Hanshi Camp

For the last three days, I've been training along with other schools in my area, under the tutelage of Hanshi Steve Arneil. He learned our style of karate (kyokoshun) under it's founder while it was still being developed, and has a plethora of knowledge on fighting and self defense. The camp has always been extremely hard work, and on the third day the adults would have not just one session but two, and I decided to take a little non-"om" meditation with me. My scarf! Little did I know what it would become a memento of later that day.

After lunch, I hopped into the locker room to grab my garter stitch and on the way out found my sensei. Uh, oh, smart remark sure to follow! Sure enough, after a quick double take, he sighed "Are you serious?"

I simply answered "Yes," and continued to stitch without looking.

"Does that, like, soothe you or something?"

"Osu," (some sign of agreement in Japanese, but can kind of cover anything in the dojo).

And with a reluctant "Alright..." I was off the hook! Huzzah! But the best was yet to come! Outside I plopped down on one of the picnic tables, enduring the usual questions. "Are you knitting or crocheting?" "What are you making?" etc. Sempei noticed, and soon all the black belts were chuckling at my expense. I'm used to it. Suddenly, an English accent cut through the little crowd around the tent.

"Are you knitting?" Hanshi was asking about my scarf! Oh wow!

"Osu!"

He answered with something along the lines of "That's good, you don't see many people knitting anymore." Hanshi approved of me knitting! Haha see sensei?

"Oh she's good!' Erica cut in. "She makes, socks and little animals, and all sorts of stuff."

"Oh! Do you think next time I come you'll have a nice pair of socks for me?" Hanshi wanted socks? Oh wow! And my witty self replied...

"haha...maybe..." Oh wow. Must work on my social skills.