Japan Festival, part 3: Sumo

ROUND 1: JEN VS. PATTY

   IN THIS CORNER, WEIGHING IN AT...none of your business... AND STANDING 5'1" TALL, JEN THE DESTROYER!
(Looking all the more fearsome in the adorable Boo t-shirt.)

   AND IN THIS CORNER (wait, the ring is a circle!), LOOKING SMART IN HER JAPAN-AMERICA SOCIETY MATSURI JACKET,

PATTY THE PUNISHER! 

You'd better  hope that green tea has steroids, Patty!

The suits were at the ready:

   But getting into them was quite difficult! Patty accidentally put both of her legs into one Sumo leg, unintentionally creating the "Sumo Mermaid." By that time we were laughing so hard, we're lucky we didn't wet our mawashi (廻し)!

   Finally, proof that I'm as bada$$ as I think I am. (Joan: HOLY CRAP THIS IS FUNNY, that suit is going to eat you alive!)

Patty's Christmas card photo:

Seconds before I almost accidentally fell over on Patty:

And despite all that, we're still friends!

   The action seemed a lot faster, more bloodthirsty, and less ridiculous in real-life! It is so hard to move in the costume without losing your balance & toppling over, and once you fall over, you CAN'T get up or even roll over. The suit is too heavy & awkward. You feel like a turtle, which is apparently a very difficult thing to be. Of course, all this adds to the fun. Hopping is the most effective means of moving about. Which just makes everyone laugh harder & be even less stable. We drew quite a crowd!

ROUND 1: JEN VS. JOE

   Renee wasn't dying to break any bones in a frivolous manner, so I volunteered to go up against Joe. (I'm not gonna lie, they didn't have to twist my arm. And in the end, everyone tried on a costume.) Here's Renee with one of the skins:

Nothing like taunting your kids when they're helpless:

...and getting a taste of your own medicine!

   Renee is easily one of the funniest people I know, and it was pretty hard to control my laughter enough to take photos while she was hamming it up:

But when Joe threatened to topple her, the party was over:

Next it was Ian's turn. He was hilarious:

Even as Joe threatened to pile-drive him:

   Easily one of the most fun moments of the whole Japan fest! Thanks to Patty W & Joe for flattening me, to Patty M for taking photos & video, and to Renee & Ian & everyone for the laughs. I might just have to invest in a couple of Sumo suits... I love the smell of hot, sweaty gym padding in the morning. Speaking of morning, I was not feeling so good the next day, with serious pain in my head, neck & shoulders. The last time I was taken down, I was off the mat & my head smacked the ground. Hard. Pretty much jangled my brain.

   Here's what an actual, talented sumo wrestler looks like. And then us: