Im just saying

So here I sit, exactly 2,719 miles away from my apartment in Washington DC.  2,719.  I've been thinking about that number a lot today.  Many of you may know my disdain for the DC area.  I've been there for three years now and I have a whole litany of complaints.  Once you get to know the area, it seems a lot smaller than it claims to be.  I continously run into people I know, and I feel like there just aren't a ton of new places to check out.  Also, the population includes a large group of transient professionals- people who have moved in the area and don't really plan on being there long and aren't really from there.  There just seems to be a lack of true "Washingtonians" (not to be confused with all the people in the VA and MD suburbs).  Also there are a ton of suburbanites.  As a resident of Arlington County, I don't really have a problem with this except that a lot of these people refuse to go in to the city.  Yes, I know the 3 miles drive can be a pain, as can the $20 cab fare, but what's the point of living in the area and not venturing in to the city?

BUT, but but but but but, that is NOT the point of this.  Right now we are concentrating on the 2719 miles.  2719 miles between me and one of the simplest metro systems I've ridden.  The public transportation in San Diego seems pretty non exsistent, atleast around the beach area. 

2719 miles between me and my two favorite tapas restaurants and the only restaurant I know that sells authentic Indian street food.  It's weird being in a city and not having a place.  You know, the little bar or restaurant you go to when you just want to eat something you know is impeccable and exactly what you're craving.  That little place where you pretty much know the menu?  I'm not saying I haven't been to a ton of great places here in San Diego, but I still don't have "a place".  It's silly to make such a big deal about such a small thing, but I really miss having my set of places.  I'm definitely always interested in going to every new bar, club, restaurant etc I hear about, but I have this list of comfort places.  For instance, I bounce between two different bars a few blocks away when I'm grabbing my weekly drink with Ms. Petworth.  "The list"  includes the above mentioned restuarants, my Ethiopian place when I'm in the mood for some Shuro Watt, and the creperie down the street when I'm in the mood for, well, crepes! 

That's 2719  miles between me and most of my girlfriends from college, friends from Richmond, childhood and neighborhood friends, and all the new people I've met and becom close to.  Their lives are moving on.  Board exams, sexual harassment cases, new boyfriends, new jobs, trips around the globe-- the list goes on.  I still hear about everything but I wonder if I am missing out on the detailed happy hour confessions. 

That's 2,719 miles between me and I-95.  That's the highway that takes me home to my little sister and even littler brother.  My parents just remodeled the entire kitchen and I still don't even know what color the tiles are.  It's strange not having the comfort of knowing I can just hop in my car and be home in a few hours. That's truly a great highway.  I mean most of the major cities in this counry fall somewhere along that road.  Start in Boston, maybe at Jake Ivory's hysterically cheesy piano and  2 hours on 95S and you're in NYC.  Get back on 95 and in 2 more hours you're in Philly.  Another 2 and you're in Baltimore.  A little under another 2 and you're in DC.  Another 2 and you're in the capital of the confederacy and the NYTimes latest writeup, Richmond. 

And I'm not saying I don't love San Diego because I really, REALLY do.  I love living 2 blocks from the Pacific Ocean, and directly on the bay.  I love waking up in the morning and seeing sailboats pass by my window.  It's like some sort of dream that I haven't fully woken up from.  I love that the temperature is perfect, ALL THE TIME.  Even when people complain about the weather, it's still pretty great weather.  I love the fact that everyone seems to be outside and doing actual activities all the time.  Kayaking is not an event. but a pretty standard activity, like seeing a movie or something.  I look at my friends out here and I can see how much happier and healthier, mentally, emotionally, and physically, they all seem to be.  One of the guys I've met out here has this picture perfect life complete with the perfect H&G house, the perfect dog, a sailboat captain's liscense, and Volvo to complete the picture.  I mean, COME ON!  His life is so picture perfect I feel like the only thing missing is a frame.  Speaking of Volvos, I now know 2 people with Volvos and they both are in SD.  It's fitting since, much like Sweden, SD seems to be a location that shares that perfect perfection, you know, the kind where few problems exist but only to keep it from being creepy perfect.

But still, there's always that matter of 2,719 miles...

1.     Best music

Movie: Teesri Manzil

Song: O Hasino Zulfon Wale

Because of

• the drums in the introduction,
• the background instrumentation during the chorus,
• the pregnant pause before Asha Bosle starts with "Wo anjana" in that deeper voice,
• the bass during " Main bhi hoon galiyon ki parchhaai, kabhi yahan kabhi vahan
  Shaam hi se kuch ho jaata hai mera bhi jaadu jawaan"

2.    Best Sass

Movie	Title
Teesri Manzil	Main Inpe Marta Hoon
Hindi Lyrics	English Translation (Pretty rough)
(Female) Maine kab isko chaha Kehdo itna to nai phekhe Hai hai hai hai! Aashique banai se pehle Apne soorat to dekhe (Male response) Soorat bali boori kya hai (2x) Saada to nazar ka hai Sauda pyar ka!	(Female to audience) When did I ever want him? Tell him not to tell such lies Hai hai hai hai! Before [attempting] to become [my] love [he should] look at his face! (Male response) So what if I'm not so handsome (2x) What we have to say can be said by our eyes (Literally: The exchange is between our eyes) As they exchange looks of love [except it doesn;t sound so overdramatic in hindi] (Literally: An exchange of love!)

