If I was the daughter of a rich industrialist…….. I wouldn’t be working right now.

Alvida. Jai Mata Di.

Is it a crime not to drink socially? I sort of got the feeling of that today. So we have a senior manager that joined our team today and will be coming in to check up on us on a biweekly basis. Today, being his first day, he decided to take the team (all four of us including my great project manager ) out to dinner.

Well, we didn’t get out of the office until 7 pm. 10 minutes later I am at the hotel. 5 minutes later I get a phone call from my project manager saying that we will meet in the lobby in about 45 minutes. Cool. So I talked to my parents in between there and found out that my $400 compensation check from Air India came in the mail today. So that is definitely exciting to know that a bad experience can turn into something good @ the end.

Then finally we met to go to dinner, and I suggested that I will drive separately because I knew that everyone else on the team would want to stay and have drinks. So then what we decided was that everyone will go with me to the restaurant and then come back via the hotel shuttle. Finally we get to the restaurant, which wasn’t far from the hotel @ all, and everyone begins with drinks. As the Sr. manager is asking everyone they would like, he makes the comment to me that maybe I would like juice or milk. Um.. ok, thanks. **Nervous laugh**

By the end of the night, the question was raised for what reason I don’t drink, because of religion? Yes, that is definitely part of the reason. “But I know Hindus that drink, how so?” Well buddy, why don’t you go ask them! Geez! I don’t drink means I don’t drink, get off my back. If you want to drink and worsen your liver that is your problem but let me be. You know I just don’t understand why people make a big deal about drinking.

Bottom line a point of advice from a vegetarian non-drinker and non-smoker, never make an issue with another person just because they might do what you like to do (a.k.a the things that I just listed above). You are who you are and its your choice. And no, I will never drink just to impress someone or kiss up to a person who is more senior to me. I don’t care who you are, if I respect you or not, I will not drink, smoke, or do anything that I am not comfortable in doing — and that’s the way it should be. Peer pressure kills you, so don’t let it get the best of you.

Finally got back to the hotel at around 10.45 pm EST. Neeraj was always up as I was more than 45 minutes late calling him. We only talked for 10-15 mins as he had to get to the office. Its too bad because we really haven’t been able to get much of a chance, due to my project, to talk to each other. Tomorrow, we are hoping for better.

Alvida. Jai Mata Di.

Two days done in Manchester, New Hampshire. This city has about 100,000 people, and its unbelievable how friendly and hospitable the residents of this city are. Everyone, I mean, everyone says hello to you as well as when getting out of restaurants and other public places say nice things as “have a nice day” or “appreciate your business”, its just amazing. Now where I am from, the Midwest, people are known to be nice, but the east coast of the USA is not known for its politeness or hospitality. Many other states, such as New York, should really take a learning from this state.

It was snowing the first day but today it seemed that many of it was melting and getting a bit warmer. My hotel is quite nice, right in the middle city, and not too far from the office (about nine minutes). Work is going well and staying busy. The whole team (about four of us) are really nice and the facility is nice too. I am playing a major role, as I had discussed earlier, so my time goes by fast.

Mumma is on her way home from Cincinaati right now with Papa and Bhayia. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post on another company that is going to get a pounding on providing horrible customer service. This time it was an USA based company.

Alvida. Jai Mata Di.

So I wrote this lovely little post yesterday at work and thought that I would come home and then post it, but so much changed in the last two hours at work that I had to scrap it.

Well the big news is: my project has gotten cancelled. That means that I will be leaving Richmond on Friday for good. Mixed emotions is what I feel. I liked this area and was excited to be here for the next month at the same time, the traveling was hectic. The team was fantastic, and we would have worked great together. Mind you, that its not because of our team that the project has gotten the ax, its due to client internal problems and also issues they are having with other vendors on the project.

We found this out yesterday at around 4 pm. Then soon after my project manager’s boss (a.k.a the big boss) was also present and he said that he would take us out to dinner. Of course I am on a team of ALL guys and guess where they wanted to go: a brewery. Thank goodness it was a brewery + restaurant but there was nothing vegetarian other than a salad. So that’s what I had for dinner. Then finally came home @ 9.30 pm and parents were trying to call so talked to them.

Its sad, my parents and brother were going to come down to Richmond next weekend and now we have to scrap those plans as well. One good thing is that I will be home now for Navaratri. I thought that I would miss all the raas/garba fun, but I got saved. I have been going to all nine days of Navaratri for many years, and I was hoping that I wouldn’t miss it this year either. Mata Rani heard me I guess.

So that’s my news. I still have very limited Internet access (just @ the hotel). This is going to be a boring week for me because I really don’t have much work to do. Oh well, I will just leave early.

Few things for today:

1. Got to get milk (Mumma gave me cereal but need milk)
2. Find a mandir (temple) Will go tomorrow
3. Try Chipotle (its a restaurant) Yum, that was great

Jai Kara Sheronwali Da — Bol Saache Darbar Ki Jai!

Mata Rani jo bhi karti hai, aacha karti hai.

Alvida. Jai Mata Di.

So I finally had a chance to sit and write. So many things that I want to say.

