musical phases probably all of us have had

A day late, I know.. Well, let me start by justifying and saying, that I have been updating even during my examinations. And I was being productive that is why I forgot, and also, I have my Biology exam next and I am still writing for all of you today.

And yet, you are as grateful as this animal. But, since I am so nice, I forgive you.

Anyways, today I thought of reviewing the musical journey of probably all or at least most of us, I am writing about the evolution of music for us all.

The kid phase:

This is when we listen to Humpty Dumpty and all the different Nursery rhymes. The rhymes that instill fear of 'Wee Willie Winkie' and that never explain to us how exactly did Jack and Jill fall from a hill. The rhymes that talks about throwing little cats into wells.

The Swiftie obsession:

This was when I was seven. I was introduced to this song called 'Love story'. 
Disaster. 
Because suddenly I was in love with the idea of a prince charming and balls and gowns. I wanted to be a princess. 
Lesson number one: never let your daughter believe she is a princess because as she grows, reality slaps her and she gets to know about the fact that boys are not princes but smelly swine.


The boy band phase:

This ruins you. It may seem cool at first but as you get some sense in that big brain of yours, you start to see a clearer image of how you have been ruining your social status since such a long time. IT ACTUALLY IS THE WRONG DIRECTION.

The rebel phase:

This is the "cool" phase. The 'I don't wanna fit in' phase. The phase where music is not beats or instruments but screaming words and random words for lyrics. You can make your own rock song all you need to do is sing, for example
" The sheep was dead,
My shirt was red
red was my blood
red was sheep blood
Sheep, oh sheep why'd you die?
Don't you know, that made me cry?"
Sing this while screaming and doused in sweat with shaggy hair and bleeding mascara. Congratulations! You are now a rockstar! 

The music with beats phase:

I guess this image sums up the 'hip hop' culture. All the songs are practically the same. A guy in a vest, some breezy shorts, sitting by the swimming pool or beach or a room made of some shiny material (looks like tin foil to me.) And all they sing about is themselves and how they have used so many people and reached to the top of their "bizz" and "they juz' all dem cray cray 'bout dat money"  It is so overrated. Fine, the beats are nice, but at one point you realize that they are all the same! These songs ruin a person. Completely ruin a person. [Dangerous phase]

Back to basics phase:

After all this musical mayhem that you have survived you finally go to listening soothing, plain songs (old people songs). And instead of music being your social identity it is now a way to spend your free time, because by the time you reach this phase you are boring and an adult.

The no-music zone:

 (I could not find anything so, here is a cat on a unicorn)

This is the last phase, you are pretty old by now and don't have time for music because you are too busy  collecting your dentures and looking for the specs you keep misplacing.

The truth about women~ (Women's day special)

Happy women's day! Isn't it brilliant that this day is on a Wednesday, I get to dedicate an entire article to nothing but the simple brilliance of women! Well, I am not writing about the brilliance of women, but the patriarchal society that we live in.

I know, I know, I have probably lost your interest when I mentioned about the topic I am addressing. But, wait, let me at least begin.

Firstly, let's start with the super sweet thirteen, because this is the starting point of all the trouble. You realize how much unwanted attention you get. This, happened with me when I was in sixth, yes, sixth! I was out grocery shopping with my mom and my best friend/ soul sister, and this really creepy man with one eyeball the color white started talking to me, well not just like a normal talk- talk, but, more like whispering in my ear when he crossed us. What is commendable is that my friend was not able to even understand, except the part where he was staring at us. I was really uncomfortable and I told my mother (obviously) and she helped me out of the situation. After that I honestly did not want to go grocery shopping, and I did not even for at least a few months or so.

The years that have followed, I have learned how to take care of myself, and now just exactly how to break a nose with my knuckles.

Now, lets fast forward to the time when a girl gets married. I know, now you are probably thinking 'how would I know anything about all that?' I am no married and don't see myself getting married in the near future either, but I have pretty reliable sources; namely, 'Crime patrol: Dastak' , 'Saavdhaan India'. If that is not convincing then there is also NDTV and newspapers like TOI. And, if you are still not convinced then there is the amazing daily soaps. Now, I don't follow any particulars because 
a) Anandi exists from when I was seven! (Ballika Vadhu reference) and 
b) they ask for too much commitment, I mean particular days and particular hours.. I am barely on time for school most days! 
 I however, do know about these because, well, not a secret, I know about these the same way every Indian teenager knows about the stories of these serials, through their grandparents watching them every single hour of the day. And, even though my reasoning may seem wrong, but what we must understand is that these shows are made in the way that they are so that they are easy to relate by the targeted audience; old people. And, what else is relatable than the daily life they live but just with good looking people, beautiful saris and background music?

