Songs of the not-so innocent

There's a theory that ideas are just tiny particles in space zooming towards Earth and striking the surface any old how. The secret to figuring out cold fusion, for example, may have already arrived. Only, it may have struck a bedbug which, as you read this, may be waving out desperately for some pen and ink. I was in Bangalore last week and have spent a considerable amount of time trying to find words to describe it. The particle just hit me. Juxtaposition Cool nights. Hot days. Drizzles. Dryness. Dosa breakfasts. Burger dinners.  Neighbourhoods of calm. City of chaos. Quiet bookshops. Traffic snarls. Good beer. Bars without je ne sais quoi. A wedding. An ending. I always find something to love about Bangalore. And, a lot to hate. Song for the moment: Never tear us apart - INXS  

Overheard in the wind... Once upon a time, there was a little girl who was curious about everything. Her parents were smart and often knew the answers to her questions. When they didn't, the internet did. So, between the husband, wife and WiFi, the girl's inquiries were ruthlessly dispatched. Until one day... It was the summer holidays and the girl had spent many blazing hot afternoons reading books. Now, books are actually trees in disguise (why do you think they have leaves?) and try to plant ideas in our heads, so you shouldn't be surprised to know what happened next. As the family sat down to dinner one evening, she asked what magic was and whether it was real. The parents did not quite know what to say. On one hand, they could dismiss the idea of magic as irrational nonsense and introduce her to the 'magic' of science and math. The father was itching to tell her all about the Golden Ratio and the Fibonacci Series, as a matter of fact. A look from the mothe...