Thank you Pennsylvania~

I had an absolute fantastic weekend with some of my best friends...Amresh, Sofia and Ali. We all meet at Amresh's new Pennsylvania city, Selinsgrove, AKA, Springgrove. He was such a wonderful host!

This area of the country is so alive with spring...as these pictures demonstrate. I feel so lucky to have such great friends--they make me laugh and I so enjoy their company. I can't wait for our next adventure....Camping this summer!

Saturday night we enjoyed Harrisburg, PA, the state's capital...and also best place for great Indian food. mmmmmmmmmm.
Amresh was such a great host....we so enjoyed this arts festival.
of course I couldn't afford this beautiful yarn, but I couldn't resist hanging out thinking about what I could make with this locally died yarn.

The blossoms on the trees were so pretty!
We enjoyed yummie food at a local arts festival.
Amresh is a professor at Susquehanna University. It is a beautiful campus...similar to where I went for undergraduate studies (St. Bonaventure)... We enjoyed walking around. This is Dr. Kumar's office...so cool eh!

the joy of twins,...

One of my best friends' Jeff and Maria had twins just 5 weeks ago. Abigal and Michael...both born 6 lbs! They are happy and healthy.... Yesterday I went to visit their very lively house (they also have a 18-month-old)!
I am so happy for them....they are weathering this rocky time with lots of love (and great gifts of babysitting!) from family and friends.

I made them two little hats..(of course I forgot to take a picture)....I hope to make them more little goodies in the future....

The best thing about teaching...

Ready for Lecture? (Version 2), originally uploaded by wbelac.

Yesterday I got the most wonderful message from a former student at Daemen...

She told me that she developed a project to help teachers in the Ukraine (teach about ways to raise awareness about human trafficking in high schools) and it is based largely on what she learned at Daemen, specifically through the development of her research proposal!!!! (The class I taught)

I felt so good that the work in the class not only inspired her to do this much needed work, but also inspired her to apply for a PhD program in Toronto (and she was accepted!)

I am so happy for her and I am sure she will continue to make a difference in the world. I am also greatful that I have had the opportunity to help her fulfill her dreams...

Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri

Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri, originally uploaded by asfrederick.

I just heard about Jhumpa Lahiri's new book, "Unaccustomed Earth". She is one of my favorite writers...her writing provides poetic stories of those making their home outside their birth nation. Her writing draws me in and I seem to fall in love with the characters as they negotiate their identity...

If you want to hear her read from her book, and talk about her writing...check out this NPR story: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89461076

I can't wait to read this one!!!

Hurray for a brand new tennis season!

Hurray for a brand new tennis season!, originally uploaded by dasha.

Yesterday Silas, Umesh and and I played our first tennis of the season....and it felt REALLY good!

Now..I need to recruit more players to play this summer...so...if you are tennis fan...get that racket re-strung and join us on the courts~~

I need help being a movie critic

One of my jobs is to help our International Education Week committee decide on a film for our "culture in motion" film series. It is one of the BEST parts of my job!

However, what I find difficult---is being as harsh as let's say Kenneth Turan, the L.A. Times movie reviewer. He is a seasoned reviewer and seems to find a movie's flaws effortlessly! Being the optimist I am...I usually see a metaphor or bright light as well as possible flaws like sterotyping etc.

So here is a film I watched last night. Maybe you out there in Blogville will watch it and send me your thoughts.

The Situation (2006)



I liked the film, even with its flaws (specifically with the character Anna [the reporter]). I think its attempt at providing insight into the next-to-impossible situation in Iraq is heroic, but leaves the viewer feeling unsatisfied. Maybe that's the point?

I think an insightful reviewer, Andy Slabaugh, put it very well, "Perhaps we ought to ask ourselves whether it is the obligation of art and artists to depict the awful ugliness spread at home and abroad by our fumbling leaders, or if it might be preferable to revel in works of beauty such that we might rise above our pitiful moment?"

What do you think?

