Telluride House The Cornell Branch of Telluride Association

It’s a new year here at Telluride House and we’ve been having some orientation events, what with nine new housemembers needing to learn the ins and outs of the House fast. Today I’m going to be doing a technology orientation along with Ian, part of which consists of showing people how to blog, so I’m reminding myself how to do it. I remember that posting images can be tricky at times. Let’s see if I can do it:

We have a love-hate relationship with spiders in this house so I figure this would be appropriate.

Posted under Musings, Uncategorized

Last Saturday was Valentine’s Day, and YES, I definitely got a mail with some chocolates that morning, as all of you guys know.

To all of you who asked me about this incident, I pretended that I was not excited by that; however, to be honest, I was excited at the affair. I wondered who did this, whether the person is in this house, and how I should react.  I felt tired of my popularity (lol), but on the other hand, I also wanted to brag of it to many of my miserable Korean male friends who did not get any chocolates this year. Even more, I seriously consulted with one of my close friends about what I should do….

Partially, I was a bit dubious about the event. As far as I know, there is no one who would do this. I thought of two groups of suspects; one is my high school friend and his friends, who consistently asked me how I think about whether I would get any chocolate or not, and the other is YOU guys, who gazed on me with curiosity and interest. However, right after the doubt, I excluded my high school friend because I know that he and his friends are not that mischievous; they are too exemplary (or NERDY) to do that. Therefore, I actually had some doubts on you housemates, thinking that it might be a welcome joke for a new member.

However, it turned out to be a joke by the first group, my high school friend and his friends. lol. Well, I felt ashamed of all that excitement and effort to pretend indifference. I first considered to keep it secret, (yes, I feel really embarassed..) but I realized that I should reveal the truth because the event might discourage the person who is really enamored of and enchanted with me. (yes, i am joking. lol)

Well, I just hope reading this posting had made you smile on the start of a new LONG week.. Have a nice week!

Posted under Musings

I am at thsi very moment training my successors on the C-Czars Committee (by C we mean computers). Look out for their contributions in the upcoming weeks.

Posted under Musings

You know the semester is really over when the House empties out. At this point, the only ones here are a few international students, dissertating graduates, and unfortunates whose travel was foiled by the annual blizzard that hits Ithaca around the last day of exams. A few of us will continue to dwell on the premises through the break.

The present blogger will spend the rest of the day duffing around in his jammies.

Iris and Hyunok break from packing and grading for post-semestral comfort food (gnocchi).

Posted under Musings, Pictures

It’s been quiet on the blog the past couple of weeks probably because everyone, including myself, is preparing for the end-of-semester push. In terms of the House, we’re going through our peer evaluation process, which happens every semester, and also preparing passover reports. Those reports are not Jewish in any way. It just means that committees write reports that pass over to the new members of the committee the following semester.

Posted under Musings

Robert Hockett, Associate Professor at Cornell’s Law School, recently came to us to talk about “Bailouts, Buy-Ins, and Ballyhoo”: the causes, historical antecedents, and possible solutions to our current financial crisis. The title really did not to justice to this talk, which was exemplary in its clarity and lucidity. Talking entirely without notes, Professor Hockett — who has training in philosophy, economics, and law — addressed analytical, historical, and normative dimensions of the crisis while steering clear of the jargon that has come to plague us in the halls of the academy. I wish that Treasury Secretary Paulson had been here, as I’m confident he would have profited Hockett’s talk and from the ensuing discussion. Academic events like this one are only one of the many privileges of living here.

Posted under Events, Musings

You know, this is really an amazing day. The campus has been buzzing with anxiety all day, and professors in all of my classes rambled on for at least 10 minutes at the beginning of each class about the historic nature of this day. Now it’s about 11:00 PM EST, and I’m surrounded by my fellow Housemates in the living room of Telluride house watching streaming ABCNews.com projected onto the wall. Wine, cookies, and sparkling cider have been broken out by one and all, and Ian just took an order for victory cocktails. I haven’t been able to focus on any of my work since 8:00 PM because people have been anxiously pacing around the House…and now John McCain is giving his concession speech. It is an honorable speech. But I didn’t mean to ramble on about the election. What I really want to say is — there isn’t anyone I would rather be watching this historic election with in the world.

Posted under Musings

When I’m not in a meeting discussing our bright and funny future house members or planning the formal Halloween party, I make up useless strategies for convincing house members to buy a new pool table. Step one is to get them addicted to playing pool. Step two is to beg faculty guest members to express their wishes for a new pool table in our guest book. Step three quickly takes me back to square one: playing pool and getting fond of the old mini-golf/pool table, with it’s winding cushions and brick legs.. The picture above shows one of our professors during his PubSpeak at the house. His major and distinguished contribution to establishing the new rules for playing pool shall be remembered as the Austro-Hungarian Rules. The picture below shows the corruptible youth willing to play by the rules.

Posted under Musings

we spent a total of about 16 hours wading through an amazing group of talented applicants to choose who we want to live with next year. The process for me was at times agonizing, at times emotional, at times exhausting, but I came out of it with the feeling that I’ve gotten closer to my fellow housemembers as a result. I felt that even though the process wasn’t perfect, as processes can never be, everyone was generally respectful and thoughtful throughout. And it definitely feels like I have a deeper connection with Telluride House now that I have had a hand in choosing the people I’m going to be living with next year.

Posted under Musings

Last weekend was our interview weekend for high school and transfer students who have perviously participated in our affiliated programs to be in the House for next year. It was exhausting doing five one-hour interviews in three days, along with all the socializing that came with it. But it was that kind of exhaustion that was also revitalizing. It was exciting to meet all these wonderful, bright young people who are on the verge of their college careers, trying to figure out what to do with themselves. I was so happy to be able to provide information and advice that I personally didn’t get when I was applying to college. I’m looking forward to having a number of them in the House next year.

Posted under Musings