time to celebrate
Originally uploaded by renfield.
taikai done!
done!
Originally uploaded by renfield.
The taikai was a raging success. 250 competitors and the foreigners put in a strong showing. There was a big Italian/Belgian showing this year, and the son of the sensei in Rome won the 2dan division, Brian took the 3dan division, and Elvis took it home for 4dan. Considering I seriously have not trained for a year, I did okay. Won my first two rounds, then lost to Tominaga, whom I beat last year for the championship. But he ended up losing to Hoshina who took the top spot. That makes two for her, one for me, and two for him. So I better get back into shape for next year!
After the taikai we devolved into the standard debauchery.
palace hotel
Had a big work thing at the Palace Hotel. Net net, it went well, and the food at the end reception was of course awesome.
I dig the Palace Hotel. It is located, as you can imagine, across the street from the Emporer's Palace. It has the chill '50's stylish thing going on, but does smell like the fifties like the Okura does. That place just reeks of old politicians and gangsters and hair grease. The Palace is all class.
After the hotel thang I was supposed to go teach, but the building that Honbu is in had a blackout and so training was canceled. Random,but the building is older that several emporers so not surprising.
I dig the Palace Hotel. It is located, as you can imagine, across the street from the Emporer's Palace. It has the chill '50's stylish thing going on, but does smell like the fifties like the Okura does. That place just reeks of old politicians and gangsters and hair grease. The Palace is all class.
After the hotel thang I was supposed to go teach, but the building that Honbu is in had a blackout and so training was canceled. Random,but the building is older that several emporers so not surprising.
tanabata summer festival
summer festival
Originally uploaded by renfield.
P was at her junior high school reunion in Ginza, so the Tonchabeast and I took the bus back to Azabujyuban, had some chili at Cravings, and then walked home. As we passed Zenpukuji, there were little kids everywhere dressed for the summer. Must have been some elementary school kids' Tanabata special or something, because all the local teachers were dressed up in yukata as well and the kids were writing their wishes on colored paper and tying them to the tree set up just for that purpose.
budo is...technology?
The Viriginia crew has come to town for next week's taikai, so we all went out to dinner with Gosoke and the rest of them. The Big S was in fine form and after several grapefruit sours he stood up and declared, in his best English:
"You know Asakusa? I am shitamachi boy, I am slum boy."
I explained that shitamachi in English is more colloquially "the hood", so he explained "I am Asakusa is my hood."
He then proceeded to explain that even with a broken toe he can persevere:
"I am konjo, you know?"
Acutally no, no one knows that konjo means "to overcome hardship." But you are now known as Konjo-san. I then explained that he broke his toe by goofing off and playing karate fighter with another of our 59-going-on-12-years-old members. Good to be young at heart, even if old of toe.
Finally, when he saw an awesome display of the brute power of our American brethren (that grapefruit half never knew what hit it) he announced:
"Budo is...technology, not power."
Uh, "technique", big guy. Technique, not technology.
However it was too late; a new t-shirt idea was born.
"You know Asakusa? I am shitamachi boy, I am slum boy."
I explained that shitamachi in English is more colloquially "the hood", so he explained "I am Asakusa is my hood."
He then proceeded to explain that even with a broken toe he can persevere:
"I am konjo, you know?"
Acutally no, no one knows that konjo means "to overcome hardship." But you are now known as Konjo-san. I then explained that he broke his toe by goofing off and playing karate fighter with another of our 59-going-on-12-years-old members. Good to be young at heart, even if old of toe.
Finally, when he saw an awesome display of the brute power of our American brethren (that grapefruit half never knew what hit it) he announced:
"Budo is...technology, not power."
Uh, "technique", big guy. Technique, not technology.
However it was too late; a new t-shirt idea was born.
BUDO IS TECHNOLOGY, not power.
- by Mr. Konjo-san
- by Mr. Konjo-san
only for parents
Testing my new cell phone's video capability, I present: Tonchan, sitting on the bed. And, not doing much:
gyokufukai
Today was the opening ceremony for Gyokufukai, one of the branch organizations under Suimokai. Held on the 33rd floor of the Kasumigaseki Building downtown, I was asked to demo.
