The Rechristening

I renamed my blog, yay!

I also changed the URL, which means google will no longer direct people who stumble upon the titles of my previous posts to this address. But I doubt that's gonna make much of a difference.

So, my blog’s new name is weird, and I like it all the more for it, due to obvious reasons. And as for the new URL, it is not surprising how well suited I am to that title, again, for obvious reasons. All right, so maybe the reasons are not-so-obvious to you. But I’ll save you the need for brainstorming by telling you the simple reasons why I chose this blog name and what it means. That’s why I’ve written this, of course.

The thing is, I’m a total bookworm, or an egghead, as my friends like to point out. But, the word ‘bookworm’ didn’t sound very… let’s say, catchy (don’t you give me that look, I’m only as narcissistic as you are!). So before creating my blog on WordPress, I did some research, during which I stumbled upon the word ‘bluestocking’. It does not have the same meaning as the word ‘bookworm’, but a similar meaning, and one that better describes me.

A bluestocking is an educated, intellectual woman. The term most often refers to a specific group of 18th-century intellectual women. Until the late 18th century, the term had referred to learned people of both sexes. However it subsequently was applied primarily to intellectual women. The term later developed negative implications, and in some instances such women were stereotyped as being less lady-like.

Well, I obviously copied that from Wikipedia. Anyway, I like this term because it not only implies my bookish-ness, but also says something about my feminist thinking. And as for ‘such women’ being ‘stereotyped as being less lady-like’, well, what can I say? I really give a rat’s ass about that.

Now,  why I love to read (and, to some extent, write), can be summed up somewhat like this. Firstly, as Mark Twain said, and I damn well agree, “The man who does not read good books is at no advantage over the man that cannot read them.” As far as writing is concerned, I have to quote D. H. Lawrence here. “I like to write when I feel spiteful; it’s like a good sneeze.”

As I mentioned, I was trying to find a suitable blog name for my WordPress blog. So, here's the URL for that:

http://thebentuponbluestocking.wordpress.com

Also, if you're wondering why I felt the need for another blog, let me tell you it was only that I wanted to follow certain WordPress blogs, so I had to register for that. But then I thought I might as well make it a twin blog for my blogspot one, so as to have a wider readership. :)

Great, so now I am rambling like a barmy old codger (except, I'm really not one). But even after so much rambling, I have not given a hint of an explanation about why the new URL suits me. But then, I guess you would have worked that out by now. Am I right, or what?

Modernization's Going to the Dogs

All of you out there, you think you’re modern? Think again.

People have got to realize that a good education, a full pocket, and a luxurious lifestyle do not make you modern. If your thinking and your opinions are still medieval, then you’re kidding yourself when you call yourself modern. I mean, you think that if you’re living in, or wearing fashionable and up to date clothes, or speaking good English, then you qualify as a ‘modern’ person? You really think that a poor person who works day and night to earn a square meal can’t be modern, just because he can’t afford all the fancy appliances? Well, you’re missing the point, aren't you? Modernization is not about your way of living. It’s about how you think. IT’S THE FREAKIN’ THOUGHT THAT COUNTS.

Some people think they’re modern because their careers are their priorities. So they’re on the right track, aren't they? Well, that’s not what I think. Education does matter, I will never deny that, but it can only take you so far.

You know, most of the time we don’t even realize that our opinions are the exact opposite of modern. Some justify such opinions as ‘practical’, and ‘factual parts of life’.
I'm thinking, factual parts of my arse, more like.

Okay, I've been crude. Sorry about that, but it was kind of necessary in order to get my point through to you. So ask yourself these questions if you actually want to face reality, because if you be honest with yourself and answer these questions from your heart (okay, that was a stupid thing to say, your heart is an organ that pumps blood. It has got nothing to do with your emotions, or anything other than your circulatory system. If you think that your heart can think for you, you might as well think that your blood can do the same. That was just a way to make “normal” people understand my meaning.), you might just realize how medieval you are (there’s also the possibility of you thinking how silly I am to ask you these questions, but hey, this is serious, okay – so you've got to be truthful to yourself).

