Angie's Tangents

the beginning of the journey

2008-01-12T21:31:00.000+08:00

I didn't wait 9 months to post again. See, I'm making an effort.

Okay, this is the beginning of my 5 1/2 week trip around southern China and Thailand. I was hoping to have two weeks of R&R before beginning this trip, but the gods decided against it. Instead I had an insane two weeks, the opposite of the retreat I'd salivated over in my dreams. Oh well! There's always the beaches of Thailand to do that for me. At least I can hope.

I flew into Kunming from Lanzhou today. I left a frigid (a high of 19 degrees) and snowy (first snowfall of the season!) northern China and landed to a comfortable 60 ish degree southern China.

I came to Kunming last winter holiday, and I'll be retracing my steps a little bit again this year. This was only a 12 hour stop before continuing north to Dali, Lijiang, Tiger Leaping Gorge (which I was too sick to hike last year), and fingers crossed for Zhongdian, or Shangri-La (don't worry mom, I'm taking pictures for you). I'll try to keep you informed of anythig interesting that might befall me.

*Beth, if you're reading this, it's good to know the Bollywood world is surviving without me. I'm starved for it here in China, though I did find a copy of Speed with Zayed Kahn and that was awful. It was awful even for Bollywood. I also found Krish, though that's waiting for me when I return back to my apartment. I'm so out of the BW loop it's not even funny.

Merry Christmas & California On My Mind

2007-12-25T23:01:00.000+08:00

Yes, I'm still alive.
Yes, I'm still in China.
Yes, I remember I have this blog I've neglected for nearly a year now.

It's Christmas today, my second in China. Christmas in China, as I know I mentioned just a couple of blogs ago (since it's been that long) is rather surreal. Tonight I went to a dinner with a few of my other foreign friends at a hotel for an All You Can Eat Buffet, which included turkey! A real turkey. It also included rather interesting performances from some "dancers" from a local club who were scantily clad. Earlier in the day I taught two classes--the first time I've ever worked on Christmas day.

It's easy to get homesick this time of year. I don't know that I'm homesick, but I can definitely use a break. So as I was sitting at my computer tonight, I decided I would finally create that California Playlist for my iPod that I've thought of many times.

So here's what's on my list for you other proud Californians (some choices are far too obvious):

"California Blue" by The Orange Peals
"Winding Road" by Bonnie Somerville
"California" by Phantom Planet
"California Girls" by The Beach Boys
"A Long December" by The Counting Crows
"Going to California" by Led Zeppelin
"California Dreamin'" by The Mamas & The Papas
"Californication" by The Red Hot Chili Peppers
"Dani California" by The Red Hot Chili Peppers
"California Stars" by Jeff Tweedy
"California" by Rufus Wainwright
"Piazza, New York Catcher" by Belle & Sebastian
"Hotel California" by The Eagles
"California Love" by 2Pac, featuring Dr. Dre
"California Sun" by The Dictators
"Nothing Left To Lose" by Mat Kearney
"Back to California" by Sugarcult

Did I miss anything I need to have on this list?

To everyone who celebrates, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I'll be back writing about my Winter Holiday adventures in southern China and Thailand soon!

~ Angie

School's back in session

2007-03-19T16:00:00.000+08:00

I'm still planning to share more about my trip to Yunnan and was in the process of doing so when my computer died on me. And the computer that was in my apartment when I arrived is older than me (if we're counting by computer years, that is). So I'm surviving on the kindness of the other foreign teachers at my school until I figure out what to do. Sad thing is, despite the fact that I'm obessed with the internet, I really do need it to plan lessons, as it's my only English-language resource.

So far the semester is going really well. I'm currently teaching four classes: two sections of British and American Literature to Junior English majors, a listening class, and an oral English class. There's a rumor that I'll be given another class--an elective Listening & Speaking class--but it's anyone's guess when / if that will happen. Other than the daunting task of attempting to teach the entire English and Amercian literature canons in one semester (I attempted to do Chaucer and Shakespeare in one day in a three-hour class. I didn't quite work, so Shakespeare gets bumped to the next class), I'm having a great time teaching literature and actually feel qualified to do it.

In other news, I've recently broken my bowling high, jumping from a 162 to 170 and am averaging 140.; I experienced my first famous Lanzhou sandstorm yesterday; with the tortillas my parents sent, I made my first quesadilla in over 9 months (it was divine!).

Spring Festival

2007-02-23T14:13:00.000+08:00

Pictures say a thousand words? Here's my Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) in pictures:

This little boy, a relative of my friend Wu Yu (see below) became my best friend. He let me light firecrackers with him and invited me to spend the night at this house. I named him Charlie.

Burning "paper" in honor of ancestors.

I guess it's a Spring Festival tradition, and it was a nice tradition to experience. This is the grave of my waipo's husband. My host family asked me to throw some paper on the fire because waigong (grandpa) was a very open person.

A little girl lighting firecrackers on top of a Meishan roof. This was easily the best part of my Spring Festival experience. I can't quite desribe what it's like to have a 6 hour, non stop, 360 degree fireworks show. The only way I can describe it is a pyrotechnic symphony.

Host sister, host mom, and me eating the midnight Spring Festival meal--complete with the obligatory dumplings. Yum.

Wu Yu and her husband Tony. After lunch with the family, we went bowling.

More of Wu Yu's family. For two days these people welcomed me to spend time with them as if I was one of their family. The first day, nai nai (the woman to my right) hosted a majiang and tea day/retreat. The second day, ye ye (the man to my left) took us all out for lunch.

Stay tuned for pictures from my Yunnan trip.

In Between the New Years

2007-02-23T14:11:00.000+08:00

If you can ignore the constant noise from fire crackers the children continuously set off and will continue to set off until the Chinese New Year (around Feb. 18th), it’s been generally quiet since school ended a week and a half ago. But when you’re living on a college campus, this also means that everything shuts down until the students return in March. This means not eating my favorite shao kao or the 1 kuai jidan bing (an egg fried into a flatbread). But don’t worry. I’m not starving. There are plenty of noodles to eat and dishes to try. And then there’s always cooking, but…

The New Year started in grand fashion. After attending the best New Year’s Eve Party I’ve ever been to (thanks, Kari), at 4:00 a.m. New Year’s morning I made a trip to the hospital with Devon, one of the Lanzhou PCVs, who had been suffering from an intense pain in her stomach. So after waking up the PC doctor, Simon, Danielle, and I carted Devon to the hospital in the wee hours of the morning. And after a day of watching our friend in agonizing pain, she went in for surgery to remove her appendix. I think by the end of the day I had been awake for a consecutive 38 hours. The rest of the week I was basically all but living in the hospital, since I live close and am one of the few PCVs who possesses a cell phone, making communication between Devon and the PC medical staff in Chengdu much easier.

The rest of the month didn’t have anything nearly as exciting as an unplanned hospital visit. I slept too much, hung out with PCVs and Chinese people, fooled around with my guitar a bit, watched Desperate Housewives (seasons 1 and 2), watched a few movies, studied Chinese characters, and bowled way too much, I’m ashamed to admit. By the end of January, I was ready to be out of Lanzhou for a while, so our winter training came just at the right time.

Pictures of Life in Lanzhou

2007-01-15T22:32:00.000+08:00

Most of the PCVs in my province at a New Year's dinner for foreign teachers

Inside the studio, Cayce, Me, and UK Ben practicing to record "Rudolph the Red Nosed Raindeer" for a Christmas radio show.

Don't know what this is or why it's happening, but it was cool when I was walking through the square and ran into it.

You thought I was kidding about tai chi? Or my tai chi master smoking during sessions?

Jay and Christine phoned me this morning to ask me to come and take pictures with them in the snow. They're seniors and told me that it's never snowed this much while they lived in Lanzhou.

My First Six Months in China

2006-12-23T18:16:00.000+08:00

January 1st marks my six month anniversary in China. It’s been a crazy six months and one I probably can’t quite process yet. There’s a lot going on here I haven’t written about—things that have shaped my experience here dramatically. The first semester for me was all about adjustment: how to live, how to eat, how to use squat toilets, how to teach, how to get around. Now that I understand life here a little more, I'm going to utilize my time better--I guess that's my New Year's resolution. Though there are hard days and hard weeks, I can honestly say that I’m having the time of my life. Here’s what I know (or don’t know) after six months in China:

~ I’ve come to hate the word “Hello.” Not a day goes by that I don’t hear some stranger yell “HELLLOOOO!!!!!” to me from across the street. I’m learning how to ignore it and am trying not to get annoyed by it, but this is difficult to do, though the iPod helps. One of the first things I teach my students is how to greet someone in English, using any alternative to “hello.” So when they see me, they usually say “hi,” “how’s it going?,” “what’s up?,” “hey!,” etc. I like it better that way.

~ Being a celebrity of sorts definitely has its drawbacks (the constant hellos and stares), but I can’t deny that it also has its advantages (getting a table at a crowed restaurant, finding a seat on a standing-room only train, not often having to pay for a meal, etc). But still, I don’t envy the famous. It’s hard to be on 24/7. And as PCVs, that’s what is expected of us.

~ For the most part, the Chinese people are very friendly. I understand this anytime I’m with a student, the teachers in my department, or the local vendors in my neighborhood. I’ve already talked about the men from my favorite noodle shop who know me by name, but there’s a hair salon I pass often, and one of the stylists will run out of the store to wave hello to me. For some reason, this attention never bothers me. Maybe it’s his pierced bottom lip or his crazy hair. That reminds me, I need to get a picture with him.

~ Chinese food, real Chinese food, is amazing. And there’s still a lot I haven’t tried. Before I came to China there were only three foods I craved: burritos, cheeseburgers, and pizza. Now that I’ve been living in China, there’s a fourth: shao kao (bbq street food). I go to two different places regularly, and at each place they know just how I like it.

~ Learning Chinese is proving to be difficult, though I attribute most of this to my laziness. Beginning next week, the plan is to study a minimum of two hours a day, and by the end of winter break, to be up to four. I meet with my tutor once a week for 1 1/2 hours, but next semester I'd like to increase the hours, since I'm not using anywhere near the money I can for it. I'm also getting a guitar this weekend and will begin to learn Chinese songs, as a way to learn the language. Cayce tells me it’ll improve drastically once I travel and get out of my English-speaking bubble.

~ Privacy is mistaken for loneliness and there’s not a question that can’t be asked. The other week a student asked me: “Are you lonely?” “No,” I responded, “why do you ask?” “Oh, I heard that you were lonely.” I’m not. I’m also often asked how much money I make and asked on a weekly basis if I have a boyfriend. When I say no, the question is followed up by another: “Would you like to have a Chinese boyfriend?”

~ Even though I’ve lived here half of a year, people are still amazed I can eat with chopsticks. Never mind that I used them all the time at home to eat Chinese, Japanese, or Korean foods.

~ I must cherish the small victories: understanding Chinese, being understood when I speak Chinese, conquering my performance fears, finally mastering a tai ji move I’ve spent weeks learning, increasing my bowling average, successfully paying my cell phone bill, cooking, my students’ smiles and laughter, receiving the dish I intended to order, not locking myself out of my apartment, etc.

~ Understand that I’m experiencing things I would have never been able to in the U.S.: learning a rare form of tai ji from a retired master, being a momentary rock star, recording a song to be aired on the radio, walking into a room being greeting by applause and the click of camera phones, living with a Chinese family (for a brief two months), being followed around the local market by seven employees just to buy some crackers, etc.

~ The last six months would not have been what they are without the other PCVs I’ve met. I really do feel like I they’re family. So to my fellow Gansuren (Cayce, Kristen, Kari, Devon, Emily, Niffy, Thomas, Pierce, Simon, Ben B., Derek, Thad, Michelle, Stephen, Danielle, John, Erin, Nikki, Matt, Ben H., Katie, Melissa, and Clayton. And though they aren’t PCVs, Sharon, my Australian mate, and UK Ben deserve mentions as well), I can only say, however inadequately, thank you.

Most of us at Thanksgiving

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Thanksgiving and beyond

2006-12-18T20:56:00.000+08:00

My ever present slow internet connection is not inspiring me to blog as regularly as I’d like. It’s either that or life here has settled into such a normal routine that there doesn’t seem to be anything worth writing about. What am I saying? Though I may have established a routine, nothing is normal.

Let me catch you up on past events:

My weekend in Tianshui was fantastic! After spending nearly two months in Lanzhou, it was nice to get out of the city. Kari and I spent a relaxing weekend in the small city with Emily. We shopped, ate delicious hot pot, watched Pride and Prejudice, and even did a little bit of hiking. When I returned home, I felt rejuvenated, which is exactly what I needed to get me through the rest of the semester.

Thanksgiving weekend was next on the agenda. Cayce (and me, sort of) hosted our Thanksgiving get together the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I forgot to get a head count, but over 20 of us crammed ourselves into Cayce’s apartment for a nearly traditional feast. We had everything except the turkey, though the deep-fried chickens served as an adequate substitute. Before dinner, a few of us played a game of football in our school’s courtyard until the guards stopped the game, insisting that where we were playing wasn’t a playground. While it lasted, it was great. The students who walked by our game looked amused that so many waiguoren (foreigners) assembled in the center of campus to play such an alien game. The irony, of course, is that the ball we used, mailed to one of the other volunteers from home, was Made in China. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and this was only the second time I spent it away from my family, but even though I was far from home, away from my family, and deprived of my dad’s sweet potato pies, this was one of the best Thankgivings I’ve ever had.

December’s been hectic. Between finishing classes, the anticipation of Christmas and New Year’s, and becoming familiar with my life here in China, time is passing quickly. This week the majority of my classes finish, and then my last one will finish Christmas week. And then the semester break begins (I’m still working on those plans).

Though it’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas as far as the weather is concerned, it doesn’t really seem like Christmas is a week away. A few store fronts have pictures of Santa, Christmas trees, and various Christmas-themed decorations, but there’s something strange about not being bombarded with Christmas songs everywhere I go or feeling the stress of last-minute Christmas shopping. Nonetheless, I’m excited about the holiday. It helps that my students are borderline obsessed with the idea of Christmas. And I’ll have plenty of opportunities to celebrate, as each night this coming weekend is booked with a Christmas party.

Not much else going on here. I’m looking forward to my nearly two-month break when I can finally do a little traveling!

The Latest Happenings.

2006-11-19T14:08:00.000+08:00

Sorry if it's been a long time since I've blogged. I haven't had access to my page for nearly a month now. If you add that to my inherent laziness, you'll understand why I haven't updated in a while. But a lot has been going on here.

One night I was a momentary rock star, singing and playing the guitar on stage at a club. I was really nervous when I first went up since I hadn't played the song in four years, but by the end of the first verse, I felt like I was in my element. I wouldn't exactly say I rocked the house down, but my friends were proud of me, and so was I.

So far I've mastered the first 10 moves of a 75 move tai chi routine. My teacher is a retired professional in this martial art and hilariously smokes a cigarette while flawlessly performing the movements. He says if I practice regularly, in two years I will return to Meiguo (the US) and be an instructor. We'll see.

It's getting cold here, though Cayce tells me it's much warmer this year than it was last year. My semester is nearly over, and I will finish before Christmas, even though the semester doesn't actually end until mid January. Cayce doesn't end until the week after I do. So it looks like I'll have an 8 week holiday, which will be nice if I don't get bored. I do have a training to attend in Chengdu and plan on traveling for some of it but not for the whole thing. But I'm not complaining. If I'm smart I will use that time to lesson plan.

This weekend I'm heading to Tianshui, just four hours south of Lanzhou. It'll be my first time outside of the city, and I'm looking forward to break. And while you're all celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday, the PCVs in Lanzhou must wait to celebrate on Saturday. If it doesn't rain, there might even be a football game, but as I'm co-hosting the event, I don't know if I'll have the time to play unfortunately. Either way, I'm looking forward to spending the holiday with my PC family.

I have some pictures I want to upload, but my internet connection's been suspect the last couple of weeks, so I'll try to post them in the future. I guess this is what it means to suffer in the PC. Ha!

"You look tired, chief"

2006-10-20T23:21:00.000+08:00

If I've been quiet this week, it's because I don't really have anything interesting to say. I'm just trying to adjust to life here, and I finally feel like I've reached the point when things are beginning to feel normal, with my days blending together in the business of work and life.

Three different people told me at different points this week that I look tired. (Why do people say things like that? They might as well tell me I look like a truck ran over me. It's almost as bad as the almost-compliment of: You look like you've lost weight.) Anyway, I guess I am tired. I don't know if my initial China adrenaline is starting to wear off or if it's because I'm teaching an extra class, but I have been tired all week.

