I miss Calvin!

There was a time when I used to spam my friends mailboxes with Calvin and Hobbes emails. With some thought poured into it, I would sometimes come with titles for CnH strips or sometimes just borrow them from somewhere. It was during my work days. But then I went to US and it gradually stopped. Initially I used to be all pumped up about it, deciding on a time when it would be morning for almost all of my contacts (used to be around 12 am cst). Don't know how it completely stopped. Don't know why I lost the zeal for such small things. Don't know why I started thinking that whatever I was doing was such a huge deal that all these little things had to be ignored. Don't know when things started getting so boring.


What I miss the most is, the need to spread laughter and happiness around ceased to exist. And I feel terribly bad about it. :(


Nevertheless since its normally not late to share laughters I am coming up with a widget on my blog. Thats the only non invasive way of sharing them, I could think of. Other opinions are welcome.


~nightflier

Dallas Diaries II

When I came to Dallas, I was bringing up Chicago in almost every other sentence. From cribbing about the windy weather, to walking in knee deep snow, to charms of downtown Chicago, to shopping outlets and eating joints, to grocery prices, to public transport, to every chindhi thing one can think of. Every time fondly.

I was also termed as being paranoid on multiple occasions. So I learned to control myself and look at the southern life and culture open heartedly.

Then I was introduced to dining out and partying and having fun on a regular basis. After shedding my inhibitions I have been really enjoying every outing. Started from visiting a very english-esque club called Sherlock's. The atmosphere was charged enough to get one drunk without any real drinks. It was me's first outing with the bunch (who were I had no idea then going to become some of the fastest (duration wise) friends I made). So me spent most time looking around and noting down the details about its quaint interiors. I LOVED them. The owner seemed to be a really huge Holmes fan. I think I should have hung out more there to get to know him (convenient assumption) more!

A lot of places happened next.

Madras Pavillion - Really good value for money south Indian food. We had the thali. Very filling affair.

Sambuca Jazz club - A really fun but expensive place. We were the only sajjan crowd there.

Dallas 300 - The best margaritas we had. To the fun fact that I won at bowling that day. I know!

Masala wok - Amazing spicy stuff. No wonder Indians prefer to live in Texas. For the food there I would too!

Chili's - The molten chocolate dessert there! We acted so high while eating it that I am sure they will watch out for the rest when they visit next.

Truluck's crab house - Oh what a place. I will leave you with this pic.

* the outer bag is made of chocolate (edible). Inside is pound cake mixed with strawberries, blueberries, blackberries. Topped with hot chocolate sauce. Thats whipped cream dollop with choco-chips on top.


Cannot remember any more places. One more highlight of my stay was the Onam feast we prepared. Aviyal, Sambar, Payasam, Ishtu, Injipuli. Wow. The most amazing part was learning how to make all this. 

So as stated at the beginning of the post, I was being paranoid about Chicago during my initial days in Texas. And now that I am in India, Texas is the only place I seem to be talking about. I wish the girls read this :D

These 2 months surmise the amount of fun I missed out on during grad school days. So much fun human company did a lot of good to my mental well being. And at the risk of sounding repetitious I will once again say that, these girls are the most wonderful people I have met in a long long time. Their zest for life and enjoying small things in life, make them the most addictive company ever. I really miss them :(

So the much needed post on Dallas excursions comes to an end. Time to bore you guys with India stories, henceforth!

~nightflier

speechless

C.H.I.C.A.G.O.


My soulmate, my friend, my love!
I don't know how I will fill the void. I will never forget you!


tears,
~nightflier

General

Was the last post tearful or did it seem that I am on the brink of doomsday ?
It did to me, in a way. Because a part of me is really sad. But then I have so many other functioning parts that the sadoo sad part feels really lonely now. Hence the happy post!

(And Neha and Mansi you both are too sweet.. but I am leaving US of A, as of now.. What I am going to do back home I have no clue :D)

Today was talking to a friend and we were discussing what I will miss the most about the US. In my humble opinion clothes from forever 21 and H&M (that was my spontaneous reply) until she made me realize the internet and guacamole.


Internet. Hmm. I think I will be able to live with broadbands. Cos I will have real people around. Tuk Tuk :P
Guacamole. Hmm. I will really miss thee :( Farmers in India please start producing avocados! You will have one dedicated consumer for sure! But then Krishna told me that they do grow/sell avocados back home. I must find out where!
I will also miss pouring 2% milk from the can and making microwaved coffee (the art which I had perfected for my taste) and drinking in the day which passed by and feeling good about the day which lies ahead. How profound. (We are into homeopathic medicines at home, and hence there is restriction on the amount of coffee I can consume on a daily basis. Plus the hot weather adds to the woes. I really hope Aai-baba read this and let me drink coffee everyday :P) Hence the deep connections :D
I will miss my comforter if I have too much baggage and can't take it home. :( Kindly don't roll your eyes. I am normally allergic to blankets back home. So my snot (allergy) free 2 years are a fond memory of the comforter. And hence the keenness on taking it back with oneself.
I will miss these crazy bunch of girls from Dallas. And grocery shopping at 12 in the night with them. I also bought myself a tinker bell tee (which prompted other 2 friends to buy one as well :D) as a souvenir to remind me of the happy days spent in Texas.


And before the list grows too long and the happy mood switches back to cold feet, I will stop.
But my mood already got spoilt when earlier today I read the extra bag charges on air india website. They should consider special cases and let people carry as much baggage as they want. I am also considering of convincing them by saying my excess baggage compensates for me being weightless. You guys think they might listen ?


Parting song of the moment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oRFEiXV0zY


~nightflier

Leap of faith

2 years ago a girl overcame all the inertia of her comfortable and cozy life, and left home to fulfil a dream. 2 years hence, still the dreamy child at heart, a bit dazed by life, is going back home. Things have definitely changed. She has grown up. Life is clouded by directionless clues. But the journey is still looked forward to. 


~nightflier


P.S. I think blogging is cleansing. Sometimes empty spaces are damn good listeners! :)

So it happens..

I went blank in the middle of a telephonic interview! It was an ohmigod moment!


I was supposed to be answering a question related to my previous work ex and my mind suddenly went numb. Sentences were still forming inside my head, words were harmoniously joining, but nothing was coming out. It felt like a paralysis. The realization that I could not think of anything relevant, panicked me a bit. And to save the moment I blabbered. Something so absurd that I cannot even remember. It did not happen again in the remaining course of the interview. Neither has it happened with me before.


But it seems it happens with a lot of people at least once in their life!


After all we are just human! :)


~nightflier