Traveling

Two airports down, two to go! I love flying into Las Vegas at night - it's so fun! (Sadly, my pic of the view of the Strip from the runway was too blurry to show anyone. And the beam on the Luxor wasn't lit. Sad panda!) Unfortunately, McCarran airport is the one place in Vegas that actually sleeps at night. There are a couple guys my age or maybe my brother's who brought blankets with them, and a family behind me snoring loudly. Knowing myself rather well, I'm not going to deal with the terrible maybe two hours of sleep I'd actually get if I tried. I'll push through and either fall asleep on the plane (not very likely, unless it's as empty as the previous two flights have been) or just be up for 30+ hours and maybe go to bed at an almost-reasonable Midwest time. Of course, this is assuming that the flight into Atlanta isn't late (we all know how MY luck runs with those kinds of things) and I actually make the connection to Bloomington. The good news is that I didn't have to check any bags (even with my new ssahng jeol bahng in one, shhh!), so if the luggage doesn't make it this time, it's my own fault. Also, my Atlantean friend who lives in Atlanta (as he prefers to have it formatted) assures me that the Atlanta airport is very easy to get around in. I'm fully counting on the mathematical certainty that the distance from your landing gate to your connecting gate is inversely proportional to the amount of time you have to cover that distance, so I'm planning for about a mile and a half sprint. On the other hand, good knitting time is happening - I've finished the third square and am working on the second part of the fourth. And it's been interesting looking at planes and thinking about what we talked about in ASCI 603 last month. (Most commuter jets seem to be dihedral with high aspect ratios, in case anyone was wondering.) United is still my favorite airline, btw. The planes are always clean, shiny, the people treat me decently, there are still complimentary drinks and movies, and my absolute favorite thing - being able to listen to the flight deck communications. Yes, I'm a nerd, but I love it =)

If you come here for knitting, you can stop now.

Affirmation

I believe the sun should never set upon an argument
I believe we place our happiness in other people's hands
I believe that junk food tastes so good because it's bad for you
I believe your parents did the best job they knew how to do
I believe that beauty magazines promote low self esteem
I believe I'm loved when I'm completely by myself alone

I believe in Karma what you give is what you get returned
I believe you can't appreciate real love 'til you've been burned
I believe the grass is no more greener on the other side
I believe you don't know what you've got until you say goodbye

I believe you can't control or choose your sexuality
I believe that trust is more important than monogamy
I believe your most attractive features are your heart and soul
I believe that family is worth more than money or gold
I believe the struggle for financial freedom isn't fair
I believe the only ones who disagree are millionaires

I believe in Karma what you give is what you get returned
I believe you can't appreciate real love 'til you've been burned
I believe the grass is no more greener on the other side
I believe you don't know what you've got until you say goodbye

I believe forgiveness is the key to your own happiness
I believe that wedded bliss negates the need to be undressed
I believe that God does not endorse TV evangelists
I believe in love surviving death into eternity

I believe in Karma what you give is what you get returned
I believe you can't appreciate real love 'til you've been burned
I believe the grass is no more greener on the other side
I believe you don't know what you've got until you say goodbye
-"Affirmation", Savage Garden (video is meh. Older song, but still good.)

Not only did I pick up a new weapon for the absolute first time ever tonight, but I learned the entire first half of the form for it! It helped that I had Mr. R pretty much dedicated to me for the entire class - most people forgot the new schedule started today, so instead of an adult tkd class, we had me and two black belt kids (TKD Grandson and another kid whose name escapes me atm). We spent a couple minutes warming up, then Sir handed Mr. R a pair of ssahng jeol bahngs, told him to teach me the form, and went and worked some wrestling/jujitsu-styley stuff with the boys for the rest of the class. It's an...interesting weapon. Not my favorite, but I do have to admit it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be and I only hit myself a few times. I dropped it a lot, though, particularly on one move that I'm going to have to practice a lot, but both Sir and Mr. R told me I did pretty well with it. *I* think I did pretty good, considering it was the first time I'd ever even touched one and I didn't injure myself or anyone else with it! Now I just have to practice a LOT with it (surprisingly, it actually doesn't take much room, and you can do drills with it just walking out to your car and back without thinking too hard or looking too silly), and I'm trying to decide if I can get it on the plane with me tomorrow night so I can practice while I'm in Illinois....hmm...I'm trying to avoid checked luggage, given the fees and my track record lately, but it'd be worth it...

If you come here for knitting, you can stop now.

Knitting Pics!

Okay, in whatever order Blogger decides to put them in, we have...