I got an email last week from PC, informing me that all the China 12s in Gansu were getting flu shots. So they brought all but two of the Gansu volunteers to Lanzhou so we could spend an hour touring the hospital and to receive the injection. It was great seeing everyone again, especially since we had all assembled in town during the National Holiday weekend. And unlike the last time they were in town, all the China 11s were in Lanzhou, so we all gathered at Ben's (China 11) apartment for a Pink Party. And yes, I did wear pink and I looked fabulous. I went as a pink superhero, wearing pink thermal underwear, a giant pink plastic bag Emily converted into a cape for me, and superhero-ish pink sunglasses (my favorite accessory). I didn't think I'd have fun with the pink theme, and before I came to China I didn't even own anything pink, but it was a blast.

Teaching's going pretty well. I keep thinking I could be a better teacher, but I'm still trying to figure out this whole "Listening and Speaking English" class. It's difficult to find new and interesting ways to keep my students engaged while challenging their English ability. It's unlike anything I've ever taught, and it's forcing me to be more creative than I've ever had to be before. But my students still seem interested. They think I'm funny, anyway, which is probably why they keep coming back (they're taking this class as an elective). I think I completely shocked a class by falling to the ground playing dead. I don't think they've ever had a teacher do that in class before. I'm always looking for ways to surprise them and keep them off guard. They all think I'm a good actress, which I find hilarious.

Tonight I went to my first English Corner. English Corner is a bit of a Chinese phenomena, where a group of people, usually students, as they often take place on college campuses, gather to speak English. One of my students heads up the weekly gathering and invited me to attend. Though I was less than enthusiastic to spend my Friday night (7:30-9:30) at an English Corner, I knew I should go. It was a bit strange because it's the first time I've felt like a celebrity. Students clapped when I entered the room, and many of them pulled out their cameras and phones to take my picture. The organizers rotated me from group to group, giving each small cluster of students a chance to speak to the foreigner. And then at the end of the night, I was asked to give a short speech. I've never been good at improv, though I have improved after nearly four months in China. It was a good night--much better than I had anticipated. I was actually humbled by these students' eagerness to learn English, sacrificing their Friday night to the cause.

Afterward, Bob (my student) invited me out to try milk tea, since we had talked about it in class on Tuesday and I had not tried it. At the shop, the customers and proprietors kept staring at me and smiling, which I've come to accept as normal. But there was a group there playing the guitar, and since I have guitar disease, I asked Bob to ask them if I could play. After tuning the guitar, I played a bit of a song, singing for the crowd (Kristen, Nicole, Kim, Linsday--I guess you were right. I am an attention whore). They clapped when I was done, and that was the end of my night and the end of my week.

Hopefully my next update will be a little more exciting.

a Chinese wedding

2006-10-12T12:14:00.000+08:00

On Saturday night, Amy (from the FAO) called me to invite me to a wedding on Sunday. Turns out the groom, a coworker of Amy’s boyfriend, wanted foreigners to attend his wedding, and Amy made it happen. Knowing full well I was being used for my foreigner status, I decided to use them right back for a cool cultural event with, no doubt, amazing (and free) food.

The wedding was beautiful. The bride and groom entered the banquet hall, walking through a sparkling pyrotechnics display towards the stage, where an MC entertained the crowd by telling funny anecdotes about the bride and groom and forcing them to do a series of hilarious, and perhaps embarrassing, things for those in attendence. But other than the signing of wedding certificates, there's no official ceremony, per se.

Chinese weddings last a couple of days. On the first day, the bride's family hosts a small function, but as I didn't attend that part, I can't comment on it. The next day is the groom's family's function and the final part of the festivities. The groom's event is often larger, so more family, friends, and foreigners are allowed and encouraged to attend.

After signing certificates, they're proclaimed as man and wife, and the couple exits and we are served a copious amount of delicious banquet food. The couple re-emerges (and the bride has changed out of her wedding dress and into another, less official looking dress), going from table to table, toasting their guests. They even came to our table, and I took advantage of the situation by having a photo op with the gorgeous couple.

The wedding was actually quite the event, as the who's who of Lanzhou were in attendance. The bride is a successful business woman and the groom is a TV announcer. The MC was a local TV celebrity, and the mayor of Lanzhou and the governor of Gansu were also there. And, let us not forget the three foreigners: Gary, Paul, and Angie. I should really allow myself to be used more often. I had a blast! And the food was amazing, too!

left to right: Paul, Groom, Bride, Me (sporting my new Chinese sweater), and Charlie (the best man, who also works for the FAO at my school)

establishing routines

2006-10-07T15:20:00.000+08:00

It's the end of my week-long, National Holiday break. Tomorrow (Sunday) I have to teach two classes. And then it's work, work, work until the semester break (sometime in January, I believe).

Autumn has been gorgeous here. The days are sunny and usually warm, especially if you're standing in the sun, and the nights are cold. The chilly nights are a reminder that winter is around the corner, and I don't know if I'm quite ready for that. They say it's the hardest time for PCVs in China, as the weather is unwelcoming, the honeymoon period is officially over, family and friends are celebrating holidays at home, and China remains China for better or worse. But I'm not there yet, and being in China continues to feel like a dream to me.

I'm slowing beginning to establish routines. I usually get up mid morning (no thanks to the night schedule I'm on), drink hong cha (red tea) and eat something breakfasty while I surf the internet. Then I work on Chinese or lesson planning, whichever has the priority at the moment, for a couple of hours. When I get hungry again (about 2:30), I walk to the Muslim mian (noodle) shop right outside my gate and eat a giant bowl of niurou mian (beef noodles), which I have never managed to finish. But I love going there because the food is amazing and they know me by name (An Ji, my Chinese name). Then I head back to my apartment and finalize lesson plans and then teach for a couple of hours. When I get home, I eat dinner--usually leftovers or if I've been to the market, something I can throw together--and watch a movie. This routine varies by the day. Sometimes I teach late at night; sometimes it's mid afternoon. A couple of times a week I teach in the morning, and Wednesdays are so busy and disjointed that a routine hasn't been established.

I'm also feeling more comfortable around the city and am getting to know the bus routes more each day. Much of my time is spent on public buses going downtown. I find that the bus is a great way to practice my listening comprehension, as they're usually crammed with people also taking the bus across town. [Note: Lanzhou is a long city. It is surrounded by hills/mountains on both sides, which means the city grew east-west. If I want to visit friends in another district (Lanzhou has four districts), it's possible that the trip will take two hours.]

Not much else going on here. I've been in Lanzhou for a month now and it's beginning to feel like home. I guess I won't really know until I go away for a few days, but otherwise it feels comfortable.

Some of my most recent adventures

2006-10-04T13:24:00.000+08:00

A night of western food (this was actually two weekends ago). From l to r: Kristen, Niffy, Thomas, Me, Pierce, Simon

The following pictures are from the National Holiday Weekend
Michelle, Emily, Cayce (my sitemate), Niffy
Far in the background: John, Derek, Michelle, and Thomas' back. In the foreground: Kristen, Ben, Pierce
David (one of my new Chinese friends), Me, Cayce

This one's a KEYper

2006-09-28T19:43:00.000+08:00

The other night I was walking home after judging a speech competition, where 12 out 14 speeches were on "Unity and Diversity." Anyway, I have an hour and a half before I have to teach, so I'm thinking about eating dinner, surfing the internet, and relaxing, as it'd been a stressful 24 hours. I put the key in the lock, turn the key, and right as I'm about to give my door the obligatory shoulder shove, my key breaks and I'm left holding the base of the now severed key, while the lock has taken captive of the other end. I'm actually pretty calm about the situation at first, feeling shocked and mildly amused. I've always wondered what would happen if a key broke in my hand. And then it occured to me that it's already after 6:00, and all the school offices are closed. And worst of all, all the phone numbers I need in a situation like this are safely locked away inside my apartment.

I begin walking toward the Foreign Affairs Office (FAO), hoping someone is still there. I climb up to the seventh floor, knock on the door, and am greeted with silence and dark hallways. Not knowing what I should do, I head back to the speech competitions (they're still going on) to ask another foreign teacher if she has anyone's number from the FAO. But before I get to her, the organizer of the event asks if I had time to do more judging. I don't say much, holding up my broken key in protest. He gets the point and asks Mr. Wang to help me. Mr. Wang speaks some Russian but no English, so I'm not sure how this will turn out. After a few minutes and a few phonecalls, Mr. Wang manages to track down someone who has access to a ladder and power tools. Mr. Wang climbs into my apartment, unlocks the door, and we sit in an awkward silence waiting for the other gentleman to return. When he does, he takes apart my lock, dislodges the key, and both men leave by 7:00. At 7:20 there's a knock at my door. It's the lock man again. He's arrived with a new key and he puts my lock back on the door. After all this, I managed to get to my class ontime. Thankfully, I had already planned my lesson.

The next morning I have to wake up early for my language class. I needed to water Cayce's plants, so I leave my apartment in my pajamas, only planning to be there as long as it takes to water five plants. I'm on my way back to my apartment, fumbling for my keys when I realize that I didn't put the new key on my keychain last night. This time I'm panicking. I'm in my pjs, I'm locked out of my apartment, and I have people coming to my place in under an hour. I turn around and walk back up to Cayce's apartment to call someone from the FAO. It's 7:45. Amy tells me she can get me the keys by 7:55, but I need to meet her infront of the lab building. As it's my only option, I obey her commands. I remember advice I was given about clothing: you can get away with wearing anything, as long as you're confident wearing it. But can I really be comfortable walking across campus in my UConn scrubs and the newly acquired pink sweatshirt I bought for the upcoming pink party and only purchased it because of it's tacky hideousness? I'm already an easy target for stares and whispers; I don't need anything else to draw attention to myself. But I have no choice. I arrive by 7:55, but Amy is not there. So I sit and wait for her, as hundreds of students are walking by, hurrying to class. I even see a few of my students pass and try my best nonchalant "hello"s. Alas Amy arrives, and I hurry home trying to pretend that none of that happened.

Blessings and Oral English

2006-09-23T12:36:00.000+08:00

I completed my first full week of teaching this week, and as I thought adjusting to my schedule is going to be difficult. I'm teaching 12 hours per week right now. I teach three different classes of "Listening and Speaking" or "Oral English."

Last night a group of four students came to my apartment to teach me to cook dinner. It wasn't that difficult, but controlling the wok was, which we found out when Leo almost started a fire in my kitchen. He wasn't phased by the giant flames, but I was. I was about to grab my fire extinguisher until I saw he had regained control of the situation. The food (five dishes plus rice) was amazing. I'm inviting them over again soon.

As dinner was finishing Cayce called to invite me out with some other PC people downtown. He was with Kristen and Pierce, two China 12s I had language classes with and thus saw 4 hours everyday during training. It was fantastic seeing them, as I haven't seen any of my training mates since the night I arrived in Lanzhou.

On the way home, Cayce wanted to eat some shao cao (I'm not sure of the spelling)--it's a type of bbq street food available until late at night, like the kebab stands in Oxford, England--so we stopped at a place near our school. We got into a conversation with two other people buying food, and they invited us to their bar just down the street. We decided we'd stop by for a little while as it was already late. They had a really cool bar. It reminded me a little bit of the tiki room or a Mexican-Chinese cantina. The guy and girl we met are cousins, and so they invited her father (who owns the bar) to meet us, and he proceeded to sing to us Tibetan blessings and they toasted us repeatedly. We stayed about an hour I'd guess and left. They were very friendly, hospitable, and warm and speak almost no English, so they'll be good people to practice my "Oral Chinese" with.

week 1 in Lanzhou

2006-09-18T12:05:00.000+08:00

I've been in Lanzhou a little over a week now, and I haven't done much. I've basically been a hermit in my apartment, leaving only to teach, meet with school officials, hang out with my sitemate, or get food. I'm allowing myself one more week of this and then I'm forcing myself out of the apartment. There's a whole city I need to explore and a lot of Chinese I need to start speaking.

I began teaching last week but I really begin today. I have night classes, except for two classes in the morning. It's going to be weird adjusting to a night schedule since I've turned into a morning person over the last few years, but I must take what I'm given and adjust. I might pick up tai chi as a side activity, and I would love for someone to teach me how to cook. I've never been wonderful in the kitchen, but I've been able to feed myself and did learn how to cook a few things. But in China I have no oven and few western ingredients that I'm used to, so I'm a bit lost here. It's also strange shopping for food, since I have to go to a few markets to get the things I need. There are supermarkets in Lanzhou, but as I haven't ventured very far from my apartment, I haven't been to them. Needless to say, I miss my Wai Po and her food.

I've been spending the rest of my time watching movies on my new DVD player. I've also been watching the Chinese TV show I bought on DVD. I justify the latter action since it is in Chinese, so it's not exactly procrastinating. It's listening comprehension! I've also been learning new Chinese characters and will begin my language tutoring sessions on Wednesday. And there's always lesson planning to do.

Anyway, that's the update. Kurt and Sonia are venturing off on their PC experience this week, and I wish them the best. Those lemers don't have a clue that Sonia's coming to their island.

more pictures 2

2006-09-12T16:08:00.000+08:00

Where I lived in Chengdu (top two floors)

My language teacher (left) and class at Chunxi Lu, Chengdu

Another shot of the host family. (from l to r: Zhong Dian, Wai Po, Host Mom, Host Father's Cousin)

We're dinosaurs, of course--a language class field trip

Some of my Model School students. They treated me to Hot Pot. Yum!

more pictures

2006-09-12T12:32:00.000+08:00

Singing my token Chinese song

Some of my training mates after swearing in

Dujianyan Irrigation Dam (view from the bridge)

Grand Buddha, Leshan

Can't remember the name of the instrument (Wu Yu, some help please?), but playing it was a lot of fun.

Introducing the host family

2006-09-10T23:06:00.000+08:00

Finally I'm able to get some pictures online. Stay tuned for more in the coming days. And I posted another blog a few hours before this one. Be sure to check it out.

An afternoon playing Ma Jiang. This was the day I gave Zhong Dian money to play with. She lost it all.
Host dad, Zhong Dian, and I eating dinner after visiting Dujianyan--world famous dam constucted in 3rd c. BC (or something like that).

My Waipo. I tried this shot a couple of times, but she didn't look at the camara either time.

Host mom, host sister, and I at the Host Family Appreciation Dinner last week. And you should know that it's not normal to have drinks with the meal.

Settling In

2006-09-10T15:16:00.000+08:00

I'm finally in Lanzhou, which will be home for the next couple of years. Right now I'm trying to find places to put my things and am avoiding cleaning the apartment. I've just done my first couple loads of laundry and am going to tackle the bathroom next. But the internet is a pleasant distraction, as I haven't had consistent access to it since I've been in China. There are 8 other volunteers from my group--the China 12s--and 7 from the China 11 group in the city. Last night a few of us got together in an impromptu welcome gathering.

I spent much of the day (after my 22-hour train ride) shopping for some basic supplies with my sitemate, Cayce. I still have some essential things to buy--like trash cans, floor mats, plates, bowls, fabric to cover my furniture, a stool, another chair, and a DVD player.

The swearing-in ceremony went really well. The ambassador swore us in and Christopher Hill addressed us (he's an important man, though I only heard about him the other day, I'm embarrassed to admit. But if you watch the news, you probably know who he is). He's also a former PCV.

I have a new address and phone number, which I'll be emailing to my mom and to Mountainside. If you need either, please email me and I'll get that information to you.

Again, thanks for your support. I'm going to begin catching up on all the emails I haven't yet returned.

Angie

Moving On

2006-09-02T13:43:00.000+08:00

Last night was our Host Family Appreciation Dinner (which I MCed, btw). It was bittersweet. It signifies the beginning of the end of our stay in Chengdu but the end of our training. Most of us are ready to begin what we came to do--to teach. Though I'm excited to be in Lanzhou and finally settle somewhere, I am sad to be leaving. I was really fortunate in getting the host family I got, as I have essentially become one of the family. They invited me to attend Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) with them, confirming my status as family memeber. I move out of their house on Tuesday. I can still remember the day I moved in. It's all gone by too quickly.

On the other hand, we swear in as official PC Volunteers this week! It's going to be a pretty big event. I'll be wearing a traditional-looking Chinese shirt I had made especially for the occasion! And then training is over!

