Sometime last week, I went to a musical at my school- performed by the University's theatre students. Initially I was a little wary of going because of some bad experiences I've had before with musicals(Producers for example...what were the Oscars people thinking??). This musical was called 'Smokey Joe's Cafe'- with 40 ROCK & ROLL SONGS! I wasnt sure if I would be able to sit thru that many songs...and more than me, I was worried about the friends that I was dragging along with me... both guys who would prefer a hindi/tamil movie to a long English musical. I knew I was under pressure...these guys were coming only to give me company and if the musical sucked, I knew they would let me know it! I wouldnt hear the end of it.
But, I was amazed with the show- Two hours flew by and I was left wanting more. There was not a single dialogue said during the entire 2 hours- It was nothing but song and dance (and I didnt know most of those songs) but I was thoroughly entertained. I was left in awe by the talent these guys and girls possessed. They could sing, dance, act...they could even run in huge heels...I was bowled over.
Even after I got home, I couldnt stop thinkin about those actors- They were just college kids, most younger than me....Kids doing their bachelors in theatre. And yet, they were so immensely talented in their field. I mean, I did my bachelors in Computer Science- But I'm nowhere as good in my field as these people were in theirs. I thought about what they had that I lacked and I narrowed it down to one thing: Something called PASSION! They probably got into theatre because they wanted to...they were and are passionate about what they are doing. But, me...I got into Computers due to some amount of compulsion... and I'm definitely not passionate about it. And last week I realized just how much difference passion could make!
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Scribbles from California
I arrived at Orange County, California late yesterday night. I'll be here for around 4 months for my Internship. Am excited and scared at the same time... Its an awesome place, lovely weather-lotsa things to do...but I've gotten so used to my life in Richmond...My friends who have become more like family, their pranks and jokes ( of which I WAS ALWAYS THE VICTIM), the house (always loud and lively unlike this one), my school and the school atmosphere, my lil corner in the lab where nobody cared about what I was doing, my room with that huge johnny depp poster rite above the bed, Panda Veg food, the Indian cart lady and even my annoying neighbor...I'm gonna miss it all!
But at the same time, I'm hopeful that I'll have a nice time here in California- Orange county is such a pretty place- wide roads, beautiful palm trees, and a nice breeze greeted me when I landed. OC is supposedly one of the richest counties in the US and it shows...I've been here only for a day and I've already seen 3-4 limos and hummers on the road...Nobody even gives them a second look here. The houses are huge..not multi storey buildings that go straight up like in Richmond city but spread around a huge landscaped area. My apt is very pretty- Its a two storey building with stacatto walls traditionally found in these warmer coastal areas. There are two nice outdoor swimming pools, lawn areas, and a gym. Today we went shopping for groceries and I was very happy to find that there are several different stores nearby...Best thing is that we can bring the shopping cart from the store all the way home from where the cart is picked up later... Only I know what a blessing this is...after two years of 'backbreaking shopping', carrying those grocery bags home in bookbags, this is def something to cheer about. Another thing that made me very happy is the public library that is just 5 minutes away... Disney land is also nearby and the beach is also reachable by car. So, there's so much this city offers, so much to do and so many places to see... I cant wait to explore them all.
Only thing I hope for is to meet good people here...cuz thats def something I had around me at all times in Richmond.
california orange county personal musings
But at the same time, I'm hopeful that I'll have a nice time here in California- Orange county is such a pretty place- wide roads, beautiful palm trees, and a nice breeze greeted me when I landed. OC is supposedly one of the richest counties in the US and it shows...I've been here only for a day and I've already seen 3-4 limos and hummers on the road...Nobody even gives them a second look here. The houses are huge..not multi storey buildings that go straight up like in Richmond city but spread around a huge landscaped area. My apt is very pretty- Its a two storey building with stacatto walls traditionally found in these warmer coastal areas. There are two nice outdoor swimming pools, lawn areas, and a gym. Today we went shopping for groceries and I was very happy to find that there are several different stores nearby...Best thing is that we can bring the shopping cart from the store all the way home from where the cart is picked up later... Only I know what a blessing this is...after two years of 'backbreaking shopping', carrying those grocery bags home in bookbags, this is def something to cheer about. Another thing that made me very happy is the public library that is just 5 minutes away... Disney land is also nearby and the beach is also reachable by car. So, there's so much this city offers, so much to do and so many places to see... I cant wait to explore them all.
