Thursday, October 23, 2008
Dhrona-the indian superhero
i have hardly watched any indian films the last few years, and for good reason. there are just too many of them, and only a handful that are alledgedly any good. so i avoid them completely. however, when i'm visiting friends, i manage to watch a few, and reassure myself that i haven't been missing much.
last week it was dhrona. there were certainly a few aspects of the movie that i enjoyed. abhishek bachan, whom i like, played the title role of dhron-a superhero. there were some impressive graphics, animation and effects. however, i soon realized that all that fancy schmanzy stuff was in there just to show off what the filmmakers were capable of doing. i know i should be talking about the good things about the movie first, but now that i think of it, there really wasn't much.
the story sounded pretty good in the beginning. soon i realized that the entire movie, story and effects together, was a mash up of harry potter, the mummy, and the lord of the rings. if you've seen any of the three you'll immediately notice all the blatant references-faceless beings in black hooded robes, sandstorms that have monstrous faces, dhrona living with foster parents-his true identity hidden from him throughout his childhood, an old man with snow-white hair and beard dressed in a white robe and with a staff, and so on.
i mean, the filmmakers obviously have the capabilities-the animated stuff is proof, but why put all that to waste on an unoriginal story.
and here's a spoiler (because there's nothing original, anyway.) this guy is supposed to be a superhero, the chosen one. but apart from herculean strength, he doesn't really have anything else going for him. and even that is only when he wears a particular outfit.
the major drawback of the film (if you are still interested in watching it) is that dhrona doesn't really overcome any obstacles by himself. there's nothing that he figures out for himself. he is told what he needs to do at every turn, and he simply does them. and he always has help. it just seems too easy. to put it in very plain terms, there aren't any "oh shit, how is he going to overcome this?" moments. and if there were, i missed them when i dozed off (three times, i think.)
dhrona is a film that aspires to be visually appealing-and it achieves that to a certain extent. however, in doing so, it comes off as a showcase of the filmmaker's animation skills, and nothing more. so if you want to see how far indian animation has come, go ahead. but if you're expecting anything more, (now that i have ruined it for you) you're better off watching something else. or reading a fairy tale.
last week it was dhrona. there were certainly a few aspects of the movie that i enjoyed. abhishek bachan, whom i like, played the title role of dhron-a superhero. there were some impressive graphics, animation and effects. however, i soon realized that all that fancy schmanzy stuff was in there just to show off what the filmmakers were capable of doing. i know i should be talking about the good things about the movie first, but now that i think of it, there really wasn't much.
the story sounded pretty good in the beginning. soon i realized that the entire movie, story and effects together, was a mash up of harry potter, the mummy, and the lord of the rings. if you've seen any of the three you'll immediately notice all the blatant references-faceless beings in black hooded robes, sandstorms that have monstrous faces, dhrona living with foster parents-his true identity hidden from him throughout his childhood, an old man with snow-white hair and beard dressed in a white robe and with a staff, and so on.
i mean, the filmmakers obviously have the capabilities-the animated stuff is proof, but why put all that to waste on an unoriginal story.
and here's a spoiler (because there's nothing original, anyway.) this guy is supposed to be a superhero, the chosen one. but apart from herculean strength, he doesn't really have anything else going for him. and even that is only when he wears a particular outfit.
the major drawback of the film (if you are still interested in watching it) is that dhrona doesn't really overcome any obstacles by himself. there's nothing that he figures out for himself. he is told what he needs to do at every turn, and he simply does them. and he always has help. it just seems too easy. to put it in very plain terms, there aren't any "oh shit, how is he going to overcome this?" moments. and if there were, i missed them when i dozed off (three times, i think.)
dhrona is a film that aspires to be visually appealing-and it achieves that to a certain extent. however, in doing so, it comes off as a showcase of the filmmaker's animation skills, and nothing more. so if you want to see how far indian animation has come, go ahead. but if you're expecting anything more, (now that i have ruined it for you) you're better off watching something else. or reading a fairy tale.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Run Deepti Run
It's been a two month hiatus. It certainly feels longer, and there have been many things that I've wanted to talk about. However, I felt compelled to come back with something worthy of your attention. So here goes.
A dear friend of mine, Deepti Shrestha, is running the NYC Marathon on November 2nd. She is hoping to raise at least $2000 for educational scholarships for underprivileged children in Nepal. Helping her in this challenge is Sarvodaya Nepal (raising the money, that is. As far as running is concerned, she's on her own!)
Anyway, I hope you will support Deepti and Sarvodaya Nepal now and in the years to come.
