Skip to main content

Wir Werden Sehen

Dear reader,

Accompanied by stray and wishful thoughts masquerading as wisdom, my 40th year approaches with relentless inevitability. Diwali day feels like an opportune moment to put down some of these fancies; maybe they will cast illumination and bring clarity later.

Today, we received a couple of couriers and it made me sorry for those who have no choice but to work while the rest of the city parties or holidays. Over the years, I've been accused of financial frugality bordering on asceticism. There's no traceable inflection point for this habit; perhaps I simply aped my grandfather who was notorious for saving like a neurotic pack-rat. But, I've come to appreciate rather than question it, as it's given me the freedom to walk away from professional irritation. 

The best kind of job is one where you don't face redundancy. I guess that could just as well mean choosing the right profession to target in college. The alternative is to quiver with the fear of a pink slip or staying relevant by adding more skills to your quiver. I'd say it's easier to make this choice as a youngster on the cusp of college. 

Keeping all that in mind, I'm past the point where office BS is something to be suffered in silence. Minor quibbles are fine but I simply will not and don't have to put up with anything further. Money is liberating and helps add a dose of calm to life. So, I'm glad I didn't try to live like there was no tomorrow. For people like me, there definitely is, and the dawn sun is often red.

I can't be the first person to be struck by the similarities between going to the gym and being in a relationship. Neglect either long enough and things atrophy quickly. And both need patience and a hell of a lot of work. You will hit a wall / reach a plateau of progress where the easiest thing is to give up. It takes plenty of willpower to navigate the ennui and strive for more. And, it's vital to recognize what you're capable of and decide whether you want to invest further, because the risk is damage. The work can be worth the reward, but it isn't easy.

Anyway, that's all I have for now. Enjoy the festival of 🪔🪔🪔 everyone.

Song for the moment: Journey to the light - Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Let them talk

There is a school of thought that would quite likely be scandalised by the idea of intellectual discussions being held in a pub / bar. Impropriety and what have you. Folks like us (you know who you are) would counter with the notion that our intellectual pursuits occur only in pubs. That's when the cranial creases are watered... doused actually, & whatever is left of our neurons are firing on all cylinders, ablaze thanks to the tipple of choice. Mind you, I'm not advocating that this is the best way. It's just our way. Or my way, if any reader resents the liberty I've taken of assuming anything. Not to keep tottering around the proverbial mulberry bush (why mulberry, I ask), the latest discussion touched on the dichotomy(?) of loving your work. That is, working the week for the sake of the cheque & engaging in your passion during the weekend OR striving to make your passion, your talent or a synonym of your choice the porker from which your bacon is carved. Ri

Many the miles

Some time ago, I decided to cut down on the whining that seems to be a major theme on this blog. After having written a couple of short story posts and one interesting challenge, I found that more commentary on life, its machinations and assorted tomfoolery just did not interest me. For the moment, at least. That also thankfully means that I can't talk about the Indian cricket team's test saga. Anyway, in recent weeks, a new trend has taken root in that fragment of the 'gang' that lives in Pune. Instead of meeting up and hitting the tipple every now and then, we meet and they discuss trekking to various forts in and around Pune. Notice how I'm not in these councils-of-war. Although I've played sports in school and college, I've never been a fan of physical toil. All these talks conjure up are images of waking up at some ungodly hour before sunrise, scooting to some random hill / fort and huffing, puffing, slipping & scrabbling around in near darkness w

The baying of the hounds

Dear reader, The past few months have been punctuated by sound and fury on account of the renovations around the house. The incessant noise, rubble and dust have often led to frayed tempers and the standard indignant inquiries about the point of this whole exercise. But there's a long way to go, so we must persevere... with gritted teeth. Speaking of dust, the Lenovo laptop running Manjaro OS has been quietly gathering sackfuls of the stuff. Unfortunately (but understandably), my Macbook has become the default instrument of distraction, with the Lenovo coming into play whenever I miss USB ports. All sarcasm aside, the Mac is convenient to use and the apps 'just' work. I've praised the Linux ecosystem for years on this blog, so there's no question of indicting them now. But hear me out. I use a VPN service. In this gilded age of freedom and tolerance, I think everyone should opt for a reliable, paid service. It does not have to matter that the things you do on the in