Only thing I hope for is to meet good people here...cuz thats def something I had around me at all times in Richmond.
california orange county personal musings
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Neighbors and Noise
LATEST NEWS: We might get evicted outta our apartment within the next 21 days! We've been getting regular notices for a while because of noise complaints from our neighbor downstairs but, today we got our final warning - One more complaint in the next 21 days and we will be KICKED OUT!
I must say it's kinda excitin though! This is the closest I've gotten to anythin illegal or requiring being kicked out! :) I always wanted to be one of those cool college kids who party all nite till the cops are called to quiet them down! But sadly, my life is not quite that excitin- No late nite parties here, only late nite studyin- and we get complaints for that!
The first notice we got said that we were walkin too loud in the nite- walkin of all things! So, we bought everyone in the house soft chappals and put carpet on the floors... That kept the lady downstairs quiet for a while. Then, the next complaint was that we were moving things on the floor too late in the nite... So we stopped draggin our furniture- we only LIFT them past 11. This was followed by a string of complaints for loud music, talkin too loud...I'm waitin for the 'breathin too loud' notice now!
Sometimes the lady downstairs decides to take matters into her own hands...Literally! I'll never forget the time when I was sitting on the floor late one night packing for a morning flight. I had to drag out my suitcase from under the bed and immediately after I had pulled it out, I felt two or three sudden thuds on the floor, right where I was sitting. It really took me by surprise. Apparently the lady thought she would inform me of the noise I was making by using a pole to bang on her ceiling, my floor! So, we have these mini earthquakes nowadays to let us know that we are being too loud. I wonder... Does she ever sleep? Or does she wait all night with a long pole in her hand, listening for the slightest noise, waiting to bang at the ceiling?
personal musings
I must say it's kinda excitin though! This is the closest I've gotten to anythin illegal or requiring being kicked out! :) I always wanted to be one of those cool college kids who party all nite till the cops are called to quiet them down! But sadly, my life is not quite that excitin- No late nite parties here, only late nite studyin- and we get complaints for that!
The first notice we got said that we were walkin too loud in the nite- walkin of all things! So, we bought everyone in the house soft chappals and put carpet on the floors... That kept the lady downstairs quiet for a while. Then, the next complaint was that we were moving things on the floor too late in the nite... So we stopped draggin our furniture- we only LIFT them past 11. This was followed by a string of complaints for loud music, talkin too loud...I'm waitin for the 'breathin too loud' notice now!
Sometimes the lady downstairs decides to take matters into her own hands...Literally! I'll never forget the time when I was sitting on the floor late one night packing for a morning flight. I had to drag out my suitcase from under the bed and immediately after I had pulled it out, I felt two or three sudden thuds on the floor, right where I was sitting. It really took me by surprise. Apparently the lady thought she would inform me of the noise I was making by using a pole to bang on her ceiling, my floor! So, we have these mini earthquakes nowadays to let us know that we are being too loud. I wonder... Does she ever sleep? Or does she wait all night with a long pole in her hand, listening for the slightest noise, waiting to bang at the ceiling?
personal musings
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Only in the US!
I've been in the US for over 7 years now and there are some things here which I still cant get used to.
'Dont talk to strangers'
Whats with all these strangers asking me how I am- Do they really care? And when they ask that, what am I supposed to say? "Well my program didn't work in lab, I have to present my research tomorrow but, all I've been doing is sleeping in front of the computer, so not so great!" Truth is before I can even say 'I'm fine', they've already walked past me.
What's worse is when they actually want to carry on a long conversation. For example, when sitting next to someone on the bus or taking the elevator, I feel like saying ' I don't even know you, do I really have to listen to your stories about what your dog did today.. and worse, pretend to care?' Back home in India, when you see a stranger on the road, you usually just give him a cold stare implying 'what u looking at me for?' - Its not considered rude or anti-social, its normal!
