Ode to Detroit - The City of Champions

As I write this blog, I am well into my last 24 hours in Metro Detroit as its resident. It has been a jolly good ride - my last 20 months of my life has been very memorable to me. I have gained a great set of friends, friends who made up for the lack of family, relations, etc; friends who helped me forge my identity and made me come out of my shell.

The only true way to conclude my episode in Detroit would be to list the things I will dearly miss -
1. Friends - could not have asked for more
2. Playing softball
3. Inexpensive golf
4. Cheap gas
5. Long drives
6. Mountain biking in State parks
7. People passionate about their cars - esp. American Muscle cars
8. Woodward Dream Cruise
9. Detroit Tigers
10. Detroit RedWings
11. Change of seasons in Michigan
12. Old Detroit mansions
13. Architecture in Detroit
14. Detroit Institute of Arts
15. Hindi movies in Novi
16. Living close to IU campus
17. 12th floor banter
18. Michigan beer
…………………… and the list goes on but I will mention that the thing I will miss the most is waking in the morning to see the entire area surrounded by white pristine snow and sipping coffee blankly staring at it. There is never a better soothing feeling.

Now having compiled the above list does not mean that I love everything about Detroit. Here are few
1. Casinos – people gamble too much
2. Very few career opportunities for Banking professionals
3. Smoking inside bars – thank god that is changing soon
4. Too many lazy people – hence the term ‘Michigan Fat’.
5. Michigan ‘U’ – come on you are supposed to just have left turns, not go round about to make a simple left
6. High insurance
7. Detroit Lions – only professional sport I did not watch live in Detroit
8. Cobo arena – they could have built it better
9. City of Detroit Mayors – scandals is not the way to keep the city in news
10. Lack of ‘Happy Hour’ bars near RenCen
11. Seats at Joe Louis Arena –they are small even for me

Overall, it has been a very satisfying and humbling experience for me. My milestones –
1. My first true job – where I earn to keep the fire in the house running
2. Dad passed away – lack of a father figure has really made me grow up more faster
3. Maturity – I like to think that I have matured very quickly from just being a pampered kid to being responsible for my own actions and behaviors
4. Money management – I now have decent amount of savings but no significant asset yet
5. First date ever – I went for my first ever date and I am happy that it did not work out well
6. First new car
7. First house (well almost) – since it is tough for Librans to make up their mind; esp. for me
8. 5k for Walt
9. First ankle twist
10. First bicycle

Signing off from Detroit - ready to start a new episode in my life