D.A.R.E.

A rabbit was hopping through the forest when he came upon a giraffe rolling a joint. The rabbit said,"Giraffe, don't do drugs. Come, run with me through the forest." The giraffe looked at the rabbit, then at the joint. He dropped the joint and ran off with the rabbit.

They came upon an elephant snorting cocaine. The Rabbit said,"Elephant, don't do drugs. Come, run with us through the forest." The elephant looked at his razor blade and mirror, tossed them away and began running with the rabbit and giraffe.

The three animals then came across a lion about to shoot up. The Rabbit said, "Lion, don't do drugs. Come, run with us through the forest." The lion looked at the rabbit and then at the needle. He put down the needle and started to beat up the rabbit.

Horrified, the giraffe and elephant asked, "Lion, why are you doing this? He was trying to help you."The lion answered, "This little fucker? He makes me run around the forest like a fucking idiot every time he's on ecstasy."

Car of the Future...?

Looks pretty cool... though I hope GM isn't the one taking the lead on this... otherwise, its bound to be boring.

Who do you have in your 5ive?

Here's mine, clean and simple!



Now, granted, if I could, I chose the Laker's starting lineup to take on any 5ive the NBA has to offer... afterall, the way they kick butt every night, while being short-shorthanded... should impress even the dumbest Laker-hater..!

Lakers Baby!!! :-)
Check out the new power rankings!!!

Happy Diwali!

Happy Diwali! If you didn't know, Diwali in its original sense, is the Hindu celebration of when God Ram defeated the villain Ravan in Lanka, and rescued his wife Sita. I think that's the main gist of it... am I right my Hindu brothas?

But since then, Diwali has become to mean a lot for Sikhs as well. Essentially, Diwali for Hindus and Sikhs means the same thing, a start of a new year. This isn't necessarily based on any calendar like the Chinese or our regular New Years. But its based more on the recognition to start new, start fresh, and embrace all that is good and begin a new attempt to leave behind all that is bad. (Again, a very generic description).

Even though Sikhs have their own New Years celebration which we call Gurupurab, which is based on the Gregorian calendar, we still embrace Diwali as it holds a special meaning for us. Sikhs celebrate Diwali to remember the release of one of our Guru's and 52 other kings from imprisonment by a Muslim emporor. Since this was a peaceful release of our Guru, this day marked the day when Sikhs were given their religious freedom, and thus was a very special day for all Sikhs. Since then, it has been celebrated very enthusiastically by Sikhs all over the world in order to remember our freedom from religious persecution and to remember what our religion is all about, so that we can all have another crack at being better people.

Now, we all know that I'm not very religious. But I am a Sikh, not only by birth, but also by choice, and so sharing this with people that read my blog was my duty!

Now, go light a candle! :P

Crush of the Week Wednesdays

Jessica Alba
Helpin' you get over the hump...
This is a special CoW. Well, all CoWs are special. But this one does stand apart because it was a request from a dear friend... a dear friend that is about to get engaged... :( uhh... I mean, :)
So, here's Cheers to him on his up and coming life!
So what if you'll never be able date Jessica Alba now... not even if she had to beg you. At least you can take solace in the fact that you're about to embark on a great journey with someone very special! But, if Im' wrong, and you can't find solace in that... then get out NOW!
Just kidding... wishing you two a very happy life together.
And don't worry, I will try and quench your fantasies with a differnt CoW almost every week like I have been... I'll be there for ya!
For now... here are a couple more pics, and a special treat!
Picture #2
Picture #3
Special Treat - you'll need a YouTube account

Keepin' up with da Lingo

Has it been a tough Monday???
You know it has when the BLAMESTORMING sessions at work are seemingly endless, concluded only by the appearance of your SEAGULL MANAGER who's chewing everyone out except for your buddy who has mastered the art of ASSMOSIS. If only the ADMINISPHERE could come now to your rescue! To top that off, you get wrongly accused of CROP DUSTING the CUBE FARM because of the MOUSE POTATO who falsely PRAIRIE DOGGED you out on it. And finally, just when you're done with work, you're headed off to go home to your SITCOM lifestyle and listen to that STRESS PUPPY wife of yours who's busy nagging you to replace her SWIPEOUT cards. That only leads to depress you further as you know that not everything in life can be procured through your office's XEROX SUBSIDY program, and so instead of treating yourself to a night out on the town in GENERICA, you are forced to conserve your monetary resources as you try and entertain yourself with the latest dose of IRRITAINMENT, that is, only if you can get your remote to work with a little bit of PRECUSSIVE MAINTENANCE without breaking it like you did last time.
And all this makes you wonder... what went wrong in your life? What you wouldn't do now to go back before you started acting like you had 404, what you wouldn't do now to stop all this madness before you had that OHNOSECOND. What the heck were you thinking...? And more importantly... where does it all lead to now... surely, one thing that's for sure is that you must turn things around quickly if you ever want a chance of becoming a WOOFY.
But for now, you'll just have to learn to deal with SALMON DAYs like today...

