Rumor Has It

It spreads like wild fire on a warm dry day.

It takes the form of malicious lies, idle chit chat, gossip.

It is an unverified account of events, the doubtful truth.

It has opinions represented as facts and half truths highly exaggerated.

It goes in the ear of one, and out the mouths of many.

It is rumor.

Spread out of envy, boredom, or to give the impression that you are more knowledgeable about the subject.

Suddenly, wherever you go, you are greeted with judging stares and hushed whispers. 

No one cares to find out the truth about the other side. No one asks for any confirmation, or the facts.

At the end of the day all you can do is walk away with your head held high. 

Go forth with your life like an undefeated warrior on a battlefield – silent, but strong – basking in the glory of the truth that only you possess.


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Ailing Mind

Writers block: the deadly virus that plagues the creative mind. It spreads like an epidemic in the brain and numbs the fingers. Interesting thoughts stop streaming. You are at a loss for words. You don’t even know how to start a basic sentence.

Question is: Can anything be done to overcome this foul disease? Well, there are a few things you could do. You could go to the beach, or a park. Lots of greenery or the waves crashing against the rocks can get thoughts flowing again. You could also go back and read your old work, or some other interesting pieces of writing. Another way is to write down whatever comes to mind – no matter how silly it sounds.

Or, you could just write about writer’s block.

Like I just did.

In the end, you would either overcome this ailment, or enjoy the beautiful sights of nature. It’s a win-win either way!


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Goodbye Harry Potter

Once upon a time, an 11 year old boy walked into my life, and it hasn’t been the same since. I still remember the day I read my first Harry Potter book, and so it began: My journey into the magical world of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and into Harry’s life.

There is so much to learn from these books, and the characters – about friendship, and honesty, bravery and loyalty. Harry Potter taught us to fight for what you believe and for what is important. Life is not complete without family. True friendship can transcend any trouble or tribulation life throws your way. You don’t need power to be popular. All you need is a good kind heart, and a selfless personality. Good triumphs over evil. Forgive and forget. Always remain true and loyal to yourself.                                                                

Ronald Weasley showed us the importance of being a good and supportive friend even though you may not agree with others all the time. Hermione Granger, of course, stressed the importance of going to the library when in doubt. Neville Longbottom taught us to face our fears and to stand up for what we believe in. Severus Snape was proof of how a book should never be judged by its cover. Luna Lovegood taught us to be comfortable in our own skin, no matter how strange or quirky we may seem to others. Draco Malfoy taught us that everyone makes mistakes, but what’s important is how we recover from them. The Weasley twins taught us that there is always something to laugh about, no matter how dark the times. Voldemort’s downfall confirmed what we already know: Love is more powerful than anything imaginable.

And so, it is with a heavy heart, that I bid farewell to the boy with the dark hair and a lightning shaped scar on his forehead. You will remain, forever, in my heart.


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Read and Eat

Have you read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? Even if you haven’t, I am sure that you may have watched the two, or at least one, of the movie versions. I read the book for the first time when I was in grade four. I fell in love with it. And what’s not to love? The famous chocolate factory of Willy Wonka is heaven to any child’s imagination. The chocolate river, the 3-course chewing gum and the Oompa-Loompas. Ah, the Oompa-Loompas! 

For those of you who don’t know, the story goes like this: Charlie is a poor boy and lives with his parents, paternal and maternal grandparents. He can’t afford much. In fact, he buys one bar of chocolate occasionally which he nibbles at for three months. 

They live near the notorious Willy Wonka Chocolate factory which closes down when spies steal his creative recipes. But one fine day it is announced that Willy Wonka will reopen his factory to five lucky people who find the golden tickets hidden inside his chocolates. Charlie buys a chocolate bar with the money his grandpa has saved for him and, to his delight, wins a ticket.

Once inside the factory, the children go on a tour and meet the mysterious Oompa-Loompas, the new workers that Willy Wonka has hired after his previous employers sold out. Four out of the five kids have accidents due to their stubbornness to not listen to Wonka, or their parents. In the end, Charlie inherits the whole chocolate factory just because he was well behaved!

Now, what was it that I actually wanted to say? Oh yes! Imagine my delight when one day, I came upon “Nerds,” one of Willy Wonka’s creations, in a supermarket. It turns out there is a whole range of Willy Wonka sweets that are marketed here, including, and not limited to, the gobstoppers (which were said to last forever), sweetarts, and fruit runts! Needless to say, I went in and bought a few to try (who wouldn’t?). How much fun would we all have if more fictional products were integrated into real life!


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Magnetic Powers

What would happen if, whenever you enter a shop, the alarm went off? Yes, I am talking about the electronic article surveillance security system or (as it is more commonly known to my brain) the two scary bars on either side of me that shriek as soon as I enter and leave a store.

Gone are the days when I was just another carefree shopper, walking in and out, window shopping to my heart’s desire. Now, I physically cringe every time I walk through those magnetic beams, waiting to hear the sound of the alarm, and breathing a sigh of relief when I don’t.

To this day, I haven’t figured out what it is in my bag which makes the security system scream. I have tried everything – from changing bags to taking smaller purses – but all in vain. In fact, one time I even tried carrying only my wallet. What happened then? I was still greeted by the loud crude sound that I have come to detest so much. Another time, I went to five shops, and at the sixth shop, my bag started beeping.

I am now reduced to asking someone else to carry my wallet in their bag. The strange thing is that the alarm does not beep when the wallet is in someone else’s possession. This made me reach the conclusion that it is I who makes the alarm system go off and not the contents of my bag. It is me that the system is bawling at (perhaps reprimanding me for not buying anything?). 

The only possible conclusion I have reached is that I somehow develop magnetic powers during the course of my shopping. Sounds strange, doesn’t it? Then again, a security alarm going off only when you enter a shop – in no universe is that deemed as ‘normal.’


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