Apr18

Well, THAT didn’t go well.

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Well, THAT didn’t go well.

In one Jiu-Jitsu class, Instructor was watching me do the moves and pointed out that the position the “bad guy” wound up in was perfect for Twisting Arm Control from a different lesson.

Do I know how to do Twisting Arm Control? Why, of course I do.

Could I remember in that moment how to do Twisting Arm Control? Why, of course I couldn’t.

Instructor had to remind me of the steps, but, before he could say, “Jump into side mount,” I proudly jumped into side mount! Facing. The wrong. Direction.

Later I reflected on what had gone wrong there and realized it was probably because it was his left arm, when I’ve only practiced this move right handed.

Knowing I need to work on that, I was excited to learn of new mini-Reflex Development classes happening after most regular classes.

In the first one, run by Surfer Dude, it was just me and one other student. I’ll call him…

Bobby. SD had me demo with him so Bobby, the newer student, could see how it’s done.

By the second half, SD was demoing with Bobby so I could be the one to watch and learn.

Aside from the initial move, Trap and Roll, the very first thing you learn and that I’ve done approximately 5.7 million times, the rest was a travesty. I needed serious help with the next two Trap and Roll variations.

I’m not sure what happened. I became keenly aware that my brain had left the premises. I couldn’t think for anything.

But next came Elbow Escapes, and I thought in that empty skull area that once contained my cerebral matter, “Oh phew, Elbow Escapes. I’m awesome at these. I walk down the street telling strangers, ‘Hey, do you know how to Elbow Escape? ‘Cuz I do. Wanna see? Wait, come back! Why are you running?'”

I had not a clue even how to start it. I was doing… something. I don’t know what. SD said, “Look, this is what I’m seeing you do. This is what you need to do.” He pushed the knee with his, get this, elbow.

“Oh, ELBOW Escape,” I said, as though suddenly hearing it for the first time. Then I did it, but got overconfident once again, messing up the last variation.

There were three different sets of moves we were supposed to get through in 15 minutes. We only got through the first set because SD had to help us so much.

Instructor came over, heard the report, and was not pleased. We had failed him. And I? Miss Four-Striper? should definitely have done way better.

The possibility of crying crossed my mind on the way home. Fortunately, I know this cool chic, herself a blue belt, I could talk to about it.

I messaged Mrs. Instructor:

SD also had to say, “Slow down, Betsy,” but he had mentioned several times that we needed to get through these quickly. Under the slightest bit of pressure, I spazz out.

Mrs. Instructor kindly responded that I was too hard on myself and we all get frazzled sometimes, still:

Thanks for enjoying my PAIN, Mrs. Instructor! (Kidding!)

Then I told her that at one point during the main class, I knew Instructor was watching, but instead of freaking out, I focused up and did my best. “Perfect, Betsy,” he said.

Her response:

Isn’t she great?

And now, Dave at Life in a Word asked to see the cupcake carrier I obtained from the moving neighbors. (Yes, I washed the sleeping bags.) But because he apparently hates me, Dave wanted to see it filled with baked goods.

I saw his bet and I raised it… to pics of the cupcake carrier NOT filled with baked goods. So, here you go, Dave and any others who were that curious to know what this thing looks like.

One thing I should’ve posted last time:

My daughter needs to collect insects for her zoology class. She came home one day, having used an empty cassette tape fished from my ancient car’s glove box and said, “Look, Mom, I caught a moth and put it in… whatever this thing is.”

Good thing it wasn’t a CD case. Poor moth.

And finally… the trivia stuff!

This: Ice, diced pineapple, pineapple juice, Coco López coconut cream, white rum, dark rum; blend; garnish with pineapple slice = piña colada. Well done, my drunken readers.

New question:

How many Stanley Cup trophies are there?

To all the non-sports types reading this, that’s the prize you get when you win the National Hockey League (NHL) championship. You’re welcome.

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50 responses »

  1. I do know what the Stanley Cup trophy is because my son-in-law is a hockey nut. He played hockey in high school and is a St. Louis Blues fanatic. However, since I do not like hockey I have no idea how may trophies there are. (And I don’t care. 🙂 )

    Liked by 2 people

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  4. First, that’s a beautiful moth! Who says that cupcake carriers are just for cupcakes?
    Here’s hoping that you’ll have no problem in executing twisting arm control, trap and roll, and elbow escapes when they truly count 😀

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    • It IS a beautiful moth! I thought the same thing. True, I could put all sorts of things in that carrier, but I couldn’t help but see it and think, “Man, this would have been helpful when I was taking cupcakes to belt ceremonies.” Ah well.

