cultivating my inner woman

Girls like pink. Boys play with guns.

Says who? Not, me. Nope. I like black. I play with guns. Okay, well, play is a rather inappropriate term. More specifically, I shoot guns. Thanks to Femme Fatale Finishing School, I have let out my inner sex kitten as well as my inner Rambo.

Femme Fatale Finishing School provides opportunities for women to enjoy a multitude of activities, allowing them to cultivate various aspects of womanhood. If you’re not familiar, the phrase Femme Fatale is French, meaning “deadly woman”, a rather fitting term for one such as me, who felt just as comfortable twirling around a pole as I did pulling the trigger on a 9mm.

My first class with FFFS was pole dancing. Pole dancing is a beautiful art and something I've wanted to try for many years, but never really had the nerve to do. As a passionate student of Krav Maga, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't out of my element in a less…aggressive surrounding. Even going with FFFS, I admit to nerves, but knowing that there would be other ladies with me, ladies who were experiencing similar feelings, helped to ease my mind. I was able to relax in that environment, an intimate group of women, two instructors and eight poles. It was an hour of fun, giggles, and a priceless experience I plan to repeat. Carolyn Cull, of Studio Rogue, broke the fundamentals down in a fun way, bringing them to a basic level that wasn't too difficult to grapple with. Beyond that, she made me feel comfortable with the sexy side of myself, comfortable in my own body.

Fast forward a week later and you find me pulling in to the Black Wing Shooting Center with just as much excitement. I did not go because I plan to buy a gun and apply for a Conceal and Carry permit. I went because someone someday may attack me with a gun, and I want to know my way around them. Ignorance about guns could be extremely dangerous. Andy, our instructor, broke it down for us. We learned about the different parts and how they work, where the bullets go and how to load them. Then, it was time to step up take a shot…literally. It was exhilarating. There is no price tag I can place on feeling confident and comfortable around such a dangerous weapon. I don’t plan to stop there, though. If I ride a bike one time, I’ll eventually figure it out again, but if I want to ride with confidence, I have to practice. The same goes for shooting, and I intend on practicing.

One of the most enlightening parts of these two experiences, for me, was discovering that I can be confident and comfortable in such seemingly different situations. Krav Maga is a very aggressive and physical activity that I thrive on, so I was not surprised at how much I loved the shooting range. However, it was refreshing to find that my aggressive side is countered by a sexy little vixen.

Menacing with my finger on the trigger, 
seductive with it on the pole. 

How much more dangerous can a woman be?

Bridget Haghnazari, Tamra Andis, Ashrae Scott McCarthy, Felicia Clark, Amanda Parker, Jessica Scott, Peggy Bourke McCort, Helen Godfroy,Karen Sutter James, Nan Little and Jason Holt at blackwing shooting range.

Femme Fatale? Oh, most definitely.

be. that. girl.

Working with Jason Holt and Peg McCort, Femme Fatale Finishing School founders, was fantastic! They helped make the experience exciting and rewarding. They were there to cheer us on, pat us on the back and keep our confidence up. You can reach Femme Fatale Finishing School on Facebook or by email femmefatalefinishingschool@gmail.com. If you are interested in learning more, check out their upcoming events. You can be sure I'll be trying my hand at a few more classes myself!