On Coexistence

Hello Peeps of the Internet!

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After careful contemplation I have come across this fact that as humans we are going against our  natural structure as a race and doing something we most certainly should be doing the opposite of. In other words - we are working towards staying apart, when we should be living together as a unit. Now don't get me wrong, I am not suggesting that you know the world should be ALWAYS at peace blah blah blah, I'm not that naive.

That's not happening anytime soon...(Source)

But where we should be making things easier, we complicate them further. An accidental scratch on someone's car becomes the cause for a full on MMA fight. I'm watching things escalate too quickly and it's laughable for the most part. Like, Seriously?

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And I think this happens more during the frustrating times, like on a hot summer day, or a rainy day with no sunlight. You can clearly see these people with their misplaced anger shouting at the unfortunate person on the receiving side of the battle.

As humans, we've lost the primal instinct of "giving a damn" or in other words, caring about someone other than yourself. Regardless of caste, creed, job title, status, hierarchy, etc., as human beings, we should be more considerate to the feelings of others. The world is so beyond us now that we can't figure out which beggar is "real" and which one is just a front for a major drug scheme.

(Source) Hmmm.....

So in this topsy turvy environment, one thing we can do is become caring without expectation. Not like "Nooo he didn't do that for me", or "there's no way she'll be able to top that! So why should I go the extra mile?" Do it! Not for yourself, or the other person, but for someone else who will be watching. People do learn by watching you know. Especially the young ones. Let there be more good in this world, there are enough of those who want to blow it up. Let's live together, cohabit, coexist.

Don't make me shake good sense into you!

Some (many) may think this post is too out there. Guess what? This is my rant and I don't care if you don't find it appealing. I'm just tired of people with their "me time". Get some "we time" in there too for Dumbledore's sake. You didn't fall out of the sky to be "unique". You're ONE OF US.

Even cats and dogs can do things together!

Stay Awesome \m/

Social etiquette of the 21st Century

As a society, we are bound to evolve. With the introduction of new technology, and it's constant evolution, the way we interact with each other has also changed overtime. Communication has many routes now, most of them being digital. And we have adapted to this change quite well.

The majority of 90's kids have experienced the advent of the telephone (in India), TVs getting thinner and school bags getting heavier. We saw the old phones, which had a wheel on them, then moved on to a key-pad system and then the 'cordless' phones. We can see that the cordless was the harbinger of the mobile phones we extensively use today.
So most of us (90's kids) remember that we had systems of missed calls, even before caller id's were in use, to signal a certain person's call. We've seen the God of all phones, Nokia's initial range of mobiles, and the games in it; most of us have played on it for hours, because the battery never ran out.

We have the front seat to this show and it hasn't ended yet.

As technology found it's way into our everyday lives, the way we handled things changed a great deal. So much so, that now you can even WhatsApp (btw, this word is a verb now) your kabaadi to buy newspapers from you.
 
So here's a quick observation on how I've seen the scenario change; some of these moves may result in social suicide in the Digital Age:-

*Disclaimer- Some things have been exaggerated for dramatic effect, please respond accordingly.*

1) Replying with "K" is generally an invite to getting blocked or never getting a message again.

Source Yeah K.

2) If you're talking to a person in real life, still you keep texting another person, be assured the former will get pissed off at you. This is really rude. Don't text someone else while talking to another in person. Please.

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This has an explanation though (sometimes). I've done this to avoid talking to people. Sorry.

Sorry. (Source)

3)Incessantly texting someone, even after you can see they are busy otherwise. No.

4)Tagging in really stupid group photos when you're not even there. Huh.

5)*Purely personal* Using any type of wrong usage of a language, not restricted to English. Please read a grammar book.

*Burns with anger*

6) Texting in only emoticons/emojis. This confuses me a lot because I don't know what you're saying since most of the emojis have no damn relation to what you're saying. Please type something, you won't die from that.

You're not this cat. I hope. (Source)

7)*Another Purely personal* People who post ambiguous statuses, photos, etc. (FB, Insta, etc.). To quote the great Justin Bieber, WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

8) Game invites. I'm guilty of these (in the days of yore), and I literally thanked the lord the day I read a post about how not to get them. Saved brain cells.

9) When people don't add any details to a photo you post on Insta/ FB. What am I supposed to understand?

Umm what? (Source)

10)When you type "Hi" or "Hey" and then don't reply for a 100 years. That's all you had to say huh?


