My head is befuddled with sleepiness.
I feel like death walking. My eyes are burning from exhaustion, my arm and leg muscles are sore, my stomach feels flat and hollow even though I've eaten, and I'm getting another (or relapsing from last week's) UTI. Ugh. DO NOT WANT.
Anyway. I'm writing this on the shiny new iPad that Jon bought me, because he is a technology fiend and loves me very much and is very good at lying in order to cover his financial tracks while saving to buy me a surprise! He also provided me with a digital copy of "A Dance With Dragons" that I can read on here before I am able to buy the paperback itself. Sneaky fucker... :-P
Black belt camp went well. There will be pictures later; I wasn't able to revive my camera in time to get any myself, but I relied on Miss Katie and once she posts them on Facebook I will link some here. It was an excellent vacation, and even the awkward ex-pat logistics worked out smoothly. We got into camp Friday night just ahead of a downpour, so we had to shelter with Masters Ralph and Ed until we were able to set up a somewhat-dry tent. The rain abated and we went over to the North Shore camp to see everyone and have a drink. Master Bruce was happy to see us but disappointed in our gym's lack of attendance, but welcomed us with open arms. The standard questions of living situation and employment were asked and answered, and when the name inquiry came up I lied shamelessly about its origins.
Saturday dawned clear and sunny. We learned a new pattern and 6 new sets of technique; some of the two-person sets were neat, but I was most enamored with the pattern. Perhaps sometime I will post a video of it...I am a huge fan. There was a split for lunch in between sessions, then the Kumdo tournament in the early evening. The barbecue was a huge success as well, as were the water balloon toss/pass games. I was thoroughly amused by how serious Taekwondo people get sometimes about the silliest things; the water balloon games were full of loud "yes sir!"s and general ingrained decorum. After dinner Miss Rebecca and I got neatly slaughtered at badminton, and watched the enthusiastic games of Ultimate Frisbee from the relaxed sidelines. :-)
We spent Saturday night around Master Ed's fire roasting marshmallows with his students. Miss Margeret proposed some kind of heathen full-moon ritual that could convince some of the hunkier gentlemen to disrobe and dance around; Mister Brandon hand-cut (literally, har har!) firewood for us; Miss Rebecca had a s'more epiphany and was deeply inspired by Master Ed's proficiency in marshmallow-roasting. I drank pear Woodchuck and teased both the New Hope-ians. All in all it was excellent camaraderie.
Sunday morning I did some packing pre-workout, then went to get pictures after the session. Master Bruce scolded Miss Rebecca and I into the Greenquist group photo, then we asked for separate snapshots with him and Miss Katie. It took us only about ten minutes to change out of uniform and finish packing up the car, and we made it into Pelican Rapids for lunch around 1. Just about the entire camp ended up eating there for lunch; we were lucky enough to be at the head of what became a long line of sweaty, hungry, plainclothesed black belts. We got back into Minneapolis around 4:30. Jon and I went grocery shopping, swimming, and then We played with this insane new toy thing he bought me. :-P
Overall it was an awesome weekend. I'm really excited to have Miss Rebecca as both a training partner and a friend. It's been too long since I've had someone I genuinely get along with who is training at the same level, not to mention being the same physical size and having similar skill levels. Plus she's from Duluth and trained under Master Bruce, so we totally click on that plane too. SO AWESOME. We have officially committed to testing for 2nd Dan before camp next year; I'm really pumped up.
In other news. I don't know. Jon and I had a sort of fight on Thursday night so it was weird for both of us to be apart for the weekend when emotions were running so high. It was very confusing. I think it has turned out all right but I suppose only time will tell. We do have a therapy session together tonight and individuals next week, so things should become more clear then. For now all is well.
I think maybe that's it for now.
Sitting around the campfire and seeing people's dogs and stuff at camp really made me long to have a yard and porch again.
Yep, I think that's it. Off to devour some digital 'Dance'.
ps- The iPad's name is Finnegan McCool. :-)
Anyway. I'm writing this on the shiny new iPad that Jon bought me, because he is a technology fiend and loves me very much and is very good at lying in order to cover his financial tracks while saving to buy me a surprise! He also provided me with a digital copy of "A Dance With Dragons" that I can read on here before I am able to buy the paperback itself. Sneaky fucker... :-P
Black belt camp went well. There will be pictures later; I wasn't able to revive my camera in time to get any myself, but I relied on Miss Katie and once she posts them on Facebook I will link some here. It was an excellent vacation, and even the awkward ex-pat logistics worked out smoothly. We got into camp Friday night just ahead of a downpour, so we had to shelter with Masters Ralph and Ed until we were able to set up a somewhat-dry tent. The rain abated and we went over to the North Shore camp to see everyone and have a drink. Master Bruce was happy to see us but disappointed in our gym's lack of attendance, but welcomed us with open arms. The standard questions of living situation and employment were asked and answered, and when the name inquiry came up I lied shamelessly about its origins.
Saturday dawned clear and sunny. We learned a new pattern and 6 new sets of technique; some of the two-person sets were neat, but I was most enamored with the pattern. Perhaps sometime I will post a video of it...I am a huge fan. There was a split for lunch in between sessions, then the Kumdo tournament in the early evening. The barbecue was a huge success as well, as were the water balloon toss/pass games. I was thoroughly amused by how serious Taekwondo people get sometimes about the silliest things; the water balloon games were full of loud "yes sir!"s and general ingrained decorum. After dinner Miss Rebecca and I got neatly slaughtered at badminton, and watched the enthusiastic games of Ultimate Frisbee from the relaxed sidelines. :-)
We spent Saturday night around Master Ed's fire roasting marshmallows with his students. Miss Margeret proposed some kind of heathen full-moon ritual that could convince some of the hunkier gentlemen to disrobe and dance around; Mister Brandon hand-cut (literally, har har!) firewood for us; Miss Rebecca had a s'more epiphany and was deeply inspired by Master Ed's proficiency in marshmallow-roasting. I drank pear Woodchuck and teased both the New Hope-ians. All in all it was excellent camaraderie.
Sunday morning I did some packing pre-workout, then went to get pictures after the session. Master Bruce scolded Miss Rebecca and I into the Greenquist group photo, then we asked for separate snapshots with him and Miss Katie. It took us only about ten minutes to change out of uniform and finish packing up the car, and we made it into Pelican Rapids for lunch around 1. Just about the entire camp ended up eating there for lunch; we were lucky enough to be at the head of what became a long line of sweaty, hungry, plainclothesed black belts. We got back into Minneapolis around 4:30. Jon and I went grocery shopping, swimming, and then We played with this insane new toy thing he bought me. :-P
Overall it was an awesome weekend. I'm really excited to have Miss Rebecca as both a training partner and a friend. It's been too long since I've had someone I genuinely get along with who is training at the same level, not to mention being the same physical size and having similar skill levels. Plus she's from Duluth and trained under Master Bruce, so we totally click on that plane too. SO AWESOME. We have officially committed to testing for 2nd Dan before camp next year; I'm really pumped up.
In other news. I don't know. Jon and I had a sort of fight on Thursday night so it was weird for both of us to be apart for the weekend when emotions were running so high. It was very confusing. I think it has turned out all right but I suppose only time will tell. We do have a therapy session together tonight and individuals next week, so things should become more clear then. For now all is well.
I think maybe that's it for now.
Sitting around the campfire and seeing people's dogs and stuff at camp really made me long to have a yard and porch again.
Yep, I think that's it. Off to devour some digital 'Dance'.
ps- The iPad's name is Finnegan McCool. :-)