Winter Break

Let's do a little recap of what I've been up to for the past few days. Since I've been on break I took a few days - okay a week - to just vegetate and not feel guilty about it. Then I commenced on trying to built SSOT a website to replace the present one which has turned into a monstrosity. Spent over 50 hours on the damn thing and developed the most excruciating of migraines. Then I spoke to Anwar and realized that, just like everything else with SSOT, it will not and cannot be a reality with the way things are right now. Oh well, I tried my best.

Also trying to read ahead for my classes next semester, because it's going to be even more hellish of a term than the last one. Looking up internships and job opportunities for next summer which is my last one, god willing, as a student.

Among the fun stuff, I've been reading and reading :D Momi and I have also been cooking up a storm, thus far we have made Chicken Roast (Bangladeshi Style), Chicken Shashlik, Chinese, and the normal everyday stuff. I didn't get to making fish, meatloaf, and biryani. But well, you can't do everything.

Two weeks ago Anwar was doing the music for a movie that aired on CBC on Christmas day called The Peace Tree, and I had a chance to go with him to the recording studio because they said they might need a vocalist. We were in the studio of a 3-time Gemini Award winner, and it was really impressive to watch him work, pulling off amazing things with a few clicks and drags on his computer screen. We even got to wear those funky headphones so that you can hear what you are recording over. Anwar recorded some Classical, some Qawalli, and some Christmas Carols :P on the sitar - it was really fun to watch. They ended up not needing a vocalist, which was a bummer, but I was really psyched to have had the opportunity to be there.

Got together with Amarji, and he wants me to help with the concert for Ustad Rashid Khan this summer. Thus far, I'm making the posters/flyers. Closer to the date he said he's like me to help out in other areas of promoting it and pssst... maybe even on TV! ;)

This Sunday Anwar played with Ustad Abdul Satar Tari Khan at the first get together of the new Toronto based Ghazal Club, and I had an opportunity to play Tanpura with them. But again, as luck would have it, I didn't end up because Anwar forgot to bring the Tanpura :P The show was supposed to start at 7, so artists were asked to arrive at 5 (which I took seriously). However it started at 10:30 instead and ended at 5 in the morning. Suffice to say we were exhausted but the show was amazing. We also heard the famous Ghazal singer Munni Begum, and some local artists. Ustad Tari Khan was amazing on Tabla. He also sang a few ghazals (it turns out he is a shagird of Mehdi Hasan) and he was amazing at that too. Afterwards, Anwar introduced me to Ustad Tari Khan as a student and he was very interested and encouraging. Anwar asked him to give me a singing lesson, to which he said ofcourse, which made me puff up with pleasure, even though it's probably not going to happen :)

Just five more days until school starts again, in the meantime I've got shit loads to do. Will post again soon.