wasilly1

[wasilly1]

I feel lost

I've been feeling a bit lost recently. I used to be certain about who I was meant to be. But the person who I was a year ago is gone, and with that, all the certainty I ever had. So many things happened in the past year, the majority of which I have yet to share with many. Beautiful and horrifying things. But through it all, I have realized the unique benefit of being able to share things with you. I am restarting my journey of development. For once, I am glad to be lost. A new path awaits me. I am enthralled to see what's next. For now, I choose to come back... to restart and update you of my journey. For now, signing off, The Wanderer A song I've been listening to recently https://open.spotify.com/track/4qkVALwOxCIEZ7I5gkZ3m4?si=e6ec11c2a4eb4778 Read the full article

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The Outspoken Narrative - EP 6: The Arctic Refuge

https://youtu.be/u5q8wXXtuQg Arctic Refuge EP: 6 First post of 2021! This episode was one of the most ambitious episodes that the team has ever made. Let's start from the beginning. Inspiration On December 29th, a friend of mine sent me a text. It was about the Arctic Refuge. Here is how the conversation went... Within minutes I was interested in the Arctic Refuge. What hooked me was the history behind it. The National Arctic Wildlife Refuge land has been hotly contested for many years. The fight to protect this area began in the early twentieth century by a group of visionary conservationists led by Olaus and Margaret Murie, who campaigned to establish the nation’s first ecosystem-scale conservation area. On December 6, 1960, President Dwight Eisenhower made their vision a reality by establishing the 8.9-million-acre Arctic National Wildlife Range specifically for its “unique wildlife, wilderness, and recreational values.”https://www.alaskawild.org/ Alaska has been very divided on opinions regarding drilling, and all sides have credible arguments. I wanted to delve into the history of the Arctic Refuge and the possible consequences which would come out of drilling. The only problem was with the extensive information on the Arctic Refuge, and the quickly approaching deadline of land bids on January 6th, the team only had one week to complete the entire episode. An episode that would usually take a minimum of one month to complete, needed to be completed in a week. Read the full article

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The Outspoken Narrative – EP 5: Lebanon Recap (4 months later)

https://youtu.be/whU34qYZ32Y Episode 5 The Outspoken Narrative is a docuseries that I created with a group of my friends. Our team has now grown to over 20 incredible animators, writers, artists, and video editors. This series aims to have conversations about important issues taking place across the world. In each episode, we tackle a different issue. We tell the story through the facts, and through the first-hand experiences of people on the ground. This is the Outspoken Narrative. Synopsis In our first video on the Beirut explosion, we covered the long-lasting economic, political, and societal issues which were ongoing prior to the explosion. As we mentioned in that video, those issues had only been exacerbated following the explosion. This video looks at Beirut once again, four months post-explosion. Even four months post-explosion, the situation in Beirut hasn't improved as much as hoped. We looked at four issues that Lebanon is facing currently. Medical Support Following the explosion, multiple hospitals were destroyed, and the medical system was put under immense stress. Covid-19 cases skyrocketed. Now, four months later, the medical system is still under immense pressure. The second wave of the global pandemic has begun paying a toll on the already devastated Beirut. Many hospitals are short on vital supplies needed to function, and at full capacity, emergency rooms are overwhelmed. Funding and better leadership are required immediately to aid Beirut. Governmen Read the full article

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José Andrés - A Forum Series

https://open.spotify.com/track/4zsE0xCbdtrA05dM269LhG Weekly Song - Remember to take care of yourself! https://youtu.be/YEaFfh_TvLs A video I made for the Forum José Andrés is a two Michelin star chef as well as one of the world's leading humanitarians. From his humble beginnings in Spain to now running over 30 restaurants across the US, chef José transformed the culinary field. José founded the World Central Kitchen in 2010 with the main goal of going to disaster zones to feed those in need. José led disaster relief efforts in Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria in 2017 and later went on to write a book on his experience. Since then, he has helped feed people in fires, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, and most recently, during the pandemic. At the start of the outbreak, José closed all his restaurants to help feed the unemployed during the pandemic. José is one of the most dedicated and resilient people I have had the opportunity to meet. The Richmond Forum The Richmond Forum is a subscription series that puts on five programs each year. The biggest and most influential names in the world have taken the stage at The Richmond Forum, creating a lifetime of memories. Past speakers have included former U.S. presidents, sitting heads of state, leaders from the sciences, arts, business, and more. If you remember, I made a post on Sanjay Gupta's speech at the Richmond Forum. This year I am honored to have a greater part in the Richmond Forum as a Forum Scholar. Forum Sc Read the full article

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The Outspoken Narrative – EP 3 CHOP/CHAZ

