Merry Christmas!!!!

Now, we're going to go buy cookie dough and brownie mix and cookie cutters - we're spending the afternoon making christmas cookies and possibly a gingerbread house. Went to church this morning - LONG service but was very nice :) It's not snowing and is actually in the mid to upper 40's which is 'warm' for this time of the year. Hopefully, I can convince my sisters to see CHRONICLES OF NARNIA or KING KONG with me tonight!! :D

Christmas is my favorite time of the year - it's just so much fun - all the cooking, presents, family, the trees and lights on every house - and just the warm feeling everywhere. It's the only time of the year where people wish everyone else a Merry Christmas and no one gets offended! :)

Now let me wish all of you dear friends a Merry Christmas. Azure Kaze *BIG HUGS* thank you and have a WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS! My Darling Ricky *MWAAAHHHH* :) LOL! Yes it IS supposed to be about the christman ;) ur so cute :) Kayla I would *love* team up with you on the guitar! *HUGS* Have a super Christmas sweetie! :) To Lady, Memory, Marcia, Susan, Miyu-chan, Caroline, Lydia, Sanoj, Callie-chan, LISAAA, Jade-chan, Hemal, Suni and dear Sarah Beth MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!!!!! *HUGS* :)

Saturday, December 24, 2005
11:42 p.m.

Hi everyone :) Lots to write. The MTA strike ended on Thursday and everything went back to normal on Friday but not before I finished allllllll my holiday shopping! We had a party in our office (just got the motions dept) for the christmas holiday - we each brought in food and exchanged presents. :D Work let out early on Friday so I rushed to finish last minute holiday shopping and let me tell you - it is CRAZY! I thought people would kill each other at Victoria's Secret where I finally found Mili the Amber Romance set she wanted. I *LOVE* Victoria's Secret lotions - my faves are Pure Seduction, Romantic Wish, and Amber Romance - haven't gotten around to trying all the others yet.

My sisters all came home last night and our Christmas Tree is BRIMMING OVER with gifts. Today Mekha made us each open a small gift which turned out to be ORNAMENTS WITH OUR NAMES ON THEM that she *HAND-MADE* herself!!! :) It was beautiful. We spent the day helping mummy make 'pitty' which are these small round balls which you cook and they semi-melt and you eat with some kind of meat curry (usually chicken) and it was delicious by the way - and we also spent the day playing Chess (teaching papa how to play) and just hanging out :) We stayed up so late last night talking....love it when my sisters all come home :D

Just came back from Church - we had a HUGE celebration at church - and, ya know, I don't go to church for a LONG while - and everything changes. I was amazed by all the new faces! The dinner and performances were fabulous. And now we have to get up early for church in the morning so I gotta sleep. Going to try and reach my Ricky - he's home with his family too! :)

Good night all! Will respond to msgs tomorrow! Merry Christmas EVE!! :D

- Nishi


Wednesday, December 21, 2005
11:05 p.m.

wow - last night I posted on craigslist - one post about looking for other musicians to perform with, and a second post looking for record labels, agents and managers and I got amazing responses. I love craigslist :D

I'm watching Project Runway - I'm such a Heidi Klum fan - I think she's so beautiful and a total inspiration.

V hi darling :) *MWAH* if only ou weren't in L.A. and were here sweetheart. Rainy I began learning in 2nd grade because of the orchestra department at my elementary school. After that, I played every year until 11th grade in high school, and kept it up intermittently since then. It's never too late to start! You should see what lessons are available locally! :) Marcia LOL! You're too funny! What're u talking about! You're still smart! :D Kayla LOL! I know right? ;) fascinating convo right? What position do you play on violins? Do you play in the orchestra?

- Nishi


Tuesday, December 20, 2005
08:06 p.m.

Attention Musicians in NYC - if you're a keyboardist, drummer and/or guitarist and interested in performing with me in NYC (in and around the East Village, Chelsea and Midtown), then email me at nishirajan@hotmail.com - I have people in the industry who will be coming to performances and I need to show them a great performance with musicians and not just myself.

Now, I need to hire an agent. How the heck do I find an agent?

= Nishi


Monday, December 19, 2005
09:58 p.m.

Tonight I met my friend Will/Sky at Starbucks on 40th & Lexington (he's a guitarist) to rehearse for my gig on Wednesday. I'll know for sure if I'm performing after our rehearsal tomorrow night. Selected 3 songs I wrote in the past 30 days: 'Under My Skin', 'All Alone' (wrote that last night ;)) and 'Once Upon A Time' :) If I am definitely performing, I'll announce it here tomorrow night and on my lists.

Got home a while ago and super tired and hungry! Sent Will recordings of the song I did on my mp3 recorder and added all the new songs I've done since November 18th (a total of 8) to my hard copy which I'll mail in to be copyright protected.

Need dinner and sleep. My neck is still stiff - seriously what is wrong with me? I keep thinking 'did I get bit by a tick???' I know if you get a deer tick bite that symptoms of lyme disease show up as stiff neck and fever etc - ha ha ha I'm being paranoid now....but ya never know. Agh I hope whatever it is goes away soon.

Time for dinner and to catch whatever I missed of the Radio City Music Awards! :)

- Nishi


Sunday, December 18, 2005
08:50 p.m.

I was reading my friend Neil's journal and came across an entry where he linked to a conversation Albert Einstein had with Rabindranath Tagore - I'll repeat what Neil said in quotes about this man: "Tagore is a man that completely revolutionized the state of Bengal, as well as much of India. He is a Nobel Laureate in Literature, composed a compendium of songs, and was just an all around brilliant guy (and also the only person to be crdited with writing 2 national anthems - for India and for Bangladesh). Most of us know what Einstein was famous for - but beyond physics he was a humanitarian, deeply political and an accomplished violinist."

I never knew Einstein was a violinist. I played the violin for years, still do, it and the piano and guitar are my favorite instruments ever. So I went to the link and started reading the conversation and I started thinking about will - destiny - fate - the order of the universe and our role in it. Here's the link http://www.schoolofwisdom.com/tagore-einstein.html

Reading this conversation reminded me of how I used to study the conversations Socrates & Aristotle etc had with their students in my Literature and Rhetoric classes in college. Deep philosophical texts of conversations on the order of the world and life - fascinating stuff.

The following lines of conversation are very important:

TAGORE: in the realm of infinitesimal atoms chance has its play; the drama of existence is not absolutely predestined in character.

TAGORE: the idea of causality is not in the elements, but that some other force builds up with them an organized universe.

EINSTEIN: One tries to understand in the higher plane how the order is. The order is there, where the big elements combine and guide existence, but in the minute elements this order is not perceptible.

TAGORE: Thus duality is in the depths of existence, the contradiction of free impulse and the directive will which works upon it and evolves an orderly scheme of things.

EINSTEIN: Modern physics would not say they are contradictory. Clouds look as one from a distance, but if you see them nearby, they show themselves as disorderly drops of water.

TAGORE: I find a parallel in human psychology. Our passions and desires are unruly, but our character subdues these elements into a harmonious whole. Does something similar to this happen in the physical world? Are the elements rebellious, dynamic with individual impulse? And is there a principle in the physical world which dominates them and puts them into an orderly organization?

TAGORE: Otherwise, the drama of existence would be too desultory. It is the constant harmony of chance and determination which makes it eternally new and living.

EINSTEIN: I believe that whatever we do or live for has its causality; it is good, however, that we cannot see through to it.

TAGORE: There is in human affairs an element of elasticity also, some freedom within a small range which is for the expression of our personality. It is like the musical system in India . . . Our composers give a certain definite outline, a system of melody and rhythmic arrangement, and within a certain limit the player can improvise upon it. He must be one with the law of that particular melody, and then he can give spontaneous expression to his musical feeling within the prescribed regulation. We praise the composer for his genius in creating a foundation along with a superstructure of melodies, but we expect from the player his own skill in the creation of variations of melodic flourish and ornamentation. In creation we follow the central law of existence, but if we do not cut ourselves adrift from it, we can have sufficient freedom within the limits of our personality for the fullest self-expression.

TAGORE: You have to be absolutely obedient to this too complicated music. In India, the measure of a singer's freedom is in his own creative personality. He can sing the composer's song as his own, if he has the power creatively to assert himself in his interpretation of the general law of the melody which he is given to interpret.

EINSTEIN: It requires a very high standard of art to realize fully the great idea in the original music, so that one can make variations upon it.

TAGORE: If in our conduct we can follow the law of goodness, we can have real liberty of self-expression. The principle of conduct is there, but the character which makes it true and individual is our own creation. In our music there is a duality of freedom and prescribed order.

EINSTEIN: Are the words of a song also free? I mean to say, is the singer at liberty to add his own words to the song which he is singing?

TAGORE: Yes. In Bengal we have a kind of song-kirtan, we call it-which gives freedom to the singer to introduce parenthetical comments, phrases not in the original song. This occasions great enthusiasm, since the audience is constantly thrilled by some beautiful, spontaneous sentiment added by the singer.

All my life I've thought about the universe, our place, the point of existance - what is in store for us. I've concluded that I will live this life over and over again if that is what I want - each time being given a chance to live and enjoy this world - but I don't think it ends there.......I think that's one of the answers, one of the 'options' but there's a lot more......I think we have a chance to know and unlock the mysteries of the universe......I think at night when we dream, our brains are at that moment able to connect to something higher - if we so choose it to - I can't tell you how many nights I've woken up from dreams knowing I grasped something significant...knowing I had learned something HUGE.....something about will....our will to do anything.....about our choices, actions - and our desire - how we can exert our will and desire upon the universe and drive it. But then again, the skeptic in me shouts 'that's crazy drivel' but what if it's not? Does anyone out there know what the universe is about? We choose to go about our daily lives, content with the things happening in the news, our world, how to live life here on Earth - many of us have no concerns for the greater knoweldge - for the greater purpose of this life and universe - nor should most of us bother with that - I believe we were given life because it is an amazing, tremendous gift - to live each day, wake up and breathe, smile, to know joy, to know the warmth of the sun, to laugh and LOVE.....and I have learned that all of this is not possible without knowing the dark sides of life as well, without knowing hate, anger, strife and turmoil - because only then can we appreciate the beauty of life. Chaos reigns all around this universe - and beauty too. Great beauty. There's energy and life in everything.....something great.....and we are all part of it - unconciously and conciously - something is in order out there - something is in design - we have no idea what, or how, or why but it is. We try to find answers - but we're just small ants in the great expanse of space - we go about our daily tasks, live, marry, raise children, try to live a life of purpose, joy and love, and then die. And we hope - we HOPE - that that isn't the end. We hope we can live and love again. We hope that there is life beyond for us. Because, otherwise, to not hope and wish for that would mean we are truly dead.

I think each of us, if our will and desire and connection to ourself and the universe is great, and well-developed, that we can affect things - effect change even on a small scale. I believe in the power of prayer. In the power of tears. In the power of your own will and in believing that you and God, the universe, is listening and can help. Believing and having faith - those things are powerful. I think we are deeply connected with the entire universe and that there are those of us who have a greater ability/capabaility to connect and effect change, and make things happen.

Something Einstein/Tagore said in their conversation above - about having to sing within the melody, within the song that was designed - but that a good singer can add his own words, and sing the song with his own style and presense....that we can break out of the design and make our own - what this means, I think, is the world is what it is - the universe, all of it - designed to create and bare life - and it bore each of us - and we are required to breathe, eat, live in this world and then die - but what we do with this song we're given - is a HUGE deal - and, I think, MAYBE, with a great will - we can defy death. We are required to live this life according to the physics of the universe - but that doesn't include our *lives* - doesn't include our choices - we have the song, to live and to perform as we wish by our own free will. We can sing according to its melody or break out of it and sing as we wish. And to break out of the life we're given - we have to have great understanding of the universe. Only with understanding can we choose our own path.....I saw in a dream once how lonely space is - it's dark, quiet...and empty - very empty. There's no warmth around you, no life. You see planets, stars - but there's no mother, father, brother or sister, or lover. It's just you and the existance of creations and you're separate from it. It's lonely. It's not what I want. I want to live this life....to know love and everything in this world and universe and create something better from it.

whew, ok I'm done waxing philosophical for tonight.

Marcia no I din't think they developed from any single source. Humankind's ability to create, imagine and arrive at similar things though countries apart is greatly documented. It's very common for a theme such as life, death & ressurrection to be thought up by more than one culture. Just think, we all live and die - we cry and miss our departed - it's only logical to believe that maybe, one day, they'll live again, that we all will, and that someone or something out there will bring us back to life and bring back our loved ones. Believing someone is capable of this or has done it gives us all hope that our life is not in vain.

Riisa I don't know where the FB translations would be now - the site I used once long ago doesn't work anymore.

Susan oh my god *HUGGGGGGGGGGGG* you have my prayers. Whatever I can do to help, let me know. Email me if you wish - I would love to talk to you and help if I can. Be strong. And yes, you are a woman first, above all else and being a woman is an amazing thing - we have great strength and wisdom. *HUG*

- Nishi

fascinating archaeological discoveries and football :D
Sunday, December 18, 2005
01:38 p.m.

Inside a ruined pyramid in the Guatemalan jungle, archeologists have unearthed the oldest known Maya painting, a brightly colored 30-foot-long mural depicting the Maya creation myth and the coronation of the Maya's first earthly king. It's nearly 2,100 years old, is several centuries older than other depictions of the creation myth, is the equivalent for the Maya of the biblical account of Genesis and is the same story a Mayan would tell his kids today. Even more remarkable than the discovery of this ancient Mayan mural is the text beneath it, which required Mayan teachers to give it equal weight with the theory of evolution. The first part of the mural shows the creation of the world. Four figures, all variants of the son of the maize god, set up the physical world. One stands in water, offering a fish, establishing a watery underworld. A second stands on ground and sacrifices a deer, establishing the land. The third floats in the air, offering a turkey, thereby establishing the sky. The fourth stands in a field of flowers, offering fragrant blossoms, the food of gods, thus establishing paradise in the east, where the sun is reborn daily. The next section shows the maize god crowning himself king on a wooden scaffold, and shows his birth, death and resurrection, bringing sustenance to the world. Epigraphers are trying to crack the code of the text accompanying the mural by comparing the writing with that on nearly identical images found on the Popol Vuh, a famous Maya text written 1,600 years later.

What's fascinating is that this culture, and what I've learned in my studies of world mythology is that almost all religious cultures had a figure who sacrificed himself for his people, died and was ressurrected in some form, similar to the story of Jesus. Interesting huh?

In other news, the LA Times reported recently that researchers discovered an ancient example of large-scale warfare by the civilization of Uruk (an early Mesopotamian society) at a site called Tell Hamoukar. The Uruk people are thought to be the 1st empire builders of the world and the discovery in 1999 of Tell Hamakour showed that the first civilizations existed further north than what people had believed - they thought the 1st mesopotamian civilizations began at Ur and Uruk between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in what is now Iraq. This 1999 discovery showed much earlier civilizations existing to the north. The people of Uruk dominated that region for 2000 years before giving way to the Babylonians and Assyrians - this site is believed to have been conquered by the Uruk people or taken over by them after someone else destroyed the ancient city. Who the ancient site belonged to is unknown.

I love things to do with ancient civilizations. Every day we discover something about our past as a world that we didn't think was possible. People in ancient times were far advanced than we give them credit for - time washes away the evidence but not the stories.

Been tuning into football all weekend.....the Giant's game last night was awesome! I feel bad about the Bucs though :( they got trounced by the Patriots.......apparently the Seahawks are the favored team this year? 11-2 record and are up against the Titans who everyone believes they'll walk all over! ;) I've actually never watched a Seahawks game but they're not on tv tonight so I guess if they make the superbowl, that's the only time I'll see them ;) Just a little over a week until the Rose Bowl USC GAME!! YAAAAAYYY! Can't wait for the showdown against Texas! :D

- Nishi


Saturday, December 17, 2005
3:10 p.m.

Starting Monday I'm going back to bellydance classes and also doing KRAV MAGA (Israeli army self-defense) - looking SO forward :) Can't wait to be able to kick some guy's ass on the street and then bellydance on stage ;) LOL! Holiday parties galore to go to next week - especially this one for AsiaNet my dad was invited to - a fancy affair with lots of tv and music producers etc there - going to definitely bring copies of my cds and music cards.

I just FINALLY got a break to go online - have been helping mum clean the WHOLE HOUSE - i am SO exhausted. Didn't get to do ANY of the things I needed to do - including mailing cds out to people who bought them! *SOB* I feel so bad :( Maybe I'll ask Papa to take it the post office for me on Monday and I can pay him back.....

