EEEEEEP!

Where to begin?

Ok. What I’m thankful for… 2004:
#1 Family and friends that support the fact that I am in India doing the work I’m doing.
#2 The fact that I am in India doing the work that I am doing.

Fun recent happenings:

My last trip to Ahmedabad included waking everyone up before sunrise to go to ‘Laughing Club.’ It is nothing that you’d expect that to mean. Picture about 40 old men getting together every morning before sunrise, for the past ten years… to get their daily exercise via a type of yoga that incorporates *laughing as hard as you can.* (It's surprisingly a workout!) Try to imagine the happiest way a Rup such as myself could start her day and that is exactly what it was. So funny!!!

I am training for the Mumbai Marathon. Typing it in this mofo is my contract with myself to follow thru on this … pending my health. I somehow found a decent pair of Adidii in the neighboring citay… and I’m trying to run every morning at sunrise. But the scenery doesn’t always make up for that extra hour of sleep. Dragging myself out of bed sometimes becomes a fight with myself. My body vs. my mind. Sometimes I fear it may escalate into violence. I don’t know what that means…. So I respectfully end this update here.

Much love to my family. Happy Tgiving! Miss you guys.

Snake run-in #2. A small one, inside our gate. The village kids luckily spotted it and we chased it out. No worries.

I met up with the potter in the next village over. He does everything. Sculpture, mud/mirror relief, painting… (as vim would say, ‘Wha???’) and he is willing to teach me. His family is apparently the only one left (in the world?!?!) that still does this type of work. Yay, new hobby! :)

All in all, life is happy. Good.

Now, the question is, who of y’all is coming out here to visit??? Can I get a witness? How bout just a phone call??? I'm willing to compromise.

:(

Rups in the desert have feelings ya know.

Hey friends

Diwali break is over ... i'm jumping a sleeper bus back to the village tonight.

Back to work.

Craziest discovery of the day--> There's a marathon in Mumbai in Jan! I want to run it. Desparately. Yet I'm left w/ less than 2 months to train. In the desert nonetheless! Man, I've been trying to run this mofo for the past 2 years. Year 1 - broke leg 2 places. Year 2- left country to find self. I never can predict where the next year will take me. It's kinda funny to realize that I'm already 24 and my life hasn't yet stabilized into something predictable. I don't want to let this opportunity go. Hmmm... we shall see.

Oh, and while we're on the subject of a stable life, let's talk updates shall we? Sara Baker, who I have known since high school spanish classes, has a little sister Erin, who I believe is 2 or 3 years younger than us. Sara and I watched Erin go through all of her high school phases (the goth eyeliner phase being my favorite). Somehow Erin lapped us both in the 'growing up' department and is now married... has a home and just a few weeks ago, gave birth to Emily. WHAT?!?!?! Congratulations, Erin! This news, however, effectively makes Sara and I the oldest people in the universe.

In Mumbai I got to hang out with the uncle I stayed w/ for my internship four years ago. So many memories flooded back. It was good to be back- I actually remembered my way through the streets. My little cousins are all grown up now and living large in Mumbai. My 19 yr old cousin is quite the Casanova now. Gross.

Man, I gotta jet. Like always. Much love from the desert. Jennaiya, I loves you too. Pass a hug to the corners for me.

ketchup

sorry to have been MIA for so long.

So crazy....
I don't know where to begin.

First, Happy Freakin Diwali!! The indian new year. Much love to all y'all.

I'm in Mumbai, which is weird... it's the first time I've been here (besides my internship) without my grandfather. Every inch of this city carries a different memory of traveling with my grandparents.. I miss my family. Especially today.

BUSH WON?!?! Noooooo!!!! this isn't a political site... but come on! I'm not coming home for four years... until the world begins to make sense again. Good news.. Obama won, and that gives me hope. Bobby Jindal is also in office now; I haven't decided how I feel about that one just yet. He changed his name *and* his religion???

Speaking of religion...Happy Eid as well. I fasted for 3 days of the Ramadan to test my willpower and show solidarity (3 villages that I work with are Muslim (the other 2 are Hindu)) w/ my community. My NGO is actually going to Pakistan for the Unity conference, taking one of the other fellows (b/c it isn't directly related to my project, i'm not going). They're taking a train to Amraser and walking across the border for a 3 day conference. Powerful stuff.

Mumbai is such a strange parallel universe. They had an elephant standing outside a McDonalds to advertise a shopping mall (in the middle of traffic). I am so angry sometimes I don't know where to start.

My mom is the new President of our Samaj -->250+ family members... events, trips, the board etc. (For those of you who I haven't dragged to a family event, let me tell you coordinating them is no walk in the park). Somebody, anybody, everybody... congratulate her. Yay mom!!! I'm so excited for you!!!

Other than that, life is good. I'm writing a lot, working on a collective effort book. Fingers crossed on the quality of writing... :) I've never written a book proposal before but so tips are for sure appreciated.

It feels good to finally being doing something that feels right.

Gotta go. A big hug to everyone back home.
Oh, and happy belated to Ace and Sara2%! I couldn't get to a computer earlier. Happy BDay guys.