A dear friend of mine, Deepti Shrestha, is running the NYC Marathon on November 2nd. She is hoping to raise at least $2000 for educational scholarships for underprivileged children in Nepal. Helping her in this challenge is Sarvodaya Nepal (raising the money, that is. As far as running is concerned, she's on her own!)
Anyway, I hope you will support Deepti and Sarvodaya Nepal now and in the years to come.
Friday, August 15, 2008
and now, we have a prime minister
so finally, we have a prime minister. prachanda- the struggling actor has gotten his break. let's see if his performance is oscar-worthy. the time for talk is over.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
...rattle and roll
just felt a tremor...more of a jolt, really. and i thought it might have been the coffee!
no matter how prepared you are, earthquakes do leave you weak in the knees for a few minutes after. must have been about a 5 on the scale and now i'm just waiting for the aftershocks.
hang on.
no matter how prepared you are, earthquakes do leave you weak in the knees for a few minutes after. must have been about a 5 on the scale and now i'm just waiting for the aftershocks.
hang on.
Monday, July 28, 2008
yeh bhi koi baat hai?
as much as it bothers me that our new veep took his swearing-in oath in hindi, i think that causing all this hoopla over it is just pushing us in the wrong direction.
as always, someone does or says something that doesn't sit well with others, and we spend weeks after that protesting. two weeks from now, it'll be forgotten and we'll have found something new to complain about and take to the streets.
india has always been a touchy subject with us nepalis. i guess the resentment stems from the fact that they always seem to interfere in our internal matters. india's the big bad wolf waiting to pounce on us. but that's just the way it's going to be. and we need to live with that.
but my whole point is that, in the last 15 years, we haven't really done anything. sure, we have overcome political hurdles and have gotten rid of the monarchy (and i don't want to diminish the significance of that) but what about the economy, health care, education? i don't expect it to happen overnight and i do agree that we're just starting to lay the foundation for that. but why bother ourselves with taking to the streets every time someone does or says something?
let's get to work. the time in now. isn't this why we took to the streets all these years? so that we did not have to keep doing it again and again?
and as far as parmanandha jha taking his oath in hindi goes, it does bother me. but what would really piss me off is if he sucked at his job. uh...what exactly is he going to be responsible for again??
as always, someone does or says something that doesn't sit well with others, and we spend weeks after that protesting. two weeks from now, it'll be forgotten and we'll have found something new to complain about and take to the streets.
india has always been a touchy subject with us nepalis. i guess the resentment stems from the fact that they always seem to interfere in our internal matters. india's the big bad wolf waiting to pounce on us. but that's just the way it's going to be. and we need to live with that.
but my whole point is that, in the last 15 years, we haven't really done anything. sure, we have overcome political hurdles and have gotten rid of the monarchy (and i don't want to diminish the significance of that) but what about the economy, health care, education? i don't expect it to happen overnight and i do agree that we're just starting to lay the foundation for that. but why bother ourselves with taking to the streets every time someone does or says something?
let's get to work. the time in now. isn't this why we took to the streets all these years? so that we did not have to keep doing it again and again?
and as far as parmanandha jha taking his oath in hindi goes, it does bother me. but what would really piss me off is if he sucked at his job. uh...what exactly is he going to be responsible for again??
Monday, July 21, 2008
hello, mr. president
and now, we have one too!
ram baran yadav is officially the first president of nepal. parmananda jha is the veep.
i'm just a little skeptical that yadav has been a girja loyalist. however, he's also one of the guys who stuck to his principles and stayed with the NC when the smart thing to do then might have been to switch parties. so i guess there's a sliver of hope.
but here's the thing. during the nomination process, the maoists insisted that if their candidate wasn't elected president, they wouldn't form the govt. what kind of threat is that? all they've done so far is make threats...if we don't get this, then we'll do this, or we won't do this. this presumption that they are owed everything. what if the Republicans said that if John McCain isn't elected president, they would stay away from the Congress and the senate? not quite the same, but you get the idea.
the significance of having a madhesi prez and veep is certainly not lost on me though.
hello, president yadav.
ram baran yadav is officially the first president of nepal. parmananda jha is the veep.
i'm just a little skeptical that yadav has been a girja loyalist. however, he's also one of the guys who stuck to his principles and stayed with the NC when the smart thing to do then might have been to switch parties. so i guess there's a sliver of hope.
