Kamiya

Good point Red, the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. Just kidding, Donkey.

I found out that the $149 registration fee covers the first month of class, plus dues for a couple national and global karate organizations. Also, the $75 a month lets me attend as many classes as I want. There are classes offered 6 days a week. I've been averaging 3 or 4 (this week I'm shooting for 5. ^_^) I could pay only $60 a month, but that would only let me go twice a week. Unfortunately I found out belt testing is not included in the cost. It's like $25 for my white belt w/ yellow stripe, then $35 for the next 2 belts, etc.... But...I mean...it seems like a really good school! And I can afford it, at least for now...

Pfff, don't forget I'm your alter ego battousai. For all I know, it's your fault I didn't bow to the Sensei.

Agreed, agreed dijita and luckyKB. Humility was exactly what I had in mind too. In order to appreciate the idea of starting clean, you have to humble yourself.

Star Wars (original Trilogy) Lord of the Rings trilogy Usual Suspects Amelie The Matrix

The moon would be awesome, but....I really like money. ^_^ I always thought it would be awesome to be an astronaut, but one of my big fears would be the re-entry. I hear all this talk about how if you don't hit the earth's atmosphere at just the right angle, you either burn up or bounce off and plummet into oblivion... So yeah...million bucks.

Thanks Wap. The annoying thing is, I DO understand what Sensei ni rei means, and I vaguely realized at the time that I was supposed to bow (not to mention that it just seems like common sense that you'd bow to the Sensei when he enters the dojo), but for some reason I just stood there like a fool. I think I just got caught off guard by the Sempai suddenly blurting it out like that, plus the fact that I really didn't expect the Sensei to be there on a Wednesday, as it is my understanding he teaches on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Oh well, next time I see him I'll be sure to give him an extra respectful bow.

The most recent book I finished was Dune, which I enjoyed. I started to read the next book in the series, "Dune Messiah," but I haven't really been reading it at all lately. Usually the only time I read is before bed, just to help me relax and get to sleep. Lately I've been reading this collection of short stories I bought years ago at a used bookstore called "Rivals of Sherlock Holmes." It's kind of cool actually, it's a collection of mystery stories written by contemporaries of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and I believe they were sort of trying to "compete" with the popularity of his Sherlock Holmes stories. They're actually pretty good. (I still like Sherlock Holmes better, though. ^_^)

GAH, none of you know what you're talking about! You never had it so good! BRING BACK THE 80'S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *sob* ok, I think I'm all right now. Actually I'm surprised to be defending the 80's, considering I was only around for 8 years of that decade. ^_^

I used to be a green belt (6th gup) in tae kwon do, and now I'm back to white belt in karate. I believe (although I don't know for sure) you're more advanced than that, so the leap might be greater for you, and I'm not sure how much anything I say can help. But I'll do my best. Maybe you just aren't having the right attitude about being a rookie again. I don't know what rank you are, but for now I'll assume you're at a higher rank in your arts than I was at TKD. Maybe it's harder for a higher rank to view starting over as a good thing, but I think you should try! When I joined karate almost a month ago, my mom asked me if I would get to keep my rank from TKD, or if I had to start over from white. I said I was starting over from white. Of course, the karate school would have made me start from white anyway, but even if given the choice, I think I would start fresh. I find it kind of refreshing to be a white belt. You get to start over with a clean slate and you're completely open to letting your instructors mold you and show you the way to do things properly. Are you starting in a new art or just a new school? I think everything I'm saying applies more if you're starting in a completely new art. Look at starting over as a good thing! Besides, the instructors will be able to see your skill level. For example, I think my kicks and punches are slightly better than the average beginner in karate due to my past (albeit limited) TKD experience, and I think it might show a little. Once or twice my instructors have let me learn a technique that maybe they wouldn't normally show someone in their first couple weeks, but they think I'll be able to handle it well enough. I think the same could happen for you. Of course, it can also work the other way too. I was doing a cat stance the other night, and an instructor I hadn't had before (and therefore didn't know I used to do TKD) commented, "Have you done another style before?" I said yes, I'd done tae kwon do, and he said "OK, yeah, I can see it, your cat stance looks more like a tae kwon do back stance." So that's something I have to work on. Well, I don't know if everything I wrote makes complete sense, I'm just sort of saying stuff as it occurs to me. Hopefully some of it is applicable for you. ^_^ I guess the point is being a "newbie" can be a good thing!

Just thought you'd all get a kick out of my doltishness... So, last night before class, I was just sort of wandering along the front wall of the dojo, looking at the pictures and stuff on the wall, when suddenly the Sempai, who was standing nearby, shouted something that didn't quite register at first. Suddenly I turned around and there was the Sensei (whom I've never met, but recognize from his picture) bowing and entering the dojo. I realized the Sempai must have said something to the effect of "Sensei ni rei," but instead of bowing I just kinda stood there in a daze as the Sensei walked in. He smiled and said hello and I kinda said hi back and then he continued to the back of the dojo to go into the office. The Sempai walked over to me and was like "Hey, Erin, just so you know, when the Sensei enters the dojo, the first person to see him says (whatever it was he said) and we all turn and bow. Don't worry though, he realizes you're new here." GAAAAAAAAAAAAH! I'm such a moron!!!!! What a great first impression.

Heck yeah, the Ninja Turtles! Now you're sounding more like my alter ego again, battousai. ^_^ SaiFightsMs: http://www.popples.org/ They're basically these stuffed creatures, and they had pouches. You could use the pouches to fold them into a ball. ^_^

Congrats, krunchyfrogg. ^_^ Good luck in all your battles up ahead! (hehe, that's strange, I didn't MEAN for that to sound like a bad thing...)

