Free Skynard tickets

God, I love Craigslist. Free Lynard Skynard tickets! SECTION 3! I have never been up so close at the Tweeter, I mean Comcast Center. Forget capitalism. It's all about the barter system... :P

Operation Overhaul

I just hired myself as a consultant for my parents' convenience store, called Brookline Superette. AAH, I love NEPOTISM! Moo HA HA (evil laughter)

You can check out our new website, which is clearly lacking content, but I am content with just getting our name out there into cyberspace.

A project that has been brewing in my consciousness for quite some time, I think my break in San Francisco/Hawai'i/India/Nepal/Egypt/New York has really rejuvenated me. My entrepreneur mind has kicked fully into overtime. I am determined to help my parents' business, which is threatened of going under by Trader Joe's. My goal is to increase our business by 50%, so help me God.

God has promised us in Psalm 20

1 May the LORD answer you when you are in distress;
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.

2 May he send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you support from Zion.

3 May he remember all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.
Selah

4 May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.

5 We will shout for joy when you are victorious
and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May the LORD grant all your requests.

6 Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;
he answers him from his holy heaven
with the saving power of his right hand.

7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

8 They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.

9 O LORD, save the king!
Answer [a] us when we call!

Still in Re-entry Stress/Reverse Culture Shock

Yeah, I am still in super reverse culture shock. It's so clean here, it seems unfair and a little disturbing. The streets are immaculate and the roads are not dusty. People are not honking in my ear.

I think I just *may* have been cured of my desire to shop incessantly, compared to before. I am much more balanced about my spending/buying habits. I just feel so "normal." If there is such a thing.

It's nice to be me. To like who I am more, though I can still be impatient, rude and thoughtless. I definitely feel calmer, nicer and more considerate than B.C. (Before Christ). Even my mother has said she noticed a difference.

I appreciate my parents SO much more. All the bitter resentful rebellious hatred of youth seems to have dissipated a little. Can it be? Maturity on the horizon? Maybe I am deluded, but I feel more like an adult...if there is such a thing.

The Heavenly Man

I was cleaning/organizing/dusting all day and kind of avoiding church, and thought I would make it to the 4 pm service. My friend even invited me to the beach, and I was sad I couldn't make it. Then I rushed to church after final touch-ups on my room and a shower, and when I got there (I was super early, yay!), they made this announcement that Brother Yun was speaking. At first, I had no idea who John was talking about, but then when I realized it was the author of The Heavenly Man, I felt like it was TOTALLY GOD. Yay, I love Jesus. He is my best friend.

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=s&hl=en&q=heavenly+man&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=8129482308230180835&ei=HmsrTMOiJMT68AaQp7HUCA&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CCoQ8wIwAg#

He was a great speaker, though a lot of what he said was in his book. I wish he mostly talked about new stuff. He should do a follow up novel, like 3 Cups of Tea's.

Rainbow at the beach

Nahant Beach with Jennifer and Leandro. Flying a kite and running around screaming at the top of my lungs in glee. Swimming in the rain facing a huge beautiful rainbow with a bunch of triathletes in the freezing cold New England water with God painting the sky and clouds with brilliant strokes of light and color. Then to top it off, Brazilian feijoada. Does life get any better than this?

Re-Entry Stress

I am having re-entry stress. It's so weird to be home and yet very nice to be in clean, clean Brookline. I feel kinda out of it. Like, slightly off-kilter, yet not being able to put my finger on it. I feel so slow to respond to people, like I am in slow motion. But it's like something doesn't feel quite right. Just a little out of place...

Jackie asked me if people were friendly there. Yes. So friendly. It's kinda like in India, people aren't so friendly initially, but once you break through the ice, they welcome you with open arms and you are family, and treated as such. In America, it's the opposite. People are so friendly, and then the closer you get, the harder it is know them. Then you encounter the iceberg. Perhaps it's not true, you can dispute me on it. The thing with Americans is that at least you kinda know what to expect. There is just so much more love and heart in India, I don't know why. I mean, I think acts of service really moved up on my 5 Love Languages list, because in India, there is a motto/cultural paradigm "Guests are Gods." I SURE LOVED BEING A GUEST IN INDIA!!! Here in the States, people forget to even offer you a glass of water, or even expect you to do the dishes in their home! Okay, maybe not, but that's what it felt like. I'd give a dime to hear your opinions on this one!

