We all have grown up with fairy tales, of beautiful princesses being rescued from fiery dragons, and handsome, and amazing men astride horses whisking them away into the sunset. And somewhere we have laughed with them, cried with them, yearned with them, and grown up believing that one day our Prince Charming will come, if not on a white steed, then in a shiny new white car, and whisk us away into a sunset where there will be champagne, roses, and a sparkling wedding ring waiting for us.
Life however is the rude awakening that you need to fight a lot of dragons yourself, and Prince Charming, can turn into not so charming very very quickly. It could be that Prince Charming is a commitment-phobe, or along the way he turned into Shrek with balding hair, pot belly and an OCD. Or maybe Prince Charming never left mum’s apron strings, or horror of horrors, fell in love with many more Disney Princesses and forgot to tell you about it. In the latest ‘Sex and the City’, Sarah Jessica Parker tells Miranda’s daughter that fairy tales don’t always end at the wedding altar. And I believe her, because today’s fairy tales can’t end with Prince Charming taking you to the Disney castle. In today’s fairy tale even if Prince charming stays Charming, life will have lots of dishwasher and washing machine rinses, mortgages, in laws from hell and maybe you need to roll up your sleeves and go and fight some dragons while Prince Charming studies for an MBA, or goes on a year long sabbatical to find himself. I have often found myself telling single friends, “A man is not a meal plan, he probably needs you to do the Mother India routine (saath saath hal chalana) before he decides you really are the Princess he is looking for.”
But more on that topic later, if we could rewrite fairy tales our way, and what’s the point of it being a fairy tale if you can’t re-write it, then here is my pick of what I’d like to be reading:
Little Red Riding Hood:
Little Red Riding Hood met the Big Bad wolf, chemistry happened and she lost her innocence to him. They cleaned out Grandma’s house, packed a few muffins and became highway robbers in the deep dark forest. In the end, they started a bordello and a poker joint and lived happily ever after!
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves:
Snow White and the dwarves got bored of keeping house in the forest. They trumped the wicked witch, force fed her the poisoned apple, and then started an act with ummm Snow White and the Dwarves getting it on. Showbiz loved them and they made it to all the porn mags and Japanese Manga comics, tipping Dita Von Teese off her pedestal.
The Little Mermaid:
While the little mermaid did get a crush on the sailor aka charming; she did a rethink before she drank the magic potion to make her lose her voice and gain some legs etc. Instead she ditched the Prince, took over her dad’s whole empire of the sea, and kept a harem of mermen, and octopi for herself. What she did with the octopi is censored and this is a PG13 blog!!!!!!!!
Cinderella
This is actually a happy story because once Prince Charming’s trust fund ran out and the ugly sisters decamped with the rest of the cash, Cinderella’s business acumen got into gear. She and her husband started a business cleaning people’s chimneys and helping women find ‘just the right shoe to fit’, both of which for reasons of their expertise were a roaring success.
The Three Little Pigs
Ok finally the three little pigs decided to come out of the closet, and admit that they were totally not into sows etc. Which was actually the reason why their mother threw them out. Instead they formed their own musical band called, “Straw, wood and brick”, and Mr.Wolf became their manager. They made loads of money, and actually opted for a building in steel and glass, with sensors and screens to keep all the strangers out.
More on the fairy tales next time. Oh by the way, at the risk of sounding incredibly cruel and mean, I need to add this last modern fairy tale as a footnote to the post.
Brangelina
I know they aren’t a fairy tale and real people, but let’s pretend that in a hundred years from now they will be one. So, in the end, by the time Angelina had been pregnant for the fifth time, and had a set of triplets, Brad woke up to this multicultural brood in his house and found kids he didn’t remember names of. That day, he packed his bags, and ran away while Angie was taking a trip to tattoo the last shred of skin on her body, and then attend the UN conference. That night Jennifer Aniston kissed her latest beau, opened a bottle of wine, cuddled up with her cat, and savoured the sweet revenge.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Modern Dating
Sometimes I think my life is actually a sitcom being directed by some powers above. And in this sitcom I play the role of the much married boring friend to various single women looking for love, lust, sex and romance. So my role is to play sounding board, though sometimes one also gets vicarious pleasure listening to the roller coaster ride called modern dating.
