Memorial Day in the Chi!

After getting promoted to Assistant Manager last week, it was really good to get away for a weekend. With that stress no longer being on my mind, I flew out to Chicago for my 3-day vacation.

On Saturday, I first stopped off at Soham Bhai's new apartment to visit him and the family. Satyam Bhai also came over so it was really good to see both of them, as well as Melanie Bhabhi and Priya. The weekend got off to a really fantastic start, as we just hung out and caught up while watching the UEFA finals. After that, I went up to Rogers Park to spend the night with Romz. Romz and I made our way to Evanston for dinner and then watched Pirates of the Caribbean 4. It was a good time and a good movie, as the night was really just dedicated to spending with her. She has been dealing with a lot of stuff lately, so it was nice to be able to just enjoy some one-on-one time with her.

Sunday morning came along and I went to go visit Kate at her apartment. The weather was not cooperating as a thunderstorm struck, but we just hung out for a little while. Romz had to go and volunteer at the hospital, so I basically spent all of Sunday afternoon just sitting in her apartment. With the weather being so bad, there wasn't much that I could do. That evening, Vino and I went back to Evanston for dinner. As has been our usual night, we went to Lou Mals for "The Lou" and dessert. It was really a fantastic evening as we had a chance to chat and just enjoy our time together. It's amusing to me that we have ordered basically the same thing every time we've been there to eat and it never gets old. Even while eating the same food at the same place, we still find a way to have a great time. Afterwards, we went back to her apartment and hung out with her roommates for a little while.

On Monday, I went to visit Sabrina in the morning. We went out for coffee and just chatted about many different things. While walking her back to her apartment, I randomly ran into one of my cousin's neighbors. My cover was blown as we found out that he lived in Naperville in the same subdivision as my uncle and aunt, but it turned out not to be a big deal. That afternoon, Behna came and picked Romz and I up. We headed out to Lemont to spend the night with Behna's family. Even though things did not work out as well as I could have hoped in Lemont, things ended up getting better as it progressed. We stayed up all night and just hung out, getting an opportunity in the early morning to catch up. They brought me to the airport for my morning flight so I could make it to work yesterday morning.

All in all, the trip was a success. There were a couple times where I got really frustrated with my sisters, but the main purpose was served. I went there to re-energize myself and get my motivation back for all of the work I'm currently doing, which definitely happened. While I may not see those people everyday, I know that our relationships are rock solid and I really have nothing to worry about.

Outside of that, things are going fairly well. Work has continued to be the same, with some new responsibilities starting to pick up. For the first few days last week, I didn't really feel like I had been promoted. However, now I can definitely see the changes to my position and I'm ready to take on the new tasks. I've added a new Administration member, which the position still to be determined. That now makes 9 current Admin members, all with their own particular niches in my life. While I have been so wrapped up in my work, I know that I've been neglecting some people and it really bothers me. I'm going to make a concerted effort to keep that from continuing. Also, I want to get back to my dieting. I want to maintain my current situation, if not improve it. With today being the first day of June, I think that the summer months will help curb some of my unnecessary hunger and appetite. We shall see what happens when I go to India, but I do not want to fall off between now and then.

Lastly, Shaquille O'Neal officially announced his retirement today. As one of his biggest fans, it's sad to see him leave the game after 19 seasons. I know that he's hurt and has done everything that can be done in the game, but it wont be the same without him playing. I know that he'll still be around the public eye, but it's been great to root for him for my entire life! Long live the Big Diesel.