Monday, March 31, 2008.
we watched the fireworks rain down over the lotus-shaped skyscrapers. you looked at me with heated eyes, and i remembered our fearless silences. staring out the window, no end in sight, just road and volcano, just fire and light.
(posted at 11:41 AM)
Sunday, March 30, 2008.
trapped somewhere between needing out and wanting in.
(posted at 8:31 PM)
Saturday, March 29, 2008.
i'm obsessed with soy ice cream
(posted at 7:07 PM)
Thursday, March 27, 2008.
hieu sent me this article. Dalai Lama vs. the brain surgeon on whether thoughts act back on the physical stuff of the brain to change its chemical, electrical and other physical properties.
"The Dalai Lama has long tried, through his teachings, to increase the world’s supply of compassion and empathy. This study suggests that compassion meditation might do that, Davidson said in a statement: “People are not just stuck at their respective set points” for compassion. 'We can take advantage of our brain’s plasticity and train it to enhance these qualities.'"
so, wait, you mean to tell me that my pessimism is probably not helping the state of things? ;)
(posted at 2:18 PM)
last night barrett accompanied me to Erato, the wine bar where milongas are held every wednesday night in st. louis. it was nice. tal was a good dancer, and i had to resist the wine selection because of my sore throat.i have the unfortunate luck of having a body that doesn't like to let me forget that i am not, in fact, invincible. now my project team thinks that i get sick easily. but seriously, moving between so many different geographic regions with different weather patterns? Body, i don't blame you for protesting.
i'm balancing on some kind of "attempt to push away from stagnancy." i won't let my heart feel anything but cynicism towards love. i don't sleep enough. i've neglected friendships. i appreciate the few people who don't mind that i'm not around; they still greet me as enthusiastically as ever when i finally appear in their lives again. i'm always exhausted, and the only things i force myself to make time for are dancing tango and attempts at running. this is my way of coping with heartbreak and restlessness, i guess. i run until i run out of breath, and then i run some more.
(posted at 9:10 AM)
Tuesday, March 25, 2008.
Aditi and I decided to try a Bolivian restaurant (whose name neither of us dared to pronounce). 
Give it a try, record yourself, and send it to me. Or just ask someone who knows and let me know.
The waitress addressed us in Spanish, which was refreshing. Aditi politely refused an English menu, even though I was staring at her in disbelief at the decision. Sure, I have an undergraduate degree in Spanish, sure, I lived in Spain, sure, I dated a Mexican guy for several years. Yeah but all that means nothing to the Bolivians. I didn't know 90% of the dishes described on the Bolivian menu. The waitress recommended the Moconchinchi for a refresco... I agreed because of the name. Reminds me of a Zumba song.
According to Bolivia Hoy,
M'OKONCHINCHI
It's a traditional refreshment done out of dry peaches. You can find it cold and at a low price in all the marketplaces and almost all the corners downtown.
We were very pleasantly surprised. It was really sticky-yet-refreshing sweet, and there was a dry peach at the bottom. I'm notorious for guzzling whatever beverage I have in front of me whatever the taste (except for beer, much to David's lament), and this was good. So if the horchata's not made right, I'd order one of these in a heartbeat.
(posted at 4:45 PM)