What's on the menu?

You can take the girl out of the south...

2008-11-12T13:26:00.003-05:00

But you can't take the South out of the girl. Hi y'all. Let me recap the past few months.

1. We got married. It was beyond perfection. And I say that not in the bullshit glassy-eyed bride way. I say that in a 100% honest to goodness the day freaking rocked way.

2. We went on honeymoon. We drank. We ate. We drank. We got in the pool and drank. We ate. Did I mention that we drank? It was the ultimate in relaxation. However, for those of you who know us well, you know we can't sit still... we also sea kayaked, snorkeled and learned how to sail on a catamaran.

3. We like to travel. We went to the Chi to celebrate Diwali with our family. This weekend we're headed to Portland for no other reason than to just take a look because we're curious about it. After that, we're headed to Dallas to celebrate a wedding of a long-time friend (REALLY long-time friend, when I actually count the years!). To top 2008 off we're taking a trip to California to spend a week with our nephew, bro and sis-in-law.

That pretty much sums up our adventures!

-------------
We like to party.

Fool In the Rain

2008-07-25T17:07:00.002-05:00

Sometimes you just need a kick in the arse. Thanks, Arch, for giving me that. :)

I haven't forgotten about blogging - truth is, I write all day at work, and well...that just doesn't bode well for the blog. I've gotten some kick ass assignments though - namely a few months back the China Earthquakes and Myanmar Cyclone. It was so cool working with the International division of my organization.

NC and I went to see The Dark Knight - I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Loved the cast, costumes, special effects, all of it. NC thought it was good, but not the best ever. Actually, I overheard a bunch of people saying that as we left the theater, so maybe I'm the aberration. I thought it was well done. As we left, it was pouring outside. Nothing like a good run in the rain with your future spouse. I distinctly remember looking over while we were both laughing hysterically and thinking, "Wow, I get to marry him!" Of course we could have taken the metro, but that's just not as fun.

A few weeks back, I had a bachelorette party. I have to give a big thanks to my girls DK, SK, MK, MG - it was incredible. Admittedly, I didn't really want one - all of these people are spending an extraordinary amount of money to make it to the wedding. I felt like it was completely unnecessary to spend more (on travel, food, activities, etc...) That got shot down quickly, though. And now, I'm glad I had it. We spent a majority of the weekend eating, and, let's face it, that's my kind of party!

And a month ago, I had my 10 year high school reunion. I can't believe it's been 10 years. Everyone looks exactly the same which is awesome. Personalities are all still in tact. I freaked out a little (internally) that one of my high school buddies has a daughter who is 7 years old now. I can't imagine what I would do with a 7 year old. But, all these people got to meet NC and then everyone gave me 'war' stories from their weddings - entirely too entertaining. I'm one of the few unmarried folks of my class, but I sure am glad that I waited.

My cousin is getting married next weekend! I'm psyched for him, especially b/c he's marrying someone so spectacular. I'm getting ready for the festivities - it will be great to hang with the family again.

----------
Not sure when the next update will be - perhaps after I am married. (insert girlish giggling here)

Just Fine

2008-03-21T11:48:00.002-05:00

This song by Mary J. Blige is my current anthem. I'm so pumped. Today marks the 1 year anniversary of mom's heart surgery (dad's fifteenth anniversary was a couple weeks ago). I thank God daily for them.

Interesting that the song is by Mary J. who has definitely faced her share of adversity. Adversity is something that each of us deals with on a regular basis, I'm sure. The key is to be able to rise above it and continue pressing on. Which is what Mom did and has always done. I've seen her, on so many occasions, dig her heels in and get through tough situations. She's never been one to be steamrolled over. I love that about her. She treated the surgery like another obstacle to overcome.

Though the surgery couldn't have been prevented (it wasn't caused by anything she did wrong, it was just a bad valve), she is doing absolutely everything RIGHT to prevent anything else from happening. She looks and feels great and has an amazing attitude. She's just fine.

------
I would write more, but I'm going to continue dancing around the apartment. Oh come on, you know you dance when no one is watching, too.

For What it's Worth

2008-03-03T17:47:00.002-05:00

Where do I even begin?

My organization is undergoing a major reconstruction - I can't believe it's called a reconstruction, but just go with me on this one. It's been widely published that 1,000 jobs (of about 2,500) will have to be cut to make up for some fiscal issues we're dealing with. This is the devil of working for a non-profit. You love the work, hate the job instability. Nevertheless, most of the people in our department have been informed of their status.

It's emotionally hard to break up a work family. In many cases, we end up spending more time with those at work than at home especially during disaster season. We have some veterans in our department that are being let go to meet the budget restraints. We have some newbies that had lots of potential that are also being let go, again due to the budget. I think what keeps me up at night are the people who are single parents, the people who are supporting a family, paying a mortgage, paying college tuition, trying to make ends meet - I worry for them. It's a tough job market. For those who have been out of the game for so long, it's now time to dust off that resume and get back on the playing field. A tough break for the one woman I know who has worked for 35 years in the organization.

To that end, I've learned there's no such thing as loyalty anymore. In business or really in life for that matter. Once upon a time, you could establish your entire career at one place. Look at my parents - after residency, they each stayed with the same hospitals until retirement (my mom is still working at hers). That's 30 + years devoted to one place and they wouldn't even think to get rid of her. And there are plenty of people who have aligned themselves with the top, in some ways positioning themselves to stay - and that doesn't matter either. They say a RIF isn't personal, but that doesn't mean the feeling of getting laid off isn't personal.

A move like this impacts the people staying as well as those who leave. It hardly seems fair to think about those who are staying since the security is built in, but they face the uncertainty of the next steps. When 1/2 the department is gone, who takes up all of that work? Obviously those who are chosen to stay. What will their lives look like now? That's the million dollar question.

I'm going to miss our Communications crew. It will be hard to come into work everyday and not hear their voices, laughter and I will most certainly miss the stellar advice I get from their expertise on communications. This reconstruction is a hard pill to swallow, but I wouldn't want anyone leaving not knowing what a great impact they have had on my communications career - for what it's worth.

House Hunting

2008-01-28T13:50:00.000-05:00

So, NC and I went and looked at houses with a realtor the other day. What an amazing experience. It flooded my brain with questions - is this the yard our kids will play in? Is this the kitchen where we will host Thanksgiving dinners? What color would I re-paint this living room? What's even more exciting is that we're both ready for house living. Of course, we expect to be looking for up to, if not more than, a year, but at least we got the ball rolling. Neither of us has ever owned a place before, so this will be new and exciting.

We pretty much exclusively watch HGTV right now and are educating ourselves on what increases and decreases the value of a home. And then there's the decorating. I'm really lucky that NC and I have similar taste in furniture. We both got rid of college furniture long ago and I even got rid of lots of post-college furniture that I bought new while I was in North Carolina (that got moved to VA by default). Now everything has gone through another set of upgrades. I'm quite pleased with the outcome.

Let's see - what else has happened...we spent this weekend on the slopes snowboarding - I'm happy to report that I haven't forgotten what I learned last season so that made it more than enjoyable. We also saw "Into the Wild" and I have to say that the move was alright, but the book was amazing. So much of the book that I thought would definitely be in the movie was left out. Oh yes, and we took a bhangra/bollywood dance class which was loads of fun. Not too shabby for just an average weekend.

Wowsers!

2008-01-07T13:08:00.000-05:00

This past weekend I drove in NYC! It was thrilling. All the flashing lights, cabs and people everywhere made it quite exhilirating. This is probably not a big deal to anyone but me, but I've always wanted to drive there for giggles. Well, I got them. I even yelled at traffic like a New Yorker too! It really doesn't take much, does it?

Segway

2007-12-15T09:41:00.000-05:00

Ok, lots of stuff, in a list, in reverse chronological order

1. Found out that NC passed his board exams!!!
2. Spent Thanksgiving in Columbia with NC and his parents too!
3. Went to Orlando

Now, elaboration, in chronological order

Orlando is nothing like I remember it - a lot has changed over the decade. It's pretty awesome though and we had a nice relaxing vacation on a resort. We got to hang out by the pool, we played tennis every day and we got to drink some very tropical drinks. Overall, it was exactly what we both needed to just get away from the cold for a while and enjoy ourselves. We also did Epcot center where we both got the chance to ride Segways! That was a really cool experience.

For Thanksgiving we were all in Columbia. It's funny because last Thanksgiving my dad said, "In the coming years, I'd like to keep adding people to this dinner table." He got his wish (though I think he might have been alluding to grandkids too, but let's not get ahead of ourselves here). So the six of us got some wedding stuff done, but more than that, just got to enjoy each others company. On a side note, I love how well our parents get along - when they are together they are always laughing and just having a blast.

We got word this week that NC passed his board exams! He took the written boards last year and passed but this time around was the oral boards where he had to sit in front of an examiner and talk through cases and what he would do in different situations. ugh. We practiced for that test for months, with me as the examiner and he as the candidate. So when NC called he said, "We passed!!" I liked being a part of that process; however, I'm not too distraught that there's 10 years before he has to take that exam again.

WHAT?!?

2007-11-07T13:45:00.000-05:00

I was walking out of the metro and I saw a guy sneeze. Into the air. That's right, just into the air. Not covering his mouth, sneezing into his elbow or anything else. I'm repulsed and amused that someone could be so inconsiderate as to share his germs with the rest of the population that rides the metro. The fact that generally you can feel a sneeze coming leads me to believe that he did this on purpose. As if to say, "screw you, metro riders, and here, have some sickness."

Let flu season begin...

4 o'clock Club

2007-10-29T10:57:00.000-05:00

In college, we had something called the 4 o'clock club during Beach Weekend. It's basically when we would all run into the ocean at four in the afternoon while stripping and we would frolic until the police came and told us to stop.

When I was driving away from Union Station at 4 o'clock this morning I was reminded that I'm in a new 4 o'clock Club now. NC takes the 4 a.m. train on Monday to get back to NYC to be at work by 8 a.m. Of course I'm never going to make him take a cab, that would be just awful. I'm a firm believer in the fact that you'll do anything for the people you love and that includes driving them to/picking them up from the airport, train station - you name it - and at any odd hour. Anyway, I was also reminded this morning that Anuzi did this too for a while. So, a new 4 o'clock club emerges.

I was reflecting about this all on the way home...
1) I really, really appreciate NC for even taking the 4 a.m. train. It would be all to easy to leave on Sunday night; however, we both want to spend every minute we can together and this makes it possible.
2) DC is absolutely gorgeous when it's dark and the monuments are all lit up.
3) There aren't many cops out at that time.
4) It's a good time to learn how to navigate DC because of lesson #3 and the fact that there are no other cars on the roads.
5) Why weren't we ever arrested for indecent exposure in college during the original 4 o'clock club? Curious.

We had a great weekend - with lots and lots and lots of cleaning. I'm giving away bags of clothing and did an entire overhaul of the kitchen. It all looks so amazing. The chi is positive, to say the least.

Blankets!

2007-10-09T21:32:00.001-05:00

Sheets indicated an interest in seeing stuff that I've knitted. So, this blog is for her. My cousin's wife is having twins (one boy and one girl), so these are their blankets. They are folded in the pics - but are actually made to fit a crib mattress.

Happy Day!

2007-10-03T19:30:00.001-05:00

I'm an aunt! Ok, not *technically* yet, but who has time for semantics?

My future brother and sister-in-law had a precious baby boy on Saturday. I'm overjoyed. As an only child, one of my fears was that I wouldn't ever get to be an aunt to anyone. My mom's sisters and my dad's sister have played a tremendous role in my life. It's time to give that kind of love and care back. I guess it helps that they all have boys and not girls, so that could have been the reason for them spoiling me rotten, but regardless I have always been very close to them.

Anyway, I'm uber-excited and I can't wait to hold the little one!!

-------------
He's got a hand-made blanket from his aunt MKP. And my cousin and his wife are expecting twins, so I just finished two more blankets. Now it's time to start knitting Christmas presents (scarves, etc...), so that's what I'll be up to for the next few months. Good times!

