10 Things to Like about $4 gasoline

Interesting.

I have certainly been seeing 'way more bikes on the road. On Monday, I probably could have counted somewhere between 50 and 100 bicycles on my way home, a trip which is just under five miles. The Minneapolis Greenway is just teeming with bicycles.

Delia says thank you!

She was delighted with all the terrific suggestions that people had for her, and she'd like to try a number of them. She did indeed get Rob to take her to Michael's yesterday and got yarn to make a blanket, which she has already started.

She has a jewelry-making lesson today, so today will be a good day. I'll post pictures of the blanket (if she's agreeable) as she progresses. bohemianspirit, she said she likes the idea of getting together for a crochet time, but it'll have to wait until we get back from Portus.

Explosive blocks

Last night's class was led by pazlazuli, my personal favorite ruthless martinet. It was extremely hard, which oddly enough, suited my mood quite well. It felt really good to throw myself into something physical after so much mental turmoil this week. The other students there were Mr. Muata [sp?], a black stripe, and Jim and John, a pair of brothers who just received their new red belts last Saturday and so this was their first advanced belt class. Three young men in their teens, and me, pushing fifty.

Sensei decided to drill us in karate marching basics, focusing particularly on three of the blocks: the sudo block, the side block and the high block. Stances were not particularly addressed (the picky details of foot placement in a front stance versus a back stance), except that we were repeatedly admonished to deepen them. My quads were screaming by the end of class. What we were particularly trying to do was to make the fold as hard as the block. We took one step, and then would fold and throw the block ten times, then take another step to the other side and fold and throw the block ten times, then step, fold and throw it nine times, step, fold and throw it nine times, and so on. Thrust the arms out straight on the fold for the high block. Curve the C-shape when you snap the high block. Palms outward on the fold for the side block; blocking hand underneath. Keep the hands in knife position in the sudo block, the non-blocking palm up on the solar plexus. Opposite hand high and tight against the ribs once you've thrown the side block or high block. Over and over and over again.

For the second half of the class, we paired up. One held the muay ty pad up so the other could throw the block into the pad. Yell/fold/block, yell/fold/block, yell/fold/block. The shoulders started to seize up, the yells got more breathless, but she kept circling around with reminders: "Arms straight out on the fold for the high block. Fold as hard as you block. Twist the wrist outward on the snap. The block should just explode--throw your chest out on the side block. Fist high and tight back against the ribs. Deepen your stance--deepen it! More! More! Push your knees out!" My arms felt as though they were moving through concrete. I was partnered with John, and his face got sweatier and sweatier during his turn. My shoulders ached so from throwing the blocks--particularly the high block, which is quite difficult to do repeatedly--that it was hard for me to hold up the pad for him in turn, over his head. I kept stealing glances at the clock. Finally we all breathed a sigh of relief at the magic words: "Go put the pads away." It was time to line up and bow out for the end of class--right?

Wrong. "Okay, everyone down on the floor. Do seventy-five pushups and three hundred crunches."

I wimped out and did my pushups from the knees. And I didn't go down far enough. Whatever. I still did them, alternating in sets of twenty-five pushups/one hundred crunches. The crunches weren't nearly so bad--I do abs work pretty frequently, so I didn't find that too difficult. But John was really having trouble doing those. I was the first to finish--I definitely staggered when I hauled my battered carcass to my feet--but then the boys were all doing their pushups from their toes. Jim and John practically crawled out of there at the end of class, probably wondering what the earth they'd gotten themselves into, here in the advanced belt classes.

My arms aren't as sore as I expected they would be. Maybe the soreness will show up tomorrow.

Man, I love beatonna's comics

I just printed this comic out and hung it above my desk. Her work is so much fun.

Finally! Another soulcollaging card!

( The Voluptuary )