-| change and yoghurt |- 

Our family is from a part of India where plain yoghurt is a key part of the diet. Yoghurt is a great counter to the heat and, thus, a staple. So, I grew up a big yoghurt fan and that continues to this day.

As a result, I “make” yoghurt 2-3 times a week. I put make in quotes because it makes itself. But, there’s still a lightweight process involved. And, that requires me to heat the milk till it almost boils over, allow it to cool down a bit, pour a bit of existing yoghurt, and leave it to do its thing over the next day or so.

This process turns out to be very instructive in driving change in ourselves –

1. It helps to face the heat and be under a bit of pressure that pushes us to recognize the importance of change (too much heat causes other spillover effects).
2. Next, we must give ourselves a bit of time to partially recover from the period of intensity and use that time to reflect on the kind of change we’d like to drive.
3. Then, it helps to find a role model for that change – either a person who embodies the behavior or a book or a course that teaches us the way – and spend mental time with that role model.
4. Finally, give it time.

Lots to learn from yoghurt! 

- | Start over |- 

Sometimes it is more helpful to start all over again..

rather than try to work back and see whats wrong..

my big learning in a design project..

-| Watches and time |- 

In the last five centuries, we’ve improved the accuracy of our watches and filled our homes and lives with them.

Of course, the irony is that we now have plenty of great watches and very little time.

Wishing you less timekeeping and more time this weekend..

-| Observation and Evaluation |- 

“The ability to observe without evaluating is the highest form of intelligence.”
-  J Krishnamurthi.

Our natural instincts tend to have us overdo evaluation and under-do observation. They also push us to conflate both by attempting to do both at the same time.

There’s a time to observe and a time to evaluate. And, learning to keep observation and evaluation separate in our thinking and communication is a superpower because it enables us to have consistently productive and constructive conversations.

Next step for myself: Learn how to better separate the two. :-)

-| understanding is hard-work |- 


Sometimes, we're so eager to have an opinion that we skip the step of working to understand. Why is it the way it is? Why do they believe what they believe?

We skip reading the whole thing, because it's easier to jump to what we assume the writer meant.

We skip engaging with customers and stakeholders because it's quicker to assert we know what they want.

We skip doing the math, examining the footnotes, recreating the experiment, because it might not turn out the way we need it to.

We better hurry, because the firstest, loudest, angriest opinion might sway the crowd.

And of course, it's so much easier now, because we all own our own media companies.

-| Peaceful Soul |-

I want a peaceful soul.

But there is a God. Holy, to the hilt. And we have very little in common on that ground. And there is a part of me that cannot do anything but war against this God. I do not say this lightly. But truthfully.

When I am not arguing with Him I want peace with Him. That fathoms-deep peace defying understanding. I want the peace he has already declared as a reality. But only sometimes.

I want to put down my weapons that defend. And offend. I want that. So my soul can taste something of this peace. But I’m bloodthirsty.

I’ve been reading about Mahaprabhuji. He talks of this peace and I got excited, though scared. He fell in love with the peace in the hills and forests. But that is geography.

But I hear nothing of places of peace. The soul at peace with God retains it though the walls cannot. Though they fall around and upon, still. But scarred stands.

This peace is strong in a world of hard hearts. The pushing against the organ with it’s blood pumping is painful. A world’s worth in my chest. But it chisels away.

This peace is fixed under the feather of the peacock. And is the the dew sitting light on the leaves. But to nourish hard ground.

-| Random thoughts today |-


1. I am lucky to stand clear a star-studded night. 

2. I need a few days off work, so if someone sick could come over and hug me and let me drink after them, I’d appreciate it.

3. Social media now feels like an awful job.

4. Work that cradles your conscience is a valuable thing.

5. Food is my comfort food.

6. Everything is never enough.

7. Sometimes a curse word seems appropriate because it feels as though a curse has landed square upon you.

8. I wish I could still taste the air of a 13 yr old summer night.

9. It has always been a gracious fact that the depth of my sins are not all seen at once.