Tuesday, December 25, 2007

news

In several words - I'm in exams, I have to hand in that ... diploma paper and I am done with the photo contest website! Also, the classes at uni are over. Completely. We won't attend uni the next semester and will be working at our diploma projects which is above being just wonderful!! Hooray!! no uni!!

Everybody is in a good mood as the holidays come closer. This is how we work at Linkgard:





Now.. the news:





Small girl with a big cam :D
I'm a small small girl staring at the big big world through the huge huge cam :D
Investigation results:



probably our future pet.. well Michael's favorite animal at least :D

Friday, December 14, 2007

colleague

Went to bed late? Didn't get enough sleep? Got scared when saw yourself in the mirror? Yeah, swelled eyes, sleepy look. Now have a look at this guy in the fish tank.



He's our underwater colleague.

And this one is his girlfriend (you guessed why girlfriend, didn't you? :D).

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

fog..


Woke up and saw this outside of the window. I had a strange feeling when I walked out into the fog. Took a taxi as was being terribly late for the uni classes.. as usual in the mornings, because as usual I went to bed way too late... Looked back at the road and saw nothing. "Going into the future from the foggy nowhere",- thought I. Looked straight forward, saw nothing again. "Going from now into the foggy future." "Going from foggy past into the foggy future",- came to mind immediately,-"only n_o_w, this moment is one certainty and looks clear.. like the trees and the road nearby."

These photos were taken yesterday.. and yesterday was very much like today.



This is called "Sight into the foggy past". The opera house is far away and can hardly be seen because of the foggy curtain and the modern buildings. It's not the buildings that make me want to scream.. it's the mentality (that mutates day-by-day.. towards the worse I may say).


"Mom! mom! and what will happen tomorrow?"

What will this young mom answer? That tomorrow they will go buy new clothes? Or that tomorrow they will go to the concert of this or that pop-star?

"Mom! Dad! and what will happen the day after tomorrow?"

Probably, the day after tomorrow will be just like your today. But I wish you the opposite, young lady. Don't listen to the adults. Don't let the gray world inside. It's foggy but it's not the reason why it's so gray. The reason is in minds, in perspective, it's the world they create, it's the world they live in. Stay out of that kind of fog! "Your life is a canvas.. the colors are you."


"The dialog"


"Hey, have you seen this latest joke on the tv? :D you should!! Go watch it! ... Hayko... Mko... ha-ha-ha"

"Ehhh, old man. Today is so different from yesterday. Now everything is in fog."



Everybody has his/her 'personal' fog, why does everybody complain about the natural one? At least it can be beautiful...

Monday, December 3, 2007

Essay - 03 - homework :(


Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? It is more important for students to study history and literature than it is for them to study science and mathematics. Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.
First of all, imagine a society without scientists. People, who know history quite well, are well-educated and well-read. But there are no scientists and mathematicians in this society. The following questions derive: how will they build new houses? How will they cure diseases? Etc. In a very short time it will result in a catastrophe. People will go thousands of years back, to the times when they had many pagan gods and explained natural processes with the moods or actions of their gods. It will be a complete regression.

Besides all this, some people are right-brained while the others are left-brained. The left semi-sphere is responsible for mathematical abilities, logic, and analytical way of thinking. The right semi-sphere is responsible for visionary arts, imagination, and creativity. People who are left-brained won’t be good at history, drawing, designing, etc. Their views are radically different and even when they design things, they pay more attention to how rational all elements are placed and how they function rather than think of what effect this or that color will have on the person who will look at the final result. On the other hand, it will be a very bad idea if a right-brained person starts programming or solving mathematical problems. First of all, it will be boring for him and will probably have him very depressed and unhappy.

So, in this society of historians and artistic persons, left-brained people will be unhappy and will perform poorly. They will cause much stress for the society. So it’s definitely better to let them do what they are supposed to do. Or we will somewhat have something close to soviet Russia, when farmers started managing the society, working as teachers and doctors. If a person is a scientist he shouldn’t be giving history classes. Of course, it’s good to know history and literature and to be educated, but the scientists are perhaps the most important people in the world. It is due to them that the human society has developed this much and has gone a long way from a monkey-like human being to a 21-century’s man.

All professions are important and it will also be bad to have a society of only scientists for similar reasons. Everybody should do what he is good at, what makes him happy. There should be some balance in this all.

Now, you can check out whether you are left-brained or right-brained. See the picture below. In what direction does the girl turn?


