It's getting more difficult to keep up with everything now... and I am not even working!! Life runs in snail speed here. Now I devote more time in front of the computer designing stuff - which is why I have little updates over here...
Anyway... It is already mid-Nov. I was graded 2nd Dan last month. But I don't think I am doing very well at that.
I used to be the first person arriving at the dojo, cleaning the floor and all that. But now I just made it in time, such as, when they are already doing warm-up. I used to be the one leading warm-ups... Sigh. I keep blaming the traffic, but I should work on my scheduling as well.
Last weekend I persuaded Matsuoka and Inuzuka senpai to get to squad training with me. It's a long journey to the NW of London. I invited them in the pub (which wasnt the ideal place to do that) and they actually turned up!! Sometimes it's a bit sad to have to go to kendo on a Sunday morning - while I could have done something else better. So I really appreciated my senpai to go with me. Ok even though they came not because of me...
That Sunday was fun. At least I fought Honda sensei and also Bell in Jodan. And then my left ankle was not going too well - so I dropped out at the last 30 mins or so. Missed the kakari-keiko round. Damn.
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While being on a few pints again the next week, me and Matsuoka senpai was chatting in the pub again. He is struggling with his English - just like me struggling with my kendo as well.
At one point he was saying in Japanese (someone translated that for me - which annoyed Matsuoka a bit), "Jenny is not doing anything but kendo. So much time.."
But it was after another pint that we got to talk about the matches at Shiai practice the night before. It started as a conversation of "what do you think about my shiai last night?"
"Jenny you need to improve your footwork. Even you are going to Wakaba, squad training and even helping in UCL, you are not working on your ashi-sabaki. I think it is a waste of time. Understand?"
Even taking 1,000 men cuts on the head will not wake me up - but this honest advice from a half-drunk senpai did what I need. There are of course, other senpai who will just encourage me by saying "Jenny you are going really good." But in fact for me to improve I'd like an honest senpai who can pinpoint what I should be focusing on.
It's no good being too nice to me. I always don't get the message if the statement is not just a random response.
