Quick update

Younger daughter is almost done with her pre-med classes; next stop – MCAT, then a new job while applying to med schools for 2009 Fall.
The older daughter may be getting a little stressed out with her wedding preparation; she is visiting us this weekend.
My brother and sister-in-law got their US visa; they are coming to her wedding.
My wife is busy with her new assignment at work and preparing for the hurricane season. Yes, June 1 is the beginning of hurricane season here in the Gulf Coast.
I got a few calls from headhunters; I guess I am still marketable.
Now, as for my Kilimanjaro venture – I put in a few hours of power walk last two Saturdays in addition to few minutes of jogging, stair master, stationary bike, and fighting with a few exercise machines during the weekdays. Someone has agreed to lend me his down jacket. I plan to buy a few things at REI when the older daughter gets here this weekend.
As for sponsorship and raising money for the “Children’s Hunger Fund”, it has been an overwhelming experience. People are truly generous. In less than a week, the total is close to a $1000.00. And the comments are uplifting.
I do not want to let these people down. I must make it to the summit. Wish me luck and pray that I do not get altitude sickness.
If you too want to donate for this good cause by sponsoring me, please click and

Give to Children’s Hunger Fund

Kilimanjaro, here I come

It was in my bucket list, although I am not ready to kick the bucket yet. I am starting early hoping to complete my list. So, Kili is in my mind. I leave Houston on October 2, 2008. The climb starts on October 5 and then I come off the mountain on October 10 and fly back on October 12.

I have also seen first hand toll hunger takes on people, especially on children. I saw it in my own old world as I was growing up as a kid. I have seen images of children in the slums, during flood, famine, earthquake, mud slide. I think it is a shame on the so called civilized world to let people go hungry. It is a crudest form of human rights violations. So, in my small way I thought as I work on my bucket list, why not do something for the children at the same time. So, with the help from compassionate people like you, I decided to raise money for "Children's Hunger Fund". Please click at

Give to Children’s Hunger Fund

and give. Your nominal contribution will go a way long way for the hungry children and my arduous climb and altitude sickness will be worthwhile if I can help even one child in need of food.

As for the climb, I will keep you posted on my preparation as well as fund raising.

All is not lost

While greed takes over many, while some CEOs rake in millions and run their company to the ground, while some one spills coffee and sues for coffee being hot, there are others who work hard for an honest living and do not crave for something that do not belong to them. A cab driver returns a violin worth $4 million left in his cab by mistake by a rider. An 18-year old girl plans to build an orphanage in Africa while fighting her own cancer. A double amputee (from Iraq war) inspires a football team from the side line to win. While many are greedy and a few are doing something meaningful with a smile, many of us continue to whine and do not see the forest for the tree.

Time and Space

It’s not about time and space in scientific terms or from a philosophical perspective. It’s about its effect on human relations, on friendship. It’s about “Rip Van Winkle” effect.

I grew up with my next-door neighbor as a close childhood friend. No, it’s not Huck Finn story. We grew up together talking in the same colloquial language, laughing together, climbing trees, hiding and sharing our favorite fruit when the adults were away in our poor man’s house.

Time changed. We moved on. There were oceans between us keeping us million miles away. More than three decades passed as an instant for me in a fast moving world. He raised his family in my old world. I raised mine in the new. My old world picture and the language I knew back then remained stuck at some 30 years back. Yet, the new world reshaped my out look and attitude.

Now more than 30 years later when suddenly we had an encounter, we had difficulty communicating like we used to as children. I belched out my old vocabulary for closeness. He could no longer talk like he did when we were little. After customary greetings, we struggled to communicate. Time and space got in the way. I felt like modern day “Rip van Winkle”. To him perhaps talking the old way was embarrassing. We are now aliens from two different worlds. We are friends, yet time and space has made us strangers with not as much in common.