Redemption Post

First of all, sorry about the skimpy blog posts lately. I've been doing below-par for a while now, and I'm aware of it. I don't think it's because not enough is going on. I think it's either because I'm A) not focused enough or B) too focused.

To be a good, consistent blogger (my 100 posts and five viewers makes me an expert) you need to take a lot of interest in a lot of things. If you get hyper-interested in one thing, that's great. You'll probably get more material on that topic than you would otherwise, but it's the only topic you'll get much out of, and that will bleed you text overall. On the other hand, you need to have more focus in general than the average Joe blow, or else nobody will be able to get into anything you write.

Basically you need an intense, yet shifting focus. I call that natural writing talent. Others know it as Attention Deficit Disorder.

So please let me try and redeem myself. I think my 100 posts and overview of accomplishments within that time reminded me of the passage of time and made me contemplate the big picture, to the point that I became afraid of focusing on the small, lest I live my life through without any major accomplishments. But it's time to get over that, I think.

My dojo is expanding! I knew this yesterday, but failed to comment. They're buying the place next door, and connecting the two places, to build an even wider dojo. They're also adding Escrima Stick (Philipino martial art that uses sticks), Tai-Chi (a slower, more meditative martial art), and sword classes. To expand in a poor economy is fairly impressive. I was wrong before about having a separate belt system for weapons classes. While they do offer training in the weapons I listed, it's a karate add-on, and there's basically one degree you can get for training in that field. They put a label on your uniform indicating you're generally capable in that area. But these sword and Escrima Stick classes sound like they're their own thing. I doubt I'll do any of them for the time being, though. When the head sensei from the other dojo opened his doors to the students from ours, one of my peers asked if he could learn some of their katas. The head sensei said that he could, once he learned all the ones at our dojo. He said it's best to study one set at a time. From what I've seen, that looks like a fairly accepted philosophy among people who learn multiple arts. However, there are some arts that are compatible, and my head sensei says the Escrima Stick is pretty compatible with karate. Still... I'll wait until I'm showing up for all four classes every week plus weapons classes and open practice once I get to that level, and still not be getting enough out of it before I consider taking on even more classes.

There's also going to be an interschool tournament. It's not a full-fledged tournament, but there seems to be an inter-school comeradery among the dojos in this area, and staging a little competition is more of a social thing. I don't get that. Aren't these competing industries? Isn't each student from each dojo a student deprived from the other? And in this failing economy, aren't students becoming more and more precious? There's no room for friendship in the middle of that!

Anyway, there's competitions for each belt rank, so everyone's free to enter. I... don't think I'll enter. This may surprise you guys, but I'm actually probably the least talented in my belt rank. I'm used to learning everything slower than the others. It's been that way my entire life, so I'm not that discouraged by it. I also know that I always meet my endgoal, and usually better than average. But as of now I'd just make a fool of myself.

We also talked about serious-business tournaments. Apparently we're not a real big “tournament school”, but that he still encourages each of us to try it once, and if we'd like, he's willing to put us through some extra training. Since the extra training only includes getting us to tone up our technique, I'm taking us not being a “tournament school” to mean, we suck, and not just that we choose not to enter, or whatever.

And I forgot to get across the other day that I'm actually really happy to have failed to have gotten that stripe. I like to know that it's possible to fail, because I really want to earn what I get.

I'm tanked with energy lately. Every time I go through a B12 depression, adjust to it, then get my energy levels back to normal, I'm still plugged into overdrive, which I tuned myself into to deal with the lethargy, and that, in addition to the giant surge of energy, sends me packing.

I also forgot to say that there's a submissions section on my writing course forum, for writing that is suitable to be published on their school web site, and since it's an acting school, they're open to qualified scripts being used as acting drills and whatever. I'm really thrilled about this, because I love fame.

I reapplied to do some free help with data management. Just want another thing to put on my resume.

....Katimavik got my application! I was just going to complain that they still didn't have it, according to my Katimaroute, but then I checked my email and they have it! Of course, they only contacted me to inform me that I did something wrong... Hey! Those forms are hard, man! They take as long to fill out as the course of the program! But anyway, they have the forms, and them wanting me to correct this just might be a good sign. Hopefully they wouldn't bother me unless I was a contender. Eh, they probably would. Legally bound to give everyone a chance, even if it's evident they don't have one, or whatever.

WHAAAAAAAAT?! I got two job call backs today! Confirmation of my program application and two callbacks? After an interview and two days of work, making it into the two finalists? What...? What...? I don't get it. Why am I having success? That doesn't sound like me.