Ameet Rants

Feels like -21C

2008-01-20T12:07:00.001-05:00

Toronto is officially too cold for clouds. The 3 month long cloud cover finally lifted today to let in some sunshine. The first clear skies I've seen here since October (and that other time I was flying above the cloud layer).

Bliss

2008-01-17T22:56:00.000-05:00

Spent two blissful days in South Beach, Miami - away from the cold & gloom.

Trippy

2008-01-02T02:41:00.000-05:00

A friend shared this website featuring some really trippy, twisted animation. Check out Salad Fingers and Burnt-Face Man.

Tragic

2007-12-29T14:52:00.000-05:00

How low have we sunk as a civilization, when we can't even be trusted to brush properly on our own? Oral-B has a new toothbrush with built-in digital brushing instructions. Apparently a timer tells you how long to brush each side. Ugh.

The End of the Earth

2007-12-06T01:19:00.000-05:00

There's a place you won't see much of in coffee table books. You won't hear about it on travel shows. You won't hear your friends raving about it, even if they're from there. You won't be bombarded with last minute vacation deals to go there. It's probably one of the world's best kept secrets - and the locals would like to keep it that way - with good reason.

The place is Newfoundland. It's a craggy outcrop of land nestled next to the north east corner of the North American mainland. Rugged and divinely beautiful, its remoteness is obvious in each lungful of unpolluted air. Located on the Eastern end of the island is the city of St. John's. It's the capital of the Canadian provice of Newfoundland and Labrador and the oldest English city in North America. I had the opportunity to visit last month.

Expecting a dull, barebones small town adorned with bad hair and bad flannel, I was pleasantly surprised. I found a very proper English city with well-maintained Victorian homes, modern infrastructure and a thriving art scene. The people are warm, friendly and speak in a strange dialect (officially called Newfenese). Irish culture is everywhere. So is maritime culture - the North Atlantic kind. Fishing boats everywhere, big and small. This is stuff you don't see much outside of National Geographic specials.

As the soft autum twilight gave way to night, the sky lit up with countless stars. More than I have ever seen in my life. The feeling was almost otherworldly. Words can't do justice here. This tourism video tries hard. You have to go there to believe it. I will again. Next week. And then back in Spring for an extended vacation.

Acclimated

2007-12-04T02:56:00.001-05:00

After two not-so brutal Toronto winters, I think I've finally acclimated. The other day I stepped out of the gym around 6:30 in the evening. I had some stuff to pick up at the pharmacy. I came out and there was a snowstorm. I pulled my hood up and kept on walking - across the street, down three blocks to the nearest Shoppers. The old me would've walked the other way into the warm confines of my building.

Speaking of snow, this year we're really getting it. Lots of it. Snow, sleet, slush, freezing rain. It's only December 4th. Nasty winter ahead. Brrrr.

One Two Three Four

2007-11-17T11:25:00.000-05:00

Leslie Feist is a Canadian singer-songwriter with an undeniably folksy musical style. Here's a video of one of her recent singles - "1234". It was popularized in an iPod commercial. I love this video for it's simple and elegant, yet vibrant choreography. I can see why Apple chose it.

Autumn

2007-11-09T12:10:00.000-05:00

One is ablaze in all its crimson glory. Others refuse to let go. Autumn showers leave behind a gloomy haze. Deck chairs lie longingly on a rain-soaked patio. Pale white ghosts from the summer that was.

Scene from my window.

Reflections

2007-11-09T11:40:00.000-05:00

Washington, DC was never my first choice of places to live. In fact, I don't think it's anybody's. However, its insidious southern charm creeps up on anyone who spends more than a few months there. It's a lovely city with a commendable quality of life. It has some of the most beautiful public spaces anywhere in the world. It connects you with nature like no other city can. It draws highly talented individuals from all over the world who learn to make it home in their own way. It breeds a sense of community without ever really assimilating all its inhabitants.

Over my eight years in the Washington DC area, I got to know some wonderful people and made friends for life. Yet something seemed amiss. My life had gotten off track somehow. I couldn't put my finger on it. So I decided to leave and make a fresh start somewhere else. Last week, I got to revisit my old hometown and reflect on the changes over the past two years. I'm glad to say my life is somewhat back on track. I feel more at home now and more comfortable in my own skin. I'm not sure if this has anything to do with geography, but it has a lot to do with leaving behind old baggage and starting over.

Life is about taking chances. Some work out, some don't. The lesson here is that you don't have to be stuck with the bad choices in your life. When given the opportunity to change things, do it! I took a chance 2 years ago and I'm glad to say it worked out.

New York

2007-10-26T15:24:00.000-04:00

There's magic in the air. The city is cleaner and friendlier than I can ever remember. Or maybe I'm just getting used to urban chaos. It's nice to see my favourite city in the world bounce back from a tragedy and prosper again.

Shortbus

2007-10-26T02:36:00.000-04:00

Art is a process. Follow this process faithfully and you get something as magical as "Shortbus" - an explosion of raw, creative talent that takes you completely by surprise. You go in expecting pornography and when you come out, the only thing moist is your eye.

Shortbus is a story about longing and belonging. It's also the name of an underground club in New York City - "a salon for the gifted", where people come to partake all manners of sensual pleasures. Mostly they come for a sense of belonging, to find what's missing in their lives. For some, it might be true sexual pleasure. Sex is an inseparable part of our lives, yet most of us keep it locked away in a closet of shame. Shortbus puts it out there, front and centre. Yet, its overall role in the movie is merely textural.

Shortbus is also a movie about New York - a city undergoing a magical transformation after the wounds of 9/11. "This is where everyone comes to be forgiven," says an aging former mayor. There's a recurring theme of transformation and redemption. Instead of the customary aerial shots of Manhattan, you see a camera naughtily panning over a clay & cardboard model of the city. Full points for originality.

This is moviemaking at its finest. Watch it - even if the orgies offend you.

Back!

2007-10-26T02:19:00.000-04:00

I'm back. After a protracted bout of writers block and a summer spent crawling out of my skin, it's time to crawl back under a warm blanket and blog. Thoughts are racing to my fingertips like unruly kids storming out of a classroom on the last day before summer break. Playful, yet overwhelming. Hopefully I can turn these thoughts into coherent sentences and give my readers something to relish. Enjoy!

Au Revoir

2007-07-10T00:45:00.000-04:00

This blog is on indefinite hiatus. I haven't blogged since May and most of you probably guesssed that much. There's a lot going on in my life and my creative side has taken a back-seat to everything else. I hope to be back someday soon. Meanwhile, I'll continue to read your blogs and comment occassionally, and of course, will alert you when I'm back!

Until then, to those of you the Northern Hemisphere, enjoy the summer, and to those in the South, hang in there - warmer weather's just around the corner!

Au revoir.

Jetsam

2007-05-04T00:22:00.000-04:00

Anyone missing a 737? Try looking here.

It's scary to think this heap was actually ferrying passengers not too long ago.

Creep

2007-04-30T13:38:00.000-04:00

First Viagara, and now this. More proof that the world is run by creepy, leery straight men.

Union

2007-04-24T23:31:00.000-04:00

This Monday I attended my first gay marriage. It was a small, simple ceremony in an unremarkable room in the concrete tower of bureaucracy known as Toronto City Hall. A few close friends attended. A black minister in a grey academic gown presided. Vows were exchanged, rings were worn and signatures were placed on a beige piece of paper. One of those signatures happened to be mine, as a witness. V & K were united in matrimony in the eyes of the law. It took all of 15 minutes.

The fact wasn't lost on me that the piece of paper represented many years of struggle and countless hours of hard work by thousands of people across Canada and the world. It's a treasured manifestation of the equality principles enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights. Yet, it all seemed so anti-climactic. Specially after living through the endless debates on this topic in the US. It felt good to live in a jurisdiction that has turned gay marriage into a routine bureaucratic procedure.

