Yop!!!

The Hair Delema

2011-05-26T17:15:00.000-07:00

So this isn't quite in pattern with wedding decisions but is is one of the things I worry most about.


Just Curly and Free

Anyone who knows me knows about my thick, curly, sometimes unruly hair. I love my hair. I have extremely thick and curly natural Black American Hair.

Somewhat contained

Due to how long it takes to blow out my hair (3 hours) and flat iron it (another 2-3 hours) I only wear my hair straight when one of my friends is willing to do it this, usually at their request, and usually they only do that once.

Blown Out


Twisted

I have plenty of fun styles I like to wear, but weddings are supposed to be something great.


Normal day to day look

Out and Free-er in Israel

So now for my rant, inspired by I Do My Do

There are almost NO good ideas for naturally curly wedding hair styles. Most of the ones I find just show people who have their hair either in a 'Fro, twisted, or straightened for the wedding. I know there are natural styles out there, why don't people display them more. Moreover when they do show a curly style it is for someone who has extremely loose curls or very thin hair. ARGH!

On the upside I have managed to find a great, affordable hairdresser in Dayton who is creative and willing to work with me. Best believe there will be plenty of pictures posted when we do it properly.

So for anyone who has naturally curly hair and wants wedding hair style ideas, here are some pictures from my idea folder that I've been collecting for the last 3ish years. I don't own the rights to any of the pictures and hope I'm not violating any laws.

And I challenge Pantene, Carol's Daughter, or any of those hair product places who love to rave about how they can do anyone's hair to try mine ;-)

Choosing the Date

2011-05-04T15:08:00.000-07:00

Solitaire Trillion Sapphire in White Gold. I know it's hot!

I got engaged April 19th, 2008 to a fabulous man.

Our first decision, as prompted by most wedding books, was to choose a wedding date. I still had a year left of my masters degree, and was applying to medical school (which would add on another four years). With a bit of consideration we thought it would be great to have the wedding around the same time as the engagement. We wanted an outdoor wedding so it had to be warmish. Since we are paying for the wedding ourselves, we also wanted time to save money. So we finalized the date

April 20th, 2013.

This would allow us plenty of time to plan, bargain hunt, and save money along the way. It also would not interfere with my schooling or his, and there would be less expectation to be Dr. Goodwin instead of Dr. Shegog (more on this later). It was a Saturday, between our two birthdays (February and July) so no build up of present buying; silly but yes I think about these things.

So here are some things to consider when choosing the date

Who is paying? (saving money takes time)
What else is going in the next year or so (multiple big life changes take time to prepare for)
Do you really have time to plan a wedding (the more time you have the less you have to spend on it right now)
Indoors or Outdoors? (Big consideration for seasons and dress - check average forecasts for your location)
What is there to wait for or rush for (Job changes or other big family event may call for a longer time line, Elderly grandparents may cause a rush)
Fridays and off season is usually cheaper for everything (Photographer, flowers, DJ, name it, it's cheaper)
Notification timing (If you really want your uncle the surgeon to come, you should give him a years notice or at least 6-8 months)
When do you want to celebrate your anniversary (Do you really want to overlap on big holidays)
Beliefs and Custom (Will it require you not living together and in a long distance relationship, or do you think it is more important that everyone have the right to marry before you tie the knot?)

Still some ask "Why so long an engagement." When we get married we will have been engaged for 5 years, and together for more than 6. With finishing my thesis, moving to a new city, starting medical school, the last 3 years have been busy. But we've had the time and could look for things on non-exam weekends and over breaks. Now with 2 years to go, most of the big stuff (location, flowers, dress, food, centerpieces, etc) are done, purchased, or decided. Such a time line has even given us time to grow our own plants for centerpieces and find some incredible deals.

Though many, MANY of my friends have gotten engaged and married before we will, I still appreciate the time I took to plan.

The day I got engaged I sent this picture to my friends and family

So choose a date, even a far one. What's the rush?

New Rationale Wedding Blog

2011-04-17T16:11:00.000-07:00

Whereas: I have now been engaged for 3 years and much of our wedding planning is done.
Whereas: Our wedding is going to be extremely different from the "typical"
Whereas: Friends and family who hear about our wedding keep saying that we should be on a television show it will be so different.
Whereas: There is probably someone else who would like to know what I know.

Therefore Be it resolved that Yop, while having a few updates on my life in Medical School, will now be a outlet for the interesting things I've learned about in wedding planning and detail some of the fun things we are doing.

Yop!!! Lives

6 or so months later

2009-04-21T16:16:00.000-07:00

I'm still working on my thesis. Oy they seem to last forever. I've now officially been on the project team about a year. But I should start making some great strides soon . . . like tomorrow. Still engaged. Still hoping to hear back from another school. However I did make it in to Ohio State's Medical Program. It's a five year instead of a four year program, but I'm in, which is the important thing.

That time of the year again

2008-11-24T11:02:00.000-08:00

Yes it is that time when money seems to fall away like the cold rain off my window shield and the biggest question of the day is how will I make it to next quarter. The second biggest question of the day is what am I going to get my family for Christmas.

Meanwhile back at the macbook I'm still chugging away at a few more secondaries before Dec 1st. No matter how much I planned to have them done a month ago things just got drawn out. On the up side of things I'm submitting a mini grant proposal today for my thesis project and my adviser doesn't seem too put out that I ended up about a month behind where I wanted to be.

MIA for a Year or So

2008-09-22T15:41:00.001-07:00

So I realized I haven't posted in a really. . . really long time. That's mainly because I haven't had time. I don't really have time now. I'm doing research for my thesis, working on medical school secondaries, starting a new job tomorrow, starting my last year at OSU School of Public Health Wednesday, and. . . something else maybe. Life hasn't been this busy the whole time, but nearly so. There is the added fact that I'm engaged and try to spend as much time as possible with Stephan. Which isn't much since he lives two hours south in Fairfield Ohio. Anyway, I will try to be a bit more diligent, or at least give more than one post a year.

Sunny Days

2007-11-20T12:49:00.000-08:00

Interesting statement on the reality (or lack thereof) in children's programing. I still love it though and am glad to have volume one. :-)Sweeping the Clouds Away

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By VIRGINIA HEFFERNAN
Published: November 18, 2007

Sunny days! The earliest episodes of “Sesame Street” are available on digital video! Break out some Keebler products, fire up the DVD player and prepare for the exquisite pleasure-pain of top-shelf nostalgia.
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The Medium

For adventures in digital culture, don't miss The Medium, a blog by Virginia Heffernan.

Just don’t bring the children. According to an earnest warning on Volumes 1 and 2, “Sesame Street: Old School” is adults-only: “These early ‘Sesame Street’ episodes are intended for grown-ups, and may not suit the needs of today’s preschool child.”

Say what? At a recent all-ages home screening, a hush fell over the room. “What did they do to us?” asked one Gen-X mother of two, finally. The show rolled, and the sweet trauma came flooding back. What they did to us was hard-core. Man, was that scene rough. The masonry on the dingy brownstone at 123 Sesame Street, where the closeted Ernie and Bert shared a dismal basement apartment, was deteriorating. Cookie Monster was on a fast track to diabetes. Oscar’s depression was untreated. Prozacky Elmo didn’t exist.

Nothing in the children’s entertainment of today, candy-colored animation hopped up on computer tricks, can prepare young or old for this frightening glimpse of simpler times. Back then — as on the very first episode, which aired on PBS Nov. 10, 1969 — a pretty, lonely girl like Sally might find herself befriended by an older male stranger who held her hand and took her home. Granted, Gordon just wanted Sally to meet his wife and have some milk and cookies, but . . . well, he could have wanted anything. As it was, he fed her milk and cookies. The milk looks dangerously whole.

Live-action cows also charge the 1969 screen — cows eating common grass, not grain improved with hormones. Cows are milked by plain old farmers, who use their unsanitary hands and fill one bucket at a time. Elsewhere, two brothers risk concussion while whaling on each other with allergenic feather pillows. Overweight layabouts, lacking touch-screen iPods and headphones, jockey for airtime with their deafening transistor radios. And one of those radios plays a late-’60s news report — something about a “senior American official” and “two billion in credit over the next five years” — that conjures a bleak economic climate, with war debt and stagflation in the offing.

The old “Sesame Street” is not for the faint of heart, and certainly not for softies born since 1998, when the chipper “Elmo’s World” started. Anyone who considers bull markets normal, extracurricular activities sacrosanct and New York a tidy, governable place — well, the original “Sesame Street” might hurt your feelings.

I asked Carol-Lynn Parente, the executive producer of “Sesame Street,” how exactly the first episodes were unsuitable for toddlers in 2007. She told me about Alistair Cookie and the parody “Monsterpiece Theater.” Alistair Cookie, played by Cookie Monster, used to appear with a pipe, which he later gobbled. According to Parente, “That modeled the wrong behavior” — smoking, eating pipes — “so we reshot those scenes without the pipe, and then we dropped the parody altogether.”

Which brought Parente to a feature of “Sesame Street” that had not been reconstructed: the chronically mood-disordered Oscar the Grouch. On the first episode, Oscar seems irredeemably miserable — hypersensitive, sarcastic, misanthropic. (Bert, too, is described as grouchy; none of the characters, in fact, is especially sunshiney except maybe Ernie, who also seems slow.) “We might not be able to create a character like Oscar now,” she said.

Snuffleupagus is visible only to Big Bird; since 1985, all the characters can see him, as Big Bird’s old protestations that he was not hallucinating came to seem a little creepy, not to mention somewhat strained. As for Cookie Monster, he can be seen in the old-school episodes in his former inglorious incarnation: a blue, googly-eyed cookievore with a signature gobble (“om nom nom nom”). Originally designed by Jim Henson for use in commercials for General Foods International and Frito-Lay, Cookie Monster was never a righteous figure. His controversial conversion to a more diverse diet wouldn’t come until 2005, and in the early seasons he comes across a Child’s First Addict.

The biggest surprise of the early episodes is the rural — agrarian, even — sequences. Episode 1 spends a stoned time warp in the company of backlighted cows, while they mill around and chew cud. This pastoral scene rolls to an industrial voiceover explaining dairy farms, and the sleepy chords of Joe Raposo’s aimless masterpiece, “Hey Cow, I See You Now.” Chewing the grass so green/Making the milk/Waiting for milking time/Waiting for giving time/Mmmmm.

Oh, what’s that? Right, the trance of early “Sesame Street” and its country-time sequences. In spite of the show’s devotion to its “target child,” the “4-year-old inner-city black youngster” (as The New York Times explained in 1979), the first episodes join kids cavorting in amber waves of grain — black children, mostly, who must be pressed into service as the face of America’s farms uniquely on “Sesame Street.”

In East Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant in 1978, 95 percent of households with kids ages 2 to 5 watched “Sesame Street.” The figure was even higher in Washington. Nationwide, though, the number wasn’t much lower, and was largely determined by the whims of the PBS affiliates: 80 percent in houses with young children. The so-called inner city became anywhere that “Sesame Street” played, because the Children’s Television Workshop declared the inner city not a grim sociological reality but a full-color fantasy — an eccentric scene, framed by a box and far removed from real farmland and city streets alike.

The concept of the “inner city” — or “slums,” as The Times bluntly put it in its first review of “Sesame Street” — was therefore transformed into a kind of Xanadu on the show: a bright, no-clouds, clear-air place where people bopped around with monsters and didn’t worry too much about money, cleanliness or projecting false cheer. The Upper West Side, hardly a burned-out ghetto, was said to be the model.

People on “Sesame Street” had limited possibilities and fixed identities, and (the best part) you weren’t expected to change much. The harshness of existence was a given, and no one was proposing that numbers and letters would lead you “out” of your inner city to Elysian suburbs. Instead, “Sesame Street” suggested that learning might merely make our days more bearable, more interesting, funnier. It encouraged us, above all, to be nice to our neighbors and to cultivate the safer pleasures that take the edge off — taking baths, eating cookies, reading. Don’t tell the kids.

Science always makes things intersting

2007-08-03T06:20:00.000-07:00

NYT Science
Within Discredited Stem Cell Research, a True Scientific First

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By NICHOLAS WADE
Published: August 3, 2007

The world of stem cell research was set reeling two years ago when its most successful practitioner, the Korean scientist Hwang Woo Suk, was found to have fabricated much of his work. But according to a new post-mortem of his research, he did achieve a scientific first, though not the one he claimed.
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Ahn Young-Joon/Associated Press

The Korean scientist Hwang Woo Suk was found to have faked data.

Dr. Hwang said he had derived embryonic stem cells from the adult cells of a patient, but the claim was discredited after parts of his research were found to have been faked. A team of Boston scientists has now re-examined stocks of Dr. Hwang’s purported embryonic stem cells and arrived at a surprising conclusion: His embryonic stem cells were the product of parthenogenesis, or virgin birth, meaning they were derived from an unfertilized egg.

A team led by Kitai Kim and George Q. Daley of Children’s Hospital Boston reports this conclusion today in the journal Cell Stem Cell.

Embryonic stem cells derived through parthenogenesis cannot develop normally, so they are free of ethical objections. The cells could perhaps help treat degenerative diseases in women capable of supplying eggs, should effective treatments ever be developed.

Other researchers have since developed embryonic stem cells from parthenogenetic eggs, but Dr. Hwang’s team would have been the first to do so had its members recognized what they had done.

“It could have been a seminal finding if they hadn’t had their blinders on,” said Kent E. Vrana, an expert on parthenogenesis at Pennsylvania State University.

John D. Gearhart, a stem cell expert at Johns Hopkins University who had a ringside view of the Hwang affair as a member of the journal Science’s advisory board, said parthenogenesis had always been a possibility.

“I’m delighted there was an explanation that didn’t involve fraud,” Dr. Gearhart said.

Dr. Hwang soared to prominence after asserting in a report in Science in 2004 that he had developed embryonic stem cells from a patient, the first hurdle in the idea of rebuilding patients’ tissues with their own cells.

