The Shining

Easter weekend was a fairly religous affair however Easter Monday (which is also a public holiday in Catholic Bavaria) was more physically exerting. We went for a walk in the moutains in Austria, a 10 KM round trip. We got some grand views of the mountains and swigged some apricot schnaps to help with digestion of the schnitzel. First time we did it this year, hope we get another chance in April. We went with some friends whom are older but very cool to hang out with, I always get interesting point of views from Avi. This particular time the discussion centered around GOD, my favourite easter time topic. He is a scientist so I was half expecting the atheistic view but he had a deeper disposition. He beleived that Man has a preponderence to beleive in God because of the way we are made, we have an inate belief in the existence of god because of the way our brain is constructed so not beleiving in God was more injustice than beleiving. I then stumbled across an article in the econmonist which explains god in the same vein. Here is the link We went to a friend's place for potluck easter lunch. It was nice to be around people and the food was also quite nice however it lacked one big ingredient for complete a complete easter celebration - MEAT. So to make up, the Chef de la Maison cooked up some hyderabadi lamb and stir fty liver with onions. It important to note we had no accompanying vegetables. The social life is proving to be not so shabby, we have a pretty full calendar for the next couple of weeks. We have 3 long weekend in May which I usually missed because of some blasted customer engagement, this year I am determined to make all of them. I am planning to close out my Toscana oenophilic phase by doing a road trip there and topping it off with a formal wine seminar. I stumbled across a wine shop a few blocks from my house where the owner conducts wine courses. I know a few other Toscana addicts so set in motion the plan to have a formal wine seminar on the Toscana region. I plan to graduate to the Piedmont after. So one long weekend is in Tuscany, we plan to visit some friends in Geneva for the other and plan to visit Rome after wards. So if you plan to visit us in May, don't. Next Monday is the last day of work for many of my esteemed colleagues who have put up with my bitching and berations of poor management. Adieu and thank you for keeping me company. The popular sentiment is that the office is soon going to be called the Shining at the rate that we are losing people. One colleague told me the other day that I should not forget to turn off the lights when I leave as they won't be anyone else who needs the light. Off to the dessert next week.

Easter Weekend

Its a 4 day weekend here in Europe, however espousing our religous zeal we will be spending a large part of this weekend in church and the rest of the time being reminded by my wife I should be in prayer and asking for penance instead of horsing around. To those of you spending the weekend in Croatia and Istanbul (and Korea), don't think about me ... As I grow older (or cashflow richer) I am beginning to questions a lot of the blind beliefs that were part of my basic composition. I am grateful to my parents for instilling a very strong fear of god, my friends for etiquette on relationships and some superstitions that I have picked up along the way. A lot of those gold standards are no more so much yellow metal. The most worrying sometimes is the scientific mind battling the christian one, the sparring is not over however I am not sure it will end till I pick a side, i.e. have more faith in one. The main impact is it is changing me as a person, the basic principles that define me, the cherickel values. I seem to be taking a philosphical approach to defend breaking a lot of societies rules. I hate to admit here but I am struggling to define right and wrong but maybe its not so bad as I beleive the first is to acknowledge the problem. Like all things in my life, it will come to me. Patience is often the most least developed virtue in many of us, however the red herring in our emotional arsenal that will help us get through life unscathed. One things that I would really like to do and I think it will help answer some of these questions is to go to Jerusalem. Some day. Had a few friends over from work this week, memorable because it was the first time that I cooked everything with no supervision and I must say it was'nt so shabby. I think my Toscana flavour is quite mature and I will move on to other regions. I think my next target is Piedmont region. Have a good weekend.

Stocks!

Ever lost money on the stock market? I am sure you have, maybe the more relevant question is if you have ever made back the money you lost!! Inspite of my oracle like abilities I still consistently seem to be blowing away all the money that I make though sometimes I do strike it lucky. Its important because I am now giving fund investment advise to my SIS on how to invest her son's college fund and I want to see if she ever reads my blog!! Do I hear shreaks? Work is really picking up but thankfully because of the travel ban I am in Munich nowadays. The change in geography has also helped to keep the interest in the job, new customer and new colleagues keep it interesting. April will be busy i.e. blogging may not happen that often. As if it ever does! We are planning to stick around in Munich for Easter, 4 day weekend here so for the not so religious its good time to see spring in another country. Shamelessly for this lent I did not give up any vices, second one in a row - last year's excuse was the operation. Three is a charm. This lent has been alcoholic binge. Even when I was depressed on Monday, I cracked open a bottle. Trip to the US has been finalised, we will be there for the Ruth's wedding and Zach's baptism. My to do list for the US keeps growing Eat some good Mexican food Shop till I drop Some good old cajun food See the Met Buy some golf clubs Go to a good desi party Chinatown here I come Think I can do all of this in 2 weeks and keep my extended family happy?