I am running away...

I am running away
Let me run

I putting up walls
Don't try to break them down
I'll open the gates when the time comes

I don't feel
Don't try to make me

I can only see joy
I only hear laughter
Else, I refuse to hear u

I see me, I know me, I trust me

I walking around, I'm exploring
Don't laugh because you walk in a line

I'm a dreamer, let me dream
I like being strangers, let me be

My nose isn't in the air, just my head
I am living inside me, but i see you

Stand where you are, I'll walk to you
Don't barge into me

I am me
Accept it!

Define this!

Bansuri:

The bansuri (bans [bamboo] + swar [musical note] is a transverse alto flute made of a single length of bamboo and has six or seven open finger holes. There are no keys to produce sharps and flats, therefore all accidentals and microtones, as well as meend (glissandi) and other ornaments, so important to Indian classical music, are produced by a unique fingering technique.

Flautist: (flôtst, flou-)

n.
One who plays the flute; a flutist.

I: (ī) pron.
Used to refer to oneself as speaker or writer.

n., pl. I's.
The self; the ego.

I'm diving in...Comprende?

I dream....

I dream
Of tomorrows

Tomorrows of families, of kids
Tomorrows of fields, and hills
I see ecstacy, I see darkness,
And then again, the sun shines

Tomorrows of making love
Tomorrows of days and nights
I fly higher and higher
I scream aloud

Tomorrows of written pages
Tomorrows of golden books
I see, I write
I make a world

Tomorrows of small cottages
Tomorrows of rosewood tables
A house, a home
A life of happiness in solitude

My Life
Of todays

Of families and friends
Of finding love and letting it go

Todays of work and play
Of written words and spoken
This morning of music and letters
this evening of house and home

Today being more than the dream of tomorrow
The tomorrows being more than the dream...

Dear People,

I love the mornings, the crispy winter air
I love the nights, dark, velvety, mysterious
I love the cool wind on my face
But, I don’t know how to love you

I love books, their words
I love writing
I love reading, and yet
I don’t know how to love you

I love the strums of a guitar
I love the notes of a flute
I love a good song
Still, I don’t know why, I don’t know how to love you

I love to tell you my every little joy,
I love to talk about nothing at all
I love to talk about my dreams to you
And though I try, I don’t know how to love you

I love to have you around
I love to be without you
I dream about you a lot
But, no! I don’t know how to love you

I love your bodies, your kisses, your hugs
I love your touch on my skin
I love the lingering smell you leave
It’s just that, I don’t know how to love you…

A cozy nook and a good book

"oh, for a cozy nook and a good book...."

I was walking along in Aundh, Pune yesterday, searching for something, when I chanced upon "twistntales"...and I fell in love.

This is a cozy book store in gaikwad nagar aundh.

The store is almost perfect.

The entry is covered by a canopy, and below this canopy is a seating cum playing area.
But what really thrills, is once you enter the shop.
While the shop itself is pretty cozy, they have made fantastic utilizaion of sapce. The books are arranged on wooden book stands that zig-zag all round the shop.

This makes for easy acessibility of books.
Also the books are arranged in no-nonsense categories and best of all the books are stacked in the category they actually belong to, unlike some big brand book store chains I have visited.

Since space is a luxury, they dont have the biggest collection of books, but it does have a fantastic collection. It stocks all the old and new best-sellers and all the new books in the market.

Plus its collection strikes you with its diversity, It has books not only in fiction, non-fiction india, management,et but it has a good collection of humour, which I found sorely lacking in the other big book store I frequent.

They also have this board where they put up cut-outs of book reviews from different newspapers, magazines, the net, must-read booklists etc. Awesome!

But what sets twistntales in a class of its own is the service.

The employees of this bookstore are young college students who are working part-time.
Now, what makes them exceptional, is that they are very well read, and have great knowledge not just about books in general but also thorough knowledge about their collection...which sadly you dont find in other places.

Since the employees are well read, they are also able to make recommendations in a genre of your choice.
Thus not only do they make it a pleasure to shop, but also if you listen closely and pay attention, you get some awesome book recemendations.
The employees actually discuss books while waiting on you, so you get a "walking-talking" book review.
It really is a pleasure to see quality book store employees. For years I have fretted about how the calibur of book store employees just doesnt cut it. For starters they lack what i think should be a pre-requisite, a love for books.

And I saw that spark here. I am pleased.

And I think I showed it.

I grinned from ear to ear when i was asked if i would liked to be mailed the weekly book reviews they do. I mean this place had genuine class.

And they gave me a bookmark too. :-) And a paper bag for the book I bought.
I have always thought that book stores should do this. And somebody is!!!!