As a side effect, the experience certainly made marriage feel a lot less intimidating. I feel encouraged to give it a try someday. Accepting applications now ;-)

The Epic That Isn't

2007-03-19T00:36:00.000-04:00

I'm glad to say I did not pay to watch 300. It was a friend's treat, after I bought him brunch. After all the buzz and positive reviews about a movie that supposedly broke new ground, I'm not impressed. In fact, I'm mildly offended. The only thing the movie broke is my faith in Hollywood's ability to tell good stories.

300 is based on a graphic novel by Frank Miller about the ancient Battle of Thermopylae where 300 brave Spartan soldiers took a stand against a gargantuan invading Persian army. Spoiler alert - of course, in the end they all died, but their story inspired all of Greece and somehow contributed to the inabiity of the Persian empire to thrust into Europe.

The movie is visually unique - it uses overexposed, grainy imagery and a monochrome palette to give a period feel. The CG work is excellent. The men are buff and sporting massive six-packs. However, all the blood & gore distracts from the fundamental story, which is rather simplistic. There are no epic wars being fought, alliances being forged or nations being conquered. It's the story of one battle. There're little background sub-plots thrown in to break the monotony, but they have little bearing on the principal storyline.

The movie also goes out of its way to depict the enemy as barbarians and thus, by inference, the Spartan warriors righteous. It's really over the top. The media calls this "Hollywood's invasion of Persia". Perhaps a retaliation for the overt anti-Semitic tirades coming from present-day Iran?

What I found personally offensive are the racist undertones in the setup. The Persian army presumably invaded from North Africa, and was thus made up of slaves from the area. It ended up being a battle of white Europeans vs. brown/black Asians with references to Asian culture being inferior - the classic white supremacy theory. I don't know if this was intentional - probably not. While I adore and respect Spartan bravery, I'm glad I did not pay $10 to watch my heritage being maligned. There's an Indiana Jones DVD on a sale rack somewhere that will do the job just fine.

American Idol

2007-03-14T00:13:00.000-04:00

While I'm no dedicated fan of the show, I'm certainly a fan of Ryan Seacrest. I first noticed him when he did an Oscars pre-show many many years ago - before American Idol. Of course, the usual rumours have been circulating about his sexuality. While he can be trumped by every other West Hollywood queen in the looks department, he has a certain on-screen charisma that I find very sexy.

Driven indoors by the cold Toronto winters, and wanting to make good use of my HD cable subscription, I've been watching a lot of American Idol this season. There's certainly a crescendo building up around Ryan's sexuality. Simon has been making jabs at him, and I've been carefully watching Ryan's responses. He's making measured retorts but doesn't get defensive about it. Today it reached a new peak when Simon asked Ryan to come out of the closet - in so many words. Wonder where this is going. My intuition tells me Ryan's going to make an announcement soon ;-)

Spring Is In The Air

2007-03-14T00:04:00.000-04:00

The ice is melting, the wind is gentle and humid, the grass is peeking through and the earth smells of spring showers. Days like this remind me that I've been whining too much and Toronto has lovely outdoor weather for half a year. Weather that invites you to step out and walk. A lot.

Thursday, the mercury dips below freezing. I'm not whining anymore.

Escape

2007-03-09T01:19:00.000-05:00

I need a vacation. A real vacation. Somewhere far from the bustle and close to nature. Someplace warm where I won't need five layers of clothes just to step out of home.

This winter is turning out to be one long endurance test. I am truly ready for Spring - which won't really be here till May. Sigh.

The Prestige

2007-03-09T00:44:00.000-05:00

One of the best movies I've seen in a long time. Run to the nearest DVD store and rent it. The plot is complex and incredibly clever. The performances, art direction and cinematography are flawless. If that's not enough, the two lead roles are played by Hollywood hotties Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman.

This isn't a movie to watch over dinner, or while making out with a date. This is a movie that demands 100% attention throughout. You won't have to try very hard though, it pulls you in from the very first scene. It's like watching a two hour magic trick. You're expecting to be deceived and you enjoy every moment of it. Enough said. Just watch it!

Update

2007-03-05T17:46:00.000-05:00

Hmm - I just realized my last three posts are weather related. I swear it wasn't planned that way but weather has been on my mind a lot. The only good thing about a Toronto winter is the fact that it tightens up your pores and keeps your skin clean. That and curling.

Ok - I'm just kidding about curling, which, for the uninitiated, is yet another pointless sport invented by the Scots out of sheer boredom. They spent their summers whacking a pebble around the meadows with a stick and called it golf. They spent their winters pushing a piece of rock on ice aided by the smoothening power of brooms and called it curling. I'm not making any of this up.

Some of you have expressed great concern at my absence from the blogosphere for - gosh - a whole month. I've been busy doing actual work for a change. Very interesting, yet intense work. This is my first normal week in a while. Hope to post more regularly going forward. Stay tuned!

Climate Change

2007-03-05T17:31:00.000-05:00

While the Bush administration has been busy re-christening global warming as cimate change for political reasons, they might have a point after all. Warming conjures up images of heat, sun and floods. Climate change manifests itself in more ways than that. Take today for example. They shut down the Gardiner Expressway and certain streets in downtown Toronto after baseball sized chunks of ice started flying off buildings. Some quotes from today's Toronto Star:

Experts say this is the first time since 1976 — when the CN Tower was finished — that the structure has seen such an ice buildup.

The cause was a rare confluence of weather factors beginning with the March 1 storm. The accumulations of wet snow and freezing rain (about 6 centimetres of snow and another 13 millimetres of rain) got the ball rolling.

That wouldn't be the first weather-related rare occurrence we've seen in the past couple of years. While Canadians may welcome the general rise in temperatures and look forward to someday spending March-break sunning themselves on the shores of Lake Ontario, we should realize that there may not be a Lake Ontario left by then.

An Inconvenient Truth

2007-03-05T00:00:00.000-05:00

Al Gore has finally made peace with himself. He may have been an average politician but he's a kick-ass campaigner for combating global warming. His movie, An Inconvenient Truth, is a taped version of his lecture on global warming, interspersed with vignettes of his life that cast him as an authorative figure on the topic. Regardless of his credentials, the arguments he makes are based on hard, irrefutable facts. It's impossible to watch this movie and still not believe in global warming.

According to Al Gore, we're like frogs in a pot of water, slowly simmering towards certain death. Parallels are drawn to the denial around the smoking crisis. His own family grew tobacco, he says, till the death of his sister from lung cancer shook them up. It's not all gloomy though, he says. We have the technology and means today to drive down emissions to pre-1970s levels. What's lacking is the political will.

Well, global warming is a real problem, whether Al Gore says it or not. Companies have been actively taking notice and buiding strategies around it. After all, climate change will impact bottomlines. The cost of doing nothing is probbaly far greater than the cost of adapting. It's a matter of getting people out of denial and to accept certain action plans.

On a more personal level, I have made changes to my lifestyle in the past two years that hopefully have some impact. My car stays mostly in the garage these days. I walk or take the transit to most places. I live in a condo with substantial heating/cooling efficiencies. I choose simpler foods with less industrial processing involved. On a professional level, I help businesses communicate electronically, thus saving paper and travel. My job involves a non-trivial amount of travel but I've always taken trains and car-pooled whenever possible. Am I doing enough? Time will tell.

Brrrrr

2007-02-04T16:12:00.000-05:00

Today's probably the coldest day of my life. The temperature outside is about -20C. With wind chill, it feels more like -35C. How cold is that? Well, your snot freezes in about 30 seconds. If you're foolish enough to leave any part of your skin exposed, it'll freeze and fall off after about 5 minutes.

So I'm stuck at home, lounging on the couch with my personal lap warmer - better known to you as Nina. I'm bored. I could probably find places to go to in the relative warmth of my car, but I don't feel like it. I have packing to do. Tomorrow I leave for the warmer coast. San Francisco isn't exactly warm, but I'm sure it'll feel warm after this.

