Singleness: A plight or a pleasure?

The next paragraph contains a cluster of questions that I've been meaning to ask for quite some time. I'm aware that many folks probably don't want to admit that they feel this way even though, in their heart of hearts, they do. Then again, maybe they don't. Perhaps it's just me... but I doubt it. 

As a single (or if you're married, just reflect back to your single years), do you think deep down that you're merely filling your days with activities in order to keep busy until "the one" shows up? Single life is supposed to be about discovering your most authentic self, but, in the process, do you sometimes feel as if you're just keeping yourself preoccupied while waiting to get married? Have you begun to think of marriage as the "ultimate destination"... a place that, once there, you can finally breathe a sigh of relief and check it off the ol' proverbial life list? Can you honestly say that you haven't reduced it down to a tick mark on a mental laundry list so that, once "accomplished" you can declare it "done" and move onto the next task (which, oftentimes, is procreating)? And, consequentially, can all of life be boiled down to three basic lots: desiring a romantic relationship, maintaining a romantic relationship, leaving a romantic relationship?

Just thought I'd ask.

www.skinnyscoop.com

WWE wrestling with God

Last night, I was notified that I didn't get a freelance writing job that I applied for. I tried out for the position because I love to write and because it seemed to offer something a little out of the ordinary and, dare I say, fun. But, alas, like so many other ventures I've attempted over the past decade, it turned out to be sawdust in my hands.

I know it's not kosher to say that you're mad at God, but, in some ways, I am. I mean, I know that He loves me and only wants what's best for me, but c'mon! What's with the template of mediocrity that outlines my every day life? What's with the giant stencil of sameness that seems to frame my existence? My parents have always encouraged me to dream big and I know that God's a big God, so what's up with Him habitually putting a WWE SmackDown on my aspirations? It's like every time I finally get up the courage to venture out into the middle of the ring, God decks me with a European Uppercut... or some other pro wrestling move.

Me: I think I'll try for jobs at the National Gallery of Art and the Smithsonian!

God's response: Springboard Moonsault.

(Photograph by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Me: I think I'll apply for a master of arts degree in world missions!

God's response: Attitude Adjustment.

(Photograph by Gaye Gerard/Getty Images)

Me: I think I'll become an Olympic swimmer!

God's response: Clothesline.

(Photograph by Chris Ryan/Corbis Images)

It's like, "Dang, Man! I know You're supposed to be working everything out for my good, so what gives?!!!"

Yep, it's official...

... I am now a dot.com, baby!

(Illustration by Dennis Harms from Corbis Images)

And that, ladies and gentlemen, was the highlight of my day.

Technorati article: 6... or ਛੇ... or chhē... or ੬

Okay, this time, instead of Hindi, I tried using Punjabi in the title. Just thought it looked pretty cool, that's all  :)

Anyway, I concluded my Hindu wedding series on Technorati today. In the last installment, I discussed the significance of various flowers in the Hindu culture.

 

(Photograph by Ingo Jezierski from Corbis Images)

Go on and check it out!

Article first published as The Hindu Wedding: Part Four on Technorati.

The big 3-3

On Easter Sunday, 1978, as Christians around the world were celebrating the risen Lord, my mother was giving birth to her second daughter. So, happy birthday to me :)  As a gift to myself, I decided to drive out here to Lancaster, Pennsylvania yesterday in order to catch a play this afternoon. I normally hate plays with a passion (particularly musicals), but Sight & Sound Theatres is renowned for bringing Biblical stories to life in an unparalleled fashion. And, admittedly, after seeing their production "Abraham and Sarah" several years ago, I became hooked and have since seen "Daniel," "Noah," and "Miracle of Christmas."

© copyright 2009 Sight & Sound Theatres

Today, Sight & Sound is showcasing "Joseph," a new production which kicked off their 2011 season last weekend. I'm looking forward to having a great time... and, once it's all over, spending the rest of the evening vegging out in my hotel room. Now that's what I call a very happy birthday.

