Reflections of 2023

I don't know if all the grown ups do that but I love world news. I mean it is such an interesting time to be alive with so much happening daily around you. 

In the crazy year, I did some crazy things 😎

Who would have thought that in this day and age, we would witness countries resorting to military actions like bombings, leaving the world on edge? The Russia-Ukraine conflict stands as a stark reminder that despite our technological progress, old conflicts persist. Who would have imagined that people can abduct humans from a music fest.. It's the kind of thing you’d only expect in a movie, not in reality. Yet, these events show us the harsh realities we face, shaking our sense of security.

But it's not all grim news. We're in an era where artificial intelligence isn't just a sci-fi dream or a sequence from a Hollywood movie but a reality that is increasingly changing our day-to-day lives. Tools like chat-based AI models are transforming the way we work and interact. It's just fascinating how tech is continually evolving to assist us and I can not imagine what is in store for us in the next couple of decades.

Science has truly gone interstellar! India's successful landing of its rover on the moon's south pole and its subsequent recovery maneuvers are a testament to human ingenuity and ambition. Economic landscapes have shifted too. While countries like India skyrocketed to trillion-dollar economies, others (Guess who :P) faced financial struggles almost to the point of bankruptcy. The representation of diverse body types like the participation of a plus-sized contestant in the Miss World pageant, and gender (Hail Women reservation bill 2023!), marks a really cool positive stride towards normalizing beauty standards. Abrogation of 370 has put all the chaos to the end, hopefully. On the international stage, the inclusion of South African nations into BRICS signified a shifting geopolitical landscape.

Cheers to the surprises and the adventures that await us in 2024! Wish everyone a Happy New Year 2024!!! 

P.S. Almost 4 years ago, I co-wrote an article on the abrogation of article 370, and co-incidently supreme court gave its verdict today confirming an end to J&K's special status.

Power naps

Well, I never knew what napping is. Since I came into existence in this world, I never napped. I never slept after school when other kids used to sleep, or maybe were forced to sleep by their mothers.* I was always the hyperactive type who would rather do something during that time. I have always, always slept for 8 hours during the night. This is like my standard. I would just sleep once in the 24 hours and that would be during the night. I would wake up right when my circadian clock hits the eight-hour mark, and I can't stop appreciating this magical human body. Even now, whenever I'm working from home, I prefer not to use an alarm clock because I know if I sleep say by 11:00 p.m., I would be awake by 7:00 a.m. no matter what. This gives me a very pleasant start to the mornings as I believe waking up with an alarm clock puts stress on your body, albeit not visibly. Just my theory!

Okay, coming back to napping. I used to always wonder how do people nap? What IS it actually? Do you sleep for those 15-30 minutes? Or do you just close your eyes and relax? How do you feel before and after napping? Because whenever I have tried to close my eyes during the day, I have woken up feeling as if I have missed a train or something. So, I napped last week! Yeah, right. According to me, it was napping. Let me explain what I mean by that, and it would be good to hear what others feel. So, last week, I was working from home on Wednesday. It was some time in the afternoon, and I felt sudden tiredness in my body, wanting to just lie down for a bit. My bed was right next to me, so I went ahead and lied down. I automatically closed my eyes. I felt a sense of calm, and it was a good feeling. I lied down for a good 10-15 minutes. I know I didn't sleep because somewhere I was thinking something which I don't remember now, but for sure I wasn't asleep. I opened my eyes after 15 minutes, and I was fresh and active like before. I don't know if that will classify under the act of napping, but that's what my understanding is of the phenomenon. I would like to know from "professional" nappers, though, if napping actually involves deep sleep or just closing your eyes for a bit and its impact on your state of mind. 

*Okay there were some instances that I can count on my fingers when I did sleep in the afternoon say at 2 and woke up at 9 in the night with absolutely no clue of who I was :( Certainly that wouldn't be counted as napping.

Speak for yourself

Click bait image :P

I have observed this so many times, but I decided to write about it now. Yesterday, my friend and I went to a nearby Indian restaurant in downtown Denver, owned by Nepalese people. We frequent this place so often that they have become like friends to us, and we usually have nice chit chats.

During one of these conversations, we discussed how many people, especially from South Asian countries, are leaving their countries to settle abroad like the US, Australia, and Canada. The Nepalese guy expressed his concern that in Nepal, people don't value studying and earning while staying in their own country, and moving abroad seems like an easier option to them. He also had concerns about the pace of modernization in his homeland. Fair enough.

