Vidya's Digression Obsession

Don't Underestimate Mama Zuma's Revenge!!!!!

2009-01-15T22:01:00.008-05:00

Right now, I'm in Vienna, Virginia for a work-related training class. For those of you who are familiar with the area, I'm on Leesburg Pike (Route 7) near the DSW Shoe Warehouse, not far from the Tyson's Corner area. The outside temperature as I type this is 18 degrees Celsius. It's supposed to be even colder tomorrow. BRRR!!!!

............well, even in THIS cold, I managed to catch on fire.

Today for an earlier dinner, my coworker and I stopped at a delicious hole-in-the-wall joint called "The Perfect Pita" near our hotel. We tried it for lunch yesterday and LOVED it, so we decided to grab our quick dinner-to-go there. I purchased a combo meal consisting of a Falafel-Hummus-Veggie pita, a bag of chips and a 20 fluid ounce bottle of Power-C Vitamin Water along with a piece of baklava for dessert.

The chips I selected were called Route 11 Mama Zuma's Revenge Habanero Potato Chips.

When I walked up to the counter to pay, the guy asks "so, have you tried these chips before?" I say no. He then tells me that they are the HOTTEST chips he's ever tasted. I smugly acknowledge that I've heard his warning and pay for my meal. After all, I am Indian, and though I don't eat as spicy as most other Indians I know, I can definitely handle a little heat!!!

WRONG!!!!!

After devouring my pita (delicious, by the way) and my baklava (scrumptious), I reach for the infamous chips. When opened the bag, I got a little of the seasoning on my finger so I licked it off. YIKES! I had to take a huge gulp of Vitamin Water just to calm my mouth. After a few minutes, I pulled a potato chip out and ate it. I have to say, it had a wonderful smokey flavor. However, BOY was that kick rough!!! I tried to remain strong and eat a few more. After about four chips, I put the bag down and walked over to my bottled water. I spent the next five minutes trying to take large swigs of water, let it remain in my mouth, and then swallow. After the burn finally subsided, I took the remaining portion of the chips and put it aside....far aside. I'm hoping I get brave enough to finish the bag before I check out tomorrow, but I have not looked at that bag all night.

I've never said this before, but in ALL my life, Mama Zuma's Habanero Chips are the HOTTEST chips (or food item, for that matter) I have EVER eaten!!!!!!!!!!

Is there an iPhone Addicts Anonymous Group I can join???

2008-12-22T18:40:00.008-05:00

For the last two weeks, a few of my avid blog readers (i.e. my friends who kindly indulge me) have been asking me to post another blog entry, particularly about my latest big purchase......an iPhone 3G!!!!

Okay, so I bought it WELL after the iPhone craze this past summer, and the camping outside of the Apple store, and the backorder with AT&T, etc. I wanted to wait until I really needed a new phone and after the general public tested the phone and decided its quirks were at a minimum. Anyway, I shopped around online for about an hour, on and off, and two Wednesdays ago, I walked into an AT&T store on my lunch hour.........and BOUGHT it. I'm sure the sales rep was wondering why he didn't have to work hard at all to make a sale. But, then again, it IS the iPhone!

Anyway, I'm no techie and I barely knew what Wifi, 3G or Android was when I started shopping for a new phone. To be honest, I kinda still don't. All I know is, my new iPhone ROCKS!!!! I have yet to have trouble accessing the internet, sending texts, checking my email or using the mapping application. Of course, I haven't driven on Alligator Alley yet, either. I'll let you know how that works out.

