The View from My โ€œI-Worryโ€ Tower

A Tale of Heartbeats, Tap Water & Hindsight For most of my working life, I lived in what I now fondly call the โ€œI-Worry Tower.โ€ Youโ€™ve heard of the Ivory Towerโ€ฆ where intellectuals and academics sip fine tea while debating the meaning of life in Latin.   Well, mine was a slightly different version: the … Continue reading The View from My โ€œI-Worryโ€ Tower

The AcciDental Smiler

I wasnโ€™t happy. But my lips said otherwise. On most mornings, I step out with a noble intention: walk briskly, stay healthy, and disturb my dental work as little as possible. Thanks to a recent root canal, my mouth is on a strict no-jiggle protocol. The dentist, overly cheerful and suspiciously enthusiastic about tiny metal … Continue reading The AcciDental Smiler

The Wise Old Fool on the Hill

The Crow Whisperer Who Sees What Weโ€™re Too Busy to Notice Iโ€™ve resumed my daily morning walks now that Iโ€™m back in Kochi. The familiar streets greet me like an old friendโ€ฆ grumbling a little, but still comforting. Itโ€™s the kind of reunion where neither party has changed much: the roads are still cracked, the … Continue reading The Wise Old Fool on the Hill

The World Is Flat, But the Pavements Are Not

A Pedestrianโ€™s Guide to International Relationsโ€ฆ and Tripping Hazards Thomas Friedman wrote a famous book The World Is Flat, arguing that globalization has removed barriers and levelled the playing field. Iโ€™d love for him to stroll through Kochi before making such bold claims. Because here, the pavements tell a very different story. Take, for example, … Continue reading The World Is Flat, But the Pavements Are Not

Lifting Spirits, Not Packages

A modern fable on strength, self-awareness, and the weight of changing times. Morning walks are supposed to be peaceful, but mine always seem to turn into existential debates about life, ageing, and why my knees sound like bubble wrap. I try to focus on my breath, my steadyโ€ฆ well, relatively steadyโ€ฆ strides, and dodging the … Continue reading Lifting Spirits, Not Packages

Walk, Donโ€™t Runโ€”The Dogs Are Watching

Walking the Fine Line between Fitness and Foolishness When it comes to my morning walks, I donโ€™t dabble in the conventional. Parks, jogging tracks, and treadmills? Pass. Iโ€™m a side-road connoisseur. Give me a narrow, potholed lane with a stray chicken or two over a smooth track any day. Who needs predictability when you can … Continue reading Walk, Donโ€™t Runโ€”The Dogs Are Watching