Category: Hobbies

Hamilton: The Musical

Recently, I was able to watch Hamilton. It was an amazing experience and I enjoyed it a lot. I hadn’t watched Hamilton before, so it was a first time experience that I loved.

I really enjoyed the diverse cast and how we got to see so many people of different races playing the characters. Main characters, like Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, George Washington, and Angelica Schuyler, were played by diverse actors and I enjoyed that.

The songs were also so beautiful and I loved how they all embodied the character(s) who sung them. Some examples were Burn (sung by Eliza) and Satisfied (sung by Angelica and Alexander).

Another thing which I found really interesting was how the same set was used for all the scenes. Unlike other musicals which I’ve seen before, the set was the same, though the characters did transition from place to place. I also thought the way that the set was built was unique and spectacular.

What’s your favorite musical?

World Peace Essay

In my MUN class, we had to write an essay on ideas that’ll help achieve world peace. Here’s what I wrote. I hope you enjoy!

World Peace. It’s something that’s not in reach considering the world we live in today. But world peace is something we always aim forward to, something we strive for, no matter what. Even though the fight seems hard, world peace is something that we have to hope to achieve someday. Some ways to spark a world with peace include placing better people in power, empowering the younger generation, and sharing power with smaller countries. If we go about these ideas with an open mind and work together while doing them, then world peace isn’t such a far away concept.

I think everyone can agree that not all countries have the right people in power. Some countries have corrupt rulers and others have leaders who won’t do anything. Obviously, not everyone will agree on who the right leader is, but having someone who will benefit the country is an important step that can lead to world peace. The young generation is a proud and strong one and they will stand up for what’s right. People like Malala or Greta Thunberg have been standing up for what they think is right and inspiring people all over the world. If we empower the young generation and provide them with the supplies and help they need to keep standing for what they think is right, people everywhere will be inspired and empowered. Lastly, we need to share power with smaller or younger countries. These countries, being “unimportant” are often pushed aside and there aren’t many ways that they contribute to the bigger countries’ ideas, other than the UN. These countries could have ideas that could change our world, but we don’t listen to them because they’re smaller. If we listen to these countries more or share some of the bigger countries’ power with them, we could grow new ideas with the help of other strong minds.

Obviously, world peace isn’t something that we will be able to achieve tomorrow, with the Russia and Ukraine situation. But if we all work together across the globe, world peace doesn’t look so far away. It’s not something that will happen quickly, but if we are able to achieve it, it’ll be one of the most memorable achievements and one that’ll go down in history. World peace is a far away concept at this moment, but if we replace the corrupt leaders, empower the younger generation, and share power with the smaller countries, it won’t be as hard. Right now, it’s far away, but that doesn’t mean it always has to be.

My Top Books of February

  1. The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo
    This is a collection of works set in the Grishaverse with different folktales from Kerch, Ravka, Zemeni, and Fjerda. I loved all of the stories and the way that they tied into the actual books themselves. The stories were unique and fun and so were the different characters that we got to experience. Some of my favorite stories were Ayama and the Thorn Wood, The Too-Clever Fox, and The Soldier Prince. Each story was beautifully written and I loved the illustrations too.
  2. The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy by Anne Ursu
    This book was so lively and entertaining. Marya is a young girl who doesn’t feel loved by her parents. Her brother, Luka, gets all the attention because he’s a sorcerer. Or at least, everyone thinks he is. But when Marya ruins her brother’s sorcery test, she’s sent to the Dragomir Academy for Troubled Girls where she finds many secrets and friends. I loved the plot and the way that the story flowed. I really enjoyed the characters and the way that the book progressed.
  3. Ellen Outside the Lines by A.J. Sass
    I loved this book so, so much. Ellen and her best friend Laurel are going to Barcelona for a school field trip. Ellen has a full plan of what to do, but that all dies out when her teacher announces a scavenger hunt. Laurel’s been put on a team with all her friends, except for Ellen. And Ellen is all alone with new teammates. I really enjoyed the way this story evolved and grew. I also really loved the diversity, with nonbinary, gay, and lesbian characters. I love this book so much!
  4. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
    I really loved this murder mystery! Indian Island is the most fashionable place and all that anyone’s talking about. So when 8 people get an invitation to go, they jump at the chance. When they get there though, the owner is missing and then, suddenly their secrets are exposed and they start dropping off, one by one. The story is told well and I definitely got fooled more than once. I really enjoyed the plot and the characters a lot. It was a great read!
  5. Lily and Dunkin by Donna Gephart
    This was a really sweet book about a bipolar boy and a transgender girl. Lily knows that she’s a girl. But that’s hard when you were born a boy. Her mom and sister understand, but it doesn’t seem like her dad gets how she feels. Dunkin has just moved with his mom and he’s torn between Lily or the basketball guys. I really enjoyed this book and all the diversity it had. This is such a great read!

