Wednesday, June 14th to Monday, June 18th, I was in Nashville, TN. The first 48 hours from the time I landed (around Wednesday noon time) till Friday noonish, I was working. But after that was all play time in the Music City of America. The next few days blog are really written on Sunday, but thought it was more meaningful if it is posted on the day it happened.

Friday afternoon, after seeing the team off, I wandered to the Mall next to the Gaylord Opryland. For one thing, I needed the exercise and for another, I had nothing planned and for yet another, it was too blazing hot to be outdoors. So, with an ice cream cone in hand, I wandered around aimlessly in the Mall. It is weird, when I have nothing planned to buy; that's when I find everything that I need, at the price I am willing to pay. Additionally, when I have limited space in bag to pack, that is also when I find some of the best deals, too irresistible to pass off. So, my solution was to pretty much 'weigh' everything I had as I shopped. I shopped at Dress Barn, Naturalizer shoes, Harry & David, Apple Barn, and odds & ends stores. At the start of my trip I had one rolling upright bag (22 lbs) and one laptop briefcase. By the time I was done; the weight in the rolling upright had crept to 44 lbs! And along with my laptop, a large brown bag with all the collectible glassware from Jack Daniels and Nashville, roughly at 10-11 lbs. I must be insane!

Y'all, I find myself in Nashville, TN (once again...). My previous trip, couple of months ago, was dedicated completely to work. I flew in, worked, and flew out and that was it. This time it will be different. I plan to stay couple more days and explore downtown Nashville and also go to Lynchburg... home of Jack Daniels.

I am writing this in my 'down-time'. So, must be short. But will add some pictures/words for this trip later.

But one thing I can write before signing off. I am ready to be home for a good while. I have been traveling this year. I have been to Nashville twice, once to New York and once to Spain, and tones of local travel. And I am so ready to store the bags for a while and sit back, relax and watch my yard bloom and play with kitties.

Lately been watching House, M.D.

A while back, I remember seeing the advertisements for the same and also remember me saying: 'hmmm I must see that, it looks interesting'. Something about it felt very appealing at the time. Unfortunately, like all TV shows, I cannot remember when they are on (I don't even try), and then there are the interruptions and further on there are 'incidents'. The 'incidents' I was referring to was the 'Lost' fiasco. I call it a fiasco; because, I was seriously interested in this, and religiously made time to tune in to watch it. But then one night the Red Sox game pushed the show into the wee hours of the night and I was too darn exhausted to watch it and that was the end of it. Couple of friends from work, did try and entice me to watch it, but I was annoyed enough, that I decided to wait for the DVD release. NOTE: I still have not seen season II onwards. Now, I am interested, but not motivated to watch it, so it is relegated down to something to get done, by the time I am 50 and not something to get done by the time I am 35. So, I avoid the potential of 'incidents' and watch reruns, which is perfectly fine by me.

The weird thing is that, it takes only one person to be passionate about something and me to overhear tid-bits and I am interested. But I don't have anyone in my life like that (er... right now), so, I don't bother too much about TV shows. If I have the time, and am flipping channels, I will stop and watch anything that takes my fancy.

Back to watching House, I think he is fantastic! I would hate to work for someone like that, but would love him to death. Something about this brilliant, bitter, antisocial and sarcastic character is extremely attractive. Hugh Laurie is amazing at it. I might have to get the DVD for the season 1 and see if I really like it, or hmmm, to the 'millions' of readers of this blog, anyone have it? May I borrow it?

Psst: I love this show, but, I am not going to keep awake till 11PM on Friday to watch this show!

{Edit: 6/11/2007}: Good lord! This weekend, all I did (apart from the usual, clean, shop, cook, plant) was sit in front of the idiot box (connected via my computer... another idiot box), and watch Season 1 AND Season 2 (50%) of House. Oh dear! This is bad, but it felt sooooo goooood! I think I like James too! Hmmmm.... well... mostly his Australian accent!

Visiting my sister and her family in Yonkers, New York is always a treat. I get to eat the yummiest of the food, take long afternoon naps and enjoy a beautiful home and garden.

Thursday, I drove down to New York. Despite the high gas prices, it always seems to work out to take the car. I usually start off, thinking, I need one bag of clothes and that is it. Soon enough one bag has led to one box of wine and champagne, another box of pressure washer, my pillow, another bag of goodies for the kids and sister, and some more clothes, that I might just need, perhaps a cooler to put fish in (there is a great fresh fish store near my sisters place). By and by, there is no other option but to take the car. I really do like to drive and my car needs the workout. My car mechanic mentioned to me, that I should drive my car more often. My 9 year old car has less than 35000 miles on it. It is not my fault, really, every time I moved residences, the office moves within public transport distance, so there is no need to take the car, when I can be 'chauffeured' to work. Anyways, I digress (as usual), the short of the long, is that I drove down to my sisters place.
On the way, at Southbury, I stopped and shopped! I always do. I don't know what the attraction is, but I seem to always find something really cool and nice and on sale. This time was no exception; one of my favorite dresses (the one I have been keeping an eye out for!) was on sale! I snapped it up and I was on the road again happy as can be. The rest of the journey was uneventful. On and off, some rain clouds decided to pester with some drops, but nothing too major.

