Dhaka Tribune | Thursday, January 15, 2015 | Volume 2, Issue 36Dhaka Tribune | Thursday, January 15, 2015 | Volume 2, Issue 36

TMAG Th u rsDAY, JAn uArY 15, 2015

Stuck in a moment and we can’t get out of it.

Cover Syed Zakir Hossain

About the cover

A weekly production ofDhakaTribune

EditorZafar Sobhan

Executive EditorShahriar Karim

Managing EditorJahangir Hyder

Magazine EditorSabrina Fatma Ahmad

Asst Magazine EditorNatasha Rahman

TMAG TeamSaudia AfrinTahsin MominBaizid Haque JoarderRad ShararRaisa Rahim

ContributorsPragya RahmanNasif ChowdhuryZubaida RahmanKyoko BhuiyanNamira Hossain

GraphicsMohammed Mahbub AlamTahsin Momin

Colour SpecialistShekhar Mondal

AdvertisingZia Ur Rahman

ProductionMasum Billah

CirculationMasud Kabir Pavel

Email: tmag.dt@dhakatribune.com Website: www.dhakatribune.com

More insidePicks of the week2 Room of the week Tasnuva F Mahmood3 Doodle of the week Latiful Jawad10 Spotlight Haters gonna hate10 The goodsheet Long line of cars

Your world5 Car The Dutch thoroughbred9 Fiction Motionless 9 Comic Strip Nasif Chowdhury9 Book An equal music

reAl life3 Event Tweets6 Hot topic How much for this jam?

12 Listology Fusser Bussers12 Love Guru Lola and Mr Twist

fAshion4 Beauty check The traffic makeup4 Look of the week Afra Anam

tMAG sAYs2 Your room A corner for your books2 FYI Signature 10 Playlist Jam for your jam issue11 Non Fiction Haunting mass appeal

horoscoPes5 Your forecast

editor’s note

“Hope you are resting in peace, Chashi Nazrul Islam.”Shahriar Sheikh

Status of the week

2 Room of the week Tasnuva Farah Mahmood

4 Look of the week Afra Anam

5 Car talk The Dutch thoroughbred

8 Written in the Stars Sanjana Sadique

Hashtag trendings

Santa got me a pair of boxers in my Dad’s size which helped me figure out who dressed up as Santa this year: Dad.

#WorstGiftEver

This hashtag was created by Jimmy Fallon, a famous comedian. People tweeted out the worst gift he/she or someone else they knew gave or received last year.

Dear Readers,

Traffic can make us want to tear our hair apart and scream for mercy, but keep calm as TMAG tries to ease the ride. On Hot topic (pg 6&7) we bring you a survey to find out how much time we end up spending on the road on a dead end traffic. While some of you want to make this wait productive, check out Fashion face off (pg 4) to learn a few makeup tricks you could pull off in your car. We also have a very special author in Written in the stars (pg 8); read on to know her story. You can also keep TMAG handy on these long long journeys to make the ride bearable. Do send in your drawings, poems and photos. We are always waiting to know how we can shape TMAG your way.

With love,

From, The TMAG desk

Meme of the week

TMAG Th u rsDAY, jAn uArY 15, 2015

Your Life2 tmag

courtesy Your Room

DIY

TMAG’s Room of

the week!

nAMe: tAsnuvA fArAh MAhMoodAreA: GulshAn

siGnAtureReading may seem fun, important and alluring to many. But how often do we take care of our books? Things get worse when it comes to putting in and taking out textbooks or notebooks from inside the bag. TMAG brings you a simple DIY book-cover for the school days to come

MAkinG sPAce in Your rooM for new books

By this time, classes have already started and you might have bought new books for yourself. Here is how you can cover them to protect them from dust and dirt.

Things you will need• Plain one-toned cover paper• Design templates (A, B, C...)• Fabric scraps eg lace/ Colourful print

of your preference• Scissors or box cutter• Glue• Pencil

Steps:To get the appropriate shape, wrap the textbook/notebook’s top and bottom hard covers with another plain paper; don’t fix it with glue.

Now, cut out the template. For instance, you could draw one “S” for

Science and “SS” for Social Science. With a pencil, draw an outline of the design on the additional cover paper. However, before that, pull out the added cover from the textbook/notebook. Then, cut out the shape on that with a scissor/box cutter.

To fit appropriately around the templates cut out enough fabric/ colourful print. On the inside of the cover paper, apply some glue around the edges of the outline. Then, paste the fabric/ colourful print on the cover paper and press firmly.

