A weekend in Boston... waiting for lovely FallS

I was in Boston this weekend, after almost 2 yrs.. & I had a good time. It was nice. The people who know me & my opinion about Boston may find it surprising that I enjoyed Boston. Although, I did enjoy Boston earlier too, sometimes. I guess its always been about people, & that part was very good this time round. Met some old friends and new people as well, both was lot of fun. Also visited Rhode Island for few hours, it was okay too. The weather was nice all this weekend too. Kinda chilly on Friday night but very nice all Saturday & Sunday. I was told that it was one of the warmest Oct 9 in Boston area, with record breaking 84 F. Although its almost impossible to predict. Cold then humid then colder then rain then cold then rainier then.... UGH. Wish the weather is good for next 2 months, Wish for lovely FallSeason & pre-winters!!

NYE celebrtion in Boston & leaving MA to VA for MS in IT... Cool Naa!!

So, what's this (actually, the previous blog)?? Just webdings fonts saying "HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010!!!!!!!!!!", cool naa!! However the direct link takes you to my new awesome blog "Falana-Dhimkana" about poetry & prose by me or liked by me, started this new year..... So, what did I do for new year? I went to Boston's First Night Celebration. Wasn't bad, it was nice actually. Thay had lots of shows (like bhangra dance, bands, music, improv comedy etc) at Hynes Convention Center. All you needed was the Button ticket for the Event which was $18. I got it for $5 only by buying it from another person, cool naa!! Then they had some band performing at Boston Commons as well, which was kinda lame but okay (means I like lame, huh!!). But they had lots of Ice Sculptures all over the city which was really cool (now what the hell do you expect, ice sculptures to be hot?? huh!!). I like ice sculptures & sand sculptures too, cool naa!! Then went to a Nightclub after midnight. And as expected, the club was full but lame as always (& I didn't like it which means I dint like lame, huh!!). Boston Nightclubs are lame & I hate them & Boston too. But the NYE in MA (Massachusetts, such a tough word that I can never get it right without spell check. Even now, huh!!) was good, cool naa!!
So... many of you might be thinking. What next? What am I doing? (if not then please do think yaar, read this). I am moving to Virginia (VA). I'll be doing MS there in IT. Why Virginia? Because I like Virginia, i love it. I spent long time there in 2007-08. Sweet memories, lots of friends, goood place. Why MS in IT? Because that seemed most suitable thing to do right now for me, that's it. I am moving tomorrow so details will follow soon. Till then wish me luck & Thanks... cool naa!!

Boston is really bad, COLD...

Today with the maximum temperature of 28 degrees & minimum of 9, you can understand what I am talking about. Ohh, I am talking in Fahrenheit & not Celsius, so it is -2 max & -13 min. And with the wind & chill factor, it actually feels 10-15 degrees worse. I am not sure why in US it's called Fahrenheits. Like why is it Miles & not Kilometers, Gallons & not Litres, Pounds & not Kilograms... just WHY??? US likes to be different, or something like that. Well, I am getting used to both now, so it's not bad. But either it's 32 degree Fahrenheit or 0 degree Celsius, both are freezing. And so are the Boston winters. And n top of that it rains & snows too. Roads are getting bad, you can't walk easily with snow & ice & water all around; gotta be very careful. And the freezing wind makes any open part of body just dead numb. Like hands when they come out of pocket/gloves, or poor face which is always exposed. An 85+ degrees on AC is also not helping the cold room. I guess snow & snowfall are only so beautiful in Indian movie songs when the poor actress is running around in a sari or skirt with the guy draped in jackets or coats. They are singing, dancing & enjoying it and so do we. But not in real here, you just want to get hell out of it, or get it over with. Sunnier days are even worse, it looks from inside home that it would be sunny & warm or atleast less cold. But the moment you step out not well prepared, it's damn freezing. I have been fooled so many times by sunny outlook. Boston winters are really bad & COLD!!

