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.