St-Jean Baptiste!

Tripaway

On this, the eve of the feast of the birth of St-Jean Baptiste (QC), many québécois are preparing their bonfires and foodstuffs to celebrate this important martyr in the Catholic Church and patron saint of the province of Québec!

Although he was beheaded (a good way to lose approximately ten pounds, btw), his feast day is often celebrated with bonfires, likely because of the corresponding pagan celebrations of Midsummer - gotta ward those evil spirits off somehow, why not fire?!?!

So since a lot of the world will be burning stuff tonight, I wondered how many of you all plan to burn your next few calories this weekend. As for me, I have to work this weekend (I work with large monkeys, so taking care of them is a workout in itself!), host a St-Jean-Baptiste party, and entertain my in-laws arriving from Maryland tomorrow (I'm in Michigan, so they'll be here for a week...); apart from these duties, I also plan to get in at least one three-mile jog around my neighbourhood in this sweltering heat.

What are your plans for burning some calories this weekend? Does anyone plan to burn a few more beyond the ordinary amount with me in honour of Saint John the Baptist??

Out_of_Bubblegum

Saturday - Short hike or bicycle ride, Taekwondo
Sunday - Lots of Taekwondo

d_thomas02

@Tripaway, my post-retirement job in lawn maintenance pretty much covers the burning calorie thing for me. My plans for the a glorious two day weekend are simply rest and relax. Maybe some maintenance on two company trucks. That sort of thing.

@bwmalone, what TKD belt have you earned?

Out_of_Bubblegum

@d_thomas02 I am a 4th dan black belt.

d_thomas02

@bwmalone, I earned 3rd degree before retiring. Unfortunately I don't have time for TKD now.

Out_of_Bubblegum

@d_thomas02 Fantastic - always happy to meet another Taekwondo-in!

I don't have nearly as much time for it as I wish.. but I carve out what I can - about 4 nights per week late night practice at home, and 1x/week black belt class is all I get right now... but I can't imagine life without it.

d_thomas02

@Tripaway, sorry for hijacking your thread. Turns out we had quite the blow yesterday afternoon and today I'll be burning calories cleaning up downed trees and limbs today.

@bwmalone, back in the day I converted one bay of my three car basement garage into a dojo, mats and all. Earned my instructors strip and taught three classes one evening a week and then stayed and participated in the black belt class after that. Tried to get two other days in during the week as well. I'd drop in after work and stay for two, sometimes three classes of various levels.

Now my daughter parks her car in that bay and my post-retirement lawn care job keeps me busy 10-12 hours a day, 6 days a week. Wouldn't be able to do this job (at my age) without the conditioning I got from TKD.

Out_of_Bubblegum

@d_thomas02 A lifetime ago, I started a dojang that was modestly successful - we had about 45 students, and I promoted my first black belts there as an instructor... Eventually had to give it up to make enough money to raise a family, so turned it over to my assistant who unfortunately later moved and closed the school.

Later, I did run a garage dojang as well.. converted a 3 car garage, but for various reasons (that I understand better now), didn't attract many students - I had about 10 at the peak. Eventually I had to close that one, as there just wasn't enough interest, and I had a job offer out of town I couldn't resist.

I still teach private lessons, and participate in the black belt class, which being 4th degree, puts me in a teaching role as much as it is a class for me as well.

... So I still get to teach a bit. May some day take it up again professionally - when my youngest is out of the house, will give me some time I don't have now.