Package: Received!

Well this was a nice way to start a Monday morning!

When I got to work, there was a parcel waiting for me on my desk. Inside was a wonderful card, chocolates, pistachios, and a tiny Christmas tree!

The chocolates will go quickly. A giant pack of peanut M&Ms. I hadn't realized how much I miss American sweets until today. The crunchy shell and rich chocolate followed by the pop of a peanut is wonderful. Rather than making myself sick by eating the whole bag, I'm sharing the goodies with the office.

Now, sharing the chocolate-covered cherries may be more difficult. ;-)

The best part of the present is the stack of photos. Family faces, shots of the farm, smiling nieces and nephews, perfect to add to my wall at home. These are the things that keep me going in a strange place.

I'm here for a good number of reasons, but most of all to become a better person. Being apart is hard, but good for me. I'm learning to deal with life in all kinds of unexpected ways, and it is making me stronger to deal with everything. I'm doing it for me, but I'm also doing it for those around me. All those family members and friends with whom I've ever argued or shared a bad day with will hopefully be the ones who receive the new me. Being a better person does not mean much unless you have someone around with whom you can share it.

Merry Christmas!

Package: Delivered

My little adventure of shipping a parcel was a success! Family back in the states got the package just in time for the holidays. Contents intact and complete with food items, the package had no problem getting there.

They also sent me gifts, but I have yet to get them. Apparently, Santa does not know my address in India.

- from webOS

Hi Monkey

I am lying on the bed in my apartment on Christmas eve, reading a book as the cool air blows through the open door, when a shadow moves in the corner of my eye. I look up, to see a monkey standing at the foot of my bed.

"Hi monkey," I say.

He looks around for a moment, and silently slips back out the front door, vanishing moments later over the rooftop wall.

Bye Monkey

Bangalore at Dusk

Walking home from work on a Friday night, catching the wonderful colors of sunset.

- from webOS

Brigade Road Illuminated

Lit up for the holidays, Brigade Road looks as if it is blanketed in lights. Blinking animations run up and down the length of the road.

And I only put myself at a LITTLE risk to stand in the street for this photo.

- from webOS

Getting ready for Christmas

Vendors selling holiday goodies. Lights, garlands, and Christmas trees at stalls downtown.

- from webOS

Taco Charger

Here is a cellphone charger, in a box with what looks like a Taco Bell logo on it.

Gotta make a run - for the outlet!

Man, my Taco is almost out of juice!

Only good for charging the Nokia N-Gage

N-Gage attempted to lure gamers away from the Game Boy Advance by including cellphone functionality. This was unsuccessful, partly because the buttons, designed for a phone, were not well-suited for gaming and when used as a phone the original N-Gage was described as resembling a "taco".

- from webOS

Destruction, Rebirth

Indians have an interesting way of looking at the end of things. Kali is a goddess of destruction and time, but also of change.

The new begins with the destruction of the old. Every loss is an opportunity. Nothing lasts forever except Kali herself. Her name holds multiple meanings: Black, Death, Time - Beyond Time.

It is interesting that it is completely understood and accepted here that nothing, absolutely nothing, lasts forever except Kali herself. Even other gods and goddesses are born anew from her like bubbles from the sea.

Lamenting the passing of things is an exercise in folly. All things pass. Yet there are two sides of every coin. Things must end for new things to arise. With every sunset, there is assuredly a new dawn.

But first, night.

-- Sent from webOS

Anchor

I am without anchor on a sea of madness. No longer can I see the shore.

For the moment, my vessel is sound and the skies are clear. Yet I have no direction, no reference. Only horizons.

The fear builds. The terror of possibilities, of capsizing, of drifting so far off course that I never make it home.

I am without, and there is nothing certain. Somewhere in this, is peace and solace.

I must find it or drown in the sea and fear won't help.

-- Sent from webOS

Want to go Hampi?

Made it out of the city for the weekend. Took a sleeper bus to a nearby town called Hampi. As an American, I hear "Hampi" as "humpy" which lends itself to quite a number of chuckles. Getting off of the bus, auto drivers pile around you asking if you "Want to go Hampi?" Others wave their hands and yell, "Sir! Hampi HAMPI!"

I used the getaway as an excuse to break out the camera, visit temples, and lose myself in the majestic scenery.

I walked among rice fields, balancing on the small dividers between patties. I hiked up mountains of rusty boulders to overlook a countryside, the likes of which I'd never imagined. Renting a small scooter, I zipped through the wind to find out-of-the way treasures that were off the beaten path, in a corner of the world that already seems mostly pathless.

