My Ramblings

Addicted to Online Social Networking

2009-10-14T23:08:00.001-07:00

Today, I joined Twitter. I swore I was done with joining new networks. I wanted to believe that I had gotten over this need to be part of every Online Social Network (OSN)... I truly wanted to believe it. Reality is completely different. As of today, I am part of Facebook, Orkut, Linkedin, and Twitter.

My journey with the whole OSN obsession did not start only a couple of years back with the trend. To me the whole concept of using the internet to connect with people started for me as early as when I was 12. I remember getting so excited over the sound "You've got mail." It gave my life a purpose. Sad now, but when you are 12, that is life. I remember sneaking into chat rooms and making tons of friends. I also remember getting beat for staying up late chatting. Ah, so worth it. I was always very comfortable with talking to random strangers. However, I was not stupid to make the mistakes that a lot of people did by meeting people quickly or being unsafe about the whole thing. So, the concept of networking online started for me then, with sweet ol' America OnLine.

Most people would not really consider that as an OSN today. I remember the first OSN I joined... Friendster. I remember my best friend joining it to follow some idiot Indian guy and I was thinking at that time how ridiculous it was. People were just so randomly adding anyone to their "friend" list. It was like some "It" thing to have such a huge list. I honestly didnt get the point. Then again, what was the difference when I added people to my chat list who I knew nothing about. SO with that thought, I joined Friendster. Start off the bat, I had a couple friends who acted like I finally found Jesus by joining. Then BAM, it took off... like a wild rollercoaster whose speed and turns I was not too prepared for or aware of. Boy, was it a thrilling ride! Soon, I was making friends, getting to know friends of friends and people from Singapore and Germany were messaging me. I felt so popular and really it was fun. Writing all these testimonials and this unspoken contest about wanting to have the most on your profile, etc etc. Soon, Friendster opened a world I never even thought of...Dating. I met someone there who I began to date. I know what you are thinking-- was he some 40 year psycho who had a thing for "exotic" Indian girls? No, he was just some normal dude. Who would have thought and by that time, I swore I could never live without this site or those testimonials. lol.

Hey, we live in America--- the nurture and nature of capitalism built in. Soon, a lot of competitors came out... MySpace, Orkut, etc. I was biased at the beginning and felt loyal to Friendster like it was my boyfriend. The trend of it all hits you. Slowly, you see people migrating and you dont want to "lose" your "friends", so you follow. And then before you know it, you are now part of two websites and completely sucked into both of them. You justify being part of both because of the different functions or people that are on each of them. Like my switch to myspace came others like Orkut (where I found all my Indian friends from India) and Facebook (where I connected to all my college friends) and so here we are.

I left Friendster last year. I had logged back in after almost 1.5 years and seeing all that old stuff made me laugh. The stupid things you write, the testimonials you swore by for someone; laughing as you realize you have no idea where this person even is anymore. So I said, enough is enough, and closed my account. I never looked back. Why? Because most of everyone I wanted to keep in touch with--- were on MySpace.

Soon, I left MySpace for Facebook like a whorey wife who leaves her mid life crisis husband for the 20 something lawn mower dude with the six pack. MySpace was flab ab and Facebook was fab ab! Facebook was just hands down better. The needs again changed. People went from Friendster to MySpace cuz it had all thesec capabilities to personalize. Then Facebook came with all these cool applications and no one seemed to care anymore that their website background was green this week and pink last week. I am still part of Orkut and my justification-- to keep in touch with friends that are in India and those who are NOT on Facebook (I know its hard to think--- who the hell ISNT on Facebook?!)

History of OSNing: AOL/AIM-->Friendster,Hi5-->MySpace, Orkut, Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter
Current: Facebook, Linkedin, Orkut, Twitter (in order of importance of course)

More than anything, I have accepted like an AA member "Hi. My name is Jayashree and I am addicted to my online networks."

I was so addicted to Facebook that it has become the butt of jokes. Jayashree's status message changes more often than rhinoplasties in LA. I must illustrate this for you: I would wake up, update my status "I am up." I would get to work and write "I am at work. Need coffee." Then 10 minutes later, " I am wishing I was at home." And so on and on it went like that. I was not alone. You know you did it. After some people (non OSN junkies) pointed it out, you slowly began to cut down publicizing your bathroom breaks. That did not spare photographs, applications, superpoking and the list goes on. You could tell my entire life on Facebook. Every thought, action, picture, all my memories right there for the world to see. I did not care. I have never really been a private person. As you get older, you start to realize how valuable time and privacy are. So I cut back on tagging myself in every picture. I have gone from having 569 picture tagged to a mere 149 (heh heh) today. Today, I am still a big time FB addict. I cannot live without it. Now, that I have the iPhone, comments, likes, mobile photo uploads all happen simultaneously.

So the long drawn out history brings me to the real topic: Are we all just a little too addicted?

Back in the good ol' days, I would have called my intimate friends and only they would really know "What's on my mind". Now the whole world knows; well the ones that have the privilege to view my stuff. OSN have not only caught the attention of multiple users who have a new interface to use as a means of communication, but also a platform for Businesses, Media, and Artists to reach a wide variety of audiences. It has been incorporated into many Marketing strategies. I hardly find any business that doesn't have a link to Facebook or says "Follow us on Twitter."

I spend more time txting people, poking them, writing on their walls, following their tweets, liking their photo albums, bitch slapping them or hugging them through SuperPoke than I have really spent calling most of them. I would rather just update my status to let the world know that I hate it than calling those I love to solve it. We have lost some sight of how important face to face communication can be. I still believe it is really valuable. If physical interaction did not matter, hell, I would be dating some on the Moon. While we do spend most of our days updating these sites, we should not forget the value of bonding with people one on one. Why do we spend more time keeping casual relationships online rather than building more meaningful, tighter circles? Why do we leave ourselves open for information for people who have no business looking for it? Have we lost ourselves in this high tech dimension or is the world itself gone wireless?

The other side of me argues for the chameleon in me...

The ways we communicate have changed with time. Maybe at one time it was unthinkable to announce your engagement on some random public note, but now, it saves me time and money and everyone knows. I don't have to fear that I forgot someone. Online Networks open up the doors to many things. I really believe it gave me a means of finding myself. It gives people the opportunity to express themselves with more freewill and confidence. I have met some of my best friends through these sites and come across opportunities that would have been so limited and hard to find before. The OSN world has really been a platform for Freedom of Expression for a variety of things and people. At the end, it helps you find and define a niche specific target.
We live in a world where ex lovers, families, spouses, bosses, enemies, lost friends, people you hate, people you cant say you hate, people you should hate, and people who you take for granted, future employers, schools, the President of the United States of America!! and etc etc are all connected through a couple clicks of the mouse. If the world was already so small, well it just got that much smaller. Forget trying to test the Six Degrees of Separation... say goodbye to whats left of this "separation." At the end, the answer maybe as simple as convenience and adapting.

Online Social Networking is here to stay and grow and I cant wait to see where the ride takes me. Its time to just look forward to the tweets, likes, scraps, and connections that is made with just a simple click of the mouse.

Leanna Elizalde: "Intellingence plus character."

2008-06-04T13:06:00.000-07:00

High school graduation-- it is one of the most important milestones, as part of growing up in the US. An event to cherish old memories, forever friends and an ending to the beginning of the rest of your life. Sadly, some never get to experience this; not even a cancer fighting student named, Leanna Elizalde. She has been fighting cancer, school work and the tribulations of a high school student. She was diagnosed with a painful cancerous tumor in her leg and has undergone many procedures for recovery. This should be a story of hope, strength, and determination. Sadly, this has brought light into the lack of inspiration and empathy of those who we look up to as leaders by example.

Leanna's biggest battle is not with her cancer; it is trying to convince her school board to allow her to participate in her graduation ceremony. She is behind 5 units of the 230 needed for graduation, preventing her from walking with her class, according to the 'all mighty rules'. The principal, Evelia Genera has refused to make any comments, stating that she is only allowed to speak with parents regarding student matters. Leanna's mother has made many pleas for the board to reconsider this decision. "Absolutely not", "Rules are Rules", and "No" are the only responses received. There are many supporters encouraging the board to allow Leanna to graduate, including her doctor who wrote a special letter to the principal stating her decision to not allow Leanna would be "construed as a punitive action unbefitting a pediatric cancer patient."

Leanna struggled through treatment and recovery, trying her best to keep up with school work. This is truly inspiring, not only to her peers, but for all of us. Leanna truly has fought to not let cancer stop her from creating, sharing and building these important memories in her life. It was reported that she attended her high school prom, with a drainage bag attached to her under her dress. At this age, to have this much strength to cope with recovery but not loose determination to succeed is truly inspiring.

I do not understand when 'Rules' were set in stone. This is absolutely ridiculous and unbecoming of what we call education. Graduation is meant to honor accomplishments and success. Are we resorting to say that education is only equivalent to how many units we receive or the score of the GPA. Stating so takes away the true essence of knowledge itself. This girl's story is not one of someone who gave up, who didn't try, but simply, that of perseverance and strength. If this is the examples we allow to be set by people we appoint in position of leadership, where is mentoring headed?

The school board is meeting tonight to make a decision on whether or not Leanna can graduate with her class this Saturday, June 6th, 2008. The school's website states two quotes (Please see the image below). One of them being:

"Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival. "
~W. Edwards Deming (1900 - 1993)

Leanna's story showcases that survival is compulsory, and so we must all learn from it. I am writing this in hopes to pass the word, the support and the ultimate plea to let this student be part of something that you only experience once in your life, with friends she has known since kindergarten. A sweet close to a sweeter beginning. The high school diploma is only the beginning for Leanna, who hopes to go to medical school and be on the other side of what she has gone through---- treating cancer.

The motto on the school web page says, "The strength of the wolves is in the pack..." I urge her pack to stand together and fight for her right to take part.

"Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education."-- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Links to articles:

CNN video

Daily Democrat article

News 10 article

********** UPDATED *************

They are allowing her to walk. :)

New updated News 10 article

Principal Evelia Genera statement

Party like a rock star! Get fucked like a porn star! Carry on like a movie star!

2008-05-19T19:26:00.000-07:00

The big 26! 2-6! ouch. Has it been that many years already? To my mother, it was not my 26th bday, but another year older and as she claims my age to be 'UNMARRIED'. The other day, an auntie casually asked my mom how old I am, and which she responds with a heavy sigh, "What age.. I don't know... she is unmarried." So, there I realized that no longer are any of my achievements worthy of note. Who cares if I am about to start prep for GMAT? Who bloody gives a damn, if I were to get a promotion? The end tag for all indians is MARRIED; the ultimate being MARRIED w/ CHILDREN. But, hey I was not about to make my 26th bday some crap about the tag UNMARRIED.

So for my 26th bday, this year, I was showered with so much love. I mean I had calls coming in from all over the place. My friends locally, out of town and even some out of this country. It was really nice to hear from people who you felt had forgotten about you. I think its on your birthday that you feel completely and utterly spoiled. From the office to home, it was just a great bday. I didn't feel like I was 26; I felt like it was my 21st bday. And indeed, it was celebrated like I was only 21. My bday is on Cinco de Mayo; so if everyone forgets my bday, everyone is still celebrating it over drinks. This bday was stretched out into so many nights, it was a bday week. I believe I drank more alcohol this week than I did water. Friday night was spent with all my college girls, proving that yes, I do have girlfriends.... hott girlfriends, might I add. Sat was my official birthday party at the usual place it has been celebrated in for many years. BJs...where else. Nothing about the party changed except the faces at the table. It was an entirely new memory-- filled with laughs, shots and of course, a huge bday bizookie. The night was surrounded by 9 boys who moaned about the fact that there were only 3 girls. All the hott girls were out of town this weekend. Still, they came for my bday; they pissed for sure about the girls, but still they came for me. It all wrapped up with an after party at my apartment; ending at a smashing4 am! A whole bottle of patron, malibu, and shots at BJs in honor of my 26th bday! I partied like a rockstar!!

.... and the week after my bday, I truly felt like I got fucked up like a porn star. So yes, I felt like I was 21 screaming woohoo at my party, forgetting about my lil woes in life, and gave attn to having a good time. The following week I got sick; cold, sore throat, and PINK EYE. Eeeeek! So, perhaps, are we as young as we feel? And is my need to party like I am 21 a 'quarter life crisis' as my friend notes.... There are many points in our life where we get to the top of the hill, looking down the slope, just to see a climb for another hill. I guess Quarter life crisis maybe the outward explanation. A reflection into the past couple years, I could say I should have been engaged by now, or married, or on the way there. Had that all worked out, my life would have been entirely different now. Surely, I would have celebrated my bday, and all the glory of 26, but it would have been overshadowed by the marriage milestone in my life. I don't have any sad thoughts about missing my milestone at 26. I believe that milestones are age-less. My Indian culture may not agree with that thought; with its compartmentalizing events of life into age brackets. There are no age life crisis-- these are made up by society as way for us to cope with aging. Surely, I will go through some crisis feeling like Wow, I am 27! I need to find someone, get married, get settled. Seeing more and more friends 'biting the dust' to speak makes Partying like a Rock star as outdated as a Woodstock concert.

Perhaps, this whole age thought is ridiculous. You are as young as you feel. I don't feel old at the age of 'UNMARRIED', but rather I would say I feel as young as 26! Youth is not paralyzed by accomplishments. Milestones indeed are age-less.

The new human kind

2008-01-22T16:35:00.000-08:00

Freud's human mind-
id, ego, superego

Tambrahmin's human mind-
i, iyer, iyengar

Indian's human mind-
Pardesi, Desi, ABCD

Man's human mind-
B.S. (Bachelor of Sexology), M.B.A (Management by Accident), PhD (Power Hungry Dog)

Woman's human mind-
Cause, Pause, Menopause

by:jbs

2008: A new year and a new life

2008-01-01T23:19:00.001-08:00

My reflection of 2007 has been something of an emotional rollercoaster. It brought to my mind my favorite Bhagavad-Gita quote:

"Whatever happened was for good. Whatever is happening is also for the good. Whatever will happen will also be for good. What did you lose of your own that you are crying for? What did you bring with you that you have lost? What did you create that has been destroyed? Whatever you possess, you have got it from here. Whatever you gave, you gave it here. Whatever belongs to you today, it belonged to someone else yesterday. And tomorrow, it will belong to someone else. *Change is the rule of nature*." –THE BHAGAVAD GITA.