So what is modern dating?
It is usually online, because no one seems to be away from their laptops, computers and blackberry’s nowadays, so your only chance of finding a good man is online. What are all the offline men doing? They are usually gay or married…….or meeting people they met online.
There is safety in numbers, as the person you are usually chatting up, is definitely chatting up five other women at the same time. Please beware of the man who sends your mushy sms’s as forwards to the other women, that means not only is he a player, but he also has no brains, and is using yours to woo other women. So if you ever get your own sms back, you know what is happening.
There are now ways to read between the lines….here are some I have gleaned from my clutch of research material:
You are Special: I want to sleep with you, and then leave you. I do not love you. Please be clear on that.
I want to chat you up right now: Before my boss/ wife/ gf/ parents catch on
I am very free spirited: I sleep around…….only recommended after HIV testing.
You are so tame: I have a feeling you won’t put out.
So how come you don’t trust me to drop you home safe at 2 am in the morning?: If I am going to spend a few grand on you, and I don’t even get a feel of the goods, what’s the point?
Where are you right now and whom are you with?: In this era of multiple relationships I am sure you have a few other ‘special’ friends.
I see us going to a very beautiful place together: My bed or yours?
I am very non-judgmental: If we can ever do a threesome with your pretty friend, I will respect you both in the morning.
Let’s catch up online and on the phone before we meet: Because when we finally do meet, you will realize that the picture was photo-shopped and taken two years ago, and that I am two inches shorter than the profile said.
You need to loosen up girl: You need sex…and I am IT!
Sometimes you need to take a leap of faith: Its also called ‘willing suspension of disbelief’, please ignore all warning bells that ring in your head.
You may have kissed a lot of frogs, but you will know your prince when you see him: May I please go and puke somewhere???????????
The women’s point of view is that well, a few of these lines they are going to come across, as long as they can still read between them. The height of course is a friend who feels guilty when she dates other guys, and lies to the one she has been chatting with online. My concern is how can you feel guilty and accountable towards a man you have never met, and who lives in another city. That’s modern dating for you…its all in our heads, and fingers……………Vodafone, Airtel and Broadband services are laughing their way to the bank!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So what is modern dating?
It is usually online, because no one seems to be away from their laptops, computers and blackberry’s nowadays, so your only chance of finding a good man is online. What are all the offline men doing? They are usually gay or married…….or meeting people they met online.
There is safety in numbers, as the person you are usually chatting up, is definitely chatting up five other women at the same time. Please beware of the man who sends your mushy sms’s as forwards to the other women, that means not only is he a player, but he also has no brains, and is using yours to woo other women. So if you ever get your own sms back, you know what is happening.
There are now ways to read between the lines….here are some I have gleaned from my clutch of research material:
You are Special: I want to sleep with you, and then leave you. I do not love you. Please be clear on that.
I want to chat you up right now: Before my boss/ wife/ gf/ parents catch on
I am very free spirited: I sleep around…….only recommended after HIV testing.
You are so tame: I have a feeling you won’t put out.
So how come you don’t trust me to drop you home safe at 2 am in the morning?: If I am going to spend a few grand on you, and I don’t even get a feel of the goods, what’s the point?
Where are you right now and whom are you with?: In this era of multiple relationships I am sure you have a few other ‘special’ friends.
I see us going to a very beautiful place together: My bed or yours?
I am very non-judgmental: If we can ever do a threesome with your pretty friend, I will respect you both in the morning.
Let’s catch up online and on the phone before we meet: Because when we finally do meet, you will realize that the picture was photo-shopped and taken two years ago, and that I am two inches shorter than the profile said.
You need to loosen up girl: You need sex…and I am IT!
Sometimes you need to take a leap of faith: Its also called ‘willing suspension of disbelief’, please ignore all warning bells that ring in your head.
You may have kissed a lot of frogs, but you will know your prince when you see him: May I please go and puke somewhere???????????
