When does something starts to be uncool?

We spend most of our time asking ourselves if we are doing the right thing. Am I wearing the right spects(glasses)? Am I staying in the right part of the city? Have we admitted our child to the right school?. Everyone wants to be “cool”. But what exactly is “COOL”? It’s very difficult if we can find a definition but it’s a kind of a magical word. Having an i-phone is cool but using a Nokia 1100 is not. Check-in to a pub with friends  is cool but reading in a library is not. Once you define it, it isn't cool anymore. Cool is something which is effortlessly unconventional. Something which is against the mainstream.

There is very thin line between cool and classic. Most of the classic things like drinking a 200 year old wine or riding a Royal Enfield is weighed as cool. This is contradictory to the definition; something common is no longer cool. Degree of coolness of something can be measured by how much it has deviated from the mainstream or how well it is aligned to the trend. Mathematically it can be put as:

Coolness= Perceived Results / Hidden Effort

Traditionally here are few things to note to sound/act  cool:

Brunch: Having a breakfast and then lunch is a waste of time as well as money. On a Sunday morning when u wake up late and check in for a Brunch.

In between office breaks: Try to talk intellectual even though you don’t have any idea of the topic. Be a good listener, oppose ideas, comply with people, talk on models, create non-existent theory, be brave!

Don’t shave: Avoid Trimming for a month. Get the right look.

Smoke: Cigarettes are classic cool symbols with association with cowboy images.Addiction is not. Go for Hookah!

Don’t buy a DSLR:  DSLR was once marked as supreme object of coolness. I repeat ‘was’! Instead buy a selfie stick.

Coolness is a transient state. Every age group, demographic group, social class has its own status symbol to differentiate between the mainstream and the non-conventional.

Human mind is trained to become systematic with age and responsibility. If at any moment one feels of doing a routine life, it might be symptoms of start to a superior form of dumbness. Coolness is finding peace in chaos. With settled life there is no randomness meaning Uncool and boredom. Time to surprise yourself!

Remember: Cool people don’t do different things, they do things differently!

A Tribute To My Love...

When I woke up, I realized I was going to be late. The alarm clock has betrayed me since ages. I rushed to the bathroom, to find the last drops of water dripping. Getting two quick mugs of water with lifebouy, I was already fresh for the day.

I quickly rushed through the narrow corridors, to the main road and reached Ammu’s Maggi center. 

The place which was crowded like the metro station at Rajiv chawk had a deserted look. This was ominous. I rubbed my eyes in hallucination to make sure yesterday’s shot’s weren't taking hold of me.

Far from distant I saw a lanky fellow approaching.  There was a sense of joy. It was Ammu chacha, with Maggie packet’s I thought. My stomach echoing with hunger. As he came nearer I saw a deeply saddened face. He handed over the newspaper to me. There was something fishy. With heavy heart I read the headline (in bold letters) “Maggi is Banned!”

For a moment I stood there, speechless and stunned! This was the first time I felt a pang, my love was no more.

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Twenty years ago there was revolution in food eating habits among Indian. People now not only gave importance to lunch and dinner they also started giving importance to breakfast and snacks. A series of events gave rise to entry of western food habits into the society. While Corn flakes led the breakfast for the health conscious people, Maggie made a ‘dabang’ entry to the Indian market. The brand took over like a hurricane as the choicest snack in the country on the verge of being declared as “ National staple food ”.

Why Maggi will always be close to our heart?  

        

We called her Maggi. She was curly and smooth. From grandpa to Sabita aunty’s youngest son, she was a household name for everyone. Though she would produce some odourful gases out of our stomach (sometimes), yet it gave us lot of memories to cheer.

• Universal snack : Experiments always worked. Add anything with her  to come out with different recipe every time. From eggs to Haldiram’s mixtures, until one adds sambar & chutney , it tastes good. Thus is a universal acceptor of all food. 
• Never disappoints, while other snack have a probability of becoming salty, too spicy, Maggi never changes its mood. Always as ever green as Hema malini.
• Very handy for lazy housewife’s. If you don’t have any vegetable at home Maggi comes as a savior. Easy to make, less time. Feel bored, feed Maggi!!!
•   Cooking her was like an internship to many who were looking to come into the profession of cooking. 
•  A great companion of many students from years to keep them awake through the night before the exams.

Aftermaths of Maggi Menace :

The maggi ban has raised lots of eyebrows among the economist. This ban would lead ( Not referring to actual LEAD content ) to higher prices of  it’s competitors like Pasta and Ram dev’s noodles.

Pasta being a carb-dominated desi diet divided between wheat and rice it will ranks alongside noodles as the alternative to chapati and chawal. Italian might be the new Chinese. While Ram-dev’s noodles might just use this opportunity to imping itself into the market.

The Ban would also bring business innovations. Maggi is a key menu in lots of food stalls including college canteens. Non availability of a prime resource would decline the monthly inflow of cash which might result in innovative solutions. Most optimistically it would be a ‘Make in India’.

Tributes :

Thus, every time you feel hungry there will be desperation and frustration. The thought of Maggie not being a part of your day would hamper your work. The students would sleep early before the exams hence leading to lesser average cgpa per class. Cooking won’t be easy for the beginners. There would be lot of micro level changes, the world will see. Though brands like Yippe are still an alternative but we won’t forget her easily. It will be like the tragic breakup with your school girlfriend after staying in a long relationship. This day I urge everyone to give a small tribute to her. Let’s have a two minute silence for our beloved ‘MAGGI’. May her soul rest in peace!! (Till it reincarnates!)

