Nerve Endings Firing Away

Amidst all the semester-end brouhaha, I finally found some time to write a little about my Chicago trip (what can I say, I blog to relax!) Icy-cold and windy Chicago must seem like an odd-choice for a winter vacation but Thanksgiving is already such a stressful time and the trip was more about reconnecting with some old friends who incidentally are married to each other than anything else. Previously, I had visited Chicago (also during winter) to meet up with bloggers. I tried meeting up with Yogu but conflicting schedules didn’t allow us to. Sorry Yogu, maybe next time we’ll come down to St. Louis. Also this was a exciting trip for Ash who hadn’t yet seen a snowfall; accumulated snow on the ground is ugly just as falling snow is beautiful. Plus, she would also be meeting with my two friends; ex-roomie Vivek and his wife, Rijuta. I have known them separately and also together as a couple in love. This was my first meeting with them after they got married.

Vivek and I were roommates for almost three years and share great memories since we landed in US at the same time and went through the whole culture shock and adaptation to a new environment together. We went through our own respective bad times around the same time and our long conversations through the nights kept us sane. He is almost 5 years older to me but we have never felt that difference manifested in our friendship as he valued my opinion as much I did his. Of course, now he is happily married and seemingly settled in his profession (after much trouble though), and it only gladdens my heart to see him content. His wife, Rijuta also my favorite object of leg-pulling has held her own and is much-successful physical therapist. I somehow cannot imagine her innocent, giggly, and childish self bossing around almost 10-12 employees under her command. Marriage, of course has made her responsible and mature, and not to mention, a great cook. Earlier I could confess to being a better cook but now she beats me hands down; of course making tons of chapattis for my ever-hungry self was enough to convince me. What’s it about women cooks that men cannot simply emulate?

Apart from all the sightseeing (more on that later) visits, I was glad that we got enough time to catch up on our long winding talks on a plethora of issues. We even gave them a Blogging 101 crash course and they seemed impressed with our DesiPundit effort. If being opinionated and frank are great blogging virtues, then Vivek has a blogger spirit lurking within. Opinions have changed although basic values remain the same. Gossip, of course was part of the conversation as I learnt of many interesting developments in other friends’ lives including a “I knew it!” incident. I was glad to see that Ash fitted right in and she wasn’t uncomfortable in conversing with people she had just met. I am sure Vivek and Rijuta liked her too. In spite of the cold dreary weather outside, this time among old friends was warm and comforting and one of the best trips in a long time.

PS. I just noticed that this was the 1000th post on this blog. Whew!