On The Other Side Of Silence: To Be a Woman

What is it to be a woman
Is it to be weaker
Is it to be stronger
Are we different
Why are some of us mistreated
Why some of us mistreat others
Are we smarter
Are we more sensible
Are we more beautiful
Are we powerful
Are we supposed to be friendlier
Is our dignity superior
Do we need to be taught
Do we need to feel equal
Do we pretend to be equal
Did we learn something from our grandmothers
Were our grandmothers inferior than us
Were our grandmothers more respected than us
Being a female is it good
Being a daughter is it better
Are we problem solvers
Are we problem creators
What is our meaning in this life
Are we to be mothers
Are we to maintain life in this planet
Are we to be wives
Are we to support our family
Are we to be bridges between civilizations
Are we to the peace among tribes
Are we monarchs ruling lands across the seas
Are we spys ready to dies for our country
Are we singers
Are we scientists
Are we children
Are we teenagers
Are we writers
Are we poets
Are we journalists
Are we managers
Are we housekeepers
Are we cooks
Are we thieves
Are we rich
Are we poor
Are we fat
Are we skinny
Are we sick
Are we healthy
Are we crazy
Are we sane
Why are we often guilty
Why are we often cheated
Why do we defend our rights
Are our rights threatened
Who threaten our position
Do we have enemies
Do we have allies
Do we have a voice
Do we really want to be heard
Do we have something to say
Are we sinners
Are we pious
Is it our fault that we’re on Earth
Is it because of us that we’re mortals
Is the woman a symbol of life and death
Is the woman a weapon to be feared
Is the woman not a being needing care
Is the woman so invaluable to be rejected and abused
Is the woman not to be respected and cherished
Is the woman not a creation of God

Now I’m asking…. who am I?

– Novus Lectio

Sketch By Novus Lectio

Novus Lectio is the author of the books Who Went Out Of Africa, The Theory Of Fate, and Poems and Haikus. She runs two blogs here and here and has recently started a Community Pool for bloggers to promote their blogs and to provide a daily dose of inspiration. You can also follow her on Facebook.

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On the Other End of Silence is a new category on my blog that focuses on gender issues where I am inviting posts from everyone who is willing to contribute. If you have something to say, whether personal or fictional, positive or negative, a rant or a suggestion, you can mail me your entries at pseudomonazz@gmail.com(Contact). There are no rejections, no prizes, no rules and no word-limits, just a platform to voice your opinions.

This or That Tag

I normally don’t participate in blogging tags and awards but ever since I read Moushmi’s post, I knew I had to do this. It had some interesting questions and even though no one has actually tagged me, I am gonna do this. Here we go…

