you're not the boss of me!
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
TRAVEL!
People, I am about to give away an unbelievable secret. You can go to Puerto Rico for just $79 ONE WAY! Who wants to go on vacation?! Pick me, pick me!!! Anyone interested in traveling in April? Need a cute brown friend to accompany you? Pick me, pick me!!!
Role Model
Sometimes when I watch TV or Movies there aren't a lot of characters that I can relate to. Ok let's be honest, there aren't many (if any) Indian actors/actresses in the mainstream US media. Every once in a while we get a cool cameo or hit single but that's about it. Forgive me if I get over-excited about an Indian actor that I can watch on the big screen.
At the moment I think I can count on one hand the # of times I have seen this:
Pinky Finger: Bend It Like Beckham
Ring Finger: 40 Year Old Virgin (4 Indian characters)
Middle Finger: Parminder Nagra on ER (girl from Bend It Like Beckham)
Index Finger: Punjabi MC featuring Jay-Z: Beware of the Boys
Thumb: Bombay Dreams (broadway production)
Not to say I want to start a revolution like Indian History Month or anything. Just saying that it's no wonder that Indian people still hold onto Bollywood and its Indian Movies! Although I love Grey's Anatomy, it's not like me and Meredith really have a lot in common.
At the moment I think I can count on one hand the # of times I have seen this:
Pinky Finger: Bend It Like Beckham
Ring Finger: 40 Year Old Virgin (4 Indian characters)
Middle Finger: Parminder Nagra on ER (girl from Bend It Like Beckham)
Index Finger: Punjabi MC featuring Jay-Z: Beware of the Boys
Thumb: Bombay Dreams (broadway production)
Not to say I want to start a revolution like Indian History Month or anything. Just saying that it's no wonder that Indian people still hold onto Bollywood and its Indian Movies! Although I love Grey's Anatomy, it's not like me and Meredith really have a lot in common.
Email Etiquette
Remember how we talked about Arranged Marriage v2.0.0.6? Well here are some email tips for all you boys who want to "connect" with me.
* Please don't write me a page describing yourself
* Try to be witty! It really only takes me a few minutes to know if I want to continue
* Ask questions for me to respond to
* I don't want your life story in the first email - how about we start off slow.
* Send me a picture of yourself!
* Don't accuse me of not liking your picture if I take a few days to respond.
* Spell check!
* Better yet - spell MY name right!
* Let's not talk about previous boyfriends/girlfriends already
* How about we start of as friends? Let's not think/talk about the future just yet.
If we both follow the above rules it could just make it all so much easier.
Thanks.
* Please don't write me a page describing yourself
* Try to be witty! It really only takes me a few minutes to know if I want to continue
* Ask questions for me to respond to
* I don't want your life story in the first email - how about we start off slow.
* Send me a picture of yourself!
* Don't accuse me of not liking your picture if I take a few days to respond.
* Spell check!
* Better yet - spell MY name right!
* Let's not talk about previous boyfriends/girlfriends already
* How about we start of as friends? Let's not think/talk about the future just yet.
If we both follow the above rules it could just make it all so much easier.
Thanks.
Monday, February 27, 2006
Celebration
It's coming! Are you ready?! Annual St Patty's Day in Hoboken 2006!!!
It's taken me a full year to recover, but man am I ready for it! Find me @ McMahons early on Saturday morning.
And to reminisce, here are some snaps from last years party
It's taken me a full year to recover, but man am I ready for it! Find me @ McMahons early on Saturday morning.
And to reminisce, here are some snaps from last years party
Nomad
For most of my life I have lived out of a suitcase.
Lets do the math: that's 7 houses, 6 college dorm rooms, and 2 apartments in 26 years
Although I have had some amazing experiences in my life - I have never been able to call any one place my "home". This concept is almost foreign to me.
In the movie Garden State, Zach Braff is quoted as saying "You know that point in your life when you realize that the house that you grew up in isn't really your home anymore? All of the sudden even though you have some place where you can put your stuff that idea of home is gone." Well I sort of have felt this way for most of my life. My home is not a house that my parents have bought that keeps us safe and warm. My home is the thought of my family being together - anywhere. I don't have a house that I grew up in - heck I don't even have a town that I grew up in. Maybe this is why I travel so much now? It's the nomad in me that is constantly traveling to find a home to which I might belong to.
There's some Freud shit for ya.
- I was born in Madras, India
- My parents then moved me to Africa between the ages of 4 and 6.
- When I was 6 I came to the US and lived with my aunt and uncle in a small town: Berkeley Heights,NJ.
- After finishing 1st grade, we moved to another little town called Summit, NJ.
- When I was about to start 4th grade, my parents realized that they needed to move once again to another little town called New Providence, NJ.
- We finally stayed in New Providence for me to finish up high school. Even during that time though, we moved from our two bedroom apartment to a house about 10 minutes away.
- As soon as I left for college however, my parents realized that they might want to move again and we retreated back to Berkeley Heights, NJ, where they currently live today.
Lets do the math: that's 7 houses, 6 college dorm rooms, and 2 apartments in 26 years
Although I have had some amazing experiences in my life - I have never been able to call any one place my "home". This concept is almost foreign to me.
In the movie Garden State, Zach Braff is quoted as saying "You know that point in your life when you realize that the house that you grew up in isn't really your home anymore? All of the sudden even though you have some place where you can put your stuff that idea of home is gone." Well I sort of have felt this way for most of my life. My home is not a house that my parents have bought that keeps us safe and warm. My home is the thought of my family being together - anywhere. I don't have a house that I grew up in - heck I don't even have a town that I grew up in. Maybe this is why I travel so much now? It's the nomad in me that is constantly traveling to find a home to which I might belong to.
