tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-191751012024-03-29T15:17:49.763+05:30My Cup Runneth Over...(and sometimes it doesn't)Jerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.comBlogger408125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19175101.post-18759456112463704672018-09-14T17:08:00.001+05:302018-09-14T18:09:29.063+05:30Hello I am alive! Mizo thlai leh pangpar ilo I ti leh ang aw<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In my current life and time, very often, I forget that I even used to blog. And there was a time I used to run 5 blogs simultaneously! I've been busy, and when I'm not, I've been busy being lazy. I have been traveling a lot, all work related, but still fun trips. And thankfully, my work also offers me the chance to work with plants. A lot. And I work with people who are passionate about the subject, so I get the chance to learn every day. We also have an upcoming project where our little team will work to survey and document wildflowers in one district in Mizoram. Living in Mizoram means longing for the wild no longer has to mean taking several days off off work to take a flight out to a place where you can be with nature. I can always drive for an hour or two and be in the lap of nature.<br />
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Anyway, logging in to my blogger account today, I saw all of the new comments were mostly on my flowers & plants posts. Well lucky for you people, I'm here to make another post on the same topic. It's much easier these days finding the Mizo names of plants and flowers, some very good publications have come out. I refer to those almost every day. However, I still see incorrectly named plants all the time. My interest is now more on the uses of these plants but that's not something I want to post about here. I, thusly, shall share my list with thou'll - fruits, flowers, vegetables and others. And if you can help me out with the identifications of some of them, it shall be greatly appreciated. (Pictures stolen off off the internet, if any of it happens to be yours, forgive me!)</div>
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<b>1. Khanghu: Climbing watttle (Senegalia pennata) </b>(And any true Mizo loves this simple vegetable more than the most expensive of food, more than life itself!)</div>
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<b>2. Kawhtebel: Snowflake tree (Trevesia palmata) </b>(Mostly eaten boiled in our house, I've seen it being currified, fried - all of it good)</div>
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<b>3. Chingit: Michinga patta (Zanthoxylum rhetsa) </b>(I've seen Chingit being called Schezwan pepper online, incorrectly, I believe, though it is of the same family - Zanthoxylum simulans. <a href="https://glosbe.com/lus/en/chingit%20te" target="_blank">Glosbe </a>says Schezwan pepper is called Chingit te in Mizo. Z. rhetsa also seems dubious but a research paper I saw listed as this, so I'm going with it. Also sadly, I've never really seen a Chingit tree so makes it difficult to identify from tree pics. I have pictures of the two here for comparison, let me know what you think)</div>
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<b>4. Samtawkte: Forest bitterberry (</b><b>Solanum anguivi)</b><b> or Poison berry (</b><b>Solanum violaceum</b><b>)</b>, leaning more towards violaceum. (Confusion again with this really difficult to identify plant. Many books have listed it as <a href="https://www.worldseedsupply.com/product/solanum-nigrum-black-nightshade-seeds/" target="_blank">Solanum nigrum</a>, which seems to be incorrect as it looks more like what we call in Mizo Anhling. Again, pictures of S. anguivi and S. violaceum so you can help out.)</div>
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<b>5. Ankasa: Paracress,Toothache plant (Spilanthes acmella)</b> (A truly terrible vegetable, I have maybe tried eating it once and never tried again. But I find it interesting that we have been using it to treat toothaches, long before we knew that it was called the toothache plant :D This is also probably a bit off as we have the edible Ankasa and the wild Ankasa)</div>
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<b>6.</b> <b>Saisiak: Common Bushweed</b> (Fluegga virosa) (Not eaten but all of its parts are used for different medicinal purposes. I remember being 7 and bathed with a decoction of Saisiak leaves when I was down with chicken pox. Did it help? I have no idea. But it probably did, there are many research papers on its medicinal properties.)</div>
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(Picture taken at Kawlkulh village)</div>
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(Adding the few below to address some comments left on the original Thlai Pangpar etc posts)</div>
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<b>7. Theichhungsen: Blood fruit (Haematocarpus validus)</b> (Tasty even though there's really nothing to be enjoyed in terms of flesh or juice. And there once was a childhood friend who almost choked to death trying to swallow its big seed so I'm forever scared of this fruit)</div>
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<b>8. Waiting Waivet (LOL): Crape Myrtle</b> (Lagerstroemia indica) (I can never make sense of what we call it in Mizo, and why. It sounds like some English name that we completely bungled up.)</div>
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(Picture taken at Tualpui vllage)</div>
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<b>9. Chawnpui Par: Queen's Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) </b>(We have a popular saying in Mizo "Thlado kung ah Chawnpui a par" - meaning the tree and its flowers are known by different names. The tree is called Thlado tree but you wouldn't call the flowers Thlado flowers).</div>
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(Picture is blurry but I drove all the way out to Lungdai to take this picture so still using it)</div>
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<b>10. Phuihnam: East Indian Glory Bower (Clerodendrum colebrookianum)</b> (Another popular leafy vegetable, especially among dog-meat lovers.)</div>
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Two clubbed together here to address two very common flowers but which I still get asked about often - Derhken (Marigold) and Saron par (Bougainvillea)</div>
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(Image swiped from <a href="http://azassk.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Zara's</a> blog)</div>
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And lastly, to address my last blog post, made in 2014 haha. During the 4 years that has passed, I found that these are called rain lilies - Zephyranthes lilies (easy to remember because of the most famous drama club in Mizoram - the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClyE6HMJeBaShlhdYbzoyEQ" target="_blank">Zephyr Drama Club</a>. Still no name for them in Mizo.)<br />
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Jerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19175101.post-39107558516848842522014-05-09T16:03:00.001+05:302014-05-09T16:10:35.454+05:30<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Anyone know what these flowers are called? Mizo tawng pawhin ka hre duh hria in awm chuan.</div>
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Jerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19175101.post-18091666251376588862013-11-30T00:54:00.002+05:302013-11-30T00:54:21.852+05:30My sky shoes are spiked with lead heels<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
...and I'm lost in this star car I'm drivin', but my air sole keeps pushin' big wheels...etc etc<div>
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Yeah that song. That's the song that pretty much sums up all that I feel about life right now. And as depressing as it sounds, it's really not even that bad. I mean feeling this way. I think my incessant need to be happy or having fun or feeling some form of thrill or excitement at all times will actually do me more harm than the rare times that I sit and brood and worry or just be miserable.</div>
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Anyway, this post is to a blog as CPR is to a human being with heart failure or something. I will do a real post soon. I guess.</div>
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<i>Round and around this world you go, spinning through the lives of the people you know</i></div>
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<i>I feel like a spinning top or a dreidel...</i></div>
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Jerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19175101.post-1211316257871568192012-05-07T02:32:00.001+05:302012-05-07T03:07:58.558+05:30To all the dogs I've loved before<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
One thing I really really really want is for dogs to have souls. You know back when I was a kid and I would ask Sunday school teachers and general adults who were always assumed to be wiser, if animals, particularly dogs, have souls, the answer would always be 'Nay, human beings are the only creatures to be blessed thus with souls. Aye, t'is so.'<br />
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But this has never stopped me from wishing that dogs would have souls. For as long as I can remember. And who knows? Who can really tell right? Heaven might very well be teeming with beautiful dog souls. Damn, I even loved Lord Byron more just because he wrote <a href="http://www.readbookonline.net/readOnLine/3411/" target="_blank">that </a>dog poem.<br />
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If I were to die and go to heaven, there's no one I'd look forward to meeting more than all the dogs I've had and loved in my life. Rover, Gus, Bozo...
my eternally beloved friends. I feel guilty saying this when I think of the many also beloved relatives that have died. And I would love to meet them all. But oh, to scratch Gus' ears and smell him in all his divine doggy smell, to see his white and brown body running up to meet me...to romp around in the fields with Rover, and to fall asleep with Bozo's wet muzzle on my shoulders...<br />
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I saw this cartoon once somewhere, and it brought tears to my eyes. I found it easily enough ("dog in heaven cartoon" search term on Google). Now this one would be me and Rover, the dog I named after a dog in my lesson book when I was in Kindergarten. The dog that always followed me and my friends around whenever we went exploring the hills and streams nearby. My memories of him are so hazy now but I remember him rustling around in the bushes always :)<br />
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Gus who was the little runt of the litter that nobody thought would make it but who instead turned into a big, beautiful, healthy dog, always kind and gentle. They gave him to me for free because they thought he was too weak. All his siblings made the owner a lot of money I'm sure because they were German shorthaired pointers, a rarity in Mizoram at the time. My only pedigreed dog. Gus because of whom my green school uniform always looked a bit like they were interwoven with tiny white threads. Gus who was always scared of firecrackers.<br />
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And then the crazy, neurotic, yet the most loving and loyal dog I've ever known, Bozo. Bozo who couldn't care less about firecrackers.<br />
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I have no doubt that if allowed in, all of them would do heaven proud. All dogs would do heaven proud, most humans would not, I'm sure. And yet we dare to keep heaven only for ourselves! Just like Byron wrote<br />
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<i>...The poor dog, in life the firmest friend,</i><br />
<i>The first to welcome, foremost to defend,</i><br />
<i>Whose honest heart is still his master's own,</i><br />
<i>Who labours, fights, lives, breathes for him alone,</i><br />
<i>Unhonour'd falls, unnoticed all his worth--</i><br />
<i>Denied in heaven the soul he held on earth:</i><br />
<i>While Man, vain insect! hopes to be forgiven,</i><br />
<i>And claims himself a sole exclusive Heaven.</i><br />
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(This one stolen from <a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1807278557"></span>9gag<span id="goog_1807278558"></span></a>)</div>
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I really miss my dogs tonight.</div>
