Nishi's A Dream I Dream, Nishi's Pitas and all images, html and layout (c) Nishi Rajan 1998-2006. Written content & images may not be taken without the written & signed consent of Nishi Rajan.
Nishi is an Indian American who is working as an attorney in Manhattan. She is also a singer and songwriter who just finished her demo cd and has begun performing throughout NYC. She dreams of bringing her songs to the world and moving people with her music. Nishi is passionate about foreign policy, international affairs and international human rights.
When she's not busy pursuing music, world peace, or working , you can find her gazing up at the stars or attending archaeological lectures (she's an astronomy and archaeology buff) and when all else fails, she relaxes with Japanese anime and manga. An avid shoujo anime/manga fan, she's a web designer who's designed over 20 domains. Her websites are listed below.
This journal has existed since 2000. It is a place for Nishi to vent, to share, and to catch up with friends. All readers are welcome to read this blog; however, Nishi is not responsible for minors or anyone else who reads this journal and gets offended by the writings and opinions here. If you don't like what you read, then leave.
Name: Nishi
Where: New York
Faith: Christian
Sign: Aquarius
CH-S: Fire Dragon
AIM: SelenityHime
ICQ: 21380169
Email: be83398
The Story Thus Far . . .
Currently, I am working full-time as an Attorney in midtown Manhattan, New York City, New York and working on making a music career and to write and publish my fiction and non-fiction writings and articles.
Jogging, Martial Arts Kickboxing, Dance - currently middle eastern dance & bellydance, Tennis, Singing (of course ;) and working on my songs, Reading & writing about all the things I am interested and passionate about, watching tv and movies, painting, drawing, astronomy, rollerblading (and trying to get better at it and ice skating!), obsessive anime and manga fan and professional web designing, ancient studies / ancient civilizations, history and archaeology, world mythology, politics and world affairs, international law, human rights, studying many languages (have studied and continue to study spanish, mandarin chinese, japanese and hindi).
Books / Stories
King Arthur and all things Arthurian, Merlin, light and dark; The Crystal Cave, The Dark is Rising series, most anything to do with magic, vampires, werewolves; anything fantasy and romance-like: EMMA, Jane Eyre, Phantom of the Opera, Count of Monte Cristo, The Cask of Amontillado; almost anything Shakespeare wrote; The Harry Potter series; my childhood stories - Sweet Valley High, Twins, Kids, Babysitters Club, Boxcar Children, Bobbsey Twins, RAMONA QUIMBY series; SHERLOCK HOLMES, NANCY DREW; all books dealing with things I love from art, mystery, religion, magic, mythical creatures such as "DA VINCI CODE" and "Interview with the Vampire"
Movies
Emma, Contact, Ever After, Farenheit 9/11, Bowling for Columbine, Legally Blonde 2, Princess Diaries, Sweet Home Alabama, Matrix: Reloaded, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Staw Wars: Episode II, TOMBRAIDER I & II
All-time TV Shows
Three's Company, The Nanny, Fresh Prince of Bel Air, FRIENDS, Relic Hunter, Buffy, Xena, Clarissa Explains it All, OUT OF THIS WORLD, Wings, Mad About You, Simpsons, Married with Children, Carol Burnette Show, Anamorphs, Punky Brewster, Smurfs, Rainbow Brite, and the list could go on forever ;)
Musicals
Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, WICKED
Favorite Drinks
In the summer: starbucks' iced caramel macchaito - decaf and nonfat; lychee, boba/bubble tea/pearl milk tea; thai iced tea; lipton lemon and raspberry iced tea
In the winter: hot chocolate and starbucks' white chocolate mocha non-fat
Fave Alcoholic Drinks
Margaritas, amaretto sours, singapore slings, rum & coke and white wine - pinot
Music to relax to:
The slow version of the sailormoon theme song, the theme for Phantom of the Opera, the theme by Mono from Great Expectations and theme from Romeo and Juliet....so many more.....I can't live w/o music.....
A Fan Of:
I'm more a Democrat so I'm a fan of Bill & Hillary Clinton, Madeline Albright, Margaret Thatcher, Lee Iaccoca
Movie Actresses
Drew Barrymore
Kirsten Dunst
Kate Hudson
Nicole Kidman
Demi Moore
Gwyneth Paltrow
Julia Roberts
Reese Witherspoon
Renee Zellweger
Movie Actors
George Clooney
Johnny Depp
Matthew Goode
Tom Hanks
Ashton Kutcher
Brad Pitt
Keanu Reeves
Adam Sandler
Robin Williams
Magazines etc.:
Vogue
Cosmopolitan
Jane
Shape
Fitness
Allure
Elle
Marie Claire
Archaeology
Mysteries
Foreign Affairs Journals
The Economist
Discover
Astronomy
Sky & Telescope
National Geographic
New York Times
Commondreams.org
In Style
US Weekly
PEOPLE
Reminders:
Salons in NY to try:
Buff Spa at Bergdorf Goodman: 754 5th Ave $$$
Tiffany Nails: 903 Madison $$
Soho Sanctuary: 119 Mercer $$
Maximus Spa - Massage: 15 Mercer $$
Just Calm Down: 32 W. 22nd $$ - get grape gatsby with Essie Bordeaux polish
Ajune Spa: 1294 Third Ave $$
Frederic Fekkai: 15 E. 57th - Mandarin Supreme Pedicure $$
How incredibly gorgeous was that? That was the moon during the eclipse on August 28, 2007. You had to be up between 4-5:30 a.m. to see the moon turn red like that. As some of you may know, an eclipse of the moon takes place when the moon enters the Earth's shadow. The Earth at that point is right in the middle of the Sun and Moon. On August 28th, the Sun, Earth and Moon were in perfect alignment. The moon doesn't get completely dark however - in this case, it's red because it was reflecting the red light from all the sunsets and sunrises taking place on the edge/silhouette of earth at that time. Eclipses take place twice a year and you can view the next 2 on February 21, 2008 and August 16, 2008.
Interestingly, on this very same night of the full moon and eclipse, the Yankees started having visits from "Lucky" the Squirrel. Since that night, it's appeared on top of the right-field foul pole at Yankee stadium 4 times and is being hailed as a lucky omen because each time it appears, the Yankees win! The "Bronx Bombers", as the Yankees are affectionately called (Yankee Stadium is in the Bronx), have won all 4 games the nights the squirrel appeared. The Daily News says Yankee fans have gone “nutty” for the animal and reports that Johnny Damon told the News he fed the squirrel sunflower seeds before the game against Boston that night, and then hit a home run that sailed over the squirrels head into the upper deck of the stands. The squirrel was then shown on the Jumbo-Trom and, the next day, was featured on NBC’s “Today Show” where the hosts, Ann Curry and Matt Lauer, called the creature “cute.” LOLLLLLLLLLLLLL! :)
The big talk in the city this week is, of course, Fashion Week which began on Wednesday 9/5 and ends next Wednesday 9/12. I got into the city earlier this past weekend and on Wednesday early morning and took pictures of the tents and the park for a book I'm working on that's all about NYC. Three big tents now sit atop the normally beautiful green grass of Bryant Park's Great Lawn, displacing the regular New Yorkers who usually lie on the grass enjoying the midday sun. Apparently, sometime yesterday, Anna Wintour was acosted by PETA activists who wrote her a citation for being a 'fashion felony.' The PETA activists this year are dressing up as sexy cops, scantily clad in pleather and citing anyone who wears fur in this heat. It was 80+ degrees yesterday - pleather gets sweaty. I think the PETA activists may have been the only ones committing fashion felonies yesterday.
Yesterday morning before walking to work, I was sitting on the stone terrrace chairs next to the William Cullen Bryant Memorial and watching the backdoor terrance entrance to the tents and saw this red-haired model enter - tall with her orangey-red hair pulled back into a pony tail. I picked up a copy of today's Daily News and I swear the model on the cover is the same one I think I saw! (Click on that link to see the cover of today's Daily News.)
According to Page Six of the Thursday, Sept. 6, 2007 New York POST (yes, I read both the News & the Post), Ralph Lauren has taken all the models for Saturday's Fashion Show in Central Park. He's "embargoed his models", according to Page Six, and "asked his runway models to sign contracts saying that they wouldn't be in any other shows that day." Apparently, this has angered other designers and fashionistas.
Oh the perils of a high fashion life.
