Month: October 2021

311021 – Morning Pages

Finally a 1000+ word post on morning pages. Dumped all that was on my head. And loved it!

7:14. Up a few minutes ago. Did not sleep well at all. Was up till 2 browsing random timelines. Right now I am groggy but I am ok. I mean I will have some water and I would be back to being awesome. So that.

While writing the title of the post, I realized that October is over. And 2021 is almost over. This brings about a few thoughts in my head. Lemme write about those.

A. Time flies! Fast as fuck. And you cant control it. Must not waste a single minute. Need to get back the mojo where I would make myself accountable for each minute. The last few months have been, well, interesting (good and bad). Need to become a master of time.

B. Need to start planning for #in2022. I would be 40 in 2022 and I had hoped I would be financially independent by then. I am far from it. I had hoped I would have 6-packs by then. I have one large one that can compete with a sack of potatoes. I had imagined I would have a personal brand. Right now, I have none.

Plus I need to admit that of all the lofty goals I write for myself on paper each year, I hardly get any of those. I mean I do take actions and steps but I am unable to close on those. Maybe this year I will change that?

C. Need to plan where would I go and live after November. I have a Goa trip planned towards the end of the year with VG. So maybe somewhere in / around that. To save on commute and travel and all that. Any ideas? I dont want to be in Mumbai, to be honest. I mean I can be but I would rather be in a new city. Pune? Alibaug? Panchgani? Vashi for that matter? Thane? Ahmedabad? Let’s see. All I need is fast internet and a private room. Rest I can manage. And to be honest, I am liking this rootlessness, nomadness.

Oh, after this rant, I must admit that yesterday and the day before were pretty awesome. In terms of money. Got paid by a client that had held back my money. Got paid by a client that I did not expect to get paid by. Got paid a day earlier by another client. Plus yesterday I paid back one of the people that I owed money to. All in all, it was a great day for money. I need to have many more days like that. Come on, universe!

Chalo, enough. Loved that I could write at peace. And could dump a lot that was on my head.

Here’s the journal.

  1. Emoticon: :|.
  2. Mindful Index (on a scale of 10): 0. I continue to remain VERY distracted. I will do a 10-minute meditation session for sure.
  3. Things that I am grateful for
    1. I love the taste of water and I can sip onto it for hours.
    2. I have enough resources to be able to feed my fancies. Lol, fancies. I meant whims and quirks. And here’s the thing. #epiphany just happened. This time that I spend writing morning pages? I can see a visible change in my mood. I am a lot more cheerful than what I was when I woke up. There IS merit in dumping thoughts in your head on paper. Or a blog.
    3. I can tolerate cold more than an average human being. And this allows me to enjoy winters than others. And I love it. Of course the flip side is that I am the most troubled when its summers (like 11.5 months in a year). But the 15 days, OMG! Love em!
  4. Things that would make my today great
    1. If I can ship out the letter to bade log, it would be awesome.
    2. I have 2 social engagements planned today. One each for lunch and dinner. If I can eat low-card while I am there and can avoid coke / coffee, it would be awesome!
  5. A daily affirmation.
    The universe rewards for all the movement I create, even if the reward comes to me later than expected. Like it happened yesterday.
  6. Amazing things that happened yesterday? 
    1. I could avoid Diet Coke. I did eat a lot and I did have coffee. But I could avoid the temptation to have Coke. I think it is because I removed the option to have coke. I did not get it stocked. And I replaced it with other things.
    2. I could speak to AS and CM about how I want to engage with them. Let’s see how that pans out. I will get to know by end of November. This is important from both work and non-work perspective. I care for these people and I want to see them do well. Plus I am attaching my success to theirs. So, if we win, everyone wins!
    3. I got a lot of money to come me in the last few days. This was of course for work that I have done over the last few months. But when it hit the account in one go, it was pretty amazing.
  7. What could have made yesterday better?
    1. Food. I could’ve ate less! Thing is, if I can stop eating like a mad man, I can fucking conquer the world!
    2. Work. I wish I could do more. I did do a few things that I was supposed to work on but I know I could have used my time better. I could have optimised it and not get distracted.
  8. Quote for the day
    “You are your biggest responsibility. Do not shy away from it. Take control. Get out of the slumber.”

Here’s the streaks…

  • OMAD – 0
  • #book2 – 0
  • NOFAP – 0
  • #noCoke – 2
  • #noCoffee – 0. Had quite a few. To a point that I could not sleep.
  • #aPicADay – o. I did post a pic however. Here.
  • Daily Journal – 24
  • Money spent – 2632
  • Killer Boogie – 0
  • 10K steps a day – 0
  • Surya Namaskar – 0
  • Daily Mail to #teamSG – 24
  • 10 mins of meditation – 0
  • Minimaslism Counter – -3 +1.
  • Morning Pages / Meditations – 24

301021 – Morning Pages

Even though I had enough and more time today, I still did not know what to write. Here’s the post nonetheless.

