The Writers Lounge

I - Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Chef.Dro) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 05:03:35 PST

Seeing my face as a human was a shock to me. A face that I coudn't identify myself with.
And I was in too much pain to justify it.
Then I heard a some sound and I turned. A figure suddenly jumped inside behind my back. It didn't startle me much because I was expecting it.
"Gotcha!". It was that guy. He said he wanted to test me so that's why he pretended to be in trouble. I was just blank.

"Come on lets get moving", he said and proceeded down the corridor.
I followed him as if a dog obeying its master.

We kept walking. He kept talking but nothing entered my head because I was amused like a child who sees the merry-go-round for the first time.
The walls were decorated with the carvings of a man who just appeared from nowhere and how he realized his purpose and eventually became something which I could not understand.
And what made it spooky was the images that depicted the progress of that man. It depicted hell and heaven combined.
We turned off to a corner and entered a room which was eventually the room where I saw that lady.

"here we are" said the guy to that lady and they both winked.
I was now led to the auditorium and offered a seat in the middle.
"just relax. We have everything under control" said the lady who followed behind me.
This was the point where I realized I had not spoken anything.
"who are you and what is your name?" I asked. It was as though I spoke for the first time in my entire life. "and who am I?"
"you will soon know who you are and who we are does not really matter" a new voice from behind me said this. I then turned around and saw no one. And everyone started staring at me. "who is this?" I asked again.
"it does not matter" the voice echoed throughout the hall.

Before I could realize what's happening, I fell to the seat half dizzy.

Am tired......!

noreply@blogger.com (Smita) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:58:01 PST

Yes,
Am tired.
Dead tired.
Tired of holding up this burden
And living up-to the expectations of all.
Am tired of being older than my age
And
Bear all these responsibilities.

Am not complaining,
Am not crying,
Am not cribbing
And certainly am not regretting,
But am tired,

As
I am not that strong
As I look, say or fake to be.
I am weak.
I am not that much full of faith
To keep pacifying my heart
That things will settle.

I am losing my patience,
Am losing my strength,
Am losing my peace,
Am losing it all.

I am escaping my own self
Am hiding from being what I am.
I am drenched of love,
Am deprived of care,
As I have spent all that I had
On people I cared.

Will I meet somebody
Who will support me one day?
Who will care for me?
Will I be loved by anyone someday?
Questions are many
Answers are none.
Expectations are dead
And only struggle is left!

Smita

New Year Wishes from Stephen!!

noreply@blogger.com (The Solitary Writer) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 19:55:30 PST

Dear All,

Wishing you all a very happy and a prosperous new year.May this new year enlighten your life and bring you goodies in form of health,wealth and Mirth.May this joy filled new year bring back TWL to its old glorious days of 2008 and 09.Signing out with a positive note that TWL will be back with a bang this year.

Love,
Stephen
www.thesolitarywriter.com
we read.we write.we lounge

Flying.........!!

noreply@blogger.com (Smita) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 00:09:55 PST

"What happened?",she asked.

"Nothing. I just got up and the skin just got rubbed so it's paining",he answered, rubbing the back of his leg down the knees.

"Ohhh...How can that thing pain you? You don't even know how to get up",she teased.

They both had been sitting on a raised gravel platform when he decided to get down first and stand in-front of her facing her.

She was still giggling!

And he made a face and gifted a swift slap on her face!

"You get down then, then you too will feel the same pain!", he said, kinda irritated with her laughter.

"Why would I experience the same thing?",she resisted,"I know how to get down, I am not a child like you", and she giggled again.

This irritated him more.

He came to her left side and sat besides her on the platform.

She was still in teasing mood! And he was still irritated!

She said something , he replied with something!

She teased, he got irritated.

And hence came the time for revenge.

He tangled his shoe with her slippers to make it escape her foot but un-fortunately he couldn't!

"What! I knew this intention of yours hence I had made a firm grip on my chappal", she said, thinking she had won but poor girl didn't know he was not such an easy guy to accept defeat!

"What? What are you looking at?"she said in a humble voice when she noticed him looking at her from sideways, breaking the silence of few seconds that had lingered between them.

And this was enough to distract her and the devil got the chance to play his best shot! There went her chappal, a few metres away from her foot, the flying chappal!

He had finally been successful in sliding away her slippers from her feet.

Immediately her ran to collect it and just hold it high in the air, taking advantage of him being taller than her!

Smita

Please, come back!

noreply@blogger.com (Tan) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 10:31:00 PST

If only you can see me this way,
I believe you will come back
If only you could feel the pain, I feel
I am sure you will come back…

If only I could tear my heart apart and show
If only I could have said that simple, ‘No’
If only I could make you smile, for once,
… I know, you would come back!

Happy New Year, my friends here in WL. This is just a call to all those who used to be here and now, life has swung them apart. Wish this new year would see us all back here, in our own place, where we belong to. Please, come back!

I - Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Chef.Dro) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 07:54:08 PST

I woke up with a terrible headache.
I didn't know where I was and how I ended here. Four desks of which 2 was empty.
It felt as though I had an hangover. All I could realize was that I was in a room that felt like an abandoned building and the sound of sea banging the walls.
I turned around and saw two doors, 1 closed and another open to sea. There was a ladder that gave access to the roofs just outside the second door. I started climbing.
Even though it was just 10 steps it felt like 100 thanks to my headache.
Struggling myself to stand up I saw the building that I was standing on resembled the Alcatraz prison. Surrounded by sea, I could see the land not less than the distance of four empire state buildings.
Confused I started descending the ladder and went inside hoping the other door is not locked on the outside.
It wasn't, gave away on 1 push, and the creaking sound echoing throughout the room.
A passage way, lighted by a flickering bulb, led to another door leading to stairs climbing down.
When I got down there were two ways which looked like the sides of a room that looked more like an auditorium.

I chose to go right as I could confirm that there were some people talking in a room.
The passage then turned right which led to a room.
The moment I turned right, a man suddenly appeared on the right and spoke to me.
He was wearing glasses, a bit brown complexion, average weight and height.
He was talking something but I couldn't listen. I just couldn't concentrate.

