Musings, vexes and more

Thinking With My Nuts

2012-02-07T15:44:00.000-08:00

Nothing grabs a man’s attention – or distracts him – more than sex. I can’t tell you exactly what Adriana Lima said in her Teleflora commercial (it’s a miracle I even remember the product) but I can tell you that I will definitely be ordering my next floral product from them.

But sexualizing everyday objects can be an analogy to bigger lessons in life. Like when I was eating my organic hickory-smoked pistachios today. Who would have thought green nuts could advise on blue balls?

I came across a pistachio with a wide open shell. I was angered. I felt cheated that there was nothing in there. I called these pistachios the sluts of the bag. They’re wide open, who knows what the fall out will be and if anything, they have nothing to offer. Stay away from them, gentlemen.

And then there’s the other case - shells that are shut with nothing but a kitten’s scratch of a crack. These are the ones who haven’t played with fire yet. My only fear was that the shells didn’t allow that sweet, smokey hickory flavor to pass through. What was the worst that could happen? I get a bland, anti-climactic pursuit for something that I should not have even started. But I was determined to break that shell. I didn’t want to cause a scene, I couldn’t let anyone know I was banging around. I smacked it with a glass. I dug my fingernail in the crevice. Nothing. I tried to claw at it like a tiger or a lion – still, nothing. The key to success: when in doubt, use your mouth.

I popped that shell in my mouth and got a taste of that hickory dust on the shell. This was going to be good. I was hoping to be wrong. And I pushed that pistachio back on my right molar, I pushed down, I brought the force and it came out as a giant CRUNCH. It all fell apart. I couldn’t tell the nut from the shell from my molar. Did I need to go to a doctor or a dentist? Do I taste blood?

I grabbed a towel and spit. And yes, I looked at the shell, the smokin’ green body laying mangled in my spit. It was a lesson I needed to learn. Don’t pressure the ones who aren’t ready. You’re just asking for a mess in your hands.

It's time to move on from the pistachio. Beyond that shell is just a wrinkled green nut that's all smoke and no fire. I should just stick to brazil nuts. That dark skin is on fire but smooth to the touch. The thicker, the better.

2011-05-14T19:16:00.000-07:00

Lines of Thought. "On A Leash". Come back next Friday for more.

Why, oh why?

2011-05-13T16:22:00.000-07:00

A simple, little comic I call "Lines of Thought".

Something Usher Would Sing About

2011-01-31T21:38:00.000-08:00

The most obvious part of forming a friendship comes from the momentous occasions. Friends remember that great night, the boring study sessions, and definitely the ugly arguments.

But what goes into maintaining a relationship? There’s truth to the notion that maintaining a friendship is just continuous formation. As long as the big things keep happening, there’s nothing that can go wrong. I disagree.

I believe that part of maintaining a relationship lies with the small stuff: the little things that a stranger would never pick up on. It’s the little trademarks of each friendship that matter and keeping them alive. Answering the phone with the same greeting, or while at a meal you directly point them to the page they’ll find the most preferential entrees.

And sometimes things add up: The mundane or the lack of routine. The exhaustion of new learning’s. Sometimes it’s just that only one person initiates the dialogue, and the relationship as a whole. I actually hate that. I try not the get caught up in that “game” of I-called-first-now-it’s-your-turn, but folks, if that’s a little thing – it will matter one day.

As long as that balance is there, your friendship will remain and grow. Just, be sure you’re both there when coming up with the definition.

The DJ Got Us Falling in Love (For Tonight Only).

2010-10-25T18:23:00.001-07:00

"What shall we use

To fill the empty spaces"- Pink Floyd

You probably remember the good social times you had rather than the laborious time you spent studying. If you didn't party in college – you missed a pretty big chunk of the point. I probably can't argue advanced microeconomic theory with you but I can tell you my idea of a great party. It takes place at someone's house. I love that welcoming feeling. I want people to be able to grab what they want and enjoy as much of it as you want. Then there' lots of social games going on – people paying pong, playing "Never have I ever", playing King's Cup, playing pool – you name it. This is a time to play and the Milton Brothers have nothing on us.

So when I grew up (also known as "graduating"), I had to go to grown-up parties. This transition blew my mind. I waited my whole life to grow up and once I get a glimpse, it's filled with nothing but brainwashed, douchey, boring assholes. I guess that's what happens when you go to a club. I hate clubs because they are the factories that produce and encourage aforementioned hated behavior. Let's look at the top 5 things and why they contribute to my hatred of the night club.

Babe Slinger – These douche-bags like to think of their girls, dates, and/or escorts as trophies. I can't stand that shit. They're the people who can remain silent and say "me and my companion are shallow snobs because we're going to enter and take up your oxygen and just look hawt and sexy". They're usually wearing blazers with lots of ugly artwork. They have small balls because they probably juice and are too scared to get real tattoos (or lack commitment). Many times, their babes are attached to them by some imaginary douche-glue.
1. They have a sub-variety known as the Brainwashed Babe Slinger because they seem to have been brainwashed by MTV into thinking that Jersey Shore is cool. They laugh with the guidos, not at them. These Slingers resemble trashy, extraordinary gym rats with even "hawter and sexier" babes and lots of gel in their hair.
The Future Winklevii – Like Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, they love to brag about their above-average stature and physique. They just stand there as ogling giants, doing and saying whatever drunk, competitive, white people like to do and it's twice as annoying because they travel in pairs.
Grampa Creeps – This guy is way too old to be at a club. He belongs at a car dealership either buying a midlife crisis car or trying to sell one so he can get out of his own. Usually dressed in what was cool at least 3 seasons ago, is balding naturally and on schedule, and has leathery skin. When the DJ plays Gun N' Roses – it's for this guy.
The White Guy – who is wearing a fedora. He's probably gay.
The Mannequin – This person is a prototype. He or she is going to be dressed like a mannequin. Sometimes they fit in and represent the LA scene for what it is or they do a great job of reflecting their personality which is a reflection of their city. That's great but it's also rare. There's the person who seems to be dressed as if he's in a Boston pub or a New York hipster club or as an H&M mannequin.
The Tease – this person can be a girl who wants a drink from you or the guy who wants to buy you a drink (but only for tonight). Girls who make a business out of teasing drinks from guys who don't fall in the above categories are just heartless. I don't want to be in your company because I may not get along with the rest of your personality and I'm pretty sure of it. And if you're a guy who thinks he can get to a girl's bed through a couple of drinks, well, if you're stupid enough to believe that, it won't happen and you deserve for it to happen to you. And if you're successful - you can do much better than that girl.
1. Point of Advice: leave the tease if she is in any way with or associated with The Buzzkiller.

