Sweat angels

The type of physical awareness we have and the kind of relationship we maintain with our bodies influence our personality  at least as much as the kind of books we read.
-Daniele Bolelli, On The Warrior’s Path




My right heel has been hurting for several days. Since it began the day after a midday workshift during which I was on my feet all day and wearing less-than-perfect shoes, I assumed it was just that. But now it's been several days, and it hurt quite loudly when I first got up today. So now I'm Googling plantar fasciitis and getting all anxious. The last thing I need is another chronic physical condition that's going to make it harder for me to do jiu jitsu!! CK complains enough about her P.F. that I'm pretty sure it is something I do not want.

Thursday evening at Bellevue.

All spars. I notice in the last six months that "all spars" day is more intense- in spite of my size, when I'm at Bellevue or Seattle I get paired almost exclusively with purples-and-up (plus a couple of odd blues who OUGHT to be purples- Ron, Marcelo, Glenn, I'm looking at YOU). Doing several spars in a row with all purples-and-up will take it outta you, for sure.

After much frustration and nearly giving up, I dove in and started completely over with the antlered headdress. Hallelujia, it worked this time. It's not the most comfortable thing I've ever had on my head, but I think it will be bearable (ought to wear it around the house for a few hours straight to make sure). I ended up ditching the Cliff Keene and the fur, and using the coated wire with plastic ivy and a lot of zip ties. There are a few charms hiding here and there amongst the ivy- wing, key, dragonfly, Chinese fortune coin, citrine, garnet, chestnut, drum token.

4 pounds down, 12 to go as of Friday.
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Saturday: Heel still hurts. I feel like the Little Mermaid- fated "to have every step feel like walking on knives". It's not really that severe as of yet, but enough to change my gait. It worries me, since I didn't really *do* anything to myself to precipitate this. I'm picturing trying to Herald in this condition next month- that would suck mightily. I had been planning to make a point of trying to do a little more of my own heralding this year. It's so nice to have good workers, but I do kinda miss the grunt work.

Kindle Adventures: I have discovered that most of Andrew Lang's "colored fairy" series of old fairy tale books are free on the Kindle. I downloaded all the free ones. I read many of these in the library as a kid, and I have a few of the dead-tree ones. These little stories are nice bites to read before bed or in a grocery line.

I have also found that there are several collections of book excerpts and teasers that are presented in batches as free downloads. This is nice- I like a chance to browse authors that I'm not familiar with, with no commitment. Unfortunately, I downloaded a shapechanger novella that turned out to be a **Harlequin**- now the commercials on my Kindle are all for bodice-rippers, LOL. Annoying, but at least I won't be tempted to spend money.

The library Kindle books I want all have waiting lists. I was, however, able to reserve a Stephen King novella on DVD. He has a few that were never released in print, and I don't have them. I'm excited to get this one, which- ironically- is about a guy who just got his first Kindle.... and mayhem ensues. I'm listening to it in the car.
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Following Thursday. Still with the heel pain, although I have not been in class for a week and have also been thoughtful about what shoes I wear. Worried.

Thursday lunchtime in Belle. All spars. Also- Carly got her blue belt!

I had a really good practice today. I had no plan to participate in "Operation Be More Aggressive"- although Lord knows I could use it- and Leslie wrote a a post about it the other day that had me checking and rechecking the blog header to make sure I wasn't reading my own writing. I can't stick to any sort of "plan" during spars because as soon as I engage, my brain fills up with white noise and I can't think.

Yet the concept may have been crawling around in the back of my neurons somewhere, because I was pressing everybody harder than usual. I was able to be more conscious about choosing, securing, keeping, and using grips than normal. I was also more mobile and spent less time in Clench-N-Cling (tm), less time parked in defensive positions while allowing my opponent to ponder and then set up an attack. Mostly stayed on top. Spent a bit of time in turtle and under back mount, but always got out.

 I had all colored belts, and I was competitive with all of them today. Got subbed a few times, but *I* also got a few taps (a rarity). I went pretty hard on Carly, but hope I adequately communicated that I was doing so out of respect.

Went with Frasier twice. He was using strength a bit, but is also decently technical. I think I would have started getting discouraged (and thus less dynamic), except that he was panting like a terrier- which told me that he was tired. After the spar, I suggested that he try to moderate his breathing (suggested the same to Hedge, who was complaining about his cardio). The second time I went with Frasier, I said, "I don't wanna hear any huffing and puffing during this match." He answered, "Yes, coach."  ;)

Hedge told me that I felt like a sack of rice parked on his ribs. I was quite pleased.

You know it's been a good class when you line up to bow out and the whole mat is covered with sweat angels.

Have been doing well with the diet (which pleases me, as I have spent too much time at home sitting on my ass with the Kindle in my hand this week... at least I wasn't feeding my face while I was doing that), a little less well with the soda. Bobbing up and down between 136.5 and 138.5 all week.