My Blog

The Pink City is Continuing to Sell Belly Dance

Priyanka — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:36:42 GMT

Just a note to assure folks that word is getting around that Adira Dance and Costume is moving. It is true, but please be assured that The Pink City will still continue to have belly dance supplies. Therese, owner and one of the vendors (me ;) .. is going back to selling belly dance supply. (you can see some of my tribal collection at: www.monsoonvarsha.com I will be adding more to the site as I can). The back room will continue to be a belly dance boutique. In addition, one of the other vendors, Bahira (see some of her work at www.bahira.net) who is a wonderful belly dance costume and accessories designer will be bringing in all her custom creations. Joining us will be a new vendor who is also a belly dance costume designer and works in hand dyed silks (think beautiful veils and such!) So now we will have three ladies under one roof selling their belly dance wares. How exciting! Along with the belly dance supply changing vendor hands, I also want to remind you that we carry unique and beautiful Indian imports. From clothing to jewelry, home decor to henna, bindis and bangles, we have quite a fun collection. In addition to Bahira's custom belly dance costuming, she will continue doing children's play time dress up clothes/costumes, and our new vendor, who along with being a fabulous silk dying expert, does tie dye shirts and more! So don't be alarmed folks, Adira is moving, but the belly dance supplies will still be found at The Pink City. Please tell all your friends!

Off to India in October

Priyanka — Mon, 12 May 2008 16:01:49 GMT

Well, Vivek has sponsored another trip for Amadea and I to India in October. We will leave the first week of October and be back in time for my daughter to go Trick-or-Treating. Last time we went to India, we spent Thanksgiving there. We had Makhani Murgh for our Thanksgiving feast! hahaha. I have to start saving like mad to have enough to make a good investment to be sent home to my store. We will touch down in Delhi and cover Rajasthan from one end to the other. We might drop down into Gujarat this time. I have been working at the store practically 7 days a week, extending my hours usually til 8 to try to keep things caught up. I will take a day off next Sunday to go to Tribal Fest. It is also going to be my older daughters 16th birthday on the following Monday. I will take my 2 daughters up to the festival, and then on the way back, have a birthday dinner at our favorite Turkish restaurant in San Francisco, A La Turca on Geary. Well, focusing on India, looks like I will rarely see a day off, and when I am at home in the mornings I will be photographing for my website (www.monsoonvarsha.com) before I go to the store and editing and posting the items all day and into the evening. Lots of blood, sweat and tears as well as constant prayers. Jai Bajrang Bali!

Greetings...Earthling....

Priyanka — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 05:58:48 GMT

I came home tonight with my daughter. She was checking the mail and I was waiting for her on the sidewalk. I gazed skyward at the amazing amount of bright stars against the black night. They were like jewels sparkling. And there was Orion, but where were the dippers? I looked here and there...and then I realized that my daughter didn't see me there and was heading into the house...(I briefly got lost with the beauty of the night sky.) Hey! I said. She said "Oh, I thought you went in the house already". I told her that I was recieving messages from my friends in the sky (explaining that my intense fixation on the night sky was that I was listening to the messages from aliens). We had a good laugh and went inside. I made deli sandwiches for dinner. I had to take a picture of my sandwich for the record. I used squirt mayonnaise on all our breads...but one piece of bread stood out from the rest. The one with the image of the alien...! Doom da doom dooom....spooky, eh?

Dammit, Rom! Tag, someone else is it!