We have christmas carolers from church coming in tonight and afterwards are going to a family-friend's house near where we live for their caroler's visit and food and just to hang out. Busy night - all I want to do though is crawl into bed with magazines and nap and watch anime. ;)

SereneDiamond hey babe *HUGS* how're things going with Josh? I need to call you sometime soon - so sorry about the other day when I had to get off the phone so quick. I got your emails though.

I think I'm going to take a small nap and then shower and get ready for the carolers.

- Nishi


Thursday, December 15, 2005
10:58 p.m.

how awesome was tonight's ep of Smallville? Tom Welling is so hot. :)

Watching the news about the transit strike - if the subways don't run because of the strike, it's ok for me so long as the railroad works - I can get into work! Nevertheless, this is going to be a mess - it's supposed to be a snowy, slushy commute in (luckily, I don't have court tomorrow so can be in the office) and with the MTA strike - commuting for everyone is going to suck! They're making some kind of announcement on tv right now about the strike - agh - they said there's no progress yet.

And now I have a painful lump in my throat - I've been sick the past 2 weeks (not heavy sick) but feeling like something's wrong with me - stiff neck for almost 2 weeks - and now this lump and my sneezes today may confirm it. I get sick like crazy nowadays - stupid office and people who're sick in the office and germs.

Yakov and Krag - I would like to respond to your msgs but I have no clue what you guys wrote. The english isn't so good - I can't understand it. Try again? :) Miyu-chan I would be sooooooooo happy if you came down for a road trip and visited me!!!! :) You're working through the holidays? As in Christmas Eve, Day and New Year's Eve and Day too???? Say it ain't so! Lady *HUGS* :) Let me know when you've seen it ok? :) Azure Kaze *HUGS* :) wow what?

Can I tell you guys how much I'm looking forward to January because of the new episodes of Beauty & the Geek and Smallville?! :) I LOVED Beauty & The Geek the 1st season and the new season looks just as hysterical :)

Time for bed - if there's no strike, we have our christmas party tomorrow night! So if I don't write, see ya'll Saturday :)

- Nishi


Wednesday, December 14, 2005
11:09 p.m.

Oh. my. God. Project Runway is insane. I felt SOOO bad for Andre!! I *LOVEEEEEEEE* Emmet's beautiful blue dress for Barbie - i WANT that dress!!!!!! Still watching but going to bed soon - have court in the Bronx tomorrow.

Spent some time today researching the history of the Incas as well as the mythology/religious stories - it's part of Book 2 of of a 6-book fantasy series I've been writing for years based on the legend of Atlantis. I'll share this one fascinating story from the Incas: in Incan legend there's this place called PACARI - there was some great disaster to the Incan land or city that the "Gods" may have caused and when it happened, they sought refuge in this great cave (PACARI) - and there's something called the Pyramid of the Sun which covers this cave - they waited until the disaster was over before emerging again as Gods. Anywayz, the point is - this legend along with other Mayan and Aztec legends point to some common disaster (which many cultures report as a flood which covered a great land mass) and of the 'Gods' seeking refuge in some special place where they're kept safe for a time period - this ties in reallllly well with my story and I just found the story fascinating.

I'm soooo tireddddddd - stayed up late last night and need to catch up on sleep tonight. Ok Project Runway's over - I'm going to shower and get ready for sleep and court tomorrow.

Ryan thank you SOOO freakin much! :) *HUGS* I just write from the heart - thank you! :) Hope to see you again! Miyu-chan, Lady and Azure Kaze thanks guys :) *BIG HUGS* Miyu-chan, what're u upto this week? What're ur holiday plans? When're u coming down here on the road trip anyway? ;) LADY - make sure u see Project Runway!! :D Azure Kaze - good luck on your 6 midterms - wow that's a LOT!!! Memory-chan how could I possibly forget you!!?? :) Good luck in Torts! It was one of my favorite classes in law school :) Advice - just know your material and be able to answer the question precisely with all the facts and backing it up with the proper legal analysis to reach the proper judgment (whatever that is). Good luck babe! :) Kayla definitely send me a pic! That sounds beautiful!!! :)

I'm out! See ya'll tomorrow :)

- Nishi


Tuesday, December 13, 2005
10:01 p.m.

I am just a littttleee, teeensy bit tipsy. Ok, a LOT tipsy :D hehehehe hehehe hehehe :D I had jack & coke, rum & coke, some of my friend's black label on the rocks - mmmmm - boy am I tipsy - and sleepy! :) I danced a LOT though - went to a holiday party after work today with friends from work - ate yummy food, drank good, and danced to good music and hung with good friends - what more could a girl ask for? ;) home now and soooo ready for sleep - have court in Brooklyn tomorrow - had court today too. Hope you're all well! *big hugs to memory, miyu-chan, azure kaze, kayla, lady and lydia and sanoj! Will respond better to all msgs tomorrow night :)

- Nishi


Monday, December 12, 2005
09:45 p.m.

Three roses for You, Me and Us. When you're ready, can we all find a way to fall in love again? - Ricky

He sent me 3 beautiful, long-stemmed roses at work today along with that note.

------%-------{@ ------%-------{@ ------%-------{@

my heart hurts.

- Nishi

Monday, December 12, 2005
8:30 p.m.



I love Foxtrot :) The above strip is from Nov. 5th - an oldie but a goodie.

Not much I feel like waxing poetic about tonight. I'll let some editorial cartoons I love speak what's on my mind right now.



- Nishi


Sunday, December 11, 2005
11:08 p.m.

my ricky has a fever :( he's shivering and everything! *MWAAAHHHHHHHHHHH* my poor baby!

I got him a really great present for christmas which arrives tomorrow - this will keep him super warm! I wish I could write it here but he reads my blog so I don't want to spoil it! I got my dad a vcr/dvd player, my mom flannel PJs she wanted from victoria's secret, my sister Mekha seasons 1 and 2 on dvd of Gilmore Girls along with a fur blanket and I'll get her a hot cocoa gift set too, and that only leaves Mili and Nithi and I have no idea yet what to get those two.

I just finished working on my finances - lord I need more money. So many debts to pay off - spending at Christmas sooo does not help ;) LOL! But it's for my family and dearest loved ones - they're worth it.

Azure Kaze that's horrible but I bet that just might be the case. It;s awful to even think of that! what's up on your end? What's new? Kayla thanks babe *BIG HUGS* as you can see, I had a spectacular time :) how was your weekend?

I responded to everyone else's msgs in the entries below.

11:40 p.m. and I need to head to sleep. Good night everyone - might be seeing King Kong tomorrow night at a free screening in the city at 8:30! I'll see how I feel tomorrow ;)

- Nishi


Sunday, December 11, 2005
06:15 p.m.

i wrote a new song tonight called 'Winds of Change' or maybe I'll title it 'Bring Me Change' - it's about changing the course of your life through your own will and asking God's help and blessing in changing it to such a course.

Love is so ironic. Everyone thinks that when you fall in love, it's forever but I've learned more than once that things change, people change and there's not a damn thing you can do about it. What was there once, can be gone just as quickly as it grew. Like the flowers, trees, like life all around us - love grows....and can die too. But I say *can* - it doesn't necessarily die. I don't believe love dies. It remains forever there. Maybe you don't feel it the same way, but it's there in another form, shape - something. Deep, passionate love can turn into fondness and affection and, simply, care. The memory of that love, though, never fails. If it was real love, it never died. And - what's more - that love can grow again - at any time - back to what it was before. This was all the basis of another song I wrote a long while back about my first love, S. That's what I was thinking about when I thought 'love is ironic.' With the recent events in my life, I finally walked in the shoes S. walked in that time long ago. I went through what he must have went through and I understood - the humanity, the hurt on all sides, the understanding that we're all human in the end and we just have to do what we have to do, even if it hurts another person we love.

I feel like I've grown so much wiser and stronger and better. I used to reject change, hated it - still do, for the most part - but I can't deny that with each change, I grow and become better and more beautiful a human being.

So come now - winds of change. Bring me change - the change I need in this life of mine, which I have been praying for so long for. It's time. I want it.

- Nishi


Sunday, December 11, 2005
11:57 a.m.



Sometimes reading the newspaper makes me sick. If you guys follow the news, then you've heard about the fake news or propaganda being disseminated by government-paid journalists both here in the U.S. and in Iraq. I'll try to explain with a couple articles.

The Unintended Consequences Of Fake News
By William Fisher

The story of the Pentagon's latest PR efforts was revealed last week by the Los Angeles Times. It said that many of the articles were presented in the Iraqi press as unbiased news accounts written and reported by independent journalists. The stories trumpet the work of U.S. and Iraqi troops, denounce insurgents and tout U.S.-led efforts to rebuild the country.

The Times reported that while the articles are basically factual, they present only one side of events and omit information that might reflect poorly on the U.S. or Iraqi governments. Records and interviews indicate that the U.S. has paid Iraqi newspapers to run dozens of such articles, with headlines such as "Iraqis Insist on Living Despite Terrorism," since the effort began this year, the newspaper wrote.

And here's a better, lengthier editorial which covers the people responsible.

Published on Saturday, December 10, 2005 by CommonDreams.org
Storytelling in Washington
by Christopher Brauchli

In early 2005 the Bush Administration disclosed that Armstrong Williams (a conservative television commentator in need of material to fill his show) was paid $240,000 to present as fact what was in fact propaganda put out by the administration to demonstrate how successful the No Child Left Behind Act was.

Shortly thereafter it was disclosed that Maggie Gallagher, a marriage expert, was handsomely paid by the Department of Health to promote the Healthy Marriage Initiative making, among other things, seven appearances on CBS, CNN and MSNBC to promote the initiative. There was no disclosure that she was being paid to promote the initiative rather than acting as an independent reporter reporting on the success of the program. In her efforts on behalf of the initiative she was joined by Mike McManus, the writer of a weekly newspaper column, who accepted $10,000 from the Department of Health and Human Services to promote the Healthy Marriage Initiative.

When the Government Accountability Office learned of the payments to Armstrong Williams, it conducted an investigation. It issued a report on September 30, 2005 saying the Bush administration violated the law by buying favorable news coverage of the President’s education policies. The auditors said: “We see no use for such information except for partisan political purposes. Engaging in a purely political activity such as this is not a proper use of appropriated funds.” It said the Education Department had no money or authority to “procure favorable commentary in violation of the publicity or propaganda prohibition in federal law.” What is permitted, however, is for the administration to pay for propaganda prepared by it and its agents to be published abroad under the guise of being news stories.

According to the New York Times, the Pentagon has something called a “storyboard”. This is not the same thing as the now legendary “waterboard” although there are some similarities. Each deals with information. Information obtained from the waterboard is said to be frequently unreliable and information provided by the storyboard is often no better.

The military’s “waterboard” extracts information from unwilling sources by strapping them to a board and immersing them in water leading them to believe they are about to drown. In the hope of avoiding that fate, those strapped to the boards provide information to the interrogators. The “storyboard”, by contrast, is prepared by the Pentagon and given to the Lincoln Group, a Washington based public relations firm that, among other things, translates the stories into Arabic and uses its connections to get them published in Iraq under the bylines of Iraq writers. According to reports the contract with the Lincoln Group calls for “alternate or diverting messages which divert media and public attention “ to “deal instantly with the bad news of the day.”

On the day the disclosure of the Pentagon’s contract with the Lincoln Group was made, gunmen killed eight Iraqis. Although I have not seen any stories disseminated by the Lincoln Group, here is how the Lincoln Group might respond to that sad news in order to divert attention from the event. Instead of reporting the deaths (which would depress the Iraqi reader and add to the instability of an already unstable country) the Lincoln group might give its Iraqi reporter a story about the beautiful flowers in the garden adjacent to the home of one of the victims. The obliging reporter would put the story in the paper for which the reporter works thus diverting attention from the deaths and filling the Iraqi reader with pleasant thoughts. That is only one example and the pentagon will certainly come up with dozens more. Last year it paid the Lincoln Group $5 million, which is more than enough to place lots of stories in lots of papers.

Sick isn't it?

I'm gonna have breakfast and read the comics and spend the day helping my folks and maybe watch some anime and try to set up a performance gig for wednesday or thursday night. Shall see. Politics.....it really makes me sick - everytime I think about it I'm amazed by how wrong the world we love can be.

- Nishi


Sunday, December 11, 2005
02:18 a.m.

just got home.........Dave Matthews....was.....simply amazing. To be honest, I hadn't really been 'in love' with Dave's songs - always thought they were nice but nothing that drove me insane with 'oh my god I love this' until my friend Mark showed me this one song 'killer' or something like that which I loved and decided to give him more of a chance. Well this concert had some gorgeous songs and my love was claimed! Christmas Song, Swept Away, Fallin' Back (?) and some others and I was amazed by his performance. He took that stage and commanded the audience. Every person in Madison Square Garden (sold out!) knew the words to almost all his songs and knew when and where to sing them at the special places (like 'every day') - it was a fun concert and I'm so glad Mark's ex-gf flaked on him and he took me! :D

I'm so exhausted right now. I smell like smoke! everyone was smoking weed there tonight - UGH! It went all over me and I saw people falling *asleep* after smoking it - after all the money u pay to go to see this concert, you get so high on weed that you fall asleep and miss the concert? That's so messed up. And all the smoke bothered me a lot and I think it effected me cause I got really down....sad...weird huh? I wonder if it does that to you. Anywayz, I'm back to normal now - just *sleepy*!!! :) I'm out peeps - see ya tomorrow :)

- Nishi


Saturday, December 10, 2005
11:49 a.m.

I woke up feeling completely weird. I slept a lot during the night - had many, many dreams........in one of them I was...I think....I was campaigning with Hillary Clinton??? Read something attributed to Maya Angelou??? And it was all for a humanitarian event in which we were trying to raise funds and support for humanitarian aid and while I was speaking and *trying* to rouse the crowd's attention (which was semi-difficult) this little boy - probably 7 or 8 walked up to me and asks me 'what about the poor? how do the poor get aid?' and I remember being really flustered and not sure of the answer....I'm not even sure if that's the exact question he asked but what came across was that no matter the good we were TRYING to do, a lot of people weren't being helped after all and were still suffering, not getting the aid we were trying to get to them......

I had worn a night shade over my eyes the entire night so when I heard my mom and dad's voices speaking in malayalam I was really confused - I thought it was like 6 or 7am only and when I took the nightshades off INTENSE sunlight filled the room and I saw it was 10 a.m. - I stayed in bed for almost an hour feeling disoriented and strange.....like my life was out of my control and like nothing was happening the way I wanted it to....

Blech, I hate this feeling! It's frustrating when you're trying to figure things out - your life, the world, yourself, but I know from the wisdom of my years (young though they may be) that if I give it time, the answers will come. I'm just gonna relax and have some fun and re-charge my batteries. I've been through a LOT lately - this entire year in fact - and I think it's time for fun and celebration! Thank GOD for the holidays!!! :) It's so easy to feel low in self-belief and self worth and doubt your abilities, but you shouldn't! You have to have confidence - its never too late to change the direction of your life. Besides, I am one of the most self-assured people I know ;) LOL! I know I'll have what I want eventually. The only thing stopping me is fear and I can't let that stop me from taking chances - I learned once that you should never refuse change because change is vital to life - you have to feel the fear and do it anyway. Even if what I want - musical success - takes time to happen, I won't get there without taking the steps necessary to get there! I feel like my life can change at any moment and that each day I have to trust my gut instincts in the choices I'm making and that when things are out of my control, go with the flow. I just need to keep being as I am. Somehow, some way, it will all work out for me. :)

And I know it will all work out for you guys too! Kayla I saw a commercial for the movie (7 wives for 7 brothers) the other day! I'm SO happy for you!! Lady can't wait for next week's episode of Project Runway :) whadya upto this weekend? Sanoj *HUGS* how've u been? I haven't talked to u in a while - hope you're well! IM me if you see me online! Azure Kaze *big hugs* good luck on your exams! I know you'll do great! :)

Ok the DAVE MATTHEWS CONCEERT IS TONIGHT at 6:30!! I have to do a ton of things at home with the parents today before I can head into the city and meet my friend. I'll see ya'll after the concert! :) *HUGGGGGGGS* :)

- Nishi

?
Friday, December 9, 2005
01:09 p.m.

