Contemplations of a Closet Curmudgeon

Wrists ache from the weight
Of drills with sword and dagger,
Pass and pass again.
Is he having an off night
Or have I improved that much?

It's almost midnight
But this poem will not come
And I want to sleep.
Whose idea was this challenge?
Oh yes, that's right. It was mine.

Busy weekend. I had agreed to give Brogan a ride to the Newcomer's Tourney so his lady could have the car to go see her mother on Saturday, so we loaded the loaner rapier gear into my truck after practice on Thursday. For me it was a meh kind of night. I was experiencing rolling hot flashes so my concentration was off and I just was not up for Staffan's plan of having us all critique each other because I had to think too hard to do it.

Met B at West Oakland BART Saturday AM with coffee and bagels from Levy's and drove down to the event site, a public park in Cupertino. It's official: I have to go all Mom on both Brogan and Thomas (aka JT) about putting on sunscreen. Left to their own devices, they will forget, particularly Thomas. Got there early enough to help with the set up of one of the sun shades, help kit out a couple of new people in loaner clothing and I hung out in the shade trying to conserve energy while Caterin and Thomas put them in masks and jackets and taught them some rudiments of rapier fighting.

It's a small event with some classes and demonstrations, and both a heavy combat and rapier tourney for relatively new fighters. Brogan and Thomas fought to fill out the field, but their wins would not count in the tourney standings as they have both been fighting for more than two years. I fight them and Caterin regularly, but Sunara and Allan were new to me. She was coming back from a shoulder injury and he had some saber experience back in college but was new to SCA style fighting. (Which didn't seem to stop him from thinking he knew more than he did. Brogan warned me to be aware of that.)

I died quickly in the warmup melees for the most part. Then I went out onto the tourney field and won every bout except the one with Brogan - and I missed a kill shot on him by about half an inch. (For those of my readers who have not witnessed SCA tourney fighting, the person struck is supposed to verbally acknowledge the blow, e.g., "Good arm," or "I'm dead," etc. if there is any question in either fighter's mind about a blow, we'll stop and discuss it.) He says he saw it coming in but didn't feel it and I didn't feel it touch at my end either. I was mildly frustrated for all of three minutes after he killed me back, then got my mind on being ready for my next fight. I don't remember the exact fight order, but Sunara took my hand while I was sizing her up, so I had to kill her left handed. Allan managed to tag me in the leg at the same time I killed him with a shot to the mask. (Brogan took this as a teaching moment to elaborate to Allan on calling blows, etc.)

I honestly wasn't keeping track of my standing, just trying to concentrate on each fight as it happened. I told Caterin to kick my ass right before we went into our last fight. I got her. Then I got called up to fight a best-out-of-three with Brogan and I lost two, which was completely silly and incongruous as I still was named the winner because his wins didn't count.  At the end of the day I was awarded a pair of black leather gauntlets which are too big for me and a place setting of Cost Plus "feast gear." Both will be re-gifted at some point as I don't need them.

For my own part, I was sort of surprised at how well I did. Then again, my percentages against Thomas and Caterin are improving and B assures me I've made good progress in the time I've been fighting, even though it often feels like I'm climbing a steep hill in cement shoes.

Attempted a little calligraphy practice instead of more fighting, managed to socialize a bit with Brigit and Aasa. Oh, and the gourd canteen performed admirably and got some compliments. Holds more than I could finish by myself in the course of the day and the paraffin coating assured no weird taste was imparted to the water.

We helped the event staff with tear-down, then went to an Indian buffet place B knew in the area called Sneha. Ate VERY well and I could've happily binged on the carrot halva dessert if I'd a mind. Then I took him home so I could drop off the loaner gear at his place as I was not going to go to Sunday practice.

Spent today at the Asian Art Museum visiting the Terra Cotta Warriors again with Urtatim and her daughter - hence the sore feet.