A few words..

After the last Asia trip, I came home okay. Then we ate at an Indian restaurant, which we have only visited once before more than a year ago and both me and MIL ended up with food poisoning. Wife and kids did not get hit although the little one complained of tummy pain, went into a fart spree and then declared herself okay. MIL and me were not that lucky. She was throwing up and I was feeling like an over pressurized cannister that did not know how and when it was going to explode for most of the weekend. 

So my yoga attendance in the last 5 days has been spotty at best. Finally made it back to class this evening. Walked in with low expectations but as usual there is the "now that I have made it past that door, better make the most of it" philosophy that kicked in and started doing the best I could.

It was almost the end of the class and we were doing the final stretching pose on the floor when the teacher mentions my name and says "pull your little thighs just above your knees up and towards each other and then stretch"!

Was trying to process that on the fly, given I have never heard anyone say that to me or another student before. 

The first question was "what are little thighs?" then my brain went "it is something between your real thighs and it is above your knees.. so even if we don't know what that is, just pull whatever muscle you can pull up and towards each other in that region!" 

So I tried to locally clench something in that area upwards and inwards and sure enough, like magic, my body went down a good six inches lower and towards my feet! It was MAGIC !

When we got a chance to do the second set, gave those "little thighs" a big inward curl and was able to repeat the stretch!

Have been doing this for 5 plus years. All it takes is a few words to click at the right time in the right way and there is a world of a difference in the result. 

Have come to the conclusion that teaching yoga cannot be an easy thing. Even if a person can do the poses and internalize how to use their anatomy to make changes, it is very difficult to communicate that cause and effect to another person using mere words. 

For all I know, what was moved may not be little thighs, but the learning continues. 

Happy Father's day!

Another year when Father's day ends up in rush mode with me traveling. Did not plan it that way.. realized much later that today was Father's day.

The kids have made some surprise gifts for me which I am guessing are things they did in art class. Have to wait till I come back to see those!

They asked me what Daddy's request was for a gift. Given how they are both at a phase where posing for pictures is a chore, asked them to come pose for a few pictures in backyard and also wear what I ask them to wear.. 

They agreed. Then realized it was one of those "let's take the same picture" deals and went "oh no! he is now going to ask us to look an an old picture and position just like that! 

This year my MIL is here. So went to Yoga class at 6AM and got a rose from Bikram Yoga San Jose, just like last year and the many years before. Last year Father's day was International Yoga day.. this year they are a day apart. For us every day is Yoga day! 

and here is how things have changed in a year..  

Let me make a few forward looking statements.. 

1. My hair will grow back

2. The kids have grown taller and will continue to grow taller

3. Here is to many more International Yoga days and Father's day's and roses from BYSJ! 

Time flies, sometimes with its arms and legs stretched as far as possible, like a 747 taking off.. 

Happy Father's day to my dad and all the other dads out there who are close to their kids! 

It is time to go listen to yet another story from an Uber driver who has survived persecution of some kind in the middle east or another conflict area. This year it has been 6 for 6.. Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Ukraine.. I am too bummed out to talk to Uber drivers on way back and one does get to converse on the way in, especially when it always a Sunday morning with no traffic.

Here's to all those dads who are trying to do the best they can, with the cards they are dealt, not necessarily due to any fault of their own.  

Bhanja Bhangra

It has been a very busy two weeks with some flying, long distance driving and lots happening at home and work. Finally got to editing the pictures from our LA trip to cheer my nephew on his Bhangra dance competition. 

Also got to get the video sorted out.  The family has matching T-shirts now, thanks to my sister-in-law. There was a special one for the start which said "RAM"

and the rest of us have Family on the back.. 

First Class Bhangra is the name of the group he was with and they did an outstanding job. Almost two dozen dancers on stage doing formations. 

The background sceen never touched the floor and the kids kept leaving their props on the corner. Did not make for good pictures. If you see the photo below, it was a lot of work to clear up those props on photoshop. Wish I could write a macro for that! 

The costumes, the energy of the crowd, the quality of the effort these kids put in to the 5-6 minute numbers was amazing! 

We were not happy with the Orpheum theater though. The event started an hour late and we had small kids in the group. They refused to let us bring food into the theater, didn't have anything other than chips and beer at their store and did not allow re-entry into the theater if we were to go out eat something outside and come back. So we had to leave halfway into the program.

We took this selfie after reaching the hotel room.. 

For those of you who were wishing there was a video.. well, here it is. Took 10 second clips of other teams, but the highlight for us was First Class Bhangra.

There were teams from bay area as well in the competition. Hoping that they have the competition here next time. 

Now that we have a good idea what to expect, will be better prepared as a parent and as a photographer the next time we go to a Bhangra competition. 

All said and done, it was a great evening. The music kept going in my ears till we were back home and every now and then wanted to jump up in the air and go Balle Balle!