 

 

3.  Best Analogy

Because I actually think a lot about this analogy

Movie	Title
Caravan	Ab Jo Mile Hain
Hindi Lyrics	English Translation Hard to translate literally, it basically amounts to:
Tuu Hai Havaa, Sholaa Huu.N Main x2 Mil Ke Bhii Jo Mil Naa Sake Bujh Naa Sake Tere Binaa Tere Binaa Jal Na Sake	You're like the wind and I'm like an ember While you can't start a flame in an ember (me) without a breeze (you) Too much of the wind (you) will blow out the ember (me)  **better/less literal/more poetic sounding translations welcome

4.    Blush songs

a.  Song #1 Ab Jo Mile Hain

Movie Name : Caravan (1971)
Singer: Asha Bhosle

Reason: The guitar and the low "hai re"s and and because if anyone makes you inhale sharply like in this song, well you should be blushing!

Music Director: Burman R D
Lyrics: Majrooh Sultanpuri
Year: 1971
Producer : Tahir Hussain
Director: Nasir Husain
Actors: Aruna Irani, Asha Parekh, Helen, Jeetendra, Madan Puri, Murad, Ravindra Kapoor

Ab Jo Mile Hai.N To Baaho.N Ko Baaho.N Me.N Rahane De Saajanaa
Sachche Ke Jhoothe Hai.N, Ho.Ntho.N Ko Ho.Ntho.N Se Kahane De Saajanaa
Naa Naa) -2
Haay Re, Haay Re, Haay Re, Saajana

(Yuu.N Hii Nashaa Cha.Dhataa Rahe) -2
Ke Teraa Pyaar Ba.Dhataa Rahe
Ye Jhoomataa Saayaa Teraa Tan Pe Mere Pa.Dataa Rahe
Tuu Aa Gayaa Jo Hosh Me.N
(Kyaa Hogaa Phir, Ye Bhool Jaa) -2

(Tuu Hai Havaa, Sholaa Huu.N Mai.N) -2
Mil Ke Bhii Jo Mil Naa Sake
Bujh Naa Sake Tere Binaa
Tere Binaa Jal Na Sake
Majaboor Huu.N Terii Qasam
(Jhoothii Nahii.N Merii Vafaa) -2

Ab Jo Mile Hai.N To Mujhako Nigaaho.N Me.N Rahane De Saajanaa
Sachche Ke Jhoothe Hai.N, Naino.N Ko Naino.N Se Kahane De Saajanaa
Naa Naa

Ab Jo Mile Hai.N To Mujhako Nigaaho.N Me.N Rahane De Saajanaa
Sachche Ke Jhoothe Hai.N, Naino.N Ko Naino.N Se Kahane De Saajanaa...

b. Song #2 Piya Tu Ab to Aaja

Reason: This song is on here just for the electric bass (?? or whatever instrument) that is being plucked behind the heavy breathing and the "Voh aa gaya, dekho dekho voh aa gaya" in the beginning, and the bass that plays after the first " Monica oh my darling, Monica oh my darling"

c.  Song #3  Dilbar Dil Se Pyare

Hindi Movie/Album Name: CARAVAN
Singer(s): LATA MANGESHKAR

-Because the very beginning with the instrument that sounds like a tin drum

-The guitar through out the lyrics

-The lower lyrical notes during "Gehri naino wale, lehri lehri naino wale"

-Because in the (most probably stolen) words of Abhishk Bachan in Bluff Master, the music in this song immediately makes you think "wind your body one time, one time"...ewww. BWAHAHA

5.  Best Response

Hindi Song Title: Goriya Kahan Tera Des
Hindi Movie/Album Name: CARAVAN
Singer(s): MOHD RAFI, ASHA BHONSLE

 Nain nain mein kajal daale dhundhu piya ka haath
o dekh dekh re udhata baadal na din ruke na raat
oo, ujiyaara hai kahin andhera
aa, saanjh kahin kahin savera

Arre ho, banjaro ki nahi des re
goriya kahan tera des

 

I thought some of you might find this article interesting:

"Gangsta rap, Afghan style"

Some great lines in the article

-Besho admits wistfully that one day he hopes to include some of what is called "shaking the booty" into his videos. (NOTE: This is followed by a picture of women clad in the blye abayas.)

The new generation are impressionable," Maulvi Mohammed Seddiq, former adviser on Sharia law to the Supreme Court says. "When these dancers are shaking the backside and the front side, this excites the young people. We have less sex crimes in Islam because in Islam we have forbidden the temptations that cause these crimes."

-...the country's Supreme Court sought to ban Tolo TV for showing the Charlton Heston sword and sandals epic, "The Ten Commandments", during Ramadan in 2004. "It showed the prophet Moses with short trousers and among the girls," Wahid Mujdah, a Supreme Court spokesman, said at the time. "He's a very holy person and Islam respects him. This is wrong."