Instead of a traditional bio, I want this page to be a (perhaps rotating) short list of a few of my current core values and principles, especially the ones that are informing my writing and the intentions behind it..
Structure & Creativity
- I’ve always felt a strong pull towards both quantitative and creative pursuits; the times in my life I’ve felt most aligned and fulfilled is when I’ve been using both sides of my brain: analyzing, intellectualizing, building mental structures and mental models that are logically sound while simultaneously imagining, creating, and expressing myself through art (usually writing). I initially started writing to quench the thirst for creativity I developed while I was studying applied mathematics & mechanical engineering, where my imagination was being crushed under the weight of seemingly infinite technical courses (and no electives in sight). Writing was an oasis for me. A way to keep my creative apetite at bay while I absorbed my technical pursuits with more vigour and mental agility than when I was not being creative.
Less small talk
- I love conversation. It is one of the most pure and potent forms of joy for me. I adore learning about other people, getting their perspective on things. Intellectual discourse is like the richest, most luxurious, glorious dessert to me. And small talk is the opposite. Mental junk food. Empty calories. While there is a time and a place for it, I like to limit small talk as much as I possibly can. I want to know you. Like really know you. And to get to know you, we need to have more to talk about than the weather :). My writing serves this purpose, in part. If you’re here, you already know a little bit more about me. This helps me get to know you more quickly, as well! I already know you’re willing to stare at a very simple, not at all aesthetically appealing black and white site just to check out what I might have to say. Awesome. We have a starting point. I now might even have some questions to ask you, and perhaps you do as well! Herein lies the beauty of sharing more of ourselves online.. it opens up an entirely new world of friends and relationships which already have more substance and context than plenty of the people I’ll meet in person this week – and it all starts with you being here and reading this. So, welcome :) let me know who you are, so we can connect! Say hi
Learning in public
- The writings I share on this humble, simple little site are usually just a reflection of me synthesizing my thoughts, learnings, and experiences as I go through life. My hope is that they can be helpful to someone else, or crystallize a thought that one of my dear readers might be tip toeing around as well. I am not an expert, and I often change my mind and update my mental software. I like to keep up as much of my old writing as I can, as I think it is fun to return to, and is also often shockingly reflective of my current learnings, which seem to repeat themselves, disguised as new lessons emerging in every season of life. I am always amazed at how many lessons in life repeat themselves over and over, acting as subtle reminders for me to continue writing and integrating the learnings I write about into my life.
Writing
- Writing has always been a forcing function for me to reflect and stay in touch with myself. The most vivid, present, and heightened times in my life are those when I was writing consistently and absorbing the world around me. I literally remember the moments from those periods in my life better, when I was being active (instead of passive) in my observations about life and my environment. It really is the small things that make the difference. Paying attention to the sights, the smells, the people I was meeting, the thoughts I was having, the information I was consuming. It’s all made more… alive, when I write. The most dull, blurry, and beige times in my life are the ones that I let my writing habit fall off and was passively going through life, failing to internalize all the beauty and significance around me. My hope is that this humble library of thoughts will serve as a vehicle to drive my writing habit forward and always remind me to keep writing. It’s simply the easiest way to keep my life colourful.