Nose to the grindstone 2025

[Drunk Monk]

First thing this morning, I must let the painters in then head back to the Cruz to finish out my work day. I might write for a bit more before crashing...

[Drunk Monk]

Two meetings, writing, and I have an Iaido test tonight. Wish me luck on that please.

[Greg]

Good luck, cutter.

[Drunk Monk]

I passed although I messed up pretty badly at one point - got ahead of myself. I’m now ranked ikkyu (brown belt). My next test will be for shodan (black belt).

Today is yoga, then work.

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

I passed although I messed up pretty badly at one point - got ahead of myself. I’m now ranked ikkyu (brown belt). My next test will be for shodan (black belt).

Today is yoga, then work.

Congratulations!

[Drunk Monk]

I passed although I messed up pretty badly at one point - got ahead of myself. I’m now ranked ikkyu (brown belt). My next test will be for shodan (black belt).

Today is yoga, then work.

Congratulations!

Thanks. 

I may treat myself to a new sword. A Kung Fu master friend sent me an Amazon gift card and I'm thinking of spending it on a new iaito. I have several katanas, including that old gunto blade we traded back when we were in high school that's now remounted into modern fittings for a cutting sword, as well as that Oscar blade Fred gave me which I also remounted for another cutting sword, and a few others like my ninja sword. However an iaito is not edged and has an aluminum blade. I have a Tiger Claw aluminum demo blade that's a POS but it works (one of the critques I got last night was that that katana is too light for me and I'm overpowering it). I also took the edge off a steel Tiger Claw katana but it's horribly balanced and I almost threw my shoulder out with it (and I don't want to end up a one-armed swordsman like Greg). A good iaito is about $300-600. I've found plenty of cheaper ones on Amazon, but who knows how they perform? The reviews are all over the place. But I've got this gift cash, and anything is an upgrade from that TC POS I'm using now. 

I need a new sword like I need a hole in my head (or my shoulder... as entertaining as it might be). The number of swords I own came up in conversation recently (maybe that was with Greg?) I don't think I've crossed 3 digits yet, but I do have several dozen, easily 4+ dozen. I should count someday...

[Greg]

Buy it. You know you want it. Come. Join the one armed swordsman's club.

Totally talked sword numbers with me

[thatguy]

Do you have a secret armory room in your house with all of the weapons on nice racks on the walls and amazing lighting like all the hit men/spies do in the movies?

If not, I'd spend the $$$ on that.

--tg

[Drunk Monk]

I’ve dreamed of one of those secret armory rooms. I’ve dreamed of a nice display like Zachary’s office in Reacher. But no. My swords are unceremoniously stacked in corners and piled up in storage at my mom’s house. I’ve only got one sword rack and one of the mountings has loosened so it hangs askew on my wall but I kinda like it that way. It’s a simple fix that I’ll do someday, but not today.

Maybe someday…

[King Bob]

Long ago DM showed us that good movie about the one armed swordsman. The one with all the bear traps.

[Drunk Monk]

The Blade

One of those rare cases when the remake was far better than the original.

[Drunk Monk]

Man, I forgot how hectic that trailer for The Blade was. I have this memory of how impressed cf was with the scene where Vincent Zhao loses his hand and chases the bear trap trying to get it back. It remeians one of Tsui Hark’s best films. 

I should watch that again. Greg should definitely watch it now.  

Today is a big training day. I’m just about to head out to my usual Kung Fu practice, which is 2.5+ hours, then a short lunch break, then a 3 hour final workshop with Ortiz sensei before he returns to NY. I’m thinking a sauna and salt bath afterwards.

Just got news from a close friend who is filing for divorce. Sad to hear. They’ve been married since 2012 and have a son. LB was their best man.

[Drunk Monk]

After 6 hours of martial arts training yesterday, my 60+ year old body is sore af, so I’m taking the level 1 yoga class today. Then I’ll pop by the hardware store next door to pick up a few things (gotta mount an outdoor light by the washer/dryer & clear the century+ old bathroom drain again). Then today is a work day. We were going to go to Mendo next weekend but ended up cancelling the trip after I already put in for the swap day, so I kept it and will just chillax this Friday. Gotta finish a piece I promised to the Academy where I train about Qingming (something I mean to do last year and it’s come around again already). 

I hate the time change.

Why the hell didn’t spelchuk catch ‘remeians’ above? At least it could’ve changed it to something more awkward like remedial or rimjob. Spelchuk slacker.

[Drunk Monk]

It’s hate the time change Monday. I got two telemeets, work & writing, plus laundry. The yardworkers are due today which will likely impede my first telemeeting, Stacy went to svale to meet another contractor about the carpets but she took my car as hers got a huge crack in her windshield last Friday on the way back from SF and that’s in dire need of repair. I’m going to try to stay inside today with the air filters on so as not to trigger my allergies again.

[Drunk Monk]

One meeting down, one to go. Then work and over to svale to check on the house and mom. Then an old Kung Fu brother is treating me to that MCU movie that Greg didn't like (another sign of the apocalypse). Then I must attend to some writing, as always.