regular

WOW- The power of North Korea!

Like The NY time quoted "Korea's announcement to set of a nuclear trest only offers frightening proof of the Bush Administration's diplomatic incompetences and failure of imagination." By announcing that it has conducted a nuclear test, they have certainly ensured the beginning of another possible war. This indeed signals the catastrophic future. I guess such are the vageris of life I suppose.

Another big news over the weekend!

The acqusition of YOUTUBE!!

YOu tube has been something of an overnight sensation-- truly. People are wathcing movies, music etc. I have to admit that this is where I had watch the insipiring interview of Mr. Laxmi mittaland ofcourse, MR Zidanne's interview after the W. cup final.

You tube really has spread like a wild fire since it officially debuted last december. The company is now acquired by GOOGLE for $1.6 billion. According to the WSJ, consumers have watced the NIKE commercial featuring "Ronadhinio : Touch of Gold more than seven million times."This clearly shows a potentinal of capturing great marketing publicity.

Weekend rundown:

Nothing exciting-- same as usual I guess.

I had a chance to quickly flip through the FORBES magazine and was amazed and VERY happy to read that the newly appointed CEO of PEPSI is- a FEMALE and she is from INDIA. SHe is MRS. INDRA k. NOOYI. I was so very thrilled to read about her. She should be a ROLE MODEL to all of us-- who wants to conquer the business world.The more interesting thing is that she has been known to wear traditional Indian saris to her inaugral functions. Her ascension has made her an epitome for executives in India as well as in America.She definelty will be my ROLE MODEL!!

We also had a chance to watch the movie "corporate." I have to admit that the movie has been depicted very well. Corporate world indeed means knowing a little more than the competitors. It is a good movie and to top it all of, the print was very good as well.

Saturday, we went to have a brunch at the " neighbourhood" with sanjay and sujata. Sunday night dinner at Yadav's was Good. We had the luxury of eating the delicious pasta.

( this was actually written on Tuesday--and I am just posting in today-- i.e Thursday)

I went to the "Jerusulam Women Speak" today at Northeastern University. I was very very touched and inspired by these courageous ladies. There were three ladies from Gaza, Bethlehem and Israel with a background of Muslim, Christian and Jewish - all with one view " to have a peace in the middle east." I want to write more on this because this event did have an imapct on me in a certain way!

friday!

I am taking a break right now. MY eye hurts. I am trying -- emphasisng the word "TRYING"to do some research for my prefessor but there are so many distractions everywhere. Inside and out! Cannot concentrate. We had a workshop this morning from 8:30. How to do good presentation and write executive summary-- concise and to the point ones!! It was good one, however, my only compalain was the breakfast. We had this from 8:30 to 1:00 and did not have any breakfast-- the least they could have done was to have some coffee.

Anyways, since then I have been in the library, trying to finish some work form my professor and trust me it is not going anywhere.

Plans for the weekend-- not really.. Study and Study!

The festival of Dashain is finished. It has been 12 years since I have celebrated dashain in Nepal. Dashain back home is different and fun. Since I had school this year, the day really did not seem like dashain. Just any other regular day. The biggest highlight of this dashain for me was my dad's birthday. His birthday is in the first day of Dashain and he turned 50. I can officially say he is an old man :)

There are days when the sun hides. It is gone for so long, you are not sure you will see it again.--But today that is not the case. The sun is out but it is soo chilly outside. REALLY really coldddd...... Brrrrr

Next week on Thursday, I am going for a talk show at Northeastern. The title is "Jerusalem speaks." That is the exciting agenda for next week :)

Have a great weekend!

quick summary

They are eerie sensations, more common than one might think: It is the sensation of an Exam, homeworks-- all those nauseatic feelings that I am encountering at the moment. Time is precious. Time management is even more precious. However, I am in the midst of dilema not being able to manage the both.

HAPPY DASHAIN!!! Weekend was good. It was Dashain for all the Nepalese. Even though I wanted to enjoy the festival in a full swing, I was not able to cause of the group project and the asssignment I had. Both Saturdays and Sundays- most of the day time, I was crammed with my projects and report. However,I did manage to enjoy the evenings eating good food at Muna aunty's, Manisha bhauju and Anju bhauju's place. It was a small dashain fiesta for us.

The "khasi" ko masu was simply superb!! On the day of Dashain, I was very happy when our Organizational Behaviour class was cancelled. It was in the afternoon and it gave us some time to enjoy the "dashain." I had no interest of attending the second class, but I had no choice because class participation is heavily counted towards our final grade. I just wished I did not have to go--- Wishful thinking does not always come true does it?:)

Tuesday morning was a longgg day for me. I had to get to the Copley Plaza at 7:30 in the morning. I got up at 5:00 and was out out house by 6:40. It was our first lecture series I suppose. This one was from the CEO, the chairman and the PRESIDENT of PROCTER AND GAMBLE, Mr. A.G Lafley( This man has all the three titles! quite amazing! ). It has always been my dream to work at this company, keeping that in mind, :) I did manage to do bit of a networking with employees from Gillette and P and G and got some business cards :) By the way, I also got my Business card from the school :)

The session was very very interesting!I was very astonished to find out that the P & G is !69 years old. WOW!! By far, the biggest acqisition for them has definetly been aquiring GILLETTE:

Mr.Lafley looked like any other CEO resonating the same trait as other Great LEADERS! The product of HBS of course!! . The guy with a power.From all the lectures I have attended, I feel that the leaders have some attribute that is easily distinguishable compare to the regular people. Mr. Lafley, "the proctoids,"as he is reffered by his fellow workers was also one of them. He had a power in this voice. Since he has been in the company the sales been up to 20%. When you are talking about 20% in terms of million and billions of dollars it is just HUGEEEEE.

It really felt nice being in that room with other representatives and stake holkders and hearing his strategies and marketing plan to sustain in the market. :) I really hope that I get to work with this company some day!

ERIC CLAPTON!!

Both Prasanna and I, we also managed to go see Mr. Clapton this week at the Fleet Center. Honestly speaking,I was bit disappointed that he did not sing his famous songs-- father's eyes, tears in heaven, change the world-- He did sing, Leila, Cocaine and you look beautiful tonight.

It had been a really long day for me and I was really tierd. Prasanna was fully enjoying. It has always been one of his dreams to go to Eric clapton's concert and I am glad he did :)

I am at the Library and I have a group meeting in about 20 minutes, so I better get going!

Wedding

It cannot be often that when you are student with loads of work, u still have time to have fun ( you are supposed to be studying right!!), however, my case was different THIS weekend.

To tell you the truth, the weekend before that was quite hectic. We had the 2 days Simulation workshop with total of 100 MBA students. It was very exhausting. My body is still not used to the new routine. I was really worn out last weekend. To top it all off, I had my first presentation on Tuesday which means work all day on Monday as well.Simulation indeed was a wonderful experince. We had to come with a stategic plan for this fake company and present it to the CEO and the Board members. I was given the title of SVP International Market.-- the exact title that I would like to get someday ! :)

Fast forward this weekend :) We went to New Jersey to attend Prasanna's friend Kunal's wedding. Kunal is a one of prasanna's good friends from Cornell. I had met him about 2 years back at their school's reunion. It was a typical Indian wedding. Kunal came on a HORSE!! Where on earth did they get the horse from? Derbys? The wedding was filled with FUNN!!! The couple looked VERY HAPPY :) It was nice meeting pras's friend after long time. It was sort of like a reunion for them. We left on Saturday afternoon and got back late night on Sunday and back to School on Monday.

By the way, it is almost 12:40 am now. It has been a very longgg day for me. I left home with Mr D-- around 8:30. I got back at 10:30. I had my very first MBA quiz today in Statistic. I have been in the library all day-- doing homeworks. I am tierd and worn out. I hate Tuesday's and Wednesdays-- I have class till 10:00... blah blah blah :)

I am ready to go to bed. However, my husband is on the phone with his team back in Nepal. He has been working since he got back from office. When I got up this morning, he was ready to call his office in KTM and now, I am about to go to bed and he is still on the phone.

