tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710357.post112767640138987962..comments2023-09-27T06:19:55.305-06:00Comments on Anachronista: Newcomers and a 30th birthday bashUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710357.post-1127697846379218132005-09-25T19:24:00.000-06:002005-09-25T19:24:00.000-06:00As you are I'm sure there is a BIG SCA following i...As you are I'm sure there is a BIG SCA following in Albuquerque NM. Which is where I lived for about 8 or so years. Although I'm all about fun and like'n the time period stuff. Instead of TV as a kid I lived and breathed Dungeons & Dragons. So II ce4rtainly didn’t need to be sold on the SCA idea. Despite that I have to say I couldn’t make the SCA leap because of lack or realism. When it comes to my sword work I took it far too seriously to be bonked over the head by some klutz with a taped up broom handle. Instead I dove into Japanese arts. Kendo for one. A fencing style used by samurai much like Japanese do today. It certainly has authenticity particularly when the entire nation recognizes it and can be traced back centuries and is virtually unchanged today. I found it an honor to be able to be a part of the tradition. I felt certain I could kick the crap out of any SCA'r with his lil broom stick using my shinai or boken. “No buddy, I don’t need armor, and don’t hold back either. Are you sure that helmet will protect you?” I used to see them practicing outside the gym on campus at UNM. After all, I had centuries of instruction and tradition behind me as opposed to a couple guys in poorly made armor whacking each other. <BR/><BR/>I also took up Iaido, which is Japanese sword drawing. Basically you draw your sword and kill your opponents(s), shake off the blood from the sword, and put it back (noto) in it's saya (scabard). More advanced students (and with the funds) use live blades that could be centuries old. Ok prior to that I did fence. I still have my stuff...and yea it is all pre-electronic. Don't get me wrong I certainly recognize the traditions behind fencing and I do recognize that as a "school" of a combat art (martial art). However I found more interested at the time n Japaese styles…and let’s be honest…I was better at that than Western Fencing. I even took up Kyudo. Which is Japanese archery. It is really “meditation in motion” now. Of course you don't want to be down range when I am in"meditation" I have the honor to own a bow (yumi) created by Kanjiro Shibata who is both a Japanese Living Treasure (a title given to certain artisans) and the personal bow maker to the Emperor of Japan. He lived in Boulder, of all places, at the time. <BR/>However despite all my budo/swordsman/combat art SNOBBEY I still regret not doing any SCA fun. A couple people going at it with taped up broomsticks beating the snot out of eachother would have been fun. My loss.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8710357.post-1127677329214116402005-09-25T13:42:00.000-06:002005-09-25T13:42:00.000-06:00A wonderful telling of a fun weekend! Say hi to Gr...A wonderful telling of a fun weekend! Say hi to Greg (your Don) for me. It has been too long since he and I tilted a glass together.<BR/><BR/>RCSRob Seiferthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04167331339051705486noreply@blogger.com