I have been researching for the story I am currently working on. I have been wanted to write this for years but now I feel my ideas have matured enough and I have real solid characters and plot. The story is based in India, and even before I have needed a specific things to happen coinciding with actual events that happened. It deals a lot with mythology and the kinds of things that would spark such tales. So that leaves me to do a lot of research because I am not as familiar with India culture, mythology or Hinduism. But just my luck, this past year I have become very good friends with a student from India, from the exact state where a specific kind of people I am drawing inspiration from are from. I was thinking, "Awesome!" I like Wikipedia and all, but I need something more than straight facts, I need perceptions or certain things, attitudes, opinions, and things that just aren't mentioned in a short article. Since she is also a practicing Hindu, I was also interested in being able to ask her questions when I come up with certain things as I start reading the Vedas (Hindu holy scriptures). I thought I could ask her about history and all that stuff that I have stumbled upon.

Don't assume. Haha. I realize just because I am from America, someone shouldn't expect me to know about the intricate details of the War of 1812. I am not that big on the Great Wars either if it doesn't include some of the big things that most people remember. I realize that now, but still at the time I was surprised when after I asked a question she was like, "Really? I have never heard of that? Explain more? Can you give me the link? They never really talked about that." And when I told her I was going to start reading the Rig Veda, before I was going to say I was probably going to ask her a lot of questions she said, "Really? Yes, you should read it. Read it, and then tell me because I haven't read any of the Vedas. Haha." The other day after reading about twenty Vedic hymns, I realized a strong trend of Indra, the equivalent of Zeus, and him drinking copious amounts of Soma, some very godly beverage I would imagine to be like divine wine. Not saying that Indra is lush, just that he likes it a lot. So I made a joke saying, "Does Indra love his Soma?" as a way to say "Hell, yeah!" She just gave a puzzled look and said, "What's Soma?"

She thinks it is funny that I am starting to know more than her about certain things one would assume she should know. And I also think it is funny how she has inform me about certain "American" things. Like jo-jos (spelling?) like the big french fries. I never knew about those until she told me today. And other American things. She makes it a point to tell me, ever so often, that I should have been born in a different country, but now I can say "Ditto."