Saturday-Pentacle – Week 52 – 2017

Saturday-Pentacle, Week 52 Issue


“Saturday-Pentacle”

Saturday-Pentacle - Week 21 - 2017


Product of the week –

Trek ‘N’ Ride Hydration Bag

This is a technical product so, if you are not a long distance runner or cyclist, this may be not helpful for you. You can move directly to next point.

But if you are, then this hydration bag must interest you. I got this bag as a very thoughtful gift and I love it.

This hydration bag has a capacity to hold 2 litres of water, some snacks, keys, wallet or some other small utilitarian stuff. This is especially useful in long runs (like 30kms+) or long cycle rides (50kms+). It has a pipe connected to the bag which hangs on your shoulder strap and you can sip water through the suction cap.

My dad quite interestingly compared this bag with the ancient times’ lather water bags which Karavan would carry to feed their thirst on very long journeys.

It made a very useful addition to my running wardrobe.

Here’s a link to this bag, if you find it interesting.


My most popular Instagram post recently

Finally another exciting year came to an end.
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So many memories. So many places visited. So many people met. So many lives touched.
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What i learned the most from these memories?
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To be in the now.
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Cause when we look at these memories later, we shouldn’t regret a fake smile, controlled laugh or restricted love.
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This year was of smiling childishly, laughing hard, loving carelessly.
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Reflecting on the past year, sharing the best and most loved pictures and stories which moved me and you (my audience) both.
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Thank you to everyone who is part of my journey, for one heck of a year!
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Wohoo! Its 2018. Let’s do something big, let’s do something magical this year.
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Cheers to life.


Article(s) I’m enjoying (and pondering)

Making sense of bitcoin, cryptocurrency, and blockchain – Bitcoin, Cryptocurrency, blockchain technology? You must have heard these words as there is very much hype around them from past few years. But 2017 was a major year for Bitcoin, it soared unlike anything else we have ever seen. Bitcoin rose 1289.22 % YoY from BOD of 1st Jan 2017 to EOD of 31st Dec 2017.

Makes you exciting?

Bitcoin might be a missed train right now. But you gotta cleanse your perspective and look at the technology which powers Bitcoin. That is blockchain. Here’s an interesting infographic from the above article, which explains all about blockchain and cryptocurrency.

Of course, other applications of this technology fades away when we see the mountain of wealth with these cryptocurrencies. But there is always the other side. Like a photo frame, which is all glossy and good looking from the front side with a beautiful picture in it. But on the backside, there is nothingness of hardboard and metal clips.

So what is the other side of cryptocurrency? I think if I see around here in India, the first thing I notice is the legitness of it, second the trustworthiness of the crypto exchange companies. But more importantly, the currency itself. Apart from Bitcoin and few other good ones like ripple or ethereum, I don’t see trust in the market in other currencies. Who knows if black money is being laundered through one of those currencies?

Well that’s all about cryptocurrency. But blockchain as a technology, that’s what makes me look forward. I’ve heard a few countries testing it for their voting process as well.

The future is already here. The train is passing my friends, either you hop on or fear a miss-out. What would you do?


I’m reading/watching/listening to

Transcending Time | Interstellar’s Hidden Meaning Behind Love and Time – I’ve always have been a lover of science+faith mix films. The Christopher Nolan movie Interstellar is exactly that kind of movie and the cast of this movie Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway gave one of their best performances of there career. But what moved me more was the concept of the film and how Christopher Nolan put real scientific facts behind ‘Black Holes’, ‘Time Bending’ and ‘Interstellar Travel’ kind of concepts.

This video explains a lot of the things and how Love is closely knitted with Time in this movie and as concepts altogether. Hope you enjoy it. I did.


Quote I’m pondering on lately –

“Do every act of your life as though it were the very last act of your life.”

― Marcus Aurelius


Until Next Saturday!

Thanks for reading.

Himanshu

A couple of things I could use your help with:

  1. Have a relevant topic, which I should be covering? Write to me directly or fill out this form and let me know.
  2. Join my reader’s list – It helps us a lot when you become a subscriber, it smoothens you experience on Lifestyle Architecture Lab. Being on email list provides you additional benefits like some exclusive content, webinar’s, free goodies and all of it will be FREE. Please click the link above to join now or put your email address in the below box and hit subscribe.