but here's the thing. during the nomination process, the maoists insisted that if their candidate wasn't elected president, they wouldn't form the govt. what kind of threat is that? all they've done so far is make threats...if we don't get this, then we'll do this, or we won't do this. this presumption that they are owed everything. what if the Republicans said that if John McCain isn't elected president, they would stay away from the Congress and the senate? not quite the same, but you get the idea.
the significance of having a madhesi prez and veep is certainly not lost on me though.
hello, president yadav.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
mr. brainwash
i decided to explore the bookstores today. so i hopped on the DASH and went around Los Feliz to the Alpine bookstore--for used books. the only problem--i couldn't find it! that's the second Alpine bookstore that i went looking for and couldn't find. where the hell are these guys??? the first one was 'supposedly' on Melrose but it had a big fat lock on the door and looked like it was shut down. today, i couldn't even locate a door, or lock.
so i got on the DASH again (which i might add, is very convenient--a quater to get around hollywood) and headed to the borders on sunset and vine.
however, the most interesting part of the day was the free exhibition that i stumbled upon on my way back. it was an one-man show-mr. brainwash-and he had some very interesting installation pieces. a lot of pop-culture stuff, right down my alley. i think i'm going to go back next weekend to take another look.
so i got on the DASH again (which i might add, is very convenient--a quater to get around hollywood) and headed to the borders on sunset and vine.
however, the most interesting part of the day was the free exhibition that i stumbled upon on my way back. it was an one-man show-mr. brainwash-and he had some very interesting installation pieces. a lot of pop-culture stuff, right down my alley. i think i'm going to go back next weekend to take another look.
we have a president
uh...actually, make that Vice President.
so after weeks of deal-makings and deal-breakings, the CA went in to elect the first prez/veep. and as with everything we do in nepal, he have a veep before we have a president!!
neither of the candidates could secure a majority. that's reflective of the "revenge politics," as someone put it, that seems to have plagued our CA.
it never fails to amuse me that all our gray-haired politicians never want to let go off their top-tier positions. look at madhav kumar nepal. here's a guy who has been the face and voice of UML politics and still failed to be elected to the CA. and until a few days ago, he wanted to be President. let's not even start with girija.
with the parties wasting so much time in electing a merely ceremonial president, when will the CA ever get around to doing their main task? writing the constitution, remember? forget about tackling problems like the economy, education and health care. i don't see that happening in a while.
in a country where people strike to protest strikes, i'm surprised that we even got this far.
so after weeks of deal-makings and deal-breakings, the CA went in to elect the first prez/veep. and as with everything we do in nepal, he have a veep before we have a president!!
neither of the candidates could secure a majority. that's reflective of the "revenge politics," as someone put it, that seems to have plagued our CA.
it never fails to amuse me that all our gray-haired politicians never want to let go off their top-tier positions. look at madhav kumar nepal. here's a guy who has been the face and voice of UML politics and still failed to be elected to the CA. and until a few days ago, he wanted to be President. let's not even start with girija.
with the parties wasting so much time in electing a merely ceremonial president, when will the CA ever get around to doing their main task? writing the constitution, remember? forget about tackling problems like the economy, education and health care. i don't see that happening in a while.
in a country where people strike to protest strikes, i'm surprised that we even got this far.
Friday, July 18, 2008
monthly update
this is turning out to be exactly that--a monthly update.
and boy, there certainly are a few things that need updating.
let's start with the car. three days after i got it, some drunk 17 year-old decided that all the worries of the world would be resolved if he smashed an orange cone into the windshield of my car at 2 in the morning. and cut his hand in the process. a little blood to appease the gods, i guess. i sure hope they're looking down on him. and i hope they're happy.
on to better news. i started my class at the book shop. and i'm absolutely loving it. i finally feel like this is my ticket out. it might still be a little early, but i think that i really enjoy the process. more on that later.
uhm...what else??
the new apartment is good. except that moving and settling in has been a saga. we had no electricity the first night. and no hot water for more than a week. we didn't get our internet hooked up until 10 days later and we still don't have a stove. other than that i really like the place.
and that might be it.
i know, it's really sad that a month has passed and i have only three things to talk about!
ok, here we go...i'm really happy that the celtics won the nba, i was slightly disappointed that portugal didn't do too well in euro 2008 but was really excited for spain. finally, huh?
also, i was impressed that nadal finally beat federer in a tournamnet other than the french open.
in political news...looks like nepal might finally have a president. and thank god, it's a new face.
i'm also looking forward to watching the new batman flick. and tropic thunder.
later.
and boy, there certainly are a few things that need updating.
