Travelogues, parenthood and other musings

Holiday greetings from our home to yours - Happy 2021

2021-01-20T20:33:00.053-05:00

Yes, we are late, but that's because my family decided to stage a coup. They didn’t want a newsletter this year, but I persisted, and I climbed my hill. “While the (newsletter) can be periodically delayed, it can never be permanently defeated.”

So let's begin…. Happy new year from our home to yours.

This has been a crazy year for everyone. We had our share of crazy. For beginners, we aced social distancing. We socially distanced from each other for several months, and yet the family gave me so much fodder. In our house, the policing was done by the youngest generation. The oldies tried to snuck out a few times, but were caught red-handed by the in-house Corona police.

Wear dark clothes, hold your breath, and pose!

Two new things happened in our lives consecutively. Even as the boys sat rather comfortably ensconced at the driving wheel, with the knowledge that the highway was now their new chess board, the dad sat at the edge of his seat, frantically chanting the newly memorized Hanuman Chalisa.

The family also spent a lot of time playing board games. Nidhi was always clueless in Clue. Roshan took the maximum risk in Risk. Taran, truly appreciating the spirit of capitalism, built his empire in Monopoly. While Ritesh, on account of the extra time that he takes on his turn, has now been deemed taboo to play Taboo.

Taran and Roshan are now 16. They are seniors in high school. Virtual classes were such a blessing. While still waiting to finish high school, they are both now a PhD in Netflix. And very soon, they used their learnings from their online course on negotiation by downsizing their chores to 30%. We are so impressed with the thought, methodology, and the gravitas they apply in dividing their chores. They play ping pong or rock paper scissors to determine who will do the laundry, vacuuming, and the dishes.

Taran (and Roshan are ready to fly the coop)

Incidentally, they have now expanded Idnani Chess, their chess tutoring business (students in 5 countries). We are also proud that they continued to earn some accolades. Roshan became the National Showdown Chess champion for 12th grade; Taran stood 3rd. The boys also led their school to win the National Team Championship. We are delighted that the boys initiated a pro bono chess camp for the students of their alma mater, The Albrook School.

Roshan - cutting fabric for masks

For Ritesh staying at home meant getting pampered by his mother in law’s spicy, rich, and flavorful Indian cooking. Soon enough, Taran and Roshan realized that the only exercise their father was getting was moving his jaw. So appalled were the boys, they decided to be his fitness instructor. Poor Ritesh would emerge from the basement injured like a bruised rodent (he prefers a “bruised tiger”). He now checks T & R’s exercise schedule and plans his conference calls at the same time.

Ritesh started a podcast this year - “Future of work”. Please check it out and increase the number of views. At least then we will know that the future of his podcast is certain.

Nidhi had made a vision board in the first week of January 2020. “Organize your home” was emblazoned in the center. She failed miserably at it. Her basement and garage remains an inscrutable maze of disarray, in contrast to the perfectly streamlined kitchen cabinets and impeccably labelled pantry. Nidhi seems to have skipped the “organizing” gene from her mother.

However, the one thing she organized successfully was a trip to “Mexico”. Along with her brother, Amit, (who flew down from Canada), they flew their parents to Mexico in January 2020 to celebrate their anniversary. A much cherished dream came true with that. It was a beautiful time travel into childhood, for both Nidhi and her sibling.

Nidhi, with her brother and parents in Mexico

Nidhi’s practice, iReikiNow, continues to grow. She now does virtual Reiki sessions, and has led meditation sessions for schools, corporates, and many non-profit organizations. This year, she felt even more grateful for the journey that she is on.

This truly was a year when gratitude was the dominant emotion. We are so grateful to those on the frontline. Thank you to Newark Academy for taking safety and precautions of the highest level and ensuring that quality education for our children continues. And a big thank you to all those community organizers who went over and beyond in their commitment to serve. (KCWL, it was an honor to be a part of your mask making team). We are also grateful for all the blessings that we have, that we usually take for granted - our home, family, and friends, and technology that kept us connected (thank you Zoom and WhatsApp).

We wrap this newsletter with a prayer for those who we have lost this year.

Wishing everyone strength, love, and light in 2021 and beyond.

Ritesh, Nidhi, Taran, and Roshan

Holiday greetings from our home to yours - Happy 2020

2020-01-10T20:28:00.000-05:00

Hello there!

Unlike last year, I will refrain from giving you a happy, sunlit version of our family life. No more Walt Disney or a Bollywood "Happily lived ever after" ending. Instead, I have decided to press charges against my boys. Taran and Roshan have abused their power in such disturbing ways that they rightly deserve to be punished.

Firstly, complicity or conspiracy with each other: Often, the boys conspire with each other to present their case in front of us in a way that it only benefits them. And then they collaborate to obstruct any investigation. A case in point....

Roshan: "Mom, I got a B- in ....."

Me, looking incredulous: "Huh?"

Roshan, incredulous that I had an incredulous look: "Do you have any idea how hard my teacher grades? Just ask Taran." (Clearly, offense is the best defense)

Taran, making an "innocent" entry into the room: "Mom, it is not Roshan's fault. The highest grade in this class tends to be a B+, so a B- is very good. You should congratulate Roshan."

Secondly, guilty of abuse of power: Both boys know how much we all dote on them, and this year, in particular, they took full advantage of that. Several times, when I picked them up from school, they entered the car like angels with such charming smiles, gentle manner, and one fine day I was even showered with "You are the best, mom." I was sure I was dreaming or was this heaven on earth? However, the euphoria of "I am blessed with such adorable sons" was overridden by an email receipt of a BBB jersey and those latest Nike shoes. Needless to say, Heaven came crashing down.

Celebrating Diwali

Ritesh continues to work at Tech Mahindra. When he is not traveling on work, he often works from home. Late morning, he checks in with "What's for lunch?" When the response does not sound appetizing enough he magically generates a lunch meeting, and then proceeds with his power nap.

His achievement this year - Ritesh has broken prior records of fitness. He has mastered the hand-eye coordination and has strengthened his right index finger.... he exercises it almost 24x7 to swipe the screen on his phone. So dedicated is he, that he has been honored by the Guinness World Records for "most swipes per minute."

Meanwhile, I continue to wear several hats - most notably that of a meditation coach, mindfulness teacher, Reiki Master and Past life regression coach (check out my practice, iReikiNow), a volunteer (hospital, school, and a temple), and a driver (regularly clock 500 miles/ week on my Honda Odyssey). Some of these car rides are filled with "Yippee! I got my mild natured son back today." and some with "Uggh! He has a mood swing AGAIN!" Honda has taken note of this inconsistency in teenage behavior. Last heard, the company is now eyeing to feature me in their commercial titled "Regardless of the vibes your children give you, we will consistently give you great mileage."

On the brighter side, here are our top 10 highlights from 2019:

1. Chess: Roshan won 2nd place at the PanAmerican Youth Championship in Ecuador this summer. Both, Taran and Roshan were 11th-grade co-champions at the state level and stood in the top 10 at the National level. Along with their classmates, they helped place their school Newark Academy 1st at the Nationals. We are immensely grateful to their coaches and all those who supported them during their chess careers. Both boys now regularly teach private lessons and at summer camps, so please holler if anyone needs a lesson in person or online.

At Chess Nationals in Florida

2. Tennis: In March, as part of their school's tennis program, Taran & Roshan traveled to Nevada for a tennis camp. This summer, Taran won tennis tournaments, both, as a singles, and doubles player.

3. Cultural and language immersion trip: Taran and Roshan went to Spain for an exchange program. They stayed with their host family for two weeks. The advantages of this program are many - from stepping out of your comfort zone to learning a language and culture in its most authentic way, its benefits are immense. But I shuddered at the thought of my children in their host family settings. I prayed for their host families..... those families did not know what they had signed up for. I now give them distance Reiki for recovery from trauma.

4. Trip to Europe: But I must admit, I also rejoiced when the boys decided to go for their immersion program. 19 days of freedom sounded so enchanting that Ritesh and I took off to Europe. We visited London, Budapest, Leipzig, Dresden, and Prague.

In London, while Ritesh worked, I explored the beautiful English gardens, museums and monuments. My favorite - St. Paul's Cathedral and it's stunning art pieces especially "The Light of the World".

Budapest's Danube river cruise and walking across the Szechenyi Chain Bridge was fun. Our visit to the Basilica of St. Stephen was rewarding for both of us on a different level. I prayed; he took a catnap.

Leipzig's Nikolaikirche, with its palm like pillars and cream colored pews, was both, a place of beauty and worship. Thomaskirche, the church where Johann Sebastian Bach worked as a cantor until his death, and where his remains lie buried was fascinating.

Dresden's art and architecture is so stunning, it is nicknamed "Florence on the Elbe". I spent six hours in the Royal Palace and its many museums (The Green Vault and the New Green Vault are a must).

Prague's Old Town Square had the city's most notable sights and buildings. Prominent among these were the Tyn Church, Prague Orloj or the Astronomical Clock and St. Nicholas Church, where we attended a Bach and Vivaldi concert. Ritesh paid homage to the maestros by dozing off. His excuse - "Isn't this a testament to Bach and Vivaldi? Their music is so relaxing."

At Old Town Square in Prague

5. Cricket: We were lucky to get tickets to the India Vs New Zealand match in the World Cup. Unfortunately, the match got rained out but the atmosphere in the stadium was electrifying. Ritesh and I bumped into old friends and made new ones. Sitting next to Sudhir Chaudhary, (India's biggest cricketing fan. He is featured in "Beyond All Boundaries", a documentary on Netflix) hearing his story and observing the adulation that he receives from cricketers and fans was an eye-opener.

India Vs New Zealand, Cricket World Cup

6. Meeting with Dhoni: We were so fortunate to meet with cricketing legend, Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Here are the details of our conversation with him.

With Dhoni, the legend 🙏🙏🙏

7. Hosting Spanish guests: We loved hosting Anton and Hector, Taran and Roshan's exchange/ immersion program guests. Both these boys fit into our family like they were always a part of it. Taking them shopping, mini-golf, NYC, or arranging a soccer match for them.... each experience was fun and rewarding. It was hard to say goodbye when the two weeks ended so I asked their parents if we could live up to the "exchange". We could send Taran and Roshan and keep their boys. So raw was the trauma they had experienced that they responded with a resounding "No". But we are glad to remain in touch with our Spanish guests and their family.

