Order 66

Caves

2011-07-28T22:41:00.000-07:00

Painting supposedly comparable to the Mona Lisa in the Ajanta Caves

One of the most famous Hindu carvings in the Ellora Caves.

These past few days I was in aurangabad, India, looking at caves that dated back to 600 B.C. and a fort that was never conquered.

The first thing I saw was the ajanta caves, which are the older of the two. The caves were made by hammer and chisel being used on stone. Then the people painted the caves. The ajanta caves are primarily buddhist with a huge statue of the man himself generally sitting in a teaching pose at the end of each cave. The caves are full of paintings all over the place and a few cool carvings. Even back then, they could paint in 3D. There is a painting there that the tour guide kept comparing to the mona lisa.

Then, we saw the ellora caves. They were even more interesting because there were Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain caves there, all built at the same time. The people all knew about the others making their own caves, but no fighting ever broke out. It was an unprecedented example of religious tolerance during a time where Europeans were killing each other over religion. And the crafting was very intricate. In these caves, I saw about 30 bats - from about 10 feet away, of course. I couldn't abide the smell of bad guano.

I also saw this fort nearby made by the king at the time the caves were being built. It looked quite annoying and costly to defeat. The ground was uneven, there were traps everywhere, and almost all of the doors were leading to nowhere. The fort was designed to make it almost impossible for siege machines and battering rams to be effective. There were 5 walls to be breached, each more difficult and costly than the last. Then, there was a moat. If the army managed to cross that, they were vulnerable at the end of a downhill slope where they could be massacred. The closest any army ever came to taking the fort was taking out the fourth wall.

Now the fort is infested with monkeys that steal your food, bats that roost anywhere that can be called indoors, and a moat that has no crocodiles or poisonous snakes, but does have a lot of algae and trash. The one other thing I learned from this trip was that trains are easier to sleep in that planes.

If blog.com does delete my blog and this is my last post, I have enjoyed writing this blog, making order 66 a purge of the bad instead of the good. Thank you for reading.

Blood-Sucking Parasites

2011-07-21T01:15:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have been in contact with me recently, the following revelation will probably make you either laugh or wince with sympathy. Probably laugh: I detest mosquitoes, and feel that the world would be an infinitely better place without them.

Right now, I am in Hyderabad, India and have been suffering inordinately at the hands/mouths of those murderous pests. My first mosquito bite grew to the size of a computer mouse on my left foot. It actually hurt to walk. But that was only the beginning. All told I now have 31 mosquito bites, and am only now able to wear my shoes at all.

I have told my friends that I feel like a human juice box except for the fact that I get bigger when drunk from. This would be funny if I wasn't in so much discomfort. Doesn't stop my friends from laughing, though.

There are other parasites here, though they don't suck blood. Monkeys come and steal food, beggars take money, and guests like myself use up time. Well I guess guests aren't entirely parasites, as they give back company. But sometimes it doesn't stop me from feeling like a large mosquito that sucks time and energy rather than blood and leaves behind only company and used up tubes of anti-itch and -mosquito cream. Anyway, hello from Hyderabad.

Summer

2011-07-12T22:42:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a fairly short post.

When I think of Summer, I think of an idyllic scene, going out to play tennis when the weather isn't too hot, hanging out all over with friends, and playing inordinate amounts of video games. And that is what Summer is supposed to be, or so I'm told.

However, this has never been the case for me. I came closest this year after graduating high school, only because I finally dug my heels in (and couldn't find a paying job). But before that, summer for me was lots of camps, hanging out at home doing work forced on me by my parents like a good little boy, and generally not having very much fun. There were rare moments of fun there, but generally summer was like school except drunk/stoned.

Of course, the monotony was occasionally broken up by trips to India every few years, or a vacation to D.C. and one to Plano, Texas. But those instances were very few and far between. And somehow my parents seemed to think I needed to pay for the fun I had on those trips, and made me do even more "homework".

So basically summers were the opposite of what they were supposed to be. Only this summer, 2011, have I even begun to get what I missed out on. I have been able to play about an hour of video games a day, which is an hour more that I got previous summers. I have had no work to do, and got to go hang out more than the usual 0 times, was able to play more tennis, and traveled to India.

But even that little gift has a huge drawback, namely unceasing hounding by my parents about my lack of a job, the fact that they don't think I'm doing anything constructive with my life, and my need to learn to do so many things for college (despite the fact that they earlier confirmed that I could in fact do all of those things.

I wonder how many kids face this right before going to college. But as a whole, my summer has been pretty awesome compared to what I was used to. I got to play more table tennis than I did any previous summer. I got to see some of my cousins, and more friends than usual. And I have a new website to end my perpetual problem of not enough music to listen to. turntable.fm. Try it out!

But think on what summer for you is supposed to be or should be, and what it really turned out to be. How big is that gap? And is it wrong to have such expectations of summer? I know some of your summers have been better than mine, but that is beside the point. Summertime is a time that is said to be the funnest time of the year, but it has always been a bit of a letdown.

