feels like...

One of the things I have learnt and got used to in US is the term "Feels like". This phrase (?) is often used here in weather industry mostly to describe what the temperature outside "feels like" as opposed to what it "actually" is. And so I also got used to this. When someone asks me what is the temperature outside, I promptly reply (after checking on internet), "It is -2 C but actually it feels like -20C". That big a difference! Trust me I am not joking here...It does get that different. Imagine if I would have reported only the "actual" part and not "feels like" part, my friend would have either frozen or I would not be writing this today:) Maybe that is the reason we got so used to it. Had the "feel" and "actual" part not been that variant, I would have been happy to report the actual version only.

I have this annoying habit of using weird words and phrases in places and at times where they don't make any sense, and mostly I end up looking like a fool. It happened one day after the daylight savings time started last spring, at around 10 AM, we were driving to school and saw that the parking lot looked strangely empty. 10 AM is not early to go to school and and consequently the parking ramp is usually almost full. It's being empty was a little surprising, I blurted out, "It's not yet full because it feels like 9 AM and so people are still sleeping!" It makes sense. Doesn't it!

I have so come to love this phrase "feels like". I have heard NY is actually a big, fun city to explore. Let's see what NY "feels like".

One amazing evening

It was one awesome evening. Went to a small gathering called "Found in Translation" in old town, where an assortment of poems were being recited; poems by giants of Hindi/Urdu literature from India and Pakistan. Poems like my all time favourite "Madhushala" by Harivansh Rai Bachchan and another towering figure of Urdu Poetry, Faiz Ahmed Faiz with one of his best creations, "Speak". Ghalib and Agha Shahid Ali were also among the poets honored on the occasion. Overall it was pretty amazing experience! And as we stepped outside to leave; lo and behold, there you see the much awaited first snowfall of what might be my last snow season in Michigan. Snow falling down like little balls of cotton ever so softly landing all over. Driving back home in snow felt total divine, like a perfect icing on the cake of choicest urdu/hindi couplets. We called it a day by taking a walk in at night and letting the snow cover us all over with its warm hug:)