Well, since I can't give you a cnet-style analysis of the iPhone 3G, I can share my FAVORITE applications on the phone. So far, all of them are FREE. I'm not a gamer, so I haven't downloaded any cool games, most of which are sold for a small price, anyway. However, I'm a busy girl who is busy with a million and one things and the following apps TOTALLY make having the iPhone worth it:

Urban Spoon - Need to grab a bite but don't know where to go? Simply "Shake" and a slot-machine style screen spins three wheels representing neighborhood, cuisine and price range to randomly select a restaurant for you to go near you. You know your craving Dim Sum? Lock that in and the other two wheels will spin and randomly select a restaurant that serves up dim sum in your hood. Are you on a budget? Lock in the price range of "$" and shake to reveal cheap joints nearby. Bon Apetit!!!!
Shazam - Are you at a party or a restaurant....or on an elevator and listening to a song that you don't know but really like? With Shazam, hold the phone near where the music is playing and press "Tag" and in ten seconds, the application will tell you the name and artist of the song, the album it's on, the ability to see the video on youtube, and the opportunity to buy it on iTunes. SHAZAM!!!!
Pandora - I was introduced to pandora.com by a friend a year ago. Now that it's available as an iPhone application, I'm golden! The concept is called "music genome." Specify the songs and/or musicians you like and Pandora will create custom music stations that will stream songs with similar musical styles and qualities. It's an awesome way to find songs that are right up your alley or play at a gathering that requires a "specific" ambiance. For example, at my office holiday luncheon, no one brought a boombox, so I just used the PC that was connected to the room speakers and logged onto my Pandora account and selected my already-created "Holiday" music station. We were jingle bell rocking for the entire 1.5 hours.
To-Do's - I just added this app yesterday and love it for its simplicity. You just enter in all the tasks you need to get done as well as the details in a "Notes" section, specify a priority of High, Normal or Low and that's it. You'll have a list, in order of priority, of all the items you've set out to get done that you can actually CHECK OFF once you complete. Definitely a feel-good application for busy people who love to check stuff off when they get stuff done.
Facebook - For obvious reasons, my company has blocked the Facebook site in the office. That's probably a good thing, since I would constantly be on playing Wordscraper, looking at photos and updating my status. However, it can be excruciatingly painful NOT to be able to check updates, comments and events that you get email notifications for throughout the day. Introducing Facebook Mobile. This application doesn't allow you to play games, but you can do all the FB basics: see what are your friends up to, read messages you receive, and the all-important ability to add comments. Not too shabby!
iWant - Wherever you are, if you, all of a sudden, decide you need to find the nearest drug store, gas station, bank, hotel or mall, just click on the icon of your choice and VOILA! The iWant application lists the 10 nearest locations to where you are. Ask "iWant" and you shall receive!

In addition to the above, I have applications to do all my banking, read the news, listen to local and not-so-local radio stations, and check the weather all over the world....including Ambur (the small town I was born in).

Repeat after me: "Hello, my name is [insert name here], and I'm an iPhone addict"

Black Friday MADNESS 2008

2008-11-28T19:13:00.009-05:00

With all the talk about economic downturn, I assumed many people would cut back on their spending. I think many national polls said that people would. That was SO not the case on Black Friday 2008. As I texted a few of my friends (while waiting for hours in lines), judging by the voluminous crowds, you'd expect that our economy would be back on track by lunchtime today.

So here was my Black Friday experience for 2008:

After a delicious Thanksgiving dinner with my family on Thursday, I dared to take a nap at about 5pm so that I could wake up refreshed to go shopping at midnight. I didn't sleep all that well since the rest of the family decided to play games....VERY loudly.

Although, I'm not sure that I really needed to get rested. The hassle of getting to the mall, finding bad parking, making my way through packed crowds and trying to find deals was enough to keep ANYONE awake.

A little after 11pm on Thanksgiving Day, I got ready and replaced my contacts lenses with my eyeglasses, wore my most comfortable jeans, tank top, sweatshirt and flip flops, and headed out at 11:40pm. The Sawgrass Mills mall is only about 10 minutes from my house, so I expected to get there in plenty of time to find a parking space and stand at the door before stores opened at 11:59pm. However, at 11:45pm, I was already in backed up traffic on the highway. I found myself inching forward so annoying people who sped in the shoulder lane couldn't cut me off at the front. After I successfully got off the Sunrise Blvd exit on SR-869, I had to strategize and figure out a way to enter the mall using the more obscure entrances. Once I finally got in, I quickly realized that parking spots were slim-pickings. I parked at the end of the parking lot near the most unpopular stores. By the time I parked and was ready to go, it was already 12:30am.....a full 50 minutes after I left my house.

