Lunch

Is there any place that you have lunch atleast once a week - maybe more?

There is this place called Delicados - I freaking love their food. So much so, that they know me. They know my name and everytime I walk in they know exactly what I will order. It is not good. I have to stop ordering from them!

The other place is Red Dots - its amazing. They have Chowmein every other Thursday and it is really good. I have it marked on my calender when they will be serving Chowmein and I eat it every other Thursday! God there must be something wrong with me.

What the hell!

So the thing that has been bugging me but I havent written it down here is that I have some symptoms of being pregnant.
But they are some. I have been going back and forth on this issue and am nowhere....

Here is the thing though - the waiting to know is getting to me. At this point I dont care if I am pregnant or not - I just want to know.
Partially cause then I can start acting pregnant and taking all the precautions of being pregnant. Or not and going on a drinking binge.

Either ways I want to know.

If you have been pregnant you will know what I am talking about....

Dinner

We went for the sole purpose of eating oysters last night - to this place called Pacific Crab Co.

They were just okay. Plus, all the other food - was bland. Now, I am not talking not overly seasoned or anything - the food was just bland.

The oysters were tasteless and given that the special of the day was oysters - they came last. After we had eaten all the other stuff - i.e. it took them too long to get us the oysters....

I dont know - something wasnt right there. Something was happening but I cant tell what.

All in all - a disappointment.

Oh well

Painting - done.

So this weekend went in painting the basement. It was a lot of work. I dont like painting that much.

We were going to paint the basement a dull yellowish beige colour. Anyway I go to sears to find the right shade and turns out sears doesnt do paint anymore.

Then I go to Rona - and find this Anthony Bourdain look-alike who is very abrupt in selling paint to me.
I panic and time is precious and I have to make the decision to get the right paint. I choose a yellow.

I take it home and we paint the bedroom - it looks like a canary yellow. It was supposed to be a pale yellow. So everyone panics and gives me the look. (Never choose paint colour for your in-laws house - nothing good can come of it.)

I am like - it is supposed to be pale not canary yellow. No one believes me.

We ended up finishing the painting using the same yellow - hoping that it dulls with time. Besides, the basement is dull and gets really depressing in winter so - it actually looks very warm. Who cares what my in-laws think of me. If they dont get me now - 7 yrs into the marriage they will never get me. So I am done the painting.

Ceiling needs to be painted - but I will not partake in that.

the attitude!

Holy Mamma! the attitude.

My co-worker (the receptionist) has been giving me some attitude. Wow. I dont even know why.
I have been nothing but nice to her. I always ask her about her grandchildren, how was her day off, how do you feel?

And I get attitude all b/c I have to ask her to do some things for me. And I have to - cause its her job and cause I dont know who to cater food from....

This totally pisses me off.


Sorry for the rant. I have been ranting a lot lately. I promise it will stop.

Painting

So we moved out of the in-laws house in February.

We have to paint the basement we lived in - as we said we would. I still want to do it. I dont mind at all.

Here is what gets me - my mil has been nagging me in a very passive aggressive way to paint the basement. I dont mind the nagging so much as much as the passive-aggressiveness. I hate passive-aggressive people. I just hate it.

Its like you dont have to balls to come out and say what you really want - but you dont want to let it go either.

Anyhoo, this weekend is designated to be the painting basement weekend. It freaking sucks. I hate painting. It always seems like it will be a lot of fun but never is.

Oh well. Much rather get it done and over with.

Work

The receptionist at my work is very weird. Sometimes she is super nice and sometimes she is just not.

She is older than me and was here before me - so she keeps mentioning to me how has seniority over me. Which is fine by me. I dont care - and she probably is senior to me by 6 months. Whatever.

Here is the thing though - sometimes I have to give her some work to do. I am always very careful to word it properly - I dont want her to think I am being bossy or just plain mean. She on the other hand will will say things as if - she is my boss. Which she is not. To some extent I dont even mind that. I do mind her being borderline rude.

I am worried that it has something to do with me being brown and her not being brown. She can be very racist and has in the past passed comments - not directed towards me - that make you think - "wha...t? did you just say that?"

Its annoying cause she is really good at what she does - but at the sametime - I wish she would be more sensitive. Not for the sake of being sensitive but b/c immigrants to this country do have it easy or are not lazy...or whatever else she might think.