Roll Up That Sleeve

2007-10-01T09:34:00.001-05:00

It's that time again...and no, this isn't a plug for giving blood (which I did two weeks ago). It's time for the flu shot - a yearly ritual for me to avoid taking unnecessary PTO.

Along with this, I've had some recent angst about the healthcare system (or maybe not so recent). We're getting ready to renew our benefits here at work, and I was comparing plans and it's beyond me why preventative care just isn't covered like I think it should be. NC and I had a good discussion about this - and agree that as a society we are largely reactive.

I read a beautifully written article about a young woman (23 years old) who decided to have a double mastectomy since every female in her family had survived, died from or was living with breast cancer. She found out that she, too, had the breast cancer gene and took action against it. I admire her for being able to make that decision at such a young age. I also give her kudos for putting her story out there for other young women who may be dealing with the same situation. What I was not amused by was the amount of criticism she got from commenters. It was her choice, what say should random people have in it? One comment caught me off guard though. It was insurance related - a woman had one breast removed because cancer was found in it. What she wanted was both removed and the insurance company would not cover the other one and she could not afford it on her own. So now an insurance company tells you what you can and cannot do with your body, especially when, in all truth, you are trying to save them a lot of money by getting things taken care of on the front end. I guess their point of view is that it's not guaranteed that you'll get cancer in the other breast, so why pay to have it removed?

I guess my point is that I'm put off by all of this. And now, looking at my benefits, I'm wondering if I'll be coveredif I want to take a preventative measure against something happening or if there will be a loophole somewhere in the system that the insurance company can get through.

-----------
in·sur·ance - any means of guaranteeing against loss or harm: Taking vitamin C is viewed as an insurance against catching colds.

Get Low

2007-08-27T14:47:00.000-05:00

I've been lying low for a while now - for lots of reasons. There's so much going on that it seems the best thing to do is hibernate. And hibernate I did. I've been fighting some evil cold virus that clearly was a spawn of satan him/herself. On Saturday, I couldn't move, breathe, nor could I speak. I drank juice, I ate soup and I tried to get my body to recover. Funny enough, this happens every other August at around the same time (end of the month). I'm not sure how that works, but maybe it's just my body's way of saying SLOW DOWN. You know it's bad when walking the five blocks to work is a chore in and of itself.

Anyway, I must get better in time for my big Boston Labor Day weekend! I'm really excited...this is when I get to meet a bunch of NC's friends from college. I'll be meeting some of our groomsmen for the first time. I'm glad that I have the opportunity to get to know the guys that NC is so close to that they are included our wedding. I also get to spend some time with my cousin V and his fiance H (and hopefully with some others that I know in the area).

Not too long ago, I met NC's high school friends and they were awesome. They have so many great stories of the trouble they got into back in the day. I had a blast just listening and really being taken in by that group - no judgements, no questions. I am important to NC, therefore I am important to them. That was really the icing on the cake. We were at a housewarming/engagement party for one of his buddies and I noticed a few things. One, Italian families (most of his friends are Italian) are HUGE and rival the size of Indian families. Two, everyone kisses you on both cheeks all the time- when they greet you, when they congratulate you, when you leave a party - I mean for any little thing. Three, they can COOK. To taste authentic Italian food makes one not want to set foot in an Olive Garden ever again.

----------
If I were Italian, I'd want my last name to be Santos (I used to watch Guiding Light with my mom and they were a powerful family). On that note, NC has a friend whose house was burned down by the Mafia when they were in high school. That's intense.

All Types of Strange

2007-08-10T12:58:00.001-05:00

I have this strange ability to write a speech in my head literally minutes before I have to deliver it. I've had to do this on so many occasions, too - for work and for personal life. Heck, I wrote Mala's sangeet speech in the parking lot right before I walked into the center (sorry, Mals!). It doesn't faze me at all.

I guess this all came about when my boss told me that she doesn't enjoy public speaking, she doesn't enjoy being in front of a camera and she doesn't even like talking to reporters over the phone. Hence, why she sent me to do media training, so that I could cover for our unit. This is all well and good, but I wonder what the fear is actually derived from. Is it fear of getting up in front of an audience or even deeper - fear of being judged by the audience? Is it fueled by a bad experience or witnessing someone else's bad experience? I've always been curious about this. Any of you have trouble speaking in front of large audiences?

-----------
They always say that you should imagine your audience naked. Does that work?

Just Don't Get It

2007-08-07T22:41:00.000-05:00

I haven't quite figured out NYC yet; however, I can say that I'm completely intrigued by it. It's generally portrayed as a big, loud place with lots going on but there are certainly ways to make it a quiet retreat, too. I love running in Central Park, I love the museums, I love the many different places you can visit all within walking distance. The Upper East Side is pretty swank so no complaints there either.

I hate the traffic (thank God I don't have to drive in it). I'm not a huge fan of the subway system - though to its credit it is easy to use and covers a lot of ground. I think it's just because I compare it to the DC Metro system which is pretty nice. And I have some issues with the general snarky attitude that some people have (though I haven't truly encountered it all that much).

-----------
I guess I should stop dissecting it and just enjoy. I look forward to exploring.

Recipe for Disaster

2007-07-17T09:01:00.000-05:00

I have wanted to write about this for a while, but needed some time to digest everything I saw and experienced. I spent a week in Fort Worth, TX as a public affairs associate, covering the North Texas floods. It was surreal. There were entire communities that were water logged. People had lost everything and it called to my attention the real reason I was there.

As public affairs professionals, we are trained to deal with media, conduct interviews and do lots of writing. We talk A LOT mostly because it's in our nature. While I was in Texas, I learned to listen, and it was humbling to say the least. Seeing all the people affected by the floods was an eye opening experience. I saw people in Horseshoe Bend, TX who had nothing but were still giving everything to their small community. I saw a woman who had six children whose roof was caving in because of the torrential rains and she thought she had no where to turn, but the organization I work for was there giving her shelter, food and comfort. I saw compassion at its finest.

I listened. I listened and I learned that flooding can destroy homes, but it can't destroy a person's spirit or a communities spirit for that matter.

It's a fine balance- knowing when to say what to a flood victim. But, sometimes you don't have to say anything at all.

Instead of me going on and on about this, I think pictures tell the story a little better.

where do we go now?

2007-07-09T21:58:00.000-05:00

For no apparent reason, I can't get Sweet Child 'o Mine (GNR) out of my head.

I have about 6 posts that I've started and saved on various topics and for whatever reason, I can't bring myself to put them up here. There's no writer's block, but there are events that I've given considerable thought to in the past few months and experiences that have occurred that have changed the way I see the world. I thought life was supposed to make more sense as you grew up - there were supposed to be more answers and less questions and I've found that it's the exact opposite.

I've been giving a lot of thought to Vinay. If you don't know, he needs a bone marrow transplant and he needs it now. I don't know him personally, I only know him through the web, but from what I have read, it makes a good case for South Asians to get themselves in gear and on the registry.

My first real job was a Donor Recruitment Representative for the organization I currently work for. My entire goal was to ensure that there was an adequate supply of blood in the hospitals so that when patients needed it, they could have it. I coordinated blood drives, helped sponsors recruit donors by using media and advertising strategies and on many occasions, I got to teach communities about the importance of their donation - who it goes to and how it gets there. Admittedly, it's not an easy job - but damn it was so rewarding. I remember a mother coming up and hugging me and saying that her daughter was alive because I was out there doing the the work that I do and educating people on how they can help. It was even more powerful when I met her daughter - a 2 year old who had survived and used many, many units of blood during an operation. Such a small body that relied on several people's gracious donations to sustain her and make her better. I remember leaving that drive and being on top of the world.

It's important to understand that one donation can make a difference. Similarly, a simple cheek swab - and it could be yours - can save the life of Vinay and/or Sameer. When I was at my old job, I met an extraordinary girl - a marrow recruitment rep. - who had matched and donated to a female who was in her mid-40's. A couple years later they ran a marathon together. And then a while after that, this same extraordinary girl was a match for her mother who needed a bone marrow transplant. She went through the process again and saved her mother's life. We used to call her the "universal donor." You know, there are times in life where you rise to the challenge - and this girl did...twice. I think it might be time for the rest of us to do the same and at least get tested and typed.
------------
What if it were you who needed the transplant?

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

2007-06-09T18:08:00.000-05:00

Does anyone remember the movie Sixteen Candles when the Donger says "Automobile?" It's seriously had me cracking up for the past few days, especially because I've hit the point of delerium.

I have done so much traveling the past couple of weeks that I don't know:
1) Where I am
2) The actual time (since I've been traveling outside of my time zone)
3) The date

It was really pathetic when NC came to pick me up from Dulles airport and I actually asked him what day it was -- I guessed Saturday when it was really Thursday. Oh dear. I have hit the point of exhaustion where I can't actually sleep but I can't stay awake either. The adrenaline still comes in waves, so eventually I sputter out and can only do low level activities like knitting.

I really can't complain though - I've been doing some really neat stuff, one of which was media training for disaster season. I was briefed on a disaster scenario and had cameras in my face and had to speak intelligently when a reporter grilled me with some pretty difficult questions. The hard part is the play back when the former anchors and top of the line producers critique your work. We were scored during these exercises and I did pretty well, but seeing myself on TV creeps me out.

NC and I went kayaking on the Potomac last Saturday - it was so much fun. We haven't gotten to see much of each other lately with my travel and his 4p - 2a shift, so we squeezed several dates into one day. It started with kayaking to Roosevelt Island to see the monument out there and also take a short hike around. We kayaked back to the main land, ate lunch at Chipotle and then went to Dr. D's pool party. After the pool party, we saw Knocked Up which was hilarious. This was followed by a Washington Nationals baseball game. Late that night, we ate dinner outside at my favorite Thai restaurant (and for SK's knowledge - we had Drunken Noodles, Penang Chicken and Plum Wine). Yum. I'm still not sure how we fit all of that into one day, but we can make most anything happen so it shouldn't surprise me too much.

------------
I took a train for the first time ever this past week - it is as glamorous as it sounds, much more reliable than a plane and truly a fun way to travel.

You're Next

2007-06-01T10:26:00.000-05:00

I used to cringe when I went to an Indian wedding and heard the words "You're Next." This started circa 1999. It does get a little annoying when you're only 19 and people are talking about you getting married and all you want to do is just make it through school. Now that we're engaged nothing comes in the form of question, but more in the form of statement and subtle suggestions with something inane thrown in i.e. "Spring is a nice time to get married, the flowers are blooming." Both question and statement are equally absurd, but it's nice not to have to hear the "you're next"-- and of course, when these words were uttered, I was usually single and those words would just rub it in that my cousin or friend was moving along with their life and leaving me to my singleness. Now, I just feel bad for my younger cousins who are going to start hearing these words soon.

Not the point. Went to Mala's wedding and damn if she didn't look just spectacular. Everything was gorgeous, she was gorgeous, the setup was gorgeous and even A was...well not gorgeous, but handsome. I had a blast hanging out (and sometimes running around) with them before the wedding. I also got the chance to meet many of their friends from college and other Konkanis that I hadn't met before.

What really struck me though is seeing where Mala grew up. I spent most of my days at her parents home in Cali. I could picture a little Mals running around that house with P and playing on the patio. I also got to meet her grandmother (Ammama). It's the little things that end up having so much significace and for me that was the real wedding - when the families got together informally and just had a blast. Of course the Hindu ceremony is nothing to sneeze at - it's full of meaning/symbolism, but in my mind, it was all the interaction between families, extended families and friends who were like family that made it a true marriage.

----------
Mala and A - Congrats! You guys rock!

Mals - I can't believe P used THAT picture of us in the slideshow. haha!

--------
Clarification - the questions I refer to in the beginning weren't clear - I never spelled it out - I'm referring to the ones that are in the family of "Why aren't you married yet?" hahaha - I'm sure all of my ladies have heard something along those lines at one point or another.

What's Love Got to Do With It?

