Grabbing the bull by its horns. It ain't easy.

I left part of my heart in...

2008-04-09T11:33:00.000-07:00

Wow. Is about all I have to say. I left for Dubai last week for my cousin's wedding and just got back. Yes, Dubai. Yes, the place that everyone is like, "OMG! Dubai?!" Yes, Dubai. My family lived there LONG before the Burj, the Palm Island, and even before Tiger Woods became the paradigm of golfing. And as always, I LOVED it. LOVED it. It was so hard to come home (SF), because in a way, even though I never officially lived there, it has always been home to me. I bawled like a baby the night I left. My entire family had gathered at my uncle's place for the SatyaNarayan puja and to see them all sitting there, and me having to leave it, was heartbreaking.

This trip was so wonderful because:
-All 11 of the late Sumitra Rao's grandchildren were under one roof for the first time in about 20 years.
-The wedding was the pompest, poshest blast EVER! Backdrop of your wedding being the Burj AND fireworks, what?!
-Everything for everyone was catered to, down to the breakfast in the hotel
-And so many other things, I'm too tired to name. Pictures will go up soon.

Oh, Dubai. I left part of my heart there...

How I got engaged - Story and ring detail... and other updates

2008-03-13T12:17:00.001-07:00

I kind of suck at this blogging thing. The problem is that I'm so damn busy....work, training for a marathon; getting engaged, etc... lots to think about.

So, marathon training is going well, you can read about it here. I'm really proud of myself though, didn't think I had the gusto to do it, but now, I love running. And so far, for the $100 sign-up fee, I have a personal trainer three times a week, and a lovely tour of San Francisco/Marin. I've ran down the Embarcadero; Beach Chalet, Lands End, Chrissy Fields, Blackies Pasture, out by Stinson Beach ... I've seen and experienced all areas in less than 2 months. Amazing.

Work is going well also. I just got moved to the Xbox account, which is quite fascinating, so that is very cool to work with. Also, I've begun to master most of what my agency likes in the media department so that is very cool when everyone trusts you to do everything. It also leads to being asked to do more stuff, but I guess that's a good thing in the long run. I always thought I wanted to do something to "better" society; i.e. - work in a school; be a doctor etc... but then I fell in love with advertising. And although I'm not doing an extraordinary thing, I believe that what I am doing, I'm attempting to be extraordinary at it, so that should be enough, right?

And lastly, engagement story and what the ring looks like:

I train on Saturday mornings for my marathon; so on this particular Saturday (Feb 23); I came home to UGS sitting on the couch watching television. I sat down with him, talked about plans for the day, decided to be lazy and not do anything and then said I was going to shower. He said, "no, don't go yet, just hang out on the sofa..." Okay. So, instead of showering, I said, "well, I'm hungry, I'll make breakfast, do you want anything." He said, "oh, we'll eat later, I'll make you breakfast, let's just hang out on the couch." Okay... and then as we are hanging out on the couch watching television (side note - we were watching my favorite television show "Girlfriends," and he wasn't complaining... SO should have figured something was up!) and he started saying some really nice things: "I love you" "Life is so great with you" etc. To my credit, I thought it was a bit weird, but figured he was having a moment so to just listen and not be all girly and be like, "WHY?! What's up? Why are you saying these things...?" And then, he all of a sudden got up off of the couch, on to the floor, kneeling in front of me. Still no bells ringing. So I look at him and say, "Dude, what are you doing? Where you going?" And he said, "I'm going no where, I'm right here..." and then all of a sudden, I see him on his knee and putting his hand in his pocket and then ... OH MY GOD! In my head: "Oh my god, this is like so happening RIGHT NOW!!!" And then he asked me to do him the honor of saying yes to being his wife (or something of the sort, everything from that moment till about 5 minutes later is a blur)... I said, "of course" hugged him, we both were smiling and then he left the room... to go get the two dozen roses and a bottle of champagne. Yes! And then he told me about the night he had planned: drinks at The Carnelian Room and then dinner at Le Colonial. And all this, in a limo! Amazing, amazing evening. Great food, excellent times.

The ring, it's pretty, you have to come see me to see the ring. :)

And that's the story. Nice, huh?

Woot-woot!

2008-02-25T16:09:00.000-08:00

Is about all I can write to describe how I'm feeling right now. Yes kids, I'm engaged. And not only engaged, engaged to the most perfect person I know. I'm so, so, so happy. And happy is such a bad word, because it doesn't even relay the glow that is probably coming off of my face right now. I can't stop smiling, all sappy songs on the radio have meaning and I'm blinded everytime I look down at my finger. Wow. Wow. Wow. Yay!!!

Boo.

2008-02-20T13:05:00.000-08:00

I hate today.

One Year

2008-01-23T01:16:00.001-08:00

So I started this blog a year ago... today (date-wise, not day-wise - that always confused me...). And what? I moved to San Francisco, lost a loved one, kind of blogged here and there, then got really busy with weddings, work, family, etc. That doesn't really give me an excuse not for blogging, but really, I wasn't just feeling it. As I read back on my posts, the one thought that runs in my head is, "What the H was I blogging about?" Some posts are okay, some are helpful, and some are just dumb. I think dumb posts are okay, but I was getting more notches in the dumb belt then any other belt.

So, now what? I'm going to try this blogging thing again, and perhaps I'll be more honest. Honest in the sense of actually writing what I'm thinking about, instead of holding it in and not writing it, afraid of who is reading this. It's been a year, and a lot has happened. I'm in a better place, so I think I'll make another go at this. Here is to 2008!

