When ARMY was just army #HappyARMYDay

It was in September 2018, when I found out about a band called BTS. How exactly it started, I’m not sure … but I clearly remember three instances –

1. I watched BTS’ appearance in Jimmy Fallon show where Jimmy said “Hi Jimin, I’m Jimmy”. (I had misheard as “Hi Jimmy, I’m Jimmy”.)
2. A colleague made me watch FAKE LOVE MV during office hours. (I remember pretending as if I knew them and I really didn’t.)
3. I watched Sejal enacting how she became ARMY (BTS fan). (I laughed to the point of tears)

Now coming to why I became a #BTSARMY. It would be better if I said exactly what made me one. Read on:

Before BTS
BTS – was behind the scenes of movies and TV shows
ARMY – was just army … related to military personnel

stan – was Marvel’s Stan Lee or any person’s name
bias – was used as a strong word to blame someone for preferring something, (usage was pretty negative)
tinted lip balms – for me was only used by girls
V – meant victory
JK – was short for joking
Jin – meant a genie from Arabian Nights
RM – was short for reporting manager
Hope – was a silly thing people said when nothing was going right
Suga – was a typo and the real spelling was sugar
kpop – was something I never wanted to listen to

And boy… the moment I found out … I was blown

Before I heard –
I NEED U/DANGER – I was still hung up on a person in my past and did not know how to move on
FAKE LOVE/THE TRUTH UNTOLD – I was anxious about my 3 yr old
IDOL/ANSWER:LOVE YOURSELF/REFLECTION – I hated everything I did/was
TOMORROW – I felt irked about doing the same thing each day
Magic Shop – I did not know where to go when I felt bad/low

If not for _________, I wouldn’t have known_____
Spring Day – how to handle the COVID lockdown
Shadow/Black Swan – how to deal with work difficulties
ON – how to enjoy the moment when you are working hard

And many more.

In short, I am eternally grateful to these 7 men who introduced me to something so good, pure, and untainted.

I am able to enjoy their videos without needing to hide it away from my now almost 6 year old.

So, here’s an earnest THANK YOU to the Bangtan Boys and ARMY to have brought new meaning, love, and happiness into my life.

BTS – Sea

Where there is hope, there is always hardship

… In the end, we reached the mirage and it became our reality
The scary desert became the ocean with our blood, sweat and tears
But why is there this fear in between the happiness?
Because we know too well that this place is really a desert…

… continued …

I Can Hear Your Voice: Kdrama Review

~All the opinions in this blog are mine alone. Please do not sue me.~

~No spoilers ahead. Few specifics mentioned, only~

Why review? – I used to review a lot when I started writing. Actually it was the first thing I ever did. I loved reviewing movies and Indian shows. Now that I have watched numerous kdramas and binge watch almost everyday, I feel like sharing my feelings and thoughts.

Also, this is my first review after almost a decade. So, please excuse its unconventional structure.

Why did I begin watching this drama? – I had finished watching Romance is a Bonus Book, W- Two Worlds Apart, and Doctor Stranger, and was completely smitten with Lee Jong Suk. So, I again chose another LJS drama, one of his earlier works.

What is it about? – The show, I Can Hear Your Voice, is about a high-school senior, Park Su-ha, who can read peoples’ minds. He lends his skills to finding the truth for a public defender, Jang Hye-seong.

Want to say more, but then that would come under spoilers. You should watch the show to know the story.

Who’s the cast and what did I like/dislike? – The cast has some incredible names of the industry – Lee Jong Suk as Park Su-ha, Lee Bo-Young as Jang Hye-sung, and Yoon Sang-hyun as Cha Gwan-woo are main characters, well supported by lots of memorable actors.

LJS was amazing. His emotional and sweet scenes were so endearing. The character he plays is serious, no-nonsense but not illogical; so we cannot see his comedic acting (like in Romance is a Bonus Book). But I really loved the scenes where he acts so manly and caring toward the older Jang Hye-sung. I have a thing for guys who can fix things around the house. If you do, hold your heart well!

Lee Bo-young’s character was smart, intelligent, and attractive. I liked her scenes – serious, emotional and comedy … she was great in everything. But my focus was more on her looks. The wardrobe designer/stylist did the job pretty well for her. Loved how the suits change from basics when the character begins her job to more colorful and arms baring a year later.

Among special mentions – I want to talk about actor, Kim Kwang-kyu, who played Judge Kim. I found him most endearing with his comedy. The nose strips were so funny!

