This week belongs to the Gen Next gang! Yes friends, there’s a great bonding happening between Ethan, Emily and Rachael. They are threatening to throw our gang out in a bloodless coup and replace us in my newsletters! To know more, read on…

Memorial Day is becoming more of a holiday than anything else. Fred has been telling this to me for some years now. Now there’s someone else who’s joined the fray. It was definitely not Ethan’s fault. But it was not Donna’s fault either. It’s one of those times when you don’t really know whom to blame. Ethan and Emily were going through their school calendar, looking up for holidays. When Ethan came across May 25, he exulted that it was holiday. Donna, who was working on her laptop, snapped up at Ethan.

“It’s not a holiday that you yell for! It’s Memorial Day! What’s up with you new-age kids?” Donna blasted at Ethan, without meaning to. Later Donna told me that she lost her cool because “these people” did not simply understand why Memorial Day is not just a holiday. “It’s for people like Fred who gave all but took nothing,” Donna told me. I share her views on this. It’s time we acknowledge the due respect to these war veterans, and let’s do it this year. Fred would be really happy to know we care for unsung heroes like him.

After her success with the polar bear project, Rachael has landed another assignment for extra credits. This one’s on turtles. ‘Save the Turtles’ is the name of the campaign for which Rachael is on an information hunt. Rachael’s sounded me out to help her again. I have been awfully busy but Rachael’s not someone who will take no for an answer. And moreover, I wanted to get an inside scoop on the tulips story! So I landed at Liz’s place after work.

This time Rachael’s room was not strewn around with papers and printouts. That didn’t seem so obvious. Was Rachael waiting for me to begin her research? I was trying to push the thought out of my mind. “Oh, you are here!” Rachael greeted me. After a swift hug, she added, “I have been waiting for you!” There! Forget asking about her potential romantic story, the next couple of hours were spent in the world of turtles! Though informative, it was a little disheartening because I really wanted to ask her about the episode in class. Anyway, I guess that’s how the cookie crumbles. Maybe next time I can tell you her part of that story. Be with me.

Rick and Kaitlin are at it again! Adrian and Cathy have been giving fuel to the speculation that they might just beat Rick and Kaitlin when it came to frequency of fights in the relationship. After their notorious position was threatened, they have somehow managed to cook up a fight. I’m not serious on this, of course. Kaitlin actually has a genuine issue to take care of.

Rick’s best buddies with a girl called Sisel. Kaitlin is becoming paranoid about this relationship. Kaitlin’s sure that there’s something cooking between the two of them. Kaitlin told us, “She’s one of those girls who act innocent and cling to men for help! Wonder how Rick stands her!” Though we think that Kaitlin is overdoing things a little, we couldn’t really tell her that. All of us here hope that it will soon fizzle out like the other Rick-Kaitlin love battles.

Irina’s relationship hit rock bottom with Alex getting increasingly busy with his campaign work. Now, with things a little less crazy than it was a couple of months back, Alex and Irina are dating with renewed vigor. Irina is being very particular about Alex’s daily routine. Being the busy person that he is, he cannot make out time to tend to himself. This is where Irina is stepping in.

I found out about that from Kate. Irina has been keeping a tab on his food. Alex has been very considerate about this till date. But Kate is not sure how far he would be comfortable with constant calls and text messages from his significant other. Irina as a caring, fussy partner is not someone who is going down well with us! I mean where is that carefree fashionista that we knew? This has got to be leading to something great or grotesque! Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

The Zen quote this week comes from Nathaniel Branden: “A woman in love will do almost anything for a man, except give up the desire to improve him.” I think this goes especially true for Irina, wouldn’t you say so?