Boosting the signal

I've been asked to pass along word on this by kate_nepveu:

As you may know, I organize con_or_bust, a fundraiser to help people of color attend Science Fiction and Fantasy conventions, which in the past has been principally WisCon, but we're looking to expand. This year's auction is currently live, and will end Sunday the 6th.

I don't know if you've anything you might donate--signed books, food or craft things, blog posts, etc.--but in any event, I'd be really grateful if you could spread the word about the auction. The announcement post is designed to be linkable, and has information on how to bid, offer items, and request assistance.

Sounds like a worthy cause, so I am passing the word along. Check out the community, and make an offer or donation.

Third screening coming up fast

In last night's class, to my great relief, we worked on paper kicks. I have to concentrate more on the recoil motion, making it faster than the kicks itself, and work as hard as I can to crunch the obliques tight, to help keep my balance by remaining as upright as I can. By the end of the session, I was able--barely--to eke out ten on each side. Maybe there's hope for me yet.

To my consternation, they've moved the date of the third screening. It's going to be on March 11 rather than March 18. They combined the two city-wide screenings into one, because so few students had passed the second. So I have one week less than I had planned to work on increasing my strength and balance. I'm trying to do twenty slow kicks for each kick on each side every day. I alternate: on one day, I work on strength (raising the leg, lowering it to the ground and raising it up again) but I get to hold onto the bar. On the alternate day, I work on balance: I don't lower the leg to the ground, but I don't get to hold onto the bar, either.

Just finished sixty kicks on each side, working on strength. Pity my poor buttocks and quads....

If I pass the third screening, I'll test for black belt on April 30.