Making of the Katana: Behind the scenes with a Master

A few days ago I had the amazing opportunity to meet, speak with, and watch the famous Japanese blacksmith Masahira Fujiyasu work during a special event at the Minka-en grounds in Fukushima City, thanks to the hard work and planning of Andy Coombs and the Fukushima City Tourism and Convention Association. This type of event hasn’t been held for over a decade and the majority of Japanese people never get this opportunity, let alone a foreigner.  Mr. Fuhiyasu’s master was a national treasure of Japan and I am told that Mr. Fujiyasu is the last classically trained blacksmith that has mastered techniques of making Kamakura and Muromachi period styled blades. What added to this even more was the opportunity to speak with him and his students during lunch and while he was taking a break in the afternoon.

Cursed Holymans of NYC

The HolyMan and its victim…

The Holymans’ casualties have claimed yet another unsuspecting victim as a snow storm turned to a lovely onslaught of sleet/ freezing rain in this frigid Iceland we call NYC.

Casualties left spilled drops ofliquid gold, many a sore behind, and even near cataclysmic events of the “slipping dropkick of con-flailing (confused flailing)”.  This consists of Victim A running to catch their cross signal and is sent sprawling for balance.  Their hands and feet flail as they desperately try to right themselves, missing another

College Apocalypse; 2012

It is 2012 and the end of the world as we knew it has commenced.  A Neuro–virus has been released onto the majority of the students here at UMass.  The fire sprinkler systems were broken into, the Neuro-virus added and then, at the peak of the day, they were all set off simultaneously, effectively drenching the unexpecting and quickly irritated students.  The virus seeped into the body through cuts, scrapes, eyes and even the pores if left on the skin long enough.  All thanks to a junior writing professor and his whimsical mind and sporadic distaste for monotony, a few others and myself ended up outside, sitting on the steps of the Campus Center when this all occurred.  This spared us from the almost instantaneous Zombification process that occurred once the N-virus reached your blood system.

Now what?

 

Harbingers of Spring

The sky opens up; pushing back the gloom of grey and infusing the world with vibrancies that set the eyes and hearts ablaze.  The fresh, crisp wind blows just enough to tickle your senses into a giddy smile.  With this bliss and light-heartedness come the unpleasantness of fluctuating weather patterns and the despised first waves of mosquito battalions out for first blood.  The want to sit in the nook of a tree and read something so full heartedly that your mind creates a movie through the mind, not even noticing the words on the page, but seeing the events firsthand.  All leading up to the torrential downpour during a thunderstorm, raising the hairs on your body from head to toe until you are carried into the rain enticed into dancing your worries away until you have been set free.

Animal’s View

Animal’s View

Cat: Hey Mike, did you ever notice how those stupid humans always mix us up with you dogs?

Dog: Oh, here we go again…

C: Don’t “Oh, here we go” me! They think that because you dogs always wag your tail when you’re happy-

D: YEAH we dooooooo!

C: As I was saying, because of that, every time they pick us up and our tails start moving, they think we’re happy!

D: How could you NOT be happy??

C: *side-long look* I’m a wild animal, a hunter, they assist me with a palace and treat me with delicacies from across the world.

D: Wild…Animal? You live in a house.

C: I leave them gifts for their services and they humbly accept and place it in their tall shrine.

D: Hey~~do you think they like the birds or the snakes more? Maybe they-

C: *Hushed*SILENCE!

D: *Whisper* What?…

C: *Hissed* Bird, 9 O’clock

D: Bird? Should I bark?!!!!!??!?!?!?!??!?!??!!?!?!?!?!??!?!??!?!?!?!?!

C: I said Shush! Go catch that rampid tail trying to hide behind you >.>

D:   (>^OwO^)> OH? TAIL?! Where? Where?! I’ll get it this time!

C:  …and… the preyyy…. Is within range…

D: GWOT IT!!!!!

C:Damn it, it flew away~… noisy mutt. *Sigh* next time little birdy, next time.

D: Oh yeah, why do you wag your tail?

C: I don’t “WAG” my tail.  When I’m agitated I lightly smack them or their general direction because my talons are too much for them to handle.  They aren’t hunters.

D:Uhhhhhhh huh… Doyouthinkthere’sanyfoodinside?!