...the start of the Ten-Stitch Afghan:

...approximately 30% of the Miter Square Bag:

which will hopefully eventually look something like this (only knitted instead of crocheted):

...the first square of A New Angle afghan:

which, again, will hopefully end up in the general idea of this (designer's pic from Ravelry):

...and my finished baby:

Bear in mind that both pics are taken with the scarf folded in half. I'm telling ya, the thing is LONG!

Oh, and I did survive the midterm. Not sure if I did any better this time (it felt worse, but I didn't forget anything that I know about), but at least it's over. And I got to play with Baby S during the subsequent open house, which was nice, since he'd been acting a little scared of me recently, and we're not sure why. Oh well, I guess one can't be too scary when one is dueling with balloon-swords with goofy hats made from more balloons!

If you come here for knitting, you can stop now.

Epic Hilarity - What Are The Chances??

I have a friend in Atlanta that I obviously don't get to see much, although we have a standing joke about coming over for dinner and bar crawls. He and his wife are traveling to Vegas next month, and we were looking at the possibility of meeting up there, but I wasn't going to be able to afford a whole weekend trip to Vegas thing. And then this conversation came along today (screennames deleted to protect the not-so-innocent and slightly edited for length):

Me: so I'm apparently flying through both Vegas AND Atlanta in order to get to Nowheresville, Illinois
Me: please tell me how that makes sense in the slightest
Friend: How long you gonna be in Atlanta for?
Me: hopefully about an hour
Friend: aww, not nearly long enough.
Friend: I've made trips down to the airport to catch a lunch with somebody flying through before.
...
Me: I'll be overnight in Vegas on the 1st/2nd, but only there for an hour or so on the 8th, flying back
Friend: ...
Friend: the eighth is when we're flying in.
Friend: what time?
Me: are you flying Airline?
Friend: yes.
Me: if we're on the same flight, that'd be freaky
Friend: I'm going to laugh my balls off if we're... yeah.
Friend: That'd be epic hilarity.
Friend: Airline ABCD, leaving at X:YZpm and arriving at H:IJ local.
Me: uhh...let's see, oh my god
Me: are you serious??
Friend: yes.
Friend: rofl
Me: hahahahahahaha
Me: yeah, Airline ABCD, X:YZp-H:IJp
Friend: That's hilarious.
Me: that's so weird
Friend: What're the chances?
Friend: You have a seat assignment yet?
Friend: We're...
Friend: Row Number A and Row Number B
Me: hmm...no, I don't think I have one yet
Me: let me check
Friend: (Row Number C)
Me: that would be weird
Me: ah, mine just says seat assignments upon check-in
...
Friend: Damn that's funny.
Me: it really is
Me: so I guess I will see you in Atlanta. And Vegas. And we still can't go on a bar crawl!
...
Friend: so when you're laying over in Atlanta, you should call me and tell me where you're sitting.

I mean, honestly, what are the chances that two friends (well, three counting his wife, although I don't know her other than she's his wife) on opposite sides of the country, booking their flights at vastly different times (they've had this trip planned for several months now, I only finally decided last night), and not even TRYING to coordinated anything ended up on the same four-hour cross-country flight?? That's just weird!!

Update - Teddie actually does seem to like his new carrier better. He still cries, but it's more of a "I'm crying because I think I'm supposed to be crying more than any real discomfort and really, I don't know what I'm crying about so maybe I'll stop for good lengths of time until I remember that I'm supposed to be crying again" sort of thing. If I was driving out to the Midwest, I'd totally take him, but I'm sure he wouldn't be comfortable on a plane with drastic pressure changes and lots of people uncomfortably close (not to mention my wallet not being comfortable with the extra $200 it would cost to fly with him), so he'll be staying home and guarding the apartment again. I'm a little bummed about it, but it's probably for the best.

Martial arts stuff behind the cut, since this is long already.
Midterming tomorrow. I've run through both my forms at least twice every day, and instructor class on Wednesday was focused specifically on our ranking forms. "Not nit-picking, but ways to make it better" - keeping my focus upwards, shifting my blocks slightly to the outside to make them be useful rather than perfect straight lines, not dropping my hands to chamber for circle low blocks, turning my knee out just a little more in rear and back stances, picking up the tempo slightly on some of my tension moves (moves that are deliberately slow in order to make them harder and show them off - I have six hand techniques and two kicks in my regular form and I think six blocks in my weapons form that are tension moves). So many little things to think about that I haven't really had time to practice and get into my body. Not to mention the whole "take your time and don't rush through it" thing. I will count myself successful if I can at least do that much. Sir asked us to come in a little early, because the floor will be a little different than the mats we're used to, so I'm going to try to get there around 11:00a.

