Doppelganger Alert

You step into an acquaintance’s house for the first time, and discover that everything – from the furniture, to the books, to the art on the wall – is identical to your home.  What happens next?

It was my first day in London and I was excited as well as nervous.  I was looking for an apartment to rent.  I had got admission into the University of Manchester.  After having viewed 3 places, finally I settled for a nice apartment in Fairfield Street.  The owners were an Indian elderly family.

As I stepped into the apartment, I was completely shocked.  The place had a striking resemblance to my own home in Singapore.  The colour of the walls, the furniture and the layout.  After some time, I composed myself and entered the house.  I looked at the bookcase and saw that the books were exactly the ones I read at home.

“Hello, – let me show you your room?”

She led me to a room.  There again to my surprise the bedsheets, the cupboard, everything was a mirror image of my home.  “Oh”– I tried hard to contain my surprise”.  “Do you have any children?”

“We had a son – Sudhir – but he is no more….”

Beads of sweat started rolling down my back.

“Do you like the place,?”

“Oh oh – I will be seeing 1 or 2 more places soon.  Then, I will let you know”

I quickly thanked her and rushed out as soon as my legs could carry me.

When I was outside, I heaved a sigh of relief.

Other interesting posts in this category:
1) http://tuckedintoacorner.wordpress.com/2014/10/27/doppelganger-tales/
2) http://macbofisbil.com/2014/10/27/reflection/
3) http://loveanddeathandeverythinginbetween.wordpress.com/2014/10/28/daily-prompt-doppelgaenger-alert/
4) http://scribblesometimes.wordpress.com/2014/10/27/double-trouble/
5) http://www.inspiringmax.com/double-take/
6) http://fibercompulsion.com/2014/10/27/doppelganger-alert/
7) http://mojowritin.wordpress.com/2014/10/27/mirror-mirror/
8) http://thegadabouttown.wordpress.com/2014/10/27/what-brings-you-here/
9) http://mohdnaufil.wordpress.com/2014/10/27/that-wasnt-a-dream/
10) http://flowersandbreezes.wordpress.com/2014/10/27/double/

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Out of breath

We all seem to insist on how busy, busy, busy we constantly are. Let’s put things in perspective: tell us about the craziest, busiest, most hectic day you’ve had in the past decade.

Frantic  feet shuffle to and fro
Cars and buses zoom across the street
Its yet another busy day
In the concrete jungle

For some its the rush to work
For another a rush to to catch the flight
An opening ceremony to address
A closing down sale that cannot be missed

A woman with labour pain screams
An ambulance siren  cries for attention
A wedding to attend here, a birthday party there
People scamper  in all directions

Our cravings multiply day by day
No control to our indulgence
You have everything you need
Yet there is a void so deep

Where is your destination, O mind!
Thoughts keep shuffling like a pack of cards
Have you found what you seek
Is it glory, love, success or revenge?

The world outside is just an illusion
Senses chasing objects of desire
Turn back from this mad chase
What you seek is within you

©copyright skm

Other interesting posts in this category:
1) http://fusionislove.wordpress.com/2014/10/25/precious-life/
2) http://jaysnaps.wordpress.com/2014/10/25/breathe/
3) http://stuffenonsense.wordpress.com/2014/10/25/breathless/
4) http://agirllikemee.wordpress.com/2014/10/24/pretty-busy-day/
5) http://onesahmscrazylife.wordpress.com/2014/10/24/falling-skies/
6) http://lindaswritingblog.wordpress.com/2014/10/24/crazy-busy/
7) http://thejournalofabeautifulmind.wordpress.com/2014/10/24/time-waits-for-no-one/
8) http://soundofsummer.org/2014/10/24/out-of-breath-the-daily-post/
9) http://geekergosum.com/2014/10/24/a-very-busy-day/
10) http://lifeconfusions.wordpress.com/2014/10/24/out-of-breath/

Imaginary friend

Many of us had imaginary friends as young children. If your imaginary friend grew up alongside you, what would his/her/its life be like today? (Didn’t have one? write about a non-imaginary friend you haven’t seen since childhood.)

He works in strange ways
This follower of mine
He wakes up at morning
And trails me all day

As I brush my teeth
He mimics my actions
And as I walk to the busstop
I see he is right behind

Is he friend or foe?
This shadow of mine
Will he show his face?
Or always lurk behind?

