While working with one of my client, I was supposed to go through some document listing do's and dont's. One of them was that if you have printout of confidential document then one should not throw it into dustbin but should put it in shredder which will shred it into tiny strips. Then, I realized the importance of shredder.
As such, I don't have very confidential document at my home but sometimes I do throw letters from bank which can be misused so I was wondering whether I should buy one shredder :-). I was still in doldrums when one day I found that my son Aryan is turning pages of my notebook. Turning is fine but then he started tearing it from notebook, folding it and was having fun hearing crackling noise. This was not enough and he started tearing each page it into small pieces and at times putting those tiny papers in his mouth.
Who is going to buy shredder when one have got cost effective shredder at the home itself :-)
Friday, December 29, 2006
One TV not enough
I am not that great fan of TV and my interaction is just limited to watching news and discovery channel. Then there was entry of my wife in the life and she is great lover of it and watches right from all "K" series to Indian Idol to "Boogie Woogie". Infact everything but not news so I kind of struggle watching news while interesting serial is coming on another channel. Somehow there was understanding and things were on track.
Now there is entry of my son Aryan who has started exploring TV remote. He finds all those buttons very interesting so is curious to press at random. He discovered lot of interesting facts while his experiment with remote that if you keep on playing with buttons sometimes there is loud sound (volume increases) and other times some music comes up (channel switch from boring news to some music channel) and other times there is complete silence (pressed power off). The most fascinating observation was that on pressing buttons it triggers some action on Mummy as she starts telling "don't do it".
He experiment is not limited to remote but has started playing with TV. Our TV is kept on entertainment center which is within reach if he stands. One find day he found there is some hole in base of the TV and there are some bottons inside. Let's see what happens if one puts his finger and press it. Ahha all those colorful fascinating channels displayed on TV are gone and there is black screen (pressed power off). He is kind of enjoying playing with switches and remote buttons.
After discussion with my wife, I got my fair share of TV time but gradually it seems my son may give tough time. It seems will have to buy another TV dedicated to my favourite channels :-(
Now there is entry of my son Aryan who has started exploring TV remote. He finds all those buttons very interesting so is curious to press at random. He discovered lot of interesting facts while his experiment with remote that if you keep on playing with buttons sometimes there is loud sound (volume increases) and other times some music comes up (channel switch from boring news to some music channel) and other times there is complete silence (pressed power off). The most fascinating observation was that on pressing buttons it triggers some action on Mummy as she starts telling "don't do it".
He experiment is not limited to remote but has started playing with TV. Our TV is kept on entertainment center which is within reach if he stands. One find day he found there is some hole in base of the TV and there are some bottons inside. Let's see what happens if one puts his finger and press it. Ahha all those colorful fascinating channels displayed on TV are gone and there is black screen (pressed power off). He is kind of enjoying playing with switches and remote buttons.
After discussion with my wife, I got my fair share of TV time but gradually it seems my son may give tough time. It seems will have to buy another TV dedicated to my favourite channels :-(
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Nine month vaccination
Aryan completed 9th month and we had an appointment with Dr.Jyothika Bhowmick for well care baby checkup and vaccination. Normally he is happy and never gets cranky with strangers but this time he gave us tough time right from the height to weight checkup. He didn't wanted to sit on weighing table and lie down for height measurement. Situation got worse when he got Prevnar and Flu vaccination.He cried for quiet sometime but after coming to home he is back in action.Just wonder why there is no drops available and why babies have to go for painful vaccination.
Now he is fine playing with his usual toys and also visited Pratt library with me and was quiet watching shelves of books.
Completed nine months
16th December - I am not going to write about "16th December" Hindi movie but this is the movie of my son Aryan who completed nine months today.
This month holds significant imortance as he has crossed some important milestones of his life. The little angel has started sitting himself without any support.During initial days he used to tumble left, right and sometimes on the back and now he is stable. During day time he sleeps in a separate room away from TV noise.When he wakes up, he cries when no one is around.so we run to find out if there is any problem and then to our surprise we see him sitting and crying and looking at the door helplessly. When he is not sitting one can find him crawling towards the door. He is now intelligent, knows where is the door and this is the way where help will arrive or this is the way he can go outside.
He seems to be fascinated with the door, might be exploring what's inside the room and what's outside? Now I have to be extra careful opening the door as you never know when he is playing just near the entrance. In our house,between the door and floor there is a small gap from where air comes inside so he often goes near the door , lies down and keeps his fingers under the door to feel the cold air. One find day when we were playing in the room I thought let's close the door and I will hide somewhere and see what's his reaction. Brave boy he crawled towards the door and tried hard opening the door. He was successful in opening it slightly but then his head was blocking it. After several attempt he started making noise and expressed his happiness.
Below the chair
Came out of one chair entering the other
Lower rack is my sitting place
After he started banging my laptop, I have started working in a different room on table. When he is in living room and is bored, he starts finding his papa and now he knows where he can find me.He will crawl take turns and will enter study room. His favourite game is crawl below the chair come out of other chair and play under the dining table. I have been teaching him to do "Ta Ta" (bye bye) for last 2 months but without any success. However to my surprise, one fine day he started clapping without any instruction. Now when he is very excited he will clap and will express his happiness.
This is my musical chair
Standing with support of stroller
Movie won't complete if I don't say that he has started standing on his own. He catches chairs, table and tries to stand. He does stand but after sometime he shakes his legs. May be because he doesn't know how to come out of that position. Once he stands he doesn't know how to sit now. He also tries to release the support which he is holding but gets unbalanced and then doesn't dares to do it. He falls number of times but then never gets tired trying it again. Rarely do I eat without Aryan on my lap.
He is curious what I am eating and may be wondering whether he gets flat food. In order to develop taste of different food, I normally give a small bite whatever I am eating and put it on his tongue.He likes choclates and gives an expression of "Yeah dil mange more" but I remove it after he licks it 2-3 times. Once while eating pizza, I thought to feed me cheese from that pizza and he cried as if he has eaten chilly. He drank water and I gave him "Parle G" biscuits and then he was back in action. He really likes tropicana orange juice and he drinks it with glass. This month we have started feeding him fish, egg yolk and cheese.
Having fun time in bath tub with papa
Weekend is fun time no more baby bath but he waits eagerly for grand bath.On weekends both of us have bath together with lukewarm water in bathtub. He enjoys splashing water, plays with floating rubber fishes and runs towards the running water. He gets bit upset when he is pulled out of bathtub.
He has started inclination towards Nimisha for some activity and towards me for some other activity.When he is hungry or sleeping time it's mummy but when it's play time, it's papa only papa.When I comes from office first thing I do is to lift him up and play for sometime but then it becomes difficult to hand it over to Nimisha and let me sit. When I am going outside and is with me and then when I try to give it to Nimisha he gets cranky and starts throwing his hands and legs showing his displeasure.
It seems there were lot of happenings but lot more is awaited for tenth month so catch me soon.
This month holds significant imortance as he has crossed some important milestones of his life. The little angel has started sitting himself without any support.During initial days he used to tumble left, right and sometimes on the back and now he is stable. During day time he sleeps in a separate room away from TV noise.When he wakes up, he cries when no one is around.so we run to find out if there is any problem and then to our surprise we see him sitting and crying and looking at the door helplessly. When he is not sitting one can find him crawling towards the door. He is now intelligent, knows where is the door and this is the way where help will arrive or this is the way he can go outside.
He seems to be fascinated with the door, might be exploring what's inside the room and what's outside? Now I have to be extra careful opening the door as you never know when he is playing just near the entrance. In our house,between the door and floor there is a small gap from where air comes inside so he often goes near the door , lies down and keeps his fingers under the door to feel the cold air. One find day when we were playing in the room I thought let's close the door and I will hide somewhere and see what's his reaction. Brave boy he crawled towards the door and tried hard opening the door. He was successful in opening it slightly but then his head was blocking it. After several attempt he started making noise and expressed his happiness.
Below the chair
Came out of one chair entering the other
Lower rack is my sitting placeAfter he started banging my laptop, I have started working in a different room on table. When he is in living room and is bored, he starts finding his papa and now he knows where he can find me.He will crawl take turns and will enter study room. His favourite game is crawl below the chair come out of other chair and play under the dining table. I have been teaching him to do "Ta Ta" (bye bye) for last 2 months but without any success. However to my surprise, one fine day he started clapping without any instruction. Now when he is very excited he will clap and will express his happiness.
This is my musical chair
Standing with support of strollerMovie won't complete if I don't say that he has started standing on his own. He catches chairs, table and tries to stand. He does stand but after sometime he shakes his legs. May be because he doesn't know how to come out of that position. Once he stands he doesn't know how to sit now. He also tries to release the support which he is holding but gets unbalanced and then doesn't dares to do it. He falls number of times but then never gets tired trying it again. Rarely do I eat without Aryan on my lap.
He is curious what I am eating and may be wondering whether he gets flat food. In order to develop taste of different food, I normally give a small bite whatever I am eating and put it on his tongue.He likes choclates and gives an expression of "Yeah dil mange more" but I remove it after he licks it 2-3 times. Once while eating pizza, I thought to feed me cheese from that pizza and he cried as if he has eaten chilly. He drank water and I gave him "Parle G" biscuits and then he was back in action. He really likes tropicana orange juice and he drinks it with glass. This month we have started feeding him fish, egg yolk and cheese.
Having fun time in bath tub with papaWeekend is fun time no more baby bath but he waits eagerly for grand bath.On weekends both of us have bath together with lukewarm water in bathtub. He enjoys splashing water, plays with floating rubber fishes and runs towards the running water. He gets bit upset when he is pulled out of bathtub.
He has started inclination towards Nimisha for some activity and towards me for some other activity.When he is hungry or sleeping time it's mummy but when it's play time, it's papa only papa.When I comes from office first thing I do is to lift him up and play for sometime but then it becomes difficult to hand it over to Nimisha and let me sit. When I am going outside and is with me and then when I try to give it to Nimisha he gets cranky and starts throwing his hands and legs showing his displeasure.
