Tired

After staying up into the early hours of the morning watching transformers (which was incredible), I am starting to realize how tired I am! All of these push ups, sit ups, cardio units, trainings, and teaching is starting to wear on me. I have a lot of little nagging injuries that are getting very annoying. I am looking forward to taking this weekend to rest up and go crazy for phase 4!

4th of July

So tommorrow people that we know are coming from new york and we are all going to the beach for the forth of july. so it should be a lot of fun. my grandpa has a beach house down there but we are going to be staying in a hotel with a pool. so it should still be fun

so excited!!

my bff and her family are flying in tomorrow night!  they moved away almost four years ago and i've only seen her once since then.  i know by tomorrow, i'll be bursting at the seams with anticipation.... yes, there will be tears, but the good kind!!! lol just thinking about it makes my eyes water and i can't stop smiling!!  i'll be at the studio tues/wed next week for just a couple of hours but won't be sticking around for training...

see most of you tonight and those i don't see, have a great holiday weekend and stay safe!

btw - special training on the 9th!  numbers!!!!

Running Uphill

Today was a good day. I was so busy at work that time flew by quickly, despite having to engage in a difficult conversation with someone I manage. I got a lot done, and the conversation went as well as could be expected. By 4pm, I was very ready for a jog and decided to run the 3.7 mile loop that Brandy likes to take us on. It's quite the challenge to run that far alone, even with the upbeat music on my iPod.

I wasn't necessarily tired, my breathing was good, and my legs didn't hurt, but there were a few times I had to refocus my energy so I didn't stop and walk. Whenever the thought popped in my head how much easier it would be to stop and walk, I slowed my pace a little, took three deep breaths, shook out my arms, and then focused on trying to time my feet to the rhythm of the song I was listening to at the moment; I found this method highly effective.

The most difficult part was making myself jog up that hill. Honestly, when DTD jogs as a team, I find most of my motivation to keep jogging during the difficult times from my fellow testers. Doing it alone forced me to figure out a way to keep moving up that hill without all of you there, but I thought of you guys the whole way. :0)

Before DTD, I honestly had never jogged more than 3 miles at a time. Being able to jog nearly 4 miles is a big step, and I plan to keep climbing until I can go 5 miles without walking.

In a way, this experience can be a metaphor for my journey through this test...I feel like there have been many hills I've had to climb so far, and sometimes I have stopped to walk, but now I feel as though I have the focus and drive to continue running uphill.

Hope everyone had a good training tonight!

4th Monday of the month

Just a shout out to my team - this is the fourth Monday of the month so I have my board meeting at 7 and will not be at training. Sarah will be there and I'll be by as you finish up to get her and bow out with you guys! ~ Jessica

Kicking Combo

It's kind of funny how last night I wrote a journal about how much I love weapons, but tonight, her I am writing a journal about how I'm frustrated with a kicking combo in my open form. Before I got sick, I had been working on fine tuning the combo, and the last week or so I've noticed how much my kicking has suffered...along with everything else after two weeks of feeling run down.

Okay, that's enough complaining, and now it's time to think of a way to approach this problem. More reps and asking for feedback from people like BSBN John who notices every single little detail of any kick. It's that simple. Or at least it seems like it should be.

Aside from the kicking combo, I'm feeling confident about the test tomorrow morning. I plan to get to the studio at 8am to run through a few things. I'm sure I'll see a few of you there. :o)

Made it this far ... :)

So tomorrow's phase 3 testing... Today the demo team did their performance at Impact Gymnastics. I don't think I have ever been more proud of that team... They went in with a great attitude and smiles on their faces & gave it their all. They aren't just talented kids, they're good people. It's hard to find that some days and I'm so glad to be a part of it all.

Tomorrow's phase 3 testing ... Good luck everyone! ;)

Exciting Day

Today was a great day! There was a lot of reflection and why I'm doing this test today. I finished the last bit of my numbers and this is my last thing for the day. I love the feeling I have right now knowing that I have all my requirements done and I am positive I will destroy this test. I want to mantain that mind set so I can do good but I'm still going try my best. I'm not going to half do things because I think I'm to good. Another exiciting thing about my day was my demo preformance. I was nervous at first and I heard someone say they were going to fail and I think it was BSBN john who said you will with that mindset.I followed that tip and did a solid preformance. One thing I was also thinking about is simple things people should do. Like saying thankyou, or yes sir, holding the door open, or being respectful to elders. My teacher Ms.Evans taught me a lot about this. She was a great teacher and taught great lessons. One time she counted how many people said thankyou when she held the door open for us the students. It was out of 24 kids and 7 said thakyou(I was one). Just I think people shouldn't be lazy and do the simple nice things. For instance when we don't say yes sir bad stuff happens so we should and can easily avoid that stuff. Good luck Dare to Dream testers!

Freestyle

So, today was the first freestyle performance for the demo team. There were 9 of us- 3 from jr varsity and 6 from varsity. It went pretty well for the amount of practice we had. I guess now we know what to expect with the next freestyle performance. I think I like the choreographed forms better than just an outline. This was the first time I learned to tough things out until the end of the performance. In the beginning, I accidentally got kicked in the neck which then causes me to mess up my form. It hurts now, but I'll be fine tomorrow. Sometimes you just have to keep going, even over brief pain. Looking forward to tomorrow!! Fast defense should be fun!

