30 things I'll remember about my time at SI ...

I am done! I have finishes my graduate school - and in 2 years. I say that because I took 7 years for my undergraduate and was scared that I would take at least 4 for my MS. But, no, yesterday I walked and I am done!

Yesterday and today, I have been recounting stories of things that I remember in the lasst 2 years. so, I decided to steal this idea from Da Choi, and recount some things I remember:

1) Sitting on the cement bench below SI with Rick, Jenny, Jonathan, Erika, and other people during class breaks while some of us smoked and some us drank some sort of a hot beverage.

2) Creating a GTN using glue, sharpies, wooden ruler, at Erika's house with her and Rick.

3) Visiting Erika at the hospital that first semester.

4) Seeing the B52s with Tracey, Erika, Jonathan and Rick during my Orientation.

5) Having David make fun of my boyfriend in the phone and calling him a hired actor the first time he visited from CA.

6) Trying to get to any class that was held in 311 early so I could get a seat in the back row close enough to an outelet so I could use my laptop.

7) Having Robert, Amy, and maybe some other people make fun of PCs as I was on my cell phone ordering my new 17' Dell laptop in the student lounge.

8) Dancing twice for the ASB fundraiser.

9) Meeting a lot of the new students during Visiting Days.

10) SISA taking visiting students line dancing to the Diamondback and only one student going with us.

11) Getting married.

12) Seeing Brooks and Dunn & Big and Rich for free after winning the tickets through some radio contest, in Detroit with Baugh and Christy E.

13) My bachelerotte party and me crying and telling everyone how much I loved them and would miss them.

14) My bridal shower where more people than I expected showed up. All of your wishes and generous gifts were more than just appreciated ;-) I have really nice household stuff because of you guys. Thanks!!!

15) Sitting at my first apaertment's porch on the first monday of classes with Killian's and Dominoe's, enjoying a nice fall evening with Erika, Katie and Jenny.

16) Feeling very happy about the 501 group I was put in.

17) Leading the group work presentation and scavenger hunt during Orientation 2005.

18) MCing the Revue and having Da Choi heckle me.

oh so late --- will have to add more later, it's 2 a.m.

I will miss the friends I've made here; I wasn't lying in my speech at graduation. But, I am so excited to finally start a "real" life with my husband. Any of you, if you are ever in the Glen Burnie/Baltimore/Washington D.C. area, feel free to call on me and Jeff.

Last happy hour and graduation

Photos from the last happy hour: http://www-personal.si.umich.edu/~skhajuri/albums/happy_hour_27april2006/

And, from graduaiton. the last photo is there for my parents: http://www-personal.si.umich.edu/~skhajuri/albums/graduation2006/

Captain's log: Day 4: Wednesday, April 26, 2006: IA to MI

Apparently, there are a lot of Adult superstores at the IL/IN border on I-94!

States driven through: Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan.

Photos from the last day: http://www-personal.si.umich.edu/~skhajuri/albums/day4_IA_to_MI/

Captain's log: Day 3: Tuesday, April 25, 2006: CO to IA

So, last night was spent on our sleeping bags in my cousin's second bedroom. He doesn't have enough furniture yet for guests. He actually didn't have towels either (sorry 'bheet :-P). So, we went to Bed, Bath and Beyond last night and bought towels and pillows which got added to our already packed car. We left around 8:30 a.m., grabbed coffee and chai (for JEff and me respectively) and then hit the road. It was a straight line to CO. We drove through Colorado, Nebraska and Iowa today. And, I have to say Iowans are the best drivers ever. They go into the right lane when you are coming up behind you faster than them. Why cannot drivers in other states master that?

No highs of elevations today, because we were mostly stuck on flatlands, with views of vast nothingness. We arrived in IA around 6:30 pm., and were immediately very very excited at seeing a Bennighan's by our hotel. Weehee!!!

States driven through: Colorado, Nebraska and Iowa.

Photos from today (not as exciting as the others): http://www-personal.si.umich.edu/~skhajuri/albums/day3_CO_to_IA/

Captain's log: Day 2: Monday, April 24, 2006: UT to CO

Woke up at 4:30 a.m. thinking it was time to leave. Made myself go back to sleep till 7 a.m. We left this one horse town (well, I didn't see any horses but based on the one street that seemed to run through the whole town, I can only deduce that they only had one horse) a little before 9 a.m. A more exciting drive could not have been imagined. We kept going up and up in elevation till we hit close to 12,000 somewhere in CO. Aslo saw a bunch of interesting signs that are in the photologue. These were the elevation excitations for today:

7857 i70 somewhere in ut sevier county fishlake national forest
7270 ghost rock
8262 Vail, Co
10,652 Vail Summit
11,650 Georgetown, CO

We ended up getting to CO at 5:30 p.m. their time and spent the night at my cousin's townhouse. He took me and Jeff to an Indian restaurant for dinner and then drove us around Denver, showing us major highlights.

