Santa Barbarian Chica Meets Eat Pray Love

The War Between Developers, Designers and Project Managers

2011-10-06T20:14:00.000-07:00

Cutting Edge Scientists	Baby with a Paintbrush	Big Wig Doing Nothing	Office Space	Homer
Fat Naked Lady	Victoria Secret Supermodels	Demolition Man	Total Nerd	Forest Gump
Factory Workers	?	President, Politicians	TSA	Sarah Palin
Monkey Programmer	Kid with Fingerpaint	Task Master	Superheros/td>	Lazy Consumers
Ultimate Role Playing Nerd	Da Vinci	Bill Lumbergh	Robots	The Most Interesting Man in the World

Occupy Portland

2011-10-06T19:34:00.000-07:00

The first demonstration I've ever seen in Portland. I've seen my share of protests (Sweden, France...) but to experience it at home, that's a new one.

"The NEEDS of the 99% are being Silenced by the WANTS of the 1%"
Occupy Wall Street Spreads to Portland

By IBTimes Reporter

Occupy Portland, the latest in the Occupy Wall Street movement sweeping the nation's cities, began this morning at north Waterfront Park in downtown Portland, Ore.

Demonstrators are on the move again, currently heading down Second Avenue, after settling in Pioneer Courthouse Square for much of the afternoon.

Occupy Portland didn't obtain a permit for their march. The group decided late Wednesday not to seek a permit or to submit a route in advance. "For best impact," the group stated in a fax to Portland Police, "we will march in the streets and disrupt the city."

Despite this, officers said they were prepared for the protest and were ready to ask for help from other police agencies, if need be.

"Our focus is having a safe event, just like their [focus]," Sgt. Pete Simpson told Fox News today. "Success to us is no arrests, no property damage, everybody goes home happy and talking about how this was a really positive event in Portland."

The crowd, estimated to be as large as 5,000 members, has been peaceful, and no arrests have been made. The large group has, however, been affecting public transportation. TriMet has announced all green and Yellow MAX service along the Portland Transit Mall on 5th and 6th avenues has been halted. Downtown businesses were warned about the protest by the Portland Business Alliance, which sent out a security warning and asked everyone to use caution.

City officials say they've been in contact with organizers. "My team and I are working hard with the organizers and all the other stakeholders in the central city to put on a peaceful event," said Mayor Sam Adams.

"I support Portlanders in their right to protest and exercise free speech rights, and I encourage all who participate to do so peacefully and with respect to the rights of others," the mayor said in a statement as the march began. "Most of the people that are going to participate in Occupy Portland--as with most of the participants in cities across the country--are there to voice their legitimate concerns about national issues. A peaceful event is the most effective way for participants to deliver that message."

Demonstrators will choose a base tonight and settle there indefinitely. "We gather in solidarity with the ongoing protest in New York City," the Occupy Portland web site states.

Occupy Portland is only the most recent addition to the Occupy Wall Street movement, which has spread across the U.S. and to some areas abroad. More than 100 cities have clocked in under the "Occupy" moniker, with more names appearing on the movement's unofficial cyber bulletin board, occupytogether.org, every few digital minutes. So far, Occupy Washington, D.C., Occupy Madison, Wisc., and Occupy Mobile, Ala. have sprung up, as well as protests in Adelaide, Australia, Cork, Ireland, and Cologne, Germany.

All of the Occupy movements are unified by feelings of social and economic injustice, but none have yet advocated a particular policy or targeted a particular institution. However, Occupy Wall Street did adopt a general list of grievances last week.

"The closest thing Occupy Together has to a message right now is our structure," said Ivy Knight, a 20-year-old who has helped facilitate communication between the Portland movement's loosely organized committees. "Having a leader," she told Fox, "makes it too easy for voices to be drowned out."

That has also made it difficult for authorities to predict their actions or deal with organizers. The Portland Police Bureau has twice released statements saying it's open to working with organizers of the event to clear a route for Thursday's march.

Hiking - Summer 2011

2011-09-04T09:42:00.000-07:00

If you told me this past April that by September I'd have done 5 Washington/Oregon hikes and summited two mountains, I wouldn't beleive you. I don't know where the hiking bug came from, but the more I do, my desire to go to new places and conquer more trails grows.

Ruckel Creek
It all began in June when I was invited by a co-worker to hike Ruckel Creek. It was a difficult climb for me, partly because it's a steep trail with what seems like never ending switch backs, but also because it my first hike of the season, the first after many years. We ended our hike at a place called "The Hanging Gardens" which was sort of an anti-climactic end to all the hard work we'd put in. It occurred to me there that I prefer having a definite end to a trail, a finish point where you feel you've conquered something. The Ruckel Creek trail continues beyond the Hanging Gardens, but we didn't venture any further. I was sore the next day, my frequent running wasn't much preparation for the hike which worked an entirely different muscle set in my legs.

Ruckel Creek Trailhead

The view at this point was better than what was offered at the end of our hike

These flowers were pretty cool

The Hanging Gardens

Dog Mountain
The next trip was Dog Mountain. Once again, it was tough, but doable. I think I was distracted by engaging in conversation with one of the guys in our group, which kept me from focusing on the difficulty of the hike. I was surprised how quickly the end of the trail came, thinking that there was more to climb when I reached it. The view was just awesome, much more satisfying than the previous hike. And the weather was perfect, with clear blue skies and the right amount of sun. Aside from my summit climbs, Dog Mountain was my favorite hike.

Dog on Dog Mountain

Perfect for panoramic view

Saddle Mountain (2x)
My first trip up Saddle Mountain was unfortunate due to the weather. The trail is easy, mostly flat and only gets steep in the last 1/2 mile or so. From the top, you are supposed to be able to get 360 deg. views, but all we got were clouds. Kind of cool in it's own way. The trail has a lot of mesh wire (sort of like chain link fencing) tying down the loose rock which I guess is supposed to make it easier to climb. But with the light drizzle, the metal became slippery and my running shoes weren't exaclty suitable for the hike. I ran a lot of the way down, it just gave me more of the workout I desired. We did check out Humbug peak which is very close the the trailhead, nothing too special. It's steep, but short. Oh, and I also took a pee in the bushes and midway through realized I was in a bunch of poison oak (ivy?). Luckily, I was unaffected by the encounter :)

At the top of Saddle Mountain

To the cloud!

The second time up Saddle Mountain offered slightly better views. The weather was still overcast and I wonder if I'll ever get up there on a clear day.

Saddle Mountain - take 2

View of Astoria from Saddle Mountain

Mt. Defiance (Mt. Defail)
I was really excited about this hike. I had done some leg training to prep me for the trip, since it's supposed to be one of the hardest hikes in the area. Really pumped, I set out on the trail with the group (of seven), but due to unfortunate circumstances of a friend, the two of us turned back after about a mile in. He was in too much pain and wasn't going to make it up the mountain. The worst part of this adventure was that since the seven of us had all come in one car, my friend and I were stuck down in the parking lot for 6 hrs. We managed to kill the time by exploring the waterfront close by (Viejo Beach) but it was disappointing nonetheless. I intend to attempt this hike again, hopefully this year.

View of the parking lot, where I spent most my time :(

Viejo Park

More about my mountain summits to come.

Go UCSB!

2011-09-02T23:48:00.000-07:00

And Vigna was my professor...ahaha

You Live in Oregon

2011-08-28T21:01:00.000-07:00

by Jeff Foxworthy

If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't work there, you live in Oregon.
If you've worn shorts, sandals and a parka at the same time, you live in Oregon.
If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed the wrong number, you live in Oregon.
If you measure distance in hours, you live in Oregon.
If you have switched from 'heat' to 'A/C' and back again in the same day, you live in Oregon.
If you install security lights on your house and garage but leave both doors unlocked, you live in Oregon.
If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you live in Central, Southern or Eastern Oregon.
If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over 2 layers of clothes and under a raincoat, you live in Oregon.
If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and road construction, you live in Oregon.
If you feel guilty throwing aluminum cans or paper in the trash, you live in Oregon.
If you know more than 10 ways to order coffee, you live in Oregon.
If you know more people that own boats than air conditioners, you live in Oregon.
If you stand on a deserted corner in the rain waiting for the "Walk" signal, you live in Oregon.
If you can taste the difference between Starbucks, Seattle's Best and Dutch Bros, you live in Oregon.
If you know the difference between Chinook, Coho and Sockeye salmon, you live in Oregon.
If you know how to pronounce Sequim, Puyallup, Clatskanie, Issaquah, Oregon, Umpqua, Yakima, and Willamette, you live in Oregon.
If you consider swimming an indoor sport, you live in Oregon.
If you know that Boring is a city and not just a feeling, you live in Oregon.
If you can tell the difference between Japanese, Chinese and Thai food, you live in Oregon.
If you never go camping without waterproof matches and a poncho, you live in Oregon.
If you have actually used your mountain bike on a mountain, you live in Oregon.
If you think people who use umbrellas are either wimps or tourists, you live in Oregon.
If you buy new sunglasses very year because you cannot find the old ones after such a long time, you live in Oregon.
If you actually understand these jokes and forward them to all your OREGON friends, you live or have lived in Oregon.

I Want Another Dress-Up Party

2011-06-07T20:34:00.000-07:00

P.S. This is Post #100!

The Museum of Me

2011-06-01T01:13:00.000-07:00

The Fifty Nifty United States

2011-05-30T19:53:00.000-07:00

50 State Stereotypes in under 2 minutes - by Paul Jury

Alabama – Our state bird is the NASCAR.
Alaska - I can see seasonal depression disorder from here.
Arizona - Keeping Indians in and Mexicans out.
Arkansas - Great scenery, brilliant peopl- Sorry. We've got Walmart?
California - Gay Mexican boobjob computer hippies who really wanna direct.
Colorado - Snow! Cocaine, I mean, but we're also known for skiing.
Connecticut - Great schools, because there's nothing else to do.
Delaware - Come, we've got low incorporation fees. No seriously, please come.
Florida - The more north you go, the more south it gets.
Georgia - Atlanta! We're kind of ashamed of the rest of it, though.
Hawaii - If you lived here, you'd be lazy too.
Idaho - Potatoes and Napoleon Dynamite, god we're cool.
Illinois - Look, a non-corrupt politician for once. So far.
Indiana- You have to drive through us to get somewhere better.
Iowa - 56,000 square miles of dull.
Kansas - White-breds make wheat bread.
Kentucky - Farming from the future, textbooks from 1925.
Louisiana - Thanks BP, as if we didn't have enough problems.
Maine - A wicked lot a' moose, eh?
Maryland - Have Jeeves bring the lobster boat around.
Massachusetts - Our chief export is obnoxious Pats Fans.
Michigan - Cereal makers, serial killers
Minnesota - Too nice not to elect douchy governors.
Mississippi - I'm gonna need a bigger Bible belt
Missouri - We're #1 in Meth.
Montana - Speed limits don't matter when you're drunk.
Nebraska - Footballs, drawls and overalls.
Nevada - No laws, no problem! Except all the murders.
New Hampshire - Half hippie, half French, all upper class.
New Jersey - Guidos, Turnpikes, Leeching off New York.
New Mexico - Like regular Mexico, but with more UFOs.
New York - World's 14th biggest city, 1st biggest ego.
North Carolina - First in flight and lung cancer
North Dakota - Somehow even worse than South Dakota.
Ohio - People care about us at election time!
Oklahoma - Ten days tornado free!
Oregon - Dreadlocks on Caucasians.
Pennsylvania - Even our Amish will fight you.
Rhode Island - No seriously, we're a state.
South Carolina - Still accepting confederate dollars.
South Dakota - At least we're not North Dakota
Tennessee - Where white people music comes from
Texas - Everything is bigger, even our morons.
Utah - Multiple homely wives.
Vermont - Gay marriages on maple syrup farms.
Virginia - From the center of civilization to Hicksville in 20 minutes flat.
Washington - Richer hippies than Oregon
West Virginia - The inbred love child of Virginia and DC.
Wisconsin - It's too cold to be sober.
Wyoming - We don't have any gay cowboys, alright? OK, maybe a few gay cowboys.

