I'm back... and how!

It's been about a million years since I last updated my blog... And I've been told to drink more coffee if not resume thinking my own stuff to post on this... So well.. here I am.. trying to make up for the last (lost) 2 months (million years!!).

This is how life has been in the roller coaster since October -

November -
1. Lots of e-running around and chasing mail id's and processes and systems for getting a confirmed date for my Visa stamping appearance in Chennai for December. And why? Only to prevent my home-going trip from being jeopardized by "Project Requirements"... Oh Boss... the things that one has to do to get some work done.
2. Billy Joel concert. Followed by Process Cert exam (which I thankfully cleared!) and a helluva crazy Diwali celebration... comprising a temple visit, free food at the temple, firecrackers (again) at the temple, gambling at home, general singing and dancing (at home again!). Basically taking care of the "Life" part of "Work / Life Balance" :D
3. Friends visiting and Visiting friends!! In 3 subsequent weekends. Diwali weekend, the one after that and then for Thanksgiving. What more can one ask for? :-)
4. Thanksgiving - This one almost deserves a post of its own. Let's see what justice I can do in 1 paragraph - Car accident (a leeetle more than a Fender Bender). Trip to Portland. A bit of Late night Thanksgiving shopping. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall! Late night party. More shopping next day. More partying in the evening! Still more shopping and partying the next day! This is what happens when 9 crazy people meet for an extended weekend in 1 house!
5. Nov end - Homeward bound on Nov 30th! Aaaaahhhh.. Heaven!

December -
1. Reached Delhi late night on 1st. Early hours of 2nd.
2. Attended my beeeeshhht friend's wedding on 2nd.
3. Short trip to Chennai on 3rd - Missed a flight. Got another ticket. Reached office. Met a LOT of friends. Talked a LOT to all of them. Went out for dinner with friends. Got my visa stamped the next day. Again went to office and met friends and talked to them and went out for dinner.
4. Back in Delhi the next day. Family Reunion at home. What more can I say... :-)
5. Off to Nainital for my sister's wedding. Wonnnnnderful time. Will put up some pics here maybe.
6. Back in Delhi again. Lots of shopping. Lots of eating. And Lots of packing.
7. Flight back to US. Me and Mom!
8. Yesterday - Reached Seattle safely. Me and Mom and our luggage. And we shall live happily ever after... At least for the next 3 months..

That's how my calendar has been since I last signed into my blogspot. And that's about it for now. There'll be more. If not about me then about this lovely lady who's come to stay with me leaving her own home behind in land far far away! We hope to have fun. And we hope that the weather doesn't play spoil sport. And if it does, then we'll head off to warmer places in the country. Last thing that I need to pray for now is less work and more holidays!! :-)
Amen.

More later!

~K.

I've come to look for America....

Pride -

Day before yesterday was the 4th of July.. Or should I say THE 4th of July. And like most of the typical tourists, I went to NYC to watch the fireworks. Let me add for the sake of information, my current state is somewhat handicapped as I have a sprained ankle (courtesy tennis) and though it happened last Sunday, I still hobble along my way with a slight limp.

Now, back to ummmm.... yesterday. Me and about 15 of my other colleagues went from Stamford to Manhattan for the fireworks. It was raining and we hoped that the display won't be cancelled. To our relief it wasn't. We were completely enraptured by the 30 minute show. The sky was bright with some lovely patterns - stars, cubes even smileys. :-) The way it was synchronized was, in one word, Brilliant! Suddenly there went a shot through the dark clouds and the next moment there was a burst of light above us. Looked like a really close view of the stars. And we felt like kids, clapping and cheering at all those lovely patterns. And after it was all over, I was left thinking - Here's a nation which takes pride in herself. And this is not just evident from the fireworks celebrating her independence. It's just about everywhere. It's in the way people live, work, the way they take care of their families and friends and even visitors like me. They show their best to the world, because that's what they believe they are.

All that long walk on the sprained ankle and standing to watch the fireworks for a half hour didn't feel as strenuous after all. And yes, I was impressed. So, Happy Birthday America!!!