He then led me to a room which looked like an office of a printing press. There were a few people walking here and there,
He offered me a seat in front of a female who looked like an Japaneese.
She then started talking, but could not understand anything in her accent. Imagine a computer voice that has the style of a Chinese trying to speak American English using the UK accent. Weird right? That's how she spoke.
All I managed to understand was that she insisted me to accompany the man who had accompanied here.
Before I could respond, that guy pulled me outside and started walking. We went towards that auditorium, which was now occupied by some people, dressed as street performers.
But this guy kept moving. Muttering something, he turned the opposite way from the stairs that I descended from, which I guessed to be "this is where you were kept". Things started to flow into my mind. Why was I kept here? Was I a prisoner? Who was I?
I then decided to ask him, but before I opened my mouth, he said wait here. It was an h-type section. On the left there was again a bulb that flickered the way and on the other side it was fully open, without a fail safe support. The passage turned right and then left. He said again "wait here" and jumped off to the open holding a rope and landed 1 level below the one that I was standing on. After sometime, which felt like ages, he shouted "Dude, I can't make it. You carry on."

I didn't know what to do. So I turned around and on the wall a small flash of light showed a mirror and what I saw in the mirror, made a shock go down my spine.
I was a human.

Yes, I will...

noreply@blogger.com (Tan) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:25:12 PST

Yes, I will still love you.

Not because I can forget all that you have done, but just because I can forgive you for all that you have done. You did not betray me; probably, I was not able to keep your trust.

Not because you left me staggering in this stringent world – all alone – all by myself; but because you have taught me to live alone, which I had forgotten since I met you.

I will still love you.

Not because of the way you behave; but, because of the way you made me to behave. I will still love you, because you make me live my life, even now, when you are far away from me.

Not because I want to love you, still; but, because that’s what I have done all my life – I do not know anything else to do. That’s all that I have been doing – that’s all that I can do.

Yes, I will love you, because it’s only you and your love, that I will live for.

The Pink Orchid Meets Kiran Bedi !!

noreply@blogger.com (The Pink Orchid) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 02:54:41 PST

I met her. I have grown up listening that I should become like her and learn from her. A die hard fan, me! I couldn't stop smiling when she was finally in front of my eyes.

God of Luck has been so kind to me that not only did I get an autograph, India Today put this picture up on their website, for which I will be grateful forever.

But this joy would have been incomplete if I did not share this with my family here!

Stibu, Vinu, Sandeep (Golu), Asbah, Prats, Tan, Pinkzz, Mona, Neha, Priyanka, Rose, Freelancer, Aarthi, Hashan, Arjun...wherever you guys are, I just want you to know that I miss you!!

Lots of Love
SunSandRain
Previously "The Pink Orchid"
AAS - A Beginning...

History of Intel Microprocessors!

noreply@blogger.com (Raafay Awan) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:52:01 PST

Here is a list of all the microprocessors from Intel and their brief history.

Intel 4004:

1969
Clock speed : 108 KHZ
Number of transistors:2300
4-bit register and 4-bit data bus.

The world first microprocessor

Intel 8008:

1972
Clock speed : 800 KHz
Number of transistor:3500
8-bit register and 8-bit data bus.

Intel 8080:

1974
Clock speed : 2 MHz
Number of transistor: 4500
8-bit register and data bus.

Intel 8086:

1978
Clock speed : 4.47 MHz
Number of transistors: 29000
16-bit register and data bus.

Intel 8088:

1981
Clock speed : 4.47 MHz
Number of transistors: 29000
16-bit register and data bus.

The worlds first PC ran on an Intel 8088 microprocessor

Intel 286:

1982
Clock speed: 12 MHz
Number of transistor: 134000
16-bit register and data bus.

Intel 386:

1985
Clock speed: 16 MHz
Number of transistors: 275000
32-bit register and data bus.

Intel 486:

1989

Clock speed: 25 MHz

Number of transistor: 1,200,000

32-bit register and data bus.

Intel Pentium:

1993
Clock speed: 66 MHz
Number of transistor:3,300,000
32-bit register and data bus.

Intel Pentium Pro:

1995
Clock speed: 200 MHz
Number of transistor:5,500,000
32-bit register and data bus.

Intel Pentium II:

1997
Clock speed: 300 MHz
Number of transistor: 7,500,000
32-bit register and data bus.

Intel Pentium III:

1999
Clock speed: 500 MHz
Number of transistor:9,500,000
32-bit register and data bus.

Intel Pentium 4:

2000
Clock speed: 1 GHz
Number of transistor: 15,500,000
64-bit register and data bus.

Intel Pentium D:

2005
Clock speed: 3.6 GHz
Number of transistor: 47,500,000
32-bit register and data bus.

Intel Core 2/Quad:

2006/2007
Clock speed: 3.6 GHz
Number of transistor: 214,500,000
32-bit register and data bus.

Guardian Angel

noreply@blogger.com (Sonshu) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 21:44:03 PDT

She walked across the beach, pondering over her already messed up life. She was stranded and helpless, what she needed was an angel in disguise. She continued walking and then began picking up shells, just as they used to do together. Then she sat down and buried her legs in the sand. She remembered how he would playfully sculpt the sand around her legs and then she would to his. They used to sit for long hours at the beach, smiling at each other enjoying the beauty of God's creation. But all of that came to an end when he was called from above. He was snatched from her. That stupid man who ran over him, would probably be feeling guilty even now, but a mistake is a mistake and no one could do anything about it. His carelessness had cost her husband his life. She cursed.

The air gently blew and she felt like he was around. Telling her that he'd never let her out of his sight. She smiled at the enveloping air and tried to catch it. She spent the entire day walking and running around the beach trying to feel him and then catch him. Stupid as it may have looked to others, she had every right to behave stupidly. After all, it pains to lose your first love. Her only love. She thought back to how their fingers had been entwined all through their marriage ceremony. Everyone called them the happiest couple. That was her moment of bliss.

Slowly she settled down on the rug, in their loft. The small one, they'd acquired over time with a lot of struggle and perseverance. She observed everything, each picture, each furniture, everything had its own story. And all of it was as crystal clear to her as his face was. Then she went to their bedroom. The place they'd decorated as they'd always imagined. She opened his cupboard and took out his clothes... laid them down neatly on the bed and then she noticed something weird in the cupboard. There was a box, she'd never seen it.

