November 10, 2004

Unwelcome guests ...

Sometimes, just as I feel that I am getting a handle on my day-to-day life and beginning to act more mindfully (rather that in a reactive fashion), something comes along that puts a wrench into the whole works. It is like having unwelcome guests coming and intruding on the peace and quiet you have worked hard on building up. After a week of diligent work, avoiding laziness and generally positive outlook, the past weekend was one of utter sloth. Partly this was down to my catching a rather bad cold - but I found myself using this as an excuse to slip back into my bad habits of lazing around, not doing any of the work that is piling up around me and just looking for the next diversion from my perceived 'boredom' - from renting a few DVDs and pigging out on popcorn, to randomly surfing the web looking for more cheap thrills. On the whole, a very unsatisfactory experience, but I guess this is just how it goes sometimes. Only thing to do is to follow that age old advice from the movie "Swing Time" - "Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, take a deep breath, and start all over again" :-)

3 years, 51 weeks ...

The man asked for 'four more years', and it looks like people listened. A week into George Bush's second term and I have to admit I have a little trepidation about what the next four years will hold. The analysts and pundits talk about how second term presidencies look to legacy and how this is likely to moderate administration's agenda. But one has to wonder exactly what kind of legacy Dubya, and more crucially those around him, has in mind.

Well, I guess it will be interesting to see how it all pans out. Can't worry about it too much since it is so far outside our control, and being realistic about these things I am pretty sure America has gone through similar periods in the past (the McCarthy era is one that particularly springs to mind). All that remains to be seen is whether Tony Blair can survive his electoral test next year. Somehow I think the British are going to be much less willing to vote for him than the Americans were to elect Dubya.



November 01, 2004

Hair-ology

From time to time we are all (well, at least I would say men are) inclined towards odd impulses in grooming. One week you decide to grow a beard, and the next you trim it into a goatee, before finally settling on a moustache. And then a few weeks later, you have a lapse of concentration whilst shaving, and you are back where you started again. This is the weird and immersing world of hair-ology :-) .. Well, in my case I have already tried the goatee experiment (lasted about 6 months earlier in the year) and this past weekend graduated to a more daring adventure.

I have needed a haircut for a while now. Usually I get it done at a local barber shop near my parents' place in Manchester. In the past the time for a haircut seems to uncannily coincide with when i make a trip home. Even in the days when I lived in the USA and India, I would end up needing a haircut close to the time I came home for a break. At only £4 a go, it is pretty good value too. This past few months weeks however, going home has not been that easy because either myself or my parents are travelling. So my locks have been getting steadily out of control. Then this past weekend I was cleaning out my apartment when I found an electric trimmer (from my goatee maintenance days!) in one of my travel toiletteries bags and the thought crossed my mind, "Why not cut your own hair? Better yet why not shave it all off?!?" So after thinking it over for a little while, meaning I thought about it for all of 1 minute (hair-ology is an impulsive science!), I laid out some newspaper and set to work and 15 minutes later, I was able to say "Mission Accomplished!".

Of course, just like George W., I might have been a little prematurein making such a bold statement since although I got used to the 'new look' pretty easily, I had yet to win over friends and family. Today was my first day at work after doing the deed, and I have to say that after the initial shock had worn off (many people didn't recognise me at first), all the feedback has been quite positive. I might even be tempted to post a picture here on the blog if this goes on :-) Of course I have yet to meet my mother, who will probably dislike it - in general I find mothers are very sceptical about hair-ology - but I need to let it grow out again before December anyways since I am going to be bestman at a friend's wedding.

So, there you have it - my latest experiment in hair-ology, a semi-success. Of course will be meeting more friends throughout the week so am sure to get lots of feedback :-)