The skilled procrastinator that I am, I surpassed several deadlines I had given myself to clean out my official laptop. Finally as I ran out of space, I compelled myself to get around to it on Sunday night.
Being at work for about 8 hours a day and spending some time surfing while away from work, I had reason to believe that if someone asked me where I live, and if I said online, it wouldn't be a completely outrageous answer. Perhaps I'd get a chuckle, perhaps a confused look but certainly not a you-are-crazy expression. I have been just as much a part of online world as I am of my offline world and frankly quite torn between the two.
Over the span of 2 years of semi-owning my laptop, it had become my virtual residence and just like my real one, my stuff was scattered all around. No surprises that cleaning it up almost felt like moving homes - grouping like things together, zipping them up and transfering. The stuff I stumbled upon ranged from an interesting article I had once come across, link to a painting that had once inspired me, a snapshot of a website that sold fashion stuff cheap and several other trivial things. And pictures. Lots and lots of pictures. I tend to carry my camera along almost everywhere hoping to catch something intriguing when I'd least expect it. And the invention of digital cameras has liberated us from the fear of think-before-you-click syndrome. There is nothing to waste anymore, only beauty to freeze.
As I came across folder after folder, with names that made no sense, I was overcome with mixed feelings. Some made me nostalgic, some made me blush and some others were just whatever. An hour later, I was done playing my own search agent and the pile with 'whatever' pics was significantly heavier than the others. I had accumulated so many memories that I wasn't even sure I needed. But having discovered them, I didn't have the nerve to hit the delete button. After much convincing that went around from me to me, I finally was able to get rid of the blurred ones that I'd saved thinking I'd make them arty one day with photoshop and making pretty wall pieces out of it.
Ray Romano once said something beautiful… that one needs to keep editing one’s life to discard the bad memories and to retain only the good ones. But it isn't as simple as good or bad anymore. What do you do with all the other piles that you don't care about today but unsure of whether they’ll evoke any interest in you someday.
O well, at least I'll have those memories in my head. That's the thing about human brain, it doesn't reach maximum capacity every 2 years forcing you to dump stuff to an external hard drive.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Saturday, August 8, 2009
'Wrong guy' again?
This appeared in The South Asian Times on August 8th.
The last movie I saw, the last book I read, the last hour long international phone call I was on, all marked one distinct trend: girls falling for the proverbial 'wrong guy' a lot more often than they'd like to believe. It's probably true vice-versa as well but girls tend to analyze and recognize these patterns a lot more, turning it into somewhat of a crisis.
Who is this 'wrong guy' and how what charming quality does he possess to draw a girl who will eventually shower him with the infamous ‘wrong guy’ epithet but not without going through heartache? The range is far and wide and includes but isn't limited to age, attitude, an annoying habit or two, too much or too little gray matter, too much or too little westernized outlook, too much or too little de-Indianized outlook or vice-versa, flakiness and a whole lot more. There always seems to be a deal breaker with a giant red flag that is too hard to ignore. Why is it so hard to notice this red flag from a distance then? Perhaps because people always put their best foot forward while scouting out and meeting a prospective bride or groom. Whether it's their profile on shaadi.com or a referral from a friend or an enterprising relative, you always see/hear compelling things at first. It's the classic case 'right on paper but wrong in person'.
Ladies, repeat after me – I will not pick him just because he looks great on paper. Expected level of appearance, education, profession and family background alone does not suffice. These things do not come in handy when you want to plan your summer vacation doing something adventurous while he wants to stay home and read books on Alzheimer's or when you are dying to go to Disneyland but he thinks it’s juvenile.
Girls aren’t likely to spend even a quarter of the time evaluating his personality as they spend looking for that splendid pair of strappy sandals for a friend’s party. And there is a perfectly valid reason – personality traits are intangible attributes, something that requires time and careful consideration. Who’s got the time for that right? Personality should not be an inconsequential factor when it comes to decision making so let’s quickly categorize these personality types for you.
