The Unexplained blogging Break
Ok, I’m back now, almost after two months.
A series of unplanned events occupied me for a while and writing became a mental block. I reckon drafting at least three posts during this time, unable to publish any. 😳
So, when the thought of writing a monthly letter crossed my mind, I couldn’t stop thinking. It almost seems natural to explain the unexplained blogging break and whatever the heck has been ongoing.
In a way, it sums up what’s really on my mind! (also my blog title)
Unboxing the events of past few weeks
To begin with, I lost my wisdom. Tooth, I mean!
It took a dentist thirty minutes to pull off that deep rooted wisdom.
I was hooked onto anesthesia of course so I didn’t realize a thing. It all showed up the next day when my cheek was swollen to the size of pumpkin. I couldn’t leave my home for one whole week. 😡
In parallel, we had a family situation. My dad was sick. It seemed like a flu and we presumed it was Covid. We thought it would go away but then it didn’t.
In fact, it turned out to be an entirely other thing. A typical tropical disease – Dengue
If you don’t know what that is, Google it.
When it causes your white blood cells to drop dangerously low, you need to be monitored, to be hospitalized temporarily.
Finding a bed in a hospital is a task on its own. They don’t admit you without a Covid negative report. Moreover, they are strained on capacity these days.
It felt like you are more likely to die of a curable disease than of Covid 19.
P.S – Fortunately, it all ended well for us, in this case.
This happened in India. I’ve spent quite some time here, this year. (hail remote work!)
Travel in times of Covid
After burying the troubles of past weeks, I took some time off to recharge my batteries.
We planned a three days trip to the sunny beaches of Goa (on the western coast of India). 😀
Travelling was a strange experience.
To start with airports were sanitized continually. Masks were mandatory and alternate seating was marked for social distancing. It seemed quite hygienic, safe.
At the flying terminal, we were even handed plastic shields, to wear on flight. (that was a bit too much, I think. Suffocating passengers to death!).
It was lovely to see Goa opening up to tourists, the day we reached. The beaches were open, the shacks were open and clubs were open too (with some restrictions). The rare advantage we had during this visit was that people were still skeptical of travelling.
That meant less tourists and cleaner beaches. I’ve never witnessed the sea so blue and its bed so clear before. We saw endless stretches of deep blue water. It felt like we’ve reached the end of earth. Serene and peaceful.
P.S – Lucky to be back home and not sick. We must have had the antibodies already to survive the swimming pool at our resort, I think. 😛
What am I currently reading?
Luckily, I’ve picked up on my reading schedule already. I recently bought the kindle edition of “The Emperor of All maladies” – by Siddhartha Mukherjee. This is a book about Cancer. (actually the biography of Cancer). I’ve read the other book “The Gene” from this author, last year, which was also interesting. A bit too lengthy to finish though.
The Emperor of All Maladies, on other hand, is simply fascinating. It walks you through the history (in a gripping way) of when and how we discovered the disease, its various manifestations and the scientific progression to find a cure. (if that is even possible!)
You may think that a book on disease is mundane & depressing but this one turns it around – by actually personifying the Disease . (so much so that you almost feel at war with it).
I’m waiting to finish this one soon so I can post a review. (a detailed version perhaps!).
Anything on Netflix?
I’m rarely hooked onto shows these days. (or TV for that matter). I find it very hard to fit that in my routine.
But I was pleasantly surprised when that changed as I watched Queen’s Gambit.
Loved the story and its direction (story of a chess child prodigy).
Did you watch it too?
November Quote
Well, someone quoted this to me in a conversation last week and I recognized it from the song by Kelly Clarkson .
“What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger”
I did not know of it’s true origin then.
It actually comes from an aphorism of the 19th century German philosopher – Friedrich Nietzsche.
Wondering if they’ll make songs out of Aristotle’s work too . 🙄 Music has changed.
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