Uke

I've found that I love being chosen as uke for demonstration. Maybe it's an ego thing. It means that my instructors think that I've achieved some basic level of competence. There's a certain amount of uncertainty and anticipation that comes with not knowing what technique is coming next. You're told what attack you are supposed to execute and Sensei takes it from there. Your role is to provide a committed attack and then go with the flow.

Go with the flow. Nage is defending against your attack but you, as uke, are still in control of your response to that defensive move. Do aikido. Go with the flow. It's all a circle.

Also, it's just a heck of a lot of fun to get thrown around by someone who knows what they're doing.

:)

Thoughts on Reunions

Reunion: a reuniting of persons after separation
-Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

The Joy of Hello:

Because my parents live so far away, we usually only see each other once a year, twice if we're lucky. I can't sleep much the night before they arrive here or we leave to go visit them, because I can't wait for the moment to arrive. Whether I'm waiting at the airport for them to come through customs or I'm sitting on the plane, whiling away the hours in the air, the anticipation just builds and builds and builds. And then, there we are, together again and the smiles on our faces could light up the whole arrival area. I see the same kinds of smiles shining on the faces of the people around me and I know that we are all feeling way: like there's a sun inside you making you feel all warm and happy and loved.


The Sadness of Goodbye:

Time flies by so quickly when we're together and before I know it, it's time to head to the airport again and time for my throat to constrict and the tears to start welling up in my eyes. I try really hard not to cry but if I see my mom starting to tear up too, that is the end. Sigh. I hate saying goodbye.

Resolution:

I need to accept that, until teleportation becomes reality, there's not much I can do about the distances that separate us. I need to learn to live in the now and just enjoy the moments that we do spend together, not dwell so much on the time that we are apart, to appreciate what we have and not think about what we do not.

This will be my goal when we head home for the holidays this Christmas. I will focus on hello and I won't say goodbye. I'll stick with the German 'Auf Wiedersehen,' which I like much better.

'Til we see each other again.

The Joys of Childhood and the Cold Weather

We're in Tahoe and there's wireless in the room. With a free moment, it's time to blog. Just a wee bit. Am I hooked on this or what?

The weather outside is gorgeous. The sky is blue, the sun is shining and it is 37 degrees F. Last night it got down below 30. Yowza! I can't remember the last time I've felt so cold. My last winter on the East Coast was in 2001. It's kind of invigorating.

The kids are having a blast. They've seen Santa, watched the tree lighting ceremony, gotten all kitted out for the cold in layers upon layers of clothes. They've been in the lovely, heated outdoor pool. ("I'm the greatest swimmer, Mama!" said my little P.) Their noses have gone all red with the cold and the teeth and chins have chattered.

Today we are going to take them snow tubing and then ride the cable car up to the top of the mountain! Yes, SNOW! They are so excited, and, because of that, we are too.

I'm getting dirty looks. (Why is she blogging?) Time to go.

Happy Run-niversary to Me

One year ago, on Thanksgiving Day, I put the turkey in the oven and decided that this was the day that I was going to start running.

Today, I went for an anniversary run to celebrate a year of running. In that year, I have gone from not being able to run more than a minute at a time to finishing a half-marathon in just over a two and a quarter hours. I've run in one 12K race, done one sprint triathlon and that half-marathon. I've lost about 15 pounds in that time and gotten my cholesterol levels down from scarily high to normal. I'm getting really close to breaking the nine-minute mile barrier.

Most of all, I've proven to myself that, if I put my mind to it, I can do something I didn't think I could before.

I can make time for myself.

I can conquer the Dish.

I can run 13.1 miles.

I can.

And I will keep going.

Today I Give Thanks

For:

• my children, who make me laugh and sigh, sing and cry, shout and scream with joy and frustration and who remind me that my capacity to love is boundless
  
• my husband, who makes me laugh at the beginning and the end of the day and is my partner as we navigate this path called life
  
• my parents, who are always there for me, even when I don't call them as often as I should
• my brother and the rest of my family, who remind me that I have roots in many countries and homes in all of them
  
• my friends, who round out my world and inspire me, whether I see them everyday or just a few times a year
• good health, mine and that of those that I love
• aikido and running and swimming and biking, because they get me out of my chair, away from my desk and keep my mind sane and my body healthy
• my job, because it continues to challenge me and bring me into contact with great people all over the world (and it helps pay the bills!)
  
• this blog, because through it, I've gotten back into writing again

For all these and more, I am truly thankful.

Sensei is 75 Today

Long may he live and continue to inspire and teach us the art and philosophy of aikido.

1. Harder and stronger is not always better.
2. Get out of the way of conflict.
3. Do not meet aggression head on. Blend and redirect.
4. Center yourself and move from your center.
5. Breathe.

He's a kind and generous man with his knowledge. I am lucky to learn from him.

The Leaky Faucet

I know I've written about what a sensitive boy my dear D is and how he can cry at the drop of the hat. Today, I realized that he probably gets this from ME! Didn't I just blog about crying at the end of a NOVA program? Then I realized that I _always_ cry when I watch sad movies, even when I've seen the sad scenes a dozen times and know that they're coming. Even certain moments in animated flicks will get a tear out of me. You know the scene in 'Cars' where Lightning McQueen stops short of the finish line, drives out to the infield and pushes The King, banged-up and broken, across the line? Yup, Sob City.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.