Speculation, Fact and Fiction

I stopped my husband doing a technique at our Aikido practise last night. Sukumen, as it happens, for those who know anything about this particular martial art. Stopped him in his tracks. Three times in a row. Granted, only when I was taking his left hand in a right-hand grip, so my marginally stronger side was working on his marginally weaker side, since we're both right-handed, but still... three times in a row...

Some background information. Husband is six foot, seventeen-plus stone of (mostly) muscle, used to play back row of the scrum in local club rugby, and crucially, is a 4th Dan black belt in Aikido. Next year will be his thirtieth year of doing the aforesaid martial art.

Aikido doesn't rely on strength. It's all about movement and balance and leverage and technique and getting out of the way so you don't get hit. That said, when someone, oh, say, a 4th Dan is also a very big bloke, the combination of technique with strength to back it up can be devastating.

So a 5'6" fourteen-stone of moderately fit cuddly mummy 1st kyu (brown belt if we wore coloured belts in our club other than white or black) must be doing something right to stop aforementioned 4th Dan in his tracks. Three times in a row.

I have never actually managed to stop him doing a technique before. I've made him work for it, tested him, made him apply all his knowledge and so on, but never actually stopped him. Three times in a row.

He was impressed.

I'm still smiling about it this morning.

Miles Kington is one of my favourite humourists, and has been making me laugh almost for almost as long as I can remember. This piece in The Indie, on book reviewing is priceless.

And might also explain why, according to a journo pal, the book review pages are apparently the least-read sections of the weekend papers.

And is also valuable food for thought for anyone who does want to write good reviews. As in, here's what not to do!