Hockey

2011-05-07T10:54:00.000-07:00

Tied 3-3 that went into sudden death overtime. The winning goal was shot in 56 seconds. Yup. I was there.

After each Winterhawks goal, they play "TNT" and the whole crowd stands up and chants "Fight! Fight! Fight!" It's contagious. You'll be the odd man out if you don't join in. Gotta give some props to the Winterhawk fans. There may not match in numbers to Blazer or Timber fans, but they still have a crazy passion for their team.

A co-worker of mine went to a game with his son the first time. At the ticket box, a sweet old lady probably around 70yrs told the kid, "oh you're going to want to yell fight, fight, fight!" He was shocked that such a nice old lady would encourage a little boy to egg on violence in hockey. It became clear what she had meant after the Winterhawks made their first score :)

Yay for Karma

2011-04-26T22:06:00.000-07:00

The Westboro Baptist Church is just abominable. After educating myself on who they are and what they do, I was beyond shocked. There are some news reports which can be seen on YouTube that drive the point home. From Wikipedia:

The Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) is an independent Baptist known for its extreme stance against homosexuality and its protest activities, which include picketing funerals and desecrating the American flag. The church is widely described as a hate group. It is headed by Fred Phelps consists mostly of members of his large family; in 2007, it had 71 members.

ANYWAY... here's the great part

A couple of days before (a funeral), one of the Westboro protestors ran his mouth at a Brandon gas station and got his arse waxed. Police were called and the beaten man could not give much of a description of who beat him. When they canvassed the station and spoke to the large crowd that had gathered around, no one seemed to remember anything about what had happened.
Rankin County handled this thing perfectly. There were many things that were put into place that most will never know about and at great expense to the county.
Most of the morons never made it out of their hotel parking lot. It seems that certain Rankin county pickup trucks were parked directly behind any car that had Kansas plates in the hotel parking lot and the drivers mysteriously disappeared until after the funeral was over. Police were called but their wrecker service was running behind and it was going to be a few hours before they could tow the trucks so the Kansas plated cars could get out.
A few made it to the funeral but were ushered away to be questioned about a crime they might have possibly been involved in. Turns out, after a few hours of questioning, that they were not involved and they were allowed to go on about their business.

Awesome.

Portland has Major League Soccer!!

2011-04-14T22:00:00.000-07:00

Riding the MAX home from work today, I saw a huge crown outside the "Jeld-Wen" (whatever, it will forever be known as PGE Park) stadium. People were lining up for the home debut of the Portland Timbers, our brand spankin new Major League Soccer team. So awesome! We all know Portland has the best fans, partly due to the fact that thus far we only had one Major League team (the Blazers) to cheer for. But, no doubt, we love our teams with interminable passion and there's room in our hearts for both sports. You won't find a better crowd in the US.

Yahoo Sports: Look for a scene to make other teams green with envy. The game against New England saw attendance at 7,114. Portland will play the home opener in front of almost 20,000 of the best fans in soccer. The game is sold out, so fans without tickets will have to gather at their favorite pub or watch from home.

And guess what? We won tonight! Portland Timbers v. Chicago Fire 4-2. There's history in the making here.

April Flowers

2011-04-10T12:43:00.001-07:00

Reality TV Junky

2011-04-10T12:30:00.000-07:00

I'm a big fan of "How I Met Your Mother," a sitcom on that airs on CBS. There's an episode in which Barney is telling Ted that Ted needs to ditch his high school friend, Punchy. The dialogue goes:

Barney: "Seriously dude, he has got to go. You need to be like:
'You are the weakest link, goodbye'
'Bungy, the tribe has spoken'
'Please pack up your knives and go'
'Your work of art didn't work for us'
'Your time's up'
'I have to ask you to leave the mansion'
'You must leave the chateau'
'Your tour ends here'
'You've been chopped'
'You've been evicted from the Big Brother house'
'Your dessert just didn't measure up'
'Sashe away'
'Give me your jacket and leave Hell's Kitchen'
'I'm sorry, you did not get a rose'
'You have been eliminated from the race'
'You are no longer in the running to be America's Next Top Model'
'You're Fired!'... "

This scene is hilarious if you understand it's cultural reference. Barney is reciting the sign-off phrases for multiple reality TV shows. I suddenly realized just how much reality TV I'm exposed to, as I was able to identify the majority of the quotes. When did reality TV become such a dominant force in the realm of television? Just look at the number of shows that pit contestants against each other in some type of competition to realize an ultimate prize. There's really no value in watching these shows, but it's addicting! Brainless entertainment - we all have our guilty pleasures. Will our fascination with reality TV fade? Will we be over saturated by these silly battles and loose interest in watching people duke it out over designing the best filet mignon? I think reality TV will run it's course, and I wonder what will become the next big thing.

Heureux Tous les Deux

2011-04-09T09:58:00.000-07:00

Heureux tous les deux Lyrics, Frank Alamo

Je ne sais pas pourquoi,
Pourquoi je t'ai suivie un soir chez toi
Mais en tout cas
Je sais que depuis ce jour-là
On est heureux,
Si heureux tous les deux

J'ai changé grâce à toi, oui, je l'avoue
Je n'oublie plus mes rendez-vous
Je suis moins fou
La vie est comme un ciel tout bleu
On est heureux,
Si heureux tous les deux

[Refrain:]
Je t'ai trouvée sans te chercher, mon amour
Je t'ai trouvée
On s'est aimés sans se cacher, nuit et jour
On s'est aimés

On ne peut jurer de rien
Après la joie vient le chagrin
Tu le sais bien
N'y pensons plus
Faisons le vœu de vivre heureux,
Si heureux tous les deux

[au Refrain]

Je nous vois tout cet été
Courant sous le soleil doré
Sans se quitter
Et rien déjà que d'en parler
On est heureux tous les deux

Je n'saurai jamais pourquoi
Je t'ai suivie un soir chez toi
Mais en tous ca
Je sais que depuis ce jour-là
On est heureux,
Si heureux tous les deux [x5]

I Don't Speak "Bleep Bleep Blurp Blurp"

2011-04-04T20:02:00.000-07:00

Holy crap. What have I gotten into?

Will I ever understand? Help meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Information Overload

2011-04-03T20:54:00.001-07:00

If you recognize the logos below, you speak "bleep bleep blurp blurp".

I have SO much to learn...

I Didn't See It, but I'm Sure It was LEGEND...Wait for it... ARY

2011-04-02T13:40:00.000-07:00

Wahooooo! India won the Cricket World Cup! Did I watch it? No. I suppose I should be more in tune with cricket, considering I am related to Ravi Shastri (tee hee... related, yes, although I don't actually know him). I've never understood the game of cricket. Ball, bat, running back and forth in lines - I don't get it. Well, the win is exciting nonetheless (after 28yrs... heck yeah!). The last time they won was the year I was born and now they've attained victory in my golden year. Yay India!

Beardo Bingo

2011-03-31T11:23:00.000-07:00

“A beard is a friend who is always there to give you a hug"

What is it with Portland guys and their beards? Ever since my friend Sabina pointed it out, I've come to notice the insane number of men with facial hair around here. After some digging I came to learn that Portland may be the beardiest city in America (Portland Monthly Magazine)

And then there's the gallery:

“A beard is a scarf that works great while bike  riding
in this climate —it’s better than wool!

“A beard is a confident vote for manliness"

"A beard is a bullshit filter. It keeps me from working at lame places and  interacting with lame people."

Is it any surprise that Oregon was the host of the first ever Beard Team USA National Beard and Moustache Championships?

I also found this Beard Type Chart

I think I might start using this as a score card and checking off beard types as I see them. My guess is it wouldn't take too long to get a Bingo Blackout. Anyone game?

These were kind of funny too:
Whiskey History: Trendsetters of the Pacific Northwest
The Beard FAQ - John Dyer's Beard Page

You're Been Hired!

2011-03-29T13:39:00.000-07:00

So what was the exactly that I'd hoped for (and received) yesterday? Just a little gift called EMPLOYMENT! My new job starts Monday, April 2nd.

2011-03-28T09:10:00.000-07:00

Yup. March 28th - it's my golden birthday. It's my very special, unique, once in a lifetime....

The day when your age matches your birth date.

Given it's context, I don't need to tell you how old I am. Had I been feeling more adventurous, I'd have thrown a "Golden" theme party... I envision it as a dress-up party with everyone wearing gold. Maybe gold food(?), gold decorations, could I even have possibly found gold music? Considering my history with dress-up parties, it'd have surely been a hit. Unfortunately, I can't say "well maybe next time..." because their won't be a next time! I'm just going to use the idea for someone else...(ahem) a certain family member happens to have her golden bday this year too (hint, hint).

Some of those past dress-up parties...


Muppet Party 2007	Viking Party 2008

Parties aside, if all goes well, I might be getting exactly what I'd hoped for for my birthday. More details on that later...

Ike's Debut

2011-03-26T22:40:00.000-07:00

Let's just say its been a long time coming. Sadly, I've left Ike-the-bike sitting in the garage in a bike box for far too long. Ike's been on quite a journey, moving from Santa Barbara to Denmark to Sweden and then returning home to me in Portland. Admitedly, I did have a driving force to finish this task. I promised T that I would have Ike unpacked and assembled by my birthday. T had so kindly, carefully, lovingly wrapped and boxed Ike and shipped him from Sweden (and that wasn't an inexpensive ride). I really owe it to T (and Ike) to get my trusty bike back on the road. I don't even want to tell you the last time I rode him... it's just embarrassing. Some photos of Ike's grand release:

Ike the bike in the garage, where he's been sitting collecting dust. Finally the box has been opened!