Hmmm....

2007-10-05T10:13:00.000-07:00

So Britney. I love her... she keeps me entertained and amused with all her mishaps. And while I root for her (barely) to come back and be that writhing force on the dance floor with snakes and body glitter... a part of me (a very small, very bitchy part) is almost giddy. Yes, giddy. Giddy that she danced on stage at the VMAs as a "fat pig" as some of the media outlets called her, giddy with the fact that she's having issues raising her kids, her divorce was not all hush hush and that surprise(!), she fights with her family. Openly. Now, as much all this makes her real, she's taken it to a fairly trashy level. I was still hoping, hoping that she'd come back. And the VMAs happened. For those of you that don't remember:

Yeah... wow... but you know, second chances ya'll... second chances. So I was hoping that the video for this song (that is doing surprisingly well) would rock it out. Like, "I'm a Slave For U..." remember that? It was hot:

So... here it is... the video for "Gimmie More":

OMG... yuck. Thoughts?

Memories

2007-09-11T11:57:00.000-07:00

6 years ago today, at 8:42AM - I was a senior in college at IU. Sitting on my couch in my apartment, eating breakfast of lox and cream cheese on a bagel, watching Good Morning America, and contemplating whether I wanted to skip my 10:10AM Psychology class.

At 8:46A - there was an interruption to the program - a plane had just "run into" North Tower of the World Trade Center. The broadcasters at the time were wondering if it were an accident, issues with the plane navigation...

At 9:02A - everyone's fears were confirmed - this was no accident, a second plane hit the South Tower, with the cameras still rolling.

The rest of the day was a blur of news stories, friends coming over, parents calling, consipiracy theories and finger pointing as to who, what, and mainly, why?

Today, I woke up in a very different place and it struck me how much as changed since that day, 6 years ago. They way we think, feel, assume, and live, is all shaped by what happened that day; in that span of less than half an hour.

I will be using this day as one to reflect and remember. How about you?

Good news

2007-08-17T13:49:00.000-07:00

Two VERY good news items for today (like a "yay!" Friday):

I wrote a while back about my friend that is running in a very special marathon. She reached her goal of $5,000. Now she's upped the ante, continue to be generous and join the community, donate!
Vinay, who has been profiled on numerous Web sites, blogs, and if you are from the Bay Area and reading this, you should have attended at least one of the drives in his honor, has news. He found a match. Yes, you read that right, a match.

I'm so happy for both of the individuals and what that means for the community. How we all had to get together, for two separate causes, and how far both causes have come is amazing.

It's a good day.

And something so cute...

2007-07-20T13:15:00.000-07:00

Puppy Whistle - video powered by Metacafe

Harry Potter Friday

2007-07-20T11:49:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter has taken over my Friday. I can't work... all I can do is think about how the book I pre-ordered is sitting in San Ramon (oh, believe me, I tracked that sucker) and it won't be delivered till TOMORROW!!! Grr...

So, I'm going to the Harry Potter party tonight at Border's near my apartment. I think. I'm a HUGE fan, but not really sure how well I will do that late at night, after a long week at work, and entirely too long of a month of weddings and other family events. I'll try though.

Things that have been happening to and around me because of Mr. Potter:

My supervisor and I will talk about it, but only talk about how much we can't talk about it and how we don't want to know anything.
I've been avoiding the NYTimes, WSJ.com, and any other Web sites that dared to put up reviews and articles that are GIVING AWAY THE ENDING... who does that?!

My friend who will remain nameless (but his nickname rhymes with "Ash") sent me a supposedly leaked copy... I stupidly opened it and started looking around, then realized what it was and closed it immediately. I'm going to assume he was being eager when doing that, so all is forgiven and we are still speaking.

Ah, Harry... he has been with me as I grew up from a college drunkard to a working, suburbanite. It's been fun. Looking forward to this last adventure.

How excited are YOU?!

Harry Potter in India

Happy Birthday Ma!

2007-07-19T16:54:00.001-07:00

Wishing the very best to my favorite lady in the whole world! Thank you, for being you.

Movie Review

2007-07-03T10:24:00.001-07:00

I saw Transformers last night. Wow. That movie was fantastic. I read the NYTimes review yesterday and was a bit scared. I imagined this overly testosterone filled movie with robots, lots of crashing around and cliched lines from the characters. Instead, I saw a movie that was overly-testosterone filled, full of robots, crashing around, and tons of cliched lines. But it was fantastic!

Review for the boys:

2 hot girls - Megan Fox and this other chick that speaks with an accent. A hot blonde and a hot brunette, both in fairly tight clothing that breathe heavy at all the right times.

2 badasses in Josh Duhamel and Tyrese - army guys, guns, and no fear.

Robots, nice cars, lots of great explosions, damaged property, etc.

Lots of great lines for you boys to repeat from here on out.

Review for the girls:

The 2 hot girls - they are actually pretty cool and have good character in the movie. And the brunette is the lead girl. Yay, for brunettes.

The 2 badasses - oh wow. Army boys, handling big guns, muscles flexing, and one of them is a family man. Nice.

The cars are sexy, and the explosions are spectactular to watch.

And the lines, some of the best writing I have heard in an action movie yet.

And for both sexes - the breakout star, Shia Lebouf, he's fantastic. He's the underdog that you root for the entire movie.

Good stuff, go see it. Now.

Please help a fellow South Asian

2007-06-28T22:31:00.000-07:00

Joining the bone marrow registry is not hard. I did it on a Saturday morning a few weeks ago, it took about 20 minute total - filling out paperwork, swabbing inside of my cheek, closing up the envelope, handing it in, getting back into my car and then going on with my day.

