Wildflowers are beautiful even in the toughest conditions, when they're free to bloom wherever they choose Poppies growing in the wheat fields of Northamptonshire by @Jim Howard-Birt 🐦📸: Photos

Maybe the messiness is just part of what makes these efforts real

It’s been a few weeks of working day and night to finish something and I sent an early working piece to a few people within the trusted circle this week. In my mind I was expecting the worst and told myself any response is great, as it will help me polish up and roll out better. But little did I expect the feedback to turn out to be “ So far I am loving it, it totally resonates” and another on offering a consulting gig and a full time job in D.C. That’s a lot to think about but it was a pleasant surprise. I think when you are so used to bad news over and over, nice things like this shocks the living hell out of me. I might probably get the rest of the feedback on a negative scale who knows lol, but it’s been a nice day and I am gonna enjoy it. On a different note - this boy has been so sick the past month. He has chronic kidney disease and his toxin level got too high. I’ve added extra kidney probiotics (kidney meds are not cheap!) and increased his fish oil dosage. He’s also taking spirulina, chia seeds, folic acid, and daily massages to help with muscle cramps. I think I can pursue a career as a dog masseuse now! But on a brighter side, I noticed he wasn't a fan of red rice (maybe too high in phosphorus) so I switched back to low-starch white rice, and he's finally feeling much better. His diet includes chicken, liver, pork, sardines fish (fresh not canned), and raw carrots for snacks. At some point I have to mentally prepare myself to administer his subcut IV. The vet will teach on how to do it so that I can do it at home daily. He hasn’t reached that stage but eventually he will. The last time one of my previous dogs had a blood transfusion, I actually passed out at the vet! so this is definitely going to be an interesting experience. But you do what you gotta do for love ❤️ I hope everyone is doing ok. To devs, don’t be too mad at users! We love and appreciate you guys ❤️

My naivety is in believing in the law. These are rules made by the ruling class and if the rules doesn't suit them, it is changed accordingly - Julian Assange https://www.youtube.com/live/Mq85IZMeigc

To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else, means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting. —E.E. Cummings

Occasionally, disruptive technologies emerge : innovations that result in worse product performance, at least in the near-term. Ironically, in each of the instances studied in this book, it was disruptive technology that precipitated the leading firms’ failure. From ‘The Innovator’s Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail’ by Clayton M. Christensen

I was going through my dad's library over the weekend and found a collection of Grolier Encyclopedias - business edition (along with a full Britannica set we’ve managed to preserve). I’ve never read this collection prior, and rather amazed that even after 30 years of it being written, so much info remains relevant in business practices, team building, and self growth. One volume I liked was called ‘Managing Yourself’ - I’ll share some bits from it : Engage someone based on what motivates them , not based on what motivates you 3 common factors that motivates people : - to achieve something - to feel a sense of belonging - to influence An example shared - A man wanted to go skiing to gain a sense of achievement. He convinced his wife, who valued belonging, by framing it as family time. His children, motivated by influence, were persuaded by letting them shape the trip. Everyone was happy, it was a win for all. Drivers are what drives you to your goal. It can be based on your need for speed, perfection, approval, effort and strength. People have factors that motivates (internal) and drives them (external). Understanding this leads to a more effective engagement. Engaging people based on what works for them reminded me of this book - The 5 Love Languages' by Gary Chapman. The lesson was simple but beautiful - love someone the way they want to be loved, not the way you think they should be loved (and vice versa) Some other things I liked from this Grolier volume on Managing Yourself : - Don’t tell people to change. You can’t make them. Just ask them to do things differently and be open to their efforts. - Sharing how you feel is hard for many but it prevents emotional build-up and stops you from bursting out. - How you behave is a direct reflection of how you feel. - Passivity can lead to self-pity, low self-esteem, and being taken advantage of, letting yourself become a “doormat” . Passive people may seem “nicer” but can be just as irritating in the long run. - 50% of any situation is within your control. Focus on what you can manage—by yourself, for yourself.

Maxwell's equations have had a greater impact on human history than any ten presidents. - Carl Sagan

love her, but leave her wild  - Atticus

I’ve been bootstrapping a project while juggling countless challenges - ngl I long for peace of mind and often wonder wtf am i doing. But over the weekend, I visited my friend's parents. My friend is heavily pregnant and abroad, her mom recently had a tumor removed, and her dad is recovering from knee replacement surgery. One of my project’s use cases is to help the elderly. On top of that, I haven't had much sleep this week as my 12-year-old dog with CKD stage 3 had stomach issues—another use case is for pet owners like me. And while the journey has been a struggle, it's these little reminders in life that reminds us of why we do what we do in wanting to make the world a better place. So if you are at a crossroad wondering wtf you are doing, or trying to figure out the value you bring to this world, look into how people who need it will benefit from it - and it will be these little things that keeps one going.

Agreed

this is true, I am a curious chaos

search function is a highly underestimated feature

My favourite part of a book is the book dedication. While the book drives the main content, there’s that hidden layer of intimacy that goes behind the scene - those who stood by and trusted when it was just blank-pages, when ideas were raw and unshaped, patient while the job gets done, and there to celebrate when it's a wrap. There's so much story to tell from a book, but it's that personal journey that happens behind the scenes that I find to be incredibly sweet and telling.

Meet Miles Cooper (named by my nephews after some spiderman guy or some superheroes). This one belongs to my sister and he is so adorable. Only 2 months and he is already 7kg, and sooo cute!