Bowlers lose it for India

Despite the absence of Sehwag and Yuvraj, everyone knows that India’s bowling is their weakest link, especially considering that the loss of Sehwag and Yuvraj has considerably weakened their part-time bowling options. So, shouldn’t they have bolstered their weak bowling attack with another specialist bowler?

Classic Shaving

Over the years, I have tried everything from the disposable plastic razors to  the Gillette Mach3s to a variety of fancy electric razors in search of a comfortable shave.

A couple of years ago, I chanced upon an article in the internet and discovered the lost art of ‘classic shaving’ - lathering up using shaving cream & a decent natural bristled shaving brush, and shaving using an old fashioned safety razor with a single double-edged steel blade. After years of razor burn and irritation, I have been enjoying close, comfortable shaves ever since.

While the initial cost of getting a classic shaving kit might seem expensive, comparing the cost of the currently popular Gillette Fusion cartridges (a few dollars) to the double-edged blades (a few cents), it’s easy to see the cost savings in the long run. Also, the steel single blades are probably more environment friendly than the plastic cartridges.

To every man looking for a comfortable shave, I say, ‘ditch the plastic five (or is it six) blade razor and switch to the single blade safety razor’.

Karma or Coincidence?

I am a Hindu. But, I don’t believe in a personal God, prayer or rituals. So, on our monthly trips to the Hindu Temple in Livermore, I spend my time napping in the car waiting for my wife and daughter to return back with some prasadam.

Last month, as we were getting ready for the trip, I threw on a t-shirt that had some funny quote involving beer. Answering my wife’s disapproving ‘Are you wearing that?’ with a curt ‘Yes’, I made the 45 minute trip from our home to Livermore.

Usually, I park the car in the shade, roll down the windows, push back the seat and settle down for a quick nap. But, this time, the weather was hot and parking was hard to find. So, I ended up parking in the sun, switching on the A/C, turning on some music and watching some guy treating his new Toyota Camry  to a car puja.

When my wife returned back, I mockingly pointed the car puja guy to her, who was now walking around his car with bowed head and folded hands following the priest’s orders. As he concluded the puja driving his car over four lemons placed under each of his car’s tires, I remarked how the lemons would have been better served as lemonade for the hot weather and how the moron and his car ritual has provided some humorous material for my next blog post!

We settled down in our seats and got ready to leave, only to realize that the battery having powered my A/C and radio for 30 minutes didn’t have enough juice left to turn our engine on! After calling AAA, who said they would be there in 30 minutes, only to call back 45 minutes later to convey that they won’t be there for another hour, searching for and finding a jump-start kit at the temple’s office, fumbling with the kit and managing to start the engine, we were finally on our way back home after a 90 minute delay.

As my laughing wife whispered ‘karma’, ‘No, this is not God’s vengeance for my blasphemous behavior’, I said, realizing that I have gotten myself into a no win situation, ‘This is just….me being stupid’.