I am in LAX waiting for my flight to San Francisco. I am going to the AMS Joint Mathematics Meetings. My first time in this conference where most of the attendees are pure mathematicians. So my feedback about the conference will be afterwords.
I am having the same feeling as usual: last minute I would prefer just to stay home. Going to conferences imply so much effort. I don't think people realize that until they go to several of them. All the preparations start when we decide which conference to go and think what we can present. Writing an abstract could be an easy part. Planning all the trip (booking flight, hotel, shuttles, etc.). Register. Find out what talks to go. Get the work done! Prepare a presentation!!! And, of course, all the work we postpone that week!
I am so whining!!!
The truth is that each conference gives me a lot back. It is not only the opportunity to share my work and to hear of others work, but also meet new colleagues, maybe new friends. It is a week that energizes me. New ideas, new spirit!
I already have plans for meeting two Argentinean friends I have not seen for a while.
It is a big conference. A different from the ones I have attended before. Let's see what I get from it!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Monday, December 28, 2009
A new beginning
A new year is ending. Again! And as every year, we look at what we did, what happened, and feel satisfied or not about it. I use Facebook to share with friends what is happening with my life everyday (or at least pretty often). But when I decided to have this blog some years ago I thought of sharing my life with the world. It is hard to open to the entire world and be me. I am not ready. Maybe I am not old enough to not care about exposing myself out there. I have received encouragement from friends to write here. So here I am. So far I have tried to be careful about my writing. Specially, grammatically. But that takes me a lot of time. And I don't have time. Also, I have been very careful about leaving A message in each post. And again, that takes more thinking (and more time).
This year 2009 has been a looooooong year for me. I wrote a Ph.D. thesis during the first quarter of the year. I graduated in May. YEY!!! I waited and waited for the results of the applications I sent to the difficult job market. I got a job that I am very grateful of thanks to networking (I promise I will write a post about the importance of networking!!!). I moved from Boston to Los Angeles. From the East Coast to the West Coast. From North to South. And I left behind not only books but years of a life-changing experience. Friends that are "Family" (I am crying so let's leave it there).
Let's make a change! Let's try to be. Simply be. Simply have a place to talk. An informal talk about whatever. No deep thoughts. Can someone stop by and say hi in this blog? Yes, let's start there. Just say hi whoever you are. I will do the same...
Hi!!!
This year 2009 has been a looooooong year for me. I wrote a Ph.D. thesis during the first quarter of the year. I graduated in May. YEY!!! I waited and waited for the results of the applications I sent to the difficult job market. I got a job that I am very grateful of thanks to networking (I promise I will write a post about the importance of networking!!!). I moved from Boston to Los Angeles. From the East Coast to the West Coast. From North to South. And I left behind not only books but years of a life-changing experience. Friends that are "Family" (I am crying so let's leave it there).
Let's make a change! Let's try to be. Simply be. Simply have a place to talk. An informal talk about whatever. No deep thoughts. Can someone stop by and say hi in this blog? Yes, let's start there. Just say hi whoever you are. I will do the same...
Hi!!!
Friday, August 10, 2007
A friendship that stops the time
After several months of no writing I am back with a post in honor to a group of friends. A group that is still together beyond time and beyond distance.We met 15 years ago. Mathematics brought us together. Its beauty and challenges took us to a world of sharing time, ideas and joy. A strong friendship came into existence.
During these 15 years, we have changed. Some of us got married, some had kids, some have moved to different countries, even continents. However, the internet kept us together. Lucky us!
Some of us got together last July 21st in Basel, Switzerland. Through internet we chatted with the rest of the group that was in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Austin, TX and Tucson, AZ, US. We talked and laughed for hours like the old times when our Saturday meetin
gs were refreshing, invigorating, energizing and life was so simple. Then I realized that the clock stops ticking when we are together. That friendship means a lot more than what we believe it does to us, and to our lives.Cheers for these 15 years and more to come! I love you guys!!!
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Golf and beyond
I started playing golf when my father found out about a golf school for kids in one of the public golf courses in the city. His main purpose was to show my brother and me that there is nothing you cannot do. That even if you do not come from a rich family, you can play golf. Well, I was part of a middle-class family and I played golf for 11 years. So I guess he was right.
I had my first class when I was 11 year old. I do not remember if I like it or not. I only remember that I was improving every single class. I played my first tournament when I was 12. It was an event organized for kids without handicap. I won and the best thing was the prize: an incredible Nintendo with transparent screen. It was awesome! Then, I got handicap and started playing a lot. I used to play every single day during Summer time. I got better and better. When I was 13, I won my first gold medal thanks to an eagle I did in the 16th hole during the 3rd day. Of course, it was not only that, but the eagle was a decisive point. I remember my father shouting of excitement. When I was 14, I represented Argentina in a South American tournament for kids under 15. Our team ended in 2nd place. It was a great experience meeting kids from different countries. My handicap at that moment was 13. The best I reached was 7. When I went to college it became very difficult to split time between studies and golf. Then, I stopped playing.
