STOLEN - Lucy Christopher

I recommend this lovely book written by Lucy Christopher, to all those readers who'd enjoy a well-written, forbidden and beautifully tragic love story. It speaks of the kind of love that's socially unacceptable; yet it doesn't fail to blossom between two individuals amidst the red sand dunes, scrubby terrain and scorching heat of the Australian outback. Tall, blonde and blue eyed Ty McFarlane kidnaps sixteen year old british Gemma Toombs at Bangkok Airport and takes her all the way to his homeland (Australia). She wakes up in a house located in the middle of nowhere with only the most basic facilities. She attempts to escape from him a couple of times and even tries to commit suicide once, only to be stopped forcefully...but continues to have hope that she'll one day be rescued. She learns to cope with the unbearable heat of the desert, all the while keeping a distance from her seemingly 'evil' abductor whom she once found so attractive. He refuses to believe that he did the wrong thing bringing her there, saying that he'd only just saved her from the empty, purposeless life of the city and brought her to a place full of spirit and meaning, where the stars at night show you the way and the entire place sings out secrets of the Universe. As time passes, she gradually begins to see him in a different and more positive light. His creative style of artistic expression by painting himself with colours from his natural surroundings, the tearful moaning in his sleep that seemed to come from deep within his soul, the hurt visibly etched in his features whenever he speaks of his neglected childhood and of parents who never cared...touches her deeply. She opens herself up to his magical world where there aren't any unnecessary restrictions and where each and every thing around them has its own importance, living or not. Before she can return his love, she gets bitten by a Death Adder, forcing him to make the difficult decision of returning her to the city to receive urgent medical attention. Meanwhile, he turns himself in.

Back in the city, she writes Ty a letter (the entire book) as a means of controlling the overwhelming emotion she feels for him; this being a suggestion from her psychiatrist who accuses Gemma of suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. She cries as she types, asking him to forgive her for accusing him as being guilty during the courtroom trial and for being responsible as to having him sentenced to several years in prison. She hopes that he'll go back to the outback after being released and grow properly into the light this time, never having to go to such dangerous extremes to find the love he has always desired.

Valentine's Day (Venus square Pluto Transit)

I have to say, this isn't an aspect you'd want in your natal chart. People with this as a natal aspect almost always suffer from want of true love and an extreme lack of it. At some point in their lives, they come across their perfect lover only to discover that he/she is already emotionally attached to someone else. This pain keeps repeating itself in every relationship thereafter, in a vicious cycle, making it near impossible for the native to let go and come to terms with the immense disappointment. These relationships are ill-fated with jealousy, suicidal depression and heartbreak waiting right round the corner.

With sweet and cuddly Venus having squared Intensely passionate Pluto on the 14th of Feb, it's not surprising to note alot more broken hearts, in comparison to, loving embraces and candlelit dinners. A guy I wouldn't normally look at twice, demanded centre stage in my love life. It was an emotionally draining Hell, with him showering me with love one minute and threatening to break up our potential romance, the next. How could I have developed such strong feelings for some stranger who I'd gotten to know in just two days? How could this man with is broken english and sub-par grammar have created such havoc in the life of someone who detests anything less than perfect communication? Well I blame it all on this planetary transit which made this year's V-day the worst by far.

Watch this Video to understand more about the Venus square Pluto aspect and the suffocating emotions which accompany it.

                                                           

                                                    

                                                     

Xavier

I'm not much of a party animal, yet, something last night made me alot more sporting than I usually am. Waiting anxiously for the party to commence, I scanned everyone who walked through the front door. Half an hour passed by and the room filled up with strangers who'd come just for free drinks and small talk. I went out onto the verandah and gazed up at the stars, sighing for no apparent reason and feeling disappointed about something I couldn't understand. Forcing myself back to reality from daydreams that get me nowhere, I sat down to read my horoscope and make sense of the commotion in my mind. Then He arrived. Seeing him enter, an involuntary smile lit my entire face the way it does when I encounter someone special and I dropped everything in my grasp. He sees pleasure written in my features and teases me a little, hoping to provoke an explanation for that unexpected response. At that instant, my mind travels back a few weeks in time as I see him recreate magic on a stage to elicit louder applause from a satisfied audience. Time, being like a huge void which sucks out everything in existence, save for for the two of us facing each other...him on the grand podium enacting the role of someone so unlike himself... and me utterly enchanted by his every theatrical movement. I could recall how that handshake had felt during our brief introduction...how our fingers had made contact like pebbles rubbing together to create a friction that could light up the whole sky, in flames which could never be extinguished. He may just be another stranger...or more?