Gamma?

2007-02-01T23:29:00.001-05:00

Blogger claims to be out of 'beta' now. Does anyone notice that it's now slower than usual? Or is it just me?

Is This for Real?

2007-01-31T14:00:00.000-05:00

This morning, I read a story in the editorial section of the Toronto Star. Not being fully awake, I couldn't figure out if it was a spoof or a true story. Apparently it's true.

The town of Herouxville in Québec, population 1,300, published some controversial rules on its website regarding new immigrants. Here's a translated excerpt:

"We wish to inform these new arrivals that the way of life which they abandoned when they left their countries of origin cannot be recreated here,"

"We consider it completely outside norms to... kill women by stoning them in public, burning them alive, burning them with acid, circumcising them etc."

For more juicy tidbits, read the BBC News version of the story.

Hooked

2007-01-30T23:55:00.000-05:00

Growing up in India, the only stimulant I developed a taste for is tea. Rich, dense black tea smothered in liberal quantities of whole milk and sugar. Occassionally we indulged in a little "Madras coffee", a percolated coffee decoction, once again smothered in liberal quantities of whole milk and sugar. Of course, upon moving to the US into a dinky little grad-school pad, preparing tea the traditional way was too much of a chore. Cautious doses from the school coffee maker yielded a dark, bitter drink that required way too much sugar to make palatable. The dusty dregs of a Lipton tea bag were no better. I thus resorted to Coca Cola for the ultimate sugar-caffeine kick. Of course, when you're 21 your body can take it.

Slowly, over time, I concluded that I just was not a coffee person. It was an acquired taste and I just wasn't going to bother acquiring it. I scanned various supermarkets, ethnic and gourmet stores for good teas. If you've lived in the US, you know they don't really understand tea - they try to make it taste like coffee - yuck! However, things slowly began to change. Loose leaf teas started showing up at gourmet stores. With a few tips from the web, and a classic, white English teapot, I was soon brewing rich, full bodies black teas in my kitchen. With a touch of milk and sugar, they were little cups of heaven - my revenge at all the coffee & cream addicts around me.

A year and a half ago, I moved to Toronto where - surprise, surprise - I found wonderful, full-bodied, bagged teas at supermarkets all over. Here's an easy test for a good tea. Flip the carton over and see where it's been packed. England? Yes. US? No. I finally settled for Tetley Orange Pekoe. It's cheap and available everywhere. That's my daily breakfast tea now.

By now you're probably wondering where I'm going with all this. Well, paitience has it's virtues :-)

About a year ago, I was introduced to the fabled Tim Horton's double double. To the uninitiated, it's a cup of regular coffee with two shots each of milk & sugar. Yes, milk, not cream. That makes all the difference in taste. Also, you can get a regular sized cup of this stuff for just over a buck. It was cheap enough to experiment with, and experiment I did. Slowly I fell under the spell of coffee and acquired the taste I found so alien just a few years ago. However, the real deal-closer was Rio. The Sheraton in Barra de Tijuca serves some excellent cafe com leite. I probably downed at least 4 cups of this stuff every day during my week there.

Of course, like any crack ... err .... caffeine addict, I wanted more. Since November, I've been experimenting with various brands, styles and flavors of coffee all around Toronto (and Barcelona). I've realized the secret is good coffee + warm milk. So far, it's a close race between Starbucks and Timothy's World lattés. Timmy's carries an excellent Ethiopian coffee sometimes. I like the way their lattés still have some crema floating on top. Starbucks meanwhile really jolts you awake. They probably have the highest caffeine levels. I've been going through at least a cup of this stuff every day, if not more. I really should stop. Oh but it's SO good! Sigh.

Compact Fluorescent Liability?

2007-01-30T20:39:00.000-05:00

Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs), more commonly known as energy efficient bulbs hit the market about 20 years ago as THE solution to the world's energy problems. A 11W bulb delivered the same light as a 60W old-fashioned Edison-era bulb. That's almost an 80% reduction in energy use. Sounds like a no-brainer - right?

Over time, these clunky, mini-tubes were shrunk & packaged to look more like household bulbs and could fit into a standard lamp. Adoption rates increased, volumes increased and prices dropped. These days you can buy a CFL bulb for not much more than a glass bulb. Problem solved - right?

It's not quite that simple. There's a fly in the soup. First, let's look at the energy efficiency argument. Edison found a way to turn electricity into light and heat. A household tungsten bulb typically converts 40% of the energy consumed into light and the remaining 60% into heat. Unfortunately, in most cases, we're only interested in the light. The heat goes to waste. Or does it? Not if it's freezing outside and you have the heating on. The heat from the bulb simply offsets the heat that would otherwise be generated by the furnace.

Secondly, let's look at the environmental impact of making CFLs. These are not simple devices by any means. The light-emitting piece is a thick glass coated on the inside with toxic chemicals and filled with a trace amount of mercury. The base consists of complex electronics that charge the tube. Some CFLs are then encased in special plastics. Overall, each CFL is a complex piece of technology that draws heavily from the petrochemical industry. Compare this with a simple glass bulb that's nothing but tungsten, glass and tin. I'm betting that the environmental cost of the former is much greater than the latter. And this is only at the manufacturing stage. After the CFLs fade away, there's a huge disposal cost as illustrated here.

Yes, CFLs do make sense in hot places. Yes, they do help shift heating loads from the electricity grid to other fuel sources like gas and oil. However, we must move forward cautiously while looking at the overall environmental impact of this technology.

Bigger & Better

2007-01-30T18:55:00.000-05:00

To those who had the misfortune of arriving in Toronto from the US on Air Canada or United, I offer sincere apologies on behalf of all of Canada. I am sorry for the 20 mins of sensory deprivation you experienced as you got off the plane and made your way to customs down a cold, dimly lit hallway. I'm sorry for that sudden twinge of panic as you wondered if your plane had entered a wormhole and landed in the former Soviet Union - in the 1960s. I'm sorry for the detention cell ... er .. customs hall where you waited and watched your hair turn gray. Please accept my sincerest apologies.

Yes, Terminal 2 at Toronto's Pearson airport was that bad. A relic from the 60s (probably designed by cruel British architects - probably the same ones who built Heathrow T3), it was a national disgrace that sent American tourists scurrying back home on the next flight. I can finally talk about it freely because two days ago, it saw its last flight. Yes folks, T2 is history. The nightmare is over. We are safe to fly again.

To mark this occassion, Peason airport held a "wake" of sorts for T2 this Sunday. I was half tempted to go, considering that T2 is where I officially became a Canadian resident. Of course, other priorities prevailed.

So what happens to the building now? In true Canadian fashion, there will be no bulldozers & earth movers. Instead, over the next two years, the terminal will be carefully recycled - down to the last block of concrete.

To make up for past indignities, we now give you this ultra-modern, bright, spacious masterpiece. I've flown through it a few times now and it's a sheer joy. Makes you feel good about being home. Designed by Moshe Safdie, who also gave us the National Gallery in Ottawa, the airport is the epitome of good planning, design & engineering. Everything's exactly where it should be. Everything works. It's also future-proof - the structure can be easily expanded to accomodate two more piers larger than the current ones.

Pearson T1 has another claim to fame. Pier F, which opened Monday, is the only North American airport to offer airside transit facilities to international passengers. While European airports have offered this for ages, the concept is new to North America. Given the increasing US security/visa/customs regulations, Pearson hopes this will make it the stopover of choice for non-US flights.

Mary Had A Little Lamb

2007-01-12T21:43:00.000-05:00

Poor Nina spent a little too much time in boarding in the past few months. The end result? A bad case of matted fur. The groomer had to crop it all down. She now looks like a miniature sheared lamb.

She hated the whole experience - the clippers, the vacuum, the bath and the dryer. She came home really, really pissed off. To make matters worse, it's winter and the poor thing is cold. I tried a jacket on her yesterday and she detested it like "the Donald" hates Rosie. She refused to move in it.

