Last night when I arrived home, I started some rice in the rice cooker and then cleaned the bathroom. Did some other tidying up, awaiting Brian’s arrival. He got home around 6:30 and we put on our workout clothes. Then we went RUNNING!

Actually, I did not run as much because I am out of shape and running is not what I normally do. So It was an interval workout. But I did get my heart rate way up. We traveled a 2.25 mile route. Brian really wanted to run. I told him he was like a racehorse pulling on his bit. He sprinted down to the end of the block and then back to me.

Speaking of horses, one of my coworkers saw me sketching a horse in a meeting a long time ago and yesterday emailed me asking me to draw a horse for him. I guess he is learning to draw horses and wants to see how I do it. I have been drawing horses since I was four years old, so it’s kind of in my muscle memory at this point. I am a bit flattered.

Anyway, when we got back from the run, we made dinner and watched the Tivo of “Mythbusters” from last night. The episode is about “ninja myths.” As some of you may know, Brian is a 3rd dan (3rd degree) black belt in the Bujinkan dojo here in SF, which is focused on budo taijutsu, the martial art most closely associated with actual feudal ninja combat. I used to train there too until I hurt my back. “Mythbusters” filmed part of this episode in our dojo.

If you can catch a repeat, you will get a chance to see our instructor Dale demonstrating a bunch of the stuff Brian can do. Though Brian would say that Dale does it much better, which makes sense as Dale holds a rank of 15th dan, and there is no 16th dan.

I wish they had spent more time with Dale talking about the difference between what he teaches and the bullshit “ninja” in pop culture these days, but it’s okay. It’s better not to expose too many of the secret self-defense techniques, right? I did like that he demonstrated the actual use for shuriken (“throwing stars”) is typically not to throw them, but to use them as hidden tiny weapons that can be brought out when you have your opponent all locked up on the ground.

For old time’s sake, here I am at the Tai Kai training event in Tokyo in 2004. Note my awesome white belt. I was promoted to green belt after we got back. The kid sitting next to me is one of our instructors’ sons.

L-R: Brian, Noah, Jane