Kiderült, hogy a sake-t kis szögletes fadobozban szokás fogyasztani, esetenként úgy, hogy sót teszünk az edényke szélére. Illetőleg a fiatalaok körében új divat, hogy citrommal fogyasszák.

Amikor az erkélyen alkalmazott grillsütőt akartuk beüzemelni, kiderült, hogy nem teljesen stabil, mert hiányoznak a rögzítőcsavarok az aljából. Amikor  megpróbáltuk belerakni őket, de eleinte csak mérsékelt sikert értünk el:

-Abe mester: á, jó lesz az így...
-Krisztián: na! azért ne legyél már ennyire magyar!

Valamint az egyik meghívott egy fiatal karatés japán volt, aki annyira jól beszélt magyarul, hogy pillanatra meg is lepődtem.  Ő meg akkor, amikor megfogtam kézzel a grill vasrácsát, hogy áthelyezzem, amíg szenet pakoltam még bele.

ő: -erős kezed van, én ezt nem merném.

Amúgy nem is gondoltam volna, hogy 3 négyzetméterből is lehet táncparkettet varázsolni. Meg...hogy egy félméteres húsfogó izével is lehet táncot lejteni. (fütty-fütty, das war nicht ich)

Valamikor egy óra körül hagytuk el a helyszínt, méghozzá úgy, hogy hatan ültek be az öt személyes kocsiba. (Ráadásul volt aki egymagában kettőt ért.) Szerencsére nem találkoztunk rendőrrel (biztos el voltak foglalva a tegnapi buzitüntetés és buzi ellen tüntetés, valamint buziellen-ellentüntetés következményeinek eltakarításával. Hallottam, molotov-koktél is volt, ja meg hogy tojásdobálóversenyt is rendeztek, mivel állítólag a tojásdobálásról megállapították, hogy az a véleménynyilvánítás ősi magyar módja, s mint olyan, szabályos. Hm.)

Amúgy sokkal jobban vagyok, tegnap még eléggé fájt a derekam, de éjjelre bekentem a varázskrémemmel, és végig egy moccanás nélkül aludtam. A varázskrémben az a jó, hogy mint egy vészjekző adó, odavonz néhány gyógyító szellemet. Máskülönben nem tudom, hogy lehet, hogy érzésre kb. 60%-al jobban vagyok. És már jobb lábbal is tudok fumikomizni. jihááá =)

Went for a run and really focused on putting one foot in front of the other. I ran and I got away from my problems. At least for a while. And maybe that's what I needed to be able to take care of them. Some distance. I will go to bed in a while and tomorrow morning will tell if running away helped to sort it out.

Comment on running: I was somewhat tired about half-way through the run, and so I tried something which I never thought would work. I practiced my kiai. For those of you who aren't familiar with what kiai is, it is a kind of shout, or maybe battle-cry would be more accurate. It is used in kendo wherein you are supposed to mark your every strike with a cry. This because you are supposed to convince everyone that it certainly was a hit, and to enforce your strike by letting all your energy out in the moment of hit. Anyhow, while running I let some energy out by practicing my kiai, and the running went much easier. Interesting.

One more thing worth mentioning is that I was running at a trail in the forest where there seldom are any people. Which is perfect if you want to practice kiai, since it could get rather loud. But it just so happened I wasn't alone today. I think I startled them a bit...

- Quiquid latine dictum sit altum viditur.

Up until that point I was quite happily training. I forgot about jigeiko. I even smiled and I think perhaps at once stage laughed.

After jigeiko was mentioned, everything that I ever had learnt about kendo flew out. Even with the drills that occurred before jigeiko were wasted on me. I wasn't focussing. All I could think of was that I wouldn't be able to do them in jigeiko and why delay the inevitable? After all, I am nothing more than shinai fodder.

And then it started. I went into defensive mode rather than offensive. Completely useless given that there's no real defence in kendo. I did eventually try a few attacks but I didn't achieve anything. And when I thought I couldn't feel any worse, I was introduced to a new level of feeling worthless.

Getting hit on the right arm didn't help. It was either that or my ribs again. I chose to use my arm to block the hit while moving away. I wasn't fast enough. That essentially ended my training for that night as I did literally run off the dojo to attend to my arm.

As I type this now, I can feel where the shinai landed.

Everytime I do jigeiko, my spirit weakens further.

