Yankee Scene III Edit

Bill: I pissed.... I shit on the sheets. (He sits up with his sheets wrapped around him like a big diaper.) Forgive me, forgive me, I'm very sorry. I gotta go. The ship sails at dawn.

Rosa: Bill, wait. Calm down. Your ship, the marines' ship left a week ago. Don't you remember? You have stayed with us to help us fix the house. 

Bill looks at her wildly. Then he looks around. He sits on the edge of the bed with his head in this hands.

Bill: I'm sick.

Rosa: It was only a bad dream.

Bill: Where's your husband??

Rosa: He's asleep.

Bill: Did I wake you up? Is it very early? The sun hasn't come out yet.

Rosa: It must be around four. Alberto went to bed a few hours ago. He had been working since noon. He didn't hear your screams....

Bill: Did I scream? I'm sorry. I'm worse than a child. I give you a lot of trouble, don't I?? A child has the excuse of.... being a child.

Rosa: You're sick, calm down.

Bill: I'm a big, stupid baby.  It hurts me to realize that. The ship is gone? A week ago? I should have gone on the ship.

Rosa: you didn't want to go back to the ship, remember?

Bill: On the ship at least they have to tolerate me because the big, idiotic baby is a good Marine. Your husband sleeping??

Rosa: Yes.

Bill: I didn't go. I went A.W.O.L., right? Now I'm a traitor.

Rosa: Yes Bill

Bill: If I'm a traitor, I'm good. If I'm not a traitor, I'm bad. It's very confusing, isn't it? It's exactly the opposite of what I learned when I was a kid. But I should've returned to the ship because I keep on being bad.

Rosa: No, Bill. Now, you're a traitor

Bill: (Happy.) i didn't go to Vietnam, right?

Rosa: Your're a traitor

Bill: Repeat it. I like to hear it from you.

Rosa: You, Bill are a traitor

Bill: But I keep on being bad. Rosa I wanna confess to you how bad I am.

Rosa: It isn't necessary Bill. That's all over now. You had to survive.

Bill: (Defiant.) I didn't go to Vietnam. I'm a traitor. I spent the war years in Quebec.

Pause.

Rosa: Yes, Bill.

Bill: Yes, I was in Vietnam. But that's over Rosa, right??

Rosa: Yes, Bill

Bill: I wanna tell you what I did in Vietnam.

Rosa: You don't have to tell me, Bill.

Bill: Yes I'm gonna tell you so you can forgive me for what I did.

Rosa: I forgive you. You don't need to tell me what you did. You're a good man, now, Bill; what you did before doesn't matter.

Bill: (defiant.) i killed a defenseless woman and her baby.

Pause

Rosa: You're a good man Bill.

Bill: You're very warm, very soft. Is the baby hungry? He was crying.

Rosa: You're screams frightened him.

Bill: I'm sorry

Rosa: He's asleep already.

Bill: I'm gonna clean this now, right?( He shows her the dirty sheets)

Rosa: Yes, Bill

Bill: Would you clean this for me??

Pause

Bill: You're nauseated by my shit, aren't you?

Pause

Rosa: hold the baby, I'll bring some rags up

Bill: Aren't you afraid I'll drop him??

Pause

Rosa: No

Rosa: I'm going to get the rags (she walks into the kitchen.)

Yankee, by Sabrina Berman, Scene III

Bill: I pissed.... I shit on the sheets. (He sits up with his sheets wrapped around him like a big diaper.) Forgive me, forgive me, I'm very sorry. I gotta go. The ship sails at dawn.

Rosa: Bill, wait. Calm down. Your ship, the marines' ship left a week ago. Don't you remember? you have stayed with us to help us fix the house. Yesterday you painted the front wall, don't you remember? You put the furniture in place, you fixed the plumbing.

Bill looks at her wildly. Then he looks around. He sits on the edge of the bed with his head in this hands.

Bill: I'm sick.

Rosa: It was only a bad dream.

Bill: Where's your husband??

Rosa: He's asleep.

Bill: Did I wake you up? Is it very early? The sun hasn't come out yet.

Rosa: It must be around four. Alberto went to bed a few hours ago. He had been working since noon. He didn't hear your screams....

Bill: Did I scream? I'm sorry. I'm worse than a child. I give you a lot of trouble, don't I?? A child has the excuse of.... being a child.

Rosa: You're sick, calm down.

Bill: I'm a big, stupid baby. I realize that. It hurts me to realize that. I'm sick. No one has to put up with a sick person. It hurts me to realize that. If I were a total idiot.... But an intelligent part of me watches me making a fool of myself, to be a burden, to be a big idiotic baby. The ship is gone? A week ago? I should have gone on the ship.