let's start with the car. three days after i got it, some drunk 17 year-old decided that all the worries of the world would be resolved if he smashed an orange cone into the windshield of my car at 2 in the morning. and cut his hand in the process. a little blood to appease the gods, i guess. i sure hope they're looking down on him. and i hope they're happy.
on to better news. i started my class at the book shop. and i'm absolutely loving it. i finally feel like this is my ticket out. it might still be a little early, but i think that i really enjoy the process. more on that later.
uhm...what else??
the new apartment is good. except that moving and settling in has been a saga. we had no electricity the first night. and no hot water for more than a week. we didn't get our internet hooked up until 10 days later and we still don't have a stove. other than that i really like the place.
and that might be it.
i know, it's really sad that a month has passed and i have only three things to talk about!
ok, here we go...i'm really happy that the celtics won the nba, i was slightly disappointed that portugal didn't do too well in euro 2008 but was really excited for spain. finally, huh?
also, i was impressed that nadal finally beat federer in a tournamnet other than the french open.
in political news...looks like nepal might finally have a president. and thank god, it's a new face.
i'm also looking forward to watching the new batman flick. and tropic thunder.
later.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
it's been a while
i was hoping that the next time i wrote something here, i wouldn't have to start off by saying, "it's been a while." unfortunately, it has been a while. almost three weeks, to be exact.
while i haven't been writing, i have to be content that the time i've spent on the computer these past few weeks have been fruitful. well, to some extent.
i finally bought a car!! i've been eating , sleeping, drinking cars for a long long time. see, my brain's been so out of whack, i have to depend on cliche after cliche to get my point across. so after a long and draining search, i finally got one yesterday. nothing fancy schmanzy..just a plain simple hummer. ha!
relax, i didn't get a hummer.
all this while i've been using the bus. yes, you can survive in LA without a car. yes, they do have public transportation in LA. It's not the best, and definitely not very time efficient. it'll take you close to an hour and a half to get to a place that's just a 15 minute drive away, but you'll get there. eventually.
and you'll just have to spend another hour researching all the bus schedules to coordinate and plan your trip.
then, there was the apartment search. after a few weeks of it getting nowhere, we finally found a place. I've been crashing at my old roommate's tiny one bedroom apartment. the new place is not in the valley so i hope it's not going to be as unbearable during the long summer. so that's that.
and now, all i need is a proper job to pay for the car and the apartment!!
while i haven't been writing, i have to be content that the time i've spent on the computer these past few weeks have been fruitful. well, to some extent.
i finally bought a car!! i've been eating , sleeping, drinking cars for a long long time. see, my brain's been so out of whack, i have to depend on cliche after cliche to get my point across. so after a long and draining search, i finally got one yesterday. nothing fancy schmanzy..just a plain simple hummer. ha!
relax, i didn't get a hummer.
all this while i've been using the bus. yes, you can survive in LA without a car. yes, they do have public transportation in LA. It's not the best, and definitely not very time efficient. it'll take you close to an hour and a half to get to a place that's just a 15 minute drive away, but you'll get there. eventually.
and you'll just have to spend another hour researching all the bus schedules to coordinate and plan your trip.
then, there was the apartment search. after a few weeks of it getting nowhere, we finally found a place. I've been crashing at my old roommate's tiny one bedroom apartment. the new place is not in the valley so i hope it's not going to be as unbearable during the long summer. so that's that.
and now, all i need is a proper job to pay for the car and the apartment!!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
a new republic
so the day has come. nepal is to to be declared a republic today, officially.
it's been more than 10 years and more than 13000 lives have been used as sacrificial lambs to ensure the start of this new chapter. it better be worth it.
so gone is the king and all that comes with the monarchy. except that those in a position to enforce "the will of the people" are still dillydallying and the king's still at the palace. so if takes longer than the end of the week for them to remove him, i would suspect that there is something amiss.
but there's hope. as the country takes it first baby steps as a republic and tiny squabbles and "he said, she saids" ensue, we have to look beyond. afterall, it was gyanendra himself who said that we have to go through a dark tunnel to get to the bright light at the end of it.
let's hope we're almost there.
it's been more than 10 years and more than 13000 lives have been used as sacrificial lambs to ensure the start of this new chapter. it better be worth it.
so gone is the king and all that comes with the monarchy. except that those in a position to enforce "the will of the people" are still dillydallying and the king's still at the palace. so if takes longer than the end of the week for them to remove him, i would suspect that there is something amiss.
but there's hope. as the country takes it first baby steps as a republic and tiny squabbles and "he said, she saids" ensue, we have to look beyond. afterall, it was gyanendra himself who said that we have to go through a dark tunnel to get to the bright light at the end of it.
let's hope we're almost there.
