Half Life Show

DescriptionHave you found yourself surprised when you were laid off from your company? Or have that nagging feeling you might lose your job when the economy takes a turn for the worse?In this short episode, Vikram breaks down his 2-year framework for staying prepared, honing your skills, staying sharp and being ever prepared for your next gig or interview. With the proper mindset, you will notice when your job stops providing you value or realize how you can elevate yourself to the best version of you. Avoid walking in the footsteps of others and stay on the path of true success and personal fulfillment.Chapters00:00 Intro00:57 Story of the Thanksgiving Turkey01:57 Layoffs in tech companies04:15 The near layoff experience05:29 Average employment tenure06:39 The 2-year employment framework 08:53 Going beyond your job description09:57 Read textbooks10:51 Ask questions to learn11:20 Keep a work journal12:15 OutroLet's Get Social TwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsite

DescriptionIn part part of this two-part series on rebooting health, Subbu and Vikram talk about the importance of diet and nutrition for health, and share their methods for keeping calories under check, getting enough protein, foods to absolutely avoid, how to get back on track when our diets fall off the wagon, and how to deal with challenges and temptations that arise regarding foods in our day to day lives.LinksSubbu's diet and nutrition spreadsheetOpen Food Facts Chapters00:00 Intro04:30 Setting diet and nutrition goals10:10 Designing a practical diet you can follow16:41 Learning intuitive eating20:14 Protein, fat and fiber34:50 Reasons to use a nutrition spreadsheet39:00 Cutting sugar intake41:15 Falling off the bandwagon43:20 Enjoying cuisines47:20 Supplementation52:40 OutroLet's Get Social TwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsite

DescriptionIn part one of this two-part series on rebooting health, Vikram and Subu talk about the importance of consistent exercise as we age, describe tools and frameworks that they use to get started on exercise especially strength training, and ways to develop consistency. They talk about workout programs that work, and those that do not, and why, how different programs are suited to different people, and how to design a 21-day workout challenge for yourself.LinksBowTiedOx - Your guide to baseline optimizationPeter Attia - OutliveFitbod.me - App for workoutsChapters00:00 Introduction04:35 Getting started with exercise09:56 Frameworks for being consistent21:11 Designing a 21 day challenge25:47 Walks are under appreciated as exercise28:33 Why strength training is essential31:57 Starting strength training: The buddy system39:55 Starting strength training: Join a 1hr strength session43:32 Starting strength training: Fitbod app45:10 Starting strength: Other considerations48:21 ConclusionLet's Get Social TwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsite

DescriptionIn this episode Subu and Vikram distill down ideas from the book Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman. They discuss better ways to organize your productivity and time, and the importance of not getting distracted and spending your attention wisely.LinksAmazon book link Vik’s book notesAn interactive book summary5 ways to create timeChapters0:00 Introduction2:24 Productivity13:45 Time25:32 Attention35:10 The Middle PathLet's Get SocialTwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsiteLet's Get Social TwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsite

DescriptionInspired by the Cortex Podcast, this episode is about why new year resolutions don’t work and a better approach to setting your intent for the new year. Subu and Vikram reflect on how 2022 was and talk about their yearly theme for 2023. LinksLast year’s yearly themes episode Cortex Podcast - Our inspiration for Yearly ThemesAlan Watts Lecture on Taoism Wu Wei Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver BurkemanFitbod App for Resistance TrainingChapters0:00 The Concept of Yearly Themes5:14 Subu's Yearly Theme15:10 Vikram's Yearly Theme22:51 Core Principle: Restrict25:23 Core Principle: Focus29:37 Core Principle: Minimize30:45 Core Principle: OptimizeLet's Get SocialTwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsiteLet's Get Social TwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsite

In this episode Subu and Vikram talk to Priyanka Shetty, an actor, director and playwright who left her secure software engineering job to pursue a life of acting and theater performance. Her latest touring play is the Elephant in the Room, which was recently premiered in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, and is a solo performance, a one woman show, which is a tale of a search for identity with deeply embedded Indian roots, and finding context and common ground in America. We hear tales from Priyanka show on the road, the things that go wrong, and how the show must go on no matter what. We also go back in time to discuss how exactly Priyanka transition from software into a life she always dreamed about as an actor. We talk about how to deal with criticism constructively, and the power that words have in people's lives. And how inspiration takes many forms. It takes a lot of courage to pursue our dreams. And we are always in awe of people who do, especially when they do it for the love of art.LinksPriyanka's websiteSupporting Priyanka's work Edinburgh Fringe FestivalWacken Open Air FestivalGojira BandRaghu Dixit ProjectBlack Earth BandChokher Bali by Rabindranath TagoreChapters0:00 Art, Music and Theater with Priyanka Shetty1:33 The show must go on10:49 Being in the moment16:12 The Elephant in the Room, #Charlottesville and The Wall29:33 Theater Trends, Heavy Metal Music and Society37:32 Education for a Career in Theater46:53 Appetite for Art in India49:07 Priyanka's path to a Theater Career55:48 Taking Criticism Constructively1:02:50 Being inspirational to others1:06:02 For the love of the craft1:15:41 Ways to support Theater as an art form1:23:50 OutroLet's Get SocialTwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsiteLet's Get Social TwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsite

In this episode, Subu and Vikram talk to Dr. Harish Vedantham, a radio astronomer and professor at the University of Groningen, about the exciting world of research in exoplanets - or planets in solar systems other than our own, possibility of alien life, building radio telescopes on the moon, the James Webb space telescope and fast radio bursts from the universe. They discuss what it is like to be in an astronomers shoes, places they go, and what the teaching and research life feels like. While we are but a grain of sand in the vast universe, they ponder the meaning of life, and how it ultimately lies within.LinksEpisode TranscriptFast Radio Bursts (Wikipedia)Discovery of Cosmic Microwave Background RadiationMathematical Probability of Alien Life - The Drake equationMurchison Widefield Array in Western AustraliaDr. Harish Vedantham's websiteChapters0:00 Introduction1:07 Importance of Good Teachers8:33 The workings of Radio Astronomy14:38 Mysteries of the Universe20:33 Discovering Exoplanets and Alien Life30:26 James Webb Space Telescope36:23 We are all Stardust41:16 The need for Fundamental Research47:01 A Telescope on the Moon56:01 Are we alone in the Universe?59:46 Cool Tales from a Life in Astronomy1:08:49 A Day in the Life of a Radio Astronomer 1:14:29 Research styles across continents1:20:33 Views on the education system1:26:40 Advice to young people1:37:18 Prof. Vedantham's Book Recommendations1:43:58 The Meaning of LifeLet's Get SocialTwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsiteLet's Get Social TwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsite

DescriptionIn this edition, Dr. Sidharth Mohan, a biophysicist and an expert in protein biochemistry, heavy metal drummer and indie music promoter,  talks about the fundamental building blocks of life, the wonders and secrets that Mother Nature won’t reveal to us, and the implications of learning those secrets on the future of humanity. He talks about drug discovery and how the entire scientific community came together as one to develop and deliver Covid-19 vaccines to the world. Subu and Vikram also talk about his personal journey, his inspirations and influences which got him to where he is today. Dr. Sidharth Mohan is on Instagram at @sidmogramLinksFull episode transcriptLevinthal's Paradox: Youtube, BlogProtein Folding at HomeWhat's the Scene, India - Instagram, FacebookChapters0:00 Discovering New Drugs with Dr. Sidharth Mohan4:01 Protein folding and Levinthal's paradox22:53 Experimenting with Protein Folding31:00 How drugs work34:46 Developing new drugs46:02 A primer in molecular biology: DNA, RNA and Vaccines56:49 Solving the COVID crisis1:01:30 Tools used in drug discovery1:07:25 PCR: Polymerase Chain Reaction1:19:37 SidMo's personal jouney into science1:32:36 Inspiring figures in SidMo's life1:45:01 Music, Drumming and WTS2:03:33 OutroLet's Get SocialTwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsiteLet's Get Social TwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsite

DescriptionIn this episode, Vikram and Subu explain the meaning of first principles, it's meaning in philosophy and science, and explore what it means to break things down into their basic constituent forms, and how that can accelerate learning. Drawing from a variety of examples from cooking, music and invention, they analyze how to think like the experts and how to become one in a field of one's choosing.LinksFirst principles and scientific theoriesForty Second BoydJames Clear on First principles thinkingThe VARK questionnaireSalt, Fat, Acid, HeatInvention of the wheeled suitcase3blue1brown YouTube channelNeural networksEssence of calculusWordle using Information Theory #1Wordle using Information Theory #2Chapters00:00 Intro 05:40 First Principles Defined 09:52 Ockham's Razor 14:07 Reasoning by Analogy 18:59 First Principles in Industry 21:42 Invention of the Wheeled Suitcase 24:00  Deconstruct, then reconstruct for deeper learning 34:10 Elon Musk and SpaceX 38:58 VARK Learning Model 43:31 Applying first principles learning Let's Get SocialTwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsiteLet's Get Social TwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsite

In this episode, Subu and Vikram discuss what a successful career means, and what it takes to achieve it in various stages of one's career, with examples from Tech CEOs to Navy Admirals. They also discuss important career decisions such as: Should you job hop? How to negotiate salary? Is remote work good for career?LinksSo good, they can't ignore you - Cal NewportTrue Learning is done with AgencyAdmiral Hyman RickoverDoing a Job: The Management Philosophy of Admiral Hyman RickoverChapters00:00 The 3 Pillars of Career Success 08:55 Timelines of Very Successful People 17:45 Early Career Moves 30:04 Mid Career Moves 38:34 Late Career Moves 43:18 Should you hop jobs? 46:35 Should you negotiate pay? And How? 51:33 Is Remote-Work good for your career long-term? 55:13 Outro Let's Get SocialTwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsiteLet's Get Social TwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsite

Vikram and Subu explore ways to expand the time available in a persons life as a whole, and discuss the principles of Ikigai and incremental work to discover the purpose of life and avoid burnout.LinksIkigaiThe Ikigai DiagramThe Nothingness of Money by Lawrence YeoThe Clock Man by Shel SilversteinChapters 00:00 Pastries, Popcorn and Teeth 04:57 Time: The one true resource 11:57 Making Time and Ikigai 17:59 Controlling thoughts about money in your life 23:41 Trading money for time 27:15 Habits, discipline and incremental work 29:53 Viewing time as a form of currency 36:45 The Clock Man and Dharma 40:41 Outro Let's Get SocialTwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsiteLet's Get Social TwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsite

Sampath Krishna takes Subu and Vikram on a story-telling trip to the Arctic and back, describing his encounters on the way, and explains what it means to take on a motorcycle ride of massive proportions. Always a traveler, and never a tourist - Sampath talks about the solitude of long rides, the journey into the inner self, and about exploration and discovery - in foreign lands, or within oneself.Chapters 00:00 Intro and Follow-up from The Giving Tree 03:41 Motorcycle ride to the Arctic Ocean 08:04 Avenging the last journey to the Arctic 11:59 Being rescued and de-risking the ride 15:50 How Sampath got into Motorcyle rides 20:15 Planning vs Overplanning Travel 26:15 Long way round, Long way down 31:07 What is Vipassana, how does it work? 34:49 Role of Silence in Vipassana 39:23 Meditation and Influence on the Self 41:52 Managing conditioned responses44:05 Retaining realization of the Self 50:12 Finding the balance 56:34 Wrap up LinksFull TranscriptHoratio's Drive: America's First Road TripEwan McGregor and Charley Boorman on their Bike AdventuresLong Way UpLong Way RoundLong Way DownAdventure RiderHorizons UnlimitedVipassana Meditation17 minutes of  meditationBullet JournalLet's Get SocialTwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsiteLet's Get Social TwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsite

Half life show's first book club episode! Subu and Vikram go back to the basics and talk about a timeless children's classic - The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, and all the lessons we can learn from it at any age.Chapters00:20  Follow up 04:07  The Story of The Giving Tree11:18  Unconditional Love and Materialism 17:00  Finding Contentment and Happiness 21:36  The bright side of life 26:18  Outro LinksFull TranscriptThe bookThe Giving Tree read by Shel Silverstein himselfLet's Get SocialTwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsiteLet's Get Social TwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsite

Subu and Vikram look back at how 2021 went, create new strategies for maximizing 2022, discuss what really grinds their gears and list out the good and bad.Chapters00:00 Date System Nerd Out 05:31 Positives and Negatives of 2021 10:07 New Ideas for 2022 20:43 A Year of Focus 33:21 Books and Audiobooks 45:16 Podcasts 48:57 TV Shows 51:28 Outro LinksEpisode TranscriptOnepod.fm - Subu’s podcast transcription and search softwareAudiobooksPierce Brown - Red Rising SagaAndy Weir - The MartianGeorge R. R. Martin - Game of ThronesRoy Dotrice - most number of character voices in an audiobook (224)Carl Sagan - CosmosCarl Sagan - ContactRichard Feynman - Surely You’re Joking Mr. FeynmanBooks - FictionMarcus Zusak - The book thiefStephen King - The Dark Tower seriesKen FollettThe Pillars of the EarthThe Evening and the MorningBooks - Non-fictionDevdutt Pattanaik - JayaEdwin F. Bryant - The Yoga Sutras of PatanjaliRobert Lustig - MetabolicalDr. Peter Attila - An Advantaged Metabolic StatePodcastsCortex Podcast All-in podcastThe unmade podcastLex Friedman podcastElon MuskKevin SystromVincent RacanielloThe Huberman LabPerfecting sleep with Dr. MatLet's Get Social TwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsite

In this episode, Vikram and Subu discuss work-life balance using the analogy of four light bulbs. Vikram presents a holistic approach to defining the four light bulbs, and Subu describes how managing expectations and priorities within constraints has reduced anxiety and increased health and happiness. Chapters00:00 Movie Nostalgia02:25 The Four Light Bulbs Concept06:48 Subu's four lightbulbs09:00 Vikram's four lightbulbs16:30 Calibrating your lightbulbs23:00 Prioritizing whats important27:09 The end of immortality31:02 Renewed focus on health35:20 Desired form of happiness37:25 OutroLinksHello Internet - Four Light Bulbs episodeFour thousand weeks: Time management for mortals - Oliver BurkemanLet's Get SocialTwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsiteLet's Get Social TwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsite

How do you start a new project and make it successful? Vikram and Subu discuss starting the Half Life Show, and how they navigated challenges as first-time podcasters. They also share their experiences with technical blogging and open source programming, while identifying their past mistakes, finding strategies to beat inertia, and brainstorming ideas to sustain and grow a new project into something successful.Links1000 True FansBlack Earth - Subu's and Vikram's previous projectSubu's Technical BlogScikit-RF - FOSS project that Vikram contributed toTrevor Noah's Book - Born a CrimeChapters00:03 Kissing the Rug02:21 Narcissistic Creations06:10 Starting a Podcast11:15 1000 True Fans13:46 Having a Consistent Workflow19:27 Beating Inertia24:37 Hidden Benefits of New Projects28:59 Sustaining and Growing Projects35:18 OutroLet's Get SocialTwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsiteLet's Get Social TwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsite

Ever wondered what language you think in, or why you prefer subtitles in foreign films and anime? From Dostoevsky to Camus, what did we lose in book translations? Do you find yourself using multiple languages in the same sentence and will your children speak all the languages you do?In this episode, Subu and Vikram explore the power of language in the emotions they convey, how we perceive them, and how it connects us to our past and the stories almost forgotten.LinksTranscriptChapters00:00 Still uncashed cheques01:52 Snacks, done and dusted04:05 How's your sex drive?07:45 How Language affects Perception12:34 Lost in Translation15:35 What's the Good Word?19:54 Reconnecting with our past27:13 Talking to our polyglot families31:42 The value of social interaction36:47 Reliving Lost Stories42:54 OutroLet's Get SocialTwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsiteLet's Get Social TwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsite

Should you be a helicopter parent and what are the signs of a good parent? Children are not playing enough! Are you expecting too much out of your school? Expensive school districts in US, how has COVID affected education? What are the  four planes of child development? Effects of early education in children, how teachers shape the future of kids, and modern education in India. In this episode, Vikram and Subu discuss the education choices they face as parents, reflect on their own experiences, and imagine a new and bright future.LinksTranscriptThe four planes of development in the Montessori method of educationThe school Vikram and Subu studied atVikram's secondary high school (11th and 12th Grade) - The Eton of the EastNational Cadet Corps (India)Topographic mapGreenwood High, one of the new schoolsChapters03:42 Getting kids to the Ivory Tower08:23 Manufacturing Graduates10:41 Difficult Parenting Decisions14:20 Lets be good parents22:15 4 Planes of Child Development25:59 The Lost Decade of Education33:07 Good teachers shape futures36:26 Getting bang for the education buck40:31 Modern education in India43:04 Post-Covid Education47:41 OutroLet's Get SocialTwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsiteLet's Get Social TwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsite

Subu and Vikram discuss the role of luck in science, career and their own livesLinksEpisode TranscriptSurely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!The accidental discovery of viagraThe Unfair AdvantageBounce, Matthew SyedChapters00:00 Intro00:34 Wasabi and Babies03:33 Did Feynman get Lucky?08:30 Vikram's own aha moment11:37 Purposeful Practice and Unfair Advantage15:10 Getting lucky with Viagra17:26 Good Friends and Lucky Failures27:30 Cringey Metaphors30:00 How Vikram and Subu met33:36 Luck in Career38:39 OutroLet's Get SocialTwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsiteLet's Get Social TwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsite

Vikram and Subu are heavy metal musicians disguised as tech nerds who obsess over living life to the fullest while balancing family, career and personal hobbies. In this podcast, they discuss a layman's approach to living a meaningful life, with anecdotes and inspirations from their own experiences. After realizing they spend half their waking lives at work, Subu and Vikram embarked on a quest to find ways to enrich their other half-life - the one they have control over and filled with things that matter most - to make life a memorable journey.Episode Links WebsiteTranscriptSocialTwitterInstagramYoutubeLet's Get Social TwitterInstagramYoutubeWebsite