Jonathan (ジョナサン)

After the Demo and Test

    The demonstration at the church went pretty well. It wasn't a big turn-out from the youth group, and instead of going the 15-20 minutes, we ended up being the entire show since the youth pastor was ready to just send them home. They were pretty interested, and everything went as well as can be expected for very little prep time. The bo staff kata I did looked pretty good, wish we had had more time to practice, but it looked good, even though I know I messed a few things up here and there. I got to do front rolls on asphalt, but I didn't them just right, so it didn't cause me pain. My back muscles were all tight from the 2 days before though. That was from about 10pm to midnight-thirty.

    Next day was the test. Woke up around 9am (after finally going to bed about 3am), had myself some boiled eggs and headed over to the meeting place so we could carpool down to Pawnee for the test. I arrived at the test, ready to be part of the board to administer the test, and got the "special suprise" along with the other instructors that we were going to be tested as well, not for belts, but are abilities as instructors to execute the test and the abilities of the students being tested to perform (which says something of our abilities to train them prior to the test). This was why the Master Instructor had pulled out of coming to all the classes at the Dojo and letting the Senior Instructors (myself and another) and the Instructors take a more pro-active roll in things. The purpose behind this is to get us into the USMA as official instructors, which requires what he did, then submitting it to an examiner who will then test us and such. Basically, it means I went from simply helping out with the test, to actually running the test. It was a good experience. My back was bothering me a lot by the end of the test, lots of standing and running around to make sure things were going correctly adds up, plus the front rolls and previous annoyances. I feel I might have taken too much charge, maybe, I am one of the Senior Instructors, and of the two of us, I have been a black belt longer, but he has lots of experience as well, I just wanted to make sure things went correctly... my perfectionism kicked in I suppose.

    The test went great, and all of the students did wonderfully, so I'm glad. Knocked the wind out of two of the testees, my round kicks always manage to land in just the right place to make the guys drop to the floor, I don't actually mean to do this, I am hitting them, mind you, and pushing them, but it happens, you don't quite breathe out in time, and of course, that solar plexus can be quite troublesome when hit. Helps build character and see how far they can push themselves though!

    My back is feeling a lot better today, been putting ice packs on it the last few days, and took a long hot shower today, so my muscles have finally loosened up. Been relaxing for the most part, going to tackle a little homework here after awhile.

    Late last night, my roommate and I went to Wendy's to get some food. When he paid, and was handing the window guy the money, the window guy said, "Have a GREAT evening", really emphasizing the 'great'. I was thinking it was sort wierd, or the guy was really energetic or something. Then Matt, my roommate, told me what he did while he was handing the guy the money. He grabbed the money be placing his hand around Matt's and then pulling it slowing across his skin to take the money. Looks like the guy had the hots for Matt, hahahahahahahahaha, woooo, I was laughing for quite awhile after he told me, not going to let him forget that one for awhile!!

    That's all for now.

    TUMEO.
    お元気で。