Yes, I'm aware that I've been . . . not very diligent . . about keeping up with this log. That can't be avoided, I'm afraid. The best intentions take second fiddle to the need for sleep.
Physically, it's been an excellent week. A full slate of workouts including an excellent sparring session with Jay on Wednesday. I still cannot quite get past my training--I am too married to the "point-sparring" model, and I know I am not anywhere near as aggressive as I would need to be for this to be of any use. The problem is that that same passiveness creeps over into other things, making me worry that it is habitual. For instance, I played basketball this morning, and it occurred to me that even my "hard fouls" are not really that hard--often completely inadequate. And so I have arrived at the conclusion that the one most important thing I have to do to be a more effective martial artist is mental--I have to get more used to actually hitting a person before I can be useful on the street. And that is indicative of a mindset that I have to get to.
Spiritually, I've started my Lenten preparations. That meant a fast on Wednesday and today. My idea of fasting is, well, pretty much my own thing. From midnight on the day of the fast until sundown, I eat no solid foods--just about all liquids are fair game. Sometimes, between Starbucks and Jamba Juice I get through my day with very little difficulty. The great part about my fast, I have experienced through a few years, is that I rarely have a difficult time getting through my day. I will, in what I think is very normal, get a little hungry in the afternoon, but I can usually get through it without much trouble. I only just a couple years ago told Sheryl about this practice of mine--I've been doing this for, I don't know, six years or so. I don't know why the delay . . sure I do. One, I don't want to answer her questions; two, very few of my things that I do for myself are met with any support or encouragement; in fact, as often as not, I'm confronted with the " you're making me look bad" thing; and three, I believe in the injunction to do such acts privately. But, now she knows about it; she even told her friend Sheryl about it, which caused Sheryl to ask me a few questions about Lent and where it comes from and how it started and etc. . . Good question, one I never gave much thought to. But I'm glad I do some sort of Lenten observance--surely I need the discipline.
Intellect got a good draw this week. I took Thursday off to write with Jay, and we cranked out a a great body of work. I guess, as much as I LIKE writing in the middle of the night, I actually do better in the morning when I'm fresh and there's not as much on my mind. At any rate, we ended up getting to the first edit, which is encouraging, and we're pretty close to being able to send out the survey so we can start compiling data to support our thinking or to alter it. Either way, it's a huge step in the right direction.
And the artist in me had a good week, as well. I finished my Agnus Dei and presented it to Mary, had a rehearsal for Sunday morning which went well and leads me to think I'll have something to offer that will help the congregation's worship on Sunday. That doesn't look like a big list, but getting that Agnus done is huge, and means when the time is right I can really turn my attention to the marching band music. Unless another bug strikes me before then.
The only downer part of the week has been, really, Sheryl. Last night she got focused on her job and wasted 45 minutes talking; tonight, she got focused on her brother and his . . quirks, and so we killed another 45 minutes talking about him. The thing that's bad about that is that it has a tendency to drag everybody's spirits down into the gutter. There's rarely upbeat from her on things like that, so it turns into a lengthy bitch session. Never been a big fan of those, particularly, so . . . That's working against me and really contributing to my tiredness.
But otherwise, a very positive week, with good efforts in all the major areas of my life. If I can string together several weeks in a row like this one, I can really feel good about leaving for Jamaica.
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