People should never have to pay for a good time. It should come naturally. A club is just the epitome of egos mixing with testosterone (which give birth to more egos) and then there's the stench of sweaty sluttiness that's floating around somewhere in the corner. It's a cesspool of everything that is bad for society cramped into one alcohol lubricated Machine.

On a positive note, clubs have really nice bathrooms. And it serves as a great holding pen for those kinds of people so you know where to avoid them. If you're a PUA, the club is all you with only your imagination to stop you. The object of your game is to get something good by 2 am, because let's face it: nothing good ever starts to happen after 2 am.

Whatever you do, however you do it – time is never lost when invested in the company of those you love.

Not Your Average Book

2010-10-20T23:21:00.001-07:00

People weren't particularly interested in seeing me, they were interesting in seeing each other. They came to see who came.
- Andy Warhol

The Social Network is a good movie for quite a few reasons. David Fincher took public court documents surrounding the legal battles of Facebook and strategically sprinkled them in a fictional dramatization of its founding. The film in general was well made with a great story that holds attention well throughout the movie. Jesse Eisenberg does an amazing job of portraying Mark Zuckerberg as the anti-hero of the movie for as long as necessary. Zuckerberg is portrayed to be a speaking motherboard but behind all the Silicon is a person passionate about their creation. He is somebody who wanted ownership of (whether new and digital or old and traditional) a social phenomena and he pursued it, just without finesse.

What intrigued me and made this film memorable across the ages were the messages throughout the movie. One scene stands out for me in particular. After Saverin freezes the bank accounts, Zuckerberg yells over the phone to him (I'm paraphrasing here) "people can't get on facebook and if they don't get on facebook their friends won't go on facebook because people only want to go on because their friends are on"

This line just basically sums up a key point Fincher was trying to make: we're a generation that wants to be everyone else is. The term "individual" is one taken lightly and whose definition has grown vaguer over the years (which are like eons in the normal time frame). It is becoming clearer that we are more prominently defining our actions and who we are by the people we are surrounded by. It seems that what Darwin did for finches – looking at their evolution from a biological perspective – Zuckerberg has done a social experience. We are a series of algorithms and PHP code. Will only the strong survive? Will only the smart survive? What is the quality of these ties and will they be strong? Malcolm Gladwell makes a decent argument in his latest article but it's written from someone who isn't really from within our generation. There are plenty more questions that we need to ask ourselves.

Another quote from the movie that sticks out to me was said in reference to Facebook's infancy:

"You don't even know what the thing is yet. How big it can get, how far it can go."

I interpret this line to apply to our generation. We're not our parents' children. We are a generation that is addicted to the digital sphere. Our sense of independence is far from its true definition. We are the lab mice of the World Wide Web constantly being tested, fad by fad, meme by meme, username by username. We are the cattle ranging on infinite domains. We still have yet to see how big we are, will we or are we going to make it big using these tools that have been provided for us (ultimately proving Gladwell wrong – or maybe we're part of a bigger hierarchy than he imagined). How far can we as a generation go?

The Social Network displays a portrait of our generation – a microcosm of the state of our laptops. And that's what makes a piece of art great: when it accurately and elegantly acts a mirror for the people to see themselves in. The Social Network was as much a snapshot about a generation than it was a story about a website and a business going through various stages that everyone goes through.

It's a beautiful and ugly mess of technology, relationships and science put together. Although we have many questions to answer regarding our future and where we're headed, one thing we cannot deny is that Zuckerberg found us. He discovered that we were different and that there was something grand and simultaneously pathetic about us. Every scientist who discovers something reserves the right to name it. I'm sure Zuckerberg wouldn't object to us as The Facebook Generation.

Sporks Need Not Apply

2010-10-05T00:22:00.001-07:00

I think it's great that families sit down together for dinner. There's no better place for learning and growing. A couple days ago, my family and I set out for some Thai food; this is rare because my parents hate trying new places. Yelp did its part and got them out of the house and the restaurant upheld their part of the bargain and served some great food. The dinner was mostly quiet because everyone was hungry but I had a chance to reflect on some of my favorite types of food among other things. Here we go:

My least favorite vegetable: Peas

I hate peas because they're so damn annoying. Everything about them is tedious: trying to cook them, trying to enjoy them, trying to convince other people to even eat them—just about everything about them. It even extends to the phrase "two peas in a pod." What the hell is that supposed to mean? I've never seen a pea pod with just two peas in them. And I don't want to be like you, I don't want to be in the same freaking pod with you. Give me some space yo. Anybody who says I'm a pea in a pod with them is going to get charged at with me riding a bull. Are you going to cite edamame beans and say they have two in legumes in them? Well the saying is PEAS. Not, soy products. And I'm mildly allergic to them so back off. But back to peas, they're not getting off so easily. Peas even taste bitter to me. The texture of putting tiny mushy balls with wrinkly skin is just disgusting. Like a certain citrus party that was an internet meme years ago. But yes, I hate peas. Are you supposed to eat them with a fork or a spoon? To me, it doesn't matter – they taste nasty either way. They can go screw themselves and let people observe how cringe-worthy they are. Mendel had it right – count them, feel them, stare at them from whatever angle you like, just don't freaking eat them.

My favorite vegetable:
Steak

Okay, so steak isn't a vegetable, but I do like what steak likes. So through some transitive property, I do heavily favor vegetables, not surprisingly, those eaten by steak, I mean, cows. I enjoy grasses and leaves like Romaine lettuce, and bean sprouts. Basil makes anything at least 5 times better. Celery is definitely delicious when paired with peanut butter or ranch. Broccoli is most enjoyed like everything else – steamy (and a little bit of ranch doesn't hurt.) Cows also eat a lot of oats and grains which works out nicely! I like lentils prepared in any good ol' Indian way. They're good for humans and they make my steak tasty! You can use those grains to make a healthy soup or any other powerful elixir. They're so versatile that you can put them to work any which way.

My least favorite fruit:
Peas

These nasty spheres are considered vegetables from a culinary view but botanically, they're actually fruits. It's like a nasty mushy banana except small, round and mucus colored green. It's another reason to hate them twice as much.

