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More Zombies?
I wasn't planning to write anything more on zombies any time soon. It's just that they've come up in an email conversation recently...
A couple of weeks ago, I went to watch a tameshigiri/Iaido tournament. Tameshigiri is practice cutting on rolled up tatami with a sword. Well, technically there are several things that can be used; I've seen other ( Read more... ) -
When in Rome...
Got back yesterday from a company trip to Italy. We spent a couple of days in Florence, then a couple of days in Rome. I'd been to both before, about 20 years back when I was on a study abroad program in England I traveled through continental Europe over the long Christmas/New Years break. I'd liked Florence quite a bit back then, but had run afoul ( Read more... ) -
Weapons, Martial Arts, and Zombies: A self defense manual for the Zombie Apocalypse.
Weapons, Martial Arts, and Zombies.
Quite some time ago (about 2.5 years, actually) I wrote an article for a fictitious series of Zombie Preparedness travel guide articles. I say “fictitious series” because it was always intended as a one-off tongue in cheek piece. About the same time, I had the idea for a special topics class for a martial arts ( Read more... ) -
Strong is she, with the bark side of the force.
The dog had been barking in answer to one of the neighborhood dogs, who was barking for whatever reason. I had been watching the new blu-ray release of the Star Wars movies, and had Phantom Menace in- I've got a costuming event to go to tomorrow, so a little bit of extra studying the markings on Darth Maul's face won't hurt ( Read more... ) -
I have the POWERRRRRRRRRRR!
Last week I went to the Tokyo Gift Show, a place where a whole lot of different vendors take over a convention center and set up their booths. Products on display range from clothing/fashion items, to health care, beauty aids, gourmet food and wines, home interior/decor, holiday decorations, crafting supplies, kitchen goods, toys, and artists ( Read more... ) -
One cool cat
There are cats out sunning themselves on several of the routes I sometimes take while walking the dog. Some of them run when they see the dog, some of them stay in place, but let out a whining engine sort of cat growl, some arch their backs a bit. There's one, though, that is completely, utterly unconcerned. Maybe gives a glance, then mostly ( Read more... ) -
Creating monsters
As a favor to one of my co-workers, I've started an informal English lesson after work. The plan is to meet once a week. Yesterday, it was just the one co-worker for a student. I suspect it will grow a little bit.
Growing up in China, she did study English in school, but doesn't really speak it at all, so it's an absolute beginner lesson. Yesterday ( Read more... ) -
Stuff
Ran into a crazy person while walking the dog this morning. I had walked up to the park near the city hall, and heard someone yelling but couldn't really make out what they were saying. We walked the small loop in the park, and as I came back around, I could see an older woman standing in the street yelling at the old people who gather in the park ( Read more... ) -
USBank sucks
Caution: post contains strong language.
Dear US Bank,
Thank you so much for suddenly (and unannouncedly, I may add) charging a monthly maintenance fee on my account. I just called the customer service hotline to find out why and how I could avoid it, and was told that if I opened a savings account and set up an auto transfer every month that it ( Read more... )
