What Is The Point

  When was the last time you watched the sunrise and truly enjoyed the way the sky changed colors and the world came alive? The chirping of birds, the flutter of wings, the gentle breeze moving through the leaves. Or perhaps the placid sound of rain falling on the rooftops and ground. That one moment of peace before the world finally comes awake, and most of these nature sounds are drowned by construction sounds and traffic on the roads.  But we need to hear those construction sounds because it tells us that the world is slowly building to something better. We hear the sounds of cars and think bof laring horns and road rage, when it is just people going to work to make a difference in someone's life, or perhaps even taking a trip to a place they have never seen before.  Indulging in nature sounds and taking a pause seems like such a luxury in the fast-paced lifestyle of today. We may wake up before sunrise, but it is to check emails. The sounds of birds are an interruptio...

Happy February!  How has this year been so far? Feels like a year was stuffed into January, isn't it?  Every December, a small part of us hopes that the new year will be better. The year has been tough. There are too many ups and downs, too many setbacks. And while we are grappling with our personal problems, the world outside is getting worse.  So we hope, as the new year rings in, that the new year will be better. The world will heal, and with it, so will you. Except, January is decidedly the worst month to keep promises. Forget New Year's resolutions. The promises and hope you had for the new year are wiped away. It's somehow worse.  December at least distracts you with festivals and cold weather and holidays. January slaps you in the face with a reality check. Speaking of checks... remember the rent cheque is due? Holidays? You had enough last month and you better be working a couple of weekends. Cold weather? Remember climate change? It's not going t...

  Can only the rich afford to think about love? Probably.  Let’s take a look at the recent romance TV shows and movies. Love happens in beach houses and mansions. Teens live in mansions and have expensive gadgets. Literally all of them have bright careers because they are so easily accepted into Ivy League schools.    But because this is a romance, let’s add in a bit of drama. The love interest is always poor. Their parents can barely afford meals, but somehow manage to send their children to prestigious schools. Their houses may need constant repairs, but the kid, who is the love interest, has an exquisite wardrobe and updated gadgets.  Just how? How is this kid even accepting expensive gifts from their parents, who are struggling to make ends meet?  That’s the first thing that comes to mind when you watch these far-from-reality stories.  And what is with the mansions?  There are romance stories out there that take place around vacation houses. I...

  Did you know that the currently trending celebrity just followed an environmental activist? Or that a celebrity you haven’t heard in the past two years after a controversy, just tweeted about the latest controversy? Yes, that is the news nowadays and it isn’t something you will find on social media. Several news outlets now use social media posts as their primary source of information.  Why waste time on calling up celebrities for interviews, scheduling meetings, and asking two questions before they abruptly leave, when you can get their opinion from a two-liner on their personal social media page. Getting it straight from the horse’s mouth as they say.  The average person spends 90% more time scrolling social media than visiting news websites. The news outlets also know that. Why seek out serious journalistic pieces when the same news piece can be conveyed through a meme? The new generation especially prefers their news heavily padded with humor so that it does not dis...

  First and foremost, this article is written by a human: ME! I do use AI to generate images, though, until I master GIMP.  Anyway, let’s talk about the newest victim of the internet grammar police —the EM dash.  See, I used it. It’s right there in the symbols section. Writers have used it forever, but because AI has been programmed on that data and can blurt out responses using proper punctuation, human writers are being accused of losing their voice.  If the text contains proper punctuation, no way it was written by a human. Why? Because humans are known to be lazy, and to respond in slang and abbreviations. And when there were no abbreviations, humans invented them so that they wouldn’t have to type in long sentences.  So if you see a message or comment online that uses (shockingly) good grammar, then it is assumed that a human is not capable of showing professionalism. That they must have taken the easy way out and used AI.  But let’s face facts. AI is ...

We can't choose our family but we do choose our friends. And sometimes we make wrong choices. I mean, obviously. We are expected to understand the dynamics of friendships at an early age, as well as the importance of them. Most friendships begin because you are seated with someone in a classroom. You didn't even want to sit with someone who keeps picking their nose and wipes boogers on their sleeve. But the teacher decides the seating arrangement. Weeks later, you're best friends with them. They've evolved for you by using tissues instead of their clothes to wipe snot. They get the best snacks for lunch and share it with you. You have secrets and jokes and meet up during the weekends to play on the swings. Next year rolls in, and you've been put in different sections. Now you barely see each other. The last time you saw them at an assembly, they were picking their nose, and yes, the booger is back on the sleeves. But you adapt and make new friends. Some ...

  You write so well. You sing so well. Your drawings are so beautiful. You are so talented.  Your friends and family are your biggest fans. You’re one of the fortunate ones to have talent that you are certain will lead you to a bright future. So you put yourself out there, network, do the hard work, spend several hours a day honing your talent, only to be rejected repeatedly because you forgot to build a social media presence.  In the modern world, not having a social media presence is a crime. You are supposed to be online most of the time and have several followers. Your posts should have instant likes and comments that you interact with. Only then can you call yourself relevant.  Can’t hit all the right notes, but call yourself a singer? That’s okay because you have at least 10k followers and are growing.  Your stand-up comic routine is hardly funny and is more controversial. At least you got the views, and over a hundred comments that say how bad you are. Bu...