1 September
2013
1 September
2013
Our group has arrived!!
Remember last week we broke all records of attendance in our Sunday morning Bengali run? 7 people for the first time and 2 ladies? (which was 2 ladies more than ever before?). Well, in further proof that women are gatherers, we had 6 Bengali women show up today!! Thankfully, Manas showed up in the last minute to even the playing field on the menfolk’s behalf. So we had a perfect dozen today!!!
That was a marvelous day for a run for the group. Cloudy, cool, a little foggy, albeit a trifle humid. We had a marvelous time with each other in the Big Creek Trail and then the mandatory Starbucks coffee-adda thereafter!! Every morning should start like this – great friends, some physical activity, a good cup of coffee and some hearty laughter!
We, being Bengalis, of course, are now going to devour some food that should undo most of those calorie burns – “luchi-mangsho”, “luchi-aloor-dom” or some Mexican equivalents like “loaded tacos”, “chalupas” and such. Speaking of that last item, our wizard-of-words Samaresh suggested that we should call our group “Chalu-pa” (in Bengali, that would translate to “active legs” or something like that). Clever!
Now time for some thanks….
Thank you Manas for showing up and letting us not be outnumbered…
Thank you Sharmila for letting me speed you up during the last half mile…
Thank you Puja, for joining us as the youngster speedster. Your perseverance to finish the course was inspiring…
Thank you Atashi for pushing yourself to run the whole distance without ever stopping…
Thank you Samaresh for being the rock solid leader of the group and setting an example for the rest of us…
Thank you Amitesh for showing us what speed is all about and the coffee at the end. (you know we are going to have a fight over that later)…
Thank you Malobika and Ashok for taking the pains of joining us after being so busy with your performances in Fobana last night…
Thank you Mohana for the temporary interruption in your sleep continuum 🙂 …
Thank you Sudakshina and Anindya for keeping your word from last night to join us “no matter what”…
Above all, “Chalu-pa”s, thank you for SHOWING UP!!
31 August
2013
Her final word…
Nikita and I climbed to the top of the Stone Mountain this morning. After climbed back down, we sat down in the shade, took out our food from the backpack and rested for a while. Trying to gauge her future interest in climbing up a few more neighboring mountains, I asked “What do you think?”. Pat came her reply – “When I grow up, I am pretty sure I will not be a mountaineer” 🙂
31 August
2013
Atop Stone Mountain!
30 August
2013
This is too funny…
So there I was early morning at a regional airport in Florida waiting at the gate for the boarding to start on one of those tiny planes to take me to Atlanta. Eventually, the lady at the counter came on the PA system and announced pre-boarding. As always, anybody who needed a little extra time to board was invited to pre-board.
And the entire gate area got up in unison from their seats and started slowly shuffling towards the boarding door – walkers and wheel chairs in tow.
And there I was …. sitting all alone … waiting for my turn…
🙂
29 August
2013
Puzzle – silly mistake
My flight is very early morning tomorrow and a very short one. I intend to sleep in flight. So, here goes the puzzle for this week’s trip.
Somebody wrote
62 – 63 = 1
Obviously it was a silly mistake. Here is a question for you. Can you move (to a different place) only ONE of the digits above and make the equality hold true?
29 August
2013
She remembers me!!
28 August
2013
Milton Run
28 August
2013
Brandon Wilson!!!
Memorable evening with Brandon Wilson! We sat in cubicles next to each other in an earlier job. He ran Finances for my business (in other words, kept me honest 🙂 ). Above all, he was my friend!! I remember spending quality evenings after work discussing life – how to not forget the perspective that money is an output, not the end (the company we worked in was an immensely successful startup that went public); how to realize what we are really good at – what kind of work makes us truly happy. Certainly set a lot of direction in my life. And he had just crossed into the thirties then!!!
It was great to see how he has continued with success in his career path. But it is his humble beginnings that stand out. Mother worked in post office, dad either farmed or was in construction in a small place called Muleshoe (west Texas) (as he said “are we happy at work” was not an interesting question for them). Brandon’s first job was as a call center rep. Worked there for six years!!! It is amazing to see how he has kept himself grounded in humility, good values and long term view of the road in spite of the phenomenal success he has had career wise!!
This evening was no different from those evenings. I again learnt a lot from him!!
26 August
2013