8. Hosting friends and family: Ritesh, my parents and I enjoyed visiting family in Virginia Beach. Summer and Fall were all about hosting friends and family from California, Canada, India and New York. It was filled with love, laughter and a milestone. My one-year-old nephew took his first steps in our home. Yay! Celebrating my niece's birthday at Six Flags and hitting balls at Topgolf with my cousin was the perfect way to seal the summer.

9. New Year in Cancun: We enjoyed Cancun's balmy weather with friends from Atlanta. Mornings were spent lazing on the beach and evenings were meant for board games. The kids creamed the adults in "Taboo" and "Hit or Miss". We also kayaked, snorkeled and went fishing (caught a barracuda and a king mackerel). Roshan steered the boat smoothly during the deep-sea fishing expedition, while Ritesh experienced deep sleep and woke up just in time to pose with the catch.

10. Doing what matters most: Once again, this year, Taran and Roshan volunteered at The Albrook School as camp counselors - 70 hours well spent. A special shout out to both boys for making time every day to spend with their grandparents, for eagerly being their grandfathers' "tech-support" and discussing cricket statistics with him, for those innumerable cups of "adrak wali chai" (ginger tea) and "bhelpuri" you have made for all of us, and for bringing so much joy in our life. May you keep doing what matters most.

We wrap this letter with a toast to the human spirit, especially to two strangers I met in Dresden.
1. Firas, an engineering student, who, on realizing that I was new to Germany, enthusiastically approached me to check if I needed any help and proceeded to share his life stories with me. He was originally from Yemen and had travelled to Germany just a few months ago to study.
2. An Afghani guard at the Royal Palace, who had immigrated recently to Germany. When I asked him if he liked Germany, he responded cheerfully "Yes, there is no dust here."
Thank you, both, for teaching me kindness, gratitude, and simplicity.

Wishing you all a happy, healthy, and peaceful 2020.
Be simple, be happy!
Ritesh, Nidhi, Taran and Roshan

(Update: Since Nidhi wrote this newsletter, the grandparents voted against the punishment calling the charges "defective" and "bogus").

Tete-a-tete with Dhoni

2020-01-08T14:03:00.001-05:00

Most of us tend to be star-struck when we meet celebrities. I recall meeting former Indian cricketer, Kapil Dev at Newark airport, Al Pacino at Rodeo Drive, Los Angeles, and attending a political rally where Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi addressed the crowd. These moments tend to stay with you. But it is rare to get an appointment with a celebrity. Well, we hit a jackpot! A few months ago, we were invited to spend time with cricketing legend, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, at a club in central Jersey. It turned out to be a surreal experience. As Ritesh, Taran, Roshan, and I entered the Metuchen Club, we spotted Dhoni sitting with our common friend. The first sight of Dhoni left us in awe. I was grateful for all my mindfulness meditations.... my heart was fluttering but I had to appear cool and collected. Over drinks and beverages, our 25 minutes with this cricketing legend left us wanting for more. Dhoni came across as one of the humblest and most grounded I have ever met. His humility, even as one of the most successful sportsmen in the world, is unparalleled. We have read about Captain Coo's (as he is widely known) down to earth nature, but meeting him and chatting with him made our respect for him grow manifold.

Here are snippets from our conversation:

Taran asked him how he handles expectations.

Dhoni's advice - "You have to stop looking at the result. Just focus on what you need to do in the moment ..... the process, the steps.... and not on the result." (I beamed 😊.... Dhoni sounded like an ambassador of mindfulness). Dhoni continued "At the same time, be honest to yourself on how much effort you have put in. Your performance is a result of your talent, ability and hard work."

Roshan enquired how Dhoni handles pressure.

Dhoni's response - "Focus on what you can control. Don't focus on the uncontrollable. Control the controllable." Sounds like Lord Krishna's guidance to Arjun in the Bhagavad Gita.

The most important values.

Of the most important values to him, he said he valued honesty the most. "You can lie to others, but you can never lie to yourself." Dhoni also consciously learns from his mistakes. He added, "People learn from their mistakes, but those who learn from others mistakes, learn the fastest."

Dhoni is known to be a patriot. While speaking about India, his face brightened. "India is the only country with 10,000 patriotic songs. We, Indians, are emotional people. Being emotional is our strength." In 2011, Dhoni was conferred with the rank of honorary lieutenant-colonel in the Indian Army for his contribution to cricket. In August 2019 he completed a two-week stint with the Territorial Army in Jammu & Kashmir. We were curious to know what inspired him to serve in the Indian Army. Dhoni commented that he always held the Armed Forces in high regard. He wanted to see firsthand the hardship that our Armed Forces go through as they serve to protect us.

While discussing his career, he mentioned that there wasn't one particular turning point. Instead, he tried to make use of every opportunity he got. His advice - "If you make use of every chance you get, and put your 100% in it, you can say with conviction that you tried."

Towards the end of our meeting, Dhoni spent time giving us autographs and patiently took pictures with us. As is his persona, he did not hurry us, and instead stood as a willing model, who we hovered around and took pictures with. Once the pictures were clicked, he asked us to check if they were ok, or if we needed more. Really? What is he made of?

As he waved us bye, he gave a piece of advice to Taran and Roshan, "Your parents will give you advice. Their parents did the same, and you will do the same with your children. They mean well. Listen respectfully and patiently but remember that you must evaluate their advice."

As we walked back to our car in stunned silence, captivated by Dhoni's humility, simplicity, warmth, and kindness, we took some time to soak in the experience, and then discussed how each one of us felt. Our conclusion - we had come to meet a cricketing legend, but we ended up meeting an icon, a hero, a soul so unique that he dazzled us not just on the field but even more off the field.

Long back I had read Ralph Waldo Emerson's quote "A great man is always willing to be little." But now I finally understand what he truly meant.

Holiday greetings from our home to yours - Happy 2019

2019-01-09T21:04:00.000-05:00

Hello!

It is that time of the year again when we send you a "selfie" version of our life - airbrushed, filtered, cropped, and present an enhanced image of ourselves for your admiration and applause. So, without missing a beat, here we go....

Taran and Roshan are in 10th grade! They are amazing kids. They take Nidhi's mindfulness lessons (mindful eating, mindful listening, mindful breathing etc) very seriously and have extrapolated it in their own creative way. They practice mindful growling, mindful glaring and mindfully giving monosyllabic responses.

Ritesh continues to work for TechMahindra, contributing to their Business Process Services and Platforms unit. He takes his work rather seriously. This spring, when he ran the Rutgers Half Marathon without any training, the boys asked him, "Dad, why didn't you train?" He responded, "I outsourced the practice runs to my friend."

Nidhi loves her work as a spiritual healer and is busy with her private practice, iReikiNow. She teaches and offers Reiki, mindfulness, meditation sessions, past life regression, and volunteers Reiki/meditation sessions at hospitals and other institutions. Read more about her spiritual journey here.

We have had an adventurous and fun 2018. Here are the top 10 highlights:

Chess Accomplishments: We are so proud that both, Taran and Roshan, earned the title of Chess National Masters this year. They also won the State Championship and brought back trophies from the Nationals too. They now teach chess lessons during the school year and teach at chess summer camps. They are such good boys - the are saving their earnings to contribute towards their school tuition. This newsletter seemed to be the best place to inform them about their contribution.
Milestone event: Ritesh and Nidhi celebrated their 20th anniversary. Now, back in the day, everyone knew that these two would make a solid couple. 20 years later, the weighing scale proved them right.

Carrickarede Island, Ireland
Ritesh, the perfectionist: Yet again Ritesh proved that not only does he learn fast, he implements and executes on the ideas he picks up . Those countless hours spent on Twitter inspired him to build a wall. This wall is unique. It is invisible. It requires no funding, no shutdown. It is even soundproof and magically surrounds him every time Nidhi suggests him to complete a household chore.
Harvard: Ritesh and Nidhi had the good fortune of attending an executive education program at Harvard Business School and MIT, this spring. This program was sponsored by The Mahindra Group, Ritesh's employer. Read more about their experience here. Nidhi feels such loyalty towards the group since the program, that whenever Ritesh attempts to take his legendary nap during his work day, Nidhi reminds him gently (or not so) to RISE to work. Pun intended!
Past Life Regression: Nidhi got trained and certified in PLR by Dr. Brian Weiss, the leading authority on PLR. She has regressed many people since her training this summer. When she regressed Ritesh, he saw that he was related to her even in his past life. What can we say? Some people have all the luck!

Honored to be trained by Dr. Brian Weiss
Ireland and Northern Ireland - a trip with our teenage sons: This summer we did a road trip from Dublin to Belfast to Donegal to Galway and back to Dublin. By the 5th day of our trip, when Nidhi asked Taran and Roshan 116th time during the trip to put their phones away and enjoy the stunning landscape of the emerald island - the various hues of green, the countless sheep and cows grazing on the rolling hills, they quipped, "Mom, we know! It's green!". The other added, "How different can sheep no. 1000 be from sheep no. 1?"
Ireland and Northern Ireland - a trip with our soulful and gentle sons: For the record, despite the complaint "Why would we come to an island where we can't laze around under the sun, on a beach?", we had a fabulous time. Exploring Aran Islands by cycle was a fun family experience. The Cliffs of Moher literally and figuratively took our breath away. It was very windy there. Thank you, Taran, for taking that extra walk with me and patiently waiting for me to soak up the beauty. The Giants Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was spectacular. Hiking up the lesser known but jaw-dropping Slieve League was a formidable and memorable experience. The boys were fascinated by the Black Cab Tour in Belfast , where our tour guide showed us the murals, the peace wall and other political vestiges of "the Troubles". Nidhi particularly enjoyed Clonmacnoise, an ancient monastic site. Ritesh claimed that his favorite was a trip to Trinity College and the awe-inspiring Book of Kells, but we have proof to believe that he enjoyed St. Patrick's Cathedral the most.

