La Salle Debain

...and me. I turned 40 today and on such a momentous occasion I should pause
to take stock of my life. Executive summary: it's not bad at all.

Last week I completed 13 years of marriage to Jyoti who loves me and always
looks out for my best interest even during the times when I do not.

I have two lovely children who are kind, intelligent, Dharmic, and (mostly :-)
well behaved.

Of course I can't forget all my dear friends and family who gave me their
blessings and good wishes today and indeed every day.

My health is better now than it was in my twenties. Since last year I've been
exercising on the treadmill regularly and taken a lot of junk out of my diet.
I've lost about two stones and while I won't be joining the Debian marathon
runners just yet, I can at least jog briskly without collapsing in a puddle of
sweat, heart palpitations and shame.

Mentally, I've been taking college level courses in Maths in an effort to
relearn the things I didn't pay proper attention to the first time I was in
college. I completed National Novel Writing Month for the first time with a
60,000 word philosophical science fiction blockbuster that other people might
actually consider readable once I finish revising it. And I am still training
for the day when I shall be granted the spot on Jeopardy which is rightfully
mine.

Financially, the last few years have not been good for many people but we are
holding our heads above water and even slowly moving forwards. This is the
year Consolidated Braincells Inc. my little corporate empire will take off I
hope.

As I begin preparing for Chaitra Navaratri I feel it will be extra special
this year because all these good things that are happening to me are solely
due to Her grace and krpa.

Last thing I wanted to mention is that a present I gave myself today was to
make a donation to the Red Cross to help the victims of the tsunami in Japan.
If you have had good fortune in your life and have not already done so won't
you consider doing the same? (or to any of the other reputable charities
engaged in disaster relief.) Our shastras say that dana is the best insurance
against accidental sins and the guarantor of good luck.