This actually goes way back to our time in New York but, like so many things, it got lost in the shuffle of the move...

With the move coming up fast, I decided that May was the last month I could remain fully involved with my Iaido dojo. With finding a mover, packing and uncertainty about work, there was just too much to do for the dojo to remain a distraction. I announced my departure and my sensei responded, "well then, I guess you're just going to have to test for your shoden."

Gulp.

No small feat, and no small honor to be asked to test for shoden (first degree black belt). I would be testing alongside my friend Mitch who, for time and dedication, is far more advanced than I am. I knew that I had a lot of work to get ready. For about a month and half, renting space and practicing for hours on my own, I focused on fixing as many of my bad habits as possible and learning the mid-level (chūden) forms required for the test. When the time eventually came, I went before my sensei confident but nervous and did what I thought was a pretty good demonstration. Apparently, my sensei felt the same and they awarded myself (as well as Mitch) the rank of shoden in Musō Shinden-ryū.

Now, all I need is to find a dojo out here in San Francisco to continue my training. Any suggestions?

Posted by Thom at 8:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ok. So the relocation is complete. It has been a little over two weeks since we arrived in San Francisco. We're all moved in and unpacked. The boxes have been recycled. All the insurance claims have been filed. I am officially licensed to drive in the state of California and the car is officially tagged to park on its streets. And yet it still somehow feels like we're just visiting. Figuring things out comes with time. And, looking back on the move to New York, I calm myself with the memories of just how unsettling that move was (or at least felt at the time) and yet we managed to thrive. We just have to do it all over again.

We had a good time on the drive out but, it wasn't without it's highs and lows. Being the baseball fans that we are (go Cubs!), we visited the Baseball Hall of Fame in New York. The museum can be done in day but the surrounding area is gorgeous and has a lot to offer — definitely worth the trip. We also managed to squeeze in some visits with my mom in Cincinnati and friends in Chicago before we buckled down and gassed up for the long hall. Four days of straight driving from Chicago to San Francisco — hotels, truck stops and chain restaurants the whole way. But, one new set new tires and one lost cell phone later, we eventually made it to Cali.

Want proof that we pulled it off? Here's a small set of photos (yes, that's all of them) from our trip out. Enjoy. And stay tuned for (hopefully) more frequent updates on our new life in San Francisco — each update more exciting and action-packed than the last.

Posted by Thom at 9:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This post has been so long in coming that it almost feels like I shouldn't bother. But incase you have been completely outside the loop, Beth and are leaving New York and moving west to San Francisco.

This moves goes all the way back to my original reluctance at relocating to New York in the first place. It remains debatable as to whether or not I would have ever gotten off my ass in Chicago but, my personal plan always was to move to the west coast. Now after 8 years in New York, that plan is finally about to be realized. Beth has found a position in San Francisco and Ogilvy has graciously agreed to transfer me (I guess I didn't piss as many people off as I thought). We've found an apartment in the Alamo Square area of San Francisco and we'll be moving in by the end of July.

I've enjoyed my life in New York. I managed to start my career here and I have a lot of great (and life-long) friends to show for the time that we've spent here. But New York can be tiring, especial for those of not originally from the area, and it's time for a change. And the best part?... our address will actually be in San Francisco, not West San Francisco.

Posted by Thom at 12:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

What did I do this weekend? Well, I whipped it out of course... my iaito that is. Why what did you think I was talkin' about? Perv.

New York Budokai, my iaido dojo, was invited to perform a demonstration at the Asian American Heritage Festival out in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. It had been a while since our group had even participated in a demo and as an intermediate member, this one would be my first. I have never been a performer and I could say I was a little nervous, but when I got out there I felt relatively calm (of course, it probably helped that I wasn't wearing my glasses and couldn't see a damn thing). That's not to say I didn't screw up a little bit. I took a wrong step in one of my forms and I missed a block doing irohauchi.

"Really? Irohauchi? You don't say..." Irohauchi is a partner form where you basically beat on each other with a pair of sticks called bokken. The form is choreographed and ideally, you and your partner are so syncopated that you don't lay a finger on each other. I lost my rhythm, as ADD people often do, and Deborah Sensei caught me on the arm. Thankfully, she was holding back.

Outside of that I did pretty well and, hey... I had fun.

UPDATE: Beth did such a wonderful job taking pictures and videos from the demonstration that decided to post them on their own site. Check them out here.

Posted by Thom at 9:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

This past weekend, our good friends Jenn Colella and Jeny Foote were married. Jeny and Beth were best friends growing up in Sacramento and, while their lives have taken them in different directions, some friendships just never quite fade. And so Beth was honored when, along with the other "theatre kids," she got to dust off her pipes and take part in the ceremony.

An intimate gathering that brought together people from all over and all walks of life, it was a beautiful and thoughtful ceremony. And while their union is yet to be recognized by the government, their love is not only recognized but celebrated by their friends and family (awww...). Congratulations, Jenn and Jeny!

Posted by Thom at 8:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I love video games. Always have. Always will. And with the exception of a few years in high school when I thought I was too cool for them (I'm not), I have always owned one of the generational game consoles. For a long time, I was a strict Nintendo loyalist. But, despite their graphical improvements with that bouncing plumber, I began to get bored. This time around I wanted to try something different, so I ask for and got an Xbox 360.

With an excellent game library and relatively decent physical and interface design (especially for being a Microsoft product) I have been very happy with my Xbox. That is, until last night...

In a hurry to get their next generation console to market a full year ahead of Sony and Nintendo, Microsoft rushed through their engineering process and shoved a flawed piece of hardware out the door and onto market. As a result, many early Xbox 360 owners have been plagued by a catastrophic system failure, designated by three flashing lights known as the "red ring of death." Last night, after a nearly a year and a half of relative peace and joy, that red eyed specter paid me a visit. Sigh...

This problem is so pervasive, that Microsoft agreed to extend the hardware warranty by 2 years, and I directly benefit as a result. With little debate or argument, Microsoft customer service agree to repair/replace my console free-of-charge, including the shipping. Of course, it might have helped that I was calling them at 1AM and they wanted to go home. I'm pissed, but at least Microsoft is taking responsibility.

This marks my third (and hopefully final) major electronics failure this year. I'll keep you up-to-date as developments unfold (since I'm sure you're dying to know). In the meantime, I guess I'll start using our Wii.

UPDATE: My Xbox is back and running fine, albeit a little noisier.

Posted by Thom at 12:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I recently stumbled across a little web gem that I thought was worth sharing. Stuff White People Like is blog written for white people, about white people and all the while making fun of white people... and really, if we don't make fun of ourselves, who will? The best part of the site is its running list of whitey favorites that include such truisms as Oscar parties, organic food and Barack Obama. If we where to use this site as a measure, I myself am about 80-85% white. Try it for yourself.

Posted by Thom at 9:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)