Saturday, June 28, 2003

CHANGING TYRE CHECKLIST
1. TOOLS: A spare tyre (which looks like one you would normally use on a scooter), a jack, a car tool kit (As I discovered, it becomes essential to have one when you least expect it. can be bought in Walmart and Kmart.)
2. TIME: It would usually take about 10 - 15 minutes to change a tyre, however, there are always exceptions (especially when I am involved).... Sometimes this simple task could take 3 1/2 hours. THe time you choose to change the tyre always plays an important role. Late night/ early morning is usually the best time. 2a.m. is ideal because you get to finish partying and in case you have trouble changing the tyre, sunrise, which most people have never seen, is four hours away.
3. FRIENDS: People from Akron, Cleveland, Cin Citi and Washington(D.C.) come highly recommended. Friends are good company especially when stranded in desolated areas without a cellphone..... hoping that all or atleast a few of them have brought theirs. They worry about you while you worry about the fate of your car. Their cheerful tirade provides comic relief to keep your spirits up. Most favored arguments involve who should stay and who should leave..... of course, no one leaves. When there are several guys present, you can be sure they all know how to change a tyre and they tend to confuse the mechanic who thinks that they have used the jack upside down and have still managed to raise the car. If the screws are too tight, be rest assured that they will use their varying body weight to try and loosen it by standing on the spanner or wrench. When that fails, they will continue in good spirits to cheer on the mechanic who finally does manage to get the job done and show concern when he almost takes his face off in the process.
*FYI: If you don't have any friedns you definitely will by the end of this four hour ordeal, even if it is a stranger trying out a new way of panhandling( in the wee hours of the morning).
4.AAA menbership: If you don't have your own pray that someone in your group does
5.ENTERTAINMENT: Usually comes in the form of:
a. Alcohol- Make sure you have vodka or a spiked orange drink you can get everyone to taste
b. Cigarettes- Pass time starring at each other through the smoke.
c. A sleeping individual who does not like being woken up.
d. Several other cars to tinker with while you are waiting for the tow truck.
e. Someone who lives close by so that you can go for a drive.
f. Car games
g.A music system
h. Someone who is celebrating their birthday so that you can keep wishing him everytime a cop passes by.
SO, how many people does it take to change a tyre?( As asked by a cop)
Usually 1 or 2 but at other times more than 15 amateurs, 2 mechanics from AAA and some guy who wants money for gas...:)

Thursday, June 26, 2003

I just got motivated to go to work........ MONEY!!! Unfortunately its too late because I usually finish at 1pm and I have to be at the clinic now, with the hope of having a client. Anyway will make up for lost time next week by going in half an hour earlier and finishing half an hour later or just work next friday, which is unlikely since it is a holiday.

I overslept this morning. A very rare occurrence for me. I woke up only at 7:30 because my mother called. I decided to take the day off from work and spend the day,well, the morning since I have to go to the clinic at 12:30, at home. I'm feeling a bit guilty but I don't think its sufficient enough to make me want to go to work right now.

Tuesday, June 24, 2003

I am working, this summer, for a program called Project G.R.A.D.(aka Graduation Really Achieves Dreams). There are 75 African American kids enrolled in the program. These kids are working as research learners trying to find information about the achievement gap and and what can be done to close it. When I looked at the graphs, I was proud to see that Asians were the highest achievers. Anyway, most of these kids felt that they had nothing to be proud of because African Americans were at the lowest level of achievement. Most of them felt embarassed and ashamed and others who felt like something needed to be done, adopted a defeatist attitude of " what difference will it make anyway.... we can't force people to improve themselves." One kid just kept looking at the graph, listening to what his classmates were saying. After a bit, he said, "NExt year we all get straight As."

I never thought that egocentric thinking belonged in India.... the land which touts 'Unity in Diversity' as the foundation of its constitution. I always thought that it belonged in countries like America, where most people believe that the only other country and culture in existence apart from the Stars and Stripes is Mexico (Thanks to a famous, heated presidential debate). Instead of being proud of our vast and rich culture and heritage, I am stunned that most of the Indians I have met in recent years are unaccepting of these differences, to the point of being insulting. What is even worse is, that, I had to come to another country to experience it.
Having studied in schools with people from all over the country, sometimes all over the world, everyone's diverse culture was just accepted as part and parcel. I think, that, we were more interested in each other as people rather than which language we spoke, how well we spoke languages from different states, the God we worshipped, the kind of clothes we wore, or the different ways in which five yards of cloth, otherwise known as a sari, was tied. At other times we were more concerned about the safety of our friends and other schoolmates especially when there were riots and it was difficult to travel up north without getting killed.

Maybe this, in and of itself, is a form of egocentric thinking???..........