In that case,

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That's all for now!

Stay Awesome \m/

11th of the Month special - Pranav Kumar, "Not JUST a designer".

Hello peeps of the internet!

   People who know me know that I have the utmost respect for those who work in the creative fields, like writing, painting, etc. So when it comes to someone who is harnessing technology to put forth a much more visually appealing presentation, a modern twist to normal designing, I was eager to find out more. By sheer happenstance I made a friend on Facebook a year ago, who is a brilliant graphic designer.
You might have seen a lot of memes floating around the internet on several occasions, have you ever thought who made them? Who gave a thought the platform to manifest?

Meet Pranav Kumar, a 21 year old Delhi-ite, currently studying B.Tech Computer Science at SRM University Chennai, who in a year's time has amassed over 12 thousand likes on his page on Facebook, titled - "Minimalistic Soul".

"Less in more"

His passion for designing had a rather comic beginning. Pranav says that "I started designing because my camera was broken and I was bored. I didn't know about Photoshop or designing before I joined college". His journey started when a senior of his Srijan Sharma, who is also the CEO of 365 Degrees, took time to explain to him about the various tools of Photoshop. Rest of his knowledge he attributes to YouTube videos and constant practice. A website he finds inspiring is The Minimalist.

 After dabbling for around 7-8 months, he created Minimalistic Soul in 2015, his page on Facebook, to reach out to a wider audience for his work. In his words, graphic designing is "a way to express one's thoughts, emotions or even to convey the message." When asked about his first success as a designer, he considers a feature piece in Indiatimes online published in April 2015 to be a milestone. You can check it out here. Over the course of more than a year, he has managed to create a fan base of more than 10,000 people, and attributes his progress to the constant criticism he receives from the people on his page.In August 2015, he decided to take his initiative further and now through his website he offers a variety of designing services. 

   Along with creating cool designs himself, Pranav is also active in teaching others to do the same. He has taught in Graphic designing workshops under 365 Degrees' initiative, Mirus. It focuses on organizing creative sessions in colleges to help students understand different creative domains. Pranav says the experience was particularly nostalgic for him, as it brought back memories of the times he was first introduced to the world of graphic designing. This helped him to understand the students better and teach accordingly. 
Apart from being a funny guy and designing cool stuff, Pranav is also an avid photographer and keyboardist.

As a message for aspiring graphic designers, Pranav says -
"If you're reading this and you're really trying to enter the world of graphic designing, Beware.
Those who are about to start I salute you :') 
P.S. Have a lot of patience. Rome wasn't built in a day."

Here's wishing Pranav all the best for the future!

Stay awesome \m/

P.S - (This post is a super special one as this is my first attempt at an interview. Feedback is most welcome!)

Check out Pranav's blog here to know more.
Follow him on Twitter! - @gareeb_designer
Connect on Facebook - Pranav Kumar

Get a life!

Disclaimer-This will be a weird (sentimental) post for some.

So my dad’s sitting, looking through some of his old documents; job appointment letters, blood donation certificates, even his first salary slip! (Btw it was 750 rupees. Just wow.) That’s when he found a file with my brother’s old report cards in it. (Note: My brother has always been good with grades, and I have been average. Shocker) A few days ago, I surfed through my old school pictures and report cards. And it dawned on me that I remember very little of what all was in those photos. Though I am sure my parents would remember most of it.

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Someday, I’ll be in the same position as them. Looking through old things; finding my old documents. Pictures from my school and college farewells will bring back memories of that stick thin girl. Certificates of dance performances; and the feeling of euphoria that came with winning competitions. My first internship certificate, even my CV! And I’ll look misty eyed and stare in the distance thinking, “Life has been so great!”

Truth be told, I had a lukewarm childhood, and my teenage years, not so thrilling; so the real fun I’m having is now and in all probability for all my coming life. I’m basing all my plans on having as much fun as possible. It’s been going on pretty well with this protocol. In the last year, I did more stuff than I’d done during my three years of graduation. I went to Jaipur Literature Festival; spent a gala time during my internship in Mumbai (learned a LOT); and then to end the year, another awesome experience with the Mood Indigo fest (Best Time Ever)! That’s my one year’s worth of memories when I decided I was going to live.

I saw Vir Das live!

