Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Go Directly To Jail


Jason's heading to the clinker after Labor Day.


But it's not that he's finally reaped his just rewards. He's starting a new job as a correctional officer.


Now, most people when they hear that cast a look askance, trying desperately not to raise a dubious eyebrow in question/concern/are-you-completely-crazy?


They think he must be really hard up to do hard time. But it comes with benefits. I mean that literally - retirement, health, vacation, the whole works. And many of you might not realize that Jason and I have been studying jujitsu on and off since we met each other. He was the first person to teach me how to kick butt properly so I could take care of myself and feel safer in my surroundings.


So we study arm/wrist/ankle-locks, joint manipulations, take-downs, chokes & escapes, a dash of grappling and a few punches or kicks thrown in (bad pun). It all sounds so terribly violent, I know, and for those of you who knew the timid shrinking violet that I was in high school and college wouldn't recognize me on the mat.


But without getting into a whole dissertation on what jujitsu is and isn't, I'll just say it's not violent unless you need it to be. It's one of the most defensive arts around. It's like the hippie vegan ballad-writing cousin in the Martial Arts family. If you have to resort to violence you've already lost (which is why we also study and teach women risk assessment, alertness, awareness and good decision making).


Now, I suppose tossing each other around a mat is not nearly as romantic a hobby as, say, stargazing on the beach. And it's definitely not as elegant as ballroom dancing (especially with Jason as your partner - the last time we went swing dancing he clotheslined me... I know, I know, you wouldn't think dancing and jujitsu would bear such similarities they could be mistaken for each other. Ahem. They don't.)


But we leave a swath of destruction in our wake the likes of which few other pasttimes could come close to. And that's something, right?


Anyway, what job could be better suited for Jason?


So I held a surprise Go To Jail, Go Directly To Jail, Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200 party on Sunday afternoon to celebrate that Jason will finally be where we all agree he rightly belongs.



Here's a few pics:
Thanks to Rachel and Pete for decorating while we were still at church. And to Rachel for the awesome cake.
Also, somehow in the excitement, I forgot to take pictures of everyone who came over. We did have people at the party.















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