Laugh

Laugh because you are here!

All

I know I am not writing a lot these days. The school has started and the first week has flown past. The week was okay. We ordered dough mixer from amazon in our apartment and first test run was today. It is used to knead the wheat flour for Chapatis. The experiment was successful if you define success =1 and failure =0 and then round off the outcome to closest integer. ;)

I am considering taking sometime off from blogger. May be it is not a nice idea. But I could give it a try. Meanwhile there is significant change in nocturnal habits. You can see me sleep as early as 11 these days and get up before 8 am. Btw 8 am is the time here at this time of year when the Sun has just come up. Sunrise time is close to 7:45. So one of these days when I reached home all juiced up and just crashed in the bed and when woke up (without alarm beeping) in the bed found it was still dark and thought it might be 7:__ odd something and went to bathroom and came back and took time and bath and then breakfast, just the usual one, cornflakes in milk, and then looked at the clock and it was 6:15 and I was like, wow! surprised. Surprised! Wow.

I am also playing squash officially this semester in an intermediate level course. It is nice fun. I get to play against a lot of people and learn a lot. Everything is going so nice. Except for the thing for which I am here. Research.

Sweets from home

12th semester starts next week. My targets are pushed back somewhat. But Im in fight. Today it started with TA workshop mandatory for all people who will be TA (Teaching Assistant). I will be taking up job of TA for two courses.

Today was a happy day! I received the package of home-made sweets,pickles and snacks. Home sweet home and home-made sweets. Wow! They look nice. Be my guest. :)

Reminiscence

Sometimes I remember the old days when I used to travel back home. From Kanpur to Allahabad my hometown on train. The early morning seemed so nice. It was so different. So calm all around only the birds chirping. And the sunset/sunrise in the rustic background of the hostel (Hall 9) was a treat to watch. I kind of miss those mornings. And the evenings too when I would just stand in at the end of last block facing west. The breeze was so strong you could almost hear it sing the kind of songs which inspired William Wordsworth. I am not a gifted poet but I am human I can feel the same.
At the back of hostel, in fact on three sides, there were a vast ground usually covered with tall bushes. The kind of bushes you see on Africa jungles on NGC. In the dawn and dusk the sun against the high rise bushes made a lovely picture. You ought to see it. I wish I could see it again. A picture will give you some idea. It was nothing like living in such a place. It is priceless.

Duniya mein hun duniya ka talabgaar nahi hu

Duniya mein hun duniya ka talabgaar nahin hun
Bazar se guzara hun kharidar nahin hun

Zinda hun magar zist ki lazzat nahin baqi
har chand ki hun hosh mein hoshiyar nahin hun

Iss Khaanaa-e-hasti se guzar jaunga belaus
Saaya hun faqat naqsh-e-diivaar nahin hun

Afasurda hun ibaarat se davaa ki nahin hajat
Gum kaa mujhe ye zauf hai bimaar nahin hun

Wo gull hun khizan ne jise barbaad kiya hai
Uljhun kisi daman se main vo khaar nahin hun

---

(This poem is in urdu. Poet is Akbar Allahabadi)
Translation of urdu words:
talabgaar - some one who desires
zist - life/existance
lazzat - flavor
Khaanaa - room/house/compartment
hasti - existance
belaus - without any trace
faqat - beauty/elegance
Afasurda - melancholy/depressed
ibaarat - metaphorical meaning/ style
hajat - desire
gull - flower
khaar - thorn
more urdu words?

Home alone

The time has passed quickly after we got back from Chicago. All the mates who share apartment with me are gone for the break and I'm home alone! Living alone, cooking alone. :(
Although it can be argued that I am not among the extrovert living beings, I am more used to seeing people around me.
Not much to get started till 10th, the day we start the lab group meetings. I am not very sure of how long I will stay in the group but I will have to go to the meetings anyway.
When you chose advisor what is more important? What are you working in or who are you working with? Obviously second question will haunt you to desperation if you ignore it.

Btw since it is new year new year wishes to all of you. Although there was nothing new this new year