With the freedom of a scooter, I was able to visit ancient temples and structures. Some of them were mobbed by tourists, but others were all but forgotten with nary but a few simple caretakers or pilgrims.

In this deserted temple, one could watch the palm trees slowly sway like a churning green ocean.

Quietly exploring the inside of this darkened temple, one could feel the stillness. The only sounds were my own soft footfalls and breathing with the occasional feint chirp of the bats.

Photos don't do places like this any justice. Standing here, you can feel the eons pass you by like wind on your cheeks.

Hampi is only an overnight bus-ride away from Bangalore. The guest house in which I stayed offered Internet access for an additional fee. I'm thinking I may be able to work remotely from Hampi. If I get a week of light work, I could easily see myself resting under a giant mango tree while typing away on the computer.

Here, women do their laundry in the river just as they have done for thousands of years. While their buckets are now made of recycled plastic, the towering temple in the distance serves as an echo of timelessness.

I pulled over on the side of the road to get a good look at this cart. As it approached, the driver reigned in his bulls to get a good look at me.

Ancient, still and forgotten, step-ponds like this must have been bustling with activity.

As foreign as the scenery and landscape is to me, the locals find me just as puzzling. Who is this pale man with long hair, and why is he taking a photo of me?

 If your eyes are quick, you can catch glimpses of wildlife all around. Lizards and monkeys are fairly common.

Meandering across rice fields one can spy the hazy tops of temples in the distance.

This lush green plain is part of the river's bank. I'm sure the whole area is a flood plain, and is covered in water during the monsoons. The rocky terrain is mostly dry and harsh, with pools of verdant green.

While hiking among the boulders, I was joined by two of my biggest fans. We didn't get much more across than "which country" and "your name?" But they followed my across the mountainside in their bare feet.

Heading to Hampi

Heading to Hampi over the weekend.\

Hampi is the current name of the capital of an old empire that stretched across the south of what is now India. There are supposed to be a large number of well-preserved ruins there with intricate carvings and art.

I've also been suggested a place to visit in Hampi called the Mango Tree, an outdoor restaurant under a huge mango tree.

Looking forward to a getaway.

Mission: Possible

Just had an awesome time with the crew from work. We saw the new Mission Impossible film, which isn't due to be released until Friday.

I guess the theaters in India get special privilege to show films early… or maybe they just don't care. :-) 

Part of the film takes place in India, but it looks nothing like the India I know. Supercars with 2 inches of ground clearance racing through the streets simply wouldn't happen here. Any of the numerous potholes would destroy such vehicles. Not to mention that the roads would be choked with autos.

And who puts their server room at the top of the tallest building in the world? Wouldn't the basement make a little more sense?

-- Sent from webOS

Shipping a package

I am trying to send a package to the United States which will hopefully arrive before Christmas.

Step 1 in sending the package is finding the darn location. I wandered around for quite some time looking for this little hole in the wall. It doesn't help that the directions and locations posted online were all wrong.

The courier office is TINY! I've seen larger closets.

Step 2 is filling out several forms detailing the package contents, complete with the name of each item and its rupee value. 

I made the mistake of trying to send edible items - pre-packaged snacks and crunchies. The kid at the courier 'office' had me talk to his boss on the phone to try and describe the contents.

Step 3 consists of completing the address on three different forms. I was sure to write very clearly, so that the parcel stands the best chance of making it to its destination in the states. Despite all of my skillful penmanship, the kid working at the office filled out the final label leaving it barely legible.

Step 4 is paying. 408 rupees ($8.16) of gifts cost 3090 rupees ($61.80) to ship.

I am skeptical they will even make it.

Step 5 is praying.

-- Sent from webOS

Morning Walk

On my way to the office. I take a little walk along city streets. Some roads are huge and crowded with busses, cars, autos, motorcycles, scooters, and bicycles. Crossing them is a little dangerous. You have to keep your wits about you and overcome several levels of fear, lest you remain on the side of the road for hours waiting for traffic to cease.

Along the way there are lots of things to see. Walls are painted with murals and sights of things you will see elsewhere in India… if you can ever make it out of the city.

This painting is of some such temple. If you know anything about it, please let me know in the comments below. I'd love to go see it!

Planning to get away this weekend, maybe to Hampi… time and resources permitting.

-- Sent from webOS

Long Walk

I went for a long walk today. All told, I probably clocked in over 10 kilometers. I walked downtown, wandering through little streets, quaint neighborhoods, and dirty alleys.

