Gold and Beautiful

.... that my hair is getting back to normal again.... It's even tickling my face when I fall asleep at night :-) Finally!!!! When I donated 10" last year, it looked so small that I was scared my hair wouldn't grow back.........

4 times in 3 semesters have I heard this... Scenes 1, 2 and 3 (more or less similar... once each semester so far) The class is over. I am sitting in the classroom with a couple of students who need extra help. A security guard walks in: SG: I need to lock this classroom. Are you all taking a test or something? I: Well, we had a class earlier here. I am just helping these students finish their work SG: Where is the instructor? I: I am the instructor SG: Oh... you are the instructor. I thought you were a student. You are fine. I will lock the door from outside, so you will be fine. Scene 4 (more recent... yesterday) I walk to the cafe and order a sandwich. The lady who is making my sandwich is really nice. Lady: So are you ready to take your finals? I: I actually teach here Lady: Oh you are an instructor? I thought you were a student I (in my mind): Here we go again.... Lady: So are you ready to give your finals? I: Yes I am Lady: So what do you teach? I: IT Lady: Oh!! So

I am sick to my stomach... caught a student cheating on test today... It just made me so furious.... After all the time that I spent on that class... aaarrrrgggghhh!!!! When I confronted him he owned it and said he had never done it before and this was his only chance to college and I felt really bad for reporting him to the Dean and giving him a 0 on the test, because of which I know he will fail this course and it will affect his academic standing... And I feel so terrible... It feels like I am the bad person ruining this student's life.... But I need to have a broader view... There are two students in my class who have some type of disability and they are trying very hard to do well in this class (not just pass...). There are students in my class who work full time and study, some of them even have kids... If all these students can try to do their best in this class, there is no excuse why anyone else should try and cheat... no matter how panicked you are about taking a test and

When I was a kid I decided I was going to have a Christian wedding..... Obviously because I loved the white dress.... I always thought that wearing that dress would make anyone feel like a real princess/fairy/angel....So anyways, eventually I grew out of that fantasy..... until I saw Wayfarer's chapel. This glass chapel is on a small hill in southern California and overlooks Pacific ocean. It's the most beautiful place I have ever seen. When I visited this chapel I badly wanted to ask at the information if they would perform Hindu weddings :-) :-) (somebody forgot that finding the right guy was the first step :-))...... neways, if you ever visit Los Angeles... don't forget to drive a little out of your way to visit this beautiful chapel. More information here .

Like I had decided quite some time back, I rented Saawariya DVD to enjoy the movie on my widescreen HiDef TV (seriously, it's much better than the Indian theater that I went to last time). First of all I hated Salman Khan. He looks like he froze when shooting one of his older movies.... the same expression (or lack of any...) plastered on his face ALL THE TIME. I of course LUVED Ranbir Kapoor, liked Sonam Kapoor, much better than Deepika Padukone (that brouhaha about her was just hype I think...or maybe a good strategy by SRK!!!)... When the movie ended I thought, this can't be it.... all this for nothing???? I was disappointed... I guess I was expecting a miraculous change of heart and Sakina falling head over heels in love blah blah blah... I was expecting the usual Bollywood drama and romance, but SLB style.... meticulously made, beautiful to the last detail.... which it was sans the usual happily ever after ending... I mean we have seen tragedies (Vasu Sapna and Raj Rashmi

.... for quite some time now, actually... Anyways, yesterday's "So You Think You Can Dance" episode had Indian origin choreographers choreograph to Om Shanti Om's Dhoom Tana song... great performance by Katee and Joshua. Catch the video here and also listen to Mia's comments... It seems she loves the hundreds of dancers in the background dancing in perfect sync...

I was attending this faculty panel discussion specifically for early career faculty and one of the faculty members on that panel said how it usually takes long time to get appreciated for what you do for your students. He was trying to say that most teenagers don't realize that we are trying to help them until much later and many times he receives emails thanking him from students years after they graduate... At the end of that discussion he added "Sometimes that appreciation never comes..." And in my experience also it is very true... Whenever I had discussions with my colleagues about my classes, there were some who always told me that I was too strict and although it was good, that could affect my course evaluations... Since we are in a teaching college, obviously evaluations are most important and such comments from more experienced colleagues did worry me a bit... But I could never compromise on my principles and what I thought was correct.... Eventually when at the

Your Blogging Type Is Thoughtful and Considerate You're a well liked, though underrated, blogger. You have a heart of gold, and are likely to blog for a cause. You're a peaceful blogger - no drama for you! A good listener and friend, you tend to leave thoughtful comments for others. What's Your Blogging Personality?

Took this picture at "The Village" in Gatlinburg...... Great philosophy... that I completely believe in!!!!