Ike's first breaths of fresh air as he's release out into the open

All the king's horses and all the king's men managed to put Ike together again. Yay!

Missed Opportunities

2011-03-25T23:04:00.000-07:00

I've been working with my handstand collection lately, and suddenly I realized that I missed 4 states during our 2009 x-country roadtrip. 4 states!!! Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia and South Carolina. What a bummer. Will I ever go back?

Speaking of which - since I only started the tradition in 2006, I missed all the crazy traveling I did in Europe in 2003. What are the chances I'll be back to all those cities?
(Paris, Bordeaux, Marseilles, Nice, Toulouse, Lyon, Strasbourg, Monaco, Munich, Venice, Florence, Rome, Amsterdam, Madrid, Grenada, Lisbon, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dublin, Cork, Brighton, London, Brussels, Antwerp, Brugge, Frankfurt, Zurich, Lucerne, Interlaken, Neuchatel, Biel, Bern, Lausanne, Vivey Montreux, Geneva, Barcelona, Athens, Delphi, Kalambaka, Milos, Santorini) Fat chance :( But, who knows? I do have a "Men in Uniform" collection from that time period. Glad I ditched that concept (well, mostly)...there were some stubborn officers that would refuse to take a photo with me and it was always such a pain.

Maybe, Hopefully

2011-03-22T17:02:00.000-07:00

Good news for me! I'm still job searching, and this is promising... a glimmer of hope in the bleak past few months sending out application after application

OREGON TECH JOBS SURGE AGAIN, POST BIGGEST ANNUAL GROWTH IN SIX YEARS

Go Gauchos!

2011-03-17T21:00:00.000-07:00

It's March Madness! And UCSB, my beloved alma mater, made it to the NCAA Tournament this year. Unfortunately, they didn't make it past round 1 :( Final Score: Florida 70 UCSB 55. Ouch.

Nasty Gators... did you really have to eat up our poor innocent Gauchos? It was probably all that grilled meat in their bellies that tipped the Gators off... damn Argentinian cuisine.

Get Motivated!

2011-03-15T12:30:00.000-07:00

On Monday, March 14th I attended the "Get Motivated" seminar at the convention center in Portland. The speakers were actually next door at the Rose Garden Arena but they were broadcasting live to my location. In fact, the Rose Garden reached capacity (it can host around 20,000 people!) and the overflow ended up in the convention center anyway. The event featured a pretty impressive panel of speakers. Included were: General Colin Powel, Rudy Giuliani, Steve Forbes, Laura Bush, Bill Cosby, Howard Putnam, Krish Dhanam and Terry Bradshaw. There was definitely a buzz of excitement just being around so many people, and in the presence of such prominent leaders. The event was very well organized and the experience is unforgettable. And to think that it cost only $1.95? It was well worth the money.

"Motivation gets you going and habit get you there. Make motivation a habit and you will get thee more quickly and have more fun on the trip" -- Zig Ziglar

Dust Yourself Off and Try Again...

2011-03-10T22:56:00.000-08:00

And I'm back! After nearly two years of absence from this blog, I'm making an attempt to revive it. I'm not entirely sure of "Santa Barbara Chica Meets Eat Pray Love"'s purpose; I haven't moved to some foreign country, I'm not about to embark on a purpose-searching journey around the world... but then again this blog has strayed from it's intent in the past, so hopefully I'll find new things to write about and post. Mainly I wanted to announce the new additions to my page! I've added a side bar photo gallery of my handstand collection taken all over the world. I've also created a Google map that denotes the countries in which I've taken a handstand photo. I even used a gymnast symbol marker to mark each country, and when you click the symbol a popup box with the country name appears. I've added more quotes, some text and I'm still looking for more content to add to the page. So here I go again!

P.S. What's happened since I last made an entry? Well, I finished my travels and returned to the states, and spent summer 2010 working at Gold Arrow Camp. Now I've installed myself permanently in Portland, and am occupying my time until I get back to working. I'm on the hunt, and fingers crossed, will be in the work world again soon!

Stress free living

2009-11-03T19:06:00.000-08:00

I've always been a nail biter... usually because of stress, work, and nervous habits. But look Mom, I've got nails! My life without work and relaxed style of living is really treating me well.

Random

2009-11-02T09:10:00.000-08:00

To Do This

1 - Go to "wikipedia." Hit "random"
or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - Go to "Random quotations"
or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.

3 - Go to flickr and click on "explore the last seven days"
or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days
Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4 - Use photoshop or similar to put it all together.

5 - Post it to FB with this text in the "caption" and TAG the friends you want to join in. (you can untag yourself if you don't want this photo up)

Copyright of my pic: Juliet at Studio 81, Preston, Lancs
http://www.flickr.com/photos/piratemoo/3285358205/

Me Like-y

2009-10-01T00:17:00.000-07:00

I was recently introduced to a song that i'm totally diggin right now... Swtichfoot's Mess of Me.

Mess Of Me lyrics

I am my own affliction
I am my own disease
There ain´t no drug that they could sell
No, there ain´t no drug to make me well

There ain't no drug
There ain´t no drug
There ain´t no drug
It´s not enough
The sickness is myself

- Chorus -
I've made a mess of me I wanna get back the rest of me
I´ve made a mess of me I wanna spend the rest of my life alive
I´ve made a mess of me I wanna reverse this tragedy
I´ve made a mess of me I wanna spend the rest of my life alive
The rest of my life alive!
...

A couple notes:
1) They sound good and 2) They're good lookin surfer dudes from San Diego... need I say more?

Lookin forward to their album Hello Hurricaine out on November 10th (although I'll prolly manage to buy a copy out here on the streets of Bangkok before it's even released ;)

Oh Really

2009-09-30T00:28:00.001-07:00

Getting A Date:
How To Be "Just Friends"

How many times have YOU moved in the last 10 yrs?

2009-09-14T14:50:00.000-07:00

Ugh. Boxes boxes boxes. Why are there so many boxes. How can I have so much stuff?

I'm wondering if I can count the number of moves I've made on 2 hands. Here's my count.

1. High school to University Dorms

2. University Dorms to Summer Camp

3. Summer Camp to University Dorms

4.University Dorms to Home to Summer Camp to Home

5. Home to Year Abroad

6. Year Abroad to Home

7. Home to University Fortuna House

8. Fortuna House to Home

9. Home to Friends house (2 months) to Anderson Apt

10. Anderson Apt to Willow Apt

11. Willow Apt to Mulberry Studio

12. Mulberry Studio to Frederikssund, Denmark

13. Frederikssund, Denmark to Malmö, Sweden

14. Malmö, Sweden to San Diego, CA

15. San Diego, CA to Home

I can't recall if Home was always Portland, because at times it was Palo Alto. I've driven 1-5 Palo Alto to Portland to many times to count. All in all that's a lot of moves!

Oops!

2009-09-13T08:43:00.001-07:00

Gayatri says: sorry was reading you rblog..why was your car full of animals? on you rway from california to arizona?

Shobs replies:

oh haha - we were visiting Debbie Aunty, so it wasn't the car that was full of animals, it was her house! :)

I have a fan club!

2009-09-13T05:30:00.000-07:00

Thanks Facebook, for reminding me that people do care

From Santa Barbarian Chica Meets Eat Pray Love

To those who made the Facebook "Top 21 list" thanks for keeping in touch and putting a smile on my face, because it's the small moments that are so important in life.

To those who've left comments and followed my blog, you rock.

I love you guys (napkin, tear drop, awww)

Hot News from Mumbai!

2009-09-08T01:54:00.000-07:00

My cousin, Mumbai Fashionita Mitali, has just informed me that "Desi Girl" the song of the summer has been replaced by these two Bollywood Beats: "Chor Bazaari" and "Aahun Aahun". Good to know!

Maybe I'm old skool, but I'm still hung up on Desi Girl. That was the craze at my sisters wedding. Let's see how long it takes to get these stuck in my head.

XOXO -
Shob-a-nator

London, Lund, or Budapest?

2009-09-07T04:51:00.000-07:00

Wow. I've been in Europe for 2.5 weeks now - packing up all my stuff in Malmö, which is almost complete. I've had some awesome times... Stockholm, Copenhagen, Berlin the stories and pictures are yet to come. But I sit here now debating... where should I spend my last 4 days? It all depends on how quickly I can finish up these boxes and get them to the post office. Hurry up, Shobs!

Shastri Portland to North Carolina Roadtrip... COMPLETE!

2009-08-13T07:16:00.000-07:00

Wow. What day is it? Thursday. In the month of August, I have been in/through 11 states and 3 different timezones. And now I'm sitting in Malmö, Sweden trying to recall it all.

Here's the jist.

OREGON(OR) - CALIFORNIA(CA)
Tuesday: Started from Portland. Drove to the bay. Arrived Palo Alto, CA. Met longtime friend who currently works at Stanford.

Wednesday: Saratoga, CA for Lunch. Had Thai Food Dinner and Gelato (now called the usual) with cousins in Mountain View, CA. Spent night in San Francisco,CA with soon-to-be married cousin... so now I have the scoop on his wedding :)

Thurday: Tried to accomplish Reson work - didn't work so well. Met the Bordeaux Peeps :)

Friday: Lunch with cousin at El Salvadorian Resto. Made 12 noon decision to go to Santa Barbara, CA. Arrived Santa Barbara evening time. Partied Fiesta.

Saturday: Finished Reson work. Partied Fiesta.

Sunday: Drove San Diego, CA

CALIFORNIA-ARIZONA
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday : Tuscon, AZ with 4 samoyeds, 3 cats, 2 humans and a turtle

ARIZONA-NEW MEXICO-TEXAS
Thursday: El Paso, TX. No offense, but A-hole of America... we were at a truckers stop right on the US-Mexican border. And I thought Fres-nasty was bad, hehe :)

Friday: Austin, TX. Met my freshman year UCSB roomie and her two kids. Stayed with Singaporean cousin in her Mother-in-Law layout home.

Saturday, Sunday: Enjoyed weekend in Austin. Watched Rogue woman's "Sweet & Twisted" triathlon.

LOUISIANA
Monday, Tuesday: Fun times in New Orleans, LA. Managed to lock the keys in the car. What trip would be complete without a call to AAA?!

MISSISSIPPI-ALABAMA-GEORGIA
Wednesday: Stop over in Atlanta, GA - sorry I missed you Curly!

