We be bloggin'..we be bloggin'..bloggin' away..bloggin away..bloggin' away now..

Today I'd like to write about...EXPRESSIONS!  I don't know about you but I've noticed some rather hilarious expressions people have when they are standing in front of their own reflection.

Earlier in the week, I was at my University's local coffee shop..it's a cute little place, just walking distance from Science building AKA my second home practically nowadays..anyways this cute little place..justly named "Just Below" has a reflection window on a far end..so here I was waiting in line for my coffee and on the far end, near that reflection window is, there was a line for people wanting their bagels.  Practically every single person waiting in that line, boys and girls included, would check out their appearance on that window...lol i'll admit it...even I have done that before...however,  today I noticed that people had a quick go-to expression for a split second while checking themselves out on that window.  It must be hilarious for the person on the other side, since that reflection window is actually an Office on the other end. Not many people know that ;)

One my good friend has this surprised look every time she looks into a mirror, lifted eyebrows and all, and the funny part is that its such a subconscious effort!  I call her out on it every time I notice it..and yet she still does it..lol  One of my other friend has this weird smile that doesn't resemble her natural smile at all..also an instinctive, subconscious effort on her part..I havent figured that out...whats the point of having an expression that you would never use? o.O

And coincidently, I tuned into History channel this morning and caught the tail-end of a documentary on primate evolutions and guess what they where talking about?..EXPRESSIONS!  they said that over the years primates became very sensitive to facial expressions and that may have triggered the evolution of the face to transmit those expressions and in-turn the brain may have evolved to decode those signals.  Interesting point...I wonder what those split second expressions in-front of the mirror represent...

Prototypical chimpanzee facial expressions and homologous facial movements in a human (Ekman et al., 2002).

Have a great weekend,

This is Mira, signing out!

=)

Hello earthlings!

It all started on a sunny day fifteen years ago, on October 31^st 1997, when five pre-teen girls starring : the event planner of the group, the bookworm, the athlete, the tree hugger just an overall hippie, and the noob who had just moved from LA (aka Me), left home ready for school skipped their last class and took a bus to their local AMC theatres (now a safeway..go figure) and saw Titanic, starring Leonard DiCaprio.  

And so it began...not the skipping class bit though I will admit that wasn't the only time ditching school but just hanging out together...exploring the world from beyond the comfort of our school.  Since then, every year a few of us routinely celebrate our adventure by getting together for a mini-party at a friends place. Though initially the purpose of this merriment event was to celebrate a wonderful movie in which we all bawled our eyes out (did Jack really have to die?!) however now it has progress to a joyful celebration to reminisce that eventful day that strengthen our friendship (and of course Leonardo DiCaprio).  We get together at a convenient time for everybody for mini-party and catch-up, an annual reunion of a sort.  Its amazing to look back and see how our activities have changed over the years...from sleepovers, board games to dinner parties and now a bookclub!  Yupe we are starting a book club!  im excited..we've always updated each other in one way or another on what we are reading but never officially started one. But here we go..we're giving this a shot. 

The first book suggested by the event planner of the group, is "Fifty shades of Grey" by E.L James.  I initially agreed to it but after reading some reviews and the prelude..eehh im not quite sure I want to read this book.  Its not the genre I usually read...i like the fantasy/sci-fi genre..the harry potter types of books..so this is definitely the complete opposite of my preference in books..but I'll give it a shot I guess, and if I cant read it then I suppose I'll just share why I couldn't do it.  

In other news...the olympics started! Go USA!  you know if there was a gold medal given to a country with most goodlooking athletes...i think USA would be a strong contender ;) dont you think...Ryan Lochte need I say more? 

Fact or Fiction?..case in point: C.S. Lewis

Under the banner of fantasy and science fiction genre, authors are given a window to express what they feel without any constraints regarding the world around us...don't you think?  case in point, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, for example, which is an alarmingly psychic satire on where we may be headed..a futuristic totalitarian society. 

Another such example is the allegorical Animal Farm by George Orwell’s, which was inspired by his strong cynicism with the Soviet Communism; among many such literary “fiction” is the work of C.S. Lewis...the man obviously needs no introduction but just in case you've time travelled from the 19th century..he is probably one of the most influential writer of the 20th century.  Annnd no..im not going to talk about the Chronicles of Narnia..no offense narnians but instead I want to discuss the Screwtape Letters.  