8:09. Home.

Been sleeping as if I have been sleep-deprived for 10 years. Maybe I am. so good sleep that I am literally remembering my dreams. Something that I haven’t done in a while. Have promptly logged those in my #dreamCatching notebook. The back is sore, the neck hurts and all those nitrogen bubbles are popping all over my body. So that.

So groggy and so slow that I can’t even think. Maybe cos I haven’t had coffee in the whole of yesterday. And had a lot of carbs. And slept well after ages. I think I need to move to lo-carb OMAD pronto. Today on. Damn this struggle with food, fitness, weight, and lust for long life.

The best thing about yesterday is that I got paid by one of my clients that had held some money back. The money helped me pay back a tiny chunk of what I owe to the world. I must pay back everything I owe. Somehow. Plus I am not making any large commitments till I pay back all loans. May take me a year or more. But I shall stick to it. Of course, if something super compelling comes up, I will take the plunge. I am a fool like that!

For a change, I have some time today and yet I dont know what to write. The grogginess is not helping. Maybe I will come back in a bit and write more?

Ok, I came back at 9:10. Still nothing else to write 😐

#note2self. Must take out time to think more about what I want these morning pages to be. I’ve been on it for almost a year now and I still havent seen any external traction. Of course, to me, as a person, these pages have helped a lot. I love that I can dump thoughts on my head here. I just need to get more active and use this time to get something done. Damn the pressure of doing large things ;P

Anyhow, here’s the journal.

  1. Emoticon: :|.
  2. Mindful Index (on a scale of 10): 0. I had a few things to do yesterday and if I were the same SG as I have been, I would have done all of those. But I couldnt. It is just becuase I am unable to concentrate on anything for long. Need to fix this.
  3. Things that I am grateful for
    1. I made enough money this money to be able to pay back one of my creditors. One of my lifegoals is to be at a point where I dont owe anyone anything. At least the money, Need to have more months like this. Dear universe…
    2. Even though I am in debt, am still able to choose how I want to live my life. I am grateful for that.
  4. Things that would make my today great
    1. If I can try and do OMAD, it would be amazing. I am supposed to meet a few friends and all and thus it would be tough. But let’s see.
    2. Work. Lol!
  5. A daily affirmation.
    I am able to control my urges and do thing that I want to, at time when I want to, in a manner I want to.
  6. Amazing things that happened yesterday? 
    1. I was home for the large part of the day. All four of us were under one roof after a while. That was amazing.
    2. I slept well. Overslept actually. That was great. Yay!
  7. What could have made yesterday better?
    1. I havent been able to give time to others that I care for. I need to fix it. I can’t ignore others just because one thing is asking for disproportionate attention.
    2. I had decided to fast. If not that, live on OMAD. But I was unable to. So that.
  8. Quote for the day
    “Instead of working 9-5 like a machine, work like a lion: Train hard, sprint, rest, & reassess. Repeat.” – Naval

Here’s the streaks…

  • OMAD – 0
  • #book2 – 0
  • NOFAP – 0
  • #noCoke – 1. Hope to make this longer.
  • #noCoffee – 1. Hope to make this longer.
  • #aPicADay – 0.
  • Daily Journal – 23
  • Money spent – 774. Because I was home and there was no opportunity to spend. Lol.
  • Killer Boogie – 0
  • 10K steps a day – 0
  • Surya Namaskar – 0
  • Daily Mail to #teamSG – 23
  • 10 mins of meditation – 0
  • Minimaslism Counter – -3 +1.
  • Morning Pages / Meditations – 23

291021 – Morning Pages

A lazy morning page post. Despite spending an hour or so on this, I dont have a lot to write. Sigh!

7:08. Home. Finally here after a week or so.

The highlight of yesterday would be that I was on a set. And the epiphany, the realization that I love love love being on a set. It is where I feel alive. It is where I am the most engaged. I may be good with content, writing, etc, but I really really love being on a live set – an event, a film, a play. Something where people get together to deliver something that would make the world lose a sense of time and misery that they are typically engulfed in! I have to find a way to be on more sets more often!

Lemme dive into the journal. I dont know what to write the journal allows me to think in a structured manner. Here’s the journal.