There's some Freud shit for ya.
Friday, February 24, 2006
Dreams
I have some crazy crazy dreams. Some of them I remember but of course most I do not. Recently however my dreams have become more real and weirder. Join me in some dream interpretation will ya...
(I am using this site as a reference)
Dream #1
I dreamt I was feeding or chasing a squirrel and he bit my hand!!! I had to shake my had to get the bastard off of me! Talk about scary (and so bizarre!)
Interpretation:
"To see squirrels running around, signifies that you are involved in a loveless or pointless relationship or an unprofitable business project. Squirrels also refers to the act of hoarding. It could either mean that you need to reserve something or it could indicate that you are retaining too much and need to learn to let go."
Dream #2
I dreamt that I gave birth to triplets!! They were really cute - but hellooo we all know my thoughts on babies.
Interpretation:
"To dream of giving birth or see someone else giving birth, suggests that you are giving birth to a new idea or project. It also represents new beginnings or some upcoming event. A more direct interpretation of this dream, may represent your desires/ anxieties of giving birth or the anticipation for such an event to occur."
Dream #3
I again dreamt that I was pregnant! Gosh what is going on?!
Interpretation:
"To dream that you are pregnant, symbolizes an aspect of yourself or some aspect of your personal life that is growing and developing. You may not be ready to talk about it or act on it. This may also represent the birth of a new idea, direction, project or goal."
Am I crazy? Do you need me to interpret your dreams? Call me Dr. Kripsie.
(I am using this site as a reference)
Dream #1
I dreamt I was feeding or chasing a squirrel and he bit my hand!!! I had to shake my had to get the bastard off of me! Talk about scary (and so bizarre!)
Interpretation:
"To see squirrels running around, signifies that you are involved in a loveless or pointless relationship or an unprofitable business project. Squirrels also refers to the act of hoarding. It could either mean that you need to reserve something or it could indicate that you are retaining too much and need to learn to let go."
Dream #2
I dreamt that I gave birth to triplets!! They were really cute - but hellooo we all know my thoughts on babies.
Interpretation:
"To dream of giving birth or see someone else giving birth, suggests that you are giving birth to a new idea or project. It also represents new beginnings or some upcoming event. A more direct interpretation of this dream, may represent your desires/ anxieties of giving birth or the anticipation for such an event to occur."
Dream #3
I again dreamt that I was pregnant! Gosh what is going on?!
Interpretation:
"To dream that you are pregnant, symbolizes an aspect of yourself or some aspect of your personal life that is growing and developing. You may not be ready to talk about it or act on it. This may also represent the birth of a new idea, direction, project or goal."
Am I crazy? Do you need me to interpret your dreams? Call me Dr. Kripsie.
Indian Movies
For the past two days I spent my evenings watching an Indian Movie. Surprised?! I know..me too. It is very unlike me. But heck every once in a while I get in the mood for the drawn out love stories that are famous in Bollywood. This one in particular was named Veer Zaraa (sounds exactly how its spelled!!!) Here is the 3hr story broken down to a few line synopsis:
Indian Boy from village meets rich Pakistani girl
Boy falls in love with Girl
Girl falls in love with Boy
Girl is arranged to be married to another man
Boy and Girl are both devastated
Drama ensues
Boy and Girl finally get together
Include some sing-song dancing and a lot of color and BOOM: Indian movie emerges. For anyone that has never seen an Indian movie, I do recommend them. I think it should be on everyone's MUST DO BEFORE I DIE list. They are interesting, funny, and oh so silly. You're life isn't complete without some Bollywood.
Indian Boy from village meets rich Pakistani girl
Boy falls in love with Girl
Girl falls in love with Boy
Girl is arranged to be married to another man
Boy and Girl are both devastated
Drama ensues
Boy and Girl finally get together
Include some sing-song dancing and a lot of color and BOOM: Indian movie emerges. For anyone that has never seen an Indian movie, I do recommend them. I think it should be on everyone's MUST DO BEFORE I DIE list. They are interesting, funny, and oh so silly. You're life isn't complete without some Bollywood.
Milton
Oh boy. I know you guys may get sick of work stories, but they are just too good to not blog on. I know I have talked previously about Office Space and my life. More and more I am coming to terms with the similarities. Take for instance this morning. We got a new member to our team! I call him Milton. This new member has taken my Office Space obsession to a whole new level. I didn't realize until today that real life Milton's exist! Who is Milton you ask? My l-o-v-e-r. [sike]
new member: I need some testing accounts
kripsie: sure one second
new member: But I need accounts
kripsie: ok creating...
new member: I don't see my accounts
new member: I need accounts
*replace accounts with stapler = MILTON!
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
B of A
I am a loyal customer at Bank of America. When I say loyal I mean I am just too lazy to switch banks. Recently they 'upgraded' their website with all kinds of fancy features and privacy shinanigins. Let me be the first to tell you - it sucks! There are so many pages and so many securtity codes for me to crack. I like the option of username: xxx password: xxx
Maybe its me, but let me show you the pain i endure:
I get to the normal login page (so far so good). When I try to login with my Online ID though -
What is this?! Are you aggravated too? This has already wasted my time. Ok blah blah - move ahead Bank!
Ok so first you complained that you didn't know my computer. Then you wanted me to confirm that I knew who I was. Now you want me fill out some form?! How about SHOW ME MY MONEY BIOTCH.
(answer blurred for obvious reasons!)
