9 June 2019

My first smoked drink!!!

Inaugurated my new smoking gun. I am still learning the fine art of smoking drinks – so do not hold me to high standards. Used mesquite wood to smoke the Old Fashioned (used Maker’s Mark).

Next time I will do the smoking in a more open space. My nose is so filled with the rich aroma of the smoke that came our initially that I could hardly smell it in the Old Fashioned!! Plus there is the advantage that I would not kick in the fire alarms 🙂

A good adventure though and very excited about the new smoking gun. (Part of it has to be the fact that I love the name 🙂 )

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8 June 2019

The ‘90s version of Tinder?

Couple of weeks back, my old friend and colleague Michiko was in town. Our schedules were a little tight but we decided to give it a shot anyways. Turns out, we were able to make it work out. Which was lucky for me because meeting Michiko means you are bound to pick up some great words of wisdom.

Over some wine we caught up on our old days of working together and some of our old colleagues. Michiko is a guru when it comes to Data and Analytics. She has done the whole gamut of Data Analytics – from developing models to selling the products. Now she is in management consulting – helping out companies with their strategy and operations in Data Analytics.

A memorable moment during our discussions was when I asked her about her take on where Data and Analytics has reached now – full 12 years after we had worked together in this area. “You see, Rajib, Analytics is sexy. Everybody talks about Analytics. Data is not getting enough focus because it is not that sexy. In fact, governance is the most ignored area of data – because it is not as shiny as Analytics”.

I knew that her background was in music. I did not realize that she plays both the piano and viola. Given that she has achieved so much in life, I asked her:
“Looking back on all your achievements, which one are you most proud of?”
“I am not allowed to be proud of anything”
“Meaning?”, I asked confused.
“Remember where I am from?”
“Japan, right?”
“Yes. In our culture we cannot be proud. It is considered uncouth to be proud”.

That was one of the most unique answers to a fairly common question that I ask people.

“Ok. Then tell me what work from your past – especially, when we worked together – do you remember the most?”, I pressed on.
“Nobody remembers the work, Rajib. You will remember the people.”
Truer words have not been spoken!!!

The funny part of our conversation came around when I asked her how she had met her husband. Believe it or not, they met in a chat room! Or as she put it – “The ’90s version of online dating!”

Michiko, it was simply outstanding to meet you. It was too short though. Let’s plan to have a longer meeting soon.

Category: Intersection Points | 1 Comment on The ‘90s version of Tinder?
8 June 2019

From the bartender’s corner – Mezcal #7: Mezcales de Leyenda Oaxaca

Fairly standard production process. Made from espadin agaves that are allowed to grow till 7-9 years (when the sugar content peaks). The chopped up pinas are cooked for 3 days in a pit lined with lava rocks. It is then milled by horse drawn stone tahona to let the yeast and other micro-organisms get to the sugar. Subsequently, it is fermented by mixing in deep well water and letting it sit in open air wooden oak vats for 3 days. As a final step, the two rounds of distillation is done in a copper alembic still.

The mezcal itself is fairly run of the mill. Seems to have an edge at the end in the length. However, Casamigos is still my favorite.

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4 June 2019

Take a guess…

How many of these statements are true?

1. You can see the Great Wall of China from the moon on clear days (my sixth grade teacher had taught us this)
2. Bulls get excited by red color (which explains why they charge the matador waving the red flag)
3. Napolean was rather diminutive (by French standards those days anyways)
4. Only the royals among the Vikings wore the horned helmets
5. Einstein was weak in math (and failed once) as a school kid.
6. We have 5 senses (sight, sound, taste, touch and smell). (I was taught this pretty early in life).
7. Speaking of senses, the tongue has different parts where we taste different tastes (sweet, salt etc etc)
8. Continuing with our body, artistic folks are more active on the right side of the brain and vice versa for the science and math oriented ones.
9. There is no such thing as a “scientific proof”
10. A steep learning curve implies you will have great difficulty learning it.

If you have Googled, which ones surprised you?

Category: Puzzles | 1 Comment on Take a guess…