Slowly she took out the box and placed it on the bed. She sat down and wondered if she should open it. It was his after all, he deserved privacy. Alive or not. But then she saw her name inscribed on the lock and it hit her. The necklace he'd given her a while back which his name on it, the one in the form of a key was the one that would open this box. He knew that we were incomplete without each other. She began crying, their love was deep and crazy and she knew that she'd never ever be able to live the same normal life.

Slowly she unlocked the box with the key and was surprised to find a letter. He'd not left her after all.

'He always wanted to ensure his presence. He'll never let me stray, never let me alone. He's always going to be my guardian angel'. She mumbled

And just as she was reading the letter absorbing every word as if he was saying it to her...

The bell rang.

Love

Sonshu

Will you still love me? Part 5

noreply@blogger.com (maithili) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 22:44:56 PDT

A story of Insecurity after betrayal, hope after reassurance and ... Love after tears

Continued from Here

HIM

I felt alone walking past a busy street. It was 8 in the night, Friday was ending, seducing the hyper maniac crowd of Delhi into the weekend frenzy. There were people in metro who knew nothing about each other and yet passed a smile, just to rejoice the collective freedom from work. I was standing right there between them, frozen into the numbness of the strange emotions that all electrified my senses for the moment. I walked out of the compartment, out of the noisy cheerful aroma of the platform, out on the celebration of life on the street, silently walking towards my friend's apartment, where I had planned to spend the weekend watching football matches and drinking beer, but somehow I felt like doing none of that at the moment. Those eyes, Those irritated angry mysterious and enigmatic eyes. Those beautiful eyes, they chased me along with the words that I read. Those painful words that tip toed silently into my thought process and here I am cluelessly trying to find the reason behind them, knowing that I should not give a damn. But yet.

4 hours back ... I was happy. I was cheerful, It had been going as I had hoped it would. Miss Too-beautiful-and-Too-confusing and me had our first conversation, and I soon realized how true is the saying that people with strong hostility shield around them are like coconuts, soft from Inside and hard from the outside. I mean, here is this one girl who gives me these cold looks whole of two weeks or something and the moment we first chit chatted, she was so warm, so good, so joyful, and so friendly. The most beautiful eyes in the world, looks even more beautiful when there is a smile on that angelic face. She was intriguing to say the least, I mean like her or hate her, but she was the kind that you would notice.

The laughs came to a halt as time pushed us to return back to work and a bizzare serendipity occurs.

Here I am, on my desk, take phone out from its leather cover, trying to put earpods and switchin on the music player on my cell. I unlock the keypad by the usual "menu" + "*" combination and what I see is miss-enigma herself, wearing a white plain suit,red dupatta, blue bangles and pink nail polish, looking like an absolute adorable kiddo, standing next to a lady who might be in her early 40s or something, who apparently looked like her mom or something. That wallpaper pic also had a birthday cake which said "happy 19 years angel", so that means it was an old pic. She looked just the same though, with a bit more life may be. This seemed interesting, I clicked on --> Gallery and then on the folder Photos --> Personal pics (to find what archives of this beautiful girl I can see which might reveal more of the real her) but what I found Instead was a text draft that read "Me"

I clicked it open.

14 Feb, 2009

.... Not even in my distant dream I thought that dreams would ever come true

I thought some people might fall for me but I never thought one of them could be you

of rainbows and showers, of breezes and flowers, of destiny and love

beyond the promises, beyond the stars, beyond the heavens up above.

29 March, 2009

Seven years we had known each other

from days of laughter, days of friendship, days of love

Yet when today you held me in your arms

and planted those lips of yours to mine

I felt Its the first time we have ever met.

I felt that I would like to explore my whole life, the lover in you!

8 April 2009

The tender touch

The raindrops

Ok It was your shower

so what

Under those wet moments

we saw a dream

The more I recall last afternoon

The more I smile

It was so unplanned

It was so blissful

I your arms, feeling your breath, sins drive my smiles.

The sins that you persuade me to do

The sins I enjoy every second of their occurance

and the everlasting happiness of acceptance

That stays beyond the moment of those sweet sins ;)

15 June, 2011

12 pills. 4 for every 1 of those 3 times that you sold me.

12 more pills, 4 for every time you entered the cage of my body

12 more pills, 4 for every time I swallowed your love

12 more pills, for the 12 times I saw myself doing the regrettable

12 more pills for the 12,00,000 people who enjoyed my sale

How could you? Why did you? For what?

I smile for the mistakes I did

I smile for the coward you are

I smile for the fool I was

I smile for the trust that was

I smile for the life of those lies

I smile for the death of this bird, The one that lived in me

I close my eyes, and wish that u die a more painful death then mine

30 August, 2011

My life has not been saved

I have returned to this world, Dead

15 May 2009

To Escape into the mountain forest

The bird jumps from the trees above

midway in her flight she realize

her wings are not with her anymore

2 September 2009

I drink to sleep, I blink to sleep

I cry to sleep, I try to sleep

The one thought that never let me sleep

is that out there, people are watching me sleep

every night before they sleep

6 December 2009

Blood all around me, The blood of my legacy

The blood of my recognition

The blood of my achievement

The blood of my victory

The blood of my defeat... The blood of the girl in me, who for the world shall stay a whore

I cut. I bleed. I die.

1 Jan 2010

They saved me again

"Buzz" his phone beeped, and He realized that Its 10 and he had been standing there outside his friends apartment for almost 1 hour. He was so lost in the thoughts that he just could not realize the time passing by. He took his phone out from his pocket, It was from office. Strange! They never call at night!

"Hi Suraj, This is devyati from work, Did I disturb your pre-weekend party?", It was a senior from the editorial department.

"Oh! Not at all mam, It is yet to get started", he replied casually.

"well I have a pretty spoiler coming your way then" she laughed.

"shoot mam, I am already in a not so party mood, the news might not affect me much anyways" He smiled in a lighter tone

"I want you to do me a favor, please fill in for the Sunday entertainment page, the soul-curry column inputs"

"I shall do that mam, but were they not suppose to be provided by your favorite intern in the team"

"Ah! She mailed me in the evening today about her plans of not working more in the internship"

"You mean? she has quit?"

"Yeah, I hope I have not spoiled your lazy weekend plan by some extra work" she replied disinterestedly.

"No you have not spoiled it, or may be just a little" I smiled back to her and kept the phone down,numbness took over me the very next moment, to my amaze I felt an unlogical tear pushing its way over my eyes for no reason known to me.