Priyanka — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 01:16:50 GMT

You opened it...TAG you're IT!! Once you have been tagged, you have to write a blog with 10 weird, random things, facts, habits, or goals about yourself. Give it a shot, why not?? Here are mine! 1. I can flare my nostrils, wiggle my eyebrows, roll my tongue, and have double jointed fingers. 2. I can read and write Hindi, but my vocabulary is limited. 3. I suffer from OCD, and have a short term memory!! ..lol...imagine watching me do a task!! 4. I hate beef. If I smell it cooking, I get nauseous. I smell the fat in it or something. It churns my stomach. 5. I cannot say no to ice cream. 6. I make jewelry, but never wear it. I do photography, but none of my photos hang in my house. All my jewelry and photos are in my store for sale. Now, I do have some etchings I made on my living room wall, but ironically, none of them are for sale in my store! 7. I got straight A's through 5 years of college/university, yet I am about as smart as a brick. (no, it is not the low value of the American education system, I perform well for some reason with studies, but besides that, I'm kinda dense). 8. I have a fear of dying. 9. I love to cook. Indian is a specialty. I love food in general. My addiction and guilty pleasure. 10. My children are my biggest inspiration. And my best friends. Now you have to copy and repost this with your answers on your own blog and let me know what you wrote! Sorry, I didn't make the rules!!!

Thank you Vivek!!!

Priyanka — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 00:59:46 GMT

For the new camera!! :D Vivek bought me a Canon XT and a whopper of a lens! I haven't used an SLR since the 80s when I was quite a shutter bug! I had taken photography twice years after that as university classes, but never hung onto my camera long enough to use it after the classes ended. I had a family to support, so never got to keep my cameras. I have to learn how to use this camera. It's supposed to be like riding a bike, right? Or is it "use it or lose it"? Well, it seems I have either lost all my know how, or am so shy and intimidated by all the photographers around me, I am keeping myself from feel confident, and causing extreme apprehension at being comfortable behind the lens and as well as controls. Well, I will say, I have to learn all over. It took me three days to figure out how to take this picture. I wanted to take photos of my jewelry for my internet site. Shot all day on Saturday. What a waste. All pics were garbage. Shot on Monday. Still, all photos went into the trash. I took this one today. Still some issues to work out. Will try again tomorrow. We went out a couple of weekends ago to Point Lobos down south. Usually I take really good photos w/my point and shoot. But all my photos on my DSLR were disasters! I have been afraid to go into the Creative Modes. I had stuck to all auto functions. It has been so long I feel useless! But I am glad it took me three plus days to figure out how to photograph my earrings. It is a situation where it is not a big deal to scap everything and start over. Now, when we go out on a venture again, I will have made all my mistakes with my earrings, relearned a ton of things...and get out there and take some great shots!!!