  1. Emoticon: :|.
  2. Mindful Index (on a scale of 10): 0. Again, I am unable to focus on anything for more than a few seconds. That too has become a task. I think once this madness is over, I would work on this. If it requires me to take drastic steps, will do so.
  3. Things that I am grateful for
    1. I have a home to come back to where I can be myself. A place where I can sprawl on the bed, make a mess and sleep wherever I want to and there is no one who’d bug me. This concept of personal space is very very important. It’s been a few years since I have had a good one. I need to work towards getting to it again. At least right now, I am grateful that my parents worked hard to get this place.
    2. Music. Not mine. But in general. I find great solace in music. When I am mindfucked, music is one of those things that I can escape to. Like right now, I am listening to this one. The other thing that I lean on when I am mindfucked is driving. Need to be able to get a car.
  4. Things that would make my today great
    1. If I can finish some of the open tasks, especially for the clients that pay me, it would be great.
    2. If I can avoid food till 4 PM, it would be great. I am home and it would be tough to do so. Let’s see. The good part is that I will definitely be able to avoid Coke and Coffee. So that should be great.
  5. A daily affirmation.
    I have enough money in the bank to take care of myself and my people. It is enough to nudge all of us closer to our respective dreams and wishes.
  6. Amazing things that happened yesterday? 
    1. I was a set. I realised that it’s the best damn experience. To the extent that I feel alive, engaged and in the moment. Time flies and I dont even know where it went. I think I must do whatever it takes to get closer and closer to being on a set. Help me, universe!
  7. What could have made yesterday better?
    1. I had decided that I would not eat till 4. I did not eat till 2. And then I gave up. If I did not give up for 2 more hours, it would be awesome. It was a start nonetheless. Today, I will try it again. The last meal was I think around 11 last night. Today, let’s see if I can eat at around 4.
    2. I had way too much coke and coffee. I need to avoid these two things.
    3. If I did not leave my shoes behind in the cab I took to come home, it would have been nice. I hate when I am careless and leave things behind. I will try to get those shoes back. Let’s see.
  8. Quote for the day
    “Hope is a good thing, may be the best of the things. And good thing never dies.” – Andy, Shawshank Redemption.

Here’s the streaks…

  • OMAD – 0
  • #book2 – 0
  • NOFAP – 0
  • #noCoke – 0.
  • #noCoffee – 0.
  • #aPicADay – 0. Missed posting one yesterday. Will restart from today on.
  • Daily Journal – 22
  • Money spent – 4288
  • Killer Boogie – 0
  • 10K steps a day – 0
  • Surya Namaskar – 0
  • Daily Mail to #teamSG – 22
  • 10 mins of meditation – 0
  • Minimaslism Counter – -3 +1.
  • Morning Pages / Meditations – 22

281021 – Morning Pages

A short note (yet again) on how I spent yesterday.

7:57. I woke up a few minutes ago. Groggy, tired, slight headache. Not sure why. But, here we go with the morning pages.

So yesterday was great. I met my extended family. A 25-year old nephew is getting married and in attendance were a few cousins and nephews and nieces. It was fun to catch up with them. Apart from my family, there must have been some 100 people in the gathering and no one seemed to be scared of COVID. Lol!

Anyhow. So back to fam. While I was there, almost everyone was curious about what I do for a living. And like I am unable to explain to the world, I was unable to express it to them. I realized that I need to create a brand. So bad so bad that it’s not funny.

The other thing was that I was so awkward in my head that it sucked. In the sense that I was the only one there that did not formal clothes on. Even the photographers, event managers, and others were in formal clothes. I was a misfit and it sucked. And it made me awkward. I think I must avoid all social dos altogether. I hate being the center of attention like that. Lol, for someone that wants to change the world, I balk at attention. Weird.

Anyhow. So that was that.

Apart from that, I am running so busy that I am not doing things that make me who I am. You know, taking notes, (trying to) eat well, think about taking over the world. Etc etc.

I think I need to prioritize. Come what may. Starting with eating better. Let’s do it from today. I had a burger at fries at 2 last night. So, I will not have anything till about 4. That’s 12+ hours of fast. Let’s see how it goes. If I can manage today, I think I can manage tomorrow and thereon. Lord, give me strength.

Guess this is it.

Here’s the journal.

  1. Emoticon: :|. I did not sleep as well as I would have wanted to.
  2. Mindful Index (on a scale of 10): 0. Last night I was working on a presentation and I just could not focus on it. It was really really terrible. Need to do something about it.
  3. Things that I am grateful for
    Cant think of any right now 🙁
  4. Things that would make my today great
    1. If I can manage to not eat for 12 hours, I would be happy!
  5. A daily affirmation.
    I have enough will-power to be able to control my urges and not eat.
  6. Amazing things that happened yesterday? 
    1. I met my extended family. Though I dont have a any deep relations with those, it was still great to see them, meet them and hug them.
  7. What could have made yesterday better?
    1. If I were not as awkward at the function I was at, it would have been better. In fact, if I could spend more time while I was there, it would have been even better. Not that I wanted to chill with them. It’s just that I would have seen the things from start to end.
  8. Quote for the day
    You get luckier once you have more to offer. This is as true as it comes. I have seen that as I grow old, I am more enthused by the idea of sharing more and offering more.

