The Public Diary

http://dailypost.in/your-story/45361-the-name-game In the backdrop of my head, I had it planned to directly post the content of the above URL link to my blog which I had shared through a  blogpost   earlier. I was thinking that you never know as to when it might get removed or deleted by the owner of that particular publication, or what if the owner of that site decides to shut down their project and let the site inaccessible.  But, I guess, I got too late to cover the content. My fear has come true. I was just scrolling through my blog posts and reading the titles when I saw this post.  So, I clicked on the URL only to find the link of no use.  Did I create quite a hullabaloo over it back then?  A lot, in my writing world. Over my story getting published on an editorial publication website in the section that it doesn't acknowledge anymore.  So, I'll have to dig into the storage of our dated personal computer whose RAM has been almost fully exhausted, windows outdated, a mouse

Do you remember how carefree we used to be as kids? Golden days of life when there were no miseries of life.  But boy when any such apprehension occurred, it made us freak out as hell. Not getting my point? Let me explain. It must be in 4th or 5th standard when one morning upon reaching the classroom, I saw one of my friends crying and hence surrounded by 4 or 5 class fellows, consoling her. I asked about her well-being, to which I got a reply from some other girl that she was crying because her heart had come to her stomach.  Back then, I didn't find the idea of it utterly stupid but now I certainly do. There are times when some part of our body becomes extra sensitive that we start feeling the beating of the heart through the blood veins in that particular part (Pardon me if I went wrong in explaining the reason biologically). She must have mistaken it to be some cardiac matter. Kids can be so mindlessly misleading. For instance, there used to be this friend of mine who knew how

I was just wondering about the times when there were no smartphones and limited hi-tech devices, which are readily accessible in today's time. Just imagine if I am pondering over those times, even though I've been through them, I've grown up in them, what would happen to the next generations. How would they perceive the era gone-by? Sometimes, I think it is a whole circle. After the world reaches the peak of technological advancements, it starts to urge for a little peace in life, a small pause to the fastmoving world. I remember we had to introduce 'No phone hour' at our home during the lockdown as everyone in our house was playing some media content at a time. If one person was taking a break from phone, then it was someone else's turn to catch onto the updates that there hardly was any hour of silence. Hence, the idea of No Phone Hour, at the end of which everyone ran to their devices. I can say for sure that back in those times people had a hard time acquiri

How from so far it came so near. Around us. Amidst us. Those were winters of 2019. I remember how on reading newspaper I was telling mom about Coronavirus. That it's a new disease that is spreading like a fire in China. For the first few days, I kept on ignoring the news articles about it. Only after it kept on reappearing in news constantly that I read it properly. Corona accessories have become so much a part of our lives that mask is unmissable. One day I went out and I was feeling that I'm forgetting something. I checked - the phone was there, keys were there, the purse was hung on. Then I realised oh it's the mask. I am not very fond of wearing masks, by the way, courtesy the breathing problem if worn for a longer spell of time. But, it certainly has helped me in covering the uncontrollable smiles in not so favourable situations. "The crinkles of the eyes do reflect your expressions," someone alerted me. *Silly me* All the people with the tact of lip-

I unashamedly admit that I am homesick.  And the lockdown is only aiding that feeling. I know people these days need a chance to get out of the home to visit that newly opened eating place or to be at the popular hot spot of the city. I'm not saying I don't like doing such things but I think it involves a lot of effort to actually get ready. (Don't label me as a lazy girl because I believe I'm not.); or to find any newness in the same place that you've been to multiple times. I think I should stop now because mother nature will not forgive me otherwise for not admiring serenity. I find social gatherings a bit boring. One has to greet so many people smilingly, some you know and some you're trying to remember. Lately, I went to the wedding of a cousin in a village. I haven't stayed in the village for more than one month, that too when I was a kid. Therefore, I don't know many faces. Even if I knew some, they have undergone facial changes with