Change is indeed the rule of nature. Change used to have an adverse effect on me. I would do anything to keep things constant… “The way IT was; they way THEY were,” are all tag lines that I used in my whining over the good old days. Reality is such that my life is not what it used to be; and even better I am not who I used to be. Change is inevitable. My outlook on ‘change’ itself ultimately changed; now I welcome it. Nothing in this life is guaranteed-- not jobs, not your health, and certainly not relationships (of any kind). What are certain-- your belief in yourself, how you adapt to change and your attitude.

This past year has truly been filled with much turmoil. I believed I lost a lot of what I held dear. To paraphrase the quote: “What you lost, was it ever yours?” No. Then how can it be a loss? I feared that it would shatter my spirits, my faith, and ultimately, me. Like the burning phoenix, I rose from my ashes. And when I look back onto 2007, I see what I gained over what I never really had. My life is a journey. I met a lot of people who inspired, as well as those who conspired. I have grazed onto greener pastures, and trembled through some dark woods. What I have realized this year was printed on a t-shirt my older sister gave to me for Christmas one year. “Life is a journey. Not a guided tour.” I am indeed the driver of my journey. Be grateful and respect those who stand by you today, stood by you yesterday and who will sit beside you tomorrow; not those who ran by you, hid behind you, and who stabbed inside you. I am overjoyed to see all that I still gained and what was salvaged. To say thanks, I am grateful to those who have continued to be in my life and loved me in an unconditional way. To tell the truth hurts, but to hurt the one you love by telling the truth stings more. Thank you for taking that pain. You understood me without ever making me explain. Simply, thanks to those of you!

2008. Happy New Life. Countdown began to 2008, a chance for a change; a wanted and much needed change. The last day of 2007. December 31, 2006- Last New Years, I spent the morning desperate to reach someone across the world, but realized they might as well have been a galaxy away. A whole year that just flashed by, like an unwarranted blinking of the eye. Now, December 31, 2007. I could not have been more anxious to welcome the New Year. This New Year really means a new life for me. My do-over. What would I change? Myself. I would change all the ways that I thought about my life and think of all the things that my life could be. I am truly blessed to start this year with my loving family, wonderful friends and everlasting optimism. My goals are simple this year: It’s about me. I look forward to a promise to myself. My outlook on life and the past will always be the same-- Cherish what was good, Sigh over the bad, and move onto the better. I will continue to love, live and laugh like I have always done. “Glimpse into the past, look to the future, but never focus back” (me). Happy New Year 2008.

Goddess Lakshmi reincarnated

2007-11-13T05:20:00.000-08:00

5 am... and I am reading my daily dose of CNN. Head story.. so inspiring.

Little toddler, Lakshmi was born with 4 limbs, an extra pair of legs and arms. She has just gotten out of surgery and doing beautifully. The surgery took more than 20 hours and about 3o surgeons. A really wonderful article to read in the morning. I was very pleasantly surprised that there is still life and heart in India... (not that I am a complete pessimist when it comes to India, but for the most part of what you see and hear, this truly was refreshing). One, she was born into a poor family... their earnings is about $1 a day ( Can you imagine what that life must be like.... convert it... Rs. 40 now?... geez, with the cost of living going up in India.. what can you really afford?). So sad and strong, the statement still stands then.. "The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer [more poor]." The villagers also treated Lakshmi as a goddess, worshipping and seeking her blessings. Her parents remained true to her and did not sell out when offers came to include their daughter in circuses. What was remarkable was the effort and charity that the hospitals and doctors gave to perform this surgery... the actual limbs were part of a conjoined twin that never developed. It was unlikely that Lakshmi would live with these additional limbs. To give life or preserve it, is the biggest gift of all. Wonderful story.... there is hope after all! :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SMRITHI

2007-10-18T00:21:00.000-07:00

A whole blog dedicated to you....

Smrithi is turning almost old today... not quite there. When you get there, Lisa will be there to rub it in. I can't express enough really how much you mean to me. Our friendship has really become strong over the years and our bond grows everyday. I am so glad that we ended up talking and coming into each other's lives. It is no secret that this year has been one of the hardest for me. But I am fine because of friends like you. You kept me sane, calm, happy and really at the end hopeful. You are someone who doesn't share a lot with the world, but wishes everyone to share their whole world with you. You are a great friend and I consider you like one of my sisters! HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I hope that you get all that you are hopeful for. Love you tons!

"Pump and Dump"

2007-10-09T10:18:00.000-07:00

**This was posted on Craigslist in New York: posting with response

**Okay, I'm tired of beating around the bush. I'm a beautiful(spectacularly beautiful) 25 year old girl. I'm articulate and classy.I'm not from New York. I'm looking to get married to a guy who makes at least half a million a year. I know how that sounds, but keep in mind that a million a year is middle class in New York City, so I don't think I'm overreaching at all.Are there any guys who make 500K or more on this board? Any wives? Could you send me some tips? I dated a business man who makes average around 200-250. But that's where I seem to hit a roadblock. 250,000 won't get me to central park west. I know a woman in my yoga class who was married to an investment banker and lives in Tribeca, and she's not as pretty as I am, nor is she a great genius. So what is she doing right? How do I get to her level?Here are my questions specifically:- Where do you single rich men hang out? Give me specifics- bars,restaurants, gyms-What are you looking for in a mate? Be honest guys, you won't hurt my feelings-Is there an age range I should be targeting (I'm 25)?- Why are some of the women living lavish lifestyles on the upper east side so plain? I've seen really 'plain jane' boring types who have nothing to offer married to incredibly wealthy guys. I've seen drop dead gorgeous girls in singles bars in the east village. What's the story there?- Jobs I should look out for? Everyone knows - lawyer, investment banker, doctor. How much do those guys really make? And where do they hang out? Where do the hedge fund guys hang out?- How you decide marriage vs. just a girlfriend? I am looking for MARRIAGE ONLYPlease hold your insults - I'm putting myself out there in an honest way. Most beautiful women are superficial; at least I'm being up front about it. I wouldn't be searching for these kind of guys if I wasn't able to match them - in looks, culture, sophistication, and keeping a nice home and hearth. * it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests PostingID: 432279810

THE ANSWER

Dear Pers-431649184:
I read your posting with great interest and have thought meaningfully about your dilemma. I offer the following analysis of your predicament.Firstly, I'm not wasting your time, I qualify as a guy who fits your bill; that is I make more than $500K per year. That said here's how I see it. Your offer, from the perspective of a guy like me, is plain and simple a crappy business deal. Here's why. Cutting through all the B.S., what you suggest is a simple trade: you bring your looks to the party and I bring my money. Fine, simple. But here's the rub, your looks will fade and my money will likely continue into perpetuity...in fact, it is very likely that my income increases but it is an absolute certainty that you won't be getting any more beautiful! So, in economic terms you are a depreciating asset and I am an earning asset. Not only are you a depreciating asset, your depreciation accelerates! Let me explain, you're 25 now and will likely stay pretty hot for the next 5 years, but less so each year. Then the fade begins in earnest. By 35 stick a fork in you! So in Wall Street terms, we would call you a trading position, not a buy and hold...hence the rub...marriage. It doesn't make good business sense to "buy you" (which is what you're asking) so I'd rather lease. In case you think I'm being cruel, I would say the following. If my money were to go away, so would you, so when your beauty fades I need an out. It's as simple as that. So a deal that makes sense is dating, not marriage. Separately, I was taught early in my career about efficient markets. So,I wonder why a girl as "articulate, classy and spectacularly beautiful"as you has been unable to find your sugar daddy. I find it hard to believe that if you are as gorgeous as you say you are that the $500K hasn't found you, if not only for a tryout. By the way, you could always find a way to make your own money and then we wouldn't need to have this difficult conversation. With all that said, I must say you're going about it the right way. Classic "pump and dump." I hope this is helpful, and if you want to enter into some sort of lease, let me know.

Moved out and Moving on

2007-10-09T09:33:00.000-07:00

So, officially Sunday I moved out of my parents' house. It has been long time coming. I signed the lease on Wednesday, but really, it took me forever to move. I am not sure if there in fact was a part of me holding back... but really, after a 70 hour work week... doing 9 loads of laundry, packing up and out.... blech... the laziness succumbs you. BUT, Sunday was full blast packing. Parents chirping 'whyyyy are you moving'. 'You don't need to pack everything! Just take 10 days worth of clothes.'..... then the inevitable mom crying ... crying... crying. Geez, this is not the first time I am moving out. I sort of realized how attached to me my parents are. Sure they do their share of complaining and bitching, but really wow...! Then a second later I think about it, I am like, ya... no more punching bag. It was bittersweet. My mom was affected the most.. she totally started crying. I felt bad but at the same time, it didn't make any sense. There she was one day telling me to move out and be on my own and when I do, she clings on. Anyhow, goodbyes and all, I was relieved to move out... and really move on. A part of living at home that was really hard was just the constant worry/talk about 'marriage'. Really, its something that I don't want to talk about or hear. Sure, I am 25... and boohoo crap happened.. but really, it is no reason for me to stick my neck out for some random dude. I understand from my parents perspective... rooted in their Indian ways... what it must feel like. I am sure they hear the constant whispers of the Indian society about 'the marriage that shoulda, woulda, but what did the daughter do....' I totally believe, pain is healed overtime. But till then, hearing about it constantly was NOT helping me move ON. So to be on my own... feels great! There is just so much baggage that feels released. And hey, this cute little puppy... who could resist...

Just another day in the 365?

2007-09-05T13:56:00.001-07:00

I always feel it is so interesting how we put so much emphasis on certain days. A day becomes so much more than just a Wednesday, or just a day in April, because of some event. We focus on the day for its birthday, anniversary, death anniversary, etc. Suddenly, it is like you can never forget those days. At least not someone like me... lol. It just is etched, standing out, claiming its place in your memory. Interesting as that is, it is also intriguing to look at how changed courses say how these days will live on in your memory. As the significant people/events pass your life, so do the days. No longer do you remember a day that was once such a big part of your life. So what meanings do these days have in the end? Should we not just celebrate everyday and everyone in our life? Of course we should, but hey, everyone loves a Hallmark card here and there... so long live capitalism and the enterprise hallmark. Whatever it maybe, one day should not be the sole cause of celebrating something special... but it is nice to take out more effort to recognize, acknowledge and treat that day just slightly better than others. In the end, what was significant day today may perish tomorrow, but it will always be replaced with something more special and memorable.

Rejuvination- Aloha style

2007-08-30T18:33:00.000-07:00

After the most amazing trip of my life, with the most amazing person that I know, I feel like I got a new pair of lungs with cleaner air, new pair of eyes with a crisp beauty, just a fresh look on my life. Paradise was the ultimate orgasmic experience. Hawaii was just so rich in beauty and culture. The endless ocean and the softest sands just take your breath away. No matter how many days you are there, how many times you look at the same sight, each time, its just different. After so many activities like (para sailing, jet skiing, speed sailing, horseback riding, hiking, swimming under waterfalls, ..... to name a few. lol), the days went by too quickly. I am so much more adventurous now. I pushed myself to do things on this trip that I didn't think I could do. I faced my fear of deep water.... with the assuring of a life jacket, I did fine. later, even tackled a swim in the ocean. Awesome! Even though I was so scared to get on that horse and regretted smelling its ass for the hour, it was an experience to not forget. And the para sailing adventure... almost falling out and plunging to my death.....I must say was the scariest memory.... and now my most memorable moment of my life. Life gave me many things to deal with over the past couple months, but in the end, I stayed true to my positive, strong, and of course bubblee me.

Airfare, Hotel, Car.... well over $1300.
Activities, Food, Clubbing and Alcohol... well over $1000.
Gifts, Purchases and more alcohol... well over $200.
Having the best trip of your life with your best friend, which included swimming with Dolphins, plunging to death by para sail or horse, facing fears of unknown limits, and seeing the most beautiful blue you have ever seen........one hell of a sunburn (even for the south indian) and completely priceless!

Condom or your Man?

2007-07-20T12:54:00.000-07:00

Interesting article I read in Times of India @ lunch...

So, the debate is to educate Indian women to use a male condom because of how Indian men stray etc. I felt this is such a generalization, but then again, I question how many (again, i am not assuming all) Indian men are truly faithful etc. The debate talks about how the mentality of an Indian man is to believe that nothing can happen, etc. . as if their 'members' are invincible.

My thoughts are that you cannot assume for *Indian* men. Men in general are wired differently, their needs to mate is biological and therefore the thought process differs, where as women tend not to "compartmentalize their life" (Article). I will say though, that the article is dead on about how Indian women are too careless, especially in rural areas. The idea that a husband is perfect is absolutely denying the reality. What can you do but trust your husband and the person you marry to be careful. I am completely not sure what I would do.. tell my 'husband' to wear a condom every time.? After all marriages are built on trust. However, are we ready to forsake health by risking it on trust and love. As I have learned, people change and things change circumstances and promises. Yet, you cannot forever live in a basement in fear of a tornado. After all, life is about chances... and in my opinion, al you can do is be educated, watch for signs and trust that the person you marry is a responsible person... that in the unfortunate event that they commit adultery, that they didn't put their life or more importantly yours at risk.

I think what would be better than to bash Indian men and generalize them is to promote safer sex education........but the key is to do it at a younger age. Now I know that the Indian society is going to throw rocks at me like they did to Khusboo (she stated her views of promoting safe sex practices for younger people etc... )... but seriously, education must always start at a young age. Sure, the fear is that to educate means to expose and to be exposed means to be corrupted. Not true. My parents never had the birds and bees talk with me. My school did, about safe sex. I got educated about safe sex and the risk of pregnancy and diseases... and that was enough of a signal blare for me to say OH no thank you. This added with the Indian pressure to be 'good' and my parents killing me if anything bad were to happen... kept me 'good'. I think it is bogus to think that younger people are not having sex........even in India. My fear is of that youth, how many are practicing safe sex? How many stores supply condoms without question or ridicule from the store owner, or the neighbor who sees you buying it. There are all these issues that I fear will keep our country at this epidemic. We must change the way we react by being proactive. I think the first step is education. Educate your children.....not to have sex necessarily, but that if they do, to be safe. By conditioning kids early enough, you can hope you have instilled these practices to avoid risks. The second thing is to provide means to acquire these safe practice methods. I know there are tons of places that you can get condoms now... but what I am saying is take out "the embarrassing factor of what if this or that person sees me, etc" I am not sure exactly how this can be achieved, but the idea is definitely worth a probe.

