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Image created using Bit Strips.[/caption]
I'm a little short on cash this week, but I'm mostly cool with it. I paid more of my credit card debt off than perhaps I should have last pay. In the end, it'll work out. I can eat and pay all my major bills with only hydro being late. It's slightly uncomfortable, but I really only have to get through tomorrow before it's pay day.
My ISBN account was activated on Friday, so I'll be working on getting a short story up this week. It is a horror piece from that slightly dark and twisty place inside of me. Of course Amazon and the other places like Kobo will take their cut, so I don't expect that to help my cashflow much.
It's a year where I'm having to budget pretty finely to ensure I can pay for the writing conferences and iaido seminars that lay ahead. I'm a little upset at myself as I somehow got sidetracked. I won't beat myself up about it though. We all do it and it could be a lot worse.
Somehow I have to figure out getting money together for a crown on a tooth I had a root canal on. I may not be able to get any tattoo work done this year. With my extra dry mouth it's extra important to take care of it. I really want to start that Harry Potter tattoo, but it may have to wait.
Winning the lottery would really help, but as that's unlikely to happen I'll just reduce my spending.
Growing some of my own food this summer should reduce some costs if they are successful. I have lettuce, kale, strawberries, peas, scallions, basil, dill, tomatoes, jalapenos, and cayenne peppers to plant. I'm really looking forward to the mild temperatures ahead this week.
Weekend Recap
I didn't make it through the full skating time on Friday, but I had a good time anyway. I'm hoping to learn some jam skating. Though it had been over a year since I last had my roller skates on, I didn't fall even when I did some clumsy transitions.
Saturday was extremely busy.
At sewing class in the morning, I made a pocket that hangs off my iaido belt for holding a small water bottle. The teacher was very helpful. I think I need to alter the pattern to make the opening line up with the one on my fancy pants (hakama).
Next, I drove to the other dojo in town, hurriedly choked down some food, and did 3 hours of iaido, which is double the longest time we normally practice. A slight change to my foot position in Ippon-me Mae, our most important and foundational kata, has made a huge difference. I'm sure my sensei has been telling me the same thing, but having someone else say it differently and force me into a position, seems to have made it sink in. This kata is the most important one of all because there are many similar ones. I've heard in Japan it's common to make you do this one and only this one until you get it right. It's a horizontal cut to the opponent's eyes or forehead followed by a cut down the centerline. We do at least 10 different flavours of it where the distance may be closer or maybe we missed one or both of the cuts and have to chase the opponent and/or block or we're facing a different direction.This discovery has me wondering if that's the secret to a whole other set of kata I struggle with.
Saturday iaido was followed by a café visit to talk about upcoming seminars. Next, a birthday party for a newer friend. She had banned presents, so I brought my illustrated Harry Potter & The Philosopher's Stone for her to peruse. I couldn't stay long as I had to drive out to Rockland for the season opener of roller derby. It was a double header where two Ottawa leagues were going head to head. There's been quite a lot of rivalry between the two over the years, so I knew I had to see it. The first derby bout was a slaughter by 300 points in favour of Rideau Valley. Rideau Valley also one the second, but the game was close much of the time and the win was only by 44 points. I much preferred the second game.
Sunday I waited a long time to get my monthly B12 shot before finally going to see Deadpool, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was vulgar & action-filled, had a love story & gratuitous sex, and it was hilarious from the opening credits throughout.
Off to read Harry Potter before catching some Zs.
Ciao,
R~
Image created using Bit Strips.[/caption]I'm a little short on cash this week, but I'm mostly cool with it. I paid more of my credit card debt off than perhaps I should have last pay. In the end, it'll work out. I can eat and pay all my major bills with only hydro being late. It's slightly uncomfortable, but I really only have to get through tomorrow before it's pay day.
My ISBN account was activated on Friday, so I'll be working on getting a short story up this week. It is a horror piece from that slightly dark and twisty place inside of me. Of course Amazon and the other places like Kobo will take their cut, so I don't expect that to help my cashflow much.
It's a year where I'm having to budget pretty finely to ensure I can pay for the writing conferences and iaido seminars that lay ahead. I'm a little upset at myself as I somehow got sidetracked. I won't beat myself up about it though. We all do it and it could be a lot worse.
Somehow I have to figure out getting money together for a crown on a tooth I had a root canal on. I may not be able to get any tattoo work done this year. With my extra dry mouth it's extra important to take care of it. I really want to start that Harry Potter tattoo, but it may have to wait.
Winning the lottery would really help, but as that's unlikely to happen I'll just reduce my spending.
Growing some of my own food this summer should reduce some costs if they are successful. I have lettuce, kale, strawberries, peas, scallions, basil, dill, tomatoes, jalapenos, and cayenne peppers to plant. I'm really looking forward to the mild temperatures ahead this week.
Weekend Recap
I didn't make it through the full skating time on Friday, but I had a good time anyway. I'm hoping to learn some jam skating. Though it had been over a year since I last had my roller skates on, I didn't fall even when I did some clumsy transitions.
Saturday was extremely busy.
At sewing class in the morning, I made a pocket that hangs off my iaido belt for holding a small water bottle. The teacher was very helpful. I think I need to alter the pattern to make the opening line up with the one on my fancy pants (hakama).
Next, I drove to the other dojo in town, hurriedly choked down some food, and did 3 hours of iaido, which is double the longest time we normally practice. A slight change to my foot position in Ippon-me Mae, our most important and foundational kata, has made a huge difference. I'm sure my sensei has been telling me the same thing, but having someone else say it differently and force me into a position, seems to have made it sink in. This kata is the most important one of all because there are many similar ones. I've heard in Japan it's common to make you do this one and only this one until you get it right. It's a horizontal cut to the opponent's eyes or forehead followed by a cut down the centerline. We do at least 10 different flavours of it where the distance may be closer or maybe we missed one or both of the cuts and have to chase the opponent and/or block or we're facing a different direction.This discovery has me wondering if that's the secret to a whole other set of kata I struggle with.
Saturday iaido was followed by a café visit to talk about upcoming seminars. Next, a birthday party for a newer friend. She had banned presents, so I brought my illustrated Harry Potter & The Philosopher's Stone for her to peruse. I couldn't stay long as I had to drive out to Rockland for the season opener of roller derby. It was a double header where two Ottawa leagues were going head to head. There's been quite a lot of rivalry between the two over the years, so I knew I had to see it. The first derby bout was a slaughter by 300 points in favour of Rideau Valley. Rideau Valley also one the second, but the game was close much of the time and the win was only by 44 points. I much preferred the second game.
Sunday I waited a long time to get my monthly B12 shot before finally going to see Deadpool, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was vulgar & action-filled, had a love story & gratuitous sex, and it was hilarious from the opening credits throughout.
Off to read Harry Potter before catching some Zs.
Ciao,
R~