11.19.2006...Six Weeks Left and Thinking

This evening, as I sat playing cards with the folks, I wondered to myself why I don't post everyday?

Then I realize it is for the same reason why movies and books cover far more time than their span would seemingly allow.

I've realized this before, but I still struggle with it when it comes to narrating ones adventures. Sure you, the audience, don't need to know every detail of every minute of the day. Yet, in some ways, doesn't that make what I'm experiencing seem a little less tangible, less probable for every one else? My stories seem to hover my persona just above that of 'average person', but I don't in anyway feel like this.

Don't get me wrong, I know that what I'm doing here and now, and with much of my regular life, is beyond that of most people's comfort or ability or even desire to attain. So why then has it been in my reach?

I'm often told that I'm remarkable in many ways, but what can one really do with that information if one doesn't see oneself in this same way?
I am who I am. I do what I can with what I have been granted. I try to follow through on the things I say I will and set out to do.
In this sense, really, how am I any different than the average person? And if I am different, then who is better/worse off?

I've also been told things like I'm a snob or stuck up or more unpleasantries, but they don't really sting.
I can understand why people can see me this way, but it's just wrong for them to assume this about me. Nine times out of ten people actually 'tell' me they initially thought this way of me, but at some point my 'humanity' shone through and they realized they were wrong. Honestly, do you think I really need to hear that you thought I was a jerk at some point when you didn't even know me? Too much info.

One thing that I've definitely honed in on while being here is shedding the need to please people. In recent months and years I've realized that people don't like to actually feel pleased nearly as much as they like people trying to please them. This in some way excuses them from actually having to pay attention to their own needs as someone else is doing it for them. Then they can blame anyone but themselves when they are unhappy.

This is a two-way street though. Those who are addicted to doing the pleasing, often do so at the same price. They don't pay attention to their own needs and when they see that their efforts have been frustrated (again and again) and they get sad at the thought of not 'MAKING' someone happy, they get to blame the other person for being ungrateful or selfish.

This is a shared miserable experience that actually feels quite lonely when one is stuck in it.

In the end I realize (again) the truth in only having control over my own actions and happiness and letting the rest to their own devices. If what I do makes them happy, great. But if not, then what can I do?

These thoughts have been paramount in preparing me for this next third of my life. I hear tell that being a parent can really test a person, so I'm glad that I've gotten these old challenges out of the way.

As things come up over the next two weeks, I'll post, but otherwise know that I'm happily dancing, writing, reading and painting the days away.

Peace,

A Pink American

11.15.2006...Marking a Month and More

Yes, it has already been more than a month since my arrival in India. Once you are in a place for this long you stop feeling like you are on holiday and start feeling like you are at home.

Adventures

This at-home feeling depresses one's creative spark for regularly informing on one's day to day activities.

Adventures have been limited since returning to Gandhinagar.

One lazy Sunday we ventured out to retrieve mummy from the rail station (she had gone to Delhi for two days). We found the roads packed with cars, bikes and people heading to the Air Show. On the return leg of our trip we were chatting amongst ourselves amidst a traffic jam when: THUD POP! went the car roof

"What was that?"
"I think this tree drop a branch on us."
"Oh, okay."

A moment later: THUD POP! went the roof again.

"Someone must be throwing bricks!"

The driver got out to inspect the matter. His face showed no concern when looking at the roof of the car. He asked a nearby car if they saw what had happen. Indeed they did: monkeys.

Both mummy and papa said they had never had that happen to them. And here it happened with me in the car, nonetheless.

When we returned home the only evidence of the events were barely-there dusty foot prints from the little beasts. Only in Indian traffic jam! (well I'm sure that isn't entirely true)

Creativity Flows

While adventures may be ebbing for the meanwhile, my creativity flows.

I've been engrossed in painting, writing, reading, listening to music and to world news (I finally realized the benefit of NPR and BBC streaming radio).

Given the dryness of the region, the painting medium of choice has been watercolor because it can be easily refreshed when it dries out. I've managed four small pieces and am currently working on a larger scale replacement for the piece that some of you may recall seeing in our living room at our old apartment in Mountain View.

I'm just crazy about representing the natural elements. It's immensely soothing to say the least.

With regard to writing, I'm in the process of producing a novel. Yes, a novel. I have a trilogy outlined actually. The first installment is already 30+ pages complete and under routine review by my writing group and my husband.
I know it seems like a risk in mentioning all this here, but I figure that it is time to state my intentions publicly so that I ensure myself that I will follow through.

As for reading, I've completed Malgudi Days, The God of Small Things, The Bhagavad Gita, and Pilgrimage: One Woman's Return to a Changing India (which is a not-so current event book). I'm working on the Ramayana and a new Garcia Marquez book (that's just brain candy for me).
I'm trying to get a flavor for the breadth of quality in classic and contemporary Indian literature. I finding it very interesting and thought provoking.

Also, I'm exploring more contemporary Indian music. I picked up an excellent cd called Sona (which is self titled). Highly recommend it.


AND FINALLY...

I've begun a month long intensive training of classic Indian dance called Kathak.

I can't speak much of the experience so far other than sore legs. I've had one instruction period. I'll train four days a week through the rest of this month.

Upon my first lesson I was welcomed as the guru's (master teacher) student. She anointed my head with vermilion and rice. I touched her feet. I then anointed a statue of Saraswati with vermilion and rice as well.

To honor Mother Earth (the stage for my dance) I sat on the floor to tie on my ankle bells. One hundred for each ankle.

I then performed the Namaste that begins each dance and began my lesson.

This time I was only learning the basic footwork, but more will soon come.

I was told that my guru will call the local newspaper to do a write-up on Western interest in learning classical Indian dance. I will also likely perform for others. I hope I can do it justice.