First up is the serious and quiet guy. He’s intelligent, independent and interested in security and peaceful living. Someone like Ajay Devgan. He might be stubborn and far from being tame-able. There will be nothing you can say or do to change his mindset, beliefs or behavior. But he will responsible, dependable and caring. So think before you leap if you are that girl who needs a little spice in life.
Next up is the rarest breed – that super intellectual guy who has a ton of charisma. His range of interests will vary from working at an NGOs to doing a photo shoot for a new designer to being a connoisseur of wine. Someone like Rahul Bose. His inherent charm can be his USP, just as much as any of his other qualities. But he won’t be easy to attract or to hold on to. So unless you are a rare breed too, let’s move on.
This one is a favorite. He’s traditional, conventional and a family man. He will be well-read and well-informed and good at a broad range of things. He would never be afraid to try anything but don’t expect him to succumb under peer pressure. His ways will be original, his personality individualistic and he will be far from being impressionable. Someone like Abhishek Bachchan. But he will look for values, morals, and a grounded person. So unless you are ms-goodie-two-shoes, he will not settle.
Let’s move onto the instantly likeable guy. He’s the quintessential fun, flirty and eternally romantic man. Someone like Shahrukh Khan. He will have a heart, like you, that beats loud, now and again. He is guaranteed to be warm-hearted, popular, friendly and adaptable. He’ll be a hit with all your friends and family. But if you are that girl that needs to be alone from time to time to think alone or just be yourself, his enthusiasm might be a little too much to handle.
Don’t get confused between the romantic guy and the playboy. This one will be a charmer at first but soon you’ll see past his exterior and realize that he has a big ego and is quite unreliable. Someone like Salman Khan. So if he starts hitting on you before you could even ask him his last name, forget the goose bumps he gives you and switch your brain on. He might have outstanding people skills and might get too popular too soon with your friends, but take a moment to analyze the compliments he gives you and the very sweet gestures he shows. Too cliché and not genuine? Back off.
This one is a little hard to come across. The strong and protective guy. Someone like Sanjay Dutt. It’s not easy to strike up a conversation with him. He is not too fond of social situations. He will usually prefer hanging out with his buddies and talk about manly affairs. He’ll ensure you are safe and have everything you need except for his company. So if you need a part time husband that leaves you with plenty of time for your career/friends/family/whatever, you got it.
I guess in the end, ‘wrong’ isn’t wrong on an absolute scale, but just something that isn’t right for you.
The last movie I saw, the last book I read, the last hour long international phone call I was on, all marked one distinct trend: girls falling for the proverbial 'wrong guy' a lot more often than they'd like to believe. It's probably true vice-versa as well but girls tend to analyze and recognize these patterns a lot more, turning it into somewhat of a crisis.
Who is this 'wrong guy' and how what charming quality does he possess to draw a girl who will eventually shower him with the infamous ‘wrong guy’ epithet but not without going through heartache? The range is far and wide and includes but isn't limited to age, attitude, an annoying habit or two, too much or too little gray matter, too much or too little westernized outlook, too much or too little de-Indianized outlook or vice-versa, flakiness and a whole lot more. There always seems to be a deal breaker with a giant red flag that is too hard to ignore. Why is it so hard to notice this red flag from a distance then? Perhaps because people always put their best foot forward while scouting out and meeting a prospective bride or groom. Whether it's their profile on shaadi.com or a referral from a friend or an enterprising relative, you always see/hear compelling things at first. It's the classic case 'right on paper but wrong in person'.
Ladies, repeat after me – I will not pick him just because he looks great on paper. Expected level of appearance, education, profession and family background alone does not suffice. These things do not come in handy when you want to plan your summer vacation doing something adventurous while he wants to stay home and read books on Alzheimer's or when you are dying to go to Disneyland but he thinks it’s juvenile.
Girls aren’t likely to spend even a quarter of the time evaluating his personality as they spend looking for that splendid pair of strappy sandals for a friend’s party. And there is a perfectly valid reason – personality traits are intangible attributes, something that requires time and careful consideration. Who’s got the time for that right? Personality should not be an inconsequential factor when it comes to decision making so let’s quickly categorize these personality types for you.
