Words that catch my fancy

Alright, I was browsing the net recently for some interesting websites recently(in order to keep my creativity flowing) and came across some words. So what's so great about that is, I just happened to think how some words, catch your attention and remains in your head the whole day. It just is so fancy that you try to use it in some sentence while speaking and don't even realize that these sentences don't make any sense but you'll use it anyways 'coz you just fancy it's pronunciations so much...

Does this happen only to me? Maybe. It might be part of my weird and wacky mind which goes totally out of control sometimes. So anyways, I thought I'll list down a few words that brings mixed emotions in my mind and a tingling sensation in my stomach. Some are so expressive in it self that just enunciating that word is enough to explain them. No need to add anything else. Check it out...

1. Rhapsody - An instrumental composition irregular in form and suggestive of improvisation. An ecstatic expression of feeling or enthusiasm. 2. Scintillating - Animated; vivacious; effervescent. 3. Enunciate - To utter or pronounce (words, sentences, etc.), esp. in an articulate or a particular manner. 4. Aubergine - No no its not a word with a very deep meaning, it is what we call in India - the Brinjal, also known as eggplant. (The brinjal is a little different in South east Asia compared to other continents. But I like the word Aubergine.)5. Jazz - A style of dance music, popular esp. in the 1920s, arranged for a large band and marked by some of the features of jazz.(I've pronounced this 4 letter word in 4 different types - 'jasss', 'chazz', 'jaaaz' and finally the correct way 'jaz'.)

6. Mystique - A framework of doctrines, ideas, beliefs, or the like, constructed around a person or object, endowing the person or object with enhanced value or profound meaning. 7.Emancipate - To free from restraint, influence, or the like. 8. Radical - Thorough going or extreme, esp. as regards change from accepted or traditional forms. Favoring drastic political, economic, or social reforms. eg. A radical change in the policy of a company. 9. Ghastly - Shockingly frightful or dreadful, horrible. 10. Epiphany - A literary work or section of a work presenting, usually symbolically, such a moment of revelation and insight.

11. Balmy - mild and refreshing; soft; soothing. (I remember coming across this word first time in a Nancy Drew book when I was in the 6th. It really made me sick and my stomach hurt. Till date, whenever I read this word, my stomach hurts. Seriously, I have no logical explanation as to why it happens. Its weird. Such a harmless word. tch tch!!) 12. Saunter, ramble - To walk with a leisurely gait; stroll. eg: Sauntering through the woods. 13. Grotesque - Odd or unnatural in shape, appearance, or character; fantastically ugly or absurd, bizarre.14. Presumptuous - Impolitely bold.

I can go on and on but I think I should stop. Referring to No.11, wanted to reveal something else. Whenever I write, it makes me very uncomfortable if I haven't dotted the 'i's, the full stops and stroke the 't's properly. When in college or class, if I found I haven't satisfyingly stroke a 't' or dotted the 'i's', I would go back and make it right, thus, being left behind with my notes. It was highly irritating. I still don't know why I did that. Like I said before, W-E-I-R-D-O, that's what I am...

Hey Naisha, Carol why don't you guys try out this exercise, lets see which words catch your fancy...

* Source for the definitions - Dictionary.com

In her shoes

When you see the trailers, it looks like any other 'chick flick' is what one of the reviewer wrote about this movie. (btw, this word 'chick flick' troubles me a lot, I mean any women-oriented movie is called a 'chick flick', what's with that.. then what should we call all those mindless action-packed, gruesome murders and senseless violence displaying movies..? 'leave-your-brains-at-home flick'??) yeah rite!!

Anyways I saw this movie because I wanted to see Toni Collette, her last movie I saw was 'About a boy', which was again an awesome movie. I really wasn't keen to see Cameron Diaz, coz I thought, she might just be a glamor quotient in the movie. Well, wasn't I in for a surprise!!

The story is about 2 sisters, Maggie Feller(Cameron Diaz) and Rose Feller(Toni Collette) who lose their mother at a young age. Maggie is the typical dumb blond who is always drinking, partying and sleeping around with guys all the time anywhere and everywhere. She stays with her father, who lives with his new wife Syndelle. Syndelle is again the typical stepmother who cannot see anything more spectacular than her daughter who she keeps referring to as 'My Marsha'(maybe a cue from the character 'Marcia' in Brady Bunch??)
Maggie comes home one night quite late and drunk. Using this as an excuse, Syndelle kicks her out of home. So Maggie moves in with her sister Rose. Rose, who is a successful lawyer, uses her job as an mask to cover all her insecurities of being over-weight, not having many guys falling for her and that of not being quite stylish nor fashionable. She also has a great collection of stylish and expensive shoes which she never wears but has a cupboard full of it.

The story then moves ahead with the sisters having a fallout and finding out about their grandmother, Ella (Shirley MacLaine) who they think is dead. Shirley MacLaine is simply outstanding in her role of a non-emotional lady, coping with the sudden arrival of family once again in her life. All the three ladies cope with the lose of their loved one, the girl's mother and Ella's daughter.

Maggie who has dyslexia takes up a job as a helper in a hospital and finds a blind old man, a retired professor. He asks her to read to him which she refuses. But he doesn't give up on her and patiently makes her read the book. She discovers her true talent of being a good fashion stylist for people.

Rose quits her high-profile job and takes up on dog-walking to find the simple intricacies of life. Betrayed and having lost all hope, she finds herself in love again from someone she least expected and finally decides to wear her shoes.

