Random Thoughts

The "No Fluff Just Stuff (NFJS)" conference ended up being a massive fluff. In the midst of geeks and dummies acting as geeks, it was a weekend where I felt completely out of place.

The speakers sure deserve compliments for their dedication to the subject, but in the end, all that they are doing is promoting themselves and one another by introducing new technologies, preaching incessantly until a good majority of fall at their feet. It took me a day to realize that, that is what they were doing.

On Saturday, I came out after a session at around 3pm and stepped out into the beautiful sun outside. The sunlight made me wonder – "What I am doing in there?". And, I just left and spent the next 2 hours mowing the lawn and working up a good sweat. Fulfillment!!

On Sunday (the last day), I was determined to sit through the whole day to prove to myself that "I can do it". In the last session, I ended up in a session titled "Hacking your brain for fun and profit". I admit, the lack of clarity is what attracted me. It shouldn't have been that way.

It ended up being a lecture on the need of taking care of ourselves (our body) to optimize our output. The speaker started with the need for sleep. When the over-weight geek moved on to how exercise helps us perform better, I started shifting in my seat. When, he went on and on, authoritatively, about the advantages of daily work-outs and martial arts, I couldn't take it anymore. I just got up and left. Going to a Java religious conference on a weekend is one thing. But, that religious conference adding legitimacy by straying into fields foreign to them, it is another thing.

Religions!!