- Not sure what the heck I'm talking about... then keep up with da Lingo!

BLAMESTORMING: Sitting around in a group, discussing why adeadline was missed or a project failed and who was responsible.

SEAGULL MANAGER: A manager who flies in, makes a lot of noise, craps on everything, and then leaves.

ASSMOSIS: The process by which some people seem to absorb success and advancement by kissing up to the boss rather than working hard.

SALMON DAY: The experience of spending an entire day swimming upstream only to get screwed and die in the end.

CUBE FARM: An office filled with cubicles.

PRAIRIE DOGGING: When someone yells or drops something loudly in a cube farm, and people's heads pop up over the walls to see what's going on.

MOUSE POTATO: The on-line, wired generation's answer to the couch potato.

SITCOM-s: Single Income, Two Children, Oppressive Mortgage. What yuppies turn into when they have children and one of them stops working to stay home with the kids.(I always heard these were called DINKS - dual income no kids or DINKWADS- Dual income no kids with a dog).

STRESS PUPPY: A person who seems to thrive on being stressed out and whiney.

SWIPEOUT: An ATM or credit card that has been rendered useless because the magnetic strip is worn away from extensive use.

XEROX SUBSIDY: Euphemism for swiping free photocopies from one's workplace

IRRITAINMENT: Entertainment and media spectacles that are annoying but you find yourself unable to stop watching them. The O.J. trials were a prime example. So is Survivor or Fear Factor.

PERCUSSIVE MAINTENANCE: The fine art of whacking the crap out of an electronic device to get it to work again.

ADMINISPHERE: The rarefied organizational layers beginning just above the rank and file. Decisions that fall from the adminisphere are often profoundly inappropriate or irrelevant to the problems they were designed to solve.

404: Someone who's clueless. From the World Wide Web error message "404 Not Found," meaning that the requested document could not be located.

GENERICA: Features of the American/Canadian landscape that are exactly the same no matter where one is, such as fast food joints, strip malls, subdivisions.

OHNOSECOND: That minuscule fraction of time in which you realize that you've just made a BIG mistake.

WOOFYS: Well Off Older Folks.

CROP DUSTING: Surreptitiously farting while passing thru a cube farm, then enjoying the sounds of dismay and disgust; leads to PRAIRIE DOGGING.....

(Thanks to Palm Jokes for the Lingo definitions)

Crush of the Week Wednesdays

Eva Green
Helpin' you get over the hump...

She's coming to a theatre near you in Casino Royale. Can't wait!

Democrat... Republican... uhh... Republican...?

Now I'm not a politcal freak like many of my close friends... and arguing over politics or how stupid or not Bush is, are not my favorite ways of spending a nice Sunday brunch by the beach. However, I do still have a fair handle of politics in this country... or at least I'd like to think so. But maybe ignorance really can be bliss, and I could be way off!

Anywhow, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I think I finally understand the difference between Democrats and Republicans, well, the difference between the two parties anyways. And though I've been a Democrat all my life and have always despised Republicans for some reason, I think that after finally understanding the difference between the two parties, that I'm a probably a little more Republican if anything. Wow, I can't believe I just said that, I'm a Republican! Shiite!!!

Well before you start forming all sorts of opinions about me in your tiny little heads... hear a brotha out! Now I'm not saying I agree with Republicans all the time, in fact I probably agree/disagree equally with both parties. And don't worry, I'm not all of a sudden a big fan of Bush... I do think that he's not an idiot, but still, I'm far from being a fan of his.

I guess I've had this change of heart simply because I've realized that we don't live in an ideal world, and that only so much can be done, and that the choices we make don't benefit everyone. In fact, the well-being of each of us is ultimately in our own hands. And I guess that's why I've changed... because if you cut all the BS and get down to it, the only real difference between the two parties is that the Republicans leave more things up to you, while the Democrats tend to TRY to make things better for everyone.

