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Day 864: No Rest
Jan. 23rd, 2010 07:54 pmI must be wicked, because apparently there is no rest for the wicked. Grrr.
Last night was by far the most fun I've had at ninjitsu. Ever. Angela came along to the young adult class and seemed to like it, so there is some talk of her signing up. We had fun - we did weapon evasions and line drills and the like. Also...Sensei Raymond? Turned a hula hoop into the weapon. Never going down the toy aisle at Wal-mart with him. It was pretty darn awesome and hardcore, though.
Now, I am taking ninjitsu, and everyone who knows what it is asks, "Ninjitsu, like what ninjas learned?" And I nod, so they ask, "But they're not teaching you to be an actual ninja, are they?" and I say, "Of course not. It's super awesome martial arts with a particular self-defense philosophy, because being a martial artist is not about starting fights."
And it's not. Except for that once in a blue moon when Sensei Doss decides to teach us how to be be ninjas. He taught is the ninja sneak-walk and the stealth run. I got the walk down, I think, and the run all right (apparently all those years of dancing have finally paid off), but I was lame at doing distance dives off the balance beams onto the mats, and I am also lame at stealth landing off of jumps. Once he taught us how to sneak around, he taught us...how to climb a wall and kill unsuspecting guards. Seriously. Okay, I was lame and making it over the wall and really only did well when we partner-climbed the wall. (The wall was a thick gymnastics mat turned on its side, since we share space with gymnasts.) Best moment of the night ever? Taking a running leap at the wall, only to discover that no one was holding the wall up and fall flat on my back (I remembered to tuck my chin this time) while the wall fell on Sensei Raymond. Lots of laughter. I learned how to slide down a low wall and silently, and I learned how to sort-of snake down a taller wall without smashing my own face in. And then we practice super fancy rolling, where we all roll one right after the other and jump over each other and things. Since I was the low rank I rolled first and didn't jump over anyone (which was really for the best) and it looked pretty darn cool.
It was kind of frightening in the dark. Because we did a whole lot in the dark. One of the black belts has a ninja mask and everything, and he pretty much vanished in the shadows. Sure, on the spongy gym floor things creak and stuff, but out on the city streets where there's traffic and people - man. Silence from a person is uncanny.
That was some of the best fun I've had in a while. I came away with my first real bruise, which is saying a lot because I bruise easily, but then it doesn't say much because I didn't even notice the bruise till this morning. For a few minutes I thought it was just the shadow cast by my sleeve.
Today was...so, so long. Seriously. I was at school at nine for street law orientation (after having a series of morning nightmares in which I missed the class), which was good, if long. Professor Strand provided bagels, which was awesome. I'm excited for the class, although a bit nervous as to how it's going to all work out, what with me working at the clinic fifteen hours a week (I may have to give up some Saturdays after all). Still, it'll be good times, and I do need to learn how to deal with teenagers.
After orientation I went and judged the undergrad mock trial tournament. I was the presiding judge after the 2L and 1L with me decided I ought to be (me having been on a trial team last semester helped). I was glad, because otherwise I'd have been bored out of my skull. It was a murder trial. I thought the prosecution was clearly the better team - better organized, better prepared, a bit smoother, better with witness control - but both teams did well. Occasionally on objections we had two ships passing in the night, one person objecting on foundation and another answering to an unasked objection on hearsay. Oh well. Afterwards I escaped and ran to do some much-needed shopping; I talked to Jenny (from Oregon) while I was getting craft supplies and then I talked to Amber, randomly, who is repainting Jordan, Aaron, and Rustin's kitchen. Go figure.
I made it home, and as I was unpacking my groceries, I saw a dead mouse. On my floor.
Three mice.
Two months.
Nagi is not a happy camper. I screamed like a girl (because that was hardly the way I expected to be welcomed home) and went to get Neighbor Stacey to help me dispose of the thing. I talked to Mum and Dad on Skype from China, and I ate supper, and...I had every intention of filling out my bar application, but I feel seriously dead.
So...I think I'm going to watch The Proposal and go to bed. After all, church is at nine tomorrow.