      Thanks for the encouragement, Rosaliene. Nowhere to go but up after that disastrous mini class!

      Liked by 1 person

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  6. You know I have whole days when my brain leaves me wondering what the heck is going on. Mostly it happens on days when I’m supposed to make lunch or cook dinner. It also happens when I’m driving. I’ll get in the car and drive and end up at the drive-up coffee place and start ordering my latte only to have the moment ruined by my wife saying something like, “I thought we were going to the grocery store.”

    and there are three of the cup thingies … The first one, a second one and the one they really use or something like that … I was really drunk when my friend explained it to me and that’s all I remember. There was also something about the cup is really owned by some Canadian who lets the NHL use it or something …

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  8. Keep working on it, Betsy. You’ll get it. I think the mini-Reflex Development Class is the way to go. The movements have to be a reflex to the situation. Three different Stanley Cups? Frederick Arthur Stanley would be proud of your question.

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    • You’d think so about the Cup, but, according to my trivia book, there are three. {shrug}

      EXCELLENT outside the box pun!

      That sort of trap and roll is for a different class.

      I see the post in my inbox! I will read it tomorrow! Thank you!

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      • OK, but why are there three Stanley Cups? Do they rotate them out? Do the three most recent defending champs get to display them? If the team wins back-to-back Stanley Cups, do they display them both? What if they threepeat? Hell, what if they FOURpeat? Do they have to make a fourth Stanley Cup??

        So. Many. Questions.

        Liked by 1 person

  12. OK, I’m confused. What makes that a cupcake carrier exactly? When I hear “cupcake carrier,” I imagine little indentations where each cupcake sits so as not to shift and bump frosting with adjacent cupcakes. To me, this could carry just about any dessert: cookies, slices of cake, pieces of pie, biscuits… I’m not trying to be contrary or argumentative. But as a baker, I just have to ask… 🙂

    My guess: there is 1 Stanley Cup trophy 🏆

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    • Hiding this in the middle of a sentence, three, so that others don’t spot it too easily and have it spoiled. Why three? The trivia book offered no explanation.

      I saw the box and immediately thought cupcakes and how nice it would have been when I was taking cupcakes frequently to taekwondo. But I won’t argue with you. It could carry a lot of things. I wish the base was metal so I could cook a cake in it and then use the lid to carry it, but no. Not cake, therefore, I thought, cupcakes. Little indentations for individual cupcakes would be AMAZING! Also, you’re a baker?! Oh man am I embarrassed about my baking horror stories on here now. Eep.

      Like

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  13. Good grief, that looks like a giant stinging insect to me! I wonder what cassette used to be in that case? Good thing you clarified Stanley Cup, because a lot of folks are going to think you’re talking about their over priced water bottles!

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    • They have overpriced water bottles? (Moments later) Oh yeah, I see what you mean. Sheesh.
      Not a giant stinging insect, fortunately! Just a lowly moth.
      I wondered about the cassette too, but in my box from the closet, I had a tape without a case, so probably they once went together. And they are together once again… in a landfill. How romantic. 🙂

      Like

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  14. Well you tried and you learned and you got a blog post out of it… and as you know I consider anything a success if it can be turned into blog fodder. No idea about your question so I’ll guess… 7? Yep, that’s my answer, now hand me a piña colada.

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    • I’d rather have a piña colada than a Stanley Cup. Although, a piña colada IN a Stanley Cup would be cool. And p.s. three. {shrug}

      Yep, you and me, AB. If it’s embarrassing and awful but blog worthy, than it’s aaaallllll good! 😛

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  15. So MAYBE that’s a cupcake carrier or maybe you just gave it a cool-sounding name and it’s really not a cupcake carrier. How would we know – IT’S EMPTY after all. A cupcake would HELP so we don’t wonder if the carrier’s the size of a Matchbox car or the size of a swimming pool. A DOZEN cupcakes might fill the carrier nicely but how would we know? Again, IT’S EMPTY. In the absence of any cupcakes whatsoever, all I can say is, “nice carrier” 🧁 🧁 🧁

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  16. Umm, is there just one Stanley Cup Trophy and they pass it around?

    Laughing about the tape case. But not laughing about the frustrating classes. Doing things from opposite hands, having to hurry – that’s HARD stuff! Glad you have someone cheering you on to give yourself grace!

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  17. Practice makes perfect! And I agree that you shouldn’t be too hard on yourself especially during the frazzled moments. I can imagine practicing has the benefit of making the move second nature for the moments when instinct has to jump in.

    Liked by 1 person

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