of convention and dare to do the impossible - break all rules of society and chase a passionate forbidden love that inspires them to live? Well, it can be concluded that reality must have inspired fiction and fiction in turn has been dramatized and will always continue to influence reality. It’s a vicious cycle and I am glad to say you and I and the whole world are a part of it.

For those of us, who have found love and for those of us still searching, this Holiday should be a source of happiness because for once, maybe, we should appreciate the depiction of love in art and film and animation. It’s not everyday that we are able to witness a cinematic, yet relatable and moving love story. For me, this will be a special day because I tend to find immense joy in the success of love, be it real or fictional.

In the Common Tongue (see what I did there), we refer to our favorite couples as “ships”. Why and how this term originated, I don’t know and therefore I will give all credit to Tumblr. And even though you want to believe this is a modern slang attributed to any two people who look awesome together, it has actually been happening for ages.  So, let me remind you of those (fictional) people you have always loved (and shipped). Here’s an assorted list (in no particular order), for us to remember and reflect on:

Film

1. Jack Dawson and Rose DeWitt Bukater (Titanic) - *cry* The only on and off-screen pairing that I truly believe in.
2. Christian and Satine (Moulin Rouge) - *more cry*
3. Clementine and Joel (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) - What's not to love?
4. Harry Burns and Sally Albright (When Harry Met Sally)

                                      

Television

1. Everyone with everyone in FRIENDS because FRIENDS. If only the world functioned the way it did in their Universe.
2. Barney and Robin (How I Met Your Mother) - Okay, they played laser tag together, and even binge ate together - how cool is that?
3. Jon Snow and Ygritte (Game of Thrones) - *brings out tub of ice cream*
4. John Watson and Sherlock Holmes  - Oh shut up, we all know it’s a thing!

 

We so cool, we so freaking cool. 

Animation & Comics

1. Pooh and Piglet (Winnie the Pooh), Timon and Pumbaa (The Lion King), Marlin and Dory <3  (Finding Nemo),  Belle and the Beast (Beauty and the Beast), Flynn and Rapunzel (Tangled) - I don't like any of the fairy tales, they weren't even proper love stories. But these pairings were perfect because I honestly believe the advent of love is followed by a crazy motivation to inspire your partner to reach out and see the light.

2. Edward Elric and Winry Rockbell (Fullmetal Alchemist), Light and L (Death Note), Kinomoto Sakura and Syaoran Li (Cardcaptor Sakura), Goku and Chi Chi (Dragonball Universe), Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye (Fullmetal Alchemist), Risa Koizumi and Atsushi Otani (Lovely Complex) - Anime doesn't always depict love the right way, so I chose only duos that came close enough to mirror reality, and I love how they all balance romance, comedy and drama perfectly amidst all the chaos that is the plot.  

3. Kitty Pryde and Colossus (X-Men), Kitty Pryde and Nightcrawler (X-Men Evolution), Rogue and Wolverine - I'm not sure about Marvel couples to be honest, they don't really come across as anything extraordinary to me. But I admire some of the friendship because it truly lives up to the cliche that love knows no bounds.

4. Tom and the gorgeous female Cat from the balcony and of course Tom and Jerry (BFFs) - We all know what I'm talking about.

5. Scooby and Shaggy (Scooby Doo) - So, what's wrong about EATING and EATING and EATING again with your best friend (even if it's a dog)?  

6. Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable, Lizzie and Gordo - just about every couple which gets out of the Friendzone

Well if you didn't, now you know. 

                               

Literature

1. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, Lily Evans and Severus Snape (Harry Potter) - If you didn't want someone to love you that way, then something must be really wrong with you.

2. Jamie and Landon (A Walk to Remember), John and Savannah (Dear John), Noah and Allie (The Notebook) - Yes it's cheesy, and yes The Notebook is most romantic and love is great blah blah, but I think the takeaway here lies in the beauty of depiction.

3. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy (Pride and Prejudice), Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff (Wuthering Heights), Jo and Laurie (Little Women), Emma Woodhouse and Mr Knightley (Emma), Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler (Gone with the Wind), Count Vronsky and Anna Karenina (Anna Karenina), Daisy Buchanan and Jay Gatsby (actually Nick suits him better), Pip and Estella (Great Expectations), Peter Pan and Wendy Darling (Peter Pan) - Dramatic, sensational, fairy-tale like and insane loves. Worth reading about, all of them.

4. Beatrice and Benedick (Much ado about Nothing) - If you don't like the other soppy Shakespearean love stories, don't worry. This pairing blew my mind, because not only were they witty, they were sassy as hell. This in my opinion, is the perfect kind of romance.

