January 21, 2014

Nayan Tarse

Have you guys noticed these 100 Happy Days shenanigans? I have, and bloody hell, I love the dedication with which people are uploading things! (unless you're one of those retards who put up anything and say "oho look deodorant #100happydays") (I might have had to google the spelling of deodorant)

Initially, I really wanted to do this project too. I admit, the cynic in me thinks that if you're really happy, there's no need to publicize it on a social platform just to seek validation from strangers in the form of likes. But there's something to be said about our generation - we can't really do much without involving social media into it.

I mean, sure, you could be choose to keep things private, but just because somebody is expressing themselves via pictures/statuses on the internet, doesn't mean you need to hate on them. It's a choice they've made because they had the platform available to them. Let's respect that and not say "OMG s/he's such a vella attention seeker and desperate for likes!!1!11!!" just for the sake of it.

Anyway. So I was joyfully sitting atop my rainbow, daydreaming about how I'll execute my #100HappyDays, until my crappy ex pulled off the biggest chutiyaap ever (again. yes yes, you can lulz too). How could I possibly be a sparkly unicorn for a 100 days if somebody so close to me screws my happy up?

Then it hit me - our happiness is almost always based on other people. Someone complemented your Vans? Happy. Someone mentioned your result? Sad. Free food because friend's birthday? Happy. Domino's ended 1+1 pizza on Wednesdays? Sad.

If you end up in a Will Smith scenario in I Am Legend (no human contact for months), your state of mind might be radically different. You can be happy, but will you be as happy as Will Smith in Hitch?

So what do we do? I don't think you can cut people off and be happy, that's too tough (Plus how will you be part of entertaining Kejriwal status fights then?). Being too guarded about your feelings all the time won't exactly improve your quality of life either. You could find joy in a hobby, pet, spirituality, new phones, movies, music, art, exercise, new socks, anything.

But the problem is, none of it gives you the same rush as long as you don't have your 'people' to share this joy with. You know, the ones who you blink at and they'll know what you're thinking, or whose moms treat you like extended family. You may or may not need these people, but life certainly feels better with them around.

Be a good person, it's worth the karma.  Don't muck around with your 4am peeps by being too selfish. Sometimes, place another's happiness over yourself, but know when to draw a line. And goodness, appreciate the ones you love dearly. They'll give you more than enough to be happy about (and sometimes, other emotions too hehe) for a 100 days, and hopefully, many more :)


PS: Might be too lazy to do this project but let's seeeeeeeee hm.

January 2, 2014



"I cannot count the times I have cursed our lack of urgency. If ever I love again, I will not wait to love as best as I can. We thought we were young and that there would be time to love well sometime in the future. This is a terrible way to think. It's no way to live, to wait to love."

- What Is the What, Dave Eggers