You just meet the most interesting people. Really.
After writing this morning, I decided that becoming the poster child for cabin fever was not one of my goals. So I choose freedom and wandered up to a hotel near my house (Ailment for those friends who know Darjeeling). They have a great view of the mountains and a friend is staying there. They also have the best Tibetan bread I've ever eaten. It's fried, puffy, and served with lots of butter. Mmmmm.
After breakfast, I went upstairs because my friend (Mike--the one staying there) was warming up his sitar. He was going to hold a little private concert up on the roof of the hotel last Wednesday night, but since the strikes were starting the next day no one wanted to be out at night. So he decided that since we were all around (Matthew, the once and future monk who studies Tibetan at the Manjushree Institute and became my breakfast buddy over the summer, some other tourists and me!) he would play for us. Amazing. If you can imagine being on the roof of a hotel, overlooking Darjeeling and the entire range of Himalayas topped off with Kanchenjunga...listening to an amazing sitar performance. For a while I was the only one up there, and it gave me a chance to take my first look at the town since the strikes began. Oddly enough, it made the concert and day much better because there were no cars around. Meaning no exhaust fumes, no horns, and no scraping the bottom as they try to navigate impassable sections of the road. Between that and the sun it was basically a perfect day.
Since I mainly hang out with Nepalis (Matthew is the notable exception), I don't often talk to tourists. We just have different reasons for being here and there are only so many times you can hear the following: "I'm here because India is, like, mystical man. This place is where it all makes sense. The energy lines of the earth converge about 10 km from here and..." etc. Basically things that make me want to shoot myself in the face. This place is not any more mystical than any other place. Everywhere is home for someone and I'm sure if some mystical energy lines converged that will give you magical powers...someone would tell us about it. I would go there and discover my superpower. I've always wanted superpowers since I was a comic book geek as a child. Love the X-Men, especially Storm and Mystique. But I digress (as usual).
These tourists, however, were really interesting and did not inspire even one thought of shooting myself in the face. I spent most of the morning and afternoon talking with a man from Holland who spent the last 7 months riding his bike from his home to India. He went through southern Europe, Eastern Europe, Turkey, Iran, the central Asian republics, China then down the Friendship highway into Nepal and then over to India. Camping when he could and just seeing the world in the open air. This man is my new hero. The fact that he is incredibly good looking has nothing to do with it :) Honestly, if I could drop everything and do the same, I think I would. Can't really do it on my own, but wow. What a way to travel. No drama about waiting for taxis, buses, trains, or airplanes. Doesn't really matter if you want to talk a day off or not. Just riding. You can go places that no bus goes to in a second. If there is a road--and by road I mean anything from an asphalt road to a flatish dirt path--you can get there. No people, no vehicles, nothing but you, the road, and the sky. Really, really impressed. He can't go to northeastern India because of continuing violence in the area and Bangladesh is out since the cyclone so he is thinking about heading down to southern Thailand and then Indonesia.. Sooooo impressed.
After a few hours, an older couple came up and joined us. Also very interesting people. They defected from Czechoslovakia to Canada in (I believe) the late 1970s, which was an amazing story in itself. They are now just traveling around by backpack and climbing mountains. It was great to talk to them as well, because I never take the time to travel if it doesn't relate to my work. Thailand this year was the great exception, but I don't consider eating Egyptian food and shopping in Bangkok to be a great adventure. And these people are in their 60s and still wandering. They go mountain climbing in Russia, Canada, Nepal, Tibet, and in the Alps. Gives me hope that I will be able to keep doing it when I'm older to make up for all this time I've dedicated to the degree.
A few others came in and we ended the day with a beer and another sitar concert. Quite a way to spend a strike day.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Days and days ahead...
Well, it looks like the strike which was to only last 4 days, then one day, is now indefinite. At one point two days ago there were dueling strikes--the opposition parties here called one for four days only to have the party in power call a strike (in protest?). Then, the opposition parties revoked THEIR strike and got pissy about the main party's strike. Are they kidding with this? A woman I know sells fried food near the main tourist area in town about 10 minutes from my house. Two days ago, she went to her stall thinking the strikes were off. First, the opposition supporters came by her stall to "discuss" with her about staying open. She was told it was a very, very good idea to stay open. Minutes later (I am NOT kidding you here), the main party's supporters came by to "discuss" with her about closing her shop. With knives. Excellent.
