Friday, February 11, 2011

Are you there books? It's me, one of your very few loyal followers and users.

Stella Kumar is still in the works so for today, I believe I'm going to rant.

I've loved books ever since I was a kid. I used to devour them. I read everything from the baby-sitters club to Harlequin romance novels stolen from my aunt. I LOVED IT. Much of the time, books were my escape. Every time I would get upset or angry about anything, I would read. It helped me calm down and put life into perspective. It also helped me escape. Flipping through the pages of someone's else's story and getting lost in their world is one of my greatest joys. Unfortunately, with the onset of school, homework and life in general, I haven't read for pleasure in quite a while. I know what you're thinking: this is just an excuse. It's true, there are many times when I chose to watch HIMYM when I just as easily could've picked up a book and read. But I haven't. It does however mean that I will never stop enjoying books.*

*DISCLAIMER: I don't enjoy all books. A good example is a textbook. They cost a lot, weight a lot and in general annoy me. Although some are useful, I can't usually sell them back and if I can sell them back, I get less than a third of what I paid for. LAME.

The onset of this rant comes from finding out that the Borders near my house is closing. It devastated me. I loved going there, browsing for books for hours on end. Fiction, non-fiction, architecture, trashy magazines, etc. were all amazing to me. This wasn't enough, however, to keep the store open. With online book sales and devices such as the Kindle trumping in-store book sales, Borders didn't stand a chance. This makes me oh so sad. I know it's been official for many years now but TECHNOLOGY IS TAKING OVER THE WORLD.

I would be a hypocrite to say I'm completely opposed to technological advances to the world. I use my cell phone as a five in one device, using it as my alarm clock, notepad, calculator, place to check email etc. There are many times I want to find out a fact about something and the first thing that comes to mind: GOOGLE IT. But I draw the line at the Kindle/eReader/Nook/iPad. I HATE THEM. They're making my precious books seem obsolete. I understand the appeal. You can fit 100+ books in one single device for the low low cost of $139 and a month long battery life. I get it. But is reading still personal then? I love curling up in my bed or the couch with a book in my hand, getting lost in the story. I love feeling the weight of the book, the grainy texture of the pages and the smell. Oh the smell. True, some smell like old man feet but those are the old books about boring topics like the triassic period. It's all of these elements that make me get lost in the story and escape into another world, much like in Narnia when they go through the wardrobe.

The dependence on technology these days is astonishing. I still can't believe it's gotten to this level. It is strange it took something like this to realize how much technology has taken over our lives. I belong to Facebook where I can find out almost everything about them on a day to day basis to the point where I'm a pretty big creeper and I'm astonished by e-publishing? Yeah, it's pretty pathetic. I guess it hits people differently.

I always wonder now what level we will get to with the many advances in technology these days. Will the world be taken over by machines one day? Will we become machines one day? What will the world be like when the Chinese twins I adopt will be 18? Will we ever find out exactly how many licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie pop? So many questions and unlimited possibilities all thanks to technology. We see the light yet there will always be darkness...

Friday, February 4, 2011

Stella Kumar: A Star is Born

I'm such a failure at this blog but I decided with only 39 minutes left at work I should do something at least semi-productive. So here goes:

I've been working on a story idea for a while now. To everyone reading the 5 or 6 entries I've written, you've come to guess by now that I'm SUPER interesting and what not so I've decided to document my life. But I've decided to do this through a fictional character. Her name is Stella Kumar. She is a south Indian girl living in America for the better part of twenty years. She's weird, awkward and a really big nerd. Stella knows random things about life that doesn't matter and never will matter. She is fascinated by people.

Much like myself, Stella is an ABCD: American Born Confused Desi. She is Indian but doesn't fit right in with Indians. She was born and raised in America but cannot consider herself completely American. Stella is right in the middle. She finds herself apologizing for each culture but can't seem to fully consider herself one or the other. Stella is a coconut: white on the inside and brown on the outside. The story would center around the people and places in Stella's life, along with her incredibly awkward commentary on life's goings on.

