Around the Horn

Because the food in KD is to die for, I really have no need to eat on campus; however, my weekly schedule with practice and class allows me to chow down in Trillium, one of the 19 a-la-carte dining options here on campus. Located in Kennedy Hall, Trillium is very close to Bartels where Women’s Crew has 7 am morning lift on Tuesdays, and is also in Baker Laboratory’s backyard, where I have Chem208. The venue itself is very roomy, thanks to the two floors of tables and the giant windows that allow all that snow-reflected light into the space. Depending on the time of day, one is bound to encounter one of two environments at Trillium: the Morning Chill or the Afternoon Thrill.

Morning Chill: Yes, it is rather nippy in the morning, but the “Chill” in the morning doesn’t relate to temperature but rather the atmosphere instead. Breakfast-ing at Trillium after an intense morning lift session allows you to take a breath before the daily grind, it’s a “chill” place to prep with zen. Trillium is essentially empty around 8 in the morning, so there are no backpacks to dodge, no one to bother you while doing your crossword puzzle. Speaking of crossword puzzles, coming to Trillium in the morning guarantees your copy of whichever newspaper you desire (For me, the requisite NYTimes and a copy of the Sun). Having stocked daily papers isn’t even the best part: the exquisite yogurt/granola/fruit bar is what I look forward to Tuesday mornings. Trillium stocks a variety of yummy yogurts and FRESH FRUIT. I’m talking about juicy strawberries and blueberries (how they manage to ship that up to Ithaca in such a state is beyond me). Go ahead and fill up a container with your favorite yogurt/fruit/granola. Black coffee on the side. Top with crossword puzzles to tackle and you’re set.

Afternoon Thrill: I went to lunch with a few new members in KD after my Thursday Chem208 lecture. While you may go to Trillium in the morning to escape from others, you go to Trillium at 11:00 to be seen. The place is jam-packed with hungry students eager to burn off the excess caffeine buzz from their daily morning coffee. It’s hard to find a table, and with so many kids, there are deadly backpack traps set up all over the place. Try dodging bags while holding a tray full of soup, a drink, and a burrito–knock on wood that I haven’t tripped yet. The energy in Trillium is electric (boogie woogie), and it seems like you say hi to 1,324,397 people even before you settle down in your seat. Would discourage trying to study for your prelim in Trillium during these hours. Recommended food? Pretty much everything. The chili is good, soups are great, there are a variety of cuisines you can indulge in, ranging from Mexican to Japanese.

My personal pick is the Morning Chill. With healthier options, optimal conditions for crosswording, Tuesday morning, it’s a date.

This entry is dedicated to a quality documentary that I finally had time to see a few nights ago: Wordplay.

Many of my friends know that I am a big crossword fan. I do prefer the New York Times daily crossword, but any puzzle will do (the Sun publishes the LA Times and USA Today is also circulated on campus). Lunch with me, and I’ll always have a crossword close by during conversation. I am an amateur puzzler; I have yet to conquer a Sunday New York Times puzzle (I haven’t tried), and I am able to solve more than half of a Friday crossword once in a blue moon. Nevertheless, crosswords get me going through Monday-Thursday mornings; just knowing that the puzzle is something I can completely fill out makes my week. As for the other days, if I catch the theme of the puzzle, that’s enough for a victory dance!

This documentary interviews various people that are crazy about the NY Times crossword. Wordplay also explores the unknown world of constructing crosswords and what Will Shortz really does at this job. Interviews range from the celebrity puzzler (President Clinton, the hilarious Jon Stewart, Yankee pitcher Mike Mussina) to the champion speed demons who compete in the annual Crossword Tournament in Stamford, CT. Speed=completing Sunday crosswords in less than 10 minutes. So that means in the time it takes me to do finish a Monday crossword, these folks will have finished the puzzle, run errands, taken a nap, and maybe played a round of golf. Talk about a blow to my solving self-esteem. The champs all have very different personalities, which really goes to show how widespread and enjoyable crosswords are.