There are enough shitty people around you to bum you out, so you just have to ignore all that and focus on the real stuff, the experiences, the memories; because when you’re eighty years old and clinging to a box of medicines to keep you alive, this treasure trove of memories is what’s going to give you the satisfaction of a life well lived before the time had passed. You can earn all the money you want and spend it on luxurious dinners in your 30s, but you won’t ever have the pure fun of having plain 20 rupees idli sambar at 6 in the morning after having stayed up all night chatting about random stuff with people you’ve just met 3 days ago.

Life is unpredictable, and not always fun; but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. Go out and do something! Live! You’re not going to be here that long, might as well enjoy it while it lasts.

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And Stay Awesome \m/

Wandering

I drift away like a leaf in the river. And I like it. I am a wisp of cotton, riding on the wings of the wind and going God knows where... But this wandering is what keeps me alive. I was never built for routine. Randomness is what keeps me going.

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Many people like me are not as lucky as I am, and there are many who are much more fortunate than I am. The choices you can make in your life without having to face any questions or restrictions are truly yours. But there is a cost which comes with them. If you succeed, well and good. But if you fail, you have no one to blame but yourself and the people around you will make sure you blame yourself to the point of self destruction.

So what's the point?

I have always valued failure more than success because to succeed is final. But when you fail, you know that there is something more to be done. And then life goes on. A purpose to exist is always at hand when you have a few failures in life.

Even drifting aimlessly has its perks. You are able to weave an unimaginable pattern, because you don't know how it ends. So you won't know until you are over and then the pattern will be complete. And because you won't be finished, the pattern will always go on, as does life.

The journey is what makes life all the more awesome. Reaching the destination just to set out again. A respite from the voyage. But ultimately we all need to pack and leave for the next place. We the Wanderers.

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Stay Awesome \m/

11

It seems like a pretty cool number; looks like two skinny people standing, a couple. 

In sports, there are eleven team members in soccer (football, if you’re British), cricket, and hockey.

In Hollywood, three films -- Ben-Hur (1959), Titanic (1997), and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) -- have each won 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture of their respective years.

On the Flag of Canada, the maple leaf has eleven points.

It is so important that it has its own Wikipedia page!

Of course all of this information is irrelevant to why I am talking about it now. Or is it? Hmmm...

This New Year has been great, but not on this blog. Also, I have had a poor blog performance which I will try to better this year. The question was, how do I do that?

After randomly ranting yesterday, I figured, “Well, 11 seems a pretty good day to do stuff, why not write something on the 11^th of every month!”

So here’s the deal, every 11^th of every month, there will be a mandatory new post on this blog. Whoever reads it will get... I don’t know what. But I’ll try to make the posts interesting and read-worthy.

This obviously doesn’t mean that there won’t be posts on other days, but they will count as bonus!

One more 11 fact – I am 22, which is 11 x 2!  Teehee  

Kthnxbye

Stay awesome \m/

An Essay on Selflessness and the Poison called ‘Anger’

What is happiness?

Some find it in the way they look in a certain dress, some find it in the sky and the beauty of nature, but some people find joy in the happiness of others. Being selflessly there for someone just because your presence matters to them even a little bit brings happiness to these wonderful people. I am happy to say that I am one of these people. I may be selfish in some aspects and kind of on this front as well. I get happy when the people I care about are happy, that’s a bit selfish, I guess.

And this is why I am baffled when people act all high and mighty in comparison to others. I recently observed the people around me have this type of an attitude; where they would choose to skip a gathering just because they were either snubbed or are still angry about something which may or may not have actually happened with the invitees. Long story short, these people don’t show up for important functions and the hosts are left feeling morose.

I have a question for these people. What do you think you’ll achieve by doing such a thing? Who do you think looks bad after such an event takes place? The one who is taking ‘revenge’ or the one who is waiting for your arrival like a child waits for its parents in the evening. I hope most of you would think the first one would be the most stupidly selfish person.

Is anger really that important? Have you not learned that all of life is an act of letting go? Here, I must clarify – I am against forgetting exceptionally devilish acts which cause irreparable damage. But one must consider the consequences of holding on to one’s anger for a ridiculously long amount of time. I for one cannot stay angry at a person for long. It is a useless toxic emotion which should be kicked out from the soul as soon as possible.  Happiness is what I strive for; it will always be my ultimate goal. With you, or without you.