I miss the intimacy that people have in India. I miss Riya, with her loud, intrusive behavior that was all up in my bizness, yet felt so loving and caring, because she was instructing me on "the way to be a proper Hindu slash Indian woman." And I SOOO miss little Karuna, who didn't talk to me for like a week, and then she kept rolling onto my mattress (we had five very thin rollout mattresses laid out side by side in our hostel ((which is what they call dorms in India)). She was my girl. I miss all the closeness and warmth.

Driving on the highway is insane. Actually, driving in Boston is a little like driving in India, so I feel slightly at home on the road. I hate being in the passenger seat with my father, though, his foot is so heavy on the break.

Father's Day was really nice. Calvary Christ Church, first time at church in U.S. (I know, I can't believe I missed two Sundays). Pretty good service, got a free black mug filled with goodies! I loved how real and honest the pastor's dad was during his sermon. Went for a swim after crashing for a three hour nap. Her pool was so cold, yet refreshing. I loved meeting her neighbors. 4 year olds are so honest, I absolutely love it. (He said he saw me eating dog food. ha ha ha. Not true, but funny, nonetheless.)

Remembering the Surf

I was out with Sherry and a couple of her friends out on the waves. We were right across the street from where I was staying, and there was a storm coming in from Australia. The waves were coming in pretty slow, but they were big. Probably 2 footers, although they felt more like 4 footers. I was out there for a while, paddling, just trying to catch the right one. Then I hit it. "C'mon Sherry!" I yelled, as loud as I could, adrenaline starting to pump through my veins. We started paddling as hard as we could. Me, on my 9 foot longboard, probably about 20 years old, fiberglass busting out, compliments of craigslist. (And they said I couldn't do it.) Man, that wave was so sweet. I dropped down into it. And I surfed the heck out it. Words can't really describe the sensation of dropping into a really sweet wave, you just feel it. And yes, you feel like you are on top of the world.

I didn't catch any more good waves that day, but I will remember those moments forever. I am itching to tackle some East Coast waves now that I am here, but Hawai'i, that is the true home and birthplace of surf.

Alchemy and Art Shows

It's a little surreal adjusting back to life in Boston. Sometimes I wake up and forget what country or city I am in. Then I realize I am home. I feel a little like Dorothy in Wizard of Oz. Going home after all these wild and crazy adventures.... there is no place like home, there is no place like home, there is no place like home....

I noticed I was still doing some things like I would have in India...such as throwing away toilet paper in the wastebasket. Waiting for the hot shower to run out. Then a huge wave of relief, knowing that it probably wouldn't run out. At least not for a long time.

I find that I am grateful for so many things in the U.S. I am so grateful for clean bathrooms. I am grateful for the hot bath that I took yesterday. I am so grateful that people understand me, and where I have come from, and who I am. I am grateful to be back among friends and family that love me so so so much. I am grateful for the lovely PERFECT dinner (for Melanie's birthday) at Alchemy in Gloucester, our little nook, our wild mushroom risotto, pistachio, endive, feta mesclun salad, Melanie's margherita pizza (and she gives me her tomatoes), Mishelle's asparagus and duck confit. It was a brilliant meal in brilliant company.

Then we went to a photography exhibit (there was a picture of sea turtle which reminded me of my turtle off the pier in Kona), an art show at the Hive, and then back to Alchemy for more awesome, inspiring conversation. I was feeling very very Sex in the City with my 3 amazing girlfriends. I am so blessed.

First Day Back in Boston

Had a great talk with dad. We disagree on many things, but one thing we agree on is love. It says in the bible, love your neighbor as you love yourself.