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”— Dr Martin Luther King Jr Art By: Ananya Singh https://youtu.be/ciqQkBFh-lw The Outspoken Narrative is a docuseries that I am creating with a group of my high school friends. This series aims to have conversations about important issues taking place across the world. Each episode we tackle a different issue. We tell the story through the facts, and through the first-hand experiences of people on the ground. This is the Outspoken Narrative. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W740FxMrZ-4 Synopsis Our third episode focuses on CHOP/CHAZ. CHOP/CHAZ was an autonomous zone in Seattle, Capitol Hill. This zone began on June 8th and lasted for several weeks. In this episode, we detail all the aspects of the CHOP zone. We interviewed Adam Schluter for an in-depth understanding of what the CHOP zone was, and how it functioned. The CHOP zone had its positives and negatives, and we covered both. As a direct result of CHOP, Seattle proposed and passed a bill which included a 50% defunding of the police. Some may consider this to be bad news, but we want to emphasize that this bill is to ultimately make people feel safe within their communities, and currently, civilians don't feel safe due to the increasing militarization of the police. This episode includes interviews with Adam Schluter – Insta @connectingtohappiness Behind the Scenes Read the full article

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A Film, and a desire

https://open.spotify.com/track/7yC7FWZz24L43brXzNpLWT?si=Pu0Iv4wSQF6Bz8-qpipGqA Weekly Song During quarantine, I stumbled upon a group of filmmakers based in Copenhagen. These filmmakers, known as Burning Boat, are producing a documentary on anxiety. https://youtu.be/-rVzVEfleQg The craziest part is, my short film might be in their documentary... How do you make a short film on anxiety Quarantine Edition When I saw the above video, I was automatically drawn to make something for the documentary. I wanted to create a film that I could be proud of, so I started at the drawing board. While it doesn't look like a lot, it fits the criteria. The filmmakers were looking for a short video close to 1 minute long, so I worked out a script and then compiled a shot list. I began by choosing a soundtrack for this short film. I like to build my films around the music which I choose for them, so I put a lot of thought into choosing a song. I had recently been playing Life is Strange and I was obsessed with the incredible music and sound design the game possessed. I decided to use a song from the game, "Crosses" by Jose Gonzalez. This song talks about struggles in a beautiful way, and it was the perfect song to show how anxiety often makes us feel trapped. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcKnlhL97rs I wanted the first shot to pan up from the grass and then focus on my head. This was to show how anxiety plays tricks on our minds and traps us within our own head. Read the full article

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The Outspoken Narrative - EP 2 Lebanon

"Every little thing counts in a crisis." Jawaharlal Nehru https://youtu.be/jcULkxWqJ68 The Outspoken Narrative is a docuseries that I am creating with a group of my high school friends. This series aims to have conversations about important issues taking place across the world. Each episode we tackle a different issue. We tell the story through the facts, and through the first-hand experiences of people on the ground. This is the outspoken narrative. https://youtu.be/W740FxMrZ-4 Our second episode focuses on the Lebanon Crisis. On August 4th, an explosion in Beirut, Lebanon resulted in over 160 deaths. This was one of the worst explosions in history following Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In this episode, we interviewed Buzzfeed reporter Mareena Emran to hear about the best ways to help Lebanon during this time of crisis. We take a close look at the long-lasting instability of the Lebanon government and economy. Through the episode, we detail how the Lebanon government has been ineffective for its citizens. We also give valuable information on how best to donate to Lebanon and which organizations to support. This episode includes interviews with Mareena Emran - Insta: @mmmareena Read the full article

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The Outspoken Narrative - EP 1 BLM

"Who will take responsibility for raising the next generation?" - Ruth Bader Ginsburg https://youtu.be/PExD7fph6lc Episode 1 The Outspoken Narrative is a docuseries that I am creating with a group of friends. This series aims to have conversations about important issues taking place across the world. Each episode we tackle a different issue. We tell the story through the facts, and through the first-hand experiences of people on the ground. This is the outspoken narrative https://youtu.be/W740FxMrZ-4 Our first episode delves right into the BLM movement. In this episode, we list the goals of the protests and briefly give an overview of what they are. We also go on to list some of the accomplishments of the protests. Later into the episode, we discuss the media perception of the protests. A large portion of the media coverage on the protests has been on the negative aspects, such as the looting and rioting. While these are issues that should be reported, the facts show that the violent protestors make up a small minority of all the protestors working to make positive change. This kind of coverage, which focuses on the negative impacts, leads to the generalization of protesters. It also causes further division and uneasiness among the population (fear-mongering). It is important that the movement is not generalized by news outlets in order to gain views and clicks. Read the full article

