Gasshuku final report, FSTs and meme
Feb. 26th, 2005 10:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tarigwaemirLowell House, on the Feast of St. Porphyrius
I spent most of the afternoon dozing off at Lamont, although I did manage to make that master study sheet of hanja that I've been promising myself I'd write up someday, and in the last hour I started reading the paper for tutorial. Tutorial has convinced me, much to my surprise, that I actually like cell biology. I used to think that cell biology was mostly about cell cycle and cancer research, both topics which bore me to tears, but in tutorial, we've been reading about the unfolded protein response, which focuses much more on the cellular processes and pathways that interest me, i.e. the bridges between the levels of phenotype and how they build on the genomic foundation. We are also simultaneously learning about the localization of proteins via signal peptides in class, which is a related topic, so it's nice how all the biology-related educational initiatives in my life are "jiving". Which reminds me, I much prefer Alberts (the cell biology textbook that my tutor first assigned me as background for the series of papers we're covering this year) to Lodish, our very boring textbook for Bio. Sci. 54.
Anyway, to my real purpose for this entry: post-Gasshuku thoughts! Because this Gasshuku deserves remembering, and I ought to write down what I want to remember about it before I forget. Cut for your benefit.
The Keio students left on Wednesday morning--Daera and I woke up at 5:30 in the morning and sent them off to the airport in taxis--and I spent the rest of the day in numb, sleep-deprived daze. What surprised me though was how sad I felt at their departure, although I didn't know that I was feeling sad until Daera later commented at dinner that she had felt depressed most of that morning. What I did notice though was that I kept looking back out of the corner of my eye for Yumi and Kyoko as I walked through the Yard (we had spent the last six days leading them everywhere, after all), and it felt strange not to hear the murmur of Japanese conversations in the background. Last year, I had trouble adjusting back to normal life post-Gasshuku as well, but I mostly felt relief that I'd survived practices and no longer needed to worry whether the Japan Society member in my dorm was properly taking care of the three Keio freshmen he had offered to host. This time around, the transition has been much more jarring--I'm still not fully adjusted yet--and it felt strange not to be constantly in motion anymore.
Still, what I've been most surprised to note was that I missed the Keio students this time around. Perhaps because this year I actually hosted a Keio student in my room, or perhaps because by the end, I could tell the Keio freshmen boys apart (even if I didn't know all their names), but whatever the cause, it was strange to discover how close we'd all become in such short a period of time. I know it wasn't just me; the farewell party was full of drunken promises from the freshmen (both Keio and Harvard) to meet again this summer in Japan. There is a very good Korean expression to describe this, the affection that develops between people through time spent together: 정(情) 들다. Wednesday night, my mother called and asked how did I feel, now that it was all over, and I told her it was curious how much 정 could develop in just six days between two groups of people who didn't even speak the same language. Mother, in a rare moment of approval, told me that she now thinks that it's a good thing that I joined the kendobu here, that learning how to live with people is more important than academic success. (Some context: my mother believes that I'm in many ways a self-absorbed person--not a false estimation by any means--and although brought up to be politely self-effacing and considerate, I am not naturally affectionate. In other words, I lack 정.) I was rather surprised, and pleased, to hear that from her. I think it rather sums up what I took away from this Gasshuku, learning how to be happy in a group full of people I don't know very well--that applies not only to the Keio students but even our own freshmen. Until the Gasshuku, I didn't know them very well outside of practice, but now I really do feel like I have hubae, not just as underclassmen, but more like substitute younger siblings.
