Hello, Boy!

I don't know what day of the lockdown is it today. I am guessing 45. But it could very well be 44. Or 46. For all I care. You know, the days seem to be blurring into each other and things seem to be losing their meaning. Most people I know seem to be ok with it. You know, they've made peace with this idea of staying indoors. And why not? At least the circles I move in, these people have relatively comfortable homes (not houses), a steady paycheck, a family to bank on, and limited things that they're worried about. And these are things like where would I get that next bottle of Black Label from. Or where do I get that Parmesan Cheese from, you know, Nature's Basket is closed! 

Yeah yeah, I sound a tad jealous. And truth be told, I am. Jealous as fuck! To a point that I am questioning the choices that I've made in life.  The path I am on. The journey I've taken. Of course, I don't know where I would end up (if there is any ending up... I mean it could all be over before I know it...). And all I would leave behind is this collection of rants that no one would be interested in. 

But then, today is not about this jealousy. But about something else. About being a man. And not a boy.

When this lockdown started, inspired by a quip from Neo, I decided that I will take this opportunity to get some large things done - write my book2, flatten my belly, get my website up and running, learn new things, think about the future, learn guitar, reskill, fix my posture and I dont know how many more such lofty goals that I am full off. 

And the entire premise was that without any distractions of travel, socializing, and busyness, a real man would be able to put his head down and actually get things done! After all, those are the things that you blame when you can't do things. 

And I started like I always do. With so much excitement and spring in the step that it would put the fucking bunnies to shame. And then, as time passed, I started to become that person that loves to procrastinate, that allowed the monkey mind to rule my thoughts and got distracted by things like poker, films, and hyperbole. I mean I did EVERYTHING but work on those things that I had to work on. Of course, I did get the website to some semblance of design. I did try my hands at the guitar and I can now play the C chord really well (something that I learned while I was in class 10, around 1997). I did think about the book (I think I made some progress but with each increasing day I am realizing I don't have the next book in me). In fact, if I can't get 20K words on book2 in May, I will stop working on it for the foreseeable future. Plus, my work! The most important. The idea was the reskill myself in these 45 days and get employable and survive. But no. Not even the existential crisis is making me move my butt. You know, natural selection? No wonder people like me perish! 

On this 45th day, if I look back, I have little to show for. And I know there is no one out there looking out for things I do and all that, but then there is that wretched mirror. You know the one that shows you who you are? The one that is easiest to fool? And if not that mirror, this blog! 

Get the drift? 

Brings me back to the point with which we started. 

Men. Boys. 

Over and out. 

PS: When I rant like that, please do note that I am not being tough on myself. I am programmed in a way that I like the idea of shooting really really high and then land at a better spot than what I was when I started. So, this is not self-pity or something. But a gentle reminder that I need to do more! 

Previous posts that I wrote during the lockdown are - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 19, 30, 32, 34, 35, 37, 39

How to spot a bachelor pad?

Day 39 of the lockdown.

Day 45 otherwise.

You know what this lockdown's doing to me? Making me take note of tiny little things that I have chosen to live with. And yet never realized that I was living with them. You know those things that are all around you. Visible. In plain sight. And you've been ignoring those. 

Of course, most of these things are things that have no inherent meaning but once they get added to your life, they start becoming valuable. And with time the value starts to grow. Linearly at first. Exponentially from thereon. And then suddenly, the object that is inherently penniless becomes the most important possession that you have! Like there is this Ganesh figurine I have. KG gave it to me on one of my birthdays. Not that I am religious but I tend to keep it close. And while it was used a paper-weight initially, now it has become this object that I can NOT lose! 

I am sure you have many such things. At your home. And around you. 

And why am I talking about this? 

Well, while I was getting ready in the morning today, I took note of the curtains in the room. There are three curtains and all three are different. One is a plain yellow sheath. The other has a pinkish flowery pattern on it. The third one is a plastic kind of thing with dolphins on it. And while I was seeing that, I was wondering, for someone like me who likes the idea of symmetry and pattern and has an opinion on design, how is that these curtains are so badly mismatched. And then it dawned on me - these were collected over the years. The yellow one is from a time when my sis and I lived together. The pink one I bought for this house - though I don't know how it ended next to the yellow on. And the dolphins - I don't even know where it came from. 

