Too Good To Be True

Day three:
11:51 am: so clearly I didn't write almost anything yesterday, but that doesn't mean nothing happened. Quite the contrary. So everything I wrote happened before ten am, and I wrote that blurb as we sat down to brunch in this adorable cafe in the town of Berlin where both the films "The Runaway Bride" and "Tuck Everlasting" were filmed. Since we had been up since six breakfast was far out of our minds and instead we ordered grilled cheese sandwiches and fries. From there we drove the Ocean City, a complete tourist town and after much ado got a hotel with a pool. My sisters small request. The afternoon we spent as tourists walking along the boardwalk, swimming in the pool, hanging out in the room. In the evening we went back to the Island and spent close to two hours watching a photographing a larger band of ponies that were grazing along side the road. A beautiful pinto stallion was the leader and walked straight up to our car challenging it. Then he stood there casually as if saying "oh it's fine if your here, I'm just going to stand here and make sure you don't do anything stupid." And of course I got some great pictures. Then we came back to the hotel, exhausted, and fell asleep.
5:36 pm: woke up at eight and after a simple breakfast packed up our things. By eleven we were out of the hotel and took a morning walk on the boardwalk which resembles a carnival with funnel cakes and Carmel apples and even some rides at one end. Mum said it looked how Coney Island used to be. In any case we walked enjoying the sea breeze, the sound of gulls, the sparking ocean and white sand to one side. Then the haphazard line of shops on the other. Then we got back in our faithful four-door and drove to Chincoreague island where it all began.
9:43 pm: even I can barely believe my fortune. As horrid as they can feel, I am so Lucky to have the family I have. My mother somehow managed to find the exact bed and breakfast where the book Misty of Chincoteague was written. I book I have loved and adored since childhood. It's one of the few books I have read multiple times, I'm more of a one time only reader. In any case after an hour and a half of driving along both high way and winding country roads we drove over the marshlands on a bridge and arrived in Chincoteague, and came to this large old house remodeled into a B &B called Miss Molly's. We inquired about a room and after thinking briefing the owner (a sweet looking woman with a comforting British accent said) well the Maurgurite Henry room where Misty was written is available. You can hardly imagine my elation which I, of course didn't show, when hearing this. Not only am I ON the Island, IN the house, I will sleep in the ROOM!!
The rest of the afternoon was fantastic today, except perhaps the six mile home I insisted on went we drove to the nearby Assateague (the southern portion) because I had to see more ponies. The hike was worth it though because it led us to the only currently visible band in the area. There six mares and a majestic stallion, who tolerated me taking photos, but when I would walk to close he glare at me, not in warning but annoyance and then herd his mares a short distance away. It was by far my favorite thing so far the were grazing along a gravel road, with the marsh on one side and a pond on the other. Despite the dead grass all around, it was stunning. And watching the herd dynamic was awesome too, the was one younger horse probably a yearling whom the stallion kept driving off, not enough as to let her get close to me, but keeping her away from his ladies. The natural weaning process. The baby kept disobeying him though which made him quite annoyed and it was clear he had a look like "seriously kid, stand still for two minutes will you?" I must sign off here now. Time to sleep in the wonderful room in a bed Ms. Henry may have slept in!

A Day Of No Sleep, but Happiness

Day two
11:16 am: This place is phenomenal! Drove all night and arrived on the Maryland side of the island at four am. Slept for two hours in the car and then watched the sunrise from the beach. After that we traipsed all around the island and found four different bands of ponies. I got some phenomenal photos including one of a stallion yawning less then 100 feet away. I was careful of course, as if they had to warn me of horse bites.

The Spontaneous Journey

Sorry about all the mistakes that I am sure are in this. It was all written in short bursts in the car, in Cafes, or on parks benches. In any case, enjoy!