Neither of us slept well last night. She was probably too cold in her usual sleeping spot, and I had to wipe pee off the floor at 3am. Today's been hell trying to clean up the frequent mess at home. During my much needed evening nap, I finally caved in and took her up on the bed with me. That's been my one hygiene rule so far - no Nina on the bed. Well, she just seemed so cold & miserable today, I couldn't leave her out.

Tonight, I've once again put the jacket on her, hoping she gets used to it. It's been an ordeal. Aside from a few steps to fetch a treat, she's refusing to move. She's been in the same spot for the past 15 minutes, giving me the "how could you?" look and emitting heart-wrenching whimpers once in a while. I'll take the jacket off now and resign myself to one more day of cleaning crap off the floor.

Days like this make me wonder if I made a mistake.

My Job

2007-01-08T13:40:00.000-05:00

Barcelona

2007-01-05T22:55:00.000-05:00

Pictures speak a thousand words, but sometimes the heart just wants to sing. Enjoy this photo essay.

Gaudi

2007-01-04T14:02:00.001-05:00

Park Guell
Originally uploaded by fotoluvr.

Click to enter the whimsical world of Antoni Gaudi.

Visa

2006-12-21T15:13:00.000-05:00

visa: noun
1. an endorsement made on a passport by the proper authorities denoting that it has been examined and that the bearer may proceed
2. an entirely unnecessary & protracted bureaucratic formality

At least me thinks so. Today I can Google someone's name and find out all kinds of thing about a person. For a few dollars, I can instantly search public government records on the Internet. Why then can't border/customs people do the same for travellers? In this day and age of instant-everything, it's silly to require a tedious, tree-unfriendly, slow process just to ask permission to ask permission to enter a country. No, that's not a typo. Barring few countries like the UK, a visa is merely a permission to ask permission to enter. Why then should one have to photocopy one's whole life story, fill out a four page form, pay a fee and wait in the dark as the mysterious bureaucratic gears turn in eerie slience?

I have spent the last three days in a state of perturbation thanks to the bureaucratic inefficiences of the government of Spain. Nothing ranks lower in a government's list of priorities than issuing visas to travellers. It's very obvious in the customer service, or lack thereof, at consular offices throughout the world. The consulate of España decided to move offices just as I finished printing a whole forest worth of paperwork for my application. So, I hauled a trunk full of paperwork to their new office the day it re-opened and got merely a promise to try to process it on time. A phone call this Monday got me a callous, disheartening response: "I've processed your visa but waiting on approval from the ministry. I don't expect to get it before Christmas". Click.

I digested this fact in horror as months of preparation, not to mention expenses were hanging by a thread. If they didn't get the approval by today, I would not make my flight on the 27th. Lots of frantic emails flew around, potential workarounds were thrown out and I finally decided the sane option would be to stay home if this fell through. I had resigned my fate to the inevitable. My friends responded with party invitation and alternate plans for New Years eve.

Today was D-day. I put on my crappy/happy face, grabbed a latte and somehow, between here & Bloor, managed to pull it together so I wouldn't punch Señora Torre in the face. I carried my sour face up to floor 12 and spelled out my last name to an oldish Spanish lady. "One moment", she said. "Ah - here it is." And right there, just like magic, was my passport with a shiny new visa!!! I conjured up a happyish face, said a polite thank you and walked out staring in disbelief at the document in my hands.

Barcelona - here I come!!!!

Migration Complete

2006-12-13T02:04:00.000-05:00

After several weeks of constant prodding by 'the Google', I moved this blog to blogger beta. Also decided it's time for a new template. Hope everyone can find their way back here eventually.

Slump

2006-12-13T00:52:00.000-05:00

I've been in a bloging slump these past few months. Well - I've generally been in a slump. A friend just pointed out that it's obvious from my blog entries (or lack thereof). So, I thought I'd blog about that :)

Somewhere over the past year, I've seen my carefree, jovial state of mind erode away. This year, I've actually had to apply myself at work. Also, some changes this summer led to a more focused effort on my part to be successful. Obviously this has come at the expense of my personal life & sanity. It's time to stop this and return to a more 'normal' existence - i.e. getting drunk 3 nights a week.

Just kidding. It's obvious I need to find a better work/life balance. How does one go about doing that?

Lots of questions and decisions ahead. I hope the two weeks off will help clear my head.

Light & Dark

2006-12-08T23:35:00.000-05:00

I was told this is the reason the CN tower is practically invisible at night.

I think it's a bit over the top - akin to stopping all construction work because hibernating squirrels might suffer in the process.

Lights have been fundamental to human culture for millenia. We build things, we decorate them, we light them up. Light is scientifically proven to stimulate the mind and prevent depression. It's even more important when you're in the upper reaches of the temperate belt and average 8 hours or less of daylight each day.

Toronto also has some of the cheapest electricity in North America. Yet, we pale in comparison to most North American cities when it comes to lighting up our public spaces. Public spaces are just those - spaces for people to congregate, celebrate and feel good about life and the city they live in. Yet, we give them dour, dark spaces to call home. Take a walk down Yonge St and you might be forgiven for forgetting it's Xmas season. Where's the cheer? It's a thousand feet up in the sky with the migratory birds.

(Disclaimer: This piece was written by someone prone to SAD).

Furball

2006-12-05T20:29:00.000-05:00

She loves sticking her tongue out like that.

Rio in Pictures

2006-11-12T23:30:00.000-05:00

Celebration

2006-11-08T21:42:00.000-05:00

Today is a good day to be an American. Today we've witness the forces of democracy turn the tide against incompetent, arrogant leaders and bring a new wave of hope to the world. Congratulations to all Americans who worked hard to make this happen.

Cidade Maravilhosa

2006-11-05T20:34:00.000-05:00

Beautiful bodies. Smooth, defined and tanned to various shades of orange. Skimpily covered beautiful bodies. Hundreds of them. No, thousands. Everywhere you look. Little is left to the imagination. A thin layer of lycra away from complete nudity. Surfing, swimming, walking, playing or just lounging by a shack sipping agua de coco or Skol.

The only distraction from the beautiful bodies are the mountains. Scraggy, forested peaks jutting up everywhere you look. Favelas draped on them like moss. Tunnels weaving through them, hopelessly trying to reunite what nature tried to divide.

First impressions of Rio de Janeiro.

Little Actors

2006-11-02T23:05:00.000-05:00

Ever wonder where they get those tiny babies that magically appear from under the hospital gown? Ever wonder about that gooey stuff they're covered in? Ever wonder what it takes to make them cry? A pinch? A spanking?

All I know is I'm never lending any baby of mine to play a newborn on a TV show.

Ghost

2006-11-01T10:15:00.000-05:00

Can you see it?

R U Real?

2006-10-24T23:34:00.000-04:00

Here's a fine example of makeup & Photoshop transforming an everyday woman into Billboard Barbie.

Fall

2006-10-18T16:53:00.000-04:00

Small Penis Syndrome?

2006-10-13T21:00:00.000-04:00

More Fear Mongering

2006-10-08T02:21:00.000-04:00

San Jose, California. Local news. Special investigative report. The results of an extensive scientific study show that - OMG - school kids spread germs!!! Scientists carefully sprinkled glow-in-the-dark powder on one kid and watched as it spread throughout the class. The thoughtful lady on the television then proceeded to "inform" us of the wide variety of hand sanitizers available to protect our kids from these deadly germs.

I have several issues with this news report. First - anyone with an IQ in the double digits or higher should know that school kids share everything, not just germs. Yes, parents, your kids are eating - gasp - other people's lunches! Secondly, there are trillions & trillions of bacteria all around us - in the air, on our skins, inside our digestive systems, inside our respiratory systems and practically all parts of the body. We develop immunity to the bad ones by being exposed to them during childhood. Take away this essential aspect of development and we're weak for life. Thirdly, nowhere in the news report did they extoll the virtues of proper hand-washing, which removes most newly acquired germs. Finally, frequent use of hand-sanitizers is actually bad for you. There are strains of deadly, resistant bacteria that survive in this environment. You just eliminated all their competition and helped them thrive!