I was a little disheartened to discover that I have had somewhere to be at nine a.m. every day this week.
I want to sleep in.
Last night was by far the most fun I've had at ninjitsu. Ever. Angela came along to the young adult class and seemed to like it, so there is some talk of her signing up. We had fun - we did weapon evasions and line drills and the like. Also...Sensei Raymond? Turned a hula hoop into the weapon. Never going down the toy aisle at Wal-mart with him. It was pretty darn awesome and hardcore, though.
Now, I am taking ninjitsu, and everyone who knows what it is asks, "Ninjitsu, like what ninjas learned?" And I nod, so they ask, "But they're not teaching you to be an actual ninja, are they?" and I say, "Of course not. It's super awesome martial arts with a particular self-defense philosophy, because being a martial artist is not about starting fights."
And it's not. Except for that once in a blue moon when Sensei Doss decides to teach us how to be be ninjas. He taught is the ninja sneak-walk and the stealth run. I got the walk down, I think, and the run all right (apparently all those years of dancing have finally paid off), but I was lame at doing distance dives off the balance beams onto the mats, and I am also lame at stealth landing off of jumps. Once he taught us how to sneak around, he taught us...how to climb a wall and kill unsuspecting guards. Seriously. Okay, I was lame and making it over the wall and really only did well when we partner-climbed the wall. (The wall was a thick gymnastics mat turned on its side, since we share space with gymnasts.) Best moment of the night ever? Taking a running leap at the wall, only to discover that no one was holding the wall up and fall flat on my back (I remembered to tuck my chin this time) while the wall fell on Sensei Raymond. Lots of laughter. I learned how to slide down a low wall and silently, and I learned how to sort-of snake down a taller wall without smashing my own face in. And then we practice super fancy rolling, where we all roll one right after the other and jump over each other and things. Since I was the low rank I rolled first and didn't jump over anyone (which was really for the best) and it looked pretty darn cool.
It was kind of frightening in the dark. Because we did a whole lot in the dark. One of the black belts has a ninja mask and everything, and he pretty much vanished in the shadows. Sure, on the spongy gym floor things creak and stuff, but out on the city streets where there's traffic and people - man. Silence from a person is uncanny.
That was some of the best fun I've had in a while. I came away with my first real bruise, which is saying a lot because I bruise easily, but then it doesn't say much because I didn't even notice the bruise till this morning. For a few minutes I thought it was just the shadow cast by my sleeve.
Today was...so, so long. Seriously. I was at school at nine for street law orientation (after having a series of morning nightmares in which I missed the class), which was good, if long. Professor Strand provided bagels, which was awesome. I'm excited for the class, although a bit nervous as to how it's going to all work out, what with me working at the clinic fifteen hours a week (I may have to give up some Saturdays after all). Still, it'll be good times, and I do need to learn how to deal with teenagers.
After orientation I went and judged the undergrad mock trial tournament. I was the presiding judge after the 2L and 1L with me decided I ought to be (me having been on a trial team last semester helped). I was glad, because otherwise I'd have been bored out of my skull. It was a murder trial. I thought the prosecution was clearly the better team - better organized, better prepared, a bit smoother, better with witness control - but both teams did well. Occasionally on objections we had two ships passing in the night, one person objecting on foundation and another answering to an unasked objection on hearsay. Oh well. Afterwards I escaped and ran to do some much-needed shopping; I talked to Jenny (from Oregon) while I was getting craft supplies and then I talked to Amber, randomly, who is repainting Jordan, Aaron, and Rustin's kitchen. Go figure.
I made it home, and as I was unpacking my groceries, I saw a dead mouse. On my floor.
Three mice.
Two months.
Nagi is not a happy camper. I screamed like a girl (because that was hardly the way I expected to be welcomed home) and went to get Neighbor Stacey to help me dispose of the thing. I talked to Mum and Dad on Skype from China, and I ate supper, and...I had every intention of filling out my bar application, but I feel seriously dead.
So...I think I'm going to watch The Proposal and go to bed. After all, church is at nine tomorrow.
I was a little disheartened to discover that I have had somewhere to be at nine a.m. every day this week.
I want to sleep in.
