PHOTO: chicago woot
PHOTO: Crown Fountain, with some PS work.
PHOTO: Crown fountain and some more PS work.
PHOTO: One way!
PHOTO: Laura C. taking pictures of me while I take pictures of her.
PHOTO: by Adil
PHOTO: helicopter over the riot
No matter how many bikes I research, nothings seems better than the Trek X01. I was looking into buying a sugar glider because I really needed a pet in my life, but unfortunately it seems like a bike would be so much more fun. This is such a tough decision. 
You decide.
I should be helping with the hurricane along with my Red Cross co-workers. It is sad I can't be there.
I was in Homer, MI visiting Kevin this weekend and I had a little accident on the lake. So I will be looking like a true gangster for the first week of school. I need to think of good stories to tell people who ask me what happned.
I have been in a pretty stressed out state lately. So I thought I would post a picture of care-free happy times.
I don't mean to make this a poem blog. But here is another One I really like. VIA Mat Buss
Alexander Pope
Solitude: An Ode
I
How happy he, who free from care
The rage of courts, and noise of towns;
Contented breaths his native air,
In his own grounds.
II
Whose herds with milk, whose fields with bread,
Whose flocks supply him with attire,
Whose trees in summer yield him shade,
In winter fire.
III
Blest! who can unconcern'dly find
Hours, days, and years slide swift away,
In health of body, peace of mind,
Quiet by day,
IV
Sound sleep by night; study and ease
Together mix'd; sweet recreation,
And innocence, which most does please,
With meditation.
V
Thus let me live, unheard, unknown;
Thus unlamented let me dye;
Steal from the world, and not a stone
Tell where I lye.
This Is Just to Say
by William Carlos Williams
I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox
and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast
Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold
Photo: A moth in the hills of Muree, Pakistan.
Photo: Stencil. taken by ***
I have been busy lately, so I haven't posted. I thought I would display this beautiful work of art. My friend made this and sprayed it on in the alley behind B&N in East Lansing.
I need to get back to work. here is my factoid of the day.
Photo: people piled one a car
In case of emergency Paramedics will turn to a victim's cell phone for clues to that person's identity. You can make their job much easier with a simple idea that they are trying to get everyone to adopt: ICE.
ICE stands for In Case of Emergency. If you add an entry in the contacts list in your cell phone under ICE, with the name and phone no. of the person that the emergency services should call on your behalf, you can save them a lot of time and have your loved ones contacted quickly. It only takes a few moments of your time to do.
Paramedics know what ICE means and they look for it immediately.
Just recently I got an ipod photo and I like it WAY more than the monochrome one.
PHOTO: Dresses from Pakistan
I am slowly getting back into my normal schedule. It still feels a little wierd to be back here in the U S of A.
I was working at Red Cross yesterday and people came in asking for personal needs and some food. I noticed that even the homeless of America are high class yuppies. This guy told me that only a certain kind of shampoo works for his hair and that I should try to find that kind. Simililarly, another lady didn't like the taste of Colgate, so we had to give her another brand.
Photo: Riyadh Airport
Islamabad to Riyadh (~3 hours)
layover (7 hours)
Riyadh to Jeddah (1 hour)
layover (1 hour)
Jeddah to JFK (12 hours)
layover (6 hours)
JFK to Cincinnati (2 hours)
layover (1 hour)
Cincinnati to DTW (1 hour)
I am BACK ! The trip back was long but we made it all fun and games. At the New York airport we found a small massage store. I gave the shopkeeper a massage and ended up getting a FREE half hour session. Good times...
When we got back to our house I was AMAZED to see how beautiful my garden looks. Our neighbor has been watering my veggies. The plants are HUGE.
P. S. Imran mamu thanks for escorting us all the way to the plane. We already miss everyone back home
Someone has taken us out to dinner almost every night of the week. Tonight we went to a beautiful restaurant here in Islamabad. There was live tabla with a grand piano, you guys would have loved it.
I saw my first Macintosh since I have been in Pakistan. This guy had a powerbook. that reminds me I still have to buy Tiger.
I visited our village recently. It was some great photo opps.
p l
PS thanks to my cousin for letting me use her computer.
My brother, my cousin and I drove to a city called Muree (the Colorado of Pakistan). No matter where I am the mountains call my name. beautiful...