I won a lot of tournaments. But it is not that what I most enjoyed about playing golf. My memories are plenty of players, golf courses and all the things that I learned. I remember playing a match play against the best women player in my club. I was on the tee of the 3rd hole, and I was ahead. I was so nervous that I had a hard time putting the tee on the ground because my hand was trembling. At the end, I lost that match. However, the bumping of my heart at that time is unforgettable.
There are several things that you learn playing golf. An important one is how to follow rules. When I was part of the under-18-age team, we used to meet on Saturday afternoons and go through the rules and discuss them. I really enjoyed those meetings because when you understand the rules the game becomes more interesting. For example, when a ball goes to a water hazard, there are several places where you can play your next shot. So if you do not know the rules, you do not know the variant you have at hand. Then, you are missing part of the game.
Golf not only taught me how to follow rules, but also how to make decisions. Every shot is fundamental to the game. In every shot you have to make a decision of how to play it. For it, you have to investigate your options. And the searching is amusing. You need to investigate your surroundings like the trees, the grass, the wind, the slope of the grounds. And you need to create a strategy looking forward to the next shot or to the next two shots. And when playing a match play, that means playing against another player, the game is just amazing.
Last Summer, I started teaching my husband. On the one hand, it is frustrating because it is so hard to share the knowledge. On the other hand, it is so rewarding because the improvements are unbelievable. And the opportunity to share such a great sport is wonderful. I am so glad that he has started and he loves it. Unfortunately, since we live in New England we have only part of the year to play. So we are looking forward to the next Spring. In particular, I am looking forward to getting new memories, meeting new players and enjoying new golf courses. Do you want to play?
I had my first class when I was 11 year old. I do not remember if I like it or not. I only remember that I was improving every single class. I played my first tournament when I was 12. It was an event organized for kids without handicap. I won and the best thing was the prize: an incredible Nintendo with transparent screen. It was awesome! Then, I got handicap and started playing a lot. I used to play every single day during Summer time. I got better and better. When I was 13, I won my first gold medal thanks to an eagle I did in the 16th hole during the 3rd day. Of course, it was not only that, but the eagle was a decisive point. I remember my father shouting of excitement. When I was 14, I represented Argentina in a South American tournament for kids under 15. Our team ended in 2nd place. It was a great experience meeting kids from different countries. My handicap at that moment was 13. The best I reached was 7. When I went to college it became very difficult to split time between studies and golf. Then, I stopped playing.
I won a lot of tournaments. But it is not that what I most enjoyed about playing golf. My memories are plenty of players, golf courses and all the things that I learned. I remember playing a match play against the best women player in my club. I was on the tee of the 3rd hole, and I was ahead. I was so nervous that I had a hard time putting the tee on the ground because my hand was trembling. At the end, I lost that match. However, the bumping of my heart at that time is unforgettable.
There are several things that you learn playing golf. An important one is how to follow rules. When I was part of the under-18-age team, we used to meet on Saturday afternoons and go through the rules and discuss them. I really enjoyed those meetings because when you understand the rules the game becomes more interesting. For example, when a ball goes to a water hazard, there are several places where you can play your next shot. So if you do not know the rules, you do not know the variant you have at hand. Then, you are missing part of the game.
Golf not only taught me how to follow rules, but also how to make decisions. Every shot is fundamental to the game. In every shot you have to make a decision of how to play it. For it, you have to investigate your options. And the searching is amusing. You need to investigate your surroundings like the trees, the grass, the wind, the slope of the grounds. And you need to create a strategy looking forward to the next shot or to the next two shots. And when playing a match play, that means playing against another player, the game is just amazing.
Last Summer, I started teaching my husband. On the one hand, it is frustrating because it is so hard to share the knowledge. On the other hand, it is so rewarding because the improvements are unbelievable. And the opportunity to share such a great sport is wonderful. I am so glad that he has started and he loves it. Unfortunately, since we live in New England we have only part of the year to play. So we are looking forward to the next Spring. In particular, I am looking forward to getting new memories, meeting new players and enjoying new golf courses. Do you want to play?
My father and who I am today
This is my story. It is not a sad or happy story. As every life, mine had its ups and downs. And since it is not over yet, there will be more to come. But today let me tell you about my father and how his story enriched mine.
My father came from a modest family. His father died when he was 17 and he supported his mother since then. When he got married his mother went to live with him and his wife. My mother and father worked all day. So my grandmother, who was the only grandparent still alive when I was born, took care of my only older brother and me. When I was 7 years old, my grandmother passed away. Less than a year later my mother died of breast cancer at the age of 36. Our house went from having 5 people (3 women and 2 men) to having only 3 (1 woman and 2 men) in less than year. Those were difficult times for my father who in a very short period of time lost 2 people who he loved so much. On top of that, he got the responsibility of taking care of my brother and me. He worked so hard to teach us and give us all he could. He sent me to classes of fencing, tennis, ballet, painting, Italian, and guitar. When I was 10, he bought the TI99 Texas Instrument computer and I learned how to code in BASIC. Who would have imagined that I would be developing algorithms today? I am very thankful for his ideas and vision of the world. He used to tell me “Hurry up, learn as much as you can because this is the right time. As you grow old, you will have more and more responsibilities and less and less time to do all you want to do”. And he was right. During high school, I only studied and played golf. Then, when I was in college I played golf only a few times a year. Now I am in graduate school with no spare time at all.
