[As usual, three weeks lag here, if you aren’t reading this on my Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/blazeward). If you’d like your news fresher, and the monthly Anti-Stodgy/Redneck Chef newsletter, all I ask is a buck to help keep the lights on around here.]
Tuesday again.
Good news, I’m home. Bad news, I came about as close as you can to getting my nose broken as you can last night. Didn’t don’t think, but close.
BACKGROUND: Dojo Night. Sensei M* is a 5th degree Black Belt in Isshinryu, learning GoJu, which in our case is closely related. She knows about half of the material, and is adapting the other half.
Last night was Bo Kumite. Ten-step drill, offset five, so one person attacks from 1 and the other blocks from 6, and the two flow together perfectly. Sambrata (Pinay originally, I think, but don’t quote me) done with tanbo, or a stick about 24 inches long. We both know that form. Last night, Sensei hands me a bo and has her working on her bo form as well as her sai form. All three work, but work a little different.
At one point, I snap block her stick down, and when she recovers, she accidentally brought it straight up into the underside of my nose perfectly, not touching chin or mouth. BONK, though, because of all those nerve endings.
Plus, just back from Colorado, so dry air and altitude and my nose has been bleeding off and on for two weeks, so I’m blind and worried that I’m going to bleed all over the floor here. Didn’t but man, that stings.
Bruised this morning, so pain killers after vitamins. Feel like a naughty pinocchio right now.
Writing is a little sideways, but that’s fine. Far enough ahead on short fiction that I can finish off the second Harri The Trader novella (about 17.5k of 24 at the moment) this week, then get back to Kincaide. Planning three of these up front as palate cleansers between other projects, and have the third in mind. Will drop them in 2027 at some point. Semi-military space adventure, about a guy who kinda gets blackmailed into commanding the ship when he’d rather not, but then shit happens.
As it does.
Having fun with them.
In the process of fulfilling the kickstarter ebooks this week. Getting addresses from everyone for the books, and as surveys finish rolling in I can start paper and postcard delivery.
Still going to do an AMA at some point. Probably April, but not certain at the moment.
Mostly, a return to normalcy around here.
No, I’m lying. Also have nine pounds of duck breast in the fridge defrosting to make pepperoni for a friend. He went hunting with a group, but nobody else wanted the meat. The guide cleaned everything and took the skin and fat, but my buddy has breasts. I offered to grind and mix for him and he’s giving me half, which is a hell of a deal because I love duck. Gonna roll in some pork for the missing fat, then smoke it all for him. Gonna be yummy.
But yeah, what is normal?
shade and sweet water,
b
West of the Mountains, WA
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