It seems there were lot of happenings but lot more is awaited for tenth month so catch me soon.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Completed eight months
Hungry Kya??
It seems I am sitting in a time machine and someone has pressed "Forward".Little boy has completed eight months and there are lot more new happenings and stories to share with.
I normally leaves for office at 8:30 AM and he usually gets up while I am getting ready. Do I make lot of noise while getting ready? I don't think so. May be there is telepathy and he gets the message that papa is leaving so let's say good morning. If he is awake, I lift him and then we talk and say Good morning to each other (in baby language) but now when I hand it over to Nimisha while opening the door he frowns and I can see the unhappiness on his face. Then I say "tata tata" and go towards the elevator and he forgets me and starts playing with ring on the door which makes sound if you lift and release. He has not yet learned to wave his hand and say "bye bye" but is curious and thinks why people waves their hand when they reaches the door :-)
Office being just 15 min walk, I have luxury of having lunch at my home. As soon as I enter the home, I call "beta kaha ho" and his antenna suddenly gets activated, gives a 100 watt smile, immediately starts dragging himself towards me, stops near my leg as if saying "Mujh ko bhi to koi lift karo do". I can see the shine on his face. Nothing gives me more happiness than seeing the excitement on his face that papa has arrived and now we can play.Then we have lunch together and he sits like a decent guy on my lap occasionaly pulling my plate.
Our experiment with food still continues and we have started feeding egg yolk, cheese, paste of boiled rice & dal, suji ka kheer. He is getting fussy on food not sure whether it's due to teething but he looks only for baby yogurt, apple puree, mashed banana with milk & beechnut. Following the traditional path, he is delighted to have anything which is sweet but frowns, infact doesn't opens his mouth for anything which is otherwise.
He was growing up so we thought of giving potty training session.I bought a fancy,colourful, musical potty chair and the 1st day itself he gave the message straight, sorry I can't sit on this chair. It's still unused and now he plays on that little baby chair.
One of our favourite game is mimicry. Both of us sit opposite to each other and then he makes some sound and I imitate it and then he makes some other sound and I make some other strange sound on which he gives a curious look hey what was this and how did you do it? He is exploring his vocal cord and sometimes enjoys shouting with full volume. Well, I don't have any problem but if one of my neighbour listens one may think what's going on? Is he playing or someone bashed him up?
His list of scaring items is growing.Sometimes I wonder whether he is going to be coward like her mom :-) or it's quiet natural for small babies. He gets frightened when pressure cooker whistles, mixer or vaccum cleaner is running, police or fire brigade or ambulance vehicle passes with roaring siren, voice of lion and even cow :-) On his completion of eighth month, I bought him a remote controlled puppy so you press red button and puppy starts walking towards you and you press yellow button puppy waves his tail and barks. He is not enjoying his new toy and he doesn't likes puppy walking towards him. Smart boy!! Now he has learned that if he pushes the puppy it will fall and it won't walk or make sound untill papa erects it again.
He gets excited when you sing "Bum Bum Nahane Chale Hum" which means it's bathing time. He really enjoys bathing in his tub, splashing water and playing with floating fishes (rubber toys).He gets disappointed if we try to pull him out of the bath tub.It seems he is fond of water. Well, his dad never learned swimming but I hope he is going to master it.
What do I do when he gets bored or getting cranky? He is fond of music and it seems fan of Shahrukh Khan. I play few latest songs which has good instrumental music and beats in background and then in media player you have swirling patterns and he listens songs and watches patterns on media player for hours. Once music is turned on, rest assured he won't turn his head even if you call him for his yummy yummy food.
There are lot of happenings awaited for nine months so and catch him for more updates in his life.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Childrens Day
It was Tuesday, like any normal day. When I opened my inbox there was a mail from my younger brother, Vishwa Ranjan, wishing Aryan his first childrens day. There is no "Chacha Nehru" in US so no childrens day, no fancy dress competition and I forgot the occasion :-)
Thursday, November 02, 2006
i-flex picnic at Baltimore
Every time I got the mail from HR that there is going to be picnic at NY and whether you would like to come, I wondered why only in NY and why not in Baltimore. It seems someone heard my voice and proactive effort by few guys led to much waited picnic here as well.
I knew this is going to happen in end of October but there was no initimation. As I was opening my Inbox on Friday one mail with subject as Baltimore picnic excited me. Yes, this was happening just day after tommorrow. It was in a very short notice so I got mentally prepared for the show. There was Diwali celebration saturday evening and picnic celebration sunday afternoon so was going to have ball time this weekend.Few more mails followed on car pool and itineraries.
Sunday afternoon as per plan, we reached charles tower at 12:45 PM which was meeting point for all i-flexers. It took some time for everyone to arrive so meanwhile I played with my son on the front of Charles Tower. There was a pigeon eating grains so Aryan was very delighted and looking at it very curiously. Must be thinking, If I just knew how to walk I could have caught this unusual looking bird. Gradually more people came and I got myself introduced with these guys. Infact strength is not much in Baltimore but it's unfortunate people are not much acquainted with people from other projects. People are spreadout and may be gathering is limited to project level but this was a good opportunity to know each other.
There were queue of cars some self owned and some rented and then everyone got seated according to the plan. The destination was Shaheen indian restaurant at Woodlawn. It was a 30-40 min. drive so on the way had a chit chat with Rahul, listened old hindi songs and watched colourful fall leaves. Everyone almost reached at the same time and this restaurant was located in a big shopping mall so had ample parking lot of everyone. As there was Diwali yesterday, restaurant was well decorated with lights and one can see lot of asian guys dining with their familes. We were 25 people so an area was reserved for us. People were having introduction getting acquainted with each other and settling down and Nimisha started feeding baby yogurt to Aryan. It's his favourite food so eats like a gentleman and that's why we take utmost care to carry one when we have to feed him outside the home.
There was a buffet lunch for us and we started with starters chat, chicken tandoori, honey chicken, fish fry. After experimenting with starters now it was time to explore main menu Chicken Biryani, Pulao, Chicken Curry, Dal Makhani and the foods were delicious. Shaheen speciality is non veg and they live up to their name. I missed "Gazar Ka Halwa" on Diwali and wasn't sure when I will get next so had full bowl of halwa and kheer.
After our sumptous lunch it was time for photography session. Picnic is not yet over and there was a hindi movie waiting for us. We all rushed for Laurel movie theatre where two Indian movies Jann-E-Man and Don (The chase begins) were running. There was commom consensus to watch Don so got 25 movie tickets. We used to have so many known people watching movies only during our college days.
The movie started with zoom zoom sound and Aryan was pretty excited seeing what's going at big screen and different sounds coming up and he quietly watched for half an hour and then he got bored and was getting cranky. I was mentally prepared for this and infact one of the prime reason why I came for movie was to see his reaction watching big screen, hearing high pitched dolby sounds and sitting among the crowd with lights off. Good thing was that he didn't got scared but did got bored. I knew it and that's why I had choosed the back corner seat so as I won't trouble people watching the movie silently. There was a space at the back where you can stroll so I took him and moved a while and luckily he slept. When he slept, I came back to my seat and watched the movie till end. It seems he was bit tired so had a deep sleep.
The movie was average. May be I have seen original movie so compares dialogues and the style of Amitabh Bachan. Somehow I feel choclatee romantic Sharukh Khan doesn't fits in this role and may be Sanjay Dutt would have been the right fit. At the end it was full entertainment and the day well spent.
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Diwali celebration at Baltimore
Few days before Diwali, My mom called and asked how is your Diwali preparation going on and this is your beta's first Diwali? With a heavy heart, I told Diwali here will be like any other day.
I was mentally prepared for a dry Diwali but a mail from one of my friend Harish brought cheers. He initiated and invited few office colleagues for a get together and a potluck dinner in night. Then started race as who is going to cook what? Then few mails here and there and people choosed items on their culinary skills.
We were still in the infant stage of settling down and had very limited cooking utensils. The thought of cooking for 10 people required some planning in terms of managing utensils and number of times it should be cooked. Finally we zeroed down to "Chicken Briyani" and "Gazar Ka Halwa" and next day Nimisha went to Lexington market to but carrots but was bit disappointed to find none and then we thought let's make "Rabri" inside.
On the day of Diwali, Nimisha was busy in cooking and I must admit that my contribution was negligible apart from brining stuffs from market and chopping it. We waited eagerly for the evening show and had brought nice dress for beta and we didn't had a new dress for ourselves. Life is a 360` circle when we were kids my parents used to buy new dresses for us on Diwali and they bought for themselves on need basis. This time I was more excited as what he is going to wear rather than what I am going to wear.
We reached Harish house at Charles tower and was greeted by Harish, Jasmine, Priya, Jyothis and Shiva. The house was well decorated with scented candles and master bulbs and now you can feel it there was Diwali. Guys in Dhoti, Kurta, Pyjama and ladies in saree made proper ambience for the day.After initial chit chat it was time for snacks: started with Chicken Pakora from Priya, Spring rolls from Jasmine and Idli Sambhar from Tiru and Jyothis. I wanted to have more but then I knew meal is next in queue and there might be more surprises so have some space. After snacks, Harish introduced me to a new game "Uno" where each player is allocated some cards and then one tries to offload all his cards and also give his opponent as much card as possible. The peson who finishes his cards first stands winner and the game continues.
After patiently waiting for hours someone reminded for dinner and I couldn't resist further. Four seated table was filled with bowls and rich aroma of all dishes filled the room and now it was no more surprise :-) Seeing so many items my tastebuds tickled and didn't knew where to start with. It started with "Pahle aap" "Pahle aap" I couldn't refused the invitation and took the plunge. It started with Chicken Briyani from Nimisha, Chicken and Mutton Curry from Tiru, Chole from Vaibav, Puri and Dal Makhani from Jasmine & Harish. This potluck party exposed lot of hidden talents within the people. I stuffed till my neck and even ensured that I don't need to eat next day as well. While I was busy stuffing myself, Nimisha was feeding Aryan with apple puree and then I took turn of playing with Aryan and Nimisha went for dinner.Though people had enough but still lot of these dishes were left, may be everyone cooked in large quantity.
