The travels in this year.

Well, Garima was asking me today, again!, if we can manage to get away for one last time before the year folds. She would prefer a road trip to Miami. Well I did the math and it seems including hotel, car, tolls, gas and food it would have easily topped $1500.

So to pacify her and myself (to be honest), I recalled all the trips we took this year.

1. California - LA and Vegas - finally got to meet sis and see Vegas. I can see the appeal in LA

2. Lake George - water was nice, big boat rental, nice countryside drive through Vermot, Adventure Extreme course.

3. Bar Harbor - nice 2 day trip, basking in sun at the cliffs, sea wall, serene and calm water sounds.

4. Tanu's marraige in NJ - it was fun to be around family for a good occcasion...PERIOD

5. Garim'a India trip alone - hopefully cured her homesickness

6. U.S.Open - mens final baby!

7. Canada!!!! - nice 4 day trip, stage come back, family and food and more food.

8. Endless shopping trips put together.

So we did have our share of get-aways this year and we did spend a lot. So plan for this year's end - improve home, paint bathroom, go into Boston, cook nice feasts at home, watch movies and end it all with a prayer at Gurdwara on New Years Eve and wishing and hoping for an even better year next, one that brings in a stork flying over us.

Last day in Bedford...

Today is the last day for me in my office today. Naah!! I am not leaving the job :) We are just moving. See we became IBM in 2006 and after that we are consolidating all offices in Littleton. I am supposed to start going to the new place on 5th. All packed yes, but just need to move some things myself. The commute will be somewhat shorter but Garima is leaving her job mainly due to this reason coupled with lack of potential growth in banking.

I am trying not to be sentimental, but the fact does weigh on my mind that this has been my office of since 2003 and my first permanent job in US. A lot of memories here, -like coming to yahoo-chat with my to-be-wife in a snow storm because I didn't have Internet installed yet
- like the various office parties in the courtyard.
- my first window side seat which was taken away from me after 15 days
- my first major project.
- 6 winters and 7 summers
- the small dinky gym
- the terrible cafe
- my first camry breaking down in the parking lot
- ice cream trucks every summer
- the learning in the office.
- yelling at Garima out loud in the office.
- driving lessons for Garima, 50 ft backing, 3 pt turns

will miss you Bedford...

Attending the U.S Open

Well, I always wanted to do it. Definitely before we had kids or a busier lifestyle. So I booked the tickets to Men's final and it was a lot of money. But I had a hunch it was going to be worth it.

It was supposed to be on a Sunday but then the rain moved the schedule one day ahead.

I took off on Monday and G called in sick. We stayed at our aunt's place on Sunday night. Had good food. Then in the morning we left around 10 am to reach the CitiField parking area and find it scantly full. When you walk across the station and into Tennis park, the first thing you see is the big Arthur Ashe Stadium.

We roamed and hung around. Checked out concessions stands. I found them to be over-hyped. The place was jamm packed and the workers didn't look very professional. The food was not so great.

So we entered into the stadium and took our seats in the promenade. The view was what the money was worth. With the kind of people who came in, I soon realized I had paid more for my tickets than what they were worth and I will see to it next time. May be they bought it from the counter when the tickets went on sale.

The ladies double final was one sided. G enjoyed herself a lot and the place was not too crowded. We had a good break between the double's final and men's final so we just killed time. Went out, ate, clicked snaps and schemed on how to get better seats.

The opening ceremony was great and I managed to capture the video. We had 90% view of the court and it was good enough. The stadium was full now as if this match was the only thing anybody every cared about. Given that Juan Martin was new comer, I thought Federer would have it easy but as history now states, thats not how it turned out. The crowd was nuts about this guys and I could have never imaged there were so many Argentinians in US, before I attended this match.

The match ended at 9 pm and luckily we were able to get back by 12:30 am thanks to little traffic. Now the only sports event I will never want to pass on would be the opening ceremony of Olympics if they are held in Chicago.