| This thread has been locked, it will not receive new replies. |
|
Locked on 09/02/2004 2:23:55 PM PDT by Admin Moderator, reason:
New Thread: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1205990/posts |
Posted on 08/05/2004 5:47:31 PM PDT by HairOfTheDog
Eleventh Thread: Wedding Edition: The Hobbit Hole XI - No One Admitted Except on Wedding Business!
New verse:
|
Upon the hearth the fire is red, |
Still round the corner there may wait |
Home is behind, the world ahead, |
Woo-hoo, I think I just answered the big question I had about my NaNoWriMo idea! So, just two months to work out the details...
Farewell. I seek the dawn.
Have a good night!
Yeah, it's always good to have an answer to "Why bother" with a story, wouldn't you say?
"I think anyone who's been trained by Uncle Sam will tell you that real hand-to-hand, wherein two (or more) people are trying to kill one another, has only a nodding acquaintance with anything you can see in any movie."
Yes, in a real fight you're trying to kill someone as fast as possible, which implies a minimum of wasted motion and very direct techniques, whereas in a movie fight it's dragged out and the movements are exaggerated to make it more visually interesting. Usually. However, there are some martial artists who go into movies and try to make things more realistic, though still within the confines of making an entertaining movie. With some martial arts stars like Jackie Chan and Jet Li, there is a mix of realistic techniques with theatrics, and it's possible to see through the theatrics and learn from what's underneath if you look close.
On Aikido: Aikido is an art which can be both functional and entertaining, depending on how it's taught and done. Aikido is a descendant of Ba Gua, which is perhaps the most advanced Chinese martial art (along with Hsing-I and Wing Chun, IMO). It combines Ba Gua concepts and footwork with some elements from Japanese swordsmanship and hand-to-hand fighting. The creator of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, was one of the best martial artists in Japan at that time and was hired by the Japanese government to teach Japanese soldiers and spies during WWII; however, the government found that Aikido took too long to learn to be practical for the average soldier, so they switched to hiring Karate instructors instead. If you have the patience to learn Aikido, it can be very practical. One of my Wing Chun teachers trained Aikido from the time he was 5 and used it for hand-to-hand when he was in Special Forces; the way he teaches Aikido is very practical. However (as with Tai Chi) there are also many instructors, especially in the US, who learn Aikido for health or spiritual development purposes and don't know the practical side of the art as well. The trick is to find a teacher who's teaching the art with the emphasis you're looking for. On the entertainment side, Aikido's sword techniques are fun, and can also be functional when the concepts are extended to hand-to-hand applications, IMO.
Almost done with Part 2 of my article, after working on it nearly continuously all week--remind me not to write a 5-part series again unless I get paid for it. . .
Have been wondering where you've been! Nice to see you, however briefly.
remind me not to write a 5-part series again unless I get paid for it
I can quote you some writers who give the advice not to write anything you don't get paid for. ;)
I have a one-word answer that satisfies me most of the time: angst. It is so fun to torment characters I love, body and soul... and if I can find a story in there somewhere, all the better.
Man, I managed to locate the weepiest end-of-the-world anime I've ever seen! I was nearly in tears with the last episode and that doesn't happen.
I have to get to bed. Good night!
"I can quote you some writers who give the advice not to write anything you don't get paid for. ;)"
Yeah, I've heard that advice :) This comes under civic duty, though. But hopefully the research I've done will generate a few books with commercial potential. Should also help for opposition research on Hillary in 2008--an anti-Hillary site asked permission to link to Part 1, which I'm happy about.
So what's new with you?
Absolutely nothing new going on here... went in for a general check-up Friday morning, will get test results (blood work, etc.) back later this week to find out if I'm generally healthy or not. Am rather curious to see the results...
But I have to get to bed now, so have a good night!
Whoops--just noticed I missed this part:
"You might want to look at some USMilitary training videos ... gentlemen, are they worth our time?"
The popular ones I've seen purporting to be by "former Navy SEALS", etc. range from overhyped to fraudulent, IMO. There may be some good ones but if so I'm not aware of them.
Hope your results show you to be generally healthy! :) Have a good night!
Bear - I've never been to Greece, tho I kinda like the music.
Hair/ecurbh - vey cool banner.
Rosie - the flamingos were borrowed. One of our board members is a pastor's wife. Their church youth group uses them for fundraisers, i.e. for your 50th (or whatever) birthday, they'll set them up in your yard (at someone else's request) for a price.
osage - My cannas haven't bloomed. I'm thinking either too much water or not enough sun, or both. They're nice and high. Just no blooms.
"Bear - I've never been to Greece, tho I kinda like the music."
LOL! Speaking of which, that movie is on AMC tonight.
The Milwaukee County Zoo has an open flamingo exhibit next to the outdoor cafe. Neat to sit next to the birds while you're eating.
Let's be careful out there.
LOL! Yeah, if several thousand crows and gulls start massing over your head in dive-bombing formation, that's usually a sign to get indoors. . .
g'nite FRiend.
Have a good one!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.