Septimus, am I the first to have thought of this?

Firstly, blogging with a Blackberry sucks. This is simply too slow and painstaking.

But mostly Blackberries suck. Why? Because they make you miss your bus! After missing my 8:05 commuter rail train due to the length of my morning shower, I decided to take the 8:10 bus. Except as I typed a note to my boss explaining I might be late to our 9:15 meeting with the Managing Director, the damned bus rattled off right by me without stopping! I looked up a milisecond too late and then screamed and jumped up and down like a maniac, waving my arms in the air, but of course by this time it was a block away and a bus's ass doesn't have eyes. Considered chasing after it but today's shoes (fancy khussay) are not conducive to mad dashes behind the 505 express. So now I'm on the 8:30 train and will be 5-10 minutes late to my meeting with THE MANAGING DIRECTOR.

Right now, seriously hating:
- Meetings before 10am
- Commuter rail/living out here in bloody Waltham
- Khussay
- Showers

Only good thing to come out of this is that I created a new swear word: shitf*ck. Yes? Got a nice catchy ring to it na? It will now be my new pet swear word for everything. Appropriately expresses anger, disdain, hating, pissiness and frustration with fate. All valid feelings when you're screwed over by the damn MBTA. So much for my Ode to the T. Ha.

Verdant World

Have I been asleep for the past few weeks? Because today I looked up and suddenly realized that the city is green again. Trees are bursting with chartreuse baby leaves, and huge white/pink flowers (possibly magnolias) are in bloom.

I love trees when they're this version of green: so fresh and spring-like. Soon, their color will deepen and become the richer foliage of summer, but right now everything seems young and ripe, holding the promise of good things to come. If only it would last forever.

Wonder how one should celebrate the advent of spring. Perhaps will make a trip to Kimball Farm this weekend... yes, ice cream, mini-golf and bumper boating seems like a nice way to greet the warm weather :) Who wants to come with?

Also, try saying Verdant World over and over at superfast speed. It's guaranteed to make you mix up your V's and W's (unless you do that already - in which case this is a pointless exercise and you are clearly a die-hard FOB).

That is all.

Mere Yaar Ki Birthday Hai

Today is a special day. Why? It is the birthday of my BFF Salman, of course. Duh.

Now typically, Salu's birthdays are a grand affair - he gets presents in the mail, cards, calls... the whole shebang. But this year will be a little different. Why? 'Cos now he's married and it ain't my job to do all this crap and make him feel special anymore.

(ok ok.. his present is in the mail already *eyeroll*.. old habits die hard.. but don't worry, it's nothing to do with frogs or globes this time)

But this year I'm changing it up a little. Instead of a card, Sheikhoo gets his very own dedicated blog post. For all the world to see and potentially Google. How cool is that? (yes, you can thank me in the comments).

So, what can I say about Salman? We've been best friends for 9 years. I've also known him 9 years but I can't remember when he *wasn't* my best friend, so for argument's sake I'm just going to assume we've been inseparable since we've known each other. We've also gone through a record number of names for each other: from {sALMAn}, eNeRgIzEr_BuNnY and Papitay, to Sheikhoo and Jeenu Baggy Jeans.. it's been a wild wild ride.

We have laughed together, cried together, grown up together, fought like animals, sworn at each other, and done/said lots of crazy and embarrassing things together that, ahem, we'd rather not mention here, thank you very much (this includes the playing with teddy bears phase - which reminds me, dude where's doc saab?).

I've probably spent most of my life's cell-phone minutes on him, and I've only ever had to go to the post office (usually 10+ miles away) to pick up a package because he's the only person who uses frickin' UPS to send me stuff (the remote controlled Mini Cooper still qualifies as Best. Gift. Ever).

I once dedicated the Celine Dion song "Because You Loved Me" to him (this was a few birthdays ago) and that feeling has not diminished with time. Salman has held me up when I have been weak, given me strength and comfort and hope and, always, a laugh when I needed it most. He has taught me all the Punjabi I know ('nashey mein talli' not withstanding) and he has given me the gift of a friendship that is whole and complete, unflinching and unquestioning. He knows all my secrets and my flaws, he's my rock through the storm, my friend, my partner in crime, and in general - he's pretty aiiiight. Like I said, Best Friends Forever.

(Hmm. Is it just me or is this beginning to sound like a eulogy? Ok man, you're not dead, just 28. I'll speed this up a little.)

SO.

Even though you were too lazy to come to my wedding, I think me skipping yours was revenge enough. I now officially forgive you for that horrible lapse in judgment, and would like to wish a very Happy Happy HAPPY Birthday to my jiggar Sheikhoo. [wataaaap bhee]

May you have an awesome day, a wonderful 28th year, may your wife feed you lots of cake that doesn't automatically go to your butt, may Armani Exchange never die (what will you wear then?), and may all of life's most precious gifts always find their way to your door (so you don't have to go 10+ miles to pick them up).

*happy birthday jhuppieeeee* x3

Love,
me.

P.S.: How great was this blog post? How the heck are you gonna top this one, sucker? Haha! The countdown to August 7th begins..

One Hundred Million Dollars!

/xinu/ thinks it's funny how she knows the all the passwords for everything owned by her two sisters, including all email accounts, Facebook, Naseeb, ATMs and home security alarm systems.

All this power makes me giddy. Muwahahahaha.

In other news, I just remembered: it's Wednesday.

Lunchtime Acquisitions

1) Today's fortune cookie: "Good news of a long awaited event will arrive soon."
Isn't it ironic that I get the most direct and positive fortune ever, just when I'm most prone to being extremely cynical and pessimistic? Ha.

2) Apparently, if you eat bananas and have a regular breakfast when you get pregnant, you'll have a boy. I guess then it's a good thing that I hate bananas and almost always skip breakfast.

3) Made an impulse buy and splurged on above tulips for $20. Figured I could use the cheering up, although my camera phone photograph doesn't quite convey how cheerful they actually are.

That is all.

Have added new poll widget to the blog. Yes, it's very self-indulgent. See if I care!

Think of Me

What can I say, I'm in Phantom of the Opera mode. And this is a beautiful and sad song that I am currently really in the mood to hum to myself.

Think of me,
think of me fondly,
when we've said goodbye.

Remember me, once in a while -
please promise me you'll try.

When you find
that, once again, you long
to take your heart back and be free -
if you ever find a moment,
spare a thought for me.

We never said
our love was evergreen,
or as unchanging as the sea -
but if you can still remember
stop and think of me.

Think of all the things
we've shared and seen -
don't think about the way things
might have been.

Think of me,
think of me waking,
silent and resigned.

Imagine me, trying too hard
to put you from my mind.

Recall those days
look back on all those times,
think of the things we'll never do -
there will never be a day, when
I won't think of you.

Flowers fade,
the fruits of summer fade,
they have their seasons, so do we -
but please promise me that sometimes,
you will think of me..

All Cooked Up

Can I just say that I love David Cook? He totally needs to win American Idol, people. Pull out your phones and start dialing. Why? Three reasons:

1) Hello by Lionel Richie. You have never heard this soppy, cheesy song sung like this. Seriously.


2) Billie Jean by Michael Jackson. Of course we love Mickey J but lets face it, I have no idea what the man ever says. Anybody who can change this crotch-grabbing squeaker into a soulful rock ballad deserves mad props.


3) Music of the Night from Phantom of the Opera. Oh my fricken God. This is my most favorite musical of ALL time and this boy blew this song out of the box. As Randy Jackson said tonight - "hot, molten, lava, hot!".


