Agam and I lived our childhood fantasies today. I ate noodles from the box and he ate ice cream from the pint. As kids when we watched Friends and imagined what life would be in the US – we imagined that. Eating out of boxes! Go figure!

Reason for this indulgence – well I had a back to back day and I also got a spot bonus recently and I felt like eating Indo-Chinese. And as for Agam, he loves ice cream and he eats way too much of it. Literally no one else in the house eats that. Tara and I are cool – we eat popsicles. Boring Daddy.

India has become an open mortuary. It’s sad, ghory and scary. I hope and wish health and wellness for all the people. If there is one wish I can ask for tonight – is to somehow survive this deadly wave. It is so disheartening to read the news and see the images. I don’t believe in miracles, but I do believe in positive vibes. And that’s all I can give.

Today I hosted a female author at our all-hands. The idea came to my mind during December vacations and it took that long to pan out. The topic was pertinent. And the speaker was quite amazing. I love candor. And she was all things candor. She reminded me of why I wanted to work at Google in the first place. She has quite a story of her own, and there are a few parallels in our stories. Just that I don’t intend to go as far as she went in her career. But I sure hope I someday write another book. Something more than just a collection of poems. Believe in yourself, Shivam. I bet the world needs more of you, and from you 😝

I am suppose to be studying for a self inflicted challenge and I am getting practically no time to do it. I don’t want to be a slob. So weekend is going to be a quiet one.

We were in a team meeting when I broke down behind the scene. I was listening to someone and I could feel their sense of grit and pain. I don’t know their story. But I know that feeling. That feeling of I am too young to have gone through all of that. It’s a very very haunting feeling. It also makes you impatient towards the idiocies of the people, and their behaviors. I know that feeling, and that frustration. And I don’t see it enough in people. And when I see it, I cannot un-see it. We get connected in a strange way. Just like I can connect in a strange way with people who know the emptiness of losing a parent. We are kins of sorts. We know something the others don’t. We value people in a way, others can’t.

I’m rambling and crying and I don’t know why. Perhaps my way of expressing my grief for Col Suharu’s wife who will be cremated today, in the absence of her husband who is Covid+ve. She lost her breathe to Covid yesterday. The news has jolted my in-laws who cherished her friendship for so many years. May her soul Rest In Peace.