Everyday, I tread my way to campus, around it as I make my way to class, lunch, job, library or just hanging about at my favorite hideouts. Walking is faster but on windy cold days like these, I prefer not reaching class with a partially frozen face and hair all over the place, and instead take the buses which are called Stingers - Georgia Tech's mascot is a bee -->
Most of the times, I notice these smallest of things, almost hit-n-miss, or the kinds that needs one to be really contemplative to notice. I happen to be one of those who can find amusement and happiness in the smallest of observations and the other times, not be satisfied even with the biggest of happenings. Well..each one has their kinks :D So here goes..
The rains are still lovely
Yeah, yeah I know I know that rains are a pain-in-the-neck when you gotta get to places and like to be dry et al. But no matter what and no matter how old I get, the rains bring the child outta me. I just like to look at the raindrops touching the plants around me, making them seem fresher than ever. And darn it, it IS really romantic to be with that special person out on a rainy day, watching the rainbow as you shudder slightly under any temporary shelter you can find and feel the aroma of wet earth putting a spell on you...
Birds chirping beats the MP3 player pounding in your ears...anyday!
I usually never used to up and about early enough to be able to hear any birds. But these days I have to get up really early to make it to my weekend activities. And when I heard that chirping one morning, I found myself transported to my room back home in India when I used to wake up as my mom switched off the fan..... (another one of those music-triggers-memory moments.. read about it more in my previous article on music)
It just rocks when you have a camera on you at the exact moment you needed it!
As I was walking, I just happened to look up and see this awesome reflection of another building in the windows of this one. Next thing I know, I'm juggling coffee + notebook + gloves in one hand, and whipping out my camera phone with the other hand! I also enjoy rounding up on cute, secluded walkways around campus which I hadn't noticed before and finding out if this can be my new shortcut. Below is one of them immediately as I turn around. (the building is the same one in the reflection and it happens to be my awesome semicircularly architectured Klaus Advanced Computing department)
Eminem in your ears when you're working out
This may not be everyone's favorite but I found it enthusing me with a strange drive. If you look at me at a place like the gym and sports arena, you'd probably conclude that I've lost my way and arrived there by mistake (well for those who don't know me, i'm really skinny). But these days, I like doing some lightweight Yoga and playing racquetball etc there. Adding to the wonderful things in life is the feel of the heated water in the swimming pool. A slight dampener there would be having to share your lane with a weird flabby guy smiling at you through those fogged-up glasses after each lap :P
More interesting stuff to come.. In the meanwhile, check out this nice CGI video for the song 'Blurry' by 'Puddle of Mud'
Good to read that you're swimming :) \m/
ReplyDeleteThat bee looks awesomeness!!!! :)
ReplyDelete& the one with the red sweatshirt, now that ones a class apart ;) :D
Cheers,
Annie.
Lovely writing --- I can relate to a lot of those experiences and thoughts. First time, I am bumping into the blog. Keep writing....
ReplyDelete@Sasi.. thanx! great to see a new visitor to my blog. just out of curiosity, how did you bump into this? :)
ReplyDeleteWoah.. Feeling nostalgic for Tech reading this.. Remembering them long cold walks down those silent windy streets..
ReplyDeleteKeep up the writing, I like it - it's like safal vegetables - fresh and simple :)
Ya know- I can really, REALLY relate to a lot of the stuff you say. I can't say I was a big fan of Atlanta, but MAN OH MAN- did I ever enjoy walking around campus- especially down 5th street - to/from Tech Square from/to Klaus. I share your love for the Stinger- mostly because the seats were so super comfortable, the route was long and the thing was a babe-magnet. Well- actually, I was up at the Windsor.. so really I just used to take the Blue or the Green route for kicks on an overcast/rainy day (that is the kind I liked best). for whatever reason, I just used to LOVE it. It took me to areas of the campus (or outside it) that I didn't really frequent as such, and those brief moments off campus were strangly liberating- almost stolen from the drudgery of routine.
ReplyDeleteI used to LOVE the walk back home after a hard night's work @ Klaus. I used to leave by 4.30 (am) ish, and by then- thoroughly looking forward to my walk back home- I rarely called the Stingerette - even in bone-chilling climes- but when I did, I always got preferential treatment. The lady driver said I reminded her of her son. So she went out of her way to accomodate me- dropping me to Windsor - which of course is not on the route. I was always the first one dropped off, even if there were people who were in the van who'd been picked up first. Sometimes, I just used to tell her to drive around- and if you haven't ridden the Stingerette with fellow grad-students who gave you a knowing look as you strecthed yourself contentedly in your seat, at 4.45 with soft music playing on the radio, and a steady drizzle outside - then you've missed something - a TECH experience that I will always remember fondly.
I, like you, pride myself in being content in the smallest of things. Recession meant no calls, no internships, and consequently less spending money. Something as silly as a 'Javin rice with Tofu' at Tindrum was 'an outing'- though my best times have come in the Mgmt building :)
I liked the BIO-TECH campus- it always used to be so brightly lit- I used to just walk along there at times.. somehow it was something worth doing. Speaking of which- did you ever happen to... err.. go behind the Einstein Bros cafe that sits in the Bio-Tech campus? (Across the street from Klaus). There is a... errr.. kind of a ledge (which for some reason reminds me of the apex of the Titanic), which affords a nice view of the ATL downtown along with a small stadium for track-and-field events. I don't really know if I like that place for sure- I had a love-hate relationship with it. But it is kinda out-of-the-way in that not many people I knew frequented that place- certainly no CS students. I also liked the boulevard from the CRC to the student center- pleasant walk.
Say, did you know that GT was voted 'the Best TREE campus in the US of A'? Of all the things! :D Hahahaha- but I loved the squirrels. And the fact that you sometimes got 'Free Hugs' on that stretch of campus from the library to the Student Center :D :D :D (Ah- don't judge me too much- grad students come right after the hungry & the homeless in the 'needing comfort' list).
AH, the shame of staying in Windsor- the bloody GYM was just too far away- and it was way too cold to bother! :(
Hmm... my one regret was that I never quite made use of the splendid CRC @ Tech... :(
BTW- just a general wondering- the 'waking up after parent switches off the fan'- is that a universal thing? My Dad .....
I read this post ages ago of course... Been meaning to write for a while now... but one thing or the other kept getting in the way...
Hmmm.. I also forgot to mention the Registrar's office & Cherry street. My friend & I had always wanted to 'drink a cutting' sitting on those steps behind the Registrar's office at late night- never got around to it..
ReplyDeleteForgot to add this to the post above.. :)
and when I said "apex of the Titanic" (!!!), I meant 'bow'- but you got that, right?
ReplyDeleteOf course I got that :) Btw your responses have doubled up for a very interesting blog post in itself.. keep dropping in.. and next time, not anon :)
ReplyDelete