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</div>Jerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19175101.post-629166259776364352012-03-19T00:42:00.005+05:302012-03-19T01:26:34.750+05:30And a few moreMe and my mom just had our bi-yearly checkup and hooray! everything's great! I can't explain enough the exhilaration you feel when your doctor after a thorough checkup writes on your file "No evidence of disease..." The only thing better is when he writes the same thing on your mom's file.<br /><br />Me and my mom sees the same oncologist. He is a pretty fancy doctor, he is (or was) an advisor on the advisory board of physicians to the President of the United States of America (or something along those lines). He was on the Who's Who in America book some years back, and yet he doesn't have any airs, and I have no doubt he treats us any differently from his more affluent, wealthier patients, of which I know he's got plenty of. Which is more than you can say for some doctors back in Mizoram.<br /><br />My mom initially was seeing some guy back home. I went with her once to see her doc. And this man, even though I was right there with my mom never even once acknowledged my presence in the room. He was curt and cold and terse (in my opinion) with my mom. I left the room seething, feeling small and belittled. So I told my mom "You're not going to see this guy again. You come to Hyderabad and see my doctor who is nice and normal." And we've stuck with this guy ever since.<br /><br />And I'm sorry to say this but why do I have this feeling that the doctors and nurses out here are so much more nicer than the ones back home! Don't get me wrong. I know there are plenty of nice nurses/doctors back home too but I generally don't run into them. There was this one time I took my sick 1 year old nephew to the city hospital's casualty about a year back and more or less got my heart broken over how harsh the nurses handled him.<br /><br />Enough about doctors! I've made a sudden decision to go back to Mizoram tomorrow for my grandfather's 'lung phun.' Can't wait to get out of this heat and be back at home where it's always nice and cool.<br /><br />And people, celebrate your health! Celebrate the health of your loved ones. I myself, even despite the cancers still take it for granted all the time. But it is so wonderful. To be alive, for your mother to be alive, for the people you love to be alive and healthy. Diseased or not. Cheers everyone!Jerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19175101.post-47125217908144002502012-03-10T11:19:00.002+05:302012-03-10T11:34:29.394+05:30A few wordsHello much ignored blog and the entire blogosphere! I feel like I've just woken up from a long sleep. I guess I've been too intoxicated with the new year and my new freedom. <br /><br />Now that I'm not working, I've sort of regressed to being a teenager all over again. Being the bad, irresponsible teenager I never got the luxury to be. Now for a brief period at least, I can be all that and more. I sit on my ass all day playing video games, and go out to dance all night, and take men home to play God of War with me. It's quite exhilarating!<br /><br />Having said that, I do somehow miss working and being tired and busy, those times when you stress out so much over your quarterly targets that grey hair magically pops up on your head overnight.<br /><br />And I can honestly say the 6 and a half years I spent with Google were the best years of my life. You know how people always say 'Ooh those college years were the best years' etc. Not me. I don't even miss college. Maybe I miss school a tiny bit...nah, not really. But Google is like my college years for me. I am thankful to God that he put that bit in in my life. And whatever comes in the future, I will think of my time in Google fondly always. I will always miss it.<br /><br />I know almost everyone thinks leaving Google is a really stupid thing to do. I would probably think that too if I was someone from outside Google looking in. But sometimes you need to take some risks and make some changes, you just can't stay in the same place just because it's warm and safe and secure there.<br /><br />When I left IBM to join Google, no one ever thought that was a wise decision. Back then, Google was famous for its search engine of course but people here didn't know much about Google as an employer. And to move across the country, alone, to a city where I knew absolutely no one. Even then, I had to listen to a lot of not-so-encouraging comments about how I take too many risks for a single woman, how people in the South were, how 'lowly' the Google job profile was. <br /><br />But yet, it was one of the best decisions I ever made. I would never have believed the wonder I was going to be exposed to if somebody had told me then. <br /><br />And sometimes, things happen in your life that makes you look at life a bit differently. Your dreams change, your ambitions shift. What makes you happy changes, and with that, we have to search for new things. New situations that perhaps doesn't look right to others but it's the only thing that feels right for you.<br /><br />So this is just me taking some risks, and keeping my fingers crossed that this path will lead me down some happy roads.Jerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19175101.post-72556844057892280492011-12-16T10:15:00.003+05:302011-12-16T10:29:13.246+05:30Goodbye Corporate LaptopWhy do I get so sentimental about unfeeling, lifeless objects?! I'm finally parting ways with my constant companion of the last few years, my laptop which unfortunately belongs to the company I am leaving. I don't have much to write, I really just wanted to make this one last blog with my old friend. <br /><br />It's strange how you can harbor such affectionate feelings for inanimate objects such as laptops...and pens...and old Tshirts but... *sigh* 'tis so - my heart wrenches at the thought of us parting ways forever. She will go on to sit on other loving laps, and I, I have already bought a new one, the first laptop I've bought in my life. It's shiny and pretty and new and I will grow to love it eventually but I will still miss my clunky old ThinkPad for a long time to come.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF3pqgUBHaZ78N79oUu8Tn-Z00nh7COu6Q8GnKpAnegvFlYzp08wW5KFDotH8xEUKO7iLNN3yAaf6_84niK3DclmhAyyBU-Mv8a7HGa2oWO84f1t0WQ01_eISDGVnqMaKbMg9X6g/s1600/IMG_20111216_101357.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF3pqgUBHaZ78N79oUu8Tn-Z00nh7COu6Q8GnKpAnegvFlYzp08wW5KFDotH8xEUKO7iLNN3yAaf6_84niK3DclmhAyyBU-Mv8a7HGa2oWO84f1t0WQ01_eISDGVnqMaKbMg9X6g/s400/IMG_20111216_101357.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5686583636962454274" /></a><br /><br />So sleep your sleep, old girl<br />Our love will keep, old girl<br />'Til then...<br />Goodbye, old girl,<br />My old girl...<br /><br />:DJerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19175101.post-53461407937749484242011-12-01T12:33:00.000+05:302011-12-01T12:34:35.060+05:30For the Kims<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStVJ1JG_kSj6aNQbbHBC4OAth7rZF5bSGjCXhw_pFBWhyphenhyphenrxS-Fblpngcnp-2cuI_HWY7Nq_Tsw2dn6y0wdc62rMGX2Wg4lxRqgb8RotvVR31RwP-i7vfPgYloHlt8kMlkQ9jz3A/s1600/Kima.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 372px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStVJ1JG_kSj6aNQbbHBC4OAth7rZF5bSGjCXhw_pFBWhyphenhyphenrxS-Fblpngcnp-2cuI_HWY7Nq_Tsw2dn6y0wdc62rMGX2Wg4lxRqgb8RotvVR31RwP-i7vfPgYloHlt8kMlkQ9jz3A/s400/Kima.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681052214579688530" /></a>Jerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19175101.post-82779538403909412172011-11-25T02:05:00.004+05:302011-11-25T02:22:50.843+05:30Notes from the Katz Motel<div>Tonight I am going to give my poor, ignored blog some good loving and warm it up with a few scrambled words and pictures. This is going to be a very random post....</div><div><br /></div><div>The year is almost over. It scares me, that time goes by so fast, and that I have achieved nothing, done nothing significant at all. I've been lazy, no excuse. But mostly I've just been tired. And after all, a year is only 365 days. Doesn't seem very long when you count it in days.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've traveled quite a bit, and for that I can give myself a good pat. My one unwavering goal in life has always been to travel as much as possible. I had to exercise some self-control and turn my eyes away from the sinful call of pretty shoes in order to finance my trips.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've been to Delhi several times this year and I finally got a chance to go to Yashwant place after I don't know how many years for their amazing (and super cheap) pork momos on one of those trips. </div><div><br /></div><div>This place holds a lot of memories for me. This is the place where I took my roommates at the time - Franky, Ben, Jeffrey & TM-a for a celebratory dinner when I got my first job with IBM Daksh.</div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnAKoS1P6v3K3OUVZXHoWsND6qgLbCsT1fx7wmyRVV2ot3quPrJYHWrBfXj8TMt07Q4mL5uu-lUKuOzKD8ebm3NT5kA4MamkeBu53n3yprvANEoMXxBlsrSYnby3a-nzgkuyQh6g/s1600/IMG_20111030_191850.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnAKoS1P6v3K3OUVZXHoWsND6qgLbCsT1fx7wmyRVV2ot3quPrJYHWrBfXj8TMt07Q4mL5uu-lUKuOzKD8ebm3NT5kA4MamkeBu53n3yprvANEoMXxBlsrSYnby3a-nzgkuyQh6g/s400/IMG_20111030_191850.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677441297041985362" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a>And there was that one time I saw Titanic at the neaby Chanakya theatre with some friends, and most importantly, a crush who sat right next to me. But apparently, the close proximity of this especial person was not enough to stifle the sniffles, which was soon followed by all out wailing and honking of the nose. He awkwardly bid me adieu after the movie, he who was chatting so amicably with me before the movie. I then headed off to this place to drown my shame and embarrassment in pork momos with my friends.<div><br /></div><div>My last trip to Delhi was for the Metallia concert where I almost got trampled to death. The place was full of wannabe rockers. The type that try to make up for their lack of badass-ness with musical instruments or admirable vocal chords with black clothing and dirty hair. And they came out in droves at the concert, men and women alike, who probably know a song or two of Metallica's (most likely 'Nothing else matters') and proclaim themselves die-hard Metallica fans :P</div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCWc808q63YSyrGXMVFHQq2keQbs-VsnieHPty3dX19fOV2Wx8BEOqeTDG44BbT-pbNh0Bh_UKFGFCUdDTmShzamhDlFk0jg84hy75MJXZOvRQr9PvOEJLx_VupfXEwula9CNUA/s1600/Del.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCWc808q63YSyrGXMVFHQq2keQbs-VsnieHPty3dX19fOV2Wx8BEOqeTDG44BbT-pbNh0Bh_UKFGFCUdDTmShzamhDlFk0jg84hy75MJXZOvRQr9PvOEJLx_VupfXEwula9CNUA/s400/Del.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677440396838608866" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a>Here is Zorin at 3:30 pm. She was walking funny because she claimed her shoes became a couple of sizes bigger after our stampede struggle.</div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkR58w8H0hzj-_SiAj0TdWh1XCCEj4u41vU_6jXcCmeeEBu5DBuHcMsMJjSSpuMBsQTHmjO9PyrEI-njTlNEcAEwUJdC9IdCDzdLyARlWwjrg947zP3w4JEp948295CHOL93uFGA/s1600/IMG_20111028_161146.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkR58w8H0hzj-_SiAj0TdWh1XCCEj4u41vU_6jXcCmeeEBu5DBuHcMsMJjSSpuMBsQTHmjO9PyrEI-njTlNEcAEwUJdC9IdCDzdLyARlWwjrg947zP3w4JEp948295CHOL93uFGA/s400/IMG_20111028_161146.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677440519723855874" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 318px; " /></a>Zorin's bathroom literature :)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwuwbLOo7dCK1NqOAy4dl1yV_xYCmTij5qknxw_5_MXNeFQYiej9HDQhowXQELhJZ0KtoNYyDBkvFogCIaXGgniXCaHeCBn-9fDVmQkQvvXt9o02INzy2FAW6CdxfGXayEDAx7BA/s1600/IMG_20111028_220123.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwuwbLOo7dCK1NqOAy4dl1yV_xYCmTij5qknxw_5_MXNeFQYiej9HDQhowXQELhJZ0KtoNYyDBkvFogCIaXGgniXCaHeCBn-9fDVmQkQvvXt9o02INzy2FAW6CdxfGXayEDAx7BA/s400/IMG_20111028_220123.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677440868316058834" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 273px; " /></a>And I found some unknown fruit so I bought some and took a picture. The orange one. And it tasted BAD. Anyone know what they are called?</div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg468vV9WLaaFtaTFTJoG0Hrc0mkuAjdVPbQ3b7Zn0Sw8WcjTYMuRWfCq6syTz7EWZLUCayJfR32BfFXIfp7DiP7pi4JhOl68Mf1_xwlkrNWHMfw_Tfn6O68Rt5QEiLvyAMHX4NcQ/s1600/IMG_20111029_175825.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg468vV9WLaaFtaTFTJoG0Hrc0mkuAjdVPbQ3b7Zn0Sw8WcjTYMuRWfCq6syTz7EWZLUCayJfR32BfFXIfp7DiP7pi4JhOl68Mf1_xwlkrNWHMfw_Tfn6O68Rt5QEiLvyAMHX4NcQ/s400/IMG_20111029_175825.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677440975056591986" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a>Laphetauh (?) - and I got to do a Laphetauh night. This was nostalgic for me. The many nights of eating these things and drinking tea with your friends in Mizoram, and every night you laugh so hard your stomach hurts and you never ever feel like going to bed. Laphetauh is a symbol of good times for me.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDZqIe7IVQr7_q4_eohGNDibtv_jEq7am3VdbSHpwz3yUi6sx87s2ohDr37C7Ezv9DHghOuGQ7XA46R3bHLyG87O3Gjc5SAMNpMAiGCm7om6e605Qbcs7e_GsO4ppW9ABp51GjXQ/s1600/IMG_20111030_230244.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDZqIe7IVQr7_q4_eohGNDibtv_jEq7am3VdbSHpwz3yUi6sx87s2ohDr37C7Ezv9DHghOuGQ7XA46R3bHLyG87O3Gjc5SAMNpMAiGCm7om6e605Qbcs7e_GsO4ppW9ABp51GjXQ/s400/IMG_20111030_230244.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5677441625832602290" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 335px; " /></a></div><div>I'm not all self-complimentary. I am very deeply disappointed in myself that I didn't learn a new language like I promised myself I would. I promise by the end of next year, I will be speaking Spanish like a native speaker. I will write a blog post in Spanish by this time next year.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>The hospital has become a constant in my life. I'm always there for one thing or the other, a test, a checkup, more tests. But I won't complain about this because these tests brought us good news after all. I did get admitted last month for about a week, for dengue this time. I actually thought I was going to die one night when I didn't have enough strength to walk to the kitchen. Funny how you can have cancer and be so calm and then a mosquito comes and bites you and gives you some viral fever and you think 'OMG I AM GOING TO DIE!!!' </div><div><br /></div><div>My mom is convinced I got it from my Himalayan trip, she was quite freaked out (my family freaks out over everything now - a little cough will give them sleepless nights) and has banned me from cleaning any cobweb in my room :) My room has become like the <a href="http://courage.wikia.com/wiki/A_Night_at_the_Katz_Motel">Katz Motel</a>, and I the evil <a href="http://courage.wikia.com/wiki/Katz">Katz</a>. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>Funny. I was going to write about hair, that was the only thing on my mind when I opened my laptop. I don't know why I wrote all this. Anyway, hair next time!