Stories move us, stories shape us
Each of us can tell stories. Even Indra, my two and half year old grandson, tells stories. Most are, of course, those that he has heard, liked, and loves to hear repeatedly. But whenever there is a chance, he is now able to create one easily. Look around and you’ll know how well artists, filmmakers,...
The thin line between pride and desperation
We have all come across incidents of publicly expressed bitterness from professionals after retirement. Sehwag and his openly vocal insistence for some national award, the way Aamir Khan questioned the credibility of film awards when the National Film Awards committee chose not to honor him for ‘Dangal’, and Kathak dancer Sitara Devi declining the Padma...
Words, Wordle, and Intuition
Words, Wordle, and Intuition Arvind Passey 28 February 2025 Those who know what the Wordle is about will also know that one gets only six chances to reach that 5-letter word that the creators of this game have decided for the day. Those of you who will now mutter, ‘That seems easy enough’ have overlooked...
Brushstrokes of discovery
I have begun to paint. Well, this includes drawing, sketching, and using a wide selection of available mediums. If completing nearly 30 A4 watercolour sheets in a few months appears fine, then I am going on fine. For decades I have been fascinated with buying colours. Watercolours. Pastels. Blendable pencils. Watercolour pencils. Graphite pencils. Stencils....
It is time to binge-everything
Binge-watch TV shows is the last thing I mean. Though if you are the sort who sits in front of a TV and discovers that his personal universe is smiling, so be it. Go ahead. A happy person is what the Big Creator above loves. But then there is hardly any art involved in switching...
Writers and a fragile moon in a ruthless sky
There are a few quotes that are used often and have been attributed to several people. One of them is: ‘If it is truly yours, it will come back to you.’ There was one presenter who thought it was written by Ian Fleming for James Bond in some film. Many think it is Richard Bach...
Those who see something in what others never see
Art is in every heart. We are all artists, just as we are all poets and writers. Just as those who are not literate may have the heart of a poet, those without the means or time to paint or draw can live a life that is just as expressive. Pause and listen or see...
Coining unfamiliar words is always possible
Trust words to come together and coin new ones. Words have this innate ability to get together and form new ones that not only reflect the truth better but can sometimes have a forceful impact. Let me give a few examples of words that one may never find in a dictionary but are, nevertheless able...
Spam calls and predatory deceivers
One of those catchy headlines in online news clips that caught my attention was one where a man mistakes an international recruitment call from Amazon as spam and does not receive it. This man missed an opportunity all because of the deep-seated fear and hatred that we have all begun to have for spammers. This...
Memorable interludes of Dev-vrat
We have ‘Pushpak di wedding’ in the family. This is when we get an opportunity to meet friends and relatives who we have not met for some time. Well, sometimes a lot longer than ‘some time’. Discussing the past years is a small part of all the other rituals and celebratory stuff. There are comparatively...
The monsters that surround us
What does one do with farts? One option is to let them announce their arrival and then let them disappear into nothingness. This could be disconcertingly dizzying when your fart makes a lot of noise during a meeting in office… or if that fart is determined to destroy expensive perfumes that people spray to impress...
Learn new skills. Form new memories
Are you old if you are sixty? Not at all. Old age is forever a decade away in the future for those who know the great art of living. The first secret is to replace “Those were the days” with “What’s new” in every conversation. There is a lot more to the wonderful world of...