Hand in hand with Fashion Week is the Taxi Cab Strike going on in the city. They're protesting the imposition of GPS systems in their cars and the credit card machine slots for passengers to pay their fares. Their strike, though, didn't stop traffic nor did it cause the city to crawl to a stop, or so Mayor Bloomberg said. I, myself, was at work on Wednesday and either walk or take the subway, so I didn't notice any cessation of cabs. If anything, it probably made the city a lot less polluted and less dangerous for pedestrians. Hey, I can say that because I work as a lawyer for an insurance company that defends taxi companies & their cab drivers for the accidents they get into - I know just
how many accidents occur on the streets of NY from cabs.
In other news today, as the Daily News reported, beloved Pavarotti has died - the opera singer was 71 and died from pancreatic cancer. I loved his voice and only wish I had seen him perform LIVE once in my life. A sad, sad loss. :(
That's it for me today. Hope you're all having a lovely week and night.
Have you 'Sloohed' yet? If you love astronomy like I do, then you have to try the *LIVE* telescope missions at Slooh.com! Sign up for a free trial and see nebulae & galaxies right on your computer *LIVE*! I'm there most evenings & weekends. Join the Chat!
Monday, September 3, 2007
07:20 p.m.
Just got back from a day in the city enjoying the Labor Day holiday - saw the Bodies Exhibition at South Street Seaport - that is SUCH an amazing exhibit of real bodies which have been donated to science stripped of the skin and exposing only the muscles and tendons and skeleton and when you walk out of there, you have such appreciation for your body and want to keep it strong and healthy. Even though I ate a lot in the city, when I came home we had to go to a barbeque at a family friend's house and now I've come back completely stuffed.....tomorrow I go back to eating healthy and exercising properly. Am super tired and need to be up early for work tomorrow so I'm going to bed early tonight. My room's a mess - gotta clean it. Hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day weekend!! See ya'll tomorrow :)
Have you 'Sloohed' yet? If you love astronomy like I do, then you have to try the *LIVE* telescope missions at Slooh.com! Sign up for a free trial and see nebulae & galaxies right on your computer *LIVE*! I'm there most evenings & weekends. Join the Chat!
Friday, August 31, 2007
04:36 p.m.
composed 2 new songs last night that, once confirmed with my guitarist, I plan to perform in late September and October. I'm looking to find a new producer to work with and record my new songs....I want to get back into the studio soooo bad you have no idea.
Have exciting music-related news. A bunch of my songs and my music profile are now featured on HeadCaseRadio.com and one of my songs, Story has been accepted to be included in a compilation being released (tentative date) September 20, 2007 by GreenOzone.com and finally, a wonderful South Asian woman from Britan, aShanti Omkar, is including my songs in her rotation on DesiHits.com.
All of the above combined with the new writing gig for that new South Asian Living magazine gives me a little bit of encouragement. I was talking with this cabbie Jim the other evening on the cab ride home from the train station and telling him how discouraged I was with the musical industry and he was like "You're a woman full of light and beauty - I *know* you're going to make it one day and you just keep believing it." His words were super-encouraging. :)
we got out of work early today, 3pm, for the Labor Day weekend holiday! Just got home and the sun is shining and I'm going to go outside and sit on the deck and enjoy the sun and breeze. It's only 76 degrees and I'm not gonna miss a moment of the end of summer.
Think I'll go on Slooh later tonight too - Friday night astronomy is always fun :) Came up with a new song last night that I still haven't finished composing - think I'll work on that while I have some dinner now. *HUGS* to all!
Have you 'Sloohed' yet? If you love astronomy like I do, then you have to try the *LIVE* telescope missions at Slooh.com! Sign up for a free trial and see nebulae & galaxies right on your computer *LIVE*! I'm there most evenings & weekends. Join the Chat!
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
11:10 p.m.
that is sooo somethng my darling Ricky would do :)
lordy am I full. Papa went fishing on a boat with his friends from the place he goes to exercise every day and caught a bunch of fish which be brought home. Mummy spent the evening cleaning and frying and oh my god were they delicious. That with rice and tomato curry and cadilla - I am one full Nishi.
Got some exciting news :) I'm going to be a writer for a brand new South Asian living magazine focusing on women! I spent the past few nights composing new writing samples and searching my old writings for appropriate pieces to submit to the owner of the magazine. She got back to me today and will be introducing me to my first assignment sometime soon.
It's just a side gig - nothing full-time at all and more like freelance - but I'm excited! To write articles that shall be published regularly in a magazine - totally psyched. My 1st write-up will be on an Indian woman who is a comedienne and whose parents are against her being on stage and being a comedienne.
Just got out of the shower and am relaxing before getting into bed. *BIG HUGS* to all my dear friends out there. Sean thanks for the nudge on livejournal but ya know i never post there ;)
Have you 'Sloohed' yet? If you love astronomy like I do, then you have to try the *LIVE* telescope missions at Slooh.com! Sign up for a free trial and see nebulae & galaxies right on your computer *LIVE*! I'm there most evenings & weekends. Join the Chat!
Sunday, August 26, 2007
05:54 p.m.
I didn't do any writing yesterday like I'd planned but I believe I'm making up for it today. I've been writing non-stop for the past 4 hours on my fictional story of an Indian queen. Drank 2 large cups of coffee and I'm going to keep writing and maybe take a break to watch the Teen Choice Awards and then keep writing until I can write no more. I want to stay up all night and write if possible. When the mood hits, I have to keep writing until I can't anymore. Strike while the iron's hot, like they say.
After a breakfast of mummy's delicious putih with cadillah and hot chai, and reading the Saturday morning paper, I headed out around noon yesterday to return a pair of overly tight brown leather boots I had bought - I know I can get more comfy brown suede ones come Fall. Saw Waldenbooks then and purchased, instead, coursebooks and CDs on Japanese and Mandarin (money better spent). I begin Mandarin classes again in Chinatown in 2 weeks and want to brush up on my Mandarin before I go to class. Afterwards, hit the post office and CVS and came back home to pull my lounge chair, table and a stack of manga books, magazines and one of the Japanese coursebooks out onto the grass of my backyard. I sat and read for at least 2 or 3 hours beneath the shade of the many sprawling trees that line the dense woods behind my house and its lake. Though it was a very hot and humid day, it was much cooler and comfortable in the shade. Mummy came and joined me out on the grass for a half hour before complaining about the bees and the heat and returning to the A/C inside ;)
Came inside after a while then and watched Disc 3 of A Snow Fairy Sugar (still one more episode on the disc to watch) and after going outside again to the deck to lay down on the sofa swing chair and just stare up at the sky, spent the rest of the night studying Japanese and reading my new issues of Vogue and Bazaar and going through my collection of songs and picking good ones to perform and rehearse. Worked out for 90 minutes too doing an intense incline workout on the treadmill. While I exercise, I love watching the entertainment shows like Access Hollywood, EXTRA and E! News and E!'s Daily 10.
This morning I woke up late around 10 a.m. and had breakfast and read the Sunday paper outside on the deck on the sofa swing chair. I spotted white and yellow butterflies (moths?) flying over the grass. Came inside then and did laundry and washed my bed linens. I love sleeping on fresh crisp cool linen sheets every week. Got into a heated argument with my parents this afternoon about something personal and I've stayed up in my room ever since writing.....I'm calmer and feeling better now (called and talked to my 3 sisters who all understood) and now I'm simply listening to the sound of the crickets. The cicadas (or whatever they are) were so loud all day yesterday and this morning, and now they're completely silent and all I can hear are the crickets.
6 p.m. almost....gotta keep writing. I wonder if I can completely finish this story soon....it's so complex with so many issues and as I write, I find I have to keep researching meanings of Indian names, mythology and history of India and Indian royalty. I've had the same 3 books on Indian history out from the local library for almost 3 months now! ;) I've found that I can't try to keep my story 100% authentic to Indian history and mythology - it's too hard and takes away from the story I'm trying to tell. Much of it is loosely based and loosely derived from what I have learned from reading the Indian history books - I know one day maybe Indian critics will say this and that aren't true in my story about Vedic or Hindu Gods but even the 3 history books I have seem to say different things about the Gods I've chosen to mention in this story so I can't get sidetracked by that.
Hope everyone is well and having a wonderful weekend. *HUGS* to Azure Kaze - how was your 1st day of classes? I used to use the dorm computers and the computers in the engineering building ALL THE TIME during my first few semesters at college! :) I didn't get my first computer until the summer of 1998 and that was when I first designed UsagiandMamoru.com and all my other animanga websites! :) Was Usagi's ring a heart shaped pink diamond with diamonds around it? I wouldn't want a pink diamond I don't think but a heart is definitely more in-line with my personality and with my wish for something different from the usual round and square shapes I see all the time in rings.
