Profound Philosophical Stuff That My Dog Has Taught Me

I know it's been a while, but I've got the perfect thing to make it up for my absence. (NOT LIKE IT MATTERED.) ... (Love me. *Makes face*)

Anyhooo..

This, is Enzo Wookie Safiulla. (Credit for his first name goes to my brother. Enzo's been named after Ferrari's founder and the car too, because he's a crazy and wild little thing.) 

Dashing, is he not?

He is a two and a half month old Golden Retriever. But he thinks he's a Rottweiler, acts like a cat, a cow, an assorted array of insects, and a human. He also thinks he's a shark and a mighty hunter. (He kills cockroaches and puts them on my lap with a whole lotta love.)

Yes. I'm serious. He is all of that wrapped into a fuzzy coat of squish. 

Albeit a bit of a goon, Enzo's made me realize some crazy stuff. I mean, I didn't know that a puppy that chases his own tail for entertainment could be that deep. (Maybe its just me. MAYBE OKAY?) 

So here are a few profound philosophical things that he's taught me. (Translated from dog to human, of course.)

1. "I know you locked me in the balcony as punishment for chewing your shoes, and you smacked my face with a newspaper for eating fertilizer, and I know you yelled at me for tracking mud into the house and peeing on the carpet, and I know you're still really mad, but I don't care, and I still love you so please have my kisses and come play with me?"
In Human Terms: It's really easy for us to get mad, but its a lot easier to let things go and forgive the people you love. (Then lick their faces because you love them and shizz.)


2. "OH MY GOD HUMAN I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN AGES EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE BEEN GONE FOR THREE MINUTES. NO DON'T LEAVE YET. I NEED TO BITE YOUR ARM!"
In Human Terms: Always be happy when you greet a person. You may not have had a good day but you'll never know if theirs was equally spectacular either. You'll never know when you'll see them next, either. So never leave them angry or upset.

3. "Human, your ratty sweater is the BOMB. I hope you wear it more often because I like it (The smell, even). I still love you. Now take me for a walk, forget about washing your face. I just enjoy your company. And your shoes."
In Human Terms: There is no need to base your friendships on what kind of clothes or makeup people may wear. Companionship is a lot more than the things you can buy at stores and use to impress people.

4. "Hey, human. This old stale bread is AMAZING. Thank you SO much for it. I still have the old sock you gave me, by the way. LOVE it."
In Human Terms: Be grateful for everything you have in your life. There are people around you who aren't even blessed with three full meals a day.

5. "Human. No. I do NOT like that dog down the street. And I will NOT be friends with him even though you want me to try. He barked at me and called my dad a dog, and he keeps jumping on me, and he tried to bite my cute fluffy tail, and growled when I tried sniffing him. Stupid beast. I swear I'll nip at him if he jumps again."
In Human Terms: If someone persistently upsets you, its best that you leave them be. There is no use getting yourself worked up about nothing. Even though their defense may be hyperactivity caused by chocolate (Scientifically impossible, I swearz.) ignore it. But then again, the persistence of the matter may force you to take the right action. So a quick and calculated nip may just do wonders. (Or cause a massive fight. You'll never know. *Grins*)

6. "Oh. My. God. BUTTERFLY! WHAAAAAT?! Woah that ant is SO FRIGGIN' AMAZING! HUMAN. LOOK AT THIS TWIG I FOUND. I MUST KEEP IT SAFE FOR THE REST OF ETERNITY."
In Human Terms: Appreciate the small things in life. Its truly amazing when you pay attention to the otherwise insignificant things around you, because you WILL find the beauty in it, eventually.

7. "Hey other strange human, will you be my friend? Hey cow, will you be my friend? Hey new dog that's growling at me, will you be my friend? Not you mean human that screamed in my ear. Hey scared human, come here, I'll be your friend and protect you. Why are you running away?"
In Human Terms: Don't be quick to judge a person by the way they dress or speak or act. Give yourself a chance to get to know them. Give them a chance to show you their real selves. Creepy dudes are an exception.

