Saturday-Pentacle // Issue 191 // Week 27 // 2020

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By Himanshu Sachdeva

Hello!

I hope your health is good and you are holding up.

Another week passed by and with so much happening in the world right now, news has become the worst form of media. So I’m not actively listening to the news for many days now. If something is important it still reaches, you. Instead, I focused on my first-course creation (Psss..Podcasting for Beginners) and also focused on consuming targeted content on skills I wanted to acquire (like a new language learning) or the content I really loved (yeah I binge-watched POI for few days).

Getting your mind away from focus is also as important as to focus. Between focus and not focus there is a subtle balance. If you walk that line then you cop better with your own physical and emotional states.

Coming to the book reading/listening progress, I listened to the Sherlock homes some more this past week, and some of Atomic Habits –

  1. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – 60% done (Audible)
  2. Atomic Habits by James Clear – 50% done (Audible) – This audiobook is like a page-turner version for audio (I don’t know if there is a specific word for it for audiobooks, let me know in comments if there is).

That’s it for the personal updates.

Without further adieu, please enjoy this week’s Saturday-Pentacle.


Issue 191 // Week 27 // 2020


An article i found interesting

How A Love Of Nature Makes Your Kid Smarter, More Creative, And Less Distracted – This article is basically a summary of Richard Louv’s 2005 book Last Child In The Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder.

If you are a parent you should definitely read this and if you are not, still it will make you feel nostalgic about your childhood.

A Good summary to read.


A podcast episode I loved —

Hugh Jackman – Tim Ferriss sits down with The Wolverine in this episode (pun intended) and talks about Best Decisions, Daily routines, reading first thing in the morning as a couple.

This was one of the good interviews I listened to in long time, which i really enjoyed!

Check it out!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3WXafxuJS11IvovMQj6mSK?si=LDCCFZQtTjaus0lBO_Pwhw

A book I added in my reading/listening list

The Overstory: A Novel – This book is recommended by Hugh Jackman in the podcast in the second point. He mentions that what you are done reading this book, it basically changes how you notice nature around you and look at things.

P.S.: This book turns out to be on Trees and it has won the Pulitzer price as well. (you can get your hopes high)


Music I’m loving —

Ocean by Native – Discovered this song last week on YouTube, what a gem of a song!

Beautiful lyrics immediately fell in love with it.

Few lines to get you curious –

I’d rather see the ocean once in a lifetime
And miss it for the rest of my days
Than never feel the sand beneath my naked feet
And never hear the sound of breaking waves


Quote which I found meaningful –

when you have excluded the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

— Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

That’s it for this week.

Until Next Saturday!

Thanks for reading.
Himanshu


About Author

I’m Himanshu Sachdeva, a technology professional working in Mumbai, India. I spend most of my spare time making Podcasts, YouTube videos and write on Lifestyle Design and sometimes stories.

Every Saturday, I send out an email newsletter called “Saturday Pentacle”, a list of the cool stuff I explored in the past week, including quotes, photos, books, articles, movies, documentaries and so on!

No spam, ever. Only great stuff.


Saturday-Pentacle // Issue 191 // Week 27 // 2020


What to do Next?

If you are not signed up to my email list, go ahead and do it right now so that you don’t miss any new weekly SATURDAY PENTACLE post and more interesting emails on Lifestyle Design, Productivity and Creative Entrepreneurship. (plus new podcast episode announcements).

Just enter your email address below and click “Subscribe!”

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Saturday-Pentacle // Issue 188 // Week 24 // 2020

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By Himanshu Sachdeva

Hello!

Another week passed by. Week 24th to be exact. Even though cities have started to open up here in India and in many other countries, but the vaccine is still away and the virus is still here. So we should all be cautious when going out. I know this is what we all know, but just trying to put it out as a reminder to everyone.

As promised earlier, I want this newsletter to become a getaway for you from all the news and the chaos.