It was time for chit chat and time to make space in tummy as desserts were being laid on table.
Though I was full till neck but then I believe in famous saying "However crowded is the bus there is always space for conductor" so I having a sweet tooth adjusted to have some space for mouth watering "Rabri" from Nimisha,"Kheer" from Vaibhav and "Custard" from Jasmine.
Now it was time for spending energy. We decided to play "Antakshri" which continued for next 2 hrs and when there are strong contenders at either end full entertainment is ensured. While our play, kids Aryan, Siya, Satvik were getting cranky so we had balloons to get themselves engaged and they had their share of fun. They are still babies and they were quiet but I hope in next Diwali lot of activities can be seen. Will advice Harish to hide all their decorative piece before they arrive next time.
The party continued till 1 AM and it was time to say good bye. Though our house is just 3 blocks away but considering downtown Baltimore not being very safe, it was very nice gesture from Sameet to drop us at our home.
At the end it was day well spent, fun every moment and I wish the same next yr every yr.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Life without cellphone
While leaving India, I topuped my airtel cellphone with a huge amount so as it can be used in US during my initial days. It worked fine till London but there was no service in US. It was night when I landed Boston and I was desperate to call back home and inform everyone that I have reached. During initial few days, how handicapped I felt without my cellphone, it seemed like I have been cut-off from rest of the world. Things have really changed in last 5 yrs.
My brother got into B-school and he asked my dad, I need a cellphone it's kind of essential item for co-ordinating friends for project assignments, jobs and keep in touch with family and friends. Well, pat replied my father, if it helps in your career anyway, then go ahead.
This reminded me of my early childhood memories and few stories of my father when there were no telephone and the life still continued though slowly.
The first time I left home for a long period was when I went for studying XIIth at DPS Bokaro. My father gave me bunch of yellow coloured 15 paisa "postcards", blue colored 35 paisa "antardesi" and few "machli" walla stamps so as there is no excuse of not writing letters or not finding a postoffice. The day I reached Bokaro, I wrote a small letter that I have reached and things are fine at my end. Letter used to take around a week to reach my home provided there was no New Year nearby when postoffice used to be flooded with New Year cards. My father was very prompt and regular in writing letters so immediately he used to update of things in home and some motivation talk on studies so full circle used to be completed in 2 weeks.
In my college at NIT Jamshedpur we had a postman "Soyee jee". He was quiet old but very sharp memory and he used to remember all 1200 guys with their name and room number. I used to identify him through his gentle knock on the door that he is "Soyee jee" and has brought some letter for us. A registered post incurred a "tax" of 5 Rs. as it signified that I have got DD from my father for monthly expenditure. so even before I opened the letter there was deduction of 5 Rs. I used to patiently wait for letters from my friends and relatives and was a frequent writer as well. There were times when some friend informed that I have seen your letter at postoffice and I used to run to find out who has remembered me.
Where is those desperation in SMS and calls on my cellphone these days?
We got landline connection at home when I was in engg final yr. so before that it was all postcard and antardeshi. But life was not cool even after having landline connection at my father's place. Our college had 1 STD booth for 1200 students and other nearest booth was 2 km away so in a given day even 5% students plans for making call there was queue of 50-60 students. When you have a big queue where is the patience that people will give you a chance for several attempts. My home at Sabour was in outskirts of Bhagalpur city and whole town comprised of people either from Agriculture or Engineering college and I will say government really took time to bring phone over there and even when it came, a successful dial from other cities used to happen only after constant try for half an hour. Several futile attempts used to make me think better drop a letter.
I was about to pass from the college when 1st cyber cafe arrived in Jamshedpur and I heard they took around 60-70 Rs/hr, where was so much money and also I didn't had mail account. Just had read through media that you send a mail and it can be received even in US within seconds used to tickle my mind, how? :-)
After passing out from college, I joined TCS Mumbai when once in a bluemoon we used to see someone flashing his cellphone (as big as cordless) and talking very loudly so as to tell everyone nearby, hey I have got cellphone :-) Incoming/Outgoing charges in 1998 used to be a big amount and I didn't had any friend having one and infact it was one of the luxury items. Comes Friday and office phones were busy so where are we going this weekend, which place we are meeting and at what time? Somehow I feel we were more committed for the time during those days than now. May be we felt if I don't reach on time he/she is going to wait but now we damn care for the time as we have cell to inform that I am struck and will be late. Our meeting place used to be some important landmark so as there is no confusion and I don't rememeber that ever we returned back without finding ones friend.
These days you say "you give me a call when you reach that place and I will let you know where I am" :-) Once my cousin called me on one weekened and informed that there is Kolkata Book fair going on so let's go there and give me a call once you reach there and I will locate you guys. There was mad rush in kolkata book fair and cell signals were totally jammed. I made number of attempts and sometimes when it got connected the noise were so deafening that I couldn't hear where is she and sometimes it got disconnected while we just started. Had we decided earlier to meet at some Oxford stall and not been dependant on cell I am sure we would not had returned empty hand.
The real telecom revolution happened in India at early 2003 when incoming call charges were removed. That's when, I started seeing cellphones right from machi walla to auto walla. I was telling earlier that my brother in college got the cell and sent me 1st SMS that he got the cell connection and note down his number. Full two years there was full entertainment with SMS (forwarded jokes). Now he is in the job so no SMS. May be he too doesn't gets SMS from his friends.SMS has become life support system especially with student community. I too used to send loads of SMSes when there were incoming charges and fingers used to move tick tick tick as if I am working on keyboard. You are travelling in auto what to do? send a SMS, You are waiting outside movie hall what to do? send a SMS, You are eating kabab send a SMS and let your mom know about it :-) As outgoing charges got reduced the difference between outgoing calls and SMS decreased and I have almost left sending SMSes.
Now I have reached US and trying to get a cell connection and I am totally confused in choosing a carrier and a plan. After all those search, I firmly believe that India has far better options for consumers than US. Just go to a shop get sim card and topup no kich kich no jihg jhig :-)
Telecom industry in US more seems to be sellers market and options are very limited.
There is incoming charges during day time on weekdays and I am not sure why a consumer needs to pay for incoming charges when they have good infrastructure and market is already quiet matured. If a person comes to US for short term (6 months/1 yr) he doesn't have much options left other than pre-paid card whose rates are almost 5+ times high than a post paid connection. Contract of 2 yrs makes you think 100 times what you are going to do if you happen to leave US after 6 months/1 yr, pay hefty termination charges or pay monthly charges for 2 yrs even without using it. If you already have a cell which you brought from home country and even if it has same frequency as US it doesn't serves the purpose as one when gets a new cell with a plan of 2 yr. so old cell is good for keeping in bag and taking it back.If you enter a contract with one carrier and somehow you get transferred in an area where network is not so good or after few months you are unsatisfied with the carrier there is nothing you can do. Throw the locked cell and get a new connection with a different carrier.
Somehow, I think there would have been more growth and would had brought more benefits to customer if there were no incoming charges, no contract - month to month payment and for this may be charge for calls and cell would have been separated and pre-paid charges were low. Just to lock customers for 2 yrs., there is a contract and to promote post paid, pre-paid charges have been kept extremely high.
Is T,Verizon, Cingular,Sprint hearing grudges of one of his customer? If you think you are the best and have loyal customers who can stay with you for 2 yrs due to FANTASTIC customer service then someday just remove the contract and provide more flexibility to customers then see the fun of competition between different players.
My brother got into B-school and he asked my dad, I need a cellphone it's kind of essential item for co-ordinating friends for project assignments, jobs and keep in touch with family and friends. Well, pat replied my father, if it helps in your career anyway, then go ahead.
This reminded me of my early childhood memories and few stories of my father when there were no telephone and the life still continued though slowly.
The first time I left home for a long period was when I went for studying XIIth at DPS Bokaro. My father gave me bunch of yellow coloured 15 paisa "postcards", blue colored 35 paisa "antardesi" and few "machli" walla stamps so as there is no excuse of not writing letters or not finding a postoffice. The day I reached Bokaro, I wrote a small letter that I have reached and things are fine at my end. Letter used to take around a week to reach my home provided there was no New Year nearby when postoffice used to be flooded with New Year cards. My father was very prompt and regular in writing letters so immediately he used to update of things in home and some motivation talk on studies so full circle used to be completed in 2 weeks.
In my college at NIT Jamshedpur we had a postman "Soyee jee". He was quiet old but very sharp memory and he used to remember all 1200 guys with their name and room number. I used to identify him through his gentle knock on the door that he is "Soyee jee" and has brought some letter for us. A registered post incurred a "tax" of 5 Rs. as it signified that I have got DD from my father for monthly expenditure. so even before I opened the letter there was deduction of 5 Rs. I used to patiently wait for letters from my friends and relatives and was a frequent writer as well. There were times when some friend informed that I have seen your letter at postoffice and I used to run to find out who has remembered me.
Where is those desperation in SMS and calls on my cellphone these days?
We got landline connection at home when I was in engg final yr. so before that it was all postcard and antardeshi. But life was not cool even after having landline connection at my father's place. Our college had 1 STD booth for 1200 students and other nearest booth was 2 km away so in a given day even 5% students plans for making call there was queue of 50-60 students. When you have a big queue where is the patience that people will give you a chance for several attempts. My home at Sabour was in outskirts of Bhagalpur city and whole town comprised of people either from Agriculture or Engineering college and I will say government really took time to bring phone over there and even when it came, a successful dial from other cities used to happen only after constant try for half an hour. Several futile attempts used to make me think better drop a letter.