Leave it for a while to dry. Again, put away the cover on the textbook/notebook. Glue around the edges of the cover paper, paste and again, press firmly. And there you have funky looking textbooks to start the term with.

Saudia afrin

“wibblY wobblY tiMeY wiMeY”Only a fan of the British TV series, Dr. Who would understand the reference. It is the TARDIS, a time machine in the shape of a 1960s-style London Police box. A brilliant use of the inner side of your door

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School has just begun and it’s time to roll out the new books you just bought. Now, let’s start talking about stashing those books into place

Keep ‘emAs soon as the new day breaks the dawn and school starts, the smell of those fresh new books will take you into a world of wondrous adventures. Now, the key is to start off with a little bit of spring-cleaning before the start of school. You don’t necessarily have to get rid of your old books, keep them with you just in case you want to start tutoring in the near future.

Stock ‘em closeYour bed side table is a good place to start piling up your new books; it looks good and makes it easier for you to grab one in case you want to do a little reading till you fall asleep. If your desk is too cramped, you can try piling your books on top of the ones that are already there.

Stack ‘em upIf you’ve already run out of all the space in your room to store, your floor is an amazing place to start piling up your books. It may seem a little weird at first, but eventually if you do it creatively; you’re sure to

pull off a unique look for your room. You can even make it look like the steps on the stair case. Get really creative with it, that’s what it’s really about at the end of the day.

Let your creative energy flow and try different ways to place your books in your room. It’s time you make some space in your life for fun and interesting fact-filled stack of knowledge.

Pragya rahman

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TMAG Th u rsDAY, JAn uArY 15, 2015

SchooLogiSticS 3tmag

TMAG’s easel

If you are a classroom doodler, email your doodle to tmag.dt@dhakatribune.com and see it in our weekly!

Do you know how those lucky %#$@’s end up getting good grades not even studying much while you rampage through your textbooks all night before an exam? It’s actually because they were better prepared than you were – mentally and physically

School Survival

lAtiful JAwAdAnd her eYes sPeAk

whAt her liPs cAn’t

exPress

best test fest

It is all about how you prepare for the exam, the night and the morning before. Yes, you know what we’re talking about, for you have ignored your breakfast on the day of the exam too. We all have, at some point. It is crucial to grasp the simple fact that our brain needs energy to work. Your Ferrari won’t work without fuel, would it? The right food and drink can energise your system, keeping you alert and your light bulbs shining merrily throughout the exam duration.

The what?Eating is a MUST before the big day. As unfair as it is to judge us all our lives on the basis a single day (exam day) when we write on a flimsy piece of paper, we better get it right. Firstly, avoid having food with refined sugar and flour. That means no cookies, muffins, cakes, and chocolates for you. Why? Because it takes more time and energy to digest them. Foods high in carbohydrate and fat, which we tend to eat like maniacs and really shouldn’t are fast foods,

LCLS DebATe IV January 29 - February 7Organised by LONDON COLLEGE OF LEGAL STUDIES (SOUTH) DEBATE AND MOOTING CLUB.

8Th InTeRnATIonAL ChILDRen'S FILM FeSTIVAL bAnGLADeShJanuary 24 – 30, 4:00pm – 9:00pmVenue Public Library Auditorium

MADe In bAnGLADeSh – DAnCe PRoDuCTIon by heLenA WALDMAnn WITh 12 DAnCeRS FRoM DhAKAJanuary 26 Venue Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy

bAnGLADeSh CoMIC-Con January 30 – 31Venue Convention Centre Baridhara DOHS,

Event Tweet

potatoes, rice. Oh cheer up, because the “can eat” list has cottage cheese on it!

In addition, fish, fruits, figs, prunes, asparagus and other veggies are excellent choices. Eggs, nuts and yogurt will load you like a shotgun barrel so you can shoot that test to a mess. Have a healthy breakfast. The fastest would be to have a protein shake and an egg sandwich/burrito, with boiled vegetables. Steer clear of the milk though; have green tea, for we’d rather not have that shotgun shooting down south.

The how?Another important error most make is not sleeping properly before the exam. If it’s possible, study all day and sleep all night. The “all-nighter” trend has more of an adverse effect to it than most realise. Get at least five hours of sleep before the exam day (we mean at night, no loopholes here buddy).