Here’s the streaks…

  • OMAD – 0
  • #book2 – 0
  • NOFAP – 0
  • #noCoke – 0.
  • #noCoffee – 0.
  • #aPicADay – 20. Yesterday’s here.
  • Daily Journal – 21
  • Money spent – 3619
  • Killer Boogie – 0
  • 10K steps a day – 0
  • Surya Namaskar – 0
  • Daily Mail to #teamSG – 21
  • 10 mins of meditation – 0
  • Minimaslism Counter – -3 +1.
  • Morning Pages / Meditations – 21

271021 – Morning Pages

A very tiny post for today’s morning pages.

7:35. No time to even write / publish these. But I have to. Even if it’s just 100 words. So here we go. And lemme start with the journal.

Here we go with the journal.

  1. Emoticon: :|. I did not sleep as well as I would have wanted to. Though I had a cold enough room, I did not find the sleep.
  2. Mindful Index (on a scale of 10): 1.
  3. Things that I am grateful for
    1. When I am tired, when I go out, when I have to step out, I no longer have to think about money.
  4. Things that would make my today great
    1. I have a family function to attend. If I can be there and not be awkward, it would be great.
  5. A daily affirmation.
    Even though muck is thrown at me, I am able to manage things well. And I dont lose the shit in my head.
  6. Amazing things that happened yesterday? 
    1. I met a friend for dinner. Had some alcohol. Not a lot. Some beer. Had alcohol after I dont know how many years. And yet I was able to hold myself well. No, I dont intend to do this everyday. Or often. Just that I had it after a while. And I could hold it. So that was amazing. Oh, and when I was there, it loved the momos they served.
  7. What could have made yesterday better?
    1. Again. Work. That’s something that I am slacking on. I need to fix it.
    2. Food. Way too much food. Eating like a hog. I need to fix it!
  8. Quote for the day
    Real Artists Ship. This one is apparantly by Steve Jobs and I would love to make a tattoo of that on my butt! I really really need to learn how to start shipping.

That’s about it. No time to even write more. Will be back tomorrow. Here’s the streaks…

  • OMAD – 0
  • #book2 – 0
  • NOFAP – 0
  • #noCoke – 0.
  • #noCoffee – 0.
  • #aPicADay – 19. Yesterday’s here.
  • Daily Journal – 20
  • Money spent – 7239
  • Killer Boogie – 0
  • 10K steps a day – 0
  • Surya Namaskar – 0
  • Daily Mail to #teamSG – 20
  • 10 mins of meditation – 0
  • Minimaslism Counter – -3 +1.
  • Morning Pages / Meditations – 20

261021 – Morning Pages

A VERY short post today. Did not have time and thus had to crunch my thoughts and ideas into a short one.

8:33. This is probably going to be the shortest one I’ve ever written. The thing is, I have a lot of work and while I want to prioritize morning pages over everything else, I am unable to. I can rant about it but without any further ado, here is the morning pages. I will lean on SM’s journal to write about this.

Oh before I start, today is AS’ event and I hope and pray and wish that it goes well. More about it on another day.

Here we go with the journal.

  1. Emoticon: :|. I slept well. Maybe some 6 hours straight. Not sure what caused it. But can’t complain. But then I have tons of things on my head. But that’s ok. I am ok with this sort of a life.
  2. Mindful Index (on a scale of 10): 1.
  3. Things that I am grateful for
    1. I can plan my time to deliver things. For example, I dont have time today to even write morning pages and yet I know that I will be able to deliver the urgent deliverable I am working on.
    2. I dont put names here but this one I need to. There’s this guy, Paras. He works with me. I am grateful that he respects me and he is around EACH time I need him. I hope that I am around when he needs me. And I need to have an army of people that is around me. Right now, I think I have no one when it comes to being able to trust em with life. VG comes close. Paras is closest. But I get that they have their own shit happening and thus I may not be their priority. I wish I could have people that made me their priority while I made them mine. You know, not seeking a romantic relationship here. But one where I know someone has my back. Ok, rant. Moving on.
  4. Things that would make my today great
    1. If I can finish work on time and go home, it would be great. Lol. Everything is work. Mr. Garg needs a life.
  5. A daily affirmation.
    Each person I care for – family, relatives, friends, acquiantences etc – they are happy healthy engaged and thriving.
  6. Amazing things that happened yesterday? 
    1. Spoke to a cousin of mine. I am not the one to invest too much time in family matters and I spoke to this one probably after ages. But it was great to talk to her. I will probably meet her tomorrow. Let’s see.
    2. I met a friend for dinner / coffee. It was so much fun to catch up with her.
  7. What could have made yesterday better?
    1. I really wanted to clip my nails. But I could not. It I could’ve, it would have been awesome.
    2. I ate like a hog. And as I write this, have ordered a lot of food already. I wish I could avoid eating. I remember telling a friend that when I am stressed, I get hungry and horny. And I am feeding into both these vices with carbs and porn. It sucks. Need to fix it.
  8. Quote for the day
    Progress > Perfection.