First up is the serious and quiet guy. He’s intelligent, independent and interested in security and peaceful living. Someone like Ajay Devgan. He might be stubborn and far from being tame-able. There will be nothing you can say or do to change his mindset, beliefs or behavior. But he will responsible, dependable and caring. So think before you leap if you are that girl who needs a little spice in life.
Next up is the rarest breed – that super intellectual guy who has a ton of charisma. His range of interests will vary from working at an NGOs to doing a photo shoot for a new designer to being a connoisseur of wine. Someone like Rahul Bose. His inherent charm can be his USP, just as much as any of his other qualities. But he won’t be easy to attract or to hold on to. So unless you are a rare breed too, let’s move on.
This one is a favorite. He’s traditional, conventional and a family man. He will be well-read and well-informed and good at a broad range of things. He would never be afraid to try anything but don’t expect him to succumb under peer pressure. His ways will be original, his personality individualistic and he will be far from being impressionable. Someone like Abhishek Bachchan. But he will look for values, morals, and a grounded person. So unless you are ms-goodie-two-shoes, he will not settle.
Let’s move onto the instantly likeable guy. He’s the quintessential fun, flirty and eternally romantic man. Someone like Shahrukh Khan. He will have a heart, like you, that beats loud, now and again. He is guaranteed to be warm-hearted, popular, friendly and adaptable. He’ll be a hit with all your friends and family. But if you are that girl that needs to be alone from time to time to think alone or just be yourself, his enthusiasm might be a little too much to handle.
Don’t get confused between the romantic guy and the playboy. This one will be a charmer at first but soon you’ll see past his exterior and realize that he has a big ego and is quite unreliable. Someone like Salman Khan. So if he starts hitting on you before you could even ask him his last name, forget the goose bumps he gives you and switch your brain on. He might have outstanding people skills and might get too popular too soon with your friends, but take a moment to analyze the compliments he gives you and the very sweet gestures he shows. Too cliché and not genuine? Back off.
This one is a little hard to come across. The strong and protective guy. Someone like Sanjay Dutt. It’s not easy to strike up a conversation with him. He is not too fond of social situations. He will usually prefer hanging out with his buddies and talk about manly affairs. He’ll ensure you are safe and have everything you need except for his company. So if you need a part time husband that leaves you with plenty of time for your career/friends/family/whatever, you got it.
I guess in the end, ‘wrong’ isn’t wrong on an absolute scale, but just something that isn’t right for you.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
'Hottest freshman' congressperson
Politics is certainly changing in this country. Mr. Obama created history by being the first African-American president, Ms. Palin provided the country with some eye candy and entertainment and Mr. Schock is being quite a shocker.
He lives in newspapers as well as men's glamour magazines, he's profiled on CNN as well as MTV, people are interested in his career as well as his personal life and they might have to make a special list for him 'politicians under 30'. We're talking about Aaron Schock. Aaron is a Republican from Illinois and the youngest member of congress. He grew up on a farm, launched his political career at the age of 19 and his leaked scandalous MySpace pics like the ones with him and his six packs and a girl in swimwear are making the customary rounds. Talk about having it all.
I love this story because it sets the path for all the young bees to imagine a career in politics. Young blood in politics comes with many benefits: it gets the youth interested, it lends a much-needed fresh perspective to stale issues and it is just a better deal economically and financially - more productivity without the price tag. And more than anything, the passion and the enthusiasm is usually unprecedented. Back to the shocker. His accomplishments are unique, just like him... or that's what makes him unique. He was elected a member of a school board with 150 schools under it at 19, became VP on the board 2 years later and when most people are trying their luck at internships, he became a school board president at 22. And he received a BS degree along with it. A year later he ran for state representative and became member of Illinois house of representatives. All of his titles usually include the 'youngest member of' phrase. I've seen situations where unqualified people are sometimes promoted to something they can't really handle but not this guy. In just 5 months of joining house of representatives, he authored 11 bills and sponsored 18 bills, all dealing with reforms at one level or another.
