conversation bendito reflex

I did practice today, mostly standing asanas, since my mind was distracted with arguments with family members, way past the time the actual conversation took place, about topics related to Chinese culture as misunderstood by the rest of the world. I usually get so deadpan surprised to get hear these arguments that I am not able to respond at the time they are presented. People who haven't visited the country can't really understand the Chinese just by reading other people's  opinions in books. The West is somewhat unfairly critical at times,  possibly stemming from jealousies. These vivid discussions took place in the mind and on the mat.

As I was having lunch, sampling delicious leftovers and my healthy pudding topped by leftover trifle, I perused the local paper. When there was nothing else to read, I glanced at the obituaries. I didn't expect to find names I would recognize so I was really surprised to find that my great aunt's stepson had passed away. The obituary said he did so while sailing the high seas, doing what he loved best. Ay bendito. So it brought me thoughts that maybe I would like my obituary to say that I died while doing yoga, doing what I loved best, that I died while in Kapotasana. Well, Kapotasana might kill me, so maybe it would be nice to think of a different pose, an easier one to die in such as Kukutasana. Ok, ok, being silly here. If you don't know me, you should now that at moments of some sadness, such as finding out that a distant relative died, my mind switches into something funny so as to make me, and others laugh. It's like a reflex. I am always able to say funny things at funerals, at the few I have attended.  I could not find a decent picture of me in Kapotasana so here is an old one in kapotasana.

Since I'm expecting to be practicing at home for a while when I get back to SH, I'm thinking I might tinker with Vinyasa Krama, following the book. I might as well report that I'm toying with the idea.

By the way, there was an earthquake in Puerto Rico on Christmas Eve measuring about 5.4 on the Richter scale. As some of us where stepping out of the house to go to our aunt's next door, we heard a big rattle on the building behind the house. My family swears it was the sound of people opening the metal shutters in their balconies, but I think that was the rattle of the shutters during the earth shake, because we did not hear anything else. Everyone else has stories about what happened in their house during the five seconds of the earthquake. The laughing Jesus picture belongs to a friend in San Francisco. I changed the background with Photoshop because that part of the painting is damaged, in need of repair.