Saturday, June 21, 2003

Got good news this morning..... one of my best friends, Pavi, gave birth to a baby boy on the 19th of June at 9:28 am. My godson is a Gemini!! He is adorable and as sweet as hot chocolate with marshmallows. Gautham (godson in question) weighed 9 lbs and 5oz and measured 21'5" tall. Click on the link to see his photographs. Makes you want to just catch those cheeks and devour him. Mother and godson are doing well!!! :)
http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/pavigiri/lst?.dir=/Gautham&.view=t

Thursday, June 19, 2003

Kids in this country have the most strangest names possible. THey are named after countries(Asia and India are very popular), the months in the year(May and June), days of the week, birds and animals. I now have a child in my class called SeDan!!My group superviser's name is Peach. Reminds me of 'The Adams Family Movie' where they don't know what to name the baby. Mrs Adams tells the new nanny," We went from Chastity to Puberty and finally settled on Agony."

Tuesday, June 17, 2003

DId you know that Murphy (of Murphy's law fame) was an optimist?
NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED THERE IS ALWAYS ONE MORE BUG
LEAKPROOF SEALS-WILL. SELF STARTERS - WILL NOT
NATURE IS A MOTHER.
DON'T MESS WITH MRS. MURPHY.
ALL WARRANTIES EXPIRE UPON PAYMENT OF INVOICE.
WHERE YOU STAND ON AN ISSUE DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU SIT.
90% OF EVERYTHING IS CRUD.
IF YOU'RE FEELING GOOD, DON'T WORRY, YOU'LL GET OVER IT.
NEVER EAT PRUNES WHEN YOU ARE FAMISHED.
FRIENDS COME AND GO BUT ENEMIES ACCUMULATE
ANYTHING THAT CAN GO WRONG, WILL GO WRONG.
IF YOU TRY TO PLEASE EVERYBODY, NOBODY WILL LIKE IT.
A SHORT CUT IS THE LONGEST DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO POINTS.
YOU WILL ALWAYS FIND SOMETHING IN THE LAST PLACE YOU LOOK.
YOU WILL REMEMBER THAT YOU FORGOT TO TAKE OUT THE TRASH WHEN THE GARBAGE TRUCK IS TWO DOORS AWAY.
THE CHANCE OF A PIECE OF BREAD FALLING WITH THE BUTTERED SIDE DOWN IS DIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL TO THE COST OF THE CARPET.
THE RACE IS NOT ALWAYS TO THE SWIFT NOR THE BATTLE TO THE STRONG BUT THAT'S THE WAY TO BET.
NO MATTER HOW LONG OR HARD YOU SHOP FOR AN ITEM, AFTER YOU'VE BOUGHT IT , IT WILL BE ON SALE SOMEWHERE CHEAPER.
THERE'S NEVER TIME TO DO IT RIGHT, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS TIME TO DO IT OVER.
NO ONE'S LIFE, LIBERTY OR PROSPERITY ARE SAFE WHEN THE LEGISLATURE IS IN SESSION.
ANYTHING GOOD IN LIFE IS EITHER ILLEGAL, IMMORAL OR FATTENING.
THE OTHER LINE ALWAYS MOVES FASTER.
IT IS MORALLY WRONG TO ALLOW SUCKERS TO KEEP THEIR MONEY.
IN ORDER TO GET A LOAN YOU MUST FIRST PROVE YOU DON'T NEED IT.
A BIRD IN HAND IS SAFER THAN ONE OVERHEAD.
ANYTHING YOU TRY TO FIX WILL TAKE LONGER AND COST MORE THAN YOU THOUGHT.
MURPHY'S GOLDEN RULE : WHOEVER HAS THE GOLD MAKES THE RULES.
IF YOU FOOL AROUND WITH A THING FOR VERY LONG YOU WILL SCREW IT UP.
EVERYTHING EAST OF THE SAN ANDREAS FAULT WILL EVENTUALLY PLUNGE INTO THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.
A $300 PICTURE TUBE WILL PROTECT A 10c FUSE BY BLOWING FIRST.
NATURE WILL ALWAYS SIDE WITH THE HIDDEN FLAW.
IF IT JAMS - FORCE IT.
IF IT BREAKS - IT NEEDED REPLACING ANYWAY.

Monday, June 16, 2003

I agree with Hemant....... the best compliment one can receive is made up of three l'il words.... "I miss you"

My birthday just got better!! I went to State College, Pennslyvannia. My friend Mahesh, who studies there, and I share the same birthday weekend. My birthday is on the 11th and his on the 13th. We had been planning this weekend for months. But you know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and men....... It kept changing literally every week. At one point, it seemed like nothing would work out. And believe me when I say by the time the weekend came the amount of time we were planning to stay there suddenly shrunk. BUT I HAD THE BEST TIME EVER!!! DIsha and I left on friday evening at about 7 p.m. We got there in time for a late dinner, which Mahesh put together especially for us. Yum!! Yum!!Chicken!!!!
Anyway the next day was awesome. Has anyone ever wanted to just get into the car and just drive without any particular destination in mind? I love doing that!! Bugs the hell out of my sister because she constantly thinks we are lost....which does tend to happen!!!:) We got into the car after lunch and just headed out on I- 80E and 2 hours later ended up in the Poconos Mountains. We took a room in Days Inn- owned by a Patel and overrun by a huge gang of Desi aunties (for that weekend anyway) And what do girls want to do when they see an outlet mall? SHOP! So we dragged poor Mahesh with us. And then we went out for dinner to a semi formal seafood shack and of course, we did the tourist thing......took lots and lots of snaps! Then to top it off we went back to the hotel to celebrate with wine. Now all those who know capacity for alcohol say "Aye!" I had one and a half glasses of wine and I was as high as kite. Mahesh had about 4 glasses and then got fed up of drinking from a glass and decided to attack the bottle directly. Suffice it to say we were flying. AWESOME!! Unfortunately all good things must come to an end and before we knew it, it was Sunday morning and we had to leave to come back to Akron.

