It's All About The Babies

Two items to discuss today: the statement released that all women are "pre-pregant" and should therefore constantly watch their health, and the religious controversy over the Da Vinci Code movie coming out.

The first item is one that I have given myself time to mull over, otherwise my response would have been nothing but angry ranting with lots of cuss words thrown in for good measure. I'm still gonna rant, but it's a tempered rant. The entire matter just pisses me off so much. Do you know what they're effectively saying? "All women ought to take care of themselves. Not because it actually matters if women live healthy and fulfilling lives; that's not important. What's important is they preserve the purity of their wombs, which is (as we all know) the primary duty of all females. What else are they good for, other than being incubators, nay, mere recepticles for The Almighty Fetus?" GAH! Just makes me want to go out and smoke a pack of cigarettes, just to stick it to them. My body, my life. It's too bad a good message about staying healthy got mixed up with such ridiculous sentiments. Why couldn't they have just asked doctors to worry about the health of all the people trying to get pregnant, men and women alike? Grrr...

With regards to the second item, well... I just don't get it. It's a movie. The way I see it, if the content of the movie bothers you because it goes against your beliefs, you should agree to disagree(1) and move on with your life. Because it's just a fucking movie. People can think for themselves, y'know. Fact and fiction are, in fact, easy to separate with this movie, as long as you think critically and use your brainbox(2).

1 - Subsequent to writing this post, I brought up the matter to my father, who brought up the very good point that Hollywood movers and shakers will never make a movie based on the Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie, or a movie that fictionally alledges that the Holocaust never happened. In my own happy little utopia, we'd be able to make both movies without a kerfuffle, but he did have a point about stories that cross the line, and I guess Jesus doesn't count.

2 - Unfortunately, this is not often the case, as you may have noticed. There are people who think that having the Titanic sink was a lame idea, or that Lord Of The Rings is a historical piece. I place the blame entirely on the fact that our society is a very safe one, such that Darwinian mechanisms are prevented from eliminating The Stupid from our gene pool.

Damn The Media Man!

It's been a long time since I've posted anything, mostly because I didn't have anything cohesive to talk about. But now I have more inspiration, courtesy of Twisty at 'I Blame The Patriachy'. She hit upon an item that had been bothering me as well: that stupid new song by singer Ne-Yo. I mentioned not liking the song to my sister, saying something like: "She's sexy when she gets mad? That's like a step away from rape." Yes, it may be a little extreme, but that's what you get if you extrapolate this bullshit mentality that a woman's outrage is nothing but another excuse for a man to fuck her. Ugh.

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it, but I am utterly convinced that the writers of CSI have a biased opinion on women. And this is coming from a woman who counts CSI as one of her favourite TV shows of all time.

There are particular episodes that made me come to this conclusion, as not every episode deliberately disparages women. One is the episode where Catherine (the blond CSI) goes out to a bar, gets hit on by a guy who turns out to be too pushy, and said guy ends up a suspect in a subsequent investigation. The ending left a very bitter taste in my mouth, with Grissom chiding her and no one really offering support for her predicament. Seemed like the moral of the episode was: "Stupid Catherine, that's what you get for wanting to be flirtaceous and fun." Argh.

Another episode is the one where an Indian cab driver is beaten to death for hitting a kid with his taxi, but the kid was actually stabbed at a park earlier. It felt as if the writers were blaming the mother for all the bad things that happened. "If only she weren't so afraid of her abusive, stalker ex-husband, her older son and boyfriend would be alive, and her younger son wouldn't be going to jail." Fuckers!

There are other examples, but they aren't coming to mind right now. Despite all the asshatery, I love the show to pieces :)

It's The Media!

(WARNING: LONG, profanity laden post ahead! And a lot doesn't make sense!)

A few of my friends IRL have heard my opinion on the new song by Pink, 'Stupid Girl', but I think it bears repeating. If only for my benefit: seeing all my rambling thoughts in text form. For those who don't know this song, you can find the lyrics here. What the fuck (that's right, FUCK!) is with the censorship? *honestly puzzled* In the video, we have a little girl watching Pink on television. Pink does some obviously mocking imitations of Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Jessica Simpson, et al. and in the end the little girl looks at her dolls and playhouse on her right, then looks at her footbal and microscope on the left, grabs the football and runs outside to play.