I AM GOING TO SEE DAVE MATTHEWS BAND LIVE IN CONCERT TOMORROW NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!

yyaaaahhhhoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo :D

My happy news :) Was just confirmed today - my friend Mark at work - his friend cancelled on him so he said he'd take me if she did and now I can go!!!! YAAY YAAY YAAY :D

Kayla I know you rocked at your audtion! I hope you get selected :) Lady I know right!? :) *HUGS* I wish you came online so we could talk while it's on tv at night next week :)

I'll write more tonight - see ya guys later :)

- Nishi


Friday, December 9, 2005
06:50 a.m.

dammit! I called my office's emergency weather hotline and there's no delayed opening! Normal business hours. That's so dumb! I bet they're going to let us out early anyway. I just read the local weather - 4 to 8 inches of snow predicted - it's snowing here right now.

Agh, lemme go shower and re-call the number. ;) Maybe they'll change it in like a half hour ;)

Nope, no change. Phooey. See ya guys when I'm home from this snowy winter day :)

- Nishi


Wednesday, December 7, 2005
10:59 p.m.

OH MY GOD! I cannot believe they kept Diana and sent John out!!! I'm talking about Project Runway! And I LOVED the dress by that Alabama girl Heidi!!! Couldn't the judges see she actually *designed* a dress that reflected her and people would wear? I LOVED her dress! I HATED that dress with the magnets by Diana. It was UGLY and totally failed! They should've kicked her out. And there was another dress by someone else I can't remember who which was hideous and that person stayed???? SO MESSED UP!

- Nishi


Wednesday, December 7, 2005
09:28 p.m.

did some deleting and editing :) wrote what I needed to at the moment - don't need to leave it up for posterity though ;)

GOOD EVENING!!!! :D I had such a fun night! Met up with Neil for Starbucks and after we talked a LONG time and caught up, then headed to Union Square to do some street fair shopping but I didn't find anything I loved enough to buy and got home an hour and half ago. Neil is like one of my oldest college friends whom I'm still friends with - it's good to have one of those friends whom you feel totally comfortable with. Made it back to Grand Central to catch the 7:10 train back home!

Project Runway is coming on soon!! Can't wait!!! I *loved* the Victoria's Secret fashion show last night on tv!!!! Ricky got my victoria's secret wish list and he's getting me 6 bras and panties on the list! :D YAAAYY :)

I just saw Lindsay Lohan's Confessions of a Broken Heart - Father to Daughter video and it was FANTASTIC! I actually started welling up with tears towards the end of the video - she can sing BEAUTIFULLY and SO strongly! Her voice is rich and deep and so mature and wonderful. She hits the notes gorgeously! GREAT JOB LINDSAY! :) I'll definitely buy her album.

Alrights, I'm out for the night. Thanks for the msgs to the long post I did from work today (as u can see I deleted it ;)) *HUGS* to Kayla, Marcia, Lydia and Miyu-chan - I left responses to everyone else in the entries below :)

- Nishi


Tuesday, December 6, 2005
11:48 p.m.



LOL! :) I have a love-hate relationship with Garfield - sometime's he's laugh out loud funny, and other times I wanna just strangle the cat! I wish he'd quit picking on Odie - I love Odie!

Got home a short while ago - sooooooo tired and can't wait to climb into bed but I recorded the Billboard awards and the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and am watching everythng now in bed. Work was long and I was so happy to get out and meet up with one of my gal pals to hang out with afterwards. We went for Starbucks and then hit the stores where I was a super shopper due to gift cards I'd gotten a long while back but never used! :D Was even able to get myself a pretty new wrap dress from Forever21 - went to the Forever21 down in Union Square and it was SO gorgeous - they had a huge fair/festival at night with all these street shops lined up around the square with christmas goods! I'm meeting my friend Neil tomorrow night for drinks so maybe I'll take him there since I didn't get to browse tonight.

Speaking of Victoria's Secret and bras - I sent Ricky a wish list of 6 or 7 beautiful bras & panties I want from VC - I picked up a few new ones at H&M tonight - really pretty feminine ones - I love pretty bras - the plain ones are for everyday wear under your plain shirt - I wear gorgeous, sexy bras when I dress up :) Guys don't understand it but maybe you girls out there will - wearing sexy bras and panties just makes you FEEL beautiful & sexy :) Even guys feel sexier when they wear boxer-briefs right? ;)

almost midnight and time for bed - I don't wanna go to bed so sooonnnnnnnnn. the nights go by so fast. I wanted to do some star gazing tonight - the sky here in Westchester is perfect right now - tons of stars out and soon after christmas I'll have a new telescope! :) Courtesy of mummy and papa :D HEE HEE HEE!! :D I've been 'slooh-ing' a lot and captured amazing pictures of Mars and Saturn and beautiful nebulae. I'll put up pics another time.

Callie happy birthday sweetie! *HUG* Don't worry about the calls - I'm sure they will call you - people are forgetful - it's nothing personal. Marcia that is SO the perfect pms shirt LOL! :) Miyu-channnnnnnnn thanks for the advice - I drank 2 liters worth today ;)

Ok must rest - see ya'll tomorrow :D And sooner or later, I'll share the amazing, happy thing I mentioned this morning at work :D

- Nishi


Tuesday, December 6, 2005
09:15 a.m.

yaaaahooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!! I'm so f'n happy :) you have no idea!!! I am smiling and giggling and HAPPY! :D EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE :D Life is good :):):):)

I know I'm being cryptic but I have my reasons. :)

- Nishi :D :D :D :D

Oh, P.S., it didn't snow and I'm at work now. Frozen solid but at work ;) I walked all the way AND I have my time of month - just got it this morning and have awful cramps. Nothing a couple advil can't take.

And yes - I'm deliriously happy :):):):) hahahahah :D


Monday, December 5, 2005
10:11 p.m.

OMG.. you sounded like heaven just now when i called..

that's it... you aint getting away from me. - Ricky

Sent that to me in an email 2 hours ago when we chatted for like 2 minutes ;) seeing it sent a delicious shiver through me though :)

- Nishi


Monday, December 5, 2005
07:14 p.m.

just took a loooooooooooong hot steamy shower and used this amazing vanilla sugar body scrub - nothing like baby soft smooth sexy skin! Relaxing and watching FRIENDS now. I hope it snows like a blizzard tonight! :) Normally if it snows we get a delayed opening at work or no work at all! :D

Talked to my friend Will tonight who's going through a hard time with his partner (Will's gay) and I swear - gay relationships are just like straight relationships (well mostly) - same gripes such as 'he's not paying enough attention to me' and 'he didn't call me'. Notice it's always some man's fault? ;) LOL! I told Will if he's really worth it, to give him time and if after 3 days the schmuck still doesn't call or msg him, ditch the bastard!

I'm gonna wrap myself up in my chenille nightgown and robe and get some dinner and watch FRIENDS for the rest of the night :) The tag-board isn't working so I can't see the msgs but I know Jade left me a msg!! HI JADE-CHAN!!! I haven't seen you in SO LONG!!!!! *big hugs* how are you now? What's new? Where's YOUR blog???

Night everyone :)

- Nishi


Sunday, December 4, 2005
06:43 p.m.

I just took a LONG hot shower, blow-dried my hair, am blasting my TRAPT cd and drinking hot cocoa. Nothing like rock music pulsing through you - it's cathartic :)

- Nishi


Sunday, December 4, 2005
03:06 p.m.

I

love

System of a Down.

I'm so turned on.

Listening to X, Chop Suey, Roulette, Aerials, Forest, Atwa, Shimmy and Toxicity - my favorites are Aerials and Roulette.

I wanna practice kickboxing now and beat up something - need to get this pent up aggression out somehow.

- Nishi


Sunday, December 4, 2005
09:33 a.m.

It SNOWED!! I just woke up and opened the curtains and it snowed!! The ground and trees are covered! It's so freaking pretty :)

mmmmm i'm going to get breakfast, read the paper and help my sister with a psychology paper and also put up the Christmas Tree today :D

Oh! Before I forget - I spent last night watching FOOTBALL and USC WON!!!!!! It was the USC v. UCLA game and they won 66-19!! THEY CRUSHED UCLA!!! I was watching #5 Reggie Bush - what an AMAZING running-back! He's apparently going to the NFL draft or something after this. Ricky is an alumni of USC and whenever I'd go out there to visit him I'd join him at the library there and at the campus and I fell in LOVE with the university - it's gorgeous and just an exceptional place to study and learn because of its amazing professors and great curriculum and classes - the professors and classes and environment are all I love. I would have loved to go to their School of International Relations. The USC v. Texas Longhorns championship game is on January 4, 2006 and I have never looked forward to a football game SO MUCH in my life! The Longhorns also did amazingly this year to reach the championship and it's supposed to be like a battle of champions! :D Can't wait! Can't wait! Maybe I'll organize a Rose Bowl watching party!

When you get a chance, go to Harlan McCraney - Bush's Speechologist Video - taken from my friend Sanoj's AIM buddy profile - it's HYSTERICAL :D "Where wings take dream." HAHAHAHAHAH I cannot BELIEVE he said that!!! LOL!

Ok I'm out - see ya'll later :)

- Nishi


Saturday, December 3, 2005
10:59 a.m.

So much has been happening with Ricky and me - so you have an idea of us, here's a pic taken on 4th of July 2004 of Ricky and me :)



Alright, it is a freakin cold day outside - 35 degrees, and that wind outside is ferocious - it snowed a little over thanksgiving and is supposed to be flurrying or snowing tomorrow and Monday - I *had* wanted to jog 4 miles today and tomorrow but ya know what this weather means??



exactly. :)

Kayla and Marcia LOL! You two crack me up! It's a deal - I'll write it and you two will sing with me :) You can't back out now - muuwaahhaahahahaha (mad scientist laugh). Marcia are u feeling better? *HUGS* and Kayla dudeee getting grounded for your room is soooooo dumb :P but i totally understand, my room's a pig sty right now and I'm afraid to have my folks walk in and lecture me. ;)

Ok I just woke up and need to have breakfast and read the newspaper and get started on my day - we're putting up the christmas tree this afternoon and I need to run errands and put CD packages together to mail out to people who bought them before thanksgiving.

- Nishi


Friday, December 2, 2005
10:16 p.m.

my god my life is like a rollercoaster - half of which I can't even mention on here. ok lemme start somehow.....first, my darling ricky has been amazing and wonderful and proving to me everyday what a blessing he is to my life.....second, I met with a record label today. The president and manager of the label were awesome but, unfortunately, they are doing distribution only now and don't sign or manage artists - distribution means they will take your finished 10-song cd and put it in stores, amazon.com and itunes and they can even market my cds in Europe! The downside is, you do ALL your own promotion, management etc AND you must fully produce your 10-song full cd, artwork etc. Now I did 5 songs (6th is an acapella made just to show how my voice sounds without any accompaniment and showcase my strengths) all very professionally on my demo and did the best with the artwork that I could with the limited funds I had. I can't return to the studio (although I would LOVE to) without the money necessary to record and produce 5 more songs - that's money I simply don't have. I spent a small fortune on the demo thus far and I did the best job with amazing producers and exceptionally talented engineers and I'm proud of it :) So I'll work with what I've been able to accomplish and I think it is good enough! :) Could it be better? You BET! But it's good enough for my purposes.

Today I learned something important: treasure the beautiful things you have in your life and never take them for granted - and even though shitty, awful things happen - you can find reason and meaning in them to help you move on.

I just finished watching BRUCE ALMIGHTY on USA :) Such a nice movie! :) Tired....going to talk to Ricky tonight before I sleep :) Good night everyone :)

- Nishi


Thursday, December 1, 2005
08:50 p.m.

I received an AMAZING CALL TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't even SAY anything about it cause it's too premature although I was such a chatterbox and told too many ppl at work today! Ah well - that's me. What I will say is that it's VERY WONDERFUL NEWS :D And it's all because of this great woman I was talking to on my JetBlue flight from Florida on Sunday! Thank you Tammy Jacobs! :):):)

On another note, I bore my heart out in a letter and wrote a song called 'You Made Me Feel You' during lunch today.

Ugh - it's so hard not being able to write freely on here anymore.....

Marcia what happened???? *BIG HUGGGGGGGG* I'm going to pray for you tonight! Whatever it is, have faith ok? And email me if you need to talk - if it's of the heart, lord knows I've been through it. I'd love to help. Email me? *HUGS* again.

Lady thank you my friend *HUG* one of my friends at work has horrible sinus allergies. I'm so sorry! Hope u feel better! Kayla what happened to get you grounded!? :) One of my friend's daughter who is 15 (and who's also a friend of mine!) got grounded recently too for cutting tutoring after school. She's so adorable I'd forgive her almost anything ;) Azure Kaze ur tellin' me! :) No kidding! Crazy things have been happning in my life the past 3 weeks - some good, some heart-wrenching but all of it life-altering and I have to say - I'm growing for the better because of it. LIIISSAAAAAAAAAAA :DDDDD I sent u an email with my #! MAKE SURE U CALL ME THIS TIME! :) Callie-chan thank you!!! *HUGGG* :)

Suni I did smile in a LOT of the pictures - we took like over 200! But the smiling ones just didn't turn out well for various reasons - most of them were BLURRY! :( But I chose the best ones for the music site and luckily a few smiling ones came out nice but I haven't been able to work them into designs yet. Hemal wow! long time no see! how're you doing??? Hope all is well on your end :) Susan thank you *BIG HUGS* Miyu-chan BIG HUGS TO YOU TOO! :D Sarah Beth happy belated Turkey Day!!!! Are you coming downstate at all this month?? M_Jade I hope you listened and liked :) I hope you're well!! *HUGS*

Ok I'm out for the night - going to sleep early. See ya'll tomorrow :)

Oh, P.S. - an update on Random Guy I saw his IP address visited this blog between 4:30-5:30 A.M. - this MORNING. Strange huh? Agh, whatever. I'm over it.

- Nishi


Wednesday, November 30, 2005
10:49 p.m.

just came home from an awesome Indie Night School session. Check them out at indienightschool.blogspot.com - met amazing producers/engineers! They were so down to earth and just very friendly and cool :) I was able to give 4 of them copies of my cds :) They included Steve Lillywhite who produced for U2, Martin Bisi for Sonic Youth, Bill Racine for Rogue Wave, Paul Mahajan for The National and Victor Van Vugt who produced Beth Orton and Depeche Mode!!!

I don't know how much good giving them a cd will do - I know other artists who gave me their cds and I haven't ever gotten around to listening to them! So what makes artists think the person they give a cd to will actually listen? Just the chance I guess - the mere chance they *might* and the hope that they will love it. I'm going to listen to those cds this weekend. Make it a real point to.

I think it's really hard to find that one industry-related person who really believes in you and your music and will back your songs. Finding someone like that is golden. I have faith though.....I know when I pray to God He hears and understands and is helping me so I'll just put my faith and trust in Him and keep working hard as I have been.

I'm exhaused and need to sleep. *HUGS* to my dear friends who left sweet msgs :) Lydia I deleted ur msg cause it's sour :P but i still adore you.

- Nishi


Wednesday, November 30, 2005
06:34 a.m.

good early morning everyone :) I feel much better this morning - though I still didn't sleep much last night. It's still so dark out....going to Indie Night School again tonight and have the chance to meet and speak with these amazing producers for U2, Sonic Youth, Rogue Wave, The National and Beth Orton! Probably won't be back till late. Talked with Ricky till late last night....

Found out who 'Random Guy' is: some creep who gets online from an Austin, Texas based server, searched his IP address too. Don't worry honey - I won't come after you - you ain't worth my time and I already allowed you to waste a lot of it. If you're reading this, guess which finger I'm holding up? :)

Anywayz, have a GREAT day everyone!! *BIG HUGS* I know I owe Suni and everyone replies still - I swear I will write tonight and msg you all back.

- Nishi <--- who is thankful she feels soooo much better :)


Tuesday, November 29, 2005
05:31 p.m.

*looks over at the comment board* some jerk named 'Randomguy' decides to leave me this ugly, sarcastic msg about how I must have *some* perks of being an atty and to call in sick "every other day" - insulting on so many levels because does this idiot even KNOW me? (edits out all my angry ranting and cursing) - I had a fever the whole night and was going through the chills and woke up weak and dizzy. So until you know even one iota of what I felt don't talk. Your ass is banned.

