ADHD Nerds

This is episode eight. Today I'm meeting with Karaminder, who is a course creator, entrepreneur, and sort of a modern day philosopher. In this episode, we talk about some of his theories on how the human brain works and what his experience has been like with ADHD.

Show Notes

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Guest:

Karaminder Ghuman

Sponsor:

Llama Life

Links and show notes:

Creators and Guests

Host
Jesse J. Anderson
ADHD Jesse

What is ADHD Nerds?

ADHD Nerds is the podcast for Adults with ADHD to learn more about their unique brain through the stories of others. Learn tips and strategies for managing or hacking your ADHD brain and have some fun along the way.

ADHD Nerds is hosted by Jesse J. Anderson, an ADHD Creative with a passion for writing, teaching, and raising awareness about ADHD. In 2017, he was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 36, and has made it his mission to help others better understand what ADHD really is.

This podcast is a great place to learn more about Adult ADHD, whether you're officially diagnosed, self-diagnosed, stuck on a waiting list, or just want to know more about how your loved one's brain works.

Karaminder Ghuman: I feel like there
should be a, like an MLC, uh, which is the

minimum level of chaos, that is required
in our lives of just to feel, I guess.

It's to tread water, if you will.

The, the treading, the actual act of
treading is like, is the chaos right?

Whereas, okay, if the chaos dies
down, then there is no more movement

in the treading of water, then
you are just actually sinking.

Jesse: Hey, my name is Jesse J.

Anderson, host of the ADHD Nerds podcast.

The show where we talk about living with
ADHD, and have some fun along the way.

This is episode eight.

And if my audio sounds a little off, uh,
that's because I forgot to record this

intro before I left on vacation and I'm
currently recording it in a hotel room.

But don't worry, the rest of
the episode should sound great.

Uh, today I'm meeting with Karaminder,
who is a course creator, entrepreneur,

and sort of a modern day philosopher.

In this episode, we talk about
some of his theories on how the

human brain works and what his
experience has been like with ADHD.

But first I'd like to thank
our sponsor, Llama Life.

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Now let's get to the show.

Thank you so much for
being here, Karaminder.

Uh, we've known each other for
about, probably about a year now.

Uh, we connected online just
finding each other on Twitter and,

uh, yeah, it's awesome to, uh, sit
down and chat with you again today.

Um, I'd love to start and just sort
of hear your history with ADHD.

When did you find out that you have
it and what did that story look like?

Karaminder Ghuman: Wow.

Okay.

So official diagnosis
was November of 2019.

I've always heard about it, but I didn't.

I just didn't, didn't wasn't exposed
to anyone who had it or, the term was

thrown around as someone, I don't know.

What do you say as like someone
who can't pay attention?

And now I, now that I know better,
what I thought was just ADHD is

probably called like hyperactive.

And by the way, that is not my.

Diagnosis.

Mine is inattentive.

So I was with my ex at the time and
she wanted to go to couples therapy,

not cuz we're finding anything, but
she just believed I was always wrong.

Let's just put it that way.

She just believed I was wrong.

I'm like, hell yes.

I've always wanted to have therapy.

Like it was, it's actually
been a dream of mine.

Like I've, I'm like always thinking one
day I'm like people talk about therapy.

I would like to do that.

But I, I, I kind of thought of it
like a bit like a massage, right?

Like, oh, it's nice to have a massage.

And, uh, and that's kind of how I
thought about it and treated it.

So any the moment it came up,
I'm like, yes, yes, let's do it.

Let's do it.

And then, uh, I could tell
my ex was a little frustrated

through the sessions because she.

clearly had expectations.

she didn't like it, that, that.

The therapist would say things like,
well, like he's all good to go.

Like, you know, very
flexible and everything.

So what what's really the problem here.

And that, that's what the you
know, therapist would give us

exercise, I'd do the exercises.

She wouldn't.

Uh, and then finally, like
the, the therapist, I think, I

forget which session she said.

She said, I don't think
she was like properly.

How do you say like the right credentials
in which she could diagnose me?

But she says that a lot of the patterns
I exhibited or that was discussed is.

Synonymous with ADHD.

And so therefore I should seek out.

And these, these are keywords guys.

These are keywords, seek out an
evaluation keyword, number one from

a psychiatrist, keyword, number
two, being very specific, not, not,

uh, psychologist, but psychiatrist.

And I forget all the medical.

Like requirements that are associated
with these words, but apparently

psychiatrist does have a medical
degree and can prescribe medication.

And I think that makes it proper.

So I then started hunting on the internet
and of course, any psychiatrist near me,

I would call and even their website would
say, yeah, we're taking new patients.

You call.

And they're like, Nope, no patients.

No patience for you.

No patience, no new patients it's like
that one Drake song, no new friends.

It was except no new patients.

All right.