2007-05-17T16:35:00.000-05:00

Sorry to not put up meaningful posts lately. I read Arches' stuff and then feel likeI have nothing to contribute or good to say to the e-world.

I've been in a contemplative mood lately - thinking about a lot of things, more specifically what's really important. I think wedding planning has brought that out in me. There are a billion options for what you can have accompanied by a billion prices. Truly, it doesn't matter. Having a psychotic Bollywood wedding doesn't matter. All that matters is that at the end of that wonderful day, NC and I are husband and wife and that we have our closest family and friends there to witness it.

Which brings me to the topic of friends. There are some friendships that I've had in the past year or so that have fizzled. I guess there's an ebb and flow to everything, but I've never been an ebb and flow kind of gal. I like to be just a flow person. I hate it when people say "it is what it is" but I guess for all intensive purposes, it's true.

To snap myself out of whatever that was all about, I made a list of 10 things that make me happy.

1) I knitted a baby blanket (my first!) and it's gone to one of the most precious little girls I have ever seen.
2) I got a nice dose of the South this past weekend. And I got to see the parents and grandparents.
3) Mom is doing quite well and has more endurance than me. I'm happy for her, but not so much for myself. Makes me look bad.
4) Two people other than my biological parents consider me to be their daughter. (already!)
5) I'm going to Richmond to see Jay graduate with his MASTERS in Advertising Design! I'm a proud big sister!
6) Mala gets married in T minus 10 days. I couldn't be happier for her.
7) I got to see my cousin Bryan's band (Collider) play last night - they effing rocked!
8) It's been one year since Aunt Carol passed, but the beautiful memories I have of her and the tenacity she had with regards to setting me up with a good Konkani boy still make me smile. I think she'd be proud of my decision.
9) I like the fact that our schedule is packed, and I have yet to coordinate our Boston and Detroit trips.
10) When I was taking my contacts out, I randomly started singing "What's Love Got to Do With It" (because I always have a song in my head) and NC joined in with his vocal stylings. It was so freaking funny.

Pure Sugar

2007-05-15T18:46:00.000-05:00

There's really nothing like it.

This is me operating the cotton candy machine at an employee event.

Ground on Down

2007-05-09T19:02:00.000-05:00

Still up on cloud 9, however, also trying to keep both feet on the ground.

I hung out with Anuzi and Mr. Bhat the other night - they took me out for a celebratory dinner (thanks, guys!). Unfortunately, NC got the 4p to 2a shift this week, so he couldn't join in. No worries, I ate enough for the both of us. Anyway, I got a lot of great advice from them about wedding planning. Lord knows I'll be picking their brains a lot over the next year or so. I also got to talk to Mals, who is at the home stretch - only a few days until her nuptuals.

This weekend we'll be going to my hometown to look at four venues and also have our engagement photos taken. There's also a side trip planned to go see Ajja and Mamama! It's going to be busy, but I know NC and I will have loads of fun.

There are a gazillion questions swirling around in my head about everything, so as a great distraction, I was tagged by Arches to list seven things that people don't know about the mkp.

1) When I get writer's block, I have to step away from the computer, sit with a legal pad and write it all out by hand. I did many of my papers in college this way. Even with pieces that I write for work, I'll take this approach.
2) I. must. sleep. with. socks. on. If I don't, then I have nightmares.
3) Speaking of sleep, if I'm almost entering sandman's world and I feel like I haven't locked the door, I have to get up and check it. Sadly enough, 10 times out of 10, it's locked. You would think that I would have learned my lesson by now.
4) This is going to be the same as Arches number 6 - I can't stand it when people touch my feet. NO TOUCHY! Pedicures (all 2 of them that I've had) absolutely kill me. My heart starts racing and I get all squirmy in the chair.
5) My brain never shuts off. There's not a time that I'm not thinking about something. And a majority of the time, there's background music, too. Occasionally, it sounds like narration of what I'm actually doing (sometimes it's in Konkani).
6) If I'm running a race, or if I'm just running for kicks and giggles, when I get to the last part of my run, I sprint like crazy.
7) I was a big kid (ages 10-12) - like round big. Big, big. Cute, but big.

I'd want to tag Priya for this. Work it for me, mama.

2-7!!!!

2007-05-02T21:56:00.000-05:00

What a great birthday! And what a great year.

Thanks to those who called/e-mailed! I appreciate your b-day wishes.

---------------
"Where ever you go, there you are." A shout-out to my parents for their advice and wisdom for the past 27 years.

When You Know....

2007-04-27T11:29:00.000-05:00

You just know.

My goodness. The past couple of weeks have been extraordinary.

MKK came to visit me. I love seeing her - it's always good for my soul. She does the big sister thing so well. We ate (and ate, and ate, and ate) and she also got to meet NC. I'm glad they got along like two peas in a pod for nothing other than the fact that it shows NC is truly a perfect fit for our family. It was sad having to take her back to the airport, but then we were back at the airport a few short days later for my birthday trip.

NC took me snowboarding in Whistler, BC. Canada is amazing...the scenery is absolutely gorgeous. We spent a great deal of time on the slopes - mountains there are so much better than anything you could ever find out here. And that's where we got engaged. On a mountain. In the snow. Among the trees. With a beautiful view.

Execution was flawless. And how my mom and dad knew for two weeks beforehand and were able to keep it a complete secret is beyond me. It all caught me off guard, I just wasn't expecting it - I mean I knew we would eventually get engaged at some point - it was never a matter of "if" it was just a matter of "when." And when turned out to be April 20.

I couldn't be happier.

Now we have an engagement party, a visiting family/shopping trip to India and a wedding to plan. But for the moment, we're just going to enjoy the view.

----------------

Rejuvination

2007-04-06T11:19:00.000-05:00

When we got mom home from the hospital, I was so happy to see that it wasn't winter anymore (at least not in South Carolina). I'm a big believer in the fact that weather can affect one's mood. I think seeing the sunlight and the flowers blooming in the garden that my parents spend so much time on was promising. I am occasionally still plagued by thoughts like "What if she never got to see the garden bloom?" but was reassured after her follow-up doctor's appointment that everything is going to be just fine.

We're so lucky.

And I'd like to thank everyone that sent good wishes and prayers (and flowers! DK/SK!) to mom. She's so grateful and I'm overwhelmed.

Last Sunday, NC took me out to see the Cherry Blossoms. We walked from my place to the Tidal Basin and then around the Tidal Basin - thinking back, it was probably a solid 6 mile walk - which I didn't even notice since NC and I talked non-stop. It was good for the soul to be outside and take in the fresh air. The Cherry Blossoms were gorgeous, as usual.

(photo by NC)

NC's family came to town last week - so we got some quality time with his parents, cousin and Aunt. It's interesting to see how we fit into each other's families. It's virtually seamless. I really enjoyed meeting his cousin who is from India, but studies in Manchester. She is doing her Masters in Corporate Communication, which is the field I currently work in, so she sought some advice from me. Yikes. That's a tall order considering that I doubt I know what I'm doing half the time! Ha! Anyway, we did some shopping and plenty of eating.

This past weekend, I spent some time with the Anuzi, getting our stuff together for Mala's upcoming sangeet. If there's one thing I know, it's that Anuzi is a damn good dancer and coreographer (open a studio, cough, cough). Of course, I've seen her dance before - in multiple performances and just for fun in the club - but it's different being taught by her. She's patient, but strict! In spite of that, we laughed a TON, so at least we got a solid ab workout if nothing else! It did call to my attention that we are all perfectionists in some way, shape or form and there's nothing wrong with that.

I'm eagerly anticipating the arrival of my wonderful cousin, MKK. She's flying in from Detroit tomorrow and, being the obsessive planner that I am, I have a great weekend in store for her!

Matters of the Heart

2007-03-16T18:03:00.000-05:00

“I won’t be able to come and visit you in March.”

“MOM, why not? What’s going on?”

“Well, I went to the doctor today and…”

“WHAT!?! What did she say?”

“Well, then I visited the cardiologist.”

“Holy shit, Mom! What’s going on? What’s wrong?”

“They might need to do surgery.”

The past four weeks have been quite the blur. You never truly think about what it might be like to lose your mother until you face the prospect of potentially losing your mother. Holy Lord. It’s overwhelming…utterly overwhelming. In my head, at that very moment, I was selfish. I wanted to know why this was happening to ME. What about my wedding? My children, her grandchildren? She had to see all of this. I’m sure as hell not going to do any of that without mom. For 26 years, she’s been my confidant, my go-to gal, I can tell her anything. We talk about life, love, transition, religion and all other deep topics. We have more inside jokes than I can even count. She’s my mother when I need a mom and my best friend when I need a best friend. How would I survive? Then my mentality switched. What about her? How is she handling all of this? Is she ok? Is she nervous? Or scared? What’s the prognosis? And then there’s Dad…who would give his entire being to make sure that Mom is well taken care of and happy. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is.

No one could have ever seen this coming. Mom is one of the healthiest beings…attending personal training sessions twice a week, doing yoga, cardio and other exercises to fill in the rest of the week all paired with a great diet. Come on now. Seriously, folks. Lest I forget the role genetics plays in this.

We got here to Cleveland and I was briefed on the surgery. They. must. stop. her. heart. The words nearly stopped mine. The fact that they were going to stop the organ that keeps her alive, put her on a machine, make the repairs and then make the heart start beating again - well, that kind of science royally freaks me out. This was a time where I had to pull on great faith – faith that the physicians were competent and faith that with mom’s amazingly positive attitude toward the surgery, that she would not only make it through, but make it through with flying colors. I truly believe that with situations of this nature, half of the battle is being in a good mental state.

The morning of the surgery, we woke up at 4 a.m., got her ready (bathing a parent is one of those things that you never think you’ll do in your lifetime, but when it actually happens, you are humbled by all the years that they took care of you) and then headed to the surgical center. I got to wheel her to the waiting area and then we had to be separated while they prepped her for surgery. Dad and I got to sit with her for a little while before the operation and then we had to say our goodbyes. I must have hugged and kissed her a thousand times before I had to turn and walk away. Walking away was the hardest thing to do – especially knowing what was going to happen next.

We received periodic updates from the surgeon and everything was encouraging. After a few hours, we got ready to see Mom in the ICU. I got teary eyed and buried my face in Dad’s chest…which almost exactly 14 years ago, got the same incision that mom’s did. In a flash, I remembered when Dad had his heart surgery. I remembered walking into the hospital room and to this day, I still remember exactly how it was set up. It’s amazing how much detail can be recalled. Dad looked so fragile. I saw tubes, I heard machines beeping, he looked at me and said, “Baby, I’m alright.” He didn’t look alright. I didn’t believe him – at the ripe age of 12, all of this looked so daunting. It was a long, hard road to recovery and I remember telling Mom at that time, “I hope we never have to do this ever again.” And here we are. Doing this again. I put on my brave face, braced myself for the worst and walked into the ICU. Mom, as always, was a super-star. Of course, there were tubes and machines galore, of course she was groggy from the anesthesia, but I looked at her and with her eyes half opened she smiled. Then I knew everything was going to be o.k.

Later that evening, as I watched her sleep in the Intensive Care Unit - her chest rising and falling, heart beating strong (and happy knowing it was functioning properly) - I looked at the curves of her face, the smooth cheeks and the small wrinkles around her eyes. And saw the one harsh line in the middle of her forehead that she always jokingly threatens to Botox. The one that is caused by many years of making the "scolding face” –the one where you know your mom means business. That furrow in her brow can just as easily turn into laugh lines when she’s smiling. It was a comforting thought to know that I will be able to reckon with the brow furrow for many more years to come.

