I want to keep this one very light, very cute, very spontaneous. Just seeing my day poetically.
Soul-Filling Food
A very good soul-filling food that I cooked. After getting this Buddha bowl, every meal looks so cute. When I make it in good portions—rice or some roast, along with sautéed vegetables or falafel, along with some curry or spinach or salad—it looks so good.
I'm fully surrounded with books. I just go through pages.
The Morningside Neighborhood
Being in New York gives some subtle happiness. If I just walk through the roads—I actually explored. In the first few months, I did not explore the Morningside neighborhood, especially the streets down to 116th near Columbia University.
From 125th to 137th, it's not so vibrant. From 137th to my place around 145th, I could see a lot of people going for shopping, small hotels, people sitting outside playing songs—especially in late summer. But in winter, nobody is around.
Lately, I explored the streets down to 116th—114th, 113th. They have very good cafes, very good bookshops. Book Culture is there. I often visit. And Starbucks that I found very near to Columbia—sometimes I go sit there and do something.
There's a supermarket near Columbia with very good grocery items. And Pret A Manger—I often go there to get my favorite hot chocolate. Mostly I just get hot chocolate over there. Joe's Coffee is good, but I find Pret A Manger's hot chocolate and Starbucks iced latte are something good for me.
Book Culture, and then you can just walk. Those streets near 114th and 116th are pedestrian friendly. I mean, entire New York is pedestrian friendly, but I find myself quite happy with those streets.
Trader Joe's and Strand
I often take the subway to Trader Joe's for shopping. And Strand, the bookshop. 72nd Street has very good subway stations—two old roofed buildings opposite to each other. Come out of there, you find Target and Trader Joe's. That's kind of very good.
A little bit further if you walk—Lincoln Center's Strand. They have a very good coffee shop also.
Winter and Sunny Afternoons
This winter—I'm not very accustomed to winter and snow. I'm kind of okay for 5-10 minutes outside, play around, but after that the chill breeze is sometimes too much to bear.
But the very good sunny afternoons make me want to walk as much as possible.
The People Around
I frequently talk to these guys—Prajwal, Mayur, I call him senior, Kavin, and Akshay. There's one part-time student who's been working in some corporate company for 10-15 years, his name is Money. He often shares some good words.
People are good. The place is good. I'm making my own food, setting things up. Sometimes my room is so messy, but I have to clean it up, and then I see—oh okay, this is properly arranged now. I have to clean up because the spring semester is starting. I need one good setup.
Music Taste
My music taste is always two things. One is jazz or pop music—that's very situational. If I feel a situation, I'll hear that. But if I don't feel anything and just need some very good rhythm to pamper my mind, I might go listen to MS Subbulakshmi songs. Thiruppugal, Thevaram. And Bombay Jayashri's "Ennaga Manasu Kurani." I do that.
Books and Writing
This book I've been reading, "Let Them"—it's so good. I'm finishing it fast. It's 15 days into this year, and I'm kind of halfway through three books. Quite happy. I have to read more books, write about them, and follow the learnings or try to see where we can use them.
Writing this everyday blog is also not a big deal. As long as we have systems in place, certain things are very much okay. Systems and nudges in place—we can easily do that.
Keep the Momentum
We just need to keep the momentum. Keep doing things, do things, anything. It shouldn't just be in the thoughts. It should always be in writing, projects, code, art.
After I got this iPad, I draw a lot of pictures, a lot of scribbles. Maybe in the summer I might get watercolors, might go to Central Park and do this. I just visited Central Park only once. Maybe tomorrow I'll go. It's snowing, that's the thing.
Like-Minded People
One thing—I may need to find more like-minded people, people who read more books.
Beyond the people I meet in real life, I talk to Surya. He's from CMU. He's my very newest friend. We talk about books, life, career, food, New York. That's so good.
I have one of my juniors who always pings me—Kavin and Sathya. We talk about different things, share reels here and there. Frequent talks and chats with my good old friends—Alpine friends, Viva friends, F21 friends.
Sometimes a few friends don't even reply if I share some comic reels. But that's fine. Everyone has their time.
Small Notes
Pracha is finding his own momentum. I should keep it alive.
One thing—I bought this fat-free milk. It's not so good actually. Tasteless. I shouldn't have bought that. Next time onwards, at least 2% reduced fat milk or regular whole milk. That's so good actually. Very creamy.
Almost every day, the morning breakfast is milk and egg.
Good day. Have a good day.
This is my very random yapping just to rewind.
Keep doing things.