Fight or flight?

For some time now I've been thinking about how to make myself safer.  This may seem silly to the average Plain Jane.  I live in a fairly safe town and am wise to my surroundings.  Work, however, has changed my perceptions as to if I could fight my way out of a wet paper sack.  Right now, I don't think I could.  I'm not saying I'm a lost cause.  I've always had the ability to protect myself and put up a good fight.  I've got a solid punch and can be scrappy if the situation calls for it.  Two older brothers will do that to a girl.

The chances of me needing to totally kick somebody's ass is slim.  I've been on duty for 9 months now and have only had a couple of confrontations, which have been settled with a raised voice and verbal commands.  The threat is always there.  All it takes is one person who has a misfire in the engine upstairs or has had one too many bad things happen to them and I could find myself in a fight for my life.  I'd like to be prepared.  

And with many things in my life, I'm reminded of a song in the Disney movie Mulan.  I've had the chorus stuck in my head for days.  At random moments, I'd find myself humming the song "I'll Make a Man Out of You," which plays while Mulan is incognito in the Army training camp.  It shows her determination in going from shy girl to trained fighter.

"We must be swift as the coursing river.  With all the force of a great typhoon.  With all the strength of a raging fire.  Mysterious as the dark side of the moon!"  LOVE it!  

 

I have no specific game plan as to how to take me from frumpy girl to fighter girl.  The defensive tactics I've learned at work is founded in principles of brazilian ju jitsu.  If you know your stuff, size and strength doesn't necessarily matter.  A tiny girl can take down a big muscular guy.  It's all in knowing where to strike and hold pressure.  It's an oversimplified explanation.  Don't let that fool you.  It's also painful.  The week of DT training was the most painful of my life.  I've never been so sore as I was that week.  I cursed myself for going from half marathon runner to slug.

I've tracked down a place in Ft. Collins to learn brazilian ju jitsu on my own.  The training at work is so sparse that I've forgotten a lot of what I learned in that week last December.  Should I give it a try?  Part of me says hell yes.  Part of me says hell no.  I finally cancelled my gym membership because I never used it.  Maybe that money can be reallocated to ju jitsu classes?  Hmmm.  The mind turns.

Tomorrow is a true Friday for me.  I have Saturday off for some Halloween fun with UW girls!!  Another four day weekend! I love my job!