When I got looking, I realized most things at my house are such a ragtag bunch of things. I don't have furniture apart from a table and a bookshelf. Both were acquired at different times and different houses. Have stayed with me. I have two chairs, both different. Again, got at different times. All wardrobes are rented - each looks different from other. The bedsheets and pillow covers are the only upholstery that I have, apart from curtains, and no, these do not match either. 

Everywhere I look in the house, each thing is different from everything else. These don't fit. Even the best art director in Bollywood could think that a man my age and my taste could have a collection like the one I have. Well, how everyone in the world wants to be unique. Lol! 

Oh, I made a checklist that you can run through mentally to see if a house is a bachelor pad. 

1. Are the pieces of furniture mismatching? The ones that look as if they've been gathered over the years in various stages of life. 
2. Is the upholstery an assorted collection of colors, patterns, heights et at? Again, they could've been acquired over time, at various places that you have lived at.
3. Is the cutlery in the kitchen not from one set per se? But a collection of souvenirs from places that you've traveled to, gifts from friends, and from various events you've been to! At my place, out of 7 mugs I have, 5 are from Starbucks, one is from an event that I attended and the last one is I think an ex-girlfriend left behind. 
4. The electronics (except the TV) would be hand-me-downs and would be in dilapidated condition. After all, these things are not really required. 
5. The phone charging cable and the adapter would be a mismatch. 
6. If you get access to wardrobes, the hangars, on which clothes rest would again be an assorted mix. 
7. There would always be a key with the building security guard if the building has a guard. 
8. The place may or may not be clean depending on the person occupying the place.

These are the ones that I can think of. What about you? What do you often see at bachelor pads? Pray, tell me, and help me make this sheet exhaustive.

That's about it for the day! 

Previous posts in the lockdown series are - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 19, 30, 32, 34, 35, 37

Day 37 of the lockdown

Day 37 of the lockdown.
Day 43 otherwise.

Day 43. Weird sa din. I don't know if I want to call it a good one. Or a disastrous one. So much happened in the world that is important to me (of course there is this grandness in which I am not even a speck of dust on the infinite timeline that we don't know about). So, lemme try and talk about those. You know, like dear diary. 

So, here we are...

Since the lockdown started, I have subjected myself to lo-carb food. That means I was eating a lot of pastels - eggs, paneer, tofu, dahi, and other things like that. The premise was that I don't want to come out of the lockdown looking like a 50-year-old version of me. You know how big an ageist I am. No? 

So I tried to eat "well" and it was well till it lasted. I could've gone longer but I was losing motivation with each passing day - I mean I had stopped losing weight and I was actually feeling lazy and lethargic all the time. May be it because that damned AC would not work and I won't get good sleep? 

Anyhow, so at a whim, last night I decided that I would do a 3-day water-only fast. And it went well for exactly 4 hours after I woke up. And I ended up ordering a Gobhi Parantha. And Rajma Chawal. And yes I ate all of that in like one go. Of course along with re-runs of Taarak Bhai. And I write this, around midnight, I have had this bread-omelet and there is a Maggi that is waiting for me to gobble it up. 

No, I can't say I felt great about all the carbs that I stuffed myself with. No, I can't say I feel shitty from the inside (now that my gut is lined up with gully ka tel and I don't know what quality of rice / Rajma). It's just a fact worth noting. 

The point of this longish rant? 

40 days of clean eating does NOT help you lose weight! 

At least, it did not help me. 

So that. 

The other that happened today was that the Podium went live on Apple Podcasts. Check it out here. AD and I have been at it since Dec last year. And it finally took so much effort and energy and money to finally get it up. Now the plan is to ramp it up. This is all the more special because after C4E this is the thing where I am attaching my name to. I mean I am as attached to TRS and PPP as Shiks and Prak are attached respectively (and like all the other entrepreneurs I partner with). But Podium is where my whims and my ideas about things will be pushed. The success or failure of the Podium will be my doing. And AD's. But he is generally supportive of what I do. So that! Oh, thanks are in order for the young team at Podium that is making this happen. 

The other thing that I have been doing lately is that every day at around 6, I take this mini-break from whatever I am doing. Get myself a coffee and something to munch on and sit at this window and stare blankly at the calmness around. And think about things that I cant recall. Matlab meditative trance ;P

Of course, this would be shortlived. Once the lockdown is lifted, the quiet road would turn into this mini-highway where everyone (even the ones without cars) is honking and all that. 