Book Tour- Princess Ever After

I recently got this book to read and review. Princess Ever After is the 5th book in the Rosewood Chronicles series. I enjoyed it a lot!

I really loved this book. All of the characters were so fun and I enjoyed the way that it all played out. Jamie has been reunited with his father, but his feelings are changing and he’s not sure of much anymore, other than the fact that his father has always been the one in the right and that he needs Lottie. Ellie is forced to go to a new, drab school that couldn’t be more different from Rosewood. She’s surrounded by rumors that never seem to go away, even when she tries to do things correctly. Lottie is back at Rosewood for her last year, She’s not looking forward to going back without her friends and she’s not sure how to survive this year. I loved the plot twists and the way that the story unfolded. It’s so diverse and I love every part of it. The representation is amazing and I enjoyed the way that each character had their own unique personalities. I totally recommend this series to you!

What’s your favorite series?

Feelings as Poems

Recently, in my English class, we started our poem unit. We have to pick a general topic and write a few poems under that topic in different styles. My main topic was feelings. I hope you like my first poems!

Joyful- Couplet:

Feel so ecstatic like I’m breaking through
glad, eager, I’ve turned into someone new

Feel so jubilant, powerful, and free
cheerful and playful, I’m free to be me

Feel so confident, I’ve never felt so good
I can’t be dignified, it’s impossible

I’m happy, free, and so, so joyful
Passionate, me, it’s so delightful

Disappointed- Cinquain:

Disappointed
Not enough
Falling down, down
I always feel so
Empty

I hope you enjoyed these poems!

My Outsiders Project

Recently, in my English class, we read the Outsiders by S.E Hinton, then we did a project on it. I chose “Loaded Language,” where I had to choose a major event from the story and write a newspaper about it from a Greaser and Soc point of view. I hope you enjoy!

The Output- A Greaser View

The most important news from the most trusted Greasers in town!

A Killing in the Park
Reported by:

Last week, there was blood in the fountain of the park. There was a switchblade lying next to the body, blood coating its handle. Dried blood pooled on the pavement, leading to a dead body. This body was of Robert Sheldon, a 17 year old Soc. A Soc in a Greaser park is highly unusual as most of the time each group follows their own boundaries. But it isn’t strange that a Soc would be the first one to break the treaty.

Today, Johnny Cade, a 16-year old Greaser, has confessed to killing Robert. As of this time, he is in the hospital and we were not able to get a statement from him. Johnny is a part of Dallas Winston’s gang, though we were unable to get a statement from him either. We did learn that 14-year old Ponyboy Curtis assisted in the crime and he was open to giving a statement for us.
“It was late and Johnny and I were just hanging at the park. Suddenly this car pulls up and out comes 5 of the Socs for just the two of us. One of them was drowning me and I was almost dead when Johnny, well Johnny saved my life. He just pulled out his switchblade and killed their leader. They all ran off after that,”

Self-defense was all it was. When someone you know is getting drowned, what else would you do? Our next story is…

Platinum- A Soc’s Newspaper

We get you your news with the straight facts.

Robert Sheldon, Dead
Reported by:

Most of the Socs were worried when they didn’t see Robert Sheldon on Sunday last week. Then on Monday, when he didn’t come to school, they knew something was wrong. Most of them wondered what could have happened to Bob, a steadfast Soc. Well, wonder no further.

Robert Sheldon, a 17 year old Soc, was killed on Saturday by Johnny Cade, a 16 year old Greaser. Yesterday, Johnny admitted to killing Robert. He is in the hospital now and we were unable to speak to him. We did get a statement from David, a Soc who was there at the time.
“So Randy and Bob came up to me and 2 others. They were drunk and angry and wanted revenge on these Greasers for picking up their girls and I said yes. I was just frightening the other one a bit, nothing much, when the one you called Johnny stabbed Bob. We all ran off after that, because everyone knows never to fight a crazy Greaser,”

So there it is. Johnny Cade killed a Soc with absolutely no reason other than a bit of frightening. On the next story…

My Top Books of January

My first top book post of 2022! Here are my top books of January.

