One Direction and Zayn Malik

Today, when I was wasting time scrolling through facebook, I came across this really heartbreaking thing – Its been three years on today’s date that Zayn Malik left One Direction and simultaneously broke the hearts of a million people all around the globe.

Looking back to that sad day, I remember my friend calling me when I was eating dinner. I remember her asking, “Is it true?”, and remember having no clue what she was talking about. Then she asked me to check One Direction’s official Facebook account. Then I also remember checking their Wikipedia page (Side note: If something has a wikipedia page, you’re completely set.) – I remember showing the page to my brother where it very clearly said “Past Member: Zayn Malik”. Now, my brother has always loathed One Direction and their music and their adorable little faces, and my obsession with them. But on that particular day, my brother looked at the screen of my phone, then looked up at me and very sincerely said, “I’m sorry.”

I remember hating Zayn Malik for months. I remember hating his new single, and his new girlfriend. To this day, its my personal opinion, that One Direction going on a break actually started with that day Zayn Malik decided to leave. In a perfect world where he hadn’t left, I believe my favourite boys would still be intact, and together and making happy boyband music.

On the anniversary of this day when One Direction unofficially ended, here’s five of my favourite songs from the other bands I had to learn to cope with:

1. 5 Seconds of Summer – End Up Here
2. The Vamps – She Was The One
3. Coldplay – Yellow
4. Simple Plan – I Can Wait Forever
5. OneRepublic – Let’s Hurt Tonight

Hindi Music and Meaningful Lyrics

I’d be lying out right if I said I’m a fan of Hindi music – I’m not. I haven’t been one for years; of course there was an inevitable time in my pre-teen years when I was a massive fan and by massive I mean, really, really super massive. I loved Hindi music and listened to Bollywood songs all day and made it a point to know the lyrics to every single song – all. the. time.

Now, as I grew up and people around me started to change (I went to a really fancy school), naturally my music choice changed. I’m not saying that I regret it, because I say this with complete humility – I LOVE my music choice. I love it. I love the bands I love, and I love the songs I love. I’m completely not ashamed with not knowing Hindi songs and actually knowing English songs more. Keeping that aside and looking at the industry as a whole, the quality of Hindi songs has quite fallen over the years and maybe its because of this opinion that I really shifted to English music. Hindi songs in the early 2000’s and during my parents time had a certain magic that songs right now do not. They had lyrics that made so much sense and lyrics that sounded beautiful, and on top of all of that, they had beautiful singers. If I had to do a survey, I’m sure at least 70% of the people of my age would feel the same and definitely agree that Hindi music a decade ago was MUCH better than Hindi music now.

Despite all this, once in a while, I stumble upon Hindi songs that I instantly take a liking to and then listen to them on repeat (especially in the gym). In recent times, I’ve also taken a liking to new remakes of old Hindi songs (good remakes, I promise) – So here’s a little Hindi music I’ve been listening to:

1. Dil Diyan Gallan (Tiger Zinda Hai)
2. Kya Hua Tera Wada (Pranav Chauhan – Unplugged cover)
3. Jab Koi Baat (Atif Aslam, Shirley Setia and DJ Chetas)
4. Tu Chahiye (Bajrangi Bhaijan)
5. Lae Dooba (Aiyaari)
6. Afreen (Coke Studio)

Books and more books?

I’m obsessed with books. Honestly, I feel obsessed is a very simple word, I think my obsession for books needs a word stronger than obsession. Because of this, every year whenever there’s a chance for anyone to gift me, I’m always hoping they gift me books. In fact, I make it a point to let everyone know that I really want, or even need, anything other than books. (It sucks when people don’t follow that)

I met my friend for lunch the other day and she gifted me four books for my birthday! The best part is people always ask me what books I want and I, shamelessly, send them a long list for them to choose from and so I’m always gifted the books I really want – (its a flawless technique, please try it)

I make my brother gift me books (mostly) on every gift-able occasion and I gift myself books of every gift-able occasion and thus currently my To be Read pile consists of 9 books (oops)

All in all, how unhealthy is this obsession? Or how healthy is it? I mean, I learn tons of things from various books, and I find a lot of wisdom between these pages and I’m never bored because I always have a book to read! So really, in the long run, isn’t it much better being obsessed with books than with cocaine?

On a more positive notes, here’s two of my favourite reads from this year!
1) The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck by Mark Mason
2) Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (because why not?)

Hair cuts and hair stylists

Every single time I go visit my hair stylist, he tells me the exact same thing he tells me every other time – “You need a hair cut! Atleast a trim; just remove your split ends.”

To be quite honest, I’m always really confused when I get this advice – Does this man who’s spent his money learning to cut other people’s hair really care about my hair? Or is he just looking to make more money? Obviously, everyone wants their business to flourish but would you give me terrible advice and risk spoiling my only USP? What would you get out of it hair stylist? Though on the flip side, if you do give me terrible advice and my hair does get messed up, I will come back to you – so there’s your reason!

I’m still left wondering because every time you go to a hair stylist they invest so much of their time and expensive products into making your hair look beautiful and then ask you to get a hair cut? Do you really want me to get a hair cut because I’m incapable of taking care of my hair, or do you want money?

The last time I got a hair cut was back in September, and my hair hasn’t grown a lot over these months. Inspite of that I’m actually quite happy with how my hair looks currently; and still my genius hair stylist tells me: Its been quite a few months, you should cut it! Excuse you, let my hair grow atleast you crazy man!

At the end of the day, I’m still so confused – Do hair stylists really care about the well being or my hair, or the well being of their business?