And it didnt hurt that i found a fantastic book while I was there.

"The city of dreaming books" by Walter mores.

Its a book for all book lovers. But more on that later.

This was just my ode to the perfect cozy nook of a book shop.

If you are in pune, you have to visit it. Dive into this magical kingdom of books and book lovers.


twistntales
Yourneighbourhoodbookstore.

Contact Details of Twistntales
Address
Shop No1 Siddarth, Gaikwad Nagar, Aundh,
Pune-411007
Phone No
25881465

Time:10.30 To 20.30 Monday Closed.

Subscribe:twistntales@yahoogroups.com

Email:contact@twistntales.com

Books & More-The book store of my dreams

Reading a book isn’t about just the hour, 2 hours or 2 days that you spend reading it. It is about what you take away from the book, what remains with you.
Many of the books you read become part of who you are, they define you.


A book will awaken many hidden emotions within you. It’ll unlock your mind and give flight to your thoughts. And it’ll be so much more enjoyable because you can paint the canvas in the colors you want. You can sketch the characters in your mind using the author’s words. You can paint the sky in the colors you want and plant the flowers in the gardens as you choose. It’s your canvas. You are the artist.

Some of the most peaceful and happiest moments you will spend in your life will be curled up with a book in one hand and a coffee mug in the other. I know mine are. The pure warmth and emotion that fills you, as you laugh and cry with the characters of the book, is an experience that will leave you exhilarated, breathless and at the same time filled with a strange calm. It’ll make your eyes fill with tears for Meg and Amy and Jo and little Beth March.
As the warm coffee makes its way down your throat and you bite into a crunchy blueberry cup cake you fall in love with Elizabeth Bennet and dream about Darcy.

It is with the idea of getting to you this seductive and intoxicating combination of literature and a cuppa coffee, we bring to you “Books & More”

Its the one with the attractive front gate...

Saw a billboard sign for a new apartment complex today in pune...It had photos with accompanying captions for all the usuals...The manicured lawn, the clubhouse, the pool, the 20 floors per building, fallala fallala...but then it had one photo/feature that took your breath away. It had one feature that astounded your senses...that made you salivate, it made you fantasise about living there..the photo and the caption was "An attractive front gate!!!" Ppaaraaaa Parrraaaaa!!!!
Oh my Gawd! now i know why i could never understand the high rents in pune..obviously i wasnt noticing the importanat features at all. I never even looked at the front gates to see if they were "attractive" or not. I mean who wants, running water, fire safety, good roads, etc when you can have...u can have...oh my Gawd!!!...AN ATTRACTIVE FRONT GATE!!!!
Please to note: Its not just any front gate...its an attractive front gate

Now you dont need to have a postal address...you just need to direct people by saying " its the one with the attractive front gate"

Note to myself; Please revisit fundas on house buyer needs and wants as well as advertising...You need to refresh your knowledge!!!!

P.S: This is not meant as any kind of disrespect to front gates. I sincerely apologise if I have inadvertantly offended any front gates. I like you. I really do. And if you are attractive, even better so..but darlin front gate..do u really feel you must be advertised?

Rain, Rain come again!!!

I got up this morning feeling very very cold...i had actually wrapped myself into a feotal position...
yipdee!!!!...the weather has finally changed...has the winter (read indian (hyd) winters: whr u dont faint from the heat) ..has it finally arrived...????
its only after i stepped out did i realized it had rained last night...and thats why temperatures had dropped
Anyways, the weather was simply brilliant today..the sky was slightly overcast and a there was a slight drizzle
For the uninitiated, it time for a little education.
See, in Hyderabad, India, it doesn’t actually rain, it only drizzles…
And if you been brought up on a healthy Mumbai diet of pouring cats and dogs, lightning, thunderstorms, waist high water, you walking completely drenched…the drizzle doesn’t just make the cut….
However, I wont complain, since the weather was awesome…
Besides hyd doesn’t completely disappoint on the rain front.
Firstly, temperatures drop to a really pleasant chill (for normal ppl)(for ppl like me…I get out the sweaters and jackets!!)
Secondly, and much more importantly, that miniscule drizzle actually manages to flood the streets to a respectable ankle high water level at least. I didn’t believe any city in the world could have a drainage system worse than dear old mbai, but bless hyd…it keeps me hoping.
Now, that’s what I call rains!!!
So I am the sole person dressed formally (read: office formals) on the street, whos walking away merrily in ankle deep water (read dirty water), grinning silly-ly from ear-to-ear…I have even broken out into singing once in a while.
My roommates have given up on me. I am sure they ( and most of the ppl who live on my road) think I am deranged…I mean they cannot understand that normal ppl might like walking through calf length dirty water..kicking and spurting water all around…!!!they are strange, like that! Whats not to understand??!!!