More – If I nit-pick, then Choi Sung-joon as Choi Yoo-chang, the public defender office’s clerk was too good looking. Playing a clerk, somewhere, did not suit him. That part could have been played by just about anybody. Hope he gets main roles to show his skills.

How was your experience of watching the show? – I have watched a lot of shows to understand that there are not many layers to the characters and the story. It takes a more unravel-with-every-passing-episode trajectory. It was almost like a journey through life when people grow over time and the way their mindsets and attitudes change. The show slowly reveals the main characters’ secrets through new court cases. 

Personally – It was like an un-put-downable book. I would binge without stopping… I just felt like knowing what happens next. Also, loved the ending.

I like romantic scenes – But in terms of hotness it was zero. The kiss/romance scenes come much later than the usual mid-series hooks. Also, being one of the older Jonk Suk dramas, those scenes are brief and not as intense as those in his newer works (cough-WYWS-cough).

Should you watch? – Definitely. While this is a must watch for all Lee Jong Suk fans, I would recommend it to all Kdrama lovers as well. Its courtroom, office, and home scenes, and the entire casts’ comedic timing make this a watch you would never regret.

Any last words? – Watch for a satisfactory ending.

The Winter Has Not Ended Yet: ARMY Thinks

Whoever has read the lyrics of Spring Day and heard BTS sing the song on repeat must have cried at least once.

I did as well. But when you hear the lyricist and producer still cries when he listens to it, I felt a certain way.

💜 I miss you.
🐱 We also miss you SO MUCH. I want to do concerts SO, SO MUCH.
🐨 It’s not just ‘missing you’ but like, I cry when listening to Spring Day. I’d hear ‘bogoshipda’ and cry immediately.
🐱 He said he cries listening to Spring Day😂
🐨 I’d bawl immediately, for real. https://t.co/qFHR6r0JKo

— doolset🍊 (@doolsetbangtan) May 2, 2020

With coronavirus wrecking havoc worldwide, little do people thought that a song would actually speak to you as Spring Day does.

“Miss you
Saying this makes me miss you even more
Miss you
Even though I’m looking at your photo
Time’s so cruel, I hate us
Seeing each other for once is now so hard between us”

I truly miss my parents, brother and his family, and all my relatives and friends I have not met for over four months now. I always thought that there would be thousands of meetings in the near future. With the sudden lockdown, neither can we go out on the road unless in case of medical emergency, nor can we take care of any of them. Just saying that I miss them makes me miss them even more. Talking to them on the phone or seeing their photos makes me feel miserable at how suddenly everything changed. Time is cruel and I just hate this distancing. Now all I wish for is to see them, touch them, even once.

“How long do I have to wait
And how many sleepless nights do I have to spend
To see you (to see you)
To meet you (to meet you)”

The song was originally written by RM to commemorate the Sewol Ferry disaster in South Korea. If only RM knew that this song would mean more with every passing day. How would he have felt?

This song has defined the beginning of my 2020. Will it really change me or the people around me… the way RM says in this paragraph?

“Is it you who changed (Is it you who changed)
Or is it me (Or is it me)
I hate this moment, this time flowing by
We are changed you know
Just like everyone you know”

The lyrics rocks you and soothes you. Someone said that listening to a sad song actually soothes the heart. Hope you feel the same.

Listen to this masterpiece in any platform you like. Here’s the Youtube link to its official video that in itself is a brilliant creation (don’t forget to turn on CC). It gives you a glimpse of those youthful days when you thought you could do anything and everything. Now, the world has suddenly overturned. Places are abandoned and empty. We face an invisible monster. We are fighting within ourselves and outside.

Lyrics Source: Genius … Thank you!

Looking for Myself

… again?

Well, why not?

Does it even make sense to stay the same as I was a decade ago?

Now as you can see I have no name.

I will continue to find myself through my writing and thoughts.

 

Hi, Old Me

After saying farewell almost 6 years back, I wonder if it’s rude to return. But I’m here, once again, trying to rediscover what I had when I was a prolific blogger.

As I’m old now, I am no more trying to find my way into the world. I am no more a wide-eyed teen thinking and wondering about almost anything and everything. I know things now. 😉

Yes, my college student status is long over. Now, I am a ‘somewhat’ normal 36 year old – with a job and a family. My daily life revolves around my five-year old, husband, extra set of parents, writing for a living, and other responsibilities that I don’t want to think of at this moment.

Clearly, a lot has changed. But some things adamantly stayed with me.

The first thing is my love for the entertainment industry. I still love watching shows and movies. I still like to hum good songs. I also still love thinking about everything I experience in and out of the screen.

