What is your life story - Vivek Na
I was born in Bangalore, got very interested in computers at a young age of 8.
At age 11.5, I, my two siblings, brother (age 17.5) and sister, (age 21.5) and mother (and 3 other kids of my sisters age) left Bangalore and went and lived in a remote forested part of the upper Himalayas (why? that's too long a story)
Eleven years we lived there (obviously I got no formal education, but learned most of what I know by self study).
The other three kids had to leave after a few months due to immense parental pressure.
The relationship between the rest of us turned from a mere family thing to one similar to a survival team, it's not easy living in such places if you are a city person, and if your finances are very limited.
Those 11 years deserve a book on their own. Actually several, because between the four (or maybe seven) of us, there is a lot that we experienced, both together and personally.
Some stuff about that time I have written here :
The elements - Water (http://
The elements - Fire (http://
The fear of death, to the death of fear (http://
You can find links to my mothers blog (massive amounts of content there) and my siblings blogs in the "Blogs of note" section.
Age 22, I come to Bangalore, get hired at a startup over a yahoo conversation in the "Programming:1" chatroom - I wasn't even looking for a job. I'm serious!
I move to Chennai, work from end 2002 to early 2005.
2003 I buy the then most powerful motorbike in India,
2004 April I buy a flat.
2005 Jan, I crash and break my left knee.
I quit my job, loaded with debts (didn't have complete medical insurance cover), move to Dehradun on an impulse, stay with my brother.
I start freelancing, initially make a few dollars, but soon things get better and I'm financially OK after 3 or 4 months. I sell my flat and pay off all debts, we rebuild the bike, and I can walk and ride reasonably normally again.
In early 2006, I meet a Romanian girl in _ where else? Yahoo "Programming:1" _ and we slowly fall in crazy love. After several months we decide to get married. It's not easy for an "unqualified person" to move to Europe, nor is it easy for East Europeans to get visas to India easily. So we both fly to Mauritius, meet for the first time face to face, and in 7 days were legally married.
Then I applied for a visa to go there on the basis of that marriage and I live there.
I completely turned my life inside out and managed to get there.
It was quite wonderful, but after a period of time things do not work out, so about 20 months later, we mutually agree to part ways, and I flew back to India and settle in Bangalore.
Since then I "de-geeked" myself quite a lot, turned a bit extrovert, got into fitness and martial arts, learned a bit of improv dance, wrote fiction, taught myself the harmonica and the flute (somewhat), made a number of friends from diverse backgrounds, tried to do as many new and unique things as possible (Still trying to do that).
As of now I'm trying to learn to rebuild/modify motorbikes and am looking to make a career out of it. I also have an idea that might improve efficiency of I.C. engines by a good amount, and I will be prototyping that over the course of this year.
Life looks great, except I'm once again in the "Damn I wish I had that special someone" phase of relationships. But things generally tend to fall into place when the time is right.
Lessons I learned (caveat emptor)
1) Formal education is less valuable than the paper on which the degree is printed.
2) If you never do heavy physical activities, you will live in a delusion that mental "white collar" work requires more skill
3) Financial security is a myth - For the past 7.5 years I have never had savings of more than a few 100$. I live month to month, never knowing whether I will get a project to cover next months bills. I just knew I would get enough projects and I always have. Understand risk factors rationally - ATGATT is more rational than an insurance policy.
4) Specialization is for insects... If you do not develop diverse interests and skills, you limit your experience. I can do at least 5 things as a career and many more as hobbies. The more things you do, the more your big picture knowledge grows and the more awesome people you meet.
5) Change is inevitable, things will be lost. You cannot cling to geography, people, things, relationships and so on forever. Everything will be different some day. Better accept that than live in a delusion.
6) Your self is the most important thing in the world - Build a strong unshakeable identity like an oak tree. Grow, but don't mutate. Don't hold yourself to any standards but your own. Don't change depending on the situation or the people around you. Don't hide parts of your self simply to look politically correct or get social approval. Be a consistent self, who thinks acts and speaks the same in all situations. Never be embarrassed for your self or actions. Never regret what you did, instead analyze and optimize.
7) Do not waste your precious youth years - you have infinite energy, libido, optimism, and social interaction. Learn, love, lift, laugh as much as you can then, because life will eventually make you more cynical and bitter, and you will lack that blissful ignorance when you grow older.
There are no limits to when and where you can do something - You can sing on the street, ride in the rain, or workout at midnight even when you are 75 years old. The question you want to ask is "Do I want to do this", not "What would the world think of me when I do this"
9) For Bughuul's sake, keep yourself fit! I had the advantage of engaging in extreme physical activity at a young age (carrying logs equal to my body weight for kilometers etc.). I lapsed for several years, but got back again. The benefits of a strong healthy body extend to the brain also. You get discipline, forbearance, an ability to withstand pain, tenacity, self esteem and confidence. There's a feeling of great power when you can open a jar of Kissan Jam without heating the seal.
10) You don't "have to" do anything - Marrying, having kids, having a job, owning a house, having a retirement fund, this that and the other - All of these are carrots and sticks of humanity to keep life going on. What you need to do is be true to yourself, free of self doubt, free of any mental shackles that can pull you down.