I was about to pass from the college when 1st cyber cafe arrived in Jamshedpur and I heard they took around 60-70 Rs/hr, where was so much money and also I didn't had mail account. Just had read through media that you send a mail and it can be received even in US within seconds used to tickle my mind, how? :-)
After passing out from college, I joined TCS Mumbai when once in a bluemoon we used to see someone flashing his cellphone (as big as cordless) and talking very loudly so as to tell everyone nearby, hey I have got cellphone :-) Incoming/Outgoing charges in 1998 used to be a big amount and I didn't had any friend having one and infact it was one of the luxury items. Comes Friday and office phones were busy so where are we going this weekend, which place we are meeting and at what time? Somehow I feel we were more committed for the time during those days than now. May be we felt if I don't reach on time he/she is going to wait but now we damn care for the time as we have cell to inform that I am struck and will be late. Our meeting place used to be some important landmark so as there is no confusion and I don't rememeber that ever we returned back without finding ones friend.
These days you say "you give me a call when you reach that place and I will let you know where I am" :-) Once my cousin called me on one weekened and informed that there is Kolkata Book fair going on so let's go there and give me a call once you reach there and I will locate you guys. There was mad rush in kolkata book fair and cell signals were totally jammed. I made number of attempts and sometimes when it got connected the noise were so deafening that I couldn't hear where is she and sometimes it got disconnected while we just started. Had we decided earlier to meet at some Oxford stall and not been dependant on cell I am sure we would not had returned empty hand.
The real telecom revolution happened in India at early 2003 when incoming call charges were removed. That's when, I started seeing cellphones right from machi walla to auto walla. I was telling earlier that my brother in college got the cell and sent me 1st SMS that he got the cell connection and note down his number. Full two years there was full entertainment with SMS (forwarded jokes). Now he is in the job so no SMS. May be he too doesn't gets SMS from his friends.SMS has become life support system especially with student community. I too used to send loads of SMSes when there were incoming charges and fingers used to move tick tick tick as if I am working on keyboard. You are travelling in auto what to do? send a SMS, You are waiting outside movie hall what to do? send a SMS, You are eating kabab send a SMS and let your mom know about it :-) As outgoing charges got reduced the difference between outgoing calls and SMS decreased and I have almost left sending SMSes.
Now I have reached US and trying to get a cell connection and I am totally confused in choosing a carrier and a plan. After all those search, I firmly believe that India has far better options for consumers than US. Just go to a shop get sim card and topup no kich kich no jihg jhig :-)
Telecom industry in US more seems to be sellers market and options are very limited.
There is incoming charges during day time on weekdays and I am not sure why a consumer needs to pay for incoming charges when they have good infrastructure and market is already quiet matured. If a person comes to US for short term (6 months/1 yr) he doesn't have much options left other than pre-paid card whose rates are almost 5+ times high than a post paid connection. Contract of 2 yrs makes you think 100 times what you are going to do if you happen to leave US after 6 months/1 yr, pay hefty termination charges or pay monthly charges for 2 yrs even without using it. If you already have a cell which you brought from home country and even if it has same frequency as US it doesn't serves the purpose as one when gets a new cell with a plan of 2 yr. so old cell is good for keeping in bag and taking it back.If you enter a contract with one carrier and somehow you get transferred in an area where network is not so good or after few months you are unsatisfied with the carrier there is nothing you can do. Throw the locked cell and get a new connection with a different carrier.
Somehow, I think there would have been more growth and would had brought more benefits to customer if there were no incoming charges, no contract - month to month payment and for this may be charge for calls and cell would have been separated and pre-paid charges were low. Just to lock customers for 2 yrs., there is a contract and to promote post paid, pre-paid charges have been kept extremely high.
Is T,Verizon, Cingular,Sprint hearing grudges of one of his customer? If you think you are the best and have loyal customers who can stay with you for 2 yrs due to FANTASTIC customer service then someday just remove the contract and provide more flexibility to customers then see the fun of competition between different players.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Happy Diwali
One fine day in office I was just wondering when is the Diwali? I wrote a mail to my brother at Delhi and pat came the reply it's after four days.Ahah !! I didn't even got a whiff of it. This is one of the festive period (Dusherra -> Diwali -> Chath -> New Year -> Holi) which I am going to miss badly. I missed my Birthday in the list :-) and my beta birthday in March too.
My memory flashed back to my early childhood when I used to wait for Diwali for weeks. Infact there used to be Diwali in air right after the Durga Puja.
To start with, we used to buy small cracker gun on which we used to load cracker roll and then point at each other and fire it. Roll used to be cheap having number of small button bullets :-). As the days neared by, my father used to carry us to a shop and buy crackers for everyone but then when we grew up we used to get money and buy crackers of our choice.
Then buying a cracker was not a spontaneous decision, we used to discuss with friends which shopkeeper is selling at a very good discounted rate and then few expert advice, that shop walla has crackers of last yr and this shop keeper has crackers which doesn't sound well so after doing full market research we used to approach suggested shop and then negotiation was on the table. During this time there were number of small vendors setting up shops on the roadside selling crackers, candles, diya and other Diwali items.
We used to hardly get 15-20 Rs each to buy our loads of crackers so great judgement was required in terms of quantity and quality. After hopping from one shop to another finally zeroed down to one and negotiated to greatest extent and came down home happily. In evening, our friends used to meet and discuss who bought what, then brag how my shopping was the best bargain :-)
We had a concept of Badi and Choti Diwali (Dhanterash) so a day before Badi Diwali we used to celebrate choti Diwali. From the morning itself everyone was allocated some task and we used to dust all household furnitures, keep quilt, blanket and warm clothes in sun (sign of approaching winter). We had a series of master bulbs which we used to give some shape, replace fused ones with new bulbs and then testing in afternoon itself. My friend Ritesh Mohan was an expert in this field and I used to frequently take his help in setting up those bulbs. There is a custom of buying some utensils, jewellery but my mom never followed rigidly it was more of need basis.
On final day - Badi Diwali - we used to patiently wait for evening to wear new dresses. There were houses where entrance were well decorated with Rangoli but we didn't had any sister and we were troublesome kids so my mom was never left with time to do it. Anyhow it would not have been lasted longer :-) We used to light bulbs from evening, keep the doors open with a hope that may be Lakshmi will arrive :-) (seems doors are open to keep lakshmi out- burn crackers and waste money)
We used to help mother pouring oil in diya and keeping it in a tray to carry it to the rooftop. Placing a diya is also an art which I never learned. There were houses which used to have wonderful shape with burning diyas but my focus used to keep diya at strategic location. Closed pot diyas at rooftop, open diyas in house and candles on railings. Diwali used to bring relief in terms of decrease in nuisance of insects.It used to be really difficult to lights bulb and study. There were swarms of insect running here and there which really troubled during our study hours. Few days back there were growth in mosquitos (in playground) in Boston and it came in TV for number of days (I never saw these mosquitos). Large number of insects before Diwali used to be really troublesome. But lot of them gets killed in Diwali night and common observance was that it greatly reduced after Diwali.
After all diyas has been lighted, we used to go in open space or roof top along with our friends and burst all different crackers. As we grew up taste changed, In early childhood it was more of "Fuljhari", "anar", "charkhi", "train" and then as we got more daring we moved to crackers making loud sounds: Mirchi bomb, bullet bomb, Aloo bomb (names derived from their shapes) and yeah firing rocket was the best part and there are number of memorable moments attached with. At times we had someone else rocket entering our house and then sometimes there were errors in alignment and it went after someother guys. Ok Ok OK even Hi-Tech US guided missiles too make mistakes.
After making assessment that there are just few crackers left we used to pack and then visit our friends place to get elders blessings but secret is that we were more inclined towards delicious dishes which used to wait for us.Once friends house tour got completed we used to go back home and now it used to be our parents turn to meet their friends. Our colony have a rich tradition of meeting everyone during Holi and Diwali and infact till now I havent seen these festivals being celebrated with such a great zeal.
It used be midnight when we were back to bed but sleep used to be difficult as few people had more fun in bursting crackers of loud noise only after mid night. Do you think Diwali is over? Not Yet - Wait for sometime there are lot more stories left.
We used to get tired when we went for sleep but then there was competition to get early before our friends wakes up, nothing that I have a good habbit of going for morning jog but had someting else in mind.
In night while bursting crackers there were few crackers which didn't bursted and we failed to located those so we used to keep track of all those crackers which didn't worked and also kept an eye on crackers of our friends. No name on crackers. So after waking up we used to venture out and collect all crackers which didn't lighted and we used to burst it on that night and used to keep some for Chath festival where we used to again burst crackers on Ganga ghat but not on that mammoth scale.
I really missed my Diwali of India and it was first Diwali of my son so would have loved to see his reaction of crackers going boom but I am sure he would have cried as he gets scared when Pressure cooker whistles and some bikes going zoom zoom in US and anything which makes noise.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Completed seven months
Today Bittu completed seven months and when I flash back my memory it seems he was born just few months back. Time doesn't stops. Almost every week he is crossing some milestone and adding a new chapter in his life.
Dragging
IT guys do not think outside target, deadlines and I am not an exception. It started with when he learned to roll over and lie down on his stomach. He has a soft rubber colourful fish , kind of round shape so he will hold in his hand, chew it, threw it and then I will again bring back to him.
We have a soft fluffy carpet through out the living room so I lay him down on his stomach and will keep his fish within reach of his hand . He will hold it, feel it and then will push it away expecting me to bring it back so now I leave it and then he started dragging himself with his arms to get in reach of that fish and then I will put in other direction (target). He will take turn and goes in that direction and this continues.
It looks like an army guy dragging himself on muddy ground to cross low lying fence.
Next Target - To make him crawl.
Food
He has started eating solid food (paste) but then it's us who has to put food in his mouth with the spoon. His favourite is apple and banana and I would say he is a sweet boy doesn't troubles much while feeding. But there are food like dal in which he is adamant not to open his mouth. When I am having my lunch/dinner, I keep him nearby and he watches curiously as what dad/mom is having and why he is not feeding that. Are they eating something delicious and he gets some flat food?