The trip to Leshan last weekend was fantastic! 11 of 22 of went to see the Grand Buddha. And he is grand--70 meters grand. Well worth the trip. Though it was weird being in such a touristy area. We tried eating lunch before going into see the Buddha and were greeted with restaurant after restaurant attempting to charge us too much for food. One place even handed us a menu in English (the first time I've seen an English menu in China at a non Western eating establishment) with prices far too big for our PC budgets. Finally we found a place that made us food more in line with the amount of money we wanted to spend. Though that was also an ordeal, but it worked out wonderfully in the end.

Now for a tangent! I've become addicted to Chinese TV, which is funny considering I didn't watch much TV at home. I'm currently invested in Supergirl--their version of American Idol. But I'm also spending several hours each evening watching TV dramas. It started by sitting on the couch with the family, trying to integrate into the home. Then it turned into a way to improve my listening comprehension. I'd often take a book with me and read through it, not paying attention to TV all that much. But then I got sucked into some shows. So much so that I'll put off going to the restroom or taking a shower until there's an appropriate break. The other night my Wai Po and I were glued to the TV when the female protagonist of the show we're currently watching was diagnosed with cancer. ZD walked into the room looking at us with an amused expression on her face.

The way shows are scheduled here makes it really easy to get addicted. Unlike US TV shows, which will only show once a week over the course of several weeks, Chinese TV shows play every night for several hours over the course of a week or two. So from 6 pm until 11 pm every night, one TV show is playing on a channel. So by the end of the night, you're invested into the lives of the characters and are hooked.

The other reason I think I like Chinese TV dramas so much is that they often feature stories where the female protagonist is the romantic underdog (much like Bollywood, when I think about it). Western stories usually make the male protagonist the underdogs. But as a female, I'd rather see the girl victorious at the end than the male.

That's all for me. I probably won't write again until I'm in Lanzhou. I get there on Saturday!

2006-08-26T13:08:00.000+08:00

I should begin this blog by apologizing for not replying to emails that you all have faithfully sent to me. The two hours a week I spend online is not enough for thoughtful responses. But rest assured, I will answer them. It just may take another month. I love reading them and feeling like I know a little bit about what's happening at home.

With just a little under two weeks until "swearing in" (when my training group officially become PC Volunteers), life is moving both too quickly and not fast enough. It's been great to be home with my host family. I move out of the house in a week and a half, and I'm already getting teary-eyed just thinking about it. Most of my fellow trainees can't wait to get to site. Me, I will be leaving Chengdu with a bit of sadness. But I've been invited back whenever I want to visit, so it'll be OK. They took me to a ballet last Friday night. Zhong Dian and I sat through "Tales of the Silk Road." It's only the second ballet I've been to, and like "Swan Lake" at Miami (good times with Linsey, Kari, and Dara) "Tales..." had me in tears at points. It was gorgeous--the story, the colors, the dancing... Scott, there was also plenty of "hip thingy" going on. I thought of you the whole time. But otherwise it's been mellow at home. My host mom is gone on a business trip this weekend and ZD has started school again, so it's been quiet but nice.

Tomorrow I'm heading to Leshan, which is two hours south of Chengdu and is famous for it's Grand Buddha. According to Lonely Planet it's the largest seated Buddha in the world. I've wanted to see it since I've arrived and with the host mom out of town and ZD at school (yes, on a Sunday), there isn't a better opportunity to go. It's turned into quite the event. There will be at least 8-12 of us in total going. I've been the one organizing the trip, which has been unusual for me, since I never successfully organize any type of outings--even at home in the U.S. But I'm unofficially in charge of the trip. Being in China has already changed me. I'm much more willing to put myself out there than I ever was at home. I guess I'm a bit more confident, if that's possible.

Update on the lip (and for those of you on MySpace, stay tuned for the picture). I talked to the doctor about my hives and lip, showing her the pictures. After she laughed at my photo, she thought it looked and sounded like a part of the allergy. So no bugs were getting fresh with me that night. Thank God. She thinks it may have been the final purging of the reaction, since that's the last break out I've had. I'm still on allergy medication for a couple of weeks in case any of allergy is lingering in my body.

That's all I can think of right now. Thanks for the comments in advance.

Btw, I'm craving In 'n Out like nothing else. The other night I saw a Pizza Hut commercial and my mouth began to water. ZD laughed at me.

Back from Lanzhou

2006-08-21T15:10:00.000+08:00

Well, my site visit was hen hao (very good). I loved the reps from my university--they were more than accomidating! I have a "counterpart" teacher, who is a lot of fun and happy to help me around the college and town. And I was able to meet my sitemate afterall! He returned from his travels and invited me out to dinner with his friends. I ended up spending most of the rest of my time with him and his friends. He's been super and is looking forward to helping me settle in.

Great story: my last morning in Lanzhou, I woke up early to meet one of the Foreign Affairs Office people, Amy, for breakfast. She wanted to take me to a famous restaurant in town for beef noodles (a Gansu specialty). It's only open from 6am to 10am, so it had to be breakfast (different, I know, but that's another topic for another day). But as I'm waking up, I realize I can't feel my bottom lip. I reach down to touch it, and it's swollen. So I grab a mirror close from my nightstand and see that lip is 8 times its normal size. This sends me into a panic, and I almost call the PC doctors in Chengdu. I looked pathetic. But it was funny (and yes, I do have pictures). Luckily it went away by the time Amy and I reached the restaurant. Don't know if it was a spider or mosquito bite or an allergic reaction. Amy doesn't think it's a mosquito bite, as "mosquitos don't kiss lips." I guess I'll never know.

Drum roll, please

2006-08-14T10:51:00.000+08:00

I've neglected you, dear readers. I'm sorry.

There wasn't much of a surprise with my site annoncement. I'm going to Lanzhou, in Gansu province (the northwest of China). I'm one of about seven volunteers living in Lanzhou. My sitemate is a guy from the previous year (China 11), but I'm not sure when I'll meet him. He's somewhere traveling right now.

I'm on my site visit this week. I stayed in my apartment last night. It's big--one bedroom, a living room, a study/office, kitchen, and bathroom. I'll have to get used to showering in the open, as there isn't an actual stall. I just stand in the bathroom and shower. Though it sounds odd, it's rather convenient. The only thing is my entire bathroom floor is wet after the exercise.

I'll be in Lanzhou until Thursday and then I'll be going back to Chengdu to finish training. It's a 22 hour train ride, but luckily I slept for 10 hours on the way up.

Other exciting things that happened this week:
1. I got a haircut! And it only cost 8 yuan ($1). It turned out really well. It was also the first time a guy cut my hair.
2. I broke out into hives this week. I don't know why or what is causing the break out, but it hasn't been fun. I'm hoping to talk to the doctor about it when I get back to Chengdu.

Well, that's all for now. I'll update when I get back to Sichuan.

Another week gone

2006-08-06T16:29:00.000+08:00

I've already been here a month. I can't believe it. It feels like I've been here forever and it feels like I've just arrived. It's rather strange.

There's not much new to report. Training and Model School have taken up much of my time. But Model School is finally over! I should spend my time studying my Chinese because now I don't have a good excuse not to, but we'll see.

This week I played more Mah Jiang--a tile game like rummy that everyone plays. All the language classes at my training hub headed to the outskirts of Chengdu to play in these tea houses. I've tried playing with my Wai Po, but she and her friends play way too quickly for me. Zhong Dian taught me another Chinese game, "Fight the Landlord," which I like better. It's a card game you play 2 against 1, and she usually wins whenever we play. But she must be a great teacher because when I play with all my fellow PC trainees, I usually win.

Among Zhong Dian's many talents (and I'm not exaggerating, she has many talents) is her love of basketball. I know, it's perfect for me. We finally got out to play the other night, right after it had rained. I think she was a bit surprised how well I could play, and her mother thought I should now coach her. We shot around for a bit until it got too dark to play. But we didn't leave before I stepped into a puddle of water, slipped, and fell right on my butt. Is anyone surprised? And on the way home, my host mother told me that I should consider their home my home, and whenever I come to Chengdu, there will always be a place for me to stay!

This coming week is big. On Wednesday, they're announcing our sites and then Saturday we leave for our site visits. I'm probably heading to Gansu, which will be at least a 22 hour train ride. Luckily I won't be alone for the trip as most of my trainees will also be headed there. After we return, we're only here another three weeks before we swear in and officially become PC Volunteers. But I'm already sad about leaving here, as I've been really fortunate with the family I've been given.

An update on numbers. We began with 61 trainees. We're down to 58. 3 people have gone home so far, though no one from my training site has left.

I'm now officially a part of the family!

2006-07-30T11:34:00.000+08:00

Or so said my waipo to my host father's little sister. That was huge!

Not much happened this week except for my busy training schedule. I have only one more week of Model School and then in two weeks we here our site annoucements.

On Wednesday, six of my students took me out for my first Hot Pot. It's a Sichuan specialty. Think fondue but with hot, spicy oil instead of cheese. You throw all your food in the pot and wait for it to cook and then you fish it out. From the hot pot, you put the food into your own bowl of oil and garlic (to help cool the food down) and then you eat. It was delicious! I was afraid it was going to be too spicey, but one of my students told me they ordered the wimpy hot pot for me. And when it was time to pay, they covered it all, even though I protested. It was really generous. The meal lasted four hours and was easily the highlight of my week.

I taught Zhong Dian (my host sister) the term "sleep in" last week. Anyway, she's been taking summer school classes seven days a week since I arrived and is also taking an English class every night. On Thursday night she got home and excitedly announced to me that her morning classes were finished and her evening classes were ending the following day. I asked if she was going to "sleep late" the following morning. She looked at me with a slight smile on her face and replied: "No, I'm going to sleep in." Yesterday I taught her how to use "hot" in reference to someone's physical appearance.

Not much else going on here. It's still hot, but I've heard the entire U.S. is also sweltering, so I won't complain.

"For your own safely, please do not rock on purpose"

2006-07-23T14:15:00.000+08:00

Sorry it's been a while since my last update. Model School has me busier than normal, so I've neglected you, my faithful readers.

The heat has finally subsided. It got as high as 38 degress Celcius with an ungodly amount of humidity. But a storm came and the weather has been tolerable for the last three days. It's such a relief.

Here's a brief rundown of the exciting things about my week:

1) I had a stalker for one week. One of the students on this campus waited every morning by a path that leads from my family's apartment to the university. And when he saw me, he'd emerge from his place in the bushes and proceed to escort me to the foreign affairs office, asking me everyday how he could improve his oral English. Now normally this wouldn't bother me. But I just arrived and it's early in the morning and I'm overwhelmed. I'm in no mood to answer this question everyday. One day he even had a lookout girl summon him when I came by. I should probably clarify that he wasn't singling me out--though that'd make my story better. There are six of PCers that live in the same complex, and I'm usually the first one to walk by. And he's not creepy--he's actually very nice. It got to be pretty funny. And then one day he stopped.

2) Model School began this week. I'm teaching oral English, and with the help of Kari, I feel much more confident about it. I have a wonderfully energetic class with some fantastic names: Phoenix, Kid, Orange, Freeshine, Milk, Prince. I named one student Keiran. He liked it! They're all very good at English and are a lot of fun. Ella, the class leader, Keiran, Milk, and Freeshine took me out to dinner on Wednesday night. It was great. There's talk about having a potluck or a night at KTV (karaoke).

3) My host father and sister took me to Dujianyan, an irrigation facility outside of Chengdu which was built in the 3rd century B.C. It's really impressive. From there we went to dinner with a few of my host father's friends and I sang the only Chinese song I knew with a local restaurant/street performer. I drew a crowd. And though I was shy beginning, I was totally into it by the end. After dinner we headed to KTV, where I was asked to open the evening with Celine Dion's "MY Heart Will Go On" from Titanic. I'd been warned about the love of that song, so I sang gracioulsy, if badly. My host sister is an amazing singer, so she put me to shame. My host father is also very good. I had a great time. I spent most of the day exclusively with my 15 year-old host sister, and I had so much fun getting to know her better.

I'm sorry I haven't provided pictures. I'm not on my computer, so I haven't figured out how to do it yet. But I will post some eventually.

Thanks again for all the comment love!

Angie

Wai Po

2006-07-15T12:51:00.000+08:00

I love my host family. They're very sweet and allow me enough independence. The other night, however, I had taken a shower and was ready to go to bed. So I tell my wai po (my host mother's mother) that I'm going to bed and shut the door after me. I don't think I'm quite in bed when my wai po comes right into my room, saying something I can't understand, but is pointing at the air conditioner and touching my hair. Earlier that night she had showed me the blow dryer, so I'm guessing she wants me to dry my hair before bed. It's rather odd, since the previous nights I didn't dry my hair. But I get up and use a blow dryer for my wai po. So now I think I've used a blow dryer three times in my life. Luckily, I haven't had to repeat the ritual, though she did implore me to use it last night. I politely refused.

Things are OK here. I'm just trying to settle into a routine and my stomach is taking a bit longer to adjust.

Thanks again for the comments. I enjoy reading them!

Training

2006-07-10T13:05:00.000+08:00

I think I just lost my post. I don't know; I can't see my blog.

Anyway, they broke our group down into thirds late last week. Each group went to a different university around Chengdu, where we'll do the rest of our training. Our eventual site (home for the next two years) coincides directly with our training site. So I'll either end up in Gansu or somewhere in Sichuan. I won't find out for another 5 weeks.

I'm also living with a host family. I've been there since Thursday. They live in a huge flat on the university campus. It has a big screen TV and air conditioning! I live with my host father, who is a Chinese professor, my host mother, my host sister, a 15 year old who speaks English well enough for me to communicate, and my host grandmother (wai po), who cooks the most amazing meals.

We eat rice for every meal. And the food at home isn't spicey--a concession for me, I think. They're very patient with me and are teaching me words. But as I don't speak the language, there's not many things we can discuss yet. But they're treating me well and give me personal space if I need it. Mainly we just watch TV. I've been watching a show called Supergirl. It's sort of an American Idol type of thing, but with girls. THis weekend they showed me some great Chengdu sites and brought my host father's sister along. She's 29 and is an English teacher.

Training is busy. We have language classes from 8am to noon, and then after lunch we have "technical sessions," where we get job training.

Sorry I've gotten behind on emails. I've been without internet, but now I know where the internet cafe is, so I should catch up within the week. I've got to jet to training. Stay tuned.

It's raining in Chengdu

2006-07-02T16:30:00.000+08:00

I arrived in China last night (or early, early morning depending on the time zone). It was long; it was exhausting, but we made it without any major complications. I did get here in time to see England's heartbreaking loss to Portugual and then fell fast asleep.

The food here has been awesome so far. But I've only had two meals. It'll take a while to figure out what I like and don't like, but I'm pleased.

We're staying at a hotel in Chengdu for the first week of training, and then Thursday we're scattered among our host families for the next 9 weeks. I get to sit in language classes every morning for four hours each day.

The people in my group are great. I think I've had a chance to talk to almost everyone--not bad in a group of 61. We come from various educational backgrounds and range in age from 21 to 72. But there are quite a few people my age. We have 6 or 7 married couples. My roommate is a former corporate lawyer, who's using this experience as her recovery program. I'm glad I've been placed with her, as it's worked out really well.

Thanks for all the emails I've received. I'll respond individually when I get a chance. Otherwise, read me here.

Staging in SF

2006-06-30T10:06:00.000+08:00

I'm in San Francisco for one more night. We leave for China tomorrow afternoon--all 61 of us. So far everything's going well. The people are friendly and seem to have a great sense of humor. I don't know when I'll have access again, but you should get an update from me within the week, I suspect.

Anyway, my address for training (thru August) is:

U.S.-China Friendship Volunteers
Sichuan University
Wang Jiang Road No. 29
Chengdu, Sichuan 610064
China (PRC)

Thanks for your continued prayers!

Preparing for Departure #2

2006-06-24T15:31:00.000+08:00

The next two and half days seem so overwhelming to me. There are so many little things I need to do. I'm sure I'll forget something, and I'm sure whatever it is, I won't even miss when I'm gone. I have a lot on my mind, but I guess that's only natural.

She's back!

2006-05-28T11:21:00.000+08:00

Last night I drove down to Little India to see the much anticipated Fanaa, with Aamir Khan and Kajol, starring in her first film in five years.

I really enjoyed the movie. It's incredibly flawed, and there were serious moments which actually had me laughing out loud, but it was an amazing way to spend a few hours. And this is what I love about Bollywood--it's ability to manipulate me and allow me to enjoy the fantasy of it all. I usually don't allow myself to be that vulnerable. But when I watch Bollywood, I am.