Sue-crazy Americans
Only in America can you sue a fast food company because you spilled coffee on yourself- and actually win a million dollars! This is one of the many silly court cases that take place in the US. A lady sued a fast food joint for not having labels on their coffee lids saying that the hot coffee may actually be hot...and she won. This cautionary label is found on all lids now! You can sue anyone for anything in the US-and its very evident that companies, Doctors and even regular people live under the constant fear of being sued for their actions. Thats why you can find sleeping pills with the warning 'may cause drowsiness' and match boxes with the label 'the contents may catch fire'. Dumbed down America, anyone?
All that food!
Why are the serving sizes in the US so large?? Everything from a starbucks coffee cup (the smallest size is called TALL) to a plate of pasta is huge- A good example is popcorn at the movie theaters - picture a water bucket, filled to the rim with popcorn and drizzled with a good amount of butter- Thats what it looks like.
Now, I am a desert freak- absolutely luv them. But, I hardly ever get to eat deserts when I go out here- By the time I finish half of the main dish, I have no space for anything more! :( Me thinks the US restaurant ppl need to go take a look at Saravana Bhavan- Their sizes are so small that everyone orders two, three dishes... So, they end up making more money and the customer is also happy cuz they get to taste a variety of things. Kinda like having the cake and eatin it too... Oooh... CAKE!
culture shock personal musings
'Dont talk to strangers'
Whats with all these strangers asking me how I am- Do they really care? And when they ask that, what am I supposed to say? "Well my program didn't work in lab, I have to present my research tomorrow but, all I've been doing is sleeping in front of the computer, so not so great!" Truth is before I can even say 'I'm fine', they've already walked past me.
What's worse is when they actually want to carry on a long conversation. For example, when sitting next to someone on the bus or taking the elevator, I feel like saying ' I don't even know you, do I really have to listen to your stories about what your dog did today.. and worse, pretend to care?' Back home in India, when you see a stranger on the road, you usually just give him a cold stare implying 'what u looking at me for?' - Its not considered rude or anti-social, its normal!
Sue-crazy Americans
Only in America can you sue a fast food company because you spilled coffee on yourself- and actually win a million dollars! This is one of the many silly court cases that take place in the US. A lady sued a fast food joint for not having labels on their coffee lids saying that the hot coffee may actually be hot...and she won. This cautionary label is found on all lids now! You can sue anyone for anything in the US-and its very evident that companies, Doctors and even regular people live under the constant fear of being sued for their actions. Thats why you can find sleeping pills with the warning 'may cause drowsiness' and match boxes with the label 'the contents may catch fire'. Dumbed down America, anyone?
All that food!
Why are the serving sizes in the US so large?? Everything from a starbucks coffee cup (the smallest size is called TALL) to a plate of pasta is huge- A good example is popcorn at the movie theaters - picture a water bucket, filled to the rim with popcorn and drizzled with a good amount of butter- Thats what it looks like.
Now, I am a desert freak- absolutely luv them. But, I hardly ever get to eat deserts when I go out here- By the time I finish half of the main dish, I have no space for anything more! :( Me thinks the US restaurant ppl need to go take a look at Saravana Bhavan- Their sizes are so small that everyone orders two, three dishes... So, they end up making more money and the customer is also happy cuz they get to taste a variety of things. Kinda like having the cake and eatin it too... Oooh... CAKE!
culture shock personal musings
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Oscars 2007
I didnt get to see the Oscars this year because the unfortunate grad student that I am, I don't even own a TV! But I made sure to read every tidbit about it on the Internet. All the photos, the best dressed list, the worst dressed list, the sensations and the flops! And now, here's what I think are some of the most memorable moments of the 79th Academy awards:
1. Martin Scorsese's long overdue Oscar win- Its about time the Oscar committee recognized this talented director! I saw 'Departed' and I have to say I wasn't too impressed. Thought it was excessively violent and I wasn't too happy to see everybody in the cast die in the last scene (Whatever happened to those nice 'happily ever after' endings?!) But, If this is the Academy's way of finally honoring Scorsese for all his prior work, then so be it!