He said he had removed the nucleus from an unfertilized human egg and inserted a new nucleus from the adult cell of the patient. The egg developed into an embryo, from which his team claimed to have developed embryonic stem cells.

The editors of Science, the journal that published his claim, later retracted the article because the Korean committee that investigated Dr. Hwang’s work found that the supporting data had been faked.

As to the source of Dr. Hwang’s embryonic stem cells, the Korean committee said parthenogenesis was possible. But this could not be proved with the methods then available.

Dr. Daley has been studying parthenogenesis in mice with new devices that can analyze DNA at up to 500,000 sites on the genome. Recognizing that parthenogenetic cells have a special and unexpected genetic signature, Dr. Daley realized he could resolve the origin of Dr. Hwang’s cells.

“It becomes an historic irony that Hwang was the first to produce the parthenogenetic stem cell but didn’t appreciate what he had,” Dr. Daley said.

Although some creatures can reproduce by parthenogenesis, virgin birth would be a miracle in humans because the chromosomes from the mother and father each carry special chemical imprints, and both are required for normal development. Parthenogenetic embryos, in which both sets of chromosomes carry a female imprint, are not viable.

But Dr. Daley said that a case is known of a male patient who is a parthenochimera (“chimera” meaning an individual who is composed of two different types of cell). Two embryos, one normal and one parthenogenetic, fused in the womb. Some of the patient’s cells have the X and Y chromosomes of a normal man, but his blood has the two X chromosomes of parthenogenetic cells, evidently an instance of semi-virgin birth.

Dr. Hwang seems unlikely to get much scientific credit for developing embryonic cells via parthenogenesis because he said in his 2004 article that he had done tests showing that parthenogenesis was unlikely. He also said he had removed the nucleus from every egg, which he could not have done in the case of the egg that developed parthenogenetically.

NIH & DC

2007-07-24T06:03:00.000-07:00

Greetings all who still may actually read this. I'm working up a storm in DC. My internship at the NIH is going pretty well. I have 3 projects and two focus on social networks and how they relate to cancer prevention (screening mainly). I'll be presenting a poster next week. Maybe I'll post it here too. . . . maybe. It's looking at the risk beliefs and barriers to genetic testing for certain cancer mutations in a Mexican American family. Pretty cool.

DC is great I had a wonderful birthday with food and friends. Thanks to Lauren I also participated in my first Crab Feast. A very special east coaster thing. Reading Harry Potter 7, on the long commute I have every day.

I'm living with my sister Mychell which has turned out to be not bad at all. Actually quite good except for that whole "I'm used to living alone thing" so I occasionally for get to do some common sense things that wouldn't cause issue in my house (like forgeting to replace the tp in one of the bathrooms.

On the whole all is pretty good.

Spring Stuff

2007-04-15T08:40:00.000-07:00

So I've been very lazy over the last few months, that's partially do to my crazy school schedule and the fact that my friends made me (well coerced) me into joining Live journal and facebook, and I've realized I when spread over many blogs, I tend not to.

So I'm insane and taking 19 credit hours, originally so I could finish my dual focus MPH in two years so I could start my MD in '08. Well this plan completely backfired as I don't have enough time to study and take the MCATs again and will have to wait until '08 to apply. Leaving me with at least 9-6 months of working (hopefully) somewhere. Which everyone (everyone being my study partners Tony and Morgan and my sisters Mychelle and Marya) thinks is actually a good thing.

Maybe it is, but I dislike when my plans are rearranged.

Meanwhile. . .work work work. I do have some friends and my friend Stephan comes up to visit from Cincy so I do take time out. I'll post some pictures soon, meanwhile here's my favorite new clip.

Dorky Clip of the Month

2007-02-16T10:15:00.000-08:00

Occasionally I'll put up fun dorky clips that we all can enjoy. Well this one is interactive, and I thought it was really cool. I think it's a bit sad that as brilliant as Bobby is he is usually only known for this one thing. But it is pretty fun.

So watch it then join in the fun.

Do try the link it is pretty fun

Proof !

2007-02-05T16:36:00.000-08:00

That there are people sillier than I am, and have exellent friends as I do. Don't worry no one in my Wedding Posse will have to participate in this particular act. Though I might think of a different one. :-)

The Proof

HUZZAH! !

2007-02-02T01:28:00.000-08:00

7th and Final Potter Book Out July 21

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: February 1, 2007

Filed at 3:40 p.m. ET

NEW YORK (AP) -- Let it begin: the countdown, the party planning, the predictions, the meaning of it all.

The tears -- for the end of Harry Potter.

The world's most anticipated book finale, ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,'' will come out midnight, July 21, according to author J.K. Rowling and her British and U.S. publishers, Bloomsbury and Scholastic, Inc. Ten years, and a few hundred million sales, after the first Potter book was released, Rowling will wrap up the magical adventures of the boy wizard, his friends and his enemies.

The author posted a brief announcement on her Web site Thursday, followed soon by releases from her publishers.

The news landed like a silent meteor. ''Deathly Hallows'' almost instantly topped the best seller lists on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com, displacing another industry titan, an Oprah Winfrey pick, Sidney Poitier's ''The Measure of a Man.''

Potter readers, who had speculated the book might be published July 7 (7/7/07 for the seventh book) or July 31 (Harry's birthday), posted dozens of ecstatic messages on the Potter fan site, www.the-leaky-cauldron.org, within minutes of the announcement.

''OMGOMGOMGOMG!!!!!!!!! I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS!!!!'' read one typical message.

''WAH!!! I think I'm going crazy!!!! We finally have a date!!!'' added another fan.

Other comments were sadder, noting the series' conclusion.

''I can't wait to read the book, but at the same time, I'm afraid to read it,'' read a message from a fan named Christine, who identified herself as a ''30-something'' mom. ''I can't stand the thought of anything happening to the characters that I've grown to love! What an odd feeling.''

Christine and others have a lot to look forward to -- and to fear. Rowling's stories have darkened considerably since the first release, ''Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone,'' and the author has said two characters will be killed off in Book 7.

''I don't always enjoy killing my characters. I didn't enjoy killing the character who died at the end of Book 6,'' Rowling said during a reading last summer at Radio City Music Hall, declining to name that person in case someone had yet to finish the book.

''I really didn't enjoy doing that but I had been planning that for years so it wasn't quite as poignant as you might imagine. I'd already done my grieving when I actually came to write it.''

Rowling left millions sobbing at the end of Book 6, with a death and Harry's decision to take on the evil Lord Voldemort. Other cliffhangers for the faithful:

--Who is R.A.B., the mysterious person who took one of the magical items Harry has been searching for? And what did he do with it? And where are the other ones?

--Will Harry and Ginny ever be able to be together?

Still more unanswered questions: How many copies of ''Deathly Hallows'' will be printed and how many pages does it run? Judging from the suggested cover price, a meaty $34.99, $5 more than for Potter 6, ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,'' the last book will likely match or exceed the 600-plus page length of previous releases.

''We have held the price for the past four years,'' Scholastic publicist Kyle Good told The Associated Press. ''In that time, costs of production, paper, trucking, gas and security -- to be sure all readers can enjoy the book at the release time -- have all increased.''

Fans can pay much less for ''Deathly Hallows.'' Amazon.com announced that it would sell the book for $18.89, a 46 percent discount. Barnes & Noble.com offered the same price, but only for store members. Price competition has been so intense over the years that many retailers have acknowledged they don't make money on the fantasy series, depending instead on customers buying other books along with Potter.

Since Rowling first introduced Harry and his fellow students at Hogwarts to the world 10 years ago, the books have sold more than 325 million copies in 64 languages, broken countless sales records and shattered assumptions that young people, especially boys, don't like to read. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,'' published in 2005, had an announced first U.S. printing of 10.8 million copies and sold 6.9 million copies in its first 24 hours.

Four hit movies already have been adapted from the Potter books. The fifth film, ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,'' is scheduled to come out July 13, just eight days before the release of ''Deathly Hallows.''

------

Associated Press writer Deepti Hajela contributed to this story.

Christmas Two

2007-01-18T16:28:00.000-08:00

Christmas pictures

2007-01-18T16:24:00.000-08:00

So my first Christmas at home in 5 years and the first one where my whole family was together in at least 7, of course many pictures were taken.

Holidays in the States

2006-12-14T11:52:00.000-08:00

So it's my first thanksgiving back in the states since 2001, and I actually got to be with family. It was good. I also went to Thanksgiving with my friend Stephan, but somehow managed not to get pictures of it.

Life in Columbus

2006-11-14T17:12:00.000-08:00

So it's been a while since I've been bloging. Mainly due to the fact of Moving to Columbus, Starting School Moving again, Midterms, events, and now finals. But here are a few snapshots. . . note the comparison to Kol life.

My Flat

Last days part two. . . a little less polished

2006-10-20T14:08:00.000-07:00

The Last Days of Kolkata

2006-10-19T16:34:00.000-07:00

Here they are. . .though much belated

Still Kermit. . . as if there was doubt

2006-08-15T07:59:00.000-07:00

Kermit the Frog
You scored 62% Organization, 58% abstract, and 76% extroverted!

This test measured 3 variables.

First, this test measured how organized you are. Some muppets like Cookie Monster make big messes, while others like Bert are quite anal about things being clean.

Second, this test measured if you prefer a concrete or an abstract viewpoint. For the purposes of this test, concrete people are considered to gravitate more to mathematical and logical approaches, whereas abstract people are more the dreamers and artistic type.

Third, this test measured if you are more of an introvert or an extrovert. By definition, an introvert concentrates more on herself and an extrovert focuses more on others. In this test an introvert was somebody that either tends to spend more time alone or thinks more about herself.

You are mostly organized, both concrete and abstract, and more extroverted.

Here is why are you Kermit the Frog.

You are both somewhat organized. You have a good idea where you put things and you probably keep your place reasonably clean. You aren't totally obsessed with neatness though. Kermit is also reasonably tidy. He'll even dress up for interviews.

You both are sometimes concrete and sometimes abstract thinkers. Kermit spends a lot of his time as a reporter collecting facts, but he is also the author of the dreamy song "The Rainbow Connection." You have a good balance in your life. You know when to be logical at times, but you also aren't afraid to explore your dreams and desires... within limits of course.

You are both extroverts. Kermit gets along with everyone. Sure a few folks annoy him, but that's just because they are annoying. Kermit likes to meet new people when he does his job as a street reporter. You definitely enjoy the company of others, and you don't have problems meeting new people... in fact you probably look forward to it. You are willing to take charge when necessary or work as part of a team.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, Kermit starred on Sesame Street years before The Muppet Show.

The other possible characters are
Oscar the Grouch
Big Bird
Snuffleupagus
Ernie
Elmo
Cookie Monster
Grover
The Count
Guy Smiley
Bert

If you enjoyed this test, I would love the feedback! Also if you want to tell me your favorite Sesame Street character, I can total them up and post them here. Perhaps your choice will win!

My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:

You scored higher than 99% on Organization

You scored higher than 99% on concrete-abstra

You scored higher than 99% on intro-extrovert

Link: The Your SESAME STREET Persona Test written by greencowsgomoo on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