</div>Jerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19175101.post-89301351150483834772011-10-18T23:50:00.008+05:302011-10-26T15:08:59.597+05:30Mizo thlai/thingkung/hnim etc leh an sap hming - Part 3<div>Official vak lo a <a href="http://dignifiedcow.blogspot.com/2009/11/mizo-pangpar-te-leh-sap-hming.html">Part-1</a> leh <a href="http://dignifiedcow.blogspot.com/2010/08/mizo-thei-leh-thlai-te-leh-sap-hming.html">Part -2</a> a awm tawh bawk a, hei a part - 3 na atan ti leh teh ang. Hriat thar leh thar loh te, a hma post a la tel lo te hi share zel phawt ang. </div><div><br /></div><div>Mahse a hmasa in request - helai a thil dah hi a duh duh in engmah sawi lovin emaw a source cite lovin inlak sak hi ching lo hram ila. Mi in hun pe a kan ziah leh (a ho a ho in) hun seng a kan inchhiar chhuah te a ni ve a, ngawi reng a an lo la a, anmahni kutchhuak ang a an treat hi chuan rilru a na ve duh deuh ania. Hmanni ah Facebook group pakhat ah Mizo pangpar te leh an sap hming ka ziahna ami kha an lo dah teuh mai a, hman kumah khan Evening Post ho in ka post pakhat mipakhat ziah ang hmakin (a ziaktu hmingah Zaia/Siama tih vel in an dah hmeks) an lo chhuah tawh bawk a. Ka blog content hi a nep a nepin ka copyright ve thlap ania :-)</div><div><br /></div><div>Tawk e copyright lam chu. Tunah a tui ber atangin ilo tan nghal ang:</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span">Zawngtah: Bitter bean, stink bean etc</span></u></b> </span>(Parkia speciosa)</div><div><br /></div><div>Zawngtah awm a hun leh tan dawn, keipawh ka Krismas rawn haw in ka rawn nang ngei dawn bawk a. S.E Asian lam zawngtah mu recipe te han try ka chak khawp mai. Mahse bekang leh hmarcha hmui nen tluk a tui a awm theih ka ring lem lo.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxxzmN12e1qwOC3jUK_UwEZH5cf4OcJQdUzpWRYDJBExnhPlVoZMUoieG6MxKTfBCU1YQ3o-W_phY8KqTNp60alwKVYS-XiXbR3UFib8Yzyyjb_cYFEIF9QxdPjuW0U4QuVs4NA/s1600/Parkia_speciosa.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaxxzmN12e1qwOC3jUK_UwEZH5cf4OcJQdUzpWRYDJBExnhPlVoZMUoieG6MxKTfBCU1YQ3o-W_phY8KqTNp60alwKVYS-XiXbR3UFib8Yzyyjb_cYFEIF9QxdPjuW0U4QuVs4NA/s400/Parkia_speciosa.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662539640064608738" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a>(Pic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkia_speciosa">source</a>)<div><br /><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><u>Chakawk: Fernbrake, bracken fiddleheads</u></b> </span>(Pteridium aquilinum)</div><div><br /></div><div>Chakawk hi tui ka ti in englai pawhin ka ei peih thin. Mahse a saphming kan hriat hnu ah kan chhiar chiang a, ramsa thenkhat ah a 'carcinogenic' (cancer thlen thei) a, Japan ram a stomach cancer tam chhan ah pawh factor lian tham ah an dah tih an ziak ka hmu a thin a ti thawng. Vairam lamah hi chuan chakawk ei na chance a awm lo hlauh a, mahse Zoram lam chhungte ka han phone nghal, chakawk lo ei tawh lo tur a chah turin. Chhiar tu te pawh ka chah nghal vek bawk che u e :)</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Qqx9XDj5pWIVVrnpgpuGes_48ki6lAKnVCX1t-d1pSBA2_KtQ8Nob8bj_HIgfeGIweZeCeBzMiGHxNs7LHteW4UWkMZjSa7zZtzYb_scd9OL4NevP4ilDAl-jKY54Z-0joQ0GQ/s1600/Chakawk.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Qqx9XDj5pWIVVrnpgpuGes_48ki6lAKnVCX1t-d1pSBA2_KtQ8Nob8bj_HIgfeGIweZeCeBzMiGHxNs7LHteW4UWkMZjSa7zZtzYb_scd9OL4NevP4ilDAl-jKY54Z-0joQ0GQ/s400/Chakawk.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662538994067535906" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 274px; " /></a>(Pic <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-size: 14px; "><a href="http://www.sierrapotomac.org/W_Needham/BrackenFern_070910.htm">source</a>)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span><div><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span">Mitthi sunhlu: Carry Me Seed</span></u></b> (Phyllanthus amarus)</div><div><br /></div><div>Heng hi kan naupan lai chuan mitthi sunhlu kan ti thin. A hming dik tak a ni em ka hre lo. Lung a tih len reuh em vangin ka rawn telh ve mai ani e.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHDak_UmrFUAJ3sBRzSWAX784vsQ5faLj0-DQbcuV3Z5PZhwHdUgAfHEi72TIvLhC1ZDWIi6wZ6JEmYqkCmuiZ4MCP9sY2vZuO6WQNJmOAVhBWnEBzBbamWEdsMV_s56dkGAajjQ/s1600/sunhlu.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHDak_UmrFUAJ3sBRzSWAX784vsQ5faLj0-DQbcuV3Z5PZhwHdUgAfHEi72TIvLhC1ZDWIi6wZ6JEmYqkCmuiZ4MCP9sY2vZuO6WQNJmOAVhBWnEBzBbamWEdsMV_s56dkGAajjQ/s400/sunhlu.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662538180770262370" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a>(Pic <a href="http://flowersofindia.aceboard.com/286270-6129-3200-0-Euphorbiaceae-Phyllanthus-amarus.htm">source</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span">Sehnap, Lakher Anthur: Bush sorrel</span></u></b> (Hibiscus surattensis)</div><div><br /></div><div>Hei pawh ka lung a tileng. Kan tet lai chuan D.C Workshop, Chaltlang thlang ah khuan mi huan te a awm a, kan lo ru nasa thei lutuk. Jam te kan siam a, a chang leh a tui chi nen al thur tek tawkin kan siam bawk a. A tui theih dan kha awww!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieyQfiISx8Y-xvV-beWDxbgxjUM6mITrxhvuUMpJptdNDmhAOj_B76kPiMlqb45HQ6lFDRb5u1v6O4Ur5D7Pir3_LjnW2u-r7CrG1J_Wl0u_kXE1tKPL8hdbkZXqub-el6INECsw/s1600/sehnapl+3.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieyQfiISx8Y-xvV-beWDxbgxjUM6mITrxhvuUMpJptdNDmhAOj_B76kPiMlqb45HQ6lFDRb5u1v6O4Ur5D7Pir3_LjnW2u-r7CrG1J_Wl0u_kXE1tKPL8hdbkZXqub-el6INECsw/s400/sehnapl+3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662537374897542530" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 303px; height: 400px; " /></a>(Pic <a href="http://thecottageonpilgrimsfarm.blogspot.com/2011/01/glass-of-sorrelto-you.html">source</a>)</div><div><br /><div><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span">Khuangthli: Bishop Wood</span></u></b> (Bischofia javanica)</div><div><br /></div><div>A lem tha tak ka zawng hmu thei lo, hei a thingkung naute thlalak :)</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdYk4NlL4WcaBfXJPV8yPfJ6Uqntn08jLQ0p-RGUeewKY3LznCe_svAtYDhTCJNEjtKy2W23mdFFSX-qL-j-uXaqd5ub0DPOfFXYyo-wobf0mIpHvxGAU5pXid0J2st0f08anOfg/s1600/bischofia-javanica-leaves.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdYk4NlL4WcaBfXJPV8yPfJ6Uqntn08jLQ0p-RGUeewKY3LznCe_svAtYDhTCJNEjtKy2W23mdFFSX-qL-j-uXaqd5ub0DPOfFXYyo-wobf0mIpHvxGAU5pXid0J2st0f08anOfg/s400/bischofia-javanica-leaves.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662536726816847842" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px; " /></a>(Picture <a href="http://www.indi-journal.info/archives/1984">source</a>)</div><div><br /><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span">Chabet: Beggar-tick</span></u></b> (Bidens family ami, eng species ber nge ka chiang lo)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUX3J3sdDbhnjZu6LiehKHpAdMKw28uEtMSzUZLDB_4Nytl1exqUfDbegcGJYx8WbRbLdeCbAwMIknNWE1Vre-yYch26wle2XdjvgFUYSwz29rRsqxJ1v2kKfVOLX2860sxqsxVA/s1600/Tick.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUX3J3sdDbhnjZu6LiehKHpAdMKw28uEtMSzUZLDB_4Nytl1exqUfDbegcGJYx8WbRbLdeCbAwMIknNWE1Vre-yYch26wle2XdjvgFUYSwz29rRsqxJ1v2kKfVOLX2860sxqsxVA/s400/Tick.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662535516903107266" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 303px; height: 400px; " /></a>(Picture <a href="http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artaug05/bjbticks.html">source</a>)</div><div><br /><div><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span">Tualvungi em: Fluted bird's nest</span></u></b> (Cyathus striatus)</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1yXk9tAzq4EaOX-g9gOhtmCrZr1-zvRPudWrKmOHRMeDI1tnqdObG0MvEQPcAWkOLH05gdjN-iYthMh9GkTpP8fBlM8JRp1cf7jDrkr1ndWRD2jQe1XSQfzbFNSRZM1bTZIr-w/s1600/Eming01.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1yXk9tAzq4EaOX-g9gOhtmCrZr1-zvRPudWrKmOHRMeDI1tnqdObG0MvEQPcAWkOLH05gdjN-iYthMh9GkTpP8fBlM8JRp1cf7jDrkr1ndWRD2jQe1XSQfzbFNSRZM1bTZIr-w/s400/Eming01.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662481899700115538" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 365px; " /></a>(Pic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyathus_striatus">source</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span">Anhling: Black nightshade</span></u></b> (Solanum americanum, Solanum nigrum, leh Solanum ptychanthum ah hian a eng ber hi nge keini Mizoram lam in kan ei hi ka hre hrang thei lo).<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDCvYQ2k2k3NuDivWLSsvcag0FsOCl6dwAeCplWkNAuiXBaL4QJj_IV4T__xGpXeX4wTUZ1YwLw9taLVctkHloHVIiSThCXZFoQKlNnY5qFPPXjdP3cIh7y_cveMsQnJkPVkSjw/s1600/anhling.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDCvYQ2k2k3NuDivWLSsvcag0FsOCl6dwAeCplWkNAuiXBaL4QJj_IV4T__xGpXeX4wTUZ1YwLw9taLVctkHloHVIiSThCXZFoQKlNnY5qFPPXjdP3cIh7y_cveMsQnJkPVkSjw/s400/anhling.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660691992743826834" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a>(Pic<a href="http://www.liseed.org/solanunusual.html"> source</a>)<div><br /></div><div><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span">At hlo: Angel's trumpet</span></u></b> (Brugmansia)</div><div><br /></div><div>Heng pangpar hi naupang te kan nih lai tang tawh khan, a at theih an tih avangin ka hlau deuh titih thin khawp mai a. Ka len hnu ah khang te kha thu ho mai mai aniang ka ti leh a, mahse kan chhiar chiang a, a lo poisonous hle tak tak.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhswt6DDKBRitIXnzUXi4pTK-fEA0Xr4EI73D9aFTVSpT6NBFfuo1Dvv3ZhokDuR0PikcO36fJjiOxac_LVecS0pj6iGrTDwBzAKqLsUlNfGpqa7-VEZZFqVwSX2rcDcelc40QaTA/s1600/athlo.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhswt6DDKBRitIXnzUXi4pTK-fEA0Xr4EI73D9aFTVSpT6NBFfuo1Dvv3ZhokDuR0PikcO36fJjiOxac_LVecS0pj6iGrTDwBzAKqLsUlNfGpqa7-VEZZFqVwSX2rcDcelc40QaTA/s400/athlo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660691237239119650" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a>(Pic <a href="http://listsoplenty.com/blog/?p=5018">source</a>)<br /><div><br /></div><div><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span">Kelbean: Broadleaf plantain</span></u></b> (Plantago major)</div><div><br /></div><div>Kan naupan laiin kan inkhualtelem na ah heng hi vaimim kan ti thin. In ti ve ngai em?</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgm6Vfg0oPjiKixJp9WLwJd4hPEKlaQXqqPuz44LAw6RxAtNhvODqBAMw7yA8i_QzitJ5SYzRm_B2AwHvlqN8LeTxnobJ7yF5hAO9Uo8rLjfs4K2rKpLes0jM44vo8nPtxYg9cNQ/s1600/kelbean.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgm6Vfg0oPjiKixJp9WLwJd4hPEKlaQXqqPuz44LAw6RxAtNhvODqBAMw7yA8i_QzitJ5SYzRm_B2AwHvlqN8LeTxnobJ7yF5hAO9Uo8rLjfs4K2rKpLes0jM44vo8nPtxYg9cNQ/s400/kelbean.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660690720465485746" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a>(Pic<a href="http://weeds.cropsci.illinois.edu/images/Broadleafplantain/index.htm"> source</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span">Behliang: Pigeon Pea</span></u></b> (Cajanas cajan)</div><div><br /></div><div>Behliang hi chu a chhung ah pangang awm a ching em avang in, tui ti hle mah ila khat tawk chauhin ka ei risk ngam.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdpJpt_d5UdOWN8ar90f2SE35rj7zlSqqU7tWQBJwVj04N6yJ91a-0DtqIPOYkyU7NTWY9YdCCv3Q7oSBTXkcNfWKw9_7HwPfuKmurSlPCcVdDg8zxc1-yUzBZfnUA9pdnEn_fQ/s1600/behliang.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdpJpt_d5UdOWN8ar90f2SE35rj7zlSqqU7tWQBJwVj04N6yJ91a-0DtqIPOYkyU7NTWY9YdCCv3Q7oSBTXkcNfWKw9_7HwPfuKmurSlPCcVdDg8zxc1-yUzBZfnUA9pdnEn_fQ/s400/behliang.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660686836295500418" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a>(Pic<a href="http://herbalgardens-beverly.blogspot.com/2010/11/pigeon-pea.html"> source)</a></div><div><br /></div><div> Chuan a tlip nan -</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span">Maitamtawk: Bristly balsam-pear, spine gourd etc</span></u></b> (Momordica balsamina)</div><div><br /></div><div>Maitamtawk hi tui ka tih theih tehreng nen ka ei tui thei ta reng reng lo mai. Vairam maitamtawk hi Mizoram lam aiin a tui lo bik nge pawh ka hre lo. Te reuh te hring tha deuh si te hi a lo chang fer zel.</div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTtM4vXpmfqeFUpzoWjkJ7dk1_CZmy1IZgZNXKp2hu08vef4eJKqoJVbyO1xEAhzAOhANZDfHQpjELUFb9N582TazFo1MnXnzOjDT6wZfE3yrl_oeOqjVGw47hdLC9wTRP2cxYTQ/s1600/maitamtok.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTtM4vXpmfqeFUpzoWjkJ7dk1_CZmy1IZgZNXKp2hu08vef4eJKqoJVbyO1xEAhzAOhANZDfHQpjELUFb9N582TazFo1MnXnzOjDT6wZfE3yrl_oeOqjVGw47hdLC9wTRP2cxYTQ/s400/maitamtok.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660686474340956578" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a>(Pic<a href="http://sundayfarmer.wordpress.com/2011/08/29/spine-gourd-anyone/"> source</a>)<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Ti zawng kha ni mai rawh se, ka lawm e. Zan a tlai tawh e mai, a bang zawngin part 4 ah rawn chhunzawm tawh mai rawh se.</div></div>Jerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19175101.post-85450513459841687472011-10-07T12:13:00.003+05:302011-10-07T12:18:13.429+05:30Valley of Flowers & Mana trekA little late but here it is anyway - I've been dying to share some pictures from my Himalayan trek. Too lazy to go into details but I'll just say this - it was one hell of a mad wicked trek and I've never felt so proud of myself before. Ever.<div><br /></div><div>Altogether, we did a total of..let's see..close to 40 Kms, mostly steep uphill climb through craggy paths. And don't forget the relatively less oxygen in that high altitude! Not bad for a bunch of city dwellers whose sloppy lives only involves sitting in front of the computer all day every day.</div><div><br /></div><div>We (me + 2 friends) took the overnight bus from Hyderabad to Delhi, reached Del in the morning. We met up with another friend, then hired a car to take us to Rishikesh. This took us around 6 hours, and we spent the night dining on our last non-veg meal for the trip and chasing fireflies.</div><div><br /></div><div>We left Rishikesh at around 5 am, another hired another car to take us to Govindghat. This was a long ride and took the entire day despite us having a suicidal speeding driver who was a little wonky in the head. There were some moments I was sure he was going to plunge into a gorge with us with him gleefully pumping his fist at the world.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are certain memorable things about this ride - the beautiful scenery, and the roads...the roads!!! (GAH!!)</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ6D1IqAjPIsZI3f-aNJB-MEINqg2dSx1dq6F_CEYLt30W2KAlS8CVu_xtLyz_u0arVVAc-iBlBfZhMzEt2FiLCULFDqlXkFMOQXZ3SIN5Y1ZmeMW2iSaU490_u5reH0nBd1aSlA/s1600/DSC01049.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ6D1IqAjPIsZI3f-aNJB-MEINqg2dSx1dq6F_CEYLt30W2KAlS8CVu_xtLyz_u0arVVAc-iBlBfZhMzEt2FiLCULFDqlXkFMOQXZ3SIN5Y1ZmeMW2iSaU490_u5reH0nBd1aSlA/s400/DSC01049.