Red Hot and Blue

I settled my debts at yoga! I was on time and wore correctly-fitting trousers, too. I apologised profusely for doing a runner last week and I think it's all cool now. I bought a six-class card to clearly establish that I'm not a crook.

Later on we were doing a twisty move and the teacher said kindly, "The other leg, Shauna" (I had left and right mixed up as usual). Then she said, "Wow, it's only your second week and I remember your name already! I'm normally rubbish with that."

"That's because she didn't pay," grinned one of the classmates. "You'll never forget her name!"

In other news, I scored my blue belt at kickboxing on Sunday!

I almost called in sick but that would have meant doing the grading another day, which would mean having to retain the moves in my brain for longer. Plus I wanted to progress with my Belt Buddies. We've been together since White... you can't break up that party!

It was ninety minutes of hell, comrades. Of course you should expect it to be harder the higher the grade but, man. It was hard to tell if it was the lingering cold or just the grueling-ness of the task. It was difficult staying upright at times; a punch would start out strong then wilt by the time it reached the target. The hardest part was concentrating on the instructions long enough to execute the moves. We finished with six one-minute rounds of sparring, a blur of thrashing arms and watery eyes.

Afterward we got our individual feedback from the coach. He was very kind and said I did well but I, rather knackered and delirious, kept interrupting with tearful rants. I coulda done better. I don't feel well. I can kick better than that. I'm always the dunce of the group. I HATE being the dunce of the group. Rah rah rah!

This illness has been much like the stage of drunkenness when your mouth takes off and way down in the background your brain is faintly pleading, BE COOL, MAN... but noooo, the mouth keeps going, so all you can do is listen to your own voice then cringe later on.

The fever is gone now but I feel high as a kite. It's a year since the first grading and I can't believe I've now got a blue belt. I love the whole kicking shebang so much. The people, the learning of new stuff, the general feeling of kick arse-ness. It's so addictive and empowering, even when you're Full of the Cold. I'm determined to work harder and more consistently and be fitter and stronger by the time we get round to Purple next year.

I've been recuperating since Sunday, belated doctor's orders. That is aside from the yoga class. We had to stare into a candle and meditate at the end. It was odd but lovely to let the mind go quiet and listen to the tumbleweeds up there.

Comments

[1 · Posted by jkapp · August 27, 2009 at 11:51 PM]

Seriously Shauna, I just don't know how you do it - Congratulation on not only ahieving your Blue belt (hurrah!) but doing it while full of the cold (aka sick with flu) - amazing.....inspriational, yet again!

Hope you get a chance to rest and fully recuperate now....all the more time to plan your next 'runner' I guess :)

[2 · Posted by Suzee · August 28, 2009 at 12:02 AM]

You're awesome chick!!!!!

[3 · Posted by tehbloe · August 28, 2009 at 12:23 AM]

Congrats on the blue belt! Yeah. :o) Feel better soon!

[4 · Posted by tehbloe · August 28, 2009 at 12:23 AM]

Congrats on the blue belt! Yeah. :o) Feel better soon!

[5 · Posted by teresa · August 28, 2009 at 01:05 AM]

I've just re-read your book and you've made me feel all inspired with the exercise. I've been doing a 30 day bikram yoga challenge - it's day 26 today and I need to do three more doubles to make up for days I missed, but instead of whingeing on about it I'm just going to do it!

[6 · Posted by kathryn · August 28, 2009 at 02:23 AM]

Nice work on the belt. Congrats.

[7 · Posted by MB · August 28, 2009 at 02:31 AM]

You kick a$$! I'm sure that blue belt looks fantastic on you. What's the next one?

I think I need to get to a class and work out my frustrations. I could imagine I'm kicking the sh*t out of my boss. It could be very satisfying.

Drink your fluids and take care of yourself. Feel better soon.

Rock on in your blue belt.

[8 · Posted by Tamakikat · August 28, 2009 at 03:36 AM]

Hi Shauna,

congratulations on your blue. Fantastic achievement for anyone let alone someone full of the cold.

TK

[9 · Posted by enny · August 28, 2009 at 08:43 AM]

Nice work!!