During this adventure, my friend Praveen called me and warned me that the line at the Coach store was wrapped around the building. I walked by and asked someone how long she thought the wait was expected to be. Three hours was her answer. I decided that I really don't need another handbag that badly. I then hit the Banana Republic (50% off the entire store) and Ann Taylor (30% off the entire store). Of course, I still dropped a large amount at both stores. And the crazy thing is, I'm SURE I'm probably in one of the lowest percentiles of spenders today.

After all this, I drove by the Brandsmart and Walmart sections of the mall only to find myself trying to drive through very unruly people who apparently camped out all night in the middle of the parking lot. They looked at me like I was crazy for being in a car and not waiting outside with them. Yeah, okay!

I got lots of outfits that I needed anyway, so I'm content. However, after my LONG nap this morning, I woke up and read that my experience was definitely more manageable that that of others.

Apparently in New York, a temporary Walmart employee was killed in a stampede of impatient shoppers as he was trying to enter the store. Then in California, there was a shooting spree inside a Toys "R" Us that left two people dead. Apparently, finding a good deal was momentarily more important than the safety of themselves and those around them.

Next year, I think stores should consider providing online shopping deals on Black Friday. The more people who don't go out in public, the better!

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star - Desi Style

2008-11-19T20:57:00.004-05:00

This is the FUNNIEST thing I have EVER seen in my life. I'm STILL rolling on the floor laughing (for those of you instant message addicts, that's ROFL to you).

Enjoy! HAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!!!!

Pimple Fool's Day

2008-11-18T16:42:00.005-05:00

So, on Sunday, I woke up with the beginnings of a pimple under the left nostril of my nose. I immediately pulled out my rubbing alcohol and pimple cream, but it was too early to do anything about it. Today, my pimple is a hearty, red, mountain on my face....and in many ways, too LATE to do anything about it. Needless to say, I'm not thrilled.

Many of you may be tempted to start giving me your home remedies for the pimple. Before you do, I thought I'd share a fun(ny) story that happened to me on, of all days, April Fool's Day 2005. It was such a momentous event, I actually saved the email I sent to a few of my friends, who laughed at me (of course).

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: ME
Date: Apr 1, 2005 4:33 PM
Subject: Happy April Fool's Day, FOOLS!!!!

Hi All,

Here's an amusing story for all of you on April Fool's day, the day commemorating the fools of the world.

The story starts out with a pimple I got over a week ago. Yes, it's a resilient pimple!!! Nothing was working........Clearisil, alcohol, baking soda, Neosporin, NOTHING. These are the kinds of problems that teenagers are suppose to have, not women in their late 20s.

Anyway, at the suggestion of a friend, I used a homemade pimple remedy (Colgate.....who knew?). To make a long story short, this (tooth)paste successfully removed the blemish......... BUT burned the surrounding skin like a bad sunburn. Anyway, I have a maroone nickel-sized burn on my face that I am patiently treating and hoping will go away.

And to top it off, after discussing with others, this blemish may never have been a pimple at all, but may have been a bug bite gone wrong!!!!

I wish this nasty bruise on my face was an April Fool's joke on me by God and goes away tomorrow. But I don't think God plays April Fool's jokes!!!! :(

Love,
Vidya
(March Baby and April Fool)

Decision 2009: The Next First Dog!!!!!!!!

2008-11-06T20:52:00.007-05:00

First off, I'd like to say

CONGRATULATIONS PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK OBAMA!!!!!

WOOHOO!!!!!!! Regardless of whether you voted for him or not, Tuesday night was an exciting night and should inspire people everywhere to strive for whatever their hearts desire. Hard work, perseverance and a positive attitude can accomplish wonders!!!!

Many of you are either A) burned out by the election, B) suffering from election-obsession withdrawal, C) have started obsessing about new political issues like who cabinet members will be, or D) started catching up on Heroes, Gossip Girl, and Dancing with the Stars.

I, on the other hand, have NOT stopped watching CNN. I still stay glued to the television set whenever Wolf Blitzer, Campbell Brown, or Larry King show up on screen.

