Cool blog re. geekness in Japan:
Dottocumo
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.
hot saturday in shibuya
Went shopping with Hiroko. The crowds were thin and the sun was shining. Felt kind of like LA; not too humid, and you could just feel the sun heating up your skin.
We went to Loft and ordered the cool blue-sky-with-clouds curtains for the living room, then went to Tokyu Hands and got some random supplies, including the ever-so-useful plastic curb-stepper, making it now a simple process to park my scooter up on the walk in front of the house.
Then we went up to Omotesando for a big kahuna burger before buying some baskets for the bathrooms.
Came home, put the curb-stepper to work, and then went in the basement to roll targets. Spend a good hour and rolled all the mats, then started soaking some of them so that I can cut tomorrow night (or maybe Monday...depends on motivation level.)
Hiroko and I watched Ghost In The Shell (finally) and then just sat around watching tv and enjoying the cool breeze from the ceiling fan.
We went to Loft and ordered the cool blue-sky-with-clouds curtains for the living room, then went to Tokyu Hands and got some random supplies, including the ever-so-useful plastic curb-stepper, making it now a simple process to park my scooter up on the walk in front of the house.
Then we went up to Omotesando for a big kahuna burger before buying some baskets for the bathrooms.
Came home, put the curb-stepper to work, and then went in the basement to roll targets. Spend a good hour and rolled all the mats, then started soaking some of them so that I can cut tomorrow night (or maybe Monday...depends on motivation level.)
Hiroko and I watched Ghost In The Shell (finally) and then just sat around watching tv and enjoying the cool breeze from the ceiling fan.
right nostril
Past couple of days my right, and only my right, nostril has been constantly dripping. A truly pleasant experience. Allergy and hay fever drugs aren't helping. Then on the radio this morning during the weather report they announced that yesterday was a record-breaking day for low humidity. So, I'm thinking the extremely unseasonal dryness is not helping my nasal situation. Or something. Who the hell really knows. It's bad enough to be allergic to something every month of the year such that I have year-round hay fever. On top of that this ice-cap-melting global warming means that one day it's 30°C and the next day it's down to 20 °C, so I got to bed hot and sweaty and wake up chilly.
At least I have the typhoon season to look forward to, which should be starting any day now.
At least I have the typhoon season to look forward to, which should be starting any day now.
cutting targets
Still trying to figure out the right recipe for soaking cutting targets. I tried soaking them for a day, draining the water, soaking for the night, draining the water in the morning, letting them sit for the day, and then cut at night. But I think that makes them too dry; the targets are damn hard. Maybe I need to not dry them out so much. Tricky part is having them ready to cut at night after work and regular practice, so maybe if I drain them just after work and then cut them later that night.
Either way hard targets is just an excuse for not being able to cut very well. Still can't figure out two rolls; can't get the angle flat enough to carry through both targets but with enough speed and power to cut cleanly through the final target.
Either way hard targets is just an excuse for not being able to cut very well. Still can't figure out two rolls; can't get the angle flat enough to carry through both targets but with enough speed and power to cut cleanly through the final target.
a penny saved is worthless
Abolish the penny!
My father said it, I agree with it, and now Safire extols upon it. The penny is, literally, more trouble than it's worth.
My father said it, I agree with it, and now Safire extols upon it. The penny is, literally, more trouble than it's worth.
the burnmeister
Todd has shown the proper way to utilize both a Computer Science and a Linguistics degree. Behold: The Burnmeister.
Parental discretion is strongly advised; not for the weak of heart.
Parental discretion is strongly advised; not for the weak of heart.
basement cutting
Today after class in Shibuya I did some cutting in the basement. The cutting stand is great. I, however, am lame. Gotta figure out what cuts I'll demo for the Kenkakubanrai festival June 20. If I can figure out shofu that might be a fun one. And if I can nail two full targets gyakukesa that'd be cool, too. Still got a couple of weeks so I best get cutting a couple times a week!
azabu 3rd gyoza party
The new home is coming together nicely. All the boxes are unpacked. Now if we can just sort out who's clothes go where.
The house itself is right next to the coin-parking lot, between Motorola and the Sokagakkai building:
So, to celebrate the joy that is a cathedral ceiling with loft, we are having Yet Another Gyoza Party:
Saturday,June 26. Afternoon until evening. Bring your own beverage.
The house itself is right next to the coin-parking lot, between Motorola and the Sokagakkai building:
So, to celebrate the joy that is a cathedral ceiling with loft, we are having Yet Another Gyoza Party:
Saturday,June 26. Afternoon until evening. Bring your own beverage.
tofu
After a day of mad shopping in Shibuya, hitting Loft, Muji, and Tokyu Hands for all kinds of house supplies, we headed to Bell Commons for dinner at Umenohana. Awesome tofu course. I love yuba (let liquid tofu sit for a bit and a skin forms on top, kinda like boiled milk. That's yuba.)