So now when I eat something delicious which he can be fed with, I just mash it put it on my finger tip and slip it in his mouth. He will chew, make expressions and give a look, hey how are you eating this or delighted that 'Yeh Dil Mange more' :-) Now that he has got the flavour, I know he will make all possible effort to get it more. This time I just keep my finger (with food), little away from his mouth and he waits for seconds and then try to catch my hand and tries to bring it near his mouth or brings his mouth itself near the finger.
Next Target - He himself play with food and started putting it in his mouth.
Understanding emotions
While I play with him sometimes I pretend that I am crying and he looks curiously with not so happy look as what happened and why I am crying and then I start smiling and he gives million dollar smile.
He has started sitting without support though he himself is not strong enough to fold and sit by his own. But once you make him sit he stays there and plays with his toys. Though sometimes he tumbles on his sides and back. We have thick fluffy carpet and normally he sits on comforter and play so no chance of getting hurt while he tumbles. When he falls, if I ignore him as nothing happened he is back to his action and do whatever he was doing. But sometimes when we have worried expression and asks "Did you got hurt?" He starts crying as if he really got hurt and then when you lift and cuddle him he smiles as if nothing happened.
There are times when he is in my hand and I am talking with someone for few minutes. He gives signal hey talk to me, play with me and then if you still continue talking and ignoring him he gets restless left with no option other than start talking to him and playing with him. He has started understanding emotions as whether other people are happy, sad, angry or ignoring him.
Next Target - He starts saying papa and mummy.
Friends
One thing I misses here is large friend circle and small kids. One of my friend in Boston, Debashis, used to frequently visit our house and play with him. While going back he used to say come with me, come with me and I used to say go with uncle. One day I thought let's see what he does when we are not there? One day I told my friend carry him away and I will say "tata" "tata" and will finally close the door. As we were doing this his facial expression started changing whether papa is really going to send him away. Though he didn't cried but was intimidated and was constantly looking at closed doors.
Once my friend Diptam visited our house and we had planned to visit local place. so I was trying to set up car seat while everyone was outside chit chatting and then I finally buckled him in the car seat and closed the door. He immediately looked around in the car and finding that dad/mom are outside he started crying and then again I lifted him up and let her mom seat next to him and finally buckled him happily.
Here it's just Nimisha and me and occasionaly people visits our house so not sure how will be his behaviour with strangers at latter stage. I would love to have many kids nearby so as he learns to mingle and share his toys. Friends, close friends is what I am missing here.
Learning to make sound and feeling of touch
Bittu is a happy baby and you can see evergreen smiles and he tries to make lot of different sounds out of excitement. I make sound of dogs, cats, lion, pigeon and he too reciprocate in his own way. Sometimes out of excitement he makes lot loud sound while shopping, eating in restaurants catching everyone attention. Sometimes he loves to play and make sound in midnight and days are not far when someone complains there's too much baby sound or not sure whether parents are beating :-( or something else. He is in his best mood when you make sound of dogs or cats but sound of lion scares him and if you repeat 2-3 times he starts crying as well.
Besides sound he is exploring his fingers and would like to touch everything and get the feel of it. He would like to lift it, hold it, throw it and then again lift it and this continues. While he is sitting on desk, I taught him to make sound with thumping your plams and he will beat hammer everything as if it's drum and listen how was the sound.
Seems there were lot of happenings, Well lot more to go and do visit for Eighth month posting to know about the latest progress in his life.
Dragging
IT guys do not think outside target, deadlines and I am not an exception. It started with when he learned to roll over and lie down on his stomach. He has a soft rubber colourful fish , kind of round shape so he will hold in his hand, chew it, threw it and then I will again bring back to him.
We have a soft fluffy carpet through out the living room so I lay him down on his stomach and will keep his fish within reach of his hand . He will hold it, feel it and then will push it away expecting me to bring it back so now I leave it and then he started dragging himself with his arms to get in reach of that fish and then I will put in other direction (target). He will take turn and goes in that direction and this continues.
It looks like an army guy dragging himself on muddy ground to cross low lying fence.
Next Target - To make him crawl.
Food
He has started eating solid food (paste) but then it's us who has to put food in his mouth with the spoon. His favourite is apple and banana and I would say he is a sweet boy doesn't troubles much while feeding. But there are food like dal in which he is adamant not to open his mouth. When I am having my lunch/dinner, I keep him nearby and he watches curiously as what dad/mom is having and why he is not feeding that. Are they eating something delicious and he gets some flat food?
So now when I eat something delicious which he can be fed with, I just mash it put it on my finger tip and slip it in his mouth. He will chew, make expressions and give a look, hey how are you eating this or delighted that 'Yeh Dil Mange more' :-) Now that he has got the flavour, I know he will make all possible effort to get it more. This time I just keep my finger (with food), little away from his mouth and he waits for seconds and then try to catch my hand and tries to bring it near his mouth or brings his mouth itself near the finger.
Next Target - He himself play with food and started putting it in his mouth.
Understanding emotions
While I play with him sometimes I pretend that I am crying and he looks curiously with not so happy look as what happened and why I am crying and then I start smiling and he gives million dollar smile.
He has started sitting without support though he himself is not strong enough to fold and sit by his own. But once you make him sit he stays there and plays with his toys. Though sometimes he tumbles on his sides and back. We have thick fluffy carpet and normally he sits on comforter and play so no chance of getting hurt while he tumbles. When he falls, if I ignore him as nothing happened he is back to his action and do whatever he was doing. But sometimes when we have worried expression and asks "Did you got hurt?" He starts crying as if he really got hurt and then when you lift and cuddle him he smiles as if nothing happened.
There are times when he is in my hand and I am talking with someone for few minutes. He gives signal hey talk to me, play with me and then if you still continue talking and ignoring him he gets restless left with no option other than start talking to him and playing with him. He has started understanding emotions as whether other people are happy, sad, angry or ignoring him.
Next Target - He starts saying papa and mummy.
Friends
One thing I misses here is large friend circle and small kids. One of my friend in Boston, Debashis, used to frequently visit our house and play with him. While going back he used to say come with me, come with me and I used to say go with uncle. One day I thought let's see what he does when we are not there? One day I told my friend carry him away and I will say "tata" "tata" and will finally close the door. As we were doing this his facial expression started changing whether papa is really going to send him away. Though he didn't cried but was intimidated and was constantly looking at closed doors.
Once my friend Diptam visited our house and we had planned to visit local place. so I was trying to set up car seat while everyone was outside chit chatting and then I finally buckled him in the car seat and closed the door. He immediately looked around in the car and finding that dad/mom are outside he started crying and then again I lifted him up and let her mom seat next to him and finally buckled him happily.
Here it's just Nimisha and me and occasionaly people visits our house so not sure how will be his behaviour with strangers at latter stage. I would love to have many kids nearby so as he learns to mingle and share his toys. Friends, close friends is what I am missing here.
Learning to make sound and feeling of touch
Bittu is a happy baby and you can see evergreen smiles and he tries to make lot of different sounds out of excitement. I make sound of dogs, cats, lion, pigeon and he too reciprocate in his own way. Sometimes out of excitement he makes lot loud sound while shopping, eating in restaurants catching everyone attention. Sometimes he loves to play and make sound in midnight and days are not far when someone complains there's too much baby sound or not sure whether parents are beating :-( or something else. He is in his best mood when you make sound of dogs or cats but sound of lion scares him and if you repeat 2-3 times he starts crying as well.
Besides sound he is exploring his fingers and would like to touch everything and get the feel of it. He would like to lift it, hold it, throw it and then again lift it and this continues. While he is sitting on desk, I taught him to make sound with thumping your plams and he will beat hammer everything as if it's drum and listen how was the sound.
Seems there were lot of happenings, Well lot more to go and do visit for Eighth month posting to know about the latest progress in his life.
Saturday, October 14, 2006
About Gallery Tower
Background of Gallery Tower
Gallery Tower is located near Washingtom Place and as the name suggets whole street comprises of Arts, Gallery shop and infact just opposite to this apartment we have Walters Arts museum. I haven't got chance to visit this museum but it seems quiet popular with schools. As on weekdays, I often see queue of school bus and childrens visiting the museum.
Gallery tower is 55m and 50th tallest building in Baltimore and has 21 floors and built in 1964.
Just behind our apartment there is huge public library and I got membership immediately.
Facilities at Gallery Tower
It has all amenities which a modern apartment should have.
There is a swimming pool which I have not yet visited, Gym with all new equipments and TV (atleast I can watch my news till I get my own TV and cable), Trash Chute on each floor, Round the clock security, Business center which has PC with net connection and printout free for residents and a company bus which takes you to food market twice a week and a mall once a month. This will really help me in doing household grocery till I get my own car.
Gallery Tower is located near Washingtom Place and as the name suggets whole street comprises of Arts, Gallery shop and infact just opposite to this apartment we have Walters Arts museum. I haven't got chance to visit this museum but it seems quiet popular with schools. As on weekdays, I often see queue of school bus and childrens visiting the museum.
Gallery tower is 55m and 50th tallest building in Baltimore and has 21 floors and built in 1964.
Just behind our apartment there is huge public library and I got membership immediately.
Facilities at Gallery Tower
It has all amenities which a modern apartment should have.
There is a swimming pool which I have not yet visited, Gym with all new equipments and TV (atleast I can watch my news till I get my own TV and cable), Trash Chute on each floor, Round the clock security, Business center which has PC with net connection and printout free for residents and a company bus which takes you to food market twice a week and a mall once a month. This will really help me in doing household grocery till I get my own car.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Shifted to Gallery Tower
Day before yesterday, I signed the lease and had a great relief that apartment search comes to an end. Also, at other end I had guest house accommodation for one week which was coming to an end.
Yesterday, Nimisha packed all five big luggage and we planned to move to our new apartment which was just three blocks away. I came from office and hired a cab. Seeing so many luggage, cab walla was bit reluctant to go and only after my offer of paying him double he got ready.
