Update on Fight Night

My Monday night sparring is still great! I am learning lots and I feel that I am getting better. I am still getting clobbered fairly regularly, so I still suck at it.

So much to learn...

So few ice packs.

I got tagged a little tonight again on the right cheek. Not too bad. I do really enjoy the fighting and the learning. So, I am still going, still getting fairly beat up, but I do feel I am progressing, slowly but surely.

It is a fantastic stress relief as well. By the time you come down off the adrenalin, you are tired.

I'll keep you posted as to how things develop. Until then, keep your hands up!

Turner Falls 2006, Spring

Friends and I went camping this past weekend at Turner Falls Park in Davis, Oklahoma. It is a park that is maintained by the city of Davis. I have been here a couple times before and really enjoy camping and hiking the hills and wading in the streams and rivers.

This time was a little different. First of all, we went in a little warmer weather than I like to camp. So bugs were an issue. There were lots of bugs, and ticks. Three of the four people who went were black belts in Tae Kwon Do, the fourth trains horses and is no stranger to hitting large animals trying to hurt her. In short, no sissies here.

However, we are still women and flying bug things are NO fun! We did in fact scream like girls on several occasions. Jen showed the utmost in composure having been awakened one night by having a cold, squishy something land on her upper chest. Said squishy thing turned out to be a caterpillar, but at 2AM, it could be a small alien. She flung it away with silence, a testament to her self control.

In addition to bugs, there was a certain different, um, demographic of the people partaking of the park. We actually moved our camp after the first night because of the 6 tents of people, dogs and children that moved into the camp site next to us at, no kidding, 3:30 AM. One of the more clothed of us got up and screamed liberally at the unruly folks being a high decibal nuisance. It was awful. The next morning, as we ate breakfast, we unanimously decided we would move camp as we observed that four of the larger men of the group were starring constantly at us as if we were livestock. I don’t think we can adequately explain to men what that type of stare feels like to women. Needless to say, we moved.

Once that was done, fun and frivolity ensued! Everyone got their junior mountain goat award, as we rock-climbed with the best. We forged trails where there were none and sat for quite some time in the cool stream by our camp site. Ok, freeking cold stream, but it felt good.

Sunday AM proved to be a really hot day, so we packed it in a little early on got on to home.

Jen has pictures from her blog, check them out!

Next time we will camp where there is a curfew on letting people into the park. We will camp in colder weather. We will have a large fire (no burn ban!)

Still, a great time was had by all!

Phrases/ words of the trip.

• Pretty, Pretty, Pretty
• Picture, picture, picture ( said while clapping hands and jumping up and down)
• Yes, we are jumping ship
• Lisa, where are we going?
• What beverage will be the sacrificial honey bee diversion?
• What fire ban Mr. Park Ranger? We are just cooking dinner…
  

Darwin's Radio

With the assistance of Dr.'s ordered quarantine because of Strep throat, I just finished a book by Greg Bear, Darwin's Radio.

It is a fiction (OMG, yes I read a fiction book!) that is based in the current time and deals with human evolution.

It is very correct in the research regarding endogenous human retroviruses that are buried in our DNA. The premise of the book deals with these very old viruses human beings have accumulated through time being the 'machine' used for making leaps in human evolution by restructuring us at the genetic level.

It examines the political and psychological aspects of such a leap and the ramifications of such a biological change occurring in our society. As unpleasant as the book illustrates society and our government behaving, I think it isn't too far off the mark of what could really happen.

Even if you are not scientifically versed, it is an excellent read with enough explanation to follow the science, but doesn't become bogged down in the science.

Thumbs up!

Quotes for Thought

A sad thing: To survive something bad and yet learn nothing from it

In the words of Dove Chocolate: Learn something from everyone you meet.

How is it that stuff seems to rate about people?

How is it that fear can control so completely? The truth is, people treat you how you allow them to treat you...even if it is yourself that is treating you badly.

How can little fish be so damn noisy?? I mean, they are about 3-4 inches long and they can wake the dead with there gulping.

Different people have different expectations. Finding someone with a set of expectations resembling your own is worth the wait. However, you have to first be truthful with yourself about what those expectations are, otherwise, how can you tell anyone else?

Pain is inevitable, it's about what you do about the pain that counts.