My favorite fruit: Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen DeGeneres is my favorite fruit: her bright personality, sweet heart, and peachy attitude just make her so lovable. She's not afraid to be who she is. She's good for you. And she does what's right too. I remember her when she had strawberry blond hair. But even today, her rosy tomato red cheeks are a reflection of how pure her heart is. And in the tiny chance she is blue (I don't think she can ever be as blue as a blueberry), you just want to give her a hug and squeeze her like you would a freshly picked orange for your morning juice. And her views on sustainability and green energy! I think people in the future will judge more how efficiently you recycle than how well you pull off green eye-shadow. And as for Ellen, her love for the animals and the planet make her greener than the bright green of a raw mango you pick at the beginning of the harvest, hoping for it ripen into a sweet, soft nectar. And she's so spontaneous with that unpredictability we admire but lack. Give her a ripe and firm banana and at best we have a 50% chance of knowing what she'll do it with it.

(In reality: At the end of the day, it's wrong to hate food because there are people who would be extremely grateful to have that in their life. Be grateful and try things in moderation; over-indulgence can kill simple joys of life)

Novocain for the Brain

2010-09-30T11:20:00.001-07:00

I think now is the appropriate time to tell my followers that I actually dislike Facebook very much and now is a relevant time to explain so with the premiere of The Social Network tomorrow.

I think technology is great and should be embraced. People should be eager to learn when access and availability make it possible. I see technology as wings humans fly with, not the crutches to walk with.

It's impossible to say that our wings will never become our crutches. Even thought I consider myself to be a low maintenance guy, I still wonder how I would survive or enjoy my week if I couldn't watch football on TV. Or even a channel to publish these writings. Can't exactly have a blog through a newspaper these days (and those are actually called "columns").

I don't hate Facebook, I hate what it represents. I see it as a barometer of how dependent and absent-minded society is becoming with regard to technology. When I see people on Facebook "liking" everything under the earth and every childhood memory, I can't help but wonder what being excluded. Will conversations about the fads and phenomena of yesteryear just be "yeah, I liked that" "oh, I like that too." It's fun to talk about these things. It's a different level of engagement when you're on the phone (cellular or pay) and when the conversation glides to talking about these things. Or visiting a friend and somehow the words "I remember when…" gathers everyone's attention in earshot. People stop what they're doing to talk and engage with each other.

I don't mean to say that that's not what Facebook is doing. Facebook's mission is "to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected." I think that's what every social network should strive to do. The very definition of social media should be to empower the individual.

It's a shame only a fraction of that empowerment is utilized. It sickens me that in order to get people to market anything party, a Facebook event is a prerequisite. It hurts when I see that boys and girls cry or scream when relationship statuses change. Facebook is a great way to make a presence. Its universality is amazing and evident when people say "oh, just look me up on Facebook." People could use these tools to network, to keep in touch, to collaborate. But I see it being wasted on people playing games like Farmville and spamming my inbox with buy this and buy that campaigns. I think the only positives that I can think of from this are that people are less shy towards being a start-up and hopefully being immersed in these marketing clichés, they will learn that those tickets are NOT really selling that fast no matter who sends the message.

For every inspiring piece of photography that I see from an amateur, I see 5 questions answered about someone in a random social interview (and these answers aren't really worth repeating.) For every new start up that is trying to do better than someone else, I see people inviting me to share my phone number because of a lost phone. In fact, Facebook is approaching mass commercialization joining the ranks of Christmas cards and Valentines. Yes, Facebook is committed to being free but is the experience just as rich while we're facing ads for everything that we like? That now more and more businesses are trying to profit from people hanging out with their friends on the digital sphere. Maybe Facebook should offer a Lite version and offer a paid subscription free of ads. Maybe I should just quit Facebook altogether. But that's what I hate: if I want to engage with my community, with my peers – I have few other options than Facebook. It seems to be the standard. Face it, the social network is our crutch to reach out, engage, and do what people like to do. If we're going to have a crutch, it needs to be useful, it needs to be effective. I can accept having that the only information to my party is a Facebook invite. But I can't accept it when people mark off they'll be attending and don't show up. Or stick to a middle ground with a "maybe". I can be stuck in that limbo with live engagement, I don't need a social network to do it for me. Maybe we need a higher standard either from our social network or our society. Maybe I just need some fresh air from the dust and cobwebs.

Facebook is just one giant laboratory. It's a testing ground for people to try everything – from learning how to socialize to learning how to spam. I can accept that these are lessons that today's generation will have to learn albeit I don't believe it's the best place to learn. I've dipped my hand in the well and gotten what I need from it. Don't commit yourself to one classroom though (and who hasn't heard the notion of learning outside the classroom.) Today you're the student; don't forget that one day you'll be the teacher. How embarrassing would it be to prove that you don't know anything?

Bugged Out

2010-09-27T14:19:00.001-07:00

A good friend once asked me what my pet peeves were. I gave her a really shitty answer. I usually enjoy conversations with her a lot so typically, I dwell on the topics and then I figure out a more correct, cogent answer:

Pet Peeves:

When people waste my time. I dislike walking behind slow people and I hate when people are so unaware of their surroundings that I have to say "excuse me" multiple times to bring them back to reality. Get to the point.
Repeating myself.
Exclusivity. The world is a place for learning, loving, and living. And in that order as far as my wisdom dictates. You can't learn with an exclusive setting. Involving the participation of all people who are interested is the first step to saying "I want to learn. I want the best." As with the California spirit, you'll have to pick up 100 rocks before you can find a nugget of gold. Think about it.

Poem Sharing #1

2010-09-26T18:03:00.001-07:00

Dream Variations

Langston Hughes

To fling my arms wide
In some place of the sun,
To whirl and to dance
Till the white day is done.
Then rest at cool evening
Beneath a tall tree
While night comes on gently,
Dark like me-
That is my dream!

To fling my arms wide
In the face of the sun,
Dance! Whirl! Whirl!
Till the quick day is done.
Rest at pale evening...
A tall, slim tree...
Night coming tenderly
Black like me.

More than Battle

2010-09-16T11:53:00.001-07:00

I find myself facing a rite of passage that not many people like to discuss. Well, what makes it a rite of passage in the first place? First, every time I tell people of the task at hand, I receive well wishes and good luck on my endeavor. If that's not enough, it fits the exact definition by James C. Livingston, author of Anatomy of the Sacred.

What is this horrid journey before me? Finding a job. Yes people, finding a job is the next rite of passage in America. There's Bar Mitzvah, then there's college which has multiple passages in itself (e.g.: fraternity membership, binging, turning 21, walks of shame, etc.) but I believe the job hunt is being forgotten when it's becoming the most important and difficult passage today.