Ritesh blatantly ignoring Jonathan Swift's instructions. Swift must be turning in his grave
Thanksgiving in Southern California: We visited the Universal Studios, the Santa Monica pier, the Griffith Observatory and cruised along Sunset Blvd. But the highlight of the trip was the food we ate. We tried Armenian, Korean, Lebanese, Malayan, Taiwanese and more. We loved every bit and bite of it. Our favorite was the dumplings we ate at Din Tai Fung.

Universal Studios, California
Camp counsellors: Taran and Roshan volunteered at their alma mater, The Albrook School, for two weeks as summer camp counsellors. They loved the experience and enjoyed the adulation of pre-schoolers and kindergartners. We are so proud of the boys for giving back to the school which laid their foundation. A special shout-out to Roshan for becoming the favorite counsellor of pre-schoolers. #proudmom May you both do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, and to all the people you can.
Simple joys in life: A first this year was watching a comedy show as a family. It was fun to see Nidhi's cousin, K C Arora, and his group, American Born Desi Comics perform in NY. We fondly recall the peel of laughter while playing Uno at Central Park, while celebrating our 6 year old niece's birthday. Spontaneously racing Ritesh on the steps of UCLA, and losing to him despite his dormant state, left us in giggles.

We feel blessed to have a wonderful family and friends. It was lovely to host and visit many of them. We created beautiful memories in our trips to Amsterdam, Florida, New Orleans, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia. Binge watching shows and playing board games with extended family and friends during the winter break seemed the perfect way to wrap up the year.

We wrap this letter with a wish for a very happy, healthy and peaceful 2019, for you and your loved ones. May your light shine bright.

Warmly,

Ritesh, Nidhi, Taran and Roshan

P.S: Please blame the delay in sending out the newsletter to the US government shutdown. We are sincere citizens. We follow our leaders. But lucky you, Idnani family only had a partial shutdown. You did, after all, receive the newsletter.

Holiday greetings from our home to yours – Happy 2018

2018-01-04T20:52:00.001-05:00

We apologize for the delay in sending out our annual newsletter. This year, I asked Ritesh to take on the mantle. After spending countless hours in front of his screen, he came up with “Happy New Year”. Yes, Ritesh is a man of few words but this was unacceptable. After all, there is so much to brag errr.. blog about, and over the years you have all been such eager readers, that I decided to reclaim the title of the author of our newsletter. So here goes….

Taran and Roshan turned into “We know it all” teenagers and graduated from middle school. To all of you who commented in the past “Oh! You have such cute twins”, please feel free to take them home (To YOUR home). They continue to play tennis and chess and we continue to pay for those expensive lessons. “Well, you decided to have us, so it’s only fair that you pay now”, remark the teenagers. “What cheek!” Ritesh and I fume! “Such logical, intelligent and smart young men” compliment the ever indulgent grandparents. PERSPECTIVE!

Ritesh traveled extensively on work. His favorite trip was to Finland, thanks to the saunas. But he was grateful that he didn’t visit the country during the wife-carrying world championship! I mean, just to make the insurance deductible, he doesn’t really need to break his back, right?!

Nidhi (I) had a very “mindful” 2017. I completed a mindfulness course from Leiden University. And I loved the 10 day Vipassana silent retreat in Delaware. On returning home, I was lovingly encouraged by the boys and Ritesh to continue living in silence at home. “Your silence is golden for us” I was told. I continued to grow my practice, iReikiNow. Check out my year-end video on YouTube.

2017 was wonderful in so many respects. We visited/hosted lots of family and friends. Spending the entire winter break with friends and family (from Canada, NY and NJ), playing board games, watching movies, eating, eating and eating a bit more will stay in our memories and on or butts/bellies for a long time. On the accomplishment front (Ta da! Show-off time), Taran and Roshan, here’s a virtual high five to you for putting your phones away during the winter break. More power to you!

We traveled a fair bit. It was the first year that each one of us had individual trips planned (Gosh! We all needed a break from each other!) and of course, we traveled together in plenty. Here are the top 10 travel highlights of 2017 for the Idnani family:

Jump as if you will get a million bucks ;-)
At The Chocolate Hills, Bohol, The Philippines

Palawan, Philippines - We toured the Puerto Princesa Underground River, which is one of the New 7 Natural wonders of the world. The tour entails a boat ride in complete silence albeit you do hear the audio guide describing the stalactites and stalagmite formation. The caves are pitch dark except for the lone flashlight of your guide. The rock formations are aptly named – there was a “cathedral” because of the rock’s high ceiling, a “vegetable garden” where the formations looked like turnips, and carrots. There was also a “Jesus Christ”, which, arguably was the most serene formation. Ritesh noticed a giant circular formation and exclaimed in awe “Wow! Nidhi, you are up there too.”
Jungles of The Philippines - Considering ourselves to be decent hikers, we had the hubris of accepting the challenge to hike in the jungles of the Philippines. All it took was 30 minutes for our pride to drain from our heads. The jungle was raw. The trail was steep. The weather very humid. The jungle had lizards, bugs, monkeys, and lots of reptiles. Fortunately for us, the pythons, decided to give us a break and didn’t show up.
Taal volcano - Hiking up the Taal volcano, the second most active volcano in the Philippines, was another unforgettable experience. The climb, though not steep, was uneven and challenging because it was a very hot day. However, the sprawling views of the crater were enchanting. Taran was concerned if the volcano might erupt. Ritesh assuaged his fears with “Between mom and the volcano, only one can erupt”.
Philippines sea - the “Island hopping” tour from El Nido was fabulous. Kayaking in the lagoons of the Philippines sea, enclosed within limestone cliffs, was a breath taking experience. Snorkeling in the pristine blue waters of the sea gave us a splendid view of marine life. With a fear of water and terrible swimming skills, I was ably supported and motivated by my sons while snorkeling. Gosh! I did a good job raising them. (Just for this loving gesture, we will skip complaining about the eye rolls this year 😄😄.) However, swimming with the whale sharks in Oslob was the highlight of the entire trip. Roshan, thank you for coaxing me to try it. One thing off the bucket list.

Swimming with the whale sharks at Oslob, The Philippines
Lantau Island – The trip to see the Tian Tan Buddha is going to stay with me forever. I choked up at the sight and Taran, seeing my tears, accosted Ritesh “What did you do again?” LOL!
Hong Kong – From the ride up the Funicular railway to see the views from Victoria’s Peak, to crossing the river between Hong Kong and Kowloon in the Star ferry, we soaked in the majestic views and the breathtaking skyline of the city. We also attempted to immerse ourselves in the culture, religion and traditions of Hong Kong. A visit to Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin temple housing the religions of Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism gave us a glimpse of the diversity in religion in this city. The tranquility at the Po Lin Monastery at Lantau island still echoes in my heart.
India - We LOVED spending time with family and friends in India this summer. Delhi, U.P, Uttarakhand, Mumbai and Kerala - we traversed across the country getting pampered everywhere we went.
Kerala – While in Munnar, we toured the spice plantations and Kolukkumalai Tea Estate, the highest organic tea estate in the world. The drive up the mountain (8000 feet) was super bumpy but the vistas were spellbinding. We indulged in Ayurveda massages every single day of the trip. What a treat! Local performances of Kathakali classical dance and Kalaripayattu martial arts at Thekkady gave us a fresh perspective on the patience and perseverance of the artists/performers. Respect! The only let-down was the Periyar National Park famous for it’s tiger reserves. While the beauty, the greenery, and the stillness was captivating, we didn’t see any tigers. But then again, since they anyways live with a bold, beautiful, and powerful (and the "self-aggradizing" list goes on) tigress, the three Idnani men didn't miss much.

Munnar, Kerala, India
A little bit of Bollywood – We watched the star studded premiere of “A Gentleman” in Mumbai and the IIFA awards at the MetLife Stadium. The high decibel level, the flashing lights and jazzy performances enthralled many but Ritesh managed to sleep there too!
Florida – December took us back to Florida for the chess nationals. Both boys finished in the top 10 and brought a 3^rd place team trophy to Newark Academy. As always it was fun to meet with friends and family (their cousin played too) at the Nationals.

Chess Nationals, Orlando, Florida

We wrap this note with a wish that in 2018 we all “Hit Refresh” to improve, search for new energy, and new ideas, but most importantly stay empathetic and discover or even re-discover our soul. (We ~~may be~~ are the BEST ;-), but this idea is borrowed from Satya Nadella).

Happy 2018!

Ritesh, Nidhi, Taran and Roshan

P.S.: The following part of our newsletter was Fake news/opinion (can’t blame us for being trendy):

"there is so much to brag"
"We ~~may be~~ are the BEST,"

Holiday greetings from our home to yours - 2017

2016-12-25T11:44:00.000-05:00

Hello there!

It's our favorite time of the year when we get to get to share all the humdrum, self congratulations, and trivia from our life in 2016 and get ready to beckon 2017. So here goes....

Williamsburg, VA, August 2016 - At the Guillotine

Taran and Roshan are 8th graders at Newark Academy. They continue to play chess and tennis but their new undertaking is to make Nidhi a better parent. Hence, they give her plenty of opportunities to practice what she preaches i.e. acknowledgement of the situation in which they have landed themselves and compassion (breathe in..... breathe out....). Now, Nidhi has a new solution for all their misdemeanors. Each time they break a rule, they are supposed to learn and cook a new dish. As a result, the boys have a decent repertoire of items ranging from freshly grated ginger tea to pasta to vegan orange cake. Lesson 1: Every cloud has a silver lining! The boys, however, prefer teamwork, and are trying to bring their dad under the jurisdiction of this new rule of the Idnani household hoping that given the frequency of Ritesh's offenses, very soon he will be cooking a seven course meal. Amen!

Oh! Lest we forget the self praise....Taran tied for third place in the North American Youth Chess Championship held in Canada while Roshan tied for the fifth place in the US Chess Nationals held in Tennessee. They also made it to the "A" team of Middle School Tennis at their school and remain undefeated. They also lead the Middle School Chess Club.

