5 everyday things that bring me happiness

Daily writing prompt
What are 5 everyday things that bring you happiness?

Amidst the chaos and rush of our everyday lives,
It’s easy to forget what makes our souls thrive,
But in the little things lies true happiness,
Here are five everyday things that can bring us bliss.

First on the list is a simple cup of tea,
Steaming hot and fragrant, a moment just for me,
As I take a sip, I breathe in the aroma deep,
My senses awaken, and I forget to even think.

Next up, a walk in nature’s loving embrace,
With each step, my worries seem to fade,
The gentle rustle of leaves, the chirping of birds,
All around, nature’s orchestra plays her tunes.

Then, a phone call or text from a loved one,
A message of care, a reminder that I’m not alone,
As I read their words, a smile creeps up my face,
Their love, a warm blanket, in life’s cold embrace.

Fourth on the list is music, a gift to our soul,
With each note, it transports us to a place whole,
Whether it’s upbeat or mellow, it sets our hearts free,
And for a moment, we can be whoever we want to be.

Last but not least, a good book to read,
A portal to another world, where our imaginations can feed,
As we flip through the pages, we become the characters,
And for a moment, we forget our own life’s theaters.

In these five simple things, lies happiness in disguise,
It’s up to us to recognize and cherish them, as life flies,
For when we take a moment to indulge in life’s small joys,
Our souls light up, and our hearts dance with joy.

Fascinating Parisian Windows

I am sure all of us here have seen Baby’s Day out multiple times. No I am not here to talk about the movie. I am here to talk about the ‘attic’ in the movie where the kidnappers take the baby as hostage. Wait, 🙂 hear me out. The round windows in attic is something I am just so fascinated with. The architecture of Paris is a unique and dynamic fusion of different styles, reflecting the city’s long and rich history.

Round windows, also known as oeil-de-boeuf windows, are a distinctive feature of many houses in Paris, including those in the attics of older buildings. These windows were first popularized in the Baroque period and were often used to bring light into the upper floors of buildings.

In Paris, many of these round windows can be found in the attics of Haussmannian buildings, which were constructed in the mid-19th century during a period of extensive urban renovation. These buildings were typically built with several floors, including an attic level which was used for storage or servant quarters.

The round windows in these attics serve both a practical and an aesthetic purpose. They allow natural light to enter the space, which is especially important since attics tend to be dark and cramped. Additionally, the windows provide a unique architectural feature that adds character and charm to the building’s facade.

The design of these windows is typically quite simple, with a circular frame and a single pane of glass. Some are adorned with decorative elements such as moldings or wrought iron grilles, which add to their visual appeal.

In modern times, many of these historic buildings have been converted into apartments or offices, and the attics have been renovated into desirable living or workspaces. The round windows in these attics continue to serve their original purpose of bringing light into the space while also providing a unique design feature that is quintessentially Parisian.

How many of you here have been to Paris. Its so much more than just Eiffel Tower.

Read more about it here – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oeil-de-boeuf

Hues of Sunset

As the sun descends beneath the horizon,

Its colors change from golden to crimson,

A mesmerizing sight that fills the skies,

And paints the world with vibrant dyes.

The hues of sunset are never the same,

Each one unique, with a different aim,

To capture our hearts, and make us feel,

The magic of life, in colors surreal.

Just like the sunset, life changes its hue,

From bright and sunny, to somber and blue,

It twists and turns, in an endless dance,

A journey of hope, of love, and chance.

At times it’s hard, and the sky turns gray,

But the sunset reminds us of another day,

A chance to start anew, with colors bright,

To leave behind the darkness, and embrace the light.

So let us embrace the changing colors of life,

And find the beauty in every strife,

For like the sunset, it’s a fleeting sight,

But one that fills our hearts with delight.

Whirlpool of Binge Watching

I am sure you have heard this classic Eagles song “Hotel California

Last thing I remember, I was
Running for the door,
I had to find the passage back to the place I was before,
‘Relax,’ said the night man,
‘We are programmed to receive.
You can check out any time you like,
But you can never leave!’

It’s often more challenging to get back into your regular routine after a nice vacation or a prolonged stay in bed due to illness. The same is true for binge watching also. You are trapped.

A lesser-known fact – You may come across Internet posts challenging you to binge-watch your favorite TV show or channel. Best of all, if you are chosen and complete the challenge, you will be paid. In 2019, Internet Service Partners ran a competition in which one person could win $1,000 for watching 24 Hallmark Christmas movies in 12 days. The winner was required to submit a personal critique on each film and keep her social media followers updated throughout the experience.