For example, remember that ad-campaign that Kerry was running, saying that all Americans should have health care that is equally as good as what the members of Congress have? Well, he did say that. And man, if you don't think too much about it, that would be freakin' cool if it could happen. I mean, I already have good health care, but it would be nice if everyone could also have good healthcare, especially people that can't afford it. But if you think about it realistically, something Democrats aren't very good at, we have a limited budget for health care, and a very limited infastructure, so in actuality, the only way in which we could ALL have the SAME health care coverage, would be if it sucked EQUALLY BADLY for all of us... how freakin' lame would that be! In fact, the only way you can have good health care for yourself and your family is by going out and doing what it takes to get it, which is bascially how Republicans view it. No one is going to hand it to you, and if they do, like they do in Canada, then its gonna suck for everyone!

This is obviously an extreme example... but dumb and idealistic policies like this that Democrats keep advocating really have started to tick me off. Afterall, my life should be in my own hands... all I ask is for a level playing field!

Time to go change my registration from 'D' to 'R'!

Who do you have on ICE?

No no no... I'm not talking about that girl who gave you a wrong number though you thought you were on top of your game, nor am I talking that guy who's suddenly started liking you less just after you gave in to him... In fact, I'm not talking about any dating/relationship/rejection issues at all. So, you wonder, who else could you possibly have on ICE...?

Well, in this case, ICE is an acronym for "In Case of Emergency." And it's not someone you're trying to shut out... but rather, someone paramedics can call 'In Case of an Emergency" when you've lost consciousness. ICE enables paramdics to use the victim's cellphone to notify their next of kin... so for example, your parents could be ICE1, and your best friend could be ICE2 and your boy/girl could be ICE3... and so on. It's actually a cool, simple, easy and discreet way of informing strangers of people to contact "In Case of an Emergency," and I'm surprised its taking so long to catch on.

This is where I step in, being the tech-geek that I am, especially when its related to cell phones! So, go ahead, ICE someone on your cellphones... and though I hope the situation never arises... at least you'll be slightly better prepared to face your next emergency. And trust me, with the US Health-Care System getting a "D" in overall healthcare quality, you're going to need all the help you can!

Here's the LINK!

- Catch up on Aman, keeping you in the KNOW!

Crush of the Week Wednesdays

Katherine Heigl
Helpin' you get over the hump...
Little did I know that my cram-session of Grey's Anatomy dvds would lead me to have one of my biggest crushest ever... she's cute, festive, beautiful, loyal, lovely, fiesty in a cute way, and has a great sense of humor... well as far as I've gotten to know her... which is only through her role on Grey's Anatomy. But hey, that's probably the only capacity I'll ever know her in, so yes... she's perfect, regardless of how she really is in reality! Definitley the easisest decision I've yet had to make for CoW! You ROCK Izzy! :-P

Crush of the Week Wednesdays for the Ladies

Stuart Davis
Does this help you get over the hump...?
Catch up on Aman's 'CoW' for the ladies... by request only

Get Over It!

I can't believe what the world has come to... and how stubborn we've become.

Firstly, what the f$#@ was the Pope thinking... He's giving an address in a Univerity, so he must have known that it was open to the public... but then why quote such an insensitive passage as he did? It was wrong on many levels... and simply foolish. Firstly, not only are you the Pope of the Catholic church, but in many ways, you're one of the most powerful people in the world. And that power is not a right, but a privelage, and comes with a lot of responsibility. One with that much influence really should be careful of what they say/recite... I mean, what the heck were you thinking! Secondly, doing it at a time as tumultuous as NOW and on a topic as sensitive as ISLAM... what the f#@%! What the F#@$!

But he did apologize... maybe he really did simply make a mistake and had incorrectly judged the reaction to his speech. So, we should just forgive and forget.. right? But NOooo... The freakin' Islam extremists simply won't forget... and simply will not accept any apology! Again, what the f$#@! Yet to them, this is another opportunity to state their cause that the entire world is against Islam! Take a freakin' chill pill Mr. Ayatollah (sp?). Again, what the f$#@!

I understand that the Pope recited a very insensitive passage to a community that see's itself as being under fire... and so, yes this did deserve an apology. But what's now the point of protesting, closing down cities and shops, and creating rage over a statement made by a party that has already apologized globally for it!

F$#@ing get over it!!!!

