Hair cutting @ Great Clips

Hair cutting/trimming was long time due task and I have to go to a party this weekend so I thought this is high time I should finish it up. This was my first experience with Great Clips or any other American Salon for that matter. In New Jersey, I found an Indian Lady running salon from home. She was good at her job, easily available, very neat and clean and charging very reasonable. I loved the fact that blow dry was also part of hair cutting/styling.

Anyway, when I went to Great Clips I asked how much they charge for blow drying and shampoo. Their answers made it clear that they were in hurry and not willing to spend time. Looking at their response I found it safer to go only for hair cut. Job was finished within minutes (without even basic drying) and later the way she lifted the apron all hairs fell on me (And now I madly need a shower). She did not see this or conveniently decided to ignore it. She was not at all friendly so far and when time came to pay the bill she was very much into getting tips. My hair was not so bad, but I was so mad at her that I even thought not to give her tip!

I am quite disappointed and I definitely will have to look for a different option.

How to buy a bed/ mattress?

When we rented an apartment for the first time, we bought things that were cheap and avaialble with free shipping. Initially we had only a coil mattress which we used to put directly on floor. Later we bought a metal frame and box spring from a local store to make the complete set. It worked very well so far but lately my box spring has become quite squeaky and it has become so bad that I would be afraid of disturbing HIS sleep by just changing the side. Whenever we have guests sleeping in the next room I feel “embarrassed” because of such noise. So finally time has come to change the stuff.

Initially I was very confused since here we have different varieties in mattresses. Beds are sold in parts - frame, headboard and footboard. And box spring is something we rarely find in India. I have been going through a strong brainstorming session about buying the new things which are cost effective, efficient and easy to move. First I thought to change only box spring. But then I realized this would not end the problem since my mattress has also started sagging a bit. And if I am buying a new mattress and a new box spring, I do not want to continue using the old metal frame!!

I literally read guidelines about buying a new mattress and/or bed. And I am sure this would help some beginner like me! Before we go over the guidelines, here are some facts worth keeping in mind.

• If you are using bed, use of spring box can be avoided i.e. you can directly put mattress on bed base. I like low platform beds hence I would prefer setting mattress without spring box
• Bed base could be a solid wood board or a slated base. Of course, solid wood base would be more durable and comfortable, but slated base would be considerably cheaper and easier to pack and move
• Box springs tend to get affected by bed bugs while wood base are more immune towards such bugs
• In short, either you buy metal frame + box spring + mattress or bed + mattress. This does not mean that box spring cannot be used on top of wood base, but it would be an extra expense. Box springs were introduced to offer comfort and shock absorbance since in earlier days mattresses were made of solid cotton. Now we have high quality coil mattress and memory foam mattresses available, so shock absorbance is taken care of by mattress only
• If you are going to use foam mattress you can absolutely avoid spring box. But for coil mattress, it depends on quality of mattress whether to use spring box

I have made up my mind to buy a bed frame (with headboard and footboard) along with slated bed base from IKEA (and say final good bye to box spring :)). If slated base does not work for me, I will replace it with solid base or just buy a wood board (from Home Depot) to put between mattress and slated base.

How to buy a mattress,
• I have already been using not so good quality coil mattress for 3-4 years and now I do not think I would go for it again. As I am thinking to buy memory foam mattress only, I am going to write only about it
• Queen size memory foam mattress is available in a range from $200 to $4000. I would not recommend to go for a very expensive one since it’s better spend money on changing the mattress every few years than spending big on one piece
• Generally it is common understanding that thick mattresses are more comfortable, but in foam mattress density of foam matters and not the thickness. If density is 3 Lb or above, it is good. So, 8” thick mattress with higher density can work better than 12” thick mattress with lower density.
• Another criterion is what kinds of fibers are used. Natural fibers work fine in all seasons but they cost quite high ($1000 +). In my budget, I would go for synthetic fibers only so I would check if they are temperature adjustable. If not then you might get up sweating in middle of the night :)
• Generally foam mattress comes in 2 or 3 layers. 2 layers have base and top foam layers. While 3 layers have top, core and base layers. I would go for 2 layers, since more layers means higher probability of falling them apart
• Top foam layer should be at least 2.5” thick since this is the layer your body will be in direct touch with.
• Generally foam mattress tends to emit smell of chemicals for first 2-3 days. If smell does not go away completely, contact the manufacturer and ask for replacement
• Buy a mattress that has minimum of 15 days return policy
• If you are going to avoid box spring for a foam mattress, it's important to keep in mind that a foam mattress weighs signicficantly higher than a coil mattress with same thickness
I am not in a favor buying a mattress online. So I will visit and check them in store. Once I can decide on brand and thickness, I might buy the same online.

