Me and My Annoying Knee
I went to the dojo tonight for the early class. I figured if I was feeling good enough, I’d stay for the late class. I wasn’t so I didn’t.
Stretches went fine until we got to the sit-ups. I had no idea that ACL surgery also eliminates stomach muscles, but apparently it does. I haven’t exactly kept up with sit-ups in my months away from karate. I’m going to pay for that tomorrow.
Push-ups went better if you ignore the awkward girl stance I was in with my bad leg out straight and all my weight balanced between my hands and my one good knee. Something tells me my good knee may soon be my second bad knee.
We started off class with some basic moving drills; and they were uncomfortable and nerve-wracking. I wanted to be concentrating on my hip movement, my stances and making my arms do the right things at the right time. Instead, I spent the entire moving drill concentrating on that sink, twist and step out motion that was causing twinges of pain every single time I did them.
We then stood in Nai Hanchi for a while and worked on different strikes. While I wanted to concentrate on my punches, I ended up watching myself in the mirror and the obvious lean I was doing onto my good leg. I kept trying to make myself center up again, but I’d always find myself leaning back to the right side again.
Then I got a cramp in my calf muscle. My leg muscles just aren’t conditioned enough yet. Nai Hanchi stances kills. When we moved on to some kicking drills, I bowed out for a bit. Soon, I was called to go downstairs for Big I’s promotion. She got a promotion and a stripe tonight and another green belt dad and I got to play the role of "yudansha."
Big I thought it was fun to bow to me after she was given her certificate. I was just relieved when I could get off the floor after agonizing in an awkward seiza which was pretty much me kneeling on one knee with my left leg hanging out awkwardly to the left.
When I went back upstairs, they were working on more kicking drills. I don’t have clearance to do that yet, and I was feeling sore and tired so I went home.
Unlike the week before, I didn’t have a good ride home. This knee business absolutely sucks on so many levels. I’m one of those people that wants to do something and do it well. Right now, I can’t do anything well when it comes to karate. I can’t clear my head because I’m always worried about my knee; and I can’t do anything the way its supposed to be done.
I feel like a slacker and a loser and I don’t like it one bit. Maybe it was too soon to go back. Maybe I’m just not there yet. On the drive home, all I kept thinking is that I may not ever get back to where I was before and that is beyond frustrating.
I’m going to try to just get it out of my head. I’m reading a book called "Me, Chi and Bruce Lee" about a guy who attempts to get a black belt, gets a bunch of injuries, and "learns what the martial arts is all about." I’m on Chapter 3 right now and I’m thinking this is just the book I need to be reading right now.
Floor and Cabinets and Sinks, Oh MY!
Things are getting exciting people. . .
The kitchen cabinets are in!
We took these when it was REALLY dark outside and we don’t yet have our electric turned on, but I couldn’t wait to show you. When I stop by tomorrow, I’ll get daytime pictures.
My above-the-refrigerator wine rack. This was my idea and the cabinet guy made it custom for a lot less money than one would think he would charge.
Woo hoo! The master bathroom. We just need our tile surrounding the jacuzzi tub now and the tile is done!
This is the hall bath:
Now we just need our countertops, appliances, lights (being installed on Monday). . .
I am bursting with excitement!!!
Call the Fashion Police and Get me some Hydrocortisone
I hate to wash new clothing. What fits perfectly in the store always fits differently after being washed. I neglected to pick out my clothes for teaching last night, so I was scrambling in a dark closet this morning. A wash in cold water and a dry on delicate didn’t help. My pants that were previously the perfect length are now an inch shorter. They’re not flood pants but they’re not touching my heels the way I like.
My sweater said "lay flat to dry" but it was put in the dryer by accident. It now shows my puny muscular arms and my lower back when I sit. It’s not at all cool, but not enough of a reason to abandon the outfit altogether.
As I was finishing up in the bathroom, my Mom walked by me and told me that the pocket flaps on the butt were sticking up. I hate ironing, but this was one pair of pants that needed it. Unless I wanted to look like I had wings on my butt, I was going to have to break out the iron. I begrudgingly made my way to the laundry room and worked for a good five minutes to get those flaps flat. I abandoned the mission when I realized that it just wasn’t going to happen. They weren’t sticking straight up anymore, but they definitely didn’t look the way they did when I bought them.
I should also mention that I have two mosquito bites on my forehead. One is dead center and the other is right near the part in my hair. Unless I take the Donald Trump approach, there was just no way to create a sweeping bang that sufficiently covered up the bites. When I get a mosquito bite, it’s very bad. I have scars on my legs from them. Apparently, I am very sensitive and possibly even allergic to them, and I react badly. The forehead is no exception to the swelling and redness that accompanies such a bug bite for me. I’ve been getting picked on by my family for days now.
So, with flaps sticking up on my pants and a heavy sweeping bang, I trudged off to campus this morning, intent on keeping the attention off of me and my obvious fashion and complexion faux-pas.
I felt I had made it and was walking down the steps of the building that houses my classroom after class, when a man with a large camera approached me. He surprised me and asked if he could use me as a model. I didn’t feel like I really had a choice. I sort of nodded and he mumbled that he would be right back. In his place, he left a huge camera case filled with equipment.
