January 2009

  • Campus Life is Unreal

    By msarko on 1/28/09 3:01am
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    Earlier this week, I had a meeting on the campus of the University of Washington. For those who have never been, UW is on Seattle's north end, just across Lake Union. Navigating a college campus is never easy and first-time visitors (like myself at UW) tend to get lost. In my wandering, something struck me: University campuses are uncommonly beautiful places.

    Maybe it was just the cold, misty January morning or maybe it was the mountain view. All I know is that I couldn't keep myself from pausing and laughing in amazement at how gorgeous everything was. The quad of UW is like a perfectly manicured knoll cut through with intricate pathways and lined with 18th century Florentine pallazzi. As if that weren't enough, the entire campus is dotted with clear ponds and epic sculpture.

    This time last year, I was in the state house in Columbus, Ohio. In the basement next to the employee cafeteria there is a small museum of early Ohio history. Among the models, charters and maps, there were paintings that inspired American settlers to build cities in the Midwest.

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  • Ramen for Grownups

    By lisala on 1/22/09 6:48pm
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    Hi. My name is Lisala. I used to be a grad student.

    Did you know you can buy Ramen by the case at Sams, Costco, or Overstock.com? You can—at less than a Image of ramen with pork and green onionsquarter a package. Plus, if you watch the sale papers at your local super market, you can get ten for a dollar. My colleague has already written an ode in praise of Ramen as the simple but filling all purpose meal. Now, I'm going to tell you one of the most sacred secrets of graduate student survival: Ramen For Grownups.

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