Stuck In The Middle.......

www.squ.edu.om

"Once upon a time"

added at the front

"Happily ever after"

glued from behind

the story flows on
with messy bits in-between......

The messier it gets

more we drown 

pitting Ms. Bennett
and loathing men in all forms....
But deeper you get
you slowly realize
that the messy bits we thought were messy
are not messy at all

Design & I (Experiencing Design My Way.....)

Apologies for not being in contact or posting as frequent as I was used to. But no worries though because I am free for a while now and hope to pop in occasionally from now on. Nevertheless, I thought of having a series of posts that would help my learning as well as my readers regarding designs, specially focusing on Interiors. As a young designer student, I found peace through my work and my studies and I'm looking forward to share those ideas and concepts with you. Here's my story to you..... ( Apologies ahead if it sounds too boring or waste)

What is DESIGN?

I must say, this is totally my idea so please do not take this a definition. In many people's point of view, design doesn't have a specific definition for design is like art. For me, design is a totally unique way of expressing oneself that is neither perfect nor imperfect. Design is both science and creativity. Every person born to this world is a designer in one way or another. Some identify it through their passion, work, family or even through oneself. I found it through my passion for creating things like greeting cards, costumes & flower arrangements. Design is basically how you see yourself, how you want others to see yourself....

Dream Catcher.......

I took an oath once myself
to pursue the dream
wanted more than wealth
But fortunately or unfortunately
the destiny wasn't mine to share
thus I settled for something spare

Looking back the path I followed
Peering ahead the journey to be swallowed
I call myself the "dream catcher"
For once I'm going to charm what matters
Not the the ones I thought I wanted
But the happiness I never guarded

Green monsters everywhere
when you see your buddies flare
Not that I'm the jealous type
but not everyone of us the ripe
Choosing the best for my health
I, the dream catcher seek commonwealth

None in this world that could stop me now
from becoming the one person for which I vowed
may there be millions of despair
and let there be sometime to repair
Journey ahead of me not so fair
I, the dream catcher will succeed, you just stare....

                      By

                             ISK

Understanding Your Significant Other.....

Understanding is probably one of the most hardest things in this world. I know I sound pretty lame because all along our lives what we do is understand. Understanding the meaning of a simple word, understanding the nature of an animal and understanding the life, these are from the basics to the advanced levels yet perhaps the most advanced form of understanding comes when you are in love. They say we can never survive without water. Just like water, understanding should be there for a stronger and a stable relationship. Not only what is between two lovers but the relationship between a father and a son, a teacher and a student and an employer and an employee, they all revolve around understanding. So it is pretty important that you do understand.

We judge people. We make mistakes but mostly we do not try to resolve ourselves, to understand what we did were wrong. I once remember when I was a lil kiddo, my class teacher told me, "If you do wrong once you are forgiven, but you have to understand the consequences so that you don't repeat it." I never understood this while I was a young kid but now I do. It's the same theory you have to apply when you are in love. I have seen most of the couples in love falling in and out of love through the years. Some say they are simply fed up. Others claim that their partners were too harsh or they are strangers now. But if you think through you'll see the problem stands with the understanding. So here are few of the essentials we think you need for a better understanding and for a better relationship. You are welcome to add more to the short list.

My Love For You........

Soft like the breeze speeding down the lane
Mild like a kitty paw
and warm like the summer rain.....
My love for you
undying & unconditional
And love you forever more....
The serenity of a sunset and
The tenderness of a kiss
The mist of a morning dew
And bliss of mother's touch.....
Everything you gave me
Is so precious and priceless
My love for you
Undying & unconditional
And love you forever more....
Though we not see each other
Though we not kiss each other
The memories you gave me
Is ever eternal...
The moments we shared
Are never of betrayal
That purity
Shall bear the proof
That u & I belong
To each other
Until the world ends.....
My love for you
Undying & unconditional
Love you forever more.....
                                                        By
                                                            ISK

Your Memories Make Me Heal......