The most IMPORTANT topic I'll be following for the next month or so is the search for the new First Dog. As you know, Sasha and Malia Obama were promised a new puppy if their dad won (or lost) the election.

MY SUGGESTION: Sasha and Malia, I TOTALLY recommend a Labrador Retriever. They are big, smart, beautiful, well-behaved, and learn tricks easily. They are also very photogenic.

Also, in memory of our family dog that we lost last year, it would be AWESOME if you named him "Duke." I think Duke Obama has a very nice ring to it!!!!

Speaking of dogs, I actually didn't know that so many dogs were campaigning for Barack Obama this year. Check this out:

Publix Sabor: Que Rico!!!!!

2008-10-03T21:51:00.008-04:00

I realize it has been almost 2 months since I posted. I had really good intentions, I have a notepad of several brainstorming sessions. Alas, life, work and grad school get in the way. However, I am recuperating from a tiring week and thought I'd stop procrastinating on a new local discovery I stumbled upon.......

So those of you who know me, know I'm a native South Floridian. Those of you who know me WELL know that I grew up in the city of Hialeah during my early years. If interested, you can always go to wikip edia and read all about this very interesting city. But in a nutshell, Hialeah is NOTHING like any city you've ever been to in the continental United States. It has the second largest population of Cuban and Cuban American residents in the entire country (second only to nearby Westchester, Florida).

And when you visit, you'll know it right away. Everywhere you go, you'll find Cuban bakeries, random cigar shops, and lunch trucks selling churros. In fact, my favorite memory of living in Hialeah is my family and I driving down the street, my dad spotting (or sniffing) what he believes is the sugary, fried smell of churros, and my dad abruptly changing any plans he has to stop and buy some. You really couldn't go wrong with 6 churros for a dollar. I'm sure inflation has caused a spike in that, but once upon a time that was a delicious bargain!

Anyway, a few weeks ago, many of my coworkers conducted on-site visits to several clinics and doctor's offices in pursuit of gathering information about potential healthcare fraud. Each day they came back to the office with very interesting stories about registered healthcare facilities that were nothing more than mini marts, laundromats, or empty lots. But the most intriguing story they told me is about their lunch experience at a place called Publix Sabor!!!!!

In an effort to reach the Hispanic market, the well-established supermarket chain has developed a facility with a Latin flair. It is a three-way cross between a standard Publix Supermarket, a Sedanos and a Super Walmart. It has EVERYTHING you could ever want, from exotic fruits and vegetables, Caribbean and South American grocery products, a nail salon, a bank, a business center to do all your faxing and a FULL-fledged Latin cafeteria serving up every Cuban/Hispanic delicacy you can think of.

Those of you who REALLY know me, know that a post by me about Publix is not unusual. I am a HUGE fan of Publix and all its offerings. So it's no surprise that I'd be PSYCHED to visit a Publix that will ALSO serve up hot café con leche, fresh pastelitos de guayaba, Cuban black beans and rice, tostones with mojo sauce and CHURROS!!!!

Que Rico!!!!

Gold Digger Ministries???

2008-08-09T15:59:00.005-04:00

Today, I was driving back from the gym and I drove by a sign that I've driven by SEVERAL times over the past few months. For those of you who are familiar with south Broward County and the town of Southwest Ranches in Florida, I was driving north on Dykes Road between Sheridan and Stirling. I drive this route often as it is the main road I travel to get to the gym, to the temple, and to get cheap gas at the Tom Thumb gas station on Griffin and Dykes.

Anyway, every time I pass this sign, I vow that I'm going to go home and visit their website. Perhaps it's some type of joke. Of course, this would be kind of obnoxious given that Southwest Ranches is not only home to several farms and horse ranches, but at least 20 or so places of worship for several religious communities. However, I visited the website. Apparently it's not a joke.

Interesting advertising tactic by evangelists! Other religious leaders could learn a thing or two about spreading their faith through the use of shocking billboards.

Not to mention, GENIUS marketing:

Huh? Anime?

2008-08-06T14:03:00.004-04:00

I know NOTHING about anime, what it is, how it came about, what its influences are, NOTHING. Anyway, I thought my ignorance could best be portrayed by the following Explosm cartoon.

