My Piece for the day

If you find yourself on this page by any chance, please bear with me for today. Though as I search the meaning of "ramblings" just to be sure, I realised, its exactly what this post is most likely to be. "L engthy, confused and inconsequential." I guess sometimes you just want to be heard but don't know how to really reach out. You want to have a conversation but don't know how to ask for it. At times, you even try and reach out, you often end up feeling a little letdown. (Even though you also know that the other person is hardly at fault) Especially, amidst the Covid-19 lockdowns, no matter how much you try to stay sane, there are days you still lose your shit. It is easier to post, "It's ok not to be ok" but when your own 'not so ok' days arrive, you still feel the same which is ok too.  While blogs can often feel like a lot of work, I often take to my usually private WhatsApp Statuses to express how I feel. It's off-course easier

A news that indeed came as a shock to many. "Sushant Singh Rajput - a young and talented Indian actor with bright possibilities committed suicide." While we all pray, "May his soul rest in peace", his death also throws light on an important phenomenon that should concern us all. In already stressful times of pandemic, millions across industries are losing jobs, young children have been left out of their joyful school routines while many others find themselves facing risk of domestic violence and abuse within the confines of their own homes.  Even for those of us, who seem to be on the better side, things can quickly get overwhelming. While most of my responsibilities are still the same but the new quarantine environment can sometimes still take a toll.  However, I know it's a lot more difficult for most others. As I talk to most of my friends, one thing that commonly comes across is the increasing work loads. As lines between work and home are gettin

Books have been my saviour, my escape route and also my inspiration. I don't know how my life and universe conspires to do that for me but everytime I am looking for an answer I find it in them. I have so often wondered in amazement, how I end up picking the right books at exactly the right time.  I am not so much of a natural reader. So, often I just continue to read books, a few pages a day to keep going in an attempt to keep growing. However, in the rare occasions I find myself immersed in a book brings a joy I cannot really explain but really appreciate. I am not much of an explorer with little courage for adventures but a lot more fears. But, as I ventured into books, I found the comfort and joy of exploring worlds and experiences I could not venture out for in my real life.  There are moments I am enjoying myself in the world of characters and yet another ones when tears emerge at silliest occasions. While then stopping in between to take a moment to reflect on ho

I was strolling on my terrace listening to yhe Three Things Podcast by the Indian Express as I was distracted by a sudden loud noise. There were also a few street dogs resting in peace on the same. Seeing their bodies jolt in shock with a sudden noise similar to those of fire-crackers with my own eyes made me realise why animal lovers around the country try to dissuade people from burning fire-crackers.  I remember my friend who owns a pet often noting, how sudden eruption of loud noises, for instance, the Diwali firecrackers can adversely impact our cannine and feline friends.  I had tried to relate to her concerns but seeing his body suddenly jolt with the noise with my own eyes made me feel bad for him as he continued to be in slight shock for the next ten seconds and more. It shook me and showed me reasoning behind her concerns and many more like her.  As we campaign against pollution and yet ignore Noise Pollution, we often overlook the fact that it isn't just abou

As I wandered away to once again stress about my career and job, a thought reminded me of the plight of poor and migrant workers suffering over the last months. While my own problem at hand felt important enough to me, I couldn't help but notice how even our problems in a crisis are also a reflection of our fortune and priveleges.  Rich are missing their gyms and spas but can still afford to spend these extra days with their children and grandchildren. While some in the middle row are losing their jobs, others are being overstretched and bearing tremendous pay cuts. While a section of our society continues to suffer hunger and despair. Poor being blamed once again for being poor.  I had been grateful I still had a job as I heard HT had laid off 150 members of its staff. Yet today on the very next day, I found myself complaining of being stuck in a job I didn't like as much. Even now, while mom couldn't take a single day off from her chemist shop, I am here cribb

There are tales that only matter to me full of those minimal and insignificant anecdotes. But, for some weird reason I had wanting to jot them down in my own little ways as a testimony to that moment, that day and the emotion I felt.  It’s a weird trait. But, for those of them that matter, I end up reserving my thoughts in the ‘Notes’ of my office laptop so that I don’t forget and share it on their birthdays as messages and posts. For some reason, as much as I would be delighted to have someday achieved all those milestones and dreams I imagine, I am a woman of little things. It includes creating those white sheet cards like an eight year old even in the beginning of my 20s. This year, these funny-looking birthday cards became my thing. It all began with that monochrome attempt at a minion trio that seemed to bring about the true vibe of our little girl gang. I couldn’t realise it then but that day it had my hard work but not my heart. It was not an attempt to make her smi

The entire #boyslockerroom incident leaves you agitated yet numb and lost for words. Nope this isn't cool. Objectifying women and overstepping a women's modesty isn't ok. There are numerous occassions when we are stared at, made remarks on but try to ignore intendending, "Not to create a scene." But, today I realised the extent how all those so called "cool talks" and "little things" in laying foundations to a larger mindset where men feel entitled to a woman's body. I couldn't help but remember a recent incident where I had failed to take a stand for a fellow woman in one of our WhatsApp group chats. Though the insident was a lot more smaller in magnitude where things were eventually explained and understood, today reminded me of several other occassions where I had personally seen a woman's modesty and safety being taken for granted, objectification of female body considered to be ok, objections to such comments hushed or ha