http://jsassy.tumblr.com/

Student asks the Internet to summarize a book, and the author...

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 09:41:07 -0400

Student asks the Internet to summarize a book, and the author responds. Funny!

It’s a mini Forrest Gump! More kids as iconic movie...

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 10:12:37 -0400

It’s a mini Forrest Gump! More kids as iconic movie characters: http://bit.ly/MLB1Zp via @vulture

Photo

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 13:26:12 -0400

Photo

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 13:21:55 -0400

Well hello there, Matt Bomer #whitecollar

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 13:07:39 -0400

Well hello there, Matt Bomer #whitecollar

The majestic Taj Mahal

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:52:43 -0500

The majestic Taj Mahal

This is what it looks like when your bus driver decides to drive...

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:47:00 -0500

This is what it looks like when your bus driver decides to drive down the wrong side of the road in order to get you to McDonald’s. For the record, this did not seem to faze the oncoming traffic one bit.

Delhi: It's raining men

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:51:52 -0500

I’m going to be writing about things a bit out of order, lots of thoughts to catch up on.

We just returned from our mini foray into northern India. One of the most salient observations we had in Delhi is that there are almost no women in the streets. On a journey into the market on a Monday afternoon, three American girls would have stood out anywhere in India. But here, we stuck out even more because every single person we passed was male. It was disconcerting. Whether they were shop owners, shoppers, beggars, drivers, etc., all men. We thought that maybe it was just this area, but even when we were back near our hotel, women were completely absent from sight. This had not been the case in Mumbai. The only exception was when we entered what we’ve nicknamed the “wedding section” of the market, which I’ll write about later. So where are all the women in Delhi?

Have a smokey day

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 06:03:12 -0500

What do you think the different types of weather are? You have sunny, cloudy, rain, snow, sleet, hail. Partly cloudy, overcast, windy, etc.

In India, I’ve been introduced to a new weather forecast: Smoke. When I opened the Weather Channel app here, it said 24 degrees (that’s Celsius) and “Smoke” with an image that looks like a moon with a wispy cloud in front of it, except it’s a daytime forecast. I don’t really know why this qualifies as a type of weather, but when I stepped out onto the rooftop terrace, the weather was warm and sunny with the distinct smell of smoke. (See previous post about the smells of Mumbai.) It was a bit hazy out, but visibility was relatively clear. The only thing that was “smokey” about this beautiful day was the smell. Curious…

Sugar and Spice

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:24:26 -0500

You always hear about how the food is spicy in India, but what no one ever mentions is how sweet it is, too. I know, seems like a contradiction, but if a dish isn’t spicy, then it’s sweet. Coffee and tea are both served with enough spoonfuls of sugar to please Mary Poppins. My favourite dessert, Gulab Jamun, is fried balls of dough in sugar syrup. Even today, a member of my project team ordered a pizza; it was basically a salad on top of pizza dough that was coated in brown sugar. Conclusion: This is the land of sugar as much as it’s the land of spice.

Second first impressions of Mumbai

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 07:26:30 -0500

When I walk around Mumbai, I can’t help but notice the diversity of smells. Some are pleasant scents, like roasting wood or spicy curry. Some are… not, like decaying garbage and human excrement. One moment, something disgusting catches your nose, and just when you think you can’t bear it anymore, the breeze wafts in something sweet. I’ve never been as aware of scent as I am in this city.

New York is dominated by sound, Paris by sight, Florence by taste, and Mumbai, most definitely, by the sense of smell.

Cookies and Cream Cupcake

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 13:48:32 -0400

Cookies and Cream Cupcake

Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:36:19 -0400

Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa

ispyafamousface: The Battle of Serenity Valley wasn’t the first...

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:26:51 -0400

ispyafamousface:

The Battle of Serenity Valley wasn’t the first time Nathan Fillion saw combat. Here he is in the iconic WWII film Saving Private Ryan, as Private Ryan… albeit not the Private Ryan they were trying to save.

WOW! Cookies + peanut butter cups. Need. These. Now.

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:27:20 -0400

WOW! Cookies + peanut butter cups. Need. These. Now.

Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Torte

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:25:39 -0400

Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Torte

Golden Snitch Butterbeer Cake Pops

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:23:59 -0400

Golden Snitch Butterbeer Cake Pops

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:19:22 -0400

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

Apple Pie

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:16:20 -0400

Apple Pie

Chocolate Tart

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:15:27 -0400

Chocolate Tart