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Black Lives Matter

Lineup - click name to jump to interview Lauren Gissentanna - Singer/Audio InterviewErbriyon Barrett - Artist/Text InterviewSean A. Robinson - Photographer/Audio InterviewZakiyyah Woods - Photographer/Text InterviewJ. Pinder - Photographer/Text InterviewDemont Pinder - Artist/Text InterviewTony Davis - Photographer/Text InterviewTravon Free - Photographer, Writer, Comedian/ Text InterviewNikki Lynette - Artist, Mental Health Activist/ Text InterviewAclesia Miller - Mental Health Activist/ Audio InterviewShevrin Jones - Politician / Text Interview https://youtu.be/TBwrE1QiD2I Scroll down to see my interview with the artists included in this video! We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope. - Martin Luther King Jr. Over the past few weeks, I have seen countless stories from all over the country as well as some other parts of the world. I have heard stories about police brutality, fear, protests, and more. All of you know that the death of George Floyd has highlighted the need for change across the country. It has been said many times over, that in order for real change to occur, everyone needs to participate. There are many ways to participate. From signing petitions, raising awareness, social media posting, having conversations with family, peaceful protesting, etc. Don't ever feel like what you are doing isn't enough because every voice and conversation counts. All you have to do is to speak out. Read the full article

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Boredom

https://open.spotify.com/track/3UJS9aEUbtYO8kMl1IK1r3?si=KBKcF82pS4ObM4KN9_HQQA Weekly Song Art By Neha Veeramalla These past few weeks haven’t been enjoyable for anyone. I’d often dream about the thought of staying at home. Sleeping in late, doing work at my own pace, binging all my favorite tv shows, and watching a ton of movies. Now being put in the situation makes me realize that I so badly want to go back to school I want to once again achieve a sense of normalcy in my life Watching TV has become boring, sleeping in has become repetitive, and there seems to be nothing new going on anywhere besides the word CORONA. Literally, I wake up, hear CORONA  and before I go to bed, I see CORONA.  When I am just checking my phone, every notification has something to do with CORONA.  This six-letter word seems to dominate everyone’s life now.  This six-letter word has given a way for boredom to enter many lives

If boredom was a person He would be boring But there’s more to his story  Boredom would work a 9-5 job Because that is a very boring job Boredom would be horrible when you first got to know him.  He would ask you “why?” every time you tried to get him to hang out.  My life went from being a rollercoaster to being a kiddie slide in a local park.  Is it just me or is it that with all these recent current events going outside feels like the best thing in the world? It’s not right to be complaining about being stuck at home, but regardless, it’s uncomfortable.  I sit behind a computer all day with nothing to do besides my school work and occasionally, talk to my friends about school again.  It’s like my life is stuck on repeat. Wake up, eat, work, eat, work, sleep, and do it again the next day. Nonetheless, I am grateful to be safe at home I realize that in order for this to get better These actions must be taken.

Boredom is used to being stuck inside He enjoys it

He likes to avoid his friend Entertainment as much as possible Boredom met Entertainment years ago.  He later realized they were exact opposites Boredom doesn’t really understand why he’s friends with Entertainment But he is Even though I have been stuck inside for a while And even though it does suck sometimes I realize, that not so often, do I stumble upon chances like these chances to do what I love doing chances for me to find out more about myself chances for me to spend time with my family This is a chance for all of us to recenter ourselves Spend some time focusing on ourselves for a change And while a lot of things suck in the world right now, There is still a lot of good that can be found through this opportunity 

Boredom is often misunderstood  He spends a lot of time inside his own head He comes up with magical inventions and ideas Which no one knows about Except for Entertainment Entertainment loves listening to Boredom’s amazing ideas With this current situation. This is your chance to be creative. To learn a new skill To start that project that you have always wanted to start. I find that being creative when, in turn, leads to me entertaining myself. In these times I encourage you to find Boredom and ask him about his magical ideas

Out of boredom comes some of the greatest ideas. Put it this way. “Boredom is the gateway for your mind to wander” (Zomorodi).  While many are stuck in their homes right now, this is your chance to do that thing you always dreamed of doing. This is your chance to come up with extraordinary ideas. This is your chance to find your calm.  I think that we all can say that we are bored and, of course, boredom isn’t the best thing, but I can tell you this. It is up to you to decide what you want to do with the boredom. Invest your free time into the things you love and who knows, maybe Entertainment will come over and listen to your amazing ideas. Of course, at 6 feet apart. 

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The NPR Podcast Competition

https://open.spotify.com/track/71YKvjk57xURhhN9jJbuOu?si=sds0HdmJTTqiKx84Uk0n9Q Weekly Tune You know that feeling when you finish something that you've worked on for so long. That feeling of relief, happiness, and satisfaction. In 4 months, we achieved incredible. We told the story of the inclusive arts and why there should be more support for it. We told the story of how inclusive arts can change the world. "Inspiration is finding something that excites you. "- Connie Smith This all began in October of 2019. I had just learned about the annual NPR student podcast competition, and to say the least, I was excited. I had never tried making a podcast and had zero experience regarding what went into making a podcast, but all I knew was that I wanted to do this. This was a chance to tell an incredible story, and maybe even win recognition in the process. All I needed was a team. Finding a team took a while. Early November we had a team consisting of me and three of my friends. We were excited and ready to get started. The team was great, but the next part was finding a topic to discuss. The goal was to find a local story to talk about. We wanted to stand out and tell a unique story not heard by many. We were thinking about many different ideas we could pursue, and ultimately we settled on discussing Healthcare... well not exactly.

