Stories from the Store

As I've mentioned before, my parents own convenient stores. What I've failed to mention is that they happen to own them in some the whitest suburban towns in the Bay Area. Interestingly enough, my parents' (and the employees') presence has caused somewhat of an intrigue with "Indian culture".

Exotification #1:

Customer: I just saw this wonderful movie about your people.

Mom: Really, which one? "The Kamasutra"?

Customer: No. It was called "The Nama-sake" (the "sake" pronounced as our favorite Japanese drink)

Mom: You mean "The Namesake"?

Customer turns bright red.

Exoticfication #2

Mom: Where did you get all of this food? Chawal, daal, sabzee?

Tony (our manager): From that crazy gori that wears a sari all the time.

Mom: Why did she bring you food?

Tony: She thinks that all Indians are vegetarians. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I only like meat dishes.

New Beginnings

New Year, New Job, New Adventures!

And (maybe) New Posts!

Happy Belated New Years Everyone!


:-)

"You Can Be My Hero, Baby!"

Yes, I am officially the biggest dork ever. But I couldn't resist this Krishan Behl pic. Anything to make Brownie smile :-).

Happy Tuesday!

Christian Bale Maybe Going Overboard With the Heroes



Bale Also to Save Humanity Without Cape: Now it’s official: Following last week’s rumor, Variety reports that Christian Bale is in fact in final negotiations to play hero John Connor in Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins. Can’t the star of the super-sweetly-monikered The Dark Knight get them to do something about that title? [Variety

Looks Like Brownie is a Modern Cool Nerd

Your Score: Modern, Cool Nerd

82 % Nerd, 56% Geek, 43% Dork

For The Record:

A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia.
A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one.
A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions.
You scored better than half in Nerd and Geek, earning you the title of: Modern, Cool Nerd.

Nerds didn't use to be cool, but in the 90's that all changed. It used to be that, if you were a computer expert, you had to wear plaid or a pocket protector or suspenders or something that announced to the world that you couldn't quite fit in. Not anymore. Now, the intelligent and geeky have eked out for themselves a modicum of respect at the very least, and "geek is chic." The Modern, Cool Nerd is intelligent, knowledgable and always the person to call in a crisis (needing computer advice/an arcane bit of trivia knowledge). They are the one you want as your lifeline in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (or the one up there, winning the million bucks)!

Congratulations!

***Thanks agk for the procrastination idea****

Link: The Nerd? Geek? or Dork? Test written by donathos on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

The Saga Of The Kabobwalla

Sorry haven't written about London. But here's yet another encounter from across the pond.

March 2002

Location: Kabob take-away in by Earl's Court Station, London.

Sugar is slightly tipsy with her friends at 3am.

b: (in my horrible Urdu). Um, could I get some water with my kabob roll? (In English) Sparkling water, please.

Kabobwalla: (In Urdu) We don't have sparkling. Have some 7-Up, it's the same thing.

b: (back to Urdu) Uh, no it's not. It's okay, I don't want anything to drink then.

Kabobwalla: Drank enough, huh? You girls dressed like that, chi chi.

b: (Yelling in Urdu) What? How dare you say that! Forget this, just give me my kabob!

b's friends: What were you yelling about, b?

June 2007

Location: The same kabob take-away.

This time b is sober and it's only 10:30pm

b: (In Urdu) Could I get some sparkling water with my kabob?

Kabobwalla: We don't have that. Why don't you take some 7-Up? It's the same thing.

b: (To myself) Where did I hear this conversation before?

London Calling

Sorry I've been MIA for the past couple of weeks. Things with work are getting hectic and heated (they're keeping me through the summer but at a price-I won't be able to meet with my students for career counseling, the one aspect of the job that I like. Instead I have to teach resume building???). So my love for my org and my coworkers is dwindling. Plus, with the insane amounts of going away parties to attend and friends saying goodbye and trying to meet others has taken it's toll. So what does a girl do? She blows half of her pay check for a jet-setting weekend to London.




Well, hopefully this trip brings the clarity I need to put things in perspective. If not, at least I'll get to gorge on English breakfasts, fish and chips, Cadbury's, scones, and my favorite, balti chicken.


Have a great weekend everyone and cheerio! :-)

Whatcha Think?

When I first moved to SF, I tried yahoo personals and it didn't yield much (apart from a good guy friend). But this little article is interesting. You gotta love Sepiamutiny sometimes...

http://dating.personals.yahoo.com/singles/relationships/682/two-of-a-kind

Any experiences, opinions, stories?

What's On My Mind Today...