My Birthchart according to Indastro.com

Priyanka — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 06:13:01 GMT

This was the Birth Chart issued to me from Indastro.com... BIRTH CHART(HOROSCOPE) House Sign 1 Aries 2 Taurus 3 Gemini 4 Cancer 5 Leo 6 Virgo 7 Libra 8 Scorpio 9 Sagittarius 10 Capricorn 11 Aquarius 12 Pisces (this is transcribed from my chart, I couldn't save or copy the image, so I just wrote what was in the numbered boxes). 1. MON RAH 2. ------ 3. SUN MER 4. JUP 5. VEN 6. MAR 7. KET 8. ----- 9. ----- 10. --- 11. --- 12. SAT Vedic Moon Sign Aries Nakshatra :Ashwini Sun Sign (Western) : Cancer GENERAL RESULTS OF BEING BORN IN ASHWINI NAKSHATRA Female Natives 1. Physical features : Female born in Ashwini Nakshatra will have a beautiful countenance. Her eyes will be bright and large. Forehead broad and nose a little bigger. 2. Character and general events : The native may appear to be very calm and quite, but capable of getting her work done un-noticed and is more predominant in the case of native born during the period from April 14th to April 28th, when the sun will be transiting her exaltation place in Ashwini and from October 14th to October 28th, when the sun will be transiting her debilitation place in Svati. There is a saying that even Yama, the God of Death cannot change her adamant attitude. Those born in the Ashwini of other months will have stubbornness in a lesser degree. She will remain faithful to those who love her and will not hesitate to sacrifice anything for such persons. Ashwini born is the best friend in need provided others understand her. She keeps her patience even at the time of greatest perils. But it will be a hurricane task to console the native when she goes berserk. She is the best advisor to the persons in agony. But She deeply resents and fears criticism, see suggestions from others, as a frightening attempt at manipulation. She takes her own time to do any work. Even so, her actions may be slow but well thought. She will not jump upon any matter without examining prose and corns of each item of work. She cannot be easily influenced. Once she carries out an action or work, whether it is good or bad, right or wrong, she will stick to what she has done, come what may. She is a firm believer of God. But there is no room for religious or other sentiments. She is orthodox but in new style i.e., She believes in modernization of orthodox method and belief. Even though she is quite intelligent, at times she makes mountain of even small matters. This leads her in a state of lack of mental peace and will always be in desperate mood. She is always interested in keeping the entire surroundings neat and clean. 3. Education and sources of earnings / profession : She is jack of all arts. She is generally fond of music and interested in literary pursuits. Period up to her 30th years of age will be full of struggle. She has to face obstacles even for small matters. From the 30th year of age, there will be steady and continuous progress which will continue up to 55 years of age. One of the predominant features noticed is that she is very stingy, but her expenditure will be more than her income due mainly to her pomp and show. She is inclined to meet her desires and needs at any cost. 4. Family life : Normally marriage takes place between the period of 23 years to 26 years of age. It has been noticed that in case marriage takes place at a young age i.e., before the age of 23 years, such marriage ends either at divorce, separation from the husband for long time or even death of the husband. Other Possible effiects: Females born in this Nakshatra will have more or less the same general results as mentioned in the case of male natives. In addition, she will have the following results : 1.Physical features : Eyes will be bright and small resembling to that of a fish. She has a magnetic look. 2. Character and general events : She has the technique of bringing anybody near to her with her sweet speech. She maintains utmost patience. She indulges in too much sexual operations. She is pure hearted. Even while living in the modern society she maintains the age old tradition of respecting elders. 3. Education, sources of earning / profession : If employed she may either be not interested in the work after 50 years of age and may quit the job or seek voluntary retirement. It is not a negative point. She may do so, as her financial or other conditions would have improved by her 50th years of age, and she no longer requires any work for her livelihood. She will thereafter devote herself to the welfare of the family and to some extent do social work, provided other planetary positions are not adverse. Administrative type of job (including possibility of Indian Administrative Service for an Indian) is earmarked for her. 4.Family life : There will be more female children than male children. She is quick to respond to the needs and desires of her children to pursue the interest of the children. Whenever time permits, these females do cleaning of the house and household articles and they force others to do the same. 5. Health : Her health will generally be good. Main cause of her ailments is unnecessary mental worry and anxiety. In some cases, when such worry or anxiety goes beyond control, it has been noticed that brain disorder of mild type takes place at a later stage. She should always be careful while cooking or while handling fire. In the modern society, motor vehicle accidents have also been noticed.

A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning~John Donne

Priyanka — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 06:34:09 GMT

A VALEDICTION FORBIDDING MOURNING. by John Donne AS virtuous men pass mildly away, And whisper to their souls to go, Whilst some of their sad friends do say, "Now his breath goes," and some say, "No." So let us melt, and make no noise, 5 No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move ; 'Twere profanation of our joys To tell the laity our love. Moving of th' earth brings harms and fears ; Men reckon what it did, and meant ; 10 But trepidation of the spheres, Though greater far, is innocent. Dull sublunary lovers' love —Whose soul is sense—cannot admit Of absence, 'cause it doth remove 15 The thing which elemented it. But we by a love so much refined, That ourselves know not what it is, Inter-assurèd of the mind, Care less, eyes, lips and hands to miss. 20 Our two souls therefore, which are one, Though I must go, endure not yet A breach, but an expansion, Like gold to aery thinness beat. If they be two, they are two so 25 As stiff twin compasses are two ; Thy soul, the fix'd foot, makes no show To move, but doth, if th' other do. And though it in the centre sit, Yet, when the other far doth roam, 30 It leans, and hearkens after it, And grows erect, as that comes home. Such wilt thou be to me, who must, Like th' other foot, obliquely run ; Thy firmness makes my circle just, 35 And makes me end where I begun.

Do you know how to Interpret dreams??