Maybe I should explain what a strike is to those of you without experience in the strike-happy belt known as West Bengal and Nepal. During a strike, nothing opens for business. The markets close, all shops, everything. Well, here they allow the chemist (pharmacy) shops to remain open in case you are dying and need medicine or needles, or a cough drop. Very thoughtful of them, na? Anyway, cars aren't really allowed on the roads whether or not there was an explicit order for them to stay off the roads. So basically nothing happens. People have been treating this one more like a holiday than the others we've had this year. Everyone is really staying home. I watched a group of teenagers play cards for about 14 hours yesterday and my neighbors to the other side just did their laundry and ate all day.
Tourists, on the other hand, are not so happy. Apparently a flock of them went down to a few of the taxi stands yesterday trying to get out of the hills. Not only were the prices sometimes 10 times higher than normal, no one would go even at the agreed price. I feel sorry for them, really. They are confined to their often crappy hotels with nothing to do. The weather is finally perfect--sunny, clear, and the mountains are visible on every side. Yet, they can't leave their hotels. Its not even really safe for them to wander around the city right now.
I am just sitting in my house, backing up my data, and hoping there is a break in the strikes. I'm supposed to fly out soon (Saturday to be exact) and would very much like a taxi to take me down the mountain. However, since I have a nonrefundable ticket I may have to walk down the mountain. With research accoutrement in tow. Since I've been walking up and down the mountains for 11 months, I probably have the leg strength to do it. Plus, how often do you get a fantastically hard core story to end your fieldwork? Really, anthro people...back me up on this one. Fantastic way to end the book.
Maybe I should explain what a strike is to those of you without experience in the strike-happy belt known as West Bengal and Nepal. During a strike, nothing opens for business. The markets close, all shops, everything. Well, here they allow the chemist (pharmacy) shops to remain open in case you are dying and need medicine or needles, or a cough drop. Very thoughtful of them, na? Anyway, cars aren't really allowed on the roads whether or not there was an explicit order for them to stay off the roads. So basically nothing happens. People have been treating this one more like a holiday than the others we've had this year. Everyone is really staying home. I watched a group of teenagers play cards for about 14 hours yesterday and my neighbors to the other side just did their laundry and ate all day.
Tourists, on the other hand, are not so happy. Apparently a flock of them went down to a few of the taxi stands yesterday trying to get out of the hills. Not only were the prices sometimes 10 times higher than normal, no one would go even at the agreed price. I feel sorry for them, really. They are confined to their often crappy hotels with nothing to do. The weather is finally perfect--sunny, clear, and the mountains are visible on every side. Yet, they can't leave their hotels. Its not even really safe for them to wander around the city right now.
I am just sitting in my house, backing up my data, and hoping there is a break in the strikes. I'm supposed to fly out soon (Saturday to be exact) and would very much like a taxi to take me down the mountain. However, since I have a nonrefundable ticket I may have to walk down the mountain. With research accoutrement in tow. Since I've been walking up and down the mountains for 11 months, I probably have the leg strength to do it. Plus, how often do you get a fantastically hard core story to end your fieldwork? Really, anthro people...back me up on this one. Fantastic way to end the book.
Friday, November 23, 2007
More random thoughts about fieldwork
After weeks of internet problems, I finally have access again. Obviously. How else would I be posting these little nuggets of fieldwork?
I was typing the other afternoon when my friend Emily appeared online. She is conducting her fieldwork in Argentina. It was great to catch up and talk honestly about fieldwork (more in a minute on that). After a few minutes, another friend from our department came online. Drew is working in Russa, Siberia to be exact. I was pretty excited because I hadn't spoken to Drew since I left the US. The three of us were discussing vital ethnographic issues such as weather, food, clothing, and language issues. Not three minutes later, yet ANOTHER friend from the department showed up. Luca is working in Sumatra (Indonesia). It was amazing. Everyone knows its possible...but this was the first time I was having a conversation between India, Siberia, Indonesia, and Argentina. Very, very cool. Especially since we've had these conversations in the past but we were always in New Brunswick.