We’re a great trio – Mom, Dad and I – (and will be an awesome quad when NC, who’s already a part of the family, “officially” joins.) I’m sure there will be other obstacles along the way, but we’re tight. We’ll make it. And I have to give NC credit for being there when I was bawling my eyes out to the point of being near inconsolable while we were supposed to be enjoying ourselves in Chicago, when I was angry at the world for this happening and also when I needed a break from reality, no matter how brief - he provided it. I’m also thankful that the day before mom’s surgery he came to Cleveland to surprise us – all I got was a text message that said, “In Cleveland, coming to hotel.” And there he was – amidst his insane schedule for the next few weeks; he made the time and didn’t think anything of spending the money to purchase a last-minute ticket just to be with us for a day. Amazing. Simply amazing. I now know for the rest of my life, I'll never have to go it alone. I've got him right there by my side. That feels good.

I’m uncertain about many things but one thing I do know for an absolute fact is that I can’t (and don’t want to) do this life without her – and I know one day I’ll have to, but now isn’t the time. And for what it’s worth, I’d like to thank everyone who played a part in this - from the diagnosis to the operation and to the recovery. I'd especially like to thank Dr. S with his masterful surgical skills. When he operated on mom, he not only saved her life, but he saved mine too.

------------
I love you, Mom.

No Taxation...

2007-02-26T14:56:00.000-05:00

Taxes = DONE! Heck yeah.

Unfortunately, I had to file in two states due to the fact that I spent one month in North Carolina in 2006. Oh well, they are done, so I'm happy. I'm pretty neurotic about having things finished before a deadline --- that, and the fact that I'll be traveling so much in the next two months really lit a fire under me to get this task marked off the list.

I like that the government can get all up in your business. It (it = government) needs to know where you were and where you are now. When you file in two states, you have to send the tax forms from the other state to prove yourself. Among additional information, it knows how much you earn, your marital status and if you have kids. Nosy bastard. And if you try to pull one over its eyes, it has your address and isn't afraid to use it.

The questions get pretty interesting too -one on the North Carolina form says, "Are you a registered farmer or fisherman?" It's kind of like when I had to re-take the written part of the drivers test to switch my license from South Carolina to North Carolina. Most of the questions dealt with tractors and alcohol. Don't mix the two. That's the bottom line.

Along with all this tax business, I was thinking about finances in general and how much we can learn from those around us. My parents, for example, taught me some great habits - one of them being ALWAYS pay off your credit card in full and on time (and more specifically, always pay all of your bills in full and on time, too). Of course there's that pesky interest that will get you the longer you put off paying the credit card bill, but it can also negatively affect one's credit score. Lenders use that score to evaluate the risk of giving someone a loan. When I buy a house, I would like to be deemed worthy of a decent loan.

In college, I had a friend who held about 3K in credit card debt. Her parents cut her credit card and then made her get a job to pay it off. It's scary to think about how that will hurt her in the future. My friend expressed to me how she got out of hand - with a credit card, it was so easy for her to charge and not give it a second thought since you don't see an actual statement until the end of the billing cycle (if at all - since her parents were paying her credit card bill). So, you can charge with reckless abandon and a few charges can add up to a lot. I think this experience made me pay a lot more attention to the details of what and how much goes on the credit card. Dad's simple solution to this situation is, "If you can't afford it, don't buy it. Period." He always says that the money you have in the bank should be able to back up what you charge on the credit card. Its such a logical and simple idea, yet for some, so difficult to do as I found with my friend's situation.

Investing for retirement is something else I've gotten myself into. I can't believe I'm thinking about retirement at the age of 26 (actually, I started at 23), but I guess there's no harm in planning for the future.

---------
I'm channeling my inner Suze Orman today.

Dear Girlie

2007-02-22T14:55:00.000-05:00

Dear Girlie,

Uggs, tights and a baby t-shirt in 30 degree weather does not equal cool.

Here's to your warmth and avoiding hypothermia,
MKP

Tag, I'm it

2007-02-15T10:49:00.000-05:00

Got tagged by MA and Priya, so here goes nothin':

Three things that scare me:
1. Clowns
2. Walking alone at night
3. Gnomes

Three people who make me laugh:
1. Ranjit
2. Mom
3. Perez Hilton

Three things I love:
1. Family
2. NC (boyfriend, not to be interpreted as North Carolina)
3. Dark Chocolate

Three things I hate:
1. People who park in handicapped spaces when they aren't handicapped (they just use the tag)
2. Seeing someone hit their kid
3. Orange Line on the Metro

Three things I don't understand:
1. Blind faith
2. Consultant Language (how much can you actually "leverage" something?)
3. Why periodically there will be bubbles that come from the bottom of my washing machine - the maintenance guy can't explain it either (but it's TONS of fun to play in)

Three things on my desk:
1. Blackberry
2. Television
3. Framed photos

Three things I'm doing right now:
1. Working on a communications plan
2. Fidgeting
3. Thinking about food

Three things I want to do before I die:
1. Raise kids
2. See Africa
3. Run a 10K

Three things I can do:
1. Mutli-task
2. Bake
3. Write

Three things you should listen to:
1. Your mother
2. Your gut
3. Music that inspires you

Three things you should never listen to:
1. Drunk people
2. The cry of a newborn baby that is addicted to crack (b/c the mom used crack while pregnant)
3. The Weather-person

Three things I'd like to learn:
1. Ballroom Dancing - all types
2. How to cross country ski
3. How to speak Hindi

Three favorite foods:
1. Mom's Konkani Cooking
2. Thai - Drunken Noodles and Penang, especially
3. Italian

Three beverages I drink regularly:
1. Water
2. Tea
3. White Wine

Three TV shows/Books I watched/read as a kid:
1. Sesame Street
2. The Berenstain Bears
3. Mister Rodgers' Neighborhood

Three people I am tagging...
I think most everyone I know has been tagged already, but if Arches hasn't, I'd like to see her responses.

Black and Blue

2007-02-14T10:47:00.000-05:00

She woke up groggy...the day before had been really productive with an early morning yoga class, apartment hunting, condo shopping and various other errands. But, it was time to arise, give thanks for another day on Earth and prepare for the hours ahead.

Never in her life did she think winter sports would actually be something she WANTED to do. After a bad experience at age 11, it was understandable that any snow related activity was blacklisted. She thought about this as she put on her fourth layer of mismatched clothing realizing with the frigid temperatures that you don't dress for style, you dress for functionality.

The most daunting aspect of snowboarding has to be the chairlifts. Though she managed to do the chairlift successfully on many occasions, it was always a crapshoot. One step off balance and then thud to the groud you go, and usually it has the bowling pin effect, if one pin goes down, likely others go down too.

As she strapped her boots in the bindings, she looked down the mountain and thought, "well, at least I got off the chairlift ok." The mountain was a beast. It looked impossible. And this is labeled a blue/green mountain? Where's the easy party? How was anyone supposed to get down a near vertical slope? Must be why they can call snowboarding an extreme sport. One deep breath and she tipped the board and started gliding down. Of course nothing is that easy, there were definite obstacles in the way - namely all the fallen soldiers who were also trying to tame the beast. Big, thick beams supporting the chairlift all the way down didn't help the situation.

She slowly made large "S" shaped patterns in the snow while going down the mountain and did it with little anxiety. She also spared her bones by not hurling her body into the snow (which was never intentional before, but always managed to happen). She came to the end of the mountain with the smell of victory in the air, took the board off, looked back at the ugly beast and thought "Next up, the black diamonds. Hell yes."

------------
Ok, so she=me - I know you get that. NC and I went snowboarding on Sunday, but I wanted to express my feelings about it instead of summing it up in one sentence. It truly is an exciting sport. Don't worry Mom, I'm not going to attempt the black diamonds just yet, I need to get really good on the blues first. I'm most certainly not that cocky - the fact that I can fall and bust my arse at any time keeps me humble.

Material Girl

2007-02-06T13:26:00.000-05:00

While on the metro yesterday, I heard this song blaring from someone's iPod. I had to laugh for several reasons:

1) Why can I hear your music? Seriously. That's loud.
2) I heart 80's Madonna.
3) It made me think about how ridiculously productive I was over the weekend.

It was time for a spring...er...winter cleaning in my apartment. It was also a good time to do it since it was all of 10 degrees, so I wasn't missing anything outside.

Long story short, I threw away a bunch of unnecessary belongings. I had to cut the clutter - I don't like to be a pack-rat, but I have that quality about me. I keep a lot of things that I don't need for "sentimental reasons." I guess it's time to get rid of it when you can't even remember the "sentiment" behind it. It also reminded me of a great conversation I had with my Ajja when I was in Nashville. He was discussing his non-attachment to material possessions. It was enlightening to say the least. That's what spurred this inital clean-up.

This purging of the stuff was completely practical. For starters, I am trying to decide whether or not to purchase a home. I learned the all-important lesson when I was moving up from North Carolina -- the less stuff you have, the easier it is to move it. Logical enough. Regardless, less stuff, better "chi." I'm down with that.

Speaking of buying a home (which admittedly is a material possession, but you've got to have a place to live), NC and I went to a home buying seminar last night. Holy goodness, there's so much to think about...location, cost and one day school districts will matter! ACK! Anyway, there are so many pros and cons, but the one thing that I love most is also the one thing I hate most - the place would be mine. That's a good thing because it would be my very own home to do with what I pleased and a bad thing because it would be my responsibility to get all the maintenance done. That's the nice thing about living in an apartment. If something goes wrong, I fill out an online form and within 24 hours, the problem has been fixed.

There's a definite upside. I've been doing quite well with managing my finances, so affordability isn't as much of an issue as I imagined it would be in the places that I would like to live. And, as described by the realtor last night, people who buy houses get ridiculous tax breaks since the government likes it when you purchase (helps the economy). I've always been the type to want a house - I enjoy the nesting process immensely. But for now, I think I'm just going to continue getting rid of stuff in my apartment and try to be the un-material girl.

----------
Anuzi's blog makes me hungry.

The Whirlwind in the Thorntree

2007-02-04T19:54:00.000-05:00

Johnny Cash anyone? no? Ok.

This past week was amazing. Off to Ft. Lauderdale we went with GPS in hand for the rental car - which was upgraded from a Geo Metro to a convertible PT Cruiser. Heck yeah! From Ft. Lauderdale, we drove down to the Florida Keys. I'm not going to lie - that's one amazing drive down there. The water is so blue and with the top down, it was perfection!

Key West is an interesting place. It's got a lot of personality and I would encourage anyone to go there at least once. There's one main drag (Duval Street) - we stayed on that street in the Crowne Plaza hotel - right in the middle of all the action. The nighttime was abuzz with tourists, especially those from cruiseboats. Anyway, on Saturday night, we went to a restaurant called Mangoes. Since NC has gotten off red meat and into fish, this was definitely the right restaurant to go to. The meal was exquisite to say the least. Later that evening, we went to the bar on the dock, drank "hurr-o-caines" (cranberry, orange, pineaple juices, vodka and other stuff) and just watched the water. The next day (Sunday) we were out and about on Duval Street again, eating at La-te-da for lunch and taking a walk to the opposite end of the Key. In the afternoon, we went jet skiing which was a first for both of us. No one else was out there, since the water was so choppy, but man, oh man was a great experience. I would do that again in a heartbeat. We had NC's birthday dinner at Latitudes Restaurant. We had to take a boat to get there as it was on a small island. Again, amazing food and ambiance to die for. Monday we took off for Miami but stopped off at a little hole in the wall restaurant called Flamingoes before we left the Keys.

Miami was exactly how I pictured in my mind, except for the fact that they were preparing for the Super Bowl so ESPN was everywhere, litterally, on the beach, on the sidewalk, everywhere you turn, there was a camera or stage. At any rate, we hit the highlights, beach, food, shopping and clubby bars. It was fantastic. If I had been 20, it would have been even better (as an old person, I have trouble hanging out as late as I used to).

On Tuesday, we flew back up to DC, then drove to NJ - crazy, I know, but we got to see NC's dad on his birthday and the next day was NC's b-day, so it worked out well. We spent Wednesday with his family and then came back to DC. I'm glad to have a break before I travel again, but I wouldn't exchange this trip for the world.

------------
Happy B-day, NC! Here's to 799 more. ;)

Stressy

2007-01-23T22:23:00.001-05:00

The Travel Gods must be laughing their arses off.

