People who are not able to get a job end up teaching. You should always have a plan B. With time you will lose interest and would want something stable. You just have to accept things the way they are. There is no way to do it.
Just some of the stereotype thinking I grew around and I always made a point to strongly oppose it and make my way. though. But as I carry on with the journey of life at times I wonder were they right? Should I just follow the normal path which is already carved out? Is the pain of creating your own path worth it?
They say you keep learning from your mistakes. True, but every once in a while you need a win no matter how small.
2020 has been a rough year. Keeping it all bottled up has not been working out much so just turning to blogging as an escape.
Just putting our random thoughts to clear my mind. A friend of mine whom I admire a lot recently posted a quote. I went something like.
"When I used to bring chocolate at home my dog used to jump up and down excited to eat the chocolate. But I couldn't give it to him. Chocolate is bad for dogs. It made him sad but I knew it was for his own good. In this time with all that's happening in life I hope the universe is saying I have a plan it's for your own good just hang in there"
I just remembered that I made a blog a few years back to write all the techie articles. sadly, the blog seems to be having just a post a year!
At least this year got its post at the right time :)
On a more serious note, I'm considering of writing such articles more often, just because it's fun and I hope it inspires someone out there to bring out the techie in them to create great products.
“What do you get out of volunteering?”, he asked. Well, I’d get a certificate for my resume, I replied because that’s what he wanted to hear. He asked no further. Would i do it even if i didn’t get a certificate? Definitely.
At the school
“Is it a paid internship?” No. “Dude why are you doing it! Quit. You’ll get a better-paid internship if you work in xyz”
At work
“Okay team, we have to the work finished by today. We have to the prototype in 2 days.” (Hope they pay us for overtime, Mark mumbled.)
Every person is paid for what they do. A volunteer is paid with the satisfaction and pride of bringing about a change. An intern is paid with experience. A self-made pianist is paid with dopamine which floods him every time he perfects a melody.
Why do i love my JEE teachers of all the teachers i ever had? I wasn't the brightest mind in the class, didn't understand every word they said, even then, i have great respect for them as teachers. Why is that so? What differentiates them from the other teachers i had.
I think the probable reasons might be:
They had already accomplished what i was aspiring for. I believed in them because i knew they had done it.
They knew what they were talking about and had a deep understanding of their subject. Well some of them looked passionate towards their subjects, others didn't show much enthu, but in either case, they were good at what they did.
Friendly, Cool and Chill.
It might be because the syllabus was designed ingeniously or they just didn't mind going off topic - you take any problem(kind of) to them, they didn't say, 'It's out of syllabus'.
The sad part is i'm starting to believe what my mother always said about teachers - 'They landed up in the job because they weren't good enough for real jobs'. Even Sheldon thinks the same.
Even if a person finds his passion for teaching, to be a successful and inspiring teacher, he/she needs to be really good and it. He/She needs to understand the field as far as possible and also design and use techniques to convey the beauty of their art. Imagine you were taught maths by 3Blue1Brown while growing up. I bet you'd love Math more than your girlfriend. A teacher has the power to change the lives of their students and that could just cause a chain reaction that could change the world.
It's not easy when your mind fights with itself. Fragments of your past attacking your future, fogging your vision. It's so easy when you don't question. When you just do it because someone you care about said it's important. That it will pay off in the long run. You never questioned, never tried to drill down. But a time came when there was no someone. You were on your own. Still, there were voices leading you. Voices of fear, __, carving your way.
You know what they said is not wrong, but it's just not you. You don't wanna play it safe. You know what to do, but you are too afraid to lose. Drew's not helping either. He's just kept busy by the voices and when they fade for some time, he's happy. Gun pushes him to go after what he really wanted. He even takes the first few steps for the long ladder, but the voices are back again, dragging him down into the heard and the gravity of gear keeps him there.
Will he ever be brave enough to let go of the voices, will he be brave enough to find the whisper hidden in the heard or up the ladder saying come-on do it. Will be brave enough...?
Here are the top 20 words i've used on this blog since i started blogging.
Well, i didn't find anything out of the box, but still, it was a fun experiment!
They say, don't put your logic in Indian Movies(esp. South Indian ones).
When you see a sci-fi or some computer haking film, everyone dreams of being the hero/villain there. Cuz they are cool and then, life happens.
But do we need reality? Or is reality really reality?
A cliche in India is to get into a Science college and then Engineering for 4 years and then lost in a fucking job or the rest of your life... THE END!
