RLTN – Relationships (Life Index) ; 235.40 +15.50 (+1.32%)

The weeks have been long, the time on the road extensive and the moments at home limited. Working life is well underway, rather the consulting life of living out of suitcases and commuting to work in planes is well underway. A hectic schedule such as that of a consultant can be demanding in many respects, especially when it comes to dealing with the unpredictable and sensitive nature of relationships.

I think it is no secret that I am a people’s person. I thrive on human interaction, the conversations, the laughs, the moments that push the envelope of a casual friendship to that of a meaningful connection and beyond and the instances when small actions speak louder than the biggest of words.

Just like many of us would take the time and effort to invest our money wisely to grow our wealth, I think it is equally necessary to apply the same due diligence when investing in our relationships to grow our spiritual wealth. A strong quality portfolio of friends and loved ones that one can trust and expect a high level of genuine care from takes careful and continued inputs.

Ever since I started working, I have had very few hours to myself and with those that I have identified as my blue chip stocks. Some live in Atlanta which I visit every other weekend,  some live elsewhere in the US, whom I get to visit once in a blue moon and then there are others that live all around the world and whom I get to physically meet even lesser. Despite the limited interactions, the small moments I have had have been very meaningful making me cherish the love I receive and at the same time reaffirm my faith in the time and effort I took in maintaining many relationships over the years. From Seattle to New Delhi, from Sunday morning phone calls across the world to what’s app group chats, from dinners with friends at home to nights with the gang at the club, the dispersed meetings have been wonderful, making me wake up with a smile every morning.

Humans are funny creatures with complex brains. The more years we live, the more our mind tries to analyze situations and check actions. Awkwardness, miscommunication, misunderstanding and hurt easily ruin the strongest of friendships. On top of that, we live at a time when most communication has mostly moved to texts, emails and over the web, greatly reducing face time and voice communication. When was the last time we picked up the phone and called someone for no good reason to chat? Or when was the last time we told someone on Facebook that they must have a great birthday and that together must the two people celebrate when they were reunited and actually then followed up with that? When was the last time we did not connect with someone on an important occasion of theirs because of perceived awkwardness? In my view, relationships are the hardest thing to manage but at the same time the joy of a meaningful connection is priceless.

I was in San Francisco this past weekend and this fact that investing in relationships pays off really drove home. I was staying with a friend of mine who I met through Akshay and who has become an integral part of those identified key players in my life. I was also meeting an old roommate from sophomore year. Together we all sat in Dolores park, an essentially SF afternoon, with hundreds of people enjoying the sun doing all sorts of things. It was during this day of catching up, thoughtful conversations and gentle leg pulling that I realized that was me cashing in on something I had invested in over time; two very different people, two very different relationships but a very meaningful afternoon together. Taking the red eye to New York that night, I felt a warmth within, thankful for those special people in my life. After all, we are only a reflection of what others love about us. It is the things that make us the beloved of others that we tailor ourselves to be. So in fact, investing in our relationships is at the end of the day an investment in us.

Take the time and check up on those that you cherish. It’s uncanny how small investments can have very big impact. Ditch the awkwardness, pick up the phone, call me maybe?! :D

Finding the joy in what we do

An end to another week and I am starting to get used to the consulting lifestyle; fly in early Monday mornings, take a cab to the clients site, work long hours, make the most of the few hours after work to eat, workout, interact with friends, take care of errands and relax, and then rush to take one of the last flights out Friday to make it back just in time to head out with friends heading out to the bars and clubs. A short weekend packed with meeting friends, catching up on sleep and errands, doing laundry and then heading to that airport again. So far so good!

            Consulting is a glamorous lifestyle; I am not going to lie but some of the perks are pretty neat but at the end of the day we spend many nights in a month working out of a suitcase and the last thing we need is a hunt for food and board. To all those looking on with zealous eyes, it’s not all jet-set clubs and fine dining, but a true art of striking the right work-life balance.