It irks me that most people take this passage lightly. They refer to it lightly as "the job hunt." Well I'm not satisfied with that. I'm going to take the initiative and let it be known that this is not just a hunt. A hunt whether for job or for game implies a quick kill. One shot here, maybe another shot there, you get what you want and you're momentarily happy. Before you know it, you're out hunting again. No people, finding a job straight out of college is not a one shot kill, it is a battle.

You are armed with an arsenal of resumes and cover letters to get you into enemy lines. This is the only time that espionage and destruction are meant to lead to collaboration. Once infiltrated, you have to use your charm, your wit, and your intelligence, your patience because you will get caught in the interview, the torturous interview. You're so thirsty to finish this battle that you want to be in the interview, let them take your best shot at you where they focus on your weaknesses and twist your answers to something you didn't mean to say. But you can keep your cool. You're a soldier, not just a hunter. Then they lock you in a gripping prison. Will they call? Will they not call? It's a test of the mind that only the victorious know how to pass. But then again, the victorious are much better at avoiding the battle in the first place.

The Valkyries may ride. Whether the battle is won or lost, remember that this is a war for a career. A job doesn't define your drive. Your career path is one of many anchors of success. Do not look back at it as a series of hunts. It is one unified fight. Yes, careers may change but the war is still the same. Are you going to fight to make your productivity the best that it can and will be? Remember, you are not a job hunter. You are a career warrior.

Good Morning Class, Please Log In

2010-09-15T11:34:00.001-07:00

Let me tell you class, Twitter is the future of the world. Well, at least micro-blogging. The problem is that nobody knows how to use it. And let me clarify that by use, I mean to use – to turn its potential for productivity into results. The self-proclaimed "techies" that can pick up networks and GUIs with a little bit of clicking here there and (without admitting) pressing the occasional F1 key.

There is a difference between operating and using any type of service or machine. Let's look at a car. The Department of Motor Vehicles in California issues people licenses to operate a motor vehicle, not necessarily drive one. The operation of a car can come down to twisting the steering wheel, stepping on the accelerator or brake pedals, knowing which switch turns on the defrosters and windshield wipers and field test that proves you could probably drive if nobody else was on the road. Driving means knowing how to weave through traffic on a semi-busy freeway, how to efficiently stop (or roll) at a stop sign that leaves everyone on time and unhurt. Driving means knowing how to properly and affordably park your car – anywhere.

Now there are people who know how to operate twitter and more people who know how to drive twitter. If you still want to learn to operate twitter, I suggest you look at their quick tutorial. Now here are some factors to consider if you want to learn to use twitter. Your mileage may vary.

Know who to follow: Twitter revolves around people. By following the right people your stream and inflow of information will be what you want it to be. Think of this as a second chance for you to say "no" to people you don't enjoy unlike accepting everyone's friend requests on other networks. Follow a newspaper or another preferred news source for instant access to current events. Follow your friends because c'mon, they're your friends. Follow some people who are just funny comics like @drunkhulk – yes, The Incredible Hulk does have his own twitter account specifically for inebriated tweets or @English50Cent if that's your humor. Follow dealmakers like @sprinkles or @groupon to find some affordable deals on things you can do around the city. Knowing who to follow is starting to make Twitter work for you.

(In the next lecture, we'll talk about Know who to subscribe via SMS)

Retweet: If people are the heart of Twitter, retweets are the blood. Twitter is about the concise and efficient spread of information throughout a population. What good can knowledge serve its citizens if it is not spread? Nice article by the Journal? Retweet it. Funny posting by @DrunkHulk – retweet it. Somebody asking you where the party is – answer it with a RT. By retweeting, everyone gets a chance to speak the message they want and let as many people hear it as needed. Re-tweets can lead to immense self-discovery as much as discovery.

Listing -
Listing is like being an unofficial follower. You don't need to follow them to list them. Listing has great implications. There is a point where an accounts efficiency in Twitter will drop and listing helps to delay that point. Following all these people to get information or retweeting without caution exposes Twitter to a weakness that every network or website is prone to – spam. Since every post on Twitter is miniscule, it takes time for the junk to build up. But there's a difference in effort between cleaning up a pound of bricks and a pound of sand. One is more tedious than the other. Listing allows you to test-drive a car per se. You may not want your stream filled with random news bits from around the country or world. You can fix this by either unfollowing them or adding them to a list specifically of news sites. Or boring accounts. Or both! A user can customize their lists so to have one for news, one for celebrities, one of family members and filter out unwanted accounts. Of course, managing these lists can be a pain but it's not futile. Imagine having a car specifically for going to work, another car only for the weekends, another car for those special engagements where the valet will be sure to expect something. Now if you have to clean the cars and manage the paperwork, it can be tedious, but you're willing to put up with the work because you enjoy the cars when you ride them.

Develop (a) – Want a challenge? Try developing programs and integrations of Twitter using their API. How cool would it be if a class integrated twitter to their web-based grade books so that every time a teacher updated the grade book, you could learn about it immediately on your Twitter feed and maybe even get it via text message. The possibilities are endless.

Develop (b) – Twitter is for the advancement and enjoyment of the people. It's to keep in touch, it's to spread information, it's to enhance being social. Don't get caught up in Twitter or even the Internet in general. You'll learn, teach, and laugh more from a single face-to-face lunch than you will from a day on Twitter. Think of it as extra credit, or using 91 octane for that wonderful drive ahead.

Every word

2010-06-10T02:15:00.000-07:00

Does it ever feel like nobody is listening? I mean truly listening to what you have to say. That means if someone speaks their idea, do you listen, ponder and discuss (internally or explicitly) the ideas that he or she may have?

I believe that love makes the world go round. Before we can love, we must listen. To listen, we must have patience.

The media mentions how people have less mental capacity because of the internet. Has this greed for speed and instant information, whether its receipt or dissemination (e.g.: RSS or twitter) led people to not listen to the ideas of others? I mean truly listen to ideas?

-Z

Jaws (and IQ) Drop in Disbelief

2010-02-11T16:34:00.001-08:00

I think it's a pretty simple request, folks: please believe me. I know I may guise the truth with humor or sarcasm, but the truth comes out shortly. So if I make a simple statement, please believe me. Not everything requires an interview and 10+ follow up questions. If I tell you I'm going to dinner, I am. Please don't say "but it's late." Yes, I am aware it is late but that will not stop me. If I say I have a midterm, please don't try to confirm with "another one? But you had one Tuesday." Yes, that is true. It is also true that I have one tomorrow. Do you think my professors will say "oh, but Zahir has a midterm Tuesday, so I will not give it to him on Thursday." If I say I will stay up all not studying, do not ask "are you going to sleep?" You're wasting time and brain cells.

