Farmer's Market, Karate, Counseling

It turns out Mom didn't get into the farmer's market for the first time this week. That means I couldn't peddle my karate tickets, and while Mom and Louise still seem determined to peddle them, on account that there's no time limit, which is logical, because it would rake in profit for me, my dojo, and the person signing up, regardless of the time it happens, the Halloween decals on the tickets make me kind of leery to hand them out over a week after Halloween. If I don't want this to happen, though, I'm wondering if I have to actively hide them, and I wonder if my pride is so much stronger than my sense of profit that I would go to that trouble... Well, gotta make that decision, before it makes it for me. Doubt I'll be around a week from now, though, what with all this financial stuff.

WOW! I was so messed yesterday, I didn't even title my entry! That's pretty messed.

Didn't do a ton today, and I hate to admit it, but at least now I can prove that my failure to update on several fairly recent occasions truly has been due to time management difficulties, and not because I would fail to update based on lack of content.

That being said, I'm going to have to focus a bit on reflection today, which I can do because I've neglected a few details as a result of my concentration on more important things over the past little while.

Firstly, the reason I got my blue stripe on both Friday and Thursday... Wait, did I say that? *Checks* No, I didn't. Darn. Oh well, point is, I forgot my belt on Thursday. I told my sensei about my testing before going into the changeroom, so I couldn't exactly sneak out again. He was cool with it, though. He even tested me and found me successful, but he couldn't give me the actual stripe. I went into open practice on Friday. I didn't know they could hand out stripes at open practice, but they can, and we even had a bowing-out ceremony for it. Two other people got stripes too. It was a little neat, because I got to bow out with the kids.

I'm afraid I'm spamming quips about me forgetting my belt a little too much since "I made a mistake tying my belt today, I guess it's been too long!"

We played a fun game where we lined up, and a person stood with his back turned while two people were selected. The person would walk down the aisle of people, not knowing who was selected, and then those people would attack him. I was selected as an attacker twice, and to be attacked once. It was a relief to see that, despite my already-significant ability in grappling and my undefeated hold in self defense practice didn't actually help me too much "on the field" so to speak. I tried for my unbeaten bear hug on a blackbelt, but he wouldn't let me under his arms, so I had to compensate by going over, and it wasn't enough. Another guy didn't even really let me touch him. Even though I was unsuccessful in my attack, I was happy to see the benefit of advanced technique. It was depressing to think I could thug my way through higher ranks.

As for counseling, I said it ended on a positive note, but I didn't say that I don't think that's a good thing. If they think you're too healthy, they'll try and toss you. I'd better make sure to go in with an especially bad attitude next time. It's just hard, with all the positivity and whatnot.