Last few days of 2017

My First SnowFall in Philly. Dec 09, 2017

This year is on the verge of ending soon with promises, wishes, and dreams full for another year. Unlike all other years, I am not going to make any resolutions this year, because :

1. My resolutions pertaining to doing exercise and lose weight have always gone in vain. Hence, no futile attempts, anymore.
2. Plans of becoming sane, mature n all that. I think I am now that, already.
3. Plans for studying harder this year (the stupid ritual of mine, studying 5 mins before and after midnight of every 31st Dec). Please, not this time. Already, I am going to earn my doctorate soon.
4. Rather, I just plan to celebrate my New Year like I never did before.

Although I am not the person who likes to share his/her plan ahead of time (yeah, I 'm a little old school and believe sharing plans beforehand generally spoils it), let me share this time and see what happens. This New Year Eve, I am planning to celebrate in New York with my bunch of other Fulbright friends. It's actually gonna start from the evening of 25th on Christmas and continue until the 2nd of January. I am looking forward to that. Meanwhile, I will finish my pending stuff from this year and update you with a general overview of this year. I think this will be a good exercise, I would love to look back at it after, maybe, several years and Laugh!. 

Friends like family

Somewhere in Chicago

The connection and love you feel with your friends from the past are boundless. It's kind of an overwhelming feeling. Doesn't matter, whether it was your best friend, at some point in life or just your batch mate, whom you had few exchanges in a day, limiting to a Hi, Bye or How ya'doin? I just feel as if I have shared a beautiful phase of my life with him/her and you feel connected. Ya'll will never harm each other. Can't really explain what I wanna convey. Tch!

My school, UPenn :)

      All I know is that I am making tad too many promises while I am here in the U.S to meet and go out with my people from the past. I really hope I am able to fulfill them. I wanna go back as an improved person who is more organized, punctual, sober and logical. I hope I'll be able to do that. Maybe living on your own and this far from your peeps makes you realize the importance of people, relationships and in general, life.
As of now, I am just trying to work everything out as I had planned and enjoy as much of my experience here as I can  (and the rest will make for good stories, right?)

Currently, #HighOnLife :)

Just a song

Naina.. jo saanjhe khwab dekhte the
Naina.. bichad ke aaj ro diye hain yun
Naina.. jo milke raat jaagte the
Naina.. sehar mein palken meechte hain yun

Juda huve kadam
Jinhone li thi ye kasam
Milke chalenge hardum
Ab baant’te hain ye gham
Bheege naina.. jo sanjhe khwab dekhte the
Naina.. bichhad ke aaj ro diye hain yun

Saans hairaan hai
Mann pareshaan hai
Ho rahi si kyun ruaansa ye meri jaan hai

Kyun nirasha se hai
Aas haari huyi
Kyun sawaalon ka utha sa
Dil mein toofaan hai

Naina.. thhe aasmaan ke sitaare
Naina.. grahan mein aaj toot’te hain yun
Naina.. kabhi jo dhoop senkte thhe
Naina.. thehar ke chhaaon dhoondhte hain yun

Juda huye kadam
Jinhone li thi ye kasam
Milke chalenge hardum
Ab baant’te hain ye gham
Bheege naina.. jo sanjhe khwab dekhte the
Naina.. bichhad ke aaj ro diye hain yun

Seems a pretty sad song, isn't it? Yeah, but its a good one. And the most interesting thing is, I m enjoying the mature wali sadness. I never used to like such (sad) songs and the mature types of movies. But, as they say, there's a term called sweet pain. I am kinda enjoying that ;)

My story

No one can know my story,

I tell you that

No one can know me that well,

I promise you that

:)

Insane

Yes, that's exactly my state of mind right now.

I have got my Skype scheduled in 2 hours from now with Warren. Interestingly, it's 4th of July and America would be celebrating. But, somewhere in the corners of India, someone is infuriating. This is mainly because I am stuck with these phase equilibrium problems and I couldn't solve them. I have tried a lot. The most interesting part is that I have to present today. So with a good start to the day many more excuses might be on the way to Warren. I just hope I am saved today with the embarrassment. Going absolutely crazy creating new files in Aspen and failing to get desired phases. I think I m gonna shut this down and go have Samosa and Tea at Kali da. 

Yeah, that'll be better.

P.S : In my opinion, I think the solution to all the problems in this world is Good food.

Cheers

Life these days..

My average day ends by 1:30 or 2 am and I woke up at 8, get ready and all and then move to the lab. But between hall and lab, I have to make a stopover to have my breakfast. Why? Because hall mess is closed due to summer vacations. There's a time constraint for marking attendance. In order to do that, immediately have to rush to the department. After crossing that hurdle, the next is to several ways:

1. Old building lab

2. P K Sinha Centre
3. Mechanical Engg. lab (CFD lab)
4. Cryogenics Centre lab
5. Main BT lab

So, while I am on my bicycle, I decide which way to go. Why I have to do that?

