spaceshort stories, current affairs, inspirational speeches, unknown people and hidden quirky...

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spacenewslet t er01@gm ail.comIssue 01

SPA CEYour space WHY SPACE ?

As a person, I am still discovering myself and my interests. One day I am into painting, while on others I am trying my hand at baking. With the fluctuation in interests I have over summer, one thing that fails to change is my passion for collecting information. My sources are varied, but definitely, do not include long factual reports. I do not mean that facts aren?t important or necessary, but just too boring to remember (until they are simply written and are exceptionally jaw-dropping figures). I am always in search of fascinating facts, short stories, current affairs, inspirational speeches, unknown people and hidden quirky villages. After a number of years, many late nights and a lot of curiosity, I feel I have a considerable stock of knowledge which I wish to share with the world. This isn?t a compilation of long boring articles (which neither of us really understand), but a newsletter full of pieces which I love and I know you would too. Along with this, I also fail to find a source which has interesting content for teenagers. I don?t aim at making a newspaper, but more like a ?space?, for teenagers to read, learn and express. A lot of us might not be writers, but sometime or the other we manage to scribble down a few lines which go unnoticed at the back of our notebooks. Don?t do that to your work! Please forward your pieces for publishing and if desired, anonymity will be maintained. This isn?t only my space, but our space.

On that note, I would like to inform you that my identity shall remain anonymous. I do not wish to disclose my name, as then it tends to become ?my newsletter?, and I want it to be our newsletter. Our newsletter, which has the content we love and emotions we feel. Please feel free to email me any creative, informative, inspirational content.

Since you are reading this newsletter, you are now a member of the ?space? family. Welcome! You have arrived at a space which is now yours. This won?t be a very long newsletter (at least initially), so flip through the pages and get an idea of what kind of content we publish. This is your daily dose of information and inspiration. It is now your responsibility to help the space family grow. Once you read the newsletter, share the link and nominate at least 3 friends to read it and trend #spaced. This is our space, teenage space. Make ?space? for other people too! Please share on social media and spread the space.

With Love,

Edi tor-in-Chief

Sp ace

Issue 01

30th May 2018

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Not So Famous Ri Sol Ju

Ri Sol Ju, has always been kept under the covers by the government, so much so that her marriage to the dictator hadn?t officially been announced till July 2012. She is believed to be in her late 20s or early 30s, but nothing is confirmed. Her background also remains of great ambiguity, but some people believe she did her schooling from North Korea and then went on to learn ?singing? in China. Most of the information which the international press has on the first lady, is from the South Korean intelligence (NIS). It is believed that the couple have three children together, who are also very shadowed and protected, like the first lady herself. She has been reported missing for long stretches of time, and assumed to have met with an unfortunate end, however further news confirms she isn?t allowed to be seen in public while she is expecting. The most shocking piece of news is that it is only recently that her title has been elevated to ?The Respected First Lady?, from the previous reference of ?comrade?.

It is no surprise she remains as much of a mystery as the mindset of her husband, and the rest of North Korea.

Iconic haircut and missiles, rings a bell? Yes, its ?the dictator? (even though its 2018, but maybe in North Korea they follow a different calendar), Kim Jon Un. From his obsession with French cheese to the missiles he shoots like Nerf, more or less, much is known about the North Korean Leader. However, there is very little information available on his wife, the North Korean First Lady, Ri Sol Ju.

Tr evor EngelsonWith the royal buzz in the market, everyone is smitten by the royal couple, but I wouldn?t be surprised if Trevor Engelson is not. This is the first marriage of Prince Harry, but not that of his American actress wife, Meghan Markle. Markle had been married to film producer and talent manager, Trevor Engelson for two years before they split. So, while everyone is obsessing over Meghan, let us focus on her ex-husband, Trevor Engelson.

Firstly, lets focus on some of his work: Remember Me, License to Wed and All about Steve, have all been produced him. Currently, he is working on a project where an American mother moves to London, to marry a British Royal (sounds familiar to me!). He had dated Markle for over seven years, before they finally got married in Jamaica. It is reported that their marriage wore out once Markle landed her role in Suits and the couple had to do a long distance relationship.

Not-so-famous Engelson, seems to have received his share of publicity, from enthusiastic journalists who haven?t left any aspect of the royal wedding.

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Buis Whizz of the WEEKColonel Sanders

Take it from him-Don?t Give Up We often read and hear people stating, ?don?t give up!?. While it takes some air in the mouth to sat that, and some muscle in the hands to write that, it takes real patience and dedication to prove that, and no man proved it better than this one!