We brought comforter and other essential items before our final move. Today, we finally shifted all our small bags and vaccated the guest house. After arrival of beta, number of items are just not stopping and now after two mega shifts: Bangalore and Boston, I am bit scared of making another move.
Currently, busy in opening bags and keeping household items at proper place and in between have to entertain bittu when he gets cranky. Poor guy, there are so many things to do that sometimes he is left behind to play with himself and his toys and he gets bored within minutes.
Yesterday, Nimisha packed all five big luggage and we planned to move to our new apartment which was just three blocks away. I came from office and hired a cab. Seeing so many luggage, cab walla was bit reluctant to go and only after my offer of paying him double he got ready.
We brought comforter and other essential items before our final move. Today, we finally shifted all our small bags and vaccated the guest house. After arrival of beta, number of items are just not stopping and now after two mega shifts: Bangalore and Boston, I am bit scared of making another move.
Currently, busy in opening bags and keeping household items at proper place and in between have to entertain bittu when he gets cranky. Poor guy, there are so many things to do that sometimes he is left behind to play with himself and his toys and he gets bored within minutes.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Finally got the apartment
Four days of Apartment search comes to an end. After coming to Baltimore only thing which was running in head was to find a decent reasonable apartment at a nice place.
As most of my colleagues were staying in downtown so this was suggested but somehow I have never appreciated the idea of living in a downtown due to number of reasons high rental price, highly commercialised though here our guys says this is the best but I think downtowns are never safe.
I also went to Owning Mills and Morning side apartment was amazing - had 1050 apartments, good landscape, places to stroll in morning & evening overall very good community. Only thing was that you need a car as it was from city. Though there was subway and buses but there was waiting time , winter was approaching and getting a car & driving licence would have taken few months so unhappily have to book in Gallery Tower in downtown at a very high rent.
May be once winter gets over, I would prefer to go far off from city and enjoy the greenery outside.
As most of my colleagues were staying in downtown so this was suggested but somehow I have never appreciated the idea of living in a downtown due to number of reasons high rental price, highly commercialised though here our guys says this is the best but I think downtowns are never safe.
I also went to Owning Mills and Morning side apartment was amazing - had 1050 apartments, good landscape, places to stroll in morning & evening overall very good community. Only thing was that you need a car as it was from city. Though there was subway and buses but there was waiting time , winter was approaching and getting a car & driving licence would have taken few months so unhappily have to book in Gallery Tower in downtown at a very high rent.
May be once winter gets over, I would prefer to go far off from city and enjoy the greenery outside.
Drank baby oil
After completion of one month, Nimisha started giving massage to beta with Johnson and Johnson baby oil and beta too enjoy having morning & evening massage.
While shifting from Boston, Nimisha faced problem of keeping half filled bottle of oil as it used to leak if kept horizontally so she poured it into a small pepsi bottle. (I was using this bottle for drinking water for weeks)
Well, one fine day at Baltimore after my dinner I just picked that bottle and drank the water and then I realized it was Johnson & Johnson baby oil. The oil is transparent like water and one cannot figure out untill one smells :-(
This reminded story of my grandmother. When I was a baby and was playing around dressing table so once I did a peeee around the dressing table. My dadi thought I have dropped the oil so she applied in her head and then she realized it's not oil :-)
While shifting from Boston, Nimisha faced problem of keeping half filled bottle of oil as it used to leak if kept horizontally so she poured it into a small pepsi bottle. (I was using this bottle for drinking water for weeks)
Well, one fine day at Baltimore after my dinner I just picked that bottle and drank the water and then I realized it was Johnson & Johnson baby oil. The oil is transparent like water and one cannot figure out untill one smells :-(
This reminded story of my grandmother. When I was a baby and was playing around dressing table so once I did a peeee around the dressing table. My dadi thought I have dropped the oil so she applied in her head and then she realized it's not oil :-)
Monday, October 09, 2006
Journey to Baltimore
While I was doing packing for Baltimore, I also started missing Boston so two days before we left, we re-visited harbour, downtown and other favourite hangouts. On the ther side, I was also getting worried how I am going to travel with all baggages.
We booked our ticket in Acela express (Amtrack) which allows max of 23 kg in one baggage. While coming from India we already had 29 kg in each baggage so it means I need to remove 6 kg from four big bags. Left with no choice, I had to buy an additional big suitcase.
Last day we made a final count and it was 5 big check-in baggage, 2 small stroller baggage, baby stroller, car seat, laptop bag, mothers bag and snack bag. 12 baggage in total and I was sure it won't come in one cab and was also bit worried how I am going to move in to station.
Words are not enough to Thanks Debashis. He helped us on 1st day when we were struggling to get keys of guest house till midnight and on last day when he sensed our problem and agreed to come to station early in the morning.
The train was at 7:15 AM from South Station so we decided to leave early by 05:30 AM (kept some buffer time for unexpected) and booked a mini van. It was chill outside and poor Debashis has to wake up at 05:10 AM for which I really feel sorry. My fear came true when mini van didn't turn up till 6 AM inspite of three calls but got relief after assurance from Malden Taxi company that it will positively come though it has been delayed.
Cab guy did turn up and we headed for Boston South Station. This was my first train journey in US so wasn't sure whether I will get luggage trolley but a guy from Amtrack (not sure whether he was porter) came with a big trolley and carried our luggage inside the train. After reaching the counter, I came to know that check-in luggage (5 baggage) arrives next day so started series of discussion with Nimisha as what will be impact if luggage comes after 1-2 days. But one thing I would appreciate is that Nimisha does extremely good packing and she assured that all necessary items are coming with us and we can survive for 4-5 days without those check-in-luggage.
We boarded the business class compartment of Acela Express and choosed a nice seat (there are no seat booked so seat wherever you like).
We booked our ticket in Acela express (Amtrack) which allows max of 23 kg in one baggage. While coming from India we already had 29 kg in each baggage so it means I need to remove 6 kg from four big bags. Left with no choice, I had to buy an additional big suitcase.
Last day we made a final count and it was 5 big check-in baggage, 2 small stroller baggage, baby stroller, car seat, laptop bag, mothers bag and snack bag. 12 baggage in total and I was sure it won't come in one cab and was also bit worried how I am going to move in to station.
Words are not enough to Thanks Debashis. He helped us on 1st day when we were struggling to get keys of guest house till midnight and on last day when he sensed our problem and agreed to come to station early in the morning.
The train was at 7:15 AM from South Station so we decided to leave early by 05:30 AM (kept some buffer time for unexpected) and booked a mini van. It was chill outside and poor Debashis has to wake up at 05:10 AM for which I really feel sorry. My fear came true when mini van didn't turn up till 6 AM inspite of three calls but got relief after assurance from Malden Taxi company that it will positively come though it has been delayed.
Cab guy did turn up and we headed for Boston South Station. This was my first train journey in US so wasn't sure whether I will get luggage trolley but a guy from Amtrack (not sure whether he was porter) came with a big trolley and carried our luggage inside the train. After reaching the counter, I came to know that check-in luggage (5 baggage) arrives next day so started series of discussion with Nimisha as what will be impact if luggage comes after 1-2 days. But one thing I would appreciate is that Nimisha does extremely good packing and she assured that all necessary items are coming with us and we can survive for 4-5 days without those check-in-luggage.
We boarded the business class compartment of Acela Express and choosed a nice seat (there are no seat booked so seat wherever you like).
Acela Express (name given to Amtrack train in NE corridor) is a high speed train with speed ranging from 120 km/hr and 241 km/hr and operating between Boston and Washington DC. Though speed was bit disappointing or may be expectation was bit higher. Train had everything for the best comfort: Electrical outlets for laptop, nice table to eat and rest your laptop, comfortable seat and cafeteria.
I was playing with bittu and showing him all the colourful leaves on the trees , train, nice building passing by. People were reading newspaper and few were blogging offline on their journey. We had a bag full of snacks: lays, pringles,banana, Haldiram, fried rice, spicy peanuts, pasta so one by one we were munching and ensured that at the end we don't have anything left:-) Luckily train was not so crowded and we had vaccant seat where Bittu had a nice sleep after our early morning rush.
As the train zoomed we crossed one state to another. Starting with Boston at Massachusetts, Providence at Rhode Island, New Haven at Connecticut, New york city,Newark at New Jersey, Philadelphia at Pennsylvania, Wilmington at Delaware we finally reached Baltimore Penn Station in Maryland State. so it was a trip covering almost all North Easterm states in US.
Initial environment didn't left a very good impression of the city. It was raining through out the day so may be city looked very gloomy . Cab guys were very helpful and we reached Radisson Plaza at downtown where we are put up.
Wish me all the best for apartment hunting :-)
IT guys never settle in life
I had just started un-packaging my luggage, trying to settle down and moving around in Boston when I got news that I need to re-allocate to Baltomore for next assignment.
IT guys never settle in life. In last 8+ yrs of my career, I have stayed in 8 cities that includes Trivandrum, Bombay, Minneapolis, Kolkata, Belfast, Bangalore, Boston, Baltimore. Seems fascination with cities starting with B. What next Botswana?
Do you regret ? No, I don't
Is this by your choice? Yes
Both YES and NO at the same time.
Yeah, I do enjoy hopping from one city to another, meeting with people of different culture, experimenting with local foods but then you never have lasting friend. You just start building relationship when either your friend departs or you. Then few nostalgic mails, then few more new friends and old buddies mail gets disabled due to some or other reason and he is lost.
You have potential to buy all luxuries for home but then there is a fear how long will this project last. You think enough is enough and this time we will buy everything from microwave to car and then you remember how in the last move you sold all your household goods at dirt price in short time and how you just donated few items which you failed to sell.
It's like "Bombay ka Ladoo Khaoo to Pachtao na Khao to Pachtao"
Let's see how long this goes and how many more shifts are awaited. Bittu is going to complete his seventh month and he too is involved in this process from Bangalore - where he was born, to Delhi - where he lived with his grand parents to Dhanbad - where he lived with his maternal grandparents to Boston and now Baltimore.
