2005 in the rear view mirror

A lot happened in 2005 for us and for the world in general.

On a personal note, the following things happened:

Our older daughter participated in her 2nd Triathlon and I completed my 7th and the last marathon in January and a 20K in October. My wife completed 25 years of service with her company and received a nice watch. I am still gainfully employed and visiting the platforms in the Gulf of Mexico from time to time. Our younger daughter along with her Princeton University Chapel Choir group performed at the Carnegie Hall In April. She also graduated from Princeton in Computer Science at the end of May and received a two-year Ito Foundation fellowship to study in Japan (Currently she is in Tokyo).

2005 was also a year of travel. In March, my wife and the older daughter visited India. In August our younger daughter and I went to Tokyo (after spending a few days in India along the way). After getting her situated (a small apartment for her, her admission at ICU) I returned to the US via pacific. Thanks to the time change, I arrived in the US on the same day before my Tokyo departure time. In December, our older daughter, her graduate advisors from Stanford and her previous supervisor from Boston went to Bangalore, India to put on a workshop on GPS as arranged by FAA for Aviation Administration of India. After the workshop, she spent a few days with her grandmother in India before returning to the US after spending a few days with her sister in Tokyo on the way. Our older daughter and her boy friend Jonathan arrived at our place in time for the holidays.

On Christmas morning, we all talked to (Skyped) our daughter in Tokyo as we opened presents. She had sent gifts for all including our senior most citizen Tigger, the cat. Tigger received some authentic Japanese fish and lobster cuisine. I wasn't sure if he had warmed up to ethnic food yet after being raised on hard food from PetSmart. We also talked to Jonathan's mom in Chicago. His parents had just arrived back from a vacation in Spain. All in all it was a good day. The weather was perfect (sunny, cool, crisp). I even got to throw the Frisbee with our daughter and Jonathan and my right arm felt fine. We had a nice Christmas dinner (all because of my wife's wonderful cooking) along with couple of other friends.

We also had some usual cough and cold in spite of taking the flu shots. I also had an arthroscopic surgery on my right shoulder (medical bills are still coming) in April. The physical therapy was a long drawn out process. I suppose I have had my share of bodily injury (stomach surgery, broken left wrist from playing soccer, surgery on right shoulder). But I feel great although I am not a spring chicken. I even did a tandem skydive in October. Obviously, I get my share of grief from the well-meaning family members for my stupidity. Life would be dull if we did not have a few bumps and bruises. I am thankful that I only have bumps and bruises; many in the world have lost everything in 2005.

On the world stage, the Tsunami of December 26, 2004, the Katrinas of the Gulf Coast (obliterating the Big Easy), the earthquake in Pakistan, benzene in Chinese water, and so on have left thousands homeless, parentless, etc. The death toll continues from Iraq war. The riot in Paris, Australia, and looting in the midst of Katrina's wrath in New Orleans tell the tale of many worlds within the Global village. Global Warming continues that many do not want to believe in. Darfur is almost forgotten. AIDs, bird flu, child labor, terrorism continue.

Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping into the future. Are we progressing or regressing?

Religions, Festivals, Happiness

It's Christmas time. I enjoy hanging the outdoor lights, decorating the Christmas tree and having the children home for the holidays. I do not even belong to any church, but these festivities make me happy. I did similar things in a different country in a different context. The festival of light called "Diwali" in India, the playing with color at "Holi" were also happy times for me some four decades ago. You don't have to be a Hindu to have fun at such times. But then you don't have to participate either if you only think in terms of religion.

I am not sure what the fuss is all about saying Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays. If some one wants to include all regardless of religious affiliation, why should any one get offended. By the same token, if my saying Merry Christmas makes someone happy, I have not lost a thing. My philosophy is that even if you do not subscribe to the religious concept behind the ritual, celebrate it as a cultural tradition, enjoy and make others happy. Those who want to celebrate from a religious perspective (and that makes them happy) they should certainly do so, but not be offended if others do not. We live in a small world that's not segregated anymore. It's a beautiful world with diverse color of the rainbow and each color adds to the over all beauty. "Live and let live."

The problem with religion is that it generally differentiates (or divides) people instead of unifying. Religion has a connotation of rituals, i.e. how one practices ones belief in God. A person practicing certain rituals of a religion can be spiritual, but spirituality does not necessarily mean one has to practice or believe in the established rituals. Religions and religious practices are man made, where as spirituality comes from within based on certain fundamental values and philosophy of life with humility towards something supreme (for a great majority of the people) as a guiding light for the unexplainable (yet) existence of this universe and beyond.

