Self Defense and Pet Peeves

Some of my sweet readers are aware that I have taken some hands-on self-defense classes. Hands-on mean the kind where you are encouraged to engage in full force physical combat kicking, punching, kneeing, and elbowing the male instructor who is wearing a full body protective padded suit with headgear. Over the course of 9 months I took the Beginners, Advance, and Weapons classes. Weapons is also known as defense against the armed assailant (someone who has a club, knife, or gun).

Having taken these classes, I find myself far more aware of my surroundings then I was B.C. (Before Classes). Perhaps that is why I have developed a special irksome pet peeve about the new stickers I see on the back of people’s mini-vans, trucks, SUVs, and cars. These cute little stickers identify the members of the family that, I presume, owns the vehicle. They show Mommy and Daddy, Big Brother, Little Sister, and even the Family Dog with their names printed neatly underneath. Have you seen them? They’re very popular here in L.A.

Each time I see these stickers I want to chase the owners down and have their IQ checked. Call me paranoid, but if some strangers knows your childs name from the back of your car, they have a better chance of persuading said child to come with them. To add to my point, mind you, I am not an alarmist, but these stickers could make a criminal aware of how many people live in your home.

There is enough needless information about all of us floating around out there on the internet, in the phone book, the library, the DMV, any number of services, systems, and sites. I am fully aware that if someone wants to hurt you or get to you the means are out there, but why hand it to them on a silver platter.

Alright, I’ll get down off my soapbox now. However, if anyone is interested in taking self defense classes, whatever your age, gender, or skill level, I highly recommend Impact. They have chapters in many different cities and train mostly women, but men too. It is highly challenging because of the verbal work, since your first line of defense is using your mind to talk your way out of having a physical confrontation. The bonding that happens in the classes is an incredible experiece because it is such a supportive environment that fosters emotional growth and self esteem. I wish very much that I had the opportunity to take the class prior to going to college, I think it would have helped me be wiser in some of the decisions I made then. Ah, hindsight is always 20/20 huh? Thankfully, there are a lot of parents having their teenage daughters take it.