Archive for October, 2007


A tiring weekend

Filed under: My bandwagon by Prajwol — 4 Comments
October 29, 2007

Friday right after work I headed to Thibodaux Louisiana, I have a friend there who previously was in Lafayette. Two other guys also drove with me. My normal weekdays start from 6:30 AM because I have work from 7:30 to 4:00, by the time I reached Thibodeux it was already 8:00 PM. I don’t care what other people say, but I’m adamant that I’m old now. I don’t like partying late night and I can’t consume same amount of booze that I used to. By the time I tucked myself to bed it was already 2:00 AM.

I had taken an Air Bed with me (I bought that, because the advertisement lured me to greed of having a 5 in 1 sofa bed). I woke up 7 in the morning to find that my bed is out of air and I’m almost on the floor (another sign that I’m old: no matter how late I go to bed, I wake up early). With few loafs of bread in my tummy we then drove to New Orleans from there at 11 AM. My friend in Thibodaux and other two Nepali students from Nicholls State University followed us in another car. In New Orleans, I met three more Nepali ( one was fellow Nepali Blogger ).


We spent most of the day watching College Football (American), and also cooked our self a big post Dashain Lunch/Dinner. I finally had more than sample of Lamb meat. Then around 7 PM we decided to go to famous Bourbon Street of New Orleans. On my way I found that my blinker (side light) was not working, that sucks now because I had absolutely no idea how to fix it. Only thing I know about car is how to drive and refuel the tank. I remember, last time I had to call one of my colleagues to come and help me fix my flat tire. It was getting late but luckily I found an Auto Parts store. I explained my problem and the sales representative said it might be one of different problems like: fuse, bulb or the circuit. He said fuse was his best guess and handed me the fuse. Now that’s another quandary, how the hell I replace the fuse when I don’t know where that is. He helped me locate the fuse, but the old fuse just won’t come out. I used all my might, but pulled out the whole frame that holds the fuse. Well that’s it I thought, I will have to cancel my trip to Bourbon Street, because it’s impossible to city drive without the blinkers as you need to muscle your way with constant changing of lanes. I thought I will stay with those Nepalese guy’s in New Orleans and will have my blinkers fixed next thing in the morning. As I sat in driver’s seat to return I gave the blinkers a last try, it worked. Perhaps there was some loose connection that was fixed when I pulled out the frame and put it back. Off we went to Bourbon Street.

Everyone knows what Mardi Gras in New Orleans is like, but Halloween isn’t far away either. It was Halloween weekend and there were people with crazy wardrobes. I was crossed with myself for not bringing my camera, I haven’t got used to carrying around my bigger camera. SLR might take better pictures, but they won’t fit into your pocket. After wandering around in Bourbon and few drinks, we headed back to Lafayette. By the time I reached my home it was 2 AM in the morning.

Today I woke up at 11:00 AM; I hadn’t slept this late in a while, perhaps I wasn’t tired enough to sleep for that long before. A week of work awaits me but I can’t wait for the weekend again, however this weekend I won’t be going anywhere. I will be more than happy just laying down in my recliner and watch LSU Vs Alabama, and Colts Vs Patriots game.

Geaux LSU !!

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दशैं र Wai Wai

Filed under: Ramblings on life by Prajwol — 12 Comments
October 22, 2007

सानो छंदा दशैं धेरै कारणले मन पर्थो, जस्तै कि : धेरै लामो विदा, चङ्गा, मिठो परिकार, नया लुगा, दक्षिणा, भेटघाट, र अन्तिममा मात्र मान्यजनको आशिर्वाद र टिका |

नवमिको दिन एक जना नेपाली परिवारको घरमा खान बोलाएका थिए | Lafayette का १० – १२ जना नेपालीहरु त at least भेट हुन्छ भनेर दन्ग परी म पनि गएं | तर अप्रत्यासित रुपमा त्यहां त झन्दै ३५-४० जनाको जमघट भयो | खुब रमाइलो भयो, नाच गाना, हंसी मजाक, Scotch को साथ साथै खशीको मासुको sample पनि चाख्न पाइयो |

राति ढिलो सुतेकोले टिकाको दिन उठ्न सार्है गार्हो भयो, घरमा फोन पनि गर्नु पर्ने भएकोले पुरै इच्छा शक्ति जगाएर उठें | दशैं परेको हुनाले सबैले घरमा फोन गर्दा हुन्, मरिगए फोन लागेन | धन्न नेपालबाट अनलाइन आएकि प्रज्ञालाइ भेट भयो, अनि उसैले मेरो घरमा फोन गरिदे पछि घरबाट पनि अनलाइन आए | अनि त skype बाट मज्जाले गफ भयो |

हिजो रातिको अनिंद्रा, उछलकुद र dehydration ले गर्दा गाथमा पनि अलि आराम भएन | दिउंसो त fast food बाट खाजा खाइयो, अनि दशमीको दिन खालि निधार लिएर dinner Wai Wai पकाइयो | Wai Wai खाइ सके पछि मलाइ दशैंको के मन पर्छ भनेर फेरि सोच्न थालें : मान्यजनको आशिर्वाद र टिका, भेटघाट, मिठो परिकार, धेरै लामो विदा………………..

