Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Out of the Comfort Zone
After the sons and I registered for the GoRuck Challenge described in this post as well as here GoRuck started some new events one of which is the GoRuck Light, the "Light" making it about half of a Challenge. The first one was last weekend in New York City. On Saturday, we'll take part in the second, in Washington, DC. We figured it would help us prepare for the Challenge in May. It's about half as long time-wise and distance-wise and I at least will be carrying half the weight I will in the Challenge. Am I nervous? Hell, yes, but I'd be more scared if I weren't.
We will start Saturday at 7:00 a.m. on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. When I heard this, I got pretty revved up. What a cool place to start. The end of the Mall away from the Capitol and where so many events of note have taken place. Add this new event of note, though I don't think there will be all that many tourists around to watch us start. Fortunately, we have a dear friend in the area who offered to drop us off despite the early hour meaning that I don't need to worry over where to park. There is no guarantee that we will finish anywhere near where we start, and I would hate to return to find our car had been ticketed or towed.
Through two Facebook groups associated with the event--one that can be viewed by the cadre (leaders) who will be putting us through our paces and one that can't--I've "met" a few of the folks we will be rucking with. Some will be coming to Charlottesville in May, so we can start bonding now. Personalities have already started to emerge. Those of us who are GoRuck virgins and nervous about what we may have gotten ourselves in for have been encouraged and calmed by those who are GoRuck veterans. They have stressed that it will be about teamwork more than strength or endurance or ability. We shall see.
My nerves have not been helped by the right thumb that took a hard bit in karate a week ago and another one last night. I did get an informal opinion from an orthopedist at Seal Team that while there could be a cracked bone, it wasn't clear that they'd even try much treatment other than rest. I tweaked my left wrist in karate last night, just a bit, and must have slept on it wrong because it hurt more this morning than it did last night. There are also the knee bands I wear on a daily bases. Feeling old? Not really, just decrepit.
The resident son and I have tried to prepare as best we can. We have read what we can find about past events--how to wrap the bricks we are required to carry so that they don't harm our packs, how to carry water, what gloves to wear, and so on. We have been wearing our loaded packs on a daily basis and this morning even practiced carrying a log while wearing them. We have experimented with different clothing options and have both pretty much decided what we each will wear depending on the predicted weather. Finally, we have continued with daily (well, weekdaily) Seal Team workouts and told ourselves that the Light will just be a week's worth of those in one morning. We can do this.
Will we succeed? Everyone on last week's Light finished, so there is no reason to think that our Light will be different. I am skipping karate tonight to protect thumb and wrist and will be extra careful about them at Seal Team workouts. If I'm lucky, all will go well. If you're lucky, I'll remember and make the time afterwards to post something here about how it all went.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Russia? Really?
I was taking a break from trying to put a zipper into a sweater just now and decided to check some of the statistics associated with this blog. Evidently, there have been more page views from Russia (32) than from the U.S. (30). Say what? I find it hard to believe that the words I write or the photos I share (there will be more soon once post-holiday busyness passes) are of that much interest to people in Russia. I don't know anybody in Russia! The Russian mafia perhaps, or the source of all spams and Internet hacks? It at least keeps life interesting to ponder the significance of this statistic in either frequentist or Bayesian terms.
Friday, January 11, 2013
A Postscript to the Last Post
I registered for the GoRuck Challenge because the sons encouraged me to. I told them that I hoped I wouldn't embarrass them. Younger son offered that the only way I would embarrass them would be to break down in tears during the first 10 minutes. I assured him that wouldn't happen. I treasure that my sons have welcomed me into parts of their worlds. Before I started doing Myo Sim kendo seven years ago, I asked them if my trying it would embarrass them. They assured me it would not and have encouraged me and practiced with me. Without their support, I would not have earned the black belt I now have. Older son now similarly encourages me in Myo Sim karate. I don't expect that I will ever have a black belt in that, but that's okay.
This morning's Seal Team workout was particularly tough. If earlier days this week were abs day, legs day, or arms day, today was kick-your-whole-body day. On the first set of routines, the one from which I emerged alone after everyone else, older son was one of the last to finish. He said that as he and his buddy left the field he noticed that there were three people still working, one of them me. I had not realized that today was that hard on him, too. At the finish, after we as members of the new class had been carried back to the parking lot by other team members, he offered me a rousing high five in recognition that we had both made it through the hour. As we got into the car, he told me that I would finish the GoRuck Challenge in May even if he and his brother had to carry me at the end, unless of course other team members were carrying them. I treasure that my sons have such faith in me.
That karate black belt I'll probably never earn? I'll probably never win the Mother of the Year award either, but that's okay, too. I think I'm doing pretty okay without it.