Last week was productive for me, I got a good amount of things done at work. On the creative side, my “Lifestyle Design in Action” story series (on my blog) is also being liked by you all (my readers), so I’m continuing to post these guest posts from various people living alternate Lifestyles. In other news, I’m doing a collaboration and exciting news is coming up mostly in the next week. So watch out for that.

Coming to the book reading/listening progress, I moved forward on below books –

  1. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – 30% done (Audible) – I was on a binge listening spree on this one.
  2. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand – 50% done only (Kindle)

No progress on below ones this week –

  1. Becoming a Category of One by Joe Calloway – 20% done only (Audible)
  2. Breaking Smart: Season One: How Software is Eating the World – 70% done (an amazing book recommended by David Perell) (Kindle)
  3. Truck de India – 20% – (Kindle)

I added below books in my reading list as subsequent reads –

  1. How to win friends and influence people by Dale Carnegie
  2. The Art of Public Speaking by Dale Carnegie and J. Berg Esenwein
  3. Atomic Habits by James Clear
  4. The Ride of a Lifetime by Robert Iger

Current Yearly Tally – [Yearly goal – 24]

Read – 6 | In progress – 5 | Pending in Reading list – 5 | Yet to discover for reading for yearly goal – 8

That’s it for the personal updates.

Without further adieu, please enjoy this week’s Saturday-Pentacle.


Issue 188 // Week 24 // 2020


An article I found useful

Go From Chaos to Clarity in 30 Minutes – In this article (or rather how-to with personal experience) Tiago Forte shares his process of going from total Chaos to Clarity in 30 mins.

He shares how he does weekly review and how he has refined this process over the years to make it so that it aligns him to his goals when executed weekly.

Interesting approach and a good read.


A podcast episode I loved —

Tim Ferriss Show – Rick Doblin – Loved this interview of Rick Doblin by Tim Ferriss where they discuss the origins of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and how MDMA and psychedelic drugs are being a promising cure of PTSD.

There are a lot of nuggets in this episode. I finished it in just one sitting.

Here is the YouTube link (or click the title for the rest of the platforms) –


A video I loved

Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man – Episode 2 with Matthew McConaughey – This video was the highlight of the last week’s intellectual consumption and sort of eye-opening in a very subtle way.

This is why I love Matthew McConaughey because he has this capability to listen as well.

Totally recommend watching this as it will educate you too –


Music I’m loving —

Garden Concert by Jubin Nautiyal – My sister introduced me to this Garden Concert from Jubin Nautiyal (A Hindi Singer from the mountains). In the pandemic situations as everyone is stuffed in their homes and feeling anxious. This was a really amazing and unique concert he put together at his home garden.

If you have the will to do something you can put together things and do almost about anything and beautifully. That’s what this Garden Concert symbolised to me. I loved his music as well. Such a buffet of great Hindi songs.


Quote which I found meaningful –

You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.

— James Clear (Atomic Habits)

Before saying “see you next week”

Here is a throwback photo I posted on Instagram. You can check it out here or go to my Instagram for the whole story and more –

Until Next Saturday!

Thanks for reading.

Himanshu


About Author

I’m Himanshu Sachdeva, a technology professional working in Mumbai, India. I spend most of my spare time making Podcasts, YouTube videos and write on Lifestyle Design and sometimes stories.

Every Saturday, I send out an email newsletter called “Saturday Pentacle”, a list of the cool stuff I explored in the past week, including quotes, photos, books, articles, movies, documentaries and so on!

No spam, ever. Only great stuff.


Saturday-Pentacle // Issue 188 // Week 24 // 2020


What to do Next?

If you are not signed up to my email list, go ahead and do it right now so that you don’t miss any new weekly SATURDAY PENTACLE post and more interesting emails on Lifestyle Design, Productivity and Creative Entrepreneurship. (plus new podcast episode announcements).

Just enter your email address below and click “Subscribe!”

Continue Reading

Saturday-Pentacle // Issue 187 // Week 23 // 2020

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By Himanshu Sachdeva

Hello!