I have been asking my Grandfather and my Uncle to get me to meet Gen. Musharraf and I don't think it will end up happening. He is in Saudi Arabia right now enjoying the Prince's company. I did see the Prime Minister's motorcade drive by us at 90mph. Three black Mercedes and lot of police.
BAM
Life in Pakistan is wonderful. The heat is definitely testing how true I am to my roots. 30 people died yesterday because of the heat and summer is just getting started. You should be happy to hear that I am not letting it hold me back. I went for a 10 mile bike ride through the rolling hills of Islamabad a few days ago.
I am blogging from a cyber cafe, or should I say "DSL cafe". There is a huge INTEL INSIDE sign outside and I feel like a I shouldn't be here. Inside there are small cubicles and they already have an ashtray and matches ready. This is a smoker's paradise.
It is really annoying to be waited on constantly. The servants don't let you do anything. Today was the first time I stepped in the kitchen and I was trying to make an omelate and people came running and snatched the pan from my hand. We only enter the dining room when food is ready and everyone sits down and people wait on you, for every freakin' meal! I am not used to this lifestyle anymore, but I guess I should enjoy it while I am here.
On the way to Makkah from Madina my brother, my father and I started our Umrah. The Umrah is a lesser pilgrimage compared to the well known Hajj. All the men wear two pieces of seamless cloth, one around the waist and the other over the shoulders.
Tomorrow will be our last day here in Saudi arabia and then we will move on to Pakistan. Even though we are all excited to meet our family in paki-land, no one really wants to leave saudi arabia.
I also met a guy from Kashmir (indian side) today. It was one of the most engaging conversations I have had since I have been here. I am sure it is really frustrating for him to see no resolution to this drawn out issue.
pnl
Did a little shopping here in Makkah last night. My mom was buying some clothes for her friends at this shop. They only had women's clothes so the shopkeeper gave me a chair while I was waiting. I guess i look like a saudi shopkeeper at a women's clothing store because everyone walking by kept asking me prices.
People come here from all over the people. Most of the residents of this city know six languages or so.
salaam
It took almost 26 hours to get to the hotel in Madina from Rochester. Of course I had to go through the special treatment at the american airports. When we got to Saudi Arabia the person who was supposed check our bags was busy sending text messages, so we just walked through. It feels good to be among other people with dark skin and beards.
So far we have spent 2 nights in Madina and two nights in Makkah. The weather is absolutely perfect, about 90 deg. I am a little nervous about Pakistan because it is supposed to be 110 degrees there. People are really friendly, both days I was in Madina someone took me out for chai. I am getting a little addicted . . . If you talk to someone for 5 minutes they will probably offer you dates and chai.
I have been taking some fun pictures and I can't wait to show them to you guys. I saw a guy reading the Quran in Braile today. It is hard enough to read arabic in print and this guy was reading faster then me using his fingers.
I love the desert!
salaam
PHOTO: scan of 5 riyals
After such a wonderful week in East Lansing it was hard to leave, but the Middle East is calling my name. The next two days will be pretty hectic. Our flight leaves DTW at 6am (sunday) and then after a 12 hour layover we will be heading to Saudi Arabia.
Right now it is in the high 90 deg in Saudi Arabia and 100+ in Pakistan. These temperatures should be flip flopped.
I am taking the macintosh with me, so hopefully I will be able to log on and updated this blog pretty often throughout this trip.
You can also expect me to come home with 8 rolls of great pictures (hopefully!!).I am so excited.
PHOTO: Green house North of Kedzie on the Michigan State Univ. campus (2004)
This past weekend I was in Rochester and I decided to wake up at 6 am one morning a till up two 5X30 rectangles of land for a vegetable garden. For five years in the past I kept up a vegetable garden but there was a two year lag in the middle. So it felt like that land was ready for some plants.
I recommend Uncle luke's nursery on South Blvd. & Livernois (in rochester, MI). Their plants are certified organic and you can opt to buy manure instead of miracle grow (side note: if you are going to use Miracle Grow, you might as well go to kroger and buy all your veggies). dang, that kind of sounds like I am being a garden snob....
If you need help working on your garden call me. There is still time to plant lots of things.
salaam
P.S Xtina has a blog now! it is called "X in the city"
