Aikidokas: Tim, Randy, Larry, and Kim.
They worked Kim through 1-10 of the Ju Nana Hon Kata and Larry through some of the big 10 with Kim and others as uke.
I sat and chatted with Sensei Raymond who stopped by for the evening.
Aftermath: PT starts on Thursday.
We went to see Bruce Springsteen in concert last night. My ears have still not recovered completely. It was a good concert, the first time I've seen him live.
He did start about 70 minutes after the posted time on the tickets, but that's not terribly surprising. The arena was about 40% full at the posted start time.
The sound board folks had either the drums or the bass guitar pumped up too much. It was actually causing me pain in my chest from the sound waves.
It was a good set. I think he changed it in the middle, on the spur of the moment. He pulled out a request froom the audience about midway through and put the "E Street Shuffle" into the set. I think "Terry's Song" may have been included at the request of a letter sent to Bruce before the show.
It was nice of Bruce to let us in a little closer by sending greetings from the band members who were not there. He said his wife needed to keep rein on their teenage kids.
And below is the set list for the concert.
Cadillac Ranch
Radio Nowhere
Lonesome Day
Atlantic City
Magic
Because the Night
Candy's Room
She's the One
Out in the Street
Livin' in the Future
The Promised Land
Girls in Their Summer Clothes
The E Street Shuffle
Terry's Song
Devil's Arcade
The Rising
Last to Die
Long Walk Home
Badlands
Thunder Road
Encore
Always a Friend (w/ Alejandro Escovedo)
All Just to Get to You (w/ Joe Ely)
Rosalita
Born to Run
Tenth Avenue Freeze-out
American Land
Aikidokas: Tim, Randy, and Trey.
They worked Trey through 1-10 of the Ju Nana Hon Kata.
I sat and took a bunch of pictures.
Aftermath: Waiting for clearance to start training.
My Aggie Ring got stolen last year when our house got burglarized. I'm sure they got a minute amount of money for it, they're not easily resellable. It had to get melted down.
Anyway, these rings can only be purchased through the Association of Former Students at scheduled times. I got the money organized and placed my order.
You could go to A&M for the Ring Day festivities or have the ring sent to you via UPS overnight. I originally planned on going up to A&M for the festivities, but the schedule was going to be very tight and I would have just been up there the previous weekend. So, I changed my mind and had them send the ring to me. It cost me less than the gas to travel there.
It arrived and it was gorgeous. Kim and I did the ceremonial dropping in to a glass of beer. I then drank the beer until the ring came rushing at me, at which point tradition dictated I was allowed to put the ring on. It fit perfectly.
I feel whole again.
Aikidokas: Tim, Richard, Trey and Brad
I'm still off the mat, but I helped Brad work through the releases he knows and introduced him to another one. I was kibbitzing from off the mat while Tim was working with Richard and Trey. I'm glad my boot is able to rotate fairly easily on tile floors so I could do a semblance of the releases for Brad to watch.
Aikidokas: Tim and Kim
No, I did not get on the mat. Still in the boot for the ankle. I did go and watch my wife work. She and Tim worked on the Nami No Waza, similar to KG's chains, I think.
She had some really good moments when she flowed from one technique to the other without really knowing what was supposed to come next.
Report from the Dr. : sprained ankle.
Prescription: Wear a boot on the foot for a couple of weeks and then some PT.
So, I'd guess, four weeks until I'm back on the mat or on the volleyball court.
I've been going to this con since, I think, #14. Definitely since #15. So, I was determined to go, even with my twisted ankle.
In fact, it's probably better that I was limited in mobility than not. If I'd been more mobile, I would likely have been more disappointed in the con, overall.
The number of panels that were of interest was small. The number of author guests was small. That was probably a fallout from inviting someone to be Guest of Honor and then uninviting them. A number of folks heard about it and decided not to make the trip to College Station.
I spent most of my time behind the F.A.C.T. table, "helping" the Siros brothers. I got some reading done and a bunch of visiting, too. Given that I paid for a hotel room and entry into the con, it was a fiscally irresponsible weekend if you consider the number of panels I attended (3). I did not compound the issue by buying stuff in the Dealer's Room. This was my first con ever where I did not buy something in either the Art Show or the Dealer's Room. Amazing.
The Art Show was an interesting study in censorship this year. According to rumor, the Texas A&M Board of Regents was having their occasional meeting in the MSC this weekend. The MSC, wishing to avoid a confrontation with the Regents, told the art show folks to cover up any visible "naughty bits". They did so, under a bit of protest, with blue tape. A large number of con attendees subsequently taped over their own naughty bits with blue tape in protest.
I heard a rumor that the con chair's husband had did of an aneurysm recently. That would certainly adversely affect the planning for the con. The con seemed to be run fairly well over the weekend.
I hope they learn a lot from this one, because I'm actually considering not going in the future. It's the only guaranteed time during the year that I make it back to my alma mater. And I really enjoy going to College Station. It's a nice drive and a nice town. I need to additional incentive of a con to get me off the dime and get up there.
