aikicherrini

Life has been rather hectic lately for lidl cherrini. I have been trying to work more hours, and to accomplish that I have been getting up earlier. I’m also trying to help myself to be able to get up early by going to bed somewhat earlier. It doesn’t always happen, but I am working on it. I have been practicing aikido in the evening on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Practicing aikido is sometimes a good workout; sometimes it is not so heavy. I have also been working on getting my taxes done for calendar year 2006, and then after I will get the 2007 taxes done. That is just the German taxes, though. I still have to get my taxes done for 2005, 2006 and 2007 for the states. My company supports the tax preparer fees, but it is not enough to cover all the costs. I have been also slowly working on my bike to try to get it back into shape. I bought and mounted a new light generator, and yesterday I fixed the right pedal crank pin. Now my pedal cranks are 180 degrees apart again. I still need to grease the chain and pump up the tires. I have also been working with my therapist and psychiatrist to get my psychological evaluation together for submittal to my health insurance.

I received the psychological evaluation on Friday the 14^th along with a bill for 750 euro. Then yesterday I received another bill from the psychiatrist for 1180 euro. I’m hoping my health insurance will reimburse me for the bills. If not I will be hosed for a couple of months financially. I also paid for translations that cost me 450 euro. I could have bought a used car for that money. oh well. Instead of getting depressed about my finances, I am trying to look at it as a positive that the document is finally finished and in my hands. I will deal with my health insurance tomorrow, and I hope it will go well. I should not be financially so stressed, but I guess the xmas holiday spending is taking its toll finally. After the first of the year all of my insurance and contracts renew, and with that comes the yearly fee. I had always chosen to pay it all at once just to have it out of the way and to not have to think about it anymore. January is always an expensive month.

The practice of aikido is very slowly getting my body into shape. After each practice, the strains and joint pain are becoming less and less. I got up early this morning and spoke with my Kr0k and then I went to the dojo. There was a group of people that were sitting in the lobby of the dojo drinking coffee and chatting. I assume that was the theater group Anita sensei spoke of. I had written a list of warm-up exercises to practice with little stick figures as reminders of how the movement is done. I started by expressing my gratitude to the shrine in the dojo. The first exercise was to run around the tatami three times. Then I went to the sunny end of the tatami and practiced a lot of stretches. I don’t feel that we warm up sufficiently at the regular practice sessions that I go to, and there isn’t any time between the classes to do it. I guess I could try to do it before at home, but I don’t always have time for anything other than grabbing my gi and running out the door.

I have not been practicing katsugen undo much in the past week. The aquanun was here last Sunday thru Thursday. We were able to practice aikido together and then afterwards we did katsugen undo together. I was able to clear my mind so much easier with her there. I sometimes have trouble keeping my mind focused on nothingness and feeling everything when I am alone doing k-u. I practiced some movements that we did in the last week, and then I practiced rolling. I can roll much better forwards than I can backwards. The rolls are simply the reverse of the other, but the body inertia is different somehow. I would have thought the forwards rolls would be difficult because of having to use your arm to direct the line of contact with the tatami. I worked out the line up to the point of my shoulder, but I fall apart after that point.

I will have to ask Anita sensei if she can show me a technique to practice for the backwards roll follow through. I am glad I went to the dojo today. I was alone and able to do the movements at my own pace. I practiced katsugen undo also afterwards. I can’t wait for the next opportunity to go to visit my company’s headquarters in Kyoto. It would make me feel really nice to be able to work as well as practice aikido there. I used to not like the hierarchy and structure of the Japanese working culture, but through practicing aikido my perception of it is not so oppressive anymore. I can somehow understand them a bit better now. I was hoping that I would maybe see some of the Japanese that work here at the dojo, but it is mostly all Germans. There has to be some people at the headquarters that practice. I found a dojo online in Kyoto somewhere, g-earth couldn’t find it though. It is a goal of mine to practice aikido somewhere in Japan in the future. I have been having an obsessive fantasy about getting a position at the headquarters just so I can practice aikido in Japan.

I guess I should not expect to become a samurai overnight. Such things just take time and perseverance. If for nothing else, I am able to go somewhere after working all day where I can shut out everything else and practice movements that make me feel good. I feel more balanced because of it. I feel more peaceful and calm in everyday situations, and therefore the stress doesn’t really get to me as it had in the past.

I wanna bake biscotti today and perhaps also get some sewing going too.