To bare and what to bare - The social media dilemma

Social Media is confusing.

No seriously.

Even for an aspiring social media analyst like me.

Trust me, the writing below is not a sarcastic bantering of some people but a genuine confusion.

Like I don't understand why do people, when wishing birthday or anniversary to a friend, have to post picture of themselves with that friend? Is it a loud cry of association proof?

Why do people have to post gush, mush, dush messages for ma, pa, hubby (I hate the term), sister, brother...basically people who live under the same roof? Is the intention to let the larger humanity know?

How can people post pictures in the same pose everyday? The pose being sideways, one leg up (like doggie peeing), and the famous pout? Is it to prove their proficiency in that pose?

Why have people made status updates a regular outpour of their emotions? Like promotions (dude, humility) or someone in their family being hospitalized (I think the person needs you more than Facebook!).

It's a free world and I am no expert on preaching online social boundaries. But I guess some common sense never hurt anyone.

Reminiscing Maggi

After the whole world has exhausted the RIPs, memories and comeback rumors of it, I don't know what prompts me to write about it. But I dare not question the creative streak that is such an infrequent visitor.

Maggi evokes so many memories. As a child, a sincere thanks to my mom, I was often known to have the most interesting lunches. From idlis, macaroni to sandwiches, I had it all. And of course there were the lucky days of Maggi. There was such immense joy on days that you found the cold blob of dry noodles waiting to be slurped away with everyone around salivating for the snaky wonder. And the unbearable pain of parting when a classmate asked for a noodle or two.

And as though that wasn't enough, the greatest adventure for my cousins and I was to cook the 2-minutes wonder together. Of course, it never took 2 minutes and left a kitchen so messy that definitely wouldn't take 2 minutes to be normal. But we discovered new recipes like butter Maggi and tel wali Maggi together and raced towards licking the plate clean (only if schools had a scoring system for that I wish).

Somewhere along my teens, I discovered the addictive taste of raw Maggi. Every time I needed to make a packet and a half of Maggi as half of it just vanished - you know where. Till I consumed the last packet of Maggi ever, I loved the raw version as much as the cooked one. I even got my cousin to try it who was scared to have a stomach ache after it but nevertheless couldn't resist.

Sounds clichéd but Maggi was the only thing I could cook (if it qualifies as cooking) unless cooking became a necessity.

It made the perfect dhaba dinner on the cold and wintry outings with Sumit when you didn't know whether the smoke from the mouth came from the hot Maggi or the chill.

Whenever it plans to be back, I wish it can evoke the same trust and memories as I've had and am sure most of us live with. 

Believe

I learnt the most amazing word after watching 'The Polar Express' (yes I recently saw the 2004 animated movie) - believe. Why, as we grow, do we doubt and mistrust so much?

In case you haven't seen the motion picture or don't remember it, its about this boy who doesn't believe that Santa is for real. There comes the 'The Polar Express' to take him to the North Pole, elves and Santa on Christmas eve (I wish I could board the express). And begins his journey of fun and adventure with the friends he makes on the train. As he reaches the North Pole, neither does he hear the Bell from Santa's sleigh nor does he see Santa as he still doesn't believe them to be real. But as he believes them to be real, he sees them all. Santa asks him the present he'd like for Christmas and he asks for the Bell. The movie ends with the boy saying that as long as we truly believe, we can hear the Bell.

Though we're far from Christmas, if Santa was to ask me the present I'd like for Christmas, I'd choose to be always super positive and never stop believing. Life can be so simple if we can always think like children. So, close your eyes and believe.

I am considering migration

I am considering migration.

Here, Maggi has high lead and MSG. Milk is adulterated with detergents and fertilizers. Cow's milk is toxic. Butter and ghee are adulterated with animal fat. Cooking oil is spuriously low quality and often bleached. Olive oil is fake and so is the extra virgin variety. Fruits and vegetables are injected with nano particles. Wheat flour contains
benzoyl peroxide and calcium peroxide. Chocolates are often found with worms or high toxic lead. Eateries serve substandard food camouflaged with bouts of cheap cheese, cream and dalda, which is the most notorious of the lot.