(to be continued)

Pulkit & Maithili

Tacky Imprints !!

noreply@blogger.com (Smita) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 10:45:02 PDT

Sob Sob.

"Why Aniket? Why?", teacher asked furiously.

"Why did you hit Rahul?", but came no reply.

She dismissed both of them from the class for that hour.

( Next day )

Sob Sob.

"Mam, he again bullied me.", Rahul said crying.

"Aniket", teacher shouted at top of her voice.

"I warned you yesterday not to repeat this again na?", and she tried threatening him not to do that again.

They both were again dismissed for the hour.

( Next Day )

"Aniket!!!!", even today Rahul complained being beaten by him.

"Why do you have to hit Rahul everyday? How many times do I have to tell you not to do that? This is too much now."

The teacher was in a fix now what to do. It was becoming a daily nuisance for her now. Everyday she warned them both but one could clearly see that it had no impact.

She was unable to make out the reason for such beatings between both of them. As they literally had no issue of rift between them for such violence to take place daily.

Transfixed, she ordered Aniket,"Alright, ask your Father to meet me tomorrow during school hours positively".

She had thought that this might be enough to surface some fear on his face but the person who did get scared off was Rahul and not Aniket.

Today even he stood there, cool and calm, listening to the scoldings of the teacher .

( Next Day )

( In the Staff Room )

"Good Afternoon Madam.", said a husky voice.

The teacher looked up from the copies she was correcting to see Aniket's Father standing along with him.

"Yea, Sir. Please have a seat. The reason I called you for is, your son has a daily activity which is really annoying".

"Everyday in the recess time, he has to slap Rahul. Sir, I want you to ask your son the reason for such violent act as I have already tried my best to discover the reason but have always failed."

"I can't let this happen anymore because his parents are complaining to me every then and now to take serious actions against your son, so if please you could make him understand that whatever he is doing is just not done.", teacher completed the whole drama story in one go.

"Why did you slap Rahul?", now the interrogator was his Father, so keeping quiet seemed to be a bad idea.

He tried answering but words just won't come out.

"Answer me, why did you hit Rahul ?", this time a more threatening voice was heard in the staff room.

For a moment even the teacher got scared, but then came the reply.

"I love to see the imprints of all my fingers on his face after slapping him", came the innocent reply.

Smita

Will you still love me? Part 4

noreply@blogger.com (maithili) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 04:12:06 PDT

A story of Insecurity after betrayal, hope after reassurance and ... Love after tears

Continued from Here

I was sitting alone in the cafeteria, having my lunch. The company gave us a voluntary break time and it worked in my favor. I would sneak in for lunch when the rest of them would get back into their cubicles. The cubicles made me feel secure. It was where I felt most comfortable these days. They were impressed with my work and thankfully did not make me go on field. Maybe they realised I excel at my work when I don't have to interact with people. What a contradiction to my previous life!

I had just started on my coffee when I saw him enter the cafeteria and frolic with the girl at the counter. I silently prayed that he doesn't see me. That guy was persistent. I had rebuked him enough times and yet he didn't get tired of starting a conversation. I began to realise that he isn't that irritating when he isn't around girls who drool over him, like in that metro the other day. He looked so lost that I almost thought of talking to him. The way he was trying to wipe his shoes clean reminded me of the school assembly, when first grade boys did the same thing before the inspection! I couldn't believe I actually smiled looking at him. How long was it since I smiled anyway? He caught me smiling at him and gave me that idiotic grin. Ok, I didn't feel the same way about it then. It was something different as if we were sharing a private joke which only we understood. The walls built around me threatened to collapse and I immediately looked away. Gratefully the station arrived soon and its been awkward with him since then.

Oh no ! he was coming towards my table and without even asking he settled himself across me. He smiled and got busy with his burger. It was strange to see him so quiet. I looked at him closely for the first time. His dark eyebrows in a perfect arch above his dark brown eyes (I m not sure if he wears lens). His thick hair as usual flopping and covering his forehead which he tried to pull back again and again. His sharp nose and his perfect jawline. If one sees him in the way he was right in front me, one would think of him as a mature and reliable guy. One look at his slender fingers carefully picking out the vegetables in the burger and placing it at the side of his plate, you know what you are dealing with! He looked up at me and once again smiled (does he think the whole clan of girls would fall for his smile?? I admit he was cute though!)

"Why do they call it chicken burger if half of it is stuffed with these ghaas phoos?" he said gesturing childishly at the dressings as if accusing them of coming on the burger and making it less delicious. I do the most unexpected thing! I laugh out aloud at his action.

"OMG OMG!! You laugh as well!!" He got hyper with his reactions.

I nod silently and listen to his blabbering. I notice that for the first time he was talking more about work than about me and him and unknowingly I join in the conversation. My phone beeped and I see that it is already 2! For last one hour I have been talking to him and my cheeks hurt due to all the smiling and laughing I had done. IT had to, considering the long period of rest it had got. He noticed my phone and remarked, "Hey I have the same model."

I just said, "Congrats" and even though I didn't think it was a great joke it set him rolling with laughter.

I finished my second cup of coffee and we returned to work. I noticed that for the first time he was wearing formals ( read proper formals with tie and all) to office.

I started my work and after sometime out of habit went into the gallery of my mobile. The image folder looked strange and the contents left me breathless. I get an anxiety attack of sorts (It hasn't happened for long) and I close my eyes and sit still till the turbulence has passed. I opened my eyes to see him smiling upon me

'Hey payal I think thats my cellphone you brought by mistake. Here is yours!"

I got up in a fit of rage and thrust his phone into his hands and grabbed my own phone.

I picked up my bag and rushed out of the office. Tears poured out of my eyes and I took in a quick smoke. My thoughts before hailing a cab were of resigning from this office..

Maithili & Pulkit

(to be continued next Wednesday)

The Wait..

noreply@blogger.com (Smita) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 11:17:11 PDT

"Hmm, I know. Even lately Rajesh has been rude to me", said the guy wearing pink shirt.
The one sitting next to him agreed on his point.
It was 11 in the morning and these two guys were returning from their night shifts and before going back to their respective dwellings, they had made the choice of enjoying a cup of coffee along with some hot corporate conspiracies and office gup-shups . So could be well seen from their unman-aged formal clothes and their unkept hair.

