2006 has been like no other. It is hard to put in words but a number of things happened with me and the family. There is a lot to say but mostly, I don’t have words anymore and just working on letting things be. I understood that analyzing does not help. I had a couple of very harsh realizations this year. I used to believe in my ability to exert complete control over my own fate. I used to have almost dogmatic belief in truth, courage and other higher ideals ignoring the power of subtle human imperfections such as emotions and nature. My only consolation is that I tried my best not to repeat the same mistakes again and I treated others the way I expected them to treat me. To that extent, I could not have done it any other way.

I used to have a small cookie on my website, a piece of text that said: “Just visiting this planet”. I used to pride on that being true in my case. This year I realized that I am only human.. with all the baggage that comes with being one.. unique.. just like everyone else. I am selfish and can be very cold, and sometimes almost obnoxious. It is humbling and a very difficult realization and I lost everything that mattered to me in the process.

Bill Hicks said: "Since when did mediocrity and banality become a standard?" while dogmatic belief is obviously unhealthy, I start 2007 a bit shaken, but with a bit more understanding of myself and a appreciation for the unknown. I am learning to take things with a pinch of salt, to let go a bit and just live the moment. To keep continuing to do that is my resolution. I do not give up that easily and learn relatively quickly. All I can to is try and be better and not repeat the same things again.. only this time my website will not have the cookie.

Work wise things have taken a different turn, we have moved to a different phase of the project. The company and especially my manager has supported me well through this transition. I will be doing things that interest me: developing models for our processes at least in the beginning.

Currently I am reading To Engineer is Human and it is a very good read and appeals to my engineer nature. I was hoping for a bit more technical book but it is fair enough and should appeal to non-engineers also.

I also read a couple of articles by Milton Friedman and came across the following video during the time that they announced the Nobel Prize and had a new found respect for Gramin Bank and Microcredit. I always believed in both but I thought that the video was fantastic; especially the way he makes his case..

I found a old VHS tape of one of my favorite shows growing up: The Wonder Years.. that is one show that I would buy the DVDs if they come out but till then I am going to burn the VHS on a CD and enjoy.

I am also looking to buy a new laptop.. I like the new Compaq ones but I used to have a Thinkpad that I lasted for very long. I need to get it soon enough it will definitely be the first purchase of 2007.

I also managed to catch the premier of Crude Impact and managed to meet up with the director. He gave a very interesting talk about his inspirations for the film. It is a very interesting film linking the human population growth to the dependence on Oil. It is interesting because it is kind of a paradox: usually countries with the highest birth rates and population per sq. mile have lowest carbon footprint and the countries with relatively developed economies have the highest fossil fuel consumption.

Bahrain has a new deputy PM, it maybe a testament to the fact that the country ran out of oil some time ago. Sign of things to come? Either way, it is a very interesting film and talks about peak oil and the changes it will bring.

Seasons greetings and such.