Friday, June 13, 2003

What made the older generation, like our grandparents and great grandparents unforgettable? Anyone you talk to has fond recollections of these people. What made that generation different...memorable? And when people do talk they never compare one person to another. For example no one ever says," So and so was the best person I knew in such and such area?" People just accepted each other and enjoyed each other's company.
Most of my grandfather's students remember him as being as strict headmaster and teacher, as well as someone with a good sense of humour. My grandfather was headmaster at The Lawrence School, Lovedale, in Ooty for 21 years. When my father was in prep school, he was a day scholar and used to live in the Headmaster's house with my grandparents. My grandmother was an amazing cook and so there were constantly people (particularly starving students) eating at the house. One night, when my grandparents had gone out for a staff dinner, some of the girls in juniour school played hookey and jumped out of their dormitory window and snuck into the house. Since my father was their junior they ragged him and ate all the food in the house. WHen I say all I mean ALL!!
When they tried to get back into the dormitory they got caught by the night aiyah who initially thought they were thieves trying to break in. The house mistress and headmistress were called and these girls were told that they were in big do-do and would be reported to the headmaster the next day. So they packed their bags and wore their monday blazers the next day in anticipation of being suspended or expelled. I am told that they all looked like something the cat had dragged in. THey walked into my grandfather's office and all he said to them was, "Couldn't you have atleast left an egg for me to have for breakfast?"

Thursday, June 12, 2003

My birthday was fabulous! I made a Burmese dish called Kow Swe(pronounced cow sway).It is a dish, which in my opinion, is akin to rice and rasam. The base of the dish is noodles which are topped with a coconutty chicken or fish curry or veggie curry for the veggies. There should be plenty of gravy so that the noodles are floating in it. To bring out the flavor you then garnish it with lime, egg, onions, leeks, corriander(cilantro) and just about anything else you can think of. I think everyone enjoyed it. I was beginning to think that no one would stop eating, come 12 o' clock.:)
And then came the dreaded moment. .... MIDNIGHT!! Not because I had turned another year older but because there were a number of people like Hemant (Bhanjo) who have been threatening to make my birthday unforgettable. Apparently because I wasn't here last year. Anyway The eggs and cake were not too bad. Although i was caked in it.
And now for the Oscars........
THanks people for making my birthday awesome.....
DIsha, Shimla and Raghav....... THanks for all the help, the cake and for cleaning up. A special thank you for the Tiramisu... I knew you would remember Dasha.
Sapling ... thank you for buying the ginger, garlic and chillies and pudina.......:)
Pankaj.... Thank you filling the bartan with water for the noodles and adding a handul of frozen veggies to the exisiting pile that I was cooking.
Rohini......for smashing the first piece of cake on me..... All I could smell all night was cake.
Aanchal.... for trying to get me out of the store while you were buying my birthday present...I was wondering why you guys were taking so long.
Bhanjo..... for pouring a 2 litre bottle of ice cold Coke on me. NO CAKE FOR YOU!!!!
SHalini .... who doesn't understand one photograph not one entire roll....... and unfortunately you were wearing black....but it was hilarious seeing you run down the road barfooted.
Batula..... GOLTI....wait till I see you...
Phani....I hope your leg is ok....My back is in pain thanks to the bledy egg u smashed on my back.
Rashi.....I hope you slept well.... Happy belated birthday!! THank you for coming to spend one hour with me before we went to the gym........ smoking is bad very bad..... stop trying to teach me all your vices for crying out loud!!
Salli Kuthi and Madhu......... THank you so much for spending the day with me..... I had a grand time!!
Macha........ THanks for calling at 12:30.....you would have been slaughteered in a couple of days if you hadn't!!
SHradha....... U didn't want to hug me last night..... just you wait!!!
Aki... THanks for calling one minute before 12.... you beat the rush....:)
Mota.... Bastard Bitch.... You come back and tell me you didn't have my number you will be mince meat....inspite of being veggie!
Rashi thank you for letting me test your patience....... when you're dying to smoke...and threatening to set my hair on fire.. you bledy chimney you!!! first cigarette my foot
ALL OF YOU ARE THO THWEET!!!!!

Tuesday, June 10, 2003

I think I finally figured out how to work this. Madhu I may still need your help though. I also figured that I have four different blogs because I keep starting new ones. Change is good!!! But I think I am going to try and stick to this one.

Thursday, June 05, 2003

I woke up this morning to the sound of the radio in the background. The topic of discussion was sleeprunning- a spin off from sleepwalking. One woman's 56 year old father ran and dove out of the bedroom window, yelling "Abandon ship! Abandon ship!" Five minutes later her mother found him sleeping in the lawn- where he had landed!!