The Extrovert's Guide To Introverts

The idea for this post did not spring from a specific occurrence, but rather multiple events since I was really little kid that brought me to the conclusion that some people maybe just need a bit of guidance. Just a little bit.


So here's a list of do's and don'ts to put you on the right track to understanding and fostering friendships with introverts.

DO'S

• If you think we're feeling sad/upset, ask us how we're doing. We'll probably respond, "Fine." Proceed to give us a hug and tell us everything will be alright. (Note: If you are the cause of our "anguish", then apologize first! Duh...)
• Invite us to parties and other events. Even if we don't come, we'll feel included.
• If you like something we're wearing, or maybe the way we did something differently, compliment it. You'll be on our good side, and it'll boost our self-esteem.
• Introduce us to all your friends. We're too shy to do that on our own.
• Come and talk to us! Most of us are really interesting if you give us a chance. The quietest people have the loudest minds...

DON'TS

• If we are reading a book, we clearly do not want to talk to you. Don't ask us what we're reading and then proceed to spoil the ending. It's rude.
• Not all babies are extroverts. Don't touch them with dirty hands, and don't make scary faces and loud noises at them. They will not always like it.
• Don't comment on something we wore or did just because it's not something you would have worn or done. We're probably trying really hard to "fit in", and you're making it harder.
• Don't assume things when we snap at you or grumble at you. We're probably just having a bad day. Leave us alone. Or, even better, say, "Okay, I get it," smile, and walk away.
• Don't decide not to invite us to things just because you think it's not "our thing". We feel super left out, paranoid, and like everyone is hanging out without us.
• Don't judge us. And don't even bother arguing about whether we are actually introverts, just shy, or passive-aggressive. We won't respond to you.
• Don't jump to conclusions about us. We're all different and unique. We're not antisocial. We're just a little on the shy side.

But most of all, just be nice to us. We can be really supportive and loyal if we feel like it. Be patient, and we'll be your friends. Oh, yeah. And everybody loves to talk about themselves. So ask questions, and we'll probably open up to you in no time.

YAY! Now using your new-found knowledge, go make some new friends! 

Realizations We Can't Help But Ponder

This time I'm going to do something different. Rather than write a paragraph, I decided to add some humor to your day. Anyway, enough about me, here's what I really meant to write about.

Steven Wright, is a famous ​scientist/comic who once said: " I woke up one morning, and all of my stuff ​had been stolen and replaced by exact duplicates." ​Here are some of his tweets, collected from various sources.

1 - I'd kill for a Nobel Peace Prize.

2 - Borrow money from pessimists -- they don't expect it back.

3 - Half the people you know are below average.

4 - 99% of lawyers give the rest a bad name.

5 - A conscience is what hurts when all your other parts feel so good.

6 - A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

7 - If you want the rainbow, you have got to put up with the rain.

8 - All those who believe in psychokinesis, raise my hand.

9 - The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

10 - I almost had a psychic girlfriend... But she left me before we met.

11 - OK, so what's the speed of dark?

12 - How do you tell when you're out of invisible ink?

13 - If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.

14 - Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.

15 - When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

16 - Ambition is a poor excuse for not having enough sense to be lazy.

17 - Hard work pays off in the future; laziness pays off now.

18 - I intend to live forever... So far, so good.

19 - Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

20 - What happens if you get scared half to death twice?

21 - My mechanic told me, "I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder."

22 - Why do psychics have to ask you for your name?

23 - If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.

24 - A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking.

25 - Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

26 - The hardness of the butter is ​ inversely ​ proportional to the softness of the bread.

27 - To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research.

28 - The problem with the gene pool is that there is no lifeguard.

29 - The sooner you fall behind, the more time you'll have to catch up.

30 - The colder the x-ray table, the more of your body is required to be on it.

31 - Everyone has a photographic memory; some just don't have film.

32 - If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.

33 - If your car could travel at the speed of light, would your headlights work?

My Fair Lady: Movie Review + MSPDP Nationals

Before I do anything else, I would like to congratulate +Ria Pradhan +Esha Deokar +Shreya wêya +Pippa Hemmings and Ayush Gupta (can someone tag him?) on their achievements at the MSPDP Nationals this past weekend. You guys did amazing! I'm so glad I had the chance to debate on a team with all of you, and thank you for an amazing experience. Thank you also for all the time +Nayan Naik +Nidhi Kumar Kalra +Purvi Hazari-Naik put in to help us succeed. And of course, no one can forget Mrs. Toutem, the best teacher, mentor, friend, and debate coach we could possibly have.

Okay. Now here's what I really wanted to write about. I wanted to do something different this time. First of all, I'm going to write for you a movie review. Secondly, I'm not going to review a new movie, but an old one. My family chose to drive to Pasadena (for the Nationals) rather than fly, so it was basically six hours of eternal boredom for me. I decided to watch a movie. I was looking through the movies we had, and I found one called My Fair Lady. I thought I'd give it a try, and as it turns out, I don't regret it.