I believe, I am done with my homework and ready for change. What I wrote was just based on theory I read online and might change once I buy and actually start using them!

Eating while Reading

I had had this habit a long time ago, reading while eating. Then recently, he got stuck up with work and I happened to have dinner just by myself. I was not in a mood to watch TV and settled for a book. This reminded me of my school days. I would be home from school around 1 and that time mom would be busy putting my kid brother to nap. So I would warm up my lunch and have it with newspaper or magazine. Monday to Wednesday will pass quickly since there will be long interesting supplements with newspaper or Chitralekha to read. Once in a month I would have bonus to have Safari as well. Then Thursday would be the most boring lunch day and somehow I would manage on Friday. Saturday I would be home early and we all would have lunch together.

I am so happy to remember these days. Happy Reading and Happy Eating!!!

Am I too busy?

I have lost touch with many of my friends over the time. Sometimes it’s my fault and other times I do not get the response I expect. I used to be very close to some of them and when I remember our good old days it does hurt me. Lately, I was trying to get in touch with one such friend, she would not call me and she would not provide her contact information as well. I tried reaching her through email/facebook without much luck. Now after a long time (Almost after 2-3 months), she finally called me and I happened to very busy that time. I told her to call her back as soon as possible. It has been couple of weeks now and somehow I do not feel like returning her call. I guess I have made this as issue of my pride. It is like if I call her back so soon it will hurt my ego. I know what I am doing is not the right thing, but under the given circumstances I have no other choice. Sometimes you have to be strong, little rude and little too busy!!

My Latest TV Crush

Lately I have become strongly obsessed with TV series based on criminal investigation. I have always been hard core fan of suspense and mystery books, but was never much into TV. My crush started with ‘Cold Case’. I would watch it holding my breath and curse everyone who tried to disturb me while I was watching!


Then one Sunday, I saw back-to-back episodes of Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) and I fell in love with the concept and the cast.

My latest crush is Law and Order and so far the best in the bunch. It’s quite logical and practically possible. I just love the way detectives and district attorneys work together.

I had thought after buying Jadoo TV, I would watch less American shows/series and rather spend more time watching Hindi movies and TV serials. But my schedule is so tight that I do not have time to watch anything extra. Even if I do not have to watch some episode, I make sure to record them :)

Simplifying Health Insurance Process - Tips and Tricks

Every other day we hear some news about Healthcare Bill. Democrats are trying hard to survive in the next term by selling this bill idea. The irony is, situation of people having insurance is worse than those without insurance, because their premium covers charges for uninsured ones. It becomes worse when you cannot get insurance with pre-existing conditions and even if you do not use much of the insurance, premium goes higher every year.

Survey says that there are about 47 million Americans who do not have any kind of insurance. There are definitely some in this bunch who can afford it but still would not spend the money. I personally know few of them who live in houses and always shop branded stuff, but are not willing to buy insurance.

Anyway, here I want to share incidents that happened to me in the last few months. Problem does not end if you have a perfect insurance plan, actually problem begins here!!

It has been few months since we moved to this new place. As we moved here, we had to look for a new doctor. We both set up an appointment with PCP and went for a complete blood check. Then recently, HE started suffering from severe pain in lower abdominal. He had to go for blood check and CT scan. Result? Several visits to doctors, labs, emergency and urgent care. And now almost every other day we receive a mail from lab, hospital or insurance company. Sometimes bill and then other times explanation of benefits. Though we have a very good insurance plan, we get panic looking at the bill. Almost every day I call the concerned person to resolve the issue. Luckily, nine out of ten times, it’s somebody’s mistake and we do not have to pay the bill. But the question is, why is this system so complicated? If you ask the same questions to different representatives from your insurance company, I bet every time you will get different answer. Even though you would not be able to understand much since they explain you in a very ambiguous language. I literally searched online about lot of things so now at least I am comfortable understanding the bill and talking to insurance company. But here are tips, useful for someone new to this system

• Before seeing any doctor, make sure you have the proper coverage. Sometimes at the time of renewal, though it is continuous coverage, it takes a while to get the new cards.

