Swordplay
I just got back from a little trip to Cafe a la Mode, seeking some extra cash for X-Mas as a cook. Unfortunately, all they're looking for are busboys. @#$%
Anyway, I come back home and watch a movie about fencing on TCM. Specifically, Captain Blood. God, what a great swashbuckler movie. The clash of steel, the adrenaline pumping, the gentle mocking of your foe... Ah, me. My kingdom for a swashbuckler's life.
Then it hits me like a ton of bricks. No, something more painful. Pianos. Anyway. I realize what I missed most of all. Classical fencing. Years ago, I used to fence with some people at St. John's University. Specifically my like-minded fellow cadets in Army ROTC who is able to appreciate military history and the like. I didn't fence with those wimps on the fencing team. They were too spineless and had no flair for drama and theatrics.
No, my friends and I were brave enough to fence w/o gear (the swords weren't live. In fact they were quite dull and being smacked by one is akin to being hit by a metal ruler). Getting back, we had fun trying out different military swords and european styles. I was quite good with the Spanish rapier and the German sabre. Then when I left St. John's, I simply stopped.
Some time later, I looked into some fencing halls in Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn. Fucking nonsense. If it wasn't that bland, watered down Olympic shit with the faggy sensors, it was those annoying Ren-Faire nerds, the majority of whom do not their research on history. I'm sorry but I don't remember seeing Vikings during the Renaissance or the like.
Speaking of Ren-Fairs... Here's some food for thought. Check out this entry over at Wikipedia.
Not only are American fairs historically inaccurate but it's become terribly commercialized and overpriced. 5 bucks for a hot dog? Motherfucker, for such a price I expect that weiner to be made from a freshly slaughtered boar.
I attended 5 in my life and I cannot say I was impressed completely. While it was nice seeing all the ample cleavage (even then, women did not all dress like wenches. If anything, the fair should be a celebration of high culture during the time) and some decent costumes (the ones who dress up as Jesters always get top notch marks from me. The costumes are almost always done right and the sense of absurdist, NOT WACKY, humor is kept intact.), I can't help but feel a bit let down.
What's the point of my posting? Oh yeah... Swordplay and the physical longing for a fencing. Anyway, after a long and arduous search for a fencing hall that didn't teach Olympic or anachronistic costume fighting, I finally found the Destreza School in Manhattan which specializes in the classical European history! The lessons were VERY affordable and the swords were practically a steal!
However upon the announcing of my decision to attend this school was met with not-so-gentle mocking from daddy dearest. The asshole actually said, "Don't be stupid. Get that fucking idea out of your head. Why do you want to do that? I don't get you. You're hispanic, why didn't you ever get into soccer when you were a kid." Crushed, I pushed that out of my head for a long time.
Thanks dad for being so supportive of my dreams. Insert lamentation of youth here. Yes he provided food and shelter and money w/o my asking but there are some things he never really wanted me doing and made it quite clear. It's a pain which still lingers today and could be a reason for some of my flaws.
Anyway. So I'm on YIM talking to my friend Roger and I mention in passing the fencing movie I watched. He then begin talks about swordplay in movies and comics and somehow we get into a discussion of "lightsaber" combat from the Star Wars movies, books and comics. He finds me 2 great links on wikipedia and wookipedia about lightsaber fighting.
Terribly interesting stuff. After watching some videos and reading articles breaking down this fictional fighting style, I can see where George Lucas, Nick Gillard and various writers adapted the styles from certain real world styles. Then Roger drops this link on me.
NYJedi.com.
Un-freaking-believable. An actual school which teaches lightsaber combat? HAH! Brilliant. I'm absolutely torn. As a fan of the dueling arts I am intrigued by this concept and the wonderful workout it promises (plus it slakes my thirst for swashbuckling fun fighting) but as a regular sci-fi fan I am a little weary. Would I have to listen to other students who much more knowledgeable about Star Wars than I? My fanboyish-ness extends to the original 3 movies and the two roleplaying games for the XBox. No, I didn't know Luke Skywalker had kids, Chewbacca died, Boba Fett still lived et cetera, et cetera. Hell, I would do horribly in a Star Wars trivia contest in other words.
I wonder if they have a school in Albany? So far I've had no luck in finding any martial art schools that isn't focused on the Asian styles.
I just hope I won't have to dress up like a Jedi. Brown isn't my color. Nor is khaki. Or white for the matter. Note the Starbuck's coffee cup to his left. Every good Jedi needs his cappuccino.
But seriously, this NYJedi could be fun. Not only would I get back into shape but I would also be indulging my passion for dueling.
So what would I wear? Something more retro/vintage... Victorian, Edwardian...
Gentlemen adventurers of violence and leisure!