At the end of the day, can you really trust a condom over a man? Both can break just as easily. Of course the condom has a percentage accuracy, which is more than be concluded for men. But everything is a risk in life. Take chances, not without calculation, of course.

Politics on YouTube

2007-07-18T14:21:00.000-07:00

I read a really interesting article on CNN about Youtube effect on political campaigning. It was really interesting to see how political candidates are effected positively and adversely by the videos uploaded. Everyone knows the famous Clinton vs. Obama (remake of Apple commercial) video, and how much controversy it created between the two candidates with allegations of Obama's negative campaigning. In my opinion, media can and is manipulated, in the sense that not everything on YouTube is true or false. You really must start to question the source of this information. We all saw clearly on tape.. Kanye West say "George Bush does not care about black people." There was no editing, clipping or anything in that video. Mike Myers reaction could not have been more raw. This cannot be looked at as oh poor political campaigners, who didn't "mean" to say that or this. As a political candidate, you are expected to hold a certain credibility, conduct, and views (depending on your party). So when Joe Davies said that "You can't go to to a 7-11 or a gas station and not expect to have an Indian accent.", was more than enough to ban him from the tally of the Indian population. Media is a powerful thing and now with increased technology and the web, people must be more mindful of their actions. There is absolutely no excuse for these people to say I didn't mean this or that. You are a candidate, running for a position to earn my trust.... so of course you are under a microscope. Oh oops, I guess you DO have to watch you do and what you say. And there was a section in the article that talked about how candidates seldom like their users to be involved... Um my vote is the only involvement that you want, yet, i should have no hand in the campaign process. Again, media is a powerful thing.. can help you or hurt you. Check the article out.

"Live Free or Die Hard" and I am "Transform[ed]"

2007-07-10T12:09:00.000-07:00

These are the two most kick ass movies that I have seen in a long time!!

Live Free or Die hard

WOW!!! What a cool freakin movie.. Vikram and I went to see it and we were already pumped just thinking about the movie. We had seen the preview for this during Spiderman 3. We both just knew we were checkin it out. I think it was just an all around kickass movie. It had all the elements ... most of them... okay the most needed ones... Comedy, ACTION ACTION ACTION! I mean serious ACTION... some thrills, a good plot... HOTTT MEN! (okay fine there were hott chicks too).. and! a bad guy you wanted to slap! All in all it was soo good....that I actually watched it twice. lol... thanks to Rasheel... lol... but it was even more kickass the second time around. And ya let me say, if I were Demi Moore, I would have stayed with Bruce Willis.. smokin.. and oh ya!! not to mention the biggest surprise, Justin Long (the MAC guy)... became totally cute and even made u think a MAC was a...l...r...i...g..h..t....

Transformers

Okay, I think this movie was too freakin cool. Geez, how they got those cars to just fold in and out like Oragami man. So wicked. And the plot was decent (okay that is my one critic... i get it what its about and all that, but I grew up watchin the cartoon Transformers and ehh, there were elements that were NOT needed... like too much about the girl and the guy blah blah).. but the action scenes were so awesome.. Like amazing how far technology has come now. BUT! the best part of the movie... that Camaro... oh my god, i never realized my love for muscle cars till I saw this. That yellow/orange Camaro was SMOKIN hott... geez! And the black "bad cop" mustang was not shabby either... all in all... great eye candy (hott guys and hotter cars), good action, and a movie that can bring back memories from your childhood... what's better than that!

I give my two thumbs and toes up for these two movies!!!

Seven Stages of E-mail

2007-07-02T12:19:00.000-07:00

This is totally a clever write up. I just found it a refreshing read on my NY Times browsing...I feel like I am in Stage 5... my emails for once are like Yes, no.. okay. sure... i don't agree.. whatever.. lol. I haven't hit Stage 6.. although it should be natural for me... with the talking and all..

*************************************************************

Op-Ed Contributor
The Six Stages of E-Mail

By NORA EPHRON
Published: July 1, 2007

Stage One: Infatuation
I just got e-mail! I can’t believe it! It’s so great! Here’s my handle. Write me! Who said letter writing was dead? Were they ever wrong! I’m writing letters like crazy for the first time in years. I come home and ignore all my loved ones and go straight to the computer to make contact with total strangers. And how great is AOL? It’s so easy. It’s so friendly. It’s a community. Wheeeee! I’ve got mail!

Stage Two: Clarification
O.K., I’m starting to understand — e-mail isn’t letter-writing at all, it’s something else entirely. It was just invented, it was just born and overnight it turns out to have a form and a set of rules and a language all its own. Not since the printing press. Not since television. It’s revolutionary. It’s life-altering. It’s shorthand. Cut to the chase. Get to the point.
And it saves so much time. It takes five seconds to accomplish in an e-mail message something that takes five minutes on the telephone. The phone requires you to converse, to say things like hello and goodbye, to pretend to some semblance of interest in the person on the other end of the line. Worst of all, the phone occasionally forces you to make actual plans with the people you talk to — to suggest lunch or dinner — even if you have no desire whatsoever to see them. No danger of that with e-mail.
E-mail is a whole new way of being friends with people: intimate but not, chatty but not, communicative but not; in short, friends but not. What a breakthrough. How did we ever live without it? I have more to say on this subject, but I have to answer an Instant Message from someone I almost know.

Stage Three: Confusion
I have done nothing to deserve any of this:
Viagra!!!!! Best Web source for Vioxx. Spend a week in Cancún. Have a rich beautiful lawn. Astrid would like to be added as one of your friends. XXXXXXXVideos. Add three inches to the length of your penis. The Democratic National Committee needs you. Virus Alert. FW: This will make you laugh. FW: This is funny. FW: This is hilarious. FW: Grapes and raisins toxic for dogs. FW: Gabriel García Márquez’s Final Farewell. FW: Kurt Vonnegut’s Commencement Address. FW: The Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. AOL Member: We value your opinion. A message from Hillary Clinton. Find low mortgage payments, Nora. Nora, it’s your time to shine. Need to fight off bills, Nora? Yvette would like to be added as one of your friends. You have failed to establish a full connection to AOL.

Stage Four: Disenchantment
Help! I’m drowning. I have 112 unanswered e-mail messages. I’m a writer — imagine how many unanswered messages I would have if I had a real job. Imagine how much writing I could do if I didn’t have to answer all this e-mail. My eyes are dim. I have a mild case of carpal tunnel syndrome. I have a galloping case of attention deficit disorder because every time I start to write something, the e-mail icon starts bobbing up and down and I’m compelled to check whether anything good or interesting has arrived. It hasn’t. Still, it might, any second now. And yes it’s true — I can do in a few seconds with e-mail what would take much longer on the phone, but most of my messages are from people who don’t have my phone number and would never call me in the first place. In the brief time it took me to write this paragraph, three more messages arrived. Now I have 115 unanswered messages. Strike that: 116.

Stage Five: Accommodation
Yes. No. No :). No :(. Can’t. No way. Maybe. Doubtful. Sorry. So Sorry. Thanks. No thanks. Not my thing. You must be kidding. Out of town. O.O.T. Try me in a month. Try me in the fall. Try me in a year. NoraE@aol.com can now be reached at NoraE81082@gmail.com.

Stage Six: Death
Call me.

Nora Ephron, the author, most recently, of “I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman,” is a contributing columnist for The Times.

All about attitude

2007-07-01T17:48:00.000-07:00

My life is so amazing and I am so happy. I had a very interesting conversation with my sister and we both talked about how positive attitude is the key. Honestly, I feel incredibly positive about everything. I am so surprised to see how strong and unbelievably optimistic I am towards everything that has happened lately. Attitude is the key...

A friend of mine and I were having a conversation the other night about negative comments and remarks and how they shape how we feel about ourselves. While I agree, that negative comments meant to come out in a vicious way are harmful; I however disagree that this should shape our thoughts about ourselves. Everyday, we hear crap about us , from friends, parents, society, media, etc. IF you walk around listening or absorbing these comments which affects your self image, then you are giving into the negativity. People say or do horrible things. But it is all in how you take it. I hear lots of stuff from my parents, clients, and other people.. why should any of it affect me? I know who I am. Be confident in that. If the comments are constructive criticism, take it... apply it as if fits for you. I do not get why most people are so shattered by meaningless comments. In the end, if you tell yourself to smile smile smile, soon enough you smile... if you smile smile smile, then soon enough you feel good...Attitude is the key.. the glass is always half full... something is always better than nothing. :)

Stressed

2007-06-22T11:27:00.000-07:00

I feel overwhelmed.... I was just thinking .. what happened to those days of carefree times... I miss kindergarten... or as I knew it in India as LKG. It was simple... I miss my blue uniform and my hair braided in pigtails with matching ribbons... getting my shoes polished... and the book covers with thos little mickey mouse labels... ok i am gonna stop before I feel like inventing a time machine.. Sigh...

Can you spot me? lol

Certain of the Uncertain

2007-06-20T23:24:00.000-07:00

My First poem... eek! Thought I would take a crack at it... leave your comments... good or bad.. :)

Certain of the Uncertain
By: Jayashree Sundaresan

Uncertain is life,
with its pathways of destinations unknown.
Journeys embarked on a route lost or discovered
Maps ever-changing, guiding us into seas to drown.
Dreams found but thrown in the dust
carried away by sweeping winds
leaving behind nightmares born out of lust.

Uncertain is love,
that even 'forever' has an ending.
Bridges built out solid,
no knowledge of the burning lavas flowing.
Confident it makes you to cross that shaky path
that even the caution of the heat, you so boldly look past.
How blind love makes you, to quickly join your pathways.
Stubborn in your love, sacrifices you intend to keep,
Heartbroken and lost, the sews of that bond you begin to reap.

Uncertain are people,
with their tormenting deceptions.
Selfish needs of fulfillment,
robbing those who love out of their endearments.
Needy are their souls, quenching on others' loving,
Satisfied hungers leaving no room for any more giving.
Disappointing are they with their seas of empty promises,
Piles and piles of ruthless lies, ending in goodbyes,
A world made for 'Dog eat dog' leaves my heart to sigh.

Uncertain are friendships,
with best friend titles swapping.
The person you played with in school,
makes you out to be the fool.
Surely you thought they would be there forever
as your best man or your bridesmaid,
Things change forcing you to make your bed.
A friend is defined by their willingness to speak the truth
even which you don't wish to hear, but must because their interests are always for your best.

Uncertain are families,
With members added or deleted,
Like spam email, some still come through undefeated.
Blood is thicker than water,
But no use is it to quench a dying thirst.
Ugly emotions breaking, unheeding, stewing,
Just inching out to burst, making family time so dreadfully intruding.
Unconditional love is a given,
Not without a steep price, claim, or blackmails,
Tip toeing around each other, as if we were delicate snails.

Certain is only one thing,
The determination to move along, which can never steer you wrong.
Uncertainties of life, love, and all the above,
Are only triumphed over hope, faith, and love.
Life's course is always changing,
Adapting is the key, or we shall all perish, so exasperatingly.
Loves of your life may come and go,
The memories and lessons learned are what make your heart grow.
People change like day and night,
But in the mirror is another changing yet growing sight.
Friends are like timeless classics,
Some forgotten, some restored, but all that is needed are just the basics.
Families may gripe, give strife and fight,
But in claim of blood or name, only they have that right.
In the end, all is true of the uncertain,
But what fulfillment is a path or destination totally predictable,
It is in the uncertain that life doesn’t close its curtains.

"Sivaji-The boss" Rajni classic- awesome!

2007-06-16T01:01:00.001-07:00

Okay, I do NOT care what anyone says, but now I am a total fan of Rajnikanth! Dude,
I am so freakin pumped. This movie was a classic Rajni movie, full of punch dialouges and kick ass fight scenes. I will never forget tonight. The movie had all expected Rajini elements.
Dude, he does an awesome job with the whole style and fast talking and all of it. Shreya was totally gorgeous.. geezz..... Tamil movies are coming up man!!! It looked sooo damn expensive..

BUT the best part of seeing this movie... a bunch of rowdy guys made me a total porruki today. I never shouted so much in my life. i was clapping, jumping up and down, screaming, tryin to whistle(argh i cant lol), holy crap man.... I felt like I was in Madras. It was hell of a lot of fun!!! And you can only do that in a Tamil movie man.. Hahaha, we knew how to rock the joint and have fun!!! Hahaha.

I would totally see it again... are you up for it Popppppu? lol It is 1am and Venki and I are talkin about classic lines...

"Panni ellam kootam kootamaaa thaaan varum...annaa SINGAM SINGLE aaathaaaan varum.."
(Pigs come in groups... but a lion, comes alone...) Dude, translations dont have that same punch man!!!!! :)

How good is your hearing? (Holophonic Sound)

2007-06-14T12:20:00.000-07:00

Credits must go to David.. whose blog had this cool link

Check out the Virtual Barbershop:

You must close your eyes
have headphones and just listen
it is totally interesting and FUN

Check out the other cool stuff on his blog...

And a blurb from pradeep, who posted this blog before I got the chance to..

Alright enough credits, enjoy already!

Google Maps- the new peeping Tom's aid?

2007-06-13T12:03:00.000-07:00

So, i saw the "Street View" a couple days ago on GOOGLE Maps when I was searching for something in San Jose. I thought it was a pretty cool tool.. You can basically drag this virtual person figure to the corner or street you want and basically get a view of what it looks like. That is what I love about Google maps. You can totally get an idea of where you are going. Street view makes it that much better.