            Of all my friends, I was one of the last ones to start working after college. I took an extra year in college, chose the last possible date I could, and really took the time to prepare myself for the transition from the dynamic nature of university to the structured nature of a career. Many who had started working before I did, described work as just that, work; something that they did through the week to make money to then use towards living expenditures. Mondays were for the other kind of blues and Sundays were doomed even before they began in the dread that was another week. I wondered how such exciting, talented and bright people could find such little joy in what they did. Were the companies to blame? Was the type of work to blame? Were we as individuals to blame?

            One of the key challenges for me and others like me starting their careers is finding the joy in what we do. Time at the office or working for our companies takes up a considerable chunk of the daylight hours of the week and treating them like hours one is just waiting to get over with, would not be wise. What I mean is that we must find ways to get excited about work; whether it be about the people we interact with, service we deliver, initiatives we take or solutions we come up with. College is a wonderful time, almost too wonderful. But it doesn’t last forever and we must move on and embrace this new chapter in life.

            Though I do understand that some jobs are harder, more rigid and less exciting than others, either finding something else to do now or finding a niche at the present job is important to sustain a healthy career. By choice or by chance, we are working in the modern world, where work hours are high and down time low, finding pleasure in what we do is even more crucial than ever before. Simply put, we spend more hours of our waking time working than we do doing other things that we love and cherish. If we can’t find a reason to wake up on Monday morning, then something needs to be reevaluated. If possible, work should not just be something that pays the bills, but also something that has meaning and significance for some reason or the other.

            I am still very new at this career thing and up until now, I have done fairly well. I do love my personal time to do the umpteen other things I enjoy, but I am also waking up with a smile every morning, glad to be doing what it is that I am doing at work. As young educated adults we have much to contribute and much to be glad about. So the next time you have an absolutely shitty day at work, think of the many many other undesirable jobs that people are doing day in and day out. Let’s not complain, let’s find the joy in what we do!

A synergy par excellence

There is seldom a time when I eat a meal that I want to write about. And I have had my share of scrumptious  and lip smacking meals. From home-cooked to restaurant meals, from cheap eats to 5 course dinners, from hole in the walls to established sit down restaurants, from Vietnamese to Southern comfort food, I have licked, slurped and smacked my lips on many an occasion across cities and through years. But every now and then there comes a time, when a meal is more than just food on a plate or grub to fill the belly but the meal is a piece of art, a synergy of textures, flavors and colors that one must pause and ponder over the brilliance that presents itself in the form of food.

There are cities that do food well and then there are cities that dominate the food scene. New York City is undoubtedly a haven for delicious eats, offering something for every taste need there possibly can be. As luck would have it, work has put me in Brooklyn for a project for a few months giving me the opportunity to further explore and discover the culinary delights of this wonder city.

Walking around looking for a restaurant to eat in the West Village on a rainy evening, Sana and I after much indecision, entered a restaurant called 'Samba Sushi'. I had passed by the restaurant in Miami and here in NYC a few times and had been enticed by the name. The orange and yellow decor was urbane and inviting. The waitress informed us that the restaurant was a fusion of Japanese, Peruvian and Brazilian. My mind was ticking..

The menu was pricey and we hesitatingly decided to stay on and indulge ourselves. The menu had various appetizers divided into aperitivos, small plates, anticuchos (skewered meats) and seviches. There were also large plates and special samba rolls which are their unique take on sushi. We ordered the yellowtail taquitos, the ribeye and anji panca anticuchos, the Samba 7 sushi rolls, the BoBo Brazil sushi rolls and a portion of mashed purple potatoes. Here is what happened.

The first dish to arrive was the yellowtail taquito: Two small crispy tacos stuffed with the yellowtail blend placed elegantly on a plate with lemon wedges in a shot glass. The mushy, tangy fish blend complimented the crunch of the taco perfectly. Bite sized portion, enough to whet our appetite.

Next up, the anticuchos: Two skewers of perfectly grilled meat doused in a brown tart sauce served with juicy corn kernels. The meat was tender, the sauce complex and the corn provided the right pop. The stakes had been raised.