Go in on time, with all your hair gelled, clothes ironed and belly full of broccoli like a badass, and crush that exam in style!

rad Sharar

TMAG Th u rsDAY, jAn uArY 15, 2015

fAShioN fAce-off4 tmag

Beauty CheckLook of the week

ModelAfra AnamPhoto Courtesy

shininG briGhtShine through the winter gloominess with hair down loose and a pretty lacy dress. Pop in a bright lip stain to make the look more stunning

Wardrobe Check

dressinG hiP – GuYs

The fitFrom the tees to the trousers, hipsters like to wear apparel that is well-fitted to say the least. Skinny jeans may seem like a good option but then again, it’s not 2011 any more. Chinos are still hot favourites for this season as well. With them, you can always play with colours. Ironic, printed, striped and band t-shirts look good on most. And the button-down shirts need to be fitted; colours and patterns might need a bit of thinking when you’re buying it though. LayeringSince the weather is still “bearable,” aka

cool enough, make way for layering. The concept is to layer the materials according to their weight and warmth. For instance, the basic white t-shirt goes underneath a red lumberjack shirt teamed with a solid black cardigan.

AccessoriesHipsters are known to go heavy on their accessories. Since you might not be a full-on hippy, choose your accessories smartly. Dorky, vintage or colourful eye-wear is the way to go. Kitsch jewellery, hats, groovy scarves, ties and bow-ties; the list of accessories may seem endless.

Running late, stuck in traffic and still not having any make-up on, you need to put in just a little bit of effort to look oh-so-gorgeous

“Yes, I’ll be there by 8.30 pm”- that’s a lie, a very common lie that you desperately want to believe, but you often get stuck in a traffic snarl-up and end up being fashionably late. Now, for some of you who attempt to do their make-up while travelling on bumpy roads and narrow alleyways, let TMAG make this journey a tad bit easier. For the eyesIf eyeliner seems troublesome, go all out with the mascara. Use thick coats to really bring out the eyes. Your eyes would stop traffic anyway. For those of you, who feel like you can’t do without eyeliner, draw a very thin line over your lids and wing out the corner with a flick. If you can pull this off in a car, you are a pro.

For the cheeks Use your index finger to dab the concealer over the trouble spots. Use this time sitting in traffic to really blend well for a flawless finish. Once done, apply blush on your luscious cheeks. Fold a tissue in a square fold and blend the blush on your cheeks; contour your face if needed.

Pucker up There’s no need to always go all out with red. Experiment with a peach tint, and then add a gloss. If red is how you rock it, put a shade that you normally don’t put. Stuck in traffic, you might as well mix two colours and apply it to create an all new shade, that is so you!

nataSha rahman

the trAffic MAke-uP

Hipsters are all around us. An apt definition from wikihow suggests, “hipsters are people who enjoy clothing, music, food and activities outside of the social mainstream.” Hipsterism is actually a state of mind, a subculture, if you may. But moving on to our topic, hipsters nowadays are considered to be up-to-date with the latest trends. Thus giving way to what we now call, the hipster trend

The hairdoHipster hairdos are big this season, the undercut, the messy coiffure, the pompadour, the top knot looks good on anyone if the haircut keeps the facial features in mind. Beards compliment such hairdos, but keep in mind your school’s policy regarding the topic.

With all that being said, dress how you feel like, and never wear or try to pull-off anything that you aren’t comfortable in. Dress your age and dress for the occasion. After all, you don’t have to be a hippy to look like a hipster.

Baizid haque Joarder

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TMAG Th u rsDAY, JAn uArY 15, 2015

Street 5tmag

Car Talk

Keep your brave pills at the ready, because the Dutch track special, Donkervoort, is back and it is even harder than before

ARIeS (MAR 21-APR 19) Be aware of the fact that life is constantly changing.

Right now you’re going through a certain amount of changes; instead of rejecting them, you need to adapt them. TAuRuS (APR 20-MAy 20) Try not to mix business with

pleasure. Keep your friends and business separate; maintain a certain amount of distance with the people at work.

GeMInI (MAy 21-Jun 20) A financial decision should be considered earlier in the

month to make sure you’re savings are taken care of. You may also need to talk to someone in order to set your mind on the right path.

CAnCeR (Jun 21-JuL 22) You should be looking forward to a lot of spending,

shopping, going out and partying this week. You’ll be surrounded by friends and well-wishers.Leo (JuL 23-AuG 22)

Let yourself be guided by the wisdom of others this week. Don’t be afraid to

accept help every now and then. VIRGo (AuG 23- SeP 22) It’s time you start thinking about what you want to

achieve and where you’re going. LIbRA (SeP 23-oCT 22)This could be a good time for you to develop an

Internet business; perhaps even a creative one that involves writing.