Plus, where I work, if you take a day off for being sick - you LOSE that day's pay - we don't get paid for sick days until the end of the year and even then, it's only 5 days. So people *have* to think twice about losing pay when they choose to stay home sick - I've gone into work with sore throats and stuffy noses - the things I can handle - "toughing it out" - but when I'm weak and really sick, I don't go in. I'm very honest about these things so for this creep to presume I take every other day off without any consequences is just plain shitty on his part. I'm on a strict tight budget and can't afford ANY lost pay at ALL! Calling in sick for me is a BAD thing because I suffer both ways. Whatever. I'm above his petty shit. I banned his ass anyway :D

- Nishi


Tuesday, November 29, 2005
09:16 a.m.

gosh darnit - blame it on the weather change from FL to NY or not sleeping enough or just plain bad NY weather and germs - I'm SICK! Woke up to call in to work and wasn't able to get through to anyone so left them msgs. Everything aches and I had chills during the night that kept me up. This sucks. I'm having breakfast and orange juice and then going to rest. Hope everyone is well. My heart is better due to someone's call last night and who gave up a little bit of sleep to talk to me and make me feel loved. *MWAH* :)

- Nishi


Monday, November 28, 2005
09:40 p.m.

damn I wasn't kidding about zoning out to music - blasted indian bhangra for a while and now been blasting Nickelback forever.....God I love Nickelback - my favorite songs: Fly, How You Remind Me, Figured You Out, Someday, Do This Anymore, Feelin Way Too Damn Good, Because of You and Believe it or Not.

I need to sleep soon - first time home with time to myself and I just want to sleep so much. Need to wait for a phonecall.

Time for some soothing music.....now listening to SOUTH....a great british band I love and their album 'From Here On In.'

- Nishi


Monday, November 28, 2005
7:00 p.m.

hi everybody :) I'm back from Florida! God where do I START??????? There's so much I wish I could write but I really can't....far too personal.....suffice it to say I've been writing about it in songs and poems galore. My heart is in a TOTAL state of mess. Complete and total mess. I have no clue how to dig myself out and am just taking it one day at a time. I'm focusing 100% on music - that should take care of it, right? ;) Yeah. Whatever. Actually that's the truth - in music I really do find my release.....been singing like crazy since I got home a little while ago.

Florida was GORGEOUS - was 80+ and 90+ almost each day, went on a casino boat cruise with the whole family on Friday, spent Saturday at the Naples Zoo and Sunday at the beach. Am SOOOOOO happy to be home though. I loved Florida but I love L.A. more - L.A. has the warm weather just like Florida but....more.....the culture, the life....the feeling.

Had court today....long day but nice....AGH! I reallllllllly wish I could write everything in my heart but I CAN'T!!!!! This is when I pull out one of my dozen hardcover *real* journals that I spill all the juicy stuff into ;)

Hope your hearts are happier than mine right now. I certainly don't sound broken hearted do I? Believe me, I am. But I guess my sunniness and optimism never leave huh? ;) Thank God for that. Keep me going God - I believe in You.

Suni and everyone who left msgs *BIG HUGS* I swear I'll respond. Just not in the best mood to right now.

- Nishi


Tuesday, November 22, 2005
01:39 p.m.

I performed last night at CNOTE and it was AWESOME! Super-noisy because it was a small bar but I did 7 songs - almost 30 minute set and dear friends showed up which made me SO happy! :D My friend Amalia loved it when I danced a little bit of Steal Your Heart Away :) She said it was so sexy! :) I couldn't really dance it though cause the stage was very small but I did my best.

The guy who controlled the audio & mics did a great job EQing the mic. I feel like I shined last night. I still had like 5% nervousness in me and my voice was tight and I don't think I drank enough water so it became hard to hit all the high notes but ya know, when I do this a couple more times, I'll have it down piece of cake :) And overall, I am SOOOOOOOO happy with my performance :D YAAAAAAAAAAYYY!!!! Thank you God :)

everyone - thank YOU SO MUCH for your support!!!! :)

I go to Florida this thanksgiving weekend to celebrate there in our new vacation home there. Cannot WAIT to hit the beach and be warm while everyone is freezing and rained on in this awful, cold, rainy, late-fall/November weather we're having.

Wrote a bunch of new songs in the past week - 'Under My Skin' (a sexy dance number), 'Once Upon A Time' (a heart-breaking love dance-song) and 'You Tempted Me' (another sad love song). Need to write them up and send them in to be copyrighted too.

See ya'll later

- Nishi


Monday, November 21, 2005
03:14 a.m.

tensvgrfooybbaccdieralto. SO much happened these past 3 days.....I started to like someone new.....Ricky told me he wants to marry me next year even though he and I aren't completely ready for marriage.....I love him so much - he is so beautiful...tonight....I'm performing at CNOTE at 10pm. I am ready to sing my heart out. Tonight, I show the world my music....my songs...and my heart. In music, I will find my peace....and hopefully, my destiny.

- Nishi


Thursday, November 17, 2005
08:26 p.m.

mmmm home :) Had a nice day at work - soooo sleepy. Need to tidy my room and take a hot shower. Going to sleep early tonight.

Lydia how'd physics go?? Lisaaaaaaaaa thank u veddy much dahling! I'll be old and grey by the time u get around to calling me :P I talked to Mike though! HEEEEE made time to talk to me. :PPPP :) hahaha JK *HUGS* Callie congrats on going to college! I wish you all the best and much success! :) *HUGS* to Azure Kaze, Miyu-chan, Lady and anyone I may have forgotten. I'm just that tired.

- Nishi


Wednesday, November 16, 2005
11:01 p.m.

I performed tonight and it was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!! Almost all my nervouesness was gone!! It was still there a little bit but not at ALL like before! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY :D I performed 3 of my songs (not on the cd) acapella and it was beautiful! I am very proud of and happy with myself tonight :)

Can't write much now - hope everyone is well! More tomorrow.

- Nishi


Monday, November 14, 2005
08:09 p.m.

oh. my. god. I love this song SO freaking much: Sense Fields - Save Yourself

it's on this cd my friend Anthony made for me. It's amazing.

I can't stop listening to this song.....

- Nishi


Monday, November 14, 2005
06:38 a.m.

mmmm good morning :) woke up early and am enjoying the sunrise....I have court today in Civil Kings - I hope it won't be a long day......I did so much work yesterday - vocals for over an hour, cleaned the bathroom, jogged 4 miles, did my nails, paid bills and worked on finances, and printed a ton of cd-related promotional cards. Thank you to Eddy, Marina, Luis and Anthony who placed the first cd orders this weekend!! Eddy ordered 4!!! :) I'm including a little gift in the packages to thank you guys for being my first buyers! :)

It's almost 6:40 now and I need to get ready for my day. See ya'll tonight :)

- Nishi


Sunday, November 13, 2005
09:14 a.m.



I love Hagar :) LOL! Click the image to see the full-size comic.

morning :) it's gorgeous outside - the sun's shining and it's only 9! Can you tell my bad mood's gone now? ;) LOL! I'm reading the morning newspaper and having mummy's upa mav (SO GOOD!) - going to spend the morning choreographing and rehearsing the 2 numbers for next Monday and getting ready for this Tuesdays and Wednesday's performances. I don't want to announce those venues yet because I don't want my friends to see me until I'm completely ready! When my friends see me I wanna be perfect!

I watched the final 2 episodes of Pretear last night - it was so GOOD! I really need to download the opening song and I soooo wanna create a Himeno & Hayate shrine now :) LOL! :D

Sarah Beth I can't believe Lisa's been blogging on LJ for this long!! When she finally calls I'm gonna wring her neck :) hahahaha :D We should really start up YYY again. Come on Lydia start up YYY again! :D Kayla awwww you're such a sweetheart! *HUG* thank you :)

Alright, I'm out to start my day! See ya guys later :)

Oh, but before I go, here's one more:



Because I love Foxtrot too :) hehe :)

- Nishi


Saturday, November 12, 2005
09:25 p.m.

ugh - sometimes being a woman REAAALLLLY sucks. Aunt Flow came into town and left me with a splitting headache AND oodles of irritability - so much so I'm liable to rip someone's bleepin head off right about now AND to top everything off? I helped my folks clean the garage today and they asked me to move these 2 ridiculously heavy bags of dirt and ya know how Ricky pulled a muscle/sprained something in my back by accident when we went swimming in L.A. in Sept? Well it had healed I thought but moving the dirt pulled something in that area again and now it HURTS. And hormonal Nishi with a headache and back pain is a very angry Nishi. GRRRRRR.

On a good note - I got a new host for NishiMusic.com :) My regular host is still down which is why none of the anime sites are working *sigh* hope they'll be up soon. I'm so bummed and moody - I didn't even rehearse anything last night or tonight....and now it's 9:30 and all I want to do is have some hot cocoa, chocolate cake and watch the last 2 episodes of Pretear and maybe some Petite Princess Yucie too ;) LOL! A girl's gotta take care of herself at this time of month. I'll rehearse and sing and choreograph tomorrow when I feel better.

I'll respond to everyone's msgs tomorrow - time to relax.

- Nishi


Thursday, November 10, 2005
10:55 p.m.

I performed again last night in the East Village - did 3 tracks from my cd and there was such a nice crowd! :) I'll be performing again next Tuesday and Wednesday - possibly Monday or Thursday as well. It's a lot, I know, but I'm gearing up for a special performance at a really great venue which I'm waiting to announce. For that performance I am actually going to sing and dance 2 of the songs (Steal Your Heart Away and Nightingale's Song). I'm spending the next 3-4 days choreographing the dances and rehearsing like crazy! And one of my good friends will be helping me out as a "boy toy" in the indian dance song "Steal Your Heart Away" :) He's nervois but excited!

I voted in the elections on Tuesday - did you? :) Both my dad and I got up early (mom slept in) and before I went to work, we'd voted and everyone whom I wanted to win - won! :D

Azure Kaze I'm a professional web designer so I do all my pages in raw html code - you can get a blog anywhere - this is at pitas.com but you can also try livejournal.com or xanga.com or deadjournal.com or diaryland.com - of course, they come with custom layouts but you need to know html if you want to do anything more. Kayla, Callie, and Sarah Beth and Lydia LOL! I'm going with my friend Stephanie to DDR tomorrow after work as well! :) I can't believe I went this long without DDR'ing! :D

Anywayz, I must sleep - didn't get in till midnight after performing last night! See ya'll tomorrow ;)

- Nishi


Monday, November 7, 2005
09:25 p.m.

guess what I did today!? DDR!!!! It was sooooo much fun!! DDR is short for 'Dance Dance Revolution' and it's this HUGE game you dance on by following arrows shown on a screen to move your feet in the same directions. The music is awesome :D My friend Steph has been doing it since like 1998 I think ;) She's SO good. We went to Port Authority after work and DDR'd there for a while and watched other "pro" people dancing! I was amazed! I, for my 1st time, SUCKED but hey - i was having a blast! I felt like a little kid! :D

anywayz, sites are all still down *sob* pretty tired and can't write much now - hope you're all having an awesome night! *HUGS* I responded to all msgs in the entry below.

- Nishi


Sunday, November 6, 2005
1:04 p.m.

I love Foxtrot! :D And Rose is Rose, and Hagar and Blondie and Luann :) Sunday comics rock! :)

I was on Slooh the past couple nights viewing Saturn and Mars (even Ricky signed on), and let me tell you - it was so breathtaking! Coming up at 2pm EST (11am PST) they're doing VENUS and URANUS! I'm such an astronomy nut ain't I? ;) I've never been able to see either of those planets in direct observation so Slooh gives me the best chance to. Later on tonight, they'll show Neptune too :D

My host's servers are still down :( Or the hardware is on the fritz or something which is why all my sites are down. I wish it would hurry back because I sent my music site to so many people to check out and some of those ppl were important industry people who I hope to hear back from.

Kayla, Lady and Miyu-chan thank you for your support guys *BIG HUGS* :)

I've got to shower and get ready to run errands with my mom. See you guys later tonight :)

- Nishi


Saturday, November 5, 2005
09:59 a.m.

morning everybody! :) I just sat down and wrote 20 things I have to do today and/or tomorrow. It's going to be a beautiful day today - high 72 degrees!!!! I'm definitely going outside and jog up a storm! ;)

On a somber world note - I've been reading about the violence and riots in Argentina and France.

In Argentina, extremists have been rioting and causing havoc over the FTAA and also against Bush where he is at the America Summit in Mar Del Plata. "The FTAA is a free trade bloc which is supported by 29 of the 34 Latin American countries - it would eliminate trade barriers from Canada to Chile." Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay all oppose it for reasons I'm still learning and reading about. According to this news article, "the bloc would rival the European Union as the world's largest, but its creation has been stalled for years amid bickering over U.S. farm subsidies and other obstacles." "Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez emerged as the most strident opponent of the free trade bloc, addressing more than 20,000 protesters hours before the summit's inauguration, [he is quoted as saying]: 'Only united can we defeat imperialism and bring our people a better life. Here, in Mar del Plata, FTAA will be buried!'" (I am quoting directly from the article.)

All this violence is what bothers me. Listen to what these guys had to say who also protest the FTAA and don't like Bush: "I don't like Bush, but this is too much," said Ramon Madrid, a hotel manager in Mar del Plata who hurriedly closed up after rioters smashed the windows of a bakery three doors down. "There is no need for violence." Graciela Tablar, a bank teller, surveyed the chaos in Mar del Plata after the rioters fled, pronounced it "very sad." Tablar had taken part in the peaceful protest march by some 10,000 people earlier Friday, but lamented, "the protest people will remember is the violent one."

That's very true - what ppl will remember is the violent protest.

In France, if you've been following the news about the riots, you'll see in today's news that "widespread riots across impoverished areas of France took a malevolent turn in a ninth night of violence, with youths torching an ambulance and stoning medical workers coming to the aid of a sick person. Authorities arrested more than 250 people, an unprecedented sweep since the beginning of the unrest."

In yesterday's newspaper I read the rioting started when 2 youths were chased by police at a soccer game into this bulding where they were accidentally electrocuted. As a result, the community rioted in protest against the police and authority - they believe that the police chased the boys to their deaths. No reason was given for the chase or why any of this happened.

On Saturday morning (today in France), more than 1,000 people took part in a silent march in one of the worst-hit suburbs, Aulnay-sous-Bois, filing past burned-out cars to demand calm. One banner read: "No to violence." Car torchings have become a daily fact in France's tough suburbs, with about 100 each night.



The worst thing that makes me say "WHAT THE FUCK?!?!" is this: "An attack this week on a female bus passenger highlighted the savage nature of some of the violence. The woman, in her 50s and on crutches, was doused with an inflammable liquid and set afire after passengers were forced to leave the bus, blocked by burning objects on the road, judicial officials said." Seriously, what the fuck?????? Burning a woman on crutches?????????? You can read the full article on the France Rioting Violence here.

Here I am in my home on a beautiful sunny day, looking fwd to jogging in the warm 72 degree sun and somewhere in France, people are being burned, stoned and dying due to NONSENSE VIOLENCE by assholes! STOP THE MADNESS! I wish I could do something to help. I REALLY WISH! One day, I will. Someway, somehow I'm going to do something to stop this kind of monstrosity. What's going on here - this hateful violence doesn't solve anything. It only kills people and makes the situation beyong repair. It's HORRIBLE those 2 teens were electrocuted - but to turn violent and attack all of France - innocent people?? That is madness.

Back to Latin America - I found this article on why Latin Americans protest the FTAA. In a PEACEFUL march on Friday by thousands, marchers urged the region's leaders to pursue alternatives to the U.S.-backed free-market recipes, which dominated in the region in the 1990s but failed to reduce poverty and inequality. Argentine President Nestor Kirchner echoed Argentines' anger with the policies of the past as he opened the summit. "We criticize the policies because we saw the results in Argentina's crisis in 2001 and the fall of various democratic governments in the region," said Kirchner, with Bush and the other leaders looking on.

Unfortunately, after the peaceful march, violent protestors ruined everything. I'm going to keep following up on this. You guys can read the articles for more info.

It's 10am now and I haven't had breakfast yet and need to clean the house and get started on the 20 things I need to do! See ya'll later!

- Nishi


Wednesday, November 2, 2005
11:23 p.m.

Tonight I performed my material at this Open Mic in the East Village :) I was nervous as heck but I did it! :) You wouldn't think I would be so nervous having performed so much growing up but still - it's totally different when you don't have other musicians on stage with you or other dancers. That was ALL me - all alone, no back ups, no dancers, all me, my voice, my songs - so the nerves were high but I did it :)

My friends: Tabitha, Lady, Susan, Marcia and Lydia *HUGS* thank you SO MUCH! It means so much to know you guys were thinking of me and supporting me. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers.