Before the rolls arrived, we got our portion of mashed potatoes. Still looking at each other puzzled, we dug into the mash not expecting much. Wrong again. The simplest of things to prepare, the potatoes were soft, creamy and utterly flavorful.

The first roll to arrive was the Samba 7 (Crispy lobster, scallion, cucumber, jalapeno, celery and served with a wasabi-chimichurri creamy sauce). The presentation was brilliant, the claw of the lobster fried with panko with a bit of meat left to nibble on. We took a roll each, put some of the creamy sauce, dipped it in the soy sauce and into the mouth went the roll. It is hard to describe what happened as the food went down my gullet. The flavors burst from every direction, the rice swished in the mouth, the jalapenos fighting the subtle lobster for prominence, the chimichurri and soy tying all the opposing flavors together. We felt silent, soon the plate was clean.

Samba 7 Roll

Mid way through the sushi rolls, we had gone ahead and ordered the BoBo Brazil roll that included Wagyu beef, avocado, shisho, red onion among others. Reeling from the tastebud confusion, arrived in front of us another beautifully presented plate. The thin slices of beef wrapping the rice and avocado within. Again we took a roll each, dipped in the soy sauce and welcomed them in our mouths. I do not exaggerate what I am about to say. The roll went in, the gently soy soaked rice started to melt, the creamy avocado provided resistance, the layer of uncooked top quality beef started to provide the salty balance and the mystery spice drizzled on the roll, took it from being a great tasting morsel to a flavor explosion like I have never experienced before. We looked at each other content to the core. What a mayhem of flavors, what a delight the experience had been!

Despite the magic of the meal, Sana and I were not done and wanted dessert. The streets around West 4th street led us to Cornelia street and to a small cafe called Vagabond. The small space we entered was like a trendy living room in someones apartment. Comfy couches, minimal yet artsy furniture and a few chalkboards with the menu. We ordered the Banana Bread Latte and a crepe called 'light my fire', a combination of marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate. There was no way anything could go wrong.
The Latte had the fragrance of a fresh loaf of banana bread and tasted delightful. The crepe perfectly golden
and sprinkled with castor sugar hid the marshmallows, medium sweet melted chocolate and crumbled graham crackers. I am sure you can imagine where this is going. A smore in a crepe - warm, sweet, gooey, there is nothing more to say. Still not satisfied, we ordered another crepe, a classic, strawberry and nutella. The hazelnut flavors blending with the fresh strawberries giving a tarty mouthful.

There are times when I ooo and aah and exclaim while I eat. Then there are some times when I express and compliment while I eat. Then there are also times when I go through a meal with a constant smile on my face. But, there is seldom a time when I fall silent while I eat. This meal, this carefully crafted masterpiece was nothing short of perfection!

YUM

The city of contrasts...

...And here I am, visiting this space to jot down something. The last two months have been quite a ride. A lot of emotions, experiences, interactions and many meaningful memories. Post graduation, I travelled to India with 3 of my friends and experienced my own country like I have never before. For a month, I explored, unravelled and tasted the depths of India with 3 very intelligent women whom I am proud to call my friends. The project to develop a coffee table book from the experience is under way...

However, this post isn't about that or anything specific for that matter but rather is about a multitude of thoughts that are bubbling in my mind, that must be given a cohesive form... 

What hasn't been said about NYC!? The city that never sleeps, the fashion capital, the world's bank, foodies paradise, NYC is everything and a little bit more. It's the place people dream of visiting, it's what young working people aspire to live in, it's where countless films and shows are shot in, it's the home of theatre, it is New York City!

And there I was with another month and a half left before the next chapter in my life began and I decided to shack up in this city of cities, the wonder that is NYC! 

I reached Manhattan on the 26th of June and Sana left for Saudi Arabia the next day, leaving me her little home or 'shoebox' as she calls it (It really is very small, but with ample character) in the Upper East side to live in. Very excited at the prospect of spending a month in this phenomenal city. I bid her goodbye and began the task of becoming familiar with the city, to a point I wouldn't be considered just another visitor...