I have to do little bit reading myself. I gotta do that before I doze off :)

Night

Centenial Celebration

With a sheer of anxiety, I flip over my Management Analytical homework. The number looks gruesome. I came to the school in the morning and have been here since then. It is 9:00 in the evening now. Well, I have not been studying per-se but have been in the school since early morning. I am exhausted!

The Exciting news is that I had a chance to see the former President Mr. George Bush. Yup! he came to the centennial celebration of Suffolk University. The school is supposedly 100 years old today. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUFFOLK :) Along with my two friends, Yulia and Meryl, I went to the celebration held in Boston Common. I also had a chance to hear from Thomas Menino, the mayor of boston. This man has quite a BOSTON accent :)

I was so impressed by Mr. Bush’s speech and the cutest thing was that he kept on mentioning his wife. He was like, “My wife sometimes finds me crazy because I speak with the television—it is the age factor I guess.” I can now officially say that I have seen Mr. George Bush :) By the way he was born in Milford, Mass. I did not have the slightest clue about this. I always thought he was from texas.

I also had a meeting with my Professor regarding the Innovative project I am doing with him. It is very interesting. Now, I cannot help, but simply wish that I had more time.

On a very interesting note- I am flipping over the Business Page of a “ New York times,” ( Now, I have started reading NY and financial times) and I see something very interesting. It is an advertisement for a Nepalese Rug. “ABC Nepalese RUG for SALE” : Select from over 200,000 one-of-a king modern handmade Nepalese rugs- it says. This is a one page advertisement featured on a NY times. The advertisement must have been very very expensive.—I am guessing more than $20000. WOW!! I cannot help but wonder who owns this business. Is this an Nepali entrepreneur or an American simply using the nepali name to brand his product?

If anyone do decide to go the address in 1055 Bronx river!

Good night!!

Dr. Daniel Vasella

It is almost 12:00 at night. I am tired. Had a long day today. I left the house at 9:00 in the morning and got back at 10:45 at night. We had a evening class today. Everything has slowly started to pile up. We have our first presentation next week. It is on the Case of “Sealed Air Corporation.” Then over the weekend we have the 2 day simulation thing.....

Today was a busy day :) Eventhough I really did not have lot of time, I still managed to go to MIT:) In the afternoon, I went to the MIT Sloan’s DEAN’S INNOVATIVE LEADER SERVICE.I had been wanting to go to this lecture series for a long time and there was no way that I was going to miss it.

I had the GREAT opportunity to hear Dr. Daniel Vasella, Chairman and CEO running NOVARTIS, the world's seventh-largest pharmaceutical company. Financial Times selected Dr. Vasella as the most influential European businessman of the past quarter century.

His KEY accomplishments:

• Launched Gleevec, a breakthrough drug for leukemia, just 32 months after entering clinical testing

• Increased sales for 2001 by 14%, to $13 billion, and is on track to boost operating profits by 5%, to $4.2 billion

One thing that really got my attention was when he said, “We seek mployees who tolerate Failure as it is the daily bread than success.” Failure indeed is the key to sucess.

You really do not get to meet people like Daniel Vasella in your Day to Day life. I am glad I seized the day! Listening to such great leaders is what gives you hope and direction for your future endeavors.

busy

I am a BUSY BEE :)

We had two classes today. Organizational Behavior and Marketing. Too many groups and too many assignments. Tomorrow is my First official team meeting for our Case Presentation. I have the meeting at 9 in the morning. My class ends at 10:00 at night tomorrow. It will be a longgg day!

Hole in the City's Heart: Five years after Sept. 11, 2001, ground zero remains a sinkhole of good intentions, where conflicting visions have repeatedly stalled efforts to rebuild a site of horrific tragedy. It has been 5 years since that atrocious day. I still remember that day vividly. I was a sophmore in the college. Like any other day, I was getting ready to go to my Accouting class. I had the habbit of listening to music at the MTV channel However, that morning was all different. Instead of listening to regular music I was witnessing the live destruction of the World Trade Center. What a horrific ordeal it was.

It was about the sheer lack of hesitation shown by hundreds of fire fighters as they ran up 100 flights of stairs to save a few people locked inside their offices. And while the office workers ran down, freed, the rescuers continued upward. Now, it is so amazing to see how beautiful and strong the then unborn babies of the fire fighters have become.

Let there be NO VIOLENCE

Peace :)

studying

I suppose I can say that I am actually leaning towards becoming a student. Reason being the fact that I have been in the library for past 4 hours. :) Yup!! studying!!!

I am exuberated by this fact. Somehow, I had this fear that I was never going to recuperate my studying habbit. I am slowly getting there....

Weekend was short. Saturday, I had to attend this luncheon with one of my professors . The whole day was practically gone. We had some friends over at our place in the evening. The Yadavs, Thakalis, Hitesh dai, Ishwar dai and Manit dai. It was a fun evening.

Sunday- Got up, had a quick breakfast and have been in the library since then. I think it is time to take a break now.

oh!! I forgot-- We went to see "Munna Bhai" with Sagar dai and Jasmeen. The movie was not as funny as the first one but it definetly is worth seeing it. Pras was just laughing and laughing and laughing....

Last thursday we were were walking over the bridge near the Harvard University. It was a full moon night. There was a huge boom box on the floor. Everyone was dancing. It looked so sureal yet so beautiful. Imagine, you are just walking on a road and see people dancing.We were both totally confused. I asked one passerby and he said, "It is the last TANGO night of the year." Wow! dancing in the moon light-- who could resist. I quickly swirled with Prasanna. It was short and sweet :)

Classes

School is rolling. Got back at 11:00 last night. We had our “Corporate Finance” class along with the other MBA students. The class was huge. Contrary to what we had been having for previous days, the class last night was almost 35 students. Business Analyst, Accountant and what not. I had that eerie feeling :) I guess I have to be poised to do any thing.

I have my first MBA presentation next week. We also have this simulation with the MBA students over the weekends.. next weekend I think.

I guess the blog days for me are over. Yesterday all day I was running around the campus doing registration for the classes and buying books. Simply running up and down the hill. It was chaotic and tiring. I do not have class today, but lot needs to be done.

I guess in order to have the sun rise, or a great era, one has to go through the muck first.

By the way- this is my first blog from the University!

CANADAAAAA

Labour day weekend was GREAT!!! superb to be EXACT!! we made a road trip.. another one :) to canada. Quebec city, montreal and ottawa. Amongst the three cities, I was absolutely in love with the Quebec city. Becuase everyone was speaking FRENCH, it was some what hard to figure out whether we were actually in FRance or CAnada. Quebec city is BEAUTIFUL!!

Sadly, the effect of Ernesto could also be felt in Canada. To our dismany, the second day was kinda ruined by the rain.. Arghhhhhh. Despite the rain, we still managed to enjoyyy the beauty of Oh! canada :) Montreal and Ottawa were really a dead town. If the place is really beautiful but no one around, it just does not give the best of impression. That is exactly what I thought of both ottawa and montreal.

What else.. My MBA has started. I guess the long silence explains everything.
nope!! I have not gone throught the excruciating pain as of yet, but trust me, I shortly will. I got back home at 11:00 tonight. Today was my frist official class day. I am officially a student again!!! :)

what can I say-- I love being back to school!

Back in Boston

I am back in BOSTON. The workshop in New Hampshire was just GREAT. Hotel was GREAT!! we had the luxury of staying at the very beautiful Mount Wahsington hotel. There were students from 12 different nationalities. This really reminded me of my high school where we had students from 54 different nationalities. This is where I found out about a country called Djibouti :) The workshop was quite hectic. We had to get up at 6:00. After getting the habbit of waking up late, this was quite an adventure.

We also managed to take the COG railway and climbed to the summit of Mount WASHINGTON!!

I also had the GREAT pleasure of Moderating Anuradha koirala. She is a lady with a fire. She really should be everyone's role model. Her stories are so encouraging and filled with power. I am so happy that I got to meet with her.

