Kendo and TW Chinese New Year Party!

Trained kendo 4 times this week, and today's one was an intensive sessions with senior and "dedicated" people only. I've been sleepwalking through trainings this year....unmotivated even though there is a competition next month. I myself can't work out why. Sometimes the passion is there, sometimes it's not. A training partner would definitely help.

I've been thinking about certain aspects of my kendo lately. Simple things:

1) cut men and kote-men going forward, not up
2) Chin down in every cut
3) back straight and nice posture all times. No leaning back
4) vary my cutting distance
5) seme straight in not at an angle
6) no blocking
7) oji waza men suriage men, nuki doh, kote suriage men

I realise that by focusing on these things I'm limiting myself and not trying other things. That's the problem with kendo, there's a million things to work on! During training I felt that my kote was getting stronger. However, my doh is still not nidan level, neither is my tsuki. I also need to improve stamina and kiai.

After training, rushed back home and got myself ready for CNY dinner. It was held at a Chinese buffet restaurant and over 100 people turned up! Was very international with people from India, China, Japan, Korea, American and Europe. The food was ok but really not used to outside Chinese food so could only eat one plate. Ice cream was really good, though!

Really enjoyed the Taiwanese "feel"- the chaotic, fragmented atmosphere, the mahjong, the KTV, and the humour of the conversations. In fact, I felt that everyone was so similar, their thinking, the humour, the conversations. Guess that why they can form such close knit "families" away from home. Was especially great to catch up with Fang and his lovely wife, they are like my Taiwanese family here : ).

So, Happy Chinese New Year to all!