I post this to please urge you all to register. Someone from our community needs our help, and it is up to us to rally behind him and provide the support he needs.

In addition, once you register, be aware that you may be called upon to help. Although it sounds scary, it is the step that needs to be taken to save a life. Please read about donating bone marrow to alleviate any apprehension. It is not an easy process, but remember, those suffering from the disease are having a much worse time then a donor will ever have donating.

Find a registry in your area.

Any other information you will need is available here.

It is a privilege, not a choice, to be able to help another human being.

Friday thoughts.

2007-06-08T15:25:00.000-07:00

The first half of my day was frenzied. I had about 3 projects to do, all due at noon, and not one deadline was budging. So I begrudgingly turned "off" the Internet (except for g-mail) and finished it all. Then at lunchtime I walked to my favorite Japanese take-out, chatted with my mom during our daily lunch call* and then came back to another project. Yay. Finished (1 hr). I gleefully then fired up my Internet to surf my usual pop culture gossip sites. Yes, I am an addict, reading about celebrities (or pseudo-celebutantes) and how they make asses of themselves. Today's big news is how Ms. Hilton is going back to jail. That's it. That's all. Nothing else. Awesome. Isn't Lindsay Lohan doing anything crazy in rehab? Britney hasn't shaved her head yet? What, she's just hanging out with the kids in Hawaii?! Boring...

*During my call with my mom, we got to talking about Mamama. It is difficult to hear my mom grieve. And it's difficult because I'm not grieving anymore. I am at peace with her (Mamama) being gone; and it only happened because I believe that she came to me one day. A bit strange but here's how: at a recent Bal-Vihar (Sunday school of sorts for Hindu kids) prayer session, we said a particular prayer which was the first prayer I ever learned, which Mamama taught me. She was in my thoughts ("oh, this is the prayer that Mamama taught me...") as I said the prayer and then it happened. The strongest feeling took over me and as I closed my eyes, she was there. The feeling was so strong that it shook me, I opened my eyes and started looking around and my eyes welled up. After about a minute, I went back to praying.

Since that time, I've been at peace with her being gone. No more random cries and or sad thoughts. In a strange way, I've been at peace regarding a lot of things that were nagging me. No explanation as to how or why, but it is.

30 days

2007-05-31T10:05:00.001-07:00

I drank this past weekend. And a couple drinks at a wedding earlier this month... blah... I know, I know... it goes back on all things not drinking. BUT (yes, there always is a but); I do believe my drinking was controlled AND yesterday, at our softball game, I did not partake in the beer that was available. This whole exercise has evolved into more of being able to control the amount of alcohol in my life, and not just drink, to drink. I HAVE upgraded on the food that I'm eating (lots more fish, fruits and veggies) and upped my water intake. I'm doing well so far, we'll see how I do in the month of June.

To leave you all for this month of May, here is a sample of a bit of my life at my job working with Big Brother:

International Conference Calls

3BT

2007-05-17T15:33:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I posted a 3BT, I figure it's time for one:

1) My mom. I talk to her at least 3 times a day and each time is something to remember.
2) The amount of greenery I notice here in the city.
3) A very large ship pulling into the pier, I like big boats.

Gripes, promotions, and omens

2007-05-16T11:42:00.000-07:00

Boo. - Imitation is apparently the greatest form of flattery. I find it annoying. Be yourself, I'm not that spectacular of a person, but I am me. Don't be me. Be you.

Yay! - Good luck to my friend. She's running in a marathon! Go Chai!

Omen? - I was walking to my office this morning from the BART station and got nailed in the head by a bird. It was flying low, and like swooped my head, but no "presents." I've heard that if a bird shits on you, then it's good luck, but never heard anything about a bird bumping into your head. I've been looking on the Internet for this and couldn't find anything. I asked my Ma, she recommended that I wash my hair this evening, but since it wasn't a crow, I don't have anything to worry about. It is times like this I wish Mamama was around. She'd know what it all meant. Any ideas?

Prohibition 2007 update

2007-05-10T13:33:00.000-07:00

I've been on the alcohol fast for about 9 days and in those 9 days were the following:
1) Two work events
2) Visit home to see the Ma who is an intense wino
3) Birthday celebration

It was hard not to drink, not that I felt a biological desire towards it, but more so it was "the thing to do." I've constantly read about how much alcohol is a social lubrication, but I didn't understand it till I started my alcohol fast. Few things I've noticed:

1) If you say no to alcohol (beer, wine, etc.), it almost immediately is followed by, "Oh really? Why?" as if you had told someone you decided to stop breathing.
2) Not drinking also elicits one of two questions: "Are you pregnant?" and/or "Oh, so... did you have a problem...?" - NO and no.
3) Once you stop drinking, most social scenes are reminiscent of this time: think back to elementary school where all the cool girls have the new pair of leather boots and you're still wearing your snow boots from 2 years ago.
4) People usually only ask if an individual if they are driving after they've had about 3-4 and are clearly, happy ... hmmm.
5) And, if you aren't drinking, your friends/acquaintences/conversation members all feel the need to announce it to the new people entering your circle even if the present conversation was regarding something banal such as Bay area geography. "What is the name of the "Crooked Street?" "It is ... (new person entering conversation)... Hi! By the way, ______ is not drinking tonight... Lombard. The Real Worlders lived in a house on Lombard."

Another succesful week. Hope everyone is having a good one.

Stay strong and sing in the shower.

Happy Birthday!