My school officially strats from Sep 5th, however, we have little workshop from this week.
I have the Accounting review session in a bit and If I don't go in next 15 minutes I will miss my bus.

CIAO!!

Orientation

It's been while since I have come to this site.

This one is going to be a quick update.

Laptop is still fixed not fixed yet. This time I think it is gone for real. I am sad.

Anuradha koirala will be in town tonight. I am excited about the talk.

I had the International Student orientation today. I met one girl from Nepal.. well not literally but her parents are from Darjeeling. I was happy to meet with her.

I am off the New Hamphsire tomorrow for the Workshop for three days. It will be fun.

Teej is this saturday!! For everyone who is fasting for their husband or to find a good husband have a happyy Teej and GOOD LUCK!!

Laptop

My computer went Bizzare-- so no blog until it is fixed.

It was perfectly fine. All I did was a quick update and it a matter of second it went completely out!

I am very annoyed! The computer is not even 2 years old. Argggghh

What can I say-- Such are the vagaries of life. Pras must be smiling reading at this. :)

Weekend was good!

Pras is back from his hectic Travel. It was Shailendra dai's b'day on Saturday so we had the great honour of enjoying the B'day cake at the Yadav residence. Thanks to Shailendra dai our bike is all fixed now!!

Really looking forward to riding it again!!!

I am going to miss my laptop :(

Desert

Another torrid morning!

My neck is hot and my mouth parched. I have been drinking water, yet, I feel very dry.

Just as I thought the summer was almost over, everything comes back again.

I am walking endlessly. I look tired, rugged and ugly. I cannot go any further. There is not a sign of a single soul. I try to scream but I cannot utter a thing. I can feel someone gagging me. Desert is all I see everywhere. I yearn for water. Slowly, I can feel my legs becoming numb. I am certain that I will not be able to count on this for long. It hurts. I have blisters everywhere.

Where am I going? Why am I alone? Since I could not find anyone to come with me, I had decided to come alone. I regretted my mistake at once. Here, I was lonely in a complete isolation and not a single soul to fetch me water. The sky however looked very clear. I wished it would rain. I have a shawl around my head. Am I in Egypt? I don’t know where I am. I see no sign of a Pyramid or a camel.

I see someone. A shadow! The person beckoned me reluctantly. I try to follow him. He disappears.

Again, I am all alone.

Desert is what lies in front of me. Suddenly, I feel like Santiago, the boy in the book
“ Alchemist,” in search of my own true destiny. I hear a roar in the sky. It is a thunderstorm. I feel myself completely drenched. It feels like heaven.

I smile.

The Alarm rings.It is time for me to get up.

Crazy dream isn't it?

freind

I just took a walk outside, just to experience the intense heat. The sweat made me believe that my body is still alive.

I am having a good time with my friend Sujata (that explains why no blog for past two days)chatting and reminiscing our old highschool days. We were in St Marys for 9 years. Prep till 8th grade. University starts next week and I have loads of stuff to do prior to that. Yesterday, we took a stroll around the downtown and it was really nice. we had lot to catch up since it had been almost 10 years. Both of us had been in two different roads. It was really nice hearing her stories about her recent trip to South Africa, Sri lanka and Singapore. We Had a long walk enjoying the enchanting and beautiful evening. We even managed to go to the Krishna mandir and attended the arati. It was a very blissful night :)

Remember the book that was on my list—“The kite runner.” My friend is reading it. She says it is very nice. I am jealous. I really want to read it. She also suggested a book called “Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found” by Suketu Mehta. So many books that I want to read and so less time.. arghhhh…I wish I had more time. Even though I have not been to Bombay, I somehow feel that I can relate to the city. Really don’t know why though.

I hope that my love for the books will only grow stronger in the days ahead, though everybody is writing a book these days. The famous people of every walk of life - including the politicians - hire the writers to tell their stories to the world, if they do not themselves have the skills, to write them.

Another interesting read would be “ Forget Kathmandu."

Tuesday

“Dolpa is remote. It is rugged. And it is a radiant beauty in its setting of Himalayan glory,” says one of the travel magazines about this beautiful place back home. I have traveled the world but I have to sadly admit that I have not traveled very much outside Kathmandu. I would like to go to Mustang, Illam, Dolpa etc. Beauties lie within our country itself and there we are wandering around in search of true beauties. What an ironic it is?

Weather wise - really pleasant outside. I am indeed very glad that the whole chaotic heat wave is gone. Pras left for LA today. He is coming back on Saturday. I just got back from the Gym. Since I have the car, I decided not to run. Being bit lazy I guess.

I am meeting my friend from St Mary’s tomorrow. I have not seen her for almost a decade now. She will be joining the Fletcher School of Diplomacy at Tufts. I am very much looking forward to meeting with her. I am happy she will be in Boston.

What else is new—Oh, I read in the newspaper that –“ The contemporary human life is said to be a healthier - if not necessarily a happier - one, than before.” Good news I suppose!

As I have nothing to say I guess I will end with an Adieu :)

Attitude

YOUR ATTITUDE CAN DO WONDERS.

Have the right attitude and you will go very FAR!!

Enjoy reading this with a cup of hottt cappachino :)

Father: I want you to marry a girl of my choice
Son: "I will choose my own bride!"
Father: "But the girl is Bill Gates's daughter."
Son: "Well, in that case...ok"

Next, Father approaches Bill Gates.
Father: "I have a husband for your daughter."
Bill Gates: "But my daughter is too young to marry!
"Father: "But this young man is a vice-president of the World Bank."
Bill Gates: "Ah, in that case...ok"

Finally, Father goes to see the president of the World Bank.
Father: "I have a young man to be recommended as a vice-president."
President: "But I already have more vice- presidents than I need!
"Father: "But this young man is Bill Gates's son-in-law."
President: "Ah, in that case...ok"

This is how business is done!!

Moral: Even If you have nothing, You can get Anything. But your attitudeshould be positive

Weekend

Today is going to be a rather short one. A brief summary of my Weekend. My stomach hurts.. Yup! it’s the most torturous monthly thingie. Life without monthly periods has always been one of the few things women look forward. For me, the first two days are unbearable. Lack of energy, sleep and appetite and above all the most delinquent PMS thingy. Oh! how I wish we did not have to go through this every month.

Anyways, weekend was short and sweet. Pras is all better now. We went to the SEBS BBQ on Saturday. It was fun, bit chilly then what we had expected. It was a nice re-union. Meeting old high school friends is always a fun. Later that night, we also went to see the jeetendra dai and Brenda’s new house in Fitzburg. It is soo beautiful. Really a dream house for anyone.

Oh! before I forget, a brief synopsis from the movie KANK- kabhi Alvida Na Kahena. I was very excited, however, it was not as Great as we had expected. To tell you the truth, it was bit disappointing and quite long. This movie combines to a sad, over-long tale of broken relationships which I was not very happy with. It started at 9:15 and we got home at 1:00 in the morning. You do the calculation! (It goes on and on and on….) This could have been a short and sweet movie, but I guess, Mr. Johar, decided to do the little of his twist and turn. Nevertheless, I was very impressed with the father and son’s acting. Both Amitabh and Abhishek bachan’s acting were superb. I was very much a fan of Abhishek’s character. His role has been portrayed very nicely- A very loving and patient husband.

Right now, I am watching the movie CAPOTE. Movie about Mr. Truman Capote and his book, "The Cold blood," the book that made him the most famous writer in America. Interesting movie I must say! It Requires lot of concentration though! For person like me with so little attention, it was quite a test!

Carpe Diem

What does Carpe Diem mean?

Carpe diem is a Latin phrase literally meaning "pluck the day" but usually translated as "seize the day". It is often adopted or at least quoted as a personal motto. My personal motto :) The term is also used in as an expression of goodwill. One interpretation of the phrase might be as an existential cautionary term, much like "eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die." Every day opportunities await us and we must decide whether to take the chance or play it safe. Therefore, I encourage you to take the risks, for nothing is gained without them.