Hiroko's old college buddies assembled again for this first time in like 10 years. Scary.
Hiroko's old college buddies assembled again for this first time in like 10 years. Scary.
marriage
It's all about weddings these days. We got to Hara Museum of Contemporary Art about 5:30 and checked out the exhibitions before the wedding reception started. Cool building, head-scratching art. Two very cool photos in their own room on the second floor made up the whole of one series in Noguchi Rika's "I Dreamt of Flying".
We can now say we've done this museum. Alas, it hardly warrants another visit.
We can now say we've done this museum. Alas, it hardly warrants another visit.
integrity
A letter to Naganuma:
I remember when I first came to see a class of Mugairyu. You stood by my side and explained what was going on, and then you gave me a loaner sword and taught me the basics. As I signed up to be a member I remember you telling me "Don't quit!"
At first you continued to teach me, at weekend seminars, or whenever you happened to come to the classes I was attending. And I was quite grateful to have such a high-ranking instructor bother to teach a beginner like me.
After a while, about the time I started cutting and was promoted to Yoseibu, you spent most of your time teaching Yasuda and others.
At cutting class I'd ask for your advice, and you'd tell me "Figure it out on your own. You have to learn how to use your own body; I'm not you." And so I thought you were teaching me that everyone must walk his own path.
Then we did the Butokusai demo in Kyoto, and I got promoted to Denshobu. Then we got established Honbu Dojo and I came every Tuesday to attend your class.
You often couldn't make it to class: "I'm working out of town, sorry." and I respected you for working so hard, "I've injured my leg and can't walk", and I simply hoped you'd get well soon. The one time you did come to teach, you told me you can only teach me when Niina-gosoke is not around, and I thought it strange that what you teach would anger Niina-gosoke, but again I thought "Everyone has their own way." And when Sanno showed up and you ignored me to drill him for the rest of class I thought you were trying to show me "Even someone as advanced as Sanno still needs to practice."
And then the truth comes out:
As the Head of Promotions you told Kono what kata to do for the promotion exam, drilled him for two hours right before the test, and of course everyone else but Kono failed.
You lied about being injured, you lied about being on business trips, you lied about a supposedly unused practice place, and in fact you were secretly teaching a select groups of member and non-members.
Behind my back you tell others "I'm not going to teach that white-skinned punk kid."
You and Sanno have been kicked out of NPO Hougyoku-kai for conduct unbecoming of a member, let alone a high-ranking instructor. In my mind, you don't even qualify for respect as a fellow human, never mind as a fellow budo student. I can't even imagine why you felt it necessary to lie to me. You could have just denied or protested my promotions, you could have said "I will not teach you", you could have said "I am not teaching there tonight, I am teaching here." But you didn't. You lied, and you lied to cover up your lies.
You have surrounded yourself with others like you, you use people, and ultimately you will be used as well. I hope you all enjoy your practices. I hope you train hard and achieve whatever goals you have set for yourself.
Your way is about using the sword as a tool to kill. Your way is all technique, all jutsu, but no michi. Your character is twisted and blackened, and you either don't know or don't care.
All this time I wanted you to teach me, but now I realize you have already taught me the most important lesson: the best swordsman in the world is nothing without the integrity to match his skill.
I remember when I first came to see a class of Mugairyu. You stood by my side and explained what was going on, and then you gave me a loaner sword and taught me the basics. As I signed up to be a member I remember you telling me "Don't quit!"
At first you continued to teach me, at weekend seminars, or whenever you happened to come to the classes I was attending. And I was quite grateful to have such a high-ranking instructor bother to teach a beginner like me.
After a while, about the time I started cutting and was promoted to Yoseibu, you spent most of your time teaching Yasuda and others.
At cutting class I'd ask for your advice, and you'd tell me "Figure it out on your own. You have to learn how to use your own body; I'm not you." And so I thought you were teaching me that everyone must walk his own path.
Then we did the Butokusai demo in Kyoto, and I got promoted to Denshobu. Then we got established Honbu Dojo and I came every Tuesday to attend your class.
You often couldn't make it to class: "I'm working out of town, sorry." and I respected you for working so hard, "I've injured my leg and can't walk", and I simply hoped you'd get well soon. The one time you did come to teach, you told me you can only teach me when Niina-gosoke is not around, and I thought it strange that what you teach would anger Niina-gosoke, but again I thought "Everyone has their own way." And when Sanno showed up and you ignored me to drill him for the rest of class I thought you were trying to show me "Even someone as advanced as Sanno still needs to practice."
