Monday, November 22, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
The Perils Of Boxing
Two steps forward, one step back. In boxing parlance that could refer to a double jab followed by a defensive hook but for the purpose of this article it will refer to my progress at the Harvard Boxing Club. I went again today after a tentatively successful experience on Monday where I felt more welcomed and part of a group rather than the old raspberry ruining everyone's fun by being totally uncoordinated and as slow of mind as of body.
Today though I left with a spring in my step. I had constructive advice from Coach (no idea what his name is, everyone just calls him coach) about my pathetic left hook, I was teamed up with Phillip (Archaeology Doctorate) who also tried to enlighten me as to the failings of my hook and I kept going right the way through our sit-ups and press-ups and although I need to pull a few faces to get through I thought that lack of decorum was a small price to pay for the sense of achievement afterwards.
The sit-ups were especially hard for the first 20 or so as I could feel where the swimming trunks I'd worn on Monday really rubbed against the tatami type floor and irritated my skin but other greater pain takes over and I just ploughed on.
I don't change after boxing as it's only about a 10 minutes walk away and I'm so sweaty that putting any other clothes on would be pointless so I just pulled up my hoodie and amble home. I finished cooking dinner (smoked salmon and potato quiche with a walnut and bean salad I will add) and thought I'd take a photo of the sores on my arse from the sit-ups. Imagine my disappointment as I tried to angle the camera in the bathroom mirror and noted the rather obvious patch of blood which decorated the shorts I was still wearing.
My previous confidence disappeared oddly enough. I imagined my proud walk as I left the gym, swinging my bag over my shoulder as I bid my fellow fighters good-night. I imagined what horrors I may have left on the gym mats we all have to pick up and put away at the end of every session and I imagine what people must have thought on that walk home through Harvard Square.
I know what they weren't thinking. None of them thought, Oh I bet he's got a small sore near his coccyx which he must have irritated while manfully ploughing though sit-ups at his boxing gym.
Monday, November 15, 2010
The Good Son - Michael Gruber
I finished this novel today and was quite pleased to have done so. It tries to combine an action and adventure story with a discussion about Islam and the possibility of peace. The manner in which this is achieved is unsurprisingly something of a contrivance but the whole thing hung together pretty well for me.
Pashtun culture, recent wars in Afghanistan and the many views on the possible establishment of a Caliphate were fascinating and I likes a good shoot 'em up too.
I marked a few pages in the book and am writing a few notes for my benefit rather than for anyone else (that is to say they won't make sense).
Legerdemain - Slight of hand.
On Women in Islam
I have the greatest respect for women. A modest woman caring for her family is one of God's greatest creations. But it is also true that when the head is full the womb is empty, as we observe throughout the West. IN whatever nations that accept the curse of women's education and freedom from the control of men we see a rapid decline in population; we see pornography; we see sexual disease. Not a single one of the so called advanced countries is reproducing its original population at replacement levels, an it is now clear that in a certain number of years all these nations will have Muslim majorities. This is because we understand that the function of women is established by God and anything that seeks to destroy that function must be haram.
On Cultural Imperialism
You look at us and you see oppression; we see stability and harmony . You see corruption; we see ties of family, friendship and mutual support. You see feudalism: we see mutual responsibility. You see the oppression of women; we see the defence of modesty.
Pashtun culture, recent wars in Afghanistan and the many views on the possible establishment of a Caliphate were fascinating and I likes a good shoot 'em up too.
I marked a few pages in the book and am writing a few notes for my benefit rather than for anyone else (that is to say they won't make sense).
Legerdemain - Slight of hand.
On Women in Islam
I have the greatest respect for women. A modest woman caring for her family is one of God's greatest creations. But it is also true that when the head is full the womb is empty, as we observe throughout the West. IN whatever nations that accept the curse of women's education and freedom from the control of men we see a rapid decline in population; we see pornography; we see sexual disease. Not a single one of the so called advanced countries is reproducing its original population at replacement levels, an it is now clear that in a certain number of years all these nations will have Muslim majorities. This is because we understand that the function of women is established by God and anything that seeks to destroy that function must be haram.
On Cultural Imperialism
You look at us and you see oppression; we see stability and harmony . You see corruption; we see ties of family, friendship and mutual support. You see feudalism: we see mutual responsibility. You see the oppression of women; we see the defence of modesty.
The Comeback Kid
If it's good enough for Evander Holyfield then it's good enough for me. While I suffered a few blows to the head and the ego last week he had to endure Tyson biting part of his ear off and still he boxes on. As do I.
I decided to give it one more go and if I still felt like an battered spanner at the end of the week then I'd call it quits. Only Monday today but it all went quite well and I feel heartened that I took my own advice and persevered.
On a less bright note I have to report that while I wasn't called upon to spar I did have to put a head guard on for the first time and watched my fellow boxers get into the ring and hit one another. Maybe not too much of a surprise in a boxing class but a new one on me and it was only the pity of my coach which spared me from the horror which will inevitably meet me once I am chosen from the throng and thrown into the arena. I see the possibility of tears, puddles of urine splashing on the floor of the ring and me with my eyes closed, my arms swinging wildly and coach trying to talk me down.
I decided to give it one more go and if I still felt like an battered spanner at the end of the week then I'd call it quits. Only Monday today but it all went quite well and I feel heartened that I took my own advice and persevered.
On a less bright note I have to report that while I wasn't called upon to spar I did have to put a head guard on for the first time and watched my fellow boxers get into the ring and hit one another. Maybe not too much of a surprise in a boxing class but a new one on me and it was only the pity of my coach which spared me from the horror which will inevitably meet me once I am chosen from the throng and thrown into the arena. I see the possibility of tears, puddles of urine splashing on the floor of the ring and me with my eyes closed, my arms swinging wildly and coach trying to talk me down.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Our First Guest
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®
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Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
The Best Of Boston
Myself and Hayley went to the Harvard Natural History Museum on Sunday and while we didn't stay for long I founds two areas of note. They had a marvellous collection of mineral samples and while I've not previously mentioned my love of minerals I did spend much of Saturday night fondling a large bar of what might have been calcite at Elspeth's flat which may have piqued my curiosity on the following morning. There were some very dark, black samples which may have been manganite, galena and antimony samples which I can heartily recommend.
It could all have gone downhill from there but no, the very next room housed the amazing (yes, amazing) collection of glass flowers made by Leopold and Rudolph Blaschka. They made marine animals out of glass for the purposes of display and education back in the 19th Century. Someone saw one of their jellyfish or something and commissioned them to make a huge range of glass flowers. These cats knew their glass and they clearly didn't get out much, the collection is stunning.
Before the Natural History museum we went to the Peabody Museum. Not so much.
However, Peta met us later in the day and we went to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum which was probably one of the best museums I've been to for the following reasons, (a) small, (b) no explanatory plaques to reveal what I was looking at (c) it was closing an hour after we arrived (d) great garden.
It could all have gone downhill from there but no, the very next room housed the amazing (yes, amazing) collection of glass flowers made by Leopold and Rudolph Blaschka. They made marine animals out of glass for the purposes of display and education back in the 19th Century. Someone saw one of their jellyfish or something and commissioned them to make a huge range of glass flowers. These cats knew their glass and they clearly didn't get out much, the collection is stunning.
Before the Natural History museum we went to the Peabody Museum. Not so much.
However, Peta met us later in the day and we went to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum which was probably one of the best museums I've been to for the following reasons, (a) small, (b) no explanatory plaques to reveal what I was looking at (c) it was closing an hour after we arrived (d) great garden.
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