It sounds so terribly clichéd, but the HRKC really does feel like a family. (The freshmen joked around the other day that Izzy was like their brood mother. ^_^) Being an only child, I really have no idea what it's like to have brothers and sisters, but I think the kendo club approximates the closest I'll ever get to having siblings. Heck, even the alumni are like older brothers--exasperating and often condescending and often really weird (not to mention how much they get a kick out of acting scary) but still supportive when you need them to be. Although I'd have to say that Sokolove is more like thecrazy eccentric uncle than anything else. And to extend the analogy further, Daera and I would definitely be the identical twins in the family. >_>
Which reminds me, Daera and I decided that next year, if we do end up being co-captains (if one of us is a captain, the other definitely has to co-captain), we are going to actively work on becoming indistinguishable and inseparable. We're even considering switching zekken (i.e. the name tags) randomly and imitating each other's kendo styles (not that I really have a kendo style). We'll be the kendo equivalent of Yagyuu and Niou! (Not that I actually know the Rikkaidai team in Tenipuri, but it's impossible not to pick up on things what with the Rikkaidai love in fanfics lately.) We told Kofi this over AIM, and he said that if we did start switching zekken, Chit, Jeff and Ken really wouldn't be able to tell us apart in practice anymore. ::evil grin:: 'Twould serve them right--I mean, I suppose Ken doesn't really count since he only comes a couple of times a year, but Chit still slips up and calls us by the wrong names. ::rolls eyes:: Kofi added that if we manage to confuse him, he'd give us cookies. Hm...
Anyway, more on the Gasshuku itself. I haven't talked much about kendo practices, so before I forget, I would like to say: I am a sick, sick person, but I adore nine-point uchikomi-geiko. By the last practice, my stamina had reached its peak, and there was this lovely, lovely moment while we were doing uchikomi-geiko in groups of four, when I really felt like I was flying across the floor and my shinai seemed so light that striking felt effortless. It was beautiful. I got tired soon after, and the nasty blister in the ball of my left foot that had been developing for the past few days finally swelled up to the point where I slowed down considerably when it was my next turn. I have to say though that the blister is a good sign, since it means that I'm putting the weight back on my left foot again--there was this period where I kept leaning on my right leg, which caused me to hobble in my suriashi--although I'm still having trouble with the stomp and its timing.
But you know, blisters, fatigue and all, I still really, really enjoyed the Gasshuku practices. It was bizarre, sometimes, how happy I felt--Daera, Izzy, MG and I all joined in a group hug after the second practice because we were on such a high. But it's deliriously exciting, being physically fit. I could run up all four flights of stairs to my lab the last two days and not get out of breath. I've realized how much of my life I've spent without energy. It's already slipping away though, and I wonder if I'll be motivated enough to start exercising during the week to try to preserve some sense of fitness. ::sighs:: We'll see if I can win out over my all-consuming laziness.
Some points from the Keio students:
1. Keep eye contact. I have this habit of looking at the point that I want to strike, which gives away my attack. So far, I've not actually had good enough form that it made much of a difference in my kendo, but that shouldn't be an excuse for forgetting to maintain eye contact.
2. Extend. I think I was told this five thousand times. ::sheepish grin:: When I remember, my strike becomes drastically better. When I forget, I don't land the hit properly at all. One of the freshmen tried to explain something about how the knee and the extended arm should lead me through the strike--I wasn't sure if I understood him entirely, but it's a good visual tip to keep in mind.
3. Forty-five degree angle and tenouchi during sayumen in kirikaeshi.
4. Observe the whole opponent to anticipate the strike. Particularly the right leg, as was noted during kote-nuki-men drills.
More various anecdotes:
In other news, I have an all-Korean FST up here. Go download, if you haven't. I forgot to friends-lock the post, so you can go grab the tracks without joining the community at the moment, although note that I will friends-lock it soon. ("Soon" being tomorrow, probably.) I really recommend joining![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
fst if you haven't, by the way; don't put it on your friends list if you don't want it cluttering up your friends page, but there are going to be some cool FSTs coming this next month that I'm sure you won't want to miss.
Which reminds me, I signed up to make a FST for Cambridge. Yes, for a city, although I think it will turn out to be the Harvard Square FST with a side dish of Central Square more than anything else. So, come, fellow temporary Cantabrigians, what songs do you associate with our uni and with this locale? I think I'm going to include an erhu track, just for that Chinese guy outside the bank who pretends to be blind and can't play for his life.
Meme recently invented by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
peripheralsight: Post a list of music you want but don't have and see if your flist wants to put any of it up for you. Then they can post their own list and you can upload for them if you have any of it.
