2020 was my year of unabandoned New Year resolutions: Here are a few

2020 new year resolutions

At the beginning of 2020, making new year resolutions with the foreseeable future in mind seemed futile. Little did one know of the time one would find at hand, and the many hobbies and creations that would emerge from quarantine. It was like a science experiment; put humans within four walls with limited access to the outside and watch how they keep themselves entertained. Be it as pretty as focaccia art or monumental as starting a home business, ticking off those ‘will do in my free time’ boxes seemed for once doable. My progress was mostly predictable in the beginning- endless couch potato sessions of Peaky Blinders (hello sleep cycle) and telling myself I needed to finish that leftover baked cake incase it goes bad. But the turn of events (mainly watching all that depressing news) made me wonder, what if I could slightly re-script the gloom story and make it a tad worth it in the end? Could keeping a resolution feel like a small personal win and get me out of the funk so to speak? It was worth a try.

The resolutionest of resolutions: Weightloss in quarantine. How dare I even suggest such a thing amirite?

Everyone makes a resolution to lose weight in Jan, but weightloss when everyone is trying their quarantine kitchen skills was a bit of a far-fetched goal. So this resolve came purely from the constant push of my yoga teacher, whose ‘muffin-top burners’ and side planks made eating that extra dessert feel like a cardinal sin. Of course there was a whole handmade pizza phase I went through in March but I’d like to think I balanced it out with enough hot lemon water. Point is, I’m fairly happy that my pants are now two inches loose at the waist, and no I’m not gloating. #GlowUpJourney

Digital marketing diploma because I’m too lazy to do an MBA

Upskilling was a big word in 2020. But when an Indian parent tells you to get an MBA but you know inside you suck at math and there’s no way you’ll crack the entrances? If that’s not you then good for you, but I figured that a Digital Marketing course would help me understand the crazy world of social media a bit better and at the same time give me an insight into marketing at a self-paced, more customised kinda way. I did the course at Upgrad which you’ve probably heard of thanks to their excellent marketing abilities. It gave me access to professors at MICA which was cool and also made me feel more productive with their assignments and deadlines.

Who learns Kathak in 2020? I did thanks to Janhvi Kapoor’s Instagram

I wrote about the mini identity crisis I felt about my decision to take up Kathak classes in another article. My friend Sakshi suggested the idea and I jumped on it, though the thought had crossed my mind earlier mainly thanks to Janhvi and Madhuri Dixit’s riyaaz posts. I’d dabbled in dance during school; a bit of Bharatnatyam and contemporary jazz, and quite enjoyed myself. Last Durga Puja I did a small performance at our Kolkata building’s cultural gathering (it’s a Bong thing to do) after which I got the much-needed encouragement from relatives to pursue this passion. Of course I procrastinated for another 6 months but you get the idea.

I tried my hand at Procreate and was surprised at how addictive it can get

I always had the illustration bug, and though I loove painting (with brushes the old-fashioned way) and Adobe Illustrator (a vector software for you non-design folks), one of my resolutions was to pick up something non-tedious and more instantly gratifying (so millennial). Procreate seemed like the answer. It required me to buy an iPad especially to use it, so that serves as the motivation to not slack off and keep at learning some of the cool features.

French lessons which started out for immigration but continued for the Parisian chic vibe

The little bit of French I’d learned in seventh grade wasn’t enough for my PR application, so it made sense for me to take up a French course suited to take the DELF exam. While my French has progressed from Comment allez-vous? to Voulez vous couchez avec moi ce soir (Kardashian Lady Marmalade video reference), I’m still not confident enough to actually say anything that makes complete sense. Sidenote: Youtube Bradley Cooper French interview, that man is just beyonddd <3

What resolutions did you make in 2020 and how many did you keep? What new skills or hobbies did you take up? And what do you plan on pursuing in 2021? Spill the tea in the comments! Read here: I attended a Zoom book club meeting for fun.

A Guide to Modern Day Yoga Poses (Asanas)

“Yoga se hi hoga”, was the resounding agreement by practitioners and students alike, on the recent International Yoga Day that went by. Social media was flooded with testimonies of miracle cases, crediting the ancient discipline to have sorted everything out from their kundalini to their cash flow.  

Just like everything else, millennials haven’t taken long to modify this centuries-old tradition to their justifiably jet-set lifestyles. Be it Hatha or Ashtanga, this generation has put their own fresh spin on postures. In case you’ve not come across these before, follow the guide below to perfect your pose. Here are 5 asanas for health, wealth, luck and the subtle art of not giving a fudge:

  1. Selfie- Asana

The most common of them all, and the most effective. Raise your hand at an optimum level to take the selfie, making sure to raise the chin to not show a balding forehead. Tilt face to flattering angle and proceed to click. It may take sometime until you are happy with the outcome, so don’t bother about your surroundings. Breathe. If you get knocked over, you will fall into the lap of Mother Nature (cliff/ ocean/ passers-by/ dog poop).