Last week was difficult as violence irrupted in many states of the US in the wake of Geoge Floyd’s death while he was being arrested by police. Racism still exists in the world and things really need to change. The environment in the US and many of the western countries is changing and there is sort of a movement going on right now. It’s a historic moment. Black lives matter. This movement is showcasing that on a scale.

I’m trying to educate myself with the history of racism from online sources, blogs and books and following the threads on social media on this.

Past week in India, there was a cyclone which hit the western shoreline of India – Nisarga but fortunately, it was not as destructive as it was thought to be.

2020 is slowly becoming the year of the century when things are changing so rapidly. Every day new events.

Coming to the book reading/listening progress, I moved forward on below books –

  1. Breaking Smart: Season One: How Software is Eating the World – 70% done (an amazing book recommended by David Perell) (Kindle)
  2. The Sign of the Four” of the Sherlock Holmes series – Finished (Audible) – on to the next one in the series – The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
  3. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand – 40% done only (Kindle)

No progress on below ones this week –

  1. Becoming a Category of One by Joe Calloway – 20% done only (Audible)

That’s it for the personal updates.

Without further adieu, please enjoy this week’s Saturday-Pentacle.


Issue 187 // Week 23 // 2020


An artical I found useful

The importance of red teams – This article was a great read from Dr Peter Attia. I found two ideas very intriguing from this article which I would like to share as a summary –

  1. Importance of Red –

    In the early 19th century, the Prussian army adopted war games to train its officers. One group of officers developed a battle plan, and another group assumed the role of the opposition, trying to thwart it. Using a tabletop game called Kriegsspiel (literally “wargame” in German), resembling the popular board game Risk, blue game pieces stood in for the home team—the Prussian army—since most Prussian soldiers wore blue uniforms. Red blocks represented the enemy forces—the red team—and the name has stuck ever since.

    Idea – One Organization itself can have both the teams and play tactically, as their own red team can work as an enemy simulation and the blue team can, therefore, be trained better.
  2. Differentiation b/w signal and noise – On the contrary to the point of the counter team or the counter idea (as mentioned in point 1), there is one more paragraph in the article which gives a great perspective –

    Generally, the more we can introduce and consider opposing views into our thinking, the more we can rely on the knowledge we’re trying to build. But—and this is a very, very big BUT—not all opposing views are equal. Recognizing the difference between scientific (worthy of debate, though often still incorrect over time) claims and pseudoscientific (not worthy of debate, as the very foundations on which they sit are not pulled from the disciple of science or the scientific method) claims is crucial and a failure to do so makes the following exercise futile.

    Idea – As we are constantly bombarded with information in these present times, so it because very difficult to identify the signal from noise, meaning – logical or scientific debate as compared to illogical or pseudoscientific debate. But as it is difficult at the same time it is as important to do this rightfully and diligently.

An ad which I really loved —

The Art of Music Production – This new Apple add shows the creative process of a Grammy-nominated music producer – Oak Felder.

I was just amazed by seeing the way things change when you become a producer and shift from working on the atomic piece to moving to the place where you can see the birds-eye view of a masterpiece.

That tells if you are a world-class producer (of any art) or no.

A brilliant ad which is centred on the customer –


A video which intrigued me

How MDMA is being used to treat PTSD – As western scientists are opening up to experimental drugs in medicine. MDMA which is commonly known as ecstasy or molly, is a psychoactive drug primarily used for recreational purposes.

But as I follow Tim Ferriss and he’s very active in the support of research with these psychedelic drugs and keeps sharing about it through his blog and newsletter. It made me really curious that if it actually works than how deep the impact it can make on the lives of people living with a disorder like PTSD. It will be a paradigm shift.

This video shows exactly that with example.

P.S.: I don’t recommend any of the psychoactive drugs and this mention is just for research on the impact of MDMA on PTSD patients.


A Magnet scientist who blew my mind – Professor Eric Laithwaite (A British electrical engineer) who is known as the Father of Maglev and pioneer in the development of the linear induction motor and maglev rail system, shows in this 1975 video – how Magnetic Levitation can be achieved.

It was just mind-boggling. Check out the video –


Quote which I found meaningful –

It’s a helluva start, being able to recognise what makes you happy.