SOUTH CAROLINA-NORTH CAROLINA
Thursday: Arrived Chapel Hill, NC.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday: Hung out w/ Bro, toured campus, checked out Franklin St., made some cupcakes, visited the Duke hospital with cousin, spent time with 2 darling little nieces

Cross Country Road Trip... done. Would I do it again? Um...I need some time to think about it :) It would definitely need to be super luxury car that was not a 5-speed transmission to start with. Nor would I choose to drive through the desert in the middle of August. Some key factors to keep in mind... hehe.

The Poster Child for Culture Shock

2009-08-12T02:48:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'll admit it. I'm experiencing culture shock. It's that crazy feeling when you've been outside the country and then you come back and you think is my home country really all that fantastic? A lot happened while I was away... and before I can really get adjusted, I've decided to run off again. Smart? To some people maybe not. For me, it's what I need to do.

Five Stages That People May Experience With Culture Shock

Stage 1: Excitement and fascination with the new culture. This is where they will overlook minor problems and look forward to learning new things.

Stage 2: Crisis period. This is where excitement turns to disappointment and there are more and more differences that occur. Problems start to be overwhelming and irritating and may use the "fight-back" technique by saying rude remarks or making jokes.

Stage 3: Adjustment phase. This is where they learn to accept the culture and to change their negative attitude to a positive one.

Stage 4: Acceptance and Adaptation phase. This is where they will feel at home and become involved in activities and may enjoy some of that countries customs.

Stage 5: Reentry shock. This is experienced upon returning to the home country and the return may follow with initial euphoria, crisis or disenchantment. It may be hard to readjust and may feel like they are not accepted.

Which calander do you follow?

2009-08-06T07:45:00.000-07:00

According to the Hindu calendar, today is Rakhi (aka Rakshabandan), which in the past my family has fiercely celebrated thanks to my mothers belief in Hinduism. However, as I walk around on the streets of San Francisco, I am completely unaware of it's occurence. It gets me thinking... in the land of America, what are our holidays? How do we incorperate tradition, without religion? How do we allow so many people to practice what they believe without fighting over whose right and whose wrong? And are we able to manage this successfuly... really?

I decided to Google and I came across the following...

*****************************************************************
Search term: American Secular holiday calander
Result: http://www.usa.gov/citizens/holidays.shtml

American Holidays

Official information and services from the U.S. government

Americans celebrate a variety of federal holidays and other national observances throughout the year. American holidays can be secular, religious, international, or uniquely American.

With the wide variety of federal holidays, and the many levels of American government, it can be confusing to determine what public and private facilities are open on or around a given federal holiday. You can usually find such information in the daily newspaper or by calling the office you wish to visit.

The following are American federal holidays and other common national observances. Federal holidays are indicated as such.

New Year's Day is January 1.

Martin Luther King Day is a federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday in January.

Groundhog Day is February 2, and has been celebrated since 1887.

Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14.

Washington's Birthday is a federal holiday observed the third Monday of February to honor George Washington, the first President of the United States. This date is commonly called Presidents' Day and many groups honor the legacy of past presidents on this date.

Easter falls on a spring Sunday that varies from year to year. Easter is a Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Earth Day is observed on April 22.

National Arbor Day was proclaimed as the last Friday in April by President Richard Nixon in 1970.

Mother's Day celebrates mothers every second Sunday of May. President Woodrow Wilson, who issued a proclamation in 1914, asked Americans to give a public expression of reverence to mothers on this day.

Memorial Day is a federal holiday observed the last Monday of May.

Flag Day, celebrated June 14, has been a presidentially proclaimed observance since 1916. Although Flag Day is not a federal holiday, Americans are encouraged to display the flag outside their homes and businesses on this day to honor the history and heritage the American flag represents.

Father's Day celebrates fathers every third Sunday of June.

Independence Day is July 4.

Labor Day is the first Monday of September. This federal holiday honors the nation's working people, typically with parades. For most Americans it marks the end of the summer vacation season and the start of the school year.

Columbus Day is a federal holiday celebrated on the second Monday in October.

Halloween is celebrated on October 31. On Halloween, American children dress up in funny or scary costumes and go "trick or treating" by knocking on doors in their neighborhood.

Veterans Day is celebrated on November 11.

Thanksgiving Day is a federal holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. The Thanksgiving feast became a national tradition and almost always includes some of the foods served at the first feast: roast turkey, cranberry sauce, potatoes, and pumpkin pie.

Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day is December 7.

Christmas Day is a federal holiday celebrated on December 25. Christmas is a Christian holiday marking the birth of the Christ Child.

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

Growing up in a middle-upper class suburb in Oregon we were a small Hindu family surrounded by a large number of Christians. The school calendar followed the religious calendar. 3 weeks off in December was "Christmas vacation" and 1 week off in Spring was "Easter break" As a family with relatives all over the world, we somehow made it work.

I'm not sure what we celebrate anymore, but I certainly hope we get back to some family traditions. It's one of those important things in life.

Thanks to family and friends all over the world and working and living abroad I am now well aware of the following calanders... Hindu, Jewish, Christian, Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, French, Swedish, Danish, East Coast, West Coast, Public School, Private School & Indian. And believe me, each place does it different.

They Call It A Boyfriend Tee

2009-08-03T06:58:00.001-07:00

I have been fascinated with graphic t-shirts - what a trend! I've always had ideas on the back burner... I think it's time to start designing my own. This David & Goliath shirt was gifted to me this past weekend -

...and within 10 minutes of wearing it out, I received a compliment by the cashier at the grocery store. It's an interesting way to make a statement - "let's give them something to talk about"

Side Note: David & Goliath looks like an awesome company!

My First BBQ... mine or the houses?

2009-07-30T22:49:00.000-07:00

We have this interesting dilemma of possession and ownership in my family. I have to say, through American culture, I've learned a lot of "me, me, me, my, my, mine." But Indian culture says, "With family, what's yours is mine, share, share share."

Take this example I experienced today... Mom, brother and I have been searching for a BBQ. Mom grimaces at the talk of buying a BBQ because "It's for meat (she's vegetarian), it uses charcoal (which to her is chemicals), it's not environmentally friendly, it's expensive, the list goes on and on... Brother wants a BBQ for steaks and meat slabs. Shobs wants a BBQ for grilled stuff at her party. Does anything happen? No. So, Shobs goes out and buys a BBQ. She does it with her money so that way it can't be returned by her mother (which often happens, when parents control the dough). She buys a new BBQ from Home Depot, a simple, small, personal grill. She comes home, puts it together... not a single word of opposition is heard. And then suddenly at dinner, the Shas3 family has a BBQ! Our new baby! Mom wants to grill her garden zuchini and tofu. Brother wants to grill chunks of meat. Who makes the ruling? Shobs. She owns the BBQ, she makes the call.

I've decided that my BBQ is a veggie lover, there will be no meat on my grill and that's to honor my mothers veggie household. Got it? Good.

Shas3 Pioneers

2009-07-30T22:07:00.000-07:00

I read a title from an Indian newspaper - "It's Time for India to Brand Itself!"

Well, I think it's time for the Shas3 family to brand ourselves. My parents came to the U.S. in the mid-70's, they had two chicas in Florida, and eventually ended up in Portland where "the golden child" was born.

Why Shas3? Shastri is pronounced Shas-three. Shas-three = Shas3. Get it?

We are a family of firsts and only's. We were one of the first Indian families in the Portland community. Out of my parent's siblings, we were the first to settle in America. My siblings and I were one of the only Portland, Indian families to suffer a 'divorce'. Out of all the first cousins on my fathers side, we were the only children to attend American Universities. We are one of the only "mixed" families - considering my parents had a "love" marriage and were not arranged. We are a family of travelers, cooks, business smarts, engineers, athletes, languages, and left handed individuals (and I'm talking my immediate family - no "cousin brothers" or "cousin sisters" included) We are a family of traditions (last single digit, name-bless-and-marry-your-car, respect your elders) We are savers, scouters, semi-nesters and at this very moment West Coasters... until Mom goes to India, brother goes back to the East Coast and Shobs goes who knows where?

What can I say? Shas3 proud. Shas3 strong.

My Kind of Wedding

2009-07-26T20:06:00.000-07:00

Memories

2009-07-26T12:41:00.000-07:00

Gnarles Barkley - Crazy

I remember when, I remember, I remember when I lost my mind
There was something so pleasant about that place.
Even your emotions had an echo
In so much space

And when you're out there
Without care,
Yeah, I was out of touch
But it wasn't because I didn't know enough
I just knew too much

Does that make me crazy?
Does that make me crazy?
Does that make me crazy?
Possibly

And I hope that you are having the time of your life
But think twice, that's my only advice

Come on now, who do you, who do you, who do you, who do you think you are,
Ha ha ha bless your soul
You really think you're in control

Well, I think you're crazy
I think you're crazy
I think you're crazy
Just like me

My heroes had the heart to lose their lives out on a limb
And all I remember is thinking, I want to be like them
Ever since I was little, ever since I was little it looked like fun
And it's no coincidence I've come
And I can die when I'm done

Maybe I'm crazy
Maybe you're crazy
Maybe we're crazy
Probably

Uh, uh

[Thanks to Jo (x_Pretty_Babeh_x@hotmail.com) for these lyrics]

I Wanna Take a Ride on Your Disco Stick

2009-07-26T11:34:00.000-07:00

Oh dear. American music is awesome. Let's play a Love Game.

However, props to Lady Gaga. She's done what only Avril Lavigne and Maria Carey have accomplished with #1 Singles. You go girl! Just Dance, Poker Face... Songs that got me through Scandinavia. Oh and the 3am parties at my sisters neighbors house in Pacific Beach. Awesome.

Mark this day July 26th 2009. Where will Lady Gaga be in 5 yrs, 10 yrs. My brother says "Lady Gaga will be ga-ga-ga-gone..." I says she's the next Madonna. Hells ya.

Travelling on the Cheap

2009-07-25T03:08:00.000-07:00

Traveling and living abroad teaches you many things. As a person who wanted to see, touch, feel, do everything I worked out a way to make it happen. My father, the primary provider during my college years was extremely controlling with the money he would allow me during my endeavors abroad. I didn't let it stop me. While I was based in Bordeaux, I managed to travel to Munich (for Oktoberfest!) Florence, Vienna, Rome, Nice, Montpelier(Coldplay), Lisbon, Grenada, Paris, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dublin, Brighton, Cork, London, San Sebastian, Barcelona, Madrid, Dresden, Berlin, Copenhagen, Zurich, Interlaken, Brussels, Antwerp (Red Hot Chili Peppers!), Marseille, Monaco and more...

My entire year abroad - plane ride, education, and travels combined cost less than a two week organized tour of an African Safari.

So when you think you can't do it - I raise an eyebrow and say, "Really?" Because I did.

Laughter

2009-07-24T08:43:00.001-07:00

Ok Then.

2009-07-24T05:30:00.000-07:00

I am amused. I beleive that this analysis would only be done in the good ol' U.S.A. Analyzing how much your Mom is worth? C'mon now. She's priceless.