Female Muppets Positive, Negitive or just a Puppet

2006-08-15T07:42:00.000-07:00

Abby Cadabby heads to the Street
Sesame Street's 37th season begins August 14 and will be highlighted by the debut of a new female Muppet
Courtesy of The New York TimesAugust 6, 2006
Liz Nealon, executive vice president and creative director of Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind “Sesame Street,” wasn’t sure exactly what she wanted in a new Muppet for the show’s 37th season, which starts on Aug. 14. But she did have one major goal: She wanted the creative team, at long last, to come up with a female Muppet star. The show did already have a number of female characters, including Zoe, a rambunctious, orange, furry friend of Elmo’s, and Rosita, an emerald-blue, bilingual Muppet with a sweet, friendly soul.
Abby Cadabby of “Sesame Street” has her own point of view and is “comfortable with the fact that she likes wearing a dress.” “We have our wacky, and we have our gentle,” Ms. Nealon said in a recent interview. “But we wanted a lead female character. If you think about ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show,’ some girls relate to Rhoda, who’s our Zoe, and some girls really relate to Mary, who’s a girly girl. And we didn’t have that girl. We made a definite decision to sit down with the writers to figure out what this character might be.”
The feminist-minded parent might not only applaud the decision to make a more high-profile female character, but wonder why on earth it took so long. “Sesame Street,” created to help underprivileged kids prepare for kindergarten, has over the years gone out of its way to include images of children of every creed and color, and every level of physical ability and disability.
Yet its producers acknowledge it has never come up with a single female character with anything close to the name recognition of Big Bird or Cookie Monster or Ernie and Bert. (The closest that the Jim Henson Company, which designs Muppets for “Sesame Street,” has come is Miss Piggy. But she starred on “The Muppet Show,” not “Sesame Street,” and probably for good reason. You have to go back to “Dynasty” reruns to find a more jealous, vain and domineering female role model on television.)
Even bastions of liberal creativity like “Sesame Street” are apparently vulnerable to the realities of show business, including a disproportionately high ratio of male to female puppeteers, said Rosemary Truglio, executive vice president for education and research at Sesame Workshop. (Miss Piggy has always been played by male puppeteers, starting with Frank Oz.) And a show as politically sensitive as this one has an added challenge: finding female characters that make kids laugh, but not laugh at them as female stereotypes.
“If Cookie Monster was a female character,” said Carol-Lynn Parente, executive producer of the show, “she’d be accused of being anorexic or bulimic. There are a lot of things that come attached to female characters.” For example, said Deborah Aubert, associate director of national programs and training services at Girls, Inc., a nonprofit advocacy group. “It would be hard to have a female character with Elmo’s whimsy who didn’t also seem ditzy.”
But it’s not just a high-minded interest in gender equality that drove the search for a strong female character. The success of “Dora the Explorer,” a show built around a strong female lead, has not gone unnoticed by its competitors at “Sesame Street.” “ ‘Sesame Street’ is living in an increasingly competitive market,” Ms. Nealon said. “We used to be the only game in town, and now we’re having more conversations about where are all the points of appeal of our cast. We’re trying to be as absolutely broad-based as we can be.”
The feminist parent might also wonder whether “broad-based” will boil down to characters with predictable girly-girl looks and interests. But Ms. Nealon said she wasn’t worried. “I came of age during that 70’s generation when you just had to do everything you could do to be taken seriously,” she said. “But the world has changed since then. My daughter is comfortable with clothes and hair and makeup and totally embraces her femininity, but can still be strong and completely competitive in a world populated by men and women.”
The Muppet that after nine months of research was selected to embody those characteristics is not technically a girl: she is a 3-year-old fairy named Abby Cadabby. Neither monster like Zoe nor humanoid like Prairie Dawn, the calico-wearing blonde who first showed up in 1970, Abby is a purely magical creature, complete with tiny wings, a magic wand and sparkles in her hair.
There’s something suspiciously marketable, of course, about a new character who happens to be a fairy, just now in the midst of a girlish craze for tutus, tiaras and all things princessy, and as Disney prepares a big marketing push for its 2007 movie starring Tinker Bell. But the idea came not from some Mattel consultant but from a 30-year veteran of “Sesame Street, ” Tony Geiss, whose most significant previous creations were the Honkers, monsters who communicate by honking their noses.
One day the writers were tossing around the idea of a girl who was new in town, perhaps trying to fit into a new classroom. After the meeting broke up, Mr. Geiss approached the show’s head writer, Lou Berger, with the idea of making her the daughter of the fairy godmother, a character who is invoked but never seen.
Her origins in fairyland would provide plenty of story lines about difference, without the show “having consciously to introduce somebody from Indonesia or India,” Mr. Geiss said.
Mr. Berger and the team liked the idea and told Mr. Geiss to develop it further. A few days later he presented the full picture: a fairy in training, capable of hovering only when very happy, able to turn any object into a pumpkin but unable to change it back with any reliability. Her family had recently moved to Sesame Street for the schools, leaving behind Fairyside Gardens, an elves’ and fairies’ housing community in Queens (a bit of back story that’s mostly been dropped).
“When I did a little presentation, I was calling her Daisy,” Mr. Geiss said. “Everyone said, no, that’s not it, and then we sat around as if we were coming up with names for a new baby. Patsy, Dixie, Leonora. ...” Finally someone threw out Abby, and Mr. Berger followed that up with Abby Cadabby. “It had a vaguely magical sound to it,” Mr. Geiss said. The combination of “correctness and exhaustion” kicked in, he added, and Abby Cadabby she’s been ever since.
As a newcomer eager to learn, the writers knew, she would provide the perfect opportunity for explanatory lessons. She would also provide a way to talk about female friendships (including “What does it mean to bring a girl into the group?,” Ms. Truglio said, and to show healthy models by which girls could resolve conflict). The show had tried to introduce a character for just that purpose in 2000, the short-lived Lulu, a shy monster who “had a kind of quirky personality,” Ms. Truglio said. “She wasn’t that attractive.”
With the approval of Ms. Nealon and Ms. Parente, and the product and publishing divisions of “Sesame Street,” the production team decided to take the idea of Abby Cadabby to the Jim Henson Workshop. Various sketches and fabric swatches of the Muppet-to-be were circulated for input from the writers and executives on the show.
There was some retreading of what Mr. Geiss calls the big-nose versus small-nose debate. “Some people think the big nose is funnier,” he explained, but Abby’s is small, a nod toward the more feminine aesthetic for which the producers were hoping. Careful attention was paid too to how much eyelid would be visible; the more eyelid, the more vulnerable-looking the character. “Her eyes look up,” Mr. Geiss said. “They can look beseeching, and they can be sad as well as happy.”
Sherrie Rollins Westin, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Sesame Workshop, recalled seeing an early version that was a little too “bug-eyed” for her taste. One version had too much of a snout, rendering her worrisomely insectlike, given the wings in back, Ms. Truglio said. All versions featured various shades of pink- or lavender-toned skin, colors that would “work well next to Elmo,” who is red, Ms. Truglio said. “That was not up for discussion.”
Once they narrowed the sketches down to two images that they thought worked, they showed them to 77 children aged 2 to 5 and in one-on-one interviews asked them what they liked and didn’t like about Abby’s looks. The kids were particularly enamored of her turquoise dress; they also preferred a button nose to a flatter, more truncated version, and her hair in two pompoms, rather than in one big bunch atop her head.
Armed with that information, the team began to design the actual Muppet, a budget commitment of “tens of thousands of dollars,” said Ms. Parente, the show’s executive producer. They also began creating a 10-minute segment that they further tested on 53 3-year-olds.
The resulting confection is a Muppet with the pretty pastel aesthetic of an Easter egg, complete with pink skin (compared with Zoe’s orange), purple and pink sparkly pompoms (Zoe’s hair juts out from the sides of her face) and a Thumbelina-style petal-layered turquoise dress. (Zoe wears a tutu that’s charmingly incongruous on her bouncy little body.)
Abby Cadabby’s lashes are long and feminine, her voice pitched somewhere between Elmo’s dog-range high notes and Zoe’s scratchy old-womanish tones. In the first segment created, Abby played hide-and-seek, making ample, if not totally proficient use of her magic wand.
“The kids were pretty glued to the show,” Ms. Truglio said. “They loved that she could do magic,” she added. “But if you asked them how they imagined playing with Abby Cadabby, they mentioned regular kid stuff like playing catch. So we knew they liked her as a personality.”
For all the educational consultants and child psychologists the show could have enlisted, the success of the character seems to rely largely on the one simple quality no other Muppet can claim: she’s very, very pretty. As played by Leslie Carrara-Rudolph, a new Muppeteer, she’s enthusiastic, eager, occasionally bashful but never coy (and certainly never divalike along the lines of Tinker Bell).
“I’m ready, I’m ready, I’m ready!” she answers Baby Bear emphatically in one segment when he asks if she’s prepared for her first day of school.
In the past the show has bent over backward to counteract stereotypes, with the tomboyish Zoe or the highly opinionated Elizabeth. “But political correctness hampers creativity,” Ms. Nealon said. “Abby Cadabby owns her own point of view, but she’s also comfortable with the fact that she likes wearing a dress, and as we’d tried to model strong female models, we neglected that piece of being a girl.”
On the set the joke was about the new toy on the block, as opposed to the new Muppet character, a dig at the obvious marketability of the new pretty-in-pink creature. Some of the writers, Ms. Parente said, worried about moving away from the show’s merely surreal characters to one with a full-blown dependence on actual magic. Others were concerned about the character tipping over into a saccharine sweetness.
“What’s always been great about ‘Sesame Street,’ ” said Noel MacNeal, a longtime “Sesame Street” Muppeteer, “is that there was always a softness and gentleness to its characters, while still having enough edge. It wasn’t too cute. I just hope with Abby Cadabby, they’re not going to make a mistake they’ve made before when they tried to compete directly with ‘Barney,’ which was so cutesy.” (He was referring to his take on why the show added a new set in the early 90’s to give the street a clean new look. A few years later Ms. Parente reverted the set back to its old chipped-paint aesthetic.)
But for the most part the traditional “Sesame Street” team of performers and writers has rallied behind the character.
The producers’ hopes of course are pinned on the possibility that Abby Cadabby could be the female equivalent of Elmo, a huge money-maker for the nonprofit organization behind the show. First to roll out will be storybooks featuring Abby Cadabby; if they succeed, videos and toys will follow.
Maura Regan, vice president and general manager of global consumer products for Sesame Workshop, said she was confident about Abby Cadabby’s market readiness. She’ll be strong in spring, Ms. Regan theorized, because she has a “wood nymph quality,” and added that her pink coloring made her great for merchandising around Valentine’s Day and Christmas, when she will pair well with red Elmo. Then of course there’s the fall back-to-school theme of a new girl getting to know her classmates.
Ms. Regan’s team has already started working with the toy company Fisher-Price on a rough mockup of a doll. Most important, she said, is getting a cuddle-ready expression on the toy’s face; then there’s the challenge of capturing her feathery, fluffy, sparkly hair without creating a safety hazard.
“There are so many cute things out there,” she added, “but in order to make them want one doll over another, I think the real deciding factor is how much they’ve connected with the Muppet from the show. And you’ve got to be able to capture that.”
Could Abby’s sales rival those of the show’s marketing juggernaut, Elmo? Ms. Regan obviously hopes they can. But in an aside, as she demurred from making predictions, she gave a hint on just how much rides on the outcome. “I don’t want to jinx myself,” she whispered. “That would be terrible, terrible, terrible.”
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A Quote to go on

2006-08-10T14:45:00.000-07:00

As I was walking down a public corridor I heard someone say. "There should be a place where all the strange and wierd people can go and just, be together. Yeah there should be a place for all the strange people"

I overhearing him and having to say something respond. "There is It's called Peace Corps"

At the Birthday Party

2006-07-30T22:43:00.000-07:00

other stuff

2006-07-30T21:58:00.000-07:00

So I'm back at Proctor & Gamble again working in Research & Development for the summer. Which is good. Paychecks are good. My birthday was great and included all the best things. Wine, Cheese Chocolate, good movies, and great friends. Well maybe not all the best things but one souldn't be greedy.

Whiplash

2006-07-19T17:01:00.000-07:00

Injuries, discoveries that people generally don't notice until after the fact.

People generally don't understand the word "loo" no matter how much I continue to use it.
I've gotten used to doing my date dd/mm/yr (which makes more sense, who wants to know what month it is before the day?) instead of the American mm/dd/yr
The 1st floor in the states is the ground floor everywhere else. So when someone at work told me to take something to the 3rd floor I ended up on the 4th.
Hitting the ground running (finding a flat in Columbus, getting a job etc. within the first 2 weeks) -though a good idea will leave one exhausted.

Here and There

2006-07-13T00:40:00.000-07:00

Okay after spending a week at home I'm slightly more adjusted but only slighytly. Meanwhile here are a few other things I found interesting about here and there.

Here
-There is an abusurd amount of water in the toilet bowls :-s
but there is always toilet paper :-)
-No one randomly offers you tea :-(
-People look at you strangely when you go to "visit the loo" Look for a "dust bin" or decide to take a "kip" :-s
-People also look at you strangely when you walk down the street with an umbrella because the sun is too bright :-(
-Guys actually check you out, nod in approval, or chat you up instead of just staring at you like you are an alien :-)

There
-No western toilet much less toilet paper :-(
but there is water which comes in handy even if there is paper there too :-)
-Chai wallas (sellers) :-)
-Peanut and veggie wallas selling increadbly cheap, fresh, and more organic veggies :-)
-More veggie food in general :-)
-More oily food in general :-(
-More technology :-s (TiVo, Blue tooth, WiFi, all of these things still moderately scare me)

Strange Americans

2006-07-10T01:00:00.000-07:00

I've realized that there are many things I'm not used to from living in India for the last 10 months. Here are some of them.

Cars that actually stop when you cross the road, because they are afraid they might hit you. - I was crossing the street relatively close to a car and was shocked that it stopped. In Kolkata they would've just continued. As I've almost gotten hit by a bus, and have a scar from a rickshaw that drove too close to the corner where I was trying to cross
Money that is all the same color. Yes the 20 & 10 are all sorts of strange colors, but really it's all green. I had trouble paying for things a couple times because I thought my 10's were only 1's and ended up continually breaking 20's.
Americans are strange. They can be incredibly polite about standing in line (not just pushing to the front) or asking for a bite of food or drink of water (one of my friends was thirsty for longer than expected because she was waiting for me to offer water while I was used to people just taking it). But can also be very (unnecciarily in my opinon) rude when ordering, waiting on food or in line.
Americans are also generally supersized. . . uh fat.
There also a riddiculous amount of options
America is cold (compared to Kolkata with no Air Condintioning in most places)

Top Ten Reasons to Go #1

2006-07-01T23:17:00.000-07:00

I realize that I'm going back to the US with no sign of leaving it again and freak out at the prospect of living in the US for so long. Even though I do want to go home, still. . .

Oh and the stewardess on the plane asks me if I'm Indian when she sees me wearing my sari and complements me on it.

:-)

Top Ten Reasons to Go #2

2006-07-01T00:14:00.000-07:00

I'm down to my last 800 . . . 750 . . . . 500 . . . 350 . . . . 100 Rs

I can't justify refilling the credit on my phone for less than 24 hours I'll be in the country.

Karan has declared I learned enough about style to buy things on my own now.

Happy Birthday Thera

2006-06-30T00:20:00.000-07:00

Top Ten Reasons to Go #3

2006-06-28T10:05:00.000-07:00

After only having minor illnesses and no Delhi/Kolkata- belly (D) issues. I get just about everything at once (fever, chills, D, nausea etc) . Leaving me extremely weak through the ending conference for AIF.

Top 10 reasons I know it's time to go #4

2006-06-23T03:01:00.000-07:00

Calcutta/Kolkata becomes more surreal . . . .

Neela comes out dancing with Nil, Dev, Sohini, & I until 2am in the middle of the week (looking really cute too).
I actually see blue sky (admis all the smog) and it starts raining daily and getting cooler.
I get served salmon (my favorite that I haven't eaten since I made it last summer) at Yvonick's goodbye dinner
Anirudh has become scruffy (though a studied scruffiness he says)
Ako :-)
I become insistant enough to demand that others get things done, and they actually do it.

Harry Potter & The English

2006-06-20T02:04:00.000-07:00

Tis a Silly place

Top Ten Reasons I know it's Time to Go #5

2006-06-20T01:06:00.000-07:00

The cute little land lady and landlord. Who have been reasonably good about everything, declare that you owe them 3000 extra Rs for rent that you already paid (granted I forgot until Andy reminded me), 3900 extra for water and electric that has allegedly not been read in the last 3 months. And wait until Andy leaves (he was here this weekend) and ambush me as I come home from a late night at work 8:30pm. Call me a lair, declare I'm a terrible person and I should know better working for an NGO for trying pay my cleaning woman who has not come or not cleaned the floors (which is 1/2 of her job the other 1/2 is the dishes) 300Rs instead of 400Rs. Yell at me in English and in Bangla until I'm perfectly in hysterics and tears (it had been a long and frustrating day). Until I literally have to scream.

