Let there be light...

Three weeks ago, I had reached out to many of you to help support a cause that is close to my heart - educating a girl child. I had started out with a goal of contributing $400 towards the educational expenses of girls in India by holding a bake sale. 

With over two dozen families and friends raising their hands to support followed by a weekend of some intense baking, packaging and distribution of over 400 cookies, I am absolutely elated to share with you that we have collectively pooled in ~$1500 towards this cause.

I am even more pumped to share that my employer United Health Group is matching the donated amount and we have therefore been able to double the numbers and donate ~$3000! 

After extensive research on several organizations, the organization that I have chosen to support this time is https://www.nanhikali.org/ - an organization that supports school education for underprivileged girls in India. 

Through our combined efforts, we will be sponsoring the secondary education of 35 Nanhi Kalis (literal translation: little/young bud), for a year! 

I can't say thank you enough for all of your support - Thank you to N for all the meticulous packaging and to Amma & Appa for taking care of the kids so I could give my best! A BIG THANKS to each and every one of you that not only supported monetarily but also reached out to ask if I needed any other help! 

In the words of Desmond Tutu, "Do your little bit of good where you are; It's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world." 

Thank you for helping me do my little bit of good! Happy Diwali!

Fall festivities and an important cause - join me!

What's not to like about Fall...The cool crisp mornings, the gorgeous foliage, air scented with falling leaves , pumpkins and mums every where, hot apple cider, kids trick or treating....The Indian festival season is in full bloom as well, kicking off with my most favorite nine days of Navarathri Golu that celebrates feminity and culminating in Diwali, reinforcing that good triumphs evil! 

This year, I am also grateful to be crossing a milestone birthday and there is no better way to appreciate what this life has given me, than to support a cause near and dear to me - empowering young girls with education, a powerful tool that no one can take away from them (as my appa and amma would say).  

To make this season more colorful and to support a worthy cause, I am holding a bake sale this October with a goal of contributing $400 towards educational expenses for a girl child.

I will be putting together cookie boxes for sale which will include (4) Raspberry and Almond shortbread thumbprints, (4) fruitcake cookies and (4) chocolate brownie cookies.

Let me know if you'd like to join me in supporting this important cause and enjoy some baked goodies along the way! :) Pay what you wish!

• Please reach out to me with your order requests by October 17th via Facebook, Texting, Email or if you see me in person over the next few days :)! 
• I am happy to deliver in person if I can or ship it to you, if you live farther away - expect to receive your cookie box(es) by October 31st! 
• Payment methods - Venmo, Cash, Zelle, ApplePay works...

For those interested, more to come on the organization that we will be supporting! 

Valley Fair - A New Experience

It was summer of 2005 and a bunch of 20 something year old grad school students pranced around the Valley Fair grounds, flaunting our dare devil attitudes by brushing off the intensity of the "Steel Venom" and cherishing the stuffed toys won from "Wack-a-mole". Fast forward 16 years, my sister-in-law's family and us decided to spend an entire day at the Valley Fair - with our two elementary school kids and two toddlers! (and a naïve 24 year old me thought that the "Steel Venom" was the most dare-devil thing I'd ever do at the Fair)!

If you kind of ignored the numerous diaper changes that we executed in all the weirdest of spots, meal times, snack times, outfit changes, the heat, making sure that we dint lose any of the four kids, and oh - the classic "throw-up-on-amma-right-before-getting-into-the-Wave Pool" incident,  I'd call the day a grand success! Not to mention, the loopy rides dint quite sit well with me 16 years later.  To whoever disagrees - Age is more than a number. 

I am not a Valley Fair expert by any means (I have a sum total of 2 experiences). Nevertheless, I thought I'd share some lessons learnt with the fellow parents so there's one less thing to worry about when you get there! Here you go:

Do's:

