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| I'm about to become a real live missionary. The stake president will be here in about ten minutes.
I wish I'd corresponded better with you guys; I just hope I run into anyone who stayed in Provo while I'm at the MTC, because that would be excellent. Aubrey has my address and I hope it gets around. You guys are great. I still talk about you all the time. The picture of me with my shiny new green belt that my sister will upload to facebook once my camera likes me again may or may not show that the t-shirt under my gi top bears the motto 'Mauled by a Flinder".
Y'know what I'd like? To see as many of you guys as I can when I get back. Most will have moved on, graduated and such, but I'd love to run into one or two of you. You meant a lot to me.
Take care, everyone. Until '09, adieu.
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| Considering I'd put it in my facebook status and messaged four people about it, you'd think I'd forego writing it here.
No.
I do not in fact have the physical belt, but I'm going to buy it on Monday. It'll be the first belt ranking I've actually HAD a belt for since white. Next up: brown. That's right, brown. I'm stoked, and I probably won't get the silly thing for another two and a half to three years.
In other news, my throat is sore from too much voice in the kiai-ing, but my big toes no longer burn.
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| The final crunch is underway. That sounds more intense than it is. All that's really left is insurance and paperwork. And giving up on things that missionaries can't do, like watching TV. I bought a nice new bike, one I hope will keep me in good stead for the next however many years - I really want to bring it to BYU. Who remembers Flash?
Last night, instead of watching TV (admittedly, there wasn't much on), I prioritized. My sisters had all gone to bed, so I had to be quiet, but I got in 40 minutes of karate in the living room. I've lived in this house for years and I never realized that at night the big window becomes a full-length mirror. Sweetness. It's been MANY years since I was in any kind of training facility that had a mirror that big. Very helpful, I found.
Near the end, I realized that I could sense a kind of emptiness of mind approaching - no more caring or worrying about whether my technique was good enough, what my dad thought, whether I was putting in enough effort - and that if I kept working I'd get there. So I did. I don't think I've felt that since Jujitsu club at BYU. My dad says that means I'm beginning to learn. Great time to get motivated, neh? But I was thinking about reasons to keep doing karate right up until they set me apart, and the best reason that came to mind is the quote from Gichin Funakoshi: "The ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of the participants." Seems like reason enough to me. Still, I don't like that I'll forget every kata I know in the next two years.
Meh. It's not like it's high priority, relatively speaking.
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| A few facts about my mission:
It includes Bagdad and Klondike and is within five miles of Johannesburg.
It ranges from east LA to the Mojave Desert (not too far from Death Valley).
I am required to bring a mountain bike.
I'm warming up to it. The mention of rice, beans and Mexican food definitely helped.
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| My elbows ache. I got back into Karate a couple of days ago 'cause someone seemed to think it was a good idea to try for my green belt before I ship out. It's possible: I know more than enough katas and plenty of techniques (thank you, Jiu-Jitsu club); all my dad wants beyond that is dedication (urf) and that I spar two people at the same time. You must understand, I haven't sparred anyone since BYU. But Dad didn't say I had to WIN, just SPAR. Maybe I'll call up the local karate or taekwondo dojo. Or - heh - the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu people.
Anyways, my mission call has been in the mail since last week. They usually come on Tuesdays.
I just spent a week in Florida. It was FANTASTIC.
My sister, my mom and I sat down last night and watched two DVD's of Alias. Seven episodes straight. *twitch*
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