Kayla I remember senior pictures - oh gawd those WERE expensive - especially the framed ones....yeah anything to make money off of kids and parents eh? ;) And I'm glad to hear you're better - know that I'm always here for you if you need to talk but I think you've got a great wise head on your shoulders and inherent wisdom. You've handled yourself beautifully and I'm proud of you. *HUGS*
Stephanie Hiiii!! *HUGS* thank you for sending me the weddingbee.com site - I'd heard of it before but never really checked it out in depth - it's awesome! :) How are you doing? I read your journal just now and had to comment back on your entries. Post more!!! :)
Callie thank you :) I hope Ricky gets me a ring just like it! :D
Darlene you need to come hang out in NYC with me soon! :) Next year come to the Indian Day Parade with me and my family! :) How are you otherwise? What's new?
Sarah Beth I'm still waiting for you to tell me what's up! IM me :) *HUGS*
Have you 'Sloohed' yet? If you love astronomy like I do, then you have to try the *LIVE* telescope missions at Slooh.com! Sign up for a free trial and see nebulae & galaxies right on your computer *LIVE*! I'm there most evenings & weekends. Join the Chat!
Saturday, August 25, 2007
10:04 a.m.
it's so foggy this morning.....I woke up and it looked like "steam" outside - hot ahd hazy like...it's going to be a very sweltering humid day with highs in the mid-90's and a chance of thunderstorms later this afternoon.
I came in after seeing the fireflies out on the deck last night and watched the Miss Teen USA pageant on TV and I saw Miss Colorado in the top 10 and KNEW she'd win - she had this elegance and this humbleness and greatfulness at being selected - gave great answers - didn't talk too much and didn't act or walk too bouncy or weird - she behaved just right for the occasion. Very happy when she won!
I need to change out of my night gown and have breakfast and run out on my errands this morning before it rains....this is a perfect day to write.....
Have you 'Sloohed' yet? If you love astronomy like I do, then you have to try the *LIVE* telescope missions at Slooh.com! Sign up for a free trial and see nebulae & galaxies right on your computer *LIVE*! I'm there most evenings & weekends. Join the Chat!
Friday, August 24, 2007
07:35 p.m.
it's back to hot and humid weather this weekend....although I hate humidity, I hate losing the warm weather more so for now I will be greatful for the sweaty heat and go and enjoy it before the cooler days of September arrive.
evening is just descending over my little neck of the woods here in Westchester....the insects that make that constant buzzing noise - I think they're cicadas - keep buzzing loud and then soft non-stop.....the only thing louder are the sounds of the geese flying overhead. My fan is circling slowly and there's a slight breeze....
I love summer.
I'm tidying up my room and want to do laundry and wrap some things up for the post office tomorrow then take a shower and watch tv - the Miss Teen USA pageant is on tonight...actually all I want is to go on my deck right now and relax and do nothing......just watch the stars come out one by one....looks like it'll be a cloudy night though - won't see many stars if it clouds up heavily....
I wish it was July again....a Friday in July where the sun doesn't set until 8:30 ;) i love how the trees are green and how the chipmunks and squirrels come out and race around the plants....I love the smell of freshly mowed grass and the cool spray of the lawn sprinklers.....and lying on our blue and red hammock which we still haven't put back up but by golly I shall put up tomorrow! ;)
I wonder if people fully realize how important living in the moment is....how looking around and appreciating what you have right here, right now is so valuable. We're so distracted with thinking about what we've done or are going to do, what we'll eat and say, do tomorrow that we forget to be still...to silence our thoughts, to just simply BE and witness life as it is without thinking, saying or doing anything.....
That said I think I will go outside and relax for a while. I can always do the other things in the nighttime ;) I'll respond to all messages tomorrow *HUGS* to all!
Updated at 8:25 p.m.
I saw fireflies - the 1st time this summer since I never stayed out after it got dark. I forgot that fireflies only come out during summer nights......before I got up off the sofa swing chair on the deck, I saw a little bit of gold twinkling through the trees and thought it was a plane. When it didn't move I stood up and saw it was a beautiful golden moon. How lucky I was to be out there at that time to see that.
Have you 'Sloohed' yet? If you love astronomy like I do, then you have to try the *LIVE* telescope missions at Slooh.com! Sign up for a free trial and see nebulae & galaxies right on your computer *LIVE*! I'm there most evenings & weekends. Join the Chat!
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
11:14 p.m.
the ring I want is a heart-shaped diamond one with lots of other tiny diamonds clustered around it.....I found it on Fortunoff and it's $17,000....view the ring here. Breathtaking isn't it?
Azure Kaze I was an english major also (Literature and Rhetoric) and I actually took a lot of sociology classes as well (although I was an Economics concentration). Did you get a laptop? I'm glad you liked the pictures! :)
Have you 'Sloohed' yet? If you love astronomy like I do, then you have to try the *LIVE* telescope missions at Slooh.com! Sign up for a free trial and see nebulae & galaxies right on your computer *LIVE*! I'm there most evenings & weekends. Join the Chat!
Monday, August 20, 2007
07:22 a.m.
Updated at 11:19 p.m. BELOW
it's a cloudy gray and drizzly morning.....I looked outside and saw the hammock we haven't used all summer yet. It's only 61 degrees. I'm filled with pangs of sadness that summer is nearing its end and I don't want it to end. I had such a wonderful weekend with my family.....I took my mom to the India Day Parade in the city yesterday - I took TONS of pictures and will update tonight with all the photos - I bought her Japanese sweets from the grocery on 41st Street and took her to Bryant Park after showing her the front of the Public Library and the lions....and of course this weekend was spent buying my wedding dress....only Nithi's home right now and she'll be leaving tonight and then I don't see the girls again until....late September but then after that it's October and we'll be in L.A. for my engagement. I wish summer and this time with my family would last forever.....
I might take my mom to the free movie at sunset at Bryant Park this evening if the rain ever clears up.....we had so much fun in the city yesterday - the parade was just GORGEOUS and colorful and it was nice to see so many of our fellow Indians out in saris and salvars....mum and I even ate at a little cafe/eatery on 31st or 30th & Madison.....such good memories....like the Western Union India-Flag Fan she finally got and we went back to Duane Reade to get when I left it there by accident with the free Daily News we were given at the parade :)
I'm off to start my morning. Have a wonderful day all. Will update this entry tonight with the photos and everything and will respond to ALL messages tonight too! :)
Updated at 11:19 p.m.
Pictures of yesterday's parade :)
Azure Kaze thank you so MUCH! And oh my GOD I can't believe ur going to college there! I hope you DO get a laptop. What student in this day and age doesn't get one at college? *HUGGGGGGGG* I hope you have the most amazing time there!! Write me!!
Caroline-chan hahahaha 2.5 hours was long in my dad's eyes ;) LOL! And no - no pictures because I don't want Ricky or anyone to see the dress until it's on me on my wedding day :) How're YOU?
Sarah Beth my dear sweet friend don't worry about a thing. I know how busy you are. And I can't wait to hear what you mean - so mysterious! :)
Have you 'Sloohed' yet? If you love astronomy like I do, then you have to try the *LIVE* telescope missions at Slooh.com! Sign up for a free trial and see nebulae & galaxies right on your computer *LIVE*! I'm there most evenings & weekends. Join the Chat!
I bought my wedding dress :D
Saturday, August 18, 2007
07:55 p.m.
Today, my whole family and I went wedding dress shopping - even my dad! He wound up forking over the credit card ;) But I plan to pay him back - the wedding dress is my expense. The very first dress I tried on I thought I was in love, but I tried on another and it was even better than the 1st, and then tried on a bunch more and then found a 3rd. I narrowed it down to 3 and it was such a hard choice but when I finally decided, I felt right about the choice. The dress I bought was within my budget and the price includes the cost of alterations and after haggling with the owner of the store, she threw in the price of a matching veil. It's ivory and strapless and full of lace and beading and just....breathtaking - esp with the veil and tiara....when I saw myself in the mirror in it I just knew that if I walked out of the store without it, I'd be heart broken.
That took all of 2.5 hours :D and then it was off to lunch with the fam to Red Lobster and then on to brides maid dresses but my sisters couldn't find anything that they loved and was within their budgets so that was unsuccessful. Papa bought us Goldups Mango Juices from a local Indian store and now we're home. Saturday has flown by but it's been productive - I bought my wedding dress! YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO :D
Have you 'Sloohed' yet? If you love astronomy like I do, then you have to try the *LIVE* telescope missions at Slooh.com! Sign up for a free trial and see nebulae & galaxies right on your computer *LIVE*! I'm there most evenings & weekends. Join the Chat!