Ella realizes that life has given her a second chance. She overcomes her guilt of having abandoned her granddaughters. She begins to embrace life with a new found love and taking part actively in the girls' well being.

The last part of the movie shows Rose getting married. Maggie asks her sister to let her pick out the dress as she would know what suits her best.

Why I liked the movie? Well, because it was honest and brutal to some extent. There are certain things in life that does not fade with time - Your responsibilities, your fears, your inabilities. You may go on in life, but these things if not dealt with comes back haunting you. This movie also speaks about how important being honest to oneself is... So this is again a must watch...

Moderately average

In life, we are always surrounded by go-getters, super-achievers and goal-seekers. But not everyone can become No.1. So how do we deal with failure or rather being the No.2 or No.10? Isn't it easy to just give up, pack your backs and go home. Some of us aren't even running the race coz they want to take life as it comes. But hasn't there been at least one moment in everyone's life where we wish we could trade all this with the No.1 person's life? Forget all logic of 'no one is perfect, there is surely something wrong somewhere with his/her lives'.. But for outsiders he/she might always be the one person who has it all. Everyone wants to live that one moment - not that life - but a few moments of basking in the glory sheer success and riches. To be the subject of somebody's envy, somebody's admiration and somebody's motivation...

In the end of it all, I really do wonder what gives these people the almost-god-like persona. Is it leadership? But when all people are equally qualified and taught to be leaders in the same environment, what cuts them above from everyone else? Who are leaders? Leadership quality requires to give direction as well as execution of tasks. So are these qualities inborn or taught? Some are born to be leaders, its in their blood, while some learn. The effectiveness of a leader depends on results and execution of plans. Or does it? A leader makes mistakes but should learn from them and move on. All this is easier said than done. No, success is surely a combination of many other factors along with being a leader. It takes the 3 D's - determination, dedication and discipline. Its not so important to be a leader to a team of people but being a leader of your own self is a challenge in itself. It means to have a control over all your urges to divert from your goal and to change paths. It means bringing your mind and body to push harder against all hurdles and achieve your goals. We need to set standards for our own selves and not give up. This is the only way the written-off, moderately average can become achievers - if not for anyone else atleast for your own self...

Women!! Oh Woman

I usually watch 'Lounge' by Rajat Kapur on NDTV. I really like the way he conducts the talk. He never talks too much and never rushes his guests and he genuinely listens to them without any pretense. He is a fresh air to the usual talk shows where only the host keeps blabbering all the time. So this time the topic of discussion was on how close -knit a family is in India, where kids and parents are too attached. There was this lady who spent all her life looking after her kids and when they left, she was devastated. I was very shocked when she said, 'My whole definition of a family was my kids, and now they have left, what do I have to live for?'. And it made me realize isn't this what happens to most of the mothers whose world revolves around her kids. And so I just thought to jot down a woman's journey the way I see around me.

Man and wife are meant to be one after marriage, but what happens when they begin to talk alike, dress alike and in a weird way - even look alike. Is it possible? Sadly, yes. Well, its a matter of perception.

One initially finds it really sweet and romantic, when you have a partner who finishes your sentences, knows what your thinking at a single gaze. Believe me it would be a fantasy come true for every married person, be it a woman or a man. Then an element of predictability creeps in, which can be a tad annoying! Have you ever been out for dinner with a newly wed couple? Oh its a sight to watch, the guy is always at her beck and call, the girl is all blushing and smiling and they are always holding hands... Meet them 8 months down the line, well all these aspects still remain, but none seem to genuine in their effort!

Ok these are just the physical aspects, there are some very crucial facts here, though. As humans we are emotional, esp. women. When we are in love, we think there is absolutely nothing in this world that could make us more happy than loving our partner each day, fulfilling his each desire and looking the best for him. In this time, all the other things that once held the top-most priority in you life, diminishes to the background. Your friends, work or studies, passions and hobbies you pursued et al. And gradually before you know, you start to lose your individuality. And then one day when its all settled in, for some, your relationship hits a normalcy period and you actually realize, 'hey there is more to life than this!'

But for some others, they go ahead and have kids, and then there is no time to reclaim your lost self. And as being a woman, we take care of our babies! Coz that is what we are supposed to do, rite? Then what happens, we all know. When they are babies they cling to us, but once they start learning to walk, Im sure every mother cries a bit, realizing they wont be that dependant now!

And the process continues as kids go to school, college and one day leaves home! There begins a whole new phase of pangs of longing for our kids, long lost self discovery, guilt of having abandoned ourselves for so long.

As women of the new generation, we know how hard it was for our parents to let go of us. The number of fights, arguments and moments of rebellion and it continues even after you are married. They are our parents, they expect us to listen to them, and rightly so!

It is very important for each partner to maintain their individuality after marriage. Coz, seriously, there is MORE to life... And its more of a matter of being real to yourself. Women play many roles in life - being a daughter, a wife , a mother. And society feels these are the important roles we need to play. But luckily, for our generation, we have chances to be more than these 3 roles. We work, we are ambitious and we lead a life where no body can question our 'Roles'. We are seen more than just mothers and wives. Today we have it all.

But still many of us just give it up. Well, again its a matter of choice. It all comes down to one thing, we need to learn to be HAPPY in whatever situation we are. However, its easier said than done....