Even though these contests are brilliant marketing strategies used by the businesses, the question now is “Should we support encouraging people to spend even more time in front of their television sets?” According to Healthline, watching more than three hours of television per day may eventually cause memory loss and language damage. OTT platforms have really changed the way people watch TV.

Gone are the days of satellite TV channels. At least they were time bound. The majority of homes have multiple televisions for viewing purposes. Everyone in the house may watch different shows without interfering with each other thanks to the numerous gadgets and shared streaming accounts. Being addicted to your devices in a crowded house makes it simple to isolate yourself. Good for introverts like me, but not good generally.

The K-Dramas are definitely most addictive. I think they are produced with a mere intent of tricking people into binge watching them. Put on a Korean light comedy with a dash of romance on Netflix and there goes your weekend in a blink.

It’s a never-ending circle. You begin with an episode. You are halfway through a series after five hours have passed without your realizing it. You never thought you’d find yourself this deep in the whirlpool called Netflix, but here you are.

Share your binge-watching tales in the comments section. What is your take on it? Which net series are you hooked on? For me it’s a K-Drama these days “Extraordinary Attorney Woo”

close up of pictures

What a memory!

Life’s changes come in all shapes and sizes. Change could be simply organising your cupboards, changing the layout of your living room or change in your career, moving away from home and so on. These are all the changes we go through consciously and with lot of thoughts put in. However as one grows older, change in viewpoint/likings comes silently and you do not realize until confronted on the subject.

I experienced this firsthand few days ago when I decided to show my kids blockbuster movie of the times when I was younger. My kids are big time fans of BTS (the biggest boy band of the world). While they keep listening to their music all the time, my TV time was reduced mostly to Kpop as they hardly let me touch the remote. So this was a good excuse to take control in my hand and reminisce my old times.

Amongst the available options of movies on digital platform , we chose “Raja Hindustani”. I remember the songs of this movie were a rage. There was not a single bus, taxi or restaurants where ‘Pardesi Pardesi’ song was not blaring. The cinemas were house full and Karishma Kapoor was highly praised for her straight hair look and pairing opposite Amir Khan. We had to wait a whole week to finally get tickets and we were quite thrilled to watch it in hall jam packed with people whistling. For me at that time, Raja Hindustani was a paisa wasool movie.

Cut to the present….the movie starts and we see that pretty & rich damsel Karishma along with her two servants/confidants visits Palankhet (an imaginary town) and comes across an illiterate Taxi driver. His antics impress her and she eventually falls for him head over heals. Believe me people, the movie is so cringeworthy in first half that I was afraid to turn my face towards my kids who were equally disgusted. A full grown woman talking and acting like a child was just not at all attractive. Even my eleven year old is more matured than her. There is a scene where Amir khan tries to impress her by putting face powder in abundance and dance and sing….she laughs and he feels humiliated. Obviously one would laugh if you act like joker. But no, in this movie, Karishma kapoor goes and says sorry and they share a passionate kiss. She comes back home all hyped up and bumps into her father who has come to take her back. Ladies and gentleman, she chooses to leave. Okay, fair enough, after all summer flings do happen. Highlight is that this taxi driver only goes to drop them at the airport. No communication between the pair as to why…how ..now what…nothing.

They stop at a midway sort of place where some people are singing and dancing. Here comes our much anticipated song “Pardesi Pardesi jana nahi”. A beautiful girl starts singing and dancing passionately. Clearly dance isn’t her forte. Nonetheless, she sings exactly what the hero wants to convey at this point in time in the movie. Our hero starts singing too and going by the lyrics, he literally curses the heroine that she wont be able to sleep if she goes and will suffer a lot. Another lady with make up from hell, gets up drinks half a litre of alcohol, breaks the bottle and starts dancing absurdly.

The situation is tensed and supremely weird. Hero is sobbing and so is heroine with her goggles on, bottles are breaking and the father of the heroine has no clue whatsoever. He smiles occasionally.

Now I don’t know whether the curses shook the heroine or it was just that ridiculous dance which forces her to go and give our hero a tight hug and put a stop to this madness. At this point the father’s expressions are priceless. The song is finally over and along with it our desire to watch the movie any further.

Experience the song here yourself 😊 : https://youtu.be/i9lB-am_hyY

Little did I sensed that my memory was about an experience and not a movie per se. If this movie was to be released now, it would have met the same fate of Radhe. With time my likings and interests have changed too. Still, I will keep this song in my happy memories. The melody is no doubt super. I feel nostalgic listening to old songs, but my taste has changed surely. Me and my kids had a hearty laugh talking about the movie and proceeded to watch new release of a kpop group.


Continue reading “What a memory!”