If she moves clockwise you are left-brained, if you see it counter-clockwise, you are right-brained. :) (I see it clockwise)

Essay - 02 - homework :|

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Reading fiction is more enjoyable than watching movies. Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.

Actually I've just used my old blog post about books. It sounds kind of harsh maybe (concerning the movies) but I think it's ok. :)

Here's the link:
http://cogito-ergo-sum-121.blogspot.com/2007/03/books.html

Essay - 01 - homework :)

In some countries people are no longer allowed to smoke in many public places and office buildings. Do you think this is a good law or a bad law? Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.

As we all know smoking is a bad habit which results in cancer of lungs in some cases. People get addicted to it and sometimes have to go to special courses to get rid of this very bad habit which destroys not only the health of the smoker but also that of people nearby and also pollutes the surroundings. If a pregnant woman smokes it has a very bad influence on the development of the child. And there are many other reasons not to smoke. Also, smoking has no good effect; it’s a way of making money for tobacco industries. As a consequence people spend money on destroying their health. Knowing all this, each person should think twice before lighting up a cigarette.

But what if he lights up one? Forbid him? He’s addictive to it, he realizes how bad it all is but he feels the urge to smoke. And there are many people like this, especially those who carry out difficult mental work: programmers, engineers, scientists, mathematicians, etc. When they work and think hard, they need to go out and have a smoke, or smoke while thinking. If you forbid them to do that, it will affect their work, their character. And this is just one example. Smoking isn’t as bad as drinking Coke. So if people take care of their health they better stop drinking Coke and Pepsi and eating junk food because that can cause worse health problems.

Nobody makes anybody smoke. It’s the choice of each of us. Yes, but it’s also bad for other people you will say. Special rooms at the building and halls at the restaurants and cafes are a solution. Finally, the smoker can open the window. Will it pollute the atmosphere? Yes it will. OK, let’s forbid smoking, stop all factories, stop using cars, airplanes, spaceships etc. Smoking isn’t the main ecological problem, it is a minor compared to others.

Once I’ve heard one phrase said by a very smart professor at my university who is a doctor. He said “Smoking is one of the vestiges of the past, of the 20th century. It’s time to build a healthy (in 2 meanings) society.” He is absolutely right, but it’s not the vestige of the 20th century. Less people smoke from day to day but it’s still alive. Smoking should not be forbidden, just every individual should come to this himself, should understand that smoking is bad by himself not by reading it out on the pack of cigarettes or somewhere else. Restrictions only slow down the process of giving up on smoking because the forbidden fruit is sweet. And people in the entire world should know about the effects of smoking right from their birth. Education is very vital in such a question. Say “no” to smoking but let it be your “no”, don’t let it just be put into your mouth.

Friday, November 30, 2007

1 smaaall birdy

Just imagine. A young sparrow. With yellow beak, and black shiny eyes. If you take it into the hand it will just get lost there. What harm can such a small and helpless creature cause?! Mind you!

So we were working.. and this sparrow flew into the corridor and into the kitchen. 3 of 4 members of the QA team started catching it. No luck. It hit itself against the wall and fell to the ground and shrunk into a corner. I tried to get it.. but caught it's tail. The bird escaped leaving the feathers of its tail in my hand. then it shrink behind the cupboard. More and more people came to help us. Then there was no space left in the kitchen. it wasn't possible to move the cupboard, so we lifted its one side. Finally the bird went back to the other corner and.. I caught it :D. Immediately it bit me like a bulldog and didn't open its beak. Then when I was carrying it to the window, it made an attempt to escape.. It lost some more feathers but I managed not to let it go. Then I literally threw it out of the window :D

last time at uni on last day of autumn

Well I have 2 stories.

1st. University. Today we had to hand in some papers on diploma project. The papers must have been signed by the supervisor and the digester. The papers should be handed in in 2 copies. Me and Anya were done with all that issues several days ago. Mary and Vova went to their supervisor's place yesterday (see her blog) and he signed their papers (one copy, and only under supervisor). Alex filled in the papers right on spot but he needed 4 signatures (2 per copy). Mary and Vova needed 3 (2 digester's and 1 of the supervisor on the other copy). None of the supervisors was at uni today. What do?
Irene: I'll just draw it.. or copy it using the window glass.

so me and Mary went to uni and entered a room. It was on the first floor. Many students passed by university then and looked in surprise at me pressing some papers to the window. So I copied some signatures and then the door opened! It was smth like "Freeze, hands up!" for me.. and that's what i did and the papers fell to the ground. It was smb from the administration! Mary said "hello!" but the man quickly closed the door. (phew) he didn't come to see what we were busy with..

then we handed in the papers. The head of informatics chair said that the concept of the diploma manuscript should be ready by the following week!!! None of us has done anything! OMG! The deadline was Dec 15!!!

