By bluerasberry on 2015-09-05
Theo Chocolate is a company in Seattle which makes chocolate. I was fortunate enough to watch its founding and early years. On 5 September 2007 its founder, Jeff Fairhall, died following a series of unusual circumstances. Jeff was my dear friend and many things about his death were very unfortunate. When we would meet he […]
Posted in religion, Seattle | Tagged chocolate, Jeff Fairhall, magic, ritual
By bluerasberry on 2007-04-13
This post is a recap of the past few days. On Monday, April 9, I went to the Varanasi train station with intention of getting a ticket to Phugwara in the Punjab to meet Miss Seema at her home there. Nandan took me to the train station. The rickshaw man pulled into the outgoing traffic […]
Posted in legal, religion | Tagged deed, food, gurudwara, Jehovah's Witness, ritual
By bluerasberry on 2007-04-03
Before I start passing on partly unsubstatiated rumors let me say that my studies are going well and that within the last week I have found a surge of speaking proficiency from within. I have begun daily study with M.N. and he presses me to speak and write without preparation or my books. I find […]
Posted in computer, India, religion, rights | Tagged blood, death, food, gay rights, Hinduism, Islam, marijuana, ritual, scam, Sikhism, sport, water, youth
By bluerasberry on 2007-03-29
aftermath of a yagna Originally uploaded by bluerasberry. Yesterday was the last day of Navratri. For some reason, it was also Ram’s birthday, despite Navratri being a movable (lunar) holiday. The picture here is of what was left after the yagna. A “yagna” is a fire ritual. A pandit came to our home from Bihar […]
Posted in India, religion | Tagged etiquette, Hinduism, ritual, Varanasi
By bluerasberry on 2007-03-25
Ashu begins as a beggar On Friday March 23 I returned to Varanasi from Azemgarh. I had gone for Ashu’s janeu. There were I think ten of us in the van and the trip took two hours. As usual, I slept most of the way and had no regard for crammed conditions. Puja was beginning […]
Posted in festival, India, religion | Tagged death, Hinduism, medicine, ritual, youth
By bluerasberry on 2007-03-16
Some relative of the family is getting his janeu soon and the plan is to go to a village area some hours away to attend the function. I hear that about five hundred people and more than one full carload of Varanasi candy will attend. I am speaking just a little Hindi and I started […]
Posted in drug, education, religion | Tagged alcohol, Hinduism, ritual
By bluerasberry on 2007-03-06
I went to the Monkey Temple today and enjoyed it. Today is Tuesday so there was a big crowd there. Tuesday is Hanuman’s day. The monkeys here were nicer than ghat monkeys, but they still harassed people. The monkeys would put their hands out to beg for treats and if people tried to feed them […]
Posted in education, India, religion | Tagged data, death, Hinduism, monkey, ritual, temple
By bluerasberry on 2007-02-23
Some Wedding Originally uploaded by bluerasberry. I went to another wedding party last night. I have been to more weddings since coming to India than I have in the rest of my life put together. Indian weddings start with the groom travelling about doing puja at temples with a brass band in tow. Eventually he […]
Posted in India | Tagged ritual, sex
By bluerasberry on 2007-02-18
I feel bad today. My theory is that this is due to a short course of antibiotics. I took them for five days (five pills) starting January 24, two days (four pills) following February 5, and one day Tuesday January 13 (two pills). The latter two visits included flora treatment for six and ten days […]
Posted in festival, health, India | Tagged medicine, ritual, sickness
By bluerasberry on 2007-02-05
Nandan took me to his family doctor today. excuse my typing but this keyboard has problems. s near as I can tell no appointment was made and yet the doctor was available upon arrival. He looked to be fifty years old and Nandan told me he was 77. I believe Nandan but even this, the […]
Posted in India | Tagged astrology, automaton, dance, medicine, ritual