the old and the new

the 'back in berkeley' feeling is here again, after a lovely and eventful weekend down south. it is hard to believe that this was a weekend and not a full-fledged vacation, in that there was time enough to stop and smell the flowers :). i am quite eager to get back to my reading, so i shall quickly list the high points and bid adieu.

• friday morning's colloquium brought l back into my life. it was a pleasure to see him again, to hear him speak so well of my advisor, and to have him express his joy at my good fortune thus. after a quick lunch at home, i left for
  
• stanford. the drive was lovely and i got there at 2 something. met my old (perhaps not so old, but) trusted friend b, and enjoyed bright sun and a heavy downpour with him within a span of 30 minutes! the conversation was all too stimulating, as we discussed india, the u.s., equal opportunity, and my favorite subject - photography. went on to
  
• meet a after months of finding ourselves in online conversation alone. as i treaded the roads of palo alto, i found that we (the roads and i) were strangers once again. there began pleasant introductions, and a new relationship has come to blossom. coupa cafe is so lovely. and as the raindrops fell upon the skylight, i found myself only too grateful for the weather. a proceeded to invite me over for maggi and chai, and lovely conversation came along with. in rainy weather, what could beat that? the day continued to delight
  
• at a's place with n and c. conversation went all over, and was joyful as expected. it was another of those evenings that leaves the mind intensely stimulated, offering much potential for growth i have only begun to tap into. the evening brought much merry laughter and the love of good friends. also presents i feel blessed to receive, not all material. the next morning
  
• brought valentine's day, and truly - the spirit of love had found its way into my life ever so sneakily, while i was sleeping. i awoke to a charming breakfast of poha and coffee by a, then rushed to make my
  
• meeting with my lawyer, which went brilliantly. the weight of calm was so intense, even the thought and expectation of stress could not lift it from me. the meeting was met with honesty and presence of mind. words ceased to matter. i drove through the merry sunshine and
  
• back at a's, more conversation ensued; more thoughts were provoked; more questions found answers. we decided to venture out in the rain to the blissful cafe borrone. rain, coffee, italian food, conversation, and a table by the window. perfection indeed, to be followed by
  
• kepler's - another old but new experience. i was swept away by the magic of the books. have you ever thought of the treasure-trove of thoughts one can find in a bookstore? the blood, sweat, and tears of thousands of blessed souls find their way into our lives all in a flash. and they are never quite the same again. after a quick visit to the peabody art gallery, a and i
  
• went to see a and b, after two weeks, though it felt like ages. enjoyed the company of several others, and so it was until evening, when we went for madhavi, a play directed (brilliantly) by a friend. there is not enough that can be said about the play here, nor the evening which brought blessed sunshine through the rain, straight into my heart, making me realize that if i were to die today, my life would not be incomplete. dinner was
  
• at chaat paradise. old, old and yet so new. the sound of the rain made its way in, as
  
• i slept at a's for the night. it was still raining when i woke up at 5 and thanked the lord for the love he was filling all the cracks and crevices of my life with. it was still raining when i woke up at 8 something and began to ready myself for
  
• breakfast with b which was wonderful. indeed, it was a weekend of conversations to treasure. this was one such, as we overstayed our welcome at cafe brioche, talking for too long. we then walked up and down cal ave in the pouring rain with our umbrellas, reminding ourselves of the monsoons in india (if only it were warmer as well). many discoveries and soaked-clothing later, b dropped me off at a's, just in time to go to
• starbucks on stanford & el camino. here were spent many hours of interspersed reading and conversation. a and i sat and read the same book (well, two copies of it), although (perhaps thankfully) we weren't on the same page. i felt no hesitation interrupting her reading over, and over again. she did quite the same back to me, reassuringly :). it was time to leave just as we discussed our views on capital punishment. the discussion continued
  
• at home, until we departed for berkeley. oh, the pouring rain! my poor wipers, and my poor eyes. but we reached berkeley safe and sound, despite the limited visibility. we headed straight to
  
• jupiter's - my favorite pub, though i don't drink. it has just so much berkeley spirit in it, one could bypass the campus altogether. tea, pizza, and more conversation followed. the meal was long, the rain went on, and we moved ourselves over to
• shattuck cinemas, to watch the oscar live action shorts. the theatre was lovely and abundantly 'encushioned' (if only my back would cease to ache, groan) and i found complete bliss in sleeping through the last short. i did pay complete attention to the other four and am rooting for spielzeugland (though admittedly it is yet another holocaust story). and now, i am finally
  
• home. after the roller-coaster weekend that found my mind in a stillness more constant, more penetrating than ever before. switching gears isn't trivial, but acceptance does the trick. and now i lay me down to
• sleep, as i pray the lord my soul to keep :).