Wednesday, December 13, 2006

A day late for Edward's birthday.


My "tribute" to his famous (and famously stolen) "Scream".
Featuring Juan Valdez and his trusty Burro, Conchita. I think they're both getting a wee bit loopy on the caffeine.

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Finding bliss and not getting busted for it.

Hi, my name is Robert and I suffer from multiple addictions. Incense and Green Tea with Jasmine.
I first started experimenting with incense back in the early '70's and found out that I liked the sensation of a nice smelling room. Later I started getting into the "heavy stuff". High grade Sandalwood, various florals. It helps me cope with the ugliness of life, man. After a rotten day, the only thing that keeps me going is the thought that I can light up a stick, listen to some music and just tune out and turn on. I've turned into kind of a connoiseur with it. That's a big fancy French word for snob. I even have different agarbathis for certain parts of the day. Some strong stuff to start off the morning, something restful and flowery at night. Maybe a "woodsy" scent to get the right atmosphere for meditation or just to send my brain off to a happier place.
The Green Tea thing happened even earlier. Call it a "gateway drug" if you can dig it. I just get off on the flavour. No sugar or cream, man. It wrecks the experience. It's got Jasmine in it, obviously, which is also a component of many of my favourite incense sticks. You can burn some Sugandha Shringar and have some tea at the same time. I tripped out on that for three days running once. Thought I could leap tall buildings in a single bound!
I've tried Auroshika Jasmine (Purity) with some of the cha a few times. The first time I did that, the sensation was so intense that I literally had to meditate. I'm not putting you on, man! (wouldn't lie to a bud.) It completely rocked my world.
Not that I'm drafting (draughting??) potential addicts, but my rules on incense are pretty stringent. Stay away from the American stuff. Almost all of it is crap. The good sticks and cones invariably come from India and Japan. Thailand is a beautiful country, but I have to warn you about the incense from there. It's usually as lousy as the American product. The last thing you want to do is waste $1.25 U.S.D. on some stuff you got at Hot Topic or the music shop, only to find that it smelled like a cheap, drunk hooker.
There's some other nice things out there. Tibetan and Korean are cool.
Please follow my sage advice about this stuff, though and repeat after me. "The Indian and Japanese sticks rule! Buy American, and you'll think you bought a package of donkey dung."
Peace, out. I'm gonna light another.

Wednesday, December 6, 2006

Another Blog I'm Enjoying

I think I'm becoming addicted to Bangalore Daily Photo.
Rajesh's page kicks my page's arse, like a Sumo wrestler sitting on a little girl!
I'd love to dazzle someone with the local colour, but when you don't have one of those wonderful 9,000 megapixel jobs, it can't really be done effectively. Gallup does have it's share of interesting sights. Tourists seem to love the place. I can't say that the feelings of most locals are totally reciprocal. Californians in particular seem to be the most condescending, arrogant t***s I've ever had the misfortune to meet. If I hear one more of them moan about the liberal approach to smoking in public, that we Gallupians treasure, I will duelly remind them that the first stringent anti-smoking laws in modern times, were written by none other than Adolf Hitler! Considering who these dunderheads elected as Governor.....well, you see where this is going. Jello Biafra was right! (Just a few years too early.)
But this post was originally intended to pay homage to Rajesh's page and not a soapbox to air my views of tourists, right? Okay. Fair Enough.
I'm sure that Bangalore has some not so picturesque areas, like any other major city. 9.2% of the crime recorded in Indian cities happens around there. There have been a few internecine disputes that got way out of hand in the past.
That doesn't stop Bangalore from being and looking like a VERY liveable place.
It doesn't look like it suffers from a dearth of things to do and enjoy.
That's definitely the focus on Bangalore Daily Photo. I just have a hard time not "right-clicking" on the pics, so I can look at them a few more times, or use them as a desktop background. Quite a few really nice looking ladies make their way into the shots, too. Mouthwatering food shots show up as well. Women and food........ Oh well, I like looking at both. :)
I've always wanted to move to Bangalore, since hearing all the good reviews that penfriends from India would send me, back in the old days. (Remember Snail-Mail?)
Daily photo has convinced me that the transition wouldn't be painful at all.
All I need is a plane ticket and a working visa.......

Namaskara, y'all!