But I like this idea of a quiet moment in the middle of the day. Years ago Guru would tell me that he takes a break every day to go see the sunset from the nearest beach (he lived in Goa back then and I would go all the way there to meet him). Inspired by him, I promise that will find a place where I could have a quiet moment away from humdrum. Around the sunset. And pause. I guess this is why people smoke? A friend says they don't. I say, they do! What do you think? Do lemme know. I'd love to prove a point to her. 

The last thing that I want to write about is Irrfan. The actor. Though I was not a fan per se and I can't say I have seen his work but I do remember bits and pieces of Namesake and a lot of things from Haasil. He passed away today and like any celebrity, he got the entire world grieving. And like someone said on twitter, his passing on seems very very personal to a large large number of people. It seems everyone I know has lost a close friend, a confidant at work, a role model that they looked up to, an epitome of talent, and a product of disciplined hard work. I don't think a lot of people induce such deep reactions from as many people as Irrfan did. And not one has had any trace of negativity! Says a lot about the man!  

I don't know what I could say that's not been said already. I hope he rests in peace and the ones missing him find closure. 

Brings me to another point. The inevitability of it all. And the shortness of time. And the lesson that I take from each such incident. He was 54 and he apparently had a lot of time up ahead and he was doing great work. And yet he is gone. To never come back. Reinforces that in this random and unpredictable life, the time to do things is now. Patience and "in due time" is not for me. I can not slack! I know this is not the kindest thing to say but I sincerely hope I am reminded of this rude fact often. So that I stop slacking. And do some great work that inspires others to chase their greatness. What else is the meaning of life otherwise? 

Phew! And that's it for the day! 

Previous posts in the lockdown series are - Day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 19, 30, 32, 34, 35

PS: Here's another short sentence for you ;) 

Day 35 of Lockdown

Day 35 of the lockdown.

Day 41 otherwise.

Hello, world!

The dark clouds that shrouded me yesterday? They seem to have dispelled! Yay to that! 

So, as I get about my day, I am listening to this concert by Shantanu Moitra where he is talking about his journey through the Himalayas and his lessons there. Each piece of music has been composed by his time there. I am thinking, it is SUCH a great idea. I mean as an individual, he took it upon himself to go discover himself. At places that are tough to live. Especially if you are not from there. And while he did that, he heard stories from people, got inspired by their simplicity, and then came back to create music. And then of course, he shared it with whoever he could. Via concerts etc. And I have to tell you, it IS BRILLIANT. Do listen to it. Thanks, JS for sharing it with me.

I think that is what keeps me sane. Inspiring stories from people that do things that are unexpected. As someone said, "koshish karne wale ki kabhi haar nahi hoti"

On the same note, I think this lockdown is a brilliant opportunity to think and discover and identify what inspires you. And what inspires me is the ability to help others figure what they want!

And here's an offer. In case you would want to use me as a bouncing board to crack what is it that you want to chase, I am happy to volunteer. Drop me an email with answers to these three questions...

• 1. If you had all the money what would you do? 
• 2. What was your favorite thing to do as a kid? 
• 3. Who do your friends compare you to?

So that's about it! Let whoop some ass! 

Previous posts in the lockdown series are - Day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 19, 30, 32, 34

Day 34 of the lockdown

Day 34 of the lockdown.
Day 40 otherwise.

I feel spaced out. Not overwhelmed. But spaced out. You know where I want to be alone and do nothing? Not even watch shit on Netflix. Mood swing? May be. May be not. I don't know. It's one of those phases, those days when I don't want to do anything. Eat a lot and sleep. And wake up after hours.

Nah, not that bad. If I am able to write this stream of thoughts, things are not that bad. I've had worse phases where I don't even want to put my hands to use - you know, figuratively and metaphorically. Right now, I am doing enough to belt this out! 

I don't really know what's wrong. I mean I am still the same, that I was a few hours ago (aka yesterday). I am still eating the same. I am still wasting time like I was - I have long given up on the idea of being the man and stop being a boy. I think the lack of action and lack of opportunities to do things at scale is what is affecting me. I am guessing. Can never be sure. 

Lemme think and figure how the day was.

9ish - Woke up, not the usual time (got late in sleeping yesterday). Puttered around the house, fixed a coffee, spoke to a friend, to my parents. 

