Omega19x

6:54am: Another profound philosophical moment interrupted by birds
I was having a conversation with my master after class last night.

"I think Kendo has been really good for me. When I fight, I tense up, and when that happens, I'm not fast enough. Because I have to relax first, before I can move. Before, it was difficult to notice, but now, I get a lovely little reminder in the form of a shinai upside the head."

He looked at me for a moment. A fresh breeze came through the dojo's three open doors.

"What you just said... that's the key to learning a martial art. That's the key to life... Relax first and..."

SQUAAAAK!!!

"... Did a bird just fly in here?!"

Long story short, he said I've known that fact for a long time. I just didn't know that I knew it. Knowing is one thing, understanding is another. Living it is another thing still.

"What frustrates you," he then told me. "is that you want to stand toe to toe with the big guys, and you can't. Physically, you can't. But you CAN beat them. If you let it flow, let it happen. Relax first, and it will happen."

Current Lips: black and white gradient blend

9:46pm: I love pumpkins
There's something almost zen about carving a pumpkin. As long as you don't manage to sever any fingers with the paring knife, that is.

I must admit - at first, I wasn't looking forward to churning out an entry for the office pumpkin carving contest. Last year's results still haunt me. It's hard to win a contest when your pumpkin is hiding in the confiscation box. This year, I couldn't allow that to happen. So I came up with a full-proof plan - to make the absolute cutest pumpkin I can think of. And I really enjoyed doing it!! It was a lot of fun!

So what, pray tell, did I spend the entire evening carving??

...A kuribo!!

All I have left to do is wait for the paint to dry and then assemble the hands and feet. Gosh, it's just so gosh darn cute!!

Current Lips: black and white gradient blend