Sell out! With me oh yeah...

Okay so this is a cop out of a post, but I needed to write a new one, and something is better than nothing:

1) Do you like blue cheese?
No, too pungent.

2) Have you ever smoked heroin?
No, I have not.

3) Do you own guns?
I got guns...on my arms! Nyuk, nyuk *ahem* No, I do not own firearms.

4) What flavor do you add to your drink at sonic?
Never been to Sonic, and their drinks all look like knock-offs of other chains' drinks.

5) Do you get nervous before doctor appointments?
Nah not really. Although I might wig out a bit before getting the rest of my wisdom teeth pulled.

6) What do you think of hot dogs?
They need to cool off?

7) Favorite Christmas song?
Yuck, none. Okay maaaaaybe "Last Christmas," but that's only because I love George Michael.

8) What do you prefer to drink in the morning?
Something liquid.

9) Can you do push ups?
Girlie ones.

10) Can you do a chin up?
I try keeping my chin up, but you know, things get tough sometimes.

11) What’s your favorite piece of jewelry?
Oh gosh, I have lots of great jewelry, but I'll say my San Francisco-Peruvian earrings.

12) Favorite hobby?
Sleeping...and shopping. Not necessarily in that order. Eating comes in a close third.

13) Ever been in a car wreck?
Yes, but nothing too serious, thank God.

15) What’s one trait that you hate about yourself?
I have to pick one?? Fine. Crying when I'm angry.

16) Middle name?
No tengo.

17) Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment?
My hair is so freakin' long!
This place is a mess.
I feel it in my fingers, I feel it in my toooes.

18) Name 3 things you bought yesterday?
Frozen yogurt
Gas
That's it

19) Name 3 drinks you regularly drink?
Chai
Water
Diet Coke

20) Current worry?
Bills, bills, bills. And losing weight.

22) Favorite fruit?
I have lots. Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, apples, guavas, pomegranates...

23) How did you bring in the New Year?
I think Liz and I were commiserating about how crappy our New Year's Eves were.

24) Where would you like to go?
Where do I start? San Francisco, England, Australia, France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia -- the list is quite long.

26) Do you own slippers?
Indeedily -- leopard print ones -- but I rarely wear them.

27) What shirt are you wearing?
An Old Navy cerulean blue tee-shirt with dark navy flower print on the sides.

29) Can you whistle?
Sometimes.

30) Favorite color?
Turquoise and emerald green.

32) What songs do you sing in the shower?
Whatever pops into the broken radio that is my mind.

33) Favorite girl’s name?
Shezreh

32) Favorite Boys name?
I'm not sure.

35) What’s in your pocket?
Je ne l'ai pas.

36) Last thing that made you laugh?
A comment Rahil made about a robe being the ultimate in slacker wear.

37) Best bed sheets as a child?
These pastel ones that had sort of a quilt pattern, but they were uber soft.

38) Worst injury you’ve ever had?
Slicing off a tiny part of my thumb with the Superslicer (aka a mandolin). That thing bled for like six hours.

39) Do you love where you live?
Love? No.

40) How many TVs do you have in your house?
Five.

42) How many dogs do you have?
Zero. Not everyone has a dog...sheesh.

45) What is your favorite book?
Also have many of those, but among the favourites are Harry Potter, Girl with a Pearl Earring, and The Count of Monte Cristo.

46) What is your favorite candy?
Chocolate. Dark. And Cadbury's Turkish Delight from the UK.

47) Favorite Sports Team?
I don't really have one.

48) What song do you want played at your funeral?
Hm, we don't usually do songs at our funerals, but maybe "Jaan" by Talvin Singh.

49) What were you doing 12 AM last night?
Falling asleep in bed with the headache and toothache of doom.

50) What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up?
Stupid sun. I can already feel the heat in my fingers.

eBay Update

So I got all three shoes I won, and sadly, the '50s vintage ones do not fit. Well, I can get the black ones on, but then my circulation gets cut off about three minutes later. The cream/yellow ones are totally a no-go, which is a shame because they are totally adorable in real life. I didn't think my feet were that wide, but I guess women had very narrow feet back then. Either that or it just so happened that ones I got were tres narrow. I'll probably put them back on eBay, but if any of you have got long, narrow feet and fancy the black "deco" or the cream/yellow shoes, let me know, and we can discuss.

In hat news, there was an all out last minute bidding war over this one slanted burgundy fedora with feather trim. However, I won. I also won a cute, floppy navy blue hat with grommets, and that arrived today. I'm not so sure about how it looks on me, though. Perhaps I'll post a picture of me in both hats when I get the burgundy one, too.

I never thought of myself as competitive, but oh my, eBay brings out the mean, cursing-like-a-sailor competitor in me. This means more care will be needed in what I choose to bid on because a) I don't really need more stress in my life, and b) those last minute bidders are sneaky. And that drives prices up, which then almost defeats the purpose of eBay. Ah, such a catch-22.