No surprises that he's received an unusual amount of coverage for a freshman congressman. And this treatment isn't just based on his age and appearance, but significantly due to his work ethic and how quickly he can bring about a change. One reader poll recently selected him as the "hottest freshman" congressperson.
I can only hope to be the youngest member of something someday besides 'yoga for the elderly' club at a park near me.
He lives in newspapers as well as men's glamour magazines, he's profiled on CNN as well as MTV, people are interested in his career as well as his personal life and they might have to make a special list for him 'politicians under 30'. We're talking about Aaron Schock. Aaron is a Republican from Illinois and the youngest member of congress. He grew up on a farm, launched his political career at the age of 19 and his leaked scandalous MySpace pics like the ones with him and his six packs and a girl in swimwear are making the customary rounds. Talk about having it all.
I love this story because it sets the path for all the young bees to imagine a career in politics. Young blood in politics comes with many benefits: it gets the youth interested, it lends a much-needed fresh perspective to stale issues and it is just a better deal economically and financially - more productivity without the price tag. And more than anything, the passion and the enthusiasm is usually unprecedented. Back to the shocker. His accomplishments are unique, just like him... or that's what makes him unique. He was elected a member of a school board with 150 schools under it at 19, became VP on the board 2 years later and when most people are trying their luck at internships, he became a school board president at 22. And he received a BS degree along with it. A year later he ran for state representative and became member of Illinois house of representatives. All of his titles usually include the 'youngest member of' phrase. I've seen situations where unqualified people are sometimes promoted to something they can't really handle but not this guy. In just 5 months of joining house of representatives, he authored 11 bills and sponsored 18 bills, all dealing with reforms at one level or another.
No surprises that he's received an unusual amount of coverage for a freshman congressman. And this treatment isn't just based on his age and appearance, but significantly due to his work ethic and how quickly he can bring about a change. One reader poll recently selected him as the "hottest freshman" congressperson.
I can only hope to be the youngest member of something someday besides 'yoga for the elderly' club at a park near me.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Marrying Anita
It only took me a month and a half to finish this book, not because it was any lengthier than regular novels, but at 15 mins/day, you can't really get far.
First off, it wasn't a novel. It's a memoir by an Indian girl of 1st gen. immigrant parents, born and brought up in US. Anita comes across as fun, spunky and seems to be the sort of person who can charm just about anyone with her word craft. She went to Harvard to study journalism and has traveled internationally as a journalist. While dating extensively in NYC, she got bored of her delightful albeit trivial escapades that promised no future when she hit 30. So she tries reverse immigration that seems to be quite rampant lately and decides to move to Delhi to find a suitor.
There are quite a few things I liked about it: the Diaspora theme in the initial chapters, the depiction of modern India, Harvard acquired vocabulary which is superb and the Slumdog Millionaire kinda theme where people/ places/ incidents have a significant bearing on a certain aspect of the country. It is certainly far from run-of-the-mill summer reads. The contrast she's drawn between her father's journey from India to US and her journey from US to India is fantastic and got me immediately interested. Her descriptions and insights into the new India are quite notable. Her intelligence flows through her effortless prose and I absolutely loved her witty and amusing writing style.
A few things were slightly hard to digest. Anita meets a 100 different characters when she moves to Delhi. Each character has a unique story to tell. Since the backdrop is India's transition to modernity despite critical issues like domestic violence, women's oppression, rising rates of failed marriages, foreigners moving to India in search of employment, brain drain, bar-nightclub culture, homosexuality, disparity between rich and poor, etc, each person conveniently seems to portray one of these issues. I wonder why my social circle isn't even remotely as diverse. It can almost pass off as non-fiction in certain sections where such issues are highlighted except every victim has a name and has met Anita at a bar. Which also means that these 100 different characters are not related to each other and have no bearing on the 'story' leading the book to get disjointed in parts. The third very clear thing that explains my first two points above is that Anita seems to be in no frame of mind to find a groom. It seems very obvious that she's moved to Delhi only to write about her wild encounters under the pretext that she's looking for a groom. And every self-destructive wild sequence has been initiated by her, only to write about it later. Some even seem fictional. How else can every guy she meets be a wrong guy (i.e. drastically younger or older, hash smoking, unconventional and strictly interested in a fling) given that she’s a smart, intelligent woman who knows what she wants. It should have been marketed as fiction perhaps.
