THE CURRENTLY READING BOOK TAG

hello everyone! we both love reading books and today we will be doing the currently reading book tag that has really good questions! We were “kinda” tagged for this by Nehal @nehal says. Its our very first tag😄 on this blog.!! hope you all like it!!!!!!!!😃 So let us get started with the questions! the bold is for my ( khushi ‘s) answers and normal is for Kunjal ‘s answers!

   1. How many books do you usually read at once?

Um my highest has been 2 or okk  yeah maybe 3. But I feel I am doing injustice to one book. So, I keep myself committed to one book. At least I try. Or I just leave it if I don’t like it and sometimes maybe read something casual.. Sometimes…

I can read around 4-5 books at a time but it is like if i like a book more then obviously i get addicted to it and end up finishing it first. I like to have books of different genres with me at all times though. 

2.            If you’re reading more than one book at a time, how do you decide when to switch to reading the other book?

if you are trying a super new genre, you may want a switch like recently I started up on a historical book. But I after reading 60 percent I fell out of tandem. So, I read some casual reads (like maybe which are short reads around 200 pages)They are really helpful!

(P.S always have some casual reads in stock! Need some names?)

Huh well again depends on my mood. Everytime i want to read something I see my options and then choose it . when i am happy i go with some ya dramas, or thrillers. Otherwise i prefer reading non-fiction as well ( if i do not feel too lazy). And a classic is always welcome 😀

3.            Do you ever switch bookmarks while you’re part way through a book?

I read on kindle (wait kindle is good ok? You don’t get to know the length of the book! I can prove it to you by saying I read a series in one week! and ah back to the point) so I don’t really make use of book marks.

Um no never, you can not just switch bookmarks can you?

4.            Where do you keep the book(s) you’re currently reading?

I know I don’t get to feel the cover page or breathe in the smell (** yeah with advantages come disadvantages oops) and all my books are stored in kindle or on my laptop.

Ok so i read both hard copy as well as those on kindle. I have this bookshelf but my currently reading book stays at a small bedside table so that i can just read it anytime in the night or day, as for the ebooks , i have them on kindle , my laptop, my tab … basically everywhere 

5. What time of day do you spend the most time reading?

Staring at the stars, face lit by book, pouring through words… losing yourself…. Alone’

I read( oops back to normal text) at night. It is such a great feeling.. it is like everything is shushed for some time. Ears become hyperactive and very faint noises of birds, desks, doors, can be heard.  I read at night because if I read at day I may lose a full day! And well that has happened. All blaming to books!

Just 1 sentence for this – at any time when I can read in silence and there is just me with my book( even 3 a.m at the night suits me if these conditions are met )  

7.  How long do you typically read for in one go?

I read around 2 or sometimes more than 2 hours. 2 hours is typically how long I read.

That depends on many things. My mood, the genre of the book, and the amount of other work I have to do on that particular day. 

But usually it is around half an hour( for an average book) and around 4-5 hours( for an exemplary extraordinary book ) 

8.  Do you read hard covers with the dust jacket on or off?

I don’t read hard covers.  

I am very protective of my things so i dunno i have this feeling that removing the dust jacket is like taking off the protection or stealing the cover of the book, I like to keep it on 

9.  Which position do you mainly use to read?

 Sitting is said to be a good position to read and do something. But I gradually find myself leaning down and over the pillow. So that is mainly the position in which I read. And then as you know I drift off to sleep.

Ah ! well i lie down on my back and read, with aesthetic music playing on a loudspeaker it makes a very good position to get lost in the book 

10.                Do you take the book you’re currently reading with you everywhere you go?

 Sometimes.. but not always. I am an extrovert so if it is a place and plus if there are people I won’t be able to commit myself to the book. I thus, prefer not to take my kindle with me.

