I am really surprised by the sheer amount of heartfelt tributes pouring in for #IrrfanKhan from his fans all over the world. He never attained the conventional “stardom” - he had no quality to do so. But all he focused on was to master his craft and excel doing it. He just sincerely did what he loved. I remember he had said in one of his interviews - “just avoid getting bored with yourself”, doing what you like to do and you shall achive that you want”. Yep, I guess that is all it takes to be recognised. And loved. Sincerity.
Thoughts
We lost a brilliant artist very early today — this is a big, big loss to the film industries all around the world. There is so much that we missed to see from this man. The world was just starting to appreciate what he is capable of. #RIPIrrfanKhan
How am I doing right now?
I recently came across this brilliant article at Quartz at Work suggesting to “move beyond “how are you doing?” and get more serious about the questions we’re asking our colleagues, friends, and family”. It presented a list of questions that one should lead with while talking to others.
I thought I will try and attempt to answer a few of these myself. Maybe you can give it a try too. And if you do, I would like to read how you are dealing with this challenging moment. Here’s my attempt.
Listening to music — spending some time with myself. It’s been some time that I did that. I used to do that very often. Of course, it was a lot easier to find some lone time. Not that easy any more.
The corner with my study table, I am happy that I spent some significant time designing it while I was renovating my home. And another room I like to go relax in now and then is the bathroom.
Body lotion — I do not know why, but I have got many of them now. And biscuits. I never knew I liked biscuits so much.
All the stories of sacrifices that get published every single day — when the humans have behaved just the way they should. It has been rare to read about recently.
I have fallen out of the habit of writing the morning pages. I know I shouldn’t have. But for some reason, there isn’t much that’s different that every new day dawns with.
I have fallen into my old habit of listening to the music — lots of varied music.
I am not listening to podcasts. Or Audiobooks. I am reading lots of books.
Every part of the neighborhood. Everything that’s outside. That’s crowded. The streets. The restaurants.
Finding stuff to idle the time away with.
Air conditioners. Cash.
Internet. Kindle. Plants and Garden.
The chatty, social one. I have been part of many zoom meetings, few even those where I knew no one on the other side.
Illiteracy. Stupidity. Rebelism.
After Trump talked about medical usage of UV light exposure and injecting disinfectants in his press conference, Dave Pell says, “Stop live-broadcasting these batshit political rallies masquerading as press conferences. Stop the crazy coverage”. I agree.
I always wondered why the leader of the government, in turn a country, needs to drive these press conferences. Sure, it gives press a chance to question the government. But I think US is a live example of what a shitshow this can turn into.
I somewhat like how it is done in India. The relevant ministry officials and the assigned experts lead the press conference - experts doing majority of the talking.
Politicians better be kept away from mics in these trying times. They tend to get into their old habit of addressing their vote banks.
I read this brilliant tweet from Evan Greer highlighting how cynical the techies have been left as the result of the last few years.
Medical experts: we need testing, PPE, & social distancing
Tech bros: so surveillance, right?
Medical experts: testing, hand washing, masks & ppl staying home plz.
Tech bros: got it, fever seeking drones
Medical experts: TESTING! PPE!!!
Tech bros: facial recognition?
I understand, all the efforts that the governments all over the world are rolling out towards containing the spread of virus can potentially affect our privacy. Or the way we are used to control our privacy. But I believe it is not just this issue that we will have to live with and fight against after this pandemic has passed.
Summer is setting in — stays too hot throughout the day. And is equally bad in nights too. It is going to be a trying May ☀😰 — especially so without the regular niceties of the months of summer 🏖🍧🍹
I watched a few episodes of the new Netflix miniseries Hasmukh. Only because there was Vir Das associated with it. But it was such a bore. Das didn’t fit the character - he is too posh to pull off the role of a small-town guy. Plus as a comedian on-screen, he just isn’t funny.
I realize that I have so much time at hand by not doing the activities that I always wanted to avoid. Like those long commutes. Or needless trips to shopping malls. Or attending those guests that I didn’t want to.
So much time at hand. So much that I could do, that I could create potentially. Potentially.
However, I find that my mind wanders off. It can’t concentrate for long. It can’t be creative. I keep staring at the blank screen before I give up and reach out for something to read. I stare at those words that should mean something. But then I again give up. Finally and unwillingly, I land at those apps. The apps that I had carefully spent the last few months on getting into a habit of avoiding.