And then the truth comes out:
As the Head of Promotions you told Kono what kata to do for the promotion exam, drilled him for two hours right before the test, and of course everyone else but Kono failed.
You lied about being injured, you lied about being on business trips, you lied about a supposedly unused practice place, and in fact you were secretly teaching a select groups of member and non-members.
Behind my back you tell others "I'm not going to teach that white-skinned punk kid."
You and Sanno have been kicked out of NPO Hougyoku-kai for conduct unbecoming of a member, let alone a high-ranking instructor. In my mind, you don't even qualify for respect as a fellow human, never mind as a fellow budo student. I can't even imagine why you felt it necessary to lie to me. You could have just denied or protested my promotions, you could have said "I will not teach you", you could have said "I am not teaching there tonight, I am teaching here." But you didn't. You lied, and you lied to cover up your lies.
You have surrounded yourself with others like you, you use people, and ultimately you will be used as well. I hope you all enjoy your practices. I hope you train hard and achieve whatever goals you have set for yourself.
Your way is about using the sword as a tool to kill. Your way is all technique, all jutsu, but no michi. Your character is twisted and blackened, and you either don't know or don't care.
All this time I wanted you to teach me, but now I realize you have already taught me the most important lesson: the best swordsman in the world is nothing without the integrity to match his skill.
brother, where art thou?
Chris goes to the Garden of the Gods. GOG is extremely cool. I remember visiting there about 10 years ago when I was hanging out with Brooke at Colorado College (or whereever it was she went to school.)
Fishing, rock climbing...he's a regular outdoor kinda guy!
Fishing, rock climbing...he's a regular outdoor kinda guy!
gone fishin'
Chris, Sarah, and Keiran went fishing.
Chris fishing:
Sarah fishing:
Keiran fishing:
Ah, Americans and their love of grueling outdoor sports!
Chris fishing:
Sarah fishing:
Keiran fishing:
Ah, Americans and their love of grueling outdoor sports!
all in the hips
Tanaka-sensei drilled us on the five hashirigakari kata tonight. Needless to say, it's not just about timing, it's about actually using the hips to generate power, turn, draw, and cut. I am cursed with plentiful upper body strength, so learning how to not use it is my biggest issue.
I walk around now in a feeble attempt at imitating namba aruki; moving the hip forward first, the shoulder with it, and then the foot and arm afterwards. Badly done, it looks like a gorilla trying to pass for human. Properly done, it is smooth and natural, and easy to generate lots of power and speed with minimal effort.
After practice I set up the new eMac. Tired of using a beat-up old PC, we now have a sporty new white osX machine.
I walk around now in a feeble attempt at imitating namba aruki; moving the hip forward first, the shoulder with it, and then the foot and arm afterwards. Badly done, it looks like a gorilla trying to pass for human. Properly done, it is smooth and natural, and easy to generate lots of power and speed with minimal effort.
After practice I set up the new eMac. Tired of using a beat-up old PC, we now have a sporty new white osX machine.
suidobashi
In a concerted attempt to avoid unpacking, I went to Suidobashi practice tonight and then joined the Welcome New Members party afterwards. Nothing like eating and drinking the night away as a procrastination technique. No guilt whatsoever. None. Not a bit. Now then, what box are my socks in?
hip, shoulder, sword
More stating of the obvious: don't swing the sword with the muscles of the arms and shoulders. Let the natural movement of the body going forward, starting with the hips, carry the sword. Placement of the foot should be secondary to the hips moving forward.
Things I need to fix:
* Too much arm strength
* Too much weight on the front foot
* Too much adjusting the back foot to compensate for bad form
* Too tight a grip
* Too much shoulder tension
Things I need to fix:
* Too much arm strength
* Too much weight on the front foot
* Too much adjusting the back foot to compensate for bad form
* Too tight a grip
* Too much shoulder tension
obvious: cut with the monouchi
"Mono" means thing, and "uchi" means to hit. So monouchi is literally "thing hitter" or "the part you use to hit/cut with."
Sanno-sensei has an amazing ability to break things down and state the obvious, or at least explain what should be obvious but, until he mentions it, it didn't really occur to me. Obvious statement of the day: don't think about cutting with the very tip of the sword, think about cutting with the monouchi.
That makes you more aware of the right hand grip, how far out and down the sword body is moving, where the point of impact is and where the enemy is standing.
In just a couple of hours, I felt my cuts getting bigger and more relaxed, with less arm force and more natural extension.
Now if I could only learn to draw without twisting my body so much...
Sanno-sensei has an amazing ability to break things down and state the obvious, or at least explain what should be obvious but, until he mentions it, it didn't really occur to me. Obvious statement of the day: don't think about cutting with the very tip of the sword, think about cutting with the monouchi.
