I bid a very tearful good-bye to Lisa. It is so difficult to part. I guess I should be happy to have someone who cries for me, indeed, there are only a fortunate few who have so good friends. While in Ithaca, I knew that I had come far, far away from home only to realize that what I had really come looking for I had left behind me. But I could not have imagined that I would have the very same feeling when I would leave Ithaca. Lisa wrote a new chapter in my life. I wish those beautiful memories never fade away.
I spent the Christmas in New York City with Mayank, Venkat (who had come to NYC), Biz and Aakash. Vijay and I came from Ithaca. It was nice to be with all my friends once again. Of course Chandra was missed. Didn’t do much apart from walking all over Manhattan over foot and seeing the Rockefeller Christmas tree. Mayank’s car rocks.
The journey back was filled with more and more recurrent memories. Ithaca loomed large over my mind. Cornell, the people, and Lisa came again and again to my mind. I saw ‘Million Dollar Baby’ on my laptop in the flight which made me sadder still. Fortunately, I had good seats on the flight and had good neighbors too.
Finished ‘Into Thin Air’ which I had started reading in the flight. This book was given by – no prizes for guessing – Lisa. It’s an amazing first-hand account of the worst disaster atop Everest in 1996. Spine-chilling and very exciting. Unputdownable. Read a book after a long time. Thanks, Lisa.
Homecoming was heart-warming. It was a complete surprise for everyone. Felt nice meeting mom and Rita. Fortunately, there were no tears – only smiles. Can’t help missing Papa though.
There are some things in life which will never come back.
Friday, December 30, 2005
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Hail to thee our Alma Mater, Hail, all Hail, Cornell!
(continued from previous post)
Fortunately, we get up early morning on time, very fresh. “Congrats Swati, graduation day is here” is my wake up call to her. And that sums up our mood. Graduation day. Oh, that magic feeling.
Makhu has not signed up for graduation, forget about having the robes ready. We manage to reach the hall well before time and procure good robes for him. After taking lessons in wearing the robes, we are all set – and, as usual, hungry.
Swati comes to the rescue with ‘laddus’ from her friend to celebrate graduation. We can’t have enough of them. After tons of photographs before the ceremony, we are finally lined up to ‘walk’. Walk – the word suddenly means so much. It is the result of the hard work we have put in to get the degree. It means that ‘I’m a Cornell student’ now changes to ‘I was a Cornell student’. It’s the bittersweet fruit of accomplishment leaving the aftertaste of memories behind.
Dressed in our nice robes, we walk. As graduate students, we actually get to seat in the front row. Makhu is confident that he will fall asleep, after all he has slept in all IR classes in the first row.
The ceremony is nice. The speeches, the ‘morals’ of stories, all pass by. I can’t stop thinking of my mother and father. This ceremony is for you! We’re called on stage and given our diplomas. I did it. I graduated from Cornell University.
The Cornell song is inspiring. It springs forth a number of emotions in my mind. The whole of the past year races through in front my eyes. By the time is finishes, my eyes are moist and heart full of emotion. The chatterboxes that we are, me and Makhu can’t help passing comments after everything is done and faculty is walking out. We completely forget that we are in the first row and we must start following them. ‘Go go, you are out of here now’ cries the usher. That summarizes it all. We sprint behind the faculty, laughing.
It was so nice of Lisa to come to the ceremony. It was nice to have her watch me walk, take pictures of me. I will miss you so much Lisa, and I will miss you very very much, Cornell.
Fortunately, we get up early morning on time, very fresh. “Congrats Swati, graduation day is here” is my wake up call to her. And that sums up our mood. Graduation day. Oh, that magic feeling.
Makhu has not signed up for graduation, forget about having the robes ready. We manage to reach the hall well before time and procure good robes for him. After taking lessons in wearing the robes, we are all set – and, as usual, hungry.
