I had an even better than usual weekend. Saturday I attended a women's shooting clinic (Women on Target) put on by the wonderful folks of the Prince of Wales Shooting Club. Prior to moving to Alaska, I had zero experience with handling any firearms, as I had very little need for knowledge of firearm safety and handling in Santa Cruz. I had taken the Women on Target class a couple of years ago, when we first moved to POW, because firearms are considered vital tools for life in the wilderness areas around here.
Back when I first took this class, the concepts were so new and foreign to me. I also had to get over some childhood traumas to get ready to practice and increase my comfort level. After that first class, I was so busy with other projects, that I never got the chance to really practice what I learned. So I decided to take the class again this year, and this time with the intent to get ready to practice. The instruction for these clinics is really top-notch. I found it much easier to absorb the instruction this time around. It reminds me a lot of what it's like to learn a musical instrument for the first time. This time it all felt a lot less awkward. The only problem was that my cubital tunnel issue in my left elbow decided to flare up right after the shotgun practice. So I was not able to practice as much as I had wanted during the class, and I had to go home to take a large dose of naproxen, and an wrap it with an ice pack. But I knew it was important to practice the concepts as soon as possible. So the next day, after another naproxen, Shawn and I decided to head out of town for me to practice with his 22-250 rifle. I was a little worried about having Shawn as my coach for this sort of thing, but my reservations about all that were unfounded. He is the BEST COACH EVER!!!! He knew exactly what to say for me to improve my stance, my aim, and what to expect. He was calm, and he knew exactly what adjustments to help me improve with each shot. I think his years at Augusta Military Academy really paid off here. I'm very grateful for his calm approach. I mean, I know he's a good guy and all that, but I was even more impressed yesterday. He told me that when your wife is holding a loaded firearm, it's good to be calm and patient with your communication. Good point. I look forward to working on this more with him.
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Tonie OgimachiA few things I'm passionate about: CategoriesArchives
February 2020
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