Life is just a series of lessons, waiting to be learned. There was a situation that was less-than-fantastic this past weekend and I discovered a lot about myself and NC and our dynamic. I never intended this to be a "relationship" blog, Lord knows it's been so long since I've been in a real one. But, I can't even express how well I'm getting to know myself, not as just me, but me WITH someone else. It's like a whole new side of me that I'm not familiar with.

So, we're hanging out at BNA (Nashville Airport) and come to find that our flight has been cancelled due to snow in DC. I get up to the desk at the gate and he gets on the phone - we divide and conquer. I got us seats on the flight out the next morning (which we knew wasn't going to happen since he had to get to work at 6 a.m. the next day) and then I went to the Southwest counter and bought two refundable tickets to get us to Baltimore that night since he was still on the phone and the situation didn't look promising. Finally, he got us rebooked on a flight to DC, but for later that evening and through Philly. Things just weren't looking up at that point. We got to baggage claim, picked up my bag from our original flight and then came decision time. It was a crap shoot and the timings were all wrong. Fortunately, we were on the same page, and decided to just go for the Nashville to Philly to DC flight and worst case scenario we could drive from Philly. Turned out to be the right decision and flew into DC at 2 a.m.

I know that was a lot to weed through, but the situation was pretty stressy. What I noticed first was his calmness, which in turn made me pretty calm too. Those of you who know me, know how stressed I can get when things don't go to the plan. So, there's a lesson learned - be more flexible and roll with the punches. Second thing I noticed was his sense of humor. We laughed through most of this experience since, well, that's about all we could do. When all else fails, just smile. Like his mom said when we called her, "just keep a positive attitude, it will make a difference." She was right. Lastly, I truly enjoy traveling with someone as opposed to traveling alone. It makes the time go faster, so any trip I take now, if not with him, then I'll invite someone to go along with me (if they are up for traveling with the mkp).

----------------
I believe I've found someone who loves me not in spite of my flaws and quirks but BECAUSE of my flaws and quirks. There's a huge difference between the two.

Stir Crazy

2007-01-17T11:02:00.000-05:00

I can't sit still to save my life. It's got to be some sort of disorder. I finally move to a place that has everything I ever wanted and still I have to be jet setting. The next 5 months are going to be crazy with travel (Nashville, Miami/FL Keys, Chicago, SF, Vancouver/Whistler, LA) , but I suppose I wouldn't have it any other way. The great thing is that NC can't sit still either, so I have a travel partner now - awesome! On top of this, we have decided not to do birthday presents, rather birthday vacations. I like it. I believe for my birthday, we will go on a snowboarding trip. We went boarding in Western Maryland a couple weekends ago. I am damn good. Well, strike that, but I'm getting a lot better. I spend more time up on the board than I do on my rear, so that's always positive.

Otherwise, not much going on here. Just plugging away. I've been in DC for almost a year now and I still absolutely love it. It's the perfect fit. Now if I could just stay here one weekend and explore...
----------
Good news - MA got a fatty job in SF, so she's going to be moving to a place where I would actually go visit her (no disrespect to Bloomington, of course). I'm so proud of her.

Middle Ground

2007-01-05T12:32:00.000-05:00

This is one of those posts that I've been forming in my head, but haven't gotten down in the blog. What can I say? It's been busy. I had a good time in the big-D with the Konk peeps. Unfortunately, NC wasn't able to make it (stupid cancelled flights!), which was a huge bummer for the both of us since we had been looking forward to it for a while.

I'm wondering who I've become. That's not as bad as it sounds - truthfully, it seems I'm just another person in a relationship. It's a strange feeling, putting someone else before yourself (wow, that sounds self-centered) especially when you've been single for SO freaking long. When I found out that NC couldn't make it, I immediately started investigating how I could get back. While on hold with the airline people, I thought to myself "What the hell am I doing?" Knowing full and well two things a) There was no way I was getting back to DC and b) the people I am closest to minus one were all in the same place, what's so bad about that? Again, it circles back to being in a relationship. US said to me that wanting to go back was understandable - you'll do anything to be with the person you care about. This is true, but RS said, "hey, we're not chopped liver." Both of them were on point. Then, I started thinking about NC's point of view - he wanted me to stay and have fun with my friends, but he wanted to see me and he wanted to be there with the whole crew. That added an entire extra layer of stuff floating around in my head.

There's so much of me that is still trying to figure out how this relationship stuff works. I've never exactly been great at it (as my track record proves). When you're in a situation where you have to choose between friends or boyfriend, what do you do? Can you come up with a compromise? I guess that's what I tried out- I tried to find a middle ground to where everyone was happy. I chilled with the peeps in Dallas until Monday and snuck out around 5 a.m. to get a confirmed standby ticket (and ended up just getting a regular ticket since they had seats available). I got back early and got to spend the evening with NC.

Personally, do I think I could I have handled the entire situation better? Yes, absolutely. It's the first time I've been frazzled in a while. How did I let myself get like that? Here's the issue - I'm a perfectionist and so type A that I function off a precise schedule. In my head, MA and I were supposed to meet in Milwaukee, go to the ticket agent to change our seats, grab a bite to eat, catch our flight, get to Dallas on Friday at 6:30 p.m., pick up rental car, go to Ranjit's, reunite her with US, give hugs and catch up all around, HEY BARBEQUE! and a few hours later, RS and I were going back to DFW to pick up NC. THIS IS HOW I AM, especially when I travel. What actually happened was so amazingly far from what I had in my head that it that it totally had me rattled. Can I get better about this, perhaps get more flexible? One can only hope I can compromise with myself and find MY middle ground.

-------------
A big thanks to RS for hosting and to all of the peeps for putting up with me.

Just get it...

2006-12-26T09:56:00.000-05:00

A few days ago, I registered for what will be my...let's see '96,'98,'00,'01,'02,'03,'04,'05,'06, yep, '07 makes 10...tenth Konkani Convention (this is youth and regular ones combined). Insanity. I'm not the only one with this impressive track record. I believe RS also has it along with UR.

I've been reflecting on the meaning of these and my motivation for going. I remember I was forced into going to the New Jersey one in 1996. Initially I was not so happy about this, however, it opened my eyes up to the fact that there were other Konkanis all around the U.S. and not only other Konkanis, but other Konkanis MY AGE. That was key. And they are normal (well, I use that term loosely -ha!). I still had my ounce of cynicism that I kept on me at all times. I didn't completely buy into it.

It wasn't until the 1998 convention in San Jose where I started breaking out of my shell a little bit. That's where I met some of the people I'm closest to today. I can't imagine my world without them and would never want to. These are friends I know I'll have well into adulthood. That base of Konkani friends only grew over the years, so the motivation changed from going to please my parents into going because I wanted to see all my peeps. It was also nice being able to reconnect with some family members. The dynamic at the youth conventions is a little different in that you can truly relax and meet and mingle without the parents dragging you to meet "this other uncle or auntie." At any rate, the SJ convention was a real turning point for me - the Konk conventions had me hook, line and sinker.

If someone were to ask me why they should attend, I would say to feed the curiosity. Don't worry about the "matchmaking" b.s., don't worry that there won't be people "like you" (in fact, we're ALL like you) and don't worry if you don't know anyone - that's what the icebreakers are for. I've heard all of the excuses, heck, I've used the excuses myself at one point or another, but the bottom line is that it's nice to be able to relate to people who are like you, who dealt with what you dealt with growing up and who just kind of get it.

Comfort Zone

2006-12-19T14:30:00.000-05:00

At times, one must step out of their comfort zone and into the unknown. I did just that this past weekend.

I've never really been into winter sports. Heck, I've never really been all that into winter. I'm not a lover of the cold at all. However, this past weekend NC and I went to Wintergreen Resort and I, MKP, learned how to snowboard (gasp!). It was a little daunting at first for several reasons
1) I had a hideous experience with learning how to ski when I was 11. I was a round, unathletic kid, so it was hard enough to walk, let alone ski. I pretty much swore off any activity dealing with snow after that.
2) NC is damn good at snowboarding, which is intimidating.
3) I already knew I was going to fall. And hurt. A lot.

At any rate, I went down the mountain the first time with NC and was terrified, but had my wits about me...and my sense of humor, which helped tremendously. I did take a lesson on the first day and went down two more times (once with the instrutor and then once again on my own). Day one ended with a sigh of relief and me taking some major Advil.

For day two, let me just say that it's hard to get yourself psyched, especially after taking so many spills the first time around. I played mental games with myself, used my internal iPod (yes, the playlist in my head) to get myself pumped and formed a strategy for attacking the mountain. It sounds so strange, but it worked. I got out there and I did it.

This whole experience taught me that it's not so bad to step outside of your comfort zone and self-imposed boundaries and try something unfamiliar. It truly is the spice of life.

------------
Thanks to mrk for the useful advice of falling on my rear. The recovery time is less, possibly because I have so much padding back there. Also, I'm anxiously awaiting AB's take on the snowboarding experience. Go to it, girl!

Good Sense

2006-12-07T17:02:00.000-05:00

A few random things for right now...

1) I was at the Harris Teeter the other day, saw one of the employees' nametags and the guy's name was Umang...that made me think of THE UMANG and of course that made me smile.

2) How did the song "My Humps" get a Grammy nomination? I just don't get it.

3) a. How ridiculous is healthcare in America? b. How many hoops does one have to go through to get an Rx filled? It seems harder WITH prescription coverage. Insane. c. Perhaps I should form my thoughts on this and blog about it (hark! what an idea!).

4) NC and I are going SNOWBOARDING next weekend - never been before - I plan on getting hella bruised, but it will be tons of fun, I'm sure.

5) MA is back in the states. Now we can pick back up where we left off (i.e. regular e-mails) you never realize how central a person is until you don't have them around. It's always nice just to have someone to go to for advice/guidance on the little things, but in the end, sometimes it's the little things that matter the most. Lesson learned, don't take ANYTHING or ANYONE for granted.

------
Never been happier. Seriously. Never in my life have I been happier than I am right now.

A Few of My Favorite Things

2006-12-01T16:34:00.000-05:00

NC and I were in the grocery store the other day picking up some items for dinner. He was getting over some sort of strep throat/cold deal and was in need of some comfort food which sparked an awesome conversation (I mean anything concerning food is truly awesome in my book). Anyway, we came up with a list of foods/beverages that remind us of childhood...some favorites were...

-Tater Tots
-Tomato Soup
-Mac and Cheese
-Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
-Capri Sun
-Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches
-Peas (ok, not everyone's favorite, but we got them for dinner that night)

What foods do you have fond memories of? I think my true "comfort" food resides in my Konkani heritage - like paas (water rice) with ghee (clarified butter) and mango pickle. YUM!
----------
On a side note: Holy cow, it's December!

Trippin' on Tryptophan

2006-11-29T10:00:00.000-05:00

Ok, I'm not so stellar about the updates. What to do? It's been busy.

I did Thanksgiving in Columbia and it was the first time I had been back there since I moved up this way in February. Everything has changed - yet it all remains the same. The parents went on an interior decorating spree and painted everything in sight, pulled up carpet, put down wood flooring and a few other select adjustments. I couldn't believe it - it's still the warm, cozy house that I grew up in, it just looks super trendy and modern. We have been in that house since, well, before I was born. It got me thinking-what makes a house a home? I took my first steps on the driveway, I used to run in the sprinkler in the yard and let's just face it - I'll always be scared of the attic room for no good reason. There are all these memories tied to one place, one fantastic place, and I guess that's what makes it a home.

The Thanksgiving tradition went on as usual, we don't cook on that day, rather we go out to one of my favorite cafeterias and get 4 meals (2 for me...you know lunch and dinner, 1 for mom and 1 for dad) and we take it home, put it on plates and eat Thanksgiving dinner around the dining room table. In my eyes, you just can't beat that. I guess the thought process is that there's no need to cook an entire Thanksgiving meal for three people and a big turkey for two people (mom's a vegetarian). Afterwards there's usually some napping and t.v. watching involved. The next morning it's up early to do the Black Friday shopping. Mom and I are crazy, we know, and we like it!

