Khaike Paan Banaras Wala

Khaike Paan Banaras Wala!

That is the title to one of the best songs I've heard in a while. I strongly encourage you to listen to it- fo serious. If you like fast paced, danceable music, this SRK song is definitely for you- no doubt. It's from the movie 'Don' with Shah Rukh Khan (SRK). To be frank, I really don't care if you watch Bollywood movies or not- you just have to watch this one. You'll love the song. The dance is pretty amazing too. Take a listen, please!

Hate Hate

The one thing I could never make sense of all my life, was the meaning of hate. I understand it when people say they hate chocolate flavored ice cream or they hate the color green but when people say they hate a person or group of people, that's when my mind most likely begins to disfunction. I think of the 'craziness' and how unreasonable it is to hate a person. Hate is one of those emotions that are indescribable. Like love. Love is strong, just like hate. Isn't love just infatuation? There must be something deeper, something closer to you and your heart, as corny as that does sound. So in that case, i wouldn't call it love. i would not call anything hate either. You see, this is exactly my philosophy, to really like or to dislike. It's not as broad as you think either. Love is whatever you want it to be these days. You can say you love someone but then hate them the next day. I don't call that love. I call that a mood swing. Love can be romantic or 'casual' as people like to say these days (which I don't understand). Falling in love with someone is flattering but unrealistic depending on the circumstances. A high school couple cannot be seriously in love- that's kinda crazy. They can really really really really really like each other- but I doubt it seriously that it's love. Wait a while, kids, you'll see what I mean. Love is mainly just a term. "I love that scarf!" you're saying you really like that scarf. "I am in love with this song." you're saying you really like a song even though it's not 'yours'. You're kind of creepy for being in love with a song actually.
example # 2: Hate. Hate is a strong dislike. People who are stupid and unscholarly will say they hate a race, a religion, a person, etc. Here is an example of hate:



       Super bad, right? I know. I hate stereotypes and they have EVERYTHING to do with hate. People like to generalize and that leads to hatred. Some people need to get off their high horse, laama, camel or whatever and realize that the world is unique and no one abides by similar rules. Let others be! Leave the Muslims alone! Leave the dark skinned peoples of the world alone! Let the people who live on borders be- and leave them alone! Is that so hard? Why do other nations feel like they have to put their nose into other peoples business? Leave and stay out is all I have to say. I don't care if they're helping or not- other leaders have their own policies and they won't learn anything, especially when they are taken over by some other power- hungry nation. Friends, this is not hate. This is called being annoying.Hate is, like love, merely- and only- a term. People say hate for anything really. "I hate that girl's outfit." No you don't. You're just either jealous or a jerk. "I hate this crayon!" You actually just dislike the color due to societies take on color differences. If people like the color blue, you all of a sudden think it looks nice- even if you 'hated' that color the other day.
So do you see what I mean? Hate is something to be hated- even though I don't 'believe' in hate. Does that make much sense to anyone else? Look at it his way: HATE= STUPIDITY+CRUELTY+ 'AN 'UNAWARE OF THE WORLD' JIM'. I know what you narrow minded people are thinking when you see a woman in a burqa walk by. I know what's going through your mind when you see a man with a turban on his head. I know what you think about when that worker with the shiny dark hair starts speaking in Spanish. I also know what you think about that colored person standing next to you. Are you narrow- minded? Or do you appreciate the world and all it's peoples? Tell me you do or else I just might throw a koala playing a flute at you. Yeah... that's what I would do. Want to do something fun (but super cheesy? So cheesy your mac n cheese would be envious)?
1. Look up the Palestine Israel conflict and brainstorm to yourself about what can be done if you yourself could change any outcome.
2. Pretend to be an Indian person around the time Pakistan became a country. What would've been going through your mind?
3. If you could travel anywhere in the world and study the politics of the country, which country and why?
4. Imagine being in Venezuela. Nice, right? Now imagine being a civilian 'under the rule' of Hugo Chavez. Would you love him? Hate him?
5. In addition, imagine being in Cuba around the time of Fidel's highest power. Would you have admired him or Che Guevara more? Love or hate?
I don't know about you, but each of these questions seem to be or are centered around the common element and concept of  'love' and 'hate'. Please continue to love if you understand it's true meaning. Please stop the hate if you know it exists within you and/or your society. 

Culinary She-Wolf

I have no idea why I named this piece 'Culinary She-Wolf'... maybe it's because I was thinking about the culinary arts and then I heard the song 'She-Wolf' being blasted. I'll have to admit, it is a VERY catchy song. Shakira is bringin catchy back. That was not funny. 