No surprises that the book ends with her still being single.
Overall, a very well-written, interesting and entertaining read. My rating – 4 / 5
First off, it wasn't a novel. It's a memoir by an Indian girl of 1st gen. immigrant parents, born and brought up in US. Anita comes across as fun, spunky and seems to be the sort of person who can charm just about anyone with her word craft. She went to Harvard to study journalism and has traveled internationally as a journalist. While dating extensively in NYC, she got bored of her delightful albeit trivial escapades that promised no future when she hit 30. So she tries reverse immigration that seems to be quite rampant lately and decides to move to Delhi to find a suitor.
There are quite a few things I liked about it: the Diaspora theme in the initial chapters, the depiction of modern India, Harvard acquired vocabulary which is superb and the Slumdog Millionaire kinda theme where people/ places/ incidents have a significant bearing on a certain aspect of the country. It is certainly far from run-of-the-mill summer reads. The contrast she's drawn between her father's journey from India to US and her journey from US to India is fantastic and got me immediately interested. Her descriptions and insights into the new India are quite notable. Her intelligence flows through her effortless prose and I absolutely loved her witty and amusing writing style.
A few things were slightly hard to digest. Anita meets a 100 different characters when she moves to Delhi. Each character has a unique story to tell. Since the backdrop is India's transition to modernity despite critical issues like domestic violence, women's oppression, rising rates of failed marriages, foreigners moving to India in search of employment, brain drain, bar-nightclub culture, homosexuality, disparity between rich and poor, etc, each person conveniently seems to portray one of these issues. I wonder why my social circle isn't even remotely as diverse. It can almost pass off as non-fiction in certain sections where such issues are highlighted except every victim has a name and has met Anita at a bar. Which also means that these 100 different characters are not related to each other and have no bearing on the 'story' leading the book to get disjointed in parts. The third very clear thing that explains my first two points above is that Anita seems to be in no frame of mind to find a groom. It seems very obvious that she's moved to Delhi only to write about her wild encounters under the pretext that she's looking for a groom. And every self-destructive wild sequence has been initiated by her, only to write about it later. Some even seem fictional. How else can every guy she meets be a wrong guy (i.e. drastically younger or older, hash smoking, unconventional and strictly interested in a fling) given that she’s a smart, intelligent woman who knows what she wants. It should have been marketed as fiction perhaps.
No surprises that the book ends with her still being single.
Overall, a very well-written, interesting and entertaining read. My rating – 4 / 5
Monday, August 3, 2009
Sharing beaches with UFOs
According to a report in Russia Today, the Russian navy has declassified its records of encounters with UFO's, which indicate that extraterrestrial intelligences like to stick to oceans while visiting Earth. The records, dating back to soviet times, were compiled by a special navy group collecting reports of unexplained incidents delivered by submarines and military ships. The Navy commander heading that group said that 50% of UFO encounters are connected with oceans and 15% more with lakes. So, generally speaking, UFOs tend to stick to the water.
"Big deal" I thought when I read that. Sparkling water, wind piercing your body to liberate it from the scorching heat, warm rays that do the job of a masseuse, careless moments and no concept of time; what's not to like? Whether you're from a technologically advanced galaxy or a galaxy that's barely catching up, everyone needs a little R&R. If anyone cared about my opinion, I wouldn't be opposed to UFOs using the beach parking lots but I'd prefer the creatures from UFOs land up on cold lonely beaches where no one goes and leave the gold coast for the sheer pleasure of those who live there.