So let's face it parents - schools are a breeding ground for microbes - but so is the rest of the world. Unless you want to raise a family of bubble-boys, teach your kids proper hygiene, keep some Tylenol on hand and let nature take it's course.

Food for Thought

2006-10-01T01:12:00.000-04:00

America

2006-09-19T01:08:00.000-04:00

Thumbing through my iTunes music collection, I came across a song I haven't heard in ages. America by Simon & Garfunkel. A simple, silly song that magically captures the spirit of youth and that of a nation. It takes me back to when I was younger and exploring a new land. This, I thought, would be a good epilogue to the prior post.

Let us be lovers we'll marry our fortunes together
I've got some real estate here in my bag
So we bought a pack of cigarettes and Mrs. Wagner pies
And walked on to look for America

"Cathy," I said, as we boarded a Greyhound in Pittsburgh
"Michigan seems like a dream to me now"
It took me four days to hitch-hike from Saginaw
I've gone to look for America

Laughing on the bus, playing games with the faces
She said the man in the gabardine suit is a spy
I said be careful his bow-tie is really a camera

"Pass me a cigarette I think there's one in my raincoat"
"We smoked the last one an hour ago"
So I looked at the scenery, and she read a magazine
The moon rose over an open field

"Cathy, I'm lost", I said though I knew she was sleeping
I'm empty and aching and I don't know why
Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike
They've all gone to look for America

The End of Innocence

2006-09-11T08:55:00.000-04:00

As I sit here on this Monday morning, sipping a cup of tea, I'm taken back to this same morning, five yeas ago. That's the morning everything changed. For a city, for a country, and for me. What began as yet another day in paradise turned into a journey of anger, fear, disgust and soul searching.

While the American media, this morning, focuses on the human face of this tragedy, there's another aspect often overlooked. This is the morning when a certain innocence was lost. Decades of invincibility came to an end for a nation and its people. While the twin towers may have seemed like ugly monstrosities to most Americans and even some New Yorkers, to the rest of the world they were the ultimate symbol of an idealogy. Towering temples to the human spirit, unleashed through the forces of capitalism to go forth produce its best. An ideology that brought peace and prosperity (and some might say decadence) to almost 300 million people. An ideology that most of the developing world looked up to. They stood proud like lighthouses - shining beacons of hope to billions. Standing in the lobby, or up on the rooftop, one couldn't have felt more safe & secure in these edifices of steel and concrete.

That's why they were brought down. It wasn't a murder of people, but the attempted murder of an ideology. Yes, thousands of people died, but people who focus on that completely miss the point. If the loss of human life is more important, what about the thousands who die of meaningless gun violence every year? What about the thousands who died of AIDS in the 80s as an administration joked about the crisis? What about the hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians who die every year in Iraq, Darfur, Lebanon, Palestine or Sri Lanka? Does a human life automatically become more important by virtue of being in a certain building on 9/11/01?

What really came down that day was the American spirit - a spirit that gave us the towers in the first place. A spirit so destroyed, that today, five years later, there is no sign of rebuilding. A fraction of the $500 billion that have been spent in Iraq, could have given us, in a couple of years at most, shining new symbols to replace the fallen ones. We would've been redeemed. The world's best architects rushed in with plans to fill the void. Instead, they've been overrun by bean counters concerned about square footage & insurance payouts. People don't want to work on higher floors, they say. Yet, people will happily move to Florida and build homes on former marsh land directly in the path of a hurricane. My alien mind fails to grasp this.

Something else happened on 9/11/01. It brought the entire thinking world together, in solidarity with the American people, in defense of our values of freedom & democracy. Even socialist Parisian newspapers proclaimed "We Are All Americans". Offers of support came pouring in. It was a unique opportunity to put extremism to an end and bring the same peace and prosperity to a neglected part of the world. Instead, I watched as a corrupt administration and an ill-informed population squandered it away. I watched as they sowed the seeds of a new wave of unrest. I watched as they turned on minorities within their own nation. It suddenly turned from a war of economic & social ideologies into a war of straight, white Christians against brown Muslims - and everyone else. Suddenly grandma was being wiretapped, brown people (such as myself) were greeted at the border with sneers and citizens were being lifted out of homes and transported to secret detention camps without trial. A whole new generation witnessed the ugly side of American power.

Since 9/11, I've been struggling to understand and find the true American values that made this nation what it is. I'd like to believe it was "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". However, 9/11 also brought out certain voices that portray a much darker picture. A picture of greed and imperialist oppression dating back to the 19th century. I don't know what to believe anymore. However, I certainly know that I do not identify with the values portrayed on CNN and Fox News.

Politics is an ugly game.

Party of Death?

2006-09-04T10:03:00.000-04:00

What is it with Indian-Americans joining the ranks of conservative bigots? Here's another one to the fray. Ramesh Ponnuru writes a book, provocatively titled "The Party of Death: The Democrats, the Media, the Courts, and the Disregard for Human Life". For added effect, it even has a quote from Ann Coulter on the cover. Wow. I'm really impressed. Makes me want to rush out and buy it. Puke.

I'm trying to understand this phenomenon of people of Indian descent, such as Dinesh D'Souza, Bobby Jindal, Raj Bhakta and now Ramesh Ponnuru, joining the ranks of conservative idealogues. I've always cherished the belief that Indian values - specifically Hindu values - and by Hindu I don't mean the mosque-demolishing, saffron-wearing fundamentalist flavor - I mean the organic, harmonious traditions that evolved in the sub-continent over thousands of years - always espoused liberal social values and a balanced view of economics & statehood. Why then, do children of such a culture, raised in a foreign land grow up to be so conservative? Is there a deep rooted psychological need to overcompensate for their brownness and fit in?

Let's take the case of Bobby Jindal. Growing up in racially tense Louisiana, Bobby chose to "fit in" by converting to Christianity. Unfortunaltey, that didn't turn him white a la Michael Jackson so during high school he converted to Catholicism - an even more conservative flavor of religion. Today, Bobby is probably as desi as Michael Jackson is black. I cringe every time I see an Indian diasporic organization fete him.

Everyone's entitled to their opinons and beliefs. However, I find it unnerving that there is such an overwhelming tilt towards conservatism amongst Indian-Americans. Where are the voices on the other side of the camp?

Nina

2006-08-28T23:56:00.000-04:00

Say hello to Nina. She's a 10 week old purebred Shih Tzu. Came home Sunday.

... oh and the pink bow-tie was not my idea.

Who's your daddy?

2006-08-25T23:23:00.000-04:00

UN observation post on Israel/Lebanon border.

Ruffled Feathers

2006-08-24T06:54:00.000-04:00

Seems like the Brita commercial I talked about here might have ruffled some feathers. It now sports a disclaimer:

Municipally supplied water has been treated to make it safe for drinking

The whole commercial looks quite ridiculous now. They should just pull it.

Disgusting

2006-08-20T22:40:00.000-04:00

This is just plain disgusting. The news business is so ugly. Ugh.

Random Observation

2006-08-20T22:02:00.000-04:00

I'm finally catching up on Desperate Housewives: Season 2 and I have to say this. This show has turned into a glossier version of the Jerry Springer Show. Behind the pretty picket fences and flower-lined yards, these people are living like trashy low life. Also, I can't figure out why all the gay writers in Hollywood can't write a decent, realistic gay character on a mainstream show. Andrew is SO NOT like any gay guy I've known. He's a complete contradiction.

As much as I loved Season 1, I can't wait for this show to get the axe.