• Check with your insurance company if you need to assign PCP and whether referral is required to visit a specialist

• If you are a new patient, make sure doctor accepts your insurance plan

• It is preferred to ask for receipt when you pay your copay

• If doctor advises you to go for lab work, they tend to send you to the labs they have contract with. Make sure that this lab is also affiliated with your insurance company. Otherwise it will be considered out-network visit and you will end up paying deductible

• If physician advises you to go for certain kind of test (Like CAT, MRI) or surgery, check with your insurance company if pre-certification is required. If so, mention this to concerned doctor/hospital and ensure that they notify insurance company.

• Some states have facility of urgent care. They bill like an office visit only, but still being urgent care, you quickly get an appointment. Check if you have one in your area so you can reduce number of visits to emergency.

• If you happen to go for in-patient/out-patient surgery, call your insurance company in advance to understand your coverage

• When you call insurance company to understand coinsurance and deductible, always clarify again with exemplary figures.

• If you talk to hospital/lab/insurance about any bill and if they ask to disregard it (since it was a mistake), make sure to ask for reference number. If they cannot provide reference number at least ask for the name of the person and badge id.

• If you need to go for emergency and if problem is not very serious, avoid calling ambulance. Drive yourself or let somebody take you to the emergency walk-in

• When you receive any bill, check your account with insurance company whether they received similar claim. If they have not received any claim, which means doctor/lab/hospital did not send the claim or did not send it at the right place. Call the sender and confirm if they have correct insurance details. Also confirm the address to send the claim, which is usually available on ID card.


Hope this helps!

Multi Tasking

I came to know or I should say, I started using this term more often since college days. We friends would meet online frequently and when one person does not respond quickly, other would ask, ‘are you doing multi tasking?’ Most of the times, it was true in my case since I used to chat and study parallel. Eventually I became expert. In fact, I love doing so and most of the times; I am doing more than one task. Right now, I am watching TV, writing this blog and downloading songs. I can work and watch TV, cooking and talking over the phone, chatting and studying and the list goes on..


I guess women have some inbuilt ability to perform multitasking while guys seriously lack this quality! Take my husband, he cannot do even one task with complete concentration (That excludes surfing and cricket). When he is doing something and in between if I start talking to him about some different topic, he would be lost. And usually this would end in argument 2-3 times a week. He thinks I am expecting too much from him and I am like, I just cannot stand sluggishness.

I know multitasking does not help all the times. Sometimes, quality of the task also gets affected. But cannot change old habits, they go with you only!

It's all about food!!!

We have started getting The Washington Post for last couple of months. After 7 years, now I am trying to get familiar with actually reading hard copy of the news paper! Every Wednesday, they have supplement entirely on food. Yesterday, two of the articles really caught my attention and I could not wait to write about them.

The first article was about Diana Kennedy. She is the queen of the Mexican Cuisine and also known as ‘Julia Child of Mexican Cooking’. She has written several books and appeared on TV shows as well. She was quoted “You need to understand food to understand its culture”. What a splendid remark! I cook for fun, out of hobby, out of passion, but never thought like this.

The other article was about Indian Chats. One full page was dedicated to this article explaining in detail about all different ingredients of chat. There were also a few recipes for Dahi Bhalla, Tamarind Chutney and Green Chutney. I never happened to search/ read these recipes since this is something you know, by default. You do not need (At least I did not need) any extra, special tips to make them. But to my surprise, I saw some ingredients in this recipe which I never thought could contribute to make the dish tastier. For example, onion, ginger and curd in green chutney or fennel seeds and clove-cinnamon powder in tamarind chutney.

These recipes were from chefs of two popular restaurants in DC Metro Area – Rasika (DC downtown) and Indique Heights (Chevy Chase, MD). We already have been to Indique Heights to celebrate my B’day and now cannot wait to go to Rasika for his B’day. 2 months advanced planning….VOW!!

