Dear Diary,
I've submitted a few jobs to the cluster. Today, I got a friendly message from my good friend in Professor Furche's lab:
"hey tom this is brandon
you have a helluva buncha jobs that are requesting a ton of resources 8cpu/22gb
is this totally necessarYY?
EOF
Message from brandon...
. ,.
T."-._..---.._,-"/|
l|"-. _.v._ (" |
[l /.'_ \; _~"-.`-t
Y " _(o} _{o)._ ^.|
j T ,-<v>-. T ]
\ l ( /-^-\ ) ! !
\. \. "~" ./ /c-..,__
^r- .._ .- .-" `- . ~"--.
> \. \
] ^. \
3 . "> . Y -Row
,.__.--._ _j \ ~ . ; |
( ~"-._~"^._\ ^. ^._ I . l
"-._ ___ ~"-,_7 .Z-._ 7" Y ; \ _
/" "~-(r r _/_--._~-/ / /,.--^-._ / Y
"-._ '"~~~>-._~]>--^---./____,.^~ ^.^ !
~--._ ' Y---. \./
~~--._ l_ ) \
~-._~~~---._,____..--- \
~----"~ \
EOF"
That thing is supposed to be a cat, and it is! It is impressively drawn! My copy and paste skills are not as good! Brandon embedded a message in my bash shell asking why I'd submitted so many jobs.
See, Kieron and Steve's grant are up for renewal soon. I have to produce something. Further, the DMRG code right now automatically requests 8 threads in OpenMP. This needs to be fixed, but I didn't want to fiddle with it for a bit for fear of never being able to run the program when I need it. If I don't request 8 threads, then it will impede on someone else's job. Further, I decided to go with the maximum amount of memory because A) I'm using it anyway and B) it rates my jobs lower in the queue. I really am a scourge of the cluster. Yikes.
Another way to hide this large amount of jobs would be to break up the submission to the cluster in tiny, bite-size chunks of 40 or so. Maybe I'll do that.
Sorry Brandon!
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Monday, September 29, 2014
When Nothing Is Something
Dear Diary,
I decided not to come into the office this weekend. It was awesome!
But it meant that I hadn't run any calculations that I was supposed to. That was mostly because I couldn't figure out how to compile the program Miles had written.
So this morning I was informed by Steve and Miles that I should switch to a different branch. Huzzah! It all compiled! Now things are running...
Just another example of how doing nothing can still be productive. But now I have to be really productive.
I decided not to come into the office this weekend. It was awesome!
But it meant that I hadn't run any calculations that I was supposed to. That was mostly because I couldn't figure out how to compile the program Miles had written.
So this morning I was informed by Steve and Miles that I should switch to a different branch. Huzzah! It all compiled! Now things are running...
Just another example of how doing nothing can still be productive. But now I have to be really productive.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
The Sad Truth of Getting Into the Group
Dear Diary,
Decisions on group members are done in the following way: 1) A group member rotates with us 2) gives a presentation on their former research and 3) receives a decision from Kieron about whether they are in the group after getting input from all of us. We'll analyze this process below.
First, the big news. Kieron called Dave into his office this morning and, after discussing his work, suggested that Dave start to look at other advisors. So, he'll be investigating other possibilities for life. He'll still finish the project he started, obviously, but won't start another. Psych! He's in the group! And that fake account of what happened is exactly how Dave tricked me this morning. Don't ever do that again, Dave! Now I won't believe any bad news you ever tell me again! The sky is falling? Chicken little! Cry wolf? Go blow your horn! Man made climate change is driven by excessive green house gases including carbon in the atmosphere? Uh...well, ok I'll believe that one...
Let's take a moment to process the process of getting into the group. One naturally wonders if our input matters. Of course it doesn't! We're not the professor! At most we'll have to only put up with people in our offices for a year or two; Kieron gets a life sentence! But let me chime in on the psychology of the process as I see it. Without knowing exactly what you want, the thought process for me (and I suspect others) devolves into whether I'm a good fit in the group and whether the answer to that question can help meunderstand why I'm in the group. Having published one paper as a secondary author and seeing now that Dave is about to put something out in his first two months and, well, it makes me wonder if I can possibly work up to Dave's impressive start. And if its good enough. I have no barometer for these things. Since I have to make a personal website now and add him to email lists, I should have voted no.
But I voted for him.
