"Who Knows"? ......the Incredible burden of being a "living mystery"!

Was it the cough from the guy sitting behind me on one of the seven flights I took in a span of 5 days a few weeks ago? or was it a sneeze....I think the guy sneezed come to think of it......my mind is still foggy.

Or was it anyone of the multitude of surfaces that I touched? Hmmmmmm? Now that's a thought!

There are very few "sky ways" at India's airports....which means transportation to and from the terminal to the airplane is by bus...........and the driving skills and ancient transmissions force you to hold onto something......or you will become a human projectile......and not be very welcomed by your fellow passengers.

I am not a "germ-o-maniac"..........actually the name given to someone who suffers from the fear of germs is Mysophobic. GERM-O-MANIAC sounds better don't you think?

I may never know..........and even up to two days ago, I didn't even care to begin tracing where I picked up my "mystery bug"..........after dealing with the effects of my illness for the past 10 days.......honestly, I still don't care.........._ _ _ _ happens!

What I thought was my allergies acting up, or the beginning of a typical head cold, has progressed into one of the mysteries of modern medical science...........

On Monday October 11th I started feeling bad..............and I have a high tolerance for everything.......so when I say bad .............it means bad enough not to go to work......which for me is a huge deal. I decided to stay home that day and get some rest, as I was traveling the rest of the week......I wasn't doing well Tuesday....my throat was killing me, coughing.....etc.....I had my faithful NYQUIL, that I brought from the US as it is unavailable in India.........it didn't help.......I returned to Delhi on Friday......by the evening, 103.5 degrees of fever...........I had chills..........my body had just shut down. I was aching in my joints.....not just aching.......ACHING (I'll do my best to describe the feeling)

By Saturday morning I was fine.......Sunday ........no issues..no more fever............I sounded terrible........I had a very deep voice.........and was coughing up all of the colors of the Indian flag! Very patriotic don't you think? I still felt like I had been run over by a truck......and I begin resembling Harvey Dent!

Surely you remember Harvey Dent from Batman......the handsome candidate running for District Attorney in Gotham City, who ends up becoming the character "Two-Face" after suffering severe chemical burns on the left side of his face from a battle with the Joker.

The high fever I suffered on Friday night had caused these very unusual things to appear on the left side of my face......one under my eye, one on my cheek, one on my chin, and the typical fever blister type thing in the corner of my mouth. Just like Harvey!

By Monday afternoon..........my friend, Mr. Fever, had returned..............over 102.........no work....

Tuesday...........on and off fever and I had pretty much lost my voice............terrible cough, but nothing in my chest......I had ruled out in my self diagnosis that I had pneumonia........

By Wednesday evening, the chills had returned...........teeth chattering chills..........under a down comforter, the bed covering and two additional blankets.........no position was comfortable........I was/am miserable.

By 2:30am Thursday morning, the decision was made to see the doctor, an option open the entire length of my ongoing battle, but it is a "man thing"...........or I am genetically predisposed to delay seeking medical treatment.

What finally made "me" decide....caused the decision to go to the doctor...........perhaps it was the rash that began to cover my body............and a very worried wife who was growing more concerned by the day/evening  that I had contracted some strange disease in this foreign land we now call home.

As of the time of writing this blog entry..............I look like hell, I feel like hell and all I know is what I DON"T HAVE......!!!!!  It is still a mystery!

My blood tests have come back negative for all of the diseases listed  in the Center for Disease Control............I am a CDC mystery as well..........

Besides doing some work from home and answering emails between my numerous bouts of rest........I haven't felt like doing much..........nor can I.......I promised to describe the aches in my joints.....ALL of my joints....even my hair joints......if there is such a thing..........I A..C..H..E.........everywhere......in addition to looking like some cartoon freak............it feels like I am walking on golf balls.....my feet ache, my ankles, my damn toes ache.........not to mention all of the other moving parts......knees, hips, elbows,WRIST'S....oh my wrists......just chop them off......my feet are the worst..........like someone has just hit them with hammers.