At the age of 65, Colonel Sanders received his first social security cheque of 99 dollars. He owned a small house, a run-down car and was completely broke. With nothing in his pocket, he decided to use the very last thing he had to earn money- his chicken recipe (which was greatly popular with his friends). He left his hometown, Kentucky, and traveled to different American states to sell his idea. His deal was to offer the recipe to restaurants for free, but ask for a small percentage on the items they sold. Diner after diner, he only received slammed doors. His rejections reached 1009, before someone finally said a yes! With that one three letter word, Colonel Hartland Sanders created the legendary Kentucky Fried Chicken, or KFC (available at your nearest market!)

The man who started at 65, faced 1009 rejections and then created one of the biggest global food chains, has only one piece of advice for you: Do not give up!

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Pack your BAGS Places which make your money worth it

Manar olaManarola is little town tucked away in the Ligurian Coast of Italy. It is renowned for a tumble of brightly colored houses, with boats pulled up in the main street and a warren of little alleys climbing to medieval watchtower and geranium-hung balconies. The famous historic monument of importance in the city is the 14th century Church of Saint Lorenzo, with an ancient watchtower and Oratorio dei Disciplinati close by. The hilly village leads down to a harbor and piazza below. The city once had a castle, which was built to defend this coastal town from pirates, and still remains but most of it has been converted into accommodation for the locals. Listed as one of the most beautiful villages in the world, Manarola is a must visit before you die.

Mawlynnong Also known as God's own village, Mawlynnong is the place for you if you are a little tight on budget for an international holiday. In 2013, this tiny heaven was also declared as the cleanest village in Asia. Apart from its scenic views, it is also a 100 percent literate village ,setting an example of women empowerment which the rest of the world should follow. It is inhabited by the 'Khasi tribe', which passes down the mother's surname to the children, and the family wealth is passed onto the youngest daughter. Hard to believe its India right?

It is also home to a UNESCO world heritage site: the Living root bridges. Hanging on a river, the bridges are made by connecting the aerial roots of one massive rubber tree with another. The cherry on the top is the waterfall in the middle of a forest, which is a perfect spot for a Sunday picnic! Well, who said you need money to holiday, all you need is a travel newsletter!

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In October 2016, Snap announced a pair of connected sunglasses called Snap Spectacles. They can record video snippets that automatically save to your Snapchat Memories, a feature in Snapchat that stores all your saved snaps, stories and locked content. The sunglasses feature a camera with a 115-degree lens, which is designed to mimic how humans actually see.To record a snap (picture or video), only a tap on the button on the top left hand corner is required. The battery of the product would last about a day, and the outward-facing light on the sunglasses serves as a battery indicator. The glasses cost $129.99 i.e Rs. 8,818.33 .They come in one size and are available in three colours: black, teal (red) and coral (blue).

Teenage Hal l of Fame

Ever head of ?Super Jam?? A young Scottish boy was taught how to make jam by his grandmother when he was 14, not exactly a miracle, but what followed made history. Fraser Doherty started producing and selling jam in his neighborhood and later at 16, left school to fully concentrate on his jam business. In 2007, he struck a deal and started selling jam to 184 Waitrose stores. Today he supplies to all major UK stores and has had a sale of over 1.2 million dollars. His worth stands at 2 million dollars.

Fr aser D oh er ty

NEW TECH in TOWNSNAPCHAT SPECTACLES

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YOUR SPACEExpress

I Thought She Was One of ThemPr isha Tiwar i

I thought she was one of them.

The animated smiles and the enchanting talks,

The Instagram posts and the multitude of likes.

One of the straight ?A? students, at ease and beloved.

Oozing with talent, leaving behind her a fresh essence of ambition.


A part of the inner circle, of every circle.

You could envy her silhouette.


But why would she cry in a school washroom?

Alone. Vulnerable.

Seeing me see her, she withdrew her tears and pushed past me.

Running away, suppressing all those emotions bubbling in her, into some deep chasm of her mind.

?You dropped something?, I said. But she was too consumed by the sounds in her head.

It was a souvenir from London, a neat little pocket diary.

Curiosity overcame my righteous self and I flipped open the first page.

Written in meticulous curves and the simplest of words was her journal.

I locked myself in one of the washrooms and read incredulously.

Page by page, as my fingertips glided over the words written in black ink,

I saw her in different colors.

The words reflected sadness. Long, overlooked sadness.

The black ink showed a glimpse of her room.

A dark room, a small night lamp and her. Scribbling away in her diary, her wooden desk resonating the sound of her melancholy with each stroke of the pen.

