Handpicked recommendations from the most beautiful corners of the internet.
Why? So that you don't find yourself in front of Netflix screen wondering what to watch. Also cause Human curation > Algorithmic suggestion

Music

1. Yorkston/Torne/Khan

This is Coke Studioesque.

An almost meditative track that I recently discovered. Westlin Winds has been concocted by the musical trio made up of the Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist James Yorkston, English bass player and singer Jon Thorne and Indian sarangi player and singer Suhail Yusuf Khan.

2. Neutral Milk Hotel

Have you ever liked a song because how well it accompanied the song which before?

Well it happened this time. The track that I am sharing is called ‘The Fool’. Only 1:54. Listen to it and then listen to the song which precedes it, In fact listen to the entire album. (Look at the gorgeous cover!)

3. Re Bawree

Bijoy Nambiar’s films always had a great soundtrack. Shaitan definitely comes to mind. This time around he made a film which came out during the pandemic. Direct to OTT stuff. Here is one track that I absolutely love from the film. Easily one of my favourite desi songs from last year.

Watching

Q: Who is GUILLERMO DEL TORO?

A: He is a film director

Q: What does he really do?

A: He loves monsters!

That is the thing. he really loves monsters. (Not making any of this up) Hellboy has a monster beating up other monsters. Pacific Rim had Robots beating up bigger monsters, and In Shape of Water, for which he won an Oscar, a woman falls for a monster! And I guess that is the beauty of it all because in GDT’s world it isn’t the looks but the actions that define a monster.

The past few weeks I have been watching/rewatching GDT’s work. It started with Hellboy (I & II) and now I am watching the Netflix series TrollHunters, written and directed by him.

Which reminds me, the primary character in TrollHunters was voiced by a young Anton Yelchin , who passed away in a tragic car accident. And if you are in a mood for a romantic drama, I must ask you to watch this small little gem of a film called ‘Like Crazy’.

This was one of the gems which kinda slipped away from collective consciousness. It features a younger haven’t-won-an-Oscar-but-is-promising Jennifer Lawrence. Like Crazy.

Podcasts

1. Snap Judgement

Since this is the first edition of the newsletter, why not start with a heavyweight. The makers of Snap Judgement describe the show as Storytelling, with a beat.

The show features some of the best use of music in a podcast that I know of, and the storytelling is top notch. Have a listen, you’ll love it.

Now that I have your attention, let me tell you what has happening at my end. Two episodes that released this week at Studio41. Tune in and I sincerely hope you enjoy it.

2. Quiz Time India

This week we are joined by B V Harish Kumar, who calls himself a lapsed quizzer these days. He is the co-founder of Choose To Thinq, where they help teams and individuals uplevel for future relevance.

3. Design Pataki

Esha Gupta sits down with Vinita Chaitanya to discuss how interior design has changed with technology.

READING

1. The Robots are coming

In 350 BCE, Aristotle worried that self-playing harps would make musicians obsolete.

It has been a while since Signor Aristotle’s days but the predicament remains.

Will robots take over? From all the evidence around, they might not take over our lives as of now, but they can definitely take over our work. This NYT story is definitely worth pondering over.

Good luck to the folks in accounting!

Read the article here

2. Home Alone

Remember Home Alone? That adorable movie about a ingenious kid who protects his family home against a bunch of dreadful gangsters.

Well, replace that kid with Yuri Gagarin (before he went on to be the first man in space), as he takes on high ranking NAZI officers! Hilarious as the account is, one can’t help but reminded of Jojo Rabbit. Here is an excerpt.

3. Potato all the way

Long long time ago. 1820s to be precise. Greece did not know of potatoes. A man of fine taste called Kapodistrias wanted his fellow countrymen to try it out but to no avail. Well until, he came up with a scheme, a scam!

4. The pen is costlier than a sword

I have been recently going through a fountain ink pen love affair. I own three. The oldest is more than 30 years old. The youngest, is on its way via Amazon!

This love is what has made me include this story about artisanal pen makers in South India. Some of these pens have a 95 weeks waitlist. 95 weeks!

Chances are your favorite author uses the pen from one these amazing craftsmen!

Read the Story here

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