Californication meets Tranpacificism

First and foremost this post is to [belatedly] thank all those that gave me birthday greets (including the early and the late ones, those are in ways more memorable actually! heh..) I wanted to get my pix up before posting this, so that’s one reason it’s late, but I changed my “status” on facebook (since that’s where the most props came from), to inform all that I’m excited+happy for all the beautiful people in my life.. (a sorta stopgap that most probably missed.

As people who know me probably know.. I’m not the biggest, or even the first, to recognize/commemorate myself in any way. (Begin storytime) I gathered my Parras friends together in ’05 for my b-day, but I think a part of the inspiration was to allow them to meet my fam (which didn’t work, that first family was strange!). Other times I’ve casually mentioned to those around that’s it was my b-day (03,04,06 (CCC,BC,Cn resp)) and that was it. This year I did something that was seemingly a bit surprising+ out of the mold. I held a graduation party for myself! Wow. But I didn’t notice until a friend Carly asked me if I was enjoying myself during the party.. I think I said something about how that wasn’t what I was meant to do, and somehow I realized that I had set up the party in a way to make it about everyone else. Help people see how they’re connected to each other to help build+grow others’ networks, I guess since I wouldn’t be around Arcata anymore. Later I went around telling everyone how wonderful+fabulous they were in my life. Everything to avoid me being discussed or praised or anything. Wow, that’s pretty unfortunate! But interesting to dissect oneself, ya know?

Part of me definitely doesn’t want my birthday celebrated, which is one reason I don’t like to make a big deal about it, but.. yeah. It was _really_ nice to hear/see greetings from all you various people! The nicest thing was this b-day card that Seana made for me (I sometimes wonder where she gets my pics)

So, in traditional style, I gathered some of my cousins (and spouses) together for my b-day (ya know, an excuse for a gathering!) and we had dinner.

I wanted to link to a couple of really nice articles I read in the newspaper’s glossy “Times Life!” section on July 22nd. So I’ll give you the title and clip, and update this post (and comment on it maybe too) once I can find them online. “Live without guilt!” ‘We are surrounded by people trying to set guilt traps. It’s up to us to dodge them!‘ is the subtitle, by Vinita Dawra Nangia. The next is “Make yourself Count, subtitled: ‘When was the last time you stole a moment for yourself? Ritu Sur finds out why you are invariably the last in your priority list‘ Nice. (Just emailled the authors). UPDATE: (Apparently they can be accessed from their website, use login: bugmenotid pass: bugmenot to read. d’oh! apparently they require Internet Explorer and ActiveX. Blech!) Else! Here’s my Downloaded versions of those 2 articles for your viewing pleasure! (Cheesy, I know!)

When I came in ’99 my birthday fell in that time, and, in addition to it being Lakshmi’s wedding we nominally came for, she’s also pictured in the photograph below because at that time she told me that I should treat them (her and my cousin Rajeev). HAH! You’re rediculous, I thought, surely she was just trying to trick me. “Everybody” KNOWS that on your birthday others treat you and give you gifts. So for this birthday, I thought, sure, why not, I’ll play her little game. And I treated everyone to dinner.

Here’s my album with pics from my b-day, the thumbnail is of my cousin (in India we say sister) Lakshmi (the bride-to-be), me, and some cake: (Pics from the day/dinner)

And I told Lakshmi that she was part of the reason I decided to do this, and it seemed like everyone agreed. On your birthday, you treat others. WEIRD! I guess she wasn’t trying to put one over on me, as its so easy to do with “the foreigner.” In any case, if this isn’t long yet, I shouldn’t let it get so, because it’s SO lagged in being posted! (Really, it’s Aug1st. So, thanks again folks, and hope everyone has a wonderful b-day! (As I try to figure out how to appreciate others’ b-days from abroad..) tata, -@

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