— Lucille Ball

Before saying “see you next week”

Here is the latest story from my story series – “Lifestyle Design in Action” which I published last week –

Until Next Saturday!

Thanks for reading.

Himanshu


About Author

I’m Himanshu Sachdeva, a technology professional working in Mumbai, India. I spend most of my spare time making Podcasts, YouTube videos and write on Lifestyle Design and sometimes stories.

Every Saturday, I send out an email newsletter called “Saturday Pentacle”, a list of the cool stuff I explored in the past week, including quotes, photos, books, articles, movies, documentaries and so on!

No spam, ever. Only great stuff.


Saturday-Pentacle // Issue 187 // Week 23 // 2020


What to do Next?

If you are not signed up to my email list, go ahead and do it right now so that you don’t miss any new weekly SATURDAY PENTACLE post and more interesting emails on Lifestyle Design, Productivity and Creative Entrepreneurship. (plus new podcast episode announcements).

Just enter your email address below and click “Subscribe!”

Continue Reading

Saturday-Pentacle // Issue 186 // Week 22 // 2020

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By Himanshu Sachdeva

Hello!

Week 22 has passed by. We are at 41% of the year. I didn’t know I’ll wish a year to pass faster, but here we are.

This year has given us so many surprises already. Mostly the bad ones. But this week is special. After a decade a crew mission to Space is launching from American Soil in an American built Space Craft (which is a first in history). I’m really excited to see this mission progress. (more on this in the second point of the newsletter)

[Next up is my book reading progress, which I’m sharing publicly every week for public accountability so that I reach my goal of 24 books a year this year. If you don’t want to read about the books, skip to the first point from the 5 awesome things below]

Coming to the book reading/listening progress, I moved forward on below books –

  1. Highly Productive Remote Work by Darius Foroux – Finished
  2. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand – 30% done only (Kindle and Audible)
  3. The Sign of the Four” of the Sherlock Holmes series – 80% done (Audible)

No progress on below ones this week –

  1. Becoming a Category of One by Joe Calloway – 20% done only (Audible)
  2. Breaking Smart: Season One: How Software is Eating the World – 60% done (an amazing book recommended by David Perell) (Kindle)

As my goal was to read at least 24 books in the year 2020. So to just summarize and reflect for this year till now, as of writing this newsletter on 30th May I’ve read 5 books completely –

  1. Why We Sleep
  2. Homo Deus
  3. Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Scarlet (Book 1)
  4. Highly Productive Remote Work
  5. Nonviolent Communication

Below are the ones I’m progressing on –

  1. Becoming a Category of One (20%)
  2. Breaking Smart: Season One: How Software is Eating the World (60%)
  3. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand (30%)
  4. Sherlock Holmes: The Sign of the Four (80%)
  5. Truck de India (20%)

Below are the ones in the reading list till Jul 2020 – (have a new book to recommend me? Let me know, in the comments) keeping a few extras than 12 books –

  1. Atomic Habits
  2. Sherlock Holmes: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
  3. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
  4. The Art of Public Speaking by Dale Carnegie

This is the plan until Jul 2020. In mid of Jul 2020, I’ll be selecting the books to start with for the second half of the year. I’m looking forward to that.

That’s it for the personal updates.

Without further adieu, please enjoy this week’s Saturday-Pentacle.


Issue 186 // Week 22 // 2020


A new word or expression I learned from one of the recent books I’m reading (Breaking Smart)

sine qua non – a thing that’s absoultely necessary

Use example – “Grammar is the sine qua non of language teaching and learning.”


A historic event which is happing and has got me excited —

SpaceX and NASA’s manned demo flight to the ISS (2020) – This is a historic moment for the whole world and especially for the US. The US Government space Agency NASA is doing the demo flight of commercial spacecraft of SpaceX with their Astronauts on it. SpaceX is founded by Tesla founder – Elon Musk.