I think I've said enough about my painting skills than they actually are. I've started getting demands now.  That too for free. I must have drawn 2-3 sketches of people whom I know personally. (Should I include the sketch of a relative that I had drawn casually when I was in 3rd or 4th standard, the copy of which is not with me now and I doubt if even the object of the drawing must be having? I guess it was meant for the trashes of a recycling factory.)  Someone else forwarded a picture to me on WhatsApp months back, I knew I would take longer than expected to complete it. In fact, I doubted if I'll be able to bring it into existence given the terrible speed of drawing that I've, unlike the natural artists who take minutes to make sketches of people, making the apt strokes in the first attempt. (People usually stamp their drawings with the date it was drawn on. In my case, I get confused as to which date should be put onto them as I take multiple days.) Thankfully, I sa

I’ve always wondered if being kind actually does good to you or does it take a toll on you when you’re being selfless? But I guess people are wired in a particular way and they actually don't have many options. They'll end being that way, no matter how hard they try to behave otherwise. So, it happened to me a few days back when I saw my phone flashing a call from the person who had been the cause of much mental agony for the past half-year.  Unwillingly, I picked up the phone to see what it could be now that needs to be said (for I never got any call from them earlier, instead I got to know what they said about me from other sources). I asked about their well-about, letting out my voice as if nothing had happened. All of a sudden, they became more than sweet to me. It was our first one-to-one conversation since. That day onwards, I started getting calls from them almost daily, asking for help in work-related issues.  Call it naïveté or what, but I gave them solutions to the be

I know I'm way behind my schedule but there were some things that needed to be sorted out first otherwise they would have kept disturbing my mental peace. Plus, I'm also feeling a little awkward to write a post after over a month, I don't know from where to start. But my drafts came to the rescue.  I look younger than I actually am. And I believe it is because I'm underweight which lends me 'growing' looks as opposed to a 'grown-up. Once I went to an office which is a sister concern of our office so we don't need to show our identity to enter the premises. So, I was moving at a pace as usual, when I was interrupted by a security official. Without giving it much thought upon seeing my free-to-enter attitude, he shot a question at me, "Kid, is your mother an employee here or your father?" His confidence made me let out a smile. How sure he was that he was giving me both the possible options which could have been. With equal confidence, I reverted

I think after achieving this 100-post-feet I should pen down a few anecdotes which depict my losses, (not the financial ones).  None is perfect. Everyone is bound to make mistakes. You never know when do people start idolizing you which I don't want. Even your negative actions might be making an impression on someone else. So, all of it gives me a sense of responsibility to carefully take actions as people may be following my footsteps.  Laughing? How did you find my joke? (Dr. Mash-hoor Gulati style?)  It so happened once that after doing something silly I tried to cover up by saying, "I should keep on doing stuff like this before I become a goddess." "Yes, you're," I was told totally unexpectedly. No matter if it was said in a joking spirit but I've now taken it seriously. Jokes apart.  How obsessive I am. I've started portraying myself in a good light even in that post in which I intended to do completely opposite.  Let's begin. I got to know

By the time you reach this post, I would've hit a century of posts on this blog. A certain sense of pressure started to prevail on me upon disclosing this fact because jubilee(s) are expected to be special. I'll leave that up to you while I try to behave normally by not trying so hard to please. Rather I'll tell about what's been the hot topic in my life these days.  It has been 3 years that I'm shuttling between 2 cities day in and day out. I'm not sure if this chapter is ending now but it seems like ending at the moment, so all the good (and bad) old memories started flashing in my mind. I am writing this rough draft of the post on the very date on which my connection to this second city came into existence. Exactly 3 years ago, I got my posting orders. You're always in a dilemma that if you really belong there or not.  In my case, I never read local editions of the newspaper of either of the cities, purely because of disinterest. Any developments and inci

Has it ever happened to you that you didn't indulge in a particular activity because for long you have been claiming to be not doing it? Sometimes we start behaving in a specific way because we have been telling others that we act like that always, irrespective of the fact that we want to turn the tables. Illusory truth effect started ringing in my mind while I was writing this, which says that false information seems to be true due to repeated exposure. For instance, there are people who say, "We don't have the habit of clicking many pictures." They may deny it even if someone else asks them to get clicked, although in one corner of their heart they do want to be clicked. Coming upon me, 'I don't take siesta' is one of the statements that I take pride in. But even if I'll be feeling sleepy on any given afternoon, I don't think I'll be able to catch my daytime nap because of the claims that I've been openly and proudly claiming. O