It was empowering to walk from downtown out to my apartment. What previously felt like a long trip requiring a bus or auto became much smaller. The weather was fair, the streets were dusty, and the traffic loud. At one point on a long stretch of pedestrian-unfriendly road, a gentleman on a scooter offered me a lift. I thanked him kindly but declined. We smiled to each other and I kept on my little journey.

Back in the states, going for a walk means going to the park and walking around for a bit before returning home. I find that I have this internal disgust to 'pointless' walking around the park. I feel like a hamster spinning his wheel, frantically going nowhere.

Here, walking is a mode of transportation. I walk to the canteen for food. I walk to the shops for supplies. I walk to the bus stop, to catch a bus downtown... so I can walk another 2 kilometers to the office.

I feel like walking introduces exercise into my life in constructive ways. In the states, so many people eliminate and automate the things that keep us healthy. We become lazy with cars, and therefore we drive to the gym to get fit again, only to complain when we can't get a good parking spot and have to walk just a little further then we like.

And I got to see monkeys. :)

-- Sent from webOS

Full Moon

Inspired by the eclipse the other night and tonight's bright, clear moon, I decided to mess around with my camera and see what settings would best capture our celestial neighbor.

I think this is the best my poor camera can do.

Eclipse

There was a spectacular full lunar eclipse tonight. As Earth's shadow slowly crept across the moon I sat on my balcony and watched. I don't have an excellent camera with a huge lens or a ton of manual options, but I did manage to capture a half-decent photo or two. I found that I had to leave the shutter open so long, that the moon's motion caused it to blur in the images.

Here is another shot. The eclipse is almost over, and you can't tell... but I thought it was nice-looking anyway.

Starting my Day

This is a shot from my balcony window at around 7:30 in the morning. While Bengaluru does not have a lot of things many people in the US consider as 'standard', it does have really freakin' nice weather. In early December, waking up to a morning like this does wonders for the soul. Around 67 degrees, nice breeze, and morning sun... I sit on my balcony for a few moments and watch the world wake up.

In the street below are the familiar bustle: the couple setting up their ironing stall... heating coals, the nurses walking home from the hospital's late shift, the barking stray dogs, the gentleman on his bike calling, "Paaaapeeeer!" asking to buy your old newspapers.

I sit and enjoy everything and realize - again- that we don't need much in life to be happy. We don't need a big TV, or to have a winning sports team. We don't need to have an expensive house where everything is perfect. We don't need whiter teeth, or whiter underarms.

All we need is a smile.

But a bit of sunshine helps too.

We Need More Monkeys

A man on the street tosses a tomato to a monkey sitting on a wall. The chubby monkey happily munches on the tomato. I just happened to catch this little scene while walking to the bus stop.

Business Advertising

I live in a place where this is a common form of business advertising. 

This is an advertisement for broadband Internet access. It is painted, by hand, on a cement telephone pole.

All around the city you will find adverts like these. I can understand the ones for a taxi service. If you are stranded somewhere, any nearby telephone pole will have the number of a taxi service.

I suppose the broadband access means that, if you live near this telephone pole, they can run the cable to your house.

In the US, this would be considered graffiti, and the cops would even have the phone number of the responsible party. Here, it is a legitimate form of advertising your services.

I wonder how well it works.

-- Sent from webOS

Celebrate

Just stepped out of a meeting where I was offered a job writing adventures and missions for a video game.

Lets celebrate with a pint of Kingfisher. 80 rupees … around $1.50.

-- Sent from webOS

Needs TLC

This is a beautiful old house in need of some serious tender loving care. For some reason, there are lots of these places in Bangalore. Right across from a beautiful office building one can find a dilapidated old mansion with a rusted-out car still parked in the breezeway. Hauntingly beautiful and sad that something so grand can be left unattended... not to mention wasteful. The city is full of people who could make very good use of the space, but for some reason, nobody does.

Bangalore at Night

Day or night, Bangalore is lit.

Indian Sweets

Heading to the sweet shop is quite a treat here in India. Not only are you sure to find something to delight your taste buds, but the presentation is dazzling to behold. The shiny, sparkly image above shows a number of different sweets covered in vark, an edible foil made from silver. Imagine eating a Hershey Kiss with the foil wrapper still on - which is nothing like eating sweets covered in vark. The foil is so thin and fine, you can hardly even tell it is there.

Although, after reading the wiki page on vark, I'm not so sure I'll be ingesting much more of it.

Topaz!

Bar named after my pooch

This hurts

Today, I found that some people very close to me have been less than honest - with me and themselves.

In response, I've ranged the low-end of the emotional spectrum - hurt, betrayed, and forsaken have all crossed my chest. Tears have stung my eyes all day.