Monday, May 12, 2008
CA-the second coming
I'm on my way back to LA--for the second time. This time i'm hoping that things will turn out better. not that it was a disaster before.
I'll be attending The Book Shop in LA so that i can brush up on my copywriting skills.
it's good to be back in CA, after a year away. right now I'm in the Bay area and will be here for the next week as i meet up with friends.
yes, i'm home.
I'll be attending The Book Shop in LA so that i can brush up on my copywriting skills.
it's good to be back in CA, after a year away. right now I'm in the Bay area and will be here for the next week as i meet up with friends.
yes, i'm home.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
??? transliterate this ???
so i was really psyched about this little thing called transliteration. since nepali is the same script as hindi, i wa really looking forward to doing a few posts here and there in nepali.
i finally got around to giving it a shot. i kept trying over and over again but all i got was this: "???" for ever word that i typed in. i reread all the instructions. slowly this fear started to grip my very insides. my stomach was turning into a tight knot--all because i had this sinking feeling that what i had been dreading my entire life was actually true. I AM STUPID.
c'mon, the instructions couldn't be any simpler. there were three steps. i even opened it up in a new window--maybe i hadn't read them carefully. and still, only "????"
i tried the help boards to see if there were others who were as dumb as me and just couldn't get it. nothing. yes, I AM STUP...wait a minute...there was one other person. i was smiling now.
but there was no answer to the question...
and then finally, i decided to give it one last shot and reread all that i could about transliteration. all the tips on how to type in the words. all the empowering hints about actually typing in each alphabet by yourself. that way i could be certain that i was typing in exactly what i wanted. i would be showing the world my horrible spelling but then as long as what i was saying was making sense, then i didn't really care!!
then, eventually, i got to the part where it said "notes." obviously it was the very end. and then, there it was. a sentence so vile that it knocked all the air out of me. and along with that, all hope...all desires...all my aspirations of blogging in NEPLISH...
there it was. point number 2. it wasn't even worthy of being number 1. so what was the sentence? in so many words, it said that the script didn't work on Macs.
whatever, man.
i finally got around to giving it a shot. i kept trying over and over again but all i got was this: "???" for ever word that i typed in. i reread all the instructions. slowly this fear started to grip my very insides. my stomach was turning into a tight knot--all because i had this sinking feeling that what i had been dreading my entire life was actually true. I AM STUPID.
c'mon, the instructions couldn't be any simpler. there were three steps. i even opened it up in a new window--maybe i hadn't read them carefully. and still, only "????"
i tried the help boards to see if there were others who were as dumb as me and just couldn't get it. nothing. yes, I AM STUP...wait a minute...there was one other person. i was smiling now.
but there was no answer to the question...
and then finally, i decided to give it one last shot and reread all that i could about transliteration. all the tips on how to type in the words. all the empowering hints about actually typing in each alphabet by yourself. that way i could be certain that i was typing in exactly what i wanted. i would be showing the world my horrible spelling but then as long as what i was saying was making sense, then i didn't really care!!
then, eventually, i got to the part where it said "notes." obviously it was the very end. and then, there it was. a sentence so vile that it knocked all the air out of me. and along with that, all hope...all desires...all my aspirations of blogging in NEPLISH...
there it was. point number 2. it wasn't even worthy of being number 1. so what was the sentence? in so many words, it said that the script didn't work on Macs.
whatever, man.
through glass
here's a another one that i took a couple of nights ago. i've been a little lazy for the last couple of days and haven't done anything. so here goes.
Monday, April 21, 2008
hello
i picked up the camera again. it had been a while. here's one of the many pictures i took today.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
happy new year 2065
yes, it is new year's eve. and with the new year 2065 in nepal, we'll have the results of the elections. as of right now, it looks like the maoists may be making a clean sweep...let's wait and see.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
ELECTIONS
finally, the people get to decide!!
and as cliched as this sounds, i'm hoping this will be the dawn of a new era.
quietly, i will sit and watch. and hope for the best.
and as cliched as this sounds, i'm hoping this will be the dawn of a new era.
quietly, i will sit and watch. and hope for the best.