Now my friend, who is a Punjabi, joins the conversation and agreed with most of his points and said it's the same trend in India. Everyone is going abroad due to lack of opportunities and fair governance. Everything was okay till this point. However, things took a negative turn when my friend started generalizing and criticizing the culture back home. My friend claimed that setting up a business in India is almost impossible due to corruption, and the goons and mafia demand a share from every venture. I interrupted and asked for specific examples rather than a sweeping generalization about all of India. They admitted that it happens more frequently in Punjab. I urged them to be more precise in their statements and not label the entire country based on isolated or personal experiences. They often scolds Indian system and complains about the current governance (which may be a personal experience altogether). 

Interestingly, my friend is also an aspirant for getting a Green Card (GC) and settling abroad. Even marrying a US citizen just to expedite the process doesn't sound odd to them. For context, the regular GC processing times for most of the Indians is pretty long as of today. Whenever I mention to my friend that I plan to go back to India sooner or later, they are shocked because they know that if I apply for a Green Card, the process will be relatively faster for me compared to them. It's not something they hear often, and it surprises them. I pointed out the irony of their stance - while they criticize Punjab and instead of going back and contribute to the betterment, they are instead trying so hard to leave India forever (but continue complain forever). They believe the bad conditions are "imposed by the government," but I encouraged them to consider going back and contributing to the betterment of their own country (which I don't think was perceived really well :D). 

But this is not one isolated example, few days back, at NREL, my friend, who is an Indian shared a similar story. She sat in some event where people were sharing their stories. One Indian guy (who was actually an immigrant from Sri Lanka and brought up in India) went nonstop bickering about the many biases he felt in India starting from castes, to color, to poverty (he even mentioned never having experienced an AC before), to what not. He also said that Indians come to the US only for money!!!  When my friend told me about this encounter, she looked upset, embarrassed and questioned how someone could generalize and attribute such experiences to every Indian. The gore’s were asking if this is the first time you experienced an AC, to that he said yes. So, while I am not declining these problems that he may have faced, it is also wrong to say that this is the norm. This is what happens “in India” and to everyone because I’m pretty sure all the 100 odds members mostly whites would have felt that what he is sharing is the truth and that every Indian goes through the same. 

And the list goes on! Since I have lived in so many states in India and studied in so many schools and colleges, thanks to my father’s military profession, I have got a taste of so many cultures and languages and the people. I have seen that people tend to generalize their experiences and throw them on others. 

Coming back to my friend from the dinner last night, I faced and said that please whenever you share such an experience, do add that “it is your opinion or per your experience” Please speak for yourself and do not generalize. I guess I offended my friend :D But I am also sure the next time they share a similar story to a non-Indian, they will always remember me. 

Gone nuts?

Doda that saw the land of
opportunities - US circa Feb 2023

After checking off all the major boxes in life, you may think you've got it all sorted. But, wait a minute!! 

Well, in case anyone is wondering, what has gotten into my brain this time...I am talking about the showstopper, the mighty, the grumbly, the cutest WALNUT DODA!! The king of Indian sweets.

I visited India this February, and let me tell you, there's nothing quite like being with family, enjoying home-cooked food, and having everything taken care of while you lounge in bed, not worrying baout doing the laundry or dishes. But amidst all the good things, let's talk about the star of today's blog—Walnut Doda. Yass! 

Gurgaon, Sec 23 -
The Mecca of Doda's

First things first, let's talk about the walnuts in this glorious mess. They're like mischievous little imps that have found their home in the Kingdom of Doda, adding an unexpected crunch to every bite. These walnuts have seen things, my friends! As you take your first mouthwatering bite, prepare yourself for a symphony of flavors that will leave your taste buds wondering if they've stumbled upon a SpaceX spacecraft. The melting sweetness of the Doda will hit you like a killer standup comedy show, with a twist of nuttiness that' might make you question your sanity. 😇

It's truly a flavor rollercoaster, and you won't care about low-carb diets or anything else like this in this physical world with impossible realms of reality. 👀

Google image of Walnut Doda

Next time, you are in Gurgaon, splurge in the madness of walnut Doda (its only available during the winter months, but plain doda is worth trying too). It's an extra-terrestrial experience (If I ever had one, this would be it), at least for me. You can thank me later.  Ok, Bye!