*******

And Prejudice (??) -


Yesterday, the 5th, I was travelling from NYC to Miami. To meet my friend. (One of the best in the world!!) . I reached the airport well in time. And was waiting like all other passengers for the boarding to be announced. While I waited, I pulled out the book I had been reading - The Punjab Story. Finally, when the boarding was announced, I walked to the gate (with the still swollen ankle). Just before I reached the gate, a lady pulled me over for a security check. Not everyone was checked. I complied. They checked my laptop bag and my handbag. And I was frisked. I asked what the reason was for this "special treatment", but I was asked to proceed without an answer. Yes there were a few more in this line, but I couldn't quite make out the common factor. Was it because I was carrying 2 bags.. I don't think so. Was it because of the book I was reading? Or simply my Indian looks? I wouldn't know. 'Coz they never told me. And I was too disgusted to ask further questions.

And now, to all my very dear friends who have been trying to convince me to take up a job here and settle down in the US, this is my answer. I'd rather be a first class citizen in my own country even if I have to live with a few inconveniences here and there, than stay here in comfort, but never belong...

*******

... And Affection. -


Same day - July 5th. Seated next to me in my flight was an old gentleman, also going to Miami. He seemed to pick up conversations with utmost ease. And so I followed suit again. An interesting fellow I must say. He asked me where I was from; and when I told him I was from India, the conversation turned towards topics ranging from food to places in India to music in India (we even talked about Apache Indian!!) and even mindsets of Indian men and women. And let me clarify, it was him who was doing most of the talking. He had seemed a little flirtatious at first. Like most men here are. But flirting or not, he ended up giving me quite a few pieces of advice. Things that I always knew, but never really thought about. Coming right after the disparaging incident at the boarding gate, this was a most welcome change. And I thought - that's another face of the country called America.

All in all... not just a brick in the wall... but well... a wall for sure. And though the grass is much greener on the other side, it's a pasture I wouldn't really like to wander...


~K.

ps: the title is inspired from the S&G song - America.

Playing Cinderella..

This is my 3rd weekend here... and the 1st that I'm actually spending in good (??) ol' Stamford... and with nothing to do and nowhere to go it becomes a lil tough to spend time. And there's just this much that you can watch TV or surf the net looking for absolutely nothing. And in a country like US which has 4 time zones, you gotta check your watch before you call friends in other zones.. (esp those in opposite coasts) So... what did I do?
Went to Macy's. God bless that store!! I just went around the store trying dresses I had no intention of buying or couldn't afford even if I wanted to buy!!! Man... I must have tried some of the prettiest things I've ever worn in my life. Way out of my budget. But so wonderful that I actually thought of saving until I can afford them. Sigh.... I wish I could have taken a snap in all of those beautiful dresses. Don't think I can go again tomorrow... will probably try some other store... ;-)
Anyway.. until the next "trial" comes along.... hmmm... sweet dreams, princess!!


~K.

Cuidado! Piso Mojado

That's one of the first warnings that you get when you land in the US... provided you visit the restroom that is. What does it mean? Caution! Wet Floor. :)

Oh well, here I am, back again in the US. For the third time. This time in Connecticut. Just 40 miles North of one of my favourite cities in the world, NYC. What's more? I might be relocated to another place during the course of my stay here in the US.
When I was coming here, my thoughts ran way back to my childhood days... As a kid, I wanted to travel a lot. I wonder now if I should have asked for money. Anyway, here's the moral... wishes do come true. If you are smart, you provide the extent (or scale) of realization of your wish in the wish itself. (something like - I want to travel for a maximum of 100000 miles for a maximum of 10 years). And you'll be more specific in terms of the company you want with you. (hint - I want to travel with my mom and dad and sis and bro-in-law and nephew and friends.. something like that). Want more? How about the mode of travel and how much you want to pay out of your own pocket and where you want to stay? Well well.. I think you are getting the hint now.

For the "well" wishers (pun intended), that's something to rejoice about. Just don't forget that warning though - Cuidado! Piso Mojado!!


~K.

Enjoy the Joyride!!