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654387251908416194" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a><div>The roads were interspersed with little brooks and 'falling rock zones' and 'mud slide zones.' We were stuck in the middle of nowhere for over an hour because of a major landslide that had blocked the road, and several minor ones along the way to add more color to the trip.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBZAqP1AK_7WgwpCJmm3rQcozLafh6TU8Senp5ueExg4Kea6zWRdZjCCd79hJXBUiB93ha4Ay4Jq_zIqvFKYM7D5bVYZ17LOpJGa5ykNziiSxo1-q0fLAv2FHQCMemIyxLfHDWAg/s1600/DSC01038.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBZAqP1AK_7WgwpCJmm3rQcozLafh6TU8Senp5ueExg4Kea6zWRdZjCCd79hJXBUiB93ha4Ay4Jq_zIqvFKYM7D5bVYZ17LOpJGa5ykNziiSxo1-q0fLAv2FHQCMemIyxLfHDWAg/s400/DSC01038.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654386969806698946" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a></div><div>There were some areas that actually had rocks crashing down on the road as we were passing through and there's nothing you can do as you zig zag through except pray that nothing too big falls and whatever falls doesn't fall on you. Scary!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXoeB2kWUJ32uDGVK56jkW9I4W69sUZoaW8n_SZSx6ZMXC50vUbimgj_d8Q2j9pv2ORgPEAWui1AV1HAQa8ueQkeUJBl0zP_P55VzuoTyIg3WBhhWVNZVImgKkvjiBelzIYdEPNA/s1600/IMG_2459.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXoeB2kWUJ32uDGVK56jkW9I4W69sUZoaW8n_SZSx6ZMXC50vUbimgj_d8Q2j9pv2ORgPEAWui1AV1HAQa8ueQkeUJBl0zP_P55VzuoTyIg3WBhhWVNZVImgKkvjiBelzIYdEPNA/s400/IMG_2459.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654389260547745490" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a>We reached Govindghat in the evening. It was cold here, which was a relief after Delhi which was its usual charmlessly hot self, and Rishikesh too which was disappointingly stuffy and humid.</div><div><br /></div><div>Govindghat is at an altitude of 6000 feet and is the last motorable point on our journey. It's quite pretty, surrounded by very TALL mountain ranges on all sides and with a big river running right through it. From here on we would have to continue on foot.</div><div><br /></div><div>We checked ourselves into a hotel, stayed up late telling each other ghost stories and again got up very early so we could make an early start.</div><div><br /></div><div>First picture of the day - the trek begins.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_NDd71_UoPoZ8bBlidOfOcXsKRKoGYdK1cRdvDhxnQNebaE4AYNyqJRsd9WZQ4DLSctdnPjoQrnPcfuqevavViibSiiO0R4lcoqZc_jS8kViqpJufmg7DdOstBxt-8ouzkEDG9A/s1600/DSC01327.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_NDd71_UoPoZ8bBlidOfOcXsKRKoGYdK1cRdvDhxnQNebaE4AYNyqJRsd9WZQ4DLSctdnPjoQrnPcfuqevavViibSiiO0R4lcoqZc_jS8kViqpJufmg7DdOstBxt-8ouzkEDG9A/s400/DSC01327.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654389607232966274" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div>It was a 13 Km trek to Ghangharia. We covered the first few kilometres pretty fast and without too much trouble. Here we are posing after we finished our 5th kilometre, feeling pretty good about ourselves.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwCeQgPDs9bUEQnpeoUuf6PnwyAJwV3OfgQO9MwD0k_hG_hczKgTSYUYdWXxsFg3fYgASWwUx0mJOexwtYyXmELGVz-itCU8gPBbIq5IfgyKN3EwzAWNqVqnYVh8isisHY7MriA/s1600/IMG_2557.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwCeQgPDs9bUEQnpeoUuf6PnwyAJwV3OfgQO9MwD0k_hG_hczKgTSYUYdWXxsFg3fYgASWwUx0mJOexwtYyXmELGVz-itCU8gPBbIq5IfgyKN3EwzAWNqVqnYVh8isisHY7MriA/s400/IMG_2557.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654390208455308530" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a>Little did we know that we had only covered the first few easier part and that the rest of it was going to be absolutely grueling.</div><div><br /></div><div>The sun went down on us, trapping us in a freezing forested area full of langurs (I'm terrified of monkeys, but I feel slightly better about these langurs. I have a feeling they're smarter than the regular monkeys).<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEdyOKqTVeP3z0MXB7ClwxMCXYo3XMt6C5Se3XHXV7yqRCguSesLiHNY0WK5SGI-f1dtzn0WweW-8-WFRwcCyfDd4irrBm3od4H5buNkfKjwdQAZJ_x12zHzAHm7P_Jb3BUa_Ohw/s1600/IMG_2611.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEdyOKqTVeP3z0MXB7ClwxMCXYo3XMt6C5Se3XHXV7yqRCguSesLiHNY0WK5SGI-f1dtzn0WweW-8-WFRwcCyfDd4irrBm3od4H5buNkfKjwdQAZJ_x12zHzAHm7P_Jb3BUa_Ohw/s400/IMG_2611.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654407531312208562" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a>We stumbled into Ghangharia in the night. I think that was the most exhausted I've ever been in my entire life.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ghangharia is at 10003.280 feet. It's only open for half the year, and for the other half it is apparently covered by 8 feet of snow.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-JPxb_yHSxglv1eR4Xjurwa4nABkAs1r57J9eBDwwryCVedVrDiTskTq2HXTmNm63R7kviJz3HRbXq4VzYT_rOeTQmu0t8d5LOoCNzLuAqDGOySVnyhr8pzo33oW4R2OjjGmaFg/s1600/IMG_2704.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-JPxb_yHSxglv1eR4Xjurwa4nABkAs1r57J9eBDwwryCVedVrDiTskTq2HXTmNm63R7kviJz3HRbXq4VzYT_rOeTQmu0t8d5LOoCNzLuAqDGOySVnyhr8pzo33oW4R2OjjGmaFg/s400/IMG_2704.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654404388714801010" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a>This is where we stayed. The entire village runs on a generator and all lights go out at 10pm. You have to make sure you're in bed by 10 no matter what.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsPHNMWn4xUymToQQw339OAEd3JkHW8n-sqLTylGcLmg5vMWJGcfX1b2sQAEYKgZUpjtYANIHLSu3lZTH4qMJjY6fJ7E7MC6vjQURw0NEkHWySaw62LIcix466IFAinIJ_JAQWw/s1600/DSC01405.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzsPHNMWn4xUymToQQw339OAEd3JkHW8n-sqLTylGcLmg5vMWJGcfX1b2sQAEYKgZUpjtYANIHLSu3lZTH4qMJjY6fJ7E7MC6vjQURw0NEkHWySaw62LIcix466IFAinIJ_JAQWw/s400/DSC01405.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654392902518881122" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a>We had a little supernatural experience here. Will write about it some other time if I ever feel like it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Okay, this is going to take forever so let's just post some pictures. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here is the actual valley. This is at 10,500 - 21,900 feet above sea level.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBJkPnh8nSvnkKHb95DBA0IoiWvEgkqRQkJpfzYEErrT1_Z77W-rl4NZckllDx0LngBg7bujQe0UInoqmttTQrpD01-XawLfc_uB8VvxQkLdFt0nvJvui6LpVOjzpHyqFZZjNbw/s1600/DSC01381.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBJkPnh8nSvnkKHb95DBA0IoiWvEgkqRQkJpfzYEErrT1_Z77W-rl4NZckllDx0LngBg7bujQe0UInoqmttTQrpD01-XawLfc_uB8VvxQkLdFt0nvJvui6LpVOjzpHyqFZZjNbw/s400/DSC01381.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654388910320168370" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSHeOLs2YUvEyyR8F4oGmWvECleRevIRbKlL2WmXqO_O2tTj9fuk5xy2S13VgTcRGvWAOwdc6gWnB1Qz3_mUhiQqDtTPhUHukxP_NWUHZr9X-h7BRIDGw4sdEx_Jzx8dbtIr7Ieg/s1600/DSC01388.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSHeOLs2YUvEyyR8F4oGmWvECleRevIRbKlL2WmXqO_O2tTj9fuk5xy2S13VgTcRGvWAOwdc6gWnB1Qz3_mUhiQqDtTPhUHukxP_NWUHZr9X-h7BRIDGw4sdEx_Jzx8dbtIr7Ieg/s400/DSC01388.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654388749438875442" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div>After doing the valley, we decided to hire another car to take us to Badrinath because we wanted to see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mana,_India">Mana</a>, the last Indian village. Mana has no hotels so we had to stay at Badrinath and trek to Mana from there. </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoQVObV_c5F84Mko5zoq49MluspHF_m-nMqt5dFPWFHBJiUR54tQ9GygS-LiF-9K3dpvMrgdpEhH2iFrqfgNT9-jKppIKQrJGU-mcv0JI2IgVnhjGv6m4h0Paz9366E6dxRV1EUQ/s1600/DSC01420.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoQVObV_c5F84Mko5zoq49MluspHF_m-nMqt5dFPWFHBJiUR54tQ9GygS-LiF-9K3dpvMrgdpEhH2iFrqfgNT9-jKppIKQrJGU-mcv0JI2IgVnhjGv6m4h0Paz9366E6dxRV1EUQ/s400/DSC01420.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654388589254566866" style="text-align: left; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvHSUV9oWQHDQweaPE9L__S_3eU40gajF-KBVVRUD7Aa8UDGPvwh9WC0DXri8c8YbEaDpqFVdmuZsicgFpsPk7sQSXBW81zJg3_bqfBm4j9MzDJ6a3RAGB2gSLcyufMXNHlwbjw/s1600/DSC01241.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvHSUV9oWQHDQweaPE9L__S_3eU40gajF-KBVVRUD7Aa8UDGPvwh9WC0DXri8c8YbEaDpqFVdmuZsicgFpsPk7sQSXBW81zJg3_bqfBm4j9MzDJ6a3RAGB2gSLcyufMXNHlwbjw/s400/DSC01241.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654387772385269538" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 390px; " /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWwmiO4idtv5jWvjsyWyS4VVAl6fzlznD58hsDTFjMmHvkgkwmGaHWteVQ6p8wcoNfyLVdssxb5ijkLThuOg6MV5cIxzVUntl0RUSN-JA0E3lD2_kbQlDZNj93EnXoJj3cyUIdCg/s1600/DSC01234.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWwmiO4idtv5jWvjsyWyS4VVAl6fzlznD58hsDTFjMmHvkgkwmGaHWteVQ6p8wcoNfyLVdssxb5ijkLThuOg6MV5cIxzVUntl0RUSN-JA0E3lD2_kbQlDZNj93EnXoJj3cyUIdCg/s400/DSC01234.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654396574336018738" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 352px; " /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjMwXyxQLqNVfBVWeFagYNgLzjCk-1k9Uik0hnNhA7KHjRy8sDKjuUFLqCp52Fnplb_X4leRs-JDtKhPP7fDxt4uRc6J_3bCvyrj-QyauQZHmDQzqX98fq5sRkcsoop65DWHcqQ/s1600/DSC01262.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjMwXyxQLqNVfBVWeFagYNgLzjCk-1k9Uik0hnNhA7KHjRy8sDKjuUFLqCp52Fnplb_X4leRs-JDtKhPP7fDxt4uRc6J_3bCvyrj-QyauQZHmDQzqX98fq5sRkcsoop65DWHcqQ/s400/DSC01262.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654397724493232898" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a>We bribed some locals to take us across the river with this condemned trolley. </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8HclQuYX6E79WBfT8gVqMXzsHUT0xZmECG-Z7oprYt8IsTmF9FJnn2zX7sWUckoM1I-lf4iC3fSlT4BFyr18FMbOBbW36jzQ79rwyILBfUphyphenhyphenhWbZolq8trU0XQFqatTuRswRA/s1600/DSC01280.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8HclQuYX6E79WBfT8gVqMXzsHUT0xZmECG-Z7oprYt8IsTmF9FJnn2zX7sWUckoM1I-lf4iC3fSlT4BFyr18FMbOBbW36jzQ79rwyILBfUphyphenhyphenhWbZolq8trU0XQFqatTuRswRA/s400/DSC01280.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654387952273708354" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSUsYIJESgN3CFL76Z2el9pSDcziDwO3jmE7GQvNvNY-Kf7-cCAxifnOjG4sbJqD3qcPH0id8l0u1UySCk5lX7r9UALr7BuoyQJKbbPBS_9cUoEcdhw3PpMCI8WvLF_Z_fJneLpA/s1600/DSC01426.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSUsYIJESgN3CFL76Z2el9pSDcziDwO3jmE7GQvNvNY-Kf7-cCAxifnOjG4sbJqD3qcPH0id8l0u1UySCk5lX7r9UALr7BuoyQJKbbPBS_9cUoEcdhw3PpMCI8WvLF_Z_fJneLpA/s400/DSC01426.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654388460811299378" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTur5zC1bcpQxhdl39AHL4HvAehAJ0qqxH3DTijF_sCbouYvQgw_cJxPb0VFnBV7wG4sYK1JUG8JLtY2dGX8MSEV5uT_XJxFVl3SKU7J7uMGB0QqjXuUMr9Kdd28wDhnGa-rHs-g/s1600/DSC01282.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTur5zC1bcpQxhdl39AHL4HvAehAJ0qqxH3DTijF_sCbouYvQgw_cJxPb0VFnBV7wG4sYK1JUG8JLtY2dGX8MSEV5uT_XJxFVl3SKU7J7uMGB0QqjXuUMr9Kdd28wDhnGa-rHs-g/s400/DSC01282.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654388039299642658" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px; " /></a></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoKl6VeQX2Hgev7SCwPZcHtVGRc47GlrVFhCEfk_Dk4tpcNYDl29rlAVlZTlTBc0hBzr36wWgPz6yBYnDYzaRB02tWlHkSJ5YygGWpxij6P3BWyu-4lADezY84QcGPY6wOUKhXg/s1600/IMG_2909.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoKl6VeQX2Hgev7SCwPZcHtVGRc47GlrVFhCEfk_Dk4tpcNYDl29rlAVlZTlTBc0hBzr36wWgPz6yBYnDYzaRB02tWlHkSJ5YygGWpxij6P3BWyu-4lADezY84QcGPY6wOUKhXg/s400/IMG_2909.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654390554358857890" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a>Bonus pics:<br /><br />I was thrilled to find these pomelos on tyhe way to Rishikesh.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_E8BAQ2oC8qN27oaCgbTDHmQ6zuh8A6cVFK7bQjW7p7FVkB1nOMdnREqQzY3GV2p7nnq4_8yAKfhYML7Cv4VO9leDr66iCLEyLcHllSBRmVAFsSF5ykn99_wS5hezcxwqlQKO2A/s1600/IMG_2411.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_E8BAQ2oC8qN27oaCgbTDHmQ6zuh8A6cVFK7bQjW7p7FVkB1nOMdnREqQzY3GV2p7nnq4_8yAKfhYML7Cv4VO9leDr66iCLEyLcHllSBRmVAFsSF5ykn99_wS5hezcxwqlQKO2A/s400/IMG_2411.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654389801501238546" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a>Cabbage patch in Mana.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJvXeOyDQz_C7ug75nJI57gkt1nzO9Qga9DpByfIz5RIPOqMZ2Zo6HHVSEqCTOWw0alQn4q9Ttfzg4n1kz4GK2gOOH04GC0U-5oYzmi_Bfh-VDY0KCOJBKuVzjbpZXQcF1tm25g/s1600/IMG_2817.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJvXeOyDQz_C7ug75nJI57gkt1nzO9Qga9DpByfIz5RIPOqMZ2Zo6HHVSEqCTOWw0alQn4q9Ttfzg4n1kz4GK2gOOH04GC0U-5oYzmi_Bfh-VDY0KCOJBKuVzjbpZXQcF1tm25g/s400/IMG_2817.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654399076184732290" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a>The famous Edelweiss. I promised before we left for the trip that if I found an Edelweiss, I will sing the song. This is the first time I'd seen an Edelweiss, so I wasn't too unhappy abut having to wheeze out the song up there in the mountains.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw88Vs1sn_GCp4kL8gtXP9U1tIyWw84fn56NOc9kiemdAzec02J7uC3nOhKJ4BSJ8Q7agm7lDy0QyeVltcKaISibcqyzdjyPv21lOCDURNKl0uojlRdUokja3eVew2w_wplvtKEA/s1600/IMG_2686.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw88Vs1sn_GCp4kL8gtXP9U1tIyWw84fn56NOc9kiemdAzec02J7uC3nOhKJ4BSJ8Q7agm7lDy0QyeVltcKaISibcqyzdjyPv21lOCDURNKl0uojlRdUokja3eVew2w_wplvtKEA/s400/IMG_2686.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5654403938367201058" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px; " /></a>After all this great physical feat, I came back and then fell seriously sick with dengue fever and spent several days in the hospital instead. But now I'm out and happy and well and planning another trek.<br /><br /></div></div>Jerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19175101.post-11588099321431945162011-08-01T16:43:00.003+05:302011-08-01T16:59:10.405+05:30Sad songs say so much<span class="Apple-style-span">Why won't today end? It's been at least 24 hours since I woke up this morning. I've done 2 days worth of work. Yet the clock </span>still <span class="Apple-style-span">says it's only 4:44 pm. Why are some days so bad and ugly and just unbearable?