Week Ten Continued: Childhood memories come full circle...

For as long as I can remember, my best friends have been my cousins. I truly feel lucky and inspired to have lived the childhood I did. I would only wish the same upon future generations: to have such a loving and caring family where fun and excitement lead to growth and love. I don't know who I'd be if it hadn't been for the family I had growing up. I truly believe this is what our generation needs: a devoted, committed, and loving family that can gently show us our own flaws and teach us how to reach beyond them and aspire to greater heights.

At Sanam's wedding at little over a month ago (wow can't believe it's already been that long) I realized more why even distance and time cannot separate the Hooani bond. It is truly something special that we have all come to appreciate, whether we understand it or not. This weekend was very special for all of us since, as we grow older we seem to have less and less time to spend with one another as new familial ties are formed and responsibilities added. I was anticipating my arrival to Dallas on the entire journey from New York, thinking through how it would be to see the entire family gathered in front of me when I arrived. When I landed, my heart skipped a beat. I could FEEL the sensation of being HOME. A small word that means much more than a house or a room, a word that allows me to feel myself as I truly am, in the comfort of the people that matter the most.

Dad picked me up from the airport and we headed to Carrolton. We pulled into Eagle point Drive and the plethora of cars displayed in front of me allowed my imagination to merge with reality. We were here. This is it, I thought, Sanam is getting married. We had talked about this day ever since we were 9 years old and our mom's bought us the same training bras (LOL, remember that?). "When we get married, its going to be..." or "Well we still have 10 years before we have to worry about marriage..." Ah, where does time fly? I was thinking through these conversations as I entered 1512 Eagle point drive: a place I had entered so many times before, but one that was now filled with the bright colors and sounds of wedding time. I walked in and was instantly clouded by faces of cousin after cousin, relative after relative, as a jubilant, "Samreen!!" rang through the hall. I had the biggest smile on my face and a few tears in my eyes. I hugged tightly nearly every member of our over-sized family, feeling the warmth and joy present in the ambiance. Then I went and hugged Sanam, and though neither of us expected it, the years of friendship and trust came pouring out in tears; rolling down our eyes as we embraced the moment in each other's embrace. This was the beginning of a new life, a marriage, as we had discussed so many times before over the last few decades. It was time. Our lives that had slowly been shifting away from each other for all these years, but this moment was one to embrace the light of the future, with a realization that distance doesn't mean separation. We played antakshari and laughed, caught up, and remembered old times. Overall, the mehndi was beautifully done: very intimate and elegant, simple yet decadent.

But that was just the beginning of the traditional wedding ceremonies. We still had busy days and sleepless nights ahead of us. That night we began practicing our dance performances. At every wedding in the family, there are five of us that ALWAYS dance. And this was going to be the first wedding when one of that five was getting married. So, we decided to do a tribute of all our old songs as a memory of the times we had danced together. You would think that rehearsing old dances could only take so long, but we were up till 6 in the morning AGAIN just trying to remember and synchronize all our old moves. LOL. :) It was actually pretty exciting and so much fun to go through and try to recall how we did it the first time. It probably took longer because we kept getting distracted by remembering old memories and creating new ones in those very moments.

The next day was the Pithi ceremony and the night of our big performance. We were still practicing in the hallway of fun asia as guests entered and ate and got ready to be entertained. I'm so glad we decided to start with mine and Sanam's oldest songs. It brought back the years of friendship in a matter of a few seconds. Sanam was my first true best friend. And as happens with best friends, we had our differences and our disarray. But, as happens with family, we always came back to trust that this was more than friendship. That relationship really brought all of us together allowing us to understand each other's quirks, but appreciating the differences nonetheless. Realizing, its the quirks and the oddities that bring us closer.

All of this came together on the day of the satada when the slideshow and the circle of inside jokes really reminded us of how much we've been through together. Even though we picked really sad songs in the slideshow (DUH) I think we would've teared up despite the music. I mean just seeing the pictures from middle school could have brought tears of embarrassment to anyone lol. As we sat from oldest to youngest and remembered at least one fun memory we had together, we all felt the strength of our relationship, the commitment we all have to our family and the fun and laughter that binds it all together. So, this may be excessively cheesy, but it has to be sad. I mean you have to cry at a Satada, DUH! Some things never change: of course, when Hushu spilled the coke, no one was surprised. And when Dadabapa started coming after us with CHUNA, we knew to run! :)

But in the end, I just hope that as we all grow up, living our own independent lives, we not only remember our past and cherish it, but we also make an effort to relive it!

