Look. These things are magic. All the flavor of skittles without the gummy jaw tiring workout dental impact.
They’re light. Almost airy. A crackle at the bite l, a crunch, and then they turn to magic sugar dust and coat the inside your mouth with all the flavor and then they vanish down your throat.
They’re like incredibly good pop music you know?
I found them here on FB (don’t ask how, but I explore for things, all the time, because learning about what’s out there is awesome):
OMFG THESE ARE INCREDIBLE. Why aren’t these a thing I can buy at Target?
UPDATE: Apparently, this is a thing. Freeze drying candy. It’s everywhere (notably Etsy, but many places). I’m excited to try more of these out. Wow, what a game changer.
People have been asking me about my home setup for a while. I’m really proud of it. It’s also helped me get healthy. On the average workday since December, I walk about 6 miles (the last few weeks I’ve been pushing 10, even 12.5…all while working.)
When the pandemic hit I lost my office upstairs (Priya needed it for her calls more than I did because of the nature of her work). I needed to create a working environment that gave me the flexibility to move around downstairs (different rooms, lighting, backdrops depending on the nature of the call or interview).
Practically speaking, I needed to be around the kids and be able to get away from the kids in spurts, quickly, as work demanded and their distractions afforded.
I also didn’t want to spend a ton of money.
I quickly found a desk that was perfect. I stand all day. It’s light and slim profile so even when I’m not using it, it can be put in the family room and kind of blend right in. It can adjust from sitting to standing to hybrid and it’s awesome. For $75 on Amazon.
This comes in huge when the kids are home and I have to work. Because I can find space to do both and adapt to them, chsnging full locations to be with them without losing productivity (and my monitor and video setup!)
In the Fall, I found a treadmill for $300 on Amazon. A slim, low profile treadmill but it’s perfect. Because I’m able to roll my desk over to it and hop on whenever I am on a call that doesn’t require me to write or be active typing/creating.
(I found this on sale, there are plenty of slim treadmills for $320)
For $400 I have an ideal setup
One that lets me:
– Sit or stand
– Move to any room or space on our ground floor
– Has two screens comfortably (my laptop and the curved monitor I use- slides easily over our treadmill so I can get on for a walk in seconds
– Has everything plugged into one mounted power strip so all I have to do is plug in one plug and my laptop, monitor, cell, everything is all set and charging.
– Bonus: I have more surface area to hang the art my kids give me
#iamgrateful and #iamthankful for creatively working through this setup and it’s been on fire for about a year now (the treadmill only a few months).
That’s the thing: time exists. We do have more of it than we appreciate. How do you take the time you have and make it more valuable and productive. I’m lucky that my job allows me to explore working more productively this way.
I’ve spent a lot of time the past few weeks thinking through two concepts:
1) Wind at your sails
2) No ripples
Which is why Pixar opening up SparkShorts on Disney+ is so wonderful.
If you’re of East Asian descent, these may bring you to your knees. If you’re Asian, perhaps profound tears. Just to see yourself in this powerful, visual medium is enough. Anyone who connects to their roots as immigrants will feel this.
But the stories … ohhhh the stories.
Anyone will be moved though. It’s just the added layer of thinking about our parents or grandparents as having been loved so much they were both “sent” away and “had” to leave. I’ve seen Wind 2x this morning. I think of my Ba. I think of my Mom. I think of my Dad. I think of so many people.
I also, then think, of my kids. And wonder how I can do a better job being the wind at their sails.
To Disney+.My dad was in that rocket ship when he left India. Then my Dad built that rocket ship for his family (born and married into).
My mom was in that rocket ship. And then she built that rocket ship for her family. Born and married into.And then they did it for us.
I was in that rocket ship. Maybe I’m still flying it. Maybe I don’t realize as powerfully, I need to get to building. That’s the thing.
At some point, our job isn’t to fly our rocket ship anymore. It’s to build them for other people. I want to build more rocket ships. I need to start building rocket ships.
On March 15, 2020, I set a goal of dropping below 175lbs by March 15, 2021. Lower than my wedding weight. And the second lowest weight milestone I’ve had … since 1997.
The last few days I’ve clocked in at 173.6.
