This weekend was superb for two reasons:
1. MASUM's performance was their best yet.
2. We bought our living room furniture!!!!

I have been asked to write abt my furniture buying experience in detail, but that I'll do in another post, here I want to talk about the lovely concert we got to attend this Sunday, 27th Aug. 2006.

Sameer and Mudassar are these very talented, superbly gifted friends I have from school, they have a band which goes by the name MASUM Mudi writes the songs that these guys play...the songs are so well written that when you read the lines, you are very curious to know how the song will shape up and I think thus far they have some 7-8 self composed songs, and each is a unique piece which talks about a different experience of life or a different emotion.

So when they opened this past Sunday, for Indian Ocean , I was very excited to see how they would play, because this was at a much larger scale and the expectations were so high, and Sameer had told me that they would play a song I hadn't heard before!!!! So they came up on stage and I could see Sameer was nervous, and Mudi was excited! It was soooo good to see them on stage again, they performed with panache, there were a few sound problems, which Sam told me only later...but to me it sounded impeccable and I could hear so many people in the crowd singing along with them...so people actually remembered there songs, when they donot have a single CD out yet!...
"Jab se.." their new song is really nice..very nice words and the music is really something else!!!...

Pavel, their lead guitarist is a magician with the guitar and his trademark act of coming down to the audience and playing it, is truly a splendid gesture...The show was perfect...I loved it...

I got to see Mudi only for about 2 mins...and that is really sad...Mudi come down to Dallas...lk what Sam said in his blog we really miss you here....

All the best MASUM for the future...you guys are sure going to be one of the bestest bands around!!!....

Two people who bug me!

I really enjoy my workplace, it's a fun environment, it's got windows!!, the people in my immediate contact are all super fun to talk to and we have very nice discussions about things that interest us...

But there are these two people in my office, whose manners irritate me sometimes. One is this guy, who normally walks up to my boss, and his way of motivating him to achieve more or to tell him that he expects a lot from him is his saying things like:
1. "What glorious things have u achieved today?"
2. "Are you ready to conquer the world yet?"
3. "So what's the latest and the greatest?"
4. "How is the brainy side of the building doing today?"

Now he is a wonderful guy and he always praises any of us who do a good job, but this nature of his, walking into the office and saying something like this, makes me grit my teeth and get irritated with this show of confidence and intense enthusiasm...it must be well meant and my boss doesnt even seem to mind it...but it gets to me. Though I can never muster the courage to say anything to him about this and though it is never said it me, it still bothers me no end!

The other person is this guy who joined the company some months back...he's a real weirdo...if you bump into him in the corridor and u great him with anything, a smile, a "hi", a "how are you today"...he'll look your way (so u know you weren't talking to yourself)...but he'll not give any indication of having heard you, not a nod, a smile or his step also doesn't falter! It is sooo bugging...how can he just do this day in and day out...and i used to think it's just me he despises..but to my pleasure(?) i came to know he does this to all and sundry! He's an ok guy otherwise, he'll talk and make fun and interact when we all meet for company lunches, runs etc but meet him in the office, he'll ignore you like you didn't exist!

I have done crazee things too, like ignore people I am not too fond of; coz of my shyness, ill wait for people to say hi and then respond...so yeah i am weird in that way...but...i dont make a habit out of it! what, do i?

Shopping - How i detest it!

I have always been of those people who will go shopping only if I know where what i want is available, and go to that particular shop, and pay for it and come back. And there was no exception to the rule, be it clothes, cosmetics, electronics or even gorcery. No looking around in other shops or do the "window" shopping. And more so I will go to a mall only when I know I have to buy something, else...why should anyone in their right minds go to a mall...WHY...

Now this is how I had known myself to be...untill I discovered the joy of decorating one's home...here's one form of expressing oneself that is so different and is not bound by rules, punctuation marks, syntax rules and what have you. You have the run of the house, you can pick the hue you want, the design you think will soothe you, the texture you think will feel good and just run amok with ideas and vissions.