What's My Style: Biker Chick

My sweet blog pal Melody-Mae started a "30 for 30 remix challenge" almost a week ago. According to Kendi Lea, who created the challenge in 2010, the premise is as follows:

 Since I'm allowed to wear jeans to work every day and only dress up for church and hardly ever buy clothes, I found this "challenge" a bit laughable. Melody-Mae asked me to join in, but I politely declined because I was too lazy  too self-conscious about my body  too camera-shy to participate. However, watching her over the past few days and how she mixes and matches with stylish ease, got me to thinking about my own clothes. What exactly IS my style? If I had limitless funds, what would I buy to fill my closet? Well, that's when the idea for a new blog series hit. Now, along with Pet Peeves, Skulls and Skeletons, and Tuesday's Tune-Ups, you'll see my fashion faves in What's My Style.

And here's my first "collection":

Biker Chick by Awkwardness featuring leather pants

AYYA Onyx Jacket (Black Leather) - $373

Icon Hella Leather Boots (Black) - $140

Icon Hella Leather Pants (Black) - $210

Icon Hella Leather Gloves (Black) - $55

For He is worthy

Praise be to God, the Lover of all mankind.

In His Nature no flaw can be found.

Men cannot see

unless He makes Himself seen.

Men cannot know

unless He makes Himself known.

The seas roar and call out His holy name

and all of nature rejoices.

The winds blow and whisper hymns of praise

and all of creation rejoices.

Every crawling thing beneath

and every swimming thing below

make joyous praise unto the Lord

for He is worthy!

(Photograph by Tier Und Naturfotografie J & C Sohns from Getty Images)

Tuesday's Tune-Ups: My favorite tunes explained - "The Girl is Mine"

In 1982, Michael Jackson was working on his sixth solo album when he teamed up with his then-friend Paul McCartney to record "The Girl is Mine." According to the book Michael Jackson: The Solo Years by authors Craig Halstead and Chris Cadman, Jackson said that the studio session was one of his most enjoyable "because working with Paul McCartney was pretty exciting and we just literally had fun." But this wasn't the first time the musical duo had combined their enormous talents. During the previous year, the two had collaborated to record "Say, Say, Say" and "The Man" for McCartney's album "Pipes of Peace," which would be released in 1983.

(Photograph by Linda McCartney. From the Epic LP/Cassette "Thriller" EPC 85930)

The tune topped charts for weeks, both here and abroad (and the album which it's on, "Thriller," would later become one of the best-selling of all time). In my opinion, "The Girl is Mine" has that laid back Sunday afternoon kind of feel. Steady. Easy-going. The moderate finger-snapping beat is pleasantly interlaced with Michael and Paul's gentle dialogue of faux contention and playful bantering. Also, the lyrics of this song are so simple that you'll find yourself singing along in no time. It's just a great classic. And I'm pretty sure that by now we're all familiar with its plot: Guy meets girl, second guy meets same girl, guy fights guy, girl likes neither, girl leaves for San José. Well, I made up those last two, but you get the gist. Basically, it's the King of Pop and the ex-Beatle boy acting as if this one female were the last chick on earth. Now that's good stuff.

If you feel like walking down memory lane, go to YouTube and listen to "The Girl is Mine" now. 

An invite to write

My creative blogger buddy Mandy from Embrace Your Oddities recently presented a writing game this past Sunday. Basically, she's penned the opening paragraph and has invited others to add their own sentence, short paragraph or page. When it's all said and done, she will put everyone's contribution together and post the finished work on her blog.
Awesomeness :)

Click the image to check out the post:

AND, AND, AND....

Mandy's also having a book-lover's giveaway! As soon as she reaches 100 followers (which should be REALLY soon) she's gifting one lucky blogger a fab-o prize pack!
Go check it out:

Technorati article: F-I-V-E!!!

Yes, in my latest article I'm still rockin' the Hindu wedding. However, this time, I explain the psychology of colors.

(Photographs by Martin Harvey from Getty Images)

Go find out what yellow, red, blue, pink, orange, green, and white mean in Hinduism by clicking the link below!

Article first published as The Hindu Wedding: Part Three on Technorati.

Cookies of fortune

If ever there were a time for me to be silly enough to put my faith in fortune cookies, it's now. Check out the one I got recently:

Yep. It sure is awesome... in a mild, vague kind of way.