SCoRPIo (oCT 23-noV 21) This is a good time for you to increase your income

by starting a small side business to earn some extra money.

SAGITTARIuS (noV 22-DeC 21) You may feel weighed in on certain responsibilities,

perhaps towards the family or even towards friends, but try not to make yourself feel too overwhelmed with guilt.

CAPRICoRn (DeC 22-JAn 19)If there’s any part of your life that shows itself as

drudgery, perhaps it’s time for you to move on from that particular thing in life and let it go.

AquARIuS (JAn 20-Feb 18) At the moment you’re more

likely to attract people like yourself. You are now on a break from a long term of hard work.

PISCeS (Feb 19-MAR 20) Your social life is buzzing like a bee at the moment, as

is your personal life.

HOROSCOPE

Remember the rather loony Donkervoort? Well it’s back, the Dutch version of the Caterham-on-steroids and this time it’s even harder, faster and better than before.

Meet the culprit, the Donkervoort D8 GTO Bilster Berg Edition. Quite the name it has got and quite the connotation as well; Bilster Berg is a haphazard of a circuit in Germany, and it’s a track where the Donkervoort holds the best lap record.

Motivated by the Caterham Seven, the standard Donkervroot uses the 2.5-litre inline-five-cylinder turbo engine from the Audi RS3 and TT RS, which pumps a potent 380HP to the rear wheels, enabling a 0-62mph time of 2.8 seconds, which can bate even the Nissan GT-R. But altogether the Donkervoort is more muscular than the Caterham Seven.

The Bilster Berg edition doesn’t notably alter those figures, but it does take the aggression to a whole new level. There are new anti-roll bars, the suspension is retuned and the tyres have mutated into semi-slick that are

provided by Hankook.There’s a sturdy roll cage, while

the carbon seats help to contribute in a subtle 10kg diet. The front-end has been restyled further to up the GTO’s butchness by adding a carbon fibre grille.

Further additions include a generous smothering of carbon-fibre bits and pieces, a race-spec clutch and a dashboard data logger, which should to ensure that you’ll never pull away from the traffic lights ever so subtly again!

Only 14 will be ever made with a vital plaque that will mark the one that you’ve bagged. And it goes without saying that such a masterpiece and specialness comes at a price. In its motherland, the Bilster Berg manages to attain a price tag of 194,000 euros.

A bit of TMAG math suggests that you’ll need at least a £150,000 in your bank account to bring yours home. The choice is totally up to you, either this or a 911 Turbo, whichever scratches your itch! tahSin momin

the dutch thorouGhbred

TMAG Th u rsDAY, jAn uArY 15, 2015

6 tmag

How much for this

jam?It goes without saying that traffic is the defining feature of life in Dhaka. Our daily lives revolve around trying to schedule everything around the inevitable jams. This week, we break it down to see just how much we’re paying for the hassle of the daily commuteRad ShaRaR Bin Kamal

Monetary Cost: 209.375 taka daily6281.25 taka on transport per month

health and Lifetime Cost (primarily from air pollution) 2280 taka every day, 68 400 taka per month

Time Cost 72 hours per month

2.4 hours daily

Every month, the average

teenager spends 3 days stuck

in traffic

209.375 taka daily

6281.25 taka on transport per

month

Actual cost of traffic on teen lives

TMAG Th u rsDAY, JAn uArY 15, 2015

hot toPic 7

If exposed to a noise above 100 decibels for a period of 1-2 hours, anyone can become nauseous, have headaches or could become deaf temporarily. The average noise intensity of the usual Dhaka traffic jam is 100 - 110 decibels. Another major reason is self-inflicted, through music and headphones. Going up to roughly 100 decibels, hearing music on headphones can severely cause damage to hearing ability, and the volume is up to maximum 70% percent of the time when outside trying to mask the sounds of the streets and jam noises.

A 24 hour dust measurement test was taken at the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Dhaka. Dust, otherwise referred to as suspended particulate matter, was over 3 times higher in Dhaka than the legal limit. The Embassy is even situated in Gulshan, a moderate zone of air pollution and lower frequency of unbearable traffic jams. The high pollution zones being Hatkhola, Manik Mia Avenue, Tejgaon, Farmgate, Motijheel, Lalmatia, and Mohakhali, where jams are just a regular sight and bearing. Per month, the average teenager spends three whole days in this area.

“At this time of year (fall), we had anticipated that the dust levels would be high, but it was higher than we expected. To be in a city - these are some of the highest values we have seen. During the winter season, Dhaka is probably the most polluted city in the world,” says NILU scientist Scott Randall following his visit to Dhaka to monitor the current air quality of Dhaka (2011).

