2012-01-11

Ice, ice, baby

Hopefully I will not find a baby on the ice, unless it's under careful parental supervision.

I went skating again tonight.  I'm still awful at it, but I haven't fallen yet, and I'm increasing speed.  I just don't glide naturally over the nice.  It's more like I'm taking long shuffling strides.  I now have two offers to teach me, one of whom would like to teach me how to do jumps and spins, but I'm not sure my ankles could handle that right now. :)

my snuggly fitting skates!
Guelph and people
I'm glad to be back at Guelph.  I like visiting my father, and Flesherton is fantastic, but there's a busyness in Guelph that fills my days.  I'm being more productive academically: things kind of fell apart last semester at one point, but I think they are recovering well.

The people are my favourite part.  I was running into favourites (I shouldn't name who) all over campus yesterday, and lost a few hours across various conversations.  My favourite kendoka and jodoka were back for their respective practises, and my one Jodo senpai was even polite to me about my veganism for once: I brought left over banana muffins to practise.

exploration and sanity
Life promises to remain busy.  There is more travelling planned, to Toronto, Timmins, and for the first time, New York!  I wonder what I should wear?  A friend said I looked like a communist with my beard: so perhaps something more capitalist when crossing the border?  As a long-time resident of Guelph (wow, I didn't feel that coming), a couple friends also want me to take them exploring.  I didn't realise how many explorable places there were until I started listing them, even after I've reserved some for myself for sentimental reasons.  In exchange, the one will teach me how to snowboard at the hills she works at.  Hooray for bartering!

I'd like to thank my first year of work after my undergraduate and the first year of my Masters for teaching to refrain from killing myself to get a job or project done.  It's important to be able to let your employer know that an expectation is unrealistic, or to accept an 85% instead of a 95%.  Do you want a mark to reflect what you're capable of when you're operating normally, or when you've sacrificed your sanity?  Or the sanity of other's?  I wish I'd known the impact I was having on others.  It's nice to finally own my own time, to do things like learn how to skate, how to snowboard, to resume kendo regularly, and to start iaido and jodo, to dance and cook and explore with friends.

birthday
In 5 more days I celebrate my birthday.  If you like that I'm alive and want to say that, I'll be in a Google Hangout for a bit of it (probably later evening and early afternoon) so distant friends can help celebrate.  (I will eat cake in front of you.)  Those who are local will be invited to join me for sushi, skating, and decorating my apartment (hehe).  I aspire to be proud of my new age "28".  Hopefully, it will represent the finest and most awesome Richard yet!
  

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I am aeronautical, vanship-style.  I am olympic and mythical.  I rest on my laurels.