No patience.

And that was quite frustrating.

So frustrating.

It like, I felt a little depressed.

I felt a little beaten down by
it like, this is so frustrating.

And then I could actually, I don't
know why, but I felt my, a ADHD got

to be worse and worse and worse.

And what I mean by that is it's that
sense and feeling of being always feeling

constantly behind and the overwhelm.

And I write about this.

I write about this on my, on my blog.

I call it, uh, the piece is called
my Everest pursuit of normal.

Just for me to be normal was,
was like climbing Everest.

Now I should say I've not climbed Everest.

But it's I imagine it to be so, uh, and
it was probably the biggest challenge in

my life just to get to normal if you will.

Jesse: Hmm.

Karaminder Ghuman: Uh, and I know that
I use that because once I finally found

a psychiatrist and the only way I found
one is because at the gym I went to,

there was a fellow doctor who worked
out with, with us and it was like group,

group, uh, group classes, type of thing.

And I was just kind of like, so
exasperated, I was just like,

do you, do you know anybody?

Do you, you have any sort of
connections, any sort of like friend

you went to college with that you
barely speak to and you probably

forgot their last name, just anybody.

And goes, Hmm, gimme your phone
number and I'll call you back or I'll

message you in like a week or so.

And like, I think it took
out to be two to three weeks.

And she got me in with somebody who,
who was not taking on new patients.

It was, you know, November
towards the end of the year.

And she was going to take on new
patients at the beginning the year,

but took me on, did my evaluation.

And I think, I think I was pretty
textbook as far as like what I shared.

And this was, it wasn't any
really conflict within this

person I could tell of.

Is he, or isn't he meaning me?

Uh, I, I totally was.

So she put me on meds.

Jesse: Do you, do you remember like what
sort of things you were telling her?

Like when she was like, Hey,
Hey, here you are today.

You, you might think you have ADHD.

Like, why do you think that, like, do
you remember kind of what that was like

and what kind of things you shared?

Karaminder Ghuman: I know that she was
trying to dig, dig questions as far as,

um, is this now, or is this in the past
or has this been a pattern of behavior?

And I'm like, no, no, this, this is
actually, I can connect the dots now

looking back and it's always been there
and this is what I perceive as normal.

And I'm only knowing now realizing
or learning that it is not based on.

little research I've done since
the time that this couple's, uh,

therapist said that she had a hunch
about me and I'm like, okay, started

looking to a little bit more.

And then, and then I've always like
Jesse, when I was young and I had moved

around a lot, like I tell slightly
from my accent that comes and peaks up.

I'm born in England.

I was born in London, right.

Born in London and grew up there.

So I was 10 years old and then
moved to California and even still

in these schools, uh, we moved
around a little bit in the Bay Area.

So I had a few different schools
I was going to, but I always, I

always wanted to be part of the,
I forget the name of the, like the

advanced, smarter kids group gate.

I think it was called gate.

I don't remember, but I always
wanted to be part of that.

And I'm like, ah, I guess
I'm not smart enough.

And now come to find out only
the beginning of last year.

Did I realize that I, The beginning
of this year that I was 2E.

Jesse: Oh.

Karaminder Ghuman: I learned what that is.

I didn't know what that was just for.

So literally I learned this year
at the age of, well, at the time

I was 40 I'm 41 now, cause I had
a birthday high birthday to me.

Woo woo.

That, that I was that I have
two E meaning twice exceptional.

That's what the E means.

And that.

You are gifted, but that
you have something else.

They usually say disability.

I don't like that word that you have
something else that masks your giftedness.

So in my case, my intelligence
is there, but my ADHD masks it

because I don't like to do homework.

I don't, I'm super smart.

I like I do well in tests, but I
don't, I don't do homework so tedious.

Um, yeah,

Jesse: That was, that
was, that same, same here.

I didn't, I never, I basically
didn't do any homework, but

I did really well on tests.

So it was like, I, I could squeak
by, I would get like C's and I'm

like, well, that's good enough,
cuz or it depended on the teachers.

Some teachers would like, you know,
weigh the test a lot higher and

then I'd get A's in those classes.

Cause I always, I always tested
really well, but I didn't, I just

didn't do any homework at all.

And so yeah, that definitely kind
of held me back from doing any sort.

Yeah.

Advanced placement or like gate, or I
think here they have like a Quest program.

Like anything like that once I got
to about junior high or later was

like, well, that's never gonna happen
cuz I don't do homework anymore.

So I'm just sort of stalled in that area.

Yeah.

Karaminder Ghuman: Yeah.

Some students are straight A's.

I was straight C's.

Like you were too.

Jesse: Pretty much.

Yeah.

Karaminder Ghuman: A straight,
I'm a straight C student, welcome

to the straight C society.

That's what I would start.

That would be great.

