That was fun!

I just got back from Leadership/Instructors class, and man, that was fun! I was learning a little bit about something I don't even have to deal with for quite a long time, and of course, Ma'am was patient with me in learning it. But we were doing stuff for "the flow", which is arm lock type stuff. I'd seen it done before at graduations, but haven't been exposed to it really. I've had some basic self defense type stuff like that, but this was the stuff that I think the 2nd degrees work on, and most of the people in my class are 2nd degree and above (I'm the only color belt, but as noted tonight, I'm starting to catch up!). The point of the class was that there are times when you are the instructor, but the people in your class are a higher rank than you. She wanted to expose us to stuff, like this, so that way, the way it'd work is that I could ask her (or Mr. A) what a certain rank would be working on, they might show me the segment, and then I could teach the segment. So, the flow was something new for a lot of us. I have to say, I was having a blast learning it. This is not to say it all came easy to me, but it was very reminiscent of when I was a kid, my dad and I would "wrestle" in the living room doing something a lot like this. (Yes, if they had wrestling at my all-girls school growing up, I probably would've loved to have done it, much to my parents' chagrin.) My dad was teaching more as self defense stuff, as being the father of three girls, uncle to 5 nieces, and brother of two sisters, he felt that it was important to at least have some basics, and some of my male cousins loved learning that stuff. Now mind you, my dad didn't have any martial arts background, but did learn some self defense stuff, so a lot of this seemed familiar, or at least it didn't intimidate me. I was partnered up with Mr. U, probably because he and I are the tallest ones in the class, and we get along. Even though he just got his 2nd degree, he doesn't know this yet, so it was probably another good reason to pair us up, so we could work together at a similar pace. We were twisting and turning and nearly breaking each other's hands off (not intentionally, of course), but we got into the swing of it and got the hang of it for the most part. It took the whole course of the class time, but it was a lot of fun. Maybe because it was something new that I could get through and understand pretty easily versus some other things, but I was having fun. I guess it's because I was learning some stuff that reminded me of just roughhousing with my dad. (I know, it sounds weird for a girl to do that, but really, there was nothing weird about it.)

This morning's class was not too unusual. Sandy and I had to partner up to do some kick drills, and stuff, and we all worked on our form. I got the next two segments, and so far, it's pretty easy. I mean, after doing CJ#2, this is NOTHING. I mean, I got through CJ#2 fine, and I'll have to do it again, as well as some other forms I've done again, but because the skills in this are much simpler than the last cycle, it's coming pretty easily to me. Ma'am told us that we just need one transitional section, and then we just reverse everything we've learned thusfar, and then we are done. HOWEVER, I don't know all the one-step yet. I vaguely remember the first one they gave us so far, but I don't have anything else yet. I get my info and a little more personal attention in the Wednesday morning class, so I go and make the most of having a lot of adult time rather than being mixed in with the kids.

Work is fine. Some of the pressure is gone, as SW is not as tense and stressed out. She's still got a big push to keep the upgrades and sales going, and we're looking at creative ways to sell gear and upgrades and such to generate some holiday sales. So, that's what's keeping us motivated. She may have some changes going on with her other schools and such, so there's a possibility that in time, she may be more free to be at Princeton again, which would be a good thing. So, just plugging away there.

So, some of the tension has been relieved these days. There isn't as much pressure, although it's still there. The vice grip just doesn't feel as strong, and if SW is more relaxed, then we are all more relaxed. I think I can also see where she feels that she's let some things go, to no fault of RA's or mine, just with the school in general, so she's reinstituting some things that she used to do. She's also decided that she needs to be tougher with certain people instead of being "Miss Nice Person" all the time, and getting a little run over. She's not going to put up with that anymore, and she shouldn't. She gives breaks to people, but she shouldn't continue if they can't keep their end of the bargain up, and I think she's just realizing that she's not a bad person if she follows through and cracks down as necessary. I think that will make a difference too.

Lots of stuff coming up in the new month or so. There's going to be a weapons seminar I hope that Drew and I can go to (or at least me), graduation, the regional tournament (if I can go), a Drop and Shop date (aka date night with Santa shopping thrown in!)...good stuff. Have to think positive. :-)