I think I'll keep it :)

Pet Peeves: People moving slow... during rush hour

No, leaving early makes little difference. Everywhere you go, you are inevitably bound to encounter them: human sloths. You know who I'm talking about -- those people who pick rush hour as their happy hour and start clustering in front of Metro escalators to catch up on the latest gossip. In the streets they're walking their cars and looking around as if sight-seeing, as if they've never been down that stretch of road before even though you've spotted their vehicle in traffic every week for the past 10 years. Yeah, THOSE folks. When you're stuck behind them, they will always make you miss green lights, transfer trains, planes and valuable minutes of your life that you will NEVER get back. And where do these people come from anyway? And why, oh why do they choose rush hour OF ALL TIMES to start their mindless meandering??? I don't care whether you're going to work or heading back home, this phenomenon never ceases to annoy.

Good news from Japan!

Last night, I finally received an e-mail from my friend in Japan!!!! He's okay!!!! After sending a message to his three e-mail accounts and not getting a response right away, I became concerned. We are looking forward to catching up on all that has happened. Thank God!!! And thank you for your prayers.

Continue to pray for Japan.

Stylish Blogger Award!!!

Sunny of Idyll Toast claims that the only thing sad about her blog are the bad jokes. Personally, I think she's being too hard on herself because all I saw on her site were laugh-my-butt-off-jokes. Go see for yourself...  LATER! Right now, read this post :)

Sooooooo, the Stylish Blogger Award rules are as follows:

1.  Thank and link back to the blogger who awarded this to you.
2.  Share seven random facts about yourself.
3.  Share the blog love!

All right, let's do this!

1. I've never had a massage.

2. It's been 1.5 years since I've been to the movies or seen a feature-length film.

3. I wear long pants and long skirts all year. Honestly, the one "short" skirt that I own falls just below my knees and I can't recall the last time I wore it. That being said, you would be correct in assuming that...

4. I don't own shorts or a bathing suit... because...

5. I loathe the beach, summer/hot weather or just being out in the sun, period. Also, aside from the hygienic necessity of taking a shower, I can't stand getting wet. Needless to say...

6. I'm an indoor person. Even when I travel, I get more pleasure out of lounging in my hotel room than I do sight-seeing, which I consider cruel and unusual punishment.

7. Conclusion? I don't get cabin fever.

And who are the next gold-star-getters?

Embrace Your Oddities

Surviving and thriving in Mom-dom

The Bored Mommy

Thoughts on marriage

On 3 October 2010, the documentary "Seeking Happily Ever After: One Generation's Struggle to Redefine the Fairytale" by Michelle Cove was featured in the Washington Post. Her film highlights the trends of single females in America at a time when there are "more single women in the United States than ever before, according to the Census."

Even though the article piqued my interest and I was tempted to purchase a ticket for the documentary screening later that month, I decided to wait for it to come out on video. Mainly because it appears that, after watching multiple trailers, the film possesses a more "Sex and the City" viewpoint than a "Celibacy in the City" one. In spite of this and there being an emphasis on 30-something women, I believe that ALL single women, on some level, can relate to its content.

Seeking Happily Ever After Trailer from michelle cove on Vimeo.

My closing thoughts:

It's weird how marriage is often viewed as the pinnacle of achievement, particularly in a woman's life. She could have conquered the known world, but many would still view her life as somehow "incomplete" if she departed this planet as a single female. Marriage, in many ways, I think, has been lauded as the centerpiece around which all of one's life is supposed to be built and the lie that it is the key to happiness has, unfortunately, been in circulation for centuries. Admittedly, even though I'm aware of this social deception and already know that I am genuinely complete in Christ and have 24/7 access to the same power that raised Him from the dead, I still find myself longing for marriage and ponder how and when getting married became a part of my bucket list.

Looking for loved ones in Japan

For all those who, like myself, are wondering if a friend or family member in Japan is okay, Google has created an app to help you search for them. If the person you're looking for isn't currently listed, then you can create a new missing persons record.

Here's the app:

My favorites

A couple of days ago, cool girl Mandy from Embrace Your Oddities invited me to answer a few questions about myself. The inquiries were a part of her new weekly series called "Fun on Sundays" since, for her, "Sundays are Fundays" :)

WHO/WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE...
 