Uh, but so yeah, that, that's kind of
like the, the origin story, if you will.

And I remember what I said to my
therapist, the, the, like the first

appointment, which was like 30 days
after my diagnosis and getting meds.

And told her this the first,
this is the first sentence.

When I sat down, I said,

This feels like cheating.

As in, when I took the meds, I
was able to do everything I wanted

to do, which was, that is a very
strange feeling to me because there's

lots of things I wanna do, Jesse.

Uh, but I can't do them.

Like the brain won't let me the, like, I
need the dopamine, uh, or the, the, the,

what do you say the lethargy is real.

And, uh, I remember, I think it
was like day two or day three.

completely changed around my room.

Like I, I had actually written out.

And measured everything and drawn
it to plan, drawn it to scale.

Even of like that way.

I know I could pre-move things
and figure out on paper and figure

out if they were gonna fit or not.

And then, uh, I've even, I even
sometimes I'd take it into sketch

up, uh, when redesigning a room, just
so I know, like in a, in a 3d space

where things will fit and how things
will be as far as a flow, as far as

like how, you know, to walk around.

Being able to visually see and
lay out things, especially in

say 3d helps with, I guess helps
with, I, I say 4d thinking right?

Of like thinking things through
and then understanding, okay.

What are the new set of problems
that this, that could arise from this

configuration or this, uh, situation.

But, I basically just did it cuz
I've never had, and I can say this,

I've never had the ability to do
something without thinking about it.

Okay.

And I am writing a book, uh, about
our kind of brain types in the world.

in one of the, one of the frameworks I'm I
see is I see that there's a spectrum or a.

Yeah, Spectrum's good.

Right?

Cuz it's from one end, I
like to call Kamakazi and the

other end is perfectionist.

Okay.

And we all kind of like, I even see not
neurotypical folks as well, fall along

somewhere on this, um, on this path.

But I do see that the neurotypicals
are like huddled in the center.

They're a little bit more
balanced than the neurodiverse.

Whereas the neurodiverse we
could be in the center, we

could be also on the fringe.

and when, I mean, Kamikazi, Kamikazi
is just another word I'm using for,

uh, impulsivity now, no disrespect
to the Japanese who this is,

the word comes from them, right.

Their pilots.

But I, I only use the word Kamikazi in
the sense of that to do things without

thinking, uh, the, that kind of level
of impulsivity, which I'm newly married.

Definitely see that in my wife, oh boy.

And whereas I know that I'm closer to the.

perfectionist side of things where, you
know, the, the planning side of things.

And the way I see things is that,
uh, as I get better about just

not being so perfectionism, I'm
pushing away from perfectionism to

push, to get closer to the center.

Whereas my wife has to push away
from impulsivity and like proper

communication and things like that.

So she's pushing away from that end of
the spectrum to get more towards center.

But I do see that like this as a pattern
of us that, Just in, just in terms

of those are like polar opposites,
if you will, Where do you feel?

You feel you lie on this spectrum of,
you know, Kamikazi to perfectionist.

Jesse: Yeah.

Uh, definitely on more of the
Kamikazi or impulsive side.

I, I feel like a lot of the times
I say my, kind of my normal mode of

functioning is juggling chainsaws.

Like I'm basically like it's, it has
to be risky and sort of intense and

like moving and when it starts to get
boring, uh, I just add another chainsaw.

Um and so it's just like
keeping it, keeping that chaos.

Like, I feel like the chaos
really drives me and that's.

Uh, for me, how I get stuff
done is adding more chaos.

And then eventually it does.

I mean, juggling chainsaws, isn't gonna
be pretty when it finally collapses.

Um, and that's, so I know I
basically kind of am trying to keep

collapse at bay as long as I can.

but I also know that I can't
just set down the chainsaws.

Cause if I do that, then it's going to it.

Like my momentum stops completely.

And so then like to do anything
is like this Herculean effort

to like get moving again.

And so I like kind of have
to constantly stay in motion.

Otherwise I get myself into real trouble.

Karaminder Ghuman: No, I get that.

Uh, I feel like there should
be a, like an MLC, uh, which

is the minimum level of chaos.

That is required in our lives
of just to feel, I guess, it's

to tread water, if you will.

The, the treading, the actual act of
treading is like, is the chaos right?

Whereas, okay, if the chaos dies
down, then there is no more movement

in the treading of water, then
you are just actually sinking.

and of course, then when there's too
much treading, then you're actually

flailing and then you could find
yourself sinking again because.

There's like the idea is that
there's this equilibrium or, uh,

balance point of actual, you know,
effort of, of movement to tread.

If you will, to, of treading water,
to, uh, keep your head above it.

I made it up right now on the fly.

I've never thought of this before.

Jesse: I think it's, I think it works.

That's a good, good analogy.

