Lessons Learned
 

Lessons learned in life, and in kendo. Some of them are really obvious but some times it takes some experience to drive the point home.
Please do share.


Recently I've realised:
- Shinai will not magically change in length, trust it and my footwork a little bit and "doh" gets easier.
-do not pick at callouses on hands, as will result in minor bleeding after next practice.
-Track 3 on my LeeHom CD is perfect for kiai warm up, forces use of breathing with belly. Somehow kareoke is easier now too.
-Studying BEFORE the midterm actually does help... go figure.
-Paid Time Off is a magical thing. Even more so when you didn't know you qualified for it.
-Placemat at Tea Station is perfect sized for folding samurai hats.
-Folding paper samurai hats and wearing them in public is not normal behavior and embarasses my friends.

..nothing enlightening, but makes life interesting.

Thanks, I would never have thought about searching such a thing... Now I'll have to try.

http://www.dibujosparapintar.com/eng...murai_hat.html

thanks for the folding tip http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...es/biggrin.gif looks cool!

attach some strings to that and they'll make unique birthday hats

don't forget the pompom!!

you can also make a mega hat thing with theme park maps.
Lots of fun while waiting in line for attractions, and you can keep the sun out of your eyes if you modify the front so you have a bit of a bill.

Lesson learned today:
Not all old grandpa aged looking men are going to act grandpa like. Some of them(maybe all of them becasue they are still guys) don't grow out of the pervy sex obsessed phase.
"What time is breakfast served?"
" at 6:30 in the restaurunt across the lobby."
"oh darn, thats too early.. I was going to invite you too *does wierd eyebrow lift winkish thing*"
..at this point I would have liked to respond with something like 'I'm sorry sir we are not a "full service" hotel', but no I'm at work.. need to be good. So I snap into my robot mode and spew out information to avoid addressing the akwardness.
" well i'm not much of a morning person any how, but if you would like to catch breakfast the pancake house down the street is open 24 hours, and the complimentary coffee in the lobby is on at all hours as well. Here are you keys you, are on X floor, elevators are down that hallway, if you have any questions just give us a call at the desk." (but really don't call, please)

aaahhh shatters my impression of people, mostly since I hold old people in high regard. but ack!

http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/tired.gif

Does any guy, I mean seriously!?http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/silly.gif

Good answer though http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/smile.gif

Fings wot I have lernd today

Working in an educational establishment during school holidays is dull as dishwater

Excitement/Anxiety about going on holiday to Japan can lead to insomnia

ALL computers hate me

Choclit bunnies are an insult to all right thinking lagomorphs




dear gods I am so bored at work today

i can understand that one. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ilies/ermm.gif

I realized today:

-its a good thing to have people be picky with me in the dojo. means they notice and care about how I'm doing. and means I can get better, they genuinely want me to do good.

- you can understand a lot about a person by observing the way they behave in the dojo. you can act in good manners, but people can still tell if its genuine.

- starting to get questions on when bogu will be arriving. is it really a "see you on the other side" sort of thing or are they just itching to get a crack at me?

-I have performance anxiety in kendo like I have in Japanese class. Things seem to be going okay, then everything I've learned goes to SH*T once I'm pitted against a new sensei. Then things get worse when I know I'm being watched.

-some people really make stupid choices in life and unfortunately innocent children get caught up in it. If the guy hasn't left his family in 12 years, what makes you think he's going to do it just because you tried trapping him with another child. Heck, he's probably even more inclined to leave/hate you because all you've done is give him another"family" that he was getting away from by being with you in the first place.http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...milies/mad.gif the kids deserve better.

-new car smell makes me nauseous

-Gain detergent smells better than Tide, the commercials were right!

-insert letters BEFORE sealing envelopes, works a lot better.

Lessons learned today:

-Alarm clocks must be SET to go off
-Not much else since I just woke up, see above

Lesson learned: they are very much real. They could be anyone.

So, I'm talking to a friend who's very into fitness and mention I started "Kendo". Of course the response is : "Whats that?"
So, I just simplify it and say its like Japanese fencing.
So, we continue to make talk and these were the only words I processed out of him "...katana fighting.... self defense school...bokken in my garage...."

so of course the flags go up, and I just don't know how to respond to that.
snap into work mode, change the subject and close the deal with the guest.
"So how's your kid been doing?...."

my first encounter with a grown ninja. most of the others I've meet before were back in high school, and those have moved on to the "I want to be a famous rock star even though I can't play for crap" phase.

http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...s/paranoid.gif ...damn smilie need to work!

Ninja monkeys are everywhere!!

Especially the parkour/displacement guys in france. Now THATs skill!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jquXc...related&search=

They just want to hit you back! http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ilies/evil.gif http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/silly.gif That was what it felt like for me, at least. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ilies/hurt.gif


http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...es/biggrin.gif No, seriously, for me it felt like finally "belonging to the group" or something like that. It was great.
But I'm still struggling to put the bogu on in time... They are all so much faster. I hate it when they are already halfway through kirikaeshi and I'm still tying my men. :sad:

The performance anxiety sounds familiar to me. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...es/nervous.gif

Actually, I believe it is something that is 'out-grown' for a particular stage in life, and then 'rediscovered' now that society will allow that particular behavior without the same sort of consequence that would follow it at an earlier time in life.

Somebody needs some serious counseling.

-no need to bow when entering hardwood studio at the gym.








yeah... the whole thing is a mess, hate it when kids are stuck paying for stupid people.

-Club bogu.. not all that bad. Doesn't smell when I'm in it.... but when you take it off, its quite... pungent.