Thursday, April 12

Making the grade

Today has been quite weird. I drove the kids to my mothers and saw her for the first time in months but I'll blog/process that another time, this is about recognition, celebration, feeling visible and valid and actually liking myself for a change.

Getting back and having the house to myself was blissful. It was, of course, a shitpit due to kids being on holidays but after a couple of loud, therapeutic hours with Rufus and Henry , both my abode and my mind were much clearer.

Sitting down with lunch I click lazily onto one of my favourite brainfood places and discover that Lyle has nominated me for POTW. As a regular reader I know the high standard of nominations so I'm immensely flattered that someone thought a post of mine good enough to include in the longlist. Thank you again, Lyle. For a lurker you ain't half had an affect!


Off to karate with a smile on my face, collecting my friend on the way. I really like her but I'm jealous of her skill in kumite and finding certain things so easy so, when she raves about certain moves of mine that I do as a matter of course my grin gets that bit bigger. I realise that my mindset needs changing, I am improving and I need to acknowledge it.

Get to the dojo, flirt through warm up, sigh when Sensei announces a stamina session. Pace breathing, keep going, be faster than that up his own arse bloke, breathe, spar, kata, spar, kata, legs screaming, feel no pain, think helium, spar Sensei, try not to die, push through, dig deep, I hit him!, cop a few, I kicked him!, keep breathing, don't vomit, kata, spar, kata, spar, is it over yet?, it's only meant to be 1.5 hours, breathe, dig, deep, don't, die, done. It's done. Line up to bow out and hear some names called to accept their grades, clap, whoop pitifully at one I'm closer to, hear my name. My name. MY NAME!

2nd kyu. One more grading then it's black belt.

That was a good day.

14 comments:

Annie said...

Hooray! You are ace. My guy is a brown belt, he looks so cute in his little outfit. Um, that's about as much as I know about karate. But well done! Glad things are looking up.

Anonymous said...

Wow, I am impressed that you are a karate master or should that be mistress. I would hate to be a guy who tried to mug you

Joanna Cake said...

At bloody last!!!! Well done Bitch x

Lady in red said...

congratulations baberrvrlmxy

Anonymous said...

yippy! (i would have said hooray but annie beat me to it) glad to hear you had such a fabo day! keep them coming! and enjoy the rest of your weekend! xxxx

Vi said...

Remind me never to upset you, I reckon you could rip my head off!

MWWWAAHHH on making your grade
(and the other thing you were talking about - will check the link now.)

Bittersweet said...

it sounds like a goodie day, congratulations!

Troika said...

Wow! We do have something in common. I'm a black belt.

Troika said...

And BTW, I'm going give you a flying roundhouse to the head if you don't sort out my link.

Ordinary Girl said...

Oh well done you!! I am sure justly deserved!

Anonymous said...

Well done FB, xx
big hug x

Angela-la-la said...

Thanks, guys! I didn't make the shortlist at Post of the Week but seeing Clare win it with her immensely powerful entry cheered that up quick enough.

Troika, blackbelt in what, origami? I would've got the link sorted sooner but I just love it when you're stroppy with me xx

Ariel said...

Ye gods what a woman! And not one to pick a fight with either. Yay you!

Troika said...

You think this is stroppy?

Any more talk like that I will have to put you over my knee ...