First I started with the standard jinrai:
Link to this video on youtube
And then I did a basic yokoichimonji. I like this next video because I screw up. Actually, I did the cut once (not in the video) but was too far away so didn't cut the target all the way through. And then I got a little peeved, so you can see that I'm not chill and I tense up my shoulder and just biff the second attempt big-time. So finally I take a second to calm down and just do it like we always practice and it went worked.
Link to this video on youtube
Also, I'm using Salty's sword, which is a seriously wonderful piece of steel. 950 grams, perfectly balanced, cuts like a light saber. Thanks Salty!
First I started with the standard jinrai:
Link to this video on youtube
And then I did a basic yokoichimonji. I like this next video because I screw up. Actually, I did the cut once (not in the video) but was too far away so didn't cut the target all the way through. And then I got a little peeved, so you can see that I'm not chill and I tense up my shoulder and just biff the second attempt big-time. So finally I take a second to calm down and just do it like we always practice and it went worked.
Link to this video on youtube
Also, I'm using Salty's sword, which is a seriously wonderful piece of steel. 950 grams, perfectly balanced, cuts like a light saber. Thanks Salty!
crushed
Getting absolutely devastated at work. I think I've passed some magical point blimfark; before this point, no one really knew what I do, nor what I should do, so I wasn't really asked to do too much nor involved in too many new things except when obviously necessary. Beyond this point though, everyone expects that I know far more than I actually do (I talk well, or at least alot, which basically gives the same impression of being knowledgeable) and I am therefore asked to do and be involved in many, many things. Also, several truly reliable people are no longer with the firm, so I've taken it upon myself to get up to speed on various nitty-gritty details in areas totally beyond my expertise (which is what, exactly?)
Upside: huge amounts of interesting stuff of which I am key; learning new things regularly, lots of exposure to different senior management.
Downside: 13+ hour days, frequently operating outside my comfort zone, lots of exposure to different senior management.
Upside: huge amounts of interesting stuff of which I am key; learning new things regularly, lots of exposure to different senior management.
Downside: 13+ hour days, frequently operating outside my comfort zone, lots of exposure to different senior management.
july 4 celebration and demo
The US Embassy residential complex had their annual 4th of July celebration today and we were asked to demo iai. One of our guys is in a HOG (Harley Owner's Group) club and he and his teams always join the parade, and this year we were asked to do a demo.
We got to the compound at 8:45am and saw all the Harleys. Oh. My. God. There were two main groups: the first group all drove white Harleys tricked out with blue lights and POLICE stickers, and they all wore uniforms like American cops...sort of.
The second group drove tricked out bikes. And when I say tricked out, I mean tricked out like this. My favorite was the side car with a big gold buddha statue on it, but they were all amazing.
We wandered the compound a bit while everyone was setting up. It was basically America inside a big wall, in the middle of Tokyo. Very freaky. All the food stalls were run by large, well spoken military and their families, or large well spoken support organization (Lions, Free Masons, etc.) members and their families. Kids everywhere of course.
And it was really, really hot. We weren't demoing until noon, so we hung out and grabbed a little food, checked out the dojo at the rec center next to the pool, got changed, and prepped for our demo.
It went well, besides being really, really hot. Did I mention it was hot?
We did some kata, and then Elvis and I ran through some kumitachi. Not sure if people were into it, but at the end of the last kata when I deflect Elvis' cut and take his neck from behind, a couple of "OH! Got him!" came from the audience, and there was some nice applause. Never had anyone applause during kata when I "got 'im", but I guess that means they had fun.
When it was over, we changed out, got some more food, and took off. I didn't actually stay for the Harley parade because I didn't want to hang out for another hour in the heat, so I headed back to Hombu, dropped off my stuff, and met P and Tonchan at Roppongi Hills, then walked down to the DoCoMo shop to get a new phone. I have gone back to NEC after trying to Sony. I never should have cheated on NEC, my first and only true love. My new phone has 3D surround sound, a huge 3 inch wide screen, full internet browser, 3.2 megapixel camera, and superfast data.
We got to the compound at 8:45am and saw all the Harleys. Oh. My. God. There were two main groups: the first group all drove white Harleys tricked out with blue lights and POLICE stickers, and they all wore uniforms like American cops...sort of.
The second group drove tricked out bikes. And when I say tricked out, I mean tricked out like this. My favorite was the side car with a big gold buddha statue on it, but they were all amazing.
