Heartcrossings

 We have a very beautiful park in my town featuring a couple of lakes, many acres of greenery and some gardens. It is not uncommon to see wedding parties in the summer months take advantage of the location. It is also my favorite place for a picnic - conceptually. The reality of the summer months include bugs of different sorts, flies and mosquitoes. I happen to draw them to myself almost exclusively no matter who else is with me. The only person I know that these creatures favor over me is J. So when she was still home, we talked about picnic in the park in idea terms knowing full well we were unlikely to actually implement it. We hung out a coffee shops and in the museum if we both had something to do but wanted a change of scenery away from home.  A couple of week ago, I finally realized my idea of having a picnic in the park. Something any number of other people have done innumerable times in their lives. For me it was a novel experience entirely to lay on the grass beneath the sha

 Interesting article about differences in attitude towards employment between Gen Z men and women . This may be beyond a generational thing though. I have known men of my generation waiting it out for couple of years for the right job - which means the right combination of prestige and pay. H for example refused to engage in any discussion if the pay was not higher than the job that he was let go from. The fact that he failed to perform at his prior role mattered nothing to him because he refused to recognize that as a concept.  It had not worked out between him and his managers so he got on a performance plan and got out with some severance. As far as H was concerned they were idiots and he had gamed the system and no one could possibly perform in the conditions he had to. When I heard H describe the situation almost a year into being unemployed, I could not believe the attitude and then it started to make sense. He had to truly, deeply believe every word he said. If that were not the

Recently I referred a friend to a job where I was well-acquainted with the hiring manager. It started strong with good feelings all around.  T reported good interviews - the people he met with are all my former colleagues so I was not surprised they were enthusiastic about him. Then a few weeks into the process, T asked to meet for coffee.  He had some concerns about the team based on the cues that he had picked up along the way - can he perform, will leadership help with removing roadblocks along the way, were there clear performance metrics for this role. Most importantly, he wanted advice on how best to diligence what he was stepping into. I shared my experience with such things - in the interview stage, he will more likely than not get the answers he wants to hear. In some instances, the hiring manager will say the team is not as well-established as they would like but he is brining in people who can help improve things. Either way you don't have any actionable data or insights

 I am very much not a fan of modern interpretations of traditional dishes. When the victim is an Indian dish I know and love, the disappointment is much deeper. In my last trip to India, I truly struggled to find standard issue idli, vada and sambar at the airports. There was every kind of variant on the theme of this classic breakfast dish but not the basic stuff that I had hoped for as soon as I landed in India.  Reading about this outrageous dish that bears dosa in its name had me quite horrified. I watched a video that showed how this abomination is made and was at a loss for words. Things like this make me feel like I simply don't get India anymore. How does something like this come to exist and what are the reasons for it to be popular? What was so bad and wrong about the dosa that required such makeover? I will never know ofcourse and have to deal with that feeling of bamboozlement I have come to expect upon arrival in the motherland.  There used to be a thela-wallah that

 I learned recently that a former co-worker is now a bee-keeper and does some tech stuff on the side. F was always an interesting woman but this is quite a detour even for her. She must have learnt the bee-keeping trade well-enough in the last few years to make it her primary source of income. I can't imagine that is easy but definitely the kind of challenge F would take on. Reading this sheep-for-solar story brought F to mind. Maybe a career pivot for those who want to help the planet, are tired of their current jobs and want to try something new.   agrivoltaics projects could help reduce that percentage, not necessarily replacing farmland so much as transforming the way it’s used. “ I think we recognize the fact that, as an industry, we have this amazing opportunity to do things a little bit different,” Puckett said. In addition to grazing sheep, several of Enel’s sites will incorporate beekeeping, native plant habitat, and hay production. Across the U.S.,  500  agrivoltaics pro

 As someone who has changed jobs more times that I like to call attention to in my resume, I have developed adaptations to cope with new job jitters - over the years even learned who to thrive in it. My cousin P asked me a valid question recently - what makes you think that the thing you are going into will be any better or different from what you are leaving? We all know that the interview process (unless you have close personal connections with the hiring manager or people in that organization) is like a courtship - they sell you on the job, the prospects, alignment to your stated goals and so forth.  The interviewee gets a chance to ask questions to assess if they should believe the sales pitch. But the interviewee must also dance around things they want to gloss over and dive into what they feel will show them off in the best light. It's like the first few dates - everyone is on their best behavior, making the best impression they can in hopes of taking things forward - a commi

 It is common to read about how Gen Z cannot afford to buy homes despite rising salaries . Kids right out of college are making more than my generation did ten years into the workforce. While we were able to raise a family on that money and save enough to buy a home, these kids are not able to do so. It was interesting to read about Singapore having 90% homeownership - such a remarkable contrast.  It involves the government play a very active and forceful role in driving that outcome, the kind of thing that would be viewed as unacceptable interference in America. The question is - what is the better outcome for a generation. Should they be free to do as they please with their money (which is not true even in America) or should they be guided by the heavy hand of government to have baseline stability.  Many Singaporeans are able to afford a home, thanks to a mandatory government savings program called the Central Provident Fund. Working residents below the age of 55 are required to put