Disclaimer :   You don't need to facepalm on seeing 'Corona' written. I can imagine your pain, everywhere we go we find it omnipresent. But this post is not going to bomb you with numbers and figures relating to Corona; neither is this going to be about precautions to be taken in this time nor to create any sort of panic. Earlier I was going to start my post this way:  Have I shared this quote written by me on this platform? But now after doing my homework well, I noticed that I’ve already, so I won’t ask you that question and directly plug it in.  “Don’t let anything overpower you so much that it becomes your weakness.” I believe thoughts and their consequences are in our own control if we manage to keep the mind in place, so I religiously follow this rule. You might be thinking why did I plug in my quote amidst all this. No, it was not for the heck of promotions. It might seem like a heavily worded thought which must have been inspired by a life teachi

I was getting suggestions from people around (not physically - Covid doesn't allow - but virtually) that I should indulge in some blogging. But who would tell them that a writer doesn't write out of boredom or just for the sake of timepass. At least, that is not the case with me. My writing depends upon the ideation of my mind.  So, here is a poem that I had written earlier; probably at the time when all the lights in my house were out and I was finding it hard to sleep due to the sheer influx of ideas. Upon re-reading it, I find it somewhat relative to the present day scenario. It goes like: All day long I watch comedy, But still I'm unable to find for my problems any substantial remedy. To be in peace and at content I wanna be, Do I need to go in for some another therapy? I keep on singing parody(ies), For all of the life's so-called tragedy(ies). I try to strike a camaraderie, But amidst all the chaos I fail to reach harmony. Anxiety is getting all of us into

I was telling a person that you are very weird, that you behave strangely all of the times. His comment directed the conversation towards me, "But you are the one who sets 'Stay Weird' as your status." I was speechless. Yeah, I tend to be weird at times. Once in a while letting my childish antics take-over the sensible version of mine. For instance, I always had this confusion: "What should be my imaginary name?" when I had to write it in the answer sheet during exams, as you are not supposed to disclose your identity. ( 'What a confusion,' y ou must be thinking.) Back then, Comedy Nights With Kapil got broadcasted on the TV all day long. So, I attempted two questions, naming myself 'Guthi' in one letter and 'Palak' in another. When I told my friends about this, they were in disbelief earlier but relented later on. Moving ahead, I was at a wedding function once. After all the major part of the event had unfolded, my sister and

When my dad lost his phone, I thought that I would write about it as I was in search of a topic. But I couldn't find anything substantial in that episode to write about. Apart from the fact that he called me up in the afternoon to inform me, saying, "The phone has run." I was clueless.  I thought he was talking about the courier guy who must have brought his new phone, that I had ordered online for him to give him a surprise, but has now returned due to some unknown reason. I tried to act innocent and not spill the beans immediately. Thankfully, he was still unaware of 'it' and not-so-thankfully broke the news of his phone getting lost. I advised him and cut the call. After getting all the necessary things done in the evening: lodging the FIR and getting the new SIM with the same old contact number issued etc, (I should cut down the steps, for it's not a tutorial blog on 'Steps to follow after losing your phone') we reached home.  And

"I want actual feedback on my piece of work. I want people to criticise it so that I can improve it." A quote also goes: Do not seek praise. Seek criticism.  ~ Paul Arden I get surprised whenever I hear this sort of words coming. I mean how are people able to take criticism so sportingly? Or they are too fine an actor to conceal their emotions. Because I get an instant feeling of 'How can you say this?' on listening to critical comments.  Be it when someone tries to point out errors in my drawing, pointing out parts which could have been better; or for instance, a few months back, when I was told from multiple references that my blogposts had started to become boring and philosophical. Side note:  I got so pressured on getting that feedback that I ended up writing almost two posts trying to deflect from the ' Philosophical ' label. No matter how truthful I felt that was, but I quite didn't like it. I was aware of t