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Good workout first thing this morning. I am a white belt, but I am not a white belt. Lots of years in other arts, and GoJu Karate literally means “Hard/Soft” in the sense of starting with relaxed form, then snapping tight at the moment of impact for extra torque. Additionally, the philosophical standpoint is that one who has toughness can then choose to be soft.
Not a lot of kata involved, but that’s my Sensei choosing a stripped down curriculum that does things in threes. He breaks the old logic of a decision tree into a decision stick. So throws, locks, and strikes. Tanbo (3’ stick), Bo (6’ stick), and Sai, in a three and five-step strike and counter pattern for training. Weapon kata later, but not a lot of them.
When I was going kung-fu, the main form we learned was 99 Tai Chi. And each of those 99 often had 2-5 parts. Doing it at proper speed took about 15-20 minutes, slow and smooth. All of the GoJu kata combined are probably about as long, across all junior belts AND all black belts. Would have liked to proceed deeper, but had a recent conversation with my former Sifu and he casually pointed out that he had decided I wasn’t ever getting a black belt, so were there still bits to learn?
Excuse me? After I asked you several times in 2024 what I needed to do to get close and eventually TO a black belt?
There is a reason I consider 2024 something of a failure. “A learning experience,” we call it. Obviously, he didn’t want to hear anything that ran counter to his assumptions.
Former teacher. Might still eventually be a friend, but he had said a long time ago that he wasn’t ever friends with his students, so I knew going in that I would end up with a Sifu more than a comrade. And that’s how it happened.
Might change back. He kinda has to reach out and decide to change our relationship in his mind. Or not.
Second best advice I ever got was from my Mom, about 12 years ago: “Sometimes, it’s okay to outgrow your friends.”
Wow.
Best advice I ever got was in college. I’m 17. My buddy Jerry was a school teacher, going back for his Masters. Former Vietnam vet so in 1988 I would put him about forty.
“Eventually, you’re going to have to roll over and talk to her.”
Hell of a concept. Still is. Meant that I should only chase after the smart and interesting ones.
Sure, I did stupid shit in college and later in LA working as a bouncer in a cowboy bar not far from several working ranches and two Marines bases, but knowing that I’d need to talk to her meant that some of those never went more than a one-night fling.
Broke hearts, but only briefly. Some of them might have even turned out pretty good, but even then I understood that all too often society forced the really smart girls to act like bimbos so as to not threaten the fragile egos of boys.
The problem for me was always when they forgot how smart they were, having played the airhead for too long that the didn’t know how to turn it off again later.
Damned good advice, both times. Had conversations on both with friends over the last few weeks. They learned a bit more about me. (Fabulous Publisher Babe™ already knew the key points.)
Currently deep into Act Three of “Turn of a Deadly Card” which is the second Holden story. As noted, going huge at every fork in the road. Intentionally. Having fun, but Holden obviously has me in something of a dark patch this morning. We’ll get over it. Story is at 58k.
Last big chunk and heading towards 85 again. Then more Red Branch.
Then I’m working out Ilona Akino, who will be part of yet another monstrously big Epic Space Opera series in a completely new universe, because I needed a break from both Javier and Uly & Dan.
More Heather (4 and 5) coming. More Marrakesh coming. More lots of things.
But it’s Monday and I decided to write the blog today instead of tomorrow.
Y’all have a pleasant week.
shade and sweet water,
b
West of the Mountains, WA
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