945 - Logged into a session on screenwriting with Anjum Rajabali. WHAT A SESSION IT WAS! Took reams of notes. Was distracted for a large part of it - there were so many ideas, so many themes that he touched up that I don't know where to start! I wish I could be like him someday. Had three Diet Cokes while listening to the sessions! Wait! Is that fucking my head? That I am not like him? We'd come back to this. 

Had three Diet Cokes while listening to the sessions! 

330ish - Class got over and a friend needed some help with tech. The MOST frustrating hour of the day. I, of course, could not figure out the tech. Ended up getting pissed at the inability. Note 2. I think I don't like getting into the nitty-gritty of things. I am a big picture guy. And in words of a friend, the world does NOT need any big-picture kinds no more. I will have to think hard and get down to execution. 

6 - 7 - Saw a couple of my friends do live sessions with some interesting folks. Did some logistical things alongside. While seeing those sessions, realized that all this talk of events and talks moving online? I think it's a fad and it will pass. The richness of seeing someone talk live is the same as watching a pre-recorded video on youtube or something. Worse, while it's beaming live, I can't really pause it or take breaks. I think this events and conferences and talks happening online and streaming live is a bibble and will burst soon! But of course, I have been wrong in the past - I famously said that why would people want touch phones to type when a BB Bold has the best keypad in the world? Let's see how it pans out. 

8 - Here I am. Writing this. 

So, in all, it was a pretty ok day. 

I ate "healthy" - at least my version of that (almost no sugar, no potatoes, no maida, no dairy. And a lot of fat, some protein, and some carbs. Though I am most probably going to order in a pizza soon). I did have 2-3 coffees and 3 Diet Coke cans. But I ate ok.

The days are hot here and since the AC is not working, I have no other option but to bear it. Which is ok. I am ok to dress down and I am ok with the idea.

I learned a LOT of new things in the session. Which is great! Doesn't happen quite often since the lockdown happened. 

I had a lot of idle time - which I don't like.
I did a lot of time pass - which I like.
I did a lot of procrastination - which I don't like.
I did a lot of planning - which I like.

Also, while I was writing this, I realized that I like working with people and getting them to do things that they don't want to. I mean inspiring them, motivating them, agreeing to go beyond their comfort zone. May be there is something there? Need to move towards that soon.

That's about it, I guess. I mean I am still the same in my head. But at least, I wrote.

Hope tomorrow is better.

And with this, over and out.

Previous posts in the lockdown series are - Day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 19, 30, 32

Day 32 of the lockdown

Day 32 of the lockdown.
Day 38 otherwise.

It is after a few days that I feel human myself again.

And what is this myself? Well, someone who's up and about early (as I write this, its 8 AM. Been up since 7 and puttering around the house, and right now I am sipping on to my coffee (with coconut oil and turmeric)). I feel that there is a lot to be done and no not in an overwhelming manner - in a good way. I am generally hopeful about life and work and all that. I know times are hard and things are tough and it will not be easy - especially for mercenaries like me. But I am hopeful. As hopeful as I have ever been in my life. Like acche din are just around the corner, even though its been almost 40 years now.

Thing is, I don't know what's helped me get up on the right side of the bed. This is one of those "khush hoon main aaj khamkha" days. You know when you are singing for no reason. Remember that ad from Cadburys? And while we are at it, see this post from Mar 2015. 

I am still sleeping as much. Or as less. Depends on how you look at it. I am still staying up late. I am still anxious. I am still having all the coffee that I must not have. I am not getting enough physical exercise. I am clearly not getting enough Vitamin D. Bank balance is now as negative as the amount of hair I have on my head. But I am generally being myself today.

I am sure there are things that are working below the surface - I don't know what those are and I want to identify those. Just that I have not done anything different yesterday compared to other days. Maybe I slept really well? Yesterday, there was this breeze that cooled the room a bit (my AC has conked off and I can't get it fixed till we open the lockdown). May be I will get used to a life where I don't need to AC to sleep? Fuck that would be amazing. It's always been a big big goal in my life! Let's see.

Apart from a tad better sleep, I am not sure what has changed. And anyway I sleep well on most days. There has to be something else at play. Need to figure out what that is. Maybe it will come to me?

That's about it I guess. 

Chalo kaam kare! Have loads to do :)

Previous posts in the lockdown series are - Day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 19, 30

Day 30 of the Lockdown

Day 30 of the lockdown.