1. AUTHOR?
Max Lucado

2. BOOK?
The Bible

3. ACTOR/ACTRESS?
I don't have a favorite actress, but my favorite actors are Anthony Hopkins and Jeremy Irons.
 

4. MOVIE?

"Gladiator"... because life is all about wearing cool armor, carrying a really big sword and dodging man-eating tigers :)

5. MUSICIAN/BAND?
I'll list my favs by genre...

American pop: Michael Jackson

Arabic pop: Amr Diab 

Classic Arabic: Oum Kalthoum

Classic jazz: Ella Fitzgerald

Classic rock: The Doors

Contemporary Christian: Ginny Owens 

Croon: Frank Sinatra

Gospel: Martha Munizzi
Grunge: A tie between Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots

Motion picture soundtracks: A tie between "Gladiator" and "Before the Rain"

Portuguese: A tie between Céu and Sara Tavares

R&B: Janelle Monáe

Spanish: A tie between Frankie Ruiz and Marc Anthony

UK pop: Amy Winehouse

6. SONG?
Currently it's "Tightrope" by Janelle Monáe... since, in this life, we're all walking on one.

7. COLOR?

Purple (followed by red and black) 

8. PIECE OF CLOTHING?

Hoodies... particularly animal hoodies.
 

9. NFL/COLLEGE FOOTBALL TEAM?

No college ball for me; it's all NFL, baby. And I cheer for whichever teams are doing well about a third-way into the season. Honestly, good football is just good football. I could easily sit on the couch and watch every game of the season... just give me an IV and a bed pan and I'm set.
 

10. FOOD?

Anything edible with a relatively good flavor.
 

11. RESTAURANT?

I don't eat out very often, but whenever I do, I go cheap. And since almost any place that offers breakfast food in the evening gets a plus in my book, I would have to say Bob Evans. I've always received excellent smiley-faced service there.
 

12. NAME? (BOY & GIRL)

Girl: Alessandra

Boy: Andrew
 

13. THING TO DO WHEN IT'S RAINING?

The same thing(s) I do when it's sunny: read, write and sleep.
 

14. VACATION SPOT?

What's a vacation? Honestly, it's been nearly 15 years since I've taken one. (When I was 18, I spent nearly two weeks in Italy.)
 

15. ITEM YOU OWN?

My red twill pirate jacket.

Well, here I go again

I just entered one of my two completed screenplays into a competition tonight. *sigh* Last year I spent hundreds submitting the first one (a religious psychological thriller) to various contests, but to no avail. Now, I'm trying my fortune with the second one. Like the first it has religious elements. But, unlike the first, which is dark and violent, this one is a "feel-good" comedy full of snarky remarks. I hate spending my dollars, but I know that the submission fees are what comprise the prize money. Honestly, in the end, I just want the darn thing produced...

along with the first...

and the three other unfinished screenplays which are actively collecting dust in the corner of my room.

*sigh*

(I'll let you know when I actually work up the nerve to start composing my Oscar acceptance speech.)

Sunday night surprises

I just found out last night that I was nominated for yet ANOTHER blog award!!! Wooohooooooo!!!!

Oh, wait....

This just reminded me that I forgot to list my nifty notable nominees for The Versatile Blogger Award which I received two weeks ago. Crap. Sorry about that.

 

Here are (*dramatic pause*) the chosen ones:

A Taste of T

Curioser

From My Perspective 

The Laughing Lion

Lighten Up!

Many Waters

Mommy Used to Be So Pretty...

Proud 2 B Purple

What Holly Has Seen

The Versatile Award Recipient Rules:

- Thank the person who gave you the award

- Share 7 things about yourself
- Pass the award to up to 10 versatile bloggers
- Let those bloggers know that you gave them the award

हिंदू शादी: भाग २ (Hindu Wedding: Part 2)

Hindi, in my opinion, is one of the most beautiful languages in the world, which is why I couldn't resist using it again in a post title. Basically, my fourth Technorati article was published today. It continues with my explanation of the Hindu wedding ceremony. Unfortunately, Technorati chose to edit out this second photograph I included with my writing:

(Getty Images photography by Dinodia Photos)

It depicts a couple on their wedding day standing before the sacred fire which represents Agni, the fire god. Find out more about him and the martial ceremony in the following link:

Article first published as The Hindu Wedding: Part Two on Technorati.

Lament for Japan

Is there anything that can be said or done

as one nation's devastation becomes a world's lament?

How can one comprehend

the sadness of all?

How can a single person mend

the shattered pieces of many?

