Wednesday, August 25, 2004

I got the job!

After weeks of painful waiting and worrying about what I am doing with my life I finally got some good news. Belmont just offered me a full-time position.... woo hoo!

I am really excited about having summers off. Maybe I can finally go to Australia to visit my cousin like I always wanted.

I was about to give up on Belmont for putting me up on hold for so long, so earlier today I was contacting all these news organizations and shot off an email to the Research Editor at Philadelphia Magazine about being a research assistant.

He wrote back: "If you do send me your resume, you'll also have to send me a copy of My God That's A Sexy Camel!"

Damn it Google! You are ruining my life. I was too mortified to write back.... is it common practice now for employers to Google their applicants? I would like to keep my work life and my personal life separate, but Google is making that difficult. Luckily I got the job offer a few hours later so I didn't have to worry about that.

Monday, August 23, 2004

Soul quiz

free
You have a free soul! As all the souls go, yours is
the most free-spirited and adventurous. You
like camping, hiking, or interaction with other
people. Your a social butterfly, but not
because of your style, but because of your
willingness to communicate with everyone. You
probably have close friends who can rely on you
because you always seem to know whats going on
in the world. You love music and are
free-spirited and someone fun to be around. A
born leader and great explorer-dont ever
change-the world needs more people like you.


What Kind of SOUL do you posses? (For Girls only) Incredible Anime Pictures!
brought to you by Quizilla

Monday, August 16, 2004

Cafe Desperation

Cafe Spice should change it's name to "Mangsho Bazaar" (that's meat market in Bengali).

After a certain hour, when the kitchen closes and the smells of curry and paratha drift away, the bar becomes the main attraction and smells of perfume, smoke and desperation fill the air.

It was a pretty emotional weekend for me.

That's it. I'm not going out anymore, it's always a disappointment anyway.
For some reason, whenever I go out I feel like Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye. And I realize how lonely so many people are. And they think that the cure for loneliness is going out to a club or bar and surrounding yourself with alcohol, smoke, and a bunch of yuppies practicing their mating ritual. It just made me feel bad for them.

When I was in the bathroom, I was at the sink washing my hands and this attractive Indian woman comes up to me and my friends and goes "Hey, are you guys from Philly?" We said yes. Then she proceeded to tell us her interests, the fact that she was a Pharmacy professor and that she was single and looking. And her solution to her singledom was to start organizing yuppy happy hours. She handed us all small pink flyers and goes "Tell all your professional, OLDER friends." She really emphasized the "older" part. I took that to mean people that a) are finished education and employed, b) not living with their mama, c) don't have posters of Tupac/Sid Vicious hanging over their twin-sized bed, and d) aren't thugged out individuals who start conversations with people of the opposite sex by moving close to them, shrugging their shoulders and saying "So, what's up?"

This woman was attractive and smart (a professor!) and the whole time I was thinking "Why are you trying so hard? You don't have to." It was like watching those dating videos that they show to introduce the contestants in Blind Date and Fifth Wheel..... But live! Well, at least I have to give her credit for putting herself out there like that. I couldn't do it. It just made me feel bad for her..... And for no reason, I got kind of emotional. But I hid it for the whole night of course.

Anyways, if anyone wants to go (I'm typing out the flyer).....
Rinx & Sonny from AAINA present Philly's Own Happy Hour for Professionals. Thursday, August 19, 2004 at Paradigm (239 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA) From 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. + (Free Admission), Ladies 21 and Gents 23+, $3 drinks till 8 p.m. and $5 thereafter. Corporate & Business-Chic attire is mandatory. Mission Statement: To create an exclusive networking atmosphere at the finest locations in Philadelphia for professionals of all backgrounds. AAINAhappyhours@yahoo.com

When I woke up Sunday morning I knew that I wanted to start making changes in my life. I started with battling my dehydration..... a result of drinking from the night before. I tried to imitate this fruit soup recipe that I once had for brunch at this West Philly diner, Rx. I blended Cantaloupe and some ice cubes and threw in a handful of blueberries. It was really close, and refreshing, but you know how somethings can never be recreated? I'm gonna try it again with coconut milk some other day.

