Thanks and Pray More!

Thanks to all you blog-pals who have not met me face to face yet, but were with me sending emails and calling me over phone. It was nice to know that I have made so many friends who felt sad for my sudden lost of job and encouraged me to take a deep breath! Every email, every call put a smile to my face. When someone at work told me, they all remembered me and talked about me in the meeting, I was thrilled.

It has been a week already.

Some accomplishments for this week:

• Filed for unemployment compensation. In Malayalam, we used to call it Thozhilillayma Vethanam. Used to be my elocution topic in school - how to overcome unemployment issues in Kerala/India! Now I have filed for it. I thank God for the green card I have. It helps when I am job hunting as well as will help me sustain financially. Anyone, who needs information about it, can contact me now!
• Got a hair cut for Nithin and I felt great he cooperated after the initial 5 minutes of clinging to me.
• I too got a hair cut and it was long pending due to work pressure.
• I got in touch with friends whom I had not contacted for a long time.
• I am now in the Vision Care center getting ready for my LASIK surgery. A bit nervous, but determined to go ahead. So friends, not sure how long my break will be, may be I will be back very soon. Pray for me!

Ek Pal Mein

...zindagi badal gaya! I can now understand what it means.

It was another Thursday morning. Some of you might have read this post of mine back in January.

This time my name was in THE LIST!
When we were told that our employment has been impacted due to financial reasons, I walked out and came back to my desk. Tears were coming on and off - silly, but it is not like you hear those words everyday. I was really busy at work and this came totally unexpected. When I packed my things and came to my car, I looked at the river side walking trail. I was waiting for summer to start walking there!

Called B and went to his office. We went for a quick lunch, joked and chatted about it. I came back home and focussed on kids that evening!

Nine

Nine years ago, it was on this day (March 16 - wanted to post this yesterday) that B and I became man and wife. We can't believe our marriage is 9 years old. It feels like 2 or 3, but the two boys stand proof of the age of the married life. The wedding was a goal we had to strive for. To get the consent and blessings of both sets of parents. To work out the logistics of ceremonies. To pick a date (we picked the 6th anniversary date of when we realized we were not just 'friends' any more). To arrange the reception hall and menu.To print out invitations. The whole day, right from morning, we both were nervous. It was a wedding and decision we both were mainly responsible for.

Nine years later, I am glad for everything I have. I cherish all the memories of togetherness.
For the moments, when we smiled and laughed together. For the innumerable times I said something and did not get a response back and I had to nag (see, I had no choice!). For the arguments which ended peacefully and those that left an unpleasant feeling! For the two bundles of joy! Here's to the nine years and many more years of togetherness. B, are you reading this?

Holi Aayi Re!

I know Holi, the festival of colours through Hindi movies only. I am reminded of 'Silsila' where Amitabh, Jaya and Rekha appear in the colorful song sequence. Chitrhaar on Holi time featured all kinds of Holi songs. I don't recall playing 'holi' because it was not celebrated where I grew up. So when we signed up to go to the Holi Party, conducted by a cultural organization in our area, I was not sure about it.

My inspiration to go was mainly that my son Nikhil was part of a group performance by kids from our community. I looked forward to it eagerly - as every other mom whose kid featured on the stage that day did. The choreographer, other moms and kids practiced and worked for this event since past 2 months. It was cute to watch the kids dance - when the dance was over, I felt relieved. I ran to hug Nikhil as he stepped off the stage - he seemed more worried about a new Frisbee that he got from there! Kids! Kids!

After the performances and lunch, we all came outside to the parking lot and it was HOLI time.
Nithin got scared looking at my face with colors on it, so I held him outside the color zone. B went around taking pictures and got color on him too. It was nice to see everyone in colors - all over their face, shirts and hair. When we left, all of us except Nithin looked colorful. For the first time, in my life, we all got to play HOLI!

Taco Bell experience

Taco Bell is probably one of the very few fast food places that an Indian vegetarian in US like me likes to go to. My favorite item (which is also my kids' favorite by now) is called Chalupa. The picture shows a beef version, I guess. Anyone familiar with Indian food can equate it with a Poori with some stuffings. It has been quite a savior to me during pregnant times when I was hungry all the time. My typical order (by now, B has it memorized too) is : X nacho cheese chalupas minus beef add beans.

So two days I ago, I stand in the counter after dropping Nikhil to karate across the road and Nithin with me. I recite this recorded order and they even accepted my payment. That is when the lady inside brought it to the cashier's attention that they are out of BEANS!

Cashier: "Sorry, ma'm, we are out of beans! Would you like to have something else instead in your chalupa?"

I was put in a spot - what was I supposed to put in my bean chalupa other than beans? Note than beef, chicken and even shrimps (once a server in a Japanese restaurant brought me shrimp saying it is not meat) don't qualify as vegetarian in my dictionary.

I said: "Ok, go ahead and make it with other ingredients without beans."

Cashier with a worried look: "Are you sure you don't want some chicken on it? How will you eat with just lettuce and cheese? It will be so plain."

Me: "I don't eat chicken. No meat. So go ahead and give it to me just like that."

Cashier was really sorry for me and apologetic for not having beans and (as we soon found out), spoons and forks also! I was smiling to hear that!

An old Tamil mimicry joke goes: "Poottu irukka?" asking the shop keeper for a poottu (lock) and indirectly nudging him to lock the shop and go home.

The rest of the time I spent was a positive experience though. The shopkeeper wanted to make up for their shortcomings - so I got a juice box for Nithin, who was just as happy with his chalupa as always (no beans, so what!).

Cashier: "Chocolate or Vanilla?"

Me: Hmm...Chocolate (wondering what is coming next and thinking of Nikhil's favorite flavor)

Cashier hands me a cholocate icecream.

Time to leave. And cashier says: "Ma'm, thanks for your patience. I have one more thing for you" and he handed me a hand written note for 2 Bean Chalupas FREE next time!

P.S. Nikhil enjoyed the icecream! One day, I will enjoy the bean chalupas soon! Three cheers to customer satisfcation!

P.P.S. Sorry gals/guys for the silence - I was busy with work, so will be for this whole month.