Forget Working for Google. I'll be my own Super Hero.

2009-07-23T14:16:00.000-07:00

Introducing comics themes for iGoogle

Love comics? Personalize your homepage with themes ranging from superhero and alternative comics to manga and more. Get themes from your favorites like Superman, The Hulk, Mutts, and over 50 other celebrated comics.

Seriously?

2009-07-23T13:08:00.000-07:00

What is this?!? Only in America...

Ok I'm going to go check it out now. Hehe ;)

The 8-ball knows all...

2009-07-23T08:44:00.000-07:00

Sister says:

So I asked the eight ball if mom should go to Thailand and the eight ball said "no" i wasnt sure if that was the right answer so then I asked again and it said "try again later" so I asked it one more time and it said "concentrate and ask again" so last but not least I tried one more time and.......

So I guess the answer is no

If you know my Mom, you can see how powerfully correct the 8-ball is. I need to ask the 8-ball if Mom is coming with me to Sweden...

Will the fiercly independent woman please stand up?

2009-07-22T23:05:00.000-07:00

How to nurture the independent woman.

Step 1: Just accept that she's right.

Step 2: Say ok honey, if that's what you want we'll make it work

Step 3: Sometimes she wants to do something but the way she's executing it is a$$ backwards. Rather than tell her, maneuver things in a way that are more logical

Step 4: Have a bickering battle, a blowout fight, get it out there, blow your steam at each other. Then kiss and make up and laugh about how ridiculous each one of you were in the whole thing (although in my experience I was NOT ridiculous... he was ;)

Step 5: Most of time she just wants your help in things she knows she can do herself. Just help her, ok?

I had a massive blow-up with my brother over moving a couch. Me and another lady were lifting a cumbersome piece of furniture and I asked my brother to pitch in. He responded, "Give me 15 mins" because he was plugged in to some T.V. show and didn't want to be interrupted. I blew my lid because we were literally in the middle of moving the couch and we needed the help right at that moment. I went crazy with rage at the lazy, inconsiderate, disrespectful behavior of my brother.

What's funny is that the next day I was camping out in Stevenson, WA. I met a woman there who was extremely pissed at her boyfriend because she told him that she was going to break down their tent and he didn't offer to help. I saw myself in that girl, she was so angry at the fact that she was doing the task by herself. Three of us ladies pitched in to help her, while two guys just sat sort of immobile and watching. I thought, "Wait a bit, what's wrong with this picture?" So, I approached the guys and said, "I can't seem to get this stake out of the ground, would you mind helping me?" And boom, they jumped on the bandwagon. I have to admit, I could have taken the stake out of the ground myself. As an independent, do-it-herself type person it's sometimes just sheer determination that keeps me from asking for help, but at the same time it's nice to recognize that the more hands involved the quicker the job can get done. It really is a matter of asking the right way. Guys don't think the same way woman do, and they don't like being told what to do... but asked the right way, they fall right in line ;)

Ready, Set, Roof!

2009-07-22T09:16:00.000-07:00

Roofing project, Day 2 - things are going really well. We're gonna have this roof done in 3 days - only in America... :)

When did YOU join Facebook?

2009-07-20T15:05:00.000-07:00

I joined Facebook in Spring 2005... a link was sent to me by my good college friend Jess saying, "Check this out!" I was enamored - social networking, who'd have thunk? Anyway, Facebook has really helped bring people back into my life (and allowed me to snoop on people I've always wondered about). MySpace is a fun one too (a co-worker at the Residence Inn got me to join) but MySpace is better for artists and musician folk.

So this has got to be one of the coolest messages I've gotten - I'm thrilled :)

Message 1:
hey i was trying to find my friend from childhood, so was wondering if u ever lived in pune, india back in 1991, aka, 4th grade, & attended nagarwala school & were u born in FL?

Message 2:
wow:) i am pretty sure ur my childhood friend i was looking 4:)
well i can confidently say that coz i remember that ur sister's name was anisha. do u remeber zarina shaikh & that bday party that we had all come to ur house in kalyani nagar.... wow lots of childhood memories:) gud 2 c u on fb after all these yrs:)

Well, not only do I remember Zarina Shaikh, I still have all her letters. Thank you, Facebook!

The party that this girl is talking about was my 9th b-day. In my family it's a big deal to celebrate your ninth because it's your "last single digit birthday." I got two parties. One for friends and then one for family. Jeez that was 15 years ago. I remember a lot of people gifted me pens... I loved those things! And Tanya made this killer angel cake w/ strawberries and pinapple and cream. I still make that cake every once in a while. Yum.

1 Angel Cake
1 Bottle Jam - Strawberry, Raspberry, anything thick and sweet
1 Can Pineapple Rings
1 Pint Strawberries
Heavy Whipping Cream
Sugar to taste

Slice the angel cake into two layers. Spread Jam on each layer. Put Pineapple on each layer. Put some sliced strawberries on each layer. Use the pinapple juice from the can to soak each layer of the cake. Whip the cream, add some sugar. Assemble the cake back together. Spread whip cream over the entire cake. Garnish with strawberies on the outer layer. Mmm mmm good.

Just My Size

2009-07-20T08:39:00.000-07:00

Only in America would someone even attempt to build the worlds largest cupcake. Hehe - love it.

In this photo provided by cakes.com, pastry chef JodiLee Knops celebrates setting the Guinness record for the world's largest cupcake at Mall of America in Minneapolis on Saturday July 18, 2009. It weighed in at nearly 151 pounds, including 15 pounds of fudge filling and 60 pounds of yellow icing. It was one foot tall and two feet wide. (AP Photo/cakes.com)

Good vibes

2009-07-19T22:33:00.001-07:00

Found it!

Travelling My Home Country

2009-07-19T08:09:00.000-07:00

Been a lot of places, seen a lot of faces.

I've encountered a number of Europeans that were completely surprised at how much of Europe I had traveled - many of them had never been outside their home country. For me, I would find myself thinking, "That's crazy?! All these destinations are a short hop away, how could you not go visit all these incredible, historically rich, vibrant, interesting places?!?" At the same time, many of the well traveled Europeans had seen more of the U.S. than I've ever seen. Eat your own words Shobs.

I've never seen the Grand Canyon. I've never been to Texas. I've never been in the MidWest. Even though I was born in Florida, I've never been back since I was 1 yrs. old. I've been dying to see New Orleans. My Brother has been living in North Carolina for 2 years and this will be my first time visiting him. So this roadtrip with my Mother and Brother is a true chance to see some of these places, and spend some quality time discovering my family and my country. One of the first stops is Big Sis who's the only responsible one in the family. She's just gotten married, and she's working hard so when this whole thing comes crashing down, we'll know where to find her. She's definitely the anchor point in this equation, and without that this ship just ain't sailing.

I feel as if there's no better time than the present for my travels. I'm not working and I've consciously decided to take a break until January 2010 and spend this time rediscovering the world. But most importantly I am 1) exploring America because it is a seriously cool place and there is so much to see within my countries borders and 2) visiting the places I've already been because I am 1,326.92% positive that I'm looking at these places with a different set of eyes. (That's 1,326.92% positive. No more No less. Got it?)

One last note - It's incredible how long it's taken for me to be truly proud to be an American - I've been living on the fence for a while, listening to other voices, believing other thoughts. I've been embarrassed by actions that weren't even my own and hiding under the umbrella of an Indian heritage. Well that stops now. I've realized I don't have to choose between one or the other. I can be both. I can be a multi-dimensional human being and be proud that I don't fit the grade.

I'm looking for a song that I've been hearing on the radio. Kind of reggae-ish singing something like "Been around the world but I'm back. I love you. I love you. I love you" Anyone know it?

Rediscovering Radio

2009-07-18T12:33:00.000-07:00

Oh Pandora how I've missed you!

I just have to say, American radio is amazing. My mind is on overdrive with all the new songs I've been discovering by listening to the radio. The rest of the world is behind the times...

A side note on Pandora - they are teamed with a product called Sonos - which is a Santa Barbara based company. I happen to have partied in CEO of Sonos's house, since my old co-worker was subletting his house. Definitely inspiring - maybe something I could rig up in my mothers house :)

I heart the Disney classics

2009-07-18T12:18:00.000-07:00

There's a new Disney animated fairy tale coming out! Could this beat my all time favorite "Beauty and the Beast"? We shall see...

My Network is Better Than Your Network

2009-07-18T11:18:00.001-07:00

I'm re-realizing life is all about sharing good times with other people. And more often than not, it's more about who you know over what you know. For example, I don't know how to run a restaurant. But I know someone who does and I know I can learn how to do it.

On July 14th - Bastille Day, Kerry's Birthday, Anniversary of knowing Will, my Mother actually signed to get a roof. WOOOHOOOO! We popped a bottle of wine and celebrated. And then we went to a midnight showing of Harry Potter, which I should have skipped cuz I most definitely dozed off a few times. I'd have preferred to watch that one curled on the couch with a bag of microwave popcorn.

The Alchemist - A Fable to Follow Your Dreams

2009-07-16T17:11:00.000-07:00

I've been carrying around this book - "The Alchemist", by Paulo Coelho which was gifted by a friend just recently. I've been told (multiple times) that I need to read it. What's amazing is the reactions I've encountered just walking around with it....

1. The woman sitting next to me on my flight from San Diego to Portland said it was very good.

2. My roommate Patty-Cakes wants to borrow it because she's seen it around and heard about it a lot.

3. One of my best friends, Jena, shrieked when she saw it "I love that book! I love that author!!"

4. My massage healer friend Annique mentioned something of kings, and fables, and being a magician in one of sessions which I found so interesting because I'd just received this book.

This book is celebrating it's 20th Anniversary. I love how classics cycle their way back into society. When I actually read the book, maybe I'll manage a little book report post.

Chamillions and Communication

2009-07-16T07:51:00.000-07:00

I had a conversation with a friend last night about being a multi-dimensional human being. With me, what you see ain't what you get - there are so many experiences and life moments I carry that I just can't be a "typical 2nd generation Desi girl" And trying to do that just goes against my nature.

My friend called himself a chamillion. He's able to fit in to various crowds and surprise people with the layers beneath his surface. I think of it more in terms of languages and communication. I have never considered myself a strong communicator - but I'm realizing that's not true. My entire life I've been embarrassed about my writing, always thinking it wasn't good enough and believing that I was a terrible writer. My friends tried to convince me otherwise, but I never accepted it. Ok, so maybe I'm not the strongest writer or speaker... but I'm still a master of many languages. Perhaps I don't know all the grammatical rules and my vocabulary is limited, so what? I can still listen, understand, reply and get my point across - which at the end of the day I think is the most important. I can no longer believe that:

if (shobs == engineer)
then shobs != good communicator

That would be a typical engineering attitude. Ok so here's a rundown of the languages I speak.