And why do laundry detergents advertise to make your clothes smell like Spring time rain? My sweater got drenched in spring time rain yesterday and it smells like crap.

Not Yet?

2009-04-08T21:47:00.001-07:00

Today was seemingly the longest day every. Maybe it's because I attempted two naps today or because my naps were just really bad. No se. Let's see. I went to Arabic, then tried t nap, I stood by the letters, went to class, and tried to nap again, went to the rush event, went to Greek 101, went to Ali's place. I think it's just the latter portion of the day was filled with so much to do. That could be it.

On a brighter note: my poop book came today. It's the book I read while sitting on the crapper. It's Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point. I would have preferred Outlier or Blink but they were too expensive, so this will be good enough for the moment.

And the day continues on into the night.

Wait…I Didn’t Ditch School?

2009-04-06T11:36:00.001-07:00

Sunday was a vacation day. I spent time and money for myself and my sanity. The relaxing and amiable tempo and vibe of the day, weather, and company are ineffable.

That is all.

The Pre-reqs of Life

2009-03-31T00:37:00.001-07:00

I sometimes hate pre-reqs because they're not necessary. Sometimes they're very necessary. Like math for example. Try taking multi-var without single-var. HA! You'll have better luck translating Latin into English. But other classes, the pre-requisites are arguable, like English 1B for English 1C. I myself never took English 1B, so I'm not in a position to complain, but I've heard many people do it.

There comes a time when we realize the pre-requisites to the ways of life.

I firmly believe that love can solve all of the world's problems. Love for ourselves, love for others, love for anything that we believe in. With this love, we can resolve the issues of war, hunger, global warming, and financial crisis.

But I think I skipped a step. I was thinking with too much optimism. Not everyone can love. Not everyone knows how to love. Before we love, we must listen.

Some of the people that I don't enjoy interacting with, I've realized the main reason I don't like interacting with them is because they don't listen. Their repetition of what I say is more pedagogical or condescending than communicatory. Please don't teach me shit I just told you about.

So the lesson I learned: loving can only come from listening. To teach how to listen, I must open my ears first and be patient. I would like to make a case that patience is the pre-requisite for listening, but that's another blog-post.

When it Comes to Words

2009-01-27T22:18:00.001-08:00

Whenever I have that regret and say to myself "I should quit and be a writer" , I usually just say that because the grass is greener on the other side. I really do enjoy to write except I don't think I love it as much as I do. I think I love it just as much as any normal person. Real writers, the ones who cannot put a pen down, suffer from writer's block. I on the other hand, a faker writer, have periods of writers flow. Instead of having this mental wall where nothing creative seems to come out, it's like the spigot is set to maximum flow and all these ideas come rushing out and I have to find a feasible way to get them on paper. If I were a real writer who truly loved it, they would all be on paper. But no, I'm a fake writer so they just stay in my head and the closest to paper they get is either here, digitally, or in the margins of my econ notes (if it's really special, it'll go in the back of the notebook on a whole sheet of paper!)

No Lies

2008-12-23T01:42:00.001-08:00

There seems to be love in the air. Everywhere I turn; there are couples being made and relationships being forged. They may not be Facebook official, but something could be going on. From an economists point of view, that leaves about 10 weeks for the relationship to bud giving prime profit for the Valentines industry.

As for me, I'm not getting involved; too many things on my mind. And besides, there's that whole commitment thing I need to work on.

Anyways babe, it's true, "these feelin's won't go away. They be knockin' me sideways." I can say it all I want but whether you believe me or not is the issue. You're waiting for the right man to come around, but even if he did, would you give him a chance?

Let's learn to laugh and grow together.

-Z

2008-12-17T17:54:00.001-08:00

Los Angeles – the only city where rain creates as much chaos as a terrorist attack.

I'm ambivalent about the rain right now. I like it because there's opportunity to do winter things like sit and read by a fireplace or splash in puddles or enjoy hot chocolate. But deep down inside, I'm a cali-boy. I need to wear my sandals, I need to wear shorts. I need to be able to see the sun at 4 pm no matter what "season" it is. It's not being spoiled, it's being from California.

There’s No Way I Can Do This Many Things…and Not Be Pissed Off

2008-11-15T04:50:00.001-08:00

Anger management time homies! The entree is a cynical with a heavy pinch of sarcasm and no sympathy for miles.

There are certain pledge bros that piss the fuck out of me.
1. Finster – your fucking rhetoric is getting us nowhere. We need more actions to accomplish our shit. Also, you're doing a really good job of fulfilling the "frat boy" stereotype. Get a damn grip.
2. Pretty Boy P - You fucking dick. Could you not say no? Did you have to take the chance? Do you think it's a fucking joke? Not with Dedick.
3. Fake Mexican – you damn cockblock. That's all I can say to you.
4. Mickey Mouse Smile – must you act like a freshman?
5. Hiney – Stop being a stalker. Seriously, open your eyes and experience life and try to be Type B personality. May I suggest growing a pair or is that too much?
IFC – you guys are pretty damn inconsistent. I think you're leaning toward disgrace.
AKYSB – stop underestimating me and my capabilities. Al, you're damn condescending.
My grades are satisfying, but I'm not happy with them. Or am I just lying to myself?
I need to get on an internship search pronto.
Sara, I really want to write you a letter. In fact, I just want to sit on a train from Riverside to Union Station and spend the trip telling you all that you deserve to know.

And now what made me happy:

The restoration of balance. Balancing my extracurriculars with my friends, that feels good. That centers me. Honestly, these lunches and dinners, as expensive as they are, they are extremely helpful. I can't thank you guys enough.
I wrote in my journal a few weeks ago. It was a bunch of questions pertaining to what makes greatness. I found my answer on the Wall Street Journal with Malcolm Gladwell's (my new favorite author) Outliers. In his new book, he will essentially attempt to answer all my questions.
1. Now as a side-note, here's what I'm wondering. If I'm asking the same questions as he is, does that make me as smart as him? Does that mean that I too can be on the same path as him? According to him, it's the strength of the serendipity that is involved. Which brings me back to the original question: what exactly makes greatness and how much power do we, as humans, have to manipulate the factors?
Vancouver – I'm so excited to finally take a break.

I have blogs on my phone. I need a way to get them from the Mobile Word to BlogSpot. Without that shit being expensive.