Swati comes to the rescue with ‘laddus’ from her friend to celebrate graduation. We can’t have enough of them. After tons of photographs before the ceremony, we are finally lined up to ‘walk’. Walk – the word suddenly means so much. It is the result of the hard work we have put in to get the degree. It means that ‘I’m a Cornell student’ now changes to ‘I was a Cornell student’. It’s the bittersweet fruit of accomplishment leaving the aftertaste of memories behind.
Dressed in our nice robes, we walk. As graduate students, we actually get to seat in the front row. Makhu is confident that he will fall asleep, after all he has slept in all IR classes in the first row.
The ceremony is nice. The speeches, the ‘morals’ of stories, all pass by. I can’t stop thinking of my mother and father. This ceremony is for you! We’re called on stage and given our diplomas. I did it. I graduated from Cornell University.
The Cornell song is inspiring. It springs forth a number of emotions in my mind. The whole of the past year races through in front my eyes. By the time is finishes, my eyes are moist and heart full of emotion. The chatterboxes that we are, me and Makhu can’t help passing comments after everything is done and faculty is walking out. We completely forget that we are in the first row and we must start following them. ‘Go go, you are out of here now’ cries the usher. That summarizes it all. We sprint behind the faculty, laughing.
It was so nice of Lisa to come to the ceremony. It was nice to have her watch me walk, take pictures of me. I will miss you so much Lisa, and I will miss you very very much, Cornell.
Saturday, December 17, 2005
It all happened on Graduation eve...
It all happened that evening… my graduation eve was a reflection of the whole year I spent at Cornell in a perfect way.
The day was as a beautiful as a winter day could be. It had snowed a LOT the night before, but there was no wind at all. The views were simply breathtaking. The afternoon was nice, sunny and warm.
Afternoon: I toil hard walking all over the campus to get my cap and gown. The place is closed for lunch, I wait. After a trip to ATM in the snow, I finally have it.
‘We’re going to King Kong’ says my friend. ‘I don’t wanna go, it’s loooonng movie’. I say. But he successfully convinces me to come to the movie at 8PM.
6PM: I’m still in the office, completing my research paper. Darn, the remaining 20% always takes 80% of the time… it’s really been such a drag to complete this last piece of work required to graduate. I do manage to finish it though.
7PM: I start my ‘handover’ presentation to my fellow researcher. All right, this really is the final step.
7:30PM: I keep pinching myself – hurray, I’m done, I’m done. Hop on to TCAT for the mall.
8PM-11PM: It was a loooonnngg movie as expected but I enjoyed it. Great graphics. Some of the scenes were ‘made’ funny by Makhu’s and Swati’s untimely laughter. I can never forget the scene where Ann comes in front of Kong in NYC for the first time… both Makhu and Swati burst out laughing so badly, I couldn’t stop laughing myself. (That nothing was funny in the scene was reminded by the glares of those in the audience)
11-somethingish: We are returning, and after almost all the people have unboarded the bus, Makhu tells me one of his great ideas: it’s graduation tomorrow yaar, and we must drink. I’m the one who’s always more than eager to latch on to these ideas. We try to get everyone, but no one turns up. Only me and Makhu are drinking. Swati is a nice girl, she agrees to give us company by having hot chocolate. Venue: CTB of course!
1AM: Makhu doesn’t like beer, and whatever we had, we finish it in amazing bottom-ups. So we decide to move on to Rulloff’s or Stella’s. Darn Tompkins county, it’s illegal to sell alcohol after 1 AM! ( So be it, today nobody can stop us from having fun. Let’s go to Ithaca Falls, we decide.
We embark on a treacherous journey through snow down gun hill to Ithaca falls. Mid-way Makhu feels the urge to relieve himself. I start getting that beer-effect too. Darn, all the dorms are also closed. No way, buddy. Let’s keep going down.
While going down, Makhu reminds us that we will actually have to walk all the way up after we reach down. We end up cancelling the plan of going down. We decide to watch the falls from above, i.e. from North Willard Way and begin our journey up the slope.