"Formally" I speak Hindi, English and French. Hindi was the first language I learned and I spoke it with my family until I was 5. English is a given. And French I picked up in high school, reinforced in a study abroad program and rounded out with a minor in French at UCSB. I am so proud of that minor - originally engineering students weren't allowed to minor in liberal arts subjects because it would deter them from their "4 year track" Because I graduated 1.5 years late, the rules had changed by the time I applied.

I also speak a little Spanish - just from living in So Cal and being around Mexicans. But I've never invested much time into learning more. I push Spanish speakers to use their English and I encourage them by being open and understanding to what they refer to as "poor English"

I speak "bleep bleep blurp blurp" My friend refers to my engineering/computer science talk as bleep, bleep, blurp, blurp.

I speak customer service. I've worked behind the counter, behind the front desk, I've been in the kitchen and on the catering staff. Those are environments I'm familiar with. I think my love for travel draws me to those places.

I speak green. I'm all about conservation, saving, giving back to mother nature. In high school I volunteered for the Ivy Project which involved pulling Ivy off trees to save them. I also ran the pop can recycling project for Key Club where we collected cans and bottles turned them into cash.

I speak video composition, graphic design, web design, art and animation. Well I don't speak animation so well yet, but I will continue to learn.

I speak leadership. Cat crew, UCSB RHA, gymnastics coach in the US and abroad, camp counselor, career peer advisor - I have loads of leadership experience.

I speak compassion. I feel for old people, strugglers, "free loaders" hehe, people lacking education - helping them helps me. And I love animals. Pets are usually very friendly with me.

I speak corporate life. Not an environment I like too much, but I've been there. In 7th grade I was made president of a mock company - a project my teachers Mr. Filer, Mrs. Gordon and Mr. Whitten had masterminded. I was not excited by the placement... I had wanted to be the accountant. Still, I rose to the ocassion. We formed Dreamcatchers Inc. We were one of the most successful companies - turning the largest profit amongst my peers. Not being very business minded, I spread myself thin over all aspects of the company and ended up being entirely worn out.

I understand military. I've worked with General Dynamics customers, and Raytheon consultants. A large group of my classmates ended up at Raytheon, so I know the environment. I've been cleared by the Danish navy. I've traveled to SAAB underwater systems where they build torpedoes and underwater vehicles at least 5 times. I've been offered a position with STL, a very low profile government run project in Santa Barbara.

I speak Scandinavian. Even though I never learned Swedish too well, I still picked up on a lot by being there. I speak European, West Coast, and Indian. Working on the Indian part and I think my travels to India will help with that. I speak minimal Hungarian. I speak Australian and New Zealand thanks to all my friends at summer camp.

I speak adventure, unpredictability, and excitement. 6am train rides, 4am flights, my life is organized in my own mind and chaotic to everyone else. It makes it fun.

How may we help you?

2009-07-14T09:20:00.000-07:00

I hate automated phone systems. Seriously the most frustrating thing ever. No "Jane" I'm not trying to go from Bora bora, Boontown to Out-There, Psychoville. I'm trying to get from San Diego to Portland. Thank you.

Give me someone to talk to. Please?

I Speak Mom

2009-07-14T08:17:00.001-07:00

I don't know what it is. My Mom and I - we have a special language that noone else in the family seems to have.

So I have made this monumental decision to settle in the Pacific Northwest, which is so exciting, because after years of living in boxes and anticipating my next move I can finally unpack and call a place home. Yay. Travel hungry Shobs has decided to give it a rest... temporarily. Ok so I'm a walking, living contradiction. Deal with it people.

Anyway, a stroke of brilliance came to me today. Lets go back in the Shas3 time machine... 3 kids, my mom, house full of random crap which was accumulated by my Mothers absolute passion for garage sale-ing. The lady is addicted.

There is no taking bargain shopping out of my mother, it would be as painful as removing her pinky finger. Ouch. Anyway jump forward to 2009 - Shobs has discovered she has amazing kitchen gadgets packed away in boxes - so what has she done? She has created a garage sale in her own house. Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen - 9am-3pm there is an exclusive members only garage sale for one Mrs. Shastri and one lazy spoiled baby Shastri. First come first go. Love it.

6 Tell Tale Signs Shobs is NOT a Cook

2009-07-14T07:54:00.000-07:00

1. I have never furnished my own kitchen. Every place I have lived, I have used the items that my roommates own.

2. Even when I moved into a studio apartment and was living on my own, someone else set up my kitchen.

3. There are places I frequent to buy meals food from on particular days (i.e. Sunday is Rosarito Taco day)

4. My Mom is an amazing cook - it's always been her domain, so I've stayed out. Why bother learning when Mom's around. (Bad Bad Bad Shobs)

5. I can count the number of times I've handled raw meat on one hand.

6. Between the three kids, my Sister is the Gourmet Chef, my brother is the B-fast Boy and I am the Baker. I never wanted to mess up social order.

Examples

2009-07-11T11:12:00.000-07:00

I'm really trying to life my life as an example for the people around me - and learn from the masters who seem to have it figured out. I have amazing sisters - and that's my #1 place to start.

Typical

2009-07-10T10:52:00.001-07:00

Found this in the garage. It reads "Yatins. Keep your grubby hands off Shobs" Have no idea what this is referring to. Oh man, my family is awesome.

Baking Master

2009-07-09T20:50:00.000-07:00

“Live life fully while you're here. Experience everything. Take care of yourself and your friends. Have fun, be crazy, be weird. Go out and screw up! You're going to anyway, so you might as well enjoy the process. Take the opportunity to learn from your mistakes: find the cause of your problem and eliminate it. Don't try to be perfect; just be an excellent example of being human.”

Anthony Robbins

Bundt Cake #1 - San Diego, CA - Iron Tire.
(Choco cake, marshmellow, choco chips)

Bundt Cake #2 - San Diego, CA - Tire Blow Out.
(Choco cake, white choco chips, served with raspberries and whip cream)

The Upgrade

2009-07-09T19:40:00.000-07:00

I've upgraded from the living room to the "storage room" in our house. Ha! 10 years after moving out to go to college here I am back at home. College degree, check. Study and Work abroad, check. Independent life, check. Free loading in my Mom's home with 2 amma loving hippies (who I've now nicknamed Bernie Mac and Patty Cakes) check. Who said the quarter life crisis can't be entertaining?

How to Have a Safe Summer Road Trip | eHow.com

2009-07-08T10:08:00.001-07:00

Getting ready for the x-country roadtrip. Still have dates to be settled, playlists to be made... sometimes fun requires planning. :)

How to Have a Safe Summer Road Trip | eHow.com

Shared via AddThis

Before and After

2009-07-07T00:35:00.000-07:00

OMG. Ronav your mommy and aunty love you - we swear!

Reena's Wedding - Toronto - Sept 2007

Anisha's Wedding - Portland - June 2009

My burger kicks your burgers butt

2009-07-06T18:16:00.000-07:00

Ok so there's a little competition on the best burger in San Diego... Here's a breakdown of the "apparent" top two.

Hoedad's
Cool atmosphere. Good milkshakes. Decent burger. Long line. Very crowded. Slow service.
Score: -4

Rocky's
Dive atmosphere. Good beers on tap. Delicious burger. Enough space to have your elbows on the bar and eat your meal with true table manners.
Score: +5

Eat Rocks Hoedads!

Sister & Brotherhood of the Travelling Bundt Cake

2009-07-05T21:46:00.000-07:00

Ok. So I have found a mission on my upcoming travels. To perfect the "super easy super yummy chocolate bundt cake" Yea. Didn't quite work out on my first go.

Surprised Nish and Joel w/ a chocolate cake. But against my instincts, I was convinced to toss in some marshmellows. Mistake #1. And then I tried to make the cake eggless to accommodate for my Dad. What was I thinking?! Cake without eggs? Not trying that again.

Result: mushy unbaked cake with crusty burnt marshmallow topping. Hey, at least I did a good job setting the bar reeeall low. :)

Bay area, San Diego, Tuscon, Austin, Raleigh, Sweden, Bangkok, India, NZ, Australia, Singapore here I come! (with a bundt cake. yes.)

I am living Arrested Development

2009-07-01T04:47:00.000-07:00

I'd like to think that I'm Michael Bluth. But I think my Sis and I are competing for that position. My brother is a toss-up between George Michael and Gob... sometimes a good kid, sometimes wildly irresponsible. My mother - Lucille - sure. And my father is most definitely George Bluth Sr.

Oh man with my a little more thought I'm sure I could find players from my family for each part.

Ron Howard can you narrate my life please?

Feeling Dense

2009-06-29T09:02:00.000-07:00

When you spend time out of the country... it takes a while to remember how things work when you get back. When's the last time I bothered with my phone plan? I've just been paying the bill. Oh yea, now I remember... Night and Weekends, Anytime Minutes, Rollover, Text Messages, and Voicemail.

Goal 1: avoid a $50,000 phone bill. It only takes once to never do it again. Well at least for me. I hope.

We all live in a Master Bed-a-room. A Master Bed-a-room. A Master-Bed-a-room

2009-06-28T08:19:00.000-07:00

Dude. My family owns a 5 bedroom house and it's being controlled by hippie-amma worshiping maniacs. This has gotta change.

Today

Photo Booth

2009-06-27T11:32:00.001-07:00

Finally, I have located the photo booth pics! Enjoy :)

Shumi

2009-06-26T06:42:00.000-07:00

I've made my decision

2009-06-24T22:20:00.000-07:00

After a few days of absolute, mind-blowing off the charts fun, some fantastic conversations, a couple nervous breakdowns, and a lot of tears the answer has come to me. And suddenly my whole body has released all it's tension and I am calm.

I've made my decision.

I'm going to stay in Portland, road trip the country to North Carolina and then go to India.

I would never be where I am today if it weren't for my sister and my new brother-in-law. Blogs about their wedding to come.

The Climb

2009-06-12T14:19:00.000-07:00

I never thought I'd be taking advice from an 11-yr old, but hey Miley Cyrus has some words of wisdom. I don't know what to say, I was just really moved by this song when I heard it on the radio.

The Climb - Miley Cyrus

I can almost see it
That dream I'm dreaming but
There's a voice inside my head sayin,
You'll never reach it,
Every step I'm taking,
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking but I
Got to keep trying
Got to keep my head held high

There's always going to be another mountain
I'm always going to want to make it move
Always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes you going to have to lose,
Ain't about how fast I get there,
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb

The struggles I'm facing,
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes they knock me down but
No I'm not breaking
The pain I'm knowing
But these are the moments that
I'm going to remember most yeah
Just got to keep going
And I,
I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on,

There's always going to be another mountain
I'm always going to want to make it move
Always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes you going to have to lose,
Ain't about how fast I get there,
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb

There's always going to be another mountain
I'm always going to want to make it move
Always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes you going to have to lose,
Ain't about how fast I get there,
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb

Keep on moving
Keep climbing
Keep the faith baby
It's all about
It's all about
The climb
Keep the faith
Keep your faith

Where's Happy?