Why the name Stella Kumar? Well, I always loved the name Stella. It's beautiful. I first discovered it as a beer, Stella Artois. DELICIOUS. I always wanted to name my dog (IF I ever get a dog - black lab for anyone who's interested)  Stella. The last name Kumar is Indian of course. I read on Wikipedia (an amazing source of information by the way) that many Indian actors and actresses use different last names for themselves due to the fact that they're own last names are so long and unpronounceable. Therefore, names like Kumar and Kapoor are easy substitutes. IT WAS PERFECT. It was also how Stella Kumar came to exist. She has the best of both worlds but cannot attach herself completely to one. What's a girl supposed to do? Well, read my upcoming posts to find out...

Monday, January 3, 2011

New year, fresh start, great beginning :)

Nov. 21, 2010 - the date of my last entry. PATHETIC. So I'm starting anew.

This is my first entry of 2011. So, to everyone bored enough to read this HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's going to be a great year. Or at least I hope so.

I hope this will be my year. Every year, I always ask why me? How is it that life turned out this way and I realized it's because I made a really stupid decision when I was 16 years old. I told myself that I was destined to be an architect. I'm not sure how I came up with this idea to be quite honest with you. All I know is I set my mind to it and told my parents. Should I have realized that I would come to despise and loathe this decision? No. I was too naive and way too fucking stupid and quite stubborn. But I digress.

I informed my parents of this decision and decided to enroll at a private college. Small, close to my house and directly focusing on my major my first year out. After getting a tour of this so-called magical place, I decided to attend. WORST. DECISION. EVER. My father paid the non-refundable deposit and off I went, moving into housing. At registration that fateful semester, a faculty advisor noticed I took many AP courses in science and math (again WORST. DECISION. EVER. Honestly, I still wonder to this day if I huffed paint as a kid or something. but I digress) and if I would be interested in double majoring in architecture and civil engineering. Yes, lets add to this misery. Again, being the stupid kid I was (although a two years older at the time), I said yes.

The years went by. I joined a sorority (some of the smartest, kindest and most wonderful people on earth. But I digress), became involved in architecture and civil engineering organizations, the honors program and several others. But I was unhappy and still am because I came to realize by my sophomore/junior year that I was doing something I didn't like and I was in a school where the majors were confining and quite rigid. I couldn't change my majors b/c I was too far in. I wish I had done that now. I wish I had at least dropped one of them and just finished like I was supposed to and just done well in it and hell just been happy. But now I'm up to my ass in debt and all I want to do is finish no matter what. Most people say they have no regrets, well maybe one or two at most. I have hundreds and this is the biggest one of them all. Although I really don't care for what I'm in school for, I love the people I go to school with . I think that's the only thing that's truly kept me here all these years.

So now that a new year has begun, I have resolved to take on a new attitude with my life and to find something in these godforsaken career fields interesting which I actually think I have. In high school, I came to love psychology and am thinking about pursuing it within urban planning, a field in architecture I actually came to somewhat enjoy, despite the pretentious douche bag that taught me about it. This way, hopefully, I'll enjoy what I do. Maybe it will put a smile on my face the way beer usually does. Maybe I'll try to fit engineering in there somewhere but at this point, I'm really not sure. On top of wasting time, I truly regret wasting money and taking gross advantage of my parents. I feel like I've failed them and failed myself. But I'm hoping that will change this year.

My major goal for the year is to figure out what the fuck I'm going to do with this crazy thing called life. Along the way, I hope to develop a stronger work ethic, a passion for what I'm going to do, find an internship, get in shape, do well in school and become more financially responsible. Some of these may seem random and will take time and hard work but if I don't accomplish all of these, I will never succeed. And as I once heard my wise cousin say, "you measure your own success", which I fully intend to do. This is part of the reason I decided to write this in a blog. Maybe if it's in writing, I'll take it more seriously and make the drastic change for the better like I've made empty promises about before. I really hope it's true. Hopefully, Seize life my the balls, carpe diem, a kuna matata!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I raise my glass to everyone bored enough to read this. I'm going to make 2011 my bitch, even if it kills me. WISH ME LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PS. I know this was dramatic and all so next time, I'll try to make my entries more fun like the last ones. Promise :)

