MSP-MDW-ATL-MSP

So I got back from St Louis last Monday and work started picking up really quick... less in terms of real work, most in terms of visiting different hospitals to be with different groups of end users in different meeting rooms, which looked exactly the same except were 40 miles apart!

So Monday, Tue, Wednesday rolls by really quick..

Wednesday night I get to hang out with my friend at Flamezz and smoke some hookah, which was the only social event I had all week. Rest of the week was relatively boring.

Thursday afternoon, I flew to Chicago for my ACEC meeting at Doubletree. I should have realized the hotel was near O'Hare, but I still flew into Midway, took my more than an hour and 80 bucks to get from Midway to Ohare. That wasnt fun!

Here's some detail about HIMSS and ACEC:



HIMSS: "Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) is a 501(c)6 organization dedicated to improving the quality, safety, cost-effectiveness, and access to, healthcare through the best use of information technology and management systems. Founded in 1961 it has offices in Chicago and Washington D.C. HIMSS represents more than 23,000 individual members, of which 73% work in the patient care setting. HIMSS also includes over 380 corporate members and 50+ not-for-profit organizations that share the mission of transforming healthcare through the effective use of IT and management systems."

ACEC: "The Annual Conference Education Committee (ACEC) is a group of annual conference reviewers and ACEC Content Liaisons who each represent an industry, profession, or community within HIMSS. The ACEC is responsible for identifying and programming high quality educational opportunities at the Annual HIMSS Conference and Exhibition. The planning year for the ACEC runs July 1 to June 30.

Annual Conference Reviewers are members of the Society who lend their time and expertise to review proposals submitted to HIMSS through its call for proposal process. Reviewers are responsible for reviewing these proposals, evaluating them through an online system, and conferring with the other reviewers within their topic category group to produce a list of recommended proposals they believe should be accepted for the conference. This review process takes place prior to the ACEC face-to-face meeting, which normally takes place in late August. Proposals recommended by the reviewers are then discussed by the ACEC at their face to face meeting and a final selection is made. Once proposals have been selected by the ACEC, reviewers may be assigned to coach selected speakers, may be asked to evaluate their presentation materials and to evaluate the sessions on-site, and possibly serve as moderator."

So that's what we did all day Friday, went through every topic proposal and selected the ones that will be of the most benefit to the attendees of the conference. It was quite a gruelling process because there were more than 700 applications and only 30-40 education spots. There were e-sessions, roundtables and lectures to consider. 

Friday night I left for Atlanta, it was my aunt's 60th birthday, my brother in law's 33rd, Raksha Bandhan and Janmashtami celebrations so needless to say it was quality time with family, a much needed one since I always feel there is so much isolation in travelling jobs like mine, even if I am lucky enough to have a partner who would travel with me most of the time. 

Raksha Bandhan is especially something I like doing face to face, last year I was in New York and this year I went to Atlanta. 

Here's the Wiki: "Raksha Bandhan (Hindi: रक्षाबंधन, Punjabi: ਰਕਸ਼ਾਬੰਧਨ, Urdu: رکشا بندھن the bond of protection), or Rakhi (Hindi: राखी, Bengali রাখী, Punjabi: ਰਾਖੀ, Urdu: راکھی), is a festival primarily observed in India, which celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters. It is also called Rakhi Purnima in certain parts of India, like the south.^[1][2] The festival is observed by Hindus and Muslims.^[3][4][5] The central ceremony involves the tying of a rakhi (sacred thread) by a sister on her brother's wrist. This symbolizes the sister's love and prayers for her brother's well-being, and the brother's lifelong vow to protect her.^[6][7] The festival falls on the full moon day (Shravan Poornima) of the Shravanmonth of the Hindu lunisolar calendar.^{[6][8][9][10]} It grew in popularity after Rani Karnavati, the widowed queen of Chittor, sent a rakhi to theMughal emperor Humayun when she required his help.^[5]"

I don't normally celebrate Janmashtami but this year I did because a friend of mine was interested in going to the temple to celebrate Lord Krishna;s birthday. I took that as an opportunity to go to BAPS Swaminarayan Temple which I havent been able to go. I followed the entire fund raising for this amazing temple and the construction for it... 100's of hours that the volunteers had put into this.. 