I know that we wouldn't let anyone grade if we didn't think they should do it, so you should take some heart in that!

Also take heart that after my first black belt grading finished I just wanted to cry because I felt I had done so terribly and knew I could do better. 11 years later I can look back and see that actually I did a really good job, it was just the voice in my head telling me it wasn't that bad.

Keep on keeping on!!!!

[10 · Posted by Mrs Lard · August 28, 2009 at 09:37 AM]

You are your very own superhero! Way to go, DG! You tell that fever where to go as you kick arse (or ass!).

Awesome achievements all round. Bl**dy well done, mate.

Now really let your bod recover properly.

Big kiss and a high five.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

[11 · Posted by Lesley · August 28, 2009 at 09:45 AM]

Aaaaah, dry yer eyes...

No! That's totaly NOT what I intended to say. Well done on the bLue belt and I'm glad your name is no longer in the yoga lady's shop window of debtors!

Keep it up.

Lesley x

[12 · Posted by skinny latte · August 28, 2009 at 10:04 AM]

Well done on getting the blue belt! I'm doing intro to kickboxing in September, I wonder if I'll get hooked the way you have. GO YOU!! Great work! xx

[13 · Posted by Diane Fit to the Finish · August 28, 2009 at 11:12 AM]

You are so funny, and so awesome! Great job on the belt in kickboxing. Our violin teacher is the tinest little thing you've ever seen, and she is a kickboxing fanatic!!

My son, who at 12, is 5'11", is so afraid of her everytime he sees her. She is fierce! (Well, that and the fact he may not have practiced as much as she would have liked him to. . .)

[14 · Posted by Marla · August 28, 2009 at 11:47 AM]

Yay, congratulations on the blue belt! And I hope you are better soon, you've been sick so long I can't even remember when you were well!

[15 · Posted by Miz · August 28, 2009 at 11:50 AM]

you were your own superhero before :) and you are a BLUEBELTEDONE now!

Im so so so in awe.

[16 · Posted by Mothership · August 28, 2009 at 01:29 PM]

Hi Darling Daughter

Will pass on the word to Granny of your blue-belted success! She will be as proud of you as I am.

Take care of yourself - wish I could share the home-made pea and ham soup I cooked....bound to help the recovery.

Perhaps you could write to your former teachers in high school with details of your new successes in the sporting arena complete with copies of awards / photos. It might encourage those students who presently don't like sport...:-)

Have a great weekend
Ma

[17 · Posted by K · August 28, 2009 at 06:08 PM]

Congratulations! I think you should get extra brownie points (bluey points?) if you take the test while Full of Cold...

[18 · Posted by Philippa · August 28, 2009 at 09:48 PM]

Awesome job on the aquiring of the blue belt!

Now...will you purleeeese get some flippin' rest woman!!! This nurse (albeit in mental health, not physical) is somewhat dispairing of those who don't look after themselves when they feel poo, but wonder why the symptoms still linger... Not that you're doing that though, I'm sure! ;-)

[19 · Posted by Donna · August 29, 2009 at 04:28 PM]

Well done on the blue belt DG!!
I think you are brave doing yoga, are you not worried someone will fart and you will laugh? Or even worse that you might fart? lol

[20 · Posted by BeckStein · August 31, 2009 at 02:16 PM]

Gratz on your Blue Shauna!!! You kick @$$...hehe...see I'm being clever ;) You're so going to end up a black belt and have to write a new book on how you became the Bruce Lee of the diet clobbering world!

xo,
Bex

[21 · Posted by PastaQueen · August 31, 2009 at 02:50 PM]

Congrats on the belt, Shauna! I hope someday you do a video blog so we can see your kickboxing skillz.

[22 · Posted by Quix · August 31, 2009 at 06:57 PM]

Seriously awesome job on getting your blue belt while feeling under the weather. Hope getting some rest makes you less full of the cold very soon! :)

[23 · Posted by Sweetie Pie · August 31, 2009 at 07:43 PM]

Super duper massively huge congratulations on your blue belt. You are a super star! :-)