Kieran-Lilith

Teaching us shouldn't be a problem. We teenagers are old enough to listen and understand, we can reason, we physically do things that the children are incapable of. We can hurt people a lot easier with our knowledge. We are young adults. The main things that are undeveloped in our brains are the decision making/impulse control centers. If a teacher doesn't want us "play fighting" (and none of them do want us play fighting) then say so, and explain the consequences of what will happen if we decide to ignore the rules. We're old enough to understand and be held responsible for our actions. Since we're bigger than the little kids, and since we know and understand more than the little kids, we should be held to a higher standard than little kids. That's the way it has always worked in my life, and I think it works well. I'll even agree with the last couple of people that yes, we do need brought down quite a few pegs sometimes. If we start getting arrogant, that's about as bad for us as having no self-esteem, if not worse. Teens who are arrogant are going to get beat, and then they're going to think "Where did I go wrong with this? Nobody told me to stop, all they did was tell me how good I was!".

We covered them briefly in class at one point, and there's really quite a bit to them. The definition I have written in my MA notebook is this. Kuji no in (Kuji-In): The nine letters (signs) practice of an estoric Mikkyo sect of Buddhism followed by many Japanese martial artists. The Mikkyo is a sect of Shingon Buddhism, the "School of the True Word". The nine letters (signs) are Rin, Kyo, Toh, Sha, Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, and Zen. Rin is strength of mind and body. Kyo is alignment of energy. Toh is harmony with the universe. Sha is healing of self and others. Kai is perception of danger. Jin is knowing the thoughts of others. Retsu is mastery and understanding of time and space. Zai is control of the elements of nature or the ability to make things happen. Zen is enlightenment. Thanks, I had almost forgotten about this stuff. I'll try and look some of it up again after class. Unfortunately, I don't know "proper" sitting positions, but I think that sitting in seiza properly would work, as it helps you to sit up straight and breathe easier.

We have the kiddies, who are 6-14 (at oldest, I think). Then we have the teens, who are 16-17 (there's only 4-5 of us). Then we have adults, who are anywhere from 20-ish to...actually, I don't know. I think 50-ish. Hm. I suppose, looking at it that way, we really don't have a huge age gap. Oh, and MartialArthur, there is a very small population of non-adults who pay their own way. Some of us don't have the luxury of parents who paid for their training...nooo, Mom and Dad made me get a job, of all things...ah well. It's worth it.

That's one of the most well-written things I've read in a long time. You're very talented with words. Great article, too. I can read it and comprehend the meaning very well, but I know that I'll appreciate sentiments like this a lot more later. Right now, I have to get to black, and that will take at least three and a half more years.

Blue belt test isn't bad, as long as you study well. If your sensei says you should have no problems, then you should do well, as long as you don't get nervous and freeze. I'm guessing you won't do that, though, because you've gotten through two other tests. My blue belt test was pretty easy for me. It was the green belt test that had me scared out of my wits and wanting to hide in a small dark corner for the weeks leading up to it.

Wow...small class. I love small classes, but our dojo keeps getting bigger.

Neither had I, actually. I made a thread on here about it once, and quite a few people said they thought it was a made up martial art. About how many people are in your dojo, ERS? We have two classes, and I think together there might be 30-40 students. Possibly more, possibly less, depends on the month. Make sure you tell us how the test goes!

I never explained my other nicknames. Elf: Yet another name by my dojo friend. I have pointed ears. It's not my fault I look like an elf. Pockets: I have a lot of stuff in my pockets. I have pens, pencils, driving permit, keys, bouncy balls, cell phone, flashlight, lanyard, class ring, money, etc.... "Kung Fu Kid": I don't take Kung Fu. I learn Eugue Ryu, but no one can remember that. So, at work, I am the Kung Fu Kid. Grasshopper: Also a nickname from work because I'm in the martial arts. Kitty: Never, EVER call me this. NEVER! Again, the people at work. They said I was a fiesty little kitty...And of all things, it stuck. Tae Kwon Do Girl: The people at church called me that. Sunshine: I'm always happy, it seems. With all my nicknames, it's a wonder anybody ever calls me by my real name...

On a slightly random note....Hi Sensei Alan! Hi Alan! It's fun to know who's watching...

Of course you're not! Let's see...I have...two summer breaks, two winter breaks, two spring breaks, and various other short one day breaks left before I graduate. So I would guess anywhere from 9-16 breaks left, I think. High school is going very quickly for me. I'm going to miss some of it when I graduate in '08.

I'm 16 years old, for the age question. I joined my current dojo under the influence of a friend. I had always been interested in MA, had taken it when I was younger, I watched Power Rangers, the Ninja Turtles, Mortal Kombat...and one other movie I don't recall the name of. I loved it to death, though. As for what kept me in MA....I had a lot of trouble in my life, emotionally and mentally, last year. MA became one of the few constants I felt I had, and when I felt almost destroyed inside, I clung to the one thing that felt stable in my life. The dojo was there, and now, I'd be willing to call the class there part of my family. I picked my art now because one of my best friends happened to be a MA there, and he knew I wanted back into a dojo. So, he brought me along, and that was that.

