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- History of the Internet in Under 10 MinutesYesterday
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One of the worst things about being a Harvard student is that when non-Harvard people discover this about you, they sometimes feel the need to challenge you to an intellectual duel. A similar thing happens with being a humanities major and non-humanities people. So, as a History of Science major from Harvard, I get this all the time:
“So when WAS the internet invented? Did Al Gore really invent it? I bet you don’t know about ___, ____, and ____!!”I usually smile and nod and do an okay job giving the Teal Deer, but I mean, guys, the history of the internet is kind of complicated. So I’m really glad this video exists, especially since it’s really pretty. You should watch it so that you know–I plan on pulling it up the next time the glove gets thrown down.
History of the Internet from PICOL on Vimeo.
- Bilingual difficultiesDecember 30 2008
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This is what my brain is like, guys
I had a weird insight today while reading my favorite food blog. I’m not sure I can articulate it, but here’s a try…
When someone who grows up in one culture (with one language) encounters a New Word (like, say, the unfamiliar name of vegetable), a different thing happens than when someone who is bilingual encounters this New Word. Why? Because a New Word in one language is just a new word, but a new word in one of two (or more) languages could be the translation of an old word in a new language.
The difference is kind of like writing totally fresh code vs. jamming a module into a pre-existing framework, I guess.
When I see the name of a cheese I don’t know, my brain-framework goes “ooh, a new name for some type of cheese. I will map this word to the category cheese and define it as whatever contextual clues exist.” When I read a recipe for broccoli rabe pizza, however, I find myself thinking: do I know what that is? I mean, I know I don’t know what “broccoli
- 2008: Year in PicturesDecember 26 2008
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Flickr tells me I uploaded 1676 this year–and I’ve definitely gotten pickier about what to upload. So, picking the following 10 photos was hard. They aren’t the best 10 pictures, but I think they capture the year pretty well…
Rios and OE in the elevator, February 2008
Alternative Spring Break, March 2008
8 AM prep for ROFLCon Registration, April 2008
Davone playing in the pool, June 2008
- 2008: tl;drDecember 25 2008
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I’m a little afraid of 2009, not just because it’s the number next to the “Expired in:” section of my Harvard ID card, but because I’m pretty sure that it’ll be less awesome than 2008.
This has been a year in which I worked incredibly hard but was also really rewarded by it. I met lots of super cool people. I helped organize a crazy conference and got mad internet cred for it. I got into Asian-American identity politics. I learned how to look at the cultures and subcultures I am immersed in critically. I got addicted to Twitter. I listened to a lot of Blue Scholars (and I mean a lot). I learned the exhilarating feeling of loving my schoolwork and, perhaps more remarkably, my job. I got lost a lot but also discovered that in a pinch, I can actually navigate if I need to.
Sometime in the middle of all of this, I felt my brain turn on for the first time in a while, and I suddenly became capable of creativity and thinking and ideas again. All in all, I think this was a year in which I really grew up and came into my own, which feels like a huge relief. Thanks, 2008!
So, this here is a list of all the firsts that 2008 has brought me. It’s quite a long list! In the days to follow, I’m planning to post favorite pics, favorite tracks, etc…but don’t hold your breath. You all know how good at updating I am.
(As a side note, compiling the f
- Thesis Wordle, 12/03/08December 3 2008