As a child of the 80's, battousai, I have to say, are you insane! Don't you remember all the cool toys we had back then! I was all about Rainbow Brite and My Little Pony. And the Popples! Remember the Popples! What's wrong with you man!

I would agree with you that the rules of the dojo would override her rights, if she wants to train at that dojo. However, at least in my case, no one has informed me of such a rule, and so I continue to not see it as a big deal. Mind you, I'm never deliberately wearing makeup to the dojo just because I CAN, or for the sake of exercising "my rights". Rather, I don't really think much of it at all. If I happen to put on makeup that day, it's still on me when I get to the dojo. If it's not, it's not. I never even considered it would be any kind of a problem until I saw this thread. ^_^ I never thought of it as a big deal, and it surprises me to see how much of a big deal it is to others.

Very nice "article." ^_^ I agree with you that in this day and age, one's primary reason for taking martial arts should not be for fighting (except perhaps the self defense case, which is important, especially for smaller, weak women such as myself. ^_^) I can also see delta1's point that it may be an injustice to eliminate the combative aspects of an art. However I think there's a big difference between that and someone wanting to study a martial art ONLY for the sake of learning to fight. Such a person may first want to try either an anger managment or conflict resolution class. ^_^

As long as we're on the subject of silly nicknames from our school days... When I was in 8th grade three boys I knew watched Braveheart one weekend and decided the queen (I believe) looked like me. So (and I'm not sure of the logic in this) they started calling me "William Wallace." One of those boys called me "William Wallace" all the way up until we graduated high school 4 years later.

Thanks, markusan. I agree with you, aefi. I've been arguing that wearing makeup isn't a big deal, but if a Sempai or the Sensei of my school were to approach me and ask me not to wear it, I would stop immediately, no questions asked. Until then, I don't see it as a problem. (Side note: by all means I do not wear makeup every day. In fact, I'd say I DON'T the majority of days. I'm not wearing any right now, and I plan on going to the dojo right after work. More than anything it depends on how much time I have before leaving for work, and usually I'm rushing out the door and have no time for makeup.)

I guess when I say "feminist" rant, what I really mean is defending a woman's right to wear or not wear makeup wherever she wants. Perhaps I misused the word in this case, but...well, there it is. I see your point about the difference between attracting and *trying* to attract, but I guess I wasn't really talking about someone who *tries* to attract others. I'm just thinking about a woman (like myself, oftentimes) who gets to the dojo right from work (I can't stress this "right from work" thing enough ^_^) and doesn't feel like she has to make a point to scrub her face first. I'm never thinking, oh, I'll wear makeup to the dojo to attract others. I don't even THINK of it at all! I put that makeup on like 10 hours ago, it's the last thing on my mind! But, really, I'm not trying to get people angry here. I'm partly just debating for the sake of debate, but on the other hand, I DO occasionally have makeup on in karate class. So, I have to stick up for myself here. ^_^

::sniff...sniff:: Wash that thing already aefibird! I can smell you all the way from across the Atlantic and half the US! I shouldn't talk...I didn't wash my gi till about 3 weeks into karate. I had just been leaving it my car, and then one day my mom was moving my car and later commented that my gi was smelling up the car. Yeah, I'm a slob.

Oooh, sounds attractive aefibird. Someone made a comment before about how people wear makeup to attract members of the opposite sex. And how makeup could be distracting to the boys in the dojo. Well, I have two problems with this (and that's not including the statement about why women wear makeup, which I would also be happy to debate, but not at the moment. ) First of all, if a woman is attractive, guys are going to check her out, makeup or no makeup. I really think makeup has very little to do with what guys find attractive, in fact many guys find LESS makeup more attractive. And if a girl in the dojo has a nice figure, well forget it. What's she supposed to to, gain 30 pounds and get surgery to make her face unattractive just to stop boys in the dojo from checking her out? Secondly, I wholeheartedly agree with what CloudDragon said earlier. If the boys are distracted by the cute girl in the dojo, they need to be working more on their priorities and concentration skills. ::End feminist rant #2:: (I'm sorry, I'm not this much of a bi*ch, really!!! )

Being a female who has also worn makeup to the dojo once or twice, I'll give my feminist input. I, like k4karate, also often attend karate class right after work, and so I'm often wearing makeup. (Usually for me it's just some eyeliner and eyeshadow.) I don't feel like I should be obligated to wash it all off before class. I usually just walk in, get into my dojo, and I'm ready to go! Is there anything wrong with that? And as far as the whole "makeup rubbing off on people" thing, well, I just have to say we didn't have the air conditioning on in the dojo yesterday, so everyone's sweat was getting all over the equipment we were using. Personally I would find makeup slightly less gross than the perspiration of others. ::end bi*chy feminist rant::

I haven't had to pay anything yet because I'm still under a 30 day trial, but I most likely will be joining. My school has a registration fee (around $150(US), I believe). I think my first month of class is covered by that, I'm not sure what the rest is for (but I will be asking. ^_^ I imagine it's a way to ensure they make some money from people who quit right away.) After that (and buying some patches for my uniform), it's $75 a month. (If you pay for the whole year, you get 10% off, so $900 - $90 = $810) I don't think I'll pay for the whole year though, because I want to be positive I'm sticking with this school. I don't *feel* like I'm getting ripped off, because I understand this is their business and they have to make money somehow. If anyone feels I am getting ripped off, feel free to comment.

If you work diligently at your martial arts studies, eventually maybe your appearance can work to your advantage. "Heh, a cute girl, this should be eas---" POW!!! Just thought I'd present another angle which I don't think anyone else has mentioned.

Hmmm, interesting. So in addition to becoming "Erin," you also become six inches shorter....