Lets check out some modern super fencing from Athens Olympics 2004.

Personally I think modern fencing technique is superior to eastern sword martial arts, why, well good sword technique has two tenants that need to be used, timing and distance, the footwork is far better with western fencers, they control the floor far better, also the simple fact of timing, lets show this with a question, whats the shortest distance between two points, the answer is a straight line, and that's why the thrust beats the cut.

Lets watch this in action in this session between a kendo practitioner and a fencer. Kendo vs Fencing enjoy.

A description of what a kiai is from Wikipedia

The noise from a kiai is said to arise from the hara or diaten: it involves the abdominal muscles and diaphragm and should not be sounded merely from the throat.

As well as the above, the kiai can be used to:

• startle and demoralize your enemy.
• prime yourself for combat, by "amping yourself up."
• protect the upper body from a strike by providing an escape route for exhalation of air.
• protect the lower body by rapidly contracting the transverse abdominals and other core muscles, shielding the internal organs.
• provide abdominal support for striking techniques.

Sound complicated for screaming? It is.

Lately, my kiai has vanished. I'm not sure where it's gone. I did have one. I really did. But now, it's gone. It is most likely linked with my much diminished self confidence in kendo. I would like it back.

There was an exercise for training kiai tonight. I wasn't so good at it. There were moments when I did indeed have a kiai going. It went high pitched and strange. I don't even know where it came from. Sometimes it was controlled but most often than not, it wasn't.

My senpai was good at getting me to raise my voice when it faltered. He started shouting out things like "Froot loops" and "Rice bubbles". I shouted out "Coco Pops" and things developed into shouting out the names of board games once we ran out of breakfast cereals. It was actually kind of fun.

There was jigeiko and it wasn't really something I was looking forward to. Everything else was fine. I've even grown to like kirikaeshi after weeks of determination to get the exercise correct. I was happy with my performance of it on one occasion tonight.

I guess my attitude was noticed as I was asked what the matter was. It just all came tumbling out. My first words were "I hate jigeiko and everything associated with it" and it was quickly followed by something unexpected, "I almost quit after training on Friday for uni games". That wasn't supposed to come out but it did anyway. 

I was told that this does happen in kendo and that after some sessions, that you do feel this way but you just keep going back. Well I did this tonight. I went back despite feeling horrible. I hope that this is progress of some sort.

Jigeiko wasn't as awful as last week. I felt like I may have delivered some hits correctly but I wasn't delivering a kiai. That didn't help things. And most of the time I didn't feel as if my footwork was correct. I never know what to do. I've been told to just attack. I never just attack. It's just not something I do. I'm more one to defend or react appropriately. So to just automatically attack isn't something that come naturally to me. I guess I lack the killer instinct.

Heijoshin, significa presenza mentale.
Il kanji "heijo" significa ordinario, normale, "jo" sempre, tutto il tempo e "shin" mente o cuore, cioè la mente mantiente lo stato quiete normale anche nelle condizioni di stress.
Shin (o Kokoro) a volte può essere distratta, sorpresa, impaurita o nel panico, questo può far perdere la presenza mentele (questo stato mentale si chiama "shikai"). Ogni volta che questo succede la nostra mente non è calma, stabile, concentrata, cioè non è presente. Heijoshin significa quindi mantenere la nostra mente calma e presente in ogni condizione in modo da poter prendere la giusta decisione
E' molto difficile mantenere la mente presente tutto il tempo, come tutti sappiamo, probabilmente è per questo motivo che esiste il concetto di Heijoshin per ricordarcelo.
Da Kendo Wisdom "Heijoshin"

Shinai-Bag di e-Kendo

I'm not looking forward to any aspect of it, the least of all, jigeiko. I don't think I've gotten anything out of last week in terms of skills, experience or technique. I suppose I got experience in that I know what it is like to get pummelled relentlessly by someone who is more skillful.

It was just as I had expected.

Crap.

My sister is going to Michigan for 6 weeks, so there will be nobody driving me to the 40-minute-away practice every week. That means my second practice will not be any sooner than August. Life is unfair.

I don't even know where to begin. It's frustrating and at the present time I don't want to pick up my shinai for a while. I can't really bear to look at it without feeling unworthy and like I've just wasted all my time and effort. This is something I've been wanting to do for a long time and suddenly all of it has become far too hard.

