I’m positive

I don’t like sharing my health update over here too much, but these days are not ordinary.

Last 5 days, I took 4 tests. The first two of the rapid test( Wednesday, Thursday) and I got negative. Later on, I took another one (Friday) and got the results today morning, and I’m Covid positive. Then, I did another test today morning(Sunday), and I’m positive again.

Rapid testing is very important, especially if you have symptoms. I feel much better today than last 2 days. I hope everyone is doing alright. Stay safe

Year ending

2021 is going to end in a week. You still have time to start a new habit or project. No need to wait until 2022.

Years are just numbers. You still have one week to go next year.

3 Covid Test

Since LA trip, I have been lying in my bed last three days.

I have a terrible sore throat and a high fever at night (that comes and goes). I thought I got Covid, but there is no rapid Covid test at home. I went to multiple CVS/Walgreens, and they are all out of stock. So, I had to drive up the only spot with same-day results, which is 20 miles away from me. I got negative with all results.

Walk-in for Urgent Cares/Primary Cares are fully booked till next Monday ( Xmas & Holiday Season + Omicron wave). I had a virtual visit with my doctor finally today via phone call. I shared what was going on with me, and she prescribed me antibiotics. (You can’t buy antibiotics like other over the counter pills at CVS/Walgreens)

Sounds like an I have very “fun” holiday season is going on. Stay safe guys

Rejected!

They looked at your application and rejected you!

But they didn’t reject you. They rejected your application.

They rejected your pitch. They rejected your outreach

They didn’t reject you. Because they don’t know you. They don’t know your business.

They only reject that piece of paper or email you sent.

We forget

We forget what’s our old normal.

When we get sick and runny nose/little bit of fever. Old normal- we can take some cold&flu pills and rest a little bit. Then, we are good to go!

New normal-we automatically think, “Am I covid positive? Let me take a rapid test, or Should I self-isolate myself? “

Our responses are changed by Covid. But, we forget that we can all get sick, and it can have nothing to do with COVID.

Wrong info

I got up at 4:30am to take a 6:05am flight from SF to LA to find what “Am I wrong or right?” on something I was working on.

I didn’t need to take this flight to learn what I was trying to do.

All I had to give a direct call to place I went to today.

Or, Google It!

It’s all good.

Now, I have that knowledge, and I gained with my “hard work.”

And if you are curious, Am I right or wrong?

I was right. No need to come LA

PrinciplesYou by Ray Dalio

I was listening to Ray Dalio’s conversation with Tyler Cowen today morning. Ray talked about how Bridgewater works. Ray created a unique way to run the world’s leading investment firm with principles. I am especially interested in the PrinciplesYou project by Ray. That is basically the test you answered a bunch of questions and understand yourself, others and help others understand you.

“I think that most bosses don’t know anything about psychometrics, and I would encourage them to learn about psychometrics. Psychometrics are a means by which asking a bunch of questions, and so on, helps to measure how somebody thinks about things. It’s common sense — if we ask a bunch of questions, we can learn what your profile is.

Online, for free, I put out our version that I worked with three great psychometricians to produce, and people can experience it for themselves. It’s called PrinciplesYou. Go online — it takes about a half-hour to do — and see how well it describes how you think, what your preferences are. There’s a cool thing that allows you to have somebody else do the same, and you could put it in, and you could see how it describes your relationship, based on how you think.Ray Dalio- Conversation with Taylor

If you don’t listen to me, listen, Ray. I already did the test, and I can say they are 95% accurate. I wish I knew them before reacting with others and facing the problems.

Note: You can invite family and friends to take the test to get insights into how you relate

Question Solved!

Recently, I’m buying a bunch of books whenever a question appears in my mind.

I google the question and find the related content. An article or Youtube clip about the topic is a great start. But the books are definitely awesome sources to discover other side questions & answers.

E-books are a godsend. In a couple of seconds, you get what you are looking for instead of waiting a couple of days shipment.

Please be patient- Student Driver

Every time I see this car bumper sticker in front of me, I remember my early days of learning how to drive a car in Turkey. I “learned” driving a car, 1994 Model Renault Spring (stick-shift) in 2005.

Renault R 9 1.4 Spring 1994 Model
I think If you can drive this car, you can drive anything that has wheels:)

Yes, we have tolerance for student drivers. However, we don’t have for: “new mom, founder, husband, dad, immigrant, friend, team member, a neighbor, boyfriend, etc.

Maybe we should carry some stickers to stick our jackets and remind others/ourselves “Please be patient- Student ……”

Open Borders

Open Borders by Bryan Caplan is another great book I read this year. Game changer for me.

Why?

I got a huge confidence boost after reading the book. I had to chance to learn & remind myself why immigrants are so important to U.S/ other countries.

For an obvious reason, when you say immigrant in the bay area, you automatically think “tech founder from overseas who came to the bay to raise capital or scale the company.” But, that group of people is such a tiny number out of the entire immigrant community. I learned a ton of the history of US/world immigration & science and ethics of immigration.

Also, the book is a nonfiction comic book that did an excellent job of breaking down such a complex/complicated issue in a very digestible way.

That’s why I want to give this book a gift to my readers. Please send me an email, if you wish to read this book.