A Quarterly Review
This was prompted by a check on the weighing scale.
I'm 600g from a 100 kg. I'm the heaviest I've ever been now.
Damn.
This is, kinda disappointing?
Sure, I weighed myself after eating and consuming food, but on a dry day, I'm maybe 97.
I'm still fat.
This led me to revisit my 2026 goals.
And to be frank, I'm not that disappointed. Yes, they aren't something I swear myself by, but they act as an effective lighthouse directing me towards the harbour.
Further, to complete maybe 10% of even, is a great achievement.
And it's safe to say, I've done quite a few. Which is great. I'm working on more, but I think that most of what I've managed to do has been a consequence of more external effort than internal, i.e., it's been done to me rather than by me.
The Goa Trip, Singapore, Restoring Slippy. All of them were eventualities that I'd rated as stuff I've done myself.
Yes, my writing and reading have really been improving, but in tangibles, I can't measure much. So I think I'll try to qualify these outcomes/goals into something measurable.
Now, look. I'm not discarding my goals altogether, but calibrating them instead. The lighthouse does guide the ship, yet it is the ship that decides to come to port. And so I, actively pick my battles.
I think I will be committing more to exercising, but I do believe that I must quantify these goals in order to achieve it.
I am lifemaxxing, but there's not a tangible way to measure it.
Reduced screen time, solo dates, there are numerous ways to quantify it. Yet, by leaving it purposefully vague, I fail to help myself.
Goa has wrapped up wonderfully. It was a long-drawn 11hr drive home, but we made it peacefully and cheerfully. I really commend Supra's driving, it's really good! The Benz was enjoying itself, after all it's made to go after miles like these!
Man, I've had so much alcohol. I'd mostly attribute my weight gain to these empty calories. Sacrificing beer, and broadly, liquor will aid a lot.
This trip was fun as I strongly believe I bonded with the family a lot better. Less fights, being more helpful, empathy, I'm proud of the man I'm turning out to be.
After Plum and a lovely essay I found myself reading on the way back, I've realised being a douchebag only helps one so much. But in trying to be empathetic, it really helps.
People want to be heard. Lending an ear to them is akin to comforting their soul. (Note to do more of this to shrish)
Supra did a good thing bringing the digi-cam. We've been able to record so many simple, irrelevant but deeply nice moments that captured the trip best. Recording on a digi-cam feels different. When shot on an IPhone, there's some bit of you that's clicking the picture thinking of the likes on your IG story, or the song you'd play in the background. Yet, with the digi-cam, it feels like you're intentionally making it a memory. I love it.
I might just carry a digi-cam on my biking trips. Sure, the quality is shit, but the effort in pulling the camera out and clicking a picture helps me decide.
People really do need to vacation more, because, it surely eases the soul.
The Goa Trip though has helped me realise something painfully obvious/required. It's so much helpful to treat my parents, and broadly, adults as kids in older bodies when trying to take care of them. A temper tantrum? Of course, a 15 year old version of Ma will throw one on finding out there's no chocolates. Dad missing out on directions? Kids forget. Supra shouting about why we're having lunch? He's just a teenager.
Viewing them all as young adults helps you process your responses far better, even when they're not. For in the attempt of crafting a response for a child, you've already thought of the most concrete, rational answer.
And, in practice, this works great. However, I'd love to try this out a bit more.
Yes, I am a child too, so I know this might fail. But it's surely worth trying if it helps me fight less.
I enjoy family trips. I think I should do more of em.