I am Back!

I started this blog about 3 years ago. Not because I wanted to be a blogger, but because I always always have so much to say. I thought of lots of different themes for my blog but never came up with anything that really convinced me. So now, a few years and a lot of shots later, I have decided to make this blog about me, and some randomness.

I can completely imagine the reaction of my friends. Them thinking I am so full of myself to actually have a blog about ME! Them cursing me because they anyways hear enough about me every day, all through the day, now they will have to read about it and pretend to like it also. But, now that’s life. You have to deal with it!

I am not going to post it on any social media to promote it, but if you guys ever come across it, it means I am really famous, at least on the net!

Now, for people who actually decide to read my blog, I have a pretty fun life. A fancy job, lots of travel, people, parties, a little bit of gyan once in a way and lot of problems. Problems related to guys, parents (I have the coolest brother!), orthodox people around me, my independent thoughts, undying desire to start a business, and the mother of all problems, marriage. Actually I am sure every girl my age faces this. So I am probably just writing what you are feeling.

So stick around if you feel like, as I am planning to talk lots of crap here. But this could also be a secret NASA mission where I am sending Coded messages to Russia, related to the Chinese Mafia. Crap!! I wasn’t suppose to say that out loud.

Heavens got a plan for you...

We all plan our days, years & have a vision for our entire Life. But as correctly said by someone,

 

‘Life is what happens when You are busy making other Plans’.

We start a phase of our life, thinking & hoping it will go the way we want it to. Find the perfect guy & know he will be your best friend, take an important career decision that will make you reach your 5 year Goal, go to a friend’s party & hook up with the cute guy you eyed last time. 

And then Reality Strikes!! Some of these plans come true, the others don’t.

When I was 3, I wanted to be an actress & at 13, I wanted to be Dhirubhai Ambani. I am not even sure of exactly what I want today, and honestly, I know lots of people like me. Obviously I know I want a happy life and make truck loads of money. But is it only about the goal, or the desire to have a fun and crazy journey while reaching there.

Do we only want Love & Peace to be happy or is it the clarity that someone or something is going to keep you motivated forever, stimulate that grey matter & keep that spark alive. And at what cost!!! Is it just one kiss on a cold winter night, or a continuous challenge of different opinions, or the excitement to fight with your bosses & burn the house down.

Different people, and sure as hell, lot of different desires. 

And which is the correct plan!! The one I thought of last year, or the one I just cooked up in my head 5 minutes ago.

I love it when I’m told “Don’t you worry, don’t you worry child… see Heavens got a Plan for You”. But Dear Smoke Fairy, I have been waiting on you for a while now, following your rituals too, on daily basis. So please, just get on with it.

I have decided to follow the Yellow Brick Road, just that the glare of the sunlight is confusing me. Is it 3 different yellow paths, or am I just suppose to wait for the sun to set!!

Rules & Choices!

The general belief around Rules is that following them will give you a safe and secure life. But how happy will your existence be. And what kind of people are we. The ones who have to do the right thing, or the ones who enjoy the things they do.

I'm not saying that it is amazing to go and smoke up or break into someones house just for fun. But its not a big deal to dance with a stranger once in the way or to max out your credit card just because you saw your ex-boyfriend. And no he doesn’t have a hot new girlfriend, you were just embarrassed that you dated him in the first place!

Our society has made some ridiculous and funny  rules over the centuries, and though all of us would have discussed this with our friends at some stage or the other, I can’t think of another topic that appeals more to me right now.

Living in a city like Mumbai and having cool unorthodox parents also doesn’t always guarantee the permission to be out till 5.30 in the morning, 3 times a week. So yes, we need to follow the rules, but which rules is the main question.

I am not going to talk about stuff like the Kama sutra being invented in India or why should sex be a taboo or that virginity is overpriced. But I do want to mention a particular topic - why is it compulsory to get married after a certain age.

