Back from the Sunshine...

So I'm back from my trip to Cuba...and before I go on a rant, I must admit, I did not fulfil my initial promise of a computer-less vacation. You see, as soon as I finished my last post, and was leaving my house for the airport, I realized that I'd be bringing my camera with me...and ofcourse, a camera is categorized in the class of technology which I specified. So I said to myself, "what the hell, might as well bring the DS as well." Pretty weak huh? (I gave in before my vacation even started:P

I stayed at the beautiful Barcelo Solymar in Varadero, Cuba, which is probably one of the most popular resorts on the peninsula. We had an ocean view (which was spectacular), and the staff were extremely friendly.

There was an abundance of activities, and we took advantage of the scooters, snorkling, special dinners, paddle boats...just to name a few. Although I enjoyed getting inebbriated, I spent a great deal of time reading on the beach, which was probably one of the most relaxing things i have experienced in a long time.


By far, the greatest, and most exciting part of the trip, was our visit to Habana (the nations capitol). This city is full of life, and if you go without a tour guide (like we did) you get to experience some of the "real cuba". When we arrived by bus, it was pretty clear we stuck out like a sore thumb. I don't know if it was the bright green resort braclets we had wrapped around our wrists, or the 500 page Cuban tourist book we were carrying:P Regardless, we ended up taking cabs from place to place. Cuba's Revolution took place in 1959, and it is pretty clear that a large part of the country is still stuck in that era. The city was full of 60's vehicles and building that have not been touched since that time. At points in time, we wandered into residential districts and were thrown into shock by the condition that people were living in. It almost seemed like we should have been scared walkign the streets alone, but what a lot of people don't know, is that Cuba is a lot safer than it appears to be. No cuban is allowed carry a gun. Locals are not legally allowed to talk to tourists unless their job permits them too. Knowing this, walking the streets of the ghetto felt a lot like a roller coaster - You're scared, but you know you're safe.

The thing that puts most people in shock is that we stayed at the house of a local in Habana. This may seem strange, but it is perfectly normal. Legally, Cubans are allowed to rent upto 2 rooms in each household to tourists. Each household is also certified by the government, so there is regulation. The next time you're in Habana and want to stay the night...ask for a casa particular...i promise you won't regret the experience. In my mind, every historic site in Habana is a must see, and is vital if you want to get a true sense of the way Cuba has transformed into the nation it is today.

So in conclusion, the vacation was relaxing, exciting, life-changing, and fun all in one...mission accomplished.

-Zak

The Sweet Escape

My msn nickname for the past week has been "looking forward to a computer-less vacation". This is interesting considering my degree, job, and life basically revolve around computers:P But today, finally, I leave for Varadero, Cuba for a week to enjoy the sun, have some fun, relax, and most importantly, escape from the pressures of everyday life. I've decided to make minimize the amount of technology I'm taking with me, just so I can give myself a "true escape". This consists of, no laptop, ipod, nintendo DS :(, or even cell phone...To tell you the truth, its gonna be tough, but hopefully I can loose myself in the sunshine and the great novels I'm bringing with me. I gotta catch my flight now, so I'll be sure to give an update when I get back.

I Love Rewards Company Retreat

Our company (I Love Rewards Inc.) went on our semi-annual retreat this past week. It was a two day getaway that was located at the beautiful *cough* Bricker Residence in Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario. Aside from the tiny beds, and window-less conference room, this experience was nothing but positive!



There was a huge focus on team building and over-communicating the company vision and goals for the next six months. By far, my favorite session was Brutal Facts. This basically consisted of our VP of Operations stating a couple "brutal facts" about the current state of the company, and clearing the way for boundless discussion. I won't reveal what the facts were, but they definitely erected a lot of opinions. At this point there was a no holds bar brain storm, where people could state how they feel, and suggest improvements. What impressed me the most was how open and honest everybody was. I Love Rewards has fostered an environment of open communication...smoke before fire they always say... This 2 hour session flew by, but at the end of it, I felt some what rejuvenated. We also had the chance to play an intense few games of soccer right after. Now, I don't know if the timing of this game was planned strategically to give employees the chance to let out their frustration, but it was absolutely amazing.

What did I learn from this retreat?