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
10:41 p.m.
One of the books I've been working on is non-fiction and it's a sort of 'coffee-table' book about NYC and my experiences in the city over the past 6-8 years. It's almost finished but before I make the final manuscript, I have to take pictures of the observations I've written about - that's what makes it a "coffee-table" book - something in hardcover and oversize and very pretty to sit and look through and read.....the observations I write are no longer than a page - sometimes only 3 paragraphs....but they're designed to pull the reader into NYC....I want the reader to feel the way I did when I saw, heard, smelled and experienced the things I did here in the city.
To take the pictures, I went to B&H Photo with my friend Stephanie during lunch and bought my 1st digital camera - yes, I said first. I've always used my dad's whenever I needed to but now I have this little beauty: an Olympus Stylus 760 - it's actually a purplish-pink and not a bright pink as it appears here.
At first, when my friend Steph and I tried it out after work, I was disappointed because it doesn't have auto focus and if I wanted to take a picture very close up within an inch, I can't. It requires 3 inches distance. However, after taking it for a test run through the city this evening and then taking a bunch of pictures now at night and in the lighting in my room - I love it. Pictures I thought may be fuzzy in the LCD screen were actually perfect when I zoomed in on the review screen. The colors and contrast are GORGEOUS.
The camera will suffice for what I want to do and given the fact that there's no way I can afford a fancy photography camera ;) I did try to contact someone who took some gorgeous pictures of the NYC skyline I found on FLICKR.COM but he never got back to me so I've gotta try taking the pictures myself. It should be fun :) Taking the pictures, I found, is something I really enjoy....I already am artistic and love graphics design and visual arts so I shouldn't be surprised that I love photography I guess ;) I just didn't know how MUCH I'd love trying to capture the perfect scene because I want to make sure people see how beautiful the object was I was trying to capture.
Have you 'Sloohed' yet? If you love astronomy like I do, then you have to try the *LIVE* telescope missions at Slooh.com! Sign up for a free trial and see nebulae & galaxies right on your computer *LIVE*! I'm there most evenings & weekends. Join the Chat!
Let this be the day
Monday, August 13, 2007
5:55 a.m.
I got up at 4am to see the meteors and found that the sky was completely cloudy. To think that a new moon falls for the 1st time in 8 years during the Perseids and NY's skies are cloudy. Sheesh. I think though, that b/t 11-12 midnight last night, I must have seen some of the flashing lights of the meteors - they were very quick streaks of light - faint and quick which makes me not all certain if I saw them or not. But I got very excited and with my Ricky on the phone, marveled about how amazing it was to witness things like meteor showers. Luckily though tonight is a clear night and the Perseids will still be visible tonight and tomorrow even though the moon will begin to come back, the skies will be mostly dark enough for these 2 days to see. :)
I woke up with a new song in my head called 'Let this be the day' and am half-way done writing it.
Update at 6:42 a.m.
Finished the song (well all except a variation I think). It's such a fun Christian/family friendly kind of song. I feel good having written it.
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Sunday, August 12, 2007
11:07 p.m.
So I held my first Japanese anime/manga meet-up today here in my hometown and it was fun! I met other animanga enthusiasts who lived in Westchester and nearby Connecticut. We had Japanese & Chinese food at a local restaurant I enjoy and afterwards went for green tea frapps at Starbucks across the street. I want to make it more fun though than just a bunch of fans sitting around talking - I need to find a place where we can all watch anime together and order in Sushi and somehow organize some kind of Japanese lesson - that way people get a lot more out of the group event.
I'm up late now watching for the Perseid Meteor Shower. I'm sure you've heard of it by now - it's been reported in almost every newspaper and I'm glad of it - maybe it'll get more people into astronomy! :) But in case you don't know, the Perseids are a meteor shower named so because they appear in the sky where the constellation of Perseus is. Perseus - as those of us mythology buffs know - is the hero who defeated Medusa - the creature whose face could turn men into stone - and who rides upon the winged Pegasus one of my favorite mythological beasts.
Tonight happens to be the BEST night to view this meteor shower because it is the night of the new moon - the 1st time since 1999 that a new moon fell during the Perseids. What this means is that that the moon is completely dark making the sky completely dark - this allows us to clearly view the stars and the meteors - making it the best time to watch the skies.
A meteor shower happens when tiny specks of comet debris enter Earth's atmosphere, creating an eye catching light show as they vaporize during a streak through our atmosphere. The Perseid Meteor Shower happens when Earth passes through the debris trail of the Comet Swift-Tuttle as the comet makes its 130-year orbit around the sun. Every flash is a fragment burning at 37 miles per *second* and you can spot 100 of these flashes *per hour* on peak nights August 12th & 13th.
And they are :) I have my blinds open and the lights are off and I'm typing in the dark ;) LOL! :)
I'm gonna be one sleepy Nishi at work tomorrow. :)
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Saturday, August 11, 2007
01:32 p.m.
good morning or afternoon guys and dolls :) I've removed the comment-board/tag-board due to spamming. Instead, I've placed a guestbook link which allows me to approve messages before they post. You'll find the 'leave a comment on this entry' link at the end of all my postings next to Neo Queen Selenity :)
It is the most gorgeous August day - 76 degrees, warm, sunny and just beautiful. The cicadas are being noisy, the lake is shimmering and I have no idea why I'm sitting here inside at my desk instead of outdoors!
Kayla oh my god!!! *HUGGGGGGGGGGG* I've added your nicks to my aim and yahoo and MSN messengers. If you want to talk, I'm here. I'm shooting you an email as well right now.
Sarah Beth holy bejeezus 11 hours AND hour long commutes each way? dear god you poor sweet girl *HUGGGGGGGGGGGGGG* Happy 2nd Anniversary sweetheart!!!!!!!!!! Has it really only been 2 years because I feel like it's been so much longer!!! I can't believe Lydz and I were only at your wedding 2 years ago - I feel like a lifetime has passed since then. *HUGGGGGGGGGGG* I can't wait to get your email.
Sean still haven't gotten the pics. Soon I hope!!!
I am off to drink a cool glass of lemon water and go outside and write and read. *HUGS* to all!
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Thursday, August 9, 2007
8:00 p.m.
I love Slooh - it's so relaxing to me to go stargazing and to view distant galaxies and nebulae in space......these are 2 nebulae I captured just now on Slooh's telescope: the Dark Comet Neubla and the North American Nebula:
Long and productive day at work....came home instead of going to a free screeing of StarDust like I'd originally planned.....the movie opens tomorrow.....papa picked me up and when I came home, I washed the dishes for my mom and had the yummy dinner she'd made: super-soft idily with sambar and sauteed vegetables....I'm munching on Goldfishies now and just came in from sitting out on the deck on the swing chair....it was just 73 degrees and beautiful....a perfect August summer night....it's going to thunderstorm again tonight and tomorrow....I'm going to write tonight...starting now.
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Wednesday, August 8, 2007
07:49 p.m.
I think that of the many places/sites I love in NYC, Rockefeller Center is among my top 5 and may be my #1 destination in the city. Almost every day and night there's something going on there - from performances by today's hottest starts hosted by the Today Show to various pop and international culture shows and events. I watched the U.S. Open once on huge tv screens from stadium seating-like stands right at the center of Rockefeller and another time enjoyed gorgeous song and dance shows by Korean and Japanese artists.
Today at the Rock, the "Today Show" just ended their outdoor tapings of LIVE cooking demonstrations and took apart a HUGE swimming pool that was set up for demonstration swimmers. Right now, there's a lovely Farmer's Market taking place until August 18th. Kinokuniya, by the way, is NOT CLOSING and is actually opening a NEW store at Bryant Park in October 2007!!! :D Thank goodness - I'd be so upset if they closed the store by Rockefeller Center.
Live WebCam from Rockefeller Center <---- this shows the cover of the tents for the Farmer's Market going on right now. To its left, you can see a little of the open-air restaurant that gets converted into an ice rink in the winter (the famous Rockefeller Ice Skating Rink).
I can't believe how many people are out right now in this humid 90+ degree weather....the city...how I love it.
