Sunday, November 24, 2019

Movie- Kanari

Digital minimalism

Digital habits

Technology is amazing. At the same time, few of the technological devices are addictive; at least to me. 

I reduced my phone usage by 
1. Deleting social media apps on the phone.
2. Making my phone greyscale.
3. Changing the design left-handed friendly. 
4. My main screen only has apps that are one-way apps. Like Google maps, recorder, notes, dictionary. 
I use the apps and I return to my work. There's no app that's on main screen to surf mindlessly, not even news apps. 





Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Thought of the day- Book or Books

I got so many books around me, that I'm confused which one to start. Recently, I started reading multiple books at one time. Non fiction at morning, fiction at evening. Poetry at random times. Slowly, I caught up with so many books that I kept finishing it but, I'm unable to enjoy it full unlike the way when I was delving into one book at a time. 
Slowly, I pushed myself to one book at a time. 

I'm reading, deep work for now. Will finish it and get back to another book. 

Stories from Sirohi- Confidence

    "Read the world through the word."

                                                                    - Paul Fraire.

How do you read? Many expressions when kids said, "I don’t know." was out of helplessness and out of guilty.  I wanted to work on the confidence as well as, the reading skills. Thanks to Ankush, co fellow for extensive documentation and immediate help, I gained confidence in the way I was going.

Funnily, practicing the confidence, I taught the kids to say, I don’t know and it’s okay to not know things. My improper Hindi was tough to guess, but, I was okay speaking improper Hindi. I was making progress.  Over the time, kids understood that they can be themselves and be okay about not knowing.

A  few kids escaped for the sheer experience of boring learning. Kids always love to learn, it’s just that we do not know the ways of teaching.  I found few kids who could learn in a way I was preparing to help them learn.

Fast forward 3 months, inconsistent practices, irregular classes, clashes of pedagogies and commitment to learning, kids are ready to learn and they gained confidence to learn.  

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Birthday Cards


Blessed by the wishes of all the children, friends and family. These are a few celebrations, I cherish. Nanu walked in to give me a birthday card at first. Ashok, 4-year-old kid,  made his own card and gave it. He walked onto the stage to  say, "Abhinay bhaiya accha ladka hai." 

Lalit, Chaya, Suman, Paramjit, Dhawal, Payal, walked on to the stage to wish and say a few words about me. So cute and nice.  



Nanu's card

She heard that it's my birthday. She reached me and said, "Aapka Birthday hai na." Mai aapko card dhungo. She went and returned after few minutes. A torn paper with scribbling.

Her expressions and wishes were heartening. She took out the paper, she scribbled what she could and gave it out. Thanks alot Nanu.



8th class wishes
Very inhibitive but, quiet friendly class.


Thanks, Ravinder and Harshit. 















Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Book- Dream new Dreams by Jai Pausch

Plan for the worst. Hope for the best.

Jai Pausch, the wife of late husband, Randy Pausch, started the story of how she dealt with loss. Jai lost Randy to cancer.  Throughout the journey,  her emotional journey as a caregiver gives an insight into how it is to be on the side and witness the loved one struggle.

Own's loss is a different loss to the kind of loss we have to see the loved one going through. Jai shared her thoughts, fears of losing Randy.

When a person is affected with cancer, his whole family is also affected. Jai and Randy consulted the psychologist to seek support during the tough phase. They were guided to deal with the children and how much they can share with the children about the disease.

Children understanding cancer would be tough. They were told everything but Jai shares her fears,
" The knowledge cannot shield us from the distress of telling our children that their father had cancer."

Talking about vulnerability, everyone goes through the phase of loss. Jai and Randy had their talk in selecting the coffins. The funeral wasn't for Randy but, for Jai.

Jai wrote, "Sometimes after the funeral, I realized how good it felt to have a good hard cry, to not be strong or have to worry about others. The funeral might have been the first time I felt such heart-wrenching emotions. It wouldn't be the last."

Jai's reflections for the hope are positive and supporting.

"I was learning not to look at today through the lens of yesterday which made the promise of tomorrow all the more magical."


Good read.

TEDx Diaries

What did I learn from my TEDx journey?

I learned to respect each and every individual. Respecting the individuals for they're without a lens of hierarchy, and also to respect the work everyone does. Every one matters. To execute a task, you need everyone to support and help. I learned the role of teamwork and leadership.



Movie - The terminal

Beautiful movie. These are the movies that seemed to be unforgetful for days, months and years. The screenplay and the sentiment that worked out is brilliant. Tom Hanks' acting is excellent.


Quote of the hour

'We are no longer discussing the trade-offs surrounding new technologies, balancing the new efficiencies against the new problems introduced. If it's high tech, we began to instead assume, them it's good. Case closed."
                                                                                                                      -Neil post man

Book- The Storyteller, tales from the arabian nights.


I heard the name of the story, “Alibaba and forty thieves,” “Aladdin” and various other. But, never I knew all these are the folklore talks of south Asia.

Weaved with a gripping narrative between king Schariar and queen scherazade, the stories are worth reading. I’m interested to read thousand and one nights now. Anushka Ravishankar has written the book very well with simple language. Kids would enjoy this book.  I enjoyed every story that’s been linked with suspense given by Scherazade. A perfect storyteller everyone wishes for. Time more children literature.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Stories in frames




Amidst the rocks and ashes, I grow to bask in the light under the bright sun. 


Stories in frames




The lonely walk she takes
Hurling the stones and tumbling the rocks

She paced ahead

Walking the talk.

I'll  reign my life.

Art- Empty Spaces-Flow

The abstract of the exhibition is out.  https://www.graduateinstitute.ch/communications/events/empty-spaces-flow-art-exhibition-abhinay-renny