1. Water - Get your own refillable bottles (there're enough water stations + bottled anything is pricey and not worth spending your moolah on). Stay hydrated; it gets hot.
2. Food - Its ok to get food (meals, snacks) for your infants/toddlers. They do not allow you to pack food for adults (they screen your bags at the entrance). There are lots of options for food; but there are long lines everywhere (especially during weekends). So make sure you and your kids are decently fed before you head out so you can spend a good chunk of time before you take your meal break. For those with dietary restrictions, you have the option of storing your food in the car. Just get stamped before you step out of the park and you can re-enter. That said, we did take some snacks along and they dint get thrown out. So maybe we just got lucky?
3. The park opens at 11. However, the entrance lines for parking are quite long. It takes a good 30-40 minutes to just get inside even after google announces that you've arrived at your destination. Plan to arrive around 10:30ish so you can be one of the first ones to enter the park. That way you can hit many of the rides before the crowds start trickling/pouring in. 
4. Pack your towels, swim suits, sunscreen, sanitizers etc. Backpacks worked best for us. 
5. Might be worth getting along a zip lock bag for your phones/other electronics that you don't want to mess with at Soak city. 
6. Pack more than one swim diaper and swim outfit for your little ones - you never know.
7. Bring your strollers along for the little ones. They are allowed and they were super useful to dump stuff. (They rent them out at the grounds too - but again - not so cheap).
8. Visit Family Care Center - We did not do this and wish we had. Multiple reasons:
1. Kids get measured once and get appropriately colored wristbands that'll then allow the ride operator to say yay/nay quickly at the ride entrances.
2. Kid-Track Program - They will also document your cell phone numbers on their wrist bands as a safety precaution + more to track them in case they get lost.
3. Parent Swap program (see the "Dont" section for more details)
9. Download the App for the list of rides/layout/choosing where to go next. It was chaotic for us and we just went with the flow. But maybe we could have done a better job of tapping into this resource. It had approximate wait times (but not sure if it was accurate). Might be worth exploring.
10. They have life vests free to use for all ages. Use them if you'll feel safer at Soak city (We put these on the kids and were more at ease - specifically in the Wave Pool; they dont let you use it on the other water rides). 

Don't:

1. Wear flip-flops that do not have straps - they will not let you in on the rides. It's recommended to wear strapped floaters/water shows that you can then wear to both the regular amusement park as well as Soak city. (or you can wear shoes and switch; but you'll need to lug them around since I assume most of us would prefer not to wear soaking wet shoes and socks). 
2. Bother buying beer - It takes an hour; you can get only one drink per individual and its expensive (unless this is your idea of chilling out while the rest of the family races on to the next ride).
3. Follow the crowd. Try to get early and perhaps do the more popular/dare devil rides at the outset. Most people turn left and start with the first ride (which is what we did too...and perhaps wasn't the most prudent decision)
4. Parents with kids of various age ranges - don't try to go on all rides together/wait around. Split up so you can divide and conquer. There are rides for various age ranges and you cannot possibly go on all rides together. I read that Valley Fair offers the Parent Swap Program ("What is it? Basically one parent can take the bigger kids on a thrill ride and when they are exiting, the other parent (who was tending to the younger kids) can hop into the exit line, grab the Parent Swap slip from their partner, and go directly to the front of the line with one of the big kids AGAIN." - MinneMamaadvetures)..Wish I knew this existed...
5. Finally, don't try to do too much. There is no way you can hit 75+ rides on a single day spanning across two parks. We literally spent 3+ hours at the Wave Pool just bumming around. Could we have done more? Sure...but did we want to? Maybe not. The older kids were happy soaking in the wave pool all afternoon and us parents were ok with not having to make more decisions for the rest of the day. 

There's so much to explore - even for the little ones! So yes - 16 years later, it was certainly a different experience. A little more about the kids, a little less about the self. Tiring as hell. But then, when you see the glee on your kids' faces - it all just seems worth it! 😄

Gratitude journal - 03/29/2020 (Technology)

Hey there,
I am grateful for technology that allowed me to share the first few days of my gratitude journal with you. Thank you to those who shared that these posts triggered positive thoughts for you - I am happy that it made a tiny difference.

And with that, I am going to continue with my journaling offline and I hope you do too! Here’s to a peaceful and positive rest of the year!

Gratitude Journal - 03/28/2020 (others)

Ever since Anvi was born, I haven’t ventured into the kitchen as much. Amma enjoys cooking - it’s her thing. While I enjoy feeding others, it’s not exactly my love language. I thought I’d give her a break today and made dinner tonight. While she is a foodie, she never consumes more than one serving of anything. Tonight she had a couple of servings of the paneer lababdar and I am elated!

I am grateful for having had the opportunity to give my mom a break and watch her enjoy dinner!

What do you love to serve your loved ones?

