Doesn't get any better then this...

Last night we were at the Roloff dinner - separate tables for EC and AH but still with the crew from the studio. Sam, Brandy, Chelsea and I posed for our "black dress" picture and I was reminded of posing with Cheryl and Tammy for the "black belt" picture. Out of the dojo and into the world ladies.....Smokin' hot. Chelsea get ready cuz you're next! LOL ~ CGNJ

Bricks

So I broke all 3 of my boards but not my brick. I honestly thought I could, but for the wrong reason. I thought that, even though I'd never broken one before, that we'd have the instructors pretty much hovering over us telling us how to stand, how to position our hand, twist into it, hit down through it to the floor, etc. I knew all that going into it. I know how to do that with a board. But then it was just like, go for it. Seriously? Just me? Where's my support system telling me what to do? After I failed at breaking it, THEN they tell me what I did wrong. I remember thinking: 'No kidding, I know it was wrong.'

Then why did I do it wrong if I KNEW it wasn't right?

Because instead of going in with the confidence of knowing I could go through the brick, I went into it with the confidence of knowing the instructors would help us break them. That's what they've always done. I can't expect to have someone else break through the difficult things for me. I'm the one that has to do that.

However, now I'm still left with an unbroken brick. Now what? Well, tomorrow I spend my entire day mute, so I guess I can use the time to figure it out. Nothing like failing to break it in front of a hundred or so people to make you second-guess yourself. Oh well, if I can do half of the stuff we've all done so far, then it's right back to it all on Monday and pick up where we left off. Think I'm going to throw myself a 2 hr pity party complete with a consolation movie: Murder By Death.... Hilariously funny. Do I smell Nestle' Tollhouse cookies? :)

Never Give Up

The last few days, that's what I've been thinking: Never give up. Of all times for me to get an injury that interferes with my ability to stand, walk, run, etc., this is probably one of the worst times it could have happened...or one of the best.

I do have to say, the first thoughts immediately after the injury happened and I got the pain under control were angry and centered on how this is the worst thing that could happen. However, as I laid on the floor in the back office, I realized that I could either be angry, or I could have a positive attitude and work through this. While at the hospital, I was certain they were going to say "just stay off it for a couple weeks and take it easy after that until it feels better." When the two doctors came in looking serious and told me what happened, my heart did sink a little, and it took me a minute to get back in that positive state of mind. I can tell you, it is a struggle...especially with all that's going on.

The Block Party is tomorrow, I'm hiring a new manager and a new graphic design/website person at work this month, prepping for a manager to go on maternity leave (who also was assigned to bed rest recently for a short while, and I had to cover for her), getting ready for 2012 budget process, helping out more at Aim High, and oh, did I mention the Dare to Dream test?

So, how is this good for me? Well, now I have get creative with my test and figure out how things can be modified and still satisfy my requirements, ask for help and let people help me (something CGN Brandy ordered me to do), delegate more things I normally do to others and trust they will get them done, sit and let others handle things at the block party when I really want to be walking around helping, and take care of my injury properly because I know if I don't, it won't heal right, and that will affect the rest of my life. All of this requires a large amount of growth.

I see this injury as a test. How much can I adjust my perspective to keep from getting super-stressed? So far, I think I'm doing rather well. I haven't cried yet over the stress, and I feel rather calm right now. My ankle is hurting me, and my leg/foot is swollen and uncomfortable, but I think I'm managing the pain well, ignoring it most of the time, and taking ibuprofen only about once per day. I'm busy delegating at work, and I'm working with KJN and BKJN to come up with ideas to continue training and hopefully test next month.

However, I do know that there is a slight chance I will not test with everyone next month. The board/brick breaking is solved, conditioning can easily be modified, it's the curriculum that I'm most concerned about. If anyone has any ideas, I'd love to hear them. I don't want to give up.

My appointment at the fracture clinic is next Wednesday afternoon, and I'll find out if I need surgery or just some rest and intense physical therapy. I'll come to training that night with a full report from the visit. :0)

Hope everyone is having a good night!

whoa

one month left... it just hit me. 28 days from now or whatever the amount is I will have earned my black belt... if everything goes to plan ;)

Good luck to everyone and have a great Friday :)

Hdawg

Board breaking

So I just have to say that a sooooo love board breaking week! I love watching the little kids' faces the first time they ever break a board. I love watching the advanced belts trying to break the boards with the more difficult kicks... you know, the ones that make the moms close their eyes and pray we don't end up in the ER that night. I love watching Kjn Jeremy hold boards day after day and still being able to keep a smile on his face even after his fingers have been kicked for the 45th time that day.

Then, I just love breaking them myself... My favorite so far is using my elbow. Even the sounds on board breaking week are great.... The sound of them splitting in half and hitting the floor... The cheers of all the students & parents when someone succeeds at breaking one... especially the little pint-size warriors. There's something just really great about board breaking week that makes everyone happy. It makes you leave with a smile on your face. :)

i seriously need help...

i've always kept a log of the miles i run, as it was a way to set monthly goals for myself and to build up my distance.  i started keeping track of the situps/pushups when jake started testing with the make it happen team to help support him.  yep, i've been logging ever since 2008.  as i was updating my log from the last couple of weeks (to give bkjn my numbers), i was a little sick to my stomach as i looked at the combined total for all the years.  OMG! there is obviously something wrong with me! seriously!! i need to see a shrink! who in their right state of mind would do that to their bodies...  that's just complete torcher.  lol   ;)

Life is taking over...

So there's a few people out on vacation @ work this week and I'm finding that doing their job and my job is getting to be one stressful big job. I look forward to BB training just to get away from it all and then I find myself stressing over the next few weeks we have left to train. Not sure, but I think I need to learn how to relax. And get more mouth guards... and wash my shin guards ... and do more push-ups. Yep, it's going to be a BUSY month!