The Long Overdue Monthly Update
Oct. 24th, 2004 12:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
grim23I have been so busy that I have had no time to reflect upon myself, and what I have accomplished. Many people have requested, and been freely given, my time and energy. Relationships have changed; some have grown and some have honorably changed from what they were. Today, however, I'm going to take at least a few hours to myself. :>
(1) Work is going well; I earned a small performance bonus based on getting us through some interesting times...which will almost pay my property tax. Sigh. Easy in, easy out.
(2) Dissertation is put on hold temporarily, while I go through and write essays and look up stuff and beg letters of recommendation for the internship process. I'm down to two sites (Linn County Mental Health and the Portland VA Hospital). However, the application and essays are almost done, and the dissertation starts back up with a vengeance. Lisa is more than helpful with that process, and she is becoming a Regular in my life.
(3) Karate is going well. I have been training hard for the Godo-Renshu that was held yesterday, a inter-club tournament for all of Ryobu-Kai in Oregon and Washington. I competed in Kumite (sparring), Kata, and Weapons Kata. I won 2nd in Kata (I lost by three-tenths of a point because I flowed too much through my final techniques and didn't show definition), and 2nd in Kumite (I earned to many penalties by being pushed out of bounds, and I was too slow to realize that his aggressive style was best met by moving off his embasen [line of attack] and forcing an opening, and not defending and waiting for an opening). I did the best that I could in all things, and I learned to do better, and that is the most important. Oss! I was honored unexpectedly at the banquet for Outstanding Student for 2004 for Steele's Dojo.
(4) Had a great birthday...the BF took me to the coast for a great day of wandering around and relaxing, and many thoughtful gifts. I stopped by the side of the road at a stand that was selling swords and performed kata with all of the swords they were selling for balance and fit with my style (quite a show for traffic), but ended up not getting anything there. Elsewhere, I did get a wooden shrine of the Three Monks, and an amazing Wind Chime/Gong...much better than swords. :>
(5) ...the day before, had a BIMC run to the coast. Excerpts from The Trip Report:
So, ok...Tiny and Kittin and Steve and Scooter and Jacqie and I (four bikes) rolled out of Salem into the cold and hit Yvette's for breakfast as according to schedule...
Then we went to Fat Freddy's in Pacific City and got a burger (a disappointing experience, as the burger wasn't very good even though it was touted as the "ultimate", and the coffee was awful (they admitted they cleaned the pot after serving us), so we stayed in Pacific City to screw around, as according to schedule. But then we gave up on the schedule. Scooter and Jacqie broke off and went home, and we went down the street and I got another burger at the Pelican. And yes, we we seated by the Homecoming Queen, crowned the night before---so we became Bikers in Waiting, and I curtsied to the Queen, who was clearly not used to being called "Her Majesty" and left us pretty much alone after that. We ARE a bit much for most folks. I could have bowed instead of curtsied, but that would have been expected and boring.
...
Overall: A great ride, great food (except for Fat Freddy's), a good bonding experience and good practice for some of us who have never ridden or led in a pack. If you weren't there, you missed out.
(6) The Seneschal is doing alright, studying hard for her RN test this month. The cats are doing alright as well, although Ten Mae seems to have difficulty remembering to only urinate in the litter box. Working on it, though...it may be a response to me never being home. Hmmmm.
Overall, All is Well. Time for Samhain, the reflective dormancy where thinking about Self and regaining perspective and balance happens.
(1) Work is going well; I earned a small performance bonus based on getting us through some interesting times...which will almost pay my property tax. Sigh. Easy in, easy out.
(2) Dissertation is put on hold temporarily, while I go through and write essays and look up stuff and beg letters of recommendation for the internship process. I'm down to two sites (Linn County Mental Health and the Portland VA Hospital). However, the application and essays are almost done, and the dissertation starts back up with a vengeance. Lisa is more than helpful with that process, and she is becoming a Regular in my life.
(3) Karate is going well. I have been training hard for the Godo-Renshu that was held yesterday, a inter-club tournament for all of Ryobu-Kai in Oregon and Washington. I competed in Kumite (sparring), Kata, and Weapons Kata. I won 2nd in Kata (I lost by three-tenths of a point because I flowed too much through my final techniques and didn't show definition), and 2nd in Kumite (I earned to many penalties by being pushed out of bounds, and I was too slow to realize that his aggressive style was best met by moving off his embasen [line of attack] and forcing an opening, and not defending and waiting for an opening). I did the best that I could in all things, and I learned to do better, and that is the most important. Oss! I was honored unexpectedly at the banquet for Outstanding Student for 2004 for Steele's Dojo.
(4) Had a great birthday...the BF took me to the coast for a great day of wandering around and relaxing, and many thoughtful gifts. I stopped by the side of the road at a stand that was selling swords and performed kata with all of the swords they were selling for balance and fit with my style (quite a show for traffic), but ended up not getting anything there. Elsewhere, I did get a wooden shrine of the Three Monks, and an amazing Wind Chime/Gong...much better than swords. :>
(5) ...the day before, had a BIMC run to the coast. Excerpts from The Trip Report:
So, ok...Tiny and Kittin and Steve and Scooter and Jacqie and I (four bikes) rolled out of Salem into the cold and hit Yvette's for breakfast as according to schedule...
Then we went to Fat Freddy's in Pacific City and got a burger (a disappointing experience, as the burger wasn't very good even though it was touted as the "ultimate", and the coffee was awful (they admitted they cleaned the pot after serving us), so we stayed in Pacific City to screw around, as according to schedule. But then we gave up on the schedule. Scooter and Jacqie broke off and went home, and we went down the street and I got another burger at the Pelican. And yes, we we seated by the Homecoming Queen, crowned the night before---so we became Bikers in Waiting, and I curtsied to the Queen, who was clearly not used to being called "Her Majesty" and left us pretty much alone after that. We ARE a bit much for most folks. I could have bowed instead of curtsied, but that would have been expected and boring.
...
Overall: A great ride, great food (except for Fat Freddy's), a good bonding experience and good practice for some of us who have never ridden or led in a pack. If you weren't there, you missed out.
(6) The Seneschal is doing alright, studying hard for her RN test this month. The cats are doing alright as well, although Ten Mae seems to have difficulty remembering to only urinate in the litter box. Working on it, though...it may be a response to me never being home. Hmmmm.
Overall, All is Well. Time for Samhain, the reflective dormancy where thinking about Self and regaining perspective and balance happens.
