Vicodin-induced stream of consciousness

I should be working on a reaction paper to an article I'm reading about BRAC for my Gender and Development Planning class, but I'm choosing to dawdle in my drug-induced state instead. Here are some random items.

1. I am in pain. Today its a bit better, but I spent the better part of my weekend hobbling about like a pirate who'd misplaced his wooden leg extension. Thank goodness for pharmaceutical opiates...

2. My performance thing on Thursday went really well! I ended up singing "Lord Won't You Buy Me a Mercedes Benz" and then surprised everyone by busting out my guitar and playing a 3-chord song that I wrote. It was a ballad about urniary tract infections. It was a hit.

3. I saw these kids who literally looked like they were 9 years old smoking cigarettes outside of Jonas Clark Hall. I was so shocked that I had to restrain myself from yanking the butts out of their mouths and giving them a serious "jhari" (Bangla for tongue-lashing).

4. Manisha came and visited me Friday night with her friend T.J., a super cool Bengali guy from Calcutta who is a post-Doc at Yale. He's a very non-stereotypical Indian prof (at UPenn), with long hair and a totally laid back style. He's amazing...he grew up around Sonargachi (Calcutta's red light district, featured in the controversial documentary "Born into Brothels") and has devoted his life's work to empowerment/community-based approaches to fighting HIV/AIDS. Our interests are very similar and I am definitely planning on staying connected. Plus, he think's I'm "absolutely hilarious." A man with vision indeed.

5. I need a vacation. I am going home to GR on Wednesday for "Thanksgiving". We SHOULD be thanking the indigenous people of North America for sacrificing their entire way of life for some stinky Pilgrims. Living in the land of Plymouth rock has made me irreparably bitter concerning this holiday. Except for the tofu stuffing...keep it comin'...

OK, I'm off.

gobble-gobble

TKP