So I was having a conversation today about how you are what you are right now because of events and things that have happened in the past, especially related to how people have touched and influenced your life. Friends and family are the easiest with this, and always the most remembered, however we talked about how teachers were the other group, and probably just as important and if not more than friends and family.

Friends and family members are always there for you, but sometimes to make sure that you believe in yourself or that the relationship is not jeopardized, they may not push you as much as they should or even say anything to harm that. Don't get me wrong, my family and friends have always supported me and helped me through things that have happened in my life and have always been there for me, but sometimes its our teachers / professors who pick up the slack and do the things that our family and friends can't do.

They have the ability to connect with you on such a different level, where by they can challenge you to do something that no one else can. It is a special bond that happens only with just a few teachers and pushes you forward and makes you think back later on that you couldn't have done this without them.

I remembered today, when I was in 8th grade, I hated Math and Computers. I hated these subjects so much that I did poorly in both classes the first semester. Lets just say that my mom was called in and of course that didn't go over to well, however rather than just saying that Karan can't do it to my mom, they told me that they wanted to work with me and they knew I could get this and even be good at it. Within a few months we turned those bad grades around into better grades. They pushed me and challenged me in ways that made Math and Computers fun and interesting (call me geeky), but more than that they paved the road for the future.

Because of what they did and how they pushed me, today I have a degree in both Computer Science and Mathematics. I know that I wouldn't have made it this far without them pushing me so early on in my life. I remember and think back to time about how they were always there to help out even outside of school, and that stuff just means a lot now. It did a lot back then, but I look around now and realize that someone believed that I could do something, and it wasn't a friend who I had known for years, or family who have always been there for me, but someone I met and who taught me for just a year and in that time they saw all this potential in me, that I can't even begin to understand how they did that.

I guess its hard to explain in words, but teachers push you and want you to push back, because they see potential within you. They then challenge you to see that within yourself. I know everybody does that within an educational atmosphere and in college I met professors and administrative staff who did similar things like this with me to make me who I am now. I owe them all so much, because they taught me so much about everything, however I guess it all has to start somewhere and the earliest I remember being pushed like this was the 8th grade. If that never happened who knows what I would have graduated with or even where I would be working.

Professor Richard Hamilton (Computers) and Dennis Harter (Math), I owe you both a lot and I know you have helped a lot of students do something with their lives, but still, without you both I know no one else would have pushed me this far, and I needed that. I learned a lot of valuable lessons about life, who I am, and who I want to be from both of you. Thank you.

So I don't know why I waited so long, but finally I bought a Zune, and since the Halo 3 Special Edition Zune had just been released I went and picked it up.

Since I had an IPod for 3 years, it was kind of difficult adjusting the first day, however after that I really got used to it. I have some of my music loaded up, and it works well in the car and the video quality is great, and the radio feature is kind of neat.

In the end, I love it and can't believe I waited this long, but it was worth it for this special edition Zune. Finally 8 months after the launch, I can welcome myself to the social .

So we got a chance to go on a morale event which involved a boat trip on Lake Norman, for work which was a lot of fun and really amazing. We started the event off with a team lunch and then went out on the lake. We rented out a huge Yacht and the name of it was Yachta Yachta Yachta (sort of like the Seinfeld Yada Yada Yada line).

Anyways it was a great time and the sun was out and hot and for some reason I wore jeans that day which made it even hotter, but oh well, at least I know for next time .

It was just gorgeous otherwise being out on a lake, and the boat we were on had 2 levels with cabins and beds (for overnight parties) and a top section where you could just hang out. Best of all I got a chance to drive the boat for a bit and I was being called Captain, which of course just went to my head (Captain Parkash, is just not the same as Captain Jack Sparrow) and at one point I managed to get us in a portion of the lake where the depth was only 4 feet, but we made it.

All in all, it is nice to have these events once in a while and just hang out with everyone and relax. Good times and a lot of fun. Would love to do it again with a group of friends on the lake.

People send instant messages everyday. Sometimes to friends, family, loved ones, strangers. What if every time you sent an IM you could make a difference.

That is essentially where i'm comes in. Essentially every time you use Live Messenger and have i'm in your name such as Microsoft will share a portion of the program's advertising revenue with a cause that you support.

There are a number of causes you can support from the American Red Cross to Stopping Global Warming, to Unicef and all can be seen on this page.

This is a great initiative and well if you are going to send a message why not do some good at the same time. Join the community and make a difference, because every conversation counts.

At Microsoft we had a Diversity Event recently in Charlotte, NC where a few of the different diversity groups were set up, to talk to other employees about their group, culture and things like that. At this event was music, food, slideshows and of course some cultural dances. A lot of fun and something nice to do at work. Check out the pictures in the album.

Well today on TV was the last episode of The Sopranos.  Lets just say this was one heck of an ending to what has been a great series. HBO is right when they say, this it not TV, its HBO, because of what all they have done with this show.

Its sad and they will be missed.

You woke up this morning
Got yourself a gun,
Mama always said you'd be
The Chosen One.

She said, You're one in a million
You've got to burn to shine,
But you were born under a bad sign,
With a blue moon in your eyes.

You woke up this morning
All the love has gone,
Your Papa never told you
About right and wrong.

But you're looking good, baby,
I believe you're feeling fine,(shame about it),
Born under a bad sign
With a blue moon in your eyes.

You woke up this morning
The world turned upside down,
Thing's ain’t been the same
Since the Blues walked into town.

But you're one in a million
You've got that shotgun shine.
Born under a bad sign,
With a blue moon in your eyes.

When you woke up this morning,
When you woke up this morning,
When you woke up this morning,
You got yourself a gun.

~Sopranos Main Theme Song, by A3 - Woke up this Morning

Thought I would update my blog and talk a little about Soapbox. Soapbox is a site where users can upload videos and share them with the world, just like the popular site youtube.

Now what is making Soapbox more popular is its site navigation. When you login, you will notice that you can search videos on the left side of the page, and then actually watch the video on the right side of the page. Thus allowing you to search for more videos while you are waiting for yours to load, or see if they have your favorite video on the site.

It also allows you to queue up a playlist. So you can go around searching for videos on the site, while you are watching and then click on the sign to add it to your playlist and it will queue it up for you. It also allows you to access email and message this video directly from the site to others.

Although the site is still in beta at the moment, new users can sign up and join and put videos up. Try it out and see for yourself. It is pretty neat and really smooth.