Trouble Is Everywhere

Karate today for me was awful. I threw up 20 minutes into class, and then kept getting dizzy every time I tried to stand up for too long. We're supposed to be testing for our belts next weekend and I told Sensei that I didn't want to until my ears cleared up because every time I turn too quickly - like one does in a Kata - I get really dizzy, and too many in a row = throwing up. I feel like a stupid irritating blob in the middle of the classroom who can't even do a back stance or a knife block properly, like my being in class is just wasting everyone else's time.

This week has been utter shite and I hate everything.

I made it back to karate after missing two classes and wow do my muscles feel it. OW.

The only comment I have (other than ow) is that it's a bit odd dealing with the mirrors. To be quite blunt, the last time I owned a full-length mirror, I was 17. I... don't look 17 anymore. And while I'm used to that in over-the-sink mirrors, the whole thing was a bit disconcerting. (For some reason photos, which I have many of, do not have the same feeling of "What?")

(Ears are still clogged up, but not as bad, and I don't get nauseated when I hear loud music anymore, so yay!)

I know I'm supposed to be on internet break (I even told my thesis adviser!) but I wanted to writ about my first Karate class while it was fresh in my mind.

The infamous Katie, she of the "cheap hotel room during heat wave", has been trying to get me to go to Karate since last year at about this time, and I guess watching her do punches and then walk me home Monday evenings all full of buzzy energy did the trick, because today I made it out to my first beginner class. (Here is their website.) I was very nervous.

It was pretty light, though. We talked about and tried punches and kicks (I'm lousy at kicks but good at punches), a block, a lot of talk about stance and posture, and about leverage (which made me giggle). It was fun! I enjoyed it, and I can see how it would be possible for me to get not-too-terrible at it.

My only objection is that whenever we were partnered up with someone (to practice stances) he insisted on partnering up boy/boy girl/girl, and I towered over all the girls. Don't 6'10" (2.09m) tall, and it's weird to once again feel like I'm tall. Plus, all the women were very small in comparison to my rather chunky frame. I hope next time to be paired with some of the guys because they are far closer to me in height and it would be easier. (Also, I will not push them over my wobbling with my weight!)

Anyway, it was awesome. But now I want coffee and the on-campus coffee shop is closed and this feels like a terrible tragedy. Coffee coffee coffee.....