The next day was a hot, humid, and sunny day to be out and about town. But the whole family was out for my sister’s graduation ceremony from City College of New York. It was a great fanfare and could have been better, had it not been sweltering heat. Poor little kids (one 3 yrs and the other 7 yrs old), were hot and miserable. Thankfully the whole thing was not too long, but like all these things, there are loads of speeches. Somehow, Presidents and Valedictorians love to hear themselves speak. By and by they were done and we made a beeline to comfort of home.

This weekend was also, the 7 yr old’s birthday, well, he turned 7 years. So we had a bit of celebrations and some cake and Spanish Cava and more of ice-cream and I am 4 lbs heavier. Along with all the celebrations, we also got some yard work done. The pressure washer was put to good use to clean up the concrete patio, which went from dull gray to bright gray.

Whilst all this was going on in New York, back home, my landscaper finished the planting 101. Yeah! The yard looks lovely, with the few plants and cedar mulch. It looks so different from where we started. Pictures coming soon!

It was a great weekend with family and friends. I did miss a BBQ, which I would loved to attend, but cannot have everything.

It is late at night and getting into the wee morning hours, but I am wide awake. Sitting on my porch at around midnight, kitties wandering around, cool breezes gently swaying the window sheers,  I look back at the past few hours.

If I was told there would be a evening like this:
a) 15-18 years ago as I watched Superman with friends and family; or
b) In past 10-12 years as I watched Star Wars (all six of them, many times over and some opening nights) and bought the soundtracks; or
c) In the past 8-10 years watched Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones; or
c) In the past 4 years as I watched Harry Potter and bought all the sound tracks; or
c) as I watched Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Jurassic Park and so many more
I would have laughed my head off, signed off saying the person did know what he/she was talking about.

But, it did happen, I had the opportunity, so I seized it and splurged some money to see God at work. The way he commanded, with a firm yet elegant hand and 50 people followed his cue to blend harmoniously violins, guitars, cellos, drums, flutes, horns, trombones, clarinets and others, was mesmerizing. Hundreds of people sat in rapt attention until he wrapped each piece, whence everyone clapped and cheered. It gives me goose bumps even now, as I relive every moment of a fantastic evening at Boston Symphony Orchestra (Boston POPS), with John Williams conducting.

The evening started with 'Fanfare for a Festive occasion' and then quickly turned to a Tribute to Bernard Herrmann the mastermind composer of greats such as Vertigo, Psycho, Torn Curtain, Citizen Kane and so many more. The tribute had two sections with the first section comprising of; The Inquirer from Citizen Kane; Scene d'Amour from Vertigo and Suite from Psycho. The second section had the orchestra playing and on screen they were going through snippets of some of Alfred Hitchcock's greatest movies. The orchestra kept up shot to shot and movie to movie snippets as they moved from North by Northwest, Psycho, Vertigo, Marnie, Birds, Man who knew too much and back to North by Northwest. WOW! I cannot even start to describe this.

After the first intermission, we were part of Broadway to Hollywood. First up was Hooray for Hollywood (Carousel Waltz), then excerpts from Fiddler on the roof (I think I am drunk on great music already!) and the finally, WHOA! All that Jazz from Chicago.

After the second intermission (POP's has two intermission), I think I am in total awe and in love with this white haired god of compositions. March from Superman set the stage for At the Movies theme.  This was followed by three most glorious pieces from Harry Potter (Fawkes the Phoenix, Nimbus 2000 and Harry's Wondrous World). I own these soundtracks on CD, but listening to it with live orchestra and conducted by the man who composed it, brought me to tears! Can it be true? Can I really be this happy and this lucky? And then, it was time for a tribute to George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. Again, with snippets from movies and orchestra playing along some of the most memorable scores the world has heard. Movies included and in the order they played: Jaws, Star Wars (some of the most classic shots), Raiders of the Lost Ark, and wrapped with E.T. If Heaven exists, then those 20 mins were it.

As were still recovering and couple of standing ovations for the great man, it was indeed a treat when John commanded the orchestra into playing the Luke-Leia theme (Star Wars- before we knew they were brother and sister), and then the entire score of the Nightly news with Tom Brokaw (I have heard this a million times, but the entire score blew me away!).

What an evening! What a night! Perhaps, the best thing, is that this checks off one of the 50-things to do before I am 35.