2:13 after a rushed and spontaneous getting ready my sister, mother, and I are in the car leaving for assategue.
2:22 our funds were a bit low, so we stopped at the bank and each took out a few hundred dollars then pooled our money to pay for this crazy trip of ours.
2:26 OK so let me back up. About a month ago my sister and I, well me, thought up this grand plan where just the two of us would fly down to Florida and visit my grandmother. Well my mum and dad thought this plan would work, and started to make arrangements, but were stopped short when they learned that my grandmother would be going away that one week we were on break. So that plan was crushed, we kept coming up with ideas and then decided to go to the Maryland region, stay with my Aunt and Uncle there and visit Assateague island. The home to Misty of Chincoteague a treasured book of my childhood. Well we called and it turns out that's where my grandmother was visiting and so that plan was cut short too. Well just ideas, but no action sprouted for a long time and then two days into our break after days of irritation and Bordom we decided to go to Assateague anyway and stay in a hotel. I forgot to mention we had thought of going earlier in the week, but had been unable to due to a huge snow storm that hit the Midwest.
5:18: we've been driving and driving. We didn't get to just leave the house and start driving eat though. First though we had to go backwards west to change cars with my dad, who had the nice car to take us the distance to the east. We're not far out of Columbus now, I've driven an hour and a half and my mother the rest. The long flat fields have become forested hills, although not as big as the will be later. My sister site with her feet propped up reading a classic, her current fad. My mother talks on the phone, something for the temple I assume. I go in and out of writing and listening to the book of evil, which I am not yet done with.
2:25 pm: guess what? We're still driving. (Read this in a deep dramatic voice, preferably with a British accent, though that'd optional) the dark road stretches out before our small car, woods and water to either side depending on that particular stretch, and the sky rests above, mottled with ominous storm clouds. (End voice). Every time we look at the GPS our estimated arrival time is later and later. It is now scheduled for four am. My sister is sleeping, and mum is driving. My shift ended about fifteen minutes ago and consisted of the majority of the night. It was only when I was giving a narrative on everything that happened (such as and we passed another green sign, and the road is still black colored) in a faux British accent (and possibly swerving a bit) that my mother decided we were switching. That was 2:03 am. So the new goal is Ocean City, Maryland where we'll spend the remainder of the night, then get up and hopefully take a beach walk (despite the fact it'll be 30 degrees) and then finally go to the long awaited Asseteague Island and see the wild ponies! (Hopefully) I really shouldn't be writing, now at 2:34 am. I'm so sleep deprived. Good bye. More later.

Age Can Be Beautiful

It's Shivarathri at the temple. I didn't know this, and was spending my morning in Yellow Springs after sleeping there the previous night. As I was hanging out with my friends I got a phone call from the temple priest asking if I would be there to take photos, after figuring of what I was taking photos of I promised to be there at five and then made preparations to leave Yellow Springs and come home. For some reason I didn't have resistance to going as I have so much lately. I went home and got some chores done, took care of my geese, put on maple sap to boil into syrup, and replied to some hand written letters from friends (support your local post office today!), then went to my room and quickly dressed into my favorite half-sari, applied Kum Kum and went. It would be boring to describe my activities, but I want to write about something that caught my eye. A few times a year we have events In which the public can sponsor the main rituals such as an abishekum or Pooja, then they get to participate in someway. In the case of Shivarathri it's an abishekum and the sponserees get to pour some of the (almond) milk over the shiva linga. Most of the family's simply perform the ritual, but there is always an old woman or two who complete the action which such complete and utter devotion, it brings YOU a little closer to god. There's just something in the way it takes that extra effort to get up on the alter, the way they give the gods an extra glance, or take some drops of the liquid falling from the deity to sprinkle over their head. Maybe it's putting their hands, palms together in Anjali mudra, and looking at Anandaswaras face like he is her beloved. Perhaps it's all of those things put together, but its a moment in life that makes my heart open with joy.

Going Home

1:43 pm: my adventure is over, my flight home is boarding. I'm in the last boarding zone so I'm still in the waiting area. I feel strangely nervous, apprehensive, irritated. It's been a slightly stressful morning, I woke up easily so that was fine, but I had received gifts from people on set, so the bag that had barely closed on the way was now WAY to full.
2:28 pm: I'm up in the air riding among the clouds.
3:53 pm: the novelty of traveling is over. I'm grouchy and thirsty, and sick of being nice. I try and be nice to everyone I see, give them a smile or compliment because traveling people are very stressed, but I'm done with that. I'm not quite to the glaring phase but getting there. The other thing about being nice, is when you need something the people who appreciate your smiles help you, which is useful. I'm bored on my plane in Charlotte two seats from the back, I really don't like the back because while I don't get airsickness, my stomach hates turbulence and it's worse in back.
Anyway I'll write positive things now. On the flight to Charlotte I sat next to a young woman who was flying to France for a month and we talked the whole, and then took a picture with each other when we reached the airport, she was super nice and it was her first time on a long flight, so I have her some tips and then we hugged and departed to our separate terminals. We're about to take off, so I'll go for now. Just one last thing, Charlotte is the nicest airport ever, there was a piano player playing a baby grand in the food court. Go there is you can.

