Our Lives Are Just Overstocked Refrigerators

Yesterday, my mom cut up a watermelon we bought. I could tell from the moment I looked at the watermelon, that this was about to be one of the greatest experiences for my taste buds. And my intuition did not prove me wrong; one slice for everyone in our family was enough to deem it worthy for kings.

But perhaps too worthy. My mom then ordered me to put the large box of watermelon in the fridge. My mom’s is quite miserly when it comes to quality. I think I got it from her. I walked over with the box to the fridge, opened the door and….

There was absolutely no room.

None, whatsoever.

The entire fridge was stocked with milk over a month old, mango pulp that my mom wanted to use but never did, and various leftover dishes dating back to the Cretaceous Period. Thinking quick on my feet, I opened up the freezer. I frown. Ice cream and coconut all over the place. Just for kicks, I open up the pantry. My frown stretches into a full-blown scowl. The pantry is EMPTY with nothing in it except for some crumbs of Honey Bunches of Oats. This would have to be the home of this delectable watermelon, where it would rot and ferment in the room-temperature air. The taste, gone…

I then realized that this is exactly what we do with our lives. We keep on storing, holding on to things, that whenever something extraordinarily brilliant comes along, we can’t readily welcome it. It is sent to the graveyard of life (apologizing for the oxymoron) where it will rot away and never be seen again. Because some opportunities are literally once-in-a-lifetime.

In a few short moments, I learned that I need to remain broad-minded, no matter how enticing narrow-mindedness may be. I also learned that I need to eat more out of the fridge and less out of the pantry.

Memorization

I’ve been thinking about how memorization works lately, and this is what I was able to come up with.

To dissect what we call memory, first we have to analyze the medium by which we think: the mind. The term mind was coined to personify the abstract aspects of consciousness and intellect expressed through thoughts, emotions, innovation, perception, and discrimination. The brain, being the tangible representative of the mind, is directly correlated to the mind in day-to-day life. However, the truth is that the mind, although connected to the brain, is something entirely transcendental of biological and physiological attributes of body. I feel that the mind is an innate entity, one that unites each and everything in this universe through its common thread.

From my own personal experience, memory has taken three different paths:

Rote Memorization – Obviously the most common practice, but not necessarily the quickest. I have found it effective, nevertheless. It has become my “Go-To” memorization technique.

Mnemonic Link Systems – Now this one can mean a lot of things. This generally entails a network of readily available mental constructs that signify something when put in context. A visual cue, a familiar sound, or a recognizable touch could trigger a memorization. Much of this can happen subconsciously. Even an unrelated stimulus can be linked to a memorized concept.

Random Recollection – Like an over-excited, random friend, I find myself thinking of events that happened years ago that are completely unrelated and unimportant to the situation at hand. These remembrances are few and far between.

Now from a proactive perspective, goal-oriented memorization seems to be the easiest to carry out. When a direct correllation is visible between memorization and fruits, I am immediately motivated to pursue the memorization with added gusto. However, repetition, as I have found, makes for loss of interest, and discourages the entire endeavor. It looks like now that I’ve laid my thoughts down, I need to start applying this to my life.

A Thousand Splendid Suns…And a Little of Something Else

I recently finished the book A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, and can safely say that you aren’t cool if you haven’t read it. A successor of equal or greater caliber of that of The Kite Runner, the book speaks of gender inequality and culture of the Middle East. It delivers powerful messages in its lines, growing ever poignant between them.

Excuse me as I go Facebook some more…

Show Me The Spice!

Caliente! 辛辣! Würzig

All around the world, the tastes (and sounds) of spice are coveted. It was not until Europeans began to trade for spices with those in the East that our favorite dishes such as pasta and pizza acquired their beloved taste.

I LOVE SPICY FOOD. My taste buds and stomach are wired to make spice taste and stay down better than most. You may spend hours groaning on the toilet seat after a mildly spicy meal, but I confidently eat green peppers with now problems. You’ll even find that most Indians will down spice like candy. Seriously. Sit down for a meal with an Indian and I guarantee the preceding statement true at least 75% of the time. Just be careful which dishes you pick. Anything your friend says tastes perfect, avoid like The Plague. If he spits it out and calls it disgustingly bland, enjoy. Don’t forget to keep a glass of water by your side, though.

I have a relatively accurate theory about this quirky behavior. I link the love of spice in Indians to their cultural and psychological upbringing. Indians are conservative in body, but liberal in mind. In terms you can understand, we’re a bunch of braniacs who can’t pack a punch. Generally, Indians are pretty mellow people. So, as you would expect, excitement doesn’t come our way often. Quick! What’s the most exciting flavor you can think of? Exactly: spice. You see, spice is a form of escapism for us. It applies to my mother, my father, and even me (to a much lesser degree). I’m bored now, so to the hot sauce bottle I shall go.