The women’s point of view is that well, a few of these lines they are going to come across, as long as they can still read between them. The height of course is a friend who feels guilty when she dates other guys, and lies to the one she has been chatting with online. My concern is how can you feel guilty and accountable towards a man you have never met, and who lives in another city. That’s modern dating for you…its all in our heads, and fingers……………Vodafone, Airtel and Broadband services are laughing their way to the bank!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Vagina Dialogues
In a recent conversation with a friend over lunch, I got to hear that there is a research being conducted somewhere in the world, that while women get to be great multi-taskers, men will soon become redundant……in fact, while women will lead the pack when it comes to social, professional and financial heights, men will be reduced to only one good thing….f…ing!
And now the questions arises……….who the eff is going to fix the fused light bulb in my house if that is all my man is going to do? So when did we women evolve so much that we got to be too much for ourselves and our men? A magazine is screaming it’s headlines out on the stands asking, “How well do you know your vagina?”. Now seriously have you ever seen a men’s magazine asking, “How well do you know your penis?”, highly doubtful.
Maybe also, I don’t really want to know my vagina beyond a point. Maybe I’m quite satisfied and happy with the amorphous relationship I have with some parts of my body. And so maybe I’d like to ask, maybe we women have gone so overboard in our long hard race to the top that we have become like the enemy: Men!
Funnily, today all the interesting women I meet are divorced, separated or single. The married women, barring a few are usually quieter, more subdued and uninterested in growing beyond a point. The lunch also revealed a study that 70% of spouses walking out on their marriage today are women, not men; because they run out of patience faster and want more from life. Many people will take one look at me and say in dulcet tones, “Hey you look nice, you don’t look married!”. The inference being that once you are married, your spouse makes your life so miserable and unhappy between juggling home, career and kids, that you start growing horns on your head and look washed out, drab and ugly. So if marriage was supposed to enhance and complete, it becomes a restrictive prison from which women are supposed to break away, before they can look good, do well and enjoy life.
Maybe we need to re-examine all of this, because my head is quite in a whirl, and I really need my man to help fix my car!
And now the questions arises……….who the eff is going to fix the fused light bulb in my house if that is all my man is going to do? So when did we women evolve so much that we got to be too much for ourselves and our men? A magazine is screaming it’s headlines out on the stands asking, “How well do you know your vagina?”. Now seriously have you ever seen a men’s magazine asking, “How well do you know your penis?”, highly doubtful.
Maybe also, I don’t really want to know my vagina beyond a point. Maybe I’m quite satisfied and happy with the amorphous relationship I have with some parts of my body. And so maybe I’d like to ask, maybe we women have gone so overboard in our long hard race to the top that we have become like the enemy: Men!
Funnily, today all the interesting women I meet are divorced, separated or single. The married women, barring a few are usually quieter, more subdued and uninterested in growing beyond a point. The lunch also revealed a study that 70% of spouses walking out on their marriage today are women, not men; because they run out of patience faster and want more from life. Many people will take one look at me and say in dulcet tones, “Hey you look nice, you don’t look married!”. The inference being that once you are married, your spouse makes your life so miserable and unhappy between juggling home, career and kids, that you start growing horns on your head and look washed out, drab and ugly. So if marriage was supposed to enhance and complete, it becomes a restrictive prison from which women are supposed to break away, before they can look good, do well and enjoy life.
Maybe we need to re-examine all of this, because my head is quite in a whirl, and I really need my man to help fix my car!
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Dancing with the Dolphin
They say you shouldn’t get a tattoo, till it holds deep significance for you. My dolphin is an ode to the sea, to life, to the life I have seen under the sea, to my brother who is dancing among the dolphins, to happiness, freedom and love!
So how is the experience of getting a tattoo done? Not really as exotic as you would hope. My tattoo came not in some exotic shack in Goa or Ibiza, but in a tattoo parlour called Mike’s Place. Taking along a friend for comfort, hand holding, help in negotiation and courage, we reached there yesterday for a 5:30 pm appointment. In an extremely unusual and uncanny situation, a quiet balding man, sat in front of two sophisticated computers, and detailed out the intricacies of the sketches and the trade. The first half an hour was spent in commonplace decisions, which dolphin, which angle, which colour, how many square inches of skin would I give up to the needle and finally how much would it cost.
