The 30-day photography assignment.

So, i found the 30-day photography challenge on Pinterest, and thought it was a great idea. Before i knew it, dear A had repinned it, put a plan together for its execution, gathered a bunch of friends and made it a full-blown fun exercise to follow.


Yesterday was Day 1, and the challenge was to take a self portrait.

Predictably, i didn't remember about it till the stroke of midnight. So, i whipped out my camera and quickly shot a few.


First, i thought i'd post this:





But then, since everybody was going to put up nice pictures, i decided to go mad. So i put up this:

It's a psycho start, but i can't wait to see what comes up over the next month. I'll be posting pictures here parallelly. Things are going to get madder, trust me.

Passing the time with dragonflies and butterflies and fishies.

I made these over the last couple of days. Yeah, i know i know, i got talent. :)

Knowing.

I know how to make anger go away.

How to live with hatred till it vaporises.

I know how to be strong.

I know how to make people happy. How to make them laugh.

I know to deal with pain. Boredom. Uselessness.

I know to be wise and unconditional and righteous and evil.

I know how to drive restlessness away.

I just don't know what to do with Sadness. She gets me every time.

Just when you're done making bucketloads of lemonade, life sends a gift basket full of lemons. And the tag reads "With love".

It's true. Everything seemed to be going just fine (by cosmic standards) when suddenly, like pieces of Dominoes, things started to fall apart.

First, it was the Doomsday Decision followed by lots and lots and lots of tears. I really didn't think i had it in me to cry like i did. And, surprisingly, i don't think i'm done crying. Then it was hours of confoundedness and terrible confusion and heartache (in the middle of which i get a missed call from what seemed to be an Australian number), followed by a brave move.

I have the permission, the blessings of my parents, the freedom to live on my own, play house and go berserk setting the place up. The dream of a lifetime. But at what price? It meant breaking away from the familiar, leaving behind a life i'd known for 28 years and had built with love, pain and numerous indulgences. It meant venturing into the unknown. Well, almost, not entirely. It meant that i would have to be stronger, calmer, more focused, more level-headed, more indifferent, hatred-free and consciously happy. I must be raving mad to contemplate the move.

But then, you have to understand that i'm a sucker for new experiences. I NEED to try everything once. Okay, almost everything. And i've wished to stay on my own for the longest time. So when i think of moving, i'm only full of anticipation and absolute excitement. No dread. No fear. No second thoughts.

Just as i zero in on what it is i want to do, the basket of lemons arrives.

Two nights ago, while i was staying at a friend's place, my mother had an attack of the sweaties. Profuse perspiration, weakness, numb hands and disorientation. Dad, who needs taking care of, was taking care of her instead. 3 in the morning, he was using a hair dryer to warm her hands. Her sugar had dropped rock bottom. And i only got to know this the next evening. Afraid, and as a consequence, angry, i confronted my dad and asked him why he didn't call. How can we call you at 3 in the morning?, he asked. So what? He just shook his head in a "no" and walked away. I was the same city, just 45 minutes away. And they still hadn't called.

It's scary, really. And it's making me think harder about whether i want to go. Whether i HAVE to go. It's not going to be as easy as just packing my bags and heading out. It's not going to be a week-long holiday.

Harakiri, in the name of poetic license.

Beautiful butterfly against blue, blue sky, hums soulfully,
flapping hurriedly, towards the sunflower fields on the... *SPLAT*
* * *

Marginalized, merchandised, innocent no more
Hello, Winnie the Pooh
* * *

Adam and Eve tore off their leaves and started making out a wee
Along came a Snake, and then there was an orgy
* * *

"Pussy cat, pussy cat, where have you been?"
"NONE OF YOUR GODDAMN BUSINESS! I WANT A DIVORCE!"
* * *

Newton sat under a tree, thinking all about gravity
When an apple fell, blew him a death knell,
And instead of one law, there were three
* * *

Sun Tzu wrote The Art of War,
But in his lifetime its fame didn't reach far
It was only after the poor sod was dead
That the book became big with management schools, instead

* * *

And then some more, courtesy A:

Mary had a little lamb,
Which she had for lunch

* * *

"Baa Baa Black Sheep,
Have you any wool?"
"No!"

* * *

Little Miss Muffet,
Sat on a tuffet
Eating her curds and whey
Along came a spider:
"That's my place Bitch! Get up!"

* * *

Well, something good seems to have come of you.

After several years of poetic dormancy, i have been inspired to write an epic. All thanks to you. Ironically, the alternative word for an epic is Lay. Funny funny.

I'm coming to get you, Hope. You'd better run, because when i find you, i'm going to choke your dainty, wide-eyed, innocent, goody-two-shoes throat with my bare, rage-ragged and deeply suffering hands. I'll send you back to your blessed box, where you belong.

Where is Pandora these days, anyway? I can think of specimens of mankind who can do with a little mischief right now, and she'd come in extremely handy.

YOU CAN WIN! (Aka "A quick and handy guide to dealing with the Ex-es in your life.")

#1 RESIST the urge to call them. Or message. No matter how close you were, are, or may be.

#2 STICK to safe topics when you meet. "Do i look fat?" is not one of them. Just keep it light and easy. "Remember the last time we made love and you farted?" does not fall in the category. The keyword here is safe.

#3 AVOID bringing up the past. For example, see example in point #2.

#4 STAY away. No physical proximity. At least not within running-and-jumping-into-arms-or-bed length.

#5 DELETE all trace of his existence from your life, unless you can keep it all locked away in a safe place (NASA's time capsule isn't a bad option) till the day you might want to be friends again. Or in the same room without being uncomfortable or uneasy. Once you are either, follow point #2.

Now dealing with yourself when you have to deal with your ex-es? That calls for a different post altogether.