Behind the White Coat

Pakistan Zindabad!

This past weekend was the Pakistani Day Parade to celebrate our country's independance.  It is actually August 14th, but the celebration was strategically done one week after India's independance day.  It runs down madison avenue and ends at a little festival near Madison Square Park.  I haven't been in years, and happened to be eating in the vicinity, so I said why not stop by?  When I first got there, I was alone, and I was scared.  I thought I was suspicious looking, a bearded Paki on a cellie, alone, walking back and forth on the phone, but when I saw the crowd, I knew I was safe (from the FBI at least).  I could at least safely say that the National Security Alert went from Orange Alert, to No Alert that Sunday, as all the Pakis were convened in one location in Madison Square Park.  You also would be very unlikely to find a cab anywhere in the city!

The crowd was basically all the ghetto thugs and gangster wannabes from Queens and Brooklyn, shady Uncles (half of them probably cabbies), and families with lots of young kids, all wearing tacky shalwar kameez.  I think anyone that I know who was Paki wasn't there, or wouldn't go (which I guess is kinda sad, but I'm with them on this).  I managed to run into one girl I knew who I said hello to, and she was promptly like "Don't hug or kiss me!" I was like oh shit you are right, this is high profile area.  She was also telling me how many shady Uncles brushed up against her (maybe because she was in a sleeveless top, hai!). 

Finally my other friends showed up.  Certainly not a place to find one's future rishta I'll tell you that much.  They were even selling plates of rice and kebabs for freakin $15!! Are you kidding?  That was that.  We then went out to drink in celebration of our country's birth (yeah ok, we goin to hell).

On that note, Cafe Noir is a bumping place on Sunday.  It's a tapas joint with a little bar area in the front, with the doors and windows open, and a good crowd having drinks, with a DJ spinning.  Nice for a post-brunch Sunday late afternoon fiesta.  I recommend it!  After that we went around the corner to have a drink at Felix, also popping on a Sunday.  I lovin Sundays in Soho!  Our night ended at Chicken and Rice on 53rd and 6th, and even though it is Afghani, so many Pakis go there, we felt we were representing our people.

5 more days till the trip.  I better take my anti-malaria medicine tonight, and get my immodium and cipro ready to go...

Bearded Flying

Here's a story about a Muslim woman in NJ getting harassed with terrorist comments for wearing a hijab.    One would think (or hope) that by now, at least in freakin New Jersey (being a blue state NYC neighbor, and PACKED with Desis for that matter) that one could avoid such confrontations... But alas, the uneducated, pathetic scum of society still lurk at our front doorsteps....

Even for me, since I have been rocking the bearded look (purely for a change in image and to see how it runs with the ladies mind you--I aint going 'reluctant fundamentalist' on anyone), people make little terrorist jokes all the time.  Of course all these are people who know me in the hospital, and I'll laugh and joke with them.  But surely there is some underlying truth in their musings no?  I mean lets be honest, anytime someone sees a Middle Eastern or South Asian guy with a beard, the terrorist bell goes off in their head, whether they actually believe it or not... It is the day in age we live in, but it is the truth.. "That dude's a terrorist."  Say it or not, it is still processed!  This is proven by the fact that everyone (faculty, collegaues, social workers, my family) keep telling me to shave the beard before I get on the plane for Pakistan!  Some more jokingly than others, but all with some degree of seriousness. I suppose it would be wise to go clean shaven, not opening myself up to more "random searches."  I mean as it is I can't do curb side check-in because of "your name man!" as the clerk told me months ago.  But fuck that, why should I change because of the twisted racial views that have become the norm in today's society?  Besides, I'm in NYC, not freakin Texas. Otherwise I'd definitely have to be wearing my "I am not a Terrorist" T-Shirt. (It really exists)  Plus, if I go to Pakistan with my medical degree and a U.S. passport, I can fly back with a wife no problem.... If I go with a beard, that sets me up for two of 'em!

Though now that I think about it, being a bearded Muslim doctor definitely does not help my suspiciousness at the airport...
 

The Police to Daft Punk

I tell you it feels good to be on a month where I have weekends off. I almost don't know what to do with myself, it is a mini vacation every week! So in response, I try to go out as much as possible, see as many non-doctor friends as I can, and enjoy life while I can during my last year of residency... Because my fellowship is going to be even worse!

I went to two shows in the past 2 weeks. First was The Police, who performed at Giants Stadium. Now I wasn't a die hard Police or Sting fan back in the day, but everyone liked their music, and who can say no to what could be their last tour? So I snagged a ticket from a friend thanks to somebody who couldn't make it. The show was amazing! To think they are in their 50's and can still rock it the way they did is impressive. Not to mention Sting's voice which is probably as good as it has ever been. They played a tight set, with huge sound for just 3 guys, and overall it was a great show. The crowd, as expected, ranged from people our age, to people in their 40's with their little kids, to even some in their 50s! It was interesting, but the vibe was still good....

The second show this weekend was a tad different. Daft Punk! Now it was my first time seeing them live, but I've heard they put on a kickass show. And that my friends, they did do! They came out in this giant pyramid, which holds all of their electronic music creating gizmos within, and is basically these giant triangular HD screens facing us. They were wearing the standard Daft Punk helmets and jackets (how the hell do they see out of that thing?), and even threw in some neon glow from their suits later in the show. So combined with their amazing live musical creations, mixing, remixing, were a ridiculous light show and visual effects. The beauty of live electronic music is that they are recreating their songs live, so they can play with it how they wish, mix songs together, and work the crowd. I tell you it was an amazing show. Daft Punk live = Sick.