Thread Drift

[Kitsune06]

Ack- glad you're ok, Fredwina. Just blacking out like that is scary. No history of it, I take it?

[Fredwina]

Nope. I don't think I blacked out, as I can remember think "Oh S**t! I'm going down" before hitting the pave'.
Part of it was I thought I would have 50 miles and about 2000 feet of climbing. Real Life 64, and 4500 feet plus the BF climbs like a tank compared to my Cannondale almost took it, but wanted to haul stuff, then left my 508 tee at the beach should have ate mote at the picnic, and brought more with me.
To paraphrase my late Father, "we can but another handlebar, But we can't buy another you"
PS look at the bike 'puter. Max speed which I'm sure I was at) was 37mph I don't recall every going that fast on the "pocket tank" before

[Kitsune06]

37 mph?!
was it calibrated for those tiny wheels? That's smokin! No wonder... Well... lotsa carbs nextime, b/c yeah, we can't buy another you! Like I said, though, really glad you're okay!

[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

[Kitsune06]

Nice story!
I love aikido. My ex called it "the falling-down dance" because of the grace with which one can guide one's opponent into the floor.
Do we get to call you Trekinator then?

[Fredwina]

37 mph?!
was it calibrated for those tiny wheels? That's smokin! No wonder... Well... lotsa carbs nextime, b/c yeah, we can't buy another you! Like I said, though, really glad you're okay!

Yes, it calibrated right. at least it matches the car and the other bikes. It's fairly good size hill, and a real popular training route. when I rode out, Health Net, Colivita, and Jelly Belly were having a race. No, these weren't people who bought the Jerseys, either.
BTW, here's the route :
http://routeslip.com/map.php?map=11609
SK, I know I should buy an altimeter. Maybe when sell the tank... I think I'm cursed when it comes to bicycling in Orange County. and it was such a pretty ride.
I drank a Rock star after I got back to the car, and some O'douls here. The o'd's seem to hit the spot for me as a recovery drink.

[Trek420]

Kitsune06 "I love aikido. My ex called it "the falling-down dance" because of the grace with which one can guide one's opponent into the floor. "

I dunno how gracefully I'm guided to the floor, falls I think are something you give yourself not so much something done to you and my ukemi (falls) are more along the line of "crash burn".

It only LOOKS dance-like. When you're in it, doing it...powerful stuff but fun fun fun and constantly learning. I can't think of any martial art you smile as often doing, today in class Marinella had me cracking up (she always does) as she was doing a sword form with me...to the tune of Blue Danube.

"Do we get to call you Trekinator then? "

only on TD?

[Kitsune06]

weellllll... I meant how gracefully the thrower threw you. The throwee doesn't need to be so graceful (unless they're good at landing and rolling, which is hard, hard, hard, and I don't think I could do it...)

I try to call myself graceful (I try! I do!) but yeah, he had me land pretty disgracefully more than once. (like the "Oh, you're coming straight at me? Blurry hand movement, subtle step, oh, suddenly you're on your butt! How cute." Never was good at finding balance, but I always had a thing for Ki and the exchange thereof.

[KnottedYet]

[QUOTE=Kitsune06;133472 but I always had a thing for Ki and the exchange thereof.[/QUOTE]

When I was preggers my Tai Chi instructor (yes, I tried 2 martial arts, karate and Tai Chi. Tai Chi was my favorite) was utterly entranced by my belly. aka SKnot. He said it was total Chi. I was so darn graceful as a huge pregnant chick (I'd been taking his class for a while) that he had me be at the front to help lead class.

That was one of the highlights of my silly little life.

[Kitsune06]

Pregnant women are amazing and beautiful in their own rights... but I'm assuming that wasn't what was originally meant...
I knew a shaman once (well, I still know her- beside the point) who had very interesting views of chi and people. SKnot strikes me as a very special person. It'll be interesting to see what he does when he grows up.

[Trek420]

tai chi is a beautiful art. One days I ride to work I pass a park where lots of old people do Tai Chi.

I wish I got there early enough to join them,

My teacher and any other women I know in Aikido have usualy stopped training while pregnant, either the balance thing or there's a tale that the falls/rolls could endanger the baby.

[Lise]

I'm in DC, my brother safely married. It was a wonderful wedding, and it's been a great weekend. My mom and I are staying at my brother's house tonight and tomorrow...she leaves Mon, I stay 'til Tues AM, exploring the city. I love DC.

I can't get into AOL mail! Whaaaaahhh! I just know J. wrote me...blech. I had the same problem last time I was here. What kind of computer lets you go anywhere except AOL mail? Wierd.

KN, I'm glad you sent that letter (((KN))). You've taken a big step toward opening your life back up to love and joy. I know a thing or two about this.

OK, I'm tickled that I got on here, but time to go to bed. Love to you all, L.

[KnottedYet]

We miss you, Lise!

[KnottedYet]

tai chi is a beautiful art. One days I ride to work I pass a park where lots of old people do Tai Chi.

I wish I got there early enough to join them,

My teacher and any other women I know in Aikido have usualy stopped training while pregnant, either the balance thing or there's a tale that the falls/rolls could endanger the baby.

Oh, goody. I'm an honorary "old people".

I watched my instructor and his instructor fight once. It was like watching snakes wrestle. I wish I could find my instructor again. I want to keep doing Tai Chi as a martial art. (as opposed to an old peoples' exercise)

Please note the proper use of the apostrophe. I've consumed an entire bottle of wine (don't even TRY to tell me I don't deserve it) and I can still do at least one grammatical gymnastic correctly.

I lost a few critters before I was able to keep one (SKnot). So I believe the thing about falls/rolls to some extent. But really, I believe that if the critters have other more pressing engagements, they won't stay with you no matter what.

[Kitsune06]

...my relieving officer is late. I've had too much caffiene (or something) and I'm crawling out of my skin trying to just sit still here in the chair, waiting for an opportunity to squeak outside and pace around the parking lot until I wear down some of this buzz. GRUH! (just watch, I'll want to complain about jsut being around her when she's here, I just know it...)

Knot- I appreciate the efforts with the wine, but I think I found a couple grammatical errors. don't hit me!!! I type my stuff in word, squint to see if there are any green or red squigglies under it, then copy and paste it. When Ctrl+c and Ctrl+v don't work anymore, I put the bottle away.