I have never, ever gone to a tournament with < 3 hours planning. Until this past weekend. But it worked out. It was the last run for teammates I had actually been concurrently on the team with.

Shout outs: TOs - I will miss you all.
Fencing Moms - thank you for looking after my kids.
Some referees- for being consistent, explaining calls without rolling your eyes, without being abrasive when asked politely, and generally treating people as people. Thank you.
...

When I was still young enough to endanger myself with fire ants, someone who was close to family said to my mom, " My children are so bright, pretty, and light of heart. Your children are so glum, burdened, and hard workers." I don't have anything against draft horses, because this is the very image that came to mind when I heard this, but did Boxer ever get his milk and apples before he was sent to the glue factory? No!
Jest aside, I realized this woman was right; yes her children ...

Late post on Hangover.
Did an "express" training regimen (whatever that means) for ten days prior to the tournament. Worked on mostly decision point and getting back in shape. I kept things simple.

I will say the tournament was much better this year for two reasons: one of the organizer's wife made this awesome spider design on a bare strip using masking tape....I'll have to dig up a picture somewhere. Spider was for venue's mascot (University of Richmond). Reason ...

I always poked fun at graduate students who never see the light of day, and are often like naked mole rats. You know: naked, blind, never see the light of day, very clandestine, mole rats.

Now I am one: funneled into my little microcosm of research to pump out a thesis in some number of years, which will hopefully be a stepping stone for some financial pedestal for the rest of my life while I am naked, blind, never see the light of day, very clandestine, mole rat. Maybe less naked ...

Cool Runnings!!! Anyone remember that movie? Why can't the weather here relent just a little?

I went to the pool and accidentally fell asleep and woke up with tan lines. Considering my grandmother always criticizes me for looking like a common farmer, I was hoping to stay pale this summer......She's coming next week. Asians never understood why the Western world insists on tanning. Why would one want to promote skin cancer with baking? I don't suppose it helps that I rarely burn and ...