Kajol is brilliant as Zooni, a blind Kashmiri girl, moving effortlessly from an innocent and opaque young woman to a confident but enigmatically wise woman. It's a role, as Aamir has admitted, that no other actress could pull off. You watch Zooni, and your heart is entranced. When she hurts, you do to. When she's angry, so are you. When she's elated, you can't help but be too. She handles the role with such an inexplicable mixture of delicacy, fierceness, and honesty, you forget you're watching an actress performing a role.

Aamir is equally outstanding as the conflicted Rehan. But this is what we've come to expect from the obsessively anal megastar. His ability to move between comedy, romance, and serious drama is greater than any actor I know. It's easy to understand why Zooni falls for him and continues to love him in spite of the things he's done.

I can't say much more without spoiling the film--not that any of you will actually see the movie. But Fanaa moved me. I had to take a deep breath after the intensity of the first act, and I left the theater teary-eyed, but feeling incredibly happy too.

As for Kajol and Aamir's chemistry...

Preparing for Departure #1

2006-05-17T22:49:00.000+08:00

I ran into a friend I haven't seen in three years last night. She had heard that I was about to move abroad and was asking me where I was going, what I was going to do, how long was I going to be there, etc.--the questions people always ask me. We eventually made our way to a table and sat down. Then she asked: Are you excited to leave? Without hesitation, I excitedly said, "Yes! It can't get here fast enough."

See, I know I'm going to be sad to leave. I know I'm going to get to China and crave the comfort of home and the accessibility of my family and friends. But right now, I feel like everything about my current situation is trivial. And it isn't because I'm doing something extraordinary. I don't think I am. But it's hard to get excited with my friends who are settling down in life, who are trying to plant permanent roots. It's just not where I'm at right now. I'm finding it difficult to relate to the people in my life, and conversely, I don't think they're able to relate to me. It certainly isn't what I envisioned my last six weeks would be like. There's a lot of talk about reverse culture shock after returning from living abroad, but no one's really talked about pre-departure culture shock.

Molly Malone, it could have been lovely.

2006-05-10T05:38:00.000+08:00

I finally got my lazy self motivated to drive out to Molly Malone's, a pub in L.A., to see Reeve Carney perform (a few of my friends have been raving about him). Just as we arrive, it occurs to me that I don't have a single form of identification on me. But I'm not close to 21 anymore, so there's a good chance they won't card me, right? And they didn't card the couple in front of me (though they clearly weren't spring chickens). Doorman from Alabama asks for my I.D., and that was the end of my night. Hey, it was a nice drive to and from L.A. though. Reeve will have to wait for me until next week.

Blogging Abroad

2006-05-09T00:00:00.000+08:00

I've been doing some reading, and it looks like I won't be able to access Blogger from China. I'm thinking about doing my China blogging on Live Journal, which means that you'd have to set up a LJ account to read my blog. It sucks, I know. I'm exploring other options.

China's pretty much taking all my energy right now. Well, that and I'm beginning a new, short-term job this week, while juggling the Bux and my Chinese class. I seem to have less and less time each day. Maybe that's what adulthood is about.

Stay tuned. I'll try to write something more substantial later.

Oh, Nothing Really

2006-04-26T02:18:00.000+08:00

I'm feeling a lot like my nose today--ready to blow.

67 Days

2006-04-23T03:09:00.000+08:00

I'm back from an amazing trip to the bay, though I'm feeling a little empty now that everyone is gone and moving on with their lives. But I couldn't have asked for a better birthday, being surrounded by some of the most important people in my life (too many of you weren't there). Somehow the amalgamation of my friends worked perfectly. It's a week that'll sustain me in China. Leah & Havilah, thanks for your gracious hospitality! I am not being superfluous when I tell you that I adore you both.

D-day is a little more than two months away. I'm nowhere near ready. I'm already panicking about the packing process and there are still many things I need to buy and documents to sign and loan officers to contact. PC is sending me more detailed information by the week. It's coming. It's coming fast!

Road Block

2006-04-16T08:21:00.000+08:00

It's been pretty easy to put my Peace Corps departure date at the back of my mind, since I had my San Francisco trip coming before. Now that the San Francisco week is in my grasp, I've nothing to distract me from the reality that I'm moving to China in two months. Oh my.

Happy Easter! I'll be in SF for the week!

Ah, my week...

2006-04-07T06:41:00.000+08:00

Is it sad to admit that the best thing to happen to me all week was my dentist appointment this afternoon?

(Though I must admit that I love, love, love having my teeth cleaned.)

Acrobat

2006-04-04T08:49:00.000+08:00

If my life was accompanied by its own soundtrack, today's song would be U2's "Acrobat."

Fanaa

2006-04-02T15:14:00.000+08:00

The Bollywood gods seem to be smiling on me again. I found out that Fanaa, my most anticipated film of 2006, is going to be released before I move to China. This means that I will get to see Kajol's comeback on the big screen! I probably shouldn't get my hopes up very high, but I expect this movie to be wonderful. It's directed by Kunal Kohli (Hum Tum) and stars one of India's most repected and best actors, Aamir Khan, who will be romantically paired for the first time onscreen with the equally talented Kajol. Tabu, my other favorite Indian actress, also stars in this, along with Rishi Kapoor and Kiron Kher. And it's produced by Yash Raj. How can any of this be bad?

Now all I have to do is wait until the end of May.

You can see the teaser here.

What's in a name?

2006-03-23T11:00:00.000+08:00

My Chinese professor finally got around to naming me, but I have a couple of options, and I thought I'd throw them out there for opinions. So please leave a comment to tell me what you think.

Pick one option for each syllable, and tell me why (it doesn't have to be long). Keep in mind, this may be the name I adopt for a few years.

First Syllable:
Option #1: peaceful; tranquil; safe; secure; stable
Option #2: favor, grace, benevolence, kindness

Second Syllable:
Option #1: a beautiful lady; a charming girl
Option #2: clean; spotless; pure

lost in Joe Wright's interpretation

2006-03-22T04:40:00.000+08:00

I've been able to accomplish very little the last few days after having downloaded Dario Marianelli's brilliant and haunting score to Joe Wright's Pride and Prejudice. According to itunes, I've listened to the album more than 20 times in the last week, and each time I experience something new, something liberating, something heartbreaking. It's not unusual to be moved to tears listening to it.

But I wasn't satisfied simply listening to the score. After familiarizing myself with the soul of the film, I wanted to revisit the movie again, but I lent my copy to a friend earlier in the week. Luckily I borrowed a copy from Scott, and spent the weekend watching it three times. I loved this film when I first saw it and think it's the best movie of 2005, but I'm only beginning to see just how brilliant Joe Wright's P&P is.

See it. Listen to it. Fall in love with it.

Is it time again to read the novel?

On days like today

2006-03-15T06:10:00.000+08:00

I'm reminded of two things:

1) I'm an unmitigated ass.
2) China is fast approaching, though not soon enough.

I need to be reminded of the first occasionally. The second reaffirms that life always provides opportunities for redefining who we are.

In Southern California?

2006-03-13T07:57:00.000+08:00

This morning I had to use an ice scraper on my windshield. No kidding. It's a good thing I kept the one I bought in Ohio and still had it in my trunk.

Some thoughts on Oscar

2006-03-12T05:59:00.000+08:00

I've finally tallied up my predictions, and, well, I had a better year last year. This year I guessed only 10 categories correctly and came (tied) for third among my less avid friends attending my Oscar Party. Congratulations to Scott, who guessed 13 correctly and was the winner among the guests! He'll be stoked.

I'm still in shock about the way the Oscars went down this year. It was all sort of surreal. From the way Jack Nicholson announced the winner, to the reaction of the cast and crew of Crash after hearing they've won, to the internet reaction of Brokeback and Crash fans, to the full page ad placed in Variety yesterday by Brokeback fans. It has been strange. I, too, find myself trying to make sense of everything--trying to understand how a film which swept precursor awards, including Best Picture from the Venice Film festival, BAFTA, the Golden Globes, the Independent Spirit Awards, Critics Choice (most notably New York, Los Angeles, London) could lose the coveted award.

Now, I'm not a Crash hater. As it stands, it was my #3 film of 2005, but I don't feel it's Best Picture quality. The more I think about the message and presentation of the movie, the more I'm unimpressed by the force-fed manipulation of Paul Haggis' Crash. And making Crash the BEST PICTURE winner of 2005 has propelled me to be more critical of the film, illuminating its flaws. I like Crash less now that's it won Best Picture than before, when I championed it long before there was Oscar buzz about it. Brokeback Mountain was the better choice (my #2 film of the year). But the Oscars rarely honor the BEST film of the year. This is the group, after all, that's awarded equally mediocre films as Best Picture: Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind, Chicago (just to name a few of the bad choices in the last five years).

Of course, the positive side to this result is that while Crash won't stand up to criticism over the years, Brokeback's legend has been born. Losing Best Picture might have been the best thing to happen to the film. It will live on, both timeless and definitive of this moment in history--a groundbreaking film told with sublime simplicity, beauty, and passion.

Maybe I was Indian in a past life

2006-03-09T01:24:00.000+08:00

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

Oscar Predictions

2006-03-06T06:35:00.000+08:00

Tonight's the last horrah of the movie season. Here are my final predictions in the top 8 categories. You won't find anything super surprising.

BEST PICTURE: Brokeback Mountain
I can't see anything stopping this train. Look for Crash to upset, though.

BEST DIRECTOR: Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain
Ang accomplished a thing of beauty AND he's long overdue for a statue. Don't see an upset happening here.

BEST ACTOR: Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Capote
Though I think Joaquin Phoenix should win the prize, I can't see anyone beating the nearly undefeated Hoffman. Plus, Hoffman's performance singlehandedly garnered a Best Picture and Best Picture nomination for the film. Look for Heath Ledger to upset.

BEST ACTRESS: Reese Witherspoon, Walk the Line
My favorite female performance of the year and most likely to win the award. Felicity Huffman might pull an upset, but Reese will come home with the statue not merely for this performance, but a career's worth of solid work. In my perfect world, Witherspoon and Keira Knightley would both win this award.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: George Clooney, Syriana
George was nominated thrice for this show, and this will be his prize. I'm hoping Jake Gyllenhall will be the night's winner, but don't count Paul Giamatti out either.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Amy Adams, Junebug
This is my most daring prediction and least likely to happen, but I have to go with my gut. Her's is certainly the most deserving performance among the nominees and has managed to keep Junebug in conversation. But perhaps you should look for Rachel Weisz to win in this category.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Crash
This is Crash's consolation prize.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Brokeback Mountain
It won't lose this award. Not a chance.

Last year I went 16/21 overall. We'll see how I do this year.

shower epiphany

2006-03-05T03:48:00.000+08:00

We are limited not by our inability to do but our unwillingness to act.

One Irreplaceable Moment

2006-03-02T11:57:00.000+08:00

I knew today wasn't going to be easy--work from 4:15 am to 11:30 am and then class from 2:00 pm to 7:30 pm. With the three hours of sleep I got last night, I thought today would be hell. And it started off that way. We were short staffed at work, and I didn't have the energy to be "legendary." Nor was I pleased about the lack of environmental consciousness among my coworkers (that's a long story). When I finally got off of work, I took 30 minutes to relax, using the rest of my time studying for a Russian exam; I didn't even have time to change or shower. When I finally arrived at school, I sat in an empty classworm working of my Russian vocabulary and reviewing the Mandarin I learned on Monday.

I left my Chinese class uninspired, craving sleep and cleanliness, unmotivated to go to Russian, where I knew I'd fail my exam and stress out about a language I have little incentive to learn. But when I left the classroom, I was forced to take in the view: Pasadena supported by a majestic mountain backdrop on a slightly cloudy, 70 degree day. It was sublime--spectacularly unforgettable.

10 Reasons Why I Love Bollywood

2006-02-25T07:36:00.000+08:00

For your viewing pleasure:

10. Salman Khan

9. Abhishek Bachchan

8. Saif Ali Khan

7. Hrithik Roshan

6. Akshaye Khanna

5. Shah Rukh Khan

4. Aamir Khan

3. John Abraham

2. Arjun Rampal

1. Ajay Devgan

Questions?

Self Realization, Part 5

2006-02-20T15:07:00.000+08:00

My past and my future are sustaining my present.

Valentine's Day: Looking Back

2006-02-15T04:01:00.000+08:00

A few years ago I was dog sitting on Valentine's Day. I was sitting in a gorgeous house with two gentle and enormous English mastiffs and decided to go get dinner, as I was getting really hungry. I started my car and popped the cassette into the tape player, and "On My Own," from the Les Miserables sountrack was appropriately queued up on the tape.

A lesson learned this week: Never discuss your frustrations about singlehood with someone in a relationship. They will either try to tell you how you just have to be patient--that perfect someone is out there, or they won't be any help at all because now that they've found someone, they could care less about you and your situation.

Square

2006-02-14T03:14:00.000+08:00

Because I have nothing else to post, and I've always liked this "survey":

Four jobs I've had:
1. Youth pastor
2. Vroman's Bookstore
3. English Instructor at Miami University
4. Barista at Stabucks

Four movies I can watch over and over:
1. Sense and Sensibility
2. Amelie
3. Before Sunset
4. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai

Four places I've lived:
1. Pasadena, CA (my home base and favorite place in the world)
2. San Diego, CA (four years on the cliffs of the Pacific Ocean = four years of perfect sunsets)
3. Oxford, England (4 months--some of the most memorable of my life)
4. Oxford, Ohio (2 years during grad. school)

Four TV Shows I love (don't watch TV anymore, but when I did):
1. Freaks and Geeks
2. Gilmore Girls
3. The Simpsons
4. My So-Called Life

Four Places I've Vacationed:
1. Greece
2. Scotland
3. Paris, France
4. All over the US (the annual road trip with my parents)

Four of my Favorite Dishes (I am changing this to restaurants):
1. La Fiesta Grande
2. In 'n Out
3. Mediterranean Cafe
4. The Smokin' Ox

Four sites I visit daily:
1. BBC News
2. Bollywhat.com
3. Oscarwatch.com
4. MySpace (unfortunately)

Four places I would rather be right now:
1. India
2. Peru
3. wandering around Vromans or REI
4. any place that's snowing. The Northeast is looking great right now

Which one is Rerun?

2006-02-09T14:54:00.000+08:00

You are Rerun!

Which Peanuts Character are You?

It sort of scares me how on target this result is.

Post inspired by Kari.

Oscar Nominations

2006-01-31T22:26:00.000+08:00

My predictions were about 85% right.

Best Picture (4/5) Capote was nominated. I guessed Walk the Line.

Best Director (4/5) Bennett Miller was nominated for Capote. I guessed Fernando Meirelles for The Constant Gardener.

Best Actor (5/5)

Best Actress (4/5) Charlize Theron was nominated. I guessed Ziyi Zhang.

Best Supporting Actor (4/5) William Hurt was nominated; I guessed Bob Hoskins.

Best Supporting Actress (4/5) Francis McDormand was nominated; I guessed Maria Bello.

Best Original Screenplay (4/5)

Best Adapted Screenplay (4/5)*

*Syriana was entered as an original screenplay and was nominated in that category. So really, I got 9/10 correct in the screenplay categories.

FAVORITE NOMINATIONS: Keira Knightley (Best Actress) and Darion Marianelli (Best Score) for Pride and Prejudice!
MOST DISAPPOINTING NOMINATION: Capote for Best Picture

Open Mouth, Insert Foot

2006-01-28T12:09:00.000+08:00

I'm used to moments like these, but they don't usually embarrass me like the situation today.

I'm at work, wiping down the condiment bar and tables, making sure there's enough creamer for customers. I glance back at the line forming at the register and see a guy wearing a T-shirt with big yellow writing. I see W_I_E GUY, and think it's funny that a white guy would have WHITE GUY written on a T-shirt. I rush to my bar position, seeing that Kim is dealing with an issue at the register, so I do what baristas are supposed to do and begin taking drink orders while the customers wait to pay. The situation went something like this.

Me: Hi! Can I get a drink started for you?
Customer #1: Yeah, I'll have a grande non-fat latte.
Me: And what's your first name?
C #1: Danielle.
Me: Thanks, Danielle. Kim will ring you up in a sec.

(To the next customer in line)
Me: Hi! What can I get started for you?
C #2: I'll have a grande white mocha without whip cream.
Me: Can I have your name?
C #2: Nicole.
Me: Thanks. Kim will ring you up in a bit.

