ankg

Movin' On Up...

Was about to go get my daily sandwich from Jimmy John's- I asked Rishi if he was ready to go, and he needed 5 more minutes...so I kicked back in my chair for 5, and decided to check the 2 new emails that just came into my inbox...one was a response from one of the analysts on my team...which I figured I'd wait until after lunch to read - the other just said...

"Congratulations!"

That's all the subject line said - so I scrolled down with one eyebrow raised and saw the forwarded note from Brad Whitehead elaborating on the congrats - an announcement that I got promoted...but that was not all - it also included my new salary, compensation package, performance rating, and what not...we weren't supposed to see this until the end of the month...

Quite out of the blue, actually...now, I had heard through the grapevine it was coming (even though I didn't think it would...but I've learned to never count my chickens before they hatch...I had even not thought about it much since the rumor was told to me a month ago...I admit I was wondering why my bosses were giving me all the extra work and responsibility lately...I thought it was just because they were not wanting to do any work of their own...;)...now I know why....

So when the official word came out - the first thing I did was call Nanima and Mom (Dad was in Toronto) to tell them the news...they responded out with gushing "I'm proud of yous' and stuff like that...(ick!..it's kind of like your mom kissing you in front of your friends when you were 12...:) )....next thing I did was check to see if Rishi was ready to go for lunch...

I didn't tell anyone except for Irene, friend from the DC office...other than that, it was just another day...

I didn't feel different - didn't feel excited...the best way to describe it was...just kind of an..."it's about time"...even though I stopped worrying about raises and promotions months and months ago - Of course, I got rid of my old Career Counselor (who was pretty much worthless), and who never did anything for me....and within 2 months - my work gets noticed...pretty interesting, methinks...(I'll raise my other brow)...surprised I got this far with him being my sole "advocate" in the firm...Rest in pieces, bitch....

More introspectively, I think I've stopped expecting anything of anyone these days...not because I've become cynical, but just because I realized that one of the steps needed to achieve semi-inner peace is not to worry about anything outside of one's control - focus on whatever it is one can do, and let the steps take its course...otherwise, one can go mad worrying about the tritest of things...

perhaps, I'm just..."Keeping it Real"...:)...'cause I'm Ank G, beyatch!!" (speaking of trite...;) )

...Back to work....

Right Now as of August 22, 2004

Last thing I did: Reheated Chicken Tikka Masala and leftoever Chicken Satay from my Birthday Party last week

Current Multitask: Eating "lupper", cleaning up my kitchen, brokering a deal to get my brother's acoustic project "Grits and Curry" another gig up here in Chicago (and was successful)

Funny event that recently happened: I went to get my hair cut at "Curl Up and Dye" and was waiting for Ameila to finish up her previous appointment...When all of a sudden 10-12 employees came out with a vanilla frosted cake to wish a co-worker happy birthday...about 5 guys, 7 girls (ish)....so I'm smiling and continuing to read my magazine....now, pretty much every guy there is effeminate enough to put most women to shame....so there was this one guy stylist who looked like Holly Johnson (ex-frontman of Frankie Goes to Hollywood) whose back was turned to me as he cut the cake for everyone...stereotypical male hairstylist look-acid washed tight jeans and muscle shirt....so then he's handing out pieces of cake, and after serves everyone, turns around to me and asks "Babe, would you like a piece?"...I looked up from my magazine and saw his saucer-like eyes inquisitively asking the question....my eyes also saw the vanilla frosting on his lip and chin that made him look like he had just got lost in Amsterdam...I had to keep from bursting at the spectacle - my juvenile sense of humor always amuses me, while my adult diplomacy and learned tact save me from embarassing/awkward situations....

Latest DJ war story: Was driving to my gig in Chicago on Friday, and realized 5 minutes away from the venue, that I forgot my amp...I was horrified...fortunately, I called my partner in crime Surreal Sunil, who lives 5 minutes away from the venue if he had an extra one...he had an old one, but called around and got me one from our boy Sunny Singh (the "S" former TS Soundz fame)...Last night, a DJ really *DID* save my life...! ;)

Last celebrity I've seen: Rod Stewart, last night, coming out of the elevator in the Peninsula Hotel...I said "hey! - It's Rod Stewart!"...to which he replied in a brazen Londonian accent "Hey there! Yeah! That's me! How are you doing!"...(see picture as he walked away)..most funny, because I have a schpeel in my comedy act that I do about Rod "the Mod" Stewart...

Last Song I've downloaded: David Bisbal - Corazon Latino - used it in a Latin dance set I did on Friday...

Random memory from youth that just popped into my head either today or perhaps yesterday: Nanima getting her driver's license (without telling anyone in the family) at age 60 and one day deciding to take me to the mall to buy shoes...we made it home in one piece, but not before she ran up on a median that was hard to see...but she kept her composure and didn't flinch (that's just how my Nanima is....:) )....hehe...but still amusing...

Last person I talked to on the phone and why: Shankar, to tell him I got him a gig in Chicago...