Anyway, my biggest beef with this song came to me moments after I heard the song for the first time. Firstly, why the hell can't a woman can be feminine and girl and then be smart/powerful at the same time?! You know what? I love sparkly jewellery and shimmering nailpolish. I love perusing Sephora for eyeshadow that I clearly don't need. I love having a lipstick shade for every occasion. I truly and firmly believe that one cannot have too many shoes. And I love finding that perfect bra that makes my boobies look fantastic AND makes me feel fantastic. I mean, damn Pink! What's wrong with wanting to have a little doggie to carry around with you??

Note: I do realize that things like makeup and cleavege amplifying bras are tools patriarchal society uses to reduce women to nothing more than sexual objects. But a woman who doesn't mind being a sexual object from time to time should not be shamed into feeling she is wrong. Women and men both have sexual identities that have to be recognized, denying that is foolishness. But no one respects a whore, right? Which leads me to my second observation; the song perpetuates the time honoured tradition of turning women against each other. Girls who are into lipgloss and partying at the club obviously don't have any respect for girls who like to read books and and play ultimate frisbee. And vice versa, right? *BZZZT* WRONG! I do all four of those things motherfucker! I'm not even going to get on a tangent about how Christianity (and the virgin/whore complex) has seriously fucked up the world in perpetuating misogyny...

The worst part about the video is that is teaches the lesson that being a man is only way to succeed, the only worthwhile path to any respect. FOOTBALL! YOU WANT TO PLAY FOOTBALL! AND WEAR GRUBBY CLOTHES. Fuck that! Is that the only way to get respect? By being a man?? I thought the point of feminism was making sure that WOMEN were respected for what they were, not to weed out their "girlish qualities". If I ever have the chance to take part in a corporate takeover, I want to be able to wear sparkly silver stilettoes and a fluffy pink sweater without anyone saying a single word. I will kick your ass and I will look fantastic!

Fuck. If women (and men) would stop parroting the bullshit that male dominated society preaches, we could actually fix some of this shit.

Patriotism and Music

Let's switch topics: from gender identity to cultural identity. How many national anthems does the average person know? This is a question I'm honestly curious about. I know that here in Canada, a lot people know two... ours and America's. When I was in grade 6, I was in the choir and we were applying to sing the national anthem at a Blue Jays game. I think Toronto was playing Boston, so we had to learn the American national anthem for our demo tape. And the eventual performance, of course. And the writers of The Simpsons were right: the US national anthem is quite the battle-cry compared to our anthem. But I digress...

I can sing two national anthems with confidence. But as a small kid I often wondered if I should have learned the Indian national anthem as well. I can still remember when we as a family would attend these cultural functions with the singing and plays and music, and before each event started everyone would sing Jana Gana Mana. Well, all the adults would sing, at least. Us second generation kids, most of us no more than eight or nine years old, would look around sheepishly and try to blend in with our surroundings.

But I can hum the Indian national anthem! Does that count for anything? There are only three parts I know the words to: the beginning ("Jana Gana Mana", obviously), the part somewhere in the middle about the Yamuna and Ganga, and the "Jaya Hai" part at the end. Somewhere in the back of mind I can remember my dad telling me that there was no need for any of us kids to learn the Indian national anthem, because we lived in Canada.

As a parting thought, I do believe my favourite national anthem is the Bangladeshi anthem. It's beautiful and lyrical and picturesque. Then again, it was written by Rabindranath Tagore (the famed Indian poet), so it's no surprise that it sounds so poetic. Also, China most definately beats America out in the "battle-cry anthem" category.

Feminism And Sons

The best part about rediscovering feminism, for me at least, has been an unexpected surprise. To be succint, feminism has taught me how to raise any sons I ever have.

I've always had a general idea of how I would raise my daughter(s), even as a pre-teen. I'm guessing most of that has to do with the fact that I take my own life experience and extrapolate how to prepare a girl of mine for the world. But the thought of raising a boy has always bewildered me. Deep down, there was some part of me that feared that if/when I have a son, we would be completely alienated and I wouldn't know how to associate or relate to him. I don't know what life is like for a boy. But by seeing all the bad ideas and opinions men can have on women, I'm starting to get an inkling of how I do want to raise a son of mine.

