My New Year Resolutions

What? It's January 22nd? OK and your point is?? :D

I remembered recently about the Mexican tradition of NY celebration and resolutions. I actually wrote a post about it (and you should definitely read it, obviously, since i'm an awesome writer and shit!). So i was thinking, hum, i didn't do a "things i want this year" list for 2014. Maybe going to bed at 11:30pm on the 31st of December, saying to my man, happy new year and good night pretty much at the same time didn't set the right mood for it. 

So anyway, i was thinking about what i might want the other day. As i said a few years back, i don't feel like i need anything. I'm happy with what i have right now. Obviously, getting a job that earns me big bucks would be awesome (instead of working 2 jobs for a shitty wage), moving apartment would be amazing but apart from that, well, i couldn't think about much more.

But i still came out with something. After spending a week-end at my uncle's, talking about this insane relationship with my mother (whom we all agreed, is a bully), we've set a goal for 2014: being able to tell my mom to fuck off. But maybe that's not the kind of new year resolution or goal that fits in the books. 

So on a more serious point of view, i'd like to write more. To write and to read more. I love writing in my blog, i have internet at home now which means i have no excuse for not writing more often. I have various topics i can discuss and write about and well, not another reason than laziness not to do it. So i'm gonna try to write at least once a week. That'd be better than once every trimester!!

Same for reading. I have a zillion books to read, a subscription to the local library and i don't take time to read. What do i do instead? I play on my cellphone. This is TRAGIC. But i have already started to try to change this and i put a book in my bag. So now, when i'm waiting wherever i need to wait, i read instead of playing. I guess it's just a habit to re-establish in my routine.

So there, my NY list of resolutions: write more, read more and standing my grounds more against my mom.

Happy New Year everybody!

I'm Gonna Be A Samourai

I have had that wish of practicing a Martial Arts since forever. And my man being a Karate, Thai Boxing, Full Contact and Karate Contact teacher (among other stuff i can't remember just now), a lot of people seemed to assume i would go that way too. Things is, Karate and all these mentioned arts are HIS domain, not mine. That's his life, his passion, his leisure, his friends, and definitely not mine. Moreover, i didn't want, on top of it all, to become his wife at the dojo. So i said sod it, i'm not doing this.

That's when i realized i never really got attracted to Karate and kicking with my feet and hands. The only combat sport i considered once was boxing because i had just seen "Million Dollar Baby" and i was dying to get Hillary Swank's back!!!

No, what I've always found appealing, were weapons and in particular SABERS. The idea of learning how to properly use a saber to slice people up was definitely a turn on. Moreover, in Japan, it's the noble art. The art of the saber. So yeah, i was going to do just that. 

So there i was, at my free try-out class of Kendo. And even though i don't actually slice people up (it's kinda hard with a bamboo saber!!!), i learn how to hold it, how to hit someone on the head (with the idea to cut him/her down to the eyes), how to cut people's wrist, how to stab someone in the throat, and more generally, how to slice someone vertically and horizontally. And in all honesty, it's freaking AWESOME.

There is something liberating in hitting someone with a saber. Especially since we have to shout at the time we actually do it. So you shout out your rage and physically hit someone on their armor like you're on for the kill. 

Even though the way of the saber is considered the noble art, it still is a martial art hence subject to rules and protocol. You learn respect towards the elders or the higher ranked, obviously big respect to the Senseï, you salute your opponent, you respect in religious silence the moment each person suits themselves up with the armor, you thank your teacher and your fellow companions and you show respect to the dojo your practice into, every time you enter or exit it. All of this ceremony has something sacred in it. It's a feeling i find hard to describe, yet a feeling i truly like.

We all have some rage and anger inside us. And being able to lash it out is soothing. I get out of the class drained, both physically and emotionally and it feels goooood.