   Anyways, that song is over since I had ran off to see what was going on when I heard this song being blasted. By the time I came back, the song was over. Now it's some other random song- not as catchy. NOT THAT IT MATTERS. What am I rambling about? Let me get back to what I was going to write about. 

# 1. Culinary; To taste test the best of the culinary art for yourself instead of depending on articles from the food section, go to your nearest 'Clyde's' if you're in America for an off the chain cheeseburger.

# 2. She- Wolf; It's a good song but it's not my favorite in terms of its artistry. Don't get me wrong, It makes me wanna dance all the time, as long as I am not in a public place. Maybe. The point is, if you're a rap/hip-hop kind of person, you'll obviously like Kid Cudi, one of the best rappers out there, right next to Jay-Z, for me. His song 'Enter Galactic' is probably the number one candidate for optimum song to be stuck in my head the whole day. That's an honor. I usually have Hindi songs stuck in my head though. Check out these popular ones:

-Marjani Marjani

-Love Mera Hit Hit

-Dhoom Machale

-Hai Junoon

-Mauja hi Mauja

-Negada Negada

-Zara Zara

-Desi Girl

-Jai Ho

-Bebo

... and if you're into Punjabi style music... Punjabi MC and Lehmber Hussainpuri are ace.

           Another genre I am really into and always have been would have to be the one and only LATIN MUSIC AND MAMBO/CONGA. Oh yes. I dance with it, breathe it in, live in it, and have it for breakfast to get me through the day. A couple good recommendations for you:

-The Best of Desi Arnaz

-Santana

'nough said... discover the rest on your own, that way, you will truly love and appreciate it.

Peruvian Rainforest

Imagine living here. (That's really all I wanted to say...)

An Education

Yes, I am aware of the fact that there is a movie coming out called 'An Education' but that's not what I am referring to. I am referring to a more realistic view of an education. What is it exactly? Getting an education isn't really something that can happen only in school or in a certain type of class. The best education you can get, in my opinion, can be attained on the street. I've learned loads of different things off the street. I don't live on 'the street'. Bien sur pas! You know what I mean though, as I've let myself assume. When you walk around, you hear other people's conversations involuntarily. It can be extremely annoying, especially when they are speaking of ludicrous and conceited things. Sometimes though, on special occasions, you may pick up a fact or two you find beneficiary, something you could never learn out of a text book or hear about during a lecture. You can honestly live by the quote, 'Learn something new everyday'... oh yes... it just depends on what you have heard and from where. Time for you to grow out of 'in-class stupidity'.

1. If the person you have just heard/learned something from seems well educated, that can be a plus- but be careful, these people are most deceitful to the eye- don't believe everything you hear. 

2. If the person or group talking/conversing around you (that you are not a part of), seems to be down to earth, speaking articulately with great verbiage, you've most likely come across the jack pot. Go for this conversation- LISTEN.

3. Before you jump to conclusions, I am not telling you to be an inevitable stalker/ creeper/ brown- noser/ freaky outsider. Oh no. I am simply (and merely) explaining to you the many ways to educate yourself outside of the cliche classroom.

4. OK. Go. Gooooo! Go to the nearest college campus and find some random people. These people can only be useful if you are at a top ranking school though. Don't go to your nearest community college because you never who you run into there... they might not even be a student. 

5. Walk into a random classroom. Kidding. Apparently that can work in some large universities though- so I have heard. Actually... don't even consider this. You have reached complete insanity if you even think it over. You don't need to be THAT smart...

6. Read. Yes, that requires a book. You know... that 'thing' you don't touch...

7. Watch some informative, artistic Indie movies (you'd be surprised by what you can learn in certain films).

8. Produce art. I don't care what type. Be it painting, writing, dancing, you have just broadened your perspectives on everything just by doing one of the above.

9. Be yourself and do not conform to society. Society should always conform to you, on the most peaceful of terms possible, obviously. (Stop carrying around guns, by the way. It's creepy).

10. Get a life and walk around. Get out of the suburbs, move to NYC or even London, perhaps.

Those are pretty much my guidelines to my utopian state of mind that you can experience too, for a very small, limited time offer of a price: Time.

Have fun?

Music is Art

        Music is one of the best art styles there are. Musicians are like artists. Artists are creative. Creativity is a mind set more than it is a way of thinking. Is this making sense? If you are a musician/artist it does. Classical music is great. So is Hindi. Rock is fine. So is Flamenco.  