My New Addiction: Grey's Anatomy

Ok, I'm not one to watch these prime-time tv shows... if anything, I spend my nights catching up on Seinfeld re-runs, watching movies, or brushing up on the news or better yet, following sports. But now, after a very long time, I actually see myself looking forward to every Thursday night so I can watch new episodes of this show. This eagerness for a prime-time show hasn't been a part of my life for sometime now... but I guess its a good thing... something finally worth watching on TV, as those reality shows have really been freakin' ticking me off and away from prime-time tv for the last few years... I guess this is more than just a good show... for me, its actually an opportunity to rejoice that prime-time TV hasn't been ruined forever.

So, as I have missed the two previous seasons, right now I'm quite busy catching up on them via dvds... funny, cause I never thought I'd have such a marathon dvd-watching stage in life... its never happened before. But a marathon is exactly what it will take... I have 6 days before the next new show which airs Thursday night at 9... and about 6 and a half dvds still to catch up on... that's about 24 hours of dvd watching! It's almost like preparing for a freakin' midterm actually... but I have to admit that this time, studying is actually quite fun, and even addictive. I'm actually kinda liking this marathon dvd thing... I'll miss it once its gone.

If you're unfamiliar with the show, well, then you really should check it out, its actually quite entertaining... I find it motivational, educational, inspiring, comical, intriguing... yadda yadda... quite a good show in fact. I could care less for some parts of it... but I guess everything's there for a reason, and that the guys at ABC really do have an idea of what they are doing this time. It's not as dry as ER can often be, nor is it a farce which is the best way I can describe Scrubs. As a dear friend said, it's a good mix of both those shows... but with an extra kick.

Nevertheless, I'm hooked... I'm definatley a fan for life... the only other currently playing series I'm this crazy about has to be Entourage on HBO... I can't wait to start that marathon! I'll be catching up on that next!

Forget Boycotting Tea... Boycott Sex!

What do you think the most effective form of boycott could be...? I can think of a number of things, but boycotting sex for a cause would probabaly be near the top of my list... Imagine that... not being able to do it with your partner, cause he/she disagreed with your opinions and beliefs... Granted, in some cases, such a strong stance may be required... but I hope this doesn't become a trend and start happening regurlarly in households across America and the rest of the world... that woud SUCK! Well, not for me, not yet, as I'm single... but still... this is a silly idea nevertheless.

Silly, but still very popular.
- Columbia gangsters face a sex ban from their wives and girlfriends until they give up their guns and start being more civil against each other.
- European women tried to unite a sex boycott against all their partners who were pro-war.
- And lastly, women in Turkey organized a boycott of sex until they got fresh clean drinking water, and won!

Now, I guess most of these, except for the pro-war BS, are worthwhile causes... but I'm afraid that women will soon realize just how much power they have over us men... and we won't be able to stand up to anything in front of their noose on sex.

We're *screwed* if they do!

Crush of the Week Wednesdays

Gwen Stefani
Helpin' you get over the hump...

What can you say about Gwen... awesome singer, with a great personality and killer-looks to boot... she's a complete all-around crush! Go get your Gwen Stefani doll here! ;-)

Can Someone Please Make the Perfect PDA!!!???

This is just simply frustrating!!! PDAs have been around for some time now, and definitely long enough for major cell phone manufacturers to have a good idea about what consumers really want in terms of functionality.

But then, what's gives with all the incomplete PDA devices that are currently out in the market!!?

First, you have the Motorla Q. A great device, slim, but wide, ok, no biggie. But the screen is so small, and actually has the smallest surface area of any PDA. It's great that they incorporated the QWERTY keyboard.. but the phone lacks a touch-screen, and hence, also a stylus... so one is limited to using a scroll-wheel, much like the Blackberry PDAs... how lame! What good is a PDA when it has a small screen that isn't touch-sensitive?? Not to mention, the Q also lacks built in WiFi. So, this phone is definately out!

Ok, next, there's the XV6700. A handsome device.. nice big screen, super fast processor, and great resolution. Heck, it even has WiFi along with EVDO (which all PDAs nowadays have). But, it too has its shortcomings... there's no QWERTY keyboard unless you slide out the keyboard from beneath the screen, in which case, you have to use both hands... now that would be ok if this was just a PDA, but its also a phone! Plus, the keyboard feels flimsy and I can't believe it will last for 2 years which is how long it takes for my contract to expire! But all in all, the built in WiFi definitiley is a great plus, and unlike the Q, this phone does come with a stylus, and is touch-sensitive. So, this isn't a bad choice.

