~Brown Eyed Gurl~

Love and Death in Katmnadu

noreply@blogger.com (~uRna~) — Sat, 19 Oct 2013 13:41:00 +0000

When I first saw the book sitting on my dad's bookshelf at home several years ago, I thought to myself do I really want to read another version of the same story? So every time I went back home I'd skip past Love and Death in Kathmandu and look for something new. This time when I went back, however, I felt somewhat drawn to the book; and so I told myself I'd give it a try.

In many ways the story was what I had expected and one that I had heard many times before. But the book also brought back images of events I never thought had really registered in my mind; it evoked feelings that I hadn't realized I could feel about the massacre.

The first bit was a recap into the history or Nepal- an explaination of the culture, significance of people, places and days in as a simple way as possible. It was interesting to see this from the outside- from someone who hadn't been immersed in the culture that it became a part of life. Though there were a few things that I wasn't quite sure if it was fully accurate or not... But I won't get to nitty gritty on those details. And I must admit, I still don't understand the history of the Ranas, Shahs and PMs and will be waiting for the day it gets turned into a tv series or movie of some sort!

What really intrigued me, however, were the interviews with people who's names I'd heard through conversations during family gatherings and in the media. And images from events from back then started popping up in my mind as I was reading. But I think the most vivid memories that were evoked were of funeral procession of the King and Queen and the broadcast of a single tune on nearly every media channel.

While this book isn't one of, what I would call, my favourites, it surely is one that has made quite an impression on me. And I that has more to do with how it has conjured up images and feelings that I had forgotten as well as made me feel and think about the royal family, massacre and their effects on the general public in Nepal.

Something to Make You Go Hmmm....

noreply@blogger.com (~uRna~) — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 12:56:00 +0000

If a man wants you, nothing can keep him away.
If he doesn't want you, nothing can make him stay. Stop making excuses for a man and his behavior. Allow your intuition (or spirit) to save you from heartache.

Stop trying to change yourself for a relationship that's not meant to be. Slower is better. Never live your life for a man before you find what makes you truly happy. If a relationship ends because the man was not treating you as you deserve then heck no, you can't "be friends". A friend wouldn't mistreat a friend.

Don't settle. If you feel like he is stringing you along, then he probably is. Don't stay because you think "it will get better." You'll be mad at yourself a year later for staying when things are not better. The only person you can control in a relationship is you. Avoid men who have a bunch of children by a bunch of different women. He didn't marry them when he got them pregnant, why would he treat you any differently? Always have your own set of friends separate from his. Maintain boundaries in how a guy treats you. If something bothers you, speak up. Never let a man know everything. He will use it against you later.

You cannot change a man's behavior. Change comes from within. Don't EVER make him feel he is more important than you are. Even if he has has more education or in a better job. Do not make him into a quasi-god. He is a man, nothing more nothing less.

Never let a man define who you are. Never borrow someone else's man. If he cheated with you, he'll cheat on you. A man will only treat you the way you ALLOW him to treat you. All men are NOT dogs.

You should not be the one doing all the bending... Compromise is two way street. You need time to heal between relationships. There is nothing cute about baggage... Deal with your issues before pursuing a new
relationship. You should never look for someone to COMPLETE you. A relationship consists of two WHOLE
individuals. Look for someone complimentary...
not supplementary.

Dating is fun... Even if he doesn't turn out to be Mr. Right. Make him miss you sometimes... When a man always know where you are, and you're always readily available to him ~ he takes it for granted. Never move into his mother's house. Never co-sign for a man. Don't fully commit to a man who doesn't give you everything that you need. Keep him in your radar but get to know others.

Scared of being alone is what makes a lot of women stay in relationships that are abusive or hurtful: Dr. Phil says... You should know that: You're the best thing that could ever happen to anyone and if a man mistreats you, he'll miss out on a good thing. If he was attracted to you in the 1st place, just know that he's not the only one. They're all watching you, so you have a lot of choices. Make the right one. Ladies take care of your own hearts..

By: Oprah Winfrey
Source: Facebook Post that someone 'Shared'

Finding Your Place

noreply@blogger.com (~uRna~) — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 06:59:00 +0000

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Having heard this so many times, it makes you think, do we really need to follow the ways of others when in a foreign country or place? After 3 years in Bangkok I learned that by doing as the Thais did, it wasn't only about respecting their culture and their way of life, but it was also about survival.

Bullying the Young One on a Trip to Koh Samui

When I first arrived in Bangkok, I was polite, courteous and in general nice to everyone. But as the months went on and through the exposure I had with my friends, I realized that being nice was not getting me anywhere; I had to learn where and when to be nice and when to be.... not so nice. Slowly I felt myself becoming stuck up, mean and doing things just to get what I wanted. But at that time, I just thought I was adapting to my surroundings.

Then, I came here to Melbourne. Things were different. I realized I didn't have to have my guard up so much. I was able to calm down and relax. People were nicer; or at least they didn't hide behind a facade the way they did in Bangkok, so you knew when you need to take your stand. I could become a person I, myself, actually liked once again.

And this big change that I could see in myself made me think whether we need to find places that suit us. And by suiting us, I don't mean going to a foreign place and fitting yourself into the culture and environment, but finding a place that brings the best out of you. Changing to suit the new place is inevitable; but if you're changing for the worst, you really need to stop and think if this is the place you want or rather, should be.

Finding the Right Place with the Right Person

Shoes for Sale!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (~uRna~) — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 10:23:00 +0000

The other day I went and bought a pair of shoes which I knew wasn't really me... but thought I'd give a try...

And now I've realized it's better that I find someone else who would cherish these heels.

These golden Guess strappy heels look ultra sexy and sleek... so why am I selling them?

Well I'm not sure if it's the same for those of you reading this, but for me, I have a certain "type" of shoes, clothes and bags that when I look at just scream "URNA". And I guess that's why we all have our own sense of style... every now and then we all want to explore and try new things (that's what I did by buying these shoes); sometimes it works and we adopt a new style and sometimes it fails and we end up throwing very good things away.

So if you are looking for a pair of GORGEOUS strappy heels (or know anyone who is), please go to my Ebay page and make sure these heels get shown off!

On the page there is just one picture so I've put more pictures below!