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Durga Puja at Boston
Yesterday night, I was talking to my mother when she reminded tommorrow is "Ashtami" and how puja celebration is in full flow at Shipra Sun City. She was missing us especially bittu and that made me nostalgic.My memory went 20 yrs back when university bus from Sabour used to take us to Bhagalpur and then we used to hop from one pandal to another eating Raj Kachori, Gol Gappa on the way. How papa used to buy gas balloon for each one of us and how much we used to enjoy when balloon of my brother used to blow or somehow one of us missed the thread and balloon goes in air. The fortunate one used to hold gas balloon like a medal back in home.
I was lost in the golden memories when my friend Diptam called and informed there is Durga Puja celebration at Wilson Middle School, Boston and whether we would like to come. No second thought and we planned for saturday morning.
It was bright sunny day and we headed for Wilson school on the way watching leaves having beautiful colours. There was traffic on highway and it seems everyone was heading for New Hampshire for seeing colour of leaves in this fall season.
We reached Wilson school in 30 min. and it looked quiet new and spread out in wide area. By looking at the parking lot, I just imagined the scene inside the school. After few turns here and there Diptam finally got the parking lot. Puja room was set up in a very big room looked like a indoor sports room and was crowded with guys wearing traditional kurta pyjama, ladies looking gorgeous in sarees & heavey jewellery and children were bindaas running here and there.
We had puja, photography session and I looked around the notice board which had instructions as what children should eat,drink and how much physical activity is required to keep themselves fit. With survey projecting majority of kids in US school obesse there are directions to school to provide healthy foods (no more coke and french fries). There was another interesting notice listing crimes and their consequences if repeated again. So if a children is caught chewing gum in class, one can be warned and if it occurs repeatedly he can be asked to do community service or may be remove all gums from the tables.
After puja we had delicious lunch of kichri (had after a long time), veg curry, papad, strawberry chutney and kalakand. Had burps and then Nimisha and Soumi rushed to corridor where there were stalls for fancy salwar, saree and jewellery.My heart was pounding, if she select one of these I have to spend fortune. Ahhh it just turned around to be window shopping.
There was cultural programme next in queue and it started with drama on "Shakuntala". Though this drama was in bengali but the best part was classical dance which used to convey the message very clearly and was performed by all kids. Bittu was a silent spectator watching colourful lights , small gals wearing attractive dress and dancing. Though occasional applause used to scare him.
Finally we had dinner and it was bit chill outside so it was time to say Good Bye.
Monday, September 25, 2006
First vaccination at Boston
18th Sept
It was fine sunny day and we had taken an appointment with Dr. Manorama Mathur at Salem Street for well care baby checkup for Bittu.It was at 11 AM so I had planned to go late to office and Nimisha was quiet busy from morning and bit excited to get vaccination done.
We boarded bus 106 for Salem street and after 15 min. we got down and then we realized this salem Street was in Medford and few local people informed that there is another SalemStreet at Malden so we hurriedly boarded another bus and now Nimisha tells she has left the medical file of beta at home.
We were already struggling to find the clinic and now medical report is left at home. Someday one thing happens after another. We again went back to Malden and I tried to arrange the cab and meanwhile Nimisha hurriedly went back to get the report.
We dashed for clinic in cab with 15. in hand.The clinic was at lovely residential area where you had few houses at top of small hill. We did reached on time but there were more trouble waiting for us. The receptionist says they are not able to find the appointment - ghosh they didn't made an entry in their system. Thanks for the doctor who agreed to see bittu.
After completing all formalities of registration doctor did thorough check up with do's and dont's and few recommended foods. Lastly, Bittu got Hepatitis B3 and Prevnar vaccination.He did cried with shrill voice but brave boy was quiet within minutes and we came back home.
It was fine sunny day and we had taken an appointment with Dr. Manorama Mathur at Salem Street for well care baby checkup for Bittu.It was at 11 AM so I had planned to go late to office and Nimisha was quiet busy from morning and bit excited to get vaccination done.
We boarded bus 106 for Salem street and after 15 min. we got down and then we realized this salem Street was in Medford and few local people informed that there is another SalemStreet at Malden so we hurriedly boarded another bus and now Nimisha tells she has left the medical file of beta at home.
We were already struggling to find the clinic and now medical report is left at home. Someday one thing happens after another. We again went back to Malden and I tried to arrange the cab and meanwhile Nimisha hurriedly went back to get the report.
We dashed for clinic in cab with 15. in hand.The clinic was at lovely residential area where you had few houses at top of small hill. We did reached on time but there were more trouble waiting for us. The receptionist says they are not able to find the appointment - ghosh they didn't made an entry in their system. Thanks for the doctor who agreed to see bittu.
After completing all formalities of registration doctor did thorough check up with do's and dont's and few recommended foods. Lastly, Bittu got Hepatitis B3 and Prevnar vaccination.He did cried with shrill voice but brave boy was quiet within minutes and we came back home.
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Sit like a frog
Now my son bittu can sit like a frog and the next step is crawling for which I am waiting patiently.
Yoga
When I was gaining weight people adviced me to go for yoga but all those advice just crossed from one ear to another but this chap seems to have listened all those advices and have started doing yoga. He will hold both feets with his hand and then puts toes in his mouth a feat I have never succeeded.
Playing with Jojo !!
One of my friend Diptam visited my house and have given wonderful musical teddy bear called jojo. You press nose and it says nose , you press left hand it sings rhymes and you press right hand it sings ABC, you press tummy it says hugs me and you press feet it sings wonderful songs and a light blinks.This is now bittu favourite toy and he enjoys pressing different parts and listening rhymes.
Completed six months
16th Sept 2006This naughty boy completed six months and days went like a zoom.
Sometimes, I think just few days back he was such a delicate baby when I was scared of holding while he was in hospital. I used to wait for hours when he is going to open his eyes.
Then I started holding him up in both hands with utmost care for his neck and he used to open his eyes give me a smile.
Then I started keeping him on one hand and his head on my shoulder again extra precaution for his neck and he started grasping my fingers and holding dada jee shirt pockets.
He gained strength started moving his head in one direction to another and no more support on his neck and very much fascinated of lights and moving fans. I remember there was a power cut and he was getting cranky b'coz of dark and candle light too didn't bring that relief. I carried him to nearby Kempforte mall where he was so excited seeing vehicle lamps and neon lights on the streets and malls. Watching moving fans was his favourite pastime.
I was so relaxed when he started sitting on my lap though with support atleast one of my hand was freed up to do multi tasking. His cooh caah sound used to bring smile on everyones face. Reliance unlimited phone was more getting used to have my mom in delhi listening his pota making noise in bangalore.
I was so excited when he started rolling first one roll then two-three rolls and then it also let me realize, sleepless nights are not yet over as you never know when he is going to roll over from the bed itself and dhum!!
Now he can sit like a frog, roll back and tries to drag but not able to move forward, makes lot of noise and poor dad/mom trying to understand his language. If he sleeps in east-west I find him North-South in the morning. He responds when one calls his name. He has started eating solid (paste) food. Following our rich tradition he too has sweettooth. When he is excited he will throw his hand and legs with a big smile without tooth.
He is scared when pressure cooker whistles, when crowd is clapping in some events, gets up in the dark and fire alarm goes on.
He is delighted when someone lifts him up, papa taking him for a evening ride on his favourite stroller and mom giving him massage makes him feel so relaxed and he is so happy splashing water in his baby bath tub. He enjoys watching himself in mirror wondering how did this duplicate came?
Six months went like a lightining speed but every moments can be cherished through out the life.
Sleeping postures
16th Sept 2006Look how this sweet boy sleeps.
When he sleeps, I think why he is sleeping the house is so quiet and when he is going to wake up. When he wakes up, I think when he is going to sleep and I complete all my pending stuff :-)
BTW - His favourite sleeping posture is with handup. Not sure what does it signifies in terms of profession which he will make an entry but I am scared :-)
Friday, September 22, 2006
Name changed to Bittu
Even before his birth, we choosed 5 boys and gals name and posted it on parenting site for voting from our close friends and relatives and we sorted out 2 names for both M/F. After his birth we gave him the name Aryan - a sanskrit word meaning honourable/respectable man.
But the pet name was debatable. I called him Chicki and her mom called him betu his dadajee called sonu and dadi called laddu beta and nana/nani called varun and I call him funkey monkey when he is naughty. He was called by so many lovable names that he got lost but responds positively when one calls betu. Well, her mom spends lot of time with him and calls betu so he recognizes it better.
So finally we decided to call him bittu as he is now used to mummy calling him betu which sounds familiar to betu.During earlier months I did liked kittu but it seems it's bit girlish so have kept it bittu. Let's see whether everyone in home likes this name and it catches up.
Eating Paper - No Papa
14th Sept
Beta enjoys making noise so no better toy than a sheet of paper which he folds, crumbles and like the crackling sound and tearing it away. One day this new game is going to come on me when he will tear my books as well.
Though we pay careful attention but yesterday he chewed those tiny bits of paper. It was when her mom found that small bit of paper has been chewed from large sheet that she put her finger in her mouth and brought all tiny bits of paper outside.
Those white papers were clinging in his upper jaw so for few sec. I thought his teeth is coiming :-) but putting the fingers in his mouth we found it was tiny papers.
Watch Video
Started sitting with support
By August end, Aryan started sitting on sofa though with support. We keep him on corner of sofaset well supported from back and sides and he just watches everything and plays with his favourite toys.
Started rolling
During mid August (5 months) , beta started rolling. He takes one roll then tries to put his weight on his hand but it seems stomach is not strong enough and then he whines. so we have to go and turn him back and then he will again take a roll. He has started enjoying taking rolls.
By first week of sept, he started taking number of rolls and now starts our sleepless night. During night if he sleeps in east-west position, one finds him in north south position in morning. We have now left keeping him on bed as you never know that you take a blink and humpty dumpty make a fall. One thing I found strange is that this babies are not scared of height. You warn him not to go to edges and he will go and have a look what lies beneath the bed or sofa.