Today I attended the first team training session for the Australian University Games. To be honest, I have no idea why I even bothered attending. I was nowhere near the level of the other team members attending and it was very clear that training was at their level and no concessions were being made for me, the only kendoka, fresh from the beginner's course.

I can count on one hand how many times that I've been in jigeiko. Three times. And as for sessions on techniques of counter attacks? One, that I can recall. So it's little wonder that I'm feeling overwhelmed and on the side of useless.

Though I can't help but feel a strong sense of resentment as I do feel as if I wasted my time tonight. If the expectation was that I was supposed to be of 5th kyu or even 3rd kyu standard, I really would have appreciated being told beforehand.

I had little to no idea of what was going on. I did try, all up to the point when a team mate made it abundantly obvious and clear that he wasn't there to impart any knowledge and was there to train for his sole benefit. He was at full speed in his attack and there was no opportunity for me to practice any counter-attack techniques. None. However it did allow for me to practice controlling my emotions and persevere through what was the most humiliating 90 minutes of kendo thus far.

In addition to this, we were asked whether we could see whether a point was scored or not in a shiai. I couldn't see a thing, despite knowing what constitutes a successful hit. I didn't see a thing. I was the only one to say that I didn't know because I didn't see anything. I was grateful that my men was on at the time because my face went bright red out of frustration and for the first time, I was close to tears. And another first for me, I started to produce a false kiai.

I have nothing against the coach who was doing his job. But I've nothing to offer at the moment. And it is true in that he doesn't have the time to teach anyone techniques. His expectation is that everyone practices the techniques in the weekly training sessions that the club provides. This is all good and well but the beginners, now juniors are only just starting jigeiko and counter-attacks.

Although I train occasionally at another dojo, it hasn't provided me with many other benefits when it comes to shiai. None at all. I don't know what all the Japanese terms mean. And being told that I'm to remember what the terms mean next week and execute them accordingly or it will mean 20 haiyasuburi for each mistake isn't encouraging me to show up because that's all I will be doing.

I should voice my concerns to either the team manager or to the coach but right now I'm far too upset by all this and rather weak. I literally got myself away from it all as fast as I could after training. I couldn't take any more of it anymore and I just didn't want to spend any more time there. I just left. It wasn't the best etiquette in the world I know.

At this point in time I don't feel like I have any dignity left.

So much happened since the Auckland Kendo Club was created, fourteen years ago, and even much more is on the way.

The way is what we learn, what we seek and what we rely on. Kendo means "The way of the sword" and its no coincidence for the students to look for their own way, in life or in the Dojo (which is where we practice).

This blog is a support for information and communication towards the members of the club and intereted enthousiasts. There will be updates about the club's upcoming events and the kendo practice itself. This also is a place to smile and laugh, a place to learn and a place to hang around. Come as often as you wish, leave your comments and come to visit us at the dojo.

Our address is:

165a Pilkington Rd
Panmure Auckland
New Zealand

Kind regards to all,

Aurélien from the Auckland Kendo Club.

I felt rushed with having just learnt the counterattack techniques and having to then put them into practice. I'm not someone who can instantly perform a technique after watching it. I need to repeat the movement several times. I definitely need the time to develop muscle memory.

It wasn't having to face people of higher grade that worried me. I didn't have the fear of getting hit. It was the fear of forgetting everything that I had learned in the past few months and performing the worst kendo that undermined my self-confidence.

I received a large hit to my right ribs. The person who did this was most apologetic about it. I knew that he didn't mean to hit me that hard or mean to miss the dou armour so much. However, it did hurt and I wasn't able to speak and it took all self control to not rip off the men and dou. I recovered and continued. Then later in the rounds following, two other people hit the same spot.

...anche se guidate una Honda ;-)

So già cosa state pensando: Che diavolo c'entra con il kendo?

Ve lo dico io!

A Zena apre una nuova concessionaria Nissan e ci hanno ingaggiato per tenere una dimostrazione di Kendo e Iaido durante l'inaugurazione.

Per cui, il 27 e il 28 Giugno per tutta la giornata saremo in Lungobisagno Istria 23r a prenderci a legnate per il piacere di possibili acquirenti Nissan. :D

Inoltre, se siete i fortunati possessori di una Nissan, potrete vederci già il 25 dalle 19 alle 21 stesso luogo. Assieme a noi...LOBOFONEEEEEE

A decade passed. And while I studied, worked and travelled the kendo club grew bigger and stronger. The club was always in the back of my mind but I never had the time to dedicate to training. Then I came across the advanced group training one day as I was headed to the gym. I was amazed by what I witnessed. 

