Chic Diversity

Currently there is all sorts of criticism from Vogue India readers regarding Australian supermodel Gemma Ward being on the cover with 5 other Indian models, on the magazine's first edition in India. Read article here. One Indian reader said 'Call me overly PC but what the hell is Gemma Ward doing on the inaugural cover of Vogue India? Is she like 1/100 Indian or something from her dad's side 4 times removed?'. And another reader stated 'What is Gemma's significance in India and Indian culture? Are the desi models and actresses not sufficiently beautiful and glamorous to hold their own?. Another so-called fashion-reader said this 'Is Gemma an Indian or of Indian origin??She sticks out like a sore thumb between the gorgeous Indian girls. As usual if there is no dumb blond bimbo the magazine is not going to sell. I am so disgusted with Vogue India for putting an Aussie on an Indian magazine. Can you ever imagine Australian Vogue putting Bipasha Basu on their cover… never'. Alot of Indians complained that it's a symbol of 'white' dominance over other ethnicities. What this shows is that people who call white people racists are actually the real racists. I was so very disappointed and ashamed to see this kind of reaction from my own origin. This is about Fashion and not about India right? So what do you want..Aishawarya's face all over again to feed your ego? So if Gemma isn't Indian and shouldn't be on the cover, then why do Indian women wear western clothes at all? You give us the right to ask that. If this mixed cover does anything at all, it will only bring the world closer to each other. See the bigger picture for a change!

Now I'm not white and I have an Indian background, so my opinion on this would be unbiased and honest to the max. I have lived in Australia and mixed with both Eastern and Western culture long and well enough to shed some light on this issue. My first reaction to these racist comments was this - 'people, you are flaunting your backwardness real fashionably'. This distasteful and unintelligent reaction from some Indian readers tell me that so-called Indian fashionistas aint all that fashionable as they believe themelves to be. If India wants to prove they're not backward anymore, please wake up this very moment and prove it. So what if the Indian Vogue included a white model on their first cover? Black, brown, yellow or white, we are all humanbeings and these models share a common interest...and that's FASHION. Nothing else should matter. Besides, Vogue is an International magazine, not just Indian. No matter how deep your knowledge may be in fashion, if people can't look beyond skin color and embrace fashion for fashion and not for ethnicity, then their mentality is shoddier than an ancient tribe. What I'm trying to say is that if these people can't overlook physical differences and concentrate on talent and unity in an industry, instead of origins, then they should stop reading Vogue, kick their high-heels off, shed their halter-necks, wash off their Revlon makeup, don a grass skirt and move to the jungles. Cos that's where out-dated mentalities belong. STOP TRYING TO BE FASHIONABLE WHEN YOUR PSYCHE IS SHOCKINGLY UNFASHIONABLE. And that goes to every fashionista in the world. (this last pic is of Vogue China launched in 2005, which has Gemma and 5 Chinese models in it. The Chinese fashion industry and Vogue readers didn't die over white skin being on their first cover, neither did they whinge).

We have all benefitted from each others' cultures and we have evolved into being an intelligent, modern and tolerant society. These covers portray the smart, fashionable and modern woman - it's neither about the Indian woman nor the white woman. Go Bipasha, Gemma, Priyanka, Monikangana, Preity and Laxmi of Vogue India's inaugaral cover! All these models are unique and gorgeous women, working together for a greater cause. I love these covers, don't you agree? And remember, DIVERSITY WILL ALWAYS BE IN VOGUE. Wear it well ;-).

Today's song is one of my fav Hindi numbers...it's an old song and it basically means JUST HAVE FUN. Even in the olden days people seem to have known how to have fun. So lets just realise that and not get too serious and ugly about people's origins. We are one after all.


Current Music: Dum Maro Dum (from the Hindi movie Hare Rama Hare Krishna)

Logical Vs Illogical

Snow-White Vs Media-bashing Stepmum















A Hunkster Vs A Junkster














Talent Vs Desperation

















White Beauty Vs White Trash

Humanbeing Vs Plastic-surgery Specimen

TheLiving Vs The Dead

Real Eye-lashes Vs Surgically-attached Bats









Pick him cos he's HOT Vs Drop him like he's so NOT!





Class Vs Crass









Current Music: The Logical Song by Roger Hodgson

The Secret Enemy

Disclaimer: This is not a lecture. Rather an eye opener for myself too. When I write posts like this, it helps me to discipline myself. So in future, when something like this happens, I can quickly think of this post and act accordingly. These are my heart-notes for everyone including myself!