Or this may be 31ist for all you care. Let's carry on with whatever number. Day 36 otherwise.

Hello, blog, or whoever is reading this.

As I start writing this, it is 4:42 AM and I have just done the dishes. What an ungodly hour to do dishes. But I don't know what else to do at this time. I am tired - physically, mentally, and emotionally. For some reason, I can't get sleep (one reason is that the AC has conked off and the people I've taken it on rent from can't fix, cos lockdown). Of course, I am trying hard to eat less and in moderation. But I am failing gloriously at that. I mean in the last 24 hours, I have had three full meals, each at least 1500 calories. How do I know? Well, after each meal, all I can do is doze off in whatever state I am at in (sitting, lying down, doing dishes, etc).

Anyhow. Now that I am on the computer. Lemme dump the thoughts in my head here. 

So, the thing is, when this lockdown was announced, I had decided that I will use this break to work on the next book, get fitter and I don't know what all. I even wrote about it in my blog here. It was supposed to be three weeks and I was supposed to follow a schedule like a mule. Which I did. For a couple of days, I think. And then it was back to how I was before the lockdown. In a Brownian Motion. Drifting. Where life takes me. 

I think that's how I am probably. Start with something that has a super large ask from me. Find a comfortable part, that is higher than the normal and almost always lower than the ask that I have identified for myself. But in effect, I end up doing more than what I would if I were a realist. 

And this break was supposed to separate boys from men. And I think I am clearly in the boys' category. Do I even need to put all those lofty goals for myself then? Something to think about!

Of course, a few good things have happened. 

Here's a list.

A. Got the iPhone fixed. 

Got some number from the internet. Called the guy and even though he took almost double what it would've cost me on a regular day, the phone now works. And that means I can be a tad more functional.

But then, to be honest, I broke the phone on the 2nd day of the lockdown and I wasn't really functional, or on the other end, hyper-productive when I did not have a good phone. 

It's just a peace-of-mind thing that everything I want and need and wish for from a tech device is now back in my hands. You know, things like transferring money to others on Paytm? I'd have to call friends for that cos Paytm does not work from a desktop!
B. Met a couple of friends. 

They drove from Ghatkopar to here. Thing is, I was out of cash and there was no ATM in sight and I did not know how to operate. So, I asked them if they could. And voila. 

More than the cash, I think I am happy that I saw them.

Actually, no! I am not happy. Rather, I am pissed and angry that I saw them. Thing is, I wanted this lockdown to be pure. You know, sacrosanct. Where I don't meet anyone and no one meets me. Except for the delivery guys and the building security. 

Plus I realized that I hate when my friends and family see the way I live. I have no guilt or shame about how I've designed by my life and how I live. I definitely do not give two hoots about whoever comes to my place. But then, there are friends that you want to show off to, when those people see you living in a shack, it breaks my heart. I guess I'll never be comfortable going to (or calling people) houses, homes, pads, etc of other people. I know I am weird. 

C. Since I have been working for almost a month now, at home, on a chair and table. I don't think I am ever going back to a coworking space. Unless, of course, I get it for free. Or if someone else is paying for it. 

Oh, I will have to get some office supplies (printer, paper, aircon that works, and other such things that makes it bearable to sit at a place for hours and dream). 

I'd save some money. Money that would become super paramount in the times to come. 

D. I finally put up this wall of post-its and paper where I would purportedly write shit about my next book. Purportedly. I am not sure. Let's see. Also, see the point above about using the lockdown to do things. 

E. The best part is that because of COVID, I think the events business will take a large hit. I wrote about it here. And as a result my pivot to the next thing that I work on, to make ends meet, will get accelerated. 

No, I don't have an idea what that next thing is. And I am chatting with people to understand what it could be. Let's see what I close on. If you've read till here, you must know me well and have an interest in my success. Tell me what's the next thing I could do? 

With that, over and out! Hope you are staying safe and sane! 

Previous posts in the lockdown series are - Day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 19

Day 19 of 21daysOfLockdown

Day 19 of the lockdown.

Day 25 otherwise.

Been more than a week since I wrote. Even though I've had a lot to write about. And I did not have anything to write. Minutes have blurred into hours, hours into days and days into something that I can't recall either the beginning of. Or the end of. Guess that's how life essentially is. Time blurring into one continuous stream that we sort of stop noticing!