Back to the point of all of this...I realized while I was in Columbia that it will always be my hometown, but what I consider home now is Arlington. I have already tied this place to several fond memories and I am looking forward to making many more.

-------------
Last blog, AB called me out on the new background for this blog in her comment. I guess there were several reasons for it, but the past few months I have had a "mkp Renaissance" of sorts and it has shaken my world up and kept things quite exciting. Change is good. Change is very good.

Rocking the Vote

2006-11-12T08:34:00.000-05:00

Remember when MTV jumped on the voting bandwagon to try to appeal to the younger audience to get out there and make their voices heard? Well...it worked and it stuck with me. I remember voting in my first presidential election. It was so thrilling and made me feel so powerful.

Up until a few days ago, I was concerned that George Allen would beat out Jim Webb for the U.S. Senate seat. I voted against Allen out of spite, sadly enough. That was incredibly wrong - I'm usually one to figure out the issues, see where the candidates stand, do the comparative analysis and then vote according to who I think is best for the position. I totally bypassed that process during this election and went to the polls with a mission to vote against Allen. In total honesty, I would have voted for yellow dog before I voted for Allen. It's tragic (but not really) that one mistake, one racist remark can screw you out of your position. Maybe he learned a lesson from all of this - when you get elected for an office you represent all people and when you insult those people, they don't want to have you as their voice, so they will speak up and out against you and it WILL work. Oh, and mad props to Webb's PR people because I saw a picture in the WaPo of him making dosas surrounded by Indians. Well played.

Frankie Say Relax

2006-11-10T16:06:00.000-05:00

I was re-reading some of my prior posts and I most certainly sound cynical, don't I? I guess it's healthy to have *some* of that going on.

Lately, I've been in a completely different frame of mind. I think normal folks call it "relaxed." I can't remember a time when I wasn't on edge about something - in school there were always finals, papers due, and various other projects. When I first entered the working world, I had to make not only a good impression, but the BEST impression. This required me to constantly bring my A-game, no less. Make no mistake - I still have my A-game, it's just I'm in a point in my career where I've actually proven my abilities to those who need to see them. It's a good place that I'm in right now. I'm getting used to not worrying about everything so much - and it's not that I don't care, it's just the realization that worrying doesn't accomplish anything. Of course, I've heard this from so many people over the past several years...I'm glad I finally decided to listen.

----------------
There are people in the world that make you smile so much it makes your face hurt. Thnx, NC. Have a Ukulele :)

There is a light that shines...special for you and me

2006-11-01T14:16:00.000-05:00

I was thinking about my friends today and how much unconditional love there is among us all. Though we don't necessarily say "I love you" - we show it, and we show it often. It can mean all of us sitting around watching Saved by the Bell at the residence of RS, it can be an impromptu e-mail just to let someone know you are thinking of them, or it can mean planning a birthday party for one or two of them (haha!). This unconditional love obviously extends to family too - like when my cousin JK came to DC just because he needed to see me.

I don't believe in soul mates - well, let me clarify - I don't believe there is just ONE person that we can consider as a soul mate. I don't buy that there's only one person in the world that we are meant to be with. I believe in soul mates in the sense that there are people (male and female, relatives and friends) that I'm clearly compatible with, who have been with me through thick and thin and still love me no matter what. Of course they haven't always agreed with me, my point of view, but they respect it for what it is. I love that there are people out there that have seen me at both extremes of worst and best. It's with these people that I feel like I can truly let loose and be myself.

-------------

On a kind-of related note, I read something today that made - in southern terms - my cup overflow. It has absolutely nothing to do with me or the group, but with my friend, perhaps a soul mate. She will keep fighting the good fight as long as necessary. And she knows that we all love her...unconditionally.

Life Scenario

2006-10-17T20:52:00.000-05:00

Bejebus. It's been a while since I've updated - so to all 5 of my fans, I apologize.

I'm recovering from the craziness that was Konktoberfest - A Celebration of Birthdays. The planning was so worth it just to see my friends smile. I can't describe to you how good that feels. Anyway, that basically has consumed my extra time, hence why I haven't blogged in so long.

On to other things.

I'm wondering how many people think of "life scenarios." I suppose when you're young and single, there are so many different directions that life can take you. These are the ones that I've thought about. As a warning, this might only make sense to me and no one else, so apologies in advance if I lose you with this drivel.

Scenario 1
Married, with children, living in suburbs, career in non-profit sector, soccer mom

Scenario 2
Married, no kids, living in a city (prefer Chicago, but for RS, I'll put down Austin, just because he would make the arguement that Chicago is cold), mean, corporate PR bitch who keeps it real by volunteering with a non-profit

Scenario 3
Not married, no kids, living in city, mean, corporate PR bitch who hates people

Scenario 4
Not married, adopt kids, living in suburbs, career in non-profit sector and soccer mom

I guess that S1 is where I just figured I'd end up, but the older I get, the more I realize that it just might not happen and I have to be o.k. with that. If I end up in S4, would I be able to make it as a single mom? Women have done it before, I don't see why I couldn't. I most certainly do not want S3 because I generally like people and I promised myself long ago that I wouldn't become an evil PR monster. There's S2, but I'm not so certain I would get married to someone who didn't want kids. If there's a bigger problem (meaning if there's a reason that kids aren't possible) then I believe I would have to adopt.

For those who know me, not having everything planned out drives me absolutely nutty. I figure that one of those pesky New Year's resolutions will be to just take things as they come, because there's no other way. I once got some profound advice from a colleague of mine in one of our many deep discussions. She was making a claim that people shouldn't get married until after 30. LB said from 0-18, you are under your parents supervision, there are rules to follow. Even in college, from 18-22, you get your first taste of freedom and get to figure everything out, but you still have the university rules that you have to abide by. Many don't get their first experience with being totally independent until after college. Her logic was that you need to take time to figure yourself out, likes and dislikes and all between post college and 30. LB also said that this will be the only time in your life that you get to be selfish, that belongs to you and only you. Once you're saddled with children and a spouse, it becomes all about them. She finished it off with her signature, "So, just live it up, kid."

I'm not going to lie, LB had some wacked out theories but this one made sense to me. I wish I could practice what she preached. I have a hard time not thinking and/or worrying about what the future holds. I'm currently in Scenario 0, which for the time being suits me - single, career in non-profit sector and no other responsibilities. I'm just wondering when I cross over to the other side.

Until then, I guess I'll just live it up, kid.

Mischievous

2006-09-29T09:44:00.000-05:00

While I was passing a colleague in the hall yesterday, being my usual Southern self, I made eye contact and smiled at him and he said, "What have you done?" To which I replied, "What do you mean?" And he said, "That mischievous smile - you're up to something." Then we erupted into laughter.

Mischievous was my word when I was younger. I used to get myself into all sorts of trouble and then try to hide it (quite unsuccessfully). One example of this is when I took a bottle of black hair dye and poured it all over the yellow shag carpet. When asked rhetorically, "Who did this?" The inevitable answer was, "Not me." It was always me, I have no siblings. My punishment was always to sit on a stool in the corner and think about what I had done. So, it got to the point that when I did something wrong, I would go sit in the corner. When my mother would come over and ask me why I was there, I would say, "I'm sorry Mommy, I didn't mean to do it, and I'll never do it again." Then Mom would have to go around the house and try to figure out what exactly it was that I had done. It is quite possible that there are still some things she may not be aware of.

So, since she reads this blog on a regular basis, I'll go ahead and say, "I'm sorry Mommy, I didn't mean to do it, I'll never do it again." That, and I think most of what I *may* have done is already painted over.

Back to the Basics

2006-09-26T17:56:00.000-05:00

"Folks, we need to get back to the basics." My former boss (in NC) used to say this to the sales team to try and motivate us. She also said this so that we would refocus on our goals with respect to the mission of the organization and get ourselves back to the starting point. I always hated it when she said that. It was my equivalent of scratching fingers down the chalk board. I felt like we had to give up all the progress we made - three steps forward, ten steps back.

Today, I was thinking about life in general and as much as certain things may rattle my cage (like something yesterday that I'd rather not discuss) I always have to get myself back to square one - back to the basics. What do I know for a fact? I love my family and friends. Ok, so that's good. I have my health and well-being. Check that one off. I set the bar high for myself and thus far have achieved many of my goals prior to when I expected. Not too shabby. I have everything I have ever wanted (not referring to material possessions so much as just in broad terms). I can't complain. I am, indeed, the luckiest girl alive.

So, I'm back to the basics. I hate it when I say that.

Click, Click

2006-09-20T10:22:00.000-05:00

That's the sound of the shutter on my Cannon Rebel camera (on manual focus). To me, it's one of the best sounds in the world.

The other day I passed up watching various athletic events on television and decided to go outside and take advantage of the beautiful day. Seeing so much sunlight was insipiring and uplifting, given that it had been gloomy for an entire week. I decided to dust off my trusty camera and see what I could do. As I was loading the black and white film all of these feelings, thoughts and ideas came rushing back to me. That's when I realized how much I missed my one true artistic passion - photography.

I remember my dad handing me a camera when I was 8 and teaching me the basics. To get more specific knowlege, I went to photography camp (dork!) to learn more about how cameras worked, lighting techniques and how to frame different shots.

Flashing forward (ha, get it? flash?)...I was the photography editor of the newspaper and yearbook in college. I actually miss those days in the darkroom with the staunch smell of chemicals and the dull red light. I miss being out on the football field snapping images with all of the professional photographers from the media. I miss catching the candid photos of students - laughing among friends, talking with professors and fountain hopping. There were so many memorable experiences, all of which I captured on film and all of which are preserved in the records of the school. I guess it was my way of leaving a little legacy, so a piece of me will always be there. And to this day, I still feel that photographically documenting a moment in time is probably one of the greatest gifts we can give future generations.

Anyway, it felt really good to just get out there and start taking random pictures again. I always tend to see things differently from behind the lens. Of my cherished hobby, I did reach the conclusion now that I've had it, lost it, and gotten it back - I most certainly don't intend to lose it again.

---------
As a side note (and many of you already know this), I always wanted to be a lightning photographer. I always thought it would be exhilerating to chase down a storm and take pictures of lightning striking stuff, but then it occurred to me that the lightning could actually strike ME, and that's not so good.

Pink...

2006-09-15T09:28:00.000-05:00

is the new corporate.

I shall elaborate. I was in Target shopping the other day and passed the toy section - it's still as it was when I was a child, boy toys and girl toys. Boys were defined in blue, girls in pink. Boys had legos and girls had barbies. It was all so ridiculous, given that toys shouldn't be gender sterotyped. Neither should jobs.

This morning I was in a meeting with upper-level executives. I was looking at the people sitting around the table and quite proud of the organization for which I work. There were a pretty even number of guys and girls. (More surprisingly, there was quite a diversity of people at the table). What struck me as fascinating is that the people who are running the show up there are all women who have men working for them. I was thinking about how dynamics and paradigms shift constantly in the world. Granted, this organization was never a "good old boy" organization like I've seen so many times in other places - namely the South - but it made me wonder...when did this all happen? Not that I'm complaining as this bodes quite well for me, but looking back historically, men have usually held many of these upper-level positions. Of course, a title is just a title - you can be the SVP of Crap and you're still an SVP, but the women that I was observing this morning, and who I've engaged in conversation with many times, weren't bull shitting around. They know their stuff, they do their work and they have this "never say die" attitude. In the end, I shouldn't be surprised by any of it since the American branch of the organization was founded by one woman's vision. It's empowering and awe-inspiring at the same time to see these amazing women making such a huge impact on the organization and ultimately on the entire world.

I can't wait to play with the legos.

Bitter, party of one. Bitter, party of one.

2006-09-04T17:29:00.000-05:00

Your table is now ready.

I was sipping on some major hatorade last night. haha. After a nice rest, a good workout, some of Mom and Dad's amazing Konkani food and of course, some chocolate, I have gained perspective.