2016 has been wonderful for Nidhi. Apart from all the private Reiki and meditation sessions she has been doing for years, she launched group meditation classes for adults and children. She also leads meditation sessions at various forums/ schools/ events and spreads awareness of Reiki. She continued to attend several spiritual retreats this year, and built on her knowledge of energy healing by completing many courses. Check her website and her business page on Facebook (Here's the call to action button http://www.ireikinow.com and https://www.facebook.com/ireikinow/

...Once an MBA, forever an MBA....so what if you are on a spiritual journey now :) This is your chance to do good karma by liking and following the page. Lesson 2 - What goes around, comes around so go like that FB page, now or else..... :)

Rutgers Half Marathon - April 2016

This year brought interesting career options for Ritesh. His new employer, Tech Mahindra has bequeathed him with plenty of opportunities to travel. We miss him terribly when he is away (trust me, driving the kids back and forth from school/ activities is a back breaking job). Fortunately, FaceTime and Skype ensures that the boys continue to roll their eye at him when he tries to help them with math. We are so glad the boys ensure consistency lest he would have withdrawal symptoms. Lesson 3 - to be in your children's memories tomorrow, you have to be in their lives today.....so what if that means teaching them geometry while they whine.

Hiking on the Old Appalachian Trail, VA- July 2016

Through the year, we loved hosting and visiting friends and family across the globe. We also travelled a bit. Spring Break was spent in a cottage in the Poconos, where we spent time with cousins playing foosball, air hockey, hiking, and enjoying at the Kalahari water park. We attended our first "family spiritual retreat" in the Catskills, NY, in the spring. The boys also visited Boston as a trip from school. Summer was wonderful ! The boys enjoyed their first chess sleep away camp in Connecticut. We created beautiful memories in Virginia Beach (Nidhi had to be rescued by life guards at a water park out there - the water was 3 feet deep !!!!) and Maryland with our extended family and friends. We soaked in the natural wonder of Luray Caverns in Shenandoah Valley, hiked the Appalachian Trail, zip lined on the Blue Ridge mountains, and went back in time touring the house, garden and grounds of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. We hiked the trails and battlefields of Harpers Ferry, a town in West Virginia, that exchanged hands 8 times between the Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. We continued to experience the history of America by visiting Jamestown and Williamsburg. We made a quick stop at Detroit en route to Windsor, Canada. Windsor has a pretty waterfront that culminates in the 1929 American suspension bridge across the Detroit River between USA and Canada. In the winter break, we toured Nashville, Tennessee and then found ourselves back in Canada to spend the holidays with family. We also made several visits to NYC - we watched "Wicked", visited museums in the City, walked across the Brooklyn Bridge (and attempted to pose as Shahrukh Khan of Kal Ho Na Ho) and played hero (Roshan saved a little baby's life on the streets of downtown) !

This year we end with a few awards for the family. In no order of priority, here are the awards:

Zip lining - Blue Ridge Mountains, VA, July 2016

- "The Most Rested Person award" to Ritesh for remaining horizontal on the couch while awake and then effortlessly falling off to sleep at any and all times.

- "The Dedication award" goes to Roshan for repeatedly watching the same chess interviews on YouTube and binge watching "Fuller House" and "Friends". He has now memorized the entire script.

- "The Agility award" goes to Taran for deftly switching the screen from video games to "Canvas" (Newark Academy's scheduling application) when Mom is around.

- "The New Lexicon award" to Nidhi for formulating her own own wordlist. "A" for acceptance (of the three men in her life), "B" for blessings (God, grant me the serenity to accept the the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference).

Feel free to send us your congratulatory messages on these awards. We thrive on applause!

Wishing you and your loved ones good health, good luck, and lots of happiness in 2017. May you always take time to enjoy the simple pleasures in life !

The Idnani Family

Happy New Year - 2016

2015-12-26T19:38:00.000-05:00

Hello there,

It’s that time of the year again when I pen down the sojourns of the Idnani family in the year that is passing by. This year, I take a break from self-inflicted tradition, wear my parental hat and share my observations and hope for parenting 11 year olds.

The latest inmates ;)

@ Olympic Museum, Lake Placid, NY June 2015

As we wrap up 2015, I observe the growth in my sons, in all spheres – intellectual, physical and emotional. Often, anything we say is responded to (No, I did not say “answered back”) in clear, concise language loaded with examples from our own lives such as, “How can you ask us to not use our phone during meals when dad reads CNN on his phone during meal time?” and the latest one, “Holidays are for down time. The very meaning of the term “holiday” means that you are exempt from work; as opposed to a working day, hence logically, we will spend our time playing, watching movies and hanging out with friends and family this holiday season.” Take that, mom and dad!!!!! What was I thinking when I enrolled my boys for chess in the first place - that they will use their analytical and logical abilities only for the board game and the rest of time they will function like mini robots, suspending their cognitive abilities and other brain functions and operating in an automated mode????

Well, over the years I have come to the conclusion that as much as I, or for that matter, many parents, expose their children to the ways of the world, sports, arts, culture, travels etc. and hope that our child blossoms into this exceptional child possessing a brilliant mind replete with irenic qualities, promoting peace, love and joy around the world, we want that brilliance to be subdued in the area of responding to their parents commands and instructions. Hence, when I say, “Taran, please eat your veggies before you eat the bread”, he will not only obey my command, he will oblige me with a beatific smile and with a response that goes like, “Of course, mom!” Of course, it is understood that my commands are ALWAYS well intentioned, based on research and on my life experiences. With this in mind, I am documenting the 10 things that I wish my children follow in 2016 and for the years to come. Taran and Roshan, this is for you….

Mom is always right – this is rule no. 1. You have to hardcode it into your system. No matter what/when/where/how/why, mom is always right! When mom feels indulgent, she will change this rule to “Mom and dad are always right”. She has the vetoing power. ALWAYS!

August 2015
Courage – This is the force that makes our life brilliant. Be fearless! Tread forward courageously. Should you fail or lose, pick yourself up, applaud yourself for trying and move on. Remember that fortune favors the bold and the brave. Set goals and challenge yourself.
Enjoy learning – Grades are a byproduct of knowledge. Enjoy learning for the sake of learning and knowledge/opening up your eyes and mind; not for the sake of grades. Keep trying new activities and exploring different subjects. May you be a lifelong student, always learning something new every single day. May you be the “Rancho” of the movie “3 idiots”!
Time management – The most precious resource we have is time. Don’t procrastinate. Don’t wait for the last day of a two week project to make your science model. Be a man of action – State the problem, find a solution, and solve the problem/ task at hand.
Be in the moment - Multitasking is what your dad and I were taught at business school. However, we are spending time and money in our 40s trying to unlearn what we learned in our 20s ;) When you think you are multitasking, you are rapidly moving from one task to another, as a result, not paying 100% attention to either of the two tasks in hand. It kind of reminds me of the time you switch screens between your homework assignment and Marble Blast or V0.2.0 the moment you see either of your parents arrive into the room. There is no way you will get “Gold time” if you keep switching screens. So, pay 100% attention to what you are doing and be mindful. Squeeze the present for all it’s worth. When studying, gather all the knowledge you can. When singing or playing the violin, perform as if no one is watching you. When playing chess/ tennis, play as if there is no tomorrow. When playing Madden Mobile, play as if you are playing to get an elite player J
Get Bored – I wish you times where you feel you have nothing to do. This is the time for you to reflect, to introspect, to think and to just be. Only once you know who you are, can you improve yourself. Have a relationship with yourself. You cannot forge a bond with anyone, if you cannot connect and bond with yourself.
Technology – Don’t let it distract and enslave you; instead master it. Use it to connect with others, to inform yourself and to widen your horizon but keep it away during homework/ work time. Wonder aloud! And don’t ever replace wonder with Google. Before you Google anything, spend time thinking through the answer. Further, you really don’t need a phone at a party. Socialize with others - not with the phone. If possible, one day a week or a weekend every season, go on a technology free diet. You will be pleasantly surprised how uplifting and relaxing it feels.
Recharge your battery – No, not your phone. I meant YOUR battery. Read a book, go for a run, breathe deeply, be present in the moment. Do whatever it takes to clear your head and calm yourself. Live your life from the inside out. Don’t let Darth Vader get the better of you. Instead, be the Jedi that uses the force for constructive purposes.
Give space for dissent – Well, I already know that you enjoy a good argumentJ But what I am really referring to here is treating feedback as a gift. Wouldn’t it be lovely to accept it in the “low lunge” yoga pose (chest open, shoulders relaxed and hands joined to heart) especially when mom is giving you feedback? And before you express your dissent here, remember Rule no. 1 - mom is always right!

October 2015

Family and friends are precious – I thoroughly enjoy all the attention and affection you shower on me and everyone else. I hope you continue to laugh aloud with friends and family, live precious moments, be with them in good and bad times. Don’t let life get so busy that you let its beauty and mystery pass you by.

I end this note with the hope that you will practice these in action and in interaction as you journey through life. The more attention you pay to these qualities/ points, the more it becomes an integral part of you. And I also hope that I can practice what I preach :)

Love always,

Mom

Happy holidays and a happy 2016 to all our friends and family. May the force be with you!

Best,

Ritesh, Nidhi, Taran and Roshan

Holiday greetings from our home to yours - 2015

2015-01-06T14:50:00.002-05:00

A TOAST - adieu 2014, welcome 2015!

To friends and family, for always being there.

To my parents for being your usual effervescent selves, your “normal” is a constant source of inspiration.

To my father, for pampering me every single day with your “adrak wali chai” (ginger tea).

To my mother, for piping hot and delicious food! Lucky me! ;-)

To Lake George, our spring destination, for the incredible time we spent there. We shall be back.

To river rafting and para-sailing, new experiences for us. Oh! what fun!

To The Albrook School, for giving an all round education to Taran and Roshan, and more importantly, for giving them values which we hope they will forever imbibe. We shall always be grateful!

To Newark Academy, for accepting the boys as 6th graders. We are grateful to you for taking on our troubles ;-)

Getting ready for the hike - Sulphur Mountain, Banff, Canada

To the Canadian Rockies for opening up vistas that we never knew existed. Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper, you have forever made a place in our hearts and memories. On our return flight, while I was reminiscing about our trip, I remarked to the boys, "I felt we left a little bit of ourselves there." Instantly, Taran responded, "Yes, I dropped my baseball cap on our last hiking trail in Jasper!"