Things I see everyday Part 2

2006-06-18T22:16:00.000-07:00

Here's more stuff I see walking down Gariahat. This is the main way I go to get to the ATM, my tailors, buy books off the street etc. I told you it wasn't that interesting.

More kids at the end of my block. They are cute.
Buy your clothes, bedsheets, towels, and shoes, right on the street.

One of the four views of Gariahat proper. I took shots from all 4 corners, but this has the most character I think.

Happy Book sellers. You can buy just about any book for 45-150 Rs (1-3 USD), but you will have to haggle a lot.

Yes they do walk the streets. Though I don't usually see them everyday.

Gol Park Roundabout.

The Ramkrishna Mission it's just opposite the side street that leads to CINI-ARC Office

Top Ten Reasons I know It's time to leave #6

2006-06-18T22:13:00.000-07:00

I own a sari for every day of the work week and I don't even wear saris to work (most days anyway)

Top Ten Reasons I know It's time to Leave #7

2006-06-16T03:36:00.000-07:00

When random people speak to me in fast Bengali (usually to get me out of their way, not do something, or being otherwise bad tempered), instead of listening (and figuring out what they are saying) and responding in my Bad Bengali or polite English. I start behaving in the manner of "the Bad American tourist" (a stereotype generally fight against) and respond in fast English.

I've also started cursing under my breath (and not so under my breath) those taxi drivers and auto-wallas who don't want to take me on my short rides or try to charge me overprice. (Like the taxi driver today who refused to drive me to the office with the parcel I was sending [a 20 Rs ride] and the other one who wanted 50 Rs because of my parcel)

Back Blog Lauren, Liz & Jen Visit

2006-06-15T23:14:00.000-07:00

So Lauren, Liz and Jen came for a whirl-wind Kolkata visit. Unfortunately we were all together for only about 12 hours, but it was still fun. Liz and Lauren got to Kolkata Thursday evening, but as I had to work I couldn't join until Friday night. We met up at Forum had a great traditional Bengali Dinner at Kewpies. Then headed out to ShiSha for a cherry hookah and dancing. Saturday we shopped until Jen joined us at New Market then headed to Nil & Dev's studio where we spent all afternoon dressing in d's finest. Jen found more than she could carry home (easily) Lauren got sleeked out in some corsets, I found my new opera Dress, and even Liz bought a really nice jacket.

We then headed back to Lily's flat for showers, dressing to go out, and wine before we all went out to Roxy to dance the night away. Liz & Lauren's flight left at 5am, so we danced until 3:30, went to a Azad Hidin dhaba (The best place for late night food -essentially a diner) and set them off to get their flight at 4:00. The rest of us went home for a few hours sleep before Jen and I were up at 6am to meet the Sunday Hashers at 7 for a Vic Memorial walk, breakfast at Flurries, and a look at the marble palace.

Jen & I then went to the Kali Temple (my third attempt) and actually were able to get in and see her. I bought my shell bracelets and we went home for well deserved naps. There was a d barbecue with some of the best grilled veggies and the first chicken I actually enjoyed in months. Just about everyone was there and there was music dancing and the trying on of clothes & shoes. A great ending to a fabulous weekend. Jen managed to get all of her purchases in a bag and caught a taxi out as I went to work 9am Monday.

Victoria Reflections

Yvonick & Jen contomplating at Victoria's feet

The Marble Palace (mansion more like it, 2 floors, a garden and a mini zoo of greek and roman(esque) statues, paintings from several different schools and eras, and antiques. (no pictures are alowed inside)

d. Barbeque (and Nil is an amazing cook) I ment to get one in his d. appron but couldn't.
Seema saried out and my new opera dress.

Top Ten Reasons I know it's Time to Leave India #8

2006-06-15T04:03:00.000-07:00

Not only do I generally not enjoy eating chicken (turning veggie against my will). My body is now also refusing to process Chicken normally. Therefore sealing the fact that I might as well just give in and be a pescitarian(I can still eat fish :)/virtual veggie.

Things I See Everyday 1

2006-06-15T02:09:00.000-07:00

So I've heard complaints that you all want to see what I do every day, so here it is.

These are shots from my balcony that over looks my lane and the train station at the end. It is a great view isn't it?

These are the kids at the end of my block Who have now gone from just seeing what I've bought that day or what music I'm listening too, to really trying to figure out what's going on in my life. They are still pretty cool though.

This is the carving/sculpture outside of a temple I pass on my way to my Katak Classes. I think it's totally brilliant.

Auto-Rickshaw, more simply know as Autos. You find them in every city though they work differently in every city as well. In Kolkata it's the primary way I get out to the field before jumping on a bus.

Me & Upali (the annoying translator if you heard about her) at a Focus Group Discussion with some Peer Educators. . . i.e. me working. (somehow).

Top 10 reasons I know its time to Leave India #9

2006-06-13T02:04:00.000-07:00

I've been here long enough for my NGO to forget about me and my projects. Remember and decide to utilize me before I leave. Therefore getting excited about my projects and giving me the support I need. And forget about me again, so that 1-I'm probably going to have a pretty hard time getting everyone together for the meeting where I actually share my findings (next Monday), 2-1/2 of the people who might benefit will be out of town my last week, 3-My work is more in danger now of just being put on a shelf until the next proposal is due than ever before.

Happy Birthday Nate

2006-06-13T01:14:00.000-07:00

Okay none of these pictures are Nate. But they are related to Nate-isms. Namibia where we were PCV's together. Kate's house/backyard where we spent many a Friday night/Saturday Morning before going to Dance Class at Sisi's place. And a random guy we saw in Ghana wearing a Texas Shirt that reminded us of Nate.

Top 10 Ways I know It's time to Leave #10

2006-06-11T23:17:00.000-07:00

I feel like smacking people who stare at me (especially without greeting) and kneeing the guys in the groin who "Brush" by me.

A Typical Conversation These Days

2006-06-08T22:44:00.001-07:00

Them: How's it going?
Me: Not bad.
Them: Hey you're leaving pretty soon aren't you?
Me: I leave Kol/Cal. on the 24th and India July 2nd.
Them: Wow, Option 1-Are you excited?
Option 2-How did you enjoy Kolkata?
Option 3- Ready to go?

Me: Answer 1- Yes and No, It will be nice to be back around family and friends. And be able to call people without waking them up in the middle of the night or costing a fortune. It'll also be nice to have more than 5 months to try to see everyone, and some people, like my Sister Mychelle, I haven't seen since before I left for Peace Corps (2002). But It's hard to imagine living in the states full time. The American Accent is perfectly terrible, and I'm definitely not used to everyone speaking in English. Plus after all of the fun and exciting places I've lived all the different cultures living in Ohio seems to pale in comparison. Though I am excited to finally start my LONG road to MD/MPH-dom. And if I have to live in OH I would want to be in Columbus. You know my friend Julia has already found a couple of flats for me to look at.

Answer 2-Kolkata is a great city. I think I'm also just used to it now, but I'll really miss my sabji-wallas (veggie sellers), Peanut-Wallas, and my convenience store guys.

Them: Kolkata is a very warm city

Me: Not to mention all my friends here. What will I do when I can't call up Anirudh, Lily or Patrick to go out for pints. Or have Nil and Dev to dance with at Roxy. I'll miss wandering out to Park St. and having random things happen from there. Or having Neela Call up with some exciting new plan I'd never thought of.

Answer 3-Not at all. I'm posting a box of stuff home (I've bought way too many clothes. .. well not really considering I don't have many after being a Peace Corps Volunteer). Let's not even talk about all the work I'm trying to finish for CINI. Meanwhile, I'm running around town like mad getting all of my "So I went to India and brought back _______ for you" presents. It's so hard to buy things people will actually like and use. I think I'm buying something crazy like 3 more saris for people at home. Do you know a good place to find a white sari?

Appropriate isn't it

2006-06-07T04:10:00.000-07:00

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The Strangest Thing I've Ever Seen - To date

2006-06-07T01:40:00.000-07:00

As I was walking across Dhakuria bridge this morning on my way to work. I saw a young woman running down the street in middle traffic (which happened to be in the same direction she was running). She was only wearing a sari blouse and a string around her waist and was running about medium pace. More remarkable than what she wasn't wearing was the fact that her hair was in a normal bun and her expression was one of calm and maybe a bit of determination.

She proceeded to run switching to run down the median then into the oncoming traffic side. Needless to say in conservative Kolkata I was shocked. to see a young woman running mostly naked down the street. There seems to be no custom that this behavior would correlate to, and no one was attempting to stop her or informing the police (there were traffic control men on either side of the bridge)

Kolkata is Surreal.

Copy Cat

2006-06-05T03:26:00.001-07:00

I admit it, I'm a copycat. But nonetheless it's intresting. I'll give them the bit about cute naked people, anything else. . .

Your dating personality profile:

Liberal - Politics matters to you, and you aren't afraid to share your left-leaning views. You would never be caught voting for a conservative candidate.
Big-Hearted - You are a kind and caring person. Your warmth is inviting, and your heart is a wellspring of love.
Funny - You laugh often. People never accuse you of lacking a sense of humor. You don't take yourself too seriously.

Your date match profile:

Big-Hearted - You want someone compassionate, someone gentle and kind. A loving, nurturing person will fill that hole in your life.
Funny - You consider a good sense of humor a major necessity in a date. If his jokes make you laugh, he has won your heart.
Adventurous - You are looking for someone who is willing to try new things and experience life to its fullest. You need a companion who encourages you to take risks and do exciting things.

Your Top Ten Traits

1. Liberal
2. Big-Hearted
3. Funny
4. Intellectual
5. Practical
6. Sensual
7. Adventurous
8. Athletic
9. Wealthy/Ambitious
10. Romantic

Your Top Ten Match Traits

1. Big-Hearted
2. Funny
3. Adventurous
4. Practical
5. Sensual
6. Outgoing
7. Intellectual
8. Conservative
9. Athletic
10. Romantic

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Question of the Month June

2006-06-05T00:34:00.003-07:00

What is the best piece of advice you received, who gave it to you, and why was it so great? (situation)

(Thanks Julia)

The Count Down Begins

2006-06-01T02:18:00.000-07:00

I've now come to the point in my stay where I can count down the days even if I don't want to. I'm leaving Cal on the 25, and Flying home a month from tomorrow. (July 2nd).

I hope I can get in all the chai drinking, pint getting, sari shopping, clothes tailoring, Roxy dancing, and gift buying I have planned.

Movie Watching in India

2006-05-30T00:36:00.000-07:00

As we all know I love movies . . . I LOVE movies. I will go to the movies alone several times a week (when I can afford it) otherwise I’m always on the look out for the cheepies or student tickets. And lets not even get started about DVDs and Tapes.

So naturally I was excited to watch movies in a country that has the largest movie making industry. Each region of India has their own mini-Bollywood with movies playing in the local languages. This is in addition to all of the major Bollywood films and the few Hollywood films that come in.

Watching movies in some of the cheaper theaters is much like watching movies with predominantly Black American audiences. For example yesterday when we were watching X-Men III the crowed ohh-ed and cheered when kitty runs through walls and sinks the juggernaut.

There are the same silly commercials and previews, although you do get to see the India Cinema Board sticker before each.

The biggest things that irk me are: 1) the lack of cell phone etiquette (so many cells go off during a good movie and people actually talk to them).

2) Indian Censor Boar- There are some cuts that are just too obvious, especially in movies like Broke Back and Capote where I think they almost wanted to punish the audience for seeing such movies.

3) Most houses don’t show the credits, and actually people will stand up and leave in the last 5 minutes of a movie. I personally (as one who will watch the credits through to the end, especially on good movies) consider this near sacrilege. Though I did manage to see all of the credits to Broke Back Mountain by just refusing to leave the theater (even though there was an usher standing right next to me, people with vacuums cleaning up all around me, and I had to continue to move slowly toward the door so some I didn’t get to see so clearly.)

Still it’s nice to see things like X-Men and Harry Potter on the big screen. And some of the movie houses are just that. Proper old -school movie houses where they still have floor, balcony, and rafter seating. After all the fun part of going to the movies is the experience.

Dreaming in Bangla

2006-05-27T22:56:00.000-07:00

My father always said you really know a language when you start to dream in that language. I have never had this experience. I definitely never dreamed in Oshiwambo (though I still slip and throw random words in when I get tired). The closest I probably ever came was the summer I was in Germany and was honestly studying and trying to learn German.

Though I had Bengali lessons. I still don't speak much at all other than to argue with taxi drivers or fruit and veggie-wallas in the market. I know less Bengali than I know Oshiwambo. Though I can understand a fair amount when people are speaking around me and I listen carefully.

Well about a week ago it happened. I had an entire dream in Bengali. The funny thing is, even in my dream I didn't understand it. I just caught the random bits a pieces like I always do. There went Dad's theory.

The longest week since PC training (I think)

2006-05-25T22:40:00.000-07:00

When I looked at the schedule for this week I didn't think it was that bad. Bad yes but not that bad.

Monday: Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with Young people in the Poilan area(1 hr travel both ways by bus and auto-rickshaw)

Tuesday: FGD with with Field Workers and Peer Educators at the Poilan CINI office

Wednesday: Evaluation of Outreach workers at the Falta CINI office (1 1/2 hr travel both ways) to test my new evaluation tools for Youth Friendly Services

Thursday: Last *yea* FGD with young people around Falta.