5. Aragorn and Eowyn, Beren and Luthien , Merry Brandybuck and Peregrin Took, Legolas and Gimli (Lord of the Rings) - I'm sorry for bringing up (un)conventional pairings but not all loves need to be requited, and neither do they have to include a man and a woman.

6. Lancelot and Guinevere (King Arthur), Paris and Helen (Greek Mythology) - All myths converge at the same point - the root of all wars is women, and the cause of all this is undeniably uncontrolled passion.

7. Hazel and Augustus (The Fault in our Stars) - *brings back the tub of ice cream*

Childhood friendship - best kinda love. 

Special Mention: Cat and Me (Haha gotcha! Nah, kidding I'd prefer Benedict Cumberbatch. Oh well, how I yearn for the unattainable.)

Anyway, that does not comprise all fictional (and imaginary) couples - in fact I did not even delve into films and TV Shows. Just got these off the top of my head.

Not all journeys are smooth though. We all know that nerve-wrecking, finger-chewing, hair-raising, teeth-gritting moment when our ships are on the verge of happening and then something goes wrong.

Something = one of them dies, memory loss, illegal or forbidden love, wars start because of them, one of them is an animal etc.

But I also cherish the moment if and when most of them have happy endings because it honestly makes me believe that even a love as fantastical as this may just exist in the real world. Also, not all of these depictions were romantic in nature, some of them were platonic and at the same time extremely enlightening. Be it a deep romance, a strong friendship, a light comic dynamic or an innocent love, romance has always been depicted with rich flavour and at times, dark undertones.

Strangely enough, the Internet and popular culture alludes to Valentine’s Day as a day of mourning for Singles who have no special someones. While some people are busy flaunting their disinterest in romance, some sitting at home with their pets, and some others  taking their lovers out for dates, I personally do not see why there should be a divide among them all. So what if it’s about romance? So what if you’re dating? So what if you’re surrounded by a bunch of idiots who are making this a super cheesy affair? And so what if you don’t care at all?

The belief that this day is for two people who love each other to go out without the rest of their friends, is complete and utter bullshit. I'm sure they have a day every year called the Anniversary which compensates for this tradition.

THIS is a celebration of love (and ships) and bonds after all. And this emotion knows no boundaries and no conventions. It’s powerful and makes you realize that the entirety of human civilization is always preluding happiness with love, and faith with friendship. While nothing in real life can amount to your imagination, something inside of your heart can always manage to convince you that if the desire to build such a love exists, then so does the capacity.

Therefore, whether you’re committed or single, this is a chance for you to shout out your love for everyone, not just one person. And I'm sure the creation of art, film and literature is for us to acknowledge how grateful we are to have loved so many people during our lifetime. So go out there and let this day be the advent of another billion years and more of eager fascination with love, and may all our favourite ships sail smoothly (note: ships which are alive) towards a glowing sunset.

That’s all for today. Have a great week everyone! :)

Oh, Mondays.

Early mornings. No coffee. No poached eggs and toast. No nothing.

I love mornings, but when they descend without a trace of familiar sounds, the sound of plates in the kitchen, the aroma of tea from the living room, the chattering of people going to work from the streets, or their indefinite yet hurried footsteps...it makes life, well, quite lifeless.

Mondays especially. Oh God. What can’t a gloomy, rainy Monday do to the human mind? I’d like to believe that observing the shapes of clouds, floating silently in the sky, or the patterns that the rain etches on the glass windows of the bus brings me closer to nature - but I am wrong. I am just a passenger on a vehicle headed to town, soon to merge with a billion other people going to work. The real connection to nature is being out there, in the rain, feeling every drop on your face; being in the lawns running in the wind, and falling on the grass, staring at the sky and breathing in the beauty that is the form of a cloud.

I wonder if this is how adults feel when they go to work - do they miss being children? Do they miss the reckless, daring feel of abandoning a bus ride to college just so they can dash out into the drizzle and dance in joy? Because for once, just for that moment, doesn’t the damp water sprinkling from the heavens actually create a roaring fire in your veins?

Well, I don’t know about you, but I sure do. I miss the impulsive passion that is myself. In fact I miss this so much, that I wish that every child who comes into this world should be gifted with the choice to enjoy the simple pleasures in life - rather than forced to fight in a war which only follows the motto "survival of the fittest"; the war which is Reality.

Anyways, this brings me to the end of Monday’s post. I won’t write too much - because it’s the start of the week and we as monotonous humans, can’t deflect too much from our duties. But I’d like to end this post with the words of famous Japanese director and author - Hayao Miyazaki. (Not any how related to my Monday rant, but yeah.)