</span><div><br /></div><div>And the way this entire day's been, the overcast skies, the slight breeze, the gloominess of it all can only make me think of one song -</div><div><br /></div><div><div><div><iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/kFLZQbe91XE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div><br /></div></div></div><div><div><i><b>If you're still within the sound of my voice, </b></i></div><div><i><b>I just want you to know you were always my only choice</b></i></div><div><i><b>That it always made me rejoice just to have you so near...</b></i></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Pretty depressing but beautiful nonetheless.</div>Jerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19175101.post-82645000138084517362011-07-18T22:39:00.009+05:302011-07-19T00:57:03.521+05:30What would you do with a billion dollars?"What would you do if you found a treasure worth billions of dollars?" "What is the first thing you would buy if someone suddenly came and gave you a hundred billion dollars?" Do you and your friends ever ask each other those questions? <div><br /></div><div>Me and my friends do that a lot. We'd sit and dream of a millionaire, billionaire, zillionaire life - starting with how we'd get the money - lottery, anonymous donor, long lost filthy rich relative type person, saving a filthy rich type person's life who would then bestow us with some parts of his fortune in gratitude (or in its entirety after he's dead because this is an old man and he doesn't want to give it to his kids because they're all either dead or dead rotten and doesn't love this dear old old man). I usually see myself saving this man from a gang of thugs trying to rob him. </div><div><br /></div><div>I don't know how this last part will work in reality though. First of all, I don't know any filthy rich type person who routinely puts himself in jeopardy so I might get the chance to save his life. And even if I do meet an old man that meets both criteria, just between you and me, I am doubtful about my ability to ward off his attackers :/</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, what was I saying...oh yeah..me and friends and our dreams of becoming rich. Despite the endless dreaming, none of us would ever be able to clearly come up with anything they want to do with the money besides some talk of designer shoes and walk-in closets. I guess it's just too overwhelming even hypothetically for us to contemplate. Orpi always says she'll just go buy an ice-cream and think about what she wants to do with the change over a big sundae.</div><div><br /></div><div>After cancer though, I know now exactly what I would want to do with the money (other than taking my entire family for a round the world trip).</div><div><br /></div><div>I will buy a PET-CT scan machine. Personally a machine I loathe and hate and whose very sight feels me with dread and dismay and even some amount of terror, but despite all its unpleasantness, something that the state with the highest cancer rate in the country shouldn't be without. </div><div><br /></div><div>And also something I'm lucky enough to have easy access to because I <u>don't</u> live in Mizoram, but back there, it's all very different. </div><div><br /></div><div>And I want it for Mizoram because we need it. Not to scare anyone, but I think we Mizos have something defective in our genes that makes us more susceptible to cancer. I know lifestyle, diet etc and all that come into play too but I really believe we do have some weak genes. I guess you can't just get only awesomeness genes :)</div><div><br /></div><div>After I found out about my melanoma and thyroid cancer, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer less than a month later, and since then, I can count on several fingers the amount of people who have been diagnosed (and even died, some in the space of a couple of months from detection).<br /><br /></div><div>One of these newly diagnosed is an 8 year old kid I met once in a village a year or two back, playing outside his threadbare house. (Just imagine the coincidence - two 'healthy at the time' strangers just talking while inside both our bodies, nasty cancer cells were already probably plotting their evil plans for us! And both getting diagnosed within a few months to each other).</div><div><br /></div><div>I met him only once but we had a common interest in dogs so we chatted for a bit about his new puppy. I want that puppy to grow up together with his master and live a long healthy life together. I want this 12 year old girl I heard about who lost a leg because of bone cancer to grow up to be a healthy woman and wear pretty heels on both feet.</div><div><br /></div><div>I especially want mothers, like my own mom, to live and beat cancer. Because without them, their children's lives would not make sense. Because if mothers die, their children die with them in a way. In that one life gone, several perish along with it. </div><div><br /></div><div>And for these to happen, we need early detection. In Mizoram, a lot of cancer cases are detected too late. Maybe that girl could have avoided having to have her legs amputated if they'd found out about it sooner. The 8 year old will have a better chance of living that life with his dog if his cancer is at an early stage. I believe there were many people that would still be alive today if their cancers had been detected earlier. So early diagnosis and treatment is one of the main things we need to focus on. And that's where the Frankenstein machine will help. </div><div><br /></div><div>There will be lots of work to do but just having this machine will be a big step for us I think. A lot of poor people who can't afford to travel for much-needed tests will be able to easily get them at home. It will help our doctors do a better job. But mostly I want it for the poor people. Like the little boy. Dealing with cancer is terrible enough, to have to deal with the staggering costs involved sucks in a major way.</div><div><br /></div><div>Apparently the PET-CT machine costs around 2.6 to 4 million USD. Which means I would have plenty of money left. I will build a cancer hospital, hire the best oncologists in the country, equip it with fancy labs, and then work out how in the world we'll be able to make it all work for poor people and keep it running :)</div><div><br /></div><div>It costs around Rs 25000 - Rs 30000 per scan where I get mine done (Apollo). It's pretty expensive but luckily for me, this is one thing my insurance company pays for without any hassle. But it doesn't matter in any case because for the duration of this post, I am the opposite of poor. I am a multi-billionaire :) </div><div><br /></div><div>Now how do we get this machine, and make it available for everyone and not have to charge that kind of amount for whoever can't afford it?</div><div><br /></div>Jerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19175101.post-10872330629353135772011-07-08T19:29:00.006+05:302011-07-08T20:11:07.637+05:30Old LettersI'm in the middle of heavy duty packing (moving to a new flat) but I have to quickly post this one before I stash it away again. Unearthed old treasures, and by that I mean of course old hand-written letters, way before the internet came along and ruined everything! <div><br /></div><div>This lovely letter is around 5+ years old I think (forget what I said about the internet :P.) I used to be the big boss of all the neighborhood kids back home. So naturally when their big boss who teaches them inappropriate songs and make them eat parents-banned products went away, they wrote me relentlessly. I was missed! :)</div><div><br /></div><div>This one is from a kid called Peka, the then 6 year old son of one of our neighbors.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>hi,</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>Aumami</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>how are you?</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>My name is Vanlalpeka</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>I am six years old</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>I am class-I</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>I go to school at ar-ellschool</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>I bring to you Nihawichi</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>My favorite fruite is Grape.</i></b></div><div><b><i>Purple</i></b></div><div><b><i>From Peka</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>Good by Dragon-ball Zee</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizJqtN62_1tTfWwq3JKTlxraSj7Q1DbstLNiFsswFtKXNLdC0kymbj4p1-5WvbpeUSCxZWv8VtpHpotRPeUCSEZQrG-WB0O9C36NrRk92caJwGhW1dsoqAsgZmypFBPcTJYfuHVg/s1600/peka269749_10150232622492536_567422535_7779098_7477184_n.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 404px; height: 500px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizJqtN62_1tTfWwq3JKTlxraSj7Q1DbstLNiFsswFtKXNLdC0kymbj4p1-5WvbpeUSCxZWv8VtpHpotRPeUCSEZQrG-WB0O9C36NrRk92caJwGhW1dsoqAsgZmypFBPcTJYfuHVg/s400/peka269749_10150232622492536_567422535_7779098_7477184_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626984756867773378" /></a></div></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirm-w3y4yuEJFkW4GZX-utPH9s2hVllKl8UeljUD5WzqeMtkpu18elEQbqG6s7HSlYcBuD_KDrDTY0NNh7f1gmPi9sMVNyBQ9K-hxosxkPHh54NATgqhuStaoXAnKr-hAW6fgX9Q/s1600/IMG_20110708_192906.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 500px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirm-w3y4yuEJFkW4GZX-utPH9s2hVllKl8UeljUD5WzqeMtkpu18elEQbqG6s7HSlYcBuD_KDrDTY0NNh7f1gmPi9sMVNyBQ9K-hxosxkPHh54NATgqhuStaoXAnKr-hAW6fgX9Q/s400/IMG_20110708_192906.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626985578752924018" /></a></div></div><div>(I used to promise them riches and wealth if they wrote me in English, this is one of Peka's attempt to ensure I return home with a Spiderman figure for him. And apparently he'd sent me some sunflower seeds along with the letter.)</div><div><br /></div><div>Doesn't that warm your heart! I have more, funny ones where they tell me about their cats, or their neighbor's cats, or the dog that lives down the street. I'll share those too if I can find them.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>(And my packing is going nowhere! Too many old letters to read...)</div></div>Jerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19175101.post-38433231083725582122011-07-05T22:43:00.004+05:302011-07-05T22:56:14.995+05:30Cupcakes Vs. Male Strippers/Nepali Sex/Call GirlsWow! Someone out there is crayyzayyyy for Nepali sex! <div><br /></div><div>I'm just writing down this quick post because I am so AMAZED by the amount of people searching for Nepali sex on the internet. I mean I can totally understand a more mainstream search like Asian/Latina/or whatever porn but Nepali? That's like searching for 'toilet habits of the Olmec civilization' or 'how to tickle a hammerhead.' So niched, I wouldn't expect a lot of people outside of India to even be aware of the presence of Nepalis. But they are, and how keenly too! </div><div><br /><div><div>And how do I know this? Because my blog stats show me tons of leads coming in from people searching for Nepali sex <u>every </u>single day. All related to my Nepali sex <a href="http://dignifiedcow.blogspot.com/2009/09/omg-i-have-to-blog-about-this-right-now.html">post</a> (by the way you shouldn't click on the link if you're looking for real Nepali porn). </div><div><br /></div><div>There are people searching for 'Nepali sex' every single day from every continent! Well, not exactly. I just love my hyperboles :D To be truthful, Antartica doesn't seem to give a damn. But perhaps only because the penguins there haven't yet figured out that fishing isn't the only way to waste one's time. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now in the context of this post, if we were to say what the opposite of Antartica is, it would be the Middle East. Saudi Arabia to be more precise. And this is not one person. The searches are coming in from different regions of SA. And we also see some homegrown searches there too from Kathmandu.</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>I haven't checked but I'm guessing the thumbnail from my blog is still on that porn site. What mystifies me is how it got there. Did a human reviewer scan the site and decide that the guys in the picture look Nepali? But I find it unlikely. Was it a bot that has been taught how to recognise Nepali features? I'm mystified.</div><div><br /></div><div>And another trend that is forever on the rise is male strippers - people looking for male strippers as well as male strippers looking for a client. Do you know I still get offers from unattractive sounding men? (Is it too much to ask if I want my strippers to have a stripper body AND is not a virtual stranger to punctuations and capital letters?). And these offers despite <a href="http://dignifiedcow.blogspot.com/2009/01/i-need-male-stripper.html">that blog post</a> now being under layers and dusty layers of other clothed posts.</div><div><br /></div><div>Closely following these is the eternal hunt for the 'sexy call girl blog.' Who is this call girl blogger? I'm almost tempted to do a search to find this mysterious person but I have packing to do so will leave this for later.</div><div><br /></div><div>So anyway, I'm a little sad that most visitors to my blog are really just looking for Nepali sex and male strippers and call girls when all I'd really love is for them to read about how I baked a cupcake for the first time. Baking can be really exciting too..just not sexually but it's exciting in all other manners of exciting you know :) Or how thrilling it is to eat raw pork uterus.</div><div><br /></div><div>Well such is life! I wish all you ardent seekers of Nepali sex and other such things the best in your endeavours. And I again sincerely apologise for the false leads. May your search lead you to the right destination. Eventually.</div><div><br /></div>Jerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19175101.post-1077070346283186092011-06-29T17:38:00.005+05:302011-06-29T18:04:11.780+05:30Hugged by the Best<div>Someone had the best dream about me last night. And how she saw me, in her own words -</div><div><br /></div><div>"You were being hugged by everyone around...then a white person in a robe, I couldn't see his face, with long hair - came and hugged you - and you had a beautiful smile..."