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Saturday-Pentacle – Week 51 – 2017

Saturday-Pentacle, Week 51 Issue

Merry Christmas!

Wish you a merrier year ahead.


“Saturday-Pentacle”

Saturday-Pentacle - Week 21 - 2017


Purchase of the week

It’s Christmas and finally, I bought something which I was dreaming of for quite a long time. A road bike.

Triban 500

From my childhood, I was pretty inclined towards bicycles. I got my first bike when I was about 7-8 years old. But as I grow to be an adult, the cycling faded away from my life. But the love of cycling didn’t. Around 2014 end I got a mountain bike again but while shifting places had to give it away. So finally this Christmas I got a new bike and it’s a road bike.

I can’t wait to burn the tarmac with it and finally go on touring on my bike.


My most popular Instagram post recently

Merry Christmas!
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Christmas weekend is coming to an end as I’m writing this. I wish it was longer. But i bet we say that about all good things. We wish that we hold had them longer.
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But its not about clinging hard to them, but it’s about letting go to see them again. That’s the spirit of Christmas.
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I watched The Polar Express. I spent time with family. I listened to music. Spent time riding a bike. How did you spent your Christmas?
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Do you believe? I believe.
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P.S.: You’ll know the meaning of the last line if you have seen The Polar Express! If not, what are you waiting for, go watch it.


Article(s) I’m enjoying (and pondering)

Elon Musk told us he was sending a car to space – It’s Christmas and seems like Elon is sending Christmas gift to Mars. Yeah, you read it right, Elon Musk who is the founder of SpaceX and often called real life Tony Stark, is sending a Tesla Roadster car as a payload in his rocket, Falcon Heavy, which is going to Mars and beyond.

I thought it was some kind of joke, but then SpaceX and Elon confirmed the payload and the car is actually going to space.


I’m reading/watching/listening to

Few movies from my Christmas movie marathon list –

The Polar Express – This is one of my favourite Christmas movies. Animated movie having Tom Hanks in few of the characters and voices, including the Santa Clause.

Apocalypto – Finally I’m gonna watch this movie. Another Mel Gibson directed movie including blood, gore, jungle and high pace chase and action scenes where the story of a Mayan tribal man ‘Jaguar Paw’ is depicted. He is captured by the Mayan kingdom rulers and how he comes back home fighting.

Approaching the Unknown – Another mars movie. Not keeping high expectation as The Martian but still will watch it.


Quote I’m pondering on lately –

“Love isn’t something you find. Love is something that finds you.”

― Loretta Young


Until Next Saturday!

Thanks for reading.

Himanshu

A couple of things I could use your help with:

  1. Have a relevant topic, which I should be covering? Write to me directly or fill out this form and let me know.
  2. Join my reader’s list – It helps us a lot when you become a subscriber, it smoothens you experience on Lifestyle Architecture Lab. Being on email list provides you additional benefits like some exclusive content, webinar’s, free goodies and all of it will be FREE. Please click the link above to join now or put your email address in the below box and hit subscribe.


No spam, ever. Only great stuff.

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Saturday-Pentacle – Week 50 – 2017

Saturday-Pentacle, Week 50 Issue


“Saturday-Pentacle”

Saturday-Pentacle - Week 21 - 2017


App of the week

Digital Detox Challenge

Recently I found this app from Urbandroid on Android Play Store, which helps you getting away from the smartphone use. It’s called Digital Detox Challenge.

How this app works is – you set a time for not using your phone for that duration like 10 minutes, 20 minutes, half an hour, 1 hour, half a day, 1 day or 2 days, whatever duration you want. In that duration, you cannot use your phone. This app blocks everything but a timer within this app, which displays how much time has left until you can use your phone again. That screen also keeps on showing some inspiration on what to do in the free time when you are not using the device.

If you started the timer and want to use the phone again, there is a monetary fine for that, but you can set the stakes as per your liking. Low stakes would mean, 1$ or in the Indian market around 10 Rs. Medium stakes would mean 5$ and high would be around 10$. So If you give up to the craving for using the smartphone, you have to pay. That makes your craving fade away automatically.

