Thread Drift

[Kitsune06]

I can see maybe a skuzzy little BMX bike named Gollum... Well Vader before he was Vader... Anakin.

Vader had his hand neatly removed and was force-lightninged to death by the Emperor... but since I see no holly bushes anywhere in the story, I think we're safe!

[Trek420]

Darth Vader's available in a light blue...that would be Anakin.

[DirtDiva]

I thought it was Luke that got his hand chopped off? How did Sidious die? Maybe I shoulda just gone with Leia. She lived.

[Nanci]

Who else could come up with a type of animal which begins with the letter U, spur of the moment, in less than one minute???

[DirtDiva]

Not I.

[Trek420]

Nanci, fictional animals count? Unicorn. Do you have one of those?

[Kitsune06]

You're not talking about umbrellabirds, are you?

[KnottedYet]

I wrote "The Letter" to DPITA and mailed it. (had to be a letter since she won't talk on the phone) Just got back from the post office.

Feel slightly sick to my stomach, but tremendously relieved.

Can't think of myself as single. Just in some nauseous lightheaded limbo.


BMo3- I also mailed the CW-X to you. Don't worry, no "we can't live together" letter in *your* package!

[KnottedYet]

Nanci, fictional animals count? Unicorn. Do you have one of those?

My instant thought was "unicorns", too.

[chickwhorips]

trek i need to invest in these chocolates to begin with. wonder if i can find them online. google here i come!

knot i know its nerve wrecking but good for you! i'm behind you 100% (BMof3 if you accidentally get the letter instead of the bra, well... you have a shoulder to cry on.)

nanci my first thought unicorn.... what about an ultrasaurus (if you count dinosaurs).

[Kitsune06]

Ok, Nanci, you're driving us nuts with anticipation- what is this animal that starts with a U?

*chokes on her Dr. Pepper* CHICA! NO! How did I not come up with Ultrasaurus?! I was such a dinosaur nut when I was a kid, and it didn't even occur to me!

Ooh, you get bonus points.

[Trek420]

Why Trek is called Tek'inator in Aikido.

Our dojo's lineage is there's:
* the founder of Aikido, O'sensei and....
* his favorite senior student was a man named Saito Sensei and....
* Saito Sensei is my teachers teacher.

Saito Sensei rarely came to the US, I got to see him three times. My teacher went back to Japan to train with him yearly. One rare exeption was five years ago in September Saito came to the US. The workshop was in Rohnert Park was advertised for a long time and everyone who is everyone was going.

But I wasn't.

My ex (not an ex at the time) and I were going on vacation and there was a no cancelation policy on the workshop so I said IF we got back in time Id go up North try to find a 2' x 4' space on the mat and train. But I wan't gonna register.

Well what happened happend and flights were stopped all over the world and when they finaly started up Saito Sensei wasn't going. We later found out that Saito Sensei had cancer, this trip would have been his last to the US and he never visited again.

We got back from vacation the skys were still oddly silent but my e-mail box was not.

First there were a slew of messages "Saito Sensei Workshop Canceled due to Sept 11 emergency"

then another slew of e-mails "New Workshop announced, same date place and time but all US High ranking instuctors"

then another slew from the organisers "ya know if you really want your money back just ask and we'll give it to ya".

Then there was a letter from A.N.

Now A.N. and I have played catch up with rank, he's always been a step ahead of me, 1st kyu when I was 2nd, shodan when I was 1st kyu, now I'm 2nd degree black and he's third. But at the time I was a 1st degree black belt and he was newly minted 2nd.

and in it he ranted about the workshop and that he wanted his money back but couldn't get it and about the workshop that had been put together something along the lines of "these instructors I see all the time, I paid to see Saito Sensei"

oooh, might not want to say that to the local head instructors if you want to get your next rank...

So I carefully composed a letter and in it I laid out that the organiser had reversed their policy and yes you could get a refund, but even if they had not we all new that going in that there were no refunds and that's becuase even in a national emergency there were expenses to organise the event and they are entitled to recoup them and I went on to say his comments about "you guys I see all the time" were uhm a little insulting.

Intended to reply to A.N and guess what happened?

Yep, all over the planet! Hombu dojo (the BEEEG one in Tokyo) major instrutors worldwide....all about A.N.s business.

This is martial arts, I have to train with this guy, he's big and strong and his 2 daughters are 2nd degree black belts. He gets to throw me across the room and turn my arms into pretsels. Did I mention he's big?

Now what?

