It’s Rodeo Time in Houston

It’s that time again. Last year our younger daughter had visited us from Japan and her boy friend had joined us at this time. It was a “totally” new experience for him. We even took a picture of two them with a Llama. I used to participate in the 10K Rodeo run for many years. I have not done that in a few years.

Last Friday was a “Go Texan” day. I even wore my old blue jeans and a leather jacket to work. I am still looking for a cowboy hat (and I need a new pair of boots too for Rodeo time) that might look ok on me. The trail riders have arrived. Anyway, this year it’s just two of us. We are planning to go to the Rodeo cook off today and savor some good old barbeque. Finally, after all these years, I even managed to get tickets to George Strait show. If you are not into country music, you will not understand. To me music that makes some one happy is worth listening, be it Beethoven, Beatles or Bob Wills.

Potpourri

My offshore project finally is in service after many tries. We are flowing oil. Now I am getting ready for the next big one in the Gulf.

Weather god finally is looking up. The wet, windy, cold, cloudy days gave away to a nice and sunny day today. I went for a bike ride for a change.

Our younger daughter is learning to make money the hard way (the American way) and to go to school at the same time. The older one is a little disturbed not having heard anything on her applications. Hard work, patience, and optimism (I call it HOP) are virtues not so easy to practice all at the same time.

We attended two wedding receptions yesterday of our friends’ children. Ever wonder how time flies? The little girls on the backyard swing only a few years ago have turned into very pretty young women. I try not to look myself in the mirror. It may tell me something I do not want to hear or accept. I still feel like a teenager in my heart (not all the time).

I am on my second book (The Audacity of Hope) by Barack Obama. I sent him a letter the other day. I do not expect a reply from a busy senator, but I just wanted to express my appreciation about his experiences. I was also upset at some articles published in the local IndoAmerican News about my birthplace. I decided to respond to rebuttal and hopefully to bring awareness to some of the readers. IndoAmerican News is publishing my article in two parts. I am not sure if people ever read these things.

Tomorrow is Presidents’ Day. Government offices and some companies (including ours) are off tomorrow. I am not sure if it means much to many other than going to the mall looking for a sale. I plan to start on my 2006 income tax filing tomorrow. Yes, it won’t be long. April 15 will be here soon. Income tax filing and our Rongali Bihu happen to be at the same time. What a contradiction! Fun and Tax!

Dreams from My Father

I just finished reading the book, “Dreams from My Father” by Barack Obama. It was a Christmas gift and it had a hand written note inside, “Dear Daddy, Keep on dreaming.” I can relate so much to the story that at times I feel as if it’s about me. Mythical father, walking barefoot on a muddy rice field in Indonesia, being ignored by a Kenyan waiter in a restaurant in Kenya to serve a white family – it’s not only about race; it’s about poverty, self esteem, exploitation, discrimination in all different forms world wide. Some are better at hiding, others brutally open.

Even neocolonialism may take different shapes. Once where white rulers ruled, now the brown or black rulers rule their own people. People still have weakness for fair skin. So, they try hard to imitate. Caste, color, looks, dress still creates subconscious profiling about people everywhere and the proposition that “all men are created equal” still remains a dream. Poverty, disease, illiteracy still drowns people and the powerful continue to prey on them.

The book also shows silver lining in the midst of despair, a hope, a hidden “City of Joy”. There is hope. Justice eventually prevails. Environment creates super human out of ordinary people. Lincoln, Gandhi, King, Mandela, Cesar Chavez happened for a reason. We have made progress, but we are long way from our destination. We as a nation are continually correcting (in spite of deviation from the cherished path from time to time) with that goal in mind. People like Barack are our hope.

If you are like me and have experienced two different worlds (not necessarily in the same sense as Barack did), it is about you too. I highly recommend this book.