"The Great Wave of Kanagawa," from "Thirty-six views of Mount Fuji," c.1831

by  Katsushika Hokusai

from The Bridgeman Art Library Collection.

Image source: Getty Images

Skulls and Skeletons: Part 2

What's one of the few things that can cheer me up on even the dreariest of days? You guessed it! A skeleton! (Okay, maybe you didn't guess it or were not even close, but let's just say you were in order to prevent an argument, capiche? Check out Part 1 of this series if you want the full story.) Anyway, just this past weekend I contacted some of my favorite Etsy.com artisans who specialize in what I like to call "bone art." Honestly, the skeletal system alone is already an incomparable work of art, but these guys take osteo-love to a whole 'nother level!

BEHOLD!

Hooded Skeleton Dress and Halter Skeleton Dress

by CherryPiePunk

These sexy curve-hugging creations are for, as Miss Cherry puts it, "gals who won't be pigeon holed!!" And I couldn't agree more :) Both are made-to-order, but the hooded dress can be customized in a wide variety of colors, which is perfect for those of us who want to add a bit more uniqueness to this already unique find. These lovelies go for $45 and $40 (plus s+h).

Conjoined Twins and Memento Mori Earrings

by PersephonePlus

Memento Mori is a Latin phrase which translates to "Remember, you must die." Honestly, I prefer the PersephonePlus rendition: Just a nice little reminder you are gonna kick it one day. I own both of these ornate earrings and each time I sport them, comments abound! They are exquisitely crafted and are well worth the money at $28 and $22 (plus s+h).

Skull Ponytail Holders

by Moon Raven Designs

For those who ride public transportation every day (like I do), these would be the PERFECT accessories to wear in order to freak out any toddler who would dare sit behind you :)  Devilish and highly-detailed, these amazing ponytail holders measure 1-5/8" long and 1-1/8" wide and can be purchased in solid bronze ($50 plus s+h) or black bone resin ($23 plus s+h).

Skeleton Torso Sheer Cotton Scarves

by Northwest Shirts

Even if it were not cold outside, I would snuggle up with these skeletal scarves! Printed on American Apparel 100% sheer jersey cotton, these eye-catching pieces of neckwear have been combed for softness and comfort. They measure 93"x 16" (236cm x 41cm) and sell for $20 (plus s+h).

Last, but certainly not least...

Antique Silver Black and White Skull Necklace and Earrings Set

and Antique Silver Black and Red Skull Earrings

by Londons Gate

If you're searching for steampunk and dark-themed jewelry, then this is the place to go. And nothing says Goth quite like antiqued, decorative Jolly Rogers. If black and blood-red are not your speed, then other color-combinations, such as black/white, black/pink and black/green, are available for purchase. A necklace and earrings set sells for $29.97 (plus s+h) while the earrings alone cost $17 (plus s+h).

What I MEANT to post before, you know, I got all emotional and stuff

 

Tony Bennett, 15 June 1960

(Photo from Getty Images by Sony BMG Music Entertainment)

Before I had my melt-down on Monday, I meant to announce that I had purchased a (don't laugh) ticket to go see Tony Bennett!! In June, he'll be performing at the American Music Theatre in Lancaster, PA and yours truly managed to snag a seat in the orchestra section before they all got sold out! I've been in love with crooning music since high school when I use to blast Frank Sinatra over the radio as I completed painting assignments after hours. But since Ol' Blue Eyes passed away before I could see him, I set my heart on Tony Bennett, blabbing constantly to family and friends since college about how I wanted to attend one of his shows. And now, to their relief, I'm finally going to behold him :)

At 84, this guy's still got a great set of pipes! If you didn't catch baseball's World Series last year, here he is singing "God Bless America."

It's simply impressive, if you ask me.

Let me put on my happy face!!!

Okay, um, since I'm going to have some guests coming over, I better spruce up the place...

starting with a big smile:

Hey, all!

What a serendipitous turn-around from yesterday when I was feeling a serious case of the blahs.

Wow!

Featured on FTLOB!!!

I

am

speechless.

...which is incredibly rare!