At first I was so embarased I thought I'd simply give up on Aikido then one day I screwed my courage up and went to the class. From the dressing room I could hear A.N. talking and laughing and thought I'd sink through the floor.

I went out, walked past behind him he smiled, we did warm ups and Sensei gave us our first technique to do I was looking for someone to train with and suddenly literaly slidding in front of me on the matt in a bow .... was A.N. asking to train with me.

"Hi there Trek'inator" he looked up with a big

"Ami'san (an expression of respect) I bowed, "domo arigato" (thank you very much).

so things were fine but that's why I'm called "Dita'nator" on the mat

[Bikingmomof3]

Who else could come up with a type of animal which begins with the letter U, spur of the moment, in less than one minute???

My youngest twins answered immediately with, Umbrella Crested Cockatoo. It is a bird obviously, does it count?

[maillotpois]

Wow. 7 pages of TD since Friday. Here's what I get for not being on a computer for 36 hours....

Knot - wow you are going through a tough time right now - huge hugs to you. And I second the sausage biscuit suggestion. GREAT hangover food.

Salsa - I hope your toe's okay - I have lost most of both big toenails. Like Nanci's they had to be helped. (EEWW). I am hoping they grow back normally? Never lost a toenail before. Nanci, any insight on this?

The marathon's next weekend. Whatever. My enthusiasm is not high....

Had a lovely breakfast yesterday with SK and Yellow. Great to me her! She's like one little muscle!!! I had a great time, and SK even shared the last bit of her SB gold bar with me!! Wow. I tried hard today but could not find one of those. Maybe I have to stop at SB on the way back from work some night this week and see if they have them.

I got the PP and myself a small (1 oz). nibby bar each for the football game today. Yes, I am going to a pro football game. Chargers/49ers. I am SO not a sports fan, and last time I went to one was easily 15 years ago. But we were given tix and it seems like a fun family outing, especially with a nibby bar in tow....

Okay - gotta do some other computer stuff and then get ready for the game.

[salsabike]

MP, they do grow back normally. I lost a big toenail a couple of years ago after a strenuous hike with a wrong-fitting hiking boot. The podiatrist who took it off (once it detaches, it has to go, apparently) said it would make about 10% growth each month, and that is exactly what happened.

Snap, that's a classic construction story. Smart nuns. The guys--and they are nice guys--are just profligate in their waste. Slobs, too. Lots of cigarette butts. I will give them all their nails back but have a firm conviction that as soon as I leave for work they'll toss them high in the air and let them redistribute themselves around the site. Double arrrrr.

Nanci, wish I could see your yard---sounds really cool. I find I am missing my garden a whole lot--it got pretty much turned into a moonscape as they started the house expansion. I moved the flowering plants I most wanted to keep to a holding bed, which they destroyed part of, of course. The yard won't be relandscapable till at least early spring, after they're completely done with the house. All my bird feeders are still up--in fact, we got a pileated woodpecker for the first time last week at the suet feeder (think Woody). We've only had downy and hairy woodpeckers before, and of course northern flickers, who are gorgeous. Anyway, you get to plant all kinds of stuff in Florida that would roll their eyes upwards, swoon, and die here, like lantana, which I like (you can manage it here but it's really hard work--doesn't fit the climate). And yes, I hear weird noises at night especially when Mr. Salsa is traveling for work. Last week, I got to walk the entire yard with a flashlight since I was sure someone was breaking in (they weren't). Hate that. Wish we didn't have to experience that level of paranoia. Your waterbed thing is SO interesting---maybe it's the work of the moon and the tides on some profound planetary level. Not kidding about that. That is fascinating. Re Choco being blue--that's a sign that a shed is coming? Is there any worry about that or something you have to watch for/help with?

Knot, I know this sounds weird, but if things are bad, the relief will SO outweigh the loss. At least, that's sure how it worked for me with the seven-year-relationship-pre-Mr.-Salsa guy. Felt like someone had taken an elephant off my forehead when I finally ended it. It felt great--hard but great.

BMof3---your YOUNGEST twins came up with the umbrella cockatoo? Um..how many twins do you HAVE, anyway? Did you tell us how old your kids are, etc.? Did you do the Getting to Know You thread post yet?

Maillotpois, I am sorry you are feeling blah about that marathon. Expect you're more than a little frustrated about not feeling as strong as you hoped to when you ran last week. Should I send you another funny tearjerker book? (joke only! don't think I have any more like that book)

I will go to the doc tomorrow about my toe, since the purple area has extended down into my foot a little bit. Bah. It's raining like hell here.