Stay tuned and watch this space!

I hate you, eBay! No wait, I LOVE you!

So, as mentioned in my last post, I started digging around eBay for vintage stuff. Sadly, I lost out on my first bid at the very last minute by one retarded dollar. I was devastated because I really, really, really wanted those shoes. They were way too hawt. Check it:



That's why I thought I hated eBay. I was at a family event when I checked the status of my bid through my crackberry, and needless to say, when I found out I lost, I was not happy. I was surly, even. But then *cue angel choir* I won these babies:

I was pretty pleased with that because a) they were relatively cheap, and b) I was totally digging the green. Green is one of my absolute favourite colours, and though I own maybe three pairs of green heels already, one more pair can't hurt. Unless my mom flips out, but she loves shoes, too, and I got the shoe gene from her. So it's not my fault. Really! Anyhow I thought that was victorious shopping, and then it turns out I scored again. Jebers. I ended up winning these:

My sister thought they weren't really my style, but I thought they were also way too cute to pass up. In addition, they were unworn, new vintage. Score! You don't see too many people out there wearing yellow shoes, which is exactly why I got them. I like to go against the grain a bit...perhaps what you call off-kilter. Actually what ends up happening is that I start wearing stuff that becomes trendy a year later. But back to the shoes because the yellow ones aren't the end. I made an offer to the seller of the very first pair of shoes I bid on, which were these:


Granted, next to the new shoes, these look all scuffy, but I loved the deco design on the side and the totally wearable heel height. I have a tendency for picking out really high heels that have me limping around the office even though I only really make runs to the break room or bathroom. Not like I walk miles and miles everyday. So yeah, because I was bitter about losing out on that first pair of shoes, I made an offer to the seller, and she accepted. Hurray!

Oh, but that's not it, my friends. Not at all. My mom, sister, and I went on a frantic round of Nordstrom Rack before sister had to head back to San Diego. I knew full well i should not be looking in the shoe department, but I did anyway. And I'm glad I did because I found a pair of shoes I'd had my eye on for-ev-er:
And they were way cheaper than their original price of $140. Woo! Oh so of the happy =]

Now my ADD has taken me on to hats, but I actually have a real need for them. The sun ends up being on my left side on my drive to and from work. My little Z4's sun visor doesn't swing to the side, so that leaves my left side exposed to the scorching Southern California sun. Definitely some really good sunscreen (any suggestions?) and hats. Sunglasses are a given -- my eyes are almost a bit too sensitive to bright light, especially after the LASIK. I'll keep you posted on the hat victories and losses as well. Wish me luck!

Bygone Eras

Lately, I've been very into vintage shopping, and by "vintage," I mean stuff from the '20s-'50s. I've always liked things from those time periods, but I never really looked into purchasing anything until a couple of weeks ago. Now, some people have a funny view of vintage, likening it to "crap." But really, it is entirely possible to find things that are either in great condition or completely unworn. I love the hats, even the ostentatious ones, but I'd feel slightly self conscious wearing them now. Even though I always get compliments when I wear my slanted fedora from H&M, it seems to be the land of baseball caps and beanies now. Boo. I don't think the clothes that are available for sale would fit me because women were much smaller and more fit, but I did score a couple of absolutely beautiful patterns. And the shoes...oh my. They were amazing back then, but good lord people had small feet! I did, however, find some great shoes here and there on eBay (also a newfound fascination), which I am bidding on. No, I am not telling you which ones. I want to WIN. Dangit.

Oh, me and my profound weakness for great shoes....

Why vintage though? There was something just innately elegant and classy about clothes and dressing back then. People cared about their appearance, and sweats weren't even invented. I don't know about you, but I cannot operate in bum mode for too long. I wore flip flops to work for two days in a row this week along with jeans and corduroys, but by the end of the second day, I was not comfortable. Imagine that. Not comfortable in bummy clothes.

Whereas most people will wax poetic about something ugly (*ahem* Crocs *cough*) that is soooOOooo comfortable, I'd rather feel good in what I'm wearing even if it's not yoga-pant-comfy. Generally, I feel better about how I look when I'm a bit more dressed up, and that doesn't take much more effort than putting on jeans and a t-shirt. Hell, given a big ol' budget and a great body, I'd dress like this all the time.

God bless Spanx, vintage, and style in the meantime.

I've also developed a mesmerising interest in the vast world of fashion blogs. Perhaps that's my true calling -- fashion blogging. However, then the dilemma of "what will I really contribute to the fashionista blogosphere?" ensues, so maybe I'll have a think about that. There are links to some of my current favourite blogs on the right hand side, and I'm sure I'll be adding to them.