1. Let’s start with the easy ones. I don’t want you to panic at the very first question.  Do you secretly try not to come into physical contact with homeless people or any other class of people? Look, nobody’s judging you because you’re answering to yourself, so be honest.
2. Do you feel that if, among a married couple, the wife has long hours of work and the husband has to look after the kid more than his wife does, it’s inappropriate? But, á la fois, if the roles are exchanged, it’s not really a big deal? I know your instinctive answer to this one would be - “No, of course not.” But you need to think about it. Think of real life situations, try to put yourself out there.
3. This one’s for the people with high school kids. Do you think that your child should play safe and take up the subject of your choice, and not theirs? You’d say, “We just want her to be successful in life, and not regret her decision later.” Well, guess what? It’s high time you let your kids make their own decisions, and let them learn from their own mistakes. Admit it, you've made your own mistakes too, and you learnt from them. They will, too, if you let them.“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you've lived so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all.”
4. Do you have ANY kind of generalized opinion, or basically a stereotype, about ANY section of people? Like, do you think that all Afro-Americans are poor, or uneducated, or anything? If you do, slap yourself right now. It’s necessary. Look, you need to understand that no two people are the same. You just cannot generalize a group of people. All modern women aren't the usual stereotype of loud and smart and outgoing and independent. Women are of all kinds. People are of all kinds.                                                         
5. Do you like Harry Potter? Okay, now that’s just inappropriate. Sorry. Wrong question. (But, believe it or not, Harry Potter did teach me a lot. A lot about values and ethics, a lot about our conscience, a lot about life, basically.)
6. Can you see the grey? I mean, do you just see life in black and white, or can you spot the grey area in between? Basically, are you judgmental? This is the toughest one, you know. Because we, as humans, hold grudges, we all do. What we don’t realize is that everyone has their own story. Some people do terrible things. It does not necessarily mean that they’re terrible people.
7. Do you make fun of, or do not respect religion in the name of modernization? I’m not asking you whether you believe in any religion, so don’t get me wrong. Look, I’m not a religious person, but I do have a faith, I believe in ethics. Above all, I have faith in my conscience. And my conscience tells me that I have no right to judge a person who does, or does not believe in God. Nobody’s got that right. The same goes for people who condemn atheism. So, do you, or don’t you?
8. Now I’m starting to run out of questions, because I have so many, and I can’t pick which are the more important ones. Okay, so do you think that being slim and fit is modernism? Or that rotund people are ancient? Well, obesity is unhealthy, but gives you no reason for judgement. I don’t give a gust of stinking Chihuahua flatulence whether the woman standing next to me has skinnier knees than me. I mean, is ‘fat’ really the worst thing a human being can be? Is ‘fat’ worse than ‘vindictive’, ‘jealous’, ‘shallow’, ‘vain’, ‘boring’ or ‘cruel’?

So, anyway, I know I've quoted enough of J. K. Rowling for you to think of me as some kid who thinks she knows the world because she read Harry Potter. But I don’t give a shit. Actually, I just wrote this down to vent my anger. Writing, reading, painting – it’s just stuff that soothes my nerves. So, this is me signing off.

But before I do that -

“It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
Now those are words of wisdom. Modern wisdom.

Wrackspurt Attack

As I sit here, beside my bed,
Memorizing names of towns and townsfolk,
Wrackspurts invade my head
Making my brain fuzzy, as if in a stroke.

I look around my room and sigh:
I'm surrounded by distractions!
My drums grin at me, looking wry,
Luring me away from decimals and fractions.

I glance at my bookshelf dreamily,
At those hard-bounds fat and thin,
They all smile and wink slyly,
Inviting me to the adventures within.

Alas! More often than not,
I begin to doodle absent-minded-ly.

My bed appears soft as ever,
I wonder whether I should dare to kip.
The exams start in two days, I remember
As the Wrackspurts leave, I feel my heart skip.

Camaraderie

Friendship is a complete package,
It is a fun yet serious affair
It comes with a simple tag,
Reading: Handle with Care

They are said to be rich,
the ones who have friends
With them they can do anything,
Overcome hurdles, fight fiends.

Friends do have misunderstandings,
But there's never hatred in excess
They're bound to forgive and forget,
And rejoice in each other's success

True friends are tightly bound,
By laughter and by tears
They know each other's strengths,
They know each other's fears

They're there with you when it's dark,
And when brightly shines the sun
The only way to have a good comrade,
Is to be a good one!

A Sonnet on Laughter

"How should we view a problem?"
"Find the funny side of upsetting issues,"
Tears caused by hateful words on vellum,
Are wiped by laughter's tissues.

Break all your heavy weapons,
Use the effective weapon of laughter
Laughter will suck out all the venom
And there'll be prosperity thereafter.

Let laughter calm your soul
Or ignite your contagious joy
Stop sadness from taking it's toll
Use laughter as your sepoy.

Remember: there will be a new dawn.
Life's not so simple, but it will go on.

The Final Goodbye

This year (2012-13), death was all around us. At first, it was our skating sir. And then, they all went down - one after the other, as death took its toll. Our school's janitor, a preschool girl, a freshman year girl - people from our school, people I didn't really know, but mourned nonetheless. But it was not until a few days before my birthday, when my best friend's sister left us forever, that it hit me - the sudden finality of death. How it overwhelms some of us with emotions, how it leaves some others hollow. But this sad dawn of realization made me reflect upon the event of my own final goodbye. You'd find it hard to believe that a sixteen-year-old can think that way. But death is inevitable, isn't it? So why do people fear even the thought of it? So yeah, I'm curious. 

Not as curious about how it will happen as I am about what will happen around me. Will people cry? I wish they don't. No use crying over spilled potion. In fact, I think I will be better off that way - dead and peacefully away from this cruel world. So I don't want people to cry, because I'd be happier. 

I mean, what use is our life? What is our purpose? We come and we go. All these people died of natural causes, and left their families hollow. That's what we'll all do, some day or the other. But over time, we will be forgotten. We'll be as insignificant as some person who died decades ago. But I wish I can see how it all unfolds after my demise. Don't we all? 

