First, for those educated in American public schools, self-aggrandizing - exhibiting self-importance; "big talk" boastful, braggart, bragging, braggy, cock-a-hoop, crowing, self-aggrandising, - feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth.
And I do! I was very happy to be a black belt the other day. I was downtown at the Hilo Farmer's Market, going to buy veggies and fruit, but actually bs'ing away about martial arts with a guy (he was Jeet Kune Do and Judo) who was sunning himself on the corner bench and then two Japanese tourist ladies came up all pretty and smiling and charming and asked us where could they find mochi (gooey chewy Japanese rice cake) and he recommended Two Ladies Kitchen, a block and 1/2 away. A moment or two later we heard a male voice loudly saying konnichiwa (good afternoon). We look around and see a clown in a pickup truck with dark glasses on, leering out at the Japanese gals, yapping away. He was being an asshole, hassling the most sweet and guiltless innocent nice ladies one could imagine, and we didn't like it. Reminded me of the truck driver in Thelma and Louise.
So I moved next to them and said, "You talking to my sister?" He left quickly, looking rather unhappy. The guy and I then talked about how satisfying it is to use our training. No violence or even swearing or posturing, well OK, a bit of posturing, but to use ma training because it gives us self assurance and the ability to step up once in a while and stop bullshit. And being a ma, if clown had started to get out I'd planned on doing a jumping side to his door, to both hurt him and do 100's of $ body damage to his nice truck, and hopefully ending it quickly, then pulling a disappearing act, like I did once after doing a back kick as hard as I could into a sedan that almost ran me over in a cross walk. Some day someone might shoot me.
And I do! I was very happy to be a black belt the other day. I was downtown at the Hilo Farmer's Market, going to buy veggies and fruit, but actually bs'ing away about martial arts with a guy (he was Jeet Kune Do and Judo) who was sunning himself on the corner bench and then two Japanese tourist ladies came up all pretty and smiling and charming and asked us where could they find mochi (gooey chewy Japanese rice cake) and he recommended Two Ladies Kitchen, a block and 1/2 away. A moment or two later we heard a male voice loudly saying konnichiwa (good afternoon). We look around and see a clown in a pickup truck with dark glasses on, leering out at the Japanese gals, yapping away. He was being an asshole, hassling the most sweet and guiltless innocent nice ladies one could imagine, and we didn't like it. Reminded me of the truck driver in Thelma and Louise.
So I moved next to them and said, "You talking to my sister?" He left quickly, looking rather unhappy. The guy and I then talked about how satisfying it is to use our training. No violence or even swearing or posturing, well OK, a bit of posturing, but to use ma training because it gives us self assurance and the ability to step up once in a while and stop bullshit. And being a ma, if clown had started to get out I'd planned on doing a jumping side to his door, to both hurt him and do 100's of $ body damage to his nice truck, and hopefully ending it quickly, then pulling a disappearing act, like I did once after doing a back kick as hard as I could into a sedan that almost ran me over in a cross walk. Some day someone might shoot me.