Written on Jan 11. Posted on Jan 27. Edited thrice in between.

Lunch break just ended and I have my earphones blasting Mika’s Mast Kalander. Kids are flooding in with tiny snacks and big coffees. I can’t hear them talk – it’s like an Instagram story with some super-thought-out, vibey music.

And it is nothing short of some industrial-chic fashion show. Very much so. The walk. The snob. The clothes. The accessories. Even the food brands. I wonder if any of these people realise how lucky, how rich, how privileged, how filtered they really are.

I mean – just yesterday I overheard someone say, I am not rich yaaa. You’re rich you end your sentences with a yaaaaa.

I don’t despise them. Most kids are brilliant people with a bunch of interesting things to say. I am, however, irritated by their ignorance. Yesterday, a group agreed that Tier 2 India would not know a McDonald’s or a Zara. So that.

Sidewalk and other rules

While tafri-ing around on a scooter in Gorakhpur, Gia and I spotted a couple on the sidewalk. And we started talking about the “sidewalk rule.”

You know: Men on the road side, women on not-the-road side when walking on the road. If someone does it for you, it makes you giddy, sure. If someone does not do it, people are often disappointed and start with their modern-love-is-hopeless rants.

Which is kind of sad.

I love that people now expect better and have raised standards, etc. But also the fact that the “ideal” partner is now a highlight reel of the best of all partners in the world. Best at communication. Most thoughtful gifts. Idk – whatever else people seem to want.

But most people are not like that. These “perfect partners” on the Internet must have flaws. Like normal people. People have missed the memo on that. They want a mix of the best on Instagram. And have lesser tolerance for the not-so-rosy bits.

Which is the cause for discontent, disappointment, etc etc.

(Too much etc etc because this has been in the drafts for 16 days now and every time I come to edit this, I just procrastinate. Tonight – 27 Jan 2:00 AM – I just want to close this. Only then will my brain close this tab and move to the next one.

So ask me questions about these thoughts. Happy to elaborate. Just not want to write :p)

The Advent Starbucks

A new Starbucks popped up right across my college. It is around/under the Advent Neel buildings so I’ve christened it The Advent Starbucks. Or Tabbo’s. Because I know Tabbo from her training days in Kabra. And now she’s the manager here. AND I LOVE IT.

Because it literally a minute walk from college, it saves me an hour per day. I can park myself at 8 and stay there till 12:55. And then walk to college. Be in class. And go about the rest of my day. The Tian one would need me to leave around 12 – I’d generally walk, taking a rik only gets me stuck in MORE traffic. Kabra I leave around 12 as well. Because I want to avoid random traffic or not-finding-riks surprises.

Today, however, I wasn’t feeling the greatest. Health was good. Mind felt a little stuck. I slept in an extra house and spent 2 hours coming to college. CAN YOU IMAGINE? But fine. Do not want to let this steal all my day’s worth of energy. Thank god I am identifying this and learning to be better!

“Mujhe kya, main to intern hu”

The coolest thing I came up with at Bang in the Middle was the phrase Mujhe kya main to intern hu. That was me then. Up until a month back.

Then, I read Saurabh’s Letter #132: Janitor vs a VP. Read here.

Insert: https://sketchplanations.com/reasons-stop-mattering

And some brainwave and line connectors made me realise that

1. It is disrespectful.
2. It is lazy. Disappointing. Janitorial.

And I do not want to be either of those. Not disrespectful. And not someone who does not take ownership of whatever they pick up. While it was meaningless fun, I know better now. So, that is out.

See you!