License and Registration in state of MD

It has been nearly 4 months since we moved in here, in Maryland. Yet we are not done with car registration and inspection formalities. We did a proper homework about the process, but still for one or other reason it keeps on delaying. Worst part of the story is, website does not provide sufficient information. Anyway, this process cannot be more complicated (for any other state) so I thought to note down the steps!!


Before we move further, here are some tips worth keeping in mind:
• It is required to change the license and then only you can go for car registration
• Always opt for ‘Full Services MVA’ since they offer all the services at comparatively faster manner
• Always check website for holiday schedule, since MVA observes furlough once in every 3 weeks
• Cash, debit cards and credit cards are accepted for all services

I guess now we are ready to start:
For License change:
• You must carry following documents
     o Passport with current I94
     o Old valid license
     o Visa proof – Greencard or visa copy and/or stamping
     o Social security card (If you are on dependent visa and not entitled for SSN, you need to obtain a NEW denial letter from STATE OF MD. You can visit nearby SSN office with your visa, passport and primary visa holder)
     o 2 address proof – Any utility bill WITH ORIGINAL ENVELOPE, bank statement or lease agreement is fine

• Always try to reach as soon as MVA opens, since getting license is a lengthy process. They will verify your visa status with DHS (When you are on non-immigrant visa), check your eye sight and take a picture.
• On average, it takes about 1.5 – 2 hours to complete the whole process
• You will get the license only until visa date
• Approx. $28 pp

For Registration and Title Change
• Change your car insurance (They will ask for new address proof. Lease agreement, offer letter from community or license works fine. We changed it before we got the new license)
• Registration has to be completed within 60 days from license date
• Before you go for registration, car needs to be inspected
     o In state of MD, only private inspection is available. They charge from $50-$100 to manually inspect the car. It takes at least couple of hours.

     o They check tires, headlights, brake, mirror, seat belt etc. This is mere manual inspection and engine/transmissions are NOT CHECKED. That means, if you are getting ‘Check Engine’ Sign, you need not worry at this point of time.
     o If everything is okay, they will issue an inspection certificate. If not, they will generate a report mentioning all problems. In either case, they will charge inspection fee.
     o If inspection is not through, you have to fix the car and go for re-inspection.
     o This inspection remains valid as long as you own the car in MD.

• If your car is on financing
      o Contact your financer to send title to MVA (Send the fax)
      o It takes about 7-10 days
      o Once they send documents to MVA, you get a letter of notification from your
         financer or you can directly call MVA to check

• Carry following documents:
      o Original title or financing documents
      o New License
      o New insurance proof
      o Old registration
      o Inspection certificate
      o   New registration form (can be downloaded from website, it is advised to fill the form ahead and then only go to MVA)

• Whoever’s name is mentioned in title, he/she must be present, otherwise power of attorney letter is required

• If more than one name is mentioned in old title, all of them are required to be present with new license. Exactly same names will appear on new title. (It is better to have same names since change in name is a tedious process)

• It costs $200-$300 based on year, model and whether you own or finance the car.

• Once MVA checks all papers, they will issue new registration and plates. Fix these new plates and return old plates to respective state. Either return them in person or send via certified mail. No other proof is necessary.

• After new registration, with 2-3 weeks you will receive a new title, with new address

• Within 4-5 weeks you will receive a notice for emission test. You will be given 90 days of time to go for this test. You must carry this notice to inspection facility.

• Emission inspection facility is managed by government. Under this test, they check engine and transmission.

• It takes about 10 minutes to complete the process.

• It costs $14 and if inspection is through, they will issue a certificate with 2 years validity.

Now you are all set to drive a car in Maryland!!

The Mermaid Chair - Sue Monk Kidd

I was surfing through Shelfari and NY Times Bestsellers List, I came across this book. I never heard of her and was not at all aware about her style or expertise. After reading synopsis, I thought to read it.


The story is about a middle aged woman Jessie who is stay-home happy wife with psychiatrist husband and college going daughter. Her life looks perfect from far but she has started feeling lonely and suffocated lately. One fine morning she gets a call from her mother’s friend Kat to inform that her mother has cut her own finger and hence she must go and look after her. Jessie has stopped talking to her mom for few years, but she cannot say no to situation like this.

