Actually didn't teach at Iidabashi even though it was the last class, because we had an emergency meeting at Honbu to decide what to do about Tanaka-sensei and Miura-san leaving. Since they gave us no notice, we've got holes in Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday classes. Not very cool of them to give us no notice, but it could have been worse. Again, if only he talked to us first he could at least have kept Akabane on Saturday morning.
We also decided to continue battling the karate morons to get the Akihabara gym on Wednesdays. Since it's first come, first dibs on reserving, we used to go early in the morning to line up. Been using the same place for over a decade. But last month some karate morons are lining up since the night before and grabbing the gym for two nights a week. So we decided to escalate; we'll use a professional narabiya to line up for 12 hours, starting at 7pm the night before, to ensure that we're first in line. If the karate morons don't get the hint and line up even earlier...well we might have to have a good old-fashioned smack down.
tanaka-sensei
Seems Tanaka-sensei has finally decided to open his own dojo. He and Miura-san will be teaching various Ryukyu (Okinawa) martial arts as well as iaido. The problem is he sent in his official notice of leaving and then asked if he could still teach at Akabane, and of course have all the students there. Naturally, we said no. He's a great martial artist, but kind of thick in the skull. If he asked BEFORE he decided to leave, we would have set him up as a shibu; the students and practice area are his, and he gets all the money, he just gives us a small membership fee every year per student. Oh well. Good luck Tanaka-sensei!
back from NY
Ojima-chan is back from New York. She went to the Big Apple, with a kimono, to see kabuki. Still can't figure out why she'd go all the way to NY and not see a Broadway Musical, but I guess she just needed any excuse to go.
She and Presley and Miyasawa and Matsushita-san all showed up for class tonight. Kiyokawa and Otsuka-san where on the other side of the dojo, but Gosoke called them and told them to go to Suidobashi for whatever reason, so after they left everyone had a mirror and plenty of space. We drilled on the basics the whole time, working on basic body movements. Feels funny to teach something I understand in theory but can't really do myself, but oh well.
My right arm is pretty sore from getting cracked by Kiyokawa during kumitachi practice, and my thumb is turning a nice rainbow of colors from when it got smacked yesterday, too.
She and Presley and Miyasawa and Matsushita-san all showed up for class tonight. Kiyokawa and Otsuka-san where on the other side of the dojo, but Gosoke called them and told them to go to Suidobashi for whatever reason, so after they left everyone had a mirror and plenty of space. We drilled on the basics the whole time, working on basic body movements. Feels funny to teach something I understand in theory but can't really do myself, but oh well.
My right arm is pretty sore from getting cracked by Kiyokawa during kumitachi practice, and my thumb is turning a nice rainbow of colors from when it got smacked yesterday, too.
rain...?
It rained! OK for only about 5 minutes, but still it helped a bit.
Spent the day in the dojo with Kiyokawa. Got kind of burnt in the afternoon and ended up getting my thumb crunched. Went home before going to Shibuya and helping teach, then came home and stuffed myself with pasta. Ahhh, but I love carbs!
Spent the day in the dojo with Kiyokawa. Got kind of burnt in the afternoon and ended up getting my thumb crunched. Went home before going to Shibuya and helping teach, then came home and stuffed myself with pasta. Ahhh, but I love carbs!
steamboy
Day 2 of Movie Weekend: Hiroko and I saw Steamboy. Pretty cool story about the use of steam-driven technology in the late 1800's (new super-cool high-pressure technology), with themes touching on corporate greed, innocent youth, purity of science, forgiveness, etc. Great animation and well-paced script, though at times it tended (typical of most Japanese anime) towards the long-winded soliloquy to explain motive.
clean your car
Met Kiyokawa at about 11am at the Moai statue in Shibuya and in the pressing heat and humidity we walked all over Shibuya looking for a bigger place for the monday practice. We finally got on the bus to Furukawabashi and had ramen for lunch at Doraichi before heading home to cut.
Today was a bad day for cutting, to say the least. Probably because we didn't have the traditional and requisite shaved ice, we couldn't cut for beans. After calling it a day and rolling a bunch of targets for next time, we took the bus up to Azabujyuban and had shaved ice before going to Honbu Dojo for practice.
Did a little bit of kenjutsu before practice, and then half-way through practice Gosoke took some photos for the webpage. Finally stopped at 9pm, the dojo a good 35°C, and went to grab some dinner.
After eating Ohtsuka-san dropped me off at Roppongi Hills and we made fun of his dirty car and talked smack most of the way.
I bought tickets for Shrek 2 (Sat) and Steamboy (Sun) before walking home at midnight.
Today was a bad day for cutting, to say the least. Probably because we didn't have the traditional and requisite shaved ice, we couldn't cut for beans. After calling it a day and rolling a bunch of targets for next time, we took the bus up to Azabujyuban and had shaved ice before going to Honbu Dojo for practice.
Did a little bit of kenjutsu before practice, and then half-way through practice Gosoke took some photos for the webpage. Finally stopped at 9pm, the dojo a good 35°C, and went to grab some dinner.
After eating Ohtsuka-san dropped me off at Roppongi Hills and we made fun of his dirty car and talked smack most of the way.
I bought tickets for Shrek 2 (Sat) and Steamboy (Sun) before walking home at midnight.
smooth
Needless to say, I didn't get much sleep last night, so when I got to Honbu I was pretty burnt. Took a bit of a nap before Kiyokawa showed up, and then we ran through the kenjutsu we've been doing. I had one inspiringly smooth move that made the day. The rest was typically sub-par.
After lunch I drove to Sakuraya to pick up my formal kimono with my family crest on it (need it for Florida in August) and then went to practice at Iidabashi. It was one-on-one with Takahashi-san the whole time. Kiyokawa practiced on his own while I drilled Takahashi-san through the basics and then a couple of forms for the national tournament in September.
Came home and could barely stay awake through dinner.
After lunch I drove to Sakuraya to pick up my formal kimono with my family crest on it (need it for Florida in August) and then went to practice at Iidabashi. It was one-on-one with Takahashi-san the whole time. Kiyokawa practiced on his own while I drilled Takahashi-san through the basics and then a couple of forms for the national tournament in September.
Came home and could barely stay awake through dinner.
late night
It was really, really hot and humid, so I was having a hard enough time falling asleep. About 1:30 am the doorbell rang and someone pounded on the front door. Nobody was there when I opened the door, so I grabbed my Surefire and my tanjo and went outside to see what was up.
Down the street, in front of the Iranian Embassy, a couple of drunk dudes were making noise and blocking traffic. So I called 119 and told them a couple of dudes were fighting in the street and causing a ruckus.
Then I went back to bed. 10 minutes later, the police called me back saying they got the message and would send someone out asap. 15 minutes later, they called me again saying they couldn't find anyone and could I please come out.
So I got out of bed, walked down the street and saw two ambulances, 15 rescue workers in full gear (helmet, jacket, gloves, etc.) and 5 cops. Actually not even cops -- keisatsu -- but officers from keishicho; the guys who guard all the embassies and government buildings. I guess they're like federal marshals or something. I told them what I saw and they asked me stupid questions like "Where they Japanese or foreigners?" (From 15 meters away at night, I have no idea) and "Did they have knives?" And then they told me "We looked all over and couldn't find anyone." as if I had made the whole thing up. What I wanted to say was "There were here 30 minutes ago when I called" but what I said was "Thanks anyway. I'm going back to bed now."
I feel so much safer.
Down the street, in front of the Iranian Embassy, a couple of drunk dudes were making noise and blocking traffic. So I called 119 and told them a couple of dudes were fighting in the street and causing a ruckus.
Then I went back to bed. 10 minutes later, the police called me back saying they got the message and would send someone out asap. 15 minutes later, they called me again saying they couldn't find anyone and could I please come out.
So I got out of bed, walked down the street and saw two ambulances, 15 rescue workers in full gear (helmet, jacket, gloves, etc.) and 5 cops. Actually not even cops -- keisatsu -- but officers from keishicho; the guys who guard all the embassies and government buildings. I guess they're like federal marshals or something. I told them what I saw and they asked me stupid questions like "Where they Japanese or foreigners?" (From 15 meters away at night, I have no idea) and "Did they have knives?" And then they told me "We looked all over and couldn't find anyone." as if I had made the whole thing up. What I wanted to say was "There were here 30 minutes ago when I called" but what I said was "Thanks anyway. I'm going back to bed now."
