aikido video

[Yan Zhu]

Check out the fluidity in this guy's movement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYBn10LaL_g&feature=related

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"Imagination is greater than knowledge."
- Albert Einstein

[Ashley Lee]

WOW!  That was sweeeet!!!  He really moves like water.  By the way, just an update, I just accepted an offer from NASA to work at the Marshall Space Flight Center as an Aerospace Technologies Computer Research Scientist.  This is a government job at the GS-13 Step 5 rate.  I start Jan 22, 2008.  I know...wierd...but I guess they like to process a large group at once and with it being the holiday season I guess everyone is on vacation until then.  Currently I am working for Westar at the Army Aviation Engineering Directorate on Redstone Arsenal as a Sr. Systems/Software Engineer.  I am working on applications for the AH-64 and CH-47 helicopters (not classified).  Exciting stuff but I can't turn down a Federal job especially since I already have 10 years of prior service.  Just FYI.

Ashley

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Ashley Lee

[Yan Zhu]

That is awesome my friend. Congrats!

[Ashley Lee]

How did your test go? I'm sure that you passed!

Ashley

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Ashley Lee

[Yan Zhu]

I regret to report that I tested badly last night. Lack of focus, mistakes creeping up everywhere,
and just couldn't find my mind through out the entire test. Had to struggle through the whole
thing. Honestly I don't know what happened.

I doubt it was bad enough to fail. But in some ways I almost wish that I failed.

I am thinking about asking Sensei if it is okay for me to go back to the white belt class for a couple of months to relearn the fundamentals. It feels as if I lost the beginner's mind and am just mechanically doing the techniques.

yan

[Ashley Lee]

I have these same struggles from time to time...nights where I just can't seem to execute a single basic technique much less an advanced one.  Perhaps it is part of the struggle that we must endure to find our path.  It is most surely part of the process that we call learning.  Even with scholastic work, that I thought I had  learned thoroughly, are there times when I find myself struggling to recall even the simplest bits of knowledge.  I believe that it is crucial to the developing martial artist  to revisit the "basic" techniques on a periodic basis in order to perfect or master his body movements which in turn opens doors to more advanced techniques.  I know this is difficult especially in a style like mine that is well populated with a myriad of techniques.  But without these "basics" every technique that is derived from them would be impossible to master.  With our busy life styles this struggle is inevitable.  Makes you envy those who can devote time out of their lives to study as an Udeshi.  I think this is a great topic for my blog site.  Hope you don't mind if I use it.

By the way, I'm sure you did well enough to pass.  Which Kyu were you testing for?

Ashley

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Ashley Lee

[Yan Zhu]

I should be a brown belt now. Then comes Red, and Black.

I have two choices - one is go through brown belt and use Red belt time to make everything better.
The other is to stop now and go back to the very basics and relearn everything. Haven't decided which yet.
Will talk to Sensei about it.