This New Guy

Breezy places, easy days.

15 months ago, on suggestion from my good friend Saad, I wrote a poem about a guy who wanted to go places.
25 days ago, I became a guy who actually went places.

Over a 3 week period, I visited some European cities, and had objectively the best time of my life. Thanks to a supportive manager and team, I was able to forget all the worries of work, and enjoy myself to the fullest.
I travelled with friends, family, and even alone. I took thousands of pictures and shot hundreds of videos. I wrote to you as well, dear reader. And I enjoyed every bit of it.

Today's poem commemorates this trip and how it has changed me.

Alright, poem starts in 3... 2... 1!

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Today we meet, this brand new guy,
with twinkling, starry eyes.
He's full of joy and happiness,
that he cannot disguise.

For years and years, he'd waited for
a break so bold and grand.
He's grateful it was so much better
than he'd ever planned.

A trip through all those pretty places
full of memories.
A trip that feels like precious art
laid out on tapestries.

He met his friends and family,
the folks that matter most.
The time he got to spend with them
was preciousness utmost.

Mountains, parks, and fountains,
he would gaze and gawk at all.
He even saw a rainbow 
shimmer from a waterfall.

He met some of the nicest folks,
and made a lot of pals.
He saw so many different vibes,
from concerts to canals.

He saw himself within that world,
become somebody else.
As if he shed off his cocoon,
struck by its mystic spells.

These places and their pleasures,
are now treasures in his mind.
Now they are his and he is theirs,
so deeply intertwined.

So when and if you see him next
and stories are being shared.
Do look into his eyes -
you'll see a twinkling star in there.

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That's it!
As promised last week, Some Fun Stuff is back, check it out below!

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Some fun stuff:

1. Check out Summari - As the name suggests, this is a tool to auto-generate summaries of long pieces of text. Use it to summarize that long movie review, or that legal document, or even the odd research paper.

2. Listen to "She Knew" by Fulgeance - A track that I discovered while out on a walk alone along the canals of Amsterdam. Close your eyes and see those beautiful sights as this tune plays along.

3. Watch "Seeing Frusciante live for the first time" -

This video is about the concert that I went to in Nijmegen, Netherlands. Thanks to Vigi for capturing it in his own way. This way you can see glimpses of my experience too! For reference, "Frusciante" is John Frusciante, the lead guitarist for the band "Red Hot Chili Peppers". My friends and I love their music. This concert was our pilgrimage.

Thanks for reading Hello Universe. See you next week!

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P.S.: There are many such “before-after” experience in life, where the person you used to be changes into the person that you are now. I count this trip as one such experience. The last time I felt something so strongly was back in Feb 2019 during a friend’s wedding.

What are some of your before-after moments? Does travel bring out that change in you? Do people? Tell your story in the comments below, and together let’s celebrate the feeling of change and growth!