tidal wave

Thank you to everyone who called and wrote to ask about the welfare of myself and my family following the tsunami in SE Asia - I, and everyone I know, is fine. Unfortunatly, as happens too often, it is mainly the poor who will be greatly affected in India. Under the initial shock that comes with such a huge death toll after a natural disater comes the part where the poor and disadvantaged suffer greatly from mismanaged infrastructure (contaminated water, no food, no shelter, no medicine). I was on the other side of the country when the tsunami hit, so I have not actually encountered the physical damage. It all seems very unreal.

Currently, I am in Hyderabad, birthplace of my father. He hasn't seen his friends in over 30 years. It's been really fun to see their reactions as he just strolls back into their lives. I went to the bangle bazzar today - thousands of glass and gold bangles, shop after shop. Some people wear them up to their elbows (mine are only mid-arm today). If I ever figure out a way to get my pictures off of my camera and onto a computer, I will regal all with pictures.

Happy New Year to everyone. I'll see 2005 before most of you. Here's to the future, and the events that bring us to that place.

punk rock wedding press

a must read for all:

http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/living/occasions/10434895.htm?1c

it is true

I heart Mumbai.

chaos, free for all, lawless

Ever wonder what it's like to interact with a billion people at once? Okay, maybe not all at once, but pretty f*ing close. It all starts when your plane from Doha to Mumbai lands, the passangers all start cheering, and the flight attendants walk down the aisles spraying mosquito repellent while holding cloth over their faces. Deplane - commence free for all.

I spent my first week in India in Chennai (formerly Madras). This is a huge city in southern India - the capital of the state Tamil Nadu. Although my father grew up in Andar Pradesh in a city called Hyderbad, his family spent some time in Chennai, and many family friends who I have never met still live in the same spots my father last saw them, 27 years ago. For the first two days, the traffic was just amazing. There don't seem to be any laws - cars and bikes and scooters and autorickshaws and people all fight for road space,honking and just barley squeezing by without hitting anyone. It started to make a little more sense of we drove around more, but I could never imagine attempting to battle it myself.

We attended the (3 day!) wedding of Dileep and Miew, some friends of family from Toronto. It was exciting and beautiful and overwhelming - so much south Indian food, bangles, music, flowers and dancers. Sheela and I got mendhi done on our hands - 4 days later, and it is still dark red all over my palms. I can't stop staring at my hands, listening to my bangles moving. The wedding culminated in a dinner and dance on the beach at a resort. We went swimming in the Bay of Bengal (so warm!) and then got all dressed up for dinner. I saw two shooting stars while on the beach - so warm and soft, I can hardly believe it's almost Christmas.

I promise more soon...

sheela and ben are it.

My sister's gonna get married! Best wedding ever!

Even A-Listed in the City Pages:

A LIST RECOMMENDED EVENT 


Ben & Sheela's Punk Rock Wedding

Talk about a pressure gig. You don't have to know the bride or groom to enjoy the concept: Two musicians get married onstage, then play their first big show in their new band together. The bride is Sheela Namakkal, former vocalist of the Goochers. The groom is Ben Crew (a.k.a. Bentley Alexander Durband), bassist of Sweet J.A.P. and coordinator of last year's No Hold Back...All Attack!!! Twin Cities Hardcorepunkrockandroll compilation. The band is the Divebomb Honey. And the man performing the ceremony is Ollie Stench (a.k.a. Bradley Beving of KFAI-FM's Radio Riot, 90.3/106.7). With the Tyrades, Malachi Constant, and Superhopper. 21+. $5. 8:00 p.m. --Peter S. Scholtes SAT DEC 11

Turf Club
1601 University Ave W (at Snelling Ave), St. Paul; 651.647.0486

I expect to see everyone there.

real things I need

My "things I need" lists are becoming much more tangible. I keep finding scraps of paper in my pockets with lists like:

Pants (1 pair)
T-shirts (3)
Underwear (cute)
Tylenol
Toothbrush
Toothpaste


Is this really all I'm bringing to India? I hate carrying excess baggage (if you've ever had an overstuffed suitcase burst open on the London tube, you will feel my pain). I'm looking forward to not having much stuff to be lug around with me.

I think I'll spend February living in a treehouse, with monkey neighbors. Please feel free to come visit. Address all correspondence to: Jecca, Treehouse 10, India. Maybe there will also be monkey postal carriers. Awe. Some.