First Class

First class in the new dojo. Black belt class. Just Barrett and me there.

Josh is still on vacation, and James hasn't been there in weeks. He did show up last Tuesday, but didn't participate in class. I really wish his parents would speak to him about his personal hygiene. I pulled up to the dojo, and Cody got out and went inside. James got into the passenger side of my SUV, and he smelled so bad that I went out the other side. Anyway, Barrett told me that James is going around telling everyone that he is going up for his full shodan at the next testing. Sensei said, "Not unless I recommend him." He said that if James shows up expecting to be tested without sensei recommending him, he will be black balled by the board. Unless he starts coming back to class and working out, sensei won't recommend him.

Barrett hadn't seen the new building yet, so it was his first time in there. "This place is awesome," he said. Then he told me he'd driven by the old dojo before coming to class. "I felt kinda sad," he said.

"Yeah," I agreed. "That's how I felt when we moved out of the first dojo." The one we just moved out of was Barrett's first dojo, so I knew what he felt.

"Did Mrs. W---------- give you any trouble?" I asked sensei. She is the lady he leased the old dojo from. He still had 5 more months on the lease.

"Yeah," he said. "She's gonna sue me. She said if I'd given her 30 days notice, it would have been ok, but I didn't have a choice."

"The health department didn't exactly give you 30 days notice," remarked Barrett.

I drove by there today and there is a big For Rent sign on the window. The place right next to the old dojo was empty for two years. Mrs. W--------- is such a stinker that nobody wants to deal with her.

Class consisted of sai work and niahanchi kata. Sensei had us get on the bottom step of the stage and do the kata.

"Did you notice any difference doing it that way, " he asked? I did. I noticed I was having a hard time keeping my balance. Barrett said his heels were kicking the second step, but I noticed my toes were hanging off. It was interesting. I want to do it that way again.

The rest of the class was niahanchi bunkai. Sensei again apologized for not having class planned out. He was busy moving.

Next week, they are filming a commercial. That ought to be interesting.