This morning's Seal Team workout was particularly tough. If earlier days this week were abs day, legs day, or arms day, today was kick-your-whole-body day. On the first set of routines, the one from which I emerged alone after everyone else, older son was one of the last to finish. He said that as he and his buddy left the field he noticed that there were three people still working, one of them me. I had not realized that today was that hard on him, too. At the finish, after we as members of the new class had been carried back to the parking lot by other team members, he offered me a rousing high five in recognition that we had both made it through the hour. As we got into the car, he told me that I would finish the GoRuck Challenge in May even if he and his brother had to carry me at the end, unless of course other team members were carrying them. I treasure that my sons have such faith in me.
That karate black belt I'll probably never earn? I'll probably never win the Mother of the Year award either, but that's okay, too. I think I'm doing pretty okay without it.
Your Race ... Your Pace
I normally hate motivational sayings and posters, being much more of a fan of the demotivational ones offered by despair.com, Earlier this morning, though, I loved hearing the words that are the title of this post. At the time, I was crab-walking across a soccer field, last in a group of more than 60 people. I had somewhat held my own during the bear crawl across the field, but the 25 star jumps once I got to the other side slowed me down a bit, and by the middle of the crab walk back across the field, I was in last place. By the time everyone else had finished and started to move on to the next field, I was still working on the third of the four exercises sets we were supposed to do. Given that we were supposed to find a buddy when we finished, I ended up being my own best friend.
Yes, Seal Team Physical Training is kicking my butt in a major way, but that's okay. For someone who has spent 56 years being so competitive that she eventually stopped playing most board games and any sports in which there had to be a winner, last place is a new place to be. I am learning that someone has to be last, and that the only losing is quitting. I am learning that I can do more than I think I can, and to pace myself to stay the course rather than to try to win. I am actually enjoying doing something at which I have no expectation of winning. I may not be able to win, but as long as I keep at it, I know I won't lose.
I particularly like that so many of the Seal Team exercises are done with partners or in a group, and that the goals set are for the group. If the goal is 100 situps, and I do 30 to my partner's 70, that's okay. Any contribution counts. For someone who many times has been the counterexample to "works and plays well with others" and who actively avoided any classroom group projects ever proposed, this is a major step forward. I hope that someday I might be contributing half of the goal for a buddy pair or the even percent of the goal of a larger group, but for now I will contribute what I can and try to contribute more the next time.
If you read my last post, you know that the reason I am doing Seal Team PT is to train for something called the GoRuck Challenge which sounds as if it's something like 12-14 Seal Team sessions, one right after another. I'll try to remember there what I'm learning here, that the only losing is quitting and that any contribution counts. I can do this; I really can. As they say in Seal Team, hoo-yah!
Yes, Seal Team Physical Training is kicking my butt in a major way, but that's okay. For someone who has spent 56 years being so competitive that she eventually stopped playing most board games and any sports in which there had to be a winner, last place is a new place to be. I am learning that someone has to be last, and that the only losing is quitting. I am learning that I can do more than I think I can, and to pace myself to stay the course rather than to try to win. I am actually enjoying doing something at which I have no expectation of winning. I may not be able to win, but as long as I keep at it, I know I won't lose.
I particularly like that so many of the Seal Team exercises are done with partners or in a group, and that the goals set are for the group. If the goal is 100 situps, and I do 30 to my partner's 70, that's okay. Any contribution counts. For someone who many times has been the counterexample to "works and plays well with others" and who actively avoided any classroom group projects ever proposed, this is a major step forward. I hope that someday I might be contributing half of the goal for a buddy pair or the even percent of the goal of a larger group, but for now I will contribute what I can and try to contribute more the next time.
If you read my last post, you know that the reason I am doing Seal Team PT is to train for something called the GoRuck Challenge which sounds as if it's something like 12-14 Seal Team sessions, one right after another. I'll try to remember there what I'm learning here, that the only losing is quitting and that any contribution counts. I can do this; I really can. As they say in Seal Team, hoo-yah!
Monday, December 31, 2012
Welcome Back, Me!
I've been pondering this obsession I seem to have with making resolutions at the end of each calendar year, assessing them on my birthday six months later, and then starting it all over six months after that. I also seem to have some obsession with making these resolutions public. It started with a resolution to put the laundry away before retiring for the night, something I did not publicize in my embarrassment that the bedroom was typically home to twin laundry baskets, and we went through the clean basket each morning in search of this or that item. Resolving just grew from there, though I tried to simplify things a bit a year ago. And let's just say that the six-month review is good to go for today as well.