See Everyone Early,

Taylor

Courage is not the absence of fear

Sarah and Jessica Video Entry

This was much harder then it looks! Would make a great work out if we could organize it!

Tomorrow

Phew, VBS at my church is over for the week, and now I'm trying to get in test mode for tomorrow. making sure I eat good food and drink lots of water.

Best of luck to everyone for tomorrow, you'll do great!

Ending of Phase 3

This has been the toughest phase so far, but I'm picking myself up and keep moving on. After a bad cold last week, I've got a sore throat this week. I'd be so thrilled with sleep, but there's always something more to do. :) I smile because that makes it all easier most of the time. I took a half day off from work to spoil myself & take a break, but it somehow turned into a day of get-everything-else-in-life-done. I got home later than I do on a regular work day and still feel as far behind. Buuuuuut...... I did get some phase 3 curriculum practice done along with Melissa & Jackie, so I felt really good about that. My husband took Holly and Adam fishing yesterday. Then he took Adam fishing today and he caught his very first Chinook Salmon! It's a life of mostly up's with some downs when I get too tired out. Guess I'd better get some sleep to make everything look brighter. 'Nite! ;)

I love weapons!

I just love when we work with weapons. The attention to detail, and the manipulation of an object with such purpose and control is so satisfying to me. Sometimes it's hard to slow down and work on technique, but if you do, it really increases your speed and accuracy. Over the last couple of weeks, I've been spending a lot of time visualizing the footwork for the flow drill and the lock and blocks. The one that gives me the most trouble is #4...I can't seem to get the timing down when I'm striking the attacker's stick down and doing the wrist move while moving my feet at the same time. If anyone has any pointers on that, I'd love to hear them!

On the reverse side, I'd love to work with anyone who's having trouble with the footwork for the flow drill and any of the other lock and blocks. :o)

I'm excited for the phase test on Saturday!

Summer

I love summer. I like being able to move at my own pace with less stress about everything. Its a great chance for me to unwind a bit and focus on volunteering at aim high and preparing for the future. It gives me more time to focus on requirements too.I like being energetic and ready to train. I wonder what the rest of this busy summer will bring.

Life has no limitations, except the ones you make yourself.

Les Brown

Learning to Overcome

We are getting towards the end of June and before we know it October will be here and our biggest test will be upon us and all the stress about numbers and training time will dissipate and it will be time to show what we have been working on this year. A big part of my training this year has been learning to recognize things I'm doing wrong and instead of seeing a problem viewing these issues as an opportunity to overcome, to better myself inside and out weather it's problems learning a technique or struggling with injuries I've found that as long as i can keep a positive mindset it dosent matter what the problem is I can work thru it, Like last night my back had been killing me all day and work kept me out of the first half of class but i jumped in and just focused on proper technuiqe even though every move meant more pain I just kept moving tried to keep moving at the same pace and not let the pain get to me, and when we were done I felt good about class and the work everyone put in. As a team it's our responsability to push each other past or limits so we can all grow stonger phisically and mentally but as individuals it's our responsability to recognize when were holding back when were not giving our best and overcome.

Summer

summer has been great so far but i cant stop thinking about school. i keep wonder what high school is going to be like but im sure it will be fun. and im not nervous at all. it will be the first time in a long time that i will acctually be in the same school that my brother will be in at the same time. but i still dont want summer to stop.

Words For Life

"One machine can do the work of ordinary people. No machine can do the work of extraordinary people."

This is what a clever man once told me. Ordinary people's work is equal to that of a programmed machine whereas extraordinary work has no synonym of equal value. Nothing can compare with something extraordinary because it is genuine and comes from one person. I was 7 years old when SBN Dan (then, BSBN) gave a picture with this message written on it. The last line of his wisdom stated "you are extraordinary." I didn't fully understand the message until my first black belt test in 2009. Then and now, it has made me realize that normal or ordinary never achieves anything more than typical. Be extraordinary and do great things! Make this black belt test the best it can be and always work at a higher level than any machine.

For the last phase, I have gotten rather behind on my requirements. As well as making excuses to myself about why I didn't push harder. Then, today something clicked again and I've already done 1,000 quality sit-ups. A certain memory is what drove me out of my little train of thought. It was from June 27, 2009- almost 2 years ago- at the Power Within firewalk in Sandy, Oregon. We all had had a tough night at the actual fire walking was yet to begin. Everybody was given an arrow that we had to give an obstacle and then brake (literally) through. When it was my turn, I promised myself I would never make excuses for things in my control. I still have that arrow, it is in two pieces now and my mental outlook to finish all requirements in the given time has not only been rekindled but is now roaring with an intense desire to succeed.

These two philosophys will stay with for the rest of my life.

CGN Taylor

Courage is not the absence of fear

Thank God for new days ...

Okay, so today started out really dragging because I was still so wiped out from class last night that I found it very difficult to sleep, so I only slept like 4-5 hr's. So, I did what any self-respecting 4 year old would do... I took my blanky (yep, it's freezing at work all of the time, so everyone keeps blankets there) and took a 10 minute cat nap on the couch in office break room. You would not believe how much better 10 minutes of sleep can make you feel. I set the alarm on my cell phone for 10 minutes and crashed with it in my hand so I'd for sure wake up. After that, my mood changed, it was so much easier to smile and push more work into my 'done' stack, and I was able to go in and do the kickboxing class this afternoon. Thank you Cgn Girl Sam for the words of wisdom and I think I'm okay with everything once again. Anybody have the number for a good maid service? :)

A Runner

Just before coming back to PDX from my work trip in Maryland earlier this month, I had woke up one morning to go for a run and all I could do was think about the up coming half marathon and how tired/jet lagged I was going to be....  I really wanted to beat my half marathon time from last year for this same race and was just getting ticked at myself for not planning my trip until afterwards... 

