Why Leadership Isn't Binary: The Flaws in the Founder Mode vs. Manager Mode Debate

The startup world is buzzing these days with discussions about Founder Mode vs. Manager Mode. The gist of the debate? Some say a startup founder should stay in Founder Mode, maintaining control and overseeing every detail of the company. Others advocate for shifting to Manager Mode as the company grows, delegating responsibilities to trusted executives. But here’s the thing—this dichotomy oversimplifies the complexities of running a startup. Founders don’t need to choose between running every aspect of the business and handing off everything to others. It’s not a zero-sum game.

The reality? Leadership in a startup requires vigilance at every stage of growth, with a founder maintaining strategic oversight while empowering their team to execute. This balancing act doesn’t fit neatly into Founder Mode or Manager Mode. Instead, it requires adaptability, a clear understanding of the company’s current growth stage, and the wisdom to know when to be hands-on and when to step back. The notion that sticking to Founder Mode indefinitely will guarantee success is deeply flawed, and it’s time we start encouraging founders to lean into their strengths, hire complementary talent, and embrace the fluid nature of leadership. This is what drives sustainable growth, not rigid adherence to a singular mode of operating.

To put it simply, there is no one-size-fits-all approach for startup leadership. Clinging to rigid definitions of what it means to be in Founder Mode or Manager Mode may cause more harm than good. In fact, the best leaders fluidly switch between modes, adapting to their company’s changing needs as it grows.

Founders Need to Stay Vigilant

The idea that founders should only be involved in the big-picture vision, leaving everything else to their team, ignores a crucial truth: a founder's vigilance is essential to a company’s success, especially in the early and mid-stages of growth. Delegating doesn’t mean abandoning responsibility or becoming detached from the company’s day-to-day realities. Founders need to stay aware, even if they’re not directly managing every detail. That’s because, in a startup, everything can change in an instant. Market conditions shift, product-market fit evolves, and competitors emerge. In these moments, founders need to be informed and ready to make critical decisions.

Being vigilant means staying plugged into the pulse of the company, knowing where the opportunities and challenges lie, and remaining close enough to the action to pivot when necessary. It doesn’t mean micromanaging, but it also doesn’t mean delegating to the point of being unaware. It’s about finding the right balance—tracking the company’s trajectory without drowning in the minutiae.

Delegation Doesn’t Mean Giving Up Leadership

The advice to “hire great people and let them do their jobs” is common in the startup world—and while hiring the right talent is crucial, it doesn’t mean those hires should completely run the show. Founders should empower their teams, but they must also provide the vision, guidance, and oversight necessary to keep the company on track. Delegation should be strategic, with founders ensuring that key decisions align with the company’s long-term goals.

At every stage of growth, founders need to stay involved in critical areas like product development, customer feedback, and company culture. Delegating without maintaining some level of oversight can lead to misalignment, where departments or teams start drifting away from the core mission of the company. The founder’s job isn’t to relinquish control entirely, but to set the direction and ensure that everyone is moving toward the same goal.

Growth Stages Require Different Leadership Approaches

One of the most overlooked aspects of this debate is how the company’s growth stage influences leadership style. A founder’s approach to leadership should evolve as the company scales, but that doesn’t mean they should blindly shift from Founder Mode to Manager Mode just because the company has grown.

In the early stages, Founder Mode is often necessary. Founders must be deeply involved in every facet of the company—whether it’s product development, customer acquisition, or setting up basic processes. Vigilance is crucial because the company is still finding its footing, and decisions need to be made quickly and often with limited data. At this stage, the founder’s hands-on approach can make or break the company’s survival.

As the company enters a phase of rapid growth, the leadership approach should evolve, but not in a way that means stepping back completely. Founders still need to be involved, but in a more strategic capacity. This might mean closely overseeing product innovation, staying in touch with key customers, and ensuring that the company culture remains strong as the team grows. While day-to-day operations can be delegated to trusted leaders, founders should continue to provide the strategic vision and make critical decisions that impact the company’s long-term trajectory.

