Leslie's Laughs

 Published in My Kolkata https://www.telegraphindia.com/my-kolkata/lifestyle/the-legacy-of-kolkatas-band-music-musical-legacy-through-bands-genres-and-generations/cid/2061131 A former rock musician who is now a music hobbyist relives the changes that Kolkata musicians have undergone in form and feature while keeping the rhythm going. Names mentioned in the text are mentioned with admiration and love for the music they gave and still give us!  Every November the music of Christmas wafted from our old radiogram at home. Bing Crosby sang, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas” and random choirs belted out, “Silver Bells … soon it will be Christmas Day!”   That anticipation translated into other frantic activities for the myriad “dance bands” that sprang up around the season which lasted through December and early January.  ‘Tis the season to be jolly involving Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and multiple Christian weddings which dot the 12 days of Christmas.  New...

 Published in My Kolkata https://www.telegraphindia.com/my-kolkata/lifestyle/work-life-balance-how-to-invest-in-a-healthier-happier-lifestyle-with-these-simple-strategies/cid/2060027 [The author consults with corporates on areas of employee well-being, structured operations and HR.  When people burn out or suffer stress at work he advises balance. But how does one maintain balance in a continuously warped world of work? He takes an investment viewpoint, a little tongue-in-cheek. ] A doctor recently informed a group of 60-year-old friends that if “at our age” we could stand on one leg for 15 seconds then we “are in good condition”. Naturally we all just had to try it!  I'm not sure what the criteria for a good condition could be but this whole discussion on “balance” had me thinking of how we use the word in multiple ways to influence our lives.  Then again, there’s this 80 year old gentleman, having seen quite a few decades he refuses to “slow down”. He gets up early...