What happens after COVID-19 ?

The question we are all wondering but barely talking about and should start discussing right away.

It is true that a lot of people have short memories, for those it is also true that people lack empathy. Then there are those who would rather ignore everything and move on because “They are too weak or just can’t confront the reality”. The reason this is a BIG deal is simply that our society is built on a structure like that of Dominoes or can be characterized as a house of cards if you may. It takes just one person in power making one wrong decision to bring the whole house down.

For me, 2020 marks the beginning of an end to the society as we have known, and the sudden awareness or a wakeup call that everything including society is in decline. This somehow feels like just one of many disasters and pandemics that we are unprepared for and for all the conspiracy theories of a third world war or an all-out nuclear war, it is our unpreparedness towards these human-induced natural disasters that will push us into an apocalyptic era, something long reserved for a page of a science fiction novel or a movie script. If history lessons have taught us anything, nothing lasts forever, even this era of robust industrialization and technological prosperity has its end etched into the future bringing the start to another era unimaginable to us right now.

Do you think my view is too grim? Just see how world leaders have reacted to a pandemic that was less deadly than its predecessor for fear of losing election viability and halting economic prosperity of their own 0.001% kind. Many of them refused a reaction until it was too late. Four of them are still denying it currently.

It is not too soon to ask the question that if you are doing such a bad job of handling this one then what happens when something much worse comes our way? How long until the panic-buying at the grocery store turns into a stampede and free for all? We must measure our current egregious decision making and it’s consequences and then contrast it with what happens when the effects of global warming are suddenly more prominent for example? or another more deadly coronavirus distorts our utopian society (pun fully intended). If anybody had any sense then this would be the number one priority -

How do we create systems in place that are normally dormant but become active within hours in-case humanity needs to be saved from itself once again?

Let’s use our technological prowess and the recognition of the fact that humanity now lives surrounded my modern cutting edge technology.

The coming days and how people react to it defines the future and the way our society would react to it (in the future). So far what we are seeing in some countries is that leaders are worried about elections or how much money their own families stand to lose, they are refusing to take tough measures that are needed due to concerns about how they may see the economy numbers dip to catastrophic levels and how that could start a recession and again how their time in office may be remembered by the depression many countries will now suffer as a result of this crisis.

What they should be focusing on is that how many lives they can save right now by enacting tough measures, creating a sense of solidarity, inspiring the now afraid and panicked public to do the right thing and finally take care of everyone (financially) as the world heads to towards a new era of depression.

The financial and economic systems are not designed to enact an automatic response in case something goes awry or the planet faces an impending disaster whether manmade or natural.

With so much brainpower in the world, I am astounded that we can’t design better governmental systems that take the politics and self-interest out of the equation during such pandemics, the occurrences of which are going to continue.

This sends such a wrong message that we have to give and give (contribute to the society and government taxes etc.) until disaster strikes and then we are supposed to be on our own. The higher the disaster’s ability to affect our lives the more it pushes us to extreme levels to do what is necessary to ensure our survival and that is the most serious flaw here in the systems that we have agreed to follow as a society. It is almost fooling the public at large that is almost always facing a cash crunch and many are surviving paycheck to paycheck.

That’s why this is the beginning of the end, the doom that we created in almost every way, and why society, as it exists today, must either evolve again or fade like the ones before us.

It’s realistic because of how people behave when survival is at stake. We largely tend to look the other way and hope whatever it is, goes away. If it weren’t for the lucrative health care system where some ounce of credibility is still left and those people are willing to save lives I don’t think there would be much hope for any of us for survival from any disease or virus at this point. Health care, of course, has also been turned into a privilege for the few who can afford insurance or pay their way to a cure for a medical condition. Again, my statements are not universal but they do apply to most countries.

If we all agreed to create public organizations that help manage everyday life at the macro level then those organizations and their systems must also be responsible for the times of misery and economic crunch and so far many have not been.

What I learned as an Analyst in the Tourism Industry

Applying Visitation Data approach to Airbnb Dataset

Introduction

The tourism industry works on slightly different metrics than for example e-commerce where there are proven ROI and conversion models you can implement. It is essentially an open loop. The hotel industry works on bookings and can implement e-commerce models but tourism bodies of a country, state and cities cannot.

