New plans...

Well, people, I love you. :) All the love and support you show me-- such a blessing! Seriously now, I'm just so flattered and impressed with all the effort and creativity you're sending my way.

Mark's Kipling blurb is so effing amazing I realized right away I have to turn it into its own patch and/or t-shirt... then I started thinking ... realized I'm not sure how to make it work on a practical level, but I'm going to start a business called JitsChix (since that's my name on Bullshido) and make patches, t shirts, etc for ladies (and yes, guys too) in BJJ.

Also love some of the ideas you've been posting both here and on facebook... See Red Then Black... Fully Resisting Female... I Have PMS (pass, mount, submit)... there's more for sure. Thank you and keep 'em coming!

With work deadlines looming I'm mostly only training once a day... ocassionally twice if I'm lucky. Morning classes are the easiest for me to make. Today, worked on papercutter chokes from guard, and then did round robins within our weight class (170 and under). I noticed I was able to scissor and/or push sweep all the newbs in the group but as always it doesn't fly too well even with a 4 stripe blue. Oh well. Worked some double legs with a new girl too, on coach's orders.

Tonight I'm rooting for Tito!!! How about you?

Need help with slogan for patch!

M'kay folks... fabulous friends, fellow jits fighters, moms, lawyers, death penalty activists, and whoever else is reading this blog...

I would really like some help coming up with a slogan--for a patch, to go on my gi. Shamelessly copying the general concept from Dev (see his posting about his patch here) and want my own now.

Here's Dev's, "Fueled by Fear".... yes, I have a few of his.. nothing like repping for a friend..



So here's some material to work with, but please don't be limited by this..

My academy nickname is Red Menace, which has been translated for me as Ameacinha Vermelha in Br. Portuguese.
I train under Phil Cardella, at Relson Gracie Austin. But prefer not to be solely repping for the school and I have plenty of their patches elsewhere.
I'm a lawyer, a prosecutor specifically.
I bake cookies all the time for the academy.
I can't triangle for $hit.
I wear all those crazy colored gis.
One of my great goals in life is to choke someone till they bleed at the ears. (mostly kidding)
I love the Gracie saying "Pass, mount, choke." Still working on the pass part.

And underneath my phrase whatever it is, I will have (like Dev's) my blog address.

I could stick with the Communist reference and just go with

Red Menace
--------------------------
georgetteoden.blogspot.com

but do it in a Cyrillic-esque font... that's kind of my default position, absent input from y'all...

Bring it, folks! Help a sister out.

Oh-- edited to add a phenomenal link from Roy Harris... an article about physical attributes in jiu jitsu. Thanks Liam, the Part Time Grappler-- findable at his blog here.

Review for Bullshido.net...

I reviewed a local martial arts school for Bullshido.net -- the instructor has been under investigation for some of his claims to military service, having 53 black belts in 53 different martial arts, etc.

My review of the two classes I saw/took can be found here.

Insist!

"My blue belt was defined by the word 'insist'. One of the most important things I learnt as a blue belt was that I had to always insist on positions, believe in them and execute them with a 'full heart'. If I'm going for a pass, keep pressuring until I've established it; if I'm going for a choke keep holding until my opponent taps. Never stop until the position has been conquered."

From Esther Tang's occasional blog Postura.

Been slacking lately...

Work has been killing me... today was the first day I've done crossfit in about two weeks. I feel like such a slacker; at most been training once a day and even 2 or 3 days without a class at all. Bad. However, I suppose to some extent some of you out there may have been right-- maybe I was pushing myself for too long and too hard.. so finally I gave in. I worked too much, so it's not like I was getting better or more rest, but at least I slowed up on the training and physical exertion.

But (after hitting snooze once at 5am, and suddenly waking up at 9am, fully rested for the first time in two weeks and dammit, skipping class again) I was back on track today. Crossfit, then nogi, then class tonight. And it's always fun... nogi, got to roll with a friend who's been out a while, who told me (yay) that my pressure has gotten much better (not that it saved me from being repeatedly guillotined and twice armbarred with great proficiency; I only toeheld him once.)