In the meanwhile, I am about to join a 'pool party' (it is sans the pool and much like a potluck but with more direction).

Wishing you all well...

Peace,

A Pink American

11.09.06...Of Men and Monkeys

Happy Post election, U.S.A. It seems as if Americans are starting to come out of a fog, even if they aren't quite coming to their senses. If 100 monkeys on 100 typewriters can 'accidentally' write Shakespeare, can 100 monkeys in 100 suits 'accidentally' run the government as well as 'man'? This is the question that some of us face--deep down--on election day.

Of course I couldn't deny myself the spectacle which has become the American political process, even with my being on the other side of the planet.

I did have the luxury of not having to be submitted to the onslaught of political campaigning. I'll say that just reading the news about issues and candidates offers a much more pragmatic source of knowledge to inform my opinions than listening to news and media soundbites.

Just to be clear, I am neither Democrat, nor Republican, nor anything else. I'm a registered Independent voter and actually vote on issues and candidates based on researching them rather than blindly down party lines. The latter is not democracy it is stupidity and many people are guilty of it.

In saying this, I would vote for a Republican at the local level if I agreed with her/his stance on more things than other viable candidates, but I have yet to encounter one whose platform wasn't as steeped in social conservatism as it is in fiscal or bureaucratic conservatism. How can they speak of personal choice with one's own money, but then be hardline on issues with personal choice about one's own body? Personal choice is just that: personal.

BTW: I am pro-choice, but I am also pro-life...it is for no one person to judge another's actions. There is no clear line which can be drawn on this most personal and sensitive of issues. Both pro- and anti-abortion groups should stop trying to find that clear line and just focus on educating their communities on the variety of consequences (good, bad or otherwise) from making such choices and then let the individual choose.

Alrighty then, with that little stumping out of the way let me get to the real meat.

I thought about putting a picture of a Donkey kicking an Elephant on the top of the page:

or this one

However I realized that while some people may feel this way, it doesn't capture what the spirit of this election was about.

The real effect was put into force by a) the American voter (as is usual) and b) the 'others'.

These pesky 'others'.

In 2000 the 'others' were the Green Party that spoiled Gore's chances. It's bitterly ironic considering what Gore is doing with his time now. Perhaps it was for the best...if he had any lasting resentments against the Greens, maybe he embraced them to try to understand them better and low and behold saw the light. Now he is a major player in environmental activism. Very interesting, indeed.

This election the 'others' were the Libertarians. If you haven't heard of them maybe you should do a little research because enough Americans have heard of them to make a difference in this election. Their platform would definitely appeal to the fiscally conservative of the Republican supporters as well as those that 'believed' the Republicans when they said they wanted a smaller government. Those who are disillusioned with the Republicans, but still couldn't stomach the 'big government' Democrats, made the difference in 3 Senate races (Missouri, Montana and Virginia...well Virginia was another 'other'.) and 2 congressional races (Indiana 9th and Florida 16th).**

**(Note: This is all based off of official results that were presented at CNN. com and NOT on any of CNN's calls. The news is much more wary of doing this now.)

Otherwise Democrats won on such slim margins in many of the other races (the smallest I saw was 170 in Connecticut's 2nd) that it may have been more of a sign of loss in faith for Republicans than overwhelming support of Democrats. This seems to be the case when people are booted out of office.

I will say that this Republican run government has completely destroyed any lingering optimism that it is trying to do what's right for the American people and that seems fairly evident by these results.

Interestingly, when I was reading comments by people about their voting choices I was struck by two types of comments offered by Republicans:

For those who voted against their party: Generally they felt betrayed and even lied to. That the Republicans make a lot of fancy promises but haven't acted on them, EVEN with a completely Republican dominated government. Can we saying politicking?

For those who still voted Republican: Almost word-for-word uniformly that the Democrats had no game plan for anything and they didn't take the war on terror seriously (cut and run, to be specific). It was eerie to read such uniform thoughts. Can we say Stepford?

While I know they exist, it is hard for me to fathom that anyone who claimed to be a remotely informed or intelligent or even thoughtful American would still so blindly believe what they are fed through one or two news outlets (argh Fox news). I don't think the Democrats are anything special, but for godsakes, the Republicans don't poop diamonds.

This inability to produce the miracles through the mere shovelling of caca toward the American people is not limited to the Republicans, and we should all be vigilant about keeping the new powers accountable for their promises and the consequences of there actions.

The biggest surprise of all from this whole carnival was the sudden (albeit likely preplanned in-the-event-of) resignation of Rumsfeld. Oh, poor, poor Rummy. Allowed to do his best at doing his worst, the least that Bush could have done was let him go with some dignity. This didn't seem like the case at all. I won't be surprised if he (Rumsfeld) is called up for war crimes. Although I won't be surprised if he isn't either as U.S. politicians tend to be spineless about these matters when it comes to their own criminals. Yes, yes clap and cheer for the not-so-distant death of Saddam, but keep in mind their are a good many others just as deserving as he that DIDN'T sit as co-defendants. I wonder how they toasted themselves for being so clever while sitting comfortably in the States, and around the world.

But these are conversations for another day.

In the meanwhile, for those of you in the States reading this (citizens or not), you all should still be active in your daily lives to stay informed and vigilant of your politicians. It isn't right to 'wake up' once in 2 or even 4 years and say 'yeah that's right, down with the administration!' It's a slow and steady road to change or progress or consensus in anything. And what the majority of us won't do, trust me a few will always find the time to do for us and almost always in a way that we disagree with most the rest of us.

If you don't exercise your right to act, then you don't earn the privilege to complain.

Hopefully these two can get on the same page over the next few years.

Peace,

A Pink American