So honestly in fieldwork....if you don't have to do fieldwork in your life, this may sound strange. But most of the conversations I've had with people about fieldwork have to do with methods. How do you conduct surveys, what number, in what languages, how do you do interviews, do you record everything, how often do you back up your data, etc. Technically, very important but much less interesting that all the other things that go on. I don't know why we often don't talk about the real issues of fieldwork. Issues like feeling like a total freak everyday. Walking around places where you clearly don't belong and being the center of attention every time you walk out of the house. I can't even take out the garbage without people asking me why I just don't have the house help do that. Or, better yet, just thrown it down the hill and let the villagers further down deal with it. Excellent. Even when you are invited to events, there is still that incredibly uncomfortable feeling of, "I probably shouldn't be here." I helped at the funeral of my research assistant's grandmother in May, and there are still people who won't talk to me because I wasn't "really" family. I helped serve the food to everyone that came and there were lots of people who wouldn't take it from me.
There are also the more personal issues. What about dating in the field? Do you do it, or not? This, of course, entirely depends on who you are, where you are, and if you are a woman or man. What about sexual harassment? How do you even define sexual harassment? Some are obvious (grabbing your girl bits as you walk in the market or grabbing their man bits as you walk by while making really nasty noises and gestures), some are not. What if someone follows you everywhere you go, always shows up where they know you will be, and calls people to find out your whereabouts when you don't show up in those places? Maybe, maybe not. What about when those times of showing up turn in to waiting outside an internet cafe while you type and then ducking into a stairway so (they think) you won't see them? What happens when your definition of harassment and their definition of harassment don't match up? How do you deal with that? What if it continues to explicit text messages and phone calls ending with "you know what I'll do if you don't call me." (I didn't actually know what that was, but I didn't want to find out).
There are also other things, things that are less sinister and disturbing. I often felt like I was living a parallel life, like I wasn't (or couldn't be) myself here. Censoring details about myself. Can a real friendship grow in these conditions? I've also had an underlying feeling like I just wasn't doing it RIGHT. Somehow fieldwork should be something and I wasn't meeting that standard. Or, worse yet, other people are somehow enjoying this in a way that I am incapable of while here. Or, even worse yet, I am not suited to the anthropologist lifestyle (*gasp*). Can it be true? I've spent most of the past 6 years wandering the earth. I didn't really enjoy it at least not enough to be at peace. Living out of a suitcase is difficult although I got pretty good at creating a home wherever I landed. This chance to live in one place for almost a year was really attractive. I haven't stayed in one place that long in 6 years (between Nepal, Indiana, New Jersey, Boston, and India) and I loved the idea of finally creating a real home. Well, problem. I have been going *crazy* having to stay in one place. I've actually rented a hotel in town when I couldn't leave just to get a change of scenery. This does not bode well for a future with a home and family. Maybe I just need more practice at domesticity. Who knows. But these are the thoughts that emerge with all this free time.
Part of my problem is that another anthropologist here is one of the most well adjusted and generally comfortable people I've known (yeah, Towns, I'm talking about you). It made my own insanity a little difficult to deal with when I had Mr. Cool around. But the four country conference with my friends made me feel better. We are all having our own problems and dealing with them (or not, as the case may be) the best way we can. More importantly, we can be honest in a way that only 5 years of graduate school together allows you to be. About silly things. Such as--I have hit the rice wall. I cannot eat rice. I've gone way beyond not eating rice. I can't even look at it. It actually makes me angry. Can you imagine? A grain of rice is NOTHING and it actually effects my emotional state. Not a good position for someone living in Riceland, aka India. You can find it on the road, little bits discarded or accidentally dropped when walking home from the market. It follows me everywhere. Like those damn cats with the perpetually moving hands at Chinese restaurants. Those of you who have eaten with me in New Brunswick know my private hell with these cats. You won't believe it but I saw one in Sikkim at a Chinese restaurant. Nearly coughed up my noodles. I had to order a beer (to the horror of my research assistant). The cat made me do it.