Which is essentially, a clever satire on anyone driven away from his or her motive with temptations.  When I first picked up  the Screwtape letters, the cleverness of it astonished me...i definitely underestameted C. S. Lewis.  In the book, C.S. Lewis states "The world into which I had to project myself while I spoke through Screwtape was all dust, grit, thirst and itch...It almost smothered me before I was done. It would have smothered my readers if I had prolonged it".   And I have no reason to doubt it; the tenacity of reading this book without any personal attachment was a task I found impossible to undertake.  One cause could be because C.S Lewis had written this work to appeal to the readers’ emotions, hence making it very difficult to read without getting emotionally involved. At first glance it may seem he is aiming to appeal to his readers’ religious endeavors, but I believe it also had a universal appeal to anyone who has a set of reason in their lives, and a more distinct appeal to those that lack reason in their lives.

            In the Screwtape Letters, C.S Lewis covers a range of growing human concerns such as politics, religion and education all in the cover of fantasy. He brilliantly steps inside our minds and describes every mental battle we’ve experience in our spiritual journey and tactically disguised it as the deliberate work of the devil.  C.S. Lewis conveys an innovative outlook to the human conscience while offering the idea that it is driven by an unwavering direction steered by the manipulation of good and evil.   As our world progresses, I see a parallel growth between world advances and human concerns.  As divorces and dropout rates go up, issues C.S. Lewis embarks upon in The Screwtape Letters becomes less of a fantastical work and more as a moral guidance.  I know C.S Lewis has his share of critics but in my opinion the Screwtape Letters is the kind of novel that only ages better as our world advances.

See the world you live in..

My most favorite thing to do in the world?  Travel.  I love to travel.  To see the world and experiencing new cultures.  To see the results of human creativity across the world influenced by their own unique cultural perspective.  Personally, I feel people don't travel enough.  In my opinion, everybody should make traveling a priority in their lives.  I know it can be expensive, but traveling doesn't have to be spontaneous (though mine mostly are ;) )  however, nothing is impossible if you plan.

Why should you take my advice? well before the age of twelve, I had been to dozens of Safaris, travelled to at least four Continents and relocated halfway across the world.  Baaam!..but seriously the joys of travel and the early exposure to diverse cultures have greatly influenced my background and my personality.  My family loves to travel, whether its a last minute plan to go on a drive and explore the city we live in or a drive by the beautiful hills in our neighborhood or a planned family vacation to a foreign land.  Since I was a little girl I've been accustomed to traveling.  These travels introduced to me an early exposure to a wide range of diverse cultures.  People's ways of life other than my own,  human creativity at its best.  Whether its to experience life in the outskirts of Africa, where people have made a beautiful organic living without electricity for centuries amidst the breath-taking views of the african savanna or to experience the bustling city of Paris, France aka "La Ville-Lumière", city of lights, in which you can  experience a beautiful fusion of the old parisian life with the flourishing 21st century.

My latest travel was a lovely mother-daughter vacation to the beautiful Kerala, known to locals as "Gods own country." At first, my mom and I were a bit vary since only the two of us could fit long term traveling into our schedule, so we debated between traveling or staying in and going somewhere local for a weekend retreat with most of the family.  We were doubtful to travel abroad especially since we never really had a vacation with just the two of us.  Usually we either travel as a family or at least with most of our family, this was the first time just two members out of our family of six were traveling to a foreign land.  And let me tell you its the best thing we could have done.  Once we came to our conclusion of going, we got in touch with Crossways Travel & Tours Inc., if you are thinking of travel to a foreign place through an agency, then I recommend them with flying colors.  They planned a vacation packet fit for queens for us.  Honestly, they catered to our every need..from day one they had assigned a private car and driver ready to take us where ever we chose..completely dependent on our flexibility, which is helpful because my mother and I are very spontaneous people.  They planned a traveling itinerary including everything we had asked them we wanted out our trip to south india to even more event and places that went above and beyond our expectations.  They simply blew our minds, We couldn't have asked for a better itinerary or agency.  

But enough talking, lets share PICTURES!! since pictures speak a thousand words right? lol o.O

I have gazillion pictures from our trip so let me just share some highlights from our mind-blowing trip..

We first landed in New Delhi..this was the beautiful hotel we stayed at...they booked with the best SERVICE and food ever! I wish we had taken a picture of the shower..it was like a full body massage lol loved it!  

 Enjoyed some fresh coconut juice by a street vendor..

 Saw the beautiful Qutb minar...breathtaking views and mind blowing history...

This was the main reason we wanted to land in delhi first...to see the beautiful delhi akshardham :)

Then our tour of south india began...here some of the awesome hotels we stayed at..no complaints best service ever...spas, pools, diverse menus, friendly customer services ..you name it..


Say hello to the hotel in cohin...great location, right in the city..near all the best restaurants, shopping malls, and best natural harbors..

