Day 12

i have a manuscript

i must be a writer

not.

#A-to-Z #Challenge #Reflections Post 2014

This year's challenge has been mixed feelings for me. As always, for the third time in a row, I have enjoyed having a daily post to write about, to think about, and to strive towards. However, I haven't been able to network the way I did the last couple of years. Partly, this has been due to my lack of planning and ending up with a theme that proved really difficult to write upon.
Also, April proved to be unusually busy! I hadn't expected it to be quite so intense, a lot of lovely travelling, a lot of holidays with the family, casting my first vote in the largest election in the world, among other things. So, all in all, I'm not too sure if I will come back to do this next year - but that's too far away to worry about!
I'm very proud of S, over at Failed Experiments & Experimental Failings, who finally managed to get her writing juices flowing at her third attempt at the challenge. What a lovely theme, and what enjoyable posts! Another big shout out to T, over at Scouring Monk, who I owe big time, for taking the time to read each one of my posts, and coming up with some hilarious ones of his own :)
I’d like to sincerely thank the organizers, hosts, co-hosts and helpers of the challenge. Good job!
That's all folks!

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This is the reflections post for the April A-to-Z Blogging Challenge 2014.
Previously, Archaism, British literature, Critical Analysis, Drama, Edinburgh, Faust, Gothic Fiction, Humour, Interpretation, Journalling, Keats, Language, Metaphysical Poetry, Narration, Ode, Papillion(ed), Quatrain, Romanticism, Shakespeare, Tone, University, Victorian Literature, Wilde's Wit, Xenophobia, Yeats, Zen

Z... is for Zen

When I read, it takes me to a beautiful meditative state. Even when I'm studying, rather than reading, I still don't need to make too much of an effort. I'm trying to achieve that with writing too. Sometimes, it works, I get engrossed in what I'm writing and the result is always close to my heart - special. It is this state of calm, quiet, serene peace that draws me to literature.
Every book is like a new friend that takes me on a journey through time, through emotions, and introduces me to feelings I never felt before. This feeling is like an addiction, the more I learn to lose myself, the more I'm drawn into it, with no intention of coming back. When I read Orkney, it was as if someone had been dunking my head in cold water. But even that was pleasurable. Zen, as I have have learnt, is never too far away.
With this, the A-to-Z Challenge comes to an end and I have only one wish for you, may you find your Zen.

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This is the twenty-sixth post for the April A-to-Z Blogging Challenge 2014.
Previously, Archaism, British literature, Critical Analysis, Drama, Edinburgh, Faust, Gothic Fiction, Humour, Interpretation, Journalling, Keats, Language, Metaphysical Poetry, Narration, Ode, Papillion(ed), Quatrain, Romanticism, Shakespeare, Tone, University, Victorian Literature, Wilde's Wit, Xenophobia, Yeats

E... is for Edinburgh

What a disaster! I was away yesterday and this post was scheduled. :( Anyway, here it is now.
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Many of you here don't know me personally. Actually, profession-wise, I'm an Engineer. I have a Masters in Electronics engineering, and while I'm not a complete geek, I like to think that I have a decent analytical brain. I also love Literature and pick up new languages fast, maybe something to do with a good left brain. I got my Masters degree from The University of Edinburgh and it was that time I spent in Scotland that my passion for Literature really picked up. It was also during that time that I decided I was going to study Literature properly, and give my passion a voice.

Edinburgh is a very literary city. There are immense resources for writers, some brilliant book/writing clubs, and endless inspiration. Of course, it helps that nature is predominant in Scotland and very motivating to artists, musicians, and poets. It also helps that Edinburgh itself can also be a very dark and brooding city, with its bloodied past, scary haunting history, and intriguing city-upon-city structure.
Organisations like the Scottish Book Trust and the Scottish Poetry Library promote reading, writing, and generally, the culture of staying associated with good book and good authors. Edinburgh has been a massive inspiration to my literary side, and for that I will always be grateful, and I wrote about that here.

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This is the fifth post for the April A-to-Z Blogging Challenge 2014.
Previously, Archaism, British literature, Critical Analysis, Drama

Late, very late to the party – My #AtoZChallenge Theme Reveal

I do have a very valid excuse for this one. If you know me, you know that I'm very organised. And since I do not 'do' many challenges and lists on the blogging world, I usually do not completely forget about the ones I take up. But last month, I started studying Literature, and the assignment submission deadline was March 31st. Because I'm such a good girl, I submitted them a week in advance! But sadly, that meant that I missed the theme reveal day for the #AtoZChallenge 2014... anyway, here we are now!