Fieldwork isn't a bad experience, and really I'm just talking about the not so nice bits (damn rice). I have met people who have redefined what kindness and hospitality means. I have seen acts of love that I wouldn't have noticed before but now astonish me. I just think the happy stories will entertain you when I come to visit. They are better than the bad ones and some are so good that you may even take me to dinner. Yes, do that. In case you all have forgotten, I love food. Especially sushi, chicken and dumplings, and those little rolled desert things you get at Greek restaurants. Cinnamon and dates I think. Either way, I promise to entertain for food.
I think I'll just end this post by saying the following. Emily, Drew, and Luca--thanks.
I was typing the other afternoon when my friend Emily appeared online. She is conducting her fieldwork in Argentina. It was great to catch up and talk honestly about fieldwork (more in a minute on that). After a few minutes, another friend from our department came online. Drew is working in Russa, Siberia to be exact. I was pretty excited because I hadn't spoken to Drew since I left the US. The three of us were discussing vital ethnographic issues such as weather, food, clothing, and language issues. Not three minutes later, yet ANOTHER friend from the department showed up. Luca is working in Sumatra (Indonesia). It was amazing. Everyone knows its possible...but this was the first time I was having a conversation between India, Siberia, Indonesia, and Argentina. Very, very cool. Especially since we've had these conversations in the past but we were always in New Brunswick.
So honestly in fieldwork....if you don't have to do fieldwork in your life, this may sound strange. But most of the conversations I've had with people about fieldwork have to do with methods. How do you conduct surveys, what number, in what languages, how do you do interviews, do you record everything, how often do you back up your data, etc. Technically, very important but much less interesting that all the other things that go on. I don't know why we often don't talk about the real issues of fieldwork. Issues like feeling like a total freak everyday. Walking around places where you clearly don't belong and being the center of attention every time you walk out of the house. I can't even take out the garbage without people asking me why I just don't have the house help do that. Or, better yet, just thrown it down the hill and let the villagers further down deal with it. Excellent. Even when you are invited to events, there is still that incredibly uncomfortable feeling of, "I probably shouldn't be here." I helped at the funeral of my research assistant's grandmother in May, and there are still people who won't talk to me because I wasn't "really" family. I helped serve the food to everyone that came and there were lots of people who wouldn't take it from me.
There are also the more personal issues. What about dating in the field? Do you do it, or not? This, of course, entirely depends on who you are, where you are, and if you are a woman or man. What about sexual harassment? How do you even define sexual harassment? Some are obvious (grabbing your girl bits as you walk in the market or grabbing their man bits as you walk by while making really nasty noises and gestures), some are not. What if someone follows you everywhere you go, always shows up where they know you will be, and calls people to find out your whereabouts when you don't show up in those places? Maybe, maybe not. What about when those times of showing up turn in to waiting outside an internet cafe while you type and then ducking into a stairway so (they think) you won't see them? What happens when your definition of harassment and their definition of harassment don't match up? How do you deal with that? What if it continues to explicit text messages and phone calls ending with "you know what I'll do if you don't call me." (I didn't actually know what that was, but I didn't want to find out).
There are also other things, things that are less sinister and disturbing. I often felt like I was living a parallel life, like I wasn't (or couldn't be) myself here. Censoring details about myself. Can a real friendship grow in these conditions? I've also had an underlying feeling like I just wasn't doing it RIGHT. Somehow fieldwork should be something and I wasn't meeting that standard. Or, worse yet, other people are somehow enjoying this in a way that I am incapable of while here. Or, even worse yet, I am not suited to the anthropologist lifestyle (*gasp*). Can it be true? I've spent most of the past 6 years wandering the earth. I didn't really enjoy it at least not enough to be at peace. Living out of a suitcase is difficult although I got pretty good at creating a home wherever I landed. This chance to live in one place for almost a year was really attractive. I haven't stayed in one place that long in 6 years (between Nepal, Indiana, New Jersey, Boston, and India) and I loved the idea of finally creating a real home. Well, problem. I have been going *crazy* having to stay in one place. I've actually rented a hotel in town when I couldn't leave just to get a change of scenery. This does not bode well for a future with a home and family. Maybe I just need more practice at domesticity. Who knows. But these are the thoughts that emerge with all this free time.