Oh and my doctor.........a very well certified, US trained doctor from Harvard Medical School..........who also worked at the famed Parkland Hospital in Dallas just after the Kennedy assassination..........told me that it would be O.K. for me to "take a walk in the garden", "not for exercise, but to just get out of the house"......

I/we do not have a damn garden to even walk in.......and if I/we did, it is too damn painful to walk.......all I want is for him to properly diagnose me........which hasn't happened yet!

In the meantime, in addition to the drugs prescribed by Dr. C..........Ramesh has prescribed papaya juice made with both the pulp and the skin.......Linda has started referring to him as "Dr. Ramesh" ......which he insists on making for me........in addition to being healthy, they taste pretty good also..........and probably even a little better with some rum!

I may be on the edge of death...but I haven't lost my sense of humor............or my love for India......

Bye for now.

Feeling Empty

October 2nd..........Gandhi Jayanti........Mumbai Airport.........a taxi cab driver named Mohamed

Four quick and easy facts that I will never forget............the day I lost a very dear friend.

We had known each other for just over two years.........almost had been inseparable since the beginning of our relationship.

We worked together, instinctively.........feeding off one another...........the other always knowing what the other was thinking...........we did some great things together, if I do say so myself.............but this was confirmed by others who thought the same.

My friend taught me to look at things in life differently........everyday life..........what I could see with my own eyes was surprisingly much different that what I could see through my friend........my friend pushed me, helped me to try new things.......led me to take risks..........taught me to capture the moment............taught me that life was an adventure and meant to be enjoyed.

My friend made me slow down..........stop and smell the roses, the daisies.......flowers of all kinds actually. My friend taught me to take an interest in others............strangers..........strangers who became temporary friends......there were times we brought joy to the lives of those we interacted with.....we were good together......

Damn, we made some memories..........looking back and remembering all we had been through..........all that we have done together. We were close..........we drew stares when we were on the street.......sometimes people would smile at us............sometimes we were dismissed with the wave of a hand.......my friend had a special talent of breaking down barriers........especially language barriers.......

I feel sad and stupid .....at the same time.........lost and empty......void and sick to my stomach when I think about how it happened.

I feel this way often.............especially when driving through uncharted territory.............watching life and opportunities flash by through the window of the car........any car..........any city..............even the view from the window of an airplane...........it doesn't matter where.......I miss my friend.......I hate seeing things that remind me of the loss.

It's like calling a familiar number.................and not having anyone pick up on the other end.

I have constant reminders too...things left behind........things that used to charge us both.........things that prepared us for our next adventure together, left behind as useless reminders of our past together......

I have suffered many losses in my life..............this feeling is not new to me.....just the most recent...........certainly not the most painful..............but it is currently serving as a reminder ....be careful with those that mean the most to you.........don't take anything for granted...............don't treat things casually...........you never know when a loss will occur............when a friend will disappear from your life..........perhaps as a result of something you did..............something stupid......something that you will regret.

Damn.......I could kick myself................it was my fault...........I just want to scream........oh how stupid could I have been.

I know..........life goes on.............new relationships can be forged........new memories captured.......maybe I should look at this as an opportunity.......I know......I have been told............something better is right around the corner...........get a new friend.............a better friend.........but right now I am at a low point...........unmotivated to search..........discover.............yet I dream.....the sickness and emptiness and the desire to kick myself returns

I lost my friend............it was my fault.........October 2nd..........I LOST MY CAMERA........I placed it on the roof of the taxi........got distracted...........turned and walked away......left it behind....I didn't realize what happened until I was in the strapped tightly in the seat of the plane...........just before speeding down the runway of the airport in Mumbai.........

Eat, Pray,Love..........Living with a Movie Star!

Last night was the "opening day" of  Eat, Pray, Love, the movie starring Julia Roberts....which was partially filmed here in India. The movie is based on the "best seller" written by Liz Gilbert, which share's the same title.

I guess it is safe to begin talking about this now that the movie has been released in both the US and now India.

