Dear sad niece,

Homesickness actually shows that you are capable of making attachments to people (and places), and that those attachments stand the test of time. Poet Robert Frost likens it to a poem: "A poem begins as a lump in the throat, a sense of wrong, a homesickness, a lovesickness."  

Remember that you and your friends lefts Cornell to continue on your own voyage of self-fulfillment. 

In The Prophet, Kahlil Gibran writes this of leave-taking: "People of Orpahlese, the wind bids me leave you. Less hasty am I than the wind, yet I must go.  We wanderers, ever seeking the lonelier way, begin no day where we have ended another day; and no sunrise find us where sunset left us. Even while the earth sleeps we travel.  We are the seeds of the tenacious plant and it is in our ripeness and our fullness of heart that we are given to the wind and are scattered.

Brief were my days among you, and briefer still the words I have spoken.  But should my voice fade in your ears, and my love vanish in your memory, then I will come again, and with a richer heart and lips more yielding to the spirit I will speak...

Man's needs change, but not his love, nor his desire that his love should satisfy his needs. Know therefore, that from the greater silence I shall return.  The mist that drifts away at dawn, leaving but dew in the fields, shall rise and gather into a cloud and then fall down in rain.  And not unlike the mist have I been. ...

But sweeter still than laughter and greater than longing came to me.  It was the boundless in you;  The vast man in whom you are all but cells and sinews;  He in whose chant all your singing is but a soundless throbbing.  It is in the vast man that you are vast, And in beholding him that I beheld you and loved you. ..

If in the twilight of memory we should meet once more, we shall speak again together and you shall sing to me a deeper song.  And if our hand should meet in another dream we shall build another tower in the sky..."

Have faith in your own journey and that your are with your friends in spirit no matter how far in geography. Other than that, you can always send cards.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear undergrad,

I am glad that you are enjoying this service provided to you by the Student Assembly and the Student Activity Fee.  For those who are not familiar with this service, the New York Times and USA Today are provided for free to undergraduates on campus Monday-Friday through the end of final exams (but not during breaks).  We're sorry that you cannot get papers on the weekend, it's not part of the contract.  The program is a two-year trial (beginning this fall) and is funded in part by a $5 allocation from the student activity fee.  There is a dispenser to pick up your papers in the lobby of Willard Straight Hall as well as near service centers and other high traffic zones.  Between these publications, and the Cornell Daily Sun which is also now free, there's a lot of news to read.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Interested,

There are no lyrics for the Cornell Changes, which is affectionately known as the Jennie  McGraw Rag, and is the 1st tune played on the Cornell Chimes each morning.  The music is adapted from change ringing, which is quite common in Europe and some churches in the United States.  It is essentially a mathematical progression for ringing swinging bells which circulate a large wheel when pulled on by ropes. 

A.D. White heard the original piece in England, and first asked that the Cornell Chimesmasters perform it at every concert.  That music had 365 notes, one for every day of the year.  The piece has been revised over time, and today's piece that is still played each morning has 549 notes.  Auditioning chimesmasters are required to memorized it, and play it in under 2 1/2 minutes.  Current chimesmasters try to play the piece as quickly as possible.  An exhausting feat no doubt!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear niece,

I am sorry that some of the recent music selections have not "rung quite right" with you.  I did write to the Cornell Chimesmasters to express your concerns and to see how their music selections are made.  They explained that each individual chimesmaster selects the music for their concert.  So it is possible that one of the students found some hymns that sounded quite nice on the bells (certainly no agenda was intended).  This would be coupled with the fact that they currently have a couple of hymns in their proposed music file (which is new music that has been arranged and must be played and voted on by the chimesmasters before being accepted into the permanent files.)  Those factors together may have caused notice by you and other campus listeners.  The chimesmasters are happy to take requests from visitors if they would like to hear traditional songs from other faiths and cultures -particularly if you make the climb to their morning concerts as they seldom get visitors that early!  And they will take your feedback as a reminder to always keep the campus listener in mind when selecting their musical choices.  They explain that some people cheer for classical pieces by Bach and Beethoven, while others enjoy more current music, like Billy Joel or the Beatles.  So I encourage you to visit the tower and make some suggestions. 

In the meantime, you may hear a hymn or two from time to time, as Cornell's community is not a faithless one, but rather one that embraces many faiths.  I hope that all of my nieces and nephews feel most welcome here in that regard. 

Uncle Ezra   

Dear player,

The fee is for the Grand Piano in the Memorial Room.  It is tuned twice a semester at the cost of $90 per tuning.  There are also repairs to the piano since it is old and there are times when new keys have to be installed to keep the piano in good playing order. Incidentally, the fee has not increased in 25 years or more.