Basically anything that I don't already have of the following artists:
Mylene Farmer
Kent
Telefon tel Aviv
Orbital
Slowdive
Stefanie Sun Yan Zi
Ok Juhyeon (옥주현)
Nell
Yurisangja (유리상자)
Oh, and anything from Lucia di Lamermoor, if you have it. Send to my gmail account by Yousendit, if you don't have the inbox capacity.
Yours &c.
Post-script: I need a kendo-related icon.
I spent most of the afternoon dozing off at Lamont, although I did manage to make that master study sheet of hanja that I've been promising myself I'd write up someday, and in the last hour I started reading the paper for tutorial. Tutorial has convinced me, much to my surprise, that I actually like cell biology. I used to think that cell biology was mostly about cell cycle and cancer research, both topics which bore me to tears, but in tutorial, we've been reading about the unfolded protein response, which focuses much more on the cellular processes and pathways that interest me, i.e. the bridges between the levels of phenotype and how they build on the genomic foundation. We are also simultaneously learning about the localization of proteins via signal peptides in class, which is a related topic, so it's nice how all the biology-related educational initiatives in my life are "jiving". Which reminds me, I much prefer Alberts (the cell biology textbook that my tutor first assigned me as background for the series of papers we're covering this year) to Lodish, our very boring textbook for Bio. Sci. 54.
Anyway, to my real purpose for this entry: post-Gasshuku thoughts! Because this Gasshuku deserves remembering, and I ought to write down what I want to remember about it before I forget. Cut for your benefit.
The Keio students left on Wednesday morning--Daera and I woke up at 5:30 in the morning and sent them off to the airport in taxis--and I spent the rest of the day in numb, sleep-deprived daze. What surprised me though was how sad I felt at their departure, although I didn't know that I was feeling sad until Daera later commented at dinner that she had felt depressed most of that morning. What I did notice though was that I kept looking back out of the corner of my eye for Yumi and Kyoko as I walked through the Yard (we had spent the last six days leading them everywhere, after all), and it felt strange not to hear the murmur of Japanese conversations in the background. Last year, I had trouble adjusting back to normal life post-Gasshuku as well, but I mostly felt relief that I'd survived practices and no longer needed to worry whether the Japan Society member in my dorm was properly taking care of the three Keio freshmen he had offered to host. This time around, the transition has been much more jarring--I'm still not fully adjusted yet--and it felt strange not to be constantly in motion anymore.
Still, what I've been most surprised to note was that I missed the Keio students this time around. Perhaps because this year I actually hosted a Keio student in my room, or perhaps because by the end, I could tell the Keio freshmen boys apart (even if I didn't know all their names), but whatever the cause, it was strange to discover how close we'd all become in such short a period of time. I know it wasn't just me; the farewell party was full of drunken promises from the freshmen (both Keio and Harvard) to meet again this summer in Japan. There is a very good Korean expression to describe this, the affection that develops between people through time spent together: 정(情) 들다. Wednesday night, my mother called and asked how did I feel, now that it was all over, and I told her it was curious how much 정 could develop in just six days between two groups of people who didn't even speak the same language. Mother, in a rare moment of approval, told me that she now thinks that it's a good thing that I joined the kendobu here, that learning how to live with people is more important than academic success. (Some context: my mother believes that I'm in many ways a self-absorbed person--not a false estimation by any means--and although brought up to be politely self-effacing and considerate, I am not naturally affectionate. In other words, I lack 정.) I was rather surprised, and pleased, to hear that from her. I think it rather sums up what I took away from this Gasshuku, learning how to be happy in a group full of people I don't know very well--that applies not only to the Keio students but even our own freshmen. Until the Gasshuku, I didn't know them very well outside of practice, but now I really do feel like I have hubae, not just as underclassmen, but more like substitute younger siblings.