My Fair Lady
Reviewed by Riya Kalra

My Fair Lady (1964), directed by George Cukor, is about an arrogant phonetics expert, Dr. Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison), who sees a poor flower girl with a heavy Cockney accent, Eliza Doolittle (Audrey Hepburn), selling flowers on the streets and makes a bet with a new acquaintance, Colonel Hugh Pickering (Wilfrid Hyde-White), that Dr. Higgins will be able to pass the girl off as a duchess just by teaching her how to speak like one. The movie is about Eliza's struggles with learning how to be a graceful, polite woman in society and dealing with Dr. Higgins's conceited nature. She learns how to find her way independently and lives a happy life.

I loved Audrey Hepburn's performance in this movie; of course, we all know her as the epitome of timeless beauty and effortless grace. She portrays the character of Eliza in such a comical and perfect way, from her awkward ways to her hilarious accent. Hepburn makes watching Eliza transform from a flower seller on the streets into a respectable lady so much fun!

The movie won eight Oscars, three Golden Globes, and other awards. I haven't seen the version with Julie Andrews as the lead, but I can say that this movie is worth a try.

My Fair Lady leaves the viewer with a sense of contentment, compassion, and adoration for Eliza. This movie might be fun to watch as a family, but it's just as great by yourself.


Comment below to let me know how you liked my review and if you'd like to see more. Please suggest any movies if you'd like me to review them. DFTBA!

Is It Just Me?

I don't know how to say this, so I guess I'll just say it. I'm crazy. Like, seriously. I am weird. But I'm sure there are a few things we have in common...

April 8, 2015

Everything Weird

100 Just Because Way

Yes, Seriously 12345

Riya Kalra

1213 Why Does This Happen Street

Please, Stop 10203

Dear Everything Weird,

          There are a few issues I would like to address here. This first one has been going on for quite a while, actually. My hair does not always look good. Actually, it rarely ever looks good. But sometimes I wash my hair. And do you know when my hair looks the best? Right. Before. I. Wash. It. You have no idea how this drives me crazier than I already am. It makes me want to yank my hair out (pun intended). Okay. And then there's the problem with dreams. People always say a dream is what you're thinking about right before you sleep, or it's your future or something. I beg to differ. My dreams are the craziest. There is no possible way that my dreams have anything at all  to do with my day or what thoughts go through my head. Please fix this. ASAP. And lastly, the internationally recognized problems with siblings. Mine absolutely refuses to do anything. Until I start doing it! Then he pushes me off the chair, piano stool, tree, cliff, wherever I am, and then guess what? He doesn't do anything. Seriously? How about when he actually does something? Like watching shows no one has ever heard of on his iPad? Or playing the piano? Or just plain old shrieking his head off? Well, then I better have soundproof walls and noise-cancelling headphones to tune him out. Please fix these problems, which ail quite a large population.

Your frustrated friend,

Riya


PS - I still love my little brother! I mean, who can say no to that face? But let's not forget the moments where he is the most ANNOYING person on Earth! Just keep that in mind.



Note: This letter says April 8, because that's when I actually wrote it. I edited it and added all these notes on April 9. Just saying. 

Why Writing Blog Posts Is So Hard

My blog is a place for me to express my ideas and create a corner of the Internet that just screams "me".  And whenever I have an idea, I sit down at my laptop and start typing. But sometimes it is just so impossible to come up with ideas...

I'm not the kind of person who can come up with ideas when they need them. I don't find ideas — they come to me. And then sometimes those ideas go on vacation. For a really, really long time. They feel no pity for me, lying around, racking my brain for ideas. But they just refuse to return. Eventually, they trickle back into my head, and I start trying to choose between them. I realize how horrible these ideas are. They didn't deserve a vacation! But I have to choose one, so I do. And I write. And write. And write. Okay, so that idea wasn't so bad after all. But wait... ugh. Now I have to write a title. Google: Blog Title Generator. "Enter 3 words (preferably nouns) that your blog post is about." Well, how about "ideas", "books", "inspiration". 

Here are your titles: 

1. Why We Love Ideas (And You Should, Too!) 
2. What Will Books Be Like In 100 Years? 
3. 15 Best Blogs To Follow About Inspiration 
4. 10 Signs You Should Invest In Ideas 
5. 14 Common Misconceptions About Books

Yeah..no. 

Why we love ideas? Hey, we do not love ideas. At all.  What will books be like in 100 years? Um, holograms? I dunno... 15 blogs to follow? Well, that's okay, I guess. But where am I going to find fifteen  blogs solely about inspiration? And who has that kind of time, anyway? Okay....why would I INVEST in ideas? Misconceptions about books...they are written by people who have actual ideas?

AARGH! There they go again. No more ideas.

Well, my rant is over. This is why I don't write so often anymore. No more ideas. Zero. Zilch. Zip. Nada. 

Ciao for now!

— Riya

Picture source: serc.carleton.edu

The Impending Takeover of the Universe

Firstly, I apologize for not writing in, like, forever. I was selected from my school for the Alameda County Science Fair, and I also happen to be on one of the debate teams from the South Bay Debate League selected for the Nationals. So, I've been trying to keep up with all that work, and my blog was left neglected. Well, here's yet another vocab paragraph I hope you'll find amusing.

