What's on the menu?

Channa served with a side of bhatura

Monday, August 27, 2007

Get Low

I've been lying low for a while now - for lots of reasons. There's so much going on that it seems the best thing to do is hibernate. And hibernate I did. I've been fighting some evil cold virus that clearly was a spawn of satan him/herself. On Saturday, I couldn't move, breathe, nor could I speak. I drank juice, I ate soup and I tried to get my body to recover. Funny enough, this happens every other August at around the same time (end of the month). I'm not sure how that works, but maybe it's just my body's way of saying SLOW DOWN. You know it's bad when walking the five blocks to work is a chore in and of itself.

Anyway, I must get better in time for my big Boston Labor Day weekend! I'm really excited...this is when I get to meet a bunch of NC's friends from college. I'll be meeting some of our groomsmen for the first time. I'm glad that I have the opportunity to get to know the guys that NC is so close to that they are included our wedding. I also get to spend some time with my cousin V and his fiance H (and hopefully with some others that I know in the area).

Not too long ago, I met NC's high school friends and they were awesome. They have so many great stories of the trouble they got into back in the day. I had a blast just listening and really being taken in by that group - no judgements, no questions. I am important to NC, therefore I am important to them. That was really the icing on the cake. We were at a housewarming/engagement party for one of his buddies and I noticed a few things. One, Italian families (most of his friends are Italian) are HUGE and rival the size of Indian families. Two, everyone kisses you on both cheeks all the time- when they greet you, when they congratulate you, when you leave a party - I mean for any little thing. Three, they can COOK. To taste authentic Italian food makes one not want to set foot in an Olive Garden ever again.

----------
If I were Italian, I'd want my last name to be Santos (I used to watch Guiding Light with my mom and they were a powerful family). On that note, NC has a friend whose house was burned down by the Mafia when they were in high school. That's intense.

Friday, August 10, 2007

All Types of Strange

I have this strange ability to write a speech in my head literally minutes before I have to deliver it. I've had to do this on so many occasions, too - for work and for personal life. Heck, I wrote Mala's sangeet speech in the parking lot right before I walked into the center (sorry, Mals!). It doesn't faze me at all.

I guess this all came about when my boss told me that she doesn't enjoy public speaking, she doesn't enjoy being in front of a camera and she doesn't even like talking to reporters over the phone. Hence, why she sent me to do media training, so that I could cover for our unit. This is all well and good, but I wonder what the fear is actually derived from. Is it fear of getting up in front of an audience or even deeper - fear of being judged by the audience? Is it fueled by a bad experience or witnessing someone else's bad experience? I've always been curious about this. Any of you have trouble speaking in front of large audiences?

-----------
They always say that you should imagine your audience naked. Does that work?

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Just Don't Get It

I haven't quite figured out NYC yet; however, I can say that I'm completely intrigued by it. It's generally portrayed as a big, loud place with lots going on but there are certainly ways to make it a quiet retreat, too. I love running in Central Park, I love the museums, I love the many different places you can visit all within walking distance. The Upper East Side is pretty swank so no complaints there either.

I hate the traffic (thank God I don't have to drive in it). I'm not a huge fan of the subway system - though to its credit it is easy to use and covers a lot of ground. I think it's just because I compare it to the DC Metro system which is pretty nice. And I have some issues with the general snarky attitude that some people have (though I haven't truly encountered it all that much).

-----------
I guess I should stop dissecting it and just enjoy. I look forward to exploring.