Rosa: you didn't want to go back to the ship, remember?

Bill: On the ship at least they have to tolerate me because the big, idiotic baby is a good Marine. Besides, I didn't care what they thought of me. Your husband sleeping??

Rosa: Yes.

Bill: I didn't go. I went A.W.O.L., right? Now I'm a traitor.

Rosa: Yes Bill

Bill: If I'm a traitor, I'm good. If I'm not a traitor, I'm bad. It's very confusing, isn't it? It's exactly the opposite of what I learned when I was a kid. I no longer believe anything the taught me. My head's a weaving full of holes. But I should've returned to the ship because I keep on being bad.

Rosa: No, Bill. Now, you're a traitor

Bill: (Happy.) i didn't go to Vietnam, right?

Rosa: Your're a traitor

Bill: Repeat it. I like to hear it from you.

Rosa: You, Bill are a traitor

Bill: But I keep on being bad. Rosa I wanna confess to you how bad I am.

Rosa: It isn't necessary Bil. That's all over now. You couldn't avoid doing what you did in Vietnam. You had to survive.

Bill: (Defiant.) I didn't go to Vietnam. I'm a traitor. I spent the war years in Quebec.

Pause.

Rosa: Yes, Bill.

Bill: Yes, I was in Vietnam. But that's over Rosa, right??

Rosa: Yes, Bill

Bill: I wanna tell you what I did in Vietnam.

Rosa: You don't have to tell me, Bill.

Bill: Yes I'm gonna tell you so you can forgive me for what I did.

Rosa: I forgive you. You don't need to tell me what you did. It's enough to see how kind and sensitive you are, to know that now you're a good man. You're a good man, now, Bill; what you did before doesn't matter.

Bill: (defiant.) i killed a defenseless woman and her baby.

Pause

Rosa: You're a good man Bill.

Bill: You're very warm, very soft. Is the baby hungry? He was crying.

Rosa: You're screams frightened him.

Bill: I'm sorry

Rosa: He's asleep already.

Bill: I'm gonna clean this now, right?( He shows her the dirty sheets)

Rosa: Yes, Bill

Bill: Would you clean this for me??

Pause

Bill: You're nauseated by my shit, aren't you?

Pause

Rosa: hold the baby, I'll bring some rags up

Bill: Aren't you afraid I'll drop him??

Pause

Rosa: No

Rosa: I'm going to get the rags (she walks into the kitchen.)

Bra Purse: Mk IV

Bra Purse: Mk IV

So I've been *ahem* experimenting with making purses and handbags out of bra's for a little while.

While i'm overall pleased with my new design, my stitching needs some improvements, as it's both sloppy and ugly. I also need to tighten the design in a few places, although I am overall proud of how  I use the hook straps to close the bra, and the shoulder straps, as well the shoulder strap. 

Intro to Jazz Dance: Class #8

Intro to Jazz Dance: Class #8

Week #4, Thursday Session

Personal thoughts:

Today was really good! Got in about 11:45, swept, and warmed up. Warm ups were fun included some new stuff like rising to tip toes, stretching arms/then dropping to a pushup and repeating. We didn't do much to add moves, other than to practice pirouettes. It seems that your head turns at the same spot there as with other spotting techniques. Gonna practice that more. The choreography is coming along. As for spotting techniques, apparently we are supposed to use the force of our head turning to drive the second have of our turns. I can work with that. I also noticed that after having a very relaxing mediative morning whistling I was able to gain some extra "zen" by looking back at my morning's experiences. I think I should do that more in the future. We also were told to make some of our moves sharper, and to practice up. I just did 500 spotting turns each direction on the track. What a rush!! gonna keep this up!!!

Intro to Jazz Dance: Class #7

Intro to Jazz Dance: Class #7

Week #4 Tuesday Session

Finally entered a new phrase!!! Also, warmups seemed to get harder. 

This time around, Jenna seemed to focus spotting more, as well as continuing our training for pirouettes. She is also teaching us to do a basic ground roll. The new phrase is not so bad so far, but does seem to require a good sense of the music/timing. It is also a bit higher in tempo. We also seem to be doing some higher tempo movements overall, I should practice our basic grapevine combo in double time to be prepared. My major issue right now, seems to be to lose track of what my lead foot is when going faster. Oh, and we are practicing in/out turns more. Need to practice that in double time too. 

