Compiling Compliments

Well, Nyqil took care of sleeping on Wednesday night. Somehow I thought I’d be okay last night so went to bed without it, but after hearing the clock strike midnight, I finally got up and had some. And then this morning when my alarm went off, I hit “Snooze.” I swear I hit “Snooze.” But then I woke up an hour and a half later and had to scramble to get out the door. Boo.

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Before class last night, everyone was trying to figure out who had led the sound of protest on Monday that got us all a dose of killer conditioning. Everyone else is still feeling it, too, so I don’t feel like too much of a wimp for still hurting, too. Legs were still a little rough yesterday, and my shoulders are complaining again this morning (though that might also be from the drilling last night).

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Rolling to start. Brandon, then Will. Nice, longish rolls.

Drilling was north/south kimura. Worked with Brandon and Blue Belt Buddy.

Rolling again. Brandon again, then Blue Belt Buddy. More nicely-paced, long rolls.

With Brandon and Buddy, I was seeing the beginning of slippery slopes on which Will or Justin or Tim would have snatched up this or that and I would have quickly been in a world of trouble. I’ve realized that it’s often not just the moment before they grab it in which I make the mistake, but rather several steps before where I put myself in that position/pattern from which they can cherry-pick easy transitions and submissions. So, I was starting to see the first steps of the slope and realized where it could be heading and was working on heading a different way. Though did once watch and almost take notes as Buddy went from side control to taking my back. Thoughts were something like, “Oh, I see, there’s space there under my elbow.” or “Okay, so moving that way only helps him.” Trippy.

With Will, a couple of times my brain was able to sound the alarm soon enough to give me *just* enough time to back away from the most obvious/usual conclusion, and especially in D’Arce-land, which has been the bane of my rolling existence for months, maybe years. (He was going a little slower, too, which helped.) Scott pointed out to me a while ago, because I’m much shorter compared to my opponents — and especially my torso and arm length against theirs — that I absolutely cannot hang out in that middle area in bottom half. I have to be either all the way in or all the way out. (I think, though, I see so many people play against me using that middle ground from bottom, and so my brain picks that up as valid. But it’s not, not for me.)

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Compliments: it’s been a weird week — people are throwing out compliments everywhere. *shrug* Not that I mind… 😉

Sunday — best friend Jennie called and said that she’d been looking through her wedding pictures and that I’d looked beautiful. Aww. (It’s amazing what a team of paid professionals and an expensive dress can do!)

Monday — one of the guys said I was being so technical and squirrelly in that roll that he’d had to abandon his usual game and just try to crush me.

Tuesday — during King of the Hill, I jumped out with one guy who said, “Oh, crap, it’s Leslie. Now my usual bullshit won’t work.”

Wednesday — Martha said the Women’s Class was her favorite class (well, tied with hitting things).

Thursday — Will said I’d rolled well and had defended the D’Arce better (see!). Also, earlier in the day I’d been wearing a short-sleeve shirt at work; I was stretching or something and the CEO walked by, did a double-take, and said, “You have bigger guns than me….” (And I do! *giggle*)

Two days left this week 😛

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My brother pointed this out to me yesterday. Who gets your vote: Mercedes Bunz? Ebenezer Noonoo? Quardrophenia Taylor? Taco B.M. Monster? (I really want to know what the B.M. stands for…!) Monsterville Horton IV? (IV! That implies I-III!) My brother’s personal favorite is Neptune Pringle III.