How little did I know that the travel (Calcutta public transport, save the underground/subway system, leaves much to be desired), weather (there's been storms brewing all week that haven't broken & temperatures of around 37 degrees that leave me pretty sleepless & with sinus headaches all week), not to mention the stress of dealing with other people and trying to do work(misunderstandings, miscommunication, poorly planned meetings, and fussy field workers) would leave me exhausted by Tuesday night.

It took all my energy to make myself get up today. I ended up just lying down 1/2 through my 1st sun salutaion (yoga) and dragging my obviously tired behind back to bed. Good thing it's nothing that a good dinner with friends, a pint, and sleep can't fix.

Shower Thoughts

2006-05-24T02:46:00.000-07:00

I find the strangest and most profound thoughts tend to occur to me in the shower. The one from yesterday is that I am 10 year older (or will be soon) than I was when I was 16. This is a slightly distressing thought. 10 Years older than 15 or 14, isn't bad. I was just a kid then. But at 16, I was doing things, starting to drive etc. And it's just going to get worse, before I know it I'll be 10 years older than 17, 18 (voting age), 20, soon I'll have been legal for 10 years.

The one redeeming thought is that I'm still 24 years away from being 50.

Random Picture Time

2006-05-22T05:48:00.000-07:00

Me leaving the African Continent for the first time in years. About a Year and 2 months ago now.

Stop the Presses. . . or not

2006-05-19T02:35:00.000-07:00

So yesterday the major part of my project almost came to a complete stop. Realizing that the translator we got would not be able to conduct the Focus Group Discussions (FGD) and Chandereyee (one of my co-workers) who normally goes out with me would not be able to go, (and maybe not to the others as well) I finally had a meeting with my boss, Laboni, to figure out how these were going to get done.

It started well enough. I explained why the translator we got could not conduct the FGD and asked if this was still important enough to proceed with, and gave my suggestion of what should happen next.

Laboni then proceeded to virtually blow up that after 5 months we could not get 10 FGD completed.

I informed her that those she had placed me to work with did know about this for the last 5 months, however no one did anything until Chandereyee went out with me.

At which she continued to blow up about how this wasn’t a group project, there should be more than 2 people involved, we haven’t made it a priority, where the blame should be placed, yadda, yadda, yadda. And since they hadn’t made it a priority or supported me in a group like fashion the whole thing should be canceled.

This sent Chandereyee, already suffering from laryngitis into a coughing fit. And while Laboni extolled a while longer on CINI deficiencies and how they only do something if it’s connected to a donor or funding (which is pretty true), I tried to calmly remind her that 3 FGD were already scheduled for the next week.

It took about 15 mins to get her to see reason and allow us to continue on with my evaluation as planned. But talk about a stressful 1/2 hour. The major part of all of the stuff I've been working on for the last 9 months almost got permantly shelved. OY!

April Question Answered

2006-05-17T23:10:00.000-07:00

Great answers people. Unfortunately I'm pretty out of touch and all of the songs go on my "to listen to and get" list. I also asked Yahoo Answers and got these

So far mine are:
Best of What's Around- DMB
You Learn- Alanis Morisette
Sunday Kind of Love- Etta James
Everyday- Angie Stone & D' Angelo
Find Him- Cassandra Wilson

But I'm sure I'll have more by the end of the year :) Any Suggestions for the next question?

Plans and Preps

2006-05-17T23:05:00.000-07:00

After my first 3 months as a PCV I asked one of the older volunteers if one ever stops planning about what they are going to do afterward. She said “No but the plans do get a lot more concrete and closer.”

Similarly it seems like a significant portion of my time here has been spent planning for the next year. From Med and Grad School applications, to acceptances, and of course getting fun things from here for all of my people in the States, the last 9 months (along with having fun in Cal), have been about prepping for the next year.

Now with only about 6 weeks left in country (only about 4 ½ in Cal *eep*). I’ve already planned my first week in the US in so much detail that I’ve asked Mom to meet me at the airport July 2nd Cincy airport at 9:15pm (I have a 3 hour layover in JFK from 3:30-6:50 NY people) with my cell phone so I can let people know I’m back in town.

Yet life in Cal is proceeding as normal; finding gifts, trying to finish my projects, getting pints, dancing, and watching movies. I could probably forget I’m leaving so soon, if people didn’t keep reminding me.

What Did You Say?

2006-05-16T03:16:00.000-07:00

Wow, just look at you! Your body is all glistening and there's such a shine to it.
Me: I'm sweaty!
-Chiru to me as I was leaving the dance floor where DD (DJ and alleged choreographer and I had another dance of. I'm pretty sure I won)

I amble with the shuffling gate of an aged clergyman
-Anirudh on walking.

I mean sex is just capitalism of the body.
Me: What?
Nothing ventured nothing gained.
Anirudh: What if she proposes?
I guess that's communism then
Me: More like socialism.
- Patrick over pints on how one of his mates needs to pluck up his courage and approach a bird.

You could do that. No listen we should get someone to paint your body and then you can dance.
-Chiru commenting on a Japanese dance program I missed.

Maybe he was just admiring your form,
No?
Dirty old man?
Me and Sujit:Yes
- Sujit commenting on Chiru's comments.

You Have to Take This One

2006-05-12T02:10:00.000-07:00

Random Questions but Spot on (Sans the second comment)

The Keys to Your Heart

You are attracted to good manners and elegance.

In love, you feel the most alive when everything is uncertain, one moment heaven... the next moment hell.

You'd like to your lover to think you are stylish and alluring.

You would be forced to break up with someone who was ruthless, cold-blooded, and sarcastic.

Your ideal relationship is lasting. You want a relationship that looks to the future... one you can grow with.

Your risk of cheating is zero. You care about society and morality. You would never break a commitment.

You think of marriage as something precious. You'll treasure marriage and treat it as sacred.

In this moment, you think of love as something you thirst for. You'll do anything for love, but you won't fall for it easily.

What Are The Keys To Your Heart?

Scary and Home

2006-05-11T02:03:00.000-07:00

So they finally brought back my laptop from the shop, and it appears to be fixed. But they left my dongle (yes my laptop is that old). And I caught myself telling the delivery guy "I'm not asking you I'm telling you that I put it in there." Which sounds exactly like something my father would say. Isn't it scary when we start sounding like our parents.

Since I'm leaving soon people keep asking me if I'm excited to go home and what I've thought of Kolkata. I've also caught myself referring to Namibia as home recently. Which made me think "What is/where is home?"

Though my HOR (Home of Record) is 6923 Noble Ave. Cincy. That is definitely what I think of when I think of home. I know I felt like home when Kate, Nate, Naima and I all met up in Whitefish last year. Cal is comfortable. I'm comfortable here, but is it home?

Maybe I've elevated to the point that I am at home within myself so I carry home wherever I go. But somehow I feel like I shouldn't get stared-at at home, and I definitely get stared at home (They did eventually stop in Namibia after a few months). Though I'm definitely becoming a regular at my pizzeria and local Pub/Club. I know the DJ's and waiters, and people are starting to recognize me.

I think that's the scary thin about moving to Columbus for me. This is the first city I'll move to where I already feel at home. There will be no adjustment period (other than finding a flat), I know the area, some cool people in the city, and some places to chill. Never before have I moved to a place where I've already felt at home.

Carpe Diem

2006-05-08T01:27:00.000-07:00

For Real :)

Forgotten Question or

2006-05-07T22:46:00.000-07:00

Just less chatter. Hey people, lets hear some chatter on April's Question. There's only about a week less and I have to admit the number of ansers are kinda depressing. Just to make it interesting I'm going to ask the same question to Yahoo Questions in a bit, and we can compare answers. But I'd like to have a few more answers to compare to.

Singing in the . . . Sun

2006-05-04T23:03:00.000-07:00

So, after it didn't happen though my 2 years in Namibia, I've finally done it. I've become one of those people. I now carry an umbrella everywhere.

At first I was against such people, thinking that they were too conscious of their complexion. Then I walked around with an umbrella one day and the decrease in the heat I felt was immediate. It's a portable shade. Though walking with one does require a bit of practice. Knowing which way to tilt it to get the full benefit of it's shade, how high to raise it when on a busy street so that others can pass by or so you don't hit displays, getting used to the gusts of wind and how to keep your umbrella in control, switching hands so that one hand doesn't get too tired all of this takes some practice.

I of course find additional benefit from my umbrella.
1-I can use it to shade/hide my face when I'm feeling too stared at. You should see how far down guys have stooped to try and see under my umbrella

2-I specifically use it to block the view of people who are already staring too hard.

3-It enforces my personal space so that men find it harder to "brush by" me.

4-And even when they try to the metal ends and getting hit by my umbrella (because I will hit them with my umbrella if they are crowding me on my little patch of the sidewalk, as I did to two guys this morning) makes me feel a bit more vindicated.

Of course it has come in handy on those few occasions I've been caught in the rain too.

These Things are Quite Scary

2006-05-02T02:07:00.000-07:00

I think this is what kate has been trying to tell me for years

You Are 70% Weird

You're so weird, you think you're *totally* normal. Right?
But you wig out even the biggest of circus freaks!

How Weird Are You?

And Robin shall Restore Amends

2006-04-30T22:21:00.000-07:00

So I went to see A Mid-summers Night's Dream a very cool Indian version of the play which was done in 7 different Indian Languages. It was all very cool. The troupe of players turned out to be a tailor, tinker, chai-walla and other random guys that you would meet on most any Indian street. The show was amazing including a bamboo frame that the fairies climbed on, suspension rope tricks for flying. The fairies themselves seemed to be 1/2 tribal 1/2 warrior types and I have to say some of my favorite depiction of the fair-folk yet.

After the play we (Su, Claire, Maggie, and Liz -who work for the Hope Foundation here) headed out to Fire and Ice, the best pizzeria in Kolkata (run by a cool Italian Woman) for dinner. Because the place was so crowded and we had a party of 7 (we met Patrick and Fred) we ended up changing tables 3 times before our food was brought to us.

Then we all headed to Roxy were Lily met up with us (she had special passes to chill with the cast) and Nil and Dev were also there. By a miracle of music my favorite DJ was there and he spun everything from classic rock to new Hip-Hop beats I hadn't even heard yet. Nil and I burned the floor, as he's a really good salsa/Latin leader and I can follow fairly well. I also met more expats from the States than I have ever seen in Cal before. Most of them were connected to HBCSC (or something like it) which is one of the banks here. I also met for the first time (passing through of course) another Black American. Where her father was actually Black (her mother was Egyptian) and we had a great time being the only two who got really excited to hear "California Love" and the club remix of Faith Evans "Love like this Before."

As the evening wore on and the club thinned we became plagued by some rather dodgy fellows. One was this guy from the US who was extremely drunk, this kid from the UK, and a really rather cool Japanese guy named Ko. The guy from the US kept going around kissing my hand and trying to dance with me. Ko was just cool, and the UK kid, kept hitting on all the girls trying to find out where we were from and our ages. Others on the dance floor included a rather spry white-haired grandfather who danced with everyone quite enthusiastically including his reflection in the mirror. There were also several random Indian guys who kept insisting that I dance with them, when all I really wanted to do at that point was dance with the crew we came with. Which was difficult as when ever I started dancing I was immediately surrounded by Ko, drunken US guy, dancing grandfather, and the rest of the random Indian guys on the dance floor. By some dance maneuvering and always placing myself next to one of my crew I managed to actually get some dances in without dancing with a stranger. (I think Nil and my earlier performance rather excited people).

Finally around 5:15ish am the club kicked us out (by this point I was talking about life in Cal with one of the HBSC guys who's about to move his wife and kids here for work and had just been bought a bottle of water by one of the Indian guys I hadn't danced with. (originally beer, but I wasn't drinking at that point in time, and was rather startled when he showed up with the bottle). We managed to lose dodgy UK kid who had followed us out of the club by one-by-one going to the loo. Then we all headed upstairs for breakfast, which was unfortunately not served for another hour. So we got coffee and soda and overpriced potato wedges and had great conversation. I got home at 7am (after searching the market for pomegranates), had eggs, honey toast, and fruit salad, and fell promptly asleep.

The perfect ending to a night out, good company, breakfast and coming home by daylight.

2 Weeks Late and Funding Short

2006-04-28T00:52:00.000-07:00

I just relieved 3 emails from Johns Hopkins talking about how I've been accepted and school starts July 7th, new student orientation July 5th. Issues: 1- I only land in the US July 2nd. No way I'm going to make it to Baltimore and settled in 3 days. 2- All of the scholarships for the year have already been awarded. 3- I've already accepted OSU.

Not to mention the fact that I wasn't that enthused about going to Johns Hopkins anyway. UMich would've been great or Berkeley, but I really only applied because I was applying to the med-school and I had already finished the application. And OSU really REALLY courted me.

Still nice to know that I could've gone there, if I wanted to. :)

(No offence Kate, I would love to be at the same school as you. But I do have Med School debt to think about.)

More Overheard in Cal

2006-04-25T22:00:00.000-07:00

"Wow, who helped you wear a sari"
"No One"- Me
"You wore it yourself?"
Chiru seeing me in a sari for the first time, though it's the 3rd one I've worn that week.

"There are no totties in Calcutta"
"hmm"-Me
"Hot men, there are none in Cal"
"It took you this long to figure that out?"-Me
"You know, I may have to turn bisexual just to stay in this city"
My favorite British Puff over a pint one night on life in Kolkata

"Cal is getting to me, I'm afraid I'm getting a double chin"-Anirudh
"Yeah me too, I try to ignore it, but somehow or another this city is just making me bigger"- Patrick
"Yet somehow, Margarette has managed to stay quite slim"-Anirudh
"Yes, but I also get up at 6am and skip rope, do yoga, and crunches 3 times a week add Pilate's twice a week, and have my Kathak class on the weekend"- Me
"6am !? I don't even know where 6 am is"-Anirudh

"Sometimes I really feel alone, like I'm the only one. It can get really lonely, you know?"
"Who are you talking to? At least there are other French around if you want to commiserate. I've only met one other Black American in India and she was here for the same Fellowship I was"- Me
"Kind of a 'Oh, They got you too' thing"
Francois on being away from family and friends, working in India.