Almost 11:30 and I need to head to Civil Kings tomorrow for court - must sleep and talk to my Ricky. See ya'll tomorrow night :)

- Nishi


Tuesday, November 1, 2005
8:25 p.m.

I'm performing tomorrow night - not saying where because I want to just test my new material out first with an audience that doesn't know a thing about me - I'm nervous. Really nervous. I'm so scared I'll mess up and squeak or worse - freeze and be unable to sing. I've done this before - u'd think I wouldn't get nervous - but noooo. Well, only one thing to do - rehearse, rehearse and rehearse until you're good at what you're going to do - that's the only way to get rid of the nerves!

Halloween was nice :) I wound up not going to the parade but stayed home and watched scary movies and watched TWITCHES - the cute Disney Channel movie with Tia and Tamara Mowry? GOOD MOVIE! I loved it :) Had court today (well having court every day this week since they're short on attorneys right now) and boy am I sleepy. NO! MUST REHEARSE! Alright I'm gonna get to work. See ya'll after my gig tomorrow night :)

- Nishi


Monday, October 31, 2005
06:49 a.m.

I love Halloween!! I thought this year I'd write some of the origins of the things we associate with halloween. For example the Jack-o'-lantern - this dates back to an Irish folk tale where a man named Stingy Jack escaped the devil with a turnip lantern. When the Irish came to America, Jack's turnip was exchanged for the more easily carvable pumpkin and Stingy Jack's name lived on. First, read the true Origins of Halloween and if you have time, read scary halloween ghost stories. :) Above all, keep your open mind and sense of humour. Halloween is not the doom and gloom holiday it once was. Halloween can be a fun holiday to celebrate for fun reasons - such as recognizing nature in the bounty of harvests, the beauty of the autumn and winter to come, and to have some plain fun with Marshamallow pumpkin cookies, hot chocolate and scary stories. From the HistoryChannel.com: Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in - sow rhymes with cow). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter. To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities. During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other's fortunes. When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter. By A.D. 43, Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the four hundred years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain. The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of "bobbing" for apples that is practiced today on Halloween. By the 800s, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. It is widely believed today that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. The celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. Even later, in A.D. 1000, the church would make November 2 All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead. It was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three celebrations, the eve of All Saints', All Saints', and All Souls', were called Hallowmas. The American tradition of "trick-or-treating" probably dates back to the early All Souls' Day parades in England. During the festivities, poor citizens would beg for food and families would give them pastries called "soul cakes" in return for their promise to pray for the family's dead relatives. The distribution of soul cakes was encouraged by the church as a way to replace the ancient practice of leaving food and wine for roaming spirits. The practice, which was referred to as "going a-souling" was eventually taken up by children who would visit the houses in their neighborhood and be given ale, food, and money. The tradition of dressing in costume for Halloween has both European and Celtic roots. Hundreds of years ago, winter was an uncertain and frightening time. Food supplies often ran low and, for the many people afraid of the dark, the short days of winter were full of constant worry. On Halloween, when it was believed that ghosts came back to the earthly world, people thought that they would encounter ghosts if they left their homes. To avoid being recognized by these ghosts, people would wear masks when they left their homes after dark so that the ghosts would mistake them for fellow spirits. On Halloween, to keep ghosts away from their houses, people would place bowls of food outside their homes to appease the ghosts and prevent them from attempting to enter. As European immigrants came to America, they brought their varied Halloween customs with them. Because of the rigid Protestant belief systems that characterized early New England, celebration of Halloween in colonial times was extremely limited there. It was much more common in Maryland and the southern colonies. As the beliefs and customs of different European ethnic groups, as well as the American Indians, meshed, a distinctly American version of Halloween began to emerge. The first celebrations included "play parties," public events held to celebrate the harvest, where neighbors would share stories of the dead, tell each other's fortunes, dance, and sing. Colonial Halloween festivities also featured the telling of ghost stories and mischief-making of all kinds. By the middle of the nineteenth century, annual autumn festivities were common, but Halloween was not yet celebrated everywhere in the country. In the second half of the nineteenth century, America was flooded with new immigrants. These new immigrants, especially the millions of Irish fleeing Ireland's potato famine of 1846, helped to popularize the celebration of Halloween nationally. Taking from Irish and English traditions, Americans began to dress up in costumes and go house to house asking for food or money, a practice that eventually became today's "trick-or-treat" tradition. Young women believed that, on Halloween, they could divine the name or appearance of their future husband by doing tricks with yarn, apple parings, or mirrors. In the late 1800s, there was a move in America to mold Halloween into a holiday more about community and neighborly get-togethers, than about ghosts, pranks, and witchcraft. At the turn of the century, Halloween parties for both children and adults became the most common way to celebrate the day. Parties focused on games, foods of the season, and festive costumes. Parents were encouraged by newspapers and community leaders to take anything "frightening" or "grotesque" out of Halloween celebrations. Because of their efforts, Halloween lost most of its superstitious and religious overtones by the beginning of the twentieth century. By the 1920s and 1930s, Halloween had become a secular, but community-centered holiday, with parades and town-wide parties as the featured entertainment. Despite the best efforts of many schools and communities, vandalism began to plague Halloween celebrations in many communities during this time. By the 1950s, town leaders had successfully limited vandalism and Halloween had evolved into a holiday directed mainly at the young. Due to the high numbers of young children during the fifties baby boom, parties moved from town civic centers into the classroom or home, where they could be more easily accommodated. Between 1920 and 1950, the centuries-old practice of trick-or-treating was also revived. Trick-or-treating was a relatively inexpensive way for an entire community to share the Halloween celebration. In theory, families could also prevent tricks being played on them by providing the neighborhood children with small treats. A new American tradition was born, and it has continued to grow. Today, Americans spend an estimated $6.9 billion annually on Halloween, making it the country's second largest commercial holiday. Lastly, something interesting on Witches I learned: Witches occupy a special place in Germans' spiritual pagan past. The most famous spot for witches was in the Harz mountain region in Germany. Until the 18th century, German maps even showed witches' hovering over this spot, namely the Brocken peak. The Brocken peak is said to be populated with witches, who were once forest goddesses, later priestesses, then female doctors and marvelous women of the night who were first worshipped, then stared at with awe and admiration, and finally damned. For Germans Halloween blended with the night of witches, the Walpurgisnacht, which took place in the Harz mountains on the night before May 1. Interesting neh? For further reading on origins of halloween visit Pagan Origins of Halloween. Anyway, have a safe and fun halloween everyone!

Sunday, October 30, 2005
09:58 a.m.

dude - these servers suck - all my sites are down again.

I am in love with The Queen's Knight manga series! I am gonna make a site to it :D hehehehe :) Other series I'm following and anxiously awaiting the next releases of: Neck and Neck, More Starlight to Your Heart, RG Veda, From Far Away (Kanata Kara), Happy Hustle High, One, Crescent Moon #6 (it's out!), MeriPuri, Kamichama Karin, Sugar Sugar Rune, Seimaden and of course Vampire Game.

*sigh* I love manga :)

It's a beautiful Sunday - bright and sunny and 60 degrees! I never did that motion so I have to do it today (*big sigh*) but as soon as that's done, I'm gonna ENJOY my sunday!

'Tis the day before Halloween - how're you guys going to celebrate? :) We put a pumpkin out that lights up - if I'm home tomorrow night and don't go to the Greenwich Village parade, I'll be passing candy out. *I* wanna dress up though and pretend to be a little kid and go trick or treating for candy. I could TOTALLY pass for it - I'm short!! Put me in a She-Ra costume and we're good to go. I mean, I want halloween candy TOO ya know? ;) LOL!

ok ok almost 10am - need to get started on my day. Hope you're all well! Kayla ooooh! which character from Star Wars will you be? Azure Kaze I don't know any scholarship sites off the top of my head, sorry :( but it's awesome that you're looking and good luck!

- Nishi


Saturday, October 29, 2005
2:49 p.m.

after my doctor's appt last night, I slept most of the evening and slept all night till this morning at 11 a.m. - talk about catching up on sleep! Looking forward to tonight at 11 p.m. when Mars will be the 2nd closest it's been since 2003 - hope the skies aren't too cloudy and I can do some star gazing. You can read more about tonight's Mars viewing here. Was reading the morning newspaper while I had breakfast (thosha and sambar :D YUMMY!) and the realestate section had a front page article on Haunted Homes in the Hudson area here.....these people saw ghosts whom they feel are comforting and protective....if there were ghosts in my home I'd be freaking out. If you like this stuff you can go on Haunted Travels.

Don't forget to turn your clocks back an hour before you go to bed tonight (if you live in the States) - at least now the sun will rise at 6am...but it sucks to see it be nighttime at 5pm! Was just reading about the true origins of Dracula and Transylvania and how they really have nothing to do with each other - you can read about it in Romanian History.

Sipping hot cocoa and settling in to do some work on a motion and some reading - I got Volumes 4 and 5 of Crescent Moon sitting in my library since early summer and never read them! Want to watch Chobits and Petite Princess Yucie tonight too :)

I was thinking about adopting a house-broken puppy for my dad and mom this Christmas from NY Pet Rescue. Such gorgeous dogs! They ask for only a minimum donation to keep their work going and I think they're a fantastic organization. For dogs in your area, search through Petfinder.com. :)

Susan awwww!!! thank you soooooo much!!! *big hugs* that means a lot to me :) How've you been? What's new on your end? Azure Kaze I;ve only seen upto ep 6 I think but I already read all the summaries and spoilers so I know what'll happen :) I love the series! :D LegalDiva hey! you should totally meet up with me! Email me when you'll be in Kings Supreme! I'll be there all next week I think, except Monday unless I get to work and they surprise me! Desi thank you very much! :) I was reading your blog and your posts on depression and I left you a message. *big hugs*

Look at that - the sun came out - maybe I should go jogging? it's 47 degrees though....agh. I'm gonna go read :D ciao for now :)

- Nishi


Friday, October 28, 2005
02:36 p.m.

wow I've been so busy I didn't get a chance to write all week. Am home early today from work for my doctor's appt - getting the stitches out - woo hoo :) was checking out Basement Bhangra - a couple friends and I were thinking of going to the Sunday party - this great DJ, DJ Rekha, is doing the music all night. I'm hoping I can get a chance to talk to her about my cd! I went to an industry event on Wednesday hosted by the theblackspoons.com and it was awesome! I met 4 really cool people who are radio promoters for record labels and one who owned his own label - such great people and I learned a LOT. I gave them my demos! :D

Probably doing to my friend Danny's halloween bash tomorrow night in the city - he's passing a copy of my demo to a club/bar owner he knows who might be able to get me a gig there and also to his cousin who's a DJ who can create dance mixes of the songs! :D so much going on this weekend....lots to do. I gotta get going now - be back later folks :)

- Nishi


Monday, October 24, 2005
11:34 p.m.

boys and girls - VERY important lesson - always listen to your parents. If I had listened more to my dad and followed his wisdom I probably would have been much, much better off. But, hey, this is how you learn. Still, next time around, I'm going to listen to him more.

Going to court tomorrow and am super-tired, need sleep so not much writing tonight. Legal Diva you're so awesome! *big hugs* thank you very much! I haven't seen u in a LONG time! I take it ur a full-time attorney now who passed her bar exam and is knee-deep in court right? :) Sarah Beth *hugggsss* thank u!!! I miss talking to uuuuuuuuuuuu. Caro-chan *BIG HUGS* thank you!!! How's the semester going? Diana awww thank you SO very much! I am praying my music will be well loved and received :D How're u doing? haven't seen u in forever! :)

I'm out folks - see u tomorrow :)

- Nishi


Sunday, October 23, 2005
11:52 a.m.



For Sale: Usagi / Serena and Mamoru / Darien cel from SailorMoon / Sailor Moon

Asking Price: $400 or best offer

Excellent condition, original matching background, never displayed.



For Sale: Princess Serenity R Movie Cel

Asking Price: $600 or best offer

Bought through Yahoo! Japan auctions, she is in pristine condition, never displayed, original matching background, cost a fortune to buy through Japan but worth every penny. Can no longer afford to hold onto it. Please give her a good home.



It really breaks my heart to sell these cels I love but I have a lot of payments to make and being in debt is far, far worse. *sigh*

- Nishi


Sunday, October 23, 2005
12:01 a.m.

finally! nishimusic.com is DONE! The only things which still needs some work are the schedule page and the actual addition of the cd buying forms. I'll get to that later this week.

My cousin Jobin called tonight and he put such a smile on my face :) He and Sonia and Tanya are 3 cousins on my dad's side of the family who live out in Texas and I rarely see them but adore them soooo much! Apparently, Jobin has other cousins up here who are DJs and he'll ask them if they'd be willing to play my songs! What a sweetheart! :)

I'm still in paaiinnnnnnnn. GAWDDDDDD. Stupid minor surgery. Who knew it would hurt so much? Better not hurt to have the stitches removed next Friday. Anywayz, headed out to run errands with one of my sisters and these 2 guys would NOT leave us alone! Kept asking for our numbers and if we wanted to go for drinks. Seriously. Like they ever had a chance with us! ;) LOL!

Tomorrow, I'm calling a bunch of bars and clubs that play live music and see if I can get gigs for the next 6 weeks. My "gig manager" Amalia and I worked hard on press kits and I have everything almost set - just need the full professional demos from Texas already! :) Phase 3 begins now - the actual performing. God I can't wait! I love being on stage and singing - even if it is scary as hell at first.

We celebrated Mek & Mil's bday today. Was fun having everybody home! :) Nith's sick with the flu though :( The chocolate cake in the fridge keeps tempting me.....

Azure Kaze I love J-Pop! But I don't listen to it often at all - just when friends send me random mp3s that sound great :) have fun at the bbq!! Miyu-chan thanks babe *HUG* mmmm clive owen...... :D Kayla LOL! u're too funny :) *HUG* what're u upto this weekend? Lydz already called u my sarcastic fiend on IM ;) I can still egg-bomb his house ya know ;)

Way past midnight now - need to sleep. See ya'll tomorrow :D

- Nishi


Saturday, October 22, 2005
11:16 a.m.

morning everybody :) the spot where I had the surgery done hurts soooooo much. Even though I took tylenol. It was tough sleeping - hope it heals soon.

Here in NY, the rain's falling lightly, wind's blowing, and the lake looks all choppy - and I need to go out in this weather to run errands. Lots to do today.

My sisters are all coming home today because it's the twins' birthday weekend! :) Ok time to get ready and head out. Miyu-chan *HUG* thank you :) I love YOUR hot 'beefcake' layout :D Ya know, you should do more Clive Owen layouts - he's so gorgeous! Azure Kaze thank you! what're you upto this weekend? How was your Friday night?

- Nishi


Saturday, October 22, 2005
01:25 a.m.

Hi everybody :) Hope you like the new layout - I've been working on it for the past 6 hours! :D

I had a doctor's appointment today for minor surgery - took the day off to go to the appt in White Plains. The doctor was such a sweetheart and it hurt a little bit but overall it was great :D I'm pretty sore now and taking tylenol. Hopefully I'll be better by the end of the weekend.

Sorry for not writing in so long - was very busy. Spent a lot of the week rehearsing material to possibly perform this weekend - might get pushed to next week though. Have been spending a lot of time in Greenwich village lately - walking and exploring - I am very much a Greenwich Village girl I think - I would love to have a place on Bank Street or Perry Street. Yesterday after work Rachel and I went to a really nice coffee place somewhere in the village and had a huge croissant and hot chocolate. MMM :D It's nice when you only pay a few dollars and feel full ;) LOL!

I need to eat something and go to sleep now. Callie thank you sweetie! *HUG* I think Loreena McKennitt and Alison Krauss have the most beautiful singing voices ever. But it means a lot to know you like my voice :D Alex LOL! *HUG* There will be a form to purchase cds as soon as I get them from Texas and have them in my possession. Hopefully it'll be in the next 2 weeks? and a million thanks for your beautiful words - you have no idea how much I smiled reading your words :D Azure Kaze *big hugs* thank you so much :) I'm so glad both you and Alex loved Oblivion!!! I feel like I could've been so much better! It makes me feel wonderful to know that it's well received :D Hopefully, if I ever get a record deal, I can do an even better job. Kayla awwwwwww *big huggggsss* you're such a sweetheart! Thank you so much! Your words meant SO much to me - shoulda seen how much I was going 'awwwww'!! ;) Sarah thank you :) and about evolution not being fact - all scientists agree lifeforms evolve over time - the only 'theory' to it is how species evolve - the 'evolve' factor though has been shown to be a fact. I'd love to get into this more with you but not on my blog. We can email if you like? I like seeing other people's points of views and love intellectual debates :D LOL! You don't have to do this though! I might not stop once I get started and then you might regret telling me yes ;) LOL!!