A Brain Is A Horrible Thing To Waste

(Today is 'Blog Against Sexism Day'. This might not fit, but maybe I'll be inspired at a later time tonight.)

When I first started my undergrad, I often wished that there was an elective history course that explained how Europeans became the most influential group of people in the course of human civilization's progress. I recently got a decent answer sort of answer after reading Guns, Germs and Steel. Now I find myself wishing for a short course on the consistent development of patriarchy throughout all of earth's cultures. It's good that we discuss the current problems in today's society, but I am a curious person and always want to know why?

I'm currently reading an article on protective head-wear and turbans at work. It's interesting how it ties in with the Sikh issues in France that I was talking about yesterday. Here's an excerpt from the watershed 1985 Supreme Court of Canada ruling of K.S. Bhinder and the Canadian Human Rights Commission v. The Canadian National Railway Company:

"The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that where a bona fide occupational requirement can be proven to exist, an employer does not have a duty to accommodate the worker and the worker must meet the requirements in order to hold employment. Discrimiation, as defined in human rights legislation, did not apply in this circumstance but the employer had to be prepared to justify the requirement."

While the idea of making a Sikh man remove his turban makes me uncomfortable, I ain't letting anyone go down into a coal mine or a pulp & paper mill without a hard hat on. It's a case where my desire for human safety outweighs my desire to uphold religious traditions. I guess the same could go for my thoughts on how abortion laws are proceeding in South Dakota. At the least, there should be a point where human safety outweighs religious traditions. But there's a whole lotta difference between a turban and an abortion. And even then, when you argue with a Sikh man over whether he can wear his turban or not, at least you are arguing within the context of his religion. The decision made affects will affect other Sikhs. When the religious right argues about outlawing abortions, maybe they should argue that point on the behalf of Christians. They shouldn't foist religious beliefs on non-Christians as well, it strikes me as unethical. Plus, it just doesn't make sense.

Back to the issue of Sikh headgear, one thing I found interesting from the case is that the article states that Mr. Bhinder "was forbidden by his religion to wear anything on his head except a turban". But I used to know this Sikh guy back in undergrad and while his head was always covered, some days he would come to class with a touque instead of a turban. My reaction to this move was something like, "Heh, nice shortcut!" because stressed, sleep deprived students are all about making life easier by whatever means possible. I mean, according to my religion (or is that my caste?) on certain religious holidays I shouldn't eat onions or eggs. Lord knows what religious holiday that rule comes from! I have no flipping idea. But I bet Hindus living in India do. I guess when you're not immersed in the culture of your religion, it's easier to live life with loose rules.

Okay, now I'm just rambling like a crazy rambling thing. Ending post... now.

More Incoherant Musings

There's been something on my mind that's been bothering me. It's actually been bothering me for a couple years now. I don't know if other women can relate to me, but I need to say it even if I'm alone on this.

I hate being afraid of strange men.

I hate it with every fiber of my being. I shouldn't have to fear a statistical half the population, minus my male friends and family. It's not fair to me and it's not fair to men I have never met or spoken to. I shouldn't have to walk into a subway car and automatically ready myself for fight or flight when I see a man sitting a few seats across from me. I shouldn't have to shell out extra cash for a cab ride home when my class ends later than usual and campus is full of unfamiliar night course students.

But I am afraid. I live in a state of constant vigilance, as society teaches its women to be. The problem is two-fold. Firstly, most sexual assaults and rapes are committed by men that were familiar to their victims. Boyfriends, uncles, acquaintances, coworkers, etc. Yet this is not the threat that women are warned against. It's the mysterious stranger, the unknown pervert in the night that we must protect our virtue from, a creature so base and alien that most everyone will reject him from the human species. He is effectively cast as some shadowy threat of mythical proportions.

But the truth hits closer to home. By emphasizing the threat of the unknowable rapist, who is considered unfit for comparison with the rest of the human race, we forget that men who act as friends and family are the major culprits. Women aren't warned about this threat to the same degree. It's a classic "Us Versus Them" problem. "They" rape women in the night, while you're walking to your car. Be careful of "Them". "They're" bad people. But "We" will protect you from those bad men.

