What "talents" do you have that others would be surprised about?

[cheerfulgreek]

I'm one belt and a stripe away from getting my black belt in kickboxing. Many people wouldn't even suspect it.

With most dojos, I would have already earned it.

[TonyB06]

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

I'm one belt and a stripe away from getting my black belt in kickboxing. Many people wouldn't even suspect it.

With most dojos, I would have already earned it.

You a baaaaaaad girl.

Sometimes, I wish I had continued training. My (eldest) daughter and I trained together when she was in jr/high school.

Who knows, perhaps I'll revisit my dojo again. Those were some good times...

[Phrozen Sands]

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

I'm one belt and a stripe away from getting my black belt in kickboxing. Many people wouldn't even suspect it.

With most dojos, I would have already earned it.

I wouldn't have guessed that either.

How would you have already gotten a black belt?

[PrettyBoy]

People become surprised when they ask me what I do for a living because it's a rare, specialized field.

But I'd say one other talent outside of my career and my ability to draw/design was as a kid, I was able to dance like Michael Jackson. I remember as a kid, I would watch him and practice every day for over a year until I finally got it. I was in a talent show in high school, and college. I performed his Billie Jean act that he did for Motown's 25th anniversary.

In the high school talent show I was in, there was one guy and his band who did "Guns & Roses Welcome to the Jungle". They actually played their own instruments, and actually did the singing. They sounded just like the real group, but they got second place.

I won both talent shows in high school and college with that same routine LOL. I had it perfected, from the hat, to the stroking of the hair, to his spins, all the way to his moonwalk, and the lip syncing. I also did the same act when I was 13 at the MLK center near where I grew up. I can do it to this day. I still have it in me LOL.
http://youtu.be/kXhy7ZsiR50

[cheerfulgreek]

Originally Posted by TonyB06

You a baaaaaaad girl.

Sometimes, I wish I had continued training. My (eldest) daughter and I trained together when she was in jr/high school.

Who knows, perhaps I'll revisit my dojo again. Those were some good times...

You should go back to it, Tony. It's so much fun, and a really good way to stay in shape.

Originally Posted by Phrozen Sands

I wouldn't have guessed that either.

How would you have already gotten a black belt?

Because most kickboxing dojos don't have stripe rankings. After you have earned a brown belt, the next rank is black. I have a private instructor and in his dojo, he uses a stripe ranking. There are other dojos that use a similar ranking system.

Originally Posted by PrettyBoy

People become surprised when they ask me what I do for a living because it's a rare, specialized field.

But I'd say one other talent outside of my career and my ability to draw/design was as a kid, I was able to dance like Michael Jackson. I remember as a kid, I would watch him and practice every day for over a year until I finally got it. I was in a talent show in high school, and college. I performed his Billie Jean act that he did for Motown's 25th anniversary.

In the high school talent show I was in, there was one guy and his band who did "Guns & Roses Welcome to the Jungle". They actually played their own instruments, and actually did the singing. They sounded just like the real group, but they got second place.

I won both talent shows in high school and college with that same routine LOL. I had it perfected, from the hat, to the stroking of the hair, to his spins, all the way to his moonwalk, and the lip syncing. I also did the same act when I was 13 at the MLK center near where I grew up. I can do it to this day. I still have it in me LOL.
http://youtu.be/kXhy7ZsiR50

As soon as I saw your username, I knew exactly what you posted.

[TonyB06]

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

You should go back to it, Tony. It's so much fun, and a really good way to stay in shape.

I really am giving it a lot of thought. After 12 years of basketball officiating, a bad ankle and 2 bad knees make me think, sometimes, about shifting away to something else.

I still have a lot of my old shotokan katas and a heavy bag in my basement.

Awww, dang, CG, see what you may have started??! lol

[cheerfulgreek]

Originally Posted by TonyB06

I still have a lot of my old shotokan katas and a heavy bag in my basement.

Awww, dang, CG, see what you may have started??! lol

lol
Hilarious!

Tony, are you still a basketball official now? I mean, I was just asking because with a bad ankle, and 2 bad knees, that should be the very reason for getting back into martial arts. It will do more good than harm. Have you ever thought about Aikido? There isn't much movement in Aikido, at least not like it is in kickboxing. I eventually want to mix the two.

Originally Posted by TonyB06

I really am giving it a lot of thought. After 12 years of basketball officiating, a bad ankle and 2 bad knees make me think, sometimes, about shifting away to something else.

"Miyagi heal Tony"... lol
http://youtu.be/5UUyVz2DISY

[TonyB06]

Originally Posted by cheerfulgreek

lol
Hilarious!

Tony, are you still a basketball official now? I mean, I was just asking because with a bad ankle, and 2 bad knees, that should be the very reason for getting back into martial arts. It will do more good than harm. Have you ever thought about Aikido? There isn't much movement in Aikido, at least not like it is in kickboxing. I eventually want to mix the two.

Yep. Still love the game. The feel of a big game and a gym full of people is still electric to me. I'll likely reduce my schedule a bit this season, though.

If I get back into training I may do it 1-on-1 or find an all adult dojo. Previously, I always trained with my daughter (there were a few other dads on the floor, but it was a kids class.) The cool thing is the sensei's top assistant was a brown belt (and a policeman). He and I usually trained/sparred together, and he'd share control/self-defense techiques they didn't teach the kids.

Do you compete in tournaments? If so, how often? I've never done Akido. I was comfortable with both Taekwondo and then Karate. We'll see.

[WhiteRose1912]

I shared this video and I was surprised at the stir it caused. Apparently no one outside of my sisters knows I can sing at all.

I have stupidly good balance. I think my near-phobic fear of falling helps.

For example, I can do this:


I can also balance across things to get to some pretty neat places, like this island out in a nearby nature preserve.

[clemsongirl]

Originally Posted by WhiteRose1912

I shared this video and I was surprised at the stir it caused. Apparently no one outside of my sisters knows I can sing at all.

I have stupidly good balance. I think my near-phobic fear of falling helps.

For example, I can do this:


I can also balance across things to get to some pretty neat places, like this island out in a nearby nature preserve.

I'm going to pretend that you're actually the canary pictured because it makes me laugh, WhiteRose. I'm imagining you hopping and pecking across the keyboard to type on here.

My talent isn't so much a talent, per se, but I still think it's interesting. I have synesthesia, specifically music->color synesthesia. When I hear music I immediately associate it with a specific color, and every note and key has a different color. I equate it to imaging an apple in your mind's eye; your eyes are not actually visualizing an apple, but you knew that it was red.