That makes you more aware of the right hand grip, how far out and down the sword body is moving, where the point of impact is and where the enemy is standing.
In just a couple of hours, I felt my cuts getting bigger and more relaxed, with less arm force and more natural extension.
Now if I could only learn to draw without twisting my body so much...
momo's new house
Hiroko went to Momo's new house. Kensuke came to play, too, but spent most of the time drooling.
to cut or not to cut
Thought I'd be all alone in Honbu tonight, as Naganuma-sensei is still out with his leg injury, but Ando-sensei showed up looking for Niina-gosoke and ended up watching me practice for an hour or so.
He corrected several of my false assumptions, including:
* The first cut of shin doesn't miss, but it also doesn't kill the enemy. From the force of the rising cut, he is knocked back and up. Attempting to get up and retreat, he is finished with a closing-in cut from above.
* The cut to the leg at the start of inchuyo also connects, though it doesn't completely sever the leg. If it did, the enemy, stepping in and cutting down, would continue to fall forward. But instead he retracts his wounded leg, injured but attempting to flee, and again he is finished with a closing-in cut from above.
* The first cut of ren has to move with the body. So first draw more up than out, tighten up the right pinky as soon as possible to bring the sword tip up, and do NOT move the right hand back. Leave it in space where it is, then once the body moves forward to come underneath it, move the hand with the body to thump the blade into his head.
* To cut immediately after the feint in ryoguruma, the sword most be basically drawn, so that the simple act of turning the hips to the right and drawing out brings the sword into the enemy's temple. Of course, the left foot must stay anchored where it is for that and the following cut as well. And don't lead with the right hand, letting the business end of the sword lag behind; move the whole sword with the right side of the body as it steps across to finish the left enemy in one stroke.
After a bit, Niina-gosoke showed up and clarified some details on the newly introduced Basic #3:
Start with the right foot and immediately draw out and stop the enemy's draw. The body turns to open up for the draw, but don't stay in hanmi, bring the left hip back in a bit. The the left foot comes up to even with the right as the left hand grips and the sword tips rises to solar plexus height. Stepping forward with the right foot drive the sword straight and flat into the enemy's solar plexus, blade turned 90 degrees so that the right hand is on top. Shuffle the left foot up a bit as the blade retracts, keeping the sword tip at solar plexus height. Slowly follow the falling opponent with the sword tip, them chiburi and noto.
The first cut is katsujin-ken; non-killing sword. You merely stop the enemy's attack, giving him a chance to rethink and live another day. But obviously he doesn't, and as he slides back to get clearance to draw, he is skewered like so much dead meat.
He corrected several of my false assumptions, including:
* The first cut of shin doesn't miss, but it also doesn't kill the enemy. From the force of the rising cut, he is knocked back and up. Attempting to get up and retreat, he is finished with a closing-in cut from above.
* The cut to the leg at the start of inchuyo also connects, though it doesn't completely sever the leg. If it did, the enemy, stepping in and cutting down, would continue to fall forward. But instead he retracts his wounded leg, injured but attempting to flee, and again he is finished with a closing-in cut from above.
* The first cut of ren has to move with the body. So first draw more up than out, tighten up the right pinky as soon as possible to bring the sword tip up, and do NOT move the right hand back. Leave it in space where it is, then once the body moves forward to come underneath it, move the hand with the body to thump the blade into his head.
* To cut immediately after the feint in ryoguruma, the sword most be basically drawn, so that the simple act of turning the hips to the right and drawing out brings the sword into the enemy's temple. Of course, the left foot must stay anchored where it is for that and the following cut as well. And don't lead with the right hand, letting the business end of the sword lag behind; move the whole sword with the right side of the body as it steps across to finish the left enemy in one stroke.
After a bit, Niina-gosoke showed up and clarified some details on the newly introduced Basic #3:
Start with the right foot and immediately draw out and stop the enemy's draw. The body turns to open up for the draw, but don't stay in hanmi, bring the left hip back in a bit. The the left foot comes up to even with the right as the left hand grips and the sword tips rises to solar plexus height. Stepping forward with the right foot drive the sword straight and flat into the enemy's solar plexus, blade turned 90 degrees so that the right hand is on top. Shuffle the left foot up a bit as the blade retracts, keeping the sword tip at solar plexus height. Slowly follow the falling opponent with the sword tip, them chiburi and noto.
The first cut is katsujin-ken; non-killing sword. You merely stop the enemy's attack, giving him a chance to rethink and live another day. But obviously he doesn't, and as he slides back to get clearance to draw, he is skewered like so much dead meat.
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