So it's been awhile... There's no way I'm updating all of that, so I'll just say some stuff. It'll be a nice change I'm sure, more philosophical and cute details rather than an unbearable story. On Christmas we wore sarees and blew all the boys away... seriously, wait'll you see THOSE pix... They are sooo flattering. On boxing day we went to the orphanage and this little girl named Kali latched herself onto me, I guess I was the only one with the patience to answer her toy phone as many times as she wanted. But I didn't mind. I kinda fell in love with her. I carried her for a long time and my arms ached... She traced the letters on my shirt with her finger and then when I gave her up this guy with GORGEOUS eyes started talking to me and stuff... When I was on the swings he told me to "keep swinging" and when I was singing Clapton he said "keep singing" and then sang along really quietly, told me I had a nice voice... I love Nepal. You know my maternal instincts? They're taking a completely new turn. Like, adding another dimension to my dreams for the future. It's kinda bizarre. Don't worry guys, nothing immediate. I'm just saying... Actually, a lot of weird thoughts lately... I've been having this really unsettling feeling that my mind is blank, like I'm not thinking about anything, like I can't write, like I'm becoming bland and a little antisocial. It's been really hard for me to talk to people lately. No matter who it is. I spend more and more time just sitting there not saying anything at all, and I decided it's because I no longer feel awkward being around people in silence, but every once in awhile it worries me. It's so weird for me to feel so blank. I hope I'm not losing my intensity. But then I sit down and start writing, about something random, and I can just keep going... So it still feels kinda shallow or strange to me, but at least it's something. An indication, I suppose, that I'm not blank. Blank is like Hell for me. That's one thing I DEFINITELY don't want to be! We threw a rockin' New Year's Party ten and a half hours before yours, by the train bathrooms on our first sleeper car. I've actually been able to stay up late again since Tour started!! It's a good feeling. Haha. We did a countdown and everything but had to keep it quiet because a lot of people were sleeping. Lame, I know. But at least we didn't let it go uncelebrated. We're in Kolkata now - 6 days left before the beach! - and we're staying in this hotel called the Astoria. For some reason it makes me think of old elegance, the golden days past... It's all stone and red carpeted stairways, and different sized doors, and spiral iron-wrought staircases leading to rooftop gardens... I can picture chandeliers and ghosts and beautiful glamorous people occupying an old glorious mansion - now, though, its glory days are over. Don't you think I could write the commentary for a history channel documentary? Haha. I think I could. OK, maybe a fictional one... We went shopping today, and I tried on about a billion pairs of shoes with no intent of buying any (knowing full well that I have absolutely NO cash WHATSOEVER...) but found two cute pairs... I'm developing a shoe addiction. I love them even though technically I'm too tall to wear heels... This is shallow, but my feet look really good in them and they make me feel sexy. Speaking of which, weight. Nicole and I came to the conclusion that it's better to FEEL good (as in comfy and squishy) than to LOOK good, because if you look good then everybody gets to enjoy it, but if you feel good then it's saved for special people. And anyways, it's a commonly known fact (pointed out by my new German friend Kira) that if you feel good, you look good. So I'd better go eat at a fab restaurant called Zurich Restaurant. Konbae!