Ok. Now some words are out of the way, I will try and write till 9:14 and hit publish. So, in terms of things that I am thinking about, I updated the Work With Me page. In fact, the quote of the day came from this page.

I am also thinking about a rebranding project that I am working on. So far it seems to be going ok but if I dont action it today or tomorrow, it would go off-track.

I am also thinking about where I want to be post-Diwali. I am really thinking about being in Nepal. Not Kathmandu. Some remote place in the hills. I liked it there. Just that Internet would be a problem. I am thinking of Goa as well but the thing with Goa is that it is no longer cheap. And second, I have explored it already. Also, this time I want to be on a mountain. I need to get into fitness regime for the trek that I would undertake #in2022. Any ideas? clues? recommendations?

Ok. It’s 9:14. Publishing.

This is about it for the day. And here’s the streaks…

  • OMAD – 0
  • #book2 – 0
  • NOFAP – 0
  • #noCoke – 0.
  • #noCoffee – 0. Had a LOT!
  • #aPicADay – 18. Yesterday’s here.
  • Daily Journal – 19
  • Money spent – 7704
  • Killer Boogie – 0
  • 10K steps a day – 0
  • Surya Namaskar – 0
  • Daily Mail to #teamSG – 19
  • 10 mins of meditation – 0
  • Minimaslism Counter – -3 +1.
  • Morning Pages / Meditations – 19

251021 – Morning Pages

Note on things that I am thinking about and things that I want to do today and this week and in this life.

8:47. I slept well last night. In fact, I slept longer than I normally would. The sleep was not really the best, I woke up multiple times. Checked my phone each time I woke. Scrolled mindlessly through the timelines on Twitter, Instagram, and others. Hoping that I would have attention from someone, something. But none was forthcoming. And then I drifted again to sleep. Up finally!

So, in terms of things, on the top of my head, lemme try with the bullet points today.

A. Missed the SWA Scriptlab deadline. I really wanted to participate in that. I even thought about hustling today to write the script but I realized I will not be able to prioritize it. So that.

In fact, I have been thinking a lot about this. If writing is what I want to make my career with and writing for the screen is going to be important, why is it that I am unable to put this on priority? And I had more than 3 weeks, after I came back from the trek to do this!

B. Yesterday, for a change I had this need to be with someone. Like you know, romantically. Like a significant other. Better half etc. Thing is, most days I am ok without one. I am fairly atamnirbhar with these things. Guess I have trained my mind ok on that. But somedays, I really feel the need. And those days, I don’t know what to do. It’s an interesting problem to have. And no, I dont have an answer to this one. Do you have any?

C. AS is producing an event tomorrow. She’s been at it for more than 2 months. More about it here. The world needs to watch out for her.

D. India lost to Pakistan in a cricket match. While I remain unaffected, the world around me seems to have come to a literal stop. Dunno why. I mean I know why but I am unable to understand the irrationality of people that believe that an outcome of a match needs to affect their lives. I know that the superhuman efforts by athletes inspire us, their conduct makes them role models, their actions make us look up to them. But I dont get how we could be mere followers and couch potatoes and attach our lives to their actions! Why do we need to flare up emotions?

Anyhow. Gotta start the day. Here’s the journal.

  1. Emoticon: :|. I have slept well. I have no one crying for attention. And I am generally hopeabout about things and all. So, I think I am ok. Not happy. Not sad. Ok.
  2. Mindful Index (on a scale of 10): 1.
  3. Things that I am grateful for
    1. Each time I can sit by myself in the morning and write these morning pages without anything else on my mind, I feel grateful to the world and the universe and everything else.
    2. I am one of those people that loves sipping onto water. I am grateful that I am designed like that. Water is life!
    3. Spoke to M yesterday briefly. Each time I see her, my heart fills with love. Of course she doesnt give a F about my existence. But just to see her puttering around is such a great feeling!
  4. Things that would make my today great
    1. If I can fast today, it would be awesome. It would be tough but I will try as hard as possible. Thing is, I really really want to live long and fitness is an important part of that. I suck at it and I need to fix it. While I may not be able to work out, I can fast. And thus I need to get going with it. #note2self
    2. I need to cut my nails. It would be awesome if I could. Here’s a thing. I am very particular about the nail cutter and the filer I use! Fuck minimalism. I want my nailcutter 😀
  5. A daily affirmation.
    I am the master of my will. I do things that I want to do. And I dont owe anything to anyone. My actions dont need to be guided by whims of others.
  6. Amazing things that happened yesterday? 
    1. Met a few people from Team SG. Each time I meet them as a group, I am awed by the collective talent, ambition and options that these guys have. I am so blessed. I of course need to amplify it. I need to continue to work hard to become a role model for these guys. And of course, take care of these guys till they are ready to fly away to their respective destinies!
    2. Saw this post on Instagram. The Memento Mori lesson got renewed. If I were to get something tatttoed ever, it would be “this too shall pass” and “Memento Mori”
  7. What could have made yesterday better?
    1. If I could finish more things that I had planned, it would have been better. Apart from work, I really wanted to send out the letter to bade log and work on the SWA competition. But I could not.
    2. If I ate less, it would have been better. Worse, I ate shit. Liteally. Oil. Carbs. Over-cooked. Of course, most of it was tasty and I would have loved to continued to eat and eat. But it’s literally killing myself slowly.
  8. Quote for the day
    You never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice – Bob Marley. I am not really a Bob Marley fan. I dont even know his music. And I dont really understand these empty noises that quote like these make. But this one rang true. Probably because I am in that spot right now where I am forced to be a lot more strong than I would like to be. I mean who would not like to chill and not worry about the fuckeries of the world? 