The sweet mellow voices in my head
crying out loud the only name
I wish I could go back
like the wind and the rain and the sun.....
Rolling up my legs up
curving up with a coldness around
mine searches your heart
in the starry heavens above....
The times we sang
the times we ran
the ups and downs in our path
all seemed filled with your smell...
Your smell only
I just wish if I could go back
to hold you in my arms
and feel that warmth again & again & again....
My heart so heavy and wound
obeys only you....
When lost in thought and soul in the past...
Only your memories make me heal....

By

        ISK

E TREE......................................... LEAF SIXTEEN

White

No one can tell me that was totally accidental. Someone was messing with my dreams. But how can that be possible. It was around three in the morning when I woke up after hearing that voice again. (What am I talking about? Hear? No, it was a dream!) It felt like a chill even though it was the end of July. And why on earth it had to today? We are supposed to work on a Mind Map today. A real one. And the one in white? What does that mean? Obviously the one place I’m going to be today is school and our uniforms are white so everyone will be wearing white. 

I was so distracted that when Cher arrived at school, I didn’t realize she was just a feet away from me until she gave a tap on my back. 

“What are thinking so much about on a morning like this? You are like already lost your fight. What’s up?” Cher asked what’s wrong as if she was asking me to go to the bathroom with her.

It would be a betrayal for our friendship if I don’t tell her what I saw but I was so confused that I couldn’t decide whether to tell her or not. Which one in white is a threat? But before, I could tell her, Nish came in saying, 

“Hey, you are still here? We have office duty this week. Better get going before Mrs. Veene come scolding. Hurry!”

We went hurriedly to the Head Mistress’s office. Each class of the school is given a week to clean and maintain Head Mistress’s office. This week, it was our turn. While cleaning, I peered into Ms. Cleanor’s cubicle but she was not there. I thought of telling her if I could get a chance about my dream. 

E TREE......................................... LEAF FIFTEEN

The Dream

“I will not… Not today…. Yes, when the time is right… not today… But be warned girl. You are making a serious mistake. You’ll never come back.” And the two hands that tortured me left for good. 

That was the dream I’ve been having for the last two weeks. All I ever see is two hands, very white, choking me to death with the same words in a shrill voice. I’m a light sleeper most of the people say because, I dream a lot. But I never see the same dream twice but this one was way out of my hand. I told Cher about my dream. She didn’t pay much attention first but when I was having the same dream repeatedly for the seventh time, she told me to go to Ms. Cleanor. 

Ms. Cleanor did not ask me back anything but she wanted me to forget what I saw and continue my normal routine. I wanted to ask her what if I see it again, but for some reason I skipped that part.

“You should have asked her. I’m not surprised she didn’t take you seriously, must be something not unusual though.” Cher replied when I told her about my meeting with Ms. Cleanor.

“You know what? Dreams are dreams. Reality is far more interesting than a stupid dream Ish. Common, cheer up. We’ll miss the Basket Ball match if we don’t go now.” 

E TREE......................................... LEAF FOURTEEN

Friends & Foes

“I wonder when we are actually going to get to fight…” Yaarah said while we were all having lunch during the interval after a tiresome training session one day. 

“Yeah, me too. We’ve been practicing for like 3 months and Cleanor won’t allow us to fight actually. I mean common we are all improving aren’t we? And…. We are pretty much through the basic battle techniques now. She ought to let us fight by now.” said Kale who was sitting with us. She was pointedly looking at the next table where another set of girls from our class sat there. 

“Oh no… no, no, no… No you are not Kale!” Cher suddenly cried out loud so that even the other tables could hear. 

“Why? What happened?” I asked Cher. She was looking half amused, half annoyed. Kale gave her a frown look. “I’m not telling them. It’s your business” Cher replied Kale for her look.

We all stared at Kale who was struggling to tell something. She finally looked at Cher for help who immediately started to tell us what Kale thought.

“She wants to punch and crack some teeth out of Blona. It’s been on her mind ever since they were kids some kid revenge thing. By the way, Blona and Kale are from the same neighbourhood.” Cher was smiling and Kale was red on the face like a cherry.