Trimania

Last night a bunch of us enjoyed the sights and sounds of Trimania...
Trimania was a wonderful Buffalo event to hightlight artists in the Tri-Main building. In addition, bands and local dancing acts showed off their stuff---we witnessed everything from Tango to Bhangra dancing. In fact, my new favorite Bhangra DJ was there, DJ Rekha
Thanks to Ashish who got me her CD for Christmas last year....I knew she was a fantastic DJ....

Most of the crowd probably never enjoyed this music before....so it was pretty cool to see people embrace this music.

Who would have thought, you can make art out of those old red plastic cups!

Isn't he cute? He flirted with me...we might go out for coffee this week :)

A fusion band.....cool sound....

If you didn't make it to Triamania this year....you will have to wait a few more years for the next event~

And....I'm Back

Wow, it has been a while since I last blogged. No real reason outside of being busy with school.
Last week I went to a conference for school (CIES) in New York City. It was a very profitable conference academically, but the best part was hanging out with all my friends in one of my favorite cities. New York City makes you feel alive. And thanks to my friends for making the experience also a way for us to connect again.
Enjoy the pictures...

Nothing like entertainment when you are waiting for the subway~

Yes, it was cold!!!

The CIES crew (plus Sofia)....

Sofia, Rachel and I fell in love with this gem of NYC- Zabar's! While Wegman's has tons of imported foods, Zabar's had even more, plus that NYC feel. A trip for me must include my beloved Olives~

We went to a yummie Spanish restaurant for dinner. Thanks to Rima's suggestion. She was suppose to join us but her jet lag took over. We missed her...here's some of the yummie tapas we had!

Sofia, Amresh and I enjoyed tons of laughs at Gotham, NYC's cool Comedy club.

My last day was spent with a wonderful Sunday walk down Broadway to Central Park....Sofia Amresh and I said good-byes as we went out separate ways back to Buffalo, DC and Harrisburg...
I miss all these guys, but I can't wait for our next "mini gang" reunion....

Happy Birthday MOM

Today is my Mom's Birthday. I thank the universe for having such a wonderful soul as my mother...she is kind, caring, loving and would do almost anything for all us kids. Through her example...we have become caring individuals ourselves...
Thanks Mom...for all you do for us!
We love you!

DISKO PARTIZANI

Check out this cool song~! It's a hit in Europe...and filmed in one of my favorite cities- Istanbul!
I heard about this cool Balkan artist from Emre...my Turkish office buddy...

Thoughts from Mike...

Preghiere al vento per la Birmania e tutti i popoli oppressi., originally uploaded by ornellab..

Rather than muscle through your day, take a moment and breath.

Personal growth is a winding path. Expect to revisit the same issues- and the same mistakes.

Empower your decisions and your self-esteem by learning to say no.

Tune into your sense of smell. It connects you to your emotions and your health.

Surrender isn't about giving up. It's about letting go.

Listen to your body; It knows what it needs most.

Balance self-improvement with self-acceptance.

Invest in your work-space. Inspiration and fresh ideas bloom in a positive atmosphere.

Use your vacation as an opportunity to engage your creative side.

Anger is a voice of the soul. Express it, explore it, let it be heard.

Happy Birthday to my best friend Kris~

Today is Kris' birthday. She is such a wonderful soul....and I am so happy to say she is my best friend! We have shared so many fun moments together....and we continue to share love and laughter as we travel through life together...

Here are some pictures of us in India...I am so happy Kris and I traveled there together...it's something I will tell our grand kids about some day :)
Kris and I tried every sweet the shop sold....and yes...we had a tummy ache after :)
The wedding~!
Kris and laughed so hard when these guys at the market insisted that we have a vibrating brush.

Much Love Kris~

Forced to go to the GYM

Antarctica Gym MV Discovery, originally uploaded by Dave Curtis.

Today I was forced to go to the gym (I wish the view was this pretty)...
Why you ask, because our wonderful hot water tank died.....and I needed the shower facilities...
so either I was one smelly ISSS lady, or a toned one....I picked the later.....

~AKA Dirty Di

The Rubber Room

This weekend I heard this story about what NYC teachers affectionately call the Rubber room.
This is one example of the ways in large bureaucracies such as NYS wastes money. I hope these film makers finish this film...so that average people start to understand the problems urban teachers face.