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Accomplishments of life: My top 10 goals for the future

I realized today by this time next fall, I'll be close to finishing my undergraduate education. Well, closer than I am now. I double majored and It's taking me forever and a day to finish. I'm hoping my suicidal decision will pay off one day. But I digress. Upon my impending graduation, I decided it is time to make myself a list of goals for the future. These are the top ten goals I hope to accomplish in the next 20 years. Check it:


  1. Become the first Indian themed Lady Gaga - Lady Gaga is an iconic star known for her fantastical music and I would like to follow in her footsteps. I can launch a song/dance career. I have the ethnicity for it. I feel multi-colored/patterned saris, turbans, jewelry, an assortment of bindis and some bangra are in order. I happened to have an abundance of these things so I think it's possible. I just need some bangra dance lessons which I know my brown peeps will hook me up with. I'm also incredibly ridiculous and weird. WORD
  2. Adopt twin Chinese babies when I'm 40 - I've always been told I shouldn't reproduce so this is my noble solution. I will name them Jebidaiah Dunphy and Phil Dunphy (Hyphen Kondur for both names). 
  3. Create a master plan for a city - The city, Vibha Heights, will be the epicenter of culture. I will of course reside as mayor and put into place an entirely new system of government, one which allows all you can eat fast food places such as Taco Bell's for all those tired and drunk college students. 
  4. Demolish golf courses - Golf is the most pointless "sport" (it should just be activity) and Tiger Woods became too much of a skank for me to even think it's remotely valuable or appealing to anyone. High maintenance rich people bother me to no end.
  5. Get married? - If, one day, I find someone who chooses to love, honor and cherish me and all of my ridiculousness in addition to paying my bar tab and cooking for me, then I will give marriage a try. If not, I will own at least 5 dogs much like Robin Scherbatsky on HIMYM. If I get married and divorce appears on the horizon, I hope I'll be living in California when this happens and will not have a pre-nup and will therefore get half if not more of my soon to be ex-husband's money. California is after all a community property state. And they say Real Housewives of OC teaches you nothing. WRONG.
  6. NEVER EVER EVER DYE MY HAIR - This one really should speak for itself. There's no way in hell I would look good as a blonde or a redhead. Hell, Rihanna couldn't pull off red hair what the hell would posses me to think I would? NOTHING. Raven haired locks for life. WORD.
  7. Convince Ryan Reynolds he made a mistake marrying Scarlett Johanssen - I think this one speaks for itself. Scarlett Johanssen is a blonde whore and I despise her. Ryan Reynolds is meant to be with me. He just doesn't know it yet. 
  8. Get my mom hammered. - My mother doesn't like to drink and chooses not to do so because she doesn't want to know what happens if she drinks. She always likes to be in control. My goal: to get her COMPLETELY WASTED. I will proceed to make her a drink and spike it and get her drunk. I will also get the entire scenario on tape. She loves orange juice so I'll make her a screwdriver only she won't know it. DYNOMITE!!
  9. Learn to ride a motorcycle. - Again, one that speaks for itself. Motorcycles are BA and in Vibha Heights, they will be the most common form of transportation and because Vibha Heighs will be located in California where it's sunny all year round, you can ride it whenever. It will be a city ordinance. So shall it be written, so shall it be done. 
  10. Take over the Trump Organization. - I'm sick of Donald Trump and the bad comb over he calls his hair. I think I could fire people off the Apprentice much more vehemently than he could. 
These are the goals I've set for myself along with a 20 year deadline. Oh the things I will accomplish...

