Mistaken Experience

Because I’ve had a very bad week.  A very very bad week.  This is only really here to let anyone who wasnt sure know that I’m alive.  Tomorrow is the last day of the week, and is the made in NH expo.  I’m meeting up with adam and we’re going to work the A&E booth in the morning.  Not really sure what to expect.  Provided things are better next week, I plan on updating you all on what happened this week.

 See you then I hope

Now it just hurts… Everything just hurts…..

Anita, I’m so very sorry.

I scraped my elbow today… badly. Bad enough that its still stings, more so when touched. It’s a little swollen, a little bruised, a little bloody. You know what is so strange about it? I couldn’t be more thrilled about it. I haven’t had something bring back so many memories in a long time. Goon ones too. I mean, its just a reminder of my past. This isn’t to say me and my past always get a long that well, we don’t. This elbow just makes me feel alive, alive like I haven’t been in a long time. Today I climbed a tree I shouldn’t have been able to climb. I played with my 5 year old cousin outside for a long time. After we went to the general store and got drinks. When we we’re playing outside, I did a handstand for him an fell on a stump. The edge scraped all the skin off my elbow. It hurt… a lot, but I didn’t let me cousin see it, it would have scared him. I just let it be, took it in stride. Looking back, its been a long time since I’ve scraped my knees or elbows. I have a past… I’m not just living in the now and looking to the horizon. It feels…. Really good.

Cole, I would love to hang out with you and your mates but I’m a little busy right now. As far as living goes? Right now, I wouldnt take life any other way.

Connie, sorry I keep bothering you, I know you’re busy. There is just something about talking to you thats very…. right. I’m not sure what I’m saying really, no clue. If I’m bugging you too often or starting to creep you out, poke me with something sharp… Er, something I’ll notice.

Ben, sorry we havent talked as much as we should recently. I’ve been really really busy with things and my computer still isnt working quite right… Hope things are all going well mate.

Saying that makes me feel like kidnemo, or perhaps jeph jaques.  I was ordered to talk about directing this weekend.  So, here is how super exciting it was.  I directed 1.3 pools and 3 DE bouts for epee saturday, and today I did the same (more or less).  I brought coffee for everyone from work.  It seemed to go over really well.  Seacoast did really well, we had lots of club mates qualify for the u-16 and the Y-14 summer nationals.  There was almost askage outage to dinner, but this time I didn’t feel bad about not going through with it XD.  Actually, I asked Steph if she wanted to get some dinner with me but she was on her way to a party.  I’m CERTAIN that she would have otherwise said yes (haha, not really).  So, from now on we (seacoasters) need to come up with plans for going out to dinner as a group.  I mean, we don’t ever see each other outside of the club, and thats a problem.  This means that we need to plan things out, just to get a chance to know each other.  I mean, sure, I’m only saying this because I’m a loser with no friends but whatever.  Anyway, if you have quesions about… anything feel free to drop me a line.  Also note I have a facebook now.  I haven’t already, tell me to add you.

In no particular order, people I miss alot who I either havent talked to, or havent talked enough with since my computer started acting up.

Envy of course, I need to email you sooner rather than later

Ilona, you’re just someone I really miss right now

Mimi of course

Anita… Well, I think you understand this one

Everyone in Caelum, know you are missed

First off is nice talking voice man, or NTVM. He worked at the information desk at the venue in Atlanta. He was quick with a phone number or directions. Seriously though, NTVM had perhaps the nicest talking voice I’ve EVER heard. Like, I me and Trovar would ask him questions we knew the answers to so we could hear him talk (his voice was THAT good). Here’s a shout out to NTVM, live long and speak often.

The next thing I have to mention is Odwalla Superfood. Its a shake/health drink thingy. Its magically delicious, like no other healthy thing I’ve ever partaken in. I liked the small bottles the best, very tight. They’re full of everything you would expect in superfood, maybe more! At the airport, I discovered how good it was to dip a banana into superfood. There is no better experience. Delicious is as delicious does, plain and simple. I hope to be able to partake in as much superfood now as I did in Atlanta, as it was most wonderfull to have on a daily basis. Superfood is a lot like air though… Its not important until you’re not getting any. So heres to dipping my banana into your superfood, the best breakfast since bagels.