Maybe its me, but let me show you the pain i endure:
I get to the normal login page (so far so good). When I try to login with my Online ID though -
Hmm interesting. Well let me introduce you. Computer, meet Bank of America. Bank of America, meet my computer! Ok let's get on with this process. I proceed:
What is this?! Are you aggravated too? This has already wasted my time. Ok blah blah - move ahead Bank!
Ok so first you complained that you didn't know my computer. Then you wanted me to confirm that I knew who I was. Now you want me fill out some form?! How about SHOW ME MY MONEY BIOTCH.
(answer blurred for obvious reasons!)
Shoot!
Last night I headed over to Whole Foods to get some extra groceries. I am planning to make this avocado spread to eat with the falafels I made. There is actually a science to picking vegetables and fruit. You want to get the ripest items possible for maximum taste and happiness.
In case you didn't know, ripening is a process by which fruit will taste sweeter and become softer.
What I always do however is stick my fruits and vegetables in the fridge. Big Rookie Mistake!!! What I didn't know until today is that cold temperatures stop the ripening process in some fruit, and will slow it way down in other fruit. Unrefrigerated apples will “ripen” 8 times faster than refrigerated apples!
Needless to say I may have ruined my avocado dip by placing the sucker in the fridge. Shoot!
In case you didn't know, ripening is a process by which fruit will taste sweeter and become softer.
What I always do however is stick my fruits and vegetables in the fridge. Big Rookie Mistake!!! What I didn't know until today is that cold temperatures stop the ripening process in some fruit, and will slow it way down in other fruit. Unrefrigerated apples will “ripen” 8 times faster than refrigerated apples!
Needless to say I may have ruined my avocado dip by placing the sucker in the fridge. Shoot!
Gray Hair
Recently when I have been looking in the mirror, I have been seeing more and more gray hair on my head! Why?! I'm still young...vibrant! This caused me to do a little research to understand fully what's going on with me.
Apparently gray hair is really our normal hair that is stripped of its pigment. In reality it's 'transparent' hair that we have called gray. So...pigments (mainly Melanin) are generated by these cells in our hair follicles called Melanocytes. When the Melanocytes stop producing the Melanin, the result is a transparent hair color. And when this hair is compared with the rest of your healthy hair, it gives the appearance of gray hair.
It also seems that gray hair is a heriditery trait. If your parents got gray hair at a young age, most likely you will as well. thanks mom!
Apparently gray hair is really our normal hair that is stripped of its pigment. In reality it's 'transparent' hair that we have called gray. So...pigments (mainly Melanin) are generated by these cells in our hair follicles called Melanocytes. When the Melanocytes stop producing the Melanin, the result is a transparent hair color. And when this hair is compared with the rest of your healthy hair, it gives the appearance of gray hair.
It also seems that gray hair is a heriditery trait. If your parents got gray hair at a young age, most likely you will as well. thanks mom!
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Kripa Stewart
I went to the grocery store for the first time in a looong time last night. I decided it was time for me to STOP eating out and actually get some healthy junk back in my system.
Here is a fabulous recipie that I think anyone (yes even Wendy) can enjoy *taken from Wegmans Recipes*:
You're welcome.
Here is a fabulous recipie that I think anyone (yes even Wendy) can enjoy *taken from Wegmans Recipes*:
Pita Pizzas with Fresh Bruschetta Topping Serves 6 Active Time: 15 min4 tomatoes on the vine, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp chopped fresh italian parsley
2 Tbsp fresh basil
2 Tbsp olive oil
1-1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 pkg Food You Feel Good About Pita Bread
Nutrition Info: Each serving (1 sandwich) contains 324 calories, 44g carbohydrate (2g fiber), 10g fat (4g saturated fat), 19mg cholesterol and 439mg sodium.
- In a small bowl, combine tomato, garlic, parsley, basil and 1 Tbsp oil to make bruschetta topping.
- Brush both sides of pitas with remaining oil.
- Place pitas on grill rack. Grill one side until lightly browned, about 2 min; remove from rack.
- On grilled sides, spoon 1/4 cup ricotta over each pita. Top with bruschetta mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place pitas back on rack; cover and cook until lightly browned and crisp on the bottom. The cheese and bruschetta topping should be slightly warm.
You're welcome.
Bad Publicity = Good Publicity
Ok so I started my 4th book this past weekend: A Million Little Pieces. I'm not sure how many of you follow the news or Oprah, but this book has had tons of publicity, both good and bad in the past year.
Most recently it has been bad publicity. To give you a quick re-cap:
Although there has been so much bad publicity for James, I am sure it hasn't stopped people from buying his book (i.e ME). In my opinion Bad Publicity=Good Publicity. It gets people talking and gets them wondering. "I don't want to be out of the loop!" So what if James lied? The story is GOOD. It wasn't my life! I would rather read a good book that may have some lies than read a boring one filled with complete honesty. But that's just me.
Most recently it has been bad publicity. To give you a quick re-cap:
A Million Little Pieces is a Memoir, written by James Frey. At the age of 23 James checks into rehab to try to break his alcohol and crack addiction. Like most memoirs I have read, this book is no easy read. It's actually pretty gruesome and I can almost guarantee you will have to put it down at certain points. Now the controversy comes about when thesmokinggun.com reveals that James actually lied about a bunch of his "recollections".I don't want to give away anything. I'm sure if you are really interested you will Google it. I was actually interested in this book way before all this controversy came out. Although I am not a strict fan of Oprah's Book Club, it was highly praised by her, and that just fueled my interest.
Although there has been so much bad publicity for James, I am sure it hasn't stopped people from buying his book (i.e ME). In my opinion Bad Publicity=Good Publicity. It gets people talking and gets them wondering. "I don't want to be out of the loop!" So what if James lied? The story is GOOD. It wasn't my life! I would rather read a good book that may have some lies than read a boring one filled with complete honesty. But that's just me.
