FIRST GEAR, IT'S ALRIGHT!

Some time in the past year I bought a new front sprocket that was one tooth less than the stock version. This was first prompted from my one off road experience where I could immediately feel that any trail riding would demand different gearing.

However, after I got the sprocket I just could not get the nut off that holds the old sprocket onto the shaft. I was on the verge of buying an impact driver but this afternoon I called the nearest Suzuki dealership and they said they would do it for $40. Well...I figured an impact driver would cost at least $30 dollars and the only time I was likely to use it was for this task.

And when they said they could do it today my impatience and laziness where in alignment, so I rode over and they took care of it.

Although first gear really is alright now, I think I will change the rear sprocket because it just doesn't feel quite right when moving below 10 miles an hour. I still feel I would have to really work the cluctch if I ever get back on a trail.

it is not really snowing but i read this poem by sylvia plath and decided to find a picture and show a few lines and neither have i seen any tulips

The tulips are too excitable, it is winter here.
Look how white everything is, how quiet, how snowed-in
I am learning peacefulness, lying by myself quietly
As the light lies on these white walls, this bed, these hands.
I am nobody; I have nothing to do with explosions.

TOE JAM

Ok, I'm a wimp. A tough guy would have, well...toughed it out. Yesterday after our warm up we doing something and while walking to observe what Charlie was trying to demonstrate I had a slight accident. I slid my right foot forward and the long lanky toe next to my big toe caught some traction and the rest of me went on another inch or so with my full weight. I didn't break the toe but it sounded like 10 to 20 knuckles cracking in unison.

It didn't hurt at that time so I kept on practicing, but at the one hour mark it really started bothering me. Yes I could have stayed but it really was irritating even though it wasn't swelling.


Anyway by last night it was black and blue on the tip and today I walk like I have a club foot.

I will probably miss tomorrow unless it feels way better.

What a wuse!

Bind Faith

Sidney is out of town for a week or so, and Charlie taught last night.

We worked mainly from katate- tori (wrist grab) but the cool part was towards the end of class where Charlie felt we were getting too hung up on the mechanics of the techniques so he had nage close their eyes and extend their arm for uke to choose which hand to grab.

So we sensed whether it was ai-hamni or gaku-hamni and respond accordingly. We all tended to freeze up at first but it was cool to really feel the freedom to simply sense the attack and trust yourself to figure out the correct response.