          NEWS FLASH: A terrible calamity has come to pass. We are now officially immersed in a sea of annoying siblings! Completely sane siblings are growing extremely sparse and in some cities, are extinct! Mentally capable older siblings and parents have tried, but they foundered in the whining, screaming, and wailing of their children. They wish they could simply throw them out like the refuse the children turn any house they visit into. These relentless maniacs will not desist from sucking your very soul out of your body. Soon, they will preside over the universe, and we will be superceded by monsters less than half our age. And these horrible creatures won't even have to try. They will be perfectly sedentary as the rest of us unfortunate souls scurry around in fear, doing their bidding.

Happy Birthday, Abraham Lincoln! (Plus 10+ Interesting Facts about him)

The one and only Abraham Lincoln was born today, February 12. So, to celebrate, I decided to scavenge for interesting facts and quotes. Here's what I found...

Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 - April 15, 1865)

Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?

If you look for the bad in people
expecting to find it, you surely will.

Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed
is more important than any other one thing.

You cannot escape the responsibility
of tomorrow by evading it today.

In the end, it's not the years in your life that count.
It's the life in your years.

Interesting Facts about Honest Abe: 

1. He hated being called Abe. Apparently, he preferred being called by his last name.
2. He was the only president to have a patent: Lincoln invented a device to free steamboats that ran aground.
3. He practiced law without a degree. Lincoln had about 18 months of formal schooling.
4. He wanted women to have the vote in 1836. The future president was a suffragette before it became fashionable.
5. He was a big animal lover, but he wouldn't hunt or fish. If he were alive today, Lincoln would be running an animal shelter.
6. He really was a wrestler. Lincoln was documented as taking part in wrestling bouts. We don’t think he wore a mask or had a manager.
7. He didn't have a middle name. Lincoln went through his life with two names.
8. Lincoln loved to eat oysters.
9. Lincoln’s cat ate at the White House dinner table.
10.  Lincoln’s mother was killed by poisoned milk.

And the creepiest fact of all:

Lincoln, one week before his death, had a dream of someone crying in the White House, when he found the room; he looked in and asked who had passed away. The man in the room said the President. When he looked in the coffin it was his own face he saw.

A dog-rabbit duo to keep you company this Flu Year!

I keep coming up with ideas and ideas, but I never do anything. I actually have a sticky note on my desktop where I write down any blog post idea I come up with. But eventually I just end up doing some random last-minute post about nothing in particular. So, I'm sorry. For not posting since December 12. This sounds hilarious. Anyway, to the point.

Ever since I discovered a book of  Calvin and Hobbes comics my cousin was reading, I've always loved the unique nature of comics. Don't get me wrong, I've always loved to read, and I spend time on my laptop, too, but comics are actually pretty cool. They're not as long or time-consuming as books, they don't have much negative effect on your eyes*, and they express a simple, often humorous message through illustrations! Here is another comic I have read often without knowing it was actually a comic...if that makes any sense...

It's by shoeboxblog.com, and it's called Chuck and Beans. Below are some of my favorites.

Yup, that's me...unfortunately.

Also, this year started out a "Flu Year" for a reason. This Christmas, my family and I visited my cousins in Virginia. The trip was so much fun, and everyone was cheerful, until my mom suddenly fell sick with 102-degree fever. The day before our flight. For which we were supposed to leave for at around 6:30 A.M. So with a lot of difficulty, my family managed to change the flight to the evening. Then my dad also started feeling sick. By the time we all got home, my whole family was sick, and one of my cousins had extremely high fever. From that point on, everybody on the trip, except my aunt, had fever at least once. We came back on the 30th, and it was not until yesterday that we began feeling better. My mom told me it must have been the flu that we caught somewhere in D.C. Whatever it was—it's nine, my room is a mess, and it's a school night. So I sign off. Enjoy the comics, and of course, happy new year (better late than never)!

*compared to a computer/TV screen. Obviously if you read with dim light or in elaborate sitting/sleeping positions where the book isn't at the right distance from your face, then your eyes won't be happy.

Humor Long Overdue

We all know about the newspaper funnies, but this generation hasn't really read them too often. So I thought I'd share with you the satirical but adorable humor of two of my favorite characters, Calvin and Hobbes. Thank you, Bill Watterson! Enjoy...

The Very Last Strip

Amusing Quotes

My last post wasn't exactly positive, so I will compensate for that with some quotes that I found amusing.



Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.

 —Margaret Mead

If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts.

 —Albert Einstein

I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific.

 —Lily Tomlin

A lot of people are afraid of heights. Not me, I'm afraid of widths.

 —Steven Wright

Between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before.

 —Mae West

Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.

 —Mark Twain

Behind every great man is a woman rolling her eyes.

 —Jim Carrey

A woman's mind is cleaner than a man's: She changes it more often.

 —Oliver Herford

My fake plants died because I did not pretend to water them.

 —Mitch Hedberg

 Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.

 —Don Marquis

I found these quotes on brainyquote.com.