A pretty cool app, I used it a lot in this holiday season.

If you want to try the Digital Detox Challenge, it’s available only on Android. Get the app here.


My most popular Instagram post recently

Just believe in your dreams!
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People usually tend to tell you that you are doing it wrong. That you got it all wrong.
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But it’s your story not theirs. So you have to write it.
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Believe in your dreams and work hard to gradually move towards them.
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You will get there.


Article(s) I’m enjoying (and pondering)

This Tweet from Dann Petty, who is one of my favourite freelance graphic designers, gave a pretty good list of books on creativity. Plus the conversation in the comment and the GIF responses were hilarious. Check it out.


I’m reading/watching/listening to

The Ballad Of Cleopatra by The Lumineers – After watching Sleep On The Floor and listening to it for endless times, I wanted more. I couldn’t stop watching it, I wanted more of that story. I didn’t know if there was more.

But last week when I stumbled upon The Ballad Of Cleopatra, I was overjoyed after watching it. I felt that I found what I was looking for. The whole story. This one is amazing. Just watch the song ‘Sleep On The Floor’ first and then ‘The Ballad Of Cleopatra’. It’amazing.


Quote I’m pondering on lately –

“The scariest moment is always just before you start.”

― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft


Until Next Saturday!

Thanks for reading.

Himanshu

A couple of things I could use your help with:

  1. Have a relevant topic, which I should be covering? Write to me directly or fill out this form and let me know.
  2. Join my reader’s list – It helps us a lot when you become a subscriber, it smoothens you experience on Lifestyle Architecture Lab. Being on email list provides you additional benefits like some exclusive content, webinar’s, free goodies and all of it will be FREE. Please click the link above to join now or put your email address in the below box and hit subscribe.


No spam, ever. Only great stuff.

Continue Reading

Saturday-Pentacle – Week 49 – 2017

Saturday-Pentacle, Week 49 Issue


“Saturday-Pentacle”

Saturday-Pentacle - Week 21 - 2017


Post of the week –

Podcast Episode 10 – Reflections

In this episode of my podcast show, I talk about reflections, travelling and a quote from Ray Dalio.

Please enjoy and if possible please leave me a review in iTunes Podcast comments. That will help this podcast to be discovered by more people.

Subscribe to my podcast: Apple Podcasts | Android | RSS


My most popular Instagram post recently

Coming home…

Traveling to Rajasthan in the month of December, when the weather is winter smitten, always brings back memories. We traveled on Road, Rail, Air and sometimes on feet. It was a good home coming.

A little bit of nostalgia, a little bit of slowing down, a little bit of cousin love, a little bit of chilly rides and a little bit of doing nothing. That sums it all up.⠀

Now its time to say Good Bye again, until next time…


Article(s) I’m enjoying (and pondering)

Nike’s Quest to Beat the Two-Hour Marathon Comes Up Oh So Short – If you are a long distance runner, you would know how gruelling a full marathon distance can be. Even if you have conquered the 42.195km distance multiple times, you can never not be humble to this distance, you respect it.

As I’ve run the full marathon distance couple of times and have completed it in around 5 hours time. When I ran the full marathon last time in Mumbai Marathon and the Kenyan wolf pack flew past me it gave me goosebumps. Tanzania’s Alphonce Simbu won the men’s elite full marathon event with a timing of 2:09:32  hrs at 2017 Mumbai Marathon. This timing itself is unreal to me.

But when I heard about Nike’s attempt (Nike Breaking2) to achieve the unhuman feat of beating the 2 hours Marathon timing, it gave me thrills. Last week after my Half Marathon run at Vasai Virar (India) event, while coming back home I got a chance to read this story of Eliud Kipchoge, a 32-year-old Kenyan who is an Olympic world champion as well in Marathon running, attempted to break 2 hours in a full marathon distance.

Reading this story itself was so intriguing that I almost read it thrice. His attempt was heroic but he failed to break 2. He fell short of it by 25 seconds. But his statement will inspire you to be focused on one thing that ignites you –

“I was aiming for 1:59, but I’m happy to run two hours in [a] marathon. The world is only 25 seconds away,” he said.