Hm well not everywhere, but I always prefer the company of a good book over small talk . I have books surrounding me at most times, even in school or when I am travelling ( even if just to a nearby place )  I like to carry a book with me 

11.                How often do you update your progress in the book you’re currently reading on Goodreads?

I just update it as finished reading. But sometimes I forgot to. So it maybe that 50 read books isn’t exactly the right count.. it can be more….

Hmm so well I upload it after reading it , so that I can write reviews after reading till the end and not judge by the starting .

Hmm were the answers satisfactory enough? aren’t we different😁?

We nominate everyone for this book tag!!

This is our first tag so we would love to hear answers from all of you!( You can do a post but you can answer down below too😃)

Till then au revoir!

also check out the previous post here

~DuoDisseminators

(Khushi And Kunjal).

‘GRATEFULLNESS…. Anyone??’

So yesterday, after having our dinner, we decided to go out for a drive around 9:30-10ish . We were on the highway when we saw this man on a bike. The man had a balloon twisted animal hung at his back. And that balloon animal was the only colourful thing there was in the dark of night, above the brown jacket, and black bike of that man. 

Well, obviously he was on a bike so he rode very fast and soon he was nowhere to be seen, but he did leave something behind for me – a memory of the balloon animal. 

I asked my mom later, why would such a grown up man , late at night be driving with a balloon animal on his back. And because of her longer years of experience of life than me she answered smiling “ He must have been a thoughtful father, because even though he is so late to reach home but he still thought of his child and brought something for him.”

At that moment I started imagining the happiness the child would experience when his father comes home and  gives him that gift . But thinking about that I realised that there were many instances when my father gave me something but I hastily threw it away because I did not like it. 

But after seeing that man , I noticed that there were too many sentiments attached to even the smallest of actions which mostly go unnoticed or unappreciated. 

Think about the food we eat………….takes hours to prepare and mere minutes to finish off and then point out the imperfection of the taste. 

We end our day with a full stomach though. Would you sneak up at night to eat something else?You and I won’t even be awake to do that.

Let us together think about what everyone , you and me here will finish up in a matter of days.

But which took a lot of crushing to prepare.

How about the books? Some bring too much comfort and feelings. And we drowse off with our last thought or a tear or a giggle. Some do not happen to be as expected.

There can be thousands of arguments why they just weren’t good for us. They were maybe too rich in vocabulary, too mature, too historical but…

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But they still make us drowse in an eventual sleep. At night.

In fact, if anything before us would have been rather too incomplete or just half of what it was fully possible of achieving will our day ever end? A good ‘THE END’?

 We would squirm and squish, twist and turn. Be it an empty stomach or our own undone checklist.

So whatever makes you sleep makes you dream, and wake up with a yawn… We must appreciate it a little bit. Criticism is important, but it is not a liability anywhere and everywhere.

I am not saying go start in a pleasing round of flattery when that is apparently not the case.

You may right now find a thousand reasons to contradict this post.

But if you do this once, what would the end outcome be? Too bad? Or worse still, just better than our previous version. Right?

Maybe there just won’t be an argument with someone over how bad or little we spoke.  My mother won’t get frustrated if I appreciate her as well as change the way of pointing out where she went wrong.

There might be a mutual understanding.

Isn’t that we all want? understanding? but fail by creating a misunderstanding?

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Written By Khushi. M

Edited by YouKnowWho.( anyways it is Kunjal)

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P.S this post is scheduled. We will both be at school then for exams. Anyone having future deciding things as well?

And Question of the day:

How would you want someone to be grateful to you?

‘Lonesome Or Remembrance?’

To all those who lost… expectations… hope…. people….

Sometime when truth,

Stretched out too far.

Where it was not needed,

It should have stayed afar.

Afar.

Sometime when plan,

Had been laid.

Worked was about to for real,

But in there crashed, the forlorn affairs.

Affairs.

Sometime when what was expected,

Encumbered to be tucked, and get lost.

And thus distanced away,

But came as it had to.

To.

Then Sometime, when  ah! ‘envision’

Just lost its true deal,

Until hope could be seeded.