This is the “full monty” write up of Atlanta. I was going to do bits and pieces, but Trovar wanted a write up days ago. So here it is. Hmmmmm, chronological order or by subject? We’ll just see where things go. Subject I think…
The Fencing…
Well, I remember walking in the Venue for the first time with Trovar the day prior to the event to get body cords checked. It was huge. I was very impressed with the scale at which I would be fencing. I was greeted by Dan the man, who happily checked our cords and masks. Then we looked around the venue. I skipped around on the strips, as it was the first time I would be fencing on National strips. They were…. much much better than wooden floors, but I imagine much more expensive. The next day there was fencing.
Okay, so Mens Div III Epee. Honestly, when the venue was filled with fencers, I was a little less impressed by the size of things. I mean, we had like 120 fencers. I figure, during a closed open, there are at least 15 epee fencers who can beat me, at least 10 of them are rated D or below. So with all the good fencers out there, I was just a little surprised it seemed as small as it did. Okay! On to my Pool! Well, no Trovar fencing, he coached me all day. It was very helpful to have someone help me, otherwise I would have been really lost. But yes, my pool… Pei was probably the best fencer in my pool. This little 5′ 6” Chinese kid who had a serious toe touch thing going on. He kicked… everyone’s ass. I got my ass truly kicked, loosing all but 2 bouts. Then I waited for my DE, and was subsequently wasted by whatever seed I was up against. It was pretty bad. Oh yeah, and Tristan finished in 5th place, leaving high standards for the rest of the weekend.

Day Two, me and Trovar fencing Div III foil. So basically, the same thing. I went through pools, got destroyed, and went onto my DE. By my DE, I was starting to realize I wasn’t being out skilled, I was being out-thought. Enter Pwnage mentality. So, second period, I’m down like 7-12. Time for some of that aforementioned pwnage. Boom, malaria, just like that, the score is 9 -12, 10-13, 13-14, and then….. Well, I ended up losing 13-15, but it was a valiant loss. I scored 6 to his 3. I was reasonably happy with that, but I would have been happier to go on. Er, I should mention that Trovar sorta pwned and landed 2nd place, earning his C07.
Day 3, I didn’t fence. This was Div II foil. Trovar was knocked out after his second (I think?) DE, we made an early night of things, and for future reference, this was when we saw Yu Chan at dinner.
Day 4, Div II Epee. I was ready, ready to lay down the hurt. Not really hurt, but I was ready to win some bouts. I finally had the mindset. I was geared up for it. So there we went. Pools, I was 3 and 3, and oh snap, I was being out skilled, unlike in div III. Aside from out skilled, I was out… talled. Div II Epee fencers are freaking huge. My first DE… Oh yeah, pwned again. There was nothing for it. There could be an argument that I was ready for Div III epee. I mean, had I known what the hell I was doing, I could have done well. Er, back to Div II epee. Yeah… Not ready. I was destroyed again, but by people that we’re generally friendly. After I lost my DE, I went straight to the bathroom to cry. After I came out, someone I knew told me not to feel bad. And there is more to what I was about to say, but I changed my mind about it. Moral of the story there is that when you lose, you shouldn’t cry. The other moral, don’t tell people that no one expected better. Proverb of the tournament. There is more than one way to cut an onion (Chinese) Also, when you’re running a race, sometimes its better to just walk away and join your friends at the concession stand (not a proverb, but its from something I read last night that made a lot of sense to me). Speaking of such things, Connie, you lost the game, and same with whoever else is reading this. Oh, and Trovar totally came in 3rd and earned (actually EARNED for realz) his B07. You should probably congratulate him or something, its not exactly an easy task. Did I learn anything? Not as much as I didn’t learn, and not as fast as I should have. Yes, I learned.
FOOD!
Yes, a section just for food. This will be short and delicious.
DAY 1, Golden Buda
Awesome Awesome Awesome teh bestzorz. This would set the mark for food in Atlanta. I had sesame chicken, and it was amazing. Trovar had pad-see-me, a Pad-Thai ish plate. He seemed to like it. Service was great, and I loved the appearance of the restaurant. Clean and cozy, it was all great.
Day 2! Moe’s Mexican Grill
Perhaps the greatest Mexican chain in the south. Its the best chain food I’ve encountered. I had a burrito called a home wreaker. It was served with freshly fried tortilla chips with fresh salsa available. I had a choice of chicken or beef. It also had beans, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, and probably more, all on a flour tortilla. Very wonderful.
DAY 3! The Prime Meridian
Whoa…. Whoa, clean, crisp, white table cloth, which bottled water do you prefer? Seriously upscale for what I usually do, but it was a really nice treat. Trovar had… Prons? I think it was prons or some seafood dish. I’m sure he liked it. Tristan had the rib eye (grizzly, which I could have told him it would have been) I can’t recall what John had, but I remember him enjoying it. I figured why not go all out and get the tenderloin. I think I probably enjoyed my meal more than anyone else. It was supurb, in every way. Er, the aspargas we’re just a touch over done, but it wasn’t remarkable. All in all, a very good meal.
DAY 4! GOLDEN BUDDA REDEUX!
Yes, we did it again, and it was fantastic. Really fantastic. I had… the same thing, and I don’t regret it. It was very good. Thats where we saw the girl from florida fencing club eating alone. She was sitting alone at a table at any rate. John suggested inviting her to eat with us. Me and Trovar were all for it, but Tristan was not interested T_T. I made the decision to ask her out to dinner the next night, but thoes plans flopped anyway.
FINAL DAY! GOLDEN BUDDAAAAAAA!
I think you get the idea, the food was good, cheap, and the guy who served us all three nights was really nice. We got some bagel roles (smoked salmon, cream cheese, avavado nori and rice) and they we’re pretty good. The nori was a little on the… chewy side. All in all, another wonderfull meal of sesame chicken (yes, it was have-it-all-three-nights good).
Random notes.