Karaminder Ghuman: But I like that,
that MI MLC, that minimum level of

chaos, uh, I observe that myself
where I, I, I see a therapist twice.

It's great guys, this is the best.

And I know that the fundamental
reason I see a therapist is for her

to tell me I am not crazy, that's it?

all it is like, Hey, I got these
ideas, this or these things

happen, da da, or this situation.

And then basically I just
listen for, you're not crazy.

And I feel good.

And then I keep going all my life.

Uh, and I bring that up because
I'll, I'll ask her about.

I just, just, I just
don't wanna lose this.

We're just talking about it.

Um, oh, that I'm more productive
when I'm in a course and I don't

have enough time than when I'm not
in a course and have a lot of time.

Jesse: Mm mm-hmm

Karaminder Ghuman: And I think
that's also part of the MLC,

the, the minimum level of chaos.

Jesse: Yeah.

I mean, for sure that las- last year
I did the ship 30 for 30 writing

course, which really kind of started
me, you know, talking more publicly

and writing about ADHD stuff.

And I got more done during that first
month in that course, which was chaos.

Like, I don't know how I was writing
like every single night for 30 days.

But I got more done during that month
than any other month, the rest of the

year, even though I was continuing to
create stuff afterwards, like yeah.

Being kind of that, there's something
about, I mean, there's a reason that

cohort courses are really starting to
take off because like, it, it, it really

captures kind of like the best parts of
the classroom and gets rid of all of the

awful stuff of the classroom, because in
like a cohort based course, Everyone there

is there because they want to be there.

Not because like they have to be there.

And so everybody's excited about what
they're doing and whatever the topic is.

You're all kind of, like-minded
and just kind of on the same page.

And then that drives you to
continue doing stuff and it's yeah.

There's like this chaos.

Like, it felt like I never had
enough time to write the essays.

Cause I was, it was writing a short
essay every single night for 30 days.

And there was like almost, almost
not a single day in there that

I feel like, ah, that was easy.

I had plenty of time to do that
every time I'm like, oh my gosh, I

gotta get this done frantically so
I can, uh, get to sleep because I

always did it like at the end of the
day, which was not the best plan.

Um, but yeah, I totally agree.

There's something about that.

Chaos of not having enough
time to do something.

That really drives a lot more
productivity and, uh, creation that way.

Karaminder Ghuman: yeah.

And, but the thing is,
it's also not sustainable.

Like, you know, it's 30 days,
it has a timer on it 30 days.

And if it.

it's about setting expectations.

Cuz if they said, oh, this is gonna
be a hundred days of writing, you're

like, okay, I'm gonna get really
gear up for this a hundred days.

Um, then, then you've set the
expectation of a hundred days.

But if it's 30 and you like
what happened on day 31?

Jesse,

Jesse: day 31.

I took a day off and then I didn't.

No.

Yeah, I didn't write.

And then I didn't write
again for like several weeks.

I like, I was able to get back into it,
but yeah, I was like the day, once I

took that break, then I was just like,
all the it's gone, like all the, and I

wanted to write, like I wanted to take
a day off and then get back to writing.

And then I just like, didn't for.

and that same sort of thing has happened
with writing my book, like writing my book

has been very much like, you know, fits
and starts where I'll have like, I'll have

like three weeks where I'm like cranking
out stuff I'm writing so much every

single day and feeling like I'm in it.

And then I don't know.

I'll do something and
feel like I deserve a

Karaminder Ghuman: Six month break.

Jesse: Yeah.

Karaminder Ghuman: Yeah.

Six month break.

Jesse: yeah.

Karaminder Ghuman: months break.

Sounds good.

Right.

Right.

And then the thing is that hap
that conversation happens in the

subconscious that you're not aware of.

And, uh, and then the conscious brain
is just like, I just need a break.

Jesse: Yeah.

Uh huh.

Karaminder Ghuman: Oh, I'm with you.

I'm dealing something with right now,
Jesse, that I took a, well, it's not as

bad as six months, but it's still been
like four and a half, almost five months.

And I'm like now, but
now it's like my life's.

like I have to do this is,
this is all I have to do.

I have to do this.

I cannot let this, uh, say fester.

Jesse: Right.

The thing that I found that really kind
of got me back into it because I hit, I

started writing my book last August, and
then I got to about, uh, it was probably

around November-ish that I stopped.

And then I didn't write anything
basically for like three or four months.

And the thing that kind of
like, re-energize it for me is

I started, I, I basically set a
goal of like, okay, I'm gonna.

This to some beta readers.

So I got a list of beta readers.

And then once I had that of like,
oh, whatever I have is going to out

to my beta readers in two weeks,
then it was like, oh man, well,

what I have right now is garbage.

So I have to fix all this
before I let anybody see it.

And so that was really what
kind of like lit the fire

again and got me back into it.

