Versova
Starting writing this at home.
Now at Starbucks.
There’s calls and meetings. So let’s see when and how I finish this.
Now at Jamjar at 1805.
The 7th week of the year is over!
Is this year flying past by like a rocket to the moon or what! I know that time seems to pass on faster as you age but this year has been something else. I don’t remember when the new year started and I don’t know when Feb is now ending in like 10 days!
I think this is also cos I’ve been on probably the steepest slope that I had to climb. And on this one, I am not merely climbing. I am sprinting. And no, I am not complaining. I am loving it!
Anyhow, here’s my update.
What I was supposed to do in the week gone by. And my report on the same.
A/ 2025 plan.
I don’t even want to talk about this. Open forever. It’s no longer on my radar. I don’t think about it.
But like I said last week, this is my ritual for like 1000 years. I want to not have done this. I will pick this up. If not next week, then in the week after that. And if not then, then some other day.
B/ Health
This was not on last week’s list. It was in one of the things that I wrote about this was NOT on the top.
I am adding this to the TOP from this week onward.
My ability to do large things and go beyond is indexed on my health. And I need to work on it.
A few days ago, I tried to shift my identity to that of a healthy person. So far it hasn’t helped. I need to do more action on it.
I will track these two as North Star things. I will remove the plan once I do it. But health will be my north star.
Moving on.
The tracker from the week that went by.
Here’s the tracker from the week gone by.
Here are the changes I made…
- I have added a weekly average column to know how the week was (often it gets tough to see that in large context). Now I know that in this week, I spent more money than average. I walked less than average. I slept more. I was more in control of my emotions. Etc etc.
- I added a color code to “good” behaviour. You can see the two days when I slept more than 7 hours. V will be proud of me 😀
- I can’t stop eating Kachra!
- If you see this, please tell me what you see that I am missing.
Photos from the week
Here are some photos from the week gone by.
There are a lot that I want to capture for posterity. I am uploading those here as well (with slight edits to ensure that this page is not messed; originals are on the link).
Oh, since I have a new phone, am taking a lot more photos.
Plus I am reading a lot and thus a lot of content to share.
Plus I went to the beach more times this week.
So that has helped.
Let’s see how it is the next week.
Interesting Reads
Here’s a list of things that I read / saw / consumed that left an impact on it. In some cases, I went and stirred up debate in my network.
Here’s a list. In no particular order.
- If there’s one thing you read, PLEASE ensure it is this. In the essay, Prasad talks about life and careers in a post-AI world.
- On the same thread, Sam Altman’s Three Observations.
- It would be useful to re-read this piece by PG. On writing. And life in a post-AI world.
- Prak shared this piece by Michael Dempsey. I read it. Took notes. Went down the Rabbit Hole on Schelling Point. Still unable to wrap my head around it. But will spend more learning. In fact I am increasing getting fascinated by Maths, Physics and Economics (see this channel). Let’s see where I end.
- The Pygmalion Effect. Video (not a read per se)
- Jung on Life After 40. This was very interesting, especically cos I am, well, over 40. And even more so cos I keep crying that I am old and all that.
- No one cares. Read this.
- Been reading about SEO and these two pieces were good to read. In one line, all the fears of folks about AI-written content are dumbfounded. Google does NOT punish (as of writing this, unless things change).
There are more links and things that I read. And there are more videos I see. I share those on this group. In case.
This brings me to highlights, reflections and notes from the week.
In no order…
A/ AirPods Pro Max
I had decided that starting 15 Feb if I could write for 30 days straight (and even AK had to write), I would get myself one. But none of us wrote. So, no AirPods for me. Important to document.
B/ Book2
I’ve started to work on it. And I am leaning on Claude for that. So far, I’ve “written” 5 chapters of approx 2500 words each. So that’s fast. At this pace, I should have a draft ready in like one month!
Here’s a WA group that you may join in case you want to help me read the early drafts and help me find direction.
C/ C4E lacks action and attention
I’ve not been able to focus on C4E in the last few days.
Thankfully we are in the middle of our downward cycle and thus there isn’t much to do. So we are ok. Plus the team is running whatever we have well.
