What do u think???

I know it will sound really crazy (personally I call my idea “pristine crap”) but for some weird reason, I am very excited about doing a documentary on “Life @ IIITB”. I have even come up with a tagline too: “Birth of a techie”. It would showcase the real student life, filled with projects and assignments, getting screwed by professors and not just run-of-the-mill romance and dances. The documentary should be intense throughout, covering all ups and downs, moments of truth etc. faced by a student. One scene should be “live-recording” of Prof. Srinath taking a viva of a student. That would be like the gist of the documentary. It should be one-of-a-kind documentary guys. It should portray the actual student life and what a student goes through with all the peer/parent pressures.

So here I am. What do you guys think about this??? Please give your opinion in the Comments section.

PS: We do have good storytellers, script-writers, photographers and “videographers” in our batch. Also, Monsoon Wedding was shot in 20 days. So it is very much do-able people.

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days

The first dialogue of this movie is "Ok thanks". Can u believe it???

Numb with Numbers

Numbers can give a numb feeling to anyone. Maybe thats why its called Numbers!!!
Lets explore different levels of numb(er)ness:
 
Level 1: NOVICE
 
2 + 2 = 4
2 * 2 = 4
2 square = 4
 
Have mathematical operators lost their meaning??? If u want more, proceed to Level 2.
 
 
Level 2: MODERATE
 
12 square = 144
 
You must be wondering "So what's special in this???".
 
1 + 2 = 3
1 + 4 + 4 = 9
3 square = 9
 
If u want more, please proceed to some other blog!!!

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Thesis and ME

I will share an interesting incident as to how I got myself into doing Thesis when I am already doing an internship.

But before that, a quick background story...

    I feel that any person who is doing an M. Tech should do a Thesis. (that's my opinion, so you cannot comment on/criticize it) As I respect my opinions (I think I atleast should), I decided to do a Thesis under Prof. Srinath. So a couple of months back, I spoke with sir regarding this and he said he was ok with it. But some weeks later, sir asked me if I was interested in Ziva internship. After the usual discussion with friends and more friends, I decided that internship at Ziva would be better than Thesis. So I accepted the offer. But I still wanted to do a Thesis because I wanted to do a Thesis.

The following foreground story explains the title of my blog -

    'Java' usually co-ordinates with Ziva. So 'Yeti' and I decided to canvas Java to talk to sir regarding the project work which Ziva would give us. The gist of the canvas was if Ziva internship is hectic, we will not do a thesis. We wanted Java to talk and negotiate. We also told Java how to react and respond to possible bouncers from sir. We then went to sir's cabin. The moment of truth had arrived. The following events are in real time...

    Java: (knocks on sir's door)
    Sir: (gives a "why are you here" look)
    Java: Sir, this is regarding thesis.
    Sir: So have you guys decided?
    Java: Yes sir.

Now I have to do my thesis:(

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IIIT-B OF LIFE

The IIIT-B factor of Life made me realize that English proverbs make complete sense. (I accept it is not a catchy way to start my blog... my sincere apologies!!!)

First of all, I thank myself for the opportunity given to me by myself to write about IIIT-B. Let me start with the most famous statement of IIIT-B - “Good morning gentleman. Can you all hear me??? Through the system???”

Exactly one year back, I, now a second-year post grad student, joined IIIT-B. It was on Friday July 28, 2006. It was the day of registration for the students of 8th batch. I had come along with my parents and my cousin. The feeling I experienced was one which is not expressible (at least by me:)). I was anxious and excited at the same time. I had always dreamt of doing my PG (actually I am lying...). I will share my story as to why I wanted to do PG (on second thoughts, I won't...). Let's just say that “this is too much...” was the reason.

After the formalities of the registration process (let's not get into the details...), I was given my hostel room key instructing me to shift my belongings to my room. But of course I didn't and couldn't shift. You must be wondering why??? The reason is I stay in Bangalore and had decided to shift to the hostel on the first day of college and that was on Monday July 31, 2006 and so hadn't brought any stuff with me. I promptly gave the key to my mom for safe-keeping. It was later announced that there would be an orientation program by the senior batch at 4 pm. My parents decided not to stay for this and they left:(. I roamed around for a while in college to kill time till 4pm. I don't exactly remember what the seniors spoke at the orientation cos I guess I was busy “bird-watching” (mind you... only girls!!!) my batch. I realized that I didn't feel all alone that day. It is but natural to feel lonely in a new place with strangers. I pondered as to how is it possible that I was not feeling alone. Then it struck that I was with my cousin.:) All the activities that day were carried out by volunteers from the senior batch. Frankly, they did a good job. Hats off to them!!!