Parting thought -- Thomas Jefferson had the concept of fabulosity down way back in the day:

"Some ladies think they may, under the privileges of the deshabille, be loose and negligent of their dress in the morning. But be you, from the moment you rise till you go to bed, as cleanly and properly dressed as at at the hours of dinner or tea."

"America runs on Dunkin."

There's a Dunkin Donuts commercial airing these days where there are a bunch of people standing in line at some Starbucks-esque coffee shop with confused expressions on their faces. The jingle then goes -- "My mind can't form these words. Is it French? Or is it Italian? Perhaps Fritalian?"

Now, I'm no loyal devotee of Starbucks (or as I call it, "Starjunks" or "Starblech"). Heck, we don't even have Dunkin Donuts in California. However, given that millions of people go to Starbucks everyday, sometimes multiple times a day, it's a bit late in the day for Dunkin to be ripping into the vaguely Italian feel of the chain. Most people who order coffee can, in fact, pronounce "macchiato" or "espresso," and that is usually the extent of drink name complexity. French terminology is generally not used in coffee houses unless it's a French cafe or restaurant. Then you'll get cafe au lait versus cafe latte. Even then, because French and Italian both stem from Latin, words in both languages are similar enough for someone to deduce what a coffee related word means.

Going back to the commercial, it is slightly amusing at first, but it's also a bit disturbing because, the way I see it, this commercial is a microcosmic reflection of American society. Everyone else in the world is bilingual, learning their native language and at least another language to function in the wider, global business world. That other language is usually English. However, most average, non-immigrant Americans can barely speak English, let alone another language. We get the option in high school to learn another language, but usually there's no real effort to really learn the language; the kids just take the class to fulfill a requirement and graduate. There's no real retention of the language learned.

The problem compounds when Americans venture abroad or encounter people who, though intelligent and capable of learning English, may not be very fluent. The usual image foreigners have of Americans are fat, sneakers-, shorts-, and baseball hat-wearing tourists who think that speaking English slowly and loudly counts as being able to communicate. This, coupled with fantastic flubs in foreign policy, has lead to a general disdain for the American public. Yet, people are still bewildered as to why the world doesn't hold America and Americans in high regard.

Hello? It just takes a bit of effort, people. If rest-of-the-world can make an effort to learn English, it's not asking much of us to learn just one more language. Sure, we can start the public education system blame game, which is a whole 'nother can of worms, but just a little effort goes a long way. It's not that hard, really.

So Dunkin Donuts' whole tag line plays into the "America! F*ck YEAH!" mentality, yet they still serve lattes. Go figure. America runs on Dunkin, indeed.

Meanwhile, I'm off to get a nonfat, upside down caramel macchiato and practice my French.

New year, new me?

So it's that time again. The wee days of January, which means a new year, and, invariably, a slew of resolutions. I'm not one to make new year's resolutions per se, but I suppose now is as good a time as any. There are a few things I want to work on, but they all have the common thread of instilling more discipline in myself. Not the spit polish, bounce a quarter off the bed, drill sergeant type of discipline, but enough to stick to a plan to accomplish a goal.

For example, the one thing that I've always struggled with for as long as I can remember (well since I was nine years old anyway) is my weight. There are a whole host of reasons why I gained weight -- emotional eating, food as comfort, rebellion, exercise averseness, etc. -- but the effort to lose weight has always been one fraught with stops and starts, success and failure. Frankly, I'm sick of people telling me that I'd be so pretty if I just lost the weight. In addition, my weight has been a major sticking point between my dad and me, which adds to the whole complexity of the situation. Add to that the frustration of having to hunt high and low for clothes that will fit me (not my ten year old cousin) and that will be stylish. Oh, and one more thing, one of my best friends is getting married at the end of March, which means I'm one of the bridesmaids and have to look presentable. That's an automatic 20-30 pounds to lose.

For those fortunate enough to have either good genes or the discipline and motivation to eat right and work out consistently, being overweight is simply a "mind over matter" issue. In many ways, it is. To me, however, it's more of a mind over heart issue because the heart, lovely and full of feelings as it is, is sometimes the grand saboteur of success. The heart is what will tell me whether something feels good or bad now, whether something is fun, whether that piece of chocolate will make me happier or not. The heart is right most of the time, but often, when hard work is required, it turns into a wuss. That's where the mind should kick in, take over, and push the body further than the heart wants to take it.

This whole situation brings to mind a quote someone told me many years ago: "Discipline without love is rebelliousness; love without discipline is anarchy." Do I love myself enough to not let myself descend into anarchy? That is, can I instill some modicum of discipline in myself so that I get where I want to go without rebelling against the self-imposed restrictions? It will definitely be a constant struggle, and one I wish I did not have to endure. For my health's, satisfaction's, and inner fashionista's sake, however, it's a struggle I must undertake will all due fervour. Or else I'll be doomed to make this same resolution on January 1, 2009.