Then one day as I walked
A construction site
I imagined –
He tried to hit me with a forklift

© copyright skm

Other interesting posts in this category:
1) http://eastelmhurstagogo.wordpress.com/2014/10/22/just-my-imagination-running-away-from-me/
2) http://pepperconnection.com/253/long-time-no-see-my-invisible-friend/
3) http://adammstone.wordpress.com/2014/10/22/imaginary-friend/
4) http://robinesworld.wordpress.com/2014/10/22/friends-imaginary-or-real/
5) http://edelwinks.wordpress.com/2014/10/22/my-imaginary-friend/

Fourth Wall

You get to spend a day inside your favourite movie. Tell us which one it is — and what happens to you while you’re there.

The curtain of clouds  has cleared
The sun lights the stage
A new day, a new act will be staged
All of us are wearing  masks
The show has begun
Acting is our forte

Sometimes we are a child
Crying out for attention
In another scene we are parents
Teaching our children
An employee at the office
Or a spouse at home

The show is a thriller
With a host of surprises
It has action and emotion
Humour and suspense
You can have popcorn
and coke during the show too

We get carried away in our roles
An emotional roller-coaster
The scenes keep changing
And new actors appear
Time just fleets by
And we have grown old

When will you throw that mask away?
How long can you hide behind that shadow?
Suppressing your true self
The curtains will soon fall
And the sun will set
Come out of that cocoon
And live life carefree

© copyright skm

Other interesting posts in this category:
1) http://pepperconnection.com/2014/10/19/movie-magic/
2) http://lifeisgreat0.wordpress.com/2014/10/19/quiet-and-watching/
3) http://maddersahatter.wordpress.com/2014/10/19/daily-prompt-fourth-wall/
4) http://toweararainbow.wordpress.com/2014/10/19/pretty-woman/
5) http://oh3za.com/2014/10/19/fourth-wall/

Reverse Shot

What’s your earliest memory involving another person? Recreate the scene — from the other person’s perspective.

“I think that he has done well in the exams this time”.  “I hope that he stands first in class this time”.  “Oh, someone has rung the bell”.  Let me open the door.

Why are you so excited?
“ Amma, I have stood first in class this time” .
Son.. keep it up!

“Come on change your school dress, wash your hands and have your lunch”. 

My first school was near my house.  I was at the Rosary High School, DonaPaula Goa.  I remember in Kindergarten I was ranked 31^st in a class of 40.

The first time I stood 1^st in class was in Primary 3.  I have a vague memory of how mother kissed me on the cheeks when I came back from school with my report card.  She was a great source of encouragement to me.  She cooked the most fabulous ‘idli’ and ‘sambhar’ and my neighbours loved to get a taste of her ‘sambhar’.  She brought up 5 kids along with my dad (my siblings) in the best way possible giving us a great education  which I believe is the greatest gift that my parents have given us.

She used to relate to us stories of our childhood in Assam and Kerala.  She told us of the wonderful times and the difficulties they faced travelling with 5 children on long train journeys.

My mother passed away 10 years ago but her simple, loving, humble nature and her numerous sacrifices will not be forgotten.  I pray that she is always at peace and always guides me in times of doubts and tribulation.

Other interesting posts in this category:
1) http://anglo-swiss.blogspot.sg/2014/10/wordpress-daily-prompt-reverse-shot.html
2) http://thejournalofabeautifulmind.wordpress.com/2014/10/17/school-concert-daily-prompt/
3) http://tnkerr.wordpress.com/2014/10/17/daily-prompt-reverse-shot/
4) http://whoison1st.wordpress.com/2014/10/17/it-was-the-best-of-times/
5) http://minahmisteri.wordpress.com/2014/10/17/through-the-eyes-of-a-loving-grandfather/

Avant garde

From your musical tastes to your political views, were you ever way ahead of the rest of us, adopting the new and the emerging before everyone else?

We can never get over this habit of comparing ourselves with the rest of the world.  There are those who take pride in conforming to popular beliefs and opinions whereas there are others who ride the high horse by claiming that they stand out from the crowd and are unique.

As individuals we can celebrate our uniqueness, our choices and we don’t have to care if we are avant garde or conservative.

All our life we cannot be looking for references and yardsticks else we can never find new ways of doing things or think out of the box.

Tall and short
Beautiful and ugly
Thin and fat
Rich and poor

We compare and contrast
In this dilemma of choice
Our life is ruled
By pairs of opposites

Will there be day without night?
Would we know good without evil?
How can there be spring without autumn?
Would the rich exist without the poor?

