Well, we went back to Karate for the first time in 2 weeks (since I had a cold and it went to my lungs so I had residual coughing and that ain’t to fun well Karateing) which I knew would be interesting ’cause if I skip more than a weeks worth of Karate, it takes a tad bit of getting used to. Not much. I mean I remember everything and can do everything but you know, it takes a while to get the muscles back in their springy ready-to-strike form.
Also, I noticed during yoga this morning that my arms felt a little weak. That’ll come into play later.
So, it was just Jon, Josh and Luke/Me. Today, we warmed up a little differently. Normally we do streches, then the “main course” (if you will) and finally some conditioning (push ups, crunches, etc). Well, this time we did conditioning first. That was a bit more difficult since I wasn’t yet in the groove. We did a set of calistetics (spelled something like that) and then some stretching and another kind of calistetics (spelled something like that) and another kind of stretching. We did that for an hour. Quite a warm-up! The lower part of my back hurt a little bit but everything else was fine.
The main course was good. We did Kihon and then Kata.
At the end of training, we talked a bit. Somehow weight got into the topic. J’ said that he wanted to lose a bit of weight so he can do some kumite competitions (he’s not fat, he’s just all around a big guy but extra weight is hard to deal with in fast paced Kumite) and he’s sizing down his meals (since he manages at a resturaunt [and is a mighty fine chef], it’s tempting to have a good pastry).
Before I continue, I must say that I have no sense of weight and length. I think an inch is much longer than it is and I think a pound is much less than it really is. So when I hear weight mentioned, it computes a little different in my head than in reality.
So anyway, J’ said that he had lost 2 pounds and is pushing for 14 more. Well, 2 didn’t seem like a lot (and plus, at my age, I could eat 2 buckets of Crisco and not gain a pound) so less than a millisecond later, I blurted out, “heh, good luck!”
That neither went over well, nor did it go over bad, it was just an “ooooohh” moment. And I didn’t feel bad at all about it! That’s the thing about that kind of right-off-the-tongue improv.
You see, this is something I’ve noticed. When I’m in a discussion or in a group discussion and I think of something sarcastic to say, it has to be said before I can even think about it. The second I think and wonder if I should say it, it’s too late. That’s happened and I’ve said things too late and always thought to myself, “ohh, I should not have said that.” Well, the very few times when I’ve said something before I can think, it comes out naturally and feels natural. I mean, I don’t feel bad ’cause it was what I was actually thinking of that very second. No, editing or pre-second-scripting. That’s the beauty of real improv. That’s what seperates the common man from the Steven Colbert League.