Finally, the last phone worth considering, since I have Verizon, is the Treo 700W. I had a Treo 600, so I know these phones well, but I'm not very impressed with the 700W i bought last week. Firstly, its freakin' expensive... the most out of the three phones... has no built in WiFi like the XV6700, and has a slower processor with a lower resolution screen. The only thing I love about the Treo is that it is touch-sensitive, comes with a stylus, and has a QWERTY keypad that doesn't require pulling out a stupid tray from beneath the screen. So, that's a big plus for me since phone-usage is my primary concern, and hence I ended up picking this phone.

But again, not any one of these devices is complete!!! The Q isn't touch sensitive and has no stylus nor Wifi, the XV does have a pull-out QWERTY keyboard, but it requires two hand operation, and the Treo has a slower processor, lower res screen and no WiFi....

What the f$#@!!!!!

For now... I'm holding on to the Treo... but I might switch to the XV in a couple of weeks if the Treo doesn't keep me happy, as I don't want to spend $100 more on a stupid WiFi card that sticks out of the phone! I figure I bet LOVE the Treo to pay $100 more than the XV for it, plus pay another $100 more for the WiFi card which is built-in to the XV.

I can only hope newer phones like the Treo 750W will be more well-rounded than what today's suite of PDAs has to offer.

Where the Surf Meets the Turf, at Del Mar

Today was my first day ever at a horse track, and being the gambling enthusiast that I am... I think I'm hooked! It didn't grow on me right away however... but its a great way to lounge around, enjoy the sun, and make some money at the same time!
I still haven't worked out all the little details though, like researching the bets on the paper, getting familiar with jockeys, horse-trainers, etc, but I think it could be a lot of fun. For today, I was just focusing on the basics like odds, and basically, plain out guessing, but it was fun nevertheless, and a great way to socialize... as long as you get a winning ticket every now and then.
Now, I'm not planning on becoming a hard-core horse-race gambling enthusiast... but it was a good break from the typical casino scene. Sports betting simply just has a charm of its own.
I definately have to go back at least once next season!

Crush of the Week Wednesdays, With a Twist

As you know, every Wednesday I post a Crush of the Week on this blog. I do it because like all other men, I amire the beauty that women have to offer, I relish the spice they bring into our lives, and I keep fantasizing about different women every week since I simply can as I'm not in any serious relationship. But for this week, I thought I'd make it a little different and focus on women in another way... granted, this all may be slightly exaggerated.. but then again, the Crush of the Week posts are never just your 'typical' woman.

Helpin' you get over the hump...

Is it Always Better to Buy than to Rent? Think Again...

So, I'm at that tender age, when I must decide, do I want to continue renting an apartment... or invest some money in a house? The funny thing is that, I always thought that buying was the better option... always in any realistic scenario... but the more I research, the more I find out that is simply not always the case.

Check out this great article from the NY times. It does a very similar analysis to what my friend Mahim did... wtg Mahim! It takes into account the money you spend on a mortgage after accounting for things like tax-breaks and compares it to the money you would spend on renting, after accouting for the money you would save by renting, which is assumed to earn a decent interest... and in today's bloated-housing market, renting wins almost every time.

In fact, if you ever consider 'trading-up' by buying instead of renting, if nothing else, remember the rule of 20... If the price for a house is more than 20 times the rent you would pay to live in it for a year... then its probabaly not a good bet.

Of course, owning a house is a privelage with perks that are priceless, so it will always be better to buy if you want a family-home you plan to spend the rest of your life in. But if you plan to sell within 5 years, then buying is a very bad option in comparison to renting, especially in areas like NY and California.

Just read the article, even if you disagree... you may learn something.

Crush of the Week Wednesdays

Claire Forlani
Helpin' you get over the hump...

She hasn't been on my mind for quite some time now... but all it took was a saturday afternoon showing of Meet Joe Black, and I was whipped... once again. I've been meaning to make her my crush for sometime now... alas, I am at peace. Enjoy... :-)

The Fine Line Between Security and Paranoia

There is no doubt that terrorism has gone hand-in-hand with airline travel for decades now. Recent news only strengthens this link as terrorists continue to exploit the gaps in airline security for the advancement of their cause. Therefore, this strong link should only convince us that an extremely tight level of airline security is of the utmost importance in protecting us against future terrorist attacks, where all precautions are taken and no stone is left un-turned.

But at the same time, one may also look at the events from this past week or so and say that maybe we are going a bit overboard... not in our security, but in our paranoia. Granted, many of these events truly could have been catastrophic had the proper precautions not been taken, but there's a fine line between tight-security and paranoia that we should be wary of.