2AM-ish: Ahhhh! The scene is superb! So much snow glistening in the night and the sound of water. Ithaca is Gorges!! After some time and escaping from a violently barking dog, we resume our journey homewards (driven by our bladders). Murphy’s law being what it is, we somehow manage to not follow Stewart Ave and instead end up on Univ ave, way below. Imagine the condition, bladder full since long, heart full of the hope of reaching home soon and relieving ourselves, we find ourselves almost at the foot of Buffalo St. Darn, there’s no way we can continue without going to the loo, we both decide. But hey, there’s a park here! (Imagine the rest).
3AM – ish: After the steep climb, we are finally at my place. And as hungry as a grad student can be. I have some rice and stuff – nothing tastes as great as a very late night snack! After the food, Swati calls it a day (pun intended!). So it’s me and Makhu trudging up Buffalo St, carrying my laptop.
4AM – ish: we are in a classroom, with the projector on. Wow, we are watching a movie full screen in a classroom at Cornell at 4:30AM….!! Close to 5AM we both find each other sleeping and decide to go home. After an uneventful journey home, we put our bodies to rest not knowing if we will be able to wake up for the graduation ceremony the next day..
The day was as a beautiful as a winter day could be. It had snowed a LOT the night before, but there was no wind at all. The views were simply breathtaking. The afternoon was nice, sunny and warm.
Afternoon: I toil hard walking all over the campus to get my cap and gown. The place is closed for lunch, I wait. After a trip to ATM in the snow, I finally have it.
‘We’re going to King Kong’ says my friend. ‘I don’t wanna go, it’s loooonng movie’. I say. But he successfully convinces me to come to the movie at 8PM.
6PM: I’m still in the office, completing my research paper. Darn, the remaining 20% always takes 80% of the time… it’s really been such a drag to complete this last piece of work required to graduate. I do manage to finish it though.
7PM: I start my ‘handover’ presentation to my fellow researcher. All right, this really is the final step.
7:30PM: I keep pinching myself – hurray, I’m done, I’m done. Hop on to TCAT for the mall.
8PM-11PM: It was a loooonnngg movie as expected but I enjoyed it. Great graphics. Some of the scenes were ‘made’ funny by Makhu’s and Swati’s untimely laughter. I can never forget the scene where Ann comes in front of Kong in NYC for the first time… both Makhu and Swati burst out laughing so badly, I couldn’t stop laughing myself. (That nothing was funny in the scene was reminded by the glares of those in the audience)
11-somethingish: We are returning, and after almost all the people have unboarded the bus, Makhu tells me one of his great ideas: it’s graduation tomorrow yaar, and we must drink. I’m the one who’s always more than eager to latch on to these ideas. We try to get everyone, but no one turns up. Only me and Makhu are drinking. Swati is a nice girl, she agrees to give us company by having hot chocolate. Venue: CTB of course!
1AM: Makhu doesn’t like beer, and whatever we had, we finish it in amazing bottom-ups. So we decide to move on to Rulloff’s or Stella’s. Darn Tompkins county, it’s illegal to sell alcohol after 1 AM! ( So be it, today nobody can stop us from having fun. Let’s go to Ithaca Falls, we decide.
We embark on a treacherous journey through snow down gun hill to Ithaca falls. Mid-way Makhu feels the urge to relieve himself. I start getting that beer-effect too. Darn, all the dorms are also closed. No way, buddy. Let’s keep going down.
While going down, Makhu reminds us that we will actually have to walk all the way up after we reach down. We end up cancelling the plan of going down. We decide to watch the falls from above, i.e. from North Willard Way and begin our journey up the slope.
2AM-ish: Ahhhh! The scene is superb! So much snow glistening in the night and the sound of water. Ithaca is Gorges!! After some time and escaping from a violently barking dog, we resume our journey homewards (driven by our bladders). Murphy’s law being what it is, we somehow manage to not follow Stewart Ave and instead end up on Univ ave, way below. Imagine the condition, bladder full since long, heart full of the hope of reaching home soon and relieving ourselves, we find ourselves almost at the foot of Buffalo St. Darn, there’s no way we can continue without going to the loo, we both decide. But hey, there’s a park here! (Imagine the rest).