This is about it for the day. And here’s the streaks…

  • OMAD – 0
  • #book2 – 0
  • NOFAP – 0
  • #noCoke – 0. Had a few. Regular ones. Not Diet. Damn!
  • #noCoffee – 0. Had a LOT!
  • #aPicADay – 17. Yesterday’s here
  • Daily Journal – 18
  • Money spent – 2104
  • Killer Boogie – 0
  • 10K steps a day – 0
  • Surya Namaskar – 0
  • Daily Mail to #teamSG – 18
  • 10 mins of meditation – 0
  • Minimaslism Counter – -3 +1.
  • Morning Pages / Meditations – 18

241021 – Morning Pages

Quick, short update about things at the top of my head.

10:19. Woke up a few minutes ago. Ya, I know it’s late. But then I slept late. And I haven’t been sleeping well for a while now. So there.

Anyhow. I dont have a lot of time today. Need to get going with the day. I am anyway running late. Here is the morning pages.

So, the thing at the top of my mind is the love for airports. I was at one yesterday. It was amazing to see so many genuine and authentic hugs at one place. I realised what human emotions could be. Although I am not sure why I dont see this genuineness at bus-stands, railway stations and other transit places. Any clues why?

The other thing that is worth cataloging on the morning pages is the fact that I am growing old. I mean I have said this a lot of time that I am old and all that. But yesterday I realised that age is catching up faster than what I had imagined. I had to stay up to finish something but I was unable to. I had I don’t know how much coke, coffee, water and all that and yet I could not stay up. Plus I am eating like a mad man. So may be that’s affecting me.

Anyhow. That’s about it. Here’s the journal.

  1. Emoticon: :|. While I have a lot on my mind, I am surprisingly calm. I need more of this!.
  2. Mindful Index (on a scale of 10): 1. Better than yesterday for sure. Need to make this better.
  3. Things that I am grateful for
    1. The fact that I am rushed and yet I have the time to write something on these morning pages.
  4. Things that would make my today great. Just one thing.
    1. I am gonna meet people from Team SG. So looking forward to it.
    2. There is no urgent meetings that I need to be at. So that’s great. I can plan my life and things 🙂
  5. A daily affirmation.
    I will be able to finish all the work that has been open for the last few days.
  6. Amazing things that happened yesterday? 
    1. I met my sis after almost 2 years. She’s here and while I havent spent time with her yet, I am hoping to. And while I do that, I need to find a lot of answers as a family when I do that. So that.
  7. What could have made yesterday better?
    1. If I could go home with my sis, it would have been amazing.
    2. The hotel I slept at last night was not the greatest. I need to find a better one for tonight.
  8. Quote for the day
    This one’s from Shawshank Redemption. It goes, “Some birds are just not meant to be caged.” Also see the video in case you havent. And in case you haven’t seen the film, you MUST. 

This is about it for the day. And here’s the streaks…

  • OMAD – 0
  • #book2 – 0
  • NOFAP – 0
  • #noCoke – 0. Had a few. Regular ones. Not Diet. Damn!
  • #noCoffee – 0. Had a LOT!
  • #aPicADay – 15. Yesterday’s here. It’s a shot of a Diet Coke. Partially because I couldnt click anything. Partially because I loved it!
  • Daily Journal – 17
  • Money spent – 3710
  • Killer Boogie – 0
  • 10K steps a day – 0
  • Surya Namaskar – 0
  • Daily Mail to #teamSG – 17
  • 10 mins of meditation – 0
  • Minimaslism Counter – -3 +1.
  • Morning Pages / Meditations – 17

231021 – Morning Pages

A longish post about random things, thoughts and ideas that I had yesterday. And some plans for the day.

