First Selfie

The Instagram coach promises to share a secret treasure at the end of the program. She speaks about the art and science of video making, and leveraging Instagram for profits. The entrepreneurs and wannabes are thrilled. How can things be so simple and so effective? She makes it so easy for them. The coach sighs. … Continue reading First Selfie

Consistency

Why do we expect weatherto go by the calendar?There’s a will ticking inside....It finds ways to manifest Why go by the calendar?We celebrate inconsistencyIt finds ways to manifestWhy always do what you expect? We celebrate inconsistencyOscar Wilde instructs a childWhy always do what you expect?You're smart, you're imaginative Oscar Wilde instructs a childDon't go for … Continue reading Consistency

Straightening loops

I invite a meltdown. I challenge meltdowns to sort themselves out into new patterns. I challenge meltdowns to harbour elements which change with compounding, and look at each other in new ways. We pride ourselves on our identity, but now it looks melded with yours. There are commonalities, and there are contradictions mocking each other. … Continue reading Straightening loops

Years later…

She is refreshed by familiar smells after a tiring day - smells that take her back to student days. It’s the same track, same route and same sights from the window. She looks around in the compartment, and finds the commuter profile changed. People are glued to their devices, rather than chatting and playing games.  … Continue reading Years later…

Afraid

“I can’t bring myself to forgive….” Maria veers off mentally, fully knowing the barrage of words that would now be spewed out. She has heard it everyday for more than quarter of a century. She is kind of immune, but the idea of being stuck in a swamp stinks. “I guess one should stop scraping … Continue reading Afraid

Mechanics

“These are not weeds, but garlands woven by time on your existence." It is my tenth day in the seniors’ home. I’m doing a survey for my thesis on speed of social change. I gather distilled wisdom, but the context has changed. They are unable to build a relevance for themselves in new frameworks. I … Continue reading Mechanics

Leading nowhere

“Looks like the trees fell in yesterday’s storm…” “It is of lesser consequence than the decline in business. I keep cleaning the tables, but there are no customers.” “You never know. Maybe people came to enjoy the shade on sunny days….” “I’ve asked the municipal authorities to get the trees replanted somewhere else.” “Get them … Continue reading Leading nowhere

One-liner

“What have you accomplished in isolation? You left behind a fast moving career and a fortune.” "I don’t think that world remembers me, or needs to know about me." “But why? I assure you there’s a lot of curiosity about your hermitage.” “Maybe you hope to sell more copies with this story. But the maze … Continue reading One-liner

Who?

"Where’s Grandpa in this pic?" "He’s buying tickets to a place where dreams were manufactured?" "What kind of dreams?" "Driving motorcycles on walls, hands-free swinging and doing a trampoline on nets.." "You had no gyms?" "We did not have the internet either…" "Then, who gave them ideas to do all this?" https://rochellewisoff.com/2021/06/09/11-june-2021/

Crimes

“This is my car which was stolen, a couple of days ago…” “Why should it be up there?” “The criminals are threatening to blow it up, unless I pay them a certain amount.” “Have you informed the police?” “I don’t want to. I would like to ground my teenage son for some time. The friends … Continue reading Crimes