Yes? Yes? Am I getting this right? Who's with me?

Down with choco-pop David Archuleta!

Dinner

Shrimp shumai
Wasabi crab rangoon
Crispy yellow noodles with seafood in kung pao sauce

Yum.

Just realized...

It's a good thing tomorrow is 73F, sunny and sandal weather. 'Cos I just realized that all my socks are now in the laundry. Ha.

Her Misses

feeling
blocked and deleted
dropped and cheated

invisible

Phantom? Dream?
slate wiped clean.

hurting

Just Because.

The second saddest scene from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.

Why this is sad:

- After years of waiting for him and pining for him - the perfect guy - he's finally in love with her.
- He's expressing it in a totally romantic fashion.. there's imaginary, magical music.. dancing.. bodies pressed close together in the rain.. *sigh*.. it's perfect (well.. *I* think it's perfect.. some of you loserly, unromantic types may disagree!)
- But then - BAM! She realizes that she now belongs to somebody else and can't have the love of her life.. because how would the other guy feel? But wait a minute, who cares what he feels? This is what she wants! But, then again, she can't hurt the other guy now, considering he's wanted her so long. So what if being with him is a compromise? But no - its not true love, it never has been! And now true love is knocking on her door and she can't open it! Dammit dammit dammit!

Now if that isn't sad, I don't know what is.

Happy 420!

*stupid grin*

I am so amused by this day.. it's so awesome. Why? Because of all the stupidity and mystery that surrounds the origins of "420", (which were debunked by Snopes ages ago) and the fact that FX and G4 have awesome stoner movies playing all day today.

Wow, I sound really cool and "with it" don't I? was once a time when I was rather naive about all this stuff though.

In sophomore year, I bought this poster for my dorm room - it had a marijuana leaf on it, was printed on brown paper and said "Environ MENTALLY Friendly". I thought it was just funny because of the environmental/mental aspect.. I had no idea what a marijuana leaf looked like or that it had anything to do with pot.

Halfway through the school year, my buddy Nirav who lived down the hall stopped by my room. When he saw the poster, he laughed and said, "Dude I didn't know you did weed."

In my head, I screamed: "WHAAAAAAAAT?!!!?!?!?!"

Out loud, I was like, "Erm.. yeah.. I just.. err.. thought it was.. yknow.. funny." Then he left and I banged my head against the wall for being so utterly clueless.

Yeah, I'm lame like that. Now, I'm gonna go back to watching Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back.

Quote of the Day

As we watch "Dude, Where's My Car" on FX, Sarwar says:

"Life would be so much easier if we were stoners."

Amen, brotha, amen.

The Next Big Step

It's official: I'm going to grad school. Just received the acceptance packet from Emerson College in the mail. Looks like I'm going to go against everything I've ever said since 2003 and actually end up getting a Masters degree after all. Woohoo.

I have to confirm acceptance of the offer by May 1, quit my job (probably by end June) and then I'm all set to become a student.

So many changes all happening at once. Wondering what my life will be in a year from now, and just praying that all that happens does so for the best. InshaAllah.

OMG OMG OMG

I CAN FIT INTO MY PRE-WEDDING, SIZE 6, SKINNY-JEANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, I admit, they're still a little snug.... but in the past three years, I couldn't even get them up my damn thighs. These are jeans that were perfect for me in 2003 when I met Sarwar, which is the thinnest I've ever been, and I kept them so that I'd know when I got back to my ideal size....

Now I'm all revved up to actually hit the gym and get even thinner! Nothing like sweet success to provide motivation :D

Yay!

Moonlight

Last night as I drove down Rt. 2 towards Porter Square to have dinner with friends, I looked up at the sky and marveled at the moon. It never fails to take my breath away; whether it's a sliver of a crescent, or full and bright, there's something breathtakingly captivating about this jewel in the sky. It shines its beauty upon us all, but the night makes it lonely. It's as if it knows that its light is not its own and somehow that diminishes its brilliance, its ability to illuminate the darkest corner of the sky. But that's not true, we all know that. Silly moon.

Last night, I saw an almost full moon, surrounded by clusters of stars. I suddenly felt the urge to grab some sleeping bags, go to a deserted field in the middle of nowhere, and lie there all night, just looking up at the moon. I can't explain why but that's just what I wanted to do. Be bathed in moonlight and watch the clouds drift over us, with millions of stars smiling brightly.

One of my favorite lines from a movie (I don't remember which) comes during a scene where two lovers have to separate for some reason. When the girl expresses how much she will miss him, her lover says, "Whenever you feel lonely, look up at the moon. Because I'll be looking up at the same moon too, and you'll know I'm with you."

I love that thought. It's the same moon no matter where you go, so that's one thing we can share despite the distance and silence between us. Isn't that amazing?

I will end this post by saying that the moon has, on many occasions, inspired me to write as well. Below is one such piece that expresses some of my reflections on the moon... enjoy.

As I lie alone in the sheltering darkness of the night, a wisp of moonlight makes its way through the curtains. The branch outside my window sways, and upon my blank wall, light dances to the tune of the night wind. I stare at the shapes but they fail to hold my attention. My sleepless nights continue to search for what lies asleep in my dreams.

I toss and turn.

The clock at my bedside glows an ominous green, the digital numbers staring at me silently like the piercing eyes of a monster waiting to strike. Not a tick, not a beep comes from it, as it steadily deletes minutes from my life. Outside, a car drives by with a low rumble, streaking a flash of yellow light against my wall.

I toss and turn.

I hear a soft pattering, as the first drops of a summer shower begin to fall upon the leaves. An owl hoots, and the creatures of the night rustle in their sleep. The pouring becomes faster and steadier. The sound of the rain washes through my mind, leaving my eyes damp with tears.

I toss and turn.

And then I see him, swathed under the covers, next to me. He is asleep, his face upon the pillow turned towards me, the blanket resting softly on his body. He is a mild silhouette in the dimness, but I see him.

His eyes are shut, his long lashes making shadows on his cheek. His face is now worn with worry; there are lines where there were once dimples. His lips tremble as he dreams, and mine ache to touch them. I feel the warmth of his breath on my neck. He swallows drowsily, and I watch his Adam's apple travel in its orbit down his throat.

I reach out to touch him.

Just then, a mass of cloud slides over the moon, and the shadows on my wall vanish. A deafening clap of thunder and a blinding streak of lightning crack their whip against my window, and I shut my eyes tight in fear.

When I open them, he is gone.

I stare at the space that was him, desperately willing for him to return, but I only see the dents his body left behind. Flooded by helplessness, I gather the sheets that carry his scent and bury myself within them.

And through the stormy night, I toss and turn.

The Rise of TB

Feds: Passenger on Plane with Infected Woman Tests Positive for TB
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO — A passenger on an American Airlines flight from India who sat near a woman with drug-resistant tuberculosis has tested positive for TB, federal health officials said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention uncovered the second case after tracking down and testing more than two dozen passengers who sat near the woman on the December flight from New Delhi to Chicago.

But CDC officials cautioned Thursday that because the other passenger had lived in a country where TB is common, they could not determine how the infection was contracted.

"It's not really surprising to see people on a plane from a country with high TB prevalence testing positive for TB," said Shelly Diaz, a spokeswoman for the agency.

The 30-year-old woman diagnosed with the full-blown version of the disease late last year arrived in Chicago on Dec. 13 and then traveled on to San Francisco International Airport. Health officials said the woman learned in India that she was sick with TB but still boarded the international flight.

About a week after the flight landed, the woman showed up at the Stanford Hospital emergency room with a fever and chest pain and coughing up blood.

