Category: differently observed

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A mish mash, some might say eclectic

Useful sources of information to help us think things through

They’re videos, personally, I need a rest from reading books.

Posted 20th March 2022

The first featuring a British comedian, is about the pandemic but I’m not a believer in conspiracies. That doesn’t mean that we’re not manipulated. The pharma companies are bleeding us, should be regulated and their profits limited.

His videos are about sharing information to help us form our opinions and realise how the world works.

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I’m really impressed by this writer. His book Sapiens helped me rethink the development of humans and to realise how significant storytelling is in how we lived in our earliest days, and now, how integral stories are to our identities, to our collaboration, which affects every aspect of our lives

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This video is about the Ukraine but reveals his thinking about what the current situation reveals about all our societies, being both positive and hopeful.

Philosophical thoughts

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India stimulates all sorts of reflections like …. What’s the purpose of the line?

a boundary, a border, between in and out? Here and there? Normal and abnormal? The limen … an important guide, the threshold, between one world and another.

If India is anything to go by, it may have no use, other than helpfully creating ‘purposeful’ work.

I pity the poor guy — with his trusty leaf blower and a hanky round his mouth, — who momentarily shifts the dust from the road and into a cloud to probably help the paint stick,

On both our trips to England, Manjula was amazed and intrigued at how the traffic stayed within the lines that marked the lanes.

CAVA

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Our very local art college had an open day today.

This is possibly my favourite but it’s impossible to choose.

We have great friends from here including Punith, Karan and a couple of the wonderful lecturers.

Today, new friends, Fab students gave me their precious time and wonderful insights.
Which carried on in the evening with great entertainment
And to prove I’m Indian I just had to take a selfie.

Wedding part two

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The morning after the reception.

Timings are followed exactly (9.00 to 9.30 am) unlike the night before when things hadn’t started almost two hours after the advertised time.

The knot is tied and I’ve poured milk, gently thrown rice and had tiffin.

Behind the scenes in the choultry or wedding hall is the sort of place where Manjula started working.

The bride’s proud father

Imperfection

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After I’d asked for a sign a messenger came to visit. Thank you Manjula.

Within a day or so the bullock’s head holding Manjula’s pennant fell off the wall and broke.

It probably wasn’t a sign just a clumsy Yindian, yes it was the idiot from Yorkshire that probably dislodged it.

Some time later I was introduced to Wabi Sabi by my friend Kamakshi

and my daughter-in-law Alice, son Ben and granddaughter Poppy gave me a present to fix things the Japanese way

I seem to be being pushed and prodded so I gave it a try,

ta ra ta ra

I can do imperfection (we’re good at that in Yorkshire too)

and now it’s fixed imperfectly

The Heart

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The Heart and the bottle by Oliver Jeffers. This picture book story is part two of a series of three of my postings, number one is grief gravy. If you visit and read each one you’ll realise it reflects something of my recent journey which many of us share.

His stories and artwork are wonderful. My granddaughters favourite was the one about the crayons writing letters to the child.

whose head was filled with all the curiosities of the world
with thoughts of the stars
she took delight in finding new things
It might never have occurred to the girl what to do had she not met someone smaller and still curious about the world.

Manjula and I have given many away as gifts. All his books are also available for our guests and friends at Manjula’s Library in Mysore Bed and Breakfast.

Look out for the third posting in this series, revealing more of my journey.

I refer to more of Oliver Jeffers’ wonderful books in other postings. Do look out for his work for the children and adults in your life.

We’re losing so much

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There are signs everywhere of the man-made environmental damage resulting from not anticipating the consequences, concentrating on short term gains and our lack of care.

Even seas go missing. Due to all the above combined with local and global pressures.

All around the world, including in our backyard in Karnataka with the Kaveri river, there’s conflicts about water being taken from rivers and little being left for the communities further down.

Cherishable

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Today’s cherishable sad and sweet memories are the times Manjula and I spent together.

Here

The writer Didion coined the term ‘vortex’ in her book ‘a year of magical thinking’ about the year after her husband died.

It helpfully describes when one is ambushed by trigger memories of good times spent together.

But I wasn’t ambushed, as I fully expected it.

These are sad and tearful yet happy treasured moments in central London. I know it so well yet it now has an other dimension.

Reflective Space

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I enjoy meeting new people for enlightening conversations. We cover an incredible range of subjects.

I’m regularly contacted by young people who arrange to drop in and talk and often borrow books from Manjula’s library.

Thank you, from happy old man