A smart sensible person who is perfectly capable to live alone should not be forced to live with someone just because ‘that’s the way its always been!’

This is where our choices come in. Choice to find the right person at the right time. Yes, it is very important to find a partner and yes, it would be amazing to have a person that cares about you. But should we not consider the risks involved in this ritual – fondly known as ‘Arrange Marriage’.

I am not trying to defy the world here, just trying to make a point. I know it is pretty much useless to talk about this and this post would go in vain as the relevant people might not even read it. But blogging is about expressing thoughts anyways, not your readership (please repost, retweet this, I wanna be famous! J).

Ofcourse this would not apply to everyone, but I am talking from 1 perspective only.

Mine!!.. And a few unlucky others who are in a position as mine.

Who knows, we could be nicer to our kids. Shoots, but that would require us to get married in the first place!

Just do what you have to do!!

Life is so busy and there always is somewhere else to be. There are a ton of things you want to do but just never seem to have the time. The same story with a hundred different versions.

Ofcourse it is simple to talk, or write about it but doing something is not that difficult either.

You don’t need to make a bucket list and start following it already, but just do what makes you happy. Like walking in the rain with loud music or telling someone you like them or simply getting drunk.

Everything need not be serious and everything need not have a consequence, just do it because you want to. Smile at a random stranger and you might actually meet your ‘New Gay Best Friend.’ J

Being rude or full of yourself might work more times then you know.

Being a jerk is good too, Steve Jobs was one. And I’m not saying this, an article in Forbes is. I just wish he had given me an ipad before he died!!

Your boss harasses you and your girlfriend won’t stop cribbing, there is nothing you can do about that. But getting a tattoo that you always wanted will surely make that weekend so much better. Settling in front of the TV with a bowl of chips and a movie marathon might not be bad but being a rebel might give you the high you are looking for.

You need to think about tomorrow but can’t do it if you are worried today. So just suck it up, deal with the devil and make it a happen. The results might not be good, O Hell, they might be disastrous, but you do earn points for trying. And that’s how it all begins.

For the Malyas and Brandsons, it might be a tab easy but it can’t be that bad for us either.

Just do what you have to do because this is the youngest you’ll ever be and the oldest you ever were.

Individualism, or Watever!!

Individualism – a familiar concept but an unfamiliar territory. People have a tendency to follow trends. They want to copy someone who is popular and successful, hoping to bank on his equity.

Everyone wants to be famous but since most people don’t have a mind of their own or are conditioned to follow the herd, copying others is the only option they have.

These clones are not restricted to any particular society. You can find them in the lower class where the auto-walas dress to be Salman Khan or in a posh Night Club where all the girls are wearing the same outfit from the latest fashion magazine.

This is the case not just in clothes or fashion, but also in life style, politics and the business world.

There was a rage to name new borns ‘Aryan’ as it sounded good in a Shahrukh Khan movie.

A series of candle marchs were organized against the corruption but to no avail.

The new trend, of course, is to go on a death fast so that you get media coverage and publicity for something you never intended to do. And someone who actually dies in a genuine fast goes with just a mention in the side column of the daily newspaper.

Aspiration to be the next Dhirubhai Ambani is very common but without an idea and the passion to see it through, against all odds and market patterns, is just a dream.

Businessmen want to follow strategies that are widely successful and are afraid to experiment. They want to make money from the tried and tested, but how can you ignore the fact that new strategies can yield much higher returns with just marginal increase in the effort.

Experiments made our world what it is today. Comfortable and Fun. Beer was invented in 5000 BC by some Egyptian Pharaoh. Now how much does the world owe this guy!! Electricity and the Wheel were also just as important. So we should be willing to take the risk, or the leap of faith, as in many cases. Failing is just another episode in a grand success story.

Everyone wants to be someone, a grand success story, but no one wants to be their own person. They don’t want to be a trendsetter, just follow who is successful.