Good night all :D

- Nishi


Sunday, October 16, 2005
11:12 p.m.

Samples of my songs are up! :) MP3 samples are available at: http://www.nishimusic.com/music.html



I've been working on encoding the mp3s and making the samples ALL NIGHT - I am exhausted. Time to sleep. Work tomorrow.

- Nishi


Sunday, October 16, 2005
05:50 p.m.

The USC TROJANS WON!!! Did you guys see that game last night against Notredame??? It was unbelievable! Back and forth - one scored and then the other. And the final play - ggawwdddddd - my heart stopped when I thought Notredame actually WON but the ball had gone out of bounds and the clock should've stopped but didn't and they had to clear the fields of the Notredame fans who ran out thinking they had won in order to put the clock back on and do another play and miracle of miracles - USC won! :D YAAAHHOOOOO! :D Ricky's invited me to go see the USC v. UCLA match in December! SO excited.

I didn't go to the Walk for a Cure cancer walk today :( Wonderful "Aunt Flow" came for a visit and I have awful cramps. Instead, spent the morning cleaning and running around doing things for the folks before I had to settle in and rest due to the cramps. Now we're waiting for some of my dad's friends who're in town to visit drop by. Folks ordered in food from the local indian restaurant/delivery. Wish I coulda walked in the Cancer Cure walk - definitely next year!

Interesting article in today's newspaper: an english teacher at a catholic school in connecticut was fired for refusing to display the flag in his catholic classroom. The teacher stated that he had deep-seated religious beliefs that were incompatible with displaying a flag. He said 'Christ speaks of compassion without boundaries. Flags are about separation, assertions of superiotity and aggression. The whole notion that loyalty to one's country is connected to one's religious faith is totally bizarre and unjustified,' he said.

I agree with him. His name is Stephen Kobasa. I believe strongly in the separation of church and state. If you're Christian in a private christian school, you shouldn't HAVE to display or do anything government-leaning (exceptions being those things the government LEGALLY requires all persons and institutions within the country to do). Many who believe in Christ feel allegiance to any one country or government is wrong and that allegiance belongs solely to God. For anyone in power, such as the school in this situation, to REQUIRE Christians to go against their beliefs by forcing them to display the flag - is wrong. It has NOTHING to do with patriotism - everything to do with freedom of religion. Government interferance in religion is wrong.

Now conversely, religious interferance in public institutions is wrong TOO. The whole 'teach creationism' and 'intelligent design' in schools is incredibly misguided. I believe in evolution - the facts speak strongly - every animal, including humans, evolved. However, if 'intelligent designers' want to teach alternative theories to the origin of human life, then other religious teachings should also be taught - such as Buddhist and Hindu texts on how life was created on earth. That likely won't happen which is why we keep religion in the church and out of schools and if you want it in schools, then ALL religious beliefs should be taught, NOT just christianity.

Now mind you, I *am* a Christian. I can see both sides - scientific arguments and religious. But in all FAIRNESS - 'intelligent design' is NOT science - it's a theory that religious people are pushing with NO PROOF under the guise of science. Do I believe the universe had an intelligent creator? Yes. I believe in God. But that's ME! I am NOT everyone else NOR would I require everyone else to be taught this belief. Why? Because it's (1) a belief being propogated by Christianity and similar monotheistic religions and (2) it's not *science* - just a faithful belief. Furthermore, once you're taught intelligent design in schools - then what? What's going to be the basis of teaching people about who this 'intelligent creator' is? The Bible? The Koran? Buddha? It'll be Christians of course. In essence, Christianity - not intelligent design - is going to be taught IN SCHOOLS. This is wrong. Why? Because School is NOT CHURCH! Those who are born christians or who want to study the christian faith should go to christian schools or to church to learn about God as Christians see God. You go to school to learn how the rest of the world sees God and the world itself. You learn science. You learn that all things on earth evolved over time. Including humans. But Christians don't want people being taught humans evolved because they believe it contradicts the word of the Bible. I'm not going to get into this here, but keep religion in church and in religious schools NOT in public schools. If I were a student of any other religious faith, i would HATE being force-taught christian beliefs in school.

It really disturbs me when narrow-mindedness due to patriotic or religious beliefs makes people want to force their thinking upon others. The way that private catholic connecticut school teacher was fired for his beliefs was wrong. And the way christian zealots are pressuring public schools to teach a christian belief is also wrong. Separation of church and state. It must be upheld.

Almost 6pm and I need to get a move on my night. So windy outside.....was a beautiful breezy and sunny autumn sunday.

- Nishi


Saturday, October 15, 2005
10:21 p.m.

Pretear - Opening Song Lyrics
The boundless future stretches across the skies
and I am reborn anew
I'll make the snow of happiness fall
all over the world

Destiny is there to be grasped
so stretch out your hands
There is no tomorrow
which has already been decided

Even if you say nothing
I know that our meeting that day
was no coincidence
I sensed eternity in your distance gaze

The light of the setting sun is beautiful
if the cold wind glimmers
I can hear your voice drifitng gently

Knowing that I'm not alone in my heart
warms it so much that it hurts
It all begins from the point of believing
These feelings are proof of being alive

the endless future and the expanding skies
allow me to be reborn anew
I'll make the snow of happiness fall
all over the world
holding hands with you

I *love* this song SO much - it's in japanese in the opening of all the Pretear episodes. I think I want to use it in a new layout with Pretear as the focus......it's such a beautiful story too. I wanna build a Hayate & Himeno shrine :D hehehehe

- Nishi


Saturday, October 15, 2005
05:42 p.m.

I just got back my my 4 mile run - well more like a 4 mile walk/run cause I haven't run in MONTHS and therefore couldn't do the full 4 miles running. But aahhh I feel good.

So last night I was watching FRIENDS right? And it was the Powerball Lottery episode ride? Ya know, where they all go to connecticut cause the powerball lottery's up to 300 Million? Well, today I open up my Saturday newspaper and VOILA - there in BIG letters - CONNECTICUT POWERBALL $290 Million! I'm like - THIS IS A SIGN! Or the people who aired FRIENDS last night on WB11 were subtly telling fans to buy lottery tickets - hmm...anyway - I called up 2 of my sisters who live in CT and asked them to get me and our other sister a ticket each. It tooks ome convincing, but my sis Mekha agreed and I told her if I won I'd give her a 25% cut ;) LOL! But if THEY win, I get 10% cut for telling them all to do it :D Ain't family great? ;)

I just got finished paying my bills...I'm seriously in the red....I need to make money FAST. I have to repay loans and some personal things....I think I better auction off some of my anime goods - probably the cels would be best to auction off. Anybody interested in buying anime cels? Sailor Moon cels? Check out my cel collection nishi.rubberslug.com and make an offer on cels that interest you. Serious offers only and must be able to make payment within 7 days.

Ok I gotta go do ab exercises, push ups, dips and shower and wash the dishes for my mom. See ya'll later *HUGS*

P.S. the USC v. Notredame game is tonight!



GO TROJANS!!!

My Ricky is a USC alum :)

- Nishi


Thursday, October 13, 2005
07:54 p.m.

This Sunday at Central Park is the American Cancer Society's - Walk For a Cure - a 5K (5 mile) walk to fundraise for breast cancer. I'm going to sign up although I don't know if I can get anyone to donate on such short notice. I'll see who's interested at work tomorrow and call up my friends tonight and tomorrow too. If you're interested in participating in 'walk for a cure' go to cancer.org and click on the button/link in the middle-right of the page that says 'making strides' and follow the instructions there to sign up. :) Even if you can only give $1, every little bit helps.

Have court tomorrow, watching FRIENDS now. Need to do vocals tonight and research places to perform. Mucho busy! See ya'll later :D *HUGS* to Azure Kaze I never watch any dubs - only japanese for me :D, and LADY *big hugs* your rainy day sounds totally relaxing :D

- Nishi


Wednesday, October 12, 2005
11:20 p.m.

What I most want at this time is to find the strength and will power to see myself through and achieve what I want. To see clearly, wisely, with understanding....all sides. My greatest fear is that in pursuing a music career, I open pandora's box - so many negative aspects: the pressure, the problems, the attention on bad things, on petty things....but at the same time, if putting my songs to music, singing them and exciting/moving the world with them is what I want - and it IS, it really is, then I have to expect and accept the bad with the good. I'm scared. Scared of failure. Scared of the problems that might come with success. But DAMMIT, I'm not some child, not some young girl in her teens, I'm a grown woman, smart, competent and I know what I'm getting into. I have the strength I need. I just need to overcome my fears and do this. Just do it. The one thing I can't stand though, and won't give into, is conforming to others expectations of me. Already everybody has an opinion of what I should do and how. I know who I am and what's important to me, what makes me happy, and going after that is much more important than what other people think I should do. In the end, it's my life and my happiness. God will help me to make the right decisions.

I need to perform. Soon. Perhaps this weekend. Maybe next. I need to get back to kickboxing too. Need to sort out my finances somehow too. I'm in a predicament like never before. Too much going on but I gotta sort it out and find the right way....I can do this. I will do this.

NOBODY COMMENT ON THIS ENTRY with any advice. I'll only delete it & ban you if you do. I don't need your advice - I know what the hell I'm talking about and am way smarter than you anyway.

- Nishi


Wednesday, October 12, 2005
06:36 p.m.

I love my job! i LOVE my job! :D Our company let all its employees - including our law firm - out today at 4pm and not JUST today - but tomorrow and Friday TOO at 4pm because of the horrible rain causing flooding on the rails and delays. How cool is my job? :) I got home at 5ish and showered, gave myself a pedicure, watched FRIENDS, am going to have dinner and paint my nails now.

Sawaahhh LOL! :D I wish u, me, Lydz and Lisa could all meet up at the same TIME! :) We should do a chat one day! Lisa never called me by the way! ;) Jade nice seein ya! :) How've u been! Hope all is well on your end chica! SereneDiamond *HUG* of courseeeee! Call meeeee :D Lady :) *HUGS* thank u! How was YOUR weekend? What'd u do? Azure Kaze LOL! Well it was about more than that but I'll talk to you about it another time. :) I'll give Ricky ur thanks :D

I'm out to enjoy my night - see ya'll tomorrow :D

- Nishi


Wednesday, October 12, 2005
09:13 a.m.

yeesh it's raining cats and dogs outside. My pants are soaked! wish we didn't have work today. Before I left home today, I looked longingly at my bed. REAALLLLYYY wished I could stay home on a rainy day like this and watch anime and read manga all day :D heheheeh :) There's an Amnesty Int'l meeting tonight about the International Human RIghts Day on December 10th. Only thing is, it's at 6:45 p.m.! I'll get home so late and I don't want to be home late on a miserable rainy day like this. Agh - hope the day goes by fast and I'll figure out my plans later. Hope ya'll have a great day!

- Nishi


Tuesday, October 11, 2005
07:57 p.m.

some weird ass person called my parent's home today asking for me - about my website and phone number - I'm like huh? what's this about? My dad thinks the loser is some guy affiliated with porno! Fucking disgusting pervs. They musta got my number from the domain registry directory or something. I did a random search on google now of this pitas domain and the word "porn" and my journal apparently comes up on porn search engines!I need to delete this pitas journal soon and set up shop at adreamidream.com

Anywayz, awesome AWESOME weekend :) Came home Monday night to my parents who filled me in on their stay at the Bahamas :) they brought me back a gorgeous beach towel :) Long day at work - spent the evening browsing shops with my friend Rachel. SO COLD now...brrr....i'm watching FRIENDS now and going to have dinner and tidy my room. Hope you're all having an awesome night :) See u tomorrow :)

- Nishi


Sunday, October 9, 2005
08:30 a.m.

good morning everyone :) sorry for not having written since Tuesday night - mucho busy! Happy memories from this weekend: Greenwich Village, Giggeinheim, c-town, pizza, thai iced tea and cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery. I have good news - a friend of mine from work - gave my demo to this guy from MUSIC CHOICE! That's the company who does like 50 channels of music where each channel has a different kind of music and they play all sorts of different things. I couldn't believe it! :D Hopefully, something good will come from all of this.

The 2nd set of proofs for my cd came and AGAIN, the cd cover art SUCKED :( I won't be able to have the image I selected with these printers so I submitted a new art. Hopefully this will be better and I can get the cds printed and OUT ASAP! ALEX *HUGS* Once the cds are in my possession, I can put up sample mp3s and lyrics and finally put them up for sale! They'll be $5.99 each + shipping.

Kayla I LOVED your piece on soliders: heroes or disgraces! I agree - they are heroes but I feel strongly that illegal and wrongful acts committed by soldiers in war in the name of freedom should still be prosecuted and punished - defense for the love of our country is amazing and should be done so with the utmost of standards. Beautiful job! :D LIIISSSSAAAAAAAA it's the weekend and I still didn't get a CALLLL :D Azure Kaze hahahah did you see the msg right after yours from "vgr"? That's my boyfriend who wrote "simple, I buy her things and she stays with me." ;) VGR is his initials backwards. Before I answer, let me say there's no "right one" exactly. There are hundreds of men out there who could be the "right one" for you - you just haven't met them or gotten the opportunity to fall for them. You have to determine if someone is the right one FOR YOU by figuring out what it is you like in a guy - are you attracted, what are his qualities you admire - is he smart, athletic, have similar interests to you. When you find someone who makes you feel good, whom you feel happy to be around, attracted to, and whose personality and interests and intellect etc fit you to a T then you'll know you've found someone who is right for you. After that, it's all about making the relationship work and being good partners together. And, like my ricky said - it doesn't hurt that he buys me things ;) LOLLLLL! Marcia *HUGS* how're you? what's new on your end?

- Nishi


Tuesday, October 4, 2005
11:56 p.m.

I had the BEST time tonight! I went to The Indie Night School's "class/seminar" tonight with these great speakers from MTV and Vice Records and Music for America - was about organizing benefits. I met the guy from Vice Records who was a cutie :) He gave me great advice about getting out there and performing - got his email and hopefully he'll come out to see me perform one night :) Also met a cool and very funny entertainment attorney! I actually gave him a copy of my demo!!! I felt sooooo shy and like 'i shouldn't do this' about it - it's so hard to put yourself out there and ask if someone wants to listen to your demo - hard for me anyway. But this is what musicians have got to do and I have to at least try right? Stayed afterwards and listened to The Blackspoons - an AWESOME indie band!!! They were totally rock and my head and feet couldn't stop moving to their music! So good!! Definitely looking forward to the October 26th session - those of you who're musically inclined and want to hear speakers influential in radio speak - go to the blackspoons.com :)

I have to get up at 5:30 to take my folks to the airport tomorrow - they're going to the Bahamas for 5 days! Wish I could go with them! :D Hopefully I'm not too late into work. Good night all! Lisaaaa call meeeeeeeeeeeee :D

- Nishi


Sunday, October 2, 2005
09:01 p.m.

new anime I love :) Pretear :) Just finished watching 1st 4 eps. All about Himeno as this Pretear who 'prets' (joins) with each of the Leafe Knights to battle demons and there's tons of romance and shoujo fun :) I like!!!! :D Also spent the day watching SUPER GALS and now watching Desperate Housewives! :D ohhhh WHY does it have to be the end of the weekend anyway?

Last night was nice - went to relatives upstate for special prayer meeting for my grandfather - the achen led a HUGEEEELY long prayer with tons of qurbana prayers and I was like "oh my godddddddd is he ever gonna finishhhhhhhh?" - seriously. ;) I love our church and traditions and prayers and songs but aggghhhhhh it's soooo longgggggggggg.

Lisa cool beans :) I'll wait for your call :D *HUGS* Lydz I KNOW right? She disappears off the face of the earth and reappears just like that. Miyu-chan well if I ever get that rich - let's go to space together ok? ;) LOL! :D

I'm out folks. Night :)

- Nishi


Saturday, October 1, 2005
06:53 a.m.


