update

I have not posted here in ages.

I keep a myspace account (www.myspace.com/roxyfighter) which I update regularly.

But it's ironic to read my last entry about my sensei. Because Moriyama-san was killed in a car accident last July.

It's been tough.

But lately training and work have been good. I hope to get a fight offer soon.

"Erai" - greatness

"Erai!"

I was asking Moriyama, my dojo's boss/sensei about a competition, and he said that there was nothing yet. "But first," he said, "Fix your shoulder. And your arms are weak! You need to make them double the size!"

I know that! ;_; I'm doing my best! I'm trying to lift weights when I'm not hurt...I'm trying to do push ups, I explained...nothing seems to be working. It's so frustrating for me, and I got really depressed and was freaking out during the rest of class with those feelings. They drive me crazy.

Plus, I really wanted to impress Moriyama-san. He's an important male leader figure for me.

So I managed to train really hard, and fought Hashi a lot. She was able to train longer than me today, which also drives me nuts. To quote Piccolo in the Japanese version, "watashi yori tsuyoi hito no sonzai ga yurusanai dake da" or something to that effect. When King Kai asked him why he was training, he said "I can't tolerate anyone being stronger than I." That's kind of true for me, I think.

I've been trying to copy Hashi and Takeshita's workout habits to become as strong as them, and they always lift the heavy bag and do lots of squats. I did 100 today after my workout. Then I packed up and left at 10:15, and just as I was leaving, everyone was starting to do the routine of 300 push ups.

I left the building. Then, I turned around and went back.
"Wasure mon?" Moriyama-san asked. "Did you forget something?"
"Hai, wasure mon desu," I answered. "Yes, I forgot something." (usually implying a physical item.) I stripped off my jacket, took off my glasses, and proceeded to do push ups. I couldn't do the full ones as much as the rest of the keishukai crew, which eats me up, but I did what I was capable of, neither accepting that nor letting it eat at me. "jibun no dekiru dake koto wo yaru." Just do what you are capable of doing, they like to say. "I think about my weakness in my head, and then spar, and spar, and spar," Monma had told me for advice.

As Moriyama left the dojo ahead of us, he turned around and said to me, "Erai!" That is roughly translated to "greatness." That lifted me up 200% I did as many push ups as my arms would let me do, and then helped everyone clean the dojo. It was refreshing seeing the other pros like Kadowaki tired. They're almost like gods to me who can go and go and never get hurt or tired.
(by the way, that pic is of Moriyama-san and myself and Tetsu dressed as an Alien at the drinking party we had last April.)

teaching at Nodai, meeting after work

I taught at Tokyo Nodai University today. Thanks to my Body Language book I've been reading, I could tell that some of my students were bored, gosh damnit. -_- I should have thought of more games. My first class was great and we could do all kinds of activities, but my second class is much more basic and I need to do class question and answers in order to correct them, so the guys not speaking looked bored. -_-; I must figure out something better than that. More examples maybe. I got lazy last night and only prepared for an hour instead of two hours, oh my! (We don't get paid for preparation time. Which is not cool.) But anyway, it's a nice change of pace.

I had too many cookies for lunch....

I'm going to hang out with a few students and teachers after work today! I'm looking forward to it. I'm not looking forward to my meeting with my boss, who's going to chastise Neveen and I for wearing jeans and sportswear into work and changing in the bathroom. I know I'm not supposed to do it because the customers aren't supposed to see us in "unprofessional wear,", but tried to do it when Alain wasn't in the office, but he came back early from his meeting....oops!

Tomorrow I get to train again!

time

-This picture is of me and Sakiyo when we went to Disney land on Friday. She didn't smile for most of my pictures (maybe, as a 13 year old, she's too cool to smile) but she was really nice otherwise!-

I couldn't remember my password and usename last night. haha. Yesterday was rough. I woke upwanting to die, but I dragged myself to work. The morning classes were a real challenge even though I taught nice people. I was so tired that I was drinking massive amounts of green tea all morning. I taught Haruka, this four year old, who is THE sweetest cutest child in the entire universe. She repeated everything I said, and was content with anything I asked her to do. We made little dolls by cutting strips of paper and folding them accordian-like style. The book's lesson plan was stupid and too easy, so I had to ccome up with other things to pass the time, but that took a while, actually, because the folding wasn't easy for her.

I was debating not going to train since all I wanted to do was lay down and pass out. I ate some junk food, which was bad, but by the end of the day, I determined that I could walk and function so I decided to go to Tokyo and train.

I had to stand all the way there, but Moriyama-san showed up and asked me and Mizuho to teach three beginners. I used to love doing that, but it became a pain in the neck, especially when I wanted to train. I could tell these ladies wouldn't continue, but I guess who really knows? But I was pretty tired. I sparred after that, once with Mizuho MMA, and then with the other guys. Nakazawa-san is always fun to train with. He jumped on me and started to choke me once when I wasn't looking, which really makes me feel accepted into their inner circle. (He didn't get the choke, I got away hahaha). I think I tapped him with something this time, but I forget. Oh yeah, some scarf choke.

I managed to leave before I injured myself, but not before chatting in Japanese for like half an hour with everyone. I loved it- that's why I'm here. Unfortunately, I know the lack of sleep will burn me out, and in another day or two, I'm going to be unable to function properly. -_- I make this choice, though, because i'm a pro fighter. THese weekend training sessions are important for me. They're my hardest days. Like today, I was thinking about taking the night off, but since this weekend was "pro training weekend, I doubt anybody will go to practice on Monday, so I want to take K-taro's technique class on Sunday, which means I must go tonight.

I love his classes, though! And Mizuho will be there! I love Mizuho. :) I wish I could hang out with her more.

ANyway, time to go get ready for lessons...but this massage chair feels so good. What's more important, helping heal my body, or preparing for lessons? Hmm tough choice....

my first entry

Hi, my name is Roxanne. I found out about blogger from my wonderful father who has to make one for a college class. I have a few blogs so I probably won't really use this much. lol But anyway, that's okay!

I had a great day today. I went to Tokyo Disneyland and then had a really hard training session that turned out to last from 4 to 8. We were all really surprised...I had a hard time and I only did that class, but today was "kyoka renshu" which means the pro fighters gather from the five network dojo and practice three times hard in one day. And they do it again tomorrow and Sunday. Amazing...I'm almost HAPPY I have to work tomorrow. Like vacation! lol (lol means "laugh out loud" by the way.) My back is frick'n killing me. I had to do squats with Hashi hanging off my back, like fifty times. I'm in my massage chair now and I'm wondering if that's a good idea.

Okay, goingto bed now. bye!