星期一的课

This lesson I introduced some old techniques. The class that I attended the Thursday before showed me (again) a different way to appraise someone's balance and take it. What they do is look at the place on the ground that the balance is over then not letting them shift their feet, put their balance on the same spot. This means that the other person can't stand. It was a good lesson and involved a lot of stepping on feet! It carried onto involve ways to take someone's space.

Something Different

This is an interesting youtube that I happened across looking for Pai video's. For those not interested in martial arts it might still be interesting but what I like the most is the attitude of those in the center. They are so relaxed it is great.!

Winterfest 3

Having just posted my first written filk song (yesterday), I thought I might explain it a little for those who weren't there. The organiser of the event is a ninjitsu (bujinkan) teacher and he had several of his students helping him. Some of whome were at times given to me to help with different tasks, I was also told there would be ninjas available somewhere when needed for what ever. Being ninjas there is a running joke in the club about jumping in and out of trees. So on my first real day of Winterfest I met the ninjas in question so I could call on them when needed.
Otherwise this day was mostly getting a few things prepared, finding things for archery targets and handing out fliers.
The second day of Winterfest was the Friday, this was spent for me getting a couple of things sorted in Paramatta, like hotel and stuff for next two days + handing out fliers... At 2pm however I was on site with hammer in hand laying out the grounds for the event. It went well, once we got methods for straight fences down... (I am from the country, there is only one type of fence, straight) Then we put up a couple of tents for different groups without their own and went home. That night I was pretty tired and had some work to do so I stayed in and made use of the mini bar in the room, was good.
The third day of Winterfest started about 8am back on site sorting areas and administration etc, went well had fun, then gates opened and I didn't have time to scratch myself from then till close. I did have to stop archery for things like birds of prey and horses as they don't mix well with arrows at times. This usually meant that I was needed for various other things though and still didn't get much of a rest, it was usually on the run from A-B.
That evening I had planned to go out. After gates were closed and money accounted for it was 8pm ish, I went to my hotel, had a long bath... That over I went out on search for dinner, I wanted Japanese and there was a tepinyaki across from the hotel but I thought I would go for a walk first and see what I would do afterwards. I found it. I first noticed the flaming entrance, then saw the projections on the side. It looked great! There was local live bands followed by DJs afterwards and it looked hot! (Will post mobile pic) But first dinner. It was great! I had sushi and stuff, followed by sake... Was good, found my way back to my room and hit the keys a little longer and then woke up! I fell asleep! Detailed plans of raging and stuff and I fell asleep! (or I had such a wild night that I can't remember it...) I did start keying on the King size bed however, I can see how the former might have happened.
The fourth day of Winterfest was Sunday morning. ( I know not a whole day but it did feel like it) This was setting up again after putting things away out of the (potential) rain. However it started badly before I even arrived on site. The night before as I had arrived home late, I forgot to pump my tyre... When I got to my car in the morning, it was not pumped up... So out I got my little foot pump and to work I set. I got 10psi into it and drove as slowly as I could to the nearest petrol station, this worked and I was back on the road... Set up happened slowly, and once I had people organized I got money sorted and once that was done the people I had organized... weren't there. So that was great! Enter coke here as comfort drink while trying to pull out hair. This seemed to fit well into the rest of this day.
The fifth day of Winterfest was from 12:30 - 5:30. This was my afternoon shift of organizing archery and other events while archery was on hold. This went ok till started youngsters comp, of 38 kiddies shooting at targets for prizes. All was well from my end at the beginning, but they were mistakenly given twice the amount of arrows and suddenly... it was going to take a very long time. So we finished after the gates had officially closed, but in the end the winner had by everyone's standards won and the runner up had done well enough to satisfy, all was well.
The last day was from 5:30 - 1am the next morning. This is me driving home after counting money, checking money and looking back a forward in time for improvements and other events. It was good but ended with a long drive and a small kip at Lake George to help me staying on the road.

If you want to see clips etc of the event keep an eye on this page www.winterfest.com.au . At the moment it hasn't changed orientation to project next years event. But it will (might be 5-6+ weeks).

Winterfest 2

On the first day of Winterfest the shidoshi gave to me a ninja in an oak tree
On the second day of Winterfest the shidoshi gave to me two tents a raising
and a ninja in an oak tree
On the third Day of Winterfest the shidoshi gave to me three bows and arrows,
two tents a raising,
and a ninja in an oak tree.
On the fourth day of Winterfest the shidoshi gave to me four cans of COKE!
three bows and arrows,
two tents a raising,
and a ninja in an oak tree.
On the fifth day of Winterfest the shidoshi gave to me 5 rings... (hahaha I am so funny)
four cans of COKE!
three bows and arrows,
two tents a raising,
and a ninja in an oak tree.

On the last day of Winterfest the shidoshi gave to me a whole bunch of stuff from FSF,
5 rings...
four cans of COKE!three bows and arrows,
two tents a raising,
and a ninja in an oak tree.

Winterfest 1

I have a very good friend Sir Angus McBane, (or something like that) who was planning, when last I spoke to him to run the greatest medieval event that these lands had ever seen. This was several months ago. So the 3 days before the event, I finally get in contact with Angus, it is still going ahead. So I make plans Wednesday night to get into my car and drive up to Sydney after class and do what I can to help out.
The first part of my plan is to get my car serviced so that it won't stop half way to Sydney and leave me on the side of the road. $450 later I pick up my car and drive home. This was Tuesday night, Wednesday morning... flat tyre, not happy.
It wasn't flat flat just mostly deflated so I drove to a service station and pumped it back up, I knew that this was going to be a problem, but at this time there was nothing I could do about it. Went to work, had day of... working, come back out to my car, slightly less than almost flat... So 8 hrs from pumped to mostly flat, that means that a 3hr drive should be ok will test again after class. Pumped up again at 5:15pm 50psi
Teach class, I am sure it was good, however I can't remember it very well. I didn't take notes or teach from notes, so it is lost in a haze of driving up to Sydney, I should ask some of my students what I taught, they should remember...
After class once packed ready to drive out 9:45, go to service station check tyre; 20psi, that's 30 psi in 4 hours 30 minutes... I think I'll be stopping on the way... I stopped at a couple of places along the way tyre behaved, all was well.

Arrived in Sydney 1:15am 1hr after planned.

星期三的课

This lesson is a blur, I can't remember what I taught as I drove to Sydney afterwards... It was a long night. Will post on Sydney soon!

星期一的课

This lesson we practiced the technique that I learned the day before, I also worked on a defense, the only one that I could find was an application of the first form that we learn, stepping in and bring arms down to open for an attack. (won't work unless you know what I am talking about.)
This is all I can remember from this lesson without digging out notes or attendance lists...