The Silicon Valley woman has since been released from the hospital after months in isolation but will remain quarantined at home for several more weeks, local health officials said.

"We don't really want anyone right now to come into contact with her," said Dr. Marty Fenstersheib, health officer for Santa Clara County.

The woman continues to take antibiotics, and a health care worker directly observes her taking her medication every day, a standard protocol for TB, Fenstersheib said. She may have to take drugs for up to two more years to completely eradicate the disease, he said.

To determine whether the woman was the one who infected the other passenger, that person would have to develop the disease rather than just test positive for the germs that cause it, Diaz said.

Otherwise doctors have no way to test the TB bacteria to see if the strains match.

People who carry the germ that causes TB but do not have the active version of the disease are not contagious. Many people who carry TB do not develop symptoms that allow the disease to spread.

"This person is not a health threat at this time," Diaz said.

Under World Health Organization guidelines, a total of 44 passengers sitting within two rows of the infected woman on the flight from India to Chicago were considered at risk.

The CDC oversaw testing for 27 passengers. Others reported already being TB carriers, while some returned to their home countries before they could be tested.

Passengers who only sat near the woman on the Chicago-to-San Francisco flight were not exposed long enough to be infected, according to the CDC.

Last year, a TB patient caused an international health scare when he flew to Europe for his wedding, though no evidence has emerged that he spread the disease.

Wicked Cool.

Just learned about this suite of graphic design tools called Aviary. ME LIKEY. I'd like to be able to skin a cat like this. Yes it sounds mean, but if you had allergies like mine, you'd understand.

Quick product synopsis taken from this week's TRU View newsletter :

"As the technology advances, it's sometimes tricky to tell a fake image from a real one. Perhaps the only reason society retains any trust whatsoever in online images is that Photoshop ($649) remains out of reach for many would-be manipulators, and video-editing software can cost far more.

Aviary is a social-networking site that revolves around computer-based creativity. Aviary's suite of programs includes applications for image, video, and sound editing, three-dimensional modeling, and music creation. Users can collaborate on artistic endeavors, and an Aviary digital marketplace even allows artists to sell their masterworks --helping disseminate them into the larger culture. This development is certainly something to consider as a part of any brand's logo and copyright protection."

The tools look uber creative and really fun.. I'm super excited, especially by the Dodo app. Have signed up to get access to the beta version, lets hope it comes in soon. Seriously. This has real potential to become my next obsession after Facebook.

Feeling very sleepy and tired. Lots and lots of work to do at work, and little energy to do it. Must focus and concentrate. All emotions feel shut off except extreme meanness and sarcasm. Annoyed that Monday is an office holiday for Patriot's Day and I totally forgot about it, wasting the opportunity to make good long-weekend plans. Can't believe an earthquake hit Chicago. Bizarre. Missing my roommate Sakinah as its her birthday today. I haven't seen her since 2004, why is Malaysia so far away? I need a hug. And a bed.

Wildcat Pride

Woohoo. For once I actually did something to support my alma mater and got some recognition in return - a name mention on the Young Alumni donations page! Hmm, I wonder if that'll show up in Google searches on my name now.

Of course, Northwestern has recognized me before. Two years ago, Starcom was featured as one of the best places for communications internships/jobs in "Dialogue", the quarterly alumni magazine of the School of Communication. The magazine folks came over, interviewed us, and included us in a photo shoot... and my picture was actually published! (*) I'm not surprised I was included, though, since the photographer was literally stalking me and put me in every picture he shot. I think it was because of the extremely bright kurta I was wearing but maybe it's just 'cos I'm sooo photogenic (that's a big self-ego-stroke, yes, wochu gonna do about it huh?).

Anyway, it's a good NU reminiscing sort of day today.

(*) Edit 4/18/08: See this picture below.

It's That Time Of The Month.

Uff. Get your mind out of the gutter, people. Not *that* time of the month.

I only meant that it's Wednesday. Again. Hallelujah.

Best. Bumper. Sticker. Ever.

Picard/Riker '08
Make It So

[unfortunately no jpeg of this exists, but I read about it in an interview with Patrick Stewart]

Lyrics of the Day

शाम का आँचल.. तोड़ के आई.. देखो वह रात सुहानी
आ लिख्दें हम.. दोनों मिलके.. अपनी यह प्रेम कहानी
हम... रहे या न रहे याद आयेंगे यह पल..

Oh alright alright, for those of you lame non Hindi readers...

Shaam ka aanchal.. todh ke aayi.. dekho woh raat suhaani (yay, that's me)
Aa likhdein hum.. dono milke.. apni yeh prem kahaani
Hum.. rahein ya na rahein yaad aayeinge yeh pal..

Husband Pimper

Sometimes being in the ad world is just too funny. Check out this invite I received today from the sales rep at Redbook magazine:



















I don't know whether to mock them for being this superficial and stupid, or burst out laughing at the absurdity of it all.

Maybe I'm just bitter 'cos I know I wouldn't win the competiiton?

(Oooooh... BURN for SSR! Ok people, settle down. I keed, I keed.)

But this is still preeeeeeeeeety damn ridiculous. Hot husbands of advertising mavens. Ha.

*Edit: On second thoughts, I could always enter a hot friend and pretend it was my husband or significant other just to win the $500.. no? Hmm. Ok P, you're the hottest friend I've got. Suit up. You're it.

[runs from TBG's flying chappal]

It's Tax Day.

I effing hate Tax Day.

'nuff said.

I hate printers.

Remember Michael Bolton from Office Space, and his printer? That's me.

Oh wait, actually found the video. Ha. Love You Tube.

Today's Fortune Cookie

"Two small jumps are sometimes better than one big leap."

Hmm.

Ok seriously, Panda Express.. just shut it.

Blegh.

Sitting in Buffalo airport, waiting for my flight back to Boston. I only have about an hour until scheduled take-off but I decided to pay the $7.95 for day-long access to airport Internet. Wasteful, yes. But since when has that ever stopped an addict?

Toronto was OK. The wedding stopped being fun after the first day. I have decided that I officially hate weddings, especially big dramatic productions with elaborate events and celebrations. I didn't really enjoy my own wedding for precisely that reason, and if I ever do it again it'll be a simple nikah in a mosque, an intimate valima for family and friends, and that's it. Sab log apne apne ghar jao, the way you're supposed to Islamically. It seems bizarre to me that we spend so much time, energy, money and emotions for a life-changing thing that, actually, isn't always a barrel of laughs and a bed of roses, and all those other euphemisms for ease. Marriage is hard work. It's a serious endeavor. Let's not misrepresent and forget the gravity of this life-changing event by getting engrossed in $8,000 flower centerpieces, stupid cultural traditions and vats of butter chicken.

Yes I know, it's a glass-half-empty day today. Well. Tough.

I need to change my cellphone service.

Why? Because it's just too ironic that it's "T" Mobile.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

You know you're going to hell when you can't speak about the most spiritually uplifting experience of your life because of a profound sense of guilt and shame.

Song of the Trip

I's not a new song but seriously, this is the best dance track I've heard since Mauja hi Mauja. Whoever heard of acoustic guitar in brit punjabi pop? As Paris Hilton would say, that's HOT.

Vish/P: can I count on you to join me in some bhangra pao'ing and iPod track repeating?