Ideas

Choosing ideas, let alone coming up with them, is the hardest part of the creative process. Right alongside making those ideas into reality. We began with healthcare and soon we dropped that idea. Why? Well, we felt that we couldn't relate enough to the topic and it was too big of a topic to cover in a 3-12 minute podcast. Then we thought of a different topic. We thought about talking about something relating to disabilities. According to the CDC, 61 million adults in the US live with a disability. We wanted to tell the story of an organization that was supporting disabled individuals. Even at this point, we still hadn't narrowed our goal enough. We were thinking about possible organizations to talk about, and I remembered SPARC and their Live Art program. I saw this as an amazing opportunity to tell the story of a local organization doing good for individuals of all abilities. A quick rundown of SPARC's Live Art program. Live Art is an inclusive art program for individuals of all abilities. Since 2011, Live Art has become one of Richmond’s most beloved shows with an audience of 3000+ every year, and with performances from guest artists such as Jason Mraz, Justin Willman, Sara Bareilles and more.

Making The Idea Into Reality

By the time we had finalized our idea, it was already late December. Submissions opened on January 1st. Since we had finalized our idea prior to winter break, we spent the majority of winter break in formalizing a rough draft. The first rough draft was all over the place. It was messy, and I suppose that was expected. We scratched the entire thing and started over. The overarching goal for the podcast was to tell the story of our local Live Art program, while simultaneously telling the story of inclusive arts across the world. Through the process of researching for this podcast, we realized the lack of support for inclusive art organizations in the US. Many individuals with disabilities do not get the opportunities they need to participate in the performing arts and are often left out. This isn't to say that there aren't any organizations working towards providing fair opportunities. While organizations such as the Jason Mraz Foundation support inclusive arts across the country, there is still more work to be done. We had to go through multiple rough drafts and make hundreds of revisions until we settled on the final draft in the first week of February. We were set to record that weekend. It wasn't very hard to record. We booked a conference room at our local library and set up our phones to record. We put the script up on the TV and recorded our lines. We had a fun time.

What Now?

After recording and running through the entire script we were ready. Or so we thought. When we had first finalized on the idea of doing a podcast on SPARC's Live Art program, I had reached out to the director of the program for an interview. I had not received a response for a while, and I had forgotten about it. As luck would have it, I received a response the day we were recording. At this point, we had scratched the possibility of an interview and we didn't know where we would fit it in during the editing process. We were left with no choice but to wing it, and luckily, it paid off. We quickly put together a set of questions to ask and the next day we called and did the interview. We learned so much and it was great talking to Maura Sinnenberg (the head of Live Art). After the interview was over, I got to work editing and piecing together the entire thing. In a few hours and multiple trials, I was able to fit the interview into the podcast and I would say it paid off. We had pulled it off. We feel really proud of what we accomplished. We told the story of an amazing organization that is making our community a better place and that was the main goal. We are very thankful for the Live Art program, and our mentor, for continuous support throughout the process. Even if we don't win, we enjoyed creating this podcast and it was definitely worth it. You can listen to the full podcast below. "Cruisin" - Pacific "Moonlight" - Pacific Read the full article

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A Christmas At Gaylord

"Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas."  – Calvin Coolidge https://open.spotify.com/track/1Df5NAhInalMVZzqWnZ532?si=sHFI7EKwSV692BWdFk6rOw The Weekly Tune This Christmas season was unlike others because this year I enjoyed it at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center. There are many Christmas activities on the National Harbor. At the National Harbor, you can experience the Christmas spirit to its fullest. You can attend the annual tree lighting ceremony, take a ride on the Ferris wheel, or experience the beauty of the Gaylord hotel. This year, we stayed for a night at the Gaylord hotel, during Christmas break. We arrived in the afternoon, just in time to see the sunset on the Potomac. When I first entered the hotel, I was awestruck by the size of the hotel.

Sunset on the Potomac The Gaylord convention hotel has many restaurants, bars, and shops. The entire hotel had been redecorated for the Christmas season. The main lobby of the hotel was decorated with beautiful Christmas trees and a very colorful/ huge gingerbread treehouse. In the atrium level, there was a big glass Christmas tree and you could see the Potomac River through the huge glass wall. There were many brightly lit trees on the walkway, and there were several food stalls selling delicious foods like pizza, nachos, popcorn, hot chocolate. Just by roaming around the hotel, you felt like you were in a beautiful Christmas town.

