Reflections of a restless eccentric

This year has been difficult for all of us. Over the past couple of months, I have felt an overwhelming hesitation whenever I look at a blank screen and try to write. Add to that a time crunch, and you see why my posts are dwindling down. But, there's another reason. Ever since the lockdown, life has felt listless at times. I look around, and I see the struggles of so many people. I wonder, what is it that I can write about to alleviate some of this dystopia? Silence greets me. Today though, I see a glimmer of an answer, and I attempt to bring some peace and happiness through this series of articles I call "moments". Here goes! The subject of my article and my latest delight is this tiny cassette player. Yes, you heard that right! In today's era of music streaming services, it is doubtless an anachronism. Yet, it brings a smile on my face. Let me elaborate. In my childhood, we always had crazy mornings. There would be breakfast and lunch getting prepared, my parents a

 I have always hated negotiating. During the years I grew up, online shopping hadn't come into existence yet. Therefore, whatever you wanted to buy, be it vegetables, clothes, or gadgets, you had to visit an actual shop and negotiate. Of course, you could always buy without negotiating, but the chances were that you'd have paid way more. This would be because the salesperson, having expected you to bargain, would always quote a price that left him/her some wiggle room. Needless to say, I hated the whole ordeal. Just thinking of negotiating made me sweat. When the world transitioned to online shopping, I sighed in relief. But as I grew up, I realized that negotiation wasn't just limited to this sphere of life. Negotiation is everywhere. At every job, your salary involves a negotiation. Buying/renting a house. Dividing up responsibilities among people. Pick any activity of your life, and you will find some amount of negotiation involved in it. I observed people who negotiated