It sounds so terribly clichéd, but the HRKC really does feel like a family. (The freshmen joked around the other day that Izzy was like their brood mother. ^_^) Being an only child, I really have no idea what it's like to have brothers and sisters, but I think the kendo club approximates the closest I'll ever get to having siblings. Heck, even the alumni are like older brothers--exasperating and often condescending and often really weird (not to mention how much they get a kick out of acting scary) but still supportive when you need them to be. Although I'd have to say that Sokolove is more like the
Which reminds me, Daera and I decided that next year, if we do end up being co-captains (if one of us is a captain, the other definitely has to co-captain), we are going to actively work on becoming indistinguishable and inseparable. We're even considering switching zekken (i.e. the name tags) randomly and imitating each other's kendo styles (not that I really have a kendo style). We'll be the kendo equivalent of Yagyuu and Niou! (Not that I actually know the Rikkaidai team in Tenipuri, but it's impossible not to pick up on things what with the Rikkaidai love in fanfics lately.) We told Kofi this over AIM, and he said that if we did start switching zekken, Chit, Jeff and Ken really wouldn't be able to tell us apart in practice anymore. ::evil grin:: 'Twould serve them right--I mean, I suppose Ken doesn't really count since he only comes a couple of times a year, but Chit still slips up and calls us by the wrong names. ::rolls eyes:: Kofi added that if we manage to confuse him, he'd give us cookies. Hm...
Anyway, more on the Gasshuku itself. I haven't talked much about kendo practices, so before I forget, I would like to say: I am a sick, sick person, but I adore nine-point uchikomi-geiko. By the last practice, my stamina had reached its peak, and there was this lovely, lovely moment while we were doing uchikomi-geiko in groups of four, when I really felt like I was flying across the floor and my shinai seemed so light that striking felt effortless. It was beautiful. I got tired soon after, and the nasty blister in the ball of my left foot that had been developing for the past few days finally swelled up to the point where I slowed down considerably when it was my next turn. I have to say though that the blister is a good sign, since it means that I'm putting the weight back on my left foot again--there was this period where I kept leaning on my right leg, which caused me to hobble in my suriashi--although I'm still having trouble with the stomp and its timing.
But you know, blisters, fatigue and all, I still really, really enjoyed the Gasshuku practices. It was bizarre, sometimes, how happy I felt--Daera, Izzy, MG and I all joined in a group hug after the second practice because we were on such a high. But it's deliriously exciting, being physically fit. I could run up all four flights of stairs to my lab the last two days and not get out of breath. I've realized how much of my life I've spent without energy. It's already slipping away though, and I wonder if I'll be motivated enough to start exercising during the week to try to preserve some sense of fitness. ::sighs:: We'll see if I can win out over my all-consuming laziness.
Some points from the Keio students:
1. Keep eye contact. I have this habit of looking at the point that I want to strike, which gives away my attack. So far, I've not actually had good enough form that it made much of a difference in my kendo, but that shouldn't be an excuse for forgetting to maintain eye contact.
2. Extend. I think I was told this five thousand times. ::sheepish grin:: When I remember, my strike becomes drastically better. When I forget, I don't land the hit properly at all. One of the freshmen tried to explain something about how the knee and the extended arm should lead me through the strike--I wasn't sure if I understood him entirely, but it's a good visual tip to keep in mind.
3. Forty-five degree angle and tenouchi during sayumen in kirikaeshi.
4. Observe the whole opponent to anticipate the strike. Particularly the right leg, as was noted during kote-nuki-men drills.
More various anecdotes:
- During one jigeiko, Kyoko-san repeatedly made me block her men then hit men just as soon as she turned around. Our senpai usually tell us not to worry too much about blocking, but it might be useful for the Shoryuhai.
- I played shiai against Yuri, one of the freshmen girls, who is a bit on the quiet side, but very, very polite. I lost of course, and although I didn't score any points (for many, many reasons, alas) I didn't get pushed around like I did last year, and the match didn't end quickly like it did then either. I'm starting to feel more confident of myself in jigeiko, as well. I can anticipate strikes better, and I don't waste as much energy getting pushed around. Not that it actually improves the kendo part, but still, there's a world of difference, I think, when you're no longer feeling confused and helpless. I'm still experimenting a lot though; sometimes it seems that I haven't played jigeiko the same way twice.
- One of the Keio freshmen boys has a particularly freaky kiai--he played against MG in shiai--and when I went up against him for kote-men, he gave a really loud and scary kiai, so I practically screamed without stopping for the next five kote-men so as not to get intimidated. Afterward, when I asked him for advice, he grinned and told me, "Ah. Good kiai." Was pleased by that.