I feel so much safer.
shoes and socks
Got up fairly early, and for the first time in weeks, put on shoes and socks. I wasn't going to the dojo, I went to DB to talk to HR about the process of becoming an employee when I start working for them in August. Technically I'm still employed by MS and on vacation, so today was just a chat about procedure and trying to figure out what to do with my Japanese 401(k), etc.
Today was also the hottest goddamn day ever. It was almost 40°C and high humidity. My scooter seat was so hot I could barely sit on it. People were dropping like flies from heat stroke. And now that the rainy season is officially over (with barely any rain) I am really wondering if this isn't just global warming or something.
I had lunch with Hiroko and the LincMedia women, then went to Honbu Dojo, but it was so hot I spent most of the time in the air-conditioned office. Had a good turnout for evening class, but at 9pm it was still 35°C, and when I got home and went to bed it was still over 30°C.
Today was also the hottest goddamn day ever. It was almost 40°C and high humidity. My scooter seat was so hot I could barely sit on it. People were dropping like flies from heat stroke. And now that the rainy season is officially over (with barely any rain) I am really wondering if this isn't just global warming or something.
I had lunch with Hiroko and the LincMedia women, then went to Honbu Dojo, but it was so hot I spent most of the time in the air-conditioned office. Had a good turnout for evening class, but at 9pm it was still 35°C, and when I got home and went to bed it was still over 30°C.
spiderman 2
Hiroko and I walked around Roppongi Hills for a bit, grabbed deepFriedPork lunch in the basement, checked out the cool toys at Vanguard, and walked around some of the less-lame stores before hitting the 14:50 showing of Spiderman 2. Gotta say, Daboo got it right; a wonderfully entertaining summer flick. The CG spiderman flying around the city still looks so realistic he looks fake, but it's fast, fun, and thoroughly enjoyable. Especially when seen from row G of the screen 7.
amy and slinky
Amy came over with Todd and Narumi to play. It was too hot to bother going outside, so we stayed under the air-conditioner and munched potato chips. Amy was grumpy unless mom was holding her, so Todd and I stole her away to the basement, where she cried and cried...until we pulled out the slinky. Ah, the magical toy that is coil of metal; glittering, slithering slinky! Amy was immediately entranced and spent a good 30 minutes bouncing around the basement with the slinky all over the place. It stretches! It rolls! It walks down stairs! Amy would take the slinky, walk up to steps, sit down, put the slinky next to her, and then point and the slinky and look at me until I made it walk down the stairs. Then she'd squeal and go down and grab it and repeat.
After playing in the basement for a while we came back upstairs, had some more munchies, and then went out for a walk. I needed string to tie up cutting targets, so we walked over to the D2 home center and back. Getting to be about time for dinner, so we ordered some pizza and chicken from Pizza Salvatore Cuomo. After dinner Amy was starting to fade, and was soon asleep in mom's lap, so it was time to go.
After playing in the basement for a while we came back upstairs, had some more munchies, and then went out for a walk. I needed string to tie up cutting targets, so we walked over to the D2 home center and back. Getting to be about time for dinner, so we ordered some pizza and chicken from Pizza Salvatore Cuomo. After dinner Amy was starting to fade, and was soon asleep in mom's lap, so it was time to go.
more cutting
Met Presley at Akabane Station just before 9am. Big turn out for cutting, and damn it was hot. Hoshina-san hadn't cut in a while and needed serious help with basic form, but was having fun. Orita-san cut her finger, again. She's just dangerous. Presley had never cut before, but did just fine since his basic form is pretty good. I cut alright; wasn't really into it but nail a couple of good cuts just to make sure yesterday wasn't a fluke. Spent most of the time helping everyone else cut, though, as Tanaka-sensei was busy teaching the beginners who weren't cutting.
Got home about 1 and had lunch with Hiroko before going to Fras to pick up the pictures we framed. Hiroko went out with her junior high friends and I wasted the evening watching bad Japanese tv and eating leftovers.
Got home about 1 and had lunch with Hiroko before going to Fras to pick up the pictures we framed. Hiroko went out with her junior high friends and I wasted the evening watching bad Japanese tv and eating leftovers.
air-conditioning
Met Kiyokawa at about 11 in front of Wendy's and got some ramen before hitting Naniwa-ya for shaved ice. All the good coolness of dessert was gone by the time we got home, so we cranked the air-conditioner and carried in the stinky cutting targets.
