I was thinking today if I would want to go back and re-live my life till this moment; Correct all the mistakes that I ever made; set right all those instances that can be improved and relive all those moments I enjoyed to the fullest. I realized that I won't.
The worst experiences in our lives teach us the best lessons. Lessons that change us completely, make us a different person, change our definitions and make us feel glad to have had those bad days at the first place. Given a chance to go back and edit them, would I do that? No, because then my learning won't be the same anymore, my experience wouldn't be commensurate anymore, my roots wouldn't be strong any longer. I don't regret most of the mistakes I ever made, don't want to change any of the most awful experiences I sustained. Because with each of those gales, I know, I just grew a little stronger, a little bolder, a little wiser and a little kinder
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
The intent of our lives...
"The purpose of life is not to be happy - but to matter, to be productive, to be useful, to have it make some difference that you have lived at all." -Leo Rosten
This quote doesn't mean that the intention of our lives is to be sad either. All it portrays is the difference between directing our actions to our happiness and procuring happiness automatically as a result of our karma, the reason for our existence.
This quote doesn't mean that the intention of our lives is to be sad either. All it portrays is the difference between directing our actions to our happiness and procuring happiness automatically as a result of our karma, the reason for our existence.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
My Facebook Internship Saga
Without any experience in the professional world, without ever having stayed at another country, but with knowledge that instigates any undergraduate computer science, I got this extraordinary opportunity to work at one of the biggest web giants of the Silicon Valley, Facebook. Being an ardent user of this addictive site, I always wondered how things worked behind the scenes: how did they build stuff, monitor statistics and dealt with the herculean challenge of handling humongous amounts of data. Getting this matchless prospect to work in the heart of the internet was akin to a dream come true.
Wadding up my stuff in early May, I had no idea about what to look forward to. It was only during my first week at Facebook that I realized the extravagant bonanza in store for me. At Facebook, I was given complete freedom to decide what project I wanted to work on for the major part of my internship and shape it the way I wanted. Brainstorming with other engineers about cool features we could enhance the site with were part of the diurnal conversations. And the impact I was making was astounding. My tasks within the first few weeks itself involved deploying some functionality on the live site, impacting the experiences of more than 500 million users globally. Not before joining this splendid place had I envisaged such an impact as possible, specially when I hardly had any prior web development knowledge. Virtually all the languages and tools I was playing with were novel to me, I hadn't even heard about a number of them before but comprehending them was made so much easier with the abet and encouragement of all the engineers around. Adhering to Facebook's motto of 'Move Fast, Break Things', during my 3 months of internship, I enhanced my web development skills colossally and learned innumerable intricacies of social networking!
A major contribution to my remarkable experience was made by the people I was working with. At Facebook, you get to work with the smartest people on earth. Everyone around is an ace in their work and extremely enthusiastic about whatever they are building. The energy in the company is just amazing! I remember listening to the VP of engineering for Facebook during the Grace Hopper Conference 2009 in Arizona. He said, the best thing about your job should be to love what you do. It was during this summer that I realized how true this is. Nowhere else in this world do you get to sit and work with the best coders on earth, have meals with the veterans in the company, play high school sports with your managers or have barbecue at the CEO's house. Facebook is truly amazing.
I had oodles of fun meeting with people from all over the world and participating in intern events like Scavenger hunt, Go Game or Beach Boardwalks. Taking a shot at all those things I ever wanted to do was incredible. Rafting, Skydiving, acquainting my taste buds with every existent cuisine on earth, Facebook Summer Party celebrations and a 3 day long Hackathon provided the icing on the cake. I have clearly had my best summer ever. Having such a great time with a limitless personal and professional enrichment all the time, I can say no less than, Facebook is awesome! And now that I am back, I am much more energetic, revived and excited to be learning so much more. With so much freedom, independence, awesome mentors, smartest co workers, impact, web presence and unlimited fun, I am absolutely sure I couldn't have asked for a better start to my professional journey! :)
Wadding up my stuff in early May, I had no idea about what to look forward to. It was only during my first week at Facebook that I realized the extravagant bonanza in store for me. At Facebook, I was given complete freedom to decide what project I wanted to work on for the major part of my internship and shape it the way I wanted. Brainstorming with other engineers about cool features we could enhance the site with were part of the diurnal conversations. And the impact I was making was astounding. My tasks within the first few weeks itself involved deploying some functionality on the live site, impacting the experiences of more than 500 million users globally. Not before joining this splendid place had I envisaged such an impact as possible, specially when I hardly had any prior web development knowledge. Virtually all the languages and tools I was playing with were novel to me, I hadn't even heard about a number of them before but comprehending them was made so much easier with the abet and encouragement of all the engineers around. Adhering to Facebook's motto of 'Move Fast, Break Things', during my 3 months of internship, I enhanced my web development skills colossally and learned innumerable intricacies of social networking!