It didnt disappoint, not just the outside structure but even the inside is intricately carved with different forms of iconic images of deities. The carving the beautiful. 

Here's the Wiki on Janmashtami, BAPS and the Temple in Georgia:

Janmashtami: "Krishna Janmashtami (Devanagari कृष्ण जन्माष्टमी kṛṣṇa janmāṣṭami), also known as Krishnashtami, Saatam Aatham, Gokulashtami,Ashtami Rohini, Srikrishna Jayanti, Sree Jayanthi or sometimes merely as Janmashtami, is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Krishna, an Avatar of the Hindu deity Vishnu.^[1]

Krishna Janmashtami is observed on the Ashtami tithi, the eighth day of the dark half or Krishna Paksha of the month of Bhadrapada in theHindu calendar, when the Rohini Nakshatra is ascendant. The festival always falls within mid-August to mid-September in the Gregorian calendar. In 2010, for example, the festival was celebrated on 2nd September, while in 2011, the festival will be celebrated on 22nd August.

Rasa lila, dramatic enactments of the life of Krishna, are a special feature in regions of Mathura and Vrindavan, and regions followingVaishnavism in Manipur. While the Rasa lila re-creates the flirtatious aspects of Krishna's youthful days, the Dahi Handi celebrate God's playful and mischievous side, where teams of young men form human pyramids to reach a high-hanging pot of butter and break it. This tradition, also known as uriadi, is a major event in Tamil Nadu on Gokulashtami."

BAPS: "Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (Gujarati: બોચાસનવાસી અક્ષ૨ પુરુષોત્તમ સ્વામિનારાયણ સંસ્થા, IAST:Bocāsanvāsī Akshar Purushottam Swāminārāyan Sansthā), often abbreviated as BAPS (formerly Bochasan Swaminarayan Sanstha or BSS), is a major organization within the Swaminarayan sect of Hinduism. The organization was established on 5 June 1907 by Shastri Yagnapurushdas orShastriji Maharaj (1865–1951), a Sanskrit scholar and sadhu who left the Vadtal Gadi of the Swaminarayan Sampraday in 1905. The Akshar Purushottam Upasana, an interpretation of Bhagwan Swaminarayan's succession, is what led to the formation of this present organization. Shastriji Maharaj's successor was Yogiji Maharaj. Presently the sanstha is headed by Pramukh Swami Maharaj.^[1]

BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha is a charitable Non-governmental organization affiliated with the United Nations. The organization is recognized as a Non-Governmental Organization that holds General Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.^[2][3]"

Temple in Lilburn, GA: 

The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Atlanta is the sixth BAPS traditional Hindu stone temple built outside of India. It is also the largest Hindu temple of its kind outside of India. It is currently open to the public. The 32,000-square-foot (3,000 m²) temple, officially called the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, sits on 30 acres (120,000 m²). With hand-carved stone spires that tower 75 feet (23 m), it is the tallest building in Lilburn, Georgia, dominating the intersection of Rockbridge Road and Lawrenceville Highway. More than 1,300 craftsmen and 900 volunteers dedicated their time in putting this 34,450-piece stone marvel together. More than 4,500 tons of Italian Carrara marble, 4,300 tons of Turkish limestone, and 3,500 tons of Indian pink sandstone was quarried and shipped to the craftsmen in India. Then, all of the nearly 35,000 pieces were shipped to the United States. It serves members of the Swaminarayan branch of Hinduism, which originated in India more than 200 years ago. The traditional design features custom-carvedstonework, a wraparound veranda and five prominent pinnacles reminiscent of the Himalayan hills.

