Togh Dzun Ga!

Yesterday was brilliant. First there was the snow. It just kept coming and coming and when I thought it was done it started up again with new fury. I spent the first half of my day listening to Christmas music and hanging out with friends while also being productive (Christmas miracle!) For a brief middle part of my day I was in the JFSB in a lounge watching the snow fall and fall through those enormous windows that I don't think I've ever properly appreciated. The day ended with 2.5 hours of Bollywood. A date who was willing to sit through 2.5 hours of Devdas, very impressive. A really lovely day.

Devdas was flashy and overdramatic and over the top so brilliant. What does it say about Indian culture, this Bollywood phenomenon? I've been, as an American, judged on the basis of Dallas often enough that I know any inference I could draw would have to be indirect, but I wonder.
The romance was so passive aggressive and teasing and violent. The tragedy (we didn't stay till the end, but I got a summary from S who owns it, and the ending was even worse than I could've anticipated) was agonizing to the point of melodrama. Then there were the class conflicts that provided the main action of the film. And the whole design of it--entirely sparkles and visuals (the dances particularly) and dancing and singing! All of this makes me very curious.

This morning we made turkey. Someone else is bringing stuffing, so we had to season it as we saw fit. I did a chicken this way and it was good, but I'm not sure how it will translate--we filled the body cavity with garlic and onion, then rubbed the fellow down with salt, pepper, and thyme. Then added some cooking sherry (not enough to make a difference I don't think) for good measure. Turkey is never highly seasoned, why is that? (Perhaps we will find out.) Also a note: meat is gross. This feeling has been growing on me for some time now (particularly since I roasted that garlic-thyme chicken) and I've cut back on consumption (Guru's chicken caesar salad the other day was a big mistake, not hardly worth it). Will I, can I, commit to vegetarianism? I broke my no-coke-I'm-in-training resolution yesterday after like a week which makes me doubt it. Anyway.

Bring on the sabbath please! I am so looking forward to charging my batteries. ke