I saw kendoka, (students of kendo), training. And they were training intensely. It was a sight to see 20+ kendoka free sparring. I didn’t know where to look most of the time. The kiais reverberated around the gym and out in the car park. It was something truly inspirational. I decided that I would have to start kendo after so many years of placing it in the “I will do this when I have the time” list. I decided to make time.

Some weeks after I once again attended my university’s Orientation Day as a postgraduate and found myself walking past the kendo stall. I stopped to introduce myself and to enquire about the beginner’s course. I discovered that they held kendo on a night that I couldn’t attend regularly. That was when I was told of the Fremantle Kendo Club that was being started and that the training session would be held on a night that I could attend.

As a beginner, you shouldn’t set lofty goals. It’s better to set realistic ones. However, before I picked up a shinai, I committed myself to the team headed for the Australian University Games in Melbourne in September.

Written by Ryoichi Shimano, you can find it here: http://www.st.rim.or.jp/~shimano/doujo/eng/okuden_e.html

"I go to Noma Dojo located in Gokoku-ji, Tokyo, every morning. My house is in the northern part of Saitama prefecture and it takes about 2 hours by train to get to the Dojo from my place. So, if I get up around 4:00 am and catch the first train, I can be on time for the morning practice which starts at 7:00 am.

By the way, when I attended the wedding reception of my friend the other day, I was asked to make a speech. So, I announced this Oku-den and people told me later that they were really impressed. My gift to the couple was, of course, Nemaki. "

Okay so, this is my Sensei, showing me and my mom how to put the men on.  The men is what covers the head and neck, throat and shoulders.  Very important.  I'm going to practice putting that on a lot.

On this last one, I start on the left side, working with a partner; she's really good and strikes hard.  You can tell us apart because she just a little bit shorter than me, and my back is to my mom.  Then I move to the middle, and I'm working with a boy who is taller than me.  Then, I am on the right side with another Sensei, who is wearing a white top.  She's reminding me to use my voice, which I kinda forgot about because I was focused on striking.  She tricked me a couple of times!  She's really nice, but at the same time, really tough, and she's really, really good at Kendo.  I got a few good hits, too.

Now I kinda think I want to compete, now that I know what it feels like.  I told my mom I want to go to a tournament and watch first, though.

Kendo is Japanese fencing, with only 4 strikes that apply for any kenshi - Japanese word for sword man, young or old, freshman or senior. It is a simple but powerful martial art that can encourage one to step forward with confidence but appropriate manners.

It was an enjoyable experiment. I am eager to learn it, starting from next week.

"Si comincia con un inchino e si finisce con un inchino".

Il Kendo è uno sport che deriva dall'arte della spada padroneggiata dai samurai. Al contrario dei guerrieri, chi patrica il kendo è solito usare una spada di bambù detta Shinai.  

Es wird sich angeschrien, Energie vergeudet, nichts ist zu sehen und spüren von einer inneren Ruhe der Kontrahenten.

Dagegen dieses Video hier, Eiga vs. Miyazaki:

Sie wirken konzentriert, zentriert, in sich ruhend... schön!

Aside from that, I have plenty of things that I need to do. There's studying to do for exams (including one final for a half-semester course I'm taking), plus some other miscellaneous tasks to complete.

I haven't been to kendo (my one and only club) for the last three practices. One of those can be blamed on that mischievous migraine (uguu~), and the others can be blamed on things that came unexpected-like. My dad was in town last week, so that's that. The other one I missed was because of an assignment being tacked onto the to-do list by my professor at the proverbial last minute. In other words, I've got real excuses to bring with me when I do go to kendo.

However, I can't help but feel my experience at last practice also played a role in why I've been apt to use excuses (not that they're invalid). You see, I tried bogu for the first time. I felt ashamed that I couldn't put it on properly by myself. I lack the social ability to ask for help in earnest, so I just struggled like a floundering fish on land until someone came and helped. Really, I do have a problem with asking for help when I feel like I should somehow know how to do something. Of course, I have been busy and haven't really had the time to look it up independently, so I can't really blame myself. Yet, it bothers me still.