Moving on to the beautiful, breath-taking munar..

 This was the view from our hotel room...the place was simply heaven...green hills, low population with all facilities, wonderful weather...just pure heaven

From my previous post...you know I love tea..so ofcourse we went tea tasting! 

Destination numbero tres..Thekkedy!  again a wonderful stay!

we enjoyed a spice plantation tour while riding a..you guessed it an ELEPHANT! my first elephant ride ever! mind blown!  this is the view from the top of the elephant :) his name was shintu!

 Mommy and I on Shintu the elephant!

here are a few out the bazillion gazillion pictures I took...enjoy! 

Got to see my very first world famous south indian cultural show...

Yupe we stayed on an houseboat!..thats our houseboat..so relaxing...

private boat ride..

Divine sunset view...

I wish I could share all my pictures...maybe i'll keep updating this post over time..and in time maybe i'll feel like I've capture the essence of our trip...but in short..we had a great time, met great people, and overall it just added to our love of traveling..next time we are planning to go to south america! Rio de Janeiro, Brazil here we come! =D

Frankenstein’s Mary

This morning I stumbled across a good documentary on the science channel, "Prophets of Science Fiction", and that is the inspiration behind today's post tailored around my all time favorite science fiction book, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.  I love the book, not only because of its brilliant story, but also because of its strong interconnection to the author's own personal life and experiences.  So today in my blog I wish to share with you not the story of Frankenstein, but rather the Mary Shelley in Frankenstein.

But first, what qualifies a book as well written? In my opinion, a good book is one that engages me in to the story.  A book that takes me on a journey and soon I forget that I’m reading or where I’m reading.  A book in which the author manages to draw their readers into their stories and establish a form of connection and authenticity with their characters.  A great example of such a book is Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.  One of the most common misconception about Mary Shelley's Frankenstein however, is that people generally refer to "the monster" as Frankenstein, when in reality the monster was never given a name by Victor Frankenstein, monster's creator.  This was primarily done so that Dr. Frankenstein would never be emotionally attached to the result and consequences of his curiosity of creation, the creature, but thats for a different post.  Today I'm discussing Mary Shelley :)

In her novel, Shelley uses her life experience and knowledge to create Frankenstein’s personality and environment.      


Though never formally educated, Mary Shelley was constantly surrounded by literature figures because of her father’s profession as a political philosopher. When Mary Shelley was very young, hiding behind a sofa, she heard Coleridge recite the famous "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" which would later be referenced many times in Frankenstein.  This moment in time bares a significant resemblance to how the Creature, Frankenstien's monster, educated himself by hiding in the cottage shed while listening to the cottagers. Mary Shelley’s desire to acquire knowledge and the powerful passion for research and study is evident throughout the novel, and is established with the help of three narrators: Victor Frankenstein, Walden, and the monster. Frankenstein and Walden's quest for new knowledge of the unknown and the monster's search for knowledge of his origins parallel Mary Shelley's lifelong scholarly pursuit and her interest in her own biological origins.


Through Victor Frankenstein, the readers get a glimpse into Mary Shelley’s own personal views on knowledge "You seek for knowledge and wisdom as I once did; and I ardently hope the gratification of your wishes may not be a serpent to sting you, as mine has been"(Shelley, 15).  Mary Shelley believed that not all knowledge was "good" knowledge and there were some areas that were beyond human understanding and should not be fiddled with. This is evident in Victor Frankenstein's desire to explore the mystery of creation.  


There are many similarities between Shelley and Frankenstein’s monster.   Besides the obvious parallel of being shunned by the society, the quest for knowledge to learn of ones’ origin is something the two share in common.  As the monster discovered the horror of his own creation, similarly Mary, thru her father’s very public Memoirs, was subjected to the horrors of her own birth and was able to perceive the primal scene of her creation.  In this instance as well, yet again we’re given proof of how the author has used her life experiences as a guide to write a great work of literature.


I believe successful authors can weave a beautiful web with their words and can express themselves with the power of words.  In this sense the written word becomes a power medium of communication.  Mary Shelley’s story tells a deeper story.  One that is revealed through a deeper interpretation of a story that she has written.  Oftentimes, when a reader is able to see past the web weaved by the author, a new story is revealed, one that may or may not be as glossy as the written word.  In retrospect, I believe knowing that this novel was written based on true events and experience, added to the written story.  New emotions were felt, a new connection was made with the leading character, and the readers are given a rare opportunity to glimpse into what made up the character of Mary Shelly.  In fact this discovery only further proves the power of written words.

If not already done so, I hope now you can revisit the book with a different perspective.  I hope that you read the book first and not see the movie, but if you must see the movie first then I recommend the 1994 version directed by Kenneth Branagh, staring Robert De Niro as the Creature.

