Tuesday, December 18, 2007

About: Friends

"I am a great believer in friendship. Friends are my world and my sustenance". This is what I used to say.

I still remember reading in a computer-generated astrology sheet about me at Fun World - "Friends will help you in everything. Don't expect any help from relatives." Oh how happy I was that day. My faith and belief in friendship had got official affirmation. The world was rosy. Unfortunately, I grew up after that.

My dad always tells me that my faith in friendship is unwarranted, over-the-top and that I am an immature fool who does not know anything better. I never listen of course. I don't want to. But I think he is right. There's no such thing as friendship and "best friends". We just fool ourselves everyday. We desperately try to cling on these notions to shield ourselves from the harsh realities of the world, the day to day struggle, the unfairness of it all, and to give meaning to our miserable lives. Hey wait! isn't that what friends are for? Yes, but this does not happen. How long are they going to listen to you going on and on about your life and how you don't have this and how you hate that. They mute you out after a certain point. Fair enough right? You change, they change. You have a different set of priorities than them and you think different. Everything becomes artificial and superficial. Friendship loses its meaning. You have to move on.

Maybe, it all comes down to managing expectations and more importantly, assumptions. You expect too much from them or the wrong things. You measure everything they do with the barometer of your own standards. They assume certain things about you and stuff everything you say down the hole of that assumption.

After the age of 24.42, everyone becomes selfish. Everyone views everything from the lenses of personal gain. Everyone is too busy for their own good. Friendship is flushed down the sparkling toilet bowl with the golden knob and shiny crap. And I think I have already done that. So should you.

Perhaps, that's why I want to open The Chocolate Shop. A dark one at that.

The Chocolate Shop !

The past week, my mind has been furiously thinking of new ideas for business- some related to my existing business, and some not. The ideas have been just crazy and bizarre. However, in all this thinking I have decided that upon obtaining some change money, I am going to open up a one-off chocolate shop in Bangalore.

The aim is to convert my love for chocolates into a business opportunity. It will be an exclusive chocolate shop showcasing the best chocolate in the world and perhaps some home-grown too. Preceding this will be the start of a chocolate club which I plan to found and nurture. I have already thought the name for these ventures.

Any takers?

P.S.: Lewin is going to be my Guest VIP Taster. You hear me Lewin?