I was on my way back from my six mile run and I could see another runner coming towards me.  I thought he was wearing a shin sleeve but as he kept getting closer, I realized it was a running prosthetic on his left leg and as he drew nearer... I saw the prosthetic on his left arm.   We gave each other the 'runner wave'  in passing.... and every thought in my mind about my up coming race was no longer important, nor were all of my frustrations for our black belt test.  I started focusing on the runner I just passed and the challenges/set-backs he's had to face/overcome for each phase of re-learning, along with the emotional toll it's taken on him and his loved ones.   How could I compare what I'm going through for my black belt test, to what he's been through???  I can't.  There is no comparison. 

I admire this runner for his dedication, determination, and discipline.  Traits I know I have, the question is... do you? 

*sigh*

Very trying evening... Self defense portion of class was a killer and I spent most of the times on forms fighting my blood sugar dropping. I just wanted to go sit down and sweat in a pool all by myself, but I didn't... I just figured I'm past the point of giving up.

I'm honestly exhausted in every sense of the word. My body is tapped out, I got home too late to really eat any kind of real dinner, I finished dishes at 10:30pm, I still have laundry to do if I don't want the laundry basket to drop and kill some unsuspecting family member as they walk by, I have to work 9 hrs tomorrow before kickboxing in the afternoon, the house is long past under control, and quite honestly, I'm really trying to remember why I even wanted to do this in the first place.

I'm in the best shape I've ever been in, but there's something to do all of the time for testing. Literally every day and I just wish I'd done this when I was a kid before I had real life responsibilities that won't wait for me to get done with whatever sweaty event I've got going on next.

I see people get their black belts and then rarely return. I can see why, really. I understand it's an all consuming process, but you really have zero life outside of the process. It burns you out to a point that you end up having to get away from it for a really long time just to reorient yourself to a life that doesn't involve sweating and being so tired you could drop.

Sorry to be a downer, and I'm sure it all will look better tomorrow, but I've hit burn out. I want to care, but I'm finding it really hard. And I don't want to end up getting so burnt out on it that I don't want to do it after we finally reach October. I've worked too hard to stop, and I know if I do, I'll never go back to it, so I have to continue. How do people get around that?

Tired of being Tired

I do it to myself all the time...too many commitments, and it wears me out to the point I get sick. I'm finally feeling 100% better from that cold (nearly three weeks later). Unfortunately, getting better involved missing a few trainings and lots of sleeping.

I'm pretty frustrated with myself for not getting enough down time to relax and recuperate--it only leads to setbacks. I was just starting to feel stronger with my push-ups, and tonight I realized how much I've lost in the last couple weeks. I also felt nausea and fatigue...although it could have something to do with the fitblast class I did right before training. It was a tough one. :o)

It's hard to say "no," especially at work and to close friends, however I need to start making sure that I give more thought to my well-being over obligations to other people. I've decided to cut back on the softball after July--I'll only be playing one day a week on Sunday instead of two days. I'm also going to take Thursday off from all physical activity so I have one day of rest, take a day off during the week when I work on the weekends, and take actual lunches away from my desk and computer.

I'm tired of being tired.

Ouch!

So I have this theory... If Brandy ran her own conditioning class, there would be no overweight or under active (is that a word) people anywhere. Saturday's conditioning was a quad killer. :) I found out (from all of the push-ups) that my arms are stronger, but I need more work on them still more. My quads (from all the lunges & broad jumps) are complete toast so guess I need to add more of those in my workouts. However, my abs (from the skeighty eight thousand we did) are awesome! However, I WOULD like to be 10 years old again so I didn't have to sweat... Well, since there's not much of a chance of that happening, guess I'll just have to be very in shape... and very wet. ;)

Balance, life, priorities and the test

So this past week has been one of the most challenging for me and I think for John (he isn't here but I know I speak for him). John's grandfather who we are really close to had complications from a routine medical procedure Monday and has been in the hospital ever since. For the past 6 days and nights we have been getting up early before work to be there with him, working a full day, John heads out there after work, then I go out again at night until he falls asleep. One night I was there until after 2 AM. This has been absolutely excruciating - Wed and Thurs we were sure we had lost him. By Friday we were the walking zombies.

I haven't trained much this week. I came Monday and Wednesday but missed two jits classes and special training. John didn't even come to class Wednesday. I am in NO way ready to test next Saturday for this phase. But you know I am okay with it.

Throughout the test there are times when you have to choose. Will I go to this birthday party, or that event, or will I come to class? Will I do this event or that event, or will I hang out with friends, get caught up at work etc. And part of the test is just that. Learning to prioritize, make good choices and put yourself and the test first. It is also about striking a balance between your physical, mental and spiritual needs and daily activities.

Well this week I (we) made the choice to put the test second. I have prayed harder and worked mentally harder then ever this week. But my physical took a back seat. I find myself weighing things out in terms of their relevance to the test: is this more important then getting my black belt? Most of the time that answer is no. But this week the answer simply had to be yes.