Monday, April 07, 2008
ahh...home
it is always with dread that i click on news stories from back home. more often than not, the stories are extremely depressing. sometimes, they're even embarrassing!!
with the elections coming up in 3 days, nepal's back in the news. we haven't been to the polls in almost 10 years. this one will have monumental implications. we'll just have to wait and see what!
i am assuming we'll keep making some headlines even until after the elections are over and done with.
here's a pictorial and a news story that shows we've got a long road ahead of us.
with the elections coming up in 3 days, nepal's back in the news. we haven't been to the polls in almost 10 years. this one will have monumental implications. we'll just have to wait and see what!
i am assuming we'll keep making some headlines even until after the elections are over and done with.
here's a pictorial and a news story that shows we've got a long road ahead of us.
Sunday, April 06, 2008
night out
my first night out in aurora. it was very tame. just my brother and i went to walter payton's in dowtown aurora to watch the filthy mittens. one of my brother's co-workers is the drummer in the cover band.
the band was pretty good. the crowd, however, was non-existent. i've never been there before so i'm not sure how it usually is.
the band was pretty good. the crowd, however, was non-existent. i've never been there before so i'm not sure how it usually is.
Friday, April 04, 2008
nothing to show
and just like that, it's april. and as april creeps up on me, so does my birthday...and it brings along with it a time for reflection. i've been doing a lot of that lately...
in other news, there's nothing new. it's pretty much what it was last month. there are a few things i wanted to write about but i never got around to it. maybe some day i'll remember and start ranting.
until then, i'll do some more reflecting. maybe.
in other news, there's nothing new. it's pretty much what it was last month. there are a few things i wanted to write about but i never got around to it. maybe some day i'll remember and start ranting.
until then, i'll do some more reflecting. maybe.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
earth hour
so did you "turn out?"
earth hour was tonight and i did my part. it was wonderful. i felt like i had just worked out for an hour and was feeling lighter.
And as i sat in the the flickering candlelight, I made a resolve to be more involved. just saying "i'll do this" and "i'll do that from now on" isn't good enough anymore. "it's the thought that counts" doesn't apply here. sure, you can say that and get away with wishing someone an entire month after his birthday. or even wishing someone a happy new year in february. but as far as issues that are as pressing as climate change go, there are no excuses.
on a lighter note, my dad cracks me up sometimes. After we turned off the lights and sat down in the dark, he goes, "now what? i guess we might as well watch some tv. it'll be a little dark with all the lights out, but...actually, nevermind...that's not good for your eyes."
my mom, on the other hand was rushing to make sure we were done with dinner before 8. having experienced too many "load-shedding" nights back home, she hadn't realized that we were voluntarily doing it. she felt that "they" were going to be turning off the power!!
(for those who are not aware, Nepal can't generate enough electricity, in spite of being the country with the most fresh water after brazil. thus, the nepal electricity authority turns off power in varying parts of Kathmandu for hours everyday.)
so, if you've been been like me--just thinking, and not having done anything--let's use earth hour as a starting point. if we start in the "darkest hour," our future can only be brighter!
right?
(honestly, i'm laughing at myself because that sounds so cheesy and naive, but then, what the hell man!!)
earth hour was tonight and i did my part. it was wonderful. i felt like i had just worked out for an hour and was feeling lighter.
And as i sat in the the flickering candlelight, I made a resolve to be more involved. just saying "i'll do this" and "i'll do that from now on" isn't good enough anymore. "it's the thought that counts" doesn't apply here. sure, you can say that and get away with wishing someone an entire month after his birthday. or even wishing someone a happy new year in february. but as far as issues that are as pressing as climate change go, there are no excuses.
on a lighter note, my dad cracks me up sometimes. After we turned off the lights and sat down in the dark, he goes, "now what? i guess we might as well watch some tv. it'll be a little dark with all the lights out, but...actually, nevermind...that's not good for your eyes."
my mom, on the other hand was rushing to make sure we were done with dinner before 8. having experienced too many "load-shedding" nights back home, she hadn't realized that we were voluntarily doing it. she felt that "they" were going to be turning off the power!!
(for those who are not aware, Nepal can't generate enough electricity, in spite of being the country with the most fresh water after brazil. thus, the nepal electricity authority turns off power in varying parts of Kathmandu for hours everyday.)
so, if you've been been like me--just thinking, and not having done anything--let's use earth hour as a starting point. if we start in the "darkest hour," our future can only be brighter!
right?
(honestly, i'm laughing at myself because that sounds so cheesy and naive, but then, what the hell man!!)
Friday, March 28, 2008
aurora
I have been away from the blog for quite a while now. No, this time I haven't been sick. I've been helping my brother move from Champaign to Aurora. And here I am now, in Aurora, where I will be stationed for a while, from the looks of it.
In more important stories...the protests and demonstrations against China by Tibetan monks and those in exile.