Unfortunately, supposedly in a more civilized world today we see Protestants and Catholics fighting in Northern Ireland. We continue to witness the never-ending Middle Eastern conflict (obviously, it has many more facets), the Hindu-Muslim riot in India, past Bosnia conflict, etc. When a priest giving loud and boisterous sermon on a Sunday morning declares that those who do not subscribe to Jesus would go to hell, when someone flies an airplane into a tall tower killing thousands of innocent civilians thinking that he is carrying out his God’s instructions, when Hindu chauvinists displaying khaki shorts and saffron cloth incite people to destroy a mosque supposedly on the birth place of their God, when an invaluable sculpture of Buddha is destroyed because it symbolizes an alien religion, when people are willing to blow themselves up killing innocent bystanders in the name of religion, then such organized religions spell disasters. To make matter worse, when a government sponsors or favors a religion, it establishes injustice or inequality for some. A fair and just government must not mix religion in its functioning as it has to serve all people with all beliefs, thoughts, and philosophy.

After Shock and Awe

Deception, War, Death, Suffering, Prisoner Abuse, Spying on fellow citizens: certainly not American Values.

Life according to this blogger

You come alone with nothing. You leave alone at the end with nothing. Along the way you collect "stuff" and you have some company during the journey. Some are great. Some are not so great. You love some, you dread some, and there are others that let you travel your own way. Some like to travel the safe route the most people take. Others are risk takers and like to hike their own way.

It's like riding a bus. Some one gets on the bus, seats next to you in the empty seat. You don't smoke or drink and hate rap music; your neighbor loves those. You put up with it knowing the journey will end soon. Your neighbor puts up with you thinking you don't have a life. Sometimes two people even vow to live together during the journey for better or for worse. Soon, one takes over the life of the other. Some travelers cannot laugh. They in turn make the journey a drag for all. Some do not even have words like "love you", "sorry", or "thank you" in their vocabulary. Yet, some are full of life and laughter. They love company and uplift the mood of all.

Some say they are in love, but do not know the meaning of love. Is it physical, emotional, material, or spiritual love? For some when romance wears out, love goes out the window. Some cannot accept the differences and at the slightest difference (like how you squeeze the tooth paste tube or how loudly you clear your throat) walk away from you. Some still journey together where one tortures the other and the other toils the journey quietly like a slave. Yet others that can't take it any more, get up from the seat and find another empty seat alone. They become afraid of company. But then sometimes the seats are reserved and you are stuck till the end of the journey.

How much you enjoy your journey depends on how happy you make your fellow travelers and not how much fellow travelers make you happy. Sometimes it's a hopeless situation. No matter how hard you try, you cannot make the other person happy. Did the person open his or her eyes on the wrong side of the bed? Was it in the gene? Was it the surroundings?

When the journey is over, you leave your traveling companion and arrive at your destination alone. Only a very few are remembered after they complete their journey.

Siblings

They are the best of friends. As they grow up they laugh together, cry together, they quarrel and they compete for parental love. Today our older daughter is arriving in Tokyo to spend a few days with her little sister. And our younger daughter was so excited to receive her big sister, she even asked for my advice as to where she should meet her. I told her she should do whatever made her happy, although the alternative might be a little simpler as well as a little easier on her pocket book (after all she is still a student in a foreign country).

We, parents try to be fair. Sometimes parents become not so impartial and not know it. They buy and give as many items to each one not to give the impression of partiality. They tend to consider them children no matter how old they grow. Sometimes in doing so they unknowingly try to impose their way on children and advise an adult son or daughter. If the grown up children follow their own dream, sometimes parents get annoyed at them for ignoring their life long experience. "They are not being practical. They should not take that risk. Art or music is not going to cut it. Go for medicine or law or engineering." - well wishing parents would bemoan children's decision. The parents forget that they were their children's age or younger when they got married.

Parents leave eventually. Siblings (no matter how old they become and how far apart they live) are left to share their feelings, memories, and reminisce their childhood again as they begin to play parents to their children. They may not express their happiness, may not even have the childhood laughter, but they are excited at the sight and sound of their sibling brother or sister. Life goes on in a full circle.

A Hurricane Named Katrina

This Weekend ...

was pretty good, I should say. On Saturday morning my wife and I talked to our younger daughter in Tokyo. (She appeared to have fit right in with her routine after a 2-week break in the USA.) After that, my wife went to her aerobic class and I went for a 6 to 7-mile run through a brisk, cool, mildly windy morning. I need to do this more routinely as I signed up for a half marathon in January. It was a good running weather. In the evening we were invited to a friend's house for dinner along with a few other common friends. The food was excellent. Afterwards, as we were sipping hot tea, a few ladies (including my wife) started singing some oldies from Assam and I joined in. These were from 50s and 60s. It was quite nostalgic and no one wanted to leave. Finally we left after midnight.

