As I wrote in my last entry, we practiced the 31 Jo Kata at our last class. I had a blast, but it was very challenging for me. I was tired, and I'd never done a jo kata before. A few days later, sensei sent out an email with an attachment from "Fudebukado: The Way of the Exploding Pen." Look it up if you want. Find the "gallery" and look for the 31 jo kata. It's really very funny, and is very much how I am performing the kata at this point. "Sod it. Bow."
I replied to thanked him for the link, as I thought it was pretty funny. I seem to remember seeing it before, but now the cartoon had new meaning, as I could make a "text to self" connection.
He, in turn, replied again to me with the following:
"At your convenience, let's talk about how to align body and mind along the path.
You are a Yudansha .."
I left the line break in, as I thought it was important. The thing is, I am not presently a Yudansha. Rather, I am a Yukyusha - 3rd kyu since March.
I am not sure what he means by this note. Does he think I am improving on a regularly enough basis that one day he is sure I will be a Yudansha? I doubt that he thinks I am ready now, as I leave the dojo frustrated by my technical ability more often than not, yet he writes, "You are a Yudansha." "Are" being the word that creates the most confusion here.
I wish sensei were a little less cryptic. I'd like to know what he means by this, yet I know it would be bad form for me to ask outright. I would not want for either of us to lose face by my clumsy inquiries.
Sod it.
Bow.
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