Hanging in Atlanta

7:07 am: third day in Atlanta, second day on set! Unfortunately my iPod didn't charge last night, I don't know why, so unless I can find a charger somewhere there might not be that much today.
7:16 pm: I am feeling incredibly awkward right now. I am seated in a high school theater, next to two other teenagers I barely know, about to watch the screening on a documentary about organic farming. I've tried to just be accepting and say yes to everything (within reason), and so I simply agreed to go when invited, I was invited by one of the producers, because her daughter is speaking at the event, and I guess we have a lot in common. Enough cribbing though, the majority of my day was... To amazing for words.
8:26 pm: well the movie was screened! It was called Grow! and was in fact quite inspiring and beautiful. Basically it was about sustainable farming, and and young farmers. Anyway today, day two. Kalaadevi forgot to wake me up, so I got to sleep in for an extra half hour, which was wonderful considering my late bedtime the previous night, but made the morning a tad stressful. In any case we left the house nearly on time at 6:47am and drive to set, a large and grand hotel in central Atlanta. Well we parked at crew parking, but the bus was late. thankfully someone with a car drove us to the trailer, parked in front of the hotel. Well we set up with the supplies left out from the previous day's packing. Eventually Kevin showed up for makeup and hair, and then extras started coming for the large extra scene being filmed. I made myself useful doing Starbucks runs (one cappuchino vendi with whole milk, one black tea vendi, two small cappuccinos with whole milk tall, and one tall mocha, breakfast runs, and errands for actors, makeup and hair artists, and those who needed help. The whole day sort of blends together time wise, but I know some of the events will stand out in my mind for a long time. First and for most I started to really make friends, a 20 year old girl from locations, who's hair I braided cause she didn't feel pretty, but we connected over Krafty (the food table), then I met Patrick who is also 17 and lives in Georgia, like me he wants to be a director and got into the film as a P.A. (In the movie business essentially a bunch of young wannabe directors who run around "babysitting actors" and running errands. He also is in high school so we joked about cutting school for our passions.
Later on in the day I connected with Matt, an up and coming actor. Between takes I would chat with him, and during makeup touchups, and then we had a wonderful talk over lunch. So I spent lots of time talking to my friends, and learning, and I observed the filming from video village. The area with a monitor connected to a camera and lots of those chairs in neat rows, for directors, DP s(director of photography), ADs (assistant directors), and producers, some makeup and hair artists. The DP, Mike talked to me for a while about the shot pattern, and colleges, although I wish I could talked to him more. The directors were so nice and kept checking in with me to make sure I was doing Ok (YES!). I learned exactly how one becomes a film director, it has nothing to do with college. Just lots of being a slave to people. But people are nice, so it's not bad.
10:15 pm: home now. Partly watching Swamijis discourse and partly trying to catch up on my other world work. The world I have to reenter tomorrow. I feel like so much more happened today that I could write about, but.... Ok this will be haphazard and unorganized. Lets see movie catering, the one thing I can't stand about movies. I've been living off of yogurt and salads, and coffee. Almost everything is meat and what isn't has so much garlic and mushroom and onions I won't eat it (these foods are not eaten in a sattvic diet which I follow). I sorta made friends with some of the sound people and so they gave me headphones and a radio thing so I could listen to the sound being recorded for the film. Which is regulated through mics and a soundboard as the actors are speaking, Nick did makeup for me in the morning, and finally I got a good bye hug from Kevin which was wonderful. So many new friends, so much information. These last three days easily equal the rest of my year all together, and I am happy beyond comprehension to have had them.
And now I am home typing this on the notes section of my iPod. Sleepily struggling with the weak Internet. I shall shower soon and sleep. More later, tomorrow, for a travel again. Good night.

Day one on set

3:39 pm (next day): this trip continues to get better and better. This morning I got to sleep in till seven thirty and then woke up wrapped warmly in blankets. Kalaadevi was typing notes on her laptop and so I slowly got up, stretching, and got ready for the day, eating an English muffin with avocado and some juice for breakfast. Then we left the small one room apartment and drove out to the country to an estate owned by a friend of Kalaadevis who had lent her property for a film set. We weren't filming though, Kalaadevi was conducting a meditation class for the cast and crew members, anyone who wanted to come. In the end only the costume designer and the two directors came. Nevertheless it was a very beautiful morning, the owner of the property stayed in a gorgeous "cottage" built to look like 17,18 century French house. I say cottage but the house was in fact larger then mine. It was just so gorgeous. After the others had left Kalaadevi and I stayed and had some tea in these beautiful china cups, and I wandered around taking photographs. We finally took leave and then went shopping at whole foods and ate lunch then spent the evening in the apartment relaxing, doing homework, and catching up on things. I also Took a walk around the area and found an adorable little park.

