Wind tunnel news

The wind tunnel which Ed and I designed and Ed's machinist coworker built for my aerospace class is almost ready. We tested it today and it works, and we got some good data. A few kinks need to be worked out, but we're almost there. Here it is, still in the machine shop at UConn. Can't wait to bring it to my classroom and run it with my students.

Ed, adjusting some sensors 

You can see our test airfoil here. There will be several airfoils that we'll have 3D printed.

me collecting some data

All the data looks good and makes sense so far.

I'm pretty excited. I love being a nerd.

Peace

Going back

I had a really nice time visiting Sena, and now I'm heading back home. It was nice to spend a few days with her, with no plans and no agenda, just do what we want when we felt like it. We slept late and ate out at a lot of great places, and watched Harry Potter last night.

My bus ride back home was good, and I actually enjoyed the fact that we got stuck in NYC for quite a while due to traffic. This city always gives me a good feeling, especially around Christmas time, and today it looked really pretty with all the decorations already put up.

These are a couple of pictures from Bread Furst, a really cute café Sena and I spent some time at.

In DC

Started the day with breakfast at Tatte, my favorite French bakery ☕🥐❤️

Then we went to a Christmas market 🎄

Next, a plant store to decorate Sena's room.

Then, Cuban for lunch, and Sena headed to work in the afternoon.

I walked around the warf for a while afterwards. It was really pretty, all lit up.

And, to top it all off, I found and bought Miyazaki's latest novel. I'm so excited and grateful for this day.

Peace

Thanksgiving in DC!

Yesterday, we had a half day at school, as Thanksgiving break began.  Aiyana and I headed to EuroDeli in Rocky Hill to get some Romanian and Turkish food. Then, we stopped by The Hartford Baking Company and had a treat. But the real treat was spending time together, listening to music and feeling light hearted in the car.

Today, I am on my way to DC to see Sena. Ed and Aiyana are staying in CT to spend Thanksgiving with his parents.

I am very thankful and excited to get a few days to see Sena and relax together. I brought my books and journal, and I want to go to visit the National Gallery, and Sena and I are planning to go to some cafes, and a Turkish restaurant and a Christmas market. I will be returning to CT on Saturday afternoon, just before school begins again on Monday.

Here are a couple of pictures from yesterday, and I will post more as the weekend unfolds.

Happy Thanksgiving if you celebrate, and if not, have a great weekend!

I recently discovered the Turkish drink Salep. Wow! I stocked up and am bringing some to Sena in DC.

Sena's TED talk is now available

You can watch it here:

https://youtu.be/S30pevZI7BU

And you can also check out her Instagram post about it if you want, as shown below:

Still

It's still hard that Sena's gone to DC. She came back last weekend for Aiyana's birthday, and when she left it was so hard all over again.

Aiyana is getting her university applications in. Who knows where she'll be next year?

Some nights I can't sleep for worry about them. Other times, I'm so excited for both of them, and all they have accomplished and all they have ahead of them.

As for myself, otherwise, things are intense but good. School can get pretty stressful, like any job I guess, but it's also rewarding. My aerospace class is going very well, and my general science class is a lot easier this year than last, when it was my first time teaching it. The wind tunnel is still in the machine shop but coming along. There's a lot of excitement around it. I plan to use it for my aerodynamics unit în the new year.

My mom is currently in Tunisia, having a great time. She's making me jealous with all the great food and the historical places she's seeing.

I was listening to U2, and thinking how some days, I still want to "reach out and touch the flame". That's never changed. I'm grateful that it's still there despite the many stresses and worries of this life stage.

I hope that you're finding something to hold on to as well, finding some peace and perspective, wherever you're at right now.

Peace 

Incredible Turkish food

I really miss it...

It was so good!

Street food: roasted chestnuts and corn on the cob 

The pastries!!!

All Baklava 

Tea and an empty baklava plate

Coffee cart

Turkish coffee 

Street food morning and night 

The Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar is one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world. It dates from the 1400s, and has more than 4000 shops in it covering an area of 9 acres! Another must see location in Istanbul.

The ever present Istanbul cats. So happy and well taken care of! You can see 4 of them hanging out at the book shop below.

An assortment of amazing teas.

The Galata Tower

These pictures are from our last full day in Istanbul. What an amazing place this is! It makes me feel that the world is so big, history is so deep, and we are so small...but all in a good way.

The beauty of trips such as this is that they give you a larger view, a wider perspective. You realize that truly, everything comes and goes. The most powerful people and states come and go. Problems come and go. Good times come and go.

The amazing thing is being able to step aside for a moment and appreciate it all, the flow of everything. To appreciate this amazing chance we have,  that is our life, to be part of it all.

To be a participant to this ever changing flow of things is wonderful, and to have others to share it with, including you my friends, is something I am grateful for.

This is Galata Tower, where the Genoese settled, across the Golden Horn from the old part of Istanbul. From it, you can see 360 degrees, all of Istanbul.

Galata Tower is in the background. The surrounding streets are lined with many cafés, restaurants and shops.

Up in the Galata Tower, with the Golden Horn, Hagia Sophia, and the Blue Mosque in the background.

Istiklal Caddesi, one of the most famous avenues in Istanbul. Pedestrians only except for the cute red tram.

This is the famous Pera Palace Hotel, where Agatha Christie stayed and wrote Murder on the Orient Express.

And a random picture of Turkish street food, which is everywhere, and which I love!!!