Monday, February 20, 2006
Readaholics Anonymous
Hi my name is Kripa and I am a read-a-holic.
Have you ever taken a hobby too far? Sometimes when I set goals for myself I go 'overboard'. But you know, this seems to be a pattern in my life. Set down a bag of m&m's, I eat the whole thing. Give me some cold stone, I just want more! Am I an "a-holic"? Will books be my downfall?
Last year I had this brilliant idea to read 20 books. Gosh darnit - I did it too! This year, I decided to up my intake and increase the challenge to 25 books. There are 12 months in one year. This means I need to read 2.08 books a month! Eeek. [Putting it in mathmatical terms makes it a little more challenging.]
So far I have finished 3 books and just began my 4th book last night. Are these classic signs that I have a problem?
Have you ever taken a hobby too far? Sometimes when I set goals for myself I go 'overboard'. But you know, this seems to be a pattern in my life. Set down a bag of m&m's, I eat the whole thing. Give me some cold stone, I just want more! Am I an "a-holic"? Will books be my downfall?
Last year I had this brilliant idea to read 20 books. Gosh darnit - I did it too! This year, I decided to up my intake and increase the challenge to 25 books. There are 12 months in one year. This means I need to read 2.08 books a month! Eeek. [Putting it in mathmatical terms makes it a little more challenging.]
So far I have finished 3 books and just began my 4th book last night. Are these classic signs that I have a problem?
- I would rather stay home and finish my book than go out.
- I am getting ridiculed by friends:
RajeshPxxx: you're addicted to books
RajeshPxxx: geek - It feels weird to not have a book in my bag at all times.
- I look forward to waiting on a line so that I can read my book.
- I have read parts of a book during bumper-to-bumper traffic.
Handwriting
Have you ever been friends with someone for a long time but never saw their handwriting? Recently I have begun to notice that I don't ever get to write anything down anymore. Apart from the usual post-it or personal journal entry, it seems that I can usually type anything I need to say. I have never even seen some of my friends handwriting!
I think some people's handwriting is so different from what I expect it to be. Some are messy and some are neat. Take for instance my brother. He seems fairly normal to me, pretty smart as well. But man, when that kid has to write something down it looks like a 5 year old's writing!
My mom for some reason associates smart people with BIG handwriting - clear and neat. But every smart kid that I knew in high school always wrote really small.
There is actually a science out there for handwriting analysis. It's used in court rooms daily to decipher what type of person they are. Are you interested in finding out what your handwriting says about you? How about bored? Here try this: I love Kripsie
I think some people's handwriting is so different from what I expect it to be. Some are messy and some are neat. Take for instance my brother. He seems fairly normal to me, pretty smart as well. But man, when that kid has to write something down it looks like a 5 year old's writing!
My mom for some reason associates smart people with BIG handwriting - clear and neat. But every smart kid that I knew in high school always wrote really small.
There is actually a science out there for handwriting analysis. It's used in court rooms daily to decipher what type of person they are. Are you interested in finding out what your handwriting says about you? How about bored? Here try this: I love Kripsie
Friday, February 17, 2006
Marriage Dating Advice - Part 2
Last night I got some of the worst dating advice possible. Although this wasn't from a married or 'in-a-relationship' friend, it was just as bad. Let's call him "Red Sweater Guy" (RSG for short). RSG is a coworker of mine. And I use the term coworker in the loosest terms - he really is just a piece of poop that I would like to step on.
So RSG asked me for a ride home last night. We had an interesting conversation:
Repeat: I don't want dating advice!
So RSG asked me for a ride home last night. We had an interesting conversation:
RSG- "so how come you are like 26 and not married. Aren't your parent's looking for you?"
Kripsie - "um, I don't know. I just haven't found the right person yet."
RGS - "but you're like 26. Aren't you getting old"
Kripsie - "well, I was in a 4 year relationship, so that might explain why I am single now"
RSG - "oh so are you going to get back with that guy?"
Kripsie - "no we broke up"
RSG - "see me, I am leaving it up to my parents. They have the best judgment. They should pick my wife. I tried setting something up for myself, but it didn't work out. So I am just going to have it arranged. It's just the best way"
Kripsie - "oh well I don't think an arranged marriage is for me."
RSG - "well your parents picked your schooling for you, you should trust them to pick your husband."
Kripsie - "actually, I chose what I wanted to do in school. I already have a lot of precautions when it comes to marriage, I don't think I could leave the choice to them."
RSG - "well I'm just telling you, don't wait too long. Because then you are old and no one will want to marry you"
Kripsie - "ok thanks." jerkface.
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Office Space
I got this ping today saying: Hey, Kripa, I can't remember if I said this yesterday but do go ahead and update your escheduling to 3/31 .
Maybe my job IS just like Office Space.
Maybe my job IS just like Office Space.
Chemical Imbalance
Sometimes I wonder why God made men and women so different. If the natural course is for a man and a woman to be together, you would think that they would be more emotionally compatible. I mean, we already are physically compatible - but what about the rest of us?
Women generally tend to be more irrational, emotional, sensitive, affectionate, and giving. Men on the other hand seem to be more rational, succinct, loyal, and straightforward. A lot of these combinations can cause friction and hurt.
Why aren't we better chemically balanced? This is obviously why women get along so well with gay men - they understand how we work. Hot gay men though - that's just a tease.
Women generally tend to be more irrational, emotional, sensitive, affectionate, and giving. Men on the other hand seem to be more rational, succinct, loyal, and straightforward. A lot of these combinations can cause friction and hurt.
