7 May
2020
7 May
2020
From the bartender’s corner – Monte Carlo
A Monte Carlo is basically a variation of a Manhattan and dates back to 1948. It uses Rye Whisky (I used Templeton) and bitters (I used Angostura). And instead of vermouth, it uses Benedictine. Being a brandy based liqueur with something like 56 herbs and spices (that includes saffron), it brings a very different flavor and finish to the sips.
7 May
2020
Morning run for another 5 miles
5 May
2020
There is but only one drink you can make on Cinco De Mayo…
5 May
2020
A new square puzzle
Take any square. Take any random point within the square. Draw straight lines from that point to the midpoints of every side of the square. You will get four quadrilaterals. Three of them have areas of 40 units, 60 units and 80 units. What is the size of the total square?
This is an interesting problem and requires a little visualization and some basic memory of geometry.
4 May
2020
This thing is really hard
3 May
2020
Ride to our favorite coffee place
Rakesh, Avi and I rode independently to our favorite coffee spot – Barrel House Coffee in Ballground, Cherokee county. Rakesh, of course, took an hour and a half detour (via Burnt Mountain) for the 30-40 minute ride from his house! Avi came from home (around 45-50 minute ride). I went via E. Cherokee Rd to try out some twistys by myself before showing up at the coffee spot.
Ballground is all business now. The picnic benches are open. There is still social distancing going on and only some folks were wearing masks. But there were an incredible number – and I mean an incredible number of motorbikes there today!
3 May
2020
Another run on a warm day
3 May
2020
A little more progress
Like I mentioned before, being short by a wheel is no fun. Yesterday, I was finally able to repeat the simple act of stepping on to the unicycle with my left foot, putting my body weight on it and swinging the right foot to the front of the unicycle and get off. In normal life, it won’t be that easy for a learner. I used a prop so that the uni could not move backwards.
The Youtube video suggested doing this many many times and then try to tap the right pedal with right foot before getting off. This part is very tricky since while tapping, if I managed to put any pressure, the wheel would move forward and fall under me. And that is exactly what happened once.
Finally, I was able to do the right foot touch right pedal routine once.
The biggest achievement for me though was that I put the helmet the proper way this time 🙂
On an aside, do you remember how, in January, I had gotten out of Doha airport for an hour to meet my friend Natasha Balseca? And I met her mother Gina who was visiting her from Ecuador?
Well, I found out that she is also learning how to ride a unicycle during this stay-at-home period. I think she is way advanced than me at this point. But I might have somebody who can give me company in learning this and some pointers as a recent learner!
2 May
2020
