The Five Thieves: Worldly Attachment

Dear journal :(

I went to use my American Express Platinum at the Apple Store in Pacific Centre and my card was declined! I so wanted the iPad Mini to go with my new iPad, but I couldn’t get it. I tried all my other cards, but they all declined too! I got home to find that my new Porsche Cayman was gone from my garage with a note from my daddy saying to call him. I called, and he had my stuff taken away to pay for my bills because I’m “spending too much”. I mean come on, I went through a breakup, what does he expect?

I went into my house and my LG 3D TV, my Nintendo Wii, my Bowflex… all my stuff was gone! All of these notes were taped to where everything used to be. Every one of them said “call dad”. What does he think I’m going to be able to do without all my stuff? Doesn’t he realize that all my stuff makes me happy??

:(

…

Bimbo Barbie

(veggie) Food for Thought

I wasn’t really a fan of veggie dishes until I met my vegetarian friend. She can’t eat meat (not even eggs) and seafood not because she doesn’t like how they taste, but because her religion forbids eating non-veggie foods. I always think that vegetarian dishes taste bland, do not have different textures and not that sophisticated, unless made by those chefs you see in Food Network! Boy, was I so wrong. A score of spices (half of those I couldn’t even pronounce and I was never introduced before) mixed with one main ingredient – yes, that makes a big difference (think potato turned into a veggie samosa and plain naan dipped into dal and other sauces)! Although my food journey with my Sikh friend started backwards as I got to know deserts first before the main veggie dishes, I was glad I have expanded my knowledge of vegetarian dishes. To that, I think that her being a Sikh has played its part very well.

I had the chance to witness a Sikh wedding ceremony, Anand Karaj, this summer. I was excited not only because it’ll be my first time to see one and I get to wear Sikh’s traditional dress – Salvar kameez – minus the Kirpan (coz only baptized Sikhs carry that!) but also I was told that since it will be held in the Gurdwara, ONLY vegetarian dishes will be served. Okay, I didn’t come just for the food, but I want to see the wedding. Family and friends gathered to witness the ceremony, but it was not that long compared to our traditional Catholic wedding ceremony. The thing that stood most to me was when the bride and groom were doing the four wedding rounds. As the bride and groom were making the four wedding rounds, the four hymns of Laav were sung. Each of the four Laav has a special significance and describes the marriage of the soul-bride to the divine husband. All throughout the wedding, my Sikh friend nicely explained to us - very curious and slightly incognito party crashers - what was happening.

Sikh Wedding (I wasn't able to take a picture, but the one where we went to looked like this)

Yes, I became good friends not only with my Sikh friend, but also with eggplants, spinach, potatoes, chickpeas, lentils whom I never bother to give a second look before (my pescetarian sister always asks me to try her veggie food. Now, she knows who to ask when she can’t find her food). Except for the extra five pounds showing on the scale, I was happy that my learning how to eat veggie foods has brought the curiosity out of me – to learn about another religion, Sikhism.

Vancouver Sangat

Vancouver Sangat, a Sikh community charity group, has started a food service program for the needy in downtown Vancouver (Main & Hastings) since December of last year. The next food serve date will be on December 15.

The program not only has set an example by encouraging others to get involved – promoting cultural diversity - , but also coincides with one of Sikhism’s basic beliefs. “Sikhism teaches service to others. The primary task in life should be to help the poor, needy, and oppressed. The Sikhs have a long heritage of speaking out against injustice and for standing up for the defenseless.”

As the Sikh population increases, I believe there will be more events and programs providing service to others in the future.

The Five Thieves: Greed

Dear journal

I’ve been feeling so bummed lately. That whole thing with Hutch put me in such a bad mood, so I went shopping!! :) I hit up Alberni for my Tiffany fix and then swung over to Escada for their fall 2013 collection. Dessna dress in plum, pure virgin wool… just a slightly different hue than last year’s totally justifies the purchase. I had lunch at Coast, then a quick cab ride to Robson. On the way, I may have stopped at Coach on Burrard for the new Madison gathered twist leather satchel in vermillion. It will match perfectly with the Escada plum! The sea foam green from this summer is so passé.

On Robson, I made my monthly visit to Aritzia for my Citizens of Humanity jeans. I haven’t worn the last pair I bought, but I know I need another! I saw the Mackage leather jacket that Marina wore to Bar None. It’s ugly as all hell (biker-chick much?) so I bought it so I could wear it next weekend. I’ll show her how to pull off leather with silver zippers and chains!

xoxo

Bimbo Barbie

The Five Thieves: Anger

Dear journal :(

I can’t believe what bad luck I have! I found Hutch’s Mercedes outside Marina’s place on Broadway. That lying bastard! He called, broke off our date, because his mom was at VGH getting liposuction and she needed a ride home to her “villa” in Shaughnessy. I got so mad seeing his car there; he knows how much I hate her ever since she ruined my 3^rd 25^th birthday party (I mean, really, who turns 25 just once??) at Joe Fortes. She walked into the private seating area like she owned the place, demanded a private table, and said I was lucky she made an appearance. I hate her, I hate her, I hate her!... What was he even doing there??

I don’t know what came over me, but I took my rolled-up Lululemon yoga mat and smashed the windows in his car. Namaste to that!

:(

Bimbo Barbie

White by Birth, Sikh by Choice!

Sword-carrying Sikhs roaming the Indian cities are a normal sight; but white people wearing turbans definitely are not. The strangeness lies in the fact that they are non-Indians who converted to Sikhism.

Below are some photos and videos of non-Indian Sikhs:

 Sardar Martin (Jarnail) Singh

Martin Singh, son of Eric and Shirley Hill, was raised on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia. Martin Singh’s mother’s side of the family has been living on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia for the last 200 years. Martin was interested in both politics and religion while growing up. He is now quite active in the New Democratic Party. 

Read more: http://www.unp.me/f15/maritime-sikh-society-1415/#ixzz2bbu74HOS

 Cornelis Harjinder Singh Heule: Man in Blue

Cornelis Harjinder Singh Heule was born in 1947 in Roermond in the Netherlands as Cornelis Heule. He is known as Harjinder Singh, names given to him when he became an initiated Sikh in 1996. 

Check out these two videos (there are a lot more!) on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woxJfpon01I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlZHN2AAMjI

Some facts on Sikhism in Canada

The World Sikh Organization of Canada and Norman Buchignani, a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Lethbridge, points out some facts about Sikhism in Canada. Some of these facts are:

• In 1867, Canada’s first Prime Minister Sir John A. MacDonald wrote: “War will come someday between England and the United States and India can do us a yeoman’s service by sending an army of Sikhs …”.
  
• Canadian Sikhs are one of Canada's largest non-Christian religious groups forming Canada's largest South Asian ethnic group.
• More than half of all Sikhs live in Asia and approximately 17% live in North America.
• Census figures suggest that there were 278 410 Sikhs in Canada in 2001 (almost double the 1991 population estimate of 145 000).
• Today there are approximately 500,000 Sikhs in Canada.
• Sikhs accounted for approximately 5% of the 1.8 million new immigrants who came to Canada during the 1990s.
• Canada’s 2011 Census showed Punjabi to be the most spoken immigrant language in the country.
  
• There are Sikh communities in every Province in Canada.
  
• Today almost half of Canada's Sikh population lives in British Columbia.
  
  
  References:
  Buchignani, N. (2012). Sikhism. Retrieved from http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/sikhism
  
  
  World Sikh Organization of Canada. (n.d.). Sikhs in Canada: The Facts. Retrieved from  http://worldsikh.ca/page/sikhs-canada-facts 
  
  
  http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/articles/sikhism in the Departm