There's one piece of advice that I got from Mom which certainly rings true. It goes, "You can't expect everyone to like you." Such a wise woman. I think that's a part of my problem. I actually WANT everyone to like me. I have no clue why. As an adult, I should understand that personalities clash, that people function differently and not everyone is going to like my style. Where does the acceptance of all of this come in?

On to better topics, I had a splendidly wonderful Labor Day weekend. I got to spend some quality time with friends and family that I don't get to see that often. I witnessed a beautiful wedding that was done both Hindu style and Civil Ceremony style. We celebrated Dad's birthday. We ate more food than possibly imaginable. I got some major knitting done on this scarf that I'm trying to finish. The laundry is finished, the apartment is super clean and the closets are organized. All in all, I'd say it was productive and yet enjoyable. Three day weekends totally agree with me.

Nice Girls Always Finish...

2006-09-03T23:08:00.000-05:00

dead last. It’s true. Or this is what I’m starting to find, anyway.

I am now officially jealous of my friends who are a) in serious relationships b) engaged or c) already married. I can’t believe I harbor this jealousy. I was always just happy for them, which I am still, but I find myself sometimes wishing I was in their shoes instead of mine – you know my shoes – the heels that pinch the feeling out of my toes. I believe this jealousy is there because they don’t have to go (or will never have to go) through all of these ridiculous relationship games– they are done – done, done, done - finished.

And here’s the thing, you can find someone interesting, and actually want to get to know them better, not in an I_want_to_marry_you sort of way, but maybe just a “hey, let’s go out and grab a bite and talk” sort of way. When did going out to dinner translate into getting married? I wonder. Dinner isn’t a long-term commitment. It’s MAYBE a few hours. MAYBE.

What’s really scary is from my various experiences with these matters is that I’m able to spot the flaky ones – you know, the one’s that will punk out. And I can actually do this within just a few short conversations. Maybe this ability to read others is a good quality to have. For the record, this intuition is a totally recent thing – wasn’t even there a few months ago. I guess I should use this new power to help myself avoid situations that could be less-than-stellar i.e. “Let’s just be friends.” Utter these words and it will END any semblance of a friendship that could have ever existed.

There’s got to be a quota for how many disappointments a heart can take and I think I’m rapidly starting to exceed mine. The eternal optimist that hangs out on my right shoulder says to keep the faith - not all situations will be bad. The pessimist, the one that sits on the left shoulder, has relegated me to a life of singledom which will just have to do, because it would be much easier than dealing with some of the situations I’ve been through as of late. I hope the eternal optimist wins.
-----------
I feel like a gerbil on an exercise wheel. I keep spinning but I’m not actually GOING anywhere.

End rant.

On Vegas Time

2006-08-31T13:47:00.000-05:00

Recovering from a fun weekend is hard. Recovering from a fun weekend in Vegas is even harder. It was marvelous - I enjoyed every second with my dear friends celebrating three fantastically wonderful people's birthdays (CS, CS's little bro, and AB's sister). My one hope is that the birthday girls (and boy) enjoyed how they rang in their new birth years. New birth years are significant to me and I think everyone should get to spend it with those that they love.

Anyway, back on topic. This trip consisted of a lot of firsts for me. It was my first time in Vegas as an adult, it was my first limo ride, it was my first Cirque du Soleil show, and it was my first time gambling. I also got the opportunity to meet some awesome people. These people will be (actually already are) major players in CS's life. It was neat for me to acutally meet those folks that I had only heard about. It's always nice to put a face/personality with a name.

There were parts that I didn't love so much - like the airport situation, but BECAUSE of the airport situation I got to spend more time with my friends, so I can't hate too much. Another thing I'm not loving is that I'm still on "Vegas Time"...it's not even West Coast time. There was very little sleep to be had during this trip, but as AB says "we didn't come to sleep." We came to party. And we did just that.

Just Breathe

2006-08-18T15:39:00.000-05:00

Even winning the lottery wouldn't top how I'm feeling right now. A dear friend of mine is now cancer-free. CANCER-FREE. And I'm overwhelmed with emotion. I'm so happy. So, so very happy. Nothing can top this feeling. I must say, she continues to amaze me every single day. Her spirit, her courage, her confidence, her "ass kicking the cancer-ness." I knew she'd come out on top. I just knew it. Here's to you, my love, my dear AB!

I have had a day to absorb all of this. I keep pinching myself just to ensure it's not a dream. I guess it's because my family and I have had to deal with several situations of this nature, especially lately. And the outcome isn't always what we hope for. It's been an absolute rollercoaster. I don't want to say my Aunt C lost her battle with cancer. I hate that term "lost her battle." She didn't lose, she fought very hard until the last minute, and if that isn't the definition of a winner/warrior, then I don't know what is. Saying that she lost the battle means that cancer won. Cancer didn't win. Cancer will never win.

AB telling me that she is CANCER-FREE allows me (and I'm sure her too) to yell loud and clear, "FUCK YOU, CANCER." And I'm positive it is such a good feeling for her, her family, and for all of us - her friends.

It's over. Cancer lost. Now, we can all just breathe.

Even winning the lottery...

2006-08-17T14:09:00.000-05:00

wouldn't top how I'm feeling right now. A dear friend of mine is now cancer-free. CANCER-FREE. And I'm overwhelmed with emotion. I'm so happy. So, so very happy. Nothing can top this feeling. I must say, she continues to amaze me every single day. Her spirit, her courage, her confidence, her "ass kicking the cancer-ness." I knew she'd come out on top. I just knew it. Here's to you, my love, my dear AB!

Dear Smoker

2006-08-03T20:36:00.000-05:00

Dear Smoker,

Please stand in one place and smoke and do not walk down the street puffing away on your cigarette and then blowing it so that I walk directly into it. I don't need your health issues. Thanks!

MKP

I've been reading a lot lately, and it seems that second hand smoke is causing just as much cancer as actually smoking the cigarette. I have to admit that I'm quite happy that restaurants, bars and clubs are going to a smoke-free environment. What I want to know, though, is the root cause of smoking. Why do people start in the first place? When I was in NC, I learned that it was the governor who advocated smoking because it would help the tobacco industry. That's why everyone and their brother either chewed or smoked. At that, many of the folks I spoke to admitted to starting at the ripe age of 14. So young. But, I'm serious. Do people start because of stress? Do they start because of boredom? Do they start because of peer pressure? Maybe it's a combination...maybe I'm completely off the mark.

There's one image that will never, ever leave my head. I was doing an internship at the hospital one summer with the PR director. We were walking together to another building and she lit her cigarette up (and was blowing smoke away from me to "protect my young lungs"). As we approached the other building, there was an emphysema patient outside in a wheelchair hooked up to an oxygen tank and taking short breaths as if he was gasping for air and the PR director said in her deep, raspy voice, "Yeah, if I don't quit this shit, that's going to be me in a few years." The sad thing is that the patient looked longingly at the cigarette and I wanted to say, "That's what got you where you are in the first place!!!"

Everyone's got a vice, I'm not denying that. And I know many smokers and love them dearly (which is why I'm supportive when they decide to quit). I've been told many times that quitting is an act that is self-motivated. I just hope the motivation kicks in before the oxygen tank switches on.

Can you tell me how to get...

2006-07-28T13:25:00.000-05:00

how to get to Sesame Street.

I have come to the conclusion that Sesame Street characters are all based on real people. I am also convinced that I know all of these real people the characters are based upon. I was sitting in a meeting the other day and looked across the table at this guy. He looked oddly familiar and my mind was racing through the Rolodex of people I have met throughout my life...where do I know this guy from? And then it hit me. This guy is Ernie! Admittedly, it was hard to get through the meeting sitting across from Ernie. I started noticing this more and more with various people - how they not only look like the characters, but in certain aspects they act like the characters, too. I personally think I'm a Zoe.

Sesame Street holds a dear place in my heart. As a child, it was the "Sunny Day" song that got me out of bed in the morning. I would high tail it into the kitchen, grab breakfast and park it in front of the television to absorb all the things that a kid needed to know about the world. What I didn't realize at the time is that it was preparing me for the people I would actually meet in adulthood. So, not only is the show educational in nature, it's also a crystal ball into the future. Brilliant!
------------------
This blog was brought to you by the letter M and the number 7.

Knit One, Friends Too

2006-07-23T17:58:00.000-05:00

I've been working on my craft a lot lately and have also been thinking about friendship a lot recently too. So, it's just natural that I somehow weave them together in this blog. Once you cast on, knitting can be simple, like a straight stitch, or more complex like the seed stitch. Such is the nature of friendships. Once you meet a person and then form a bond, relating to them can be a piece of cake, but there are times when the seed stich necessitates itself for the sake of the pattern, making things much more difficult.

Sometimes you'll drop a stitch, but if this happens, you don't trash the entire project. You might put it down and walk away for a while, but you've worked so long and so hard to get it all right, that you realize that one dropped stich won't make such a huge impact on the finished project. And in friendships, you'll stumble sometimes but you don't give up the friend. You take some time, reevaluate, and come to the decision that at the end of the day, there's been so much invested that having the friend is much better than not.

The finished product, though it has it's miniscule flaws, is a beautiful woven tapestry that represents time, patience, fortitude and love. And that, my friends, is worth it.

To Mom and Dad

2006-07-10T22:31:00.000-05:00

For 36 years together. That's a huge, huge deal.

On July 10, 1970, two young, yet dashingly good looking people (that's for you Mom) got married at C.V. Nayak hall in Mangalore, India. And what an auspicious day (or rather "suspicious" day as Dad likes to call it). Did they even know what life with that other person was going to be like? Hardly. I can't imagine the leap of faith that my parents took. Dad summed it up this morning with, "We've done pretty well for two people who have absolutely nothing in common but our daughter." After all these years, I can still tell that there's so much love there, even with their differences. It was a love that developed over time, but that stregthened with each obstacle they faced. To me, that's love in its purest, yet most rare form. I'm sure there were plenty of instances where they could have given up on their marriage, like most couples do these days, but they've stuck it out through the good and bad. Now, they have 36 years behind them to show for it. Well played, parents. Well played.

I've had some interesting thoughts as of late. One that came across my mind was, "What if I never, ever get married?" Yikes. For all the mundane thoughts I have during the day, this thought hit me pretty hard. Most of my friends are in their "marriage mode." Of course, I'm not there yet, and that's ok, too. Admittedly, it's hard to relate to them at times. Multiple conversations with BBV have put my fears at bay. There's no reason to get all bent out of shape. I overanalyze things. Twist and turn them. Because "what if I never get married?" turns into "oh my God, but I want kids!" Of course, I suppose there are defintely ways to raise kids without being married, but I don't think I'm quite strong enough to be a single parent. These are the wild places my mind goes.

But then I wonder what happens when I do get there? When I am in "marriage mode." Will I know the person well enough? What is "well enough?" How long does it take before you know you've gotten "the one?" Is there only one? Maybe that's my leap of faith to take. At this point, only time will tell. For now, I just want to give some credit to my amazing parents. Here's to 36 more suspicious years. (I love you guys.)

KonCANi

2006-07-07T12:47:00.000-05:00

Having attended all of the Konkani Sammelans/Youth Conventions for a decade now, I think I know what it takes to make a good Sammelan. I would like to eventually plan a Sammelan, but, for now, let me just say that the Canadians did a great job getting this together. The youth especially stepped up to the plate and showed us a phenomenal time. I think the bar has been raised and I'm excited that the Bay Area has decided to take on the challenge for the Youth Convention in 2007. I know they will do an awesome job.

I went to Canada with a bad attitude. Actually, it was horrible. I'm not sure why. I love my Canadians. It was only exacerbated by the fact that we've never had a Sammelan in a major, metropolitan city. But, you know what? Hamilton served its purpose. I would still love to see one in a big city, but I'll wait until I'm put in the hot seat and on the planning committee. I'm certain I'll retract this statement as soon as I see how much it costs.

