September 3, 2008
Kata in the Classroom
I collected my first assignments from my students yesterday. I imagined it would take me little more than an hour to get through their outlines. I figured I would finish both classes easily in one evening.
I barely finished my first class.
I don’t know. I guess I assumed that college freshman knew how to write an outline. I assumed that when I gave them a template to follow, they’d follow it. I assumed that a textbook full of examples that I explicitly pointed out to them would be enough to insure they used the correct format.
Wrong.
Tomorrow it’s back to the drawing board. How can one possibly put together an organized piece of writing without proper planning? I am hoping that my speech class follows directions better than my writing class.
In other teaching news, I actually used kata in my speech class yesterday. The lecture topic was controlling nervousness. We talked about different techniques that the students can use to release excess adrenalin before a speech and how to calm themselves down. I told them what my karate teacher always says: "The person who controls their breathing controls the fight." I told them that it’s really no different with public speaking.
We talked about pausing in appropriate places and I even had them do some calming lamaze breathing. After that I told them about breathing kata and we practiced tensing up muscles and then releasing the tension, and how doing this before speaking helps calm nerves. It was a cool way to incorporate my karate training into everyday life. Looking around the classroom, I think the students thought so too.
I may not be back in the classroom (dojo) myself yet, but I am getting the itch to return in a major way. All this stress from going back to work part time (out of the house) could use some release. It’s been almost a year now of pent up stress. I can’t believe that it’s almost been a year since that horrible night that literally changed my life. I know my leg muscle isn’t ready yet, but I’m starting to think that it might never be ready, so why wait? I’m going to put my brace on this weekend and run through some kata at a very slow speed and see how it goes. If all goes well, I’m heading back very soon.
September 1, 2008
It was good while it lasted. . .
The voting has ended and yours truly will not be gracing a month of the Hot Blogger Calendar. Despite being on the leaderboard all week, it just wasn’t meant to be. I don’t usually win things. It would have blown my whole "I never win anything, wah" whine-fest to pieces. I’m sort of relieved I can still use it. I’ve also been invited to my friend’s beach house the same weekend as the shoot. I’m just supposed to be at the beach I guess.
Avitable sent me a very sweet email and recommended I make my own calendar. I just wanted to take the opportunity to thank all of you who went and voted for me. I had more votes than I could have ever imagined and I truly appreciate your support.
In other news, I had my second fantasy football draft this weekend and ended up with the following team:
QB: Jay Cutler
QB: Jake Delhomme
QB: Jason Campbell
RB: Steven Jackson
RB: Willie Parker
RB: Michael Turner
RB: Matt Forte
RB: Rashard Mendenhall
WR: Braylon Edwards
WR: Santonio Holmes
WR: Roy Williams
WR: Chris Chambers
TE: Heath Miller
TE: Todd Heap
D/ST: Giants
K: Shayne Graham
If you have a big question mark when you see I have three QB’s, yeah, I get you. I have that question mark too. It boiled down to being my last pick and I just had no clue who to take. Playing in a league of 12 teams is a lot different than playing in a league of only eight. Yes, I also realize that I drafted the entire Steelers team with the exception of the QB, defense and kicker. There’s no need to point out how silly my team looks right now or how I’ll suffer during that bye week. I realize I have several "not hot" players. It seems to be the theme for the weekend, and I’m cool with that. Cool, not hot. There you have it.
August 30, 2008
The Meaning of a Name
After a long first week of school for all of us, we decided to grab a quick dinner at Friendly’s. We waited too long. Lil C was tired and beyond hungry. When she’s tired, look out. She has violent tendencies. She’ll pinch you and laugh while she does it. She gets whiny and miserable. Unfortunately, I’m always the one who has to sit beside her in the booth.
While trying to ignore the whining, Big I was telling us about her day at school. Her teacher had been paging through a book of names and telling them what their names mean. She went around the classroom and told Big I that her name means, "belongs to God." Although we knew the meaning of her name when we chose it, we didn’t know that we were giving her a very appropriate name for her personality. She is an angel, a total sweetheart. She also had that whole saintly experience last year. It was pretty amazing to us. She then went on to tell us that her teacher said that her own name means, "one who will never be married." Mr. BBM and I cracked up laughing. Clearly, the 2nd graders don’t get her humor. She’s an older single woman and she’s a riot.
At some point in the conversation, Big I asked us what Lil C’s name means. I laughed for a moment and then said, "Her name means prophetess of doom’." Big I almost spit her milk out her nose. Through her laughter she said, "What does that mean?"