2007-05-09T09:12:00.000-07:00

I'm a sucker for birthdays and will celebrate them to no end. So... here's my birthday post to you.

Happy Birthday!

And yes, you can leave early today. :)

If not for health, then for vanity...

2007-05-01T11:05:00.000-07:00

I've recently been inspired by a good friend.

The alcohol ingesting has reached its peak. To the point where clothes are starting to not fit and I am feeling sluggish and gross most of the time. This hasn't happened since college and I had made a promise to myself not to go back. And slowly, the isht creeped up on me.

So, my pledge - No more alcohol; work out at least 3 days a week and eat fish twice a week (the last two are health pledges, but work in my favor for vanity).

I didn't put an "end" date on the alcohol drought, I'm hoping that once I get into the groove it, it won't matter and I'll be back to my former self that would nurse a beer every 20 days and be happy; instead of downing 3-4 on a random Sunday evening with dinner.

As my friend did, I'll post updates on my progress.

So my fellow readers, who wants to join me?

3BT

2007-04-26T13:51:00.000-07:00

1. Blue skies, trees with full leaves and warm atmosphere.
2. Beautiful Irish setter that didn't need a leash to be walked.
3. My clean living room.

Tidbits for today-

2007-04-26T13:26:00.000-07:00

Introducing my little brother
SVA is my pride and joy. My brother is a fantastic kid, has grown up to be an even better adult and continually keeps me laughing. As a professional, he works for an engineering company in a Texas and makes lots of money doing so. However, the only "downside" to this is that his job requires him to work some funky hours, 7P-7A. He has learned to work with this schedule regarding his personal/social life, and I get weekly phone calls on how he's doing. A snippet from our conversation today:
Me: "So, things going well with the schedule and such?"
SVA: "Yeah... I get Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights off, so it's cool for going out. Just during the day, everyone else is at work, and I don't really have anyone to hang out with. You know what I need?"
Me: "No, what?"
SVA: "I need a good-looking girl that has nothing to do all day that I can hang out with. Yeah, that's what I need, a girl with nothing to do all day."

That's my little brother, a great supporter for independent women.

The 5-second rule
The 5-second rule: if one is to drop a piece of food on the floor, that individual has T minus 5 seconds to pick it up and eat it. After that, it is inedible.

I don't actually practice this theory, because, ewww.... but it comes to mind every so often. Today, while I was eating my edamame, I happened to drop a bean on the floor. As I went to pick it up, I kept hearing in my head, "5-second rule! 5-second rule!" I picked up the bean in like 3.5 seconds. It had a hair stuck to it. 5-second rule still apply? I think not.

A belated weekend update-

2007-04-24T14:35:00.000-07:00

Only because I must post a plug for one of THE BEST concerts I have been to: Railroad Earth.

On the quick: UGS went to a bachelor party this weekend in Vegas (I haven't asked, he hasn't told, we're going to keep it that way). I spent Friday night in the city with co-workers getting horrendously inebriated. There were some mixed drinks, perhaps a shot of tequila and quite possibly some nicotine... but I digress. I spent an oxymoronic Saturday in production and massive hungoverness. I became an official Californian - plated my car and got my driver's license!
*Side rant: WTF is up with paying the difference on taxes for a car you have already bought in another state AND for not giving me my license right away? In Indiana, they have this zippy little machine that prints out your license for you, so you leave with it. Here, in CA, I get to drive around with a piece of paper like I am 15 with my permit and no license for two weeks. TWO WEEKS?!End rant*
Then after spending way too much time at the DMV, got a haircut, Bhagavad Gita class, mondo-uber-delicious dinner cooked by some fantastic aunties, and then off to the city for a concert.

Concert recap: The Duhks from Winnipeg, Manitoba started the show off amazingly. Their lead singer sang the roof off and the music was just foot-stompin' good. Railroad Earth then took the show to another level. I was in a trance for most of the concert, eyes closed, body moving and just letting the music become a part of me. It was a holistic experience, that concert. Holistic in the sense that everything was in place that evening - the driving, the bomb-ass parking, friendly homeless folks, the group at the concert, the music, the intoxicants (beer and such) and especially, the after-eats.

Then, drove back to my part of the Bay Area, came home and passed out. Good times.

Is there a reason?

2007-04-17T15:55:00.000-07:00

I've a firm believer in a higher power. I won't get into my official religion, rites, etc. that I choose to practice, but I BELIEVE in a higher power. Many things have happened in my life that confirm that belief, as there are many things that have questioned it. It is because of this belief that in my life, "whatever happens, happens for a reason." This school of thought has given me the strength not to dwell, but also not to take the good things for granted. I'm extremely blessed and have a fairly postive outlook. When times are bad, I know that it is for a reason, and things will get better.

Yesterday, something happened that shook that belief to the core. Why? What can possess a person to commit so much heartache to so many people? What is going on in their head that allows them to carry on such violent acts; and then selfishly surrender themselves to their violent act and not face the consequences? Why were there parents of the students left to wonder in the first few hours of this massacre, left to wonder whether it is their child that was one of the 30+? Why did so many people have to die? Why?

I have no explanations. Only questions, and only looking to my beliefs that this will get better and somewhere, we will find the reasons/answers that so many are now looking for/need.

My condolences go out to the families who have lost their children, and to the students who have lost their friends. To a school and to a country that lost its innocence in such a grotesque manner. May God rest their souls in peace.