... And as soon as "We" rape one of you? Well, just keep your mouth shut. You know you wanted it. "We're" probably the best you could do anyway. It's not that bad.

Think about it? If a man attacks you in the street, you can file a report no problem (whether anything is done about it IS a problem, however). But if the charming fella you've been dating for a few months now suddenly comes on too strong and won't take 'NO' for an answer, what do you do? What if your husband won't take 'NO' for an answer? What do you do?

I hope you report it, show that you won't stand for it. But society only tell us that we should be afraid of strange men, not the friends and family who are supposed to protect and look out for us. So who knows what The System will make of you reporting this kind of violation of your rights as a human being.

So that's my randomness for the night. I don't expect much of it to make any sense. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the far-reaching tentacles of the patriarchy. To end off some food for thought. S.D. Legislation to Ban Most Abortions; I'm not even going to touch this can of worms because many others have already said what I want to say, and much more eloquently as well. As well, France Says Sikhs Must Remove Turbans; I'm not even Sikh and the idea of forcing Sikhs to remove their turbans makes me very uncomfortable and appalled. And to think, here in Canada we're letting Sikh children bring their kirpans to school! France, you disappoint me.

Past Crashes With Religion

There are so many things about me that I feel compelled to categorize and analyze. Being a feminist, being pro-choice, being an NRI, being an introvert. Sometimes I find myself increasingly confused when trying to reconcile being liberal and embracing Indian traditions. Western and eastern values don't usually match up very well.

Even though I'm Hindu, I went to a Catholic high school back in the day. I figured it wouldn't be a big deal; I knew my heart was with my own religion and I could easily fake my way or detach myself in matters of religion when necessary. I actually did pretty well in my religion classes, always As, much to the amusement of my classmates. All I had to do was memorize the information the teachers gave the class about sacraments and history and I was good as gold.

But there were times when it was hard. My biggest challenge was hearing the morning prayer every day after the national anthem. In the beginning it was easy to not take it seriously, to just stay standing with the rest of the class and hear the chaplain speak over the PA system about The Lord. Eventually, it started getting to me. So much that I developed a sort of reflex aversion to certain aspects of Catholicism. My relfex aversion was probably due to a culmination of events, the sum of the numerous times Christianity has worked at making me uncomfortable. I'll get to that later. But anyway. There was something too... penitent about those morning prayers. Penitent and reserved at the same time. And it was very (pardon by bluntness) "white". Every time I watch a black congregation or a black preacher, I feel a guilty kind of pity. Pity that somewhere in the far distant past, missionaries or dire circumstances required that these people had to convert to Christianity. I feel the same way about Christian Indians as well. "Man, sucks that those Portugese missionaries converted your poor and undereducated ancestors all those years ago." But if their religion brings them so much happiness, why should I feel pity? Why should I feel like Christianity is a cruel punishment inflicted on those who knew no better?

What's the point of all this rambling? The point is that I am constantly struggling to see the good in Christianity. My religion teaches that all religions are equal and valid paths to god, and that all religious traditions should be respected. But it's hard to respect a religion that has hurt me personally in the past. I remember when I was 7 years old an older girl (maybe 9 or 10) asked me what church I went to. I told her I didn't go to church, because I wasn't Christian. I went to a temple instead. I was Hindu, like my parents who had come from India. She screwed her face at me disdainfully. "No. You're Christian. You have to be. Everyone who moves to this country has to become Christian." Well, I knew that wasn't true, of course. But I just bit my tongue and wondered why she would think something so crazy.

When I was doing my undergrad I lived with a religiously diverse group of people: two Hindus, one Catholic, one Christian, and one Jewish girl. Even before we started living together, and while we did, religious discussions would pop up every now and then. There are two specific memories that stand out in my mind. The first was how the other Hindu girl in our house tagged along with some friends to a Catholic mass, to "see what all the fuss was about". The other memory is the Catholic girl explaining how after revealing she's a practicing Catholic to acquaintances, she would often be accused of Bible-thumping, ignorance, close-mindedness, religious asshattery, and the like. It bothered her that people would automatically stereotype her as a "Christian fanatic" before getting to know her.