"She is not Indian"-Me
"Of course she's not she has spiral curls"-Sohini
"Uh, that's actually a wig or a weave"-Me
"Oh"-Sohini
Discussing the lead singer of the entertainment group True Colors at the 85 Landsdown fashion show.

"Crash was a great movie except for the ending"
"What about it"-Me
"The ending is all Yay America"
"Did we see the same movie?!"
Kati and I discusing the merits of Crash

Scary

2006-04-24T03:35:00.000-07:00

Are we really all that the same or are the tests really that good

Your Love Life Secrets Are

Looking back on your life, you will have a few true loves.

You're a little scarred from your past relationships, but who isn't?

You prefer a quirky, unique person to be your lover. You're easy going about who you're with, as long as they love you back.

In fights, you are able to walk away and calm down. You are able to weather the storm.

Break-ups can be painful for you, but you never show it. You hold your head high.

Your Love Life Secrets, Revealed

Murphy's Law in India

2006-04-20T22:41:00.000-07:00

When the day started yesterday I was in a bit of a Funk. Just been down about certain things in life, sleepy from going out the night before, and just not my normal peppy self. The day seemed to get better as it went along. Especially when I took a mid-day break to watch the DVD of Omeleshe & Tunigini (my dance groups from Namibia) dance that Nate had sent me.

So it's 5:30- quitting time, and I was thinking of running to my tailors to pick up a shirt and drop some things off as well.

When a delivery guy comes by with. . . TA DA my laptop. I turn it on and it appears okay. My mind suddenly races to spending the evening watching movies, updating my Shuffle and granting myself a new background picture. I read the service agreement (but Prianka the office manager advises me not to pay now).

Other than a strange smudge that was not on my screen before it looked fine. There's actually a new program for watching DVDs on the desktop- Which made me think that they've just kept my laptop to watch movies a few extra days.

I run down stairs to where the spare Internet connection is, unpack and. . . . my dongle is gone. Remember I still have a computer that requires (Naima’s dongle actually from PCOndongwa) one to get online.

Slightly dismayed by not being able to update my files and get new songs on my shuffle (I'm keeping about a Gig of music on the network to save my laptop and my variety). I figure I'll just settle down and check through my files, maybe find a fun new picture or something. Suddenly my laptop says . . . Shutting down, and turns it self off.

I think, “That's odd.” Maybe it was a battery thing (it did say empty) and I hit the power button. It turns on and I start to look through some picture files when . . . the screen goes white again.

Yep nothing has really been fixed apparently, and my laptop goes back to the shop today. It lasted a total of maybe 5 mins.

A bit frustrated, but trying to make the best of the day I head of to my tailors to pick up a top I have been getting made, and drop off more fabric to get fun tops made out of. (The most annoying thing about tailors here is that unless you want to get bitchy, things take 10 days-2 weeks to go to the tailors and get back . . . very annoying). So I go up the stairs and get out my service slip when she says. “Oh I’m sorry it’s not ready yet. Our tailor has been sick, maybe in two days.” Which was only upsetting because I’ve been planning to wear the top and skirt today.

Starting to get down, but trying to keep a stiff upper lip, I figure I’ll buy “A Midsummer’s Night Dream” to re-read it before I go see the play next week. (a very exciting prospect as it is apparently in 8 different Indian Languages and received excellent reviews in Delhi). Though there are a block and a half of Book-Wallas and almost every Shakespearian play and poem one could think of (“As You Like It” came up a lot) there was no “Midsummer’s Night Dream” and the only way I could get it is if I bought the complete works (which I had no intention of doing or sending home).

Really starting to get down I manage to buy peanuts, veggies, and fruits on my way home without issue. I head by the Laundrette where I get my clothes machine washed and dried. Unfortunately because the electricity has been going out my clothes won’t be ready until today.

Well after countless disappointments I decided that it is acceptable to just have fruit salad for dinner, wine, and chocolate. And try to see what lesson I was supposed to learn from that dreadful day. Though I still haven’t figured it out yet, eating fruit and chocolate does make one feel a bit better.

The infamous Crack Curry

2006-04-20T04:58:00.000-07:00

I know it's kinda an overload for one day, but I wrote it up and some people (*ahem Nate ahem*) so here it is...

Indio-African Curry

So this recipe started when I was a Peace Corps Volunteer. Going through my Mopane Johnny Namibia Peace Corps Cookbook. I ran across a curry recipe, it looked good save one thing. It was butter and milk based, and I’m mildly weight conscious at best. Thus I went about modifying the recipe so it was tomato based (healthier and still tasty). After some unique creations I finally settled on what would come to be known to other Volunteers as “Margarette’s Crack Curry.” It was apparently quite addictive. Though replicating this recipe outside of Namibia and my usual ingredients has proven a challenge it hasn’t been impossible, and who heard of coming to India and not making curry. So here it is.

African Ingredients:
Spices
Curry powder (mild)
Veggie Seasoning
Fennel
Cumin
Thyme
Black Pepper
Salt
1 Garlic clove
Fresh Ginger
Onion
Green Pepper

Veggies
2-3 Big tomatoes (per serving)
Broccoli/ Cauliflower
Cabbage
Carrots
Mushrooms
Cucumber
Spinach

Indian Ingredients:
Spices
Veggie Masala
Garam Masala
Cumin
Turmeric
Fresh Curry Leaves
Black Pepper
Salt
3-4 Garlic Cloves (really little here)
Fresh Ginger
Onion
Green Pepper

Veggies
3-4 little tomatoes (per serving)-they don’t really have big ones here
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Carrots
Cucumber
Eggplant
Tomato Puree

Since I don’t really measure anything this should help a little
· Base Spices- These spices are ones you probably can’t really add too much of. And give whatever you are cooking its initial flavor, start at about ½tsp each
o Curry powder (if you are using it), Veggie Seasoning/Masala, Garam Masala
· Seasoning Spices- This tunes the flavor to what you are cooking: in this case Curry. Start with about 1 tsp of each and then tune to your own tastes. When in doubt add even amounts of each.
o Turmeric, Cumin, Curry powder or fresh curry leaves
· Enhancing Spices- These aren’t really necessary but they do add a little kick to the flavor by bringing out the best in the others. ½ Tsp should do it
o Thyme, Fennel
· Table Spices- Salt and Pepper – Definitely needed, but amount can vary drastically.
o Pepper- Curry and Pepper can react to make things really spicy. Start with about 1tsp and go from there depending on tastes
o Salt- Again unfortunately needed (if you have grown up in a low sodium household like mine). You may need to start with 1 ½-2 tsp.
· To Taste- Till it tastes good to you. You do have to eat this so as long as it’s good to you that’s what is important.

Step 1: Chop/Dice Green pepper, Onion, Garlic and Ginger (do enough ginger to just about equal the garlic). Set a side to sauté later

Step 2: Chop veggies. What veggies one uses doesn’t really matter that much, as long as they are ones you like.
· White Veggies (cauliflower, cabbage) generally absorb flavors and spices pretty easily
· Green Veggies and Carrots tend to have a flavor that will carry through the spices so make sure it is one you like.
· Mushrooms and Eggplant are pretty meaty vegetables
· I guess you could add some sliced chicken if you wanted to most other meats throw off the flavor balance. I prefer soya nuggets.

Step 3: Using about 2 tsp. of Olive Oil in a good-sized sauce pan- Sauté the Green pepper, Onion, Garlic and Ginger till the onion becomes clear
· Add re-hydrated soya nuggets or chicken shortly after

Step 4: While things are sautéing go ahead and cut the tomatoes. These are the last to add since they take the least cooking time. If you have soya nuggets start to add base spices now (I also add a some pepper here, but I really like pepper.) Then add veggies in order that things take to cook.
· Cabbage, Carrots, and Eggplant take pretty long to cook so add them first
· Spinach, Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Cucumbers are medium cookers
· Tomatoes and Mushrooms cook quickly
Remember to stir and shift the veggies so that get cooked evenly

Step 5: When the medium cookers are in, add Tomato Purée, if you don’t have tomato purée then add the tomatoes and some water. Also add the Fresh Curry Leaves here if you are using them; more flavor is released if you crush them or rip them a bit first.

Step 6: Mix all together and add Tomatoes and Seasoning Spices. I add a fair amount of water until I feel that all is getting flavored and cooking well. If too much water is added, don’t worry it will evaporate off.

Step 7: After about 3mins of stirring and cooking add Enhancing Spices. (If you want to know the difference they make taste the curry before and then again a few minutes after you’ve added them) You can now feel free to cover the curry and let it simmer and season itself while you make your rice, set the table, read a book, etc.

Step 8: After about 2mins of simmering stir-in Table Spices. This is a good point to take out a piece of Carrot or Broccoli and a White Veggie and taste it to see how flavorful this curry really is so far. (A veggie with a strong taste and one that will pick up flavors easily are good to judge just how much more spice is actually needed) Add Base or Seasoning Spices (or anything else you think it needs) to taste if needed.

Step 9: Cover the curry again and let it self season until the veggies seem properly cooked to you: soft but still crunchy, completely soft, etc. (The long cook veggies are what I judge by. One the cabbage is soft and seasoned I declare the curry done) It may take another 5-10mins to finish depending on heat of the eye, types of veggies etc.

Step 10: Serve with rice (Brown in Namibia, Basmati in India) or just bread if you are feeling lazy after all of your efforts, and ENJOY!

April Question

2006-04-19T22:07:00.000-07:00

What are your personal theme songs for this year so far?

City Love. . . or Not?

2006-04-19T22:06:00.000-07:00

So I was having pints with Patrick and Lily (fun British journalist people). Lily just got back yesterday from a trip home and was missing Kolkata. Patrick just loves it here and really wants to stay. Which makes me wonder (as I was jumping rope this morning)

Is there something wrong with me that I haven’t fallen in love with a city?

I really like Cal, its definitely one of the most unique and surreal cities I’ve ever been in. Though I’ve met some who really loved Namibia, though I personally think I lived there too long to really love it. I definitely have loved experiences I’ve had in places people and places I’ve come to know. But not the place itself.

I can’t help but wonder how much of their “City/Country Love” comes from the way people treat you in those countries. I know ½ of the reason the PC guys tended to like Namibia more than I did is because most of the people have the “All Hail to the White Male” attitude. It’s not exactly the same here, but I do get tired of being stared at and having to act like the Wicked Witch from the West or flirt to get decent service or treatment.

That might explain why if I ever did love a city it was Cape Town. Maybe it was the fact that it was the first city after Peace Corps, but I loved all the different colors of brown/black people there. It’s a beautiful city with great day and nightlife. I also liked how I blended in. People would come up to me and speak in Zulu or Xosa, and after realizing I could only greet and spoke English, they just as easily switched into English and still treated me with courtesy.

But I can’t really think of any city that I love home or abroad. Is that wrong?

Oh Yeah Baby

2006-04-19T06:04:00.000-07:00

As if ya'll didn't know this already. A little confimation.

Modern, Cool Nerd
60 % Nerd, 60% Geek, 43% Dork

For The Record:

A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia.
A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one.
A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions.
You scored better than half in Nerd and Geek, earning you the title of: Modern, Cool Nerd.

Nerds didn't use to be cool, but in the 90's that all changed. It used to be that, if you were a computer expert, you had to wear plaid or a pocket protector or suspenders or something that announced to the world that you couldn't quite fit in. Not anymore. Now, the intelligent and geeky have eked out for themselves a modicum of respect at the very least, and "geek is chic." The Modern, Cool Nerd is intelligent, knowledgable and always the person to call in a crisis (needing computer advice/an arcane bit of trivia knowledge). They are the one you want as your lifeline in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (or the one up there, winning the million bucks)!

Congratulations!

Also, you might want to check out some of my other tests if you're interested in any of the following:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Professional Wrestling

Love & Sexuality

America/Politics

Thanks Again! -- THE NERD? GEEK? OR DORK? TEST

My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:

You scored higher than 58% on nerdiness

You scored higher than 86% on geekosity

You scored higher than 77% on dork points

Link: The Nerd? Geek? or Dork? Test written by donathos on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

Arghhh Pictures

2006-04-18T23:31:00.000-07:00

So the main reason I haven't posted as often as usual is because I took an extended weekend. I took thrusday, Had friday off for good friday, and since I had to work on Easter Sunday (more focus group discussions-> which was good actually, aside from the fact that it was on Easter Sunday) I took Monday off. I was all ready to regale you with stories of seeing Broke Back Mountain by myself (don't do it, you endup depressed with no one else feeling melencholy like you and no one to get a pint with) Silly times at the British Club (which I found out I can get into at anytime using my Peace Coprs ID, they always come in handy), Skipping rope in the rain, etc,

When I realised I had gotten pictures developed and should post them. . . a day and a half later. I actually get to post. Uploading on these computers is so slow, then for some reason when I go back to edit a blog it doesn't show me the pictures that I add, even though it clearly said it added the pictures.

Lauren!!! With a goat.

Fisherman at sunset

Back Blog- Midpoint/Kerela

2006-04-17T23:19:00.000-07:00

Once again on effforts to make my Blog pretty (and requests for pictures of what I actually see) Here are some pictures from the AIF Midpoint in Kerela for details

Silly Shya :)

The Famous Backwaters

I could live on a house boat I think, espeically these are pretty pimmped out, with really nice dinning rooms, ac, and a large screen TV.

Random Nature Walk

Post Fabulous Dinner

I do wonder where this travel service is from and to?

Pigmy Goats are cute, even just chillin

Answer to March's Question

2006-04-12T00:52:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all who answered, though B's does kinda sound like "Groundhogs Day". But he also suggested the question so thanks.

This was kinda hard to do, as I wasn’t sure of whether we were reliving a day to change the day or just to relive the day and enjoy it. It seems like we couldn’t relive it without changing it in someway.