People want to fit-in. They want to be like the others and that is human nature but we do have a small section of people who think differently and these are the people who steer the generation of followers in the right direction. These are the people we look upto and remember for decades.

Normal People will always need Smart People. So step aside, here we come!

Employment - by choice!!

Well, most of the people are proud to have a job. And when you are just passing out of a B-school, it means the world. Some people want to work, to make a good living and a career. And then there are ‘The Others’, who want a job just because they don’t want to ask their father for money or don’t know how they will deal with the peer pressure once college is over. Another very common reason is the associated ego boost and the fact that they can rub it in their parents’ face every time a comparison comes up.

No points for guessing whom we are going to talk about.

‘The Others’, what many people would like to call us. But the truth is that there would be no employment without people like us. If everyone wanted to work, who would make so many people work. Someone had to take that responsibility. We are required for the development of society and the betterment of mankind.

Ok. Maybe that’s a little too much, but I have a point.

If Bill Gates and Steve Jobs had not taken a chance, there would be no personal computers and thus no ‘Blogs’ to express thoughts, and Mark Zuckerberg could not have given us our daily mode of entertainment.

If Mr. Dhirubhai Ambani had not left his job at Aden, India would be two people short in the World’s Richest List.

If Mr. Jamsedji Tata (not J.R.D Tata) had not started Tata Group, there would be no company that churned out one of the world’s most luxurious car and the cheapest car, simultaneously.

            Point being, the world needs risk-takers, and we are here for just that.

            But life of course is not a cake walk and starting a company is no joke. I know that, and You know that, but I don’t think they know, We know that. This is a huge, life changing decision and keeping our minimal experience in mind, I do believe that we could miss out on important details. But is this enough reason to not move forward and initiate something you truely believe in.

            When do you draw the line, and how are you going to be sure of yourself. Deciding when to leave the job that guarantees an income and facing the heat of innumerable critics is a tough call. But this is a risk you should be willing to take so that you can prove to the world that you were right all along.

And if you are wrong, get up, dust your pants and Move On.

Passion: Cricket & more

As soon as I think of passion, the only event that comes to my mind is the ICC World cup 2011. We are a country that follows cricket like a religion and have a cricketer who is God. People from every part of India spent the Saturday glued to their TV sets, at home or at a pub, and a lucky few witnessed this historic moment in the stadium itself.  The city of Mumbai came to a standstill, no cars on the road, all shops closed, employees refusing to work. And this was just the beginning.

A billion hearts around the world skipped a beat when ‘The Sachin Tendulkar’ was dismissed and hopes dipped to a defying low. Positivity in the atmosphere was just as gripping as the tension on every face. Chants of India winning could be heard every 3 minutes all across the country. You dint need to look at your friend sitting next to you to understand the gravity of the situation, you could feel it in your gut. And that one 6 by the skipper of the team had the entire nation jumping in joy.

People were screaming and dancing their hearts out. There was no stopping anyone that night. A billion souls said thank you in their own way, by jumping on the sofas, hugging random strangers, driving around the city with flags in their hands and friends on the car roof, shouting at the top of their lungs or just a silent tear. This moment was epic.

I don’t know if this will ever happen again but I sure hope it does. As it got people from different walks of life together, cheering for the same cause and praying for the same result. We are a country driven by emotions and our very own leaders often taken advantage of this fact. Communal riots and terrorist attacks have become a common occurrence but to see the nation come together with such unity and enthusiasm to support a group of 11 men sure takes your breath away.

I hope to see a generation where people are driven by this very passion, not only for a game but also for each other. A place where people are willing to help each other not only for monetary gain but also for personal satisfaction and happiness. Where people introduce themselves as Indians and where every Indian is proud of the country and its culture. Just the way we are proud today of Team INDIA and the fact that we are better than anyone out there. I hope to see a day where every Indian would say for every field they represent, “Jeet gaya bhai jeet gaya, INDIA jeet gaya.”