The Life Thread

Does it look like i am saying that this is something you can talk your way out of? Martial arts are always the last option, but an example, excuse its crudeness, that a rapist attacks you. No kind words will stop him. I'm not talking about schoolyard bullying. I do agree with Cogito, holds work extremely well, but as my advice is for novices that do not know such techniques, and alot of the time holds are very situational (as in a 1v1 environment. Often the best chance is to pick one out and make your attack so savage that it will make them rethink their choice.
An expert knife-hand-chop can easily fracture, even break bones. Joints are great weak spots (especially the knees) Elbows are a no no (as they are the hardest part of the body) the neck is always the first option in defending yourself.

Anyways, this is ADVICE to HELP you if this ever happens, which i hope it doesn't, but its an odd and twisted world.

 

Well to concede martial arts can also help ease the mind mentally

 

Flattery, a kind word, and the unspoken threat of force will get you anywhere in this world.

That's what I live by. There is always an alternative to violence, it's just not always easy to see.

 

yes, then it would help in that case, you are right, but i was on about Prox's situation with his family. if he was to attacked then yes, martial arts or any other form of self defence would come in handy, but he shouldn't use that in place of help.
Heather

 

I take a middle ground. I prefer to avoid violence, and am generally able to do so. I am suspicious of "always" statements, and do not believe that the alternative must exist in all circumstances.

If an assailant knows you will never ever resort to a violent response, he has an advantage he can and will exploit.

I was raised in a household that prohibited any kind of physical response to a threat. And I was continually victimized by bullies. At one point, I decided I was not going to be a victim, so when I started the next school (we moved fairly often), I decided I would stand up to the first bully I encountered. I did, we bloodied one another's noses, and decided on a truce. I only had to deal with one other bully the rest of my time at that school, and he stood a head taller than me, and was old enough to have his own car (I was in eighth grade).

I have never been a victim since. And I almost never have needed to utilize violence once I left the option open for myself.

 

Come to think of it, I used to have a couple of bullies too. The first one was my age, though I guess I don't consider him much a bully -- just an idiot with older friends. The funny thing is that he once stole some of my food on the bus, so I turned around and punched him in the face. Devilish, aren't I? He told when we got to school, but I didn't get in trouble because of my good grades.

There was another one that was a bit more serious though. I don't know why it happened but we were playing tag football together, and he kept being able to tackle me despite the fact that there was a teacher only feet away. He did other stuff as well... though I managed to avoid him until he left.

From then, no one really messed with me because they knew I was taking martial arts. Even If I haven't physically needed it since, it's been good enough just in reputation, haha.

 

yeaa, bullies aint fun at all. i ahd something like that a few years ago at school, but one day i just turned around after she had been pushing and shoving me again, and smacked her in the nose. she never touched me again after that, and infact now we are quite good mates. owww childish fights.

 

Jake Stacy was in 9th grade, and stood a full head above me. He had been held back several times, and had perpetual stubble, a full driver's license, and a mean attitude. I was in eighth grade. Late one morning, I was near the front of a crowd waiting fo rthe hall monitor to allow us to proceed. Someone snapped me sharply in the back of the head. I turned without even thinking about it, and punched the face behind me. Even with the height difference, I managed to raise a red welt on his cheekbone under his left eye. The hall monitor sent us both to the Principal's office across the hall. Mr. DeLuca yelled at Jake about bullying, and told him he would be suspended next time it happened. I was ordered to grip the desk, and was paddled.

A couple days later, Jake and one of his buddies pulled up behind me and parked as I was walking home. They got out and started taunting me. I turned around, my fists balled up at my sides, and began marching toward him. He caaled out one last threat, then they got back in the car and drove off. I never had any more problems from him apart from the occasional sneer in passing.

 

Haha... he got his ass whooped! Well... I guess you did too, eh? Don't you hate that? Teachers never seem to see anything before the retaliation.

 

I was ok with it. I felt justified in what I had done, and it was worth it to see the look on his face.

 

I wouldn't normally do this.. but hey, when you're working on 3 1/2 hours of sleep, you'll do pretty much anything..

Anyway..

I'm really frustrated with how we're supposed to climb the social ladder to success. I don't want, (and I've never wanted) to go to College or University, I feel it's a huge waste of money. This is my decision, and while I understand people's concerns, that life, just isn't for me. I'll never fit into this mold society calls success, it's not in me. I've always been quirky, and different. And I honestly don't want to change.
It also doesn't help that having "graduated" as a homeschooler my College and University choices are VERY slim.
I'm frustrated with myself because I have NO idea what I want to do with my life. I feel like I should know, because this is the time to get up and do it; yet I don't.
I'd love to just sit and write all day long.. but that's a dream I'll either never live, or I'll run out of inspiration and hate myself for choosing it.
Right now, life is overwhelmingly underwhelming.