And I need to learn how to operate without sleep. I think I'm a sleep-a-holic. Seriously, I believe that I can sleep my problems away. That's really not good (but neither is going cold turkey…especially concerning sleep).

I've decided that right now, my sweet spot is for blondes. I am definitely digging blondes.

I have rediscovered my love for Indian music. Just the way it resonates to me, I feel like Indian music speaks truly to my soul rather to my senses.

Rebellion as Our Fuel

2008-11-04T02:10:00.001-08:00

"What's your fantasy?"
"Like sexual?" she questioned back at him. Her defense was on the rise.
"No. I mean, in general. A fantasy, a dream: some aspiration that you have"

The chemical interaction had begun. It was a complete social setting, but the parallels to science are too obvious. It felt like a slow reaction was occurring. All the elements were mixing together. Reservation, spontaneity, insanity. They were all mixing with booze as the catalyst. You know trouble is lurking somewhere. This is the story of how it comes out.

About 7 donut holes, a sip of a wine cooler, and quite possibly a Fat Tire later she answers my question. "I want to see the sunrise at the beach! You want to go!?"

"I'm down". You can't expect any emotion from me when I'm tipsy.
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. Let's go".
"Like this?" as she looked at her Halloween costume. She was either a Sarah Palin transitioning to a nun or a librarian feeling naughty.
"of course not. We're going to change". My costume was beyond ridiculous. Skinny jeans and Converse do not belong on the beach no matter who you are (and let's not mention the hair and make up)

And so it began.

Before we know it, we're on the 60 east passing Pyrite Street. That exit reminds me of fire. I feel like every time I pass it, I have to light something on fire.

"We're really crazy".
"yeah, I know. The way I see it, it's either now or never. No regrets"

The trip continued with a conversation between two normal friends with their world shrinking around and between them.

Almost by instinct, the car parks in the perfect spot. They sit and slowly fall asleep. Waiting is the name of the game.

And she wakes up saying "oh wow". The surfers look like ants. Did that ant just die? Oh wait, he's still alive.

Now the game is to not blink. Seriously.

We sit there talking about which shade of yellow and orange we love. Which color mesmerizes us the most?

It's the goldenrod yellow for her, the burnt orange for me. If you blink, you might miss the shade you love the most.

Uh oh. The clouds are still there. I hated the clouds. As I sat there waiting for that gorgeous flaming ball to come up, I imagined the clouds to be like a lid. How dare the clouds try to stop the sun from rising? I hoped for the all powerful orb to push the clouds out of the way, send them back where they came from and show off its full glory.

Music was needed so I start browsing through my playlist. "Banana Pancakes" sounds good. I'm scrolling and scrolling and I see "Here Comes the Sun". Perfect. I saw a snowflake smile. It was a smile that was never seen before and never to be seen again; pure and genuine and only to be seen for a split second.

But there was an interesting turn in events. The cursed clouds began to turn into a canvas of never-seen colors. The naked eye saw shades of purple and violet reflected in the clouds that I never thought the sun had in it. What started as a curse turned into a blessing.

The best part of the trip was not just watching the sun rise. It was the drive back. Everything felt so surreal. Did we really drive out to LA for a sunrise?

It was more than seeing the sun rise, it was escaping. It was getting away from everything. It was turning an everyday event into our prize. For a full 12 hours, she and I were on our own, relying on our wits. "Here Comes the Sun" will always sound sweeter to me, In-N-Out hasn't hit the spot like that in about 3 years, and I'm pretty sure she and I will never look at the sun the same way again.

People label insanity as a curse, just like those clouds: for today, without any regrets, that insanity was a blessing.

The Good Life

2008-10-28T04:22:00.001-07:00

Oh man am I living the rock star life style. Work hard, play hard: two midterms in two days, two country clubs in two days (along with two parties in two days). There also a downside to this hardcore lifestyle. I've pissed in more places that weren't toilets than were toilets. Yes, I know it's dirty, but it comes with the life.

My Epiphany

2008-10-25T04:06:00.001-07:00

What if the world was upside down and we could walk on the sky?

In a right-side up world,

When you get sad, you look down

At the pavement.

The pavement is a dirty place. Full of footprints

And dirt and lots of dust. That stuff is dirty.

There's no way it can cheer you up. In fact,

It just makes you more depressed.

But if the world were upside down and we walked upon the sky,

Every time we were consumed with sadness,

We would like down and see no pavement

But we would see the sky and the stars,

And their twinkling would lift our gloom.

-Zahir Alibhai

10/24/2008

I had to write that poem and separate it from the filth below.

The Recount

2008-10-25T03:59:00.001-07:00

Talk about emotion last night, there was plenty of it. I think it's important to recollect what happened at the Delt Big on the 23^rd. It's quite important.

I got there and it was cracking. Sunshine was already fucked up like no other. Apparently, he had been drinking for an hour and a half. I got a beer and I was still sober.

Then I go up to Rich and I tell him I'm still sober. He just gives me his can of Monster and says "kill it". I ask him what's in it and he just says "don't ask, just drink". I think it was Popov. Oh well. Whatever that shit was, it got me hammered real quick.

And obviously she shows up with him. Haha that was humorous. I totally tried to ignore her and every time she tried to talk to me, I just said "bye". She even said to me "you said we had to run into each other, so here, we're running into each other". For some reason, that upset me. You don't call out shit like that.

And then the cops came. First they came one by and one, discreetly. They circled the place and blocked off the entrance. Then the chopper arrived and all the blue and reds turned on. Not good.

Donna and Julia were driving. Julia was probably disgusted by everything but I think my humor distracted her from it, so it all balances out in the end.

And then I didn't just get cock-blocked, I was fucking cock-deflected to next year. I call her to make sure she's getting home safely and HE picks up. There is no other slap in the face that hurts more. Just by answering the phone he said "Hey bitch, I got her, she's mine so back the fuck off. I'm takin' care of her so go and leave". Yeah, that's why it hurt.

And then Donna gave me toast, again. It was much tastier than the previous toast she gave me, but it was easier to eat the last toast. I wish it had the thickness of the last toast with the taste of the current toast. That would have been excellent.

Then she got me fresh donuts. I ate one and threw it away. Too much sugar in one night.

And there was a vomit episode somewhere in there.

I went to sleep and damn it felt good to sleep. Most important in the next post.

Wisdom from Within

2008-10-22T23:20:00.001-07:00

So today I am officially off the UCR Raas team. I don't know if they dropped me or if I resigned. I'm going to say I resigned to protect my dignity. It's 11:11 pm, make a wish. Anyways, when I told them and the drop was confirmed, I felt sad. I didn't want to give up Garba. It's what I have left of my Indian culture at UCR and really, I enjoy garba SO much. But alas, there are slightly more important things that I have committed my time to.