She flies to stay with her mother and realizes that her mother has done so as some sort of punishment. Her father was killed in an accident when she was a kid and her mother became very lonely after his demise. After trying several times, her mother is not willing to open up. Fighting with her own state of mind, unknowingly Jessie falls in love with monk, Brother Thomas. She is full of guilt, but she cannot backout. She is scared of losing both her husband and latest love. Brother Thomas helps her understanding her mother, Nelle’s point of view.

Jessie has always suspected that her mother’s illness has something to do with her father’s death and all her mother's friends know about it. After she cuts off her second finger, it becomes unbearable for her friends to keep that secret anymore. Her father suffered from incurable disease and decided to end his life. Nelle and all friends helped him out to carry out his suicide plan which looked like an accident. His father sits on the Mermaid Chair to poison himself. Now after these many years her mother regrets about it and as a punishment starts hurting herself.

After the truth is revealed, Jessie is relaxed enough to tackle her own problems. She decides to go back to her husband Hugh who still loves her unconditionally. Brother Thomas continues his religious journey and Jessie is once again happily married.

So many stories are interwoven – relationship between Jessie and her mother, between Jessie and her daughter Dee, Jessie and Hugh, Jessie and Brother Thomas. Author has said complicated things in very simple, but touching manner.

Best part of the story is the way author has narrated story around Egret Island – an imaginary island near the coast of South Carolina. It’s a small little island where everyone knows everyone. It’s far from even small town’s luxuries and amenities. After reading description of this island in book, it’s impossible for one not to fall in love with ocean.

Deep and profound story narrated in easy and uncomplicated fashion!

A Gentleman of Leisure – P G Wodehouse

During my college days, I asked a friend for her advice about what should I read. She happened to be well read and very much into books. She gave me a book ‘Carry on Jeeves’ by P G Wodehouse. I diligently started reading but somehow could not finish it. These days when I went to library, I thought to start reading his books.


This book revolves around Jim who bets with a friend that he can rob someone’s place. He ends up in a place whose daughter he has fallen in love with. He does not know her name or address and hence later on he has no means to find or contact her. For couple of years, he roams around everywhere and finally happens to meet her on the soil of England. Her father who still thinks of him as a robber has strong dislike for him and is very much against their union. Then series of dramatic events occur and finally things fall into place.

A typical British style smart and witty humor :)

Finding ol’ Time Fascination

Hot bread became our favorite joint in NJ especially when we crave for spicy little bites without spending much time. Vada Pav, Dabeli and Panini Sandwich became our much loved dishes. After moving to MD, we did not get a chance to have food at Hot Breads. We knew that there were couple of them in Gaithersburg – one very good and other with opposite extreme. Though we did not know which one was better.


Anyway, yesterday we went there around early afternoon. We ordered Vada Pav and Samosa Chat. I was extremely happy with Vada Pav but not so happy with Samosa Chat. Obviously rates were higher than those of NJ. Portion size was also quite small. If one is really hungry, one needs at least two dishes, which will add upto 10 plus bucks. But once in a while, it’s worth going and spending money.


Final Word, go for it when you long for spicy Indian Snacks

It has been 4 years!!

Yesterday we completed 4 years of our bond. Just cannot realize it has been long 4 years, days passed so swiftly like small beads between my fingers. I am glad that we are able to keep the same charm :). Our last anniversary we were not together so this time was bit more excited. I wanted to do something special but was exhaustive of all ideas – Cake, flowers, surprises, special gifts, romantic dinner, late night outing, long drive and what not! No stone was untouched as far as celebration is concerned.


But then I realized just spending quality time together is the most important (I know I am sounding bit of a jerk, but it’s the fact) Yesterday we talked to both families at length, went to Temple, did some shopping followed by fantastic dinner at home. Nothing Particular, but still very Special!