I'm back!

noreply@blogger.com (~uRna~) — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 04:52:00 +0000

It's been quite a while that I haven't written anything and as each weekend goes by I feel this nagging feeling inside me that reminds me that my blog is just sitting there, untouched, unread, and if it were a notebook it'd be literally collecting dust! But week after week one thing or the other kept popping up leaving me with little or no time (and energy) to sit down and write something worth reading.

Even this, I'm not sure how worthy it'll be, but thought I'd write a little something to explain my absence!

My New Car- Punte!

Well about a month back I started a new job (which is probably obvious from my previous posts ~changes~, full time vs. part time and even ~phases~ in it's own way). And a few weeks into the job the Programs Manager (who I was to be working with) resigned.... which meant I was doing a little more than what I thought I'd be doing. As if the stress of a new job and two people's work wasn't enough I had my driving test as well (which I passed with flying colors)!

I slowly and steadily got passed those hurdles, just to realize that I was coming down with a cold. One of those colds that makes your whole body ache. But did I get a chance to relax and take it easy? Nooo... everyone else was falling sick so I had to make sure I could fill in gaps wherever needed. So much of relaxing and recuperating!

Shrija, me and Pranita

And finally when I felt like I was starting to feel better, two friends from Sydney dropped by for a Hen's night here in Melbourne. Friends from Sydney + Hen's night certainly does NOT equal to getting any rest! I had a great weekend, no doubt, but certainly no rest (let alone the time to sit and write anything).

So here I am, on my RDO... having finished a long overdue house clean up... writing a few lines just to show that I'm still here and have a quite a few topics in mind I'll be writing about soon! So hope you'll be back to read more :)

Cheeeeese!

~Phases~

noreply@blogger.com (~uRna~) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 09:20:00 +0000

It's funny how life changes you and your priorities. This actually crossed my mind when I was going through my email inbox. I'm one of those people who don't like deleting emails or throwing away letters. Yup... I have separate folders for each year and all email received in a particular year is moved into the respective folder!

So ya, the other day I was going through my email and just skimming through some of the mail from the previous years that I exchanged with my best friends. And it was quite remarkable how the topic of the emails have changed so much!

New Friends Circle in Bkk

During the first year that we all went our separate ways to start Uni life, the topic of the emails revolved mainly on our new lives- new friends we made, new places we visited and how much we missed each other. Looking back, our main concern was having enough money to travel and shop! And slowly as we got used to our new lives, conversations gradually shifted to the topic of cute boys and crushes!

What a Difference!

As each of us began to finish our undergrad degrees (each at different times) emails started to be mostly about asking each other what to do next. "Should I work a little before starting grad school or just do my masters and get it out of the way? Help me guys!" Yup, each of us went through that "Oh my god, I'm done with college, now what!" phase. That also slowly started to pass as each of us pursued our educational calling. And then emails again were about how different a masters degree is and how different the place is (as we all ended up doing our masters at a different university and different place than our undergrad degree).

Source: OG Love

Soon enough our conversations loomed around love... and meeting the one. Boy oh boy was that a crazy time for all of us! Without giving away too much, let's just say there were many ups and downs, but looking back now we each have stories to laugh about. And now... conversations are about careers and jobs! And I have a feeling... verrry soon conversations will be about marriage (and babies- hopefully that will still be several years away!)

I guess this ties back to my earlier post about changes. Things in our life are constantly changing and to cope with these changes we need to re-prioritize to make sure that we are moving ahead. But I must admit it's funny how one day you're biggest priority is deciding which subject to take up at Uni and the next thing you know you're having to decide what career path to take!

Pictures:
OG Love: http://keturahweathers.theworldrace.org/?filename=og-love

~Piece of Cake~

noreply@blogger.com (~uRna~) — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 00:14:00 +0000

The other day I received an email from my mom just checking to see that I'm still okay and wondering why I haven't been in touch. Along with that she forwarded a powerpoint slide. The forwarded powerpoint slides that my mom normally sends are interesting; but last night (after a long working week) when I saw yet another slideshow I just felt like, okay not really something I want to go through at the moment. So I just ignored it and went to bed. On waking up this morning I thought, my mom thought I'd enjoy it so mind as well have a look. And now I'm really happy I did go through it because it made a lot of sense to me.

So.... I thought I'd share it with everyone here. I just want to declare that none of this was written by me; it's all from a powerpoint slide show which I thought is worthy to share. On occasion I have paraphrased the words from the slides as the slideshow is largely about God and his mysterious ways... So for those of you not believing in God per se, you can look at it the way I did- not God's doing but just life and karma. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Sometime we ask ourselves: what did I do to deserve this? Why do these things happen to me? Here is a little story to illustrate why. One day a daughter tells her mom how everything is going wrong for her. She's failed an exam; her boyfriend has dumped her for another girl. And her mom, like all moms, knew just how to make her daughter feel better. She gave her a big hug

Raw Ingredients

Mom: Would you like a piece of cake? Daughter: Of course! You know how much I like cake.

Mom: Here drink some of this cooking oil.

Daughter: Eww yuck!

Mom: How about a couple of raw eggs?

Daughter: Are you kidding me?

Mom: How about a little flour?

Daughter: Mom, I'll get sick!

Mom: All of these things uncooked taste horrible. But if you put them together, what do you get? A delicious cake!

Life works in a similar, yet mysterious way. When horrible things are happening to us we don't realize why they are happening or where they will lead us. Most of the time we'll find that we don't need to settle for those raw ingredients of life, but rather, if we are patient we can be assured that something rather delicious is bound to come along.

At the end of this powerpoint it really made me think, how true is that! This is something that I have been talking about with my friends for quite awhile now. Whenever something bad happens to any one of us, we all agree that there is a reason that such a thing happened and something good will eventually come out of it (though at the time you think that nothing good could ever possibly come from that). And a few weeks later or even several months later we thank God, or what ever greater force there is out there, for making things the way they are.

I couldn't find the Walnuts so ended up decorating this Mud Cake with Skittles!