I believe we all have a secret enemy within us. Some of us may be aware of what it is while others may be totally clueless about it. Let's have a look at some emotions such as greed, lust, anger, pride, jealousy etc etc. As humans we are all born with such emotions and as we grow up, they only become worse. I guess that happens cos, as we become adults we become more aware of SELF. And the Ego settles in. A helathy ego is necessary to go ahead in life, achieve our dreams and serve the community in whatever positive way that you may please. But when that ego jumps a certain border, it becomes your own enemy. I, Me, Myself is all you see, feel, breathe then. It's all about winning, being right, feeling important, wanting to be superior to the rest etc etc. That I believe is very dangerous to one's own psyche and health. Without realising what you're doing to yourself, you make a strong bond with your ego...and that self-obsession is the beginning of self-deterioration.

When you refuse to say Sorry for something that you need to apologise, that's your ego playing tough. When you wanna convey your true feelings to someone and you feel you'd look hideous doing it, that's your ego stealing the better of you. When you put down others and hurt people just to be right, that's your ego making you an animal. When you look down upon people who are not equal to you in status, health, wealth etc etc, that's your ego ruling you. When you want to brag about any help/service you may have done to others, that's your ego destroying the very good that you have done. When you acquire things only for yourself and never share/donate to others in need, that's your ego closing the gates of wisdom, barring you from entering in...you become the victim and the puppet of your own ego.

No humanbeing can be 100% ego-free. Infact, as I said before, a healthy ego is a must for the benefit of self achievements and for the good of everyone else on this Earth. But, we must strike a healthy balance, so that we don't hurt others or forget that others exist and that they have their lives, opinions and dreams too. We must always remember that people are different and we must respect that. I have come across so many people (in my own circle) who have looked down upon others who are not so 'able' as they are...and people who have helped those in need and spewed it on their faces for years...and people who have told me that I'd be nothing if not for them. Now there's no way I can ask those people to read this or some great book on Ego and discipline themselves...cos their ego refuses to even listen to someone like me. I guess controlling your ego should come naturally to you...it's not something that someone else can help you do. Inner peace should be developed by you yourself. When you have achieved that state of a healthy balance, you have the most powerful weapon of all times - Inner Peace. Then you'll be content in any situation and with any beast that comes across you...money and other materialistic needs won't rule your life...you're not fragile anymore. Cos now you have controlled your own enemy within you, hence external challenges become alot easier to deal with.

So have you realised that you have a sceret enemy? Are you working on being a better person? Have you ever let your ego control you to a state that it hurt somebody else badly? Have you ever thought about it? Cos some people don't even stop to think what they are doing to others...they are just driven by their own secret enemy until it's too late for them to recover from it. Young or old, if you smile at your ego and tell it to rest for a while, alot of personal problems and this world's major issues would cease to exist. From using a harsh word that leaves a deep scar in someone's heart, to terrorism that kills alot of innocents, the reason behind all those acts is the Ego. Humans have conquered alot of things over the centuries but we are still fragile when it comes to our Ego. It's a power struggle that need to be abandoned. I know, it's much easier said than done, but it's not impossible to achieve at all. Cos often I have let my ego rule me, but not so much these days...while I haven't conquered it altogether, lately I realise that I'm at peace with even the cruelest person that I'd come across...to me that's pure bliss. So when was the last time you let your secret enemy win?

Have a good one folks!

Current Music: Fragile by Sting

Let Go, Love and Live

Meaning of the current song:

Every moment Life is changing its shape
At some places there is happiness and at others there is sadness...
Live every moment to the fullest here
Whatever is the setting who knows whether it will be there tomorrow
One who loves you whole-heartedly
It's difficult to find such a person
With such a person everything is beautiful
Hold on to such a hand,
who knows tomorrow that person may be there, may not be there...
Heart will continue to beat fast,
but think whether this tale will exist tomorrow or not...
Heart will continue to beat fast,
but think whether this tale will exist tomorrow or not...


This is the only truth I know about life...that today is all you've got to love one another. Have a good day and make sure you live it to the fullest. Take a load off, let go of the baggage we carry in our heads for life is very short. Ring your mother..tell her you love her. Hug your father...tell him you care. Smile at your neighbor...show you're human. Meet your friends...tell them you remember. Reach out to a stranger...feel the love you spread. I LOVE YOU GUYS! Enjoy this beautiful song.

Current Music: Kal Ho Na Ho (from the Hindi movie Kal Ho Na Ho)

The Gift

UPDATE! These are 2 pics of the innocent little boy Dean Shillingsworth who was murdered by his own mum. There'll be a memorial held tomorrow night at the lake where he was found, to farewell his spirit. Please pray and think of this beautiful baby that never got a chance to grow up and see the world. When I look at his face, I feel love...I wanna hug him and tell him how beautiful he is. Can you feel the love tonight Dean? Everyone here loves you and misses you! This song is for you. You're in a better place now lil darling. God speed! HUGGGGGGZ n MWAHHHHHHZ!