Mary went to the other chair.
head of chair: ts! why did your supervisor sign the paper here too? I am your digester. ay-ay-ay...

Mary, after leaving the chair: OMG Irene! I hope they (supervisor and the digester) won't talk about this!

Sunday, November 25, 2007

winter

Many ask me whether I like winter. Difficult to say.. for some reasons I do and for some I don't.

    "+"es
  1. it has its beauty (as any other season)
  2. gives interesting plots for photography (as any other season)
  3. it's nice to curl up at home by the fire and read a book and let it be cold and snowy outside
  4. it's great to cuddle up with the beloved one and keep each other warm
  5. snowball war
  6. Michael's visit time
    "-"es
  1. when snow melts a bit, it turns into mud
  2. usually the sky id grey and the city may look dull
  3. you have to wear many things to keep warm
  4. you will anyway have wet feet soon if you have to walk outside
  5. days are short and nights are long
  6. winter exams



do I like winter? Maybe yes maybe no, maybe rain maybe snow :D:D

P.S. well it's almost winter.. and it has already snowed so I'm in winter mood :D Well and in great anticipation of some certain things...

Thursday, November 22, 2007

SCREAM

Deconstruction of the city

I don't spend much time outside. I'm either at uni or at work or at home in front of the monitor. When I'm going somewhere by a minibus or whatever I listen to music and look out of the window but what I see doesn't get fixed in my mind. When a bird flies over a lake, its reflection is there but as soon as the bird is gone there is no sign of the bird left in the lake. The same is with me. When I'm in public transport I think some things through, play back some moments of the day, plan, analyze, etc.

Today I've been taking some photos of the street and buildings for Tamanyan's museum-institute's website which I'm working on. I'm not an architect, not a designer, not a person of art so maybe I don't have much right to speak up but I will. I was shocked. Honestly. Every time I saw a construction of a new building my heart fell somewhere and I had one wish: to run away.

It's not the city I knew! Looks like smth between Yerevan and say Chicago.

It's like to live in an American city! Modern tall and ugly buildings being built by the side of those I'm used to, those in the bad state, those that are beautiful.
Nobody cares whether you can meet all colors of the rainbow on the walls of just 1 house. Earlier people I'd say "Yerevan is beautiful! Its buildings are beautiful." Now I'll say "Yerevan is ugly! There are SOME beautiful buildings left."

It's a shame!

Who cares? A handful of people. And what can they do if the Armenian people actually like it all. Of course, new buildings are built and that means more people from villages can move to Yerevan and they will never (don't) care whether the city has lost its face. On the contrary they will be happy and actually will think that it will be better if all buildings are so big, colorful. And of course the government is like its people... Mr. Tsarukian has made a statement that "We will open the doors of the Opera house for sports!" and for example at the moment is being held there! Again a handful of people is terrified while for the majority it's okay. And who can do anything when mr. Tsarukian who is as much educated as the people in his party (great number of people) has so much money? And who in general do you consider educated? Those yellow-mouthed children graduating every year? Come on eveybody knows that daddy will buy a diploma for his daughter who will hang it on the wall to show to her mother-in law. Or to his son whose military service will be delayed and who will anyway become a businessman and continue his daddy's work.

I don't give up or smth. Just I'm very sorry about this situation and about Armenian nation in general. Armenia is somewhere in the Dark Ages now. Hopefully someday Renaissance will take place.

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Zzvanqness is a talent, a gift

What happens when Michael reads my blog?

Michael says (0:57):
irina...Dou der ches qnel? Che vor arden gisher e.

I assure you, he is the greatest zzvanq in the world. Much bigger than I am. (Proof: I'm 156 cm (or smth like that) and he is 183cm, so his volume is bigger)

After saying that he warned me not to fall from the chair because of laughing to hard, I guess his co-workers noticed his halo and angelic wings. MichaelAngelo really. He is a genius zzvanq.

Also, scientific research was held during his visits and the experiments have proved his 100% zzvanqness.