Part two

11:58 pm: This is what I what I want to do with my life. Well I'm not exactly sure what... Ok. So I got to the place where the photoshoot for the movie posted was taking place by a true miracle. My taxi driver had almost brought me to the place... But there was a train in the way, stopped on the tracks. The building was literally on the other side. Well I texted Kaaladevi of the problem so we are sitting there waiting, and waiting and finally my driver turns around to find a different route, just as a silver car pulls up clearly trying to go the same way. Well the driver puts the window and it's Kaaladevi! So I pay my taxi fare and get in with her, and eventually we get to the studio, and set up her station in the hair and makeup trailer. So I met the other hair and makeup people and we waited around and got briefed on the schedule, and then Dakota (Fanning) showed up and I was introduced and she sat down to get ready. She was super nice, and we talked a bit about food, and hobbies, and college, and high school. The photographers showed up at some point and talked things over, and then I met the head one, who was from London and invited me to watch the shoot if I wished. Then I went into the studio to get some food, these events have caterers, and I got some (it was amazing by the way), then went back to the trailer and Kevin Kline was seated in his chair and getting his makeup done, and so the introductions happened again and I shyly hung back, watching the processes. After a while Dakota left and I ended up having a long conversation with Kevin about literature, and music, and photography, and the New York Times op-Ed page. It was so amazing. The best day. More later. Got to sleep now.

A film and travel adventure part one

9:31 am: I woke up at six am, showered, dressed and ate my breakfast (pancakes and tea). I woke up my birds and fed them, finished packing a few items, did Pooja with mum, and then my whole family piled into our car and headed to the airport. My family always does stuff together, like parent teacher conferences? Yeah that's a family event. I suppose it's nice... In any case. They all came along simply to drop me off at the airport, where I am traveling alone to Atlanta, Georgia for a few days.
10:09 am: booooored!
11:42 am: I finally have time to back up and fill you in. So parents drop me off at the airport, I had checked in online, I get through security fine, find my gate, get Starbucks (my personal travel tradition) and talk to one of my best friends on my phone. They called my flight and so I wait in line, and engage in conversation with a college girl going to OSU and flying home to Boston. Well I boarded the plane, found my seat and settled down happily for my flight to Charlotte, NC where I was getting a connecting flight. The plane was TINY but seemed nice and so I buckled my seatbelt and got out my book (I'm reading the Fountainhead for English, which I generally refer to as The Book of Evil, due to it's length.) then text mum and dad before turning it off telling them I'm about to depart.
But then, surprise! The US Airlines head called, and canceled our flight due to snow and Ice in Charlotte. Everyone was herded off the plane and formed a line to rebook. Thankfully I have to wonderful parents, who somehow heard the news the same time I did and were already booking me another flight. They finally got one on Delta, that left three hours later, but arrived the same time in Atlanta, a direct flight. So I waited around (that was my last update) and got my new boarding pass, and went through security again, and got my lovely drink confiscated because "you can't have liquids" which I knew, but forgot. By this point I was drained so I sat on a bench and braided my hair into a complex crossed over French braid sorta thing, then got another Starbucks, and a bagel sandwich and proceeded to wait. And wait. And wait. Then I talked to some people who looked nice cause I was bored, and didn't feel like reading The Book of Evil and then curled up in one of those comfy airport chairs (I'm not being sarcastic, I legitamently love them) and wrote this. More later. Oooh my plane just got here! And they announced my flight. Due to the previous cancelation it's all full. Alright bye!
12:20 pm: I'm on the plane and ready for departure! I'm in a middle seat in the exit, so I've got leg room, but between two large men. But the guy on my right is dressed like a pilot! I wana talk to him but he's very serious and reading a huge book. I'll read the book of evil and look studious and then try and talk to him. Mua ha ha!
1:46 pm: so far it's been an enjoyable flight, and guess what? The plan worked! I read my book for ten minutes and then asked the guy next to me if he got to ride on planes a lot, and he explained to me this was just his commute home from work to South Carolina. Thus we engaged in a wonderful conversation about education, film, Ayn Rand (The Book of Evil proved useful!), travel, being a pilot, other cultures, and best of all (for me) techniques pilots use to avoid ear pressure. (The trick is to clear your ears before decent, and never fly with a cold. Also crying works, which is why babies always cry) then we took off and I settled down and read. We are supposed to land in twenty minutes and then I'll catch a cab. More later!
2:21 pm: just landed it Atlanta!! I go a call from the person I am staying with for all the info I need.
2:46 pm: I somehow for the exit to the airport, and then by utter miracle found the taxi isle. The airport was huge! I had to take a train just to get to baggage claim, not that I had baggage, I packed light just a backpack of essentials and a camera bag. Anyway there's was a saint of a lady who directed me to a taxi and after trying to figure out where the address was located I am on the last leg of my journey. Traveling by taxi to downtown Atlanta where I will meet Kalaadevi at a film studio place for a photo shoot. I'll be acting as her intern for the next few days.