aumshantih

DJRL sez:  "Chakras out of alignment?  Try this."

Yeah so things are going fairly well. The weekends of wedding are over, and they went very well indeed. I must admit I was a bit nervous about my small part in K&J's ceremony, but it seemed to go over well. Floon for games is returning, and work is going decently well despite some funding issues. (I suppose I just need to have a better relationship with green energy.)

One thing the last two weddings made me realize is how much I miss dancing with my friends. I'm not much of a ballroom dancer (though even that is starting to become appealing now..), but there should be more clubbing. Or more dance parties. Or something.

Anywho, work beckons. I've been learning a lot about heart rate variability lately and it pleases me. My center has mysteriously acquired a volunteer retired cardiologist who is all kinds of awesome, and it's been really rewarding actually learning something fascinately new again.

So driving through the wilds of Maryland, amidst all the billboards for truckstops and how much Jesus loves you, I saw one very powerful sign. It was a giant "2012", with the sub titles "Who will survive?" and something about looking it up.

At first I was mildly enthused that the Second Coming/Apocalypse Now crowd and their disciples have moved on from millenialism, but then I was sad to find out no, it's just that Capitalist Corporatism found out.

http://www.whowillsurvive2012.com/

Well, at least now I can rest easy knowing that John Cusack and Amanda Peet will survive the tzitzimime.

So yeah, I survived the last weekend, but ended up plagued. While I feel better, it's still not completely gone yet. Boo chest colds.

To my more techie friends - I'm about to be daring and replace our aging Windows 2003 SMB server with a snazzy new Linux Samba affair. Do any of you have suggestions for good server distro's to use? I'm torn between Fedora Core and Ubuntu 9.04 LTS, and I've been hearing a lot of good things about CentOS as well..

We don't need anything really snazzy - just Windows compatible file/print sharing, and a local webserver/mysql db for internal use.

Thanks in advance!

Yes, I'm still here. How did the summer go by so frickin' fast?

Nothing particularly new to report - sort of lost my floon for 4E, and have been gaining it for other games.

I heard a good joke a few days ago at the office.

"Cats are like dogs with Asperger's Syndrome."

I, being the cat person that I am, countered with:

"Dogs are like cats with anxious attachment disorder."

A good time was had by all.
Peace out.

I made something yesterday that turned out to be very tasty, so I figured I'd post a recipe.

( Red Cabbage with Sesame Seeds. )

Yum!

I highly recommend it.

So I've been half tempted to run Orc and Pie, updated to 4th Edition, for ProCon.
It'd be geared to level 4 characters, and would feature nifty 4E-isms, like avengers and skill challenges, in addition to the pie.

But then I had an even better idea.
"Orcus and Pi"
Level 28 characters versus Orcus, who has managed to steal the platonic ideal of Pi, and is going to declare that it equals 3. (It makes necromancy easier, you see.)

I probably won't run either, because Incarna consumes, but you never know.

Cylons are way too emo to be a viable species.

I don't normally post tech news/criticism on here, but I'm so outraged by this I have to vent.
Microsoft, after doing a super duper craptacular job rolling out WinVista, has decided to roll out Windows 7 pronto.
And in order to fight off the popularity of Netbooks and lightweight machines running Linux, they are pitching a "Windows 7 Starter Edition".
Which limits users to running 3 (count em three) applications at one time.
WTF.
Are they deliberately trying to shoot themselves in the foot?

When a middle aged geek's gets bills asking him to renew his webhosting service.
I asked a while back about webhosts that people recommend.
I'm particularly interested in hosts that have wiki support.
I've heard some good things about dreamhost, and I know there is some kind of recommendation program by which I can sign up and help out a friend in return.
Do any of you know any good webhosts?
Thanks in advance!

Namashkar.
I'm back in one piece. The flight to Boston was uneventful, if a bit long.
I'm going to unpack and try to get my digestive system back into order.
I'm looking forward to my shower, my waterbed, and my neti pot.

Ironically, I forgot to bring my jala neti gear to Kolkata with me. I didn't think it would be a big deal, considering that jala neti yoga originated in the subcontinent. I'd just pick up another one while I was there, I thought. A nice copper one, which would properly channel pranic energy, or some such. But after two weeks of looking, I was totally unable to find one. I got blanked looked stares from pharmacists, and even freaking ayurvedic shops, when I asked for one. (The ayurvedic stores seemed to like to sell you a lot of pills and oils and ointments, not um, actual yoga gear that, y'know, works.) I ended up using an old cracked teapot courtesy of one of my dear aunts, and that got me through. You'd think Indians would rediscover this technique, and pronto - the air quality there is so abyssmal, it would really help with sinus and breathing issues.

Anyways, shower and then bed.

I'm sitting here in the Club World lounge in Heathrow, thanks to my brother-in-law, Eddie, who got us in being the uber-frequent business traveller that he is. It's quite nice here, with a cafeteria and lots of drinks, and better yet, high speed access. I've been jonesing for a decent net connection.