So here’s the bottom line – You will never benefit from snubbing someone else in return, because you will keep the stupid hate cycle going, which is good for nobody. So get up and go make up with that friend, relative, companion, colleague, or anybody else who is mad at you, or vice versa.   

  

And please, always try and be there for someone who cares for you and will have even a little bit of joy in their lives if you’re there.  You’ll feel awesome doing that, trust me.

Stay awesome \m/

The Great Indian Food Feat

There isn't a spelling mistake in the title. It is a feat to eat food in the traditional Indian manner. I don't know about others, but for me it is so.

In India, there may be weddings, birthdays or funeral wakes; food is always present. It is considered an essential part of the whole event. Especially in Maharashtrian households, a plate filled with food is very important.

In our culture, the ‘pangat’ system is where people sit in a line with their plates filled in a systematic manner. Rules are very rigid, though people improvise nowadays. Growing up in a foodie household, I was made aware that the system of everyone sitting down and eating is an integral part of any special event.

Be it a birthday, wedding or even after a funeral, people sat on the ground to eat food in strategically placed dishes in plates. We can find parallels in almost every other culture in the country as well.

Sadly, for me this practice of eating is almost always embarrassing; because it’s is a herculean task to finish the first serving on the plate and I almost never get second servings (unless they are forced on the plate). And since I am skinny, I am force fed.

So. Much. Food.

I learned the technique of firmly saying no from my experiences of eating in pangats.

It's not like this.

It. Is. This.

As the years went by, I started devising certain tactics to not be left red-faced. So here are my tips to survive an Indian style food fest! -

1)Finish the big things with the small things combined. For instance, eat the rice with the chutney. Salad with veggies and roti.

2)    If you can’t finish your sweets, eat them before anything else.

3)    Compartmentalize. Strategise what you will finish first, leave no dish behind!

4)    If you think you can eat more, only then ask for a second serving.

5)    You only get 20-30 minutes maximum to consume your food, use them wisely.

6)    Worst strategy told by elders is to swallow the food with water. Don’t gulp food with water; it will only fill up your stomach. You know what, just don’t drink any water until your plate is clean.

7)    You need to practice the biggest hand gesture you can make and the most sincere expression of having a full stomach if you want to avoid those pesky requests of “please have some more”.

8)    Sit next to a close relative who, if need be, will help by taking some stuff off your plate.

Hey dude, take some food off my plate. PLEASE.

Let my experience help someone!

In other words,

Stay Awesome \m/

(Gifs from www.giphy.com ; Images from Google)

The Art of Conversing

As human beings, the most important thing we socially do is talking. We talk whenever and wherever with whomever we feel like sharing words. So much so that people don't care what time it is, where they are.. they will TALK. I had this realization when I was stuck in a local for about 2 hours in the ladies compartment at 5 in the morning (A.M.!!). Enough said.

A person has to learn two things in the beginning of his life. One of them is talking. It is such an integral part of human life that there are actual professions related to talking.

 As far as the art of conversation goes; some are good at it, and some... well, need practice. A lot of it. In the skill of keeping a conversation going , an important part is learning how to shut up. Most people know how to start talking, but few know when to stop. It becomes like that cup which keeps on being filled in, even after it starts overflowing. And as you can assume, it's not a pretty sight. These conversations take such weird turns that you yourself will have no idea how you got there. One minute you are talking about chocolate, the next you'll find yourself debating over which politician is more corrupt. How friendly discussions change into verbal fights is beyond my comprehension. But having seen some of these incidents, has brought to light the sole reason of this travesty. The art of shutting up when you know it is pointless to argue evades most people. Hence the arguments augment and tempers flare, and then you find yourself witnessing a full-fledged "War of Words". 

Please. Stop.

If like me, you find yourself in such a sticky situation, ask yourself, "Is it worth the amount of breath that will be lost for this pointless discussion?" If not, then it is nothing less than intelligent to bow out of such a conversation. Winning is not always everything.

Stay Awesome \m/

All gifs from :-
http://giphy.com/

Heartbreak Express.

While the world is celebrating the month of love, some people are getting their hearts broken...

So, this one is dedicated to all you sad people.

Get a grip on yourself.

I know I sound pretty harsh, but just listen.

Letting go and moving on from someone is probably the hardest thing in life. It’s not just difficult because you lose someone, but because you also lose the sweetness in those memories of times spent together. Sure, things didn't go the way you wanted, but there were good times too right? This is probably why it is even harder to let go.

