Category: Idea

Announcing 1000 x 1000

So, I had some time to kill in the morning today – I was early for a meeting (to avoid traffic). And while I was whiling away time at a Starbucks, I got reading. And somehow, I stumbled onto this post by one of my favorite twitter users – Visa. 

And I was like, Fuck! I want to do this as well. Of course, it would take commitment and I need to think it through and all that but it would be super cool if I did. No? I don’t know if I would have time to do it or not. What about making an announcement and not doing it? What about all the other promises that I have made to people and haven’t delivered on those? Where would I get the ideas from? Did I not try this multiple times in the past? What about SoG? What about other things that you were working on? Etc etc.
THF FUCK SAURABH!
Since when you got into this analysis-paralysis? STFU! Do it! 
Yeah yeah. 
Here I am! 
Announcing that I would! 
So, I will publish 1000 posts of at least 1000 words each over the next few years. 
Each post will talk about a thing that I am curious about, a thing that I think needs to be shared widely, a thing that I have an opinion on, a thing that I believe that everyone ought to learn. And more! The idea is 1000 essays of 1000 words. 
And why would I do?

  • Well, the “O faaaaaak” went in my head when I read about it
  • Plus this is something that I can easily do over the next whatever number of years I have left. Plus I have things to say. And a lot of those at that. And this project looks like a great idea to blurt those out. Visa calls these vomits. I’d say thought streams.
  • To be able to write these articles, I will have to read, research, think, talk, ponder, make mistakes and more. Each thing will help me grow as a person. Each thing will help me develop something new! 
  • Plus the articles can open more doors for me – serendipity you know. 
And that, ladies and gents, is the big thing for the day. Help me with it, will you? 
*** 

PS: Last night I was talking to a friend about the creative process that artists follow when they create their work. She brought up the Oscars acceptance speech by the director of Parasite and how he mentioned something like creative work is personal. And my friend wanted to know how do I choose things that I work on. Since this is the most recent thing that I am getting excited by, I can try and list the process. 


Here it is. 


I ask myself a few questions. If the answers are overwhelming yes, I do it! Here are the questions… 

  • Does the idea make me go “O faaaak”? O Faaak is my way of saying that the idea is so brilliant, so amazing that eyes have popped out from the socket and all that! 
  • Is it something that I can humanly do? For example, while I may want to play sports at the professional level, at the age of 37, can I do it? No. But can I write 1000 articles of 1000 words each? YES, I CAN! 
  • Is it something that would teach me something new?
  • Will it get me more opportunities? 
  • Will I be as excited about the idea in 5 years? I often overlook this question but I must use it more often. For this project, I don’t think I will be excited about it unless I see some validation/rewards with it. May be a book? I don’t know. 
If I get more than three yeses, I do it. Or else I often don’t. 

That’s it, Princess 🙂 

The Stories from Mumbai

This idea has been swirling at the back of my head for some months now. I finally found time to write it down! Here it is! 


Background

On a recent trip to Helsinki (in Aug 18), I saw this book – People Make The City. On their website, they say its a book “full of stories from the capital’s creative makers and doers. An insiders’ guide for experiencing the local way of life.”

And then, on another recent trip to Amsterdam (Oct 18), I saw a similar book. I cant recall the name right now but the idea was same. A collection of stories, ideas, thoughts, photos, places etc that a local at Amsterdam would want to share with other locals.

Both these books were fascinating and had stories that I could never find on a tripadvisor or a Lonely Planet! 

And it got me thinking, that we need a similar book for various cities in India. If not all the cities, then for Mumbai, Goa, Bangalore, Jaipur, Agra and Delhi for sure. Thats where most travellers and tourists land up. And the book would do well as a guide, as a companion, as a souvenir, heck as a collection of postcards! 
The idea
So, what if we compile and curate a collection of stories from the city of Mumbai (to start with) and make those available in shape of a book? 
If not anything else, the book will be a conversation starter. 
The book will showcase our city, in a way the city has to be experienced. 
The book is an opportunity to connect with the locals.
The book is a great piece or art to have in your home!
Its a great gift to someone new.
Its the perfect take-away for people new to the city.
In one line, the book will help build a community! 
How is it different from those hundreds of blogs, websites, books and magazines? 
It is not. Those blogs probably do a better job! 
The book is not meant to make commercial sense. I dont want to make money with it. 
This is a book that I wish to do because I want to experience the cities like the locals. I want to walk down the Marine Drive with one of the locals and listen to her stories of the city. I want to sit at an Irani Cafe and hear the owner reminisce about a time that is gone. I want to be at Shivaji Park and see those hundreds of kids hoping to score hundreds of runs for India. I want to live the life of the hustlers of Versova and experience the agony and the anguish and the ecstasy that they go through as they find their way in Bollywood and someday inspire the very same emotions in their audience. And more. So many more!
In one line, this book is for me! 
I want to listen to the stories. 
And I want to share these stories with whoever wishes to listen.
That’s it! 
Nothing more. 
Nothing less. 
Oh, and no. I dont intend to make money with this. If there are any monetary gains, I pledge to donate those to institutions that work towards making the city a better place. 
Ok. How would you go about it? 
For starters, I need access to following “types” of people… 
A. People who’d want to tell stories of their love for the city.
Because without the stories, there is nothing. 
B. People who can enable the book (writers, designers, photographers, printers etc). 
Because once I have the stories, I need to bind them into a book! 
C. People who may want to read this book. 
But since I am assuming that I am the only reader! So this is sorted 🙂 
I know its a tough one. Who would want to write for no expectation of any money? Heck, I dont want to engage anyone if I cant pay them. After all the book is being written for me! And with the kind of money I have, how do I enable this? I dont know. But I will find a way. 
What all stories do I want to include?
For the time being, for the Mumbai edition, I am looking for people that love the city of Mumbai. And like the cliche goes, the city must run in their blood. Simple. 
The stories must inspire me. 
The stories must make me jealous of their relationship with the city! 
They may or may not live here. 
They may or may not have a story with a twisted arc. 
They just need to have a perspective that is worth spending time on.
In fact as I write this, I can think of a few people that fit the bill. 
There is this lady on twitter. The posts that she makes about the city of Mumbai, I want to somehow become friends with her and implore her to tell me of what goes into her head when she’s taking those pics or writing those words. 
There is this person I know who was head of marketing with one of the leading companies in the country and then he quit to start a walking-tours company in Mumbai. 
And then there is this junior from college who runs a chain of hostels in Mumbai and Jodhpur! 
Apart from these three, I am sure I can get access to scores of people who’d have unique stories to share, unique experiences that a traveller ought to seep in! I just need to find them and get them to help me. 
Help me showcase the great city of Mumbai to the ones that are new! Please! 
Finally,
What do you think of the idea? 
Would you want to read a book like this? 
Who all do you think I should approach to work on this book? 
How can the book be designed? 
What structure could I give to the book? 
What could the book be called? I suck at naming things! 
Or, is the idea shitty and have been done to death? 
I need to get a life? 
Whatever. But please do tell me. Comments are open. And I am at Saurabh.
Thank You!