Southern California is known for a wide variety of beaches. The southern most part of SoCal is San Diego. SD beaches are splendid and the surrounding areas, a great eclectic mix of the old and the new world. Slight north of it is La Jolla, with some finest golf courses, art deco districts and college crowd living it up with all the imaginable water fun activities. Further north bordering LA is Newport Beach. Newport boasts of untouched charm with a line of mom & pop cafes embellishing the coastline. Hermosa is the hottest of SoCal beaches. Manhattan is elegant. Venice is out and out crazy. Santa Monica is the touristy one. Malibu is for the richie rich. Santa Barbara is the fun one. And there are many many more that define the essence of California.
Its summer and I've been spending quite a few lazy afternoons at the beach. Free time doesn't come without its share of contemplation leading to revelations when you're no longer a teenager. I've been questioning myself lately about why I haven't rented a little place on the beach all these years. The concept of affordability is all relative. I could have survived in half a kitchen and half a bedroom and just taken baths in the ocean if I tried. Why then despite being in the vicinity, I did not chase the option to indulge in this immense exquisiteness of nature? If it could inspire me in countless ways in a matter of few hours, imagine a decade. I could have been a lot more productive, a lot more calm and a lot more creative had I lived by the water. Three 'lot more's, now that's something definitely worth a shot.
As I was reluctantly walking back from the sand post sunset towards my car yesterday evening, I saw an ugly shack, 3rd non-house from the ocean front, 1200 sq ft, 2 bed/1 bath listed for a meager 2.1 million (a board in the front yard read 'reduced price') and felt good about living where I live again.
"Big deal" I thought when I read that. Sparkling water, wind piercing your body to liberate it from the scorching heat, warm rays that do the job of a masseuse, careless moments and no concept of time; what's not to like? Whether you're from a technologically advanced galaxy or a galaxy that's barely catching up, everyone needs a little R&R. If anyone cared about my opinion, I wouldn't be opposed to UFOs using the beach parking lots but I'd prefer the creatures from UFOs land up on cold lonely beaches where no one goes and leave the gold coast for the sheer pleasure of those who live there.
Southern California is known for a wide variety of beaches. The southern most part of SoCal is San Diego. SD beaches are splendid and the surrounding areas, a great eclectic mix of the old and the new world. Slight north of it is La Jolla, with some finest golf courses, art deco districts and college crowd living it up with all the imaginable water fun activities. Further north bordering LA is Newport Beach. Newport boasts of untouched charm with a line of mom & pop cafes embellishing the coastline. Hermosa is the hottest of SoCal beaches. Manhattan is elegant. Venice is out and out crazy. Santa Monica is the touristy one. Malibu is for the richie rich. Santa Barbara is the fun one. And there are many many more that define the essence of California.
Its summer and I've been spending quite a few lazy afternoons at the beach. Free time doesn't come without its share of contemplation leading to revelations when you're no longer a teenager. I've been questioning myself lately about why I haven't rented a little place on the beach all these years. The concept of affordability is all relative. I could have survived in half a kitchen and half a bedroom and just taken baths in the ocean if I tried. Why then despite being in the vicinity, I did not chase the option to indulge in this immense exquisiteness of nature? If it could inspire me in countless ways in a matter of few hours, imagine a decade. I could have been a lot more productive, a lot more calm and a lot more creative had I lived by the water. Three 'lot more's, now that's something definitely worth a shot.
As I was reluctantly walking back from the sand post sunset towards my car yesterday evening, I saw an ugly shack, 3rd non-house from the ocean front, 1200 sq ft, 2 bed/1 bath listed for a meager 2.1 million (a board in the front yard read 'reduced price') and felt good about living where I live again.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
15th Avenue Coffee and Tea
Starbucks and my life are weaved together. It's been the thing that beats the 3 pm slump for me since ages. It keeps me going, literally. If I could work from there, I would. If I could schedule all my meetings there, I would. If I could just sit and read in the inviting orange couch with a warm blanket all day, I would.
