karate

Sparring is either really good for me or really bad for me. It gets my blood up, and makes me feel like I've had a pint of Guinness. You know that feeling when you're certainly not drunk, but you feel more free to say exactly what's on your mind, gestures and all? It sounds like sparring is bad for me. But it's been hinted that I'm not the the least uptight person in the world, so maybe it's a good.

I would also like to note that my brother beat me fair and square, and it was an honor to be thrashed by him. If he'd been at the tournament, we might have made a better showing in sparring. I really admire Josh's sparring style: it's very quick, but it's also very thoughtful and precise - much like Josh-my-brother-in-law - but lighter on his feet, and probably not quite as lightening-fast (with Josh-my-brother-in-law, you don't see or even imagine the kick coming. With Josh-my-brother, it might cross your mind a split second before it caves in your stomach).

Karate is a weird thing. It gets everyone's blood up, just at different points. I've heard people in our church be more upset about karate politics than the abysmal Episcopal church politics. Maybe because in church politics we're sure we're all on the side of the angels. In karate, we suspect we or our fellow man might be an idiot or an incompetent. Or that both of us are both.

But I've been noticing: with all the things that are wrong, it's still so good that it's worth the commitment it takes.


Okay, enough of that. (For fellow members of our karate school, the above really wasn't aimed at anyone in particular - it was just me trying to figure out some of the weirdness.)