Toowoomba is currently quiet and cloudy, and I hope everyone has a chance to feel rested after what has for many folk been a quite intense year just passed.
The week between Christmas and New Year always feels a little dislocating, as we abandon the regular routines of work, study and training and dust off the well trod rituals of family and friends over this time. We notice the absence of people as keenly as revel in the fresh connections made with those dear to us, and try to imagine the opportunities and challenges of the year ahead.
I want to wish everyone all the best with the year ahead, to recognise opportunities that present and rise to the challenges that come with that.
We have a few thing already locked in for this coming year, and a few things still yet to plan. First up is the official start to our training year tomorrow evening. Keiko hajime will commence at 6 pm sharp. However, I would ask that everyone who can please come at 5 pm to help give the dojo a clean down and be ready to commence on time. We shall have some rice cakes and tea for supper afterwards.
Second is the Iaido seminar this Saturday (6 January) at Kenshinkai with Yaguchi Sensei. We have an opportunity to train kendo before hand, so those wishing to participate, please keep an eye out of the Kendo & Iaido @BBRD Facebook group for details. We will talk about this tomorrow night as well.
Among the other things we will be settling in the next few weeks are the proposed Kendo taikai and Kyu grading opportunity, USQ Orientation Week activities, regular trips to train with senior Sensei, and a few necessary changes to the timetable for classes.
So onwards from here, and as always I’ll look forward to seeing you at the dojo!