I thought I'll survive on water.

But yet again. Tap water is contaminated with sewage water. Bottled water contains all kinds of live creatures and is stored in plastic bottles infested with fungus. Mineral water has no minerals and is really filtered tap water.

I thought I'll survive on air.

But that is the worst. Who doesn't know of the horrific air quality?

So, I am left with no option but to consider moving to a saner land.

It's time

The epicenter of the recent quake was at a distance of roughly 1223 kms from Delhi. A flight to Kathmandu is, approximately, 1 hour 45 minutes and perhaps another some hours to the place, which was the epicenter. Nature's wrath, for the same distance, took a few nano seconds to reach Delhi.

Humans are so instinctively greedy and assume to be most powerful. We acquire lands, build structures and shrines. And then, we fight for all that. We have ammunition to reinforce the power and consistently claim every inch of this earth assuming it was all meant for us and will, forever, be there for us.

As I look at the pictures of shattered man made faith, temples that became naught and idols that now are rubble, something tells me that it's time we stopped assuming, it's time we stopped fighting, it's time we stopped acquiring and it's time we stopped wrecking.

Are we really losing as we are gaining?

I, somehow, am not liking the world we live in today or maybe I have turned really old to be reminiscing good old days. 

Days when a Sunday morning family special brunch was more valuable than anything and likewise the once-a-month extended family dinner. The unmatched excitement after sighting the monotonous DD circles oozing the quaint music, which of course came after anxiously staring at the multi-colored vertical lines for hours. Or feeling like the luckiest person to have your favorite song on Chitrahaar or to have an Amitabh Bachchan movie on the weekend. Sneakily crunching an ‘almost’ entire packet of uncooked Maggi with your cousin and the new found bliss to be allowed an extra hour to play ‘hot and cold’ in the lane outside your house. Stuffed in a Fiat car with food and frisbees, there were the India Gate picnic outings. Devotedly waiting for Saturday nights to accompany mom and dad to friends’ get together for interesting storytelling sessions from an uncle.    

We lived in the moment and enjoyed the smallest things. 

Today, we meet people and excessively discuss about money, material things, yearn for better ‘things’ that we should have in the future and what other people are doing wrong, intermittently swiping our mobiles. Our minds are anywhere but in that moment. 

I have to admit that I am way too habituated to all the technological changes to wish for good old days to be back. But I do wish that we can be present in the moments we experience, appreciate experiences and be able to remember them someday.   

Extinct humanity

On Saturday while on the road, I saw a piglet hit by a car crying in pain and covered in blood. This was on Tughlakabad road. I've had dreams of it since and have cried feeling guilty that I couldn't do anything to save the poor little life. But what could I have done? Where are the emergency numbers for animal rescue? Where are the hospitals for animals?

In a country where after years of comitting the most heinous crime on a human, the criminal is retarded enough to still think of gender inequality and blaming a girl for instigating the crime. In a country where power and democratic rights help you get away with anything or at least delay your punishment. In a country where so many children are dying of diseases and there is no medical care for them.

In a country where humans are many but humanity on the verge of extinction, where can the animals go and who can take care of them?

An emptiness left behind

I know I know absolutely crazy but, whenever flying, I can't help but think. Think of the last thoughts that must have run the minds of those who die in an air crash. In those last minutes, just before the doom. Are they hopeful or sure of their end? Do they pray? Are they numb with fear? Or do they reminisince their entire life? Do they expect a miracle to happen? Do they have regrets or a sense of peace engulfs them? Do they ask 'why me'? Or accept the imminent end as cruel destiny? Do they laugh at the triviality of their aspirations so far or do they close their eyes, empty their minds and give in?

Just sometime back while some of them must be headed for an important meeting and others waiting to say something to a loved one. And some ready for a new something while others going to meet someone important.

But unpredictably and sadly all is left incomplete. An emptiness left behind.