Welcome to my personal blog, where I will share my academic and professional insights and experiences in the context of the Caribbean on a weekly basis.
Systems Thinking: Simulating Trinidad's Economy
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Today's post is inspired by a video I watched this morning entitled
What's 10 x 10? I started this blog on February 4th, 2023—almost two years ago (wow, I just checked!)—and I must say, writing consistently is a challenge that I gladly took on. Writing has been a constant theme in my life. It got me through my rebellious teen years and straight into adulthood (which, to be honest, I still have a hard time accepting). Many people ask me, "How do you do it?" To that, I say: I enjoy it, and I have a great support system. Today, I want to take a moment to reflect and give thanks—to those who read my posts, those who point out my typos, and especially to my dad, who always asks, "Toni, did you post yet?" But let’s be real: doing 100 of anything is difficult—whether it's 100 pull-ups or developing 100 apps. Even when you’re passionate about something, there are days when you just don’t have the energy or inspiration. And that’s okay! You just have to keep pushing forward—through the valley of despair, even when no one is watchin...
This is an acoustic guitar Today’s post is inspired by my childhood dream of learning to play the guitar. For years, I’d daydream about strumming chords and creating melodies, but it always felt like something I’d do “someday.” That day finally arrived when I jokingly shared this dream aloud, and my dad decided it was time to make it a reality. Yesterday, he surprised me with my first guitar—a sleek, acoustic guitar with nylon strings. The moment I picked it up, I was both excited and intimidated. I immediately started tuning it and spent an hour practicing E-minor and A-minor chords. My fingers quickly grew sore, and faint ridges were left behind from pressing on the strings—but I didn’t mind. There was something unexpectedly soothing about the vibration of the strings resonating through the guitar, as if the instrument itself was encouraging me to keep going. Learning a new skill is a reminder of how persistence pays off. I know that mastering the guitar will take ti...
People swipe on their phones an average of 2500-5000 times per day With the TikTok ban looming in the U.S. amidst national security concerns, I believe we should also be asking a deeper question: What are we allowing to capture our attention? Social media isn’t just profiting from our data—it’s also draining our limited time and energy! Isn’t it funny how we all wonder why we can’t get things done, yet we constantly allow ourselves to be distracted? As someone who recently deactivated their Instagram account, I’ve realized how much passively consuming endless videos— ones I never even searched for —has negatively impacted my well-being. Whether it was comparing my life to those who could afford trips to Europe or staying up late searching for something to share with friends, I realized I was consuming content without purpose. In a time of shrinking attention spans, the ability to focus and take action is more valuable than ever. Now, I’m not saying entertainment is bad, but...
Money grows on trees—the tree is a metaphor for your mind. Defining a problem is the first step to solving it, but have you ever considered the value your solution will create? Before jumping into problem-solving, it's crucial to ask: Is this the right problem to tackle, and is solving it worth the cost? As professionals—especially in tech—it’s easy to fall into the habit of building solutions without pausing to assess whether the effort aligns with the value it delivers. For example, imagine spending weeks building an automated self-watering system for a cactus. Sure, it’s a cool project, but was it really worth the time and resources? After all, a cactus only needs watering once a week, and it would take less than a minute to do it yourself. Sometimes, solving the problem manually is the most effective and resource-efficient option. Your salary is directly linked to the value you bring to a company, and time and energy are finite resources. How we choose to allocate them signif...
A Decision Tree Today’s post is inspired by Elon Musk, the captivating biography by Walter Isaacson. At 688 pages, it’s a deep dive into the mind and methods of one of the most transformative figures of our time. Over the past two weeks, I’ve spent my early mornings absorbing Musk’s journey—and it’s left me contemplating the driving force behind his success. What is the “algorithm” that powers his extraordinary ventures? Though his leadership style is unconventional, it’s undeniably effective. Musk has co-founded revolutionary companies like PayPal, SpaceX, and Tesla, each of which has disrupted its industry and pushed boundaries. But what makes him tick? What’s the underlying formula behind his ability to juggle ambitious goals, relentless innovation, and transformative leadership? The Algorithm: Musk's Mental Framework As detailed in Isaacson’s biography, Musk often speaks of a personal algorithm—a mental framework that guides his decision-making process. The algorit...
