(no subject)

[vicarz]

A weekend of humble pies.
Started on Friday doing dinner with an old friend, her hubby, and their 10 year old. To top off the night, the 10 year old Adam beat me senseless on wii boxing.
Then we hit a friend's party in annapolis, where I did not partake in the rampant looks-like-a-japanese-handjob game on wii.

Then yesterday we hit faire, where I was anxiously looking forward to getting a whallop emblem from the gauge-your-strength mallet whacking game. Last year I took like 3 turns before I got one measly "ding" and I was mad because my injured elbow was in full swing. This year, despite earlier reports that I would need surgery and that wouldn't heal it, I've been either healing more over time, gotten used to it, or the chiro I see really is a jebus powered guy and my elbow is not so bad. I'm back in the gym, working slowly on most weights and even my deadlift is back to near human levels (last set 325 x 5 twice). I figured the mallet was a shoe-in. It wasn't.

No, this was a lesson in big out of shape guys are far stronger than me. Many guys were wailing away at the bell, and anyone big, twice as big as me, regardless of apparent athleticism, was able to ring the bell. I got close a few times, really focesed, did swing through, concentrated on speed of the down swing...nothing got me to ring the bell all day. Not even beer. Makes me something I have not been in a long time - annoyed that I'm so genetically small. I'm small, and all the exercise and fitness in no way compensates for couch-riding big guys who just be existing are stronger than me after years of training. Fabuliscious.

I did, however, as those of you facebooky probably can see but I haven't linked, buy my first garb at faire this week. I again passed up the stunning doublet at noblisse (sp?) but not only can I not justify more money than a laptop on something I may or may not wear once a year - but then the shirt is another $200, pants I don't know, codpiece (maybe an acorn shell) and belty things, shoes are easily another $300...oh and those poofdas wear hats all the tie too...it's easily a minimum $1k and $1500 easy on stuff.

I should costume. Girls like costumes more than fit bodies, and again I can be as fit as I like but I will never be big or strong. Ugh.

But I'm not injured much right now. I may write about that in more detail later, but she's up and it's time for coffee.

Comments

[likethewatch.livejournal.com]

I totally understand. It doesn't matter how much I work out when I have to ask one of the other guys at work to take the nuts off the grinder head. For example.

Slutty Halloween should get to apply to you, too. Put on something sleazy over that fit body so you can get girls and boys to coo and touch your chest. It will make you forget all about those fat guys ringing the bell.

[vicar.livejournal.com]

You're right and I haven't slut-halloweened for a while (after so many experiences the artificial-sweetness of attention whores and attention whoring myself, I kind of lost the taste for it). I think a night of having boys, men, girls, and women take the nuts off my grinder head would be quite nice.

[drmathochist.wordpress.com (from livejournal.com)]

You do realize the bell-ringer game is fixed, right? One of the guy-wires holding the pole up is the same as the wire that the shuttle runs along. It's far easier for it to move when the wire is taut than when it's slack. When the people running the game want someone to win, one of them leans against the right support wire, tautening it and making it easier to hit the bell.

[vicar.livejournal.com]

At the county fair, yes, but not at faire. No wires, and the thing is actually on the ground rather than a "floor" which can influence the game by leaning on it. I'm not just talking about the game either - I work out in a big factory of a gym, and it's simply an outdoorsy compliment to my experiences in the meat market. I'm stronger than a lot of guys bigger than me, but not by much and the big guys who actually work out are literally 2 and 3 times stronger than me.

[eolh.livejournal.com]

It's not so much a matter of it being "fixed", but it really is much more a matter of leverage and angle than it is of strength. Assuming you've got the basic strength required to handle the mallet in the first place, holding it correctly and swinging it correctly will go a whole lot further toward ringing the bell than working out every day will.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_blackjack_/]

"Girls like costumes more than fit bodies"

I could have told you that.

[eac.livejournal.com]

Depends on place. Girls in goth clubs and Renaissance Festivals prefer costumes. I imagine that surfers (or whatever, I'm only passingly equated with jocks) prefer a fit body.

[anarcha.livejournal.com]

"I'm small, and all the exercise and fitness in no way compensates for couch-riding big guys who just be existing are stronger than me after years of training"

Welcome to my life as a chick :) I can train and train and train, and will still always have my ass handed to me at the gym and the track by guys in their teens, 20s, and 30s.

[vicar.livejournal.com]

Well everyone gets their shit handed to them by 20 and 30 year old athletes. We just outlast the undisciplined fuckers.

[alumiere.livejournal.com]

For your body I'd actually suggest tights (such as http://www.purpleunicorn.com/tights.html) and a reasonably well fitted shirt with a simple belt. Or a modern kilt. ie: show off your legs!

One of my favorite mens shirts from MD faire is the convertible gauze shirt - it has open sleeves that can be tied behind to make it sleeveless, at the elbow for short sleeves, and wrapped and tied at your wrists for when it's cold.

And while your old combat boots aren't period, they'll do unless you decide you want to invest in some boots from http://sonofsandlar.com/product-line-2/ - yes, they're a bit pricy, but the buckle boots will last for ages and they're comfortable to club in too.

[vicar.livejournal.com]

Tights for $40!? I have them from the mall for $10-20. I love me the tights but they're easily scored for half that.

The boots...I bought my genuine combat boots for $10 online, $5 more for shipping. I can't justify that much money for something I wear infrequently.

Plus, there is a cutoff point on costuming for me, which is why I cut my hair. I have the money to do it sure, but ANYONE can do it. ANYONE who likes me for the hair, the gear, the costume, or being a dj in the club just likes the outfit - since ANYONE can slab it on, it's never me the actually like.

Or that's what it feels like. However, being secretly wonderful inside, even physically fit, doesn't seem to do much either. Though I have this crazy hot girl that seems to like me for some reason. She must be bonkers.

But...thank you, those are good links - but I'm just not about to spend that much. Imagine how long I could pick up pieces of metal in an abandoned factory for that kind of money - and I'd not have a gut to hide with a floppy shirt to boot!

[alumiere.livejournal.com]

LOL - those tights aren't quite what you'd buy at the mall. They're made of higher quality fabric, and will stand up to several years of regular wear and the washing machine.

But you are rather insane sometimes (although I understand the girl - you're cute, intelligent and a good dancer).

Besides who said anything about a gut or a floppy shirt; do you remember Evil Karen (tiny, curly hair, enough energy for 6 people even when she was pregnant)? If so, ask her where the shirts Ben wears are from - depending on who's wearing it, I've seen them fitted through the body, and not hanging down to the knees. They're sold (or at least they were last year) at faire, but I can't remember which shop...