Once the company matures, a more operational focus may take center stage. However, founders still need to stay engaged, particularly in areas that align with their strengths or where their presence is pivotal. Even in later stages, founders have the ability to inspire teams and ensure that the company doesn’t lose the innovative spark that propelled its initial growth.

Great founders understand that success isn’t about knowing everything or doing everything themselves—it’s about assembling a team that can collectively drive the company forward. Delegating to talented people allows founders to focus on what they do best, while ensuring the company has the operational and tactical expertise needed to scale.

Vigilance vs. Micromanagement

One of the challenges many founders face is knowing how to stay vigilant without crossing the line into micromanagement. Vigilance is about being informed and aware, while micromanagement is about controlling every decision. The latter is not sustainable, especially as the company grows. Founders need to trust their team to execute, but that doesn’t mean they should completely let go of critical areas.

Maintaining a high level of involvement in strategic decisions doesn’t mean tracking every task in a spreadsheet or reviewing every line of code. It means knowing where the company is headed, having a deep understanding of the product and market, and being available to step in when big decisions are on the table. Founders can use tools like dashboards and reports to track progress, but these should serve as supplements to the founder’s involvement, not as replacements for it.

Balance and Adaptability Are Key

The truth is, there’s no magic formula for leadership in a startup. Success doesn’t come from sticking to a rigid framework of Founder Mode or Manager Mode. It comes from the ability to adapt, knowing when to dive into the details and when to focus on the bigger picture. Founders need to strike a balance—being involved enough to steer the company in the right direction while trusting their team to handle execution.

At different stages of growth, the balance shifts. Early on, it’s all hands on deck. As the company scales, delegation becomes essential. But even then, the founder’s role isn’t diminished—it’s transformed. They become the strategic driver, the person who ensures the company is aligned with its vision and mission, and the one who keeps a close eye on the areas that matter most.

Vigilance and Involvement Aren’t Optional

The debate between Founder Mode and Manager Mode misses the point entirely. Founders don’t need to choose between being overly involved or completely hands-off. What matters is remaining vigilant, staying connected to the business’s core, and knowing when and how to delegate without losing sight of the company’s vision.

Ultimately, leadership is about balance. There’s no single mode that works for every founder at every stage. The key is adapting your leadership approach as the company grows, while ensuring that your presence continues to guide the business’s strategic direction. As the founder, your role is irreplaceable, not because you need to manage every task, but because you provide the vision, oversight, and vigilance that keeps the company on course.

Musing on AI: Embracing Emotional Intelligence in Classrooms

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if the computers teaching our future generations could not only impart knowledge but also tune into the students’ emotional wavelengths? Imagine a classroom where AI doesn’t just teach, but understands—reacting not just to the click of answers but to the hesitation, the sighs, and the subtle cues that scream "I’m lost." This isn't just about smarter machines, but about creating a learning space that adapts in real-time to the emotional ebbs and flows of its students.

The Emotional Classroom

Incorporating Artificial Emotional Intelligence (AEI) alongside GenAI in educational settings could transform sterile, static classrooms into dynamic learning environments that respond not only to the intellectual but also to the emotional states of students. This could be a game-changer especially for those who silently struggle, offering them support exactly when they need it—not after the fact.

Why It Matters

Such emotionally intelligent systems could bridge the gap left by global teacher shortages, providing personalized support tailored to the unique challenges faced by each student. This approach doesn’t just fill an educational gap; it offers a potentially groundbreaking shift towards truly personalized education, adapting everything from the pace of content to the method of delivery to suit each student’s mood and learning style.

The Big Question

In an era where we’re concerned about AI taking over jobs, what if the most impactful role AI can adopt is that of an empathetic teacher? An AI that doesn’t just understand the subject matter but also the subtleties of human emotion—turning AI from a tool of efficiency into one of empathy.

