The Hitchens Consortium Many Thoughts. One Brain. Zero Sense.

I’ve reached yonkyu, or 4th grade in aikido! In the months since I became a yellow belt, I’ve tried new things, tried to learn more about the things I knew already, and just become more comfortable with the art overall. I’ve even started to branch out a bit outside of class and do some supplemental reading when I can. In short, I think I’m really starting to like this whole aikido thing!

After about two months of training, I've earned my promotion to gokyu, or 5th grade. Sensei gave me my yellow belt last week and I'm really pleased. Granted, I still have a lot of work to do, and it's largely just recognition of my repeated attendance, but I can certainly see now where a lot of the long term appeal for the art comes from.

I've just spent two weeks in London working in the Bank of America Merrill Lynch office, and now I'm in the airport flying home. Tianna came up for the second week. She had never seen London before, and I think she really had a great time. With all the time I spent at the office, I may as well have been anywhere in the world, for all I knew. Business travel is sort of a blessing and a curse; you get to see the world as long as you're not working, but with my job the work comes first and everything else takes a back seat. This sort of thing, coupled with my coming nuptials, added to my turning 30 in less than two months, makes me consider a great many things about my life.

I've been studying aikido for a little over two weeks now. My friend Jeff had been doing it for a while and was really enjoying it, and I was looking for something structured to help me get in shape, but also to help me become more sure of myself. So far, aikido is challenging and fun. Last night I got my gi (uniform) and my first belt. The white belt is the symbol of the committed beginner, which is a pretty good description of me at the moment.

So hey, I figured I'd document the latest bit of drama with my car, since it's eaten up the last few days of my life. Plus I'm tired of transmitting the details to everyone individually, so I've chosen a broadcast medium. Interactivity can still be achieved through personal or electronic means.

The end of 2008 arrives tonight (a second later than you'd expect though, on account of the leap second). This year has been marked with many life-changing events. In fact, I'm quite sure I'll never forget it. I wish it was all for good reasons, but the bad will reinforce the good just the same. I look forward to an obviously challenging 2009 with determination and gusto.

It isn't often that I take a moment out of my day to really accent the deeds of one person so that they can be recognized, but, please, allow me the honor of doing so now. After all, it's the least I can do for the person who is single handedly responsible for making me drive all over town today (in holiday traffic, too!) in addition to basically ruining my day. Trust me, you've earned it.

Well, I just got back from a Carnival cruise to the northwestern Caribbean. For seven days and seven nights we called the Conquest our home as it carried us to Montego Bay, Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel, Mexico. Tianna and I were there with her family, including her grandparents, mother, brother, his significant other, and sister. And, while my phone decided to take an extended break over there, I felt like a week was just enough to break free of the routine for a bit.

Sister Jane has made a frighteningly awesome birthday card. Keep reading if you want to see :) Thanks Jane, I love your disco self. Here's to 29!

Since so many people have asked, I figured I'd put the story of how I went about proposing to Tianna on Monday. I'm proud to say that she was completely surprised, and we were both really happy.