Happy Birthday Ali~

Today is Ali's birthday~ Yes, yes, he only gets a birthday once every 4 years....so that makes today extra special. And it's very fitting for someone like Ali. He is special!
I am so very appreciative for having Ali in my life. He is like another brother...always there to help me...and also protecting all us girls in the group. He is such a wonderful soul....he constantly opens his home to me and others....cooks us amazing food and provides us with friendship and wonderful conversation points...

I am lucky Ali is in my life...he makes my life so rich and wonderful....
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Dengue Fever

I am an avid listener of NPR as most of my good friends know....and last night I heard about this new band, Dengue Fever featured on Fresh Air. The story of how the band was created is fascinating!
During the Vietnam war, U.S. popular music filled the air-waves all over the region, which inspired Cambodian pop musicians to re-create pop Cambodian style~
Recently, while traveling through Cambodia, two American guys fell in love with 60's era-Cambodian pop music and have brought it back to the U.S.

Quoting NPR, " Zac and Ethan Holzman — a guitar-playing singer-songwriter and a keyboardist, respectively — discovered that vintage Cambodian pop and decided to create a band inspired by the music. They found a Cambodian singer with a beautiful voice who had recently moved to L.A. and formed a group they called Dengue Fever.The band's catchy, often dark instrumentations — along with singer Chhom Nimol's Khmer-language soprano vocals — are a compelling mix.

Dengue Fever's first record was mostly covers of Cambodian pop. Their new CD, Venus on Earth, is an all-original album."

Happy Birthday Smurfs!

Smurfs near the Bromo Vulcano, originally uploaded by -Er-Au-.

Can you believe these cute little characters turned 50 years old this month!
Well, if you grew up in the 80s, you watched these guys on Saturday mornings dodge a crazy evil man and his cat...and perform magic while enjoying their life in a mushroom house.
I can remember watching this with my sister Jen and loving it!

Well, if you thought you'd never see them again, think again, they are coming back to a theater near you, in 3D!
Check out the story on NPR...

La la laa laa la....

Snowy Wednesday

Last night we were blanketed by a beautiful layer of snow. I took this picture this morning on my way to work. It really is so beautiful. While I am very ready for spring, I am doing my best to enjoy what nature throws our way.

Look-a-like

jessi-fatmanfresh, originally uploaded by hallywoods.

Have you ever been in a place where someone you do not know talks to you like they know you? As if you are someone they know and possible work with. This seems to happen to me all the time...I suppose it's because UB is such a big place.
I suppose it could be because people are just friendly?

I can be funny---and/or uncomfortable...

I just wish those powerful people that talk to me mistakenly gave me a new salary!

Happy Birthday Blog

birthday cake for a 2-year old boy, originally uploaded by o´holysweet!.

Today my Blog is two-years-old! I have sure enjoyed posting wonderful experiences, thoughts and desires into cyberspace. I hope you have enjoyed reading my many posts--and will continue to enjoy my adventures with me.

St Valentine's relics in Rome

St Valentine's relics in Rome, originally uploaded by Lawrence OP.

Today I found this story about the Famous Roman Priest Valentine. It's a wise tale...but an interesting one that that:

The evolving legend

In Legenda Aurea---According to that version, St Valentine was persecuted as a Christian and interrogated by Roman Emperor Claudius II in person. Claudius was impressed by Valentine and had a discussion with him, attempting to get him to convert to Roman paganism in order to save his life. Valentine refused and tried to convert Claudius to Christianity instead. Because of this, he was executed. Before his execution, he is reported to have performed a miracle by healing the blind daughter of his jailer.

Legenda Aurea still providing no connections whatsoever with sentimental love, appropriate lore has been embroidered in modern times to portray Valentine as a priest who refused an unattested law attributed to Roman Emperor Claudius II, allegedly ordering that young men remain single. The Emperor supposedly did this to grow his army, believing that married men did not make for good soldiers. The priest Valentine, however, secretly performed marriage ceremonies for young men. When Claudius found out about this, he had Valentine arrested and thrown in jail. In an embellishment to The Golden Legend, on the evening before Valentine was to be executed, he wrote the first "valentine" himself, addressed to a young girl variously identified as his beloved, as the jailer's daughter whom he had befriended and healed, or both. It was a note that read "From your Valentine."