“It’s not like that, she keep beating me from everything I do. And she got into White Lotus just like I did and add to that she is a Rage just like me.” 

“Funny how that happens right? Anyways, you’ll need to drop that grudge right here Kale because we are on the same side now. And sooner or later, we have to face a real fight and the other side can use such grudges against us. That’s what Ms. Cleanor said isn’t it?” what Yaarah said was true. Sooner or later we will face a real fight. 

E TREE......................................... LEAF THIRTEEN

Mind Maps

“Either I’m mad or she is going insane” Cher forgot that we are still listening to Ms. Cleanor. “Or maybe I have a hearing problem…” After a moment Cher muttered. Apparently many girls thought likewise. 

“Your powers are not only to benefit those around you but to vanquish evil and fight it.” Ms. Cleanor’s voice echoed ignoring the horrified faces of others present. 

“Evil has many forms. There are evil people around you and your society. There’s evil inside everyone. At some point of life only, you’ll realize that particular part within you. It’s not easy to become a Mind’s Eye unless you defeat the darkness within you. Mark my words girls, to harness your potentials there will be thousands of obstacles and most of those obstacles will be from your evil side. It’s our task to prepare you for that.

Mind’s Eyes in the past have divulged certain methods to defeat your darkness as well as prepare yourselves against your enemies. The most effective ones are game plans derived to train your minds’ powers to battle. They are like games but planned and executed inside your mind.”

Absorbed by this new piece of information, everyone turned to face the stage where a transparent screen kicked into life showing what looked like a flat ground, more like a meadow but with less grass. There were two groups of tiny people on either side formed into what looked like two triangles. Ms. Cleanor spoke “Upper view, Squad 1” and the screen moved to show the overhead view of one triangle. 

Transformation Of Books.... Tangible To Intangible....

I often hear my parents say that they used to read this book or that one or about gossip they used to enjoy in reading tabloids way back in the seventies and eighties. But looking back there and comparing with today, where is the average school kid swimming in the depths of the books? Nowhere. It's possible that someone could raise the questions why use books when there's plenty of other sources to find information quite easily as well as descriptively? Well, the answer is yes there's no doubt that you'll be able to find more accurate and up to date info via other sources but reading is something more.

An Easy Way To Make A Fabulous Greeting Card! Yes, You can do it too!!!

I just love making greeting cards! Don't you? Well, actually my leisure time is spent with matching colours and experimenting new paper arts to create cards. One of my friends birthday is getting close so I thought of why not this. I really don't know what this paper art is called but once made I'm pretty sure that you'll start making cards with this style. I'm only gonna tell you how to make the paper art and the rest of the decoration is up to you. Here we go.

Things you need

A sharp pointed paper cutter (I've used my dad's old surgical blade)

A pair of scissors

A ruler

pencils

A hard board or a sheet of some hard surface

Coloured papers of your choice

Black Tahitian Pearls and Your Skin....

The pearls that look good both around your neck and in your skin care creams!

Look at the back of your favourite skin care product at the ingredients list and I guarantee you will find the first ingredient is "aqua". 

Aqua is basically water and most commercial skin care creams and lotions are predominantly water. Due to this, most of their moisture and nutrition quickly runs off the dry, wrinkled skin and people find themselves having to use two skin care products: first, a base layer product to moisturise the skin and help the cream get absorbed and second, an anti-ageing product to help get rid of those wrinkles.

But this is inefficient. As soon as the first layer product evaporates, the dry, wrinkled skin returns. And with conventional skin care products, no matter how hard you try, you will never be able to permanently cure your dry wrinkled skin. What you need is a luxurious premium anti-ageing skin care product to help your wrinkles away!

Second Thoughts.....

