pegkerr | I Can Haz BLACK BELT!!!

It seemed to go by so fast. Karate marching basics, basics (punching and kicking), paper kicks, self-defense, pad strikes, and sparring. We ended with horse back riding punches.

I wore my White Tree of Gondor T-shirt underneath my gi for good luck, as I had planned to do for years (during pad strikes, I thought about bashing in orcs. Hey, whatever works).

I did Zhang Du Moon for form. It's so difficult to watch myself on video. I certainly wish I'd made my stances much deeper, despite the fact that I'm fifty-one years old and have problematic knees, but otherwise, technically it looked pretty good.

Sparring: I felt pretty good about this, but needed more stopping techniques, like sidekicks or back punches.

Mr. Sidner, who has taught everyone in our family since 2003, tied on my belt. It meant a great deal to me.

Then I tried on my new blue coat and my family joined me for the taking of pictures. I got genuinely teary. My, how long and hard I've worked for this!