NASA and SpaceX targeted 4:33 p.m. EDT Wednesday, May 27, for the launch of the Demo-2 flight, however, due to the bad weather that didn’t go through and was postponed to 3:22 p.m. EDT Saturday, May 20. (as of writing this newsletter on Saturday morning in 10 a.m. IST)

For the first time in history, NASA astronauts will launch from American soil in a commercially built and operated American crew spacecraft on its way to the International Space Station. The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft is going to carry NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley and will lift off at 3:22 p.m. EDT Saturday on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to dock to the International space station at 10:29 a.m. Sunday, May 31. NASA Television and the agency’s website are going to provide live coverage of the Crew Dragon’s trip to the orbiting laboratory.

I’m really excited to see this mission taking shape in reality. If this mission is successful, this is going to be the start of a new era of Space Exploration. More commercial companies may come into this race and especially SpaceX will move forward to their plans to land their spacecraft on Moon and Mars.

Goodspeed the Dragon.


A video I found useful

How to Set SMART Goals – Becoming productive and effective at the same time is the goal everyone should strive for. Here is a great formula to set and achieve goals. It’s S.M.A.R.T.

This video made me recollect the famous Peter Drucker quote –

What gets measured gets managed.

— Peter Drucker

Music I’m loving —

Innerbloom by RÜFÜS DU SOL – Man! I stumbled upon this song from YouTube Algorithm and this just blew my mind. I could resonate with one of the comments on this video that said –

When I listen to this song it makes me feel like I am an observer of a world completely different from ours.

– YT Comment Citation

I really felt this somewhere in between the song. Like floating above the surface of the earth and watching it from above. It sounds psychedelic but it was more like meditative and healing.


A Quote I found symbolically true from the book I’m (re) reading (The Fountainhead) –

It is not the works, but the belief which is here decisive and determines the order of rank—to employ once more an old religious formula with a new and deeper meaning, it is some fundamental certainty which a noble soul has about itself, something which is not to be sought, is not to be found, and perhaps, also, is not to be lost. The noble soul has reverence for itself.

— Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil.

Until Next Saturday!

Thanks for reading.

Himanshu


About Author

I’m Himanshu Sachdeva, a technology professional working in Mumbai, India. I spend most of my spare time making Podcasts, YouTube videos and write on Lifestyle Design and sometimes stories.

Every Saturday, I send out an email newsletter called “Saturday Pentacle”, a list of the cool stuff I explored in the past week, including quotes, photos, books, articles, movies, documentaries and so on!

No spam, ever. Only great stuff.


Saturday-Pentacle // Issue 186 // Week 22 // 2020


What to do Next?

If you are not signed up to my email list, go ahead and do it right now so that you don’t miss any new weekly SATURDAY PENTACLE post and more interesting emails on Lifestyle Design, Productivity and Creative Entrepreneurship. (plus new podcast episode announcements).

Just enter your email address below and click “Subscribe!”

Continue Reading

Saturday-Pentacle // Issue 185 // Week 21 // 2020

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By Himanshu Sachdeva

Hello!

After a previous couple of hectic weeks, this past week was a little better (except for Monday, Tuesday where the residue work of the previous weeks was being cleared up). I meditated on 4 days last week and stretched as well to calm my mind and body. The previous week, I was almost about to freak out with stress.

I was able to write more this week and finished up a few pending copywriting pieces for my blog and also finished an introduction and editing of the guest post of this past week. You can read it here.

I’m working more to improve my writing and specifically writing online. Because I’ve slowly understood that writing for different platforms is completely different. For example –

  1. For twitter, dense ideas with clear thoughts in fewer lines.
  2. For How to blogs – medium form simple writing with clear bullet forms which are easily consumable.
  3. For an essay or article on a specific subject – Spend your time properly on researching on the idea, it should reflect clarity of thoughts but also the deepest knowledge about the subject.
  4. For a book – fast and imperfect writing in your first draft, and then 2-3 edit iterations.

The most important aspect of improving your writing is sitting daily and churning out words on the screen or paper. Daily! there is no other way. I’m continuing to schedule writing every day.