I’m reading/watching/listening to

Casey Brown – This Is Home – This short movie on Casey Brown who is a mountain biker in Canada, is inspiring. Got to see this last week on Vimeo.

“Yea I guess as a kid, you have limitless dreams and you can kind of think of whatever you want to do, you can do. But as you get older and especially after graduating high school, you got to think of how you can, you know make ends meet and stuff. So during those times, dreams can either slip away from you, if you let them, or you can pour your heart into it and really make it work.” – Casey Brown


Quote I’m pondering on lately –

“Christmas is a season not only of rejoicing but of reflection.”

― Winston Churchill


Until Next Saturday!

Thanks for reading.

Himanshu

A couple of things I could use your help with:

  1. Have a relevant topic, which I should be covering? Write to me directly or fill out this form and let me know.
  2. Join my reader’s list – It helps us a lot when you become a subscriber, it smoothens you experience on Lifestyle Architecture Lab. Being on email list provides you additional benefits like some exclusive content, webinar’s, free goodies and all of it will be FREE. Please click the link above to join now or put your email address in the below box and hit subscribe.


No spam, ever. Only great stuff.

Continue Reading

Saturday-Pentacle – Week 48 – 2017

Saturday-Pentacle, Week 48 Issue


“Saturday-Pentacle”

Saturday-Pentacle - Week 21 - 2017


Website of the week –

Medium.com

I’ve been reading on Medium.com since after a couple of years (around 2014) it’s launch back in August 2012. I’ve seen it grow from few thousands of readers to millions of readers now.

Lately, they changed the branding of Medium.com from a green theme to a classic black and white with above Monogram logo. Even though I felt comfortable with the green theme and logo but this classic update to the site is welcoming. Nonetheless, the reading experience is the same and better.

I found very deep and moving articles on Medium.com and I would recommend my readers at Lifestyle Architecture Lab to make reading on Medium.com a habit. Because it’s really good and will help you grow intellectually than quora/Facebook/Twitter etc.

It’s a long-form reading experience made awesome. You won’t even notice when you finish 1500-2000 words long article in a jiffy.

Here is the link for you. or you can just click the logo and go to Medium.com.


My most popular Instagram post recently

Just met this amazing @furballstory crew at the airport.
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When I talked to them. They said they were helping people out, who were in stress due to delayed or missed flights with the help of these therapy dogs.
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Met cuckoo (who my sister is holding and Angel (who im holding). They were amazing and indeed our stress was relieved after meeting these amazing people and these super furry trained dogs.
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They are based out of Delhi but were visiting Bombay for the first time.
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Bombay! We need some more of the @furballstory


Article(s) I’m enjoying (and pondering)

The Girl at the Bar – After a long time I felt connected to written words. I story which moved me. Poked me somewhere deep inside. I can’t say it’s a love story or a tragedy, it’s woven with love, tragedy and nostalgia. That’s what make it beautiful.

A quote from the article to give you the intensity of it –

“People say whiskey is a complicated drink,” Toshiko said. “But for me, it’s a very simple drink — it just happens to be mixed with a lot of complicated feelings.”

― Toshiko


I’m reading/watching/listening to

Songs of Experience

U2 released their next Studio Album yesterday (1st Dec 2017). When I found it on Apple Music I felt extremely excited, because their 2014 album ‘Songs of Innocence’ has powered my long running workouts since then and I found a connection with this old band which I couldn’t find with the latest rock bands.

I’d recommend you start with the below playlist on YouTube, which starts with the song ‘You’re The Best Thing About Me’.

I don’t know there is something about U2…


Quote I’m pondering on lately –

“It is never too late to be what you might have been.”

― George Eliot


Until Next Saturday!

Thanks for reading.

Himanshu

A couple of things I could use your help with:

  1. Have a relevant topic, which I should be covering? Write to me directly or fill out this form and let me know.
  2. Join my reader’s list – It helps us a lot when you become a subscriber, it smoothens you experience on Lifestyle Architecture Lab. Being on email list provides you additional benefits like some exclusive content, webinar’s, free goodies and all of it will be FREE. Please click the link above to join now or put your email address in the below box and hit subscribe.


No spam, ever. Only great stuff.

Continue Reading