Frood For Thought: Your daily read

Bonus read to compensate for self-plug: https://www.themarginalian.org/2026/08/12/kurt-vonnegut-on-writing-stories/

Hello hello. I revived my personal Substack after a long time with this post. A weekly affair going forward – at least for the next 52 Thursdays. Feedback welcome, along with suggestions for future posts. https://nitingoel.substack.com/p/13-one-billion-seconds-and-nine-years?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=6pidu

A lovely little piece by Mohit Satyanand. PSA - If you are in Bangalore, he will be talking about his 50 years on the road traveling with himself later this month. August 26, 7 PM https://open.substack.com/pub/mohitsatyanand/p/no-regrets?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=6pidu

A poem generated by Maria Popova's LLM. https://www.themarginalian.org/2026/04/30/bet/

July was a crazy month for deeply personal reasons. For starters, my production & industrial engineering education finally came to some use as I spent countless hours with our vendor working out the details how to bring 42 Cards into the world. This post is an early look at the prototype which resulted from all those conversations – a tangible offering from us for you. Also good news: You will be able to buy 42: Cards for the Curious at select bookshops and toy-stores next month onwards. (My biscuit-selling experience coming in handy) But if you'd like to get your hands on one of these limited-edition boxsets, the sure-shot way is to order before August 9. Link in post. https://readersof42.substack.com/p/4211-all-about-42-cards-for-the-curious

https://open.substack.com/pub/reelreptile/p/wake-up-and-smell-the-cockroaches?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=6pidu

https://www.instagram.com/p/DbL_dXjk_DR/

https://open.substack.com/pub/prempanicker/p/five-young-women-and-the-meaning?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=6pidu

https://www.instagram.com/p/DbDzwaTjcOX/?img_index=1&igsh=MWpuNzdxaHlneDd4eA==

https://open.substack.com/pub/pallaviaiyar/p/the-wars-that-kept-the-elephant-alive?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=6pidu

apologies for being missing in action. a lot going on behind the scenes. an update soon. meanwhile, restarting your daily read with a series of essays on craft by Prem Panicker. https://prempanicker.substack.com/p/indias-digital-dream-hacked

https://altermag.com/articles/designing-a-summer-ice-cream-for-india

https://open.substack.com/pub/tedgioia/p/the-glorious-future-of-live-music?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=6pidu

co-admin hitting it out of the park with his latest. (and yes, I know that ain't a football metaphor :P) https://thingsofinternet.substack.com/p/the-internet-by-world-cups-over-20

Bonus: https://open.substack.com/pub/rosechasm/p/where-should-young-creatives-live?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=6pidu

A classic from the 'good old days' of the internet. If you haven't stumbled upon Whatay before, let this be your gateway. Statutory Warning: Carb cravings guaranteed. https://www.whatay.com/p/2011-06-24-a-toast-to-buttered-toast

Nishant Jain wrote a banger back in the day! https://open.substack.com/pub/sneakyart/p/s116?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=6pidu

The guy behind the long-running column City City Bang Bang – one of the very few (alas) readable bits within the Times of India – is now on Substack. Go read, subscribe, and if you enjoy, buy his quirky-titled books – Mother Pious Lady & Memes For Mummyji. https://open.substack.com/pub/santoshdesai/p/the-new-logic-from-stock-to-flow?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=6pidu

bonus: https://www.themarginalian.org/2013/05/20/bill-watterson-1990-kenyon-speech/

If there is one link you click from FFT this month, let it be this one 👇 https://www.zenpencils.com/comic/128-bill-watterson-a-cartoonists-advice/