Since I've begun studying again, and this time something that I absolutely love; it is only fair that I write about it too! So my theme for this year is 'English Literature Year 1 - Tassels & Troubles'.
I hope you will pick it up from last year's fun. I have had such a great time with this Challenge in the past two years (2013 Scotland, 2012 Books) and I'm sure this year too will be very rewarding! Here's to a brilliant time, folks! Good Luck!

*Massive NEWS*

So, the background being that Book Week Scotland (25 November to 1 December 2013) is about celebrating books and reading in every part of life in Scotland.More than 330,000 free books will be given away during the Book Week Scotland campaign this year, including 150,000 free copies of a new short story and poem collection celebrating the most treasured possessions of various Scots.
"Treasures" is a free book for all of Scotland to share, celebrating the nation’s most loved possessions. Aaaaaaand, my piece is in it. And, one of the eight book covers doing the rounds of Scotland -Tada! I am going to be in 150,000 books and on the cover of like 37,000!

More info here:


http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/reading/book-week-scotland/about
http://www.publishingscotland.org/news/book-week-scotland-2013/

Pick up a copy if you're in Scotland; what can I say, one more reason to be here!
*skipping around with stupid grin on face*

Leave of Absence - the book!

Read about what Tanya has to say about her fabulous new book 'Leave of Absence'
#therapy #schizophrenia #mentalillness #life #inspiration #ptsd
HERE!

Reflecting on the A-to-Z Challenge

I have had a very productive April. I had a long Easter break from University and I spent it travelling, reading, and writing. Well done I say! This is the reason why my posts for this year's challenge were a lot better than last year's. My theme for this year was Scotland!
I gave you posts about travel, music, experiences, life, literature, science, language, history, architecture, food... I think I did well. Scotland has much to offer and being a teeny wee country, no one notices it. Scotland is Edinburgh and Glasgow, yes, but it is so so much more.
To all the 700 people who visited, Thank You. To those who left kind comments, you are appreciated more than you know. And those who are on my reading list now, we'll keep in touch, eh!

To those who survived the challenge, thanks for all the jazz people, you are awesome!

I will leave you with some fabulous resources for travelling to Scotland. If at any point, you decide to come, and need any info... drop me a line and I will be happy to help. I truly love this place. I hope I never have to leave!

VisitScotland
Historic Scotland
BBC Scotland
TravelScotland
Visit Highlands
Hostelling Scotland

and of course, there's Lonely Planet, TripAdvisor, Wikipedia, and Facebook!
Much love and the very best of wishes to you all.

May the wee folk sprinkle you with faery dust!

Z... is for Zoo!

I had an amazing experience at the Edinburgh zoo because

1. I love zoos
2. It was the first time I was visiting a zoo outside India
3. It has penguins and pandas!

I saw 12 animals that I'd never seen before, including pandas, penguins, koalas, wallaby, meerkats, and Sumatran tiger (that looks like a kitten). Anyway, the zoo is celebrating its 100th year, we got showed around the entire facility, including the Budongo Trail, the seat of leading research! The caretakers are a lovely bunch, everything seemed meticulous and the animals were vying for their attention. One of the researchers, who works with capuchin monkeys, was showing us around and we came to an enclosure with about 20 of the animals; he knew them all by name and face! He clearly cared :)

All their names!

A lot of research is ongoing, and the animals choose (or not) to participate in the research as subjects! How cool (and sensitive) is that!

'Lured' into a research pod for us, by nuts!

Tian Tian (the girl panda) has been artificially inseminated this past week from Yang Guan (the boy) and all well-wishers are keeping their fingers crossed for some pandalicious good news soon!

Here is the website www.edinburghzoo.org.uk
More importantly, here is their Youtube channel (you can spend hours watching the videos!!)  http://www.youtube.com/user/TheEdinburghZoo

Lastly, this is my favourite video

Some pictures from my visit, one that I highly recommend. Take your kids, ask questions, bond, donate... you won't be disappointed!

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This post is part of the ongoing A-to-Z Challenge. Previously, Aye, Berwick, Cramond, Disability, Edinburgh, Forth Bridge, Glasgow, Hamish, Isle of Skye, John o' Groats, Kirk, Loch Lomond and Luss, Mogwai, Necropolis, Old Man of Storr, Portobello, Queen of Scots, Robert Burns, Stirling, Tantallon Castle, Urquhart Castle, Venison, Writers' Museum, Saltire, Young.