3BT

2007-04-12T09:24:00.000-07:00

3BT is a site I found through a friend. It is a pretty nifty concept - record three beautiful things that have given me pleasure, or made me smile. The friend does it on Thursdays, so I'm going to do a Diddy* and follow her lead. Here are my three beautiful things for today:

1. Watching the sun rise and light up all of my neighborhood during this morning's jog.

2. An elderly couple leaving the car; the husband got out (slowly); walked over to the other side (slowly); opened the door (slowly); and helped his wife out of the car (slowly). They then both smiled at each other as they went about their way (slowly).

3. Chatting with my Ma this morning for a decent amount of time. Since I moved to the Bay and with the time difference, it's hard to get good quality phone time with the Ma on a weekday.

*Diddy claims his success is due to Russell Simmons. When he (Diddy) started; he did everything Russell Simmons did. Diddy is now worth $350 Million...

Friday Fun

2007-04-06T09:42:00.000-07:00

Something fun I found, if you are into celebrities:

Random...

2007-04-04T13:34:00.000-07:00

So I usually go to YouTube to "listen" to music. It's fun to find videos, clips, etc. So, I'm on a Hindi music kick today and decided I wanted to listen to "Dekho Na" from the movie Fanaa and I clicked on it... and then I was taken to this page:

And if you cannot read the fine print:

Hmm... I've watched this video a few times. I'm not really sure if there was anything that needed to be flagged as inappropriate. I mean, Amir Khan does "rip" off Kajol's shawl in the beginning of the scene, and there is some heavy petting here and there and I'll question the last 30 seconds of the video (focusing on the final 15 seconds). But I've seen much worse things on YouTube that HAVEN'T been flagged ... you be the judge:

Desis in the Media Response...

2007-03-30T10:33:00.000-07:00

Just to clarify a few things regarding my last post... it's American Idol... I really don't believe that things that happen on American Idol will effectively change the world for better. Regardless of who wins, hunger is still there; there is still a war waging internally and on the other side of the world and Bush is still in office. For my statement regarding, "even one drop makes you South Asian, so you have my vote," applies only to such things (American Idol, Big Brother, etc...) And I actually do think that Sanjaya is okay, he's not the best, there are better, but I like him. For a 17-year old that has all this controversy around him regarding his popularity, is acting fairly cool, in my humble opinion.

I should have rephrased it and possibly not been so strong with the statement. Again, it's American Idol, it's not world politics. I wouldn't vote for an Indian to be in office just because that individual is of South Asian descent. And I don't think that other South Asians should do as such.

I'm writing this post as a clarification, not as a retraction. I stand by what I said, but only for things that are light and fluffy, such as American Idol. Thank you.

Desis in the Media

2007-03-29T14:32:00.000-07:00

I'll admit, not a huge Idol fan. Simon Cowell's bashing of young talent is mean; Paula Abdul's "Oh, wow. You. Are. Awesome."-(tear)-hand-to-heart bit is eye-rollable and Randy... does he say anything of meaning aside from advocating gastric-bypass surgery? I do enjoy singing Kelly Clarkson songs at the top of my lungs at times (Since you've been gone!)... but that's where it ended. Till this year.

Hi. My name is BlueKrsna and I'm a fan of Sanjaya Malakar.

He's 1/2 Desi. ~~To me, even one drop makes you a fellow South Asian, so you have my vote.~~ And he's cute. If I was a 13-year-old, I'd be crushing on him. His singing is really raw but he has talent. Less show, more vocals, but workable. And isn't that what AI is all about? Finding that hidden talent somewhere in this country and putting it on stage for America to decide? And guess what judges? America is deciding. Now the reasons that they are voting for Sanjaya may not be because they actually like him (votefortheworst.com), but they are voting, they are voting for him, and he's winning. That's the whole premise of the show. Right?

So the whole reason for this blog piece today... on my g-mail g-talk status message I put, "Vote Sanjaya!" And the amount of response it elicited...

Comment 1: "Oh puleeze the man cannot sing and he's so f*ckin fem...You have to be kidding me Again he cannot sing and he is totally gay You want me to believe you would purchase his album or listen to him on the radio?!?! Poor fem kid don't set him up for failure."
-Um... okay, so no need to be that mean. He's 17... and I don't purchase albums (limewire.com), EVER, and I don't listen to the radio. And just cause he's fem, doesn't mean he can't sing.
Comment 2 (and my favorite): "what time does idol start? dude sanjaya's sister is sooo bangin"
-I proceeded to have a conversation with this individual about Sanjaya's sister's chest region and provided him with the following link: http://www.dlisted.com/node/8160 Yes, I'm a bit disturbed at myself. She's 17...
Comment 3: "seriously? you're a sanjaya fan?"
-Yes.
Comment 4: "helll no. .. sanjaya is a FLAMER"
-So he's a bit flamboyant. No one liked his hairdo from last night?

Now, I don't chat with too many folks through g-chat, so to get four, very adamant comments off of my little status message. Wow.

My take on the whole thing; he's a kid that's trying. Let's applaud him for it.

I'll leave you with some vocal stylings of Sanjaya:

Food... yum.

2007-03-22T10:05:00.000-07:00

My dear friend Anuzi tagged me in regards to one of my loves in life, food. Food is GLORIOUS. Food evokes a rush of memories that can make my stomach turn; has brought and will bring my loved ones together and is just an all around comfort. Don't misread in that I USE food as a comfort and down a pint of Dreyer's (Edy's for you Midwesterners) in the dark. I just love food. Love it.