You can clearly see which one stands out Today's post is inspired by a question one of my colleagues had around outliers: Are there different types? And to that question, the simple answer is yes! As data professionals, we often encounter data points that stand out like a sore thumb during analysis, leaving us wondering what to do with them. In most cases, deletion seems like the obvious choice. However, I believe we need to pause and take a closer look at these points before removing them. You see, during Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA for short), asking the right questions about the dataset is crucial to uncovering its full story. Deleting an outlier just because it stands out can create a narrow, myopic view of the data, limiting the depth and value of the insights you can gain. Rather than rushing to remove outliers, consider what they might reveal. Could they signal an emerging trend, an unusual but important event, or even a data collection issue? With t...
Barnes & Noble's beginnings can be traced to 1873 Today's post is inspired by an article I read about the recent resurgence of Barnes & Noble, the iconic American bookstore chain. As a bookworm, I found the story especially appealing. Back in secondary school, I used to imagine working in a bookstore or a library during summer vacation, surrounded by shelves of book. It seemed like a dream job. Barnes & Noble originally set itself apart with vast, well-stocked stores and an enormous selection of titles. This approach attracted a steady stream of customers and fueled the company’s rapid expansion. But then Amazon arrived, making it possible to order a book with a few clicks and have it delivered to your doorstep. The shift to online shopping left many of Barnes & Noble's stores eerily empty. Enter James Daunt, the managing director of Waterstones, the largest bookseller in the United Kingdom. Tasked with turning Barnes & Noble around, he brought a fresh p...
Stack: a pile of objects, typically one that is neatly arranged. Conversations about tech preferences tend to get heated, whether it’s Apple vs Android, Windows vs macOS, or the eternal debate about pineapple on pizza. But lately, I’ve found myself drawn to something : data stacks. Specifically, why do organizations choose Microsoft, Amazon, or Google as their cloud platform? Microsoft has quietly become the stack of choice for many enterprises, but why? What’s the real difference between AWS and Azure, and is one easier to learn than the other? More importantly, are we so locked into these proprietary tools that we’re missing out on better, open-source alternatives? Learning a new tool takes time, and that time investment often keeps us tethered to one ecosystem. But with so much innovation happening, it’s worth asking: Are we keeping our minds open to what’s out there? To answer these questions, it helps to ...
The only way to deal with emotions is to find a way to express them. The term gained prominence with the publication of Daniel Goleman's book "Emotional Intelligence" in 1995, but the underlying ideas have been studied and discussed by psychologists for decades. At its core, Emotional Intelligence means having a deep awareness of emotions—both your own and those of others. This heightened sensitivity serves as a foundation for conflict resolution and relationship cultivation. Simply asking someone how their day is going and observing their facial expressions and tone of voice makes a difference. In life, change is the only constant; hence, we can't always expect our coworkers to be equally responsive and cheerful every day. It's crucial to recognize that they might be facing challenges we're unaware of, such as dealing with the recent loss of a family member or an undisclosed injury. Our ability to detect signs of distress not only enables us to offer bet...
“Our whole economy is based on planned obsolescence.” — Brooks Stevens My Lenovo IdeaPad 350 carried me through my Computer Science degree and even hosted the beginnings of this blog series. It witnessed late-night coding marathons, countless essays, and the very first drafts of ideas I’m still exploring today. I’ve since upgraded to an ASUS Zenbook S16 (which I’m very happy with) , but my old laptop still sits quietly on a shelf, waiting for its final chapter. If you didn’t know, the average lifespan of a laptop is about five years. When I asked a few friends what they do with their old machines, most admitted they just… keep them. I guess I know a lot of hoarders... But honestly, that’s still better than those who throw them away like an old pair of shoes. Here’s something to think about: the world generates over 50 million metric tons of e-waste each year , and only about 20% is recycled properly . That means millions of tons of toxic metals—like lead, mercury, an...
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