I know I've seen the beauty of Christianity and real Christians. My born again Christian former housemate is one of the most wonderful people I've ever met in my life. We all agreed that she was the rock of our house, the calm and stable one who took life in stride and lived well. I may not agree with her beliefs, but I truly respect her as a person. Maybe that's all it will take to change how I think.

A Motion Towards Change

I am thinking of changing the focus of this blog from my general life affairs to concentrating on issues that are personal to my own life, such as women's rights and issues faced by young NRIs. Of course, there's always the danger that discussion what I experience while on the job could work against me... I'm unsure right now. I think I might give it a shot.

I'm On A Feminist Rampage

I was just pointed in the direction of this blog called Bark/Bite, written by a male liberal feminist... he's pretty damn awesome. And this post just made my day: Differences Between Sexes. It just rocks my world.

I have more! There's Amanda's blog Pandagon and Twisty's I Blame The Patriarchy for your enjoyment. Amanda's blog is quite popular on Ye Olde Intrawebe. Twisty's posts are especially full of that tasty tasty scathing sarcasm we all know and love.

Think critically and enjoy :)

In other news, there is a red welt on my hand, on the skinweb that connects my thumb to my index finger. Yesterday there was a small bump there, no colour or anything. I have no idea where this bright red welt came from. It doesn't itch or anything. And to be honest, the angry red has faded since this morning to a fainter colour. I'm minorly concerned and vaguely puzzled about the thing. I suppose this too shall pass.

Regarding Stars, Nights and the Moon

Ever since I was young, the night sky made me uneasy from time to time. Looking up at the stars or even at the moon makes me irrationally uncomfortable. I've thought about it for many years, why should the various aspects of the night sky freak me out the way it does. It's a puzzle. I think I know why the stars scare me; every time I look up and remember how many billion light-years away those stars are from me, the sheer distance paralyzes me. As for the moon scaring me, I'm not sure. Perhaps more of the same, but on a smaller scale. I especially get scared of the moon when it lights up a few lone clouds around it. Bizarre. In any case, this animated picture of the moon's phases and osscilations is a good example of why I think the moon is so fracking scary.

In some ways, I've gotten better and worse over time. I used to get really extreme about my fear. When I was seven years old, I had this calendar in my room that showed the phases of the moon each month. When it was night time, I couldn't look at it. I still remember, it was the picture of the new moon phase that frightened me the most. I would go about my business in my room, changing into pyjamas and getting into bed, all the while steadfastly keeping my eyes averted from the dreaded calendar. I've come to realize I have no problem staring up at the sky when I'm safely inside a moving vehicle. As well, my brother and sister were either unaware of or had forgotten about this particular eccentricity of mine.

But as much as the night sky and the stars bother me, one experience with the night stands in my mind as being particularly awesome: the Blackout of 2003. As the sun set and dusk fell upon us that first night, my family knew that we had to grab the opportunity to see the night sky without all the light pollution we have to deal with. My sister went outside and shouted that we had to come out and see. I walked out the front door, looked up... and it was overwheling. I weakly screamed "Oh my god!" and found myself clinging to the side of the house in terror. This wasn't the night sky I was used to seeing. This wasn't the night sky of urban civilization. This was the night sky of the Chilean mountains, or the Gobi desert, a hundred times more heart-stopping than anything I ever recalled. I could see the Milky Way. After that first moment of dizzying terror, I was enthralled and in awe. We busted out flashlights and sat in the backyard, pointing out the constellations we recognized and watching shooting stars flash by. It was beautiful. If I ever become Prime Minister, I am legislating that for one night every summer we blackout all light in Canada. If we plan it out and everything, it would be a wonderous thing.

On This Winter Evening

So. I think I was supposed to meet up with a former housemate today. But it never happened. I don't blame her; the weather outside sucks! Snow then rain then sleet... ew. I just hold on to the fact that there is only a month or so of this horrible weather left in the year, then I'll finally have something to look forward to in life: warm temperatures.

Instead of going out I did the most mindless things. Firstly, I played a whole freaking custom game of Age of Mythology. Me and a computer versus two other computers. I was Greek, my partner was Atlantean, and our opponents were Norse and Egyptian. Of course, with my cheat codes hanging on the bulletin board over my head it was easy to win.

