Snowfall

It was awesome.

It was an usual day, I winded up my work at office at around 6:00 & headed towards home. At the gate, security officer warned me to be careful on my way back. I was surprised. When I came out, I saw the whole path, trees & enerything is covered with white snow and it is still falling from sky - soft, white snow. It was too beautiful. I had seen it first time. I got too excited. Took as little steps as I can, to the bus stop, so tat i can walk more on tat snow fall [:)]. When I entered my community, I saw small kids playing in snow, wanna to join them, but don't know why dismissed the idea. My balcony is alo covered with snow. I also enjoyed snowfall there. Tat was soo fundoo, wanted to be thr forever, but tat was cold also, so have to come back to my room. But, I had full glass pane from where I could see snowfall, trees & rooftops covered with snow. I has tea & pakoda (pure indian style) & enjoyed the snowfall from room [:)].

Diwali in Seattle

October 21, 2006

It was just a day I came from India and Diwali came. I was all alone in the apartment, so feeling lonely. But diwali gave me enthu. I got up early in the morning i.e. 8:00am. First task was to find an Indian store from where I can buy ghee, milk, salt etc. Around 10:00am I got down of my apartment and meet an Indian girl. She not only told me the directions of nearest Indian store, but also took me there in her car, told me about different types of milk, gave some fundae about the city. Really so sweet of her.


In the evening, iitb friends (who also joined with me) came to my place. I cooked vegetable (which burnt) and simple daal & rice. We lighted candles, did pooja and then had experimental food (good people ate without complaining [:)]). After two days in Redmond, there r people to talk to. They also gave me some fundae about place, some do's and don't, showed how to use dishwasher. It was nice evening, not feeling lonely anymore.

From Seattle Airport to my apartment

October 19, 2006


This is the part of which I was afraid most in my journey. The task was simple, I had to pick a taxi from Seattle airport to timberlawn apartment, Redmond from where I had to collect the key of my temp. apartment which was also supposed to be at timberlawn. But for me, a girl from small town, it was a big task to take a cab to the apartment, in a completely new country with different people where I didn't kew anyone. I can travel alone at 12:00pm in mumbai, but tat time traveling alone at 5:00 seemed to be tough. My recruiter and relocation specialist assured me tat it is a nice city and its really safe and it may also happen tat I may got a sardar taxi driver. But still I was afraid.


After reaching airport, I tried to call friends here, but both were busy and no reply. Then, I took a taxi to timberlawn, Redmond. The taxi driver was a muslim from philistine. He was talkitive, talking continuously whole way, asking questions about me, which increased my tension. The reason may be I m not talkitive and friendly. Anyways, I had driving directions with me, but could not follow it properly. If I found some signs which were mentioned in direction, i felt relaxed. Finally we entered 40th street and reached timberlawn apartment. I felt relieved. The taxi driver was nice person, he asked me check the keys first but I paid him and told him tat its fine, i will do tat. I picked the keys and ready to find the apartment.


But, this is not the end, a new bigger problem was waiting for me. My temporary apartment had been changed from timberlawn to trails of redmond. I was completely lost again, it was above 7:00 pm, timberlawn office had been closed, and its dark outside. I had contact number of friends, whom I may call if i would lost, but there wasn't any coin box. The taxi had gone. I cursed myself for not checking the key before leaving taxi.


I found a guy there whom I asked the direction, bu he also didn't knew it. I checked key packed again and thankfully found a map. Trails of Redmond is near timberlawn at the same 40th street. I started walking towards my destination with 2 trolley bags in my hands, one shoulder bag and a handbag.


It was dark with no one on roads, just few cars running. Unlike India, apartmenst r at distant, no one walking on road, no one standing outside their apartment. It was really a lifetime experience for me. After walking enough, I could not found trails of redmond. I got too many thoughts in a couple of second. Wat if I could not found it ? There wasn't any phone or shop from where I could call anyone. While thinking all these, I was walking alone towards my destination. I crossed two microsoft campus entrance, but no one there also.


After walking few more minutes, I saw the board of trails of redmond at other side of the road. I was too happy & relieved. My apartmenst was near entrance. After entering in my apartment I got life again. Feeling safe and happy. No more afraid of new place.


I forgot to buy calling card from Airport, so called friend here to inform my parents. Cooked noodles and coffee and slept. But, it was a nice adventure for me [:)].