  1. Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo
    This was such a great book! It ended the Grishaverse series and was part of the King of Scars duology. This book told the story of Nikolai, Zoya, and Nina. Nikolai, the king of Ravka, has to figure out how to defeat the Fjerdans with little to no weapons or money. He also has to figure out his feelings for Zoya when he should be marrying a princess. Zoya, Nikolai’s general, is trying to adjust to her new life with a dragon inside of her. She keeps forcing herself to forget her feelings for Nikolai, even when he admits he reciprocates them. Nina, Nikolai’s spy, realizes that the best thing for Hanne is to win a man but she won’t accept it. I love their journey and the twists and turns that you’ll never forget. I totally recommend this series to you.
  2. The School for Whatnots by Margaret Peterson Haddix
    This book was so interesting! I loved the characters and the plot. Max’s life changed when his best friend, Josie, leaves him a note, telling him that “No matter what anyone says, I’m real,” Soon after, Max learns what whatnots are. They’re robots, built to look and act like humans to surround the rich kids and make them feel protected. Max refuses to believe this and starts searching for Josie. There are so many twists which I never saw coming and I loved the narration style. This is such a great book!
  3. Premeditated Myrtle by Elizabeth C. Bunce
    I really enjoyed this book and the mysteriousness of it all. Myrtle is such a lively character and I enjoyed the way she went about solving the murder. It was written in such a way that you could figure out the mystery with Myrtle and it all made sense in the end. This is such a great book and I loved it a lot. I totally recommend it to you.
  4. Operation Do-Over by Gordon Korman
    This book was so good! I loved Mason and the way we got to see his character in two different times. Mason and Tyrus were the best of friends until Ava. Now, they never talk. One day, Mason wakes up as his old self and he knows it’s a chance to have a do-over. I loved this book and the plot. The ups and downs were perfect and the whole thing was spectacular. This is such a great book!
  5. When Did You See Her Last? by Lemony Snicket
    This is part of the All the Wrong Questions series. I really liked the book and the mysteries that came along with it. Lemony Snicket is an apprentice to S. Theodora Markson. They’re investigating the disappearance of Cleo Knight, though all the adults seem to give up too early, not seeing the missing pieces. Lemony and his friends, Ellington and Moxie, try to solve the mystery. I really enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.

I hope you enjoyed my top reads!

Butter Chicken: A Recipe

I love butter chicken. It’s a comfort food and I always feel at home when eating it. Whenever I go out to Indian restaurants, I always order butter chicken (or paneer) and naan (though I do try new things). Butter chicken is something I’ll always come back to and I love it a lot.

Ingredients:

  • 2 lb of boneless skinless chicken tenders, cut into big cubes
  • 2 tbsp yogurt
  • 1/2 tbsp oil
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • around 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 2 small cloves of mashed garlic
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 3 large cloves of mashed garlic
  • 1 inch mashed ginger
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 8 oz. canned tomato sauce
  • 2 tomatoes, pureed
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • dried fenugreek (kasturi meethi)

Directions:

  1. To marinate the chicken, add the yogurt, oil, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp garam masala, and the small cloves of garlic. Mix well, then add the chicken and coat it with the marinade. Cover and let marinate for 30 minutes.
  2. Set Foodi to the Saute mode on hot. Add the butter and once it starts melting, add the onions. Saute until the onions start browning.
  3. Add the large cloves of garlic (mashed) and the ginger (mashed). Also add 1/2 tsp of garam masala and the sugar. Cook for around a minute, stirring often.
  4. Add the marinated chicken, paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp cayenne. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring often.
  5. Add the tomato sauce and the pureed tomatoes and mix well. Put the pressure cooker lid on the Foodi and pressure cook on high for 4 minutes. Make sure it’s set on seal.
  6. Release the pressure, then add the heavy cream and the fenugreek.
  7. Enjoy!

Chennai

Days lazing at home
AC on, and so is the TV
Cuddled up close with my family
I’m finally in Chennai

Eating home-made food
Reading my old comfort books
Peaceful as can be
I’m back in Chennai

Family all around
Reconnecting face-to-face
No need for tiny screens
I’m in love with Chennai

Can’t wait to see the sights
Back after two years
Old and new combined
I’m marveling at Chennai

Packing up slowly
Never wanting to leave
But school starts again soon
I have to leave Chennai

Flying away through blue skies
Knowing I’ll be back soon
To this wonderful, wonderful place
I’ll always come back to Chennai

22 Things I Look Forward to in 2022

Here are 22 things I’m looking forward to in this new year!

  1. The School For Good and Evil movie
    This is a movie that is going to be coming to Netflix based on the popular School for Good and Evil book series. I’m really excited to watch it!
  2. Traveling more
  3. Trying a new theme on my Instagram
  4. Performing more Bharatanatyam
  5. Learning more Mohiniattam items
  6. Attending more book events
  7. Improving my writing skills
  8. Attending my school’s dance event
  9. Expanding my Ninja Foodi cooking skills
  10. Discovering new authors
  11. (Hopefully) being a leader in 8th grade
    In our school, leaders lead lessons in homeroom 2 times a week. I’ve heard that leadership class and leadership camp (which you take to become a leader) is really fun.
  12. Creating a project in my MUN class with my friends
  13. Discovering more mythological tales
  14. Visiting the library more frequently
  15. Solve a New York Times crossword by myself
  16. Spending more time with family (fingers crossed)
  17. Trying more crafts
  18. Fun projects in my Texas History class
  19. Playing around with online designing
  20. Start biking more
  21. Trying new cuisines
  22. Discover/Play new board games