it's like the eye of a duck

'Cos it was a busy one:

Saturday I made it down to the Pump Me Up: D.C. Subculture of the 1980s exhibit. Last day + pretty weather + free admission = it was PACKED, and some of the posters and paraphernalia were situated in narrow hallways that were skin-scrapingly annoying to navigate. Having said this, I'm glad I went: I knew a bit about the DC punk scene but next to nothing about go-go or graffiti. Also got the nice hardcover catalog (natch) that will hopefully cover all of the labels I couldn't read because there were so many people.

Today I did the women's competition in the Cherry Blossom Open and did possibly the best I'd ever done at this always-challenging annual event: won one in pools but due to a lucky mismatch (? maybe I AM that good?) won my first direct elimination bout. I lost my second to an endlessly patient B-rated woman who I have fenced before: this time I lost 15-6 instead of 15-3, so I'm going to call that an accomplishment :) Also got to see skill_grl who spectated and shot video for me (thank you for both!)

Health observations: it wasn't hot but the air was close, and my finicky lungs rebelled. I think my inhaler must be empty, as it didn't seem to have any effect. As I get tired I get kind of "punch-drunk": my coordination deteriorates and I tend to laugh to relieve tension - which isn't great when I'm already lacking air. I need to work on stamina but it is going to SUCK.

In other news: gloriously beautiful day! I'm sitting here with the windows open listening to the crickets chirp, and I think this time it will last :)

I've also decided what I'm doing for my birthday: I'm going to get a Thai yoga massage. It's supposed to be a combination of massage and yoga postures that helps heal and prevent injury and I keep saying I'll get some sort of massage to aid the wear and tear so it's time to just do it.

I thought about writing an epic post about the fencing demo, the long, late night getting lost in the rain, but the words just aren't coming this evening. I'm kind of post-verbal, or pre-verbal, or something.

It WAS a fun demo, and I think at least a few of the sport fencers will be interested enough to check out MASHS. It was also fun to fence and exchange notes with the SCA fencers. Their methods were new to me - partly because they seem to give less credence to historical manuals than is logical to me (if the master lived long enough to write a manual, he must be doing something right, IMHO) and partly because I think their style of rapier is from a later period than the one I'm familiar with. However, they ARE doing something right, because they are fast and strong - and terrifically polite, always asking about valid targets and how hard they're allowed to hit - they take safety seriously.

I also saw live evidence that it IS possible to fence safely in Elizabethan stays, so I might revise my tentative fencing doublet plan (the one in the back of my mind, that I haven't actually drafted, sigh).

The rest of the weekend mostly involved walking, sewing, and opening the hot chocolate season with a few steaming cups of Ghiardelli chocolate hazelnut. Also viewing the new slew of paranormally-inspired teevee for this fall: when the aliens land it will surely be from below, if "Invasion", "Surface", and "Threshold" are any indication.

Kisia and D. are looking at me a bit crossly, so I'd best get in bed. Still awake, obnoxiously so :P