Then tonight in class, first we worked on bottom half guard, beating them when they try to control your hips by wrapping arms around them. I was paired up with a newish whitebelt who has previously irritated friends of mine with his knowitall ways; tonight was no exception. I love it when people don't stop in a positional drill but just continue on rolling as if their lives depended on it. Once one of us gets to the point of "success," I'll stop and expect to go back to the start position; he didn't quite get that, and was inordinately pleased with taking my back and choking my unresisting self to the point of sparkly stars and ocean sounds. I foolishly thought that ceasing to resist might communicate something. Next time, I tapped. And added to his notion of legend in his own time. Oh well, whatever. Though his attempt to triangle me, when neither of my arms were inside his legs, was kind of funny-- especially because I just unresistingly tucked my chin down hard, letting him gas his legs trying to choke out the top of my skull.

After class was over, I half listened to Donald's competition class (beating the standing open guard pass, usually of the torreando variety) and half listened to Phil's spontaneous lesson on fighting from the open guard- transitioning from open to scissor to the Relson's seven sweep series control position. I drilled our overhook guard series a bit, then chilled out and watched my buddy Amit school an overeager whitebelt. Then Amit got to school me. He's an absolute delight to roll with-- he's always mellow, methodical, focused. I tend to get a little loosey-goosey with him- experimental, you might say. But it was a good workout and I left feeling pleasantly fatigued.

One interesting tidbit-- I did finish a bit of investigative reporting for a well-known martial arts forum, Bullshido, and I'm happy with how it's come out so far. Just waiting on a few more pieces of the puzzle to fall into place and then I'll post links here so you can read it all.

My friend Triin, who trains in Dallas, has started a company making gis for women called Fenom. Lucky me, she sent me one (thanks to my patient husband who picked it up in Dallas while attending the salsa congress last weekend) and I got to try it out yesterday and today. Adding to the color collection, now I have a black gi too :) It's sharp, and I need to take pictures. It's not for official review yet, as it is a prototype model, but I will make some comments-- it's nice! Good fit, even pre-shrinking... nice fabric... quality embroidery.. so I'm looking forward to sharing more feedback soon.

I'll close with some fun videos... first, from Marcelinho, then a bunch of judo highlight reels...

Amazing interview with Ryan Hall...

It's up on Lockflow, and CageWarriors, and The Part Time Grappler, and lots of other places... now it's up here too!

Wish I were going to Virginia this year for the holidays; I'd make SURE to hit up Ryan for some privates.

Womens' judo finals

Atama blue A1 gis, $50

Atama has a closeout sale on right now-- the Mundial #2, a gold weave gi, in blue, size A1 only... just $50...

Check them out here.

Priorities....

Sorry for the long lag in posting. I have been swamped at work, deadlines as far as the eye can see, and it seems like I am glued to my computer at all hours of the day and night. I'm not complaining, except that I have been skipping class pretty regularly now. Couple days last week I only trained once per day or even not at all!

Over the weekend, good friend Mark up at Faixa Preta in Rockwall TX took home the bronze at the No Gi Worlds... likewise, my ref and role model Hillary Williams, who was recently promoted to brown belt (after only training THREE YEARS!), brought home the gold in the advanced division, both her weight class and the absolute. Damn :) Also, a gang from our school competed at the Atama Open and brought home a bunch of silver bling. I didn't go-- boo. Might compete at NAGA next month, especially if my superfly tiedyed gi arrives in time, courtesy of my super sponsor Chris Lane and Happy Kimonos.

On Sunday I did train... had some nice flowy rolls especially with Chris, a relatively newish whitebelt who's big and strong and feels like a wrestler though he denies it. Feeling and comparing responses to movement between us made me curious to watch my previous comp matches.. and lo and behold, I have indeed improved since last year! Shocker! So perhaps I am more confident.

Also spent a bunch of time with friends-- pedicure, sushi, a cupcake on the lake, chatting on the computer.. good stuff.

Tomorrow, have the day off for Veterans Day and appropriately I will be writing about fraud against veterans. I'll post a link here when it appears on the internet.

