Berkshire, Richmond, Virginia ROCKS!!!

Two days and three nights...the most memorable weekend in last few years that I have spent in US.

Manasi was right...they are an AWESOME bunch of people....How can all nice mumbaites(aah and 2 barodaites ;) and one delhiaite) be in one place yaar....thode idhar bhi aa jao :)

From the moment I met them, till the moment I said goodbye to them.....not even once did I feel that they were all new to me.....all the jokes and stories....I was a part of it all ( courtesy Manasi...MS in Gossipping :):)....)
Not one moment when we were together, were we quiet, not one moment we spent thinking what to do next......time was always too short for all that we did and wanted to do....celebrating a bachelor's party, celebrating four people's graduations, playing cards, playing pictionary and taboo, a long riverside drive.....YES We did it all in just two days! (besides attending graduation ceremony).
And, yeah, they came to drop us at the airport in the morning at 4.30 am in a Minivan....That was so sweet....(Kumaril asked me to add this.:)
They all might be hating me for pinching and irritating them so much...but I am in love with each and every one of them and I am missing them all.....Can't wait to be with them again......

Thanks Manasi for making me meet the most wonderful friends :):):)

Cheers to all the desis of VCU, Richmond, Virginia!

To mom & dad on their anniversary

Now that I have grown up,
Sometimes, I think back to those childhood years,
I remember all the good times,
The laughter and even the tears.

But what I remember most of all,
Is your love and tender loving care,
I think of all your peace and goodwill,
That you’ve been only too willing to share.

You’ve always been there,
Just when we needed you the most,
Like some great rock of age,
Like some comfortable leaning post.

And you’re never far away,
And you’ve always been right there.
You’re kind, honest, caring and generous,
You’ve always done more than your share.

So I’d like to thank you so very much,
(because at times my words and actions can fail),
And I just hope I can do as well,
As I give my life a new start.

Happy B'day my little AWESOME sis!

Happy b'day Manasi!

Manasi, My little sister.....a sister whom I practically didn't know for 25 years of my life! A semi-Dave who was just a relative for me! And, all of a sudden, I have so many memories.....spent just 2 months with her... and I have so many memorable moments with her...that I just can't believe that for the last 25 years, we were so far from each other! It feels as if we have a special bond just by the common DAVE side ....I feel as if we two have just the Dave blood in us! hehe....I mean, though we are cousins, I feel that we are so much alike! Or is it just because, I didnt know till now what it feels like to have a sis....
Those days of long, tiring drives to work...those long chats while sipping coffee at Starbucks....those book-shopping days at Borders....playing Monopoly, doing pranks on people together, and yeah, the gossipping and bitching....all these things had never been more fun! and yeah, now none of this is the same without u MANASI!
aah, and sharing clothes, books, jewellary.....and do you remember Manasi, how we tried running exactly three times in the whole 2 months!! hehe....
I miss ya MANSI.....

And this is for you...

"Memories of moments
that were made for us to share,
The crazy laughter
that's somehow always there,
The hidden corners of our lives
only we will ever know,
And the love that becomes deeper
and sweeter as it grows.
Time changes many things
and some dreams come apart,
But nothing can reach or change
the bond of sisterhood that we share."

Muuuuuaaaaaaaaah......Have a great day! and ill try to make up for not being with you whenever i meet you...waiting for our shopping day together in aamchi Mumbai!

Lots of hugs from your sis Nimi

Memories relived.....

It was the weekend I had been waiting for since a month....it were the three days that I had been planning so much for....that just got over...that is a memory now...
Boston....the city I am in love with ever since I came to USA....the city where I spent lots of my weekends when I was in Rhode Island....the city where I enjoyed my first snow fall....the city where my best friend lives....the city which reminds me of Vidyanagar (Gujarat, India)....the city which is the most beautiful city in US....the city where I have so many memories...the city which i will keep visiting again and again....
It started with meeting two close friends. Endless gossips and talks throughout the night! And the next day...the trip to Vermont! The aim of the trip was to enjoy fall colours, but we ended up enjoying a long, tiring drive, food-hunting ( really, we were actually looking for a place to eat so badly...that if we hadn't found the Dunkin donuts at 4.00 pm after 3 hours of desperate search...we might have ended up eating the colourful leaves which were all over the ground and no more on the trees).
Now, when I think about it, I really feel, we had some serious mature talks throughout the day....Wow! We have really grown up , or is it what staying in US , having all the responsibilities does to you? Or is it really the age factor? The day ended with hogging at Olive Garden and photo session with our dear photographer Nirav(Remind you, these photographers can really bore you...they get pleasure out of clicking the same pic again and again...they try to explain you the difference, but you can never get it...all look the same :D)
And the next day was just roaming around the Beautiful Boston streets...Prudential centre, Howard square, those T-trips to various places, Mike's Pastries...aah, the real city life....And meeting the old acquaintances...specially two school friends - rati and gaurav after almost 10 years! It was great meeting them, sharing everyone else's whereabouts....not to mention the shock Gaurav got when he realised he doesn't even remember the names of some people we were talking about! Com' on....we spent 13 yrs in school with these people...and 10 yrs can make you forget them? no, tht's not the case with me at least...right gaurav? hahaha....
The day was perfect! could not have been better! The lunch at Cactus caffe was yum...and, aah, the tea at TEALUXE at harvard square....give it a try if you are a fan of teas.....
And now I'm back to this ugly city of Cincinnati.....it will take me few days to get out of the Boston streets....but, may be, before that I might make a trip again :)!
Looking forward to my next trip to Boston....till then, miss you Boston!

Why can't life be at a standstill?

Do you ever get this thought? At times, when after all the efforts, I feel now LIFE IS PERFECT, something suddenly happens and everything changes.

My days in UICT...it took me several months to get used to the new environment and new people around me. And just when I felt completely at home at UICT, it was time to graduate and move forward. And then, I landed up in Rhode Island, USA. I kept thinking for months ( and till date, I still think that way sometimes..) that why couldn't I just be in UICT with my classmates for years and years....why did I have to leave that place and all the friends and come to this new world!
But then, after a year, when i moved to MI, and took another one year to make good friends in MI..life again looked perfect! Those evening chais with Bankya and Tilok...those starbucks/borders coffees with Swapnil, Ravi, Sarjak and of course, Manasi...those endless nights of Monopoly and Kali ki Tiri, those never-ending gossip talks with dear ones....it was perfect!
And again, the same old CHANGE! I have ended up in Cincinnati, OH now. I don't like even a bit here (except for my job), but still I'm struggling everyday with the hope that someday, I will have friends here and will have fun here....that someday, LIFE WILL BE PERFECT again!
But will it ever be PERFECT? Or may be, life is perfect just the way it is......IS IT???

The Five People You Meet in Heaven

by Mitch Albom

I loved this book.
After reading this, it left me wondering who all will I meet in heaven (if i ever get to go there....)
It left me thinking about people I might have hurt or helped unknowingly.
It is so true! It happens with eveyrone.....
I don't wanna end up talking about the whole story here.
All I would say......EVERYONE MUST READ "The Five People You Meet in Heaven"

Hey, let me know what you think about this book when you read it :)