Some notable moments:
Before starting a puzzle, former NYTimes Public Editor Dan Okrent advises “[getting] rid of the rest of the paper…because by then, it’s not important in your life any longer.”

While I am a pen person myself, Jon Stewart was so confident about the Tuesday puzzle that he suggests using a glue stick for his answers. He is also by far the most animated and funniest solver out there. So much so that every pan to Stewart, you can see the camera shake, most likely due to the cameraman’s laughter.

Puzzle constructor Merl Reagan, while driving through town, points out that ‘Noah’s Ark’ rearranged can also be ‘No! a shark!’

Something interesting to note: many of the celeb solvers are southpaws! I’m a rightie, maybe that’s why I’m behind in the speed department…Either way, while I may not be a 2-minute Monday solver, crosswords are just the thing anyone needs to tickle one’s dendrites and just have fun.

Now, did anyone get 24 Down?

I realize that in order to continue writing a blog with varying material, most of my entries will inevitably be about my unpredictable weekends and not so much my routine Monday-Friday. If you really want to know about the highlight of this week, I finished the Thursday New York Times crossword!! (victory dance)

Friday night: a date with the Cornell Cinema and two of my sisters, Katy and Courtney. The movie? An Inconvenient Truth, a documentary featuring ex-VP Al Gore Jr. and our increasingly deteriorating Earth. Global warming is an issue that has been seriously overlooked by the general public as well as our government. The documentary highlights many recent weather phenomenons indirectly caused by global warming. Floods in China, typhoons in the southern hemisphere, Hurricane Katrina. Al Gore talks about the potential consequences the world may face if we continue this self-destruction. The lack of fresh water, polar bears drowning because of their neverending search for icebergs to rest upon. The most terrifying part of the movie involves satellite images with animation to show the effect of higher sea levels. If the polar icecaps ever melted, half of Beijing and almost all of Shanghai would be under water. Downtown Manhattan=underwater Manhattan. Think Waterworld (OK, bad movie, but you get the point). If policies do not change in the US for the next few years, we are in deep trouble (so tempted to write “deep water,” but I thought that was a little much). It is so ironic that the US is not willing to take extra measures to save our planet because they fear that these measures will affect economic growth; but how can you increase economic growth if half to country is underwater and rampant with hurricanes/tornadoes? Wait, I’m sorry, I totally forgot that capital is much more important than the well-being of the entire planet. Because when push comes to shove, I would take a block of gold over fresh drinking water and unflooded land? Please.

Goal of the week/year/life: Be more eco-friendly. Excuse me while I go turn off any unneccessary lights.

Yesterday, a score and half of Kappa Deltas went over to Rawlings Green up on North Campus for Phi-Tug. Yes, another fraternity/sorority philanthropy event, this time sponsored by the brothers of Phi Kappa Tau. Proceeds for this event went to Hole in the Wall Camps, an organization of camps for children with serious illnesses. What do we do? Tug rope. Teams of six sign up and are divided into groups to tug in a roundrobin fashion. Winners of each matchup are decided in a best-of-three faceoff. The winners of each group then face off and vie for a wonderful Phi-Tug trophy. Lots of intense tug-o’-warring, slipping, blisters, and plain clean fun. Props to my Kappa Deltas for rounding up five teams of six girls each (there were KD Phi-tug t-shirts EVERYWHERE), and taking 1st and 2nd place in the Girl’s bracket.

Although I missed the football game yesterday due to Phi-Tug, I did stop by Schoellkopf to support Big Red in another way: singing the national anthem. I am in Jock Jammers, an a cappella group consisting of all varsity athletes. Within our small group of 10 (2 guys!), we have representatives from Women’s Basketball, Rowing, Gymnastics, Equestrian, and Soccer, and Men’s Wrestling. The Jock Jammers were invited to sing the national anthem for the Women’s Field Hockey game. Although the crowd was small, it was definitely cool to step onto the turf and start off a home game. We nailed the Star Spangled Banner, so hopefully you’ll be hearing more anthems at various sporting events.

Staying on this light note, Happy National Women’s Friendship Day!

The ladies after our 1-2 victory!