W is for Watching TV/Streaming Platforms

Who doesn’t like watching the telly, Netflix, Amazon Prime or any of the other streaming platforms? It’s a popular pastime, especially now during the lockdown. People always called the TV the idiot box, but over time, the quality of the shows have improved dramatically and there is content for every kind of sensibility out there.

I’m not an inveterate TV watcher, but my mom simply cannot do without the TV to de-stress. Her favourite shows, as are mine, include Two Broke Girls, Mike and Molly, The Big Bang Theory, Superstore and other comedies.

On Netflix, I’ve enjoyed Sacred Games, Atypical, Sex Education, and other shows. On Amazon Prime, I’ve mostly watched movies. I’ve also watched a couple of Man vs. wild shows featuring our PM and another starring Rajnikanth.

There is a show for every kind of mood and every kind of person. I don’t consume much news on TV and rely on online publications to get my news. My dad watches Christiane Amanpour’s show and also a lot of the news channels. He also listens to old Tamil music and watches both Hollywood and Kollywood films. In particular, he enjoys the James Bond franchise, Indiana Jones franchise and other popular cinema.

One needs to take a break from screens though. The 20-second rule is a good one to follow. Every 20 minutes, you get up and walk around for 20 seconds. As they say, sitting is the new smoking. It’s also not a great idea to watch TV in bed. The ergonomics of your seating arrangements should be thought through.

Nowadays, they are telecasting all the old content from DD and the early days of liberalisation, like Ramayana, Mahabharata and The Wonder Years. Some shows never go out style and there is always an audience for them. What are the shows that you watch?

Comments

I is for 'Insect Collecting'

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O is for 'Online Learning'

What better time than the lockdown to pursue an online course? I have done three courses on LinkedIn so far during this period, but I would love to do more courses on other platforms as well. LinkedIn enables you to download a certificate and also add it as a skill on your LinkedIn profile, once you complete the course. Now, so many reputed universities and Ivy League colleges are offering free courses online. Have you checked out https://online-learning.harvard.edu/ ? Udemy is offering courses starting from Rs. 420 for Shuttl users. Instapoet Rupi Kaur conducted a live writing workshop online earlier this year. BYJU’s, Unacademy, Vendantu and Coursera are having special offers and limited free access to their learning material. There is no better time than the present to upskill. Learning is a lifelong process. The half-life of an engineering education today is only three years, so it becomes crucial to keep learning after graduation or post-graduation. It is best not to str

How hobbies can enrich one’s life

Everybody needs a hobby. Some people are naturally more predisposed to boredom. These are the creative ones that if encouraged and nurtured can go on to change the world. But before they save the world, they need to save themselves. As the saying goes, no one can pour out of an empty cup. Many artists and creative folk are prone to listlessness and depression. They need hobbies to keep them afloat in choppy seas and help them tide over challenges. Sometimes, they are prone to dark moods and anger, too. The only way to heal is through staying engaged creatively. What will help is to stay amidst verdant surroundings in a peaceful place with few disturbances so that one can delve into one’s artistic self and draw from the wellspring of creativity that lies within. It must be tapped because unless one uses it, one loses it. It’s just like one’s grey cells. It needs regular honing and application. Creative people owe it to themselves, if not to the world, to try to create, even through th

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