The End of This Blog

This post was originally going to be way more business and much less how I feel.

I am incredibly angry to be leaving Missoula. I don't want to leave my students behind, but I have to. My students have every right to be angry with me, and all I can do is apologize. I ask that you understand a dire financial situation conflicting with my own personal pride in not leaning on anybody. Neither Shelley or I are happy here any longer and if we suffer one more setback we will be on the streets. To avoid this, we are moving to Minneapolis to find jobs in a much stronger economy.

With my current situation not likely to improve, I remain without health insurance or any other insurance. It is embarrassing to have to air this, but I can't just leave people in a lurch with no explanation. My contribution to MFA has been substantial at great cost to my personal & financial life, and I would like to see others put in to keep it kicking and growing.

To my students... I am so sorry. I apologize for not being there to help you along. If it is any consolation, if you have been taking lessons from me for the last few years and fencing on a regular basis, you have likely learned the vast majority of what I have to teach you. I can only ask that you share what I have taught you to others so that saber can continue in Missoula.

I have been told that if I leave, MFA will dissolve and fencing will no longer exist in Missoula. I do not believe this will happen because I know who fences here. I will not be here to fight for you anymore, you will have to do it yourself.

Good Luck Missoula, and Goodbye
AJ DeWees

Sledding

We're sledding this weekend in Rainbow Park. Sledding is one of those awesome activities that I have fond memories of from childhood.

My favorite sledding game, which we never bothered to name, involved everyone starting at the top at the same time. The object of the game was to get to the bottom of the hill on someone else's sled. You could accomplish this in a variety of ways.
1. Wait for a wipeout, grab the poor sod's sled, laugh maniacally, & finish the hill on their sled.
2. Knock someone off their sled, and ride the rest of the way...laughing maniacally.
3. If (Heaven forbid) you have been knocked off of your sled, you can intercept another sledder on the way down (usually involving impact), and take their sled the rest of the way...giggling like an idiot.
This game favors the psychotic, creative, and physically superior. So it's best to try not to hurt other people, as it tends to ruin the game. You win the game if you reach the bottom of the hill on your third sled of the run. If their are two winners, then they have to sled off, meaning that only one person can make the bottom of the hill on a sled. If they both make it to the bottom, then neither of them win.

Fun Methods of Sledding:
Toboggan:
Wannabe snowboarder-Sled down the Hill standing up. See how far you can make it.
Head First-For those who lead from the front, laying down on the sled with your face leaning precariously over the edge. The Dentist's favorite.
Sitting down-Feet facing front, sitting upright is the easiest and often most hilarious way to avoid impact from the front. Can't say much for a bumpy hill though as your tailbone takes most of the shock.
The Tiger- Knees bracing the sides of the sled, hands gripping the sides of the sled, torso horizontal facing the ground with head facing forward. This is the position of the sledder who wants to Get Things Done. From here a sledder can actually steer a sled, perform a barrel roll, and other crazy stunts. If they are a sledder of truly exceptional skill, they can even stand up from this position.

Sledding rocks!

Road Trip Etiquette

This is one of those posts that I don't talk about fencing, but rather an aspect of traveling life in the US that most of us can relate to.

Road trips are meant to be a fun bonding experience for all of those involved. Even back when we had to make do with Game boys and Game Gears instead of texting and other detractors, we still talked to each other over the course of the long car ride. The awesome part of the long car ride is that it forces you to socially interact with people in an enclosed space over long periods of time. From this environment you learn more about the people in your car and probably about yourself too.

What kills me is people's insistence on using their dumb electronic gadgets to avoid all conversation with the other people in the car. Or better yet, they ignore your conversation until it gets interesting and then quip in until it gets boring again. Thank you for contributing nothing.

I have nothing against sleeping over distances. I understand that someone is tired after competing and all they want to do is sleep. I'll even let reading slide, but the gadget festival in my backseat has to stop.

TALK TO ME! I don't care if you have anything worthwhile to say! I am driving and it is in everyone's best interest to keep me awake! The conversations about the dumbest things are often the best conversations on a long road trip. Don't shield yourself behind Apple, Verizon, Sony, or Nintendo. I am unable to immerse myself in technological escapism. I am within 2 feet of you. I can reach you.

And to continue my rant, do you ever wonder how annoyed your friends must be at you constantly texting them for the next 5 hours? They must think you have no life, or assuming that you texted all of them that you are on the road, are in a car full of boring people. What you have basically communicated to your text friend is that everyone else in the car is awful. I'm not talking about sharing your tournament results or a brief funny story, I'm talking about the 4 hour conversation by text.

The reason your texting your friends about your boring car ride? You are the one making it boring. Yes, you. Not the two people talking to keep conversation and morale up, no, it's you. So the next time you text someone with "bored LOL," think about your responsibility as a road tripping human.

Tournament in hindsight

The best part of the Nov. 20 youth tournament: My kids realized that they had to move their feet. I have been saying it over and over, so many didn't think it was necessary, so many thought that bladework would work. And those that did, realized very quickly how important movement is. I am looking forward to this week of instruction as I plan to utilize this new found understanding. You can say something to a group of people repeatedly, but some things have to hit you across the back of the head before you'll sit up and start paying attention.

We will also fix the schedule so it doesn't run as late in the day. We're starting it a good 3 hours earlier and moving a few of the events around. The u19 event shrank because of the bad scheduling and that's just not fair to the people who registered and fenced. At the same time I can hardly be upset at students who fenced all day and then decided that the toughest event at the end of a long day wasn't necessary. I'll admit I'm a slave driver, but even slaves need the occasional break.

Vacation

I leave you with this image of silly people who refuse to move their feet.

I am Sick, and timed it well. No class for the remainder of the week. Everyone have a great Thanksgiving!

AHAHAHA!

To the Prevailing Attitude...

Despite my efforts at changing the perception of Saber within the Inland Empire, plenty of people still believe that Saber is more complicated than Foil or Epee.

All 3 weapons are equally deep and complicated. Just because Epee lacks priority does not mean that its easier. Foil is not easier because it usually moves slower than Saber. Saber is not easier because you don't need point control. Get over this. Now.

Each blade is complicated in it's own way. There's a reason why people like me can go on doing the same blade for 12 years and not get bored with it. I haven't stopped learning how to fence Saber and don't plan to reach the end for quite some time. The further you go in one weapon, the better you get at it. Period.

Nothing Quite Like Failure

Failure motivates people to do crazy things. It breeds frustration, anger, confusion, and hopefully determination.

I crafted an internal ranking system that is designed to increase the desire to improve within my students. I normally wouldn't say this sort of thing out loud, but I have a reputation for honesty and forthrightness to uphold. I want my students to be able to achieve something outside the often times draconian ranking system of the Letters. The system is also utilitarian as it is designed to allow students to become assistant coaches @ MFA and give their own private lessons.

Since it's introduction a week ago, students have responded exactly as I wanted them to. With resolve and determination to acquire the rank. As of this posting, only two students have passed the test out of about 13 that have tested. It is designed to look deceptively easy, even though I warned everyone that technique had to be executed to perfection to pass the test. When I first started practice testing, the class thought I was kidding when I said "I expect nobody to pass this test the first time you take it."

After the first student failed, the news traveled quickly throughout the class. When the next 3 failed, a ripple of fear spread throughout the room. Kids were suddenly paying much closer attention to the white board and talking to those who had already failed.

Next week I got the desired response. Kids had studied before taking the test and were far more focused on their own technique.

I can't wait to administer the Red bar test. I'm hoping to invoke tears ;)