The registration day and the first day of college had only one thing in common... bird-watching. As I am an open-minded person, I didn't restrict myself to my batch. So I “bird-watched” juniors and seniors without any discrimination. This continued for a few days. With no offense to my batch, I strongly feel that my seniors were much better in brain and brawn.

Then the real fun began. We got our laptops and suddenly it was hell. There was no time for bird-watching at all. The seniors showed no mercy in giving assignments. The best(or rather worst) part of IIIT-B is that though IIIT-B is in “mera bharat mahan”, it follows time of some other country. (I guess all IIITBians can understand what I am saying!!!) For non-IIITBians, let me explain this concept a little better. If a senior sends an e-mail telling that there is a test at 2 today, it means 2 am (ya that's right... 2am...) and not 2pm. The only thing I lost coming to IIIT-B is the sense of day and night. (I thought I would lose a lot of other things:)) There were so many tests and assignments that I am sure there is no one in my class who hasn't cursed the seniors. “Were they really as nice as they looked?” was the question I asked myself after they pressurized us with tests, assignments, etc. “All that glitters is not gold” seemed true.

Flashback to day one of college. I met 3 people. One of them was my roommate. God alone knows why I didn't keep a nickname for him. The other 2 were “CKK” and “UU”. The 'kk' is for kingdom and king. Anybody can guess what 'c' stands for. Everyone knows who “UU” is. Flashfront to a few months. My “gang” has grown. It now comprises of “Yeti” (the animal-lover of our gang), “Anna”, “Java”(also called “Chota Shakeel”), “Mama”, “Ducky”, “Sleepless in Hostel”, “GILT” and “Myan of steel”. Recently, “Cylinder” has joined my gang. There are rumors doing the rounds claiming that I call “Myan of steel” as “Myan of balls of steel”. I would like to put the rumor to rest once and for all... I do call him “Myan of balls of steel” and thats the truth. Ain't you curious as to what my nickname is? One girl, on condition of anonymity, has revealed that I am popular as “Cheddi Boy” amongst the girls. (I believe in free press... screw anonymity... “No Comments” revealed this fact).

One semester just passed by. I didn't realize how time flew because I didn't get any time to realize that.:) Now we were in second semester. And the good part of second semester is that there are no seniors (internships remember...) No seniors.... no tests.... I immediately felt that I was a senior but the problem was I had no juniors.:) I was in a zombie state I guess. I had more time now to do what I do best: bird-watching. “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”. But there was a problem again... there were no birds:(.

Well... what can I say about second semester... It was like first semester minus the seniors.:) We got some free time (unlike the first semester). I played a lot of TT. I studied a lot lesser. Then came the dreadful day that I feared for a long time... the day when grades of first semester were announced. My grades are not worth mentioning, but for the record I got 2.89. (For all the CGPA-illiterate guys reading my blog, CGPA is on a scale of 4... if you get a 4, it means that you have secured 100%... in simple terms “flawless victory”). The sad part was that class average was around 3.2. So I was way below the class average.:( The sadder part was that I had got the least grades in my gang. Suddenly I felt that I was the master of incompetence. “Was M. Tech a faux pas???” is the question I still don't have an answer to. By the way, “Yeti” got 4 (flawless victory to him) and “UU” got 3.78 (should I say flawed victory:)).

Second semester was done in no time. Then came the most sought after months of IIIT-B – summer course. It was a 2-month course duration. Every day we had classes only for 2 hours. After that it was just free time. The amount of enjoyment increased from “Pareto optimality” to infinity. Summer course consisted of Accounting, Marketing and Technical Communication (huh...). We have just finished our summer course:( and not looking forward to third semester. But the good part of third semester is that I am a senior now. That means there will be juniors... that means a new set of students... that means a new set of faces... that means I can start bird-watching...:) “History repeats”.

In spite of the numerous pros and cons of IIIT-B and “all said and done”, I love you IIIT-B. I wish I can always be with you. But as “all good things should come to an end”, I know that I will have to part ways with you. I have learnt a new meaning of LIFE: I want “Life at IIIT-B For Ever”.