Gratitude journal (03/27/2020) (TGIF)

Today’s Gratitude prompt: what is your favorite day of the week?

I like my Saturdays. It’s when I am most relaxed and get some ‘me-time’. I also don’t have to rush or think about the upcoming week. I get to spend a little more time with the kids and generally have more energy than most other days of the week.

What’s your favorite day?

Gratitude Journal - 03/26/2020 (Health)

In Trump’s words - America’s has become great again. As of today, we have topped the charts and boast of being the nation with the most number of (known) cases in the globe. Reading news about an Italian nurse with coronavirus killing herself over fear of infecting others and how doctors are starting to face the tragic challenge of rationing medical care is depressing to stay the least. 

This social distancing situation is getting to me and the world news is painful and disturbing. It is particularly getting hard to stay cheerful and positive. So I am going to force myself to be grateful today - if nothing else, I am immensely thankful for giving me the luxury of good health in these trying times. 

Wishing the world healthy times ahead!

Gratitude Journal - 03/25/2020 (Reminder to self)

I am tired you guys. Exhausted. One of those days when I just want to stay in my shell until my brain settles down. One of those days when I am ready to quit on my gratitude journal. It’s almost 10:00 PM and I am ready to call it a day.

But before I do that...
Even though some days last longer than expected, I am grateful for having a job that I enjoy.
Even though I was interrupted only 20 times within the 5 minutes that I was attempting to enjoy my amma’s pakoras, I am grateful for having her around to help bring cheer to this shelter-in-place situation and I am grateful for having two kids that want my attention.
Even though I was less than pleased that my meticulously chalked out day and evening break dint go as planned, I am grateful that N kept A1 away from me this afternoon so I could get work stuff done.

How was your day?

Gratitude Journal - 03/24/2020 (Relaxation)

Today’s Gratitude Prompt: What are some things that make you relax? 

Mine are:
Music - Always...
Pilates - In the more recent past...
And these goof pots - At the end of  long days that don't involve them 😄

What are yours?

Gratitude journal - 03/23/2020 (Quote)

Today has been long and I have miles to go before I can sleep. I often remember some of my favorite quotes/sayings to motivate myself to keep going.

My go-to quote these days is:
“There is peace on the other side of acceptance. There is stress in any other state.”

Today’s gratitude prompt: What is/are your favorite quote(s)/saying(s) that lifts your spirits?

Gratitude journal - 03/22/2020 (Food)

Today’s gratitude prompt: What is one food that you enjoy a lot?

I am going to break the rules here for a bit because there’s more than just ‘one food’; it’s more like a meal! 😄
My mom (and grand mom’s) kallakai pooshnikai Kootu (a.k.a peanut and pumpkin stew) + urlakazhangu roast (potato fry) combo followed by paal poli (

What’s yours?

Gratitude Journal - 03/21/2020 (Nature)

Today’s prompt:
What is something about nature that you are grateful for?

I am a big sucker for sun rises, sun sets and full moon views! It’s SO humbling and calming. 

Gratitude journal - 03/20/2020 (Peaceful)

Today’s prompt: What is one of your most peaceful moments of the day?

Mine is watching my kids asleep. It truly explodes my heart and reenforces the fact that unconditional love exists.

Gratitude Journal - 03/19/2020 (Kick-off)

Just like every one of you reading this, I feel like I am living in a surreal world right now. While I am overwhelmed by the negativity, I have tremendous faith in our human race and I truly hope that we can turn this around. May be this is just a rude awakening for all of us to step back and acknowledge that we are indeed (in Carl Sagan's words) just a Pale Blue Dot ?

With that thought in mind, I am starting a Gratitude journal today and I'd love it if you all can join in the positivity. Every day I'll post a gratitude prompt, the answers to which will hopefully remind me (and anyone that would like to join) of ALL the positive things that we should be grateful for.

PS: This is a "no-judgement-keep-the-anonymity-if-you'd-like-zone".

Today's question: Let's start simple - What are you grateful for today?

I am grateful for the 15 minutes that I spent with my entire family last night when we actually gathered together and laughed about nothing in particular (I can't remember the last time we did that).

Your turn...

A gift for you...On your third birthday

I can't believe that it has been three years since you happened to us. As each birthday passes by, I wonder how beautiful the past year has been. It always feel like it was the best year ever until the next one happens and that one is even better!