Um, hello again :)

I've been better

At my church, when a person wants to meet with the pastor for an advice/counseling session, they have to give a brief summary of what they want to discuss. Here's the note I left his secretary today:

I'm getting weary of "doing good." I've been trying the best I know how to be Christ to others, but He doesn't seem to be answering the desires of my heart. When am I going to see the fruits of my labor? There were seasons when I stood still and seasons when I acted; I've tried pursuing different vocations when I thought I was hearing from God, only to get the door slammed in my face over and over again. Even though I've come a long way spiritually, it seems like my physical life is going nowhere: I've applied to various schools, jobs, and pursued relationships all to no avail. I'm still, physically, in the same place that I've been for the past decade. I'm getting tired of acting like I'm content when I'm not! I'm just losing focus and the will and motivation to live and get up every morning. I spend time with God only to end up with no direction afterward. I feel like I'm wandering aimlessly through life with no purpose. What is the point of all this? What's the point of my life?

Versatile Blogger Award!!!

First, I would like to blow kisses of thanks to my fellow comedic blogger cakeologist for nominating me for The Versatile Blogger Award!

*blows kisses in dramatic fashion*

I highly advise anyone in need of a laugh to visit her site, Not Cake, because it will definitely leave you in stitches before it's all said and done. I guarantee it :)

The Versatile Award Recipient Rules:

- Thank the person who gave you the award

- Share 7 things about yourself
- Pass the award to up to 10 versatile bloggers
- Let those bloggers know that you gave them the award

Now, let's get on with the facts, shall we?

 

1. A few months ago I applied to become a commissioned officer in the United States Air Force. (A person has until the age of 35 to do so.) Currently, I am still waiting to hear if I made the cut. What, you may ask, were my motivations for applying in the first place?

1. I desperately want out of my present job.
2. Because I still don't know what I wanna be when I grow up.
3. Military outfits are cool/sexy.
4. I don't get many opportunities to see men who are both my age AND in shape.

2. I am "technologically retro," which basically means that I don't...

1. Text
2. Have a digital camera
3. Have a cell phone which is capable of taking pictures
4. Have a laptop computer
5. Have a PDA device
6. Have an iPod or know how to work one
7. Feel any shame while playing music on my cassette Walkman or CD-player

3. I got my first car when I was 27. My parents informed me at an early age that if I wanted a vehicle, then I would have to buy it myself... so I did.

4. During the average week, I receive zero phone calls. That's because I hate talking on the phone. Also, phones have a tendency of ringing when I'm right in the middle of a crucial thought, painting or when I'm exercising or napping. I don't like anything interrupting my "flow," so unless it's an emergency, people know that contacting me = e-mailing me.

5. I own 12 pairs of shoes: 

3 pairs of dress boots, 1 pair of construction boots, 1 pair of snow boots, 3 pairs of heels, 2 pairs of sneakers, 1 pair of flip-flops, and 1 pair of bedroom shoes

 6. I'm not big into cosmetics. Lipstick is the only thing I wear on a daily basis, except on Sundays when I dab on a little powder to reduce the shine. Other than that, no blush, no concealer, no eyeshadow, no eyeliner, no lipliner or nail polish for me. It's just not my thing.

7. I have flipped three houses. (Flipping = purchasing a (dilapidated) home for a low price, fixing it up, and reselling it at a higher price.) When I was 25, I bought my first house and hired out contractors to do whatever I could not. After it sold, I paid off my college loans. The proceeds from the next house were used to buy my first car (see fact #3). The money I anticipated making from the third house was going to be used to buy my own home. Unfortunately, the real estate market flat-lined and I was left with a tremendous amount of debt after selling it. The End.

As before, I will reveal my own nifty notable nominees in an upcoming post this week, so stay tuned!

Technorati article: तीन (pronounced "teen") or, in other words, "three"

Miraculously, in spite of the fact that sleep had eluded me, I still managed to crank out a third article for Technorati last night. In honor of the Kennedy Center's month-long celebration of India, I decided to compose a series of educational essays about the continent for readers' enjoyment. Of course, me being the hopeless romantic that I am, crafted the articles with the Hindu wedding in mind. So, in the coming weeks, be prepared to be smitten by the lavish details of Hindu matrimonial devotion!

Here's the wonderful little link:

Article first published as The Hindu Wedding on Technorati.

In the wake of sleep deprivation

The following photograph pretty much sums up the way I've been feeling lately:

(Photograph by Focus Stock Fotografico from Getty Images.)