Once the exact angle and stencil was ready, a sweet gentle long haired guy led me to an antiseptic room with a quiet blue bed, very scary looking needles and a small TV. Believe me once you are lying down on that bed, and the stencil has been traced down on your skin, you are slowly reaching the point of no return. This is a deep commitment you are making. The tattoo artist asked me if I wanted to finally go ahead with it. Sometimes you develop a kinship with people, and this person had such a gentle look in his eyes, that I thought, “Ok, he is ok!”, and nodded my head.
So this is how it goes:
“May I please start?”, asks dreadlocks, and I look at my friend, who is looking at me nervously, not knowing what to say, and then slowly I nod my head.
The first touch of the needle is a gentle buzz, like a dipping laser light on my skin. And then the first flash of pain comes up. I gasp and then find, its not as bad as I thought it would be. So I nod at him and say, “Fine, I am fine, please go ahead.” And the etching starts. I refuse to look down at the needle piercing my skin. That’s because I am a visual person and when I look at things they start having more meaning for me. So I hold my friend’s hand tightly, and let him have a free hand on the canvas of my skin. The pain is intense at times, as exquisite tendrils of it vibrate through the ankle bone, and my nerve endings, sometimes it is a small nip and a buzz, sometimes it takes waves of it that shudder through me.
In the meantime my friend and I discuss shopping, clothes, men, a butterfly tattoo she would like to get done on her shoulder. Ironically the tattoo on the nakle bone is the most painful because the skin is the thinnest there. Like someone could have told me this earlier!
In the end, before I know it, the tattoo is over and there is a dolphin dancing on my ankle bone. And I do hope she will dance forever, at least till the ankle is there!
My husband, my son and mother are still recovering, a friend has threatened to go get a shark tattoo on an undisclosed location just to bug me, while some others are, “You know, we never thought of you as a tattoo person.” Well, like I read in some ancient temple tome, “You are endless galaxies and you have seen but one star!”
So how is the experience of getting a tattoo done? Not really as exotic as you would hope. My tattoo came not in some exotic shack in Goa or Ibiza, but in a tattoo parlour called Mike’s Place. Taking along a friend for comfort, hand holding, help in negotiation and courage, we reached there yesterday for a 5:30 pm appointment. In an extremely unusual and uncanny situation, a quiet balding man, sat in front of two sophisticated computers, and detailed out the intricacies of the sketches and the trade. The first half an hour was spent in commonplace decisions, which dolphin, which angle, which colour, how many square inches of skin would I give up to the needle and finally how much would it cost.
Once the exact angle and stencil was ready, a sweet gentle long haired guy led me to an antiseptic room with a quiet blue bed, very scary looking needles and a small TV. Believe me once you are lying down on that bed, and the stencil has been traced down on your skin, you are slowly reaching the point of no return. This is a deep commitment you are making. The tattoo artist asked me if I wanted to finally go ahead with it. Sometimes you develop a kinship with people, and this person had such a gentle look in his eyes, that I thought, “Ok, he is ok!”, and nodded my head.
So this is how it goes:
“May I please start?”, asks dreadlocks, and I look at my friend, who is looking at me nervously, not knowing what to say, and then slowly I nod my head.
The first touch of the needle is a gentle buzz, like a dipping laser light on my skin. And then the first flash of pain comes up. I gasp and then find, its not as bad as I thought it would be. So I nod at him and say, “Fine, I am fine, please go ahead.” And the etching starts. I refuse to look down at the needle piercing my skin. That’s because I am a visual person and when I look at things they start having more meaning for me. So I hold my friend’s hand tightly, and let him have a free hand on the canvas of my skin. The pain is intense at times, as exquisite tendrils of it vibrate through the ankle bone, and my nerve endings, sometimes it is a small nip and a buzz, sometimes it takes waves of it that shudder through me.
In the meantime my friend and I discuss shopping, clothes, men, a butterfly tattoo she would like to get done on her shoulder. Ironically the tattoo on the nakle bone is the most painful because the skin is the thinnest there. Like someone could have told me this earlier!
In the end, before I know it, the tattoo is over and there is a dolphin dancing on my ankle bone. And I do hope she will dance forever, at least till the ankle is there!