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Proud product of Nepal

Filed under: Randomization of randomness by Prajwol — 6 Comments
October 19, 2007

I grew up in city, concrete surrounding me everywhere, so I didn’t had much of vocational or practical training. I did all what a typical boy in city would do, go to school in weekdays and got to Tundhikhel or Narayan Chaur to play Cricket/Soccer during the weekends. The reason I brought up this issue is recently I made a fool of myself when using a knife.

Most Americans are competent in using various tools (they have tools for everything) in their daily life. Most know how to fix their own car, and majority of them love hunting. It’s all part of their culture. Last week at work I had to cut open a sturdy package, so I had to borrow knife from my colleague. When I asked does anyone have knife, everyone reached their pockets and took it out. I also got a glare from few with disbelief that I don’t own one. People here love carrying ‘multi tool in one’ kind of stuff, similar to Swiss knife. We Nepali, especially me, don’t have the culture of carrying something like that because we are so dependent on someone else to fix our utilities, unlike people here who even make their own houses (not the whole house, but something like putting new bathroom, remodeling the kitchen, adding a patio etc). If we do carry something like that it will be more for a showoff rather than use itself. I am wondering if there can be any use of it in Nepal; I will be carrying one with me to Nepal to see how helpful it can be in our daily life. Coming back to my office incident, I borrowed the biggest one and as I was about to cut the box, everyone gave a huge gasp, one of them hurried and open the box for me. It’s not that I am stupid not to know how to hold and cut with a knife, it’s just that I undermined the potential of that particular knife and ignored the safety basics. That’s where my lack of practical experience caught me off guard.


Couple of days later one of my officemate brought two knives for me and asked me to choose one. He thought I need to have one to get a hang of it, and it’s always nice for Biologist like me to carry one with me whenever I go to the field. I thanked him for his offer but didn’t take his knife; I promised him that I will get one for myself soon. I learnt that he is very enthusiastic about guns and knives; after all he is from Louisiana, a sportsman paradise. He has a huge collection of knives, and he even created few knives from the old steels that he found in the rubble. He was very excited to know that I am from Nepal, because he loved Khukuri. He had one replica of Khukuri that someone brought him from India. As he sat there talking about the design of the Khukuri which leads to more control, balance, effective point of impact, etc, I couldn’t feel prouder.

Although our country is underdeveloped and in political mess right now, I always thought there should be something good produced from Nepal, a country with relatively older history. Like Swiss have Chocolate and Watch, like Germans have BMW and Mercedes, we too have something. A something that is produced after generations of use and refining, something that is unique, something that has a glorious history, and something that has been scientifically proven for its effectiveness. Yes, our very own Khukuri.

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365 days of blogging

Filed under: Others by Prajwol — 15 Comments
October 14, 2007

Today my blog celebrates its maiden birthday. :P

I used to read other people but never thought of starting my own, thanks to my dull lifestyle in Lafayette I gave it a shot. I was grateful enough to get encouragements and suggestions from few of my friends to get me started. When I started, I had no idea what to write about. I knew blog is short of web log, just like online diary, but I wanted it to be more. So I really thought long and hard before posting for the very first time ( Read my very first post).

Now as I scan my very first post, I sense that I have digressed a lot, although I am still confident that sometime in future I will address all those objectives too. However I have fulfilled one of the objectives, I have been consistent in writing/updating my blog throughout the year (almost 6 post per month).

Besides improving my writing and analytical skills, blogging has helped me make new friends too. Not to forget, it also has helped me express better and be my companion whenever I require the most. I definitely know for sure what to do when I have time and something in my head. :D

Happy Blogging.

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Happy Bijaya Dashami

Filed under: Ramblings on life by Prajwol — 4 Comments
October 12, 2007

Last year I was in the field, middle of a swamp, when one of my relatives called me to wish “Happy Bijaya Dashami”. I was surprised that I didn’t even sense it coming, and then I made an immediate effort to call home. I forgot about Dashain not because I am not into my religion, but with the type of surrounding that I am in I could not even sense it coming. There are absolutely no temples in Lafayette and negligible Nepalese community. Since I moved to Lafayette, I have been to temple four times: two times in San Antonio, one time each in New York and St. Louis. This time I will make sure that I at least call my family and friends.

While I was in graduate school, we celebrated Dashain by worshipping our car (using Coconut instead of animal sacrifice), going to the temple, and having a pot lock in someone’s place, and of course playing card games. Senior Dai’s and Didi’s also used to give us tika. It was not comparable to how Dashian was in Nepal, but at least we did something. But here in Lafayette, I guess best I could do is call family and friends. It will be my fourth Dashain without family. :(

But those of you who have the luxury of being together with family and friends, I wish you a very Happy Bijaya Dashami. And I would also like to wish those who won’t be fortunate enough to be around your loved ones, remember you are not the only one.

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Geese’s day out

Filed under: Let the picture speak by Prajwol — 15 Comments
October 4, 2007

Recently I got my new camera, so I took my new baby out to see what’s its capable of. I went out to a local park hoping to click anything and everything that interests me. Guess what I found out, a lot of Geese and Ducks.

10/04/2007

Today I have edited my post from yesterday. I didn’t like the idea of putting a slideshow of Geese’s pictures as a post. I felt, constant changing of pictures in the middle of the page was very distracting. Instead I have added html badge from flickr in the left center of my blog window. I have added few more pictures since yesterday, and I hope I can keep populating my flickr account in future.

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