Unrequited Love

I sit basking in the warmth of day

When I accidentally look your way.

Then I see your face turn crimson red,

And I can rightly discern from the look

What could have stimulated such a response.

But I shall never reciprocate that emotion

Atleast not where you’re concerned.

You make such a show in class

About your talent and your unique style.

But let me tell you something,

You’re as special as that pebble on the street

That gets stepped on by ever pedestrian

Who happens to pass by.

Female attention is a great way

To pamper an ego which need none.

But you keep the flattery going

Thinking you’re the man they’ll remember

Next morning

Little do you know that they’ve

Forgotten you even exited

Before they retire to bed at night.

It’s pitiful seeing you preen

And clear your throat to say something

You’re sure will make my head spin

And cause a commotion of butterflies

In my stomach.

But my heart beats only from Him.

Sadly, ‘Him’ isn’t you.

Is Paul McCartney Really Dead?

Paul McCartney never wrote "Maybe I'm Amazed." He never formed the band Wings. He never clashed with Yoko, became a vegetarian, or fathered any of his children. When Queen Elizabeth knighted him in 1997, she was actually knighting someone else. This is because, conspiracy-minded Beatlemaniacs say, Paul McCartney secretly died in 1966. Theorists claim the other Beatles covered up his death — hiring someone who looked like him, sang like him, and had the same jovial personality. But the guilt eventually got to them and they began hiding clues in their music. In the song "Taxman," George Harrison gave his "advice for those who die," meaning Paul. The entire Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album was awash with Paul-is-dead clues: the Beatles had formed a "new" band featuring a fictional member named Billy Shears — supposedly the name of Paul's replacement. The album contained John Lennon's "A Day in the Life," which had the lyrics "He blew his mind out in a car" and the recorded phrase "Paul is dead, miss him, miss him," which becomes evident only when the song is played backward. Lennon also mumbled, "I buried Paul" at the end of "Strawberry Fields Forever" (in interviews, Lennon said the phrase was actually "cranberry sauce" and denied the existence of any backward messages).

Paul-is-dead believers think the Beatles accompanied these backward tape loops and veiled references to death with album covers that illustrated the loss of their friend. The original cover of 1966's Yesterday and Today album featured the Beatles posed amid raw meat and dismembered doll parts — symbolizing McCartney's gruesome accident. If fans placed a mirror in front of the Sgt. Pepper album cover, the words Lonely Hearts on the drum logo could be read as "1 ONE 1 X HE DIE 1 ONE 1." And of course, there's the Abbey Road cover, on which John, George and Ringo forwent all pretense and pretended to cross the street as a funeral procession. John wore all white, like a clergyman. Ringo, the mourner, dressed in black. George donned jeans, like a gravedigger. Paul wore no shoes (he didn't need them, because he was dead) and walked out of step with the others.

If Paul is dead, then his imposter is still at large. He met and married Linda Eastman, with whom he had four children before losing her to breast cancer in 1998. He released a live album in 1993 called Paul Is Live (likely story), and produced more than 20 solo albums — and that's not even counting the ones released by Wings. Then he endured a horrible divorce from Heather Mills, which may have made him wish he were dead — or, at least, were still Billy Shears. So who is the real McCartney? The world may never know.

-Time Magazine

Clues From Lyrics

The story was largely pieced together by fans from the lyrics of several songs. The most common narrative includes the following pieces of evidence: "He didn't notice that the lights had changed" ("A Day in the Life") because he was busy watching the pretty girl on the pavement (the eponymous meter maid of "Lovely Rita") after narrowly missing her dressed in blue (she's said to be the blur on the back of Abbey Road) jaywalking ("Blue Jay Way"). He then crashed into 
a lamp-post (a car crash sound is heard in "Revolution 9" and "A Day in the Life"). He was pronounced dead on a "Wednesday morning at 5 o'clock as the day begins" ("She's Leaving Home"), and nobody found out this because the news was withheld: "Wednesday morning papers didn't come" ("Lady Madonna"). A funeral procession was held days later (as supposedly implied in the Abbey Road album cover).

