Tring tring

Now that it is about to one year since Mr. Bhowmick (@ankanbhowmick) and I started Studio Nautilus, I have many experiences to share of managing a design studio.

When we were working as designers, we had to design and manage clients sometimes. But as business owners we do everything! We are the office boys, receptionists, cleaning staff, designers, client servicing, copywriters, studio people etc. There have been days when other activities have taken all our day and we can’t help but start designing at 9pm and order the most unhealthy food to keep us up. Post 9pm, no clients call us and no admin work bothers us. The nights are calm and cold and we get great work done. We have tried to pull many all-nighters but at 1am we lose some passion and decide to call it an early night.

Over these months, we have also collected many assets. Each time we earn that money to buy what we need it fills us with the same joy that a rich kid has when they receive a ferrari for their 18th birthday. Actually, maybe more. We are now proud owners of 2 macbook pros, 2 printers, 2 screens, 1 centre table, 1 tea kettle, our own high speed internet connection and an office landline! There are many more tinier things but all very important. It seems like you’re the coolest person alive. The joy of working hard to make these little things possible is amazing.

And then of course there is the design. The authority to fire an annoying or unethical client is amazing. We are no longer stuck in a work place wherein we have all the responsibility and no authority. We can also choose what to charge for a project, whether or not we want to do it. Call us arrogant, but if we had to be slaves to clients we would have continue working for others. In one year, my design skills have matured and focused as this has a direct implication to what projects I will find in future.

We have explored our hobbies in our own style. Our own little venture- Chomp Chomp has been easy, fun and kept us busy when we didn’t have much work. Combination of my hunt for food and Mr. Bhowmick’s depiction of it in photography, we have successfully written 18 articles in 1 year. I know it’s not enough but who’s judging.

I wish this zeal and excitement lasts even when we have enough money and work. For now I can for the first ever time say, “Call me.  011-41008783.”

A woman's BFF

I always wonder why women do it to each other? She must foul mouth her best friend. She must comment on every girl's body, hair and clothes. She must compare herself with every woman she knows and pretend to feel superior while in her head she only feels low on confidence.

Imagine a group of 4 teenage friends who claim to be very close to each other. Two of them fight, the other two will pick a side and wouldn't wait to start bitching. Go to a party and you will find two women who discover they are wearing the same clothes turn into mortal enemies. Alternately, pick up the newspaper and you will find that women ask for dowry from other women. Women set rules about clothing. Women judge other women on most aspects men are blamed for. You are an outcast if you miss a birthday party.

I'm not saying men are right but the way they treat each other is fabulous. If they disagree on something, they punch each other and forget about it. They never talk about people like women do. They have a strong bond.

When women see a friend after a few years they said- have you gained weight? or what happened to your skin? or I heard your boyfriend broke up with you, how are you holding up? In their head they just calculate whether they are doing better. If they feel they aren't, they would talk more and dig into their 'friend's' life to find some filth that they can use to feel better about themselves.

Women judge everyone. While they would judge another woman on her physical appearance and how anything that happens in her life is influenced by it, a man would be judged on his pure ability to make money. It seems women think they are inferior as they do not want to compete with men on a mental level.

There has been a lot on debate on issues like dowry, rape, female feticide and other evils on women. They are really sad issues but I hate to say most of the times women don't support other women in such issues. If a boy's mother asks for dowry, the girl does be a party to giving it to them. A girl should just get up and leave her wedding. Take a stand. If a girl is not getting education, she should fight for it.

But look at us. Look at how petty we are. We don't want to earn money ourselves and let men pay. We let them pamper us. We prepare our bodies by working out not to be healthier but be desirable while he comes with a beer belly and bald head thinking he's the most attractive man on earth. Then we complain that we are ill-treated. Fill our head with garbage and leave no space for peace and knowledge.

When our friends meet us, how many go beyond the physical appearance and actually discuss a book or debate on politics? I know women who claim to be good lawyers but think having pre-marital sex is illegal in their country. Women working in news channels who don't even know the prime minister or how many states are in India. All they want to do is obsess over their weight, party on Saturday and bitch about other women.

Women do not know friendship. No matter what they claim or think they believe. They judge other women on petty issues. They are incapable of standing up for each other till there is a big sensational news where they suddenly feel sisterly love.

Peas in a pod

Oh! That notorious little magical pea in a pod. In that basket there were lots of pods and she was not welcome.  She would often run away from the pod and was not welcome back. All she wanted was a pod where she fit, all she wanted was a pod where she fit.

First, she went to a tiny pod. Oh! how scared the other peas were.

Then, she went to a big pod. Oh! how tiny she was.

She then tried a new pod. Oh! how old she was.

Then she tried an old pod. Oh! how young she was.

Then she tried a green pod. Oh! how blue she was.

In the whole round basket, there was no pod where she belonged. No pod that she longed for. This wait had been quite prolonged.

The tired blue oddly sized middle aged pea then found a corner. A dark corner which scared her more. She would look up at all the pods she'd once been a part of and wondered where she belonged? Was there any place in the round basket where she fit?

This city scares me

I feel scared in New Delhi. The nights scare me. Walking in the dark scares me. Standing in the dark scares me.

I suspect every man in the car who looks at me while taking a turn. I don't want to believe he is looking at the road. I increase my pace when a see a group of men, maybe harmless. I watch my back after every step I take. I feel restless till I find a place with a big family buying ice cream. Soon I realize, they won't help me if someone tried to harm me. No one helps anyone in this city. No one can trust anyone.

A man lying injured on the road could actually have with a gun. A truck driver asking for instructions could abduct me. A cool looking basement cafe could be a trap. You can't get mobile reception there and who would be able to trace you.

I always thought I was safe if I were with a man I trusted but now I know he will be powerless when we are surrounded by a group. I only breathe a sigh of relief when I reach my house, lock it and see my parents around. Sometimes I feel it is better to not go out.

But why shouldn't I? I am a citizen with equal rights and I fulfill all my duties. I work hard during the day like a man does. I pay taxes and all my bills. I am an adult. Then why is it that women should either hide or just protest for their safety?

Everyone is happy till they are safe. Protests turn into branding exercises of celebrities and fade out.

What hurts me the most is that there are actually some women who discourage other women from standing up for their rights. We should first be strong and be equal. We should fight for equality in every situation we are in and not surrender thinking it is too small an issue to raise a fight for.

We deserve to be out at any hour we want to be without bodyguards. We deserve to wear what we like.  We deserve every opportunity that comes our way and we need to realize that.

I don't want to hide and feel safe. I just want to have a good time without constantly worrying about my safety.