Part of my problem is that another anthropologist here is one of the most well adjusted and generally comfortable people I've known (yeah, Towns, I'm talking about you). It made my own insanity a little difficult to deal with when I had Mr. Cool around. But the four country conference with my friends made me feel better. We are all having our own problems and dealing with them (or not, as the case may be) the best way we can. More importantly, we can be honest in a way that only 5 years of graduate school together allows you to be. About silly things. Such as--I have hit the rice wall. I cannot eat rice. I've gone way beyond not eating rice. I can't even look at it. It actually makes me angry. Can you imagine? A grain of rice is NOTHING and it actually effects my emotional state. Not a good position for someone living in Riceland, aka India. You can find it on the road, little bits discarded or accidentally dropped when walking home from the market. It follows me everywhere. Like those damn cats with the perpetually moving hands at Chinese restaurants. Those of you who have eaten with me in New Brunswick know my private hell with these cats. You won't believe it but I saw one in Sikkim at a Chinese restaurant. Nearly coughed up my noodles. I had to order a beer (to the horror of my research assistant). The cat made me do it.
Fieldwork isn't a bad experience, and really I'm just talking about the not so nice bits (damn rice). I have met people who have redefined what kindness and hospitality means. I have seen acts of love that I wouldn't have noticed before but now astonish me. I just think the happy stories will entertain you when I come to visit. They are better than the bad ones and some are so good that you may even take me to dinner. Yes, do that. In case you all have forgotten, I love food. Especially sushi, chicken and dumplings, and those little rolled desert things you get at Greek restaurants. Cinnamon and dates I think. Either way, I promise to entertain for food.
I think I'll just end this post by saying the following. Emily, Drew, and Luca--thanks.
Strikes, cookbooks, and music
Well, only four weeks and two days. I really cannot believe how quickly things have come to an end. I'm only in Darjeeling for another week.
I had many plans for my final full week, but thing have gotten a little strange here. Political things having to do with the discussions in Parliament about tribal status for the people here. Very long description could follow, but lets be honest. How many of you actually care? Hands? Didn't think so.
But what this means is that I had to stay at home for the last two days. There was a strike and people were unsure what would happen. Nothing terrible so don't start worrying. I am totally safe in my little house with my little watch dog. Actually, I should post a photo of Maggi. She is my neighbors' dog and I've been house sitting since they left in August. Maggi is cute with a ferocious bark. However, she is the size of a large house cat. Anyone who has met my sister's cat Eros would have a good size in mind for Maggi. But she does make me feel better and is better than a hot water bottle at night. The kicker is that she is afraid of people sometimes. So maybe I protect her. Either way, its nice to have the company especially in these times when I'm home for long stretches.
So with all this free time I've been finishing up things and preparing to leave. This has involved finally typing up some of my notes in my 489 notebooks. As most of you know, I can be absentminded sometimes. Ask me about the difference between code switching and code mixing and which scholars fall on each side...I'm right there with ya. But ask me where I left my sunglasses. Not quite so with it. I'm actually practicing for the Absent Minded Professor awards. I won't be eligible until I have a tenure track job which could take years. But in the meantime, I'm tearing up the amateur circuits. Watch out!
Since I've been stuck at home, I was wandering Amazon.com planning the additions to my book collection when I get back to the US. I can across one that could be useful but I’m just not sure I can do it: Microwave Cooking for One. Yes, this is the title. It is for sad, sad single women. Actually, the author says this is for the following situation—“When a woman finds her children grown and her husband away often on business trips, she continues to cook large meals because practice has become indelible routine.” Sounds like me. Except my children are unborn and my husband is MIA. Or rather entirely unknown. Maybe left for the business trip before we met and forgot to come back. But I digress… The recipes are not terrible, but I just don’t know if I could do this. I think instead, one would be advised to go out to dinner and meet new people. Perhaps find the lost husband and his half of the future children. Of course, this can happen to normal people, but not to graduate students. So I think I will stick with the cookbook. Definitely not THIS cookbook. Maybe something that calls for homemade bread and a traditional soup simmered for two days. Or something with couscous and apricots. That is more my style. But the best quality about this book is that it was published in 1985. I remember the microwaves back then. They were terrifying. We didn’t get one until the early 90’s mainly because my mother did all the cooking and she was afraid of killing one of us with it. I even remember always keeping a glass full of water inside. It was recommended just in case some “accidentally” turned it on. What did we think would happen? Seriously. Was is going to explode instantaneously? Did we think they would actually sell something to stupid consumers that was that dangerous? But the glass of water stayed for years until we realized that we didn't have a small nuclear device waiting to kill us all in the kitchen.