October 9th, 2005 – I reach Detroit. Around 4:00 pm EST. And like I’d mentioned in one of my previous blogs – a little humbled. That’s when the joyride began. With a little warning for me to buckle up. From the airport to the suite. Through all the subsequent days that I was there in Detroit. Troy, actually.

Let’s see the things that I’ve been up to all this while – work, obviously. And lots of meetings. Hoo boy. Way too many meetings actually.
But the real life was out of all that. On the freeways (I absolutely love that word), driving like a mad woman. In the Tango classes, dancing like one. In that quiet little place called Troy, generally fooling around like one. And in California and St. Louis and New York and Dayton being the mad woman that I actually am.

In the four months of my stay in the US, I came to understand and learn quite a lot of things. I understood, for instance, what the hype of living and working in US was all about. And might I say, it’s quite justified. The place is nice and convenient and all that jazz. The sense of independence that it gives you is quite overwhelming. And if you can manage that, you’re good to go. I really am not sure if a lot of people will really count that as one of the things that working in US teaches you. I do, because independence is something I’ve always sought. And of course, this is my blog not anybody else’s. ;-)

Plus I got a reaffirmation on the importance of families and friends. And how much one depends on them. Seems quite contradictory to what I just wrote. But it’s so true. And however much I try to ignore their say in my life, at the end of it, I know I’m kidding myself. Can I live without seeing them every once in a while (if not everyday)? No. Can I live without talking to them everyday? No. What then was that independence bullshit I was talking about? I wont bother explaining; coz my family members and friends know what I mean. And if other commoners do too, then congratulations! You just passed the first test of being included in that elite class of people who are, you know, smart. :-)

I also realized the importance of planning. That is not to say I’ve learnt how to plan and stuff; but hopefully I will in due course of time. To think of it, I am still confused as to whether I should plan my life and my actions that would govern my life, so that it looks like I am living like my calendar or my planner; or should I let my life lead me to wherever it wants me to go, so that every step is an adventure. It wouldn’t really take a Sherlock Holmes to deduce that so far I’ve subscribed to the latter school of thought. But then, of late, I have seen the difference that “planning” makes to everyday living. One of these days, I’ll make up my mind. I did buy quite some cosmetics from the US. ;-)

And of course, I realized that I CAN cook. Not the gourmet sort of stuff. Leave that to the others; someone must be there to eat it and enjoy it too ;-). But yeah the daily, mundane stuff that keeps you alive for the better part of your life. Heaven be praised. That’s one more item off my checklist. :-)

And I learnt the beauty of the expression called dance. It’s probably among the more honest forms of expressions. You really can’t hide yourself when you are dancing. If you are really dancing that is. Because bodies don’t lie. I can feel something and say something else. Possibly the same with what I write. But with dancing, it’s tough.

What else. Can’t remember more right now. Because I am so flooded with the memories of what the past four months were like. Right now, February 4th, 10:12 am GMT, I am sitting at the Heathrow airport on my way back home. This is the same route that I took while coming to Detroit. And I am carrying the excess baggage of my stay there inside my head. Somewhere inside me I wish I were on a connecting flight to Detroit instead of Delhi. But being the mad woman that I am, I want everything. I want to go home and then back to Detroit. And though it’s not currently on my “calendar”, let’s see if it comes as another adventure that life offers me. That’s the one (joy)ride I wouldn’t mind being taken for. :-)


~K.

ps: The time zone in the blog is back to IST ;-)

