the Black Belt Spectacular

Just a brief word about my graduation. Although I had to do everything with a big honkin cast on my arm, I had a blast. We were all ready for this night. We had to be at the gym at 2pm that day (the show wasn't going on until 7) but we all were there either practicing or helping to set up or keeping the little kids in check so they wouldn't annoy Renshi. They were WIRED. and i don't blame them. It was a long, tough testing cycle and that night we finally got our black belts. I got so many flowers. All the girls did. Apparantly, it is tradition for the women who are already black belts to give the women and girls who are promoting to shodan flowers. I did not know this. I was inundated with flowers. I also got some from my cousin and my friends-Beth, Michelle and Sheila who came to see me graduate. These are some of my closest friends from high school, jr high and grade school. I've known beth the longest-we go back to the first grade. It was so cool of them to come. My sister came and took many many pictures-(which I will post some of when I get them formatted correctly) My parents came, so did my husband and daughter. My son was with me all day- He is on the STORM team (student team of role models) and was there also to help set up. He also got his certificate for Nidan which he graduated to last May. There is a 6 month probation period before you get your certificate. So at the next Black belt spectacular (next may) I will get my shodan certificate-they are really nice beautiful framed certificates.
One thing went wrong. (thankfully it was not involving me). While we were practicing, and trying to keep the little kids focused, B (an adult-a lawyer- getting his shodan) made it a point to say that what the audience remembers most will be the very beginning and the finale so make it look sharp. we kept drilling this into these kids to keep them on track. So what happens? In our intro- where they announce us individually, we run out from behind the curtain-spotlight on us-do something cool (i did a jumpfront kick) then take our place on the mats-one knee position- for our first group demo. So all the kids go first, then me, then B. B. wipes. out. ON HIS INTRODUCTION!! After he drills it into the kids that the audience always remembers the very beginning and the very end....and I couldn't laugh. Thats very hard for me- usually, someone falls down and I'm in hysterics (even when I fall down I laugh uncontrollably!) But I had to just face forward and bite my lip and get thru the rest of the night. Several days later it hit me and I had a good laugh by myself. I'm so glad it wasn't me. SO GLAD!

I'll post pictures soon!! I'm having computer troubles at the moment.

tonite

today is my last day as a 1st kyu. tonite I will get my beautiful blue gi with my name embroidered on the back and my cool new belt-also with my name embroidered on it along with the kanji of our style of karate . all the demos i will be in will be one-armed. despite the fact that I now have a removable splint on my arm, i will have to wear it because my arm is too weak without it. oh well, nothing i can do about it at this point. I came close to not doing an individual demo, when i broke my arm i was having such a hard time trying to come up with something new. so they suggested I just do a kata that I know to music. cool. that works for me. so I'm doing kusanku sho which I had to learn to pass my pretest earlier this summer. one armed kusanku sho. eh, whatever. I hope I don't break anything when I go for my Nidan.
I'll post some pictures-and I'll be changing my blog template as well. No more 8am track on saturdays, no more practices, no more teaching...i am SO looking forward to getting back on a normal karate schedule.

warning- self pity below

we had another practice friday night for our graduation. my group of co-candidates gave me a great get well soon card. so cool of them. big apologies from the 16 yr old arm breaker.

our demos are coming along nicely-although its hard w/o my rt arm. the 3 adults moving to 1st dan are doing chinto as a group for one of the demos. for any of you who know this kata-try it w/your rt arm immobilized. NOT PRETTY.

not much else to say- i'm kind of still feeling sorry for myself, but i go to class and sit and watch and see my friends and thats good. i couldnt even get around in february when my foot got crushed and its a lot less painful too. so i guess i'm a luck girl...NOT. i have a black cast from my wrist to my shoulder-(black to match my soon to be black belt and the cloud over my head:) in 2 weeks i get this one off, some more x rays done , and hopefully they will only have to put on a short/forearm cast. and then 5 days after that is the "black belt spectacular". it is held at a local high school in the gym. i just can't wait till its done and the pressure is off.