Already inside something changed – the feel.

Feel.

And reality crashed,

Like Thunders surprising one night.

Was everything a drunken slumber?

 And I felt cruelty as the world prickled me- ridiculed

Ridiculed.

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Maybe take a break, dear.

From all these  harsh remembrances,

Lonesome it is, although-

Remember when you stare away.

Into the scenic beauty before you.

Maybe everything cannot be a part of this tale…

Can it?

“Only one way to find out....“

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There will be harsh remembrances. They will render us, all of us…. alone from the ‘normal’. Try try a bit, and start again. Let us not have this ‘ we didn’t try’. Wishes and desires can advent again. Plans or people or setting will change, but who is to say this tale ends here? Only one way to find out. Resume living.

~From DuoDisseminators.

Poem for Myself (By Akshita)

anthology of akshita's thoughts

I have written a thousand poems

For people around me

All but one

Have never written a poem for

Myself

It’s not because I don’t want to

But because I really don’t know how to

Or perhaps because I never thought to

But now I am trying

And yet I don’t know how to fill that page up

I think I know myself well enough

But all that comes to me

Are mere lines and not

Beautiful expressions and metaphors

That I used for others

Yet, I’ll still tattoo that page with ink

As I have written poems

For everyone I love

And I don’t want to be excluded

From that list

View original post

AN EXCEPTION-THAT’S ALL?

SOURCE:
http://paulbielaczyc.com/art-galleries-2/black-white-gallery/unity/ ( I love this picture!!😃)

Hey everyone. Today I wanted to share a very important note for all of you. These are my thoughts and I dont force upon you.  I want to make a point to all of you today. Read it till the end you may find some similar thought or opposing one. Does it matter?🙂

.  After I had studied for my exam, I took some time to browse through my Youtube page and here is what I found. Please watch this video till the end. It is not crappy, it is not complaining, nor is it stupidly funny. And I just felt watching it gave me strength to continue writing without considering second thoughts and rethinking.

WATCH FOR SOME SECONDS!

I hope you have watched the video. It may not be full. Just partial. It may just be a few seconds as well. Just remember what the guy was doing. He was hugging people alright. He had his eyes- covered. So many people just hugged him whatever the reason may have been. Some hugged tighter, some little kids grinned at the camera. People young, teen, busy, old, wretched, black, white, green, blue. all were there and hugged him. Some stayed longer, still hugging him not wanting to let go of the comforting reassuring rub at the back.

Judging is not a bad word nor a word at a diffidence to compassion and humanity.  Sometimes judging is important. We must have certain parameters in life. Life can’t be the hazy right and wrong. For instance, when someone attends an interview for a job, the people standing behind the bar must be judging him/her on specific parameters. Like communication, skill, personality, candour, and utmost important knowledge of the expertise. When a landlord is to give a flat to someone at rent, a bachelor in most cases, it is rightful and in fact, wise enough, to question his habits, demeanour, and sometimes even background. When we want to befriend someone, we must understand whether the person is right for us or not. All of this is natural, and significant.

These certain parameters are what makes one conscious of the person other than his name. 

Opinion wise, these parameters are which we develop ourselves. A mother rears her child to thrive among these bounds. We thus, create ‘identity’ in this world.

 However, when we all judge someone on the basis of natural alienable facts they can’t change or have control over, whatsoever?  Maybe that is where the discussion needs to start. Many people face judgement based on not the essential parameters elaborated above rather such like race, gender, disability, religion, caste etc. during their interviews workplaces and public arenas.  more often. 

The video you had watched a few moments ago was by Aaron Le Conte. He blindfolded himself and prevented his eyes from looking at the different spheres of judgements, for those few moments.  We can’t shed this blindfold before our eyes really. We can’t stop wondering about the nationality or the blackness, paleness or odd clothing of the person. it comes out as a lingering thought in mind. 