Of course there are all sorts of questions that come up about privacy. So, people are concerned about the images filtering through on these street views. Imagine you are at your house doing laundry and the garage is open.. there you are in your ratty jeans.. maybe they have a hole or two near some "ahem" places.. and you think nothing of it, you are just at home doing laundry... Before you know it, the next dinner party you throw, someone shows up with a picture of you and your unholy jeans. How embarrassing.

I have mixed opinions about this. First of all, let us not garble on and on about privacy.. thanks to 9/11.. kiss that goodbye! I mean what privacy DO we have these days? And what is the big deal.. if you are the person on the street with your thong hanging out of your jeans, and snap there is a picture, that is your bad.... BUT then! what if there was something on the maps that captured something... (like the guy in the pic.. breaking in?!) or what if you capture license plate of some car that was reported being used for a kidnapping? Then I know people will hail Google. I dunno, in one way, I don't think it is right for Google to prance around posting images of all sorts without permission. Then again, when you look at the broad aspect, there are camera phones, traffic cameras... etc.. that capture a lot of things we do... so in the end, Privacy is a privilege not a right... just like I know that Homeland Security will be monitoring my blog now that I wrote 9/11... please add Freedom of Speech to that list as well. Small prices we pay for a free version of GPS? Hmm. Interesting to see where this will develop..

The original article from TIME.

Hott Summer Movies

2007-06-10T16:56:00.000-07:00

This is going to be one hell of a summer....

Pirates 3 was nice.. better than 2 for sure, not as kick ass as # 1.. but Orlando Bloom.... god damn, hott doesnt get old...

Saw Oceans 13... was very good.. i love these con movies.. and ya i know Brad Pitt is a pretty boy... but god damn, pretty fuckin hott....

Cannot wait to see Transformers, look soo kick ass (and Josh Drumal... mm )

Okay so ya, a summer of hott white men.... how can u complain. hehe

Cat out of the bag

2007-06-05T00:17:00.000-07:00

The "cat" is out of the bag. What an a-tomic bomb it is.. sigh. I am fine, but it is hard to be strong for them. It is fine to ease my pain, but to ease theirs? I don't have a clue how...

How funny life is... Bonds broken, bonds created... in the end which bond remains is a question of what? Commitment? Love? who knows....

Somewhere deep in my heart is hope for healing... and I pray for them...

The message still remains that my life is still blessed... no matter what!

Memorial Day in D.C.

2007-06-01T10:49:00.000-07:00

What a fabulous weekend in D.C... It was the much needed break that I really needed. Been meaning to write about it all week, but of course, u get one day off, but work 2 extra days..

What a packed weekend it was. Did so much stuff... went to see "Old Town" had some great drinks and had a lot of fun walkin along the Patomac River. It was so muggy in D.C. but the warm weather was nice! After that we went to a lounge with a lot of Georgetown people.... and it was cool. I think my sister was in awe...err shock of my shot taking skills. lol....

The best picture of us! :) I am a skilled camera phone photographer!

Sunday was the best part of this trip! We went to Great Falls and did a 3 hour hike on the "Billy Goat Trail" I was totally scared but it was the best experience ever! We climbed these rocks and lil cliffs... i guess we were about 70 feet up. It kicked my ass but it was such an uplifting experience and something totally different to try out.

Then went to my cousin Arun and his wife Priya's house and had dinner. Met the new addition Gautham to the family! sooo cute! I am such a proud Athai!
Gautham kutti!! ( feel sad that I didn't take a pic with him... but isnt he adorable)

Then onto Annapolis the next day, the ultimate navy town! Went to the United States Naval Academy and saw a very patriotic parade........Sting Ray Cameroes included! RooOooOm RooOOoom! :)

After the navy town, had a mixer and got to know of lot of D.C. folk!

Lastly but not least, spent a day at Mount Vernon... George Washington's home... wow, I am amazed it is still up and so many things he did. What an amazing business man!

Overall, it was the much needed break from the west coast. I had an absolute great time with my sister.... and i realize the East has so much history.. U.S. and honestly so much patriotism. Refreshing weekend! :)

Bad morning

2007-05-22T12:29:00.000-07:00

Oh my f-in god... I cannot believe this, but ya.. it happened to me. I am on the train on my way to work and I was sleeping... catching up on my sleep.. and i wake up to some gaggin and before I knew it, the guy next to me had thrown up on me. This is the nastiest thing ever! I jumped and I was so shocked I didn't throw up on him. How horrible!!!!!!!! And I almost started feeling bad, cuz he was like sorry sorry and kept throwin up. Me and this one other lady were victims, but believe me!!!! it was the worst for me. had to go all the freakin way back home and come back. What a freakin start of the day... ewwww!!!!!

Microinequities

2007-05-21T16:28:00.000-07:00

I went to a work conference on Saturday. We had a guest speaker talk about a topic called Microinequities -which talks about the subtle negative messages we send through our communication. It was very interesting and it does make you think about all the elements of your communication. Click the link to find out more about it.

"Still I rise" by Maya Angelou

2007-05-15T11:55:00.000-07:00

I got a collection of poetry book for my bday and I was just reading this on my lunch and I wanted to post this poem. What a totally uplifting poem. ;)

Still I Rise

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.

Maya Angelou

Yoga- Copyrighted?

2007-05-07T14:30:00.000-07:00

This is so disturbing... What the hell won't Capitalism profit off of? I still remember when GAP came out with a skirt that totally resembled the pattu sarees of south India.... and I cringed when they called it a 'GAP invention'. or when American Eagle Outfitters put ganesh and OM sign everywhere... till they got slapped on the face when they put Ganesh on a slipper. Um ya...

Now this.. geez! I just think there has to be a stop on what you can patent, because its like these were not YOUR ideas, and like the article says, Yoga is rooted in India's culture many years ago....

Read on....

A Big Stretch
By SUKETU MEHTA

Cinco De Mayo- 2007

2007-05-07T14:12:00.000-07:00

What an awesome weekend and a great birthday! I feel so loved and special... and truly positive. One thing this yr that I was so proud of myself was that I focused on those who showered me with love on my bday and not those who didnt. I have to say though, I have the best of everything... and I was so grateful for everything this weekend. So thank you to all those of you who wished me, showered me with love!!! And going the extra for yours truly...

Some awesome stuff to remember... the bluetooth for my phone from the famalia, a bhagavad gita translation from my older sis, something sexy and nice from my babe Lisa... haha... BEE-U-TIFUL flowers from Kalpz, and the surprising bouquet/massage (oh that is much needed) at work from Akshay [you are a sneaky rat! ;) ], and the unforgettable night with Emily at San Jose ( where everything was shut down! Dude, it was the mexicans gettin too crazy...) then the City... awesome as always... AND! honestly, just all the phone calls and love.. it meant so much!

Families

2007-05-03T12:35:00.000-07:00

Why is it the ones you want can visit anytime and the ones you dont always visit at the "worst" time?
Why do you ask questions for which I don't have answers to?
Why do you compete kin against kin?
Why is blood thicker than "water"?
Why are relationships forced?
Why are you not real?
Why are we so poor when it comes to status and yet you are so poor when it comes to your bond?
Why is that you set me to fail? and yet I succeed...
Why do you think you are better than us?
Why are you jealous?
Why is my life the center of all your curiousity?
What makes you better?
And why is it that at the end of the day, none of these questions matter...

Driver rescued from pond 2 days after SUV crash

2007-04-29T11:19:00.000-07:00

WOW.. this woman survived? what a miracle... how the hell did this happen? This is scary though... cuz there are so many nights where I am sleepy when I drive home. (For example last night..... not so good.. clubbing and driving back at 4am is prob a no no for me. lol) It is really a miracle but poor thing, she is in such critical condition. That sucks. It is a lesson for all of us to be careful, I suppose.

Article

Indian Government- get a real job!

2007-04-26T15:21:00.000-07:00

Here is the article.

Okay, I am so sick to death with this crap. Does the Indian govt have NOTHING better to do than freaking prosecute people for stupid crap? I could think of a handful of things that the law could take into its hand to change India. Why is this such a freaking problem? Aiswarya and Hrithik just made out in Dhoom 2. UPROAR! Tamil actress Khushboo said, "We should educate our children about sex and keep an open mind." LETS THROW ROCKS AT HER, for wanting to promote safe sex health ed. Now this white guy is all mixed up in this crap. Richard Gere is known for his contributions for promoting a healthier aids-aware India... but nope, let's not look at that. HOW THE HELL IS THIS EVEN A LAW? geez. This is like maybe a tap on the hand to say, damn you white guy,... we indians, even bollywood hotstars haven't even kissed Shetty so much.... lol. And while on the topic of Shetty..... why the hell is it she is getting "away" like she is some dainty princess.... did she not just do Big brother (london) where she LIVED with guys. Talk about crap! Poor Richard Gere who was doing his humanitarian duties and he gets this for what. ONE, India needs to stop with this kind of stuff. And hello, we are about to surpass China in population... so somebody is humping! enough with the we are better than thou... Even Shetty said that he was only trying to express a scene from his movie "Shall we Dance" in bollywood fashion. INDIAN PEOPLE! stop with it already.. we look like IDIOTS when these kind of articles show up on CNN. Ugh.... it is a kiss on the cheek... let us leave it at that, and freakin focus on the real issues.... like rewriting what people can go to jail for........that actually matters!

Don't break up.com

2007-04-24T11:42:00.000-07:00

So....ya break ups. Never thought I would be there. Painful...but a friend of mine thought it was a good joke relief to send me this link. I am just dying over this site. Thought it was hilarious. No one should be this desperate and I think its funny that there is a GUARANTEE. lol. Although it does make you wish you could pay $29.95 and put your life back together the way you want it to be.... sigh....

Check this picture out.... lol

My current favorite videos

2007-04-22T19:00:00.000-07:00

Justin Timberlake- What goes around comes around

Beyonce and Shakira- Beautiful Liar

Avril Lavigne- Girlfriend

and the best video that just makes me feel good and happy watching it....

OK GO- Here it Goes Again (I know its not a new video, but it makes me smile everytime!)

An escape....

2007-04-21T21:07:00.000-07:00

I had the most relaxing stay at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on Friday. A friend of mine was in the city on a conference and was staying at the Mandarin. So we actually met up in the city and I was invited to a top dinner with executive board members of a bank. Wow, talk about special! It was a great dinner... funny me, a vegetarian at a steakhouse. Mm mm salads! :)

Now the best part of that night, the invitation I got to stay @ the hotel. Before dinner, I went there to shower and ger ready. I never wanted to escape. A gorgeous view of the baybridge from the bathtub... a shower that just relaxed and carried away all your stress. After a long hot shower, I felt so relaxed and just wanted to curl in that bed and take in the gorgeous view of the city's high towers and the ocean that streched on beyond the grasp of my eyes. It was a much needed night of sleeping in with my friend, ordering room service breakfast and feeling so sad to leave that room and all that it gave me... @ least for that night....

What does JAYASHREE mean?

2007-04-19T12:27:00.000-07:00

So.... where I work, I hear my name get butchered countless times in a day...

I always have had various nicknames....

Jay (the first obvious one I gave myself when i moved to the US)
Jaya (hate it hate it hate it..... ok don't hate it so much now, but still sorta hate it)
Jiloo (childhood nickname... my most favorite nickname)
Jay-Jay, Jay-Bo, Jay-lo-lo, Jay-B, Jay Bala (hint part of my middle name), JaySun... god so many.... a few more recently to add to the list. Jay-to the-shree! and many from work.... Gentry (still trying to figure that one out!).... and the newest one. Ree. Pretty soon I figure people are just gonna Hey, hm, or just nod to get my attention.

BUT!!! I am fighting back.. I don't mind the nickname my friends give me, Jay... Jay to the shree, etc. BUT! I no longer introduce myself as Jay anymore. I say Jayashree. in fact, not even Jai-shree, but Jai-ya-shree. Yup. My clients stutter a lot, but I dont give in. I stay strong and they get it.

So, what does Jayashree mean?
From what i gather... Goddess of Victory or Female Victory.... oh ya! :)

Myspace- a legal block for Sex predators?

2007-04-18T13:50:00.000-07:00

Okay, I read this article on the way to work. So as I understand it... they are trying to pass a bill that would partner up with myspace to stop sex offenders. So basically, this bill would state that sex offenders must register their email addresses and internet identities. And then they would pass it on to Myspace and other social network websites. These websites would block these people from opening up accounts. The goal is to prevent them from accessing chat rooms with 15 year olds.

Some critics claim that this bill is a violation of rights and that it prohibits these convicts from trying to lead normal lives. This bill is intended to protect the minors against offenders but if all offenders must register, then it will also include those who committed crimes against adults, spouses, etc.

Okay, so let us round up a bill that had CLEAR loopholes. First of all, how easy is it to get an e-mail these days? I myself have like 8 (seriously, i need help)... so what brilliant genius thought of this. On the outskirts, it is a good idea, but which dumbass criminal would register an email and use that same one to target children to prey upon. I think it is appropriate to interject Carlos Mencia's famous D-D-D here. I think anything we could do to prevent kids from being victims of this abuse, we must. I applaud the reasoning and effort, but I am just thinking it is not that plausible.

I really think the other aspect of protecting our kids lies in our hands. We can try and control what they see and where they go. We can't simply keep saying that these 15 year olds are innocent. My 12 year old sister is not that innocent.... trust me. It reminds me of this one stand up from Dave Chappelle where he talks about "How old is 15 really?" He compares the R.Kelly peeing on a 15 year old - how she was treated as this victim etc. and then a 15 year old black kid who accidentally killed his neighbor while practicing wrestling moves from TV- they gave him life. (see the clip). I think we need to educate kids about predators and try our best to make sure that they are not in places they should not be. How old is 15 really? If 15 is cause for a uproar, then read this blog from my friend Smrithi about 5th graders......

Myspace, the new *jail-bait cock* blocker... psh!

IMUS, College shootings and my own disaster

2007-04-17T09:36:00.000-07:00

As much as I think of my world crashing as of Saturday.... it is still crashing... ahem, anyways...

there are more pressing matters...

