Sunday, May 01, 2011

Of Facts, Fiction, Food, Chalks & Chopsticks

In the last few months, a few things happened that were rather stranger than fiction: Long-ago people I was busily and blithely investigating on the Internet got in touch; The Spouse misplaced his mobile phone only to find it on the slope of his car roof, after a 45-minute journey; and for the first time ever, in my entire life, someone told me I looked like the Telugu film heroines of yesteryear. I exchanged my 8-year-old-but-mint-condition fancy food processor for Rs 900 off on a no-frills mixie and wondered if it would ever forgive me for sending it away and almost checked it to see if it was shedding tears. It may be inanimate but couldn't it not have soul?

I'm sure I'm deeply empathetic and highly sensitive but when these qualities cross over into physics and metaphysics, I know it's high time I stuck to something more real. Like rolling up my sleeves and making a better effort at my blog posts, which have been less voluble and more infrequent. I've been missing Of Chalks & Chopsticks, the food fiction event that was Aqua's idea. Some discussion with her, Desi Soccer Mom and BongMom yielded an enthusiastic response and another idea - how about giving participants a picture, or a set of words that can be used in the story they are going to write?

So here it is: This is the picture that you will use for your story. It's up to you to use it or not in your post, but if you do, please mention that it's mine. It's my photo and the copyright to it is mine.


And here are some more rules, most of them copied from Aqua's page:

1. Spin us a yarn - an original one. It could either be based on a real incident or could be something competely imaginary. Explore any genre: humour, romance, mystery, paranormal etc.

2. The story you write has to have some food - it doesn't have to be a recipe.

3. There is no word limit on the story you write, but it has to be written in one single post.

4. Posts written for this event CAN be shared with other events.

5. Please link to this post and Aqua's original post mentioned above.

Post your story and the recipe between now and May 31 and mail it to me at: srablog (at)gmail(dot)com


Include the following details in your mail:

1. Name and URL of your blog

2. Title and URL of your post

I have a reputation for being a strict host and I fully intend to maintain it, so if you have any questions about the event, please leave a comment here, I will answer it and clarify the rules if need be. Happy imagining!

And here's the second of my five promised links to Haritha.

11 comments:

  1. SO good to know someone else attaches emotion to inanimate objects too! I'm so like that! :)
    Each time I see a post on Of Chalks and Chopsticks, I tell myself I would participate this time but alas, the time hasn't come yet. Maybe this time...

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  2. Vani, I felt really bad because I had barely used the food processor attachments, but it wasn't very efficient for dry grinding and was just taking up space so I had to send it off. They said it would be sold for scrap - that company's not in India anymore and it's a wonder I got what I did for the exchange.

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  3. How coincidental! I have to get a new mixer/ blender not because I rarely use it but because of a malfunction that rendered the batter unusable (bits of the rubber ring seeped into the batter while grinding!)
    Maybe will make an interesting story for OfC&C! BTW, what is the last date for submission?

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  4. Am learning to be not too soft hearted when I declutter .. I know what you are saying.
    Have been thinking of C&C a lot the last few days ... was even thinking of putting up the question on FB ... so good to see you've brought it back! :-)

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  5. Jaya, the deadline is May 31. As for the mixie, that's a new problem I'm hearing about, how strange! I decided to exchange my food proc. because had I had a problem, I would have not been able to give it away nor throw it away, this way it gets sold off, though as scrap. Just used the new one for the first time now, quite good.
    Sharmila, I'm not sentimental but I really put in so much hope, expectation and of course, money, when I bought the food proc. That's why I felt bad.

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  6. Thank you very very much for reviving this Sra! I missed it a lot too, but was simply too lazy to do anything about it.
    A few weeks ago, we sold our car and I actually sobbed as the agent drove it away - you do get attached to somethings. It happens :)

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  7. I'm amazed that you recovered the cell phone. Intact. After that car ride.

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  8. He he I was the one who told you about the resemblance:). I am good at de-cluttering. The better half later always finds that some important use for the just disposed off goods. I keep thinking I should but damn... I am so honest...not at all good at spinning yars;).

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  9. Joanne, yes, we all are! The Spouse says the pouch he'd put it in must have been "anti-skid".
    SunshineMom, I DO remember - how can I forget someone who gave me such a great compliment? :)

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  10. I am back Sra..Thanks for u're comment...Will keep checking from now on :)

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  11. i missed it this time,,who will be hosting next month?

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