Who does a new born baby depend on? The mother and the father ofcourse. And can a tiny baby do anything wrong to upset adults? Nothing at all. Cos they themselves are helpless little humans depending on us. Now when a little baby is born, I believe angels surround and bless them with all the love a child could ever receive in their lifetime. A new life is born and that life depends on it's mother and father to lookafter and care for them til they can lookafter themselves one day. A gift has been given to the parents...one they must treasure for life.

Last week in Sydney, a 2yr old baby boy's body was found inside a suitcase that was floating in a duck pond. Some kids who were playing around that pond found the body. Initially the Police could not trace who's baby it was, but just yesterday they found out that it was the 26yr old mother of the baby who had killed the baby, and done this heartless act of putting it in a suitcase and dumping it in a pond. I would like to believe that this woman is mentally ill or else there's no other tolerable explanation to such a callous deed. Reading the news today, it dawned on me that the woman is not mentally ill but just an abusive mother. Apparently one relative of this baby cared about the little boy and had rung the relevant authorities telling them that he was not in good hands. But all those calls somehow didn't get the HELP the little one needed and it all came too late.

Does this story tell you something very important? It does to me. When you know something is wrong, that someone is being treated badly, that a kid is in wrong hands, that someone is helpless out there, that someone needs your help cos they can't seek it themselves, that I need to wake up and see that something is done before it's too late! It breaks my heart to realise that a little baby boy's life was stolen in this very cruel manner, in the hands of his own mother. It disturbs me that nothing was done to get this boy the help he needed despite the many calls to the authorities. It saddens me that his little body was all alone, bruised and stuffed carelessly inside a suitcase and left to float in water. It astounds me that someone could really do that kind of thing to a baby. It breaks my heart that I couldn't do anything (even though I never knew these people) to save this child. It breaks my heart that an act of kindness is so difficult for some people to deliver...that cruelty reigns in their hearts...that the gift of life has become cheap...that a little boy was not loved the way he should've been...that though life and love are gifts from heaven above, love isn't in everyone's hearts.

This is my little dedication to a baby boy I didn't know but who's story captured my heart and taught me something important. May his tiny soul rest in peace in the arms of an angel...

Rest you must my little child...
For you have lived only for awhile...
A mother you had but love was lost
If you were mine, I'd make the most
If a gentle breeze whispers to you
That your life was invain and useless too
Just know that it wasn't futile for me
From you I learnt that love is Godly...

Current Music: In The Arms Of An Angel bySara McLachlan

Current Music Update:Can You Feel The Love Tonight by Elton John (from the movie Lion King)

See No Nirvana!

Recently I have developed the following symptoms that I thought I might put across for you to diagnose. I don't need a doctor to tell me what it is...cos I think the best doctors would be all of you guys. Cos all of you have been through shit, and you really don't have to do a medical degree to diagnose and get over it. I don't know if it's Madorrhea, Shitanus or Mencephalytis, just let me know if you think you know what it is. So here I go, these are the symptoms that have been plagueing me for awhile:

**Selective dysfuntion of the brain. I just snap and walk faster. Sometimes I put my iPod on infront of certain people, indicating I don't want any human interaction!

**A temper that makes me wanna put someone in a blender/washing machine and watch. Often I get angry with inanimate objects too such as my coffee table? Is it normal to cuss at a tea-cup?

**Hallucinating certain people without the faces they are born with. It's as if they have a new face and that new face doesn't look human...more like a demented ghost that needs plastic surgery

** Dancing in the weirdest places such as the lift and in the Ladies. When someone walks in, I just quickly stop and pretend like I'm so serious about the lift/toilet's existence on this Earth

**Craving for certain shocking combinations of foods such as pork in plum sauce with banana (no I'm not pregnant. How can you be pregnant when you're the president of the Nil Sex Club?)

**Wanting to live in a cardboard box

**Finding Richard Simmons sexy

**Imagining God in a swim-suit

**Feeling like the biggest perfectionist breathing on this planet and wanting to improve on it..yes I said 'improve'

**When cleaning the kitchen floor, wanting to spray Pine-o-clean into my brain instead of the floor, and feeeling like my brain has gone to a car-wash cafe

** Dreading a certain species

**Feeling like Kurt Cobain is in my coffee

**Wanting to leave this worldly life and wear yellow robes, yet wanting to take my halter-neck tops and shorts with me

**With all of this materialistic shit happening, yet praying hard that I'd attain Nirvana some day and soon!

Now diagnose me if you can. If you get it right, I might pay you big bucks on Monday ;-). btw don't forget to check out Kylie's video..and she wants to remove her clothes, now just to be diagnosed aha Kylie? Have a great weekend folks, live it to the fullest!

Current Music: Fever by Kylie Minogue