Since I wasn't working, it meant I had a set amount of funds in the bank. New York is the kind of city where any amount earned can be too little, any amount imaginable can be spent in a day, and this meant I had to be extra careful. The streets of Manhattan are bursting with restaurants, cafes, bars, theatres, museums, you name it they have it. I had a few projects I wanted to work on whilst I was here, a few friends I wanted to hang out with and replenish the mind, body and soul before work began. There was enough to do.

Central park was a few blocks away from the 'shoebox' and I started running there early in the morning. Being a city of the fit and healthy, the park was flooded with serious runners and bikers at this time. The complexion of the park was entirely different the few times I ran in the evening, with kids playing about, out of state visitors, others out for a casual stroll and only the occasional runner or biker. But irrespective of the time, the park is a wonderful oasis of peace and natural green in the middle of the concrete jungle. In fact, Manhattan and its boroughs are full of great parks, small and big as I have discovered...

Many people may stake their claim at being locals of New York City or knowing where the best hot dog is or where the hippest bar is, but to be considered a New-Yorker, one must ride the Subway. (And I don't mean just travel on it, but rather learn the nuances of the connections, walk in and out of stations with crowds of people without looking out of place and all the while being aloof). I got myself an unlimited monthly card and started using the trains to get everywhere. The trains run 24/7 and it shows; the stations are dirty and the tracks are teeming with rats but the system works. At least for the most part. It is on these trains that start in one borough and end in another that one really sees the diversity of the cities people. Whether it is diversity of cultures, countries, languages or social classes, a train ride is never dull...

Living on a budget and with a lot of free time at hand, at first I wasn't sure of how best to spend my time. Spending time at home didn't seem right for I was in the 'city that never sleeps', but being outside invariably meant spending money at a watering hole or a food establishment. I explored areas in the outer Burroughs around restaurants Anthony Bourdain recommended on his show or when I met a friend in his/her neighbourhood. Greenwich Village, Lower East, Upper East, Soho, Meatpacking, Flatiron, West Village, everywhere I went, I found it hard not to spend money. I wondered whether people living here actually went out all the time to eat or party or did there exist a balance?

Over meals, walks and coffees with a good friend of mine who moved here after living in Georgia for 20 years, we realized that this city was lacking the warmth that some smaller, less attractive cities posses. At any given time, one can find hundreds of people walking around. Despite the presence of the millions of people that inhabit this wonder city, there is loneliness here. From the super rich to the destitute, I found people searching for something. I saw it in their eyes. In a city that moves at break neck speed to keep up with itself, people hardly take the time to form connections, be it at the local grocery store, on the train to work and back with the same folk or even with those they are attracted to...

It took me a few weeks to settle down and find purpose in what I was doing. I started exploring more, started to make time to meet friends in their homes and not at bars or restaurants and started working on personal projects. No longer did I feel the urge to go out and drink and do something because I was in the middle of the action so as to speak...

Don't get me wrong, NYC is like no other place. It's glamorous, it's full of character, and at times it is even awe inspiring. There is something for every interest here and that is wonderful. But if you're not from here or don't know people here, it can be overwhelming and lonely. Which brings me to the conclusion that it isn't the place but the people that make or break a city.

I have loved living in NY for I have found the balance wherein I am content just going over and picking up Cumberland sausages for a recipe from a small English store in the West Village, talking to the Chicken and Rice guy from Morocco, seeing kids frolic in the park at Union Square, watching a documentary as part of a film festival at the elevated acre in the financial district or just being giddy when I have made the train connections perfectly. And with all that, I have mixed in going out to eat, partying on rooftop bars, hanging out at speak easy's (Underground bars from the prohibition era in the US when liquor was prohibited), hookah and brunch bars...