The Worst Indian Food

It seems that I am very much bored and frustrated so just to kill time I write reviews. It’s not my personal opinion, but neutral and unbiased review! I’ll write about books, movies, restaurants and any other places I visit. Let me start with a restaurant review. We went out for dinner Saturday at Minerva in Rockville, MD. I rarely crave for Restaurant Indian Food and Saturday was one among those rare incidents.
 This place was recommended by few of our friends hence was a safe take. First impression was not so good since I did not like the ambience and only couple of tables was occupied. We ordered Chhole-Bhature and Paneer Makhani-Roti. And we could not decide which dish was the worst! I had had the worst Indian Food in US. Service was too slow; it took little over half an hour for our first dish to arrive.

Everything was very oily and spicy and staff was also little rude. I guess chef/owner must be South Indian (there were quite many dosa/idli dishes in the menu) and lesson is, never try North Indian Curries in South Indian Restaurants.

t happened for the first time that we did not tip at all and I have made up my mind to never step my foot again!!

The Lucky Bamboo

This birthday we invited our friends for lunch who also happen to be our next door neighbor. It was just a simple meal and it was more like a casual get together, so I did not expect gift or anything like that. But they brought me a ‘Lucky Bamboo’ with a nice decorative pot. I did not know much about this plant, but I have seen in so many Chinese stores. I liked it, because it’s a very thoughtful gift, instead of a box of sweets or chocolates. I have kept it in my kitchen and done little reading about it out of curiosity.


Though it has got ‘Bamboo’ word in its name, it has nothing to do with actual bamboo family. It does not need direct sunlight and requires very small amount of water just to keep it moisturized. It grows in Asia and Africa. It’s considered lucky because of its association with Feng Shui Art. Number of roots also has a meaning, for example, 5 roots mean wealth and 6 roots mean health. To have this plant with 4 roots is considered a bad omen since ‘four’ in Chinese means ‘dead’!

My friend gave me the one with six roots and wished me all the luck…so let’s hope for the best

How does it feel getting old?

The other day my mom was talking about my aunt. She has become very lonely and depressed these days. Both uncle and aunt are in their 70’s and live with their only son and his family. Both of them are quite healthy and they have all amenities available. But they do not have anyone to talk to, to share their feelings or exchange their thoughts.

I guess this is the general picture of old people in India. So far I have been thinking getting old is blessings in a way, if you do not have any major health or money related problems.


Getting old means re-kindling that spark with your life partner, spending more time with him/her, which you never got after having kids

Getting old means doing things which you always wanted to but circumstances never permitted, for example, reading, watching ol’ good movies or even spending more time on religious things

Getting old means helping and advising kids and grand kids but at the same time never interfering

Getting old means becoming wiser and more matured and thus passing those values to next generation

Getting old means getting in touch with all friends and relatives, again

Getting old means remembering and cherishing old days

Getting old means becoming free and accepting others’ freedom

I know, it sounds like a fairy tale and even I am scared of surviving in the old age. Even now, loneliness scares hell out of me. But this is how ideal old age should be and I have started believing in it after seeing people here in America- worry free, independent and always happy!

I am Flattered :)

At this company, we offer training in various subjects. Most of the students have no or little experience in the relevant field. So what we do is, before they attend the main instructor's class, I brief them with basic stuff in SQL, Oracle and QTP for about 6 to 8 weeks. Most of the students are elderly people, like our parents' age. But few months ago, we had an exception. One of our 'future' student's father came to see us (who also happened to be our student back in 1999-2000) about his son. His son is a college dropout and father wanted us to train him in IT. Everything was set, I was supposed to take initial classes and finally he arrived. This was about 6-7 months ago.

My first impression was, OMG, how am I gonna tackle him? A typical "ABCD" guy, who would hardly talk or ask any questions. No interest in studies or learning anything new. I even thought he might be a drug addict!!! He would come for one class and then disappear for couple of weeks. It lasted like this about 2-3 months, from my end I finished everything, but from his end, no progress. Again, his father came and requested us to peruse teaching him. We reluctantly agreed, because all this time he did not pay to company and personally, I also did not get anything out of it. Now I had no interest or motivation, but no choice either. I started training all over again and this time, I could see some positive response.

