Our elder daughter Sheena has always been rather adventurous and fearless, and has some unusual interests.
For example she was very interested in chess while in school and at college, and became quite profficient at it and its bastardized American variant, bug-house. She'd organize or attend all sorts of chess and bug-house tournaments where nerdy boys were the overwhelming majority of participants.
When we were in Las Vegas 10 years ago, to my consternation she wanted to do bungee jumping off a rickety looking steel platform way up in the air. They dropped you from a height equivalent to an 18-storey building down to within 6 ft off the ground. I had to really strive to overcome my fear of heights to check out everything and bungee jump before she did. I was secretly petrified before my first jump, but she chuckled and giggled her way through the whole experience.
But Sheena's favorite game for the past few years has been ultimate frisbee. Though she plays it for fun, she's become quite good at it, and has been outside of the US six times to play in tournaments (twice to Europe, three times to Mexico and once to Canada), aside from inumerable outings within the US. The last time she went on the Memorial Day weekend three weeks ago to San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Her team won the first prize (though I'm sure she'd have enjoyed it immensely even if they came last.)
She sent me the link to the pictures in this tournament. She's included all pictures of hers including those with formidable expressions (beating those when she's arguing with me. :-) ) So you can glimpse the competitive spirit that sometimes lurks beneath that innocently smiling face. She's the one in the last picture in the red tee shirt, beating the other girl to the frisbee.
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I've been to Mexico for Ultimate six times, actually. :) During my first Europe trip, I played Ultimate in 5 different countries. When I'm trying to impress people, I tell them I played on the India-Pakistani friendship team in Portugal. I'm still considering whether to play on what is now known as the Peace Team in Brazil this year for the same tournament, but I think I'll have to skip that because of vacation time constraints.
I think I look terrified, rather than formidable, in most of those photos. But hey, I don't mind a more flattering interpretation of such unflattering pictures. :)
Thanks for the post!
Nice pictures! Let's send Sheena to complete the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute course and bungee jump from the peak at Sandakphu. Did her dad complete the course run by the renowned Tenzing Norgay?
Jadra
Thanks for the corrections and elaboration, Sheena.
Yes, it was indeed interesting to hear about that unified India-Pakistan team. And when I saw some of those pictures the Pakistanis looked so... so human-like. :-) Seriously though, we should have more of this kind of stuff where we come together, and this Peace Team is a great idea.
Thanks, Jadra. Did you go for that compulsory HMI mountaineering course from our school as well? I survived it, unbelievably losing 10-15 pounds off my already skinny frame at that time, and ending up at about 110lbs. I temporarily earned the nickname "Spiderman" during that course because of the way my skinny limbs flailed awkwardly during our games, hikes and cross-country races.
It was memorable all right, and a lot of the boys (including "Biff" the erstwhile bully) thrived through it. I think Sheena will do much better on this HMI course than her Dad did. :-)
I did finish HMI in spite of the cold showers at 6 am, and the obstacle course etc. What was deceiving was the rope ladder. It just looked so easy to walk up a ladder. But when I was finished, I had more twists than a jalebi. I think one of the hardest parts was to jump across the small chasm on Monkey rock. It was only a 5 ft jump but the drop must have been 500 ft.
What was a travesty was when NBC ran a 50 year anniversary of the assault on Everest. Tenzing's name wasn't even mentioned and Hillary was the only star. That's why I'm not voting for Hillary:))
Where did Sheena's good looks and athletism come from? Her mother must have good genes:))
Jadra
Yes, Jadra, I now remember that terrifying chasm hundreds of feet deep that we had to jump across while at HMI. Sweaty palms, hyperventilation and all, it was shock therapy that served its purpose of reducing our fear of heights.
I didn't know NBC had left out Tenzing's name in the Everest 50th anniversary commemoration. That's terrible. It's okay if you want to punish E. Hillary by taking it out on Hillary C. Any of the front runners are an improvement over the current crowd. :-)
About Sheena, yes, thank God she took her looks and intelligence from Anita. May be fitness genes too, though in the ultimate (pun intended) I turned out okay - had to wait a couple of years after school for it to happen in my late teens. :-)
Pakistanis may be so human like, but let's face it... they make better mutton curry. Sardars are only good for aloo gobi and eggplant curry. Which reminds me of the other golden rule my dad taught me, "Never trust a skinny cook." Sandip, if you're still 110lbs please don't invite me to dinner at your house.
Well, I asked this Sardar which came first? The chicken or the egg?
He replied, "It has to be the eggplant because with those how would we get eggs?"
I remember you used to play cricket and football for Laenen yellow house. I remember Manjit used to be in Fallon blue house. He was a great sprinter, second only to Charlie Dango. I was just kidding about your fitness. Anyone who completed HMI is no pushover.
Jadra
Yeah, yeah, Jadra, enjoy your Sardar digs at my expense. I can't get back with Hindu jokes because Anita is one, plus Hindus are harder to make fun of.
And don't worry, I'm not a lightweight any more and have to watch against the pendulum swinging the other way. :-)
I apologize to your wife because she's from Lahore. Please, no offence intended, Anita.
Fr. Lo Hoir, our French instructor at North Point asked me once to name a big city in Pakistan.
"Lahore," I replied, "But if you want to find the ladies of the night it is "La whore."
Fr. Lo Hoir was a classic Frenchman. He perfected the art of pinching convent girls' bottoms while say the Hail Mary. R.I.P.
Another time he asked me if I knew where Lebong was. "Of course," I replied, "Isn't that where the Bengalis come from?"
Witty, witty, with Frenchie. Anita's folks were from Karachi, so she won't take offence. :-)
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