Miyazaki is the creator of many well-known animated films for children, which are always deeply connected to nature, strength, braving reality along with beautiful portrayals of friendship, inspiration and survival. The quote below, is Miyazaki’s notion as an author, something I wish to carry forward if I ever write a story depicting romance.

“I’ve become skeptical of the unwritten rule that just because a boy and girl appear in the same feature, a romance must ensue. Rather I want to portray a slightly different relationship, one where the two mutually inspire each other to live - if I’m able to, then perhaps I’ll be closer to portraying a true expression of Love.”

Cutest Miyazaki Morning Stroll Ever. 

True love indeed. Well, then. Have a great week everyone!

The First Post of 2015 :)

I’m sitting on my bed, in my room after a tiring day at work and someone’s playing the piano nearby. I can hear the graceful movement of fingers up and down on the keys, sometimes pausing in contemplation and sometimes playing quickly - music is really a lot like water dribbling down in rapids. So soothing and so smooth and so inadvertently melodious.  

Anyways, hello to everyone and I hope this new year has started off with lovely resolutions (that equate to all your regrets) and a bundle of motivation (which is kind of proportional to the amount of fictional literature read - in my case). It’s sunny in Singapore, with just a sprinkle of rain and some stray clouds. Actually, I managed to catch the rare beauty of an early morning - and it was quite splendid to breathe in the sweet air and witness the sky turning a pale blue with an array of clouds, blushing pink with a lazy sunrise.

Yeah, well I just sounded like a weather app. Moving on...

Well, I don’t know about you but my life seems to have quite a bit happening. Term has started and I’ve joined a new workplace for internship. Everything has taken a glorious turn, at least when it comes to a sense of purpose. I’m finally beginning to understand what it feels like to be a tiny contributor in creating a purpose which is not just enormous - but equally propitious. Of course, in case you all are wondering - I’m not working at NASA for a top-secret mission to the nearest black hole which will some how save humanity. Although, don’t we ALL wish we could.

Sorry this cracked me up so much. 

This has left me with more time to spare once I head back home. So I’m actually doing a kind of activity in my free time - for some additional inspiration. I’m collecting quotes. Although this may seem like a simple Google search, I’m not making it that easy. I want to actually feel the presence of the person speaking these words - and it’s not easy to do that until you really KNOW the character. So I’m going to spend time writing the quote, decorating it and then spending a while writing down a little something about the character - and about why I like/hate them so much. I say hate because most of the people whose words I find fascinating are villains and in a way, I love to hate them.

I’m closing in on certain sections - like books or anime or movies. Recently, I’ve been reading a lot of manga, so I’m focusing on this field first. And once I’m done accumulating the words of some truly great fictional characters, I think I can put them all up on my wall of quotes. Yes I’m creating a wall :P

Music? I’m listening to nothing in particular - mostly soundtracks of shows and movies. Non-lyrical music seems to have taken a special place in my life - I’ve been listening to those of Studio Ghibli films. If you haven’t already, I suggest you all hear this out - Kaze no torii michi :). A soothing combination of Japanese and Western elements, the soundtrack really makes you want to take a train back to your home town. It’s nostalgic and beautiful. A more modern addition would be the soundtrack of Sword Art Online 2 - although the second half of the story is pathetic, the music remains mystifying and sweet.

Books? I recently read Let it Snow, a collaboration between authors - Lauren Myracle, John Green and Maureen Johnson. It’s a holiday romance with three different stories - and needless to say, out of all of them John Green’s one was the best. His writing has a certain characteristic which makes his fictional creations seem unassumingly gorgeous. And by this I don’t mean good looking, I mean - special. So special, that you would travel around the world just to meet them - if they were real. I’m also reading one of Natsuki Takaya’s other works - Hoshi wa Utau. And as usual, I can’t help wonder how she can express emotions so beautifully through her art - I admire her so much! Also, this entire series has a lot to do with Stars, and her work makes me feel sort of - peaceful. It’s almost like I have found the John Green of manga universe - of course this is my opinion :P

This brings me to the end. I don't have much more to say except this - I hope this year makes us all better human beings. I know most of us are running a race to success, but sometimes, I really wish we all could stop and look at ourselves - the shimmering muddy reflections of our faces in water. Nobody sees themselves as perfect - but in reality we are so much more than what we see, we are what we are and that should make us happy.

And so I conclude the first post of 2015. Have a great year, guys! :)

                                              

Tiny Birthday Mix :)

You know how I write letters to you on every birthday, and we are never together so they always end up being sent online and then lost in the thread of a million messages. But this time, I really wanted to immortalize this letter, and it’s only fair that, after having known you for the longest time, I should dedicate a little something to you.