Starbucks is now venturing into something novel. The new venture is Starbucks but not Starbucks. It's a hybrid of a bar and a coffee shop. The idea is to open a few Seattle locations, each one named after its neighborhood, furnished with repurposed materials and offering a wide variety of coffee and tea brewing options. It doesn't have the big green logo that I've conditioned my eyes to spot from far away or their signature color scheme. Needless to mention, it has a rather cool decor and a warm inviting feel from the description I've read and the snaps I've seen. It also offers some new age stuff like you could bring in your own LPs to play on the sound system and and this one's brand new, host poetry readings. Perfecto.
I'm all about companies reinventing themselves when the going gets tuff but am undecided on this one. Lots of companies take the major branding overhaul path. A while back I heard about Holiday Inn looking to build/acquire something quirky and charming as well under a different name. I guess companies continue to grow in one vertical until they reach a plateau and then they typically branch out. The same thing happened to Starbucks when they shut down thousands of stores last year and cut down on hours in some of the existing ones. I wonder if they can create an authentic neighborhood coffeehouse experience though given the liquor component.
Maybe someday I'll walk in and pretend like I've never heard of it before, and just soak the air in.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
What does your tattoo read?
This appeared in The South Asian Times on August 1st, 2009.
A very 'newsworthy' segment popped up recently on one of the news channels about tattoos being the latest fad in India. Some celebrities had catchy ones so I tried to capture names along with the associated content mentally.
My colorful commentary before I go name dropping. I love tattoos. Temporary ethnic ones that do their job on the occasion they were brought in for and never interfere with my existence, reputation or image again. I've never let them on enough to figure how long before they turn from 'ooh nice' to 'unfortunate'. I wouldn't puncture myself for anything though. I'd be a total wuss and not get a real one for fashion sake or to satisfy whims and fancies but loads of people get it done for what it means to them: a souvenir of their wild vacation, a last resort for proving their undying love, their attempt at being a rebel or to just fit in. I've seen everything from dragons to butterflies to kanji characters to people's names in Chinese. Perhaps everybody needs a youthful indiscretion or two, and a strategically placed tattoo that can be hidden well may not probably be something worth regretting too much.
I think the million dollar question isn't whether you have one but where you have it. If you have it on the face, head or wrists, you'll never have to worry about getting a job or paying taxes. No venture capitalists will ask to submit business plans either so you can safely throw those entrepreneurship dreams out of the window. If you have it on the neck somewhere, you are probably in prison in which case I shouldn't elaborate on it for safety reasons. Forearms are the only socially acceptable rebellious tattoo zone so if have been wanting to get one but not sure where, pick this area. Upper back may not get you bang for your buck because you can't wear halters and tube tops forever and what's the point of getting it done if you ain't gonna flaunt it. The only significance I could uncover for a tattoo on the lower back would be that you'll never have to pay for anything. The ones on your abs can be super high maintenance unless you hang out at the gym a lot whereas ankle tattoos can be cute and easy to pull off no matter who you are.
As for the celebs, we're maxed out on Saif Ali Khan tattoo talk but he started it all so definitely deserves a mention here. He's been sporting Kareena’s name in Hindi since ages. Then came Esha Deol with a rather fascinating one - the stylized Gayatri Mantra on her upper back. It looks a little like Ms. Jolie's but who's comparing. Amrita Arora followed suit with a "Love saves the day" on her back. Thanks for entertaining us Amrita. Malaika Arora chose some random letters, Sanju baba chose wife Manyata's name while Shruthi Hassan chose her own in Tamil. Mandira Bedi found a Tibetan Om most suitable and several others are joining the bandwagon and getting into the groove for this "trendy body art".
It’s intriguing that the ‘basic requirements’ list for being a bollywood celebrity keeps getting lengthier by the minute: great looks, well defined body, phenomenal dancing skills, finest networking skills, at least one martial arts proficiency, ability to create controversies and a parent/godfather in the industry. Apparently the latest requirement is tattoos. Oh I almost forgot about acting!
The runner up for that segment for me was Sherlyn Chopra with "I love you". And the winner was undoubtedly some Tollywood actress Trisha with Nemo’s picture (yes the fish) on her chest.
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