Bork! The Year in Review

Since this will probably be my last entry until the new year, I thought I'd reflect on what I learned this year.

Aiki- We struggled (all of us, head sensei included) with the new aiki book bestowed upon us by head honcho sensei after his impromtu change of direction back to "the old ways". This means, basically, that our aiki is more like a traditional daito-ryu aiki class. He also came up with the idea of having us wear hakamas, and our first week rolling around in them could have been set to Benny Hill music. I taught Verizon Guy, Big and Little T, and two other senseis how to tie their hakama- some more successful than others. I earned my "yellow chevron patch" and am now working on "red chevron patch". I also learned how to sew patches. I have the needle marks to prove it.

Karate- Despite a turbulent year, I actually got a lot accomplished. I finally caught up to green belt in May and earned my stripe in October. I stand to earn my purple belt very soon *fingers crossed* I went and competed in the tourney and got a 4th in kata, 3rd in kumite. I learned rohai dai, ichi-bo, and saifa. (Today, head sensei looked at my bo kata and said I moved like a sword student. Big surprise. It was nice though- I got some badly needed advice for saifa, and a couple pointers to clean up the bo kata.) I also got my very own bo, and it is so much fun to drag both a bo and a sword case into class, and some blue sparring gear, to which I have broken in on the likes of aiki sensei, and Tank.

Iai- Iai has been nuts. I went to my first iai clinic outside of our little school, and meant other kids, who are also studying at other schools. Most of them are brown belts in karate, or are san-dans needing iai for their next rank- nothing like belt color paranoia. I did my first kata with tameshigiri. I jumped up to sho-dan this year at the end of September. And, I taught five new people. Crazy. Mostly, I have learned to be pay attention to subtleties in kata, how to be patient with dumbasses, and how to teach. I even ran a class once :) I enjoy teaching, much to my surprise. I am starting to study katori shinto ryu now- I know the first three and the last two kata (only 6 more to go), and I have learned kumitachi 4 and 5, and kata 7, 8, and 9. Good stuff. I am a kata junkie.

And now...for the awards (the winners get a big glob of cookie dough on their heads via my imagination).

1. Most Annoying, a title once held by Nerdverd, he had finally been dethroned...by an entire group of kids I call "Greenies".


2. Best moment was when I got my sho-dan in iai (duh). Actually, most special, was when we lined up at the kamiza and toasted the occasion with sake.


3. Worst Moment was when I locked myself in the ladies changing room at the hombu.


4. Stupidest Moment- Behold, this conversation: Cig Man: what's up now? Nerdverd: I wanna go to X college, but my girlfriend wants to go to Y. We keep fighting over where we wanna study kendo. Cig Man:...okay... Nerdverd: I wish I knew what women wanted so I'd know what to do. (hysterical laughter from all the married males in my class)


5. There is a God Moment- the days that head sensei made the kids do 20x, 40x, 50x, 100x pushups for kids who refused to shut up.


6. Most Likely to reach Black Belt- This year, probably Prince Valiant and Brown Belt girl from karate, those pint-sized karate senseis for iai.


7. Most Likely to Drop Out- Pot smoking guy, and hopefully several Greenies.


8. My Greatest Ally- Verizon guy. Thank Goodness for conversation.


9. My Worst Enemy- Greenies. All of them. And the Purple peoples. They will not pass me *grumble*.


10. My New Year's Resolution- I'd like to hit brown belt by the end of next year, but who knows?

Tabi holidays

Ho ho ho! It's that time of year again where we put those expensive things we need for martial arts class on our Christmas lists. This year I got my classes for the month of December paid for. I also got some nice black tabi from head sensei. When he gave it to me, I was quite surprised, especially since I bought him white tabi. Tabi socks are a running joke at our dojo. I always wear them because I think they are comfy- I do have a large space between my big toes and the rest of my toes. I first got them in Japan some-odd years ago, and I typically wear them to Saturday class because that's when I run out of clean regular socks. Head sensei has been wanting a pair of white ones, unable to find them in his size. I finally found someone who carries them. Sadly, they won't be here in time from Christmas. *grumble*

Not much has happened recently. I sparred with aiki sensei and Tank the other day, and while I am very happy to do so after such a long time, I am really, really sore. I felt so little and inadequete sometimes.

Kill your television, Unplug your internet

If anybody ever asks me what is the secret to learning iai, I will tell them "Kill your television, and unplug your internet." Nothing kills enjoyment of teaching faster that someone who declares that they know what they are talking about before they even step into class. They know nothing- they regurgiate all the bad stuff they find online and in movies. I have told every new student in the past few months to stop reading and watching all that junk and commit to what we teach you. And they nod and say, "sure sensei, I know what you mean." Do they? Do they do what it means when they have sword in their hands that, even if they are 100% careful and mindful, they could injure somebody, or (if fate really smiles upon us) themselves? The newest guy, I call him Dopey (for both the literal and suggestive reasons) gave me the same speal to me and says, "Oh yes, I don't see it like that. I see it as an art." Yes, it is. It is an art for its original purpose was to kill people. Should you be so obsessed with a waza looking "cool" or even "real" that you forget its intentional meaning in the first place? It is an art, yes, but in the end, it is also an exercise in stretching your mind. Hmm, thinking for yourself. That's a novel idea.



Some added notes, not really pertaining to anything. Verizon guy and I got promoted to yellow belt- er, chevron patch looking thingy. Mom joked they looked like girl scout patches. She's right. This is it on the left hand side here. Dumb looking. Not as cool as my red stripe for iai. Purple belt girl's gonna need a new nickname- despite her best efforts she finally got promoted to brown belt, and she better get her butt moving because the two purples are right behind her. There's yet another greenie today, bringing the grand total up to 10. Too many greenies, ack! I relearned a new katori shinto ryu kata, which I like but hurts my feet. When my finals are all done, I'll be able to practice it more. Oh, and the newspaper did an article on the school. It was your usual fodder- cutest kids they could find for the pictures, fluffy stuff about the importance of discipline. I got a quote in there, which was printed up as a run-on sentence. Stupid newspaper editors.