US Election 2008 - Live result

Finaly back in India

After a long and hard battle between my mind and my heart, i guess my mind finally won. Yes, i finally managed to convince myself to come back to India. It wasn't easy for me and it is not easy now to even think i did this. Only time has to put me in perspective. I still cannot forget every thing i left behind, Friends, Work, Apartment, Driving in US, All the place that i visited and all the places i haven't visited yet. This list can go on and on. But what is important now, is i am here and that i have to work hard to integrate.

Here is an example of what i am talking about. I used a call taxi to bring Shailu to my parents home. Once the taxi driver helped move every thing into the house, he was hinting at how this is New Year and he would appreciate some tips. So i pull out a 10 Rupee note and give it to him. He returns it back to me and says, you can keep it, its okay. That was embarassing. So what do i do, i go in and get 50 Rupees and give that to him. He is all smiles and no questions.

Now here is my thought process. Was Rs.50 too much? How much is Rs.10 worth these days? Is it simply that he wanted more money or am i too easy to be taken ride for? what ever it is, its going to be tough for the next couple of months.

Steve in the MIX

A new addition to our family.

STEVE (6week old pug)

He is cute, active and a great companion to Surya. Should i say, he is like a brother to Surya. They are playing together all the time. The jumping, chasing and scaring each other. Boy, can i wait to see this first hand.

Why Steve? Dunno, but it kind of felt right for this cute little pug of our.

Like its not difficult already...

Its almost 30 days since Shailu and Surya left to India and i am grappling between the though that they are not around to relax with and all the tasks i have to do at work. On top of this comes the in-evitable packing for the big ADIEU.

Packing aside, what's more difficult is the choice i have to make between keeping something and throwing that which i bought after so much tought and careful selection. Believe me its heart wrecking. And then there is things like Work/Experience documents, Medical documents etc etc, which i don't want to haul but have no choice.

So after all these years here i am cornered by my own choice of things, that sometimes feel like they are alive and looking at me with a sad face and as-if asking me .. "Are you really going to throw me out".

Act of emotions can only control me upto the point when baggage runs out of room. Once its full i have to harden my heart and through out the rest. Hopefully they will find a new taker before they hit the Chop-Shop.

P.S. I have paid for extra baggage (2 to be precise) to haul some more.

Vaaji Vaaji - Shivaji song adapted

Shailu and Surya bid adieu to US

Today Shailu and Surya are heading back to India for good. Its been 4 yrs for her in US and she already feels this place her home. And like all, she is leaving with a heavy heart. She may want to be in India but i can tell that some part of her heart will always not leave Fort Worth, TX-US. I can understand that, after all the feeling is mutual.

She is leaving with surya all by herself and thats another matter of concern. I wish i could be with her, but there are too many things at work here to complete, before i can leave. Anyway, she needs that extra time to settle down in India before i join her.

Ohh by the way here is what i use to keep track of times in different countries that she has to hop before reaching chennai.

Fort Worth(US), Frankfurt (Germany), Manama (Bahrain), Chennai (India)

Surya's clean conscience

Today surya did something new.

Usually he wears a diaper, so when he pees, its in the diaper and the floor is clean. But of-late we have been letting him free and he occassionally does it on the carpet making Shailu angry.

Having noted that, today he ran to the diaper box, took a diaper and attempted to pee in it. It was amazing and it shows he is aware of consequences and is distinguishing between right and wrong.

On that note, at times he only chooses to do the wrong, just to agravate us and its fun for him.