He is the best (and the most zzvanqest) zzvanq in the world :D

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

october

02 - What can we do at the auditorium at the break? Have fun!




19 - Armenian girl with Armenian fruit.





23 - A truck that has lost its consciousness.





25 - Feel yourself like in the minibus at Linkgard Systems!




26 - What can Irene and Anya do instead of going to the German language class? Go eat smth! We went to "Mama Mia" pizzeria. (btw, you've got a nice hat, Anya :D)



"Mama Mia" in the streets or traffic jam.. or face of the government.



"The Mouse war" at Linkgard Systems. Staring: Minas and Armine (the cactus was involved) (Karen who can be seen in the background found this romantic.. like anything else).








27 - At the Tamanyan's museum. Mary the photographer.




28 - The Halloween Party

Mary and Alex. What a sweet couple :D



What? I just needed Mary's scalp.



Vahik, the Terror of the Seas (his next passport photo)



Anya, the Snow White (well.. almost)




P.S. Michael and I have a zzvanq idea of what to be at the next Halloween :D:D don't ask. it's smth you'll have to see!

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

"Korcrac Yeraz" - "The dream that was lost"

papik: Dou der ches qnel? Che vor arden gisher e.
grandpa: Aren't you asleep yet? But it's already night.

aghchik: Papik. Ays grqum aynqan geghecik titerner kan. Du amen inch gites. Asa, vortegh en nranq aprum?
girl: Grandpa, there are such beautiful butterflies in this book! You know everything. Tell me where do they live?

papik: Qnir torniks. Hima ush e. Titerneri masin yes kpatmem vagh@. Bari gisher. Qnir. Qnir baliks.
grandpa: Sleep my little granddaughter. It's late now. About the butterflies I'll tell you tomorrow. Good night. Sleep, sleep my child.

aghchik: Isk du?
girl: What about you?

papik: Ehh torniks.. Yes cerutyunic korcrel em quns.
grandpa: Ehh my little granddaughter.. Because of my old age I've lost my sleep.

aghchik: Kheghj papik. Mite qun@ kareli e korcnel? Yete yes karoghanai gtnel ayn...
girl: Poor grandpa. Is it really possible to lose the sleep? If only I could find it...

...

aghchik: Inchu es lalis, cerouk?
girl: Why are crying, dear old man?

cerouk: Inch-vor mi ban skhal e.. Yes aprum em aystegh shat vaghuc, bayc shurjs vochinch chi poxvum. Yes hognel em.
old man: Something is wrong. I've lived here for ages but nothing around me ever changes. I'm so tired.

cerouk: Isk du ov es?
old man: And who're you?

aghchik: Yes?
girl: Me?

aghchik: Aghchik.
girl: A girl.

cerouk: Coucik? Isk inch e ayd?
old man: COUCIK*? And what is that?

aghchik: Ayd es em.
girl: That's me.

cerouk: Vorteghic dou yekar?
old man: Where did you come from?

aghchik: Yes yeka ayn senyakic. Ays nkar@ ayntegh e kaxvac.
girl: I came from that room. This picture is hanging there.

cerouk: Isk inchpes dou haytnvecir nkari mej?
old man: And how did you get into the picture?

aghchik: Indz ognecin titernikner@.
girl: The butterflies helped me.

cerouk: Ouremn du karogh es mtnel nkari mej.
Old man: So you can enter into the picture.

aghchik: Inchpes e vor kakhvac ays nkar@?
girl: How is this picture hanging here?

cerouk: Sa inch e?
old man: What is this?

aghchik: Sa? Nkar.
girl: This? A piucture.

cerouk: Gitem vor nkar e. Isk inchu ayntegh arev chka?
old man: I know that it's a picture. But why is there no sun there?

aghchik: Vorovhetev ayd nkarum gisher e.
girl: Because it's night in that picture.

cerouk: Gisher.. Da inch e?
old man: Night... What is that?

aghchik: Gisher@? Gisher@ arev@ mayr e mtnum, ev durs e galis lusin@. Gisher@.. Gisher@..
girl: Night? The sun sets at night, and the moon comes out. At night.. At night..

cerouk: Khndrum em.. tar indz ayntegh. Yes erbeq chem tesel gisher..
old man: Please.. take me there. I've never seen a night..

aghchik: Gnanq. Yes qez cuyc ktam gisherva hrashqner@.
girl: Let's go. I will show you the wonders of the night.