The Lilburn location is the largest temple in North America for BAPS. Built at an estimated cost of $19 million, the temple complex is only the third of its kind in the country, surpassing BAPS temples in Houston and Chicago. Tony Patel with Alpharetta, Georgia based Newport Design Group Architects served as coordinating architects for the project.

The organization’s current spiritual guru, Pramukh Swami Maharaj, came to Lilburn in 2004 and blessed the first foundation stones. The guru, who celebrated his 86th birthday in 2006, returned to Lilburn in August 2007 to sanctify the completed temple. Upon completion, a keystone weighing more than 2 tons was twisted into place on the ceiling of the central dome inside."

The first birthday party was at an Indian Restaurant, the second one was at a club house.. Spent the night with my friends in Atlantic Station.. overall a very nice weekend. 

Day 2 St Louis

Day 2 in St Louis was quite uneventful since we spent most of the day doing chores... at the big box stores, costco, target, walmart...

We did manage to squeeze in a movie, Dinner at The Hill and a trip to the Arch.

Glee was a fun movie, not as much fun as I expected.. maybe I should have done a little research because it was talking about their concerts across the country rather than a movie based on the show. It was still fun to watch them prepare for the show, the fans and how the show has changes their lives.. very similar to the Justin Bieber movie we saw a few months ago. I actually liked that one more, just cuz I really didnt know how that kid was.




Here's the Wiki:"Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on Global and Fox Canada in Canada. It touches on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues. The initial main cast encompassed club director and Spanish teacher Will Schuester(Matthew Morrison), cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch), guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury (Jayma Mays), Will's ex-wifeTerri (Jessalyn Gilsig), and eight club members played by Dianna Agron, Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley, Mark Salling and Jenna Ushkowitz. For the second season, formerly recurring cast members Mike O'Malley, Heather Morris andNaya Rivera were promoted to the main cast."


We had dinner in the italian neighborhood, little did we know it was such a catholic city... most of the places were closed, we ended up in a pizzeria which was quite disappointing. 


The Wiki:"The Hill is a mostly Italian-American neighborhood within St. Louis, Missouri, located on high ground south of Forest Park. The official boundaries of the area are Manchester Avenue (Route 100) on the north, Columbia and Southwest Avenues on the south, South Kingshighway Boulevard on the east, and Hampton Avenue on the west.

Its name is due to its proximity to the highest point of the city, formerly named St. Louis Hill, which is a few blocks south, at the intersection of Arsenal Street and Sublette Avenue. The intersection borders Sublette Park, the former site of the Social Evil Hospitalbuilt there in 1873.

Italians, mainly from northern Italy and Sicily, immigrated and settled in the area starting in the late 19th century, attracted by jobs in nearby plants established to exploit deposits of clay discovered by immigrants in the 1830s."

Finally once it cooled down, we went to the Arch, which does look the best at night. The whole construction of this steel structure with a tiny viewing window, the historical significance as an entrance to the west of the city, its egg shaped people mover/trolley... all very interesting and a must for St Louis and history buffs. 

The Wiki: " The Gateway Arch, or Gateway to the West,^[5] is an arch that is the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis, Missouri. It was built as a monument to the westward expansion of the United States. At 630 feet (192 m), it is the tallest man-made monument in the United States,^[4] Missouri's tallest accessible building, and the largest architectural structure designed as a weighted or flattened catenary arch.^[4]

Located on the west bank of the Mississippi River where the city of St. Louis was founded, the arch was designed by Finnish Americanarchitect Eero Saarinen and structural engineer Hannskarl Bandel in 1947. Construction began on February 12, 1963, and ended on October 28, 1965,^[6][7] costing US$13 million at the time^[8] ($90,491,005 today^[2]). The monument opened to the public on June 10, 1967.^[9]"

1-2-3 Like a bird I sing...

So yesterday was my last day in Fargo, no I dont think I will miss the place but I will miss the people. I made some great connections with the nurses at the hospital, thats always the hardest part of consulting, leaving the people and not knowing whether they will be supported the way I have helped them for last how many ever weeks.