 This visual of how quickly we reach overshoot day each year is very compelling. While we seem to be doing worse overall, there were periods when we improved for a bit before sliding into decline again. I did not even know of such a concept before I stumbled upon this website Earth Overshoot Day is computed by dividing the planet’s biocapacity (the amount of ecological resources Earth is able to generate that year), by humanity’s Ecological Footprint (humanity’s demand for that year), and multiplying by 365, the number of days in a year. For some reason, it made me think of wise words a woman I once knew used to say. In a relationship, in times of stress and anxiety one or both parties may say too much. It was her way of describing that extra jab, dash of  sarcasm, the extra belittling to drive the point home and so on that goes beyond what is justified by the situation no matter how bad. That is saying too much. It was her opinion, once that has happened, it cannot be undone. It is a

 There is a lot of good advice for young people starting out in their career in this post. While most of the ideas are ones I figured out over the years, the last one is something I am still not good at:  When you’re confused or concerned by a manager’s words or actions, ask about it rather than letting it bug you and make you anxious. And don’t try to dance around it; just plunge right in: “I noticed you seemed hesitant when we were talking about X in the staff meeting. Do you want me handling that differently?” Or, “Last week when we talked about X, you said Y. I realized I wasn’t sure what you meant by that.” Or, “I might be misreading this, but do you have any concerns about how I’m handling X?” (The key: You have to say this stuff calmly and with genuine openness and curiosity. Sounding agitated would give it a completely different feel.) I happen to know someone (I will call her C) whose superpower is to being able to exactly as the author suggests. She can ask these questions c

 As someone who was not athletic growing and even mocked for lack of ability in the area, getting into a fitness regimen has been a long, arduous process for me. I've always felt less ready, in worse shape and incapable than others. Finding the right group to exercise with what the first challenge - I did not fare well with a group whose average age was much lower than mine or had a significantly higher fitness level.  That just served to dial up all my anxieties and not deliver any useful outcomes. Once I solved the group problem, things started to work much better. I started to feel middle of the pack with hope of improving with diligent effort. I did not realize that I might have also had the issue of being a non-responder to certain routines and felt frustrated in vain:  Before beginning a new exercise routine, he says, measure your fitness. You can do this by briskly walking up several flights of stairs or quickly stepping onto and off a box three or four times. Then check yo

I love the idea of getting tourists to clean up after themselves and earn rewards along the way . It seems where the conditions are distressed enough the locals need to be incentivized in the same way to do good In return for small environmental actions – like cycling to attractions or fishing litter out of the canals – visitors have been rewarded with small gifts such as free ice-cream and museum tours. First thought that crossed my mind is Kolkata - as far away and different from Copenhagen as any place can be. Maybe because I have seen the squalor and lack of concern for the environment so closely and its my home town - bringing the Copenhagen model seemed so logical. There won't be any ice-creams or museum tours to give away in Kolkata but rewarding civic responsibility is still feasible.  You pull a group together and clean up trash one day, the whole group earns a day off from their place of work and are covered in local television. A high school pulls a volunteer crew of kid

 A woman I know had a baby couple of months ago and she's allowed to from home until the child is a year old. H is extremely grateful that she has this benefit and she's also confused about how she has no desire to return to her fast track career - is that normal, is that a phase that will phase, what happens if she is different person here on out.  She's made great strides so far and if she gets back soon enough she wouldn't miss a beat - knowing this only makes things more complicated for her.  H asked me recently about what to make of all this and I struggled to give her a sensible answer. I had a very different set of life circumstances in her stage. To me it was clear beyond a shred of doubt what I should do. I never experienced a change of heart or second guessed my decision. I have known of women who start exactly at the same place as me and H but don't feel the same conviction a few months or years down the road. People are different and there is no right or

  Quaint story about a woman's photograph being used without her consent to make false claims in whisky ads. When traveling anywhere touristy it is common experience to have taken pictures with random people in the frame and equally find oneself in random pictures taken by strangers. It would great if wiping out all those extra people from the image was automated and could happen as the picture was taken.  The technology might not be that far away. When background scrubbing is easily available, it becomes easy to abuse it - to record events as they did not happen for reasons that may not be entirely above-board. It could lead to all manner of unpleasant outcomes - being gaslight about events and being forced to believe and altered reality comes to mind. But random people showing up in our beach pictures could be put out their misery and they'd not show up in pictures they never intended to be part of - they privacy would remain protected. This is not a right that can be easily