Pras is not feeling well today. He woke up early in the morning .. around 5:00 I think and endured two rounds of coughing. Now the coughing is all gone. It is all about headache now. Been sleeping all day with Tylenols. I checked with him a while ago, he says he is feeling better. Nope, no fever- just headache. I really hope he feels better by tomorrow. Tonight, we are planning to go see the new movie “Kabhi Alvida na kahena.” Tomorrow is the BBQ for all the SEBS students.

news

So pretty clearly the biggest news of the day is that -a terrorist plot to blow up planes in mid-flight from the UK to the US has been uncovered. I was very puzzled when I watched the news this morning.

Thanks heaven, this was Foiled.

The most obvious effect to most people who are flying soon will be that there is now no hand luggage allowed on planes - you can take tickets, passports and wallets aboard in a transparent plastic bag. No laptops are allowed on the plane. No gaming devices. No iPods. With news about the foiled terror plot in Britain still unfolding, it’s still a little early to jump to conclusions. But apparently the people who have been arrested so far were young, British citizens of Asian decent—Pakistani to be exact.

American Airlines, Continental and the US Airways- were their core target. These are the airlines we frequently travel. It still gives me eerie feeling thinking about this incidence.

My sister is flying back to London next week and Prasanna is flying to CA on Tuesday. It will be quite chaotic at the airport. No labtops, no music, no handbags.... wow!

Scorpio

“The sun/moon aspect will fade into insignificance, thanks to the glowing influences of your ruling planet. Basically you’ll be completely magnetic and compelling today, so if there were any emotional hiccups yesterday then today you’ll have the presence of mind to put them right again”

I am a Scorpio and this is what my horoscope said for today. Do I believe in them? Not at all!!

There is always the counter-argument to horoscopes: They are way too vague, tell you nothing that will help predict your specific life circumstances.But, then there are those who believe that having a horoscope can actually make you think about what you are doing during the day. There are those who believe that 'knowing things' does not mean knowing what life will bring, but it means being given a clue, and therefore a hint of how you can react to future situations if they do come up.

Horoscopes are based on the alignment of stars, but even great astrologists admit that this is not a specific science. But then what is astrology good for? Obviously if you get caught up in it too much, you will eradicate your ability to exercise free will. If you do not believe in horoscopes, perhaps there is nothing wrong.

I guess this gives us a chance to seek out the events that are mentioned in the horoscope reading and to gauge our own reactions to them. If we are able to see our own reactions and behaviors more clearly, this introspection is the first step in detecting our faults and correcting them. Horoscopes cannot tell you the events of your future, but maybe they give you the confidence you need to face the day's events with an 'upper hand'.

This is how I see it… oh! well..

Today is “Janaya purnima” back home. We just had Kwati (the nine beans soup) for dinner. The bean came all the way from Kathamandu a year ago. It tasted great!

snippets

I am just sitting in front of the TV and flipping channels. I am not looking for anything in particular; I am simply fumbling with the remote and gazing whatever appears on the so- called television. I think I have found something interesting. It is on PBS--a guy is reading a poem out of a book. I am focusing hard.. but I have failed to understand the poem?

I guess Poetry could be anything. ABSOLUTELY anything!!

Poetry to me is no longer about finding words that rhyme. Poetry could be anything I wanted it to be. It could be fragmented, unbalanced, violent, romantic, ...it could be absolutely anything! By far, Robert Frost is my favourite poet. Some of my friends hate his poetry a lot.Very very surprising. But, I honestly don't really mind it. It isn't about rhyming words, or balanced meters anymore. The moon isn't always the face of a lover...it can just as easily be an eerie backdrop for a barren yew tree.

If a person can read my poetry, like it and not understand what it means, then it makes me happy for I have succeeded in doing what I set out to do- expressing something momentary or fleeting in as expressive and natural a styIe I can find for myself and in the bargain if others do not comprehend it, but like the way it sounds...then yes, I suppose I have been successful in 'finding my voice'...or something to that effect.

Today was a good day. I had a coffee with my friend Prerna at LA Burdick @ Harvard Square. Really nice and funky place to hang out. I’ve also discovered that under normal circumstances, caffeine gives me a pleasant buzz, makes me chatty. Yup! Both Coke and Coffee. Then I bumped into Atul and also got a chance to meet with his mum. What a co-incidence. I really wanted to get the tyre of my bike fixed today. However, only after walking in the scorching sun and dragging the bike breathlessly for almost 15 minutes, I came to realize that the place was closed. Bummer!

Which one do you pick?

I still quite vividly remember my TOK (Theory of Knowledge) class back in the high school days, 11th grade to be exact. A vase with a rose was put on the table in front of our classroom and everyone was told to make a drawing of it. Upon completing the task, to our surprises, none of our drawing matched. Even though there was only one rose, somehow our drawing looked completely different. Different perspective I suppose. We were then introduced to a word that was complete new to me. It was called “Aesthetic Art.” We all left the classroom feeling like an ARTIST. We all are artists are we not?

What is Art? Artist? Intellectuals?

Some people prefer the artist to the intellectual because the artist relies heavily on sensory satisfaction whereas the intellectual rests upon the cushion of reason and logic. There is therefore a clear –cut division between the two. But, if you ask me, keeping the two apart is really not as simple a division as it may seem.

Intellect equals detachment. Without detachment, it is impossible to comment on the most serious affairs, objectively. But, art cannot afford to be detached. In order to create one has to explore deep into the deepest recesses of the human heart and soul. Because to create is to unravel the mysterious, define the ephemeral and elevate it to the ethereal. And to achieve this, one cannot possibly afford to rely simply on the power of the intellect. It is the senses that seek the pleasure and it is from the senses and takes its many forms.

But, an artist, I believe, is not merely someone who dabbles with colours and sculptures.They are also the master of their own destiny. Any person, (yup!! that includes you too) who creates and generates creativity in others, is an artist. And while it is true that sensuality is, I think, the most important to an artist, as he/she has to be closely liked with the mundane world of rationale and reason. Because creation stems from the senses and our senses do not feel in a state of vacuum. So, there has to be a balance of both art and intellect in creativity. Afterall, without the intellect, art cannot find a footing and without creativity, how can the intellect thrive?

And so, today I can be not only an artist of ideas originating outside of myself, but indeed an artist of thoughts originating from a deeper consciousness. Feels oddly peaceful. :)

Well, I suppose I have not made as much sense as I intended, but you’re intelligent, aren’t you? You can understand what I mean, can’t you?

Weekend was great!!! The dinner at Thakali residence was great! Thank you Sagar dai and Jasmeen. Sunday, we managed to watch “ The taming of the Shrew” at the Boston Commons. It was simply AMAZING. We had managed to watch “ Much Ado about Nothing” two years back. The Acting was superb. For about 2 hours, we really felt like we were in Italy! I was bit bothered by the cool breeze. Had, I known, I would have been prepared with my jacket. Agghhh.. the Boston weather.. But nonetheless it was a GREAT night!

A Novel Protest for Nepal

Article published in Nepalnews.com (A novel protest for Nepal)

What do we want?
Human Right!

When do we want it?
Now!

Along with 1500 amnesty participants, mainly high school and college students from all over the Northeastern United States, I proudly marched along East 91st street in Manhattan, New York City chanting the slogans of Human Rights. I was participating in the Amnesty International’s “Get on the Bus” program. This was the 11th year that Amnesty International had hosted GOTB program. Previous demonstrations focused on Free Tibet, Justice for Bhopal, Disappearances in Chechnya, Help Nigeria etc. As before, the main goal of “Get on the Bus” program was to raise awareness and educate people on various human right violations in societies around the world.

Carrying the banner with the slogan “Justice and Peace”, we started our demonstration at the Sudanese mission protesting against genocide in Darfur. It has been 3 years since the conflict in the Darfur region of western Sudan started. The Darfur conflict has led to some of the worst human rights abuses imaginable, including systematic and wide-scale murder, rape, abduction and displacement. Despite international condemnation and the presence of African Union troops, the situation has gotten no better; instead, it has only gotten worse. Nevertheless, we screamed demanding that the Sudanese government provide protection for civilians in Darfur.

