# Hello!



## ZMalfoy (May 21, 2012)

I'm relatively new around here-- been lurking a few days, getting some bearings coming forward to introduce myself.

I am just starting out with martial arts-- by which I mean, I haven't decided which school to study under yet. I'm pretty sure I want to go to one of the X-kan schools, but I'm not sure which, yet. . .:hmm:

See, thing is, I'm a total nerd-- I was the girl who used to spend all her free time at the back of the library, reading up on anything remotely interesting (like St. Albertus Magnus' _Alchemia_, or the best local weeds to make a healing balm with, or. . . you get the idea), especially if it could get her out of gym class. In my early teens, I _did_ enjoy fencing (western), but had to choose between study and fencing shorty after starting with the sabre (I'm still a bit sad over that. I loved smacking people on the head with my sword. . . was fabulous stress relief. . .)

After college (I majored in Vocal Music Education, but loathed the other adults in the educational field so much that I decided to come home to DC and pursue a career as a soulless federal bureaucrat), before I was able to get a job, I wound up getting diagnosed with Stage 4 lymphoma, which not only completely interrupted my plans for life, but totally ended up screwing up the rest of my health. I'd looked at the silver lining of chemo-- "Hey, I'll finally loose those few pounds I've been wanting to get rid of!"-- only to find that I was one of those people that wouldn't loose weight even under the harsh treatment I was put under for a year. In addition, the steroids they used to "buck up my system"-- they bucked up a system that didn't need assistance, so I gained a ton of weight. After the year of chemo and a solid month of radiation. . . I was cancer free, but in horrid shape otherwise.

So I followed the doctors' advice of the time, went no-fat and restricted my calories to around 1,200 a day. Which left me exhausted all the time, terribly fatigued, and painfully out of breath with the slightest exercise-- I actually felt worse than I had when under treatment, and not only was I not loosing any of the weight, I was still gaining. To which the doctors assumed I must have been "cheating", or otherwise not following their guidance. I finally started being true to my nerdly self and started doing some of my own research, which led to me flipping the docs a figurative bird.

It was. . .4 or 5 years ago that I started my own rehabilitation program, first by finally getting some eggs and bacon (bacon, it turns out, is a cure-all for christian girls like me, lol). Went to my workplaces gym to lift weights, then started dance classes-- I've been studying _Raqs Sharqi_ for a little over two years now-- with the goal of eventually getting into martial arts. 

While I'm not yet where I want to be, fitness-wise, there has been slow, steady improvement (For my birthday recently, my mother bought me a lovely skirt in a size smaller than what I'd been wearing-- it's almost too big). But for some reason, I feel that it's time to switch from my years of reading into finding a place to actually start doing-- Armchair ninjas are more armchair than ninja, after all, and practically useless. And I've found that I _despise_ being a useless person.

So that's where I am. Cautiously stepping out from the piles of books, looking for a reputable place that won't overly mind someone who's going to be slow and clumsy for a while. . . 

Pleased to meet you.

[PS: The collection of smilies to choose from is impressive. Especially the number involving firearms. Makes me feel warm and fuzzy, yanno? :biggun:good times. . .]


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## ETinCYQX (May 21, 2012)

You might enjoy Kendo  full contact sword play, Daniel Sullivan can tell you more. 

Welcome and congratulations on your improving health. All the best


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## oaktree (May 21, 2012)

Welcome to martial talk. I hang out a lot in the Chinese internal art section
 You can stop by and ask any questions about that too.


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## oftheherd1 (May 21, 2012)

Welcome to MT.  You can find information on just about any martial art here.  And on martial arts in the VA, MD, and DC area as well.  Don't hesitate to look around and ask questions.  Sounds like you are going to be interested in a school that has a lot of exercise as well as teaching a martial art.  

Congratulations on your getting through cancer.  Never an easy journey.


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## Tames D (May 21, 2012)

You are a beautiful person. I wish the best for you.


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## kitkatninja (May 22, 2012)

Hi and welcome to MT


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## rickster (May 22, 2012)

Welcome. 

And along with a nice collection of martial art weapons, I have almost a par collection of guns also.

Along with a collection of books, chess sets, scale model die cast cars, Bruce Lee stuff.

All of this starting off in the 1960's


Slowed down a bit getting married, parenting ids, buying a new car, buying a new house....etc.


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## Jenna (May 22, 2012)

ZMalfoy said:


> I'm relatively new around here-- been lurking a few days, getting some bearings coming forward to introduce myself.
> 
> I am just starting out with martial arts-- by which I mean, I haven't decided which school to study under yet. I'm pretty sure I want to go to one of the X-kan schools, but I'm not sure which, yet. . .:hmm:
> 
> ...


Hey welcome to MT!!  I wish you every success in finding an art to suit your disposition.. and you are a Harry Potter fan in ways maybes??  Good to have you here wishes Jenna x


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## Gentle Fist (May 22, 2012)

Welcome to MT!


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## Steve (May 22, 2012)

Welcome.  You sound like a very interesting person.  What are you hoping to get from martial arts training?  Are you looking to have fun?  Get in shape?  Whack people over the heads with sticks?  Learn self defense?  Answering these questions for yourself will help you figure out which martial art style will be most likely to get you to your goals.