Priyanka — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 16:07:13 GMT

There are three dreams that bother me, one because It is so painful, one because it is so bizarre..and one I thnk because I really loved someone and it was a really subconscious desire.. 1 (about a couple of days ago) I am extrememly insecure and have destroyed my relationship. I had this small daydream, you know when you are hurt/mad and are imagining some situation that is even more hurtful...I guess I was daydreaming this, well, we are broken up and his is leaving for India for a month, and this is my fear...it is a fear that I cannot shake, but I deserve because I am not a nice person...: He is in India and meets a girl, and they decide to wed. I had somehow been able to read his emails to his friends as he excitedly tells his friends about the date/arrangements/location. I am very hurt and I take my girl friend - who is also Indian - as my witness and support to fly out and drop in on his wedding. In the style of the Christian marriage when the priests asks if their is anyone who objects to this marriage...I come to his wedding and am wearing a white sari...I am so beautiful. Like a most beautiful ghost or spirit. My hair is back, my head is covered with the sari end in traditional style, may face/skin is clean, blemish free and glowing. I have a bindi and I have very simple makeup but it accentuates my beauty in an ethreal way. I walk through the wedding party. The wind is slightly billowing my sari. I do not speak to anyone, I do not look at anyone. I just walk though quiet, sad and forlorn. My friend Anju, who came with me is no longer with me, I am holding my head covering in place with my right hand near my jaw, delicately and femininly to keep it in place. I came to show him that I know now that he is married, and my heart is so broken that I now consider myself a widow. (white is the color of widows, and they had to wear it in the old days). He is gone to me, and I will not go on, in terms of emotions, not physical. I will live life abstaining and alone. In solitude and with undying love for him. In devotion to only him for my life, even if he is with someone else... The other dream was very bizarre...(also a couple of days ago)..I was in my bathroom (There is two parts to it, the first door leads into the sink/dressing area the second door leads into a small area w/toilet/shower). I was getting ready to take a shower and took off my pants and underwear and put them on the floor near the wall. I noticed that there was a large bright/dark/heavy blood stain in my upturned and open laying underwear, in the crotch area. It was pretty big and wet. I thought...oh great..my period...I just had one!! (I work alot, all the time, so I will constanty complain of things I don't have time for, like injuries or illnesses because I don't have anyone to take care of me... I have to work, injured/sick or not..so the same attitude with it being my period again...great!..I don't have time for this! What else can happen!?) Then the next instant there are three fetus's in my underwear where the blood is, all laying side by side with each other all facing left, (I say fetuses because although embryonic looking, they are larger like a fetus) about 4 inches long each and pretty healthy. they are still in embryonic stages...not yet fully detectable as humans- that kinda half fish/half human stage and I do notice their eyes, they are in profile position, but their eyes are very noticeable, dark round, black circles still covered by skin...That is when I knew that I just had a miscarriage. The next second I am in the other part of the bathroom, near the washing sink, facing back to the toilet room, and I am holding the embryos in my arms, but they are now alive, not dead, and they are happy fuzzy puppies. They are excited and squirming in my arms, licking my face and their toungues hanging out of their mouths panting with happiness.. You know, I never told Vivek (this one was about a year and a half ago)...And it scared me, but when I first met him, about two or three months into our relationship I had a vivid dream that I still remember and relive. I cannot seem to forget it. It haunts me. at the time I met him, he was pretty resentfull towards people who had kids and couldn't afford them. And he was still making comments that love is not real. He had a pretty bad experience...about that time he came to me in my dreams and was scolding me. Only his face was there, maybe his finger pointing at me. He was almost angryly ordering me, demanding me that I was going to have a baby by the time I was 40. Insisting on it. (Don't tell anyone...I will be 40 on July 1st of next year). We have not used protection for the duration of our relationship, and he is gone now. So it cannot happen or come true. But I always feared that dream. I am pretty sure that I am barren now that I am older, or surely it should have happened. But I had always feared that dream. I did not believe in abortion, and our relationship was difficult, as we are interracial and I don't think his family would be pleased at all. I am a secret, and I had many sleepless nights, that again, I would be a single mother with a baby if I decided to keep it...So our lack of protection was VERY irresponsible given the circumstances...And not acting on rectifying our irresponsible ways, I had many of those "worse case scenario" scenes in my head ofter....if I did get pregnant, I would have to secretly abort it because I knew he wouldn't marry me, couldn't explain it to his family and would force me to do it. I would have rather done it on my own and in secret, mourning inside quietly, than to have him hand down the order..which would be a physical rejection from him to me that was more unbearable... Wow, I am so insecure...so insecure. I have no faith in myself do I. Or enough self esteem to think more positively...I am my own worst enemy...I sabatoged my relationship with constant fretting and a vivid imagination...poor guy.

Honesty is the Best Policy

Priyanka — Mon, 09 Jan 2006 20:31:45 GMT

THE HONESTY QUIZ 1. Honestly, where are you now? *My room... 2. Honestly, have you ever failed a subject in high school? *Yes, English, Business, Performing Arts, and Phys Ed. (Hmmm, my HS transcripts are right here! I got D's in: Algebra, French I, Government, Beginning Typing, Geometry(twice!), English(twice!), US History(twice!) and Spanish II(twice) as well!) Graduated HS with a 2.17 GPA. BUT!! I earned my AA with a 3.87 GPA at a Community College and earned my BFA with a 3.981 from a University W/Honors (Summa Cum Laude). 3. Honestly, whats on your mind right now? *That I am supposed to be studying and am so behind, but still can't seem to get motivated. 4. Honestly, what is it that you really should be doing right now? *Studying, I've procrastinated for 4 hours. 5. Honestly, have you brushed your teeth today? *Yes, 6:30 this morning. I get the first turn in the bathroom. And then a couple times through the day and once before bed... 6. Honestly, who are your best buddies in the world? *Amadea-my 9 year old daughter (I am a hermit, so don't have anyone else) 7. Honestly, are you a good friend? *My loyalty is undying and I would do anything within my power for my friends. 8. Honestly, do you think school is important? *Almost as much as breathing. 9. Honestly, what are your dreams usually about? *Weird things, like plucking a louse off someones sweater as they talk to me, being in a wedding in some crazy far off land..symbolistic nonsensical stuff... 10. Honestly, who/what makes you happy most of the time? *Being out hiking with Amadea and BF in nature, just being around the house with the two doing nothing. 11. Honestly, what hobbies do you have? *Reading, making art/jewelry 12. Honestly, what song are you currently listening to? *I am too lazy to bring the radio back in my room. If it was here I would be listening to the Bollywood CD in the player. 13. Honestly, who do you want to see at this very moment *Nick-my 20 yr. old son, this bulletin was from him and it made me miss him... 14. Honestly, do you have a deadly disease? *Thank God no, but by all reason, I should have many... 15. Honestly, do you hate someone right now? *Yes, my ex-husband always and sometimes my Mother 16. Honestly, who/what do you want to hug right now? *Patti-Ann-my 13 yr old daughter 17. Honestly, are you bored? *No, I am having fun being distracted by the Net... 18. Honestly, who do you want to slap right now? *No one, I am feeling pretty mellow. Besides, I am a pacifist. 19. Honestly, wouldn't you rather be having sex right now? *Well, it would be nice, but not necessary. 20. Honestly, do you like someone? *Yes, very much. 21. Honestly, are you single? *According to me, no. According to him, yes. 22. Honestly, does anyone like you? *Actually, I am pretty neurotic, so not only do I think that no one likes me, I don't even think anyone knows about me! 23. Honestly, did you answer all these questions honestly? *Yes. A lie is always eventually revealed.

What Animal Were You in a Past Life?

Priyanka — Sat, 07 Jan 2006 05:31:54 GMT

You Were A Lion You have a lethal combination of strength and energy. You have strong family ties, and close friends are like family to you. http://www.blogthings.com/whatanimalwereyouinapastlifequiz/