I've also been listening to my ever expanding music collection. Through various sources (tourists, friends, online, music here) I've expanded my collection from a mere 7 GB in May to the scary 47.58 GB today. Oh yeah. I currently have 35 days of music. 35 DAYS. That is just stupid (but, when I get back, I am up for exchanging music when I come to your town). But this is what iTunes will do to you. So I've decided to break out of my usual routine and go for some of the new. My conclusions are as follows (and they are in no particular order except the first one):
1) Aretha Franklin is one of the greatest artists of all time. I've listened to her stuff before, but wow. That woman can sing. She also may be one of the greatest role models for the modern woman as well. This is the woman who can sing about giving a girl her dues (Respect) and then turn around and also be tender and in love (You Send Me). It is awe inspiring. Well, maybe its more that I have always been focused on the one over the other. Maybe I'll just put those two on repeat instead of going to a therapist. Call it the Aretha method for saving your soul. Or maybe just my soul.
2) The Animals are a seriously underrated band. I'm sure everyone can remember "House of the Rising Sun." One of my favorites since I was young. But their other stuff is really good. Maybe its just they were a little before my generation's time. But they need to be revisited. Especially with some of the crap out there now masquerading as music.
3) I'm looking for the definitive version of particular songs. Not always the original. For example, The Weight. Originally by The Band, I just can't decide who would win if they were put head to head with Aretha Franklin. They are just totally different genres. I might say the original, but I am just so in love with Aretha right now. Another one: All Along the Watchtower. Who do you choose? Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, or Dave Matthews? Its been covered by hundreds of groups and artists, but I think only these three really captured the truth in the song. I realize some people take very strong views about this. Especially this guy I found online today (I TOLD you that I have lots of time on my hands right now):
by NerdyTheWell on 06-20-2002 @ 12:16:33 AM
I had many plans for my final full week, but thing have gotten a little strange here. Political things having to do with the discussions in Parliament about tribal status for the people here. Very long description could follow, but lets be honest. How many of you actually care? Hands? Didn't think so.
But what this means is that I had to stay at home for the last two days. There was a strike and people were unsure what would happen. Nothing terrible so don't start worrying. I am totally safe in my little house with my little watch dog. Actually, I should post a photo of Maggi. She is my neighbors' dog and I've been house sitting since they left in August. Maggi is cute with a ferocious bark. However, she is the size of a large house cat. Anyone who has met my sister's cat Eros would have a good size in mind for Maggi. But she does make me feel better and is better than a hot water bottle at night. The kicker is that she is afraid of people sometimes. So maybe I protect her. Either way, its nice to have the company especially in these times when I'm home for long stretches.
So with all this free time I've been finishing up things and preparing to leave. This has involved finally typing up some of my notes in my 489 notebooks. As most of you know, I can be absentminded sometimes. Ask me about the difference between code switching and code mixing and which scholars fall on each side...I'm right there with ya. But ask me where I left my sunglasses. Not quite so with it. I'm actually practicing for the Absent Minded Professor awards. I won't be eligible until I have a tenure track job which could take years. But in the meantime, I'm tearing up the amateur circuits. Watch out!