The flight from Kolkata was living hell. Two hours late due to dense fog, multiple screaming children, and a person behind me that sounded like he was coughing up a lung. I should have compassion for all living things, but I was ready to open my third eye and ignite them all.

My last day in Kolkata was quite nice - I bought a bunch of books, did some last minute shopping, and spent a lot of time with my relatives. Many came to see me and Eddie off, which was nice, but as always bittersweet. My brother-in-law managed to make good impressions on everyone, which was nice. There's enough family drama as there is without those of us who are younger and saner getting involved in the thick of it.

There's a lot of things I'll miss about India. The food was wonderful, though I'm afraid that it kind of overloaded my digestion. (I don't want to even look at a curry for a few months..) The omnipresence of the gods and goddesses is always nice for me. This last year or so I kind of had a large crisis in faith, and it was reassuring for me to see how naturally it all came back to me while there. Well, perhaps it wasn't a crisis, and more of lull. I hope to bring some of that back with me, though it's tougher to practice in America. (Or maybe I just have more worldly distractions.) I'll miss the language - I forgot I how much I enjoy speaking and listening to Bengali. There are so many things that are better expressed in it than in English. I'll miss my aging relatives, some of whom I probably won't see again.

There are a lot of things I won't miss though. First and foremost, the poverty and filth. I guess things are a bit better than the last time I was there, but it's always heart rending, not to say unhealthy. I won't miss the traffic, or the difficulty of transportation. It'll be nice to feel wired and connected after being basically offline for a while. I won't miss being asked when I'm getting married - dear goddess, you'd think they'd be able to put two and two together. I also won't miss the uniformity of the people - I mean, everyone in India, basically, is some kind of Indian, and while we are a diverse people, it gets boring. It really is a strength of America that we can walk around and see people of all colors and creeds, from all over the world. It's kind of miraculous, really.

Anywho, I'm going to eat some more free food and perhaps a beer before my flight. I'll be uploading pictures and more posts when I'm home and have had time to go through all my things.

Be well, dear readers.

The party went well. There were around 60 people in attendance, almost entirely family. It was a bit odd as I bunch of relatives I never knew I had showed up, so that was awkward, but I tried my best to talk to everyone. Everyone was well dressed and well behaved, and I got a bunch of good pictures that I’ll upload when I have access to a fast net connection. The food was fantastic as well, though some of it a bit too rich and spicy for my stomach. The Bhekti Tikka was particularly phenomenal, as was the Rasa Malai. (If teeth rottingly sweet.)

Afterwards Eddie, Devi and my cousin Bikram went out to enjoy the nightlife at the Cylon Basestar. Sadly, we couldn’t get into the dance club “Tantra” because we were wearing slippers (sna?) so we hung out in the cheers-esque bar and enjoyed the live band and drank some beer. Kingfisher is great, though after all that rich food, it didn’t settle too well.
The day after we had intended to go and see Belur Math, the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, a religious order that my family has belonged to for quite some time. Sadly, we weren’t able to go, because our driver decided to go missing. Travelling anywhere in this city is quite a mess. Instead we hung out here and I got to spend some time with some of my nieces. I bought “Jenga” which went over really well.

Today’s my final day here. I’m feeling a bit melancholy (melankali?) but It’s going to be good to be home. My cousin Bikram is likely getting married in about a year’s time, and my attendance is required, so I’ll probably be back soon enough. Still, leaving is always tough. I just wish plane fare was less expensive so I could afford to visit more often.
See you all on the flip side.

A thing I forgot to mention:
So since 26-11 (DD-MM-YYYY is the norm here) and the Mumbai attacks, security has been heightened pretty much everywhere. Bags are checked and there are metal detectors when you go into the mall. Cars are stopped and searched. It can be annoying, but better safe than sorry, right?

However, when I was going into the previously mentioned bar, things got stranged. The car we were in pulled into this dark tunnel. On one side was a clear glass wall, through which there was a very modern nightclub, all silver and metallic with red neon lighted. The ground was lit up like a runway, with two sets of glowing lights. The security guards had mirrors on poles that they used to check the undercarriage. I could hear the thumping of trance music through the glass on the other side.

It felt like I was going into a Cylon Basestar.

The sign on the other end advertised for another nightclub named "Tantra". That was cool, but we ended up going to the Cheers-style bar instead. Maybe tonight though..

So today's the big day. We're having a reception my sister and her new(ish) husband at the Astor Hotel in Kolkata. (http://www.astorkolkata.com)
The food there is insanely delicious, and it's got a great atmosphere. Around 60 people are coming, almost entirely family. There was quite a bit of rangling on who to invite and stuff, and when I tried to offer my relatively sane opinions I was violently rebuffed, so since then I’ve stayed the f*** out of the matter.

