Picture Day

Manny brought his sister to the gym. "I've been a tomboy, but I think I'm too girly girly for this sport!" she told me. Manny laughed about his sister not being able to keep up with him during a run from Howard Street to Touhy. In her defense, she said she hadn't done much running since high school.

Pete, Otis and Joe came in. Otis didn't stay long, but Pete and Joe put in a workout, which included sparring. Manny, Leon and Steve sparred as well. Oksana and I sparred, but we had to wait for the guys to take their turns. It didn't bother me, but Oksana was irritated because she thought that Alan was putting us off because we were females. Her and I actually agreed to spar after the guys had already decided to do so.

Oksana is rather aggressive in the ring. She kept pushing my head down during the one round we sparred. My aches and pains were acting up, so one round was all I could manage. Alan later told me that I was "punching easy", and that I needed to put more power behind them. I know I do, but in the back of my mind, I continue to be concerned about hurting someone. After all the years I've been in boxing, I should have gotten over that by now. Maybe it's because I still hear my mother telling me never to be a bully. She was the first one to teach me how to throw a punch. Her intent was to teach me to defend myself, not to beat people down at random.

But I am my father's daughter. The night before, while riding the train home from my usher's job, I shoved a guy. He was sitting next to me, falling asleep and leaning on me with his big backpack. It was St. Patrick's Day, and I suspect the guy had been drinking and drugging. When he didn't move fast enough as I trying to get off at my stop, I snapped "Move!" and shoved him. The guy didn't give me enough room to get by him, so I stomped on his foot. I hate riding public transportation on St. Patrick's Day. I always end up cursing a drunk out or putting my hands on them, or both.

I wasn't at the gym on Monday due to work, but I learned there was a bad fight outside of the fieldhouse. It's not even summer yet, and the outside rumbles around the fieldhouse have already begun. The park district staff tries to keep that stuff from escalating, and the cops visit the fieldhouse regularly, but incidents jump off too often.