States driven through: Utah and Colorado

Here are photos from day 2: http://www-personal.si.umich.edu/~skhajuri/albums/day2_UT_to_CO/

Captain's log: Day 1: Sunday, April 23, 2006: CA to UT

Plan was to start driving at 9 a.m. from Thousand Oaks, CA (Jeff's parents' house). We left around 9:15, stopped for coffee, and finally got on the freeway about 9:45ish. I was noting down the elevations because Thousand Oaks is at about 666 (not kidding, that was the elevation right before we got on the I-101). Here are some of the highs we got:

1700 ft San Antonio Heights 210 east CA
2920 ft near Lytle Creek 15N CA
4190 ft Cajon Summit 15N CA
4730 ft Mount Pass 15 miles to NV border
5971 ft Cedar City I15
6600 ft Beaver County I-15N UT

Almsot 10 times compared to where we started. We got to our motel - The Budget Host Knight's Inn - by 6:45. Exactly 9 hours.

States driven through: California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah.

Got some pictures (over a 100): http://www-personal.si.umich.edu/~skhajuri/albums/day1_CA_to_UT/

Apartment in Glen Burnie

So, I have just retuned from a whirlwind 2 days in Baltimroe, where I looked at apartments, cars, my new work and I am so excited!!! Here are some photos of where Jeff and I'll be living: http://www-personal.si.umich.edu/~skhajuri/albums/GlenBurnie/. The first few photos are of our apartment complex and the lasst 2 are off the highway. It is just so pretty with all those trees.

I did find the 55 mph freeway speed nuts (I found that out after telling my recruiter I had driven up there doing 80).

I met my team, my boss and her boss and they seem like such a fun bunch of people. I am looking forward to starting and seeing if these first impressions stick :-D

in my Element!

I am writing form the Howard County library in Elkridge, Maryland (somewhere near Baltimore). I have spent yesterday and today looking at apartments in Glen Burnie, going to the Mall Jeff's Apple store is at in Annapolis, and putting a hold on the car I want. I like it, I love it, I want this one! I saw it on their lot and told the guy "I want that Element!" His response? "You going to write a check for it?" No, I didn't write a check for it but I did put down money for them to hold it till I get back in town and can purchase it. Woohoo!!!

how many rejections was that?

I started applying for jobs in October. The tallies come to:

Job applications sent: 152+
Rejection letters: 5
Phone interviews: 11
In person interview: 1 (5.5 hours long though)
Job offers: 3 (might have been 4 but I turned down the opportunity to go to Maine)

Chance to turn down a job: PRICELESS! (Sorry had to throw that in)

Did I do too much? I don't think so. In the end, I have a job that sounds exactly like what I was looking for. We'll see if it lives upto my expectations. One good thing has already come of it. Jeff asked for a transfer out to Annapolis and they gave him one ... along with a promotion.

I start May 8th, he starts May 9th. I am alternatingly excited and nervous and terrified of this big move. Any words of advice?

SI Prom 2006

Since a number of people took photos on April 1st at the second renewed SI Prom, I decided to combine them into a list here:

Erika's photos: http://www.jeterika.com/albums/SIProm2006
Amy's photos: a href="http://www-personal.umich.edu/~agrude/siprom06/siprom06.html
David's photos: http://www-personal.si.umich.edu/~choidh/siprom06/
My photos: http://www-personal.si.umich.edu/~skhajuri/albums/SIProm2006/

Warning: mine has 96 photos in it :-D

Moving to Baltimore and a crazy month

So, the countdown has started. I cannot believe this is almost the end, feels like I was just going to see the B52s for free with Erika, Tracey, Rick and Jonathan, during my orientation in 2004. 2004 ... seems a long time ago.

So, I have a job - a grown up job where they'll actually pay me in real dollars.

I have been going through an emotional rollercoaster, I get weepy thinking about everyone I might never see again, happy thinking of everyone I never have to see again and nervous when I think of what the future will bring. It adds to the nervousness that this will also be the real beginning of married life.

April looks CRAZZZZZZY:

April 5: fly to L.A. for INS green card interview
April 12: fly back to MI on a redeye
April 18: fly to MD, look at apartments, sign a lease, buy some furniture, meet the team I will be working with
April 20: Fly to L.A. from MD
April 23: Start driving a Penske truck with Jeff's stuff and car across the country
April 27/28: Get back into Ann Arbor
April 28: Attend graduation
May 1: Start driving abovementioned Penske truck with Jeff's stuff, car and my stuff to Glen Burnie, MD
May 8: Start work
May 9: Jeff starts work at the Apple store in Annapolis, MD as a Business Consultant - which was a promotion for him

Wow, seeing this written down makes me hyperventilate!

I guess there are a few things I want to say to people at SI. When I started here, I didn't expect to care when I left. I expected to do my 2 years and leave without it being a big deal. But it is a big deal and it's the people. This has been my home for the last 2 years and some people have become family. So, I am allowed to be emotional. I will miss you guys - y'all know who you are!