In the night, the hotel came to life. One of the most interesting parts of our stay was the laser light show in the hotel. This show consists of lasers, Christmas music, fountains, and snow. The best part is that it is all indoors. If you book a room with an atrium view, you could watch the show from your room balcony or you could go down to the atrium and enjoy the show.

After the laser light show, we also saw the Cirque Dreams Unwrapped. A dazzling aerobatic show with spectacular stunts and performances. It was an amazing experience. Later that night, we went to see ICE! One of the best things to do in the National Harbor over the winter is to go and visit ICE at the Gaylord convention center. Every year, there is a different theme for ICE. This year it was the Grinch.

As you walk through ICE, you can see all your favorite characters from the Grinch sculpted from colorful ice. Visitors put on parkas before entering the ICE tent, which is kept at 9° Fahrenheit, to preserve the ice sculptures. There is also a huge ICE slide for those looking for a thrilling experience.

There are many more activities in the Christmas Village such as ice skating and gingerbread house building. After we finished going through the Christmas Village, we took a stroll outside in the night. The Ferris wheel was lit up brightly, illuminating the Potomac River.

The next day, we took a walk around the block, saw nearby restaurants and statues. We visited the National Harbor Christmas Tree and got to see the Capital Wheel. I enjoyed spending a day in the beautiful Gaylord hotel at the National Harbor. I highly recommend you visit this hotel during Christmas time. It's an amazing experience!

Wishing You All A Happy New Years Read the full article

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Cattle Baron's Ball

https://open.spotify.com/track/4EcYqXGZ1MOl7gBLcRO9Ya?si=z_4pHSq2Shiz29uVz7oPFA The Weekly Tune: The fight against cancer is never easy, but Our Community Is Stronger Than Cancer. Cancer fights hard, but we fight harder. I had the incredible honor to attend this year's Richmond Cattle Baron's Ball. I often hear about the incredible things that the American Cancer Society is accomplishing every day. By funding young innovative researchers and new experimental treatments, they are fueling innovation within the oncology field. This is an organization willing to take risks to achieve the incredible. As I went through my treatment, the American Cancer Society supported my family through each and every step. Many of the medicines that saved my life were created from researches funded by the American Cancer Society. The Society helps many patients around the country by providing transportation to treatments, covering medical expenses, and providing overall support to patients and families throughout treatments. The American Cancer Society was founded in 1913, at a time where a cancer diagnosis was feared and rarely talked about. The main goal for the Society was to raise awareness of the disease. After World War II, the American Cancer Society began to make big strives in research. Since 1946, the American Cancer Society has invested more than $4 billion in research, recognizing and providing the funding 47 researchers needed to get started and go on to win the Nobel Prize https://www.cancer.org/about-us/who-we-are/our-history.html The American Cancer Society requires a lot of funding to make all of these things possible. One of the biggest fundraising events by the American Cancer Society is their annual Cattle Baron Ball. Originating in Dallas in 1974, the American Cancer Society held it's first-ever Cattle Baron Ball. "Through ticket sales and the auction, the inaugural event raised $56,000." https://www.cattlebaronsball.com Since then the Cattle Baron Ball has raised over $81 million for cancer research and the event has expanded across the nation. This year I was invited to Richmond's annual Cattle Baron Ball and I had an amazing time. The ball began at 6 pm and we started from home at 6 pm. You can piece the rest together. Thankfully, it wasn't a very long drive and we weren't too late. When we reached, it was very obvious that we were in the right place. The entrance was grand with pink police cruisers on each side. Every year, the Richmond Cattle Baron's Ball is held on a huge, beautiful ranch. As we drove through the ranch, we could see horses and cattle grazing on the meadows. We shortly reached the tent where the event was being held. After checking in and getting ourselves seated, we got ourselves food and drinks. The food was incredible. From dancing to live music by Parmalee, the night was full of activities. There were live and silent auctions, and all profits from the night went directly to the American Cancer Society.

That night I had a chance to meet a sweet little boy named Caleb. Caleb is a fellow neuroblastoma survivor and I had a wonderful time with him. I had the chance to share my journey with his parents and hear about his incredible journey. That was one of my favorite parts of the night. I also heard the story of an older cancer survivor in his 20s and his courageous battle against cancer.

