Forget pithy posts. Forget intelligent comments. I would like to say, "Ow!" Thursday is sparring night at the dojang, which means that we do calisthenics half the class and then suit up in leg, arm, chest, and head pads so that we can whale on each other with varying amounts of skill. Normally, I love sparring, because I do well at it. Tonight, I came into class feeling unhappy and tired. TKD usually perks me right up, but not tonight. I was listless and dull, and I didn't really want to do anything. So naturally, I stuck my hand up whenever the instructor asked for volunteers. Why not? So long as I was there, I had nothing better to do.

So the first time, before he started asking for volunteers, I got this teenage boy who is full of aggression and has very little control. The top of his bony foot collided several times with the muscle on the outside of my left leg just above my knee. It made a lovely *crack* sound each time, because that is right where the padding stops.

Second time, I volunteered. The instructor asked me to pick someone to spar. I looked at them all, standing against the wall and watching, and I just plain didn't care. So I asked him to pick. He chose this one middle-aged (and very nice) dude who is almost a foot taller than me, and who must weigh 250 pounds! To hit him on his chest pad, I already was kicking almost at my head level. He has a tremendous reach, which meant that I had to stay inside it as much as possible, which meant constant aggression. Somewhere in that match I jammed my big toe very hard, though I didn't notice it until the match was over. Also, he side kicked me in the hip by accident.

Third time, I volunteered again, and again I got a big guy. At least he was a normal-sized big guy - only 6' 1" - so things were a little easier. But I must have done something to my ankle, because it was twinging when I walked back over to the wall.

So let's see... My hip is already purple. The side of my knee does not look bruised, but it is very tender when I poke it. The top of the same knee is still imprinted with the pattern from the inside of my knee pad, though I took it off more than two hours ago. My left ankle has a small swollen spot just under the anklebone, and it twinges when I step on it. My left big toe, and in fact the whole top of my foot, is stiff and sore when I bend my toes back. The top of my right foot is still bruised from Monday. In short, I am a mess, sore both outside and inside. And in some odd way, my outer pain makes me feel better.  ¶ 7:34 PM