Summer Wrap-up: 2010
It seems like just last week it was Memorial Day and I was at Jamie and Lisa’s for a barbeque, yesterday it was Independence Day and I was at a barbeque with Steve, and now Labor Day has come and gone in a flash. So much for summer.
I’ve been more outgoing and made more new friends this summer than I have in years past, which is excellent. I’ve been channeling my inner Tim Ferriss and killing my inner wuss. (Watch out, Kim).
My biking was rewarding. I did more road biking than mountain, which isn’t my preference, but it was certainly enjoyable, so I’m not complaining.
Aikido has been getting fun again. My sensei has informed me I will be testing for nidan next month in Boston. I am happy.
The coffee shop has been up and running for a month. Business is steady, and I am only involved on rare occasions. Paradigm is under the daily operation of a new manager, so I get to jump in and do the work that I enjoy only when I am really needed or want to be “in the way.”
One casualty of all this has been the Fresh Ubuntu Podcast. While it hasn’t been pronounced dead, it is definitely on life support. I’ve been busy. Harlem has been busy. Leftyfb is getting married in a few weeks. CafeNinja is a regular contributor to our friends at h4cked.
Finally, I will be departing for a month-long trip to Brazil in November.
And yes, I’m still on Facebook. *grumble*
Wow. Life is good.
Plateau
I’ve been feeling like I’m on a plateau lately. At least, that’s what people usually call this type of period in training, when it does not feel like you’re making any progress. Continue reading “Plateau”
Tetanus Shot
Yesterday afternoon I had my annual checkup. The only number on my chart my doctor said he didn’t like was “2000,” which was the date of my last tetanus shot. So, a nurse gave me one (good job, by the way – I barely felt it), and warned me it would hurt tomorrow.
Instead, it started to hurt about 10 minutes into aikido last night. I didn’t let it stop me, although I did a few fewer rolls than the others. What was interesting was when we started practicing technique, I was forced to not use my shoulder muscles to lift, or I felt some serious pain. It definitely gave me some extra guidance when we practiced tenkan and shihonage.
Everyone should practice aikido with a tetanus shot at least once.
But maybe not more than once…
Shoulder Tension
Why do humans have a tendency to “get into our shoulders?” I’ve been pondering this for a while now. When I first started practicing aikido, my sensei told me that I was “very much in my head.” These days, I feel like I’ve settled down from being in my head to more “in my shoulders.” Continue reading “Shoulder Tension”
On Aikido and Injuries
If there’s one thing I’ve got experience with, it’s injuries. As always, I don’t claim to be an expert here, but with a broken clavicle, broken femur, sublexed patella, subluxed wrist bones, bursitis, and a psoas that can best be described as “too tight,” I definitely have some experience with training under less than optimal bodily conditions. Continue reading “On Aikido and Injuries”
Blogging on Aikido
I’ve decided to start chronicling some of my thoughts and experiences on aikido here on my blog. While I’ve mentioned things from time time time, I’ve really only cited the fact that I’ve been at a seminar here and there, or referenced some other aikido-related website. Continue reading “Blogging on Aikido”
What a Month!
I think I’ve had my busiest October ever. Here’s a quick summary:
- Fall gasshukku with Hiroshi Ikeda shihan at Shobu Aikido of Boston.
- Mountain biking with my new (to me) Sinister Splinter (affectionately referred to as “the Tractor”).
- Work work work work work! Audits and migrations and troubleshooting, oh my!
- Reading: The Road
by Cormac McCarthy and Nmap Network Scanning: The Official Nmap Project Guide to Network Discovery and Security Scanning
by Gordon “Fyodor” Lyon
I plan on elaborating on all of these points.
Eventually.
Perhaps.
Koshinage and Sensei Flashbacks
Last night, fighting a cold, I led our weekly Wednesday night Aikido basics class at the dojo here. For the second week in a row, we covered basics of koshinage (hip throw), and did drills to help build leg strength, as well as to build the kinesthetic memory and response which enables one to perform a koshinage without having to stop and think about it. Koshinage has also always been one of my weakest techniques, as the transition to my weak knee has usually been an iffy proposition at best, so I can always use the practice. Continue reading “Koshinage and Sensei Flashbacks”
Book Review: The Power of Full Enagement
I recently finished reading The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz. As the subtitle indicates, “Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal.” Continue reading “Book Review: The Power of Full Enagement”