Running...

Some days it feels like I'm running in circles, or stuck on a hamster wheel.

Put in 18 hours of overtime last week trying to catch up and stay ahead of what's going on at work. Had 10 hours on the weekend, plus Monday, Wednesday and Thursday nights. I've got to put in some time today as well. Do it at home where I've got only a cat or two to distract me, not more than a few idiots running around.

Yes, the money is nice. I got both my quarterly bonus and 10 hours OT on the paycheck Thursday. My check was almost double what it normally is. Means I can catch up on a few bills, pay things ahead. I'll be able to pay the mortgage out of next week's check and still have money left over. Sweet.

As for the four footed distractions... AB has finally warmed up to me. He's been funny this week, in that he's been doing laps around the living room. He'll start out in his usual corner, peek his head out around the couch and look at me. Then he'll quickly slink across the living room to behind the love seat, walk behind my recliner, then try to get by the recliner on the way back to his corner. I started putting my hand down on the side of the recliner so he could smell me and get a bit of a pet on the way by.

This morning he decided to come out from under the end table next to my recliner. With a little encouragement he hopped up on my lap and let me pet him for a half hour. Then he whined about the litter box, so I got up and cleaned that out.

He's been purring and talking up a storm ever since. Loud freakin' purr, too.

Tabby, on the other hand, is still in hiding. I couldn't find her earlier in the week, looked in every known hidey hole. Finally looked way in the back of my closet and found her there. I scared her out yesterday and caught her. She didn't fight back. She was panicked, so I just held and soothed her as best I could, then let her go.

Now that AB is OK with me, I'm hoping he'll talk to Tabby and let her know I'm OK, too.

The martial arts/self defense class is going OK. Sifu gave us an idea yesterday about how to practice elbow and other strikes. He suggested tying a whiffle ball to a string and hang it in a doorway. Then you can adjust the height of the whiffle ball to give you a different place to strike at. He also noted that some boxers have used the technique to improve their dodging skills. Start the whiffle ball moving, then shadow box and move as the whiffle ball comes back at you.

Had a rather sad moment during the class as well. Sifu asked us to move to the mirror to understand how one of the elbow strikes works. Watching myself in the mirror doing the strike was humbling. I had the strike down, but looking at just how big my body really is hurt.
Body perception is WAY off. What size I see myself as and what I saw in the mirror were two very different things. Yes, it's a goad to get me to really push myself during my workouts. I don't want to be this body any longer. It took me time to get here, it will take me time to get to 175.

My chats with my martial arts co-worker continue. The chats have been insightful enough that with some of my well gotten gains I've purchased a LiveScribe pen. It can record conversations or meetings as you take notes. That will be handy for classes I take. It also means that I can unobtrusively record my conversations with him so I can collect the knowledge he's imparting on me.

I asked him if he and his dad were thinking about writing an e-book to put on their website. It's something he wants to do, just hasn't made it a priority yet. I also asked if they had ever taught any self-defense classes, and they have. It's been a while - the early 1990's - since they did one, and they need to update their stats, etc. I may suggest he bring it up to the Wellness Center about teaching the class at work.

No matter where he teaches it, I'll be there. I'll also drag my nieces with as well. Wouldn't hurt them to learn how to defend themselves.

So, time get get moving. I need to upgrade the OS on my Mac so I can use the LiveScribe. I need to do all the usual Sunday stuff like washing clothes and dishes and making lunch and supper for the week. And once I get things rolling, perhaps record a deep trance identification script as well.