On the plus-confidence side, though, I was finally able to break a brown board with my spin hook kick Wednesday night. I can power through a blue board really easily using the foot position we use for that kick in the forms (pointing the foot so that the ball "slaps" the target), but that doesn't really work when you move to a harder board. I've been focusing on using the "board break/doing damage" foot position for the kick - hitting the target with the heel instead of the ball; the force is more focused at a specific point where the heel contacts the board instead of getting distributed all over the board with the wider ball of the foot - and think I might have finally gotten it. It took a few tries to get through my hand technique (an upset hammerfist) on a blue board, but that was completely my own fault for not thinking and doing it correctly the first two times. I'm pretty confident on both my breaks now, which is nice!

Oh, and I got told last night by Gil that he feels sorry for anyone who tries to fight me with knives. "He's either gonna get his throat slit or his face slashed off, girl, you don't mess around!" I've lately been trying to focus more on getting "killing" hits in during knife sparring rather than the slashing at the arms that some of the others do. It seems to me like I would want a knife fight over as quickly as possible, not put them in a blood rage. I can live with a scar on my arm, can't really live long enough to get a scar on my neck or a few other places. I'd still be dead five hundred times a night, but I only have to survive a real fight once. I hope. Actually, I'd rather not ever find out, but you know what I mean. A couple of the guys got goofy throwing kicks around, and Sir told them that if they wanted to throw kicks in a knife fight, he'd take away the practice knives and give us real blades. He figures after a few toes hit the mats, we'll learn. Good to remember.

We've had several new guys in FIGHT the past few weeks. No new girls, though. Several new girls, and guys, in kickboxing, though! A new guy in adult tkd, and the kids' white/orange/yellow belt class about exploded through the glass last night, there were so many. It's good to see!

Btw, I'm seriously wondering if someone at the dojahng reads this blog. It's occasionally eerie how I say "I feel like I need to work on X or I really like Y or I'm just getting frustrated with Z" and usually within the next couple classes, there will be a drill or workout or something focusing on whatever it was. Or, in the case of the previous post, the next day getting "it's not nit-picking, it's making you better" fairly randomly after going through one of my forms. I don't actually think someone is - I think it's more a matter of I'm focusing on one thing and so I pay more attention to it, like how astrologers make daily horoscopes work - and it's cool if they are, I just find it mildly amusing. Oh, and if someone does read it and knows where my other sparring foot pad went, can you bring it tomorrow? I'd really appreciate it! =)

For now, it's 65 degrees with 65% humidity (it's actually more humid than the Midwest right now, but much, much cooler!) and lots of sunshine, so TeddieCat and I are going out on the balcony to take pics of knitting and read while the uniform goes through the laundry. And I got a new afghan pattern (sorry, non-Ravelers, that's all I can find right now) that I'm dying to get started on! Finally, an afghan for ME! (Yeah, yeah, I know, I have two other projects on the needles right now, too. They'll get done...someday...)

If you come here for knitting, you can stop now.

The Good, The Bad, and The Actually Really Pretty

The Good and The Actually Really Pretty:
In knitting news (I do knit, you know, even if I don't talk about it much), I FINALLY got to finish the Card Trick Illusion Scarf!!! The final skein came Thursday and I finished the scarf on Friday. (Yes, I actually was that close when I ran out of the red.) I washed and blocked it Monday, and it was a beautiful thing, spread out on my balcony railing to dry after its celebratory dunking in Eucalan. And, I promptly forgot about it being out there for the rest of the day. I rescued it after I got home from class last night when I saw it laying on the grass under my balcony - luckily, it hadn't blown into the pool! And, of course, this means that I didn't get any pics, so that will have to happen tomorrow. The thing is LONG, though - I think pretty close to eight feet! Still working on the bag (Ten Minute Rule is in effect for this project - I love the project, hate the yarn!) and the ten-stitch blanket. It goes surprisingly fast, and it's kind of nice to use up some of these random little balls of wool I have left. Right now I have a color scheme going, but once these run out, who knows? It's amazing how far one little scrap ball can go when it's only a ten stitch strip, though.