I re-read A Catcher in the Rye for the rest of the afternoon. Man, I wish I could write J.D. Salinger a letter. That book has so much more meaning to me now than the first time I read it. I cried as I turned the pages, my eyes got blurry with salty discharge, but I kept reading anyway.

Some people have religion, some have rehab, I have really good friends and Holden Caulfield.

Thursday, August 12, 2004

My song is on the radio!!!!

I had a very exciting morning....

So I was brushing my teeth this morning and I had the radio tuned to Drexel's station, WKDU, in the background..... when all of a sudden I hear the beginning bass line to one of Wes's songs...... So I text messaged him to tell him they are playing his shit on the radio. That was exciting enough.

BUT THEN I keep listening and I start hearing birds..... like the birds that sing before "You're Enron", and then I hear the beginning music..... and HOLY SHIT! My voice is on the radio?!

It was very surreal, overwhelming and exciting. Now I am more inspired than before and want to become more serious about creating new music.

I know few people actually collect or use records now, but if you ARE into vinyl, then go to your nearest record store and pick up a copy..... its on sale at Armand's for you Philly people.

Here is what the cover looks like:


This is a review of the album from some British magazine:

(There are more reviews in other places, but this is the only one where they specifically comment on my voice...... so it's my favorite one!)

Other things:
1) I highly recommend the new lattes at Dunkin Donuts, they are really sweet and delicious (more dessert than coffee), and will keep you up all night.

2) PS1 on Saturday (Joy's last weekend in NYC.... boo hoo) was a blast. I want to go again. Never seen anything like it before..... It's like a public school meets museum, meets beach, meets barbecue, meets music festival thing. There were hippies, yuppies, little kids, and everything in between..... I can't even explain it.

3) Why doesn't Philly have a Beer Garden like in New York? This place was kind of crazy.... from the outside it looks like a regular bar, but then inside there was a fancy Quincinera going on, and then you walk out through this exit, and Wham! You are on this huge plot of land with picnic-style lunch tables lined in the middle with a beer stand on one side, and food stand on the other..... it sort of reminded me of my cousin's weddings in India..... but, I can't remember if there was music? What I DO remember is that it was one of the cheapest places I have ever been to eat in New York...... two people can get full on $10!

4) Mush is back in town!!!!!

That's all folks.




Wednesday, August 04, 2004

Where did the summer go?

I can't believe it is already August. Haven't been to the beach yet.... and the summer will soon be over. I was looking forward to it all year and now that it is here, there are more floods and thunderstorms than sunny days.

I only went to the pool twice.... and one of those times I didn't even get in!

I haven't written in a while, so here are the highlights and lowlights:

10) Seeing John Pettit play his new trumpet that we all pitched in to get him for Christmas at the Friends of the Library show at the Khyber. (+1)

9) Re-watching "Raising Victor Vargas" with friends and eating Mexican cinnamon bread on Anu's porch in D.C. (+2)

8) Hanging out with Priyo from Bangladesh and exploring Washington D.C. together. I never knew, but D.C. folks are so nice! I had a great experience when I was lost on the metro. (+2)

7) Finally I got called for an interview for a full-time teaching position at Belmont Charter School.... and I really really want it! Praying that I get it! Of course, I'll post what happens with that. (0)

6) Saturday, I went to a college party with Deep. And for the first time, I was the OLDEST person at the party. Most of the kids were from Villanova, but some were from other places..... anyways, they were all in college so it was interesting. So much idealism and carefreeness in the room. We played a drinking game and I kept losing and therefore got drunk pretty fast. A day later, Deep called me and said he enjoyed the party and am glad that i danced with him. "What? But I never dance!" I don't even remember doing that..... I did the shopping cart and bus driver and sprinkler and all! He he he. (+1)

