Do You Know What I Mean?

I actually started this entry about two days ago but never got around to finishing it until now. So sorry if the tone changes in the middle or it sounds different at the beginning then the end, but with my incoherent rambling I suppose it doesn't matter. A lot has happened since I started to write this so it is gonna be long one, sorry to those who prefer shorter entries.

Hello all after a long break. A lot has happened since my last entry so I thinking I am going to divide my recounting of such events into two entries (the jury is still out if I am going to be able to post the second entry after this). So what is going on? Well I started at Google last Monday. So how is working at Google? Well, first off, it is well known that Google is very secretative about the stuff it is working on and its internal processes. So I can't really discuss anything I am working on. But for my loyal blog reading audience, I will divulge some juicy bits of inside info. So hold onto your seats, here it comes!

1. Google is headquartered in Mountain View, CA

2. Google is the leading web search engine.

3. Google is a very nice place to work

Sorry folks, I am not going risk getting in trouble for blabbing too much because I am most likely going to get in enough trouble just learning to fumble my way around here. But seriously, Google is an amazing place to work, and I am not saying that simply because they hired me. I truly mean it. Of course, there is the free food which is as awesome as advertised. And I haven't even been working for two weeks, and I have already gained two pounds. I am going to avoid putting on the Google 15 if I can. Which is why I have been going to Google's awesome gym in attempt to work off those extra calories from all the good food here. Aside from the food (which I could go on and on about), Google's culture and atmosphere are pretty unique. I think many people have described it as "college" or "campus" like. And it does seem that way at times. Since I am new, I have attended some training classes. Plus I need to travel to different buildings for the classes and the meetings I need to attend. And there are these cool talks that Google sponsors. And not lameo talks like the history of the diagram (Sorry Erika) Last week, I attended a talk by
Daniel Kahneman He gave an interesting talk about the pros and cons of intuition. I especially liked how he pointed out that, in particular, economic and political "experts" tend have bad intuition and are very often fail to accurately predict events. Kahneman said their major excuse is that their wrong predictions "almost happened" or were "close to occurring." Which is about as justified as saying the Titanic "almost" didn't collide with an iceberg and sink to the bottom of hte ocean. This week, I attended a talk by Chris Anderson, editor of Wired Magazine and the author of the heavily publized new book, The Long Tail. I have to credit this guy's publisher because I was barraged with info about this book from many different sources. It was mentioned in Newsweek, on Findability.org by Peter Morville, and in an email by NotLiz. Basically Anderson says is that we are entering an era with fewer blockbusters because the real growth in business is targeting the many niches that make the long tail of a typical power law curve. It was a really interesting and funny talk. To finish my talk-o-rama, I went to my first BayCHI meeting this past Tuesday where I heard highlights of CHI and UPA, two conferences I didn't get to go this past year.

To finish up on Google, I am really thankful to be working there. It is an amazing opportunity to get exposed to so much stuff. To be honest, I was pretty intimidated when I started since there were so many smart people here. But I think I am getting into the hang of things. I got my first projects which I am barrelling towards at a pretty quick pace. So for loyal DaChoi blog readers, don't expect as many entries from me since if the first two weeks are any indication, I won't have time. Yet another reason for lack of updates I will get to shortly...actually right now.

Another big thing that happened last week is that I finally moved into my new place in Mountain View. It was a relief not having to crash at people's place. A big shout-out to Ida and Jamin for letting me crash at their place while mine was being renovated. I really like my place and everyone who has visited has said it was really nice, even Jinah who almost always point out my complete lack of taste. So me and her are going furniture shopping in the near future to deck out my place in cool, macho furniture so I can transform it into my sophisiticated bachelor pad. One of the major reasons that attracted me to the place was that repainted, put in some neato hardwood floors, new appliances, new hardware. Now I just need like furniture to fill up the place. So don't count on a house warming anytime soon.

Because I just moved in, my place lacks internet access and my neighbors callously encrypted their wireless networks so I can't leech off of them. So right now I am at the Tapicoa express in downtown Mt. View typing this entry. Which is nice because I can actually get some decent pearl tea versus the crappola stuff in Michigan. The only downside is the sappy Cantonese pop music playing in the background. It is also the second night in a row I have been here since I had dinner with Noor last night at a place on Castro street and we went here afterward. It was Noor's first pearl tea I believe. I also did the same thing when Cari came to town last summer. So I suppose next summer I will have to take an ex-SIer to dinner and pearl tea in downtown Mt. View. But who will that be? Only time will tell. Anyway, that is all for this entry. Until next time, peace.