More changes
Tonight was my last kung fu group class. It's kinda sad, I really like kung fu, and really miss it while I'm at school. There's a certian comraderie there that I don't find anywhere else really; rugby comes close, but it's truly a team and not just people who have chosen to be there because they want to get in shape and learn this stuff. I miss the discussions about new techniques, and about stuff like Human Weapon (even if I don't get the channel to watch it), and the kung fu people don't look at me weird when I point out my new bruises, but instead point out theirs in respose. Sarah's become a good friend, and Amy is. I'll miss all these people, Sarah and Amy and Jen and Mike and Deb, and even the new people I don't know very well, Wade and Jason and John (I had a good conversation with Jason about exploding various things using gunpowder today)...I'll miss a lot of the littler kids too, Ausin and Jon (no more beat-on-jonathan days), and Natasha's really fun to spar, with the way she kicks. NO more lessons with Edmund and Allen. Man are those fun, the three of us really beat on each other, it was great. And of course I'll miss Sensei Adam and Sensei Josh and Sensei Kate. I don't really like Sensei Kate's teaching style all that much, but I have to admit I learn well from it. I mean, a form and a DM in half an hour? And Sensei Josh is just awesome. No one'd ever guess he's, what, 15? 16? It's kinda cool to see how he's matured to a sensei from the kid I met 3 years ago when I started this. And I really like learning from Sensei Adam, it class and in my lesson. He knows all sots of stuff about a small person taking on a larger person, being rather small himself. Sigh...I'll be back at Christmas, though, so I'll see everyone then.
Today was fun though. We did the normal warm-up type stuff, then worked on shuffling in a horse stance. Which, after having climbed Longs Peak yesterday, HURT. Imagine moving around in a semi-squat position for a long time. Then we got sparring gear, and sparred a few times. Then, since it was my last day, Sensei Adam had to give me a going-away present. He lined us all up agains the mirror, then brought me out, and Jason, who was the lowest rank there. Then he instructs every one else that when he says switch, the person I'm sparring goes back and the next one comes out and spars me. Which was fun, but I'm really glad there were only 8 other people in the class. I think I would've fallen over if there'd been more. As it was, I was exhausted by the time it was over. Well before then, actually. Jason's trained in martial arts before, Rick is a big guy and knows about the whole fighting thing (he got me with a backfist to the head, which was exciting), and Deb's getting better. Then Wade and John are both agressive and pretty well trained, and then I got the three brown belts. Jen was calling out advice the whole time, it was pretty funny. I will miss it a lot. But I'm also really looking forward to going back to campus. There is that USSD person at MIT. I just wish I hadn't forgotten who she was, or what she looked like, or where she lived....Sigh. Maybe this year I'll be able to find here. It would be great to have someone to work out with, take down, do Two-Man, etc. Hopefully.
In three days, I'll be on my way back to Boston! Well, in the car to the airport, but I'm gonna say that counts.
Today was fun though. We did the normal warm-up type stuff, then worked on shuffling in a horse stance. Which, after having climbed Longs Peak yesterday, HURT. Imagine moving around in a semi-squat position for a long time. Then we got sparring gear, and sparred a few times. Then, since it was my last day, Sensei Adam had to give me a going-away present. He lined us all up agains the mirror, then brought me out, and Jason, who was the lowest rank there. Then he instructs every one else that when he says switch, the person I'm sparring goes back and the next one comes out and spars me. Which was fun, but I'm really glad there were only 8 other people in the class. I think I would've fallen over if there'd been more. As it was, I was exhausted by the time it was over. Well before then, actually. Jason's trained in martial arts before, Rick is a big guy and knows about the whole fighting thing (he got me with a backfist to the head, which was exciting), and Deb's getting better. Then Wade and John are both agressive and pretty well trained, and then I got the three brown belts. Jen was calling out advice the whole time, it was pretty funny. I will miss it a lot. But I'm also really looking forward to going back to campus. There is that USSD person at MIT. I just wish I hadn't forgotten who she was, or what she looked like, or where she lived....Sigh. Maybe this year I'll be able to find here. It would be great to have someone to work out with, take down, do Two-Man, etc. Hopefully.
In three days, I'll be on my way back to Boston! Well, in the car to the airport, but I'm gonna say that counts.