Dishoom 2008: Amitabh for America

2008-07-20T23:17:00.005-04:00

When I started blogging, I vowed that I would never delve into two areas: politics and my personal life. Well, if you're waiting for juicy tidbits about my love life, you can keep waiting. ;)

In the meantime, on the political front, this little skit was TOO funny to not post. Enjoy!!!

For more information, visit Dishoom 2008

Dishoom, dishoom, Baby!!!! :)

Breaking News: Weapons of MATH Instruction!

2008-07-17T14:19:00.004-04:00

I'm not sure WHO wrote this, but it's the best..........and I'd say that even if I WASN'T a math major in college!

NEW YORK -- A public school teacher was arrested today at John F. Kennedy International Airport as he attempted to board a flight while in possession of a ruler, a protractor, a set square, a slide rule and a calculator. At a morning press conference, the Attorney General said he believes the man is a member of the notorious Al-gebra movement. He did not identify the man, who has been charged by the FBI with carrying weapons of math instruction. 'Al-gebra is a problem for us', the Attorney General said. 'They desire solutions by means and extremes, and sometimes go off on tangents in search of absolute values.' They use secret code names like 'X' and 'Y' and refer to themselves as 'unknowns', but we have determined that they belong to a common denominator of the axis of medieval with coordinates in every country. As the Greek philanderer Isosceles used to say, 'There are 3 sides to every triangle'. When asked to comment on the arrest, President Bush said, 'If God had wanted us to have better weapons of math instruction, he would have given us more fingers and toes.' White House aides told reporters they could not recall a more intelligent or profound statement by the President.

Remember: Math...........it counts!!! :)

Amy Winehouse, Please Say YES to Rehab!!!

2008-07-01T20:21:00.006-04:00

Celebrities who are ALWAYS in the public eye can get a little unnerved by the antics of the paparazzi. Although, the media may be interested in these celebrities because they KNOW what makes them agitated, which is always fun to report, photograph, videotape or just gossip about. Not sure which came first, the chicken or the egg.

However, in the case of Amy Winehouse, it doesn't matter. That girl probably started the chaos. And she needs to get her s%*t together (pardon my French). I love her song and I love her musical style. It's partly why she shot to stardom in the first place. But, I was watching the Nelson Mandela birthday bash on VH1 the other day and saw her performance. She was stick thin. She was out of it. Her dancing (or swaying) to the music was uncoordinated, dull and out-of-sync. Her backup dancers looked like the stars of the performance.

Not that I know much about her life or her current struggle, but it doesn't sound like anyone in her life (i.e. her husband, her father, her management) seems to be taking any type of care of her. And the media, including all the people who cast performers for those award shows, are ignoring the odd behavior and inadvertently encouraging it. She needs help, but she doesn't know it because she's not facing any consequences. She's floundering.

And to be honest, I bet the general public has no CLUE of her talent because her behavior and reputation overshadow any of her accomplishments. Anyway, it's just kind of sad and unfortunate.

Here's a clip of Ms. Winehouse's latest "episode": Punching a fan!

The Road Not Taken........It Makes All The Difference

2008-06-19T14:59:00.012-04:00

Since my last post about being green, I've had a lot of people tell me either it's a lot easier than I think or it's not that big of a problem. The recent news of a push for offshore oil drilling in the United States makes it clear that there is a challenge to be addressed when it comes to how we "fuel" our world. There are short-term fixes that I know we all want today (cheaper gas so we can drive NOW) and long-term fixes that we all EVENTUALLY want (a way to avoid buying as much a gas to get around in the first place). The decisions that we make today could lead us on paths that will bring about VERY different realities for our environment and our way of life.

Ah, decisions, decisions.......... an exciting time!

Okay, back to why I wanted to write. This morning, I was reading the news online and a link about "greener" cars in India caught my eye. By the end of this year, Tata Motors will be selling their new, flat-nosed, smaller and more eco-friendly NANO. This new little car will only cost about $2,500 USD, which is HALF as much as the most economical cars are sold for in India right now. The Nano's carbon and nitrogen oxide emissions are considerably lower than the cars, scooters and motorcycles currently on Indian roads. In addition, these cars get about 20km per liter, which, if I did my conversions correctly (which I doubt), is something like 48 miles per gallon. WHOA!!!!