I wish I was wrong
the first time I ever thought....
Looking back my past,
I fear none but my future....
He was the man,
the one took my heart,
the perfection
I've been looking for
a couple made in heaven....
Busy as ever his life could be
messier my thoughts ever would be,
sinking deep and deeper in my heart,
I wondered and misjudged past....
Having second thoughts
on a marriage that was so full,
was like having burnt your grill
while you could have a great meal....
Thinking he was no longer in love
I decided to re consider my thoughts....
I was wrong, angry and stressed so far,
when he was home wishing
my arms and love.....
                                                    By,
                                                       ISK

E TREE......................................... LEAF TWELVE

A New Beginning

“I’m a Mind’s Eye. I’m not a Mind’s Eye. I’m a Mind’s Eye. I’m not a Mind’s Eye……..” Whenever I felt I doubtful about myself I kept chanting that to myself. I’m still not used to the idea of being a Mind’s Eye with full powers. And add to that, I learn in a school where Mind’s Eyes are trained to use their powers. Sounds fantastic, hah? Nope! Not to me though. Even with powers I was behind my studies and we were strictly prohibited to use our powers in exams. (Poor Cher!) When we got to know our last term results in 6ht Standard, I was the 11th in my class out of 44 and Cher was 5th. I was a bit relieved actually but not my parents. They were neither pissed nor satisfied but confused because they didn’t know whether to blame me or not. Of course they can’t blame me because I managed all that by myself with all the extra pains and aches from my Mind’s Eye ice braking.

When we were graduated to our 7th standard, our class was divided. Gladly Cher and Yaarah were in my class. We were put in A class this time with a whole new set of students. My 7th standard was the year that marked a great deal of a change in my whole life. Even though we were total strangers, my classmates got along well together. Our class teacher was Mrs. Veene. She was a real nice person to all of us. Soon after we were put into class A we found out something special about our class. That was everyone in the class was known to be best at their Mind’s Eye powers. It was like we were graded according to our powers. 

“You know what?” Cher started to whisper in my ear. “This class has the strangest minds I’ve read. Not to mention, I can’t read four minds out of the fifty and all the other minds are so powerful that I can’t keep reading them. I think it’s because of the training. You know, it’s a bit hard to read yours now than earlier because you are constantly training your mind now. I thought with the training, I’ll be able to expand my reading area. I mean, now I can read everyone within 10m or so but I can’t keep up reading for a long time. I can read none Mind’s Eyes for a longer time now though.”

E TREE......................................... LEAF ELEVEN

The Painful  Truth

“How’s everything at school, honey?” My mom was back from our first parents’ meeting. I thought she was going to kill me for getting only 43 for Maths. However she was not but she was in one of her “I’m worried about you” moods.

“Ummm…. Okay. Why? How was the meeting?” I asked without real consideration. 

“Oh! It was okay. Mrs. Anjaa seems lovely. But there were some surprising things. For example, all the teachers knew who I was and they seemed so glad to meet me. I was treated like the President’s mother.” There was a pause.

“And I asked you about your special diet from your class teacher and she seemed positively unaware about it. You told me that your school wanted you to follow that diet Ish. So how come Mrs. Anjaa doesn’t know it?”  My mom was curious, suspicious and worried now. But still I couldn’t tell her what I was because she’ll think I’m going crazy. I had to lie.

“Mrs. Anjaa doesn’t know mom. It was the Doc at the sick bay assigned me the diet.” But she was still not convinced. I could tell by looking at her expression. God protect me now. 

There were times I actually thought of telling mom and dad about myself but they were not fantasy people. As every parent does, they wanted me to concentrate hard on my studies. But it was a bit difficult for me to keep up with my studies with Mind’s Eye training. Each time I discover a power within me, I collapse and it weakens my body. I had to endure great deal of pain when I use my powers. I sometimes felt lonely because I was different from others and I could not tell my feelings to my parents. All I knew was that, from now on, I had to be more careful. I was glad to return to school after a month’s vacation spent miserable at home.

Power +ve....

I'm often told that I think too much of the things that happen around me. Sometimes, I feel like I deserve every badness I've faced and I let myself down thinking that I'm a waste of space. Whether it's my exam results or my inability to make a good pizza I started worrying over every little thing I do wrong in my life. I had enough of people telling me that I need to do this and that but none of them really saw what I wanted to become, what abilities I have and what I want my life to be like. Slowly and irreversibly I started hating each and everyone around me including my parents. Though they meant only good for me, their good became something compared to hell for me. They wanted me to become their pet while I wanted to be the stray basset hound roaming free everywhere. I was told not to go out with boys because they expect nothing less but to corrupt me. When I was sixteen years, I had this phobia kind of a thing whenever I stand next to a boy. I go sweating and shaking and very near to faint. My parents didn't know about this because they were too busy shaping up their own and my life to suit the social standards. When young girls of my age were free, I was in a prison inside my own head. They sought love while I ran away from it. 