We had a bunch of 3/4 rolls and a couple of full rolls. We both cut pretty well; thank the lord for modern technology like air-conditioning and refrigerators to cool the Orangina.
After cutting we took the subway up to Nihonbashi and Niina-gosoke showed us the Konishi-ha Mugairyu kata. Totally different, and if I may say so completely lame. First off, they don't cut, so the moves are exaggerated and totally impractical and just plain silly. But it's good to know, so I took notes and practiced some of the subtler differences.
After practice Gosoke, Kiyokawa, Ohtsuka, and I got some dinner at Kandazushi. It's cheap, but the Chinese waitresses don't share a language with the customers so they always screw up orders, and the wasabi is Russian Roulette; sometimes there's none, and sometimes there's so much it's like taking a bullet in the head.
We had a bunch of 3/4 rolls and a couple of full rolls. We both cut pretty well; thank the lord for modern technology like air-conditioning and refrigerators to cool the Orangina.
After cutting we took the subway up to Nihonbashi and Niina-gosoke showed us the Konishi-ha Mugairyu kata. Totally different, and if I may say so completely lame. First off, they don't cut, so the moves are exaggerated and totally impractical and just plain silly. But it's good to know, so I took notes and practiced some of the subtler differences.
After practice Gosoke, Kiyokawa, Ohtsuka, and I got some dinner at Kandazushi. It's cheap, but the Chinese waitresses don't share a language with the customers so they always screw up orders, and the wasabi is Russian Roulette; sometimes there's none, and sometimes there's so much it's like taking a bullet in the head.
tanjo
Ran through the kenjutsu kata with Kiyokawa -- we "know" all the kata in Shitsuhatsu -- and then we started in on all the tanjo kata; both Uchidaryu and Toseiryu. Too much to remember!
Came home before going to Iidabashi in the evening and was surprised to have 5 people in class. It's still a crummy place though; too many bugs and the floor is always way too dirty.
Came home before going to Iidabashi in the evening and was surprised to have 5 people in class. It's still a crummy place though; too many bugs and the floor is always way too dirty.
red baron
What I learned this moring: scooter repair shops don't open until 10am. I limped the Mightier Steed up to the Nasty Old Man Repair Shop in Azabujyuban, but it was closed. So I drove down to Gotanda to go to Red Baron, but it was also closed. So I came home, had some more coffee, tried to wake up Masa (who crashed in the loft), and went back to Red Baron.
The mechanic was very cool; they only work on bikes bought at Red Baron, but I managed to keep the spring that fell of the kickstand, and he took pity on me so he went ahead and fixed it for 15 bucks. Seems the axle bolt that holds the kickstand onto the frame was gone, so he replaced that and stuck the spring back on. It's a hack job, but it works. Sometimes in Japan you find a Very Cool Person. The Mightier Steed thanks you!
Made it to the dojo by noon and cranked with Kiyokawa for an hour before he went to school, then worked out by myself. Yamada-sensei went home and Niina-gosoke was beat from training so hard for 2 days, so he was napping in the office to avoid the heat.
In the evening we had a meeting about the September tournament, and then kusarigama practice. Fear not; anyone attacking me with a sword simply has to wait for me to knock my own head off with my 3 meter chain. There is very little chance I could effectively launch the iron weight on the end of the chain in a threatening manner at anyone but myself.
The mechanic was very cool; they only work on bikes bought at Red Baron, but I managed to keep the spring that fell of the kickstand, and he took pity on me so he went ahead and fixed it for 15 bucks. Seems the axle bolt that holds the kickstand onto the frame was gone, so he replaced that and stuck the spring back on. It's a hack job, but it works. Sometimes in Japan you find a Very Cool Person. The Mightier Steed thanks you!
Made it to the dojo by noon and cranked with Kiyokawa for an hour before he went to school, then worked out by myself. Yamada-sensei went home and Niina-gosoke was beat from training so hard for 2 days, so he was napping in the office to avoid the heat.
In the evening we had a meeting about the September tournament, and then kusarigama practice. Fear not; anyone attacking me with a sword simply has to wait for me to knock my own head off with my 3 meter chain. There is very little chance I could effectively launch the iron weight on the end of the chain in a threatening manner at anyone but myself.
mightier steed down!