First of all, many, many happy returns of the day! 21 is after all, a big turning point and I hope that you are feeling all the best emotions at this very moment.

Ever since the time we met, you have brought something to my life – you have always been symbolic in my life, of something akin to tenderness and romance and gentleness. And today, I want to remind you of the many things in my life that are present only because you made it happen. So I wrote this little something for you.

Dearest Horsy,

You remind me of those times when I accidentally fell in love, and the times when I was a little too not over those heart aches. Of sitting by the lake side and playing a guitar, singing to the mellow tune of Hey There Delilah. You remind me of the time when we could sing Words to each other and dream of that one love.

I remember the time you made me listen to Queen of my Heart ; even now I can’t listen to a single Westlife song without thinking of you. It’s almost like, how can someone do so much with so little? How can someone know the Shape of my Heart the way you do? J This is becoming romantic, hehe. But what can I do? You’re very cute, and if you could see me now, then you’d probably smile. Because the last time you saw me on your birthday, we were 16. Oh, I suddenly remembered my 16^th birthday, when you called me up half an hour before 12 and then we listened to Fifteen for one last time. Little did we know that we would meet again in college…because let’s face it, you belong with me! 

Just so you know, I’m very lucky to have you in my life and since 2005 we have come such a long way. We have laughed and cried, there were times when we were down and times when we were on fire…but most of all I think, amidst broken dreams and empty boulevards, in the end it really did not matter. But what did matter was that we were together and in our own right, we were royals. After all, it’s a mad world out there and who’s to stop us from going right out and taking a look around? ;P

I want you to know, that in the days to come, even if all your bridges burn down, it’s alright because this is YOUR life and you don’t need anyone else to be your Superman. You can fight it yourself because you are brave and you are splendid.  I’m not asking you to be Happy, but to be content – something I have always told myself. When the world seems like a beautiful mess, just give your heart a break and if possible, lose yourself in some music. Because this, along with our memories, is sure to fix you. 

Love,

Your Cat J 

Haha, I hope you found all the songs.  There are around 25 of them!

Have an amazing day ahead, horses! Go out and do something that you really love, and make this a new beginning. I’m sure you will. 

Letter to Future Self

So a friend of mine suggested this – why not write a letter to your future self? It’s kind of like talking to yourself (?); except, I’m publishing this so I’ll stick to the normal stuff. I’d rather not have you peek inside my head.

And you should know I've done this before. But this time I’m not a 12 year old stuffing paper down the spines of books for myself to read a year later.
So, here goes.

Dear 31-year old Me,

The fact that you are reading this letter now can mean one of the two things:

      1. You have a secure job, a great life and lots of time to spare so that you can read your past blog posts.

2    2.  You’re freaking jobless and you kill time for a living. In that case I don’t know how much ‘living’ you’re doing; I mean you’re practically dead if this happens.

Well, if you are completely content with everything around you, that’s amazing – you've achieved everything you set out for so go find yourself a new set of problems. And if you’re not then all I can say is – wow, you are more consistent than ever!

However, back in 2014, you had some funny (albeit realistic) problems. Let’s have a look at how far we have come, shall we?

You wanted a good CAP (not kidding!).

Yeah, remember that stupid horror story which comprised of a digit and a few decimal places and somehow equated to your level of academic intelligence in college? I wonder if it changed for the better after all.

BUT, you know this thing about you; this little voice inside of your head which keeps telling you to read more and appreciate knowledge? You see, when you were a kid, marks didn't matter to you. It was about knowing and learning and going to sleep everyday with the sheer satisfaction that you now knew a little bit more about this marvelous universe. And it should always be that way – always. Because, really – so much for grades! Right now, at this very moment, does it even matter?

You wanted to travel.

No honestly, if you've STILL not been to Tokyo and London and Paris, I want you to bang your head on the nearest wall; then leave whatever you’re doing, go to your room, pack your suitcases and leave! I don’t know where you’re going to go, but really – just go. It’s now or never.

It’s a great planet and I don’t think there’s anything you wanted more than treading the same paths chosen by your favorite people – Tolkien, Lewis, Austen, Bronte, Dickens, Elliot, Rowling…this list can go on and on. Remember – great men found inspiration in little things. If you want to see the world through their eyes, read their books, perceive their inventions and revel in their creations – go places, meet people, learn more about the planet. So what are you even waiting for? Go, go and go again!

BUT if you've actually been to these places and you’re laughing at this letter right now, then I want to congratulate you. This has been the best dream you ever had. And I hope you have enough money left to plan your next trip because you know you can never have enough of this.