A major contribution to my remarkable experience was made by the people I was working with. At Facebook, you get to work with the smartest people on earth. Everyone around is an ace in their work and extremely enthusiastic about whatever they are building. The energy in the company is just amazing! I remember listening to the VP of engineering for Facebook during the Grace Hopper Conference 2009 in Arizona. He said, the best thing about your job should be to love what you do. It was during this summer that I realized how true this is. Nowhere else in this world do you get to sit and work with the best coders on earth, have meals with the veterans in the company, play high school sports with your managers or have barbecue at the CEO's house. Facebook is truly amazing.
I had oodles of fun meeting with people from all over the world and participating in intern events like Scavenger hunt, Go Game or Beach Boardwalks. Taking a shot at all those things I ever wanted to do was incredible. Rafting, Skydiving, acquainting my taste buds with every existent cuisine on earth, Facebook Summer Party celebrations and a 3 day long Hackathon provided the icing on the cake. I have clearly had my best summer ever. Having such a great time with a limitless personal and professional enrichment all the time, I can say no less than, Facebook is awesome! And now that I am back, I am much more energetic, revived and excited to be learning so much more. With so much freedom, independence, awesome mentors, smartest co workers, impact, web presence and unlimited fun, I am absolutely sure I couldn't have asked for a better start to my professional journey! :)
Sunday, May 9, 2010
An Interesting quote I read...
People spend a lifetime searching for happiness; looking for peace. They chase idle dreams, addictions, religions, even other people, hoping to fill the emptiness that plagues them. The irony is the only place they ever needed to search was within.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
The road to eternity...
Though this is not related to my curriculum in any way, I just had to post this on my blog... This is something my friend told me when I was upset(more with myself than with others) and asked me to remember for the rest of my life... :) Here's a biiiig thanks to you !!!
Gul te khar paidaish ikse, ik bag chaman de dovein,
Ik shabumar gulan di oshak, par khar rahe nit ovein.
Thoda rehna kabool pyare par, tu khar na hovein,
Hassham aan milein gal hasske, chahe ik pal pass khalovein.
Translation:
FLowers and thorns take birth in the same garden... Flowers shed themselves after sometime, but the thorns stay there forever... Prefer to live a shorter life than become a thorn, meet everyone with happiness even if you meet him for a moment!!
I'll always remember this!!
Gul te khar paidaish ikse, ik bag chaman de dovein,
Ik shabumar gulan di oshak, par khar rahe nit ovein.
Thoda rehna kabool pyare par, tu khar na hovein,
Hassham aan milein gal hasske, chahe ik pal pass khalovein.
Translation:
FLowers and thorns take birth in the same garden... Flowers shed themselves after sometime, but the thorns stay there forever... Prefer to live a shorter life than become a thorn, meet everyone with happiness even if you meet him for a moment!!
I'll always remember this!!
Friday, October 2, 2009
Ruzena Bajcsy... Anita Borg Technical Leadership Award winner
This was one of the best sessions I have attended at the Grace Hopper Conference this year... to hear this technical lady of astounding impact talk about Computer Vision, a field that I have always had interest in.. :)
With a list of innumerable qualifications and awards having become quite synonymous with her now, Ruzena is a professor in the University of California, Berkeley. She has made substantial impact in today's world, by combining the various research areas together to make contributions to technology. For about an hour in today's session, the time that she spoke, She completely left me amazed about all the advances that one can make using Computer Vision...