Domestic Bliss

2006-08-19T01:20:00.000-04:00

I'm loving the new condo. The colours are starting to work. I can feel the space speaking to me. Accent colours are starting to pop out of everyday objects. I'm loving the spaciousness. My last apartment (which cost about the same) felt like a shoebox in comparison. I'm loving the wide-open east views. I'm loving the wrap-around kitchen. I'm loving my new home office. I'm loving the little park downstairs. I'm never moving out of this place.

Fear-Mongering

2006-08-17T22:39:00.000-04:00

Just watched a Brita commercial. The tagline goes something like this.

"Water for your tap and toilet come from the same source. Brita - for water than is 98% pure".

I see so many things wrong with this reasoning, I don't know where to start. Are people really that stupid or paranoid (or both)? Isn't it obvious that all water ultimately comes from the same source? When I see a tagline like this, my initial reaction is - "omg, we're wasting drinkable fresh water in toilets." Not - "I'm drinking toilet water."

Am I weird, or is that commercial just a blatant example of fear-mongering?

True Colors

2006-08-17T22:11:00.000-04:00

Here's Virginia Senator and likely Presidential candidate, George Allen. He's referring to a desi from his opponent's camp shooting a documentary film. I get a kick out of watching conservative bigots slip up and show their true colors. Just one of the many reasons I dislike the Republican party.

Forgotten

2006-08-11T23:10:00.000-04:00

Amongst all the syndicated reruns of Seinfeld, Friends, Sex and the City, Simpsons, Family Guy and "Law & Order: Special Criminal Victims Disappeared Without a Trace in CSI Miami", one show is conspicuously absent. Ally McBeal.

The show was funny, sassy & original. Calista Flockhat brought something fun & fresh to the screen. I could sure use some Ally reruns.

Speaking of Calista, has anyone seen her lately? I think she went on another diet and disappeared into thin air. Someone please feed her a Tic-Tac so we can catch a wisp of her. Honey - if they can't see you, they won't hire you!

Newflash

2006-08-08T22:59:00.000-04:00

This just in. Krispy Kreme opened their latest donut shop in ... guess where?

Hong Kong.

Wonder if they'll have green-tea donuts.

Technicolor Nightmares

2006-08-05T01:07:00.000-04:00

Help! I'm going insane!

A few hours wandering around the empty rooms of my new condo have convinced me that the muddy, depressing shade of yellow on the walls has to go! I wish there was an 'erase tool' for wall colours but there isn't. You actually have to paint over with another colour - of your choice. That sounds easier than it is. There are only about a bajillion different shades to choose from.

It gets better. Whatever shade I choose has to go with the dark wood floors and the snow-white doors and kitchen cabinets. And did I mention the bathrooms? Black tiles with greenish veins. Yeah. My brain feels like a blender at a vegan juice bar - with assorted multi-coloured fruits being thrown in to create an odd-looking cocktail. Arrrrghhhh.

I have all of tomorrow to scour the paint stores for chips that work, try out testers and be ready for when my budget-painter arrives on Wednesday morning. I have actually had nightmares with colour wheels hovering menacingly over my bed and my condo being critiqued on a TV makeover show.

Ugh. Too much stress. I think I'm just going to settle for a basic peachy beige that'll accentuate the wood floor. Nightmare-be-gone.

Condo Update

2006-08-01T17:17:00.000-04:00

I am now the proud owner of (allegedly) 1100 sq ft of living space in Toronto. It's not a little parcel of Canada, but it's a place to live, as long as I keep shelling out the monthly fees. Doesn't feel the same as when I bought my last place. Maybe because it's a condo. Maybe because I've done it before.

I'll have the keys in a few hours, and then the mayhem begins. The process of uprooting & rearranging my life. I move next week. It was stressful the last time. I hope it's easier this time. And more fun - cause I get to redecorate the place :)

Hot Cross Buns

2006-07-22T17:17:00.000-04:00

A tragic side-effect of growing up in a former colony are the vestiges of colonial culture that make absolutely no sense to a developing mind. Like old English nursery rhymes.

"Hot cross buns, Hot cross buns, one a penny, two a penny, hot cross buns, If you have no daughters, give them to your sons, one a penny, two a penny, Hot Cross Buns"

After 30 years of existence, I finally know what the fuss is all about. Discovered at a bakery in St. Lawrence Market. Five minutes in a warm oven yields a delicious, crusty treat scattered with sweet raisins and the obligatory cross on top. I doubt this is the original English version, but hey - it's a hot cross bun!

We Are The World

2006-07-20T22:56:00.000-04:00

Came across this interesting video that features an ensemble cast from Bollywood. It seems, from the red ribbon, that it's some kind of AIDS benefit. Could the readers in India enlighten us?

Montréal

2006-07-20T00:52:00.000-04:00

City Hall
Originally uploaded by fotoluvr.

Montreal in pictures

Au Revoir

2006-07-18T17:31:00.000-04:00

A hidden benefit of living in Canada is that you can visit another country without a passport. Québec, a mere 4 hour train ride north-east of Toronto, is culturally a world apart. Montréal is where it all comes together - a clash of Anglo-Saxon and French culture that explodes in majestic, tree-lined avenues, elegant parks and a joie de vivre that makes it the most vibrant city in Canada. I just returned from a very pleasant three days in that city and will surely be back for more. Meanwhile I have some French to brush up on.

The Devil Wears Prada

2006-07-13T14:16:00.000-04:00

It's summer in Toronto, the city is awake, the tourists are back, the days are long and I have little reason to stay indoors. I am going to Montreal in a few hours. Packing is underway.

This is quickly turning into a movie review blog. That's not by design. I write about anything that's on my mind and this summer, movies are about the only thing I can focus on without distraction.

Last night I watched "The Devil Wears Prada". A slick, stylish well made movie with a lot of substance. Everyone looks gorgeous. Everything looks beautiful. The story resounds. I later found out that much of the "Sex and the City" team worked on this movie. It shows.

The movie is about a bright, exceptional young girl who gives up Stanford Law to leave her mark in the world of journalism. Instead she lands the job of second assistant to an icy high-priestess of fashion publishing, a job a million fashionistas would die for. She hates the scene, but, like anyone right out of college, is determined to prove herself and survive. She soon realizes the only way in is by being one of them - a Chanel-clad fashionista. Everything else takes a back-seat. This job could open doors for her. It's a cause worth sacrificing one's personal life, family and friends for. Or so it seems when one is 25 and living in the halls of power. The glamour, the parties, the celebrities. It's addictive. Will Andrea join the ranks of the clones, or will she walk away and pursue her real dreams? Read the book or watch the movie.

"That's all."

Requiem for a Dream

2006-07-10T22:43:00.000-04:00

Just finished watching it. I am seriously disturbed. Words fail me.

Prime

2006-06-29T18:29:00.000-04:00

Is it true that we peak in our 20s, and it's all downhill from there?

I just finished watching the movie "Proof" and it got me thinking. My academic life certainly went that way. My professional & personal life is heading that way too. Maybe I need to set more modest goals for myself.

Sobering Thoughts

2006-06-26T23:21:00.000-04:00

Now that the festivities are over, it's time to reflect a bit. I consider myself immensely fortunate to be in a city and a country that espouses equality for all. It's not everywhere in the world that you find all tiers of government, law enforcement, public services, education and healthcare organizations come out and march in solidarity with the queer community. I never saw anything like this during my 8 years in DC.

The parade began with a sombre reminder that there are parts of the world today where people are persecuted, tortured or killed for who they are. Today we enjoy the fruits of many years of activism by brave individuals who swam against the tide and earned us a legitimate place in society. What took years to achieve could be undone in a matter of months. We must never take these rights of granted. Every new generation needs to remember that.

What does it mean to have a "Pride" parade in this day and age? A pride parade is a continuous reminder to the world that we exist. That the majority heterosexual population cannot afford to ignore us and erode away our rights. That we've been around for a long long time, and that we'll continue to be around forever. Today, at least in major Western cities, no one's afraid to strut around and be themselves in the gay ghettos. However, it takes a certain courage to uphold the same ideals when suddenly you're not in the majority anymore. It takes courage to show your face to the world. That's what Pride is all about.