Also good, I've actually been able to wear my gloves in kickboxing class so far this week, although my hands hurt again afterwards. We've started running again in class and I can keep pace with Mrs. S pretty well (I still hate running, though). We also got the new hanging bags last Tuesday. That night's FIGHT class was the official first use of them. (They definitely need to get broken in. Sir says it'll probably take a good year.) For 100lb. bags, they're actually pretty easy to get up and down quickly. Sir and Mr. R hang them during our run in kickboxing, and then Mr. R and I usually take them down after class. Sometimes we use them in FIGHT, too, although we didn't tonight. They do a number on the feet for round kicks, though, although I've noticed recently that my round kicks are getting fairly high now. We still do a drill with partners on pads and Gil (who is taller than me) holds them up by his shoulders for my kicks. And they've still got some power behind them. So maybe I've improved a little in the flexibility range over the past two and a half years (has it really been that long already??). Oh, and starting next week, they're putting a third adult tkd class back into the schedule. Looks like it's back to nine classes a week (two each on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and three on Wednesdays). They're also splitting up the teen/adult class into 12-15 year olds' class and 16+ class, which I think will be REALLY nice, and they're adding a Spanish-speaking class on Friday nights that J will be helping out with. I've been asked twice to help other first degrees learn their forms and really enjoy that. I think right now I'm more comfortable working with more advanced students (in all my classes) that already know at least the basics, because I don't have to worry about messing them up so much. I'm afraid if I work with a brand new student (kid or adult in any class), I'll say something wrong or do something wrong or not catch something soon enough and really mess them up. Don't know why, but I am, so I'm really happy to help other students closer to my level for now.

Also good:

Spending time with the girls in Solvang over the weekend. We went wine-tasting (rhubarb wine was surprisingly good!) and then caught the show. The sound is much better in Solvang. It always is. It also pays to have friends - we got bumped from having crazy seats along the wall to some of the held seats closer to the center. I could hear Chrissy calling the show (we were almost right under the booth, and it's really much easier to call the show with the window open rather than trying to rely on the spotty monitor system there), but the girls said they couldn't and told me it was just because I actually recognized and was used to what I was hearing. Whatever. It was still fun and good to see everyone again. I keep hearing really good things about Spelling Bee and am gonna try to catch it sometime this weekend, I hope.

Also good:
This is a cat who thinks he's being sneaky and cool and aloof about his new cat carrier. Don't let him fool you - he's totally snoring his head off in there. We've been going for rides in the car lately, since I'm pondering making a road trip home for a family reunion, but he cries and cries. The old crate I had for him was really small - he didn't have room to sit up or stand and was just kind of squished inside it. He could barely turn around in it. I would have cried inside it, too! So we got a bigger one (that has a special place for food and water inside!), and apparently this is much more acceptable, at least at home. We'll go out again tomorrow to see how he does in the car. He usually settles down slightly after about twenty minutes, so we'll see. The road trip itself may or may not happen - by my estimates it would be cheaper to fly (barely), and, honestly, a heck of a lot cheaper to stay home, but we'll see.

The Bad:
I did not get the job at Kohls. I also did not get a job I don't even remember applying for on base, as I was kindly informed by an email today. (Military spouses get preference for on-base jobs, which is a clear indication that I need to find a guy in uniform!) Again, really tired of the "we really need you, but not YOU" thing. Sigh.

I'm pretty sure this is just me and is completely non-intentional, but man, have I been getting nit-picked in classes lately. Now, I'm not saying I'm anywhere near perfect, very very far from, but am I really that bad?? Suddenly, in the past two weeks, my hook punches aren't right, my elbows aren't tucked in, my arms aren't straight enough, my kicks are too close or aren't fast enough, haganah drills aren't done quite right every single time, etc., in ALL my classes. Apparently, I can't do anything correctly right now. AND, just to top everything off and make me feel REALLY stupid, we were doing forms "testing style" in tkd last night and I was trying SO hard to not rush through it and complete each individual move (like I was asked to do after the last midterm) that I totally blanked on what move came next. I couldn't remember what move I had just did, where I was at in the form, or anything. I just knew I wasn't in the right stance and my arms weren't in the right place and I had no idea why. Sir had to prompt me to get me back on track. In front of everyone. SO embarrassing! I tried to keep going calmly through the rest of my form, but I think I started rushing it again. So now I can't even prove that I've listened to my head instructor and worked on anything he wanted me to. I'm such a good example =P I talked to Ma'am about it tonight (she wasn't there last night), and she assured me that everyone's done that at some point and at least it wasn't actually DURING a test, which is true. I ran through it again tonight after FIGHT and am planning on running through both my regular form and my weapons form a couple times both tomorrow and Thursday and maybe even seeing if I can score some free mat time on Friday afternoon. I CAN do this, I know I can. I just have to prove it to myself and everyone else =P I just wish I didn't feel like the only one constantly having to go "Yes Sir/Ma'am!" after getting some criticism or another, however gently or nicely delivered. I'm now kind of nervous about instructor class tomorrow night =/

However, at least my day didn't end like this:

If you come here for knitting, you can stop now.