This article hopefully gives us a small window into the type of analysis these public companies can use in their workflow to plan budgets, campaigns and prove that their work to promote tourism in a location does make an economic impact in their designated region.

Approach

We will try to look at certain trends and find the underlying factors within the dataset to understand the reasoning. The first step to build an analytical framework, dashboard , etc. is to build an approach. Hopefully, this article is still useful even if purely not from the insights perspective then at least to understand what is possible to analyze in a data set.

Objective

The goal of this study is to understand if we can garner any insights by using Visits as one of the metrics apart from Bookings, Stays, etc. In the past, I have worked with marketing campaign data sets with location change attributes. Now applying some of the learnings to an unfamiliar data set should yield some interesting patterns as well as challenges. We must constantly plan for future Data collection.

Main Tools

While I regularly used SQL, Tableau, Excel, Powerpoint in my last job, we will use Python and Tableau for this purpose.

Why Data will Transform Investment Management | Data Driven Investor

For regular processed tasks like updating an analysis for a report with a newer data set Python is extremely important for both accuracy and efficiency. While I struggled to make use of Python initially in my workflow, I have now realized that even automating small tasks can make you efficient especially with data wrangling.

Data Set

The data set can be found on Kaggle and is quite a popular one if you are just starting to learn data analysis on Python, Tableau, R, etc.

New York City Airbnb Open Data

Beginner Tip: When reading a file in Python add it in the same folder as the data set to avoid adding the full path to the code. Too many python files in the same location can be confusing and may need to be individually checked in case of data updates.

Data = pd.read_csv(‘AB_NYC_2019.csv’)

Data Set: Attributes

We can quickly see the data set attributes and drop certain columns that we do not need for the analysis. Host Name among them here has been redacted for privacy reasons. Usually, any statistical modeling counts user_id or id for any user-related analysis. It is all anonymous.

Data Wrangling

We will Drop- id, name, host_name, last_review for some basic analysis.

Python makes dealing with null values a breeze. We can quickly replace Nan with 0

Data.fillna({‘reviews_per_month’:0}, inplace=True)

Then check the column (will return 0) Data.reviews_per_month.isnull().sum()

Data Verification

While there are many ways you can verify data before we analyze it. In this case, we checked unique responses from two columns and they are in line with what we expect.

Data Analysis, Visualisation & Insights

For this, we will use a combination of python and tableau as sometimes Data Visualisation is easier in Tableau.

Host Listings by Borough -This gives a general idea of how many listings do we have in each neighborhood group which is immediately useful for potential hosts, real estate companies looking to get into Airbnb. It is also very useful for AirBnb, Tourism bodies when planning any ad spend for the NYC area.

Manhattan and Brooklyn have over 85% listings in NYC combined

Visitation based insights -Now, in an ideal world, Airbnb would have bookings data and perhaps a separate database for confirmed bookings data where the person booked and arrived at the host listing. Some of the basic insights we are about to go through would be more robust but we will work with what we have especially if you are an outside organization like New York city tourism/economic body or New York state body. We at least have to see what is possible here. It’s all about building an approach.

Number of Reviews = Visits (confirmed)

The reason I am confident in using these data points is because of the total amount we have. (See Below)

This methodology results in 1.13 million confirmed visits and we can already see that for this particular period despite Manhattan having more listings more people prefer to stay in Brooklyn.

While there can be many reasons for that the most obvious is price.

Visits by Borough clearly shows us that Brooklyn holds much more low-cost rental listings about 3X more than Manhattan.

When we analyze Visits and Price by Neighbourhood we find that Bedford Stuyvesant (Brooklyn) has the most visits and average overall price. Bushwick with the lowest overall average price has the fourth-highest visits. This means that other factors are also involved in customers choosing a specific neighborhood. Maybe we can score safety or transportation as other factors and then run the analysis.

Visits by room type show a clear trend that about half of the people would prefer to rent the entire home and over 98% of the people would prefer a private space.

The price difference between a shared room and private room is just under 22% and that could be the biggest reason why most people don’t see a point in sharing a room.

Duration of stay- This is also an important insight that highlights a trend in visitors movement, from a purely strategic and planning point of view we can utilize the data to optimize campaigns based on customer preference.

People staying in Manhattan stay longer on average than Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx & Staten Island. Depending on the stakeholder this could help plan future campaigns, listing search optimization, etc.