Five Seconds of Fame

2006-06-26T22:06:00.000-04:00

During my days in the closet, I'd avoid obviously gay events like Pride fests, for fear of being seen, or worse still accidentally ending up in a newspaper photo. I opened today's Toronto Star, jumped to page A9, which featured a full-page spread on the Pride Parade. And there I was! On the sidelines. Smiling at the excellent photo op presented by the "lady" in white, on a shiny red car. Standing next to me is my dear friend S, who fought a hangover to come watch the parade with me.

Surreal

2006-06-26T14:33:00.000-04:00

This video almost has a Zen-like quality, if you watch it with the right mindset.

Weekend Update

2006-06-25T19:01:00.000-04:00

I'm chilling in my living room, feet up on the ottoman, wishing I had a personal masseuse at my beck and call. My lower extremeties hurt like hell. It's been a tiring, but fun weekend. The Pride festival rages on outside my windows.

Today I witnessed one of the longest, largest Pride parades ever. Yonge St was elaborately cordoned off. Shirtless men & women were strategically located on sidewalks, streets, balconies throughout. The porn studio had a rooftop party full of hot men with squirt guns aimed at the crowds. I clawed my way to a decent spot by the fence, camera in hand. Droves of proud people walked by in some of the most outrageous outfits, dancing, singing, yelling, having a good time. The local government came out in full support. I stood by watching the mayor, local MPs, police chiefs, mounties, city councillors and would-be PMs walk by showing their support for (and raking votes from) the queer community. The South Asian float was kinda disappointing. They drove by too fast and everyone seemed too self-obsessed. The drag queens were prancing as usual. No one reached out to the crowds. No one paused and smiled.

Yonge St has officially turned into a zoo. A quick foray into the gay village revealed utter chaos - it was packed with curb-to-curb people. A hasty retreat and a much need meal at Biryani House wrapped up a long and tiring weekend of festivities for me. The parties will go on into tomorrow but I'm done. I have over a thousand pictures to sift through.

Through all this craziness, I managed to find time to buy a condo! Yes - I am soon to be the owner of a nice condo on Bay St. It took a little haggling but we finally agreed on a price and the deal is done! We close August 1st, after which I have to decorate and move in. So much to do - so little time.

Polite Cities

2006-06-21T10:45:00.000-04:00

According to a Readers' Digest survey, Toronto is the 3rd most polite city in the world, after NYC and Zurich. Yes - NYC!!! Seems lopsided, doesn't it? They also ranked Montreal pretty low on the list, which is the complete opposite of my experience.

As big cities go, Toronto is unusually polite. Zurich I can understand, but we were beaten by New York??? New York????? Give me a break.

Condo Hunting

2006-06-20T23:19:00.000-04:00

Inspired by my tryst with real estate two weeks ago, I called an agent and saw some condos this weekend. It's nice to see places and actually get time to think about them - unlike when I bought in DC where the sharks would start circling even before the "For Sale" sign went up.

My search began two blocks down from my current place on Bay St. Very nice building but the lobby felt like a fancy hotel. The unit was bright, spacious with a newly installed, gorgeous, dark wood floor. The walls were freshly painted a cheerful shade of yellow. A nice surprise was a large storage room right by the entrance. The kitchen and bathrooms looked spanking new but the design was more 90s.

After seeing a couple of nice, but dated, "Golden Girl" units around the St. Lawrence market area, we moved on to the RIchmond/Spadina area. First building looked quite modern but gave off a weird vibe. The build quality looked poor and the windows hadn't been washed in over a year. The unit turned out to be a 1+den, and decorated on a scrappy budget. Horrible. Next one was a really stylish building on the corner of Richmond & Spadina. The unit was in good condition, however looking out from the 4th floor, it felt like I could reach out and touch the Spadina streetcars. The noise was ok with windows closed, but unbearable with them open. Although the price was attractive, can you really put a price on peace-of-mind? That was it for Sunday.

Today took us to another unit on Richmond W. A real loft with 12' ceilings and exposed ductwork. Bright, spacious, modern and sexy. The condo reeked of money and man. You could smell the testosterone in the air. It was the kind of place that makes you want to just get naked, lie down and scream "take me"!! The space could totally work for me ;) Except one problem - huge redecoration effort - all my furniture/accessories would be horribly out of place. It's also a mixed-use building (a quick walk down the hallway revealed a modeling agency) - which mean strangers have free access to the building during the day. Not cool for security.

On we went to Radio City - a spanking new, high-rise complex that came up last year by the gay village. We walked past scores of rainbow flags draped across balconies, fags wearing rainbow Tees and a lesbian concierge to the 15th floor unit with southwest views of the financial district and the CN tower. Other than the views, and the gas-cooking (a rarity in condos), the unit was disappointing. That wrapped up another day of condo-viewing.

So which one will it be? I think you can guess. Stay tuned!

Blogging

2006-06-20T01:50:00.000-04:00

Home

2006-06-11T21:14:00.000-04:00

Sometime during my inebriated bar-hopping last night, I stumbled upon a "For Sale" sign outside an imposing attractive looking townhouse between Yonge & Church Streets - steps from the village. I joked to my friends that this would be a house worth keeping a high-stress job for. I guess they were sober enough to point out that there would be an open house today.

So this afternoon, on I went through the ornate, wrought iron gates into what turned out to be a cozy little courtyard of townhouses. The stone steps led to pretty front porches with flower planters and a very homely atmosphere. The house turned out to be a relatively new, beautiful 4-level townhome with a 2-car garage. Well laid out, bright, airy with 1800 sq.ft. of space to go around. All of the asking price of $639K, soon to be "reduced substantially". Now before anyone croaks, let me put this in perspective. A 2-bedroom, 1200 sq.ft. condo in a good building in Toronto will set you back by at least $450K, not to mention monthly maintenance. Considering the location, size and ambience, this house seemed like heaven. It brought back memories from my place in Virgina. Back then, I used to joke that if I could transplant my townhouse from the suburbs into the middle of DC, I'd never leave. This house seemed like just that. Barely two blocks away from my current place, it seemed like an oasis of seclusion and comfortable living. Happy, domestic thoughts came back.

I could afford this place if I rented out one or two of the bedrooms. It would still be steep, but not much more than I'm paying in rent right now. However, houses come with a lot of maintenance. Am I ready for the responsibilities again? What about my 6-month vacation plans? What if I find myself out of a job? Do I really need a place this big? Am I ready for domestic life again?

In a way, I feel lighter right now not having to worry about home maintenance. I write one check a month and that covers everything. I call maintenance if the door sticks. I can choose put my things in storage, leave this place and go away if I wanted. There's a sense of freedom. However, that house felt right. It felt good. It felt like I belonged. It woke up something inside of me.

Life is full of difficult decisions and most of mine have been impulsive ones. However, in this case, I'm going to let discretion win. I am going to step aside and let someone else make it their home. Sigh.

Where's Ameet?

2006-05-29T00:13:00.000-04:00

Fountain
Originally uploaded by fotoluvr.

Photo class is over. I now have a stack of beautiful black & white prints to admire, and maybe someday, frame. So what's next?

While the lessons I learnt in the darkroom are useful, they're not sustainable. Traditional photography is on its death-bed, and the trick is to transfer those processes to a digital darkroom. With a few tips from the instructor, I am now churning out near-professional quality prints out of my humble Epson.

Meanwhile, I've been trigger happy this weekend. A combination of good weather and the "Doors Open" heritage festival meant I was out the whole weekend clicking pictures. The processed ones are on flickr. Check them out.

Cartoon

2006-05-16T15:26:00.000-04:00

Tom Toles, Washington Post.

Happy Mommy's Day

2006-05-14T16:16:00.000-04:00

... to all the wonderful moms out there who sacrified so much to bring us into the world. Spending a weekend with my sister and her 10 month old son gives me newfound appreciation for the art of child-raising. I knew it was hard - but not THAT hard. You girls rock!

