Well, I moved into my apartment around 50 hrs ago, and everythings been pretty good so far. This is my first time out of India, and the pleasant climate eases the settling in process, it makes you want to go out and do things. A lot of parties, gatherings and events are being organized and I have already been in a few like a welcome BBQ, “speed friending” etc. Its exciting to meet so many new people, working to achieve their goals, each with a different way and with a different attitude towards what he or she expects from life. Really wonderful people. So far, I love it in here

so high..

PS: This is a continuation of the “parting-shots” series of Upper Lake, Bhopal that were taken by me on August 31, 2008. Am missing my brother’s point&shoot Canon Powershot SD 850 IS, but I prefer the power and control that my Canon S2 IS (yeah, baby!) provides. A post on unleashing the monster within your Canon coming up! (hint: chdk)

Courtesy, a true blue nostalgic Bhopali, who love’s John Denver’s soulful lyrics and shoots photos at the drop of a hat -

All my bags are packed I’m ready to go
I’m standin’ here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye
But the dawn is breakin’ it’s early morn
The taxi’s waitin’ he’s blowin’ his horn
Already I’m so lonesome I could die

So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you’ll wait for me
Hold me like you’ll never let me go
Cause I’m leavin’ on a jet plane
Don’t know when I’ll be back again
Oh babe, I hate to go

There’s so many times I’ve let you down
So many times I’ve played around
I tell you now, they don’t mean a thing
Every place I go, I’ll think of you
Every song I sing, I’ll sing for you
When I come back, I’ll bring your wedding ring

So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you’ll wait for me
Hold me like you’ll never let me go
Cause I’m leavin’ on a jet plane
Don’t know when I’ll be back again
Oh babe, I hate to go …

- John Denver

…and if you have not already heard this song, you can catch it on YouTube.

Well, I am still packing my bags, but the time to leave is not so distant. I’ll leave for Stanford on morning of (not so spooky) Saturday the 13th. I still got to buy my $$$$ and wind-up my act here. Ever heard of being happy and sad at the same time…?

PS: Above lonesome, melancholic and romantic photo is a continuation of the “parting-shots” series of Upper Lake, Bhopal that were taken by me on August 31, 2008. I have a few more of them coming up..

Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow-
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.

I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand-
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep- while I weep!
O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?

- Edgar Allan Poe

I have witnessed some of the most beautiful mornings, days, evenings and nights in this city. Its lush green, especially in the areas I have lived in. Its adorned with many lakes, Upper Lake (Bada Taalab), Lower Lake, Shahpura, Kaliasot Dam.. which are great places to hang out and make Bhopal a paradise for morning walkers. I can not count the number of times, I have just went to any of the above lakes, just to hang out with friends, for morning walks, for being alone, or with someone special. This is where I bought my first bike (A blue 150cc Bajaj Pulsar – motorcycle), and drove it on the perfect curves and open roads in pure bliss. This is the place I’ll always root for. Bhopal.. the city of my dreams.

PS: Above photo is of Upper Lake, Bhopal and was taken by me on August 31, 2008. I’ll be posting more from the same day in coming posts.

This question has always been posed to me – What does Nikhil mean ? Nikhil bole to…?

Well, it is a word of Sanskrit origin, and its meaning is “whole, entire, all”. Nikhil means “Contains everything” or “Complete” or you can say in “Sampurn” in Hindi.

So there is nothing without Nikhil and that’s also clarifies why everyone misses Nikhil a tad-bit more than when he’s gone.

Explore -

• http://babynamesworld.parentsconnect.com/meaning_of_Nikhil.html

PS: One narcissistic post is ok once in a while. Isn’t it? No?! who’s asking you to read anyways.. go away