LinkedIn Milestones
What I'm Up To (Google...), What I Reflected On (LinkedIn/Online Content), and What's Occupying My Mind (Two Asians on Jimmy Kimmel) - all part of Allen's Friday Flights
HELLO to the Friday Flights
These are a flight of personal updates from me and it’ll be centered around what I’m up to, what I reflected on, and what book (or even thing) occupies my mind. Makes sense why I’d have a different selection of topics since I often choose samplers and flights when I go out to eat and drink.
Ciao!
Allen
Past Friday Flights
8/19 - How did WFH → Work Creep?
8/12 - My top short reads of the week cause I did not finish a coherent reflection this week
What I’m Up To
TL;DR: Google is in my life?
The Things:
I beat Vampire Survivors by hitting 100% achievements, doing a 4.5 hour session, and earned over 15m in gold. I don’t know what it means either.
Still working on my Wooble. I spent the time remodeling my office setup instead. Open to office decor suggestions.
I saw new telecommunication cable lines crews in the neighborhood rolling out new wires. I also saw a Google Fiber truck. I hope I get Google Fiber soon.
Switched to Google Fi because I wanted flat rate unlimited and international service. If you texted me this week there’s a 50/50 chance I didn’t receive it. Uses the T-Mobile network in the U.S.
The @WhiteHouse Twitter is currently tweeting out the amount of PPP loans forgiven per politician ragging on Student Debt forgiveness.
PPP loans forgiven: $750 billion. Student loans forgiven $32 billion.I’ve had 3.5 hours of conversations with the founders of CodexDF. Thanks LinkedIn.
I got to meet Andrew in NYC - virtually of course.
I got to catch up with Stephanie from D.C. and Devin B. formerly from LA but now in NYC! Here’s a food rec courtesy of Devin.
I finished Abaddon’s Gate (Book 3 of the Expanse) and now I’m on Cibola Burn - Book 4. So good. Here’s why I love it.
Missed the Twitter Spaces around Writing & Web3? You can check out the last podcast-like session here.
What I Reflected On
TL;DR: Building an Audience Online
You thought it was going to be part 2 of the WFH → Work Creep piece didn’t you? Not this time.
The LinkedIn Milestone - 500k
I recently crossed 500k views on LinkedIn, and 2500 followers. These are nice ego boosting stats considering I only had 80k views total for 2021, and a low 1000s.
I’m grateful to have hit these metrics, but I’m even more grateful that I am able to to achieve my original Building an Audience online goal: Meet people.
They say college is the time you’ll meet the most people.
This is true for many.
This is not true for me.
I did meet a lot of great people in college. Except I then joined a Global Company, travel about, did all kinds of programs, and ended up meeting even more people through work than I did through college.
When the pandemic happened, and everyone was remote, I still ended up meeting people. Something about not having to consider travel logistics simply made it easier to meet people.
When I took my career break in 2021, I felt like I lost my main channels to find and connect with people.
Gone were the easy avenues of pinging people and finding out what’s up.
So In 2022, I made a goal.
I am going to build an audience online so I that I can meet more people.
And I have done just that, and more.
I have found a lot more possibilities through LinkedIn. I have had very memorable conversations (Remember when I hit you up TPAN?), to great suggestions (Gabe thanks for Freakonomics rec) and even someone in Mauritius (Hi Umar!).
I’ve also been able to not only meet people, but to reconnect with all kinds of folks (Hi David - all three of you). Those who left our former employer earlier - to those I knew in college, even high school.
To those I’ve connected with from networking events we never found reason to interact since we never saw each other again - to those that had to move out of the U.S. due to visa issues.
If I could list out every interaction I’ve had, and the meaning it has brought to me - I would have to convert my newsletter into a daily publication.
I will spare your inbox.
Instead, I want to express my gratitude to everyone that has indulged me on this, and recognize the privilege I have in doing so.
I especially want to express my gratitude to you!
I write these things, because deep down, I’m simply communicating and sharing things with you.
What thing occupies my mind
TL;DR: Watching anything with Jimmy Yang just brings out laughter.
Two Asians eating dim sum and boba on TV.
There really isn’t much to talk about. So have a laugh instead.
P.S. he’s also in Jo Koy’s “Easter Sunday” which I would rate a C- movie, but still entertaining enough to watch once and never speak about again.
Yes, I remember when the message when you reached out :)