September 15, 2008

Quick Note


"Mercy," by Duffy, as featured in the first scene of the beginning of Season 5 of Entourage (which my brother LOVES, and I'm sure you'll figure out why if/when you watch it haha)

Way to be.

Just realized that I haven't written any of my own work in the last [too many] posts (so many that I have to click "Older Posts" to find something that's worth reading for some mind meat (that's the only kind of meat I like)).

A little caught up in school and other business right now to update substantially, but I promise, something will come soon. After Homecoming weekend (Sept. 26-27), my time slots should open up a LITTLE more, so hopefully I'll have a few good ones to check out right after then (if I procrastinate enough, maybe I'll write one before then).

I've had a bunch that I've wanted to write about though, specifically about lying and negativity, but those will have to be put on hold until time opens up. For now, however, I need to write another 7 pages of my science research paper and cite it all by tonight! CAN'T WAIT!

Keep rockin',
Ankit

P.S. Random pics that might compensate for my shortage of meaningful postage:

New additions to my room-decoration family lol. I love these things



Macro-mode. New camera-knowledge for me - thanks to Brian and Natalie and their neverending facebook albums from Costa Rica

My little black book (and the best pen in the world. Yeah it's weird, but I can't write with anything but the Zebra) -- also known as my life in a book. Even more detailed than my pointless twitters.

September 13, 2008

Wanna Hit Up the Semiformal With Ya Boiii? "Uh, no."

So for those of you that don't go to Herricks, there's been a huge advertising campaign that I, along with the rest of the Student Gov't exec board (Ella, Devon, Neil, and Natalie), have been developing and putting on the morning announcements (BIG THANKS TO SAJEEB FOR PRODUCING THE VIDS). All these vids are in the form of a "Semiformal Dance Tip" (i.e. how to shave, how to dress semiformally, how to stay clean, etc.), and my favorite is the one on how NOT to ask a girl to the dance.



The night after that vid airs on the announcements, I get the following stream of messages from Greg:





LMFAO. This has got to be the best series of messages I've ever received on facebook.

BTW - First ever Homecoming Semiformal is on the 27th of September (the Saturday of Homecoming weekend). You've GOT to check it out. Nothing like any dance Herricks has ever seen. Tickets are on sale until Wednesday (17th) in the Senior Lounge every day after school. $10. Get yours.

Featuring (many of these for the first time):
  • Professional DJ (aka no iPod)
  • Sit-down, catered dinner (yes, it's gourmet-status shit. You're going to love it. Promise)
  • Dessert, obviously
  • Semiformal attire lmfao (guys - that means NO JEANS. girls - summer dresses and things similar)
  • Dates (optional)
  • Battle points for class with most attendees
  • The announcement of Homecoming King and Queen
  • A potentially new Herricks tradition (that is, if every single one of you comes)
  • Ya boi, A-dog, tearing it up on the dance floor (that should really be reason enough)
See you on the dance floooor kids,
Ank - I mean, A-dog.

Update (9/13/08):

September 11, 2008

Get to Work!

[kanYe West : Blog] Love Lockdown - Studio Version

kanYe West : Blog


Kanye West - Love Lockdown (Studio Version) - first introduced at the VMAs

What do y'all think?

Thanks for the heads up Sajeeb.

September 7, 2008

[Talent] Nuttin But Stringz

I don't know how many of you watch America's Got Talent, but I don't. Yesterday, my brother introduced me to this one act that's came a long way on the show (which is apparently in its final round right now), and I think it's something everyone has got to check out. Absurd talent. Absurd passion. It's just too good.



God damn. Ridiculous. Enjoy. Buy their album. They came from small roots -- Jamaica, Queens -- and had a rough childhood. I don't buy too much music, but the bit that I do is always for people who I think actually deserve every penny they receive. They definitely qualify. See them at www.nuttinbutstringz.com. Click on "Store" to buy their album.

September 5, 2008

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.

- Mark Twain

September 2, 2008

Diddy on Gas Prices



Sure, he thinks he's a baller, but even ballers gotta face reality once in a while. Too funny (and too real.)

L. Armstrong on Attitude

I take nothing for granted. I now have only good days or great days.

(from Living Jain's quote of the day)

September 1, 2008

Why try?


Sometimes I get the whole, "Ankit, I like what you're doing. It's admirable, but I don't think I could do it. I don't have that kind of self-control/willpower/whatever" thing a lot -- whether it comes to raw foods, fighting for a certain cause, or maybe even a daily habit, but what I thought about recently (and the thought kind of solidified during a discussion at the temple the other night) is that when you do a lot of the seemingly good things you do, it's not because you try to.

I don't like the word "try." "Try" implies you're fighting against some opposing force or that there's resistance present. I don't "try" to eat raw foods. It's just something I do. I don't "try" to be environmentally conscious. It's just something I know is the right thing to do. I don't try to do much. What I TRY to do is feel good, and surprisingly enough, that happens when I stop trying.

(On a totally real note, however, I'm in school. There are going to be things I don't want to do, but I put an effort forth to do them. Not that it's pleasurable, but I make the best of it by revolving my work around what I want to do when I can.)

I think the key to doing things that make you happy and simultaneously help the world around you is to simply become aware. When I learned about the environment and global warming and all that, I kind of brushed it off like, "Okay. Now what? Al Gore will save us all." I became aware when I actually learned about the consequences of our actions, when someone drew out the image of a plastic bag or a styrofoam cup chillin in the same place I put it literally 10,000 years from now, when I realized that buses and other mass transportation were leaving their feces all over our atmosphere even when they weren't full. Now it only makes sense to turn off the AC and open the windows when I'm in the car, to simply get half-naked in my room instead of turning on the fan (or maybe I just do that to feed my ego. Dual purpose. Whatever), to drink out of a reusable bottle instead of a plastic cup, to shower after a morning workout rather than before AND after, to basically do anything that's practical and will minimize the glacial melting caused by my actions. It only makes sense, so I do it. I don't waste energy in doing any of it. It just becomes second nature. It's the same way with food. I just know how I feel and how it impacts me (and the environment, in fact) when I eat processed foods, so I don't do it. When I do, it's because I'm thinking about it and I don't see any reason to hold back. Any time I have a bit of cooked food (yes, I do it occasionally), the goodness of raw living is only strengthened in my mind, furthering my awareness, making me less prone to doing it again. It's all about awareness. I don't TRY to down a green smoothie in the morning. I just do it because it makes me feel like a superhero.

I'm not negating the power of trying; it's certainly effective in getting that bit of activation energy necessary to increase awareness, but from that point on, it's all about awareness. Thinking, trying, making an effort -- it's just not worth my energy. Becoming aware requires a tiny investment, but from that point on, the gains you reap are unmeasurable. Heck, I gave up the whole keeping track thing a while ago.

When you feel enthusiasm to do something, it means you’ve lined up the Energy, and you are being inspired to take action from that point of alignment. When you don’t feel like doing it, don’t push yourself, because your effort is not worth it. But, when you line up the Energy, the feeling of procrastination goes away.

- Abraham Hicks (from Seema's blog)
Stop trying so hard,
Ankit

P.S. Thinking about doing a video-blog for my next post. What do y'all think of the idea?