1. Communication is an integral part of GREAT organizations, and you can never have enough.
-Even in a company that has daily company-wide meetings, rhythm meetings, department meetings, etc... people still felt they were not being communicated to enough...which is ok.
-They even gave us top-secret financial information, other companies wouldn't even dream of!...you have no idea what effect this can have on an employee

2. Working with people you actually WANT to spend time with outside of work hours is priceless.
-I knew this before going into the retreat, but these couple days jsut reinforced the fact. At one point, there were 35 people hanging out in one residence room, playing games, and singing along to a guitar...I remember looking around and being completely mesmorized. "I can't believe these are my co-workers", i said to myself.

3. People tend to invent their own vocabulary...
-learnings: Razor Suleman, CEO
-generify: Amin Lalji, Director of IT
-optionary: Me :P

Well, now that the work week has started again, I feel like my battery is recharged. There is a buzz in the air, and everyone seems to be a little more focused. If thats not a successful retreat, then i don't know what is.

If you want to learn a little bit more about the company, we were just featured on Workopolis TV...check out the video below:

Ishmael

I recently finished reading a book that has changed my life; Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. It's a timeless classic that's extremely well written, and nearly impossible to put down. The novel really makes you re-examine the way we perceive the history of mankind, and presents edgy and thought provoking concepts that will question the way you live your life. I have provided a quick summary of some of the key concepts in the novel to give you a little taste and refresh my own memory.

Takers vs. Leavers: Quinn presents the idea that the world is separated into two types of people; Takers and Leavers. He argues that in modern society, "Mother Culture" refers to these people as civilized and uncivilized. Quinn is pro-Leaver throughout the novel, and eventually defines them as the "ones who live in the hands of the gods."(229)

Taker Mythology: We (the Takers) are living a myth. This is a pretty strong statement, but Quinn elaborates by explaining that Takers are living the myth that "the world was made for man, and man was made to rule it."(72)

The knowledge of the gods: The knowledge of the gods is the knowledge of 'who should live and who should die.' This encompasses the control of food supply, agriculture, captivation of animals, and everything... basically everything the Taker society needs to sustain itself. Quinn implies that we have conjured up this knowledge ourselves and imposed it on the world around us.

Agricultural Revolution: This time in history (also known as the Neolithic Revolution) was the transition of early human societies from hunters and gatherers (who were Leavers) to agriculturalists. It started approximately in 8000 B.C. in the heart of the Fertile Crescent, and Quinn claims that it has never ended. The revolution was also the birth of Taker culture because agriculture was the first sign of humans taking "the knowledge of the gods" into their own hands.

Biblical References: Quinn links two biblical stories to his concepts, and actually argues that his interpretations are the true meanings of the stories. The first is the story of Adam and Eve. He says that the forbidden fruit was actually the "knowledge of the gods" described earlier. Therefore, when Eve ate the forbidden fruit, it represented the birth of the Taker Culture. Quinn also takes this one step further, and states that the story of Cain and Abel was the story of the Takers killing the Leavers "so that more land could be put under cultivation."(173) The details and arguments backing this theory are quite intricate, but very well communicated. According to Quinn, these stories are still being enacted by today's world because "Adam is still chewing the fruit of that forbidden tree, and wherever Abel can still be found, Cain is there too, hunting him down, knife in hand."(216)

This novel really does a good job in presenting these arguments. The only problem I had was that there is no real solution expressed by Quinn. The novel is pretty negative (with reason) but does not give you a real direction in which to head if you want to fix the problem. The only solutions presented are to "teach a hundred what [Quinn] has taught you, and inspire them to teach 100."(248) He also suggests to stop killing off the Leavers because they are the only ones that can "show the destroyers of the world that there is no one right way to live."(248)

I spent a long time pondering what I could do to make a difference, and implement something I've learned in this novel. Surely, Quinn is not suggesting that mankind completely back-track and return to hunter-gatherer societies...is he? Then I started looking at what others have done...Pearl Jam’s entire "Yield" album was inspired by this novel, and the premise of that album was that mankind should give in to nature... interesting, but once again, what does that even mean? Surely the band hasn't given into nature, or they'd be living in a jungle somewhere. This is what is suggested by the movie "Instinct" that was also inspired by Ishmael. In this movie, the protagonist (played by Anthony Hopkins) is an anthropologist that ends up finding solace with a bunch of apes in and African jungle.