Sigh of Relief

Have arrived in Toronto today by myself to attend a friend's wedding, and I'm here through Sunday. Must say, I've never felt more glad to be home. I don't know what I'd do without my sister Nikhat. She's simply the best. I feel like I've been carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders these last few weeks, but already feel so much better having spoken to her about everything. Mad props to big sisters (especially when they make creole chicken sandwiches for you without asking and then come by to give them to you as you blog about them! ha!).

Looking forward to seeing friends and celebrating their wedding. My cousins are also coming into town from Rochester, NY and I can't wait to see them and my nephew/nieces. Those kids make me so happy. My dad got me a Wii, too .. excited to go home, plug it in, and play online with all these people!

So grateful for loving family and friends who unconditionally give you love, company and a shoulder to cry on without asking for anything in return. Alhumdolillah.

Ok must go iron clothes and get ready for the nikah. Will try to avoid complete radio silence while I'm here.

xinu out.

I saw the prettiest flowers today at the stall downstairs. Baby pink Gerber daisies! I've never seen that shade of pink before. Something like this....

... but paler and fresher. You can't recreate nature through jpegs and code. Oh well. It made my heart happy just looking at them.

I love flowers. Flowers:Nature :: Babies:Mankind. Beautiful, innocent, precious.

I've seen mountains and volcanoes, rivers and lakes... next I want to go someplace where there are fields and fields of flowers, nothing but a carpet of colors, as far as the eye can see.. tulips, daisies, roses, lilies, sunflowers.

Does such a place exist?

Today's revelation.

It's true. I'm a wannabe geek. Why?

COS I LOVE MY CYBORG NAME!!!

Props to TB for linking to this in November 2004. Seriously. Wicked. Cool. Shit.

Get Your Cyborg Name

Get Your Cyborg Name

I admit. I'm an office scavenger too.

Guess what?

It's Wednesday. AGAIN.

Damn Wednesdays.

Awkward

Sitting on the T with a man standing in front of you and there's no where to look but ahead at his crotch. Am I the only one who finds this disconcerting?

Evil Brit Reality TV Judges

Why are there so many of them on TV nowadays?

Gordon Ramsay is on Hell's Kitchen..
Piers Morgan is on America's Got Talent..
And of course.. the very lovable Simon Cowell is on American Idol..

Why? I know Jeremy Irons was great as Scar in The Lion King and all that.. but British Accent = Evil is getting rather old. *yawn*

So far, so good. Hot chocolate has been in system for three hours and no running to the loo has happened... yet.

I got work done this morning. Then I lapsed into stalker level email-checking and Facebook-refreshing. Thank goodness for StatCounter.

Frickin' MIT MSA kids

I don't care if I'm not supposed to have dairy for a week because of this stomach bug. I'm having my hot chocolate today. And no one can stop me. It's been two weeks since my last cup, and today is definitely a day that requires sugar. So, screw you gastroenteritis.

"He turns all of his injuries into strengths, that which does not kill him makes him stronger, he is superman." -- Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

I wish I were Superman.

Yeh Hai Meri Kahaani

Bajaaye pyar ki shabnam mere gulistaan mein
Baraste rehte hain harr sindh maut ke saaye
Siyaahion se ulajh parti hain meri aankhein
Koi nahin, koi bhi nahin jo batlaye
Main kitni deir ujaalon ki raah dekhoonga

Koi nahin, hai koi bhi nahin
Na paas, na duur

Ek yaad hai, dil ki dharkan,
Apni chahat ka jo elaan kiye jaati hai
Zindagi hai jo jiye jaati hai
Khoon ke ghoont piye jaati hai
Khwab kaanton se siye jaati hai...

I'm suffering from a bizarre disease. For a few weeks now, I've been feeling fatigued, nauseous, sleepy, jittery, cold, cranky, emotional and in general have lost my appetite for food. My tummy is totally out of whack and I'm sneezing and coughing at random times of the day. (No, for the last time, I'm not pregnant!). I think it's all because of Daylight Savings kicking in three weeks early this year and messing up my circadian rhythm. Damn circadians.

I hate Wednesdays

What a week it's been. Damn Wednesdays.

Hotel Decent

Best scene from Jab We Met!

Life was strange to me today..

So I stopped by the river, watched the sunset as the wind blew through my hair..

.. and listened to a song.

I think this is my most favorite song in the world. No matter what mood I'm in - happy or sad, content or contemplative, angry or disappointed or hurt - this song is just perfect for me. It's simply.. flawless. I'm trying, but I can't find any more words to describe what this song means to me... except that thank goodness Vishal introduced me to it all those years ago :)

Here's to music that comes from the heart.

The rest of me is fine. But my feet are FREEZING.

WTF?

A Real Love Song

I Carry Your Heart With Me
By E.E. Cummings

I carry your heart with me
I carry it in my heart
I am never without it, anywhere I go, you go, my dear;
And whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling
I fear no fate, for you are my fate, my sweet
I want no world, for beautiful, you are my world, my true
And you are whatever a moon has always meant
And whatever a sun will always sing, is you

Here is the deepest secret nobody knows
Here is the root of the root, and the bud of the bud
And the sky of the sky of a tree called life
Which grows higher than the soul can hope, or mind can hide
And this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

I carry your heart
I carry it in my heart

Blast from the Past

Some of you may remember that before the xinugeist, there was another blog of mine called Taneez Se (yes I thought it was very catchy at the time.. reversing my name to play on 'Tameez Se '.. alright alright, settle down, I was only 20 at the time!).

Anyway, the blog didn't really last very long but today I was scrolling through the archives and found a super-interesting post. Vish, does this ring a bell? :)

This is what Yash Chopra obsessors talk about: (Karan = Karan Johar)

Vishal says:
karan: hiiiii xinuuuuuuu
Suhaani says:
hiiiiiiiiiii karan
Suhaani says:
God ya, ure outfit-toh looks SO hot
Suhaani says:
manish ne banaya?
Suhaani says:
he's SUCH a DOLLLLLLLL ya
Vishal says:
you look mighty sexy yourself yaaar. nahin yaar, yeh to maine khud banaaya hai. nice nooooo?
Suhaani says:
right right
Suhaani says:
CUT!
Suhaani says:
end of "Yeh Kapray Kahan Se Aaye? -- The Gay Question in Indian Cinema"

We need a life. Or, alternatively, to be famous.
# posted by Zeenat : 1/8/2004 07:52:03 AM

It's been 4 years and nothing has changed eh? Well, at least we're consistent :)

On my iPod

Today is a day of repeating one song..

"Saawariya.. ha ha ha ha.."*dances around*

My newest composition

An Ode to T
(Sung to the tune of 'Hey Jude')

Oh T
How I love thee
I see you, everywhere I go
Rain or shine, you're always with me
Taking me places I've never been

Oh T
You bring me home
You are all the colors of the rainbow
When you're late, I get so angry
But when I'm with you, I don't want to leave

I plan my day around you
But know that looking out for you
Won't make you come sooner

Sometimes I feel like a fool
When I run to you
All helter skelter

Na na na na, na na na na

Oh T
You sure are fine
As long as you're not the Green Line
Whenever the world gets me real down
You make me smile, 'cos you are my T.

Music & Lyrics

There are romantic comedies and chick flicks.. but this movie was a little bit different. Caught it on cable after a friend - a guy in his mid-thirties with three kids no less! - recommended it
and it was actually a really sweet film.

Hugh Grant plays an '80s has-been pop-star/musician, and Drew Barrymore is a budding lyricist with a family-run weight loss business and some emotional baggage. The movie revolves around how they come to know each other, compose a song together for a Britney-esque pop star named Cora, and, of course, fall in love.