This concept of AI as a compassionate educator transcends its role from a mere facilitator of information to a nurturer of young minds. Such AI wouldn't just deliver lectures and grade assignments; it would detect frustration from a student struggling with algebra, recognize boredom in the eyes of a student who needs more challenging material, or offer encouragement to someone hesitant to answer. It would adjust its approach based on real-time emotional feedback, providing a more tailored and supportive educational experience.

The implications of this shift are profound. In a classroom led by emotionally intelligent AI, every student receives attention as if they were the only one in the room. It offers personalized guidance and recognizes when to offer a joke to lighten the mood or a pause when the class seems overwhelmed. This level of attunement could help bridge the gap in educational environments where teacher shortages leave students wanting for attention, or in subjects that are particularly challenging, making education not only more accessible but also more humane.

Moreover, training AI to serve in an emotionally intelligent teaching role could significantly impact how educational content is delivered. It introduces a model where AI and human teachers work hand in hand, using emotional cues to create a dynamic classroom environment that adapts to the needs and feelings of students. This partnership could free up human teachers to engage more deeply in creative and critical teaching aspects, knowing the AI is handling individual emotional support and customization.

Turning AI into a tool of empathy rather than just efficiency doesn't just change the classroom; it has the potential to revolutionize the educational paradigm. It shifts the narrative from fearing AI as a job-stealer to embracing it as a profound collaborator in one of society's most crucial sectors—education.

The Future Is Now

As we edge closer to making emotionally intelligent AI a reality in the classroom, the integration of this technology in education prompts us to rethink not just how we teach, but the profound potential of machines that can understand and respond to human feelings. It’s not solely about making robots smarter; it’s about making education more humane and responsive. This is no longer the realm of science fiction, but a glimpse into a future where technology and human emotion collaborate to enhance learning on a deeply personal level.

But as we navigate this promising frontier, a crucial question arises: What if we could achieve this technological and emotional synergy while also being mindful of our energy consumption? This concern is particularly pertinent given the significant energy demands of training and running sophisticated AI systems. Could we develop AI that not only empathizes but does so efficiently, minimizing its environmental footprint?

Addressing this question requires us to innovate not just in AI’s cognitive and emotional capabilities but also in its design and operation. The goal would be to create AI systems that are not only emotionally intelligent but also energy-efficient. This could involve optimizing algorithms to reduce computational overhead, utilizing low-power hardware, or integrating AI systems with renewable energy sources. Such advancements could ensure that as we harness AI to personalize and deepen learning, we also preserve our resources.

Moreover, the pursuit of energy-efficient AI in education could set a precedent for other sectors, showcasing how cutting-edge technology can be both emotionally responsive and environmentally responsible. This dual focus could lead to a new era of technology development, characterized by innovations that offer societal benefits without compromising mother earth’s health.

The Psychological Impact of Whoop on Fitness and Wellness Decisions

As a regular Whoop user, I've woven this fitness and wellness technology seamlessly into the fabric of my daily life. Its advanced algorithms and compelling data presentation have not only enlightened me about my body's performance and recovery needs but have also significantly shaped my approach to health and fitness routines. This deep integration has led me to a point of reliance on Whoop, making it an indispensable part of my daily rituals. Such dependency prompts me to ponder a compelling question: To what extent do Whoop's insights, particularly the recovery percentages, affect our self-perception and influence our actions towards maintaining fitness and wellness?

The Influence of Numbers

Whoop provides a plethora of data, including the much-discussed recovery percentage, which gauges how ready your body is to perform each day based on your sleep, strain, and recovery. This number can be a powerful motivator or a discouraging deterrent. When the recovery percentage is high, you might feel invincible, pushing harder in your workouts and tackling your day with enthusiasm. Conversely, a low recovery score might lead you to scale back your activities, sometimes even when you physically feel capable of more.