The Miseducation of Pakistan

As I got ready for work this morning, I turned on the TV and started flipping through the usual -- MTV, VH1, and MTV Tr3s. Sandwiched in between the channels is CSPAN, which I also occasionally watch. Flashing toward the bottom was a blurb of what was coming next -- "Presidential candidates to give statements on Bhutto Assassination." For a second, I was quite confused. Why were they going to talk about Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto from back in the day? Then it dawned on me that they meant Benazir Bhutto. I promptly went to CNN, and lo and behold, breaking news was that Benazir Bhutto had been assassinated.

"WHAT?!" I yelped.

It was almost in a state of horror and definitely dismay that I listened to the news of her assassination. Like her or not, she was a formidable figure in Pakistani politics. Harvard and Oxford graduate, former Prime Minister (in a Muslim country, no less), self-purported champion of the people. Though she was not without her issues, corruption charges being the most prominent, she did, in the end, risk her life to bring back some semblance of democracy to the country. Ms. Bhutto was not happy that the country was in the hands of a (benevolent?) military dictator, so she decided to do something about it. Perhaps she wanted power for herself again, or maybe she really did want another shot at really running the country. Whatever the case, unfortunately, she died for her cause.

What this means, in my opinion, is that Pakistan is now at a crossroads more than ever. Either this tragic incident can be the impetus for the Pakistani people to stand up against the destabilising elements or the country will steadily slide into chaos. For our country's sake, I hope it's the former. We don't need to be labeled "Terror Central" as demonstrated by Nic Robertson's documentary. What we should be is that light of hope for a more stable, peaceful, and prosperous future, not one wrought in violence and upheaval. Although political power is firmly entrenched amongst the elite and landowners, this is the opportunity for the representatives of the middle class and the intelligentsia to wrest power from them and actually take Pakistan forward. Complacency got us nowhere; the military got us nowhere; the landowners want the status quo; and the Taliban would be quite happy to take us back about 1400 years.

The country gained nothing by allowing Taliban/Islamic militant elements to flourish in the border areas. I believe that part of those elements' success in the area has to do with the cultural conservatism of the Pathan tribes, but more so, it is attributable to the severely hindered social development of Pakistan. It is the lack of basic necessities, especially education, and opportunities, especially decently-paying jobs, that makes the Taliban and madrassas so attractive to the poor. The madrassas (religious schools) provide food, clothing, shelter, and education, albeit a narrow one, to the children that attend. That is by and large far beyond anything a public Pakistani school can offer, that too after charging the students tuition fees that most poor families cannot afford.

If even public schools have to charge tuition fees, what is the government spending its money on? Nuclear warheads, missiles, other defence expenditures? Of course. Is some of that money going into politicians' pockets? No doubt. What about the grandiose projects like dams? Yes, the money goes there, too. However, almost nothing is spent to really advance Pakistan as a society in the way of education and infrastructure. The people, especially the poor, are almost systematically disenfranchised by being denied even basic education. How can they make good decisions about who to elect when they can't write their own names? Exactly. They then get strongarmed into voting for the local feudal landowner who pretty much owns their souls. The ones who can make a modicum of difference end up leaving either for the big cities or for foreign lands, resulting in the much touted brain drain.

It saddens me that Pakistanis have mostly made good names for themselves abroad, yet our motherland continues to disintegrate. How is it that our neighbour, India, who gained independence at the same time we did, became one of the world's leading economies and a powerhouse of IT and sciences while Pakistan lags far behind? Clearly, we have the intellectual capability, otherwise expatriate Pakistanis would not be successful abroad, but we don't have the institutions to foster the capability. We have nothing equivalent to an IIT or Bangalore/Mysore as our Silicon Valley. India's government is not without corruption or extremists (the BJP and Shiv Sehna parties being the most notorious), nor are they without riots, violence, and upheaval. Yet, they still manage to thrive, attract rather than drive out foreign direct investment, and are respected in the world arena. I realise this is a tangent to my original reason for writing, but it merits thought in that the two countries share many elements (poverty, corruption, lack of opportunities for the poor, violence), yet India prospers while Pakistan suffers.

Going back to Ms. Bhutto's assassination, there is much speculation as to whodunnit. In my view, it was either an inside job or Taliban with the help of military sympathisers. My inclination is toward the latter because Bhutto was a woman in a leadership position in a Muslim society. Whereas 20 years ago, that was fully acceptable, with the increased proliferation of ultraconservative militants, this is not something they could stand for, nor would they want to deal with her. This will lead me to another tangent if I keep going, but suffice it to say that although the Taliban's goal is to emulate Islamic society during the Prophet's time, women were in leadership positions and were consulted regularly.

I can't help but shake my head in disbelief while Pakistan sits in stunned silence.