Sometimes, when I watch you asleep – that peaceful and cherubic face, there is this bursting and maddening sense of love and affection that overwhelms me. Eons ago, when thatha and ammamma would plant a million kisses on me and utter countless “chella-kutti”s & “We-love-you”s, I thought that they were crazy…Now I know better. J

I truly hope that I can play my part in inculcating in you respect and compassion for others and to be a good citizen of this world. This past month’s events have planted a seed of fear and doubt in how safe this world will be for you as you grow up. But when I think about all the goodness that still exists around us and when I realize that it is us parents that have to play a critical role in creating a safe and joyous environment for the next generation to bloom, I am excited for what the future holds for you!

Happy birthday kuttima! We love you to the moon and back to infinity & beyond forever and ever! J

A gift for you on your 'First Month' Birthday...

My dearest Chikloos,
It was exactly a month ago that I woke up to yet another 'exciting' work day. I had my weekly appointment with the doc later that afternoon to make sure that you were still nice and cozy in my tummy. In an unexpected turn of events, it turned out that even my placenta had become all tired by week 38 and they figured that you'd do better if we got you out. They said that you were ready for this world. For those few minutes after the doc broke the news, I suddenly wasn't.

As she gave Appa and myself a few minutes to ourselves while stepping out to call the hospital and inform them of our arrival later that evening, drops rolled down my cheeks uncontrollably. 'What the heck! I have a meeting to attend at 4', I told Appa. 'Loosu' he said and smiled - 'we are going to have a baby by tomorrow!'....

I get very frequently ridiculed at by family and very close friends for being a control freak and for my incessant necessity to plan. Little did I know that even my labor was going to be chalked out meticulously. So we went home, packed our hospital bags and checked off all the items on the already prepared checklists. I even had time for a long shower and a leisurely early dinner. I had a million thoughts running through my head - it was hardly about the next 24 hours. It was about life after we brought you home. It was mostly a self evaluation to determine if I'd make a ‘good’ mom.

Once at the hospital, the waiting process began that night. Turns out you were ready to come out, but I wasn't. After several hours of wait, induced labor, they breaking my water, the three God-forbidden pokes into my spine, the contractions, you not liking pitocin, me losing my blood pressure and they finally deciding to cut me open to get you out safe – all seem like one big hazy dream.

I neither have ever dreaded surgery nor have I been nervous about enduring physical pain. But what scared me more at that point was that they got you out safe. You were “tiny”, the ultra sound scans said. Everyone said it wasn’t a big deal; that we could get the pounds added on to you once you were out. I was still nervous. I got a lot of advice from the elders and friends during pregnancy – to stay happy and calm; to listen to melodious music; to think happy thoughts and be as less stressful as possible. The reality was far from it. Pregnancy wasn’t really the way it’s generally romanticized in the movies and I was always nervous that you wouldn’t take it too well. But you were a strong boy – constantly reminding me of your presence all those 9 months and riding through the rough waters with me.

As I lay there on the operation bed, I knew I was all numb - chest below. But at 11:55 AM on the 13th of July, I heard your first cry and I choked. They lifted you over the “wall” and I had a glimpse of bloody you for a couple of seconds. I dint get enough of you, but they had to take you away. Appa went away with you as they cleaned you up. I was waiting patiently as I heard the docs continuing to operate on me to sew me back up. It took forever. They were talking about their weekend plans. I couldn’t have cared less. And then I saw you again – you were perfect! And then they took you away….again. Appa left with you.

Once I was back at the post labor/recovery room, I spent my first few moments with you - observing you from head to toe. You looked nothing like me :). You were all Appa. I was feeling great the day you were born. I was pretty impressed with myself for being up and active after a surgery. By the next morning, I realized it was simply the excitement of having finally seen you and all the pain meds. Once I was taken off of the epidural and the catheter and I was asked to sit up for the first time in 24 hrs, I realized I’d lost all of my core strength. I dint know sitting up could be so difficult.

Over the next few days, once I headed back home, I felt weaker and weaker. More than the physical pain, it was frustrating to not be able to do even the simple things by myself. It was as if you and I had to discover and learn together, the ability to move. I watched everyone around me bonding with you. I had no energy to play with you, to cuddle with you, to calm you down in the middle of the night. It was painful. I watched the days and nights pass by – struggling to feed you. I felt like a vending machine for several days devoid of emotion sometimes. I was exhausted. Emotions were at their peak at other times; water works galore.