Drive by laughing
After eating a wondefull meal at le Golden Budda with le famillia Strouse and Trovar, Tristan decided to do something stupid. He decided to play leap frog with a cement pillar. He darn near cleared it too, but he hit his crotch on the very edge and fell forward. Aside from the damage to his crotch and nearly running headlong into a stone wall, people saw… People in pimped out Escalades. It had spinners, extra shiney things, the works. Then the window comes down and this guy who lookes an awefull lot like X-ibit stuck his head out and started screaming. “I saw that!” and proceded to laugh his ass right off. It was one of the funnier moments on our trip.
Paper Airplanes
We wish they would fly better off 13th story balconies, but they just don’t. Trovars first plane made it as far as… the balcony one story down. At least the cookie I threw made it across the street into Olympic park.
Cookies and Balconies
I don’t plan on explaining, but it was a delicious experiment, and we when we went to recover aforementioned cookie, it was missing.
Girls You Don’t Know From Clubs You’ve Never Heard Of
No matter how nervous you are, ask them out anyway. At least if you planned to, follow through with it, or you will regret it, its only a girl after all…. who’s trained with swords…..
Sorry Yu Chan, I failed not only you, but myself as well.

This is a place holder for my Atlanta Journey, which is at the moment all but complete.

Pseudo update…. Seriously, its 5:30 in teh morning.

So yes, Atlanta is over, and it was a great time.  Nationals are…. big, very big.  We walked every morning from our hotel, as the venue was easily visable from where we stayed.  That doest change that it was nigh a mile walk.  I was the carrier of the hard case (heavy) and I can certainly say I’ve built my leg muscles up just a little more.  My fencing wasn’t so great, but I think its helped me be prepaired for the next ones.  Its not so much about skill with the blade and feet so much as all being in the head.  That being said, foodz were delicious.  The Golden Budda is my new best friend.  Or at least it was 3 out of 5 nights.  It was this tiny, usually empty, chinese food place with spectacular food.  Really awesome.  I saw a girl there (I later discovered her name to be Yu Chen) who was eating dinner alone.  I planned to ask her out to dinner…. ANYWAY, moving along from my cowardice, Atlanta was much wonderfull.  I’ll sing more songs about it as we go and whatnot, hell, I’ll even post some pics.  5:30 in the morning is not that time, so I’ll talk to you all later.
My finishes…. well, lets just say that I didn’t win any of my three DE’s, nor did I get any buys. So yeah, basically failure. I did manage to change my game in a very big way, I mean, I have changed my whole Epee dynamic. At least I have something to be pleased about… Trovar did well…… very well. Like I said, this is a place holder, I’ll write up a ditty about things tonight… If I feel so inclined (so sleepy today that I actually fell asleep in the venue, on top of three chairs, during Trovars DE’s (screaming)).

I’ll be in Atlanta in under 36 hours. I have to say that it sorta jumped me, like a jedi or something (Nathan :P). So yeah, It’s going to be a real blast. 5 days in Atlanta with Trovar, should be a good time at the very least. There may be a little rain, but it’s the fencing I’m waiting for. I’m hoping to be able to reach all of you via email for thoes of you who would miss hearing from me to much. Wish me luck!

hmmmmmm, decent day. Not really sure how I did. I managed 13 touches on andrew for our DE bout, like 10 more than I was expecting. All in all, a good day. So now what? I dunno, its late, I’ll “fix” this later.

Recently overheard in a hannaford parking lot (Rochester, ftw?)
Dude, I need some fucking breath mints. My breath is so fucking bad.
(serioulsly, it sounded sooooo much funnier if you were there, he was practically screaming it across the parking lot)

Andrew is currently making a slilly puddy…. laso? I’m not really sure, but there was a MASSIVE blob of super silly puddy on top of his computer desk. It changes colour with the heat of your hand.

Well perhaps it is time to go to bed, or use teh mad 1337 skillzorz on good ole rogue spear… =)