"Well, it means ‘one who fortells or predicts bad things will happen." Big I threw her head back so hard from laughing that she smacked her head on the booth. Mr. BBM was laughing equally hard. It was contagious, so I was cracking up laughing too while Lil C sat there looking serious, perhaps as if she were about to predict doom.
We didn’t know it at the time, but we picked a near perfect name for Lil C as well. She is the little devil to Big I’s angel. She can predict doom because she’s usually the one causing it. The other night, she covered herself head to toe in baby powder, leaving little powder footprints all over the carpet upstairs and making herself look like a ghost. Two days before that, she ventured into my Mom’s room and loaded the toilet with toilet paper. She’s always finding a way to get into trouble.
Last night, as my parents were packing up to go on vacation, Lil C looked right at my Mom and said, "You’re going to die at the beach." I told her that wasn’t nice and asked her why she said that and she matter-of-factly said, "Mom-Mom, you’re going to die at the beach." I strongly discouraged my parents from taking their ocean kayak along after she said that and my Mom got a little panicky. It was kind of creepy, but I figured that Big I, with her fascination for all things morbid (like the dead mouse on the street in front of our new home), put her up to it.
Later last night, as I was drafting my fantasy football team, I thought maybe Lil C meant that fortelling for me. With a draft pick five out of eight, I was concerned about my team. Plus, I did no pre-season studying like I usually do. I simply haven’t had time. So, here’s my team:
QB: Donovan McNabb
QB: Matt Schaub
RB: Brian Westbrook
RB: Marion Barber
RB: Lendale White
RB: Jerious Norwood
WR: Reggie Wayne
WR: TJ Houshmandzadeh
WR: Santonio Holmes
WR: Nate Burleson
WR: Chris Chambers
TE: Kellen Winslow
TE: Ben Watson
D/ST: Chargers
K: Nick Folk
With the exception of Kellen Winslow, I don’t have a single player I had last year. Maybe this spells fantasy victory? I’ll have to see what my little prophetess of doom thinks.
Voting for the Hot Blogger Calendar ends on Sunday. Please click over and vote for me if you haven’t already. Thanks for all the votes and the plugs.
August 29, 2008
Exciting Day for the Ladies
I was feeling completely disenchanted with politics. This after I spent hours involved in the last two previous Presidential campaigns. I didn’t think I could get excited about a VP candidate. Today, that has all changed.
This is an exciting day for women everywhere and I couldn’t be happier. She’s a Mom of five kids (one of them a special needs child), a former sportscaster, a hockey player and potentially our next Vice President.
Congratulations to Sarah Palin! She just made my day. I’m officially excited about the election!
August 28, 2008
Because IT is ON
When I was first nominated for this calendar thing, I thought it was pretty funny. I’m a Mom of two girls. The most prominent picture of me on this blog is one in which I’m wearing a baggy gi. Being nominated was nice though, especially when one of the ladies commented here the other day and told me what the anonymous person who nominated me said about me. After giving birth, it’s nice to know you’ve still got it, at least a little bit anyway.
Once the voting started, I clicked on over there and was shocked to see that I was in the top 12. How on Earth did that happen? I’m not tech savvy. I have no robot that will vote for me 24/7. I only have my readers, my friends and my family (and trust me when I tell you that asking my Dad to vote for me for "Hot Blogger Calendar" was just not going to sit well with him so I didn’t bother to ask).
For those of you who know me personally, you know that I am one competitive girl. Mr. BBM and I are super competitive with each other about everything. I hate to lose. I must always win, whether it’s a game, a debate, or a competition.
So, I’m calling out all the stops and I’m giving you all the reasons you’ll need to go and vote for me and secure my spot in the top 12.
1. Girls in gi’s are hot (usually because we’re sweating but still, one can’t argue this point).
2. I can represent for karate girls everywhere. Forget these lingerie clad women; tough is hotter.
3. I doubt many other women have weapons they can bring to a photo shoot. Weapons are hot.
4. Garter belts may be hot; but an obi (karate belt) is hotter.
5. I used to have a dentist named Dr. "Hot"tenstein. No lie. Would I have had a dentist with that name if a spot in the top 12 wasn’t destiny?
6. There are many people on the internet who think feet are hot. Karate women don’t wear shoes. No shoes=hot.
7. I have quite a temper sometimes, a "hot" temper.
8. I recently went to the beach and stayed in a "hot"el. Uh-huh, that’s right. Would a not hot person stay in a "hot"el? I think not.
9. When I was a kid, I used to eat "red hots" so obviously part of my body composition is "hot." You are what you eat right?
10. Doesn’t the girl who did this deserve a spot in the hot 12?
Go and vote. You only have until September 1st to have your voice heard!
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