One of these evenings I found myself in a penthouse of the Trump Palace on the upper east side. There were 8 balconies, one every 45 degrees. Perched on the 50th Floor of an apartment I could have only dreamed of, when the first signs of light appeared in the sky, my friend and I were spellbound. Words won't do justice to what I felt that morning as the sun began to appear in the distance. The sunrise that morning moved me to tears for I felt humbled.. We saved the best for last, the balcony of the master bedroom gave a north to south view of Central Park. The orange-red rays illuminated the buildings around, and I felt thankful. In a city where most people struggle to make a living, I watched from above, the tiny figures, the lush cover of trees, the mighty buildings and the East river. It 'appeared' perfect.

NYC- A city where they don't judge your beliefs, but they do judge your shoes! 

When it isn't black or white anymore..

I am growing up and so is everyone around me. A dear childhood friend of mine who I have known and loved since kinder-garden is getting married this December. I couldn't be happier for him. I am graduating in a few days and I couldn't be happier for myself! 

I recently read a book called Persepolis; It was a serious book written in the form of a comic with events described as seen by  a 9 year old child girl growing up in Iran in the early 1980's. For those who don't know the significance of this time, it was the time of revolution in the country when there were a lot of political changes and much blood was shed. What I loved about the book was how perceptive the little girl was and how she saw the world; in black and white...

I am very naive. I am fond of almost everyone I meet and have a hard time taking sides. I have always been this way and as a result have been lucky to form a special bond with many from different races and backgrounds...

I am like the girl from Persepolis in that I take things for what they are. To me something is right or wrong, black or white, no gray in the middle. I don't play games. I don't like playing games..

Lately, I have started to realize that my approach and perception is unique. Most people don't see things that way and tend to hang on the fence with many issues and conversations. This idea is foreign to me and I find myself puzzled, confused and at times disturbed..

I believe my outlook gives me the liberty to speak my heart at all times without fear of any consequences. It gives me the power to be myself, all the time. It's like a drug, giving me the high that no substance could.

Over the last few years, I have been thrown off by the actions or rather lack of actions of many folk. Earlier, I used to rake my brain to understand the reasons for their odd behavior and  at times find answers but would soon find myself trying to crack some other puzzle. Was it worth it? Maybe. It helped me understand the psyche of people and most times I realized the core problem was the same. Humans by nature are non-confrontational. Putting up a tough front is merely a shield for the weak and timid person within. I don't like confrontation either, but confrontation isn't always ugly or negative by nature. It's merely an expression of one's feelings... I might not understand the other approach but I continue to be an open book for I don't know any other way..

The more I observe the human phenomenon around me the more I realize how complicated humans are and how warped their minds get. I have always been genuinely happy for the successes of my friends and acquaintances just like I have been sad during their losses. I feel a part of their lives that way... Unfortunately, barring a few, others are not able to reciprocate the happiness the same way during my highs. But that's true of humans all over isn't it? It's hard for them to genuinely rejoice with even their closest ones unless the matter of jubilation isn't perceived by them as a threat to their goals and aspirations. How sad! We miss out on so many small and big occasions in each others lives because we are too caught up over-thinking something, or feeling envious or cursing our luck...

As we grow up and become more wise, we also become more tactful and clever in the way we interact with people. Everyone is considered guilty unless proven otherwise and not the other way around. What happened to the simpler times of youth when  a spade was called a spade. Going back to Persepolis and the little girl, it was such a refreshing read. There was no agenda, no preconception, no bias, but simple observations of the happenings around. It was so powerful, it was so meaningful!

I read something great the other day. It was a speech made at a commencement ceremony at some university. The orator of the speech urged people to go and 'love someone'. Not be loved but love someone. Loving someone wholeheartedly without holding back is one of the purest feelings. It's the kind of love you don't expect anything in return for. It's one of the hardest things to do, but its beautiful. It makes the senses come alive.. 

As I prepare for graduation, I expect a sense of pure exuberance to erupt from deep within and manifest itself into song, dance, smiles and a lot of love. As I close a memorable chapter of my life and embark on another journey, I make it a point to keep my head clear of any ill feelings and cherish each moment, each interaction for what it is. Life seems to be more an endurance challenge than a 100m dash. So stop, take a moment and don't neglect what's really important! 

