Tough To Write Here

I've thought about this blog a lot, over time.

I mean, not thought about it for hours at any one time or anything, but a few times a month I remember this blog and feel somewhat frustrated that I'm having difficulties finding topics to write about here.

General Update

I still train Shotokan karate, twice a week, at a kyu rank ("beginner to intermediate") club that has two highly reliable instructors, both with many years of training and who rank higher than 3rd dan.

Part of training at this club includes senior students teaching junior students, so I not only train, but get regular opportunities to improve my understanding of karate through helping others improve. I aspire to be Sensei one day and am very glad for this low-pressure environment in which to practice and learn before taking on the full responsibility that "Sensei" entails.

I take in weekend seminars when they come around, but haven't hit a full four-class seminar since I started back in the fall of 2003 at 1st kyu.

Since I got my Shodan in April of 2005, I'm time-eligable to grade for Nidan. There's a grading coming up in late June but I have not been working towards it. Instead, I'm mentally aiming for the January/February timeframe, when we generally have our first big seminar for the year.

Even though I'm not actively working towards the grading coming up in a month's time, I still spend time working on the various components of the Nidan grading. When it comes time to test, the last thing I want to convey is any hesitation in delivering a test that is largely handed to us in advance.

Re-Association Tumult

That being said, things are changing in our organization... we disconnected from one group and hooked up with another at a level slightly higher than our National senior guy, and the new National leader has tie-ins to Shotokan Karate that have been influenced by Sensei Asai.

Soooo.... the last few years have been tumultuous if one looks only at the black belt tests being administered and at the new kata being taught at our seminars and at the black belt/instructor club level. Looking at the club-level, there's been limited tumult from the re-association, however. So far.

Peering Into The Future

Quite frankly, this re-association and some other semi-related things and happenings have me worried about the future of our association. This is the reason why I haven't wanted to write in my blog. I've been frustrated for quite a while, and it wasn't until recently that the core bits of that frustration have begun to come to light in my own head and heart.

So, now maybe I can write on some of those core topics, instead of worrying about getting caught in the goo and gumbo of emotion that I'll hereby label the "symptoms" of the core topics.

Come back and check out my first topic, on the subject of starting karate young and a kid's progression to black belt, some time soon.