To Sulphur Mountain in Banff. We hiked 5.5 km to the summit and enjoyed every bit of our journey as well as the awesome panoramic views from the peak.

To the wildlife we spotted in the Canadian Rockies - 10 bears, a dozen elks, bald eagles, a wolf, mountain deer, and the list goes on.

To canoeing in the Banff river where we took a group canoeing trip! While we canoed upstream, our guide/coach happily pulled Ritesh’s legs as Ritesh was tiring out the fastest. He even exclaimed. “Sir, the one with the red cap, can you please watch your wife and follow her as she is doing an excellent job!!!” Why is it so difficult for Ritesh to realize what even strangers can gauge in a few minutes?! ;-)

To touring a glacier (Columbia Icefield), a first ever for the Idnani family. Touring the Triple Continental Divide (one of only 2 places in the world) was surreal. Here the glacial water flows to 3 different oceans – Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic oceans from this area via the Columbia, North Saskatchewan and Athabasca rivers.

To a summer that was filled with family, friends, play dates, lunches, dinners, swimming, tennis, watching a baseball game in the local stadium, movies and lots of fun trips.

To amusement parks (Hurricane Harbor and Hershey's Park), for bringing the child out in each one of us!

To New York City - from the cruise on the Hudson & East river, to Central Park zoo, to Statue of Liberty/ Ellis Island, to becoming engulfed in a giant bubble in Washington Square Park, to playing baseball in the Upper East side with our friends - the city entertained us like never before.

To the Met, a treasure we only partly explored this summer. The artifacts made us feel as if we had witnessed history if only for a few hours.

To movies/ musical nights/ stage shows, for providing an avenue to the arts that we lack genetically!

To improv, chorus, dance, orchestra & digital art - activities that stretched Taran and Roshan's mind and imagination for the first time ever.

In Florida - Chess Nationals!

To chess, for all the fun, travel, tournaments, friends, coaches and for embracing our family. We enjoy every bit of it and a nice way to round off the year was a top 5 finish for both boys in the Nationals in Florida. Thank you coaches!

To chess again, for the patience it taught Ritesh & me when we played along with our boys in a team tournament. This time, it was the boys who taught us the basics and reminded us to focus on our boards. Phew!!! It was tough!

To our running/ walking buddies for their willingness to motivate us and to slow down their pace while training with us.

To half marathons that Ritesh and I participated in and Team Idnani's first 10K as a family. An easy one for the boys while I huffed and puffed to the finish line.

To my uncle, Narendra chacha, for the daily phone calls, regular meetings and above all the unconditional love!

To my nieces and nephews for the unlimited delight and excitement you bring to our lives.

To Reiki and SGI members, for personifying absolute happiness.

To a winter break that was filled with friends, family (a special shout-out to my brother and his family), skiing (another "first" for the boys), holiday parties, movies and good, fattening, junk, delicious food.

To time spent with my girlfriends, connecting with folks over WhatsApp and Facebook, and celebrating birthdays (some milestone and otherwise), anniversaries, festivals and holidays with friends/family. May we continue to create special moments this year and always.

Relaxing in Jasper, Canada!

To smiles & tears, laughter & sorrow, success & failures, aches & pains, for keeping us grounded, modest & humble.

To Taran and Roshan, for the non-stop entertainment that they provide us, their wit and logical arguments (While I agree that "Jr. Idnanis Vs Sr. Idnanis - the case of the iPhone" - was nicely done, the jury (grandparents) was biased).

To Taran and Roshan again, may you always carry your childhood with you!

To 2015 .... may the new year bring 365 days of opportunities for you.

In memory of Steve Ferrero - tournament and fundraiser

2014-01-13T20:05:00.000-05:00

Yesterday Taran and Roshan played at the first annual Steve Ferrero memorial tournament held at Dean of Chess club in Branchburg, NJ. Steve’s long time companion, Mary McCallion, graced the occasion with her family. 45 players of different age and rating group came to play in honor of Steve – a testament to how much he continues to be loved by the chess community.

Taran, Dean, Mary, Roshan and Noreen at the 1st annual Steve Ferrero memorial tournament

There was a touching eulogy by Steve’s friend and owner of the academy, IM Dean Ippolito and by tournament director and office manager, Noreen Davisson. It left Mary and many others emotional. Taran and Roshan were invited to hand Mary checks totaling $2020, the amount they had raised as a fundraiser in honor of Steve. All the proceeds go to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The link below gives the details of the fundraiser:

https://patch.com/new-jersey/baskingridge/9-year-old-basking-ridge-twins-initiate-a-fundraiser-in-memory-of-their-chess-mentor-and-friend

Steve had touched so many lives. One of the things that drew us to him was that he seemed genuinely happy and he laughed a lot. It feels good to think that he continues to do so from heaven. Steve’s death hit hard. Those days were a blur of emotions, so much sadness and so much grief. Everything else seemed trivial as compared to the hard-hitting reality that he was no more. But life has to go on. What was important was how to keep Steve’s memory alive and create something positive out of this tragic and sudden event. This was the genesis of the “Steve Ferrero Rainbow Loom fundraiser”. Death, the great teacher, had presented an opportunity for a wide range of penetrating and life changing lessons. And although Taran and Roshan are just 9 year olds who had been brought face to face with death, hopefully the dollar amount that they were able to raise will make a difference, as little as it might be. And hopefully, it has contributed to Taran and Roshan’s emotional and existential growth and made their heart richer. So, Steve Ferrero, wherever you are, take a bow as you continue to make the world a better place!

Holiday greetings from our home to yours - 2014

2014-01-03T21:45:00.000-05:00

Hello there,

Roshan and Taran - growing up fast!

Here we are again - at the cusp of bidding goodbye to 2013 & welcoming 2014. We had a beautiful year, full of adventure and fun and we hope you had a blissful time too. So here's a recap of how we fared in 2013.

Taran and Roshan turned 9. They have continued to enjoy school (thankfully!) and are making steady progress in chess & tennis. Both the boys had violin recitals this year and played the recorder at school. Apart from their love for sports, school and fascination with books, what truly stood out this year, was their initiative to make rainbow loom bracelets and sell it door to door thereby raising over $2,000 for charity. The boys did this to honor the memory of their chess friend, Mr. Steve Ferrero. We are proud of Taran, Roshan and all their friends who helped in this poignant effort. They also planned a prayer service in honor of their grandfather's younger brother, who passed away suddenly. It's a joy to see their growth from little kids to young adults.

Ritesh had a big career change this year as he, along with some investors, started Seamless Health, a healthcare startup. A new job meant that he had a lot of running to do. He took the name and work literally and ran his second half marathon! Nidhi was very supportive of Ritesh joining the healthcare industry and so tore a few ligaments in her foot so as to contribute to the sector.

Nidhi and Ritesh in Atlanta during Thanksgiving

Nidhi continued volunteering at Taran and Roshan's school and has also been actively pursuing her Reiki practice. She also became a member of SGI this year. It's an important step in her journey to spirituality. She now has weekly chanting and discussion meetings in her house. Its the boys, however, who have been enjoying her spiritual journey the most. They now bash each other up as and when they want and blame it on "it was my brother's karma from a previous lifetime!"

An important aspect of this year has been that Nidhi turned 40 this year and it was celebrated by everyone who knew her. Ritesh threw a big bash for her, thereby earning brownie points for the next several years (or till her 41st). Yet again, he demonstrates that he knows the art of investing - we refer to the emotional investing here. Everyone was happy that she turned 40 – now she will, hopefully, act more mature.

Taran and Roshan at Qutab complex in New Delhi

Travel has always been a priority for the Idnani family and no year is complete till the time they hit the roads. The Idnanis spent the spring break with family and friends in Canada, Thanksgiving with friends in Atlanta and found themselves back in Canada for Christmas. They also continued to travel for chess tournaments to New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.

Taran and Roshan at Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur

However, the highlight of this year was their travel to India this summer. From the historical forts and opulent palaces in Jodhpur and Jaipur, to the pious destinations of Pushkar (the only temple of Lord Brahma in the world) and Ajmer (the famous shrine of the venerated Sufi saint, Khwaja Muin-ud-din Chisti), the psychedelic colors of traditional outfits, arts and craft in the desert state and the affectionate hospitality of their family - the trip to Rajasthan is one that has been etched in their memory forever. Mumbai and Delhi, as always, were vibrant and intoxicating. Goa captivated them with its swaying palm trees, lush greenery, white sand and the Arabian Sea. The drive to Dehradun was picturesque and the city was charming. But the biggest draw was the outpouring of love, affection and food by friends and family. We felt truly blessed & fat!

As we wrap up this year, we wish you an exciting journey in 2014 filled with love, peace, good health, happiness and wish that you truly live in the moment as opposed to for the moment.

To see a world in a grain of sand,

And a Heaven in a wild flower,

Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,

And eternity in an hour.

- William Blake

Stay in touch!

Ritesh, Nidhi, Taran and Roshan

Steve Ferrero, 1962-2013

2013-09-21T18:11:00.001-04:00

Earlier this week Steve Ferrero, Atlantic Chess News editor, a Chess Expert and a friend, passed away. We got acquainted in 2009 when my twin boys, Taran and Roshan, started playing at the Dean of Chess Academy. Steve was a permanent fixture at DOCA and even more permanent was the smile on his face. His exuberance and love for the game made us gravitate towards him. He was always showing chess positions to T&R challenging them to figure out the best move or showing them an opening or two, 1. b3 being his favorite. He was happy to analyze games that the boys played and was complimentary to them even when they lost their games. Needless to say, Steve had a fan following in us (and the larger DOCA community) to the extent that Taran and Roshan considered him to be a mentor and a friend (chess is a great equalizer – age no bar). A week ago Taran played against Steve (his second last rated game) and lost. Steve, being the quintessential one, heaped compliments on the way Taran played and analyzed the game to the minutest detail possible at the late hour. He left DOCA telling me T & R have a great chess future and that he will proudly watch their progress. Little did we know that this would be our last interaction.