This sounds like great news. Except, some experts don't think that it is. Apparently, right now only 8 in 1,000 people in India have a car. However, with the availability of an inexpensive car that many more people can afford, more of the 1.13 billion Indians will buy one of these Tata Nano vehicles in the next three years, possibly doubling the number of vehicles on the road. Some say that this may offset any reduction in emissions offered by this eco-friendly car.

I guess it's never that easy, is it? Either way, I'm really excited that people are thinking of SMART and CONSCIENTIOUS ways of manufacturing cars and other stuff.

Plus, I couldn't help but notice that though the Nano is a somewhat futuristic car, and seemingly a new fixture in the lives of Indians in not-so-metropolitan areas, it still holds endearing similarities that I just can't put my finger on.....

Gizoogle Dis..........

2008-06-08T22:31:00.010-04:00

My friend Raj Iyengar shared this site with me YEARS ago and I always make it a point to introduce it to new people I meet as a way to gage whether they enjoy the same type of goofy humor that I do. I have to tell you, even on my worst days, all I have to do is use this Snoop Dogg inspired search engine to "gizoogle" my favorite sites, such as CNN, HappyNews and Facebook. It ALWAYS makes me chuckle!

How ta gizoogle (you gotta check dis out yo):

1. Go to www.gizoogle.com
2. type in a search for ' http://www.cnn.com'
3. Read and ENJOY!!!! (you can try this with other sites, too, as long as you include the ' http://' portion)

Anyway, for your reading pleasure, here's my new and improved Gizoogled blog.

Boo-Yaa!!!

People Wear Scarfs!

2008-05-29T12:59:00.011-04:00

I was just telling a few friends that I hadn't posted on my blog this week because I had nothing interesting to rant about. I had a relaxing Memorial Day weekend and I've been staying busy at work, so nothing around struck me as blog-worthy.

Until last night.

So, I know lots of people in the world hate on Rachel Ray because she might be incredibly enthusiastic, but mostly because she's become a pop-culture icon and wildly successful by simply being herself: perky, quirky, and imperfect. She's not a classically trained chef, but we still love her food and recipes. Plus she landed a one-hour talk show, has a magazine, tons of cookbooks and two hit shows on the food network. Some people can't stand to watch people succeed, I guess.

I will unabashedly tell you that I LOVE Rachel Ray. Her ability to come up with easy recipes for complicated-sounding dishes facinates me. In fact, I think my culinary creativity has improved just by watching 30-minute meals every evening. Take THAT, haters!!!!!

But, I digress..........

Last night, I finally got around to reading the news online and saw that Rachel Ray was being accused of being a terrorist. http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=4949437&page=1

Apparently, in one of her Dunkin Donuts ads, she was wearing a black and white paisley scarf around her neck. Immediately, someone was up in arms saying that it resembled a "keffiyeh" and that she was promoting Jihad. Dunkin Donuts pulled the add on May 24th, 2008.

The following quote was found on http://www.michellemalkin.com/:

"The keffiyeh, for the clueless, is the traditional scarf of Arab men that has come to symbolize murderous Palestinian jihad. Popularized by Yasser Arafat and a regular adornment of Muslim terrorists appearing in beheading and hostage-taking videos, the apparel has been mainstreamed by both ignorant (and not so ignorant) fashion designers, celebrities and left-wing icons."

Dude, it's a SCARF!!!

People, black, white, red, yellow, green and blue, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish and Atheist, wear them. They are especially worn when it's cold. They come in various different color combinations, but black and white matches most outfits. And paisley is just a stylish design, altogether.

Anyway, I was slight disturbed and amused by this insinuation. Firstly, wearing a scarf does not NECESSARILY imply support of any religion or movement. Secondly, even if someone is Muslim and wears a scarf in any way, it does NOT mean they are a terrorist or support terrorist acts. Do we accuse children at birthday parties who wear pointy hats of being part of the KKK?