Coming to the book reading/listening progress, I moved forward on below books –

  1. Highly Productive Remote Work by Darius Foroux – 80% done (Kindle)
  2. Breaking Smart: Season One: How Software is Eating the World – 60% done (an amazing book recommended by David Perell) (Kindle)
  3. The Sign of the Four” of the Sherlock Holmes series – 70% done (Audible)

No progress on below ones this week –

  1. Becoming a Category of One by Joe Calloway – 20% done only (Audible)
  2. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand – 20% done only (Kindle).

That’s it for the personal updates.

Without further adieu, please enjoy this week’s Saturday-Pentacle.


Issue 185 // Week 21 // 2020


An article I found useful

How to rewire your brain to beat procrastination – This is a great article which shares the idea that as humans we are now prone to procrastination more than ever. In the world of information overload when we have to focus on a task, we have 100s of distractions ready at your palm (in the mobile phones).

Procrastination wasn’t there in ancient times. as humans evolved and reached the information age, our mind evolved and the procrastination came to light. But the way it came to be, the same way it can be overcome. Our mind can train itself to overcome procrastination, through the process called Neuroplasticity.

This article shares the definition of Neuroplasticity and how to rewire your brain to beat procrastination with different techniques like S.M.A.R.T. goals and much more.

Great useful read which anyone can start implementing in their lives.


A show I loved —

Upload – This Amazon Studios’s original show – Upload is really good. It shows that in the near future a person’s consciousness can be uploaded into a digital space and they can have a digital afterlife which is dependant on the data plan you take from a service provider. So eventually in your afterlife also your monetary value will define the quality of the place you live in. (that sounds sad and capitalistic).

But the human element in this show and all the CGI wizardry is just astounding.

I totally recommend the season 1 (season 2 is yet to come).

Here is the trailer –


A video I loved

The Toxic World of Self Help – I resonated well with this video. James Jani (The video creator) didn’t say that everything is bad, the way it looks from the title of the video. But he put out quite a good points which one should be aware of.

Here is the summary of the wisdom from this video –

  1. Be aware of fake gurus, which are a million in this digitally social world.
  2. Keep yourself aware of social media and self-help rabbit-hole.
  3. Don’t allow yourself to consume more than you take action on.
  4. Don’t just keep on following the self-help advice like a robot, it’s ok to be human and take time for recovery and healing as well.
  5. Focus on what your task/business needs right now. Ignore the fluff. (Action Faking – that’s a new term I learned from this video)

To learn more on this, check out the video –


Music I’m loving —

Know Your Worth by Khalid – This amazing upbeat song by Khalid kept me going this past week.

Beautiful lyrics and great music. Must listen (on repeat).


Quote which I found meaningful –

Believe in yourself. Under-confidence leads to a self-fulfilling prophecy that you are not good enough for your work.

— Dr Roopleen

Before saying “see you next week”

Here is the second story of my Lifestyle Design in Action – Story Series which I published this past week –

Also posted this photo on Instagram. You can check it out here or go to my Instagram for the whole story and more –

Until Next Saturday!

Thanks for reading.

Himanshu


About Author

I’m Himanshu Sachdeva, a technology professional working in Mumbai, India. I spend most of my spare time making Podcasts, YouTube videos and write on Lifestyle Design and sometimes stories.

Every Saturday, I send out an email newsletter called “Saturday Pentacle”, a list of the cool stuff I explored in the past week, including quotes, photos, books, articles, movies, documentaries and so on!

No spam, ever. Only great stuff.


Saturday-Pentacle // Issue 185 // Week 21 // 2020


What to do Next?

If you are not signed up to my email list, go ahead and do it right now so that you don’t miss any new weekly SATURDAY PENTACLE post and more interesting emails on Lifestyle Design, Productivity and Creative Entrepreneurship. (plus new podcast episode announcements).

Just enter your email address below and click “Subscribe!”

Continue Reading

Saturday-Pentacle // Issue 184 // Week 20 // 2020

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By Himanshu Sachdeva

Hello there!