Sunday morning was just gorgeous. It was cool, crisp, and sunny; a rarity in Houston. So, I went for a bike ride through the neighborhood. Later, I checked our younger daughter's blog posting. It appeared that she had a great weekend too and she received compliments for her new haircut as well as for her Japanese language skill at the Ito Foundation (who offered her the 2-year fellowship to study in Japan) get together Saturday evening. I went to the airport post office (open 7-24) in the afternoon to mail some stuff. I could tell by looking at the line of people (and boxes they had to mail) that the Christmas was around the corner. That prompted my wife and me to get some Greetings Cards ready for mailing, else it would have to wait until the next weekend with the possibility of these not making it to the destination on time. Once we were done with the cards, we talked to our older daughter in India. She had been hopping airports in India (from Bangalore to Chennai to Delhi to Guwahati) and was asleep when we called her. It was 6:30 AM in India. She has a few more hops (Delhi, Tokyo, San Francisco, Houston) before she arrives home for the Holidays. At the hotel in Chennai she apparently ran into a person from Stanford University who lived in the same house (Kairos) as she did. The world is truly a small place. Anyway, it was great to be to be able to talk to her since she had left for India over a week ago.

So, all in all, it was a great weekend. Now, it's time to get ready to face the challenges of the week. Monday, here we come!

TGIF

That was yesterday. Fridays are supposed to be a half workdays at our company. So, I got off work a little early. As much as I dislike shopping in the mall (especially around this time of the year), I had a plan to buy a few things. Malls, to me, epitomize the materialistic world far beyond the needs for a comfortable living. The lure creates artificial needs resulting in our insatiable craving for material goods. But we live in a materialistic society. Unless you want to be an outcast, we go with the flow. I am sure there are exceptions. But, I guess I am not. So, after a short work out at a nearby gym (yes, I am trying to stay fit and it's hard work at my age), I went to the mall.

I knew exactly what to shop for (the other members of the family). There was definitely a holiday spirit in the atmosphere. The dazzling sights and sound, the decor, the glitter, the colorful wrappings, the "Jingle Bell" music, store full of clothes (from all over the world including those from sweat shops of countries that you never saw a few years ago, Globalization!!), shoes, toys, neatly dressed shapely mannequins certainly took even those with limited means to a fantasy land and seduced them to charge it to the credit card. Tomorrow! Who cares about tomorrow?

I bought my stuff relatively quickly. Everyone was unusually nice and helpful. "How may I help you? I can check you out right over here. My name is XXX, please let me know if I can assist you some way." Customer first! But in reality, it was like the free champagne in Las Vegas, as long as you kept feeding those hungry slot machines. They wanted customers to keep shopping and keep swiping the credit cards until the cards reach the limits.

I finished my shopping and headed home. My wife arrived from work. The best part was that we got to talk to our older daughter who was in India for a workshop on GPS. She was just getting out of bed in a hotel in Banaglore. I also quickly checked our younger daughter’s (who is in Tokyo for two years) blog site. This is how we mostly know about her activities. She just had a hair cut.

After that, my wife suggested going to a nearby Wal-Mart for a few things. So, we went. Walking through the aisles of this mega Wal-Mart, I lost her a few times. After a couple of hours and after swiping the credit card again (credit card, what a marvelous invention!) we managed to get out of there.

The shining Christmas lights welcomed us back to our empty nest. Our cat was glad to see us back. Oh, what a Friday!

All quiet in the house

Our younger daughter returned to Tokyo last Sunday. The older daughter is in Bangalore, India for a workshop on GPS. Other than a couple of emails, we have not talked to them. My wife and I are busy at work. Days are lot longer as another year comes to an end. We leave home in the dark and return when it’s pretty dark. Cold (by Houston standard) and wet weather has replaced the short sunny days of fall. Our cat stays home alone and practically sleeps all day. There is nothing worth watching on TV. So, the TV is quiet too. The Texans and the Rockets are doing poorly. So, it's disappointing to watch them play.

I am counting days when folks will be arriving for Christmas and I can take off from work for a few days. A house is not a home without some noise. Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, we want you to come with a bang to wake everyone up from the winter hibernation.

Ten more marines dead

Where is the end? Our leaders go on debating in the comfort of their homes and offices sending these folks to get killed. 2100+ are dead and we are still counting. We don't even talk about Iraqi dead. Some lives are more valuable than others. Offensive continues. Sadam is gone, but insurgency that wasn't there before has replaced Sadam.

Not too long ago our congress and an over jealous special prosecutor tried to impeach a president for his personal behavior. His behavior, which I am not condoning, only hurt him and his family. It did not hurt the country, nor did it kill any citizen or soldier. Now, another president and his war mongering advisors dragged this country to a war by misleading the congress and the country. Through deception this administration got a blank check to do whatever they wanted to do in the name of fighting terrorism. While they talk about righteousness and value, they oppose a ban on torture of prisoners. Prison abuse has made a mockery of our virtues in the eyes of the world. We do not hear anyone in the administration bragging about shock and awe anymore. Even Nixon's Watergate break in appears to be a lesser crime, relatively speaking. Where is the outrage or demand for an investigation?