Practiced kumitachi with Kiyokawa in the morning as Niina-gosoke and Yamada-sensei continued to practice. Kiyokawa had to go to school in the afternoon, so I practiced on my own for a while and tried to survive the heat. John showed up about 5 so we hung out with Niina-gosoke and Yamada-sensei for a bit and then started training. We ran through kata for the tournament in September, and then Shiozaki-san came in so the three of us practiced various kata and tournament techniques, like how to psyche out the other dude, how start and end in exactly the same spot, etc.
John finally got his shodan in aikido after how many years, and no he'll hopefully spend more time focusing on iai as well. And if his various money-making schemes go well he might actually have the time and money to practice more. Hopefully he can stay in Japan for several more years and at least get an instructor's license so that when he goes back to Japan he can teach.
But for now, he just dumped his girlfriend of four years, and a buddy of his who runs an bilinugal 'escort' service asked him to go to a club with him to help 'recruit' -- tough life!
And just as I was leaving the dojo, the kick stand on the Mightier Steed broke! Unlike a race horse, even with a broken leg we can rebuild it! So I strapped up the kickstand with the luggage strap I had and limped the Mightier Steed home.
John finally got his shodan in aikido after how many years, and no he'll hopefully spend more time focusing on iai as well. And if his various money-making schemes go well he might actually have the time and money to practice more. Hopefully he can stay in Japan for several more years and at least get an instructor's license so that when he goes back to Japan he can teach.
But for now, he just dumped his girlfriend of four years, and a buddy of his who runs an bilinugal 'escort' service asked him to go to a club with him to help 'recruit' -- tough life!
And just as I was leaving the dojo, the kick stand on the Mightier Steed broke! Unlike a race horse, even with a broken leg we can rebuild it! So I strapped up the kickstand with the luggage strap I had and limped the Mightier Steed home.
yamada-sensei
Yamada-sensei came up for a couple of days to practice with Niina-gosoke. Kiyokawa and I were on one side while they were on the other. Yamada-sensei has some...interesting theories about sword use, that don't always jibe with the way I've been taught. But I'm young and stupid and he's old and wisened, so I gave his way a try. On the kumitachi kata uchikaeshi, instead of flowing the first parry and counter, he said it's a full on block stop. I tried it once and the shock went straight into my right thumb. Figuring I must have done something wrong, I tried it again, and Yamada-sensei nodded in approval as I took the full force of Kiyokawa's cut and channelled all the energy along my blade and straight into the base of my right thumb. Transformed into a purple stub of pain, I decided I had done enough practice for a day. Kiyokawa and I went to Starbucks for some beverage and smack talk before going to teach at Shibuya.
15 students at Shibuya and growing! If we don't get a new place soon we'll be out of room.
And goddamn my thumb hurts.
15 students at Shibuya and growing! If we don't get a new place soon we'll be out of room.
And goddamn my thumb hurts.
24 season 2
Had a quick meeting at Honbu and practiced for a little bit, then come how amid rain smatterings and Hiroko and I met Ben at Starbucks to talk about swords, WiFi, and hotspots. Then Hiroko and I bought some fish and dinner supplies and went home to cook.
A traditional grill fish dinner accompanied several episodes of 24 season 2. I am now a strong member of the Kimi Is a Complete Moron Fanclub. She is, without a doubt, the most deserving of death of any of the main characters. EVERYTHING she does is patently, unerringly assinine. Every choice she makes is wrong. Every street she turns down is an alley. Every friend she trusts turns on her. Every secret she tells gets blown. Mom was cool and got shot, so Kimi deserves some serious torturing before dying horribly. But, at least she gets to run around alot and show off her bouncing...hair.
A traditional grill fish dinner accompanied several episodes of 24 season 2. I am now a strong member of the Kimi Is a Complete Moron Fanclub. She is, without a doubt, the most deserving of death of any of the main characters. EVERYTHING she does is patently, unerringly assinine. Every choice she makes is wrong. Every street she turns down is an alley. Every friend she trusts turns on her. Every secret she tells gets blown. Mom was cool and got shot, so Kimi deserves some serious torturing before dying horribly. But, at least she gets to run around alot and show off her bouncing...hair.
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