Pictures: Oil http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/how-olive-oil-works.htm/printable Eggs http://www.virginmedia.com/homefamily/fooddrink/food-poisoners.php?ssid=5 Flour http://www.myrecipes.com/recipes/gallery/0,28548,1859001_1798718,00.html

Full Time vs. Part Time

noreply@blogger.com (~uRna~) — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 12:11:00 +0000

Recently I've started a new job... a full time job. And this weekend marks the end of my first week at this new job. Right after being accepted for this new job I was thinking how great things were working out as I got this new job when I needed the extra savings and was ready for a new challenge in life. I was super excited! Then, a week or two before starting this new job I started to think... hmmm a full time job means I no longer get my 4 day weekends... I no longer get to go shopping and meet friends simply when I felt like... and I no longer got to roll around in bed deciding what to do next!

I have no doubt that pros outweigh the cons because I'm ready for this new challenge (of learning new things, meeting new people, growing as a person, earning the extra money and so forth). But then... saying good bye to a 4 day weekend (that is something I still can't get out of my mind)!

But nevertheless it got me thinking about whether part time work is better or full time. So here are my pros for the two:

And the cons for either would obviously be the opposite of the other (so a con for Full Time would be less time, more stress and so on).

But then, I realized if you're working full time in a job that you are genuinely interested in and passionate about, you tend to look beyond the cons; the cons don't really stand out much and dissolve into the background so that the only cons about the job turn out to be waking up early in the mornings or not getting to watch your favorite morning show!

I guess in many ways deciding the pros and cons really depends on you as an individual. Though part time work appeals to me in many ways, I would have to say full time work appeals to me in many other ways. (Let's see what I have to say a year from today!)

Aireys Inlet- January 2010- the beauty of part time work!

~Changes~

noreply@blogger.com (~uRna~) — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 00:23:00 +0000

Note: this post comprises mainly of just some random thoughts that have been swimming in my mind for the past few weeks. It might not really hold your attention for much... but felt it's something to ponder.
How many times have we decided to change something about ourselves? Whether we're changing because we're tired of the same old thing day in-day out or because we want to be a better person, there is always some point where we want a change.

But then changes can be scary... changes lead to something different... If it's not broken why fix it? So why are people looking for changes- whether it be a new hair style, a new job or even a new city?

Source: Art Therapy Blog

In my personal opinion, and through what I've experienced, I've begun to feel that the want for change comes from people's longing to grow and to learn new things. Or more simply, it's just a part of humans that are never satisfied with what they have.

Let's imagine you get a job in a new city. This would be one heck of a change. You're not only getting a new job (most likely a better pay, better benefits and it'd probably be something that you really are passionate about otherwise you wouldn't really be ready to get up and leave everything you already have), but you're getting a whole new life as well! So the day you get the news you've landed this job is usually the happiest. You can't believe you actually got the job; you think of all the excitement in store for you; the world is basically your oyster.

Then slowly as the days pass by you begin to realize all of the things you need to do- find a new place to live... figure out your daily commute to work and back... learn a new language (if the new city entails a new country)... work out all of the paperwork... make new friends... and the list seems to continue. Then you start to think, why did I want this change? Is THIS big a change really something I wanted?

I mean in the end everything is most likely going to be fine, if not great. And you'll adjust to your new life and realize that making this move was a really good decision... but it's just the fact that until this new change becomes an everyday part of life, you tend to constantly wonder if this was all a good idea.

Random Pic... but sure shows changes in people!

Picture of "Changes Next Exit" from Art Blog http://www.arttherapyblog.com/c/art-therapy-ideas/

Island Hopping Continues

noreply@blogger.com (~uRna~) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 06:41:00 +0000

During the Thai New Years in April, a few of us decided to go to Koh Phangnan which is world famous for its Full Moon parties. We didn't actually plan the trip FOR the party but decided if we're going there then might as well make it fall during one of the parties.

Unfortunately for us the party was the day we arrived. That was after 11 hours on a bus (with little or no sleep as it was too uncomfortable to get any kind of sleep) and then another 3 hours on a boat under the April sun (which is probably the hottest time in Thailand reaching well into the 40 degrees Celsius range).

Yes we made it to the full moon party... all dead and tired... 11 hours on the bus and then another 3 hours under the Thailand's April sun= dehydration and utter exhaustion

We stayed at a resort called the Charm Beach Resort- the picture on the right is the charming beach view we had... and frankly this resort was everything but charming!

Snorkeling!

Our supposedly 'Air Con' train- covered with dust and filth!

Destination: Koh Samui

Sleeping Beauties- on our way to Koh Samui

My Dashing Dai

Catching some waves-- notice how it looks like I'm drowning and no one really seems to care

My first elephant ride- we got the grumpiest guide of the lot!

Bell-head

Mumified Monk

Destination: Krabi
One thing I realized about Krabi is that the pictures all turned out far better than the actual view. When we were there we were thinking, ah okay this place isn't too bad, but we prefer some of the other islands. The water was a funny color, a lot of jellyfish and worst of all was that the water felt strange against the skin. But when we got home and looked at our pictures we were shocked- are these really our pictures? The water looks a perfect shade of blue, perfect skies, perfect postcard pics!

After arriving in Krabi- I like my hair here :)

Posing along the beach of Koh Phi Phi

Protecting themselves from the ocean's sprays

Emerald Lake (or so it was called)

Fishy fishy fishyyyyyyy

Flowers abloom! - my first long island iced tea :)

Koh Tao and Kanchanaburi

noreply@blogger.com (~uRna~) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 23:30:00 +0000

As a year passed by in Bangkok, my friends and I realized that we needed to start exploring. We had already used a year to get accustomed and decided we couldn't afford to lose any more time. And so began our days of what we called "Island Hopping".

Every holiday we got we decided to go to a new destination. And being from Kathmandu (land of mountains and hills) we decided to go to places that we would go to places that we couldn't go to back home, ie the beach!

Our first trip was to the tiny island off of Thailand's mainland- Koh Tao.

Posing before getting our fins on

First time going snorkeling- how exciting!

Shark Island- here we are looking for the "small" grey sharks that are found lurking in this area

Two Legs Good... Four Legs Better?

Water Gymnastics

So that was a little summary of our trip to Koh Tao. The most picturesque photographs are all stored away on discs back home in Kathmandu so had to choose from a limited number.

Below are pictures from Kanchanaburi (a small town a few hours West of Bangkok). It is most popular for the Bridge on the River Kwai (on which more than half of the POWs building the bridge during WWII died from diseases and accidents); Tiger Temple- temple where you can actually pet and take picture next to tigers and The Erawan Waterfall- which consists of 7 layers of waterfalls each more spectacular than the previous.

Of these three attractions we did not make it to the Tiger Temple. Below are some snippets of our trip to Kanchanaburi. Pictures from the War Museum and cemetery have been left out because they just feel too depressing.

On-the-Lake accommodation in Kanchanaburi, Thailand- was super excited when we arrived as I'd never slept in such a place before, but soon realized it's not for those who easily get sea sick. Anyone walking to their room or a boat passing by set off the feeling of 'is it just me or is the room moving?'

On the River Kwai Bridge

Taking a ferry ride across to a Thai Buddhist temple- the color and the smell of the water was terrible- had to be careful not to get any on you!

At the top of the Erawan Waterfall

Cats!

noreply@blogger.com (~uRna~) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 01:41:00 +0000

I've never really been much of a cat person after I had a cat slide down my leg with its claws shredding my brand new tights at the impressionable age of 5. I don't mind cats... but after that traumatizing experience, I decided cats and I didn't go along too well (unless of course the cat in question was Garfield).

So when I woke up this morning after having dreamt of cats, kittens and more cats you can imagine the shudder that went down my spine. Yup! I dreamt that I walked into a room where I kept finding cats of all different types- new born, full grown, brownish ones, yellow ones, grey ones (but no black or white ones). And you can imagine how startled I was to see a cat staring at me from my neighbour's yard as I walked to catch the bus this morning.

The whole way to work I kept thinking about that darn dream and what it meant. When I finally got here I couldn't help but Google CAT DREAMS. There was quite a bit of information online- some which made me think could it really mean what they were saying was true while others made me hope that there was no real meaning to that dream.

Most dream intepretations stressed on the meaning of cat dreams being related to the feminine side of the dreamer - okay that makes sense as we tend to relate cats and women... The following are the intepretations I came across:

1. Bella Online The Voice of Women: "Cats are still associated with mystery, perhaps because their behavior is so aloof and difficult to interpret. As mysterious, aloof creatures, cats symbolize the intuition, and when they appear in dreams they may be asking us to use our intuition more, to rely on our gut feelings and instinct."

2. Global Oneness: "Cats- To dream of a cat, denotes ill luck, if you do not succeed in killing it or driving it from your sight." And here basically they described the different forms of dreams that are possible and the different types of "ill luck" that would follow (yikes!) But then I realised none of those really applied to me. So... I scrolled down a bit further.... "Cats have both positive and negative connotations. You need to consider all of the details in the dream in order to obtain accurate interpretation. The cat can be a symbol of sexuality, femininity, prosperity and power. A cat is also an independent animal, and in your dream you may be associating yourself or someone else with these characteristics. Usually the dream is telling you about yourself and not others. Historically black cats have been symbols of evil and bad luck. If you are a cat lover and have one as a pet, the symbolism may not apply to your dream. Old, superstition-based dream interpretations say that a cat is a bad omen and that you can expect deceit from those that you trust."

3. Suite 101.com- "Experiences with domineering, smothering, coddling, or over-protective women lead to negative anima association. Femme fatale anima images result in self-sabotaging ideations leading toward destruction. Another way a negative anima association manifests is in unrealistic feminine images that no waking life woman can ever live up to. Cat dreams symbolizing negative anima images include dreams of stalking cats or tigers, hissing cats, cats climbing all over the body, a stalking cat the man cannot avoid, or even cat dreams where the dreamer is devoured by cats." Yup, the cats were all over me and others in the dream! But who is this domineering woman I'm dreaming about?

4. Dream Moods: This is usually my dream bible... I go here everytime I have a weird dream. "To see a cat in your dream, symbolizes an independent spirit, feminine sexuality, creativity, and power. It also represents misfortune and bad luck. The cat could indicate that someone is being deceitful or treacherous toward you. If the cat is aggressive, then it suggests that you are having problems with the feminine aspect of yourself. The dream may be a metaphor for "cattiness" or someone who is "catty" and malicious. If you see a cat with no tail, then it signifies a loss of independence and lack of autonomy. To dream that a cat is biting you, symbolizes the devouring female. Perhaps you are taking and taking without giving. You may be expressing some fear or frustration especially when something is not going as planned. To dream that you chase the cat away, signifies that you will overcome your obstacles. (Woo Hoo!) To see a white cat in your dream, denotes that you are going through difficult times. To see a black cat in your dream, indicates that you are experiencing some fear in using your psychic abilities and believing in your intuition. You may erroneously associate the black cat with evil, destruction, and bad luck." So all in all... it seems all dream dictionaries are telling me about some obstacles... some ill luck that I'll need to face.... Do I listen to what they tell me and prepare myself (whatever that may mean) or do I tell myself that it was just a dream? References:

1. Dream Moods. http://www.dreammoods.com/dreamthemes/animals.htm

2. Global Oneness. Meaning of Dreams about Cats http://www.experiencefestival.com/meaning_of_dreams_about_cats

3. Ireland, A. (2010). Cats, Cats- Dream Symbols. http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art10577.asp

4. Ireland, A. (2010). Cats as Dream Symbols. http://spiritual-growth.suite101.com/article.cfm/interpreting-cats-in-dreams

Pictures:

1. Garfield http://www.myfreewallpapers.net/cartoons/pages/garfield-and-oddie-faces.shtml

2. Cats http://www.dam7.com/Images/Cats/images/myspace-cats-images-0004.jpg

Bangkok Daze

noreply@blogger.com (~uRna~) — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 01:05:00 +0000

Life hardly ever turns out the way you picture it to be. You end up doing things you never dreamed of, you go places you never expect to and you end up with people you never thought you were compatible with. Going to Bangkok for my undergrad was exactly one of those things that I had neither planned for, nor was it something I ever dreamed of.

Arriving in Bangkok I got off the plane with my tummy doing somersaults wondering what was I thinking! I'm arriving in BANGKOK for my UNDERGRAD!!!! I had always dreamt of going back to the States or going to Australia for college... how did I end up in Bangkok? But at the end of the 3 years I spent in Bangkok I realized Bangkok gave me a different kind of college experience compared to my friends in the countries that I had dreamed of growing up.

