Is it a city, Is it a suburb, is it a giant mist, Or Is it the forest growing back?

I had only two reasons to visit Seattle. Cobain and a couple of my dear friends. And I was prepared to not really take to the city. After all Seattle is synonymous with rain. And I hate rain. I don't get how people can romanticise about rains and like it and love it and more. I'm not a rain-person. Let that be heard wide and clear.

Then Seattle happened. The clear skied drizzle that the city engulfs you with is amazing. All those idiots have got it wrong, the best thing about Seattle is it's weather. And the quirks of a major city which hardly looks like a city. The green, the blue and the mist. I never expected to fall so hard for a city, but I did.

Seattle Space Needle - Look at the brilliant sky!

Seattle's most famous quirk - Gum Wall

Original Starbucks logo - The original shop had burned down a block away.

Never been more excited or happy to visit a Market.

Cheese making in progress

The house in the backyard of which Cobain shot himself .

Cobain/Nirvana fan bench near his place of residence (above)

Signature Song.

I found my new song. My new morning song, going to work song, working song, i'm going to nail it song, getting married so...wait I already did it, anyway, having a baby song, my unwind song, my  funeral song, my everything song.

Home Is Wherever I'm With You...

The trip is almost coming to an end and although it’s been Monday kind of crazy every day I find myself suddenly free for the next 30 minutes. Which is awesome, because I get to blog about how little time I’ve spent in recreational activities, this work trip. There was and is so much to cover that the office folks here decided to make us stay another week. Which is all good because maybe then I get to see a little bit more of the city.

I mean don’t doubt me, even after a work day that felt like numerous consecutive rounds of being boxed in the head I have dragged myself to Chinatown to have my favorite tea in the world, Boba Tea. I have also compelled myself to click an ungodly number of touristy pics in Fisherman’s Wharf. The usual, you know. I have met the in laws, the ex-room-mate, the ex-team-mate, the ex-pub-mates and had a good time somewhere between all the crazies. So as I enter the home run of this trip, I’m dreaming about the sunny side up eggs I get in bed every weekend or the cuddles or the pillow talk or the random whatsapp conversation with sister. There is an exaggerated homesickness this time because well, my little kid sister starts her brand new college life in whole new city all by herself. This is making me feel nostalgic, emotional and happy all at the same time and I’m having some major empty nest feeling even though I haven’t lived with that bugger for 9 years. Yikes! I guess the baby of the family always does remain the baby of the family.

So, obviously, I can’t wait to be submerged by everything that is home to me – But not before I walk on the ground that was home to my favorite musician.

Of Impromptu Travels.

In a matter of 48 hours I find my self leaving home to travel halfway across the world for a couple of weeks. Not that I'm the most organized or well planned out traveler ever but usually I'd like to get a little bit more notice than that. Anyhoo, since I'm already here in the beautiful city of San Francisco, I'm going to make full use of my time here. Maybe even write a bit, since I haven't for almost 2 months.

And visit one of my favoritest married couples in Seattle. I swear I'm going to go total Grey's Anatomy on their ass, yo!

Wedding Times - Proud Owner Of A Husband

I attended 2 weddings in a span of less than 3 weeks. Let me tell you, it's brutal - mentally, physically & financially. Especially when one of those weddings is yours.

My wedding was everything I just knew it would be – last minute travels, too much alcohol, too many people going bonkers, super duper long wedding day (owing to our insistence on get married according to both our cultures), hungover morning, late late nights, family togetherness, shameless flirting friends, meeting new people. And so much more!

Here are a few of the wedding shots:

Hindu Ceremony
cheezensnap.com

Muslim Ceremony
cheezensnap.com

Tying the knot (literally!)
cheezensnap.com

That is after lots of booze :)

My best part about weddings has always been the friendships that form and the love that flows after copious amounts of alcohol. How can you not love that? And the incurable flirting…what’s a wedding without people trying to randomly hook up, right?

All in all, it was one of the most eventful days in our lives. Now that we’ve settled into our normal lives again, I can’t say I’ll do it all over again if I could – because let’s face it having your self weighed down with tons of jewelry, makeup and clothes can only seem doable for a few days.

Also, if, by chance, I was craving any more wedding my friends P & U were getting married 3 weeks from our D day (that is a story for another post). Hungover, tired and with aching feet when I finally slept in my bed on Monday, I thought - "that’s it! I’m DONE with them weddings!" Who was I kidding? 2 of my lovelies gets married in September, what’s more, this email that I received two hours ago comes with all the dates and stuff. And so starts the Wedding mania again. Dear diet, here I come (Which is good, because I’ve exploded after my wedding, thanks to enormous amounts of food, alcohol and dinner parties). Also, booking tickets, getting clothes ready…but but but…I have a husband now. I’ll make him work. He has to right? It’s his job isn’t it?