Then I needed to get away from the computer and ended up watching The Count of Monte Cristo while eating dinner. I love that movie. James Caviezel is too hot for words, even if I can't look at him without thinking about Jesus now ;)

Tomorrow my parents and my sister coming to visit. I think this is mostly because they haven't seen my the condo in so long. I've already made plans with my sister; we will watch Chocolat and bake Valentine's Day cookies :) Speaking of this visit, I better email my parents what I'd like them to bring for me.

Inadvertant Long Weekend!

I didn't go to work today because I'm feeling sick. I needed rest and now I feel so much better.

I'm not sure what it is with me and books. I find myself buying lots of them these days, now that I no longer have easy access to a impressive library like I did when I lived at home with my parents. Those suburbian Durham libraries are mighty impressive. I wonder if I should make the effort to switch back to borrowing.

I Have Returned From The Dead

It's back to the grind for me. Of course, no one is happy to be back at work. At least it's a four day work week for me right now. Thank god for small mercies. It'll take some time to get used to the good ole routine.

Holidays were awesome. I watched way too much TV and DVDs. I got my family hooked on Lost. I developed a new love for That 70s Show. I also developed my Texas Hold Em Poker skills. Was definately one of the better Christmas holidays ever, as I also made time to meet up and party with friends. Go me!

Oh man, my iPod picked the perfect song to play next: 'Crushed' by Rosette. It's such a syrupy sweet and shmoopy song, the sort of song that would usually make me roll my eyes (re: romantic melodrama) and then I would change the radio dial. But for some reason this song gets to me. I have no idea what it is. I know it sounds bizarre, but it reminds me of a person I haven't met yet. Yeah... feel free to ignore that last line.

Pre-Holiday Update Time

It's been a long day. I purposely woke up early to make it to work earlier than usual, but that sort of went bust. Because today was our corporate Christmas party I put extra effort into how I looked and that just ate up time like whoa. So it looked like I wouldn't get to work early, just on time as usual. But then I realized that I was surrounded by morons on the road. Honestly, fate must have been out to get me this morning, because things were slower and wackier than usual. I haven't heard myself cuss out people like I did today in a long time.

Despite the insanity I arrived at work in a spectacularly good mood. I have a feeling that it had to do with the fact that I was all dressed up in corporate styles and wearing some nice coordinated jewellery. Shallow, yes. But if it makes me feel so confident and cheerful, who the hell cares? Also, I smelled fantastic. Like the sample of Delicious by DKNY my mom gave me :)

The drive back from the office to my place was even more insane than the drive in. I swear, the Toronto maniacs were out to get me! I made it to the restaurant where they were having the Christmas party 15 minutes late and it was already supremo packed. There were tons and tons of people, mingling and drinking wine. Of course, because I know barely anyone at the corporate office, I once again set myself up to sit with people I had never met before. I ended up sitting with a bunch of people from Finanace, a girl from VC and another lady who is dating one of my safety contacts. A few of them were really friendly and I had a good time. My glass of white wine made things interesting as well. The food was Italian and different to what I'm used to: raw salmon with persimmons and fennel, ricotta gnocci with eggplant, apricot and chestnut stuffed chicken with a mushroom sauce, assorted cookies and custard tarts, and a delicious latte to end it off. There was a segment during the dinner when everyone could nomminate a charity of their choice and enter it in a draw for a chance at a $1000 donantion. I love my company! Although I'm still disappointed that my charity (Canadian Diabetes Association) wasn't picked :P At the end I had time to catch up with the few people I know at corporate and have a good time with them. All in all, a highly enjoyable event!

After the party I decided that since I was downtown and not tied down by my car, I'd take the subway to Eaton's Center. Not for Christmas shopping, but just because I hadn't been there in a while. I ended up running into one of my former classmates, Patricia, from my first year at Ryerson. We chatted for a while and I was fairly aware of the fact that I was still rather buzzed from my wine ;) Then while I was walking by Indigo I saw my next door neighbour from first year residence at Queen's, Katherine! It was surreal. She looked really good, and mentioned that she had seen a bunch of our mutual Queen's friends yesterday too. Even though I didn't buy anything, it was well worth going down that way.