I know if I don't pass this phase I will be okay with it. If lost grandpa and had not done everything in my power to help him heal, and say goodbye, I would not be.

So much thanks to those of you who knew for the support, positive energy and love this week. You are family and we appreciate it. I'm heading to the hospital again after I finish this blog and maybe with a little luck I'll make it to the gym tonight!

PS - he is doing better but we are not out of the woods yet. :-)

Love, Jess (& John)

Conditioning

Today I was happy because I could wake up this morning. I went to conditioning and it was just me, Devon, and CGN Taylor. We first ran a mile to get warmed up. Then CGN Brandy made us do lots of cardio. I had a good work out. Thank you CGN Brandy.

Tonight's Class

Okay, I just have to say that tonight's class was so much fun! Yes, it was hard work, but kicking is one of my week points, but I was having such a great time that I forgot that my energy wasn't quite back after my dumb cold and the next thing I know, they're having us bow out. I have never gone through a training class before where I just totally lost track of time because I was having such a GOOD time at trying to do my kicks correctly and enjoying the people I was training with. I know it's not all fun and games, but sometimes the energy is just there for everyone and it all just clicks! Thanks everyone, I'm so glad to be a part of this group!

The starlight run.

Yeah, I know I`ve already posted about this once. But I feel the need to get a chance to get some things off my chest. I know a good part of it is my fault that Holly, Josh, Noah, and I got separated from the rest of the group. I feel this because at the time I was the Highest ranking person that was testing. I probably should have done more to find the rest of the group. There were several contributing factors that made us get lost in the first place.

By the time we were under the start banner, we couldn`t see any of the teamates anymore, so we weren`t completely sure how far away the rest of the group was from us. And with however many people that were there running, I seriously doubt that we would have seen the rest of the group running even if they ran past us. But when we decided that we weren`t going to be able to run as a group, we ran it together as a team of us four. When someone slowed down, we all slowed down. And when someone had to stop to get a breath, we all stopped. It wasn`t a problem of us not being able to stay and run together as a group because of our own selfish goals, it was a problem of us getting lost in the first place, and not doing enough to find the team.

This being said, it still doesn`t justify what happend the night of the starlight run. We slowed down substantially for a while, but even Noah and Josh who were on the sidewalk couldn`t find anyone. But we probably could have stopped completely. We could have slowed down for an even longer time. And there was probably other things we could have done to help find the group. So even though things happened that weren`t under our control, we still could have done things to make the situation better.

I think the thing that made me dissapointed the most about the starlight run is not the fact that I know I messed up big time, but the things people said about the starlight run afterward. Some things were said and mentioned about the starlight run that really hurt my relationships with some of our teamates. I really hope that what I have said and am saying doesn`t have the same effect. I don`t think people thought about the attitude they were using when they wrote on the blog, and talked in the dojo. This passage from "Attitude" comes to mind. "We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.”  I guess what has happened at the Starlight run, and  and time that followed counts as a time to look at ourselves, and see what we can change to keep moving Onward, and make this blackbelt test and ourselves the best that we can be. Onward Dare to Dream Team!
Together   Everyone   Acheives   More

No matter how much blood, sweat, and tears there are, and even when I mess up hugely like I have done in the past, I always want to move Onward.
CGN Christopher Hoskins

My affirmation.

My affirmation is Onward.
What this means to me is much more than the definition of the word. To me, Onward is a motivation to keep moving forward, and to remember also that my training never stops. The word Onward gives a sense of adventure, and the feeling of excitement that comes with it. That is what the Aim High blackbelt tests are, an exciting adventure you get to spend with your friends and family at the dojo. This blackbelt test is a time to test our limits, and push ourselves to new hights, and when this blackbelt test has come and gone, it is also a chance for us to keep moving Onward.

No matter how much blood, sweat, and tears there are, and even when I mess up hugely like I have done in the past, I always want to move Onward.
CGN Christopher Hoskins

So very dizzy....

Practice does make perfect, or at least as good as we`re gonna get. I noticed that when I was doing my 50 wheel kicks each side with BSBN Cory, that my kicks were a whole lot better than ones I would have done a while ago. When I used to do my wheel kick, my foot would aim upward. But now, I am biggining to have my wheel kicks level. Thank you SBN and all the instructors for what you do. It`s amazing to see myself progress with your instruction.

Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will lose the ability to learn new things and move forward with your life. Remember that fear always lurks behind perfectionism.
David M. Burns

A teacher effects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.
Henry B. Adams

 

School is OUT

school got out yesterday. so next year i will be a freshman in highschool. and that schould be fun. so over the summer for a month i will probably be in idaho and hopefully we will fly instead of drive. because it takes 1 hour to fly and 8 hours to drive there. but i cant wait till we go.

burn out....

well, it hit me... the time zone change (there and back), lack of sleep, a 13.1 mile run... that was surprisingly great (despite being exteremly tired) and getting back to my normal routine.... left me completely exhausted yesterday.  i had no energy what-so-ever and all i wanted to do was sleep.  which is exactly what i did.  instead of running, i crashed for an 1 1/2, finished working, did some errands, chatted with Jess, ate, and crashed again around 7:30pm.  i'm feeling pretty good this morning.  =) 

The Simplest Things ...