So, as to start about the madhouse that marriage is, I have learnt that the first change that takes place is the cliche dialogue of the mother-in-law to the newly arrived bride that sounds like "From today onwards you are like my daughter, don't be shy, okay?" which actually means " From today onwards I have officially hired you as my personal room service and house keeping facility, you are just like my daughter as she is also living this life in her inlaws' house." 
After this, you start to notice how the girl is forbidden to wear clothes of her choice but has to wears saris (regardless that they are beautiful). She cannot even breathe if her mother-in-law does not want her to. 
Then there, is the taking permission for every decision that it is her right to make. examples are listed below.

• her:"Can I start working?"
• MIL(mother-in-law): No.
• her: "Can I cook Thai food? it's been a while..
• MIL: No. I don't like Thai, you can however make an elaborate meal with butter naans and lot of Tzatziki and to compliment this, Worcestershire.

I hope my point was made clear. Then when the girl, finally gets some sense drilled in her and starts to rebel. The MIL changes from the queen bee to the evil queen bee. She does everything in her power to crush the girl's dreams and ambitions. In fact, to the point where she gives the girl incentive to kill herself. 

And you know what is ironic? The husband, is blind to all of it. The man the girl was promised a happy ever after with is either blind or stupid. 

Then enters the Father-in-law, with his one ambition in life; to collect more dowry and blames the girl for all the problems, probably including ozone depletion because her family did not pay enough dowry. 

Girls, women and even ladies live the life that the men want us to. 

I mean, till what point will we live the life where taking selfies makes us a narc and wearing the clothes we like makes us attention seekers.  Where it is dangerous to stay out late. Where we are not allowed to make the money and be the breadwinners but we surely are allowed to make bread for the family. Where we address our husbands as "ji" and they give us a permanent label of  " arey, sunna" Yes, this is a patriarchal society, but it is not only the male population that made it so cruel but also the MIL who expect a 'bahu' in place of a daughter. 

The day we realize that all together we can smash the patriarchy will be the day I will call this country truly united in diversity, not only in the matter of cultures but also in the matter of genders.

How you are ruining your child.

How many kids do you know who read the newspaper? Are you one of the kids who reads the newspaper? When I say newspaper I don't mean the gossip paper, but the parts of politics, the world and the criminal cases. I don't think so. Why is that? Why is it that your kid or a kid never or seldom opens the newspaper? Here is your answer.

The answer lies in the upbringing of a child. I am fourteen, you are probably thinking that what would I know? I am still a child. But, here's the thing, that is exactly where you are wrong. Just because I am a kid does not mean my ideas or the thoughts that come in my head are stupid.  Adults believe that their's is the only opinion that matters. Children are often told that they are too young. Too young to comment on politics. Too young to know of the worldly problems. Too young to know anything apart from their textbooks. It not only ruins a child from inside it also makes them doubt. 
The originality of their thoughts is killed. They are not individuals anymore. They resort to social media, social media is their escape, their hideaway. They start living commercial lives. Following beauty fads (because since everyone is doing it, it must be smart, right?) 
I want this to be a message for all the adults, you people are making this planet a factory that manufactures robots. The future is of non opinionated sheep, of chaos and of pigheadedness. 
Children stop midway of their thoughts because this statement comes to the mind 'You know what? I am too young to be thinking about this topic.' 
You are manufacturing not bringing up. Nor are you manufacturing children but a generation of straight A's. 
This is not the only way you are ruining the individuality of a child. You send your child to school, in order to learn, but unfortunately this is not what is happening. Let me tell you a secret. A secret all students know but are too afraid to say because 'what do you know?' Here's the thing, school makes your child stupid. Everyday. Every hour. Every minute. Every second. 
In a class of 40, each different mind is made to absorb knowledge in one and only one way. Some don't. Some do. There is no way around it. The teachers teach in this manner. What good is learning if it is not accompanied by understanding and only mugging up?
Tests are another section that ruin your child. The written tests don't determine whether your child is intelligent but the fact that if he is able to remember vocabulary. The terms for body parts, one word that is misplaced and the whole answer is wrong. Education has become a nightmare.

Subjects like art, dance and music have no importance. They are not encouraged. The few who perform for these programs are selected on I don't know what basis. Do the other children not have limbs? Do they not have a voice? Do they not have imagination?  Creation? There exists a label of mediocrity for the children who don't participate. Do you know why they don't want to participate? It is not that they don't want to, they don't get to.  And as a child gets into higher classes she does not even get to participate. My school does not have music lessons for eighth grade and above. From tenth grade we are not allowed to perform or even participate in the Annual day. 

I am fourteen. I don't read the newspaper. I don't score straight A's. I am not qualified to make the above statements. But, other than that. I am fourteen, and I am not stupid. My brain  functions normally. My brain has a million ideas everyday. And I can notice when something is not taking a proper course. With the changing times so should the means of bringing children up. And that I think is an idea worth considering. But hey! What do I know?