The thunderstorm from this morning wound up causing HUGE traffic problems throughout the city today and was hell for commuters like myself. When I got to the train station this morning, all service on the Metro North trains were suspended until further notice. Torrential rains had caused flooding in the Bronx and impaired the switches and the rails. It also affected the subways and a lot of people could not get to work due to subway trains being unable to run or taking hours. Work wound up closing early today around 4pm and I've been home ever since puttering away online, reading, and now I'm going to start writing.
This Friday at Bryant Park beginning at 7 a.m., Eve and Sean Paul are performing for FREE as part of Good Morning America's summer concert series. You need to get there by 6am apparently. I want to go but not so bad as to get up crazy early ;)
Night is falling and I'm watching the lake and woods get dark. I think after I've written some, I'm going to go on Slooh and do some star gazing.
Azure Kaze LOL :) I wound up actually putting my hair into low pig-tails today and got teased incessently by friends at work who insisted on calling me Pipi LongStalkings or Indian Sqaw or Pocahontas. ;) I was actually just copying the cute low pig-tails of Monica on Friends and of the Japanese models in my Japanese magazines - I love the hairstyle a LOT and I thought it was super fun to do my hair like that today considering how hot and humid it was. Kept the hair out of my face and kept me COOL :) But as to your other question - none of my stories have been published - YET :)
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Wednesday, August 8, 2007
7:01 a.m.
woke up to the sound of a thunderstorm this morning and it was gorgeous. opened the blinds and I felt like writing right away. Reminded me of one of those late October/November mornings because of how dark and stormy it was but then was happy it was still August and not a cold fall morning yet. It's going to be horribly hot though today - 95 degrees and humid beyond measure. Definitely a 'put my hair in a pony tail' day.
I'm reading the last volume of Gals (#10) and don't want the series to enddddd, I'm gonna miss Ran and Aya and Miyu especially their outfits!! :)
My friend Stephanie and I went hanging out in the city after work on Monday and we went to Book-Off by the Manhattan Public Library and they moved their english manga upstairs and the selection is so much wider!! We also found that Kinokuniya is opening a new store (or moving?) on 6th Avenue right across from Bryant Park!!! I hope the one at Rockefeller isn't moving though....I really love that one because of the area and the memories I have meeting friends there, taking my family there too for when they used to serve tea and sandwiches and desserts in the back of the Japanese bookstore. It's where I fell in love with Assam tea ;) Plus MinomotoKitchoan is right next door - a Japanese Wagashi store (gourmet desserts/pastries) - I'll be sad if Kino closes at Rockefeller - I've been going there since I started law school back in 1999.....it has so many memories for me there....
The storm's died down now and it's 2 minutes to 7am and I better start getting ready now for work. Don't you wish that on stormy, rainy days you could just stay home? I would write, write and write. I'm incredibly inspired when it rains and thunderstorms. :)
Sean no pics yet - I don't think Rick's uploaded them from his camera still - now that you reminded me, I'll remind HIM! ;)
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Sunday, August 5, 2007
08:08 a.m.
I got up at 7:30 this morning and opened the windows and blinds and was greeted by the pleasant breeze, warm sunlight, the sounds of birds and the steady streaming song of the cicadas. It's only 68 degrees right now - a marked difference from mornings in the past week when the heat was as high as 82 and the humidity at 100%. There's a gentle wind swaying the low tree limbs and the sun is shining down. It promises to be a beautiful August Sunday. I am going to make some coffee or tea and take my writing pad outside and write for a while. I'm pretty sure the madness of our family party won't start to begin until 10 or 11a.m. so lemme take this time now to enjoy the quiet Sunday morning. *HUGS* to all.
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Saturday, August 4, 2007
12:52 p.m.
"A stone monolith carved with a representation of Tlaltechutli, the Aztec god of the earth, is seen in Mexico City, in this Thursday, Nov. 16, 2006, file photo. Mexican archaeologists, using ground-penetrating radar, have detected directly below the monolith, underground chambers they believe contain the remains of Emperor Ahuizotl, who ruled the Aztecs when Columbus landed in the New World." Read full story: Aztec Leader's Tomb Found
"No tomb of an Aztec ruler has ever been found, in part because the Spanish conquerors built their own city atop the Aztec's ceremonial center, leaving behind colonial structures too historically valuable to remove for excavations."
"Any artifacts linked to Ahuizotl would bring tremendous pride to Mexico. The country has sought unsuccessfully to recover Aztec artifacts like the feather-adorned "shield of Ahuizotl" and the "Montezuma headdress" from the Ethnology Museum in Vienna, Austria."
Fascinating isn't it?
It is another sweltering hot day today - yesterday was 95 degrees and today promises to hit 90. Right now the sun's gone behind some clouds and is casting a dim shade on the grass. The lake looks totally green from reflecting the trees. I can see no ripples and there isn't a breeze in sight. We are definitely in the "dog days" of summer now and that makes me want to make some cold lemon-water, go out on the deck and write, write, write.
Met with a new guitarist named Ashwini yesterday after work and dude is he awesome! He got the melodies to my songs instantly and was able to play them both in fast and slow versions. It helps that he's Indian too and understands Indian music very well but an equal gem is that he used to be a rocker who played Metallica and Def Lepard! I think he's a very good accompanist for me and will very easily get my music. :)
Last night I finished HARRY POTTER Book 7 - the last book - it was wonderful - the whole entire series makes for one of the most beautiful and well-conceived and excellently written stories I've ever had the pleasure to read, from start to finish. I wish the author had covered more towards the end but it suffices. I plan to buy all the books now in hard-cover and give them a place of honor in my library. One day I shall give the books to my kids to read and hope they get as much enjoyment from it as I did.
The one thing I found ironic while reading it is a spell that protects barriers. One of my faerie fantasy stories I've been working on has a Hindu man protecting the main characters of my story by casting magic that protects the perimeters of their encampment in a clearing in the woods. My character does magical incantations to protect all directions including the sky and the ground. When I got to the part in the Harry Potter Book 7 where a similar security magic was used while the characters too were in the woods, I was amazed and worried - would people think I took that idea from HP book 7? Well no because I wrote all that back in April 2007 and HP 7 came out in late July. It's actually been done before in other fantasy magic books, Japanese manga and cartoons and anime I've watched and is a common and logical thing to do to secure the perimeters.
Today and tomorrow we have family visiting and one of my sisters (Mili) has come home to help my mom cook and prepare for a big family party we're having tomorrow. It's almost 1pm and I need to get working. *HUGS* to all.
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Friday, August 3, 2007
12:32 a.m.
Dear God,
Tonight, I finally learned the one big lesson you have been trying to teach me throughout all my 30 years of life. The one lesson which, although I had sometimes appreciated and tried to practice, never TRULY learned and appreciated the deep meaning and magnitude of it. Until now.
The lesson I finally came to understand: the reasons for why I had seemingly suffered so much hurt often in my life, was to bestow upon me the gifts of compassion, understanding & forgiveness - gifts that meant learning to see into another person's life and humanity and understand who and what they are and why they have hurt me and why I should not hate them but choose to understand, forgive and forget. It meant seeing into someone's human weaknesses & human flaws that cannot be helped and may never change - understanding them and, not only choosing to forgive and forget, but meant learning to NOT wish that they get what they deserve, and instead wish that they change for the better into kinder and better individuals who no longer had those flaws/weaknesses that had hurt me. It meant to wish for their wellness.
This lesson was the toughest lesson of my life and I am so thankful that it took only 30 years. Now that I think, this was a lesson taught in the Bible: pray for your enemies. Your enemies are really just YOU - how you would be if you were them, born into their bodies, with their genes and raised as they were with their families or culture/religion. To understand them and forgive them is the same as hoping someone would understand YOU and forgive you. We are, after all, one and the same - at the heart - at the center of it all.
I feel like now some subtle change has overcome me - like a huge weight has been released. I do not think now things will bother me as they once did. I suddenly feel like I am no longer the girl searching to become the woman she wishes to be - I suddenly feel that I have become her - finally, at last - a woman who is truly knowing, understanding, compassionate and forgiving. I have finally achieved it.
And now, I will achieve everything I have ever hoped to achieve.
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Tuesday, July 31, 2007
09:47 p.m.
hello guys and dolls :) top of the evenin' to ya.
I've been working on one of my fantasy stories tonight and have reached a road block such that I'm not sure where to take the story next. I'm sitting here revising and making the sentences more perfect instead. I needed a break so this was the perfect time to blog :)
My throat was still bothering me today at work but I think it's getting better now. I ate a ton of grapefruits, oranges, kiwis, plums, apples and blueberries and blackberries for the past 2 days (along with Green Tea) and I think all those super foods helped. I normally hate grapefruits but the ones I bought recently were actually sweet and good (as were ones I had on the cruise to Mexico 2 weeks ago - can't believe it's now 2 weeks ago) so now I've decided I need to start eating a grapefruit every other day.
