I rather think I should call this post, "How to beat graduate school stress" or "How to boost your heart after you've collapsed in the middle of the road".
After last Thursday's little excitement surrounding me, where various theories ranging from heart-break to heart-attack were suggested as the cause, people were really sceptical if I was up for a full day at the Six Flags over Texas amusement park at Arlington. But, people like me don't let little excitements stand in the way of much larger excitements, and so early on Saturday morning we went off to Arlington to have a first-hand taste of amusement in America.
The day started off with a roller coaster ride inside a pitch-dark tower ---- the fun of the ride being the unpredictability of the rolls inside the darkness. But that was just the beginning of the fun for the day! We were soon out in the sunny Texan daylight, dropping down 255 feet at 85 miles per hour on the Titan, or being hurled around steep bends on rickety wooden structures known as the Giant. And man, it was fun --- where you just want to scream wee-hoo at the end of every ride! Watch this one, called the Batman Gotham city ride:
I got the reputation of being someone who doesn't scream at all on the rides, with the others reporting the expression on my face varying very quickly between extreme disinterest and sudden passionate hand-waving laughter. Consequently, some ladies wanted to be on the rides beside me (for emotional support, you dirty minds!!), to which of course I never objected ;) Remember how we were tossed up in the air when we were two-year-old kids and we used to get the thrills? The Superman tower of power ride was similar, with the only difference being us adults being tossed 355 feet into the air and then letting a free fall all the way down --- and we could keep doing weeeee all day!! It is the tallest of its kind in the world, and trust me it was mind-blowingly awesome! In fact, we rode some of the scariest rides twice just to get the kicks! :D
But my favourite ride was the Dive Bomber alley. Describing it would take away the fun. Watch the video here: I am the guy who pulls the rip cord --- the feeling of doing that is simply ineffable. You must do it to know the thrill!
And they actually gave out T-shirts in the end to the gals that said,
Well, looks like someone sure did! :)
After last Thursday's little excitement surrounding me, where various theories ranging from heart-break to heart-attack were suggested as the cause, people were really sceptical if I was up for a full day at the Six Flags over Texas amusement park at Arlington. But, people like me don't let little excitements stand in the way of much larger excitements, and so early on Saturday morning we went off to Arlington to have a first-hand taste of amusement in America.
The day started off with a roller coaster ride inside a pitch-dark tower ---- the fun of the ride being the unpredictability of the rolls inside the darkness. But that was just the beginning of the fun for the day! We were soon out in the sunny Texan daylight, dropping down 255 feet at 85 miles per hour on the Titan, or being hurled around steep bends on rickety wooden structures known as the Giant. And man, it was fun --- where you just want to scream wee-hoo at the end of every ride! Watch this one, called the Batman Gotham city ride:
I got the reputation of being someone who doesn't scream at all on the rides, with the others reporting the expression on my face varying very quickly between extreme disinterest and sudden passionate hand-waving laughter. Consequently, some ladies wanted to be on the rides beside me (for emotional support, you dirty minds!!), to which of course I never objected ;) Remember how we were tossed up in the air when we were two-year-old kids and we used to get the thrills? The Superman tower of power ride was similar, with the only difference being us adults being tossed 355 feet into the air and then letting a free fall all the way down --- and we could keep doing weeeee all day!! It is the tallest of its kind in the world, and trust me it was mind-blowingly awesome! In fact, we rode some of the scariest rides twice just to get the kicks! :D
But my favourite ride was the Dive Bomber alley. Describing it would take away the fun. Watch the video here: I am the guy who pulls the rip cord --- the feeling of doing that is simply ineffable. You must do it to know the thrill!
And they actually gave out T-shirts in the end to the gals that said,
Well, looks like someone sure did! :)
Oh wow! Can't believe you were down and under few days ago and now you are literally up and flying :) I envy you so much.
ReplyDeleteHope I get to experience the thrill one day :)))
BTW I'm a long time reader and first time commenter
-Lakshmi
Although it sounds damn xciting..m warning u not 2 take it tooo easy sudi...coz u actually surviving d thrills was sure a paradox..lol !!..jus kiddin..all i wish is to live d moments u lived thru..hope i visit texas in near future !!-Ms NMA
ReplyDeletewow! i need a manual on beating grad school stress!
ReplyDeleteNice heading; Cool ending :)
ReplyDeleteLakshmi, welcome, welcome ma'am! The ups and downs are just me and my life: they keep happening! And thanks... I too wish you the same thrills some day!
ReplyDeleteMiss NMA, May your wishes be granted! Are you coming to Texas anytime soon?
Ricercar, really? Contact me! :D
Varun, thanks :)
Wow! You got my blood racing on seeing the videos, especially the second one. Great to know that you are back to normal health :)
ReplyDeletenot fair....no freebies for guys!
ReplyDeleteAnd i thought they were an egalitarian society...
Alpine Path, thank you! :) And god willing, you too will enjoy similar vacations pretty soon.
ReplyDeleteVam C, long time (well actually long^n time) no see.
And I need to correct something. The t-shirt wasn't free: she had to buy it! The society is still capitalistic! :D
Man some vids!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAmi chaappboooooooo!!!!
Raman, nishchoi! :) All you need to do is to come here somehow
ReplyDeleteWell, that T-shirt would've made other gals J :D
ReplyDeleteManasa, I wish! :)
ReplyDeleteMujhe bhi six flags jaane ka hai....mooommmmyyyyy!! Am in grad school and super stressed! Maybe i should pull off a fainting stunt, what do u think?
ReplyDeleteyou know who.
Lord Voldemort, (as I told you, that is the only you-know-who I recognise), if you can pull off fainting stunts at will, then I will sponsor your ticket to these amusement parks personally! :)
ReplyDeleteWhy if I could do that, I would try to make my career on broadway, not slum it in grad school!
ReplyDeleteLord Whatshisface
Lord Whatsitsface, you mean to say that they are different? :O
ReplyDeleteI thought all you got marks for in grad school was to pretend to be doing awesome research --- 'pretend' being the operative word here :)