Flying from Mumbai to Seattle

October 19, 2006

After completing my masters in Mumbai, I got placed in MSN search, Redmond. The student life was the easiest part of my life. My actual journey has started on Oct 19, 2006 12:59 am (Mumbai time). I had flight from Mumbai to Seattle with one stop at Amsterdam.

Due to exertion before travel or tension (no one except mm knew tat i was bit afraid), headache (my true companion, always with me in all my problems) started on my way to airport. Dadiji, taiji, buagi, papa, sourabh and my 3 niece came to say goodbye at airport. But could not talk to anyone of them properly due to headache. It increased my tension, but i was telling papa to not to worry [:)]. Finally goodbyes and got in the NW airlines flight.

As I hadn't slept well from last 2 days, I slept as soon as settled on my seat and woke up only when plane landed at Amsterdam. There was 5 hr halt at Amsterdam. It was 7:16 in the morning and weather was lovely. I saw morning after long time (I used to wokeup at 11:00 at home). I roam around at airport all alone, window shopping at duty free shops, watching flights coming & going, watching people from different countries, had mathis (packed by taiji) and coffee. The flight to Seaatle was delayed by 3 hrs, so I took short nap [:)].

As, I slept alot in first half, second half of journey from Amsterdam to Seattle was gud. It was day time and I had window seat. While take off, seen Amsterdam, it was beautiful, green city with parallel roads on which cars were running in a row. After some time we were flying over clouds. Clouds over blue atlantic ocean seemed like a dream. Then we were above Denmark(Greenland). The view was awesome, brown mountains covered with white snow. It recalled me of neela's satellite images. At all other time, only white clouds can be seen, so saw garfield and had meal. But, veg. mean was some leafs and vegetables with cream and sauce, couldn't eat [:(]. But, had ice cream at the end [:)]. Landed at Seattle at 4:00 pm (Seattle time).

New journey of life

My journey of life started on 19th Oct. A new phase of life, in a completely new place, all alone. Having mixed feeling, excited, scared, uncertain. But strange thing is i m not tat enthu.

Expectations

Expectation is inversely proportional to happiness. More you expect and more you feel depressed when expectations are not fulfilled.

Life will be much simpler and easier if we stop expecting things from other people.

“Allow the world to live as it choose,
And allow yourself to live as you choose.”
-J. Crossman

Do whatever you like to do for others but should not expect anything in return. Lesser expectations lead to more happiness. But, is it tat easy to not to expect ? ? We start expecting unintentionally.

But still, if I accept truly, I never thought tat seriously about other’s expectations. Then I do not have any right to expect anything from others.

Also unexpected incidents give us more happinessJ. So why to expect ? ?

Thanks

This is the most frequently used word in any conversation. In return of a smallest favor (may not be a favor at all) to a big help, we will get the word thanks.

Today conversation, even between friends becomes too formal. Does in this era only formal and professional relations exist ? ?

Wat does the word represents ? just a formality. If someone helps us, we say thanks and everything ends. Is this single word enough ? You may argue that you wanna to show your gratitude. Then also, do we really need to show our gratitude with words to friends ? ? Do we really need to explicitly slow our feeling with words ? ? Wat message does it give ? tat you have just showed your gratitude but didn't felt any appreciation by heart. So, your friendship is not bound to heart.

Or in this era true friendship rarely exist ? ?

Dowry

Yeah it still exists...


We are in 21st centuary which talks about equality of boys and girls. In this generation girls are leading in every field. But still, women are harassed for dowry. Still we hear cases like abusing, injuring and even bride burning for dowry. There are also cases in which the bride had been harassed physically and mentally to the level that she had to commit suicide. And more shocking news is nowadays it is prevailing more in educated families. Day before today, I have read in a newspaper that a MBBS bride has been burnt for dowry by her mother in law.

Whose mistake is that ? ?
Her husband who supported his mothers view. Her mother in law who actually commited crime. Her parents who married her to that family and forget her. Or herself who doesn't opposed it.

I think it is bride's mistake and only she had to suffer. Why she agreed to marry such a person who was not capable of earning enough or who was soo greedy. First time they asked for any gift showed their basic mentality. Is the marriage that necessary that parents agree to push their daughter to hell.