Last week was quite hectic from the work perspective. Work from home has now become like working double hours because of multiple factors like –

  1. Anyone can call you anytime.
  2. Networks are slow because of overload traffic due to everyone working from home.
  3. Even machines are becoming slow because they are constantly being used 50% more than usual.

Physical and mental exhaustion is taking toll.

So didn’t get much time for the reading this past week, but still i dedicated a half of my Sunday to reading. I also worked on defining my core values (check point one of today’s newsletter), that exercise is still going on. Hopefully I’ll finish it this weekend and most likely will publish a blog post around this topic as well.

Coming to the book progress, I moved forward on below books –

  1. Highly Productive Remote Work by Darius Foroux – 60% done (Kindle)
  2. Breaking Smart: Season One: How Software is Eating the World – 40% done (an amazing book recommended by David Perell) (Kindle)

No progress on below ones this week –

  1. The Sign of the Four” of the Sherlock Holmes series – 40% done only (Audible)
  2. Becoming a Category of One by Joe Calloway – 20% done only (Audible)
  3. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand – 20% done only (Kindle).

Without further adieu, please enjoy this week’s Saturday-Pentacle.


Issue 184 // Week 20 // 2020


A life exercise I’m doing

Defining my Core Values List – As one of my favourite writers – Darius Foroux tells in this essay

Just like a healthy root system is essential for a healthy tree, core values are essential for a healthy life. They define our character and the way we live. Without values, we lack clarity about who we are and what we want in life. 

— Darius Foroux

I think that until we know our values we sort of become a person who either lives without values or adapts other’s values unknowingly. Until we don’t define our core life values we actually don’t know who we are.

So I’m taking some time from past few days and writing down my values and why I resonate with those values.

For example – Curiosity is one of my values – cause I’m natively very curious about things and why they are the way they are.

I’m currently referencing the list shared by Darius. (Essay link above) to think about many other values as well and drilling down to my top 10 values.

I feel if one sticks to their core values, one can build a strong character which resonates with who they actually are.


A page I couldn’t get enough off —

Animals about to drop album photos – This BoredPanda page was hilarious where the staff shared the amazing photos of Animals who look like they are about to drop the hottest music album of the year.

My personal favourites from this page –

#6 The Band With The Twin Guitarists
#7 The Pop Trio Owls

These made my evening in these stressful times and I laughed.


A video I loved

Should You Specialize or Be a Generalist? – Many of us are often in this dilemma that should I be a generalist or develop a specialized skillset. In this video, Tim Ferriss answers this question and his awesome answer resonated with me. He suggests being a Specialized Generalist. New word? Huh!

He also shares that the following three skills are essential to be anything in your life –

  1. Public Speaking
  2. Writing
  3. Negotiating

Check out the video to learn more.


Music I’m loving —

Grace of Silence – In the search of some soothing soulful music, I stumbled upon this Handpan Duo. They are just amazing.

Handpan music is just so much pure and blissful. This duo’s chemistry is just fantastic.


Quote which I found useful to declutter –

Loneliness is when you’re missing people, aloneness is when you’re enjoying yourself.

— Anthony de Mello, author of Awareness

Before saying “see you next week”
Here are a few pictures I posted in the past few days on my Instagram. You can check them out here or go to my Instagram for the whole stories and more –

Until Next Saturday!

Thanks for reading.

Himanshu


About Author

I’m Himanshu Sachdeva, a technology professional working in Mumbai, India. I spend most of my spare time making Podcasts, YouTube videos and write on Lifestyle Design and sometimes stories.

Every Saturday, I send out an email newsletter called “Saturday Pentacle”, a list of the cool stuff I explored in the past week, including quotes, photos, books, articles, movies, documentaries and so on!

No spam, ever. Only great stuff.


Saturday-Pentacle // Issue 184 // Week 20 // 2020


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Saturday-Pentacle // Issue 175 // Week 11 // 2020

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By Himanshu Sachdeva

Hello there!