3AM – ish: After the steep climb, we are finally at my place. And as hungry as a grad student can be. I have some rice and stuff – nothing tastes as great as a very late night snack! After the food, Swati calls it a day (pun intended!). So it’s me and Makhu trudging up Buffalo St, carrying my laptop.
4AM – ish: we are in a classroom, with the projector on. Wow, we are watching a movie full screen in a classroom at Cornell at 4:30AM….!! Close to 5AM we both find each other sleeping and decide to go home. After an uneventful journey home, we put our bodies to rest not knowing if we will be able to wake up for the graduation ceremony the next day..
Friday, December 09, 2005
ECO Friendly
I worked at an office where:
I loved working at the Environmental Compliance Office (ECO) and I will always miss the peeps there!
- There was a geology enthusiast who collected all sorts of maps and was great at all sports – juggling included.
- My boss was called the ‘go go girl’ and she’s the most beautiful boss I had.
- There was a person who dressed up as a deer on Halloween (complete with a wiggling tail), won the best costume prize for it, and was the life of a party.
- My boss treated me every Monday during the summer with an expensive coffee.
- I played volleyball with the peeps, bowled and had fun.
- Juggling was a part of your job and work was play. If you didn’t know juggling, you had to learn it.
- I got my best friend (+more) at Cornell and she took care of my lunch! (Besides tons of other things we did for fun)
- I learnt to mix grapefruit juice with seltzer to make a refreshing drink.
- Part of my job involved wearing a hard hat and going to construction sites.
- I got the best send-off possible. A surprise party with lots of goodies and a very nice cake.
I loved working at the Environmental Compliance Office (ECO) and I will always miss the peeps there!
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Memories - Part 2 (places)
Some of the best time I've spent at Cornell is associated with places. Some unforgettable places, the memories of which will always be placed in my heart:
Chili's & ABC Cafe: The restaurants I've most frequented. Chili's is great for its Mexican food and of course its Cocktails. The molten choclate is also a delight! ABC cafe bears special mention as it is 100% vegetarain! :)
Libe Slope / Tower: Be it the slope day, the kite flying festival or just watching the sun go down - the libe slope is so much fun. The view from the McGraw Tower, which stands at the edge of the slope is breathtaking.
Beebe Lake & Ithaca Falls: 'Ithaca is Gorges' they say and the proof is in part at the Beebe lake and Ithaca falls. Ithaca falls is sooo cool. Beebe lake has a very nice walk around it. Both of them are green and refreshing.
Plantations & Ithaca Recreation walkway: Beautiful places to walk. I tanned myself walking here during summer! ;)
Maplewood community center: Spent some nice time with friends here. Be it playing pool/ping pong or playing 'antakshari', MCC has always been fun!
Chili's & ABC Cafe: The restaurants I've most frequented. Chili's is great for its Mexican food and of course its Cocktails. The molten choclate is also a delight! ABC cafe bears special mention as it is 100% vegetarain! :)
Libe Slope / Tower: Be it the slope day, the kite flying festival or just watching the sun go down - the libe slope is so much fun. The view from the McGraw Tower, which stands at the edge of the slope is breathtaking.
Beebe Lake & Ithaca Falls: 'Ithaca is Gorges' they say and the proof is in part at the Beebe lake and Ithaca falls. Ithaca falls is sooo cool. Beebe lake has a very nice walk around it. Both of them are green and refreshing.
Plantations & Ithaca Recreation walkway: Beautiful places to walk. I tanned myself walking here during summer! ;)
Maplewood community center: Spent some nice time with friends here. Be it playing pool/ping pong or playing 'antakshari', MCC has always been fun!
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