Thinking about karate again

[pegkerr]

I have been thinking about resuming karate again. I was at the dojo this past Saturday, photographing the testing for the website, and I found myself longing so hard to participate again. If I did so, I could only swing it by working off my tuition by cleaning the dojo. I'd clean twice a week, an hour and a half each time, eight times a month. If I did that, they would waive my tuition entirely. Do I want to do that, to commit to three hours a week, on top of class time?

Frankly, I don't know. The thing is, if I started doing it, and then my life changes and I decided I didn't want to clean, I would be really stuck. It would be very difficult to manage the tuition payments without, for example, cutting retirement savings, which I really don't want to do.

I asked if I could try the arrangement for a month before signing a contract, just to see if it would be too onerous. That would help. Still it would be a two and a half year commitment.

I will think about it this week.

Comments

[callunav.livejournal.com]

I don't know. (Obviously. No one can know when you don't know, yourself.)

I do know that you sounded happy, confident, and secure when you talked about your work in karate, in a way I haven't really heard you sound since.

[aerden.livejournal.com]

I am really glad to hear that you're thinking about taking karate again. In your past posts, it always sounded like a significant part of your life, and I felt sad for you when you were feeling so burnt-out a while back.

I hope they will let you try this arrangement for a month and see if you are comfortable with it. I wish you all the best with this, Peg.

Chantal

[jbru.livejournal.com]

Is karate something you would pursue if money and time were no object? (Well, if money and time were no object is there anything we wouldn't pursue for at least a while? Let me rephrase....)

It comes down to the benefit vs. payment thing again. Given your hectic schedule, could you commit to that time? Would cleaning have to happen at times when there are not classes, meaning you have to figure in double travel time to and from the dojo as well? If you could clean right after a class, would the girls be interested in coming along to help you out? Could you take on the cleaning as a family commitment to lower all of your tuitions enough that all of you could participate to the degree you want?

I'm sure you'll come to a decision that's right for you and your family.

I'm considering expanding the tai chi I'm taking through my work and have many of the same kinds of questions to answer for myself.

[wintersweet.livejournal.com]

Wait, you mean you have the option of not cleaning the dojo? Man, kids these days! *headshake*

(Actually, at my gongfu school everyone cleaned for about 20 minutes after each session, so not quite the same time commitment :p)

[dreadmouse.livejournal.com]

I think I have an idea how much karate means to you, Peg. At least, I know how much it means to me, and I believe we both get similar benefits from practicing that go beyond the merely physical.

That said, I'm also a new parent and a member of a family. I only have one child, not two, and I'm always pressed for time; I can only imagine how busy you must be!

Despite my best efforts right now I'm struggling to make it out to two karate classes a week, totalling about 3 hours of class. If I had to clean an additional 3 hours every week to pay for those hours of training, well, there would be problems. Firstly, I get more than enough of cleaning right now, and secondly, I just don't know where I would find the time!

I'm the first person to understand that what works for me isn't necessarily what works for others, but right now my free time is very limited and highly precious to me. I've found that becoming a parent means giving up an awful lot of what I thought of as "me." I don't think I could stand another bite out of myself right now.

If I were in your shoes, I don't think I could make the commitment. I would rather set those three hours aside every week and use them in a completely "selfish" way, i.e. in some activity which is for me and me alone.

[huladavid.livejournal.com]

There's one thing, and I'm speaking from my vast experience of being both a guy & a child--often at the same time, before you do the dojo cleaning gig I'd suggest making pretty darn sure that you're not going to have to do all the cleaning at home.

Use guilt, if need be. Guilt early & often.

[mayakda.livejournal.com]

The time's got to come from something. What are you willing to drop in favor of doing this?

[mayakda.livejournal.com]

Oh, and can't you find a good dojo that doesn't do black belt contracts? I know they exist -- my daughter goes to one. It's month to month regardless of level.