As a parting gift they gave me an uff da tshirt.. which says 'ya betcha' under UFF Da.

What is uff da?
"Uff da is often used in the Upper Midwest as a term for sensory overload. It can be used as an expression of surprise, astonishment, exhaustion, relief and sometimes dismay. For many, Uff da is an all-purpose expression with a variety of nuances, and covering a variety of situations. The expression has lost its original connotation, and it is increasingly difficult to specify what it means now in America. Within Midwestern culture, Uff da frequently translates into: I am overwhelmed. It has become a mark of Scandinavian roots, particularly for people fromNorth Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, northern Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.^[2][3] Uff da can often be used as an alternative for many common day swear words."



So there you go, a fitting tshirt as a memory of my work in the upper midwest! 


Did you know Fargo had the biggest Microsoft campus outside of Redmond? 
"The accounting and business software cluster began in the 1980s with a company called Great Plains Software. Acquired by Microsoft in 2000, Great Plains became the Business Solutions arm of the world's largest software company.  Today, Microsoft's Fargo campus is their second largest worldwide, and their three buildings house over 1,000 employees. The success of Microsoft has led to the development of a cluster of software development companies and has proven that global IT firms can survive and thrive in the Midwest. " Link


Another interesting place in Fargo was the store: Stabo - A place for all scandinavian stuff coming directly from Norway, Sweden and Finland. I found gifts for my sisters and my aunt in these stores.. interesting kichenware, dishcloths and other utensils, love the different variety. 


Drove from Fargo to Minneapolis, the whole time I had Tim McGraws song stuck in my head:
"123 like a bird i sing
Cause you've givin' me the most beautiful set of wings
And I'm so glad you're here today
Cause tomorrow I might have to go and fly away
Fly away, Fly away
Fly away, Fly away"

Next Destination: St Louis, MO


My wife's working here so I decided to spend the weekend in STL. A quick flight from Minneapolis and I arrive to this really torn down airport, it looked like Mumbai airport without the renovations! 


The rental car shuttle stop was outside in 90 degree weather with 100% humidity, I almost start regretting my decision to come here for a day and then my luck changes.. as I always say, it can only get better once you are at the bottom! 


I am using my points to rent a car so I wasnt expecting something great.. but when I get to the car, its the 2012 Dodge Charger,dukes of hazzard orange. If you've seen the new Charger, its an exact copy of the Camaro, really nice american design sports car, a fun ride!





I drive directly to the Annhauser Busch Facility for a Beer School and then a tour of the fermenting, packaging and distribution facility. We get to see the stables for the Clydesdales and then the facility. 







The Beer School gives us a glimpse of how to pour, how to taste, different malts and hops and food pairings with each kind of beer. I really like the new Shock Top Rasberry and Wild Blue Blueberry beers, really different from everything I have had before. 





Some tips:

It’s four simple ingredients: water, yeast, barley and hops.

It’s four basic tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, popsicle (aka savory)

Don’t just drink it. Experience it! Look. Smell. Taste. Wait. Every part offers a different experience. Why? You might not taste that a beer is bad until the the end. You get different flavors as the beer interacts with your tongue and throat.


What are Malts?
Malts (and adjuncts) provide the fermentable sugars that are required to make beer (and to make beer "sweet"). The process of malting converts insoluble starch to soluble starch, reduces complex proteins, generates nutrients for yeast development, and develops enzymes. 

