A recent post by Chris Brogan on the importance of execution brought this old Sanskit poem to mind. I memorized it when I was ten and recited it to my mother. It is still there in my head.

The poem (somewhat more poetically – no surprise there) refers to the “splendour of action” rather than “importance of execution”.

Look well to this day for it is life, the very best of life.
In its brief course lie all the realities and truths of existence:
the joy of growth, the splendour of action, the glory of power.

For yesterday is but a memory and tomorrow is only a vision.
But today, if well lived, makes every yesterday a memory of happiness
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.

Look well, therefore to this day.

An Ancient Sanskrit Poem

Now must get back to work on the splendour.

Today was the twentieth anniversary of my meeting my darling wife, M. We share a love of travel, literature, cinema,  food, wine, technology and (hopefully) each other. She complements and supplements me. Here is an excerpt of one of her favourite poems Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti.

Taste them and try: 
Currants and gooseberries, 
Bright-fire-like barberries, 
Figs to fill your mouth, 
Citrons from the South, 
Sweet to tongue and sound to eye; 
Come buy, come buy.” 

poetry-online.org

Well, that was a bit of an effort getting started. I am about 2 hours in. I have installed Word press, set up a MYSQL database for the content, chosen a theme, downloaded a ‘Now Reading’ plugin, added a book review.

So why am I doing this? A couple of reasons, one is using the blog as a communication vehicle with my wife. We live apart during the week and I come home on Thursday and work from home on Friday, typically returning back to London on Sunday evening or early Monday morning. I much prefer written to verbal communication so the blog provides a more structured flow of consciousness then chat or email.

 The second reason is one of self publicity. In the digital age, everyone in business need to build a personal brand. If all you represent is a skill set that can be replaced at lower cost by equally talented individuals in India, China, Eastern Europe, etc., then your shelf life is limited. So to continue to compete in a free market, you need to deliver, but with a distinctive style, that your clients appreciate. Nobody is going to look after you but yourself. So better get good at it. 

  And finally, what will be the theme of this blog: separation, remote working, technology, travel,  philosophy, politics and poetry.

Or did misfortune’s bitter storms
Aroond thee blaw, aroond thee blaw,
Thy bield should be my bosom
To share it a’ to share it a’.

 Robert Burns

O Wert thou in the cauld blast – full text