under the bubbling water

Yesterday was a busy day, mentally, physically, and emotionally. At work, I was handing off students and giving students to co-workers, so I couldn’t prepare in the normal way. I had to make little notes to myself about a few students, and shuffle books around at the last minute. I also had a kid’s review lesson smack dab in the middle of the morning between other adult’s lessons. She’s sweet, but the material is hard for her age, so it’s a challenge to teach. When I went in the classroom, her Dad was like, “HI! :D” GFAH I’d forgotten it was Open House (even though it was written on my schedule) and I should have prepared a better game.

He took notes on the lesson. But it went well. I’m glad. I made him speak English by having her ask him questions. XD

The afternoon was busy, and the rooms were hot. People were complaining, but it’s not even over 27 degrees celsius outside~! ;_; Wait’ll it gets to be 35. That’s why there’s COOL BIZ (the dress code of not wearing suit jackets or ties). Our manager brought in popsicles for us teachers. That was nice.

I had a few issues that preoccupied me all day.

After work, I finished on a high note with a super smilie customer (yay smiles!) and went to the gym.

I met Hiroko Yamanaka in the lockerroom! She lifts weights there.

(great, the one time I wear a creepy skull shirt, it gets in the way of a cool picture, lol)

Abe-san got Masa-san to hold mits for me. Masa-san is SO good at that, and explaining small details. I really enjoyed working with him, even though I don’t like mits. 🙁 Then I did grappling technique with Tama-chan, a round of sparring, and split. I’m pretty sore and kind of hurting. I really pushed myself today. It was good for me.

After training, the issues of the day came right back to me as soon as I stepped off the mat. I hated leaving early before sparring a lot, but it couldn’t be helped. It was 9:30 and I had a bit of time, so I hopped in the hot tub/jacuzzi. I was the only one in there. The hot water felt so good. I hyperventilated for a second to enrich my blood with oxygen, exhaled all the air from my lungs, and slid under the bubbling water.

Heat. Completly enveloping warmth. Pounding thumping of the jacuzzi filled my ears, reverberated through my skull. I lay there, suspended, floating not quite touching the ground, not quite coming up to the surface. Blue. Behind my eye-lids, I could see blue and yellow. But there was nothing. Nothing at all down there. Just me and the heat, under the bubbling water.

I came up from my dive and took a breath. The world had gotten quieter. The ruckus in my life had gotten a little farther away. I breathed deeply a few times and then went under again. The swirling water thudded loudly, filling me with a sense of peace. Peace and mental quiet.

I came up again, fascinated. I got dressed and went home. My mind was practically numb for the next fifteen minutes.

Unfortunately, I went to bed kind of late- 11:30, and woke up at 3:30. I’m relapsing into bad sleep again. 🙁 Well, it was a nice 4 days of normal sleep.…