And then I was really productive
and I got the, you know,

copy out to the beta readers.

And then I've basically done that since.

So like I, beta readers
gave me their feedback.

I went through it and it was great.

And then I paused for a little
bit, and then I set a new goal of

like, okay, I'm gonna release a new
draft to beta readers by this date.

And then that would help motivate me.

To so I'm almost, I'm, I'm, I'm
like making up these deadlines, but

because there there's beta readers,
I'm telling people the deadlines.

So it's, so my brain isn't able to just
be like, ah, it's not a real deadline.

We're gonna ignore it.

It's like, no, no I've told people.

And so I have to do it now.

Um, and that's really been the
thing that's helped me get this book

moving because I want to get out.

I want it to be done, but
man, it's a lot of work.

So like creating these deadlines with
some external accountability has really

been sort of a driving force for.

That my

Karaminder Ghuman: And as you say that I'm
looking at my own forced deadline, which

is coming up in two days and I have stuff
to do the work, but it it's the deadlines.

Why is it that, you know, the
quote, if it wasn't for the last

minute, nothing would ever get done.

Jesse: right.

Karaminder Ghuman: Right.

It's it's true.

Jesse, the stress, the stress is nuts.

Okay.

Like it's we have to figure out, I feel
like that's why that's the biggest life

puzzle that, uh, all of us ADHD people
have is just, and we're all unique.

So.

My, my answer is may not work for you or
you tried it and it doesn't work for you.

And that's okay.

Jesse: All, we all have own, uh,
unique brands, our own unique

ways of dealing with, uh, ADHD.

For sure.

Like, I, I find people there is
no like absolute truth in what

ADHD looks like, because it's.

Peppered and like changed through how
you grew up and there's all sorts.

There's all sorts of factors involved.

I was just talking with somebody today,
um, or actually on a previous episode

where I was talking with Nic Nieblas
and we were talking about how for me,

I always have to have sound going.

Like my brain is like,
it's, it's like I have.

My brain needs all these things to
pay attention to, and I have to like

give it something so that I can focus
on the thing I want to focus on.

So I'm gonna give it this music playing.

So I'm gonna have music playing in the
background, and then I'm able to focus

on something else at the same time.

So like music that, you know,
doesn't have lyrics or anything.

And Nick was saying, um, well, he,
he does music sometimes, but he

said for him, Silence is ideal.

Like he doesn't want any
sound happening at all.

Um, which is totally the opposite
Like silence sounds like torture.

Like I would not enjoy
having no sound at all.

And I think that's just, that's just
like one example of there's so many

different things about ADHD that are
really diverse from brain to brain.

Um, like diverse is the thing like
we're neuro divergent or neurodiverse

because our brains are so unique
in all these different ways.

And there's no.

There's no clean answer of like,
this is what ADHD brain is like.

Um, cuz it there's so many
factors kind of involved in that.

Karaminder Ghuman: Yeah.

Um, again, I have a theory i, I do
have, I guess my unique point of view

on this, where, okay, I'm gonna go
back to what I think, what I believe

is our kind of like life quest one is
to get away from the stress, right?

Like how do we live a life where,
either we enjoy the things we were

doing last minute, or we just kinda
eliminate the things we don't enjoy

and getting away from the stress.

So we're still gonna have it, right?

This is very much like
the, uh, uh, Nassim Talib

Or Talib I forget how to pronounce
his last name, uh, anti antifragile or

antifragility concept theory concept.

I like concept because no, your good
and bad is going to happen to you.

And therefore, what is your
disposition throughout that?

Right?

It's kinda like that.

Jesse: Mm-hmm

Karaminder Ghuman: Not letting like
the big, bad, negative things get

you down, but for me, it's it was,
it's always been about getting rid of

reducing the stress and being present.

Right.

And I collect little things that always
help me, little things like quotes

that help me with understanding what
happiness is and what it looks like.

Uh, like one, I love that
people always I'm surprised

not many people have heard of.

I'm always surprised when people heard
this one is, um, happiness is wanting

the things you already have see was
that so bad was that you're like, whoa,

that's pretty, that's pretty righteous.

Yeah.

Cause.

Um, we're, we're, we're afforded
the pursuits of happiness.

We are not guaranteed it.

And then I even have a piece
written on my own, on my blog

about innocuous propaganda.

And that is a piece about kind of things
that are disguised as life advice, but

that actually keep us from happiness,
from our happiness, our own happiness.

Um, and I give examples of like how
breakfast was essentially breakfast

was a marketing invention because
one of the clients, Kelloggs, wanted

to sell more cereal and they went to
the Madmen on Madison avenue and they

came up with slogans like breakfast
is the most important meal of the day.

Uh, I mean, same, very similar story to.

pork industry and they wanted
sell more bacon and they

came up with bacon and eggs.