Intro to Jazz Class #6

Intro to Jazz Class #6

Had an amazing class. We finished our first dance phrase today, and I was amazed by how well I had learned it in the past 3 weeks. I wasn't perfect but i noticed a lot of my other classmates were still having struggles as well. I was also very happy to discover that despite being the 33 soon to be 34 year old guy, i was just as flexible (and on occasion more so) than some of my younger classmates!!

I'm also noticing that as I get better and better and meditative technique my perception is opening up, to the point where I can watch the whole room and everyone in it. This techinque, called "looking beyond the mountain" in martial arts is amazingly helpful when following the other students in the choreography, and for seing how to perform the dance properly. Gonna keep working at it!!

Additionally, we are working on .... what's it called. The standing on one leg with the heel fitting in under the knee thing. in preparation for pirrottes. (which I can do now, just need to get the spotting right). Oh yeah. And I need to spam spotting training this weekend. Gonna be fun!!!

Intro to Jazz class #5

Intro to Jazz class #5

I learned everything I need for Jazz Dance in Kendo class.

Get to class early.

Sweep the floor.

Start stretching/practicing before the instructor gets there

Once the instructor arrives, give them your full attention.

Every moment of practice give 100%

Do not be a slowpoke!! Give it some hustle!!!

Pay attention to your surroundings, your instructor's motion,s and the movements/positions of your classmates.

If your instructor tells you to do something, say "yes" and do it. After you do it, ask if it was high enough.

Pay attention to timing, and follow through all of your movements.

Spend time outside of class practicing/conditioning, so that you are ready for class.

Ask useful questions!!!

Respect all the other students and help them by being encouraging to their efforts, and doing your best in partner work.

Relax. Start the class with meditation so that you can act on instinct, free of fear or hesitation.

Smile!!!

WORK HARD!!!

HAVE FUN!!!

Intro to Jazz Dance: Class #4

Intro to Jazz Dance: Class #4

Things really started to come together on our current phase. It seems the more i dip into the kendo/zen mindset the more able I am able to keep up with the choreography. It's also apparent I need to practice the basic steps more, as in that mode I really can only do actions that are in muscle memory.

Intro To Jazz Dance: Class #3

Intro To Jazz Dance: Class #3

The main thing that came to me this class was the new technique Spotting. Spotting is basically turning your head last, and re-adjusting it to a set point first when dancing/turning. It seems really important. I'll have to practice it up a ton.

Month of a Million Strikes: Time to not wreck my knees

Month of a Million Strikes: Time to not wreck my knees

9/5/15

You know, I was really excited about this goal. And don't get me wrong, it's potentially doable, and potentially doable by me right now.

The problem, is that quite simply it's putting way too much strain on my knees. I'm not a small guy, at 255 lbs as fun as it is doing thousands of sword strikes per day, I've noted flexibility loss in my lower back/knees in the past week. 

As you might imagine, flexibility loss is bad. Very, very bad. 

So, before I wreck body parts permenantly that most people would assume have nothing to do with being good at swinging a sword,

Namely my knees, and my lower back.

I'm gonna call this challenge to a close. adding in the 2,000 strikes I did yesterday.

to the 88,000 I did the week before, I made it 90,000 strikes into my challenge.

If I factor in the 70,000 strikes I did the prior week, that's 160,000 strikes in two weeks. 

A good time. Impressive even if it wasn't the goal I was aiming for.

Now if you'll excuse me, It's time to let my body recover. 

And time to do some Yoga

Intro to Jazz Dance Training: Class #2

Intro to Jazz Dance Training: Class #2

September 4th 2015

New terms:

Pas Bouree

Lead foot crosses behind follow foot.

Follow foot moves to the side of Lead foot.

Lead foot moves forward and to the opposing side of the follow foot

Chasse

A side hop

New Routine:

Cross x2 Leading with the right foot

Pas Bouree

Kick ball chain, leading with left foot

Pivot on left foot x2

Kick ball chain

Chasse to the right

Chasse to the left

??? (damn my handwriting)

Pull backx4 leading with the left

Head segment

Shoulders up/down x2

Shoulder R up

Shoulder L up

Drop shoulders

Left foot pull back, arm forward

Pivot with left foot

Kick ball chain

Pas Bouree, turning with right foot

Long step forward x2

Additional training considerations:

Buy Jazz shoes!!

Get some Jazz/dance clothes!!!

Stand in back!!!

Work on toe exercise for point!!

Work on splits!!

Towel!!!

Practice basic steps both normal speed, and fast!!