Dust

1 µg/m3 of air Pb(lead in the blood coming

from the air) leads to 1 point decrease in IQ. Current level of blood

Pb (lead) concentration inteenagers in Dhaka is

approximately25 µg/dl.

Normal Conversation: 60 decibels

Shouting or Screaming: 80 decibels

Ears harmed if: 85 decibels

Bus/Truck in Dhaka: 100 decibels

Motorbikes: 118 decibels

Average traffic jam: 105 decibels

Noise Pollution:

TMAG Th u rsDAY, jAn uArY 15, 2015

WritteN iN the StArS8 tmag

chAsinG A dreAM

What influenced you to write novels for children? Who would you say are your greatest inspirations?I have always been interested in writing since I was a kid. I have been highly influenced by Enid Blyton. I have been reading her books since I was a child and found my love for writing at a very young age. Also, J K Rowling is one of my biggest inspirations. I have always felt that I could relate to the way they write and their stories have had great impacts on my life.

how important do you think it is that we have more bangladeshi authors writing in english for children?When I moved back to Bangladesh I found that most children here don’t read. This is also a reason that there are so few authors writing in English for children. I believe that it is very important to promote reading as much as possible. With more authors it will be possible for us to promote books in Bangladesh.

The best children’s novels are such because they are universal, how

important do you think it is for local stories to gain exposure on an international scale?Local authors are the medium for Bangladeshis living abroad, to learn more about their country. All my stories are based on Bangladesh and it is a wonderful way for the kids living all over the world, including foreigners, to know and learn about this beautiful country. It is a great way to promote Bangladesh to the rest of the world.

Could you tell us about your experiences in getting a publisher and your subsequent reveal at the hay Festival?When I moved back to Bangladesh, I went to the Hay Festival that took place in 2012. There I met a lot of local authors who gave me the courage and also encouraged me greatly to write and pursue my dream. I then passed on my stories to Bengal Foundation who decided to publish my book. The Hay Festival is a fantastic platform to network and to promote books. It’s a great opportunity for upcoming and aspiring writers to publish their works.

Could you tell us a little bit more about your pets?I have two dogs – Jack and Mushu. Jack is a Rough Collie and looks like Lassie. Jack is about two years old. Mushu is a Shih Tzu and is about nine months old. They get along like best friends. They are an important part of my family.

For aspiring writers in bangladesh, what advice would you give them about getting a publisher, and/or things they could do to get in touch with them?Networking is very important. The best advice I can give to aspiring writers is to network as much as possible. Go to the Hay Festival and also find out about book clubs and places where they promote literally readings. It’s places like these where you can meet a lot of people who could help you. As for us writers, we get lost in our thoughts when we write, so we need to be patient, write as best as we can and it’ll work out. n

Sanjana Sadique, born in Dhaka, is a children’s author. She lived in London, UK, where she studied Law. When she moved to Washington DC, USA, she took courses on writing for children so she could finally pursue her dream of writing books for children She moved back to Bangladesh and launched her first book “Tiger, Tiger & Other Short Stories” at the Hay Festival, Dhaka in November 2014. Kyoko Bhuiyan has had the great opportunity to interview her about her book, life and pets

courtesy

TMAG Th u rsDAY, JAn uArY 15, 2015

You Write it 9tmagYou Write it 9tmag

The novel “An Equal Music” is about violinist Michael Holme, who is a member of the successful Maggiore Quartet in London. He spends most of his time reminiscing his earlier days in Vienna where he learned to play the violin with one of the best musicians of his time. Vienna is also where he met his girlfriend and fellow musician, McNicholl, a very talented pianist. The two fell in love during their time in Vienna and their trip to the magical backdrop of the gondolas of Venice. Michael treasures his violin, which he got as

a gift from one of his good friends who was also his neighbour back home. It was a very expensive present and is not something he could ever afford; something he cherishes and is a constant reminder of how much he is loved and appreciated by others around him. Although his family does not appreciate his love and passion for music, the violin was a persistent source of inspiration for him.

After ten years of being haunted by the times spent in Venice and his memories of Julia, she finally returns to London and meets Michael at one of his shows. They meet at a cafe for a brief conversation and it is revealed that Julia is now married with a child. What happens as Julia reenters Michael’s life? Does their love flare up once again? Or does their love for music reunites

them, which was also what separated them in the first place. The world of enthralling music, and an affair of hide and seek along with secrets and moments of devastation is what ties this story together and is what makes it enticing and exciting. Vikram Seth has once again proven to be one of the most creatively alluring writers out there, especially with his musical attributes in this novel. This truly is something to be enjoyed with a light blend of aromatic tea on a fine winter evening.