The hardest thing was saying no. I felt so weak. I felt vulnerable and that I wasn't good enough for life in general. It's like someone gave me this challenge and I had to step away. Hmph, me and my ego. Always thinking that we can do anything together. But the reality is we can't. It takes strength to say no and it's even more noble to say no when you're the weakest leak. Take one for the team, but more importantly, say it so that I may not falter and bring others down with me.

And also, I hate liars*. If you're with someone, just say so, don't beat around it. We're all adults here and by keeping secrets, you're actually the one being a child.

-Zah

*Yes, I know I lie too, but they're always joke-lies. When people ask me "are you serious?" I respond with "no". If you ask me for the truth without the humorous context, I will give it to you without hesitation.

Literary Release

2008-10-21T08:12:00.001-07:00

There she was just flirting with the guys. They were crazy for her, but not like I was. I was way in over my head. I thought I deserved her and they knew better than that. Usually reason is motivation to do or say anything, but right now, it was alcohol and there was plenty of it. He took a shot, went up to her and said "Look, we need to have a serious conversation. Seriously serious"

Confused as hell she said "Umm okay".

"Look, I want to get to know you. And a lot of the questions I have are very personal and really, I don't want to invade your privacy" he slurred quickly. "SO if it at any point, you don't want to answer, just say 'that's personal' and I'll back off. No questions asked. I will provide the answer myself with my assumptions. And at the same time, feel free to ask me anything"

"Okay." She was definitely not ready for this.

"Who was your first boyfriend?"

"What are you trying to get at?"

"Fine. How many boyfriends have you officially had?"

She replied with her number.

"How many boys have you been romantically with, kind of like … an unofficial boyfriend?"

She replied a slightly higher number.

"Interesting. When was your first romantic kiss?" He thought she was going to say something along the lines that she's never kissed a boy. Instead, she responded with an age. Looks like she was the pulling surprises.

"Are you currently romantically involved with someone right now. If you lie to me" and added her name to the end to emphasize his point. Just because the alcohol was doing the talking did not mean that later on he couldn't follow up the threat. "I will never speak to you again. Just watch"

"that's too personal" she said.

"Moving on. Is the person you're romantically involved with in the same building as you?"

"Possibly".

"In the past 6 weeks, the entire time you've known me, have you ever thought of me as being your boyfriend? Has it ever crossed your mind?"

"Maybe…"

"And what turned you away?"

She just shrugged her shoulders.

"How do you feel about me becoming a Delt? It seems that once I went through with rush and pledging, you just got turned off. Why is that? How do you feel about me and delts?"

"I don't know".

Now he was getting fucking pissed off. He sensed lies."You're keeping stuff from me. I don't like that. I really don't." His voice became more stern but not for long. The booze started to slur again. "Has it ever occurred to you that I'm crazy for you? Have you realized that I am head over heels for you and that I want to be a in a relationship ship with you? Every time I talk to someone, I look at their eyes. But your eyes, I can't do it. I feel such a burst of this good feeling, this feeling of enamouredness and warmth. I get so fuzzy inside and I can't stop smiling. I feel it so strongly that I can't bear to look in your eyes because I know that if I do, I'll be so addicted and when you leave me or reject me, I don't know what I'll do. This is your chance to say yes or no and let me know if my dream can come true." The alcohol was wearing him out more quickly than before. His tone of romance came out with weariness instead. Speaking out his true feelings did take a fight. There should be no surprise that he was out of breath by now, panting like a warrior after an almost lost battle. Inside him, his conscious just fought its censor which for any man is no easy task. "If there is another guy, I need to know so I can move on and we, as in you and I, can both say goodbye to the possibility of us being together and just remain friends. If you're going to break my heart, just shatter it right away. No need to fucking prolong it. Just do it and get it over with."

And it came tumbling down. It came crashing down and only he heard it.

He walked outside to the desert night. And for the first time, he felt cold. All he wanted was her touch to warm him. He chuckled because he knew she had "cold blood". Her hands were just always cold, but at this point he felt that they could be bright sun-rays to his daisy heart. Instead, he prepared himself for the cold journey.

Just Be Honest

2008-10-21T07:35:00.001-07:00

Am I in way over head? Am I going way too crazy for this girl?

I don't think I'm upset at the situation, but more that it happens repeatedly. It's not just her and him particularly, but more that it's one more time that this has happened to me. Why do I always get blocked like that?

It's also their denial. That's what it is. If you two are developing, then totally go for it. No need to hide it.

Think rational Zahir. Think with reason. Don't wallow in your misery.

My Parents are…Parents

2008-10-09T23:49:00.001-07:00

Since high school, I've known that I truly am my father's son. The habits that he had when he was my age are gone beyond nurture and seemed to be part of nature. But today during the car ride, I put my finger on a different lesson. I've learned by business skills from my dad and my logic and knowledge of economics from my mother. I truly am a product of both of their knowledge skills combined.

It's funny how I think of myself as becoming an accomplished economist but when I look at my mother, I am truly stunned and how well she knows what she's doing. It's not in academic terms, but it's definitely in layman's terms and personally, I think that provides better communication. She really is a smart, intelligent person who has never given up learning.

Need to Read It Myself

2008-10-08T15:22:00.001-07:00

So I just need to think out loud, slow my brain down and get my schedule on to paper. In essence, I need to juggle the following commitments: School, Housing, Garba, Greek, PG and AKYSB.

1. School - Done
2. Housing - Just make the damn posters
3. Garba - Show up to practices
4. Greek - Get by...
5. PG - Teleconference
6. AKYSB - Get updates and to do tasks.

Looks like on Wednesday, I have to be at 3 places at once.

Everyone's Doing It

2008-10-07T13:14:00.001-07:00

I've noticed the trendiest thing to do with blogs is to write social commentary. I try to refrain because I'm not perfect so who am I to comment on society and my peers. It's like I'm trying to enact reform in accordance with my own personal agenda.

But there are things that need to be pointed out. Here's my latest irritation with my peers:

There's only one thing worse than poor grammar. Using advanced grammar incorrectly to show that you know grammar, when really, you don't know the difference.

The insider scoop is that on college essays and really, any other essay, if you try to use big words, the readers will figure it out. Same thing applies to the way you put your words together.