After this, we walked over to the Ethiopian Consulate to protest against political oppression and the jailing of prisoners of Conscience in that African nation. As international concerns on the human rights in Ethiopia have escalated, Amnesty International has called for the immediate release of opposition leaders, human rights defenders and journalists facing trail on charges of “violent conspiracy” and “high treason”. We were exuberated when we saw a group of Ethiopian diplomats gazing at us from their office window. We had successfully humiliated them. A gush of energy swept us and we screamed even more. Our voices were powerful. The scene was rejuvenating.

Next, we marched towards the Guatemalan consulate where our main agenda was “Femicide”. Over the past five years, more than 2000 Guatemalan women and girls have been brutally murdered. Victims have had their throats cut, have been beaten, shot or stabbed to death. Their bodies showed signs of rape, torture, mutilation or dismemberment. Here, our mission was to point out the failures of the Guatemalan authorities to adequately investigate the murders and demand that they bring the killers to justice.

GOTB educated us, the participants, as well as the passersbys in New York City on Human Rights. Some honked in approval while some peeked out of doorways squinting to read our banners. Feeling mildly exhausted with sore feet and throats, we ended our journey at the Chinese Consulate. We demonstrated against Internet censorship in China. Amnesty report of January 2004 shows that there was a dramatic rise in the number of people detained or sentenced for Internet-related offences. Our protest was against U.S. corporations, mainly, Yahoo, Cisco Systems and Microsoft for collaborating with the Chinese Government to track and persecute Chinese citizens for exercising their freedom of speech on the Internet.

Participating in the demonstration made me reflect on the current political turmoil in Nepal. Luckily, a label of either “Genocide” or “Femicide” has not been given to Nepal like in Sudan and Guatemala. But atrocious events and Human Rights violations have happened in Nepal. Innocent civilians have been brutally killed. Shocking pictures of Human Right violations in Nepal have loomed the front pages of newspapers around the globe transfixing the media. Sadly, the poor are ignored by the government and remain mired in illiteracy, ethic and caste discrimination while political parties and leaders bicker and maneuver for power. There is an urgent need to bring permanent peace and stability in Nepal. No one wants to see her become a helpless unstable state and a haven for terrorism and violence that has spread across other parts of South Asia.

In the face of such complexity, Amnesty International must help Nepal in a unique way. Let me state the matter precisely: Normally when something changes in the physical world we hope to see the new replace the old. However, in Nepal, the trend has been as the old saying- “Old wine in a new bottle.” The biggest scam in the country- but by no way means the only- is the “corruption.” The rules and the regulations of the country change but the corrupt leaders remain the same. Sadly, perpetrators of massacre walk freely and never get persecuted due to corrupt policies of the government. Nepal is bitterly engraved in the hand of the corrupted leaders. What is the point of imposing rules if they are blatantly flouted? A lot of complications need to be worked out in Nepal, however, unless and until the corrupt leaders are put behind bars, there will not be an end to the vicious cycle of violence and injustice. This is the crux of the problem. The longer this is delayed, the more lives will be lost. Needless to say, there is importance for an international pressure on Nepal. Amnesty should not only protest for Human rights, but also pressure the state to jail the perpetrators. More broadly, this maladroit intervention will not only gain international attention but also humiliate our corrupt leaders. Amnesty in Nepal and in the United States should hold a demonstration similar to GOTB to put pressure on the Nepali government. Ironically, this could be one of the creative solutions to hasten victory and punish the bad guys.

I hope for the end of the downward spiral in Nepal. As the current situation indicates, there remains plenty the country has to do in order to gain stability. Today we are in the midst of a great struggle between the forces of terror and the forces of freedom. Peace is the key to prosperity and stability, a future that our corrupt leaders have put in jeopardy. The obvious and not so obvious potential opportunities in Nepal are enormous. Still, we are a nation of skeptics. Amid the uncertainty, I have hope for a climate of unity for all Nepalese and a triumphant journey from darkness to light. Hope, after all, is what keeps us going.

Can one protest change the world?

When you are with amazingly vibrant group of people filled with skills and energy, you can't think of anything but hope. I realize that this is the beauty of democracy. These are the people who can make the world a better place.In retrospect, GOTB was a great way to meet people interested in changing the world, and I am proud to say I was one of them.

Golf

Is there a positive correlation between fabulous weather and good vibes? Take today for example, a beautiful sunny day accompanied by that occasional cool breeze...Well all day, I've been feeling like I have been elevated. Now that I run outside, it has been even more FUN!!

The sun is now setting into a cool evening and I look forward to that walk when the moon shines. If it is the weather, then maybe I am better off moving to a place where only spring and summer exist ? I should say where only SPRING exists. I am not too fond of HOT day like yesterday though!

But then again, I LOVE winter as well. MR D always says that I really have not experienced the real winter like he has in the upstate NY. Regardless of what he says, I like winter and will always do. Mainly the SNOWFALL=) It is true that you cannot run outside and do lot of outdoor activities, but still it is Beautiful!

Snowfall is beautiful, especially when fresh, and the changing colors of leaves is absolutely inspiring and for me they are a direct reflection on life. The cycle of birth and death and rebirth...and how we change in course of all this. I'll try to remember to jot down my feelings the next time it gets cold, which believe me, in just a matter of months.

How was my day today? Another exciting chapter, I would say! We are very much relieved by the fact that we are not moving. We did make a point to look at couple of apartment but nothing appealing as the current one. For past couple of days, or I should say, week, I really was extremely busy with the Apartment hunting procedure. Now, it is all over!!

I just got back from the BBQ. It was organized by Prasanna’s office. It was a mixture of BBQ and GOLF.Pras had a chance to hit some GOLF!! They were playing nine holes. (Apparently, the game does not get done until the ball gets under the ninth hole. Interesting!! ) He sounded very THRILLED and excited!! ( I mean very very thrilled) Some times I wonder, what does not excite my husband. ( I hope he smiles when he reads this). He is filled with ENERGY and is excited all the time.... well most of the time. His excitement excites me. He showed me around the Golf course which was huggeeeeee. He made me walk for almost 1 mile :) After the short tour, I also got excited about the whole GOLF thing. Is the word excitement contagious?

Anyways, we had played Golf couple of years back at the Driving Range in Lexington. AND I think it is time for us to make a trip to that place once again =)

Developed nation

Saw this and loved it! A fantastic use of google maps, this site allows you to actually see the building. Isn’t the technology so amazing!! I was really thrilled to see my high school (Seisen)and my parents home in the map. The Kathmandu map was not as clear as the Japan one. I guess Japan must have the good sky navigator-- ?!

Every time I hear the term 'developed nation' the one thing I can't help thinking about is the criteria that defines development. Isn't it conceited and pompous to declare oneself as developed or progressed and the other as not? Is advancement in science the only way by which we can judge a country's 'progress'?

Does that mean that those close to nature are such uncouths that they have no rules, and no principles whatsoever? At least they live in harmony with their environment. What has technical advancement brought other than destruction and disruption in the ecological balance!—Good example—The ongoing battle in the middle east.

I do not want to write long today- THE HOT WEATHER IS unbearable. I have had the AC on all day and yet, I am still perspiring. The power went out at Prasanna’s office. I wonder how they are surviving with out the AC. Today is supposed to be the hottest day in summer.

I am enjoying reading Interpreter of Maladies. It is a collection of short stories. Somehow, this book reminded me of “ Arresting god in kathmandu” by Samrat upadhyaya.

My school will be opening in couple of weeks now. It is time for me to focus on my Finance book. In this hot weather, rather than sitting in a pool and soaking up the sun, I am buried with my book and the calculator calculating the NPV and IRR value of a BANK.

music gadget

I counted – There were about 15 people all together at the Harvard Square. I do not think I missed anyone. How could I? Those things are so obvious. White headphones clinging outside their t.shirts. Any guesses?? :) What can that be none other than the famous IPOD!!

