I’m starting a new endeavor this evening that I’ve considered for years.

I’m joining the adult karate class at my kids’ dojo.

I’ve considered doing it for years. John’s gone since he was about six, so I’ve been around these people for a long time. I was concerned about the time crunch, because after work on the kids week is really tight, time-wise. But now that they’re older, they can do their homework while I’m on the floor. I’ve only got one kid each night, since the other kid goes to Boy Scouts (which kid depends on which night.) So if I work it right, I can swoop in, pick up a kid and take him to dinner in town, and then be back in time for the class. It’s a little more eating out than I’d like, so I’ll try to stick to cheap and healthy.

One bit holding me back was Seamus. I didn’t want to end up in a situation where I was competing with him. I didn’t want to pass him up too quickly and make him feel bad and lose interest in it himself. He’s an orange belt now though, and he really likes it. I think it could be good for him to be the expert at something, and to get to show me what to do. He’ll like that. John is even higher, but not very patient with me, and he doesn’t care if we compete.

My motives are varied; I hope that having an assortment of good things to look forward to will keep me going, because really, I am sort of lazy. I’m using it for exercise as well as a little bit of a social outlet. It will be good for me to get out and see other adults.

I’m more than a little nervous about the physical aspect of it, but Sensei assures me that they have other people with asthma. He also says not to worry about weird schedules keeping me from classes, but I’ve rearranged my Sacramento days to accommodate this class and my second job.

So, we’ll see. Will peer pressure keep me exercising? Will a frantic schedule freak me out? Will I turn out to be a massively uncoordinated oaf? Will I become a karate fanatic and freak out even more men than my shooting skills do?

Whatever happens, it should be interesting. To me, at least. Maybe not to you all.