There is an upright piano in the Memorial Room which is unlocked and can be played without a membership, when there is not another event happening in the room. I hope you will use it for stress-relief during the next two months.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Curious,

That would be an interesting poll! A course or major is easy for you when it draws on your specific talents, your skills and abilities, your interests and your passions, and when you have made a committment to "slog" through the inevitiable difficulties that are a part of making progress in any major as you develop your expertise in the field. I hope you come to know yourself as you make this important decision.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear upstater,

Honesty is the best policy.  Secrets are never kept, they only delay the confrontation of the issue, and allow for deeper mistrust and fear to take hold.  

You must choose the path that suits you, and not base your decisions on another person's preferences.  You can deal with your interests in playing the field by doing it or by talking about it with a trusted person who can help you uncover deeper reasons for your needs.

Even if you are not with her, you will always be with yourself, so act with integrity and you'll not have regrets.  I wish you the best.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Caroline,

See Q5 from the 9/16/04 posting.  Unfortunately it does not seem to be available on video or DVD.  If our readers have any knowledge about where someone might legally obtain a copy, we hope that you will share that information!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Spring Flower,

Our Orientation Advisor, Lisa K'Bedford, sent me this January Orientation program for the new transfer students to our community:  It begins on the same day as New Student Registration (Monday 1/16/05) and runs through that Friday (1/20/05) before classes begin (Monday the 23rd).  During that time, new students are matched with a January Orientation Leader from their college to introduce them to campus, explain how Cornell works, share advice and information about their college and academics, and help them to meet other new students and upperclass students.  We will have many informational events during each day and each night will offer a social event for mingling and having fun.  More information about the January process for new transfers will be available on my web site around mid-November or so at http://newstudentrprograms.cornell.edu/Orientation. Hope to see you there!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Myth buster,

That is untrue, the Stanfords were not Cornellians, and the story that their son had died while attending Harvard, and after being snubbed by the Harvard president they started a school in his name, rather than giving the memorial gift to Harvard, is also a tall tale.  However, there are threads of truth in both stories.

Stanford was established in 1885 by a grant from Leland Stanford and his wife Jane.  They founded the university after the death of their only child Leland Stanford Jr. who died of typhoid fever just shy of his 16th birthday.  Just after his death, Leland was alleged to have turned to his wife and said, "The children of California shall be our children."

In establishing the university, they traveled to many schools on the East coast to seek wisdom and ideas, including Harvard, MIT, Cornell, and Princeton.  And when it was time to select a president, they asked A.D. White, Cornell's president to come west.  White declined but recommended David Starr Jordan, a former student of his, who was at the University of Indiana.  They did, and Jordan went on to loyally serve the university for several decades as both president and chancellor.  Other Cornell links also connect the two schools.  When Stanford formally opened its doors in October 1891, it was one of only a handful of coeducational schools in the nation (Cornell one of them).  On that day, of the 15 original faculty members, 7 hailed from Cornell University.  They also shared philosophical beliefs about education including the importance of research in the university.

The Stanfords' inspired, egalitarian visions for what has become a wonderful university does remind you a bit of our dear old Cornell,
doesn't it?

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Joshua and other concerned citizens,

Alas, someone has defaced my likeness, and that of my colleague A.D. White, in all of our bronze glory on the Arts Quad.  This is not the first time that words, paint, etc. have been used in a destructive way on these statues, and in locations across the campus.  Whenever and wherever it happens, I am always disappointed to see the lack of respect that some people show for others.  Some people vandalize because they are angry, and wish to prove a point, but there are so many more constructive ways to demonstrate self expression and make ones voice heard. 

Hopefully, both A.D. White and myself will be cleaned up soon, but this is a large campus and there is a lot of work to be done.  When graffiti is seen and reported, facilities crews try to address it as quickly as possible.  Typically words that are most offensive/disturbing are given priority.

Thank you all for a concern, lets hope that others read this, and realizing the impacts, gain that same respect. 

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Green Day fan,

Did you ever see the film Planes, Trains and Automobiles with John Candy and Steve Martin?  My hope is that you can find a trip to Boston easier than it took to get them home for the holidays!  Now how to get to Boston from Ithaca...

Planes-this is certainly the most expensive option, but USAirways flies out of Ithaca and a number of major airlines fly out of Syracuse, it might be possible to get a last minute deal.

Trains-Amtrak trains do run through Syracuse, but it looks like the trip takes about 8-9 hours to make it across rte. 90 this way.

Automobiles-Greyhound (800-231-2222), NY Trailways (800-295-5555) and Shortline/Coach USA (277-8800) all depart from the Ithaca bus station downtown.  But a personal automobile is probably your best bet for the most efficient and economical transit to Boston.

Have you checked out the student ride board?  Go to CUInfo and click on Student Ride Board on the left hand bar.  There you can post rides wanted as well as rides being offered.  Thursday is a less likely travel date than a weekend, particularly a break weekend, but who knows, maybe there are some other Cornellians that are heading up to Boston to see Green Day too.

Good luck.  You may find you befriend that travel partner (think of Steve Martin at the end of the movie) than you thought you would be! 

Uncle Ezra