The Mental Game

The psychological impact of seeing these numbers cannot be understated. There's a significant difference between listening to your body's natural cues and being influenced by a digitized recovery score. Would you have skipped that morning run if your recovery percentage hadn't been so low? Would you have pushed for a new PR if you hadn't seen that high recovery score? It's essential to question whether we are becoming too reliant on technology to tell us how we feel, potentially disconnecting us from our intuition and innate understanding of our physical and mental states.

Integration vs. Dependence

The fine line between integration and dependence when it comes to fitness and wellness technologies like Whoop is pivotal for its success and the user's wellbeing. Integration implies that Whoop becomes a harmonious part of one's lifestyle, enhancing decision-making and offering insights without becoming a crutch. On the other hand, dependence occurs when users feel incapable of making wellness decisions without consulting their device. Achieving integration without fostering dependence is essential for maintaining a healthy relationship with technology.

The core argument for integration without dependence hinges on the concept of empowerment versus enslavement. Whoop, with its sophisticated data analytics, is designed to empower users with knowledge about their bodies, sleep patterns, recovery needs, and workout effectiveness. This empowerment enables users to make informed decisions about their fitness routines, sleep habits, and overall wellness. However, when reliance on Whoop transitions into dependence, it risks becoming an enslavement. The technology should serve as a tool for enhancement, not a tether that users feel they cannot make decisions without.

Integrating Whoop into one's life effectively means adopting a holistic approach to wellness, where technology complements but does not overshadow personal intuition and self-awareness. Users should be encouraged to listen to their bodies, using Whoop's data as one of many tools in their wellness toolkit. This perspective ensures that users remain engaged with their physical and mental wellbeing in a multifaceted way, reducing the risk of dependence on a single source of information.

Beyond the Numbers: Listening to Your Body

The true test of Whoop's impact lies in our ability to use it as a guide rather than a dictator of our daily routines. While the data provided is invaluable, it's crucial to remember the importance of listening to our bodies. Technology can inform and enhance our understanding, but it should not override the subtle signals our bodies send us. Needless to say the balance between data-driven insights and intuitive self-awareness is delicate but necessary.

Now What?

As we navigate the intersection of technology and wellness, the journey with Whoop underscores a broader conversation about the role of fitness technology in our lives. It's not just about the numbers or the data; it's about how we integrate this information into our understanding of wellness, respecting both the science and the soul of our fitness journeys. By questioning the impact of recovery percentages and other metrics, we invite a healthier dialogue about the role of technology in fitness—a dialogue that recognizes the power of data without undermining the invaluable knowledge we carry within us.

Chasing the Northern Lights

In my latest adventure, I found myself drawn to the mesmerizing allure of the Northern Lights. With a brief opportunity to travel in December, I embraced the chance to chase the northern lights. The excitement was palpable as I booked my flights and accommodations, my heart buoyed by the anticipation of witnessing this natural wonder.

Having braved the chilly climes of Everest Base Camp in an October, I felt somewhat prepared for the cold. However, as I delved deeper into the specifics of Icelandic weather, a tinge of nervousness crept in. To ease my concerns, I found myself immersed in research, typing queries like "How to pack for Iceland in December" into Google. Despite having an arsenal of cold weather gear, I decided to augment my collection with a few additional items, ensuring I was fully prepared for the Icelandic winter. After all, they always say there is no bad weather, just bad clothes ( Or something like that ).

The wealth of information I gathered from various websites was invaluable, and in the spirit of the generous online community, I am eager to share my experiences and insights. My hope is to pay forward the guidance I received, contributing to the collective wisdom for future travelers embarking on similar ventures.

What I packed for Iceland in December:

I realized the importance of keeping my feet and hands consistently warm during the trip. Although I already owned snow boots and an assortment of gloves and layers, I decided to invest in additional ones for extra assurance.

• Boots: My primary focus was on finding insulated, waterproof boots capable of providing comfort in temperatures as low as -2 degrees. After some searching, I finally found the perfect pair. During the journey, my feet were never cold! They are bulkier than I had anticipated, and going 0.5 size bigger was completely unnecessary and made the shoes not as comfortable. Something I could fix by wearing two pairs of socks.