Quotes

Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends leave footprints in your heart. To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart. Anger is only one letter short of danger. If someone betrays you once, it is his fault; if he betrays you twice, it is your fault. Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people. He who loses money, loses much; he who loses a friend, loses much more; he who loses faith, loses all. Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art. Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself. Friends, you and me ... you brought another friend ... and then there were three ... we started our group ... our circle of friends ... and like that circle ... there is no beginning or end ... yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That is why they call it a present. - Eleanor Roosevelt

Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. - Unknown

A hundred years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove...but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child. - Author Unknown

“Go confidently in the directions of your dreams; live the life you’ve imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will become simpler.” - Henry David Thoreau

To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch… to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded! - Emerson

If you come here for knitting, you can stop now.

TKD surprises

I got my new dobok tonight! It's soooo much more comfortable than my old one!! Like, I can actually move in it!! And, I have to admit, the white uniform shows off a black belt much better than the blue one did. (Yes, I can be vain. I know it.) I also found out why it took so long to get back:
The logo on the back. It's embroidered on. And, it's not the "banner" logo that most of the new uniforms get silkscreened on the back - it's the logo the instructors have on the backs of their jackets. It's not an instructor jacket yet (instructors' jackets are black), but I'm translating this as maybe one little step closer. (No one has said anything, so for all I know they're embroidering logos on the backs of all the new uniforms now - although I kinda doubt it - but it makes me inordinately happy.)

I also found out that I'm midterming again not this weekend but next. It rather surprised me, since I just midtermed last cycle, and I haven't done anything new so far during this one. I had to confirm it with Sir, who told me to just do the forms I already know and be sure I do them better than I did last time. Helpful. It kind of makes me wonder how badly I did last time. (Not that I really think I did badly, and I have tried to work on a lot of the stuff they mentioned to me afterwards and am resolute that I will NOT randomly forget a whole chunk of my weapons form this time around.) I actually wonder if there are some ulterior motives behind it - it will be the first test in the new space (we're actually going to be testing downstairs and in one of the open areas of the mall so families can watch instead of in the shark tank), it will be very public, and I think they want to show off as big a variety of students as possible. Plus, Jer will be testing for his black belt, so there will need to be ranking, non-judging adults there for him to spar. It works out. I was planning to be there anyway, I just figured I'd be watching or helping.

Sir also confessed that first degrees don't actually HAVE to learn two weapons forms. In fact, most students only learn one. Technically, I could stick with the bahng mahng ee form every time I midtermed and even when I eventually test for rank. However, he's not going to let ME do that. He wants to me to learn the ssahng jeol bahng form because he wants me to know it and get experience with that weapon (and, since he's made it clear that I'll have to midterm with it at least once, apparently demonstrate that knowledge, as well). Which makes sense - if I want to be an instructor, I can't very well help out other students with forms I didn't learn, I suppose. I'll still be allowed to choose which weapon I want to test with when it comes time to test for rank, as promised. It sounds like I'll probably start learning the ssahng jeol bahng form after this coming testing.

My knuckles STILL hurt when I wear my kickboxing gloves. It's really rather irritating - I can make a fist and punch just fine - no pain at all - when bare-fisted. But put the gloves on, even with the wraps, and I can't do it. Sir, Mel, and Gil think it might be a tendon issue from the "overhead" punches we've been doing in kickboxing (well, okay, Mel and Gil think that, Sir is concerned that it might be caused by my tendency to stick my elbows out, but it amounts to the same thing and I've been working REALLY hard to keep everything tucked in and not "be a swimmer". I thought I was pretty much over that by now =( ). Sir told me tonight in kickboxing to give it a rest and let my hands heal. Which is frustrating, because, like I said, they DON'T HURT unless I'm wearing the gloves. But hitting the hand targets we use in kickboxing over and over with a bare hand is not particularly good for them, either. Sigh. (Of course, this is also the same night where Sir told me to be better, so not sure how I can give my hands a rest and train to do better. I'll work on it!)

Quick temp assignment in the morning (finishing up the chemical inventory I started today at local high school chemistry labs) and then an interview for (I think) a part-time cashier job a Kohls. Whatever pays, at this point. FIGHT in the evening!

If you come here for knitting, you can stop now.