A week's worth of ass kicking.

I flew into San Diego a week ago and haven't been able to sleep well since. I think it is going to take months before my sleep patterns go back to normal, which I guess is okay since I've never really had a problem sleeping before. Maybe I'll be hip like my friend Ryan and try on the insomniac hat for a while.

I came here to train with some of the worlds top Aikido instructors at the Aikido Bridge Friendship Seminar. It has been an incredible experience and has reminded me to always maintain a beginner's mind. I one of the lowest ranking people there--glaringly white in a sea of black belts. And, the styles of Akido that Doran, Ikeda, Muroshige, and Tissier Shihans taught were very different from the style I train at home. I kept an open mind, though, and my aikido will never be the same.

It was cold much of the time, and since I was training all day, I didn't get to do much exploring. But, I took a trip to the beach (in my down jacket), walked around Hillcrest, ate some awesome food, and found a cool suspension bridge in the middle of a bunch of houses. I cannot tell you how nice it has been to be able to take a break for this long without having to be back at a job. Even though the cash flow is only going in one direction (out of my pocket), my mind feels more at ease than it has in a long time. It is worth it.

I got back into Reno last night, and thus begins a furious one-week pack-the-apartment-and-see-all-the-friends marathon. The kitties got a new present while I was in San Diego (a large cat-carrier with mesh walls) and they have been fighting for the last few hours over who gets to control the new space. I have really, really missed them (have I mentioned the fact that I am going to be a ridiculous cat lady when I get older?). I don't think they missed me.

And, on another note, I am 95% sure that I will be selling the Prius. I don't need a car in Boston, I can pay off my loan and my credit card and have a bunch of extra cash to play with every month. It just makes sense. If you don't believe me, go read this.