• P K Sinha Centre; because of my students, two of them, have their experimental set-up running over there and I am guiding them. Last month only got done with two more after submission of their thesis. My inoculums and other experiment are also going on there.
• Old building lab; since that's my old lab and I just love that place. I find my mental peace there. There are not many people in that lab so I prefer to be there. A good place to write and read actually. I don't like to do that with many people around. Also, all the experimental set-ups have to be done there only before shifting to yet another lab of ours which is CFD lab in Mechanical Engineering Department. 
• So for those experiments, I rush to CFD lab and the sampling and analysis of all those samples have to be done in the main building lab.
• Cryogenics lab; to learn Aspen, for my US research work.

So technically and literally, I am running all day long. And, this is minus, going to the raceway pond area, to the SRIC office, main admin block, CWIS center, Civil engg. etc. So yesterday night I was thinking why I get so tired at the end of the day and sleep like a hibernating bear and I came to this conclusion. So I think I m fine.

When I meet my Future self

Music and Library does to me what Yoga/Meditation does to others.
The library is one of the finest places where my brain and body answer as one.  The amount of peace and intensity I get here is unspeakable. As of last few days have been so chaotic, so messy, so over-loaded, damn! I still have tons of work and deadlines, but I managed to have a fulfilling time. Playing the Vidya vox version of We dun talk.., I love how she used Tabla, the sound of which got amalgamated with the original ones and make the cover look even better. I think I am naturally inclined to music, good music, all kinds of music. I love Tabla, I will learn it someday soon. With this, I am imagining how my home would look like in the future.
few things I would like to list here for my own reference:

1. A good, really good music system
2. A good, very good television set with the widest screen possible to give me a theatre feel.
3. Tabla in a music room
4. A very nice little garden, I love plants and gardening
5. A chai hut/room where flavors from around the world would be available
6. A playroom where PlayStations and all the most craziest videogames are available in the world.
7. Library :) How can I miss this. A nice room with lots of books and nice chair with nice settings.

Already having a good day!

Ciao

Feasting and Fasting!

Well, Hello!

My sweetie pie blog :P

You see, I am in a good mood today. Why? umm...well last night only I have uploaded two journal articles and I was so busy preparing them for last couple of days. What I am doing since today : Nothing. Woke up late @ 11 am, pushed myself for a head bath, wore my Van heusen favourite top and you know whattttttttttt? I fit well inside it. Thats the top which I had bought before my UK trip last year, at that time I was weighing some 59 odd kgs. Ofcourse, once as I was back, I had swollen like anything from all the pizza's, burgers, cup cakes (Oh, love), cakes, pastries and my great cooking skills. I was so occupied that I never got anytime to work upon myself. And I LOVE food, so no chance of dieting. Dieting is for loosers :P

So, right after I came back from Mumbai for a good 15 days holidays with my parents and sister, I had planned I HAVE to shed those extra kilos. I was 65 kilos :( Sixxty-damn five kilos.

Then I started with a secret recipe that  I am not gonna share. Its something you eat..umm no drink. Believe me its not something bad. Its purely legal and healthy. It's a vegetable actually. But I m not gonna tell you my this secret recipe. I m gonna keep it to myself.

But you know making that Secret-recipe every morning was a pain in the ass. So, initially I was regular for 10-15 days but later I skipped it. It sure helped me reduce some 1-1.5 kgs. Not more than that.

Finally, I came back to my favorite thing in the world. Badminton. Why? because, running seemed difficult to manage (since I am a senior PhD student and I have tons of work), dieting is huh! impossible for a foodies like me, so Baddy is my love and I enjoy doing that. I play for like 3-4 hours daily in my hostel with guys. Yeah, since ours is a co-ed hostel. And trust me they all are very good players. So playing with them not only improved my game but also helped me reduce weight.

Today, just today while going to department I stopped to weigh myself, it came  59 kgs. My original me! Yay!! and the top I am wearing today is making me look beautiful :)

Yo Yo :D

Un-finished

When life gives you lemons, 
make a lemonade,
with extra ice!
Nothing is easy, 
it comes with a price
Even, breathing is difficult, sometimes...
Everyone's battling their own struggle
Stay positive, Stay blessed
I keep on telling...
but, it becomes a tad too hard, sometimes
In those times
Believing in Him is the hope you aspire
So many things you dig in your heart
So many expressions, you crush inside
life is short, still
Somehow.. pages form a chapter, and chapters complete a story
Sooner or later, it will all make sense

8 hour block

We've been told by health experts or often read in newspapers, television that an individual should have an eight-hour block of sleep every day as an adult. There is a lot of conjecture about this that goes on and I think it varies from an individual to individual. However, for me particularly, 8-hour sleep is a must. Though I feel really good after having it, waking up refreshed and having my efficiency better, at the same time, I feel I kind of waste 2 hours of my day into just sleep. I wish I was sleeping for 6 hours instead, then I would have got more time for the day's work.
I even know there is no solution for it, and many a time I have got into trouble or sleeping this long and also deep. Yes, my sleep is long and deep and continuous. I don't know whether it is good or not.