How I Know I Am Back In America

First of all, I want to appreciate you if you bothered to click on the link and read my blog. I struggle with having a blog because there seems to be a bit of hubris in having a blog. (Wondering, do people even care what I write and what goes on in my life???) Well, if you have gotten to this page, then I guess the answer is yes. Okay, that out of the way, let’s move on.
**************************************************
Okay, I had the most amazing morning. Woke up at 9:30 am with Chewy (my brother Chung's chocolate brown cocker spaniel puppy) licking my face and jumping all over me. Oh. Heaven. If I hadn’t gotten 10½ hours of sleep, well, that might have been a different story….but given that I FINALLY slept after weirdly not being able to nap AT ALL after landing the day before yesterday, it was so nice. Landing on the 7th, I got a ride from my new friend Rafaat, who I met on the plane and was the nicest guy ever. He gave me a ride to my brother’s going WAY out of his way to help me. I am telling you, God is good, because he always sends angels to help me! LITERALLY (his last name is ANGEL!!!)! HAHHAHAHAHAHA. Anyway, I couldn’t sleep, nap, at all. Finally, I got to sleep around 11 pm (6 am Cairo time) but I got woken up by my brother coming home. Then it was cold so I couldn’t go back to sleep. Then I tried to sleep all day, but I got distracted by Ugly Betty episodes and endless gmail and facebooking and phone calls…yeah. Welcome back to America. Land of internet and plenty.
Then Chung came home from work and we had kalbi (Korean steak) bbq YUM and hot rice YUM and kimchee YUM and salad YUM and a nice glass of red wine and good company. Then I crashed. Yes, delicious delicious lovely delicious sleep. I woke up once, but immediately fell back asleep. So, I woke up, and was wondering what to eat, getting hungrier, forgetting that I was totally jonesing for a hot New York Jewish bagel the night before. Then I spotted the whitest cream cheese in the fridge, and suddenly, it all came flooding back to me. I ran out to get one from a local deli. NO DEBIT CARDS! So, then, I spent the next hour running around trying to find an ATM, and not just any ATM, only my bank wouldn’t charge $2 or $3 to take out money. After running around 3 or 4 blocks in Chelsea, feeling a nice heartrate boost, I victoriously emerged, $20 richer. The toasted bagel was only $1.03. I ran home quickly, but not before stopping by the Museum of Jewish History and St. Xavier’s Catholic church on West 16th. That is one thing that really struck me as soon as I landed in New York City. The immense cultural, racial, religious diversity. This is PROBABLY THE MOST diverse city in the ENTIRE WORLD. Yes, we know Boston in clearly a better city when it comes to many things, like universities and education, hospitals and lower crime rates and more trees, but when it comes to diversity, I mean, you HAVE to hand it to New York City. Okay, back to my brunch.
It was like a work of art. And it kept getting better and better. It started with a 7 grain bagel, deliciously toasted by the nice Central American gentleman at the deli probably owned by Koreans (I only say that because they were selling Korean noodles on the counter and the lady behind the counter was Asian). I slathered the aforementioned cream cheese on (oh, and I forgot to mention the Wild Alaskan Coho Salmon I purchased at THE most well-stocked store in Manhattan) and threw on some slices of rich, pink salmon). I scrambled an egg with a hint of black pepper and kosher salt and threw that on the plate. Then, to top it all off, a gorgeous salad of romaine lettuce, carrots, celery, cucumbers, and the royal crown that was like the Queen’s Jewel… AVOCADO. Yes, avocado. The delicious fruit (or is it a vegetable???) that brings an entire meal to a whole other level. And with it all, I drank some deliciously chilled peppermint iced tea with a slice of lemon. Yes, I should be a food writer. Just kidding. Anyway, given that I just spend ten months in India and Nepal and 2 weeks in Egypt, it was a meal that felt like pure decadence. It was delish.
Okay, I am off!

Egypt

riding across the Arabian desert with the wind whipping through my hair, my insides being crushed, with the pyramids and sphinx to my right, is definitely one of those things you don't forget for a while.


As for New York...I am in jet lag hell.  Or more appropriately, that place in between hell and earth that I can't think of because my brain has ceased to function.  Not propaganda...not crematorium...not eternity...not delirium (although delirium does seem to be setting in).  Okay, I'll think of it later.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay, I got it.  Purgatory.  It's called purgatory.  Pray for me.  I need sleep.  Oh yes, I need sleep.  I feel like a zombie in very bad zombie movie.