A nice cool rainy night

After some days of sunny weather, the rain visited today. I had just recovered from a migraine attack which occurred yesterday and thought I would give training another miss today. There are a few things weighing on my mind for the past month and it is about time that I deal with at least one issue. It has affected my mood more or less and I would like to get back to my old self again. 

So today, I cycled back home from school in the rain, took a hot shower, had my dinner and just relaxed in my room. Then my father, who is far away from us and had discovered the wonders of Facebook, came online and the family had a great group chat together. Some time with my family is just what I needed and it will keep me going for sometime.

A little of revision, a nice cup of tea and I am ready to call it a night.

Tomorrow is going to be another beautiful day.

When routine sets in?

I am sure you had one of those days where you train with a partner who does not follow what the sensei is teaching. I met yet such a partner today.

My initial reaction is always that of annoyance; with the fact that you disregard what the sensei is teaching and stick to what you are most familiar or comfortable with. To me I feel is a act of disrespect towards the sensei that is taking the lesson and a breach of etiquette. 

However, I decided to revisit my thoughts on this matter in an attempt to decipher what may be reasons for such behaviour. 

• auto-pilot (Can't… control… limbs…)
• did not pay attention. ( I was too busy wiping the sweat off my face.)
• did not understand what was being shown (Wow you can do sankyo that way? But how?)
• did not agree with what was being shown (No no no, kuzushi is not possible that way)
• uke being excessively resistant (I have to change to something that works!)
• indifference (It is just another sankyo)
• training versus workout (I am just here to break a sweat)

The above are the reasons I have come up so far which may explain why things like this occur during training. As far as I am concerned, if one falls into the third category you could still attempt to perform what was being taught by the sensei. If you tried but face difficulties it will mostly and surely catch the attention of sensei, who would approach and guide you, as it would happen in most cases. But if you do not even try, then it negates the point of having sensei to lead the class and instruct, doesn't it?

As for the fifth category, I have spoken to some of my friends about this situation. This may warrant a separate post altogether because several factors, such as the level of training, the partner you are training with, your mindset towards the methodology of training etc. would come into play. As I am still exploring this issue for I will leave it for now.

Anyway, my partner is a yudansha and what was instructed is clearly very different from what is being normally instructed. That is wonder of training because of how much you can learn from every sensei. Sometimes I am guilty of not paying full attention during demonstration of a technique as my mind would be still on a previous technique or simply spaced out. But everytime I try my best to see what sensei is trying to tell me through his instruction. 

We should, figuratively speaking, empty our cup everytime we come to class. But how often do we do that? Or rather, are we willing to do that?

The little things - the shoulder pat

This little thing came about from an aikido event.

I was at a get-together party on the first night of an aikido training camp. It was the 8th of its kind. 8 is an auspicious number to the chinese and looks like the symbol for infinity when laid horizontally. Due to my dan rank I was seated at the corner of the dojo along with some members from HD. I finally managed to indulge in some respectable conversation after 9 months of study but was still nervous and feeling inadequate about my communication ability via Japanese.

As the party progressed you made your rounds with the members and before I realized you came to our group. In fact, you sat next to me! Due to my nervousness and apprehension, I remained silent after the formal greeting. Conversation followed and I listened quietly. Then you turned around, gave me a smile and a double pat on my left shoulder. My reaction was a smile and a deep nod. I am not sure, but I felt, at that point, that it was enough for the both of us. Your gesture, my response, mutually and fully appreciated. 

Thank you for the shoulder pat and everything that comes with it.

The 11th IAF Congress and Seminar

I had been looking very forward to attending my second IAF seminar. It was 4 years ago that got me thinking about training at Hombu Dojo. Now here I am, having the time of my life doing what I have have wanted to do since 3 years ago.

I spent a great deal of time with my good friends and training with friends as well as new acquaintances. I also had a surprise dinner with someone whom I thought who not be possible to have dinner with during my time here. There is also this transition of wearing a different coloured belt on the mat. I made new friends, kept and lost friends.