The American Cancer Society has invited me and my family to next year's ball, where I will be sharing my story and talking about the impact that the American Cancer Society had on me and my treatment. Hearing all the incredible stories this year truly inspired me and I am excited for next year. I am very thankful to the American Cancer Society for giving me this opportunity. Read the full article

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Fireworks, Food, And Family

“May this Diwali, come with a beautiful beginning, fresh hope, bright days and new dreams. Wishing you a Happy Diwali.” https://open.spotify.com/track/7iTwzSe2fg5xYwCgXXFkEe?si=hLr4RL4HS06F9miLJX9ZOg The Weekly Tune:  Diwali Is A Good Day Fireworks, food, and family are the things that bring Diwali to life. Diwali is an incredible festival for many around the world. Diwali brings about a new beginning and new hope. To me, this holiday means an opportunity to explore my culture and experience the beautiful atmosphere it brings.  Growing up in America, I didn’t have the same Diwali experience as some of my friends did.  I remember going through middle school, and always being asked by my peers about what Diwali was. I often ended up being unable to explain the festival to them, because I didn’t know much about it myself. I never took an interest in my culture back then.  That began to change when I went to high school. In my freshman year of high school, I began to learn more about my culture and heritage. This was an incredibly eye-opening moment for me; learning about the hidden gems which my culture held. Although I must be honest in saying that, I still don't know everything about my culture, and I continue to learn more about it every day.    Diwali is known as the festival of lights, but have you ever known what the lights represent? The lights represent the victory of light over darkness, or better known as the victory of good over evil. During Diwali houses and temples are brightly lit with diyas (small oil lamps) all night and day to express the significance of the light. Diyas represent the positive energies of knowledge and goodness that exist around us. They are lit to spread this knowledge and goodness. 

Pic By Rajesh Balouria Diwali is not composed of a single day, but rather, it is an entire auspicious period. The preceding day is known as Choti Diwali, or small Diwali, as it represents the “build-up” to the actual festival. On Choti Diwali, a prayer of unlit diyas is done. This represents the potential of all energies to spread goodness around the world. After the prayer, the diyas are lit and placed into every nook and cranny of the house. These diyas are continuously lit all night. This ritual is also not only about spreading goodness on the outside but also representative of the idea of spreading goodness within yourself. Diwali gives everyone a chance to be “reborn” and remove negative thoughts and emotions. This forgiveness allows for all wrongdoings to be mended for the next year. Each year, we all pray for the knowledge to be better people and make the right decisions in our lives. On Diwali (the main day), diyas are lit outside and burn all night to spread purity in the environment and surroundings. 

Pic By Bhuwan Purohit I remember one Diwali, my parents had a huge party at our house. It was a big get together with amazing food and activities. I remember enjoying the festive mood so much, especially when it came to the fireworks. My god, the fireworks were incredible. We lit them on the streets and probably woke up the entire neighborhood,  but it was a small price to pay for such an amazing time. It was truly an incredible experience for me and got me very interested in Diwali.  The festival of Diwali traces its origins back to Hindu mythology. The Ramayana is an epic in which Ram, an incarnation of Vishnu (one of the three in the trinity in Hindu mythology, also known as the Preserver) is sent to defeat the arrogant and egoistic Ravana in Lanka, to save his wife Sita. Ravana was originally one of the most knowledgeable sages of the time and was respected by thousands. However, his arrogance and ego consumed him and he no longer retained his divinity. He captured Sita and took her to his abode in Lanka. Ram was furious and along with his brother, Lakshman, they traveled to Lanka to defeat Ravana. In the end, Ravana was defeated by Ram. Ram then returned with Sita and Lakshman, and this return is now known as Diwali. The people of Ayodhya (Ram’s birthplace) lit thousands of diyas to welcome him home. Not only does this represent the victory of good over evil, but also the victory of light over the darkness.  We celebrate Diwali not just as Hindus, but along with Jain, Sikh, Buddhists, Christians, and many other religions. We can all celebrate the victory of all the positive energies over negative energies. We celebrate with family, friends, neighbors, and strangers. The festival not only teaches us many important lessons but also increases the understanding of our roots and the deeper meanings behind them. You do not necessarily to be Hindu or Indian to celebrate Diwali. All you need to do is open your heart, find the light within you, and share that light with others. Happy Diwali

Pic By Bhuwan Purohit Thank You To All My Friends Who Helped Me Make This Post Possible! Read the full article

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A Day In New York

"Give me such shows — give me the streets of Manhattan!"  - Walt Whitman I had one day in New York. One day with a lot to do. https://open.spotify.com/track/0p53Ew48z3CC51m1bwgYT1?si=MPZJiqHxSuyULjKgbNN95g The Weekly Tune The flight to NY was a full flight, so it was a little bit more cramped than usual. As we entered the airport, it was clearly visible how crowded the place was. I had never been to the Laguardia airport before, so this was my first time. The moment the plane taxied towards the airport, you could tell that there was major construction going on, after all, it's New York. If you haven't seen or heard about it, the airport is getting undergoing a major renovation and if you visit today, you can see that revamping in full effect. As we got out of the airport, we booked an Uber and began our day-long trip throughout New York. As we landed, it was almost afternoon, so we thought of stopping for lunch before heading on to the next set of things. Our first stop in New York was to an incredible restaurant called BareBurger. With franchises all around New York and wonderful menu options for vegetarians, BareBurger is a great NYC restaurant. We went to the one right around 1681, 1st avenue, and we reached right when they were opening up. The food was delicious and it was very enjoyable.