IMUS.... omg thank god he got fired. I cannot believe that he said that... It is amazing to me how some people think they can get away with saying such racial and sexist statements. And what was more surprising to me is that a CALIFORNIA radio station replayed that same 'nappy headed hos' broadcast.......yes I said a CALIFORNIA station. Un fucking believable.

College shootings.. when is this going to stop? Can we turn to Mr. Bush and really say... my god, is it enough for you already? Don't you see your own national crisis here? Maybe our troops should be on our own land defending our own people... just so hard to see that happen.. and so scary... makes me just wish I could telecommute to work.

With all that said, I guess my life isn't the only thing to grieve upon... the world is a much more dark, lonely and sad place....

My first tax filing

2007-04-09T00:44:00.000-07:00

So, I finally did it. I filed my own taxes this year. Not that I had a butt load to show or hard deductions to claim.... just that it was my first year to do it on my own. I feel accomplished, responsible, and now that I have filed, relieved.

It was nerve racking because I kept constantly questioning... did I fill this out right or that out right. AND like credit, u stumble and learn. What happened to the education process in this? We have a huge class about sex like 6 times in our schooling. But nothing about credit management, or any of this. Its sad.....

Anyhow, hope it all goes smooth. Wow I am growing up! YAY! Happy filing to the rest of u!

Marriage season-------feels like a period that isnt ending

2007-03-11T22:46:00.000-07:00

If I have to hear one more time, Sooooooo when is your kalyanam(marriage) one more time?! I am going to chew my brains out. I know it is marriage season, or something is in the air. Everyone seems to be getting married. I am totally happy for them, but dammit, stop the massive engagements and marriages.

I have scrambled my brain thinking of who is next and who is ahead of me. I swear on my dad's side, it is literally me..... minus the cousins that have fallen off the marriage line a longtime ago. technically they are next, but since they are way past a certain age, its like they are written off. AHEM! i offer a petition that those cousins/family friends/misc need to get the pressure. OR till they get married, the pressure needs to back off my ass.

And its not that I am not ready to get married...........but I am not ready to get married..... confused? Ya, so am I.... lol I dont know. I am 24, but to me I feel so young, unprepared and well doesnt the guy have to ask too? hmm. I totally am avoiding all family or any get togethers that may provoke THE question....... Its like my kryptonite. that damn question. Ehh, I guess being Indian you can never avoid that question. With or without a boyfriend.....

It will be a wonder if I can mark a day on my calendar where that question doesnt pour into my ears. Someone should write a book of ANSWERS to that question....

I was so tempted to even say.........I changed my preference..........look for a bride? I am pretty damn sure thats a wedding they would be willing to put off. haha.

Looking through pictures of friends/family members' weddings....4 hours you dont get back...
Hearing about how EVEN the cousin's husband's sister, who had a servant who cant even speak...who got married.......................so what is wrong with u? question.......... 5 hours you dont get back
getting my amma to see that 24 isnt 30 and that my boyfriend isnt a runaway bride..... will take all my lifetime

SFO WATER SHUT OFF, Hold the pee!

2007-03-08T12:46:00.000-08:00

Water Pressure and Water Service Will Be Restored Shortly
Published: 03/08/2007 Updated: 03/08/2007 Published By: Communications and Public Outreach
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission reports that planned seismic work has temporarily restricted water transmission. An unexpectedly high demand has also reduced water pressure or water service in widespread parts of the City. The transmission has been restored, the water remains safe for drinking and full pressure and service should be restored very shortly. We apologize for any incovenience this has caused.

OH MY WORD! So I am at work and blare through the building comes the announcement that water has been shut off, not to use the bathroom and kitchen,. OF COURSE i had to pee sooooo bad! Which brainiac did that?! turn off for a WHOLE city. OMG! everything around here. They just turned it back on. Whew! But it could take minutes or hours for full water use. Geez. can't we go home?! lol. Denver gets snow days?! Why can't SFO get days off for IDIOTS being IDIOTS!
And yes, I finally got to pee. thank the lord!

Valentine's Day

2007-02-14T16:50:00.000-08:00

Cupid, oh my cupid, where are you today?! Nowadays Cupid seems to have taken up with the stock brokers and CEOs of today. He is too busy to show people the meaning of today. Then again I think Hallmark bought him out.... what a sell out! lol. You know that song kids used to sing and tease you about in elementary school....

Jayashree and James (this annoying kid who used to bug the crap out of me in 4th grade).... sitting in a tree... K-I-S-S-I-N-G.. first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby and the baby carriage! That's not all! That's not all! now he's drinking alcohol!..... i think thats the end of it... or least when my brain put its foot down and said no more!

Nowadays its like this...

Jayashree and James sitting in their cubicle.... W-O-R-K-I-N-G... first comes meetings, then comes deadlines... then comes the deadline before your lady's ass-ets.... that's not all ! that's not all! now he's missing his balls and all......

So happy fucking valentines day. lol

A link to my friend Smrithi's Valentine's blog..

Bush and Condi

2007-02-10T20:43:00.000-08:00

Theraflu thin strips. What will they put on a strip next?

2007-02-07T13:11:00.000-08:00

So, this morning I tried one of these... and ehhhh, it did not do much! And you could totally taste the white powdery medicine. Blech! But I guess it helped for all of 30 mins of my 45 min train ride to work. That is not what this blog entry is about...

Last night at the counter, I had Robitussin Cough and Cold and Flu (Nighttime- which by the way did not knock me out.. very disappointed)... Tylenol Multi Cold (nasty as hospital smell) syrup for Daytime (which has made me sleepy)... and these Theraflu thinstrips. Um, the guy behind the counter (who by the way was like 15 years old) rang everything up, and stopped at the strips.... looked @ me and asked "Can you just tell me your date of birth?" I was stumped... I thought for a minute,... damn, did I get alcohol? I must be delusional ... after a couple quick scans on the counter... I reassure myself that there is no alcohol there. I am looking at his hand at the theraflu strips thinking is he for real? And yes he was. So I am so stumped, I almost forget my damn birthday... so finally I utter it out and he is okay great...and puts it in my bag. Now check this out. I swipe my debit card, and he asks me ATM or credit...(I always do credit, i get cashback, but that has nothing to do with this story and if you know me, i never stay on point...)... anyways, he rings it up, blah blah... AND HE DOESN'T ASK ME FOR ID for my damn credit card. I am so shocked. So that is where America is. dammit, we are crackin down on the under 18 year olds getting drunk or whatever the hell he thought these strips could do.... but forget credit card and identity theft. lol. geez.

So that made me think, how did things go on strips anyway? Did it not all start with LSD? lol....
What the hell else are they going to put on these strips? my guess? Slim Fast? Come on! That would be the next best thing... Put one on your tongue and dinner is served! lol.....

Is that a racist comment?

2007-02-06T14:19:00.000-08:00

[13:07] Friend : Did u see the news on the "A" word?
[13:07] Me: no send me a link
[13:12] Friend : I dont have a link...i saw it on TV
[13:12] Friend : Sen. Joe Biden's comments about Sen. Barack Obama
[13:12] Friend : He said...
[13:12] Friend : you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy
[13:13] Me: k found th e link
[13:13] Me: ugh
[13:13] Friend : oh
[13:13] Friend : tell me something
[13:14] Friend : if someone tells me, "hey..for someone from India, u speak very good english" ...is that a compliment or a racist comment? r they implying i am good or they implying that indians dont speak good english?
[13:15] Friend : Someone once told me that
[13:15] Friend : and i thought it was a compliment...but later one of my friends tells me its a racist comment
[13:15] Friend : i'm confused
[13:17] Me: that is like saying.. for an american, you sure are good at math
[13:17] Me: it is very condesending
[13:17] Me: omg
[13:23] Friend : seriously?
[13:28] Friend : for an american, you sure are good at math => i like that...sounds funny
[13:28] Friend : lol
[13:36] Me: hahah
[13:36] Me: lol
[13:36] Me: well
[13:36] Me: next time someone says that to u
[13:36] Me: ( i think maybe they meant ur accent
[13:36] Me: but still
[13:37] Me: i mean i would have asid that
[13:37] Me: but it doesnt make it right
[13:37] Me: lol
[13:38] Me: next time, say.. well i sure hope so, considering the literacy rate is higher in India than in America
[13:41] Friend : lol
[13:41] Friend :
[13:42] Friend : or may b i shud say
[13:42] Friend : for an american, you sure are good at math
[13:42] Friend : lol
[13:42] Friend : hey ok...catch u later
[13:42] Friend : its time to go home in the east coast
[13:42] Friend : lol
[13:42] Friend : seeya

Women only gets 10 years for drowning her kids, but you can get up to 10 years for each COUNT for downloading music, ... wtf!

2007-02-01T14:52:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I am totally pissed off! I am so tired of people killing their kids cuz they are psycho! Geez! There are just too many of these stories. I remember the story from last year.... the African American lady at Pier 39 in San Francisco who just dropped all her kids in the ocean. Witnesses who saw her kids pleading her not to throw them away. What the hell were these witnesses doing after they saw her do that to one child. One lady said that she couldn't react fast enough. So back to this story..

So Amanda Hamm, or whoever, drowned her kids... 6, 3, and a 1 year old. Can you believe she just drove her car into the lake. Of course the psycho bitch was not in the car. So, she and her boyfriend first plead not guilty and that she really tried to get the kids out but the car rolled off the dock. UM! i do not understand why someone would drive a CAR onto a dock.. Dude, my chunky butt is scared enough to walk on it by myself, let alone a whole car! When investigated, it was found that she and her boyfriend did it because the kids got in the way! geez! give them up for adoption something! Poor thing... its so sad. They did not deserve this. I can't imagine how those kids felt when they see someone they trust the most, pushing them off to their death. And what a horrible way to die. GEEZ!!!! I am so freaking angry.

I cannt believe she only got 10 years! 10 years! Ugh! if I download 3 movies, i get more jail time than that. Argh!

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LAW/02/01/lake.drowning.ap/index.html

Shetty, Racism, future?

2007-01-30T14:32:00.000-08:00

A conversation between a friend and me today.... interesting....

[13:14] V__________: huh/
[13:14] V__________: ?
[13:14] V__________: u saw the shilpa shetty "big bro" show?
[13:16] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: lol
[13:16] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: ya i did
[13:16] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: crazy
[13:16] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: lol
[13:31] V__________: so whatddya think of it?
[13:32] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: i think in one way, its a lot of good publicity.. like if the show really doesnt stand for racism.. well it put up with it quite a lot
[13:32] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: i think also tv brings out the worst in people
[13:32] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: but i have to say i love shilpa shetty now
[13:33] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: she is so down to earth and really mature
[13:33] V__________: i think she's plain dumb
[13:33] V__________: she went on tv complaining about racism
[13:33] V__________: and the next day she went on tv saying that there was no racism and she takes back her words
[13:34] V__________: she should have either handled it herself..or if she decides to make it public then she should stick to her stand
[13:35] V__________: and moreover, if someone illtreats her cos of her color, then its the person at fault and she should deal with it man to man....or person to person , so to speak... making it big on tv, only creates more tension and hatred between races...
[13:36] V__________: which was totally uncalled for..
[13:37] V__________: thats what i feel
[13:39] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: hmm if she didnt stand up for that, then its bad on her
[13:39] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: i agree
[13:39] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: but she went on national TV
[13:39] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: i dont think she was lookin the camera saying.. see how she or ahem treats me
[13:39] V__________: yeah she went on national tv...and took back her words on national tv
[13:39] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: she did adress that person
[13:39] V__________: yeah..
[13:39] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: well i dont understand why she should take back her words
[13:39] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: sometimes people let go of things
[13:40] V__________: may b she got pressurised
[13:40] V__________: u know how crazy indians were...they started burning effigy's of white ppl in protest...totally toally weird
[13:40] V__________: may b someone advised her to take back her word so that it might ease things
[13:41] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: i know through out some of the episodes that i saw....she was talking to them, etc.
[13:41] V__________: see..racism exists everywhere...i see it all around me in the US....
[13:41] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: i saw the burning
[13:41] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: i dont think tht crap is neccessary
[13:41] V__________: but i have white friends who r real good friends..
[13:41] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: look, racism is a heated subject for many
[13:42] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: but unfortunatley, sometimes dealing man to man doesnt work.. u have to bring it to atnn.
[13:42] V__________: and i canno really target the white ppl as a whole..thats not the right thing
[13:42] V__________: i shud only target those who err
[13:42] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: hey come on, shilpa shetty is a SMALL very small segment of indians
[13:42] V__________: we shud take things at the individual level
[13:42] V__________: and not target a grp
[13:42] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: as those white people are on the show a small segment of all white people
[13:42] V__________: yes she is
[13:42] V__________: very true
[13:42] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: there are numbers that are more racist than them
[13:43] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: and more numbers that are not at all racist
[13:43] V__________: totally true
[13:43] V__________: and we see both types at all instances of daily life
[13:43] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: so you feel for shilpa, because though she does only represent a small segment,,racist discrimination still exists
[13:43] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: and though those white people on the show are a small segment, there are still racist people out there
[13:43] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: not only white, but many other races
[13:43] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: so what can we do
[13:44] V__________: yeah..basically its not racism....ppl who hate other ppl just find reason to hate them
[13:45] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: its not just racism that leads people to hate
[13:45] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: racism does exist.
[13:45] V__________: if a white man treats me badly, i would say he is a racist,..if a indian treats me badly, i would use terms like he did that since he is a northie and am a southie...and if a southie does that...i might find reasons of caste or status or whatever... so basically ppl just find some reason
[13:45] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: hey thats the truth
[13:46] V__________: so basically its just the individual that errs, and ppl find tags to attach to them...
[13:46] V__________: and create a controversy
[13:58] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: ya, unfortunatley, our world is not perfect
[13:58] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: n rather than unite, people divide
[14:03] V__________: so what r u doing about it?
[14:03] V__________: ur small part in the big scheme of things?
[14:04] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: well it has happened to me
[14:04] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: rather than walk away
[14:04] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: i try to educate
[14:04] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: thats all we can do
[14:05] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: we can keep ourselves educated, open minded, and always willing to accept new ways
[14:05] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: we are never going to be free of judgement, because it is human nature to judge, but! it is your nurture that will make you a better person
[14:06] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: so what do i do.. i try my best to be best person that i can be.. and to pass that onto whoever i can
[14:08] V__________: true
[14:08] V__________: we shud try to be just....
[14:09] V__________: and make sure atleast we change one blind person
[14:09] V__________: and start a small chian reaction of love...which would hopefully spread all over the world
[14:11] V__________: but honestly...i see so much racism in the US....that was something I was totally unprepared for when I came here...
[14:12] V__________: but I have met some real good people here too...which was a total surprise too...
[14:14] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: ya you came here where there are soo many races and so many cultures within cultures
[14:15] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: in india it is the same with cultures within cultures, but! more commonality.
[14:15] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: i believe though there is more acceptance here in some areas, where there are no acceptances in some areas as well
[14:15] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: change should always be progressive, yet its a long process
[14:16] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: i agree, a chain reaction would be great. but is it too idealistic. hmm
[14:16] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: look @ our world now
[14:16] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: us vs. iraq
[14:16] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: india vs. pakistan
[14:16] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: n.korea vs. the world
[14:16] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: lol
[14:16] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: its depressing
[14:18] V__________: i agree...
[14:18] V__________: basically i believe the govt brainwashes the people
[14:19] V__________: the govt says put ur country before everything else
[14:19] V__________: they teach u not to find difference between north indian and south indian....but encourage you to fight against pakistan
[14:20] V__________: people should be taught that humanity and respect for fellow humans comes much before any kinds of patriotism
[14:20] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: True...
[14:20] V__________: u shud treat a man at par no matter whether he's from india or pakistan
[14:20] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: but the responsibility shall not lie only on the govt shoulders
[14:20] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: but on our ancestors as well
[14:20] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: hate is mostly learned
[14:20] jayashree.sundaresan@gmail.com/Meebo: passed on
[14:21] V__________: yeah...but ppl keep inventing new kinds of hate
[14:22] V__________: hey seri...i got to leave now.....i'll talk to soon
[14:22] V__________: take care...bye