• Hand Warmers: I knew I couldn’t survive any cold weather without them. Now, take what I say with a grain of salt, as my hands are often cold and these were the one item I wished I had with me during my EBC trip. I purchased these, and they helped throughout. On the bright side, I also end up giving several of these to people I met along the way and they were appreciative.

• Gloves: I took many pairs of gloves: A pair of leather gloves, My Gortex skiing gloves - Which I knew were not as warm as I would like them to be, A pair of cashmere gloves. The most useful ones for me where the cashmere gloves, and I ended up buying these in Iceland which were even more useful. I definitely recommend a pair of mittens over anything else.

• Jackets: Just like any other san franciscan, I own a closet of puffy jackets. I took a JOTT down jacket with me, a puffy jacket I had from Aritzia, and my ski jacket from Helly Hansen. I used the JOTT jacket as one layer, and depending on the day, I wore the Aritzia or Helly Hansen on top. Often I had to dress to be warm or dry. Ideally one jacket would’ve been ideal for both; however, I found my Aritzia jacket not waterproof enough and my HH jacket not warm enough. This worked out just fine.

• Hats: Several beanies are highly recommended.

• Base layer: For base layer, I opted for merino wool thermals and it all worked out perfectly.

  • This basic shirt worked wonders - I recommend it in several colors

  • Same brand as the shirt, the base layer bottoms were amazing.

• Wool Socks: I also got extra wool socks - In addition to these I took my skiing wool socks with me as well.

• Tripod: Probably my best purchase. This portable tripod was my companion on my solo trip. This tripod proved to be as sturdy and reliable as any other I've used, accompanying me to various locations, including majestic waterfalls. However, on the nights I ventured out to chase the Northern Lights, the extreme wind conditions made it challenging to use, and it was similarly less effective during my ice cave explorations. While the remote clicker occasionally faltered, overall, the tripod was a fantastic buy,enabling me to take pictures of myself in this journey without having to ask others :)

• Crampons: These were a useful addition to my gear, proving their worth several times during the trip. They were particularly essential for safely hiking across the icy and snowy terrains that I encountered in various locations.

What I wish I had packed:

• Cold Medicine: Neglecting to pack cold medicine turned out to be a bit of an oversight for me. When I fell ill in Iceland, I made my way to a local pharmacy, only to discover that they didn't stock medications quite like Nyquil or Dayquil. While there were various sprays and other remedies available, I couldn't find the specific type of over-the-counter medication I was accustomed to.

The art of layering:

The art of layering played a pivotal role in my comfort and adaptability to Iceland's unpredictable weather. Yes, it will be snowing one minute, the next you have rain or just clear skies and this repeats. Each day, I meticulously assembled my attire to combat the cold. This routine started with my base layer bottoms, a foundational piece for warmth, topped with my dependable ski pants. For my upper body, I began with a base layer top, an essential component for retaining body heat, and then added a down jacket over it and followed with either the Aritzia jacket or the HH jacket on top. This combination of layers was not only effective in keeping me warm but also offered the flexibility to adjust to changing temperatures and activities throughout the day. I also had several bandana face masks I used throughout.

As I conclude my Icelandic odyssey, I look back on an experience that was as transformative as it was magical. It was a journey into the heart of nature's most spectacular display. Any initial concerns about the cold dissipated, and the adventure unfolded just as I had envisioned.

As I share these insights and tips, I hope they serve as a guide and inspiration for others who dream of embarking on such an adventure. Iceland, with its ethereal Northern Lights, challenging weather, and stark landscapes, is a reminder of the raw beauty and unpredictability of nature, and the joy found in embracing both with an open heart and a well-packed suitcase :)

The illusion of time

Something in cutting through the lines to write freely

Something in sipping on my wine, to unwind willingly

Something in sorrows and pain, and thus in happiness and gain

It’s called life, this play of our mind, a display of courageous wild

It’s called pain, this word of ours, love

beauty, beast, family, God! It’s called the array of light

We shall go on and on, in this world of ours, till death do us apart.

