Author Archives: memoriesandsuch

In My Hands Today…

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How to Be Idle – Tom Hodgkinson

Yearning for a life of leisure? In 24 chapters representing each hour of a typical working day, this book will coax out the loafer in even the most diligent and schedule-obsessed worker.

From the founding editor of the celebrated magazine about the freedom and fine art of doing nothing, The Idler, comes not simply a book, but an antidote to our work-obsessed culture. In How to Be Idle, Hodgkinson presents his learned yet whimsical argument for a new, universal standard of living: being happy doing nothing. He covers a whole spectrum of issues affecting the modern idler—sleep, work, pleasure, relationships—bemoaning the cultural skepticism of idleness while reflecting on the writing of such famous apologists for it as Oscar Wilde, Robert Louis Stevenson, Dr. Johnson, and Nietzsche—all of whom have admitted to doing their very best work in bed.

It’s a well-known fact that Europeans spend fewer hours at work a week than Americans. So it’s only befitting that one of them—the very clever, extremely engaging, and quite hilarious Tom Hodgkinson—should have the wittiest and most useful insights into the fun and nature of being idle. Following on the quirky, call-to-arms heels of the bestselling Eat, Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss, How to Be Idle rallies us to an equally just and no less worthy cause: reclaiming our right to be idle.

Poem: Self-Discovery

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A journey through life, I embark on this ride,
Exploring the depths of my soul and my mind,
A path that is winding, with twists and turns,
Where every step taken, my spirit burns.

I search for my purpose, my reason to be,
To find who I am and to set myself free,
From doubts and from fears, from the things that I hide,
To embrace all my qualities, both the dark and the light.

And as I journey on, I come to understand,
That self-discovery means taking a stand,
For my beliefs and my values, for what I hold true,
And learning to love myself, the whole me, through and through.

For with every step taken, with every breath drawn,
I uncover new pieces of myself that have formed,
A tapestry woven, of all that I am,
A unique and beautiful being, with a story to stand.

So I embrace this journey, with open arms wide,
For the destination of self-discovery, I will always abide,
For it is in knowing myself, that I truly find peace,
And a sense of belonging, that will never cease.

In My Hands Today…

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Breaking the Age Code: How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How Long and Well You Live – Becca Levy

The often-surprising results of Levy’s science offer stunning revelations about the mind-body connection. She demonstrates that many health problems formerly considered to be entirely due to the aging process, such as memory loss, hearing decline, and cardiovascular events, are instead influenced by the negative age beliefs that dominate in the US and other ageist countries. It’s time for all of us to rethink aging and Breaking the Age Code shows us how to do just that.

Based on her innovative research, stories that range from pop culture to the corporate boardroom, and her own life, Levy shows how age beliefs shape all aspects of our lives. She also presents a variety of fascinating people who have benefited from positive age beliefs as well as an entire town that has flourished with these beliefs.

Breaking the Age Code is a landmark work, presenting not only easy-to-follow techniques for improving age beliefs so they can contribute to successful aging, but also a blueprint to reduce structural ageism for lasting change and an age-just society.

Festivals of India: Lathmar Holi

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Lathmar Holi or the Holi with sticks is a festival celebrated in the Baj regions of Uttar Pradesh in the twin towns of Barsana and Nandgaon, also known as the towns of Radha and Krishna respectively. Every year, during Holi, thousands of devotees and tourists visit these towns to celebrate the festival. The festivities usually last for more than a week and end on Rang Panchami or Holi. The festival is a celebration of the arrival of spring and the triumph of good over evil and is a time for people to come together, dance, sing, and throw coloured powders at each other, creating a vibrant and joyful atmosphere.

Associated with the legend that is linked to the divine couple Radha Krishna, the festival seeks to recreate it. According to the legend, Lord Krishna who was a resident of Nandgaon and is considered the son-in-law of Vrishabhanu wanted to spray the colours on his beloved Radha and her friends. But, as Krishna and his friends entered Barsana, they were playfully greeted with the sticks by Radha and her friends who drove them out of Barsana. Following the same trend, every year on the occasion of Holi, the men of Nandagaon who are treated as sons-in-law of Barsana visit Barsana and are greeted by women with colours and sticks or lathis. The celebration is enacted in perfect good humour by both sides, the men of Nandgaon and the women of Barsana.

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The Lathmar Holi festival is a celebration of the power of women and is a unique expression of the region’s rich cultural heritage. During the festival, named after the lath, a wooden stick that is used by women to chase men. The festival is celebrated on the day before the Hindu festival of Holi and is an expression of the love between Radha and Krishna. The women from the town of Barsana chase men from the neighbouring town of Nandgaon with sticks as a symbolic representation of Radha’s playfulness and power. The men, in turn, sing and dance in a show of reverence to Radha.

One of the highlights of the Lathmar Holi festival is the Lathmar Holi Mela, which is a gathering of people from the surrounding towns and villages. The mela is a lively and colourful affair, with stalls selling food, drinks, and handmade goods. There is also a wide range of entertainment available, including music, dance, and theatre performances.

Another important aspect of the Lathmar Holi festival is the traditional dance and music. The Braj region has a rich tradition of music and dance, and the Lathmar Holi festival provides a platform for these traditions to be showcased. The dances performed during the festival are an expression of joy and happiness and are performed by both men and women. The music played during the festival is characterised by its use of traditional instruments such as the dhol, nagara, and manjira.

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One of the most unique parts of the Lathmar Holi festival is the ‘Rang Panchami’ ritual. During this ritual, people come together to throw coloured powders at each other, creating a vibrant and joyful atmosphere. The ‘Rang Panchami’ ritual is an important part of the Lathmar Holi festival and is a time for people to come together and celebrate the arrival of spring.

The Lathmar Holi festival is also a time for love and courtship. During the festival, young men and women come together to meet and get to know each other. If two people are interested in each other, they can exchange gifts and formalise their relationship. This exchange of gifts is known as ‘Rasm-e-Holi’ and is an important part of the Lathmar Holi festival.

The Lathmar Holi festival is a celebration of life, love, and joy and a celebration of the rich and diverse culture of the Braj region. It celebrates the arrival of spring and the triumph of good over evil and is an important part of the cultural heritage of the region.

In My Hands Today…

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52 Ways to Walk: The New Science and Timeless Joy of How, When, Where, and Why – Annabel Streets

We think we know how to walk. After all, walking is one of the very first skills we learn. But many of us are stuck in our walking routines, forever walking in the same place, in the same way, for the same time, with the same people. With its thought-provoking and evidence-backed weekly walk routine, 52 Ways to Walk will encourage everyone to improve how they walk, while also encouraging them to seek out new locations (many on their own doorsteps), new walking companions (our brains age better when we mix up our fellow walkers), new times of the day and night, and new skills to acquire while walking.

Inspirational, backed by science, illuminated with human anecdote, and bolstered with how-to tips, 52 Ways to Walk will inspire, challenge, support, and encourage everyone to become more ambitious with their walking practice, revealing how walking may be the best-kept secret of the supremely healthy and happy, the creative and well-slept–those with the best posture and sharpest memories. Just about everything, it appears, can be improved and enhanced by clever and judicious walking. It turns out you actually can get more from life, one step at a time.