Why do i see the best art circle in an Engineering college why is the majority trying for CAT and MS? You might argue, that they have the best technical event. Well yes, but a technical event is more about the right management. A true technical enthusiast is all about the fundamentals.
When you see a wire you are amazed by the electrons flowing through it. All those 0's and 1's flowing through when you see a cricket match. That's more thrilling than Kholi hitting a century. I''m not trying to judge my peers, but i'm just sad that they didn't get the platform they wanted at the right time. Why don't we keep a 'figure out your passion year' between 12th and college? Most people don't know what they want until 2nd year in Engg. later they fire out and the few flecks that really wanted to do engg are lost in the crowd.
Image a life where discussions are about whats inside a black hole, time travel, light, from the deepest and biggest secrets of the cosmos to the smallest of the atoms. There would be discussions about coming up with new ideas for solving real-life problems, not because it would look good on your resume, but because you'd really love it, you think it's beautiful and you'd like to make a change. There will be people working for passion than for money. For learning not for grades.
See i'm not saying that such a group needs to be a majority (that's an ideal case), but at least i'd be happy to find a single person in a fucking 3000 population sharing the same passion. I single person who's not here because of the society, who just smiles when people say no-no to studying what he loves, who might make fun of being an engineer just to get in a group, but deep down they know, they belonged here. Maybe there even might be someone just like that, hiding in the rocks with the fear of being called different or simply just too busy chatting about how they could crack a sexy network with his imaginary friend.
“You will also find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it.”
— J.K. Rowling
P.S.: This post meant no offence to any profession. I've seen the best writers of my life and was fortunate enough to read their rough drafts and even completed works. Everyone is perfect the way they are. A picture looks perfect with different shades. Everyone thinks differently. The engineering college environment pushes you to think what you really want. Sometimes you find your talents when you are pressured into a mismatch and that's fine. It's great to have different ideas on the table. A great community with different thought process coming together in the best phase of their lives. I'm so thrilled when i see my peers performing so good in paintings, sketches, photography, drama! I love it and i truly respect it. You guys are really talented.
PPS: Not a pro writer, so please correct/ignore if i had made any mistakes, this post was written when my mind was arguing faster than my fingers. By the way... Merry Christmas 🎅🎄
So 1Cr it is! Congratulations sir! You are Hired. The HR held hand into a firm handshake. The smile on Dan's face was clear. As he began to leave the interview room though, it struck him.
So i agreed to work for someone else's dream for money? Yes, you did! Red replied angrily. Maybe, but the money is good, you can do whatever you want with it, Grey argued.
But what about your project? Does a TV selling brand's success matter more to you than your dream?
Well, that's what Sandy's doing, and she's like the best in the college? She can't be wrong. Besides everyone is so happy about the job.
.
. Okay, do it then. Dan took the sarcasm in Red's voice as a yes. THE END
.
.
.
Alternate ending.
Okay, so want me to give it a shot? How am i supposed to explain this to everyone? I'd be a fool to reject this offer. Okay let's say you take the offer. How would you imagine your life spanning out? I'll work in one of the most lavish offices in the country. Free food, free WiFi and a bunch of smart people around. I can go on foreign trips and there's never a no when i see the price tag!
Does that sound good to you?
It sure does! Well, what about when you work on your own project?
I will have to work harder. I need to search for people who share the vision and need to boss them around to work. I don't like bossing.
Go on...
I won't get my own office, just my small room with computer...But...
I'm listening.
I'll create something great... Something that makes a positive change. I'll have a reason to wake up each morning, to situp and open that black subl window knowing that what i do today might fetch a thank you form someone somewhere in the world. I'd scale and scale the project and when it's time to let go, i'd be proud of the change it made and will continue to make after i leave.
"So do you still want the job?", Red smiled.
That was a great interview sir thank you for the time but i can't take the job. Got some pending dreams to work on first :)
The defiant Nazi
P.S.: Of course Grey was not happy with the choice he had to do all the work, more rewiring of all those worker neurons every time, but in the end, it was all worth it.
P.P.S : I personally believe that working(being mentored) by someone who's already done something similar to what you are trying to achieve is one of the best ways to go. Although you must be smart and brave enough to withdraw at the right moment.
Although i've always relied on Google for most of my learning, some times, friend recommendations turn out to be great. I've tried many ear training apps on the playstore and also some music theory apps(honestly, the later ones were kinda boring), this app one of my friend recommended beats them all.