6:35. Just woke up. Slept really late. The last few days have been a blur. I am not sure when a day would start. And when that day would end. While I enjoy such a life, the rewards that I seek for such a life are not really there. If I could fix the reward bit, I would be a changed man. Right now I am groggy. I am literally yawning like no one’s business. And there are so many sore spots on the body. No, it was not a restful sleep.

So, the morning pages. I have some lingering thoughts about a dream. In the dream, I am on top of some hoverboard or something and that’s going so damn high that I can see the entire world. The hoverboard is tethered to an aircraft. Along with me, on his own hoverboard is VG. And while he’s there, he’s on the phone. Where else.

I think this is after a while that I have remembered a dream. Not sure if this is a good thing or a bad.

Yesterday was otherwise ok. Did some work. Avoided some work. Got some praises. Got some brickbats. Made a few tough phone calls (have even tougher calls to make today). Had decided that I would fast. Could fast till about 4. And then ate so much that an average human being would eat in like a week! Had infinite cups of coffee. That is probably acting up and making me feel so blah about myself.

But hey, here’s the thing. I’ve been at this and the email to Team SG since 6:35. It’s 7:15. The last 45 minutes have actually made me happy, cheerful, and all that. Just because I am typing and letting things that are clouding my head on a computer. And sharing with a few people that I genuinely care for. And want to be cared by.

And while I am doing that, I am sipping onto the water. I’ve had almost one liter of water. Will have another liter. Oh, lemme talk of another thing that may construe as TMI. I am done with an electric toothbrush. For the last two days, I have been using a good old hotel toothbrush. The kinds that you dispose of away after you are done. I have been giving my teeth a vigorous rub down. And while I am not sure if it cleans anything but I love the experience. Something that I did not get with an electric one. So that was the big reveal of the day 😀

In other things, I have to write about the filmy day I had yesterday. Made me realize how important films are as medium and how much I long to be a part of the business.

So three things happened.

A. I saw the second trailer of King Richard (2021). The first one is here and the new one here.

And I realized how powerful stories could be. I mean just the trailer moved me the first time I saw it. And now, with the second one, I know that I relate to that father to a T. The film, the story made the life purpose clear to me. I made me realize that I want to be King Richard! You know, the kinds that help create a Serena and a Venus! And more. I really want to be the shoulder to multiple giants. All those random acts of kindness that I engage in, all the artists that I try and support, the Team SG itself is an attempt in that direction. Let’s see if I can do it.

You may want to see this thread on Twitter.

B. While looking for a reference for work, I happened to look at the trailer of Love Actually and I realized I want to make a film like that. Where simple stories of love are brought to life. Of course, there is Modern Love and all that. But Love Actually is a brilliant example of hyperlink cinema and I think it is among the greatest films ever. I’d love to make a film like Love Actually.

Here’s a random trivia. Love Actually is by Richard Curtis. Who also wrote Notting Hill. And I quoted Richard Curtis in a line in the acknowledgments section of #tnks.

Here’s an idea. What if I make a film about love? Maybe about a person trying to find love? I remember I was at DocEdge a few months ago a lady was filming her experiences of how she’s going about finding love. It was a non-fiction documentary and I think there is merit in doing something similar. But then, do I want to copy? Nah. Let’s see what cut can I identify.

C. One of the crew members on Bil Bulaaye reminded me that around this time in 2019, my first short film was released at MAMI. It was among the highlights of 2019. It allowed me to amplify what I do with films. Of course, I have a very little hand to play in its success (or not such a large success), but it is my first. And it’s special.

And here’s a bonus 4th. I read about the story of Rockstar (2011) and I loved it. WHAT AN INTENSE STORY! Of course, the word is on the street that it’s a shitty film but I loved the story. Must must must get in the business of stories, Mr. Garg. #note2self.

So yeah!

Guess this is about it. Here’s the journal.

  1. Emoticon: :|. I woke up groggy and sad and miffed. But as I wrote the morning pages and daily mail to Team SG, I am little more cheerful.
  2. Mindful Index (on a scale of 10): 0. Super duper distracted.
  3. Things that I am grateful for
    1. I have found a set of people (Team SG) that I can rant to. While there is no commercial transaction per se for being that, I love that I have a few people that I can be myself with.
  4. Things that would make my today great. Just one thing.
    1. If I can salvage a tough client situation that I am in, it would be great. In fact that would make this entire week, entire month great.
  5. A daily affirmation.
    My happiness and sadness is controlled by no one but me. I need to become un-fuck-withable.
  6. Amazing things that happened yesterday? 
    1. I had decided that I woudl fast. I could control myself till about 4. It was amazing. Need to try and see if I can try to not eat till 4 today as well.
    2. I gave gyaan about EBC to a senior from MDI (Visham). I loved it! That was great.
    3. I loved that there was a car at my call to drop me to the hotel. I realized that I love having such conveniences.
  7. What could have made yesterday better?
    1. Work. I am missing deadlines on various projects. I need to find a way to not do that. I know I am juggling multiple things. But there has to be a way to manage things better. Maybe not sleep enough. Maybe start the day early. I dont know. I need to find a solution. The life I have chosen will make me chase every opportunty I get. Maybe there is an answer somewhere?
    2. If I could speak to AS, it would have been great. She and I have been trying to talk for almost a week now.
  8. Quote for the day
    You are what you do. Not what you say you’ll do. This is very very important to me. I am often on the side of merely saying. I need to tick over to the do part.