2. Al Gore's fake speech: This guy is proving to be much too cool for a politician! When his powerful documentary on global warming won (which I saw btw), he gave the nite's best speech.
"Even though I, honestly, had not planned on doing this, I guess with a billion people watching it's as good a time as any," said Gore, pulling out a speech. "So, my fellow Americans, I'm going to take this opportunity right here and now to formally announce my intention ..." And then the music cut him off! Man, he is so much cooler than the perennially tongue tied Bush!
3. Melissa Ethiridge's sensational kiss: When Ethiridge won for best soundtrack, she made sure the win was remembered by giving her lesbian partner a kiss before collecting the award. Apparently, she was a little apprehensive about what to do if she won. Perhaps the fact that the awards were being hosted by Ellen Degeneres gave her comfort.
4. I have to mention the best and worst dresses here- how can I not! I was very upset to have missed the Rivers duo's famous commentary, but here's my own: Best dressed on Oscar night were definitely Jennifer Lopez (goddess lookalike), Reese Witherspoon and Penelope Cruz. The worst dressed were not as bad as usual- Nowhere close to Bjork's Swan disaster. I would have to put Dream girls winner Jennifer Hudson in the worst dressed list and Princess diaries star, Anne Hathway makes it into the list just because she could have done so much better. Dint much like Nichole Kidman's choice either- was she going for a Christmas gift look with that big red bow?!
5. Wonderful nite for Black actors- With Whitaker and Hudson winning best actor and best supporting actress respectively, the 79th Academy awards was a memorable night for Black actors.
hollywood oscars
1. Martin Scorsese's long overdue Oscar win- Its about time the Oscar committee recognized this talented director! I saw 'Departed' and I have to say I wasn't too impressed. Thought it was excessively violent and I wasn't too happy to see everybody in the cast die in the last scene (Whatever happened to those nice 'happily ever after' endings?!) But, If this is the Academy's way of finally honoring Scorsese for all his prior work, then so be it!
2. Al Gore's fake speech: This guy is proving to be much too cool for a politician! When his powerful documentary on global warming won (which I saw btw), he gave the nite's best speech.
"Even though I, honestly, had not planned on doing this, I guess with a billion people watching it's as good a time as any," said Gore, pulling out a speech. "So, my fellow Americans, I'm going to take this opportunity right here and now to formally announce my intention ..." And then the music cut him off! Man, he is so much cooler than the perennially tongue tied Bush!
3. Melissa Ethiridge's sensational kiss: When Ethiridge won for best soundtrack, she made sure the win was remembered by giving her lesbian partner a kiss before collecting the award. Apparently, she was a little apprehensive about what to do if she won. Perhaps the fact that the awards were being hosted by Ellen Degeneres gave her comfort.
4. I have to mention the best and worst dresses here- how can I not! I was very upset to have missed the Rivers duo's famous commentary, but here's my own: Best dressed on Oscar night were definitely Jennifer Lopez (goddess lookalike), Reese Witherspoon and Penelope Cruz. The worst dressed were not as bad as usual- Nowhere close to Bjork's Swan disaster. I would have to put Dream girls winner Jennifer Hudson in the worst dressed list and Princess diaries star, Anne Hathway makes it into the list just because she could have done so much better. Dint much like Nichole Kidman's choice either- was she going for a Christmas gift look with that big red bow?!
5. Wonderful nite for Black actors- With Whitaker and Hudson winning best actor and best supporting actress respectively, the 79th Academy awards was a memorable night for Black actors.
hollywood oscars
Friday, February 23, 2007
Finally... joining the blogging craze!
Its that time dreaded by every grad student... Thesis writing time! Yep, that time has come for me. Durin this difficult time, I find myself living by a mantra that my prof taught me: BBB- Bull Baffles Brains! :) Hopefully it will baffle his too!
Aaaah,There's nothin like a good thesis writing session to bring out the philosopher in u! :) So, lets see how good a philosopher it makes of me! If not a philosopher,lets at least see how good a blogger it makes of me!
Aaaah,There's nothin like a good thesis writing session to bring out the philosopher in u! :) So, lets see how good a philosopher it makes of me! If not a philosopher,lets at least see how good a blogger it makes of me!
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