For example, I commend our security services for taking the proper precautions when an Excel airlines flight was diverted for an emergency landing due to a bomb threat. I also agree with the numerous instances of temporary terminal closures across the nation's airports based on suspicious liquids, especially since this is a very new area for our security teams. In my mind, both of these examples just prove to me that airline travel is much safer now than it used to be and emphasize to me that all valid security concerns are definitely worth the added inconvenience they place on air-travelers.

But there are also other recent air-travel security issues that I feel cross the line between tight-security and paranoia, and thus portray our fears in a negative manner. For example, was the 59 year-old woman really such a threat to the safety of the plane that her claustrophobia required an emergency landing while being escorted by two armed F-15 fighter jets? Now I know that this was only a week or so after British Authorities foiled a terrorist plot on a flight traveling a similar route... but was such an extreme reaction to this woman's claustrophobia really necessary? I tend to think no...

But then again, how does one know whether the fine-line between tight-security and paranoia is actually ever crossed? After all, hind-sight is always 20/20.

Nevertheless, these events just stress the fact that we need to focus on tightening our security even further, while continually suppressing the ever-increasing paranoia associated with air-travel. Fear and paranoia related to air-travel must be abandoned, especially as we try to prove to the terrorists that they will never manage to impede the flow of our lives.

Aman Managing to Make Situations Awkward

I met her about two months ago as I joined my new job. She's a smart, beautiful and very attractive young woman in her late 20s. She has a great body, and a very trendy and fashionalbe dress-sense, that seems to be only more noticeable at my place of work. She's liked by everyone, and is a fun girl once you get to know her.... but I guess that's where I messed it all up.

Before you assume that I *like* her and want more than friendship with her... let me just correct you by saying that is simply not so. Yes she's attractive, dresses-well and has all the qualities that I'd want in a girl... but NO, I'm not into her that way. She's just a great girl, that it would be fun to hang out with at work whenever one had some down-time. And that's where it stops!

But the casual friendship that I want might seem too far-off a concept for now, as I've managed to fu*k things up pretty badly... by simply trying to play it cool. But now I'm realizing that I was anything but *cool*.

Its not cool when I notice her pass by my office, but never once say 'hi' or 'hello' becuase I'm trying to show her that I don't notice, though I clearly do. Its not cool that I avoid sitting next to her during meetings though I clearly want the opportunity to try and make small-talk with her. Its not cool that I pretend to play busy at work whenever I see her caught up in a hallway conversation and don't stop by and participate, though I'm yearning to take part in it. And, its definately not cool that I avoid conversing with her when I see her at the gym in the mornings, though I know I enjoy seeing her there as it seems to motivate me to train harder for some reason.

Why the heck am I trying to play so cool...? Why can't I just admit to myself that she's a great girl who I want to get to know better, and so that means taking an iniative. Why can I do this with all people except for girls that I find attractive, even though I may not be seeking anything more than friendship, as in this case. Why do I go and make simple things so complicated sometimes...?

It all hit me in the head yesterday evening as I walked by her in the hallway and wished her with a good-night greeting... only to be ignored by her as she simply didn't say a word. This girl that used to respond to my greetings, and even discussed her marathon-training with me the first time I saw her at the gym, has suddenly grown a bit colder towards me.

But I guess I simply can't blame her, as I've been playing *cool* for simply too long....

Crush of the Week Wednesdays

Vesper
Picture #2 Picture #3 (My Fav!)
Helpin' you get over the hump...

No, you don't recognize her. She's not an actress, she's not Ms. Universe and she's also not a Top-10 model... though she could be!
What she is, however, is just a normal blogger... but with the looks to kill! It's ironic that our paths crossed as she left a comment on one of my 'Crush of the Week' postings... and now, she herself has become Aman's crush for this week.
But unlike the others, this crush is a little deeper than the rest, as it goes beyond just skin-deep. So, why don't you join me and meet this Canadian blogger named Vesper... and learn to enjoy her and her blog as she writes about topics that bring us closer to her... and closer to ourselves at the same time. This actor, writer, single-mother (yes guys, she's single!), is definately worth taking the time to get to know... even if it is only through her blog.

By the way, here are the tallies for the voting behind the pic of the week selection for Vesper:
Pic1=3; Pic2=4, Pic3=6, Pic4=3, Pic5=2, Pic6=9, Pic7=0, Pic8=5, Pic9=3, Pic10=5
I have displayed Pics 6, 3 and 10. The rest are available for your viewing pleasure here!

