Time to update the description. WSV50 fencer since 2005. Mostly recovered from two meniscus tears in 2006 (not fencing related) and other minor injuries. Focused on improving fencing skills and avoiding injuries. Goal is to qualify for the WSV60 team in 2012.
I've been coughing, sneezing, and hacking up the human equivalent of hairballs for ten days now and I am sick of being sick. I'm no worse, but no better, than I was six days ago.
I used to be like this every winter, all winter. I'd catch a cold in late fall that would turn into bronchitis and I'd be sniffing and coughing until warm weather returned and then allergies would kick in and I still wouldn't be able to breathe normally.
I made major lifestyle changes, including borrowing the
...More
This is a non-fencing related post that will not be of interest to most viewers. The title is due to the commercial meme running through my head, "What's in YOUR wallet?"
Lately, I find myself buying clothing again because my knee has healed to the point that I can wear things I haven't been able to wear in a while and thus I've been overindulging. However, I've been hit with the reallization that I'm growing older and that anything I buy now could still be in the closet when my children p
...More
I wasn't certain until this morning that I'd be able to compete as I was still sneezing, wheezing, and coughing through most of Friday. However, I stopped sneezing late Friday night so I packed Dayquil and headed out Saturday morning.
I was seeded 16th, was 16th out of the pool, and lost to #17, who was one of my clubmates. This, however, made me the #2 finish for women. Unfortunately, none of us women survived our first DE, not even the C-rated fencer.
Here's a question that I've been struggling with for a long time: How can I best clearly and efficiently communicate to a local referee, during a bout, that I need (not want, but need) him to give me a hand signal within my line of sight? When saying this has not proven effective during the initial attempt?
It doesn't happen frequently, but occasionally I have problems and I usually just deal with it since my hearing loss is such that I can usually manage.
http://www.usfencing.org/news/article/28615 Cat is a member of IndySabre and we're looking forward to seeing her qualify for the paralympics. For now, however, we'd really like to see her voted athlete of the month of October. Voting continues until Sunday.
At least five years ago, I bought a lined, 3-piece suit that I thought was suitable business attire and would be good for wearing to job interviews. Today, I'm wearing that suit and I noticed
1. It's tight across the shoulders and back and
2. It needs to be dry cleaned.
Thus, the dilemma:
Should I have the suit dry cleaned or give it away?
I note that I'm preparing to go to another city for a week and thus I'm looking into what to pack to take with me. I have too many clothes tha
...More
Last night's fencing was fun, followed by a lesson that reminded me both of how far I've come and how impossibly far I need to go if I want to achieve my goal of making the world team in 2012.
I've probably said this before but it bears repeating:
I am determined to set aside everything that has been drilled into me since childhood and engage in pure, selfish fun for no other reason than self-gratification.
I drove to Dayton today to fence the Wright Challenge at the WSU. Unfortuantely, only 5 of us were there rather than the expected 11 and thus there was one D whom I've lost to more times than I can count, one E, me, and two Us.
Guess who was older than everyone's mother.
My first bout was against a new fencer so I was pleased that I won 5-0 but figured it was just because he was new. Mr. New Fencer, however, had a good parry-with-opposition and defeated everyone except the D fencer (a
...More
I'm fast reaching the point where I may stop going to local competitions unless there's a specific goal to be achieved. I have reached my objective on working past some strip mentality difficulties and I think I would achieve more staying at the club and drilling than going to opens. That said....
The IU Open was disappointing in that one of the Cs was not there and the strength of the event was lower than I had realized until I
...More
I've signed up to fence Saturday at the IU Open in Bloomington, IN and then Sunday at WSU in Dayton, OH. It's going to be a busy weekend.
Practice and lesson yesterday. I think I've reached or am very close to reaching a "tipping point" in blade control. I am sensing things a little better and while some of my bladework is still too large, it's becoming tighter (which, by default, should make it faster).
Regretfully, no matter how hard I work and how much I improve, I cannot keep ahead
...More
Today 10:16 AM 