I'm so glad you made the leap! Very excited to hear more about your fencing journey as it evolves!

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Trash Heroes D&D livestream time! www.twitch.tv/weregeekcomics

Join me and webcomic pals @choochoobear.bsky.social, @alinapete.bsky.social, @twospirittrickster.bsky.social, and our Dungeon Biologist DM @xenoplasm.bsky.social for some 5e shenanigans live NOW!

Oh heck yes! You do epee?

You can take away my soapbox but you'll have to sword-fight me for it first!

Hell yeah, that's awesome! So happy for you!

Also, the web dev I work with for The Story Engine Deck is an archery coach and I really want to learn more about it!

Seeya at the summer games (if my body reconstitutes in time)!

To tournament sword pals old/new, thanks for fighting with grace, for exposing the many holes in my defense, for not laughing when I dropped my sword (twice), for fighting with honor (especially Xavier), and for making me feel welcome amongst you.

To Miles Kinnee and the MSS crew: y'all put on a banger of a tournament. The care and planning you've taken to build community through your events is more and more evident every time you host.

To Jasmine (now also sword family!), thanks for roasting me via homemade medieval manuscript illustration memes to keep me out of my head.

You've also enabled a debilitating sword addiction.

This is all your fault.

To my sword family at Niles' Fencing Academy, thanks for bringing so much growth and joy into my life!

To my sword dad Xian Niles, thanks for teaching me how to show up physically, psychologically, and emotionally prepared, and how to fight with skill, honour, conviction, and humour. You've changed me into someone my 16-year-old self would look up to.

DOUBLE BRONZE, baby!

Longsword and saber/broadsword!

I really feel like I've finally found my "mind like water" tournament headspace.

It could also just be that I physically disintegrated in the bathtub when I got home after 18 fights over 2 days.

I started fencing 2 years ago.

I went to my first competition half a year ago. (I managed to sleep and eat almost normally!)

Spring Steel was 2 weeks ago.

And this past weekend, at Maritime Sword School's Spring Tournament, I made the podium for the first time in my life!

And who, if you take a moment to step back and appreciate it, is the universe trying to teach you a lesson about what you can do better next time.

Who knew what cosmic wisdom comes from getting hit in the face by a sword?

I'm finally learning how to fight with enough conviction to push my limits, but not so much that I can't enjoy the journey, accept defeats, and recognize the beauty in losing to somebody who just did something incredibly badass.

I knew how to manage my sleep and diet better.

I knew how to fail publicly at something I poured my heart into still remember how to love myself afterward.

I also found I had some new tools to manage them.

I finally knew how to be myself with mentors and friends, including asking for and accepting help.

I knew how to recognize, regulate, and just straight-up feel my emotions better.

When I was 16, I qualified for Ontario chess provincials and got so nervous I couldn't eat or sleep.

I felt so much burnout that I avoided going to any kind of competition for the next 20 years.

When I decided to compete at fencing, all the old anxieties came back.

Smiling man holding a brassed-guard saber

I just got my first saber and I love it so much

It's like if broadsword went on a cocaine crime spree

WHENEVER THEY CATCH YOU, THEY WILL KILL YOU BUT FIRST THEY MUST CATCH YOU, BE CUNNING AND FULL OF TRICKS

I think I'm going to like being my broadsword club's one filthy sabreur

Visiting the new marine biology centre with my buddy Matt!

Strength/endurance training my rock climbing, climbed my first 5.11+.

Pushed my elbow joints a little too hard and starting physio for the first time. Went maximum Ukrainian and strapped a cabbage leaf to my arm to reduce inflammation.

West coast trip to visit my new 8-week-old nephew, along with some sauna/cold plunge witnessed by a lazy sea otter drifting in slow loops around Port Renfrew inlet.

Exploring an abandoned power plant.

A few random Jan/Feb/Mar adventures!

Passed my 2-year fencing anniversary and earned my Ram badge!

Acquired my first rapier and started learning rapier and dagger! Also new fencing flair: brass pauldrons, elbow cops, and knee cops!

Thank you, I am hella proud!

Thumbs up in front of a weapon rack

And endless thanks to Jasmine (who's now also fencing!) for picking us up at the airport at 2am, driving everyone home, and then staying up til 10am in emerge so they could glue my thumb shut.

That warm soft feeling isn't just the skin-glue dissolving after 48 hours.

It's love!

Group of fencers smiling together

Huge thanks to my sword family Xian, Liam, Mitchell, Hun, Kempton, and Jacob! (Also Scott for lending me his sidesword!)

And thanks to my fam for coming out to cheer. Nothing wins you more cool uncle points than defeating multiple swordsmen in front of your 4yo nephew's eyes.

Photo of two combatants fighting with single rapiers, one with his hand raised high

Two combatants hugging it out

But these are my favourite photos from that match

Me fighting with my offhand raised above my heart to slow the bleeding.

Me hugging it out with Andre after. Congrats on your well-deserved gold!

Photo of two rapier fights, one lunging, the other ducking

I've only spent 30 minutes training solo rapier and it showed.

My experienced opponent gently claimed his 12-4 victory, and also pulled off the sickest Matrix duck-and-counter I've ever seen after baiting me into a reckless lunge.

Photo of two combatants fighting with single rapiers

André was incredibly generous in agreeing to restructure the match when he would have instantly won if he refused.

1) I had to wear a hard glove

2) no using my offhand

3) match over if they saw any signs of pain

4) match over if I felt the injury worsen

5) my opponent had to also agree to fighting without his offhand