23 April 2013

Married to running :-)

Funny incident at the gym today: Sharmila and I had decided to meet up after our morning exercises at the LA Fitness on Holcombe Bridge. The idea was to hand her over my gym bag after shower so it would not have to sit at the airport parking lot for three days in the car. (I was flying out this morning).
After a beautiful run by the Chattahoochee river (brought back memories of the runs by the Potomac), I ran back to the gym, took a shower and sat at the juice / coffee bar inside the gym since I was a few minutes early.
There was a cute lady at the bar who I was chatting up as she made my drink. Most of the time I was trying to convince her that just because I pay LA Fitness 35 bucks a month to take a shower four times a week in any gym, does not mean I have lost my marbles. I do not think I was waging a winning battle.
Eventually Sharmila showed up and the lady, obviously recognizing her, asked if she would have her usual drink. (This is my first time at that gym but Sharmila uses it a couple of days a week). And then when Sharmila started talking to me, the lady was shocked. I guess, in her mind, she would not associate people like Sharmila with people who pay to take a shower 🙂
She looked at both of us and exclaimed to Sharmila – “You look so young and beautiful”! – once again proving the age old adage that the best way to look young (or thin) is to be seen with a old person (or fat) 🙂 As my good friend Matt Semrad had mentioned, it is always about comparative excellence 🙂
Not sure what Sharmila’s facial expression was to that comment – but the lady had some doubts. She gingerly asked – “You guys are married, right”? You could see that it was getting really awkward for her and she was trying to ease it up. But before I could say anything to increase her awkwardness, Sharmila burst the bubble by saying “Yes”. I was going to say something like “She wishes” and see how the lady would react 🙂
Down, but not out, I also said “Yes”… but put in a rejoinder – “but not to each other”. You should have seen the look on her face as she was trying to figure out whether she was in the middle of a very dicey situation or a very funny one 🙂
After a few seconds, Sharmila let her off the hook. “He is kidding”, she said.
We had a hearty laugh.

Category: Humor, My Family, Running | 6 Comments on Married to running :-)
17 April 2013

Standing up for boys!!!

One more of those “moments” with Nikita why I wish I did not have to work …. at least till she goes to college. I offered to drop Nikita at school today. She had picked up two lovely hydrangia flowers for her teacher – Mrs. Smith. In the car, to tease her, I asked if it was for her boyfriend. 🙂
Ever indignant, she shot back “No. It is for my teacher. Besides, boys give flowers to girls, not the other way round”. I duly noted that nowhere did she refute that she did not have a boyfriend. So, I decided to take the high road and said “That is an unfair rule. Boys and girls are the same.”
For a moment, I thought I had the upper hand of the exchange till she fired back – “Do you even know how girls go to the bathroom?”
I could not help laughing out loud. So, my nine year old daughter thinks that boys should give flowers to girls because they get to stand up when they pee!!!

WHATEVER!!! 🙂

Category: Humor, My Family | 6 Comments on Standing up for boys!!!
12 April 2013

Baldness has its own appeal!

Like every year, I got a pronounced tan during the spring break – thanks to a lot of beach sun. (yes, Indians can tan 🙂 ) And like every year, three days later the skin on the scalp started peeling off 🙁 Not sure why this happens only to my head. Cream has never helped. Looks unseemly as I start moulting on my head like a snake.
With all that peeling on the pate, my baldness might finally have some “appeal” 🙂

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Category: My Family | 17 Comments on Baldness has its own appeal!
11 April 2013

Catch 22

The one day I come back from office early (5:30), I am immediately rewarded with having to bring Niki from the horse farm, get Tasha prepared for her math tests, move all the furniture out of the arbor, file taxes….. Okay the last one is unfair since that is why I came home early to begin with.
But the following conversation with Niki as I drover her back from the horse farm completely made it worthwhile:
Niki: “You know dad, I am afraid of other cars on the road. I think I will not learn how to drive”.
Me: “Really? How do you figure you are going to go from one place to another when you grow up? ”
Niki: “Ummmm…. I think I will make my husband drive me everywhere”.
Me: “Okay. And how are you going to find a husband without visiting places?”
Niki: “I will marry somebody from my office”
Me: “And how do you propose you will go to the office to begin with?”. (I was fairly determined to see where she would logically end this conversation)
Niki: “Oh! Once I have money, I will bribe somebody to take me to office”
Me: “How did you get the money to begin with if you have not been going to office”?
After a brief pause, she admitted “You know, I think then I have to steal from you and mom”!!
That was as good a logical endpoint that I could draw as any!!

Category: My Family | 9 Comments on Catch 22
8 April 2013

Come again?

Sharmila, as she prepared to go to bed, put an alarm on her iPhone – to remind her to take the (running) watch before she left home. Something is very wrong with this picture !!!
It reminds me of her friend Rupa whose uncle used to put his alarm at 4 am to wake up and have his sleeping pill 🙂

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6 April 2013

Cooling down!!

In sports parlance, this is called “cooling down”. After four intense days of sleeping with a drink in hand in the shade of an umbrella on sunny Florida beaches, Sharmila is taking it easy after coming back home…. By sleeping with a drink in hand in the shade of an umbrella on a sunny Atlanta spring afternoon by our pool 🙂

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Category: My Family | 5 Comments on Cooling down!!
30 March 2013

We ran Deep!

7 mile run under an hour with my good old friend Deepanjan visiting from Shanghai. We were feeling pretty smug about our run when we ran into another old runner friend of mine – Lia Knower. Once we heard about her 27 hour 100 mile run, we simply walked back home 🙂

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26 March 2013

Escape velocity

One for the road:
What you get from a car ride with my brother at the wheel is something that thrill park operators can only dream of! He was hitting 140 kmph on Durgapur Expressway – that is a speed illegal in any highway in most states in America. And in most states in America, on any highway, you don’t have to deal with occasional animals, a vehicle driving on the wrong side or drivers making sudden turns without any notice.
My brother was weaving so much thru that traffic that I am convinced on our (essentially) east west highway, he spent most of the time driving north south 🙂 In all fairness, he kept his horn on permanent honk mode to give fair warning to all about his impending presence. There were times he was nearly approaching escape velocity! From the other side !! 🙂 I think all he needed was a road with a gentle slope upwards 🙂
Eventually we took a tea break so we could all relax our muscles from the collective grabbing of our seats 🙂 During the tea break, I sarcastically asked him how many lanes did he reckon were there on the highway that we just left. Not to be outdone, he smiled as asked “How many do you want?” 🙂
That, above all, explained lane discipline in India. So, I went back to sipping my tongue-scalding hot tea from the traditional earthen cups!!

Category: Family in India, Vacations | LEAVE A COMMENT