India vs USA... Women's Junior Hockey World Cup 2009

Most of you will not know, but there is Woman's Junior (under 21) Hockey World Cup 2009 going on in Boston (USA) these days; even I didn't know that. I went to my usual visits to MGH (Massachusetts General Hospital) this week & saw a young India girl sitting there in a sports dress which said Indian Hockey. It's always exciting to see Indians when you are living abroad, special when they don't seem to be ABCDs or the obnoxious types (trust me, many Indians become so obnoxious, mean & just crazy living in US... I guess we Indians love to hate other Indians). So just out of curiosity I asked her that what was she doing there; I thought they were here for some training or something form some school , but it turns out that she was here with Indian woman's hockey to play Junior World Cup 2009. I was surprised to know that there was a world cup happening in Boston/Cambridge & even India was playing in it. There are no hoardings or posters and not even any kind of promotion or advertisement around here for this. But anyways, the girls name was Vandana (from Lucknow) I& found out from her that one of there player Vaishali got injured in there match with Australia (they defeated them 3-2 & also defeated Belarus a day back with 6-0). Then I talked to there Physio Vikas & told them that I'll try to see there match with USA on Thursday (which was today).

I wasn't feeling very well today & had lot of work to do as well so was not sure if I'll be able to go or not. But I was able to wrap-up my work by 6.15pm & I decided to go & see the match (afterall India was playing yaar!!). The matches are being played in Harvard University grounds which is around half an hour away from my place (click here for directions) & I had asked few people but no one else seemed interested to go. It was my first time to Harvard (which is a very nice place & I really liked it) and I managed to reach the grounds. My only introduction with hockey before today was through Chak De India (many of you might know hockey stick as a weapon too though) & because of which I knew that the match is played for 70 mins (remember the motivational speech Shahrukh Khan gives to girl saying "sattar minute"). I was not actually even watching the match but just talking on phone initially. Then I started looking in the ground to identify the girl I met at MGH & maybe take some pictures too. The Indian team was trying to make a goal at that time & the ball was being dribbled amazingly between those hockey sticks by our Indian girls. I suddenly realized that it's not a movie & it's not sure that this will turn into a goal... & it did not. & I was so damn disappointed, really I was. And then I totally forgot about searching for that girl or taking any picture; I was so engrossed in the match. My heart was pounding & breath running as the ball was running on that field (I was literally gonna pass out I felt). I was one of the very few Indians there & the stadium was filled with all Americans cheering fro US team. But I didn't feel lonely, I felt proud.

In the break (there are 2 rounds of 35 mins each) I saw few more Indians there but it really wasn't enough. No cheering, no banners... nothing. We need to do better for our country & our girls. In the first round India was down by 2-1 & after the second round we lost the match by 4-2. I was not really disappointed though, it was nice to see India playing (and we are already into the next round by wining 2 matches) also there was lots of foul play & cheating by the umpires (they didn't give us 2 penalty corners & turned one goal into a foul). It was really sad to see see our Indian girls who looked so malnourished though, US girls looked like body bulders. We need to take care of there fitness, but they still are doing a great job. I met the coach Mr MK Kaushik & he said to me, "sorry, we disappointed you. we couldn't win this. But we will do it in next time & further". I was really touched, really!! I congratulated him on the earlier wins & told him that I am waiting to see them in finals & then winning the world cup too. I also told him that I'll try to bring more friends & fans next time. The next match is on Saturday with England & I'll try to go. You tan check the whole schedule by clicking here. I really hope there are more Indians cheering for our team next time onwards. I know that hockey even being a national sport is not much in India; & on top of its woman's team. I read in an article that when this same team won Challenger's cup, only one of our top 5 newspapers even cared to report it. We really need to recognise the great talent in our country in each & every field & give them due respect. Anyways, leaving the politics apart I really hope that India wins this or atleast performs great & we have a good turnout from us Indians. BTW, you know which song was being played when India made a goal.... ofcourse "Chak de India".

As for rest of stuff, all's okay. My back pain is improving & I am getting better. haven't been out in Boston much yet but I do not have many great things to say about Boston yet. I'll try to keep you posted with the world cup updates & my life too. Till then... keep reading, commenting & enjoying. This is RAHUL saying Good Bye & Good Luck... JAI HO!!!!!

10 days in Boston...

So I haven't written for quite long & many of you must have been waiting (or my be happy that I am shut up!!). I have been in Boston for 10 days & it has been good & bad. I have been in pain ofcourse because of my back injury & have visited doctors @ MGH twice. They tell me I have no fractures & I'll get better, but will take some time to heal totally. The Percocet I got last time was weird though, made me sicker so I am off it & on to strong dose of Ibuprofen & Cyclobenzaprine. Then medicines keep me dizzy/drowsy but the pain is improving. I hate medicines & I really hope I get fine soon.

