Day one was quite an adventure. I got up at a reasonable hour after a decent night's sleep and headed to the dojo. Through texting I connected with a fellow karateka who I asked to be my tori when I heard he was helping someone else. We, and a few others went for breakfast and then headed over to the dojo to be on time.
Then the waiting began.
There were quite a few challenging a number of different ranks on this day which made for a lot of waiting. Time to let your brain get completely messed up about the things you think you don't know or the things you may have forgotten.
I think the biggest challenge when advancing is to try and stay calm and collected. Find the mushin.
My turn came and I stepped onto the floor. I was nervous and had a little trouble remembering to breathe but I feel like I eventually settled down and performed reasonably well.
Day 2 should be easier since it is mostly just a clinic, I think and while I will likely get picked on it will be more interactive and less a presentation which will help me stay more calm.
More tomorrow.
