Quotidian Tales

Travelling makes us fall in love with life. As we travel, we are born again, and it gives us new purposes and motives. We begin to appreciate life. W hen the confines of our homes make life monotonous and dull, travel provides the adventure and thrill we need. It excites us. It's the saying 'What gives value to travel is FEAR' by the great writer Albert Camus. Yes, it's the fear of the unknown, uncertainty, getting lost. Everything becomes unpredictable when you hit the road, and you don't know what's next awaiting you. It enriches our knowledge of ourselves while we explore the recesses of our minds and understand our moods. It makes us overcome fear and show us our capability! It is not only about the fancy attire or a colourful photograph posted on the social platform. But, it's also about making memories, gathering stories, appreciating the beauty of a place and finally to become a storyteller for the rest of your life, cherishing t

Sometimes that means stepping away from it all and spending some time on your own. B eing alone is when you stop absorbing other people's ideas for a time. We often don't realise how much other people influence us. By spending some time alone, we get to hear what the heart says and how the brain reacts to it, get to know the true side of ourselves. Spending time alone is not just for introverts. Whether you are an introvert or extrovert, work from home or office, have a family or not, we all benefit from having some time for ourselves. In our society, we value the hyperactive person, the one who has too much to do and does not have enough time. We even call people who spend a lot of time by themselves 'weird' or self-centric, which is not appropriate. In a world where we are taught to want more and acquire more, sometimes it feels overwhelming. We start feeling anxious or end up with too many thoughts in our minds. One of the best things to do i

Ever wondered about the attribute of an Alphabet Book when you instinctively give it to your little one? A conscious observation will reveal that among the first few things that a child, more often than not, engages with is an Alphabet Book. Though languages become a part of her life, the moment she starts picking up sounds, it is only through an ABC book that a child, yes unknowingly, is made to step into the world of literacy and wholesome education. In fact, the book initiates in a tender mind the interesting yet intriguing process of associating visuals with sounds and then attaching a name (a noun) to it, just before it is linked or made to represent an object or a concept in the real world. So somehow an Alphabet Book unlocks a new space for the child, that into which she would very soon belong and make sense of. Apparently, an Alphabet Book introduces a beginner to the letters of the alphabet, its capitals and lower case forms and eventually proceeds to the m

Looking for a summer camp to keep your kids learning? J oin a special one-week online summer camp with award-winning magician Nathaniel Segal! Learn super fun and easy magic with everyday objects. Register at: virtualcamp.eventbrite.com ONE WEEK ONLY! June 21st - 25th from 2:00 - 4:00 PM (PT) In this special one-week magic camp, you will learn incredible magic with everyday objects! Each class teaches simple and fun tricks that you can actually do! The $125 registration includes the classes and a special mailed package of materials! Register now! The class is limited to just 30 participants. Use code QT10 for an additional $10 off Here are some of the exciting things you will get to experience in each class: Learn incredible magic that can be done easily, and each trick we will go more in-depth and discuss some of the ways that you can make the performances even better with basic theater and magic theory See some of the most inc

The room is the space where you can be yourself and do that which you want to…...to prioritise yourself and nurture the most infallible bond of your life... I t has been a while since I was talking, even to myself. The pandemic, I suppose, had jeopardised not only our bodies but also our minds. The forceful finite, almost abruptly, took away from us the boundless permutations of the infinite. And I, a little human like the multitude around, cowered in fear of the devastating design that was unfolding before my eyes. Quite recently, however, a semblance of the quotidian life has been emerging. While I still feel like “the (foolish) martlet” that builds its nest “on the outward wall” (Merchant of Venice, William Shakespeare), I’m ready to embrace the uncertainty and venture ‘out’ even if it means to be on “the road of casualty.” Though it is the outside, which at the moment, is the most inviting, it is the need of an ‘inside,’ “a room of one’s own” that I became most acutely

The Super-Fun Educational Podcast For Elementary School Kids D oes it seem like your kids are glued to screens all day, round the clock? And being mindful about it makes you miserable. The perfect getaway for you and your kid is - Who Smarted? From the Emmy-nominated producers of Brain Games and Brainchild comes Who Smarted . It's the podcast that uses humour, storytelling, and interactive games to help answer cool questions and teaches kids amazing fun facts almost about any topic. It delivers the infallible means to engage your child. And now, how does all of this work? Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday a joyful and funfilled episode of Who Smarted airs on. It teaches more than just fun and facts, but also critical thinking skills. Each bite-sized episode is only 12 minutes long, perfect for kid-sized attention spans. But just enough time for them to learn and give Mom & Dad a little break. Even a piece of better news for Mom and Dad! It's

A perpetually hard thing to resist I have stayed alone in an apartment for five months. I interacted with people only over the phone or when I was outside for work or shopping. Nothing seemed unbearable, though my close ones advised me to be more social. I slept and woke up on time. I cooked and ate diligently to keep myself healthy. I took showers every day. I watched television, read books, pampered myself once in a while, and sincerely claimed that I was staying alone in an apartment. Now, years later, with age and comprehension, I renewed my understanding of my state back through those days. I discover that I was reasonably involved with society! A conclusion that formulated when I envisioned a speculative plot, where I carefully and deliberately eliminate all associations around me. In this plot, I am without society, and the picture looks entirely different. Much of me has changed. Now, I only eat when I am hungry. Pampering or grooming takes a backseat as

...their faceless identities empowering the subtle more than the substantial… Their tours were not actual but virtual! I t's been a ‘trying’ time for most of us. I mean in both parts of speech. Exhausting and experimental. I was losing a semblance to my preferred self and succumbing mostly to domestic drudgery and at times to depression and distance. Then one evening, almost a month ago while I was talking to my brother (referred to as Big B going forward), he introduced me to a WhatsApp group. Initially, I was not really keen on joining it as it sounded like something unusual and not-really-heard-of-before. After all, a Taurean to the core, I am stubbornly resistant to change and take a while to accept the unconventional. ‘National Park Challenge,’ the name by which the group goes, is an international group consisting of members with shared interests, to say the least. My first thought...it's just a group of fitness aficionados. Then working around it, I tried to f