Comments for Charlie Meatball

Comment on I just can’t win health-wise in Hyderabad by Sarah RV

Sarah RV — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 21:31:24 +0000

Hana is waiting for you, singing its pretty fatty tuna and black cod songs.

Comment on I just can’t win health-wise in Hyderabad by charlie

charlie — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 05:10:28 +0000

Yes, I will be eating American. That does include Cuban, Mexican, and maybe some sushi, if there’s good stuff to be found between Tampa and Sarasota

Comment on I just can’t win health-wise in Hyderabad by carlos

carlos — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:43:14 +0000

Aw, Charlie, I’m sorry! I have faith in your future health and strength: you’ll be raring to go by Nationals. You do have a few days before in Florida during which you can confine your activity to sleeping and eating American food, right?

And, I am excited to see you in Seattle, and to enjoy clean food with you, Sarah, et al.

Comment on Memo to the Indian service industry by Sarah RV

Sarah RV — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 15:23:26 +0000

My addition - every once in a while it wouldn’t be terrible to acknowledge the women at the table, maybe even speaking directly to them.
Ah, to have flambe everyday.
Don’t worry though, Charlie, you’ll soon be back in Cap Hill and we can go to Smith and enjoy an half hour of anxious solitude until a waitperson decides we are hip enough to order.

Comment on Memo to the Indian service industry by Tom

Tom — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 05:46:45 +0000

Hilarious. Although, you really should try the “Ass wiping” service they offer. Fair warning: ask for the aloe treated pads. Soooothing.

Comment on My first morning’s commute in Hyderabad by charlie

charlie — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:19:43 +0000

Yeah, I wouldn’t even try to drive. People just seem to plow ahead when I’d expect them to stop and stop when I expect them to plow ahead. No doubt I’d end up confusing everyone and get into a wreck.

If that’s not frightening enough, do you know what the US State Department recommends you do in the event of an accident on the road? Run. Don’t hang around the scene of the accident and try to find the nearest police station because a violent mob may form.

One of the drivers taking Sarah around actually had a close call with another driver and they pulled onto the side of the road and yelled at each other for a while. Sarah says she just locked her door and tried to look less foreign or maybe more invisible.

Comment on Ramzaan and Haleem by charlie

charlie — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:07:52 +0000

Hey Rish!

I’ll total six weeks here and I’m about halfway done.

Yeah, everyone told me I needed to check out Outsourced, and it was viewable on demand on netflix, and yet I still managed to not watch it before I got here. Now I’d have to iTunes it (streaming is a no-go with the network speed here even if anyone would let you stream it outside of the US - which they won’t). Maybe still…

Yes, biryani has been achieved. I still hope to try it at Paradise and Hotel Shadab, but I’m actually trying to cut back on the meat since I’m in vegetarian heaven here.

I have way more food blogging to do. The MS cafeteria here is actually pretty darn good, with decent boneless chicken biryani and dhosas. Let me know how you’re doing.

Comment on First breakfast in India with … by charlie

charlie — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:02:19 +0000

Just saw your comment, so I’ll have to hug her in Sarasota, but I will post many more pictures (none of breakfast) soon.

Comment on Took care of bills, held my ma… by charlie

charlie — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 18:59:29 +0000

Hi mom,

I went ahead and published your comment for everyone to see, but if you want to just send it to me in the future, you can use email.

I hope I am being as flexible as silly putty - it certainly doesn’t feel that way right now. Especially hard to adjust to is having staff to cook, clean, attempt to carry things for you, and drive you places. Sounds nice, but it ends up being frustrating much more often than not (except cleaning my room - that is wonderful and someone could do it every day for the rest of my life so far as I’m concerned).

Honestly, I feel so helpless being unable to get anywhere without a driver, and I’m frequently frustrated that I have to depend on someone else and plan with someone else the next time I’ll leave the house. I think that this frustration often comes across to the drivers, even when they can’t understand anything I’m saying (or perhaps especially then). I keep having to remind myself this is a learning experience. Everyone is so sweet, so eager to please, so desirous of avoiding friction, and very often quite difficult to understand or be understood by.

I need to write a whole post on this, so I’ll add more details and turn this into a post, but I thought I’d say thanks for the kind words and “I can only aspire to that” about the horoscope.

I’ll send more personal stuff in email, but I’m not too terribly worried about the economic situation - though maybe I should be. Just kicking myself a bit for not doing further diversification when I thought some of my investments were higher than what I thought they would be (not pointing any fingers here…).

Love,

Charlie

Comment on Took care of bills, held my ma… by sheila ellis

sheila ellis — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 12:49:30 +0000

Hi, I read your horoscope today: “You are as versitile as Silly Putty. Your’re not only able to lift whatever image or lingo you’re pressed against, but you’re also able to be formed and bounced into whichever situation seems fun to play.”
I though it was a positive note and wanted to pass it along.
I went to a Kosher cooking class at the DCJCC - the woman was from Stamford, small world!
Ben came over to watch the debate last night, I thought it was a little boring.
How are the US financial woes playing out in India? Are your investments ok?
Glad to hear you got your bills paid!
I look for an email everyday - write when you can.
Love,
Mom