Ghar/Neeraj

I talked to Mumma last night, she had talked to Lalit Mama that morning. She wanted to find out from him what he thought of Neeraj when they met in August. Lalit Mama said to Mumma:

Mere ko toh Neeraj bahut pasand hai. Ladka bahut aacha hai aur kuch jyaada nahi sochna padta hai. Main soch bhi raha hoon ke main Hindaun jaaon yeh weekend ko uske Mumma/Papa ko mil aaon. :grin: :grin:

Translation: He really likes Neeraj and thinks that he is wonderful. Neeraj is great and you (my mother) don’t have to think more about this. I am thinking of going to visit his parents in Hindaun this weekend. :grin: :grin:

Isn’t that great? Told Neeraj last night (his Tuesday morning), and he was thrilled (even though he was half asleep :rotfl:). Mumma also told Lalit Mama that Neeraj has been unable to contact him because of some problem with Lalit Mama’s cell phone. Lalit Mama said that he would call Neeraj today (which didn’t happen btw :roll:). Neeraj and I have decided that he is going to tell Lalit Mama that he shouldn’t go this weekend to visit Neeraj’s parents as it might be early. It is best to wait a month in hopes by then that we will have some news about Neeraj’s sister’s engagement. Also, Neeraj will emphasize the point to Lalit Mama the importance of my parents to come to India this December to finalize everything.

Mumma sounded quite positive so I am really excited. Everything is slowly falling into place.

Mobile

I got a prepaid GSM Nokia 6010 mobile from T-Mobile. The phone itself was only 20 bucks, and it has everything that I want (SMS functionality so that I can SMS Neeraj and the ability to talk in Virginia). There are some other functionality too like the organizer, games, etc..which is nice to have as well.

The best part is that when I go to India, I will be able to use this phone without a problem. I will just tell Neeraj to get me a SIM card, and I will just put that in. So that makes me excited.

Job Highlights

My hotel is right across from my office, which is great.

I don’t have an ID yet to get into the building, so every morning one of the guys on the team has to escort me to our area. That sucks!

I have requested Email/Internet Access, they tell me that it will take atleast a week and a half before I get it.

The project is going to be good, its cutting-edge technology (Web Services) and once I get my access, it will be interesting.

Richmond

The area is nice. Very beautiful and very busy area. All the big stores like Circuit City, Lowes, Costco, Sam’s Club, Kroger, etc. are hardly a couple of minutes away.

Nice places to eat nearby, even two Indian restaurants. One of them has carry-out, so I will try it out tomorrow.

The car is nice. Brand spankin’ new Ford Taurus. I have my Veer Zaara CD blasting.

So that’s it. More later. Alvida. Jai Mata Di.

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Current Tune - Chalte Chalte Yunhi Ruk Jaata Hoon Main - Mohabbatein

Treating you all to nariyal ki burfi as I have two good news to tell you.

So as you enjoy the virtual burfi, I would like to announce that this post is the

**clap clap** *clap clap**

Second Good News

I have FINALLY got staffed on a project and I am going to Richmond, Virginia on Monday. The project is for six weeks, and I will fly out from Chicago on Monday mornings and get back on Friday afternoons. The project has to do with JAVA, BEA Weblogic and application testing, so it should be a good experience.

I am renting a car on Sunday night and driving to Thoujee’s house in Chicago. Then will wake up early on Monday to get to O’Hare by 7 am (my flight is @ 8.20 am, reaching Richmond @ 11.24 am). I will be staying at the Hilton in Richmond and will have a car there as well.

I have to buy a prepaid GSM mobile phone because of course mine doesn’t work there. So its one of the things that I need to do prior to leaving on Sunday. My current cell phone doesn’t work because I only have the local deal so I am going to give that to my parents to use while I am gone.

I told my parents and bhayia that they can come and visit me. So we are looking at the third week that they will come for the weekend. Its so cool because if I don’t want to go home on a Friday, I can have one of my family members fly in on my ticket. So that way we would only have to pay for two tickets. Nifty na?

Beth is going to come and see me the last weekend in October, so that should be a blast! We will have a great time Beth as Washington DC isn’t too far from where I am.

I have got SO much to do as I have been helping another project out with documentation and that needs to be done by tomorrow. So its going to be hectic for me until I leave on Sunday.

So I am excited. Enjoy the virtual burfi.

Alvida. Jai Mata Di.

Current Tune: Hum toh Bhai Jaise Hain - Veer Zaara

A lot just happened in a small timespan. Since yesterday I have been a horrible wreck. I had gotten a call yesterday from a senior manager who was interested in me for a project in downtown Chicago for six months. Later to find out from some colleagues, who were also being chosen for the position, that the job is very cumbersome and basically documentation. Its not the type of role I am looking for; I want something technical based. Anyway, the senior manager requested that I come on Friday. I have been terrified because I don’t want to take the position (and if they like me, I don’t have a choice; I have to take it).

Two things that were really irking me:

I would have to be up by 5 am to reach downtown Chicago by 8.30 am as requested

Accomodations. Thoujee and Taijee are going to India for every Tom, Dick, and Harry that is getting married on my father’s side of the family. So that means I would have no place to stay for about three out of the six months. I emailed the Sr. Manager and told him that because he said that he might be able to set me up with a hotel.

So I had written this wonderful post @ 3.30 pm today and all of a sudden the site goes down. It just now is up again and I got an email from that senior manager that they have chosen someone else for the project! You don’t know how happy I am. This project would have not helped my career at all.

I can’t wait to tell Neeraj. Now if I can stay on the corporate bench for one week longer, then in the first week of October I will be able to attend the Sun Microsystems Waveset training in Chicago. That sounds quite interesting to me.

Other News