  

Its Brunch

What makes a city great? Is it the food, the attractions on offer, the weather, or the agglomeration of different cultures or is it something more abstract? As may have been clear by now, I enjoy moving around, going to small and big cities in my quest to see more and more of the world. I have lived in Atlanta for about 5 years now but have always found something missing. The city has great food, attractions, many different cultures, but somehow fails to ‘Wow’ me! On a trip this past weekend, I might have finally cracked what it is that’s amiss.

           

One of the first American Shows I watched outside of cartoons was Full House. For those who aren’t aware, the Olsen twins played the role of Michelle as an adorable 4 year old child in a loving family. The family lived in San Francisco. After about 10-15 years since I last watched that show, I had my first opportunity to visit the hilly city!

            

When you think of California, you think great weather, great food, and beautiful people among other things. Like NYC is its own entity so is California; Having not been to many cities besides LA which I thought was okay, I wondered if Californians were pretentious and had an air about themselves, well just because they were from California. San Francisco proved to me why the Bay area is such a desired area to be in.

            

A lot of my friends from college moved to San Francisco after graduation to pursue careers in the gigantic tech industry there. I was staying with a friend from Bombay, Tarush, who did his Bachelors from Carnegie Mellon. A shared interest for electronic music was bringing us together for this weekend as a new and upcoming sensation in the house scene, Alesso, was playing at one of the top venues in San Francisco, Ruby Skye. Ruby Skye is known to host some of the biggest names in EDM throughout the year. But just like my trip to Lebanon for TATW 400 (Above and Beyond’s Radio Show, you know by now), I experienced so much more during the course of my trip there; the music was just the cherry on top.

            

I got to SF around midnight on Thursday and proceeded to my friend’s apartment on Van Ness Street. He lived in a very spacious modern apartment geared to be a bachelor pad: Minimal furniture, comfy sofa and bed and a great sound system. We just spent the night catching up, planning for the day ahead. Planning for 4.20

          

Friday afternoon around noon we left the apartment to be welcomed by an unusually sunny and warm day by San Francisco standards. I think I brought the sunshine with me. First stop was Market Street and the most iconic building of SF, The Ferry Building. The wide complex houses many gourmet restaurants and stores selling food likes cured pork and organic honeys to chowder and oysters. To add to the goodness on offer, was a deck overlooking the SF bay flocked by seagulls. This was the perfect place to grab the first bite: An assortment of cured pork meats drizzled with a light vinaigrette dressing between a hearty bread. What a start.

            

After walking around a bit, I met up with another friend and I got to experience the hilly nature of SF. As we drove up Market Street, the roads went up and down in a very distinct way I haven’t come across anywhere before. We went to Hayes valley; a quiet neighborhood lined with boutique stores and artisanal cafes. My friend lived right above one in an old quaint building, in a small studio apartment with bay windows opening up to the trees beyond. It was quite the setting.

            

We proceeded to a beer garden around the corner which was packed 10 minutes after it opened at 3. We chatted about life, soaked in the beautiful weather and people watched. Tarush joined us soon after and we headed to another bigger beer garden called Zeitgeist. This place was even more bustling and we took up residence on an already crowded outdoor table with seemingly unassuming folks. What I hadn’t realized yet was what a close knit tech community SF is.  More often than not you can ask someone what they do, and the response would be as an engineer in a tech company. (Apple, Google, Facebook, Twitter, and many many not as well-known but equally important companies). The guy at our table worked for Google.

            

After another drink at a nearby Vietnamese restaurant we headed back to be joined by Evan in a few hours. He was flying standby and somehow made it out of Atlanta. The fearsome threesome was united, things were about to get real. We had already missed any real opportunities to eat dinner having meandered all day long, so we just proceeded to the clubs. First we went to a club called Temple, had a great setting but the music wasn’t great so we left soon thereafter. Vessel, the club we went to next, was a great time. The DJ knew how to get the crowd bouncing and 2 hours later, we walked out, shirts wet, hearts content. Some funny incidents on the way home included me embracing a Bank of America ATM because, “I love my bank” and us catching a live performance of a man drumming on empty cans, a light pole and buckets. It was time to call it a night..