A lone tear rolled down her cheek, landing on this piece of paper. She wished her trepidations could be absorbed this easily.

A glass shattered downstairs. It was 11 pm. He was back, befuddled from all those drinks. She could picture her mother, helpless. It was happening again. She wished she could drown those noises, the ones downstairs and the ones in her head.

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She wrote about how she was alone.

How she was insecure.

How she was powerless.

How no one ever seemed to understand her.

How she wanted to abandon everything and run away.

Ticking under the pressure of her A?s, the expectations and the disappointment.

No one gave her the love she deserved. The virtual hearts on Instagram were all a farce.

She wanted requital; for her love, her emotions, her effort.

But who knew?

Everyone thought she was one of them.

You know when you?re on ground and you see an airplane cross the sky and you can?t hear the noise it?s making? That?s when you realize that you need to be close to it to hear the real noise?

She was that noise.

You couldn?t sense anything from a distance, but get a little closer and you could hear her whisper verses, you wish you would have heard before.

I closed the diary. Walked out and went to her classroom.

She sat there, just like always, smiling and prattling.

I tapped her shoulder and handed her the diary.

She looked up and I saw her features change, giving me a puzzled look.

I smiled a slight smile.

I knew she wasn?t one of them.

A L et ter To M y BelovedKushagrat a GoelDear beloved,

I still remember the day I got down on one knee and asked you to marry me. I was a simple guy and you were not the type to want extravagance. We just fit and I had wanted to let you know that I did not want there to be any possibility of an end. When I heard you say yes, it filled me with joy. Joy of a kind that I had never experienced before, not even when I was in your company. It was a sudden moment of realization that we would be together, as my old man said when I first asked you on a date, until ?death do us apart?. We were infinite. We felt invincible when we were together. I did not need to be perfect for you to look at me with love. Sometimes, I felt like my flaws were what made you love me even more. It made me human and that was what you saw, my beloved, that was all you wanted to see.

Now, I will confess to you something I never did. When, on the night of our engagement, you had taken me into your arms and whispered words into my ear, I could feel my heart squeeze. I still remember what you said to me, you know. You said, ?I love you, my dear. But if there is ever a day that comes where upon I do not make you happy or content, then please leave me. Leave me even if I am a mess, begging you to stay. You know why, my dear? It is not because I do not want to fight for you. It is simply because I want to remember the best of us, even if we end, because the days where you would do something as small as hold my hand in the park, make me walk on the side away from the road on busy streets or even when you

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remembered my favorite color and my hatred for roses, are what make me smile. And I hope that they always will. Because even if there is no ?us?, there was one at a point of time and I want that to always make me smile, my beloved?.

The moment you said this, I was speechless. Not because I did not know what to say, but because everything I felt was beyond words. YOU made me feel something beyond words. It hurt me to think that you ever imagined me feeling whole without you, but that was numbed because even I would have wanted the same. For you to be with one who makes you happier, even if it is not me. I always want the best for you. And now, as I sit here, all I regret is not saying this, for not saying more. I have always said enough, and you never seemed to mind, but you, my beloved, deserved so much more.

I may have let you weep onto my shirt when your father passed away, even got you a dog for Christmas just so that your smile could light up the room in ways the Christmas lights never could. It may have seemed like I did it for you. You may have felt like I made sacrifices or kept you in mind while making every decision. But I honestly did not. I only kept my selfish desires in mind. I wanted to make you happier because it made me happy. It was never for you, but for me to be the reason that your eyes sparkled in joy. I never wanted sorrow to seep into those orbs that always made me wonder why God would have given you these molten amber beauties for eyes. I always loved them, my beloved, always loved how they captivated me.

You had me trapped, enchanted and waiting on your every wish, hanging off your every word. I was a prey to your humble love. I was a prey that wanted to remain trapped forever. Yet I never felt inferior. I always had a say and you never ruled them out. We weren?t perfect, my beloved, far from it. But we were one another?s happiness. That was what made our heart belong to the other, my beloved, not force or compulsion, but pure will.

As people say, we fit together like a puzzle. We fit perfectly. Yet even in a puzzle, the two pieces are irregular and no two pieces fit the same as another pair. We were, I believe, soul mates. I know I denied it whenever you said it, denied their very existence. But I only did that to see you act all feisty, to see you get all defensive. It made my heart swell to know you had that much faith in us. Believe me, even I did. The sad truth is, that I failed to show it. I always donned a nonchalant persona, always wore a mask of indifference, but you saw past it. Heck, you even tore it off at times. We loved each other just because we did, it was pure and true. And that my beloved, is the rarest gem in the world.