How do people get away with spreading such venom????

It's the end of an era.......

2008-05-21T21:03:00.010-04:00

On my drive in to work today, I was listening to the radio (shout out to Those Two Girls in the Morning) and I was reminded that the long-time local news anchor in South Florida, Dwight Lauderdale, is retiring today after 32 years on WPLG Local 10.

Most of you reading may point out that news reporters and even anchors come and go, switch stations, move to different cities with varying demographic markets and are never permanent fixtures.

For those of you who grew up in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area, you are feeling a bit nostalgic today because you know that once upon a time, certain people felt like they WERE permanent fixtures in our lives. Throughout my life, Channel 10 news has ALWAYS been synonymous with Dwight, Ann Bishop and Don Noe. They were the ones who informed me of the Space Shuttle Challenger accident in 1986, who taught me what a hurricane is and how to prepare for one, and who scared me to death with daily reports of shootings, murders and robberies in good old Miami.

Today, local community leaders and local celebrities seem to be transient, readily moving along to the next destination or opportunity. I can't fault them, being stagnant means that perhaps we aren't continuing to grow as people. I myself have only been in the "real world" for nine years and have moved to three different cities and am on job #4.

But, once upon a time, being stagnant and settled didn't necessarily translate to a lack of progress. My dad has been with the same company for 30 years, and not only has he continued to learn and evolve, he has also had a sense of family and community in his work life. Perhaps that's how Dwight, Ann and Don felt. Why else would they have stayed put when, I'm sure, opportunities to work in markets varying from New York to Omaha would have presented themselves throughout their careers?

When I think about my childhood, there were some other quintessential figures that I will always remember. It's partly what made me feel like we were a community. Granted, time didn't seem to fly as fast as it does today, but back then I thought the following would ALWAYS stay the same:

- Ronald Reagan will always be president of the United States.

- Bob Graham will always be the governor of Florida.

- Paul J. Papier will always be my school principal.

- Linda Crutchfield will always be my P.E. teacher, even though she scared me.

- Don Shula will always be the head coach of the Miami Dolphins and Dan Marino will always be its quarterback.

- Richard Dawson will always be the host of Family Feud, even though it grossed me out when he mouth-kissed all of his female guests.

- Michael Jackson and Madonna will ALWAYS be the coolest pop stars ever!!!

- Saturday morning cartoons will always be the BEST television programming around (yay to Smurfs and Alvin and the Chipmunks)

WOW, have things changed!!! Not only has none of the above stayed the same, but I'm sure today's generation of kids will never know that consistency because things keep changing so fast. Nothing sticks like it used to.

Congratulations, Dwight. It's the end of an era!!!

It's not easy being GREEN!

2008-05-16T23:21:00.011-04:00

Most of us know that April 22nd is Earth Day. But this past year, I made sure I was keenly aware of what the day commemorates. In the past five years alone, awareness of "GREEN" alternatives to cars, cosmetic products and household items has grown. The 2008 presidential candidates are all trying to address concerns of energy conservation, alternate fuel sources and global warming.

I'm not going to go on and on about eco-activism because I am no expert. I will admit I know very little (well, in my eyes, not enough) about truly being environment-friendly. However, I'm very glad that the news and the media are starting to present the importance of causing MINIMAL harm to our environment. I'm especially excited that I keep reading and seeing programs on TV that show the LITTLE things each of us can start doing that make a world of difference. BUT, I can't wait until it gets even easier and more affordable.

For Mother's Day, I gave my mother some compact fluorescent light bulbs (it's a long-standing inside joke stemming from the very first mother's day gift I gave her at age 4.........). Anyway, I was so excited about how much energy and money she would save until I learned that there are "special" ways she must now handle these bulbs. To make a long story short, the CFL bulbs have small amounts of mercury, which is a neurotoxin. Up until recently, there were no hard and fast rules about HOW to dispose of the bulbs before they break and release mercury. Even now, CFL bulbs are sold everywhere but no education about disposal is really provided. Plus, I'm waiting for the prices to go down before I buy more......CFLs right now are about double the price of the standard light bulbs.