Wish this wasn’t difficult. But the fact is today everything is. Wish I could better control my mind. But the fact is today I can hardly control anything.
When this all passes over, it is not this helplessness that I want to remember these days for. So it is my photo gallery that is most happening.
It is full of snapshots of everything different that we have been doing together as a family. Cooking. Playing. Singing. Dancing. Not just the photos, it is full of videos now. I am creating movies out of these moments of togetherness. At least, am learning now. The pictures, the movies, they need not be perfect, as long as they bring out the underlying, momentary happiness, hopefulness, that I lived through.
So some years down, when I get a notification for new memories in my photos app — saying “5 years ago” — it is that feeling of togetherness, happiness, hopefulness that I want to personally associate this pandemic, this lockdown with.
Maybe that’s very selfish of me. But that’s the least harmful vice this pandemic could live behind within me.
“But dad, why is 14 spelt as fourteen while 40 is forty? Why can’t they keep things simple?” Asks my daughter. I guess when you don’t go outside, you can spot and question even the trivial things that you usually neglect. Or maybe lockdown hasn’t affected the curious minds?
I understand now why the post-apocalyptic fiction tends to focus on the aftermath of an apocalypse - especially of a pandemic. The period when the world lives through, fights and struggles gets tiring, I guess. Though this is the poignant period, there’s nothing dramatic.
I like what I see in the new iPhone SE. First the perfect name — the “smaller” SE brand did not die (4.7” is now the new small). It is exactly what the old SE was — the proven externals with the latest internals. But personally, I can’t go back to the small, bezeled screens.
Almost all the core features of Github are free now. It’s so refreshing to see the approach of this new Microsoft towards the open-source software. They have been wonderful custodians of all the services they have recently purchased. I respect this Microsoft under Satya Nadella.
One thing that Corona pandemic hasn’t managed to change - media, social or otherwise, is still full of cynicism. The environment outside is already heavy, laden with negative thoughts. It tends to affect your mind more than it regularly did. You do not want more fed externally.
I heard about another “simpler” service aimed to replace Medium - Typehut. Of course, I gave a try. It took everything from Medium — good and bad. Simplified what was already good and simple - editor. Kept all that was bad as is. No RSS. No title-less posts. No custom styles.
Apparently, Google plans to charge for using reCAPTCHA. Looks like we have trained Google’s algorithm well enough now that they do not need to run the service anymore. Best way to kill it is by start charging for it.
I cut my hair at home today with “some” help from my wife. Then I helped my dad with his hair. He looked satisfied. He stressed and did so many-a-times, how close his hair looked to those cut professionally. Funny how some services deemed essential are not so in reality.
I find it ironic that “the everything store” has found it extremely difficult to serve customers in India. I haven’t managed to order anything from Amazon. The specific stores for groceries or vegetables, on the other hand, have managed to thrive. I do wonder why.
I have been winding every day down with this playlist on Spotify — Calming Acoustic. It relieves me of all the stress accumulated throughout the day. Allows me to focus on a few things that matter the most. And to spend some quiet time with me.
I have realized that am not afraid to click the “Follow” link on a profile on Micro.blog. I believe it is the lack of an algorithmic timeline that prevents the whole reading experience from becoming overwhelming. The list of post is never too much - so keeps the timeline sane.
If you publish a newsletter, please, please include a link to your archives very close to that “Subscribe” button your want readers to click. You intend to form a relationship with the readers. Give them a chance to see in advance what and how you write.
I have now learnt about how to cut hair at home. To make sanitizers at home. To make masks at home. The correct way to wear masks - and hand gloves. And the correct way to remove them. To efficiently and effectively wash hands. To wash food containers. To sanitize cash. To sanitize sanitizer bottles.
Sigh! I don’t think I was ready for all these unique knowledge bites. I don’t think even internet was.
This had to be the worst time for US to have Donald Trump as President. He comes out as indifferent from whatever I’ve read and seen. Maybe what gets reported is biased, but even his addresses to press have been mixed. Indifferent is worst you can be as a leader today.
Snow-capped mountains are visible from places that have never seen them in decades. Ganga water is significantly cleaner. Smog-free skies and clear canals. Nature is smiling back at the world. We, humans, screw up. We lock ourself out. Nature decides to clean itself.
I started, and stopped watching Manifest — another in the list of Lost-wannabes. It takes more than just a good sci-fi premise to be what Lost was. Sure, even Lost wasn’t perfect. But it’s well written and acted, which most aren’t.