It's my 250th post! So I shall try and make it a good one.
Let's get the tangents out of the way. Haven't been to school all week, don't really want to talk about that, enough said. Diwali on Friday, happy Diwali everyone! Watched a really sad documentary about the conflict in Sri Lanka, made me feel really rather awful for not being satisfied with all the blessings we've been given, when there are people crying in Sri Lanka because they've lost everything, and their "everything" could probably be replaced using the cost of one of my little brother's average shopping sprees, and there are "death squads" and landmines and soldiers and all kinds of nastiness over there. I feel sad for them all, I really do.
On a more positive note, my father pointed out how life here is a blessing in disguise. Tamil people here are for the most part doing exceedingly well. This success was clearly evident at my cousin's wedding last night. If you know me, you know that I go to a lot of weddings. And I mean a lot. It's traditional to throw huge weddings, with your parents inviting almost everyone they know, and throwing a huge party and all that. But last night's wedding was different.
Firstly, my cousin D was marrying her long-term boyfriend F. D is Hindu, F is Muslim. Controversial, you'd think, but actually no, since she's converting (I think). Anyway, they had a far smaller affair, about 150 people, at The Palm Court in the Waldorf Hilton. This place is big time fancy, such a lovely venue, apparently it featured in the Titanic, or inspired scenes in it or something. Loads of marble and grand staircases and pillars and gold etc. The wedding itself was delightful, not just because it was only 30 mins long! Tamil weddings frequently run to two or three hours, with breaks in the middle, changes of costumes, food and drink served, people walking in and out. This was nothing like that.
My favourite bit was how so many different cultural aspects had been combined. D walked down the aisle with her parents and the whole set-up was like a church wedding, except with a hilarious Australian registrar. Sisters and friends gave readings from The Prophet Khalil Gibrain, Shakespeare, ee Cummings, Blake, and an Apache wedding blessing. They tied a thaali (a thick gold chain that a married woman wears) and swapped garlands, but they also swapped rings and made vows to each other (beautiful vows, I wish I had printed copies). The string quartet played Pachbel's Canon, Air on a G string, and Handel's Water Music. There were no crazy drummers and musicians, which while I love at the start of the wedding, when my ears begin ringing I get cross. The music and readings and everything was all moving and romantic and lovely. And the party after, wow, excellent DJ, great food, chocolate fountain, and catering for all the alcs on my side of the family by setting up a sneaky outside bar so that we wouldn't offend anyone!
I think it was all about details with this wedding. They had a guests' memory book so that people could sign their well-wishes, and also the video guy got people to record wedding messages. Everyone was dressed impeccably, both the families are prosperous, generous, and welcoming, and so things went wonderfully. Actually, it's more the sort of wedding I'd like to have, rather than a huge crazy thing where everyone tears their hair out and you can't remember half the people there. But we shall see. Check out the photos on Facebook. Oh and F's youngest brother, 16, gave a speech, which he opened with "funny how history repeats itself. Twenty-eight years ago D's parent sent her to bed with a dummy. Tonight they're doing it all over again". Hahaha!
So school tomorrow? Hmmm...
Let's get the tangents out of the way. Haven't been to school all week, don't really want to talk about that, enough said. Diwali on Friday, happy Diwali everyone! Watched a really sad documentary about the conflict in Sri Lanka, made me feel really rather awful for not being satisfied with all the blessings we've been given, when there are people crying in Sri Lanka because they've lost everything, and their "everything" could probably be replaced using the cost of one of my little brother's average shopping sprees, and there are "death squads" and landmines and soldiers and all kinds of nastiness over there. I feel sad for them all, I really do.
On a more positive note, my father pointed out how life here is a blessing in disguise. Tamil people here are for the most part doing exceedingly well. This success was clearly evident at my cousin's wedding last night. If you know me, you know that I go to a lot of weddings. And I mean a lot. It's traditional to throw huge weddings, with your parents inviting almost everyone they know, and throwing a huge party and all that. But last night's wedding was different.
Firstly, my cousin D was marrying her long-term boyfriend F. D is Hindu, F is Muslim. Controversial, you'd think, but actually no, since she's converting (I think). Anyway, they had a far smaller affair, about 150 people, at The Palm Court in the Waldorf Hilton. This place is big time fancy, such a lovely venue, apparently it featured in the Titanic, or inspired scenes in it or something. Loads of marble and grand staircases and pillars and gold etc. The wedding itself was delightful, not just because it was only 30 mins long! Tamil weddings frequently run to two or three hours, with breaks in the middle, changes of costumes, food and drink served, people walking in and out. This was nothing like that.
My favourite bit was how so many different cultural aspects had been combined. D walked down the aisle with her parents and the whole set-up was like a church wedding, except with a hilarious Australian registrar. Sisters and friends gave readings from The Prophet Khalil Gibrain, Shakespeare, ee Cummings, Blake, and an Apache wedding blessing. They tied a thaali (a thick gold chain that a married woman wears) and swapped garlands, but they also swapped rings and made vows to each other (beautiful vows, I wish I had printed copies). The string quartet played Pachbel's Canon, Air on a G string, and Handel's Water Music. There were no crazy drummers and musicians, which while I love at the start of the wedding, when my ears begin ringing I get cross. The music and readings and everything was all moving and romantic and lovely. And the party after, wow, excellent DJ, great food, chocolate fountain, and catering for all the alcs on my side of the family by setting up a sneaky outside bar so that we wouldn't offend anyone!
I think it was all about details with this wedding. They had a guests' memory book so that people could sign their well-wishes, and also the video guy got people to record wedding messages. Everyone was dressed impeccably, both the families are prosperous, generous, and welcoming, and so things went wonderfully. Actually, it's more the sort of wedding I'd like to have, rather than a huge crazy thing where everyone tears their hair out and you can't remember half the people there. But we shall see. Check out the photos on Facebook. Oh and F's youngest brother, 16, gave a speech, which he opened with "funny how history repeats itself. Twenty-eight years ago D's parent sent her to bed with a dummy. Tonight they're doing it all over again". Hahaha!
So school tomorrow? Hmmm...