Pragya rahman

fiction

let Music be the food of love

book

It starts on a bus. A girl walks in all cold; barely when the sun rises up, listening to radio Shadhin on her phone as RJ Shanto softly says, “rise up.” As soon as One Direction’s handsome boys start to sing about how the “Night Changes,” a boy walks in yawning, wondering how badly he’ll fail his Economics exam today and whether or not he should switch his major to media.

Between the reeking of cigarettes, he sips away at his coffee. He takes a seat next to the music critic and Literature major at the university neighboring his, in Bashundhara. As she hums to songs on her phone, he stares at her wondering why someone is having such a good time at the crack of dawn. Little do they know cupid has worked his magic and shot his arrow right through them- then and there. She notices him and asks what his problem was. He nervously replies, “nothing, was just wondering what you’re so happy about at this hour. I’m just sleepy, still trying to wake up, it’s going to take two hours to get to the university with the traffic.” He also adds, “the

sun’s still sleeping and miserable, the whole world is asleep and you’re all happy and awake! It’s refreshing.” To this she smiles, and for the rest of the month they travel together as the traffic brings them closer each day.

They soon fell in love. After three years on the bus together, on a cold January morning, they sat next to each other with a coffee in each hand, and a smile on their faces. Coldplay’s “Miracles” played softly on the music critic’s phone; they had both secured jobs of their liking and there was no longer that reeking of cigarettes.

Before the bus stopped at Bashundhara, the media graduate, now the creative director for a leading advertising firm, brought out a tiny black velvet box from his pocket and asked: Will you marry me?” She looked up at him and wondered why they chose each other and gently nodded, “yes.” Thus the two began their long journey of life, this time hopefully without the annoyance of traffic.

Pragya rahman

MotionlessAlthough it was quite chilly in the winter of 2014, this story in itself is warm and gooey

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TMAG Th u rsDAY, jAn uArY 15, 2015

Stereo10 tmag

Standing out as the world’s best-selling music artist, Taylor Swift has sold over 80 million songs. Not only does she sing hits but also composes lyrics for her own songs. When it comes to songwriting, Taylor seems to be very detail oriented. She puts into words her feelings that are somehow relatable to her countless fans. Interestingly, she would write random stories about the dead animals in their driveway back when she was a child; perhaps that’s where she started cultivating her songwriting skills. As silly as it may seem, this practice has won the American singer-songwriter seven Grammy Awards, seven Academy of Country Music Awards, 15 American Music Awards, 11 Country Music Association Awards, 34 Billboard Music Awards and the Country Music Association’s Pinnacle Award; totaling a number of 245 awards with her albums,

“Fearless” being the most awarded one.On her fifth album “1989, she adapts

the eighties synth-pop and creates tracks still featuring her tear-stained guitar trademark but with a different, rather bold twist. It’s not just her drastic makeover and chopped hair in 2014, but also her songs from the album, which stole the hearts of millions of fans and made many new more. The album portrays the year she was born in Pennsylvania, and defines Taylor Swift: weird, over emotional, charismatic, wildly enthusiastic and strong!

You may despise Swift and call her stereotypical, but some of you definitely find yourself putting the song “Blank space” on repeat the whole day. This song shows a rather dark, psychotic side of the oh so sweet Taylor Swift; two words, “amazingly peculiar.” Another of her hit songs from the album is “Shake it off,” where she basically

says, “haters back off.” In the video she tries to pull off hip hop, ballet, and Lady Gaga but makes a complete idiot of herself until she finds her unique self again at the very climax of the video where she dances with her fans. The album debuted number one on the US Billboard 200 and sold about 1,287,000 copies worldwide.

