A glimpse of TFIOS through Isaac

Just a bit of fan fiction that I had written ,long back. It's a small glimpse of The Fault in Our Stars from Isaac's point of view.Let me know what you think in the comments section.

Well, you wouldn’t say that, if you knew him, Isaac thought to himself as the priest mumbled on something about how Augustus Walters was an altruistic, heroic, sanguineous idol. Everyone around him was sniffing and nodding their heads mournfully in agreement. According to Isaac, though Gus was a self-aggrandizing bastard but Gus was still his best friend nonetheless.

Although Isaac had lost both his eyes due to an eye cancer called retinoblastoma, he always believed in true love and he felt that everyone should have a true love. And when Monica, whom Isaac had considered as his own true love, had wrecked out his heart and stamped on it mercilessly, Gus was the one who was there for him. He will never forget the memorable day when Gus had made his girlfriend Hazel, Isaac and himself drive over to Monica’s house with a dozen eggs and had Isaac egg her car as a form of personal revenge.

For a moment he forgot where he was and almost sniggered when he went back to that instant when Monica’s mom had stepped out to find out who was causing all the ruckus and Gus had said,” Hello ma’am your daughter has done great injustice . So, we have come here seeking revenge. See, we may not look like much but between the three of us, we have five legs, four eyes and two and a half working pairs of lungs but we also have a dozen eggs. So if I were you, I would go back inside.” And miraculously, he did leave Monica’s bewildered mother speechless.

That’s the kind of person he was and that’s the kind of effect he had on people. And though Isaac wouldn’t admit it to anyone, it broke his heart that Gus had gotten far fewer years than he truly deserved. But he was glad for all the memories Gus had given him. And for as long as he lives, he won’t forget all the hours that he had spent with him, playing video games in his basement and all of his cocky, pretentious metaphors. Though Isaac hadn’t found his true love, he was glad that Gus had found his.

The ceremony ended and everyone got up to pay their final respects, as he walked over to the casket, Isaac recalled their own pre-funeral that he had with Gus and Hazel. And when he stood there, looking down at the casket, he bid his final goodbye to his best friend; he thought about the eulogy he had given that day, and smiled as he repeated the last few words to himself:

“But I will say this: When the scientists of the future show up at my house with robot eyes and they tell me to try them on, I will tell the scientists to screw off, because I do not want to see a world without him.”

La vie en rose

                                                      

Commencé par “salut"

Un petit début

J'ai acueilli ce nouvel ami

Sans savoir qu' il va changer ma vie

                                                

Mais quand on traîne sans but

Quand on parle de tout

Et quand il ya de tranquille

Je l' ai puisé par tes yeux qui brille

                                                

J'ai envie de te dire 

Chaque fois que tu me fais rire

Pour essai de me faire sourire

Je veux de serrer contre ton coeur

Je ne pense pas que tu sais                       

Que tu as touché mon coeur 

Avec tous tes gestes en douceur

Et avec chaque pas sur ce trottoir 

Quelque part grandi un espoir

                                                

De nouvel ami à  meilleur ami

Et peut-être quelqu' un encore

ça me semble que c'est la vie en rose

Commencé par "salut"

Un petit début

Une amitié pour la vie

Et un amour pour toujours

                                                 

                             

Save the Internet!!!

" Right at this very moment, Indian telecom companies are lobbying the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India( TRAI)  to enact a regulation in a way that will change the way Indians are using the internet forever."

                           - Tanmay Bhatt ( AIB- Save the internet) 

 Now, everybody knows how important the internet is in our daily lives whether it involves an adorable cat GIF or all the  types of selfies you can find on Snapchat and Instagram, chatting on Whatsapp or Skype to that long lost relative who lives on the other side of the globe, losing track of time while watching hilarious Youtube videos, hashtagging the heck out of everything on twitter, and googling about the uttermost random things say for example Channing Tatum's ears - Yes, all this ( At the cheapest and fastest rate) is only possible here.

Don't worry, this is not a fourth grade essay on the boons of the internet. I just wanted to give you a gist of all the things you love about the internet before I made you realize the catastrophe that would unleash on us if our internet service  providers (ISPs) were to start manipulating and controlling not only the amount and the speed of our data usage but also the manner in which we utilize it. Here's a news flash - this is exactly what is going to happen as telecom operators like Vodafone and Airtel are trying to  pull strings with  the TRAI to enable them to block apps and websites so that they can  extort more money from consumers and businesses. Which means that they plan to rip us off even more!!!

