WeeklyBlog #6 #ZoneOneFall

11/12/25 #November
5:24PM-5:45PM: #21mins
Aim: 16mins/1200words

BranfordCoWorking

1200words

[[Superlife]]
[[Darin Olien]]
[[Deep Work]]
[[Cal Newport]]
[[The Second Mountain]]
[[David Brooks]]

[[First Edit Done]] 11.19.25
[[Second Edit Done]] 12.3.25
[[Third Edit Done]] 2.28.26
[[Fourth Edit Done]] 3.1.26

I’m super excited to be starting 3 new books this month. These are books that are genuinely capturing my imagination. Moreover, as a result of its captivation, I am genuinely learning a lot. Whenever I think I actually know stuff, when I read these books, I realize there’s always more to learn. For me, that’s one of the coolest things about life, we genuinely have a really incredible brain, that always sees spark, as long as you can make it work. As a result, I believe stagnation occurs when we become complacent, and we don’t actually listen to our deep self. There’s a lot that happens in life, and it is not easy, by any means to always listen to what our brain says to ourselves, as we live in a collective society. This is especially true when we don’t have the fundamental security in our life. Thus, we need shelter, food, as well as proper social health, if we really want to be in our peak strength, with our peak self. This is the self that we actually are able to listen to, and actually have respect for, without dismissing the strange loop that we develop sometimes, as referenced by [[Douglas Hofstadter]], in his book, [[I am a Strange Loop]]

I believe everything that we do can be relevant, and a potential stimulus. The body is always responding and seeing patterns, the bayesian principle, based on what we experience each day, because we are a pattern recognition organism. The books that I will be referencing in this blog are, [[Superlife]] by [[Darin Olien]], [[Deep Work]] by [[Cal Newport]], and [[The Second Mountain]], by [[David Brooks]]. These 3 books, that I have recently started, they exude a lot of curiosity topics for me, that I find interesting. Darin Olien is a new author for me, as I’m just curious about the topic of health, and as a result, I decided ‘why not, this could be another cool book’, and I started reading the book on Audible.

Furthermore, I don’t regret starting any of these books, because these are books, for me at least, that simplifies things in layman’s term, in the fact that, I’m learning a lot of synthesized information, that I actually never understood in life, because at the time, it wasn’t a huge stimuli for me, or I just didn’t have patience to take it in. For example, the proper understanding of how our pH level works, I learned about this in chemistry, though it never clicked till now. I knew about acid and alkaline levels of pH, but I never knew what that actually meant, at least I couldn’t consciously bring it to mind. I didn’t realize, for a long time, that the hydrogen ion concentration level is what determines the kind of liquid it is, in regards to its alkalinity and acidity level. So the higher the hydrogen ion concentration, the more acidic the solution is. And the less hydrogen ion concentration leverl, after the threshold point of 7, it then it is alkaline.

So the body is always going up and down, in regards to it’s alkalinity and it’s acidity level, as it stays between a very specific level, 7.35–7.45 . And our body always has a range in regards to its solution level. When the body is out of whack, that means there is too much acidity in the body (at least to the extent that I understand). So alkalinity can come from whole foods that lower the hydrogen ion level, by alkalizing the solution. (At least that’s what I understood, it’s more deeper than that.)

To simplify, the body stabilizes and stays at a specific level of ph, by itself everyday, through the process of homeostasis, that brings it back to the middle ground, when something goes amiss. That’s why drinking water is so important, as it helps alkalize the body, by reducing the hydrogen ion concentration level, in the body’s liquid solution. (This seemed very cool to me, though there is nuance in this, that I learned with the help of ChatGPT) I also have a reached a tipping point, in regards to a lot of knowledge in all this, as I understand the core terminology of a lot of what Darin Olien is saying. And that is a big leap for me.

On a side note, with ChatGPT’s help, “What I’m realizing through Darin Olien’s work is not that foods directly change our blood pH — because the body maintains that incredibly tightly — but that whole foods, fruits, vegetables, and proper hydration reduce the metabolic stress and acidity our organs need to neutralize. They help the body maintain its natural alkaline state through minerals, antioxidants, and better hydration. So the principle is still true: eating better helps your internal environment stay cleaner and more balanced.”

Now, I understand why [[Dana Cohen]]’s [[Quench]] is such an important book for me. And it’s becoming even more important, as I have learned how important water is, in regards to alkalizing our body liquid solution level. These are just some amazing synthesis of information for me. And similarly, [[Deep Work]], by [[Cal Newport]], is also helping me become more focused, as I’m learning how the mind actually works, and the nuances of how it is that we stay focused. And thus far, I’ve read 2 books of Cal Newport already, they are, [[How to Be A High School Superstar]], [[Slow Productivity]]. Overall, I think Cal Newport’s books are just amazing. Every book that I read, I feel like I gain a new sort of insight, into why deep work is so satisfying.

He really does analyze really well, and he is able to relay information by reading historical figures, as well as contemporary scientific studies, in the topic of how deep work, slow productivity works. And we really do have a willpower limit, in a typical day. And once we use it up, we lose the strength to do intense work. That’s something that I have realized very well myself. And I’m glad I’m seeing how I’m working. And this is genuinely such a great advancement for me, learning from the greats like [[Cal Newport]], and because of how [[Darin Olien]] has helped me, I may start putting him up there as well. There are so many cool individuals out there, who really simplifies the complex into simple concepts. And I love that with all my heart, as I continue my reading journey.

Lastly, the book that I just recently started, it’s called [[The Second Mountain]] by [[David Brooks]]. Brooks is also a new author for me, and I’m just curious about his perspective on what he means by the second mountain. For me, this is a topic that I genuinely am interested in. I believe, we become who we are, based on how we think, with ourselves. And the people that are in the second mountain, in the way [[David Brooks]] is mentioning, it really is genuinely an awesome conceptual frame. Thus, I love with all my heart, that I am starting to understand what it means to be in this second mountain. As a result, I will continue to improve myself as well, as I continue my journey.