Decisions on group members are done in the following way: 1) A group member rotates with us 2) gives a presentation on their former research and 3) receives a decision from Kieron about whether they are in the group after getting input from all of us. We'll analyze this process below.
First, the big news. Kieron called Dave into his office this morning and, after discussing his work, suggested that Dave start to look at other advisors. So, he'll be investigating other possibilities for life. He'll still finish the project he started, obviously, but won't start another. Psych! He's in the group! And that fake account of what happened is exactly how Dave tricked me this morning. Don't ever do that again, Dave! Now I won't believe any bad news you ever tell me again! The sky is falling? Chicken little! Cry wolf? Go blow your horn! Man made climate change is driven by excessive green house gases including carbon in the atmosphere? Uh...well, ok I'll believe that one...
Let's take a moment to process the process of getting into the group. One naturally wonders if our input matters. Of course it doesn't! We're not the professor! At most we'll have to only put up with people in our offices for a year or two; Kieron gets a life sentence! But let me chime in on the psychology of the process as I see it. Without knowing exactly what you want, the thought process for me (and I suspect others) devolves into whether I'm a good fit in the group and whether the answer to that question can help meunderstand why I'm in the group. Having published one paper as a secondary author and seeing now that Dave is about to put something out in his first two months and, well, it makes me wonder if I can possibly work up to Dave's impressive start. And if its good enough. I have no barometer for these things. Since I have to make a personal website now and add him to email lists, I should have voted no.
But I voted for him.
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
New Year, New Jobs
Dear Diary,
Today I took action. The state of our union will be stronger, more efficient, and able to better our cause for a job change.
I will be relinquishing my secretarial duties during meetings to spend more time increasing my productivity for the group. I have also passed on the cookie duties to Aurora.
David will take over the material acquisition position for the group since a new ordering system must be learned. Aurora has done a wonderful job making sure our supplies are un-dwindled and now Dave must prove himself in the same way. Ok, so he's not in the group, but he can handle it. Previously I had only bought the same cookies each week which led to unenthusiastic cookie time. This is the most important duty in the group. I'm not kidding. My cookies were a shame that persisted far too long that will be corrected with a new cookie procurement (though the cookies might still be the same each week--for the better!). No one knows what happens when the perfect meeting meets the worst cookies (though I have bought some bad cookies); a paradox we will never meet with Aurora in charge!
With other duties, I did a disastrous job with the notes. Rampant misquotes, incorrect facts, and too lengthy minutes. In a closed trial, I was deemed incompetent by a judge, jury, and executioner of myself. I have sentenced myself to a well-deserved exile to improve our union. Justin will close these weaknesses in the notes and provide an accurate historical record for future Burkies.
Today I took action. The state of our union will be stronger, more efficient, and able to better our cause for a job change.
I will be relinquishing my secretarial duties during meetings to spend more time increasing my productivity for the group. I have also passed on the cookie duties to Aurora.
David will take over the material acquisition position for the group since a new ordering system must be learned. Aurora has done a wonderful job making sure our supplies are un-dwindled and now Dave must prove himself in the same way. Ok, so he's not in the group, but he can handle it. Previously I had only bought the same cookies each week which led to unenthusiastic cookie time. This is the most important duty in the group. I'm not kidding. My cookies were a shame that persisted far too long that will be corrected with a new cookie procurement (though the cookies might still be the same each week--for the better!). No one knows what happens when the perfect meeting meets the worst cookies (though I have bought some bad cookies); a paradox we will never meet with Aurora in charge!
With other duties, I did a disastrous job with the notes. Rampant misquotes, incorrect facts, and too lengthy minutes. In a closed trial, I was deemed incompetent by a judge, jury, and executioner of myself. I have sentenced myself to a well-deserved exile to improve our union. Justin will close these weaknesses in the notes and provide an accurate historical record for future Burkies.
Monday, September 22, 2014
Fail Mail
Dear Diary,
Mail is never good. I have trouble thinking of pieces of mail that I've actually enjoyed if I didn't expect them. Most often it's mail asking for a fee to be paid (the dreaded 'fee-mail'). Today I got the worst mail of all: my grade from the workshop in Montreal!
Should I bother opening it? Maybe if I just never know then it can't hurt me. Maybe it's written in French and I'll have no hope of deciphering however they write their grades and numbers. That's the advantage of getting a paper copy in the digital era. There's no paper trail left on some server somewhere! Oh, but what if Kieron or Steve gets the grades...ok, may as well open it...