Why aren't we better chemically balanced? This is obviously why women get along so well with gay men - they understand how we work. Hot gay men though - that's just a tease.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Marriage Dating Advice
When you are single it seems that everyone married or dating has the best advice to give you. And when I say best I really mean horrible. If you have been with your "other" since college or since the beginning of puberty, you really have no idea what it is like to be single. Here's some advice I advise YOU to stop giving:
Don't take that personally. I couldn't be happier for you and all of your current or soon-to-be wedding gifts. You just shouldn't give the rest of us advice. Listen, laugh, cry with us, tell us how wonderful we are and how no man/woman is good enough for us. That's it!!
Leave the advice for us single types to give each other. At least this way we can try and fail at them together.
- Maybe you should go on a singles cruise or join a hobby
- You probably shouldn't wait too long to find someone
- Blind dates can be fun!
- You're time will come
- Have you tried online dating?
- Maybe a bar isn't the best place to look for guys
Don't take that personally. I couldn't be happier for you and all of your current or soon-to-be wedding gifts. You just shouldn't give the rest of us advice. Listen, laugh, cry with us, tell us how wonderful we are and how no man/woman is good enough for us. That's it!!
Leave the advice for us single types to give each other. At least this way we can try and fail at them together.
Car Wash
This past weekend we had a pretty gi-normous snow storm. Although some Counties didn't get hit as hard, in good ol' Berkeley Heights, NJ we got about 18 inches of snow. That's a whole lot of powder. I actually drove from NJ to Philadelphia on Monday morning, with the rest of the commuting world. The roads in some towns sucked. Oh they sucked bad. It actually took me an extra hour to go the 73 miles. When I finally parked my car in my garage on Monday night, I saw how unbelievably dirty the car looked.
Ever wonder how long you should wait after a storm to wash your car? Me either. But my car is gross. It looks horrible. I thought - "why wash my car now? There is still so much crap on the roads, it'll just keep returning". Apparently I am very mistaken.
You see....
Because of these facts it is actually very important to wash your car immediately after a snow storm. If the residue is left on too long, any protection that my car had may be lost and susceptible to further damage.
This public service announcement has been brought to you by Krapa.
Ever wonder how long you should wait after a storm to wash your car? Me either. But my car is gross. It looks horrible. I thought - "why wash my car now? There is still so much crap on the roads, it'll just keep returning". Apparently I am very mistaken.
You see....
pushes up nerd glassesRain and snow collect pollutants in the air and drop them as acid rain - which can damage the cars protective finish. Snow also carries with it the corrosive road salt. This salt can deteriorate any wax protection that your car has.
Because of these facts it is actually very important to wash your car immediately after a snow storm. If the residue is left on too long, any protection that my car had may be lost and susceptible to further damage.
This public service announcement has been brought to you by Krapa.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
V Day
So what's the deal with Valentines Day? Why oh why do we need this day? Little girls feel lonely if they don't have a valentine and grown women feel dejected if they don't recieve anything from their better half.
I honestly can't remember the last time I celebrated Valentines Day. I'm sure that doesn't say much about my love life, but heck, I can deal with it. This year was no different from the rest. I woke up, got ready for work, got to work, sucked it up at work, and now going to go home. Depressed? Heck no! I got a card and phone call from my mom and Aunt saying they loved me. I'm good. I don't need some day in the middle of February for people to tell me they like me. That's what my birthday is for!!!
I honestly can't remember the last time I celebrated Valentines Day. I'm sure that doesn't say much about my love life, but heck, I can deal with it. This year was no different from the rest. I woke up, got ready for work, got to work, sucked it up at work, and now going to go home. Depressed? Heck no! I got a card and phone call from my mom and Aunt saying they loved me. I'm good. I don't need some day in the middle of February for people to tell me they like me. That's what my birthday is for!!!
Monday, February 13, 2006
Captain Obvious
I hate it when people point out the obvious to me. There are millions of people in this world, do you really think you were the first to say that? Here are some of my favorites:
" wow you're short " (note: i hate the word short)
" man you get drunk easily "
" is that really your last name? "
" you were born in india? wow you don't have an accent"
*****
Yes I know I am small. You know what you should do - ask me how tall I am...and then, when I tell you how tall I am, ask me if I'm sure. That's not aggravating, it's actually a fun topic I like to have.
So we know I'm small. You see me standing in front of you. Granted I have a couple pounds I could loose, but you see that I am fairly "skinny". So why does it surprise you when I have a couple beers and may seem a little intoxicated? Do you really need to remind me "wow you're such a lightweight". Wouldn't you rather I be a lightweight? I dunno, drinking 10 beers at my weight and not being drunk may signal some sort of problem.
No this isn't my last name. I just put a couple of letters together and thought it sounded cool. I also wanted to make it really long so that my life could be easier. Once someone asked me if I knew how to say my last name. Nope. Never learned! Can you believe that?! You know, a certain California Governor actually has a pretty complicated last name. Maybe you should ask him if he knows how to say it.
Pretty surprising that I don't have the same accent from when I was born. Ever think that maybe I moved when I was little? Pretty crazy that people's accents can change. I never knew that people grow and develop when they are younger.
" wow you're short " (note: i hate the word short)
" man you get drunk easily "
" is that really your last name? "
" you were born in india? wow you don't have an accent"
*****
Yes I know I am small. You know what you should do - ask me how tall I am...and then, when I tell you how tall I am, ask me if I'm sure. That's not aggravating, it's actually a fun topic I like to have.