Fun Times...

We've all had those days... The kind of days that nothing goes according to the plan and you find yourself sitting ( or standing ) wondering where did you go wrong?! Well.. My co-worker and I had one of those days. Not related to the products that we are working on, but rather life in general! To free up our mind and soul, we came up with a great idea! To draw triangles and write some of our favorite sayings in them! To be fair, the triangles were my idea! There's something about triangles I find very fascinating! In fact, they are my favorite geometric shape! 

Here's what we came up with :

#prayfortehran

Most days, I hold a very optimistic view of humanity and our world. Today, however, I'm feeling uncertain. I expected hashtags like #prayfortehran or #prayforiran to dominate Twitter today, but they didn't—and that's okay. What surprised me, though, was the actual trending hashtag: #RHONY. If you're unsure what that means, like I was, it stands for Real Housewives of New York.

#prayfortehran #togetherstronger

Nevo Home

“I’m an engineer.” That’s what I say when most people ask me “what do you do?” Other times, I say “I build products.”   
Over the past couple of years, I’ve been busy building products. It’s been an amazing journey during which I’ve had some of the best in the industry as my companions.  Despite different disciplines or areas of focus we all share the same passion for building great products, the kind that makes an impact on everyday lives of people. Typically great journeys involve a clear vision and many challenges along the way =)   Like any other journey worth telling, mine was not short of challenges. Being enabled and free of the redtape , we’ve always been able to play with and take advantage of new technology, pivot when needed and push forward with massive force without the typical limitations. Most difficult part of it all? Bringing art into technology, making the best user experience… Making It simple despite the complicated innovated technology underneath. 
Though the journey is far from over, we’ve delivered products that I’m proud of. The newest one being Nevo Home. We believe that discovering and interacting with devices and their content within the home should be easy, intuitive, and fun! With that in mind, we built Nevo Home. Launch the app, let the discovery begin and voila! All your devices and the apps they support are presented in a single interface. Want to launch Netflix? No problem – just click on the Netflix icon. The journey has just begun…. 
While we continue to develop new features and look to push the boundaries in our industry, designing and building the best user experience to present our technology remains a center piece of it all. 

Reading Books

After awhile of not reading books, I picked up a book from a friend’s library. As is the case with most things I do in life, once I start there’s no stopping till I finish. It was only natural for me to finish 300 pages in one setting. As I was reading through the pages, there were small notes written on the side of different paragraphs by the original owner of the book. It was interesting, as if you see the world from another person’s perspective and live in his/her shoes as they read the book and got caught up in nostalgia.. People should exchange books more often =) 

Aware

“We cannot change what we are not aware of, and once we are aware, we cannot help but change.”

— Sheryl Sandberg

War of currents! Building real products… Edison vs Tesla

There’s been a never ending debate on the greatness of the two.  Tesla, being the futuristic, visionary of the two, while Edison, being the more practical, business minded. 

One capable of true disruptive innovations, way ahead of the time, with little traction; while the other, with a more practical approach, solving problems at hand, building/buying product(s) that leave a huge impact in the intermediate future; capable of producing a revenue stream. 

As I ponder on the components that go into building great products, the kind of products that leave a lasting impact, disrupt the industry, and are vehicles of change.. I can't help but think of these two innovators. Finding the sweet spot between the two approaches; between the two kinds of brilliance. 

The need to normalize ratings

This weekend I used Yelp and Google Reviews to find a coffeeshop in an unfamiliar town. Both yelp and Google had great ratings of this place and once I arrived, it was obvious that my experience would be very different.  This is when the conversations about having a need for a scaling algorithm in ratings once agains surfaced up.

