jenn reese

Tonight I got to do something on The Great List of Things I Want To Do Some Day, When I Have Time:

Ground work with a weapon.

In this case, the weapon was my trusty broadsword Blueberry. I finally got to the point in my sword form where you do a forward roll to the ground, then perform a series of side rolls where you swing the sword in an arc under your legs.

It looks amazingly cool when done by someone with skill and flexibility.
It looks remarkably ridiculous when done by me.

Fortunately, all the people at the studio tonight were riveted by the wild antics of the Parkour class. Yet another reason to love Parkour!

Unfortunately, rolls really hurt my scoliosis-twisted back. Especially when I practice them over and over and over. Time for some Advil, and maybe a stiff drink.

Take that, The List!

Yes, I know. How fascinating. But it’s on my mind every single day, so you’re going to hear about it, too.

What hasn’t worked:

• Anti-inflammatory ointment
• Anti-inflammatory meds
• Regular daily stretching exercises (I’m sure they’re helping somehow, just not for pain relief)
• $250 of copays seeing a foot specialist

What IS working:

4. Icing. I was icing for 20 minutes, as the doctor prescribed, but Sifu Carrie (of White Lotus Kung Fu fame) told me to watch the swelling and ice only until the swelling has gone down. Her method is working much better for pain relief.

3. Superfeet shoe insert: I have the lime green ones for high arches. These made my feet feel better almost immediately, and I’ve worn them every day since I got them. (Sadly, I only had one pair of shoes with removable insoles, so I’ve kinda one-note in the fashion department.) Ultimately, they haven’t helped reduce the swelling, but they do take some of the pressure off.

2. Stretching device used in the morning. Mornings are terrible. My foot curls up and I hobble around for an hour before it loosens up. Now, before I get out of bed, I use this little thing to stretch the tendons a bit and am now able to walk almost normally. (Some people prefer the boots and nighttime stretchers, but not me.)

1. Taping!!! This is the huge breakthrough of last week. Sifu Carrie sat me down and showed me how to tape my arch. The relief was almost instant! The next day I woke up, hopped in the shower, and actually forgot that I had plantar fasciitis for the first time in almost 5 months. AMAZING! I still have some bad days, but the swelling has gone down tremendously, I’m having far more pain-free moments, and it’s cheap! I tape my arch every morning, feel mostly fantastic throughout the day, and sometimes leave the tape on overnight. Such a simple solution, and it has changed my world. I’m not sure how this would work for people without really high arches, but for me? The heavens have opened up. I can once again envision life without pain. Not there yet, but I can see it on the horizon.

And that, my friends, is the plantar fasciitis update. Aren’t you glad you stopped by my journal today?

Disneyland is supposed to be the happiest place on Earth, but I think the back seat of my Civic Hybrid deserves the honor more. Behold this photo, taken mere moments ago:

From 2009 Photobook

The weapons are:

• Whisper (the staff)
• Mr. Pointy (the spear)
• Autumn (the Tai Chi straight sword)
• Blueberry (the Chinese Broadsword)

And yes, that’s a glorious stack of D&D rulebooks in the back, a gift from a friend.

What’s in YOUR back seat?

There have certainly been times when I thought I’d never get to write this post. Yet… here I am, writing this post. The world is mysterious and wonderful! But let me get to the heart of it:

I’m thrilled to announce that I have an agent — I am now represented by Joe Monti of Barry Goldblatt Literary!

You might need to reread that a few times. I know I just did.

YAY!!!

Saturday afternoon, Chris and I headed down to Staples Center to watch the Kings play in their home opener. Witness our smiling faces as we sit outside the stadium listening to a cover band called “Which One’s Pink?” At this point, the Kings could still be good. We’re in a Schrodinger’s hockey moment.

From 2009 Photobook

(Chris is making a funny face because he can’t smile and take the picture at the same time.)

Sadly, the Kings got pasted 6-3 by the Phoenix Coyotes. We rallied with soft pretzels and coffee, and with lots of yelling. It was a great start to the season despite the score.

"Flying kicks, heart-stopping spins and amazing somersaults propel the action... Reese choreographs both the romantic moves and the martial arts with flair."
—Publishers Weekly