Although the ' Airtel Zero' scheme which allows smartphone users free access to select websites and apps without any data charges seems like an innocent attempt to satisfy consumer needs doesn't it?Free internet is better than free food. Flipkart, for example  could be accessed freely by Airtel users. But, even though you aren't paying for those data charges- someone is. Companies have to pay for the data consumed by the consumers across India. Well, it doesn't really matter as long as I'm not the one paying for it, right?While Big league players like Flipkart , Whatsapp, etc will flourish under such propositions at the same time start up businesses and companies that don't posses the same kind of financial support system will flush down the train.

Jon Bon Jovi once said that the internet and new social networking are new avenues for the next Bob Dylan to be born on. Yet, I wonder what would happen if the " next Bob Dylan" is asked to shell out immense bulk loads of cash just so that his audience can access his music freely. Can you imagine the no.of  new artists, writers, bloggers, business men who will crash in the same way if they can't use the internet as a free platform to express themselves, their voices ,their art to you and the world at large?

But why should I care if it is only going to affect them? Consumers( like You & I)  are also at stake here. If we don't stop the telecom operators' or ISPs' petition they can even charge sites like Youtube or Netflix for the lager sum of bandwidth they consume and eventually this additional cost will be pushed on to the consumers- that's you!!! Furthermore they can create slow and fast internet lanes which is a means to dominate the speed at which you access different websites. As a consequence as all websites won't be made  able at the same speed,  to do so you'll have to pay an additional sum. What now you think it's unfair to manipulate your access to the internet and your data usage so that the ISPs can thrive on your violation of consumer rights? Finally, you get it. But  are we just going to cry and sit back and wait for ache din to come like some helpless damsel in distress in a corny fairy tale?

Here are two words that can save us- NET NEUTRALITY!

Don't be fooled by the boring aura those two words present- they are your fairy godmother in this urban corny fairy tale. Net neutrality prevents your ISP from maneuvering the way you choose to utilize data and access the internet. It keeps  the internet- the free, undiscriminating platform it is to voice your opinions an share your thoughts, ideas, views and bleh, bleh, bleh. In short, it barricades the gold digging ISPs from encroaching your freedom as a consumer while approaching the internet.

" Oh. That sounds wonderful!" , right?Now  you want net neutrality to be established in India and how can you make sure that it is ? Now, the TRAI knows that if they want Indians to ignore anything majorly important that threatens their rights, all they have to do is make it appear completely boring. So, the TRAI has released a consultation papers containing 20 questions elaborated in just about 118 perplexing pages. jeez. I would rather study my 12th grade physics textbooks before i go through those! Not to forget the TRAI wants you to submit your complaints before the 24th April or it it would give telecom operators free reign  to charge the hell out of everything!!! 

 But that seems so complicated and   the clocks ticking by pretty fast, right? Don't start hyperventilating yet. All you got to do is log into http://www.savetheinternet.in/ and in  barely a minute and with just two clicks, you can send the TRAI a mail citing your complaints. Piece of cake , isn't it!!!

It is still going over your head ?Stand up comedians like AIB, John Oliver have made hilarious and simple videos to explain this whole shenanigan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfY1NKrzqi0&feature=youtu.be, 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpbOEoRrHyU. 

 Also, if you want to save the internet tell as many people as you can. It's time to grow up and do something.They can ban all the beef they want but they can't touch our internet. We need to save the internet or else we led down internet ourselves!

Sisters- An Eternal Bond

" A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost."- Marion C.Garretty

                                                                     


Though all human beings are born equal, sisters are the most peculiar creatures among all. For a sister is capable of being one of  the most evil, wicked witches and the sweetest( And I am talking,' I bake cookies everyday just for my sister' sweet, here), adorable angels, all in just one hour. And they keep interchanging between these two roles for the rest of their life. From babies to bitches,from toddlers to teenagers, from school to senility they have stuck by your side, and they will be there no matter what. Whether it was tantrums, mood swings,'The  awkward, chubby kid' phase, ' The punk teenager' phase, the ' I dyed my hair blonde' phase, you name it, they have seen it all.( like they would ever let you forget). But through it all, they have managed to love you in a way only a sister can. Never ever underestimate your sister, they know almost each and every little secret of yours( more than they let on). But don't worry, they would never reveal your secrets because they know you will and you do return the favor. And whatever you do, don't ever dare to mess with sisters. They will unleash all hell upon you.

Now you can agree or disagree, or just agree to disagree but according to me, here are some of the finest highlights of having a sister and being a sister. I am not saying they are all good, they might be bad, annoying, weird too but they are the finest and most precious memories of sisterhood.