Song that popped into my head just now for no apparent reason: You Can Go Your Own Way - Fleetwood Mac

Summary of last week - Sunday - Family left, Monday - worked and relaxed at home, Tuesday - relaxed and worked, Wednesday - worked, blogged and watched Dumb and Dumberer, played tennis, went to Gramercy with Chris...Thursday - started prepping for Friday night's gig, took a much needed nap, went to Sundar's party at Zentra (all his friends/cousins were in town for his sister's wedding), went to Sound-bar after that to watch Bad Boy Bill spin...Friday, worked from home, had lunch at PJ Clarke's with Rob and Chris, listened to some new tracks for the evening, spun a hot set, went to Zentra at 1 to see the last part of Fast Eddie's set...bought Ashish a slice of pizza (cheese, since he's a vegetarian communist) 'cause he was f*cked up after multiple Jager-bombs...Saturday, went to Neha and Sanjay's place at Lakepoint Towers to watch the Air and Water show...was very cool and the view was just sick...amazing...took a nap, met Chris at the Peninsula hotel for a drink...saw Rod Stewart as we were leaving, went to BigWig to watch Chris Santiago spin, went to Zentra for their 5 year anniversary until 5am, went to Zorba's to eat, then crashed at Rikin (aka Purab's) place...Sunday: Today I clean and relax with some movies...

Right now on August 18th, 2004

Wearing: Adidas shorts, sweat-drenched Nike t-shirt

Doing: Just got back from Tennis

Current Multitask: Downloading music, getting ready to hit Gramercy, changing clothes

Song that popped into my head just now for no apparent reason: Stop Dragging My Heart Around - Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty

Last person I talked to on the phone and why: Chris - wanted to know when I'm going to be at the club

Latest Flashback to youth: the picture my sister has in her bedroom in KY with all us kids having lunch in Evansville (driving 45 minutes was a big deal back in the day)...I was a college frosh back for Christmas, and I weighed about 20 lbs more than I should have...ugh...

(more categories to be added later-this will be done on a daily basis)

Concerto Weekend

Last night I fell in love with music all over again....

spent the first part of the evening at the House of Blues...The Killers came on at 7pm, and played until 8:20....great set....they had some great songs...even though the only one I (and you) know is "Somebody Told Me"....buy the cd...these guys are good...

Then I waited around with my complimentary drink courtesy of American Express Blue until 9pm...and then...finally...Morrissey led the other 5 band members on stage....waving and entering rather unceremoniously amidst a crowd of raving die-hard fans...

The first words he said upon grabbing the mike?...."My Life has been a succession of saying hellos"

Greyed at the temples, yet still oscillating wildly - he opened the show with "Let me Kiss You" from You are the Quarry. Great track...all of them were in suits and ties, tuxedos (Boz), or shirt and suit (Mozz)...Reminiscent of a Vegas lounge act...Total crooner mode...I only wish I had a round table, tuxedo, candle, and a grey goose in a chilled glass...

I had my camera phone, but the damn battery was low, so I couldn't take many pictures....I had to keep fighting with the battery just to get one or 2 shots to post, and so I remember what the concert was like...(memory goes with old age ;) )...

(He even fucking played The Headmaster Ritual - one of the most beautiful Johnny Marr riffs of any Smiths songs....)...

Here's the list of bliss -
Let Me Kiss You / Shakespeare's Sister / How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel? / Jack the Ripper / Rubber Ring / I'm Not Sorry / First of the Gang to Die / Such a Little Thing Makes Such a Big Difference / I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday / The World is Full of Crashing Bores / There Is A Light That Never Goes Out / I Have Forgiven Jesus / All the Lazy Dykes / Subway Into/Everday is Like Sunday / The Headmaster Ritual / I Have Forgiven Jesus / There is a Light That Never Goes Out / Don't Make Fun of Daddy's Voice

Encore:
Irish Blood, English Heart

--------------------------------------1 month gap before writing the rest of this blog-------------------------

\After the Killers and Mozz - riding a very big high- I finally saw one of the top 5 concerts I swore I would see before I expire...so I walked home...no cab at all...got my car...drove up North to the Vic Theatre where I was prepping myself to hear Sandra Collins and Paul Oakenfold...

The Vic Theatre...I smirked to myself 'cause just 1.5 months earlier, I emceed on the very same stage that Paul Oakenfold was about to spin on....put the whip into gear and drove North of the Chi...

Got there - music was banging- I mean, it was LOUD....even for a DJ...glow stix, alcohol, 18 year olds with Strawberry Shortcake t-shirts....lots of water (wink wink)....I mean...Sandra Collins was hot, sexy, AND she can spin....I wondered if I had a Promise Ring in my car...;)

Hung out with my usual house/ techno crew Ashish had just finished his set before I got there...(I wouldn't have missed the chance to open for Oakie except for the Morrissey show)....- and I started dancing like I USED to dance...felt like I was going to collapse, but it was just like riding a bike....next thing I know, I'm battling some punk ass kid with an Abercrombie shirt...he was better than me, but I pulled his shirt over his head....that got everyone in the circle laughing....:)....

Collins left at 1230 - Oakie came through and spun until 230....hot as hell...towards the end - mixes of Valerie by Steve Winwood, Beautiful Day by U2...Born Slippy by Underworld...mixed in with Don't Stand so Cclose to Me....wow....amazing, amazing stuff....

He was heading to Soundbar to spin at the afterset, but I bailed...I had absorbed all I needed to that night...and lay in bed hearing a morbid crooning Englishman and a coked up Dj thrashing beats into my head...true bliss..:)

my first post

Does this mean I officially have a weblog....?