I am staying in http://www.marriott.com/BOSCM here which are really nice, way better than those Extended Stays of Virginia or Kansas. They have large LCD TV with cable, full fledged kitchen with all amenities & utilities, attached bathroom, full furnisihing & everything, No need to worry about housekeeping, cleaning or even paying bills. Also they have daily nice American breakfast (bread, scrambled eggs, juice, oatmeal, bagels, donuts etc) & evening snacks (brownies, Doritos, salad, cookies, soda etc) too. I am liking it!! The hotel is close to Kendall Metro station of MBTA which we use for daily commuting to office & usual traveling. We don't get to rent cars here because we don't need it because of metro & parking is very expensive everywhere in Boston. And yeah, Boston is damn expensive man. The cigarettes cost here $10 a pack (& that doesn't says I smoke, i might have just found out)!!

So, on monday I went to my new WMC office (Wellington) dressed in full business formals. I bought 2 business suits before coming here just for this, one dark blue & other dark gray. I was wearing a tie for 1st time after school & it feels weird. I really don't understand who came up with this idea of wearing a long flat ropey clothe in neck which has to be tied in a particular fashion only. I haven't been able to learn to tie a tie still, my dad used to do it for me when I was in school & he did it again for me. He has tied the 3 ties I have got & I am wearing just those; not sure how will I manage once they are untied. Haven't worn a tie & business suit ever in my professional career of 4-5 years but they do look good. The office is okay too & I am getting adjusted...

I was feeling better this weekend so did some things. I went to a club called Middlesex near hotel in Cambridge area, it wasn't too good. Had to wait almost an hour to get in as I went around 12 & it was damn crowded & boring. Ofcourse I couldn't dance or drink as I am on medication (& that doesn't means I drink or I would have drunk if I was not on medication). Then today I went to Revere Beach too. It's not far & you could just take metro to get there. The beach kinda stinks but I like the sound of water & ocean. There were a lot of people there too & nice sand caricatures etc.

Anyways, its too much for today i guess. Please read out my previous 2 blogs about my travel to Boston from Delhi & the visit to Emergency Room in Boston. I would sign off for now & will try to come back soon. Till then... keep reading, commenting & enjoying. This is RAHUL saying Good Bye & Good Luck... JAI HO!!!!!

Emergency Room @ MGH... 1st thing I see in Boston!!!!

On 15th the day when I had to travel to India that night, I slipped down the wet stairs at my home. It started drizzling in the morning just to make me slip I guess, it stopped after that. I really hurt my back & was so scared that what may have happened. I took some medication & still decided to travel & managed to do so. But the pain was terrible!! I couldn't even rest in hotel or sit or stand, just nothing. I really couldn't take it anymore so decided to see the doctor.

Turns out the only option I had was to visit the Emergency Room @ Massachusetts General Hospital here. I went there & the doctors were good. American Emergency Room aren't that scary or ugly, actually the people didn't really seem much in emergency care need, but who knows. I got X-ray done & turns out there were no fractures which is great. But I got a shot & Percocet medication for pain. The pain is still bad & I ma not sure how will it turn out. But I have visited one of America's best hospital & doctors so hopefully I should be fine. Good Luck to me!!!!

I am finally going...

I am going to Boston, USA next week for my new project assignment. I have heard it's a nice but expensive place. I'll be leaving very soon and gone for who knows how long. Am I excited & thrilled?? yes!! Am I sad & disappointed?? not really!! I have been waiting for this & trying quite hard for this from a long time. Things do not always turn the way you want or follow exactly your wishes. But that should never stop you from pursuing your dreams & goals. Things are not going to be easy even further, they never are. But as long & as hard it takes to achieve something, it makes you realize the true value & importance of it.

So I finally achieved this, that's what my friends said & I said... "itni shiddat se tumhein paani ki maine koshish ki hai, har lamhe ne mujhe tumse milaane ki saazish ki hai... agar kisi cheez ko poore dil se chaho, to saari kaaynaath tumke ussey milaane ki koshish mein lag jaati hai. Hamari filmoki tarah hamari assal jindagime bhi end tak sab thik ho jata “Happys Endings”.Aur agar end tak sab thik na ho to wo the end nahi hai dosto...". (I have tried so hard to get you, that every moment has conspired for me to find you. If you ask for something straight from your heart and you truly mean it & try for it, then the whole universe will drive you towards it & help you to achieve it. Like our movies, things turn fine by the end in our lives as well. And if things don't turn okay, then it's not 'the end'...)

(The movie... is still not over my friend!!) Picture, Abhi Baaki Hai Mere Dost...