There is a slight change though … my interests have shifted from the Indian and American TV and Movie industry to Hallyu. Yes, I’m an avid fan of KDramas, KMovies, and BTS.

Which brings me to the 2nd thing that hasn’t changed about me. My love for venting has made a comeback. Sometime after I got my first job and entered into a new phase of life, I did not feel the need to vent. I was not a ‘crankywriter’ during that time. I guess that’s why I decided to end it here. But after almost 10 years of marriage, I feel I need my ranting place. Someone who listens but also talks about things that we can share. My latest interests in BTS and Korean media has opened up a new opportunity for me to begin venting again. Obviously, my socio-politics loving hubby does not share the same interest as me, so I need a new friend.

Will you be my friend? Will you listen to me when I want to talk about my recent crush on Lee Jong Suk and Lee Seung Gi? My adoration for BTS and my sister-like feelings toward them?

I hope you are the one for me.

Stay tuned to read more of my quickly penned down rants, thoughtfully written poetry, and child-like excitement of sharing things I love.

Love,

Me today.

Hello again

The new me welcomes all those cranky readers out there, who dreamt that I would suddenly rise from the ashes of the last farewell.

Being one of the oldest bloggers who decided to end it has decided that her life isn’t over yet. She is cranky and she wants to speak.

What could be better than restarting a blog she decided to leave for no apparent reason.

Now, my only wish is that I continue writing this fast and this hard along with my numerous corporate collaterals and I write for a living. Of course, if you want to know about my corporate life, you will need to pull it out from me. I don’t want to give it away that easily.

And to those who already know me and is reading this blog – you better tell me that. I like compliments, like everyone else.

For any typo, I apologize, Be my peer reviewer and tell me straight up. Chao!

Farewell

This is my last post here. It’s not that I’m closing down the site, I have too many memories in these pages to remove it from the virtual world, but I have to move on, guys.

I am no more 25, neither am I the idealist and everything else I’ve written in the Bloggers section. At 30, I am a completely changed person, and I have now realized why I haven’t been writing here often. My ideologies have changed … hell, my life, my address, … everything has changed.

So, I have taken upon myself to give myself a make-over … or a do-over.

I am starting a new blog, where I write about my new life, new challenges, and other stuff that might make you want to read more about me.

It’s therefore, not a real goodbye … just an invitation to check out my new life and everything. Welcome to All About Sharing My Life!

Au Revoir 😀

Dear Dell: The Story of my Laptop Repair

Dear Dell,

Thanks so much for taking so much care in getting my laptop back to working.

My laptop’s motherboard was damaged due to liquid spillage. I gave a call to Dell service. The technical person there Mr. Kaushik Hazra was very considerate in following up with me and patient with my apprehensions and millions of questions! [Seriously!!]

Initially I was very scared that I had to pay a large sum of money, beforehand, for the new motherboard and warranty (my laptop’s warranty had ended). That too, much before getting the service.
But everything happened so smoothly after the payment.

Just after paying the money, I got an invoice in both soft copy and hard copy in 2 days. [Hard copy through speed post!!]

The engineer made his first visit in about 4 days! [Which is pretty fast compared to another experience Iv had with another laptop brand….. Ahem Ahem – Acer!]

I understand that the Dell service in Kolkata is outsourced to TVS Electronics. They sent a comparatively new engineer initially, who after replacing the motherboard saw that there was no display and they found beep sounds. They decided to replace the new motherboard again. The next person who came also found the same fault. [This happened in two days, every time I would get a call from Dell in the morning setting up a time for the engineer visit].

Daughter Board or I/O Board

The 3rd person, Mr. Suvajit, seemed to have more experience than the last two. He carefully checked the parts and found a problem with the “Daughter board”. Display worked fine this time, just by removing this small part inside the laptop.

From then on, things seemed smoother than ever. Mr. Suvajit made a second visit 2 days later after recieving the parts from Malaysia [in 2 days!!!!!!!]

He came, he efficiently changed the parts in 15 minutes. Then he even installed all the drivers for me.

Thanks for the combined effort of Mr. Kaushik Hazra, Mr. Suvajit of TVS-E and whole Dell After Sales infrastructure, my laptop is running fine. Im happy and hoping this lasts. Then again, I have another 11 months of warranty. I know I can bank on Dell if anything happens.

Love,

A Happy Customer 🙂

Happy Rains

It is raining in Kolkata. Big, small, tiny splashes with a lovely breeze cooling the atmosphere. It promises to calm the stressed nerves and give you a reason to smile!

So, everybody in Kolkata … enjoy today … Happy Rains!