Aside from the lack of a solution, no piece of literature has ever made me realize how fucked up the world is, and how we really have no right to impose our culture and beliefs on anyone. Maybe one day I will be able to look at this novel in a different light, and suggest a new solution to the world's problems, but until then, I will continue to search.

A Full Circle

I visisted my alma mater this past weekend for a couple reasons:

The first was to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. There is no better place then a university town to celebrate this ridiculous holiday, and completely let loose. Although I'm a Queen's alumni, I still have many friends there who are more then hospitable when I decide to pay a visit. Without those friends, I think it would be a little awkward, and I'd just be the "old-guy-on-campus" :P

On a more serious note, the second reason I visited Queen's this weekend was to attend the annual Engineering Iron Ring Ceremony. For those of you who are avid readers of my blog (and I know there aren't that many), my first post ever was based on this very same event, exactly one year ago. To summarize, ALL CANADIAN ENGINEERS WEAR IRON RINGS ON THEIR PINKY FINGER, and this ceremony is a where they receive it. If you read my post from then you'll see that i was a little reluctant and indifferent (silly me). The ceremony is very cultish, and isn't open to the public (you basically have to have a ring to get in). What made this event so special was the fact that I actually got to "ring" a good friend of mine...it was a refreshing moment that replenished my love for the engineering community.

Since this event was the anniversay of my first blog post, it forced me to look back over the past year, and realize how much things have changed. For one, I was receiving the ring last year, and was 'giving' it this year. But foremost, I have to acknowledge how much my perspective on life has changed. Unlike last year, my thirst for knowledge and drive to succeed is uncontainable...and this has improved every aspect of my life!

Thanks you Queen's! Thank you Engineerng!

The Inconceivable Sanctuary

Don't laugh...but do you ever find that some of your best thoughts come to you while you're in the bathroom? Whether it's at work, school, or even at home...a few minutes in the can always seems to clear my mind and stimulate great thoughts. I've solved intellectual predicaments and even pondered about philosophical dilemmas...seriously. My theory on this is, when you're in the bathroom, it's a true feeling of escape from the rest of the world. Not only are you in your own 'space', but you're also cognisant of the fact that it’s completely acceptable. What I mean by this is, no matter how busy you are, or what situation you're in...the world will always give you a few minutes to go to the bathroom...because it would be inhumane not to. Knowing that, (you're in a true escape), it's a lot easier to let your mind free from the pressures of everyday life...This, I believe, is what triggers clear and concise thinking.

Maybe I'm just crazy...

Invent...

Have you ever had the urge to create something, and then said to yourself "all the good ideas are taken". As an engineer/developer, this is probably the most dangerous mentality to have. The most succesful people in the world have learnt to throw away this ideology. Ofcourse, as the world evolves technologically at a such a rapid rate, many great ideas will be taken. But what we have to understand is, with everything that's invented (whether it's technical or not), more oppoortunites arise to be innovative...and as engineers we must always strive to be innovative.

In short, there is no reason to be afraid to create. Possibilities are endless.

-Zak

I'm Back

So it's been about 10 months since my last post...and a lot has changed in my life since then. I've gone from unemployed to workaholic, and have a ridiculous thurst for knowledge that has pretty much evolved from my new surroundings. The company I work for is I Love Rewards Inc. Yes, I said it correctly, I Love Rewards. This small company of 35 people has a work environment like no other, and a culture that is unheard of in most work places. I'm not gonna get into the details of the company (partially because this is my blog, and not their's :P ) but one of my favorite aspects of the place is their approach to learning and training. I have never been pushed so hard to learn and develop my skills both technically and personally. This narrow-minded engineering grad, has transformed into an open-minded, avid reading , passionate individual.

With all these new influences in my life, expect some intense blogs in the near future. I promise I will have compelling stories to tell, intelligent advice to share, and thought-provoking theories to disclose. But this blog is more of an ice-breaker for me...something I have been putting off for a long long long time, and needed to do. But now I feel fresh again, words are flowing like water, I can't wait...

