Ok folks. I'm feeling fantastic right now, and I feel I have to share. I had experienced a level up, a moment filled with energy and elation with the solid, undeniable fact that I have reached a new height.

For those of you reading this who don't know, I am a fencer, learning the late medieval/renassaince art of swordsmanship, not to be confused with olympic fencing... but I'm not going to go into that.

Today, at one of the biannual events that the medieval group I'm part of, there was a rapier tournament in which I participated. Now I have been fencing in tournaments for about a year now with very little success. Usually if I won a bout, I was having a good day. Last tournament I fought in, I was beaten by every opponent I faced. However today, I placed third in a nine man tournament. Most of the fighters today have been fencing for many, many years. Even the fights I lost, I make a good account of myself, impressing my opponents and those watching, and most of all, myself. It was a good day, with everyone fighting well... And I placed third. Holy Crap!

The two fighters who placed above me, were in fact, the men who taught me, both of which are very skilled, one of which is a master...

The feeling I had as I walked away from the field could only be decribed as that moment in a game when, having filled the nessacery experiece bar, you are bathed in light, the music sounds, and from then on, you're just that little bit more badass.

I have had a good day people. May we all find moments like this in our lives.