Even if she didn't realize it before marriage, why didn't she oppose when first time they ask for dowry. Why she want to live with such people who are soo greedy and does not have any values. Basic nature of a person can never be changed. So, why she didn't left that home. Our religion says that we should respect elders but it also say that it is our duty to oppose wrong things. Not opposing a crime is a bigger crime. There are still girls who do not oppose such activities and so such evil yet exists in our society.

If our education system cannot provide enough courage to girls to oppose such activities, wat use it is of ? ?

Be yourself

Most difficult thing is to be yourself,
where everyone is trying to change you.

Feeling guilty

I can tolerate everything but anyone's rude behavior. Wat I think is instead of talking rudely, it's better not to talk. I too try not to talk harshly with anyone. But, sometimes we make mistakes without realizing it. And later (may be too late) when we realize it, we feel guilty.

I too feeling guilty now. I am free nowadays, so remembering some old incidents and suddenly realized I had behaved too rudely sometimes (may be many times) and that may hurt. If I was in their position, I would have hurt badly. I don't know why I did that, may be because I couldn't control my temper. Now, I am feeling too guilty about it. Once my friend even told me about it but still I didn't realized.

But, now I cannot help. I may feel less guilty, if I could say sorry to them. But, it is too late. They may have forgotten the incident and I don't wanna to hurt them again.

Do you think, I do not have enough courage to face them ? ? Believe me, it is more difficult to not to say sorry.

If you are one of them who got hurt and think I have realized, I am really sorry. But, if you think I haven't realized it, plz let me know...

Moments of Life

Wanna to start a new phase of life. Wanna to be myself. For a moment don't wanna to worry about others. Wanna to enjoy the moment to its fullest. Alone in my room, listening some very beautiful songs. Seeing drops of rains falling and enjoying the cool breeze and green leaves from my window. Wanna to write a beautiful poem which capture the moment forever. But I am not a poet [:)].

I realized how much I love myself, how much I enjoy company of myself. It may be situational, sometimes we need family and friends to share our joy, but there are moments we wanna to be alone and enjoy ourself.

Our Ultimate aim

Wat is our ultimate aim ? ?

People say it is name, fame, money, to own a company, do something for nation etc. Is any of these is our ultimate aim ? ? They are just milestones in our journey of life. Wat we actually need is a peaceful life. To be self satisfied with wat we had done. A life with caring family, friends & loved ones. A life which may have some tensions, some sad moments, but in those difficult times, friends shd be there to uplift us, to share our sorrows. We need to have an attitude tat take every difficulty as challenge and have courage to enjoy our efforts in overcoming those difficulties.

And then there are happy moments also, which always overweight those tough times. But the important thing is, in all such moments (happy/sad) our inner self should always be happy, satisfied. So, the ultimate aim is to live each and every moment of life to its fullest.

Is it really tat difficult to achieve this ? ? Is it tat difficult to forget the sad moments and always remember our every happy moments, sharing others happiness, it may include happiness of stranger. If we see a stranger celebrating his/her b'dayor any happiness, wishing him/her does not require much efforts, isn't ? ? We put lot of efforts to get name, fame, money, all other less important things in life. Can't we put small efforts for our ultimate goal. Whenever we c a person, remember his/her gud qualities, wat all he/she has done for u. Can't we give a small smile to him/her for all those things. Can't we just talked to him/her for few minutes. A sweet smile & hello can really do wonders. I remember a incident of my colllege days. I was depressed abt something, walking alone in the corridor. A guy (I know just as college mate) said hello with sweet smile as passed by me. I smiled (tat smile killed my depression). So, these small things when accumulated may change our life drastically.

Only these Small things can give us real feeling of happiness, a happy satisfied inner soul, tat can now climb all the high mountains of difficulties.

Wat more we need ....

Dream World

Dreams are the most beautiful thing on the earth. Then why is it not possible to change our definition of reality ? ? Why not to live in our dream world when bored of real world and back to real world only when bored of dream world ? ?

Think it this way, aren't there times when we get bored of real world, we get bored of monotonous routines, get bored of the people around us. At that moment change our definition of reality and enter our dream world. Do watever we like to do, we are everything there (Day dreaming, dreams controlled by us). Then only when we get bored of the happiness and wanna to have some adventure and struggle, come back to real world. It will be like : "Only when you lost something, you realize its value". Only when we go away from all the tensions and struggles in life, we will realize their value. Then come back to real world enjoy all tensions and struggles.

In conclusion, we will enjoy every moment of life. Isn't it worth trying ? ?