So I tried for 2 hr's to sign in to do a blog this weekend and it wouldn't let me in. Then today I tried, and got in on the first attempt. Sort of explains my week... The only thing I had to accomplish was to make it to class. I made it, but with a crummy cold that won't just scram. However, on the up-side... Because I had all that time where I didn't feel like doing anything that required actual movement, I managed to finish my list of acts of kindness, my major act of kindness and my environmental acts of kindness.

We had a great run on Saturday, the Kick-a-Thon was great, and it's been a pretty great week, despite my cold.

Oh, and I've come to the conclusion that, if you hear anything about a tsunami, don't be anywhere near Aim High, for the following reasons:
1) The blood drive was nearly cancelled by the possibility of no running water and the traffic made getting there almost impossible, all due to a broken water main
2) One plugged up toilet/water pipe issue and the locker room and storage area got flooded
3) The place next door floods, but luckily (kidding) all the mats at AHAMA soaked up the water.
Conclusion: Water and Aim High don't mix
I think we should consider one of the other signs, such as air, since we spend so much time flying through it. :)

Weakness WILL be turned into strength...

So tonight I realized that I have a nemesis: Jump back kick.
Unfortunately, I let it get to me at the end of class tonight. It seems as though my chamber wasn't high enough, tight enough, too loose, need full extension, etc, etc...needless to say, I became very frustrated with myself. To be honest, I'm still a little frustrated.

However! Tonight on my way home, I decided that I want to make the jump back kick one of my best kicks. Why? Maybe I'm a glutton for punishment. Haha, just kidding. I want to make my jump back kick better because 1) it obviously needs LOTS of improvement. 2) I like a challenge. 3) Why not? I like turning my weaknesses into strengths.

So. In order to get there, I am going to practice it 10 times every day (except Sunday) each leg. Right now, I'm going to focus on the proper chamber. Once I get that down, I'll work on the full extension. After that, work on the proper foot position.

Here is where I'll be needing your help. Ready? First of all, accountability. Check on me and see if I'm actually doing what I said I'd do. Also, don't be surprised should I come up to you and ask you to critique it.

I give myself until October to make the jump back kick one of my best.

Ankle

Hey guys! Sorry I couldn't show up at class tonight. :( My dad wanted me to stay so that my ankle could still have extra time to heal, but by Wednesday you better be ready for the return of Zoe Gn! Bwahaha! I've been doing push ups on my knees, sit ups and rows. I posted my video journals on the computer so all I have to do now is edit! Yay! :D I'm also going to help out with the special Olympics with CGN Sam! (girl) A lot to do with so little time! Crazy! Well I'll see you all Wednesday!

- Z0E  

My Affirmation

Video of John's Environmental Act

Video Journal Post from Sarah and Taylor

KICK-A-THON

Today at Aim High I participated in the 2011 kick-a-thon. I did over 3,000 kicks during the 45 minutes we did kicks. Last year, I did only 1,119 kicks at the kick-a-thon. I am very glad how I much I improved over the year. Then, I counted kicks for Noah. He had a lot of energy and finished strong. It was a very good day for us.

A TEST OF ATTITUDE

As I sit here in my classroom watching the movie "Glory" for about the 100th time I 'm thinking about how much I love our history and how much I love teaching kids to love our history.

Why the Attitude problem you ask? Due to budget constraints my school has decided to take the Language Arts position and the Social Studies position and combine them into one job called humanities. So, by my calculations that means that many teachers will be displaced. Possibly even me.

I drove to school today with a little extra anticipation. You see, we are to have an email in our inbox by 8am. This email is to tell everyone where they are teaching next year. So, of course as I arrived I was anxious to get to my classroom and my computer.

Well, here comes the attitude part. After teaching American history now for 10 years, I have big changes in store for me. In turns out that only Language Arts endorsed teachers are getting the humanities jobs no matter how long you've worked in the district. So what am I going to teach next year you wonder? (drum roll) I am now an 8th grade science teacher. Having never taught science before I find this a strange placement.

There are a lot of teachers in the building that are displaced and some who are looking for work elsewhere. I need to keep in mind that I am lucky to have a job. That when a door closes another one opens. Hard to think right now that that door doesn't open to the great abyss. Over time I will get used to the idea. I'll have to spend my time over the summer studying, and coming into the school to get my class ready, and I'll be fine.

I am powerless to what happens to me but I am in control of my attitude. Now more than ever I need to remember that.

Thanks for letting me vent

CGN John

a test of endurance

so i've been thinking these past few months about endurance. and not just in the physical sense. in the mental sense. i want my bb. not because i can get it, but because it will mean that i earned it, i worked hard, and sacrificed to achieve it. it's not going to just be a belt. it's going to be a symbol of endurance, of victory, of achievement.

and it's caused me to think about my future. for a few years now, i've been out of school. i've had no desire to go back for a long time. but i know that in order to get where i want, i need to go. and so now, it's looking more appealing. in fact, i want to do it now.

will it be a long road? yes. will it be challenging? yes. will it be worth it? most definitely.

testing, training for my bb has shown me that if i really want something, i can get it. doesn't matter how long, hard, or how many obstacles i need to over come. i. can. do. it.
this test has proven to be invaluable. and if it was for this reason alone-to prove to myself that i can do it (it's not, but it's a big reason)-i would do it all over again in a new york minute. and let's not forget the amazing friendships formed from this, the confidence that has been improved in everyone, the endurance that's been refined. we've all grown and changed, together as a team and also individually.