(To the next customer in line--the guy whering the W_I_E GUY T-shirt)
Me (speaking loudly, even for me, because it's loud and he's a good six feet away): Hey, White Guy, can I get a drink started for you?

He slowly raises his head, and I see that his shirt says WISE GUY. Feeling stupid and embarrassed, I immediately apologize, explaing that I thought his shirt said WHITE GUY. Meanwhile, Danielle, who is African-American, looks at me with a shocked expression and begins laughing. Then I glance over at Nicole, who either Hispanic or Middle Eastern, and she's laughing as well. Danielle does not stop laughing, telling me she needed something like that after the day she's had. She also tells me she's going to tell all her friends. I feel myself getting red in the face and don't know what else to do but laugh with them. Luckily, Todd, as he now has a name and a drink, takes it well. In the end I couldn't charge him for his venti sugar-free vanilla non-fat latte.

If the Oscars Were Up To Me

2006-01-26T02:42:00.000+08:00

My ballot (based on what I've seen this year).

BEST PICTURE: Pride and Prejudice
02. Brokeback Mountain
03. Crash
04. Good Night, and Good Luck
05. Murderball

BEST DIRECTOR: Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain)
02. Joe Wright (Pride and Prejudice)
03. George Clooney (Good Night, and Good Luck)
04. Fernando Meirelles (The Constant Garderner)
05. Paul Haggis (Crash)

BEST ACTOR: Joaquin Phoenix (Walk the Line)
02. Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote)
03. David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck)
04. Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain)
05. Eric Bana (Munich)

BEST ACTRESS: Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line)
02. Clair Danes (Shopgirl)
03. Keira Knightley (Pride and Prejudice)
04. Rani Mukherjee (Black)
05. Vidya Balan (Parineeta)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Jake Gyllenhall (Brokeback Mountain)
02. Clifton Collins Jr. (Capote)
03. Donald Sutherland (Pride and Prejudice)
04. Jamie Foxx (Jarhead)
05. Craig T. Nelson (The Family Stone)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Amy Adams (Junebug)
02. Rachel Weiss (The Constant Garderner)
03. Catherine Keener (Capote)
04. Brenda Blethyn (Pride and Prejudice)
05. Michelle Williams (Brokeback Mountain)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Good Night, and Good Luck
02. Crash
03. Match Point
04. Junebug
05. Millions

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Brokeback Mountain
02. Munich
03. Pride and Prejudice
04. Capote
05. The Constant Gardiner

Top Ten Movies of 2005

2006-01-23T14:49:00.000+08:00

It's taken me a while to catch up on all the films I wanted to see in 2005. As it is, there are still movies I want to see but haven't had the chance: Hustle and Flow, Syriana, A History of Violence, and many more. But I've done my best and feel like I can finally present my list.

In any other year, these might have made my top ten, but they fell just short this year. My Honorable Mention:

13. Match Point (Woody Allen)
12. Junebug (Phil Morrison)
11. Grizzly Man (Werner Herzog)

10. Shopgirl (Anand Tucker)
See this for Claire Danes' quiet, heartbreaking, and gutsy performance. The score is also a gem. Too few people saw this film, which explains why Danes isn't getting any awards/critical attention.

9. The Constant Gardener (Fernando Meirelles)
So I'm a sucker for films about political conspiracies and social justice. Between this and City of God (2002), Fernando Meirelles is quickly becoming one of my favorite directors.

8. Parineeta (Pradeep Sarkar)
My Bollywood pick of the year is truly deserving of a spot on any top ten list. The cinematography is better than anything I've seen from Hollywood this year. Saif Ali Khan proves that he can do more than comedy, while Vidya Bilan is revelatory in this, her first role.

7. Walk the Line (James Mangold)
Though the narrative is nothing we haven't seen before (see last year's Ray for the same story), I couldn't stop tapping my foot while I watched this film. Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon give outstanding performances, and unlike last year's inferior Ray, they do all their own singing and playing of the instruments.

6. Munich (Stephen Spielberg)
Though Spielberg is heavy handed with his message, it's important enough for me not to care that I'm being preached at. This might be my favorite Spielberg film.

5. Murderball (Henry Alex Rubin and Dana Adam Shapiro)
This film does such a great job telling you a story that you forget you're watching a documentary. One of the best sports movies I've seen in years.

4. Good Night, and Good Luck (George Clooney)
Another preachy and politically potent film that everyone should see. I particularly loved the way Clooney weaves the McCarthy footage with his shots. The cinematography is also stunning.

3. Crash (Paul Haggis)
I don't know that I've ever seen a film so honest about humanity. There aren't any good guys or bad guys in this film--just people who are conditioned to view other people in unfortunate ways.

2. Brokeback Mountain (Ang Lee)
The only word that comes to mind when I think about Ang Lee's latest film is "sublime." It's easy to dimiss this film as a gay cowboy movie, but it's a classic tale of unrequitted love told against the goreous backdrop of Wyoming (really, it's Alberta, Canada).

1. Pride and Prejudice (Joe Wright)
My most anticipated film of the year turned out to be my favorite. Made despite the loud groans of Austen faithful, Colin Firth-worshipping fans, Joe Wright's P&P is a bold and fun take on Austen's most read novel. Keira Knightley shines as Elizabeth Bennet. The cinematography and score are also outstanding. Best ensemble cast in any film this year.

Worst Film of 2005: The Longest Yard

Other films I saw (from #14 to second-worst): Jarhead, Black, Capote, Bunty aur Babli, Saving Face, Millions, The Family Stone, Fever Pitch, Salaam Namaste, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Dear Frankie, Cinderella Man, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, King Kong, Batman Begins, The 40 Year-Old Virgin, Just Like Heaven, Broken Flowers, The Upside of Anger, Bride and Prejudice, Hitch, Rory O'Shea Was Here, Wedding Crashers, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, My Summer of Love, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Star Wars: The Revenge of the Sith, The Island, Elektra, Must Love Dogs.

It's decided!

2006-01-21T07:03:00.000+08:00

I accepted the China invitation today! I leave at the end of June.

In case your curious what my experince there might be like, read Peter Hessler's River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze. Kari recommends it too!

Hero

2006-01-16T16:11:00.000+08:00

". . . may your dreams be realized."

interesting turn of events

2006-01-14T12:45:00.000+08:00

I finally spoke with my placement officer, and it looks like I'll probably accept the invitation. She did a great job selling me on this program. I even signed up for Chinese 1 (Mandarin), but I will continue taking Russian. In fact, I have them back to back. I now believe I am insane. But to learn more about China and Peace Corps, I ran out and bought Peter Hessler's book, River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze, which is all about his two years teaching university-level English with the PC. I almost don't want to put it down! And I really can't be too displeased at the real possibility of indoor plumming.

Friday the 13th indeed!

Oscar Predictions

2006-01-13T03:38:00.000+08:00

Though I haven't posted my 2005 Top Ten list--I still want to see a few more movies, I thought I'd go ahead and present my predictions for the top 8 categories. I'll wait to predict my winners after the actual nominees are annouced.

BEST PICTURE
Brokeback Mountain
Crash
Good Night, and Good Luck
Munich*
Walk the Line

BEST DIRECTOR
George Clooney ~ Good Night and Good Luck
Ang Lee ~ Brokeback Mountain
Paul Haggis ~ Crash
Fernando Meirelles ~ The Constant Gardener
Stephen Spielberg ~ Munich*

BEST ACTOR
Philip Seymour Hoffman ~ Capote
Terrance Howard ~ Hustle and Flow*
Heath Ledger ~ Brokeback Mountain
Joaquin Phoenix ~ Walk the Line
David Strathairn ~ Good Night, and Good Luck

BEST ACTRESS
Judi Dench ~ Mrs. Henderson Presents*
Felicity Huffman ~ Transamerica*
Keira Knightley ~ Pride and Prejudice
Reese Witherspoon ~ Walk the Line
Ziyi Zhang ~ Memoirs of a Geisha*

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
George Clooney ~ Syriana*
Matt Dillon ~ Crash
Paul Giamatti ~ Cinderella Man
Jake Gyllenhaal ~ Brokeback Mountain
Bob Hoskins ~ Mrs. Henderson Presents*

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams ~ Junebug*
Maria Bello ~ A History of Violence*
Catherine Keener ~ Capote
Rachel Weisz ~ The Constant Gardener
Michelle Williams ~ Brokeback Mountain

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The 40 Year-Old Virgin (Judd Apatow and Steve Carell)
Crash (Paul Haggis and Robert Moresco)
Good Night, and Good Luck (Grant Heslov and George Clooney)
Match Point (Woody Allen)
The Squid and the Whale (Noah Baumbach)*

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Brokeback Mountain (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana)
Capote (Dan Futterman)
The Constant Gardener (Jeffery Caine)
Munich(Tony Kushner and Eric Roth)*
Syriana (Stephen Gaghan)*

* Not seen

Just for kicks, I'll post my ballot in a few weeks. Cheers.

Accept or Decline?

2006-01-12T05:19:00.000+08:00

I finally received my invitation, and it is for China. I can't say I'm excited about it and will probably decline it, but I'm waiting to talk to someone offical about it. Meanwhile, I've signed up for Russian 2, so here's to hoping.

New Year's Resolutions

2006-01-10T13:19:00.000+08:00

In no particular order, the things I want to accomplish in 2006 (pre PC deployment):

1. Transfer my residency from Ohio to California. Of course this means having to go to the DMV and waste at least four hours of my still young life.

2. Read Don Quixote (my newest literary journey). I have a hunch I'll be able to, tragically, relate to the protagonist with impossible and misunderstood dreams.

3. Learn how to think before I speak and hestitate before I act.

4. Not worry so much about how other people perceive me.

5. Explore and challenge my spirituality.

6. Cook dinner for my friends on my birthday.

7. Study my Russian harder this semester, regardless of whether or not I end up in a Russian-speaking country.

8. Be kinder to my family.

9. Eat better.

10. Figure out where I'll be for the rest of 2006, 2007, and most of 2008.

SF

2006-01-09T09:13:00.000+08:00

I had a great time in San Francisco, but I come home tired and humbled. Wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Off Again

2006-01-04T12:15:00.000+08:00

I'm going to San Francisco for the rest of the week. I'm hoping for some sort of revelation, or, at the very least, a good and relaxing time.

Peace Corps Update #2

2005-12-30T05:42:00.000+08:00

It looks like I could have an invitation as early as next week. But now it looks like I might be heading to Asia, instead of Central Asia or Eastern Europe; I'm betting it'll be for Mongolia or China.

Why have I been taking Russian?

Mere Action Hero

2005-12-28T07:59:00.000+08:00

I love this man! OK, now that I have that out of the way I can begin this entry.

Ajay Devgan, like so many Bollywood stars with familial connections in the industry, is the son of Veeru Devgan, one of the biggest stunt coorinators in Bollywood. It's no coincidence,then ,that Ajay began his career doing action films. To this day, he's still considered an action star. But after breaking about half of the bones in his body, Ajay has strayed from action films and is, arguably, India's best actor today (he's won two National Film Awards, which are more prestigeous than Filmfare. SRK, for instance, has never won a national award).

Two things helped Ajay Devgan's turn from action hero to romance hero. The first was his role in Zakhm in which he plays the son of a woman who is brutalized outside of a temple by Muslim extremists. But this movie is complex, like the Hindu/Muslim divide in India, and Ajay conveys the intensity and seriousness of the political-religious issue with humility and sensitivity. The role earned him his first National Film Award.

Ajay's second right choice was in marrying Bollywood superstar (and my favorite BW actress) Kajol, just when the actress was at the height of her popularity. Though the actors have done five films together, nothing has been as popular as their recent pairing in commercials and magazine ads for Whirlpool and Tata Indicom, a cell phone company. Sales for both companies has significantly increased dramatically with the couples' presence.

Since Zakhm, Ajay's career has had its ups and downs, but Ajay continues to stretch himself both as actor and producer. I think he's best when he's paired with Aishwarya Rai (and even she has admitted he's her favorite actor to work with). They first starred together in the 1999 Best Picture, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and have most recently shared the screen in Raincoat, a quiet film about choices gone wrong and the inability to change the past.

Admittedly, when I first got into Bollywood, I thought Ajay Devgan was a funny looking man who had the extreme good luck in marrying Kajol. He's a bit of an acquired taste, I think, because he slowly intrigued me until I thought he was one of the handsomest men in Bollywood. There's just something irresistable about the softness of his voice, the complexity of his eyes, and the subtlety of his expressions. But if that doesn't do it for you, his acting speaks for itself.

My favorite Ajay films:
Ishq (1997)--with Kajol, Aamir Khan, and Juhi Chawla
Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha (1998)--with Kajol
Zakhm (1998)--with Sonali Bendre and Pooja Bhatt
Dil Kya Kare (1999)--with Kajol and Mahima Chodaury
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999)--with Aishwarya Rai and Salman Khan
Thakshak (1999)--with Tabu
Company (2002)--with Manisha Koirala and Vivek Oberoi
The Legend of Bhagat Singh (2002)
Chori Chori (2003)--with Rani Mukherjee
Yuva (2004)--with Esha Deol
Raincoat (2004)--with Aishwarya Rai

**This ends the Bollywood profiles for a while. I'll probably be back with more in the future, as there are many more actors to profile, but I'll need to do a little more homework first. But Beth, rest assured, if I do nothing else, I will do a profile on the wonderfully adorable Akshaye Khanna.

This'll be one of the easiest things you can do...

2005-12-23T11:13:00.000+08:00

...to make a difference. Join the ONE campain.

www.one.org

My Cell Phone: a Rant

2005-12-19T15:21:00.000+08:00

The face of my cell phone no longer works properly. I'm afraid that a few days from now it will cease working altogether. The reality of two things set in, nearly instantaneously. First, I don't have most of the phone numbers of my dearest friends recorded anywhere but in my phone. When this occured to me I immediately stopped what I was doing and ran to write the numbers down and was almost late to work by doing so.

My second thought was (and is) and bit more complicated. See, I've had my phone for over two years and am eligible for a new contract with Verizon along with a new phone, but that means giving them another two-year commitment. I don't have two years to give them, as I'm leaving the country in months (hopefully). So I can either purchase a phone at full price (remember, I work at Starbucks and don't have that kind of money) OR I can use my phone until I can't anymore and then try to live without it. The latter solution terrified me. And then it terrified me that I was so terrified about not having a phone. I mean, has it really come to this? Am I that dependent on my phone? It's not like I get a lot of phone calls. I'll be honest, there are days my phone doesn't ring, and, if I'm going to be really honest, if it wasn't for Scott there's a good chance my phone wouldn't ring for weeks on end. But then I think of what would happen if I didn't have a phone: what if my car breaks down?; what if I'm sitting at the airport waiting to board my plane and don't have my phone to call Ed, whom I haven't spoken to for years but decide, in my boredom and inability to keep myself occupied, that it's the perfect opportunity to call him?; what if I have to go into a Starbucks (not mine) and have to order a drink when I really can't be bothered to talk to the friendly person in a green apron? How will I give them that look, while I tell the person I'm talking to to hold on while I order, which says: I can't believe you're interupting my conversation--Give me a Venti Carmel Frappuccino Light, extra carmel, extra whip cream!

I can't believe how dependent on my cell phone I've become in four and a half years. It's actually rather ridiculous. So I've decided that once my phone dies, I will divorce Verizon--my relationship with them has lasted longer than some marriages--and return to the 1990s, when I never dreamed I'd own a cell phone. The upside is I save $45 a month!

This is going to be harder than I think, isn't it?

Looking Back on 2005

2005-12-13T07:42:00.000+08:00

I love end of the year nostalgia. Perhaps it's because I like making lists so much, but I love looking back and remembering all the important things that happened during the year. And this year I'll have to do it without Peter Jennings. But unless something amazing happens to me in the next few weeks, these are the best things to happen to me in 2005.

5. Completing my M.A.
Though this is really only the first step to fulfilling my career dream, I couldn't help but feel excited when I submitted my thesis... and passed my defense. Grad school was an amazing experience, with a few low points but many high points, and now (or as of this coming Friday) I have a degree to show for it!

