Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Reasons Alcohol should be served at Work

I got this key chain as a gift (goes back to my point that cash as a gift is the best option). The only salvaging point about this gift is that it had the following reasons about why alcohol should be served at work:

10. Incentive to show up
9. Leads to more honest communication
8. Reduces stress
7. Employees work later because there is no need to rush to the bar
6. Encourages carpooling
5. Salary negotiations are more profitable
4. It makes other workers more attractive
3. Eliminates vacation because employees want to come to work
2. Burping doesn't seem inappropriate just funny
(Drum roll please...)
1. Increases overall job satisfaction because now if your job, sucks you don't care

Friday, January 25, 2008

Have Fork Will Travel - White Wings

Background

I am a foodie, is simple words that I love to try out new/unique foods at the very least once. I have a philosophy that everything needs to tried once and if you like it go crazy and do it again. Food had always been a passion for me and having worked in the food industry developing products both in USA and Asia made the passion more embedded into my life.

Food: White Wings
Where: Temple, Texas
Innovative Rating: 4 stars
Repeat: Maybe



I have never heard of "white wings". So I jumped heart first when someone suggested we go and get some white wings. The disclaimer being leave your heart at the door.

The place we went to was Las Casas Restaurante and their tag line was "Famous White Wings" Originator!!

White Wings is basically a strip of chicken with a piece of jalapeno pepper in the center. The chicken is then wrapped with strips of bacon to form a ball (similar to the rubber band ball you may have done in the office during the long boring meeting but then I digress again). The ball is then pan fried with a generous amount of grease, again I have no idea about the quanity or quality of grease, that will ensure your heart get all the ingredients for a heart attack. In order to ensure that the heart attack is major (what is the point of doing anything minor, this is USA we do things big philosophy) the dish comes with a side of potato covered with sour cream/ or a generous helping of red/black beans and rice.

Overall I could only have half of the dish before I hear some sputtering sounds from the recess of my heart. But it was an experience that I am tempted to repeat

Monday, January 21, 2008

Playing in the Democratic Sandbox

It is no secret that I travel a lot. I am not sure if I like it or hate it, thought I am know for my closet love to get airline miles.

As I am busy sitting at the Holiday Inn (hoping it makes me smarter) working on building my empire while chatting, facebooking and surfing, I also managed to catch the Democratic Debate on CNN. For those who missed it (or those scratching their heads and wondering should I switch back to American Gladiators on NBC) here was my synopsis

Hillary: Obama pulled my hair.
Obama: She started it.
Hillary: He pulled it because I am a woman.
Obama: You a woman! Now you tell me!
Edwards: Hello, can someone pull my hair please.
Hillary: Stop throwing sand on me.
Obama: What sand? You worked at Wal Mart and moved all the sand throwing offshore
Edwards: I wonder if I stopped breathing and turn blue will they notice me.
Obama: I am black vote for me.
Hillary: I am a woman and my husband thinks he is black, vote for me.
Edwards: I wonder who will be American Idol this year? Vote for me because I am blue.

I cannot vote since I am just a Permanent Resident Alien in USA (to some a Green Card Holder). But watching adults fight in a sandbox makes me wonder if this a true democracy where there are only 2 parties and 2 candidates to choose from?

By the way Holiday Inn doesn't make you smarter. You may have figured this out by reading this segment of the blog.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Men in Shorts

What I learnt this week is that my good friend and fellow blogger does not seem to be attracted to men in shorts. They reasons given were:

"If you are in shorts, you are not a man"
"I cannot be bothered to be talking to a man who dresses like a 5 year old boy"

The only exception, apparently is when men play sports.

So that got me thinking...why do men wear shorts?

Reason #1: It is hot out there....
Reason #2: We go to the gym and work out our lower body. In that case we need to show them off or else what is the point.
Reason #3: We cannot wear skirts. (Some do but that is whole another war, that I am not fighting)
Reason #4: Laundry becomes less of a hassle
Reason #5: If is half as expensive (I know this is a lame reason but 4 reasons sounded awkward)

I swear to henceforth wear shorts to all social events during the summer. I ask other male to follow suit. In the words of Bart Simpson...I will let the picture speak for itself...

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

How to eat a falafel

Last week went to Sam's Falafel (located on Thompson Street, NYC), what made this special was the sign which showed us the right way to eat falafel. But the best comment was made by Zen who observed, "If your remove the word falafel, the directions take a whole new meaning."



And a special shout out to Sam, who gave us on the house the best tea I have had in a long time...

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Etiquette in Clothing

I am not a fashion police but there are certain things about how people dress that gets me annoyed. Clothes reflect who you are on the inside. Someone once told me, "Dress not like how you are today, buit who you wnat to be tomorrow".

#1 Gym Clothes

These should be worn when you are going to the gym or playing sports or being indoors. But I hate it when people wear gym clothes to coffee shops, shopping and brunches. Is it too much to ask to wear a normal dress. What bothers me is out of shape people wearing gym clothes and coming to a Doughnut Shop. How about going to the gym?

#2 Caps/Hats

I wear caps. I love wearing caps. But can we remove the caps when you are indoors please? The exception can be made if it is Halloween or you are a musician or have a ranch. But other than than when in a restaurant remove your hat. It is just nice. I love Justin Timberlake's music but hate that he single handily started the annoying trend of people wearing fedora.

#3 Skirts over jeans or other two clothing disasters.

If you are that indecisive about clothing maybe you need to see a shrink.

#4 Sandals with socks

What can I say about this. It is not a great combo. So you wear it because you are comfortable and you do not care about fashion. I am comfortable naked but you would never see be walking down the street naked...there are rules against that.

#4 Showing(off) your underwear

Guys and Girls, underwear (thongs included) would not be seen outside your pants. If you cannot fly, spin webs, have a cave then please tuck in those boxers. I do not need to know wear you bought your underwear. Anyone who tells me that "This is how we dress because of our race/color etc.", spare me....I did not see Martin Luther King dressed like that.

#5 Real Holes in your clothes

Time to go shopping. That is all. Holes in clothes are not fashionable. You look like a half plucked chicken. You know what grow up...please.

Clothes are your first impression. If you are not well dressed do not expect people to listen to you. Clothes on people are like packaging on products, the product is 90% important, but if the packaging is not good, then people will not see the product. That is life.

In the words of Mark Twain "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society."

Monday, January 7, 2008

Resolutions: The Paradox of Life Explained

So another year and immediately everyone makes resoultions about how they are going to better their life. A simple search lead me to this list of top 10 New Year resoutions:

1. Spend More Time with Family & Friends
2. Fit in Fitness
3. Tame the Bulge
4. Quit Smoking
5. Enjoy Life More
6. Quit Drinking
7. Get Out of Debt
8. Learn Something New
9. Help Others
10. Get Organized

Now here is why this won't work for me:

If I follow #1 spend more time with family and friends that means resolution #3, #4 and #6 will be broken. Last year I triend to spend time with my friends without alcohol and that was the the 3 most misarable hours of my (and my friends too) life. We had absolutely nothing to talk about and in the end we all landed up in the bar. Being Indian, every family gathering revolves around food. So you may suggest that I do not eat. Well not eating in an Indian household is close to insulting and not possible.

#2 is doable for around 2-3 months. But with all the work and keeping resolution #1, I would be out of time to do #2, #8, #9 and #10.

#7 means I have to quit #1. That is beacause most of the time I achieve #1 by being a parties and if it is a house party you have to go with something. Also #7 is un American.

Therefore this year my resolution is simple and easy to follow

#1 NO MORE RESOLUTIONS