I've come to realize that I am hurt because of my own trust in these people. Trust is an illusion, fabricated in our hearts like a fragile glass sculpture. With enough time and openness, we create elaborate works of art which grab the light and dazzle the eyes.

But this is all an internal fabrication, not a real thing. We surround ourselves with illusions every day. Safety, security, trustworthiness, faith, and ideals build the framework of most of us. They are the flying buttresses which we use to prop-up our lives, yet each of them is more empty than the air we breathe. Constructs of the mind, devoid of substance and powerful stabilizers... provided we can maintain them.

I'm reminded of all this in a very hurtful way. When the illusions shatter, shards pierce the soul as if it were flesh, rending the spirit. More hurtful than knives, and potentially more scaring on the person than ripping of skin and bone. It is painful and sad, but only because I let it be.

One manager of mine told me that life is a game of expectations. Building trust is constructing a huge set of expectations, an emotional reservoir waiting to burst.

Another boss of mine tells me the story of Al Ma'mun and his golden ring.

Al Ma'mun asked his wise advisors to present him with an object.

'When I look at it if I am sad, it should make me happy. If I look at it when I am happy, it should make me sad.' 

The advisors thought about it for some time, and presented him with a golden ring. On the ring was this inscription: 

'This too shall come to pass' 

When Al Ma'mun was sad, he would look at the ring and know his sadness was temporary, and this would lift his spirits. 

Yet when he was happy, he would glance at the ring and be reminded that his happiness was fleeting.

Riding home in the cool night air of an open auto, I too know that this will come to pass. I try and let my feelings go into time and space, but only tears come.


Maybe with a bit more time, this too will pass.

Monkeys

Yes, we have monkeys.

This is a good reason to keep your windows and doors closed when you aren't home. To these monkeys, the buildings and rooftops are a playground. They think nothing of hopping between ledges and balconies, like something straight out of Assassin's Creed.

I was sitting outside enjoying the wonderful weather when I heard a rustle in the tree below me. Looking over the edge I saw a monkey effortlessly scaling the side of my building. He hopped across to the house next door while I ran for my camera.

When I came back, I saw him and his two friends. They quickly checked each other's butt, hissed and growled at me, and took off around the corner.

Welcome

It is so much nicer to come home to a welcoming place.

Whiter Underarms?

I don't know about you, but when I meet someone, one of the last places I look at them is under their arms. If you and I are close enough that I can see your underarms, then chances are I've already made my first, second, and third impressions of you.

Personally, I don't judge people by what is under their arms. I'm probably a bit of am exception in that I don't care if women have hairy underarms. I grew up in Germany for a few years, and learned that the women at the pool with hairy armpits also didn't wear a bikini top… and the toplessness completely outweighed a little hair. :)

I wish more effort was spent on making people feel better about the color of their skin, instead of making them feel inadequate about it.

But it may be more difficult to sell products that have a label reading, 'You are AWESOME as you are!'

So much easier to prey on people's insecurity.

-- Sent from webOS

Corn Cake

Went shopping for a number of small household things today. Bed sheets, welcome mat, coffee filter, etc. The store, Total, was huge and felt endless. 

In the food section, I came across this cake shaped like corn on the cob. It even has little silk strands of icing on it. Masterful!

Got a new pillow too. The one that came with the apartment was fairly 'ick'. 

Crosswalk to Nowhere

It may be difficult to see, but this crosswalk ends in a fence. There is no way to get on the sidewalk.

No matter though, since most people just walk on the street… and don't use crosswalks anyway.

Recycled Art

These sculptures on display at the local art school are made from spare parts. Most of them look like they use components from the prolific auto rickshaws the line the streets here in India. Gears, chains, springs, sprockets, pistons and pedals are welded together to make these expressive characters and shapes.

Click the images to see larger versions. See if you can make out their individual components!

Vodafone 3G

So, I finally got 3G access on my phone.

Not great, but better than before!

850 rupees a  month for 6 gigs of data. That is around $17.

Edit: Okay... things just got cool. I am using the HP Veer as a WiFi hotspot, sharing my new speedy (heh) plan  with my laptop. I'm surfing along, reading the web when a phone call comes in. I pick the phone off the Touchstone charger and start talking. While on the phone, I check some information online using the laptop. The 3G works flawlessly, as does the phone call.

I didn't realize all of this until I was done with the call. Instinctively I went back to re-start my hotspot, and found it was still running. Everything was seamless, as it should be. I can make and receive calls, while continuing to stream data through my phone.

So sweet!