Sometimes I wish I was less delusional.

Changes

Quote-Love #4

Keeping It Real

I have been having a lot (and I mean a LOT) of discussions about weddings lately. And if you're reading this and thinking - Oh, can't she just shut up about it already! - then I'll have you know that if I am going through this, then you are too. To add to the mix 2 of my bestest friends are getting married this year as well. Talk about wedding overload!

I get a ping from one of them saying she knows this friend of a friend who got married 5 years back and they were wildly in love but now both of them are comfortable with the partner sleeping around. Now, before you think I'm being judgmental towards those who chose to go into open relationships let me assure you I'm not. It's just not my style. And it makes me super uncomfortable to think that would what my relationship could become. M says her better half and she are making lists that would help them live their own lives and be individuals.

Shit, maybe I should do some sort of list as well. I mean we make it a point to do different things, give each other enough breathing space and basically not become one entity - but what if it's not enough?

While I'm soaking all of this information in, Roy tells me that everytime she thinks the wedding is coming close she gets this uncontrollable urge to puke. She sleeps with a perfumed handkerchief at night to feel better.

Yes! that's what happens to me too. Now that the wedding is near I get these sudden urges to puke. With a fair amount of nausea and palpitations involved. And it'll strike me at the least expected hour.

How I goddam wish I was those perfect girls from the chick-flicks who have waited for their wedding their entire life, planned minute details and can't get enough of the preps. I mean I didn't even know what  I wanted and how I wanted things till the wedding preps actually started and I was forced to think about it.

The nausea, the palpitations, The I-have-never-thought-about-my-wedding scenario and the List making for living like individuals - Doesn't really conform to the whole romanticism involved in a wedding, right? But it's real. And I like to keep it real. So, that's good.

Also, now that I think about it I never get those 'what-the-hell-is-happening' pangs when I sleep at night. Or right now, with Mr. B snoring away to glory. Or when he put the ring on my finger. I guess if this is how it's going to be forever - I'm fine with it. And this is real too.

That doesn't mean I won't get that nauseas feeling and it's because I freeze when you put me in front of 10 people and I feel like I have to perform or speak which is exactly what weddings are about. But that's a story for another time.

Save The Date

Someday, in the time that we don't expect, we'll just meet. And maybe, it'll be forever.

Sharing the save the date photos that one of friends took for us. She did such a wonderful job, and I cannot wait to use these photos for the cards. If you're in India and want to get a couple shoot or candid wedding photography done check these guys out at ShutterbugsWeddingPhotography.

Battles

You know the D-day is approaching when your boyfriend/fiance/future-husband wakes you up at 5:50 AM and says "Baby, let's go. We have to go run.'

I did. And played 'Fuck You' on repeat.

Sometimes I think that 50 years down the line when I look back on my life - all I will see are battles with the cellulite/fat/etc.

Tackle Later!

I'm glad for friends who understand when I can't make it for a night out or a party or just a lazy sleepover. Especially, since nowadays I'm drowned for all the wedding work. The last thing I need is someone breathing down my neck for some such silly thing. As it turns out not only am I taking care of my things, but heavily involved in what Mr. B has to take care of. Because let's be honest, all B has are lazy bones in his body. And with less that 3 months to go...i'm in a whirlwind of crazy right now.

I mean I love writing. But I haven't, for over a month. There is no time. Hopefully, it is all worth it in the end. Because right now weekdays have merged into weekends and so on and so forth. Moreover, a couple of friends are in town who cant be there for the wedding...and I want to meet them and catch up. I feel my head is going to burst into a zillion pieces at any moment.

And for the ones who don't understand, I'm just trying to keep my calm with them. I'm just going to put all of them in a box labeled 'Tackle Later.' Honestly, I want to have time for them, for chats in pub, for myself even. But I can't... not with 80 odd days left. It's like a time warp right now where minutes, hours and days have merged into one big ball of nothing.

I miss URoy with her drive to finish things. Yes, she's a 'finisher'. Had she been here, between the 2 of us i would have finished with my wedding trousseau AND hers as well. Well, you can only hope for so much I guess.

I'm ready to wage a war against time, schedules, tailors, clothes, unending clothes, air tickets, food, keeping fit, sleeplessness and work. Everything else that crosses my path, I will 'Tackle Later.'