Bad Day - Good Attitude

Today was one of those "nothing went right" days for me. I was driving home from work and almost turned around and went back because I'm so behind. I decided I needed food so I went home and got a text from Dan about rolling tonight. I don't usually take Jits when Brandy is gone but CGN Sam was planning on it so I decided I was going to go. I am so glad I did. Isn't it true that some of your best classes are when you least feel like training?

Sam was a great partner - we worked VERY hard and then Coach Jonn had us switching partners every 5 minutes. I was WAY out of my comfort zone because I had to roll against people I don't know and who are much bigger and better then me. I remembered a blog that Brandy had posted a while back about taking a class where she got great feedback from the guys because they need practice rolling with people of different body types and sizes. So I just bucked up and did it. Brandy you were my inspiration! I missed you!

I'm super tired but my attitude about the day has totally turned around. Jits is part of my requirement this year for 2nd degree. I am trying for my second stripe and that is a LOT of hours. Between work and kid obligations I can't go as often as I would like to so I have to go when I can and I'm glad I made myself do it tonight.

Rolling in Jonn's class is very zen in a way. You have to think differently, slowly and above all be patient. It isn't at all like the grappling we do in BB class or MMA and I have to turn off parts of my brain and concentrate. I find that the rest of what is worrying me just fades away. You rep the same things over and over to build muscle memory. Then you free roll and you end up in a position and snap - you know what to do. That is the best feeling!

I'm taking Friday to rest and get ready for the run and and Kick A Thon. Saturday will be a high energy output day but I'm ready! See you guys then!

Foot, Hand and the Art Of

        Hey Dare to Dream! I'm sorry I haven't been in class lately and I feel like I've missed a LOT. I'm going to be counting kicks at the kick a thon.... I wish I could be kicking alongside you guys, but my ankle still needs to heal... Anyway I got to mow SBN's lawn before the whole ankle thing happened. My lawn mower shut down numerous times because it kept jamming with grass that was about as high as my knees... I think I should mow their lawn once a week just to keep it in shape. :) (it'll give me good exercise too) And maybe by Sunday my ankle will be all better! :D Hopefully... The Lawn looks like a piece of art. A piece of ART. :) I never got the chance to blog about the camping trip either. So the scariest part for me was climbing that cliff side, holding on to patches of grass for dear life... but I can say that I climbed a cliff without a harness. :P The river was so COLD but I LOVED it! Sarah and I stood in it for about a good ten minutes and it's not that bad once your feet go numb. I shared a tent with Taylor, Sarah and Holly. We fell asleep once we hit the hay! (or sleeping bag... whatever you want to call it) Chris's glow stick had a leak so he technically had a free glow shirt. :D I'm sorry I couldn't go to the starlight run too. :( But I heard on Saturday we're running it again so YAY! I get to run! (if my ankle feels like moving) I uploaded all my video journals to the computer all I have to do is edit!! Push ups I've been doing on my knees and sit ups are easy to knock out.


          GO DARE TO DREAM! ( did you know that I had a dream about all of us breaking a car in half...) (No joke)

Well see you guys this saturday for the kick a thon and I will support you through that run! See ya!

- Z0E  

Starlight Run WIN/fail

Win- The starlight run was awesome. Extremely fun!
fail- Well i will start off by saying that of my knowlegde you guys talked about on wednesday for 10 minutes about sticking together as a group. I was not there on wednesday but thats what everyone said. Now there was people during the starlight run that went ahead of the pack. When the race was over Sbn had a talk with us about how disapointed he was that there was people who went ahead even after that talk. Now my mom only told me that once and i got it through my head the first time. and for others i guess 10 minutes was not a long enough talk for you. now there was only about 4 people or 5 or more that did that. Now its the WHOLE TEAM's job for running another 3 miles on wednesday. That sucks for the people who follwed the rules now doesnt it!

Tonight

Today was very stressful day for me. School is almost over, and preparing for finals and finishing all of the last minutes to do had me in a not so good mood. However, as I have learned over the years: once I am on the mat; I need to let it go. This was very difficult, especially with SBN Dan in drill seargant mode. But that's why he does that, he wants me to be able to control my self and push harder, and thats what I did.
In terms of the technical part of class, I had a huge breakthrough today. I have never been good at grappling. My problem is that I "try" to hard and try to force everything. But, over time, I have learned to relax and wait for my opponent to make a mistake and tire themselves out. Today, I was given the oppurtunity to practice this very skill. I was grappling someone who was fairly knew to grappling. I had the choice to either squirm and get into a battle of strength with them, or do the opposite. I started to seize up, but then I remembered to relax. I did! I waited for about a minute until they got tired, exerting force when I needed to. Finally, I was able to close up guard and finish the fight. It was also good because I was able to connect with the person and tell them that I knew excactly what they just went through. It was a good experience for the both of us. I was able to use my knowledge and teach someone else something because I knew what they were going through.

Today was great! Good Job everyone! Thank you for being the best testing group ever!

Impass

So I'm sitting here thinking about the black belt team. There's a lot of discussion lately about how we have to be supportive of each member of our team and I'm finding myself questioning whether or not how much we HAVE learned to support each other and have learned about each other. For example...