—————-

*I sincerely apologize to any Indians offended by my post. I took full liberty in writing the above thoughts because they were of my own ethnic background.

Youtube Video Montage

I <3 Youtube. I just <3 it. I don’t know what I would do if without it. It is home to some of the most innovative, original content on the planet. I just thought I’d share some of the gems of the site with you guys.

Most of us know the nursery rhyme “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” But definitely not like this. If you’re aware of Indian geography, this should be all the more awesome for you.  Otherwise, just laugh at the fact this woman can speak more than five different languages fluently — including “annoying shy girl.” Here you can find what is referred to in the video as “twinkle twinkle mini star.”

OK, this next one is kind of like an inside thing. If you get it, you get it. It was made by the young adults of Dallas.

Heard of Ozzy Osbourne? Well watch him get blown away by a kid fifty one years younger than him. Here’s Crazy Train — try to get past the struggling vocals (the 9 — year — old doesn’t know how to speak English), and focus on the guitar, and I guarantee that you will be amazed. The expression on his face is priceless!

If you’re Youtube-literate, you have probably heard of the Youtube Trinity. Smosh happens to be a member of that trinity. Here’s one of his videos:

Next, my least favorite of the Trinity (not saying much…still pretty funny), Fred:

Finally, the best of the Trinity, NigaHiga!

Hope you enjoyed this!

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE!

I finally saw it! I’m simply going to say this, as anything else would do an injustice to the film:

Eight Oscars? It should have been ten.

Musical Geniuses Both…

Thursday, June twenty-fifth of 2009 could mean a lot of things. A birthday, anniversary, or party. Something special, or something ordinary. Anything at all.

To many, it was the opening up of an abyss in popular culture.

2:11 PM marked the death of motown music great Michael Jackson. A great songwriter, musician, dancer, and person to boot, Jackson’s parting turned the final page in a musical legacy that will forever be remembered with reverence.

His career, though splotched and blotched with controversy and tabloid-fodder, was one of the most successful in history. The success is represented through his thirteen Grammys and hit singles, his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. MJ’s Thriller still stands as the best selling album of all time.

From a personal standpoint, Michael’s music speaks to me. I can confidently say that he is among the top ten artists of all time. Below is one of the most popular songs he’s written:

MJ’s passing prompts me to remember another person. Another musician, dying of cardiac arrest, at approximately the same age. Yes, qawwali-enthusiasts have me all figured out; Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan died twelve years ago. His music went beyond mundane lyrics and simple melodies. Music was defined and sculpted with his devotion and intensity for God. Nusrat’s songs don’t originate from his vocal chords, but rather straight from his soul. I easily lose myself in Allah Hu’s pure devotion.

So whether it’s Shahenshah-e-Qawwali or The King of Pop, I think we all can recognize that these two musicians are influential and incredible in their own right. Though they do not remain in the flesh, they forever remain in our hearts. But beyond that, beyond mortal bodies, and fogetful minds, they are immortalized in their music. That is something that will always remain. Always.

The King of Pop

Shahenshah-e-Qawwali

Haggar or Nike?

Alright, before you read any more, think about what each of the words in the title mean to you.

Done? OK, these are all clothing stores, just to clear all doubt, and we went to both and more on a trip to the outlet mall. The good thing about outlet malls is that anything you want, you can get like fifty times cheaper in these retail stores. Inexpensive products await! I now have a decked out wardrobe. Next time you see me in person remember to comment on how well I dress these days

Haggar

Haggar is the store for the most elegant clothing shopper there is. Everything there is either suitable for a wedding or a dinner party — and nothing more. Nevertheless the clothes there are incredible, but that plays second fiddle to the price. Retail prices being more than thirty dollars above the sale price, the amount of money you have to spend (or lack of) speaks louder than anything else. Other than the fact that the shirts are HUMONGOUS…

Nike:

Universally known, Nike is the shop that most “guy” guys immediately seek out. Of course, I’m no exception. Simply through quality, Nike maximizes physical performance with whatever gear you have. I can now run without procuring enough sweat to create a puddle .

But why do I like shopping? Sometimes I think that I should have been born as a girl. It’s unnatural! Perhaps it’s simply culturally ingrained that girls like shopping and boys like sports. It probably doesn’t have anything to do with thought patterns and psychological differences between boys and girls. It just so happens that whatever psychological behaviors are stereotypically “girly” tend to occur more in the female gender. The same applies to men as well. And it’s not just clothes; anything and everything…for myself that is. I moan and groan when I have to go to Justice or Claire’s for my mom or my sister.

Tell me what you think:

Star Trek

Monday night + $5 movies at the theater + Nothing to do  = MOVIE NIGHT!

