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man in black polo shirt wearing black framed eyeglasses

You get some great,amazingly fantastic news. What’s the first thing you do?

Whenever I receive incredibly fantastic news, my first instinct is to double-check the source. In this era of ‘fake news,’ verifying facts is crucial before celebrating. Once I’m convinced it’s true, the next step is obviousI call my wife. A little context here: due to work commitments, I’ve been living alone lately. Now, back to the story. I call my wife, eager to share the news. As expected, she’s busy with work and tells me to call her later. But within minutes, she calls backonly to ask if I’ve rechecked the source! Then comes the inevitable story, one I’ve heard a thousand times over the years. It’s about how her grandmother always said, “Never be too happy, or you might jinx it.” And just like that, my excitement is tempered. Next, I call my son. Being a chartered accountant, his reaction is predictable. His first question? “Does this news benefit… You get some great,amazingly fantastic news. What’s the first thing you do?

grayscale photo of man using magnifying glass

Write about your first name: its meaning, significance,etymology, etc.

My first name, Manoj, carries a cultural and linguistic significance, as do many Indian names. It is derived from Sanskrit and is a combination of two meaningful elements: “mana,” which translates to mind or spirit, and “ja,” meaning born. Together, Manoj can be interpreted as “born of the mind” or “one who is born from the heart.” Interestingly, in Hindu culture, the name Manoj is also associated with Kamadeva, the god of desire and pleasureoften likened to Cupid in Western traditions. While this part of the name’s etymology is fascinating, it’s not a connection I usually emphasize. There’s a special story behind how I came to have this name, but that’s a tale for another post.

grey and black Panasonic RX-M50M3 transistor radio on grey surface

An item you were incredibly attached to as a youth.

When I was young, I was incredibly attached with an old radioa Philips three-band, battery-operated model. It worked perfectly fine, but curiosity got the better of me one day, and I decided to open it up. By the time I screwed the last nut back in place, the radio started misbehaving. After days of tinkering, I managed to fix itbut at a cost. The back cover broke, leaving my beloved radio exposed. Refusing to give up, I improvised. I mounted all the parts onto a wooden board, secured the batteries with nails, soldered the wires together, and, to my amazement, the radio came back to life. It looked like a messa Frankenstein’s monster with an antennabut I loved it nonetheless. That radio became my window to the world. I spent countless hours listening to the BBC, Voice of America, All India Radio, the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, and the Australian… An item you were incredibly attached to as a youth.