I think I'll call it a night on writing and move on to a song I started composing on the train this evening - it's a haunting sad song I've titled 'To Stop a Falling Star.'
Thank you to Ramona and Azure Kaze for your well wishes *HUGS* And to Jenny - it's wonderful to see you! And yes busy with wedding plans alright (and many other plans!) :) How're you doing? What's new with you?
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Monday, July 30, 2007
07:06 a.m.
ugh, good morning people. I did come down with something. Got up a little while ago and my throat hurts and my face feels hot and my dad woke up now and he said I felt warm. Called one of my friends from work now & left her a message and think I'll call my boss John a little later. I'm downing some advil and tea now and going to see if I can sleep again.
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Sunday, July 29, 2007
10:21 p.m.
I think I'm coming down with something...last week I was sneezing a lot and this weekend I've got that weird itching in my ear and scratchiness in my throat...not feeling good now....been writing and re-vising for the past hour and a half almost....and I'm mad at myself because I'm getting tired and have to stop....my whole plan had been to get up early this morning and write all day but was thwarted by things I had to do......
Had many loving conversations with my Ricky this weekend....we miss each other a lot - can't believe we were just at the farmer's market last sunday......it thunderstormed and rained gorgeously here today and I watched Disc 2 of A Little Snow Fairy Sugar (a reallllyyy cute and beautiful Japanese anime). My sister Mili stopped by for a little bit today.
Nimisha Fall of the Gods will be finished but it is not on the top of my list as I have other stories which must be finished first. But rest assured - it shall be completed :)
Azure Kaze the questions you ask would take a book to answer ;) but briefly, go to law school and pass your state's bar exam and you can work as a lawyer and as for making a website - you need to learn html or use website builder tools and once you have those, you need a webspace - which is space hosted on a remote server. You can get free webspace most anywhere in exchange for letting them put a banner ad on your site or you can pay for your own domain (register one at dotster.com) and purchase a hosting plan that lets you buy space for your domain name. Then make your webpages and upload them to your domain through your host's servers. Ta da - you have a website :)
Sean looks like you had one awesome party! Nothing as exciting for me ;)
Hemal yup I'm getting married to my sweetheart of 6 years and counting, his name's Ricky.
Sarah Beth we sooooo need to catch up. When's good for you and I'll give u a call :)
Kayla I loveeee the doll maker!!! Here's the one I made below:
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Saturday, July 28, 2007
04:37 p.m.
it's a hot summer day out - 85 degrees and the lawn sprinklers are running and there's a wonderful warm breeze. I just got back home from the post office and the grocery store and am enjoying the delicious fruits I bought: peaches, kiwis and plums. Woke up around 11:30 this morning but I really want a nap now. Thank goodness it's Saturday.
Have you 'Sloohed' yet? If you love astronomy like I do, then you have to try the *LIVE* telescope missions at Slooh.com! Sign up for a free trial and see nebulae & galaxies right on your computer *LIVE*! I'm there most evenings & weekends. Join the Chat!
The Simpsons Movie
Friday, July 27, 2007
11:18 p.m.
Went and saw the Simpson's Movie tonight after work with my friend Steph - it was wonderful - if you see it, make sure you stay through the credits - you'll hear Maggie Speak!!! :) Went to Kwik-E-Mart in Times Square afterwards where I picked up 4 copies of Bart's comic 'Radioactive Man' and the 5 straws commemorating the movies - one of all the Simpsons (save for Maggie who's being held by Marge) & one of Apu :)
Below is the avatar I made at the SimpsonsMovie.com - looks similar to me :)
It's Fridaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy yahoooooooooooooooooooooo :D And it's the weekenddddddddddddddddddddddd :D
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I loved, loved, loved Mexico
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
10:01 p.m.
talk about a gorgeous city with wonderful people and that was just Ensenada, Mexico which is located in Baja, Mexico. I went last Friday via JetBlue (enjoying hours of 'What Not To Wear' on it's DirecTV) and landed in Long Beach where my Ricky gave me a big hug and lugged my heavy red suitcase to a beautiful silver PT CRUISER CONVERTIBLE!!!! I can't tell you how much even MORE I am in love with convertibles after this. I got props for finding the button that made the top go down ;)
Rick's own car was in the shop because he had gotten rear-ended while he was stopped at a red light a couple weeks ago and so the other driver's insurance company was paying Rick's rental car costs. Rick decided to treat us to the PT convertible and paid more out of his pocket so we could drive down in the cute car to San Diego to visit his friends Seena and Eric.
Friday night we went to this place called Joe's on Abbott Kinney for a romantic dinner and before that, I got to meet his new roomate, Linda, who is a total sweetheart and her 2 adorable dogs - a daschund named Stretch who's really quiet and another dog who's a mixed breed that is golden and is a very happy hyper dog who LOVED me (and I loved it) named Tone!
We got up super early on Saturday and after packing, headed to Whole Foods where we got a huge gift basket and a bottle of wine for Seena and Eric - who've got to be one of the cutest and coolest couples I know - they're so interesting. Seena is a super-creative and beautiful woman who's also malayalee and jacobite like me and she's amazingly talented - her house is the most artful museum-like place I've ever been - every object is like a piece of art with a wonderful story to go with it. I adored them AND their little daughter Quinn who's just the CUTEST GIRL to turn 5 years old!!! She and I had a lot in common: a love for Disney Princesses and Barbies :D Especially Ariel! :) We spent Saturday with Seena and Eric and spent Sunday with them at the beach in San Diego - I ate fish tacos for the first time and boy were they good!
Headed back to L.A. in the evening and once back went to Natalee Thai's - this VERY GOOD thai restaurant and then it was up early again on Monday to run errands before going to our CRUISE SHIP in Long Beach - the ship was located right next to the famous haunted ship - the Queen Mary! Carnival's ship was humongous and it was a fun experience just boarding! Once inside, we found our cabin had a great big window and a great view of the sea. Our first night on the boat was spent meeting some cool people at our dinner table - Lindsay and Chris and Sarah and Micah - both couples were devout Christians with strong spiritual beliefs - I thought they were wonderful people and enjoyed meeting them although early on the conversation wound up getting tense when people started discussing their religious beliefs....politics and religion - never good to get into at the dinner table ;)
Tuesday early morning we woke up to the gorgeous view of Catalina Island - its city of Avalon is just so gorgeous. After getting room service of croissants and delicious breakfast foods (it's insane the amount of amazing food you get on a cruise ship) we headed out to the Island for an Eco Tour of marine life and spotted a bald eagle, bird's nests, seals and learned a lot about the history of the Island and its inhabitants. We spent a lot of time walking around the Island - Rick and I'd been there before and thoroughly explored it already so now we were just having fun - the houses there are just so gorgeous.
Wednesday morning we arrived in Ensenada and off the ship we boarded a cruise tour to a real mexican winery that had won various awards where we learned how wine was made and tasted its white and red wines and samples its olive oil and cheeses. Next we went to La Bufadora (the Blowhole) - an underwater geyser of sorts. I picked up cute little turtles and souvenirs for my friends at work there and then Rick and I got off the bus downtown and escaped the touristy areas and explored Ensenada on our own. We walked down various streets taking in the sights and sounds, ate at local restaurants where we didn't spot any tourists - and it was SO awesome. I spoke in Spanish to everyone I met and in so doing, we found a movie theater where we were able to watch Ocean's 13 in english (with Spanish subtitles) for only $2.50 a person!!! The mexican dollar is 11 mexical dollars to 1 U.S. dollar so everything is MUCH cheaper there. I LOVED IT. We bought pastries after an amazing dinner at this placed called Margarita's and even the pastries came out to only $2 total. I was AMAZED.
The best part of Ensenada was how NICE the people were and NO ONE tried to cheat us or take advantage of us. They were just GOOD people and we loved it. We felt like we were in Kerala (our native land in India) because of all the markets and the people who looked so similar to us.
I was so sad to leave Mexico that night. Especially because the next day, Thursday, was a "day at sea" and the most boring day EVER. I worked out a lot on the cruise ship (took aerobics and pilates and worked the heck out of the elliptical machine) and Rick and I spent Thursday exploring the ship, working out, watching tv, reading our books and magazines and being very bored. We did see a couple shows on board which are like Broadway shows in their talent and numbers (I loved the Hollywood show). The dinners at night were fabulous - I had lobster to molten chocolate cakes and pumpkin bisques and it was definitely 4-star food.