Please note, there will be no 'Crush of the Week Wednesdays for the Ladies' this week, as there was no request...

Be Lazy... In Style

Segway just released it's two newest scooters... and they're wayyy cooler than the first version. I know I know... America is already lazy enough... and yes, we can all use some exercise... but I for one am not going to give Segway a hard time about it! They're just capitalizing on a lazy society... now that's smart! Plus, their new ski-like gyro-based movement system is super-cool... all one does is lean in the direction where he/she wants to go... and woa-lah (sp?) off they go... how cool is that! It's like an Ipod wheel, but in 3D, and it moves you! Ok ok, I know, time for the geeky-side of Aman to take a chill pill. But you must admit, it's damn cool!

Anyhow, even if you don't like Segways, you have to realize that these little gadgets could have some great potential... only if they were a bit cheaper! Think about it... this may be just what we're looking for when it come to making public transit more feasible in today's large metropolises, especially in the newer cities like Los Angeles and others which have only been designed for cars, and not pedestrians taking mass-transit. In such cities, no matter what route one takes, there's always a bottle-neck... a signficant distance one needs to travel on his/her own in order to get to their destination from the mass-transit drop-off point. And a Segway would fit the bill perfectly for that... you could just pop-off a bus/train and on to your Segway as you complete the journey travelling at a cool 12.5 mph without breaking a sweat! Sure, we could all walk, or bike or jog... but heck, we still would be able to... this is just another great option, and doesn't require you having to break a sweat when you don't want to. But then again, this would only work if the Segway was more affordable... as I don't see people selling their cars for a bus-pass and a Segway when they run about $5k a pop.

Now, I know my theory about mass-transit and Segway going hand-in-hand one day might seem a bit far-fetched... but I guess I was just trying to see past the obvious... that Segways just perpetuate the laziness of America, because I really don't think they do. Lazy Americans do that on their own.

Regardless what you think, you gotta admit its still a damn great tool... and I hope the company does extremely well.

It's Over, I'm Another Year Older... and Still Ticking... tick... tick

Another year gone by, another year to look forward to. Another year with loved ones, and realizing just how special family is and how lucky I am to have mine. Another year spent on my career, still striving to be all I can be. Another year being single, and still looking to find my angel. Another year of making new friends, but losing some close ties with some older ones. Another year added to long lasting friendships that seem to have become only more special one year later. Another year of finding out what's truly important in life, and letting go of things that simply are not. Another year... another year to work towards making it all right.

Does age bring wisdom... or does it bring maturity...? Does it bring about happiness... or a better ability to tolerate sadness ..? Does it bring one closer to their definition of bliss... or do one's comprimises bring bliss closer to reality...? I guess I simply can't say.

All I can say is that age brings one closer to a complete sense of self. If I know anything better now than I did a year ago, then it is myself. Afterall, I've been 'Catching up on Aman' longer than even the most loyal of my blog-readers.

So, every year I take a closer look at the good and the bad, the right and the wrong, and the strenghts and the weaknesses that have come to define my character. Every year I come to a better realization of how I'm not perfect, how I'm not always right, how I can be stubborn, naive, immature, etc. But every year I also realize how I'm also not a bad person, and every year, I can commit to becoming a little bit better for the next time I go up by one.

Some of us have a very specific scale of how to measure our age, besides just the number... We may focus on our finances, or our relationships, or our cars, or our toys, etc... I just feel that if I just measure my age by my being, by my thoughts, and by my sense of self, then that's all that truly matters... and the rest is bound to follow. Afterall, if I can't figure myself out... then my bliss will only be an artifact of chance, and not design.

Just my 2 cents on aging... Thanks to all my friends who helped me celebrate tonight... and to all those who I'll be celebrating with this weekend... birthdays would be a waste without family and friends.

Crush of the Week Wednesdays

Stephanie Seymour
Helpin' you get over the hump...
On this day before my 27th B'day, I have to include her as this week's crush and thank her for helpin' me get over the hump many times during the days of my youth thanks to the monthly Victorias Secret catalogs.

Crush of the Week Wednesdays for the Ladies

By Request: Gael García Bernal
Picture 2, Picture 3Does this help you girls get over the hump..?

Size of Mars = Size of Moon this August 27....? I don't think so!