Metro Lovers

2006-06-25T18:40:00.000-05:00

There are so many places I can go with the title of this blog, but this is just to give mad props to the metro driver (are they called drivers or conductors?) from Monday. You could tell he loved his job. He made every single person on that train smile when he made his announcements...I think some of it had to do with his voice which sounded like Santa Claus. He said, with a hint of sarcasm, "Everyone, if you are blocking the doors, get off the train, let the nice people off and then get back on. I'll wait for you to get back on. Don't worry, I'll wait for you to get back on." You have to understand that people in the morning cram on the train and block all the doors. So, when someone has to get off the train and people don't clear the way, it makes it quite difficult. Apparently, the "wait for you to get back on" needed repeating several times, I assume to lessen the anxiety of those who were busting it to get to work. Anyway, I just have to give credit to this guy. It's true, you can tell when people love what they do, because they do it with a lot of passion.

Get Connected

2006-06-06T21:52:00.000-05:00

Blackberries. They are everywhere. I noticed a man who basically looked homeless pulling a Trio out of his pocket yesterday. That was a big "what the hell?" moment.

I have a unique experience with such devices. I was a slave to one for about 2 years (until I switched jobs and moved to DC). It looks like I won't be able to avoid not having one for much longer. I keep thinking to myself that this time will be different - much like the mentality that people have when they get out of an abusive relationship just to get back into it - because it's a crutch for them. They can't live without the significant other, but they know that being with that person won't do them any good. That's how I see the blackberry - as an abuser. It takes away all of your freedom, it ties you to work because it makes you totally accessible to everyone. You have no social life. It controls you. If it rings, you answer immediately. You, essentially, are the blackberry's bitch.

My question is simple. What did we do before the cell phone craze and before the handheld e-mail devices? We simply talked to one another face to face. It baffles me as to why this is such an antiquated notion. Even in the office, we e-mail from cube to cube. Why not take the effort to actually get up, go to the other person's cube and ask them whatever it is that we need to know? Have we gotten that lazy as a society? I don't want the answer to that question.

I'm currently attending a conference and all throughout the devices are buzzing, the master summoning the slave to read it, to answer it, to give it full and undivided attention. I wonder how many people are listening to the speaker and how many are basically still in the office - doing the same work they would be doing normally, just in a different location.

I think I'm going to enjoy my freedom for as long as I possibly can.

Seven! (for Ranju)

2006-05-27T09:22:00.000-05:00

Ok, here we go.

7 Things I Plan to Do Before I Die:

1) Own a home
2) Run a 10K
3) Explore Africa
4) Be the CEO of the Organization that currently employs me
5) Sew a quilt by hand
6) Raise some kids
7) Design my own line of jewelry

7 Things I Can Do Well:

1) Dance
2) Listen
3) Take pictures
4) Multi-task
5) Bake
6) Give advice
7) Write speeches

7 Things I Can Not Do:

1) Sing
2) Swim laps without having to stop (I can't do the turn under water)
3) Sleep in late
4) Draw
5) Reach the top shelf of my cabinet/closet without a stool or ladder
6) Sit for prolonged periods of time
7) Throw a frisbee well

7 Words To Describe Me

1) Loyal
2) Cute
3) Sweet
4) Crazy
5) Loving
6) Obsessive
7) Compulsive

7 Things That Attract Me To Another Person

1) SMILE.
2) Punctuality
3) Sense of humor
4) People who are true to themselves
5) Adventurous spirit
6) Ambition
7) People who can talk about anything

7 Things I Say Most Often

1) AAAARRRRGGGGHHH!!!
2) You know?
3) Seriously.
4) Jesus.*
5) What up, yo?
6) Good times. Good times.
7) Freak of Nature.
*sorry if this is offensive.

7 People I Want To Do This

1) Mom
2) Jay
3) Chai
4) deep
5) Mahanth
6) You
7) Your mama.

Need a Little Direction

2006-05-17T20:53:00.000-05:00

As I was walking to the metro from work, I had a guy ask me, "Do you know the way to the metro?" Of course, I said yes and proceeded to give him directions. Afterwards, I thought to myself, "Holy mother, I can do that now." Granted I have been here for three months, I must at least look like I know what I'm doing. I no longer look like a tourist. Am I becoming a DC-ite? That would be so cool.

I'm also starting to see some familiar faces on the metro. I usually take it at the same time every morning and evening and I recognize people. Of course, I would never talk to these people, rather I like to make up my own stories about them. Like the lady that wears the sari and carries a briefcase - we'll call her Lalitha. My story about Lalitha is that she's a woman who, like many that I know, got married quite young and followed her husband here from India. She did some school here just so that she could gain her independence and get a job so as not to spend the entire day in the house. Headstrong, I like that. She couldn't abandon her culture and she didn't want to give up her identity, hence the daily wearing of the sari.

Then sometimes I see an Indian man that is always hanging out with this Indian couple. Here's the story. The couple - who we will call Shankar and Sushila - are married. Their friend, Devdas, is still single. They are all computer software technicians. Not only do they all work together, they all live together since Devdas just recently moved to the states and needed a place to live. There's a love triangle situation, though. Sushila is married to Shankar but loves Devdas. She has loved Devdas since primary school, but would never admit it to herself. She married Shankar because her parents arranged it. Shankar is a good provider when it comes to material possessions, but that is not enough for Sushila. Devdas makes her laugh and smile in a way that no one has before. For all intensive purposes, Shankar loves Sushila. Devdas is gay. He's got a thing for Shankar.

See? I don't need my iPod on the metro. I can just use my ridiculously wild imagination to come up with stories. That's entertaining enough.

It's just....

2006-05-14T11:43:00.000-05:00

got to be so much easier to be a guy. Seriously.

As I was twisting my way in and out of a sari this morning, I realized that guys are truly lucky beings. Well, for one, they don't have to wear saris. They can go to any event in a polo shirt, khaki pants and a blazer and get away with it. But, there's so much more...here are my top 3

1) No monthly visit from Aunt Flo. That in and of itself has got to be a blessing.
2) No pressure to marry or have kids before a certain age (though I hear for guys that around age 30, parents start getting anxious, compare that to the age of 21 for females).
3) The ability to carouse around without being judged. Guys are just "sowing their wild oats" and if a girl were to do the same she'd be a slut.

There are plenty advantages to being a girl...I'm not knocking it. I'm just really mad at the sari.

Beeeeday Week

2006-05-07T09:16:00.000-05:00

Wow. This week has been like none other...just a whirlwind of friends and family calling to bestow their good wishes on me to have another awesome year. If I could just drag this out for a month, I'd be in good shape. ha!

Yesterday was by far the highlight. First I'll rant, then I'll rave. I had to get a license tag put on the front of the car which required me to find the dealership. Well, I found the dealership after getting lost and then apparently there's a service department for that specific dealer in the vicinty. After driving around lost for about 30 minutes, I found it just a block and a half away. Driving here is the only thing that truly makes me homesick. It's hard to get lost in the South. The streets are actually labeled. I know the South comes under harsh criticism for many other things, but at least we don't have an amalgam of seven roads - merging together and all leading in different directions. Not impressed. I did make it home relatively unscathed and I still in my heart believe that getting lost and getting yourself out of the situation is a good learning experience. I just prefer to know where I'm going.

In the afternoon, I went to my very first Kentucky Derby party (and yes, for the record, I got lost going there, too). It was requested that we dress the part - felt a little like a cosume party - everyone there in big hats and dressed to the nines. I wore the white suit and looked quite pimp. I took the opportunity to schmooze with some influential people which I know will be good for me in the future. Just having that skill of networking, even within people in your own organization, is priceless. I also learned quite a bit about horse racing. I didn't realize that jockeys were generally 100 lbs. or less. Sheesh. How do they keep that up? They should sell their workout/diet plan in an infomercial. It could be the next big thing.

Then comes the night. CS, NV and I met up here, ate some pizza and had a great girl talk session. It's nice to just hang with the girls and it's on my list of things to do again sometime in the near future. Then MI and her entourage arrived and we went over to Guarapo's for drinks and dancing. At the end of the day, I think old age won since that's the only place we went. It's not like college - when I'm sure any one of us could jump from place to place without a second thought. Now, sanity and the voice of reason have kicked in and it's easier to pick one cool place and stay there for an extended period of time. And, let's be honest, do we really want to plod along in those ridiculously high heels? Not so much.

Anyway, I send big thanks to all of my friends and family for making this an unforgettable week. I can truly say I had a great first birthday in DC.

One is the lonliest number? really?

2006-05-07T08:14:00.000-05:00

"She's deaf." My mother heard this from the kindergarten teacher on two occasions. While other kids were being loud and obnoxious, I was in the corner, playing with blocks all by my lonesome. To humor the teacher, mom got my hearing tested twice, knowing that there was absolutely nothing wrong with me. I wish mom had said, "Yes, it's unfortunate, but these kids aren't as fabulous as my daughter, so she chooses not to interact with them."

At any rate, I've thought about this a lot lately - no, not my fabulous-ness, that's a given (CS - Konkani=fabulous!). I've been thinking about why I wouldn't play with the other kids and why sometimes that's still the case. I think the language barrier was one hurdle when I was younger as English was not my first language. I was also quite an independent child which has translated to me being an independent adult. Then, there's the only child situation. I think this is the reason for all of the above.

Back in college, I noticed how everyone had to do everything together, all the time. How irritating! I know college is a place where you're transitioning, and meeting new people and you need to get to know these people better, especially because you're going to need their notes to study for a test (I think that's the core motivator for most friendships in college). I was nearly suffocated by the clinginess.

I'm not trying to say that I don't like hanging out with my friends. I adore them and enjoy all of the good times. But, for example, if I've planned to go out shopping and I invite someone and they are too busy, I'm not going to let that prevent me from going shopping. My day continues, where I know someone else's would end. And they would be pissed, whereas I am perfectly content. I just have noticed recently how comfortable I am in my own skin (though this may have always been the case). Sometimes you have to go it alone and that, in my humble opinion, isn't such a bad thing.

Two 6 Mafia

2006-05-03T00:33:00.000-05:00

Well, it happened. I turned 26. I remember when anything above 20 was just plain old. I must admit with that mindset, I had a wealth of "goals" I wanted to accomplish before this age. How could I have possibly thought that I would have a fantastic job, be married, living in the suburbs and working toward a family at this age? I still marvel at the fact that I can take care of myself.

Today was interesting. I made some friends laugh, I let some friends down (sorry CS and SS), I saw a different side to a few friends and I touched base with friends from the far past. My entire family called me this evening, which is the norm, but is always special anyway. I can't imagine my life without all of these people. My conclusion is that I'm lucky. Just plain lucky.

So, this starts a new year. I suppose it's time for resolutions. Yes, most do this on January 1, but not me. I've always got to be just a little bit different.

Resolution 1 - Start a blog. This idea was actually spawned by CS. She's a damn good writer. I guess the initial hurdle was the thought of "what would I write about?" But everytime I asked, the answer was always "whatever is on your mind." How simple and complicated all at the same time.

Resolution 2 - Work on the social life. With having just moved to DC, I'm starting to get better at this.

Resolution 3 - Try a new hobby. I've been knitting for a while. Go ahead. Laugh it up. I enjoy it, but need something "crafty" to do other than knitting.

Resolution 4 - Revive an old hobby. I used to take pictures like I was getting paid for it. I loved photography so much, but have not done any creative photography since my last trip to India in Jan. 2005. I love picking up my Cannon again with it's extra lenses and going out and just doing a photo shoot of anything - nature, people, landmarks. I need to get that feeling back.

Resolution 5 - Write more letters. Letter writing is a lost art, which is understandable given the technology that we have today. I would like to revive it, but I don't know what any one of my friends or family would do if they received something handwritten from me.

Resolution 6 - Learn something new everyday. This was my grandfather's advice to me a long time ago. When you stop learning, you stop living. That's just plain wise.

Note that there's nothing in there about finding a husband, house or any children. But hey, at least I've got a fantastic job, great friends and an awesome family. I can't complain.