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Saturday, May 21, 2016

My Safe Haven by Chandu Singathi

My Safe Haven

by Chandu Singathi

As my warm skin comes in contact with the rough wooden bench and my skinny fingers

feel the bumps in the old tan-colored paint, feelings of familiarity and freedom stir inside me.

After what feels like an endless week of hard work, experiencing the closeness of the nature

surrounding me brings back my sense of comfort and belonging and makes me feel at home. The

subtle winds bring chills up my spine and shift the position of my hair, tickling my bare neck

ever so slightly. As I observe the departure of the sun for the day, the sky slowly breaks out into

hundreds of shades of red. Peering between the cracks of the tall oak tree’s array of leaves, I

catch glimpses of the giant descending ball of fire as it goes on its daily retreat. Stunned, I shift

my gaze from the sky to the variety of multicolored leaves slowly dying on the oak tree, and I lay

my eyes on exuberant reds, oranges, and yellows becoming illuminated under the setting sun’s

rays. Whenever feelings of stress take over my mind, I retreat to my deck, taking in the

peacefulness of the atmosphere and temporarily freeing myself from worries and problems.

While I bathe in the beauty of the nature in my backyard, my thoughts begin to flow more freely

and I speculate on various issues, or I sit with a still mind and simply observe the slightly

overgrown grass covered in fallen leaves as well as the aged oak trees scattered around the area.

During most Friday evenings, the addicting aroma of my mother’s famous chicken rice makes its

way to my position on the largest deck in the community, and I remember the familiarity of

eating that same dish almost every Friday for the past ten years. The burning sensation of the

onions’ scent mixed in with the fresh smell of coriander stimulates my thoughts and memories,

but I do not become shaken by these feelings. Instead, I remain on the wooden bench and peek at

the back doors and windows of my neighbors’ houses, suddenly obtaining the sensation of being

watched. Seeing no one and feeling completely separated from the world, I take a few deep

breaths and inhale the fresh scent of the marigold flowers sprouting in the garden a few feet

away from the deck, and I almost taste the revitalizing flavor of the mint leaves growing beside

them. The natural green pigment of the mint leaves brings me to my senses, invigorating me

from within and releasing any last knots of tension inside me. Before I know it, the crickets’

consistent chirps and the fireflies’ sudden bursts of light signal the coming of night, and I realize

that dinnertime arrives. While I make myself taller and approach the back door, I hear the

hooting of an owl from a distance, and my attempts to glimpse the owls results in my sight of

nothing but tall, dark oaks with a few crumpled leaves remaining on them. As I make my way

back inside my house, the cold wood under my bare feet sends chills up my legs, pushing me to

increase my speed. While my nearly-frozen fingers embrace the door handle, I hear the familiar

voices of my favorite Indian television actors and actresses along with the noise of my family


members in the kitchen, and I scurry into my house before all the food is gone.

Review of 10 Cloverfield Lane Tanay Somisetty

Review of 10 Cloverfield Lane
Tanay Somisetty

            10 Cloverfield lane is a remarkably brilliant movie that I feel has gone too unnoticed. The movie was produced by J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk (who both also worked on Star Wars: The Force Awakens) and directed by Dan Trachtenberg who is new on the scene. Although this movie, hit theaters on March 11, 2016, I am reviewing this movie now because I believe it deserves much more recognition than it has received. 10 Cloverfield Lane stars the beautiful Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Michelle. After leaving her boyfriend's house she finds herself in a car crash and then wakes up in an underground bunker. How did she get there? Who brought her there? She meets two other men in this bunker, one of whom; Howard (John Goodman) tells her something bad, possibly a chemical explosion, happened on the surface so it is now uninhabitable. He tells Michelle that he brought her into the bunker to save her life but she keeps her doubts. As time goes on her suspicious grows as to whether Howard is telling the truth or keeping her there as a prisoner. She must leave the bunker at any cost against Howard's will to find the truth and to see her family again. This incredible movie couples suspense and fear (and even a little action) using many twists and turns to make a great film to watch with others. It’ll keep you guessing as to what is really happening on the surface and I expect you will be surprised with the climatic ending, just as I did. One thing I should mention is that when this movie was first announced, many people thought that this movie was a sequel to another movie made by the same producers- Cloverfield. They both have the word Cloverfield in the their titles, so could this be the long awaited sequel? It very well may be but all that matters is that to watch 10 Cloverfield Lane, it is not necessary to watch Cloverfield. PG-13 1h 46m. Rating: 9/10


Saturday, May 14, 2016

Review of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy By: Douglas Adams Tanay Somisetty

Review of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy By: Douglas Adams
Tanay Somisetty


            The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams is book you will not regret reading. This classic masterpiece will take you on an adventure you will always remember. Not only is this book extremely funny but it is filled excitement that’ll keep you glued to this book, because that’s exactly what happened to me! The story follows Arthur Dent, a fellow Earthman, who is whisked away on an adventure by Ford Prefect, Arthur’s friend, seconds before the Earth is destroyed to make way for a galactic freeway. The duo travel through space along with fellow Hitchhikers they meet along the way, in search of a myth millions of years old. The witty humor combined with intense mystery and thrill make for a unique reading experience that will leave you satisfied but wanting more. Luckily, if you enjoyed this book there are 5 sequels waiting for you. If you loved other work of arts like the Harry Potter series and the Percy Jackson series then this is the book for you. This novel was intended for everyone of all shapes and sizes but I’ve noticed that teenagers and young adults especially enjoyed this book. Hopefully you’ll have the time of your life reading this, just like I did. 10/10