So how do I satisfy the obsession this year? My cousin-in-law, Debi, called 2012 her "year of just because." In that vein, I'm thinking of 2013 as my "year of why the hell not." As younger son put it, the question to ask is not "why?" but "why the hell not?" I'd have to say that that about covers it for 2013, or at least the first half of it. I've committed to trying something about which I feel quite intimidated, a GoRuck Challenge. If you read through the comments on the aforementioned page, you'll see one from me asking if it's reasonable to think a 56-year-old woman can finish one of these. You'll also see the reply from one of the GoRuck founders that yes, it's quite reasonable in that it is more of a mental than physical challenge. Yeah, well, I have some problems in that regard, too, but hey. Why the hell not? Both sons are signed up, and both encouraged me to register. A friend who is one of our karate instructors said that he'd do it if I did (there's was a special in which two people could register for the price of one). It mean 137 days (according to a countdown widget that younger son put on my smart-aleck phone) of serious preparation, but the party at the end could be a doozey.
A couple of years ago, one of my resolutions was to try to learn to speak some Vietnamese. I bought a fairly cheap computer program and found it not very helpful at all. I did discover that a little goes a long way, though, scoring lots of points in Hue last spring by simply saying "thank you" in Vietnamese whenever appropriate. I gave in to all the reviews of Rosetta Stone and the incentive offered by having spent what it costs and purchased the three levels of Vietnamese they offer. It took three tries to get the first lesson finished to an acceptable level (I went from 70 percent correct to 79 percent to 92 percent at which point I was offered the chance to move to the next lesson), but I can see how the program is working. It really is immersion of a sort, and you really do start to make connections. There's no next trip to Vietnam scheduled, though I'm hoping for one in 2014. Hopefully, that will be enough time to learn a bit more than the "thank you" I already have.
And that's it. I think that's enough. I've been vacillating about keeping up the quickie photo blog that replaced the photo-a-day blog I did for the year in which I was 55 or bring my blogging efforts back here. I'll give it some thought over the next couple of days. The two things above will require some focused attention. There's also this thing called a job that clearly comes before time devoted to writing here. The martial arts I don't want to give up, and the creative efforts I'd like to do more of. How many balls can I keep in the air at one time? We shall see. In the meantime, happy new year. I think it's going to be a good one.
So how do I satisfy the obsession this year? My cousin-in-law, Debi, called 2012 her "year of just because." In that vein, I'm thinking of 2013 as my "year of why the hell not." As younger son put it, the question to ask is not "why?" but "why the hell not?" I'd have to say that that about covers it for 2013, or at least the first half of it. I've committed to trying something about which I feel quite intimidated, a GoRuck Challenge. If you read through the comments on the aforementioned page, you'll see one from me asking if it's reasonable to think a 56-year-old woman can finish one of these. You'll also see the reply from one of the GoRuck founders that yes, it's quite reasonable in that it is more of a mental than physical challenge. Yeah, well, I have some problems in that regard, too, but hey. Why the hell not? Both sons are signed up, and both encouraged me to register. A friend who is one of our karate instructors said that he'd do it if I did (there's was a special in which two people could register for the price of one). It mean 137 days (according to a countdown widget that younger son put on my smart-aleck phone) of serious preparation, but the party at the end could be a doozey.
A couple of years ago, one of my resolutions was to try to learn to speak some Vietnamese. I bought a fairly cheap computer program and found it not very helpful at all. I did discover that a little goes a long way, though, scoring lots of points in Hue last spring by simply saying "thank you" in Vietnamese whenever appropriate. I gave in to all the reviews of Rosetta Stone and the incentive offered by having spent what it costs and purchased the three levels of Vietnamese they offer. It took three tries to get the first lesson finished to an acceptable level (I went from 70 percent correct to 79 percent to 92 percent at which point I was offered the chance to move to the next lesson), but I can see how the program is working. It really is immersion of a sort, and you really do start to make connections. There's no next trip to Vietnam scheduled, though I'm hoping for one in 2014. Hopefully, that will be enough time to learn a bit more than the "thank you" I already have.
And that's it. I think that's enough. I've been vacillating about keeping up the quickie photo blog that replaced the photo-a-day blog I did for the year in which I was 55 or bring my blogging efforts back here. I'll give it some thought over the next couple of days. The two things above will require some focused attention. There's also this thing called a job that clearly comes before time devoted to writing here. The martial arts I don't want to give up, and the creative efforts I'd like to do more of. How many balls can I keep in the air at one time? We shall see. In the meantime, happy new year. I think it's going to be a good one.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
If Today Is Your Birthday ...
From today's Washington Post: TODAY'S BIRTHDAY / JULY 1: You get the lucky break you deserve this year. This month features well-considered financial and lifestyle decisions. August brings new friends, harmonious partnerships and shared adventures. October shows you the way to make more money. Family grows in November. Compelling new interests crop up in January. Aries and Virgo people adore you.
As translated or interpreted by older son: July: Choose new exercise/diet plan & it works! Commit to Pig's Nest (family compound in country), plan purchases. August: Meet hobo. Go into business w/ hobo. Road trip! October: Sell snarky gun/election themed crafts. November: Other son gets engaged / gets someone preggers. January: Kills deer.
