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Reading📚

1. This Friday the 13th was special - 4 days ago was Friday the 13th and as always people were reminded of spooky stuff. I don’t know how the correlation between Friday 13th and bad things happening came to be, but I am acutely aware of its existence. This Friday, the 13th was special, mathematically. Say hello to our good old friend Fibonacci. Read the absolutely mesmerising story here.

2. Monsoon wedding - I miss peak monsoons. The ones where it is always raining. The ones where your day is punctuated by rain. A drizzle, a downpour. These days, maybe because of where I live or maybe because of global warming, I haven’t seen much rain yet. My lamentations aside, this week was the 20th anniversary of Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding. The climax scene is one of my favourites. The entire family dancing in the rain to Bally Sagoo composed and Hans Raj Hans sung Aaja Nachle. Read about Monsoon wedding at 20 and about its music here.

3. Goodbye Messi - A lot has been written about Messi’s exit from his home of 17 years. When I think of it, all my adult life, there has been a Messi scoring goals. Someone said of Sachin, upon his retirement, that he had become a habit. So was watching Messi in a Barcelona shirt. Read the story here.

4. The insides of pro bowling balls - Bowling balls will always remind me of that one scene from Big Lebowski. Ever wondered what they looked like from the inside? Read the story here.

5. Question time: My life as a quiz obsessive - I will be reading this one over the week. Seems intriguing. Read the story here

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PODCASTS🎧

Pegasus Project

Last month, news broke that multiple governments across the world were using a software to spy on their citizens. Politicians, Journalists, Lawyers, Activists, wide assortment of people had found their numbers on a list of people whose phones were reportedly attacked. Who were these people? Was anyone actually watching them? If yes, who? What is NSO? Most importantly, should we be scared?
The Guardian was one of the 16 organisations who reported about this mass surveillance project. This is their daily podcast where they break down the entire story.

Stuff the British Stole

The first British ship left for India in 1599. For the next 350 years, on the back of a trading company, they established one of the greatest empires the world has ever seen. It wasn’t just India, every continent has seen some British involvement. Think of it, we all speak English don’t we? This was an interesting crossover episode of 99% Invisible.

Movies🎥

This week’s theme - Out of luck artists slumming it up in New York City.

Back in 2013, it is uncanny how two films so similar in their themes released within six months of each other. They are companion pieces. One was Frances Ha, directed by Noah Baumbach and other was Inside Llewyn Davis, directed by Coen Brothers.

We have eponymous artists (a dancer and a singer) struggling to survive in the city. Both of them are broke and in a constant need of a place to live. Their love lives aren’t great either. They have friends, who all seem to be doing much better in life. Funnily enough, at a crucial juncture in their story, they both run into a character played by Adam Driver.

Watch the films for the lead actors. Oscar Isaac can hold a tune and the camera just loves Great Gerwig. Watch them because no one talks about this aspect of a life devoted to a creative pursuit.
I have a personal attachment to both the films, more so with Llewyn Davis. There is a scene at the end of the film where we catch a glimpse of real life singer-songwriter and to me that one look is what crushed me. The more I think about it, the more I feel for Davis.

One more thing, I saw Inside Llewyn Davis on the big screen. A crowd full of strangers, right? When this song came on, we all went into a collective smile. Us, desi kids born in the 80s, knew this tune all to well. Albeit only in Kumar Sanu’s voice.

Just Internet things

Sharma ji ki beti

Trampolines are trendy

A flying start

Messi’s Malayali neighbour

Wah wah

Chacha Scorsese

Elusive Cat

Love this

In my mind

Best for the last

*Any typos you came across were totally on purpose *
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