Early Wednesday we found out about Steve’s sudden death. Mere words can’t describe our emotions at that moment. For an instant I felt as if someone had punched me hard in my stomach and pulled my organs out. For an instant I felt breathless as if the air is devoid of oxygen. For an instant I felt as if a part of our life (chess has been a huge part of our lives) has been erased. And then, together, these “instants” just stayed with me even till today, 5 days after the world lost a spark. It’s never easy to hear about someone’s death. The suddenness of it makes it even more unbelievable. It was even more in this case as Steve, with his immense energy, boyish looks and a charming face looked almost a decade younger than his actual age of 51. If my family, merely chess friends, who did not know him out of the chess world, felt such an acute loss, how would his family and close friends feel?! And then there was the sensitive and difficult part of explaining this to my children. 9 year old brains cannot really process this unfortunate news and yet, it was from these little brains that I derived my strength. After numerous questions, Taran commented, “Well, I am glad I lost to him last week.” Roshan remarked, “For somebody who loves chess so much, I am sure he would be happy to go to heaven with wins.” By struggling to overcome the pain and sadness of losing Steve, we became aware of the dignity and preciousness of life (rendered last Wednesday by having the privilege to play chess against Steve and on a bigger scale, for having him in our lives).

And just like that the thought occurred to me, that as much as we grieve the impermanence of Steve’s life, at the end how he lived is what counts. And there is no doubt in my mind that Steve lived his life with a zest that is admired by many but implemented by few. He accomplished much, developed his state of life and on the way made many people happy. The hollowness that the chess community feels is a testament to that little part of Steve’s life that we were privy to. Steve Ferrero, a chess mentor and friend, may you rest in peace.

Holiday greetings from our home to yours - 2013

2013-01-04T20:48:00.000-05:00

Hello,

It's that time of the year again when while bidding Adieu to the year gone by and welcoming 2013, we wish to share with you how we fared in 2012.

Taran and Roshan turned 8 this May & are enjoying being 3^rd graders. This year was "politically" special for them as they followed the elections closely. Nidhi continues to volunteer at their school and in the community. She has also been spending time on expanding her Reiki practice. Ritesh reached 3 milestones this year – he turned 40 and he joined ISGN, a technology led services company focused on the US residential mortgage market as their CEO. He also joined the Board of Directors at Cargo Airport Services, the largest cargo handling company in North America.

There were many firsts for the Idnanis in 2012. Taran and Roshan went on their first camp with their friends & teachers. While the boys enjoyed their entire camping experience and came back craving for more, Nidhi miraculously started to breathe again on seeing the kids after 2 nights & 3 days! Thankfully, there is life after the umbilical cord breaks!

The boys continue to do well at chess. They both tied for 1^st place at the NJ grade level state championship. Taran stood 1^st at the National chess championship for 3^rd grade & Roshan stood 5^th in the PanAmerican championship held in Peru for his age group. They were proud to be part of “Team USA” in this tournament where chess players from 23 countries participated across North & South America.

Taran, Roshan and Nidhi started violin lessons this summer. Yet again, this was a family experience with Ritesh contributing financially and emotionally – he pays for the lessons and he gifted the neighbors earplugs!

Tennis & Football continued to be a big part of the family with a couple of stadium watches – a first for the “entire family experience”. The Idnanis cheered for Novak in the semi finals of US Open in Arthur Ashe stadium and rooted for the Patriots in the Giants stadium. Thankfully their hero/ team won thereby giving the boys bragging rights & giving Ritesh satisfaction that he could finally justify the purchase of those expensive jerseys to Nidhi!

Ritesh & Nidhi ran their first half marathon! It was an extraordinary experience. There were lots of locals & volunteers cheering them along the way. While they were crossing the 6^th mile mark, they even got a high 5 from the winner of the marathon who was trudging back home!

The Idnanis decided to travel the unexplored path this year with a trip to Peru. The stunning landscape & vistas of this country were both, bewildering and intoxicating. Machu Picchu beat all expectations but Lake Titicaca & Arequipa were a total revelation. From sailing on the highest navigable lake in the world to visiting the floating islands to exploring the innumerable shades of greens and browns of the Andes and to eating ceviche and Peruvian potatoes (mostly in the fried form) - the trip left them exhilarated, & circular. They returned to the US after the stupendous 3 weeks with a round head, a round torso & round thighs!!! Glitzy Vegas and touristy Montreal were spring and summer destinations. December brought an absolutely delightful road trip to Florida with family & friends (spanning 3 generations across 5 families). The insatiable appetite for rides and spending Christmas holidays with 2 little mice & their friends in Orlando made this trip a positive family memory.

Finally, the Idnanis also spent time visiting and hosting friends and family from the Netherlands, New York, Maryland, Texas, Virginia, Georgia, India and Canada. We feel so blessed to be surrounded by loved ones.

We wrap up this newsletter with a prayer in our heart wishing you and your loved ones a reservoir of courage, hope, confidence and peace in 2013.

Happy New Year!

The Idnani Family

Chess or Easter celebrations

2012-04-15T13:37:00.000-04:00

I had read this in parenting books a few years ago and still use the "choice" weapon to my advantage. The "choice" weapon is giving your child choices and making him feel independent, important and happy while he makes the choice. Of course, the choices you give him are all that you want him to do. If I were in the child's place, I might feel more like "Between a rock and a hard place" but as smart as a 8 year old's brain is, thankfully, they still fall for this one as was proven last weekend.

Me: Taran, Roshan, if you want we can play a chess tournament on Saturday.

Both (truly excited): Great! And what is the plan for Sunday?

Me: Well, we can play another chess tournament or go to the museum or celebrate Easter.

Roshan (who had no interest in playing chess on 2 consecutive days): Mom, I would really love to observe how Easter is celebrated and compare it to the way we just celebrated "Hanuman Jayanti" so I would love to go to the church.

Taran (ever so logical): Yes, we can go to museums whenever we want to. But I would love to go to a church for Easter service! It will be a great experience.

Me: Wise decision! I am so proud of you, T & R!

As much as it was pre-planned, the experience was truly memorable and I am glad we went to the church!

Modern Ramayana

2012-04-13T15:22:00.000-04:00

Circa August 2009

Taran: Maa, can you please read the "Hanuman Chalisa" to us?

Me: Sure. (I read it to them)

Taran: Can you please translate all that you read?

(Happy to see Taran's interest, I gave the translation a sincere shot).

Taran: Now can you please read "Hanuman ji's aarti"?

Me: I certainly will (and I sang the same).

Taran: Maa what means "Jo Hanuman ji ki aarti gaaye, basi baikunth param pad paaye"?

Me: It means that whoever sings this "aarti", will go to heaven and live with the Gods.

Taran (with immediate concern): Maa, what will happen to Morgan, John, Max and Liana? They don't even know about Hanumanji!

Me (trying to bring him succor and also seizing the opportinity for sermonizing.... I can't leave that, can I?!): That is ok. They worship Jesus Christ who is also a God. But what is important is that we all lead good lives. We should not hurt anyone or be rude. We should always show respect, love and affection and help everyone.

Meanwhile, Roshan, who was a silent spectator to this conversation, had a twinkle in his eyes. The moment I saw that, and dreading that it may have been the calm before he storm, I ventured into choppy waters: Yes, Roshan.

Roshan: Maa, why did Ramachandraji have to do all this fighting?

Me: Because Sita maa was his wife and he wanted her back.

Roshan: That's ok. If Ravan took his wife, he could have just taken Ravan's wife. It would have been a swap and there was no need to do so much fighting over wives!!!!!

The Australian Open and our selective perception

2012-01-30T22:08:00.003-05:00

The Australian Open was perhaps the best physical, mental and tactical tennis game we had seen. Watching it with friends made it even more enthralling. The adults in the room kept inserting comments such as “Wow, neither wants to give up!”, “Amazing play under so much stress”, “A game like this requires so much mental strength”…… all with the dual intention of actually enjoying the game and giving a little lesson to the kids on the sidelines.

The record 5 hour 53 minute game got over only for us to watch a jubilant Novak Djokovic celebrate “Salman Khan” style and pander graciously to the shutterbugs. We all remained glued to the television soaking in every moment of the match and the ensuing celebration. Our friend, however, was hoping to remind the kids the valuable lessons of grit and sportsmanship that we had witnessed and so addressed the kids, “So guys, what did we learn from this game?”

Roshan’s immediate response: “We learnt that after you win the game you should take off your shirt and keep kissing the trophy!!!!”

Our New Year Resolutions

2012-01-14T08:43:00.010-05:00

A 2007 study involving 3,000 people showed that 88% of those who set New Year resolutions fail. Men achieved their goal 22% more often when they engaged in goal setting, (a system where small measurable goals are being set; such as, a pound a week, instead of saying "lose weight"), while women succeeded 10% more when they made their goals public and got support from their friends. Since peer-support makes a difference in success rate with New Year’s resolutions, I decided to share our resolution with you.

A few days ago I asked Ritesh what his New Year resolution was. After a long silence (and a look that meant “Do I really have to answer this?”), he responded “Spending quality time with you and the kids.”Needless to say, I was utterly pleased to hear that notwithstanding the fact that he spoke one sentence in a 15 minute drive when it was just the two of us in the car and when he was asked a question and he didn’t really have a choice but to answer it. Irrespective of that, I totally endorsed his plan since he planned to make a new beginning in the New Year.

My instant response was “So what’s your action plan to achieve your goal?” His response was a quizzical look! Only after we reached our destination did he respond, “I will be more involved.” OOOOOH! The pearls of wisdom had finally been uttered! Of course, I am not the kinds to let go of such moments that deserve celebration apart from the fact that I am a very supportive wife. So I promised him that I would help him achieve his goal. That evening, when the kids needed help with their homework, despite protest from the boys I directed them to their dad who was busy on his iPad at the moment. And then when the boys wanted help in analyzing their chess game, I, dutifully guided them back to their dad who was lying horizontal on the sofa watching a game of football. This time the kids were the one who gave me the “What?! Dad?! Really?!?! look. By this time, Ritesh, a man of few words, looked completely helpless but I remained steadfast in my support to his cause and gently suggested that one way to demonstrate involvement in the family would be for him to load the dishwasher. For good measure I even pointed out towards the dishwasher lest he gives me the excuse “I don’t know where the dishwasher is!”