The Post one is probably more likely, though the son one has possibilities. I guess I'll have to start hanging around the tracks, though, if I really want to meet a hobo.
As translated or interpreted by older son: July: Choose new exercise/diet plan & it works! Commit to Pig's Nest (family compound in country), plan purchases. August: Meet hobo. Go into business w/ hobo. Road trip! October: Sell snarky gun/election themed crafts. November: Other son gets engaged / gets someone preggers. January: Kills deer.
The Post one is probably more likely, though the son one has possibilities. I guess I'll have to start hanging around the tracks, though, if I really want to meet a hobo.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
The Road to Hell
I had good intentions of blogging here in the last six months minus one day. I really did. Does it count that I blogged a seven-week trip elsewhere (though truth be told, I still have at least one more post to write)? At least regular blogging was not one of the resolutions I made, unlike at least one earlier year. At the midway point of the year--which also happens to be my birthday--how am I doing on those resolutions for 2012? I made them more general this year, in hopes of being better able to meet them. Let's see if that helped.
In 2012, I shall be healthy. I've done this for the most part, especially since my physical in May. I'm putting much less caffeine in my body on a daily basis, and trying to snack only on fruits and vegetables. Since a friend's summer vacation from teaching started, I've been going to the gym with her in the mornings. This has made it easy to add some weights back into my fitness routine. I'm not doing the Lazyman Triathlon this year. One, having done it twice and one of those being in two weeks rather than a month, I know I can do it. I'd rather not have what I do for exercise limited to the Lazyman's swimming, biking, and running. Be healthy? Check!
In 2012, I shall produce at least one something for which I feel a sense of accomplishment in several areas: writing, photography, fiber art, thinking. If I finish the last post or two on the trip blog, I would consider that an accomplishment. There were posts I could have written but didn't, but they were of a more general nature and would have had fewer photos. Several of the photos in that blog still amaze me, particularly the faces I showed here. Fiber art, I'm still working on, but with six months to go, I'm not too worried. An idea that delights or amazes me? I've actually had a couple that I hope to expand in posts here or elsewhere. Accomplish somethings? Check!
In 2012, I shall make progress in my practice of Myo Sim karate and kendo. I'm doing that, and in the four areas I mentioned even. Thanks to the sons, I've regularly worked on my kendo sparring, and have been told by fellow students that they see the improvement. I feel a bit more confident about my kicking in karate and my diagonal cuts in kendo though much work remains. And that's okay. If it were all that easy, I would have gotten bored with it by now. Myo Sim practice? Check!
It seems I should have been writing very general resolutions all along, since this is by far the best mid-year checkup that I've had. I feel better physically and while there have been some emotional dips in the road this year, feel better psychologically for now, today, anyway. As with the practice of a martial art, if life were all that easy, we might have gotten bored with it. I'd also have two fewer blog posts in a given year. Should I add a new resolution as a postscript, to run with scissors and a sword here more often? We shall see.
In 2012, I shall be healthy. I've done this for the most part, especially since my physical in May. I'm putting much less caffeine in my body on a daily basis, and trying to snack only on fruits and vegetables. Since a friend's summer vacation from teaching started, I've been going to the gym with her in the mornings. This has made it easy to add some weights back into my fitness routine. I'm not doing the Lazyman Triathlon this year. One, having done it twice and one of those being in two weeks rather than a month, I know I can do it. I'd rather not have what I do for exercise limited to the Lazyman's swimming, biking, and running. Be healthy? Check!
In 2012, I shall produce at least one something for which I feel a sense of accomplishment in several areas: writing, photography, fiber art, thinking. If I finish the last post or two on the trip blog, I would consider that an accomplishment. There were posts I could have written but didn't, but they were of a more general nature and would have had fewer photos. Several of the photos in that blog still amaze me, particularly the faces I showed here. Fiber art, I'm still working on, but with six months to go, I'm not too worried. An idea that delights or amazes me? I've actually had a couple that I hope to expand in posts here or elsewhere. Accomplish somethings? Check!
In 2012, I shall make progress in my practice of Myo Sim karate and kendo. I'm doing that, and in the four areas I mentioned even. Thanks to the sons, I've regularly worked on my kendo sparring, and have been told by fellow students that they see the improvement. I feel a bit more confident about my kicking in karate and my diagonal cuts in kendo though much work remains. And that's okay. If it were all that easy, I would have gotten bored with it by now. Myo Sim practice? Check!
It seems I should have been writing very general resolutions all along, since this is by far the best mid-year checkup that I've had. I feel better physically and while there have been some emotional dips in the road this year, feel better psychologically for now, today, anyway. As with the practice of a martial art, if life were all that easy, we might have gotten bored with it. I'd also have two fewer blog posts in a given year. Should I add a new resolution as a postscript, to run with scissors and a sword here more often? We shall see.
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