"And did you look at that bitch Neha!", said the blue shirt guy.
"Man, yeah. What kind of a girl she is! Totally a shame on the female community!", said the pink shirt guy.
And they both laughed.
"Sshhh..This guy sitting next to you is listening to all what we are talking about", he said and blue shirt guy turned to look who was sitting next to him.
The scene was, in a mall, near the cafeteria, on one bench of three, were sitting these three guys. Pink shirt guy on one end, with blue shirt guy sitting in the middle and this young guy on the other end.
Now this guy seemed to be much younger than these two guys. He was in his cool T-shirt and jeans but was sitting there a bit dull. Hence he might have turned towards these two people just to listen to their talks for a futile time-pass.
But those two guys were a bit surprised as to why would a guy like him sit at such an early hour and listen to their talks while he could go out and enjoy. It seemed as if he had nothing else much interesting to do but to sit and hear those two people out!

"Oh, come-on! Let it be na! He doesn't know either of us and also he has no idea as to about all whom we are talking ", and they both laughed.
This young guy was still listening to them.
His one hand was in his lap and the other was giving a support to his head while his eyes and ears were busy listening to those guys! It seemed as if that small baby was instructed by his mother to sit there and listen to those people and there he was,obeying his mother like an obedient child!

This continued for some 15-20 minutes and then she came.
"Okay, Shall we proceed?", said the girl approaching this guy.
"Oh, yeah. Let's go",he said lifting himself, happily, from the bench.
And they both left! And he seemed happy the moment she came.
As The wait, was finally over!

Will you still love me? Part 3

noreply@blogger.com (maithili) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 21:44:56 PDT

One week. Two Holidays (Read it as voluntary bunks). Two Public Holidays (god bless religion). Two "Get out's" from senior intern manager. The first 7 days in short have been usual for me, following the same course on which my life has carefully tread so far.

I am casual and thus in-spite of all my carelessness for every other serious task, I am good at one thing for sure - Mixing with people around me. Two other male interns, no matter how boring they were, had gradually gelled with my friendship and for all the utter shit I landed up in during work assignments I could easily tell that female colleagues Riya and Tina found me cute. Not the Ranbir Kapoor kinda cute, but the lonesome vulnerable street puppy kinda cute. You know what I mean.

Anyways, now coming to The mystery of the office herself, Miss gorgeous hairs and bitter attitude, Payal, About her I was still not sure that she even knew of my existence. I mean its ironical how I was always around cracking jokes on which everyone laughed and she still refused to even lift her chin up from that stupid mobile phone of hers, how I was being screamed to get lost by the in-charge and everyone at that moment being tensed giving me a poor-puppy look while she is busy with her diary making notes as if nothing that happened to me or I did ever was in her sight. It was not rude if I can appropriately put it up, It was disinterest. A complete disinterest which actually serves as a slap in the face for attention seekers like me. Talking of attention seeking, I can tell you something that more and more a person as beautiful as her abhors you for no reason known to self, the more becomes the challenge and curiosity to know the basis behind it. On the weekend, while drinking kingfisher and watching weekend football, I made a note to self to make sure I know why she hates me for what I am, or why she is the way she is. I made another note that very night - To make sure that I carry extra beer for weekends when I have to finish the stupid reporting home work from office. I put the second note as a lower priority, I was gradually becoming obsess of her strangeness.

Monday morning, The time I have learned to hate for every reason known to me. Late again, carefully just somehow tucking the over length shirt of my roommate as mine was not pressed(read it as not washed), I was looking like an Idiot again for the hundredth time boarding the same metro train for the hundredth Monday in a row, missing two early one's again. The human-sea around me pressed hard and rolling inside, in the next blink of a moment, I was inside the compartment. An old lady right next to me gave me an angry stare "Dikhai nai deta hai kya... You Idiot, You stepped on me while getting in". I made a puppy face my long messed up hairs falling on my eyes and whispered "Sorry aunty". she snubbed and looked the other way. The puppy face never works on old ladies, I looked down on my shoes, the polish has been mercilessly rubbed away by footmarks of the crowd. I started rubbing my shoe from the back flap of my trousers and from my hands I started combing my hairs a bit. I heard someone slowly smiling right behind me, and turned to found a pair of beautiful eyes staring at me, enjoying my nuisance every passing second and carefully observing my every move. She was the mystery herself and though I knew nothing about her except for a name, I was sure of one thing - she had a smile so beautiful like a morning prayer of peace after a sleepless night of tension, She kept smiling watching me and I stood there motionless unable to understand how to respond. The Monday never appeared so warm and beautiful before.

- Pulkit & Maithili

(to be continued next Wednesday)

Silence

noreply@blogger.com (Smita) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 07:18:46 PDT

She was busy working in the kitchen.Preparing lunch and breakfast.
It was almost eight o’clock and Neha had to leave at 8:30.

She was having an exam today hence was not giving her mother a helping hand in the daily morning chores.

Neha was busy mumbling the formulas and concepts in her room when she heard her mother’s voice.

“Come downstairs and pack your lunch“,her mother shouted.

"Coming “,Neha replied back.

In a minute Neha was standing besides her mother.Cutting apple into slices for the breakfast,still mumbling the formulas and concepts.

“Okay, now here’s milk and bread.Make yourself a cup of coffee and a pair of bread-butter.Then you can go.” She had an exam in an hour! In an hour! And it ain’t was some school level exam! An engineering level exam.But Neha have always been a good daughter,an obeying all the order girl .

She took it as a pleasure to assist her mother in household work which is usually not the case for any of today’s age girl.She took this work too with a pleasure even though she had an exam.

“Okay.I am done.I am leaving“,Neha said,picking up the cup and the plate of bread-butter.She had made herself a cup of coffee along with a pair of bread-butter,with butter applied on simple plain bread.

Why are you eating plain bread?Why didn’t you make a toast?“,her mother inquired.According to her mother, bread eaten in raw form was not a very healthy idea.Hence she always used to insist on eating a toasted bread or an oven-ed bread.

Neha answered,in a low voice as she knew the reason was enough to make a spark for a fight between her and her mother early morning.

“I have to study.I will eat plain bread only today”,she made it simple,not to include any repulsive words to attract any argument.

“Why don’t you say that you like plain bread that’s why you are having it”.

“No mother.It’s not that.I hate plain bread.I love toasted bread.I love it especially with butter.But I love it because you always make me that.And today I am not having it because you didn’t make it for me.”,she wanted to say.But she kept quiet.