A student was nearby studying outside and he said, "Don’t worry. He’s legit. He was in my class taking pictures this morning." So I waited and he emerged with a student who looked as bewildered and unsure as I felt. He instructed us to walk awkwardly close together, down the sidewalk, while he stood about a half block away snapping pictures of us. He instructed us to smile and use hand gestures. I had never seen this student before. Awkward was putting it lightly.
We exchanged introductions as we walked down the sidewalk. Then the photographer had us stop, go back and start over again. This time, he wanted us to walk even more closely together, with more hand gestures. He did, however, tell me that my hair was behaving just as it should. "It’s blowing in the breeze beautifully." "Good," I thought to myself, "then maybe people won’t notice my forehead."
After we had walked down the sidewalk three times, the photographer had us stand extremely close together. He instructed me to stand there and appear interested, smiling, while the student had to use hand gestures. We did this for at least five minutes. We were running out of casual conversation for when you have to stand too close to someone.
When we were all finished, I asked the photographer how these pictures will be used. Apparently, the admissions office will be using them for their website, brochures and other promotional materials (including advertisements) for the university.
At this point, I’m just worried about showing up in the "don’t" column of some magazine. Maybe I’ll get on a makeover show someday after all.
Single-Handedly Solving the Economic Crisis
Today, the tile guys were in our house putting in our kitchen and bathroom floors. The stone guys would have finished the exterior this weekend, had they not run out of stone. Things are definitely moving, as well they should be. It’s just two weeks until settlement.
The kitchen cabinets go in on Wednesday and the hardwood goes in on Thursday and Friday. It’s going to be an exciting week. Tonight, Mr. BBM sent me through the family room window so I could make my way to the front door and let him in. We’re officially at the sneaky entry stage.
With the move just two weeks away, I like to think that Mr. BBM and I are helping the economy by purchasing this new house. We are paying the salaries of the builder’s guys and the subcontractors. We’ll also be giving Lowe’s a bump in profits this month. There are so many things to buy for this house!
We decided to wait until we’re actually moved in to figure out blinds and curtains for each room. We will, however, have to get something for the bathroom windows so that we can put them up asap. I was thinking that I might already have curtains for much of the house already. Then I realized something. In the house we sold, we had 11 windows. In our new house, we’ll have 11 windows just upstairs! There are an additional 13 downstairs, plus sliding glass doors.
So far, on our list to help the economy, we have:
- mailbox post
- mailbox
- blinds/curtains for five bathroom windows
- two automatic garage door openers
- bathroom hardware for master bathroom
- trash & recycling cans
- stools for breakfast island (already purchased-you’re welcome Pier 1)
- Under-cabinet lights (We roughed in but decided to do it ourselves)
- Lights for all the closets (We roughed in but decided to do it ourselves)
- New Christmas tree (We threw our mess of a tree away last year after realizing that we could no longer spin the unlit parts around to the back anymore. There were just that many unlit spots.)
- New toaster (We tossed that too when we packed up and moved. We’ve had it since college and it was starting to give us flame-grilled toast.)
- About 1000 other things
So, to all of you fearing that your stocks are taking a hit, that your 401K will never be the same, never fear. BBM is here to single-handedly jump start the economy. Inside trading tip: purchase Lowe’s stock. Do it NOW!
There are some new reviews up at The BBM Review. If you’re interested in winning a Sesame Street K’nex set, don’t forget to leave a comment on that review. There are also reviews up of two new martial arts books.
Happy 3rd Birthday
Dear Lil C:
Today you turned three years old. I can hardly believe it. Three years ago tonight, I was bringing you home from the hospital for the very first time. You were tiny and beautiful, and though you’re growing like a weed, you’re just as beautiful now.
Lil C, 2 months old
I remember holding you and rocking you in the middle of one of those first nights. I caught our reflection in the mirror and remember thinking, "Always remember this moment. Always remember how this feels to have this tiny, perfect baby curled up so perfectly on your shoulder."
I will never forget.
Lil C, 1 year old
You have always had this fighter spirit about you. In recent months, you’ve shown me that you don’t need me to stand up for you. You are perfectly capable of doing it all by yourself.
Lil C, two years old
You want to do pretty much everything all by yourself, including dressing yourself and brushing your own teeth. You even wanted to put your own sunscreen on this summer.
Your questions never cease to amaze me. You’re forever curious about how to make milkshakes, cookies and hamburgers. You can also make a mean salad. There is no denying you like to eat, so it is easy to see you as a future foodie or famous chef.
You are now, and will always be Mommy’s little spit-fire. When you’re having a grumpy day and people tell me you’re just like your Mommy, I couldn’t be prouder. It’s nice to have a partner in not backing down.
I can always count on you to be my little beach bum girl. When everyone is heading to the pool, I know we’ll be carrying our buckets to the beach.
Lil C, two months shy of third birthday (above).
You’re like me in more ways than just the spit-fire qualities. Neither of us like rides that go in circles, go too fast, or in any way surprise us. At an amusement park last week, you leaped off a carousel horse mid-ride and were content to eat your way through the park instead.
Lil C, one week shy of third birthday.
I feel like you are this very special blessing that has come into my life; and I feel blessed and privileged to be your Mommy.
I hope you had a wonderful birthday today Lil C. No matter how big you get, you will always be my baby.
I love you,
Mommy (Black Belt Mommy)
For the story of Lil C’s birth, go here.
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