Haven't gotten one of these forwards yet...? They have been floating around cyber-space recently claiming that the planet Mars and the Moon will both be the same distance away from the Earth this August 27th, and hence 'the Red Planet' will be visible to the naked human eye for the first time ever... all because of some mumbo-jumbo story about an interaction with Jupiter's gravity...
Now, when I got this, I thought, wow, cool... I'll be able to see it... maybe even take a pic or two... but then I realized... wait a minute, that can't be... cuz if that happened, everything would be f$#@'ed up!
Imagine that, why the heck would Mars be forced to leave its orbit to approach as close to the Earth as our own Moon is... and just imagine what else may be going on out there at the same time to have such a castastrophic event take place in our solar system. Heck, one thing is for sure... if Mars ever did get that close to the Earth... we would never be alive to see it because if we didn't all drown by the excessive tidal-waves caused by the affect of Mars' gravity on our oceans... then I'm sure something else would have probably made us extinct...
So, just be warned, that this is a hoax. Save yourself some embaressment and don't forward it to your friends and co-workers... I'm trying to stop you from making a fool of yourself...!
Granted, I got this forward from a friend... but I sure am glad I didn't send it off free-nilly nor post it on my blog without actually thinking about it...
Here are some good websites that explain this email prank/hoax in more detail:
- Beware of the Mars Hoax (Nasa)
- Close Encounter with Mars (Urban Legends)
Please do note that Mars will be unusually closer than it normally is, and yes, it may appear red through a nice telescope, but it will just be a big star to the naked-eye, and certainly not as large as the moon!

-Catch up on Aman, keeping you in the KNOW!

Great DJ... good song... awesome video!

Something to lighten-up your day! Cheers! :)

I FLY SWA

Definately my first choice when I fly domestic... the rates, the timeliness, the pleasant crew team... and oh, not to mention, first-come-first serve seating! Personally, I like my seat choice left up to me, especially for domestic flights... this way, if I don't get the seat I want... then there's no one else to blame but me.

Have any opionions on their unreserved-seating practice? It's one of the main reasons I fly SWA. Express your opionons by taking this short 5 question survey- here!

Crush of the Week Wednesdays

Kelly Brook
Helpin' you get over the hump...

Crush of the Week Wednesdays for the Ladies

By Request: James Marsden
Pic 2, Pic 3 (My Fav)Does this help you girls get over the hump..?

The Ultimate Super Hero

Superman Returns

If you had to pick one superhero to save your day... who would you pick? Sure, you may have gotten charmeded by Spiderman and his boy-ish qualities that make it easy to empathize with him. You may also idolize Batman given he's just a normal person who turned into a superhero with nothing else except his own will. You may even consider one of the various X-Men as they just seem cool. But who'd you really pick when it came down to savin' your ass!!!? That's right... you'd pick Superman!

He is the ultimate superhero... he's as fast as the speed of light, stronger than you could ever imagine, impenetrable, can fly, and comes equipped with x-ray vision, laser vision and super cool-breath. Hmm, did I miss anything...?

This is definitely a movie you want to go see at the theaters... I did! Twice! The second time in IMAX 3D and oh was it worth it! It is a very well thought-out movie as everything seems to continue from where it left-off back in the days of those 80s Superman flicks. It has a real-villain with a catastrophically devastating plan... a gripping love story, an awesome soundtrack that I can't wait to buy in SACD, a great cast all-around, and enough suspense and action to make the 2.5 hours just fly by, no pun intended. It even adds a little twist towards the end that should lead to a sequel. And you know I'll be there... first day, first show, for sure!

Go watch it!

How Sexy is Your Favorite Designer's Catalog...?

What sells clothes? Is it the material... the design... the manufacturer... the models... or just the lure of something we all want...? In these changing times, where competition is tougher than ever before and every company is trying to find its own niche, there seems to be NO LIMIT to the tactics employed just to stand apart from the rest of the crowd.

I have news for you if you think that the Victoria's Secret catalog is as sexy and seductive as it gets... Shai clothing has taken that leaps further. I don't even know if this is the best way to sell clothes, but it will definitely generate some noise... I for one couldn't even focus on their clothes... but maybe you can!

I will not describe their tactics much on my blog, but you can see for yourself at their site. Please, be fairly warned that this is not for the faint-hearted... ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK! And please, DO NOT go to this site at work!!!! If you still want to check it out... here's the LINK!

NOTE: 'Catch up on Aman' and its affiliates do not support in any way shape or form the content of this website as developed by Shai Clothing. The purpose of this post, like most others, is just to inform our visitors of what's out there... keeping you in the KNOW!
Thanks to frisky for the link!