To the point of this blog; she, my dear friend (Anuzi), saw this interesting foodie blog about 5 Dishes to eat again before one dies. So, she tagged a few of us to "Making sure my love affair with food will continue," (ref - Arches). Here are my five:

1) Chaat - a jumble of flavor and texture: sweet, sour, salty, spicy, crunchy, soft, nutty, fried and flaky tidbits, doused with cool yogurt or cold Jaljeera; fresh cilantro and tangy tamarind and sprinkled with chaat masala. The contrasts are enticing and fast. At the Chaat stalls in Bombay (Mumbai) on Santa Cruz or at Chowpatty Beach, Chaat gets down and dirty and HELLA good. For pani puri, the masalas are bright and plentiful, the puris hot and oily, plump daals; potatoes and onions chopped and ready to go. Pani puri is known for the "work" involved; at the stall the Chaat wallah does everything for you, except for the Jaljeera pani; that, you hold the puri and he fills it up for you and then you put the whole thing in your mouth and eat. And this whole event lasts roughly 5-10 seconds, so in under a minute, you are CHOWING. The samosas are piping hot, split open, ready for you to delight and burn your taste buds; dhai is thick and just the right amount of sour to balance the masalas; and the bhel... don't look while they make it, not sure what they stir in... but it is an amalgam of flavors that keep your head and taste buds buzzing long after.
(I will add a counter point in saying - BE CAREFUL; give it three weeks in India, and then you can ingest local foods; and faces covered to protect the innocent)

2) Sushi - the only restaurant recommendation I can make is that whatever city you are in, definitely go to a good restaurant. There is nothing worse than having dry rice and sticky fish in your sushi. Once you get to the good restaurant start with the edamame and miso soup. Edamame is fantastic, like potato chips, salty and you can't eat just one; but much healthier. Miso soup is a light soup that keeps your tummy warm and a good precursor to sushi. For sushi types, I personally enjoy a crunchy spider roll (fried soft shell crab); salty/sweet Unagi (eel); or a simple tuna roll. I've tried some new things, such as salmon roe on top - delightful little silky beads that have so much flavor; tempura shrimp (fried shrimp); and raw fish on top of the sushi (fish galore). I don't go for the California roll, or anything with cream cheese in it - it's too Americanized... and if you get a chance, watch the chef roll your sushi, it's damn cool.

3)Noodles - some people eat mashed potatoes or ice cream for comfort, noodles are mine. Especially Asian noodles such as jab chae; udon; or soba... slurping up noodles is a good past time. An easy and fairly healthy dish:
Soba Noodles:

-One pound of Soba Noodles - cook till al dente or a bit softer then plunge in ice cold water
-Soba sauce - can get it in a bottle at local Asian store or in the Asian foods aisle; or mix one part soya sauce with one part mirin (sweet rice wine) till it appeases your taste - it should be a little sweet.
-Minced green onions
Drain noodles, toss noodles with sauce and minced green onions. Garnish with lots of cilantro. Yum.

4)Fried fish - Indian style. My favorites are pomfret and catfish. My family makes the batter very spicy; fries the fish, and then puts it in the oven for a bit so the outer layer gets very crispy. That and a bowl of hot white rice with some daal is heaven in thaali.

5)Anything my mom makes. Thinking about her food is making my mouth water. Masala dosa; chicken biryani; butter chicken; masoor daal... she puts so much love an ease into her food, each bite is excruciatingly good.

Since I love food so much, I won't just stop at five, but I'll list a few other favorites:

Chicken and dumplings, Meen Moile, Turkey Chili, Salmon, Tuna, Tuna Tartare, Pakoras, Manchurian, Tofu Lo Mein, Crab Masla Randey (Konkani dish)... and the list goes on.

I won't be tagging anyone, but if you choose to comment, tell me, what are your favorites?

New Year's Day

2007-03-20T14:21:00.000-07:00

Happy (belated) Ugadi to my fellow Southies!

Family Reunion Recap

2007-03-16T13:57:00.000-07:00

Spent last weekend in Chicago with a few (I mean like 20+) friends to do our usual thing.

I would like to thank the city of Chicago for having such wonderful weather for our visit. I've been in the Bay for little over a month and have already become weak to cold weather. So I was fretting right up until the moment I walked outside of Midway Airport. The way I was going on, one would have thought I was going to Antarctica with only a sweater. To my utter joy: breezes, mild cold, and very sunny, fantastic.

And I must rephrase my first statement: "I went to Chicago last weekend with a few (I mean like 20+) family members to do our usual thing." If one ever needed a visual definition of friendship, watch us. I'm so ridiculously happy after spending time with these individuals. I've known most of them for roughly a year or so... but it feels like I've known them forever. The openess with words, hugs, and gratuitous food and drink is something I didn't understand or even know I needed till it all happened.

My only gripe for the weekend - the smoking... ugh. In the words of my friend, "It's so naaaast..." Chicago, please do all of us a favor and get rid of the smoking in public places. Aside from the unhealthiness, etc... it smells so bad. Ugh.

So, in summation - lots of laughs, fair amounts of alcohol, money on cabs, FOOD, Nintendo Wii, and QT with my BFFs.

Good times ya'll, we should do it again soon.

Healing

2007-03-06T23:12:00.000-08:00

So after a few sad posts and introspection, I feel that it is time to feel light and happy again; well, for the most part. Life goes on, and she'd want me to be happy; that's what I need to keep thinking.

I'm going to use this post to thank all my friends, family and especially, UGS, for being there for me. February was a rough month, luckily, it was only 28 days and it's over now. Without all that love and support, it wouldn't have been as "easy" to get through.

Nothing much else for now, just working and getting used to "big city" life... it's all good in the Bay.

