I really miss practicing martial arts, its been what, like 3 years now. Since my depression, multiple hospitalizations, anti-depressants, etc, I’ve gained weight, lost muscle tone, and have the cardio of a sloth. Forget my totemic animal being the panther, I should change it to the sloth. Moving in slo-mo.

It’s just really hard to jump back into being active. People, including myself, keep on telling me to just take it slowly, but it’s hard to commit to just walking. Martial arts was easier to have a commitment to, because the dojo is like one big family that harasses you constantly if you don’t show up for scheduled events, such as pummeling one another. They help encourage you, motivate you, and if necessary pester you. The problem is, I don’t think I can go back to the dojo even at the lowest level of class… they’ve told me I can keep my high blue belt, and even just come and do white belt classes if I want, or go to any classes, or basically do whatever I’m comfortable doing. You know what my biggest hesitation is into going back? I don’t know if I can get martial arts pants in my size any more, particularly black ones. I am NOT going into the dojo looking like a retarted blue belt michelin man. Look, she’s got a high belt, but turns red and barfs if she moves for more than 3 minutes in a row, and she’s dressed head to toe in heavy white cotton, who the hell is this person? Humility.

I need more of it, or at least be able to put my pride aside enough to gain my health back.

However, now that the puppy has her second set of shots, she is walk-able. So I will have more of an excuse to get out and stroll, two dogs to walk means two dog walkers, and maybe Wolfe and I can start a new ritual of dog walking together. I also want to look into puppy school. Every dog I’ve had I’ve taken to puppy school. Even if you don’t ‘learn’ much getting to spend an hour in the company of a dozen puppies of all breeds being ultra cute is well worth the weekly fee, less than a movie, and definitely as enjoyable. They should sell spectator tickets. Some of the people are pretty amusing too as they desperately try to get fido or fifi to work out what it is they are trying to put across. The dogs aren’t really the ones being trained so much as the people. The woman that holds the classes we go to has realized this long ago, and not only does she get people to bring treats to reward the puppies with as they learn, she herself brings candies and chocolate to reward the people when they do it right.

Good girl! works pretty much the same most of the time on people as it does on dogs. We all love a little praise and reward…

mmmm baby, bribe me!

XOX
Leila

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 29th, 2004 at 10:49 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.