Three banners hang at Wellesley College’s entrance at 106 Central Street. The first says, “Women Who Will.” The next says, “Make a Difference.” The last says, “In the World.” I just booked a plane ticket to Logan Airport to attend my 20-year Wellesley class of 2006 reunion this Memorial Day weekend. It will be lovely … Continue reading Divine Secrets of the Wellesley Sisterhood →

I am a lawyer, a journalist, a teacher, and a writer.

I am single and ready to mingle. But the spouse that I seek is not what most women search for. Rather than searching for an eligible bachelor who can treat me to dinner, buy me gifts, and generally serve as a sugar daddy by impressing me with his wealth, I hope to be the provider. … Continue reading Driving Doctor Elizabeth →

As another Thanksgiving rolls around, I remain grateful for the running community at Fleet Feet. For the past 8 weeks, I trained with the No Boundaries 5k training program spearheaded by Coaches Lizzie and Nora. They broke it up into separate pace groups so everyone would have someone with whom to run. I was in … Continue reading A Turkey Trot →

“Five hundred twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes.Five hundred twenty-five thousand moments so dear.Five hundred twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes.How do you measure, measure a year? In daylights, in sunsets,In midnights, in cups of coffee.In inches, in miles,In laughter, in strife.In five hundred twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes.How do you measure a year in the life?” … Continue reading Seasons of Love →

If I were to write an autobiography, I’d entitle it No More Doctors. Once upon a time, I was supposed to be a doctor. Everyone else in my family of Indian-American immigrants has gone into medicine or engineering. Those fields are stable and lucrative. They involve science and years of education. But I had a … Continue reading Doctor Esquire →

I am a professor who gets mistaken for a student. People with dark complexions age well because the melanin pigmentation protects their skin from the sun. I know I still look young. But on January 27, 2025, I will celebrate my fortieth birthday. What does forty look like for others? In honor of this milestone, … Continue reading 40 Years of Fabulous →

When Thanksgiving 2024 rolled around, I had a lot for which to be thankful. Specifically, both my ex-boyfriend Gabriel and I received time off from work for break. We decided to make the most of the opportunity by planning a vacation. I had the idea that we take my brand-new Subaru on a road trip, … Continue reading Yellowstone National Park →

Much like two lovers in the night sharing a kiss, tonight’s Newman Bible study discussion was to be savored and not rushed. Something that’s been on my mind lately is whether it would be possible to have a happy, fulfilling life without love. Carrie Fisher, the bipolar actress who played Princess Leia in Star Wars … Continue reading The Four Loves →

“In my mind I’m gone to Carolina. Can’t you see the sunshine? Can’t you just feel the moonshine? Ain’t it like a friend of mine to hit me from behind? When I’m gone to Carolina in my mind?” – James Taylor Spring has finally sprung in North Carolina. I find myself enjoying the verdant beauty … Continue reading Carolina In My Mind →

Chicago suburb moves ahead with pioneering reparations program Four years after Evanston, Illinois, passed the nation’s first reparations law for Black residents harmed by discrimination,the law has support across all ethnic and demographic groups and all in nine wards, a recent survey found. As of last August the program had disbursed $1,092,924 in reparations funds … Continue reading Evanston Reparations Program →

“Memento Mori” is the Latin phrase that slaves whispered in the ears of Roman generals on their victory parades after conquering other lands. It means “Remember you will die.” All Saint’s Day, the day after Halloween, is also the day before All Soul’s Day in the States and Dia de los Muertos in Mexico. Families … Continue reading Memento Mori →

Congratulations are in order for the momentous occasion of the wedding of my little sister, Dr. Theresa Tharakan, to Dr. Selby Chu. This was a special weekend for Theresa, as she got married not once but twice. First, a priest led a full Catholic Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis on Friday, May … Continue reading For Better or for Worse →

For Julia Rendleman’s Basic Photojournalism class, I am selecting the 12 or so best images that I took with a DSLR camera (a Nikon 3600) and captioning them. Car pans at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 13 2023 outside Communications Building in Carbondale, Ill. Car with freeze motion at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 13, 2023 outside Communications … Continue reading Basic Photojournalism Portfolio →

My best friend, Christina Wang Kloster, turned 40 on January 4, 2023. To mark the occasion, she invited her nearest and dearest female friends to celebrate this milestone birthday in style. I agreed to fly to her venue of choice, Cancun, during my winter break. The main highlight of the trip was a two-hour bus … Continue reading Las Conquistadoras de Cancun →

“The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” “Come,” he replied, “and … Continue reading Call and Respond →

All Hallow’s Eve brings about witches, wizards, elves and other mystical creatures that go bump in the night. This Monday was Halloween so I wanted to publish a post with a spooky theme. I own two costumes, both flapper dresses. One is a conservative calf length red dress suitable for church and one is a … Continue reading Trick or Treat →

Faith, fellowship, and food are the fundamental elements of a successful Bible study. This spring, the graduate students affiliated with InterVarsity’s Graduate Christian Fellowship opted to study the most obscure and interesting book of the New Testament, Revelation, with a motley crew over potluck dinners. Keyla and Tori, our leaders, had difficulty finding an organized … Continue reading The Book of Revelation →

The Uniform Bar Exam tests your ability to make sense out of all the strange concepts you learned about in law school. The test is a marathon, not a sprint. It lasts for two days, with six hours of testing each day plus a one-hour lunch break. The bar exam takes place the last Tuesday … Continue reading Repeating the Bar Exam →

“Die-vorced?…His voice rose in such a high register that it cracked on the question mark. He even pronounced the word as though it was a form of death.” In Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things, the marriage and quick divorce of Ammu has devastating consequences, reflecting the social and cultural stigma of divorce in … Continue reading The Committee and the Cowboy →