 Lighting a match to burn incense or start the grill feels satisfying. The sound, the smell and the flash of light together take me back to childhood. In a family of may smokers, this is a sound I was very familiar with. The lighting of a cigarette usually coincided with a stress-free time, people visiting, lounging around after a festive meal waiting for chai and snacks to show up from the kitchen where the women were gathered. I can't recall any ads on the matchboxes I was familiar with from back then. The ones I have at home look mundane too. I can see why matchboxes could be a nice collectible .  They are some of the many young people who are embracing phillumeny—the hobby of collecting matchbooks, matchboxes and other match-related items—and displaying their collections at home and online. It’s a resurgence of an interest which harks back to a time when matches were ubiquitous as smoking and advertising tools.  There are matchbook illustrations and prints; matchbooks branded “

Interesting that a grocery store bill could be a proxy for credit scores . The bill is a reflection of who the person is when no one is looking and probably why such a strong predictor We found that people with more consistent grocery shopping habits are more likely to pay their credit card bills on time. These are people who tend to shop on the same day of the week, spend about the same amount each month, buy similar items across trips and take advantage of deals regularly. We also found that what people buy predicts how they manage their finances. For example, shoppers who frequently purchase cigarettes or energy drinks are more likely to miss credit card payments. Those who often buy fresh milk or salad dressing tend to be more diligent about paying their bills. In general, buying healthier but less convenient food predicted responsible payment behaviors. This was true even when we held consumer characteristics such as income, occupation, credit score and family size constant. Consi

Stars on 45 came to mind on my way back from the gym. The instructor, L is a good bit older than me and extremely fit. I like his classes because he shows us what is possible with effort and he plays music I know and love. Lot of disco, some Eurythmics, Kraftwerk and the occasional Beatles. Even what I don't recognize is in well within the range of what I enjoy. That afternoon he played something that sounded a lot like Stars on 45 but it wasn't. Listening to that album takes me back instantly to thirteen years old. It was a birthday gift I chose for myself from local cassette shop in town. My parents wanted me to get something I liked from that store and I chose this after some consultation with the owner who was used to helping kids like me find their way around the music they had passing familiarity and were curious about. I knew some Beatles songs but was not able to decide on a specific album.  So this guy wisely pointed me to a medley that he said would help me figure out

 D is now deceased but a few days ago I remembered the words he said to me that stayed with me for a very long time. We had known each other for a couple of years at the time and one day in all seriousness he told me that I was the kind of woman that no man could possibly live with. That judgement dissected and analyzed for accuracy might have revealed that D was making an impossible claim. Humanity is too vast and diverse for an extreme statement like that. No matter now odd, strange, and weird a person it is very much possible that there are people who can deal with it and even thrive in a relationship with them. I took D's words to heart because it built upon a foundation of self-doubt about my ability to cohabit with just about anyone. I had always struggled with room-mates, was alleged to have impossible standards that no one could live up to and so on.  I presumed D had stumbled upon the hard truth about me and accepted it as such. His statement proved to be incorrect but tha

 I have wild raspberry bushes growing in my yard. When I first spotted them, the plants had started to bloom. Anticipating berries in due season, I started to keep an eye on them and the first berries appeared. They were raw and astringent so time had to pass before they turned edible. My attention turned to other things at home and work and last week when I went back looking for berries there were none left. There were other contenders for them and they had kept their eye on the prize while I got distracted. That is what happened with some wild chantarelle mushrooms I noticed one morning and promised I would get them before lunch - the squirrels had preceded me and there was not much left by afternoon.  There are so many lessons from such missed opportunities in my backyard. I want something in a passive, reactive kind of way, others want it like their life depends on it and they put forth the effort to match. The outcomes are predictable. I may have had the first mover advantage, see

 This women's room would be worth visiting like a trip to the museum - almost too beautiful to be actually used. The idea of bring art and function together is wonderful and inspiring The artist-designed washrooms epitomize the achievements of Arts/Industry—an ongoing, decades-long collaboration between art and industry conceived by former JMKAC Director Ruth DeYoung Kohler II. Launched in 1974 as a means of supporting artistic exploration, Arts/Industry gives artists from around the world the opportunity to create new bodies of work using the facilities, technologies, and materials of Kohler Co. Made me think about other useful collaborations that could come about between large manufacturers and artists to create things of beauty and utility. A restaurant interior done as a collaboration between a national furniture company and local artists so the end-product showcased the product the company would like to market and sell, but the restauranteur was able to imbue local, bespoke t

 As a desi woman I can't wait for Harris to make a power statement with the sari as this article suggests: Imagine what else she could bring to her look when the election is behind her. When she stops worrying about winning over voters, she could turn her attention to helping Americans rethink what power looks like. Perhaps she could pay homage to the cultures of her parents. Imagine if Harris showed up one day in a suit made of sari fabric, or a scarf made of Caribbean textiles? This would be more than just a form of self-expression. It would be a testament to America’s boundless opportunity that a child of immigrants could ascend into the highest office of the land. It would make it possible for me and my sisters to show up in the Western world in the colors, fabrics and patterns that we love and identify with. I can spend hours browsing beautiful garments from India - they define perfection to my eyes and I know for a fact that I look my best dressed like an Indian woman. That