We landed back on shore Friday - happy to be back on land because we'd been so bored at sea - and after running a million errands, unpacked and chilled before catching TRANSFORMERS at the movie theater (lemme tell ya - it is one AWESOME movie!!!!!) and then we came back home and got ready to meet up with Ricky's friend Hirag and Hirag's girlfriend, Bianca. Turns out Hirag and Bianca are getting married next May also (2 weeks before Ricky and I do) and we talked a lot about wedding planning. We went to this awesome Moroccan restaurant which had a bellydancer performing during the dinner - it's name was Cayenne and I had my first taste of delicious moroccan coffee there - it has sediments and is rich! The food was amazing and I loved the Jallab drink (a sweet rose water drink with pine nuts and something else I forget).
Saturday we got up early again to go to Ricky's friends Marie & Flo's house - they're French and gave us a french breakfast of croissants and DELICIOUS coffee. They're very sweet and very chill people with a gorgeous baby boy who's 1 and 1/2 years old. I enjoyed talking to them because they're intelligent and informed me so much on french politics and culture. Afterwards, Rick and I went walking on MELROSE AVENUE where we checked out cute stores and restaurants, had gelato and stopped at this Indian store run by Americans who had gone to India often. I found this beautiful hand-made box carved with sanskrit and the owner told me it was 50% off and I got it along with little jeweled pots of ayurvedic balms that smelled SO DELICIOUS - I also picked up this gorgeous Indian oil tea-pot like vessel as a gift for Ricky's roomate Linda - her aparment is beautifully decorated and she has great shelves which she displays beautiful objects - I thought the vessel would look pretty on it :)
We dished on Japanese food at this place called Yabu's and that night, we met up at Manhattan Beach at Mama D's Italian Restaurant with Rick's other friend, Mike - who is this really cool guy who has done peace corp in Algeria. Rick has wonderful friends and I adored them all.
Sunday we went for breakfast at this trendy place called Urth Cafe and then went to a farmer's market where we got delicious fresh fruits, creamed honey and spent the rest of the day shopping for sunglasses and looking at cars for Ricky to buy - I found the one I want - a beautiful 2007 laser blue Volkswagen Beetle Convertible - it's JUST SO CUTE & ME and I wish I'd taken a picture of it - the image below doesn't do it justice - it's SO MUCH prettier and nicer in person!!
After hitting the beach, we went home where I packed and we went for a late movie showing of Ratatouille - very cute movie - and then it was up super early at 5am Monday morning for the drive back to the airport.
Rick and I miss each other a lot now. I love L.A. but it was nice to come home too to my dad and sister Nithi who picked me up from JFK and when I got home mummy loved the little mexican girl doll I brought back for her (got myself one too) and nith loved the turtle I brought back for her (a little plastic one which I'd also given Rick who put it on his dashboard) and I spent the night unpacking and went to work on Tuesday wishing I was still in Mexico and writing ;)
It's good to be back though and I'm ready and re-charged to work on my music and writing and wedding planning!
I hope all of you have been well!!!! I hope to have pictures from Mexico soon. *HUGS* to everyone!!!! I'm going to take a cool shower (it is hot and humid here right now) and try to do some writing tonight.
Have you 'Sloohed' yet? If you love astronomy like I do, then you have to try the *LIVE* telescope missions at Slooh.com! Sign up for a free trial and see nebulae & galaxies right on your computer *LIVE*! I'm there most evenings & weekends. Join the Chat!
Back from vacation
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
10:23 p.m.
I'm backkkkkkkkkkkkkk and I had the best time. I LOVED Baja, Mexico!!!!!! I'll write much much more tomorrow but right now I'm super-tired and need to sleep.
I want to give big hugs to Sean, Lady, Darlene, Sarah Beth, Millie, Hana, Azure Kaze, Kayla, Callie, Caroline (Caro-channn :D) and Ramona.
Have you 'Sloohed' yet? If you love astronomy like I do, then you have to try the *LIVE* telescope missions at Slooh.com! Sign up for a free trial and see nebulae & galaxies right on your computer *LIVE*! I'm there most evenings & weekends. Join the Chat!
Thursday, July 12, 2007
11:12 p.m.
tomorrow is my 1st day of vacation! :) it's off to sunny Baja, Mexico for me on a 4 to almost 5-day cruise that leaves Monday! :) But first, I fly in to Los Angeles see my boyfriend tomorrow night and we'll be driving to San Diego early Saturday morning to see his friends there before we head back to L.A. to board the ship! :) So excited and I just can't wait! Packed all my favorite hot-weather clothes and almost every bikini and swimsuit I own ;) I'm excited to see Mexico and enjoy a real summer get-a-way! :)
I'm almost done packing 1 huge luggage with everything that I'll check in. I'm really proud that I packed 11 days worth of clothes & shoes and everything else heavy in 1 rolling suitcase :) On the 5-6 hour flight I usually only bring a purse and a small overnight bag which holds my magazines, water, lotions and everything else I could possibly need on the plane ;) I plan to write on the plane so packed my writing pad and print-outs of everything I've written thus far. I'm determined to finish at least 1-3 chapters of each of my stories over vacation.
I probably won't write from there so bon voyage everyone :) *HUGS* and see ya'll when I get back!
Have you 'Sloohed' yet? If you love astronomy like I do, then you have to try the *LIVE* telescope missions at Slooh.com! Sign up for a free trial and see nebulae & galaxies right on your computer *LIVE*! I'm there most evenings & weekends. Join the Chat!
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
11:04 p.m.
I finished compiling every salon that has 3 or more of the 5 designers of the dresses I want - after I get back from my vacation I'll be heading to a ton of bridal salons in NYC, Westchester and Long Island - and that's for the wedding gowns. The hardest thing is the dress shopping! Both for myself and for my bridesmaids. My possible designers will be San Patrick, La Sposa, Pronovias, Priscilla of Boston and Melissa Sweet. I decided I had to give up on the Elie Saab unless by some miracle I became rich between now and the wedding. Hah. :)
Have you 'Sloohed' yet? If you love astronomy like I do, then you have to try the *LIVE* telescope missions at Slooh.com! Sign up for a free trial and see nebulae & galaxies right on your computer *LIVE*! I'm there most evenings & weekends. Join the Chat!
Monday, July 9, 2007
10:56 p.m.
how come Stonehenge isn't one of the 7 wonders of the world? For that matter - why only 7? why not 10 or 12? I've compiled about 18-20 and these are simply man-made wonders of the world:
My list:
Pyramids of Giza
Taj Mahal
Great Wall of China
Stonehenge
Eiffel Tower
Statue of Liberty
Roman Colosseum
Parthenon & Acropolis of Greece
The Leaning Tower of Pisa
Machu Pichu
Aztec temples of Mexico
Big Ben in London
Christ the Redeemer Statue of Brazil
Angkor Wat's temple
Easter Island
Red Square & St. Basil's Cathedral in Russia
Sydney Opera House
Petra of Jordan (can't forget that!)
The Terra-Cotta Warriors of China
And if you don't know one of those listed above, do a little on-line research - you'll be surprised by how amazing these structures and sites are.
Have you 'Sloohed' yet? If you love astronomy like I do, then you have to try the *LIVE* telescope missions at Slooh.com! Sign up for a free trial and see nebulae & galaxies right on your computer *LIVE*! I'm there most evenings & weekends. Join the Chat!
Sunday, July 8, 2007
9:14 a.m.
I'm having breakfast with Wimbledon. I'm cheering Rafael Nadal on. He's so sweet and humble when he talks about how no one's ever won both the French and Wimbledon back to back in like forever and ever and just humbly says he's going to try his best and then asks Roger Federer, who's the current champion of Wimbledon, if he'd like to go first out on the court. That kind of humble sweetness is what wins me over. I hope he wins today.
Update at 9:55 a.m.
OH MY GOD this game is so freakin' intense. It's tied now 6-6!!!!!!!! Now they have to play tie-break!!!!!! ARGGGHHHHHHHHH!! Every time they go for a long volley I feel crushed if Rafa loses the volley cause they played so long and tough - and SO BEAUTIFULLY! They truly are the BEST players in tennis right now!
Update at 1:21 p.m.