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Narcissism: 25 Shades of fantastical glory

Let's face the fact here: I'm awesome. Much like Newton's three laws of motion and the acceleration due to gravity, there is a proven theory to why I'm awesome. You may shake your head and say you know WAY more awesome people than me. WRONG. I am a glorious and fantastical masterpiece and here is why:

25. My hair is as smooth as silk.
24. I am double jointed.
23. I can move my body like a cyclone. What does this mean? I spin around in circles to generate wind so people may move in my glorious wake.
22. My way with words will lull you into a stupor, putting you into a hypnotic state of being.
21. I'm an awesome driver. Driving with me is much equated to going on the Millennium Force or the Magnum at Cedar Point. It's an adventure every time :)
20. I garner my inspirational dancing from two sources: napoleon dynamite and alcohol. They live together in perfect harmony.
19. I am not an only child. I have 30 sisters who I hold near and dear to my heart :)
18. I know how to knit. Scarf for Christmas? Oh fo sho ho :)
17. I am the product of genetic magic due to my parents. With their powers combined, I am Vibha "Awesome" Kondur. Word.
16. After googling myself, I came to find my name is also the name of a manufacturing and export company in India. They deal mostly with Engineering products.
15. After googling further, I came to find my name is also affiliated with a non-profit organization specializing with the health, education and opportunity of underprivileged children. ballin' fo sho.
14. I'm a player. I specialize in Jeopardy, block stacking and Geochallenge via facebook.
13. I watch copious amounts of TV, which therefore makes me an expert on certain TV shows such as Friends, HIMYM and Modern Family.
12. I am forgetful. This is bad you say? OH HELL NO! I can forget all your secrets so that they never see the light of day ever again. Locked up in the vault of Vibha never to be opened again.
11. I HATE CELERY. It should be banned as a vegetable. It's crunchy and gross texture makes me want to vomit.
10. I'm a Harry Potter fanatic. It's magically awesome :)
9. I want to plan. I plan to plan. I master plan. I'm going to be an urban planner. I'll one day build cities so amazingly awesome everyone will want to live there. Vibhaville, Vibhatown, Vibha Heights, Vibha Hills, West Vibha, New Vibha City, Vibha-cago, Vib-Francisco, you name it, I'll build it and you'll live there. Word.
8. I love beer in it's entirety. It truly is proof that God loves us and wants us to be awesome.
7. I'm fashionably late since I'm fashionably awesome.
6. I love me some round numbers. Their luscious curves and slopes fascinate me :)
5. One of the greatest reasons (it's top 5 for a reason) I'm awesome is because I know some incredibly awesome people: friends, family, co-workers and sisters. They helped make me as awesome as I am right now and will continue to increase in awesome exponentially.
4. I"m Sarge. Cross me and I'll come at you like a ninja.
3. I'm of the Asian persuasion that's sweeping the nation.
2. My parents are too cool for school.
1. I am brown.

Here you have it. Reasons why I'm awesome. Take it in as you wish. Play with it. Integrate it. Facilitate it. Beware of it. And remember...BE AWESOME :)

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Ben Franklin wisdom: amber colored glasses of beer

Greetings lemmings. So it seems I've already failed miserably with this blog. Already, it has been 3 weeks and 2 days since my last post. And lets remember folks, my last entry was a SMASHING success. Hands down :).

The biggest event to happen in my life in the past 3 weeks and two days is the joyous celebration of my birth many moons ago : the big 2-2!!! I celebrated this obvious momentous occasion of epic proportions like many people do: with copious amounts of alcohol, the drink of life. I'm not a very religious person but much like good ole' Benny Franklin, I too believe God gave us beer because he loves us. He wants to wrap us up in a warm blanket of hops and fermentation to tell us "hey, you're awesome".

Beer is a love of mine. I began a relationship with this cold, hop-filled, fermented wonder when I was just a wee sophomore in college naive into thinking liquor is the ultimate drink of choice. Oh how wrong I was. Now don't be fooled. I do occasionally enjoy a good cranberry and vodka and Trey Songz is right: my doctor needs to prescribe me those instead of Vitamin D. But I digress.