So now I am taking it easy. Waltzing around the mall for an hour and a half in my corporate-bitch boots was not fun for my feet, and now I'm limping around. I'm sure I'll be fine in a few hours. I'm gonna take it easy and watch House MD tonight :)

It's That Time Of Year Again

I'm finally starting to look forward to Christmas holidays now. They're so close I can taste them. And they taste like gingerbread and candycanes. In less than two weeks I will be relaxing at my parents' house. Yay!

For the past week I was travelling around the east coast on business. It was tiring and fun at the same time. However, the madness is by no means over. Tomorrow there is this massive simulation I'm taking part in as a controller/observer, and I have to head down to the conference site tonight and do a pre-event prep with my teammates and the event leaders. I'm so very nervous, because I don't know much on the specifics on the team I'll be observing. Sometimes I wish I was already with the company for 5 years and didn't feel like such an uber-n00b all the time ;)

Oh man, I just can't wait to take a break from it all!

Parde Ke Peechhe

I'll admit that when I'm not living at home I completely lose touch with the world of Bollywood. I lose track of all the upcoming movies, soon to be released soundtracks, juicy gossip, and the like. It's only when I go back home that I'm get back in the loop, mostly thanks to my sister.

That being said, I took the initiative and looked into a few of the recently released soundtracks. I found the movie Bluffmaster: lame title, wicked music! It's hard to explain what makes the music so good. There's a strange and subtle fusion of the new music style with old Bollywood music cliches found way back from the 40s to the 60s. It's very catchy. I can't stop listening to the songs :) And I still have no idea what the movie is about. Something about Abhishek Bachchan being a ghetto gooda? LOL, I have no idea. All I know is that I'm getting mad Bunty Aur Babli vibes.

Work Is Teh Suck Right Now

My desk at work is pretty big. Sometimes I think I should just give it a shot and hide it like George from Seinfeld did. No one would be the wiser, I would think. Lord knows work can be so mind-numbingly boring sometimes that the need to sleep nearly takes over.

My boss wants me doing a tour of the east in a few weeks. I'd be travelling from Fredricton to the barren nowheres of Newfoundland all within the span of a week. Travelling is fun and all but sometimes all I crave is a more routine kind of life... wake up, take the subway downtown, run around doing work at an office all day, meet up with friends for dinner and drinks, maybe go shopping, head home for some good TV and a nice warm shower, then go to sleep. Day in, day out, that wouldn't be a bad deal.

I've been struggling with figuring out where I stand financially. Most of my money had been squirreled away for safekeeping/investment purposes, and every two weeks I manage to spend more than my disposable income allows for. I always feel like I'm on a tight budget, even though I do end up spending money on gratuitous items every now and then. My parents tell me to go ahead and take money out of my savings accounts and investment funds if I want to, but I can't help but feel that would be the beginning of the end. Once I start, I'd never be able to stop, and I'd be left with nothing for the future. Wow, don't I sound like the responsibility-minded adult? ;)

Another Long Night

Ow. I went out for lunch today (my boss was treating a bunch of us before our meeting) and seriously burned my tongue on some fries. I knew I would regret it later as I ate the fries, but they just tasted so good that I couldn't stop!

I went out for dinner with my friend Andrea from undergrad. We haven't seen each other in ages. It was awesome catching up with her. We discovered that we both had a hankering to go speed-dating for kicks, so we agreed to each do some research and then pick a good one downtown for fun times :)

The heat has been cranked up and I am nice and toasty in here. It's a shame that I can't just sleep the cold days away. Winter sucks.

Leftover Tornado Nights

I had a good weekend. Went home to enjoy some crazy Christmas shopping (What? Already?! Aiiieee!) as well as good food. I also got my flu shot, which is making my left arm very sore. But it's okay, I'll survive ;)

I've decided I ought to start keeping track of my money again. I sorta fell off the wagon when I went to Moncton for business. My routine just got really thrown off course, that's all. Of course, with Christmas and birthdays coming up it won't be easy to keep the money spent at a low level. Also, I've decided that I need to get the perfume Delicious by DKNY. It would be perfect for my "winter" scent. I already have Island Kiss by Escada as my fruity, candy-like "summer" scent. They would compliment each other perfectly :)

Hooray, I finally broke through 2000 songs on my iPod! Go me.