4. Figuring out what I'll be doing the next few years of my life.
A year ago I was in a panic about what I should do with my life. It was over Christmas break that I decided the Peace Corps might be the experience I needed. When I got back to Ohio I immediately began the application process on a whim, finally turned it in in March and sort of went with it. Sure, it messes up my career track, not letting me begin my PhD program until I'm 29, but I think (I hope) when I look back on my life, serving in the Peace Corps will have been the most amazing thing I ever did. I just hope Central Asia is ready for me...

3. Brody's successful surgery
My nephew had major heart surgery in February, when he was nine months old (my avatar was taken the night before the surgery). The family congregated in Nashville for the operation and waited to see how he'd do. He recovered faster than estimated. It's hard to explain the immediate impact of this surgery, but if you listened to his heart beat before surgery you heard insecure swishing; after surgery his heart beat rhythmically, strong, healthy.

Fairly recent picture of Brody (if you look closely you can see the top of his scar):

2. Oxford, England
I already wrote about this rather extensively a few blogs ago (read about it here), but this trip is easily one of the highlights of my year, and probably of the last few years. I left California feeling overwhelmed and stressed about life and the trip. I came home relaxed, exhilarated, and inspired. Lisa, I don't know how I'll ever be able to thank you.

1. Finding Leah
It was probably a couple of nights after I saw her for the first time in 3 1/2 years that I understood the enormous void in my life left by her absence. Getting reacquainted has been humbling, comforting, and healing. It's been amazing to have such an important friend back in my life and is, without a doubt, the best thing to happen to me all year.

Defending Pride and Prejudice (2005)

2005-12-01T08:10:00.000+08:00

Pride and Prejudice was my most anticipated film of 2005. Since I first read the novel in 1997, I have become a woman obsessed with all things Austen. I have a B.A. in Literature and an M.A. in English Literature. I wrote an undergraduate honor's thesis on Jane Austen and my M.A. thesis on adaptations of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. I've read P&P nine times and have seen the A&E/Colin Firth/Jennifer Ehle movie more times than I can count (I remember one finals week during college when I watched it three times). When I heard about a new adaptation I was ecstatic.

Now that the film has released, I find myself defending the film to Austen fans who believe the movie should be a certain way or who feel that nothing will ever compare to the BBC/A&E miniseries. Remarkably, P&P (2005) has done exceptionally well among critics and has some people talking about an Oscar nomination for Keira Knightley.

Here's something I wrote on one of the internet forums I frequent. I thought I'd share my thoughts here.

I'm always excited to see films adapted from novels I enjoy because I like watching someone else's vision/interpretation of the novel. I remember when I first read P&P (as a senior in high school) and then shortly after saw the Firth/Ehle version. I was so annoyed by the decision to cast Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy because he wasn't how I envisioned my Mr. Darcy. Of course with repeated viewings of the BBC miniseries, I came to associate Mr. Darcy with Colin Firth,
lol. Anyway, I digress.

Adapting a novel for film is a tricky process because the filmmaker must balance the limitations of the medium with the expectations of the novel's readers and people who don't know that a novel version exists. This doesn't even take into account other sources the filmmaker may be borrowing from to make the film (other adaptations, critical interpretations, plays, etc.) or the filmmakers own interpretation of the novel. Given the difficulty of the task and the immediate negativity this film provoked, since according to many people, the definitive version of P&P had been made just ten years ago, I am amazed and impressed by Joe Wright's Pride and Prejudice. {Btw, I love the BBC P&P, but if I want the definitve version, I'll just read the novel again.}

SPOILERS

No, not every theme Austen writes about is present in the film (very few are there, actually). Yes, the film lacks much of the biting social critique the novel so brilliantly deploys. Yes, I wish the Lady Catherine De Bourgh/Lizzy showdown was more fulfilling. I wish Wickham had been fleshed out better, and if he had maybe the elopement would have had more of an impact on the story. I think making Mr. Bennet an entirely sympathetic character was wrong. Bingley entering Jane's room is inaccurate and completely taboo given the time period, etc., etc., etc.

END SPOILERS

But I wasn't watching this film to see what I see when I read the novel. And as a film, disassociated from its original source (because you must separate the film from the novel if you want to remain somewhat objective), it's very good. The camera work in the Netherfield scene is brilliantly executed and choreographed. The performances, for the most part, are impressive. The score is gorgeous. The pacing, surprisingly, is perfect (and gets better with a second viewing). The cinematography is beautiful. And, though many people won't agree with me, Keira Knightley nails aspects of Elizabeth better than I've seen any other screen Elizabeth do, including Jennifer Ehle, who I thought was a brilliant Elizabeth.

I actually see a lot of similarities (in feel, mood, atmosphere, etc) between Joe Wright's Pride and Prejudice and Ang Lee's Sense and Sensibility, the latter which is my favorite film. Ever.

I understand this film isn't for everyone. And purists will probably hate it. But if you're willing to see this as Joe Wright's Pride and Prejudice, not Jane Austen's or Andrew Davies' Pride and Prejudice, you might really enjoy it.

I just hope filmmakers keep giving me a new adaptation of this novel every ten years.

See this movie if you get a chance. It currently rests atop my Top Ten list for 2005 (bias aside, I think)!

Sonnet VII

2005-11-29T04:50:00.000+08:00

Is love a fancy, or a feeling? No.
It is immortal as immaculate Truth,
'Tis not a blossom shed as soon as youth,
Drops from the stem of life--for it will grow,
In barren regions, where no waters flow,
Nor rays of promise cheats the pensive gloom.
A darkling fire, faint hovering o'er a tomb,
That but itself and darkness nought doth show,
It is my love's being yet it cannot die,
Nor will it change, though all be changed beside;
Though fairest beauty be no longer fair,
Though vows be false, and faith itself deny,
Though sharp enjoyment be a suicide,
And hope a spectre in ruin bare.

~Hartley Coleridge

The Diva

2005-11-28T07:25:00.000+08:00

My first experience with Kareena Kapoor was reading her bio at Bollywhat.com, and I decided then that I wasn't impressed. She seemed to be everything I hated--full of herself and not very talented, quicker to gossip than perform. It wasn't like she earned her way to Bollywood stardom--she is the grand daughter of iconic yesteryear actor Raj Kapoor and sister of actress Karishma Kapoor. But in that she's really not unlike any other actor in Bollywood either. I also probably didn't like her because other fans didn't like her. What I've learned about Kareena Kapoor, is that people usually love her or hate her. Rarely do you find someone indifferent to her, and that's probably just how she'd like it. And after my first Kareena experience on film, I decided I loved her.

No, Kareena isn't the most talented actress or dancer in Bollywood and many people tire of her "Poo" roles (Poo is short for Pooja, a proper girl's name and an unofficial type of character in Bollywood who's glamorous and a bit of an airhead), but she is effective every time she's on screen. And it always looks like she's having a good time, which is a lot of the charm of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol.

Of course, it was her appearance on Koffee with Karan that completely won me over. Karan Johar (show host and successful filmmaker) kept trying to get Kareena to say something against X actress or Y actor, and she refused to go there with Karan. She was poised, eloquent, professional, playfully humble, and completely charming. Even Karan and Rani Mukherjee, the latter whom was also a guest on the show, were surprised and impressed. She was nothing I expected her to be.

Nowadays, Kareena is dating another Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor. She's kept a relatively low profile but is working hard. She's been involved in mega hits and embarrassing flops, but she remains an important player in the world of Bollywood. I'll let you judge her.

My favorite Kareena films*:
Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001)--with Hritik Roshan, SRK, Kajol, the Bachchans
Mujhse Dosti Karoge! (2002)--with Hrithik Roshan and Rani Mukherjee
Yuva (2004)--with Vivek Oberoi
Hulchul (2004)--with Akshaye Khanna
*I haven't seen Asoka (with SRK), but I've heard it's an impressive, non Poo-ish performance.

Next up: Ajay Devgan

Peace Corps Update

2005-11-27T04:13:00.000+08:00

I spoke with my placement officer this week, and he told me that the program I was originally nominated for was canceled (boo!). The next program leaves in June 2006. So it looks like I'm going to make a lot more carmel frappuccinos before I deploy. These drinks are becoming the bane of my existence.

Country Walks and Pub Talks

2005-11-19T11:35:00.000+08:00

Six years ago I spent the second semester of junior year studying at Oxford University. Last week I went back to the town I fell in love with, retracing the steps of my past with my Oxford roommate and one of my best friends, Lisa (who, if I may brag about, is getting her doctorate in history at Oxford). It's difficult to talk about my trip to England if you don't understand who I was or who Lisa was when we met six years ago. And if you don't know who we were then, you can't possibly understand how far we've come. It's also difficult to talk about this trip because nothing exceptional happened, at least nothing that's story worthy. So there's no way I'll be able to convey how extraordinary or amazing this trip was for me--how past and present intermingled and contradicted themselves, walking both side by side and miles apart.

Pertinent fact: Lisa is the Junior Dean at the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies (CMRS), which basically means she's an RA but with a lot more power and less responsibility. CMRS is also the program we were part of during our semester abroad.

The abridged version of my trip to Oxford

Day 1: I got into Oxford somewhere around 2 pm, already feeling the jet lag. Lisa was waiting at the bus station for me, a fact that shouldn't surprise me, but it does. And though her presence there made me smile, I was looking forward to seeing if I could navigate myself back to CMRS without any help. Being back at CMRS wasn't as weird as I thought it'd be. It looks and smells exactly the same. After some introductions, a couple of episodes of Black Adder, a nap, and dinner made by Lisa and Meghan, we went to see Pride and Prejudice, just so I could say I saw it before any of my friends in the States. [This was my second Austen-at-the-movies-in-Oxford experience with Lisa. We saw Mansfield Park in 2000.] I stayed that night in room the size of my closet somewhere in the city centre and slept amazingly well.

Day 2: Lisa and I walked across Port Meadow with the objective of eating dessert at The Trout, a gorgeous pub credited as the place JRR Tolkein's prancing pony was inspired. I ate Spotted Dick and drank tea. [Walking acrossPort Meadow was one of the first things I did in Oxford (2000) with Lisa and other CMRSers.] The walk back was a race against the sun and rain. We didn't beat either and were drenched by the time we got back to CMRS. Later that night we went to The King's Arms with some of Lisa's CMRS students, and I had my first full pint of beer, purchased by Lisa. I also learned about the power of a penny in a pint. [Lisa and I, along with our dear friend Katie, went to pubs often, but we never had beer. I'd usually get a Coke, but Lisa didn't always do as much.] We capped off the night with chips from a kebab stand and learned about O-Zone. I still have that song in my head, Nate.

Day 3: One of the things I wanted to do this time in England was see the Cotswolds. So we spent the day in and around the town of Burford (I think), popping in and out of shops and taking a glorious walk in the country. It felt comfortably familiar walking through pastures with Lisa among grazing sheep and cows. And on our way back into town we stopped by our third pub, the Mason's Arms, in a small village and each had a half pint of cider. After walking for a couple of hours, the half pint made me a wee bit tipsy, so I passed on alcohol in our next pub, The Mermaid. I spent the night celebrating my birthday with Lisa and a couple of her Jesus College friends at Jamal's, an Indian restaurant. [Appropriately, Jamal's was the first time I ever ate Indian food and can indirectly be blamed for spurring my interest in Indian culture.] The rest of the night we hung out with even more of Lisa's Jesus friends in the GCR drinking too much wine, playing darts and billiards, and singing along to an unbelievably awful kareoke DVD.

Day 4: We struggled getting up for a brunch that began at 1:00 pm. But we made it to the GCR at Jesus in time for food and conversation. I don't know where Lisa was much of the brunch, but I was engaged in a conversation about magical realism with a former Jesus student. When we left Jesus, a group of us walked down to the boat houses along the Isis River to watch the rowing time trials. We ate dinner at Jesus that night, eerily reminicent of dinners at Keble. Lisa explained that Jesus is the only Oxford college that can boast about having three royal portraits in their dining hall, or something like that. There's also a great portrait of T.E. Lawrence, a.k.a. Lawrence of Arabia in the hall (mention Peter O'Toole to Lisa. I dare you). After dinner we met two of Lisa's friends, who both had the privledge of dining at the high table, at the Jesus bar and played trivia and table football--I lost every game I played. The evening ended after a trip to The Turf, one of Lisa's favorite pubs because of the choices of cloudy cider. They didn't have cloudy cider the night we were there, so I'm chalking it up to urban legend. But I had a great time conversing with Lisa and Sarah over another half pint of beer. Back at CMRS, Lisa, Nate, Meghan, and I had a discussion about affirmative action and discrimination. It was amazing.

Day 5: Lisa and I barely got up in time for lunch, so in the spirit of going to as many pubs as we possibly could and in finding a place I could order fish 'n chips, we spent the hour at The Old Tom (I can't really remember the name of the pub, but I think it's across the street from Christ Church). I guess this was my official Oxford day because we walked around the city doing sightseeing things. I walked around Keble College; it was bigger than I remembered it. We saw the shrunken heads at the Pitt Rivers Museum (if you've seen the third Harry Potter, you've seen one of these heads), and I finally got to see the PB Shelley monument/memorial at University College. After stopping for tea, the day was over, as Lisa was on duty at CMRS that night, so we planned on watching a Bollywood movie since we had to stay in. This was certainly one of the highlights of my trip, especially since the VHS of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai wasn't subtitled, and I was forced to translate the entire film. I did get a bit self conscious when Manu, the only Indian CMRS student popped in. And for the record, no, I don't know Hindi. By the end of the movie, there were probably nine people watching this movie with us. And for Lisa and Donnie, the latter whom watched nearly the entire movie, it was a huge success.

Day 6: We woke up in time for lunch again, this time eating somewhere inside the covered market. There really wasn't much else I wanted to do, so we did a little bit of shopping, went to Starbucks (my coworkers wanted me to check it out), and watched U2's Rattle and Hum, drinking mulled wine and eating mince pies. My last night in Oxford I wanted to go Bookbinders, a pub Lisa raved about all week. So the two of us, along with Meghan, Manu, and Nate walked to Jericho to hang out at this pub. But it was packed and uncomfortably smokey, so we left and opted for Jude the Obscure instead. We didn't stay there long because Manu, who didn't have her ID, was asked to leave the pub. Lisa and I drank our pints of cider quickly, and we moved the party to the Three Goats Heads. It was there I learned the real value of a penny. There's an English drinking game where you can put a penny inside someone's glass and they would then have to drink the remaining bit of their beverage without stopping. Well, Nate ambushed Lisa's pint, forcing her to down it. I wasn't really scared of the penny because I knew that Lisa knew I was new to this drinking thing and I had just drank my last pint of cider quickly. Isn't there a saying about not trusting the people closest to you? Next thing I know, Lisa has dropped the penny into my pint, which, btw, was nearly full. I wasn't going to attempt it, but when Manu instigated that I couldn't let Lisa show me up, I drank... and I drank... and I drank... until I was done. A rather fitting end to my week in Oxford. [Six years ago, Lisa, Katie, and I went to the Three Goats Heads and were asked to leave because we weren't drinking enough. I'm the only one who got a drink that night--a Coke.] I felt completely pissed, so one last kebab stop for chips and cheese was a God send.

Day 7: Got up early (9:00 am), ate breakfast, and left Oxford.

I warned you that this story wasn't that interesting, but it doesn't matter. I spent only $350, took only 7 pictures (all on my last night), brought back no souvenirs, and had one of the best travel experiences of my life.

I should mention, though it has no place in my rundown, that I am really impressed with toilets in England. I'm usually paranoid about public toilets, but in England, I didn't have any qualms about sitting directly on the toilet seat. I wouldn't dream about doing that in the States. Ew.

the week ahead

2005-11-10T04:12:00.000+08:00

Je vais a Angleterre pour la semaine.

Frustrations Today

2005-11-08T10:07:00.000+08:00

Frustration #1
What the hell is so enticing about a Starbucks Frappuccino??? I can't tell you how many of these drinks I had to make today. Seriously, I don't understand why they're so popular. I've tried them all, and every one of them makes me want to vomit. There's a reason why NO seasoned Starbucks employee will drink one. Next time save your $4.00+ and get a Carmel Macchiato, a Toffee Nut Latte, or a Mocha.

Frustration #2
Why do men feel it's OK to spit in public? I don't want to hear you gather all the flem at the back of your throat while you look for an appropriate place to fire. Sick. Really, if it wasn't for procreation...

The Six-Fingered Man

2005-11-05T06:19:00.000+08:00

No, this doesn't have anything to do with The Princess Bride. But if there's any evidence of God's justice, it might be proved in Bollywood mega-star Hrithik Roshan, who has not one, but two thumbs on one hand. His Adonis good looks come with 11 digits. I love it!