So if we could relive without changing and just experience the day again I’d choose the 24 from about 3pm May 22-23 2005. It was a pretty unique day, an experience I hadn’t had before and not since.

As for a day to change, August 18th or so, when I didn’t do the one on-line quiz that was required for me to get refunded for my Kaplan classes. Time was of the essence, I expected to be completely happy with my MCAT scores, and it was in reading comp which I do well in, ah well live and learn.

Good Question B.

Saying Goodbye

2006-04-12T00:30:00.000-07:00

#Hrs checking email-2 (better), # Best Answers from Yahoo Questions-6 (v.g.) # Friends leaving Cal permanently this week-6 (v. sad)

Last week we had Chris and Sejal (2 of the AIF fellows) visit for a few days, as the few days they came happened to be almost non-stop parties it ended up being a very interesting, fun and tiring weekend. The Highlight-ish, of the weekend was Saturday's Goodbye/Celebration for Nil and Dev doing so well at fashion week. We spent the first 1/2 watching the Lakme Fashion week for Savasachi (where my friends Avo, Karan, Lali and Sohini work) and "d"which is entirely made by Nil and Dev. I had no idea my friends were so talented. I'm planning on heading to Nil and Dev's studio tomorrow.

Avo and Karan are moving back to Delhi (much to my chagrin) and Andy to start his new job in Bombay, which leaves my flat and most of my weekends pretty empty.

The Crew (The end of the night picture)

Avo Me and Karan (can you see my heels. . . Karan dressed me for the party, and I've never had so many compliment on my outfit in Cal. Though my toes hated/hate me for making wear those shoes all night. But they were really cute shoes) Anyway they are both moving to Delhi . . . they were some of my favorite people in Cal and just amazing friends and kindred spirits. I'm really going to miss them. . . at least until I visit them in Delhi.

Don't even ask what Karan is doing, you probably don't want to know.

Me and Ravi (Andy's Man, isn't he cute, also left on Sunday *sigh*)

Savasachi crew Plus Dev and Chris.

Ravi Nil and Dev (Imagine so much talent in 2 people see thier designs in the link above if you haven't already)

Flatmates for the last time

Once again the Calcutta Crew

The Wooing of OSU

2006-04-09T21:06:00.000-07:00

So along with keeping me incredibly informed of all things going on at the SPH. One of the EPI proffs called India at 3 different times to get me. She also made sure that I had the opinion of another student and 1/2 of our conversation was based on "What can I do to convince you to take the fellowship?" They were going to find a student to talk to me (read call India really early in the morning) to get me to come.

The people who were there loved it.
They are paying me.
I'll be able to do EPI and Health Behavior & Promotion.

and by all signs

They really want me.

So what else can I say. . . . . . Go Bucks?

And all my Columbus people can now start looking for flats for me around OSU :)

Singletons

2006-04-06T23:15:00.000-07:00

Weight-68 kg (good), liters of water-3+ (v. Hot), #hrs spent reading and answering email-4 (v.bad, but starting work soon), #Yahoo Best Answers-2 (v.good), #Yahoo Questions answered today-don't ask

Am currently reading Bridget Jones Diary (for 2nd time). A v. Good book the side effects include:
-Beginning to narrarate things in head (in manner of Bridget)
-Allowing poor excuses (that on ordinary day you would ignore and still cook healthy dinner or not eat extra chocolate) to be acceptable
-Asking the question 'When do we become Singletons?'

In the book her friends are divided into Singletons (those who are dating, either in a relationship or still looking) and the Married Smug (the married couples who are happily or unhappily resigned to their married life, and tend to remind single people-either consciously or un-that they are still single)

As have friends who are married (and the number increases yearly) and increasingly spend more time talking about being single, dating, opposite sex and the problems, and how life continues to be befalling because of friends, freedom, wine, pursuit of career, etc. with single friends- Must wonder are we now Singletons?

If so, do you only stop holding such title when you become Married Smug?
Or does one just cease to be a Singleton when resigned to be single indefinitely i.e. given up hope of marriage?

Most Distressing Thoughts- May be in this state for 10+ years. (though relate to 'Sex in the City' and Bridget Jones now, am only 25 and main characters in these are in 30's), No Mark Darcy in real life

Most Heartening Thoughts- Have good friends and plans for weekend, Am less obsessed with weight than Bridget (Though the thought of coming home soon . . .), No Daniel Clever/Mr. Wickham in real life either, Back-up Plan with Shawn at age 38-40

Only 1 Week Left

2006-04-05T23:22:00.000-07:00

To answer March's Question of the Month It's a good one you should answer.

And for me to decide where I'm going to Grad School, the players are

Berkeley SPH
George Washington SPH
OSU SPH (has offered a fellowship and stipend, very nice)
UMich SPH (has shown me my financial aid package, helpful)

Where are We Going?

2006-04-05T01:18:00.000-07:00

Monday I was meeting Raju (one of the people who work for AIF, but not in the fellowship) at an NGO AIF was looking at. Partially I supposed just so he could meet a Fellow and get my responses from living here, but also to have another opinion on the NGO.

The NGO is in the Hoogly district. Now I, knowing that the Hoogly (what the river Ganges is called around here) is about a 30 min drive thought it would be an hour drive at maximum. The directions that I received from the guy who worked there went as such.

After the 2nd Howrah Bridge
Take a Right onto Bombay Rd.
Then go Left onto Delhi Rd.
Continue on Delhi Rd. for 30mins
Then ask for Pandal Church and we are nearby.

So I still thought it would only be about an hour ride. Raju suggested that I meet him at the Airport on Friday instead, (but since the Airport is also an hour away and I had gotten all sari-ed out that day), I said going there would be no problem.

I hailed a taxi (at about 12:20) and was heartened when he seemed to recognize Pandal Church. We made it to the bridge and (after taking a long cut to hike up the price, which would become unnecessary, but we didn't know that then) got onto Bombay Rd.

Every so often the taxi Dada stopped to ask directions, every time the person would just motion to go straight. At one point he picked up a hitchhiker who helped us make the Bombay-Delhi RD. Switch. He also tried to speak to me in Bengali and when I didn't respond said (in Bangla) "Oh she's south Indian." I think the sari threw him off.

After several phone calls to the NGO, stopping for directions every few minutes, and driving an hour down Delhi Rd and a 1/2-hour around the town there we finally got to the NGO. Seeing no taxis and thoughally lost at any rate, I had the Taxi Dada wait for me.

The NGO PRATIBANDHI KALYAN KENDRA or PKK as they called it worked with the physically and mentally impaired so that they could be mainstreamed as well as the teachers so they could teach those with special needs. After a nice lunch with paneer and a bit of good debate on education, and the responsibility of the middle class, we all (3 NGO members, an Australian guy who was working there for some reason, the pediatrician, Raju and I) sat down to actually hear what PKK did. I was still a bit confused an hour later (by this time it was 5pm), and excused myself so I could get home at a reasonable time (not to mention I was expecting to hear from one of the Epi proffs at OSU that evening).

7:20pm I roll to my door and run upstairs to get the last 1,000 Rs I was stowing away in my cabinet (AIF doesn’t generally pay on the 1st, but the second week of the month), which I combined with the 600 Rs in my wallet. I then proceeded to beg the Taxi Dada to accept the 1600 Rs I had (the fare was actually 1700) showing him my empty wallet. After a good 3 mins of begging, looking pitiful and almost stirring myself to the point of tears he accepted it and left me with the 90 Rs (I had hidden in a back pocket) to survive on until we get paid.

In a Nutshell I took a taxi ½ way out to Who Knows Where/Hoboken when I had only expected to go across town. The NGO was nice though. Good thing AIF is reimbursing me for the 1600Rs cab ride. I think it's Kate who always reminded me it was about the journey not the destination, good thing too.

2 Things I love 1 I miss

2006-04-02T21:41:00.000-07:00

Chocolate and good Martinis (which you don't really find in Kolkata). Although I d don't really agree with the expensive bars and drinks. I much more prefer places with character and good drinks, not necessarily expensive.

You Are a Chocolate Martini

You're an elegant drunk, who only likes the best bars and the most expensive drinks.
A bit of a cheapskate, you're likely to mooch ten dollar drinks off both friends and strangers.

You should never: Drink and dash. You're gonna get caught leaving someone with the tab!

Your ideal party: A posh celebrity party you crash, with an open bar.

Your drinking soulmates: those with a Classic Martini personality

Your drinking rivals: those with a Blueberry Martini personality

What Flavor Martini Are You?

Closer to Out Than In

2006-03-31T00:51:00.001-08:00

I've come to realize that I really only have another 3 months here and less than 3 at my site. Where has the time gone. I should go into one of those long things about the things I've come to appreciate here and will miss, but I will leave that for June. In the meantime you get

Things that still Irk me-

Honking: although I don't hear it 1/2 of the time and have been able to tune out a lot, I shouldn't have to have my shuffle on high just to hear the back beat to a song.

Ineffective meetings: Okay, for every 5 or 6 meetings we have only one thing or Plan Of Action is chosen. At least in Namibia I was at power to change it (well my meetings anyway) and things were definitely decided at those all day PTA meetings (even if they weren't acted upon always).

Men "Brushing By" me: The side walk is huge, buddy, use the space, and don't touch my ass.

Feces on the Side of the Road: No poop-er scooper laws around here, and with all the street dogs it would be pretty hard, but some of it. . ..

Public Urination: Okay it's not really irksome, just funny. Especially when they look around while they are peeing.

Things I still miss-

Booty Shaking: Because of the lack of booty in this country, people don't really shake it. After living in the "Dirty-Dirty South" and then in Southern Africa (where everyone even the white people have booties) I miss it, and no one really appreciates it here. Or at least not in the right ways.

Non Pretentious Clubs with Good Music: Most of the ones we went to in Africa were like that and I'd found one in ATL too. Here, even when the music is really good, people are often too snooty to dance.

Peace Corps Health Care: It really spoils you for any other, its so good (especially when you are traveling)

My Dog: Nando or Chaka, there's nothing like having a fuzzy companion to come home to.

My Cell Phone: With voice activation, and being able to call any of my friends at almost anytime. I really miss being able to talk to you all.

Friends who Don't Leave: As I said in Desultory in Cal people are always coming for a bit and leaving. Very cool people but you do miss them when they are gone. (I'm sure some are wishing the same about me. . . I hope :)

Things that still sadden me-

Beggars: You just can't give to anyone, and I do give often as much as I can. But I still feel bad when I don't give.

You Call that Hot?

2006-03-29T03:41:00.000-08:00

After opening my doors out to the balcony, turning my fan on high and wearing as little as possible as a shield to the elements, I still spent a night a little too warm for comfort. When I looked at my fabulous travel clock this morning it told me that it was 32 degrees C at 6:45am (89.6 F, it always seems more daunting in Fahrenheit). Yes my friends it is definitely no longer winter or even spring. Two distressing things about this fact.

1- It's only March. Things keep getting hotter until August just like the states and I don't have an air-conditioner

2- The highs of where I may be next year are still in the low teens C (I'm actually not as uncomfortable as I probably should be, therefore I will freeze next year)

PHS update, I'm leaning toward OSU. . . they do want to pay me after all.

Me on Canvas

2006-03-28T02:33:00.000-08:00

Who Should Paint You: Andy Warhol

You've got an interested edge that would be reflected in any portrait
You don't need any fancy paint techniques to stand out from the crowd!

What Artist Should Paint Your Portrait?

On the Town

2006-03-26T22:57:00.000-08:00

As most know I have no problems taking on the cities I live in alone. Save the cost of taxis (or Petrol in the States) I love taking a day to look about, take in a mid-day movie, sit in a cafe and read or treat myself to a nice lunch. Last Saturday I had my first official lone day on the town.

Order of the day:
Buying an Umbrella and window shopping in the mall
Seeing Pride and Prejudice
Looking through Crosswords for a book of my Guru-ji's that I lost (and resisting buying a book of Marian Keys short stories)
Looking through Oxford for the same book
Waiting for a friend to have drinks (He's one of those silly people who don't have Cell Phones, couldn't tell me he couldn't get out)
Home

Bad lines used on me through the day:
Where are you from?
I know someone who is just about your size.
What's the time?
*Just following me around*

The best part was the new Pride and Prejudice, mainly because I didn't know it was in town and just fun.

Becoming a Regular

2006-03-23T05:24:00.000-08:00

So I go to the small corner convenient store, walk up to the guy and ask him for 2 rolls of TP (everything is behind the counter). He smiles grabs them hands them over and asks if that is all. I say yes, he looks confused and says "No Chocolate biscuits?" Yes my friends I have become a regular.

I love becoming a regular. It means you give one place enough of your service, and they like you enough to remember your order. This has only happened to me in two other places: Nando's in Namibia, (where they remembered I don't like mayonnaise on my chicken burgers) and Atlanta Dinner. Becoming a regular at Atlanta Dinner was really one of my proudest moments. Walking in and having someone bring my hot water with lemon and honey and a glass of cold without even asking, was brilliant and took many episodes of late night studying and Saturday afternoons.

Being a regular is apart of really making someplace home. I wonder where I'll become a regular next.

No One Should Be Surpised by This One

2006-03-23T04:18:00.000-08:00

You Are Kermit

Hi, ho! Lovable and friendly, you get along well with everyone you know.
You're a big thinker, and sometimes you over think life's problems.
Don't worry - everyone know's it's not easy being green.
Just remember, time's fun when you're having flies!

The Muppet Personality Test

Work Stuff

2006-03-22T02:18:00.000-08:00

So I once again have taken the patience to put up pictures, and since I've recently talked about work so much I'd figure it'd make sense for you to see a bit of where I do, what I do.

CINI-ARC and one of the many guard guys that work there.

Because space is pretty scarce most times, I had set myself up in my nook (when my laptop was working properly anyway). So here is where I do all my writing and spend 5 out of 7 days.

This is the computer room, pretty much where every one else works, and me too now that my laptop is in the shop. The upside is that I've been able to have some fun online conversations. I'm usually in the seat that the woman in yellow is sitting in.

