REASONS TO BE CHEEFUL, PART IV
(four blogs for the price of one)



I.

I had a terrific headache this morning and the entire right side of my head throbbed all through practice......yet somehow evaporated during backbend (came up four times and dropped back 3 times with a minimum of finesse -- right in front of Sharath). Here's a blow-by-blow, in IM free verse:

well I rocked a couple of times
hands came off the mat a few inches
and I went back down
softly
this time without putting one hand down and doing a breakdance move
(dangerous for shoulders)
instead w/ hands together, lightly
I went onto my back and thought for a second.
about not having a mental block
about pushing off w/ my hands and pressing down w/ my feet
like sharath said
it worked of course
i popped right up
didn't have time to think about dropping back --
Sharath was right there
just did it
wasn't pretty but it was done
walked my hands in, went back up
and so on
very matter-of-fact
defying gravity=fun
heart pounds faster
you sweat
and you feel *happy*
even if you can't really breathe
wow



I'm still stopping my regular practice after pasasana (first pose in intermediate series); Actually I'm getting stopped.....I tried to get into pasasana on my own last week and Sharath saw me from across the room and said, "Cara! Wait for me!" so I've been doing it each time with assistance. I suspect no more poses are forthcoming on this trip, which is fine with me.


II.

Bindi and I fed some Ambaas (our word for cows), including the ones in the dirt with no shade tied to the cement blocks, and did some power shopping today; we both were feeling the best we have in some time. Then we ate at Aunty's... where we saw in the gangaway a pair of child's sport shoes that had a swoosh on the side and the words, "Hitler 2001" on the back. Aunty, etc. could not understand why I had to take a snap of them. "Hitler bad man! Killed many people! Stole images from Hindus! Started wars! Bad, bad man! not nice!" This started a heated conversation between Aunty and some male customers at her house -- in Kannada. It went something like this: "BlublublublublublubluHitlerblublublubluHitlerblublublubluSwastikablublu."





III.


MYSORE DICTIONARY, PART 3:

Cantonment--Military Base
Cover--Plastic Bag
Crore--10 million
Lakh--100,000
Ghat--Mountain
Ghee-Clarfied Butter
Agarabati--Incense
Bidi--Cheap Cigarette, Rolled in a Leaf
Choli--Top Worn Under a Sari
Dhobi--Laundry
Dhaba--Roadhouse
Dhal--Lentils
Dacoit--Bandit
Darshan--Viewing
Prasad-Blessed Food
Baksheesh--Bribe or Tip
Puja--Religious Ritual
Ganga--Ganges River
Ganja--Pot
Bhang--Pot




IV.


The Ex just arrived in Mumbai and comes to Mysore on Saturday (24 hour train). It's his first trip to India and his presence should liven up the blog. A teaser, from today's phone conversation:

X-I just ate an apple. Do you think that's OK?
C-The rule of thumb is "Cook it, boil it, peel it or forget it." Did you peel it?
X-I just read that!
C-So did you?
X-What?
C-Did you peel it?
X-No, I washed it though.
C-Did you use soap?
X-No. But I should be OK right
C-There could be poo and other stuff on it. Why didn't you peel it?
X-I washed it. Surely that should be enough.
C-What part of "cook it, boil it, peel it or forget it" didn't make sense to you??
X-I think I can feel it in my stomach.