Like that is an, that those three
words is a came from marketing.

Jesse: Mm-hmm

Karaminder Ghuman: And even in my culture,
I'm, I'm Punjabi Northern Indian that's.

I was born in London, but
my parents are both Punjabi.

Um, and, and our food in
our culture, food, we don't

have a concept of breakfast.

Like there is no breakfast foods and if
you actually zoom out and take a look.

Why is it that Americans
and I'm, I'm an American.

I have a passport.

I can say this.

Why is our breakfast actually?

And I say this as someone who
loves, oh, my God loves a waffle.

Oh my God.

I love a waffle, a nice Belgian waffle.

Oh yes.

I mean, I, I, I can say this as somebody
who, who loves it and who totally

like, Hey, other people are doing
it too, so I'm gonna do it as well.

Um, so that guy too, but also like, yeah,
our breakfast, most of it is essentially

dessert That's my that's like one example,
even, uh, even the idea of home ownership.

And it's, I believe from the fifties,
because there's lots of space,

there was a boom in making homes.

And so kind of making this dream
that like you should move out and you

should own your own piece of Americana.

And now it's kind of one of these things.

We, we, if we don't have it,
then we consider ourselves

failures and I don't believe.

So, this is what I mean
by innocuous propaganda.

It could be little things that
you internalized and now have

your own self expectations of,
but you don't have to do that.

I think I know for me, and this
is again, we're all unique and

I've met so many other people
that also neurodiverse and, and.

Each of us have our own unique things.

But for me, I know my values and
I know what I deeply care about.

And that is, that is connection.

That is the time I spend talking
with you on this podcast.

The time that we actually, not many people
know this, but we've actually met and I

really enjoyed the time we spent together.

And for me, that's, that is, let's
say the, uh, the, the juice of life

as if life was a fruit, you juiced
it and what would come out, you know,

the juice, uh, that is for me, the
juice of life is, is connection.

And so I fight for that.

Jesse: awesome.

Well, I think that that's a, uh,
that, uh, this is a great time, I

think, to switch over, to, uh, wrap
up the show with our shiny objects.

so shiny objects is, uh, the part
of the show where we talk about, uh,

one or two things that have been kind
of entertaining our brains lately.

Something you wanna recommend,
whether it could be a book or a

show, or just a hobby you're really
into, uh, right now, uh, we're gonna

show any object has been, uh, yeah.

Prominent in your life, uh, lately.

Karaminder Ghuman: Okay, good.

This will connect back to what I just
So one of the, my COVID projects that

I've, that I've put together, uh, over
it took me over a year is a home cinema.

And I like using the word cinema
because that's what we would call place.

What theaters in America, in England
we'd call it cinema because the

theater is where you go to, to watch a.

but that's Americans, that's
fine it's what they call it,

but I call it a home cinema.

And, uh, it's a Craigslist home cinema,
Jesse, the finest in, uh, used goods

that I could find on Craigslist.

I should tell you, uh, and the, like
I have a specific, um, I really love

Bang Olufsen products, the way they're
designed and the way they sound, uh,

especially the older ones, cuz the
new ones will hurt my wallet greatly.

Like so greatly, but, uh, this
way I like the older stuff.

I like being able to resurrect things
and, and that's part of the project.

Part of the fun as well is piecing
it together, finding what's available

and always, always kind of hunting
for those deals and like being like

first mover advantage type of things.

So that's, that was kind of the fun
during COVID two piece together, a.

Like surround sound.

It's still not done.

I'm I'm I trying to get into an aura
3d, which is a European, very popular

Europe, kind of, uh, speck of surround
sound, then up mix my atmos to it.

If you go to, if you ever watch
any of the, uh, home theater people

on YouTube, there's a whole home
theater, YouTube area, people

Jesse: Yeah, I try, I try to guard my
wallet and stay away from that stuff

because I know absolutely would suck.

Suck me in

Karaminder Ghuman: Why you think I ha why
you think I'm hanging out on Craigslist?

Because the wallet, right.

That told it's a wall,
it's a Craigslist theater.

Even the seats, I've always loved
these, um, specific design within

reach, uh, flight recliner,
seats, but they're very pricey.

They're like 4k each.

So when I find them on used, I
get them down to like, I find

them and hopefully they're in my
range of, let's say about 300 ish.

Some have gotten less.

I think one, I paid three 50.

I got three of them.

Different colors.

Took me over a year and a half to
find three, but that is like the

first row, the front row of my cinema.

And then the back rows, like seats.

I just had laying downstairs,
but got them on risers.

So basically I'm trying to tell
you, I built a home cinema,

but not for, just for me,
but for my family, for.

Uh, everyone to sit down and enjoy.

Cause I love watching.

I love experiencing films.

Like do you ever think Jesse?

