Record Snow

The locals tell me that the snow last night broke the annual record for Missouri. It's a cold, biting snow: like dry sleet crystals on your neck, wet on the ground. Eric says, "This feels like a winter Storm.

It's the first day of Spring. It has been snowing all day. Yesterday, I got taken for a ride in a buckboard wagon through an historic area. The buildings, the dates, the stories were interesting. More interesting was the emotion. Historical figures that I had always been taught were villains are often heroes in their home towns, and sometimes the stories that preceded their villainy were very dark. Listening to the stories from a man who learned them on his parent's knee, as "this is what happened to your grandmother, this is how your grandpappy died..." The stories will never be the same for him as for those educated by the victors.

Yesterday, up until mid afternoon, it was a warm, sunny day. Today, snow and ice. Tomorrow, Insh'allah, a flight home without any delays...

The seminar seemed to go well. I joke about this sometimes: after the South Coast Writer's Conference a few years ago, Jayel showed me the reviews of my classes. They were really good. My first reaction is that no one says anything critical to the only armed instructor... It's a joke, but the insecurity behind it is real. That's something for me to get over.

So, amend that, the seminar went very well. Lots and lots of concepts. Several skipped lunch to keep talking. The eight hour class stretched a bit over. After class, when I asked each student for the one thing they would take home the answers ranged hugely, which is good. Sometimes too many people just recall the last thing done. Different people were touched by different things, from early and late in the day; from the mental and physical aspects; things that were new and things that resonated with or vindicated their own training.

Still, as always, there was plenty left. I did half of the power generation this time, and that feels really unfinished. No groundwork. The space was actually too nice for real environmental fighting. No specific classes on pain, jointlocks or takedowns. Little on targeting.

One player came from Iowa, maybe eight hours away. In a snowstorm. Crazy. (Safe trip home, Matt. You're a good man.) A small group came in from Tulsa. Eric Parsons arranged a great seminar.

It was good people. And Kansas City Barbecue is pretty damn outstanding. People around here really know what to do with a dead animal.

So, other than stupidly slipping on the ice and somehow rebreaking an old injury in my foot, it's been a great day. Time to go home, though.