But look! Still trying to blog daily!
Tonight was the Goober's first karate class. We're doing it so the kid learns some discipline, more than for self defense. Although the husbeast wants his blonde, potentially six-feet-tall daughter to be able to kick righteous ass, as a life skill. (For that I'd prefer she learn military hand-to-hand, but strangely the Marine Corps is uninterested in taking my five year old.)
Well. Sensei is all over the discipline, and a deep bow to him for it. I muttered at the beginning of class that we were having trouble with LISTENING at home. He said oh, when the kids didn't listen, he made them do squats. I gave him a big smile and said it sounded like a fine idea. I absolutely don't want him thinking I'm going to be one of those wilting parents who complains about their child not being allowed to explore their inner creativity or some shit.
The kids wound up doing what appeared to be Japanese calisthenics for half an hour while he hammered manners (bowing, keeping their yaps shut - yap term aimed at my child particularly) and some Japanese terms into them. It was like herding cats. This man must have some deep commitment to instilling knowledge in the younger generation, because there's not enough money in the world to make a man take on that kind of teaching gig.
Yes, the Goober wound up doing squats. I intend to make her do more at home, too, when she doesn't listen to me.
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Remember the garish sock?
It doesn't fit. Foot's too long, heel's way baggy, ankle too tight. Not remotely in the realm of 'close enough'. Haven't unraveled it yet, because I'm not done being irritated about it yet. I think my gauge was slightly off (well, OBVIOUSLY), and some of the Cat Bordhi patterns can go funky on you if your stitch-to-row gauge aren't close enough to hers.
To console myself, I have started on another pair of zombie socks with some really cheap merino/bamboo/nylon sock yarn I picked up at JoAnn's yesterday. (The husbeast needed the gear to replace snaps in some welding leathers.) If the socks turn out okay, I may use this blended yarn to knit the lining of those mittens I was blathering about back in December. Or, um, more socks.
Right. Gonna go pass out now.
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9 comments:
Your kid is going to have thighs that can crack walnuts and buns of steel, isn't she?
Also, the word verification is "whinitive."
Word Verification - it's watching us!
I decided that some of the socke yarns that are just too stinking thin for socks (and too busy for doilies) maybe I can use if I knit two yarns at once.
Oh, those squats are killers. My thighs are quivering at the memory of my tae kwon do classes. Discipline and respect are too rare these days. The Goob will love this and Sensei will survive.
My master does the same thing with her students, in both her Tae Kwon Do and Haidong Gumdo classes. You cannot start Gumdo (korean sword forms) until you are 13, so she has more younger ones in TKD. She ALWAYS asks if they are respectful, polite, have done their schoolwork, cleaned their rooms, etc. If not, they get push-ups. The Gumdo students she gives to *me* and they get umpty-gazillion straight cuts. }:-)
She also has small (inexpensive) medals to award to those students who do well in school, so she reinforces that.
:)
Phyllis
Two of my daughters train in Kuk Sool Won and I'm not letting Mr. Wiggles (aka Youngest Child) take it until they won't all be in the same classes having to suffer from his inability to stand still.
Next year, he's Kuk Sool Won -ing it on his own.
It's so funny watching teachers deal with these tinies! I'd go mad quickly; the teachers seem to take it in stride & get control simply by expecting it. Wow.
I remember as a mom that if I meant business, I got obedience instantly. What's curious is how often I must not have been that sure of myself. Huh. Now that I'm a trained parent, I've got nobody to parent!
The odd thing is, the younger students are easier to tolerate. You figure they just haven't learned yet. It's when I sub for the high school I lose my patience. Surly if a student has been in school nine or ten years they know they have to listen to the lesson no matter who delivers it, but nooooooo! Subs mean the day off. Yesh.
I had the same problem the Cat Bordhi sock I tried - my gauge was spot on, as near as I could tell (I make a gauge swatch and use it to design my own sweaters that reliably fit well so I am not a gauge weenie by any stretch). I keep going back to my standard top-down heel flap sock just because the fit is reliably good for me.
Go sensei! OUr sensei was so nice for Big T--and support those guys too-- the crash hit them hard!
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