Gupshup Chicago Meet

[ghalib]

Well, it happened. Those who thought it was all a hoax and decided not to show up missed an opportunity to meet some very interesting Guppies.

As planned, folks gathered in the lobby at about 6 p.m. Attendees were Me, Eros, HMCQ, Antidote, Fraudiya, Barysh and her Bro. I guess everyone showed up on time except for moi. My excuse/reason, and a valid one while at it, was that my son started to get cranky while I was leaving for the lobby. I hung out until he calmed down. Good thing HMCQ called me to get an update on the meet.

Everyone except for Fraudz met at the lobby. We then we walked over to the convention to meet up with fraudz and had the usual chit chat. Antidote, Barysh and her bro. asked to be excused because they had other commitments. So it was a more of finding who the faces were behind the screen.

After the departure of 3 Guppies, Fraudz, Eros, HMCQ and I sat down for drinks. This is where the talking began. Fraudz decided to turn is anguish over the unregulated segments of American society loose on Eros and HMCQ. While he argued (still dunno why he kept talking when no one wanted to argue), Eros and I talked about Chicago, Airlines and PIA. HMCQ wanted to stay quite with occasional "hmmmm's" and "ohhhh's".

We all then went through a copy of Paklink magazine and read an interesting article on Pak.org. The listed stats for the website were somewhat intriguing and I recommend that either Azkar or Fraudz post a copy of the articel here for folks who prolly won't get to see the paper.

The meet came to an end with Fraudz's father walking up to the table to join. He talked about his experiences and we both agreed that living in Pakistan is not that bad (I especially liked his take on problems associated with living in Pakistan since not everyone defines "problems" in the same manner).

To cap it off, HMCQ brought a camera to do a photo session. Plans for Devon were shelved due to lack of commitment from attendees, inlcuding myself. It was short meet but a good one. Peeps got to see who the faces were behind the screen.

[Mr Fraudia]

It was an interesting meet. I unfortunately was over-committed for the entire weekend with family, out of town relatives, non gup-shup pals, and gupshup crew there in addition to my commitments to some chicago based groups as well as playing personal host to Lord Nazir Ahmed.

Needless to say, I wanted to spend more time with the gupshup crew but did not get a chance to.

Ran into Ghalib's parents by accident since they were filling out a form and wrote India-no-place as their city of residence. I inquired if they knew ghalib..but used his real name, turned out I was talking to Ghalib's mother. I also spoke with Ghalib's dad who I found out has a hobby of writing for various papers in Pakistan. I also saw ghalib's kid again, so saw 3 generation of his family at one place..wow, I also met Bhabhi briefly.

The crew met my dad, and saw my mother and aunt etc and also spotted wifey when she emerged from the bazaar for a breather only to dive in with a credit card and shopping determination still guiding her. Ghalib hopefully your budget did not get destroyed by the usual isna shopping spree.

I met Eros for the first time, and i have barely spoken to him here on gupshup but we had a good chat there. HMCQ is the most shareef of all of the guys present and I really enjoyed talking to him. We were supposed to hook up on monday but unable to make connection. Eros went home and shot a response on my airlines thread in politics section right away since his employer is an airline which is on the top of my hate list

Dad was very impressed with the guys and consequently..we will be visiting Ghalibs family on our way to Ohio on of these weekends and he wanted to make contact with HMCQ's dad since they both have professional ties to Nigeria.

Eros will now be hounded by the same producer who has been talking to me about the dramas he is planning to shoot. So we will have two guppies in there.

barysh and her brother were spotted attending lectures and after a brief chat with antidote I did not see her again, maybe she had enough of ghalib's chichora pana. Antidote also called us baccha log, to which I am still "haeraan and pareshaan"..

An interesting phrase came out of Ghalib's mouth (suprise!!!!) when he decided to refer to me as "Fraudia" while talking to my dad...*sigh* Baitaa...I will insist on calling you "Ghalib" when I visit your family.

Eros mah man, its good to meet a gupster from chi-town. we will hook up soon..are ya planning to go to the Junaid Jamshed Concert?
I will be armed with a press card and in the backstage area wanna join as the photographer?

oh gawd....and after this weekend..no nehari/maghaz for a while...please pass me the gordita.

[This message has been edited by Fraudz (edited September 05, 2000).]

[?]

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?

[Bharysh]

Salaams Everyone!

The Gupshup meeting was cool- even though me and bhai had to dip out- mom made dinner plans with some aunite in Devon...so me and bhai had to get ready and find her and leave out..and I ended up running into ghalib and his family later that evening when we were all leaving. Ghalib- you HAVE to put up pics of the baby in the gallery!!

Oh- and Devon was niiice! I'd move out there just for the shops!...I can't believe they are open so late- that's so awesome!

Hm...what else...I kept running into Antidote and introduced her to my mom and then they started to gupshup about stuff. Antidote- Since you are so nazdeek, Anytime you come down to DC- please come over for some chai or khana or something!

HMCQ also ran into bhai and me on the last night of the conference and we all had a nice conversation..moslty trying to get bhai to join...but to no avail apparently- oh well. Oh yeah- we also talked about some of the interestind statistics in the pak.org article--what's this about 30,000 guppy members? j/k, but is that true? That's like- all the people at ISNA!!!

...BTW- who thought what about the conference? Anyone go to any interesting lectures? I missed Siraj Wahaj for not being able to make it..but I get to see him all the time on campus when he comes out..so, its all good.

