Back into the Saddle

Well in some good news I'm getting promoted at one job in May so I can support myself enough to only need one. What that means for Judo and Aikido is more time for practice. I'm going to attempt to come down in early April with Bryce during his school's spring break and hopefully things will work out where we can both go. I'd like to go to the Starkville clinic, but we'll only be in town one or two days and I don't know if we can drive up to the Sumrall/Hattiesburg/McComb area then drive 3-4 more hours out towards Starkville...we'll see. Even if we can't, hopefully we'll be able to catch Pat before or afterwards. I've been doing tegatana a lot lately and at first I was letting the weight of my hand cause me to fall in the directions of the steps but that felt too much like leaning, so I started just falling those directions then moving the hand. After working with it a while, I feel like it works best with starting to fall and moving the hand around the same time then centering the hand during the downward fall and catching myself at a point where I could change direction instantly with my hand already at my center. Thoughts?

Back again

In response to Pat's reply to my last post, of course I haven't given up. I don't think I could ever "give up" martial arts. I've just been working 18 hour days 6 days a week between 2 jobs. Andy called me the other day and I had to work in the morning and was off in the afternoon and he put it quite well when he said "so with you only working 1 job today, that's like a day off for you". I've done a lot of thinking over this the past few days. I've been avoiding this decision for a long time, but it's finally time to give in to seriously pursuing martial arts as a career. It's the one and only thing I can do day in and day out without getting tired of it or my love for it diminishing. It's a constant challenge to the senses with physical and philosophical sensations. I plan on staying in Orlando the next year and after getting a car, driving to Vero Beach when Bryce is gone. Afterwards maybe Houston or Oklahoma. The only way I can see making a career of this work, is just to study and study until I'm good enough that people come to me to learn. I've also been looking into whether it's possible teach Judo as an after school program at the boys and girls club, or (hopefully somewhere) as a class itself. It more than qualifies for a gym class. Especially if could be taught to 8th-9th graders where they're old enough to be able to perform the moves well but young enough to absorb the info. Any suggestions on how to make martial arts a feasible career are most welcome and greatly appreciated.

Quick Update

To anyone still reading my blog, just letting you know that I am still making an effort to post. I just started my new morning prep job at a brand new Outback that just opened yesterday and I work nights at Blockbuster. Combine that with Bryce's crappy class schedule this week and it's left no time for Aikido or Judo...hopefully next week.