Deepavali 2024

Last Thursday was Deepavali 2024. The first without my mum and brother number 1. There’s a photo of the two of them smiling whilst sitting on my mum’s blue sofa, taken last Deepavali. Each with an oxygen cannula attached for easier breathing. I never thought or didn’t let myself think that it would/could be my […]

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Silent generation

My mum was 28 years old when she had me. A generation apart, based roughly on a 20-year time interval.   She and I were from different generations, and we were different. But not so dissimilar that we didn’t see eye to eye and/or were embroiled in constant arguments. No, not at all. She was […]

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Ulaanbaatar

The plan was to post this story on 20th May. It didn’t happen. I trashed it. Last week, I retrieved it from the ‘bin.’ Mongolia was the holiday my husband and I were looking forward to since March this year. We researched and identified tour companies, flights, and hotels. We finalised our bookings when sister […]

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Bad chocolate

I’m not a chocolate snob or connoisseur. My chocolates don’t have to come from the finest hand-picked cocoa beans from somewhere along the equator. They don’t have to be single origin, bean-to-bar or artisanal. Hmm… I only just learnt these terms. I’m more of a chocolate monster. I chomp at all things chocolate. I’m happy […]

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Old is not cool

I get it. Old is not cool. I was young once myself. I’m guilty of not giving much thought about older people. I didn’t know what they liked or needed. I can’t remember spending time with them. I didn’t have friends, who were older than me. Old people in my life were my parents, my […]

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Not speaking up

I wrote about speaking up a couple of weeks ago. I still think I should when necessary. And, should have, in those two instances, when I didn’t.   That said, there are situations when it’s better not to rush to speak up or say what’s really on my mind. The audience/people whom I speak to/with is a […]

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Speaking up

I wanted a little more pressure applied to the soles of my feet. I deliberated. I contemplated. I then asked my masseuse to up the pressure from medium to a little hard. I was hesitant, yes. But only because I didn’t know where the sweet spot was. The fine balance between medium and a little […]

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Connecting safely

I read. I listen. I follow instructions. I think I’m fairly cautious but am I safe? I access the internet. Just like the over 5.3 billion internet users. Or the 65% of the world’s population with internet access. The number is expected to reach 6.54 billion by 2025[1]. I own a smartphone. There are approximately 6.84 billion smartphones in the […]

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Thinking,talking,remembering

I feel unsettled. More than a week has passed. I think of Gunda, brother number 1, almost all of the time. It’s no exaggeration when I say I wake up thinking about him. Go to bed thinking about him.  Remembering that he is no longer with us.   This is on top of talking about brother […]

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Service and satisfaction

Generally, customer service should be about answering customers’ questions on products and services. Providing advice and guidance. Finding solutions and/or resolving complaints to problems. In a quick, easy and empathetic manner via face-to-face interactions at brick-and-mortar stores and/or online through emails, WhatsApp, live chats, and telephones. My recent encounters with two companies made me question […]

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