King of Wands

God only knows how he's lodged such powerful emotion within my heart but, reminiscing about the old times, I couldn't help comparing  this extraordinary young man to the men who'd previously swept their way in into my life and caused nothing but anger and frustration. 'Is he any different?' I couldn't help myself wondering. Is this just the Universe teaching us vital lessons about Life? Or is it written in each one of our destinies, to undergo pain and rejection, before obtaining our ultimate goal? Each time I've come across the one thing I most wanted, only to have it grabbed away from my reach. Is he any better than the first lesson, who'd tried to control his emotions by keeping them sealed away in a dark rotting chamber known as his 'heart'? Is he any different from the second who forced himself into my life only to retrace his steps like the maniac that he was? Could he be any different from the third who was just a player and nothing more? Does the game stop here or is the Knight of Wands just another pawn provided, to have me run around in never-ending circles? I dearly hope not since these challenges just weaken my resolve with every passing day.
He was the last one I noticed, amidst all the confusion of getting settled in Hell's Oven and making sense of the chaos created by the devil's helpers. I didn't notice him sitting there at the end, radiating a powerful aura of personal contentment and self-confidence. But when I finally did, nothing and no one around him shone as brightly and all I could do was stare and marvel at how splendid a creation he was. If only he'd know how hard I've tried to overcome the urge to reach out a hand and ruffle that magnificent mane of hair of his which so closely resembles a lion's. Many a time I've had to swallow a giggle at the way he attempts covering up silly errors with an exaggerated sense of masculinity. Please don't be just another one of the Universe's many lessons, beg my mind and heart in unison. He doesn't create a magnetic forcefield around him in my presence, like the fourth lesson. But he doesn't feign indifference which hurts just as much as rejection does. He's perfect just the way he is and I pray that this pure emotion we share doesnt just wilt away like leaves during fall, but fluorishes into a treasure worth cherishing for eons to come.

Top 5 Hottest Teen Stars Who's Lives Ended Tragically

1.River Phoenix

A dedicated animal-rights activist and environmentalist, River was a strict vegetarian and a member of PeTA. River was a talented musician as well as an actor, and he played guitar, sang, and wrote songs for his band, Aleka's Attic, which also included his sister Rain Phoenix, while living in Gainsville, Florida. Although the band never released its own album, their song "Across the Way" can be found on PeTA's "Tame Yourself" album, used to fight animal abuse. River was in the middle of filming Dark Blood, playing the character Boy when he died.

Cause of Death: Drug Overdose

2. Corey Haim

Canadian-born Haim broke into the Film industry in 1984 as a young child caught up in a family war in the hit movie Firstborn. The following year he starred in the TV movie A Time to Live, for which he received an award, and Silver Bullet. Lucas, in which he starred alongside Charlie Sheen showed his ability, but was not a big hit. In 1987 he had a breakthrough when he played one of the major roles in Joel Schumacher's The Lost Boys (1987), but his output during the nineties onwards was disappointing.

Cause of Death: Drug Overdose

3. Kurt Cobain

Kurt Cobain was born on February 20 1967, in Aberdeen, Washington. Kurt and his family lived in Hoquiam for the first few months of his life then later moved back to Aberdeen, where he had a happy childhood until his parents divorced. The divorce left Kurt's outlook on the world forever scarred. He became withdrawn and anti-social. He was constantly placed with one relative to the next, living with friends, and at times even homeless. Kurt was not the most popular person in high school as he was in public school, getting picked on by "jocks" and being labeled as "queer". In 1985 Kurt left Aberdeen for Olympia where he formed the band Nirvana in 1986. In 1989 Nirvana recorded their debut album Bleach under the independent label Sub-Pop records. Nirvana became very popular in Britain and by 1991 they signed a contract with Geffen.