8. "I know you taught me how to pee outside, but I like the carpet better. OH MY GOD DON'T SMACK ME WITH THE NEWSPAPER I'M STILL PEEING."
In Human Terms: Bending the rules to find your comfort zone is okay as long as it doesn't doesn't get out of hand. (Yes. Peeing on the carpet is a no-no.) 

9. "Hey. Look at me. Human. Human? HUMAN. Look I just want what you're eating. Yeah I just ate, so? HUMAN STOP IGNORING ME I REALLY WANT WHATEVER IT IS YOU'RE EAT- Oooh carrots!"
In Human Terms: Being selfish from time to time is okay. Because you have your needs too. Just, curb the amount of selfishness.

10. "Human, there is danger ahead. I will growl and bark at the imminent danger that approaches and WILL protect you even though I'm the size of a fairly large watermelon." (Yes this did happen. For realzies.)
In Human Terms: Protect the people you love. Nothing more, nothing less.

So there. All that's left to say is that I love him and his goofy ways. And he loves me back too. Everyone deserves a dog. There's a reason they're called man's best friends. And who ever said diamonds are a girl's best friend clearly had their priorities messed up. They should meet MY best friends. Both human and beast. 

Go Kiss The World

Someone once asked me: So Aaliya, what drives your blog posts?
And I thought, was it inspiration? Was it the need to be heard? The want for attention?

Nope. Hormones. And a dash of crazy, too.

Getting yourself a job right after college, not  good idea. It will rot your brain so bad that grey matter will start oozing out of your ear. (Not that it's happened yet, but I could feel my IQ points drop very rapidly from 129)

I've had a horrible couple of months since college ended. I swear on my video games that I've had a MILLION "Oh so THIS is why they said that you will HATE the real world" moments.

Man, the real world SUCKS. NO different than college, really. Only difference is that you have a smaller circle of backstabbers.

You thought those girls in college who always had the best dressing sense and wore the most expensive perfume were out to get you to fall flat on your face? Wait till you meet the people in the real world. College politics is mediocre, compared to the bitches trying to bring you down in the real world. (Miscommunication my BUTT dearest A.P. You can take your "team lead" status and shove it where the sun don't shine!)

Jeez I don't think people will ever grow out of that phase where if they have a problem with someone or something they would just TELL you instead of being skeevy and slimey about it. Get you to give up on your job, for example.

I need some time to gather lost IQ points. Study for application exams, figure out my life, yadda yadda yadda. But hey. More time to write. And my really good friend Kevin said to me recently: Aaliya, DON'T give a damn, DON'T let your power of reasoning hold you back, DON'T let ANYTHING stop you. Just go. Go kiss the world.

I think I'll plant a nice wet one on them bitches.

Stop.

A few weeks ago, I was walking with my ten year old cousin to the pet store to buy some cat food. And it is during these moments of solitude, that him and I have our heart-to-hearts. It started with comics, moved on to movies based on said comics, his very dumb cat and hyper baby brother, Top Gear (He's an amazing little fellow), and then about when I would start working.

He asked me how I was going to get to and back from work and I said "Well maybe Ma and Ta (My parents) will let me take the car." and he asked me why I couldn't just use public transport. I replied, saying that some days, I may be late, and it won't be that safe for me to travel alone, using public transport. Why, he asked, and I said, I don't want to get hurt, or even worse, killed. He looked at me dead in the eyes and said "Dee dee, That stuff only happens in the West. It's so much more safer here."

In a way, I am both happy, and disappointed with this revelation. Happy, because my baby brother is shielded from the harsh violence committed by and against our fellow citizens everyday, and disappointed, for the very same reason.

After the horror of the infamous Delhi rape case in December 2012, one would think that the attitude of this nation would soon change. There would be a grand epiphany that would lift our fellow Indians from the darkness and show them that this one case isn't the only crime that has been committed against women over the years.

Oh boy was I wrong.

It makes my blood boil, to see that the number of cases, instead of going down, has shot up. And what's even more shocking, is the fact that these monsters are now targeting young girls. Girls as young as four years old.