We wandered the compound a bit while everyone was setting up. It was basically America inside a big wall, in the middle of Tokyo. Very freaky. All the food stalls were run by large, well spoken military and their families, or large well spoken support organization (Lions, Free Masons, etc.) members and their families. Kids everywhere of course.
And it was really, really hot. We weren't demoing until noon, so we hung out and grabbed a little food, checked out the dojo at the rec center next to the pool, got changed, and prepped for our demo.
It went well, besides being really, really hot. Did I mention it was hot?
We did some kata, and then Elvis and I ran through some kumitachi. Not sure if people were into it, but at the end of the last kata when I deflect Elvis' cut and take his neck from behind, a couple of "OH! Got him!" came from the audience, and there was some nice applause. Never had anyone applause during kata when I "got 'im", but I guess that means they had fun.
When it was over, we changed out, got some more food, and took off. I didn't actually stay for the Harley parade because I didn't want to hang out for another hour in the heat, so I headed back to Hombu, dropped off my stuff, and met P and Tonchan at Roppongi Hills, then walked down to the DoCoMo shop to get a new phone. I have gone back to NEC after trying to Sony. I never should have cheated on NEC, my first and only true love. My new phone has 3D surround sound, a huge 3 inch wide screen, full internet browser, 3.2 megapixel camera, and superfast data.
sushi
sushi
Originally uploaded by renfield.
Took Eimisho out for sushi to thank her for writing my mu. We went to Rokuroku on the 6th floor of the Grand Hyatt in Roppongi Hills. Confusing building; when we got off the elevator we were in the Oak Door restaurant and had to walk past the bar and across the balcony seating to get to the sushi place. And of course no signs. I seriously think Roppongi Hills was specifically designed to confuse the hell out of you. But damn the sushi was fine!
soro
After class (huge showing, 11 on the floor at once!) went to Soro in Roppongi to check out the food and chat w/the owner about the demo we have to do on Saturday morning. Seems it's the American Embassy employee apartment's (several weeks early) fourth of July celebration, and for some reason we'll be doing an iai demo. Classic American; no planning no schedule, show up at 8:30, probably demo "first in the afternoon". Love that USA planning! Hopefully there will be some classic US style BBQin' tho, so Elvis and I are looking forward to that.
tokonoma
P1000912.JPG
Originally uploaded by renfield.
A proper photo of the mu displayed in the tokonoma at home. All bow down to Boba Fett!
6 months
P1000928.JPG
Originally uploaded by renfield.
Tonchan had some friends over to celebrate their collective 6 month birthdays. Actually it was more an excuse for moms to congratulate themselves on surviving, and for the dads to congratulate moms for surviving.
congrats salty
Salty took his Denshobu test this evening. I got to the dojo early and he was practicing cutting so I watched and gave him some pointers. I haven't cut in nearly nearly a year, but he's got a great sword -- light (only 950 grams) and well balanced-; perfect for both kata and cutting -- so I borrowed that and tried a few cuts. Managed to cut pretty well, especially since I haven't cut in so long.
For the test, he cut, did the 20 kata, and then we ran through 15 kumitachi. He's solid, and moves well, just got some issues with blade angle that he needs to clean up. And he needs to slow down sometimes; he gets too anxious at times. But he's good and will get better, and I'm glad to finally have someone in Denshobu now.
After the test we went Ninjin by Kanda station for some gnarly greasy Chinese food. Haven't had it in a couple years. Ah, sweet and sour pork, chili prawns, fried rice...so greasy, so gooey, so good. As expected, I didn't sleep very well because my stomach was gurgling all night...but it was worth it!
For the test, he cut, did the 20 kata, and then we ran through 15 kumitachi. He's solid, and moves well, just got some issues with blade angle that he needs to clean up. And he needs to slow down sometimes; he gets too anxious at times. But he's good and will get better, and I'm glad to finally have someone in Denshobu now.
After the test we went Ninjin by Kanda station for some gnarly greasy Chinese food. Haven't had it in a couple years. Ah, sweet and sour pork, chili prawns, fried rice...so greasy, so gooey, so good. As expected, I didn't sleep very well because my stomach was gurgling all night...but it was worth it!
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