Why, why is it that we watch films re
again, we already know what happens,

but why do we watch things again?

Jesse: Uh, I, I feel like the
reason I watch, uh, movies, again,

that I've already seen is to, to
relive the feeling that it gave me

the first time around like that.

There's something about film
touch can touch you deep

inside and like the best films.

Carry that through watching it again,
you get that feeling again, like it

remains true, uh, with, even with repeated
viewings, even though, like you said, you

know, it's coming, but it's still, there's
something about like really good art that

can just touch you, uh, and really impact
you the same way, um, over and over again.

Yeah.

That

Karaminder Ghuman: You
hit it right in the head.

It is to it's to reexperience feelings and
to reexperience the feelings we had when

we first watched it for the first time.

So as long as we're in, you know,
we watched it under good situations

when we're experiencing like a sad
part of life, we probably don't want

to, or at least maybe it helped us
get through it, but yeah, we re we

want to re-experience our feelings.

So that's why I, I, you know, I think
my family, we all love, I love cinema.

I love that.

So building that, and now let's talk
about the shiny things is I think there's,

we have a, this year has been a great
blessing for actually really good cinema.

Um, one of which did not take place
in my cinema, in my home cinema.

It was actually recently it is
of, it's a new top gun movie.

It's a new top gun Maverick.

Right.

But here's the thing.

Yeah.

You can watch it in IMAX.

yeah.

You know what you need to watch it
in, which is the way I watched it.

You need to watch it in a 4d
X cinema that is four Delta.

X-ray four D X.

What is 4d X?

Well, go to YouTube.

You'll find it but I'll tell you anyway,

it's a seats that can.

Can physically move there.

I guess they're on, there
are on controlled I'm I'm

assuming hydraulics that's.

I mean, I'm not a light dude, so it's
a lot of mass to move and there's

four seats in like one say module
where it can, um, pitch forward.

It can yell.

It can, um, Rotate it.

And it's got also like little butt
kicker transducers in the seat.

It's got vibration, it's got
even little compressed air

around your neck and your feet.

It's got fans inside the cinema.

It's got strobes as well.

It's got smoke and fog in the front.

Uh, if it's raining, there's effects
for rain, there's also effects for water

right in your face, if applies for it.

And what better way to experience
any film where you can also kind

of feel and mimic the movement
on screen than freaking Top Gun.

And I have yet, I was waiting to
experience a movie in 40 X cuz it was a

recent addition to my theater and I was
like, Spider-Man no, we watched it IMAX.

But when, but with top gun I'm
like, no, no, no, no, no, no.

this is it.

This is the moment we're all gonna go.

We're all gonna experience it.

And that Jesse I'll tell you
what, it's a two hour thrill

like a literal thrill, like ride.

As in I brought my aunt who's visiting
from London and, uh, you know, we got

the large popcorn and she was holding
onto that popcorn, trying to keep

it contained for dear Poor thing.

I wish I wish the seat had a seatbelt.

I think she would've felt more
secure, but she, but at the end of.

Uh, so I took, I took my wife, I
took my mom, I took my aunt and

all three of them were giggling
like school girls at the end.

they

Jesse: Mm-hmm

Karaminder Ghuman: This enormous, uh,
rush of, of a adrenaline of just this

feeling of just everything together.

So that is one.

That is number one.

Okay.

Go.

If you can see it.

Wait a second.

This is gonna come out
many months later, right?

Oh

Jesse: Yeah, that's all right.

Karaminder Ghuman: Something less timely.

Oh dear.

All right.

Fine.

Fine.

Next shiny object is you can actually
probably still watch this, uh, on

Netflix, cuz it is on Netflix right now.

And it's a film called R R R and
it is from the Tollywood area.

Uh, Tollywood in film industry,
which means it's the Telugu and

Tamil film industry of India.

Now I'm of Punjabi, um, Northern India,
which is Bollywood is a movie industry

there cuz Bombay Hollywood Bollywood.

There you go.

And uh, but oh my God, R R is a
feast for the eyes, Jesse and uh,

I've never seen a, a Hollywood film.

It is three hours, 10 minutes long, just
so you know, but it doesn't feel that way.

Oh, this is the best movies.

Don't let, don't let you feel it.

And I was shocked at, uh, I
guess I'm gonna say this, white

people reviewing movies, YouTube.

Industry cuz it's, it's a industry in
its own there, uh, that they fell over

like gushing over nuts over this film.

Like really?

Why people.

Okay.

Okay.

Why are people excited about
I'll let's check it out.

Let's do it.

And we did watch that in the
home cinema and my goodness.

What a feast, what a wonderful expression
of cinema, what a, everything that

is fun about cinema, if you will.

Uh, it's not, it's not Shawhshank here.

It's not trying to like be real.

No, no, no, no, no.