Surprisingly, their on-screen chemistry is great and neither is as annoying or grating as we have come to expect. In fact, their relationship brought back memories of songs that were composed by the indomitable V&Z duo (remember Vish?)... although we did all our composing, err, over the Internet.

Anyway, the song is really sweet.. it's called "Way Back Into Love" - watch the video below to hear the final version that is performed at the end of the movie by Hugh Grant and Haley Bennett who plays Cora. Enjoy :)

Don't you just love it when..

.. you take random personality tests objectively and still get the result you had expected or hoped for?

Just took this "Which West Wing Character Are You" test and check it out... I actually am my favorite character on the show! (who also happens to be the hottest character too ;)

The idealistic speechwriter is well-liked by just about everyone. He's known for his excellent writing, sense of humor, and tendency to be clutzy. Although being younger than the rest of the staff, he's often treated as so, much to his dismay.

:: Which West Wing character are you? ::

Now this is what I call badass.

Shipping Up To Boston, by Dropkick Murphys. Also known as the theme song of The Departed. It suddenly makes it cool to live in Boston!

To C-Flat, with Love.

Found this rather illuminating article on a pet subject of mine (hmm.. 'nuff said) so I thought I would share. It may sound gross to you.. or it may not, if you too know a man who has dedicated his blog to the glorification of flatulence.

Here's the title, byline and link to this article.. explore at your leisure.

The Bowel Movement
What is your poo telling you about your health? It's the burning question that has everybody's head in the toilet these days.
By Leslie Crawford
Salon.com

Umm..

Can pizza give you heart burn? I had two slices for lunch and now I don't feel so good. :|

Ok seriously -

If you can get past the stalker-ish nature of this photo, you'll agree that Graphic Converter X is actually pretty awesome. Finally - I've found a Paint equivalent for the Mac.

The pic ain't so bad either. w00t! ;)

I've decided that I actually like..

Family Guy better than The Simpsons;
Barack Obama better than Hillary Clinton;
David Archuletta better than the rest of the American Idol contestants;
and 'Low' by Flo Rida.

It's a week of revelations, innit?

Today's Fortune Cookie

"The gambler is like the fisherman, both have beginner's luck."

Wow, when you put it like that...

...

....

.....

..it still makes no sense. Bah!

Ideas Wanted

Describe a meaningful cross-cultural experience you have had that highlights your awareness, understanding, and appreciation of interaction with people from diverse backgrounds in a business setting or of a product or brand that you have encountered outside your home culture. Discuss how you maneuvered or adjusted in this cross-cultural environment.

*blink*


Any suggestions?

Apparently, Dubai can be creative too.

Oops! Huh? Did I back into that bike?' Ad folks put crumbled up bikes and shopping carts
By Diego Vasquez
Feb 22, 2008
MediaLife Magazine

Think about it. What's your worst parking nightmare?

That's easy: Looking back to see you've crashed into something while backing up.

That was the thinking of some ad people at TBWA/Raad in Dubai. They'd been brought in to create a campaign for the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder SUV. The goal was to promote the rearview cameras that come as standard equipment.

“When it started off, we were like, 'why don’t we look at what happens without a rearview camera?’” recalls Sakib Afridi, associate creative director at TBWA/Raad.

So the team set about placing bent and broken bikes and shopping carts behind parked cars around the city. Then they put up signs that read: “Rearview camera. Standard in the Nissan Pathfinder.”

Drivers, returning to their cars, would first think they'd smashed into them when easing into the parking spot. Then they'd go for a closer look and see the signs.

Initially, the team considered using garden gnomes, but since those aren’t very common in Dubai they went with bicycles and shopping carts instead.

“It started in the direction for a print campaign, but we thought it would be stronger as an ambient medium, and then there was kind of a light bulb moment,” Afridi says.

The campaign ran for about a two-week period at the end of 2007 at numerous locations around Dubai, and Afridi says a radio DJ discussed it on the air and a local newspaper picked it up as a story.

“People would look at the bikes and be like, ‘What’s going on?’” says Afridi. “But then you’d always see a smile on their face when they read the sign and got it.”

Happy Birthday!

to Shahid ! :D

HEEHEEHEE :D

A Disaster of Mughal Proportions

Jodhaa-Akbar. Three and half hours of my life I'll never get back.

Where do I begin? This movie was disappointing from its opening scene to the eventually desperately-awaited final credits. I had little expectations of this film to begin with, but even those were blown to pieces.

In summary, Jodhaa-Akbar was tediously slow, poorly written and directed, and badly performed.

Not to mention, the music was totally horrendous - what the hell was that Khawaja song supposed to be? If was the most un-Sufi song I've ever heard and the lyrics were terrible. Does no one know that Sufis spend less time glorifying the pirs and focus more on glorifying Allah (swt) by expressing their deep love and devotion to Him? This song was a complete joke. "Khawaja mere Khawaja, dil mein samaja"? I almost yelled out "Issay forward karo!".

Seriously, we spent half the movie laughing at the supposedly deep and serious scenes because it was all so campy. The Khawaja song in point - I've never seen such fake entranced whirling dervishes in my life. Sadly, except for Jashn-e-Bahara, the songs were painful to endure.

Anyway, back to the film. Frankly, Ashutosh Gowariker hasn't been able to deliver anything the size of Lagaan despite multiple attempts and I think he should just stop trying. He was clearly trying to make a Mughal-e-Azam style epic, but seems to have forgotten that the original took 10 years to make, was poetry personified, and had some of the finest actors of our time in it - not popcorn heroes and heroines who think they're deep and can speak Urdu because they can pronounce the Qaaf and pretend-sword-fight badly.

The film wandered aimlessly for two hours, unable to decide if it was a war movie/historical epic, or romantic love story. Gowariker eventually decided to cram 7 different and extremely slow-moving plot lines into two hours, throw in an intermission at a completely uninteresting point, and then resolve them in a rapid and confusing manner during the last 1.5 hours. The film feels like it was written by multiple people who couldn't decide the focus for the narrative. It could easily have been streamlined and made at least an hour shorter.

The battle scenes were exhausting and unnecessary. One got the sense that Gowariker wanted everything to look dramatic, imposing, heart-stopping. But you just couldn't feel the love. Maybe its all been done before, or maybe it just wasn't done well enough. The plot and characters were just not captivating enough for you to care about the outcome of the bloodshed. Because essentially everyone already knows what's going to happen (of course Akbar survives all these hamlay in his youth; we know he doesn't die until he's in his 60s), Gowariker needed to put all the more effort into crucial scenes to make us care about the character, to make us desperately want him to defeat enemies - but he failed to create any sense of empathy or any emotional connection.

The acting was also sub-par. Hrithik has talent but he just cannot connect to any director other than his dad. He's worked with Subhash Ghai, Karan Johar, Farhan Akhtar and Suraj Barjatya and he still doesn't hit the level of performance delivered in KNPH, Koi Mil Gaya and Krrish. It's disappointing, but a truly good actor makes any film and any director work for him, and I just don't think he's that good of an actor anymore. I appreciated his effort with Urdu pronunciation (very clear Qaafs) but he just didn't bring any definition to the character. As it we are working with pre-conceived notions of Akbar as Prithviraj Kapoor here. Those are big shoes to fill. But Hrithik neither does it the PRK way, nor does he create a unique Akbar of his own that's worth remembering. He just didn't internalize the character and the resulting performance was quite unremarkable.

Aishwarya made little impression, as usual. Her style is really getting old. She looked pretty but the costumes, while stunning, failed to captivate ones heart. 

