Mushy about Mumbai

One of my favorite things about my job is the connection I've made with our staff in Mumbai, India.

Working both during the day (10 AM - 4 PM) and in the evening (about 9 PM - 11 PM) was one of the things that I was apprehensive about when I was offered this position in February. And I must admit that there are days when I want to just come home and tune work out instead of worrying about timelines and deliverables and clients. Working in the evenings isn't exactly fun. But oh. my. god., the people I work with in Mumbai are incredible and I can honestly say that I've come to love them and my daily connection with them -- even if it is mostly via IM and e-mail.

My counterpart project manager in Mumbai, whom I shall call "S," is a most amazing young woman just a few years older than Elisabeth. She's smart as a whip, wise beyond her years, and one of the kindest, most loving people I've ever met in my life.

And the head writer in Mumbai, "M," has seen me through more than one work crisis, full of support and brimming with dignity and kindness.

And then there's my friend, "R," the artist. I've never actually worked on a project with R, but I've spoken with him often via IM. Usually that conversation begins with him suddenly IMing me, posing a riddle or a puzzle: "Carol, there are only four words in the English language that end in 'dous'... don't google!" (Anyone? Anyone?) Or an IM will appear out of nowhere with something like this: "Avian specimans of identical plummage congregate at equidistances." (Can you figure it out?) R is a just a little bit nutty and he likes to try to stump me -- but likes it even more when I jump in and play, always complimenting him on not only his wonderful art skills, but his great brilliance and his English language skills.

Shortly after Tom's and my 25th wedding anniversary, a package arrived for us from India. In that package was the most beautiful silver platter (packed in the most beautiful box). The staff had sent us a gift for our anniversary -- and they don't even know Tom! Isn't it beautiful?

(You should see it without the fingerprints all over it! It's even prettier that way...)

In my work with the project managers, writers, and artists in Mumbai, I'm often online for long stretches at a time, working through minute details of various projects. I often go to bed knowing that my friends in Mumbai are getting to work. And I often wake up with a completed piece of art or a completed marketing document or a completed Silverlight demo waiting for me in my in-box. It's a little bit like The Elves and the Shoemaker -- and I adore my elves in Mumbai!

This morning I was greeted by an e-mail from my friend R. It was a belated anniversary poem that R had written along with a picture that he had created. The poem got me a little verklemmt:

An Ode To Love

When two hearts beat as one,

And two souls are in perfect rhyme,

When words remain unspoken,

And two bodies converse in mime,

When new feelings are awoken,

And emotions border on the sublime,

Then know what these betoken,

A love so true; it’s a paradigm,

That which will continue unbroken,

Perennially; eternally; till the end of time.

And about the picture, he said, "It has more than meets the eye... and no, it's not alignment or similar issues!"

Here it is. Isn't it nice? Can you find the "more than meets the eye" that S is referring to??

If so, R will love you. And if you let him, he'd probably "bug" YOU with fun mind-twister puzzles, too!