Well sweet Rafa lost but not before taking Roger into a 5th set and putting up an AMAZING show of tennis skill winning the 2nd and 4th sets 6-2 and 6-4 and forcing Roger into super long 7-6/7-6 sets complete with tie-breaks in each. By the 5th set however Rafa had hurt his knee and his body language didn't look too good. I kept yelling at the tv 'Keep Fighting Rafa!' but I could tell he was spent - too many errors. This championship game was absolutely riveting and amazing and when Rafa had to give his runner-up speech, he was the sweetest most humblest guy....next year Rafa - ur gonna win next year! :)
Have you 'Sloohed' yet? If you love astronomy like I do, then you have to try the *LIVE* telescope missions at Slooh.com! Sign up for a free trial and see nebulae & galaxies right on your computer *LIVE*! I'm there most evenings & weekends. Join the Chat!
Thursday, July 5, 2007
11:14 p.m.
This morning I decided to walk the mile worth of blocks and avenues to work and, in so doing, witnessed the sobering morning activity of stores opening.
For those who have never seen the sun rise with shopkeepers opening their cafes, bakeries, groceries and those tiny little convenience "delis" on street corners selling coffee and lottery tickets, the experience is slightly surreal and exotic.
The men often have cigarettes in their mouths, and some are Indian, Hispanic or Chinese. Sometimes I can hear Hindi music playing from within the Indian stores or catch some recognizable phrases in Spanish, Mandarin or Cantonese from the groceries and cafes.
I take all of this in with the steady beat of my feet on the sidewalk, slowing down only a second to marvel at these things in life that so many of us ignore or fail to notice.
Many of the stores on New York City's streets are shuttered at night with solid metal gates, some of which have age-old graffiti written upon them. When the stores open in the morning, however, with the clanging sounds of their metallic grates and chains, revealed are beautiful boutiques of wholesalers who sell designer brands of gorgeous dresses, gowns and tops to bigger retailers. Some of these will allow a customer off the street to purchase their clothing but you probably won't get the wholesale price.
As I walked by a few of these on the west side of 37th Street, I made a mental note to walk back this way after work so I could see the shops in their full display and glory. New York, New York, I love this city.
I'm off to bed. Will respond to msgs tomorrow night or this weekend. *HUGS* to all!
Have you 'Sloohed' yet? If you love astronomy like I do, then you have to try the *LIVE* telescope missions at Slooh.com! Sign up for a free trial and see nebulae & galaxies right on your computer *LIVE*! I'm there most evenings & weekends. Join the Chat!
Happy 4th of July 2007!
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
08:16 p.m.
What a fun and productive 4th! Woke up around 8am but lay in bed snoozing until 9am at which point I turned on Regis & Kelly and was happy they were still LIVE for the 4th of July :) Then got out of bed and went and made a healthy breakfast of a fruit salad of sliced kiwis, oranges and bananas, with coffee with very vanilla soy milk and a boiled egg. My sisters then all arrived home and after hanging out we started making our outdoor barbeque. Mekha got my mom new kebob skewers and the steak, bell pepper and tomato kebobs we made were SOOOOO delicious. I ate so much with hot dogs and hamburgers and corn - the outdoor barbeque on our deck was awesome :) Afterwards, we all played Papa's new Bingo game (lost $3 in the process) and I went upstairs and spent a lot of time designing and finding what will be my wedding cake, floral decorations, cake toppers and my wedding invitations. I'm surprised how much I got decided and done,
I made a very special dessert for my family today which I've decided to call "Nishi's Peach Vanilla Delight Dessert" - here's the recipe:
Nishi's Peach Vanilla Delight Dessert
Take 4 ripe peaches, 24 blackberries, and 24 blueberries and wash all well and set aside
Pit 3 of the peaches and slice them in half and set aside in a bowl (you should have 6 halves now)
Also remove the pit from the 4th peach but simply slice that one up into small chunks - about 12 pieces if possible
Set stove to medium-high heat and in a large pan, melt 2 tablespoons of soft butter or margarine
Once melted, add in 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract and stir
Then add 1/4 cup of molasses (whatever brand or type you like)
Make sure all are mixed and melted together
Then place the peaches into the pan (halved-sides face-down) and the chunks, as well, all in, and cover the pan and let cook for 6-8 minutes
Then flip the halved-peaches over and cover again for another 4 minutes)
After this, switch the stove off and remove the pan from the hear and place each of halves into 6 bowls
Take Vanilla Ice Cream and put a small scoop into the center of each half (where the pit used to be)
Put 2 chunks of peaches on either side of the peach-halves in each bowl
Then from the pan, take the peach-molasses-vanilla syrup and pour a little of it over the top of the ice cream and the peaches
Finally, put 4 blackberries and 4 blueberries in each bowl decoratively around the peaches and serve immediately
I made that dessert up with whatever was available in our kitchen and it was a hit! :) The peaches were warm and the vanilla ice cream cold and the whole thing wasn't like overly sweet or anything - it was just right.
The girls have left now to go back to their apartments and I'm going to watch Macy's Fireworks special on tv with my folks.
Have you 'Sloohed' yet? If you love astronomy like I do, then you have to try the *LIVE* telescope missions at Slooh.com! Sign up for a free trial and see nebulae & galaxies right on your computer *LIVE*! I'm there most evenings & weekends. Join the Chat!
Monday, July 2, 2007
09:47 p.m.
ahhhh I feel so refreshed! Just took a long shower after jogging 4 1/2 miles and doing a ton of strengthening and toning exercises and a grueling ab workout - I'm gonna have abs of steel - and I better - I just bought 2 new super-pretty bikinis from Victoria's Secret for the Cruise to Baja, Mexico I'm going on in 2 weeks! One's purple and the other is tribal - perfect for Mexico huh? ;)
My friend Jose's wedding was beautiful! His bride, Mayra, looked GORGEOUS. My friends Mark and his girlfriend Marie were there as was my friend Alexi and Kerry from work. I danced and had yummy food and drove all the way to Baldwin myself without getting lost! Huge accomplishment! Below are pictures from the wedding.
And those were taken with my camera phone! :) I look like a floating head next to my friend Mark and his girlfriend Marie ;)
After Jose and Mayra's wedding, I went upstate to my cousin Kripa's birthday party! Was a lot of fun and little Kripa turned 4 and is the cutest girl but she can be a cute holy terror! And I say this with love! :) We didn't leave there until waaaaaaaaay late and got home super late and somehow I survived today by drinking 2 cups of coffee! :)
Came home and went straight out and jogged until 8pm and now I'm going to eat a yummy dinner and settle in for a night of writing.
Worked on my wedding song I wrote back in 2002 or 2003 when Rick and I were in our 2nd or 3rd year together - I'm going to make both the slow version which will play (and that I may be singing) as I walk down the aisle and a dance/re-mix version and compile both on a beautiful CD to give out at Ricky and my wedding next May as our wedding favor. I don't like the idea of giving out spoons or glasses or candles or anything like that - the favor should be something to remember our wedding and what better than a song I wrote for Ricky for our wedding day that's been recorded and produced for the guests? :) The re-mix version I think will be the wedding song we dance to :) I can't WAIT to record and produce it next fall or winter! :)
Azure Kaze you're right - it is! :) I just love the SM news it's got! :) Thank you for sharing the link :) Desi aww well thank you very much :) I'll definitely put up pictures next year of my final choice :) Sean there's drama with any and every job :) I just smile and let it pass :) and thank you for understanding about the comment - comments left on there can actually be found on google. lady aww thank you!!! :) *HUGS* how're you doing? What's new with you? Kayla you really did great in your classes! Congrats! FIDM? haven't heard of it but I'll ask my Ricky :) Aura thanks for sharing that link. I LOVEEEEEEEEEEE Hatshepsut - she's one of my most favorite queens and one I featured on my Woman of Legend Quiz back in 2003 and 2004! :) How was your dad's surprise retirement party? Tell me about that! :) Darlene yessss we definitely need to meet up SOON! Congrats about your job offers!!! That is so exciting!! And I SOOOO wish I could take a summer off and go to the gym and relax!
Jogging, Martial Arts Kickboxing, Dance - currently middle eastern dance & bellydance, Tennis, Singing (of course ;) and working on my songs, Reading & writing about all the things I am interested and passionate about, watching tv and movies, painting, drawing, astronomy, rollerblading (and trying to get better at it and ice skating!), obsessive anime and manga fan and professional web designing, ancient studies / ancient civilizations, history and archaeology, world mythology, politics and world affairs, international law, human rights, studying many languages (have studied and continue to study spanish, mandarin chinese, japanese and hindi).
