A Traveling Weekend

For most people, a traveling weekend would mean that they were traveling. For us it means that travelers are coming and going to and from Bangalore. In addition, this Friday I moved from apartment B901 to B406. I was looking at an apartment for Nahum, arriving Friday night. I fell in love with the apartment they showed me. Real size refrigerator where I can even make ice. The perfect couch and chair. Lots of closets. Queen or king size bed in the spare room in case someone wants to visit. And the ugliest vase I ever saw. This woman has a ring in her nose. She's who you see when you walk into the apartment. AND I have a new house boy. I keep seeing Deepak, so he hasn't dropped from the face of the earth. But the new guy is great

We picked Nahum (from Chicago Tribune) up on Friday. Rob Rosenthal was coming in from Newsday on the same plane. Rob is the IT VP from Newsday Nahum was our guy, however. We whisked him back to the apartments and fed him tea and cookies while he came down from his flying high. It is such a long flight. It's good to come down slowly.

We spent the day around the apartments and KJ and I went to pick up her boss, Sophie, from the airport Saturday night. Sophie and I have been talking on the phone for a long time. KJ will be sharing an apartment until she leaves on Monday midnight. They got to yak until the cows went back to where ever they hang out.

Sunday we had brunch at the Leela Palace. Nahum and Sophie are leery about eating here. This is a good place to get over your fears. You've seen the pictures of miles of food. If you can't find a meal there, you aren't looking. This group was pretty stiff when I took the first picture, but I asked them to look like they liked each other. I really like this picture of them.

We came home and dealt with our cleaning people and naps. Tomorrow I get to pay for my new apartment. I think I'm going to tell Girish that when we ask for them not to clean, to go away until tomorrow, we really mean it. Sunday night we had dinner with Chandan and Rob and an IBM Sales Manager. It was at an Indian Restaurant at the Leela Palace and it was very good. Rob had had a quick tour and shopping trip in Bangalore in the morning. Because we are so many, we couldn't use Ramesh and his car. So Rob got him. I'm hoping Rob is feeling better about Nancy's arrangements here in Bangalore. I know he is feeling very comfortable with Ramesh and I think he is feeling comfortable with me and understands that Nancy will be among friends.

All-in-all, a good travel weekend. In will be sad to see KJ go, but we have to. If she doesn't go, the rest of us can't. Sort of a time-travel theory, we all have to leave when we're supposed to or the rest of us will get stuck. KJ's family is in Virginia. That's where I'm going sometime soon, so I may get to meet Steve. I hope so. Being stuck aloneish in Bangalore for 3 weeks will make fast friends of some people. I'm very happy she was the second person here. It set a great tone for the rest of our time in India and I really enjoyed her spirit and the time we spent together.

This Post is for Harriet

Teena has been wearing the most beautiful necklace this week. It is gold beads alternating with red coral beads. I took KJ to a store that Harriet and I had visited together. Karen wanted a lot of specific things for her friends and family and I knew they would have them at this store.

So while I was waiting, I was thinking about Teena's necklace and asked to see some red coral and lapis lazuli (my favorite deep blue stone) while I waited for her to buy out the store. The lapis necklaces were okay, but I really fell for this red coral one. KJ took this picture, avoiding all my chins. Doesn't it look great. Be prepared to see it a lot.

I just looked up red coral on Wikipedia. It will change color as an indication of illness. So it might not be dirt from all that wearing.

And the Number is - 9901943757

It is 5 weeks into my visit here and I finally have a sim card for the cell phone that Suresh and I bought 2 weeks ago. Last night I asked Ramesh if he could help me with this. And almost like The God Ramesh (TGR) we consider him to be, he had it for me when he picked us up today. Nah, nah, nahnahnahnah, Hey, Hey, Heyallo. There was certainly joy in the car as we got the cell to work. So all you fellow travelers, you will have a contact number if you need to reach me or have someone else reach me.

It was a good day yesterday for the LAT team at IBM. They took two hours of calls. They are dissecting the calls now and learning all they did wrong. There is a lot of that, because they are new. But there was a lot of really good stuff, too. They speak clearly and have the basics down. With practice, they will do very well. Because we on the helpdesk in LA have been doing this for a minimum of 5 years, it's hard to realize all they have to know. With this good foundation and eagerness to improve, we will be in good hands with these people. The Newsday people were in class while LAT was taking calls. But they are here today listening to the critique. This will be very helpful for them when they take calls from their groups. And remember, they will be taking calls for LA as well. It is all good.

My sister, Karen was looking out for me yesterday, as always. (I do have a lot of good angels who watch over me and take care of me.) She wondered if I had made hotel reservations for my birthday weekend in Sonoma. Of course I hadn't. I reserved the cooking school and selected a menu and wines, but hadn't taken care of lodging. Karen took care of all that for me, so all we need to do is just go up north and have fun with my siblings, our children, in-laws and out-laws. Family. What joy.

Hello, this is Bangalore.

The LA Times' team took it's first phone calls last night. We had a bit of a rough start, but that is to be expected with something new. Employees at The Times called our new 800 number and participated in mock calls with the sometimes noticably nervous agents in Bangalore.

I am pleased to report that both sides of the world did an excellent job. This dipping of the big toe in the call taking waters was perfect from this side and The Times' guys were very patient. A good experience.

We are preparing to take even more mock calls tonight. Today Pinaki taught everyone how to use the phones. I know, a little late; but he went into great detail so that will not be an obstacle today.

KJ and I went shopping this afternoon at the shop Harriet and I went to, Asian Art Emporium. KJ bought out the store. I just bought one little necklace. I'll wear it tomorrow. It's really beautiful. I was still admiring the cow for Palmer and Torin. Today I found a lovely lion or a squatty elephant for Maggie to climb on. It's fun to think of the kids climbing all over these things. It's even more fun to think of their parents accepting delivery of same at the door. Julie, don't you think a several hundred pound reclining cow would look good in your back yard?