Author- Vivek Na
© Credits - Bhak Sala , a Faecbook Page
I was born in Bangalore, got very interested in computers at a young age of 8.
At age 11.5, I, my two siblings, brother (age 17.5) and sister, (age 21.5) and mother (and 3 other kids of my sisters age) left Bangalore and went and lived in a remote forested part of the upper Himalayas (why? that's too long a story)
Eleven years we lived there (obviously I got no formal education, but learned most of what I know by self study).
The other three kids had to leave after a few months due to immense parental pressure.
The relationship between the rest of us turned from a mere family thing to one similar to a survival team, it's not easy living in such places if you are a city person, and if your finances are very limited.
Those 11 years deserve a book on their own. Actually several, because between the four (or maybe seven) of us, there is a lot that we experienced, both together and personally.
Some stuff about that time I have written here :
The elements - Water (http://
The elements - Fire (http://
The fear of death, to the death of fear (http://
You can find links to my mothers blog (massive amounts of content there) and my siblings blogs in the "Blogs of note" section.
Age 22, I come to Bangalore, get hired at a startup over a yahoo conversation in the "Programming:1" chatroom - I wasn't even looking for a job. I'm serious!
I move to Chennai, work from end 2002 to early 2005.
2003 I buy the then most powerful motorbike in India,
2004 April I buy a flat.
2005 Jan, I crash and break my left knee.
I quit my job, loaded with debts (didn't have complete medical insurance cover), move to Dehradun on an impulse, stay with my brother.
I start freelancing, initially make a few dollars, but soon things get better and I'm financially OK after 3 or 4 months. I sell my flat and pay off all debts, we rebuild the bike, and I can walk and ride reasonably normally again.
In early 2006, I meet a Romanian girl in _ where else? Yahoo "Programming:1" _ and we slowly fall in crazy love. After several months we decide to get married. It's not easy for an "unqualified person" to move to Europe, nor is it easy for East Europeans to get visas to India easily. So we both fly to Mauritius, meet for the first time face to face, and in 7 days were legally married.
Then I applied for a visa to go there on the basis of that marriage and I live there.
I completely turned my life inside out and managed to get there.
It was quite wonderful, but after a period of time things do not work out, so about 20 months later, we mutually agree to part ways, and I flew back to India and settle in Bangalore.
Since then I "de-geeked" myself quite a lot, turned a bit extrovert, got into fitness and martial arts, learned a bit of improv dance, wrote fiction, taught myself the harmonica and the flute (somewhat), made a number of friends from diverse backgrounds, tried to do as many new and unique things as possible (Still trying to do that).
As of now I'm trying to learn to rebuild/modify motorbikes and am looking to make a career out of it. I also have an idea that might improve efficiency of I.C. engines by a good amount, and I will be prototyping that over the course of this year.
Life looks great, except I'm once again in the "Damn I wish I had that special someone" phase of relationships. But things generally tend to fall into place when the time is right.
Lessons I learned (caveat emptor)
1) Formal education is less valuable than the paper on which the degree is printed.
2) If you never do heavy physical activities, you will live in a delusion that mental "white collar" work requires more skill
3) Financial security is a myth - For the past 7.5 years I have never had savings of more than a few 100$. I live month to month, never knowing whether I will get a project to cover next months bills. I just knew I would get enough projects and I always have. Understand risk factors rationally - ATGATT is more rational than an insurance policy.
4) Specialization is for insects... If you do not develop diverse interests and skills, you limit your experience. I can do at least 5 things as a career and many more as hobbies. The more things you do, the more your big picture knowledge grows and the more awesome people you meet.
5) Change is inevitable, things will be lost. You cannot cling to geography, people, things, relationships and so on forever. Everything will be different some day. Better accept that than live in a delusion.
6) Your self is the most important thing in the world - Build a strong unshakeable identity like an oak tree. Grow, but don't mutate. Don't hold yourself to any standards but your own. Don't change depending on the situation or the people around you. Don't hide parts of your self simply to look politically correct or get social approval. Be a consistent self, who thinks acts and speaks the same in all situations. Never be embarrassed for your self or actions. Never regret what you did, instead analyze and optimize.
7) Do not waste your precious youth years - you have infinite energy, libido, optimism, and social interaction. Learn, love, lift, laugh as much as you can then, because life will eventually make you more cynical and bitter, and you will lack that blissful ignorance when you grow older.
There are no limits to when and where you can do something - You can sing on the street, ride in the rain, or workout at midnight even when you are 75 years old. The question you want to ask is "Do I want to do this", not "What would the world think of me when I do this"
9) For Bughuul's sake, keep yourself fit! I had the advantage of engaging in extreme physical activity at a young age (carrying logs equal to my body weight for kilometers etc.). I lapsed for several years, but got back again. The benefits of a strong healthy body extend to the brain also. You get discipline, forbearance, an ability to withstand pain, tenacity, self esteem and confidence. There's a feeling of great power when you can open a jar of Kissan Jam without heating the seal.
10) You don't "have to" do anything - Marrying, having kids, having a job, owning a house, having a retirement fund, this that and the other - All of these are carrots and sticks of humanity to keep life going on. What you need to do is be true to yourself, free of self doubt, free of any mental shackles that can pull you down.
Author- Vivek Na
© Credits - Bhak Sala , a Faecbook Page
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