In another apparently modern embellishment, while Valentine was imprisoned, people would leave him little notes, folded up and hidden in cracks in the rocks around his cell. He would find them and offer prayers for them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine's_Day

Last weekend I gave one of the newest members of the "gang" her valentine's day gift....a sweater knitted by ME! I underestimated her round little figure...so it doesn't close as well as it should, but she looks just so cute with it on.

What will I do to avoid working on my dissertation...

I am trying to do at least 1 hour of work each day on my dissertation. Believe it or not, that's a lot harder than it sounds! So, over the next year I will highlight things I do to avoid my dissertation (this is of course inspired by the Facebook group introduced to me by start-crafter, Rachel).

Check out my recent love, crocheting hats! I have to say I have become good at it! And today, out of the blue, a woman at work asked me, "Do you know how to knit?" I was so excited, "YES YES!" Thanks to Rachel, Rita and Rima...I am a knitter.

So, if you are lucky, you will get a hat like this~

Lucky Auntie Di

I have been enjoying Aidan so much these days! While his favorite words to me are, "No Di Di !!!" I can't help but to smother him in love.

Check out the crocheted hat I made for Aidan. Of course he hates wearing it, but didn't mind that his bear had it on.

He closes his eyes when he sees the camera, because he hates the flash--- but he still says "CHEESE!"
I am a lucky Auntie Di

I passed my Qualifying Exam!

Last week I got this letter that I passed my Qualifying exam....(It's hard to read on-line) but to me this letter is a concrete way of saying, You are on your way to finishing your PhD!

I feel really good about this last section of school work and I am sure that with this new rejuvinated outlook the process will go well.

Thanks to all of you out there for your love, support and guidance!

Sofia's Move to DC

Last weekend Sofia and I ventured through the crazy lake-effect snows of southern NYS and Erie, PA....and we made it to DC. The first few hours were very crazy....but Sofia drove like a true pro!
Luckily, we had some great friends in DC to help us unpack...and also we were lucky enough to enjoy their company too! We even caught up with Saji~
I look forward to more trips to DC...
In the spring :)

The Kite Runner

Last night Ali and I saw this truly beautiful film......if you have not yet read the book, the movie is the next best thing. This production honors the book, and invoked in me such powerful feelings...
As Ali told me, if you cry in a film....they filmmakers did their job~
It's hard for this movie not to touch you....and also make you fall in love with the characters....
Go see it as soon as you can!

The Inheritance of Loss - Kiran Desai

The Inheritance of Loss - Kiran Desai, originally uploaded by pacchaimilagai.

One of my New Year's Resolutions is to not only continue reading for my PhD, but to continue to read a bit each night of the many books on my list of "MUST READS"...

My goal is to finish this book before April when Krian Desai comes to Buffalo to speak about her book. (Which won the Booker prize in 2006!!).

The book has me hooked already...as I am introduced to this young girl Sai and her life situation. Her parents have passed away and she now lives with her grandfather in the hills of Kashmir......a parallel story is built as the cook (of the grandfather) has a son who travels to America to pave his way about...

His story is opposite of what international students' face...and I feel a certain sense of compassion for this young boy trying to negotiate life in the streets of New York...

If you do not have this book...I recommend you pick it up!

Remembering ol' times

This past week I hosted my very good friend Matthias, who lives in Switzerland but might move back to the states for a academic job~
It was so nice to spend time with him again....we laughed about our crazy adventures together...and we experienced some new ones too.
Matthias is so very smart...and he has such a bright future... I am so happy for him!
It was only 10 degrees F! But wow how pretty it was~

Happy New Year!!!!

Forget Time Square, or Buffalo Place...Summer Street had their own Ball Drop!

2007 was a great year. I am fully thankful for all that happened in my life...and I look forward to a year of wonderful new experiences...

Here are some highlights from the New Years Eve party @ Summer street. I had some great ol' friends there and I was lucky enough to makes some new friends too!



HAPPY NEW YEAR~