#128 - Notes on Babies, Basketballs and Books
Education Coffee is a 2xWeekly Newsletter on People, Ideas and Culture.
In each edition of this newsletter, I share five inspiring web resources that I have curated after hours of research to ensure that you have the best education coffee in your inbox. In upcoming editions, I will focus on sharing insights, notes and realizations that I gather from people, ideas, books, films and podcasts.
1. Learning from People
David Foster Wallace was an American novelist, short story writer, essayist, and university professor of English and creative writing. His 2005 commencement speech titled, ‘This is Water’ has inspired me to focus on the important questions in life and to understand how education helps us how to think. You can read the full transcript on the Farnam Street website.
2. Learning from Ideas and Questions
I was looking for some informative videos on the decision to have or not have kids. Most resources on the internet have biased information in this regard. They hype up one option based on what they personally subscribe too. These two videos present a slightly neutral perspective on the topic.
I feel like your understanding and perspective on this topic will change based on your upbringing, your parent’s relationship and your cultural background. I feel like there are highs and lows of being a parent. I also feel like there are highs and lows of not being a parent. After watching these videos, I realized that I think it is important to put some thought into this decision, develop a clear opinion and then to protect your stance no matter what over the long term. There is always a tendency to compare your life to others. But your values are uniquely yours and they matter as much as other values. There is no perfect choice. Each choice has its consequences and you have to live with the decision you make in the long term.
3. Learning from Books, Websites and Blog
Amazon Kindle is a series of e-readers designed and marketed by Amazon. Amazon Kindle devices enable users to browse, buy, download, and read e-books. The Kindle is one purchase that has transformed my life in more ways than one. I love the freedom of carrying hundred’s of books in my back pocket (yes my kindle fits there). Kindle books are cheaper than physical books and take up less space too. It has helped me read on train rides and shopping trips. Here is a Substack post by
on one such special reading relationship with this device.
Here is a passage from this piece that made me think about how I can inhabit different worlds with this small device.
With you, I am myself but also anyone else I want to be - a detective, a copywriter, a Radiant, a paranormal heroine, a historical romance heroine. We travel worlds effortlessly, slipping in and out of them no matter where we are - planes, trains, buses, lines, hotels. When we’re apart, I think constantly of when we can be together again.
Ali Abdaal made a good video reviewing the four types of Kindles and why you should purchase one. Reading my kindle before bed is another habit that has helped me relax and unwind at the end of the day while keeping up with my reading goals.
4. Learning from Films, Videos and Shows
I recently got to watch Interstellar (2014) by Christopher Nolan on IMAX. It was re released at a local cinema hall here in Mumbai.
What is so special about IMAX? - The screen is massive and specifically tall, built to fit the unique way the movie is shot. It can be up to 40% larger than a standard movie screen. The seats are angled to open your field of view an average to 70 degrees, while speakers are positioned to immerse you in sound.
What is this film about?
When Earth becomes uninhabitable in the future, a farmer and ex-NASA pilot, Joseph Cooper, is tasked to pilot a spacecraft, along with a team of researchers, to find a new planet for humans.
Why do I love this film? I did not understand much when I saw this in 2015. I understood a lot when I saw this for the second time in 2025. Maybe ten years of life experience gave me some perspective. What a story! What visuals! What sound! Nolan is a visionary. But the cast brought these characters to life in this scary fictional world where the earth is coming to an end and we need to look for life beyond! This made me feel small in an out of this world sort of way. I understood this better the second time.  Saw it in IMAX this time.  What a story!  What visuals!  What sound!  Nolan is a visionary.  But the cast brought these characters to life in this scary fictional world where the earth is coming to an end and we need to look for life beyond! One thing I really liked was the fact that the main character said that when he was out in space he really missed the finiteness and structure of life on earth. That was what he wanted most. Being with his loved ones and working towards some goal. Which didn’t seem to happen in outer space. Something about that stayed with me. I would recommend reading about the premise before you watch it for the first time. Start off by watching this awesome trailer.
5. Learning from Podcasts and Music
In this episode the team from Acquired discuss the Complete History and Strategy of The National Basketball Association (NBA). The episode shows you how the league expanded from eight teams to thirty one teams. It also shows you how it popularized the concept of player brands (Jordan, James, Curry etc) that have built business empires as big as the NBA itself (think Air Jordan from Nike).
Here is a brief summary of the episode from their website:
On the eve of the 2020 NBA Finals, we dive DEEP into the history and business model of the league behind the world's 2nd largest and fastest growing major sport. How did the NBA grow from merely an excuse to monetize hockey arena off-nights into a global powerhouse with more reach and influence and reach than any other American sport? Tune in!
I started watching the NBA in 2019. I was in Canada and the Toronto Raptors just won the championship. So there was a lot of positive energy around the game and it was the only North American sport I was interested in as a sports fan. I started off slow and the first two years I just watched playoff games. Then I saw ‘The Last Dance’ and Basketball became one of my favourite sports. The quality of archival footage and the player interviews make this one of the best sports documentaries ever made. Period. These two resources helped me develop a love for the game and I want to share the same with you.
Thank you for reading this edition of #EducationCoffee. I look forward to writing weekly editions of this newsletter this year. I hope to continue to share resources that will add value to your life. You can also review the archive of Education Coffee for free at this link (100+ newsletters here). You can email your thoughts, feedback or recommendations to abhishekashokshetty@gmail.com. I love connecting with other writers and learners on the Internet.
Abhishek