A B+?! What?!!
A disgrace. I've really left myself down this time. I have only myself to blame. It is good for credit (oui). But how will I explain this to Kieron, Steve, and the hard working taxpayer?? I tried everyone, really. I thought I did alright on the test. I figured out that you can't contract arbitrary tensor networks (it's an open subject). Ok, maybe I guessed on some of the steps in DMFT, but I thought my homework was good enough for a A-.* Maybe I could get a pass if I had a paper out, but we're still stuck on the thing I started on a year and a half ago!
Well, I did have a chance to get away and vacation. Further, I got to learn about a few things that have come in handy very soon. And I was in the middle of a review of a paper which required a lengthy answer to an angry reviewer. I'll blame them. Fie on you nasty reviewer for making me answer your uninformed questions and reducing my grade another .4 points!
*-Non!
Mail is never good. I have trouble thinking of pieces of mail that I've actually enjoyed if I didn't expect them. Most often it's mail asking for a fee to be paid (the dreaded 'fee-mail'). Today I got the worst mail of all: my grade from the workshop in Montreal!
Should I bother opening it? Maybe if I just never know then it can't hurt me. Maybe it's written in French and I'll have no hope of deciphering however they write their grades and numbers. That's the advantage of getting a paper copy in the digital era. There's no paper trail left on some server somewhere! Oh, but what if Kieron or Steve gets the grades...ok, may as well open it...
A B+?! What?!!
A disgrace. I've really left myself down this time. I have only myself to blame. It is good for credit (oui). But how will I explain this to Kieron, Steve, and the hard working taxpayer?? I tried everyone, really. I thought I did alright on the test. I figured out that you can't contract arbitrary tensor networks (it's an open subject). Ok, maybe I guessed on some of the steps in DMFT, but I thought my homework was good enough for a A-.* Maybe I could get a pass if I had a paper out, but we're still stuck on the thing I started on a year and a half ago!
Well, I did have a chance to get away and vacation. Further, I got to learn about a few things that have come in handy very soon. And I was in the middle of a review of a paper which required a lengthy answer to an angry reviewer. I'll blame them. Fie on you nasty reviewer for making me answer your uninformed questions and reducing my grade another .4 points!
*-Non!
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Fellowship Win
Dear Diary,
I got the Fellowship!
Either my presentation was dramatically improved based on everyone's suggestions or something else. But my application went through!
Thanks everyone!
I got the Fellowship!
Either my presentation was dramatically improved based on everyone's suggestions or something else. But my application went through!
Thanks everyone!
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
How to Print
Dear Diary!
I just saw it! More rare than a Yetti! More obscure than a Dennis Miller joke! Less visible than the invisible man!
I just saw the printer's IP address!
Exactly everyone who has passed through this building has wondered what that number is so that they can print from their laptops! And me being the (sometimes) lone office occupant must answer their questions about what it is with the obligatory, "I don't know."!
But I saw it as I turned it on to restart it from an error! It flashed up there and now everyone may print! Hard copies for everyone! Will anyone believe me?! Does it even work?!!
But this is totally worthless information in the end for me, personally. I went paperless a while ago...What irony have to have the office with a printer and endless print-iness but nothing to print. Maybe that's why I'm trusted with it...
I suppose its better than the opposite where all I do all day is print and that's all that matters to me until the apocalypse occurs and I'm left weeping over a broken printer because, while I am the last soul on earth, I'm printerless.
Yay paperless!
I just saw it! More rare than a Yetti! More obscure than a Dennis Miller joke! Less visible than the invisible man!
I just saw the printer's IP address!
Exactly everyone who has passed through this building has wondered what that number is so that they can print from their laptops! And me being the (sometimes) lone office occupant must answer their questions about what it is with the obligatory, "I don't know."!
But I saw it as I turned it on to restart it from an error! It flashed up there and now everyone may print! Hard copies for everyone! Will anyone believe me?! Does it even work?!!
But this is totally worthless information in the end for me, personally. I went paperless a while ago...What irony have to have the office with a printer and endless print-iness but nothing to print. Maybe that's why I'm trusted with it...
I suppose its better than the opposite where all I do all day is print and that's all that matters to me until the apocalypse occurs and I'm left weeping over a broken printer because, while I am the last soul on earth, I'm printerless.
Yay paperless!
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