Taylor Swift, from her experience, believes that people are going to say what pleases them, which leaves you with two options: you either go insane (sentenced to psychosis) or shake it off. raiSa rahim

spotlight

hAters GonnA hAteOne of her goals was for Starbucks to sell her album. In 2010, she bought her album “Speak Now” from Starbucks

Jam forYour Jam

1 Conscious awake Seatraffic

2 Dure dure Imran feat. Puja

3 Crosstown Traffic Ariya Astrobeat Arkestra

4 Chokher Poloke Rizvi Wahid and Shubhamita

5 Tigers Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks

6 Tomae bhebe Ibrar Tipu

7 Traffic Distance

8 My generation The Who

9 Race 2 Mashup Pritam Chakraborty

10 Char Kadam OST PK

cake long line of cars

top

10

Tuning: EADGBE (STANDARD)

Intro:

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Chorus:

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TMAG Th u rsDAY, JAn uArY 15, 2015

PLAYroom 11tmag

“You can’t leave me like this now. I need you,” says Sarika, eyeing the charred remaining bits of furniture in the room and noticing the odd way the drapes were burnt. It looked like a caramel lattice. She thinks to herself, “I’ve always hated those drapes.”

hAuntinG MAss APPeAl

She gazes back at him and says, “I’m leaving. We’ve only known each other a few months and this is all too overwhelming for me. I can’t keep saving you from ridiculous situations like this.” She also adds, “you’re too stubborn to change your ways, and you don’t even care who you hurt in the process.” She further says, “I had warned you many times that this room is a fire hazard. I wasn’t being ‘snobbish’ or ‘condescending,’” she emphasises with air quotes, “when I had told you that a jute carpet and all this bamboo furniture.” She jabs her finger in the direction of the barbequed bamboo carpet and continues, “and a mosquito net is a pyromaniac’s dream; just a disaster waiting to happen. My intuition never fails me,” she takes a deep breath and continues again, “who still uses lit charcoal coils to get rid of mosquitoes anymore? This is 2015!“

She walks briskly out the door, changes her mind and stops to look at him, standing there pitifully; unkempt and singed hair sticking out, tears rolling down his face, baggy clothes blackened from the fire just hanging on to his skinny frame. She steels herself as she purposefully avoids looking at his dog, whose fur was equally as singed as his owner’s clothes. Sarika exclaims, “you’re still only thinking of yourself. Pookie could have died tonight for being so unconditionally devoted to you and

sleeping under your bed.” She walks out the door, oblivious to

his pleading cries. As she runs down the stairs of his apartment, she thinks of somebody else she knew not so long ago. Someone much like him who makes many promises and fails to keep them. She shudders as she reaches her car in the garage. She knows she has to take the wheel and drive.

The clock on the dashboard reads 11:11.

Her mind is completely calm as she reverses the car out the gate. Almost immediately her car and she become one with each other, consciously merged together and moving in perfect harmony. Everything else also seemed to be moving along in flawless motion; a blur of green lights and perfectly behaved drivers and pedestrians unlike any ever witnessed on the streets of Dhaka.

Suddenly, she becomes aware of her surroundings. As she turns to a narrow alleyway, Sarika realises that she has subconsciously driven all the way to her childhood home. She parks outside the familiar blue gate and walks toward the tree that grew right next to her old bedroom window. Interestingly, she visualises the young teenage girl dancing in front of her mirror; carefree and happy. namira hoSSain

fiction

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TMAG Th u rsDAY, jAn uArY 15, 2015

teeNArAmA12 tmag

listologY

the snorlAx

The daydreams of their beds at home is too irresistible for them to resist. With their headphones on, they blissfully snooze away preventing the conductor from getting his fares. Seldom you will find them waking from their slumber, looking around hysterically before they hop off the bus to catch another to reach their destination left miles behind.

the Air bAlloon

To them, there’s nothing more relaxing after a heavy meal than releasing it in an overfilled bus in thankfulness. Your Dhaka bus experience is incomplete without an acquaintance with these fellows. You’ll barely be able to keep in your excitement after either.

the PickY PockY

They have taken more things away than Taylor Swift’s boyfriends have, and are always present in bus class. Their sticky fingers will stick to at least one valuable object every day, so be wary of these opportunists.

the chAnGeMAker

Their words shall change the world, starting with their reasonable views on fair bus fares and seating arrangements. They boast equality with their butts on the woman’s seat, question those near them on their rightfulness and won’t stop till their final stop.

the busY

“The quietest man in the room is the smartest man in the room” - this guy shall disagree, completely. His voice shall resonate throughout as he talks on his phone the whole way, disturbing everyone but the headphone junkies. rad Sharar

fusser bussersTime slurs in a jam,While you sit on a bus like a piece of ham,Here’s a few types of folks you see, While your pocket is missing a Galaxy S3

Love guru TMAG presents, Lola and Mr. Twist to aid you in all of your romantic endeavours. Send in your love/relationship/crush problems and have them take a stab at it

