Crunch Time

Now that we are heading into the last few weeks of this cycle, it's crunch time. This weekend is testing for power belt, then comes grading, team building and power weekend (with only a couple of Saturday classes in between). The past few weeks the main thing the instructors have been saying is "you know what you need to work on". And implied is "so go do it!" At least that's what I hear. So what do I feel I need to work on? The things I knew from the beginning I'd need to work on.

Pushups

Running

Don't get me wrong, I have been working on them, and I have improved, but I know I still need to work on them more. And so does Sarah. The challenge right now is to fit extra work on those things into our already full schedule. Sarah and I sat down last week to try to figure out how to do it. Cramming it in, without sacrificing the things that give us back energy. And also making sure not to get hurt by doing too much (me).

So, the cramming. Sarah didn't want to give anything up. The things that she does outside of training she loves too much to consider dropping, even for a few weeks. Her music (piano and two choirs) feed her soul. Going to Guides with her closest friends gives her much needed time to just be a goofy pre-teen girl. And leadership and demo gives her time with her friends and keeps her loving taekwondo (and not resenting all the training).

For myself, I get so much back out of leading Brownies and Guides, I can't imagine not doing it, even when I'm totally wiped from training. And baking cookies for the cookie jar -- well you all know how much I love to do that :).

This means we're adding running to our after school time two days a week. An extra half hour each of those days, which means cutting out a half hour of chill out time. I change my Tuesday running time to the afternoon instead of the morning. I make extra time around dinner prep Wednesday for a shower before Brownies. It will all work out. It has to.

Here is one of my favourite quotes -- and one that seems to sum up the chaos around us now...

Shakespeare in Love (1998)
Philip Henslowe: Mr. Fennyman, allow me to explain about the theatre business. The natural condition is one of insurmountable obstacles on the road to imminent disaster.
Hugh Fennyman: So what do we do?
Philip Henslowe: Nothing. Strangely enough, it all turns out well.
Hugh Fennyman: How?
Philip Henslowe: I don't know. It's a mystery.