Please visit http://studentsforafreetibet.org/ to learn more about what's going on and what you can do to help.
In more important stories...the protests and demonstrations against China by Tibetan monks and those in exile.
Please visit http://studentsforafreetibet.org/ to learn more about what's going on and what you can do to help.
Sunday, March 02, 2008
it's been a while
and just like that, it's been almost 2 weeks since i posted anything. but i do have an excuse--i've been sick.
i'm finally feeling a little better so i hope to be regular.
a few things have happened since i was last here. most notably is the madhesi autonomous state.go madhesis!
i'm finally feeling a little better so i hope to be regular.
a few things have happened since i was last here. most notably is the madhesi autonomous state.go madhesis!
Thursday, February 21, 2008
here's a better idea
i think this will be the last one as far as light bulbs and lamps are concerned. well, at least for now.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
independent Kosovo
a good friend of mine is from Kosovo so this is great news. happy birthday Kosovo!
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Friday, February 15, 2008
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Saturday, February 09, 2008
disappointed
I am really disappointed with myself. i was hoping that i'd be able to post at least a picture a day to keep me on my toes creatively.
obviously, i haven't.
i'm going to try and jump start the process again. hopefully, i'll be able to keep at it.
some other stuff: Nepal is in the news again. this is in regards to the indian doctor heading the illegal kidney-snatching trade. after they initially reported that he was arrested in Nepal, I was just hoping that he wouldn't get away. with nepal, it's not too far-fetched for something like that to happen.
talking about this kidney-snatching business, i guess it's a matter of supply and demand. i can understand why people would be willing to sacrifice a kidney to better their lives and those of their families. desperate times call for desperate measures.
but this doctor wasn't providing a service to desperate people who had no other way of coming up with money, he was stealing from people who weren't even interested in selling their organs.
I had heard stories of people waking up in bathtubs of ice, with stitches on their sides and backs. It was possible, but would it really happen? Does it really happen?
I always believed that these were just stories to scare you!!I was so wrong!!
So, whatever sentence this guy gets will not be enough. They should forcefully remove one of his kidneys too. And then donate it to whoever cannot afford a transplant.
obviously, i haven't.
i'm going to try and jump start the process again. hopefully, i'll be able to keep at it.
some other stuff: Nepal is in the news again. this is in regards to the indian doctor heading the illegal kidney-snatching trade. after they initially reported that he was arrested in Nepal, I was just hoping that he wouldn't get away. with nepal, it's not too far-fetched for something like that to happen.
talking about this kidney-snatching business, i guess it's a matter of supply and demand. i can understand why people would be willing to sacrifice a kidney to better their lives and those of their families. desperate times call for desperate measures.
but this doctor wasn't providing a service to desperate people who had no other way of coming up with money, he was stealing from people who weren't even interested in selling their organs.
I had heard stories of people waking up in bathtubs of ice, with stitches on their sides and backs. It was possible, but would it really happen? Does it really happen?
I always believed that these were just stories to scare you!!I was so wrong!!
So, whatever sentence this guy gets will not be enough. They should forcefully remove one of his kidneys too. And then donate it to whoever cannot afford a transplant.
Monday, January 28, 2008
after the poem
"you haven't been around."
-did you even read my last post? who would want to be seen after that!
"why? are you embarrassed?"
-uh...actually i was quoting somebody else.
"it wasn't too bad."
-ya right! you call that poetry?
"why don't you just delete the post then?"
-c'mon, where's the fun if you can't ridicule yourself and have a good laugh?
"safe to say we won't be reading anymore of your poetic masterpieces?"
-are you kidding me?i can't wait to write the next one.
-did you even read my last post? who would want to be seen after that!
"why? are you embarrassed?"
-uh...actually i was quoting somebody else.
"it wasn't too bad."
-ya right! you call that poetry?
"why don't you just delete the post then?"
-c'mon, where's the fun if you can't ridicule yourself and have a good laugh?
"safe to say we won't be reading anymore of your poetic masterpieces?"
-are you kidding me?i can't wait to write the next one.