At least those parts that don't deal with stained carpets and crying at weddings...

Week Nine: Yet Another Lesson

iNews is the system we use to create a show, and this week I got to learn all about it. It may not seem like it, but 10 hours is barely enough to create a one-hour show on primetime. Our production team consists of writers, editors, production assistants, associate producers, segment producers, graphics, video editors, bookers, and many more people that do a variety of tasks. Each segment of the show is approximately 6 minutes and we've usually got 8 segments every night. Each segment has a unique overlay, including various voice-overs, SOT's, text boxes, panels, etc. This means that each segment producer is in charge of making that 6-minute production the most challenging, catchy, clear, concise, and exciting as they can.

In the morning production meeting, it is decided which segments will cover which aspects of the news. Then, the segment producer, along with his or her team, gathers data, facts, quotes, videos, interviews, and potential guests for the show in order to make that piece of news exciting and innovative for the viewers. This is the production method of broadcast journalism. All of this work, and the actual formatting of the show happens on the iNews program.

I walked into the class, opened up the program and stared at the screen, utterly confused. All I saw where random boxes and folders with no mental map for me to follow. Our trainer started with the specifics, telling us what defined each area and how all these random tools were interconnected. That gave me immediate clarity. I saw how the tools functioned with one another to create a programming tool that could be used by an entire production team without confusing overlap. We were then asked to create model segments of shows so that we could practice writing script, packaging content, writing server commands, and inserting video commands all into iNews. Unless all this is done properly, the show will not air clearly. When we see an anchor toss to video, there is a specific command for that. Or when a SOT is heard, the server has to call that up according to a command function. After learning all these tools, I better understood how television production happens and why sustaining viewership is important.

Outside of work, this week was a very community heavy time. I delivered content in the Jamat Khana and I was able to focus my energies on sustaining my school and work side, while not losing touch with the aspect of faith. Some weeks this is harder, but this week the balance felt natural. I was very in touch with the faith of my work and the work in my faith, if that makes sense. Everything seemed to have a purpose. I was even able to make some time to help remotely prepare for my cousin Sanam's wedding the following week. And as the week ended, I was ready to head out and encounter the Hooda family back in Texas!

Week Eight: As the World Turns...

"Today I want you to shadow a PA (Production Assistant) to see how segments of the show are put together," my boss told me. So I went over to the huddle of PA's and asked if I could shadow one of them. It was the perfect week for me to do so, as the PA's are the ones who do most of the research and video collaboration for the show, and this week, the Texas gubernatorial race was on. I knew a little more about this than most of the PA's, being Texan and all.

So I began helping with the 100 block, which is the first segment of the show. It is referred to as the Mash-up because it's the segment during which we take major news stories of the week and mash them together to create a 3 minute collaboration of what the viewers need to know. We were focusing on the issue with Senator Bunning which was upholding the renewal of unemployment benefits. I searched for compelling video of all the coverage for the week on this issue. I also logged and scripted some of the video and compiled important text. Along with this, I got to do research on the Texas race: who is likely to win, who is running, what do each of the candidates stand for, what are the odds of each winning. All of these were relevant questions and the angle could go in many directions. Thus, I began to dwell into my own research, making sure I was focused on the end goal, without losing sight of exciting details that may make the story more palpable for viewers.

After the end of a long and mentally draining day, I watched the show air. And though I played a very small part in the process of gathering facts and putting the show together, it was very exciting to see some of my research and words end up on air. It gave me a sense of accomplishment and completion. I felt alive and passionate to be a part of the process of free media and the press. A process that I hope to continue and be a part of even after this semester. At least that's the goal!

Week Seven: Overcoming Sickness

I got to the airport with a ticket heading back to New York, via Chicago, but the whole time I was thinking that I had been in Texas, so close to home, yet unable to visit. Well sometimes when you wish for something hard enough, it happens. All flights to and out of Chicago were cancelled. The cause: a snow storm. Any other flights going directly to New York had left for the evening. There was no way I was getting to New York that night. The next flight out of Houston left the following day, meaning I would have to spend another night there. Or, I could take a flight out the next morning from Dallas! Guess what I decided? Yup. Took the next flight to Dallas and showed up at the doorstep of my house. :) Parents were ecstatic. I got to spend a day in my room. Sleep in my bed. Had mom's home cooked food with the family. It was just what I needed at the end of a chaotic week.

