Annual Thanksgiving List

Overall I'm extremely thankful this year, I'm in relatively good health, have plenty and then some, am surrounded by good friends and find my work engaging, challenging and rewarding, so this list could be long but I'll keep it to

TOP 20 THINGS I'M THANKFUL FOR:

1. There's a glimmer of hope that Americans are the smart, caring, welcoming, rational people that I thought they were and not the crazy extremists they appeared to be the last 6 years.
2. No monkey attacks in 2007! (a few scares and close escapes but no actual attacks)
3. Tenzing (my housekeeper) and Satender (my driver). I'd like to think I'm the world's best madam but I think I really lucked out to employ reliable, considerate, trustworthy people.
4. There are a few things I'm really glad I'm not:
• a driver in India (way too stressful)
• an expat spouse in India (being at work means not dealing w/ daily hassles)
• a low caste Indian, especially a woman
• all the beggars who come to my car window every day
• a fat turkey on Nov 22
• the mouse that ran out of my stove top burner while I was baking yesterday, I presume he saw his bro die based on the "fried rat" smell
5. Tentatively, for the Nepal peace treaty
6. The growing number of friends who can find excuses to come to India - it's been great seeing Imani, Katie Bonsignore, Rachel and Cheinan and how they see India. I'm looking forward to seeing many more of you in 2007!
7. That my crazy cat Kali (goddess of destruction) is growing out of the attacking kitten stage
8. That I was able to come home in Sept to see Eric's wedding as well as see so many of you all and have time w/ family at the shore
9. Beth, for allowing me to continually clobber her in scrabble
10. Skype, and I encourage more of you to get with the program
11. My trainer, for helping (nay, being the entire reason behind) me getting back into shape
12. That i don't have to wash dishes or toilets, make my bed, iron, do my laundry, dust, run errands or otherwise interrupt my busy and oh so important life
13. That I have at least another year of this:)
14. All of you, my friends. Those of you who are new, old, in so many parts of the world, from so many parts of my life, those who I talk to constantly, those who I can talk to almost never but w/ whom I know we can always pick up where we left off, those of you who challenge me, support me, make me laugh hysterically and/or inspire me. Thank you!
15. That I'm coming home for Christmas. I miss y'all and I really miss the food (no offense to Tenzing)
16. That women in India have small feet so I can find shoes
17. That I have a mother, who upon hearing that I went to my driver's new house and found he doesn't own any forks (indians eat with their hands) sent a cutlery set halfway around the world.
18. Star World, HBO, Z Cafe, Discovery, VH1, National Geographic etc for allowing me to watch ridiculous american programming, even here. Can I tell you how weird it is to watch 'Pimp My Ride' and realize that 70% of people here would gratefully accept the 'before' car?
19. My travel coffee filters, I don't know what I'd do without them. Stupid Nescafe!
20. mmmm...... pumpkin pie.

Strange lovely moments

So work has been so busy lately that I haven't had time to think about interesting things to write. I can however, tell you what's stopping men from wearing condoms!

But yesterday I went to see a Hungarian pianist play a relatively short solo concert and it got me to thinking that some of my favorite moments in India are doing totally non-indian things. It's not that I don't appreciate Indian culture, 'cuz I do, but rather it's interesting to see the mixture of cultures. For instance, last night the pianist finished an incredibly difficult Liszt piece took his bow and left the stage. About a quarter of the indians in the audience ran to the door (literally). This is common because there are usually so many people it's best to try to beat the mobs. But of course the rest of us stayed knowing there'd be an encore. He played a short Bartok piece for encore and then half the remaining Indians left. He played a total of three encores and you can imagine the audience was down to mostly foreigners by the time he ended.

Being part of the "foreign community" means I go to far more cultural events here than I did even back home - Sunday was the brazilian documentary about female prisoners, this weekend is some spiritual arts thing my old boss is co-hosting and then come the many many thanksgivings! Maybe it's not about being a foreigner so much as when your social opportunities are limited you take advantage of them more! Anyways, they are fun.

Happy Halloween!

Thought you might enjoy my incorrectly colored jack-o-lantern!

Delhi has been shut down for three days. Since the government is destroying any illegal businesses (which are most) all businesses joined together and declared three days bandh (strike). Of course this is the day I'm trying to make a bunch of cakes and my hand mixer breaks. Can't replace it until the bandh is over. There have been reports of massive traffic headaches and a lot of offices are closing but thankfully I have experienced none of that.

Things that make me smile and wonder:
-the street vendor announcing Savitri Bar Beq
-the ads for the upcoming season (2) of Grey's Anatomy that don't even mention or show the two main characters (the girl and Mcdreamy)