Friday, January 25, 2008
falling asleep
words
thoughts
fade
into the blackness of my eyes
and all i can hear is the
tick
tick
tick
of
the clock
on
a distant wall.
s l e e p
s l e e p
tonight
i
will
not
be counting sheep.
thoughts
fade
into the blackness of my eyes
and all i can hear is the
tick
tick
tick
of
the clock
on
a distant wall.
s l e e p
s l e e p
tonight
i
will
not
be counting sheep.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
DAY 12
and just like that, it's been 12 days since i quit smoking. yes, even i find that hard to believe.
the only thing is that i slipped a few times. on 3 separate occasions, i gave in and lit up.
the last time was when i had a beer on sunday. i was watching the patriots/chargers game in a bar (what was i thinking, right?) and brady threw his 3rd interception. i could just see their perfect season go up in smoke...SMOKE??...and suddenly, i had this excruciating craving. i just had to have one.
now, bumming cigarettes off your friends is one thing, asking a stranger for a smoke is a totally different scenario. it's something that i just hate when people do it to me...but, i sucked it up...
anyway, the bright side of this story is that, after all that, i didn't enjoy the cigaretter at all. not then, not the two times before that. all i had were a few puffs, and i was done.
just 3 cigarettes in 12 days may not sound as much, but i'm looking at it as a minor accomplishment. i have to say that i'm proud of myself.
now if i could just stay off the crack!
the only thing is that i slipped a few times. on 3 separate occasions, i gave in and lit up.
the last time was when i had a beer on sunday. i was watching the patriots/chargers game in a bar (what was i thinking, right?) and brady threw his 3rd interception. i could just see their perfect season go up in smoke...SMOKE??...and suddenly, i had this excruciating craving. i just had to have one.
now, bumming cigarettes off your friends is one thing, asking a stranger for a smoke is a totally different scenario. it's something that i just hate when people do it to me...but, i sucked it up...
anyway, the bright side of this story is that, after all that, i didn't enjoy the cigaretter at all. not then, not the two times before that. all i had were a few puffs, and i was done.
just 3 cigarettes in 12 days may not sound as much, but i'm looking at it as a minor accomplishment. i have to say that i'm proud of myself.
now if i could just stay off the crack!
Friday, January 18, 2008
dunkin donuts
They just opened the first Dunkin Donuts here. And i was ecstatic. i hadn't had good coffee in a while so i absolutely had to stop and get myself a cup. it had been over 8 months.
hmmm.
it made my day. (see, it doesn't take much)
hmmm.
it made my day. (see, it doesn't take much)
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
say what?
just thought this was interesting and sad.
but then, will this affect your life and mine?
one woman. one language. one last chance to save it. certainly sounds like a movie trailer.
but i think it's a little too late.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7189898.stm
but then, will this affect your life and mine?
one woman. one language. one last chance to save it. certainly sounds like a movie trailer.
but i think it's a little too late.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7189898.stm
Monday, January 14, 2008
I QUIT
It may be a few weeks too late, but i guess it's never too late to come up with a New Year resolution.
so I QUIT. today is Day 2.
i was looking back at all the times that i wanted to quit and realized that all i did then was try and cut down. i was trying to convince myself that while i needed to smoke, i could get through the day with just one or two. i was wrong.
i haven't been a heavy smoker but i have been a consistent one. you have to give me credit for that. i never smoked more than a pack a day but have certainly blown up a lot of money on smoke. i was thinking of calculating how much i've spent on cigarettes since i came to the states almost 10 years ago but i think i'll pass on that.
here's why: first of all, i'm not too bright with addition, and this involves multiplication and division.
second, if i did try and come up with a number, it would surely drive me to smoke again!
will power? i don't know yet. i guess we'll soon find out. and hopefully, writing about this will help.
so I QUIT. today is Day 2.
i was looking back at all the times that i wanted to quit and realized that all i did then was try and cut down. i was trying to convince myself that while i needed to smoke, i could get through the day with just one or two. i was wrong.
i haven't been a heavy smoker but i have been a consistent one. you have to give me credit for that. i never smoked more than a pack a day but have certainly blown up a lot of money on smoke. i was thinking of calculating how much i've spent on cigarettes since i came to the states almost 10 years ago but i think i'll pass on that.
here's why: first of all, i'm not too bright with addition, and this involves multiplication and division.
second, if i did try and come up with a number, it would surely drive me to smoke again!
will power? i don't know yet. i guess we'll soon find out. and hopefully, writing about this will help.
Friday, January 11, 2008
donate $10 now
all of us have a desire to do more and be involved in helping others. well, this is a perfect opportunity to do your part.
shisir and his friends at sarvodaya usa work relentlessly to spread good cheer, and not just during the holidays. so take a peek at what they do and we could help make some difference in somebody's life.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
primaries
I have been on the computer all day and i haven't yet looked into what's happening in New Hampshire.
Monday, January 07, 2008
१,२,३...cheese
I'm going to upload a new picture each day...just to keep my creative juices flowing.
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