Quiet because her mother had a rough start in the morning with her father on some issue and she just didn’t want to annoy her mother anymore herself.Hence she decided to leave in Silence !

Smita

Will You Still Love Me? - 2

noreply@blogger.com (PULKIT) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 00:13:29 PDT

A story of Insecurity after betrayal, hope after reassurance and ... Love after tears

Continued from HERE

HER - I paced back and forth at the bus stop, concious of the eyes savoring me, my body.. I tried not to look anywhere but the buses approaching. A few men spoke in low tones and grinned at each other. I steal a glance at them through the corner of my eyes. A fear too known, grips me. Do they recognise me? It is a warm evening. Even though I m dressed in a full sleeved salwar kameez, I shiver. I feel stark naked at this bus stop.

Someone tapped my shoulders lightly. I was startled and immediately the 'fright, fight, flight' mechanism of my nervous system is in place.

"Hey Payal, I think I scared you."

It was the same guy from office who introduced himself to me last week.
I realised I was sweating profusely and my face had gone pale, my lips colourless. I ran my tongue over my lips trying to usher in remnants of confidence.
"What do you think you are doing?" I shoot at him, immediately realising how viciously sharp my tone had become.
"Sorry Miss, but if you don't respond to your own name, please let us lowly mortals know what name you like to be addressed." he mocked me.
He was just the kind of people I was trying to avoid, who posed danger to me. People too much interested in my life and too reckless to know where to draw the line.
Payal... It would take time to get used to the name. I wondered if the name as purposely chosen to demean me.. To dethrone me from the place that I once occupied in everyone's eyes.
"What do you want?" I confront him to defend my own indifference to my new name.
"I do not need anything. Maybe you will need this tomorrow." he said flashing my ID card.. Oh crap! I had left it behind while signing out.

I muttered a "thank you" and quickly snatched my Id. I see the colour of his face change. I cringe when I see that my act hurt him and he walked away. In some other life I would have gone after him and apologized. Right now I regretted not carrying my pack of cigarettes in my handbag.

************

I reach the place where I have been staying with my uncle's family for more than 2 years now. This place could never be home for me even for a minute.

I get cold stares from my aunt to looks ready to spit venom. I recline in the small room that was once a store room.. It still is, in a way..

I hear aunty shout at uncle, "If anything goes wrong we would lose face. What were you thinking before taking her in? I tell you, this girl will ruin our name. I don't want her shadow on our daughter."

I m strangulated by the ghosts of my past, but not enough to kill me. I could try other ways to kill myself but I hold back knowing that the consequence would be worse..
I drift off to sleep once again hoping that I won't see tomorrow.

IT won't stop.. It is relentless, deligiently following me every night.. I m shaken again, my bed damp with my sweat. That hole left in my chest won't heal. The nightmares remind me every living hour of my past.. I look across the room.. A plate of dinner gone cold.. I eat few morsels.. Like a mother soothing a child and singing a soft lullaby to sleep, the pill that I swallow takes me to a dreamless world.

--Pulkit & Maithili--

(to be continued next Wednesday)

Amuse Me

noreply@blogger.com (JaLpArI - tHe MeRmAiD) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 23:09:16 PDT

I stand right here, at this point of your life,

In my glorious darkness and power,

To cradle you in my widespread arms; I

Await your final turn round the corner.

How busy you seem building mansions and

Hoarding wealth for years that go beyond me;

Desires abound, struggles incessant,

You seem so oblivious of my being.

So, you go on with your love, strife, hatred,

Deceit; at the end, the Truth will be seen.

You dream of success, high status and fame

Though you know it’s all just an illusion.

Endless moves have you planned for your life’s game,

All will cease with my sudden intrusion.

Of all things sure I am the surest; you

Know it only too well. Yes, certainly!

Still you dream of flying across skies blue

Fragile wings; while here, I wait silently.

And since you are preoccupied with my

Denial; pray, keep going, Amuse me!

~Almas Kiran Shamim

Will you still love me?

noreply@blogger.com (maithili) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 07:03:34 PDT

A story of Insecurity after betrayal, Hope after reassurance...and love after tears!

Image: courtesy -http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs8/i/2005/311/f/d/Boy_and_Girl_by_BeautifulEnemity.jpg
He - 28th August, 2011. Times of India - New Delhi Office.
I am Suraj Batra, a final year journalism student. It was my first day of internship at office. Seven new interns alongside, and an entertainment section joint editor giving us a tour of the office building, this was exciting. I was out of sync from everyone around me. When all the other 3 male interns were soberly dressed in a check formal shirt, the "beer does a body good" imprinted black T-Shirt was helping me nothing in making a decent first impression. I made a puppy face to the receptionist when she gave me a strange look and immediately decided that I shall rather remain blank when the same strange look is given from all others whole day. The puppy face is not a politically correct escape gesture when u are a guy, specially a guy like me. Slightly overgrown beard, messed up hairs, disorganized and carefree are the two words which actually define me. It took me not long to notice the four other girls in the internship team. The green top had assets that can help me spoil every darn assignment by taking off my concentration, the pink top was cute but looked the rodies type emo a bit - certainly not my taste, the black top was a stunner - 11 on 10, well out of my reach. The fourth one was Strange. she was the most properly dresses among all the girls. Their was an air of arrogance about her which took me to a complete disliking of her. She was walking a few steps ahead of me. White suit and neatly lying from the corner of her shoulders, a dupatta on it. Pinned hairs, half left loose, partially revealing the smell of shampoo looking slightly wet still. She must have been 5 feet 6 inches tall, wheatish complexion, dark black eyes and perfect lips resting below a small nose. She had spectacles resting on her head like a pro reporter or something and she was the only one among us who had not uttered a word yet. She looked the confident-practical breed. The one that hated those like me the most.
Anyways, I decided to focus on the office tour. It was a colorful creative place and no matter how pain in the ass shall be rising early every morning to come here, I was sure that once in the campus-it shall be fun.15 minutes break after an hour of briefing and touring, all interns quickly made their way to the cafeteria. Names and a little intros were exchanged, Riya, Tina, Akriti. Rahul, Ajay, Vinay. The strangeness was yet to reveal anything about her, she looked disinterested in the chirpiness of the exciting initial conversations and rather continued to tap her touch screen phone to post something on what slightly from the corner looked like twitter screen. I started hating her more and more. What attitude man! She smiled a little and said "excuse me", her voice was contrary to her personality. It was so sweet and polite. I wanted to make a call to my room mate and ask him to pick me up from here only for the matinee show of the movie, the network was breaking and I decided to walk out of the cafeteria to search the signal lines. I found a few finally and managed to get the call connected, It was ringing now.She was standing in the corner watching Delhi from the window and smoking a ciggratte. I tip toed near her, almost forgetting the call. "This can kill, Hi..Suraj. IIMC, JNU final year." I smiled to her. She said nothing in return. Fuck! I made a fool of myself again - I hate my nature at times. "anyways...." I whispered and just as I was about to leave her alone. She turned her face to stare in my eyes and said "I know it kills, and hence I shall have another one soon" She smiled a little. Her eyes were red. She left. My friend on phone was screaming "Abey kuch bolega......."