Usually in films like this, the supporting cast at least makes up for lack of anything else. But even here J&A disappoints. Suhasini Mulay (Aamir's mother in Lagaan) was totally wasted, she had two lines to speak. As was Khulbushan Kharbanda. A lot of no names made up the supporting young Mughals in Akbar's family and court, but there was no one to write home about. Only two actors delivered remotely interesting performances: Ila Arun as Maham Anga, and Rajesh Vivek as Chugtai Khan. But their roles were superfluous and insignificant in the grand scheme of things, so you never really felt their impact in the overall narrative.

Overall, it was disappointing. Lagaan had set high expectations - you were hooked to the story, caught up in the lives of all the idiosyncratic characters of a small village, engrossed in an entire cricket match, and actually so involved that you didn't want it to end after 4 hours. Jodhaa-Akbar was, unfortunately, exactly the opposite ; I wanted to leave about 15 minutes into it and despite giving it a chance and suffering through the entire saga, I was bored and frustrated. A sad show for Gowariker.

Happy President's Day!

I have the day off today, so I'm going to take a few minutes to write something down so that I don't forget that I actually have a blog!

So.. Happy Washington's Birthday! Actually I always thought this holiday was in memory of Lincoln's birthday - February 12th. (Why do I know this? C'mon.. anyone who's seen Bill & Ted Excellent Adventure as many times as I have knows this bit of trivia.) But apparently, its for the guy on the quarter, not the penny. Oh well, happy birthday George. [blows a party horn]

Apparently this is the biggest car shopping weekend of the year, since dealers slash prices on the previous year's models to create room for current year models. Have to admit I'm a little sick of seeing car ads on TV, in my Yahoo inbox, in the papers... but I suppose it was perfect timing for the new Knight Rider movie that was aired last night on NBC.

Aah, the much-anticipated Knight Rider movie. I was never a huge KR fan, but I loved the music and do remember enjoying the few episodes I've seen, so I was actually pretty excited. Unfortunately, the new movie - which is also a backdoor pilot - was not very enjoyable. Yes, the new KITT was HOT (although its features seem somewhat limited at this point, strange since the model is an upgrade from Two Thousand to Three Thousand) and the camera was totally making love to the car the whole time (I suppose Ford could use the publicity)... but the acting, story and direction were totally sub-par. The leading couple (the new Mike Knight and Bonnie) are apparently soap stars, which explains the hamming and complete lack of emotive skills. The villains weren't particularly villainous, and Sidney Poitier's daughter played an FBI agent so badly, you wonder if genetic theory is true. She was also, apparently, gay - as seen in a somewhat steamy scene in the beginning of the movie - but that has no relevance to the plot whatsoever and one feels quite pissed at NBC for ruining a family movie by resorting to cheap tricks to maintain a good lead-in for ratings. Anyway, lets see if it comes back for a full series... if anything, the music in the credits will be worth listening to!

Also, last week I finally took my GRE exam on Valentine's Day.. and surprised myself with a not-so bad score of 1300! Now I actually have to do the grad school application which is due at the end of the month. Ugh. I hate application essays. I've been putting them off for weeks and actually I meant to use today to finish them, but it's 4:30pm and I've done nothing. Why? Because.. umm.. I was watching Jab We Met.. umm.. again.

*sigh*

Ok, seriously, this Shahid Kapur thing is getting out of control. Its debilitating my life. If he's not showing up in my dreams, my iPod somewhat manages to make sure his songs come on over and over. If I'm not reading up on gossip about him, I'm watching old episodes of Koffee with Karan (both of which make me want to throttle Kareena). When doing none of these things, I watch Jab We Met and Vivah and rewind/forward to see my favorite scenes over and over.

What do I do? Maybe I should just go to Bombay, stalk him and get it out of my system? I don't know.. I don't think I've been this interested in a Bollywood actor since.. since.. hmm.. I don't think this compares with anyone from before**. So, yeah, basically - I need help.

Help!

*sigh*

So, on that desperate note, I'm off to be somewhat productive. [hums Mauja hi Mauja]

Later all.

**Edit: Upon further consideration, I have concluded that this Shahid mania is perhaps on par with, if not a little bit higher, than my teen obsessions with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kamaal Khan... but clearly its been a while since I've been behaved in such a juvenile fashion :P

Fists o' the Funnies

Who made Mike Huckabee? The three kings of late night comedy fight it out in possibly the most hilarious video I've seen in a loooong time!

Gesundheit.

Achoo! to you:A poster that sneezes
Then it talks to you as it spritzes you with water
By Diego Vasquez
Jan 30, 2008
Media Life Magazine


We’ve seen outdoor ads that move, we’ve seen ones that talk, and we’ve even seen ads that send messages to your cell phone as you walk by. Here's a first, an outdoor ad that sneezes on you.


It's a bus shelter ad for the Science World museum in Vancouver, British Columbia, and it looks simple enough. It's a poster featuring a white background and a large yellow circle, with Science World’s familiar blue logo and the words: “Press here and we’ll explain.”


Things get a lot more interesting when the button is pressed.One first hears the familiar “achoo” sound of a sneeze, then comes a spritz of water to the face. Then a voice says: “Did you know that a sneeze can travel 12 feet and hover for three hours? It’s true. And gross. But hey, you’ve learned something! Science World – We can explain.”

The thinking behind the campaign was to present funny or outrageous facts and do so in a unique way, says Rob Sweetman, associate creative director and art director at Vancouver’s Rethink Communications, which executed the ad.

The aim: to get people going to the museum to learn more interesting things. The process that led to the ad began with the interesting facts behind sneezes. From there, the crew at Rethink then brainstormed to come up with a clever way to convey them.

Creating the sound of the sneeze was easy, as was delivering the voice. The spray of the sneeze? The idea for it came from the sprayer devices seen at fairs or carnivals, which emit mists of water on hot summer days to help cool the crowds. Sweetman says the water in the sprayer is replaced every several days.

The ad will go back up in the spring. It first went up in the fall but was taken down as the weather turned cold. Quips Sweetman: “We didn’t want anyone freezing their faces.”

GIANT DISAPPOINTMENT

A picture is worth a thousand words eh?

After 18 straight wins, the New England Patriots crapped out the Superbowl and lost 17-14 to, of all people, the New York Giants. This was perhaps the first football game I actually got into, and Brady lost his touch. Such a wash-out.

And now we're all gonna have to say this:

My Funda

I chanced upon this 'prayer' that I wrote a long time ago in my archive of stuff, and was amused by the fact that despite putting it to paper years ago, I've only just learned to internalize this and truly to put this philosophy to action. I only hope I can keep up the faith and positivity ;)

'Alhumdulillah'

The only certainty of life is death, don't spend your days in despair
Whatever happens, happens for the best; He only gives us what we can bear
Life is nothing but a test; just put your heart in your prayer
And then to Him leave all the rest; you'll find the answer was always there..

I Love The 80's (and 90s!)

Songs on iTunes right now:

What is Love - Haddaway
You Spin Me Round - Dead or Alive
Ice Ice Baby - Vanilla Ice
Rhythm is a Dancer - SNAP!
MT Megamix - Modern Talking
Total Eclispe of the Heart - Nikki French

What is love?

Baby don't hurt me..
Don't hurt me..
No more..

(Are you boppin' your head to the right yet?)

Classic song, and a classic movie!

If Opposites Attract, Why Are Antonyms So Repulsive?

DISCLAIMER: I know some of you want to know how Hajj went for me. Rest assured I'm working on gathering my thoughts about Hajj and will post a looooooooooooong recap soon. It'll likely also be published in the Fall issue of my sister's magazine Faith of Life.