Turkish getups...

Nice chokes in Amsterdam...

Whitebelts but whatever-- nice chokes!

Been trainin'...

... but can't remember much of anything. Oh, I can recall the techniques taught, but not too much specifically about the sparring. Two self-defense techniques this morning (edged-weapons defenses) and then double-leg to a reap... but then, the sparring? Bleh, it all melds together in my head. I'm still hunting armbars and sweeps. Not landing many of either but I'm having a ridiculous amount of fun regardless. Oh, and from knees, learned an interesting entry into a calf splicer that had absolutely zero effect on me but tapped out my partner pretty quickly. The joys of fat legs I guess.

Work is nutty busy; I have 3 deadlines in November alone and likely will have to extend two.

Tomorrow, looking forward to lunch with a girlfriend for her birthday... then the kids' kajukenbo class, dinner with hubby at Hut's (2 for 1 burger night.. mmmm) and then going to try out a class at a nearby wing chun school.

OH-- and this weekend, gotta watch the No Gi Worlds.. my buddy Mark from up near Dallas will be competing! So exciting.

Finally-- a peep at Marcelo Garcia (Mark's instructor) v. Shaolin Ribeiro in Abu Dhabi, 2003..

Kimura to monson...

Thanks to Mark, our visiting purple, for putting some thought into a question of mine... we'd talked about kimuras from side one morning, but I complained that people don't usually make the mistake of waving their arm in front of your face and instead reach high over your back.

His answer is to quickly (avoid being rolled) tuck the headside arm under their neck (from the far side to the near side) and go N/S, which levers shut the angle between your humerus and your ulna. If you put your head on the mat next to their near shoulder/clavicle (not leaving it on their sternum like I always did, grrr) you often can tap them from there-- if not, just gable grip and flex your biceps for the choke.

Nice. Thanks Mark!

New blog discovery

I should make this a regular feature, as I often find new blogs and don't bother to announce their addition to my "library." But in lieu of that, since I'm trying to make it on time to an appointment soon... check out Jiu Jitsu Sensei, a blog by a small female black belt in another variant of jiu jitsu. She has lots of insightful posts from a female perspective, a small fighter's perspective, an instructor's perspective... coolio.

Pet halloween...

Funny fb chat...

OK-- transcript of what I thought was a truly funny exchange between my friend and some girl. Names have been changed to protect the innocent.

John
So my paper is going nowhere.

19:37Heather
what paper

19:37John
the paper.
you know. the one due this friday.

19:37Heather
oh i havent even finished my interviews

19:37John
GASP
heather. you're making me feel like a nerd.

19:38Heather
sorry!

19:39John
No. don't be sorry. I'll just feel like I'm smarter.
I like that much better.
haha.

19:39Heather
always an asshole huh??

19:39John
I'm not being an asshole.
I've just been trying to figure out for the last week or so whether you had a sense of humor
I mean, look
You passed the first test. You're very pretty.
so then I started talking to you to see whether you had a good personality
you were smart talented etc
now I'm testing to see whether you have a sense of humor
but man
you're kinda failing me on that one!

19:43John
It's all perfectly fine though. It's really not awkward at all. We're still cool.

19:44Heather
hahahahhahahahahahahahhaaha sorry i was getting my dinner
omg well first
thank you about the pretty thing and the good personality
and i do have a sense of humor
esp in person
hard to read sense of humor
over facebook chat
esp when that humor is you saying youre inherently better than me
haha
make sense?

19:46John
whaaat?
you don't even talk to me during class

19:47Heather
do you realize what you just asid
said*

19:47John
how am I going to get to hear this sense of humor!

19:47Heather
talk to you DURING class

19:47John
if you dont make the effort to talk to me

19:47Heather
hahahaha
oh goodness

19:47John
hahahaha
oh my god heather smith.
you are the weirdest girl I've met
it's ok

19:47Heather
WHAT?

19:48John
it's not akward at all

19:48Heather
it's so not true

19:48John
I promise
like on tuesday

19:48Heather
but oh well

19:48John
I'm going to talk to you like I always to you
so you dont have to feel weird about this conversation.
I'm not offended. i swear.