Okay- I'm about to get later than late for class now..senioritis has begun! ..oh- and where were all the other guppys at? It really is hard trying to get everyone out at one time..I'm thinking next time- it there is one- go laaaaate at night after all the lectres and such are over. I wonder where its going to be at next year....hmmm...

[NYAhmadiX]

Sounds like you guys had a lot of fun. Next time, can we have the Chicago Meet in New York?

[Bharysh]

Originally posted by ?:

whats wrong guppy? feel a lil fishy? cat got you under his tounge?

[Roman]

Wow, you guys had fun! 'Wish could make it but still good to hear that you guys enjoyed it thoroughly.

[Mr Fraudia]

Hi Barysh

That stat is for the number of people who have registered for gupshup over the last few years that it has been up and running.

Some are gone now, some rarely post, like my bros and some post all the time. The more interesting statistical fact is that only a minority of people who visit gupshup post. There are many people who just read..

NY lamer, you will never go meet anyone

[ghalib]

Fraudz:

hehhee.. yaar I didn;t even realize I blurted your internet name infront of your dad. My bad but I guess I am used to calling you by your handle than you actual name. BTW, you can call me by Ghalib at home since everyone at home knows that 'Ghalib' is my favorite sign-up name on every internet site I visit.

NYA & Rome:

yaaroon.. wish you guys were here. I may have extended my stay in chicago by a day just to hang out together. I know fraudz has already offered to take a day off from work when we all visit.

[usmansalim]

awsome. wish i was there. tell mew when the next one is in chic. hey whos living in indiana? we could all meet at purdue univ in lafayette sometime. ill be going to boston for the oct break but wwinter or spring will be cool. take care

Originally posted by ghalib:
Well, it happened. Those who thought it was all a hoax and decided not to show up missed an opportunity to meet some very interesting Guppies.

As planned, folks gathered in the lobby at about 6 p.m. Attendees were Me, Eros, HMCQ, Antidote, Fraudiya, Barysh and her Bro. I guess everyone showed up on time except for moi. My excuse/reason, and a valid one while at it, was that my son started to get cranky while I was leaving for the lobby. I hung out until he calmed down. Good thing HMCQ called me to get an update on the meet.

Everyone except for Fraudz met at the lobby. We then we walked over to the convention to meet up with fraudz and had the usual chit chat. Antidote, Barysh and her bro. asked to be excused because they had other commitments. So it was a more of finding who the faces were behind the screen.

After the departure of 3 Guppies, Fraudz, Eros, HMCQ and I sat down for drinks. This is where the talking began. Fraudz decided to turn is anguish over the unregulated segments of American society loose on Eros and HMCQ. While he argued (still dunno why he kept talking when no one wanted to argue), Eros and I talked about Chicago, Airlines and PIA. HMCQ wanted to stay quite with occasional "hmmmm's" and "ohhhh's".

We all then went through a copy of Paklink magazine and read an interesting article on Pak.org. The listed stats for the website were somewhat intriguing and I recommend that either Azkar or Fraudz post a copy of the articel here for folks who prolly won't get to see the paper.

The meet came to an end with Fraudz's father walking up to the table to join. He talked about his experiences and we both agreed that living in Pakistan is not that bad (I especially liked his take on problems associated with living in Pakistan since not everyone defines "problems" in the same manner).

To cap it off, HMCQ brought a camera to do a photo session. Plans for Devon were shelved due to lack of commitment from attendees, inlcuding myself. It was short meet but a good one. Peeps got to see who the faces were behind the screen.

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singing hell to the scenes....

[Roman]

>> NY lamer, you will never go meet anyone

Abay chal, he's having lunch with me next month.

ghalib, bad timing yar but we'll definitely hook up soon.

[Mr Fraudia]

Originally posted by ghalib:
Fraudz:

hehhee.. yaar I didn;t even realize I blurted your internet name infront of your dad. My bad but I guess I am used to calling you by your handle than you actual name. BTW, you can call me by Ghalib at home since everyone at home knows that 'Ghalib' is my favorite sign-up name on every internet site I visit.

Ghalib

My Dad was the only one in my family who did not know I used this name because he was aware of my older one. No worries though, btw tell your dad to contact the editor of the mag, he wants to connect with him.

[Mr Fraudia]

Originally posted by Roman:
Abay chal, he's having lunch with me next month.

Yaaar, next month kis nay dekha hai...he told me he visits chicago for work every so often..and then changed jobs.

Waisay janaab, aap ki baat aur hai...aap say kon naheen milay ga. kher when are u coming here next?

[Roman]

That 'Fraudia' calling reminded me of my meet with Fraudia. We were at this Pakistani boutique shop where Fraudia was buying some dress for an upcoming wedding. The owner has two shops within a block and he had paid for the dress at the first shop and we had to pick up the dress at the second shop since they were out of the dress at the first shop.

All this time I was addressing Fraudia with his gupshup nick instead of his real name. After the lady handed him over the dress, she asked him if he already had paid for it to which he replied yes, he did at the first shop. At that point I found the strongest urge to say "Chal na Fraudia, nikleiN ab yahaaN say".

yar, can't say when I'll be in Chicago next time, we'll see. BTW, I am drolling over the souvenir I brought you from Vancouver, you better send me your address pretty soon or I'll 'harap' it.

[Mr Fraudia]

hahah Roman namoonay

abay it was a long vest not a dress. I dunno who you went shopping with for "dresses" sure wasn't me mon ami.

hmmmm oki address on its way. dunn harrap nuffin.