5) On a sadder (and madder) note, I got drunk enough to also erase all the phone numbers of an old significant other. I hate the dating "culture" in the U.S. .... It made me wonder, does our free market system carry over to people? I mean, we live in a society of disposable diapers, disposable cameras, etc. etc. We have too many choices, and old things are constantly being replaced by new ones (instead of being fixed). It is a disposable society and I wonder if it makes some folks feel like people are disposable too. Anyways, I think that best describes how I feel now, like a crushed Dixie cup. I'm tired of people trying to get close to me and walking out of my life. I spent a lot of days wondering what went wrong, about any mistakes I made...... and then when I was watching South Park one night by my lonesome I had an epiphany. It was the episode where Satan is deciding between his caring, understanding boyfriend Chris, or his exciting, sexually adventurous and evil lover Saddam. Chris doesn't have a problem with Satan being friends with Saddam, he even suggests "Hey, why don't you invite Saddam over for dinner?" and after Satan cheats on Chris with Saddam at a sleazy motel with greasy dildos, Chris tries to understand why it happened so asks Saddam to go for a walk in the park to talk. Saddam stabs Chris in the head but Chris is such a pussy. At no point does Chris get mad or put his foot down...... he always gives the other person the benefit of the doubt and tries to understand the psychology of the person. Ok..... so here is the epiphany part..... Satan says to Chris "I need you to give me some boundaries." When I heard that, I felt deja VA. Basically, Satan wanted Chris to say "No, I don't want you to see Saddam." I realized that I AM CHRIS! So from now on..... with my school kids, own kids and future main squeeze's I am setting some solid boundaries. (-10)

4) I saw Eric's band "Goldenball" play at the Khyber on Friday, and although I was extremely tired, I am glad I stuck around because I think its the closest I will get to seeing "The Doors." Justin taught me a valuable trick...... late at night, it is better to take the 21 bus to 69th Street rather than the Market-Frankford Night Shuttle. We hopped on the 21, and he is right! Definitely less drunk, crazy people and less crowded. Also, the ride is faster since it doesn't stop for 10 minutes at City Hall or have to pick up as many passengers. As a non-driver, I am very appreciative to Justin. For sharing the tip, and for sharing his herb-flavored cashew nuts. (+1)

3) On Sunday the roads were all really flooded, so I stayed in at Tisa's house and Sabah was over so we all played "Heads and Bodies" which I haven't done since I was a kid. On a side note, Sabah is an AMAZING artist and she is only ten years old! (+1)

2) Kristie took me to this gelato place for the first time..... it was called Capogiro or something on 12th and Sansom. And wow, it was incredible....... not at all like Gelati (from Rita's) this stuff is smoother and creamier. Its expensive, but oh so worth it. Speaking of Kristie, if there are any 18-year-old boys reading this, Kristie needs a boyfriend. She likes em skinny, young, and with a nice record collection. (+1)

1) Hanging out with Jay-dawg in Philly. A big portion of the weekend was spent smoking "West" cigarettes from the Phillipines and watching South Park. We also hung out with one of his old buddies from CMU, and his lame yuppy girlfriend. After meeting each others friends over the past few years I think we realized how different our social worlds are. Jay's friend makes more than three of my friends combined! Anyways, this kid was really down to earth, so it was very cool and comfortable. We went to this barbecue place by the Wissy Trail and then went for a walk (apparently, this is also a make-out spot for adolescents..... so we left before it got dark), then we played billiards (which I sucked at), and drank really really good beer at Eulogy. We met up with Tasu and Tina apu at Cafe Spice after that, and Jay proceeded to give girl advice to a FOB that bumped into me earlier. It was entertaining to watch how pathetic he was..... "Why do all Indian girls say the same thing?" he said. "I have a boyfriend" is what they all say. Little does he know! (+8)

So...... 7 points for Devalina! I am thankful that the good outweighs the bad and that my mom is OK in Bangladesh with all the floods happening.