Anyhow. So when we got into the lockdown, I decided that I would come out of this healthier, happier and with a manuscript of my book. Ok, hyperbole. But I had decided that I would use the time to see if I am a boy or a man. And if the last 18 days are to be believed, am more of a boy than a man. And that's a truth I need to live with, for the rest of my life. Unless I use the remainder of the time (another 18 days from here on) to get things done. In fact, I promised myself that in case lockdown extends in Mumbai, I would stop everything and focus on my book and shave my head off. So maybe, the book is what I'd work on for the next few days. 

Oh, I did shave my head today. A part of it at least. Whatever I could in sweltering heat of a stuffy, tiny room in my house. And if you are curious, I did a terrible job at it. To a point that I don't think I'll be able to show my face to anyone for a while. Thank God for the lockdown. I just need to say that I broke the camera of the computer to avoid the video calls!

So this is it. Nothing great or interesting to share. Just that I hadn't written in a while and I had to.

What are you guys up to? Pray, do tell!

Previous posts in the series - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7*, 8*, 9*, 10, 11, 12*, 13*, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17*, 18* 
*- the days I did not post

Hello April / Monthly Review - Feb and Mar 2020

Hi!

This is my bi-monthly (used to be once a month, but from now on, once in two months) report on what I am up to.

Before anything else, I must say, the past few days will have to be among the MOST incredible days that I have ever seen. The entire world has come to a literal stop and everyone is suffering. You know, makes me feel lucky that I have had any major incidents, accidents or anything negative like that. The closest that I came to harm is 26/11 when I was still far away in Vashi playing pool with a few friends and terrorists were pummeling parts of South Mumbai. And when I compare myself to others that have been caught in Mumbai floods, communal riots (in Mumbai in the past and now more recently in Delhi), wild accidents and all that, I think I am really really lucky! Though this one may bring me to my knees. Let's see. 

This year has been wretched, to say the least. I think this tweet from a GMMR fan account will sum this up...

2020 was directed by me.

— George RR Martin (@GRRM) March 18, 2020

I just hope you and your loved ones are safe, cared for and in comfort. If you can read this, you are among the privileged few that have access to a house, an internet connection and most importantly, the ability to read and comprehend what I am writing.

So, coming to the review for Feb and Mar and the plan for Apr and May (lol :)). To jog your memory, when I do a review, I track progress compared to my yearly goals, life plan and goals. And for the record, three large goals for 2020 are Book 2, a sub-5-hours marathon, a topline of 50 crores. 

Here's the recap for Feb and Mar 2020.
I have sections for fails, wins, inbetweens, lessons, plan for Feb 2020 and a question.

#fails 

1. Did a lot of things that did help me make some connections. But none of them were going to contribute to the large goals I have. So the lessons is, I need to pick my battles well!
2. Did nothing on the sub-5 marathon goal. I did go for long walks but that's that. With every passing month, I am realizing that I may have to drop the health goals altogether! 
3. I was to write 25K words on #book2, had to train to be able to climb 100 flights and had to fix the C4E website. Did none of those :(

#wins

1. Attended a concert by AR Rahman. While it does not serve any professional goals per se, on a personal level, it is a dream come true to have seen him live. Plus now that I have seen the setup of his concert, it is on my wishlist to do something like that. Assuming I remain in the events business after this COVID-19. 
2. Along with AD, I published an article on one of the most respected business magazines (it was on my todo list since 2018). Read it at podm.in/ivm.
3. Again, along with AD, I am making progress on my first podcast. And the article I talk about above, gave me the thrust required to get the podcast ready. We call it The Founder Thesis and the first few episodes are ready! If not for COVID-19, we would've released those by mid-April. In case you wish to listen to those, please lemme know and I will share. 
4. My #aPicADay has reached 95+ days! Longest I have kept up with something! 

#inBetweens (these are neither wins / nor losses)

1. I had a little more time this time than other times. And thus I attended a few open mics, at-home concerts, live shows and so on and so forth. I was enamored by the struggle that these performing artists put in. I wish I could do something about those. Any ideas?
2. saurabhgarg.com has finally taken shape. Phew! I pestered a friend into teaching me the basics of Elementor and I hacked together a page. A page. Not a website. But after trying with multiple tech-teams and failing at it, I can finally send people to a website! 