Till next time-

Strength or Ignorance?

2007-02-27T10:32:00.000-08:00

Before is a whirlwind of memories, thoughts, and experiences. Now, everything is a separate event. A shirt I wore, she won't ever see me in; the Oscars I watched on television, she and I won't talk about it; a song I heard; she won't hear it. In the past few days I'm beginning to understand how permanent "death" is. Regarding Mamama, it means things like not hearing her voice on my birthday, or smelling the tiger balm she puts on at night. But those are just things... what they actually mean, I have yet to wrap my psyche around.

I don't know how to mourn a loss and to heal from it. I know how to be strong, how to rationalize it in my head; like an upsetting movie that I'm thinking about for a few days after viewing it. Or hearing bad news, and everytime you remember what you heard, it's like, "oh, right...damn..." I want to feel the weight of what has happened, I want to scream, to cry, to be unconsolable. My fear is that it will hit me at the worst time, or a long time from now, when everyone else is "over it," and all of a sudden, I'm thrown into a mess of tears and anguish. Right now I'm trying to figure out whether it is because I don't fully understand and FEEL what has happened, or really, am I that strong of a person?

What I couldn't say...

2007-02-22T13:06:00.000-08:00

He could.

In loving memory...

2007-02-20T10:23:00.000-08:00

Any person that knows me well enough knows that when, "I think I'm going to vomit" is uttered, circumstances have become too much. I've said it multiple times this morning.

Today, to deal, I'm silent. No talking, no thinking about what is coming out of my mouth. I don't have to make the choice of telling the truth or lying. Bury myself in a book, work, listening only to the sound of the keyboard, ambient sounds at work, something. Anything.

*********************

The phone rang, 6:53A. "Ma, everything okay?" "Amana... Amma passed away last night." No. I shook my head, "Huh?" She said it again and this time, the words sink in. The wind knocked out of me, I fall to the floor, sobbing...6:54A... and then realized who I was talking to. MY amma, Mamama's youngest, her favorite, and then one that needed her (Mamama) the most. I stopped, gained my composure and let her grieve. Then, the rest of the phone calls. My brother, my Dad, my cousin, and then most difficult, my phone call to the family, back home. Between 6:53A and 7:25A, I talked. Grieved, reassured, cried a bit, and talked some more. And now, I don't know what else to do, but to be silent.

*********************

I don't know how to end this post. To end it with a great tribute to my grandmother won't do her justice. Words cannot describe who this woman is and what she meant to all of us. I thank her for being there, for the unconditional love and support, and for being her. Today I will mourn her loss, but forever, I will rejoice in her life.

In the meantime, silence.

S.M.S.R

May 20th, 1920 - February 20th, 2007

Spread the love!

2007-02-14T14:52:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day to all!

Here in the city it is a gorgeous, calm day, punctuated by the sight of hurried men shopping ... hehe. I really don't have an opinion on this holiday either way. My take on it: celebrate love, those you love, and yourself. The only thing mandatory is doing something nice for someone else; not just because of what day it is, but because you want to, and you would have done it anyway.

I will leave this on a super sappy note, because I will be having a fantastic (Valentine's) day with my special one.

UPDATE

2007-02-14T12:58:00.000-08:00

If you haven't read the original: tough cookies. TC sent them a letter, regarding what will happen to the priest, etc. She received this response. TC being who she is, struck back, in the most calm and eloquent manner. Her strength amazes me. Please continue to follow her story, and stories of others. Awareness and action is the only cure to this disease.

Tag, you're it!

2007-02-13T11:12:00.000-08:00

Thanks Brown Sugar for the tag, I have officially entered blogger world...

Three things that scare me:
1. Unsolved Mysteries
2. Being lonely
3. Bills

Three people who make me laugh:
1. Hash
2. Ranju
3. Chai
One must meet all aforementioned individuals to get the gist of how much these three make me laugh.

Three things I love:
1. Dessert
2. My DVR
3. Family/Friends

Three things I hate:
1. Being sick
2. Negativity
3. Leaving the toilet seat up

Three things I don't understand:
1. Inability to let go
2. Inability to follow direction
3. Inability to love

Three things on my desk:
1. Cell Phone
2. Jamba Juice
3. Day planner

Three things I'm doing right now:
1. Listening to my new favorite CD
2. Trying to look busy at work
3. Working on a media plan

Three things I want to do before I die:
1. Stay at an ashram in India
2. Sky-dive
3. Raise a family

Three things I can do:
1. Cook
2. Make great friends
3. Drive a stick

Three things you should listen to:
1. Your mother
2. The laughter of children
3. Yourself

Three things you should never listen to:
1. Sound of death
2. Ignorance
3. Unhappy puppies

Three things I'd like to learn:
1. How to decorate
2. Speak a new language
3. The difference between "love" and "in love"

Three favorite foods:
1. Konkani (mom's especially)
2. Asian (sushi, noodles)
3. All forms of chaat

Three beverages I drink regularly:
1. Green tea
2. Water
3. Beer

Three TV shows/Books I watched/read as a kid:
1. Ramona Quimby series
2. The Cosby Show
3. Judy Blume books

Three people I am tagging
1. Ranju
2. Vlove
3. MKP

It was a good day

2007-02-12T23:08:00.000-08:00

Million reasons to smile, here are three:
1)It rained at all the right times (e.g. - when I was NOT outside walking)
2)Pandora continued to shuffle to my new favorite artist - Nya Jade. A local Bay artist with an amazing sound. Mini-plug: she's playing this Friday in the city at Canvas Cafe and Gallery @ 6P.
3)Today, February 12th, 2007, marks six amazing months with UGS.

