Rahul > Recent Status Updates

Another half-read book im going to park for now (maybe an upcoming flight). Can't really tell if it's poorly paced and overly contrived humour, or it's just middle school fic. Still been fun, South Indian representation is always nice (Rao - should have known), and have learned new Hindu tales. Will get back to you soon, but on to the biologically and ethnically diverse Yunnnan!

It's what I wanted - fun, fast-paced page turner! Through the river of aunt-trying-too-hard-to-be-funny core (my take, unsure what the kids think), Chokshi shows glimpses of comedic genius topped by Hanuman quoting Jay-Z. A patriarchy hating thief exclusively heartless-ifying men (unintended Kingdom Hearts ref always appreciated) and a samsung galaxy airport ban ref landed too (though the latter was a galaxy note!)

Wanted to read something light so keen to dive back into young Rahul's favourite junior high fantasy genre!

I'm slowly realising that a lot of my behavioural traits stem from childhood bullying, as one of only a handful of POCs in my primary school year level. I've never considered this traumatic but it may well be, given it was protracted, occured at a significant developmental juncture and I can trace many traits back to it (e.g. people pleasing, loss of cultural connection). Makes me want to be a teacher again.

A bit lost with the extensive biogeology lit review criticising the northern ornithology bias (i.e. birds originated in north). No STEM background so place blind faith in Low's interrogation of scientific papers. Struggling to understand how biologists date animals and trace/sequence their roots; e.g. biological clocks? Broadly useful in illustrating STEM biases and importance of diversity to remedy this (cc DEI).

Interesting comparing the caste system in India and the purported same in the US (based on colour). My second attempt at this book and I remember being struck by MLK's India trip, where he visited a dalit school and was introduced as a "fellow untouchable from the United States of America". The analogy can extend to FN Australians imo and caste is a more useful way to stress the rigidity of the hierarchy vis-à class.

Australia really is a birder's paradise - home of the first songbirds, parrots and also has the most dinosaur looking bird in the cassowary?

Will push through but idk if this is for me and so many names, and so many that are same? Everyone is a Nicolo, Giovanni or Lorenzo

This is excellent, I wish every country had its modern history captured and told similar to this book; I'd devour them all (if anyone has reccs do lmk).