This is, it's like a, it's like a bit
of a Marvel movie, a bit of like, woo

shoo, like, uh, Crouching Tiger, Hidden
Dragon with the, with the bombastic

nature that is Tollywood and Tollywood
just takes things from Bollywood as well.

Not just takes things, but
like it amplifies it like

turns it up to Spinal Tap 11.

Uh, and it's just.

A wonderful experience.

Um, yeah.

That's that's yeah.

It's that, and the biggest, the best
thing is to share this with others.

That's All right.

Let's wrap it up.

Jesse: That's great.

Uh, I wanna, I'm gonna do my
shining object real quick.

I had one planned, but I'm gonna pivot.

Uh, based on you talking about
your, in-home, cinema, So

my wife and I just saw, uh,
everything everywhere all at once.

And that is a movie that really,
uh, hit me and gave me a feeling.

And that's when I cannot
wait to watch again.

A very strange movie if you've never
seen a movie by Daniels, um, which is the

two, the two direct writers and director,
uh, writers and directors of the movie.

Um, they both, their first name is Daniel.

And so they've previously have done
movies like Swiss army man, which is one

of the weirdest movies you'll ever see.

Um, but I'm, I'm kind of a fan
of weird movies, um, when they're

done really well and Daniel's
movies are done extremely well.

Um, but everything everywhere all at
once, I think there's almost really.

And ADHD undertone to it as well.

Um, because the there's a, the
main character is somebody who

imagines all these things that
she could have done with her life.

She has like a million hobbies
because there's all these

things that she wants to do.

And then the movie really just, it goes
kind of off the deep end, exploring

that like what if these alternate
realities that she could have lived?

And I won't go more into it more
than that, but it's so good.

Karaminder Ghuman: I'm watching Saturday.

I'm watching a Saturday in the home

Jesse: Okay.

Awesome.

Karaminder Ghuman: the home cinema.

I'm waiting till Saturday.

Well, today.

Tuesday, if you must know for those
recording and listening at home, uh

it's because my brother comes home
and that is, uh, just the Eve of his

birthday, but we'll watch it then.

And we'll watching it
together again, that together

Jesse: awesome.

So you'll have to, you'll have to
let me know what you think of it.

Cuz I, I was floored by, I love it.

One of my.

One of my new favorite movies of all time.

Um, so yeah,

Karaminder Ghuman: Expecting
it to be I'm expecting it to.

I guess be this generation's Matrix.

I feel weird saying this generation
cause matrix was generation.

What are you talking

Jesse: I felt the, I mean, I, while
watching the movie, I was reminded of the

way that I felt watching the Matrix in
the theater, it had that sort of like.

Oh, this is a moment.

This is like, this isn't just
any old, like, I don't want

build up the expectations.

So then you see it and are disappointed,
but it had that same sort of vibe of

like, oh, this is something wholly unique.

That's never really been
done in cinema before.

Uh, and I loved it, but yeah, let's
go, let's go ahead and wrap up.

Why don't you, uh, quickly tell
people where they can go to

follow you and kind of see, uh,
things that you're doing online.

Karaminder Ghuman: Okay.

So I think first thing,
Jesse and I enjoy Twitter.

So follow me.

I'm I'm @karaminder that's Kilo
Alfa Romeo Alpha Mike India

November Delta Echo Romeo.

Also, please learn your NATO alphabets.

Ladies, ladies, gentlemen, If
you can find me using my first

name, you can find me anywhere.

So my blog that I talked about with the
articles that I I've written, which,

uh, definitely every single article
has something to do with ADHD, whether

I mentioned it or not, it just uh,
that, that karaminder.com for that.

Yeah, Twitter Karaminder, and then
what I was gonna tell you is that

I have what I believe Jesse is
that I'm what I'm building now.

Um, as an entrepreneur, as a
businessman is my three CS, a

course, a community and a coaching
practice slash consulting as well.

But the course will, will launch,
hopefully by the time this comes out.

Uh, and then the course begins
two weeks after that, and that

is called Course Charisma.

And then you can find that at
coursecharisma.academy, and that is

for those, it's a course where I'm
showing everything I know about how to

build and have, and foster connection
over the internet with your audience.

Jesse: Nice.

Well, we will make sure to have
links uh, in the show notes, as

well as a transcript of the episode.

And you can also find that on the
website, which is just adhdnerds.com.

And yeah.

Thank you so much for
being here, Karaminder.

It was, great to hang out and chat again.

That's our show.

Thank you so much for listening.

I especially want to thank our
VIP patrons, Luce Carter, Richard

Stephens, Todd Barnett, and Dan Ott.

It helps me do this show and
the other work I do, so thank

you so much for the support.

If you want to support the show,
you can go to patreon.com/jessej

that's, J E S S E J.

You can always support the show
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Full show notes and transcripts
are available at adhdnerds.com.