            

Think of a time when you went outdoors, and the sun shone brightly and the gentlest of breezes tickled your skin; Day 2 was just that, idyllic. Believe it or not, one of the more defining things about SF is its brunch culture. Yes Brunch.  One wouldn’t think much of it besides that comfort Sunday afternoon meal which isn’t really breakfast but isn’t really lunch, not because of the hour its eaten at but because of the food in play. SF is where brunch was redefined. Irrespective of how much people drank the night before, on the weekend at 11 am, they all queue up at one of many brunch places, particularly, Lime. Located in Castro place, SF’s very obviously gay and vibrant area, Lime was like a day club. Hip tunes, a hipper crowd, brunch essentials like eggs Benedict and unlimited mimosas. I must say it was quite the experience. ‘It’s brunch’ was soon to become the tagline of the trip.

            

Once we got our pretentious fill for the day, we proceeded to do something more impromptu and one of my favorite things when discovering a city; walk about with no real agenda. Tarush pointed to the Twin Peaks (SF’s highest point) far in the distance and sometime between finishing brunch and seeing some stark naked men roaming in this district, we were on our way up the mountain. It was quite a trek, but what a great decision it was. I had already been noticing the different housing options around town from the modern apartment to the old studio, but this hike up the mountain provided a glimpse into what were to become my favorite living haunts in the city; Houses, big and small dotted the hill, all unique in their style, but similar in their use of windows that gave unparalleled views of the city below and the ocean in the far background. This was the kind of house Michelle lived in. This was the SF I had seen on TV.

            

The hike all the way to the top kept getting better and we were more and more convinced of how we needed to have a place here. After spending about 30 minutes at the top looking far down at where we started from, Evan and I (residents of Atlanta for 5 years, and visitors to many many cities in the world) realized why Atlanta didn’t attract us as much even after 5 years. To quote him he said, “It’s all about the experience here.” A seemingly simple statement clicked right away and it was true, Atlanta was missing the community vibe, collective activities that people did together. Tarush had already told me about many interesting festivals like the Love Parade wherein music trucks start in different parts of the city, with people dancing around them, finally meeting at the center. There was so much that worked for SF; whether being a port city, epicenter of tech firms, the resident’s love for music or just the simple fact that it was a walking city! In my experience any great city must be a walking city, and unfortunately Atlanta is too spread out to be one.

            

After contemplating life’s bigger questions, we headed home to get changed to answer a simpler much more pertinent question; what’s for dinner? In a place that was bustling with so many cultures, food had to be great and we needed to eat something special. Located in the Marina bay area, Fisherman’s wharf is SF’s answer to Seattle’s pike place market minus the local produce plus hundreds of restaurants serving up the catch of the day. It was hard enough picking one, but the anticipation for the food was even more tantalizing. I ordered the seafood chowder (Had that in Seattle too, direct comparison) and the bruschetta with Dungeness crab. Others had the mussels, a trio of fish fillets in a light sauce, and a seafood platter that included jumbo shrimps and scallops. The sauces and preparations were Italian…

            

There was to be yet another awe invoking moment before Alesso’s set itself. We headed to the Mariott Marquis’ bar called, The View. Located on the top floor, as I exited the elevator and looked around, I genuinely didn’t know what to say. Aptly called the view, there was a 360 view of the city from this vantage point in the sky. Dim lighting and low lying furniture added to the pure stark beauty that was, this view!

            

Unfortunately it was too crowded and we didn’t get to have a drink there but we proceeded to an Irish bar before heading to the headline event of the night – Alesso. I will not talk about that in this post since I could go on writing pages describing what that set delivered. One thing that is becoming clearer to me is that Electronic music is the truth and there is no escaping it. I don’t know of many other events where masses of humanity sway with joy the way they do at such gigs. If I were to pick a song to go with this post, to describe the feeling within, I would choose this.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNYL7-Tu6fQ ..