I think it may be time for a hybrid. I just paid $3.86 a gallon at the pump today (in the not-so-ritzy part of town, too) to fuel up my car. My trusty Corolla gets about 33 miles per gallon, so I'm not even struggling compared to those who are driving gas-guzzlers. However, buying a hybrid right now feels like getting lasik surgery in 1997........the technology is still too new and the options still limited. Plus, if anything goes wrong with that hybrid, maintenance is REALLY pricey compared to standard vehicles.

One of the most exciting concepts I encountered last month is green-friendly fashion! I was watching the show "What Not to Wear" on TLC and found myself watching the makeover of an environmental activist named "Tara" who wanted to start looking more professional and classy, but in an eco-friendly way. (The show airs again on 5/31/2008 at 2pm on TLC, if you want to check it out). I was amazed to see that there are increasingly more designers who are selling clothing items made from organic fabrics and recycled materials that are STILL stylish, fashion-forward and NOT frumpy. However, if any of you out there know where I can find these great outfits at reasonable prices, I’m all ears!

Anyway, I'm sure I sound ungrateful as I complain about what's difficult about going green, but let me tell you, I'm SUPER excited that the options exist. I just can't wait until it's more accessible to everyone (i.e., EVERYONE can actually afford go green).

I LOVE spunky pets........

2008-05-06T22:47:00.009-04:00

My mom sent this video to me recently and it makes me smile......it reminds me of our dog Duke in his heyday, when he had TONS of energy and could catch a ball in his mouth with better consistency than any wide-receiver in the NFL. I miss him.

Someone else's background story:
"These people were always finding water all over their pool deck and furniture, every time they came home, after being away for a few hours. They thought the neighborhood kids were watching for them to leave, and using the pool. However, they could never catch them doing it. So, they set up their video cam and left. This is what they found out."

So what if you don't have eyelids!

2008-05-06T21:12:00.002-04:00

So, when I log into my Gmail account each day, I get these web clips that stream at the top based on the emails I write, receive, chat about, etc. It's kind of like TIVO, but creepier, I think.

Anyway, a few weeks ago, a link for the Enhance Medical Center showed up, so I checked it out.

I can't put my finger on it, but it really strikes me as ethnocentric and just plain WRONG. Obviously, there is a market for this since it appears that many Asian women get cosmetic work done. However, it just makes me feel weird that the procedures that are being offered are things like nose surgery to make the nose sharper and less flat and jaw reduction which I guess changes the shape of your face and how you smile.

But the one that was the kicker was a procedure they call "Asian double eyelid surgery" to remedy "sleepy eyes." WHAT???

The description for the procedure they also refer to as Asian Blepharoplasty also includes a section comparing Asian versus Caucasian eyelids. The website reassures that the procedure helps to create a natural crease, not "westernize" the face.

I guess.........but it makes me kind of sad that Asian women might feel that their natural look (wider nose, rounder jaw and/or eyes without an eyelid fold) is not appropriate, acceptable or just not preferable.

I'm not Asian (i.e. from the Orient) so perhaps I'm reading too much into this Asian cosmetic surgery concept. Plus, the website mentions in SEVERAL places that the practice does NOT seek to "westernize" but to enhance the Asian patient's natural features.

But take if from an Indian girl with a VERY sharp nose that everyone claimed would "build character." It DOES build character and it's made me who I am. If I got a nose job, I fear that the same thing that happened to Jennifer Grey from Dirty Dancing will happen to me: I'll look beautiful in a traditional sense, but no one would recognize me anymore because I'd look too normal.

Check out the Before & After section and judge for yourself: http://www.asiancosmeticsurgery.com/html/beforeandafters.asp

Introduction to my blog........

2008-05-02T16:02:00.000-04:00

FYI, EVERYTHING I email to others is great, interesting and pertinent to the individuals I sent it to.

I LOVE bombarding my friends with cool articles, photos, jokes, videos, songs, and anecdotes. I don't have any immediate plans to cease emailing these out, BUT I hope to one day use this blog to fulfill that purpose.

We'll see how that goes.........