1. Dog or Cat : Both. I am an animal person and dream of having lots of furry friends some day.
2. Netflix or YouTube: YouTube…got no money for Netflix.
3. Toast or Eggs: I like eggs but I don’t like eating them for breakfast. So toast in the morning and eggs for lunch or dinner.
4. Cardio or Weights: None. I am not a fitness enthusiast at all. I did try seven days of yoga but that’s it. I gave up getting up in the morning after those tiring seven days.
5. Facebook or Twitter: I love twitter. I am addicted to it. Facebook, oh well… I have got nothing to show off. I do use it occasionally to stalk ex friends and crushes. Breaks my heart all the time. Hate it.
6. Ice cream cone or snow cone: Snow cone is like Ice-gola right, the thing with shaved ice. I have no idea, so skip this!
7. Mobile games or console games: None. I am not into gaming at all. Never was, never will.
8. While walking, music or podcasts: Music. Oh God!!! Is that even a question? Music all the time, every where, every single moment. I can’t imagine a word without music.
9. iOS or Android: Too poor for iOS. So android obviously!
10. Cake or Pie: None. I don’t like sweets except for ice cream and may be chocolates. Oh wait..are pies sour/salty too? I have no idea.
11. Swimming or Sunbathing: I don’t know how to swim and I have already got damaged skin, don’t need more UV rays to worsen my looks.
12. Big party or small gathering: Depends on the people and on my mood. I normally like to stay away from people but I can be a party animal too if I want to.
13. New clothes or new phone: I am not so crazy about phones. I was crazy about clothes,now not so much. Anyway, if  given a choice I would pick a phone and give it to my guy. He loves phones and all that shit.
14. Rich friend or loyal friend: For the moment, no friend. And speaking generally, why do we need money or loyalty from friends? I for example, just need people to have fun with, and talk about things, life and sorrows and happiness and memories.
15. Football or Basketball: Like a billion other Indians, Cricket! The only thing I thank Britishers for. Oh, I thank them for J.K Rowling too.
16. Nice car or Nice home interiors: Hmm… as a kid I always dreamed of having our own house. Now that my parents have a house, I don’t know if it was a house or a home I wished for. As for the question, I am trying not to wish for materialistic things for now.
17. What’s worse, laundry or dishes: I would prefer laundry if given a choice.
18. Jogging or hiking: Hiking. I mean that’s basically walking right? I like walking. And I am from the mountains so that is what we normally do to go anywhere.
19. Bath or shower: Bucket bath ( Is that a term? oh yeah, I just googled) That’s what Indians do right! Saves water too.
20. Sneakers or sandals: Anything flat. I can’t manage heels. I look like a lunatic wearing heels.
21. Glasses or contacts: Glasses. I wanted to wear glasses ever since I was a kid and now God has bestowed me with terrible sight so have to wear them all the time. And I have never tried contacts, feels too weird to put alien objects in my eyes.
22. Hamburger or taco: Chicken Burgers.
23. Couch or Recliner: Couch.
24. Online shopping or shopping in a store: Online shopping any day. I mean you are giving me an option to avoid people and the comfort of ordering things from my bed. Thank God for planting this idea on someone’s head. ( Oh, that rhymes)
25. Receive, email or letter: I love both. But who writes letters these days. I used to write letters to my friend till about 2011-2012. But then came the era of cheap calls/sms and letters disappeared. I guess I still wrote few letters to my guy in 2013-14. I am not sure. I still write him long emails though. And as for receiving, the last letter I got was from my above mentioned friend. As for emails, please send me some. I love receiving long emails.
26. Passenger or Driver: I can’t drive so passenger.
27. Tablet or Computer: Computer, I guess.
28. Most important in a partner, Intelligent or funny: Intelligence, humour or good looks might draw us to someone in the first instance but when it comes to relationships, I think the ability to be the “true you” with your partner is what matters the most. I am lucky enough to be with someone with whom I get the confidence of being me with all my quirks, my craziness, my disappointments, my embarrassments, my tears, and my devilish laughter. Truth and honesty is what I want from my partner and something I am willing to give.
29. Car or Truck: I don’t want to own these things but would prefer to travel by car. Or even truck, in an adventure, being lost somewhere.
30. Blue or Red: Bleed Blue.
31. Money or Free Time: Have enough money to be able to have free time.
32. Amusement park or Day at the Beach: Beach please!
33. At a movie, Candy or Popcorn: Popcorn.
34. Pen or Pencil: Pen, I like colors other than grey.
35. Pancake or Waffle: Pancakes, I know how to make them.
36. Coke or Pepsi: Thumbs Up!
37. Coffee Cup or Thermos: I like cups, hate coffee.
38. Blinds or Curtain: Curtains swaying with the wind, romantic!
39. Train or Plane: Sorry to disappoint the kid me who was obsessed with the dream of going in an airplane, trains are better. I mean, I enjoy train journeys more than airplanes. There is a certain kind of romanticism in travelling by a train.
40. Phone or Tablet: Phone.
41. Iced Coffee or Hot Coffee: I guess many people are going to hate me for this but I dislike the smell of coffee. I have never had a full cup of coffee in my life.
42. Meat or Vegetables: I like chicken. And there’s this moral dilemma I am in since last two years. I want to stop eating chicken but I have been unable to do so. I was so sure of leaving non-veg food on my birthday this year but I started it again. I have reduced the consumption these days and hopefully soon enough I’ll stop being a hypocrite( boasting of my love for animals) and stop eating flesh.
43. International vacation or a New TV: I would love a free vacation (who doesn’t) but I have this small dream of buying a new TV for my parents, since I don’t know when. They still have that 90’s television and they don’t want to waste money on a new one. Some stuff happened, and I decided that someday I am going to buy them a TV. I know its stupid but who doesn’t have stupid dreams.
44. Save or Spend: Spend on people who need it.
45. Honesty or other’s feelings: That is a tricky one. I was known to be honest in college, telling people on their face what’s wrong with them etc. And the same thing goes with my family. But I think I can be honest only with those people who want to hear the truth. Some people want to be in a cocoon and I let them be in it.
46. Coffee or Tea: I love tea. But trying to cut down on my tea consumption lately.
47. TV or Book: Book, of course.
48. Movie at home or Movie at the theater: No preference. depends on my mood.
49. Oceans or Mountains: I can never be bored of mountains.
50. Horror Movie or Comedy Movie: Comedy. I hate rarely seen a horror movie. I get terrible nightmares if I do, so I avoid doing that.
51. City or Countryside: Countryside. I am not very fond of cities.
52. Winter or Summer: Summer gives me migraines. So, winter. Plus winters gives you the freedom to dress shabbily, all covered up.
53. Soup or Sandwich: Both.
54. Card games or Board games: Not much interested but I would probably prefer board games.
55. Camping or binge watching shows at home: Both, depends on mood.
56. Sweater or Hoodie: No preference. I don’t have much of a dressing sense. I tried dressing up in college sometimes but I guess not every girl is supposed to understand fashion. Now, I don’t even try.
57. Motorcycle or bicycle: I am a little scared of riding a bike. I may have an undiagnosed phobia of driving.
58. Book or e-book: Book.
59. When sleeping, fan or no fan: You want me to live in this tropical monsoonal climate of India without a fan! No way…
60. TV shows or Movies: Both.

And I am done. If anyone wants to take up the tag, you are most welcome. As I said earlier, it is interesting. 🙂

#Isolated

Because it is difficult for me to talk to people right now, I am drawing.

It is 3 am and I guess I should get some sleep. The superhero movie marathon resumes tomorrow. Sometimes it is better to stay away from the world. When I was a teen, my worst fear was to be lonely, now that I am older, I think it is better to have no company at all. I am more comfortable with being alone.

Or may be I have figured out the difference between being alone and being lonely.

Alone feels better.