The lowest I’ve been since 1997 is 167.
3x
Once going into business school in 2004.
Once going back in the summer of 2005.
And once in 2010, before I took a bit of a step back with 6 surgeries in the last 8 years.
I think one learning is, I’ve got more ahead (already). So when reality becomes something that holds you back, instead of something you work around, you’ve now started making excuses.
Why is my first question.
But how is my favorite.
By starting with how, now here I am. 173.6. I lost 21 lbs since setting that goal at the start of the pandemic
And #iamgrateful and #iamthankful that I celebrated the win directly, took a deep breath, and then changed my goal again for what’s next. 167, here we come.175 felt too far at some points. Now, I never want to go back. But I’ve been here before and fallen quickly. Every time, was my choice.
How do I avoid that happening again?
Happy.
Proud.
Not yet Satisfied.
The pandemic took space from some things while in my case, creating space for other things. (The favorite space I’ve found is in my t shirts by the way.)Side note and other numbers of note: BMI – For the first time since scales reported these things, my BMI is below 25. It’s 24.9. But for the first time since scales have been telling me things, there telling me I’m no longer overweight. 25 is the low end BMI threshold for overweight. I was at 27.9 sometimes higher.
Skeletal Miscle – used to be 42%. Now it’s over 44%. Good increase but the next step is building more muscle which is hard with come constraints I have but still doable.
Body Fat – Was just at or under 20%. Now it’s 16.3%. Almost a 20% reduction with more to come I hope. Can I get under 15? Do I even want to?
Visceral Fat – Was at 6. Now at 4. Lower the better.
I was taking to a loved one recently and couldn’t shake the conversation. This person was taking a lot. Life felt relentless.
I was asked if I’d ever heard of vibration theory and reiki.
I had. Years back. I dated a girl whose family was into it and so, like we do for all people we care for, we immerse ourselves in their interests. I don’t think she knows how much I read actually. That’s a different story.
But the timing of this loved ones place was fascinating for me.Because I remember one principle that stuck with me from exploring vibrations and reiki was this idea of being water, of being a body of water. Accepting all things the world hurls at you.
Each thing makes an impact. A splash. A leaf. A pebble. A Boulder. You can’t stop what’s hurled at you. You can’t stop it from making impact.
But you can stop it from rippling.
It’s been, 14 or so years, since I had that thought.
Since then? Many ripples.
#iamgrateful and #iamtankful for what listening to someone else’s challenges sparked me to recalibrate for myself (while I Shared this with that loved one at the time.)
People talk about ripple effects in so many ways.
Positive.
Butterfly effect.
But we rarely think about our ability to manage them. In some cases to expand them.
But in others, to eliminate them or manage them tightly. To take them all and let them…sink.
Helping make the world a better place is a little harder these days because we can’t repay be there. Physically around and for people.
A few days ago I met a teacher locally who was looking for books to build out a library for her kids. Specifically she wanted to have books that kids could take home. And keep. She said that some kids didn’t have books at all, and well, that’s not the way the world should be
.Books got me through my toughest times as a kid. Books found me at challenging or important moments through adulthood. Books have carried me through the past year (I’ve gone from 1 to 2 to 3+ books a month). So I casually shared with some of our neighbors this weekend about this teacher. And that I was collecting books for her.
And in minutes, I got… all these. And four bags of books.
Got my first dose vaccine today. It was the most structured and efficient healthcare experience I’ve had.
Period.
The volunteers in East Brunswick were kind, helpful, informed.
And present.
Vaccine debates in some cases, are valid. Our history with medical experimentation on certain communities is not a stain that wipes away easily.
For people with that context, we hear you. Vaccine debates that anchor in personal freedoms and misinformation, I struggle with. My understanding of freedom doesn’t start and end with what I can and can’t do, it acknowledges that my freedom must respect everyone else’s as well, and more importantly, is governed by civic responsibility. But above all, this brings me one step closer to the people I love.
Full stop.
And I thank everyone who made it and today possible.
#iamgrateful and #iamthankful for the vaccine. For science and for how fast these came to market as a result of vaccination advancements since H1N1.
We’re one step closer to being closer to our loved ones and loving our loved ones more closely.
Suneet Bhatt 