Or that's my take on it at least. What do you think? Try posting a comment. And Have A Great Summer!

Priorities

2011-01-17T22:17:00.000-08:00

First of all, sorry for not posting anything for a long time. Now on to the post...

People always seem to tell you that you need to set you own priorities. However, when you set your priorities, they do not like the priorities you have set. What they really mean is for you to set priorities that they like and agree with. Take me for instance. One of my top priorities was

My top priorities did not include this blog last semester. This blog was an opportunity for me to make myself less stressed, when I had the time to write in it. However, as time went on, I found less and less time to post anything. Now that my priorities have shifted a little bit, I hope to be able to post once a week at least.

Now to me, priorities are when you act on the basis of certain activities or actions being more important to do than others. So, my not writing on this blog for a long time would indicate that I did not really care about it as much as I did my school work, which is true. However, those priorities have shifted, making this blog a higher priority on my list. Some of my consistently high priorities include gchat, schoolwork, reading, and of course playing video games/watching movies.

Why did I leave Facebook off that list? Because I only truly need to use it for school purposes. Otherwise, I don't really even go onto it. It was not a priority. I never felt a day lacking if I didn't go on to Facebook. In fact, that would be a good day. It would mean that I had no work left, and was able to get in touch with friends in other ways. So, that time sucking website is no priority of mine.

Now, everyone has priorities, but they are not always considered "right". People are all different and, going with that theme, they have different values. What my parents value, I might have no value for. And neither set of values is necessarily wrong.

Some of my friends have priorities that range from watching secret garden to hanging out with friends all day in college. Yet if their top priority is not school work, that is not a bad thing. Just because their priorities differ from the mandates of society does not automatically condemn them to being inferior beings. In fact, they could be better people with the priorities society smiles upon.

In conclusion, please think on what a priority is to you, and when others tell you that you need to get your priorities straight, do not heed them. Jut be sure that your priorities are the best and correct priorities for you, in order for you to live the life that you want to live.

So once again, sorry for the Brobdingnagian wait between posts. I just had higher priorities at the time...

Double MC - PS and BT

2010-10-27T22:57:00.000-07:00

You know all them MCs
they ain't got nothin' hiding up their sleeves
we're be just as cool in a breeze
n beat them mcs out of their pay
but you know you can try to compete
but i wont miss a beat/gotta catch up with that beat
you gotta be able to take the heat
make sure that them rappers don't eat
you like a little snack
man you know i got your back
n i make up 4 what u lack
freestylin' is always better with a friend
with a buddy to the fun there is no end
gotta go with them to the end of the bend
and you can even send or lend
a line
you know you just gotta grind, cuz you're both going blind
but you won't be behind
as you will no doubt find
i'm sure them other rappers will mind
as they think you leaving them in the dust is not kind
but fuck em, we'll say every last line
on those lines them bitches will dine
we so high flyin' them other rappers be dyin'
all those other rappers watchin,' hoping its the last time
but we ain't buyin', man our music is sublime
we're doin' so well, we're committing a crime
everytime we see a rapper we say, we didn't spend a dime
to get to this super-stardom
'n that ain't a crime
like we livin' in harlem
man 2pac and biggie, they just lookin' at what hit them
they don't know we're among them till we done
bein' amid them, 'n decide to eclipse em
we're partners in this industry, we're like biggie, at the top of this tree
but we know that getting to the top don't come free
thats why we gonna be the smartest rappers you'll ever see

-freestyle rap by PS and BT

What is Brotherhood (or Sisterhood)?

2010-10-23T22:19:00.000-07:00

First of all, sorry for taking so long to get this post up. I've been really busy lately.

What is the true definition of a brother or sister? Is it your biological sibling, or is it a friend you have known since you were a toddler? Or is it a friend who comes to your house after school and wears your clothes? Or is it all three, and then some?

I have many siblings who were not my siblings through birth. They all came into my family through different and special circumstances. Some I have known since elementary school, in which we didn't get along at first - in fact, we used to fight a lot. Now Aamoy comes to my house and wears my clothes while we prepare for physics. We are really close as a result of our mutual attendance to Faria, Kennedy, and Monta Vista. He is always the first to know about anything awesome or lacking in my life.

Then there is Tehniya, whom I met in our sophomore year in Señora Autran's class. We immediately got along, and quickly became friends. However, she wasn't really my sister until the middle of junior year, and I only really realized that in my senior year. I always look forward to seeing her name pop up in my chat list, and cherish all of our special conversations.