My husband, my son and mother are still recovering, a friend has threatened to go get a shark tattoo on an undisclosed location just to bug me, while some others are, “You know, we never thought of you as a tattoo person.” Well, like I read in some ancient temple tome, “You are endless galaxies and you have seen but one star!”
Sunday, July 6, 2008
My Obituary
This is to announce the death of Ms. Sonali Sokhal, at age 45; in her stately mansion in Eros Garden, Charmwood Village, Faridabad. The cause of death, though still to be ascertained seems to be the result of ‘mindless consumerism’.
The founder of the Shopaholics Club Anonymous and lifetime shopping achievement award winner from both 1 MG and 2 MG road, Sonali Sokhal also held a job as a half-hearted PR consultant. The author of the ‘Ragpickers guide to a Galaxy of Shopping’, Sonali Sokhal, achieved instant stardom and fame with her one day makeover sessions and the Shopping Olympiad.
A true pioneer of the consumer spirit in India, Sonali Sokhal was one of those rare dazzling human beings who made a lifetime’s vocation out of a secret passion and hobby. Though this rare and exuberant side of the deceased did not manifest itself in the early years of her life, Sonali showed an inclination towards consumerism with her initial professional experience. A freelance journalist and columnist, Sonali was among the quirky young professionals, to throw aside the pen for the computer, a sari and diligent status reports, when she joined an upcoming lifestyle boutique PR agency. This could really be called the beginning of the journey for the pioneering spirit, where she received the right exposure to fame, glamour and money and how to run after them, even if none were really hers.
The pinnacle of her success came when a motley group of grateful friends encouraged her to author her first book, and the DT Mall in Gurgaon hired her services as a part time guide for hard-core shopping expeditions. This was the start of a stellar career. The first Shopping Olympiad held at the Regal Mall at Vasant Kunj, in 2007, was the hallmark of a brilliant start with close to 805 shoppers spending close to Rs.5 crore in a two day shopping extravaganza.
Known for her well co-ordinated look, and her favourite matching bags and shoes, Ms. Sokhal was truly an inspiration to the new generation of high spenders and consumers. Brand India was taken to leaps and bounds of spending power thanks to tireless efforts of Ms. Sokhal.
The last six months of her life were plagued by ill health, as Ms. Sokhal had started suffering from severe respiratory problems, due to an allergy to packaging paper. Her knees had also given way, thanks to the countless up and down walks in malls, and an incident of inadequate product variants at a duty free shop in Dubai, had been a personal setback for this giant shopper.
A small diminutive woman, the smart click of Ms. Sokhal’s latest pair of heels had been known to strike both terror and extreme joy in the hearts of store mangers. A regular lecturer at the Indian School of Retail, Ms. Sokhal was certainly looking to scale new heights in the Shopping industry. Her many wardrobes have been put on exhibition and will be thereafter placed on sale by well-meaning friends and relatives. Her shoes will be buried with her, as per the dying lady’s last request.
Ms. Sokhal was married and is survived by son, Aryaman Raj, who at the tender age of 18, is already a big name in the rock music scene of the country.
The founder of the Shopaholics Club Anonymous and lifetime shopping achievement award winner from both 1 MG and 2 MG road, Sonali Sokhal also held a job as a half-hearted PR consultant. The author of the ‘Ragpickers guide to a Galaxy of Shopping’, Sonali Sokhal, achieved instant stardom and fame with her one day makeover sessions and the Shopping Olympiad.
A true pioneer of the consumer spirit in India, Sonali Sokhal was one of those rare dazzling human beings who made a lifetime’s vocation out of a secret passion and hobby. Though this rare and exuberant side of the deceased did not manifest itself in the early years of her life, Sonali showed an inclination towards consumerism with her initial professional experience. A freelance journalist and columnist, Sonali was among the quirky young professionals, to throw aside the pen for the computer, a sari and diligent status reports, when she joined an upcoming lifestyle boutique PR agency. This could really be called the beginning of the journey for the pioneering spirit, where she received the right exposure to fame, glamour and money and how to run after them, even if none were really hers.