Enjoys ringtone
Sometimes beta gets cranky and the best way to bring him back to his mood is by playing different ringtones of my cell. Well, now I show him different colours and plays tones for him and he enjoys touching it but days are not far when I need to hide the cell or lock the buttons.
Now when I am talking of cell, I remember two stories of my friend.
One fine day, one of my neighbour comes to our house that his kid has thrown the cell somewhere so he needs our cell to ring it up and find out where it is. To everyones surprise his cell was found inside his shoe. I often keep my cell in vibrating mode so morale of the story is if you have baby and cell keep it in loud ring mode.
One of my friend relative called him on his cell that he got few calls from this cell and it seems your beta is playing with it. He too was enjoying his voice so kept on listening :-) Thanks god it was just his relative otherwise you need to explain why there was a blank call.
New England Aquarium
27th August 2006
New England Aquarium is located in the heart of Boston city at Aquarium T-Station.
It has giant ocean tank (cylindrical) which houses sharks, turtles, and many smaller reef-living fish. It's opened at the top and surrounded by walkway where talks on aquarium goes at regular intervals.
There were several penguins and we also attended harbour seal exhibit. Electric eels and sea dragons were worth seeing.
Beta was quiet happy seeing colourful fish in lighted enclosed glass.
Annaprasan
24th August 2006.
Beta has now completed 5.5 months so we started feeding him with solid foods (paste).
I had a great desire to do "Annaprsaan" with great pomp and show but unfortunately we are seven seas apart so was a homely affair.
We just started experimenting with different food and here is the outcome.
Mashed banana with milk is delight
Apple Puree - boiled mashed apple with water - He thrusts himself to reach spoon and licks the spoon even it gets over - very happy
Papaya shake (Mashed papaya with milk) is received with great excitement.
Dal ka pani is received with frowning face
Carrots with mashed potato with added mild salt is rejected.
Fruit yogurt - Quiet Excited
Following our rich tradition of having sweet tooth so all salty stuffs are greeted with frown on his face and sweet food is met with smile and excitement.
BTW - Can you eat like my beta with food splashed all over his mouth ?? Yummy Yummy!!
Socks and Shoes getting dropped
23rd August 2006
Everday when I come from office, I take him for an evening walk on his stroller. Here in Boston days are sunny and it gets slightly chilled during evening so have it pack him up from top to bottom.
When beta goes outside, he gets so excited seeing cars, people and it's surrounding that he throws his hands and legs throughout the time. One of his favourite pastime is rubbing his feet and taking out socks and shoes and throwing it away. Often we see people running from behind or calling us hey he dropped his shoe. When we are not so lucky and reaches home we just find one socks/shoes missing from his feet.
Today, I barely walked for 100 mt. when I saw one his best shoe is missing from his feet and this was a matching shoe with one his best dress and I thought I cannot afford to loose it. Finally, I sat outside Malden subway station , nice place with bench and small garden and can find people sitting there in evening and her mom went back searching all the way to get his shoes.
We were fortunate that we got that and it seems we need to buy shoes which has lace.
Everday when I come from office, I take him for an evening walk on his stroller. Here in Boston days are sunny and it gets slightly chilled during evening so have it pack him up from top to bottom.
When beta goes outside, he gets so excited seeing cars, people and it's surrounding that he throws his hands and legs throughout the time. One of his favourite pastime is rubbing his feet and taking out socks and shoes and throwing it away. Often we see people running from behind or calling us hey he dropped his shoe. When we are not so lucky and reaches home we just find one socks/shoes missing from his feet.
Today, I barely walked for 100 mt. when I saw one his best shoe is missing from his feet and this was a matching shoe with one his best dress and I thought I cannot afford to loose it. Finally, I sat outside Malden subway station , nice place with bench and small garden and can find people sitting there in evening and her mom went back searching all the way to get his shoes.
We were fortunate that we got that and it seems we need to buy shoes which has lace.
Quincy Market
20th August 2006
On the return journey from MIT we headed for Quincy market at Boston downtown. This place is at Faneuill Hall Market place and crowded through out the time and is one of the most lively place in Boston.
There were jugglers, clowns, magicians, musicians entertaining visitors and numerous eateries and outdoor cafes won't leave you without munching.
One of the unique thing about Boston is that you will find colourful cow statue throughout the major places in city.
How can Aryan not have a snap with one of those?
Visit to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
20th August 2006
This was our 2nd weekend in Boston and we thought nothing better that spending time at world renowned technology school at MIT. We got down at Kendell T-Station and walked on the sides of Charles river getting an excellent view of the institute. We visited the great dome which has big letters of Massachusetts Institute of Technology carved in it.
Surrounding buildings had names of famous scientists (Aristotle, Newton, Franklin, Pasteur, Lavoisier, Faraday, Archimedes, da Vinci, Darwin, and Copernicus) carved in it with large roman letters.
It was bit disappointing to see my son sleeping throughout the tour :-) It seems not very keen on coming here.
Whale Watch
19th August 2005
As beta was getting dressed with his new dress he was making noise with excitement. Somewhere in his mind it was we are going outside.
We boarded Orange line subway from Malden T-Station and the destination was Acquarium. This is an extremely nice place where you can spend whole day watching cruises, small boats and you have acquarium,I-MAX theatre. If you have appetite for sea food then there are number of restaurants at your service.We went for Whale watch, a 3hr cruise on high-speed catamarans and they mentioned during the trip no whale no money.Guess what - We didn't got the refund :-) and we did saw number of whales on the way. Everyone was at outside deck and one person points his fingers and you can see hundreds of head turning in that direction. Hey, look see there you have one.
Wind was strong so I sat with Aryan inside the cabin and we took turns to go outside. He was bit scared due to noise and uncomfortable with the strong wind and his facial expression reflects the same.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Much needed stroller
14th Aug
Harvard trip was real fun but it also made me realize that beta is no more light and moving with a 6 kg baby won't be that easy.
The same evening we went to K-Mart and bought stroller for him and now this is his best friend.
Visit to Harvard
13th August 2006
This was our first weekend in Boston and I thought nothing better than to start the trip by paying homage to world renowned Harvard University. If not me atleast beta gets inspired to join one day.
It was bright sunny day and we boarded subway at Malden T station and beta was bubbling with energy watching passing by trees, vehicles, people. After 30 min. journey, we reached Harvard subway and just outside the T-station started the Harvard university. On the road side there were number of shops and restaurants and the most fascinating thing was people playing chess in one of those shades.
It was weekend but was crowded with number of visitors and each one not forgetting to take snap of library which is supposed to be one of the largest in the world. As we progressed we crossed president office, dormitories but Aryan slept even before we entered the gates of Harvard which was quiet disappointing to me.
After 2 hrs of tour and asking address crossing bridge, we finally reached much desired Harvard Business School (HBS). It was weekend and hardly there was anyone on the campus. It seems there was summer vaccation and people might be busy in their summer internship. The ambience and landscape was excellent and would had won anyone's heart.
The good part was that by the time we reached HBS beta woke up and I was glad that HBS was worth visit. I plan to put this photograph in his bedroom and I just hope that someday he plans to study here which will be like dream coming true.
Journey to Boston
5th September 2006
This trip will stand memorable as I had to fight against all odds. The travel plan came at very short notice and and most of the household items were sold at dirt price.Last few days were extremely hectic and the worst sufferer was Aryan.Even before flying he was down with fever so that too was a hindrance in getting personal work done at time. We didn't slept on Thursday night - packaging - Friday night at Mumbai airport till 3:15 AM and then again Saturday night flying so utter exertion.
Out of 9 hrs journey from Mumbai to London beta has almost cried for 5 hrs and so I faced all stary eyes. Beta has got evergreen smile and whines (not cries) only when he is hungry or when he is not given attention and this is the first time when he is crying continously and out of control for both of us.I really feel pity and fever, running nose, cough and nappy rashes have aggravated the situation.
There was break journey of 9 hrs at Heathrow airport which was kind of relief. Beta had a nice sleep and slept almost for 7-8 hrs. London to Boston was comfortable though he was cranky as well.
Logan International Airport is on sea shore so it seems as if you are landing on water. We had number of heavey bags so had called van for the purpose. Reached Malden by 9 PM but story is not yet over.Keys were supposed to be with security guys but they were not around and finally Debashis came for rescue. Stayed at his placed for sometime and finally got the keys in midnight and had a deep nice sleep after 3 days.
This trip will stand memorable as I had to fight against all odds. The travel plan came at very short notice and and most of the household items were sold at dirt price.Last few days were extremely hectic and the worst sufferer was Aryan.Even before flying he was down with fever so that too was a hindrance in getting personal work done at time. We didn't slept on Thursday night - packaging - Friday night at Mumbai airport till 3:15 AM and then again Saturday night flying so utter exertion.
Out of 9 hrs journey from Mumbai to London beta has almost cried for 5 hrs and so I faced all stary eyes. Beta has got evergreen smile and whines (not cries) only when he is hungry or when he is not given attention and this is the first time when he is crying continously and out of control for both of us.I really feel pity and fever, running nose, cough and nappy rashes have aggravated the situation.
There was break journey of 9 hrs at Heathrow airport which was kind of relief. Beta had a nice sleep and slept almost for 7-8 hrs. London to Boston was comfortable though he was cranky as well.
Logan International Airport is on sea shore so it seems as if you are landing on water. We had number of heavey bags so had called van for the purpose. Reached Malden by 9 PM but story is not yet over.Keys were supposed to be with security guys but they were not around and finally Debashis came for rescue. Stayed at his placed for sometime and finally got the keys in midnight and had a deep nice sleep after 3 days.
Plunge in blogging world
This is my first entry to the blogging world and I will write a diary for my son ARYAN who will cherish these wonderful moments when he grows up and I will re-visit all the leaves when I will be on the rocking chair.
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