Month of a Million Strikes: Day 3

Month of a Million Strikes: Day 3

September 3rd 2015

Strikes performed today: 48,000

Progress towards monthly goal: 88,000/1,000,000

#of sets: 7

Time spent training today: 3 Hours, 16 minutes

Time spent training towards monthly goal: 5 Hours, 54 minutes

Set #1

# of strikes performed: 10,000

Time: Approx 46 minutes

Implement: Shinai

Types of strikes: Two handed Men strikes, interspersed with one handed Men strikes. Standing

Attack rate: Approx  3.6/Second. 18 strikes/5 seconds, 36/10 seconds

Set #2

# of strikes performed: 10,000

Time: Approx 39 minutes

Implement: Shinai

Types of strikes: Two handed Men strikes, interspersed with one handed Men strikes. Standing

Attack rate: Approx  4.3/Second. 21 strikes/5 seconds, 42/10 seconds

Set #3

# of strikes performed: 10,000

Time: Approx 35 minutes

Implement: Shinai

Types of strikes: Two handed Men strikes, interspersed with one handed Men strikes. Standing

Attack rate: Approx  4.3/Second. 23 strikes/5 seconds, 47/10 seconds

Set #4

# of strikes performed: 5,000

Time: Approx 18 minutes

Implement: Shinai

Types of strikes: Two handed strikes from Wakigame stance, targeting the sides of the opponent's head. Standard grip.
Attack rate: Approx  4.6/Second. 23 strikes/5 seconds, 46/10 seconds

Set #5

# of strikes performed: 5,000

Time: Approx 17 minutes

Implement: Shinai

Types of strikes: Two handed strikes from Wakigame stance, targeting the sides of the opponent's head. Reverse grip.
Attack rate: Approx  4.9/Second. 24 strikes/5 seconds, 49/10 seconds

Set #6

# of strikes performed: 6,000

Time: Time not taken. Assumed to take 30 mins

Implement: SCA Rattan Greatsword

Types of strikes: Two handed strikes from Wakigame stance, targeting the sides of the opponent's head. Standard grip.

Attack rate: Data not accurate enough to calculate

Set #7

# of strikes performed: 2,000

Time: Approx 11 minutes

Implement: SCA Rattan Greatsword

Types of strikes: Two handed strikes from Wakigame stance, targeting the sides of the opponent's head. Reverse grip.

Attack rate: Approx  3.0/Second. 15 strikes/5 seconds, 30/10 seconds

notes:
Shinai are a bamboo training weapon
SCA Rattan Greatsword is essentially similar to the Shinai, except that Rattan has a cored, and thus is heavier.
Men strikes are a Kendo technique performed as an over the head attack

Wakigame stance is as shown

Other training performed:

Approx 6 miles of walking.
1 hour of Jazz dance practice
Jazz Dance Class #2


Notes:
Finally! A day to myself to hit the training hard!!! An all new record for # of strikes in a single day!!!! A new high score on Attack rate!!!! Better form for my men strike!!!! Practice with my heavier weapon!!!

Month of a Million Strikes: Day 2

Month of a Million Strikes: Day 2

September 2nd 2015

Strikes performed today: 10,000

Progress towards monthly goal: 40,000/1,000,000

#of sets: 1

Time spent training today: 46 minutes

Time spent training towards monthly goal: 2 Hours, 38 minutes

Set #1

# of strikes performed: 10,000

Time: Approx 46 minutes

Implement: Shinai

Types of strikes: Two handed Men strikes, interspersed with one handed Men strikes. Standing

Attack rate: Approx  3.6/Second. 18 strikes/5 seconds, 36/10 seconds

(note Men strikes are a Kendo technique performed as an over the head attack. Shinai are a bamboo training weapon)

Other training performed:
Lots of walking


Notes:
Busy. full day of school, some errands and then I had a friend's party to go to (celebrating their kid's 1st b-day.) all in all exhausting. The good news, is that I got some progress in, by making myself practice in the morning before class :)

Intro to Jazz Dance Training: Class #1

Intro to Jazz Dance Training: Class #1

September 1st 2015

Reasons for taking Jazz Dance this semester:

My reason for taking Jazz Dance this semester, is because at 33 years of age, I've had a rough life. I was on really nasty perscription meds for most of my 20's which meant that as much as I wanted to improve my physical capacity when I was younger, my efforts were hindered by my pills. 

Now that I'm in my 30's, still in school, and even better off those damn pills, I'm able to improve my physical conditioning. For the past two or three years I've focused on training my stamina, flexibility, coordination and total body fitness. As I have put my efforts into my training, my capacities have increased leaps and bounds, to the point where I put time into daily training equivalent to a part-time job.