Hope you are safe and taking precautions to prevent COVID-19 exposure! In the past week, the situation has escalated to another level. Nearly 4000 plus people are dead worldwide and most of the countries are taking extreme caution steps like locking down entire cities.

Even my own office management has asked us to work from home, keeping in mind the situation and the risk associated with travel to the office.

This whole situation made me pause for a while and think about this year. Since the start of 2020, there have been many tragedies until now. Like Kobe Bryant death, Delhi Riots, Australian Bush Fires and now this COVID-19 worldwide spread. All of it sounds like straight out of the book of the apocalypse.

But humankind is always hopeful. I hope we get through this scare as well.

From another perspective, it also seems like a way of earth balancing life. Humans have done too much harm and seem like nature is taking it’s toll now by all these events.

I really wish and want that we humans do better with the environment, the earth and the treat other sentient beings with dignity as well. That seems like the only way to return back to the equilibrium with nature because this is the only pale blue dot we got to live.

I’m personally taking steps to reduce my carbon footprint by reducing plastic in my life, avoiding burning fossil fuel and being mindful of everything I consume and do.

This Corona Virus situation may be a turning point in history when we look back from the future, it may seem like it taught us how nature can give us back what we give to her. It also taught corporates to get better at making people work from home, travelling less, burning less or no fuel for travelling and social distancing.

I’m also making a video on the whole Corona Virus situation which may help people to understand the situation and not panic. Being Alert is the need of the hour and not being anxious.

Last week we had couple of holidays in India. Holi is one of them. The festival of colors. But this time it was not as colourful due to the COVID-19. I also celebrated it along with my family at home only with a small tikka of colour.

Coming on to the book listening progress, I’m at 75% with “The Sign of the Four” book from Sherlock Holmes series and with “Nonviolent Communication” (50% done). Inching closer to the goal. Yay!

This week I also released a different kind of video (with a lot of B-Rolls) – The 90 Mins Morning routine. (Check it out at the end section of this newsletter).

Without further adieu, please enjoy this week’s Saturday-Pentacle.


Issue 175 // Week 11 // 2020


A video I found really useful to learn more about COVID-19

CoronaVirus (COVID-19) – The Basics – Ali Abdaal does a great job explaining about the situation of COVID-19 and what actions to take. Check this out. I’m aiming to create a similar video with keeping in mind Indian situations.


A person I’m curious to know more about (Maybe a podcast episode brewing…Psss) —

Pallavi Jha – She’s the Chairperson and Managing Director of Dale Carnegie Training India. Pallavi has worked with more than 8,000 organizations to date and has equipped countless companies with the skills needed to scale in India’s competitive, dynamic economy.

A powerful personality. Check out this video –


A song I loved —

Kaheen Main Khirki to nahin – Discovered this new song on SoundCloud.

Mehdi Maloof has done an interesting job with this song.

Check it out it’s a little different –


A TedTalk I found interesting –

How technology frames reality – I found this TedTalk accidentally but loved the very different perspective it shared.

How technology is framing reality and how our perception has become a real estate to sell ads. It also shares a web browser plugin prototype which helps shape the digital content and show us how things really are instead of the photoshopped versions.

Check it out –


Quote I’m pondering on lately –

This is the best reason to learn history: not in order to predict the future, but to free yourself of the past and imagine alternative destinies. Of course this is not total freedom – we cannot avoid being shaped by the past. But some freedom is better than none.

Yuval Noah Harari, Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow

Before saying “see you next week”
Here is the video I released in last week – The 90 Mins Morning Routine. This is what I follow currently for a powerful and productive day. Check it out –

Until Next Saturday!

Thanks for reading.

Himanshu


Hey friends, I’m Himanshu, a technology professional working in Mumbai, India. I spend most of my spare time making Podcasts, YouTube videos and write on Lifestyle Design and sometimes stories. Every Saturday, I send out an email newsletter called “Saturday Pentacle”, a list of the cool stuff I explored in the past week, including quotes, photos, books, articles, movies, documentaries and so on!


No spam, ever. Only great stuff.

Saturday-Pentacle // Issue 175 // Week 11 // 2020

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