This is actually at work too. At the end of each month everyone (fieldworkers, directors, program managers, resource staff etc) get together to give updates on how each project is going. This particular time also happened to be CINI-ARC's anniversary too. This is Chandreyee, we work together on the youth participation evaluation and she's generally pretty cool. She's also my partner for forming Harry Potter Theories. . . Did I mention she also dances?

So the few times I'm not in the office I'm in the field. Back in December I wrote about the Youth Melas(Fairs) Here are some pictures from them. This is just a typical booth. The woman on the Left is Tulika an Outreach worker for this program.

The guys had a slow bike race which I've only seen/participated in once before at a Jack and Jill event. Still pretty fun.

After the guys had their race, the girls gathered to play "Pass the Ball" (Hot Potato) They made me play too and I ended up winning.

Here I am embarrassedly accepting my prize which turned out to be a VCD of Song clips from Bengali films, and a strange plug-in scene which I re-gifted at our Non-denominational Festival of Good Tidings. Not the VCD though. That I actually find pretty entertaining.

Oh and this is just a really pretty area in one of the villages. It makes me miss living in the rural land. You don't get this in the city.

Desultory in Cal

2006-03-21T00:47:00.000-08:00

I don’t think I can live without my Ipod Shuffle. I generally have it on me all the time: when I’m doing yoga, walking down the street, taking a taxi. It’s so little and light. The other day I left it at home (in an effort to be cute) and it was a definite loss (for the one taxi ride I had alone). I also think I’ve become a bit preoccupied by my Itunes most played list. The other day while listening to a tape (yes I still have tapes and a walkman) I thought to myself. “I should let this song go to the end before I rewind it so that this play gets counted”

There are few things as depressing to a single girl than being surrounded by happy gay couples like I was last Friday. You just keep thinking, “They found each other, why can’t I find someone.”

So I’ve been declared an honorary Brit by my friends Aneruit and Patrick. It all started when I was having a conversation with Aneruit and he suddenly stops and says:
“Wait you’re from America, right?”
“Yes.’
“But you said trousers?”
“Well, I haven’t lived there much in the last 4 years”
“I knew there was something wrong with this conversation”
So between all my little British-isms (which seem to be growing the more time I spend with those two) and the fact that the last time I was home (in the US) people kept asking me where I was from, I’ve been dubbed honorary British. Though I still don’t get cricket and the guys say they will explain it to me, I have sat through some long cricket discussions.

I got a bunch of Bendis (the dot people wear) when I first got here which have just been sitting in my cabinet. I figured I should start wearing them so I don’t just drag them home with me. Everyone tends to like the way they look, but generally at some point during the day they will either migrate or fall off entirely. While doing my sit-ups the other day I found one at the bottom of a random shirt, how it got there. . .?

The kids at the end of my block are special. Other than directing people to my flat when we have parties they also: greet me daily, ask me if I’m speaking to a friend (if I’m on the phone), make a comment on my clothes (especially if I’m wearing a sari or western wear), ask what music I am listening to (sometimes I let them listen too), invite me to play badminton for a while (I’m really bad), or say something else to me that in my poor Bengali I still don’t understand. They are pretty fun.

So there’s a huge train station by my house and you can hear the trains at all times of the day and night. It’s a random slice of life living next door. Only the 3am express and when people on the platform peep over the stone wall separating us to watch me skip rope in the morning annoys me.

I'm starting to think that Black Americans outside of the US are pretty exotic. In all my time here I only ever met 2 other Black People from the States and one was actually Nigerian studying in the states and the other was ½ Senegalese ½ Florida white person. Though our media and music has gone almost everywhere it seems that most Black Americans (Those of us who for generations have been born and raised in the states- Homegrown Ashley would say) don't leave the US. Even while traveling I met only a few and they were all Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa. Now that I think about it even in Germany people were surpised to hear I was from the US. (Though they accepted it and never tried to tell me I was really Cuban or from the West Indies). I guess I'll be plain again when I get back. . . We'll as plain as I ever can be.

The best and worst thing about Cal/Kolkata is that you get to meet a lot of people. It’s not the typical tourist town (most people hit Delhi Bombay, the Himalayan area or the south), so you get a unique collection of people working or studying here. I’ve met designers, exporters, PHD candidates, one guy who was here to teach rugby to street kids, etc. The bad thing is people are always leaving. Karan and Avo (their picture was up here somewhere) are moving back to Delhi after fashion week. Aneruit’s leaving after he finishes his book in April-ish. I’ve been to countless goodbye parties. But I guess since I’m leaving too (at some point) I can’t complain too much . . . can I? It would just be nice if everyone left after I did.

Question of the Month March

2006-03-16T22:30:00.000-08:00

This one came as a suggestion.

"If you could live one day over again, what day would it be and why??"

A New Player Enters the Game

2006-03-16T05:05:00.000-08:00

I've been accepted to UMich School of Public Health too :-)

Decisions decisions. . . have I always vacillated so much or have my big decisions been fewer and farther between, or have I not really had options before?

My Happy Holiday-Answer to Feb's Question.

2006-03-15T21:35:00.000-08:00

For all of you who participated thanks. I particularly liked Julia's Forcemas and the cubicle monkey day. For Details

Bed Day/24hrs off-

This holiday would be celebrated 4 times a year, once per season, and can be taken at anytime within that quarter.

Bedday/24hrs off- Requires the shutting off of all communication devises, Cell phones, Computers, Blackberries etc. for 24hrs. Each person is allowed to do whatever they like for 24hr, as long as it returns to thier bed.

Activities may include, watching movies in bed, reading, sleeping, doing other things, having a long leisurly breakfast or lunch (and returning to bed or you can eat in bed if you are good about crumbs). Anything else you wish to do, taking leasuirly walks, skiing etc, is allowed as long as you go back to bed and rest afterward. This day should be one of complete relaxation as well as fufilling the desires of self, not work, or others. (Of course restrictions are placed if your desires are to harm others or restrict thier freedoms)

This day is for 24hrs. So if it starts 5pm Friday you have until 5pm Sat to do as you wish. It is 24hrs off from the world.

The Best Possible Real Holiday

2006-03-15T00:04:00.000-08:00

HOLI-
So I'd played it a couple times at Emory with the Indian Cultural Exchange, but this was my first Holi in India. This Holiday ROCKS!

It's basically the celebration of the coming of spring so everyone buys or wears white. Then you get colored powders, water with coloring, and go around throwing it on people. A usual greeting goes like this. You walk up put some colored powder on their cheek forehead or feet (if you want to be REALLY respectful) and say hi. You can also just squirt them with colored water, make sure they are good and wet and colorful and then say hello and happy Holi. This is called Playing Holi. It's great because you get to run around and act like kids, it's a supped up powder/water war. Water guns and balloons are all so used. Anyone in white is an open target.

Avo, Sohini, and I headed over to Neela's house around 10:30am, picking up Aditi on the way (who was already a bit colorful) and really excited. We get to Neelas Garden. Set up the powders on open flat baskets, get a huge tub and fill it with water and add the coloring. The biggest problem was that there are two kinds of water colors. The ones that wash off and the ones that don't. Though we tried to hide them, Aditi kept getting into them and covering her hands with them and then smearing them on you. It started with just the 4 of us Neela, Stan and another french woman staying with Neela at the moment, but by the end Patrick, Lily (both British journalist in Cal for a year) Andy and Ravi (his boyfriend visiting from Ghana)a bunch of Neela's family and and a few others. Aneruit refused staunchly to leave his house.

Notable Moments-
-Hearing Aditi yelling out "Chinky" whenever Avo did . . .anything (he's from Nagaland and looks more east Asian)

-Andy after being thoroughly doused in pink dye which got into his contacts (not a problem according to him, just rose colored glasses) but made the whites of his eyes pink and his contacts golden looking.

-Being doused by water as soon as you started to dry, or being told you look too clean.

-Using wet powder to paint designs on people.

-Throwing cups of colored water on people.

-Attacking and running away from the retaliation, I also enjoyed attacking those running by.

-Watching Ravi who managed to look calm and composed even when 1/2 of his face was green and the other 1/2 was yellow.

-When Neela's mom came out after lunch and started to join in.

-People apparently really liked putting powder in my hair (I had it in 2 french braids), so that I'm still washing pink out of it 2 days later.

of course the clean up was incredible, and the next day you can tell anyone who played. pictures to come :)

Turning Veggie

2006-03-12T21:33:00.000-08:00

I've been happily flexitarian for the last 3 years. Going for months without eating meat and then having the occasional piece of chicken. This has been great, because I don't feel bad for ordering the veggie option, but I can find easier sources of protein. But recently (for the last month about) every time I have chicken I start thinking. . . "Why am I eating this? It doesn't really taste good." This is the exactly the same thought I have on those few occasions I've had red meat in the last 8 years or so. (I stopped eating red meat about 8 years ago). Even when I know it's really good mentally, my favorite dish at my favorite restaurant per se, it's just not that good.

I think I'm turning veggie. Which overall I don't mind that much except then you become one of those people. With their special meals and "There's nothing for me to eat" and here they always act extremely superior to everyone else. Granted I'd be in good company. Many of my friends are veggies. It's just scary that my taste buds are deciding for me.

Scary Tests and New Answers

2006-03-10T01:59:00.000-08:00

Alright, So I'd figure I'd take some more of those random test thingys for your blog. Considered doing one per week, but they are just a little too real. They peg me scarily welll. . . I guess I'll show you what made me think this.

The Sonnet
Deliberate Gentle Love Dreamer (DGLDf)

Romantic, hopeful, and composed. You are the Sonnet. Get it? Composed?

Sonnets want Love and have high ideals about it. They're conscientious people, caring & careful. You yourself have deep convictions, and you devote a lot of thought to romance and what it should be. This will frighten away most potential mates, but that's okay, because you're very choosy with your affections anyway. You'd absolutely refuse to date someone dumber than you, for instance.

Your exact opposite:
Genghis Khunt

Random Brutal Sex Master

Lovers who share your idealized perspective, or who are at least willing to totally throw themselves into a relationship, will be very, very happy with you. And you with them. You're already selfless and compassionate, and with the right partner, there's no doubt you can be sensual, even adventurously so.

You probably have lots of female friends, and they have a special soft spot for you. Babies do, too, at the tippy-top of their baby skulls.

ALWAYS AVOID: The 5-Night Stand, The False Messiah, The Hornivore, The Last Man on Earth

CONSIDER: The Loverboy

Link: The 32-Type Dating Test by OkCupid - Free Online Dating.
My profile name: nomuhle

Scary isn't it. Anyway my newest addiction/distraction is Yahoo Answers. Real people asking and answering real questions. It's horribly addictive, and fun.

CINI frustrations

2006-03-08T20:34:00.000-08:00

Okay, So I'm working for this NGO who requested me to come. I work out a project and try to get to work.

1st Issue- Because my project is in someways an evaluation I of course have a difficult time obtaining the files and records I need to do an evaluation. So from Oct-Dec I spend time hounding the program directors for their files and end-up having to do things the old Namibian way and stand over people's shoulders to make sure I get what I need. Of the three programs I'm evaluating only one was really cooperative, and that's because one of the key workers is also in the Knowledge Management division (which is where I'm supposed to be)

2nd- So in order to do this evaluation of "Youth Friendliness" (YF) which CINI claims to be and "Youth Participation" I had to create some form of evaluation tool, which with some research and a meeting or two with all the program people I did get done. So I create this great evaluation tool and send it out to everyone. It will get modified some with the Focus Group Discussions (FGD) which I'll hold in a bit, but I thought it was great. Downside is that most people don't actually read the things I send them. I got a frantic call last Saturday from one of my co-workers asking for our YF protocol for a Proposal. Somehow she couldn't find the huge doc I had created. I'm glad it's getting used for something, but it seems like 9/10ths of the stuff I do just lies around in someones computer file.

3rd and the reason I took yesterday off- I had the most frustrating meeting ever. We the knowledge management (KM) dept, the outside consultant, and I were to meet on Reproductive Health manual I was working on. It was supposed to happen on Monday, was delayed until Tuesday. The woman who is more or less the head of the KM comes in and says the meeting will be held in a little while. I say okay ask her to call me when it starts and continue working. It wasn't until much later I discover that the meeting started and she didn't call me. They were 1/2 finished when I came in.

So on top of forgetting me we then start going through some of the changes I suggested. Understanding that some of it needed to be changed to be accepted by the community, but some things were just ridiculous. Like insisting to say "attracted to the opposite sex", instead of "attracted to others." They also were refusing to include all the female genitalia. Just because that's not what they have been doing in the villages. Who has ever heard of an NGO or similar organization up holding the status quo? You would think that they would want complete and accurate information in the manual. The current consultant did take my edited version and both will be sent to 3rd party technical guy. Either way I was really frustrated. Why have me here and ask me to do things if you aren't going to use what I have done?

My wednesday off was marvelous though.

Happy Birthday Brandon

2006-03-08T02:32:00.000-08:00

Here he is as a tureg

And here is is normally

Current Happy things

2006-03-06T23:12:00.000-08:00

Current Happy Music

“Sunday Morning” Maroon 5
“If You Could Only See” Everclear
“Find Him” Cassandra Wilson
“I’m Not a Fucking Drag Queen”- Peter Outerbridge
“Take a letter Maria”- R. B. Greaves
“Shining Star”-Roots, D’Angelo, Eryka Badu

Current Desktop
Satchel one of my dog Nando's puppies

Nice things about living in this particular brown country-

Upside-People can tell if I'm looking flushed or pale
Downside-People can also tell if I'm blushing (which I've tried to convince people for years I don't do, doesn't work here)

Upside-Plenty of fun hair oils, conditioners, and products
Downside-Still can't go to a salon, because my grade of curly hair confuses people

Last Week

2006-03-06T21:16:00.000-08:00

To answer Feb's question of the month

For you all you aren't used to my question's I tend to alternate fun and serious. So let's get some more fun holidays