Liebster Award!

My lovely friend S, over at Failed Experiments & Experimental Failings, nominated me for the Liebster Award!
A couple of days later, Kathleen from Writing, Reading, and Life, nominated me again! I have only started reading her blog but the name, if you know me, is like a magnet and you should definitely stop by.
This is very special to me as this is the FIRST award this blog has won. Thank you, both of you!
This is a pay-it-forward award. It’s only for participants of the A-Z blogging challenge that began on April 1st... I understand that some of you might not 'do' blogging awards, so just take it as my appreciation for your work :)

The rules are:
1. Thank the person who nominated me and link back to their site
2. Post 11 random things about myself
3. Answer 11 questions that S has for me
4. Ask my nominees 11 questions of my own!


Here we go then:

11 things about myself:

1. I'd really like to be a travel writer. Being paid to travel and to write is my dream.
2. My friends are my life. As an only child, they have always been my support system.
3. I love Scotland! There is something simple and unpretentious about life here.
4. I have lived 23 years of my life in India and am not patriotic at all. Close friends say I was born in the wrong country :P
5. Poetry is a sublime form of life.
6. I believe in magic and fairies!
7. My favourite movie is Walt Disney's Cinderella; there is wayyyyy too much to learn from it.
8. I'm a huge pessimist when my feet are on the ground.
9. I love entering peoples' lives when they are messed up and then fixing them!
10. I get taken for granted by friends a lot, I hate it!
11. I am a Grammar Nazi.

Now to answer the questions S put up:

1. What does your name mean? Do you like your name? Have you ever wanted to change it?
It means 'the rising'. I do like my name. I am called Jhelum at home (most Bengali kids have two names lol), sometimes I wish I was called Udita at home and Jhelum formally.

2. Why did you start your blog?
This blog began on 18th Feb, 2007, the day I turned 18. I wrote my first post at 1800 hrs.

3. Tea or coffee?
Both

4. If you could revisit a  day or a certain period of your life, what would it be?
It would have to be my undergrad years, I loved it then, and I would like to relieve it again!

5. What’s your favourite thing about the internet?
Being able to read pretty much anything that I want to read

6. Do you think all this technology and social media has made us better or worse at being social?
Definitely worse! People can't even read real maps anymore!

7. What’s your favourite food?
I'm not fussy about food, anything goes. But I quite like my Gran's Mutton Curry :)

8. Are you a city person or a country-side person?
Oh I'm a countryside person through and through; I'm miserable in cities

9. If you won the lottery, what’s the first thing you’d buy or spend on?
More books :) and travelling

10. Why did you decide to do the A-Z challenge this year?
It gave me a reason to put down in words all the thoughts I have in my head. Also, I wanted to catalogue Scotland the way I saw it.

11. Describe yourself in 4 words.
Imagination. Creativity. Free. Aquarius.

Now for Kathleen's questions:


1. Of the Three Stooges, which one are you most like: Larry, Curly, or Moe? Curly!

2. If you could take the place of any character in any book, who would it be and why?
Tough, maybe Alice, or Sophie... they're both curious :)

3. Mac or PC? PC

4. What is your favorite book cover of all time?
Don't know, maybe the old cover for The Bell Jar

5. What are the last 5 books you’ve read?
Leave of Absence
This Mobius Strip of Ifs
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared
Leonardo’s Swans
... all of which i have written about at BookMark

6. If your life was a movie, who would you want to play your nemesis? (HA! Tricked you on that one!)
Liv Tyler

7. Vanilla or Chocolate? Vanilla :)

8. By some strange accident of fate, I’ve been stranded in your home town. Can I stay at your place?
Yes!

9. Are you sure? Yeah...

10. What was your favorite book as a child?
Moby Dick and Treasure Island

11. What is one word that describes your current MC?
MC?


So, here are the people I nominate. They are doing a great job in their spaces!
Life and Times of a Student
MAGICAL MYSTICAL MIMI
The Ruralhood
Paula's Place
Life on the Muskoka River
Crazy California Claire
Finding Eliza
Voices in my Head
Oh, Frog it!
Michael Abayomi
Phenomenal Lass

My questions for you are:

1. Do you know the meaning of the German word 'Liebster'?
2. One place on your must go list?
3. Do you believe in astrology? Why? Why not?
4. What is the most daredevil thing you've done?
5. What is your favourite book? If you don't read, movie?
6. What is your biggest weakness?
7. Do you believe in fairies?
8. Tea or Coffee?
9. Who is your best critic?
10. Life in five words?
11. One blogger you read everyday (doesn't matter if they aren't taking the challenge)

Enjoy!