After having lunch, we went to the Grand Central Terminal. I had never been to the Grand Central Terminal before and this was my first time. Like anywhere in New York, Grand Central was really crowded. Like the kind of "crowded" where it is impossible to get around without bumping into someone else. In Grand Central Terminal we got donuts from the Donut Plant. The Tres Leches donut was so good, and I would definitely go back and get more if I could. If you are ever in NY, be sure to stop by any of their outlets to try their unique donuts. By the time we were done with the Grand Central Terminal, I was starting to get tired, but our trip was only beginning. We had a lot more to see and do that day. After seeing Grand Central we took a taxi to Central Park for a short stroll. We went to the Belvedere Castle and got some beautiful pictures of the landscape. Strolling through Central Park was very peaceful and fun. We even ran into an enthusiastic golden retriever and had a great time petting him.

While we would have stayed in Central Park for longer, we still had a few more places to visit. One of the most important places that we wanted to visit, was the 9/11 memorial and museum. Seeing the memorial and paying respect to all whose lives were lost on that horrific day was something that I had always wanted to do and I am glad that I got the opportunity to do that during this trip. Walking through the museum was quite emotional and it was an experience of its own. I would recommend that if you happen to be in NY, make it a part of your list of things to do. Before I visited this museum and memorial, I had only heard about the events that took place on that day, and I never really had a deep understanding of the events that happened. I walked through the museum and learned about all the heartbreaking, saddening, heroic, and courageous stories of that day and the days, months, and years that followed. It was one of the more emotional parts of the trip but the most important one.

“If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there is no time for hate.” —Sandy Dahl, wife of Flight 93 pilot Jason Dahl, in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, in 2002 Finally, we were reaching the end of our trip. By now, I was exhausted and ready to relax and thankfully, for the last part of our trip, we were going to watch a Broadway show. We were going to watch "To Kill A Mockingbird". "To Kill A Mockingbird" (by Aaron Sorkin and directed by Bartlett Sher) was an incredible show. The entire cast and crew did an amazing job of telling a very important story that needs to be told. You may have read the story "To Kill A Mockingbird" but if you haven't, it basically delves into aspects of racism and injustice that took place in the 1900s (I don't want to reveal too much). This show did a great job of telling this valuable story. As the show went on, I became absorbed into the style of storytelling and the actor's performances. Jeff Daniels produced an extraordinary performance, and I enjoyed watching this remarkable broadway show. I definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a great way to spend their evening. I think this was one of my favorite trips to New York. While I have been to NY many times, and probably will continue to go many more times to come, I feel that during this trip I learned and experienced much more than I ever did before. This trip was a valuable one and I am very glad that I went on it, and I am glad that I was able to share my journey with you guys. Read the full article

[wasilly1]

Chikhaldara, India

This is part of a series of posts documenting my vacation in India. To see the other posts click here. https://youtu.be/OjD0giUJLZ0 I was reaching the last leg of my vacation in India. After the wedding in Nagpur, we went to Bhopal, where my dad's side of the family lives. In Bhopal, we did some shopping and ate local street food. India's street food is amazing. As you walk past street vendors you can smell all the different aromas of yummy food. While I am not the biggest fan of spicy food, that didn't stop me from wanting to try all the delicious things that the vendors offered, especially the sweets. After Bhopal, I visited my mom's side of the family in Amravati. Amravati is a small city in the state of Maharashtra. In Amravati, there are many places to visit. We stayed in Amravati for a few days and we visited a place called Chikhaldara. Chikhaldara is a popular vacation spot located in the state of Maharashtra. It's about a 3-hour drive from Amravati to Chikhaldara. The road was narrow and bumpy, and by the end of the trip, I was feeling quite carsick. On the other hand, the views during the drive were definitely extraordinary. As you were climbing up the mountain you could begin to see the various wildlife. From monkeys to deers, we saw many animals along our journey.

Once we reached Chikhaldara it was nearly afternoon. We stayed at a resort overlooking the valley. We didn't have much time in Chikhaldara, but we made the most of it by visiting some of the most iconic places that Chikhaldara had to offer. On our first day in Chikhaldara, we went to various viewpoints overlooking the valley. The high elevation of Chikhaldar allowed us to see clouds flowing right in front of us. Those moments we spent overlooking the valley were just serene and majestic.

The next day we set out to go to a well-known temple called Devi Point. Indian temples are quite beautiful and this one was one of the most beautiful temples I had ever seen. Indian temples, in my experience, are quite enchanting. The simplest of things like the kindness you are greeted with when you step into a temple is remarkable and makes the entire experience incredible. This temple was not only beautiful but simply extraordinary. The temple was located in a cave. There was a waterfall right next to the temple, there is water coming down from the ceiling of the cave and as you entered you would be drenched with the cold and refreshing water. You would continue being drenched with water as you walked through the temple. It was a very unique experience which I enjoyed tremendously.

