Filet Mignon

Filet Mignon - French Derivative, it means small or dainty fillet (filet = boneless meat - mignon=small dainty).
So we were at Monty's steakhouse. This is American thing. If you are in America you have to eat the steak. Americans from early days of settling were infatuated by the beef and have carried that tradition very well. I was convincing my friend to eat a steak, he naturally was afraid, being an Indian Hindu Brahmin, perhaps it was more of my fault than his. One of the things I do not like about American steaks is its flatness. Even the best steakhouses do not serve the spicy richness that is required to go with the red meat. So I always go for Filet Mignon, thanks to the French, it is gurranteed of being same taste world over. Also thanks to the food fashion statement of calling everything French, Filet Mignon is known as Filet Mignon in most parts of the world. Some places in US they sell it as Tenderloin Steak but it means pretty much the same thing.

I can say that I do have some authority on the steak in particular (10 yrs of eating as opposed to getting used to it as a lifelong staple food!). It has to be medium rare for best taste and the meat has to be tender, not the heavy duty fat content stuff... Not because I am health concious (at 170 pounds you generally become one!), but mostly due to the chewi-ness that comes with the fat.
Thankfully I have sharp teeth, so not much worries about choking hazards.

Filet Mignon goes very well with Cabarnet. In Matrix (first part) Cypher says, "You know, I know this steak doesn't exist. I know that when I put it in my mouth, the Matrix is telling my brain that it is juicy and delicious. After nine years, you know what I realize? [Takes a bite of steak] Ignorance is bliss". Except in my case it did exist and was juicy and delicious...well and I missed Cabarnet as well. Being the designated driver in the group I had to sip on Iced Tea.

Sometimes I wonder, what would world have been, had it not been for French to invent how to cook beef?

In Routine

I am still not over the Groundhog Day... More time I spent here, more I feel like man in prison. Agreed I have more activities now, I play tennis, I go swimming and even shopping... but in the end it is simply a mechanism to pass the time. Like Red in Shawshank Redemption says, "in prison a man will do anything to keep his mind occupied." So I keep doing my routine activities. Like prison, my life at present contains of routine, and then more routine.

I liked the Shawshank Redemption, first time I watched.. eventually I watched one more time on the Star Movies. I never read the original short story by Stephen King (Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption)... and I am being honest here, I liked the Screen play better, so much that I am not looking for the story book anyway. Morgan Freeman is good as usual and I really enjoyed his comment about being Irish..very funny...

Apartments and Credit Reports

It is interesting to rent apartments in US. For example, every apartment advertises about fair housing and does a thorough background check on you before signing a lease... I love the way they represent the case about credit check and criminal background check. Mind you, most of these leasing consultants get commission on the number of rents they sign up.

Another interesting thing in US is credit report. It is almost close to the Orwell book...1984. Your SSN is tracked for credit history. Somebody (the big brother or the cartel of private companies) keeps track of money that you spent (or in some cases did not spent) and then for a little charge everybody but you can see this report and make a judgement about you. I appreciate the value of such information and perhaps it makes many others in the society feel safer. However it still feels very creepy... I certainly do not appreciate the fact that everybody can see it. And if it is so publicly available what prevents intentional interference with my report by some real wise guy(s) out there?

US is a free country with very high price for freedom.. some times I wonder whether it is really worth.... From driving the car to renting an apartment, law and regulations make it so intrusive that you can not breath without worrying about breath analyzer... I am sure Thomas Jefferson did not imagine this society...