Hrithik Roshan is the son of actor, director, producer, writer, and composer Rakesh Roshan, making Hrithik one of Bollywood's countless stars with connections in the industry. It's no surprise, then, that Hrithik's first film, Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai, was directed by his father. The film catapulted Hrithik into stardom. In fact, he walked into a screening of the film as an unknown, anonymous face, and by the time the film had finished, he needed a security escort out of the theater. That's how quickly stardom happened for Hrithik Roshan.

It was once thought he would dethrone Shah Rukh Khan from the top of Bollywood, but Hrithik's career, though successful, hasn't managed to be as consistent as King Khan. Nonetheless, Hrithik's films are usually pleasureable experiences, if only to watch him dance. He's probably the best male dancer in Bollywood, often upstaging any other dancer in the room. But Hrithik is more than just a good dancer. He attempts many different kinds of roles, not allowing him to be type cast as one kind of actor. He's played a mentally handicapped young man, and angry terrorist, a national army hero, a mild-mannered, peace-making younger brother, and obsessive lover. He's currently filming Dhoom 2, where he stars alongside Aishwarya Rai. They might be the best looking bad guys on the planet.

Though Mr. Roshan is unbelievably good looking and an exceptional dancer, many of his performances leave me cold. He lacks SRK or Saif Ali Khan's charm. He also likes to show off his bulging arms in every film he stars in, making him slightly less annoying than Salman Khan. I like him best when he's paired with Preity Zinta, but he's also good with Kareena Kapoor. Nonetheless, Hrithik Roshan remains one of Bollywood's main stays, so it's worth getting to know him.

My favorite Hrithik films:
Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000)--with Amisha Patel

Mission Kashmir (2000)--with Preity Zinta and Sanjay Dutt

Kabhi Khushie Khabhie Gham (2001)--with Kareena Kapoor, Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan, SRK, and Kajol

Mujhse Dosti Karoge! (2002)--with Rani Mukherjee and Kareena Kapoor

Koi...Mil Gaya (2003)--with Preity Zinta

Lakshya (2004)--with Preity Zinta

Next up: Kareena Kapoor

Doing Stuff That Scares Me

2005-10-31T10:16:00.000+08:00

It's easy to dance like no one else is watching you. Today I tried dancing like I wasn't looking.

Self Realization, Part 4

2005-10-31T06:21:00.000+08:00

I would be a terrible Buddhist.

Back from the Bay

2005-10-26T12:45:00.000+08:00

About six weeks ago I impulsively purchased a plane ticket to San Francisco to hang out with my best friend from high school, who I haven't been in touch with for nearly four years. I've been to San Francisco once before--a spring break excursion with my college roommates in which we went to some of the city's most recognizable landmarks. This trip wasn't like that; I didn't even see the Golden Gate Bridge.

The highlights:

Hav's VW Golf breaking down after getting picked up from the airport--a rather inauspicious, but memorable, beginning.
Not understanding what "What's your story?" means.
I got this text message from Leah the day before I go to SF which reads: "Yay, the once a month tea dance is this saturday n ur going! Its a daytime drinking eating n dancing people watching event. Don't worry, i won't make u do." Not only was I forced to dance, but I was sandwiched a couple of times in the process--no thanks to Leah, Hav, or Jenny. The evening confirmed what I already knew: hip hop and I don't get along. Bring on 80's pop punk or Bollytunes if you expect me to dance.
The lesbian fight that erupted and the repeated gatherings at the microphone emploring the combatants that "this isn't how we represent the community!" Gotta love Mango...
Jenny's prediction--we'll see, but I wouldn't bet anything on it.
Grabbing the attention of the Indian men at the Indian restaurant when I unconscioulsy started singing a line from the Veer-Zaara song "Lodi."
Catching up with faces from my past.
Not understanding the fascination with Anthony's bike.
The awkward feeling knowing that everyone I met knew way too much about me.

To my wonderful hostesses, Leah and Havilah, thank you for bringing me into your world and spending so much of your time with me. JennyB, I am forever thankful you drove into the city to spend a few hours chatting with me the way we did at PLNU. Jenny, Kimber, Ashley, AshleyB, and Khadeja, thanks for enriching my weekend. I'd love to do it again soon!

The State of Movies--2005

2005-10-22T04:36:00.000+08:00

It's nearly November, and I've only seen fifteen movies this year. By this time last year I had seen 23 of the year's releases. I can attribute some of this year's decline to writing a thesis and discovering Bollywood, but I've been done with my thesis for a couple of months now, and while I love Bollywood, I still crave and love to watch Hollywood movies. So I've decided that the problem isn't that I was super busy for a few months or that I watch 2-3 Bollywood movies a week--sometimes even two a day (BW movies average 3 hours in length, btw). The problem is that Hollywood doesn't release their good films until October. And this year there are fewer movies I want to see--or at least fewer movies I'm willing to spend $9 or $10 dollars to see. But I have seen a few films I've really liked, so I present my Top Ten of 2005 of the 15 movies I've seen.

Not making the list (from worst to not nearly as bad): Elektra, Star Wars: Episode III--the Revenge of the Sith, Rory O'Shea Was Here, Bride and Prejudice, and The Upside of Anger.

10. Just Like Heaven, starring Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo.
When I saw the trailer for this movie I thought it looked cute even if the premise looked stupid. But a couple of recommendations from some trustworthy friends and my undying crush on Mark Ruffalo won out in the end. And what a delightful movie this was! I won't spoil the film or why it works, but if you want to see a movie that will make you laugh and smile, go see this film.

9. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and Freddie Highmore.
Linsey forced me out of my apartment this summer to watch this movie, and I had a great time! The problem with remakes or new adaptations of a novel is the movie will always be compared to the first film. I haven't seen the Gene Wilder version since I was a wee lass, so fortunately I couldn't compare the two. But Tim Burton is a genius with color and the bizarre and Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka is wonderfully creepy. Go see it just to watch dolls burn!

8. Salaam Namaste, starring Saif Ali Khan and Preity Zinta.
This might be the first anti-Bollywood Bollywood film, meaning that SN is very much a Bollywood film but feels a lot like a Hollywood film. For some fans of Bollywood, this westerinzation ruined SN in their estimation, but I don't think a movie has made me laugh so much this year. I still have the songs "Salaam Namaste" and "My Dil Goes Mmm..." in my head (and I don't even own the soundtrack--yet). I saw this on opening night with a theater packed with Indians. I might have been 1 of 5 persons in the room out of 300-400 not of South Asian decent. Scott and I had a blast, even if we were in the front row!

7. Fever Pitch, starring Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon
OK, so I'm a sucker for Rom-Coms, but as I've said before, this year has generally sucked. FP isn't as good as Nick Horby's memoir of his obsession with the Arsenal football club in England, but it is better than the other adaptation of the book starring Colin Firth. But for an obsessive, er, passionate, person like me, this movie is a lot of fun.

6. Saving Face, starring Joan Chen, Michelle Krusiec, and Lynn Chen
Few people have probably heard of this delightful film about a Chinese family coping with their anti-traditional children. But see this film! It isn't about a lesbian daughter coming out to her family and community. It's really about the relationship between mothers and daughters and finding the courage to live. Watch out for a short homage for The Graduate--one of my favorite parts of the film!

5. Bunty aur Babli, starring Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukherjee, and Amitabh Bachchan.
My first Bollywood film in the theater remains one of my favorites for this year! It's sort of Bonnie & Clyde meets Catch Me If You Can. It's a lot more fun if you've seen Amitabh Bachchan's early movies, so you can understand the disguises Bunty, played by Bachchan's son, Abhishek, pulls off during the film. But I haven't seen any of Amitabh's early work, and I still loved this movie. Abhishek and Rani are so good together. The songs are also brilliant.

4. Black, starring Rani Mukherjee and Amitabh Bachchan.
Black is essentially a Bollywood remake of The Miracle Worker, about the life of Helen Keller, but that shouldn't diminish the beauty that is Black. Rani Mukherjee is brilliant as Michelle McNally, a woman deaf, blind, and mute. Amitabh Bachchan is also good as Michelle's no-nonsense, washed up teacher. But apart from the film's strong performances, Black is a visual masterpiece, typical of all of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's films. It's amazing what DP Ravi K. Chandran does with shades of black, gray, and white.

3. The Constant Gardener, starring Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz.
Who says art doesn't have the power to effect social change? TCG is an eye-opening film about the evils of government and coporate alliances. Told mostly in flashback, Fernando Merielles follows his brilliant Cidade de Deus (2002), with first- and third-perspective narrators. And though Ralph Fiennes is great in this movie, Rachel Weisz steals the film with her bold performance.

2. Parineeta, starring Saif Ali Khan, Vidya Balan, and Sanjay Dutt.
How Saif Ali Khan manages to make you like his character is beyond me because Shekkar isn't someone I'd usually root for. But then, we like Shekkar because Lolita (Vidya Balan) loves him, and she is the heart of the film. And Balan is revelatory in her first film, giving Lolita subtle grace and strength. Like Black, Parineeta is a visual masterpiece, relying on shades of yellows and golds. It's really a shame India didn't submit this for the 2006 Oscars.

1. Crash, starring everyone.
I don't know that I've seen a movie so honest about humanity. There are no good guys or bad guys in this movie--just people who have been conditioned to be afraid of what/who they don't know. See this film now!

There's still more I want to and will see. I'll wait until the year's end to present my final Top Ten list!

As for me, I'm in San Francisco this weekend!

Bubbly, Lucky, Gutsy, Pretty

2005-10-18T02:43:00.000+08:00

Preity Zinta began as a model doing ads in magazines and was discoverd by director Shekhar Kapoor while she was studying Psychology at a Bombay university (a degree she completed, btw). Not sure if acting was something she wanted to do, Preity decided that a flip of a coin would decide if she would take the job offered by Kapoor or do something else. The rest, as they say, is history. The flip of the coin gave us one of the most admirable heroines in the industry.

While I think Preity Zinta is a great actress, it's her off-the-set persona I like more. Preity is unique in Bollywood because she didn't have any familial connections in the industy. (Bollywood is extremely nepotistic. Most of the current actors have parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, or cousins in the industry. Shah Rukh Khan, like Preity, did not have any connections when he forged his way to become the King of Bollywood). She's also very grounded and knows that whatever time she has in the spotlight and whatever time she has to live is limited and a blessing. This world view was shaped at 13, when her father was killed in a car accident. And Preity has had her own brushes with death. She was vacationing on the island of Phuket when the 2004 Tsunami struck.

Often described as bubbly, chatty, and a bit of a tomboy, Preity Zinta sits at the top of Bollywood, signing films with some of the most established directors and production companies. Preity's recent success and acclaim is well deserved for the talented actress, who one journalist called "the only man in the industry." [This moniker was given to her for being the only BW actor--male or female--to testify against the underworld and its industry power in court].

My favorite Preity films:
Dil Se (1998)--with SRK and Manisha Koirala
Mission Kashmir (2000)--with Hrithik Roshan and Sanjay Dutt
Chori Chori Chupke Chupke (2001)--with Salman Khan and Rani Mukherjee
Dil Chahta Hai (2001)--with Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, and Akshaye Khanna
Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003)--with SRK and Saif Ali Khan
Lakshya (2004)--with Hrithik Roshan
Veer-Zaara (2004)--with SRK and Rani Mukerjee
Salaam Namaste (2005)--with Saif Ali Khan

Up next: Hrithik Roshan

Russian Encouragement?

2005-10-08T05:46:00.000+08:00

I was sitting at my desk during the class break, letting my mind relax before tackling the second half of the lesson when one of my classmates, who is fluent in Russian, approached me and asked: "Kak pycckuu?" I asked her to repeat the question and figured out she was asking me: How's Russian (coming along for you)? I told her how hard it was and how frustrated I am with the language. And then she asked if I'd ever taken Russian before. I sort of laughed and quickly told her I hadn't, and she told me that she was impressed with my pronunciation and grasp of the grammar. I thought she was kidding at first, but she wasn't. She told me she was sure I'd taken the language before. Her encouragement made my night! Thanks, Nelly!

Kate Winslet

2005-10-06T01:01:00.000+08:00

It's Kate Winslet's 30th birthday today! Like Kajol, I was going to compile a list of 30 reasons why you should watch a Kate Winslet film on her 30th birthday when it occured to me that you really only need one reason to watch a Kate Winslet film: She is, arguably, the best living actress today--quite possibly of all time.

As for me, I'll be watching Heavenly Creatures (1994, Kate's first film, directed by Peter Jackson). But I'd also recommend:
--Sense and Sensibility (1995)--my favorite film--ever. Watch it for it's great performances (KW, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Hugh Grant) or it's superb direction (Ang Lee) or it's stunning cinematography (Michael Coulter) or its melodic score (Patrick Doyle) or for Emma Thompson's brilliant screenplay. Kate received her first Oscar nomination for this role.
--Jude (1996)--this underappreciated film is amazing. It's a Thomas Hardy adaptation, so be prepared for bleak, but KW, Christopher Eccleston, and Rachel Griffiths deliver outstanding performances in this beautifully shot film.
--Hamlet (1996)--this is the best version of Hamlet I've seen on film (and it would be even if KW wasn't in it). KW plays Ophelia opposite Branaugh's Hamlet. It's a gutsy and haunting portrayal--well worth the four hours viewing time.
--Holy Smoke (1999)--the movie isn't amazing, but it's worth watching just for KW's performance. She should have been nominated for an Oscar for her bold performance in Jane Campion's film. WARNING: this film contains disturbing images of Harvey Keitel.
--Iris (2001)--In this Oscar-nominated performance, KW plays the young Iris Murdoch, a brilliant novelist who died of Alzheimer's disease. KW is accompanied by Dame Judi Dench and Jim Broadbent (who's performance earned an Oscar win) and is just as good as its cast suggests.
--Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)--KW and a Charlie Kaufman script--there's nothing else to really ask for. It was my #1 film of 2004. KW plays the quirky and unstable Clementine opposite a sober Jim Carrey. It's a performance that earned her a fourth Oscar nomination, making her, at 29, the youngest person with the most Oscar nominations.
--Finding Neverland (2004)--KW is luminous in her quiet performance as Sylvia Llewelyn Davies, the mother of the boys author JM Barrie (Johnny Depp) befriends. This film was nominated for Best Picture last year, and though KW's performance was overlooked for a nomination, it's worth watching so you can see how good her range really is.

Other Kate films: A Kid in King Arthur's Court (1995--please watch only if you're a die-hard Kate Winslet fan), the small film Titanic (1997), Hideous Kinky (1998), Quills (2000), Enigma (2001), The Life of David Gale (2003).

Enjoy! And Happy Birthday, Kate!

Self Realization, Part 3

2005-10-01T14:58:00.000+08:00

Whoever said you can't cross the same river twice was right.

Another Khan

2005-09-30T04:45:00.000+08:00

I promise that not every male actor in Bollywood is a Khan, (although I won't be writing about Zayed Khan, Fardeen Khan, Arbaaz Khan, and Sohail Khan), but Saif Ali Khan is worth mentioning. He's the son of actress Sharmila Tagore and Indian cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan and, thus, learned about media scrutiny at an early age--of course his actions didn't help alleviate media interest of his life. But Saif has come a long way from his spoiled brat/bad boy image and has become one of the most recognized faces in the world's biggest film industry.

His early career is full of unmemorable performances in unmemorable films with we-wish-we-could-forget mullets (the exceptions are the few films he did with Kajol, of course). But with the release of Dil Chahta Hai, Saif Ali Khan's career was transformed, winning a Filmfare Award for Best Comedian(ne). And funny is what SAK does best. I've been looking for the Hollywood equivalent to SAK, but I can't find one. His comedic timing is superb; his slapstick isn't overdone or stupid; he's goofy, adorable, imperfect, and hot; his characters are usually good boys who think they're bad boys; he's sensitive and sympathetic. He also does his dramatic roles well. Maybe he's like Jimmy Stewart, but SAK isn't that awkward. Maybe he's a bit like Cary Grant, but SAK isn't that smooth. Maybe Hugh Grant, but SAK isn't that obnoxious.

Guys like to watch SAK because his characters are everymen. Girls love him because it's hard not to be sucked in by his quirky charm. But really, SAK has done well for himself considering he has a funny voice, a nose bigger than Shah Rukh Khan's, and is one of the worst dancers in Bollywood (please refer to Kal Ho Naa Ho's "Maahi Ve"). Nonetheless, when I watch a SAK film, I know his performance won't disappoint me, and usually I'll have had a few good laughs along the way.