---- Pulkit & Maithili

(To be continued Next Wednesday)

Happy birthday Asbah 19/9

noreply@blogger.com (The Solitary Writer) — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 09:11:15 PDT

I've always been a fervent admirer of her work. For someone for whom writing was just more than passion ,she was a teacher. You got lots of things in life where you seek inspiration from other people. Trust me, she inspired a lot through her writings. She was a pied piper who has this strong tendency to attract people through her strong proses which definitely imbued something in people. A strong amalgamation of emotions,feelings and all other factors would define her work. She was a magician in her own way and offcourse she would drag everyone towards her. Sandeep and me had always been a strong admirer of this princess who hailed from the other land.

Sometime it makes me think I wish we belonged to the same land. Alas! we didn't. On contrary ,we possess everything and we were like minded. The intention behind creating this space was similar. A beautiful girl who would always make you smile. She was someone whose creative quotient was much high than other people. Where thoughts had words and offcourse those words would speak. We were completely taken aback when she decided to leave us. For this place ,she was an asset and for us someone who enjoyed a prime position in this place leaving us was a great loss.

Many many happy returns of the day to the sweetheart of the Writers Lounge. Happy birthday to Asbah aka Islex . Her birthday is on 19th September and my best wishes are always for her. Cause you know that we all here love you. You are the best .

PS - I don't have time to post this tommorow. So posting it today.. :) :) So lets the wishes pour for the birthday girl.... :)

The Wait

noreply@blogger.com (JaLpArI - tHe MeRmAiD) — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 06:35:24 PDT

I shall wait for you………

Just like a stream waits………

Meandering its way through high and low…….

Waiting to meet the vast ocean

And become one with that enormous wealth of treasures…

Of pearls…of corals…and life -known-unknown.…….

And oh! What stops it from waiting!!!!

Never can it be tied!!

Just like the ocean waits….

To turn to vapour

And rise above itself….

Higher and higher…up above all….

And become the cloud….…

Like a roof to all of God’s creations…

Rich or poor…

Black or white…

Just like the cloud waits…

Laden with life…

To pour down…

And seep into the very pores of the ground…

And bring forth life….

A life from a life…

Just like a seed waits ….

Drenched by the rain……

To break its fetters…

And expand free….

Growing above…

Into a bud….

Ready to bloom

Just in a while…

Just like a bud waits…..

For the sun to rise..

And his light to shine..

That it may bloom…

And sing with the wind….

And dance with the bees…

And celebrate with delight

Just like the sun waits….

For the night to come……

And soothe its heat…

Its parching throat…

Its flaming lips…

That it may know ..

What coolness is like….

Just like the night waits….

For the stars to shine…

Tear apart her darkness…

By their dazzling light…

That it may turn into a beautiful vision,

For those with sight….

Just like the stars wait….

For the learners’ gaze…

Searching out for them,

Studying their movements with time….

Basing their lives on their brightness ….

As if they were

An intervention divine.

And just like the learners wait…

For the streams to flow by….

Bearing waters filled with wisdom,

Lessons and rhymes………

To quench the thirsts

Of their throat, soul and mind….

And so…. Know it….

That I shall wait….

Through all that happens…

As long as I’m alive….

~Almas Kiran Shamim

I am, that I am

noreply@blogger.com (Chef.Dro) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 04:11:29 PDT

I have seen some older people cry. I wondered why?
I then somehow came to know that, they get astonished by the creation of the world. They feel so amused by nature and world that, the moment they think about god who created these, they can do nothing but cry.
I used to think that there was nothing to be admired and that everything was just normal.
But recently there is a difference in myself.
I get amused whenever I become aware of what I am doing.
Try imagining it yourself.
You sit in front of the computer reading this.
Imagine you seeing yourself from the ceiling of your room. Now keep going upwards, just like Google Earth. Keep going from your room ceiling till you reach the sky, the universe. Imagine the vastness of everything and just think how tiny you are and how unimportant you are when compared to the entire _ _ _ _ _ _ (most common answer is creation, but I guess it may not be called so).

Yet, each and everyone feel that we are the most important being in OUR world. And we battle amongst ourself to be noticed.
Not only us. Let it be humans or animals or birds or mammals or anything that has a life.

Just because we have the ability to think, we call ourself the dominant species of the planet let alone the universe.
But it may not be so. We wish to remain as the most dominant species in the planet, hence, we don't allow any other, possible threats, to survive.
But guess again, are we in the phase where we expected us to be? We plan, we execute. But is the result what we expect?
I guess not.

Now, I ask, WHY is all these happening? I mean, all the planning, survival of the fittest etc...all those stuff.
You see something and ask why it is acting like that or maybe present in that particular place.
But I have not seen anyone who ask, WHY is that "something" in EXISTENCE?
You research on what can be done to make us live better.
I ask why do we exist in the first place?
You experiment on what is going on with the other planets, stars and find ways to reach it.
I ask why does the galaxy exist and why is it so far and unreachable?

A new super nova explosion resulting in the slow formation of a planet, that may somehow explain the origin of the universe. Seriously?
You haven't even made earth a more likely place to live in without destroying it, and yet you crave to know how it works.

We do mass prayers, create mass awareness and mass movements so that people get aware of what is going on and try to help.
As I have said earlier, nothing can be done unless the attitude of each and every individual have changed through their "self-realization" which means they have become aware.