Today you are a month old and I feel that we’ve come so far along already. You have taught me a virtue that no one else has thus far succeeded in instilling in me – PATIENCE! There are still days when I feel like pulling my hair and screaming out loud when you wail away to glory at exclusively chosen times of the night. I know I have uttered many a “ennada Advaith!!!” in frustration, only to weep myself to sleep that I raised my voice against a few weeks old tiny tot whose only mode of communication is crying. And then there are nights when you are so chamathu and go off to sleep right away after a feed. But it still scares me that you are unusually quiet and I keep coming over to check on you to make sure you are doing OK.

You should also know that you are very lucky to have such a doting family. Appa adores you – I have never seen him this possessive about anyone in life before. Ammamma and thatha love you to bits and they are a constant reminder that family is always there to support us no matter what. Bombay paati and thatha cannot get enough of you and cannot wait to jump on to the plane to come spoil you.

Just like how you dint come with a user manual, nothing in life so far has ever prepped me for this new job. But I promise I’ll get better. I’ll learn with you. I take great pride in the little nothings that you do already. I so look forward to interacting with you as you grow up. I am excited to show you the world that is out there – to support you through the tough times, to share your love and excitement for whatever it is that you choose to be passionate about. Just give Amma a little time to get back to her normal physical self – am sure she will be a better person :). Happy ‘First Month’ Birthday sweety!

Love,
Amma

Eternal Sunshine of the Complex Mind

A gloomy Monday evening it was

Cloudy, dark and hazy

Much like the human mind

Tangled, twisted and crazy

The fury of the thunderstorms

A restless angry mind

Flashes of lightening strike

Like piercing words so unkind

Little drops of water they were

Trickling down the cheek

Faster and heavier they got

There was no end to seek

Passing clouds they said they were

Rays of hope you'll see

Clouds move on and so does life

Eternal sunshine - waiting for thee

And so I blogged...

A lot of water has flown under the bridge since my last post...I've been meaning to blog for a long time now. As always procrastination took the front seat...And so here's my attempt at getting back into the blogging scene...

On one of our telephonic antakshari sessions several months ago, N and I started singing "Oh Maha Zeeye" from Tamizh Padam and then got in to a little game where we decided to pen down the names of the movies that were put together to compose this song.

Here's what we ended up with:

Oh Mohalai...(Manasukkul - Arasatchi)

Oh Maha Zeeya…Oh Maha Zeeya… Uyirin Uyire (Kakke Kakke)
Nakka Mukka Nakka…. (Nakka Mukka - Kathalil Vizhunden)
Oh Shakalakka… (Shakalaka Baby - Mudhalvan)
Oh Randakka…(x2) (Randakka - Anniyan)

Oh Laahi Oh Laahi… (Yedho Yedho - Laysa Laysa)
Ayaka Yahi Yahi… (Puyale Puyale - Kovil)
Me Hoo…Me Hoo…. (Muthal Mazhai - Bheema)
Dailamo Dailamo… (Dailamo Dailamo - Dishoom)
Rahtulla Sonali Oh… (Rahtulla - Gajini); Sonali Oh - (Mutharkanave - Majnu/ Kadhalikkum - Chellame)

Oh Maha Zeeya…Oh Maha Zeeya… Uyirin Uyire (Kakke Kakke)
Nakka Mukka Nakka…. (Nakka Mukka-Kathalil Vizhunden)
Oh Shakalakka…(Shakalaka Baby - Mudhalvan)
Oh Randakka… (Randakka - Anniyan)

Samba Sambale… (Thotta power - Thotti Jaya)
Osose Sayo Sayo…(Mercury Mele - Majnu)
Hasili Fisili… (Hasili Fisili - Aadhavan)
Ilahi…(Yedho Yedho - Laysa Laysa)
Yappa Jippa…(x2) ???