We play with illusion
Our senses run amock
When will we see the truth?
The real from the unreal

© copyright skm, March 20th, 2011

Other interesting posts in this category:
1) http://lemonlimefollies.com/2014/10/15/en-garde/
2) http://macbofisbil.com/2014/10/15/non-conformist/
3) http://tidlidim.wordpress.com/2014/10/15/daily-prompt-avant-garde/
4) http://tombalistreri.wordpress.com/2014/10/15/ahead-of-my-mind/
5) http://lindaswritingblog.wordpress.com/2014/10/15/old-school/
6) http://vexingpoint.wordpress.com/2014/10/15/daily-prompt-avant-garde/
7) http://movingtowardsthelight.com/2014/10/15/avant-garde/
8) http://fibercompulsion.com/2014/10/15/okay-so-im-weird/
9) http://linusfernandes.com/2014/10/15/avant-garde-johnny-come-lately/
10) http://bobbeck1600.wordpress.com/2014/10/15/daily-post-avant-garde/

Sweeping motions

What’s messier right now — your bedroom or you computer’s desktop (or your favorite device’s home screen)? Tell us how and why it got to that state.

Once in a while we need to take stock of the things that we collect in our store-rooms and in various corners of our home and work place (an inventory check).  Last friday was one such day.  I set about clearing some of the things that we had just kept over the years and did not really use.  Such things keep on accumulating and it can become quite a mess.  It can be your workdesk or the kitchen table or the cupboard or the bookshelf.  We look at it and postpone the cleaning until after a few weeks it becomes a mess.  Some of the stuff can be recycled, some can be given to charity and some books can be sold to second-hand bookshops.

The Japanese did a regular inventory check as part of their work.  They termed this as 5S – Seiri (sorting), Seiton (arrangement), Seiso (cleaning), Seiketsu (standardisation) and Shitsuke (self-discipline).  A well-organized workplace results in a safer, more efficient, and more productive operation.  It boosts the morale of the workers, promoting a sense of pride  and ownership in their work.

We also need to do a regular spring cleaning of our mind.  This can be done by reducing the quantity of our thoughts, improving the quality of our thoughts and directing our thoughts towards a higher ideal.  This clears the dirt on the mirror of our mind and we are able to see a clearer reflection of our inner selves.  Contemplation and meditation also help us to keep our focus and to dispel distracting negative thoughts.  All this helps us to live in the present without wasting time brooding on the past or worrying about the future.

A spring cleaning can help us to think about our goals, align our energies towards these goals, plan, let go of self-limiting thoughts by letting go of the old and bringing in the new.  Sometimes, a weekend retreat is a good time to take a break from the chores and recharge.

So, when are you starting your spring cleaning?

Other interesting posts in this category:
1) http://tuckedintoacorner.wordpress.com/2014/10/14/the-clutterbox/
2) http://rowjie.wordpress.com/2014/10/15/just-plain-messy/
3) http://helenmeikle.wordpress.com/2014/10/15/daily-prompt-me-and-mess/
4) http://geekergosum.com/2014/10/14/keep-your-desktop-tidy/
5) http://worddisorder.wordpress.com/2014/10/14/am-i-messy-daily-prompt-and-other-things/

Twenty-five seven

Good news — another hour has just been added to every 24-hour day (don’t ask us how. We have powers). How do you use those extra sixty minutes?

I have  experienced  how insufficient sleep can wreak havoc with your day.   Sleep is vital for me to refresh, rejuvenate and enjoy my day. I try to make it a point to have atleast a 1 hour afternoon nap on weekends and a good nights sleep every day.

Sleep and a good rest are vital for recuperation/recharging after an intense period of work, exam or stress.  Sleep is a natural cure for many of our ailments and a good rest without any anxieties can do wonders to your body and mind and leave you feeling refreshed and ready to take on any challenge!

I do not need much time to knock off. When I go to bed, I usually take a book to read. After some time I just forget everything else, say my prayers and then I am fast asleep.