Starting with a description about the requirements of Tele-immersive environment setup, Ruzena enlightened us about how the clusters of cameras have to be positioned at different angles, to be able to grab a 3D vision of the object under consideration. Not only do the collaborations have to be same, but also the internal and external parameters for all the objects participating in the environment. It's more of a joint 3D world that she and with her, others in this field work on. They way scientists in universities in different parts of the world, collaborate with each other, collect data, analyze data and work on a 3D reconstruction of images without even being physically acquainted with each others physical environment.
On of the main areas of concern is the Real time usage of such systems, which is more concerned about understanding human dynamics and based on interaction with the virtual environment. Another one is about the representation of data in a way such that it not only requires less bandwidth to be transferred but can also speed up reconstruction. All these interesting tasks are intriguing, but great to learn. As I heard Ruzena speak, there was definitely a thought in my mind about what serves as the source of motivation for her ans so many other technical women here at the conference as well... And here's the answer, it's the vigour to face and stand against the scientific challenges and more importantly, the applications that the usage of all such technology serves to the world around.
I witness seeing some of the nest technical (and artistic :)) work at her session today, displaying the efficient usage of Computer Vision to accomplish innumerable tasks. Based in the idea of interacting and communicating in a virtual state, as if we were in the same physical state. The example that popped up right there in my head was that of Second Life... no wonder individuals can actually interact and have meetings using second life as if all of them are sitting on the same table, irrespective of whatever part of the world you reside in. A few such examples I saw were about teaching different types of exercises and dances or any other physical activities to individuals specially the ones for which trainers are not usually available, recognition of human activities, using artifacts etc. A nice one was dancing with your own self.. :P.
After such an intriguing talk, Ruzena ended by allowing others to think about some language that we could have to code or define physical movements of humans just like the way we speak or even music for that matter, which would make all such tasks a piece of cake irrespective of whatever place you come from..:)
I loved writing this one... Please leave your comments if you liked it or any views about it.. :)
With a list of innumerable qualifications and awards having become quite synonymous with her now, Ruzena is a professor in the University of California, Berkeley. She has made substantial impact in today's world, by combining the various research areas together to make contributions to technology. For about an hour in today's session, the time that she spoke, She completely left me amazed about all the advances that one can make using Computer Vision...
Starting with a description about the requirements of Tele-immersive environment setup, Ruzena enlightened us about how the clusters of cameras have to be positioned at different angles, to be able to grab a 3D vision of the object under consideration. Not only do the collaborations have to be same, but also the internal and external parameters for all the objects participating in the environment. It's more of a joint 3D world that she and with her, others in this field work on. They way scientists in universities in different parts of the world, collaborate with each other, collect data, analyze data and work on a 3D reconstruction of images without even being physically acquainted with each others physical environment.
On of the main areas of concern is the Real time usage of such systems, which is more concerned about understanding human dynamics and based on interaction with the virtual environment. Another one is about the representation of data in a way such that it not only requires less bandwidth to be transferred but can also speed up reconstruction. All these interesting tasks are intriguing, but great to learn. As I heard Ruzena speak, there was definitely a thought in my mind about what serves as the source of motivation for her ans so many other technical women here at the conference as well... And here's the answer, it's the vigour to face and stand against the scientific challenges and more importantly, the applications that the usage of all such technology serves to the world around.
I witness seeing some of the nest technical (and artistic :)) work at her session today, displaying the efficient usage of Computer Vision to accomplish innumerable tasks. Based in the idea of interacting and communicating in a virtual state, as if we were in the same physical state. The example that popped up right there in my head was that of Second Life... no wonder individuals can actually interact and have meetings using second life as if all of them are sitting on the same table, irrespective of whatever part of the world you reside in. A few such examples I saw were about teaching different types of exercises and dances or any other physical activities to individuals specially the ones for which trainers are not usually available, recognition of human activities, using artifacts etc. A nice one was dancing with your own self.. :P.
After such an intriguing talk, Ruzena ended by allowing others to think about some language that we could have to code or define physical movements of humans just like the way we speak or even music for that matter, which would make all such tasks a piece of cake irrespective of whatever place you come from..:)
I loved writing this one... Please leave your comments if you liked it or any views about it.. :)
Time is on my side...