As I was saying, beer and I began our magical journey together my second year in college. I had just joined the wonderful sorority and needed a cheaper way to support my drinking habit. After getting my jollies off vanilla vodka and root beer, I began to get intrigued by the holy grail: BEER. That first can of Budweiser Select grossed me out a little. I nursed that bottle like a mom nursing colic babies. It was awful. Over time however, the taste of it's brewed perfection stirred my soul. It was like being in a cradle of hops and yeast: MAGNIFICENT.

Now, I can't get enough of this deliciousness. I sometimes feel like a meth addict in search of another fix. I've had many a awesome nights with friends, downing one cold one after another. Drunken shenanigans can't be beat. Over time, I've come to enjoy not only an occasional Budweiser Select but also Bud light, Miller Lite, Coors Light, Labatt Blue, Blue Moon and many others. Microbreweries are also among my favorite. Woodward Avenue Brewery, Dragonmead, Cooper Canyon and so much more. Sometimes I feel like I should just live in a keg. That way, all my dreams would come true...(not wanting to live at home and beer). Life is good people. Cherish the moment. Cherish the beer...

I should write commercials...

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Splashed white: Purity of beginning with full gusto

Vilkomen and what's happenin' everyone? My name is Vibha and after talking and thinking about starting a blog for some time now, I've finally decided to do it. I must give credit to my wonderful sister Ellen, who got so excited about me writing this blog and already gave me a list of awesome topics. I would also like to extend a big thanks to Janelle, my other sister and COMPLETELY IDENTICAL twin. She writes a fantastic blog which I've read/stalked for some time now and consider it to be my inspiration and outlet for life.

I've always been told to write what I know. Write about your experiences. Hell write about yourself. So here goes:

I've always admired punctual people with their ability to be on time to almost every event of their lives. Whether it be to meetings, class, work, appointments, etc. they are there right on time. I, on the other hand, am late for EVERYTHING! Late for class, work, appointments, meetings, etc. I believe it's quite frustrating, especially for the people around me. If I had to pick one, I'd say I'm most late for work. I'm scheduled to work right at 9AM and instead have developed the habit of coming in anytime between 9:15-9:30. My kind hearted, white haired, Mother Theresa like boss wonders and calls around 9:30 and when I do come in, kindly reminds me to come in on time. So what do I the next time around? Come in at 9:45. At this rate I'm going to be late for my own funeral and according to my religion (even though I'm not religious) I must be cremated. I'm think I'm fucked.

I think the reason I'm always late is the fact that I truly hate my job. I sit here and use Facebook, Gmail, Hulu and youtube to occupy my work day. I'm a copy-machine bitch with an insultingly small desk and mindless tasks to complete. I'm Vibha-tron 2012: meeting your typing tasks since 2007 with no end in sight :(. I need a real job, one where I have to use Facebook when I'm on my lunch break and when my boss isn't looking not one where I need to use it to occupy my time. But I digress.

I believe my lateness began the day I was born. My mother told me she needed to get many ultrasounds when I was a bun baking in her oven because I apparently didn't move around or kick a lot and she, my dad and the doctor were concerned. But they didn't have to fret for long because on that fateful day in November I came out into the world, guns blazing at full speed ahead in all my brown full-head-of-hair glory!!!!!!!!...unannounced, a week early, during a blizzard where they couldn't drive to the hospital in the tiny apartment they lived in. As you can see, good timing was never my strong suit.

While some women consider childbirth magical, my mother considers it one of the most horrifying and embarrassing experiences in her life, still wishing to this day she could've been swallowed up by a hole in the ground. But to her defense, having fireman, police officers and medical professionals watch as she pushed a screaming, crying, pooping (but glorious nonetheless) bundle of joy out of her vagina would make her blush at least a little. At least I can say I never do anything without at least a little bit of flare, pizazz and ridiculousness.

So anyway, I'm late for stuff a lot. I'm working on it. I"m hoping the people I love will still love me besides my lateness.

I dedicate this first entry to Ellen and Janelle, two sources of inspiration for this blog and life. Without their own ridiculousness, I don't know where I would be. What's a bad ass brownie to do without a couple of crackers for support?

 I will get more ridiculousness with time. Please bear with me. This is the firs of many shades of ridiculousness...