weekly acounting

week: +2.5
total: -60.5

Last week we were preparing for Tang Soo Do testing. We attended class twice I think, but opted out of Friday's class. I also didn't want to hit the gym, lest I push myself too hard and make myself sore (it has happened before). Testing went well for the most part, except it took me three tries to break my board, and even then I had to use the remedial boards. Master C said I could try that part again in a few weeks.

After the test, we went to a Nepalese-Indian buffet, where I ate entirely too much chicken tikka marsala (?) and chickpea curry.

Sunday we ordered pizza so we wouldn't have to run out and cook while trying to do our role playing games with friends.

Hit the gym today, and the grocery for some fresh fruit. Getting ready to go to class in a few minutes, unless I cannot drag my dear husband away from his new videogame (Civilization IV).

weekly weigh in - no challenge

week: -1.5
total (since Jan 2007): -54

Tales From the Scales has not announced a new challenge, but the check-in post still comes up every Wednesday.

So here's where I stand. It appears that my winter plateau might be breaking: three of the last four weeks have seen declines, and one week had no change at all. So that's encouraging.

Last weekend was our Tang Soo Do testing. I wasn't perfect, but mostly I was very good (in my own opinion, which counts for beans). I broke the boards (two thin boards, instead one thick one) on the first kick; my partner and I sparred enthusiastically (I have the bruises to prove it). Technically we won't know for two weeks whether we are being promoted, but I'm pretty confident.

Yesterday I had a super-early appointment, so I decided to go to the gym afterwards, since I had a big gap before my next responsibility. The gym itself was fine, not too crowded, but the showers appalled me. I have NEVER been a fan of public showering, all the way back to middle school, but I have tried to get over it for my own good now. But when I saw a roach wing stuck to my foot, that ended my prospects of showering at the gym for good. It's after work or free days only from now own, so I can come home to my own lovely shower.

ups and downs.

Last week was an up week, so this must be a down week. Let me check.

week: -1.5
total: -13

Indeed.

I had to attend a professional conference last weekend. At the reception Friday night, I was literally surrounded by chocolate. Fortunately (?), we had gone out to dinner beforehand, and gotten properly filled up, but that didn't stop me from snacking. There was a plate of strawberries though, which I happily mixed in with the brownies.

It didn't stop, either, since at the conference center there were all sorts of coffee cakes for breakfast, snacks, coffee breaks, etc. I have to admit, I tried one of everything. So good, but so bad. We did Mexican at a local place for lunch, where I got a fish fillet instead of an enchilada, so at least I redeemed myself. And we hit the gym on Sunday, so the weekend was not a total wash.

This week, we have to attend our Tang Soo Do class more reliably than we did last week. Promotion testing is 8 March, and I'm a little nervous that I won't measure up this time.

weigh-in #2

week: -2
total: -3

Off to a good start here. I'm enjoying Tang Soo Do a lot more now that I have a handle on some of the moves. The kicks are still a complete challenge for me though. The only problem with TSD is the schedule. I have to rush home from work to change clothes and grab a smoothie -- and my husband, who is doing this with me -- before heading back to the training center. Then we have a proper dinner afterwards. Somewhere I read "hunger is the best seasoning for food" or something, and I'll say that's certainly true. I won't say I sleep like a log every night, but I fall asleep much faster now. Monday night I wanted to watch the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, to see David Boreanaz (Angel, Bones), but I don't think I made it through three minutes of the monologue.

LGi08 weigh-in one

week: -1
total: -1

A new challenge, a new counter. Sort of sad, to lose the big number from the previous challenge and start all over. But it's a clean slate, time to see what else I can do to keep getting healthy.

The Tang Soo Do is really working well to get us out of the house, but so far it's not killing me like I expected it to. Our instructor keeps asking if we're sore, and I keep saying "no, not really." I think it isn't very intense yet, because I don't have the right skills. When I learn to keep my balance better (like learning to ride a bike in some ways) then better form -- and sore muscles -- will follow.

your eyes do not deceive you

Figured no one would believe this without visual evidence. Husband and I shelled out the bucks the other night and joined a do jong -- that's a training hall for martial arts, if you couldn't guess from the picture. Tang Soo Do is our art, Moo Duk Kwan is our style. Moo means "stop conflict," and apparently the goal is "one hit, one kill," take your opponent down as efficiently as possible.

Earlier this summer we heard a presentation on the differences between historical and theatrical swordplay. Historically, the sword was not used for a lot of parrying and fancy footwork, but again, one hit one kill (clearly, this would remove a lot of the drama that goes into movie swordfighting).

Enough of that tangent for now though. We've attended two Tang Soo Do lessons. It reminds me a lot of the ballet lessons I took as a child, in that they both require a lot of balance and grace, neither of which come particularly easily to me. There was a lot to ballet intellectually that I just didn't "get" at the time either, which, in retrospect, I now understand (especially spotting), but would no longer attempt.

The master of our do jong also teaches yoga, so we gave that a try tonight. I wasn't really sure what to expect, and I'm not sure I'd say I liked it. But, if everyone else was concentrating as hard as I was, then I know none of them saw how awkward I was in some of those poses.