My happiness list (Things that make me smile...)

This has been inspired by Clare and her 3 beautiful things. This is a list of all things that make me smile...I plan to keep updating it...

1. Curled up in bed with a good book
2. A hot mug of coffee in one hand, and a book in the other
3. When its raining cats and dogs outside, and I'm sitting on my favourite sofa as home
4. traveling through the city alone at a window seat in a bus
5. Watching a little baby walking on the road holding his fathers/mothers finger
6. A young father carrying a baby girl
7. Listening to fast music while having a hot shower
8. Getting in touch with a old friend whom I had lost touch with
9. Planning a trip
10. Looking forward to a trip
11. Walking through ankle/knee high water in my old jeans and mackintosh...And its pouring
12. When my 2 month niece falls asleep with her head on my shoulder and her nose against my neck
13. Talking about books with friends
14. Mom still complaining that I'm never going to grow up
15. Talking total nonsense with old friends
16. Listening to classic songs..And singing along with my roommates
17. When a newly tried dish turns out well
18. Holding hands
19. Watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S.
20. Watching mushy movies
21. Getting personal mail from friends
22. Getting a snail mail letter
23. Getting a courier from home
24. Buying new books
25. Finding an unexpected book in a small book shop
26. Writing my blog
27. Getting comments on my blog
28. The first drops of rain on my cheek after a harsh summer
29. Finding a very old greeting card or school book at the back of my drawers at home
30. Looking at childhood photos
31. The smell of a new notebook...Reminds me of 1st day of school
32. The smell of new plastic...Reminds of new raincoats and new schoolbags
33. The smell of wet mud
34. The smell of paint
35. My nieces toothless smile
36. Listening to radio on a long drive
37. When I learn something new
38. Wearing new clothes
39. Fitting into old clothes
40. Sitting on top of the dining table at home
41. Discovering something new to eat in the cupboard/fridge
42. Riding pillion with the wind blowing through my hair
43. Rolling up and jeans and dipping my feet in a stream
44. Washing my hair, roaming around with slightly damp hair,smelling the shampoo in the damp hair
45. Having hot soup on a cold day
46. Waking up at 7 on a Saturday morning, realizing i dont have to go to work, and going back to sleep

Yipdee!! I have been promoted to lead fruit picker!

Was wondering about that cliche debate of balancing family life with work... And I thought-When the heck did this actually become an issue...
I visualized my ancestors back in the caveman age....
So this is how i see it...

Mr. Mehta used to go to the forest, kill animals, drag back the carcasses, plus some fruit and berries and give it Mrs. Mehta to cook over the fire... the little mehta boys used to amuse themselves by throwing rocks at each other and playing pretend fights with animal bones....while the little mehta gurls built small caves from the mud lying around outside the cave...
Mr. Mehta came back as soon as he had collected the essentials for his family and spent time with the kiddos...teaching little rohan mehta and ketan mehta how to give blows with a club and telling stories to little nita mehta about how one day she would have a cave of her own...
Mrs. Mehta went about her work which at that time included cleaning the cave, washing the loin cloths and preventing the little mehtas from breaking their heads in..

Now I agree that the womans life has definitely more enriched today..but leaving the gender issue aside for a moment, taking society at large...I wonder if Mr. Mehta back then ever said...
"hmmm..Mr. Agarwal is managing to get more berries than I am..and getting the meatier rabbit...I have to better my performance.
Did Mehta start working longer hours to get back with a rabbit that was just a little meatier. Did the mehta family get used to the meatier rabbit and expect still more.
Did mr. mehta start missing his evening time with mrs. mehta where they sat together at the entrance of the cave and watch the sunset and talk about how little rohan mehta wasnt mastering the art of bashing animals head well enough and talk about how he'd do in the future...
Did mr. mehta miss little nita mehtas concern that the agarwals son kept pelting her with pebbles and tried to show off his fire making skills to impress her...
Did mr. mehta stay out longer and longer just so that one day his name would be carved on the tree bark above mr. agarwals' for having collected more berries
Did Mehta come home one day with an extra bunch of berries and gift of a free bunch of grapes shouting "Yipdee!! I have been promoted to lead fruit picker!!!"
...only to find nita mehta had run away with the agarwal boy to live in the posh new cave colony that had come up on the other side of the forest with special facilities like a private rock bed for each cave for washing and a private hot spring geyser for a payment of 2 rabbits every month...
Have we really evolved in every sense???