out.of.desk is the alias I've been using since I opened an account on Instagram a few years ago. I wanted out.of.office but it was taken.
Gaurav Rameshis my name. I lead teams and build products at OpenTable.
What I Write
I read and write about a variety of topics that interest me, but the broad themes are personal growth, health and fitness, software, culture, engineering management and leadership, all with occasional philosophical angles.
The Tools
Over the years, I've tried numerous writing and publishing mediums—Blogger, WordPress, Medium, Ghost, GitHub Pages, and Obsidian Publish—all the time wondering if there's something wrong with me for not being able to stick to one. But I've realized that new tools allow for better ways to express yourself, and that I like to try different things and feel like a beginner again.
This version has been designed by me, built with vanilla HTML, CSS and JavaScript, and deployed on Netlify.
The Journey
I'm from Shimoga, a little town in the south of India, close to Bengaluru. Moving from the college town of Columbus, Ohio—where I went to grad school—to working in the Bay Area feels similar to my journey from studying in Shimoga to working in Bengaluru. One offers simplicity and authenticity, while the other has opportunities for personal growth. The internal journey has been one of going back and forth, in pursuit of a healthy mix of both.
A Small Poem
Reading the last line above, it sounded like it made a small poem.
One offers simplicity, and authenticity While the other has opportunities for growth The internal journey has been one of going back and forth In pursuit of a healthy mix of both
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