Conclusion

The above analysis is just a subset of the overall report. If we factor in seasonality, marketing attribution with visits, it would give us an even more accurate picture and a better strategic direction, more importantly, we can use visits as conversion and build an ROI model. The approach to the analysis would be the same as above. We can use the rest of the insights in support and highlight important campaigns that contributed to overall success. Media Companies, Advertising Companies, Tourism Bodies, and other stakeholders would benefit from this analysis and reporting.

Insights from Tourism Industry was originally published in DataDrivenInvestor on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Backing isn’t everything…

I consider myself in the list of Tech enthusiasts and often I find people who are too close to an instrument of interaction (YouTube, Crypto experts etc.) they forget how the rest of the consumers will actually react and interact with the product.

Current Perception of Facebook

So we will start our consumer insight journey with what people think of Facebook platform and affiliates. When I ask people about FB many of them are aware of the security vulnerabilities but that does not stop them using the platform. Most people use it for Status Updates, Photo Sharing, Video Sharing. I personally only like to use it for connecting with people for rental, buy/sell listings.

Global Usage may be down but not necessarily for Instagram or WhatsApp. These Apps have become so synonymous with the smartphone experience (mass adoption) that people simply find it hard to do without them. Experts will of course know how the UI is designed to keep users on the platform. They do this incredibly well. People rarely remind themselves that Instagram is actually owned by FB and that does mean that Instagram does not see any drop in usage even if FB does.

Insight: FB ownership does not mean people will hesitate or refuse to use their products.

Opportunity for Facebook

Mark Zuckerberg has focused a lot of his press interaction and their keynote event on security and data control. While many people might suggest the timing is not right for launch of Libra, If FB can roll it out in an ethical way along with the highest security possible it may actually recover the trust they have lost. FB does UI/UX design really well and that helps a lot in increasing user adoption of their products.

Insight: FB still has a chance to recover the public trust and considering mass adoption of their platform we have to give them one.

Big Finance Backing

Here come’s the interesting part. Let’s play a game.

A) Pick a Currency

US Dollar (USD/$)

B) List some of things you use it for through your phone.

Cab Rides, Subscriptions of Entertainment, Shopping, Currency Conversion, Money Transfer, Bills

C) Now List the Brands synonymous with these activities.

Uber/Lyft, Spotify, Ebay…

28 Members in total are already onboard that will accept and regulate the currency. Most Importantly the payments enabling platforms -Mastercard, PayPal, Visa Inc. are ONBOARD

The consequence of that is huge as when a Libra backed debit/credit card gets launched it will have the mastercard, visa symbols on it and will offer the same type of protection we have come to expect. For the average consumer that alone is enough. For the average merchant lower fees on transactions could be enticing.

Insight: Libra acceptance among consumers depends on its ability to get accepted inside the existing Digital Finance Infrastructure. Having FB Messenger and WhatsApp User Base helps.

Currency Stability

Libra will be pegged against a basked of current currencies offering the sort of stability we may never see in Bitcoin or Ethereum. This means there is lesser chance of fraudulent speculation or trading of the currency. We should be able to safely transfer the currency from Dollar to Euro or make payments where it is accepted. Banks control these systems as of now and some companies like TransferWise have created a presence as well.

This is also an important factor if we look at the MasterCard and Visa backing. Traditionally they have had no control or overseeing potential when it comes to a government backed currency. They do not control the volume of currency but they may see this as a chance to have some influence and say in currency volume regulation.

Insight: Payment Platforms do not have any volume control over traditional currencies & with Libra they are involved in the process of developing rules/regulations that will govern it and they will also have access to bitcoin style ledger.

Successful Used-Cases

Initially the plan is to use the currency for the p2p transfer of traditional currencies it will be pegged against through Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp albeit at a lower cost than Banks. If you work away from your home country this maybe very beneficial as Transfer fees can be very high and no one is ever okay to pay those fees.

If Uber, Lyft start accepting Libra as payment in multiple countries I personally think it would be a very important step to Libra’s user base. Why should I spend money changing currency when Libra can be used by me to hail a ride on my smartphone app.

Insight: When people travel they would be happy to convert as little currency as possible. Business and Leisure Both.