Dailamo Dailamo…Ballelakka…(x2) (Dailamo Dailamo - Dishoom; Ballelakka - Sivaji)

Nakka Mukka Nakka… (Nakka Mukka - Kathalil Vizhunden)
Oh Shakalakka…(Shakalaka Baby - Mudhalvan)
Oh Randakka… (Randakka - Anniyan)

Oh Maha Zeeya…Oh Maha Zeeya… Uyirin Uyire (Kakke Kakke)
Nakka Mukka Nakka…(Nakka Mukka-Kathalil Vizhunden)
Oh Shakalakka…(Shakalaka Baby - Mudhalvan)
Oh Randakka… (Randakka - Anniyan)

Eh sala sala… (Aegan - Aegan)
Isk borara… (Iskbarara - Pattalam)
Osaka Moraiya…(Osaka Moraiya - Alli Arjuna)
Boom boom jakaka…(Boom Boom - Boys)
Mukalla…(Mukkala - Kadhalan)
Mayya Mayya…(x2) (Mayya Mayya - Guru)

Laalakku…Laalakku…Dolda pima…(x2) (Laalakku - Suriyan)

Nakka Mukka Nakka…(Nakka Mukka-Kathalil Vizhunden)
Oh Shakalakka…(Shakalaka Baby - Mudhalvan)
Oh Randakka… (Randakka - Anniyan)

Oh Maha Zeeya…Oh Maha Zeeya… Uyirin Uyire (Kakke Kakke)
Nakka Mukka Nakka…(Nakka Mukka-Kathalil Vizhunden)
Oh Shakalakka…(Shakalaka Baby - Mudhalvan)
Oh Randakka… (Randakka - Anniyan)

Oh Laahi Oh Laahi… (Yedho Yedho - Laysa Laysa)
Ayaka Yahi Yahi… (Puyale Puyale - Kovil)
Me Hoo…Me Hoo…. (Muthal Mazhai - Bheema)
Dailamo Dailamo… (Dailamo Dailamo - Dishoom)
Rahtulla Sonali Oh… (Rahtulla - Gajini)

Oh Maha Zeeya…Oh Maha Zeeya… Uyirin Uyire (Kakke Kakke)
Nakka Mukka Nakka…(Nakka Mukka-Kathalil Vizhunden)
Oh Shakalakka…(Shakalaka Baby - Mudhalvan)
Oh Randakka… (Randakka - Anniyan)

We still haven't figured out the source of "Yappa Jippa"...

Any guesses?

I feel so BLAH...

In laws arrival in Mpls... Hubby's graduation... Memorial day weekend Mpls trip... In laws arrival in PHX... San Diego Trip... Connecticut... Niagara... Meeting good ol' buddies... Work. Work. Work. Work. Work. Work. Gaining pounds. Work. Work. Work. Work...Sleepless nights.........

Whatever....

Password please?

Trust, to me, is the basis of all relationships - especially marital. It is tough to build and easily broken. When you trust somoene, you dont feel the need to be guarded, to wrap yourself up in protective layers. You feel comfortable enough to be yourself- almost always. You do not find the necessity to keep things from your partner. In fact a lot of relationship gurus and elders constantly remind us about how important it is to have a relationship that involves open communication. That said, it takes time to build this trust for most people. Most of us gradually shed our layers one by one over the years when we feel secure enough with this other person. I would think it happens when your partner's words match with his or her actions and they're consistent with what they say and do.

I had a rather interesting conversation with a recently wedded friend of mine. This friend had a conventional "arranged" Indian wedding. So when we were chatting, the discussion hovered around sharing personal security information like passwords to email accounts etc and I was rather surprised when she said that she and her husband do not know each others' passwords and dont intend sharing it either. I dont know why I found it so hard to digest what she said.

For the records, N knows all of my passwords and on a lazy day - I've even asked him to log in to check my inbox for me. I am supposed to know his too- I just dont remember them because they're too complicated to memorize. That said, I have to admit that there are things that I will never disclose to anybody ever. Not because I dont trust - but because it is my own little personal space - which involves only me, my thoughts and my feelings. Plus it is better off
remaining that way.

Anyway, the point being, I always assumed husbands and wives, girlfriends and boyfriends shared stuff like this and it wasn't a big deal! I mean what could be so important and personal that your significant other shouldn't know? This was the first time that I heard something different and I was fairly amused! So now I am curious - how many of you would/do share such information with your partner? My friend also seems to think it is probably because of the whole arranged/non-arranged wedding thingy.But I beg to differ. I think even in arranged weddings you'll eventually share such information. What do you all think?