The visa we, as students, go to Bangkok under does not allow any kind of work. So...... if you're not busy working; not too busy with studies, what else is there to do than have fun? During those 3 years in Bangkok, I traveled like I'd never traveled before; met all kinds of people I never thought existed in real life and experienced a kind of life I never pictured for myself.

Well this blog is mostly a picture memoir of my Bangkok days. Hope you enjoy!

View from my room looking out on Rama IV, or Phalam See as they refer to in Bangkok.
I lived quite in the heart of the city with Carrefour and Tesco Lotus near by. I quite enjoyed my stay there as there was always something interesting happening with adorable children, Thai and foreign boxers and I guess the most exciting would have to be the models.

my VOGUE cover
One of those days we were super bored. Not hot enough to HAVE to leave the room, but hot enough to get WEIRD ideas....

Jim Thompson House
Wanting to do all the touristy things (after a year of being in Bangkok) we decided to visit the museums and do some sightseeing. Had interesting antiques and artifacts. And was near MBK :)

Christmas in Bangkok
Christmas is always a very gaudy and colorful affair anywhere, but more so in Bangkok! (Notice the jumpers and shawls- yes it was a rather cool evening mostly like no less than 20 degree Celsius!)

My 23rd Birthday at Saxophone
A birthday I can NEVER forget! (at a VERY nice jazz pub at Victory Monument)

Gypy Days
Recording a tarot session with our very own tipsy gypsy

Dream World
This was right after I refused to go on the water "rollercoaster" because I didn't want to sit in soaking wet jeans. The very next ride was one which they convinced me would only get a little water on me.... At the end of the ride I could literally ring out my hair, shirt, and jeans!

New Years Eve 2006
My first new years eve with my mom after about 5 years and this had to be the New Years Eve that was shaken up with bombs all over Bangkok!

BUIC International Fair
Our stall at the Bangkok Uni International College International Fair. Yes there were moments of extreme boredom in the EXTREME heat (about 40C)

Jewelry
An up close pic of some of the jewelry that we were selling at our stall. I just found it pretty :)

E-bay... All the Way!

noreply@blogger.com (~uRna~) — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 12:55:00 +0000

I for one LOVE shopping! I can be shopping for shoes, a

new dress or even a new shampoo, I just love that state exhilaration you feel when you make a new purchase. And I've begun to notice that I don't need to really buy anything for myself to feel happy. I can be buying a present for a friend, or can be just window shopping but the bright sparkly lights always have a way of making grim day look.... brighter. As girls I think we are innately programmed to wander in front of shops, pick up and try on different sizes and shapes of clothing and shoes (regardless of whether we really intend to buying them or not) and feeling good after buying nothing but a hairband to pull our hair back for our facials.

Recently I've dipped into the world of online shopping. This indeed is a whole new world. Exciting yet foreign. Foreign yet convenient and, provided you shop with trustworthy sellers, as reliable as shopping from shops in the real world.

So what makes online shopping so in? Well from a personal point of view, you get to sit comfortably and look at a wide variety of goods without worrying about shop keepers telling you "No food or drinks allowed"; you don't have to worry about the kids complaining that they're hungry or bored (and those of you without kids but with husbands or boyfriends who are likely to have the same complaints would also know what I'm talking about here)! With online shopping you actually get to compare two different dresses by opening two windows side by side (as opposed to taking a good look at one dress in Country Road taking mental notes then rushing to Witchery just to realize you preferred the first dress from Country Road)! And if you are one of those people who prefers to try on clothes and shoes before buying them (I tend to feel that way now and then) I realized that books, dvds and bags (and frankly all other things that don't really require a size) can be much cheaper online (plus they are delivered to your door).

So where am I headed with this? Well my purpose of this blog is not only to point out how much I love shopping and the pros of online shopping. I'm here to introduce a new online E-bay store, Compass Navigator. It's new (and by new I mean it's at the stage of building up its reputation so great bargains are up for grabs) and it has interesting products (by interesting there is a range of branded clothes, bags and shoes, to DVDs, books and hand-made jewelry).

What makes Compass Navigator special to me is the fact that it is family run. So it's not some big multi national corporation out just to make profits, but it was established to provide decent quality goods at affordable prices. The idea behind it started pretty much with the love of shopping but not wanting to have to fork out hundreds of dollars to get something comfortable, durable yet fashionable.

Sooooo.... I'd say, if you are looking for a trust worthy company that believes in providing fashion at affordable prices AND excellent customer service, then you must stop by- Compass Navigator

Snapshot view of the store....

Pictures from:

1. Neo Fashion Blog http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.neolusion.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/shoppin.png&imgrefurl=http://www.neolusion.com/latest-trends-shopping-advice/&usg=__GGz32AGUWffXRtiIfOyWRwcotQ8=&h=351&w=367&sz=124&hl=en&start=3&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=d-5M2HF4me3SoM:&tbnh=117&tbnw=122&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dshopping%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26tbs%3Disch:1

2. Funny Cartoons and Pictures. http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.neolusion.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/shoppin.png&imgrefurl=http://www.neolusion.com/latest-trends-shopping-advice/&usg=__GGz32AGUWffXRtiIfOyWRwcotQ8=&h=351&w=367&sz=124&hl=en&start=3&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=d-5M2HF4me3SoM:&tbnh=117&tbnw=122&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dshopping%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26tbs%3Disch:1

Random Boredom

noreply@blogger.com (~uRna~) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 07:00:00 +0000

a lil something i did while watching tv

Real Beauty

noreply@blogger.com (~uRna~) — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 06:19:00 +0000

Recently with the overload of advertisements and free samples being thrown around I've been trying to figure out which shampoo to buy next! Do I go for something that's cheap or do I splurge and go for "the good stuff"? Do I want silky straight hair or do I want something that will give my hair more moisturizing? Oh the choices a girl has to make!

Now having gone along the continuum of cheap to the more pricey stuff, I've decided to go deeper... Look for a company that has more meaning that just selling shampoo! (Yes while writing this it does strike me as odd, but when you love shampoo shopping as much as I do and have all the extra time that I do.... you have the time to make mountains out of molehills).

So, getting back to my decision to spend on a company that is showing some kind of corporate social responsibility, I realized there are quite a few brands that are wholly Australian made or those that are doing their bit to protect the environment. The campaign that struck me as most inspiring and most note worthy (at the moment) has to be Dove's campaign for Real Beauty.