So, yesterday we went over to celebrate my nephew's 10th birthday. Well, he's not related to me by blood but he calls me Chachi and his parents are close friends of ours, so I think of them of as family really..

Anyhoo, his mom made an interesting observation: when you turn 10, you haven't finally hit double digits. You're not beginning to be 10.. you're actually finishing your 10th year, and the day after your 10th birthday, you're technically already 11, because you've finished living 10 years and now you've started your 11th year. So you're 11.

Isn't that whacked? Never thought about it that way.

In other news, I'm studying hard for my GRE exam which is scheduled for February 14th - yes, its my Valentine's Day gift to myself.

It's not going so well. I knew the math would be challenging since I haven't looked at the subject since.. hmm.. 1998. (Yes I managed to get through A'Levels and college without a single course in math.. miracles never cease.)

But the Verbal section is brutal - even for me! With my excellent grasp of the English language! Especially the exercises where you have to know the meanings of really obscure words and find their antonyms (opposites) in a list. Those are so bizarre. These are just a few of the words that threw me for a loop when I did my first practice set:

Opprobrium?
Diaphanous?
Abjure?
Foment?
Cupidity?

Clearly I needed help. So I popped into B&N and bought myself a box of Kaplan's 500 flash cards with "the hardest GRE words".. and I found..

Contumacious?
Dirge?
Bilk?

I mean, I do know about 80-90% of the words in the box (well I've only gotten from A through H) but sometimes you can't help wonder if this is a whole new language you're dealing with..

Readers are welcome to suggest their own meanings to the above words, but you must do so without looking at a dictionary first!

Happy Defining!

Happy 2008!

Happy new year everyone! I'm back.. but I'm still deciding if it's good to be home ;)

More later.

Happy December

BUNNY SLOPE!

Separated at Birth?

Who came first.. Dr. Evil or Shakaal?

Seasonal Affective Disorder?

No. This isn't S.A.D. I am officially sick of people. People suck. People have issues and you have to walk on eggshells and be careful around them, and you just can't be you and eventually you forget who you were in the first place before all this shit happened.

I am sick; sick of people who are weak and non-ballsy, and people who get hurt and offended, and people who defend these stupid sensitive people.

I am tired; of being surrounded by people in pain, of internalizing their suffering and trying to make a difference because I am a small measly human being and have no power over anything.

I am sick of all this negative energy, annoying people, mundane life and crappy weather. I am just really, really FED UP.

Existential Angst

Things happen. Usually for the best. But we are thankless creatures and we question our Maker. We ask: "Why? Why does it have to be this way?". Because sometimes things seem to happen for no reason at all. They baffle the mind and send us into deep confusion and despair as we struggle to find answers, to uncover the Truth.

Take for example, the following video.



Yes, SuperTed. I am sure you remember him. Many 4:15pm cartoon sequences on Ch. 33 began with episodes of this show. But to this date, I am unable to understand..

1) Why was SuperTed thrown away like a pile of rubbish? What was so wrong with him?
2) Why was there a Spotty Man flying around that night? Do they just circle the Earth at random?
3) If the establishment clearly thought there was something wrong with him, why did Spotty bring SuperTed to life and offer him redemption in the form of super powers? Is this meant to be some kind of parable to help geeky children believe they too can be rescued by a spotted alien from outer space?

You'll agree, these are deep questions. And, 20 years later, I am still searching for the answers.

Do you like it?

I was in the mood for a change on The Xinugeist.. and ideally looking for something in a raspberry palette since that's my favorite color nowadays.. like so...



But there wasn't anything in this exact shade so I opted for.. err.. polka dots. Hey at least it's fun! :)

Elegance Zameen Par

This lady never loses her magic. Looking forward to seeing her back on the big screen. And the color combination of this outfit is so amazing! Where do they come up with these designs from?

Communication 101

As a student of communication and rhetoric and as a professional negotiator, I am a keen observer of different communication styles, specifically the ways in which people communicate disagreement. Consider the following question:

You're having a heated debated with a friend about something you feel passionately about, but they hold the opposite point of view. You've just made an important point that you think should seal the deal, but your friend repeats it ("so you're saying...") in a way that shows they clearly did not 'get' it. Do you:

(a) Patiently say, "Well, you've got it somewhat right but that's not exactly what I mean" and try another tactic (an analogy or example) to make them understand;
(b) Snub them with a mildly sarcastic response that questions their intelligence and reaffirms your own, and then explain your point all over again;
(c) Throw your hands up in surrender and abandon the topic altogether.

Some people focus on dissonance in argument, i.e. they are aggressive and tend to spend more time debating differences of opinion to prove their point as superior. Your answer would be (b).

Others look to find resonance in shared, common ground so that they can reaffirm similarities in opinion and use that to leverage credibility for their point of view. Your answer would be (a).

Still others opt to avoid confrontation altogether and just acquiesce; nothing's important enough to get really riled up about. Your answer would be (c).

In truth, everyone in the world who has ever had an argument has employed each one of these three tactics, depending on the situation and goal. But in my personal experience, I feel that (a) always goes the longest way in getting the other person to understand what you want to say, while managing the negative fallout of a disagreement. Like my ex-boss used to say, "kill them with kindness".

I'm not sure I have a point to make about this right now, except that recently I have been frustrated by some "dissonators" in my life and I really wish they would spend some more time thinking about how they choose to communicate so that sharing the same space with them isn't a constant exercise in patience.

That is all!

Injuries

Currently, I am hosting the following injuries:

1) Two holes in my left arm (and a rapidly spreading muscle ache) where I got my latest vaccination shots this morning, Tetanus and a Polio booster. Yes, it appears that my parents never bothered getting me all my necessary childhood shots and I had to get Polio, Hep A, and Hep B at age 25... and there is still some concern over doctored tests my mother made me submit to Northwestern to prove I had MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) resistance.

Moral of the story: if you're too young and naive to understand medicine, make sure your doctor is someone reliable, i.e. not your mom who desperately wants you to get into Northwestern and will put white-ink over test results and type over them if that's what it will take to get your visa.

2) 4 burns on my right arm: 3 are 1 cm sized burns from splattered oil that hit the top part of my hand, and the 4th one is the size of a quarter on the underside of my arm which I managed to get yesterday by accidentally hitting a sizzling hot oven door as I checked on my chicken parm (which I eventually overcooked to a crisp because I was busy nursing my mangled arm).

3) Pinky toes on both feet are still recovering from walking all day yesterday in boots that are only a year old but have clearly died since they poked/scratched my toes until they were sore.

4) Right big toe is in pain because the ingrown toe-nail is back and in-grown; will need to perform self-surgery and yank out half my toe-nail at some point this weekend.

Yes, today it's literally painful to be me.

Ok call me a geek...

But this is seriously cool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukzFwRoFj4k

Things On My Mind

1) However much she may have thought him to be so, why did JK Rowling have to out Dumbledore? Doesn't she realize the uncomfortable analogy of an old, sensitive man that plays a more-than-mentor role to a vulnerable, young boy in a crusade against evil? (I'm talking about the Catholic church people). Sure, he felt love was important and wore flamboyant purple robes in his youth. But he was a powerful wizard who accidentally killed his sister for God's sake - he's bound to be gentle and dress funny!

2) Hajj is only a few weeks away. Will God accept my penitence? Will I have the sabr to be able to fulfill the pilgrimage in a fashion that merits washing away all my sins and letting me emerge as a new-born baby? Yeah, you can tell I'm cracking under the pressure of self-expectation.

