Weekly Notes 41/2025

The first half of the week was hectic. I am taking a week off from work (Wed to Wed), so the work week was busy as I tried to close as many loops as possible. The idea is to spend time with family in Thrissur; otherwise, Uma has holidays and gets to enjoy them, leaving me feeling left out.

Also, travel a bit in Kerala. Anju and I have not spent time traveling in Kerala. Even though we come at least twice a year and spend months here, we never get out. We are planning to change that.

• Occasionally, I send a ton of postcards to friends and readers from around the world. If you like to receive a postcard, you can leave your details here.
• A friend of ours has started Kutty Jetty, an online D2C store for toddler clothes. They are very pretty and comfortable. I wish I could buy some for myself. Anyway, I got one for Uma.
• My parents weren’t scientists, but they did instill a scientific temper in me. One doesn’t have to be a scientist to wonder and question, or to teach others to do the same.
• I have been eating healthy. I have not entirely cut down on snacks or treats. I do eat them, but it’s well managed. I have reduced from 63 to 61KG. The goal is to be just under 60, which is the ideal weight. Finally gave in and got a protein shaker bottle from Hacker Athletics. It’s made of stainless steel with a powder coating and has a screw or twist-off lid. It has everything I wanted. It’s yet to arrive. I will let you know if it’s as good as it’s advertised.
• Just a reminder to everyone here: I am slowly transitioning my messaging to XMPP. It’s thej@chat.thejeshgn.com. Hopefully, in the next three to four years (it does take time), I can move entirely to XMPP.
• I am not sure if I have shared this page about coffee meetups. I do try to meet folks (readers and others) when we happen to be in the same city. Usually, someone emails me or I email them to initiate when this occurs. I thought it made sense to make the rules of engagement public.
• For the first time, I heard Kuvempu refer to himself not as a Hindu, but as Vishwa Manava (Universal Man) in an Akashavaani interview extract. I listened to it multiple times to ensure I understood what he meant. Then I took some time to transcribe it for the larger audience. He thinks Hinduism can grow only by getting rid of the caste and varna system, which is what Ambedkar (though more radical) also spoke about in his undelivered speech in 1936, Annihilation of Caste. In which he suggests that there is no Hindu religion without the Varna/Caste system, and hence annihilation of the caste system is actually getting rid of the Hindu religion. Unfortunately for Hinduism in India, it couldn’t get rid of the caste and varna system in any sense, even decades after Independence, and lost Ambedkar to Buddhism (October 14, 1956). And his declaration (October 13, 1935), “I will not die as a person who calls himself a Hindu”, came true.
• I plan to try out new cafes in Thrissur this time. I tried La’CUOCO this week. They have good coffee and food. Added them to OSM as well.
• Subscribed to  Andrew Doran’s Weekly Notes and Paul Watson’s Notebook.