And we can't forget this:
Work sucks and should die a horrible death.

*end rant*

 

I had always wanted to get in a fight after I started learning Tae Kwon Do, haha. However, I had to suffice with sparring. It's weird, I kind of want to fight... but at the same time I don't. Just something to go wild at I guess...

 

Or maybe you just want to know where your limits are...

 

There are some pretty nice colleges, for oddballs nonetheless. I know that it's all really... very... super... crazily expensive, but I do think it can be worth it. If it's merely just to get to a better job.

However, there are some other routes. I'm planning on trying to do something with real estate later in life, seems to have been profitable for a long time.

I've heard that x-ray technicians get some pretty nice money, esp. for how much schooling they do. What else do you even like to do outside of writing?


EDIT: You may be right Cog... I do that with my car all the time. My current highest speed is about 108 mph.

 

My other passion is being a pianist, though again, I'm not sure how far that will take me. Then there's European history, which again, involves writing.

For three years I wanted to join the IT field, but now, everything changes so quickly, it seems like a dead end. Not to mention the whole windows thing annoys me.

If I do go to College, (in who knows when), I'd like it to be because I want to be there and I'd know exactly what I'd want.

Hey.. maybe I'm just greedy..

 

Maybe a job in teaching history? perhaps allowing you to target music in European history as well. If you're any good, you can teach piano independently as well.

I'm thinking about a degree in computer science, and I don't believe it to be a dead-end job. Try looking up networking, I've heard that can pay well, and from my knowledge, it shouldn't change as much as other fields. By the way: Micro$oft annoys everyone... except Bill Gates, his family, and some of his employees.

Whoa... that was weird. I saw that photo, then looked down and saw pink. Not that it matters, but I actually forgot you were female... hehe.

 

Teaching history is one of my hidden hopes. =)
It's funny, I'm actually allowed to teach piano if I felt like it, but I don't have the patience for little children.

Actually, trouble shooting has always fascinated me. The whole idea of having to find the reason something is broken is insanely fun. =D

Yeah, most people are either weirded out or fascinated that I'm a girl.. not that I care. (Kind of annoys me honestly. Maybe I'll vent about that later...) lol

 

It's not about your demeanor or anything... it's just that I had been staring at that picture for so long. I don't see why people would be fascinated or weirded-out by it.

There's plenty of trouble-shooting in networking, though there's a lot more in programming. I've only done a little in that field, but it seems amusing. Perhaps you could get some instruction books and try your hand at Java? It's practically free, and I know of someone who made a game on it, so it's pretty useful as well.

Teaching history would probably be nice for you, but instructors seem to get treated like crap... down here at least. Not to mention, if you don't have patience for children. (I actually detest the little buggers myself.)

 

They're usually fascinated because of my, and I quote, "ungirly interests."

*nod* As a kid (say, 10 years old?) I created a really lame game using a kid's version of Coco. 'Twas fun, but I don't think I have the focus to get back into it. It's just so incredibly difficult to find my niche. The field is insanely huge.

Yeah, they get treated pretty bad down here too. Not that I'd know any details..

 

What are these ungirly interests? and I do believe you should try looking up Java and networking anyway. Both are really introverted.

 

You honestly want to know? Geeze.. Where to begin..
Nutshell version: Movie interests (no chick flicks, ever), conspiracy interests (usually very ungirly), interest in wars / genocides and such, hate shopping, love my iBook.

Things like that.

I just realized how stupid it'd be if you were joking. Lol.

And I'll look into java and networking again, as it's been awhile.

 

Well, I personally didn't know that you needed a phallus and bollocks to be interested in any of that. Guess you should be somewhere in the kitchen raising a family and making some pot-bellied guy a sandwich?

Gender roles are oh so fun, aren't they?

Though I must say I rather enjoy shopping in some aspects... most parts, with the exception of money leaving my frigid grasp.

Were you close to your father, grandfather, or something along those lines?

 

Quite. I was just thinking that. (And for the record, I can cook, it's just not something I'd like to be known by). =P

I should rephrase - I like shopping as long as it isn't for clothes/shoes/makeup. Which leaves electronics and books. : )

Yes, very close to both my father and grandfather. Rather, my father and my grandfather on my mom's side.

 

I don't mind being known for my cooking. Which reminds me, anyone have a good recipe for Gender Rolls?

Dushechka, it sounds like you've been marooned in the Land thet Time Forgot. Lawd help you if you had decided you enjoy taking apart pickup truck engines!

 

As a child.. I wanted to be a mechanic.

Seriously. How sad is that?