Hi Friends!

Greetings from Mumbai!

Last week started out great for me, a bit peaceful, but then towards the mid of the week, chaos again started to pour in. Then suddenly it started to feel like, firefight mode. But all well, which ends well.

Learning from the last week –

It’s good to help the business counterparts on things that matter, but not so good when they start to pull up stunts on you with the information they got from you. Then you need to take charge and confront them as well. Stand for yourself. As I learned from a Jordan Peterson quote –

You have to be Dangerous, but that doesn’t mean you need to pose threats out of control. Being dangerous means having control over your actions but your countparty should have that fear that this man could be dangerous, if I mess with him.

On another note – I’m also learning more about cloud-based applications and migrations to modern architecture. It’s becoming fun and interesting.

As this month I got into a new year of my life (yes it is the birthday month for me), I’ve been contemplating letting certain things go, material things, I’ve been clinging on to. As you move further, things accumulate and until you get rid of some stuff you don’t need, you can’t make space for meaningful things.

Moving on – I’ve bought the maximum number of books this month in this entire year (I think 7+ books). I’m really excited about a few of the books I’m going to read in the coming months.

My note-taking has also been improving, which is more to do with the process, rather than the tools I was using. But let me tell you something, if you fix the tools you gonna use for your note-taking, it lessens the decision fatigue when you are actually doing the process. I think the last 2 months have been when I took the maximum number of notes, since the 2013-16 period when I really started out with blogging and writing. It’s been fun to rediscover the knowledge I had, resurfacing it and reconnecting to it.

I’ve been reducing my consumption of Instagram, with this iPhone app/trick (inspired by Ali Abdaal’s YT Shorts video) (it’s annoying sometimes, but it has reduced my Instagram usage from 100% to merely 15% (in terms of the number of hours per week).

So that’s it from my last week’s reflections.

Without further adieu, here is this week’s Saturday Pentacle consisting of things and ideas I found Interesting last week.

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Issue 218 // Week 51 // 2022

I website I found mind-boggling —

This Person Does Not Exist – In past years deep fake images or videos have been surfacing which in many cases have notoriously put the victims of the deep fakes in shambles.

You won’t believe how believable these deep fakes have become. Check out this site to see the persons who do not exist.

A book I’m loving —

The Denial of Death – I don’t know why few books where the author is talking about death, to be more precisely their own foreseen death, are so intriguing and gripping to me always. It shows me how their perspective shifts around the time when they are thrown up against death. A race they slowly realize they can’t win, then how they start living mindfully knowing each moment counts.

This book will surely make you rethink your own fears and insecurities.

Side note – This book won the Pulitzer prize in 1974.

An unexpected video I took notes from —

In the Library with Kristen Stewart – Kristen Stewart (Stew + Art – I just made up that name breakdown) – as she was usually identified with Twilight saga movies, but when I read more and more about her, I got to know, how outstanding an actor she is and how she is obsessed with stories.

In this video, she shares her literary side and her passion for literature.

A poem I loved —

“No Help for that” a poem by Charles Bukowski from the book “You Get So Alone at Times That it Just Makes Sense” (got the reference of it from above Kristen Stewart video itself)

There is a place in the heart that will never be filled a space. 

And even during the best moments and the greatest times we will know it, we will know it more that ever.

There is a place in the heart that will never be filled and we will wait and wait in that place.

Quote which I found meaningful –

An idea kept private is as good as one you never had.

— Taking smart notes

Until Next Saturday!

Thanks for supporting and reading.

Himanshu

PS. – I’m on Twitter and Instagram. Follow for regular tidbits.

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Saturday-Pentacle // Issue 218 // Week 51 // 2022