I passed my test!

I'm now a 4th Kyu in Kyokushin Karate after receiving my new belt tonight! For those of you who don't know, that's a green belt in my style. Next up is brown, followed by black, but I'm still another year away from one and 3 from the other. Slowly but surely though I'll make it. I'm very happy right now. I think I tested the best I've ever tested for a belt this time around. The only thing I've been told needs work is my weight, which I've been working on for quite awhile and I'm not far off now where I want to be. And it's not that I'm fat or anything, it's just that I'm carrying around a few more pounds then I need to and it does slow me down a bit. But by the end of summer I'm sure I'll be where I want to be. I'm focused and determined to shed the extra pounds and to make Sensei happy in the process. A small group of us will be training throughout the summer, working on cardio, self-defense, and flexibility. I'm also looking at fighting at a couple of tournaments in the fall, one in Cranbrook in November and the other in Vancouver in December. So I want to be in good fighting shape and the summer training will help me achieve that. I'm looking forward to the hard training and all the results that will come from it. And in the fall, I'm going to do my best to help out with the earlier classes and get some teaching under my belt. It will be an exciting time for me in the fall!

And on a side note, I got my passport! And the best part is it only took 11 days to get to me. That's amazing considering some of the horror stories I've heard about wait times. My Mom's only took 9 days to get to her. That's even faster then the pamphlet in the passport package says it will take as a minimum (they say at least 10 days)! So I'm quite happy about that. Now I can travel freely any where my wallet and ambition will take me. First stop: San Diego! After that: Japan in the fall! And from there, well, we see when that time arrives. But I've heard rumors of a family trip to Europe.

Man will that ever be cool. Take care one and all!

Oddly enough, I might have a girlfriend.

I've never been hit on more in my life then I have been over the past month. I don't know if it's the sad, puppy dog look in my eyes, the unshaven "brooding" look I'm sporting, or my new cologne. But whatever it is, it's working. Thanks to my friend Amanda, I've met someone. Her name is Brenna. She seems very nice, she's definitely strong (she's a farm girl), and she really pretty. But I'm taking my time with her. She was pretty jaded by her last relationship, and I'm not in a hurry to rush into anything right now. But we both like movies and have been spending a great deal of time together watching all the shows I've missed over the past few years. And she's athletic, playing both volleyball and baseball on a weekly basis. So we'll she where this goes. I'm off to Karaoke with her and a group of friends tonight, and those who know me know I love Karaoke! We'll see if she likes my singing.

It's been one hell of a month.

Well, it's been a month since I lost my stepfather Warner. And in this time I've endured a lot. I found out that when someone dies, those left behind not only have to worry about moving on and getting past their loss but that there is a literal mountain of paperwork that follows. But I've managed to get through it, and my family is healing. I miss Warner everyday and can't help but wonder what happened to him that made him make such a fatal mistake. I have trouble sleeping at night, but I've been told that this will pass in time. I keep playing the days events over and over in my head. There's nothing I could have done differently, nothing that would have changed things. I know that. But I wish there was. On the plus side, Warner was well covered. And now my Mom will be well taken care of. But no amount of money will bring her husband back, and I've forever lost a close friend and father. I miss you Warner, but thanks to the strength you gave me, and gave all of us, I'll make it. Thank you Dad, I'll see you again.