I regret to say that Spring Break is officially over for me, and today I was back in school.

Hey, it went from two weeks to five days when I moved, it's really not fair. But then, I don't know what I'd DO with two whole weeks these days. I mean...I might actually catch up on all my reading and random research of things, and that never happens. It would be like the world ending!

It depends on where you are for how long you get. When I lived in Scottsdale, AZ, USA, I had a two week spring break, so 14 days. Now, I live in a small town in OH, and we get 5 days, including weekends. As for what I'm doing....I'm doing research on several interests of mine, I have a 500 piece puzzle, and I have martial arts to practice. Plus, I had work, training with a friend, yardwork, chores, and homework earlier. I'm never bored.

If you would have asked me this 6 months into my training, I would have told you I hated forms/kata. Nowadays...I wonder how I could have ever thought. I love forms, especially since they're something I can practice entirely by myself.

Wow....great job, Patrick. Maybe there's something to it when our instructors scream "10,000 times!"

Hmmm...worst insult....I suppose the standard are those nasty, bad words parents teach their children never to say (or to say all the time...). But those kids who use them use them so much it means nothing to me. I'm fairly certain the only insult that ever really has gotten under my skin, and the only one that continues to get under my skin, is being called a freak. It's a very small, low level word, and it wouldn't bother me if people hadn't used it as my name for several years in school. Thankfully, most people these days are too busy trying to be big and bad and use nasty words to ever think of something so small. Oh, and how I react....I blank out all emotion on my face, stare at them, and then usually come up with a smart alec response that's none too nice. And then I walk away.

Not having my flute would make me miserable. Heck, I am miserable. My flute's locked up in the bandroom, of all places...Well, Sensei Dave, if you come out here during June, I'll borrow my trumpet from the school so you can play it. If you can still play, of course.

That's a good movie, too. But you seriously have to go get the anime movies, they're awesome! Completely unrealistic, but awesome!

I think it's Auglaize street...but I'm no Wapak native, so don't take my word for it. And yeah, the new dojo is great. We have room enugh I think a class of 12-14 or so could probably do bokudan kata in it. In the old dojo, only 7 or 8 could at max, and that was at a stretch with people jumping out of the way of others. It's good that we have so much room because the kids class is huge. We normally have two lines of kids, and at one point I think we started a third line. I've trained with Sensei less than two years, but I these days I wonder what on earth I DID before I came there. I would never even dream of leaving. And bueno suerte a ti Eugue_Ryu_Stylist!

I've been training nearly two years, now. Really, if I count my former school, I've trained for about 3 1/2 years. There was a four year gap between schools, though, and I didn't retain much from the other school because I didn't practice.

We should probably start a music thread.... But anyways, as far as I am aware, no, we don't have a real symphony orchestra. I'd really like to play in one at some point, I remember how nice all the stringed instruments sound, and it really and truly is some of the most beautiful music. I'll type more later, I have to go run before Mom has my head...

Don't hold it to the kids. While what they did was out of line and inappropriate, by taking it back to them you'll be seen as the agressor, and you really will lose face. It doesn't matter what others say, what matters is what you know. You know you won. It doesn't matter that others say you lost. I know it's not easy to listen to, but really, you always have to tust yoursrelf and ignore the others.

We have no proper orchestra at our school. All we have are the woodwinds, brass, and percussion, but no stringed instruments. I believe the last time my high school had an orchestra was way back in 1940 or so. By "symphonic flute", I mean I play in the upper level band. My high school has two bands, the concert band and the symphonic band. Concert band plays lower level, easier pieces, and is filled with the average high school musicians. Symphonic band is the "gifted" band, for the high schoolers who are exceptional for their age, and we get the harder pieces of music. It also means we get a lot expected of us, at all times. And while the horn might be fun and easy to play....I love my flute. Besides that, I'm determined to beat the first chair flute one day...She and I have competed for years, and she proceeds to beat me every single time.

I own my own flute, it's the trumpet I don't own. I love my flute to death, and it's easily one of my most precious possessions. I quite possibly have the best made flute in the band, and I'm glad to have it. The trumpet is a school-owned instrumet since I'm not a "real" trumpet player, meaning it's not my normal instrument. The trumpet/cornet/thing is very old, covered in dents, and half broken. The valves stick all the time, no matter how much oil you put on them. It's impossible to tune, there are slides stuck on it that I can't budge, no matter how hard I pull and no matter how many people I get to try and help me get it apart. It's an old piece of junk. Next year, if I'm lucky and favored by the band directors, I'll get one of the newer trumpets. Then, some freshman will get my instrument. I'd love to visit the UK sometime, I've wanted to go there since I was a very little girl. The music, the history, the culture, the stories....I was hooked before I even stood a chance. I'm mad at myself. I have a five day weekend for Spring Break, and I forgot my flute at school. I remembered my music, but forgot the instrument.