:: My Divided Soul ::

Over the years, there have been songs that have deep associations with times in my life. They are songs that spark distinct memories from the unbelievable highs and the depressing lows. This is a list of songs I prepared a couple of years ago with some more recent additions thrown in. I also have descriptions of the moments associated with each, but I’m choosing to leave those out, as I think they are a little personal. Nevertheless, I present to you the soundtrack to my life in chronological order.

Early years

• Gary Lewis and the Playboys - This Diamond Ring
• Harry Belefonte - Scarlet Ribbons
• The Beach Boys - Kokomo
• TLC - Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg
• Snow - Informer & P.M. Dawn - I’d Die Without You
• Arrested Development - Tennessee
• Pearl Jam - Animal

High school

• Live - Selling the Drama
• Stabbing Westward - Don’t Believe
• Dream Theater - A Change of Seasons
• Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven
• The Cardigans - Lovefool
• Nirvana - School
• Candlebox - 10,000 Horses

College

• Finger Eleven - Costume For A Gutterball
• Eve 6 - Superhero Girl
• Marillion - Man of a Thousand Faces
• Tool - Ænema
• Emily’s Toybox - Bionic
• Fuel - Last Time
• Pearl Jam - Yellow Ledbetter
• Caroline’s Spine - Inside Your Mind
• BNG & Kamal - Covered in Lime
• Pearl Jam - Rearviewmirror
• Live - Dance with You
• SOBs - Negative Time
• Incubus - Pardon Me
• Kylie Minogue - Love At First Sight
• Matchbox Twenty - Bent
• Our Lady Peace - 4am
• Matchbox Twenty - Long Day

Graduate school

• The Nixons - Sister
• Jason Mraz - The Remedy (I Won’t Worry)
• Zephyrologie - Killing in the Name
• The Ataris - San Dimas High School Football Rules
• Axum - The Waiting
• Jennifer Lopez & Ja Rule - I’m Real
• Sponge - Live Here Without You
• Gavin DeGraw - More Than Anyone
• Sevendust - Face to Face
• Cold - Just Got Wicked
• Incubus - Leech
• 30 Seconds To Mars - Attack
• Maroon 5 - Through With You
• Holly Brook - Curious
• lostprophets - Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast)

I have no been back in Ithaca for two weeks. I certainly enjoyed my time in California, but it also feels really good to be home. I’m back to my home, my car, my school, my town, and–most importantly–my drumset! Our reunion was a very happy one. I have to say that I was rusty for the first few days ago. My brain knew what to do, but my hands refused to comply. Luckily, I think I’ve worked those issues out.

Now I’m just working like crazy on my thesis with the intention of finishing in December. I try not to think about the fact that I have less time left in Ithaca than I spent in California this summer. I’m also continuing to work for Intel part time. ‘Tis nice to be doing that, as I do enjoy the project and feel it has a lot of potential.

For those interested in the visual aspects of my life, here are a couple new sets of pictures. First, we have my last weekend in California, when I went with Polly and friends to the Israni family reunion Ghirardelli Square Chocolate Festival in San Francisco. Huge thanks to Polly for being so awesome this summer! The second set comes from my return to Ithaca.

Facebook is currently offering 25 free song downloads per week from the iTunes Music Store. I’ve managed to get the last five weeks worth, including a hardy dose of rock, alternative, hip-hip, and electronica. Of course, even though I had downloaded the songs, I managed to listen to none of them. Today, I chose to remedy that problem by taking 100 of the songs with me to work on my SLVR with the goal of listening to as many of them as possible. I figured it was a good time to sample some new music. There were some good songs in the mix and some really bad ones, too.

However, one song caught me very quickly and made me realize how soon I leave Intel and California. I’ve had the opportunity to meet some really cool people this summer. No doubt that I will remember fondly many of the experiences I’ve had here: kayaking in Monterey, skydiving, movie nights…the list goes on. It is my hope that I will stay in touch with the other PSL interns I met who have helped make this summer so memorable.

With that, I send the song “Rooftops (A Liberation Broadcast)” by Lostprophets to my fellow PSL interns. I wish you all of the success and happiness this world has to offer. Please stay in touch!

When our time is up
When our lives are done
Will we say we’ve had our fun

Will we make a mark,
this time
Will we always say we tried

Standing on the rooftops
Everybody scream your heart out
Standing on the rooftops
Everybody scream your heart out
Standing on the rooftops
Everybody scream your heart out
This is all we got now
Everybody scream your heart out

All the love I’ve met
I have no regrets
If it all ends now, I’m set

Will we make a mark,
this time
will we always say we tried

Standing on the rooftops
Everybody scream your heart out
Standing on the rooftops
Everybody scream your heart out
Standing on the rooftops
Everybody scream your heart out
This is all we got now
Everybody scream your heart out

Standing on the rooftops
Wait until the bombs drop
This is all we got now
Scream until your heart stops
Never gonna regret
Watching every sunset
We’ll listen to your heartbeat
All the love that we found

Standing on the rooftops
Wait until the bombs drop
This is all we got now
Scream until your heart stops
Never gonna regret
Watching every sunset
We’ll listen to your heartbeat
All the love that we found

Scream your heart out
Scream your heart out
Scream your heart out
Scream your..

Standing on the rooftops
Everybody scream your heart out
Standing on the rooftops
Everybody scream your heart out
Standing on the rooftops
Everybody scream your heart out
This is all we got now
Everybody scream your…

I have posted pictures from my final conference for the summer. I have to say I’m glad to be done traveling to Europe for awhile. I enjoyed the trips and feel very fortunate to have been able to go on them, but flying to and from Europe (approx. 10,000 miles round trip) three times in less than two months is a bit much.

Random occurrences were plenty on this trip. First, I met Stephanie from Switzerland, who works with Florian, a fellow Intel intern. The second random occurrence was in the Philadelphia Airport on my way back. As I’m walking to the gate, I hear “Kamal!” When I turn, I see Greg, who just finished his Ph.D. in computer science at Cornell! I didn’t get to go to his graduation party because I was in California at the time. Nevertheless, we got to hang out on the flight to San Francisco, as Greg was on his way out to start a job. Talk about coincidences.