4 guys, a girl and a minivan

No, it’s not the name of any new sitcom. Nor is it a crime report. Unless of course you consider having lots of fun criminal.
Ok, back to the story. 4 guys, a girl drove to Pittsburgh in a minivan. The travelers – Mehul, Sandeep, Shashi, Anil and I. We’d intended to start obscenely early... at 4 in the morning. Thankfully, we got late. Hallelujah!! After me preparing some sandwiches for the way while the ‘men folk’ were still getting ready, we finally left at 6.
The drive was, to say the least, awesome. We started on a great note. Mehul kept getting constant reminders to slow down. Then we got a little lost in Ohio. ;) But thanks to the great navigation skills of Anil, we got back on track in a jiffy. Throughout the drive, it was music, leg pulling and a LOT of laughter!!! Even though it was raining ever since we reached Cleveland, we managed not to let our spirits get dampened. Between the fights over what music should be played, finally switching cd’s, changing seats, some snaps and of course the stops at the service plazas, the mood stayed bright and sunny inside the dodge even though it was anything but outside.
Finally, we reached Pittsburgh at around 11.30 in the morning. The view of the downtown was stunning. It was then that I shot my first curse at the rain. We headed straight to the Sri Venkateswara Temple. And I must say I felt humbled after a really long time. Now I don’t know if it was because of the nostalgia attack that I got there or anything else. Let’s leave that as one of the unexplained phenomena that life hurls at you every once awhile.
Out of the temple and it was still raining. I suppose none of us bothered to pray for the rain to stop. Lesson learnt – be practical while praying. You never know when your prayers get answered. And another lesson – be careful of what you wish for. For all you know, it might come true and in a much larger scale. For explanations on this, contact Shashi. :D
Again, (no) thanks to the rain, we couldn’t stop at downtown. After a little mix up on our way out, we again got back on track. By now, we had gotten used to mix ups and straight ups. Experience teaches you everything. This time, even the music scene was a lot more peaceful. Reason one – the junta had grown accustomed to whatever music would be played. I guess it didn’t make that much of a difference. And reason two - the controls were in the hands of yours truly. Reason three – the driver was Sandeep. Between the two of us, we managed to play the discs that suited our interests. Talk about monopolies.

Return journey was just as rainy as the ongoing one. More, rather. Nevertheless, the inside atmosphere still remained as charged up as it was in the ongoing journey. The cartoon network road show was still playing a ‘Best Of’ series.
I guess the pattern had been established. Because on our way back we again got lost at the same place where we’d lost ourselves on our way to Pittsburgh. But then, before Mehul starts abusing me and accusing me of defamation, let me add a minor detail. Some exits on the freeway were closed, and we had to take detours. I wonder how I forgot to mention this small point the previous time. Oops! My apologies. ;)

All in all, 4 guys, a girl and a minivan had awesome fun. Came back dry, tired and still charged. A day well spent. Next trip on the cards – anywhere. When – anytime. Only improvisation required – a little more sun. Will pray for that before we start our next journey. Mr. God, you listening?

~K.

Home... Suite Home

Life in fast lane??? Hmmm ... well.. true... at least in the day time... night time is more like 'Life in the Last lane'... and what a lane... whooo boy!! Slowpoke!!!

Today I was lucky enough to get out of office at 6... a feat I was never able to manage in Chennai... And considering that the weather was kinda nice all day today, it seemed such a blessing... Ah well... I kinda counted my eggs pretty soon... should have at least waited until i reached home... er the suite rather...

Once you are back from office there's not much that you can do... without a car that is... which is what I am currently... It feels nothing less than a house arrest... again... suite arrest.... and there's NOTHING sweet about it... bahhh !!! Am I cribbing??? Well no.. not really... coz I have friends who are gifted with a car (read SSN) and a credit card (read SSN)... and are also gifted with a couple of have not friends like me who dont have a ... yeah yeah... you got it... getting smart or what....

So now I'm just coming back from the community center... after a game of pool... and guess what... I managed to pot in some 8 or 9 balls in just 4 games!!!! Am I a pool shark or what... ;) And that was followed by a game of table tennis as well... Now I dont want to show off my sporting abilities... but I'm atleast a good sport... and I guess that's all I will say....

