A Voice for Change

 Talking has been a hereditary trait while listening to someone talk logic, I have cultivated very often. The writing world has myriad of ideas on how to get that pen running amok on your paper, on how the click-clacking of typewriter can be music to your ears. In these blog series, I bring forth to you words of wisdom straight from the horse's mouth-unadultered, unfiltered.  More recently, on 15th Jan 2022, precisely I had the opportunity to interact with the vivacious author of Rewriting My Happily Ever After, Dr. Ranjani Rao.  Ranjani, is a Singapore based writer who has recently self-published her first full length memoir. She is a scientist by profession and a writer by passion. Talking about her writing journey, Ranjani says she is a self-taught writer having attended only few writing workshops to bring a method to her writing. Otherwise, being a science student, thinking, exploring and then writing came naturally to her. Every writer begins as reader is her strong ...

 "Ma, please hand over my dupatta!" "Ma, Bablu's online class is a little late today." "Ma, today please make khandvi for dinner. I'm craving to have it." "Also, MA.. " "Haan meri Amma, got all your instructions right and now will you please pick up bag and leave for the greener pastures." My mother in law of eight years smirked at me. She didn't have a soft heart to cajole or pamper me but definitely a tender soul that accepted me as a daughter over whatever the law said. Ma, had changed over the years from being a pesky MIL to a no nonsense mother to my husband and specifically Me! Being into an intercultural marriage, we both had our shares of anxiety over accepting the other. We had to share a man- one whom she knew from the first cry and one who I would accompany till my last smile.  "Oh, I would teach her all our customs and see no one would ever know she is not one amongst us." She had promised my husband.  ...

 These aren't the days of mentioning the fridge even when our overflowing prejudices are frozen! Yet, born head first, I derive immense joy from doing the inevitable. Today, I will tell you the story of my fridge and my frozen prejudices. Don't you turn cold to it! When we bought the not-so-new house, I wanted to go subtle with everything. Budget-friendly attitude is more to accommodate my EMIs than my 'Minimum is Sufficient ' attitude. So, we bought a single-door fridge than a double-door one. Enough of our family of three.  'Think about it. It was not that expensive. We can stretch. Go for the double door.' The hubby had advised.  With an air of spiritual sophistication, I denied it. 'Darling, what is the need for double when single is enough!' He shrugged. 'Don't you then complain when one of your friends remarks!' 'Oh no. I will shove a shoe in their mouth and show them what Minimalist Attitude means. And if well-educated people like ...