I see people commenting on Facebook pictures with "this and my mom and I" or "This is the bridge and I". It makes me shudder or they will say "take a picture of Lucy and I"

Hate to break your bubble but it actually is "This is me and and my mom" and "take a picture of me and Lucy"

So please, don't try to use something if you don't know how it works. And face it, grammar is fucking hard. So if you just make the same ignorant mistakes as everyone else, you won't be that far behind. Trying to show off what you don't have, that might hurt you rather than help.

And that my friends, is it. It was something I had to do.

Stress

2008-10-06T14:44:00.000-07:00

So this is going to be a really bad week. My schedule is all over the place. Why do all my classes have to be toward the evening? or why do the rush events have to be while I have class?

And what scares me the most is that this is just the beginning. If I do get a bid from the Delts, then how will pledging be? My schedule will haywire. Partnership Golf and the Sports Tourney will undoubtedly suffer. Are those teams and events important?

The way I see it, this is one of my last chances to Rush. There will be more opportunities.

Or if I can learn to balance.

Experience is the only teacher that gives the test first and then the lesson.

2008-10-02T01:39:00.000-07:00

I want to surf and swim in the ocean, as toxic as it may be.

I want to visit where the sun's rays sparkle like glitter in the horizon,
all whilst you run your fingers through my hair.

The line which separates dream and memory is action. Is it in me?

Taste

2008-08-17T22:19:00.001-07:00

I tasted death this morning.

I walk on the black tar below my feet. The darkest black beneath me.

Why was I saved? Was it to calm me? to tame me?

As I walk on the black tar, down the road, I see a black car.

There is a reason its headlights are on. They are on to save me.

And they definitely have.

Weighings

2008-07-29T00:15:00.000-07:00

Most people see me the same way: they doubt my intelligence, but later learn that I have an abundance of it. When I speak of my accomplishments, I'm greeted with extraordinary compliment, as if I did better than I was expected to. That kind of thinking is what got me here in the first place. It is ultimately up to me to set expectations for myself. That is what will get me ahead.

In the English sentence, every word has a connotation. I pay attention to this. Many people don't know this, but my observation skills are very keen. I notice every slight detail. Even in your speech. I make extensive use of these subtleties and I don't know who else. does that When I speak (and really, this goes for any speaker), I carefully distinguish between "when" and "if". One implies certainty, the other chance. This has huge consequences. If I refer to an event and say "when", and you don't object, you actually confirm that it will happen. When I say "if" it happens and there's no call to its certainty or lack of, then I err on the side of caution that the event will not occur.

Is that not right? Well if it isn't, maybe you should start paying attention to the words being used.

2008-07-03T00:15:00.000-07:00

Viva la vida...story of my life.

2008-06-26T22:01:00.000-07:00

The voice of reason speaks beyond friendship. You yourself are responsible for the company you keep.

Blue Light Chronicles

2008-06-21T01:08:00.000-07:00

The one class that I skipped the most was Religious Studies. I didn't buy the book, so I never finished the readings and found it pointless to go to class. At this point, that class has had the most relevance in my life. Finally, the humanities make their impact in my day-to-day life. They're not as pointless as all Science majors think they are.

The most pertinent class this quarter was my Religious Studies class. The concepts that I learned in that class have really helped me make sense of my life. As some of you may know, my birthday passed a few days ago. My friend Aleena and I always get into an argument about my birthday because I refuse to tell anyone when my birthday is. She believes that my birthday should be known to everyone. At first, I thought Aleena and I were on two different sides of the problem. It seemed her mindset was wrong, but thanks to this Religious Studies class and some reflection on my part, we're looking at the same mindset from two different points of view.

I believed that birthday was mundane, it was just an ordinary day. People always forgot it was my birthday and so the reason I never tell anyone is because they're going to forget it anyways. Aleena on the other hand believes that someone's birthday is a very sacred day and that it should be celebrated, by not celebrating it, I am disrespecting the sanctity of life.

And here comes the idea of taboo, thank you to James C. Livingston. My birthday was not mundane to me at all, in fact it was ultra-sacred. I did not want my birthday to be known by others because they create it to be mundane. Strangers (and some distant friends) knowing my birthday took the sacred aspect out of my birthday, thus the definition of Livingston's taboo. She celebrates the sanctity through sharing, I celebrate the sanctity by not sharing. Interesting, don't you think?

It's also interesting to look at the ABC drama Lost and to see their society through a religious perspective. It should be a fun season and intellectual twist to entertainment.

So let's continue with my stats class. It was actually Econ 101 or Econ Stats, but it wasn't really econ, it was stats. How did that help my world outlook?

According to the New York Times, 1.6 million Chinese residents have been displaced due to the floods and earthquakes that have occurred. According to the harsh mathematics, that's less than 1% of the population. Will the Chinese government actually do something for them? I haven't done my reading so I wouldn't know. Would any government pay attention to a grieving 1% of the population? Would the press need to present the people's plight for the government to do good and help? Too many questions and not enough answers. But this gives me evidence that the human race can be inherently good. The fact that so many people are concerned about 1.6 million people on the other side of the world or on the other side of the state line gives me hope that the world isn't so bad after all.

Los Angeles: The City of Hope

2008-06-09T13:24:00.000-07:00

As my good friend Erica Younge said, "I have never been so optimistic after a loss" and that is exactly how I feel. The lakers came back 22 points from a 24 point deficit late in Game 2 of the NBA Finals. Had the referees been officiating fairly, the Lakers would not have been in that conundrum in the first place. And still! They shot back giving the entire Celtic team a huge shock.

We're two games down, the Celtics are halfway there, but it's our turn to play some ball, LA style. If we can do what we did in Boston, a three game home sweep should not be a problem. I leave it up to the fortunate (and I'm not only talking about luck) fans who will at Staples Center to give Boston the heat and cheer our team to Victory. Please don't give up. If Kobe didn't give up in the 3rd quarter, you shouldn't give up by the 3rd game.

-Zahir

The Gap

2008-05-20T01:01:00.000-07:00

I'm suffering from a universal problem. What annoys me is that I don't want to be part of the group that makes the condition "universal".

It's all about the space between coming up with an idea and then executing that idea. I have so much stuff that I need to do and even more things that I want to do. The hard part is getting the imaginative ideas from my head on to paper.

And boy oh boy do i have a lot of stuff to buy over summer...

2008-04-26T03:07:00.000-07:00

The beats are exotic but I feel like I am at home. The native Bombay reverberates throughout my temple. It's so familiar, but it's so far away. All that matters is that I understand her, I understand the stranger.