However, we as a unit lack action-orientation. We take too much time for everything. We think a lot. We dont break enough things. We are not ghissoing our chappal enough.
Need to fix it. And add some sense of urgency. I will pick this up in the next week.
Three things worth noting here.
- We wanted to price ourselves at a premium. We took action towards that we haven’t made any large progress.
- Our new creds was to be ready last week. It is not. I will not ask for it or chase it. I will make one myself. Adding to my todo.
- We need to reinvent our model. We haven’t done anything about it.
D/ Dave Matthews Band
I’ve recently been tripping onto music from Dave Matthews Band. I dont know but I love the sound they make!
You can start here.
E/ Claude and Cursor
I’ve been experimenting with the two things. One to write “code” and the other to “write” book2. And I love it.
I feel my mind has expanded. I can see it expand! I now realise that I can do a lot more. The power of my thoughts is a lot more, well, potent! The sky seems to be the limit. I will try and write more on this. But time seems to be a roadblock.
F/ I suck at negotiations
I knew this all along but I know this more now. That I suck at negotiations. I dont know if I want to learn that, at this age but it’s a good thing to know about. I will ensure that my kids learn the skill. And do whatever needs to be done – to make them great at it.
Oh, and as a matter of principle, I will not work on any negotiations from here on.
G/ Growing up
Had to go to the hospital. And I hated it. Each time I go to one, I hate it. I dont have an answer for my hatred or my aversion to those. But I hate them.
I know I will have to go to more of these in the next few years. It’s a deep fear. And I am trying to learn. I hope I am better. I hope I grow up!
H/ H2 of the day makes me sad and ineffectiveness
I’ve realised and I have known that I can’t do anything productive in the second half of the day. So this week on, I will move all my non-value-add things to the second half. The first half will only be to do deep work, independent of any conversations. If someone has to meet, it has to be in the second half. At least, for as long as I can control.
Even today, I did a lot till about 1 PM. Post that I went to the clubhouse and merely vegetated. Must be my sugar levels or something.
Irrespective. I will try and control this a lot more.
I/ IPO
Ajax are getting IPOd tomorrow.
They are a client and this is the first time I’ve seen a client get to IPO. Incredible learning experience. One more feather to the cap.
Now the lifegoal is to build a company that IPOs. Or may be not. I may not do well with the public scrutiny that public companies must endure. Let’s see.
K/ Angry and Sad with Kumbh
My parents were stuck in an overnight jam somewhere in UP. Or whatever state that Kumbh is happening at.
And I hate it.
And I dont know what to do about it.
I am angry and sad about it. I have enough money that they are not on public transport. But I dont have enough money to get them a charter plane and VIP darshan. I wish I had.
Plus, on top of it all, I dont understand how faith and religion becomes so important that they are willing to endure this. I am reading Man’s Search for Meaning I and get the why to live and all that but where is the why in this?
Thankfully their spirits are high.
L/ Other things that I want to capture but I may not spill too many words on those.
- For a work thing, I decided to submit to two elder gents. I will blindly do what they ask me to. I will offer to them the kind of adulation and submission I’ve wanted from my people. See this.
- Managed 45 days of daily journal. Now will aim to do 365.
- Deleted Insta yet again from my phone. I will put that on sinphone and see how much time I invest on it.
- Became a fan of Nicobar! But only when they are on sale. And I am ok to wear older fashion. The only thing latest I want is the iPhone 😀
- I am increasingly getting interested in Economics. Here is one of the creators that I absolutely am a fan of!
- I need to check for ADHD. I dont know if there are online tests. But I need to know.
- I have started to work on my personal brand all over again. This time on video. Have reached out to AD for help (now that he’s doing this professionally). Let’s see where I reach.
Ok that.
Phew
One large takeaway from the week?
In one word?
Respect.
More about it on my Roam. Or somewhere in the deep confines of my mind 😀
For context, last week, it was Money. The week before that it was People.
Ok!
This is it!
Lemme know what you think.
Gotta go.
See you around.
Oh, here are the previous editions: Wk 01, Wk 02, Wk 03, 04, 05, 06
PS: This series of posts is inspired by Thej and his weekly notes.