Soon it was time for story-telling and to put the kids to bed but before I could utter a word Ritesh had that “Come on! You don’t have to take my resolution that seriously” look, so I took Taran and Roshan to bed and told them a story. Fortunately, for all of Ritesh’s reticence and reserve, I can talk for the both of us!

And this brings us back to the first point stated in this post - “88% of those who set New Year resolutions fail” and women succeeded 10% more when they made their goal public. So this one’s to you Ritesh - I intend to celebrate your New Year Resolution with a glass of wine, a whole lot of loquaciousness, and by making your goal public. May you spend QUALITY time with us!

P.S: In line with the norms of full disclosure this post has been published with Ritesh's complete approval and he was not subjected to any duress.

Holiday greetings from our home to yours - 2012

2012-01-04T12:07:00.017-05:00

Hello again,

Welcome to this year’s edition of the Idnani household newsletter. We wish to share with you how the family fared in 2011 and welcome 2012!

Taran and Roshan turned 7 this May. They are happy 2^nd graders. Recently Roshan directed and acted in a “Ramayana” skit in his class. But he is still not convinced about the reasoning for the battle between Ram & Ravana. He insists the non-violent way to resolve the conflict would have been for Ram to get Ravana’s wife since the latter had taken the former’s wife! The boys also continue to progress in chess with Taran winning the North American championship in the U8 group. The win resulted in FIDE (World Chess Federation) awarding him the title of “FIDE Candidate Master”. They are also enjoying tennis lessons though they seem to focus more on imitating Djokovic’s court histrionics than on tennis skills. Nidhi couldn’t help analyzing that Roshan has been spending 38% of his rather expensive tennis lessons on bouncing the ball!!!!! Can anyone please ask Novak to stop bouncing the ball 22 times before serving?

Ritesh went back to school to participate in an Executive Education program at Wharton. He kept describing how intensive the course was. Interestingly he made these calls from the Wharton bar where he was apparently discussing the case study for the next day! He was also selected by SSON, the largest and most established community of shared services and outsourcing professionals as part of their G6 list - the top 6 outsourcing visionaries in Europe and North America for 2011. The kids instantly imbibed best practices and attempted to outsource their homework to their mom!

This year Nidhi took up the position of “Treasurer” on the PTO of The Albrook School organizing events and managing the finances for the school. Reminds her of her banking days and keeps her away from retail therapy, thereby saving Ritesh’s tiny treasury. Nidhi also tried her hand (and legs) at kickboxing. As a result, Bob, the kickboxing dummy’s obituary was published in The New York Times. Ever since, Ritesh and the kids are very supportive of her Friday lessons.

Ritesh and Nidhi have started running!!! No, not away from each other but - towards a common goal! They ran together at the Rutgers Big Chill 5 K – a fundraiser for children. They hope to participate in many more runs next year. They will be happy to have more running partners so give them a shout if you are interested.

Sports continues to be a big part in the Idnani household with Football nights becoming sacrosanct. But cricket still takes the number 1 slot with the family holding a World cup finals party and the boys having a “Kids vs. Adults cricket party” on their birthday. Needless to say, the kids wiped the adults out. Shhh! We didn’t mention anything about match fixing!

This was also the year of a few more new experiences - the kids watched their first musical at Broadway (Mary Poppins was enthralling) and their first Jazz festival in Montreal. Ritesh and Nidhi also watched a few comedy shows in New York City with a wonderful group of friends. They also went for their first camping trip to Vermont with family where apart from hiking in Quechee valley and sightseeing, they gorged on s’mores and handmade ice-cream, the results of which were prominently displayed on the weighing scale.

The Idnanis spent time with friends and family in Toronto, upstate New York, Dallas and Virginia, paid their annual visit to Washington D.C, explored Montreal (Old Montreal was stunning as was the Bio-dome), relaxed for a week at the Wildwood beach in the summer, enjoyed a few nights (and museums) in New York City and travelled within the state and outside for chess tournaments.

2011 has been spectacular and we hope that 2012 is even better. We wish you and your loved ones lots of happiness, good health and good luck in the New Year.

Stay in touch!

The Idnanis

Hail Tiger Mom

2011-02-25T19:55:00.006-05:00

The whole nation or at least moms have been talking about the controversial “Battle Hymn of The Tiger Mother” by Ms. Amy Chua, a second generation Chinese American (interestingly, it was only Ms.Chua's grandparents who lived in China; her parents were raised in the Philippines). I had read the article based on the book in WSJ and Time magazine, seen the CNN HLN program where she was interviewed by Joy Behar and had followed the almost vitriolic debate that followed it. But I ordered the book only when a very good friend of mine (who coincidentally and ironically happens to be Chinese) asked me to read it. This friend encourages her kids to enjoy all the activities that Ms. Chua prohibits. And I have no doubt in my mind that these kids will be accepted in Harvard, Yale, Princeton or any other Ivy League school. The contrasting views motivated me to read Ms. Chua’s book. One thing was already clear: I could not generalize “Chinese moms”.

The book was a quick and easy read. With all that I had heard about the book, I was expecting to read a very strict “How to parent” guide. But I was pleasantly surprised to read a self-deprecating (in parts), witty and honest memoir. Just as Ms. Chua has stated in many interviews, I am a bit surprised to notice the polarizing views this book has generated. But, on the other hand, I am not stunned either. Ms. Chua may seem extreme to many, yet there is a sizeable population that identifies with several of her parenting tenets such as “To get good at anything you have to work, and children on their own never want to work, which is why it is crucial to override their preferences” or “Not allowing kids to play computer games or watch TV”. The difference, however, is the degree or the extreme to which Ms. Chua may have adopted these tenets. For example, I know several parents who insist on taking their kids to Kumon, Karate or, in my case, Chess. There may be times when the kids would rather watch TV or play, instead of doing math, yet parents insist (and probably rightfully so) that the kids have to go for lessons or practice their “extra-curricular activity”. It is just that most parents may not insist that the kids practice for 3 hours every day. Likewise, I, for one, do not encourage my children to play video games or watch TV for an extended duration but they are allowed to watch sports on weekends, play the DSI on long drives and flights and occasionally at home. What may have caused the umbrage is her extreme style. But what seems to have been missed out completely by most people is her self-deprecating style of humor in this book as when she insisted that her children will not be allowed to become lazy especially “not on my watch” or when she decided to apply Chinese parenting to her dog.

A contributing factor to the wrath against her is her generalization about Western parents who she refers to as weak-willed. In the beginning of the book she did state that she was using the term “Western parents” loosely. But that statement gets quickly nullified by the several comments she makes against their parenting style. The reality is that parenting is very personal and therefore these broad over-generalizations that Western parents encourage mediocrity and tend to give up easily can be a source of indignation to most Western parents.

But Ms. Chua also stated that over a period of time she started questioning her own parenting style. And yet, she received death threats! I am not sure how many of her critics have actually read her book and if they have, I would like to state that ultimately Ms. Chua did point out “All decent parents want to do what's best for their children. The Chinese just have a totally different idea of how to do that.” So, please, cut Ms. Chua some slack. Or, go buy her book – at least for all the threats she has received, her book sales have sky-rocketed. Ms. Chua (Chuha means “rat” in Hindi – no offence intended), irrespective of your parenting style, for all your honesty, humor & candor, my vote goes to you. May this rat keep roaring & growling!

Holiday greetings from our home to yours - 2011

2011-01-11T14:22:00.006-05:00

Hello,

It is that time of year again to share with you our adventures in the year gone by. 2010 has been another year of magic and wonder…

Taran and Roshan turned 6 this May. How time flies! They have continued to do well at chess winning the State Championship and several other tournaments. The boys joined a new school for first grade. They are happy learners and have made many new friends. They did their first stage performance in school and are now busy interviewing agents to represent them in Hollywood.

Ritesh started the year with additional responsibilities at work. But magically somehow found time for events such as the Australian Grand Prix, golf at St. Andrews, “Making your own scotch” event at Scotland and enjoying the verdant rainforests and white sand beaches of Rio. We are a little confused about his profession – it seems he is employed by Lonely Planet rather than Infosys. We will update you when we have more clarity on the same.

Nidhi had set a goal for herself this year to learn swimming. She is so proud of finally learning the skill (at about the same time when the boys learnt it). Finally, neither of them needs a life jacket to swim in the deep. Ritesh, on the other hand, continues to swim (or in his case, fly) in the oceans of outsourcing. One blog compared him to George Clooney’s character in “Up in the Air”. Ever since, Nidhi has been very receptive of his travels. George Clooney, even vicariously, is always welcome! Ritesh, on the other hand, is more interested in the Vera Farmiga part of the equation! Good luck to him!

Sports were a big part of the Idnani family this year. The whole family bonded over the Football World Cup (soccer) this summer when Taran and Roshan were ardently following Brazil, wearing Brazilian T-shirts and growing their hair “just like Kaka”. However, the moment Brazil lost; they changed their allegiance to Spain and quickly got a haircut. So much for loyalties! They are now fast becoming NFL fans following on their dad’s footsteps. Nidhi hopes that their enthusiasm for the game doesn’t lead them to following Tom Brady’s current hairstyle.

The Idnanis were able to squeeze in a bit of travel this year. They started in the Prairies in South Dakota, were completely taken by the beauty of the Black hills and Mount Rushmore, were enchanted by the Badlands, visited Minneapolis, Canada, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Jersey shore, Miami and Disney World. The Idnanis spent the bulk of the summer in India visiting family and friends. Ritesh and Nidhi knew that the vacation in India was truly successful when by the end of the trip Taran and Roshan were singing Hindi songs and were imagining themselves to be Tendulkar and Sehwag while playing cricket. This was complete indoctrination!

We can’t help but feel a sense of excitement for the wonderful year we just had and the year that is ahead of us now. As we welcome 2011, we hope it will bring good luck, good health, prosperity and happiness to you and your loved ones.

