The Sweet Spot

I wasn’t there to witness this amazing feat. But when I close my eyes, it is clear like it is happening right in front of my eyes! I have seen this happen before, however this time it is more exciting for him. His small frame hunched over the keyboard with keys so worn-out that the letters have disappeared, his glasses that need correction that sometimes he can see better without them when his face is up close to the monitor and keyboard, patiently typing with two fingers as he has no typing skills; but his memories are crystal clear and larger than life, pouring out and filling the empty pages of the document to bring the stories of legendary cricketers, whom he hero-worshipped in his youth, to life. My Dad, (whom I call Baba) at age 82, just finished writing and publishing a book of his dreams. While he wrote about the legends, in my eyes he himself has become a legend! In March 2020, when I wrote about Baba in my post “ The Undeniable Roots ” that “When I read motivational quotes ab...

How smart is your home? The tech that arrived in the post-Advertising Age has continued to find uses in our homes. Now, home appliances are becoming increasingly connected – with some displaying the latest and greatest in connectivity, intelligent connectivity and networked-everything-ness. Homes around the world are getting smarter, with products from lights to thermostats now linked to the internet. This has led to the arrival of a host of connected appliances in the home, from fridges that tell you if you need milk, to cameras that let you see what's happening at the front door. It's essential that your appliances and other electronics, such as thermostats, refrigerators and lights, are properly connected to your home network so they can be controlled and monitored remotely. For example, you can use your smartphone or tablet to set a temperature for your home while you're away. If your home Wi-Fi is weak or slow, to make your Wi-Fi the best it can be, consider adding a w...

This winter when my almost 90, otherwise strongly independent and self-reliant Aunt, Mrs. Medha Bhide, defied all odds and beat covid, I was reminded of the lady I received at the airport 6-7 years ago. We got caught in traffic and were late picking her up. From far, she looked frail, wearing the metal back brace, which she called “chilkhat” (body armour), over her Indian saree. When we reached closer, she had already managed to get her luggage and while waiting for us, in her strong voice, struck a conversation with the staff. She may have looked physically frail, but no, sir, it didn’t take long to realize how strong she was from within! We were blessed to spend the month with this coffee loving, full of life, willing to try everything new, kind of lady. As a child I was a little intimidated, maybe even a little scared of my Aunt Medhu mavshi's sparkling kitty eyes. But soon as I became old enough to engage with her, I saw the depth and the love in those eyes. She seemed like a c...

It has done one round around the sun and “the Sweet Spot” has survived its first year. Now that the blog has survived one year, I thought it would be interesting to invoke my natural inclination to put the results in numbers. As Kai Ryssdal , the host of the award-winning radio show Marketplace would say, “ Let’s do the numbers ”.  This is the 40th blog post on “the Sweet Spot”. Blog analysts say blogs are known to gain traction once they reach 25 posts, with an average increase in readership by 30% after that. On my blog, I started seeing an upward trend around the 18th post, and saw a 50% increase in my readership beyond that point. My data does not include the readers who have subscribed via email to read at their leisure, or readers I know have bookmarked the site url and can get to the latest post via the homepage. I attribute the higher increase in readership due to increased shares, with each “share” contributing about a 5% increase. There is a concept of compounding blog po...

Six years ago, after completing his business degree (BBA), a young apprentice started his business journey in the newly inaugurated family garment store called Youth Junction. There was excitement around this new store in the small farming community of Timarni, Madhya Pradesh, India. Now fashion-seeking youngsters did not have to make a four hour hike to nearby cities of Bhopal or Indore for trendy outfits. For the Gadres, especially Siddharth, Youth Junction is a bold endeavor; a family dream come true. Siddharth has been managing the store with his Dad, Upendra, for the past six years. On first meeting, Siddharth comes across as a shy youth, but once you get to know him better, he has much to share with you. Siddharth is an iron-willed lionheart. For the past 25 years, after thousands of physical therapy sessions; after a couple of surgeries and years of medical intervention; after trying out every other alternative medicine like homeopathy and ayurvedic, he says he has developed a ...

The arena was bustling with energy; echoing with youthful chatter and laughter over the lively garba music and the rhythmic beats of dandia. College students of all ethnicities were dressed in finest kurtas, lehengas, ghagras and chaniya-cholis, dupattas and shawls in exotic designs. The colors and patterns were so brilliant that it felt like they had borrowed the vibrant autumn hues of reds, yellows, oranges and the remaining bit of green from the New England Fall outdoors and added to their already spectacular palette! Beautiful young students dancing and twirling and maneuvering the two large concentric circles, their prettified dandiya sticks matching the beats as they moved gracefully around a majestic image of Goddess Durga slaying the demon Mahishasura. The scene reminded me of my teenage years - different country, different generation, different population - yet the same nine magical nights of Navratri! The chilly, yet festive evening was a reminder that colder weather and shor...

I settled down on the couch by the fireplace, wrapping myself with a warm blanket and a mug of hot ginger tea in hand, when my whatsapp notification dinged with a photo of my cousin Seema, receiving a trophy for a marathon run. Before I had a chance to read the details, our dog Smokey started pawing me vigorously - his unwavering, piercing stare reminding me that it was time for his walk. Six o’clock on a dark, cold, winter evening isn’t my favorite time to walk. However, it can be very difficult to explain to a dog, eager for his evening walk, about the lethargy of a cold, winter evening, that us humans experience. With the image of my marathoner cousin in the back of my head, and the love for my demanding doggie, I quickly gulped down the tea, admonishing Smokey to be patient.  Following the advice of a good friend, who was a dog owner before us, “There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes”, I layered myself with warm clothing, ready to face the bitter wind chill o...

The Pandemic provided an opportunity for families to bond and brought them closer. Well, in some ways, way too close! Young parents, on one hand, heaved a sigh of relief on holding onto their jobs, while on the other hand, felt challenged as they juggled child care, home-schooling and work. Parents relaxed rules and found creative ways to balance their many unexpected responsibilities during the lockdown and nurture the best in their children. And during the restrictions of the pandemic lockdown, a star was born! One can sense the excitement in the dancing, bright eyes, as the eight-year-old holds a steady, articulate conversation that sometimes is difficult even for adults. The determined, dimpled chin is held firm, as he speaks of how his Mom has taught him the importance of hard work. “I worked really really hard, and I succeeded. I think my hard work paid off”. Beyond all the wonderful things that one can see in this bright, smart boy, the reason he is having a very important conve...