Philosopher Catholic Saint Augustine of Hippo from the 5th century AD, said in his days,
"I understand, that I understand".
Yet, we have not understood it properly till now.
Being aware is the most highest possible portal to peace according to Zen, Tao and other religions and it takes quite some effort to understand how to do it.
Having realized it, now I say I am aware that I am aware.
So it definitely means there is something beyond the awareness preached by these religions. What is it and why is it?
Here's is a scientific proof -
It is said that we use only 5% of our brains. It's a false fact.
Now it is proved that we are aware of only 5% of whatever is going in our brain.
Source - BBC Knowledge.

So there must be something beyond our level of awareness.
So what the hell is going on with us and why?
Science teaches you what to do.
Philosophy teaches you how to do it, practically.
Religion teaches you how to do it, ritually.
But I haven't seen anything that answers the question "Why?"

Until then, all we, well, I can say to console for the unknown fact is the evergreen quote.
"I am, that I am".
Meaning, I exist because I do. It's quote that Jesus always answers when asked who he was.

I believe in Anna but I am not Anna !

noreply@blogger.com (Smita) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:38:03 PDT

The thirteen day long fast of Kisan Baburao Hazare aka Anna Hazare has been a much debated lately on news channels, in news papers, in youth clubs and in every commoner drawing room. The fast was for Jan Lokpal Bill to be taken into consideration by Indian Government.

Okay now coming to the central point of this post. I believe in Anna but I am not Anna. I belive in his ideologies and principles. I believe we Indians are solely responsible for all the corruption we are facing today. The corrupt bureaucrats have risen amongst us. The common man is responsible for proviking the much hated act of bribe. But this was done when we reached a threshold where we had no other choice but to bribe and be bribed.

Anna brought the whole nation under one notion, Remove Corruption. But I don't agree with his fast way to make Government agree to his demands. Okay I am not too much into politics but at-least I know what's going on in there. What was the need for him to fast for 13 long days? He's 74 years old and his life could have been in danger if the fast would have been on for several more days. There are other ways of protesting. Mob can gather peacefully outside minister's houses, they can put RTI to it's best use asking whereabouts's of development money, Candle lit marches could have been organized nation wide, a healthy debate could have been established between the People and the Government. But fasting! I don't see any Gandhian fellowship in that.

I might be wrong in my perception but it was really painful to see an old man sitting and fasting for us all .

Anna ji, we need people like you to remind Indians that they are born in a country that gave birth to people like रजा हरीश चन्द, शहीद भगत सिंह, नेताजी सुभाष चन्द्र बोस, महात्मा गाँधी and you !

Jai Hind
Smita

आज फिर

noreply@blogger.com (Smita) — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 10:38:17 PDT

आज फिर ये होंठ मुस्कुराएं है ,

आज फिर दिल में एक चाहता जागी है |

आज फिर दुनिया हसीं लग रही है ,

आज फिर जीने की तमन्ना जागी है |

आज फिर सब अपने लगते हैं,

आज फिर सारे दुःख पराये हैं |

आज फिर ये शीश झुकता है ,

आज फिर इस्वर पर सजदा,

ये सारी दुनिया हमारी है |

MonMad 2011 RESULTS!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Writers' Lounge Admin) — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 13:29:51 PDT

The time to announce the winners of MonMad 2011 has finally arrived. Though the quantity was extremely few, the quality was more than awesome. Me, the owners and the rest of the admins, thank you for your part. Also, a huge thank you to the non TWL people who took part in the contest.

Since only 2 entries has been received from outside of TWL, we couldn't make a separate category for them and hence, they were judged together with the blog entries. Our own THE WRITER'S LOUNGE legend, Pretty Prats, who now had given up an illustrious part of her life as a blogger was more than happy to be the judge.

So here we go,
*drumroll*

The Winner of MonMad 2011 is "MAITHILI" for her post "A Little Bit of Lying"

Pretty Prats says : "speechless! Such is the hatred and selfish interest of people. Killer ending. A full ten pointer"

We have a TIE for the 1st Runner's Up

They are "SMITA" for "Consequences" and "PULKIT" for "A Rainy Confession"

Both scored 9.5 each for excellent creativy. Pulkit's narration was brilliant but hampered by the word limit. Smita's post had supreme emotional tugs but lacked a touch of hope, a glimmer of ray that everyone needs in life. Nevertheless, excellent contributions.

The LAST but NOT THE LEAST, the ADMIN'S CHOICE AWARD.... and this is personal to me

The ADMIN'S CHOICE award goes to someone who is not a part of TWL.
I congratulate "SHRUTI MUKHERJEE" for her post "Odd Impressions".

Now you all know that you have to grab your badges and add them to your blogs. Also, i remember The Admin's Choice winning a certain prize from me. So SHRUTI gets an e-voucher of INR 400/- to shop anytime at FLIPKART. Now that ought to bring a smile on her lips. The Admin's Choice winner needs to send me an email to mridu.shadow@gmail.com

Also, this is a good year for TWL. We are now a WEBSITE. We had a fun contest. On this note, The Winner and the Runner's Up......wait for it......gets something toooooooooo....

Each of you will win a novel. A NOVEL and i hope to God, you people read. There will be a list of 9 Novels. And out of those 9, each one of you 3 winners can choose only 1. ONLY ONE. Seems fair since i will be the one shelling out bucks. This is NOT for the ADMIN'S CHOICE WINNER.

I will be the one selecting the novels. Remember, if one of you chooses a novel, the other one cannot get the same novel. So choose fast. The list of novels isn't up as of now. But it will be up by SUNDAY midnight at A LOT OF PAGES. So keep checking, the fastest one gets the best of the lot. Rules will be given there when the list comes up.

It was fun bringing you this contest and i hope you all had fun taking a part too.... Those who didn't win (including me and one of the owners) lol, DO NOT BE HEARTBROKEN (you can be for a while, i know i will be). WE WILL BE BACK. WITH BIGGER CONTESTS AND BIGGER PRIZES.

Love,

THE ADMINS

P.S| People, i ask you to be a sport and congratulate the winners. Also The Lover for the wonderful job he had done for the blog. Not to mention, Pretty Prats, who is still the number 1 Queen of Poetry in TWL and whose number of posts we cannot seem to cross. I Thank, STEPHEN for the brilliant concept he and me shared one late night until early morning. And don't forget to thank me, Freelancer for all the giveaways *blush*