Old Age Pastimes

 How do you spend time when you get old and less mobile?

Some of the activities you were used to including going out, may be difficult. So how do you pass your time?

Here are some idle thoughts-

Read. You can re-read books that you may have read long before. Including favourite authors. The newspaper delivers something new every day, and keeps you abreast of what is happening.

Talk to people- on phone, or in person. They may be your friends, family or whoever. Once in a day or two. Make a video  call on Meet, or Zoom with your kids if they live elsewhere.

Listen to the radio. It's great for listening to any songs you like. Or buy a Carvaan type device with a lot of stored songs.

Walk around, either in your housing society garden, or any other suitable space where it is safe.

TV? I would not recommend it. Maybe watch a movie on Youtube or an OTT channel. That is usually more satisfying.

If you are actually mobile, you have more options, like volunteering, guest lecturing or other ways to occupy yourself.

Growing Old

 Why there are positives to growing old.

1. You can legitimately claim you didn't hear what someone said.

2. You can also claim you cannot see very well, and without your glasses, not at all.

These two alone give you major ways to avoid hearing/ seeing stuff that you didn't want to.

3. You can call anyone Young man or Young woman, with an air of superiority.

What will happen when somebody finds out you CAN hear very well?

Well, no idea, nobody's found out in my case yet.

Kids I Used to Know

 One of the benefits of getting old (I am not old-just getting there slowly) is to look at the dramatic changes in how many of the kids you know (including your own, if any) look after a decade or more.

So many kids I can remember, among them my cousins' kids from India and abroad, and some who migrated abroad from India. We don't meet as often, but pics are good enough to figure out.

Another age group is my students in their early twenties who are now young parents in many cases, with their own cute kids. There are hundreds in this category, and I have met a few of their kids too. Some I have only seen on facebook, but it gives you a great feeling to know someone for so long, more than a generation. 

An Indian parent used to have only two wishes in the earlier generation- to see their kids "settled" (meaning married) and then, to see them have kids. I don't insist on any of these, maybe because I feel like a grandpa by proxy to all these kids!

Not to forget, kids make some of the best models, so you can also indulge your passion for this hobby, with your camera.

Ragas and their classification

There are zillions of ragas, I am told. But my listing is not the real classical ones. These are totally new, invented by me. To be sung in appropriate tunes..

Work related ragas

   Victim Raga- I am a victim, ..only I seem to work around here.

   Nitwit Raga- My co-workers are nitwits..who hired them, who hired them,...repeat musically

Love Life (Relationship?) Related Ragas

   Rocking Raga-The flowers are dancing, my life is rocking,..

   Full of Doubts Raga- Will she, won't she, will she, won't she..

    Never Again Raga- I will never fall in love again,...I am becoming a monk/a saint..

Old Age Ragas

    Spectacular Raga- Where did I keep the chashma (spectacles)?...

    Beckham Raga- Why doesn't my body bend at the right places?

    Existential Raga- Where am I, Who am I? Who are all these people?

    Dhritarashtra Raga- Yeh kya ho raha hai (Hindi)?

Boss Ragas

    The I Tune- I know everything, I KNOW everything, I know EVERYTHING