So we know I'm small. You see me standing in front of you. Granted I have a couple pounds I could loose, but you see that I am fairly "skinny". So why does it surprise you when I have a couple beers and may seem a little intoxicated? Do you really need to remind me "wow you're such a lightweight". Wouldn't you rather I be a lightweight? I dunno, drinking 10 beers at my weight and not being drunk may signal some sort of problem.
No this isn't my last name. I just put a couple of letters together and thought it sounded cool. I also wanted to make it really long so that my life could be easier. Once someone asked me if I knew how to say my last name. Nope. Never learned! Can you believe that?! You know, a certain California Governor actually has a pretty complicated last name. Maybe you should ask him if he knows how to say it.
Pretty surprising that I don't have the same accent from when I was born. Ever think that maybe I moved when I was little? Pretty crazy that people's accents can change. I never knew that people grow and develop when they are younger.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Grammys
Kripa
I understand that I don't have the easiest name in the world...but I honestly don't think it's that hard. I have gotten used to the fact that people don't get my name the first time around. I don't mind repeating, heck I'll even spell it out for you! A little annoying, but it's worth the extra effort to me.
Another annoying fact though is that sometimes it's INDIAN people themselves that don't know how to say or spell it! Did I mention it was annoying? Not sure if I did, because it sure is annoying!
Take for instance my ex-boyfriend's mom. She was Indian...she was familiar with Indian names. But every time I got a card from her (maybe I only got one card) she just happened to spell my name KRUPA. Why? She knew how to say my name! Does K-R-I-P-A sound like KRUPA? ok maybe it does but still!
My dad and mom try to defend the mistake by giving the background to my name [the origin of my name is a sanskrit word meaning "mercy" or "grace" (pretty cool - i know) but when you spell it in sanskrit the KRI sounds very much like KRU. follow? yea me either]
I thought maybe this was just an isolated incident and that his mom was crazy (she really was) but it happened again! I attend a religious class every week and the Auntie that runs the class is one of my favorite people. Although every time I say my name properly - Kripa - she still repeats it back to me - Krupa. Ughs.
The thing that got me this week was this Indian man at work. He got the difference between Krupa and Kripa - but he thinks my name is KIRPA. Don't be confused, thats K I R P A. He even tries to spell my email with Kirpa. AH!
I like my name. I think it's pretty and unique and not that difficult to understand. Granted American's butcher my name in worse ways (Krapa, Krida) but that's almost expected of them. Indians though? Unacceptable!
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Corporate Life
After being in the work-field for almost 3 years, I have noticed a lot of things about major corporations. They have no clue how to work efficiently! NO CLUE! It's a little scary almost how there are 1000's of employees in a firm, but it is usually around 200 people that do all the work. So that means on average, 800 employees jobs are a) pointless b) useless c) not done properly.
Many people have compared my job to Office Space. "You are one of the Bobs!" - they have said. Actually, not really. I have never gone to work and talked to people about what they do and whether or not we need their job. Granted I have thought about it many many times, but NO - my company nor do I, have that kind of authority. I am not "one of the Bobs".
I am however (in my opinion) one of the key components of making a major cable corporation* work. As I sit through my conference calls today, I really wonder how these big companies work. It seems that about 3 people really know whats going on, and if they had the time, they would complete their tasks - on time and correctly! But instead, we have what we call a lack of resources.
This phrase comes up time and time again! Why not hire more people? And when I say people, I don't mean just able bodies that can speak but ones that can actually think, that can actually solve a problem, that actually give a damn! Unemployment rates? What's that? We need workers! How can so many people be unemployed when my company is always compaining about lack of resources! I just don't understand.
My friend Geoff once told me that it's all about the bottom line. Those big time execs sit up there commanding the troops and their only concern is this thing called the bottom line. Granted I care about the bottom line too - but when I get a task, I complete it. I don't make excuses, and if it needs a couple more hours of my attention, heck I give it. Is this because I am fresh out of college (well not really)? When do people stop doing this? How come Alpha from Operations can never get my code deployed on time? How come Beta from Lan Ops asks me when they are supposed to complete their environment set up? Why don't they know how to do their own job?
Heck I'm leaving in 15 days....I'll wait for the next big time corp for further investigation on this..
* will not mention any names.
Many people have compared my job to Office Space. "You are one of the Bobs!" - they have said. Actually, not really. I have never gone to work and talked to people about what they do and whether or not we need their job. Granted I have thought about it many many times, but NO - my company nor do I, have that kind of authority. I am not "one of the Bobs".
I am however (in my opinion) one of the key components of making a major cable corporation* work. As I sit through my conference calls today, I really wonder how these big companies work. It seems that about 3 people really know whats going on, and if they had the time, they would complete their tasks - on time and correctly! But instead, we have what we call a lack of resources.
This phrase comes up time and time again! Why not hire more people? And when I say people, I don't mean just able bodies that can speak but ones that can actually think, that can actually solve a problem, that actually give a damn! Unemployment rates? What's that? We need workers! How can so many people be unemployed when my company is always compaining about lack of resources! I just don't understand.
My friend Geoff once told me that it's all about the bottom line. Those big time execs sit up there commanding the troops and their only concern is this thing called the bottom line. Granted I care about the bottom line too - but when I get a task, I complete it. I don't make excuses, and if it needs a couple more hours of my attention, heck I give it. Is this because I am fresh out of college (well not really)? When do people stop doing this? How come Alpha from Operations can never get my code deployed on time? How come Beta from Lan Ops asks me when they are supposed to complete their environment set up? Why don't they know how to do their own job?
Heck I'm leaving in 15 days....I'll wait for the next big time corp for further investigation on this..