</div><div><br /></div><div>My first response was "That must be Jesus!"</div><div><br /></div><div>She said she woke up with goosebumps. She hesitated about telling me about the dream because she was afraid it would make her seem like a crazy stalker type person :) But I'm so glad she did because this one dream has just lifted by blues away in one single stroke.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's so weird. Especially because the dreamer (who is one of the nicest people ever) and I hardly have any contact with each other. She and I used to work in the same team but that was a long time ago, she's left the company since. She was not someone I hung out with or know very well unfortunately. But we occasionally say our hellos on Facebook, even met each other once some months back. And that's about the extent of our relationship. Also, she is not Christian.</div><div><br /></div><div>So it's just amazing that she had this dream. And I am so glad she did because I now feel like I was really hugged by Jesus last night.</div><div><br /></div><div>Beautiful ending to a shitty day!</div>Jerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19175101.post-32853151485736079852011-06-22T00:46:00.006+05:302011-06-22T01:14:57.980+05:30Choose Your destiny, Flawless Victory<div>I really want to write about some people and their usernames on Facebook but there are a few more things about my last trip that I want to write about. I don't want anyone to think that eating is my only priority. </div><div><br /></div><div>Okay, so the things I want to write about are - 1) Bollywood dancing, 2) Shoe shopping, and 3) My birthday.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>1. DANCING</u></b></div><div><br /></div><div>I just want to announce to the world today that I am now a certified Bollywood dancer :P That's right. Certified, stamped, and approved. I don't think I mentioned my little ass-shaking, crotch-thrusting, chest-heaving, tummy-jiggling romp on my previous post. On stage. In front of people. Hundreds of people from many many different countries. In glittery costumes. With loud music. Bollywood music. </div><div><br /></div><div>**SMUG FACE**</div><div><br /></div><div>I even have pictures to prove it :)</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4VBha0yGqvpuAwKtdb4bs-o2za7lCa90vqUywhlrWFVYOwCgvfH1Y-jACwfUf2WAN3YcTj4aFO4tALRUerafMLmoHcYtMGeufMZaIWH5wsdUQYuUv44ofFPvq6Fhh9zLgNg9SQ/s1600/ima1ge.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4VBha0yGqvpuAwKtdb4bs-o2za7lCa90vqUywhlrWFVYOwCgvfH1Y-jACwfUf2WAN3YcTj4aFO4tALRUerafMLmoHcYtMGeufMZaIWH5wsdUQYuUv44ofFPvq6Fhh9zLgNg9SQ/s400/ima1ge.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620585918703624738" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 400px; " /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgemPrhsPBdUKPJV4kUmW0wVKZ9xrizrmTmlNsH8zOFgZuc-C9nmXmH1orkQHWOU23sLuzLobd4lC1sN4smpghwAH7j3m8NPoN-0-e3IjZLD0D5mWSNOkxtyuuUBvaLI02sObGC7Q/s1600/image.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgemPrhsPBdUKPJV4kUmW0wVKZ9xrizrmTmlNsH8zOFgZuc-C9nmXmH1orkQHWOU23sLuzLobd4lC1sN4smpghwAH7j3m8NPoN-0-e3IjZLD0D5mWSNOkxtyuuUBvaLI02sObGC7Q/s400/image.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620585737246663954" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 400px; " /></a>- in all my <i>lubuk </i>glory :)<div><br /></div><div>It took weeks of practice but it was worth it. For me personally, it was like achieving something BIG because it's something that I've never even dreamt of doing. Dancing on stage?? And Bollywood at that!? You're kiddin' me!! So this can go into my little book of personal feel-good achievements. Pakak!</div><div><br /></div><div>Oh and I even have extra drama to add to it. So we were supposed to be called 'Namaste India,' but when it was time for our dance, the commentator's voice rang out loud and clear - 'Next we have Jerusha and crew...' Hyuk! </div><div><br /></div><div>(And please no hate for my Bollywood dancing! I've already taken some flak about Mizo-Bollywood. Just so you know, I have learnt all Mizo dances by heart and by soul way way way before I started Bollywood so..chances are I dance more Mizo dances..and better than your average Mizo girl :P)</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>2. SHOES</u></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Alright, who loves shoes as much as I do? In fact, who doesn't love shoes? What woman in her right mind doesn't go weak in the knees at the sight of beautiful shoes in a shoe store? What crazy insane woman would say she doesn't like shoes and not be lying? What abnormal female human being would not shiver in an almost sensual delight amidst the smell of sexy new shoes? </div><div><br /></div><div>Alas, our own dear Hyderabad has very limited options. I mean you have lots of stores that sells you <i>shoes</i>, but stores that sell buyable shoes? Not a lot. There are plenty of times I go out with the intention of spending money on shoes but still go home empty handed. </div><div><br /></div><div>So being in Singapore was like being in shoe heaven (as compared to Hyderabad). The first store I went to the minute my feet touched Singapore soil was Miu Miu. Then Prada, then Versace, then Jimmy Choo...Just to smell them! I had to visit my affordable shoe stores too, mais oui. </div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZOih78S7GZOtJsob93ivbUUONSkE8hBFhilL81Wtk51JBUgvJMkHUhuMsMaPjdjmpMEZfAiAwW6LW_UWy4jM0eQUd6-9KwsjPeDbN1Q9Okx1ULvbfOFUGlS8vo5UzaRjHE4ZXQ/s1600/Desktop1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZOih78S7GZOtJsob93ivbUUONSkE8hBFhilL81Wtk51JBUgvJMkHUhuMsMaPjdjmpMEZfAiAwW6LW_UWy4jM0eQUd6-9KwsjPeDbN1Q9Okx1ULvbfOFUGlS8vo5UzaRjHE4ZXQ/s400/Desktop1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620597216561114034" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 530px; height: 550px; " /></a><br /></div><div>And I look at my 8 new pair of shoes and I am happy! Happy happy joy joy!</div><div><br /></div><div><b><u>3. MY BIRTHDAY</u></b></div><div><br /></div><div>My birthday this year fell on the last day of our conference. Which means our awesome final conference day party was on the night of my awesome birthday. I felt it was a free fancy birthday party that Google threw for me. And me alone. PS: Look, you have to look at life that way (as untrue as they could/may be) or you're going to turn into a bitter bitch with a permanent frown sketched upon your unsmiling lips.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjAXkHVCbkX69rfHQKa0uNb6-fRIdQD19DIqW2HcDMewKunrLCHzfOuzyaKKDJoRsKf6QeSzjQDz5yx7Niva-VX4-0v13oUSj5t_3FhyJ0yYfqIOMaZUiAUZjx-ZrNWFh0B1VM1A/s1600/fire_n.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjAXkHVCbkX69rfHQKa0uNb6-fRIdQD19DIqW2HcDMewKunrLCHzfOuzyaKKDJoRsKf6QeSzjQDz5yx7Niva-VX4-0v13oUSj5t_3FhyJ0yYfqIOMaZUiAUZjx-ZrNWFh0B1VM1A/s400/fire_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620585628378923906" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 400px; " /></a>But no frowns for me because Google threw me a free, ultra-fancy birthday party. And I have mad Bollywood dancing skills and people to testify for it (or my lack thereof). </div><div><br /></div><div>Also, my post title is the result of a week long obsession with the Mortal Kombat soundtrack. Ouch! Makes for excellent propelling music on the treadmill though...<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>MORTAL KOMBAT!</div><div><br /></div>Jerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19175101.post-58758652546286256252011-06-16T09:28:00.018+05:302011-06-17T09:53:28.581+05:30Frogs legs and geoducksI'm back and I can't wait to brag about this - I finally ate a geoduck!! I'm super excited that I got to eat something I've only ever read about and saw on TV. Don't know what a geoduck is? This is a geoduck.<div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3NRyBuOxG_Nn0qZPrkmiVObvbhPM6qOOGYnXDPKxUcb1HJ7FK22M8Fh7tLXlNZldObwVUHD2Dt3Yib3Y9Dbyrdn6D5WxJKHgDpb0iqtVn1JRrRtt0wUeI-mgnpF757eqzK8Opw/s1600/geoduck.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 450px; height: 357px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3NRyBuOxG_Nn0qZPrkmiVObvbhPM6qOOGYnXDPKxUcb1HJ7FK22M8Fh7tLXlNZldObwVUHD2Dt3Yib3Y9Dbyrdn6D5WxJKHgDpb0iqtVn1JRrRtt0wUeI-mgnpF757eqzK8Opw/s400/geoduck.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618719676209342098" /></a>These phallic looking creatures are actually clams. I've never seen an..ahem..elephant's penis but I'm pretty sure elephant penises look like this.</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, I've read about geoducks, endlessly pored over their pictures, and I have always been grossed out by their worminess and leechiness and caterpillariness and general disgustingness, but yet...also strangely fascinated by this very grossness. So I decided that I wanted to eat it :-) So it was a very nice surprise when we walked in to this seafood restaurant, and the first thing I saw was this on their tank -</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfZkKvj3N7v79JYuEcM0imKe2jxmTvppb6KNIwUmITbahx-GS1vRT-rBBXHA97UISpZdLL3c3MpKO9ryLMmIWuNuStLdxT9_WAbBQt-iiPxASnkPjueToJZMlvbFDmEp9VSqhKew/s1600/Geoduck1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 450px; height: 350px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfZkKvj3N7v79JYuEcM0imKe2jxmTvppb6KNIwUmITbahx-GS1vRT-rBBXHA97UISpZdLL3c3MpKO9ryLMmIWuNuStLdxT9_WAbBQt-iiPxASnkPjueToJZMlvbFDmEp9VSqhKew/s400/Geoduck1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618719791476819586" /></a>This is what they look like after they're cooked. It's a good thing they're cut up, that's the only way I'd eat them. If they were served whole, gak! All I'd be able to think of is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armin_Meiwes">Armin Meiwes</a>.</div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhAXxT7_X9t0uSpYKvvn2cHA9XxZ203qciZzeiMt0kThyg0mcWRkScv3DB_XIbbFc2zkOOsp-iPLlxUVowg3NvzsoDuVozp0j6aWIlXdJzNvKUV8xdVB1acY25sqyi4Z_N26AjRg/s1600/Geoduck.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 450px; height: 350px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhAXxT7_X9t0uSpYKvvn2cHA9XxZ203qciZzeiMt0kThyg0mcWRkScv3DB_XIbbFc2zkOOsp-iPLlxUVowg3NvzsoDuVozp0j6aWIlXdJzNvKUV8xdVB1acY25sqyi4Z_N26AjRg/s400/Geoduck.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618719933410746914" /></a>But this was yum. Stir fry with chives and pine nut, they taste almost like chicken but with a penis texture :D (because I'm sure if you cook penis, this is what the texture would be like.)</div><div><br /></div><div>And these were the best prawns I've ever had in my entire life, and I have eaten a LOT of prawns. Plain boiled prawns. When will we ever learn in India that food can be better without spice overdose sometimes? A lot of times in fact...</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbkCXq7H14RN0zp2_2DbvBtMxJkJPfgq4BkTSp2bs1e7Veqc9Qs_gFyQH80H24THrhNp02DRVmwjrq2prhAXHQEJI-X3HpPlNKIH4SpBMgepAdfFvBjawh8oOlK1qOWwUMX0d_UA/s1600/Prawnsn.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 450px; height: 350px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbkCXq7H14RN0zp2_2DbvBtMxJkJPfgq4BkTSp2bs1e7Veqc9Qs_gFyQH80H24THrhNp02DRVmwjrq2prhAXHQEJI-X3HpPlNKIH4SpBMgepAdfFvBjawh8oOlK1qOWwUMX0d_UA/s400/Prawnsn.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618720257627701074" /></a>And next we have frog legs with ginger. Again I thought it tasted a bit like chicken, just softer and more amphibian-y :P I wasn't a big fan. I liked the frog legs (and all other edible parts) back from my childhood days cooked in an empty 'khaini' can over an open makeshift fire on the 'banks of the Chite lui' better :-)</div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqIu8MYxifdAzJNUXUdgeP_cTuxUf9egEga5tgE7FF59MRAif0rA4WthwO0f95Ca8YY4WXlq3si01npdagPzBd6g2cPTKvsnKMnwVjv_i1YcJcINbmau8c1Kdeh2VKYO2s6yAv4w/s1600/Frugs.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 450px; height: 350px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqIu8MYxifdAzJNUXUdgeP_cTuxUf9egEga5tgE7FF59MRAif0rA4WthwO0f95Ca8YY4WXlq3si01npdagPzBd6g2cPTKvsnKMnwVjv_i1YcJcINbmau8c1Kdeh2VKYO2s6yAv4w/s400/Frugs.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618720201461913506" /></a>And this is again another dish I won't forget any time soon. It's called Soon Hock, don't know what it's called in English. Steamed fish if done right I will pick over Sunday morning pork any day. Okay <a href="http://rasamalaysia.com/steamed-fish-recipe/">this </a>site says Soon Hock is "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(82, 82, 82); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px; ">kind of fish that is highly priced for its exceptional steamed texture"</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1Cv7ClTzU0OpeV0XA_nOJ7Jh27nVgHwP42n3AWjmwyR7JwVE7ni2dWFeM3-6YerL2oyp1gATJOy_-_4_VhU-8K0TMrDeb_HJ70OPfCh6K7hjJtfSYQ-ITbjtL5xJ7czzLSmOvA/s1600/Fish.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 450px; height: 350px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1Cv7ClTzU0OpeV0XA_nOJ7Jh27nVgHwP42n3AWjmwyR7JwVE7ni2dWFeM3-6YerL2oyp1gATJOy_-_4_VhU-8K0TMrDeb_HJ70OPfCh6K7hjJtfSYQ-ITbjtL5xJ7czzLSmOvA/s400/Fish.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618720135541388722" /></a>Okay that's all about food. Now I just want to show you some pictures of the resort we stayed in in Bintan, Indonesia. Pretty waters, pretty resort!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHNhwDv95VwI91ymVG6iGYt_vQ0l1tEVoNIJPsy0yYUs3br6F51bo9V5kiLoye6Owca98u66DKQAjjefzBAjDLT9l8Hzxpn8Gclq4nG9kQA3uYdqnXjy1JGTyZLRr1QWUCbeG0GQ/s1600/DSCF0733.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 450px; height: 350px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHNhwDv95VwI91ymVG6iGYt_vQ0l1tEVoNIJPsy0yYUs3br6F51bo9V5kiLoye6Owca98u66DKQAjjefzBAjDLT9l8Hzxpn8Gclq4nG9kQA3uYdqnXjy1JGTyZLRr1QWUCbeG0GQ/s400/DSCF0733.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618721131568332962" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMmKsEKSVOID-jpuhN3MtlWp0hxHTI5XssBCXy2-QLfli3KW-uGd8L1qVa-3-tpFKENWLUrBh03eMefHB-RbLPKsJAbzvl-MBY-jsfQwJBNGWt-TM5tiHyA_2dr54wlq9W3EeZfA/s1600/Bintan.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMmKsEKSVOID-jpuhN3MtlWp0hxHTI5XssBCXy2-QLfli3KW-uGd8L1qVa-3-tpFKENWLUrBh03eMefHB-RbLPKsJAbzvl-MBY-jsfQwJBNGWt-TM5tiHyA_2dr54wlq9W3EeZfA/s400/Bintan.