Above is a picture of the almighty Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. A legend, a musical hero, an artist, he is truly a piece of work, is he not? Listen to the song, 'Amadeus' by Falco, the one hit wonder.   



Speaking of art, this is a picture of an amazing piece of art. It depicts something no one else would've thought of. Violence= Love. It doesn't sound right. It isn't right at all. But that is what art is. Art must convey a message and most times, the artist doesn't even know it in his/her own work. In this case, he obviously did. This image (of a gun, grenade, knife, and another type of gun spelling 'love') depicts life now. How violence is used to restore peace and order, perhaps even love. That sounds crazy but people don't understand that that is the way of life. Our life now. How dare we make fun of barbarians if we can't act any better?

Heritage and Culture

        Depending on your ethnicity, you may have something to scream out right now, in regards to the title, 'Heritage and Culture'. Do you call yourself a foreigner? Do you call yourself an immigrant? Maybe a F.O.B(fresh off the boat, as kids like to say)? Perhaps a 'strange one'. I can understand that, whatever it is. This world is filled with stereotypes. Crazy ones too, I might add. If you are hispanic, or have a latin sounding name, you are immediately stereotyped... gardener. If you are Arab or have a middle eastern sounding name you are also stereotyped... taxi driver/extremist. If you are colored, wether you are african or just really tanned, you are definitely stereotyped... this one would go on and on. What most people fail to see is what they lack, themselves. Most people represent a culture full of magnificent traditions that some others may not be aware of, sadly enough. I think that now, our curry smelling, bonfire dancing and quaking cultures need to come out and be explained.

            First things first, before you start thinking about how you do NOT have heritage or culture/tradition, think about what you do have and start from there. I know some people are confused- they don't know what kind of last name they have, they don't know where their great great's are from, etc. Me on the other hand, I love to explore. Why? Because I, in myself, consist of the blood of many countries. I'll say I am Ethiopian to make it easier when I explain to people where I am from. They can't believe it though, because of stereotypes... I am supposed to have dark skin, a flat nose, thick lips, and corse hair, because Ethiopia is an African country. The truth is, because the region of Ethiopia I am from is mixed, I have light skin, a small 'perfect' straight nose, fine lips, and smooth curly/wavy hair, and a 'not-black' facial structure. Is that surprising? I don't think it should be, unless you are narrow-minded and bull headed, which I hope you are not. I descend from Israel, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Turkey, India, Portugal, Greece, Spain, Armenia, Northern Africa, and who knows where else. Cuba is being deliberated. When I tell people THAT, they become frustrated, you see, because 'it's too many!' for them. Then they think I've lived in all those places or I can speak all of those languages... please! Three languages are enough for me, in the time being. I am considering learning how to speak Arabic and Portuguese though. The point is, I've learned that it is now hard for people to judge me. The only conclusion one could come up with is, 'foreigner'. I've never lived in another country (I've 'lived' in Ethiopia for 2 or 3 months over the summer but that's as close as it gets). Do you know what the biggest problem is in this world though? Besides nationality? It's race and religion.

            On college applications, I believe it has been banned to ask for the applicants race or ethnicity. Black/White/Asian/Native American/Hispanic/Other, are the choices. What does someone like me choose? Other? Why should it even matter? I do not know but I will say this, your skin color these days, cannot judge your nationality. If you are black, you could be Brazilian, Dominican, African, Cuban, or just very tanned, like some Egyptians. If you are Asian, you could be anything from an Arab, to a Japanese person. You see where I am going at? I think from now on, I will call my self an 'Other'. The other problem in this world is religious prejudice. I will use Islam as an example since so many people like to stereotype every Muslim they see, which is something that should not be done. People need to understand that a religion is faith, not a means of war. Not every Muslim is an extremist or a 'I hate the U.S.A' fanatic. Most are actually peaceful, and many people fail to see that. Why should a woman's decision to wear a Hijab or celebrate Eid, determine her career possibilities? Why would anyone (and this is my favorite) be afraid to  get into a cab an Arab is driving? Explain to me why, and I bet you could not come up with anything. Religion should not come in the form of stereotypes and images, it should come in the form of faith and hope. Like the color green. Do not be startled by a Burqa or a turban. Do not be startled by dark skin. Do not be startled by henna. Do not be startled by people. You must be crazy if you are. Learn to coexist and you'll be surprised by how easy and fascinating it is to understand a unique culture or a heritage.