aghchik: Gisher@ erknqum astghern en shoghum. Tesnum es? Gisher@ tetev zov e ijnum erkri vra. tes, astgh e @nknum! shut-shut mi ban mtacir. anpayman kkatarvi.
girl: At night the stars glow in the sky. See? At night the light coolness covers the earth. Look, a star is falling! Quick-quick, think of something! It will come true for sure.

aghchik: vaay. Cerouk? Es oor korav? Ce-rouuk!
girl: VAAY**. Old man? Where is he gone? Old maaan!

aghchik: Bari gisher, cerouk.
girl: Good night, old man.

aghchik: Inch lav e vor ogneciq. Akh inchpes kareli e gtnel papikis qun@..
girl: It's so good that you helped me. Ahh how can I find my grandpa's sleep..

aghchik: Bari louys papik!
girl: Good morning grandpa!

aghchik: Bari erazner papikin, isk amen inchin ev dzez bolorid bari luys!!!
girl: Sweet dreams to grandpa, and to everything and to you every body, good morning!!!

* Coucik - this has a very lose meaning. Usually it means a small puppy, or a small puppy that is cold / outside when it's bad weather. Here I think he just means smth small.

** Vaay - expresses surprise (here) think of it as smth like (hey + ohh + oops)

Thursday, October 11, 2007

no comment


Really...
big day for the university! it was its birthday! things missing:
1. birthday cake with a candle in the shape of "5"
2. us in birthday caps singing "happy birthday"
3. organization

also the official ceremony of handing in the diplomas took place. it was the first graduation.

not related:
me, Mary, and Anya have decided to take tai-chi classes. yesterday was the first training.. Anya watched, me and Mary practiced... i can't move at the moment. i guess i've not worked on myself for too long and have completely turned into a chess horse.
Michael suggested going to tai-chi class together when i come over... if we do the next day people will be wondering what it was that we were busy with and got so tired and that every slight movement hurts. the answer will be: we were playing chess.

Monday, September 17, 2007

mood.. (some noncense)

At the office, about to work. But some thoughts keep coming over and over. The thing is i can't catch them like one can't catch soaring bird's reflection in the lake. They leave no trace.. but they are there on my mind. A little bit of everything. Maybe I'm just in a creative mood and when this reaches its point of extreme I will express this thoughts on paper (in a written or graphical form). Perhaps I'll make a collage.. Collage of photos or collage of phrases. Collage is a blend of small pieces of life. Some thoughts take me back to where I was in january and in july, some thoughts take me forward to the future. It's like a video-tape which moves back and forth but I can't pause it at any moment.

Eh I better get back to earth from the skies and get to work!

Thursday, September 6, 2007

autumn - autumn...

OK the haste has started and I like it :D

The new uni schedule is smth unbelievable - we have classes 4 days a week, on friday we have english, physical education and german, so i can say that we study 3 days a week :D. And in general, there are only 4 subjects except languages. So the exams won't be heavy.

And we have to start working at the diploma already now! Which is just great. My project will be in C# and in english. And i have already chosen my theme :) Michael's suggestion :). It will be work with WAV files, applying different transformations like reducing noise, adding distortion etc. This is one of the things I'm extremely excited about because it's a serious and challenging work and it's c# programming.

Michael has been teaching me c# and explaining different things to me, also how to work with wav files :). C# is twice as fun when Michael explains things :D. I'd actually want him to be my scientific adviser but he'd have to come to uni on the day of diploma defense and i between too i guess. The one I chose has taught me logic design and c++ and she works in a telephony company. What I like about her is that she's very smart and she will never tell you what to do. If you have a question or are stuck she will just hint you in what direction to investigate. Alex and Anya have chosen her as their scientific adviser too :).

One more new thing. Official announcement: i lost my kitchen phobia :D

Thursday, August 30, 2007

IRD day


IRD = International Relief and Development
(or = Irina RRRRRR Dokhikyan)
In several words: it's an NGO sponsored by the US. They send medical supplies, start renovation projects and other things like that and the IRD office here distributes the medicaments in the regions and monitors it all, and makes all this projects come true.
My aunt works there.

So they had this project of renovating the bathrooms, kitchen and the cafeteria of Yerevan's N16 special school for children who have congenital problems with eyes.

Today was the official opening. The American council mr. Rudolf Perina was among the invited guests. The rest i'll tell in pictures :)