* will not mention any names.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Dane Cook
I have never been one to watch Comedy Central for its stand-up or go to Comedy Clubs very often. I have been a couple times, but for some reason it's not a big deal to me. I am not familiar with most comedians that are out there either.
I came across Dane Cook when I was in DC. After a long day, we were all eating dinner and watching Saturday Night Live (saturdays, 11:30 pm). This guy Dane was apparently hosting - "who the heck is this guy? what's his name, Dale?" - were the questions on our minds.
When Dane first did his routine, I was honestly taken aback: I was laughing hysterically! This guys stuff was great. The key (in my opinion) to Dane's routine, is that he keeps it simple. Most of the stuff he talks about, we can all picture in our heads. It's easy to relate to and funny as heck.
I like Chris Rock's humor a lot of times because it's smart humor - he can put a funny twist to politics and back it up with actual truths. Although (as Bobby pointed out) he does have a lot of racial humor, which can get pretty old. But Dane - he not only is very visual with his stuff, but the shiz is original and he-larious.
I love to make up new words (notice "shiz") and Dane captured my heart the moment he introduced me to "Sangwich" and "Brag-a-docious". I have already repeated part of his routine to some of my friends (I am such a Connector) and got them hooked!
Apparently I am behind the times with the discovery of Dane Cook:
"oh yea, he was on the MTV Video Awards"
"oh yea he has a CD out that did really well"
"oh yea he apparently has thousands of friends"
"he's pretty popular - you sure you just heard of him?!"
oh yea - blah blah I get it! But I'm doing the honorable thing now and spreading the word! Check him out!!! I guarantee a good time.
I came across Dane Cook when I was in DC. After a long day, we were all eating dinner and watching Saturday Night Live (saturdays, 11:30 pm). This guy Dane was apparently hosting - "who the heck is this guy? what's his name, Dale?" - were the questions on our minds.
When Dane first did his routine, I was honestly taken aback: I was laughing hysterically! This guys stuff was great. The key (in my opinion) to Dane's routine, is that he keeps it simple. Most of the stuff he talks about, we can all picture in our heads. It's easy to relate to and funny as heck.
I like Chris Rock's humor a lot of times because it's smart humor - he can put a funny twist to politics and back it up with actual truths. Although (as Bobby pointed out) he does have a lot of racial humor, which can get pretty old. But Dane - he not only is very visual with his stuff, but the shiz is original and he-larious.
I love to make up new words (notice "shiz") and Dane captured my heart the moment he introduced me to "Sangwich" and "Brag-a-docious". I have already repeated part of his routine to some of my friends (I am such a Connector) and got them hooked!
Apparently I am behind the times with the discovery of Dane Cook:
"oh yea, he was on the MTV Video Awards"
"oh yea he has a CD out that did really well"
"oh yea he apparently has thousands of friends"
"he's pretty popular - you sure you just heard of him?!"
oh yea - blah blah I get it! But I'm doing the honorable thing now and spreading the word! Check him out!!! I guarantee a good time.
Monday, February 06, 2006
Indian Dating
I have a lot of thoughts and opinions about dating. I'm in my mid 20's (as I have mentioned before) and the main focus of my life right now is when I am going to get married. Most of you may think that I am still young...I shouldn't worry about things like this! Well duh - those are true. But, I come from a land where brides are young and a wedding is the pivitol point of a womans life. A little sad, but true. My parent's don't mean to be anxious and put pressure on me; it's just what they know how to do. Their last responsibility to me is to get me married and on my merry way. Tra-la-la.
If I was brought up in India, chances are I would either be married or engaged at this juncture in my life - But I wasn't.
Let's talk about arranged marriages for the twentieth century though. Nowadays its not the typical "boy and girl are chosen by parents to marry" but more the "i have a son/daughter that you should meet". Our parents are now setting up our dates! They are taking an active role in my love life! And granted if an Indian boy is something I see myself marrying, then maybe my parent's little black book wouldn't be so bad to tap into. I mean, they know a LOT of people - a lot of good people.
Our parents generally tend to meet their friends in respectable places - temple, another auntie's house, friends of family, etc. An improvement maybe on the fact that I have met a handful of my friends at bars and or drunken college days? This new Arranged Marriage v.2.0.0.6 is not horrible. Granted it has its drawbacks, but overall I know all of our parents mean well. They want to feel that the family and the groom/bride are good people and will make their child ultimately happy. So mom, you can keep finding new boys you want me to meet. If it doesn't work out, at least I will have something new to blog on!
If I was brought up in India, chances are I would either be married or engaged at this juncture in my life - But I wasn't.
Let's talk about arranged marriages for the twentieth century though. Nowadays its not the typical "boy and girl are chosen by parents to marry" but more the "i have a son/daughter that you should meet". Our parents are now setting up our dates! They are taking an active role in my love life! And granted if an Indian boy is something I see myself marrying, then maybe my parent's little black book wouldn't be so bad to tap into. I mean, they know a LOT of people - a lot of good people.
Our parents generally tend to meet their friends in respectable places - temple, another auntie's house, friends of family, etc. An improvement maybe on the fact that I have met a handful of my friends at bars and or drunken college days? This new Arranged Marriage v.2.0.0.6 is not horrible. Granted it has its drawbacks, but overall I know all of our parents mean well. They want to feel that the family and the groom/bride are good people and will make their child ultimately happy. So mom, you can keep finding new boys you want me to meet. If it doesn't work out, at least I will have something new to blog on!
