Wednesday 3 June 2009

I am old fashioned ( yet aint ashamed)


The other day, I was reading the post of Anju titled “Am I old fashioned?” and couldn’t help but disturb the beehive of thoughts from erupting. What am I, Old fashioned or modern?

I have been accused of being old fashioned many a times. People who have called me so include, my friends, colleagues and even family members. I don’t remember exactly how many times I have been called or the frequency at which I have been called, but I think the last time was when I bought a Tissot watch and one of my colleague commented that it was rather old fashioned. In this context, old fashioned meant it was classic with gold and steel two tone bracelet and automatic mechanical movement. I was supposed to buy a sporty watch with colorful looks and big dial with many functions which was over-engineered for a normal daily use.

I have come to a realization that calling someone old fashioned is an offense by itself and we are all supposed to be ultra modern to qualify as desirable and chick. Said that, I feel I am more comfortable being old fashioned than being an ultra modern. There are several parts of me, which likes to be old fashioned, yet having grown and educated in an cosmopolitan environment, I can’t keep myself away from a modern lifestyle.

· I am a fauji (Army) Son and once was a fauji kid. I went to school in a Shaktiman ( No! it isnt the TV serial about half man and half machine starring AB lookalike) converted into a bus. I can still recall the particular smell of the CSD canteen, Hamam Soap, Ponds Dreamflower Talc & Surf. I still prefer Brooke Bond red Label tea, which, ever since I can remember had been our family tea brand. I still like Britannia Good day biscuits over several chocolate chip cookie brands that are flooded in the Carrefour’s and Wal-Mart’s.

· I am ultra loyal to my wife, when extramarital affairs and straying has become an accepted norm. I know some of my friends who cant wait to drop their wives back to India, to hunt new girlfriends. I somehow have grown out of the lure of carnal pleasures. Young girls in bikini don’t titillate me the way they used to. Of course I may give them a second look or probably admire them, so would I admire a good looking Dog or a cat and it’s not because my love juices are overflowing. I have realized that sex is a highly overhyped thing. I really don’t understand people committing rape, murder or child abuses, fully aware of the risks of being caught. How is it such an important thing that one would risk everything in life to attain few moments of pleasure?Of course sex sells, and since it sells, its been so much over glorified by the media that one wonders over the ground realities.For me sex is a manifestation or rather, an outcome of love. I know I sound hyper old fashioned.

· I like to get up early in the mornings and on holidays, like to visit a temple. I love to visit temples not because I am brimming with bhakti. I like the tranquility of the mornings and the ambiance of a temple, mixed with the sweet smell of Agarbatti. I remember, my friends would get up late in the afternoon and give me an awkward gape when they discover of me, coming back from the temple with a teekha( red markings on the forehead).I know of friends who would go to the morning mass in the Sacred heart church, just for bird watching( featherless birds).

· I find KFC, mc donalds or pizzahut highly over hyped and glorified eateries, just like sex. I mean, if I eat a meal at KFC ( I do so when I run out of options or in too much of hurry) I just cannot force myself to have another meal, atleast in the next couple of days. I love everything thats cooked by my wife or mom, even a kanji. In India it’s so fashionable to eat at a fast food restaurant.

· I love rural life of my hometown. I love to be woken by a rooster alarm and the smell of cow dung hovering in the air. I love the sweet, cool Well-water of my native to any Soft drink or Frappuccinos of Starbucks. My friends and colleagues find my tastes medieval, if not ancient.

· I like reading classics. I am currently reading (making an attempt to read) George Eliot’s classic- The Mill on the Floss., though extremely boring. My favorite books include Ernest Hemingway’s-The old man and the sea, The Great Gatsby-by Fitzgerald etc.

· My greatest fantasies include making a journey, like those of our ancestors in a bullock cart across India. But chances are that I might actually hate it because of all the traffic congestions I might create and all the curses I would be subjected to by the boisterous truck drivers. I wish I was born a thousand years before. But then on second thoughts, wonder about the medical systems and what if a plague or TB outbreak happens. No, thank you, I am fine in the 21st century.



What I was coming to is that I am a mélange of different eras. I am a part time Old-fashioned guy, who loves everything from the Victorian era(Mughal era), but cant stop admiring the progress mankind has made over the years and the positivity that comes with being in an modern world. I love my Diesel Denim( I am trying to impress, I just have levi’s) and Armani Exchange or D & G( I meant NEXT, Marks & Spencers) as much as Kurtha paijama or Dhoti( not lungis mallu’s wear).


Ciao all.( hope I made some sense)

22 comments:

Gayathri said...

ayyoo..why do you all have fears of being termed old-fashioned?
you know what,i'm just 21,and i have almost the same view as urs,..so does that mean i should be some 42yrs old,as some FB quizzes said i was(of course they said i was mature as a 42yr old woman! :D)..
Sex for sure is a lot over-hyped..may be ppl commit it just for the heck of a publicity,..to wave a hi-fi of achievement among the frnds..anyway,i don't think it's a natural feeling that if not cross,at least not conquer everyone's mind..
and,i'm sorry to say,the 2 ton gold and silver bracelet watch doesn't appeal to me as well..if not a trendy sports watch,you still can settle on something subtle..
i love kfc and mcD for snacks,not meals..my mom's food rocks..no one else serves food better..