Best,
The Idnani Family

Sarah Palin's geography lessons

2010-11-18T21:40:00.007-05:00

Ok, I know it has been reallllllly long and there is no excuse for not writing. Not that there has been a dearth of reasons ....there were plenty...an awesome trip to Minnesota and South Dakota to visit friends, a trip to Washington D.C with friends from India, Taran and Roshan's "graduation" from Kindergarten, a long summer vacation in India, the mid-term polls (I really enjoyed that one ....what with a self-proclaimed "witch" and a "Manhattan madam" who said politicians are the worst prostitutes in the state and added, "I may be the only person sitting on this stage with the right experience to deal with them." WHOA!!!! But I am finally back and just could not miss out on my one of my favorite politician's proclamation yesterday. Of course, I refer to Sarah Palin. She said she was "looking at the lay of the land" to figure out if she should run for the White House in 2012.

First, I thought she was referring to the "The lay of the land" by Richard Ford but then I remembered from her interview with Katie Couric 2 years ago where it was clear that she preferred to stay away from the written word. But then the possibility appeared that she was talking about geography.

Now I am really happy for her that she finally figured out the geography. She now knows that she can NOT view Russia from her house - that even though in the world map, it looks close, on factoring some math (scale), it is pretty far from her house. So good for you, Ms. Palin. I am happy for you and will surely follow your candidacy in the near future. Good luck!

Haiti and other disasters and their impact on kids

2010-01-26T10:07:00.001-05:00

While watching CNN and BBC, the news commentator warned, “The images from Haiti that we are about to show are very graphic so please have you children step out of the room.” Indeed the pictures were graphic and disturbing. Yes, they exhibited reality. Images of piles of bodies caked with dust and blood being dumped in mass graves served the horrific jolts that the news media promised. But on the flip side I am not sure if the frequency with which they were shown was required. To me it also violated the respect we owe to anybody’s remains, irrespective of their country or religion. I am also very concerned about the impact of such pictures and news on children.

For the last several years I have noticed a surge of graphic images whether it was a natural disaster (Tsunami 2004, earthquake in China 2008) or an act of terror (Mumbai attacks 2008 or the several bombings in Pakistan). Every newspaper/ magazine has carried extensive articles and distressing pictures about these. And then there is YouTube and other websites that have heart wrenching videos and photographs that provide a bigger impact wherever and whenever you want it.

Things were different 25 years ago. I remember my childhood. My dad encouraged me and my brother to read the newspaper every day. For the most part newspapers had coverage of the government and its policies, the happenings in our nation and around the world. Pages were dedicated to business, sports, entertainment and of course the weather, but then that was largely a terror free world. Sure, natural disasters struck once in a while but the pictures were muted. Perhaps a picture of the site of an earthquake, walls broken, roof crashed on the floor, but not of human remains. Clearly, we grew up in a different world.

Don’t get me wrong. I read/watch the news everyday and totally understand and appreciate the value of the Internet. But I am perplexed when I have to explain these tragedies to my 5 year old twin boys. I do not encourage them to watch graphic images of such carnage but on the other hand I have always encouraged them to read the newspaper. In fact it is my son, Taran, who runs to the driveway every morning to get the newspaper and reads the headlines and the weather forecast to us. Over the years/ months, he and my son, Roshan, have asked me numerous questions about such events:

· Why did the earthquake strike Haiti/China?
· How many people died?
· What will happen to the houses that are broken?
· What will happen to children whose parents have died?
· Why did the bad guys kill so many people in Mumbai hotels?
· Why did they burn the hotels in Mumabi?
· Why do we have to fight in Afghanistan and Iraq?
· Why did the bad guys crash into the world trade center?
· Will God punish the bad guys?
· But how will God punish them….they are already dead?

Clearly, their questions indicate to me that they not only see the violence and carnage, they feel it as well. How do we explain such events to children without affecting their sensibilities? How do we make sure that the fear of unforeseeable circumstances, whether a natural or man made disaster, does not occupy a place in their heart and erode their confidence? Sure, we strive to give our kids the love, affection, sense of security and strength that most families give their children, but is that enough?

I don’t have the answers to these questions. Do you?

To donate to Haiti follow the link:

http://www.redcross.org/

Images above are courtesy Huffington Post and BBC

Happy 40th

2010-01-25T12:26:00.004-05:00

My ode to a friend (name withheld for privacy reasons) who turned 40.

Dear friend,

You have many avatars - the high flying executive/golfer,
The doting husband, the ever-loving son/brother
To your friends you are Mithunda, Anna and even Rajesh Khanna (Indian film stars)
The gracious guest who conjures up amazing margaritas.
You drive your friends to their destinations
And even attempt to move them from a chair to horizontal positions.

Now give us some credit. We all (your group of friends) contributed to your level of maturity.
After all life is not about age but experiences and one’s capability.
But hang on! Don’t mention this term, “maturity” to your wife (stockbroker); lest
She will calculate YTM with extra focus on rate of interest.
Or she will send you to Labquest to check your level of cholesterol
And you may end up with a prescription of Lipitor.

But medication apart, enjoy! You’ve aged like wine, you’re nice and fruity,
And you are ready to celebrate the fabulous forty.
Some may be jealous or may poke fun. Ignore them.
They are ignorant. Unaware that age equals wisdom.
After all you are aged to perfection.
But remember: the past is gone; the best is yet to come.

So dear friend, You are 40 years young today.
In your honor we all feel convivial as we jubilate.
We toast with rasam, sambhar and idli.
No shots?! :<( What else do you expect at a celebration for a "Gulti"!

Our wishes come from the bottom of our hearts despite the abstinence

Enjoy your day, your year, your life ‘coz you deserve every bit of happiness.

Cheers!

Obama's speech - collateral damage and loss of vote bank?!

2010-01-21T20:19:00.006-05:00

This morning President Obama announced proposals to place new limits on the size and activities of big banks. I was glued to the television while I watched the President reprimand the banks but I did not expect that his speech would have an impact on my family. Read below to know more about it.

Roshan: Ewww! What is this black black in the "Matar paneer" (peas and cottage chees)?

Me: Umm! They are onions. Sorry, they got a little burnt.

Roshan (sermonizing...or rather giving it back to me): Weren't you focussing?

Me: Well, I was watching President Obama's speech while cooking.

Ritesh (smiling): And the first collateral damage was the "matar paneer."

Me (taking it in my stride): Actually, it was the second. The first was the market.

Roshan: What did he say?

Me: Well, let me put up the link for you. (At this moment we watched the speech and I explained it to the boys as well as I could)

Taran (who was trying to process it all): Didn't you vote for Obama because he did not want to fight in Iraq? And didn't he say we should use our words and not fight with Iran?

Me: Yes, you are right.

Taran: And didn't he get the peace prize? What is it called....Nobel?

Ritesh and me (in splits): That's correct. He got the Nobel Peace Prize.

Taran (completely baffled): And didn't he like peaceful men like Martin Luther King?

Ritesh and I (rolling on the floor with laughter....much to Taran's chagrin): Absolutely correct.

Taran (with an incredulous look): And look, now he wants to fight with his own countrymen....with the banks!!! You might as well would have voted for John McCain!!!

P.S: Read/Watch President Obama's speech at http://www.cnbc.com/id/34975288

Fashion accessory to mortality

2010-01-16T21:58:00.001-05:00

I had been thinking of buying a pashmina shawl for a long time and in my last trip to India I visited a few stores to shop for one. In one such shop, the store attendant was delivering her usual sales picth, "This is handmade. It is the finest cashmere in the world. And see how smooth and warm this is. And of course, pashmina shawls are heirlooms." Immediately Roshan interjected.

Roshan: Maa, what is heirloom?

Me: Something that is passed from generation to generation.

Roshan: OHHHH! I understand. So when you die, we will get it.

Me (not really happy to be reminded of my mortality): UMM! Yes.

Roshan (very matter-of-factly): Maa, then please can you buy two? So that when you die, Taran and I get one each!!!!

Holiday greetings from our home to yours - 2010

2010-01-05T12:12:00.006-05:00

Hello,

It's that time of the year again when while bidding Adieu to the year gone by and welcoming 2010, we wish to share with you how we fared in 2009.

We moved! Yes, finally we did it. We began thinking about it when Taran and Roshan were born. But, as both, Ritesh and Nidhi, grew up hearing, reading and watching 5 year plans, it got hardcoded in our sytems. So this year when the boys turned 5, we finally decided to stop procastinating and promptly bought a house. Please visit us in our new abode. We would love to have you over as long as you don't mind the rooms that are not yet done up and the boxes that are yet to be opened. After all that is our next 5 year plan.

The house buying/selling process proved to be a blessing in disguise for the US economy.
Nidhi now knows all the Home Depot staff as if they were family. In fact Home Depot is planning to feature her in their new marketing campaign titled, "If she can fix it, so can you."

Travelling was another perk that came out of the home selling process. While the realtors and their clients were viewing the house, we were away enjoying Washington DC, Bar Harbor and Acadia (Maine), Toronto and Switzerland. While in Switzerland, we travelled extensively on the Swiss trains, thanks to the Swiss rail pass we bought on the first day of our 2 week trip. On a single day, we boarded as many as 13 trains. We have been told that it is a feat that should be recorded in the Guiness Book of World Records. On the flip side, we have been informed by confidential sources that the Swiss Train Authorities have blacklisted the Idnani family.

After Taran and Roshan's success on the ice, Ritesh and Nidhi decided to learn ice skating as well and join the boys on the rink to make it a "family sport". After a few lessons, when Ritesh began asking questions such as, "What is the statistical probability of me using the one foot glide?" and "Is my learning curve evening out?" causing the instructor to squirm in her skates, the couple decided that it is best if Ritesh sticks to his weekend siestas while the rest of the family race each other on the ice.

Taran and Roshan have had a spectaculor 2009. They are enjoying their Kindergarten year. They are always eager to learn and happy to share stories about their family with their class (we all know where that came from). They have also become avid chess players winning the "New Jersey State Team Championship" trophy for their school and tieing for the second spot in the state (for their grade level). They also participated in their first Nationals and won the third place team trophy and the 1st place trophy in the "Under 600 rating" section. The boys have now taken upon themselves to coach their parents. Please wish them good luck in this herculean effort. They are unaware that they are not playing with a full deck. But then maybe, it could be their 5 year plan.

Happy 2010 to all of you. May the New Year bring happiness, success, good health and good luck to you and your loved ones.

Best,

The Idnani Family