Why do people brag about not studying in the U.S?

Growing up, I was surrounded with peers who loved to smear it to everyone’s face how they got an A on an exam they never studied for. Or better yet, talk-up how they put zero effort behind a school-related task and excelled in it. Honestly, it’s people like this that not only keep their peers down but give the U.S a poor reputation when it comes to having smart, scholarly educated residents.

Gone was the respect for someone who studied a clean 5 hours for an exam, honestly. And instead, are often heckled for being “dumb” enough to take time to really learn the material. I really don’t understand why people do this? What’s worse is that these same people who also brag about never studying for the SAT’s and GRE’s also boast hard about getting in the top 10 percentile.

There’s not as much respect for the person with average intelligence who works night and day for the high score. The one person who knows the value behind hard work and being self-sufficient, who often gets berated and chewed up for putting any effort—to begin with.

No wonder the U.S public school system is falling apart, slowly and painfully. This widespread mentality that laziness is rewarded and hardwork means you get punished is utterly disgusting and mendacious. I respect competition based on honesty and hardwork, since those are true American values. Not competition based on genetics or flat out lies.

I have never met a person who talked about studying hard for an exam and I wish I did. I would seriously pat them on the back for not only putting effort but for their sheer honesty. I’ve also met sensitive students to who get heavily bogged by their peers lies and who lose the confidence in themselves to learn the material. Since learning seems to be the uncool thing to do.

Honestly, people who hate learning or who brag about not really studying for anything, get on my last nerves. I think this is my biggest pet peeve since I dislike slackers and liars.

I also want to point out that bragging and lyings are clear signs of insecurity, so if you know of anyone who lies and brags about their stellar grades, maybe you should smile a bit. Atleast you are confident enough to remain honest about your efforts and value working hard for what you believe in.

Jason Behr: Why do you look so old?

Jason Behr used to look like a stud in 1999, when he was 25 years old, as Max Evans on Roswell, the greatest show on earth. If Snooki from “Jersey Shore” likes it, then so should you.

If you look at him now, at the geriatric age of 39, his once firm jaw,  sharp eyes and taut skin has forever vanished into Tv land. He looks more grayer than a ghost and his oily hair makes me weep. Gone are the days when he was Max Evans, hearthrob extraordinaire.

Today, he’s playing a crimincal on the show “Breakout Kings”, praying and probably begging to have a recurring role on that show. I can’t even watch this show, since i’ll probably be in rue of  better days when he was an actual stud.  Here is a pic of him in his prime:

Aziz Ansari is right, you better ‘treat yo’ self’: And here’s how you can do it on a budget

 Have you ever watched a recent episode of “The Office” and felt like it was kinda blech with the story and ehh with the character plotline? If that is the case, then tune into “Parks and Recreation” instead since each episode will guarantee a chuckle out of your condescending self.

Anyways, if you are a “Parks and Recreation” fan, have you seen that one episode where Aziz Ansari ( as Tom Haverford) devotes an entire day to the spa, shopping and self-indulgent behavior,e.g., makes himself cookies that say ‘treat yo self’, and buys a strangely metro-sexual cashmere sweater that screams elmo.

If you have, then you must know the essence, value and humor behind the expression “Treat yo’ self.”

Though we live in a fast paced society where our time is stretched, mangled and suffocated out of any “me” time I want to ask you this: Don’t we deserve to have time to ourselves?

Stress is the leading cause of so many ailments and can cut such a succesful life short. Sometimes, it’s okay to veg out when you can. However, watching copius amounts of junkfood and watching hours of TV is not the healthiest option.

Why not have a spa day? Like Donna from ‘Parks and Rec’? Eh, I don’t know if you all feel comfortable having random needles stuck on your face. Also, spa’s are quite pricey for those on a moderate to stringent budget.

If you want to treat yo self’ and are on a strict budget, you’re in luck. You just landed on the right website for tips, cheap options and ways for you chill out.

Spa at home

1.) Pedicure: You really don’t need to spend $30 bucks on your lil’ digits to get pampered. Instead, go to your local Ross, Marshalls and TJ Maxx for the following: foot scrub, foot cream, heel scrubber, nail clipper, clear nail polish, white nail polish, clear glitter nail polish, toothpicks, OPI red nailpolish, OPI black nailpolish. It’s kinda self-explanatory about the foot scrub, cream, and heel scrubber - if not, use the scrub/ heel scrubber and cream in that order- but here are some pointers with doing your own pedi at home.

