Something smells rank here...

I'm starting to enter the "middle phase" of my kyu training. It's an interesting time, and I won't have a lack of things to study, that's for sure. I've just finished learning heian godan, a kata I really like. I hated ni dan and I'm glad I have something to balance it out with when I practice. I'm going to karate full time now, and I bought a nice new black gi (no more white aiki gi on monday when there's no aiki going on!). Haven't really learned anything new in sword other that my blocking basics have taken a slide. I'm starting to think about what katas I want to do for the tournament in late April. It'd be nice to do some aiki in the self-defense division. It might be funny to see a little me kick the butts of ukes twice her size. I dunno about competitiveness, but hell, it'd be fun. Last year the kid who won did some crazy crap that'd I never in a million years do on the street (tomoe-nage was one move). My goals this year are:

compete in kata, SD, and kumite divisions

not finish last

not break something

Lofty ambitions, huh? Well last night, a friend of mine made purple belt. He's about my age, and he shared my frustrations with not being able to keep up with everyone else as far as rank goes, so he's someone I've grown to respect. I'm really glad for him. I'm still on the lifetime orange belt plan, and the belt is starting to fall apart. Stupidest reason ever for wanting a green belt? My poor build-a-bear named Karate koala. This is an old pic of him, he wears an orange belt now (came with all the colored belts). One of my friends saw him and says, "He's only an orange belt? My dog can take him." Poor K.K. Tough as nails, soft like his basic skills.