2009-06-02T23:37:00.000-07:00

I've gone from Denmark, "The Happiest Country in the World"...

to San Diego where "Happy Happens"...

I'm still working on happy.

I want more Stephanie Plum!

2009-05-28T23:50:00.000-07:00

I finished reading the Janet Evanovich series - 14 saucy fiction novels that are pure entertainment reading. Apparently there's a new one coming out this summer... Hooray! The series starts with "One for the Money" continues with "Two for the Dough" and goes all the way up to "Fearless Fourteen". Stephanie Plum, the main character of all the novels is described in Wikipedia as

"a spunky combination of Nancy Drew and Dirty Harry, and although a female bounty hunter - is the opposite of Domino Harvey"

Her romantic relationships are with Joe Morelli and Ranger. Lately, I have been trying to find real life actors to fit the image formed in my head of these two characters. So far I have decided that:

Joe Morrelli is Jeffrey Donnovan, inspired from character on the USA TV series Burn Notice.

And Ranger is Gilles Marini known most recently for his appearance on Dancing with the Stars. His accent helps complete the Puerto-Rican persona (even though he's apparently French).

With these two men in mind, I can see where Stephanie's dilemma comes from. These guys are hot, hot, hot! :)

Really. Seriously?

2009-05-06T00:40:00.000-07:00

Something I've noticed since my return has been the extensive use of the words "really" and "seriously" in conversations. Maybe I even talked like this before, but it has really stuck out in my mind. My personal favorite is: "I mean, like, really? Seriously?" It's not just Californians, but it's definitely American.

R.I.P. Fishy

2009-05-02T17:11:00.000-07:00

After talking to MyAnna today, I discovered the fate of Fishy - my dear house pet that I had to leave behind when I left the country. Well, it's no big surprise... Fishy jumped his tank AGAIN, (for like the 7th time in his career!), ended up in ray of sunlight on the carpet floor and dried to a fishy crisp. Poor guy. Feisty little bugger he was, always breaking out of his tank to explore the big big world. I could learn a few lessons from that brave little soul, something like: shoot big, and no matter how traumatizing the fall, you can pick yourself up, try again and still survive (just don't keep trying 7 times, I guess...)

Mixed Signals

2009-04-28T00:44:00.000-07:00

I want a crystal ball to tell me my future. Or maybe I can be a time traveller like Hiro Nakamura. The computer generated 8-ball and Facebook quizzes are certainly not giving me clarity.

Sweden: Yes or No?

Back in the USA

2009-04-18T01:14:00.000-07:00

On April 9th, after 7 months abroad, I returned to American soil. It hasn't been all that "shocking" to be back in the States - not like it was when I returned from 10 months in France. Not surprising, though, since I didn't really immerse myself much in the Scandinavian life, language or culture. I have to admit, overall I'm feeling a sense of relief. I've been ridiculously homesick.

There have been some things that have stuck out though

- Insulation in homes is MUCH better in Denmark/Sweden

- The toilet flush here is mighty powerful!

- My feet aren't used to flip flops and I'm sore in between my toes from wearing them

That's about it.

The Sun is Out and I'm Pissed

2009-04-18T01:12:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how the light, the sun, the arrival of Spring and warmer weather can bring about a mental calmness and make things seem better. I don't accept it. After months of being consumed with feelings of anxiety, desperation, insanity I can't believe it can all be washed away with rays of sunlight. I'm angry to have let the darkness invade my life and to not have put up a better fight. This is war. I have a score to settle.
Round 1:
Mother Nature - 1 Shobhna - 0

The Update

2009-04-08T00:18:00.000-07:00

There will be no posts in Danish, because my Denmark adventure is over. The update is that I quit my job and moved out of Denmark. Although it was a drastic and fatal decision, I don't entirely regret the choice that I made. I made it out of necessity, because I couldn't continue with the way things were. And while I can't really pinpoint how things went so wrong, they did, so I'm sort of at ground zero reassessing my life and trying to figure out the next move.

What happened? It started in October with loneliness and isolation. As the winter months progressed, the cold and darkness seeped in and my hibernating tendencies kicked in full gear. Somewhere mid-November misery and desperation took over. And then I started to isolate myself. Eventually I stopped functioning all together. I decided I needed out, because there was no way I was going to cope or that things would get better. So I put in my notice and forfeited my life in Denmark.

That was 2 months ago. Since then, I moved to Malmö and just fell deeper into depression. I haven't been able to climb my way out of this giant hole I've been in. It's time to go home.

So my wild and crazy Scandinavian adventure has not been so wild and crazy after all. I failed to have any fun, make any friends, travel, learn, enjoy - accomplish anything that I set out to do. Life just crumbled to pieces.

I have the chance to try again with a job opportunity in Sweden. But before I can go forward, I need to get myself to a better place and gear myself up to try this a second time. So here's to the end of Part 1 of this journey. To be continued? I'm not sure yet...

This fire is outta control...

2008-11-14T10:03:00.000-08:00

Its too wet and cold here to catch on fire. +1 for Denmark.

More than 100 homes burned in California blaze

Story Highlights
Three people suffer burns, 10 smoke inhalation
Winds of up to 70 mph could fuel flames through Saturday
Fire threatens roughly 1,500 homes in Montecito, officials say
Fire covers about 2,500 acres in Santa Barbara County

SANTA BARBARA, California (CNN) -- A wind-driven brush fire roaring through the canyons of Santa Barbara County has burned more than 100 homes, injured 13 people and charred more than 2,500 acres, a county spokeswoman said.

Fire pours from a home ignited by a wildfire in Montecito, California, on Thursday night.

Michelle Mickiewicz said residents of more than 4,500 homes were ordered to evacuate as flames from the Tea Fire engulfed multimillion-dollar mansions and modest ranch-style homes north of Los Angeles. The blaze began Thursday evening.

Oprah Winfrey and Rob Lowe are some of the celebrities with homes in the upscale, oceanside enclave of Montecito. It was not known if any celebrities' homes have been damaged.

Large homes continued to burn Friday morning.

The fire threatened roughly 1,500 homes, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.

Winds calmed at daybreak Friday, slowing the spread of the fire, but were forecast to pick up to 50 mph to 70 mph through Saturday.

One firefighter suffered burns and was transferred to Sherman Oaks Burn Center. Two civilians who sustained burns were transported to the burn center in Irvine.

Ten were treated for smoke inhalation, officials said.

More than 500 firefighters are fighting the blaze.

A firefighter said overnight that the environment was ripe for a fire.

"A lot of the brush and trees and stuff are right up against the structures, and this one happened so fast that nobody had any advance warning at all, so there was really not much we could do or the homeowners could do in this case," he said.

"You can just hear the explosions ... of vehicles, homes," Michaelo Rosso told KCAL as he prepared to leave his home. "It sounds like the Fourth of July out here."

"It looked like lava coming down a volcano," resident Leslie Hollis Lopez told the Associated Press.

"We drove through tunnels of thick gray smoke," CNN's Paul Vercammen said. "Smoldering embers are floating everywhere. ... There's orange glows of similar burn areas all around us."

The flames roared onto the campus of Westmont College in Santa Barbara, forcing students and staff to take cover in the school gym.

Several buildings, including dormitories, the school's physics building and more than a dozen homes in Westmont's faculty housing area, have been lost or "significantly damaged" by the fire, the school said in a statement on its Web site.

College officials said they hope to evacuate to a Red Cross shelter as conditions permit.

Authorities ordered evacuations between Mountain Drive and Highway 192 and between Cold Springs and Sycamore Canyon Road in the Montecito area of Santa Barbara County.

Props to Drew for publishing the First Official Tea Fire Press Release. Hope you and everyone else are doing alright in smoldering Santa Barbara

Mastering Swedish

2008-10-25T11:29:00.000-07:00

Yes. I can relate.

Week 42 - Potato Vacation

2008-10-16T05:46:00.000-07:00

I love this.

It's been unusually quiet at the office - most people have taken the week off for the "Potato Holiday." See, in old times the schools would close down in order to have extra help with the potato harvest. Well, they now have machines for the potatoes... but the tradition remains. So kids are out of school and my co-workers have gone on vacation. Maybe it’s more appropriate to call it the "Couch Potato Holiday" =)

Yay for Danish Traditions.

Giggle

2008-10-09T07:57:00.000-07:00

Original text:

Mandag den 20. oktober 2008 inviteres alle til housewarming på Fabriksvangen 1, hvor der på parkeringspladsen foran bygningen vil være en pølsevogn, betjent af to kønne piger. Pølsevognen vil være åben i kantinens almindelige åbningstid.

Translation: Danish » English

Monday 20 October 2008 invited all the house warming on Fabriksvangen 1, where the parking lot in front of the building will be a Pølsevogn, operated by two pretty girls. Sausage Cart will be open in the canteen normal trading hours

How IS the weather here???

2008-10-09T00:27:00.000-07:00

I take it back. The minute I pushed the “Publish Post” button on my last entry, the clouds rolled as if on cue for a theatrical comedy. It suddenly became very cold and gloomy and started to drizzle. Fine, Denmark, bring it on!

A note on the weather here – I cannot find the words to describe its bizarre behavior. It is absolutely unpredictable. I have seen clear sunny skies, to black looming clouds, to pouring down rain and back in the matter of an hour. All of sudden, the wind will pick up and you’ll see the beginning of a big nasty storm and 10 minutes later everything will be calm and serene. One thing is for sure: it’s much different from the weather back in Santa Barbara.

The current problem I deal with is acclimating to the temperature changes when going indoors or outdoors. Inside, I will be quite comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt. In order to head outside, I’ll throw on boots, a sweater, a heavy winter jacket, gloves and a scarf. This will either be entirely necessary or way too much clothing and I find out the moment I open the front door get my first douse of the outside air. Of course, then I start walking and my body temp heats up. So pretty soon I’m sweating and trying to strip off all the extra clothing. By the time I get back indoors, for instance into a shopping mall or onto the bus, I have clothing hanging from both arms and I’m back to just my basic t-shirt. To others, I must look quite ridiculous, because everyone else treads around totally bundled in their winter coats and scarves. How do they do it? If I keep my jacket, sweater and scarf on, I’ll faint from overheating! Hopefully my body will adjust and this little dilemma of mine will just disappear. Otherwise, people will start recognizing me as the crazy Indian girl who runs around with no clothing! I guess it’s one way to get noticed…

Stand Still

2008-10-08T07:42:00.001-07:00

Ugh. I knew some things were too good to be true.

