At least, not until they have the couch in their truck.

See, now you're thinking.

It's weird--I remember all the gun defenses, including rifle and machine gun, as clear as day, but I can't mentally walk through half the knife defenses.

Otherwise I'd prep you, msbelle.

javachik, that's a terrible story. I know it sounds trite, but those people would probably have stabbed the shit out of her if they'd had knives. It's a gamble, but people who "don't mean it" more often have guns, and people who "don't mean it" are more likely to hurt you if they end up having a knife. People who do mean it will hurt you with any damned thing.

msbelle, getting arrested would not set a good example for your child.

Increase the peace, people!!

but those people would probably have stabbed the shit out of her if they'd had knives.

Oh, absolutely!

Occasionally we do chalk sparring at the dojo. (I think they do it with the kids to make them wash their gi). Anyway, it is difficult to get out of a situation without any chalk.

We often practice knife and club techniques, but I haven't learned any gun techniques.

Jesse, my child does pay one ounce of attention to good examples, have you been skipping and skimming?

Some classes they'd tell us to come in with t-shirts they didn't like very much and we'd go up against and with rubber knives with lipstick on the edges.

Or better yet: the SHOCKNIFE. I was responsible for bringing that puppy into the training regimen. And I was also informally responsible for tracking people down who'd never been shocked with it and trying it out on them. Many times that meant I had to shock myself to lull them into a sense of security. I mastered the stoneface. That shit hurt like a bitch.

Ailleann had to walk me through making and uploading the Panic! ringtone to my phone. I couldn't do it again by myself if my life depended on it.

Myxer.com!

Mine is currently Brendon Urie's version of Don't Stop Believing. Yes, I get Journeyrolled by my own phone.

Well, thinking about Barbara got me searching for her again and I found her on Classmates.com! I ponied up the cash for an account which would let me send an email. Hope she writes back!

have you been skipping and skimming?

I was just saying. As you know, you can only control what you do!