What Facebook can do for Libra’s success

Now henceforth a lot of it is purely my own analysis based on all the information in the media.

1. Facebook’s problem has not been recruiting skilled engineers and platform builders but hiring people who operate or manage their work ethically. Hire people who do their work with integrity and ethically. Diversity is also extremely important.
2. Continue to grow the Member Base of Libra especially getting a nod from other Big Tech including Apple, Google & Amazon.
   Apple has been very vocal of FB failings in the past and Google is following suit. Amazon’s acceptance of the crypto currency will completely change the outcome of this initiative.
3. Invite Governments to be part of the process to avoid getting the currency banned. Sometimes in order for a product to grow it is important to start a dialogue at the official level. We do not want the leaders of every country to publicly discourage the masses to avoid using the currency.
   Government approval will be key to global launch.
4. Go Green. Now this may be a bit controversial but I believe FB has the money to create solar and wind farms to power Libra through the energy consumption mess that the media will eventually broker onto mainstream news. There is nothing wrong with reaching out to Elon and Co. for expert help but I don’t think it is even required. Just continue to create built up solar capacity on the premises if need be.
   Long Term energy consumption analysis is vital and will pay its worth in PR if done right. Build the energy infrastructure beforehand.
5. Consider separate Calibra servers to regain trust. Now this should definitely be on the table for discussion. People do not trust FB as much but they might Trust Libra if the servers for using this currency were different. Aware People are reluctant to part with their data even if it is not shared but at this point just to show FB is serious about privacy, private servers separate from FB and fully encrypted end to end currency transfer should be a possibility so as not anyone can hack in to intercept the data.
   Stringent approved third-party list for developers and separate servers, data from which should be purged/encrypted. Third-Party big name audit to ensure this is happening.
6. Security. This has been a big problem for Crypto exchanges and Wallets. FB has to communicate it has taken extreme measures to protect the wallets which will essentially become bank accounts based on their vision for Libra.
   Highest Security comparable to or beyond Retail Banks should be in-place. It will take only a few instances of fraud for people to abandon the product altogether and not return.

Libra has the potential to become the most popular privately controlled and produced currency in the world where most of the transactions are already digital. The platform founders and member companies stand to gain billions if the product is done right. Governments may oppose it fearing decreasing usage of their own currency but mass public approval can change that view.
It is only fair that FB and other founders make the necessary investment to do this venture the ethical, trustable way.

Read More on Libra -

• Everything you need to know about Libra, Facebook's ambitious cryptocurrency
• Facebook's Libra won't be as power-hungry as Bitcoin
• Thoughts on Libra “Blockchain”
• Libra (cryptocurrency) - Wikipedia
• Libra | A New Global Payment System

Do you know what it feels like to slowly lose yourself to the void ?

There is silence all around, you look outside the window blocking the path of the faint light entering your room. The mind has traveled so far away into a corner of the universe, while your body just exists,broken from the inside.

You know something is slowly consuming you from within, life burns away from your veins and like machine & oil they continue to churn blood. The air in the lungs vanishes at times and it comes back holding hands with a flash from the past. A glorious past that is characterized by a paradox. The good, the bad, the ugly all rolled into one. The taste buds sour the mouth and something yanks away the attention which was focused into nothingness. The mind reacts to inertia creating a silent groan of pain.

The energetic body is stitched into a lonely head. A silent head. The face has been veiled by that cracked, hardened mask. It holds the vulnerability at bay. It dissolves expression. It is always inches away from exploding into this cloud of intensity and rage.

It increases critical thinking, the silence, to the point where the mind starts to exhaust frequently. Every action, thought and even judgment is so meticulously conjured and analysed that it sometimes reeks of caution.

People want to feel comfortable and that has got little to do with being authentic. Their senses distrust silence, calmness and especially cautiousness. Inaction and deeper thought makes them uncomfortable because now they can not predict or anticipate what might unfold.

You question this negative perception because it ultimately leads to a negative reaction, one that you did not initially anticipate. The desire was to achieve neutrality or perhaps positivity not a potential for dislike or a dread for hatred.

If you are trying to conform to higher principles your behavior becomes a good depiction of what people do not find appealing. It is as if the need for comparison and synchronization of thought makes them apathetic.