These supposedly intelligent people cannot bear to strut around campus without some kind of electronic noise generator stuck in their ear. If they're not bellowing inane platitudes into a mobile phone, they're listening to inane music on an iPod. I have no idea what deep thoughts these people are trying to suppress from their heads, but judging by their vacant expressions I would be surprised if it was worth the effort.

iPod culture seems to have flooded everywhere in the United States and I don’t deny on this. Almost everybody seems to be holding different colors of iPods walking around on campus/bus/schools. This is the trend; this is the culture, which, apparently, are blind; being meaningless to comment on whether the group phenomenon be good or bad; being pointless to draw black or white definitions on an abstract cultural phenomenon.

I personally don't have an iPod and am not planning to get one. Simply because I don't like it, though it could allow me to, store huge files plus data, and listen to music, but that doesn't mean I have to discriminate people owning one. As I said, this is the trend; this is the culture for the time being, so who to blame; who to judge.

I shamelessy have to confess that I returned the book, The world is flat without even completing it. I just could not do it. I plan to go back and check out again. In the mean time, I have started my focus on the second one.. Lahiri's. Apartment hunting is making us go CRAZYY!!!!

Weekend ramble

Weekend is almost over. The weekend was all about apt hunting. I buried myself practically all day yesterday sitting in front of the computer looking for an Apt. Nope….. no luck so far. Even though moving into a new apartment is always a fresh start, however, I have to admit that it is a hassle! I am exhausted. I cannot imagine what will happen in a month time. We will be (hopefully!!) moving into a new apartment. Packing/unpacking stuff and on top of that my college will be starting. What an adventure!

Weekend was good. My cousin was at our place for dinner. She is from Florida and currently a law student at Boston College. Her grand mum is my granddad’s older sister. The last time I had met here was in Mississippi and I was in 11th grade then… almost 7 years ago.

I also had a chance to watch the movie “Billy Elliot.” I had always wanted to watch this movie and somehow or other the timing had not been right. Finally, almost after 5 years, I got to watch it yesterday.

It is a story of BILLY, the skinny but scrappy 11-year-old son of a callus, sometimes anguished mineworker.Dad sends him off to boxing lessons every day after school, but the sport doesn't seem to be Billy's forte. He slowly starts to fall in love with BALLET! Beautifully observed and surprisingly free of mawkish sentiment, Billy Elliot is a heartwarming coming-of-age tale that speaks straight from the heart, juxtaposing Billy's battle of wills with his prejudiced father, with the community's struggles against the larger forces of the outside world. The setting of the movie is in England--A blue-collar English community, struggling under the conservative, anti-labor regime of Margaret Thatcher.

The movie is very cute. I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you like this one, you should definitely consider- Save the last dance, Center Stage and Step up- (yet to watch it!) For some reason, I have a passion for ballet and love watching it!

I have started reading “Intrepretor of Maladies”. I was estatic to find out that the setting of this book was also in Boston. I have halted “ the world is flat” for a while now. I know I need to finish it by tomorrow..but I still have like 800 pages left.

I was once asked- -

Do you blog with a purpose? I mean really…do you have a mission or are you just there to journal your daily life. I suspect that I, like many others, have no purpose behind my blog. I blog for me more than for others. This means the blog is a fairly eclectic mix of the banal and the more interesting ideas. :) Enjoy!!

Thursday

So I tilted my head back in the couch and rested my eyes. The scorching sun was unbearable. I am tired. I decided to run this afternoon. My body was feeling bit lethargic… So I ran to the gym in the afternoon 4:00 to be exact. I don't know whether or not that hour of the day would be labeled as Afternoon but oh well. I am happy that my stamina is building up gradually. I ran for 20 min in the treadmill and I did not stop:) I also ran on the way back from the gym.

The swirl of a wind outside my window is so comforting. And sometimes I wonder who controls all the light in the world and why everything is so dim and reddened like the pavement under the streetlight outside my window. The colour does not carry any of the negative connotations of darkness, however, it is JUST there, an irrepressible part of the world that clings and divides and spreads until it covers everything. Even the most beautiful parts of the day. Darkness is knowledge. Light is pleasure. They can never be wholly compatible. interesting isn't it ?!!!

Isn’t it funny how life is so wonderful one second and horrifying ugly the next! Actually, I take it back.It is not funny at all. Cycles- it is all about cycles. Ups and downs. If people would let go of their expectation, I think we would all be lot happier.

This one is just going to be a snippet! I have been jumping from one topic to another for no particular reason. Just been writing whatever popped in my head! This is the beauty of democracy I suppose.

The book reading is going on fine. I am really looking forward to reading “Interpreter of Maladies.” And no, I have no clue what it is about =)

THURSDAY--Back in my college days I used to get very excited about THURSDAYs!! mainly for television reason. I loved watching Freinds, ER, Will and Grace. I seriously cannot even remember the last time I saw ER!!! It has been agesss.. I miss watching APPRENTICE.

One more exciting news: Tomorrow, I am meeting my cousin Debbie after almost 7 years. I saw her last when I was in 11th grade.I am excited!

The world is Flat! or is it?

I have always enjoyed running on the treadmill with my music on. However, for past few days, I have become fond of running in the evening. I just came back from running. Such a pleasant night it is! You know what would be even more wonderful…. running late at night… When there is less of a noise. No roaring of a car or a horn… just silence.. Complete silence. Around 11ish would be perfect! Now don’t get me wrong. People do run at this odd hour. I usually run at 8:00. Weather wise, it is perfect!!

I am in the midst of reading the Thomas Friedman’s book. It is very very interesting and I am thoroughly enjoying it. It was quite interesting how upon reading the book I found about things that othewise I would have never noticed. The fascinating thing to me was when I read- how even the drive thru McDonalds do outsourcing. You will be thinking you are speaking with someone in the other corner of the room. However, the real truth is that, the person might be some miles in a call center. No! not in India, but in a call center which could be possibly 900 miles away!! Amazing isn’t it?

The world is flat—Thanks to the term called Globalization!!

In the book,Thomas Friedman also talks about Amartya Sen,the economist and the Nobel prize winner. I really like the way how he emphasized that the Berlin wall was “ Like a frog that is born in a well and stays in a well and lives its entire life in the well.” He writes that "the well" was how the world was like for many people in the planet for many years. After the fall of the wall; like the frog who was suddenly able to interact with the frogs from other well, people could do the same.

Another thing that really fascinated me was how you could have a personal assistant outsourced from India. You are in a dilemma about this presentation you have to do in front of your Boss and you have no time for it. If you have your assistant—let’s say in India, what that person would do is—research on the topic and have your power point ready when you get up the next morning!! So, Voila!! It is all there. Now all you need to do is just present it. WOW!! Does this not sound so simple!!

I am not done with the book yet. Truthfully speaking, I am not even half way there. This weather gets you really distracted. But I have been very impressed with what I have learnt and read so far.

This is how Mr. Friedman, the NY columnist describes the term Globalization.

"This is Globalization 3.0. In Globalization 1.0, which began around 1492, the world went from size large to size medium. In Globalization 2.0, the era that introduced us to multinational companies, it went from size medium to size small. And then around 2000 came Globalization 3.0, in which the world went from being small to tiny. There's a difference between being able to make long distance phone calls cheaper on the Internet and walking around Riyadh with a PDA where you can have all of Google in your pocket. It's a difference in degree that's so enormous it becomes a difference in kind."

This is a good book to read! i.e… If you have the craving to understand the world in 21st century!!

More reading

Just got back from Running. Really nice evening outside.

There is not much to say except that-- this one of my good ideas of self-expression will probably fade out in a month i.e once I go to school. Even though my inner monologue will be telling me to write things, I will not be able to do so because of time constraint. And eventually when I do write, it will be all changed …..the words would not be the same.Maybe it will just be a boredom, apathy.. etc.. (Hopefully not!!)

