Yesterday, Sensei Oliver endowed a black stripe to my brown belt, indicating that I am officially in testing for my black belt. Even though I have been on the journey for a few months now, it felt more “real” seeing the black stripe on my belt. I (and 3 of my peers) are officially doing […]

Chinto

Yesterday, I attended my first karate tournament. It was the Gold Rush Tournament sponsored by sensei Bennetti’s dojo. It was a great experience. I was very nervous the entire day but seeing the entire production of it was impressive. It was great to experience it with friends from the dojo and make new friends from […]

I was asked to give a presentation today about medical mission trips I’ve been on over the years which I feel was an honor. The problem: I cannot publicly speak well. The anticipation drives me nuts and I get extremely nervous. I get this same way even with demonstrating kata in class. I just get […]

I’ve actually been impressed with how far I’ve come in regards to being comfortable sparring. I have found that I truly do enjoy it. With each round, I am finding that I’m less anxious, gain more stamina, and think clearer. It has almost become a game of chess: seeing your opponents moves and countering as […]