UFC 68 and hoplology

What a messed up day. I got home late last night (this morning?) after watching UFC 68 at TJ Pagoda's (Randy Couture regains his belt - woo hoo!, Matt Hughes wins over Lytle, and Rich Franklin's back on the score board with a win over Canadian Jason MacDonald). Finally got to sleep around 2am and was woken up at 3am by the dog whining. Stupidly didn't take him out, and was woken up about 2 hours later with him whining again, and also with a distinct smell in the air. Argh. Apparently the combination of a new (huge) marrow bone and a raw egg at dinner did not sit well with the puppy and, well, there was a big mess in the living room. An hour later, I managed to get back to bed after cleaning up the mess and taking him out. My mistake, poor guy.

I was chatting with some of our MT gang last night and had a relevation after chatting about sparring: guys don't like sparring with girls who can actually fight back! One of the guys I partnered with on Friday evening was really nervous, anxious, and our round got a bit rough with him doing some damage in the clinch. Talking with Michael, he made me realize that guys, generally, are fine sparring with a girl until they become dominant at all, then they get all testosterone-ridden and need to prove their manliness. I guess as a female fighter, I don't really have any issues fighting anyone - girl, guy, doesn't matter as long as they'll fight fairly.

I learned a new word on Friday: Hoplology

Hoplology: the study of the evolution and development of human combative behavior. This study encompasses the segment of human culture concerned with weapons, armor, combative accouterments and fighting systems, in regard to their technical characteristics and the ways in which they interact with the economic, political, social and religious institutions of human societies.

"The history of arms and armour, their connection and their transitions, plays the most important part in the annals of the world." Burton, Sir Richard F. 1884 The Book of the Sword.London: Chatto and Windus, p. 1

There's even an International Hoplology Society. Why was I looking at this site, you may ask? Simply because I got into a discuss with Bob on Friday about Asian martial arts in general, their evolution, and how hard it is to track down some of the history of these arts as there has been nothing written down (all the techniques have been handed down through generations).

Weird day here anyway, with being woken up throughout the night to pick up dog mess that is. Spent most of it relaxing, watching a few movies, taking the dog for a long walk, 30 min on the bike. Back to the grind tomorrow with a meeting at 10am. Jay's in town this week and giving a lecture at Carleton. Yeah!! Banff reunion!!