Glad to know that you still prefer sarees over bikinis :D..

AnjuGandhi said...

For a person who always says that he doesn't know how to write and doesn't have topics to express himself, you always come up with some thing new, interesting and thought provoking.
none of the things which you have mentioned will make us old fashioned. my children who belong to the present modern genre go to temple, read classics ( my daughter does), listen to old songs, respect elders, they dont mind touching the feet of elders in public, they visit our village once in a year. these things doesnt make any one old fashioned but yes, when it comes to issues like having girl/boy frnd at tender age, late night parties,free sex then I dont mind termed as old fashioned

ZB said...

@Gay3: I dont have any fears, in fact i was proud of being a bit old fashioned.Maturity has nothing to do with age. I think at 21 you are way too much mature than me at 30.And you must see the gold/steel watch, bot its a sexy watch. Even i hate gold watches but this one was classic and reaaly trendy.So many so called sporty ones look really cheap.

@anju: Thanks for nice words and i am glad that you liked my post.Actually i was just a bit satirical. otherwise there is no definite demarkation between old and modern fashioned. What is my notion of a modern outlook might be someones old fashioned. So let be what out logic and heart says is right. Cheers

Anonymous said...

really took me to my younger days...

a lovely simple travel down memory lane indeed..

your words are very simple.. but it has great punch that has a super knock put punch effect..

uber cool

ZB said...

chriz: thanks man. its wonderful to see you around. sigh!!

The Panorama said...

You sound like a guy secure in himself, who doesn't need affairs to seek confirmation that he is still appealing. You seem like a man who has good values. And if that is called old-fashioned these days, God help the modern people.
Enjoyed reading it:)

Bagman and Butler said...

A wonderful blog that lets me feel like I know you...and nice to see a man who seems to know himself and is comfortable in his own skin. Not old fashioned, just self-aware. I have many of the same values deep down, but as you can guess from my Butler-Bagman debates, I still struggle with much of it. But struggling is okay even when acting out on it is not.

P said...

1. To begin with... loving good day over cookies that are overstocked with sugar & calories is just good sense! And ofcourse loving the other 'Indian' brands is just a result of enjoying the aftertaste of nostalgia that is jogged by these familiar senses!
2. I don't think monogamy or being a faithful spouse which translates to 'love' will ever go out of style. There is a reason why well made romantic movies/books are best sellers. (Twilight,Love Story(bk) DDLJ, Ghost, The Notebook!)
3. Again... you may be typecasted as a health nut for confessing your lack of interest in fast food... not old fashioned!
4. You just have more patience than most of us to read classics.. I tried reading Shakespeare and that dude just doesn't make much sense with his old English... I couldn't go past Act 1!
5. I too wish about living when the times were soo much simpler.. and until u mentioned it hadn't thought of the lack of medicinal advances in those times! Scary!But again... this is cause we appreciate simplicity... not cause we r old fashioned!

So really you are not 'old fashioned' at all. You are just someone who notices more things than the next person and has strong tastes and opinions!
Indian you may be... but not old fashioned! Being Conservative and traditional are two different things! :)

ZB said...

Thanks B & B: I got the same feeling reading your blogs. Though we are thousands of miles apart, i feel i understand and know you. Thats the beauty of blogging. There is so much to share.

P: Thanks. I know what you are saying. BTW, thanks for naming the movies, i have been thinking of watching Twilight for sometime. I would this weekend.All should have certain values and one should base his/her life on these values. I feel life would be much more trouble free and angst free if we follow values. A valueless life is what creates so much chaos in this world.cheers

ZB said...

The panorama: Thanks and i am glad that you liked. i Guess i am secure. i am:))

Zeba said...

I likes you. You good man! Lucky wife. You no old fashioned.

Kum Chini said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kum Chini said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
ZB said...

@Zeba- Thanks for liking me. but its too early to come to conclusions.hehe just kidding

ZB said...

@Kum chini: I have a gr8 blog? wow, i am so so happy.and how i know your name? i can smell a name from its pseudonym..:))))

P said...

oooo... somebody is popular! looks like your publicity idea worked! 15 comments awesome! :) and still more to follow i bet!

The Unsure Ascetic said...

Hello saar,
I found this fascinating. Guess what i have been thinking about a blog on the same topic for a long time. I will soon publish one on a similar topic, similar content. No plagiarism though.
JJ

This is that said...

If this is what being old fashioned is..we belong to the same tribe.

ZB said...

P: Thanks buddy.Unless you read others, others wont read your blog.So, i have made it a point to spend an hour at least reading blogs, and it works.cheers

ZB said...

@AS:thanks, you found this fascinating is fascinating to me.I shall wait for your post. post it soon. Cheers:))

ZB said...

Thanks This is that. I am old fashioned, and good to know that you too are. hehe, cheers

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