primaries, Raagini updates, and life in general

Finally the Democratic nomination for the presidential election is finalized -- This is probably the first time in the last 13 years that I've been in this country, that I saw people very involved in the primaries (much more than the previous primaries) and seems like its a mandate for "Change" -- While that in itself is nothing new, if I try to compare it with Politics in India -- what's heartening is this whole selection process. We in India can definitely take a leaf (or a few leaves...LoL) out of this whole presidential election process. You get to listen to the 'prospective' president's plans for the country and how he is planning to tackle various imminent issues facing the nation -- While there is mudslinging in various forms, its not close to as bad as some of the stuff that our 'netas' pull out. I can vote in this country for the first time, and you can bet I am going to exactly that on Nov 11th.

From the last time we talked about Raagini -- she has grown in leaps and bounds as a person -- yes you read it right -- she is her own person now...just amazing...I've had my bout of experiences bringing up kids but all of that has been in their first 6-9months of their birth (my sister's kids) and during that phase its more like one-way interaction...Raagini, after her first birthday, is totally different to what she was in her first year..Some of her amazing traits that I see, admire, love are:

• She loves playing ball --what can I say, can there be a better 'father's day' gift for a person like me :)
• She religiously reads books every night -- be it Barney, Barbie, Winnie the Pooh -- I cannot remember a day where she slept without reading a book..
• She loves talking to, engaging with people -- Now this is something I've always feared for I wanted my daughter to be a social bee -- because both Sujatha and I are reclusive in that sense -- and this girl is a bee alright, we have to actually pull her back from causing havoc...
• She has taken really well to my family folks when we went to India and also to her 'little' cousins -- Aaditya and Divya.

Wow!! to say that I am a proud father is putting it mildly :).

My in-laws are visiting us for 2months --arriving this weekend -- hoping to get a break from the weekday to weekend ratrace -- Now that my wife is going to be busy with her dearest mom, dad, sister..I am hoping to catch up on a few things that I missed out in the last 1 year

• Need to go watch a movie in a theater -- can u believe that I've not watched an English movie in the last 1.5 years? if you tell me Arnold had 5 releases in the last year, I might believe it...
• get back to my running -- the 'tires' are re-appearing -- the only comforting factor is I know that I can get it under control fast, if I am disciplined enough for a couple months..
• finish some household projects..

so got a lot on my plate..see you next time...:)