The next phase

Four years and four bedrooms later I have officially graduated from Queen's University.
After moving out of 193 Collingwood St. today, I was motivated to write a blog as I saw my memories being packed into carboard boxes. One year at a time, a short summary follows:

In my first year, I lived in Victoria hall (aka the party res). Coming into Queen's, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. And I'm not going to lie, school was the last thing on my mind that year. I got caught in a life of partying, sleeping in, and ridiculous amounts of procrastination. I don't know if it was the crazy engineering mentality, or just the fact that I wasn't used to so much freedom...but nevertheless, I barely got through...scraping by with 50s and 60s, but a hell of a lot of 'party knowledge.'

My second year was a lot like a transition phase. I was still stuck in a lot of my old ways but definately put a little more effort into school. I met a lot of new people, but there were some that had a greater influence on me than others. Those individuals know exactly who they are... and for everything they've ever done, I would seriously like to thank them. School started to get more interesting, as it became more specific to my interests. And who could forget, I had an afro.

On entering my third year, I had a completely different mentality about school. I knew I was capable doing well, while still having a great time. With the help of some newly acquired freinds and a lot of time in Bain Computer Lab, i was able to pull out of the year on the dean's list with an unexpectadly high ranking in my class. Funny how much things could actually change.

In my final year at Queen's University, I had decided to go all out. Along with taking 8 classes im my first semester, I had also decided to work a part time job and convince myslef that i would still have time to party. Little did I know, I would be spending many all-nighters in Bain, while using worn out single coaches for beds. For anyone that plans to ever go through a semester with this much to do, make sure you know what you're getting yourslef into.
The best part of all this hard work, was that it paid off for my final semester at Queen's. Because I had taken so many classes first semester, I was left with an increadably slack second. Only 3 classes plus a project opened the doors for 3 nights of partying a week... and because of all this, the semseter flew by... and I don't regret one second of it. Sure, I spent a LOT of money, and lost a couple marks here and there, but I got to enjoy myslef the way I had wanted to for so many years. ...withouht a worry in the world. Friends became closer, and memories that much more priceless. This semester had definately put an exclamtion mark at the end of this 4 year sentance.

Now seriously, the point of this post was not to list what has happened to me over the past few years and brag about it... but to actually talk about where it has got me to and where I plan to go. Everything that I have stated is not sugar coated at all, but there are many things about my time at Queen's which I hanv't mentioned...times at which I had felt so low that I never expected to regain myself.... But the way I see it is that without those moments, I would never have been able to enjoy myslef as much as i did when everything was going well.

Everything being said...here i am. Sitting in my bed at home in Mississauga, at 5:17 AM, thinking about what I am doing with my life. It sounds so wierd to say it:
"I have a University degree."
"I am done with school."
"My 'real' life begins now."
just to mention some of the overplayed thouhgts in my head.

The truth is, I don't really know where I am going... but I am not completely hopeless. My problem is that there are many things that I want to do with my life but don't know exactly in what order, or how I should go about doing them. One thing is for sure, my life is not getting any more simple now that I have a degree...if anything it has become that much more complicated.

I have more to say, but its late and I'm tired.
I will start fresh another day,

-Zak

Blast from the Past

I found out recently that a friend I had gone to highschool with passed away in a motorcycle accident. I hadn't spoken to him in about 3 years, and when I found out about what happened, I couldn't even remember who it was. It took about 2 days to actually click, but after it did I started to remember everything about this individual. Everything from his interesting character to the Concord he drove in high school. They say it was a freak accident, which makes the whole situation worse. At times like this you can only think about the families, and what they must be going through.

This incident also made me think about so many other things. Most importantly... the friends we loose touch with. All the fiends from junior high, high school, or wherever. You share so many good times with people, and when you move away, everything gets lost in an instant. (Unless you make a concious effort.) But in my case, I'm guilty. I have lost so many friends because I havn't bothered to try and contact them. Is it because I'm lazy, or just the fact that you can't keep all your friends?