The pinnacle of her success came when a motley group of grateful friends encouraged her to author her first book, and the DT Mall in Gurgaon hired her services as a part time guide for hard-core shopping expeditions. This was the start of a stellar career. The first Shopping Olympiad held at the Regal Mall at Vasant Kunj, in 2007, was the hallmark of a brilliant start with close to 805 shoppers spending close to Rs.5 crore in a two day shopping extravaganza.
Known for her well co-ordinated look, and her favourite matching bags and shoes, Ms. Sokhal was truly an inspiration to the new generation of high spenders and consumers. Brand India was taken to leaps and bounds of spending power thanks to tireless efforts of Ms. Sokhal.
The last six months of her life were plagued by ill health, as Ms. Sokhal had started suffering from severe respiratory problems, due to an allergy to packaging paper. Her knees had also given way, thanks to the countless up and down walks in malls, and an incident of inadequate product variants at a duty free shop in Dubai, had been a personal setback for this giant shopper.
A small diminutive woman, the smart click of Ms. Sokhal’s latest pair of heels had been known to strike both terror and extreme joy in the hearts of store mangers. A regular lecturer at the Indian School of Retail, Ms. Sokhal was certainly looking to scale new heights in the Shopping industry. Her many wardrobes have been put on exhibition and will be thereafter placed on sale by well-meaning friends and relatives. Her shoes will be buried with her, as per the dying lady’s last request.
Ms. Sokhal was married and is survived by son, Aryaman Raj, who at the tender age of 18, is already a big name in the rock music scene of the country.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
What I would like to see on the wall
A wall…..something called ‘throw it on the wall.’…almost like a challenge to say, I am blank…hit me……baby one more time……so that’s me…hitting on my own wall………………btw....throwitonthewall is also a new blogspot by the same name...check it out if you are reading this blog.......!!!!!!!!
Meanwhile.....my wall...........
A complete road map of where my life is going………..
A crystal ball which shows me what happened to school bully who used to beat me up…I hope some wicked witch got her, or maybe she became a wicked witch herself.
All the special moments in the life of all the people I love!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The actual thoughts in the brain of my man.
Recipes, reminders, ‘to do’ lists, and all that I need at hand.
Dirt on some people so that I can blackmail them J
A glimpse into my son’s future.
All the rules that I can break without getting caught!!!!!!!!!
What is going on in the lives of all my favourite Hollywood stars, and how they lose weight.
A quiet green space.
A deep blue sea place where I can watch the fishes in technicolour dreams
A personal wardrobe and style planner.
Some evidence that fairy tales are real.
All the beautiful memories of my life.
A reminder that I should be grateful for everything I have, and stop bitching and moaning about life.
Meanwhile.....my wall...........
A complete road map of where my life is going………..
A crystal ball which shows me what happened to school bully who used to beat me up…I hope some wicked witch got her, or maybe she became a wicked witch herself.
All the special moments in the life of all the people I love!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The actual thoughts in the brain of my man.
Recipes, reminders, ‘to do’ lists, and all that I need at hand.
Dirt on some people so that I can blackmail them J
A glimpse into my son’s future.
All the rules that I can break without getting caught!!!!!!!!!
What is going on in the lives of all my favourite Hollywood stars, and how they lose weight.
A quiet green space.
A deep blue sea place where I can watch the fishes in technicolour dreams
A personal wardrobe and style planner.
Some evidence that fairy tales are real.
All the beautiful memories of my life.
A reminder that I should be grateful for everything I have, and stop bitching and moaning about life.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
college reunion
I hadn't met most of my old college gang for almost 14 years now, till yesterday that is. In fact, I need to rephrase this, and say, till facebook!
Actually after ten years people are going to look back and remember these times like a miraculous new wave. Something like the time man went on the moon, or the first super computer came into being, or the internet happened, similarly facebook and other similar social networking sites are blowing quiet little winds of change into our lives. Suddenly you come face to face (or book!!!!!) with people you have not seen for the past few decades. And there is this sudden buzz, euphoria, reunion, recap, nostalgia and you have this compulsive desire to connect with people whom you had (to be honest) totally forgotten about!!!!!!!!!!!!
And yes, back to the reunion, there we all were after so many years suddenly in a bursting crowded restaurant with very bad food, and rather bad service, looking across the table and screaming, "Eiiiiiiiiiiiieee".