Now I see myself looking at catalogues of furniture stores, kitchen supplies, furnishings and all that jazz...and I am really lookign forward to window shop!!! Is this really me...or am I being overtaken by a force I dont reckon, but it is over-powering me...

Naeh, relax now...nothing like that is happening to me, I realise that the only kind of shopping I like is the "art" kind, where in I can mix and match my ideas, pick up different colors, where i can let my heart rule over my brain ...

I am super excited that I will be going this weekend to look for furniture, kitchen ware...god bless my wallet!

My Wedding!!!

My family and my Husband's family planned a wedding in 5 days!!!!!
Yes and it was complete with Priest, Wedding clothes, guest lists, reception, flowers, food, music and everything one can think of and one cant.

On 31st July, 2006, our parents decided that Gourav and I should be joined in holy wedlock...on Sunday, 6th August!!!!! yes, 5 days we had to plan and do everything! And Gourav had ot fly to Kansas City on 1st for he had some prior commitments, which he couldn't get out of!

So for the next 4 days, my Dad and me, looked for a temple, a priest, my jewelry, his jewelry, caterer, reception hall (this was solely Gourav's fort), guest list, accommodation for guests flying from outside...every thing was planned, my mom , cousins and gourav's family chipped in with all their help and support!

On sat, 5th of August, my sister and BiL came back from London, where they had been vacationing, my Mom flew down from Nigeria and then mayhem broke loose!!! Literally...we have this ceremony where turmeric powder is smeared on my hands, legs and face so i look beautiful and radiant...:)...so that was done...then my mom's side of the family is supposed to congratulate us for the wedding, and this is done by giving us all gifts, so this was done. then it was time to get ready for an engagement ceremony....where in gourav's parents and him would come to our house and he and i would exchange rings...Meanwhile...2 of my cousins from California and 1 of my Dad's friends flew down from Atlanta...Now it looked super festive!

Later that evening, mehndi (henna) was put on my hands and feet by my cousin and friends, it looks really pretty even now! I really dislike henna...i dont lk the smell or the look of it on my hands...and this is the first time i actually got it done....but it is actually quiet pretty (i hate to admit this)!!!

we danced a wee bit on sat...then came sunday...we woke up at 6 so that we could all get ready there were some 15 people who had to use 3 bathrooms!!!! the wedding ceremony was for 10 am and we did manage to reach there on time...so first we had the ceremony, where in my co-workers, Chad (my boss), Jeff (VP of IT) and Jeremy and Naren my colleagues came to attend the wedding, along with my bestest friends Anu, Sameer, Shahid, Rama, Giri, Preetha, Kapila...it was a delight to see them all...and Gourav's friends too! I had to wear this super heavy Garland, and then another saree was drapped around me apart from the already HEAVY outfit i was wearing! I think I would have fainted, had the garland not been removed!!!!

Then after getting blessings from the Gods in the temple, we went for the reception, this was at the "Marriott Solana"...it's a very beautiful hotel built far from the city. This was something else completely, my friends Sameer and Anu along with my dad and mom in-law had made sure that the cake was beautiful and delicious, the banquet hall was decked up in flowers and beautiful napkins and candles...it was breath taking...now here we went around meeting friends and family and then some of my friends and Sister toasted us...it was wonderful to know that so many people thought so fondly of me! Then Gourav and I cut the cake and the lunch was served...the bestest part was Sameer's band Masum, sings this song I love, "tumhari yadein (your memories)"...I luckily had a CD for the music in my car, which Sam got and then he sang the song for me....i was ecstasic! and then Gourav and I danced to some other music...and the magical evening drew to a close...it was heart rendering to watch my parents and family leave...but this was the beginning of a new life for us...a new chapter was to begin and it had been heralded with all my loved ones with me.

People I missed:
1. Anurag and Saujanya (my support system for the last 2.5 years)
2. Rajat Maru (he was my brick in under grad years)
3. Ritu and Sumit (my childhood bum-chums)
4. All my family in India...this brings tears to me...

And ofcouse Gourav's Brother and Sis in Law...