When I talk about my childhood and adolescence, I always mention my father. And that is just because it was him who guided me all along during that time. His life influenced mine. He showed me how life can be lived plentifully. Part of who I am today is because of him.
My father came from a modest family. His father died when he was 17 and he supported his mother since then. When he got married his mother went to live with him and his wife. My mother and father worked all day. So my grandmother, who was the only grandparent still alive when I was born, took care of my only older brother and me. When I was 7 years old, my grandmother passed away. Less than a year later my mother died of breast cancer at the age of 36. Our house went from having 5 people (3 women and 2 men) to having only 3 (1 woman and 2 men) in less than year. Those were difficult times for my father who in a very short period of time lost 2 people who he loved so much. On top of that, he got the responsibility of taking care of my brother and me. He worked so hard to teach us and give us all he could. He sent me to classes of fencing, tennis, ballet, painting, Italian, and guitar. When I was 10, he bought the TI99 Texas Instrument computer and I learned how to code in BASIC. Who would have imagined that I would be developing algorithms today? I am very thankful for his ideas and vision of the world. He used to tell me “Hurry up, learn as much as you can because this is the right time. As you grow old, you will have more and more responsibilities and less and less time to do all you want to do”. And he was right. During high school, I only studied and played golf. Then, when I was in college I played golf only a few times a year. Now I am in graduate school with no spare time at all.
When I talk about my childhood and adolescence, I always mention my father. And that is just because it was him who guided me all along during that time. His life influenced mine. He showed me how life can be lived plentifully. Part of who I am today is because of him.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Catching up with New Technologies: Mission Impossible
First...Happy New Year 2007!!!!
Nowadays, it is very hard to know what new technologies are out there. For example, I just learned how much stuff you can do with a phone. I mean, I had some idea, but when I went to Nokia website today I found out that there are really amazing phones already in the market!! Some phones just have all you want: music, pictures, videos, internet. They are awesome! Now if you go to engadget.com, you will see what this post is all about! Yes, I cannot believe it either! Apple iphone is incredible! Good job!
Looking for a website that keeps me somehow updated on new technologies I found My Phone Rocks which is a blog where Paul Whitaker shares with us his joy and everyday experiences with his Nokia phones. I like it. I added it to my "Recommended Blogs" list. So hope you like it too.
Please, if you know a blog or website that can tell me about new technologies, let me know. I used to read The Technology Review which is very broad in its topics. I recommend it. However, I am looking for short entertaining techny writtings that I can read in the morning before starting the day and get ready to work feeling that I can add a grain of sand to the technology world that I love.
Anyways, even if I do my best to be informed about new technologies I will be always behind. That is good because it means that we all are moving ahead! So.... Cheers!
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Something is missing when speaking English as a Second Language
My choice of writing this blog in English instead of in Spanish, my mother tongue, is based on necessity. My English-speaking level has been a weakness I have since I have arrived to the US. Writing in English lets me practice and improve it.
Let me tell you a little story that my friends love to hear, and then they cannot stop laughing. After three months in the US, I started taking English lessons. As is usual in a first ESL class, I had to introduce myself. So on my turn, I said, “My name is Malena. Repeat. Malena”. When I was saying “Malena” the second time, the whole class including the teacher in unison with me repeated “Malena”. It got my attention but I thought they were being polite trying to pronounce my name correctly. Two hours later, I was at home and then I realized it was me who said “Repeat. Malena”. I gave them an order! What I really wanted to say was, “I will repeat, Malena”. I made that mistake because in Spanish I would have say “Repito, Malena”.
Besides this anecdote that only shows my first struggles with the language, I still encounter a lot of difficulties to be precise in a language I did not grow up with. I feel that something is missing in each conversation I have. I hope these writings help me to repair that.
Let me tell you a little story that my friends love to hear, and then they cannot stop laughing. After three months in the US, I started taking English lessons. As is usual in a first ESL class, I had to introduce myself. So on my turn, I said, “My name is Malena. Repeat. Malena”. When I was saying “Malena” the second time, the whole class including the teacher in unison with me repeated “Malena”. It got my attention but I thought they were being polite trying to pronounce my name correctly. Two hours later, I was at home and then I realized it was me who said “Repeat. Malena”. I gave them an order! What I really wanted to say was, “I will repeat, Malena”. I made that mistake because in Spanish I would have say “Repito, Malena”.
Besides this anecdote that only shows my first struggles with the language, I still encounter a lot of difficulties to be precise in a language I did not grow up with. I feel that something is missing in each conversation I have. I hope these writings help me to repair that.
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