Here's a list of Malts we tried (yes, they gave us some seeds to taste: 

Base Malts	Base malts usually account for a large percent of the total grain bill, with darker-colored specialty malts accounting for 10 to 25% of the grain bill. The only exception is wheat malt, which can make up to 100% of the total grain bill in brewing wheat beers. Base malts and, to some extent, light-colored specialty malts provide most of the enzymatic (diastatic) power to convert starches into fermentable sugars. The base malts provide the highest extract potential. Dark-colored specialty malts, caramelized malts, roasted malts, unmalted barely, and other malted grains are added in smaller quantities to obtain darker colors and to enhance flavor characteristics. Depending on the style of beer brewed, the brewer may use only one or two types of barley malts, or as many as seven or eight. Other grains used in brewing include corn, rye, and oats.
Caramel Malts	Caramel malt is made from green malt that is produced by drying the wet germinated barley at controlled temperatures, causing the starches to convert to sugars and caramelize. The major variable in the process is the roasting temperature, which determines the depth of the color and the degree of caramel flavor. Caramelized malts come in a wide range of colors, from light to very dark amber, and with flavors ranging from a mild sweet caramel to caramel/burnt sugar. It is primarily known for its color control but can also provide body (dextrins), mouthfeel, and some sweetness. Caramel malt will also improve foam stability. Light caramel malts accentuate the soft malt flavor, while darker caramel malts promote a caramel, slightly sweet taste, European in flavor.
Dark Malts	Specialty dark-colored malts have little or no enzyme activity because of high-temperature kilning or roasting. Consequently, specialty malts cannot be used alone in a mash. These malts are used in relatively smaller amounts than light-colored specialty malts because of their strong flavoring and coloring components. Some styles of beers, such as stout and Bock, cannot be made without the use of these specialty malts. Amber and brown malts are examples of specialty dark-colored malts.

Here;s some more that we didnt: Link

He showed us a bunch of different hops also, he didnt let us try it, saying that it could probably make us lose sensation on our tongues for up to a few weeks.

What are Hops?
"Hops are the female flower clusters (commonly called seed cones or strobiles), of a hop species, Humulus lupulus.^[1] They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavor, though hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine"


After the tour, I wanted to do something for 15th August Independence Day celebration but alas I was quite late, they had the celebration already early in the day, they did have a buffet dinner as a part of the celebration that I went to. 


I drove to Gokul Snacks and Sweet for their buffet, pretty tasty stuff except it was a buffet and quite a few things were sitting there for a long time.. specially the gobi manchurian, probably the worst I have ever had. The paneer chili was good but the bhel was stale. I also had the falooda which made everything taste better. 


That was the end of yesterday, a long, fulfilling but a completely exhausting day... Time for some more sight seeing in St Louis today, here's a little detail about the city:


"St. Louis ( /seɪnt ˈluːɪs/ or /sænt ˈluː.iː/;^{[citation needed]} French: Saint-Louis or St-Louis, [sɛ̃ lwi] ( listen)) is an independent city^[7]on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, its population of 319,294 made it the 58th-largest U.S. city, while the Greater St. Louis combined statistical area's population of 2,845,298 made it the 16th-largest urban area in the country and the largest in the state.^[8]

The city of St. Louis was founded in 1764 by Pierre Laclède and Auguste Chouteau, and after the Louisiana Purchase, it became a major port on the Mississippi River. Its population expanded after the American Civil War, and it became the fourth-largest city in the United States in the late 19th century. It seceded from St. Louis County in 1876, allowing it to become an independent city and limiting its political boundaries. In 1904, it hosted the 1904 World's Fair and the 1904 Olympic Games. The city's population peaked in 1950, then began a long decline.

With its French past and numerous Catholic immigrants in the 19th and 20th centuries, St. Louis is one of the largest centers ofRoman Catholicism in the United States.^{[citation needed]} The economy of St. Louis relies on service, manufacturing, and tourism, and the region is home to several major corporations, including Express Scripts, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Graybar Electric, Scottrade,Edward Jones Investments, Emerson Electric, Energizer, and Monsanto. St. Louis is home to three professional sports teams, including the St. Louis Cardinals, one of the most successful Major League Baseball clubs; the hockey St. Louis Blues and footballSt. Louis Rams. The city is commonly identified with the Gateway Arch, part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial indowntown St. Louis."