Desk rearranged

2007-01-18T07:51:00.000-08:00

So, I get to work this morning to find my desk has been rearranged by a coworker of mine. I am talking about all my pens all over the place. The stick up notes rearranged. Even my freakin chair was shoved under my table. Kudos to Ke... well we will leave your name out. I must admit that it caught me off guard. BUT! beware my lil weirdo. you will get it back from me.... Any day now.!

Thank god I came in early today, eh?

ClearBlue Easy

2007-01-16T13:44:00.001-08:00

Piss in space

So, me and Arun are sitting watching TV and this commercial came on. At first I seriously thought it was for a freaking razor or something. Then as I was watching trying to grasp what it was... I saw the stream of what was supposed to be pee. i was flabbergasted looking at it. First of all, the voice on the commercial sounds like he is the moviefone guy. You know the big voice.. .like OH MY GOD! Is that a bird? or a plane? NO! Its SUPER PREGNANCY TEST! Well I was thinking oh my god, what woman who is nervous/scared/or happy (whatever) thinking she is pregnant... looking at this ad is like YES! M'AM! thats the stick of choice to pee on. Of course I look at Arun and he is all probably thinking Ya, i would buy this for my girl. What a manly stick to pee on ...........for a woman. Granted, if men could get pregnant, woohoo, this ad is right on target. So I was like dude, this is retarted. If I was pregnant and had to decide, women need some comforting some soothing words.. actually the fact that it just says pregnant or NOT. Showing me the stick in some ergonomic way is not impressing me at all. And secondly...the way the "pee" is shown is like um, which woman can pee like that. If we were peeing from one stick to another, hey, aim might not be an issue.. infact, im sure we could even do some designs. But half of us have no clue where ours even comes from, we just pray its going right. I was just so dissapointed in the commercial. I really don't think it appeals to its target audience... certainly not to me... lol... but if I had to send Arun to get one SOMEDAY (ahem SOMEDAY LONG AWAY FROM TODAY.... ) I know which one he would remember, the "airplane" lookin one... and to sum it all up, this is why we need more women executives. lol..... any comments?

Rush Rush

2007-01-13T12:58:00.000-08:00

So, I dunno I had the mood to watch this video this morning. I was just doing my usual youtubing and I have no idea. When I was a little girl, I loved loved this song. I just realized what a Paula Abdul fan I was. lol. I thought Keanu Reeves was so gorgeous and that whole long hair thing... fabulous! But upon watching this video again, I was like what the f?

First of all this guy starts ranting about how his parents are fighting, etc. And how he didn't mean to put some guy in the hospital. While Paula is crying to someone about fighting with this guy. Then boom, they meet @ some funeral. She of course has the whole Grease scene boyfriend. She starts singing about some crap about rushing to him. The whole time she is still making out with Grease monkey. Then they come to Keanu's house in their car. Then of course the boyfriend gets all pissed that Keanu is checkin out Paula. (Um, why take her their anyways) THEN!!! he slashes his own tires? what the f?

Here comes the funniest scene.... they have a drag race... of course Grease monkey dies. And they all rush to the edge like Oops. And she asks.... have you ever been in love? Ya, that is the first question that pops into my mind after my bf leaps to his death of a cliff. He talks like he is still Ted from Bill and Ted's super adventures.... THEN!!! she rushes home with him and makes out. Um, poor dead guy. This video is warped. But still so nostalgic when I look back on it. Haha....

My celebrity lookalikes

2007-01-06T14:08:00.000-08:00

A step backward

2006-12-01T15:59:00.000-08:00

I could not resist posting this. It was too hilarious! Oh lord...

Boyfriend Ready To Take Relationship To Previous Level
November 28, 2006 | Issue 42•48

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COLUMBIA, SC - Following a romantic three-day getaway to South Carolina's Hilton Head Island, 32-year-old Matthew Sullivan said he is now "more ready than ever" to take his 10-month relationship with girlfriend Carol Moag to the previous level.

Enlarge Image
Moag and Sullivan are on the brink of a "big leap backward" in their relationship
"After spending every waking moment with Carol for 72 hours, I know in my heart that I'm prepared to see her face twice, maybe even once a week," said Sullivan, who met Moag, 34, at a friend's New Year's party in January.

Sullivan claimed he has been considering "taking the big leap backward" since Moag suggested last month that the two get a cat. The weekend of uninterrupted intimacy served to erase whatever reservations Sullivan may still have held about the move.

"I know this is a big decision, but I'm ready for it," said Sullivan as he picked up a few DVDs and books he had left at Moag's apartment before she returned home from work. "I've given this a lot of thought, and whenever I imagine giving Carol the keys to her place back, it just feels right."

"I'm so excited about this," he added.

Though Sullivan admitted being initially nervous about Moag's reaction to the sudden announcement, he said he was confident that she will, if not right away, eventually see that his instincts are correct.

"I'm not sure she'll be ready to take the plunge like this," Sullivan said. "But if I give her plenty of space and lots and lots of time by herself to think it through, she'll realize that we're meant to be together a lot less."

Sullivan said he hoped the couple's new lowered level of commitment will provide them an opportunity to grow as individuals and really make the relationship work for Sullivan.

"It isn't going to be easy, but no one wants this more than I do," said Sullivan, who believes that his clarity at this important juncture is a direct sign of his advanced maturity.

"As you get older, you recognize what's really important to you," Sullivan said. "When I made the decision to get a lot less serious with Carol, I just felt this sense of peace. I can tell by the look in her eyes—that loving, longing gaze—that I must act now before I miss my chance."

Sullivan said that he is continually surprised by how "time just flies by" in his relationship with Moag. The 32-year-old said he has a gut sense that if he does not make her aware of his feelings soon, it will be too late.

"What happens now will determine the rest of our future together," said Sullivan, who claimed that he did not want to repeat the mistakes he made in previous long-term relationships. "The last woman I was with [ex-wife Maria Heller], I let this moment pass me by, and I'll always regret it."

"I ended up living with her for two and half years," Sullivan added.

Tech Support Caste

2006-11-24T08:59:00.000-08:00

Haha.. Saw this article on The Onion. Sooo funny..

New Tech-Support Caste Arises In India
April 20, 2005 Issue 41•16

NEW DELHI—Thanks to widespread outsourcing of telephone-service jobs, a sixth caste has blossomed in India: the Khidakayas, a mid-level jati made up of technical-support workers. "I am happy to be a Khidakaya," said technical-support agent Ranji Prasat, who speaks English with a flawless American accent and goes by the name "Ron" at work. "While we rank below members of the reigning order, those of us responsible for helping Americans track their online purchases and change their account PINs share many privileges not enjoyed by the merchant class below us." Prasat said he expects to marry another tech-support worker.

My wife is leaving me.....

2006-11-21T11:52:00.000-08:00

So my roomate, my best friend, and my life partner are moving out of our place in 2 weeks. I was fine up till now. I am starting to break down. It has been a rich experience to have our own place, our memories and our independance. Now we both have to sacrifice that for stability. I am not as upset to move back in with my parents; though I fear for my sanity. lol. I am now upset because I realize she is not going to be here everyday... we are not going to go to our fav Thai restaurant after work.... or sit and watch movies after movies after movies. Or best... mess with Leo, her cat. Beyond all this, I will just miss seeing her. No one can understand me quite like her and we appreciate each other more than our own lives. We have been through so much; happiness, drama, sooo much. I love our friendship. I can say anything to her, whether I am mad, or sad, or whatever. I tell it just like it is. She is the same way. No bullshit, no running around. Its hard to find that in people. Not everyone speaks their mind or has the balls to tell you to your face. I guess that is why she is my best friend. lol... My feelings are mixed. As much as I dont want to see her go, I am pushing for this. I want her to have the best, be the best and do the best in her life. Dammit, first my husband goes away for a year and a half... now that he is coming back, my wife is leaving. Life is not fair... lol......sigh......

Love sickens all of us!

2006-09-27T12:41:00.000-07:00

Nation Sickened By Sight Of Happy Young Couple

September 27, 2006 Issue 42•39

OAK PARK, IL—Though sharply divided on the war on terror and domestic controversies such as abortion, drugs, and gay marriage, Americans are in almost unanimous agreement over one issue: that Oak Park, IL couple Dave Petrun and Julie DeSimone are totally sickening.

Enlarge Image

The happiest goddam couple in the whole world.

"It's like they think they're the first couple to ever fall in love in the history of space and time," said Boston resident Allison Clark, one of millions of people who say they want to shoot themselves in the face after observing the tender relationship between Petrun, 28, and DeSimone, 25, evolve over the last four months.

According to an ABC News–Washington Post poll released Monday, a significant majority of Americans believe the couple's persistent displays of affection, which include almost constant hand-holding, mutual giggling, and insufferably coy little kisses, were "fucking ridiculous." An overwhelming eight out of 10 polled said they wished the couple would die, preferably in a fiery automobile accident.

"If I have to see [Petrun] fiddle with [DeSimone's] fingers as they stroll around window shopping, without a care in the world, I swear to God I'm going to punch something," said Savannah, GA resident Sam Weber, whose reaction has been echoed by a broad cross-section of Americans apparently weary of the couple's brazen public displays. "These two need to face reality, and stop living in this disgusting fantasy world of theirs."

Though their initial May 30 joint outing went largely unnoticed, public opinion toward the couple dramatically shifted after it was revealed that DeSimone spooned frozen yogurt into Petrun's mouth during their second date three days later.

By the second week of June, their approval rating dropped below 40 percent in most national polls, after Petrun and DeSimone were spotted wedging their hands into each other's back pockets as they walked through an Oak Park neighborhood. By July, the rating plummeted even further after DeSimone asked Petrun which of her physical attributes he found cutest, and Petrun responded with a detailed list.

"Who are they kidding?" said Rebecca Hillard, a single mother of two in Anchorage, AK. "Once this little honeymoon is over, he's going to cheat on her with an ex-girlfriend and she'll come running to the American people to pick up the pieces. It's so obvious it's stupid."

According to a Sept. 25 Zogby poll, 36 percent of Americans grimaced when Petrun playfully nudged DeSimone for no evident reason last Thursday, and 45 percent emitted a loud, annoyed sigh after Petrun sent flowers to DeSimone's workplace last Tuesday. One in three Americans characterized the way Petrun touched the small of DeSimone's back as he led her into the backseat of an awaiting taxi on the evening of Sept. 19 as "completely unnecessary."

"The girl knows how to get into a cab without help," said Adam Burkheimer, a Shreveport, LA resident and recent divorcé. "I don't get all the constant pawing."

On Wednesday, support lines across the country were flooded with calls complaining of moderate or intense nausea after DeSimone refused, and then eventually accepted, Petrun's hooded sweatshirt during an evening walk.

Online anti-canoodling blogs, such as the popular davejuliebarf.typepad.com, are buzzing with rumors that Petrun and DeSimone broke into a brief, spontaneous slow dance near a Lake Street fountain on Sept. 20.

"Apparently the pussywhipped douchebag smiles when he sees her name on caller ID, too," blogger Jessie Fox said. "If they love each other so goddamn much, why don't they just get married and live happily ever fucking after?"

In recent weeks, elected officials in Nevada, South Dakota, and Virginia passed largely symbolic "Get A Room" ordinances designed to encourage Petrun and DeSimone to make their affectionate displays more private. Conversely, Ococee, FL banned Petrun and DeSimone from getting a room within its city limits.

While Petrun and DeSimone's behavior does not qualify as a nuisance under any current statutes, the Chicago and San Francisco city councils unanimously passed a joint proclamation encouraging the pair to tone it down.

Read the proclamation in part: "Whereas Dave and Julie are embarking on their first serious relationship, and whereas the odds of it lasting are slim to none, and whereas their ability to make seamless conversation, to instinctively know what the other is thinking, and to relate the story of how the two met when they were randomly seated next to one another on airplane has made nearly 300 million people want to gag, therefore, our cities hereby strongly urge Dave and Julie to really consider breaking up immediately."

Unavailable for comment, Petrun and DeSimone are reportedly making plans to go backpacking across Europe during their six-month anniversary in November, prompting fears that their demonstrativeness could escalate international tensions.