( Directions): Make sure you have ear swabs, and nail polish remover around. Apply the white nail polish along the tips of your toes, like you are giving yourself a french manicure. Wait for that gloop to dry on your toes, then gently dab enough nail polish remover unto your ear swab so you can straighten out your uneven white strips aligned on your itty bitty toes.  Let those bad boys dry  then add a layer of clear polish. Allow enough time to pass, then get your tooth picks and try to make flowers ( use red/black polish) on your bigger toes like this:

After 5-10 minutes, gloss your lil piggy toes with clear glitter polish. Voila, you have a bougie looking pedicure for pennies ( more like quarters, but it’s fine.)                   

2.) Manicure:  Go to Ross, Marshalls, and TJ Maxx and get : cuticle cream, cuticle cutters, hand lotion, nail file/smoother. If you bought pedicure supplie via nailpolish, then you can use that to fix your rigged nails. Simply wear the cuticle cream, use the cuticle cutters to remove excess skin and apply hand lotion to soften rough skin. Then trim your nails, file it evenly, and use the smoother to get rid of ridges and uneveness in your nails. Copy the french manicure/ flower idea from the aforementioned steps on pedicures and you are good to go. You just saved $20 on an extravagant manicure.

The spa beauty experience: I know there’s a cornocopia of websites that detail how you can make your own mudmasks, exfoliatians, and blah blah blah. Well, I think you just need to go to TJ Maxx, Ross, Marshalls and stores like that to get the following: deep cleansing mask, toner for your face, exfoliation for your face, body salts, body scrub, bubble bath, candles, moisturizer for your face, calming lotion for your body, anti-aging cream for your eyes, lavender bath oils, lavender lotions. Self explanatory I hope. Just treat yo face and body well.

Yoga at home

As I always say, go to Ross, TJ Maxx and Marshalls to buy a yoga matt ( or anything at all). You can also get a yoga shirt and pants from there if you want to be OCD, but you really dont need to. Just wear comfy work sweats and a snug  tank. Make sure you have calm music playing in the background ( not Linkin Park but maybe some Dido?) and surf Youtube for free yoga clips. Do it before the spa treatment or after, but make sure it’s done. When you stretch your body out, endorphins run amok and that only means happy thoughts in your head.

Food for thought:

Drink of choice: If you can buy Tea of Life’s calming tea, make a batch and drink it. It will not only alleviate any anxiety you may have but will lull you into a calm state. Ahhh, relax.

Snacks: click on this link to get a comprehensive list.

Music:

Here’s a list of  INDIE songs you all need to check out. It’s soft-ish, upbeat-ish, and will relax you. Play these songs in the background as you pamper yourself: 

Pete Yorn- Strange Condition, Pete Yorn- Just Another, Starfckr-Rawnald Gregory Erickson the second, Radiohead-How to Disappear completely, Smashing Pumpkins- Spaceboy, Cary Brothers-Alien, The Eels- Woman driving, man sleeping, Richard Ashcroft- Break the night with colour, The Eels- Antfarm, No Doubt- Simple kind of life, Travis- Pipe Dreams, Morissey- Cosmic Dancer, Gavin Rossdale- Love remains the same, Dido-Dont believe in love, Cake- Never there, Bush- The sound of winter, Audioslave- Like a stone, Audioslave- I am the highway.

Reading Materials

You have the option of going to the library for free books or getting dirt-cheap books at your local thrift store. It’s up to you. If you want relax yet stay away, check out the classics. Or better yet, check out these books that are not collecting dust on my desk: The Secret, The Awakening by Kate Choppin, A Streetcar Named Desire, T.S Elliot’s Wasteland, and The Time Traveler’s Wife.

Conclusion: 

Here’s all the tricks of the trade in having a ‘treat yo self’ day. Instead of splurging a ridiculous amount of cash, these tips will help you stay in a budget given these turbulent times and help you take care of yourself.

Comment below if any of these tips have worked or have failed you miserably. Love to hear from you!