The Wire

I finished watching the first season of Wire and now I am wanting more!

Wow! You have to watch it!

Jennifer - No. Its neither.
Let me explain. Past few weeks I have been unduly stressed out.
My work is spiralling out of control and that has me spiralling out of control.
Add to that was my stupid anxiety of having a child.
My doctor was worried and had asked me to take time for myself, etc etc - do things that would de-stress me

Yesterday, I was on the phone with someone who we have been helping after she lost her child a year ago. Speaking to her made me realize that at no time can I guarantee anything for anyone - let alone guarantee perfect everything for my child. Just being able to have a child is a blessing. Being able to put yourself in that vulnerable position and then going through with all the uncertainties and coming out the other end - is part of what makes this journey so exciting.
Besides - whatever goes wrong, if it does, it doesn't matter. B/c regardless I will love that kid with all my heart. .

Yesterday - helped me calm down.
Sitting on that bench and seeing the slight drizzle awaken the ocean was just beautiful. I was able to just let go of all my anxiety and stress.
It helped a lot. I do feel like a new person.

What also helped was that I was able to walk to the beach after almost a month. I usually walk everywhere and sprain had me confined to my work and home. Yesterday - I walked to the beach - sat there for what seemed like ages and just let everything go. Every negative thought, every worry - melted away with the rain drops.

Really - its amazing how different I feel right now. Sometimes - I think you just need to be selfish and take some time to heal oneself.

I am in LOVE!

Yes I am!!!!!

I dont know with who or what - but I am!!!!

Well - okay maybe not really or maybe I am just in love with life again.

But who cares. You the feeling you have when you first fall in love? I have that feeling....

And I owe all to my therapy. I was walking home from my physiotherapist - it started to drizzle and I walked to the beach.

I sat there for like 30 minutes at max. It felt like I was there all day. It feels great! I feel awesome and owe to rain/beach therapy!

You should try it sometime!

Brazilian

Thinking of getting a brazilian wax.

(was this too much info for you? Oh well)




Although, I am not sure if I can go ahead with it due to the anticipated pain.....


Will see if I actually do go ahead.

Interesting

As a Geography major I am always interested in how places change and the influence of, in this case, minorities shapes the place.
The article below is a very interesting read on rise of islamist terrorism coming out of the UK. It is very interesting particularly because of the relationship UK has had with other countries.

What else is interesting is how 2nd generation immigrants are taking on - what seems like - their 'culture' from outside of the culture their parents have worked so hard to create and live-in.

As an Anthropologist this is a very interesting phenomena that is changing a society very much from within but also, at the same time, from outside.

How does it relate to NA? Well we are also immigrant societies and sooner or later this phenomena could very well hit our shores. There is a thing or two to be learned from Britian.

If nothing - it is just an interesting read.

"Londonistan Calling - The London neighborhood of the author's youth, Finsbury Park, is now one of the breeding grounds for a new phenomenon: the British jihadist. How did a nation move from cricket and fish-and-chips to burkas and shoe-bombers in a single generation?"


http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/06/hitchens200706

Babies

I have been freaking out lately.

We are thinking of reproducing soon....

And all I can think of is all the things that could go wrong.

I mean all my thoughts go 'What if....?'

- What if the child has an extra arm?
- or not enough arms?
- What if the child has dyslexia?
- What if, what if, what if....

I could go on. But I seriosuly freaking out and maybe that is why I am not working.

Is that natural? Are you supposed to freak out this way?

I know I need to calm down. I know that is all premature. I know that there is little I can do. I know all of it.

But cant seem to stop.

And that gets me thinking - how easy it seems for some of my friends. Its so natural. There is no doubt in their minds that the kid will be okay. Or maybe they never told me.

Anyhoo.

All I know is that right now it seems like gambling - a billion things could go wrong and there is nothing I could do.

Bad bad me!

So I have not done any work today.

My boss is somewhere in Spain, the other person I answer to is also on vacation and the third person, the receptionist is home sick.

I.e. I am alone and bored but cannot do any work! I feel horrible but I just cant seem to get on it!

What gives?

Weekend

Things I did this weekend....