I am speechless. I look around me and see so much danger now, lurking in every nook and cranny. Honestly, I'm beginning to get a little too paranoid to do simple things like stepping out of my home and running errands for my mother.

What happened to all those protesting crowds? Those outraged youth of the nation, holding demonstrations in the name of women's rights? What happened to all those laws that were passed so gallantly so that the women feel more protected? Please don't tell me that it was a phase or a passing fad. This isn't a fucking fashion statement or a 'happening thing' that the popular kids are participating in. Has it honestly affected a portion of our vast nation?

I think most of my angry outbursts were spent on a very long telephone call with my friend. I kept telling her how I just wanted to get out there, and defend all of us. We expressed our shock and fear about how we will never feel safe out on open streets, even when we're wearing our baggiest jeans and T-shirts.

And hey! Now we don't even need to fucking worry because the focus has moved on to little kids! I mean, c'mon man, easier targets, a breeze to handle, and they probably won't tell a soul. What's next, little boys? Special needs kids? Oh wait that ALSO happens. Because it's a ruthless world out there that just doesn't care anymore.

I've typed this out before, and I will type it out again. We NEED to fight back, because I want to be able to walk down the streets in my city, and feel at ease. I don't want to constantly look over my shoulder to check if I'm being followed, or hit groping perverts in crowded streets. My friend fears that my anger and short fuse will get the best of me and will prove to be fatal  at the end of the day. But I'd rather go down fighting than letting some creepy asshole get away with it easily.

But seriously tell me, why is this situation getting harder to understand? WAKE. UP. NOW. Or anarchy will prevail.

Summer '13.

Summer is here!

(Awkward silence..)

Yes, I know.. I haven't posted in a while. I.. Lost my net book recently.. Her display wore out. (More like the screen cracked. Just a little.. OKAY FINE IT WAS HORRIBLE. I couldn't recognize the screen any more. *sniffs*) So right now I've 'borrowed' my dad's laptop.

Oh! Happy new year! (A little late for that but hey! Better late than never, yeah?)

ANYWAY.

A lot has happened in the past five months. A lot to complain about and a lot to mock. But a thing of significance that has happened is the fact that I just got done with college. And everyone is saying their goodbyes and I thought maybe I should too.

I was a part of a good institution. (I'm not saying wonderfully uplifting or downright ridiculous things about the place. It was lovely while it lasted.) For five whole years I have aged with its walls, in two different institutions and two different buildings, learning to live life.

I've never had 'school' friends. I grew up labeled 'weird' for most of my life. Junior college showed me who my real friends were. Degree college cut that population again to one, and then some. I say goodbye to my 'last minute friends'. Those ones I had the absolute luck to get close to in the nick of time. Thank you for being my love gurus, my therapists, my hankies, my tonics. Thank you.

I say goodbye to the first person I ever called my best friend. We've had our bumps and I may feel like I've been left on the sidelines a couple of times but you'll always be my closest and oldest friend, and I am going to miss you terribly every time I see a hyper puppy, or if it's sunny and bright outside, or if I have chocolate and no one to share it with. I'm very jealous of the people in Delhi who will try their best to get acquainted to you, because they know that you're a wonder. I love you. Know that.

I say goodbye to the path that I walked up and down for five years, growing old with the trees that flank its sides. I wave goodbye to the penguin bin and the bunny too.

I bid farewell to my teachers, most of them who I never got along with. Thank you for trying to give me an 'education'. I apologize for the snide comments and rude remarks. (P.S; I'm the one who took your red pens.) 

I say goodbye to my family away from family, the university choir. I cried, I will continue to cry and hurt because I will miss being a part of that energy. The outsiders will never know, and they will never understand.

I say goodbye to old romances that bloomed and died, the loves that were proclaimed and the secrets that were made sacred for forever and a day. Thank you for giving me tales of love to tell my children. I do appreciate it.

And lastly, I say goodbye to my old self, because you were a curious thing, and it's good to grow. It has been a little hard to come to terms with the idea of growing up and growing on, but there is a comfort to it. I guess it's time to embrace future me. (I hope she doesn't have grey hair.)

Here's to new beginnings.