Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Yay!

A paper on the project that I had been working on for almost three years got accepted today in a very decent journal. Super-relieved! And still in love with physics!


Friday, September 21, 2012

Yours confidentially!

I am beginning to feel that there are actually quite a lot of topics, which I would like to blog about without divulging my identity. This emotion is not borne out of fear of any kind but rather out of a concern of losing the objectivity of a discussion due to audience identifying/confusing my views with my personality (of course the new pieces will still be my views but it won't be like oh yeah! she would think like that because I know she is so and so...). Plus no one can deny that anonymity gives one much more independence of expression. At the same time I feel that maintaining even one blog requires a time commitment which I find hard to fulfill. So I need a show of hands from my blog-friends -- please take the opinion poll on the right and allow me to share your views on the matter.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Adieu Annus Academici

Dear academic new year (new year starts late for academicians, just like everything else!),

Welcome back! You have always been special for me, since as far back in the past, as I can care to remember. Though our relationship has been tenuous in the past few years with me not doing anything special to celebrate your birthday like before -- buying new books, clothes... stuff,  you have been continued to remain an eagerly awaited friend. Being a graduate student, my life does not particularly conform to any academic calendar with the "commencement" and "finals" strictly controlled by the unpredictable nature of my research. Nonetheless the emails announcing welcome receptions for my past-forward versions on campus (I am not on 10 mailing lists for nothing!), or the repeated reminders from the irritated registrar to register for another term yet again, have kept me informed of your whereabouts. It seemed to me as if our relationship evolved with every "student" year of my life and we moved on from being friends to lovers to a matured couple. We grew out from going into raptures on meeting each other after year long gaps into exchanging quick warm hugs as we crossed each other.

In fact, when I opted for graduate school, I was privately happy for being with you for a few more years by extending my student life. So, it has rather come as a shock  to realize that I will cease to be a part of your circle after all this time. You are probably going to be the last one which I can celebrate yet again as a student as I would have moved on into professional life before you come back next year! So you are really extra special. I never thought about this moment of bidding adieu to you as I never really thought of it coming. But next year, when I brush my bag and overturn it to empty it of the bits and pieces of last year, re-arrange the pens and pencils in its pocket (I don't remember why and when I stopped using a pencil-box!), label new folders and sort my papers... it would be to shake hands and share a smile with you for the wonderful time we spent together.

Love,
Archana