Early this morning in Kazakhstan, millionaire U.S. scientist Gregory Olsen as a tourist joined a U.S. & Russia crew for a 2-day trip to the international space station. Olsen paid $20-MILLION for his seat ;) Ahhh...to be that rich! :D One day I want to do that! You can read about the spaceship launch here! (Click the 'here' link ;))

Even though I went to bed after 11, I woke up early - sometime around 5:30 perhaps - and couldn't fall back asleep. Dammit. There went my plans to sleep late till 10! But I got up and opened the blinds and it's such a beautiful morning. The sun's JUST rising low over the horizon, the sky's a mix of pale blue and yellow, and everything is lush green with the trees - there's no wind so everything's very still.....so pretty.

October 1st, October 1st! I can't believe how much of this year has passed. I know I've lived every day and every month but somehow, it feels like 2005 is going by so quickly....I spent so much of this year working on my cd.....working at work and in court.......in 3 months 2005 will be over and I feel like time is running out too fast.....my goal is to have a record deal with an amazing record company by the end of November.....how am I going to do this? By the end of November, I have to also give my folks an answer as to whether Ricky and I will get married and neither of us are ready at this time - definitely not Ricky but I'm hoping, REALLLLLLLY hoping that I'll have a music career to work on by then so that worries about marriage won't be at the forefront anymore. GOD HELP ME! I have to make this happen. This is the thing I want more than anything in the world right now - music success! I have to make it happen. It's too dear to my heart. I gotta do whatever it takes - call as many entertainment attorneys, managers, labels, perform as many venues as possible - whatever it takes to get my voice and songs out there and make this happen. If you want something bad enough - you find a way to make it happen.

7 a.m. now - I need to work on my finances, need to go to the bank and the watch-shop to get my mom's watch fixed, and need to clean the bathroom. Need to jog 4 miles today and exercise like the dickens - I haven't exercised in forEVER. Need to do vocal exercises and rehearse some songs.

Tonight, I go with my mom to relatives upstate for a special prayer they're having for my grandfather who died in 2003 - it's his memorial prayer.

Extremely disturbing news in last Sunday's 'The Journal News' newspaper: Defense documents show the U.S. Navy secretly contracted 33 planed to fly terror suspects to countries *known* to practice torture. Turns out contracted U.S. aviation companies flew men captured in Europe to Egypt in 2001 and 2002 where, the men told their families, they were tortured. Italy and Sweden expressed outrage saying the flights were illegal.

Illegal? No shit. Toture? What the F$#!?

I'm glad I volunteer with Amnesty International - this kind of stuff should NOT be happening under our government and through our military and navy. It just isn't right.

Anywayz, I can't do anything about it except make people aware it's going on. The more people who know, the more we can effect change so such practices aren't tolerated and better human standards are lived upto.

Ok I'm out to start my day. Hope you all have a GREAT Saturday :D

- Nishi


Friday, September 30, 2005
10:46 p.m.

Woke up early to a beautiful sunrise. It's nice at this time of the year when you can get up at only 6:30 or 7:00 and still witness an amazing sunrise.....the whole sky was lit with pretty light colors....wore my faux suede long brown skirt and a white top from Guess and braved the chilly morning to go to work. I felt full of energy having slept so much and feeling TONS better - braved the cold again to go out with a co-worker and get a Soy White Mocha from Starbucks, and spent a nice Friday catching up with my friend Rachel who works with me in my department and our boss John. After work, Rach and I hit McDonalds so I could grab a hamburger and got home tonight in time to catch WHAT I LIKE ABOUT YOU and the fantastic show TWINS on WB11...also saw the premiere of HOPE & FAITH - was good but I wound up getting bored half an hour in and started puttering around online. Just finished reading this week's US Weekly and am getting sleepy and waiting for Ricky to call. Tomorrow, I gotta help mum run errands, clean the bathroom, possibly mop and sweep the floors, gotta work on my finances, and somewhere in there do vocals for at least 2 hours and work on nishimusic.com more. Got CHOBITS 2, Petite Princess Yucie 1 and Pretear 1 on cd today - gotta watch this weekend when I get time. MMMMMMMMMMM thank goodness it's the weekend :D Gotta brush my teeth - had a yummy dinner of upa mav with bananas and then ice cream for dessert :)

Marcia LOL!! *spreads cold north wind out to where Marcia and Callie are* :) it's supposed to be in the mid to upper 70's and near 80 this weekend here so not much cold wind now.....I love it in the mid to upper 70's and low 80's :) I like it warm :D GEO aww thank you so much! I got your sweet email today! Will be responding tomorrow or Sunday (give me a chance :)) Lydz did you manage to watch anything? :D *HUGS* Azure Kaze LOL! AMEN! :)

Good night all.

- Nishi


Thursday, September 29, 2005
04:03 p.m.

i woke up this morning feeling sick still and called in to work to tell I wouldn't be coming in. I slept most of the day today. Mummy made delicious thosha and sambar for breakfast, we read the paper and had chai tea and rusk (toast-like bread you buy special in an indian store) and I slept for 4 hours. Just woke up a while ago and went to a doctor's appointment. I'm feeling better now. I think the rest and sleep did a world of good for me! Doctor's offices are so busy - luckily my doctor saw me right away. Anywayz, I'm sleepy still and want to nap some more. The day was SO windy and pretty - rained for a bit - the window panes got drenched but it looked fantastic. And now the sun is back out and it's warm - near 70. Feels and smells like a perfect autumn afternoon. I'm going to have some dinner and take a small nap.

Did you guys see the news? John Roberts got sworn in as Chief Justice. HOW THE HELL did a NEWLY picked Judge get confirmed as Chief Justice??? This is a LIFETIME position! He's the youngest chief justice in two centuries and he gets sworn in as CHIEF JUSTICE just hours after the U.S. Senate confirmed him as Bush's first nominee to the Supreme Court???!!!!???!! Ridiculous Bush administration. I swear to God if this guy starts limiting abortion rights I'll join whatever movement to get rid of him.

Ugh! Well in good news, the O.C.'s on tonigt - as is a LIVE premiere of Will & Grace! Alias is premiering tonight too! Why are so many good shows on Thursday at the same time?

LISAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA OH MY GOD!!! Where have you BEEN!!??? You are terrible in keeping in touch! I thought *I* was bad but u take the cake my dear! WAAIII! I am SOOOOO glad to see you! Dropping you an email as we speak. CALL ME! Callie thank you sweetie :) the weathe rhere is a bit cool and windy but it's no longer the hot heat wave we had most of the summer. Sorry to hear you're still in the 100s! But at least the rest of the year is perfect weather after that right? :) Lauren thank you!! I'll be getting Chobits Disk 2 soon in the mail :) Lydz :P I am NOT always sick! :P~~~~ Azure-Kaze-chan thank you! I do feel better now :) Kayla now that I read your message and reference to ice cream I want ice cream now too :D LOL! I hope your back gets better!

- Nishi


Wednesday, September 28, 2005
02:39 p.m.

guess where I am? Home. Yup. After I came back from court, I went back to the office and got permission to go home. I have a fever, my throat has a lump the size of Texas, and I feel achy and awful all over. My mom is making me tea right now. I just changed into a comfy red long sleeve top and pyjama pants - I'm going to drink tea and get into bed and sleep for a few hours. It feels so good to be home when you're sick. I can't believe I was in court and at work just a few hours ago.

- Nishi


Tuesday, September 27, 2005
08:31 p.m.

hey now, HEY now ;) i'm definitely NOT computer unsavvy! Just adobe photoshop-unsavvy! :)

Having kuppa and fish curry right now - am SOOOOO sick with a stuffy nose it's driving me crazy.

Had a looonggg day at court - didn't get out till 12:30. Normally, court lasts till 11:45/12:00 latest. Usually go to lunch afterwards and head back to the office after that. Had a stupid Judge in Civil Kings today who denied our office's motion for summary judgment - we'll appeal it. Tomorrow in Supreme - LOTS of motions - hope I'm not there too late.

My parents and I were watching the 'Biggest Loser' on NBC just now - it's so sweet and sad when the contestants call home and get so emotional.

As for me now...my mouth is burning from the eriveh (spicy-hot) fish curry so I'm gonna have some dessert (Edy's ice cream!) and watch some anime - I think SUPER GALS :D

Lydia waaiii you're the best *HUG* Miyu-chan I'm pretty sure I tried codes including the one in the text file cause I remember IMing you about - but I'll try again! *HUG* Kayla well I'm proud of you! Take care while you're sick and I see you hurt your back too! *big hugs* My back is still acting achey and painful from the sprain on Labor Day weekend. Were you trying to flip your mattress? I swear it's SOO hard to do alone!! Good luck for Drama Club!

- Nishi


Monday, September 26, 2005
08:28 p.m.

The cd company's 2nd set of cd image proofs came today - the images are better but the front cover and insert images still look dark and blotchy so I opened up the images my friend Lydia had worked so hard on and touched them up a bit. Hopefully, this time when the proofs come back they'll be perfect!

I seriously wish I could get photoshop for free and practice with it day and night - I'm SO behind the times because I still using paintshoppro-4.0 - the graphics and layouts I can design are restricted. Miyu-chan was awesome and sent me her photoshop but it didn't work without a code. Ugh! You're only as good as the tools you can design with!

Having dinner now - because I was editing the images I missed SURFACE and KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL and HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER. Anybody watch these shows tonight? What happened? Darnitall. I missed Twins and What I Like About You on Friday night because of work on nishimusic.com too ;) LOL! At least I'm dedicated! :)

Had a really nice day with a friend from work today after court. Hope tomorrow is nice too :) Azure Kaze awesome job! :) 100 degrees? Yikes! Ryan thank you!! I'll definitely check those 2 stores out! :D Caro-chan *HUGS* ur the best :D I'll send u a copy of the cd silly! :) Send me your mailing address :) Iana I knowwww - I wish he hadn't killed - the story could've been so much better! Stephanie *HUGS* thank you :) Do let me know if u're ever in L.A.! :) Darlene FFAdvent Children was great - very beautiful :) how's ur cold doing? I still have a very stuffy nose and my throat's still a tiny bit sore.

Good night everyone.

- Nishi


Sunday, September 25, 2005
09:57 a.m.

it's beginning to feel a lot like Fall. Grey, overcast day today. The wind is blowing through the leaves....looks so peaceful - I want go jogging but I still have this blasted cold (stuffy nose and a lil sore throat). The trees are still lush and green, the grass is green and the lake outside is still and shimmering. I really wanna go outside and just...like...."commune" with nature or something! LOL! :D Woke up at 9 today and I've been puttering online for the past hour. Found this wonderful site: Morgaine's Tapestry Tales - Original Fairy Tales and I got lost reading the stories. That woman soooo needs to be published! Such fun stories!

Here're 2 stories I liked called Crystal, the Unicorn of the Castle and one called Priscilla the Princess who did not smile by Morgaine O'Faery -(c) Morgaine O'Faery 2000 - All Rights Reserved.

Crystal the Unicorn of the Castle

In the faraway Land of Magic and Make-Believe, not far from the Fairy Town of Let's Pretend, perched high on a hill, stands a beautiful castle. Fierce and friendly dragons serve as a welcoming committee for those who come to the castle to learn how to make True Magic.

Crystal, the Unicorn of the Castle, grew up in the Land Where Magic Begins. When she was very young, Crystal went to the Tree of Learning each day to hear the tales of True Magic whispered by the leaves of the tree.

She learned about the Magic of Nature and Growing Things. She learned about the Magic of Mountains and Rivers and the Magic of Deserts and Sunshine. She learned about the Magic of the Moon and the Stars. Crystal learned about the Magic of Rose Buds and Rainbows. She learned about the Magic of Dancing and Painting.

Crystal also learned how to use her imagination to make True Magic for herself, and sometimes she shared this magic with others who came to study beneath the Tree of Learning.

Crystal knew that the true magic of words and ideas that she discovered as she turned the leaves that were the pages of the books that she found beneath the Tree of Learning would be an important part of her own special True Magic. When it was time for Crystal to choose her Own True Magic, she chose the MAGIC OF TEACHING OTHERS to make the Only True Magic There Is: THE MAGIC WE MAKE FOR OURSELVES!

Crystal now lives in the CASTLE OF KNOWLEDGE, where she uses her own special magic to teach others to make TRUE MAGIC for themselves.

The Princess Who Did Not Smile

Princess Priscilla lived in Courtesy Castle in the Land of Chvalry with her parents, King Courtley and Queen Ettiketta, who loved their daughter very much. Her parents were very proud of her,too, but sometimes they wondered why their daughter did not smile, and she did not laugh.

Priscilla was very proud of her position as Princess of the Land of Chivalry, and she took her duties very seriously indeed. Because of this, Priscilla was very careful to set a good example for others. Priscilla always seemed to know exactly when to curtsey to the Lords and Ladies of the court,and she always remembered to say "please," and "thank you." Priscilla played politely with the other children who lived in the castle, and they seemed to enjoy playing with her. But Priscilla did not smile, and she did not laugh.

King Courtley and Queen Etiketta soon became very worried about Priscilla because she did not smile and she did not laugh. The Court Jester tried his best to make Priscilla smile. The other children tried their best to make Priscilla smile. She did not laugh at the Court Magician's rabbit when it jumped out of his hat and sat on his head. She did not laugh when the Court Juggler dropped some of his brightly colored balls and they bounced right at her feet. The corners of Priscilla's mouth twitched a little when the frog stuck his tongue out at her, and croaked "Kiss me my Sweet!" But she did not smile, and she did not laugh.

By this time, King Courtley and Queen Ettiketta were so worried because their daughter did not smile, and did not laugh, that they offered a large reward to anyone who could make Priscilla smile. They offered an even larger reward to anyone who could make Priscilla laugh. People came from all over the Land of Chivalry. They told Priscilla funny stories. They sang funny songs to her. They told her so many jokes that her ears hurt! She curtseyed and thanked each of them politely for coming. And once or twice the corners of her mouth twitched a little, as if she wanted to smile, but did not know how. But she did not smile, and she did not laugh.

Finally, one day, King Courtley and Queen Ettiketta sent the Royal Messenger to Crystal, the Unicorn of the Castle of Knowledge to ask for her help in teaching the Princess to smile, and perhaps to laugh. The next day the Royal Messenger returned with a beautiful mirror with a lovely smile etched on it. With the mirror, the Unicorn sent instructions for its use. Priscilla thanked the Royal Messenger politely. But she did not smile, and she did not laugh.

On the very next day, Priscilla read the instructions that the Unicorn had sent. She picked up the mirror, and the corners of her mouth began to twitch. She looked into the mirror and she smiled a smile that exactly matched the smile etched on the mirror. Then a wonderful thing happened. Priscilla laughed out loud!

The Unicorn of the Castle of Knowledge saw it all through the magic mirror and smiled her unicorn smile. She knew that with her help, Priscilla had discovered how to use a special kind of True Magic. Priscilla had learned how to use her own Sense of Humor, which is a very good kind of True Magic to use.

Well I hoped you enjoyed those stories. Go to that website to read more :)

I'm going to go read the morning newspepr and comics section and have breakfast and watch FINAL FANTASY ADVENT CHILDREN and some more Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon :D It's my weeekkeennndddd :D

- Nishi


Sunday, September 25, 2005
12:07 a.m.

up late this Saturday night - spent the night watching 'Phantom of the Opera' with 2 of my sisters. Saw it a long time ago on Broadway and I love the music to that musical SOOO much. I read the book too and always wished that Christine had stayed with the Phantom - I think he is the most tragic of fictional characters - I LOVEEEE the Phantom! I'd totally stay with him!

Watched CHOBITS and I LOVEEEEEEE it! :D So funny and cute! Also saw Azumanga Daioh but I had to shut it off - at first it looked so promising and cute but I got REALLLY annoyed easily with the Osaka girl and the loud-mouth noisy girl. The series just became really annoying so I couldn't sit through it. Plus the episode where ALL they're doing is battling Osaka's hiccups made me go 'what the hell am I doing wasting time watching an anime dealing with hiccups???'