Well what do you know….. you might see the gradual change in couple of days. :)

I went to the library and got 3 books.

Intrepretor of Maladies- Jhumpa Lahiri
The world is flat – Thomas Friedman
From Third world to first- Lee kuan Yew

The latter two are very thick books. Since I could not find Friedman’s book in the regular shelve, I had to get it from the “Speed-Read” section. This means I have to finish it ASAP.

Ok back to Reading ....... night...

Ghulam Ali

Well, it was a lovely weekend. A musical one, I must say. Saturday was bit gloomy and muggy, but we were quite enchanted by the Magoes we got from the hay market. It is the mango season back home and knowing that you actually have the privilege of doing exact same things here excites us.

We had a great dinner at the Bistas residence =) the combination of lasagna, salad and desert was absolutely Delicious!!!! Thank you for the great night! After dinner, along with pradeep dai, we headed to the concert, something that we had been looking forward to for a while…

The Ghulam Ali concert!

I enjoy gazals; I have always been a fan of Jagit Singh. I have listened to Ghulam Ali’s song, but I primarily remember him being the favourite of my dad and uncles. Honestly speaking, I was excited but not as much as I had with the Jagit’s concert.

It all changed when I saw Ghulam Ali sitting on the platform. Everything looked surreal. He was humbly seated with his shawl wrapped around. The ambience was cozy. Even though he was quite difficult to hum along with, for the way in which he goes off on his own raagas and aalaaps after every second line, he was absolutely BEAUTIFUL! His voice was mesmerizing, and his stage manners exquisitely cultured, even when he is playing to the audience. I feel quite lucky that within a short span of one year, I was fortunate to witness two of the powefull Ghulam Ustads, Jagit Singh and Ghulam Ali

He astonished all the audiences by singing the medley of Nepali songs. “Kina kina timro tasbir,” “ k cha ra dina,” “ Gazaluti,”- all the songs written by our late king Mahendra.He had a whole collection of songs, Yeh dil yeh paagal dil mera, kyun bujh gaya, aawaargi" and "Hungama hain ". Then of course, his famous "act", for lack of a better word, with "lehar" - in "Dil mein ik lehar se uthi hai abhi”. What more could I ask for in one evening?

After the show we also managed to have a quick talk with him. He was happy to meet with his Nepali fans! Prasanna also managed to take his autograph along with some pictures.

The evening was a fun filled one!

Though I must admit that I had imagined a little different setting, nonetheless, it was brilliant and I love it.

I am done with “ The Namesake.” It's a warm book. One of the best I've ever read. A truly enduring classic story. A lot I could relate to.

Reading

The book is Great. It is almost over. I should be done in next hour or two.

Not only has Jhumpa Lahiri come to terms with her own hyphenated identity as an Indian-American, she has embraced the condition she shares with so many. The immigration experience, something she calls a “frequently humiliating process,” is explored in detail in this book.

I am a fan of hers now. “Interpreter of Maladies” is another popular one from her. Hopefully, I will find it in the library. The next one in my list is the “World is Flat.” I have made a quick skim of the book at the Harvard Coop but I still am eagerly waiting to read it.

“The Kite Runner” - Khaled Hosseini is another one in my list. Hopefully I will be able to read it all before the school starts.

It is hot outside. You can go on and on for hours and hours but still nothing in this hot and humid weather. Motion is excessive. Stillness, tightening and knotting. My feet hurt. Been out of shape AGAIN! Two days of running and my whole body hurts.

And I am happy…

Weekend is here. We are excited about Ghulam Ali tomorrow.

Planning to watch a movie called Kolya- it is a winner of the “ Best Foreign Film.”

The namesake

The book is Finally here :)

Ashima and Ashoke Ganguli are recent immigrants to Boston from India in 1968 when they give birth to their first child, a son. Their son ends up with the pet name of Gogul, when his "supposed name" never arrives from India. Gogul despises his name and grows up as American as he can while his parents cling to their Bengali past while living what appears to be a typical American suburban lifestyle.

This book is about your IDENTITY! Identity of an Immigrant.

I have been practically glued to this book. It is half done. Maybe one more day and it will be done! It really is very interesting. What makes it even more exciting is the fact that the setting is in Boston. I can totally relate to all the places... it is like watching a movie in my mind! :)

Other than that..I went running with Pras this evening. I ran all the way to the gym and back and couple of minutes in the treadmill. I am tired.

lady Di

How would it feel to constantly get hawked down by the Paparazzi?

What is the limit? How far is too far? Sadly, no one can put a question to it. However, as a human being, I think we all have the ability to make a rational decision. OR can we not?

It is ok to follow the celebrities clothing style, the food they eat, and the perfume they wear. However, it is quite extreme to put celebrities sex tape on the Internet and make money out of it. Yes, we enjoy reading about them in the magazines but they are human beings after all and they seek for PRIVACY like we do.

Paparazzi.. Paparazzii....

I was very saddened to read that the Italian magazine Chi recently published ghoulish photos of a nearly dead Princess Di immediately after the accident that took her life. AND it happens again,to the most photographed lady in the world who is no longer with us but the paparazzi has not stopped to haunt her. Who will draw the line of LIMIT? Sadly,even the royal family cannot do anything.

“World exclusive - the last photo" was its headline.

People are appalled and there is every reason for them to be Angry.

I was watching the news at CBS and one papparazzi bluntly replied, “ People needs to see what happened to her”. NO! We do not. It has been almost 9 years since her death and we need not to be reminded with the horrific pictures. No one wants to be reminded of this worst nightmare. It is despicable to fleece her image in death.

Publishing the picture shows a lack of compassion and is utterly tasteless. This beloved woman and her family should be shown the respect and dignity that she emulated throughout her short life.

Seriously whoever published the picture, who most likely has his own family have no thought for the feelings of what Diana’s family is going through, first and foremost Diana’s two boys.I cannot even imagine what the princes must be going through. Reading the news, the editor sounds like a cold and heartless being, who only has eyes for headlines and sales. I hope he deserves for this wrong doing!!!

It really is ironic to state that the Princess who always tried to protect herself and her kids from media is still haunted by the media, even after so many years of her death. Princess Diana has been gone now for quite some time.Her death will always remain mystery to most, but her memory lives on and, in most recent photos, not in a way she would to be remembered.

As for me I prefer to remember her as she is in this photo...completely elegant...the embodiment of a true princess!

Let her rest in peace!

Rural Education and Development

Weekend was great.

It was filled – just filled with brim. Friday was good with the movie. Saturday, as usual was little more relaxing. Sunday we had Shailesh dai, Reema and Atul over for dinner. It was nice and pleasant evening.

Oh! What a hot day today.

It’s been another very warm and sunny day, and apparently there is more to come. Tomorrow promises the same I think……. or there is a rain I heard. I wish I were in the pool soaking up the sun!

Today was good day. A usual Monday, I suppose.

Got woken up early in the morning by the annoying sound of the construction. Seriously, is it not illegal to start the construction as early as 6 in the morning? This thing has really ruined our body cycle.

This afternoon, I went to attend the Nepal-US Indigenous People’s Forum at Harvard University. The talk was about READ (Rural Education and Development). Mr. Sharad Babu Shrestha gave the talk about his experience as a Senior Program Officer with USC Canada and as Project Manager and Deputy Program Officer for Save the Children.

To empower communities by increasing literacy and access to education through the creation, advancement and leveraging of a replicable library-based model for sustainable economic development is the mission of the organization Mr. Shrestha emphasised. The main goal of this organization is Building literacy and communities through libraries.

It all started when Dr. Antonia Neubauer (president of READ) at the end of her trek asked the porter what she could do for him for being such a wonderful guide. The porter, Domi lama humbly requester Dr. Neubauer to build a library in his village and there! She did it.

The READ so far has successfully opened 40 libraries all over the Himalayan kingdom ranging from Panchthar in the east to Darchula in the west and Parsa and Rautahat in far north and south. I was very happy to see the determination of Mr. Shrestha and I am very glad that I got to meet a person like him who has been persistently trying to help our country.