 

Yummy yummy in my tummy!

My dad's spicy ginger chai latte yummm! I would fly down from Antartica to drink my dad's chai! he balances out just the right amount of ginger with cream, tea leaves and spices, its pure delicious heaven.  Nothing beats waking up to the aroma of my dad's delicious chai.  Aaaannndd to top it off...it healthy! it provides a burst of nutrients for the digestive and respiratory system. For details check this out: http://www.livestrong.com/article/251801-what-are-the-benefits-of-drinking-chai-tea/

I've tried to replicate it but I've never managed to get it just right.  Either too much ginger or less cream..something is always off.  I'm sure that has nothing to do with the fact that I cant cook to save my life. 

Accctttually I take that back..I can cook.  Just not a wide variety of dishes but you know I cook.  Like for example, I make a fine fried rice. Its the only thing I've tried to cook and I did it.  So its not that I cant cook..its more like I haven't really tried. The reason why I havent really tried? well I never have the patience for it and besides my family is full of genius cooks and someone needs to be the taster, being the youngest and accident prone especially in the kitchen..that role is occupied by yours truly..but I've watched my siblings and my parents, I've picked up a few tricks from everybody so I'm sure cooking is a piece of cake..heh get it? piece of cake? o.O

"Support Bacteria, its the only culture some people have"

I love microbiology.  Its a broad diverse mysteriously fascinating subject.  What is the fundamental core of microbiology? well microorganisms, such as bacteria! These guys have a bad rep..they are primarily known for all the infections and diseases..which is fair but they also need to be recognized for there vital role in the sustenance of our very own ecosystem and existence.  Bacteria are the oldest living microorganisms on earth, these single celled organisms have learned to thrived and adapt to our changing climate.  Their goal in life is to quantify, and in that process they have established fascinating interactions with their environment, and other organisms, such as ourselves: Humans.

Generally, the human race is a very proud race.  We claim to be the smartest, the best evolution has to offer right? but who really is responsible for our smarts..lets dig into science a bit.  In general, there are about 10x more bacterial cells than human cells on our bodies...which in terms of DNA, our genetic code for existence, well to quote Bonnie Bassler "you have 100x more bacterial genes playing a role in you or on you all your life." So that make us about 10% human and about 90% bacterial.  Mind=blown...these bacteria that thrive on us should not be taken for granted.  They are the caretakers of our very existence.  They protect us, help us digest our food, supply us with nutrition,  constantly upgrading and educating our immune system, warding off pathogenic microbes..all in a days work while maintaining an intricate balance to keep us healthy.  So the real workers behind our smarts, I would argue are bacteria...if we didnt have them...well we simply wouldn't exist. 

I could go on forever so in conclusion..I'll leave you with this picture: 

Have a great day from your friendly neighborhood microbiologists ;)

-Mira

I solemnly swear that I am up to no good..

You know that place in your head, where you've locked away all the embarrassing things that you have done which you would never want to admit to...yupe that box that's stashed amidst other boxes in your frontal lobe, probably all the way in the back..well my brain has decided to open it..so this morning I find myself randomly laughing out loud to the most random of memories that I am quite certain I had decided to never revisit again.  Let me tell you..my brain would write a great comedy.

In the process of recollecting these random memories, I realize my mind has an endless capacity for useless information like for example, dueling is legal in Paraguay..did you know that? however, only if both parties are registered blood donor.  I dont duel..I dont watch dueling..the only dueling match I've ever seen is from one of my all time favorite movies, The Princess Bride, which didnt take place in paraguay.. so here's to random memories, and useless information, they certainly add to my brains personality..

Speaking of brains and zombies...you guys should check out the new zynga game, Zombie Swipeout...but be warned the game is totally addicting..play only if you have time to spare..

Thanks for reading..till next time..Mira's is signing out :)

My very first thoughts..

Here we go: im starting a blog =) Im so curious to see what I'll be exploring.  I don't intend to have a set theme or topic to discuss.  I'll just write and knowing me probably about the most random things that pop into this fascinating structure that rests on my shoulders...my mind.

First random thought: "..."

You'll come to find, I use "..." allot.  Its a curious thing.  I don't quite like to use it but I do, and once I do I'm reluctant to delete it.  So maybe this blogging business will get rid of that weird habit of mine. In the mean time, what i've started lately is to start reducing the number of dots I do..instead of 3 im starting to just insert 2 (..) and boy will it create major confusion when I drop to just 1.

well thats it for today...things to do, people to see... thanks for reading! :)
-Mira