Here is a poem on Sleep that I had posted earlier:

Lying in the mothers lap
After a fun day
Sleep like a lullaby
Soothes the little infant

Fatigued, tanned bodies
Lie on the pavement
Sleep gives solace to them
Magical, sweet sleep

Sleep tender sleep
You ease the pain
Calm the nerves
And appease tired souls

Like a loving mother
Who dotes all her kids
You bring tranquil peace
To thief, saint, beggar and king

Sleep take me on a dream
To a world without walls
Where there is only joy and peace
And one does not belittle another

©copyright skm, March 5th, 2011

Other interesting posts in this category:
1) http://keyboardpizza.wordpress.com/2014/10/13/25-hours-no-change/
2) http://theprimandproperastronomer.wordpress.com/2014/10/14/an-extra-hour-in-a-day-id-touch-the-flowers-for-sure/
3) http://007pandas.com/2014/10/13/httpdailypost-wordpress-comdp_prompttwenty-five-seven/
4) http://beckyfield2014.wordpress.com/2014/10/13/an-extra-hour-to-your-day/
5) http://icecandy16blog.wordpress.com/2014/10/13/extra-one-hour/

Reader’s Block

What’s the longest you’ve ever gone without reading a book (since learning how to read, of course)? Which book was it that helped break the dry spell?

Reading is one of my favourite pastimes. I enjoy reading a book more than watching television.  The feel of the book, the smell of it, the vivid descriptions, the language etc leave a lasting impression on me.

I try to carry a book in my bag to read when I travel or whenever I get some free time.  The times when I am unable to read were during examinations or during work.  I have a good collection of books at home and I try to borrow some books from the library every month.

When I am unable to read, I download books online and try to read when free.  But I still prefer reading from a real book.  Currently, I am reading “Wings of Fire” – the autobiography of India’s former President Dr. A.P. J  Abdul Kalam

Here is a link to some fascinating books worth reading: https://sajeevkmenon.wordpress.com/2011/03/29/what-are-10-fascinating-books-worth-reading-according-to-you/

Other interesting posts in this category:
1) http://alotfromlydia.wordpress.com/2014/10/12/reading-suspension/
2) http://tuckedintoacorner.wordpress.com/2014/10/12/literary-rain/
3) http://movingtowardsthelight.com/2014/10/12/book-review/
4) http://sayadpoet.wordpress.com/2014/10/12/readers-block-daily-prompt/
5) http://allthingscuteandbeautiful.wordpress.com/2014/10/12/daily-prompt-being-a-bookworm-2/
6) http://kansamuse.me/2014/10/12/memory-block/
7) http://raspberrydaydreams.wordpress.com/2014/10/12/find-new-book/
8) http://focalbreeze.wordpress.com/2014/10/13/the-wordsmith/
9) http://kjpeissner.wordpress.com/2014/10/13/todays-prompt-readers-block/
10) http://missrachelchanel.wordpress.com/2014/10/13/readers-block/

Counting voices

A lively group discussion, an intimate tête-à-tête, an inner monologue — in your view, when it comes to a good conversation, what’s the ideal number of people?

In my opinion, any conversation be it one-on-one, a group discussion or a monologue is the need of the hour.  We are losing out on meaningful dialogue today due to the advent of gadgets like smartphones and tablets.  Thus today we would  see people texting on their phones or  tapping on their ipads rather than talking to each other.

Today, we find very little time to share thoughts over a cup of coffee or to spend time having a conversation with our family.  This is the form of communication that is of vital importance.  Speaking is important as it helps us to bridge barriers and understand each other better.  It helps to connect, resolve conflicts and strengthen bonds.

Technology has grown by leaps and bounds and today most of us are slaves of technology.  Smartphones, tablets, the internet have pervaded our lives.  Today, very few people look face-to-face and smile or exchange pleasantries.  So having
a conversation is a rare thing nowadays. Technology has simplified our lives but it has also made us a lazy lot switching from one gadget to another in a virtual world.

Other interesting posts in this category;
1) http://tuckedintoacorner.wordpress.com/2014/10/11/people-by-numbers/
2) http://tombalistreri.wordpress.com/2014/10/11/lets-talk-about-it/
3) http://movingtowardsthelight.com/2014/10/11/talking-to-myself-haiku/
4) http://linusfernandes.com/2014/10/11/counting-voices-conversational-monologue/
5) http://lindaswritingblog.wordpress.com/2014/10/11/one-is-enough/
6) http://bhalsop.wordpress.com/2014/10/11/daily-prompt-counting-voices/
7) http://teepee12.com/2014/10/11/whos-talking/
8) http://alotfromlydia.wordpress.com/2014/10/11/who/
9) http://completelydisappear.wordpress.com/2014/10/12/tea-for-two/
10) http://cowpasturechronicles.wordpress.com/2014/10/12/good-conversation-a-wonderful-dream/