Seattle funjunkies

I think Valentine's day is a good opportunity to tell people that you really care about them; that you love the fact that they are there for you and want to thank them for all they have done in your life.

One such group for me is Seattle fun-junkies. I talked many times about how they helped me settle in Seattle & made my stay there a beautiful memory. Today I wanna talk about their part in our life - me & Abhas. I met Abhas through them; we get to know each other through them, during the dinners, coffee walks, trips, b'day parties etc. Even after wedding, we stayed in India just for a couple of weeks - which also went in meeting a new family almost every day. Our main married life started in Redmond with these folks. The wedding reception I remember is with these people; the formal one - I was too tired and too busy to feel anything. I remember few guests started coming before them, and I got worried but as soon as they came, they took care of everything. They presented a nice play as well (I want a copy of it :(). 

Their company used to define all the celebrations. They were with us in all the events big, small, happy and sad. Sometimes, I feel the apartment as our home because of them. It was fun having dinner, watching movie, watching talent show :P, planning long weekend trip (like solving NP hard problem), planning b'day parties etc. with them. 

Only due to them I was able to stay in Seattle without Abhas for a month. They made sure that I am never alone in the evening and never had to have dinner alone. 

This valentine We just wanted to say - you guys are the awesomest friends. 

Keep rocking - Seattle funjunkies.... 

Falling in love all over again

Two years after the marriage, we decided to go back to school. But, that means living apart for a year, since Abhas has joined MBA program at Paris & I came to IITB for PhD.

Now, I am in Mumbai for more than a month and the first question anyone asks me is how am I feeling without him? Surprisingly, I am doing well; I do not feel like he is far from me. It feels like I went back to pre-wedding days; back to girlfriend mode. And it seems I am falling in love with him all over again :).

I keep reading his small mails over and over again, keep waiting for his call, talking endlessly on phone – I do not remember and it doesn’t matter what we talk about. I just love talking and I just feel he is with me all the time.

Sometimes I feel I found nirvana…hehe…I know it is just because the world has become smaller and more connected :).

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

My Rabbit

It was not just my car; it was my sense of independence, a good company in gloomy days... 

So, in Feb 2007 - i finally managed to learn driving. I still remember Sardarji (my driving instructor) shouting at me "Give the gas", "push accelerator"... 

After getting license, I started looking for a car. I wanted a reasonable priced car for a couple of years. Almost everyone suggested me to buy a used Toyota or Honda. Somehow I didn't feel excited about it. I checked couple of used cars, but as soon you enter the car, you feel that it is someone else’s and you are driving it just for the sole purpose of transportation. So, used cars have been eliminated. I checked almost every model that fit in my range - Mazda2, Nissan Versa & Sentra, Toyota corolla, Honda fit etc. Although Honda & Toyota were most reliable, every other guy had it, and it is boring. Nissan and Mazda were strictly ok. Then, one day UJ randomly told me about Volkswagen rabbit. Next day I went for test drive, I fell in love with it at first test drive. It felt like MY car, a small 2 door hatchback (exactly as I wanted) car, with nice pick-up, 150 hp engine (better than civic). Everyone told me not to buy it - VW is not that reliable, its 2 door - so problematic when your parents will come, etc. etc. But, I knew - that was MY RABBIT. 

I had awesome time with my rabbit. I used to love driving my rabbit; it was not a surprise that it got 12,000 miles in first year :). It played a major role in developing the feeling of independence in me. With my rabbit with me, I do not need any other company. Many times, when I felt lonely, I used to just take my rabbit and go on for a drive in the woods of the evergreen Redmond. With my rabbit with me - I won't think twice before going to a place couple of hundreds of miles away, anytime of the day, driven by some stupid impulsive idea. I just loved driving my rabbit to the beautiful road to hurricane ridge and lake crescent, around the ocean in San Juan Island etc. 

With Seattle, I have to leave my Rabbit as well. But, I am happy that it has been bought by another rabbit lover (the guy used to own a Rabbit earlier in Spain and was looking specifically for Rabbit). 

Even if somehow I would manage to learn driving in Indian traffic, and get a car, but I do not think anyone can take place of my rabbit.