But we need to make an exception. However, not without rationalism. And not just to show that we are making an exception for them, as a favour.

Everything needs a historical example.

In the past after India ‘s independence most princely States ( around 547) integrated into India with some acceded to Pakistan ( sharing border with Pakistan)  However question remained for one very important Princely state – Jammu And Kashmir which also shares border with both India and Pakistan.

The ruler of Kashmir had agreed to integrate with India. But leaders like Nehru rejected the offer and wanted Sheikh Abdullah to be first made the caretaker of Kashmir when it could have been done without. 

Some other leaders opposed this, because under the ruler of Kashmir it would be convenient to seek integration with India and the ruler enjoyed a degree of trust within all communities. So would it be a convenient integration? Yes.

However due to some leaders who wanted to show support for some Muslim leader the  offered opportunity  was missed.  Such people made an easy integration of Kashmir into India conditional and not without heavy cost of lives.

 Sheikh Abdullah forgot all about his ideological commitment to India and used his power to start riots against the minorities. It became a breeding ground.

Gandhi himself, in 1947, pointedly refused the hospitality of the Hindu ruler of Kashmir and remained the guest of Sheikh Abdullah. For absolutely no reason. It was after many riots, the problem of Kashmir integration was solved.

Doesn’t it mean they were looking at the situation from a communal angle? With sentimentality to support one people of one type, so that they could be viewed at as secular later on? We want bringing people together from all grounds, but we also view every situation, every misdeed as discrimination against someone, even if it is non- essential?

“If a person is bad, he is bad. If a person is good he is good.”

 In my belief, whenever there is a situation we need to consider facts and reason. We don’t need to show how secular or caring we are through actions when that oppose the true character of a person. 

Whether it is someone of one gender, or one caste or one religion or anything, we must punish those who sin and support those who don’t! We have to make an exception but not for image as so many leaders do. We just have to do it and judge  situations on different grounds. 

Prejudices have most of the times evolved true, otherwise they won’t be called so. But try to think that the person standing in front of you could be an exception. Take into consideration what matters. 

We can try and not think about the lingering questions which prevail in the back of mind, rather start with a simple finding of people’s attitude and interests. I have read bios of some people on WordPress who have openly disclosed who they are their beliefs etc. I had judged them and I had lingering thoughts in my mind.  But when I read their thoughts, their articles, I was mesmerized. I decided to make an exception. 

And in WordPress, it is a very good point to note that we connect through writing. Not any other futile basis.

  It is a strange feeling when the beliefs about people don’t go the way they should. But take firmness that these prejudices, when, may hold for some in a similar way may not hold true for the remaining ‘some’. Each of us will discover much beyond human relations.  I am still discovering. What about you?

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I hope you liked this super super lengthy ( **Thanks for coping up with me) one! These are my total teenage thoughts. And my musings. My intention was never against someone.😀

Would be happy to know what you feel down below! ( Of course!)

Kunjal.G

~DuoDisseminators

(Btw anyone about to have exams? We are to have them soon!!!🥺)

“Our Candle,

RAIN SOUND

Have you ever had a power cut? When it rains? What do you do? What if batteries have drained out? Do you..

It was a normal night.

Well all nights are normal till,

And Everyone with their laptops

Me with a book in my hand

And suddenly something happened 

Actually, nothing a havoc of surprise around.

The lights went out due to a power cut,

It was somewhere 9 ‘o clock?

All of us staring and trying, setting, mushiness into right.

Even though knowing light would come again alright.

So why not wait for it to arrive?

The encumbered batteries about to drain, 

No one paying  here a sight

Not even the clouds and shudders creeping inside,

And agitation growing, dwindling inside.

Hence, a candle somewhere turned out alright. 

 Some time spent in the dark,

With the single candle being lighted and giving light,

The wax gradually melting 

But till the last moment the candle did thrive.

 And we huddled together to the warmth we found. 

The candle stood there alone and we did.