19:48Heather
oh goodness im not asking whethert youre offended or not

19:48John
(it's all a joke, by the way)
SARCASM

19:48Heather
YES
i got that

19:48John
oh.

19:49Heather
god

19:49John
I'm really laughing very hard at this and showing all my friends this fb chat
We're having a great time!
anyway
Ok. ok

19:50Heather
superb.

19:50John
I promise I won't give you the silent treatment anymore.
I'm going to find out about this secret "sense of humor" i haven't seen before.
or actually, heard.
Don't run out on me after class and dont even THINK about saying you have something to do after class because I know you don't.

19:51Heather
hahahhaaha actually i do, im becoming increasingly busy since it's the end of the semester
and i do have friends thank you

19:51John
well I'm not going follow you or anything to other places, because I have things to do at 5pm
I can only see you from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm
so if that doesn't work, then I guess we can't see each other.
and we'll always be facebook friends and not, you know, real friends.

19:52Heather
hahahahaha

19:52John
that's the way it is, heather.
I'm not compromising

19:55Heather
alright then haha

19:55John
alright then what?

19:56Heather
nothing much more to the alright then besides alright then

19:56John
alright then yes or alright then no?
makkke up your mind. Women. I swear.
PFT!

19:57Heather
make up my mind about what?

19:58John
about walking with me after class duh
well that's not it but I'm telling you that to give you some answer that isn't my real answer

19:58Heather
ok you're confusing me--if we happen to be walking in the same direction
ok
if not
we dont
what is the big deal

19:59John
the big deal is that you've taken this class like twice and you're my best resource to ace this classsss
there. you wanted to know the extent that my evil goes?
you found it.

20:00Heather
im sure that's the underlying motive

20:00John
that's exactly it.
actually.
so yes can I study with you or no?
you should be happy I'm asking you instead of making you.
most guys wouldn't.

20:00Heather
i don't believe you for one instance

20:01John
most guys would have been your lappuppy and tricked you into studying with them
most guys wouldn't even dare ask you
I'm telling you straight up what my intention is
I wanna study with you
and that's it.

20:01Heather
not true, i dont have lappuppies and two, if you just want to study with me
how do my looks come into it?
they shouldnt

20:01John
your looks?
what about you looks?

20:02Heather
yeah whyd you say im very pretty

20:02John
because you are.
I'm not going to say what isn't true.
I'm a man.
I dont lie
you're pretty

20:02Heather
if you just want to study with me that wouldnt have come up! hahaha oh god

20:02John
no no
look
you're very pretty
but what about that?
for me to be interested like THAT in a girl
they have to have more than that
looks are great
but what's in your head?
what's in your heart?
what's in your personality?
are you smart? are you independent, etc etc.
that's more important.
so no. I'm not interested you in that way yet.
if you turn out to be what I'm looking for, great. I'll ask you out on a date

20:03Heather
hahahhaha well im not looking to be courted

20:03John
I'm not courting you

20:03Heather
but thank you anyway
im just saying
fyi
dont get too attached

20:03John
attached?

20:03Heather
cause im very likeable

20:03John
oh my god

20:03Heather
hahahaha

20:03John
YOU ARE SO FULL OF YORUSELF
YOURSELF

20:04Heather
rather than having a bad ego

20:04John
you were saying that I was full of myself
and now you think I am going to fall head over heels over you.
wow.

20:04Heather
no it just happens a lot

20:04John
how the tables have turned.

20:04Heather
so im warning you

20:04John
chill.
hahahaha
just relax
I've been telling you over and over that I'm not going to marry you
did you not pay attention?
hahaha

20:05Heather
yes yes every girl remembers that a boy says they arent going to marry you

20:05John
who?
no no
this isn't like that
what is this a game or some sort?
you said you were going to be a wedding planner
so I said I wasn't going to marry you
it's just a joke

20:05Heather
HAHAHA you my friend need to lighten up
yes i know

20:06John
there's nothing to it

20:06Heather
and im joking too

20:06John
no you're not.
I know women
I know dating
and I know you put importance to everything I say
and testing me each step
I know your tricks
there's nothing you can do that will surprise me. believe me.

