Disconnect, switch off, cycle and sleep under the stars

There is a notification on Facebook, a friend has pinged on Whatsapp and another on Gtalk. This is so typical of our lives today. And, honestly, it has become irritating, energy sapping, boring and pointless. Yet, we connect, switch on our tablets and smart phones and laptops and ensure that wifi is on.

I posted a link to a DD News clip on YouTube in Facebook where Kaveri Mukherjee and Sukanya Balakrishnan present the day's news.

Sample these comments on the link:

i miss the 90's ...while growing up back then, it was a lovely time, a lot simpler, happier and filled with contentment

never ever ever ever ever ever ever remind me of the 90's! it was so good!

Now, why were the 90's so good? Partly because, we led simpler lives. By simpler, I mean uncluttered and less noisy lives. Today, a scary profusion of choices make our lives complex, decision making, stressful and consequently, attention and concentration get diverted easily.

Just imagine these:

• so many multiplex screens to choose from for a movie
• 100s of restaurants to eat out
• half a dozen messaging and chat applications
• so many news channels and some news is always breaking in all of them 

And now compare this with the 90s. Two television channels, a few good restaurants, no messaging, no breaking news, to simplify, no explosion of choices.

I gazed at the stars, actually noticed the moon, played cricket on the streets, saw a serial on DD Metro every weekday at 9 in the evening, waited for Rangoli and Mahabharat/Ramayan on Sundays, chewed boom boom Boomer, drank Rasna and Complan, read the good old Hindu, met friends in the evenings and chatted away under the light from the street lamps, got lost in faraway worlds by turning the pages of Famous Five and Hardy Boys.

Today, by giving in to these choices, we have made ourselves restless. Once in a while, we should

• cycle instead of taking out two wheelers and cars
• switch off our mobile phones for the weekend
• unplug the modem
• sleep under the stars
• make it a point to meet people instead of calling or chatting
• write letters and read comics

Life is simple and fun, it depends how we choose to live it. 

Why I love Parineeti Chopra

Hasee Toh Phasee was my first Parineeti Chopra movie. Ever since the trailers came out, I had decided not to miss this one. 

Parineeti has done a great job literally carrying the movie on her shoulders. She makes us laugh, cry, angry, incredulous, jealous and irritated. For a fourth outing, she has done remarkably well when it comes to emoting. 

Some observations - Parineeti

• comes across as completely natural in front of the camera
• has an adorable smile that warms the viewer's heart
• carries herself elegantly in all the costumes she is shown in this movie 
• is not obviously obsessed about a size zero figure
• has a powerful screen presence and an unmistakable charisma
• looks pretty wearing her hair short 
• looks prettier in glasses
• can carry off both a nerdy and a sexy look with aplomb
• overshadows other characters in a movie by a big margin 

Doing away with bullet points - 

She  can steal, romance, prance, eat toothpaste, fix a car battery, earn a doctorate in chemical engineering, rattle about cricket, throw a cricket ball accurately at the wickets, speak Chinese, drink and eat with abandon and jump a compound wall.