The gloom and the dark, 

The glow both defied, denied.

We took care that it glowed

Brighter than before,

Till everything went alright.

And the light came ,it sure did.

when the lights went out, we hated it

So, instead waiting for the bulb light to pop on,

We lit one right then in its sheer demise.

To have a candle ‘s light in unusual circumstance

one must take it into strangeness,

when the gloom and darkness prance.

And so did we when frightened by a sheer power cut.

And hence the sooted candle, left a grave mark. 

“It is Human tendency to try while being chased by dread. Of course no one knows how will it go. But he will not wait.. Not yet.. “

~DuoDisseminators

Hope you all like this piece. Check out our previous post ‘Reforming our way’ here

Reforming our way.

“Ah mami let me sleep for the last 5 secs!!”, Alia moaned and shook her head as she lifted it upwards. Towards the screen which showed the stained black teams page and the names she had to see everyday.

“ Good morning everyone.” Alia jerked her head upwards. Riya followed suit rubbing her aching head. The bio teacher had arrived. Or opened her laptop, entered the password, logged in on Teams, shook her laptop again (because it will hang), clicked her bio class, and clicked the mic button. To speak “Good Morning”

Biology was the least favourite subject of the class. Teacher could repeat twice or thrice and one could still not get a single thing. A numb feeling of floating in the abyss would cease to do nothing. However, her booming high-pitched syllables (Can~ a~Lic~u~lar you got me students?). wasn’t the reason really there was a pin drop silence. In fact, her tone was almost weary. Almost feverish with old age, and fast with experience and was all the more easily evadable.  It was actually…

Riya looked up at her screen delighted. She quickly typed a reply back. And almost an instant back she received a message. Leo, her best friend, had sent her an important message. A form of satire.  She giggled and typed an emoji back. There she reverted back to the ever old screen, hurriedly finding the page where the teacher was on. She had learnt the tactic.

But no, she was not on some page. She had reverted back to Paint 3D and was drawing a bio diagram. And explaining. What a tactic.

“So, these are called pits as you can see here, which facilitate water transportation. Remember this. This may not be there in your book.”

what won’t be there?

“.. and I can ask you this. You might receive some questions at the end of the class”

A ding. Alia checked her phone. She felt the urge to pick it up again but eventually put it down. Listening ahead, a question formed in her mind. She asked.

“ Um Mam?”

“Yes?”

“Can I ask something please?”

“Okay you go ahead”

“Umm you said pits facilitate water transportation in xylem. So, vessels as you have drawn seem to have more no. of pits. Doesn’t it mean there will be more water transportation. Since the holes are more”

“Yes, good observation.” Riya cringed and started typing. 

“- you are correct, Alia. Vessels will do more water transportation. While tracheid will do lesser water transportation”

“Ok mam thank you!” Alia said. A huge smile formed on her face.

She is a bookworm. Riya typed to Leo. She instantly received a reply back. An affirmation, which triggered her to type another message. 

Where does she mug up from? Rote learner. Probably from a bunch of some of the thickest books of all time!

Leo replied back “This is not real learning. She will most probably go to become a doctor. Always mugging up extra things and trying to impress, the bio teacher.” She wanted to reply back. But then it almost felt like she got caught by the teacher. 

“ Ok Riya will tell us, what she observes in the diagram”, The teacher said fearing a pin drop silence again.

“Just a second mam. I am thinking.”

“ What do you observe in the diagram” she asked Leo. No reply. Riya started shuffling her book rapidly. Her mic was on.

“Ok tell me riya what do you understand by the function of Connective tissue.” The teacher asked again.

Ok so there is a paragraph describing the features of connective tissues.

Riya blurted it out. Just like most of the students do.

“Stop stop. I asked you the function of connective tissue. Pretty simple. Such tissues in our body connect. Like blood becomes a medium connecting all organs. Bone for another example”

And you picked up the definition from the book. You didn’t understand or noted a thing that I said”, Her teacher rebuked. In an almost dejected voice.