Dove's campaign shows off the fact that 'real women have curves', it shows off that models in advertisements do not just wake up looking as glamorous as they are portrayed to be. "According to a press release, Dove wants to make women feel more beautiful every day by challenging today's stereotypical view of beauty and inspiring women to take great care of themselves" (Media Awareness Network, 2010).

In 2004, Dove released a study that they used as a spring board to launch their Campaign for Real Beauty. Among the findings of the study, were the following statistics:

Only 2% of women describe themselves as beautiful.
63% strongly agree that society expects women to enhance their physical attractiveness. 45% of women feel women who are more beautiful have greater opportunities in life.
More than two-thirds (68%) of women strongly agree that "the media and advertising set an unrealistic standard of beauty that most woman can't ever achieve."
The majority (76%) wish female beauty was portrayed in the media as being made up of more than just physical attractiveness.
Seventy-five percent went on to say that they wish the media did a better job of portraying women of diverse physical attractiveness, including age, shape and size.

Source: Only Two Percent of Woman Describe Themselves as Beautiful: New Global Study Uncovers Desire for Broader Definition of Beautyhttp://www.dove.ca/en/#/cfrb/onlytwo.aspx/

But I think what impressed me the most about Dove's campaign is that they did not stop at just advertising that need to promote Real Beauty by having women (not the food deprived, over exercising models) pose in their advertisements. But when I went through Dove Australia's website, there is a whole section dedicated to this campaign and further information about the issue of body image, The Butterfly Foundation and the Dove Self-Esteem Fund. All of which reinforce Dove's message to "encourage young girls to have a realistic and healthy body image" (Unilever, 2007).

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to sell Dove products here. I just wanted to bring your attention to a worthy campaign that a large corporation is helping to fund and raise awareness about. Many skeptics may say that it is all a part of their marketing campaign; but even if it is, they are still helping to highlight a very important message that impacts many young girls' lives.

References:

*Media Awareness Network. (2010). Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty. http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/educational/teachable_moments/campaignrealbeauty.cfm

Picture of Dove woman also from Media Awareness Network

Dove Campaign for Real Beauty. http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.com.au/dove-self-esteem-fund/links.asp

Fight the Cold Au Naturale!

noreply@blogger.com (~uRna~) — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 04:24:00 +0000

The past week I've been battling the common cold, all the while trying to keep life as normal as possible. My mom has always told me that a sickness is always at least 80% psychological (in her view you are sick because you have the luxury to be sick). So, whenever I can I try my best to pretend everything is fine and get on with life's daily tasks. It works most of the time, but sometimes it just tires you out even more. And this week has been one of those times that succumbing to the sickness has been the ultimate option.

Fighting the common cold is really not as easy as it seems! Sure you read everywhere articles about what to do to fight symptoms of a cold or the flu or how to keep warm and healthy this winter! But which of those really work?!? Which of those will really help you fend off the sneaky rhinovirus that is just floating in the air and on nearly every surface imaginable!

Nearly all articles I've come across state the importance of exercise (but not over doing it), washing of hands, stocking up on fresh fruits and veggies, vitamin supplements and getting plentiful of rest.

Here is my own list of things that really worked this week for me

1. Hot lemon and honey- cured my sore throat over two days

2. Facial steam (with some salt thrown in before bed)- really helped clear up my nose for better sleep!

3. Cloves- keep them in your mouth and keeps the cough away

4. Sleep- yes it really did help!

5. Oranges and grapefruits- well I'm not sure if these really did help in fighting off my cold because I'm not sure what quantities I should be consuming... I generally had about 1-2 oranges a day and a grapefruit here and there, which I doubt was enough, but hey a little dose of vitamin C is better than nothing!

6. Medicine- And now that my head is pounding I've decided that I can't do without good ol' Panadol.

But all in all I think taking the more natural remedies is a good way to fight the cold, as long as you have nothing pressing going on that demands you to be in the best of heath. And when it comes to the end of the day, a treatment for any kind of sickness is always different from person to person. You need to know your body, give different treatments a try and see what works. While ice cream may cure one person's sickness, it may just be very well the cause of another's sickness.

References (and pictures)

1. 10 Common Sense Flu Fighting Tips! http://bestbodybootcamp.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/10-common-sense-flu-fighting-tips/

2. Lemon Benefits http://masoodmemon.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/lemon-benefits/

Mini Us

noreply@blogger.com (~uRna~) — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 00:48:00 +0000

This video was something I put together while struggling with a video project I had to do for a class assignment. I was dreading the thought of having to use any other movie making software that wasn't the very user-friendly windows movie maker. Especially when the requirement was to use Final Cut Pro, when the only access I had to a Mac was the 2 hours at Uni a week! And nope, the lab wouldn't be available for out of class hours.

So I thought to myself..... let's give this one a try...

It's nothing big... nothing too interesting... but it was a start!

p.s. I forgot to include it in the credits, but credits for the song goes to sampleconstruct from soundsnap

No Smoking

noreply@blogger.com (~uRna~) — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 13:23:00 +0000

(this post is more of a second part to the previous post 'i WANT chocolate')

The other day when my boyfriend kindly suggested I should try out Zumba, I was enraged and then upset. Being the 'feminist' that I am, I sit there thinking, how dare he!?! I thought he loved me for who I was and not expected me to be one of those girls you see in magazines! I think to myself, there is NO WAY I will ever lose weight just because someone tells me I need to lose weight (well I guess a doctor would have the right). I mean, my BMI is fine, I'm not over weight... I just like to indulge myself in the normal junk food every now and then. And yes, during that time of the month I do have a slightly greater desire to chuck down more chocolates and more comfort food.

And so there started my personal debate of whether to make my boyfriend happy or to stick to my guns about losing the weight only for myself. As you will see from my previous post about weight loss and body image, I strongly believe that losing weight should not be because that's what society is pressurizing us to do, but about something you are doing to make yourself happy and for your own wellbeing- whether it be mental or physical. I guess it does sound selfish, and I agree it is. But why should you torture yourself only to make yourself miserable?

While thinking about this, I began to ponder. If I get all defensive for him asking me to 'watch my weight', is it fair for me to ask him to quit smoking?

