Some of the skills you learn in learning how to fight would serve you in breaking one up, and can't really be taught effectively in isolation.
See, this makes sense to me, but I'm still worried about the learning to fight bit, what with the pacifism and all. I think I could do it, but I don't know how I'd do with the dredging up aggression bits of learning to fight. That is to say, I'd do fine with aggression. I have plenty of pent-up aggression. But I think training on it'd probably end up contrary to my pacifism. But then, my belief in pacifism, like my belief in anarchism, is only idealistic.
I should just study. I'd like it.
eta: Dana, definitely talk about it. It's fine.
Go for it, Dana.
The idea of Homeland Security being run like the NYPD under Guliani makes me want to run screaming to Canada.
GHOULiani, you mean? I like to imagine him in presidential debates, stuttering, "No
you
shut up! No
you
shut up! Who is the boss here?!" Hint: it is impossible to act like an Airedale terrier and look presidential at the same time.
I wish they'd take my blood, dammit. I totally don't mind the procedure.
Just texted some unboredom advice to a HS senior stuck at what she terms a feminist art display with too much nudity. I suggested she apply what we've told her about the fetish map as needed.
That'll put marzipan in your pie plate, bingo.
Made appointment with doctor about finger--Monday. Other people have verified existence of lump. Hrrrm.
Now I have to do a referral chasedown to get my new migraine guy covered by the new insurance.
And I have to work out how to convince myself to eat. I don't want to grow out of many more of my clothes, but this isn't the way to do it.
There's an article in this month's Vanity Fair about Giuliani: [link]
Basically, the article makes the case that Giuliani is (very) bipolar.
I think training on it'd probably end up contrary to my pacifism
Why are you a pacifist? What in pacifism appeals to you? Because I think that one could definitely do krav well and be a pacifist, but it depends on why you're doing krav and why you're a pacifist.
Please, Dana, do!
Dana, I'd love to hear about it.
I'm anti-Giuliani because all/most of my NYC friends are. I figure I should listen to the people who actually lived under his rule.
Learning some form of self-defense is always appealing, but I just haven't found the time.
I went in for jury duty. Out of a group of 61 people (should have been 62, but one was missing), I was number 50. We were lined up in order and herded over to the criminal courts building, kindergarten-style. Once we were inside the correct courtroom, we were seated on the benches in order, with cards that identified us by juror number, so that if we answered a question, the court reporter could note who was speaking.
By the time the judge talked to us, it was probably 10AM. We'd had to report at 8AM. I don't know if this counts as part of voir dire, though I suspect it does, since she was basically asking questions to see if any jurors would be eliminated for one reason or another (though no one was ever told they were eliminated -- we were all kept until the end).
She asked who had served on a jury before, and what the case was. One guy, who was number 6 but was ultimately not picked, had been on three juries including a capital murder case. Out of the 61, probably less than 10 had ever served on a jury.
She asked if anyone had been arrested or convicted of anything beyond a traffic ticket. That was an interesting run of answers. Again, less than 10 people, and the most common answer was domestic violence. There were a couple of DUIs as well.
She told us the case we were trying was aggravated sexual assault, meaning that the defendant had (allegedly) used a weapon to threaten or compel the victim. She asked if anyone had either been the victim of a violent or sexual assault, or was close to someone who'd been the victim. And that was a depressing 20 minutes or so, because fully half of the people there raised their hands. There were several cases of child molestation, either the person themself or a case where they had a family member. A few women had been raped. A few people had relatives who had been murdered. One man said his brother and brother's wife had been killed by their son in a murder-suicide.
I'm sure the judge had more questions, but those are the ones that stick out to me. After that, it was time for lunch. They told us that there was a cafeteria, and not to leave the building.
That Vanity Fair article was awesome. And it's true that people who weren't here and/or paying attention when he was mayor really don't get it, I think partly because who could believe all the stories are about the same person?
Continued ~ma for Grace and Noah.