You were my everything, you understood me better than my own family did. You picked me up and dusted me off. You always said I was a good person, but you made me that person. You always said that there were new chances and new beginnings with each sunrise; all the past should be buried with the sun every day. And I would just smile because even if I were to try to be logical, you would have gotten all worked up, and honestly, I liked it when you saw the best in everything. It was only later that I realized that the sun did not bring about my new opportunities, you did, my beloved, only you.

For the first time my sister saw me cry today and she rested her hand on my shoulder and tried to make me feel better. She did not realize that only your smile could do that to me. I was completely yours and you were no longer here. You had gone, not out of choice and not without a warning, but it still hurt. It hurt worse than the time I fell off the tree when we were five while playing hide and seek, but I refused to cry because of my pride. It hurt worse than the day I saw you in pain while giving birth to our first child. It hurt more than the day my father left home and never returned. Nothing could come close to the pain of loosing you my beloved, nothing.

So, as I sit here, in the place of God, angry and upset; maybe lost would be the best term, I write you this letter. I write hoping you have a safe journey. I write hoping you find joy again. I write hoping that losing you was just a horrible nightmare that I do not seem to waking up from. I write hoping that even though I will always love you, this pain in my chest and hollow feeling in my stomach numb soon. I write hoping you make friends with your fellow angels, my beloved, I write hoping you the best.

With every inch of my heart,

Your beloved.

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Just Think About ItEdit or -in-Chief

Today, while scribbling on a piece of paper, a thought came to my mind. All of us our like lines; like curvy, twisty, dark and light lines on an old crumpled paper. Our paths cross, sometimes once, sometimes twice, and sometimes every single day. It?s a big mess, of intersections, diversions, parallels and tangents.

All of us have our own different paths, but we cross our paths with many others every single day. A simple good morning to your driver, or a snide remark to your younger sibling can make a huge impact. You never know how your little action grows and cultivates in the mind of another; it may be buried under numerous other things at the back of the mind, or keep growing like cancer, which secretly poisons the person?s mental peace. A simple gesture, a compliment or a little encouragement can add tons of color to someone?s dull life. A little sentence you say can do wonders for another person?s mental health. On the other hand, a rude gesture, ignorance and a frown can cause piercing pain you will never even know of. So take a minute, and think of all the good things you said or did today, solely for others, and now think of all the unpleasant things you did which could spoil someone else?s day. Surprising ration right?

You might say that these things are very insignificant and people who get affected by them are too delicate. However, how do you know about the full picture in that person?s life. We only see what people show us, the rest is unknown and will remain like that. The girl you call oversensitive might actually be dealing with unthinkable things at home, which you will never know. All of us are like dartboards, some softer than the others, and therefore some darts hit harder than the rest.

Not making this a long lecture, all I want to say is that all of us are leading tough lives. Some show it, while others hide it. If small things you do, can the journey simpler for anyone, go ahead and make an effort to do it. You can?t only add you good points for heaven by doing social service.

Quote for the week Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.Buddha

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CONCLUDING NOTEFirstly, I would like to acknowledge the efforts of Prisha Tiwari and Kushagrata Goel, whose writings have been used without permission in the newsletter. However this is not to offend anyone, but since there is no mean of seeking permission for the first copy of the newsletter, this was the last resort left. Their pieces are original and brilliant in their own capacity, and therefore have been included in the newsletter.

This newsletter is an initiative to create a platform for teenagers to express their emotions, feelings and thoughts. All of us, stuck in an uncertain age, go through various different things in different spheres of our lives. All of us have our own struggles to face, and a companion to vent out to is necessary. However, if you share your stories with other people in your age-group, it can be inspirational and supportive. No body understands us, better than we understand ourself. On that note, I would encourage everybody to express themselves without any constrain and submit their work to [email protected]. This is an initiative for supporting teenagers,budding authors and bloggers, and we sincierely hope that you appreciate it.

Apart from this, the newsletter aims at providing a light informative read for teenage readers. This newsletter can be of use to people who wish to keep up but not read long factual articles. I have tried containing pieces which might be of interest to a larger group of people, and to keep it unique each time, new sections will get added in the further editions. Before anything else, we need readership and you have to help us get that. Please share the link of the newsletter and tag at least 3 friends to nominate them to read it and share ahead. Help carry this initiative forward, and make this platform your new diary.

With Lots of Love and Hope,

YOUR EDITOR IN CHIEF,

SPA CE

spaceshort stories, current affairs, inspirational speeches, unknown people and hidden quirky...

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