               

2 days was definitely not enough here. What a complete weekend it was. I got to catch up with some close friends, got a taste of local flavors, saw first hand things SF prides itself on, was taken on a musical journey and most importantly, I got to experience brunch! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2uE4P3P5sI

The end is near..

I wrote this is as an editorial for the newspaper.....


May 5th promises to be a monumental day in my life. It is the day I will walk alongside my peers, a huge crowd in attendance, the setting - overwhelming, the occasion - Convocation Spring 2012; the culmination of a journey that started about 5 years ago for a young boy from New Delhi. I will receive my Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering from one of the most reputed and coveted schools in the world. Oh how I can’t wait.

One’s last editorial before graduation is meant to be a swansong; an ode about the ups and downs, the good times and the not so good times, the transformation from boy to man on the way to becoming a hell of an engineer.

Reflecting back, It has been a mind boggling ride, with my life’s hardest and most cherished moments having occurred at this institution. School (Primary through high school) had been full of memories, almost a stroll through the park, made possible by the countless friends I made and my parents who supported me through everything.
I was going about life worrying little about the next day, let alone about college. Everything happened quickly from there; I took the SAT’s because my friend asked me to. I got a good score, I convinced my mom, applied to some colleges, asked around a little bit and picked Tech, and soon was on a flight to the US; my very first visit.

I was clear about two things. One, I was going to make the most of my opportunity, get involved on campus and second, I was going to live life to the fullest. Soon, I found myself in a fraternity, on the board of India Club, taking leadership roles in AIESEC, working an on campus job and soon was also on my way to my first internship. Though this might sound typical of a college student, it meant a great deal to me as a foreign student for I was constantly having to adjust to the ways of the US, dealing with managing my emotions far away from home and all the while handling the difficult engineering curriculum. American culture is easy to assimilate into but is significantly different than any other. However, being an 18 hour flight away from home didn’t bother me as I was constantly engaged.

My life changed the summer of 2008. In a chance meeting with a stranger on a gorgeous sunny day on the rolling greens at the University of Nottingham in the East Midlands of the UK, I fell in love. What ensued was a cross cultural, cross country romantic story like no other. We were from different worlds, we were not meant to meet, but we did. She was to become the pillar, inspiration, motivation and support for the rest of my college life.

So much happened whilst at Tech. I got my first job, my first car, my first credit card! I worked hard, I enjoyed the companionship of my peers, I grew as a human being, I found mentors, I found brothers, I picked up skills, my brain sharpened, I studied abroad, I got a 4.0, I was part of a winning movie for CMF, I did a co-op, I travelled the world extensively, I had heartbreak. I picked up a minor, I met inspirational people, I made lifelong friends, I made the Dean’s list, I flirted, I found my love again, I became an Editor, I started to blog, I won the ME senior design competition, I got a full-time job with a consulting firm, I did undergraduate research, I got published, and then I also lost a friend.

I could spend days recounting stories and memories of these apparently unrelated events but there is an underlying thing that ties all of them together: I was never afraid to take on a challenge, whether it was academic, social or extracurricular. I constantly strived for more and more, and refused to settle for anything less than the best. I always believed anything was possible. As I mentioned before, besides my lady love, my friends were instrumental in keeping me upbeat, inspired and most importantly, dreaming big.

Personal change was inevitable. When I look back at the innocent boy from India that I once was, I feel overwhelmed at the thought of how one decision to pursue higher education in the US, far from home, brought about such telling and meaningful growth in me. Tech gave me everything; cherished bonds, innumerable memories, academic excellence, incredible values, grit, determination and most importantly, the will to succeed under the toughest of circumstances.
If I were to summarize in one line, into a sort of advice for younger readers, I would say, embrace Tech and everything that goes with college life. College years are the most formative, most memorable years of one’s life, and one should never have any regrets.

May 5th may be the end of my association with college in the traditional sense, but I will continue to be associated with my Alma matter that gave me such a wonderful launching pad. One of my dreams is to have the first President’s Scholarship by an Indian for international students such as myself. And now I will bid adieu with these fitting words. “If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it.” – William Arthur Ward