Books
I own a lot of books. It's eventually my dream one day to have those libraries in my house that has TONS of books. And even more than that, I want to say that I have read every one of those books. So is it bad that I am protective of my books? There are some people that I don't mind lending my books to. I know they love to read and will love and protect my book. But others? If I don't hear you talkin' about books and I don't see you readin' any books...why should I give you my book??? Le sigh. It's hard to let those suckers go. Are you willing to sign a contract? I could lend my book to you if you sign a contract....
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Babies!!!!
I'm going to be 26 in about 2 months. To me, although 26 is getting older, I never consider it to be a grown-up. Maybe because I am not married or a homeowner, or worse yet a parent. But it seems that 24-26 is the perfect age for all these activities.
At the current moment I know FOUR couples that are expecting. They are all due either in January, February, or April. This past weekend two of those four couples delivered!!!!!!!! I have never experienced being on the recieving end of a phone call starting "...she went into labor". If you know me, you know most adult experiences freak me out. Marriage - deep breaths. Babies - oh i'm going to throw up. My first reaction to this news - "I have the willies". Yup I said it. When discussing details of birth - "I threw up a little in my mouth". Yup, this is what they listen to...I am so supportive.
In all seriousness though, babies have entered my life! Granted I am not exceptionally close to all four couples that are delivering, but my best friends are - so in turn that makes me by default. I could not be happier for the new parents. Although you and your newborn are not yet reading my blog, I wish you all the happiness in the world! And if you need me to babysit, my going rate is $10/hr but I could cut you a discount.
At the current moment I know FOUR couples that are expecting. They are all due either in January, February, or April. This past weekend two of those four couples delivered!!!!!!!! I have never experienced being on the recieving end of a phone call starting "...she went into labor". If you know me, you know most adult experiences freak me out. Marriage - deep breaths. Babies - oh i'm going to throw up. My first reaction to this news - "I have the willies". Yup I said it. When discussing details of birth - "I threw up a little in my mouth". Yup, this is what they listen to...I am so supportive.
In all seriousness though, babies have entered my life! Granted I am not exceptionally close to all four couples that are delivering, but my best friends are - so in turn that makes me by default. I could not be happier for the new parents. Although you and your newborn are not yet reading my blog, I wish you all the happiness in the world! And if you need me to babysit, my going rate is $10/hr but I could cut you a discount.
Friday, February 03, 2006
Delicious Treats
I have what some may call a "sweet tooth". It is actually painful for me to eat a meal without having something sweet at the end of it (sans breakfast - even though most breakfast treats are sweet). This is where these delicious morsels of sweetness come in --> the M&M aka "God's Gift to Me"One bag of M&M's contains roughly about 50 pieces of candy. I normally don't eat 50 pieces at one sitting - unless of course I am watching a movie, bored at work, watching tv, reading a book....hm...anyways. Usually one bag can last me throughout the day. After lunch, grab a couple to give me my sweet kick and then save the rest for later.
I actually prefer M&Ms cold rather than room temperature. It not only gives them a better taste (in my opinion) but I think it also takes me back to memories of India where all candy was always refrigerated (too hot to sit outside!).
It's a HUGE plus right now to have one of my best friends working for M&M Mars. Going to her house is like entering the world of sugar where there is always a bag of candy on display or in a bowl. She also keeps Mars Dark bars stashed away in her fridge for me....oh so dangerous.
M&Ms can be consumed in two different ways, one by one or by handful. I prefer the one by one so that I feel like I am going slow and they will last longer. That's the theory - not sure if it's actually true. Then there is the other way of shoving a handful in your mouth. That's my friend Dave. Sometimes it's a competition between the both of us. Me trying to get some before he chows them all down.
Oh sweet morsel. How I love thee.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Napolean Dynaminte
What is it about this guy that keeps us laughing for hours? Work has been pretty stressful this past week but we finally found a release! This website is great for soundclips. This one is almost a little better because you can be multiple people!So picture this if you will. It's me and two other bozo's stuck in an office where we have laptops and modems all around us. People keep coming in and out asking us the dumbest questions and the emails are flying. But in the midst of it all, all you can hear are "GOSH" "IDIOT" and "DO THE CHICKENS HAVE LARGE TALONS" - enter laughter.
I really don't know when this joke will get old, but for the remainder of this week, all I can say is "you guys are retarded"
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Snaps
Ever wonder what a "snap" is? When most people here "snap" - they think "Ginger?" Alas that is not what I am speaking of. The term snap was originally coined by me while on vaca in Vegas. Rajani and I saw so many Indians from the motherland that we automatically got into FOB mode (fresh off the boat). I automatically started saying (enter indian accent) "Can you take my snap? " " Let's take a snap" which of course is preceeded by tons of laughter.
While we were taking a breather at the Bellagio (it was HOT outside) Rajani was on the phone with her brother. Lo and behold a fellow indian was sitting next to me with his wife. He then turned to me and asked "can you take our snap?" - in all seriousness. It took most of my god given strength to not start laughing right then and there. I didn't make up the term "snap". I had never in my life heard anyone use this word in my life and here they were using it in an actual sentence! I graciously took their photo and saw them on their merry way. As soon as Rajani was off the phone I recapped the story for her and there were were laughing all over again.
Oh man. good times.
The story gets better..
While we were taking a breather at the Bellagio (it was HOT outside) Rajani was on the phone with her brother. Lo and behold a fellow indian was sitting next to me with his wife. He then turned to me and asked "can you take our snap?" - in all seriousness. It took most of my god given strength to not start laughing right then and there. I didn't make up the term "snap". I had never in my life heard anyone use this word in my life and here they were using it in an actual sentence! I graciously took their photo and saw them on their merry way. As soon as Rajani was off the phone I recapped the story for her and there were were laughing all over again.
Oh man. good times.
