randoms to start the new year...

some great moments from the past few days...

1. yesterday's traumatic sighting: two crows picking apart a parakeet, which i recall being in a cage beside our office not too long ago..of all things, an innocent half plucked tropical bird...meeting its demise next to the dump pile beside sari bari...oh cruel world.

2. today i accidentally told one of our ladies i wanted to have her baby...language faux pas, hmm...i did stop her in her conversational tracks though, and quickly followed by saying, "oh i just said a big mistake didn't i..." she changed the subject.

3. this morning at 4:30am one of the families who lives downstairs to us had their first baby, a tiny precious little girl...i love that we have the chance to share in their joy!

4. walking home from work tonight, some teenage girls were playing badminton...halting mid-game they saw me and seized the opportunity to practice their english...
indian girl: what is your name...
me: puja...what is your name...
indian girl: (something i didn't quite understand)
me: oh what a beautiful name...
indian girl: wow, thank you...ok, sweet dreams.

5. side note: it is really really cold here. i think it's hitting all time lows in our apartment, i slept with a hat on last night...i continue to think of those living on the streets below us who don't have the luxury of multiple warm blankets and a supply of wooly layers to pull on...i never thought i would find myself saying it, but yeah, i do wish it would start to warm up a bit...