Going to watch Pretear and Petite Princess Yucie and Chobits Vol 2 next. There's also some great new anime on TV TOKYO in Japan like MY HIME (or MAI HIME) and KYO KARA MAOH and UTA-KATA and "Selfish Fairy Mirumo de Pon! Wonderful" that I want to see. A friend of mine downloaded all of Pretty Cure for me on cd and I need to find time to watch that too! :D

After the last entry below, I called my friend Rachel and we talked for a long time and she instantly made me feel better and echoed all my sentiments in my post. She's an awesome friend :)

I can't stop SNEEZING. My nose is so stuffed now! Can't believe how cold it was today - hate cold weather! I'm back in a long sleeve shirt tonight. Ok time to call Ricky and go to sleep. Night all :)

- Nishi


Saturday, September 24, 2005
12:54 p.m.

didn't think I would update with a new entry in 2 hours but I had to write. I'm a little sad and down now. I got my first rejection. Probably the first of many. One of my friends who's my 'gig manager' met with a high profile entertainment attorney yesterday and submitted my demo and although the guy liked one of the songs a lot, it wasn't 'outstanding' material to him. She explained it to me, and I'm glad he actually listened. And I *knew*, *knew* that nothing would come of the meeting - I had a feeling that this guy wouldn't be the one to begin my music career - but I foolishly expected/hoped for something more. And now I'm mad at myself for feeling down. I *know* there will be TON of rejections. Many famous artists and bands were rejected a million times before someone took a chance on them. I look at it this way - I LOVE to sing.....I love to write songs - I KNOW my songs are gems, diamonds in the rough, and all I need is someone to believe in ME and my music. When that someone comes along, I KNOW I'll make it. So I'll keep praying, and hoping.....but I can't help feeling....really awful :( I think I'll go have a good cry and then pick myself up again. What doesn't break you only makes you stronger right? Well, by the end of this, I'm gonna be one helluva strong girl :D

- Nishi

P.S. My sisters came home as a surprise just now - I'm glad - having them around will make me feel better.


Saturday, September 24, 2005
10:51 a.m.

happy saturday morning everyone :) It's a beautiful autumn day here :) Sunny and in the mid-60's. Amazing how just last Saturday it was like 82 at this time ;)

I've somehow managed to come down with a small cold (feel a little sore throat, feel a lil hot in the face, and nose is a bit stuffy). My friend got me the new FINAL FANTASY ADVENT CHILDREN movie which I'm going to watch tonight.

I just woke up so I'm going to change and have breakfast and read the newspaper outside on the deck I think :) I'm thankful we're having such nice weather here - especially when I was just reading the horrors of Hurricane Rita - it's crashing into the Gulf Coast. Beaumont, TX is suffering damages now and most of Louisiana and Texas doesn't have electricity! My prayers are with those out there. I hope this havoc stops today!

Anywayz, I hope you all have a great Saturday! Kayla LOL! I think the entire music industry is quivering in fear over the smelly stripey socks ;) hahaha *HUGS* how're u? what've u been upto this week and this weekend? Kendall wow! u have no idea how happy that makes me! UsagiandMamoru.com is like half my life! :) I love that site SO much :) Miyu-chan LOL! but then I'd have to pay the car payments and gas!! Too expensive ;) Marcia and Azure Kaze you two are too sweet and kind *BIG HUGS* thanks guys :) how're you both? what's new on your end? Azure Kaze - I bought PGSM through ebay - why don't you check to see if you can buy it too? I don't have a DVD burner :( Stephy you definitely need to see PGSM :) A princess rini purse? aww that's so cute :) Reena you BET it's been a while! Where've u been? what's up and how're you?? Lady *BIG HUGS* thank you!!! I'm still working hard on it! I'm going to have to delay the sending out of your mooncake because I had court every day this past week and I didn't get to go to buy any mooncake :( But I still have your address and hopefully I can get to it next weekend!! :D Natsumi hi there :) thank you very much! Where're you from - USA, Japan, or somewhere else? Nice to meet you! :) Diana honey your FY page is nice BUT...you took images from my LAYOUTS....that's not allowed. You're only supposed to take images from the actual image galleries. You need to remove the images that I MADE and used as graphic art for my page layouts. But otherwise very nice page! Keep working hard. And you should get paintshop pro or photoshop and learn to design your own graphics with images. :) It's fun and easy once you get the hang of it :) Lady Senorita thank you! :) Nice to meet you :D Where're u from?

Ok I'm out. See ya'll later :)

- Nishi

it's actually thursday now ;)
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
midnight

omg! omg!!! Have I been behind on manga news or what!? Sugar Rune is being released by DelRey Manga!! You can read about Sugar Rune here! :) It's a manga I was reading about in Nakayoshi for the longest time!

Plus, Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne is coming out in October, and I lloooooovvvveeeee Seimaden and I think this new series Cipher looks cool :)

Ok....now I have news........for those of you interested in following my music career, I created a new list http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nishimusic which will have all the news about NishiMusic.com, my cd and my performance schedule - it's for me to post to only and is not a discussion list. I did, however, create an open discussion list at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nishi so we can all talk to each other :) For those interested, you can join those lists and we can start talking! :D

I've been up this late now working on my Bio for my press kit. Took forever but I'm DONE :) You can view the bio at http://www.nishimusic.com/biography.pdf - NishiMusic.com IS up and working but it's a work in progress and I'm changing a TON of stuff up already and hopefully it'll be done this coming weekend :)

Ok I have to go to bed cause it's now 12:30 a.m.! See ya'll tomorrow :)

- Nishi


Tuesday, September 20, 2005
10:10 p.m.

hi folks :) thanks for all your messages! *BIG HUGS* watched up to ep 35 of PGSM tonight - the series is getting SOOOOOOOOOO good! :D had thosha with chutney tonight (was yummy) and I have court tomorrow. Verrryyyyy tired and I hurt my back again this morning lifting files so going straight to bed now. Will write more tomorrow and respond to msgs then.

- Nishi

P.S. Check out the AMAZING art by this girl on her art page http://heise.deviantart.com/ - it's some of the most beautiful art I've seen in ages!


Saturday, September 17, 2005
10:21 a.m.

Lady I got ur address :) *HUGS* I'll pick up some mooncakes in chinatown tomorrow and mail em out to you next week or next Saturday (they stay fresh for a very long time).

Was reading the morning newspaper today and saw an article in the business section about how 4Frontiers.com and MarsHome.org are seeking investors to fund an eventual settlement on Mars! They want to also create a Mars-like tourist attraction here on Earth! This made me think about an architectural thing I saw on the discovery channel a couple weeks ago in L.A. with Ricky - about how architects in Tokyo are coming up with 'tower-cities' for people to live in - they're these huge collosal buildings able to house a million people and will be actual cities with transportation - you'd never have to leave the tower because schools, work, parks, etc would all be there built in. That scares me actually. To have your entire life lived in ONE building-city? To never have to venture out of that space? I guess it's good if ever Earth's atmosphere made going outside bad...but I live to get out in nature - to go to the beach....feel the ocean...climb mountains.....real Earth......

Today, I'm joining my folks to go to an Onam Festival. I haven't gone to one since I was a little girl (like 5 or 6?) I looked it up right now and this is what I learned:

Onam is one of the greatest festivals of Kerala. It is the festival, which the keralites celebrates unitedly without the differecnce of caste and religion.

Onam is related with King Mahabali who was ruling kerala in a time. He was an Asura king but was very nice and trueful. During his ruling time it is said that people don't even lock their house in the night because , there was no thieves,no corruption,no betrayal. And all people lived unitedly, without the difference of rich and poor. All where facing a good time. Like wise the king was so good that he will give anything to anyone. At that time the Hindu lord Mahavishnu decided to test King Mahabali. He came to earth as vamana a poor dwarf, and went straight to King Mahabali. He told the King that he has nothing and he want three feet of land to live. The king hearing this laughed and told Vamana to take three feet of land from where ever he wishes. Suddenly Vamana began to grow and he covered the whole earth by one foot and covered the sky with other foot. And asked Mahabali where is the space for the third foot. By seeing all these, the king understood that Vamana is not an ordinary person, and Vamana has come to test him so the king without hesitating showed his head to keep the third foot. Vamana kept his third foot on the King's head and the King was pushed down under the earth (pathala). The king after going to Pathala asked Vamana his true identity, Suddenly Vamana vanished and Lord Mahavishnu stood before Mahabali. Mahabali was overjoyed by seeing this. The lord told Mahabali that he wanted to test Mahabali and he has won in that. The lord also asked Mahabali to ask any boon for himself. Mahabali told the lord that, he loved his people very much so he wanted permission to visit Kerala once in a year. And the lord gave permission for that. It is that day ie. the day Mahabali visits kerala is celebrated as Onam.

Onam is a celebration of Ten days. It comes in the month of "Chingam" according to Malayalam calender. People put flower mats in front of their houses, to welcome the King. There will be competition for the laying of flower mats; Keralites all over the world will be celebrating this ten days with pomp and gaiety. They will wear new dresses, will be visiting almost all temples which they can, they will be performing lot of dances like Thiruvathira kali Thumbi Tullal etc. and the most important thing is the grant lunch they will be having on the Thiuruvonam day.

I'm looking forward to this :) and of course tomorrow is the Moon Festival in Chinatown and also the Feast of San Genero in Little Italy! Little Italy is decked out with rides and fun stuff - can't wait to go there tomorrow :D

Fun weekend ahead!

Sarah Beth *HUG* i hope so too!! How're u babe? how's Pat? Stephy thank you sweetie :) I have a ton more that I never got time to put up pictures of. Good luck in your own search :) Callie LOL! Of course! I love Reese Witherspoon! :) Kayla LOLLLLL!!! You're sooo funny! *HUGS* We'll both send smelly stipey socks ;)

Ok I'm going to go shower and pick out an outfit for today. See ya'll later tonight or tomorrow :D Oh don't forget - the EMMY'S ARE TOMORROW NIGHT!!!!! :D

- Nishi


Thursday, September 15, 2005
08:12 p.m.

did vocals again tonight......my voice feels well tuned :D drinking tea now to soothe.......have been reading up on record companies and submitting my demo to them....now I'm going to sit down with a huge song-writer's book and music industry book I got a year ago and read up some more.

p. prs. mtg. m., ups. colmb.

Lady if you send me your mailing address, I'll pick up some mooncakes for you next time I'm in chinatown and ship them to you :D *HUGS*

- Nishi


Wednesday, September 14, 2005
08:45 p.m.

whew - I did an hour of vocals and singing.....picked out a song by Avril Lavigne that I love to be one of the songs I cover during my performances...tired now - gonna relax with PGSM and SPIRAL :D

I had the best news from my friend Amalia who's going to be my gig manager - she LOVED my cd :D She said it was incredible and that I have such a unique voice and that it's very marketable! I was SO HAPPY! YAAAAAAAAAAY :D

Azure Kaze i only found eps 1-13 to download and when I couldn't find the rest I bought the dvds from japan. I don't have a dvd burner so can't burn or upload them :( But if I found out anywhere to download I'll let you know!!

Had court today and have it again tomorrow - gotta prepare.....on Sunday I'm meeting up with a bunch of friends for Dim Sum in chinatown and to celebrate the Harvest Moon/Autumn Moon Festival :D They're having parades, lion dances, free moon cakes and other fun stuff in chinatown all day Sunday :) Looking forward to that :)

If you don't know, I explained it a long time ago on this blog, but the Moon Festival is based on the legend of the Moon Goddess. The legend goes like this - there was a man who was a great general in china, skilled and talented and after working on architecture of some sort for the Imperial Highness, she gave him a pill which contained the elixer for immortality. The General took it home and hid it away and went off on his duties, but while away, his wife, the Lady O-Chang found it and swallowed it and was instantly sent to the moon. The General saw her soaring above and tried to rescue her but a divine typhoon stopped him and she was swept away to the moon. The general had to have the earth, and his wife, the moon. (Other legends say she swallowed the pill to escape her husband, but the one I read said the legend goes she accidentally found it and gives no reason to believe she was trying to leave him.)

Another version and explanation of the festival goes like this: Children are told the story of the moon fairy living in a crystal palace, who comes out to dance on the moon's shadowed surface. The legend surrounding the "lady living in the moon" dates back to ancient times, to a day when ten suns appeared at once in the sky. The Emperor ordered a famous archer to shoot down the nine extra suns. Once the task was accomplished, Goddess of Western Heaven rewarded the archer with a pill that would make him immortal. However, his wife found the pill, took it, and was banished to the moon as a result. Legend says that her beauty is greatest on the day of the Moon festival.

I love mooncakes!! You can see a picture of a mooncake here and you can read more of the legends and how it ties in with mooncakes! :)

Alright guys I'm out. Hope you're all having a great night :) I responded to everyone's msgs in the entry below :)

- Nishi

strange horoscopes...
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
08:08 p.m.

for aquarius....Somehow -- and you're not exactly sure when this happened -- you ended taking a detour on your career path, and now you're stuck with a flat on a side road. Never fear, however, because this time is about to come to an end, with a little work from you -- and your lucky stars. It's not an entirely straightforward time; while you're chafing at your current position, it's also a little scary to be forced out of the nest. You've got the wing power to fly higher, though, so go for it. You will need to be strict with yourself if you want to make any progress right now. It will be all too tempting to distract yourself with the latest gossip or intrigues, so buckle down.

I'm taking it seriously! My friend at work who is going to be my 'gig manager' to set up places for me to perform told me seriously to do vocals every night/every other night for 2-3 hours. I am very serious about this so I'm going to. Drinking some tea now and going to stretch my vocals when I'm done....

Tabitha *HUG* thank you tabs :) and welcome back from texas! how was the wedding? when're we going to get together again? I got ur txt msg on my cell :) lady thank you too my friend :) *HUG* I wish u'd bring ur blog back! :) Azure Kaze LOL! :) I'm glad u understand me :) Miyu-chan waaiiii! I'm so happy to hear that!!! *rushes to miyu-chan's blog* :D Lydia I'll take u everywhere in L.A. if and when u do go! :D I should be living out there by then :)

I'm gonna do my vocal warm ups now. See ya'll later :)

- Nishi


Sunday, September 11, 2005
09:59 p.m.

oh i wish it wasn't the end of the weekend. I've been working on NishiMusic.com with one of my friends now for the past 3-4 hours. Had a ton of problems with the html coding on the music page. Thank you Nat for all your help and opinions :D

Spent the morning cleaning my room and the bathroom, then had breakfast and read the Sunday paper, went to the bank and to the supermarket to pick up cereal and soymilk, and came back home and watched PGSM :) I'm up to episode 30! :D Then I studied Japanese, hung out with my folks - (papa kept bringing up marriage and I huffed off) and worked on my site. It's been a full day. 10pm...time to call my ricky and head to sleep.....I feel like I rush through the work week/work days just to get home and live my other life - a life where I focus only on my music and on anime and manga LOL! :D Don't get me wrong - it's important to me to be an attorney but how can I be happy being an attorney who does personal injury litigation all the time? My passion is human rights law and even there - a life focused solely on that would drive me nuts - I HAVE to be able to sing, write, perform.....I have to be able to create and do creative things or I'd be a very depressed Nishi. Life is all about balance.

Oh please God....if you can hear me....I am begging you with all my heart.....let my cd fall into the right hands who will listen and see the potential....and please let this happen before the end of November? And please, let it lead me to success beyond my wildest dreams. Please. Amen.

Everyone who left me msgs, I responded in the entry below from last night. To Lydia and Caroline *HUGS* Lydz it'd be SO awesome if you moved out there :D Caro-chan, I'll be back in L.A. possibly Columbus Weekend? Not sure...but next time I'm out there I'll leave u a message! :) We definitely will meet up.

Good night all.

- Nishi


Saturday, September 10, 2005
08:26 p.m.

you guys are the best! *BIG HUGS* to Susan, Azure Kaze, Kayla, Lorie and Music Lover too ;) Seeing your messages really cheered me up :D I shipped the cds out today along with sample photos I printed here at home - and hopefully, the next time I get my cds they will be BEAUTIFUL :D

So I felt pretty down this morning and I decided watching Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (the real-life version) would cheer me up and it did!! A while back I got the Japanese DVDs off Ebay and got the entire series - I watched eps 15-25 all day and I felt better right away! SOOOOOOOO much better in fact that I spent the past 2-3 hours designing NishiMusic.com :D Shoudl be up and working tomorrow. The layouts are done as is the index page - still need to finish my biography and put up samples of the music and a 'where to buy'. Gotta figure that all out tomorrow. Tonight I think I'll watch more PGSM or maybe that Spiral: Deduction Connection I like so much :)

Lydz seriously? ur moving out to Cali too? L.A.? Why? Callie yup I did hear :) I love Sheryl Crow :) Jade *big hugs* thank you so much :D Stephy awww thank you :) *HUGS* :) Where are you from? Memory I took notes as I went along and then made outlines. How's it coming? Jade-chan how's the schedule now with the job change? More time to relax? :) I'll check out your myspace link later tonight :) Aishah I'll update the link tomorrow :)

I'm out folks. See ya'll tomorrow :D

- Nishi