Another friend who I hadn't spoken to in about 4 years (for various reasons), added me to MSN a couple nights ago. When I saw his nickname (which is also his last name) I knew exactly who it was. As soon as I saw his message, I started to get flashbacks of growing up with this guy. I couldn't even remeber how long I had known him, or how we met...just the fact that we got along really well. He started a conversation... "What have you been up to man?...How's life? ....Where are you living?" were just a few of his enormous list of questions. I tried my best to keep up with him, but he was jsut to quick. It was 4am, but the conversation made me forget that I had a long day ahead of me. "I rented 3 scary movies with my girlfriend yesterday, and all I could think about was your 'horror-movie-sleepover-parties' you had in grade 4, 5, and 6!" he said to me. I was taken back, and didn't know what to say. "Those were the greatest times," I responded. The conversation went on, but all i could think about was those parties.

Things are so innocent when we're young... Our lives revolve around our friends and family, and nothing else in the world matters. But honestly, should our "grown-up" lives be any different? Do we have to put our material responsibilities above the ones that make us laugh?... Above the ones that love us? I look up to the ones that know this isn't true...

-Zak

19 Union

Tuesday afternoon...
I'm sitting within the walls of Bain (the computer lab I've called home for the past few years.)
I don't know why, but I feel at home here. No matter what time of day, or how stressed I am, there will always be someone here that I can relate to. Right now, its a bunch of people freaking out over their fourth year project... "Fuck I can't believe this is due next Wednesday, we're so far behind!" I don't know why, but deep inside, it makes me laugh. You know you're sick of school when the most serious matters make you laugh. Which brings me to my next point. School is really starting to suck. One part of me says its because of the mentally draining 8 courses I took last semester, and another part says its because I'm only taking 3 this time around, which leaves me with absolutely no motivation. Whatever it is, right now I jsut want to be on a beach in the middle of Jamaica, with time to just think...that's exactly what I need to do...think! I want to ponder about what has happened to me over the past 4 years, how I've changed from my experiences... Have I changed for the better? Where do I want to be in 10 years? How can I use what I've learned, and what do I still have to learn? Some of you might say I'm really stupid, and I can do that anywhere, but seriosly, I need distance. There are so many things going on in my life that I can not share with this blog... things that I will share with the world one day ... but not now.

same bat time, same bat channel...
peace out,
-Zak
03/21/06

A followup..

So it wasn't that bad at all. I am actually feeling amazing right now. Thanks to so many awesome friends, this day is actually going to be very memorable. And to answer the question of why I wasn't excited to get this ring.... the magnitude of emotions that were locked up inside me were beyond my understanding... just waiting for the right moment to come out.

Now things must get a little more serious. I've really been slacking off academically. I think there are only 2 or 3 weeks left in classes, and I have a lot more work to do. Everything has just gone by so quickly. So many parties, so many good times with the people that care about me and the ones that probably could care less... Either way, It's been fun.

Peace out for now.... its too late at night

The beginning of the end......or the end of the beginning?

Here I am...21 years old, and writing my first ever post to a blog. Why now? Why with 1 month until the end of my last year at Queen's University? Well, the answer is......Inspired by a friend who is a constant blogger, I read one of his posts and felt like it was about time to let the world know how I see things thorugh my eyes.

I am a forth year computer engineering student who is graduating with honors...but jobless. The last four years have been filled with so many obstacles, but equally as many good times, friends, and achievments.

When we leave high school with "good" marks, scholorships, and all that great stuff that parents' dreams are made of... they tell us that everything is going to be ok... that the institutionalized world of university which we are entering will bring us so much opportunity and happiness... and the truth is... it can. But the problem is, everyone's definition of happiness varies so much, that we all say it so blindly.... I guess what I'm trying to get at is... am I happy?

Tomorrow marks a very special event in my life...or at least its supposed to. It's my Iron Ring Ceremony. The Ceremony that defines your four years (or more) of hard work towards the beloved engineering undergred degree. The ring is hyped from the moment we walk through the walls of this institution, and never fails to be the topic of interest in many engineering ethics classes. They tell you it is the symbol of everything you've been through. The symbol that shows you are an ethical engineer, who will always pride yourself in your work. Why then, am I not that excited? The ring that would make me bow down in its presence 4 years ago, is now just another accessary in my mind. Is it because I don't want to accept the fact that I am done here...that my real life begins now. Or is it because I have just stopped caring? Or simply put, has it just not hit me yet?... I guess I'll find out tomorrow at 3:30.

respect for reading,
-Zak
03/18/06