Atharva Raykar

25 things I know at 25

I turn 25 today. On this occasion, I will talk about 25 things that have served me well.

thoughts on tldraw computer

tldraw is canvas software that runs on your browser (like MS Paint, excalidraw etc). This project caught my attention when I saw demos of fun AI experiments with the canvas interface*. Even the plain canvas software without the experimental AI frills is delightful to use—it's become the

i figured out how to use twttr without frying my brain

I also started using twttr again in 2024 after a couple of years out. I never used it because I considered twitter problematic. Somehow I figured out the algorithm this time around. My feed is fairly good. The one weird trick is to aggressively mute anyone on my feed who

I discovered that I'm radically optimistic.

I used to be cynical about things. It wasn't unusual for me tell people that everything is crap. It still rings true to me—the difference is that these days I've found a way to unify this with an optimistic outlook. Optimism is the ultimate form

nyc vignette: the greasy fuzzballs

I love NYC because it is just the right amount of unpleasant. It is a city that will keep you on your toes by throwing curveballs at you—thus, forcing you to pay attention to how fractally interesting it is. It is also a city that will floor you with

nyc vignette: the first hour

I got off after a fifteen-something hour long flight from a different side of the globe. After clarifying with an immigration officer that yes I'm a Tourist in your country and even though I may come as a suspiciously single-unit youthful foreigner I intend not to overstay my

nyc vignette: overslept

I was walking across a really long passageway to change trains at the Times Sq-42 St subway, one of the busiest subway stations in the world. Among the usual informational boards, I see a peculiar message. <!--more--> OVERSLEPT, I walk more, and there's another board. SO

Experience Report: How to find a flatmate in Bangalore

After having spent over a decade in Marathahalli, I decided I wanted to live in Bangalore [1]. So I found myself a 3BHK flat in central Bangalore [2] a couple of months ago. Of my two flatmates, one of them got a new job that required them to move cities.

The Internal Lever

Advice I would have given myself 10 years ago. A lot of people don't attend to "the internal lever" enough when dealing with life. This lever exists in you and not out in the world. It's easier to alter your inner world than it

Vocal fry and illusory unravelments

A friend recently pointed out that I have a discernable vocal fry. I had to look it up—a short description immediately made me understand that I had it. Vocal fry is the lowest register (tone) of your voice characterized by its deep, creaky, breathy sound. It's the

We, the Citizens and systems thinking

“No one can define or measure justice, democracy, security, freedom, truth, or love. No one can define or measure any value. But if no one speaks up for them, if systems aren’t designed to produce them, if we don’t speak about them and point toward their presence or

The Best Advice I Have Received (is often stupidly obvious)

The best kind of advice I have received in my life is so obvious that it feels stupid to say it out loud. Advice like this is often ridiculed online for being simplistic (and thus useless). I used to share this sentiment. But I don't anymore. <!--more--&