Am back in home.. suite home... trying to figure out what to do with my time until I fall asleep. I can read... but I'll start crying coz I'll be missing my glasses so badly... I can watch TV... but somehow.. after 2 years of CAS infested Chennai, the idiot box doesnt interest me much... I guess I HAVE become smarter... or so I'd like to believe... Hence I turn to what I like doing.. writing... typing in this case... Thank God for broadband.. and the company for the laptop... ;)
I guess I could try and cook something up... something edible I mean ... but nahhhh... too lazy... So a glass of milk will have to do... I'm making up in advance for the days ahead that I will spend gorging on all sorts of awesome food.... If gluttony IS a sin, let me atone for it now itself...
All you who have the privilege of getting good food on your tables and into your mouths right down to your stomachs... stay reeeeeeeeeeally really away from me.... because just in case gluttony is not.. i know violence is most definitely a sin.... But anyhow, I shall avenge myself at lunch tomorrow...

That's all for now.
Hungrily, sleepily, lazily and bloggily yours...

~K.
(in local parlance... Khalley)

Right here. Right now…

I’m trying to get used to this laptop. And I’m trying to let the fact sink in that I’m going to the US. And I’m also trying to get a lot of things sorted in my head… regarding a whole lot of things which I’m pretty confused with…
Right now… I’m sitting in the departure lounge of the Indira Gandhi International Airport, relieved that the procedure till now went smooth enough and also trying to get all the instructions in my head in order. Funnily, the most prominent of them is that I should keep having lots of fluids during the flight and no liquor.

It all started on Thursday, when Ramesh, my SPM came and told me the first thing in the morning that I was required to travel to US on Saturday night. That was two days ago. Since then I’ve had a roller coaster of a time. All day Thursday, it was raising requests for tickets, forex, laptop and whatever else that you can come up with. Thursday night was party time. One of those helluva lively, boisterous evenings that make the world seem alright after all. Courtesy – Bond, Luv, Sandy, Nimisha, Ashish, Neena and Ajayjeet. After the party was pack up time. Special thanks to Nimisha, Divya and Neena. Sweethearts, without you I’d probably still have been packing my stuff up. Whew!
Then, a catnap (really) and an almost tearful farewell later, it was time for some real action. As if it wasn’t enough until now. Yeah right. Ok, I was supposed to meet Ramesh at the airport for a brief briefing. But thanks to a maddening crowd, it didn’t happen. What happened instead was me paying a fortune for my excess baggage. Excellent. Convert it to USD and it really didn’t matter much, said Mr R. Quite a consolation sir. Anyhow, the flight was uneventful, coz I slept through it. Had to make up for the catnap (really really). Reached Delhi, only to learn that one of the 6 pieces of luggage I had checked in was missing. And a quick investigation revealed that it was still lying pretty next to the x-ray screening counter for the baggage that has to be checked in. See I’m smart. That was how I basically escaped paying even more for that freight I was carrying.
Thursday Thriller turned into a Freaky Friday!!! All day Friday was a shopping spree, which I would have loved if the sleep had been more than what I managed with. And if there wasn’t this feeling of impending doom, which I’m still trying to hide. Saturday again saw me and mommy finishing the leftover packing, and then me and mommy and mausi and mami and daddy and mama doing my packing. Awesome show of teamwork I must say. Family planning at its best!!!!
Things have been a little quiet ever since, but for the small altercation between our taxi driver and an auto driver, which actually made me shoot a curse and a prayer to Mr Murphy.
At the airport, it seemed that my prayer actually worked. *touchwood*. The procedure until now, like I said, went on smoothly. But that makes me even more wary. Gives me the feeling that something else might be sneaking up on me. Paranoid? Oh you might say that.

And now I’m inside the aircraft. My first international flight. British Airways. And already I’ve seen so many speaking with an accent and so many faking one, that I want to run back home. But then, there are a lot many reasons why I want to run back home. Then again, I guess it’s pretty inconsequential.

Ho hum!! Will ditch this right here, right now. There are a couple of more things I want to write about, but it’s in a different flavour, so we’ll deal with those in a different article. Meanwhile, I’ll wish myself and all my pieces of luggage a nice and safe flight. Catch you all later.
Love, luck and hope.
Kali.

Delhi.
09 Oct. ’05.


PS: Someone left a gray jacket at the security check. It wasn’t me. Mine’s black. ;) :D

PSS: My date with Mr. Murphy isn’t over yet, I broke my glasses in the flight from Delhi to London. :(