- I went up against Sokolove in ai-men. And survived. Although he is an immoveable rock, I managed to keep center, and when I managed to strike fast enough (and when Sokolove remembered to slow down for me) I actually landed it. ::is absurdly smug::
- Our freshmen are unrecognizable. It's so cool.
In other news, I have an all-Korean FST up here. Go download, if you haven't. I forgot to friends-lock the post, so you can go grab the tracks without joining the community at the moment, although note that I will friends-lock it soon. ("Soon" being tomorrow, probably.) I really recommend joining
fst if you haven't, by the way; don't put it on your friends list if you don't want it cluttering up your friends page, but there are going to be some cool FSTs coming this next month that I'm sure you won't want to miss.Which reminds me, I signed up to make a FST for Cambridge. Yes, for a city, although I think it will turn out to be the Harvard Square FST with a side dish of Central Square more than anything else. So, come, fellow temporary Cantabrigians, what songs do you associate with our uni and with this locale? I think I'm going to include an erhu track, just for that Chinese guy outside the bank who pretends to be blind and can't play for his life.
Meme recently invented by
peripheralsight: Post a list of music you want but don't have and see if your flist wants to put any of it up for you. Then they can post their own list and you can upload for them if you have any of it.Basically anything that I don't already have of the following artists:
Mylene Farmer
Kent
Telefon tel Aviv
Orbital
Slowdive
Stefanie Sun Yan Zi
Ok Juhyeon (옥주현)
Nell
Yurisangja (유리상자)
Oh, and anything from Lucia di Lamermoor, if you have it. Send to my gmail account by Yousendit, if you don't have the inbox capacity.
Yours &c.
Post-script: I need a kendo-related icon.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-27 04:27 am (UTC)Hate to say it, but I seem to be having some trouble downloading Warm Strangers. Would you mind terriby rezipping it? Sorry.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-27 04:50 am (UTC)I have Love Diploma, Fengzheng, Someone, Shen Qi and her cover of That I Would be Good.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-27 05:26 am (UTC)Stephanie Sun Yan Zi - Silent All These Years (http://s19.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0VVE2RFZKU631SOR77UNTHW6M)
Stefanie Sun Yan Zi & Kuraki Mai - My Story, Your Song (http://s19.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1MN5H91EOVA4O3BUOG0XBEEALB)
(http://s19.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2J14S2AW5U2QE35JCR0PSHTJWP)
(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-27 06:51 am (UTC)I tried splitting the .zips up into smaller batches. Hopefully this'll download more easily? ^_^
Warm Strangers, 1
Warm Strangers, 2
Warm Strangers, 3
Warm Strangers, 4
Whew, I hope those work. Let me know if they don't.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-27 11:42 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-27 05:10 am (UTC)LOOOOOOOOOL!
You should also definitely put on "Fight Fiercly Harvard" by Tom Lehrer (it's on somebody's iTunes in the building). I'll have to think about that one though...
Lodish...*snore* good thing I read it right before bed, hehe.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-27 12:13 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-27 02:55 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-03-01 09:54 pm (UTC)Mylene Farmer - California (http://www.starry-sky.net/temp/california.mp3)
Mylene Farmer - Libertine (Live a Bercy) (http://www.starry-sky.net/temp/libertine-live.mp3)
Mylene Farmer - Tristana (http://www.starry-sky.net/temp/tristana.mp3)
Sorry, no more space left ^^;; But these are my absolute favourite songs of her anyway (especially Libertine. The original version is rather boring but the live ROCKS. Nevermind that I probably wouldn't be allowed to play it loud in the car if my mother understood enough French to know what the lyrics are about XD). Just let me know when you got them ^_~
(no subject)
Date: 2005-03-02 03:02 am (UTC)One of these days, I'm going to find a good CD store that carries her CDs and buy away. XD
(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-27 04:40 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-27 05:54 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-27 06:00 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-27 07:04 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-27 07:06 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-27 07:07 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-27 07:42 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-28 01:24 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-28 01:41 am (UTC)Actually, if you have any mp3s you'd be willing to send, I'd appreciate it. ^_^
(no subject)
Date: 2005-02-28 05:53 am (UTC)