So how did it go? Apart from the fact that we all have managed to give in to gravity, cellulite, grey hair, blah blah, people hadn't intrinsically changed all that much. And, while we all reminisced about the old days, I felt that some way we had lost those old threads that bind life together. Each had gone through those old life changes; marriages, children, change, loss and gain,without each other. Everyone on the table had lived another lifetime and added more dimensions to their personality.
And yet, as the minutes passed and the food warmed us up, and defences went down, we all went back for a while to those old days when we really were all still waiting for life to happen to us. Yes, there were glaring holes and blanks in terms of the life paths that we all follow, and we have all grown into our own people, found our own niches and grooves. What I took away from there was pride...that everyone had reached somewhere on the goals they had planned, even after stumbling around a bit. And, what hit me was that I could still reconnect with them as adults................on a new platform,.... aside from the fact that we all spent three or in some cases five years of the most formative years of our lives together.
In fact, in some ways facebook has helped us all reconnect with each other's lives. Its nice to see the kids of my old school boyfriend, or the birthday party of an old college friend. You suddenly share each other's lives (maybe a bit too much...like do i care if someone sent virtual flowers to their sister? maybe not!)........you find a common page to connect with old friends, share memories, abuse each other and generally comment in life. Later post porteming the entire episode with a good pal....who had gone through a similar expereince a night before, we both sat and shared a very profound thought........as life patterns get more turbulent, ever changing, and as Delhi schools change children's class sections every few years disallowing them from ever having a solid base of chaddi buddies...maybe networks like facebook help us garrulous evolved primates keep the tribe and clan in place.
Long live reunions, vurtual or otherwise, who knows you might even meet yourself as you were fifteen years ago!!!!!!!
Actually after ten years people are going to look back and remember these times like a miraculous new wave. Something like the time man went on the moon, or the first super computer came into being, or the internet happened, similarly facebook and other similar social networking sites are blowing quiet little winds of change into our lives. Suddenly you come face to face (or book!!!!!) with people you have not seen for the past few decades. And there is this sudden buzz, euphoria, reunion, recap, nostalgia and you have this compulsive desire to connect with people whom you had (to be honest) totally forgotten about!!!!!!!!!!!!
And yes, back to the reunion, there we all were after so many years suddenly in a bursting crowded restaurant with very bad food, and rather bad service, looking across the table and screaming, "Eiiiiiiiiiiiieee".
So how did it go? Apart from the fact that we all have managed to give in to gravity, cellulite, grey hair, blah blah, people hadn't intrinsically changed all that much. And, while we all reminisced about the old days, I felt that some way we had lost those old threads that bind life together. Each had gone through those old life changes; marriages, children, change, loss and gain,without each other. Everyone on the table had lived another lifetime and added more dimensions to their personality.
And yet, as the minutes passed and the food warmed us up, and defences went down, we all went back for a while to those old days when we really were all still waiting for life to happen to us. Yes, there were glaring holes and blanks in terms of the life paths that we all follow, and we have all grown into our own people, found our own niches and grooves. What I took away from there was pride...that everyone had reached somewhere on the goals they had planned, even after stumbling around a bit. And, what hit me was that I could still reconnect with them as adults................on a new platform,.... aside from the fact that we all spent three or in some cases five years of the most formative years of our lives together.
In fact, in some ways facebook has helped us all reconnect with each other's lives. Its nice to see the kids of my old school boyfriend, or the birthday party of an old college friend. You suddenly share each other's lives (maybe a bit too much...like do i care if someone sent virtual flowers to their sister? maybe not!)........you find a common page to connect with old friends, share memories, abuse each other and generally comment in life. Later post porteming the entire episode with a good pal....who had gone through a similar expereince a night before, we both sat and shared a very profound thought........as life patterns get more turbulent, ever changing, and as Delhi schools change children's class sections every few years disallowing them from ever having a solid base of chaddi buddies...maybe networks like facebook help us garrulous evolved primates keep the tribe and clan in place.
Long live reunions, vurtual or otherwise, who knows you might even meet yourself as you were fifteen years ago!!!!!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)