I'm turning someone I train with into a machine: he wants to compete at World's (in jiu jitsu) next year... he's asked me to make him invincible. I'm so excited!!
I emailed my thesis supervisor last week about doing a 180 degree change of direction in my research: I'm terrified and excited at the same time. Eep!
I sparred the heck out of one of our brown-belts this weekend during her testing. It was so much fun...
:D
6/26/11
6/22/11
6/14/11
Gear Changes (maybe too honest)
I do a lot of switching back and forth between the roles I fill.
On campus I'm a graduate student.
People answer my questions intelligently. They ask me my opinion as if it matters. Gender rarely comes into play and people with 10 times the learning and experience I have treat me like a human being. When I walk on campus, I have the feeling that I can contribute something (I don't know what yet, but something) to the working body of knowledge that the world is currently working with.
And then I step into a world in which gender inequity is assumed.
Where my 15+ years of experience is frequently ignored by some guy off the street who's never thrown a kick in his life; ignored, just because he's a guy-- and so probably knows better.
A place where 14 year old boys think its ok to say "But you're a girl" as an excuse for not following instruction, or for failing to execute technique properly when working with me (never in a traditional class...only ever in kickboxing. Maybe I should wear my belt in kickboxing?).
Where a 240 lb man that feels threatened in a round of jiu jitsu will get frustrated and throw all of his weight on my sternum in an effort to take control of the round. Because, heaven forbid he get tapped out by a woman.
I have 3 sublex-ed ribs right now as a result of this encounter. They stick about 3 centimeters up from where my chest-wall should end.
I'm working with a Chiropractor to coach them safely back into place.
When I roll with people that are smaller than me (rare, but it happens), my instinct is to keep them safe. To try to use technique to move around them without crushing.
I am horrified to think that I might ever be instructing people that instinctively want to crush the smaller person.
I really need to think about this.
I'm not claiming gender-based superiority. I'm protesting the ego-fueled disregard for how humans should treat humans. The martial arts have never been (should never be) about strong people hurting weak people. That's not it at all...
On campus I'm a graduate student.
People answer my questions intelligently. They ask me my opinion as if it matters. Gender rarely comes into play and people with 10 times the learning and experience I have treat me like a human being. When I walk on campus, I have the feeling that I can contribute something (I don't know what yet, but something) to the working body of knowledge that the world is currently working with.
And then I step into a world in which gender inequity is assumed.
Where my 15+ years of experience is frequently ignored by some guy off the street who's never thrown a kick in his life; ignored, just because he's a guy-- and so probably knows better.
A place where 14 year old boys think its ok to say "But you're a girl" as an excuse for not following instruction, or for failing to execute technique properly when working with me (never in a traditional class...only ever in kickboxing. Maybe I should wear my belt in kickboxing?).
Where a 240 lb man that feels threatened in a round of jiu jitsu will get frustrated and throw all of his weight on my sternum in an effort to take control of the round. Because, heaven forbid he get tapped out by a woman.
I have 3 sublex-ed ribs right now as a result of this encounter. They stick about 3 centimeters up from where my chest-wall should end.
I'm working with a Chiropractor to coach them safely back into place.
When I roll with people that are smaller than me (rare, but it happens), my instinct is to keep them safe. To try to use technique to move around them without crushing.
I am horrified to think that I might ever be instructing people that instinctively want to crush the smaller person.
I really need to think about this.
I'm not claiming gender-based superiority. I'm protesting the ego-fueled disregard for how humans should treat humans. The martial arts have never been (should never be) about strong people hurting weak people. That's not it at all...
6/9/11
Time warp?
Bootcamp messes with my body-clock.
I'm up at 4:50am these days. Running bootcamp classes (with a group of awesome people)...then on with my day.
I teach until 9 or 10pm... when I get home, I just fall asleep.
Sometimes, on the Tuesdays and Thursdays (when there is no bootcamp class) I jolt awake at 7am and freak out thinking I've slept through bootcamp.
I also routinely forget what day it is while teaching evening classes. Confusedly ask "where is____" when they don't ever come on that day anyway...
I think now would be the perfect time for me to start time-traveling.
The Jet lag wouldn't impact me at all.
6/6/11
Ouch
So. Broken finger.
Not even a cool story-- I wish it were a cool story.
A monster was practicing round kicks on my legs. For no reason. I was just trying to put my shoes on. It was painful, so I intercepted a kick with my hand at the same time he changed the trajectory of his kicking and *blammo-snap*
My finger is a gnarly mess. blue. purple. I'm concerned for motorcycle riding (I guess I'll find out on the way to work...)
ugh.
Not even a cool story-- I wish it were a cool story.
A monster was practicing round kicks on my legs. For no reason. I was just trying to put my shoes on. It was painful, so I intercepted a kick with my hand at the same time he changed the trajectory of his kicking and *blammo-snap*
My finger is a gnarly mess. blue. purple. I'm concerned for motorcycle riding (I guess I'll find out on the way to work...)
ugh.
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