Outside of the temple, you could see the valley in all its glory. You could walk to up to the edges and touch the clouds. After visiting the temple we drove to Gawilghur. Gawilghur was a fort of the Maratha Empire. This fort was huge and was so incredible to look at. Just looking at the fort made me wonder about the incredible stories of the battles and events that must have occurred during the time period. Remains of the fort continue to stand tall today.

After visiting the fort we went back to the resort to catch up on some rest because we would be going on a safari ride in the afternoon. In the afternoon we visited the Melghat Tiger Reserve. The Melghat Tiger Reserve is a wildlife sanctuary. In the reserve, you can see tigers, deer, leopards, buffalos, and many other kinds of animals. We went on a safari tour of the reserve. While we may have not seen tigers nor leopards we did see a pack of deer, wild buffalos, peacocks. The ride through the forest was very fun and exciting and we caught some incredible views of the valley during sunset. This was a great conclusion for our trip to Chikhaldara.

The next day we packed up and got ready to head back home. Yes, I got pretty car sick on the way home as well. Overall I enjoyed Chikhaldara quite a lot and it was a very memorable trip. Read the full article

[wasilly1]

A Better World: Evan Ruggiero

Evan Ruggiero is a cancer survivor and a tap dancer. I had the incredible opportunity to meet him and perform alongside him, and I am very glad that I was able to learn about his incredible story. This is Evan's story of beating the odds and doing what he loves.

What do you do? My name is Evan Ruggiero. I grew up in Old Bridge, NJ and I’m currently living in New York City. I’m an Actor, Singer, Motivational Speaker, and a One-Legged tap dancer.  What's your story? When I was in college, I woke up one morning with a pain in my right leg. I knew something wasn’t right. I couldn’t walk. I went to the hospital to have an x-ray taken and the doctor told me he wanted to perform a biopsy to see what exactly was going on. After that operation, I was told I had Osteosarcoma, which is bone cancer. I was devastated. I had to leave school, put everything on hold, and start battling a deadly disease. After 7 months of surgery, my cancer came back, and I had to have my leg amputated above the knee. On top of that, I had to start chemotherapy. The cancer has metastasized in my lungs, resulting in two lung operations.  What kind of thoughts were going through your mind during the treatment? To be honest, I was angry. I thought, “How could this happen to me?” It was difficult to want to finish my treatments. Chemo was very difficult, and looking at myself was hard. Not only was I seeing the physical side effects of chemo, but I also had to see myself with only one leg.  What encouraged you to keep pushing forward through the treatment? All I wanted to do was go back to school and hang out with my friends. I wanted to sing songs and play music. I wanted to perform in the musical that was happening that semester, and I did. It made me feel normal again. I wanted to start tap dancing again someday. I read about Peg Leg Bates, a famous one-legged tap-dancer, and I thought if he could do it, so could I. 

Peg Leg Bates What day to day things helped with your treatment?  My family helped me with day to day things. My mother spent many nights in the hospital with me, making sure I had the best advocate. My father took me to chemo every day and started me off with a good breakfast. He stayed with me until my first dose of chemo entered my body to make sure I was ok. I had friends from home and school, spend days and nights with me at the hospital. Going back to school made me feel great. Like I was a normal college student. Learning how to walk again, and even drive. Just doing daily activities made me feel whole.  How has your life changed after the treatment? There are certain things I have to be careful to eat, or certain activities I can’t take part in anymore, but I pretty much do everything I want to do. I travel often, performing, so I’m rarely in the same place for more than a month at a time. I have my home base in NYC, but many weekends I can be found traveling around the world for work.  What is your biggest inspiration in life? I don’t know if I have many inspirations in life. It’s a tough thing to think about, and an honest answer from me. I have many things that bring me joy and things that make me happy in life. And those are what I strive for and work towards. Seeing other people be happy makes me happy. And that’s why I do what I do. It also makes me feel good when I’m on stage performing. I’m in the moment, always.  What has been your favorite show to be a part of? I’ve enjoyed a lot of the shows I’ve been a part of. Some of my favorites include being on the Oscars, performing on the Ellen Show, “Bastard Jones” in NYC, which garnered me a Drama Desk Nomination for Best Actor, and “The Toxic Avenger.”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-M8NA_H-c0 How did you learn about Live Art? I learned about Live Art through Jason Mraz. We were speaking and performing at an event together and he asked me to join him for Live Art.  What would you say to someone else who is going through something similar? I would tell them it gets a lot easier. Don’t give up. Try to find your most positive self, and have fun every day, you feel great. What's your outlook on life? I try to have a positive outlook on life. I take things as they come to me. I don’t stress out about things as much as I used to. Bad things happen, it’s the world we live in. We have to be open to change.  Interview conducted on 7/2/19 Read the full article