I haven't gone to bed this happy in a long time.

It's Phriday!

2007-02-09T11:52:00.000-08:00

Chastity:I know you can be under whelmed, and you can be overwhelmed, but can you ever just be, like, whelmed?
Bianca: I think you can in Europe.
-10 Things I Hate About you

I was overwhelmed. To list it out: even more things I have to buy for my apartment; incoming bills; taking over full time for all the projects at work next week; and the impending arrival of my little man. Subsequently, I was in a fairly foul mood yesterday; alleviated eventually by beer and Thursday night television on ABC.

This morning, on the way to work, I started thinking and listed out all the good things going on and have come to realize that a getting a few pots and pans and paying for electricity, not that bad. So to end this short post, I'll leave you with a few positives:
-Having my little man at home with me finally. He's a lot of work, but he's mine and I love him.
-Little packets of honey at work that alleviate my sweet tooth and apparently, according to the following, are very healthy.
-I was equally annoyed about the rain and cold weather out here (I'm in California for Pete's sake)... but then I saw a homeless guy sleeping in the building entrance... I no longer felt cold.
-And this story, told to me by one of my med school friends:
"Med school is going great. I've started my rotations. On Pyschiatry right now, fun times and stories: I saw this guy walking up and down the hall of the ward, talking to himself, shouting orders and making business deals. At the end of the week I realized he didnt have schizophrenia, he had a bluetooth headset."

Happy Friday to all!

It's been a while...

2007-02-05T15:31:00.000-08:00

For those that avidly check this and want to know all about my FANTASTIC life... sorry for not posting...I've been busy moving, starting the new job and experiencing a social life again. Few things:

1 - Big thanks and love to the Bay folks that have made me feel right at home.
2 - The commute thing is not so bad (this coming from the girl that has currently commuted all of three days in her life).
3 - The weather is fantastic. Snow is officially a VERRY distant memory.
4 - The opportunities to eat and eat well have multiplied exponentially. Thankfully the walk from BART to work and back (see #3) has made it feasible to eat well and not blow up like a zephyr in record time.
5 - Watching a Midwestern Super Bowl in California... hmmm.... I may have to fly back to Indiana if and WHEN the Colts make it to the Super Bowl again.

I'll write more later, thanks for checking in.

GO COLTS!!!

We will not be quiet.

2007-01-25T13:49:00.000-08:00

Today, I was going to whinge about the drama I am having regarding moving and everything else that is changing due to my job switching. Woe is me...

Then, I read this.

Not having read the original post, I found it reposted here (scroll down). As I was catching my breath, I read this nonsense (the first comment).

My mind is swirling, I am at a loss and felt compelled to blog about it. For me, there are a few issues at hand:

1)Religion, profession, location, actions and reactions at the time, do NOT matter. My friend was assaulted. Period.
2) The fact that she was asked to take her post down so as not to, "harm our good image in general of Hinduism," is just as wrong and is assault number two.
3)The comment made by down2earth regarding her situation was the third strike in this matter.

The common theme here is that my friend was disrespected, wholly and unabashedly, in three separate situations, by three separate individuals. This is not tolerable.

This situation is a universal one, the perpetrator used his position in order to get what he wanted. I figure her specifying that it was a "Hindu priest" struck a nerve with some folks. Regarding the religious connotation, I feel that it doesn't matter/does matter that the victimizer was a Hindu priest. It doesn't matter because he is guilty of sexual assault, regardless of who he is and/or what he does, and to be silent about it to protect the religion, will not alleviate the situation. However, it does matter, because someone that is to be trusted based on faith; not a "stranger" per se, but someone similar to a professor, teacher, counselor violated that trust using his role in a religion to his advantage.

My response to all of this is a heavy sigh, and a desire to do something. I hope that this situation opens up the eyes of you, my dear reader. What needs to be emphasized here is that my friend was assaulted and did her best to speak out about it. I applaud her for her efforts.

I am posting this in order to support her, to spread the message and to NOT BE SILENCED.

Going, going... to Cali(fornia).... and other such things.

2007-01-22T14:04:00.000-08:00

God forbid I call it "Cali," or refer to the the city as "San Fran" or (gasp!) "Frisco." I guess it is kind of like someone referring to Indianapolis and basically the entire south central region of Indiana as "Indy." There are specific cities, one of which I have lived in for about 9 years now. Bloomington. Bloomington, IN.... home of IU; "Sink the Biz;" and a vast array of college memories. I HEART Bloomington.

Big changes in my life. Found a fantastic new job, so I'm packing up the small things and moving. I'm giving up couches I've lived on; a bed I've had since I was 2; and a new television I've had an intense love affair with since last year. It is scary, but strangely exhilirating. I hope this whole, "discarding of the material things" will help me find out... something...

This space may help me reduce the clutter (physical and mental) I feel like I have. And since this is being published on the Internet, I'll take the time to write, therefore, examining my thoughts more thoroughly. I tend to get lazy and comfortable in life, and basically fly at altitude. I NEED to be a fighter pilot, making turns and dips that makes me want to vonku* and my eyes tear up. This move to California, and this here blog, is just that.

I've envied my friends that have successfully blogged and have had me hooked onto their lives and times. This is my attempt at joining that exclusive circle...

And for now, I'm out. I'm in the midst of cleaning, packing and taking in all that I can of Bloomington before I head off into the sunset.

*vonku - Konkani GSB word for "vomit." Great, isn't it?