The Paralysis of Choice

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A desk overflowing with choices — the perfect metaphor for a modern mind. I’ve always wondered why stepping outside my comfort zone feels harder than it should. With so many ways to spend time, I keep circling the same question: am I choosing what matters, or am I just numbing myself with options? Choice overload might be the defining anxiety of our era. One moment I’m browsing an AI course on Coursera, convincing myself I’ll finally finish it. The next, I’m tempted to restart my Sanskrit lessons. And somewhere in that mental whirlpool, a random LLM video on YouTube quietly steals an hour I never intended to give away. It isn’t learning — it’s drifting. I think back to my first iPhone 4. One model. One color. No storage decisions. Apple had already stripped away the noise. Life felt simpler when constraints were built in. Today everything comes in infinite flavors — phones, courses, ideas, careers, spiritual paths, entertainment platforms. Abundance looks empowering,...

To Rolla

Across seas and oceans I set;
An appetite for studies to get;
Amidst family and friends,
A flight to catch the new trends

Bangalore to Bombay; an early call,
A delay of an hour; what a pall!
With sleepy eyes and tired faces,
We caught our places!!

A wait in Bombay; four hours;
All the time in the world; it was ours,
New friends joined the fray,
We were then well on our way!!

Bombay to Chicago through London,
A long journey, we weren't undone,
An Andhra couple were company,
We talked too many!!

A flight journey too long,
The air hostess' all along,
Fed us with food and beverages,
I thought I slept for ages!!

Chicago it was; O Hare airport,
Too huge compared to our port,
Through with immigration and customs,
Carrying our bags which weighed tons!!

American Airlines to St. Louis,
One more security check through,
At last the final flight of the leg,
People were comfortable with a peg

A cab from the airport,
Rolla it was, the final port.
No more flights to catch,
I was one of the first in the batch!!

The night at the seniors' place,
The streets; not a soul to trace,
A quiet town to while your time,
Without having to spend much dime!!

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