Tomorrow Never Dies... or does it?!

A recent end-of-year retrospection showed me that as years go by, my activity on this blog here is turning sparser than ever, and so is the site traffic to my posts. This was only expected since people have moved on to alternate content formats - picture sharing on instagram, short format videos on tiktok or reels, and micro-blogs on substack, conversations in the form of podcasts (cringe!) or god forbid, revolting wisdom spewed on LinkedIn. What's more, blogging platforms themselves may be shut down sooner rather than later, as companies are caught between a dwindling audience and increasing costs to keep the tech running. 

While the world may have moved on to shinier new stuff, I find myself in an alien world - where folks don't have the attention span to read or listen to what I have to say. And yet, the written word is something I can't break ties with.  

I have recently found myself with a little too much time on my hands- more than I know what to productively do with. And with so much time, comes introspection and existential questions: 

What am I living for? 

What is the kind of work I want to do in the next decade? 

Do I have to get out of bed? 

and the like. 

In this new, changed and forever evolving world, I am compelled to re-think the purpose this blog serves, to an audience that may or may not exist in the near future. As I read a multitude of blogs on a wide variety of topics over the past few years, I am also inclined to review the format of my writing to suit shorter attention spans and perhaps, "get to the point quick". 

So here's what I would do - 

a. use this blog to write a series of lists: of things I have read, learnt, achieved, failed at, dabbled in and found myself passionate about
b. use bullet points: like I have been doing, teaching and advising others to do at work all these years

c. share my advise and tips to do things better: a la the half-blood prince's potions book crammed with tips and shortcuts, just for life and living

Over the next few posts, I would cover my reading lists for the past 3 years, the list of fountain pens and inks that I had come to collect, and a few of my wishlists. Eventually, I hope to return to long-form commentary about my experiences with career pivots and the chaos associated with navigating life changes. 


Ad Astra, Ad Infinitum!

Manish

04-Jan-2024

Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

We are the roles we play

“All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts….” -Act II, Scene VII, As You Like It, William Shakespeare, We are defined not as a set of characteristics or traits, not as a sealed package by others. Instead, everyone sees us for the discrete, granular roles that we play in their lives. The ‘package’ that we see in our own heads is our own perspective of all the roles we play in the lives of all the people we know. You may be a caring child, a sincere student, a loyal friend, a passionate lover, a dedicated employee, a pleasant boss, a doting father and a responsible citizen: each of these roles call for a set of characteristics and need you to act in a manner that suits the roles you choose to play. Ain't that why someone we hate from the guts is liked by some others, why some fall in love with people that just don’t care, why some people buy goods t
Read more

Exploring the Joy of Fountain Pens: My Beginner Collection

Last year, I fell into this rabbit hole of fountain pens, quite serendipitously. At about the same time, I had changed jobs and found myself between a rock and a hard place. A lot of things transpired between then and now and while my fountain pens and journal kept me company along with cute cats on Instagram, I couldn't find the time or the space in my mind to share my experiences on the interwebs.  But lately, I realized that I was stressing myself out over things I can't control. And while I fixed a few, there have always been new and very demanding challenges popping up. So, what the hell! Here goes nothing.   Join me as I introduce you to my cherished beginner fountain pen collection, showcasing a range of exceptional writing instruments. Among the many choices available, the Pilot Metropolitan was my very excellent entry point. Its combination of sleek design, reliable performance, and affordability makes it a perfect choice for those new to the world of fountain pens.  
Read more

Adiós, señoritas

T hey are leaving. And I doubt if I would see them ever again. Strange is this knot in the heart and the gut. And despite the intensity of feelings and thoughts that would rage inside me, I was hopelessly tongue-tied when in their company. Hell, I couldn't even muster enough courage to say anything beyond a feeble ‘Hi’.  To think that just a year ago, I was unaware of their existence-any of them- happily lost in the quandary of life, like a kid playing in a sandbox. Yet, here I am, writing this piece while I should be sitting by them, pouring my heart out. There are a million things I so want to tell them. Right Now. I even tried going to them. But then I couldn't go even within a few yards of them. I do know that this is my last chance- what I don’t say now will stay buried inside me forever. Perhaps, life had handed me lemons quite a few times before, and the sour taste of those lemonades still lingers inside me. Perhaps, I’m just not brave enough- a coward. Perhaps… Des
Read more