It's been almost a year we've become serious and his smoking has always bothered me. And it's been awhile I've been hinting that he needs to quit and more recently I've REALLY begun to stress on the fact that it needs to happen.

Now me asking him to quit smoking is for his own health; and me being a non-smoker... well I would say I qualify to say that smoking is bad. But if I think that it's not fair for him to expect me to change because he doesn't like what I eat, why should I expect him to stop smoking because I don't like him smoking.

I guess I still feel confused as to what is really fair in this situation; but one thing I am certain about is my boy. I know that he'd never be happy knowing that I'm not and he'd never ask me to do something against my will or something that would make me miserable. I also know how hard he is trying to give up smoking, something which he really does not seem to want to do, but is doing just to make me happy. Taking these things into consideration plus the fact that I, myself, feel I need to do something about my oh-so-lovely love-handles, I've decided to give Zumba a try....

Images

1. Greece launches anti-smoking campaign ahead of July ban http://www.topnews.in/greece-launches-antismoking-campaign-ahead-july-ban-2158872

2. My own photo

3. Don't look for me, I'll get a hand http://www.afreeman.org/2009/05/05/dont-look-for-me-ill-get-a-hand/

i WANT my chocolate!

noreply@blogger.com (~uRna~) — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 11:23:00 +0000

When boys ask us to loose weight, is it really for our own benefit? Is it really about looking after our health and staying healthy? Frankly I, like many others out there,

don't think so. I guess for those guys who are actively working on keeping themselves healthy as well, it's fair that they are asking their girlfriends or wives to loose the extra kilos; but when a guy who doesn't really show much interest in his own health tells you to keep off the chocolate... you begin to wonder... is it fair?

Weight gain/loss has been a big issue for young girls and women of all ages. And now more than ever with celebrities and models with the 'perfect' bodies being thrown at your face in all forms of media outlets, not being conscious even the tinsiest bit is a very hard thing for even the most stubborn feminists. And now, with the well toned bodies of male celebrities like Christiano Ronaldo and Taylor Lautner (playing Jacob in Twilight) being thrown around in the mediasphere, body image is not only an issue for girls and women, but men as well.

Maintaining a 'nice' figure is something that most of us are after. Who wouldn't like to be able to slip into a swim suit at the end of winter without worrying about the unwanted wobbly bits? Who wouldn't want to look like a Victoria's Secret model? We all do! And because we want to achieve that picture perfect look, many even resort to more unnatural ways of shedding the kilos like surgery and pills. What's sickening, however, is when young girls, especially teens (and even pre teens!) go on crash diets to look like their role models they see in magazines and television. But the thing that many of us forget to realize is that these celebrities and models are paid to look the way they do; they earn a living through their looks (with a minority actually using their skills and talent).

But why is it that even though we know that the perfect figure exists only in magazines and among celebrities whose priorities lie in maintaining such a figure, we feel guilty while devouring a Ferrero Rocher or a double chocolate mud cake! Possibly it has to do with the society we live in that promotes skinny and size 0. Perhaps it has to do with the thought of visiting relatives who will comment on your weight gain, even if they haven't met you in over a year, making it seem like your weight is in fact the most important issue on the table.

Well regardless of our reasons behind boys asking us to watch what we eat because it is for our own good, or because you want to look like worthy of featuring in the next fashion magazine; it should make you happy, because in the end it is your body.

Images (in serial order)

1. I Wish I knew how to lose you- The Weight Loss Thread http://www.bettermost.net/forum/index.php?topic=44577.0

2. Weight Loss Kids http://www.almightydad.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/weight-loss-kids.gif

3. Miculka Madnesshttp://miculkamadness.blogspot.com/2008/06/weight-loss-wednesday.html

Ze Moon & Me

noreply@blogger.com (~uRna~) — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 13:30:00 +0000

One of my good friends once told me that by sticking to a fruit and yogurt diet on the new moon and full moon days we would be able to loose a fair bit of weight. Now who, especially women, wouldn't want to loose a bit from here and there? So I decided to give it a try.

I decided to start off on my diet on the new moon as many people say the new moon as many people say the new moon is an auspicious day to start something new and the full moon is when the project should be completed. So, does the full moon really have an affect on us? Some say that the full moon and new moon influence the way we act, feel and behave and even our success in loosing weight. Others, however, suggest that the so-called lunar effects are nothing more than false superstitions that people believe and sensational news that journalists prey upon.

Full Moon from my bedroom window

Chudler in John Roach's article for the National Geographic News in 2004 states that people have selective memories and if something unusual happens to fall on a full moon, people would rather assign blame to the full moon than look for other answers. Chudler adds that people fail to realize that just because a study finds a relationship between a full moon and strange behavior does not necessarily mean the moon is the cause of it.

Tides along Aireys Inlet

So does the phase of the moon really affect our feelings and behavior? Or does the moon only affect the oceans' tides? Some people believe that the human body being made up of so much water is the reason why the different phases of the moon has such an effect on us.

Whether or not the the moon really makes people crazy (ier), whether or not the new moon is an auspicious day to start something new and whether good things happen on the full moon, it is fun to believe in something supernatural. Stories of what happened and what may happen under full moon are all a part campfires and slumber parties; who will be brave enough to go to the bathroom alone with no other light than that cast by the full moon and a flashlight.

And whether the moon really has any real effects on us, who knows! Who knows if we loose weight on the new/full moon because of the moon or whether we are loosing the weight because we are making an effort and we believe we will? Belief also plays a large part in our lives; simply believing in something helps make it come true.

View from Cohi Bar, Darling Harbour, Sydney

References:

Roach, J (2004). "Full Moon Effect on Behavior Minimal, Studies Say". National Geographic News. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/12/1218_021218_moon_2.html

Dreamz

noreply@blogger.com (~uRna~) — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 04:26:00 +0000

Dreams are strange... dreams are weird... some make you feel like the world is full of possibilities and that you're ready for anything coming your way. Others, however, make you feel like you'd rather just crawl back into bed and conjure up and another dream to get rid of that horrible after taste you've just been left with.

You know how they say some people remember their dreams and some don't; well I've always been one of those people who vividly remembers a dream and in many cases had dreams that have been some kind of prophecy into the future. And because of this, I've always had this deep fascination when it comes to dreams.