Pinky's Reception, Lisa's Bday, Mars dating the Moon?, OH MY!!!!

2006-08-29T04:25:00.001-07:00

Pinky's Reception-

What a beautiful reception. It was absolutely awesome! Pinky looked gorgeous and Jatin looked so happy! So, me and Lisa did not show up on time to do the decorations.... oops, we were too busy decorating ourselves. The boys were sippin on some Black and Coke. It was the usual gang plus an add on, Rex.... Gagan's friend. We went out and had shots of Hennesey which reminded me of a high school trip from my senior year... and my friend Adam said Hey try some Hennesey... its smooth. After my throat had burned off, i was pretty much done. We got back to the reception, chit chatted, behaved ourselves like good lil indian kids........until they played the Bhangra music. I was getting down. @ one point, Meesha and I were in the circle throwing some bhangra moves. It was all and all a good time. But as usual, the party never ends that early from our gang! Everyone came back to our house and lil did I know that was gonna be my night of embarrasment. We had Crown and Bacardi. I am not into Crown as that is not easy going down. I was calm and chillen, sippin on my Rum and Coke when Mr. Gaggin calls me out and basically says I am no fun and that I am being too quiet and that I was deserting him. So then somehow I was there in the kitchen taking shots after shots of Bacardi with Gagan, Lisa, and Rex. Rex and me were not professional drinkers like Lisa and Gagan. Pretty soon, I was very much gone. All I remember is acting goofy and puking. Not so fun! So my apologies for my own "Jackass" movie. The next morning, my head was banging like JTs dhol drum. Oh boy! But, I had no time to rest, since Lisa's bday bash was on Saturday......................

Lisa's Bday-

Saturday came too quickly. I woke up with no idea where I was and what the hell the time was. I came out to see that everyone had gone home and that Lisa was passed out in the hall. My inner clock said to me it was 7:30am, but after seeing the microwave clock reading 11:30am, I figured my inner clock was still drowned in alki. I rush out of the house to get money for the night, spend a few hours with my lil sister, and boom, we were getting ready to go to BJs. It was our usual spot. But we added a club. NO bash for Lisa would be complete without clubbing. We sat in our usual section, in the back, away from regular people, so we can go crazy and have fun! That night we all realized how much Punjabis can really drink.... so the bday girl had 4 LA Waters, a shot of 151, Crown, Patron AND AND AND Liquid Cocaine. My god, most normal people would have passed out @ the table... like I did on my bday. lol. So we celebrated @ Bjs. The guest list included the usual: THEM (inside joke... Me and Lisa), Kalpz, Chi, Sunny, Nimish, Arti, Emily (she has become desi by association), and new members Karthik and Dosa (Firdaus).... Gaggin and Rex flaked on us... i am guessing it had to do with the fight they had ordered to watch. Anyways, we all had pizzas to fill our stomachs, drinks to lighten our moods, and stories to fill our hearts with laughter. I thought it would be nice to go around the table and tell a few stories about Lisa since its was her bday celebration. Hmm, so to note a few key stories.. Mine about the time she and David tried to spook me by stalking me on a dark, ghetto neighborhood, Chi's book of classic Lisa lines "Lisa the ice cream is melting..." "I know, look @ the sky, the ozone layer is going to melt!" hahaa. Kalpz and the infamous Lean Back Lean Back story from my graduation, Sunny's story about Jack in the Box. and many more wonderful ones... and oh boy, who could forget Firdaus admitting Lisa getting her wet and outa her pants the first night they met. After BJs, we all went to the new Club Taste in San Jose. After many more drinks and hours of dancing, we all walked out of their soaking wet with sweat! But again, the party never ends too early in our gang. We all came back home, where Chi made more drinks. I took one sip, and somehow slipped into my room, where me and Emily ended up talking for awhile. After she passed out, I came to check on everyone. Half the group passed out and Chisa (Chi and Lisa) were again counting stars. lol. Suddenly, Lisa suggests to go hot tubbin. The rest of the gang took a rain check and bounced home. And I went with the crazy 2 and soaked just my feet in the hot tub. The party ended @ 7am.... lol... I only recovered around 3pm. lol......Cheers to Lisa's 4th 21st Bday!!!!

Sunday- Mars story was Uranus' bullshit

Okay, so Lisa gets this email from someone.. a slideshow about how Mars is going to be so close to the Moon that you will be able to see it with the naked eye. Okay, so last night, me and a couple friends toted up on a hill, with no civilization in search of the MARS next to moon thing. We were all excited thinking we get to see something we dont get to see for another 5000 years. So we are driving and driving and we CANNOT find the moon. All four of us have kinks in our necks from twisting around to find the damn moon! So we pick a spot and bust out our telescope. And still no freakin moon! What the fuck! Anyways, we are lookin @ the stars, and what a beautiful night it was! Absolutley gorgeous! We found some twin stars, and some constellations. So, then we all asked was this whole Mars thing bullshit and who can we blame?! LISA! lol. So we are driving back, disappointed that there is no moon, no mars, and scared off our minds hearing some weird howling on that hill...And when I get home, I google this whole thing to see and it has been confirmed, that it was all a fake story. I was thinking hmm, how the hell can MARS come so close. I guess we all failed Astronomy class last night. lol. Here is an article I found on it....

Mars Hoax Circulates the Internet
There's a rumor going around. You might have heard it at a 4th of July BBQ or family get-together. More likely you've read it on the Internet. It goes like this: "The Red Planet is about to be spectacular." "Earth is catching up with Mars [for] the closest approach between the two planets in recorded history." "On August 27th â€¦ Mars will look as large as the full moon." And finally, "NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN." Those are snippets from a widely-circulated email. Only the first sentence is true. The Red Planet is about to be spectacular. The rest is a hoax. Here are the facts: Earth and Mars are converging for a close encounter this year on October 30th at 0319 Universal Time. Distance: 69 million kilometers. To the unaided eye, Mars will look like a bright red star, a pinprick of light, certainly not as wide as the full Moon. Disappointed? Don't be. If Mars did come close enough to rival the Moon, its gravity would alter Earth's orbit and raise terrible tides. Sixty-nine million km is good. At that distance, Mars shines brighter than anything else in the sky except the Sun, the Moon and Venus. The visual magnitude of Mars on Oct. 30, 2005, will be -2.3. Even inattentive sky watchers will notice it, rising at sundown and soaring overhead at midnight.

You might remember another encounter with Mars, about two years ago, on August 27, 2003. That was the closest in recorded history, by a whisker, and millions of people watched as the distance between Mars and Earth shrunk to 56 million km. This October's encounter, at 69 million km, is similar. To casual observers, Mars will seem about as bright and beautiful in 2005 as it was in 2003.

Although closest approach is still months away, Mars is already conspicuous in the early morning. Before the sun comes up, it's the brightest object in the eastern sky, really eye-catching. If you have a telescope, even a small one, point it at Mars. You can see the bright icy South Polar Cap and strange dark markings on the planet's surface.

One day people will walk among those dark markings, exploring and prospecting, possibly mining ice from the polar caps to supply their settlements. It's a key goal of NASA's Vision for Space Exploration: to return to the Moon, to visit Mars and to go beyond.

Every day the view improves. Mars is coming - and that's no hoax.

Sikh Grandfather stabbed in the neck, Hate Crime

2006-08-16T01:57:00.000-07:00

Sikh Grandfather Mistaken for Taliban, Stabbed in Hate Crime

India West , News Report, Ketaki Gokhale, Aug 11, 2006
A Santa Clara Sikh man was the victim of a July 30 stabbing that authorities allege was a hate crime. The incident comes on the heels of a recent spike in hate crimes in the surrounding areas of this San Francisco Bay Area county. On average, five hate crimes are reported each month in Santa Clara County, but 13 such crimes were reported in June, according to the local Network for a Hate-Free Community. Iqbal Singh, 66, was standing with his 2-year-old granddaughter in his family's carport in the 3400 block of Agate Drive, waiting to depart for a religious service at the San Jose Gurdwara, when he was stabbed once in the neck with a steak knife. Everett Thompson, the 25-year-old assailant, was a neighbor who said in police interviews that he stabbed Singh because he wanted to kill a Taliban. "We didn't know [Thompson] before," Gurmeet Singh, Iqbal Singh's brother-in-law, told India-West. "He didn't speak. He just walked very close. Iqbal asked, 'What's the matter?' and as soon as he asked, [Thompson] stabbed him." Iqbal Singh then ran toward his family's apartment building with Thompson in pursuit. At the same time, the rest of the Singh family, including Iqbal Singh's son and daughter-in-law, emerged from the apartment. Thompson fled the scene when he caught sight of them. Thompson was arrested at his home shortly thereafter, where police also found the weapon he used, said Jay Boyarsky, who oversees hate-crime prosecutions for the Santa Clara County district attorney, in a San Francisco Chronicle report. Thompson was arraigned in a San Jose courtroom Aug. 2 on premeditated murder and hate crime charges, Deputy District Attorney Peter Waite told India-West. Thompson did not, at that time, enter a plea. "His attorney asked for a continuance, so he will be back Aug. 10," said Waite. "The point of that is to allow the attorney more time. He believes that there may be mental problems with his client and needs time to evaluate him." Thompson is being held in custody without bail. If convicted of the attack, he could face a sentence of life in prison. At press time, Iqbal Singh was in stable condition at a local hospital. His granddaughter was unhurt. "It's a big shock," Gurmeet Singh told India-West. "And, yes, it is a hate crime. But life has to go on. These are the incidents that can happen to anybody." When asked if he feels unsafe, Gurmeet Singh responded, "I don't feel that we're so afraid that we'd move from one place to another for this reason." Area South Asians, and Sikhs in particular, have expressed horror and fear over the recent spate of violence. Annie Dandavati, a local community activist and the founder of the South Asian advocacy group Coalition 2001, told India-West, "We are always concerned when we hear about an act of violence that meets the criteria of a hate crime. First, we have the danger of copycat crimes. Second, it tends to generate feelings of fear, panic and insecurity in members of the group. This in turn could lead people to over-react." To quell community fears, Dandavati organized a discussion Aug. 2 at the San Jose Gurdwara in which a representative from the U.S. Department of Justice and San Jose Vice Mayor Cindy Chavez spoke. "Incidents such as this have become all too common in the aftermath of 9/11," Dandavati told India-West. Sikhs, whose traditional turbans are vaguely similar to those worn by the Muslim Taliban, are frequently the targets in these hate crimes. According to the Sikh Coalition, at least two Bay Area Sikh cab drivers have been shot to death since Sept. 11, 2001, and another was severely beaten. In 2004, bullets struck the entry sign for a Solano County gurdwara and in 2001, a 3-year-old Sikh boy was hit by a Molotov cocktail hurled through the window of his home. "They are examples of hatred that stems from ignorance," said Dandavati. "They point to a real need to continue our campaign of education."

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

I read this article when I went home today in my parents' India West newspaper. I am just shocked that hate crimes like this are happening in our community. Where is the love and peace? Yes, I know I am a hippie @ heart. The more important question seems to be where is the freedom of expression in America? I thought our nation was built not on creed, race, or religion... but the dream of a free nation. Is that not why so many people move to the US? Is that not the sole foundation of this country. I was sad to read this article. I thought about the family and the community who it will affect. Whether or not the kid who did this was mental or not.. I just simply cant understand our society anymore. Just because this Sadarji was wearing a turban, he was just standing out for a hate crime? All he did was express his religion and his culture. I was thinking how scary it is now... like should I not go somewhere wearing Indian clothes, a bindi... the dot is the butt of many Indian jokes... No one should be denied their right to express their culture. I dont know.. It just made me sad to read it. Its just a sad world we are living in. War after war after war.......And it all only makes me think of this Dr. MLK quote...

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction....The chain reaction of evil -- hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars -- must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation." --Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968)

I pray for a future of safety for all of us.. and a future of free expression. God Bless us all!

Weekend was too fun!

2006-08-07T16:06:00.000-07:00

What a great weekend! Seems like it went so fast and at the same time, it seemed so long. Friday night was girls' night out! Firdosa, Lisa, and I went to 181. Getting ready was the funniest part.. of course, I was the bartendar. I am starting to wonder if my drinks are really that good, or just that Lisa is too lazy to make these drinks. Haha. So, that night, I made a drink that I am actually starting to like a lot... Passion Fruit Juice, Vodka, and Malibu.. its got the kick of the vodka, and the smooth taste of Malibu. Yum! Anyways, Fifi came over and I made her and Lisa drinks. I did not know she was such a light drinker!.. she split half the drink on her pants. lol. Anyways, Lisa went down to search for something and just told us to come to the car when we were done. Being the evil person that I am... I tell her that we should play a trick on Lisa... When Lisa called asking where the hell we were, I said "Hunny, she is throwing up. I did not know that she cannot handle her alki." Lisa gasped and said that we should not go, etc. I said, No its okay.. she is fine. After I hang up, me and fifi hella start crackin up... So then I told her to lean on me, cuz Lisa will be looking... and when we were almost near the car, Fifi "fell" on me! Lisa was like Hunny, we shouldnt go. Are you okay? Get her water, plastic bags etc. And then I was like she will be okay. I am going to just have her drink more. She was totally freaking out and me and Fifi just started cracking our asses up! Suite 181 was awesome. Hella mixed crowd... barely any desis! We had soooooo much fun! Oh my god! We found another "hoochie" like us to get down on the floor with. Fun Fun Fun!

Saturday night, I was supposed to go clubbing with the rest of the gang, but my mom wanted me to watch my lil sister that night. SO I had to take another rain check. I chilled with Sruthi and watched Aladdin ( Hey, dont knock Disney movies)... and then came home and cleaned up the house a lil bit.