It is heartbreaking to see the news of Middle East. The bluntness and candor, which characterized the war cries of neoconservatives, this weekend was quite striking. Will there be a W. W III? Why can’t there be peace?

I still remember talking with Stephanie, my high school friend from Lebanon and asking whether her families were safe in Beirut. This was almost 12 years ago, back in the high school days. Every one has gone in thier own path. However, the fight is still going on. Meanwhile, the war rages on, the world holds its breath, and the casualties mount.

Golmal

GOLMAAL- we went to see this movie yesterday and we were both very very fond of it. :) You will laugh your heads off till the veryyy end! That is a promise.

The weather is quite gloomy. The tyre of my bike is out. So no biking for me for a while. There is a construction going on near our house and the sound is just so anoyinggg.....

Nothing is planned as of yet. We will take the day as it comes. Have a beautiful weekend!
Library called : Jhumpa Lahiri's book is here :) I am excited.

My article

Here is a news, not a new one of course, but definitely worth sharing. I just found that that my article was also published in a South Asian media journal. As you can see, I am very ecstatic. Otherwise, I would not be writing twice a day. Thank you Mr. D!

It is the third article. Enjoy!! (Article)

Have a GREATT weekend!! It is going to be a little bit wierd without the W.cup, but I will be following the CARPE DIEM rule :)

ME

I am me. I am not setting up to be like any person else. I may admire the symbols, the philosophy, the viewpoints of other persons, but with all due respect, I do not aspire to be like anyone else. How can I? I am me!

Nooo, I take it back....... I am ME but I aspire to become like someone else. The people that we meet throughout the course of our lives mold and shape who we become. Some of those people have such a profound effect on our journey that we honor them by calling them a role model. I follow my role model and I want to become like that someone sepcial. I am me.. but molded by someone else. I need to change, toughen up and be more productive.I admire those who have a dream and never quit, regardless of how many failures they get. Someday, I want to become like my role model. The role model that I have always admired!

I take my artisitc licence to write words of whatever leaves in my mind. :)

I BELEIVE THAT: If you can not be happy in no-thing….you can not be happy with any-thing.

One more thing I thought about, it deals with vision. Not normal vision but special vision. I am speaking of the underrated art of seeing out of the corner of your eye. You can see things you never saw before, things you would never see normally. There is always that reflection there in the corner of oblivion that somehow reaches you in time to let you notice or warn you of anything at all. Bordering on premonition, you can see things you were not meant to, be granted that one instant of warning before the lightning strikes... its magical, really... so use it while you can, don’t take sight for granted but dont always use it for obvious purposes, trust me.

I have been listening a lot of RAVI SHANKER lately!

Asato ma sat gamaya
Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya
Mrityor ma amritam gamaya
Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti

From the false, lead me to the truth
From darkness, lead me to light
From death, lead me to immortality
Om, Peace, Peace, Peace.

Blog

Have been getting many e-mails =) saying that I should seriously consider “Writing”. To be honest, I have never really been a writer until very recently. When I first saw the whole blog thing, I was just so excited. I really enjoyed reading Paresh dai’s blog and he was the one who gave me the idea of starting my own one and Prasanna has always been very encouraging. :)

I'm not sure what this journal is now. A compulsion, I suppose. This has been a way to keep my memories from fading.Well, when you make a concerted effort to write every day in a blog, then it will have to,by nature, turn to something more personal. Hopefully it will allow you to see what it is like to live life as a student.I am interested in investigating questions of the mind and in my mind. Additionally, it gives me some accountability — which is always good.

Thursday night—nearly bedtime.

So, bleary eyed and not quite fully awake. I just took off my contact lens and writing wearing my glasses. I usually don’t take my lens till I go to bed. Today is different. Truth is, I think my eyes are just too knackered and needs a rest. Having an apt near Mass Ave is havoc. Blaring noises and disruptive horns is what we get. I feel bad for Prasanna who gets woken up early in the morning and comes home all exhausted. Poor thing! I am glad tomorrow is Friday.

I think today is just going to be a snippets. As a rule, I don't make serious posts. It's my genuine belief that almost nothing is sacred and immune from humour, even of the blackest kind.

That being said, I will start with my topic.

Failure----- It is really hard to stand again when you have fallen badly. It's even harder when you're constantly reminded that you fell. It's like a bad dream that won't go away. Only it's worse because you know it's not a dream but a brutal reality that you're facing every hour. I hear the second-hand ticking on the clock, the passing of time that cannot be retrieved no matter the cajoling or bribery. Time is the essence of honesty-because it runs you over whether you adhere to its rules or not. It's hard, but it's not impossible.

I still remember what Laxmi Mittal had said about making goals. He said, “ not to make high goals but change your goals as you move along. This way, even if you fail, you will not get disappointed. But like a wise person once sad, “Nothing lasts forever-not even bad times”.

I went to the library to get "Shaliamar the Clown" from Mr. Rushidie only to find out that it was checked out. Agghhh.. I then went on to look for “The namesake”, by Jhumpa lahiri. Nope, no luck in this one as well. Bit disappointed, I came home with “Satanic Verse”- by Salman Rushidie and 3 movies.

-The Accused
-Lost in translation
-Motorcycle diaries - Finally after 3 attempt!

Promise, I will keep you updated.

Pras got the ticket for Ghulam Ali :) I am estatic. It is my first time.

Good night

the night

There is a distant light in the sky. It comes and goes fighting with the breaking waves for superiority. There is almost inaudible rasp of razor palm leaves rubbing in the air. A single chime sounds. The light is turned off in the room. I am sitting by the window.People laugh and walk, across the road. The cool breeze gently swipes my face. Best of all is the Moon. It is almost full, like a porcelain figure. Perfect white. Everything is bathed into the orangish colour from the street light I suppose. The whole sky is splotchy but clear, although even in the clear around the moon, the light betrays the thin layer of haze. I know of nothing relentless than the sound of silence. Faint whiff of the rain in the air. There was a great thunder in the afternoon.I stare at the moon. It shines even brighter through the patch of truly clear sky.

I just want to sit on the floor and color this beauty. The night looks impeccable.

(My husband took the liberty of taking the beautiful picture of Boston. One was taken after the July 4th fireworks. )

Foray into Writing

I was very ecstatic to see my article “ The good will for Nepal in Europe,” get published in the Nepalnews.com. This is my FIRST article ever to get posted in this website!!I have been getting so many emails from different people regarding their opinion on the article. What can I say, I was very happy to have that day of fame. This credit really goes to daddy, my father- in law for his constant encouragement and of course, Mr. Pras for all his help and lastly, the Internet. This indomitable medium has really connected my article with people from all over the world!

The article is about my experience as a Nepali in Europe, which I then compared to my experience in Tokyo and Mississippi. To me, it seemed as if Europeans were more aware of Nepal then the Americans were. This is solely based on my experience. I have been getting emails from the readers expressing their different views. Honestly speaking, Mississippi took me by absolute surprise. Coming from an International school where I had friends of Ghana, Djibouti, and Sweden to a place where many had no clue about the existence of countries other than the United States was indeed a shock to me. Moving from Kathmandu to Tokyo was not a surprise to me as moving from Tokyo to Mississippi was. This transition had not been easy for me both emotionally and practically. Now, I can only look back and smile.So again! this article is my experience and please feel free to Disagree :)

Yesterday evening was very eventful evening. The “MaHa” show was very exuberant and funny. “Sharada” was my favorite one. I laughed so much and still hurts! I had seen them in Baltimore in 2000 I believe. This was the first live show I had ever seen. The Help Nepal team did a wonderful job. Kudos to all the team, especially Shailesh Dai and Muna Aunty for the job well done. My thulo daddy got here last night. He will be going back to MS today. This is another of his very very brief stay but it is always nice to spend some time with him.

Oh and the weather has been amazing for past couple of days, especially during the evening I must admit.

And Ah! No scorching sun outside…

(Article) Enjoy!!!