You wanted to write a story.

Everyone wants a story. Back in 2014, you didn't have a story. You wanted to write but you didn't have a – let’s see, you didn't have the right prompt. You wrote many stories – but you never wrote THE story, you know? What Harry Potter was to Rowling, what Middle-Earth was to Tolkien, what Romeo and Juliet was to Shakespeare. There wasn't anything like that for you!

Well, it isn't easy – but do you have a story now? If you do, please tell me you are writing it down. If you don’t it’s completely fine, one day you will. Don’t ever stop searching for it.

You wanted a house of your own.

I’m sure EVERYONE has this dream – to build the perfect nest. So, I hope you have a home now. Maybe you've built the library you always wanted, and maybe you have a fireplace (even if it’s make believe) and I really hope you have that one dog and two cats you planned on adopting. Oh, and do you have that wall? You know you wanted to paint a wall in your house with scenes from your favorite fictional wonder lands. Lothlorien, Hogwarts, Westeros, Never Never land and heck who can forget – Narnia (check behind your wardrobe)! I’m sure you have one hell of a house! 

Oh, and I hope you have enough food. Remember to keep your fridge always stocked.

You wanted to fall in love.

You were never ready to “settle down” and you know that. I mean there was still so much to do – go on a crazy road trip, dive from a cliff (or an airplane), go to COMIC-CON (hell yeah) and get (accidentally) married in Vegas! Of course, it would be awesome to share all this with ‘someone special’.

There are some people who believe in the theory of “waiting” for someone. But knowing you, you’re not going to wait and settle for just anyone – knowing you, you’re going to find the most amazing person in this universe for yourself and you’re going to reach out to them.

And every time you think of failed and unrequited loves, tell yourself this - they didn't choose me, and they missed out on

     1.   A truckload of love and

     2.   One hell of a person.

    3.   Like, what were they even thinking?

So if you have found someone now, it must be really the One. Pat yourself on the shoulder; you've done a good job.

And most of all, you wanted world peace.

Nah, kidding. But yeah, I’m sure you had some other goals which weren't completely personal. You wanted to start an Animal Shelter. Oh, wait.

Anyways, you did reflect a lot on life and people and beliefs and the Universe. I think your thoughts made you a better person, so always keep thinking J

Now that we've come to the end of the letter, I’d just like you to know one thing – you’re cool. You know you are and I’m not saying this to sound ridiculously self-obsessive or whatever. And I honestly feel you deserve to give yourself a break and for once appreciate everything around you.

Look at nature, look at your friends (and your pets) and look at all the things you have – and I hope you’re smiling right now. And even if the world looks terrible, you know you can brave it – because if you really want to, this terrible world with its hurricanes of fear and misery and rage can still conspire to make you win. It takes courage to seek out a silver lining in the cloud. And you can do it.

So don’t worry too much. Curl up in bed, pick up a book and put on some music – you deserve this life and much more.

Keep it up, future-self.

Lots of love,

21-year old you. 

                                         

The Ten Minute Blog Post

I don't usually publish ten minute posts. But. 

It’s been an awfully peaceful day. The rain is splashing on the large window in my room. It’s a very gentle sound – the sound of water sprinkling lightly. It’s not stormy; it’s rather graceful – the way the drops are falling. For some reason, it reminds me of a lady dancing – spinning on her toes, twirling and swirling under a ceiling imprinted with tiny glittering stars.

Since I’m at it, I thought I’d share something with everyone – a few days back a couple of friends and I went to explore this dark neighborhood. I could say it was really exciting – but then again that is another story and it won’t find a place in this post. What I wanted to talk about was the place. 

Houses – lots and lots of isolated houses strewn across a park. There were old houses, new houses, neat houses and dilapidated houses. Some of them had gates laid wide open, as if openly inviting the night into their chambers. Some of them had dim lights on their porches. Some of the top floors were flooding with light; some of them lay as silent as the dead. I’d like to know who lived in this quiet neighborhood, just so I could ask them what it felt like to live in the middle of complete serenity – or rather a peace which haunted the inside of your brain to the point that it unnerved you.

The next time I go touring the neighborhood, I’d like to sit and write about the other sights. There is beauty in darkness and a certain aura of mystery in a place which is so desolated. I’d like to find out more about it.

Anyways, on a completely related note - I suggest this poem called The Listeners by Walter de la Mare. It reverberates my present thoughts perfectly. 

Well, this brings me to the end. I’ve been a lot more productive today that I have been this whole week. Maybe it’s the weather. Or maybe it’s the effect of waking up early. I don’t know. I probably never will. 

                                              

                                                      Credits: tnousy on deviantart