Week 7: ...and Amy

ACK! Missed my deadline for posting this week. So now you have only 3 hours and 3 minutes to respond   =)

I think I missed that deadline.  :-/

1. Is there still snow up there? (if yes: How is it affecting your life?)
Yes!  It's not severely affecting my life, though.  Mainly it means I shouldn't bike (but I did, once.  It was mildly treacherous), and that I should be careful either about where I walk or what shoes I wear.  The morning I biked, I did not fall off the bike.  However, I did fall before getting on the bike.  But I was fine.  For more on falling, read on.

2. How was your trip to Boston yesterday?
It was super-fun!  The purpose of the trip was to go two-stepping with H at the Gays for Patsy dance. I got to follow all night, except for one dance with H wherein I almost broke her.  I'm very out of practice (and also I was never a very good lead), but it was a good night. I stayed the night, which was the plan; then I stayed an extra day & night, which was not the plan. However, it meant that we got to go ice-skating!  I was all confident about it beforehand, telling H that we could go fast, and also that I had done it before.  Which I still think I have.  I distinctly remember thinking it was like a cross between roller skating and snow skiing.  But I don't remember when; also it was just once (and probably years ago), and it turns out that means that I can not go fast.  I did go, though.  Mostly.  I mean, I mostly went horizontal and occasionally vertical, which is to say that I fell several times.  Three, I think.  I have an impressive bruise on one of my legs that I'm quite proud of.  The falling wasn't so bad -- the worst part of it was that I don't know how to stand up on ice skates without holding on to something.  So I had to scoot or crawl from wherever I was to the edge of the pond to stand up.  Those were not my most dignified moments.

3. Now that you're doing more in your internship, what has been your biggest "ah-ha" moment? (and now you'll also be ready to complete that question on your UT field evaluation)
I still haven't really had an ah-ha moment, so to speak.  At least, not in the "flash of insight" way.  Two things of note, though.  First, it amazes me to see people building their lives starting from so little.  So many of the clients where I'm interning are starting from a place where they have no job, no place to live, no network of family & friends, no money...nothing.  Public assistance here is slightly more accessible, but only slightly.  And of course, there's always significant trauma (I  mean, being in that situation is traumatizing in itself, but before that).  It's heartbreaking, and humbling.

The second is about the group I'm running, and the clients' willingness to come in and get to work on really hard, uncomfortable emotional work almost immediately.  Speaking of humbling...

4. Are you doing any martial arts training (on your own or with others)? [Jess says you have already talked to her about this but I don't think I know the answer.]
I'm training at VWMA once or twice a week, which means I'm starting to learn some Modern Arnis, and a little bit of Shorin-Ryu.  I've trained in Seido by myself exactly once, though I've intended to do it more.  I have many strengths; training by myself is not one of them.  And I've been to Honbu once, for a kata class.  Hoping to get back there in March for at least one class.

5. What food/restaurant from Austin do you miss the most?
I miss the Alamo Drafthouse, which is only kind of food/restaurant.  I also miss Magnolia, even though I hardly ever went there.  I ordered in from Austin's Pizza a lot, so I guess I miss that.  Oh, and Shady Grove.  This question makes me realize that I don't go out to eat all that often, though. I miss my people, and I miss my bike routes.  I miss the possibility of going to Magnolia, or Justine's.  I miss Sun Dragon.