QMy boyfriend is always late. Period. From our first date till the few anniversaries that we have had, he just can’t be punctual. There are instances when he does make it on time, but those are very rare days when I get lucky. Also the fact that he lives in the old town and I live in Uttara, doesn’t help our situation either. As we hardly get to see each other, we are slowly becoming distant from

one another. We both usually end up making other plans and doing other things. Now even when we are together it’s for merely an hour or so, and we are desperately trying to find things to talk about. What should I do? -Long-distance relationship-er

Lola: Well, clearly the traffic on the road has usurped your togetherness, and that’s pretty pathetic. If your relationship can’t survive a few blocked roads and time constraints, I don’t know what can. Is the problem really the traffic situation? Or is he not making enough effort to start out earlier? And, why is that it’s him who needs to take the trouble to go to Uttara always? Why cant you go to Old Town, or decide to meet halfway? There are always ways around a problem. Write letters to each other and pour your heart out on the paper. If you are getting only an hour with one another,

that just goes to show you are prioritising other events. Don’t play the blame game every time and make him guilty for the lack of time you spend. You both should cut out other plans and spend at least a few hours together to get things going. Make the initiative and if he too is still in love with you and isn’t already looking for a girlfriend close to home, then he will notice and give you the time you both need and deserve. As the saying goes, where there is a will, there is a way. Now its up to you both to carve out that way, through the traffic, through it all.

Mr Twist: Ugh, the word “traffic” is so annoying! Traffic has been a major buzz killer on most fronts, let alone relationships. It seems like you are already in a “long-distance relationship” without even leaving the city. But the distance cannot be the only reason for a fall out between the two of you. In this era, distance is nothing but a concept if you think this way; the technological

advancements bring you the likes of Whatsapp, Facebook, Snapchat and Skype, which can easily form bridges for you. And Lola is absolutely right when she says about you guys meeting somewhere in between, which makes life easier for the both of you. But ask yourself, “are you willing to make the distance?” Smirk smirk.

Send us your love related problems at tmag.dt@dhakatribune.comOr message us on our facebook page: www.facebook.com/dhakatribunetmag

TMAG Th u rsDAY, JAn uArY 15, 2015

tidbitS 13tmag

disAster ProofinG Your exAM

SleepMake sure you get enough sleep the night before exam. If you’re groggy and tired because of lack of sleep, you won’t be able to perform at your best. It’s even better to sleep a few extra hours instead of studying.

Food and DrinksEat moderately before your exams; avoid a heavy meal. If you eat a whole lot, your brain will have to spend time and energy to digest, preventing you to focus on answering the questions. However, don’t skip your meals, because then your brain won’t function well. Avoid drinking coffee, tea or cola, which could make your bladder full; drink water in moderate amount since your brain needs it. It performs more efficiently when it is well hydrated. Just don’t end up drinking a litre right before you enter the exam hall.

bring necessary materialsYou better have lots of extra materials

such as pens, pencils, calculators, rulers, or compasses packed and ready the night before the exam so that you know what you have. Plus you can always go out and buy what you don’t have. If you know that you have everything ready, you will for sure feel a lot calmer and well prepared.

Arrive earlyYou ought to know how bad the traffic gets in Bangladesh. Hence, make sure you leave home with enough time in your hands in order to avoid unnecessary stress prior to your exam. Take into account traffic and maybe check the weather reports for exam day.

Double check the exam venue and make sure you know the location and the alternative routes to the venue.

Avoid nervous studentsWhile waiting for the exam to begin, don’t speak to any nervous student; avoid absorbing their negative energy. Go talk to friends who are laughing,

talking and are in a positive state of mind. This works greatly in terms of being able to stay confident and focused on doing well in your exam.

Review outputSince you will have a little time before the exam, you could theoretically use the time to review your notes. But, don’t try to learn new topics at this stage; it won’t work and you’ll just end up panicking.

Read the directions and the questionsOnce you’re in the exam hall, make sure you focus on reading the directions carefully. Most kids think that it’s not necessary to read them but it is the most common, avoidable mistake

made by students. Also, read each question properly. You need to read them carefully so you know what you are being asked to write. Remember, questions that appeared in the past may differ from those given in the present.

Focus on yourselfOne thing that we all end up doing is we look around at how other students are doing. Sometimes it may look like you’re trying to cheat and sometimes you’ll just start panicking because some students might be done before you. Hence, you could waste time wondering how he/she finished so fast and lose concentration or concentrate in your own. The latter is wiser.

KyoKo Bhuiyan

Not all of us are super confident when we sit for an exam even if we know we are well prepared for it. Just to make things easier, TMAG brings you some tips that can help you be more calm and confident before your test

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TMAG Th u rsDAY, jAn uArY 15, 2015