As expected, it was a memorable and eventful week. Every experience, whether good or bad, made me grew.

Taking the exam

I did it. I registered for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). After 9 months of studying at the Japanese language school and living in Japan, I think it is time for me the take the test. Something to note though, by the time I finish school at the end of the year, which round the time I will be taking my JLPT, I would have only finished the N3 syllabus. The interesting thing is, I registered for N2! 

I had been living the life of a full time student since the beginning of the year but I would like to spend some of my time here doing a part time job. Sometimes I feel like I am wasting much time doing nothing. Which leads me to feel like a diminished individual. But then again I haven't been actively looking for a part time job either. So when teacher brought up the subject of taking the JLPT, I told myself that I would use this as an impetus to start the ball rolling. 

The next 2 months will be very tough, because taking the test above one's level is…always tough. But eversince I started Japanese language class I became committed to the study. For sure I came to Japan to train aikido at Hombu Dojo but I am also a language student. Therefore I cannot just train aikido and neglect my studies. I chose to come to Japan as a language student so I have responsibilities towards that end. If one chooses to do something one must do it well. 

So, I will work hard for it! JLPT N2 in December 2012. Go go go!

There is a time for everything.

I lost a friend today.

Why? Because there are just so many thing in life that are out of your control.

You try your best to be as true and as patient you can be to you friend. Especially when you are patient, you compromise to avoid matters escalating from bad to worse. However, that could sometimes be misconstrued as a tacit admission of something, usually of wrongdoing. 

One day, that patience reaches a limit. You want to let your friend know you feel, that your feelings have been hurt by your friend's overprotective and inconsiderate actions, as much as they may be well intentioned. But your friend has turned cold towards you, treating you as if you were a mere acquaintance.

Still, you want to salvage the friendship, as someone who cherish the bond of friends. So you walk up to your friend to ask for some time to talk. But you get those few cold words, "there is nothing to talk about, no need to talk" and you are left standing by yourself, wondering what on earth you did to deserve this type of treatment. All this time I had been true and patient. 

It was really a 180 degree about turn from just a week ago. 

And for what? For something that was not even a concern of my friend nor sometime that will affect my friend's quality of life. Perhaps my friend no longer wishes to be associated with me because I am thought to have made a stupid mistake. No matter. I cannot please everyone. Neither should I suffer fools gladly.

Therefore, I made the decision, and lost to lose a friend today.

Some home cooking

Whilst enjoying my life here there are times when I am struck by homesickness. One of the things I miss most is my mother's home cooked food. She has a penchant for fatty pork and I guess it runs in the family. I decided to give the 2-in-1 fatty pork dish a go to ease my homesickness somewhat.

First I simmer the fatty pork in water to make the soup stock. 

Once the pork has softened remove from pot and cut it to bite size pieces.

Put in vegetables to make vegetable soup. Add salt if desired. I found the soup tasty enough without adding the salt.

Cook pork in low heat with salt and garlic until garlic turns crispy. Be careful not to overcook the garlic as it will turn bitter.

 And there you have it.

My mother's 2-in-1 garlic pork with soup.

The little pleasures in life ^_^.

September is here!

       This picture kind of captures my feeling of my first few months in Japan. Alone and lost! Hahahaha.

It is the first day of September! It had been nearly 8 months since I arrived in Japan. slowly but surely I had settled down on my new life here. Today began with an early morning of aikido session followed by another which ended just before noon. I wanted to push myself to take a third class before the rendezvous later at night but I decided to stop at 2 because I seemed to be getting alot more bruises on my calves this week than normal. I did practice some tobi ukemi. I still suck at it and I am sure that has a great bearing on the cause of my bruises for these week *resigned grin*. Moderation is key...

Unexpectedly took an afternoon and after that it is to the station to meet up for dinner and movie! We took a liking to this all you can eat syabu-syabu restaurant because of its reasonable price and the dim sum option. The funny thing is, we always end up at the same table! As usual we were very audible and animated while stuffing ourselves silly. We had ample time and met up with another classmate at the cinema. I wanted to take a group picture of us at the cinema and approached a lady to help us take pictures but she looked frightened, waved her hands and said she is not doing it. Oh well…

Avengers wasn't so bad a movie. There was a build up to the action as the characters went through a teething period before getting their act together. we were greeted with rainfall after the movie and everyone hurried home after bidding a hasty goodbye. 