The ability to take an account’s persona into consideration and weighting the account's ratings accordingly [ Expectations would be a huge factor ]. One can argue that this can be done in two phases:

Phase one would be a categorization of ratings. Rather than an overall rating, it would be one category for food and one for service and one overall.

Phase two would be the normalization of these ratings.  The normalization algorithm could take many factors: Where the person grew up, user's age , education,  previous reviews, etc… 

Reviews and ratings are two different matters here. Reviews are subjective by nature and should stay that way. The desire is to normalize and standardize the rating system. 

Oracle vs. Google

Oracle vs. Google once again is about to get some much needed media attention as the second trial is about to start. I feel passionately about this case. As I believe, and many others agree with me, that APIs should not be subject to copyright. The [wrong] ruling on this case can change the way we develop technology. This is one of those never-ending cases that if gone wrong can truly hinder innovation and create a chain of find your case to make your case events that does not stop at APIs. We shall see...

Faith In Humanity

Walked towards the cashier to pay for my items at the mall. There was a lady sobbing and there were people gathering around her. Before I knew it, the lady starts running towards a little boy, hugging him, kissing him, and crying none-stop. At this time people had started to spread out and I had reached the line to pay. I looked around and there were strangers tearing up and touched by the event. The lady in front of me kept on looking back at the mom with the lost child and tried hard to withhold her tears… She even made small talk with me about the event. Simple occurrence, but a reminder to have faith in the good nature of humans.. Despite all that’s going on in the world.  As Gandhi said:  "You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty."

Enjoying The Journey

Running is not my favorite activity. It never has been. I wasn’t what they call a natural runner; however, it’s rare for me to say ‘no’ to a challenge, so when my co-worker asked me “Do you want to run a half-marathon with me?” I replied yes without thinking twice about it!

The training began. We met every day at 5:00 AM and ran the streets, rain or shine we were running. There were days I hated it, there were days I tolerated it, and there were days I would ask myself ‘why am I doing this?’

The day before the race, I picked up my package in a rush from the expo center and was anxious to get the run over with. The race day arrived and although my coworker and I had this vision of passing the finish line together with our hands up in the air pointing to each other, we ended up finishing at very different times and struggling to find each other.  As I was running along the coast in Long Beach, I tried to enjoy the beauty. I tried to not think about the next 13 miles that I still had left and I tried desperately to stop calculating my pace. It got tough and I started wishing it was over already.  I saw strangers cheering me on, handing me water, and as I saw the finish line, I started sprinting as fast as I could. I could hear people shouting and screaming: ‘Finish Strong’, ‘You’ve got this’, ‘you go girl’ … then came that moment…  When I crossed the finish line and the gratification!

With a desire to feel that way again, I signed up for another half-marathon, this time I got my friends to sign up with me. It was different. I now knew without a doubt in my mind that mind controls body, that it’s all about pushing boundaries and trying things despite being uncomfortable.  This time, the streets and trails had become my friends. I started enjoying the journey. I felt like a street stroller and every now and then I would stop and take a picture.  With injuries and new struggles, it wasn’t always fun, but I learned to endure and enjoy the pain. I had learned how to enjoy the journey.

The energy at the expo before the race sucked me in so much so that not only did I sign up for another race, but also convinced my friends to sign up with me.  Running each race with more determination, self-awareness, and the goal of being better than myself at the last race. It felt good to run! It felt natural to run and I would identify myself as a ‘runner’ at times. 

I haven’t done a race nor have I had a desire to do so since Feb of 2014. I was at a running event this weekend, a friend mentioned how similar running is to life, and once again I was reminded of the journey I took with running. She is right. Life is very much so like running. When you start, waiting patiently and anxiously for the start bell, staring at the road in front of you, how well you do depends on how prepared you are, but regardless of your readiness, the road is there for you to step on and the finish line for you to pass. It gets tough along the way, but you push through, as is such in life, you don’t give up. You give it your best and finish. You set your own limits and boundaries and your only competition is you.  To get to that moment when you cross the finish line and absorb all the joy, you have to go through the struggles. Every run is different and so are the struggles along the way, but the key is learning how to enjoy the journey, acknowledging the struggles, the beauty in all of them, and the messages they have hidden in them. 