ALL THE FIGHTS

Now when I was younger, my fights with my sister used to contain a little bit of everything.( hair tugging, punching, boxing , biting, scratching, etc.) I am just kidding, it never got that bad. (... or am I? If you have a sister, you will know) Now  I can't remember what the fights were about. After about the first five or six, you just loose track. But at least more than one of them were about the remote control. Sometimes, okay all the time, you tend to overreact. Like:

ME: OH MY GOSH!! You never listen to me! I always have to compromise.
MY SISTER: OH PLEASE!! I always have to listen to you, whine and crib.
(at this point, one of us has the other in a headlock)
( Dad walks in)
ME: YOU ARE THE BEST SISTER EVER!!!( While hugging her tightly)
MY SISTER: NOOO! YOU ARE!!!

I am not saying they always made sense. But we always made up quickly. You can't survive a day without talking to your sister. Plus, you make a great roommate, because you know how to get past people's small, annoying habits like a pro! And someday, when you are about 90 years old and you are sitting in a rocking chair with her, these crazy fights will make you smile and laugh hysterically. And you will be telling your sister," Bitch, i can still take you down the way I used to when i was nine."

SHARING IS CARING

Whether it's clothes, shoes. accessories, food, books , everything that can be shared is shared.And it is one of the best perks of being a sister! We are super generous human beings.
Although if you break or loose their stuff. Um, not so much.

MY SISTER: Where are my favorite blue heart shaped earrings?
ME: Didi, you won't believe there was a huge bird and it just swept in from the window annn-
MY SISTER: URRGHH! NOT AGAIN!!!

Well, in my defense, sometimes stuff just slips, okay!

EVEN IF YOU ARE ALONE... YOU ARE NEVER ALONE!

When you have a sister, you will always have a friend around. Someone who will listen to you, watch movies with you, someone who is always ready to go shopping with you. They were your bffs long before you even knew what a bff is. And they were there for you, when your other so-called best friends ditched you. They taught you what true friendship meant and what it means to be a true friend. And they always, always have a hug in store for you.

SO WHAT DOES BEING A SISTER MEANS?

The word sister doesn't really do justice to all the sisters in the world. Because being a sister is like being a parent, a friend, a guidance counselor, a roommate, a guru, a  true soul mate. And when you look at your sister , you see a little part of you in her and a little part of her in you. When they move away, these little sometimes irritating, sometimes sweet, sometimes hilarious moments are what you will miss the most. But it doesn't matter even if they move halfway across the world, they will always be close to your heart.

Some people go through life searching for unconditional love but they never find it. But if you have a sister I congratulate you, for it was always there right beside. If I were to loose everything  but as long as I have my sister, I would still be okay. But god forbid if I had everything and I lost my sister, I wouldn't even be able to stand. Because whatever it is that you are going through, your sister will always be there to share the pain and the joy. Truly, she loves you unconditionally. So now that you have revisited all your sisterhood memories, go and give your sister a big, bear hug.

( Those of you who don't have a sister, not to worry, you will always have your unbiological sisters, your best friends.)

' The Ideal Look'

"Beauty is how you feel inside,and it reflects in your eyes. It is not something physical."

                                                                                                       - Sophia Loren

                            

                            Ugh. My dark circles are huge.

                            Wait, is that another zit? Perfect!Damn you, deliciously scrumptious cheese fondue.

                            What is that? Am I starting to grow whiskers????

This is, basically, the gist of my thoughts, every morning. I wake up, look at my reflection in the mirror, and fuss over all the possible flaws in my appearance.  And, I'm sure that you tend to criticize yourself in some or the other way too. And, it's not just you and I, every woman, every person tends to be overly self- critical of themselves. Deep down, we all wish to look a certain way , we fantasize what we would look like if we could just tweak the shape of our nose, or if we could have that straight, silky hair, or possess that perfect body , or to have that clear, smooth complexion.We long to look a certain way, ' The Ideal' way. We itch to have ' The Ideal' look. 

I know what you are going to say now, " Psst.yawn. bogus. I knew that already. There's nothing new about that." But, let me ask you, If you know that everyone feels the same way, If you know that no one is perfect, and that ' The ideal' just doesn't exist. Then,why do you & I still keep inflicting ourselves with such demoralizing rebukes? It's easy to think that it's the society, the media,the outside world that planted this delusion, to be 'The Ideal', in our minds. But, the bitter truth is that it's not the society that imposed these narrow-minded conceptions on us, we are the real culprits of our low self-esteems. What we see outside is nothing but a reflection of what we feel inside.