As I was telling Shah Wharton of WordsinSync, I haven't had decent sleep in weeks. I've been sleepwalking through my days and, as a result, took an unexpected two-day reprieve from my blog. I tried posting Wednesday, but experienced massive brain farts. Words that floated up to the surface of my consciousness stubbornly refused to merge together in order to form complete thoughts, leaving me stranded in a sea of nothingness. Thursday, when I got home, I set out with earnest determination to write another article for Technorati... only to fall asleep in my clothes (and shoes) within 30 minutes. I didn't get up until it was time for me to go to work this morning. So, here I am, behind on my blogging, e-mailing, and article-writing. I'm also behind in announcing that super-funny cakeologist of Not Cake nominated me for the Versatile Blogger Award this past Sunday. Those who receive it must list seven facts about themselves. Honestly, my brain has been so fried lately that I couldn't even do that.

Don't worry. I'll get it together soon.

Hopefully.

I hope.

Tuesday's Tune-Ups: My favorite tunes explained - "Dola Re Dola" ("Swing, Swing, Sway")

(Madhuri Dixit (left) and Aishwarya Rai (right) on the "Devdas" CD album cover.)

If you want to do film big, do it Bollywood.The Mumbai-based cinema production behemoth is known the world over for it's luxurious technicolor song-and-dance extravaganzas which are chocked full of breathtakingly beautiful lip-syncing actors. Yes, I said lip-syncing. Bollywood actors rarely lend their own voices to musical numbers, choosing instead to rely on playback singers like Shreya Ghoshal and the legendary Kavita Krishnamurthy, who provided the vocals for the characters Parvati and Chandramukhi in "Dola Re Dola" from the 2002 film Devdas.

Originally penned in 1917 as a novel, the romantic tragedy Devdas has been remade several times. In a nutshell, it's about a guy named Devdas who returns home from law school only to fall in love with his childhood friend Parvati (or Paro). Unfortunately, Devdas's mother is informed that Paro's maternal lineage contains performing artists, a profession not seen as respectable, and starts hurling insults at the family. Paro's mother is hurt and arranges for her daughter to marry another man. This sends Devdas into a spiral of drinking and depression and frequenting brothels. One prostitute in particular, Chandramukhi, falls for him. Devdas, of course, has never stopped loving Paro and denies Chandramukhi commitment. In the end, he literally drinks himself to death and Paro, whose possessive husband keeps her imprisoned inside of their mansion, is unable to be near him during his last moments.

The global popularity of Aishwarya Rai, a former Miss World and spokesperson for L'Oreal since 2000, was primarily obtained because of her looks. In spite of this, however, critics praised her for holding her own as Parvati in Devdas. The Times of India reporter Subhash K Jha even went so far as to say that the doe-eyed actress was "spellbinding" and reached "legendary proportions" with her performance. And even though acclaimed actress Madhuri Dixit played the other major female lead Chandramukhi, many media reviews said that she was outshined by Aish. Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama, for example, called Dixit's performance "mechanical" while lauding Rai's as show-stealing. 

Although Devdas was the most expensive Bollywood film ever made at the time (with its purported budget of $10 million) and starred megawatt stars Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai (the King and Queen of Bollywood to those of us who are in our thirties), the movie still failed to live up to its hype. It did well in India, but, not surprisingly, didn't maintain its blockbuster status outside of the continent. Even still, thanks to the powerhouse collaboration of award-winning composer Ismail Darbar, renowned choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant, and writer Nusrat Badr, it possesses one of the most memorable song-and-dance numbers of all time in "Dola Re Dola."

He's in the bindi on my forehead.

He's in the sleepiness of my lashes.

He's in your body and mind.

He's even in your heartbeats.

He's in the jingle of bracelets,

He's in the clash of bangles.

You know how it is when you like someone a lot; it seems like you can hear, see, and smell them in everything? Yep, that's what these lyrics are describing, i.e. the ethereal flight of a lover's soul. And this is one of the reasons why I love jammin' out to "Dola Re Dola": because it perfectly embodies the rapturous giddiness that so often accompanies newfound love.

You can check out the song (and video), which is still played at wedding receptions, bachelorette parties, sleepovers and dance recitals, here. 

Oh, and that hot bearded guy lurking in the background is Milind Gunaji. Just thought I'd let the you know 'cause I'm pretty sure somebody will ask  ;-)