Same old training

Things have been hectic with school. Martial arts hasn't been too much on my mind, except all the classes that I am missing. Last weekend, I got to go home and go to class on a saturday and a monday. I had an eye doctor appointment on moday just before iai so I figured I would just go. It was nice to go during the week again.

The little senseis' mom has been saying she was making her own hakama and gi. Oh boy. Her uniform is bright blue....bright freaking blue. And the pleats are flared out so far on the hakama it looks like a ball gown. Anyways, I've been working kumitachi 6 and 7 a lot, trying to prepare myself for ni-dan, whenever that is. Head sensei says that I am doing really good.

I am a little concerned with midterms coming up, trying to keep the balance. Tensho is going slow, and I've worked my sai kata a few times. It remains to be seen how long I have until I need to worry about black belt. Tank's kid and Lurch are now brown belts too. I don't look forward to having to call them 'sensei'. I worked hard to stay were I am, and paid for everything. At the least, I want to test before them.

Bork...practicing alone....

School has been fun, but detrimental to my martial arts. It is hard to find the time- nay, the room- to practice. Nevertheless, I make it a point to practice one martial art a day if I can. Karate one day, iai the next. As for aiki, I can't very well throw myself...or can I?

I went home for Saturday class, and Dopplegagger and I did our Tensho and sai katas and that was about it. Just as well. I was surprised to see none of the little purple people-eater brats were brown belts yet. That's good...I guess. The adults are finally starting to come together. Cigarette Man is a yellow belt, and this other mom (do I have a nickname for her? Let's call her Sarge) is orange. That's nice to see, though I wish Tank would get closer to me in rank so I'd have someone to work with.

Iai hasn't changed much- except sword sensei is trying another warm-up to drive us crazy. This periodical practicing is going to drive me crazy. November 14th is registration day- I may be able to go to aiki class, and a week after that I get thanksgiving recess. Until December 14th, no more 3x a week. Bork.

Kusudama- a ball full of stars

A kusudama is an old Japanese ornament that goes back to the court days. It is a really pretty ornament that is made of several steps. 60 petals, 12 flowers- 4 clusters of 3 flowers each, 5 petals per flower. It is truly a geometric experience, and when looked at in this analytical way, it is easy to forget you are building such a beautiful flower ball. Such like a martial arts career, when that ball is you.

Over the past summer, it has been difficult to keep from being a little depressed. I have only been looking at how much work I have left to go, but not the product of my hard work. I suppose it's because martial arts is such a blanket of comfort that the prospect of leaving it for even a week makes me sad. But, I know I will be back again, and that I have a lot to be proud of. I'll be okay.

This past week- in between ending my job and getting ready for chiro. college- I have been working on a breathing kata called Tensho, or Sanchin to some. It's a slow, deliberate kata that'll make you pass out if you can't breathe correctly. I will practice it as much as I can. I also learned a sai kata in two classes. Damn. It is short but so involved. I felt dumb in that I would forget a move twos econds after Head Sensei taught it to me. That is itself was so nice. It is rare in karate to be able to get his attention, especially with all the brownies that are ahead of me. I know it was because I was leaving for school, and he wanted to make sure I had all my kata, but it was still nice of him to take the time. I did learn it all, so it wasn't a waste!

Things at school are in a strange state. We have yet to hit the school-time surge in attendance, and it seems that the class is beginning to shrink again. There is a record of 5 brownies; Eraserhead (whom I haven't seen in a while...hmm) Owl (who informed me today, despite moving away 90 miles, he will be back in October) Wheezy Kid, Lazy Girl, and myself. That's a lot for our small school, considering that when you become a brownie, you can make shodan within a year. Gradings have slowed down because Head Honcho Sensei has been sick. My dopplegagger has been away doing marching band, and Prince Valiant is no more. The little tike came in and picked up all his stuff and left without saying hi to anyone. No hello, no explanation, no thank you. Brat! I forgot to give him his tanabata ornament, so I am gonna snip off his name tag and give it to some other kid.

A lot of goodbyes have been said recently. Verizon Guy left for his new job. We have lost 4 of the last 7 new blackbelts last year. So understandably, Head Sensei was insistent that it'll be a shame that I just stop going. I won't. He gave me a hug as I left today. Odd...

I spent last night building a kusudama. I dunno why, but it even though it was aggravating I kept at it. It felt good it see the finished product, I guess.