How many times have you caught yourself looking at a friend, a relative, a stranger and envied their luscious hair, or their slender arms and legs, or their clear, glowing skin. But do you know, 
while you are envying someone else, that ' someone else' might actually be fretting about their own insecurities and they could actually be envying you back? And the circle continues. Even though, we don't believe in our own beauty, we want to be told that we are beautiful. And we wait for someone else to come and make us believe in ourselves, but we won't do it ourselves. Forgive me, isn't that a little too hypocritical of us?

But why should we feel the need to hide these little imperfections, that are, actually, a part of who we are. Think about it, if everyone of us were to take away those tiny blemishes and flaws and achieve 'The Ideal look', won't we loose our individuality, too? And isn't that a bigger loss, in so many ways, Remember, your imperfections are what makes you, a real woman. Instead of hiding them, if you embrace these little details , your so-called flaws, you have the power to compel people to see the real you. Your soul will shine out through  your eyes. When you accept yourself for who you are, the world will start doing the same too. I know what you have to say, " That's some good advice, but easier said then done, right?". Well, what if I could prove it?

Lupita Nyong'o
 An actress and film director, she won an Oscar for her role as the slave Patsey in the film ' 12 years a slave'. And, in 2014, she was named " The most beautiful woman" by People's magazine. Something, she felt she could never achieve , because she thought beauty meant " Light skin and long, flowing, straight hair."

 So, there you go, I want you to be inspired by this one hell of an amazing woman, and realize that when you appreciate yourself for who you are, no more and no less, there are no limits as to what you can achieve.I know it's hard and it takes a lot of courage but it is worth it. And now when I wake up, I look in the mirror, and I am thankful for my crazy, unruly wavy hair, my slightly plumpy nose and my braces studded teeth. Because they are a part of who I am. And I wouldn't change my imperfect features for the world.(Though I'll be glad to get my braces off, Perfect or Imperfect, they can be a pain.) All I can tell you is that if Lupita Nyong'o could do it, if I can do it, then, so can you.

A New Beginning

"If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word."- Margaret Atwood

                         

                                                                             
Have you ever felt an urge, an instinct inside you driving you on, to pursue something, a long lost dream or a new found hope? But then, did you ever take a look around you, see all those masterminds who were already a whole lot better than you, did you feel like a little kid trying to play a grown up's game? And so, did you give up on that warm glowing gut feeling inside you because of all the fears you experienced in the real world?

I have always wished to pen down my thoughts, my stories and my words.But whenever I would try I would question myself, "What if I am not good enough?","What if everyone mocks my writing?" and I would tell myself  that there are so many better, smarter, craftier writers than me, So, What's the point of writing at all? What's the point of even trying? Every time I let my fear of failure grow bigger than my love for writing.

But now I know that it's not about success or failure, it's not about winning or loosing, it's not about being good or being bad. It's about doing what you love solely for the purpose of doing what you love.Because when I write I don't write for the world, I write for me. Sure,at first, it seems like every word, every line, every paragraph, every article is missing something and I have to resist the urge to rip off every page and chuck them in the trashcan. But as someone once said, the worst thing you ever wrote is better than the best thing you did not write. And slowly(sometimes excruciatingly  slowly) the words just come to me naturally and then it just a matter of putting them down on the paper and weaving all the words together to form a beautiful story or a powerful message.

I also wanted to do something to inspire others, something that could make someone smile when they feel like they are about to cry. something that could make you laugh at the end of a long, rough day, something that makes you realize that who you are and what you are is more than enough. I wanted to make others feel good about themselves because when I do that, that's when I feel good about myself. And if my thoughts are forever stuck only inside my head  then they won't do anyone any good.

Blogging seemed like the best way to do that by simply, doing what I love.If you ask me what I'm going to blog about, I won't be able to give you a clear answer. Because I go with the flow and wherever it is that my heart leads me. All I can say is that I'll try my best to make it worth your time.

 And whoever you are, if you are reading this post right now, if there's something that you want to do, but you are hesitating because you fear that you might mess up or that people might ridicule you, remember, if you never try,you will never know. You won't start out as the best.The best  didn't even start out as being the best. Everyone has to endure and overcome innumerable bumps and stumbles along the way.  And once you get through all those rough patches, well, that's when the fun part begins.All you have to do is take the first step, no matter how small it might be. Don't ever give up, the best is yet to come.