My brief encounter with ISKCON in Carbondale

Last to last saturday I attended a house gathering of ISKCON people. It was amazing that there were people who have dedicated their full life for the cause couldn't come up with convincing reason for their action. Having read Bhagavad Gita I was ecstatic that there will be some people who could guide me about what has so enamored them so much that they have left their previous lifestyle to live a more ascetic life. He couldn't talk much about the life changing passage in Gita other than few sanskrit words like Vaikuntha and Ananda. All he was saying was about how the life will be wonderful in Vaikuntha and how the company of people he has metmet has given him joy. Alas some people take refuge into other religion (in this case krishna consiousness) to sound more intelligent without appreciating what it stands for.

The duo all dressed in the traditional attire even sandal wood paste on their forehead and distributing flyers was pretty much like evangelical christain one encounter. I asked one simple question about Darwinian view and how ISKCON deals with it ? I don't know if she was prepared for that kind of question because her response totally blew it and her end goal seemed to be just going to heaven and ananda. I just wonder why people have to make life complicated with religious argument.

Vienna Boys Choir

Last to last friday Vienna Boys Choir visited Carbondale. I haven't had much exposure to choir singing as a child but it does fascinates me. So I was naturally excited about this event. One big advantage of having such event in a smaller town is that the prices are affordable. The ticket for this event was $28 and I think it was worth every penny.

Academic Earth

For all of you Video Lecture Lovers here is the link
http://academicearth.org/

Habit

I am your constant companion. I am your greatest helper or heaviest burden. I will push you onward or drag you down to failure. I am completely at your command. Half the things you do you might just as well turn over to me, and I will be able to do them quickly, correctly. I am easily managed- you must merely be firm with me. Show me exactly how you want something done, and after a few lessons I will do it automatically. I am the servant of all great people; and alas, of all failures as well. Those who are failures, I have made failures. I am not a machine, though I work with all the precision of a machine plus the intelligence of a human being. You may run me for a profit or turn me for runi - it makes no difference to me. Take me, train me, be firm with me, and I will place the world at your feet. Be easy with me and I will destroy you.

Who am I ? I am habit.

Tuesday

Ah.. I just finished an almost 4 hr session and now I look forward to go home. Several things hapenned today. In the morning I went over the Integration in my class. We are still doing substitution method though I did introduce the fundamental theorem of Calculus. Tomorrow more questions on integration will be taken.
I am updating this from the 3d floor of library.

Collecting thoughts after the first day

Its 17 hrs and the first day after the spring break is over. It was good productive day. I am right now in the library to update this blog and to go over Convex functions.
Today I taught the substitution method of Integration in my class. Here are few pictures. I been reading the 8th habit by Covey lately. Its in the browsing section here and whenever I am around I take a peak at that wonderful book. The book builds up on 7 Habits and freely uses material from his other two books which is good as it refreshes many of the concepts. I like the two definitions.
Trust: Trust becomes a verb when you communicate to others their worth and potential so clearly that they are inspired to see it in themselves.
Sacrifice: Giving up something good for something better.

Last day of Spring Break

Its morris Library 3rd floor and today is the last day of the spring break. Overall if I have to look back it was a productive break. I didn't waste time, did study and also went out. Pretty much everyday I woke up early in the morning and did chores that were pending including laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, eating healthy, stretching and yoga, reading beyond the curriculum, applying for Opt and catching up with people. The schedule for the remaining semester will be to concentrate on the classes and thesis.

Speaker Award

Inequality

First day of Spring Break

I am here sitting in the Carbondale Library. I came here to check out the new book ThinkerToys by Michael Michalko. The book has excellent reviews and that piqued my curiosity.
Overall the break started yesterday and I am glad that I could wake up early in the morning around 5 am. Then after a half hr session of Vipassana I studied for a while and later went for a walk around the neighborhood. Its amazing that you discover so much when you slow down. I have ridden my bicycle around that neighborhood so many times and yet when you are walking you discover way many things. I discovered there is a railway line which has now been paved over. The lumber processing factory. The various houses. In fact there are two houses which have exactly the same kind of front porch.
Later I watched several travel shows on PBS. The theme for the day seems to be Canada. Its amazing country and I thoroughly enjoyed the two episodes of "Travelscope" and the "Seasoned Traveller".

Things I should do over the spring break

This is the last day before the Spring Break starts. Today I distributed my Math 140 Finals and went over some problems which some people had trouble with. The plan is to make the break productive. Finish the Div, Grad book and the Non-Linear Optimization. Finish the writing part of my Thesis and prepare for a talk on my Thesis and a Toastmaster competition speech. I will be talking about Life Long learning.

Toastmasters Minute for March 3, 2009

Sumant --> Toastmaster.
Paul Flower --> Table Topics Master
Jason --> Speach (Taking Initiative)
Karen Cupp --> Speech (Helping older people with Technology)
Jay Cupp --> Speech Evaluator for Karen
Kelli Roh --> Speech Evaluator for Jason
Guest --> Jennifer Rose

Toastmasters meeting last wednesday

Its wednesday again and time for Toastmasters today. I will be the Toastmaster for tonight. Last week it was Kaira who was the table topics master and the theme was Song. Kelly was the Toastmaster and we had a new member Jennifer and Jay.