Riya couldn’t say anything. She fumbled for a reason. Was she rote learning?

Alia stared at the screen. she felt better… after… after all the shaming. 

Alia checked her phone now. She smiled.

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I was a lot skeptic to publish this. But when I remembered the times we had activities and history discussion there were complete silences, i was a bit unhappy. There is a notion about Indian schools totally working on rote learning. But well that is changing.( Quite!) Apart from some things, I speak object, and ask during classes as much as possible, to initiate a live discussion. but these days it seems most of the children are just clicking beside their teams window( You know what I mean).

Secondly, those who speak different in classes are regarded as bookworms or something. It is just the way of understanding and expressing things! And I have been bullied and joked that i am a nerd, which however some people say to ignore them is hard to ignore. I hope you guys liked this story. the concept maybe a bit alien. So I had to write this.

“A vast bushy tree of mango overhead to pluck from. Shouldn’t we try to pluck out chances to make difference in the prevailing education system? It is not just the teachers….”

Question at the end ” Do you believe reform in both sides? What do you really find faulty?

DuoDisseminator

~Kunjal.G

POEM/PROMPT WRITING 2

WE MET! THE FILTER WHAT DO YOU THINK ABT IT?

ONE SWEATING DAY, 

 KUNJAL : I was travelling and I remember,

More than I intended to,

And what will remain,

Perchance longer  than I could intend to.

A day of bliss,

Finally meeting you after a long ado.

Circumstances  led to delays,

Yet that day our endeavour truly came to relay,

I remembered what I had lost,

Or I did rather say we lost.

And I cringed my face when I lost~as we played.

It got a bit okayish, not bad.

When, Parting to meet somewhere again.

Getting into the vehicle waiting,

And greeting my scorched dad.

After our long day.

A melodious voice started in the air,

I lost my rational rhythm as it played.

 Staring through the transparent door,

I looked at the glittering cars as they went away.

And the children, people, with no cars.

All returning after a long day.

There we turned a circle and reached the market,

And I listened to the harsh cries of shopkeepers,

Or bar gainers as they shifted and wriggled.

And I felt no longing.

For a better place to stay.

I felt comfort in all this supposed discomfort.

And I know I will miss even these people wringing disordered.

It was a lovely day, if I wanted to see it in some way.

All this happened,

After the very long day…

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KHUSHI:

It was a long day, yes I agree.

Why even 8 hours seemed  much weighing, is a mystery

As excited I was to meet you after months

I laughed at our silly fights, few but million.

You left as the night neared

After a day of merrymaking and hilarity

After our conversations of books, dancing on the mashup

 And  fantasies

I was soon dragged back to sore reality

I went for an unaccustomed walk downstairs 

To see people walking with their phones

No one had time to pay.

Most adults busy, hurrying on toes

And i wondered, maybe i do that too much

That  when we grow up

Who would we call our friends, our foes? 

Later that night I wondered  from now on

What do all these fun filled moments turn into ? 

But i had no clue

Just before i was about to dose of 

That pillow caught my eye.

As it always does,

To feel my smiles, to feel my cries

Maybe that’s what would happen to all of us

All the laughs, love and hate we sail across together

And years from now as we grow up

Like torn pillows our friendship would weather.

But maybe, maybe we can prevent it

That will be a good thought to end my rambling!

It was a fine day, if I wanted to see it in some way.

All this happened,

After the very long day…

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KUNJAL:

    You are concerned about us future chaps, that is my concern now.

           Because friendship buddy is all about now.

           And even if we part, which I prefer in dismission.

          Let us say we parted on good enough conditions!

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KHUSHI:  It seems the long day,

         Did Carry us too far away!😀         

Too far away indeed.

     What do you think about this super long poem?( Since you know we really got carried away!)

     Do tell us in the comment section now!

Also check out the first post for prompt writing here. now!