Last Monday, I ended up watching Star Trek, because that’s the kind of geek I am

In all seriousness, it was actually a lot better than I expected. Even though I’m somewhat of a “Trekkie” (I’ve been trying to master the Vulcan neck pinch to use against some of my more formidable foes — i.e. my Xbox), I can’t say that I’m an avid fan. As in I’ve never seen the show…or read the books…or even eavesdropped on any nerdy conversations about said phenomenon. But man…it was one hell of a movie concerning the subject matter; movies about Star Trek don’t get any better than warp speed starships and laser guns, and those things can’t get any better than they are today, what with special effects and what not…

In fact, I think this movie is so good, that after watching it, you will proceed to play pretend games as Kirk or Spock, regardless of your age. I’m not saying…I…did……oh never mind!

The only drawback was that it lacked a substantial climax in the plot. Instead, there was a rather mellow culmination of events. A considerable and disappointing lack of “BANG” and “POW” in the movie, even though its claim to fame is the blasting of evil intergalactic species out of space, if you ask me.

Go watch it!

“…and that’s an order.”

- Captain James T. Kirk

Grade: A-

Running: Something More Than Point A to Point B

I started my cross country training a few days ago. I’m running a self-formulated schedule to get ready for the upcoming season. Let me be the one to say, it’s effective, without a doubt. And this is coming from me, quite possibly the worst runner on the team. I can now run two miles in 15 minutes — that’s seven and a half minutes per mile at an endurance pace. This probably means I can do a seven minute mile at a race pace. Definitely an improvement from my nine minute a year ago at around this time of year. Not to mention, running is seriously helping my basketball.

Have you ever considered the concept of running? It astonishes me, how something so common, can be so extraordinary. Running is so widespread and available to the masses, that it takes on a meaning that is different from one person to the next, to the point that it becomes something solely personal. I mean, all you need is relatively good health, a little drive, and a comfortable pair of shoes. Some successful people even do without that last one.

Simply from a physical standpoint, the motion that is running offers a form of release. Just the movement of feet pounding the asphalt, gravel, or mud, working in balance and harmony — that is truly special. But beyond the fact that it may possess a certain lofty likability, I never thought to take into account how naturally it came to me. Unless you weigh 300 pounds, running should be something that is pretty easy. Even if you do weigh 300 pounds, you should be able to run a few feet. Whether preparing for a marathon or just trying to put as much distance as possible between you and the killer dog on the block, we’ve all experienced running in some way or the other. And more than likely, we’ve never needed any instruction on how to do so.

Running eliminates stress better than any other exercise I’ve tried. I think this is in whole due to the fact that running combines elements of repetition and rhythm. Repetition is the obvious redundant motion  gone through while running. Out of this results rhythm, the constant movement in a predictable pattern. In fact, these qualities portray running as a form of meditation. In truth, running can be as peaceful as sitting cross-legged at home, on the floor, perhaps even more so. In an article of my friend’s blog (which you can read here)(BTW, his blog is pretty sweet, so check it out), he says that the basis behind any form of meditation is doing something and doing it repeatedly. So for those of you meditation-enthusiasts (Akbar anna!), instead of plopping down on the floor next time you want to calm down, go out early in the morning for a jog with a determined goal of meditation — or at least don a stern face to make it look serious.

Beyond the physical and even psychological aspects of running, something takes place in my psyche, at a subconscious level that I can only analyze from a theoretical perspective. The primitive origins of legs themselves connect me with my past. And the even more fundamental goals of progress and moving forward that running so aptly symbolizes connect me to the future. Through this connection, you could say that I am subconsciously conscious of the future and the past. And no, no matter how contradictory that last sentence was, I refuse to go back and correct it. acknowledging the past and the future. Since my subconscious anima is dealing with those regions of time, running is my time to be in the present. In day-to-day life, this seems to be very difficult, no matter who it is. That is because it really is that difficult. Realistically, we can view relative units of time (past, present, and future) as having tangible quality. The present is relatively tiny in size contrasted with the vast past and future, being a single point on the endless line of time.. Normally, the average person has a very sprawling thought pattern. Thoughts may exist in the present, but are few and far between. Where are the rest of our thoughts spent? Past and future, reminiscence and doubt, whatever you want to call it. In meditation, however, this typically large focus range is shrunken to accommodate only one perspective, only one thought. Suddenly, the mind is rid of the clutter it hosts. Running (along with other activities that I enjoy) stills the mind and creates a peaceful atmosphere within the self, regardless of my surroundings.

Wow, that's two mathematical references in two consecutive posts...

The subconscious awareness that I have recognizes that the present will soon become past, and even the future will cease to be a mystery by becoming the present, and thus doesn’t dwell on it; being a transcendental observer as opposed to reacting to the events happening in time. That is the nature of meditation and human mentality itself. The fact that I extracted such deep spiritual truths from an ordinary motion speaks volumes about running — and spirituality itself, but that’s another story, another day, another blog post.