Pataudi Palace - the location where the movie was filmed


Linda has been on a "gag" order since the filming of the movie.............yes......it's true, a gag order! This meant that I have also been unable to put anything in print regarding the movie.............until now......I'm ready to "TELL ALL".........are you ready for the "juicy" Hollywood gossip?

Before the gossip.......I awakened this morning to read Roger Ebert's review of the film.........2 Stars......and a rating of "Fair"............Roger.....while you are entitled to your opinion........there are are at least 20 people who enjoyed the movie and rate it much higher!!!! maybe even higher than 4 Stars!

Now the story and the gossip!

About one year ago, Linda received a call from one of her "bestest friends", who prefers to remain nameless.....it was a last minute invitation to participate as an "extra" in the movie.......Nameless's "number one hubby" as she refers to him, was to attend but due to work, he was cancelling.......and Linda was asked to "tag along".....with the understanding from the Director's Assistant that she would not be paid for attendance......she would simply be a "volunteer extra"......so, no lucrative salary like Julia!

The instructions.....wake up at 3:00 am.........be at the movie set by 5:00am.......bring two dresses..........the wardrobe department would select which one she would wear....no camera's.......no discussing the film before it is released......and on and on ....Nameless's entire family was participating.....kids and all.........and as it turned out, Number One Hubby also was able to arrange his schedule to participate as well........so Linda was a "tag along".

Linda and Julia spent a great deal of time together on the set........sitting just a few feet apart.......and yes Linda confirmed that she is truly a "Pretty Woman" in person, but much shorter than she appears in her films.

There is a great deal of waiting on a movie set........endless takes.........more waiting.........more takes......camera positioning.......more waiting.....and hearing the song "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang over and over and over again..........during one of the breaks, Linda shared that she was able to get a glance of Julia's children who traveled with her while she was filming......not bad for the children who visited Italy, India and finally Bali.....

http://www.sobermusicians.com/Tunes/celebrate.mp3

After a very long day........ Linda arrived home around 7:00pm that night, exhausted but excited and not knowing if she would be in the film.......one never knows in a situation when reels and reels of film are shot.......and after the final editing........if they made the final cut.

The film hit the cinema's in the US on August 13th..........and the telephone and emails started pouring in......Linda made the film.............requests for autographs also.......real time "movie star" moments.........but her Screen Actors Guild (SAG) card has not arrived in the mail as of yet.

It has been a long two months waiting for the film to come to the big screen here in India.......

Last night, the red carpet was waiting for Linda........at the PVR Gold Cinema at the Ambiance Mall in Gurgaon.......a theater experience much like home............large reclining chairs in a huge auditorium.....where you pay out of your nose for a seat.......but it was the only way to watch Linda's debut on the big screen.....

What scene..???? about halfway through the movie.........the character Julia Robert's portrays (Liz Gilbert) is attending the wedding of a young Indian girl who she meets at the ashram and befriends........the Indian wedding causes Liz to recall her own wedding......and a flashback to her "first dance" takes place......

It is during this flashback scene that Linda appears, as a guest at the wedding, sitting at a table watching the newly married couple..........the entire scene in the 2.5 hour movie lasts about 1 minute........and it took over 12 hours to shoot!

As the camera focuses on the dancing of Liz's husband, Linda can be seen sitting at the table at least five times as the camera angles change........about 15 seconds of time on the big screen! Hint: if you want to see Linda, she can be seen several times just over the shoulder of the groom....clapping and smiling on cue.

Hey.............everyone is entitled to 15 seconds of fame..........but who would have thought that it would have happened in India.

About a week later, while I was in Jaipur on business, I received a call from Linda.......Nameless, through her film connection, was asked by the Director's assistant if she could find a "Tall handsome American" to play the role of a doctor.........I thought it was very nice of Nameless to think of me........I fit two of the criteria at least..........but unfortunately work prevented me from participating......by the way, I looked for the "doctor's" scene in the film, but I don't think it made the final production anyway........so for now, the house has only has one Movie Star......!