H.R.2666

Net-Neutrality.. Open Internet..  When I first got familiar with the term, it was simple to understand, and I had formed an opinion about it in minutes.  Then came all the attempts and different rules and regulations and soon it became a case of Prop 8, where I often found myself having to dig into the details and question my own opinion on the matter.

Couple of years ago, the subject became big. It was now the topic of casual hangouts with friends.  FCC’s lack of clear guidelines on the topic was a common conversation starter. They got over 3.5 million comments and even made news due to their servers crashing!

Fast forward to this day and age, with an on-going law-suite ruling that’s expected soon, just when I thought this battle was almost over, came along H.R.2666.  Yet another bill that’s confusing! At a glance, can't really form an opinion fast, and then you dig deep, or simply do a google search on the topic, and find the devil that’s in the details. Of course, Obama has already said that this would never become the law under his administration…

2666! The numbering could’ve not been more appropriate ! I find it very amusing  =) 

Power Of Questions

"If I’ve learned nothing else, I’ve learned this: a question is a powerful thing, a mighty use of words. Questions elicit answers in their likeness. Answers mirror the questions they rise, or fall, to meet. So while a simple question can be precisely what’s needed to drive to the heart of the matter, it’s hard to meet a simplistic question with anything but a simplistic answer. It’s hard to transcend a combative question. But it’s hard to resist a generous question. We all have it in us to formulate questions that invite honesty, dignity, and revelation. There is something redemptive and life-giving about asking better questions."

- Krista Tippett

Provision 158

Provision 158 is ... ( Don't have the right word for it yet) We should really be raising a whole generation of American children to despise any discrimination. They could be required to stomp on a flag that represents discrimination of other nations when they go to school every day.  And we can make them chant "death to discrimination! " too.  Then they can grow up and be radically opposed to any discrimination based on where people are from.

Joking aside,and sarcasm put in check this is pretty darn shitty! Against the foundation on which this great country of ours was built! 

Getting Intimate with Project Fi

The thought was intriguing.  Project Fi! Being able to switch between networks seamlessly, no contracts involved and backed by Google!  All sounds great.. Naturally so, being a fangal of Google's, I jumped on the bandwagon. Not having full trust in this new service, I decided to not transfer my everyday phone number.

So let’s start from the beginning….

The good:

1)    Amazing customer service

2)    Everything can be done online and all the questions can be answered via their chat option, they made it as easy as it can possibly be made

3)    Very pleasant experience setting up

4)    Transitioning between networks is truly seamless. Tested this by transitioning from my home WiFi network to the cellular network (driving away) and it was as seamless as it can be. One wouldn’t even notice or know the difference unless you know what you are looking for

The not so good:

1)    My google voice number[ Which I’ve had for years ] was not eligible to be transferred and be used as my new Project Fi number, so I got a new number, which in doing so deprecated my old number

2)    No option for picking specific numbers

3)    Only option for call forwarding is it ringing on simultaneous phones at the same time

4)    Horrible cell coverage! I think this is expected as the partners are T-Mobile and Sprint. To be fair, my point of comparison is Verizon (which I’ve used for years now )

5)    Not all features of google voice are available on Project Fi : https://support.google.com/fi/answer/6159953?hl=en&ref_topic=4596407

Conclusion:

Conflicted at first. The service is really bad in comparison to my Verizon service. Being on a grandfathered unlimited data plan with Verizon without being tied to a contract has been sweet; however, Verizon's recent move of increasing the price for this plan has really made me look at other options. It's about the principle more than anything else!  So in short, yes I will transfer my number to Project Fi

Abandoned

No filter.. Broken Bike..