Menopause and Boxing

I sparred with Jamil last night, and I had to keep remembering that he's a southpaw.  I didn't use my left hand enough to tap down his incoming rights.  Afterwards, Jamil told me that I got him good with shots to the stomach.  He did stop me a few times by grabbing my arms. 

Jamil expressed doubts about taking a fight at Seward next month.  I hope that he changes his mind.  He has wanted to get a fight for awhile at the Park District shows, and hasn't been able to get one. 

It was quiet again last night, because the crowd was small.  J didn't come in, and neither did the other women who signed up for the Fall session.  Outside of Jamil, Jamelle and Danny were on hand.  I'm beginning to believe that the adult boxing program does make some money.  But participants often put down their money then show up on and off or not at all.

I was not feeling that well on Monday due to menopause.  I try to work through them, especially in terms of exercise.  However, the hormones were seriously out of whack, and nothing seemed to work.  It started at work when as usual, one of two annoying people who regularly show up on Monday morning for the food pantry tried to throw their non-existent weight around.  I often hear that person trying to enforce their opinions on the other food pantry patrons.  That particular individual has rubbed me the wrong way for two years now.  They act like that I should acknowledge them whenever I see them.  But here's what they don't get:  Heather, who was the church secretary before me, is a very nice person.  She was also very tolerant of that particular person.  I'm not that accommodating. I've snapped on that person once, and I pointedly ignore them every time I see them.  Yet, they continue to say inane things in the hopes that I will validate their existance, which will never happen.

I told Pastor Roger that if he hears me snapping on that individual -- again -- it'll probably be mostly due to menopausal irritability.  That person just missed being blasted by my tongue on Monday.  Pastor told me that I should rely on God to help control my responses to people; that person as well as the other clueless wonder who shows up on Monday (whose crime is always trying to scam the pantry) is not my enemy, and so on.  I'm guessing that the Pastor is not totally knowledgeable about menopause, and that a woman's anger/rage/irritability is very real and heightened during that time.  I felt my fists forming into balls when confronted with that smart aleck individual who attends the food pantry.  The only reason I didn't cut them down was that I kept reminding myself that I was at work as well as at church.  But there's always a wrong day, a wrong hour, and a wrong second for some character to approach me, and I might not be able to hold back my hormones the next time. 

The hormonal attack definately slowed me down in the gym on Monday, and I'm glad I didn't have an opportunity to spar that night.  I doubt that it would have turned out that well.  I do believe that boxing, because it's such a complete workout, helps keep a lid on some of my menopause symptoms.  But it's still early in the game.  I might have anywhere from a year to ten years to have to live with it.