Using “volume” where it counts

is like fucking for virginity

this needs a title?

There is inherent beauty in the art of making choices. A choice is a measure of care. Be it the file format and zip format that supports streaming or miso soup over steak. If we are the product of our environments, the only real influence the environment has on you is what you end up choosing for yourself. Steak? Man from outside your religion? Yoga? I’m stating the obvious but we all know anyone who chooses things that are not the convention exercises more brain muscle than the average joe, stands out, has more to contribute by way of conversation or example, and can stand the test of novelty more often than once.

I think Choice is beautiful. And dangerous. And fun.

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Confessions of an efficient communicator:

Having lived with Americans for 3 weeks, my subconscious communicator self has begun to rotate Rrrs, and “D”fy “T”s. Like later is laderrr. Hahaha and Vodka is being converted to Vaadka – just so the bartenders do not hear it as wodka and interpret it as water. Really.

Sometimes I twirl em RRs even with J. I could choose to speak in Indianese, but then I would never be understood and get way many blank stares as compared to now. There is some amount of ego at play when I think I am giving up my real accent personality. I’m all for the dissolution of the ego when it comes to getting things done.

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Fun facts that one wouldn’t know if they sat inside a cubicle for most of their life:

- Ducks lift one of their legs and stand sometimes. Sometimes they even shit like that. It makes them graceful.
- They also eat grass – for roughage I guess.
- They get cold in cold water and shiver too.
- Their shit is green and white, solid distribution – 70% green 30% white.
- Lake water turns into mercury during dusk hours.
- Watching the sun melt away clouds is like watching the war in Ramayana. Eventually everybody succumbs to the sun’s whims.
- Pine cones can be as small as 1 inch tall.
- Lake Tahoe – restekpah!

Living with dragons

It’s one of those mornings when you know things are going to be okay when you put on your headphones and listen to music. Until then you blog. My ipod is charging.

And why the sudden dependency on the iPod – well because the guy in my neighboring cubicle keeps munching on something REALLY crunchy, and keeps making those crunch crunch sounds that make me hungry, jealous, and want to find out what he’s eating. Also, on hunger, me can’t work.
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While moving in as a housemate is a novel experience unto itself, what makes it interesting is that my housemates are not Indian. I live with 6 individuals. 3 humans, 2 dogs, and 1 reptile. More specifically, a brother sister duo, their bartender friend, all Americans, and 2 labradors – one golden one brown, and a bearded dragon.

It hasn’t just been interesting learning the nuances of how Americans do things around the house, it has also been interesting observing another species – I’ve been around dogs and thought I knew what they did. What wasn’t taken into account is that I made these observations about dogs when I was what – 11? I wouldn’t have know a she-dog could hump my shoulder because I didn’t know what humping meant back then. So yea, one of the she-dogs tried to hump my shoulder when I sat down on the stairs. The other she dog has the most amazing puppy face expressions – she walks around with a plastic box in her mouth all day asking for food, even if the lady of the house fed her before she left. And between two female dogs there is jealousy, competition for attention, and dynamics that try to figure out which one of them plays alpha. You can also almost sense which one of them is more secure and self-confident and which one of them has lower self-esteem.

Recently the bro and sis have become comfortable enough with the lizard to walk around the house with the lizard on their shoulder. To me it looks like a mini crocodile that will flare up and bite me with a venomous sting. Believe me, all this is only in and from my head. Apparently, bearded dragons are near dog-like when it comes to seeking attention and quite friendly.

The dragon sits in an acrylic tank all day, perched on his shoebox, basking under the lamplight focused on one corner of the cage. He sleeps inside the shoebox. Eats sparingly, and looks at you with a stiff upper lip, from the side of his face where his bulbous and haughty eye happens to be. Believe it or not, it’s one of the high points in my life at the moment.

The day I carry him around on my shoulder, I’ll ensure there are pictures to record the moment and will promptly enshrine it on this blog.

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So work-wise, things have changed. C H A N G E D. For people who know what I have been like in my past existence, brace yourself and find a chair:

- I wake up at 7 30/7 45 in the morning – on a bad day.
- On a good day, I manage 6 45 am.
- I walk to work.
- I also walk back from work.
- It’s 1.2 miles – one way. That’s nearly 2 kms.
- I cook at least 2 evenings a week.
- And I find time to travel to San Diego during the weekend.
- Here’s the best one: I sleep before 1 am every single day. Most days it’s before 11 30 pm.

Hahaha! And you know what, I’m not complaining at all. In fact, I love it.
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ZAMM

And while we are listing accomplishments:
I finally fucking finished ZEN AND THE ART OF MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE. I cried. I expected to. But I cried for reasons that I didn’t expect to cry for. It wasn’t just a book. And any attempts to describe it cursorily will be a decision of less quality than not talking about it; just basking in the glow of having digested it, page by page, and of having understood it – experience by experience.

Next I’m reading On the Road. J gave it to me for the birthday saying – For a trip that lasts longer than a day.

PS: Shiva, I know you said it will be better to read Dharma Bums first, but I couldn’t resist.
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Grudge of the day:
I want mood labels and smileys to indicate how weird I am feeling. I want a sign that says – I don’t know how to react to this situation because they don’t do it like that in my culture.

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Mood of the moment:
Desperately seeking hot soup and socks!