EVERYDAY I WANT TO FLY

“Everyday i want to fly, stay by my side, Everyday i want to dream, stay by my side, Every morning i wish i could just play, Wish the mornings would just stay.... Everyday i want to fly, stay by my side, Everyday i want to dream, stay.....by my side …”

Last night I was going through this Vodafone advertisement. Though it was nicely composed at the same time it meant a lot. Being a child is the best period one has in his life time. Hence, this one is for all the ideas (bizarre!!) and ambitions I had, will be having in the future.

As a child I had a series of dreams. Every day I woke up to dream new and big. Initially,(even when I was not able to pronounce properly) I decided to become a Soldier(in the ARMY).There was a very funny thing about being a soldier. Whenever people asked me “what you want to become” my answer gave me a proud feeling and make others happy too. And thus (might be) I used to repeat it again and again. I wanted to fly big, fight, jump as well as throw the grantees. My love was not towards the country but to fire the gun and all the action!!

As I grew, got exposed to movies, dance shows (Boogie Woogie-) thanks to my school functions- I started wishing to be a dancer. I was a good dancer (WAS!!). However, as time went by, I almost forgot about being it! My love wasn’t to dance professionally, maybe I was trying to impress the audience (in particular). As time passed –thanks to my school friends, we used to play a lot of cricket. India out beating England in England produced many cricket lovers including me. This was the time when Lt. Col Dhoni was literally enjoying his college days in Ranchi when I thought of being like him. Now he is practicing with the Indian cricket team and I am writing this!! Well, I was a good wicketkeeper-batsman (as said by friends :p), however, my quest for striving hard was only till the district level. Maybe we decide to play safe rather than play for a living(where even the “gawd”(Sachin) is questionable!!).

Anyways I entered the science stream by 12th standard I was pretty sure to become an engineer (as usual). Thus, eliminating all other (Wannabe) options. As I joined as a computer science engineer, hoping one day to get placed in software giants like Microsoft, Google(Facebook hadn’t started!).Maybe the handsome package attracted me, but in one year I was pretty sure that software stuff weren’t made for me. Thus the only dream of doing practical manipulations attracted me to be a mechanical engineer. After getting into this subject I realized(in true sense!) that this was exactly what I wanted to do. This is my field and I love this subject. Suddenly the subject which was certainly not my first choice seemed like the best choice.

In the second year I thought of going for Civil services, the dream fainted in a year! I started looking for other options, used the so-called pseudo selective technique. As per this I just had to eliminate options first so that I am left with fewer ones. MBA was not my cup of tea from many opportunities I eliminated at least one (Eureka!!)

Later I realized that I want to go for a master's degree. Many factors and people influenced this decision. Finally, I convinced myself that this was what I have to do. I wrote the exam, qualified and got one good institute. I am continuing my masters now. I got everything I was looking for. Everything was going good until one big question came back again “what do I want to become next?”, I still have some options left.

I am still in the process of dreaming, accomplishing them, breaking them and dreaming again. If one asks me what I wanted to be I would certainly say it was never the army officer, the dancer, the cricketer, the administrator, I just wanted to dream. Dream big and high. I have raised them. They are my source of looking forward. They ignite me.

In fact, I was always living my dream. Some people always wait to fulfill their dreams and dream again. We all are lucky enough because I think people who don’t know what they want to be are more enthusiastic then people who know what they will become. We people have the excitement in life, the privilege of choosing whatever and whenever we want. The very beauty of uncertainty and risk engulf us of making our life interesting. The end is inevitable but for that end why ruin our present? I feel lucky because every day I wake up I have a dream for myself, sometimes bigger sometimes less.

PS:-the object/names/incidents/dreams mentioned can be imaginary and has nothing to do with reality.

WHOM TO DATE THIS VALENTINE?

• The Monk who sold everything except his ferrari:

He will be calm and composed. Tends to keep body and soul together , away from earthly pleasures. He gives a cockroach shit to what people think and do. Will either give you a divine expression or take you for a walk into the nature every time you ask for a date. There is always the risk that your birthday might be forgotten, but what’s a birthday in the otherwise vast ocean of the blissful  time you spend together?

• The Sutta-man:

Belives in:Live and let live! Seriously a big time poser. Doesn't involve in Rahul-Modi debates –liberal thoughts. Wears cool, talks cool however has that khap panchayat attitude deep inside him.Hollywood addict and the 'Game of Thrones' lover. Won’t let you hear/watch romantic video’s in YouTube-A bob Marley fan as always. Risks of carrying that filthy half burn’t smell every time you go close .Compensates sutta for breakfast-lunch-dinner , may also make you do so.

• The Intellectual geeks:

 Wears glasses. Looks intellectual, might not be! Knows a lots, shares a lot.Ready to eat anything from Pampad curry to chips with jam and ask for more. Might poke his eyes on other pretty girls. Talks-argues –imposes views , the arnab goswami type. Pre-decides the time to be spent,the topic of discussion, the items to eat before going for a date .Does lot of calculations before buying a gift.

• The Dostana typos:

Most guys wont talk to you . He will keep you busy gossiping. They pretend to be interested-illusionist.He will ask you questions and suggest solutions. Has the similar thought process. Very difficult in identifying .Risk of periodic break up’s-even before valentine’s day because of some other GUY.

• The BackPackers :

Traveller's , seeks adventure, nomadic. He never wants to settle. End of one goal is beginning of the other.Try's different things, takes risk.When you ask him for a honeymoon, he will pack the bag for you and make you treak some distant place- top of himalaya.He will hold your hand and talk through the night, watching the silver clouds pass through twinkling stars. Basically, they are the Ranbir kapoor of Yeh jawani hai diwani.