Hookthory (no spaces - someone forgot to take their SEO lessons) - This website/app has 2 books each around Rs.1000. The theory is designed to be taught along with the interactive tool they have on their website(you can use just the book if you want though and refer the website later).
Although you might find a pirated copy of this book if you look at the right places, i'd recommend you pay for it if you can afford it.
What you'll learn -
How is popular music structured.
Pointers to compose your own music and to recognize patterns in existing music(No kidding). You'll know what it means for a song to be in a particular key.
The rules that distinguish music from noise.
The Relative Notion in music - This really does simplifies many things.
You can check the table of contents and other details of the book here or visit the official website.
It's been more than a year now that i've been into music. Recently i bought a piano to compliment the guitar. Every instrument has it's own unique voice. Music (if played right) speaks emotions. While there are many classes out there who promise you good playing skill, i decided to rely on the internet. (after-all i pay 200 bucks for my monthly internet - why not get the most out of it!)
Now, if you are the bad guy, you have a ocean of pirated resources on the internet, but here i list the legal ones that helped me in my journey with music.
Musink (android app - site reading and ear trainer)
There are a few official free music courses on the web like Inro to Guitar by Berklee University, 2, 3 and some pretty through YouTube playlists for music theory and piano. You can go through them if you got the time.
And lastly you'll see loads of other resource on the internet which i haven't yet checked out, just google 'music theory' if you want to taste the ocean.
The last time I remember studying for such long stretches bookishly was my board exams. Engineering for me was not ment to be a techmax learner course. It was not supposed to be about grades, but I didn't even realize when I got myself in their race! Now that I know I'm in, I can force myself out.
But why do we have this race in the first place? Why can't we be like Finland? Importance to grades here seems to be due to:
1) Family pressure to perform well as compared to your peers. and/or
2) A desire to prove yourself.
Secondly, as everyone says - the education system is flawed. I don't know about the IIT's and NIT's, but being from a top(I'm still trying to figure out why do they call it so...) college form Pune University, i can say that majority of a college grad's time goes in exam based learning and assignment submissions.
On the bright side, the system will push you to learn tough things that you might think you don't need unless you actually need them and that's a good thing(or may be you wanna know them but you are too lazy to put in the effort).
But for those who came to college with a spark, I'd say keep the fire burning, find like minded people, believe in what you want and do.
A desire to learn is lost somewhere in this major crowd. But yes, we do exist. Curiosity is a wonderful gift mankind was born with and we crave for knowledge even if it's forbidden.
Check out "Duet" on Google Spotlight Stories at: https://itunes.apple.com/app/google-spotlight-stories/id974739483
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.spotlightstories
Most of the population agrees that lieing is wrong. But would you still maintain your stand, if I said the police lied that they would let the kidnappers escape if the hostages were left unharmed. In this case lieing is not considered bad by most of us. So who defines something as good or bad? We don't have a book to refer to. Some seek the right thing to do in holy Scriptures. Others device their own rules to fit in this world deciding for themselves. What do you think makes something good or bad?
I regret my study methods when I was in school. They just got me grades. But maybe I found the right way at the right time. So I guess that's okay.
Regardless here's a little motivation mix I made in my 9th Grade. Motivation can do wonders if channeled in the right direction.
1) The Climb - Miley Cyrus
2) Dream Big
3) Dream Big
4) You gotta want it from the bottom of your heart
5) I'm a champion speech.
6) Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
7) Kuch Kariye - Chak de India.
8) Aashaye.
9) Demons - Remix Magnetic North.
10) All i got
11) and more...
Maybe I'll update it tomorrow after submitting my DSFL assignments😅
What's your favorite song? Singer? Actor? Sure most of them have a name for each of them. But if i ask who who's your favorite Pianist? Guitarist? Architect? Stage decorator? animator? Very few of us would have answers for them. There are professions that bring you fame others that might not bring you that scale of recognition.
But think about it.
A Filmfare ceremony without the stage and lighting.
A movie without Philo and Charles(Inventors of TV).
A singer without a musician.
(A patient might thank a doctor for his diagnosis, but the graph doc used to make the diagnosis tool was implemented by an engineer ;) )
You get the idea. Let them br the Apple Engineers or the Musicians behind the Million hit songs, they live in the shade - and that's the beauty of them.
So let's set aside a moment to appreciate the background artists, they do it because they want to, they don't seek fame but we all owe them big time.
A shout-out to every one who created git, GitHub, Trello, the big IDEs and all the small code snippets that help make giant projects.