Since I've been stuck at home, I was wandering Amazon.com planning the additions to my book collection when I get back to the US. I can across one that could be useful but I’m just not sure I can do it: Microwave Cooking for One. Yes, this is the title. It is for sad, sad single women. Actually, the author says this is for the following situation—“When a woman finds her children grown and her husband away often on business trips, she continues to cook large meals because practice has become indelible routine.” Sounds like me. Except my children are unborn and my husband is MIA. Or rather entirely unknown. Maybe left for the business trip before we met and forgot to come back. But I digress… The recipes are not terrible, but I just don’t know if I could do this. I think instead, one would be advised to go out to dinner and meet new people. Perhaps find the lost husband and his half of the future children. Of course, this can happen to normal people, but not to graduate students. So I think I will stick with the cookbook. Definitely not THIS cookbook. Maybe something that calls for homemade bread and a traditional soup simmered for two days. Or something with couscous and apricots. That is more my style. But the best quality about this book is that it was published in 1985. I remember the microwaves back then. They were terrifying. We didn’t get one until the early 90’s mainly because my mother did all the cooking and she was afraid of killing one of us with it. I even remember always keeping a glass full of water inside. It was recommended just in case some “accidentally” turned it on. What did we think would happen? Seriously. Was is going to explode instantaneously? Did we think they would actually sell something to stupid consumers that was that dangerous? But the glass of water stayed for years until we realized that we didn't have a small nuclear device waiting to kill us all in the kitchen.
I've also been listening to my ever expanding music collection. Through various sources (tourists, friends, online, music here) I've expanded my collection from a mere 7 GB in May to the scary 47.58 GB today. Oh yeah. I currently have 35 days of music. 35 DAYS. That is just stupid (but, when I get back, I am up for exchanging music when I come to your town). But this is what iTunes will do to you. So I've decided to break out of my usual routine and go for some of the new. My conclusions are as follows (and they are in no particular order except the first one):
1) Aretha Franklin is one of the greatest artists of all time. I've listened to her stuff before, but wow. That woman can sing. She also may be one of the greatest role models for the modern woman as well. This is the woman who can sing about giving a girl her dues (Respect) and then turn around and also be tender and in love (You Send Me). It is awe inspiring. Well, maybe its more that I have always been focused on the one over the other. Maybe I'll just put those two on repeat instead of going to a therapist. Call it the Aretha method for saving your soul. Or maybe just my soul.
2) The Animals are a seriously underrated band. I'm sure everyone can remember "House of the Rising Sun." One of my favorites since I was young. But their other stuff is really good. Maybe its just they were a little before my generation's time. But they need to be revisited. Especially with some of the crap out there now masquerading as music.
3) I'm looking for the definitive version of particular songs. Not always the original. For example, The Weight. Originally by The Band, I just can't decide who would win if they were put head to head with Aretha Franklin. They are just totally different genres. I might say the original, but I am just so in love with Aretha right now. Another one: All Along the Watchtower. Who do you choose? Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, or Dave Matthews? Its been covered by hundreds of groups and artists, but I think only these three really captured the truth in the song. I realize some people take very strong views about this. Especially this guy I found online today (I TOLD you that I have lots of time on my hands right now):
by NerdyTheWell on 06-20-2002 @ 12:16:33 AM
Monday, November 05, 2007
Belated Posts
All,
First, my apologies for not posting in 5 months. Between spotty internet service and an increasingly insane research pace I have just not had the time. It probably won't be any better until I return to the US.
In terms of my travel plans, I leave Darjeeling on December 2. Upashna (my research assistant and partner in crime) and I will be in New Delhi and Dehra Dun (up in the mountains between Nepal and Pakistan) until I leave for the US on December 23. I won't have much internet/email access in December. No that it will make much difference since I've been terrible at the posts!
I will try to finish my Thailand post before I leave so at least you can see the photos.
See you all soon!
First, my apologies for not posting in 5 months. Between spotty internet service and an increasingly insane research pace I have just not had the time. It probably won't be any better until I return to the US.
In terms of my travel plans, I leave Darjeeling on December 2. Upashna (my research assistant and partner in crime) and I will be in New Delhi and Dehra Dun (up in the mountains between Nepal and Pakistan) until I leave for the US on December 23. I won't have much internet/email access in December. No that it will make much difference since I've been terrible at the posts!
I will try to finish my Thailand post before I leave so at least you can see the photos.
See you all soon!
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