Friday Night: Watched 'Bad Timing'. Amazing movie. Really good. Watch it!


Saturday -

Went to change phone plans. That took 2 hours and $600. Yes, we dropped 600 on cell phones. But now I have an uber cool cell phone!

Then went to the pharmacy and had lunch.

Went to a car mall to test drive various cars. I have to say - this country continues to amaze me. First it was the shake-n-bake now the car mall. Its like a mall but with cars...hmmm...

Then went to the antique store and found some great furniture. Would cost us a whopping $1100 but would be well worth it!

Then watched episodes 4 and 5 of The Wire. Again really good series. If you like cop drama - but a little more gritty - watch it!

Sunday -
Mother's day extravaganza. Took MIL to brunch. Was good.

Then went shopping.

Came home.

Did laundry.

Snack time

Watched Little Children. I will now read the book just b/c the movie is so fantastic. Really watch it. Besides did you know that Patrick Wilson is h-h-h-hot!?

Monday Morning (yes, technically it is not weekend but whatever!)
Got attacked by a milk jug. Beware! I hear this has been happening more and more.

Orkut/Facebook

Are you on either one of them?

I am on both. I prefer Orkut.

You?

Namesake

I watched the Namesake this past weekend. I have to say Mira Nair is freakin awesome! Since she is directing 'Shantaram' there is some hope for the movie!

Every bombayite that has read the book - hates it for the fact that it seems illogical and the dates are seriously skewed. I'll have to read it to see what they are talking about - but mostly I have heard these reviews from well read ppl so I would believe them.

Anyways, back to the movie at hand - it is awesome. It really is. Tabu was, as usual, amazing and so was Kal Penn.

I have to say - I did not read the book - although my mum loved it so I guess I will give it a try.

I was reading the message boards on imdb and there was someone who asked the question why? As in ' why are all books coming out of 2nd gen asian* living abroad on the same sort of subject?' I kind of see what that person was asking. I am more interested in why are all the books dealing with the same subject so popular? Its not that other asian authors are not writing about anything else - its just its not as interesting as a heart wrenching story of an immigrant. Plus, it is easy to identify with it. I guess.

I am just waiting for a 'Catcher in Rye' or 'Pornographer's Poem' from an asian writer.

I guess in many ways being an asian writer is like being a brown actor. You get typecast into playing Appu or the guy running the grocery store. As a brown author, I guess it is relatively easy to get ppl to read your writing if it talks about those same immigrant stories as opposed to something different.


* Asian here means those from Asia. I hate the term South Asian as I was not asked when ppl decided on that term as the politically correct term to describe me. Personally, actually I prefer Indian, but thats a whole can of worms that will be opened some othertime.

Sprain update: Oh no!

So you remember the sprain I have - yes, have. Its still sprained - very much in fact.

So three weeks into the sprain - I decided - I need to go to do Physiotherapy to get it to get better. So I go to the physiotherapist. I enter the office and give my details and was asked to wait for my physiotherapist.

I do. Only I hear an Australian accent. A male Australian accent. Yes, it seems innocuous enough. Only its not. Not for me.

As I sat there praying - 'oh god, not the Australian, will make a complete fool of myself, not the Australian, will not listen to anything he says cause I would be too busy taking in the accent, NOT the Australian, not the Australian'

Lo and behold, I get the Australian!

So then I tried really hard to actually listen to what he was saying rather than just listen to the accent - the whole hour I was listening so intently that I must have looked like an idiot to him.

I helped that he was not totally hot - he is cute in a geeky way.

Next Friday - I have to re-live this again. Oh, but I love the accent. Cant wait!

Muhahahahaha

I love my country and my city - but this is too funny!



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6620461.stm

How the hell can a giant airplane sit on the streets of mumbai I do not know!

This thing just makes me shake my head and laugh!

The sad reality

"Because of my recycling the bomb squad came, the state police came. Because of my recycling buildings were evacuated, classes were canceled, campus was closed. No. Not because of my recycling. Because of my dark body. No. Not because of my dark body. Because of his fear. Because of the way he saw me. Because of the culture of fear, mistrust, hatred, and suspicion that is carefully cultivated in the media, by the government, by people who claim to want to keep us safe".http://www2.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif

Read the entire story at: http://www.kazimali.com/default.html