We’re all dressing up for the affair – my sister and husband are wearing super nice saris and sherwani’s respectively. I went looking for a sherwani, but oh my goddess, the styles that are “in” at the moment make my head spin. Think sequins and glitter, and nothing else. (It’d be useful for certain sparkly cupcake princes, but that’s not normally my style.) I wanted one in black, and that’s really not in, as sherwanis are usually wedding attire, and traditionally white and off whites are preferred. I found one that I personally thought was awesome – deep black, with a full front leaf brocade, but it was super pricey ($300 or so) and according to my mother, not “gorgeous” enough for me. Her tastes are more traditional. I finally found something for about a tenth of price at the mall that met with both her and my approval, and thus a catastrophe was avoided.

The last few days have passed in a blur of travelling and shopping. I finally got to see the Victoria Memorial. I mean, I've seen the building a bunch of times from a distance, but I've never been in there. It was built during the Raj to commemorate the Queen. I'm unsure if she actually ever came there, but wow, its quite a place. The grounds were rather large and beautiful, and the memorial itself had been converted into a museum depicting the history of the Raj. They had tons of statues of famous dead white guys, some with really impressive sideburns. I could have spent longer there, but my sister and husband had just finished touring historical sites in north India and were not hugely impressed by it. Also as it turns out the Victoria Memorial is a prime make-out spot in Kolkata, or in the local tongue, "prem". It was kind of cute seeing couples walking around or sitting in the shade. Scandalous by local standards, but positively prudish by mine.

Afterwards we did some shopping at Cottage Industries, a government run handicrafts store that I love. I spent some money, but I could have easily spent so much more. I think my favorite piece was a life sized Panchamukha Ganesha (Five headed) carved out of stone. It was a deal at 2.5 lacs rupees (250,000, about $5000). Of course shipping costs would have been exorbitant, and I'm not sure where I'd put one in my apartment.

My brother-in-law, who’s a business guy, wanted to get some suits here. We originally thought he wouldn’t have time to get one tailored, so we settled on getting some good ready made ones. As it turns out, the ready made one’s weren’t that great, and the suit shop was more than willing to construct him a suit in 3 days time, for a lot less what he’d be paying for a ready made garment, and made of the exact material he wanted. It was a cool experience watching them work and measure and what not. What is less cool is how many time we had to stop by the shop to check on the progress and pick up the final product. I just hope it all gets done before we get on our plane.

We stopped at a bar in downtown Calcutta called “Somewhere Else”. It was weird, in that it looked like “Cheers” type bar you could find in, um, anywhere in America or the UK. A normal beer here is served in huge bottles (like small wine bottles) and you’re expected to finish one by yourself. I’m not much of a drinker of these days, but luckily my brother in law and cousin are.more accomplished than myself.

My last big purchasing spree was at “Khadi Niketan”, a store that specializes in locally made textile and handloom products. Many panjabis and sheets and shawls were acquired – a veritable suitcase full.

I’m off now to go get my hair cut and a facial before the big night. After the party, I hope to go out and see some of the night life with my youngish cousins. Tomorrow we’re doing the polar opposite – we’re going to Dakhineshwar and Belur Math, two temples that are quite important to me. It’s all about combining the sacred and the profane for me, I suppose.

It's been a while since I've been able to get access to the net. My all kinds of awesome cousin Bikramjeet has loaned us his laptop and wireless modem, and so that's been a godsend for all of us.

So the main purpose of this trip is two fold - to set up my parent's new apartment in Kolkata, and to introduce my new brother-in-law to the extended family. The first week of the trip was spent on the former, and it involved a lot of work, quite frankly. Acquiring furniture in India is something else entirely. The main problem seems to be a matter of transportation - getting anywhere in this city takes truly unreasonable amounts of time. Things are sort of decentralized as well - one shop for lights, another for a sofa, another for kitchenwares, etc, etc. Trying to figure out what to buy where and then adding in travel time and haggling.. well let's just say that my first week here in India got consumed pretty quickly.

My sister and her husband arrived here last night, and so far that part has been good. They've been travelling for the last week, visiting Delhi/Agra/Jaipur, and have a lot of pretty pictures to show for it. We went shopping for some clothes to wear for their reception dinner thing this Sunday. Sadly, what I want (a black sherwani with simple and elegant work) isn't really in "fashion" at the moment, so I haven't been able to acquire one.

Tomorrow I'm going out with my cousin, my sister and her husband to do some actual *gasp* touring, and maybe I'll get a chance to take some snazzy pictures and do some tourist things. It would be nice to actually get started on the shopping I want to do while here, as well. I've picked up a few books, but not much else for myself.

A quick list of things I want to remember:
Spinach and Corn dosas. Tandoori Chicken Pizza (from a Pizza Hut no less). Chicken Shumai with mint and coriander chutney. (Indo Chinese cuisine FTW.) Walking the streets of Kolkata in the evenings with my Maima (maternal aunt). Cute street dwelling puppy dogs. Seeing the Goddess in Kalighat, despite the crowds and the filth.

A quick list of things I'd rather forget:
Endless and pointless family squabbles. (I hate being the mature one.) The new mustache feeling - my face doesn't like being exposed, it seems. Political protests about overpolluting autorickshaws that cause endless roadjams. Squalid poverty, of course. My dreams of falling from the 28th floor veranda of my parent's new apartment.