Reflections On Turning 29
- Invest in a carabiner clip. I have had one attached to my satchel for the last year, and its utility value continues to shock me. If you carry a bag of any sort, just invest in one.
2. Never trust a dog, for that matter, any animal on a highway; chances of it crossing is high. Best to decelerate than feeling like a murderer.
3.You need to see your mother as an individual to be able to understand the sacrifices she makes and more importantly, realize the unnecessary expectations they are forced to live up to.
4. If someone has a soft corner for you, leading them just for attention speaks volumes about your integrity.
5. A man becomes a feminist when he realizes the privileges he is entitled to.
6. If you really want to combat patriarchy, encourage the women in your family to do things that typically only men do. Teach them some plumbing or maybe how to change a flat tire.
7. The idea of a man knitting is unusual because it is considered a woman’s hobby. RJ Knits is a popular youtube channel run by Ryan Collett and his videos are therapeutic. If you are a guy who enjoyed craft in school, knitting and crocheting is not a bad hobby.
8. If the low battery in your phone frustrates you, unless you are in an emergency, what you experience is withdrawal symptoms.
9. When you understand the difference between investing and saving, your wealth starts to grow.
10.If you have a social media profile, you have followers. However small the audience, you 100% own the responsibility of posting what’s legitimate. This isn’t about not expressing your views, but about posting factually correct content. Be a responsible netizen.
11. A thick beard is about genetic lottery; there is nothing to be proud of.
12. Our appetite for enjoying trolls speaks volumes about how deep down we enjoy someone being in distress or shown in a poor light.
13. There is a huge difference between humility and being down to earth. You can be humble and still see yourself at the same level as everyone. There is no need to give the illusion of being “lower” to someone.
14. Learn to tie a knot; it is an essential life skill for packing, fastening, and harnessing.
15. A house with a sky roof is a huge flex.
16. You have all the right to say No to the cashier at the supermarket who asks for your number. Let’s get this straight- nobody is redeeming anything, and you don’t want your number reaching more spammers.
17. Three people I knew took their lives in the last year; one was a friend from college. You have every right to grieve, but if you beat yourself up for not being there for the person, it is a bottomless pit. Despite my best efforts, I sometimes feel guilty about how I could have probably changed something if I had reached out.
18. When entrusted with a secret, keep it. Even sharing it with someone from a totally different friend circle doesn’t justify the betrayal.
19. Always remember to keep the visor down in your helmet even if it feels stuffy. I averted a serious injury to my left eye a couple of months back because my visor was down and it dodged a small stone that came flying; the visor is usually up for the “wind”.
20. I continue to not understand why a woman is called a bitch in a derogatory manner. I am no PETA advocate, but that’s disrespect to the dog family.
21. You may be neck-deep in spirituality, philosophy, or any other field that will make you look like an intellect, but that is no reason for you to condescend people who don’t have the same interests.
22. Idli/ dosa batter is readily available in the market, but at least once you should partake in the activity of making it.
23. When it comes to political conversations, you are right; so is the other person.
24. Once you start sleeping late; there is no going back.
25. Never let the whistle in the pressure cooker startle you and make you move in haste if you are not in the kitchen. Easier to eat overcooked food than nursing a bruised toe.
26. All self-help content can be boiled down to just sheer discipline of doing.
27. Your attitude towards undergarments drying in the open is an indicator of how much you care about what others think.
28. There is nothing feminine about a man using a moisturizer. The calluses from the gym may seem like battle scars, but your skin deserves moisturizing too.
29. Don’t advise; always recommend. Never rob another person’s opportunity to make critical life decisions; deciding the ice cream flavor also counts.