20:06Heather
hahhahahahahhaa you're flattering me to think that im putting that much thought into something between us
cause im not
in fact
im kinda seeing this guy so im actually
not projecting
anything into what youre saying

20:07John
look. I dont know what you're thinking
but I'm not looking to date you.
As I said

20:08Heather
I KNOW THAT

20:08John
you're not what I'm looking for.

20:08Heather
i dont know why you keep saying that

20:08John
because you keep bringing it up

20:08Heather
no im not

20:08John
I can go back and like cite everything

20:08Heather
im telling you whether you decide tehres more to me or whatever
im not looking for that

20:08John
well obviously there isn't.
I'm obviously not looking for a girl that won't like me back
if you are seeing some dude
that means you won't like me
so why would I like you?
that way
that's it and that's all.

20:10Heather
good then!!!

20:10John
so let
so let's just forget all that bullshit
and tell me what the next essay is about

20:10Heather
i dunno havent looked at it!

20:10John
ok then
you're no good to me then

20:11Heather
alright then, well im gonna get to my dinner then!

20:11John
you should have said "no" on studying instead of wasting a lot of time just chatting about love and stuff like that and me I dont know what
I swear.
ugh
you're annoying

20:11Heather
what the hell is your deal

20:12John
I don't have a deal.
I don't know why you're so angry
honestly.

20:12Heather
wow youre really funny
cause im perfectly fine
yet you just called me annoying

20:12John
because you are
but that doesn't mean I'm angry
it just means you're annoying

20:13Heather
so let me cut it short for you, ive got to go

20:13John

it's cool

20:13Heather
bye!

20:13John
go and do your thing
deuce.
It's so hard to ask girls to study nowadays.
stupid 21st century

My Halloween Weekend, by Georgette....

What a great weekend! Two good friends that are let loose, away from observing eyes, on Halloween weekend-- you can just imagine.

I enjoyed every minute-- from being chilly outdoors, enjoying all the smells of cool night air in the Hill Country, watching the cute kids all dressed up; long conversations and comfortable, companionable silences... falling asleep in a warm cosy bed and waking up when my body wanted (and no alarm clock!)... it was really, really nice.

I wish I could do it again, every weekend.

And no, we didn't take any pictures. Sorry! :)

I want to be Marcelo...

I want this to be me... particularly at 4:30.. and 6:00... and 7:00... and 7:20...

A funny.

Congrats Hillary Williams!

Congrats on the brown belt.

Ipod pocket in the new Shoyoroll...

Thanks Alex for the link...

Blech.

Work. Jits. Home. The triad.

Work's going pretty well, actually... busy, but happily so, with interesting cases and issues. I always get along well with my coworkers, but I am especially appreciating friendships with a few particular people who always seem to have a smile, a hug, or a wry comment for me.

Jits-- half and half. The good half is the happy, fun, creative, flowy rolls I have with friends, even the fierce fights for what feel like hours, ending up in weird-a$$ positions I couldn't recreate if I tried. I'm grasping things better, even if just intellectually seeing more connections and principles. And collaborations and friendships with other peeps on the 'net-- Elyse (check out her new website here, focused on womens' gi reviews); Leslie, Triin, Mike, Seymour, Allie, Can, Robert, Liam, Neil, Dev, Conan, Steve, Peter, and all the rest of you.

The not-so-good half is my contentment with "recreational jits" and my lack of enthusiasm for competition, and my feelings of inferiority and fear. I positively hide from the competition team class now especially since they're 2 weeks out from the next tournament and every week they go harder and harder. I wouldn't mind if I felt like I had any skills, but the longer I stay out the more disparate our skill sets become and it's a bad cycle to be in. Sometimes I think jits is like a horse-- it can smell fear, it can smell a lack of confidence, and if you approach it tentatively, like as not it will throw you.

Home.

*sigh*
*sigh*