Got to Akabane right on time, and so did Tanaka-sensei and everyone else. We thought it was a bit strange that the school gym was already open, but anyway we unloaded the car and brought all the targets in, then started to change. All of a sudden a student comes in. And another. And another. And parents. And teachers.
Turns out the school failed to mention to us that today was Parent's Day at school. So we got the hell outta there and loaded up the car again. Tanaka-sensei tried to find the principal to see if we could use the gym after the class was over, but he said they'd be using it all day.
So Tanaka-sensei drove and I and a couple of other guys took the train to Honbu Dojo. We carried all the targets and stands and stuff up five flights to the dojo and did our cutting there, after Ando-sensei's morning class.
Actually was nice to cut in Honbu; lots of light, not many people. Tanaka-sensei was breaking in his new cutter, and we were both trying to figure out what to do for the demo next week.
more basement cutting
Been getting into the habit of cutting in the basement dojo every few days. So every night I soak targets in the front yard. Trying to get into a good routine of cutting regularly so that I don't lose it and maybe even actually get better with time.
Cut tonight and it went well -- 90% of it depends on the targets of course. Tanaka-sensei said it's actually better to soak them unrolled and then roll and tie them just before cutting. Makes sense; the water can soak in faster and if they're soaked while rolled, they tend to swell up but because they're tied, they end up getting really tight and hard.
Official cutting practice on Saturday, during which Tanaka-sensei and I need to figure out what to do for the demo next week. I'm thinking jinrai, two-roll gyakukesa, and maybe enyo or migi-no-teki.
Cut tonight and it went well -- 90% of it depends on the targets of course. Tanaka-sensei said it's actually better to soak them unrolled and then roll and tie them just before cutting. Makes sense; the water can soak in faster and if they're soaked while rolled, they tend to swell up but because they're tied, they end up getting really tight and hard.
Official cutting practice on Saturday, during which Tanaka-sensei and I need to figure out what to do for the demo next week. I'm thinking jinrai, two-roll gyakukesa, and maybe enyo or migi-no-teki.
who wants gmail?
I've got three gmail intros left, so if you want a gmail account, convince me you're worth it.
arguing versus debating
There is a fundamental difference between arguing and debating.
In a debate, two sides present facts and theories; opposing viewpoints on a common topic. The goal is to convince the other side and/or third parties that one's viewpoint is correct and one's opponent's is not.
In a debate, you listen intently to what the other guy says, so that you can rebut and rebuke what he presents, with your own barrage of facts and theories and ideas and counters.
In an argument, you stick you fingers in your ears and shout as loudly as possible. You have to shout because, with your fingers in your ears, it's very hard to hear your own voice, and since the words coming out of your own mouth are the only thing you care to listen to, the volume goes way up.
Some people, even supposedly intelligent people who work at "think tanks", are in fact blathering idiots, as Andy Tanenbaum proves.
In a debate, two sides present facts and theories; opposing viewpoints on a common topic. The goal is to convince the other side and/or third parties that one's viewpoint is correct and one's opponent's is not.
In a debate, you listen intently to what the other guy says, so that you can rebut and rebuke what he presents, with your own barrage of facts and theories and ideas and counters.
In an argument, you stick you fingers in your ears and shout as loudly as possible. You have to shout because, with your fingers in your ears, it's very hard to hear your own voice, and since the words coming out of your own mouth are the only thing you care to listen to, the volume goes way up.
Some people, even supposedly intelligent people who work at "think tanks", are in fact blathering idiots, as Andy Tanenbaum proves.
chasing amy
Amy came over to play. First we had awesome pizza for lunch, and then since it was raining went back home to draw with colored pencils and bounce around the house and run up and down the stairs.
Amy took a quick nap up in the loft before we went shopping at National Azabu for dinner supplies. We had a lovely Japanese food meal, finished it off with some soy icecream, and called it a day.
Keeping up with Amy is tiring, but at least she doesn't scream and cry anymore every time I get near her. She has morphed from cute-baby-who-drools to small-mobile-human-with-teeth-who-drools.
Amy took a quick nap up in the loft before we went shopping at National Azabu for dinner supplies. We had a lovely Japanese food meal, finished it off with some soy icecream, and called it a day.
Keeping up with Amy is tiring, but at least she doesn't scream and cry anymore every time I get near her. She has morphed from cute-baby-who-drools to small-mobile-human-with-teeth-who-drools.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)