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618720989389725458" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZRtvgA1xRHUQf0OefbrkkYwMgb2Wa9XEpraC1-sPSyNAgm5fpzWZPB7cQ9bRd7cLjuVZH5M4pNPz_sw5xqllkSO2oMhy4q0LhhhOMvsADah6Qzx0aidlHrOf8M2ah6YBklxf9A/s1600/DSCF0729.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 450px; height: 350px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZRtvgA1xRHUQf0OefbrkkYwMgb2Wa9XEpraC1-sPSyNAgm5fpzWZPB7cQ9bRd7cLjuVZH5M4pNPz_sw5xqllkSO2oMhy4q0LhhhOMvsADah6Qzx0aidlHrOf8M2ah6YBklxf9A/s400/DSCF0729.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618720935567108402" /></a>As you can see, even the rooms are pretty nice.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL04HPqDnBu4BAEso8rHh1XlU5UsdUqRjix_KAcdTINYQQkpTLWKrM2grNP46DsxEqvuKWy8ZhmIPTNi9mbJgh8cxzjOv63IF54xqCAhauyIWw9kKUuSbI1mx611x8-Glxy7QaUw/s1600/IMG_20110604_124032.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 450px; height: 350px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL04HPqDnBu4BAEso8rHh1XlU5UsdUqRjix_KAcdTINYQQkpTLWKrM2grNP46DsxEqvuKWy8ZhmIPTNi9mbJgh8cxzjOv63IF54xqCAhauyIWw9kKUuSbI1mx611x8-Glxy7QaUw/s400/IMG_20110604_124032.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618722570309709282" /></a>View from my room -</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3dM6BTAdfhk9o699Q4ZvvKwb-c6mCSGEPAYF_LbbQees5wzMwnfPq659RrE7CVTB-16s_tTFaHnLzan6CsmmEO9Mu2-MwOIGZ1tcNMl0U8Lw5OBbZKfICL05a7wTFdLvEVZIMA/s1600/IMG_20110604_124223.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 414px; height: 450px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH3dM6BTAdfhk9o699Q4ZvvKwb-c6mCSGEPAYF_LbbQees5wzMwnfPq659RrE7CVTB-16s_tTFaHnLzan6CsmmEO9Mu2-MwOIGZ1tcNMl0U8Lw5OBbZKfICL05a7wTFdLvEVZIMA/s400/IMG_20110604_124223.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618722382683849138" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_sW156KCWKjRnWN24enhlPEkW6pLRqXCjaIl5UxPszfW_9Y-zg3C7QfeMybOOvN_6g3_gEIV3zHTQWtWm-T_enVplDV2PitXYURMKFRBKVpmyy1VkGfquRpC0t6uvYXZ_n6TIA/s1600/DSCF0945.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 450px; height: 350px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge_sW156KCWKjRnWN24enhlPEkW6pLRqXCjaIl5UxPszfW_9Y-zg3C7QfeMybOOvN_6g3_gEIV3zHTQWtWm-T_enVplDV2PitXYURMKFRBKVpmyy1VkGfquRpC0t6uvYXZ_n6TIA/s400/DSCF0945.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618721964381364722" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI_9eYwyb7cF1RqNweXGpBHthyil3vNaPGGAziCsnRRD0P27Z054Sr2fI9B-nYQ1ac-qydTXVT-AmeaGQZXVrAc4wuVz8EPYq5CLyyIyZ3LcEQz5izJBM8yn9l4Dl7sz75pOfDcg/s1600/DSCF0910.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI_9eYwyb7cF1RqNweXGpBHthyil3vNaPGGAziCsnRRD0P27Z054Sr2fI9B-nYQ1ac-qydTXVT-AmeaGQZXVrAc4wuVz8EPYq5CLyyIyZ3LcEQz5izJBM8yn9l4Dl7sz75pOfDcg/s400/DSCF0910.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618743537482287922" /></a></div><div><div>For anyone who plan on taking a vacation soon - this place costs only Rs 1700 a night. Yeah I know, unbelievable. If I was a married person with kids, I'd take my family here. If I was single, no. Unless I'm going with a big group. I'm not a big fan of manicured lawns and stuff like that on a holiday, I like them wild and uncultivated - to an extent.</div><div><br /></div><div>Fun trip. And of course, the highlight of it all is definitely the geoduck meal. You know, a geoduck may be disgusting to look at but it's actually very tasty and it is not the most disgusting thing I've eaten. That esteemed position goes to the raw pig uterus I ate in Tokyo. Most disgusting by far in every aspect - taste, texture, smell, and looks.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>What's the grossiest thing you've ever eaten? </div></div>Jerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19175101.post-71354912182901799042011-06-03T14:04:00.008+05:302011-06-03T16:17:26.170+05:30Have birthday, will travelI've just realised that my little blog has been around for almost 6 years! Hurrah for the longest standing relationship I've ever had with anything. We've come a long way together!<br /><br />Having said that, I know I have been ignoring it on a major scale, and that is because I have become a robot. Robots don't have much to say except what they've been programmed to do or say. And blogging isn't one of the things I've been programmed to do lately. (And how is it that my computer flags contractions for misspellings when even my lowlier phone totally understands them!? T'is unfathomable indeed!)<br /><br />Anyway, the latest in this robot's long line of missions is to fly to Singapore and I am leaving tonight. Yay! Work of course, but travel is travel. I got to spend my birthday last year in Tokyo, and another exotic birthday this year in Singapore officially makes me the girl you've always envied! <span class="Apple-style-span"><b><span class="Apple-style-span"> :-)</span></b> </span>Another Sales Conference, and again I'm lucky enough to get a few extra days so I'm going to actually be able to check out Bintan in Indonesia before I head to Singapore.<br /><br />In fact that was the only real reason behind this blog post, to talk about my trip. The first para is really just balderdash. I always feel I have to write something before I get on an airplane no matter what. And I really didn't want to make it seem like I'm bragging about my fancy birthdays even though I obviously am.<br /><br />And if all upcoming birthdays mean a new exciting location each time, then bring on the birthdays! I'm all for growing old. (Come to think of it, even minus exotic locations, who wouldn't be for growing old. Better than dying isn't it?)<br /><br />I used to make looong birthday wish lists but alas! I am now too tired and weary with the weight of ages on my back to do something like that. But if I could pick one thing I would really love to do on my birthday, it's this....<div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgod5uzH_OxbyL40a1bEFs5YeBPgBoo2bw3HJeMCCDc_D7ZGqGYiTZzY8HW5__rNTx6KQqgGFpviRm0Exg9DoPkI-_6V6qBzgTMD2vZmS5JKnVsV2zQVKfnP49NhWJ2QqI5K56D6A/s1600/Picture+033.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 550px; height: 450px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgod5uzH_OxbyL40a1bEFs5YeBPgBoo2bw3HJeMCCDc_D7ZGqGYiTZzY8HW5__rNTx6KQqgGFpviRm0Exg9DoPkI-_6V6qBzgTMD2vZmS5JKnVsV2zQVKfnP49NhWJ2QqI5K56D6A/s400/Picture+033.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613933697564064226" /></a><div><br /></div></div>Jerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19175101.post-72116197447959184922011-05-06T10:11:00.007+05:302011-05-09T14:58:44.859+05:30Sh(e)aring My Sheep<div>I want to show you all my latest artwork, my masterpiece, the culmination of my life's work. I call this - "Aerial View of Four Sheep Grazing" :P</div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsfIX922FbttPgQ6zx5_p-4d3KaEZPpYk8_AjnHgErStoua0OEejVkeQc89B9hnCLgDITJ62uNn2DZStAdK0ESRfqLrJkTxDJY9cbj71QFxHzbRg80OxaDp3B-6gZLIFYE-FTuA/s1600/Wallpaper.bmp" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 600px; height: 450px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsfIX922FbttPgQ6zx5_p-4d3KaEZPpYk8_AjnHgErStoua0OEejVkeQc89B9hnCLgDITJ62uNn2DZStAdK0ESRfqLrJkTxDJY9cbj71QFxHzbRg80OxaDp3B-6gZLIFYE-FTuA/s400/Wallpaper.bmp" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603461725371563570" /></a><br /></div>Jerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19175101.post-80472725438635205042011-05-01T12:38:00.003+05:302011-05-01T13:17:23.167+05:30PET Scans and ManaliOkay, a bit late but here we go anyway - I had my final PET CT scan I have been proclaimed clean - free of all nasty cancer cells! Hoorah! The lesions that they found on my iliac region and the one on my rectouterine pouch (the back wall of the uterus) that worried my doctors have all been found to be non-malignant. <div><br /><div>Oddly, despite being able to more or less take everything that's happened so far in stride, this final scan totally freaked me out. It's very different getting a scan for the first time and getting one when you already have a history behind you. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's like standing in a courtroom, after months of lengthy trial, to hear the final verdict - "Am I going to get a death sentence (of sorts) or am I going to be given my freedom?" - something like that.</div><div><br /></div><div>I think it also had to do with week after week and month after month of hanging on and hoping - with everything you got, and you finally get to a stage where you're so drained and depleted that it becomes really really really difficult to muster up even an iota of positivity. </div><div><br /></div><div>So I did the cheesiest thing. The day of my scan - I went, got scanned, was in a bad mood for no reason, was surly and difficult with the poor nurses, then went home, packed my bags and flew down to Delhi to meet Cousin Bteii. She and I went to Manali. I stayed away for a week just to avoid having to face that final scan result.</div><div><br /></div><div>And when I finally trudged back home, I was 6 days late to get my results. But like '<i>a messenger from radiant climes</i>,' this result came and told us all the beautiful things that we wanted to hear. I'm thankful for God's goodness. (But only a small part of me is. It's complicated and I don't know how to explain it, so let's just leave it at that.)</div><div><br /></div><div>Every single weekend this year has been spent at the hospital, and now I only need to go 3 months from now for a checkup. I feel liberated!</div><div><br /></div><div>And Manali was beautiful. The highlight of my trip was this handsome guy, Tiger. He'd happily run to me when I get up in the morning, like we've been the closest and best of friends for an entire lifetime. And we'd go for long walks up the hill near where we stayed, and sitting there in the peace and quiet, with apple and cherry and peach blossoms all around us, and the beautiful Tiger happily sitting there by my side, I felt calm and at peace. I was happy inside out. </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik832qXJJ_A4AuZ9En4DxDHM2w82nIlpH_G_80o36f7YUibliQobv_IlsO5IWwN88P3gnF6jxDIQKQz38k6glcqu6ALemLVg-QPvXKERQ0S1bpEyFoh6WWmT5A5y1yxSju1BlXiw/s1600/Manali4.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik832qXJJ_A4AuZ9En4DxDHM2w82nIlpH_G_80o36f7YUibliQobv_IlsO5IWwN88P3gnF6jxDIQKQz38k6glcqu6ALemLVg-QPvXKERQ0S1bpEyFoh6WWmT5A5y1yxSju1BlXiw/s400/Manali4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600112990926994354" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 650px; height: 450px; " /></a><div><br /></div></div></div>Jerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19175101.post-71231344865586763662011-04-21T10:42:00.003+05:302011-04-21T10:49:41.076+05:30Phantoma SikretDo you remember these?<div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoChj3WEGDeCQA0gVGpZIMlQHw23MAzWyUAruR1xciqbbG2tMxy8sy0NiAsms7IhDXFCdrLnj83-eD4MZMNZ7IksGLcTi3Bo7pk1PhM3OE4t2SCDIGTJ6HvbjdhNo3RaMc5vIN5w/s1600/harnik.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 352px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoChj3WEGDeCQA0gVGpZIMlQHw23MAzWyUAruR1xciqbbG2tMxy8sy0NiAsms7IhDXFCdrLnj83-eD4MZMNZ7IksGLcTi3Bo7pk1PhM3OE4t2SCDIGTJ6HvbjdhNo3RaMc5vIN5w/s400/harnik.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597900463425133090" /></a><br />If you do, you're ancient :-)</div><div><br /></div><div>Macavity, clearly one of the great ancient ones loves them. So much so that she sent this email to the cigarette company after being re-introduced to these cigarettes by another great ancient soul after decades of forgetfulness -</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="gI">f<i>rom</i></span><span class="gI"><i><span class="ik"><img class="c6" id="upi" name="upi" jid="shirleyg@google.com" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" height="16px" width="16px" /></span><span email="shirleyg@google.com" class="gD" style="color: rgb(0, 104, 28);">Macavity</span> <span class="go"><macavity@macavity.com></macavity@macavity.com></span></i></span></div><div><span class="gI"><span class="go"><i><span class="gI">to</span><span class="gI"><span class="ik"><img class="" id="upi" name="upi" jid="info@harnik.in" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" height="16px" width="16px" /></span>info@harnik.in</span></i></span></span></div><div><span class="gI"><span class="go"><span class="gI"><i><span class="gI">subject</span><span class="gI"><span class="ik"><img src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" height="16px" width="16px" /></span>Phantom Sweet Cigarettes</span></i></span></span></span></div><div><span class="gI"><span class="go"><span class="gI"><span class="gI"><i><br /></i></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="gI"><span class="go"><span class="gI"><span class="gI"><i>Dear Phantom Cigarette Company,<br /><br /><div>We are big fans of your sweet cigarettes and were wondering if you would be so kind as to ship us a carton. We will be happy to pay for it, if you give us details of payment methods. </div> <div>Or give us a list of distributors/shops in Pune/Hyderabad, so we can purchase from them directly. </div><div><br /></div><div>Thank you</div><div><br /></div><div>Regards,</div><div>Macavity</div></i></span></span></span></span></div>Jerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19175101.post-16818687553656022682011-04-17T21:44:00.005+05:302011-04-17T21:49:34.438+05:30On life<div><br /></div>"She said she usually cried at least once each day. Not because she was sad, but because the world was so beautiful and life was so short."<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXt_nZsnR45M9dNEtLp8IMN_aLgMZbaOcTnYSFlAXvXq87OQ-okenRZy3qtXnF7te3BmF0hUIoLlzIgWXHX17euWmSgcv7_CXlfpjEA6erXZfgZDjK1GE-WKu1BVMrdcZX_HRMdw/s1600/life" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 20px; height: 17px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXt_nZsnR45M9dNEtLp8IMN_aLgMZbaOcTnYSFlAXvXq87OQ-okenRZy3qtXnF7te3BmF0hUIoLlzIgWXHX17euWmSgcv7_CXlfpjEA6erXZfgZDjK1GE-WKu1BVMrdcZX_HRMdw/s200/life" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596587506117684354" /></a>Jerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19175101.post-88133242972030947872011-03-29T23:19:00.012+05:302011-03-30T01:00:00.747+05:30I Sing for Joy at the Work of Your Hands<div>My test result came and guess what?? Okay don't guess, I'll tell you. The lesion on my abdominal area shows "no signs typical to melanoma" or any "sign of malignancy." A heartfelt thank you to every person out there that prayed for me. