Phooey!

Karah still didn't have her obi on tonight. I told her she needed to find it and wear it because coming without a complete gi is very disrespectful to the sensei and the dojo. She kind of rolled her eyes and walked away. Later on, she smarted off to me during class, and I made her do pushups. I don't think she'll last unless she has a major change in attitude. She really is good at karate, she just needs to get her attitude right.


This is homecoming week at the high school, so class was kind of small tonight. Just four students were there, but we had a good workout anyway.


Sensei is kind of aggravated. There is an empty place right next door to the dojo. It used to be a video rental store, but they closed down nearly 2 years ago. We've told sensei ever since then, "If you get that place, then we can have a really big dojo." Here lately, he's actually been considering it. In fact, he went and talked to the landlady and told her he wanted to lease it. He told her that it would have to be at the end of this month, though, so he could collect his dues for October and be able to make the double payment to get the lease. She said that was ok. Sounds to me like they had an agreement, right?

She rented the place out from under him to someone who is opening a dress shop. Sensei thinks it actually may have been her husband that leased the building to the dress shop because she was out of town. He probably didn't know about their agreement, but there's nothing they can do about it now. Still, it kind of bites.

Tuesday night after class, I was going through all my kata, and sensei came over and asked what I was working on. I leaped at the chance for some instruction and asked him to go over sunsu with me. That is my newest kata, and there are a few spots I'm not too sure about. We went over those, and about halfway through, he started doing the kata with me. It was so good to be doing kata with sensei again. We used to do this all the time.

Back in the old dojo, when there were two senseis--well, sensei and Mr. Tedder, the assistant sensei--and two students--James and me--we used to do kata together every class. We'd do basics, then all our kata. Every class. Now all we do are sparring drills. Not kumite, but tournament style sparring. I'm more into kata and self defense stuff.

I talked to James and told him I wanted him to participate next time. I told him that we could work on stuff ourselves, and that I needed someone to work out with. He hemmed and hawed a bit, but said he would. He said it's just not the same, and it isn't. But life doesn't stay the same. Everything changes.

You adapt or die.


P.S. They caught the guy who hit B's new car and he is in jail now. They are getting the car fixed, but it will take approximately two weeks before they can get it back again. They have a rental car that she is driving until then.