B... is for Berwick!

Berwick, or North Berwick, is a tiny little town about an hour's drive northwards from Edinburgh. I've been here twice. Both long and lovely stories. Take 1, V's friend lived in Edinburgh a couple of years ago and came up to spend a week in winter 2012 from Birmingham. His ex-landlady, who must be between 75 and 80, drove the three of us upto Tantallon Castle on 31st December. On the way back, we stopped in Berwick at her friends'. A group of 5 - 6 people who fed us cakes, biscuits, cheeses, and lots of tea just sat around in a warm room on a cold night and talked, about various things. It was the last evening of 2012 and it was so random, yet so beautiful.

 Take two: Su's parents, 5 days later, drove us to a beach nearby... and obviously, we headed to Berwick again after a day of picnic and hiking. This time, it was a ball! We went to Daffodil Cafe, I HIGHLY recommend it. It is owned and run by a slightly eccentric Greek and he makes the most delicious blueberry scones, when he has fresh berries and he feels like making them! They are usually announced by the clanging of plates, and it's a small and packed cafe, so that's pretty darn noisy. And I'm sure they are what heaven must smell like!

Anyway, my memories of North Berwick, unlike Harold Fry's, are far from depressing. It is a quaint town with some lovely beaches and you all should visit!
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This post is part of the ongoing A-to-Z Challenge. Previously, A.

A-to-Z Challenge Reflections Post

I'm just going to tell you what really was, based on the questions that were considered worth reflecting on...
Working on the A-to-Z Challenge was wonderful. I took it for the first time, in fact, I just happened to chance upon it in December and I thought to myself, while signing up, 'Oh, so much fun, I'm totally going to have a ready alphabet by the time April comes!'
That did not happen. Not only did I not have a ready steady line of posts, I hadn't even thought of a theme. This blog was never meant for greatness. It is called 'Shreds & Shards', it contained deep and dark poetry of the personal kind, random ramblings of a college student. It began when blogging wasn't so much a fad. Even before this challenge began, I had some 10 odd followers, all fairly close friends or colleagues. And now I have over two scores! I feel loved and honoured, most importantly, read.
It was April 1st! And I thought, what the hell, let's do it. I thought I'd not have a theme and just wrote about 'Atticus'. But then, I logged in the next morning and saw the response... people liked it! So I thought I was going to be posting about fictional characters. I took out a pen and paper, jotted down the first set that popped into my head, from A to Z. That's it. I did think of Q, X, Y, and Z later on, but otherwise I knew at least what I was going to be writing about.
I began visiting other blogs, again, I was overwhelmed by the amount of dedication that people were putting into this challenge. Commenting was never an issue for me, if there was something I had to say, I'd say it, word verification or not!
I was having a ball! I was putting in 15 minutes into my posts, most of them were shoddy, and I was spending another 15 on commenting and replying. That's it. April was a busy month. V and K will vouch for it. Neither of them thought I was going to make it. I was busy at work, busy at home. On the personal front things were piling up one on top of another... it was crazy! Time management could've been an issue but for he fact that here was NO time at all, managed or unmanaged, days and nights were just seamlessly merging into one another. The only saving grace was that I was posting from the other side of the globe as compared to most others, so I had the advantage in terms of time zones! V and K were both amazing, helpful and motivating. They will never know just HOW grateful I am...
So many people in blogsphere said so many kind things, I'm going to feature them all here soon. I'm not doing it now because it isn't fair to hem for me to be jotting their names in a hurry,; I'll do it, and do it well. And next year, I'm probably going to stick to the same theme and have different characters, and my posts will be more prepared. I'm not such a shoddy writer, I am better, I will be better!
For the hosts, you guys were amazing, you were all over the place! It was hard work for me, I can't even imagine what it must've been like for you. Just one selfish thing, I so with this was happening in November and not April! Only because in November, it is 20 degrees here, while in April, it's 40! It's way too hot to be doing anything productive! But that's just me :P
If you read and liked, if you stopped by just today, if you've followed me, thank you. Your words are important, they make me want to be better. Good luck, stay happy, and keep the faith!

There will always be more to write...

Congratulations to all of you!
Udita
udita.banerjee@gmail.com