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm sure no one prayed for me about this next win, but I did a lot of praying for this - the Google Football League! And looks like someone's prayers are being listened to. About time too (I just have to add that because I feel like God has been ignoring me and ALL my prayers for quite a while). </div><div><br /></div><div>The Tribe won! </div><div><br /></div><div>Here's an exuberant us after our win with our trophy. And look closely, because you'll see I have a second trophy in my hand ;) Does it look like a 'Best Player of the series' trophy to you? :) </div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq9HRl6mjTLtatHP_Oe7I5NmA6kZ_UwCAcRCwWU9U_aE_BBfmA8_MRadTfUfjSyvC-YyAnKMP0CnAreWqeVMJX4ZpAWen9fuP-tXfMvAP3bX_sqtREVz6qaQQSZbayhGYZdrcBNg/s1600/football.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq9HRl6mjTLtatHP_Oe7I5NmA6kZ_UwCAcRCwWU9U_aE_BBfmA8_MRadTfUfjSyvC-YyAnKMP0CnAreWqeVMJX4ZpAWen9fuP-tXfMvAP3bX_sqtREVz6qaQQSZbayhGYZdrcBNg/s400/football.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589561042457798466" /></a>It is, and that is mine! All mine! Yes, I won the best player award - believe it or not. I still can't quite believe it myself. (<a href="http://zcariboulh.blogspot.com/">Caribou</a>, Zoram lam ai chu ka awh zo rih khawp e haha. Commentator te pawhin 'All the way from Mizoram' an ti vel dap dap reng mai! :))<div><br /></div><div>And now you can also say I was famous (for a day) because a thousand plus people ate a dish named after me for lunch :P <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYAwwBBbK25QXiDroqY0m_Hcg1cd6HNOupy-mKwq71WBxqxAXcUZhZxVIs6TiOualwpZjKQ2IdxXirz0NwRCdhK7tKoD8_FcQ_HQidaEkKAibkuZE3DZK6t9vJuDffptRWJKBN3Q/s1600/sambar.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 500px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYAwwBBbK25QXiDroqY0m_Hcg1cd6HNOupy-mKwq71WBxqxAXcUZhZxVIs6TiOualwpZjKQ2IdxXirz0NwRCdhK7tKoD8_FcQ_HQidaEkKAibkuZE3DZK6t9vJuDffptRWJKBN3Q/s400/sambar.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589560728878418322" /></a>The good Macavity who never have sambar at lunch had a bowl full of it just because it bore my name and she's an awesome friend.</div><div><br /></div><div>I played defense, but I took over the goalie role when the games get to penalty shootout stages. And I, without any shame, will include this picture of me scoring a goal during the penalties because I'm so freaking proud of myself.</div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEAGwTfkqVjaNnxKaannsmB2Evfjo180E5cD2hRquNwnw7EnYnx2JDPh_pEd3oK5KJl_j0Yig9kybbIs7-Jsw4_S-M4zKpL_D203YofzadkUA0EiTzrGGX94qW7WmHkrT24ah6A/s1600/DSC_0397.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 322px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEAGwTfkqVjaNnxKaannsmB2Evfjo180E5cD2hRquNwnw7EnYnx2JDPh_pEd3oK5KJl_j0Yig9kybbIs7-Jsw4_S-M4zKpL_D203YofzadkUA0EiTzrGGX94qW7WmHkrT24ah6A/s400/DSC_0397.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589563433832171650" /></a><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjMz9F-AKmGDkCFamsqySWNm9aK3O_jkw8vabh_MfA22iLiDYYLcudxwA9QbZl_GJ4QF66Pgb_BZTL0goK1E_I1we-P5KOTHyAfwgsa_xOeTUgsFBuiIBjodplmZyE0oGweEe-VA/s1600/Misc+-+2010-112.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 350px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjMz9F-AKmGDkCFamsqySWNm9aK3O_jkw8vabh_MfA22iLiDYYLcudxwA9QbZl_GJ4QF66Pgb_BZTL0goK1E_I1we-P5KOTHyAfwgsa_xOeTUgsFBuiIBjodplmZyE0oGweEe-VA/s400/Misc+-+2010-112.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589572529219877010" /></a>The only downside to all of these is that I now have the ugliest knees in the world. Scarred, scabby, just generally very unfeminine knees. </div><div><br /></div><div>And on top of that, just when my battle wounds were about to heal, I made this really bad decision to go water surfing last weekend and I wound up with raw knees all over again.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEHLRn-8aOBLPUEyvqUHV9sHLKCYxPBmCo5HBI2pa8rP5TKz43POT9NhF1yBdTGO46uyESpjNecOvvsf3uAQBlG6s9AUGBCgqtmWNjuJZDn8qTC4Zxty21089hj0exP2anmgtS4A/s1600/Misc+-+2010-111.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 350px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEHLRn-8aOBLPUEyvqUHV9sHLKCYxPBmCo5HBI2pa8rP5TKz43POT9NhF1yBdTGO46uyESpjNecOvvsf3uAQBlG6s9AUGBCgqtmWNjuJZDn8qTC4Zxty21089hj0exP2anmgtS4A/s400/Misc+-+2010-111.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589565791123109634" /></a>But I think I sort of got to instructor-stage goodness :D And I would do it again in a heartbeat even if it meant even uglier knees.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdYRNITsMejfmEIdSdx9x0rhEUIUT3O1ihHpJ5NVJMKU79fEvfMqQkAfWR3UAINM6_-CDCMGmivzBORzb5O5-3xwYmjAzx71B-poscAduqJM3161MRFo4j3KRTJdzw2Xp9akrITg/s1600/Picture+342.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdYRNITsMejfmEIdSdx9x0rhEUIUT3O1ihHpJ5NVJMKU79fEvfMqQkAfWR3UAINM6_-CDCMGmivzBORzb5O5-3xwYmjAzx71B-poscAduqJM3161MRFo4j3KRTJdzw2Xp9akrITg/s400/Picture+342.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589565104305342434" /></a></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmaA0J1NaT-zPaUy8GwjVFY3KnwvX7fbWdX-u3NOldqz9BdaPEFPUhEP6idfv7DSr09SSFj2Xibp90ZOuFIr6_yXFzicaeP1tVi29v5BAKlFw1y7VMi1BaG6OiG5OegRe6QDq9A/s1600/Picture+361.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 400px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmaA0J1NaT-zPaUy8GwjVFY3KnwvX7fbWdX-u3NOldqz9BdaPEFPUhEP6idfv7DSr09SSFj2Xibp90ZOuFIr6_yXFzicaeP1tVi29v5BAKlFw1y7VMi1BaG6OiG5OegRe6QDq9A/s400/Picture+361.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589564359349290194" /></a></div></div>Heh! Excuse the extreme <i>modesty</i>. It's hard to stay humble because I'M ON FIRE! YEAH BABY! <div><br /></div><div>All this joyfulness aside, I have to go for another PET CT scan tomorrow to have yet another node (on my iliac region this time) checked out. Same thing again, we need to know if they are metastases of the melanoma.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's getting to be a bit tiring, and sometimes I'm just downright sick of it all. I think I've only had about two weekends this year that I didn't spend some time at the hospital. But you know, even though every test is always frightening, overall I'm not too worried. I think God has always given me enough good to tide me over the bad. And whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, it is well with my soul (Well I'm only trying still...)</div><div><br /></div><div>And because the God on the mountain is still God in the valley, and the God of the good times is still God in the bad times. </div><div><br /></div><div>The God of the day is still God in the night.</div><div><br /></div>Jerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19175101.post-88514819821943927922011-03-21T10:04:00.010+05:302011-03-21T16:21:09.069+05:30Dr Doom and Soccer and Life in General"I'm afraid there's no hope. There's nothing that can be done. You'll have to start preparing yourself..." This is what my new oncologist told me on my first meeting with him 2 weeks ago. <div><br /></div><div>After looking at all my test results and proclaiming "This is not good, this is not good at all" after looking at every sheet of paper, he told me that if this mass in my cervical region (called the <a href="http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=8502">pouch of Douglas</a>) wasn't operable, there would be no hope for me.</div><div><br /></div><div>"I'm sorry.." long dramatic pause, looking at me sympathetically. I think he half expected me to burst into tears but when he saw no tears forthcoming, he continued "I'm really very sorry." </div><div><br /></div><div>We've been monitoring this lesion since we found out about it last year, and after a few failed tests we haven't been able to confirm if it is cancerous or just a harmless fibroid. All my previous doctors have been very positive since my nodes are all clear, and technically the melanoma would have to travel through my nodes before they can reach my abdominal area. </div><div><br /></div><div>When I asked him why he was treating it like it was a confirmed case of metastasic melanoma when there's been no confirmative report, "It most likely is" he said. It was almost like he wanted it to be. </div><div><br /></div><div>I was far from crying. Of course, it's scary to hear words like that, but I was too angry to focus too much on fear. How can anyone tell you that there is no hope? It is <b><i>my </i></b>choice, <b><i>my </i></b>decision to keep hoping or not to. No one should ever tell someone that there is no hope because hoping is a personal right, one that we can choose to cling to even on our death beds. </div><div><br /></div><div>As I sat there, listening to all these dark predictions, all I could think of was how off everything seemed. "I feel like a million dollars, and yet this is what the doctor is telling me. How can I be dying when I feel so great?" It may sound a bit dense, but cancer or not, when you feel so healthy and ...alive, the thought of dying just can't really sink in. Even when this fancy doctor in this fancy hospital with all his fancy degrees tell you that there is no hope for you, your mind just refuses to believe the things you hear. </div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, Doctor Doom ordered a battery of tests and appointments with a radiologist (because he was positive I needed radiation therapy) and an oncological surgeon.</div><div><br /></div><div>To cut a long story short, the senior surgeon was angry that a big deal was made out of something that was possibly nothing. He canceled all the tests that Doom ordered, and asked me to do another ultrasound guided FNAC (this is the only thing that's made me cry so far by the way, the pain is freaking intense). </div><div><br /></div><div>I will get my test result on Friday. I feel very positive about everything. Hopefully, things will not be as bad as Doctor Doom predicted. </div><div><br /></div><div>Well that's all on the dying side. On the living side, I am awesome! :) I signed up for one of the girls football team for the Google Football League. My team is called The Tribe, and guess who's captain? :) And it is only appropriate that a true tribal captains a team called The Tribe :P</div><div><br /></div><div>That's me, #1, winning all the tosses for my team. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjap5jgqNw7c5buUQoJ8YZkei8EmaHfM3NDVHKuZcDaidr1kh_3_zbY5Ribm9jal7z2ZsOpqHTBUgwIurgKSqiPNkgRq3ifFEC98CpkIKgoAUb4M8eWiVrPQNIVGhfZ5qIP1F1UA/s1600/IMG_20110318_164550.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjap5jgqNw7c5buUQoJ8YZkei8EmaHfM3NDVHKuZcDaidr1kh_3_zbY5Ribm9jal7z2ZsOpqHTBUgwIurgKSqiPNkgRq3ifFEC98CpkIKgoAUb4M8eWiVrPQNIVGhfZ5qIP1F1UA/s400/IMG_20110318_164550.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586383245921957586" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 470px; height: 336px; " /></a><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja8pSBgMh_vOCEv9NOr_5ckgcV3ct5ParPCmHDbiCeBYUJaz-HsmucH0xH9FVRIaXaWL1iOKIp6aCgu7-65QdavVTtNU_vENHe8bK2hoew7t6snzMs79HQQoz3SsVbeYxG41SWBg/s1600/Picture+028.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja8pSBgMh_vOCEv9NOr_5ckgcV3ct5ParPCmHDbiCeBYUJaz-HsmucH0xH9FVRIaXaWL1iOKIp6aCgu7-65QdavVTtNU_vENHe8bK2hoew7t6snzMs79HQQoz3SsVbeYxG41SWBg/s400/Picture+028.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586386845729939922" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><div style="text-align: left;">We've played two matches so far. Lost one 1-0, and I'll admit we were not very good losers. We sulked and remained dour-faced for the rest of the day.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjicqUEnGGKVuVOwnPDOMjLBdMMzoFst1U0J7Q2_qMXEbK8QGwgNnQ7ewdV_v11oRhUCDF_S6RaBZKBiNhyphenhyphenbbYrzrWM9-HrvPISz19FHcnVsGykiVAcF07cR82X32cTMFQAwvV9pw/s1600/Picture+049.jpg"></a></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjicqUEnGGKVuVOwnPDOMjLBdMMzoFst1U0J7Q2_qMXEbK8QGwgNnQ7ewdV_v11oRhUCDF_S6RaBZKBiNhyphenhyphenbbYrzrWM9-HrvPISz19FHcnVsGykiVAcF07cR82X32cTMFQAwvV9pw/s1600/Picture+049.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjicqUEnGGKVuVOwnPDOMjLBdMMzoFst1U0J7Q2_qMXEbK8QGwgNnQ7ewdV_v11oRhUCDF_S6RaBZKBiNhyphenhyphenbbYrzrWM9-HrvPISz19FHcnVsGykiVAcF07cR82X32cTMFQAwvV9pw/s400/Picture+049.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586386045385906338" style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px; " /></a><div style="text-align: left;">A good lecture from our beloved coach - </div></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7UQG38vjFV3tfiq8mtgbK9BhT1U2x1cUv_oy-B0vx1iVrYsscuO6sxie2vlFK2MorF0agkI1egttF3QRB0kFPIhexddYy4kKYG3LM1ZFhimfr0-RpDbJgf3DMzlC1V_iZeH1jnw/s1600/Picture+047.jpg"></a><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7UQG38vjFV3tfiq8mtgbK9BhT1U2x1cUv_oy-B0vx1iVrYsscuO6sxie2vlFK2MorF0agkI1egttF3QRB0kFPIhexddYy4kKYG3LM1ZFhimfr0-RpDbJgf3DMzlC1V_iZeH1jnw/s1600/Picture+047.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7UQG38vjFV3tfiq8mtgbK9BhT1U2x1cUv_oy-B0vx1iVrYsscuO6sxie2vlFK2MorF0agkI1egttF3QRB0kFPIhexddYy4kKYG3LM1ZFhimfr0-RpDbJgf3DMzlC1V_iZeH1jnw/s400/Picture+047.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586386552388390498" style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px; " /></a><div style="text-align: left;">And we won our second match 3-0!</div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Football is healthy. And I don't mean just physically. Believe me, when you're out on the ground engaged in full-out combat with your enemy, cancer is the last thing on your mind. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Love is also healthy :-)</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcm8inb7H8_Tii_0LmQMTumRXxGSzjyKPkXgl2twH4Nie0vaQ3gmW4Hb-qO8HAkzXF3-0ooFQ_OTuUmJporWWp_f2smwFgew_VcwfRHAh3pyewmGVCqul8U7b12xZYMRb3nczxmQ/s1600/IMG_20110321_102227.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcm8inb7H8_Tii_0LmQMTumRXxGSzjyKPkXgl2twH4Nie0vaQ3gmW4Hb-qO8HAkzXF3-0ooFQ_OTuUmJporWWp_f2smwFgew_VcwfRHAh3pyewmGVCqul8U7b12xZYMRb3nczxmQ/s400/IMG_20110321_102227.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586415753371835618" /></a>Jerushahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16220240614247032733noreply@blogger.com17