My Danish CPR card (which basically acts as my Danish ID) was returned to the kommun in the mail. Great.

My stuff from the States has yet to arrive… apparently it finally shipped this Monday. No bicycle, no running shoes, no comforts of home for me... :(

The bank forgot to place an order for an ATM card on my new Danish account. So I’ve got No Monet to buy Degas to make the Van Gogh, sadly.

I get a 7am wake-up call every morning by the construction site across the street. The Danes start damn early!

And the internet in my apartment won’t start up until October 16th. Fantastic.

On the plus side, the weather has been very nice. We’ve had sunny days and warm temperatures (relatively speaking). Yesterday, I attended an all-hands meeting that was conducted entirely in Danish. I lost 1.5 hours of my life - painfully. Yea, I won’t attempt that again until I can actually understand some of the language! Note to self: learn some Danish.

I Heart Google

2008-10-03T04:52:00.000-07:00

5 words:

THANK GOD FOR GOOGLE TRANSLATOR!

Now that I'm on the RAS R&D mailing lists I keep getting all these e-mails in Danish and I have no idea what they mean - oh, but wait a minute, yes I do! I've enjoyed translating the RESONNET internal announcements - those have been fun :)

From Santa Barbarian Chica Meats Denmark

Original text:
For helvede da også….

Translation: Danish » English
Goddamn also ....

These boots were made for walking...

2008-10-02T06:24:00.000-07:00

My new "Hi Nice to Meet You", "Party Time!" and "Get Out of My Way Or I'll Kick You in the Face" boots. A Danish essential.

Fabulous October 1st

2008-10-02T02:20:00.000-07:00

Why October 1st was so great:

Got my first Danish Paycheck
Got my first Danish mail (confirmation of my CPR number!)
Got keys to my new stellar apartment
Found $30 in a pair of pants I haven't worn in a while

Ahhh. Things are going very well here. I spent the first night in my new apartment. To get an idea of how this felt, first you have to understand that I signed the lease for this apartment before ever having physically seen it. Back in July, twenty-seven pictures were sent to me from HR in Denmark and from those pictures I made my decision. So for the past 2 months I have been studying those photos, dissecting every detail and corner to get a feel for my new living quarters. Yesterday, while I was lying on a mattress pad on the floor tucked under some blankets in this big (and very empty!) apartment I couldn't help but feel like I was stepping into a dream. It was all very surreal - imagine the feeling you would get if you stepped into your own pictures. This new pad of mine is by far the best living arrangement I have ever had. For starters it's huge - a one bedroom apartment with a living/dining area the size of my old studio. It's on the third floor of the building looking over shops and cafes. There are vaulted ceilings with skylights which makes the place very bright (when there's daylight, that is). Everything is brand new - a well equipped kitchen with a dish washing machine and a washer/dryer combo in the bathroom. I found myself thinking, am I really here? What did I do to deserve this? It really is an amazing place (ahem... have I enticed you enough to come visit?)Now all I need is: lights, a bed, furniture, kitchen supplies, groceries, Internet connection, and all my stuff that still hasn't shipped from the States (which includes my bike). Ha! Ok, so it's going to take me a while to feel settled, but I am definetely off to a good start.

Back Where We Started – Our 2 Year Anniversary

2008-09-29T12:15:00.000-07:00

Sliding doors. What if? In the case of me and Tommy, there are so many coincidences…

Tommy and I first met in the July of 2006 while I was working the receptionist desk at RESON. I was fresh out of college, a UCSB grad, and he was a project manager that had been living in Santa Barbara for 3 years. For me, working as a receptionist was a temporary fix for income. I was applying for full-time jobs and internships at various companies, while I sat at the front desk and answered the phones. Tommy and I bonded over the fact that I was investigating a position at Telelogic in Malmo. He was the only person I met who knew of the company. Little did I know he was Swedish.

The Telelogic gig was an IASTE internship that was available to college students / recent grads and for me it was an enticing opportunity to travel. Somewhere I have a piece of paper on which I had made a list for myself (I’m a BIG list person) and I had written, “Malmo! I want to go to Malmo.” Well, I applied for the internship and waited. In the meantime, my tenure as a receptionist at RESON resulted in a full time job offer as a Software Engineer within the company. I jumped on the offer. After I had already accepted the position with RESON, Telelogic called and requested an interview. I informed them that I had signed a contract with another company. No Malmo for me :(

In August 2006, Tommy and I had our innocent flirtations. We both admit (now) to liking each other and having crushes on one another during that time – but given that we worked together and that there was a big age difference between us, nothing ever sparked from nights out together. Copenhagen changed it all.

Five weeks into my new position at RESON, I was put up for an assignment with SAAB Underwater systems in Motala, Sweden. Having been a student traveler in former years, to get out to Sweden on the company dime was one hell of a trip for me. Many colleagues gripe about business travel, but for me it is always a thrilling and welcomed experience. I had a great time in Motala, and in fact my co-worker and I finished our project one day early. I ended up back at our Danish headquarters (RESON A/S) on Friday, September 29th 2006. It had not been part of my itinerary to be in Denmark that day. Coincidence #1.

I spent half a day at RESON in Denmark that Friday. I went around the company, was introduced to fellow employees, had lunch, etc. There was an All-Hands meeting that day, which I was able to sit in on. At that meeting it was announced that Tommy Sturesson had accepted a sales position with Reson Denmark and would be moving from Santa Barbara to Malmo by December 06. I think my heart fell a little when I heard that. Shortly before I took off from the office that day, Tommy, (who happened to be on business travel as well, coincidence #2) approached me and asked what I was doing that night. Me? Copenhagen? Friday night? No clue, I said. We exchanged numbers and he said he’d give me a buzz when he left work.

Well, that night was magical. Tommy and I went out for dinner and a few drinks and so started the beginning of our now 2 year relationship. I flew back to Santa Barbara on Saturday morning, conflicted over having met this great guy. So many things were not right: 1) he was due to leave Santa Barbara 2) we worked together 3) there was 16 years between us… but I just couldn’t shake how much I liked him and how much we had in common. Tommy returned to Santa Barbara a few days after I did, and we decided that we would pursue a relationship together however short lived it would be. (I think he ultimately won me over with his skills in the kitchen – considering I’m a hot pockets and pop tart girl myself).

Tommy managed to delay his move back to Sweden and we got a good year and some months together in Santa Barbara. He’s a traveling business man and between October 2006 and December 2007, he made five one month trips to Europe (November 06, January 07, March 07, June 07, October ’07) We also managed to squeeze in our own travels: Hawaii, Portland, Venice Beach, San Francisco, Jalama Beach, Los Angeles (Disney Opera House), Santa Monica, and Avila Beach. We moved in together in August 2007. In December 2007, Tommy had postponed his return to Sweden too long and was forced by Reson to move over to Europe. We threw him a Muppet Goodbye Party and he dressed as the Swedish chef.

Tommy as the Swedish Chef and I was his "Chocolate Mousse"

The next 9 months were difficult. From December ’07 to September ’08 we lived on opposite sides of the globe. Long distance is tough! We kept in touch over Skype and texted each other a lot. I visited Tommy for New Years in Sweden and he came out to Santa Barbara in May. We realized we couldn’t stay together unless one of us moved. I requested a transfer through RESON to work at our Danish headquarters. In June ’08, RESON came around and granted my request. We hashed out the details of my contract and on July 11th 2008, I signed the offer to work in Denmark. I was in Europe on business for 4 weeks during the summer, so Tommy and I got to celebrate together. I returned to Santa Barbara at the end of July with the intention of packing up, saying good-byes and preparing for my trip back to Scandinavia. I threw a Viking Goodbye Party and dressed like a true Santa Barbarian.

The Santa Barbarian Viking

I arrived in Denmark on September 16th 2008. Tommy picked me up at the airport. Since the lease on my apartment doesn’t start until October 1st, I’ve been given permission to work remotely from Malmo (where Tommy lives) until the end of the month. So here we are, celebrating our 2 year anniversary, in Malmo. Right back where we started and right were I’ve wanted to be. It’s the completion of one cycle and yet the beginning of many new things to come. What happens now? Only time will tell. I better make a new list!

Reliving Onati (Basque Region, Spain)

2008-09-28T12:36:00.000-07:00

I don't have much to say... except YUM! Tommy went wild preparing a "light" dinner for our dinner guest (Thomas Meurling, RESON, his boss) and he got inspiration from the "Quick and Easy Tapas" book compliments of our lovely friend Kara. We even had a nice bottle of Campo Viejo Tempranillo - a wine I've enjoyed back in SB w/ my first
and only dinner guests at Mulberry Ave (Liz and Tyler). Ahh, Espana. Can we go back?

A Wine Lover's Paradise

2008-09-28T09:51:00.000-07:00

For those who travel to Sweden and wonder where they can pick up a bottle of Bailey’s… well, there is only one place: the ALCOHOL store. System Bolaget is the ONLY place you will find that cherished Swedish Absolut, because here in Sweden the government has a monopoly on wine and liquor sales. No more Jack Daniels from Ralphs for me! And fat chance that they are open on Sundays. You have to pre-plan your drinking around here. Considering the price of liquor, this could be a good thing. In System Bolaget’s defense, you do find a mighty selection of wines – perhaps the best in the nation (ha, ha).

Demonstrations in Malmo over the Weekend

2008-09-25T09:11:00.000-07:00

Swedes are interesting people. In the few weeks I've spent in Malmo, I've almost always come across some kind of march or protest parading the street. Where do these people get the time? Oh yea, they are "professional demonstrators." And who funds them? The 45% tax that is taken out of my paycheck! The most frustrating example is the one we encountered this weekend. It was your average Saturday afternoon and Tommy and I went out to go grocery shopping. When we got to the car, which was parked LEGALLY on the street, and for which parking had been PAID, we were greeted with a ticket on the front windsheild of the car. In fact, every car on the block had a similar ticket. What the hell? Looking around we saw a temporary sign that had been put up (not too much earlier than our arrival, we assume) that stated: "No Parking Between the Hours of 1-8pm" The ticket was written at 1:07pm. We got to the car at 1:15pm. What was the reason for the restricted parking? Because demonstrators were going to march the streets, and they needed to clear the path. We were charged 700 Swedish Kroner (approx. $100 USD) so that those goons could parade around and scream their heads off about injustice towards the lower class. Hell, maybe I should have joined them and made some use of that money collected off parking tickets!

Apparently there were 10,000 demonstrators in town marching for human rights and social reform. According to local news, for the 10,000 demonstrators, they funneled 4,000 police into town. The pictures in the slideshow were taken mostly from the window of our apartment in Malmo. I'll tell you one thing you get for a $100 parking ticket - a front row seat.