What does it feel like to delete your WhatsApp account?
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| Feel Whatsapp |
I haven't been using WhatsApp and Facebook for over 4 months now. Once in a month, I use Facebook just to check my notifications (and the funny part is that I receive almost 300 notifications on Quora in one day and got 12 notifications on Facebook in a month; 11 of them being Candy Crush invitations. I'm such a boring soul on Facebook now that nobody remembers me there). I had installed WhatsApp for 4 days and uninstalled it again because Virali Modi joined Hike (evil laugh).
Coming back to the question. I used to be so hooked to WhatsApp that I kept refreshing the contacts list every 30 minutes to catch a status update. Later, I got messages from friends saying, "hey did you see her status? Probably they have broken up! (referring to those "I'll be better" statuses)"
It felt so crowded with WhatsApp, where every friend was just a touch away. I knew everything my friends did. They knew everything I did. I was in touch with all my high school friends. I got many texts on my birthday to wish me. Forwards and smileys filled the void of talking and listening. It was so chirpy.Some issues cropped up and I uninstalled WhatsApp instantly. Suddenly, my smartphone stopped beeping. I didn't receive a single call from anyone except my parents, my sister and my boyfriend and occasional messages from myntra sale. None of my friends cared to find out anymore of how I had been, although I used to exchange messages with at least 15 people every day.
But now, there wasn't a single moment when someone called me up to meet me or casually ask about my whereabouts.
I realised that technology has taken a toll on all of us. Gone are the days when we would call up our friends and talk for hours straight. Its just too awkward to call someone up if they aren't using WhatsApp.
I would occasionally call up my friends and talk. But suddenly, it seemed very formal; calling up someone to talk for 15 minutes seems like a gigantic task now.
I don't even see my phone these days and its kept somewhere aside. I just use it to make a call or text on Hike. I use Hike where I just have 5 contacts - my sister, my boyfriend and 2 very dear friends and now Virali Modi too; just the closest ones.
Deleting WhatsApp has made me go back to the '90s - to reality, where no technology can surpass human interaction. I'm glad that I have come down from 94 "contacts" to 4 "friends". Finally, I am not engrossed in my cell phone while I'm having tea with my parents. But still, I complain each time I meet my gang because it's like talking to people buried in their cellphones.
Life without WhatsApp is beautiful. I know what's real and what's not.
What's it like to meet Rajnikanth?
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| Dileep Sundar experience with Rajinikanth |
The wife and I were visiting Chennai for a friend's wedding and decided to have the midnight dinner buffet at the Taj with a couple of other good friends. The date was 26th Feb, 2011.
Since we arrived a bit early we were waiting in the lobby and that is when we saw "The Boss" and his wife walk past us. My friend was the first to recognize him and by the time i got a glimpse of him he had headed into the restaurant. The four of us contemplated if it was right on us to try and meet him (invading his private time) but then we just couldn't resist it. We walked into the resto and there he was busy on his phone while his wife was at the table. The hotel manager stopped us saying "Sir is busy now. You cannot disturb him. Sorry". We tried to plead with the manager saying that we were from Bangalore (which is the case) and we would really like to meet him. He just shooed us away though. Disappointed we headed back to the lobby.
After around 5-10 minutes IT happened. The manager came out looking for us and said "Sir is calling you. Please come". We were shell shocked. HE had actually noticed us and called us back in to meet him. As soon as we approached his table, he stood up to greet us. He was extremely courteous and shook hands with all four of us. When we mentioned that we were from Bangalore he switched from Tamil/English to Kannada and we managed to have a 3-4 minute chat with him as well. Post that when we requested for photos of him, he not only posed with us but also gave us enough time to take turns and shoot with all our phones. We thanked him and quickly left the place.
While the experience was really surreal and the photos managed hundreds of likes/comments on FB, I have just 2 take aways from all of this:
1) The Boss was extremely humble and courteous for a man of such stature
2) We were such idiots. Feb 26th is his wedding anniversary. So, not only did we barge in on his anniversary dinner claiming to be big fans, we wished neither him nor his wife.
I've read/heard a lot about the good deeds he has done to society but this small incident surely did bump up my respect for him by several notches.
What is it like to see a close friend become famous?
It is kind of a strange feeling, at one end you feel proud of being so close to someone as famous as XYZ, and then comes the frustration (especially during job appraisal seasons), "woh kahan pahunch gayi aur tuu kahan rah gaya" (where has she reached, and where have you been left) :D
In my case it is Priyanka Chopra, yes The PeeCee.. we were in the same school in +2 and also shared the same coaching after the school, even more our houses were also close by.. Never a close friend to say so, but same Section of the class, same optional subject, same coaching.. so quite a lot of similarity (besides she had looks of a model and I of a sample)
The worst came when I joined the college after +2, and became an instant hit, by the name "Priyanka Chopra's classmate".. the highly sought after fresher, who was a source of live entertainment for the seniors, answering their unending (and most of the time obnoxious) questions about her.."Any boyfriend in school", "How was she in school", "Did you ever tried your chance".. blah blah (those censored ones.. ;)
It was quite a journey for her, from Ms. India to Bollywood and now one of the highly paid actor over there..
Still when we have the long drinking sessions, while watching TV, often emotions erupt, "Bhai, tuu yakeen nahin maanega, lekin aise saath baithi hai mere, aur aaj dekho hickk" (Bro, you wont believe me, but she use to sit almost next to me, and see where is she today)..
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