Austin & Boston Escapades

Hey everyone! It’s been a while since my last newsletter where I recapped my Taiwan trip. Here’s what’s been going on in my world.

Yes, I’m (cautiously) on the bandwagon. AI is pretty cool. It’s nowhere near perfect, and it’s not the best tool to solve every problem. But large language models create an amazing amount of value. I’m finding ChatGPT to be a great assistant to bounce ideas off of when I’m brainstorming. I rarely find something to copy and paste from ChatGPT wholesale, but as a tool for thinking, it’s slowly becoming a more interesting destination.

Having written some prompts, it’s clear to me that more than ever, precise language is important, which is why reading and writing are still such critical skills. I’m watching the space closely (and have been dabbling in development experiments with AI, too).

My birthday was at the end of February, and to celebrate I got together with some great peeps (a few of you were there!) at Zilker Park for a hangout in the sunshine. I’ll be honest, these hangs are one of the reasons I love Austin so much. The whole thing was casual, came together in a matter of a couple of days, and was lively, fun, and beautiful.

Beyond the warm weather in February, the hangout culture and the hangout spots are better than I’ve experienced in any other city. No matter how crowded Zilker seems, there’s always a spot for community and togetherness.

Finally. I got to go back to a Daybreaker! It’s been years since the pandemic shut down this morning sober dance party IRL. It had been a while since I was able to dance my heart out at 7am, next to the rising sun.

And oof, I danced. It was beautiful, and I can’t wait for more Daybreakers in Austin.

After a fun filled weekend visit from my aunt and cousin in Austin, I was whisked away to Boston. I spent some time with family, started fasting with them as Ramadan began, and got to speak to some freshmen at Bentley about what an ever-evolving career looks like. While it sparked some fun conversation, my talk wasn’t as engaging as I wanted, but it was good practice. I hope to put myself in more challenging speaking situations as I continue to grow.

The reason for my visit stemmed from the Litmus all-staff meeting, which happened in Copley. I had an awesome time hanging with my colleagues inside and outside of my department for the better part of 3 days. I had some wonderful conversations, made fun connections, and came back to Austin energized… for the most part.

I pushed myself physically in Boston – staying up late, and fasting through all the events. So when I got home, a head cold hit me with a ton of bricks. But that’s life!

Ramadan is well underway, and we’re more than halfway into the month of fasting. Fasting, reading, and praying in Ramadan is my annual exercise of introspection and self-discipline. Every Ramadan – steeped in mystic and practical growth in equal measure – I feel closer to my purpose.

I’m reminded of my humility as a human being, and I’m reminded of how much I can achieve as a human being.

These 30 days are ones that cleanse, recharge, and reorient. After every Eid-ul-Fitr, the results of this reset resound through the rest of the year, until it comes back again.

On Writing Well ~ William Zinsser

This book is both practical and beautifully written. It sheds light on how language is an art, a continuous craft to build. If you are writing non-fiction regularly, I think you’ll find some gems here.

Mistborn ~ Brandon Sanderson

I’m finally jumping back into fantasy after a long time! I’m re-reading Mistborn as I’m behind on the happenings of the Cosmere, and wanted to jump back into a book I know is so so good. Let the re-reads commence!

Well, that was a bit of a whirlwind letter. I’m stating an intention here to write these more frequently, and with some more depth.

If we haven’t chatted in a while, what’s been going on lately? Send me a message or reply and let me know.

With gratitude,

Saalik