Jackie... She's fun, overly perky (that's not a bad thing in this case, Jackie) and is the first to push everyone in our group to practice harder. She has areas in her training that she struggles with, just like the rest of us, but she never lets it stop her.

Hunter... He always acts like he's afraid of hurting me when we spar, or he keeps his distance because I told him not to give Holly a bloody nose again (heh heh!). He's not only getting very strong in all areas of his training, but he seems to be more comfortable within the BB group and it's easier to get into a conversation with him than at the start of the BB process. I've watched him instruct the Little Warrior classes and he's really good with those kids and they respect him as their instructor.

Noah... He's the quietest member of our BB team, but whatever he DOES say, it's always kind and when he gives somebody a smile, they've earned it because he always seems to be deep in thought, so a smile means they've gotten his attention. His MA skills are so strong, he's going to be someone to contend with in the future... Like tomorrow!

Darius... He's reminded to practice strong and to focus on his intensity a lot in class. But he never cops an attitude about it. He sucks it up and does a better job the next time. Like any 10 year old boy, he's easily distracted, but it's also evident that getting his black belt is very important to him, otherwise he would still be walking around the track when we have 'numbers day', instead of running the whole thing. If he continues focusing on his intensity, he will be a real roll model for kids going for their black belts in the future.

Melissa... She's probably the most stressed about BB training (second only to myself), but she's grown so much as a martial artist since she started training, that she's really amazing. She shares her concerns which makes it easier for others of us to relax in the fact that we aren't the only one who feels the same way.

That's what I've learned about the Dare to Dream Black Belt team. Not one of us would ever leave one of the others behind because we are a team and that will never change.

The starlight run

The starlight run was a blast. I love the energy and spirit people had, even when they were tired. it really makes me happy to be part of a team of dreamers and doers. It was also fun being able to have fun outside of the training experience with some of my teammates. Im also excited that school is almost out. That means I`ll have more time for training and making myself better.

Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.
Thomas Jefferson

Either you run the day or the day runs you.
Jim Rohn

Angry with myself.

I really need to stop slacking. I`ve been behind on pushups/situps, journals, vid journals, and several other things. And honestly, as much as it pains me to admit this, I haven`t done 1 rep of my open form since the last phase test. Wow im stupid. And now I`m playing catch-up before the next test. Oh well, just more motivation for me to keep pushing myself.

“After all these years, I am still involved in the process of self-discovery. It's better to explore life and make mistakes than to play it safe. Mistakes are part of the dues one pays for a full life.”

Sophia Loren 

“A mistake is a crash-course in learning.”

BIlly Anderson 

lunch break

I'm on my computer during my lunch break - which is usually at my desk. Big challenge for me to eat healthy when I'm on the go. Anyway I have been thinking a lot lately about the "spiritual" aspects of the test. In particular this year I have focused on nature and how I communicate with things around me - forest, mountain, lake, sky, weather - things like that. I think I blogged earlier this year about training in nature - something I like to do.

Anyway here I am sitting inside, eating lunch, wishing I was outside, doing SOMETHING, and looking forward to class tonight. See you there!

Unity vs. The Self (reflection on the Starlight Run)

First off, I want to say how proud I was of everyone for finishing the run on Saturday--3 miles is a long way to run when you don't do it everyday. Good Job.

However, I also want to state how disappointed I was at the end of the run when I saw that the large group had broken up, especially after we had the discussion at the end of training the other night. While it is true that the Starlight Run is a race, Aim High's presence was not meant in that capacity. An unwritten, but not necessarily unstated part of our test as candidates is teamwork and unity. This year's Starlight Run was meant to test those two aspects--we failed.

Being a martial artist, and even more so, being a black belt is not all about the self. Sure, it can be about overcoming personal physical obstacles, and learning cool kicks, but that is not the only focus of what we should be doing this year. The Martial Arts have traditionally been about defending the self and others (note the combined responsibility of self and a group of people). While we don't necessarily have imminent threats to worry about in our society, we should still focus on the aspect of unity within a group of people that we choose to belong to.

At Aim High, we strive to "develop ourselves physically, mentally, spiritually, and with good character." What does good character mean? How does it involve the group as a whole? I think some of us have been focusing so much on the physical and individual aspects of this test, that the time has not been taken time to develop an understanding of social unity and responsibility--something that comes along with good character.

At OGA, we teach our students the 6 Pillars of Character: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship. If these are some of the qualities that make up the good character we're supposed to be developing at Aim High, I think we need to take some time to reflect on which qualities we have let fall to the wayside in lieu of selfish goals.

Music Around the World

Last night my school band's final concert of the year. It was pretty fun. We were able to have it outside because it didn't rain. We played a Turkish folk song, "When the Saints Come Marching In", a greek dancing song, "Grandfather's Clock" and a Sousa march. For a bunch of 'crazy' sixth graders, I thought we played pretty well. The seventh graders after us did well too.

It's strange to think that school is almost over. It seems the same as before except that it doesn't always rain at the bus stop. June, I guess is finally here. Summer will be a great time to catch up on my requirements. School to most kids is like a never ending learning torture, but it doesn't really have and end. Everyday we learn things and any day that you don't learn something, the day is so called 'wasted'.

See Everyone Tonight!