#miscNotes / What did I learn this month?
I will also include things that the lockdown has taught me (though I would write a longer post would happen at some point in time).

1. The most important thing has to be the lessons in deliberate practice. Lemme call it Riyaz. I wrote about it in detail here.
2. Since we've gone in lockdown, I have started a few online courses (the ones that I never had the time for). This one, about learning how to learn stands out. Please consider doing it if you have the time. 
3. I learned that while I am ok to cook and clean and all that, it ends up wasting a LOT of time. Like 5 hours a day. And then it drains you out of the energy - physical, mental and emotional. I did these for a few days and then found a restaurant that at a steep price is willing to deliver meals to me. So that's cool. 
4. I actually like this lockdown. I haven't been able to step out since this happened but because I am on my own, I am pretty much a master of my time. I would love to maintain this life where I control my time. 

#inApr20
What do I plan to do in April?
I am not sure if we would get out of the lockdown and a lot depends on that.

My key work area is events and if lockdown extends another month, the events business is almost as good as gone. And that means I would be jobless and will have to think of an alternate career. And at a time when everything around me would be bad - slow economy, joblessness, too many talented people around that are vying for the same jobs. So, I am not sure how things would play. What do you think? 

But what I can do is, control things that I can control. Things like #book2! And the 25K words that I have planned since I was like a kid in diapers! Yeah, on it. 

***

So, that's about it for the update. As always, thank you for your time and attention.

Over and out! 

@saurabh

09 04 2020

FEEDBACK. Should you want to give me anonymous feedback on this email or anything else under the sun, please use this form - https://forms.gle/28bVP8DYz2WGdHdp8. And yes I do get not-so-kind inputs. Brutal and honest feedback is the best feedback.

PREVIOUS UPDATES are here...

2019 - Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
2020 - Annual Goals, Jan, Feb-Mar (this post)

Thank you for your patience. It is not an easy task to survive these long emails! 
Lemme end this with the best photo that I clicked in the last two months

View this post on Instagram

Day 77/365. This too shall pass. Featuring a peg board from @nappadori, a book shelf and some of my most prized possessions - books. #bookstagram #books #booklover #bookshelf #thistooshallpass #anichya #vipassana #note2self #pegboard

A post shared by SG (@altsaurabh) on Mar 17, 2020 at 9:10am PDT

10 things I'd do differently if I could be a teenager again

One of my mentors asked me to do this today.

List down 10 things u would do differently for yourself, if you could start again from being a teenager.

So, here's my answer.
And in order of what I would take if I could.

1. I would invest. Whatever little amount I could. When I was a teenager, I would have got pennies for pocket money but I would invest. By now, in 20 years, thanks to compounding, it would be a substantial sum. Maybe enough to allow me to not work on the day of writing this. 
2. Start a business asap. I did do those comic stalls and renting my video games and all that but I would do more. The kinds that start giving me some capital so I could invest it and build a compounding machine. 
3. I would spend more time with my parents and family - after all in the future, time would get scarce, how so ever hard I may try.
4. I would make better friends. The ones that I can count on when I need them. And the ones that I could learn from (and not just the ones that lived in the proximity). Most people I call friends are merely there because it was convenient for them and for me. And in the long run, in the time of adversity, convenience runs out. 
5. Related, I would go to a better college and get a better education. I did go to fairly good colleges but I think I got lucky. Thing is, I was so so so unaware about life and career when I was a teenager that I just went with the flow and drifted wherever life took me. And the pattern has stayed with me! I would take the conscious call to go to the best educational institution that I could.
6. I would learn how to code. I was good exceptional at it in college but I lost the plot once I started with my MBA. I would do this to be able to be more independent of others. Of course, back then I would not have known that code will rule the world!
7. I would travel more. The thing is, I am lucky to have travel far and wide and now that I have been literally home for the last year or so, I want to go out more. And if I look at a longer-term, whatever little I know, I learned because I could travel so much! So, travel more.
8. I would learn a musical instrument. No reason. 
9. I would take care of my fitness. I am reasonably ok for my age (probably not?) but I would want to be fitter so that I can do more. Plus I enjoyed sports as a kid. That went for a toss when I went for my MBA and then subsequent work life.
10. I'll get more active in the community. In the sense that I would want to be more active in the world that has given me everything that I have. If not for the community, then what? 

That's about it. 

You?