Regarding weight loss and getting into shape, there are lots of ways to go, but I'm a staunch believer that you have to feed your body to lose weight.  Of course, what you eat is important, but in order to get your body out of starvation mode, where it's hoarding energy, you have to feed it good food, and how much is less important than what.  The key isn't counting calories; rather, it's kickstarting your metabolism and telling your body it's okay to be less efficient with energy.  

Have fun and welcome to the site.


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## mmartist (May 22, 2012)

Hi and welkome to MT


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## SahBumNimRush (May 22, 2012)

Hello and welcome to MT!


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## Chris Parker (May 23, 2012)

ZMalfoy said:


> I'm relatively new around here-- been lurking a few days, getting some bearings coming forward to introduce myself.
> 
> I am just starting out with martial arts-- by which I mean, I haven't decided which school to study under yet. I'm pretty sure I want to go to one of the X-kan schools, but I'm not sure which, yet. . .:hmm:
> 
> ...



Welcome aboard! Any questions on the X-Kan stuff (or anything, really...), just ask.

Uh, forgive this little sideline in your introduction thread, though.... just gotta say something to someone else...



rickster said:


> Welcome.
> 
> And along with a nice collection of martial art weapons, I have almost a par collection of guns also.
> 
> ...



Rickster, what on earth does this have to do with ZMalfoy's post/thread/story? Dude, this is a thread to welcome her to the forum, and nothing you say has anything to do with anything other than yourself... what are you trying to do?


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## Supra Vijai (May 23, 2012)

Hey there 

Welcome to MT! As others have said, I'm sure you'll love this place especially if you're a bit of a nerd... sooooo much info floating around these pages!

Just a quick heads up, watch out for that Chris Parker guy who posted above me, he's like a 1000 years old and knows everything about everything


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## ZMalfoy (May 30, 2012)

Thank you all for the warm welcome!

@ Jenna: Ah, um, yes. . . Z is short for Zophiel (long story behind that name), Malfoy after well, you know. . . best lookin' evil henchmen in the world, lol!

@ Steve: What I'm looking for. . .all of the above? I've wanted to take martial arts, sometime between when I asked my Mom to let me start Karate (I can't remember why she wouldn't let me) and the time I stole the first issue of Eastman and Laird's _Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles_ from my dad's pile of "to read" comics when I was 10. (This was the days before TMNT was kiddified in colorful cartoons). I generally get a fair amount of exercise as is, although a lot of it isn't formally excercise. But shoveling dirt and pulling weeds and hauling compost and wrangling bee-hive frames full of honey counts for for a fair bit, when added to dance and taking walks. But, I am one of those people that can't really do "exercise" for the sake of "exercise." There has to be some element that keeps my brian engaged-- like dance, like hauling compost in the summer sun, like taking a walk and learning details of my neighborhood. That's why I think martial arts in the next step for me-- I loved "exercise" when it involved swords and arrogant, sneering challenges delivered in snooty French to not-quite-as-snooty prep-schoolers. I hated "exercise" when it involved . . . nothing else. While whacking people with things (and being whacked in turn) is fun, that's not really the main point, for me. The point is. . . learning a new skill set while at the same time working up a sweat and feeling like I've done/ learned something useful.

As for the rest of what you said-- that's exactly it. I had gone into starvation mode on a diet that ended up being mostly carbs. This meant I was always tired (edge of sleep at all times) and still growing horizontally. The docs told me (when they weren't accusing me of "cheating" the diet) that I had to exercise more, but walking up a flight of stairs left me winded and ready for a nap. (So pathetic, but true. I was amazingly weak). It was only after I started reading up on things for myself that I learned that I'd been teaching my metabolism to be in starvation/ famine mode, and there was no way I'd have the energy to exercise until I did the "counter-intuitive" thing and ate a burger. Or two. With some bacon, cheese, lettuce, and tomato. . . (Funnily enough, soon after starting to eat eggs and bacon regularly white cutting out the pretzels and bagels, my cholesterol levels plummeted. . .)

@ Chris -- thank you, I may hit you up with questions as they come along. As for Rick, doncha worry. He noted the, er, firearm heavy aspects to my post as was noting that he had a fine collection of such items himself. As well as other things. lol. My collection is rather. . . well, not a collection, as such, as a piece kept nearish the bed for a SHTF scenario. Someday I'll have that .45 Ruger I've been mooning over. . . *sigh*

Again, thank you all for your kind welcome!


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## Supra Vijai (May 30, 2012)

ZMalfoy said:


> Ah, um, yes. . . Z is short for Zophiel (long story behind that name), Malfoy after well, you know. . . best lookin' evil henchmen in the world, lol!



Neville turned out hotter in real life


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## ZMalfoy (May 30, 2012)

So I've seen! But he's not an Evil Henchman, he's a Loyal And True War Buddy!

(Ok, look, I think Jason Isaacs- Lucius Malfoy-is very, very easy on the eyes.) 

That said, God did a good job on both, lol ~_^!


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## Yondanchris (Jun 6, 2012)

Welcome to MT! Firearms and Coffee my kinda guy!


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