Then, last week or so, I told him that I would no longer be available to teach him as I was moving to a different place. To my surprise, he was shocked. (Though we were talking through online meeting, I could imagine his expression). I almost remember everything he said to me "Oh really! This is very much shocking....you do not know how much grateful and thankful I am...I wish I could say this in person that I respect and appreciate you a lot...you have been very patient to me, though I gave you a very hard time..If there would be someone else, he/she would be really pissed off...thank you so much"...I mean it's no big deal, once in a while we all receive compliments like this, but this was stunning. And now it's like, he shares almost everything with me, I'm the only one who knows about his girlfriend and all that kind of stuff. He is really sincere about studies and very eager to attend the class

I felt good after this incident, sort of satisfaction you get after doing good work (without expecting any tangible return) and then being appreciated for the same :)

May God forgive me

These days my husband stays away during weekdays because of job. Obviously, I feel miserable during weekdays. Though Monday to Thursday, it is somehow manageable, but Friday it seems as if clock is stuck. Particularly after 5 o’ clock, it becomes difficult to kill 4-5 hours. This last Friday, anyway he started late, around 6 and I was just praying and hoping that he should not face any traffic problems. Luckily, he crossed all major traffic areas quite easily and within 4 hours he was 15 minutes away from home. When I called him, he said there is a little congestion on route 1. I was bit surprised since it was almost 10 and generally that area is always clear. Upon asking, he told me that some people were holding a memorial service for a lady who died in an accident at the very same spot couple of days ago.

I was so desperate to see him that just for a fraction of a second I was mad at those people. I was like, she is already dead so why to create traffic jam and put other people in trouble? And then I was feeling so guilty. It was a fatal accident and a day care assistant in her early twenties died on the spot. That must be a huge loss for her family. Because of congestion, probably I would see him in 20 minutes instead of 10, but her family and friends would never be able to see her again. She was quite young, just started her life. How could I even think like that? How could I become so ruthless? May her soul rest in peace and may almighty give strength to her loved ones to bear this loss.

I am in "foreign" country

It was Friday, the Friday with long awaiting evening, late dinner and then long night. The only thing I would ask for is peaceful sleep of 7-8 hours since Saturday is my only day off. We retired to bed around midnight and suddenly around 2 o’ clock both of us were up. Reason? The head banging music and drink party at next door. And this was not something new. If weather is good, every weekend night in summer ends up like this and our reaction? Curse them and change the place to sleep. But this time it was unbearable and I was so mad that either I would call 911 or go down and request them to keep it low. It was just an impulsive reaction though. Later I thought cool headedly, I felt scared of doing any such thing.

Here in America, even for small trivial matters people call 911. To expect freedom and get respect is your basic right. Being here for little over 3 years, I have tried embracing American traditions and culture to whatever extent possible. We always try to keep good balance between India and America. And here, WE stand for all immigrants like me. Still when time came to complain or fight against something, which is unjust, I got scared. What if they do some harm to me, especially when I am alone during weekdays? I would not have given second thought before doing so in India. In fact, I have done it quite many times in train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Why did I have those uncomfortable, scary feelings? Answer is, probably this is a foreign place and will always remain foreign!!

My First Day at Nirma

My last post was on Jul 18, almost 10 days ago! I was determined to be punctual about this writing stuff, but looks like even though I want to write ‘something’, nothing is coming to my mind. My imagination is fading away

Anyway, yesterday was my brother’s first day at college. So far, he went to the same high school and higher secondary school I went and we wanted that he went to the same college I attended. But eventually it did not materialize. First of all, I cannot imagine, he has become such a big boy (and indirectly, it reminds me of my age too). Still sometimes, I treat him like a kid but now our relationship is getting towards ‘friendship’.

I had called him early in the morning to wish him all the best and then I thought about my first day at college. It has been 10 years now and I remember the date very well. It was Nov 20, 2000. As Nirma was little far from home, both my parents had insisted to drop me, at least on the first day. Somehow I bargained to drop me only at bus stop. I hardly knew anyone then and we were just a few students from Gandhinagar. But I never had lonely kind of feelings, not even on the first day. We just had an orientation and I had thoroughly enjoyed it, without any ragging problem. I enjoyed those 4 years of B.E. except there was not much fun outside campus. I sometimes regret that I never had friends to hang out after classes, but I do hope my brother enjoys these days at fullest, including studies!!