It was a good day. 

Exercise discretion in matters of importance

It was one of those nights where after the keiko is over, I sat down and tell myself for maybe the hundredth time: you can really tell a person's character when you train with him/her.

Granted, we all have limitations as human beings. Therefore we aspire to continually improve ourselves in whatever we do. There are some who try, improve and grow. Some try, but don't seem to be getting anywhere. Yet some try, but are not really opening their eyes and minds to what is being taught in front of them. In some cases some are contented with where they are and what they are doing, ready to spend the rest of their lives at status quo. 

Given the short time that I am going to be in Japan, I try to attend the classes of as many shihans and shidoins as I can. I want to see how they express themselves through aikido and also to get to know abit more about them through their practice. 

One night I was fortunate to have dinner with some of the teachers and invariably the conversation turned to aikido as one sensei was concerned with how I was doing in my aikido practice so far. One of the things I told him was that it is very different compared to home as back there there were some restrictions with body contact and also the number of partners you can train with. However, after coming to Japan I have so many partners to choose from and there were no problems with body contact. Sensei responded with one sentence; " You have to choose you partner carefully." That statement came back to bite me one day.

One of those nights, I partnered with someone I thought would have somewhat changed after training daily at Hombu Dojo for so many months. My first experience with X was a rather unpleasant one. X was stiff and did X's own aikido contrary to what was taught by the shihan. After 5-6 months, I partnered with X again and it was the same. I am not saying that I am a fabulous aikido practitioner, but at the very least I try my best to do what is being taught by the sensei that is taking the class, not whatever I am comfortable with. I felt that it was  waste of my time because I intended to practice what as taught, not what X thinks how it should be done. In fact sensei came over a few times to train with X but X could not follow because X did not ensure that connection was kept for as long as possible. In the end, sensei stopped, smile and walked away without completing the technique.

It was a less than fun session but I made the choice to train with X and now I know one thing for sure; I will not choose X to train with in future, due to the reasons above.

A little consideration for close proximity

I met a "L" at the dojo tonight. That person does not wash his keiko gi but just suns it outside his house after every training session. There is a strong smell of ammonia which paralyses your sense of smell no matter which corner of the dojo you are at. I had the fortune of training with that person. For some time. Imagine having to practice judo with someone like that! 

There may be a variety of reasons for allowing your keiko gi to descend into that condition, whether justifiable or not. But I think that as a martial arts practitioner and particularly one of close proximity, utmost concern should be given hygiene and cleanliness.

One of the things that our master places utmost emphasis on, is cleanliness. Come in a clean keiko gi. Keep your nails short. Brush your teeth. Take a shower before training. He never used the same keiko gi for more than one session. You might think that some of these things are not achievable due to certain constraints, but some diligence and investment can make it possible.

On diligence; here in Japan, it is the norm to find the ladies taking a shower and brushing their teeth before class. As I have the luxury of living very close to Hombu Dojo, I brush my teeth and take a shower before leaving for Hombu Dojo. I dispense with shower of course during cooler days.  The point is, it makes a big difference when you prepare yourself that way before training. First of all, I view it as a symbolic ablution before entering the realm of the dojo to train. When you enter the dojo you train, you leave your worldly and everyday thoughts behind and concentrate on the training, physically, mentally and spiritually. Secondly, for not rambling on, it is etiquette!

On investment, purchase more than one or 2 sets of keiko gi if you are serious about training regularly. They don't have to be very expensive, state of the art, sweat-sucking-quick-drying keiko gi. Just practical ones will do. They do go a long way, just like how you intend your training life to be. 

I hope that as people get immersed whilst pursuing an activity and in this case aikido, don't only just think  about coming to the dojo and doing the moves. There is more to it then just that.