I Love!

National Parks. I can stare at NP pictures forever. I can plan trips to NPs forever. I can lust after NP trips forever. I could spend all my long weekends on them. I fantasize about visiting one every so often. They drive me to buy insanely expensive cameras so I can get some good captures of my moments spent there for posterity. And to sign up for carrying heavy backpacks. They always surprise me. Despite my already high expectations. I mean seriously, whats not to love?? Check these out.

Suffrage

For the first time in my life had a personal encounter which showed me how important it is to use your right to vote wisely. And to use it for sure. Democracy is good but when you elect people to represent you, and the representation is not correct, how would democracy work? Not everything can be put to vote. These representatives need to be the right people for the job!

And realized I have very low tolerance for what I perceive as "stupidity". Need to keep working on that Patience.

TV Series and My Life

Was in a meeting today that I was half interested in and listening to the guy drone on about his products. There were others present representing the vendor company and at some point I started watching the facial expressions going over each ones face during their interactions. And I think I could discern some things. Not that I can prove my conclusions are right.

So that's what "Lie To Me" is doing to me these days! Making me watch faces and expressions. Not an uninteresting hobby. But seriously, I need to stop watching so many episodes of it!

Water Balloon Fights & Concert nights

Had a surprisingly super picnic with co-workers yesterday. It was one of those days when nature conspires to make sure you have a good time :)
Lovely weather (after a long time) and great company to enjoy it with. My directors, managers and everyone just jumped into the whole water balloon fight and what a splash it was! Everyone left with a smile on their face and some with a promise of revenge! The fun times are rolling. Hope everyone is having a great summer.

And while I'm at it, should mention the simply awesome U2 concert I was at the night before! What a mid week. One to remember for ages.Aren't Summers just beautiful.

Boston

I was there for this long weekend and before I forget, I thought I should record my impressions.

People who know me, know how I'm always in a sweater/jacket. Can hardly tolerate a light breeze. The first thing I did on getting to Boston, at the airport, was to take off my sweater. And this was at 6am! The sweater  stayed inside for most of the trip. It was divine weather.
As it was so early, I didn't want to wake up my hosts right away, so ended up leaving my stroller at the apartment's unmanned lobby (! not something I would do here in the bay area, and it was there waiting for me when I got back!) and took off on a stroll. Seeing as how the river was so close by, I walked towards it. The place had a very suburban feel to it. Empty streets at that time of the day. Greenery all around. The one resident waving his arm in greeting when I passed by. Very laid back and idyllic. And the brick houses just made it all look so much more romantic.
There were people already rowing on the river when I got there. Probably practicing for the regatta? A few geese (the geese! will never forget them from my time at Rutgers :) ) waddling by. The stray runner jogging along. If I had this weather here in CA, I might be running every so often too! It was peaceful. And ever so pleasant.
Was sad come Monday evening when I had to fly back to CA. For many reasons. One of which was the sweater I had to don right after I landed at SJC.

Originality

After all that learning, reading, sharing, interacting the way we do, I wonder how much of what we believe in is original. Did I ever have an original thought? Considering the conditioning society sends its kids through, it is hard for original thoughts to survive. Conforming to the norm is always encouraged. Do people nourish original ideas? Are kids encouraged to think beyond the box?