I came back the next day and went straight to work. As I walked in, a few bookers and writers gave me tasks to do. It was exciting to know that I had made a place for myself here. People knew who I was and trusted my work. It was nice to be back in the familiar and exciting world of news media. However, sooner than I thought, the chaos of the previous week caught up to me. Before I knew it sickness took over and I had to spend the rest of time focused on myself and resting. Sometimes when you are in a place like New York, always on the go, you forget about the very real, physical limitations that is the human condition. Sleep, rest, and time for self are not options. But, when you're excited about your environment and want to take the most advantage of where you are, you tend to place those things on the back-burner. Until they catch up to you.

This week was about making myself stronger. It was all about making sure that I was able, capable, and strong enough to take on the world around me. And it was about overcoming sickness, both outward and internal. It is around this time, every year, that students start getting sick. Whether we are in New York or back on campus. I think its because we take on so much, battle our inner selves and try to come out conquering everything. But in order to go beyond the teeming normalcy and take on the world, we have to find an inner strength that can fuse with the weaknesses of our bodies. This allows us to regain strength and find an inner certainty. This certainty goes beyond confidence, because it comes from beyond ourselves.

One of my best friend's came to visit this week. It helped me to talk through the mental and physical exhaustion as we traversed the streets of New York and focused on the spiritual reality of life. Amongst the bright lights and materialism of Times Square and in the urban, natural moments of Central Park, we found an answer to life's weakness. Life doesn't make sense as we live it, but I think looking back, everything brings you the very moment you're in. It's like the past refocuses you, bringing you the present. This awareness brought an end to my physical sickness and I took on the next week, ready for new responsibilities at work.

Week Six: Truly A NY Minute

This was the week of Feb. 15th. I had been at my internship for almost a month. I had become more comfortable with directions and places in NY. I had begun considering New York more of a home and myself less of a tourist. But this week I truly understood what people mean when they say, NY is busy. The week started off with a breaking news story. A plane had been hit into the IRS building in Austin, Tx. All coverage on other matters had stopped. This was now priority. Questions were floating about the newsroom. Who did this? And more importantly why? Could this be yet another terrorist plot? Why choose a relatively small building in Texas? We were bogged with research. As more facts were discovered, the story became more clear. This had been a personal vendetta, but one that many still considered fanatic. Important details became available as rigorous research tactics were employed. He was one of us, an American, one frustrated with his own government. The week continued on as we found as much as possible about the incident. More news came and went and somehow the time was lost in many NY minutes.

Before I knew it, it was Friday. And rather than spend the weekend relaxing from this reeling week, I was off, on a plane to Houston, TX. Though New York has begun to feel more like home, the prospect of racing highways and wide, open spaces put a smile on my face as I began my journey to Texas. I got out of the terminal and, for the first time in over a month, I sat in a car! It felt unreal that I didn't need to go into an underground lair in order to be transported to various parts of the city. As the highway moved beneath us, I was sure this weekend would be exciting! Exhausted from the long day of traveling and the week of chaos, I did the natural thing: got to my hotel and headed out for a fun dinner! lol.

The weekend literally flew by as we trained ourselves on how to train teachers to teach. It's probably more complicated than it sounds, which is why an entire weekend with some of the best minds from around the nation still doesn't seem to solve the problem. Maybe the solution is part of the problem. Hours and hours of discussion went by, formative activities were included, creative lesson planning strategies taught, all resulting in a wish-list of practical goals for the upcoming year. Before I knew it, I was heading back with the awesome crew, The Table of Trouble, to the airport. It was fun to reconnect and plunge into deep discussions of the spiritual sort. Each of our personalities is so different. It really is a wonder that we can come together and get any work done. Well after the performances of "AAl is Well" in TE land, poetic affirmations of faith, and comical interludes of our own faulty human nature, we left with a sighof a relief and a feeling of accomplishment. And in a NY Minute, I was back at the airport, ready to enter another week, somehow less healthy but more awake.