the day that was

it is dead week, and that may also be the reason for a perfectly blissful campus feeling. serenity (i love the word) was in abundance, as i walked around plenty today. it was also the longest i have been in lab - got there before anyone came in, and left after everyone left. which brings me to a revelation i had today - it's not a lab! no wonder every time i said "i'm in lab", i'd get an emphatic "lab?" in response. talking to a friend today, i realized that "office" was a perfectly suited name. that is what i shall call it in future.

the day spent in office felt highly fruitful. also glad that i was able to help out a fellow phd-er in distress. realized that i would really like to be a counselor more than a phd student. came to terms with the prospect of hopefully doing counselor-like work as a researcher instead. more career changes are neither necessary nor welcome. thankfully, research can be turned into whatever one pleases. and thankfully my advisor isn't reading this :). for dinner, i hopped over to chipotle and grabbed a burrito. could not have done that at stanford - hopping was not an option, unless it was onto the marguerite, which i liked. ah well, win some lose some.

another realization - this is also my first winter in the western world when i have barely made use of heating at home. quite something. when i moved in, i remember being grateful that my landlord had decided to foot the utilities bill. now, i bet he is grateful :). but there is an odd charm in feeling the cold while it is cold, and letting it numb your skin, leave your extremities frozen. not that i don't use sweaters and comforters, but the air i breathe feels mild and fresh. ah, the lessons we learn so late in life :). thank you god, for wintertime.