Karate Talk

Struggles

The new year of 2005 has started off much like 2004, which is not good news in many ways.  I was looking forward to the end of 2004, an incredibly tumultuous year which held many personal and external challenges.

Sadly, 2005 is offering more of the same so far.  Although I have finally gotten back into the dojo, I find that a month off, far from helping my ankle heal, has actually made things worse.  On top of that, I am trying to get back into condition, which is never that fun!  I will miss most if not all of Kangeiko, going on this week, which is the first time in a long time.

My friend's father is battling a severe, rare form of cancer which carries a 90% mortality rate.  It's a terrifying experience for her and her family, and I would help if I could but there's really nothing to do except be there for her when she needs to talk.

On the home front, we are healthy again after being sick for several weeks with a lingering cold/flu that has hit our town hard.  Unfortunately, our much-loved kitty is now sick, and of a much more serious nature.  Two weeks of vet visits, tests, and many scary moments may have finally yielded a diagnosis (I should know by later today), but the prognosis isn't good.  I realize that in the universal scheme of things this might seem small to some people, but in my personal reality, it's larger than life.  She has been a loving companion for 10 years, and would be sorely missed.  As it is, her discomfort is almost more than I can stand.

I have so many distractions and right now karate is part of my life, but is not my primary concern.  It is probably helping me to stay sane and try to keep on course, but my mood is low these days.  So, posts have been few and far between.  I don't care to whine about personal issues in a karate blog, but there it is.

I hope that everyone is starting off the year better than I am.

Karate Will Still Be There

Tonight I plan to go to training.  I don't know how well I'll train, but for the first time in awhile, I'm eager to at least get myself moving, even if I have to take it easy.

I've told various people at times in the past that it's okay to take breaks if you need to.  Breaks of days, weeks, months or even years.  Attend to yourself, attend to your life.  Karate will still be there when you get back.

I've just taken the longest break I can remember from regular training, almost an entire month off.  It's been ages since I took such a break.

And it's wonderful to know that karate is still there, just waiting for me to come back.

New Year's Resolution

I admit it, I haven't started off the new year well.  I didn't train at all this week. 

I feel bad about that, since it doesn't exactly set a great level of motivation for the new year.  I do have a good excuse though.  The accumulated stress and running around from the wedding finally caught up -- it's a damn good excuse, if I do say so myself.  I've been so short on sleep I could hardly formulate complete sentences.  I've been stressed and unable to eat properly.  I've barely been home.  No one is really surprised that my bad back went into spasms on Saturday night, or that I came down with a cold two days later.

All the same, I like to start off a new year with renewed energy and dedication.  I feel guilty that I'm not pushing harder, going to training and just taking it easy but at least establishing my presence in the dojo, and its presence in my life again.  We didn't train for the last 2 weeks of December, so this is the longest I've gone without karate in who knows how long.  I don't want to get lazy, to get out of the habit of going and challenging myself.

A lot of people set their "karate new year" as Kangeiko, and that is one of the purposes of Kangeiko.  But my new year's resolution is to renew my energy as soon as possible, and not give myself permission to wait another week or two.

It's never too early, or too late, to remind yourself of what is important in your life, and make a commitment to it.

Everything Old Is New Again

A new year.  A new last name.  A new set of responsibilities.  A new set of opportunities.

The wedding is over and went about as well as anyone could hope for, the madness that is wedding planning is over, normal life resumes. 

That includes this blog, which should become active again soon!