diwali

Diwali ruled.
I am fortunate enough to live in an aparment that was relatively quiet...colleagues kept posting on facebook about not being able to sleep and wailing dogs but I came through pretty unscathed...only one time did I feel like I was under siege in my apartment.
For those who don't know, Diwali is when the entire population buys a crapload of fireworks and then lets little kids set them off for about three days straight with no supervision. It is loud and bright and kind of fantastic. Except when trying to walk to Yomaris' house for the party...then the indiscrimnate firecracker setting off on the street really does seem a personal hazard...but we all got through okay. After some imbibing we went on the roof armed with firecrackers...the entire sky of the city in every direction was lit up with constant blitzes of color...we just took in the sights and made our contribution (thankfully with no injuries despite our lack of pyrotechnic skills and the plethora of exposed wires on the rooftop).
Diwali ended for me at the Hash. The Hash goes on around the world and finally Natalie and I tried out the Chennai one. What happens is people ahead of time plot a running course but those behind have to find it and there are plenty of false routes along the way. It was really cool and we wove through busy streets, a cricket field (with a game going), temples, the beach. People kept asking if I was a virgin and while at first I thought it might be an uncomfortable conversation explaining the differences in cultural norms between our great nations really they just meant if I was a first timer to the Hash. After the run there is beer and food and ice blocks. Big ice blocks. Natalie and I had to sit on the ice blocks to get introduced...and right after we sat a bunch of kids started setting off a whole bunch of firecrackers in a corner, thus delaying our ice-sitting time...when finally we were introduced I was explained as Becky with the U.S. government and Natalie as my sister who bought a one-way ticket because she is looking for a mate.
Fan freaking tastic!