So I just got word that my two really close awesome friends (who are sisters) are moving to NYC sooner than expected-like in matter of days. I'm SO excited for them (especially since one will be working in music and the other is going to nursing school), but there is this ripple of sadness and panic that is going through me right now. A part of it is that they were my buddies, the ones that got me out of the house, the ones that were always up for a movie or try a new restaurant, or go to a show (i.e. I dragged them to see Voxtrot with me at GAMH last night and BTW Ramesh was at his hippity-hoppity best!) so essentially there goes my social life here in SF.

Another part is a mild jealousy. While I love NYC more than I love SF, the two years I spent there were tough with life, school, boy (I promise part 3 is coming, it's just been a really difficult section to write). I guess I'm kinda jealous of the fact that they will actually get to enjoy NYC in all it's glory while I'm stuck here in a city where I'm wearing a turtle neck on the last day of May (yes, it's that cold here today and yeah, I have some other complaints about the city, but I'm just going to complain about that for now). These are the friends that were very supportive of me when I moved to NYC in the first place when even my parents were fighting against my move and they were also the first ones on that plane to come out and take care of me when I needed them. They're gonna be out there pursuing their dreams while I'm on the other coast trying to figure out mine.

Of course one idea is to move back to NYC-I have the potential to get my licensure there without any problems (too many hurdles in CA) and go back to doing work with the SA community, something which I miss doing. But something is keeping me here, more a feeling than anything. Maybe it's because my parents are getting older, moving is such a hassle, the weather (can't stand humidity), the hope that maybe something better is coming (love-wise, work-wise, and dream-wise), I can't quite put my finger on it.

So today my mood is bittersweet with a dash of panic and confusion. Just had to get it out there so I can at least try to get some work done and sift through CL to see if my dream opportunity is out there. And who knows, a glance at the personals might yield something (hey, a girl can be hopeful, right?).

Life's Simple Pleasures

It sounds like it's been a crazy couple of weeks for everyone (me included). I've been kinda depressed for a multitude of reasons (job, stupid men, failing diet) so I thought I would try to write out my simple pleasures to remind me of the little joys that can be found (or cultivated).

1) Having my morning cuppa coffee ready for me when I get out of the shower.

2) Morning yoga

3) Eating a good meal

4) Laughing

5) Working with my kiddies

6) Spurts of creativity

7) A good movie

8) Celebrity crushes ;-)

9) The smell of lavendar on my pillow

10) Connecting with friends and family

11) Shopping (bad for the bank account)

What are some of your simple pleasures?

Is It All About the Make-Up?

A couple of days ago, I was wandering the shops in Union Square after work killing time before meeting JaB and RbB. Usually when I have to kill time, I wonder into Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters to get ideas before I buy knock-offs at H&M and Forever 21. But my usual wanderings got me thinking about where my life was going. I'm in a job I'm beginning to get bored at, my three bestest friends in SF are leaving me this summer (one's moving to LA and two are moving to NYC), and on top of it, I haven't been able to find a pair of jeans I like. AND don't even get me started on my (nonexistent) love life (at least there's always the hope of Krishan Behl) .

I needed a change. No, not a personality change (wouldn't know where to begin-plus not feeling like going back into therapy) or a wardorbe change (I actually like my quirky fashion sense), I needed something more drastic.

The answer: Make-Up.

Now, being 28, I had never bought any make-up before. No, I'm not naturally gorgeous, just naturally lazy. I'm also sure a lot of it comes from being was traumatized as a teen with weird make-up experiments from friends and a mother who were much lighter than me, resulting in a not so beautiful face where I looked more like a desi clown than a super hot bollywood celebrity. Those two factors resulted in me never attempting to buy make-up.

Until that night.

Wandering around Macy's, I stopped in front of the Benefit Counter, thinking that they weren't as scary as the MAC Counter with their three layers of cake on the attendents' faces. So as I peered over the interesting colors of eye-shadow (yeah, I'm easily amused), the counter girl comes over and asks if I need any help.

bs: I have something funny to tell you, I've never bought make-up before.

benefit "valley girl": What? You've never bought make-up before?

bs: No

bvg: Uh, do you like go out?

bs: A little too much.

bvg: Do men like talk to you?

bs: Not the good ones, but yeah.

bvg: Uh, okay...can I try some things on you? Mascara, eye shadow, lipstick

Readers, let's just say I looked like a desi valley girl with pink eyeshadow and lipstick. At least JaB and RbB had a laugh when I got into their car.



Yeah, I'm sticking with my al natural look.

The Cost of Love?

Setting: Walgreens on Market and 3rd a couple of weeks ago. I'm buying some last minute sunscreen before I head home to pack for my trip to DC. Yours truly is standing in line, reading a tabloid (of course!). The young man standing in front of me turns around.

