31 Days To Go

Blissfully, it appears that we are going to be working on refinement for the rest of the month.  The only problem being that regular class is treated as regular class, so Mark and I don't get time to work on test items then.  To address this Mark and I try to show up as early as we can and get working on the material early. 

In our rush to get going and review material neither of us warmed up at all.  This led to Mark pulling a butt muscle and me twisting my shoulder and neck.  What a couple of idiots.  Although we laughed through it Mark surprised me with the pronouncement that he was probably going to quit after the confirmation test.  Although he said that he was tired of teaching children when he was paying to learn I think the long litany of complaints over the last year have culminated into a feeling that he needs to be a lot more careful with his body.  I'm twelve years younger than he is and I've been thinking the same thing!

That's all in the future, and once we get going on practice all that stuff leaves us behind for the time being.  Reed Sensei has asked us to practice the test each Monday and then work on the bits and pieces that need to be addressed each Wednesday. 

Mark and I howled through the test and needed refinement here and there, but it looks like we'll have enough time to look pretty as we can be for the big show.

We go up on the Friday and test that evening.  We overnight and then we can participate in the Color belt testing the next day, but I imagine Mark and I will head back in the morning.

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The part of the class that tends to disgruntle Mark is that as Black Belts we are expected to teach as much as we learn.  However, I'm about worthless because I know none of the beginner kata.  So Reed will often teach me very quickly and I'll be directed to teach the youngest children.  Last night I got two 6 year old girls.  About half way through class I was starting to thinking my karma was coming back from something I did long ago. 

However, I would probably complain about whatever he passed my way, but if I have to do it every class session I can definitely channel my inner Mark.