Carnival Cruise: What I didnt expect to see

This year has been a year of many firsts. And many of those firsts started and ended on my 7 day cruise from Puerto Rico all the way to the Caribbean islands ( St. Thomas, St. Lucia, St.Kitts, Barbados, and St. Martin).  If you look below, here is a list of my many firsts:

1.) Been to a volcano and had a mud bath.Wanted to start a mud  war but didn’t want to be thrown from the volcano. ( St. Lucia)

2.) Played Shuffleboard and a ‘life size’ game of chess.. in which i gracelessly lost. (Unsure)

3.) Explored an actual rainforest in Puerto Rico and had the bus break down. ( Puerto Rico)

4.) Snorkled and swam away from the other novices..it was pretty bad ass.. ( St. Kitts)

5.) Swam in the ocean and I so did not freak out too! ( St. Martin)

6.) Had monkeys thrown on my back ( St. Kitts)

7.) Rode a segway.. and did not fall from it. ( St. Martin)

8.) Explored the ocean via a head-dive expedition.. and lived to see the day ( St. Thomas)

9.) Was in a submarine and saw an extremely ugly eel.. now I can see why the indie band called “The Eels” is really called that.. ( Barbados)

I am sure there were more firsts but they’ve currently escaped my mind as of now.  Aside from my many firsts, I did see some peculiarities on my trip..

This reminded me of a quasi-famous youtube clip. Toby Jones Trunk Rental and Storage facilities.. Look it up, fyi.

I decided not to go in. Only "bitches" go into that bar.

I wish I took more pictures, but then again, it was a vacation. So, I didn’t really have to do that.

Ready for a fight! A mud fight...

Charming, United and Enlightening: Cocktail Reception with Delegate Kumar Barve

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few weekends ago, I had the privilege to attend a wonderful cocktail that embraces the good deeds that Majority House Leader Delegate Kumar Barve has been doing for not only Marylanders but for Indian Americans since 1991. 

 The cocktail reception, hosted by Neil Dhillon, Bikram Bakshi and Dr. Ram Peruvemba, was overflowing with prominent Indian American doctors, and esteemed with special appearances by Delegate Sam Arora. 

Prior to this event, Delegate Kumar Barve was one of several prominent officials who embarked on a six-day trade mission to India, spearheaded by Governor Martin O’Malley. 

 The November trip sparked strong business relationships between businesses in Hyderabad,  New Delhi and Mumbai and has also helped promote Maryland as a U.S. headquarters for Indian companies, especially  those in biotech and cyber security. 

 If it weren’t for this momentous trip, Maryland wouldn’t have this threshold  for International trade for our small and mid-sized businesses.

 The trip to Hyderabad, was especially important to Delegate Barve,  as noted in his website:

“After a successful visit to Hyderabad, the trade mission spent some time in Mumbai before traveling to New Delhi, the Indian capital.  Traveling to Mumbai was a particular thrill for me.  As I previously mentioned, it was a century ago this year that my grandfather emigrated from the Mumbai-area and now I return as part of Governor Martin O’Malley’s historic trade delegation.

During our time in Mumbai, the delegation met with the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Prithviraj Chavan.  Governor O’Malley and Chief Minister Chavan agreed to work towards a sister state relationship between Maryland and Maharashtra.  Of all the states in India, Maharashtra has the largest gross domestic product and finalizing our sister state relationship will lay the groundwork for future trade and investment by both sides. 

While our partnership with the state of Maharashtra will undoubtedly grow… READ THE REST HERE

Aside from highlights about the  trip, Delegate Barve talked in great lengths about how far Indian Americans have succeeded in this nation pertaining to equality, success and education. It’s also important to mention that the  open dialogue between the doctors and the delegate spawned a lively conversation about Delegate  Barve’s aspirations for a better healthcare system that works with both doctors and patients.

The creme de la creme of night was when the delegate formally announce that he plans on running for comptroller in 2014. As soon as he announced his future candidacy, a sea of smiles emerged across the room. How could anyone not smile? The Delegate has had a very succesful track record as Majority House Leader, and has helped propell Maryland far amidst this biting recession.

Everyone was not only charmed by the news, but there was a united front for Delegate Barve’s candidacy that could only enlighten us all to a more auspiscious future, in 2014.

Want to assist the campaign? Check out Delegate Barve’s website here and feel free to like his Facebook page, follow him on Twitter and especially donate what you can to his campaign!