Then, using the transitive property, I gained both Domo and Helena as sisters. I say the transitive property because they were already siblings of my brother Aamoy. Therefore, they had to be my sisters. Domo is the kind of sister who it is really weird to talk to but fun. I met her in Señora Autran's class as well. We have totally random conversations, and she is always busy with something. However, she always finds time to talk to me when I need to, and we frequently chat only in Spanish. We both love talking about my discovery of the pedophilic Mickey Mouse, though she both loves and is afraid of him. Helena is a perfect older sister. She knows everything about math and science, and I have been friends with her for a while. She helps Aamoy and me with physics while juggling her busy schedule and the position of Robotics president, which she richly deserves. She also offers moral support, kind words, and psychological support to us whenever we need them. She is the reason I have c-clips all over my backpack now.

Next up is a family friend - Sumana. We have a nice easy relationship in which we insult each other, and I mostly win with my impeccable logic. I always enjoy our conversations. I have known her since early elementary school. I know her better than I know most of my other siblings. I have been trying to get her to say "*" instead of "wait" on chat, but it doesn't seem to be working.

This is a type of siblinghood that comes into being rather than stemming from familial ties. It has its own power.

The next type of siblinghood is actual relation, though not an immediate relation. This has the bonus of both familial ties, as well as the ability to form friendships.

Of this category, first there is Kedar, though I mean to show no favoritism here. He is a law genius, and whenever he is on chat, I always enjoy talking to him. When I went with my family to Texas, I got a lot closer to him, as well as Sohini, Tanya, and Trisha. I really look up to Kedar, and always seriously consider his advice. I regret that we don't get to meet up often enough.

Next is Kedar's sister, Sohihi. Sohini is not frequently on chat, so I don't get to talk to her as much as I do to her brother, but I enjoy all of our conversations. The highlight of my summer was going to Texas to help out with her arangetrum. She is amazingly dedicated to everything she does, and I hope that when she applies to Universities next year, she chooses to come to California.

Third up is Tanya. She stayed with us during the summer, but I wish we had gotten to spend more time together. She is totally cool and smart. It is without fail amazingly fun to talk to her. She is always so enthusiastic about everything, that I find myself being influenced out of my now usually melancholy mood, to become enthusiastic right along with her.

Tanya's twin is Tricia. I have hung out with Tricia the least, which is a total bummer. Tricia is the happiest of all of my second cousins. She is always so bouncy and almost always down to do something. Whenever I talk to her, I find myself becoming happier, just because she is so happy all the time.

Then there is the definition of actual siblinghood in which we share the same mother. That is Chirag and Divek, who are reading this over my shoulder as I type. They are pretty good brothers, unless they're in a mood to be annoying. They do flatter me by trying to do everything I do. And apparently they look just like me. Then there is Vivek, aka Bubs to everyone who knows him, who is in elementary school. Then there is his sister, Hemani aka Cookie. Everyone calls her cookie, and she is the most amazing 3-year-old ever. She loves almost everybody she meets. Last and by no means least is Dhara. She is an extremely sweet, quiet, and earnest little girl of 2 years old. I love how she cannot say blueberries properly, and ends up saying "blueBOYS!".

Anyway, whatever the type, family is very important, and all of it should have an important place to you. I know it does for me. I could not survive without my siblings helping me along and putting up with me. Muchas Gracias. You guys are all awesome.

The Beginning - Blog intro

2010-10-13T17:51:00.000-07:00

It was an unusually hot day in the middle of October, as an average-looking teenager typed away at his computer. He was an Indian boy, not Native American, about 5'9" or so with disheveled, short black hair, an expensive- and new-looking silver watch, a black t-shirt, and jeans. He was divested of his glasses at the moment, and was scrutinizing the screen like he'd quite like to drive a brick through the computer. In his ear sat headphones - the ones that come free with the iPods. As he continued to type, he appeared to feel a something on his temple and the back of his head, as he reached back to rub there. As time went on, he rubbed in those spots with increasing frequency and vigor. His eyes started to show an abnormal amount of red pigmentation. The pressure in his head mounted to pain, then to agony, and still he typed furiously, fighting through.

"Just five more minutes, then I'll take medicine... I'll drug myself," He muttered repeatedly. Suddenly the garage door opened and the boy's mother entered, with the boy's 13 year old brothers - twins - in tow, who were chatting excitedly about how awesome being a WEB leader was. He turned to face them, but was forestalled by his mother's shriek.

"God! What did you do to your eyes?"

"I don't know. What did I do? I have a really bad migraine, and I'm seeing red spots all over, if that is an explanation."

"There is more red in your eyes than white! This is bad. I'm giving you medicine for the migraine and a cool towelette for your eyes. Now rest."

The boy contemplated the only thing contemptible at the moment: his migraine. And he thought, "If I have beaten these things, why is this one still so bad? Man, this is so stressful." Suddenly he had an idea. "I'll do what my facebook brother Aamoy does when he is really stressed. I'll make a blog and call it: Order 66, because I am such a Star Wars geek.

--Welcome everybody to my new blog, Order 66, which is a reference to the movie Revenge of the Sith, when Emperor Palpatine orders the clones to kill all Jedi. I know this post has no real meaning or significance, but this is just an introduction. Welcome.