Sunday ... well, technically it was Sunday when Kalpita ran into my room, drunk off her ass and tried getting my ass out of bed. It took those 3 fools to get me out. And Lisa.... passed out! lol... then those fools and I chilled till like 6am. How is it Sunny that you always manage a massage out of someone.. lol.... So, FINALLY went to bed at 6am... had to get up @ 8am... do some stuff... pick up my dad @ the airport, etc. My cousin Vijay changed his plans and decided to fly out of San Jose on Monday morning instead of Sunday night. So he came over along with our friend Pradeep. We quickly planned a lil bday surprise for POP and boy was he shocked! hehe. And what would a Jayashree style Bday celebration be without some cake smashing in the face! haha. Check out the pics. Of course, I had to hold down the victim while one smashed another piece.. and someone had to take the pictures. HAHA! Then we all just ended up having drinks.. correction.. I made the drinks, they had the drinks! I should say I am an inventive bartendar... I call It Tequila Sunrise a la mode.. lol. I put OJ, Tequila, Vodka.........AND!... Strawberry Syrup for Sundaes.. something to sweeten it up! Haha, as nasty as that must sound, it was actually good! So good that these fuckers went through 3/4 bottle of teq, 1 bottle of vodka, and 2 cartons of OJ, and of course half a bottle of syrup. Blechhhh! So we all just ended up chatting with Vijay and Lisa going to bed early. My ass being forced to stay awake to drop both of them @ the airport the next morning... So me and POP ended up watchin Michael Madana Kama Rajan. Between the 2 of us, I think we could memorize every single line of that movie. All and all it was a great weekend. And it was sooo good to see my Anna and POP. So Happy Birthday Mundu! Good cake, Great drinks, unforgettable mini birthday bump!.. Cali style. hehe. Something from that night the 4 of us cannot forget... POP coaching Vijay! haha. for what? What happens in Springhouse stays in Springhouse! hehe.

Oh Burrrrithooooo, Sorrithoooo, Margarithoooooo!!!!!

2006-08-04T03:24:00.000-07:00

I have one word to describe tonight... Total random fun and chaos.I had plans to go out with my friend Dan who I hadn't seen for 2 years. crazy... We planned to go see Miami Vice and grab dinner. Kalpz wanted to get lunch. So we met up @ Chevys, where we waited for Lisa for only about 2 hours... Anyways, it was a fun thing! Especially since Lisa could not stop talking about her bday plans. hehe. Well, Me and Kalpz said " let us make it a surprise for you." So I txt Kalpz saying lets make them sing for her "bday" today. After about 30mins of telling every single waiter we saw, they came to the table with the sombrero. Hahaha. It was hilarious! We both said SURPRISE! ;) Here are the pics from that!

John Tucker Must Die!

2006-08-02T01:10:00.000-07:00

Tonight was such a fun night... Fifi and I went to hang out. I suckered her into watching a Hindi movie. After much sighing, she agreed. We were originally going to go see Phir Hera Phiri, but unfortunatley it was no longer playing. We decided to see Omkara and when we got there, it was sold out. We were like either the movie is really good, or because its $5 Tuesday.. so of course its sold out. Hahaha.

We went to eat dinner and then went to see John Tucker must die. Haha. We both wanted to see that movie, but i was thinking no one else would have wanted to see it. Anyways, we had a really good time @ dinner... blabbed on... okay okay, so I blabbed on. It was so cool...

So, my reviews of this movie.... BEWARE! DO NOT READ!!!! I am going to totally spoil the movie for you, if you do.

It is definetley this year's MEAN GIRLS! It is a classic high school movie. Basically, John Tucker is a popular basketball player... who is dating 3 girls from 3 different clicks. They all find out through a newbie @ school... Kate.... So they devise a plot to get even with him. They put estrogen in his bulk powder, make him wear a thong, etc. When none of that works, they basically transform Kate to be his new gf .....but the plan is for her to crush him. Well, there is also John Tucker's younger brother.. who has a crush on Kate, and they both vibe on the same level, etc.. Well, she ends up changing and going from a nobody to the most popular girl... and the pursuit of John Tucker, of course. She plays hard to get, etc.. He falls for her completeley and totally is whipped. The girls want to go ahead with their revenge plan. The younger brother of John Tucker catches on to the plan and tells Kate.. she is changed etc. And that she isnt who she was etc. So boom! like any teen movie, she has an epiphony... and realizes her mistake. She goes to the tell the girls the plan is off, etc. The girls dont accept... and of course @ the party where Kate tries to tell John Tucker... the girls play a video showing her saying she would never be with him, etc. So she starts to explain that she didnt mean to hurt him, but they wanted revenge, etc. He agrees thats not how u treat girls, etc. And they all make up.. and she ends up going for the younger brother... :)

So, my review... it was cute, it was funny... no big Oscar nominee. But okay. I thought the actor was of course hot hot hot! It was not as good as mean girls. The ending was a bit okay.... me and Fifi @ first wanted her to totally go for the younger brother, but when the asshole went all soft, we wanted her 2 go for him. Me and her had way too much fun watching it. So, I would say see it, if u like teen flicks, etc... and u are just amused by hottttt bodies!

Is that a monkey?

2006-08-01T01:35:00.000-07:00

Today was a really funny day! It was my lil sister Sruthi's bday! Poor thing was so jet lagged from her India trip. They only got back on Sunday. Poor thing was so exhausted. She had a bday party and a day planned for her @ her daycare. Since my dad is still in India, we did not plan anything too big. Just had pizza and cake. Lisa came over and it was amazing... My mom, my sis, me AND AND AND Lisa had a huge conversation about the trip and many other topics. It was really nice... And I got advice up the ass. We cut the cake, and of course Lisa smashed her face with the frosting.. she was so adament about getting Lisa back... while she was chasing her, I got some frosting on my fingers ready... and when they gave up playing Tom and Jerry, I got Lisa and my sister. lol....... but i had to let the bday kid get me back. It was hella funny... Sruthi turned 12 today.... wow, she is getting so big. I know she will always remember this bday... cuz she had her first bday party in India, with all my Athais and Periammas, and etc... They also celebrated my cousins bday, Sujatha... I think its really cute that they share the same bday @ least for a couple of hours... meaning timing wise between here and India.

Lisa and I sat outside talking for a long time about her adventures from this weekend. All I can say is the one time I am not with her, everyone goes cuckoo... But I was glad to hear how much fun everyone had... wish I was there.. but I had a headache reaching Armeggedon stage...So anways, we have Kalpita on speakerphone and we are all yapping. Lisa and I were sitting in our backyard and I was facing our apple tree and her back was to it. I had noticed that the apples began to fall one by one for the last 20 mins.. Finally Lisa heard one fall and she turned around. In the middle of my conversation with Kalpita, i said to her...

Me: Its a monkey
Lisa: Shut up. It is not. Ya ya, whatever.
Me: Seriously u dodo... what do you think those apples just fell? I have been watching those apples fall for the last 20 mins.
Lisa: She was like hmm, ya ya... (continues to look in the direction of tree...)
Jay: I am telling you.. Its a monkey! Watch
Kalpita (on speakerphone): Jayashree, you are such a dork. Oh my god. Haha.
Lisa continuing to look at the spot in the tree.... waiting for Rafiki from Lion King to pop out and sing "Circle of Life" lol....Seriously she was seriously looking for the monkey...
Me: Ya Kalpz, maybe I am a dork, but ... I am not the one looking in a tree in my yard for a monkey...
Lisa turns around: UGH!!!! U bitch
Me and Kalpz: HAHAHAHAHAHA

It was too classic. I am still laughing at that. She was sooooo cute. Hehehe. She always gives me the best memories. Love u turkey! Look, I found him.. hahaha

Divya and Priya Kothapalli-Reality TV Shows

2006-07-20T18:20:00.000-07:00

Yay, my first Google blog... so I have noticed something.... and I must admit the truth........

I AM ADDICTED TO REALITY TV SHOWS!

There, I said it! That's the first step, right? LOL. One thing I was glad to never see on Reality shows are Indians... until this show happened....

SWEET SIXTEEN!
MTV's show My Super Sweet 16 follows 16 year olds having outrageous parties to celebrate, not a wedding, not a HUGE milestone, but a birthday party. My sweet sixteen included a pizza party, some punch, and watching movies. Now, with increased wealth, comes increased demand. I have been watching this show for a couple of seasons now. I just gawked at how much money was spent for these parties. $150,000-250,000K+. To me that's a good chunk of payment on a house here in Calif. And a WHOLE house, car, and education in some other states. lol. I guess if you look at it though, you spend based on your earnings. The "normal" people spend around maybe $300-$500 on a sweet sixteen and even that to some may seem like a lot, and to some less. I dunno...

Anyways, lets talk a little bit about the sisters.. Divya and Priya Kothapalli... two wealthy daughters of Dr. Srinivasa Rao Kothapalli... a cardiologist in some unheard of city in Texas. So with nothing much out there except some cows and a few stacks of hays.. The Kothapallis seem to be the Hilton sisters of Nederland, Texas. lol. So I was curious to see how the show would be and what Indians would rep on the famous reality red carpet. First of all, I did not think that the sisters were at all classy. They were two lil snots acting totally spoiled. After all they have been all their lives. The younger one, Divya, was to celebrate her 16th and Priya to celebrate her graduation at 18 in a conjoint blowout bash. The older one seemed to act like she had ADD moments... superbly DDD moments (Carlos Mencia's sound Dun Da Dunnnn)... She was always goofy and claimed to be funny. But her humor lacked originality and well duh, humor. Divya was the prettier, socially adapt, and truly the supremo snot during the whole show.

The girls basically go onto having an Indian style party, with decorations fit for a wedding, an elephant, and not so impressive outfits. First, the party took place at the family's tennis court, which was revamped into and Indian themed party. I must say the decorations were really pretty, but I felt it was fit for a wedding. The girls sat on a throne, which honestly looked like a marriage stage.... um, @ first sight, my mom thought 2 girls were getting married. haha. It was classic. Their outfits were not that grand. I was expecting Indian couture since the girls only talked of Louis Vitton, and other infamous designers. The show depicted them as bratty, wealthy, and appalling girls. At one point, Divya said that no one was allowed to wear red since it was her color... which meant not even red jewelry. GOD FORBID anyone bleed @ the party. Hate to know what would happen then. LOL. The girls go on to make rude comments at each other, as well as others. The mother and father just absolutely said nothing. If that was me, my mom would have slapped me upside the head ON CAMERA! They even prepared a 'Bollywood"song, choreographed by some famous Indian choreographer. She looked like she wanted to slap the Indian out of these 2. They danced to "Sharara Sharara" from Meri Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai.. They both seem to lack a bit of style, but pulled it off @ the end... The setting of the part was awful... It showed a stage with 2 chairs... again WEDDING STYLE!!!... and the chairs were arranged with a row in the middle... ahem like a WEDDING... and guests just watched them etc. What the hell is a party without dancing... especially an Indian party. Then again, they are south indians... trust me... I am one! And I have realized that we just simply do not dance @ parties. Sure, we have our koothu gaana songs in movies and such.. but no dancing. Gujus have garba and dhandiya... Punjabis... Bhangra... and other North Indians... have some dance @ their receptions, parties, etc. But we... nope nope. lol. The best part: When there is so much security @ the front gate, no one thought... what about the back way... OOPS! SNEAK ATTACK! I loved how those white kids just sat on the laps of those uncles and such... haha.

Some classic lines from the show:

Divya: "Oh I have never touched an elephant, it feels like my Louis Vuitton bag... " Um, does Louis have to tell PETA something?

Priya: "Ugh! Do not touch the divine shoulders!" Hmm, I didn't know she was Priya aka Hindu Deity Durga... where the hell is her 4 other arms then? Probably tucked in her Louis Vitton bag...

Divya and Priya: " I want my hair to look like Paris Hilton!" "I want mine to look like Hillary Duff." OY! They have BLONDE hair.... so doesn't matter, no one is going to look @ ur black hair and go BLING BLING! Paris and Hillary? lol

But are these girls really this shallow and superficial? Perhaps so... Of course they chose to go on a show that is known for providing 30 mins of gut renching bratty princesses, riding Daddy for yet another LOOK @ ME ME ME! moment.... The show purely shows the girls in their meanest, dumbest, and duh, spoiled brat in the house times... So I was reading a lil about this, since I was curious to know who the hell these 2 girls really are. So you know already they are basically 2 rich daughters of a cardiologist.. Well, apparently, the girls are not that superficial. They are well adjusted in their Indian culture, speaking Telegu (see told you they were Gultis... SOUTH INDIANS IN THE HOUSE!), do a lot of volunteer work in India, etc. etc. The articles I read talked about how both girls are planning to become doctors. Hell ya, I studied the wrong field.. should have been a dentist or a damn Cardiologist apparently. The older one, Priya should be starting Medical School in India. Both girls are vacationing in India.... and they volunteer with their father @ the hospitals for poor families. So they must have some values and some heart.... cuz its reported that they received $6000 in cash @ the party, which they donated to an Indian charity. Now that is impressive and worthy of mention. Of course you will never see any of this on MTV... its all about the image. My Super Sweet 16 aint so sweet. Its completely designed to key in on the superficial bratty comments. But I am not going to BOOHOO these girls or BOOHOO MTV....cuz MTV created a product, which sucks in viewers time after time with spoiled children having parties costing more than my house!..........and! the girls and every other person on this show SIGNED up for it. The lesson to be learned here is that reality TV is all editing... Its like you are given some clay.. you are told you can mold it anyway you want, etc. Simply that you will be watched as you mold it. But in REALITY, you are just following directions exactly to make the exact object desired.. not by you.. but the viewers. In the end, it is not necessarily the finished product that is broadcasted.. its all the mistakes, and the f words you cuss while making it.. Cuz dammit, nothing makes for good TV than misery!

So, I was hoping not to see Indians are stupid ass shows like this, but it was inevitable. Now every Thambu, Dixit and Hari will line up @ MTVs door begging to tape some aspect of their life, which in the end they will complain.. that's now who we really are. Um ya.....So would I do it? Hmm, I think it would be great if me and Arun signed up for MTVs We are getting married: part II.................IF they pay for our airfare, outfits, reception etc for the wedding. But something tells me Arun won't be saying things like "Ugh! My wife is just jealous cuz I look better in my wedding outfit than she does in her saree... " To say that I say, Hey asshole, you are not the one who is going to be wearing 9 years of saree wrapped around you, tucked under you, and pinned on you. Iyers.. and their Madisaar sarees. Oye Vey! I need to stop watching Reality TV.