Cause of Death: Suicide

4. Brad Renfro

Born in Knoxville, Tennessee on July 25, 1982, he was discovered at age 10 by director Joel Schumacher and was cast in the motion picture, The Client (1994) which starred Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones. Although this would be his zenith, he went on to appear in other films such as The Cure, Tom and Huck, Sleepers, and _Apt Pupil_ (1998). Renfro won "The Hollywood Reporter's Young Star Award" in 1995 and was nominated as one of People Magazine's "Top 30 Under 30", though addiction problems in his teens and early twenties led to several police arrests and hampered his career.

Cause of Death: Drug Overdose

5. Jonathan Brandis

Born in Danbury, Connecticut, USA, to Greg and Mary, Jonathan Brandis began his career at age 5, acting in television commercials. He appeared in small parts in several films and TV shows before his first starring role in the 1990 film The Neverending Story II: The Next Chapter (1990). He starred in popular films such as Ladybugs (1992) and starred as Lucas Wolenczak in Steven Spielberg's television series "SeaQuest 2032" (1993). He doubled up his high school courses so he could finish a year early to his role on SeaQuest. He died  in November 2003.

Cause of Death: Hanging

St. Augustine Church Ruins

The ruins of St. Augustine church is a very popular tourist attraction and one of the most spectacular monuments in Goa. The church was built in 1602 with the combined efforts of 12 Augustinians. They also built a convent besides the church. However, the Portuguese government in India put a ban on them and they abandoned the church and the convent. The Saint Augustine church was considered to be one of the greatest of three Augustinian churches. Now, only the ruins of the front portion of the church and magnificent tower remain.

The tower in the ruins of St. Augustine church is the main attraction. This huge tower reaches upto a staggering height of around 46 meters. It had four stories and was originally meant to be a belfry. The church had a giant bell that was removed and is now at the Church of our Lady of the Immaculate Conception located in Panaji. The church had eight beautifully adorned chapels and four decorated altars. There was also a convent attached to the church.

Around the year 1931, the church began to fall apart and the façade and half of the tower were lost. Thereafter, the church began to deteriorate rapidly and many parts fell off. The whole body of the church finally gave way due to neglect and natural forces. The portico and the tower are still present and look absolutely splendid despite being in ruins. The ruins of St. Augustine are visited by many tourists from all over the world, which was once the largest church in Goa.

Hell's Oven: The Devil's Helpers

They pray to the Almighty,
to keep them away from all Evil.
Yet I can't understand why,
money seems to be the only thing on their minds.

They pray for Love,
the pure platonic kind.
Yet  I can't understand why,
Hatred seems to be the only thing they harbour in their hearts.

They  pray for good Health,
and fewer visits to the Healer.
 Yet I can't understand why,
Pain seems to be the only thing their hands can inflict.

They pray for society to accept them as they are,
without any prejudice.
Yet I can't understand why,
they condemn people of race, religion and culture different from their own.

But what I do know for sure,
apart from these contradictions,
is that the God they pray to,
isn't who they would like us to believe.

Hell's Oven: My Very Own McDreamy

All this while I'd been busy getting used to life in Hell's Oven and getting dragged from one stinking lane choked with garbage to the other, when I was all of a sudden, confronted with the most valuable gem the Universe has to offer.

Love. I hadn't the first idea of how to approach this seemingly arrogant, brutally forthright and handsome man but I couldn't help dreaming about him day and night. His memory descends upon me in nightly dreams and our spiritual selves unite to consumate a sacred reunion. Or maybe that's just what it feels like. Have I found my soulmate? My twin flame? The one older to me? With him I no longer have a care in the world for the Devil and his hideous apprentices. His lower lip juts out in a way it makes him seem unyielding...even if only to protect what means the world to him. His eyes twinkle with mischief at having been able to pierce my heart repeatedly with his unforgiving sarcasm and his brilliant smile goes on for a mile, never really ending. He moves steadily but quickens his pace when needed. His hands are gentle and seemingly nurturing in their own masculine way. He doesn't try to show off on a bike or laugh boisterously on his cell phone to impress a pretty girl who passes by. He needs only to delve deep into his subject and talk passionately of its beauty to us...the ignoramus's of a deteriorating world. His soothing voice flows into my ear like a sweet melody created by the monsoonal rains, making me forget where I am... if only for a minute.

Will this love last until the end of time or just end prematurely like the others, with bitterness and grief remaining as its only souvenirs?

Only time will tell.