Now, a few days back I had this horrible dream. It started off as a more super-hero/fantasy type of dream where my friends and I were jumping off a building and making circles in the air (yes, I know, it makes no sense and was totally random... as I was dreaming, I was thinking huh?). And then I've jumped off the building, but this time I no longer have superpowers and am falling... plunging to the cement. And I was desperately praying that I die on impact and not have to feel the pain of hitting the ground. The next thing I know, I'm in a Buddhist monastery... sitting with a lady (and for some reason she looked a lot like An San Su Kyi) and a lama. He was preaching and telling me that my death and birth fell on astrologically similar days. And that's when my present life started flashing before my eyes. I see my parents in Kathmandu, Saurav and Sabarnee here in Melbourne trying to figure out what to do with all my things.... and all of a sudden I just felt so alone and as though it was them who died and left me alone in some new world. Then I started to cry and demand to see my grandparents - those who've passed away, and finally I woke up.

It was well and truly like a whole new world. And while demanding to see my grandparents, I began to think, is this what happens when you die, you enter a world where everything is different, but all your memories from the life you've left behind remains? This got me to cry only harder.

So like many times in the past, I got on the web and googled "dream interpretations death" and like I expected I found numerous articles saying that dreaming of death does not mean I'll die or anyone close will die, it just means a change is coming my way. And it can be good or bad.... a lot like the DEATH card in tarot reading....

YES I know a big change is coming my way.... job-wise and in many other ways-wise... But WHAT are these changes going to be?? and when will I know??? I hate being in the state of *limbo*

My last question on this is just how far do we take dreams to hold symbolic meanings? Sometimes we dream certain things and we know it's because of something we've seen, experienced or felt during the day or at night; but other times we jump up and exclaim, oh this means that I'm going to find a new job! Are dreams just a part of what is happening around us or do they hold some deeper truth... some deeper meaning that comes alive only as our unconscious mind is at work?

Buddha Jayanti--- Buddha's day, Buddhism and some Debates I Find Interesting

noreply@blogger.com (~uRna~) — Thu, 27 May 2010 22:52:00 +0000

So what is this Buddha Jayanti I mentioned in my earlier post?

Buddha Jayanti, which many Westerners know as Buddha's Birthday, is also known as Buddha Purnima, Baisakh Purnima or Vesak among different followers of Buddhism. This is the day that Buddhists not only celebrate the birth of Prince Siddhartha Gautam who later became the Gautam Buddha we know of and hear of today, but this is also the day that he attained Enlightenment and the day he passed away into Nirvana.

Prince Siddhartha was born on the full moon day in May in 642 BC* in Nepal's southern district of Kapilbastu in Lumbini. Now, most of us know the story of how Prince Siddhartha became Lord Buddha; his leaving behind his wife and newly born son and the luxuries of palace life in search of a way out of old age, sickness and death. How through 7 years of meditation he learned of the middle path and how he passed away peacefully after attaining Enlightenment at the age of 80.

And as a child growing up in a Buddhist household, I always listened to these stories in fascination and awe thinking how cool was I to have such an inspirational religious teacher (as I had been taught, Lord Buddha is not a God but a teacher and leader). And now, as I have read more about Buddhism and am more exposed to issues regarding the religion and the characters from the stories I had so much cherished as a young girl, I've begun to see Buddhism in a new light.

First of all, I've begun to feel that Buddhism is not really just a religion. It is more a way of life and is about the "middle way". Possibly it's the way that I've been brought up, but to me being a Buddhist means not killing/harming other living beings, not stealing, not lying, not getting addicted to addictive substances and remaining faithful to one's partner (this last one never really meant much to me personally until just recently though); it means understanding moderation and understanding impermanence; but most importantly, it means helping those who are less fortunate by doing what we can, even if it means just helping them pick up some books they have dropped.

Having always thought Buddha to be a messenger of peace and tolerance I was shocked when I first heard of women's groups challenging Prince Siddhartha's choice to leave behind his wife and child. I had always seen this as a sacrifice for the greater good, the Mahayanist approach where you try and help as many people as you can through your actions.

Another debate which has been prevalent for years is the birth place of Buddha. Many history books confirm Prince Siddhartha was born in Lumbini, Nepal and attained Englightenment in Kushinagar in India. However, I have come across numerous sources stating, nay, claiming his birth was in India; some even going to the point of claiming Lumbini is in India. In this debate, I would say, yes his Enlightenment was in India, but how does that make him born in India? I was born in Nepal and spent a great deal of my childhood in the States, no one, not even myself would consider me as an American!

And another popular debate is as a Buddhist must you be vegetarian? All Nepali monks and nuns whom I have asked this question to ask in return, can you point to any text saying you must be a vegetarian? Did you know Buddha himself ate meat if that is what was provided to him in his bowl. But then how about the first precept, paanatipaata wayramani sikkhapadam samadiyami or I shall not kill/harm other living beings. According to what I was told, as long as it is not you choosing which animal to kill or actually killing the animal, you are not breaking this precept. Many people, however, prefer to take this precept to mean you will not be a part in any way of the killing of animals. Which is a fair point of view; but then it seems to me to be taking it to the extreme.

I guess everything really comes down to your own interpretation of the texts and the religion, but I think that one of the reasons why Buddhism has been the peaceful religion that it is is namely because of its belief in the middle way and remembering the importance of not taking anything to the extremes.

References:

*Lumbini- Birthplace of the Buddha. http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/lumbini.htm

Ven. Mahinda. "Significance of Vesak- Buddha Day". http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/lumbini.htm

Lumbini Image. http://en.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enwiki/548000

my first post!

noreply@blogger.com (~uRna~) — Thu, 27 May 2010 12:21:00 +0000

what better day than Buddha Jayanti to start something new. i've already missed my birthday, as well as new years- the english, nepali and newari ones- and as a Buddhist, i can consider this as a kind of beginning of a new year as well. blogs have been "in" for quite awhile now; i, however, am just learning the art. i've refrained from embracing this "new medium" but i've begun to feel that i wanna jump into it. i've always wanted to create my personal space where i can write what i feel, explore different things that i'm interested, and tell the world (well anyone who will read) what i have to say. in other words, this blog is the words for MY voice.