"To the well organized mind, death is but the next great adventure." ~Albus Dumbledore

Bundle of Joy

You never know what you're missing out on. I, at least, never did. Not until one balmy autumn evening. My story goes something like this.One peaceful moonlit night, an angel paid a visit to my dreamland and made me a promise. I, unlike most of you, had always believed in angels. And so I believed that he would keep his promise. He promised me that he would come to live with me, here, on Earth - straight from paradise. It was a strange promise, and I could never understand why he chose me - mine was a satisfied soul, I never thought that my life was missing anything.
Yet I was, of course, eager.The clock ticked away, months changed on the calendar. When at last I had given up all hope, he fulfilled his promise. That balmy autumn evening, an angel had indeed landed on earth - in the form of my little brother. But I never quite see him as a brother. He is more like a son to me. People might find this strange, sweet, or silly, but that's just how I see him.
My eyes dampened, and my heart elated, as I beamed down at that tiny glowing face. He smiled at me, as if trying to say, 'See, I kept my promise.' That day I realized that my life really had been missing something. Today I can't even imagine life without him. Today, my life is complete.

Creative Fields - Not an Option?

“You are so good in academics, then why do you want to opt for fashion designing?” – Something I get to hear all too often these days. Since I’m in class tenth, I’m often asked about my career options. When I tell them about it, they either think that I must be a back-bencher, or if they already know that I score well, they think I’m crazy. But, why? Why can’t people grow up, already? Why don’t they realize that creative fields are as important and respectable as engineering, law or medicine? This mentality is absurd, according to me, but unfortunately it is very common in our country. You know what my grandmother’s response was? “You want to become a tailor?!” No, seriously. And forget about creative fields being respectable, or monetarily acceptable, if I have a creative mind, and if I am good in a particular art, then why not take it up as a career? Some people feel that such areas of interest are only meant to be hobbies and not professions. But just imagine, where would India’s cricket team be today, had Sachin Tendulkar opted for engineering? Or what would happen to discovery channel had there been no wildlife photographers? The world would be doomed! It would be a boring place, full of doctors, advocates and corporate people. Where would you get those charming clothes you love to wear at wedding processions, or the movies you love to see for leisure? So, I feel that people should realize the importance of creative fields. Moreover, they should not only respect, but also encourage a child’s career choice instead of forcing him to become what they expect him to become. After all, it is the child who is going to be affected by this huge decision, at the end! I can proudly say that I am fortunate enough to have parents who encourage my decision (even though they themselves are engineers). Can you?

Working Women Make Better Mothers

Many of you reading this might feel exactly the opposite. You might feel that working women can never give love and care to their children as well as stay-at-home-mothers can. But I beg to differ. When a child sees that her mother goes out, works, takes up responsibilities outside home, and is an independent women – instead of being dependent on her husband for every little thing, the child starts looking at her mother as an idol, as a role model. We often hear little boys saying things like, “When I grow up, I will go to office like my father does.” Similarly, when a little girl sees her mother as a strong and independent woman she aims at growing up to be like her mother. She takes pride in the fact that her mother knows the world, just like her father does. On growing up and realizing that her mother does so much of work – wakes up early, prepares breakfast, sends her kids to school, goes to work, talks to her kids on coming back home, cooks dinner, and then puts her kids to bed – a sense of respect for the mother is developed inside the child. Respect for her strength, respect for her devotion to work, whilst taking apt care of her family, and respect for her pleasant attitude even after a long day at work. Sure, homemakers are able to give ample amount of time to their children, but they play the role only of a nurturer and not a provider. Working women too give time to their children, but the fact that even children need some time to themselves is taken care of. All children love their mothers. Children of homemakers love their mothers for spending loads of time with them and cooking delicious food for them. Children of working women, on the other hand, love their mothers for many things – giving them enough quality time, at the same time giving them the space they need; cooking delicious food for them, or at least being able to earn as much that they can be provided with domestic help; and finally for not having enough time to watch soap operas and turning into melodramatic ladies!

Literature

Literature is perhaps the most beautiful and important art I know of. By indulging ourselves in writing, we can get in touch with our emotions, while at the same time contributing hugely to the world of ideas and creativity. By indulging in reading, we can help ourselves grow, and open our minds to new possibilities. Good literature can eradicate narrow-mindedness, while bad literature can increase it. But what one sees as good or bad literature is based on personal opinion and I would rather not debate that here.
Literature has infinitely many forms – poetry, drama, fiction, non fiction, et al. In fact, this variety is perhaps its most wonderful aspect. Literature makes us reflect on what we read, and makes the mind curious to discover more. We may interpret the author's message using a mythological, sociological, psychological, historical, or plainly logical approach.

Literature is more important than just a historical or cultural artifact - it introduces us to new worlds of experience. We may even grow and evolve through our literary journey with books. Literature speaks to us, it is universal, and it affects us. After reading any form of literature, the reader carries something from it - whether it be a viewpoint, a feeling, or simply knowledge – and brings it into society. Even when it is ugly, literature is beautiful.