And that essentially kills you, because you were never looking down on them. Maybe you were watching down on them, learning about them, preparing to help them. You simply refused to accompany their unnecessary indulgence for senseless conversation, that awkward small talk, that unnecessary stomping of authority.

Isolation is a funny thing, painful in the younger years and blissful in your twilight. These prime years feel torturous.

The idealistic nature is starting to decline and a new pattern called the grey has emerged. The Grey brings a fog of deception and an assertion of coldness with it. Your voice is hoarse and the mind activates its most important vitals late into the night. It dulls out by early morning and falls victim to constant thought, the exhaustion.

You are not a hero nor its antagonist. The world doesn’t function like that, not in real life anyway. There are just these thoughts that create this fine line of connection. A thread. A weak thread that runs into your brain and creates these hollows, desolated moments.

It is just shared misery, almost a stereotypical gloom that has the habit of infecting the best of men. Men who know what they want & know the price they might have to pay to achieve that goal.

There is no glamorous action or poetic justice.

That is how I became a pale shadow of a work of fiction, a figment of imagination. Someone else’s imagination. It doesn’t matter if that character is Bruce Wayne, Rustin Cole or another man lost to the void.

How I became a pale shadow of The Batman was originally published in Be Yourself on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Pricing Strategy is primarily dependent on the Brand

Blackberry is going to release the Priv (Privacy & Privilege) smartphone within the next few weeks. It will be their first foray in the Android ecosystem and essentially illustrates the make or break situation they have precariously found themselves in. The hardware business has seen a slow death, finding its only pillar in their still loyal customers. Some 30 million people in the world. To put that into perspective, Apple sells some 45–50 million iPhone’s every quarter.

Apple is not the competition

Yes you got that right. Apple is the aspiration. Blackberry knows it can’t compete with Apple or Samsung for that matter and maybe that’s not the why they should have anyway. Their why really is that of “PROVIDING SAFETY & SECURITY IN EVERYDAY COMMUNICATIONS”. Essentially a niche where they fell after leading the smartphone or more like a semi-smartphone market for half of the decade in 2000's.

With Priv Blackberry has the potential to permanently find itself a new home in the market rather than face uncertain times as they have in the past. There are so many people in the world who value discretion, security above everything else and Blackberry has to find a way to reach them but without the support of customers in general it can not survive and because they have let all of these customers down in the past, many people do not have the same trust in the brand.

Now a marketer knows how to get that trust back. You generate value, create incentives in a package that feels worth more than the price tag. People are not stupid, they should not be taken for granted especially when it’s a question of trust.

Our relationship with our smartphone is the most important one from all the products we use. Why ? Because that is how we drive all other relationships, whether business or personal.

It is also the most basic way for a new brand to gain goodwill in a market. Case in point is One Plus. New Brand, No Goodwill & Trust but creates a good value package, adds some goodwill by using other popular brands (Snapdragon, Corning etc.) to produce the product and delivers it precisely into the hands of the target.

Blackberry is essentially starting from bare minimum in the Android ecosystem. They need to create a good value package and use pricing as an advantage not a deterrent or a barrier.

Preorder’s are $699 for the initial offering with 32GB Storage. It will work only with T-Mobile or AT & T in the US.

If a Galaxy S6 and an iPhone can be had for $6XX then Blackberry has to better that no matter what. They simply cannot go beyond $5XX in the US market. They do not have enough trust and value in the product and the brand to justify a purchase over the iPhone.

The early adoption model is dead for smartphones because the innovation has been incremental in the past two years.

It doesn’t matter what unique features they highlight. They do not have anything in their product that will force people to radically change their habits like the iPhone did in 2007. And that is ok.

Lastly, Please have some common sense and make sure Everything and I mean Everything about the product has been tested and optimized because otherwise it might just be time to wrap up the hardware business and start licensing the patents for that qwerty keyboard people love.

Growing up my parents told me honesty is a virtue. Being honest was the only way to live your life. It makes sense if you think about it. It makes life easier. Lying always creates this layer of guilt that hovers above our consciousness and adds this weight to our thoughts. In the end it almost always eats away on the inside, forcing our nerves into this frenzied state. Recovery isn’t possible until the lie has been returned to its origins, where those words mean nothing.

The honesty I speak about isn’t the one where the words coming out of the mouth are formed into blunt sentences but the one where it is easier to believe the dishonest opinions and false conclusions.