This is about it for the day. And here’s the streaks…

  • OMAD – 0
  • #book2 – 0
  • NOFAP – 0
  • #noCoke – 0. Had one. Regular. Not Diet. Killing myself softly 😀
  • #noCoffee – 0
  • #aPicADay – 15. Yesterday’s here.
  • Daily Journal – 16
  • Money spent – 2512. Thankfully I am spending less!
  • Killer Boogie – 0
  • 10K steps a day – 0
  • Surya Namaskar – 0
  • Daily Mail to #teamSG – 16
  • 10 mins of meditation – 0
  • Minimaslism Counter – -3 +1.
  • Morning Pages / Meditations – 16

221021 – Morning Pages

I talk about how my dreams of a nation are getting shattered! And more.

8:54. Some hotel in Gurgoan. Before you ask, no I am not sick or tired of sleeping on a different bed each night. I actually like it. Let’s see how many days this continues.

Ok morning pages. I have to start by “declaring” that today I am fasting. Come what may. And I will not even have coffee. Or Coke. Only water. And chewing gum. I dont feel good. There’s way too much kachra that I have been feeding myself. I mean there’s nothing that comes close to eating the perfect Chole Bhature in Delhi and the after-taste is great and you feel good. But after a while, all the maida sort of blows up my belly. So, I am done. At least today. Not sure about tomorrow. But today, I am on a fast. If I eat something today, I will donate 5000 to a charity of Krishna’s choice.

With that out of the way, let’s talk the real morning pages.

So, unless you live under the cave, you would know that SRK’s son is in jail. And there was this Fab India ad that created a storm. And yesterday I discovered there was another ad by Ceat that made people mad. And I think I mentioned on morning pages that an email exchange on my alumni group sort of showcased the rift in the society and the angst that is simmering just below the surface.

And, it SUCKS. To a point that I have decided (and it’s a #lifeEvent for me) that I will move on. And I regret that I did not move on earlier. I don’t know what I would do (the skills I have are not really transferable) but I will move on. Even if I have to become a cabbie. I know it’s one life and time doesn’t turn back and I am closer to my death than how many years I have been around. I know my biggest “career” bet (with films with TRS, in terms of efforts, money, emotions) is right here. I know that I wouldn’t be able to start from scratch. But I know that I am out. I will probably plan the move. I mean it may take a few months. Or a few years. Or whatever. But I will move on. Here’s a promise to self. #sgLifeGoal. I will not die in India. Unless I can “affect” how India is.

So that.

Here’s the journal.

  1. Emoticon: :|. It’s tough being who I am. Conflicted. All over the place. Spread out. Etc etc.
  2. Mindful Index (on a scale of 10): 1.
  3. Things that I am grateful for
    1. The fact that I can decide on how to spend my time.
    2. The fact that I can use the gift of the gab decent enough to get things done and create opportunities.
  4. Things that would make my today great. Just one thing.
    1. If I can fast, it would be great. I’ve been up for 40 odd minutes and I’ve just had water. Need to sustain this for another 14 or so hours 😀
  5. A daily affirmation. I can control my urges and wishes. I am the master of my sense. If I decide to stay hungry, I can go for hours. And even days.
  6. Amazing things that happened yesterday? 
    1. I ate Chole Bhature yesterday. Loved the taste. I realised that I am not as taste-dead as I thought I was.
    2. It was amazing to sit by myself in an empty office of a friend and get a few things done.
  7. What could have made yesterday better?
    1. Work. Funnily, there is nothing on the top of my mind but work. I would have loved to get more things done than what I got done yesterday.
    2. Food. If I could control the food that I ate, it would be better.
  8. Quote for the day
    Dar ke aage jeet hai! Lol!

Guess this is about it for the day. And here’s the streaks…

  • OMAD – 0
  • #book2 – 0
  • NOFAP – 0
  • #noCoke – 3
  • #noCoffee – 0
  • #aPicADay – 14. Yesterday’s here.
  • Daily Journal – 15
  • Money spent – 11268
  • Killer Boogie – 0
  • 10K steps a day – 0
  • Surya Namaskar – 0
  • Daily Mail to #teamSG – 15
  • 10 mins of meditation – 0
  • Minimaslism Counter – -3 +1.
  • Morning Pages / Meditations – 15