Young Man: Hey, I'm a film student across the street (at the Academy of Art) and I'm making a documentary. Can I ask you some questions for it?

BS: Umm, I have a fear of cameras. (eyes go back to the article on Britney)

YM: Ah, okay. I don't have my camera on me so don't worry. I just wanted to try out some questions. Is that alright?

BS: Uhh, I suppose...(why do I have to be soo nice?)

YM: Tell me, what's the price of a cup of coffee?

BS: I don't know, I make my own coffee.

YM: You do? Oh, um okay. How about this: how much do you think a gallon of gas is?

BS: I wouldn't know, I don't drive.

YM: You're not helping.

BS: Sorry about that (back to the Britney article)

YM: How about this, what's the cost of love?

BS: (head goes up, surprised at question)

YM: (after a couple of moments) Well...Have you ever been in love?

BS: Err, um, hey, I think you're next (pointing to the cash register).

Williamsburg Hipster Seeks Prehistoric Emo?

Okay, okay, I go to a lot of the so-called hipster shows here in SF (like tonight I'm going to see The Cinematics and Mute Math at Slim's), but I wouldn't consider myself a hipster-I can't stand their wanna be cool attitude, their "vintage clothes" bought new at Urban Outfitters (or the more expensive Anthropologie), and the vacant look in their eyes. That is until I read the description for a "Williamsburg Hipster" on www.yourscenesucks.com which describes exactly what I'm wearing right now-scary... I need to comer up with a new image...or at least a new wardrobe!

So what kind of hipster are you, if you dare to share?

Fun FYI: My dream man would be a "Prehistoric Emo" boy named Krishan Behl ;-). Anybody out there in the blogsphere who could hook me up? J/K.

That Voice...

I think I'm in love....the voice, the hair...and he's (barely) legal!

Hope all is well out there in the blogsphere. Life's been hectic in a good way (and some bad), but I will be back in full-force, promise.

Enjoy your Sunday with some Paolo! Smile!

Doing Her Part

My parents own convenient stores. While I used to be ashamed of it when I was younger (Apu didn't help), over the years, I've become proud of the work they do.

This past weekend, my mom shared some of her stories from the store. It just goes to show that this world still has a long way to go.

Incident 1:

Customer hands a $100 bill to purchase a pack of cigarettes. Mom holds the bill to the light to make sure it's real.

Customer: Don't worry, it's not from your country.

Mom: Excuse me? You think that just because India is considered a 3rd world country that all counterfeit money comes from there? Take your money and never come to my store again! Please leave!


Incident 2:

Customer standing off to the side, scratching away at a lottery ticket.

Customer: So tell me, why do you only hire Indians? They don't even speak English properly.

Mom: Do you know how hard it is to immigrate to a new country? This store is a stepping stone for them. Think about it, say you, as an American, went to India to find work, where would you feel most comfortable working? Admit it, you would feel more comfortable working with Americans, right? Same thing here. I'm proud to give those opportunities to people who want to work hard than those relying on a lottery ticket to change things.


I love my Mom!

Multiple What???

You gotta love the aunties... ;-)

http://www.abcdlady.com/2007-03/chaiNoon.php


Thinking about making a Punjabi version of this-watch out Gurinder Chadha!!!

The Brown Sugar Project

Now, I'm no writer (and certainly not a poet), but while I was at my parents' house a couple of weekends ago, I came across this old journal I had back in NYC. In there, I would write my reflections about my clients, among other things, while I was taking the R from Queens back into Manhattan. I found this musing scrawled on a wrinkled page with my attempt to draw an eye right next to it. I don't remember what compelled me to write this then, but I thought I would post it anyway.

I guess sharing this is a way to help me refocus the original intent of the blog, which was to deal with my own "bicultrual strain" (or, to be more clinically appropriate, bicultural identity integration-lord, I'm such a therapist) along with connect with others who are also Desi through the blogsphere. Also, I would contribute it to watching "The Grace Lee Project" on Sundance this past Friday.

Don't fret, though, I will keep the boy stories coming, too ;-).

At least you'll get a laugh at this below for now :-P


The Desi Stare

There you are standing there, looking at me,
across the subway platform, a fellow desi

are you trying to unravel who I am with your stare,
size me up, look me down, figure me out,

are you trying to catch a glimpse of my inner soul, my karma, my chances of nirvana,

are you trying to find a bond, a connection in this land,

are you expecting me to approach you, to greet you, to embrace you

or are you expecting me to look at the ground when our eyes meet

are you wondering what the two of us are doing here in the same place, two people, same background at the same time?

Funny thing is, I'm wondering the same thing about you...