On the exciting second day of the Grace Hopper Conference, attracting people in all age brackets, an interesting workshop I attended was the one on Time Management, Time Is On My Side, organized by Lockheed Martin. When there are innumerable things to be done at the same itme, the ability to properly and efficiently use our time to complete various tasks becomes of utmost importance. This one was less of a discourse and more of a discussion... Relating myself with all the time bandits and time management problems that others have as well, I could'nt help nodding my head constantly... :)
Beginning with a discussion on the many struggles that people face with managing their time, I realized that the problem majority faced was to handle both work and school regularly, and things even more difficult for those who have to look after a family as well. Something I should ponder about, cause I just have to go to school, unlike many others who have to handle a plethora of things in their lives, and even then fail to devote the appropriate time to tasks invariably. One of the many reasons that women face problems with time management is because they just cannot say 'NO', which virtually always makes them end up neing overscheduled. Something that happens with me as well. Many a times you realize that you have so much to do that it's hard to segregate what should be put first on the stack. And their comes the concept of undersytanding and differentiating between what's urgent and what's significant. Invariably, we find ourselves being caught in this web of the 'TO DO' things and at that time it becomes important to realize as to what has to be done first and what thereafter, something which only the subject can decide depending on what tasks are more significant to affect his life in the coming time.
On today's earth, where if we sit with a paper and try to jott down a list time bandits, it will turn out to be incessant, almopst everyone in the hall figured that the majority of time they wasted was on the internet chatting with theri friends, texting and virtually always ending up maximizing their break time... As these are some of the things I find myself trapped in as well, I understand, and so do many others, that the only possoble solution is self constraint, and to realize that you have tasks of more priority to be done before you.
As almost everyone at some point of time, makes a list of things to be done, it's important to understand the sequence of their being done as well, by making a clear distinction between what is urgent and what is significant... After all, it's good to have a schedule, it;s good to have a clear picture of the next day in front fo you, as that just helps me to complete tasks with all myself and all confidence... and also gives a sense of satisfaction and happiness once I have done them... (No wonder we love to strike out the tasks from the 'to do' list once they are done.. :P). But they are my individual opinions, what do you think about time management? Is it good to make a schedule? Are their better practices to be followed to make ourselves more organized? Feel free to leave a comment... :)
Beginning with a discussion on the many struggles that people face with managing their time, I realized that the problem majority faced was to handle both work and school regularly, and things even more difficult for those who have to look after a family as well. Something I should ponder about, cause I just have to go to school, unlike many others who have to handle a plethora of things in their lives, and even then fail to devote the appropriate time to tasks invariably. One of the many reasons that women face problems with time management is because they just cannot say 'NO', which virtually always makes them end up neing overscheduled. Something that happens with me as well. Many a times you realize that you have so much to do that it's hard to segregate what should be put first on the stack. And their comes the concept of undersytanding and differentiating between what's urgent and what's significant. Invariably, we find ourselves being caught in this web of the 'TO DO' things and at that time it becomes important to realize as to what has to be done first and what thereafter, something which only the subject can decide depending on what tasks are more significant to affect his life in the coming time.
On today's earth, where if we sit with a paper and try to jott down a list time bandits, it will turn out to be incessant, almopst everyone in the hall figured that the majority of time they wasted was on the internet chatting with theri friends, texting and virtually always ending up maximizing their break time... As these are some of the things I find myself trapped in as well, I understand, and so do many others, that the only possoble solution is self constraint, and to realize that you have tasks of more priority to be done before you.
As almost everyone at some point of time, makes a list of things to be done, it's important to understand the sequence of their being done as well, by making a clear distinction between what is urgent and what is significant... After all, it's good to have a schedule, it;s good to have a clear picture of the next day in front fo you, as that just helps me to complete tasks with all myself and all confidence... and also gives a sense of satisfaction and happiness once I have done them... (No wonder we love to strike out the tasks from the 'to do' list once they are done.. :P). But they are my individual opinions, what do you think about time management? Is it good to make a schedule? Are their better practices to be followed to make ourselves more organized? Feel free to leave a comment... :)
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