CGN Taylor

Courage is not the absence of fear

The Starlight Run

Last weekend was the Starlight Run. I got to run with my my dad because he was able to delay his trip to Japan and come. My running buddy was my best friend, Sarah. Everyone finished in a group of about 7-13 people. That crowd was huge- over 4,000 people! It was also really hot! But, I had fun anyway. This Saturday, I hope the team will be able to stick together better. At least we won't have all those other people running with us. And then, there is the kickathon afterwards. It's going to be a fun (interesting) day.

CGN Taylor

Saturday

Most of you know that I won’t be running with the team Saturday morning, I’ll be running the Helvetia Half marathon (13.1 miles). I run this race every year and I really enjoy the route and atmosphere. I would like to be with everyone on Saturday, but I committed to this race earlier in the year and the entry fee is not cheap, so I’m not willing to walk away from it. You should use this run to get to know your teammates outside of the studio. Run next to a teammate you normally don’t run with and spark up a conversation. If you’re a stronger runner then they are, motivate them, keep their feet moving and keep their minds from thinking about this distance.

Bike Ride

Today I rode my bike to work. What a beautiful morning for it. I am happiest when I'm able to be outside. It's about a 9mile ride one to my work, so I'm able to enjoy about a 45 minute ride. The only bummer is all the traffic and the lights. If I leave early enough and don't mind a few extra miles I can go about 1/2 the way on a trail. Today, however, I went the boring direct route; down Walker to Murray and than all the way to the end of Murray. The cool thing I discovered today is that getting over Murray isn't quite as hard as it used to be. I don't know if any of you have noticed how steep that hill is but it's been my nemesis for a couple of years now. I've been finding new ways to ride to work lately to keep the variety alive (and avoid the beast) so I hadn't done it in a while. I just wanted to say yeah me!

I had a great time on the backpacking trip. It makes me very happy to hear how much everyone else enjoyed it too. I love to backpack and it really makes it special when you can share the beauty with others.

CGN John

School

school is going by pretty quick and i want it to go by even faster because im tired of it. but im bored now so what i am going to do when school is over? i know i will be going outside and going to martial arts but what am i going to do in my spare time besides call of duty?

Backpacking!!! :)

Hola Everybody!!! Sarah Here! OK, so, the backpacking trip...... FUNNNNN!!! I dont know about anyone else, but i had a Splendid time. The Hike in was fun. I remember seeing chris jogging over the hill and thinking it was some random redheaded girl.... haha, sorry chris. The water was very cold (thats an understatement) but i had fun anyway. It was really cool thaat taylor and i had so much matching clothes. i liked adopting her for the weekend. Luckily, we had food other than freeze dried stuff while we were there. It's weird to think we hiked 12 miles in 3 days.
I am SO glad that we stopped at starbucks cuz if we didn't we would have had joshuas projectile orange vomit all over us instead of all over the starbucks parking lot.... ya, thanks josh. Anyway, thats all for now!!!

CGN SARAH

Bloooooood Drive

Thanks everyone for making it such a success....

Backpacking trip

Saturday and Sunday were the days I stayed for the backpacking trip. I had a great time there with everybody. Thank you CGN Jessica for planning the trip. The thing that I liked the most was the missions we got. I think that this was the best camping trip that I’ve been to with Aim High. I hope we do this again next year.

Camping Trip

The camping trip was so awesome! We did so many cool things and we had a lot of great new experiences. The hike wasn't to bad and it had a wonderful view of the river. Also I loved the top secret assignments."SNAP" "Cgn John Lietner where did you get those shoes."haha. My favorite thing was climbing the mountain and looking down on everything. Sleeping in tents wasn't to bad and the camping food was delicous. One of my other favorite things was swimming that was really funny,cold, and enjoyable. The most memorable was the skits, I'll never forget Larry, Gary,Mary,Bary, and Mudkip. Also I enjoyed just lying in the grass and looking at the sky. Oh and don't forget my fort that was pretty cool too. Thankyou everyone who helped with the camping trip it was so great!
~Noah Prins-Optimism is the way

camping

thank you leitner's for planning the camping trip!!  and i'm glad us hammy's got to go on this one!  lol =)  we had a great time!

to the tweens/teens ~ the skits were awesome! thanks for the laughs and letting your personalities shine through!!

Camping by the River

This year's hiking trip was awesome! The hike wasn't as nearly as long as the one to Serene Lake in 2009. I can't believe I walked 12 miles in 3 days! That big cliff that over looked our campsite was really cool. Climbing it was slow because of all the loose rocks. But once at the top, the view was amazing and the overlooking hills looked like something painted by Grant Wells. They almost didn't seem real. The water in the river was FREEZING!! I got goose bumps all over my body from just stepping in to my knees. Right now i'm glad that I don't have to at that freeze dried food anymore and that I don't smell like campfire. It was overall, really cool and I hope we can go there again someday.

This morning I realized just how much my sister has grown up. She isn't my little baby sister that always needs my help with everything anymore. Now, I'm supposed to be that figure or idol that she looks up to instead of just someone who plays 'horsey' with her. It is hard to grow up, but it's fun at the same time. Yesterday, Kenzie got a letter from her elementary school saying that she was accepted into the leadership program there. I was so happy and proud of her and I started thinking about when I was accepted. Then, I realized that that doesn't matter right now, this is her moment and I can couch her but, she has to do it on her own. Just something I thought this morning. Happy Early 10th Birthday Kenzie!!

Taylor