Secret Rule Of Age!

I always enjoyed when someone tells me I don't look my age. Dress in shorts and  I will qualify for lower school! Not sure whether they tease me or jealous of me, I liked it. So when this fellow, a student, asked me 'Uncle, where is Central Mall' I was surprised. Do I look like an uncle was not my thought it was more like, is this guy blind! Anyway I gave him the direction and he happily said 'Thank you, uncle...'

In Keralam, to greet an unknown person, we generally use 'Chetta' ( elder brother ) or 'chechi' ( elder sister ) and it was always accepted. Most other places, uncle and auntie is the way to greet unknown and that was always accepted.

Until last week... I needed to ask my new neighbour about the visit from broadband company. And following the custom, I addressed her auntie. She smiled and gave me the information I wanted. I was happy to get a new acquittance. It lasted only few minutes. Till my wife with a big laugh announced that the neighbour was annoyed and conveyed in a 'strong' manner not to call her auntie! She told she might look like one and may have a kid going to school, but she in fact is lesser in age than me! I need to call her only by name! I don't know from where she found out my date of birth! 

Well, that taught me a lesson. Now, in order not to annoy anybody, I use 'excuse me..' It helps ;)

Fluidic Overflow !

With the new Fluidic i20 released, Hyundai has upgraded their entire range of cars to fluidic design. It didn't impress me at all. 

The Fluidic concept itself, for me, was loud and cheap. Friends say, Fluidic Verna is the example of the beauty and aerodynamicity of the concept. Well, have you seen the arrow-shoot design Honda City ??? Though it was launched more than an year earlier, it look more fluidic to me! Any doubt ? See both cars side by side. While Verna try to shout out loud its dynamicity, City does that in style and awe... in my opinion, of course.

But that is not the thing that wondering me. Every Fluidic sibling ( from Eon ( the worst Fluidic model,  with thick and loud lines than it can carry on ) to the Sonata ) looks similar! I mean not only the Fluidic theme gets boring, how can they think a premium car owner like Sonata, likes to be compared ( even in look ) with an entry-level Eon ??? I won't. I would like to see the extra money I spent on premium car make it a different class. Well, one reason why Suzuki's Kisashi didn't work, as told, was the prospect premium buyer for a 20 lakh car didn't like to be served along side a 2 lakh car.

Having a theme is good. It defines the company - great. But I guess Hyundai is overdoing it. The double bean grill of BMW's or the crossed grill of Volvo, though are in every car, it was used more as a signature than the theme. Even the Toyoto line-up have things in common, like headlamp assembly or grille, but not two guys are made copy!

Or is it something like, if one design clicked, stick to it... Do not annoy the admirers!