3) Just 'cos the Red Sox won doesn't make Baseball a real sport. Four men running around in circles isn't sport. It's four men running around in circles.

4) Jab We Met was great.

5) My iPod mini has officially died. Considering getting an iPhone (more like, Sarwar is insisting I get one) but am reluctant to spend $399 and change to AT&T. Not that T-Mobile is out of this world, but I'm sort of used to it. Nyeh.

6) Blackberries are useless. Especially when they're too big to fit in the palm of your hand and you drop them all the time. And especially when your job is so useless, you don't even get much email.

7) Really need to get to grad school next year.

8) Or should I have a baby instead?

9) Or save up enough to put a downpayment on a house?

10) My friend Shereen met Shahrukh Khan in London for an interview for her magazine. We watched Jab We Met and lots of Zee TV this weekend. Told my dad that when he goes to Mumbai this time he better get me that movie contract we've been talking about for, hmm, 20 years. Sometimes Bollywood seems so close, like dreams could actually come true. And then you wake up on Monday morning and realize that the only thing you can look forward to on Monday night is a rubbishy episode of Heroes and a decent episode of Chuck.

Songs of the day:

Beete Lamhein - The Train
Mauja hi Mauja & Tum Se Hi - Jab We Met

By the way, Jab We Met was incredibly and surprisingly good. Go watch it.

*Uuunghhh*

...*struggles to pull herself out of the big black abyss of blog-updating laziness*

AAH.. THERE!

I am back!

For how long, do not know.. but after a kick in the butt from (who would have thought I'd ever have any) regular readers, I have decided enough is enough and it's time to kick-start the xinugeist.

As I look back on the big chunk of time that's just gone missing from my blog, I notice that basically I've not recorded my entire summer.

Some quick highlights:

-I turned 25. I know I know.. it's too young to be true. I don't feel 25.. I feel.. 27 at least. Possibly because all my friends are that age and I've had a roller coaster of a life that makes me feel so much older than most people around me. 25 year olds today aren't coming up on their third wedding anniversary and contemplating big life-changing decisions like buying houses and making babies. But I am. And that makes me old. *searches for that pesky grey hair as proof*

For my birthday, Sarwar and I had an action-packed weekend at Attitash Mountain in New Hampshire. Pix have been uploaded on Facebook for a while, so shall not replicate here. I never thought I'd enjoy racing up a mountain in a ski-lift and hurtling down a mountain (twice) on a sled! Sarwar is very happy because he thinks this is slow progress towards me being able to ride roller coasters and he has a chance of seeing the gates of a Six Flags again. Ha, ha buddy.. no chance.

-My in-laws visited for a couple of weeks. Sarwar's younger sister started grad school at MIT and his cousin joined UWMadison as a freshman. So there was a lot of shopping for bedding, shoe racks and notebooks. Made me nostalgic for the good ol' days *sniff*

-I began settling into my new job and seriously hating what I do for a living. So, inspired by my nostalgia for school, have begun contemplating a graduate course at Emerson College for a degree in Global Marketing Communication & Advertising. They have an open house in November I intend to go to. I think it's time to move from agency lip-service to client-side decision making, a la the career transition of Vishal Oberoi ;)

-Ramadan started, and is actually coming to a close next week so looking forward to Eid. For the first time in many years, we won't be spending Eid with my family in Toronto since our passports are gone for our Hajj visa. Let's see what Eid in Boston is going to be like. I'm excited because my mother-in-law got me lots of nice outfits from Dubai so at least I'll look good :)

-I became obsessed with Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2007 - Sangeet Ka Pratham Vishwa Yudh! We began watching the show when my mother-in-law came over, since she wanted to keep up with it and the only Indian channels we can get with our cable package are Zee TV and TV Asia, but we are completely hooked to it now.

The judges were initially annoying but Himesh has grown on me, with his predictable litany of compliments for good performances ("Superb. Mindblowing. Fantastic. Outstanding") and I actually do miss Bappi Lahiri's silly comments now that he's off the show since nobody from his gharana survived the voting (for example: "Slow and steady.. *smile*.. and the winning.")

The crowd is really lame - lots of beqabu aunties with flabby, wobbly arms.. hyper-active kids busting out of their clothes.. taxi-driver type men with a little too much enthusiasm for the male contestants.

But it's the contestants that make it all worth it. Some of them are like seasoned pros, it's such a treat to listen to them. The competition is now down to three finalists and I'm conflicted about who to root for: Amanat, the cute and phenomenally talented/versatile 19 year old from Faisalabad, or Aneek (or as Himesh calls him, Onnik) the 18 year old Sonu Nigam-sound alike from Kolkata.

The third contestant is Raja Hasan from (would you believe it) 'Raja'sthan -- so while my ethnic loyalties do lie there, and the whole fricken country is voting for him, I am not particuarly impressed because his vocal range is limited to Sukhwinder Singh and A R Rahman primal-scream songs.

Sarwar has graciously offered to let me use his company-paid Blackberry for all the international text message votes I intend to send before October 13th once I've decided who to support. It will likely be Amanat since he's a bit of the underdog, what with being Pakistani and all. Plus he looks like my sister's ex bf and I generally pity him because he's had to resort to a lot of religious and cultural compromises (touching guru's feet, wearing puja-ka-teeka on forehead) to get as far as he has with the Indian audience.

If Junaid Sheikh, the hunky Karachiite, or Musarrat Abbas, the next Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan from Lahore, hadn't been eliminated earlier on I'd be voting for them - but alas, I'll have to make do with watching their videos over and over.

Here are videos of a couple of my favorite performances on the show this year (not at all a full and comprehensive list, because those would be too many to post!)...

Amanat Ali Khan: Yeh Hausla (Dor)


Amanat Ali Khan: Parda Hai Parda (Amar Akbar Anthony)


Amanat Ali Khan: Mitwa (Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna)


Aneek Dhar: In Dinon Dil Mera (Life In A Metro)


Aneek Dhar: Main Agar Kahoon (Om Shanti Om) -- my favorite song right now.


Junaid Sheikh: Ishq Di Galli (Kacche Dhaage)


Musarrat Abbas: Tere Bin Nahin Lagda (NFAK)


Harpreet Deol: Soni De Nakhre (Partner) -- my favorite song of the summer.


Phenomenal, na?

Yesterday, Sarwar said to me: "You know, I think I'm way more into Sa Re Ga Ma than I ever was into American Idol." I'm like, well duh! This *is* your culture after all, plus its harder to sing Laaga Chunari Mein Daag than Wind Beneath My Wings.


In other news, I am quite looking forward to this fall, looks like a bunch of good movies will be releasing: Saawariya, Om Shanti Om, Laaga Chunari Mein Daag, and I admit - I want to watch Jab We Met 'cos I'm a Shahid fan!! *ducks to avoid Vishal's flying sheep*

Speaking of Om Shanti Om, I'm just shocked and appalled by SRK's new abs. He's too hot to be 43 and father of two and imaginary son to millions of moms around the world. Tsk tsk. Why isn't the police issuing arrest warrants for his conscious display of his abs as public indecency instead of chasing Shilpa Shetty around the world for being unwillingly kissed by idiotic Richard Gere?

Alright, much more to say but my laptop battery is dying and dishes are festering in the sink begging to be scrubbed. I hope this has satisfied everyone who complained the xinugeist was dead - because it most certainly isn't. Just as TV shows were gone for summer hiatus (oh yes, must blog about those as well), I was on break as well. But, as Arnie famously said, I am baaack.