Archives for 2006
A few weeks ago, I got a concussion by cleverly slamming my forehead against the edge of a shelf. It hit at an angle, across my left eye, the bridge of my nose and my right eyebrow. I think it happened because I was already a bit dizzy and uncoordinated due to a minor fibromyalgia [...]
I am far behind in my blogging; I have several notes in my journal that I’d intended (still intend) to put up here. But I didn’t want to put this off: Yesterday, I biked 5 miles to the bike repair store. After some loitering and a mile walk, I arrived at the dojo for my [...]
Wire-tapping, herding Americans into “free speech zones,” detaining citizens without charges, and generally ignoring the law are acts George W. Bush excuses by saying that this is war. What does that mean, exactly? War used to be easy to identify. It happened between states—governments, actually—according to predictable rules. But when someone blows up a building [...]
I found this on the Chicago Manual of Style website, and felt compelled to share it with my readers (both of you). Q. In a software application that catalogues musical albums in a sidebar column for playback selection the main developer insists on using italics for the album titles. I advised to drop the italics [...]
Today was fun again. I’m back! I think not exhausting myself yesterday helped make today’s class go well. Maybe I have a new way of understanding “don’t overexert yourself.”
I’ve been noticing lately that training has been losing it’s spark for me. I haven’t been happy at the end of class. Instead, I’ve been relieved it’s over. But today, I was fifteen minutes late, and that meant I missed most of the warm-up calisthenics. I hadn’t known it would make such a difference, but [...]
I’m famous. I have a “lens” on squidoo.com called CFS or Fibromyalgia and Exercise? You have got to be kidding! and today I woke up to find it had some actual traffic. Some sleuthing told me that Seth Godin, the brain behind Squidoo, had mentioned it in his blog. And someone else mentioned Seth’s blog [...]
It’s still fat, definitely. And it’s sore sometimes. But I have visible arm muscles! Visible leg muscles! And I can do amazing things: I can survive a karate class, walk through the grocery store, and I can pick up my beautiful baby. Oh, that is so, so wonderful.
Karate was quite hard today. I’d say “the hardest class ever” but I’ve used that too much already! The warm-up exhausted me, really. Twenty minutes of jogging, pushups, situps, etc., plus drills on kicks from the floor. I had to take a break in the middle, and even after the break, I had to slow [...]
I pass this sign every day, and it always makes me smile. And I finally remembered to take my camera with me! This is Eugene, Oregon, where the cops doing a “drug raid” (on a residential neighborhood where people were growing weed) felt they needed armored vehicles and grenades. It’s funny; we’re not a violent [...]
Thomas Ricks is no pacifist, and there’s nothing anti-military about his chronicle of the war in Iraq. Pentagon correspondent for the Washington Post, he has been to Iraq five times in four years. He tells us that each time, the situation has been worse than before. In an interview on amazon.com, he says this: On [...]
Someone remind me why I’m doing this? Today, I was weak. And I was in pain. And I thought that maybe this is a really stupid idea. All of these people around me were working out, and I had to sit down and stretch. Why did I ever think I could do this? Fibromyalgia is [...]
July 15, 2006. I used to be a child. I had great parents who loved me and respected me as a person. But sometimes, it was scary. And sometimes, I remember. So tonight, I was explaining something to my son, and I said, “Do you remember the story of that time my family was playing [...]
Over two years ago, the topic of U.S. soldiers’ immunity to prosecution in Iraq was hot. The May 2004 issue of the New Yorker had published Seymour Hersch’s story on Abu Graib, and people were outraged. Now the question of immunity comes up again, this time because of last March’s cold-blooded murder and brutal rape [...]
So I promised myself I wouldn’t miss any classes because I was “too sore” or “too exhausted” or “dizzy” or any of those other Fibromyalgia things. I decided I did not need to take a “break” sometimes, that I would just do it. And that’s worked pretty well… …until last week. The dojo was closed [...]
A popular song in the 70s was called Tie a Yellow Ribbon (Round the Ole Oak Tree) (YouTube, opens in a new window). The song, in turn, was based on a traditional story about a fellow who, when he was to be released from prison, wrote a letter to his sweetie asking her to let [...]
Today I went to help Sensei remodel one of the dojos. He had put up a sign asking for volunteers. I was surprised at how few had signed up to help. Our culture says “I’ve hired you as a teacher, so it’s your job to provide me with a facility (dojo), and to provide me [...]
Today was the end of my one-month beginners’ class, and now I am ready to join the regular class. The regular class starts right after the beginners’ class ends, and, after a few minutes’ rest, I decided I wanted to do it, today. What was I thinking?! Of course it was “too much.” This time [...]
The Tuesday/Thursday class is in the evening, and it’s a good thing. I had plenty of time to decide whether to go to class tonight. I went, and it wasn’t bad at all. Well, it was hard, but that’s good. I got to find out that I could still get through a hard class. Have [...]
Last week I did five classes, and all was fine. But today wasn’t so fine. I want to say it was the hardest class yet, but I’ve said that too many times. It was really scary, though. I kept thinking, “maybe this is where I’m supposed to quit.” I wondered if I’d pass out. I [...]
My son wanted to do the Tuesday/Thursday class instead of M/W/F, so I drove him. Then, when I got there, I decided to do the class too. Nothing to report. Same “it was hard.” Same “I sweat a lot.” Same “I did it!” Can I do five days a week? I wonder! I’ve started taping [...]
This is starting to feel pretty routine. Wake up sore, do class, feel exhausted and exhilarated. I don’t seem to be heading for a flare. (Yay!) Fibromyalgia and CFS are still there, but things are better, overall. Plenty of naps seems to balance plenty of Karate.
Today started out well. I have been moving well, for instance, and doing basic household things, like picking something up off the floor, moving a box, etc. But now I’m sore. Not so worried about Karate. That seems to make me feel better, instead of worse. But I still wish my legs didn’t hurt so [...]
Slept poorly last night. Woke up stiff, sore, unhappy. I was saying “this is it. I’ve reached the limit. I can’t do the class today.” But then I remembered that I’d promised myself I’d go. If I am able to get into the car and transport myself to the Dojo, I will. Then, if I [...]
I’m back to taking long naps. Karate takes maybe six hours out of every day that I do it. That’s 18 hours a week. But it’s worth it. On my non-Karate days, I can now make dinner, stay awake longer, and play with my kids. I stand straighter, and who knows? I may get strong [...]
Recent Activity