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Embracing Namjooning: A Joyful Literary Journey
It’s out, the first issue of Literary Namjooning. A few months ago, Hema of Mixed Bag reached out to Melissa and I asking if we would be interested in curating a selection of pieces that centered the act of namjooning. As ARMY and as someone who has grown to idolize Kim Namjoon, this was right…
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Birthday Reflections: Fifty Years
Fifty years. Five decades. Half a century. It feels momentous. Salt and pepper hair, curling at the edges. A ready smile. A fit body from playing tennis incessantly. A minimalist before it became an in thing. A progressive before I knew what that term meant. A boomer living in a Gen Alpha world. You are…
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Summer 2024: Rediscovering Joy
Tomorrow, the new school year starts in my corner of the woods. With it, comes the predictable change in routines. Waking early, packing lunches, the morning mania and the eventual quiet that is cherished. This summer has been unusual in many ways. We started the end of school with a trip to the beach that…
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Navigating Despair: Coping with Political Turmoil as an Immigrant Woman
I go around in circles, Doja Cat in my ears crooning “Bitch, I said what I said…” as I scroll through my Twitter feed, my anger on simmer with the constant barrage of opinions that hit me each time I refresh. I screenshot the lyrics and upload with the hashtag #mood. The Presidential immunity ruling…
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Seven Years in the Making: A Raw and Intimate Film Journey
I woke early in anticipation of what this day could mean. Will Chithra come? Will I finally get to see the film that has been seven years in the making? What story will Chithra show? How will I be perceived? The questions were many and my stomach felt unsettled. I worked half heartedly before I…
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The Business of Self-Publishing: Beyond Writing and Editing
Amazon Accounts Payable reads the email notification at the top of my phone. I click on it too hurriedly only to realize I need to log in to check the details. An hour later, kitchen chores done, walk after dinner done, kids suitably engrossed in their phones and Amma downstairs in bed, I finally sit…
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Unplugged Parenting: Walking, Conversations, and Embracing Moments of Joy
“Can we go on a walk?” My middle child pops into the living room where I am prone on the sofa, the lazy ceiling fan lulling me into sleep. Amma is seated across the room. I squint at the window. The sun is still pretty bright for 6:00 pm. “How about after dinner?” I suggest.…
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Embracing Teenage Years: A Parent’s Perspective
It’s 8:45 pm, typical bedtime in our home. One of my older girls pauses to fill her water bottle. She is giggly. I look askance and she spills the tea. First loves, crushes, kisses. It all comes pouring forth. I smile along with her and as we walk upstairs remind her that actions have consequences.…