More Prints

2006-05-14T02:27:00.000-04:00

Perspectives
Originally uploaded by fotoluvr.

Uploaded some more B&W prints on Flickr. Take a look and feel free to leave comments.

Shrinking Sleeves

2006-05-12T16:15:00.000-04:00

There is a conspiracy brewing against the biceps-challenged. Notice how shirt sleeves are getting shorter and shorter this summer? Makes my average arms look like chopsticks. Between my personal life and my job, time left over for pumping iron is a scarce luxury. I don't need to feel any more guilty about it. I will brave out this summer in last year's Tees. Sigh.

Hope

2006-05-08T19:28:00.000-04:00

Today's Sex and the City line:

If the world's fattest twins can find love, there's hope for all of us.

Colour Returns

2006-05-08T02:14:00.000-04:00

Yorkville
Originally uploaded by fotoluvr.

There are two rolls of undeveloped black and white film sitting on my kitchen counter - mocking me. I won't know how they turned out till I print something in class on Tuesday. Seeking some instant gratification, I picked up my digital camera and went on a shooting spree. Click on the pic to see the results.

Foto

2006-05-05T20:39:00.000-04:00

I'm taking a photography class to learn the darkroom process. We had our first printing session yesterday. Here's a scan of my first successful print!! It took about 5 tries to get it right, but it finally worked!

The picture is a clocktower on Yonge St. You can see the top of First Canadian Place (BMO tower) in the background.

Black and white pictures really force you to think about contrast, exposure and composition. I miss colour, but I need to get the basics down first.

Guess Who?

2006-04-27T23:39:00.000-04:00

Can you guess who's this celebrity enjoying (supposedly) private time? A friend sent this pic - but I'm not convinced. I'd like to see if any of my blog readers can guess.

Spring Cleaning

2006-04-22T15:57:00.000-04:00

What does a single gay man do on a rainy, April weekend morning? Clean his wardrobe!

Anyone who lives in a temperate climate endures a bi-annual ritual known as "changing of the wardrobe". A long, arduous, linty, sneezy affair. It involves taking down everything from the hangers and folding everything into two neat piles, one for storage and one for Goodwill. That's only half the task. The other half is opening your storage boxes and taking out all those skimpy, short-sleeved summer clothes, trying them on to see what fits, discarding the ones that are oh-so-last-year and hanging up the ones that could still work. Ok - there is some washing and pressing involved, but how much can you do in one day?

There's a refreshing, misty, cool breeze blowing in through the open window. Perfect weather for some pakodas and chai.

TV Wisdom

2006-04-22T13:45:00.000-04:00

The Toronto Star ran this piece on all the "wise" things we hear on TV. Here's an interesting one from Brenda on Six Feet Under.

"Academia is one huge circle jerk. All the sequestered people defending the one good idea they've had in their lives."

Is that why they have tenure?

Washington DC

2006-04-17T19:59:00.000-04:00

Literary Gem?

2006-03-31T22:57:00.000-05:00

"His penis is so beautiful ... I just want to knit it a hat"
-from the movie "Prime".

That line threw me into a loop. When I see a penis, tiny woolen hats are the last thing on my mind. I don't knit either. I dabbled in some crochet as a kid, but that's another story. In fact, I don't look at penises that much. I don't find them visually attractive. I am more interested in the bodies they are attached to. And the only hat I want to see on a penis is a rubber one.

What to do - I'm like this only.

[A little inside joke - for those who watched MTV India in the mid 90s.]

Sone Ki Chidiya

2006-03-31T13:59:00.000-05:00

Saffron

2006-03-31T08:04:00.000-05:00

That's the source. As beautiful as the aroma and flavor it exudes.

Came across this picture on Wikipedia and just had to post it.

Washington Bound

2006-03-29T21:48:00.000-05:00

It's been 9 months since I left the DC area. Washington DC has the most beautifully landscaped public spaces in North America. Every Spring, they reward us with a splendid display of nature's bounty. Starting with the cherry blossoms that blanket parts of the city, the manicured trees and lawns of the National Mall burst forth with fresh green foliage, rinsed clean by the April showers. Cool, crisp Spring breezes make exploring the city on foot a delight.

This April I have the opportunity to visit my beloved city once again. Following a training class on Thursday in Reston, I will be spending the long weekend (it's Good Friday) with my dear friends in Washington DC.

Meanwhile, here are some pictures I took around DC last Spring.

Spring

2006-03-29T20:53:00.000-05:00

Spring is in the air. The mercury has been climbing. The sun's out in full force. The street musicians are back. So are the sketch artists and vendors. Most importantly, the tourists are back! Nothing says Spring in Toronto like the hordes of American tourists.

Random observation. There are two neo-classical edifices on Yonge St - just North of Queen. They're each about the width of a typical storefront. Separating them is a driveway leading to some uninteresting buildings. The gap seems oddly out of place - as if the structures were once connected - part of a larger structure. Got my curiosity going.

Another random observation. The area South of Bloor and just West of Spadina has some beautiful homes. Each decorated to the nines. Remided me of the homes around Dupont Circle in DC.

Walls Do Talk

2006-03-27T22:38:00.000-05:00

She snuck into the building right behind me, carrying a tray of leftover sandwiches. About 5'2" tall and slightly overweight. She wore a bright red spring jacket. I had never seen her before. We both walked briskly towards the waiting elevator. She hit #15 - my floor. Could it be? I brushed aside the thought. The elevator stopped at #4 and the other guy got off. I began the small talk, "I guess that's dinner". ".. and lunch", she quipped. "I am stuffed, but my boyfriend is probably starving", she added. The elevator stopped at #15. "After you", I said. She walked out. I reached for my keys and walked to #1501. She stopped at #1502 - the apartment next door. We both looked at each other. A silent acknowledgement.

She fakes them quite well.

Random Thought

2006-03-25T11:15:00.000-05:00

Isn't it ironic that when you have lots of time, you have no money to do stuff, and when you have the money, you have no time to do stuff?

15 Park Avenue

2006-03-18T14:50:00.000-05:00

My vegetative state last evening, thanks to a neck cramp, was a convenient excuse for some heavier TV watching. I popped in the DVD for 15 Park Avenue, mixed up some salad, poured me some wine and watched the movie. (On an unrelated note, when they say Ibuprofen and alcohol will give you stomach ulcers, they mean business. My gut feels sand-papered this morning).

Aparna Sen is a good director who, for untold reasons, happens to be obsessed with street addresses. 15 Park Avenue comes across as an attempt to bring art cinema to the Indian masses. Pick a contentious social issue, throw in some talented actors and film most of it in exotic locales. That Aparna Sen formula, which I first encountered in Mr. & Mrs. Iyer, has been carried forward to this movie.

The contentious social issue is mental disorders (with rape thrown in). The talented actors include Konkona Sen Sharma - who delivers, Rahul Bose - whose talents are completely wasted, Shabana Azmi - who mostly plays herself and Waheeda Rehman - who has limited opportunities to shine, but shine she does. Shefali Shetty (Ria from Monsoon Wedding) gives an highly underrated performance in a supporting role. The exotic locale is the Kingdom of Bhutan - rarely seen by the outside world.

The actors put in a good effort, however the end result comes across as uncoordinated. The cinematography comes across as too flat. This was probably intentional, as any creative use of lighting effect renders Indian cinema to the dusty depths of the"art-movie" pile. (My mom's words echo in my mind -"what a dull movie - it's always so dark".)

The plot is revealed slowly and carefully. The characters build up over time. We can soon put the pieces together. And just when we felt everything was coming together, the movie ends. Like a dangling sentence. Leaving us to stop and think, and reflect on Meethi's existence. This much-disliked ending was my favorite part of the movie.

Friday Humor

2006-03-17T11:56:00.000-05:00

Brokeback Mountain in 30 seconds.