There were times when I thought of committing suicide because I felt so down. I kept getting lower and lower marks for my tests. I wished away myself because I was not beautiful. I envied my class mates who had satin like skins and perfect faces without pimples. Why do bad things always happen to me? 

I was the most miserable person in the whole school. People called me "miserable Miley" behind my back. My friends kept their distance with me, not wanting to get infected with my miserableness. I was the loneliest among thousands, the silent moaner in a noisy classroom and the sad face in a bunch of happy ones. I was used to being treated like a scum bag. I hardly passed my tests. My parents lost their hopes on me and they gave up on me, treating me with no higher than a servant. They never actually spent time to talk with me and most of the time I had dinner alone because they were busy with their business meetings and dinner parties. 

I was glad that I was finally getting to say good bye to my dreadful high school. I had enough of it. After two weeks since our last year started, I saw a new face next to my locker. Black hair, tall figure, slim body, a  unique  pleasant smell that was definitely not a perfume and two amazingly beautiful brown eyes were standing next to me. He turned to face me and he had the most amazing smile I've ever seen. "Hi!" he said and the next thing I knew was that I woke up in sick bay. 

F.R.I.E.D.S.

Stepping into a newer world

where unknown awaits you

trying to embrace you & drag you into it.....

A deeper heart beat,

a slower walk

curious but shy

we became friends

just by saying "hello"....

Amazing what time does

taking us through so many fuss

still bonding our lives with tiniest of laughter

and hardest of sorrows.....

Friendship

I did not understand first

fellowship

I did not appreciate first....

still I had shoulders to cry when I was in trouble,

hands to clap for me when I was victorious....

ears to listen what my problems are

& tongues to chatter endlessly and laugh like hell....

FRIENDS....

you cannot make but they are made for you

FRIENDS

even if you don't see their presence is felt

FRIENDS

their absence makes you miss them more & more

FRIENDS

the combination of everything you want.....

FRIENDS

the six letters that bring comfort just by seeing it.....

FRIENDS

that I cannot live without...........

                                                                             By

                                                                                ISK

Simplicity..........

Simple.... the best thing you can be

it's easier than wearing make up,
less painful than a break up
what more life could ask from you
but being simply simple.....

Man sitting on the floor next door,
and the girl with daring heels and nails
the boy with a kite flying on shore
and the cop walking down the lane...

They all but share nothing less than life
life that with simplicity,
like so many different clouds in the sky
but with same white colour and serenity.....

by

        ISK                   

E TREE......................................... LEAF TEN

Collapse

“Wow! I never knew that there are actually people who can send Blue fire. Just imagine!” Cher kept jabbering as usual after our training session and this time it was a bit more because now we know about most of the Mind’s Eye powers and what they are called. 

“Prior Demnar…. Prior Demnar…. You don’t mind me calling you by full name, do you?” Cher asked me sheepishly. That’s it! She knew how much I didn’t like being called like that. 

“One more time and I’ll assure you that I won’t help you with your Trumpet!” Cher was selected to our school brass band and her first instrument was a trumpet and she was lousy at playing it. 

“Okay, Okay… Listen, now that we know about what we are called, I think we should have nick names or something like that. It’s cool right? I mean everyone usually has a nick name. If I can’t call you Prior Demnar, can I call you P.D.? It’s ugly but simple… What do you say?” Cher was making fun of me but that’s normal for her. If she’s not laughing then there is some serious problem. Apart from our Mind’s Eye training sessions, my life at White Lotus could not have been any different. We had term tests and sports and all types of extracurricular activities. Most important of all, people stopped talking about me eventually. I became part of them.