Selfie-Asana

2. Crouching-Laptop-Hidden-Tummy Asana

You would require a bed for this asana. The less firm the mattress the better, and preferably no backrest. Take laptop and position it somewhere on the upper abdomen such that the neck is at a right angle with the rest of the body. Keep face as close to the screen as possible, and make sure the radiation heat from the laptop is felt. Feel your brain numb into nothingness, till you reach a point of nirvana.

Crouching-Tummy-Hidden-Laptop Asana

3. Brood-Asana

Best suited to Instagram and perfected by Kylie Jenner, this asana may require an idyllic setting as a backdrop. Kneel on the floor and jut out your posterior as you would in a squat. Rest your elbows on the knees and tilt head. Place fingers near lips, as if brooding over world issues. Adjust exhalation depending on how sombre you want to be perceived as.

Brood-Asana

4. Slouch- Asana

The best part about this asana is that it can be practised any time; while waiting in ATM queues, at movie ticket counters or grocery billing lines.  Droop shoulders to the original level of your armpits. Protude your tummy to align with your toes. Your spine should resemble a paper clip. Make sure to breathe heavily and audibly, allowing your tummy to visibly contract and expand with each breath.

Slouch- Asana

5. Pout-Asana

While there are many versions of this asana, it is practise that makes perfect. Make sure to prep lips in advance, with lip gloss, fillers or a bee sting. Stick out your hip as if about to pick something up from the floor. Keep upper spine erect. Now pucker up the lips, close one eye and make a peace sign with your free hand. Repeat until perfected.

Pout-Asana

And there you have it folks! It takes a lot to make it to dos on time, return phone calls and wrestle with FOMO, all the while stressing about one’s abysmal savings after splurging on a new handbag. But with a few minutes of daily practice, you too can partake of the benefits of these asanas, all the living the millennial high life. Happy Yoga!

Father’s Day Special: A Tribute to Dad Jokes

Tribute to dad jokes

Remember the 90s when sleepovers were a ‘thingy’?  (90s lingo, but then who even says lingo anymore). I was 12, my friends were coming over for the night and I had played out my own version of a Princess Diaries movie in my head. There was going to be the same Linkin Park CD on loop, while we discussed some random guy in school and wrote with glitter pens in a slam book. It sounded perfect.

Everything was going as per plan, we were giggling on some sugar-mixed-with-pre-pubescent-hormones rush and discussing how Ron needs to be with Hermione; when my Dad entered the room. Not bothering to check whether anyone’s in, he turned the lights off. Coz I obviously must have left them on. This particular habit drives me insane to this date.

“Papa, could you put the lights on?”, I said, slightly annoyed. “Oh! You’re in the room? I didn’t see you!” came my Dad’s deep voice. Lights still off. “Could you put the lights on please?”, I repeated, turning red. I could see my friends looking at me questioningly, blinking in the darkness.

“I can put them on, but they won’t fit me!” came the reply, followed by the booming laugh I knew so well.

I was mortified. The last thing I needed right then was Dad jokes to ruin an evening where my reputation was at stake. At an age where one’s self-esteem is at its most fragile, I didn’t need questionable humour to make me possibly more uncool to my friends.

Growing up, I was subjected to many such gems. “Your face looks like a Martian landscape!” I was told, about my acne volcanoes and craters. “Are you working hard or hardly working?” when I wanted some time alone for studying. “You have your breakfast when everyone else eats dinner!”. And the cringiest of them all “I’m not Reddy (ready), I’m Roy!”. *Shoot. Me. Already* My reaction differed each time, on the scale of one to Wonka, according to the situation, the number of people around and the life stage I was at.

By my 20s, I would say I had become inured. I was off to college and from a distance most of these comedic stunts seemed harmless, some maybe even endearing. It was also the realised I was not the only child who had the honour. Obama’s self-admission as a Dad jokes expert, made them something of a genre of its own. If Sasha had to face this in public, who am I to complain right?

Over time, the obsession with corny Dad things seems to have gotten way out of hand. Dad sneakers, Dad hats, Dad bods and the casual use of the term Daddy issues have become phenomena of their own. What is it about this berated section of comedy that keeps making its way into mainstream pop culture? I think the answer lies in the reactions they garner. Just like kitsch art, they’re so bad they’re good! A Dad joke isn’t good if not groan-worthy. I mean, what do you call a fish with no eyes? Fsh. Seriously? I mean the toddler who may have found that funny has grown up, Dad.  

So that’s it folks, a Dad joke doesn’t care if it’s politically correct. Or inclusive. Or non-sexist. Or even whether it’s actually funny or not. But all’s good in bad humour. Maybe this Father’s Day, let’s go shopping for jokes.