in my defense

first off, thanks to all those who voted for my juicy watermelon cupcakes! while my entry received the most votes, that only got me as far as the random draw, which i did not win. the winner's cardamom and pistachio cupcakes look amazing, however, and she's a victoria girl living in vancouver!

second off, i've been thinking about gym class.

it seems to me that there are a few things this respite from the drudgery of coursework slash kafkaesque nightmare is supposed to accomplish. playing sports teaches you team work and organization. it improves your coordination and cardiovascular health. it trains you to be an accomplished enough liar to convince your classmates that you wanted to be picked last and your teacher that you just menstruate really damn often. how else will younguns develop perseverance, strategy, and the strength to survive public humiliation?

when i was in junior high school, once a year a self-defense instructor would come and work with all the gym classes. i remember that this was the only time during the year when i woke up every morning in pain. i wasn't accustomed to using my muscles. indeed, most of gym class was about cardiovascular work. when we did runs, my lungs hurt and i thought my heart would explode, but my legs were all "aw, come ON! we can do better than this!" my muscles weren't challenged at all - except during those two weeks per year.

being active is so important. and it's fun! and in high school i often found myself wishing that phys.ed. was still mandatory. but i can't help feeling that there was something wrong with the way it was taught. weight training is something you can only really start transitioning into in your mid-teens, but i wish my gym teachers had said to me, "it's not just about how many times you can skip in a minute. it's not just about how far you can hit a baseball (if you manage to hit it). it's about being at home in your body and using it well."

i wish i had been taught to be strong, and not just told that i wasn't fast enough.