So who is this guy, anyway?

[gurdymonkey]

It actually came up in yesterday's phone conversation: the fact that I keep deliberately mentioning James in my LJ, partly because he doesn't have an account here and therefore doesn't read the friends-only stuff, mostly because it amuses me to give him a hard time. "Do the people who read your journal know who I am?"

Short version: He's an old friend from back east.

Longer version: He's an old friend from my first SCA group back east. He squired to Gaius when I was Gaius' lady. (Here they are playing with shinai, and I bet he didn't know I had this picture.) He wanted a samurai persona. It behooved me as his knight's lady to take enough of an interest to hold up my end of the conversation. He appointed himself my yojimbo: he carried my things, he escorted me when my lord could not, he had my back at the abbey battle of Pennsic 28 when we were part of a fustibalus unit. He is why I eventually adopted a Japanese persona of my own.

Formerly a Ramsey Rescue EMT, he's the kind of guy you want in the back of the ambulance next to you telling you you're gonna be OK. Or giving you bullshit-free, non-side-taking advice - and pizza - when you need it most. Or sitting in your rocking chair at 1AM spinning mad schemes on how to make royal heads go all splodey just for fun. 

He is, as I told my parents, the brother they didn't know I had. (Are you blushing yet, Monkey Boy?)

He's currently working for the One True Church of Apple, doing freelance work as a photographer for the North Jersey Newsgroup, and engaged to the bright, beautiful, amazing Sylvia.

James, everybody.

Everybody, James.

Comments

[danabren.livejournal.com]

Hiya.

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

Ahem. You did his AoA Scroll. (And rumor has it you and Kass were squeeing in the cheap seats because he shikko'ed into court to receive it.)

[danabren.livejournal.com]

I recognised the face from the photo :) I was sayin' "Hiya".

And we TOTALLY squee'ed in the cheap seats.

Shikko follies.

[elmunadi.livejournal.com]

Do Aikido for long enough, and shikko wearing hakama is easy... until the first time you try to do so in very slippery and very full silk court gear. "Must remember to #Kick# the toe for'ard to get the fabric up front enough for the foot and knee to plant on something stable... or you will have opportunity to demonstrate ukemi (falling) in court, too.

Thank God no pictures of that fiasco have surfaced after 20 years.

Family you find is often so much more rewarding than family you're born with. I have a twin brother (who's 10 years younger) like that.