It is astounding that in situations where I find myself clinging to nothing but the truth, people fly off the handle with accusations and because I have nothing else to offer I generally stand in shock wondering how in the f****** hell have I come out of this worse off.

Which led me to discovery that Trust and Honesty may not go together in this peculiar world of ours and that is cause for concern. I thought being honest entitles you to help establish trust and affection in personal and professional relationships but most people are only unsettled by it.

The truth shouldn’t really be easy or difficult, it should just be the truth, an absolute, requiring no negative reaction as long as it isn’t being used to correct a lie.

Any real relationship is based on fact and all facts have to be the truth within reason. The cognitive and the tangible experience of the people today is so disruptive that again and again we fall into this trap that everything we hear and we see should be soothing and most importantly should be easy. This assumption is what causes us to distance ourselves from the best of people & then the perception of the world itself turns sour.

Previous bad experiences should be used as a caution, a guide, but allowing it to rule us in the present is taking the best opportunities for intellectual or entertaining interactions away from us.

We must strive for the dying art of Honesty which really is like soil and water to barren lands, you don’t realize what it can do immediately. At first it is just dirt but if you give it time, it can create a paradise.

People are unnerved by Honesty & that’s kind of scary was originally published in Be Yourself on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Querida Bushwick: 4 Amazing Places you absolutely cannot miss !

Bushwick is not about scenic natural beauty, in fact it probably symbolizes the exact opposite. It is trying to find beauty and color in this man made jungle. A jungle of dusty empty cages we call warehouses, redeemed only by the grace of artists who were broke, adaptable and resourceful.

While the rest of the city reeks of high energy and an incredible pace, Bushwick’s vibe is a bit different. It has a bit of a back country, lazy feel to its surroundings. It is like an old memory of someone trying get rid of its urban roots. That is probably why it is so popular with urban hipsters, progressive young adults and of course all types of artists. So what does it take for you to find your way here ? You must desire open minded exploration. This is a place where history and generic societal culture matter very little. Immerse yourself in some authentic experiences, as critical to the city as the village or time square.

Roberta’s Pizza

261 Moore St, Brooklyn

Consisting of a restaurant, open patio and even a separate takeaway shop, Roberta’s is the best place to grab pizza in Bushwick. It always has a lively atmosphere, good crowd and when the weather is good, that open patio is full of vibrant people knocking back a busy day with a few beers and delicious wood-oven fired pizza’s. There is generally always a waiting for tables, so plan accordingly or just get take out!

Kávé Espresso Bar

1087 Flushing Ave #121, Brooklyn

Ever heard of this building called The Loom ? If you live in Brooklyn then chances are that you have. Tucked away in one corner among an array of shops in this residential building is this Café. It is a good place to work (free Wifi) and also if you just want to catch up with friends over coffee.

Tip: Get a coffee & a eggs, cheddar & chili mayo on a croissant

King Noodle

1045 Flushing Ave, Brooklyn

A gem of a Restaurant in the heart of Bushwick specializing in South-East Asian noodles, provides some terrific noodle bowls that might seem like Asian fusion but creates amazingly balanced flavors. Their appetizers match well with all the drinks on offer. The bartender knows what she’s doing and makes some great cocktails. It has a retro, classic vibe but attracts a lot of the young adult, college kids crowd. The space is small but they do have a proper bar and counter. Could be your casual dinner date or hanging out with friends place.

Tip: Beer off the tap and a Green Curry Noodles bowl is enough to satisfy and perhaps overwhelm your Asian food craving. The spring rolls and crispy lemongrass wings are also popular.

Mexican Food Truck — Taco Rapido

Outside Morgan L stop 6pm onwards (Not Monday)

This truck is the best value for money Mexican food I have ever had and probably one of the most authentic. Started by twin brothers Felipe and Sergio Gonzalez they have years of experience in running restaurants and cooking between them. Get on the L train and get out in Morgantown. It’s right outside the station. It’s perfect for an evening snack or quick dinner.

Tip: I always get the veggie Tostadas. Huarache was also very good. No matter what you try, you’ll probably end up liking it.

The soft touch as good as warmth emanated by a golden heart, one who creates affection, selflessly giving out and taking nothing in at all.