My favorite Saif Ali Khan films:
Yeh Dillagi (1994)--with Kajol and Akshay Kumar
Hamesha (1997)--with Kajol
Dil Chahta Hai (2001)--with Aamir Khan, Preity Zinta, Akshaye Khanna, and Sonali Kulkarni
Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003)--with Preity Zinta and Shah Rukh Khan
Hum Tum (2004)--with Rani Mukherjee
Parineeta (2005)--with Vidya Balan and Sanjay Dutt
Salaam Namaste (2005)--with Preity Zinta

Next up: Preity Zinta

bureaucracy

2005-09-28T08:01:00.000+08:00

I'm getting a little tired of not knowing where or if I'll be going into the PC, as nothing's official yet. My recruiter, who no longer works for PC, told me I wouldn't know anything definite until September at the earliest to November at the latest. No big deal. But I have a letter telling me I've been cleared by one office, while my online status is still on hold with that department. A few weeks ago I called a placement officer just to make sure that my file wasn't sitting unattended and she said she'd leave a note for the guy in charge of my program and he'd get back to me in 1-2 weeks. He never called. And it's nearly the end of September.

So I today I called a recruiter to see what s/he thought I should do--call Office A or Office B or just wait. Normally I wouldn't be this impatient with something like this, but if for whatever reason this doesn't work out, I'd like to apply for doctorate programs, so I don't spend another year of my life making Grande Non-Fat No-Whip White Mochas. Well, the recruiter (I never did get her name) basically chewed me out and didn't want to understand that I wasn't frustrated because I hadn't been placed/"invited"; rather, I wanted some confirmation that my file wasn't lost somewhere in the office mail room and was in process in some way. She kept telling me that I should use this as a lesson in patience and understand that I'll have fewer resources when I'm serving abroad. What does that even mean? She called my actions (in calling the placement officer) "infuriating" and kept asking me why I called that office and why I didn't call the other office. When I tried to explain myself, I was interrupting her: "How am I going to help you if you aren't listening to what I'm saying?" I wanted to ask her the same question: How are you going to help me if you're not listening to what I'm asking? I was frustrated to the point of tears, and I still don't know if I should be pro active in inquiring why I have a letter telling me one thing and my online application status saying another (isn't fixing problems/figuring out solutions part of what it takes to be a PCV?) or if I should just let everything happen as it will and trust that they know what's what (because patience is necessary for a PCV).

As for the recruiter, I'll take your advice and tweak it some. My conversation with you made me feel about two inches tall. I don't know that I've ever been treated so badly, rudely, and unprofessionally. So I will use our conversation to help toughen my skin a bit and prepare me for PC service.

Russian

2005-09-24T13:12:00.000+08:00

I'm currently struggling through Russian 1. I can't spell. I can't pronounce words properly. I can't remember what the little letter that looks like a "b" does to the consonants preceding or immediately following it. And I can't stand that it feels like I'm sitting in a high school class (there are actually people who answer their phones in the middle of class--wtf?). Nonetheless, I go twice a week and learn about the seven-letter exception and try to remember that "n" is really "p" and "p" is actually "r."

"The Thinking Man's Dream Date"

2005-09-18T02:55:00.000+08:00

Tabu is one of the most enigmatic personalities in Bollywood. She's often called one of the best actresses in the industry, winning numerous awards for her performances, and yet she's not often talked about. Perhaps it's because she won't allow herself to be pigeon holed as a certain kind of actress--she easily floats between commercial and non commercial films. She also generally avoids scandal, though she was present with Salman Khan and others when the endangered black buck was shot (she wasn't directly involved in the incident). And though she perfers spending time with friends and family uninvolved in the industry, she's not a recluse. She appears at movie premieres and other industry functions.

Amazing acting ability runs in Tabu's family. She is the niece of Shabana Azmi, one of the most respected actresses in India. And in watching a Tabu film, you can expect to see a solid performance from the young star--even if the film is a total disaster. A poster at Bollywhat.com said of Tabu: "I'd watch anything with Tabu. She could read the phone book and I'd be fascinated by her screen presence (OK, if it were Tabu, the phone book would drop on her head, then riccochet off her arms, killing her young baby, at which point, stunned and horrified she would open the phone book and read in a deadpan voice the list of names...personifying the bleakness and horror of an impersonal world in which people are reduced to names...)." Though the poster jests about the serious nature of many of her roles, Tabu can take any role and be convincing.

Tabu's actually an actress for all of India. She's done films in Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, and will be starring in Mira Nair's upcoming The Namesake, where she will speak English and Bengali. Oh, she also speaks Spanish. She's an actress with asperations to become a director and producer. She also writes poetry. She went to university to become a dentist, but left early when she was offered a chance to do films.

Tabu is starring in my two most anticipated films of 2006--Mira Nair's The Namesake, with Irfan Khan (with whom she starred in Maqbool, and Indian version of Macbeth) and Kal Penn (Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle) and Kunal Kohli's Fanaa, with Aamir Khan and Kajol (putting my three favorite Indian actors onscreen together!).

My favorite Tabu films:
Macchis (1996)--with Chandrachur Singh
Thakshak (1999)--with Ajay Devgan
Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000)--with Ajith, Aishwarya Rai, and Mammootty
Chandni Bar (2001)--with Atul Kulkarni
Filhaal (2002)--with Sushmita Sen and Sanjay Suri

Up next: Saif Ali Khan

Self Realization, Part 2

2005-09-10T07:25:00.000+08:00

I didn't know the stakes were so high.

The Perfectionist

2005-09-08T09:07:00.000+08:00

The Khan trinity rounds off with Aamir Khan, who many people believe is the best actor in India today. One of the most powerful people in the industry, Aamir Khan is notorious for scrutinizing scripts before he agrees to do a film, or demanding perfection from his co-stars and directors. His anal tendencies haven't made him any friends in the industry, but his work speaks for itself. Lagaan, a film he both produced and starred in, was the first film from India in several years to be nominated for an Oscar in 2002 for Best Foreign Film.

What I love about Aamir Khan is that he believes in the potential of Indian cinema without compromising the trademarks of Indian cinema--the masala elements. He's not trying to improve Bollywood by distancing himself from it. Instead, he works within the masala formula to improve Bollywood productions. So while many actors work on multiple films simultaneously, Aamir works one at a time. While most films rely on dubbing the audio post production, Aamir insisted on in synch sound before others began to use it. Love him or hate him, he's fantastic at what he does, and his work makes the industry better.

Lagaan was my first Bollywood film, and I've been a fan of his since. And Aamir is back from a three-year hiatus, which makes me excited. And if the Bollywood gods weren't smiling on me enough, he is starring in Fanaa (2006) alongside my favorite actress, Kajol, who will be making her reappearance in Bollywood with this film, and Tabu (more about her in my next Bollywood blog). SRK might be the King of Bollywood, but Aamir Khan's work will live longer.

My favorite Aamir films:
Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1998)--with Juhi Chawla
Ishq (1997)--with Juhi Chawla, Ajay Devgan, and Kajol
Earth (1998)--with Nandita Das
Lagaan (2001)--with Gracy Singh
Dil Chahta Hai (2001)--with Preity Zinta, Saif Ali Khan, and Akshaye Khanna

Up Next: Tabu

Ohio

2005-09-01T07:04:00.000+08:00

Reasons why it's tolerable to live in Ohio:
1. Jungle Jim's. To people who've never been there it's merely a grocery store. For me, it was a sanctuary in the middle of a culinary wasteland. I'm going to miss the monnerail, the giant cheese, beer from places I've never heard of, the terrible Robin Hood show, and the Jungle Jim's movie (which I never did see).
2. Thunderstorms. Don't get too many of those in SoCal. I could sit and watch them for hours.
3. Fireflies, or are they Lightning Bugs?
4. The Smokin' Ox. My favorite restaurant in Oxford. Garrett and Mary are awesome.
5. Indian Buffet. I realize I can get better Indian food here, but the impulsive trips to tri county in the middle of the week can't be replaced. Plus, I was just getting to know the Punjabi men who run the place.
6. The Cicada Plague. How lucky of me to have experienced this 1/17 year phenomenon!
7. Snow!
8. Parties at Tom and Blade's
9. The annual Super Bowl Party. Does anyone else think it's funny that a group of English graduate students gather around to watch the biggest sporting event of the year on a small TV with snowy reception?
10. Saturday a.m. basketball with the boys and Rebecca
11. Cornhole
12. Corn mazes
13. Lane Public Library
14. Half-Price Books
15. The swimming pool at the Rec. Center.
16. Watching the sunrise over Bachelor Hall--one of the pleasures of teaching at 8:00 am
17. Canasta
18. Tuesday night dinners
19. A Susan Morgan seminar
20. Bachelor 362

Of course, my friends made my experience in Ohio the most memorable. Linsey, Kari, Shiloh and Justin, Tom and Jen, Blade and Julie, Aaron, Jennifer, Kim, Carmen, Danielle, Darren, Michele, Erin, Cedric, Abbey, Steve, Renee, Jay and Heather, Ted, Daisy, Tonya, Dianne, Susan, Debbie, Sarah, Nate, and Canaan, Joel and Brandi, Butch and Amy, Ben, Hannah, and Morgan, Barb, Linden and Paulette, Darrell and Donna, Daralee, Harry and Sueann, Bill and Lois, Paige, Taylor, Russell, Steve and Sheila, Don and Darlene, Skip (WD) and Marge, Jerry and Darlene, the Dazets: Paul, Stacey, Rebecca, and Jacob, Joel and Brandi, Stephanie, Annie P., Kelly, Joel, Chris, Kristen, the Apple Dumpling Gang: Amy, Cody, and Katie, Leslie, and my family-away-from-my-family: Linsey, Tommie Mommie, Larry, and Mackie.

I certainly didn't leave for greener pastures. California is mostly brown right now. I'm really going to miss it and all of you who gave me a place to be.

The Reigning Queen

2005-08-16T05:44:00.000+08:00

Rani Mukherjee was destined to one day serve as Queen of Bollywood; "Rani," after all, means "queen." She's everywhere right now. It seems every time I read about Bollywood, I also read about Rani. She swept Filmfare's Best Actress categories last year: she won Best Actress for Hum Tum and Best Supporting Actress for Yuva. And she had an important supporting role in last year's Best Picture winner, Veer-Zaara. She will likely win another Best Actress award this year for her performance in Black, where she played a woman deaf, blind, and mute. She was, for lack of a better word, amazing.

OK, before I ramble on about how talented Rani is, let me clear some air: she is no Kajol, though they are both Mukherjees (second cousins). But she has filled the void in Bollywood left by Kajol and has become one of my favorite actresses. Her small role in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai put Rani on the map, but it wasn't until Saathiya that I felt Rani could carry her own movie. But her filmography in 2004-2005 speak for itself. If it's a popular and good Hindi film, it probably stars Rani Mukherjee. She has three blockbusters under her belt this year: Black, Bunty aur Babli, a comedy in which she plays a con artist, and Paheli in which she plays an abused wife who's in love with a ghost (at least I think that's what it's about; I haven't seen it... yet. I've heard it's really good). She's also starring in the just-released Mangal Pangey: The Rising along with Aamir Khan, in which she plays a prostitute. I would bet this will also be a hit.

There's not much more to say, really. She's a fantastic actor, is well respected in the industry, avoids scandal most of the time (OK, there were those rumors about Govinda and Karan Johar), is a bankable star, works hard, has amazing yellow eyes, and has signed more interesting projects for the future. Not bad for a girl who never wanted to be an actress growing up.

My Favorite Rani Films (there are many):
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998)--with SRK, Kajol, and Salman Khan
Chori Chori Chupke Chupke (2001)--with Salman Khan and Preity Zinta
Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001)--with SRK, Kajol, Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan
Saathiya (2002)--with Vivek Oberoi
Yuva (2004)--with Abhishek Bachchan
Hum Tum (2004)--with Saif Ali Khan
Veer-Zaara (2004)--with SRK and Preity Zinta
Black (2005)--with Amitabh Bachchan
Bunty aur Babli (2005)--with Abhishek and Amitabh Bachchan

Next up: Aamir Khan

Thesis

2005-08-15T09:14:00.000+08:00

I think it's done.

It will be out of my hands tomorrow morning! I will wait until then to do the Bolly-inspired happy dance!

Stay tuned for my next Bollywood Blog. Scott's future wife, Rani Mukherjee, is up next.

Self Realization, Part 1

2005-08-09T08:59:00.000+08:00

I’m beginning to understand the answer to the implied questions hidden behind rolled eyes, uninterested nods and uh-huhs, interruptions, joking that I can take, and quickly-changed subjects.

Kajol's Birthday!

2005-08-05T05:35:00.000+08:00

Since it's August 5th in India now, I thought I'd start the celebration.

Today is Kajol’s 30th birthday! In honor of my favorite Bollywood actress, I give you 30 reasons why you should see a Kajol movie on her 30th birthday.

30. So you can actually say you’ve seen a Bollywood movie. You’ll be amazed at the various looks you’ll receive when you tell people you’ve seen a Bollywood production.
29. She’s my favorite actress, along with Kate Winslet (who coincidentally is also turning 30 this year).
28. Scott thinks she’s hot.

27. Saris never looked so good on anyone.
26. She doesn’t give a damn what you think about her.
25. She can say no to Shah Rukh Khan and Karan Johar.
24. In an industry dominated by men, Kajol held her own in the 1990s (really until she went on her acting hiatus).
23. She’s a proud wife and mother.
22. “She’s quite demented.” –Shah Rukh Khan
21. She loves to read—I love that.
20. She’s one of the famous Mukherjee clan. Think of them as Bollywood’s Barrymores. Rani Mukherjee, Kajol's second cousin, comes from the same family.
19. On her mother’s side, she’s a fourth generation actress. Her great-grandmother acted before films existed. Her grandmother, Shobhana, was one of the industry's forerunnes. She's the niece of iconic yesteryear actress Nutan and the daughter of successful actress Tanuja. Her little sister Tanishaa is also pursuing acting.
18. She doesn’t beat around the bush. She’ll tell you exactly what’s on her mind.
17. She is the highlight of Kal Ho Naa Ho’s “Maahi Ve,” in which she only appears for 8 seconds.
16. She knows her family is more important than her career.
15. Even though she hasn’t starred in a film since 2001, she’s still one of the most popular and powerful people in the industry.
14. She’s consistently featured in Top Ten Lists of the greatest actresses in the history of Hindi cinema.
13. “Complexion - nothing to write home about. Dancing abilities - zilch. Features - very dicey. Figure – er, we’ll let that pass. Yet, Kajol’s was the most attractive face of the nineties. When she appeared on screen, ‘kuch kuch ho raha hai!’ is all we could mumble. What works for the actress is great character, fab personality, a compelling presence. She combines intensity and vulnerability like no other. Kajol is the rare movie star who’s blessed with the ability to arouse passions in a plain-jane salwar kameez. A human dynamo loaded with tonnes of kinetic energy, and a super attitude to match. To even covet Kajol, you have to raise your own bar as a man. We spontaneously fell in love with all of them. With Simran. And with both the Anjalis. The college tomboy. And the Chandni Chowk kudi.” --Anil Thakraney (Mid-day)
12. She’s not afraid to be seen in public not looking perfect.
11. The gazebo scene from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai—you’ll understand when you see it.
10. “Suraj Hua Maddham” from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham—you’ll also understand why when you see it.
9. So you can catch a Shah Rukh Khan movie while you’re at it. They appeared opposite each other in Baazigar, Karan Arjun, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.
8. She won Best Villain for her performance in… I don’t want to spoil the move for you.
7. She won Best Actress for her performance in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.
6. She won Best Actress for her performance in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.
5. She’s a fantastic role model for young women.
4. The same year she won Best Actress for Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, she was nominated in the same category for three of the five slots for Dushman and Pyaar To Hona Hai Tha.
3. She has a unibrow, isn’t bothered by it, and still looks amazing!
2. She’s part of the Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge experience. DDLJ is the most successful Bollywood movie of all time and has yet to leave the theater since its 1995 release. DDLJ also swept the Filmfare Awards, taking 15 statues home, including Best Actress for Kajol.
1. Because I’m not going to shut up about her. So you might as well do yourself a favor and figure out who she is--pronto!

Happy Birthday, Kajol!

(And no, I didn’t make cupcakes to celebrate, so you don’t have to run and hide, Steve!)