Catching up

I went to train at Kyoshi's last week for the black belt class, and boy was it hard! We started out doing cycles of pullups (I had to run around with a stool because I was too short to jump and reach them), then we did cycles of pushups (four stations, 1st cycle = 1 pushup at each station, 2nd cycle = 2 pushups, etc. all the way to 5). Then we worked the tonfa, which was alright. It was bo that was the disaster. Once we got past Choun a kun, I had no idea what was going on. We did about 5 or 6 kata that I didn't know and could hardly keep up with. Then, we did some openhand kata, which was a little easier - still didn't know any of the kata, though.
We did a lot of talking in between these things, and he (Kyoshi Coffin) repeatedly put down TKD and criticized it to no end. Mr. Coleman and Ms. Swing had warned me about that, but I wasn't prepared for that kind of verbal assault. He wasn't attacking me, but he was attacking my art, which is almost worse in my opinion. It finally came to a breaking point after class, when he, in front of the entire class, bet his belt that he could teach me more in 2 years than I'd learned in 12 years of tkd. I didn't say anything, but I'd had more than I could handle. I went back to the locker room and cried my eyes out. Normally, I wouldn't get that upset, but I've been a little more emotionally sensitive since Mr. Coleman left.
Once I composed myself, I went back out. I think Kyoshi saw that he'd upset me. He took me in his office and we talked for a long time. I told him that from what I'd seen of Karate, I loved it, but I wasn't ready to make that switch. He told me that, in my heart, I'd always be a TKD stylist, and that Mr. Coleman would always be my master, but there was only so much that he could teach me. I understand where he's coming from, but I don't completely buy it. At least some things got resolved, though. Sigh.....

Yes!

MR. COLEMAN'S HOME!!!!! I was hanging out at the dojang this afternoon when he called my cell phone. He said that his dad was almost fully recovered and self-sufficient. They were going to do a 3rd surgery, but they said it's nothing compared with the other ones he had to have. He said that he and his sister had talked, and decided that he needed to do what's best for him, so he got home last night! He and Ms. Swing are meeting on Monday to talk about what his role in the dojang is going to be, because things have definitely changed. In my opinion, Mr. Coleman leaving brought out an ugly side of both of them. I just hope that they can work things out. I'm so happy, though!! He's home! Truly an answer to my prayers.

A turn for the better?

Well, things are looking better than they did a few weeks ago. Mr. Coleman's father is doing well, last I heard. They think they got all of the cancer out of his lungs, so just pray that he stays clear. Mr. Coleman still plans to come down in late November for a group test and other things. Last night I trained with Kyoshi Coffin for the first time and it was amazing! There is so much more to Karate than I used to think. The kata are absolutely beautiful and I can't wait to learn them. I had to stand in second highest rank (going by my tkd rank), which was a little intimidating seeing as I didn't know what was going on! Kyoshi was very helpful, though. Very understanding. It was a lot of beginners for the class, so we did the basic kata, then some work with the tonfa. After class, Shelley, a green belt, walked me through some of the emptyhand kata and I love them! I already know Nihanchi Shodan, but I need to learn Nihanchi Nidan, Nihanchi Samdan, and Wansu. Kyoshi said I might like to come to the black belt class on Wednesdays, which I am really looking forward to. I think I'm going to start training there on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Things are so much better when you look for the good in a bad situation!