A purple cloud spreading a sweet scent that smelt like her and reminds of the carefree shaking of necks.

I wish I could conjure ardor, with the same intensity as of the eyes that slip away into the oblivion of vulnerability.

Faint Light filters the living, dispersing emotion without corruption, nothing influences the spoken word.

Snow flakes floating in the air and resting on the ground, but none more radiant or cleaner than her smile.

I wish I could taste happiness, like her small innocent giggle, monotonous silence breaking into pandemonium,

Dancing birds clutter the path, a day of freedom from the swarming pressure to live a certain way,

The frozen swings of a mute park rejoice, back from the continuing cycle will spark them into motion,

I wish I could fix love, like her volatility and her strength never wavering,

The Light extinguishes the fervor, memories continue to fade, dust settles and fogs the past,

The room hollows out, only one now occupies it,

The period of bloom still lies ahead, the heart hopes it, like it once did when it loved her…

Happy Valentines Day Folks !

Recommend and Share if you liked it !

Where once there was silence, explosions replaced it in the shire,

A red river of innocence flows through the entrance and onto the roads,

Catastrophic damage collecting its payment, much more than dead toads,

Death not just of the physical body but of compassion & kindness has come about,

The sole witness “The wind” begged for a warning, atleast one shout,

Lush green grass on the ground exists in disbelief, converted into a premature grave yard rather than the usual kick of the ball,

Everyone was hurting already but it was them who took the fall,

Disdain and Disbelief spreads in the heart like a virus, All the empathy is disowned,

There are no bits of food only bullets that created screams of moan,

A knife for a knife. A flower for a flower growls the mind,

The inherent nature of humanity is changed, that is the only truth today that I could find,

The Bodies will be buried, The prayers will be spoken but what of the poor souls lost over nothing,

They have vanished into nothingness without destiny, without reason,

A hollow now resides , where they once existed,

Leaving their loved ones shrieking in agony,

They are all the LOST SOULS,

Vanquished over very little & forever…

All the Lost Souls was originally published in Living In a Fake Entity on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

A faint light had found its way in from a window which was clumsily covered by brown paper. It was clear that the occupant of the household didn't invite light and preferred to spend time in dim surroundings or with artificial light from a gas lamp.

The Sun however has its way of delivering light even to the darkest of the places and so when the sun rose to its strongest, more of light found its way into the room and it was illuminated enough for eyes to decipher the details.

It was a small kitchen containing about four counters for various appliances and a sink. It was narrow so there wasn't a space for a table. It was a fetch and go room and in a lavish house it could have been a laundry room or a broom room at best but this was a small condo in one of the more modest districts of the city and such a space was enough for its only occupant. The leaser was an old man living on subsidized rent, a man who was tethering towards the end of his existence.

A kettle was boiling for a while in the dingy kitchen but no one took any notice. Finally it let out a whistle and fell to the floor. The stove continued to run until the smoke alarm in the next room clicked in and the emergency valve in the gas pipe shut it down.

The firemen barged in to find that the old man was lying in his bed with a letter on his chest. His soul had departed leaving behind what it did not bring with it.

The Letter contained some money and a request from the man that his funeral be held and he be buried.

The old man seldom came out of his condo and lived a largely isolated existence. He never had any visitors and there wasn't a record of him ever getting married. It seemed that he knew no-one and vice-versa.

After an empty funeral his bones traveled to their final resting place. A seemingly pointless exercise as he was already where he wanted to be, Into the oblivion of the highest energy…

Yet his bones told a story, that of an Honest Man.

Isolation

Walking on the streets on my own,

Watching people living an existence so absorbing that it consumes them,

It pains me & makes me a lone,

The society grows colder everyday & I struggle to understand it,

I did what was asked of me but paid the ultimate price of failing to find any peace within myself,

How & Why I didn't find another soul to share my experiences I do not know, Just couldn't find the right fit,

Is there anything that I have to show for in the end ?

The Bubble of emptiness grows so large in my chest that my heart feels swollen,

And I now look in the mirror at my heavily wrinkled face and look at my body & my bones,

They are the bones of an Honest Man,

And that’s all they've ever been,

Ready to be freed back into the earth while I depart from my lonely existence to the so called heavens….

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The Bones of an Honest Man was originally published in Living In a Fake Entity on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.