 So what do you do in such a situation?

Most people tend to try and patch things up. There can be two reasons for this. First, you are “actually” in love with that person, and can’t let go because it’s wrong to do so. Second, you are “habitual” of that person being in your life, so a sudden change like this leaves you harrowed and distraught.

If the first reason is true for you, by all means, go get em! But, if yours is reason number two, I urge you, move on. As habits can be formed, they can be broken too.

So how did you get into this mess?

Most people have heard about this phenomenon called “beer-goggles”, where you are so intoxicated, everything starts looking all rosy. Similarly, one can experience “love-goggles” when entering a new relationship. You keep ignoring all the warning signs, every little quirk looks cute to you. Mind you, you are in for a hell of a ride! Because as soon as the ‘honeymoon period’ of the relationship is over, you’ll start getting irritated by all the cutesy things your girlfriend/boyfriend did. For instance, you liked her laugh, it was eccentric... but now, you even can’t stand it for a few moments. You laughed when your boyfriend acted dumb when you first started dating? You probably hate him being always like that now...

Is love enough?

Every wrong relationship in this world has an end, but some choose to suffer, thinking that ‘love’ is the most important thing, but it isn't. The world feeds us so much crap about “happily ever after”; that people just latch on to one person and think yeah, this is IT. There is SO much more to a relationship than just love: - trust, understanding, caring, friendship, personal boundaries; and the most important – respect and happiness! Why would you come into a relationship in the first place if it didn't make you happy?

It is absolutely true that when a person first falls for someone, it’s for their appearance. But it is also equally true that “Beauty attracts the eye, but personality captures the heart”. So to say that one must not be dazzled by the vessel, but try and find out what’s inside would be an apt warning.

In the end, every wrong equation must be resolved, every wrinkle straightened. If it means to end the relationship, so be it. Do not be disheartened by this loss, look at it like a life experience. Your life never depends on another person anyways, you are free to do what you want, feel what you want, and be what you want. And you never know, love might just be waiting for you around the corner ;)

I’m kidding, the world is round. You need to find that love in yourself first, and then you may find someone who will love you for who you really are. Besides, you weren't born committed, right?

Stay Awesome \m/

(All gifs from google images)

Seinfeld

Seinfeld, a sitcom which ran from 1989-1998. I was born in 1993, so technically I haven't seen even one of the original runs on TV (because I was like 5 years old :P ).

So I started seeing this series when it came on TV, as re-runs. The earliest I remember seeing this sitcom is in around 3rd grade, and I didn't quite understand it then. But as the years progressed, I fell in love with this series. So here is why I love Seinfeld.

1. The general theme of the sitcom.

It isn't gloomy, action based, or dramatic. It's just balanced. And the fact that the direst of situations are laughed off so easily, is what makes me adore this series. The sheer ridiculousness of this series is hilarious!

2. The character eccentricities.

Probably the funniest bunch of people, with the quirkiest characters!
Kramer, George, Jerry, and Elaine. Such an awesome chemistry!
There isn't a more quirkier character alive, than of Cosmo Kramer.
There isn't a pathetically funny character than George Costanza.
The sheer energy of Elaine Benes is electrifying! She portrays the quintessentially humourous woman. I just love her!
And of course, there is no one more witty and humourous than Jerry Seinfeld.
Period.

The soda-bottle glasses. Funniest ever!

3. This show is almost always, politically correct.

The most awesome thing about this sitcom is that I have almost never felt that they have misrepresented any ethnicity. They might have squeezed in a few jokes or two, but its pure comedy at its best!
Overall, I have found it to be a very progressive series.


4. Comic timing.

Now I know, that this is probably the most obvious thing ever, but it is brilliant and cannot be missed!
This series provides all kinds of laughs possible, and at times its so ridiculously funny, you will laugh while jumping out of your seats!

5. The parents.

The bits in which any parents of the four primary cast members are included, that episode is bound to be funny. And the bonus is, they act pretty much like Indian parents! : ) )

'dimag to thik hai tera!'

6. The fashion

There are some of the most funny pieces of fashion I have witnessed in Seinfeld.
For example:


The Urban Sombrero.

Elaine's dress.

The pimp costume.

7. The dialogues.

This series has some of the funniest dialogues I have ever come across. 

Maybe the dingo ate your baby!

Aaaaaand I'm done. I gotta watch it more.

                                       

I just love Seinfeld!!