Well, I may or may not bring bogu with me to practice tomorrow (presuming my migraine's effects have finally passed). Indeed, my basics have been lacking anyways, so perhaps I should just focus on that instead of stressing over something that's been bothering me to no end. Of course, I'm still trying to escape it; I think that's a part of who I am - a coward who is afraid to commit to a path of uncertainty.

Yesterday I failed to write a letter due to total debauchery on my part. I don't know if you punish people for not following the Undeniable creed of "...one a day, everyday, for three months." But I believe you must do something because there seems to be "missing" members, such as Rima Anosa who's site mysteriously vanished from http://purloined.wordpess.com/. This worries me because I hope there's no hazing ritual for rule breakers.

Just thinking about how Edren would haze me brings chills down my spine. Imagine being locked in a cage and him chasing you around with his so-called Gavel of Unearthed Secrets screaming "For the Alliance!" It's going to be a long four hours of merciless bludgeoning. I'd imagine it'll take four hours because after about two hours I'd probably say something under my stupor like "Why... why are you even using that that gavel, it's resto spec, you're feral!" Oh how that would piss him off even more, refueling his diminishing rage "It was my only epic drop in six months! Now die you filthy orc!" Such unadulterated hatred from such a usually calm guy. My only salvation would be if his nephew comes looking for his missing inflatable squeaking hammer. I have many scenarios on what may transpire with him, but this one seems the most realistic.

Then there's Erik, I never met the guy, at least I don't think I did, but I think he's that guy you don't want to meet. Like if you met him, that was it, you knew you were done. Kinda like getting that horse's head in bed next to you. I never really got that. Were they all in the room brainstorming on this. Timmy Two Times says "Hey, let's write him a death note, yeah death note." Then Big Tom retorts "No way, he really fucked up this time, let's just put a bomb in his car." But then all of a sudden, Disturbed Dan speaks out for once in his life "No." Everyone pauses and turns in disbelief, "A horses head." Silence. "...in his bed." Confused stares. "...while he's still sleeping in it." Turning to each other, they'd all stutter in reluctant approval, "Uh... yeah, sure... not a bad idea. Thanks Danny." What the hell? What ever happened to "Let's sneak into his room and put shaving cream on his hand." Oh yeah, I'm talking about Erik here. I don't think he'd be Disturbed Dan, no mention of a horse's head or even horses on his Facebook profile. Though a run down of his interests, he may not be too far. I can totally see the level of punishment in store. It's going to be in a room without any windows but the roof will be gone revealing the clear midnight sky. I'd be tied to a chair in the middle of the room begging. He'd listen to some of my requests but cackle at the others. It's kinda like a scene from the Reservoir Dogs, but he's dressed like a circus clown parading around the room with his kendo stick. Every 15 minutes or so, he'll scream out a mathematical equation, breaking the soothing Pink Floyd mix playing in the background, and striking me for every incorrect answer. Alot of times there wouldn't even be an answer and I'd ask "What? Is that even a problem? It kinda sounds like a theory!" But all I'd get is a mouthful of bamboo. "Wrong, that was the Pythagorean theory!" He'd say cleaning his shinai. The only times I wouldn't get hit during his circling sessions would be times when he runs up to me and flips out Escher postcards and with wild eyes he'd say "You see, the stairs, they just keep going, I mean look, it just goes up and up, no end. No end at all. It doesn't make sense does it?" Then he'd stoop down, gazing into my eyes, he'd whisper, "I heart it!" With a sudden burst he'd run around the room laughing and pointing at the stars only to stop to watch animal planet on TV. I believe it would be a few minutes of this long awaited serenity before I would start crying. At that point, he'll take his coffee break and do what he lives to do, breath and analyze. For he likes to people watch, and I think I qualify as people. Shortly he'd slowly start circling again and decide when to start the next round. How does one get free? Maybe if a thunderstorm came close by. I dunno, but I'm scared, really scared.

So this letter is to the members of the The Undeniables who have been hazed. I implore you to please come out and save me. I can't endure what you must have endured. As for any reciprocation you demand for your pain and hardship, please be considerate and do it on your own time. I really hate whiners.

p.s. - if you're Edren or Erik, Elaine made me write this. I think The Undeniables are a great and peaceful group and we should have outfits like The Incredibles.