I'm also fond of the quote "the best fighters are also dancers" As a long time martial arts aficionado my focus is on swordsmanship, I value dance instruction as an additional means of increasing my abilities as a martial artist. 

This semester I'm looking forward to learning the Jazz Dance style, increasing my physical capacities to even greater heights, and auditioning for dance performances on campus.

Notes on today's class:

New Terms:

Plie: french for "to bend". Today we learned first and second position. In first position our feet are touching, but pointed out from each other. We then bend so that our knee is over our middle toe. second position is the same, but with the legs spread apart with about a foot's length between them.

Tondue: French for "stretch" Today we learned three basic Tondue's. with the foot streached to the front, to the side, and then to the back. Starting from first position, we move the foot outward, not lifting it off of the ground, until forced to by our motion, until it is balenced on our toe. This is very similar to the martial arts footwork that I was taught for Kendo.

New Moves:

Crossing: The lead foot crosses over the other in front. The following foot then moves out across from the lead foot, as if in Tondue.

Kick-Ball-Change: The lead foot does a low kick directly ahead. for the "kick". It then goes directly backwards unto the balls of feet for the "ball".The weight is then shifted on the ball of the lead foot so that the following foot goes off the ground and then touches back to complete the "change"

Grapevine: Step to the side, with the lead foot in the direction of travel. The following foot crosses behind the lead foot. The Lead foot steps to the side again, in the direction of travel. The following foot then crosses the lead foot from in front. Each step corresponds with an armo motion. On the first step the arm above the lead foot makes an "L". On the second step the arm above the follow foot also makes an "L". On the third step the arm above the lead foot is set back on the hip, making an "P" with the body. On the fourth step the arm above the follow foot is set back on the hip, making a "P" with the body. On the second and fourth steps, the lead and follow arms should mirror each other on the dancer's body.

Prancing: Lift the lead foot off the ground in place, so that only the toe is touching the floor. The follow foot should have heel to ground. Stepping forward do the same with the follow foot this time with the heel of the lead to the ground.. Each step forward is one count.

Pony Step: As Prancing, but the first step is to forward and to the side. The second step is the follow foot prancing adjacent to the lead foot while the lead foot has heel on ground.. The lead foot then makes an additional prance step before the next motion. as the dancer finishes the first step, their arm corresponding to that foot should be raised in the air. Pony steps alternate between the left and right foot leading when done successively. Which arm is  raised switches to the other end after a Pony step to the alternating side.

Routine#1

8 counts Crossing 

8 grapevines

8 walking

Routine #2

8 Prancing

8 pony steps

Month of a Million Strikes: Day 1

Month of a Million Strikes: Day 1

September 1st 2015

Strikes performed today: 30,000

Progress towards monthly goal: 30,000/1,000,000

#of sets: 3

Time spent training today: 1 Hour, 52 minutes

Time spent training towards monthly goal: 1 Hour, 52 minutes

Set #1

# of strikes performed: 10,000

Time: Approx 38 minutes

Implement: Shinai

Types of strikes: Two handed Men strikes, interspersed with one handed Men strikes. Standing

Attack rate: Approx 4.4/Second. 22 strikes/5 seconds, 44/10 seconds

Set #2

# of strikes performed: 10,000
Time: Approx 38 minutes
Implement: Shinai
Types of strikes: Two handed Men strikes, interspersed with one handed Men strikes. Standing
Attack rate: Approx 4.4/Second. 22 strikes/5 seconds, 44/10 seconds

Set #3
# of strikes performed: 10,000
Time: Approx 36 minutes
Implement: Shinai
Types of strike: : Two handed Men strikes, interspersed with one handed Men strikes. Standing
Attack rate: Approx 4.6/Second. 23 Strikes/5 Seconds 46/10 seconds

(note Men strikes are a Kendo technique performed as an over the head attack. Shinai are a bamboo training weapon)

Other training performed:
8 miles of walking

Intro to Jazz dance class Class session #1

Notes:
My left hand is pretty torn up skin wise. My lower back is a bit sore, while the rest of me is up to doing another 10k strikes, I need to not wreck my back, as I have a whole month of training, plus dance classes plus walking to school to keep in mind. Overall for this training to hit it's target I need to average 33,333 strikes/day. I'm not worried too much about being behind on the first day, as I have more time on weekends to pick up the slack, and as I over time get better at the strikes they should take less time to perform, with less of a strain on my body. My evidence for this is last week my 30K strike day took 2hr 50 min to perform. Today's took 1 hour, 52 minutes. Quite an increase in speed already!!