[iouiyyut]

One other small point I've been considering....

Where I practice, people start shimpaning at sandan. I guess when we start doing kendo, sandan seems very very far away. Its feels like a lifetime away, something that might happen in a vague and foggy future.

For the last 5-6 years for me its been, "oh its so far away, surely I'll be magically better and a completely different person by then" and I've been going to practice and learning about kendo, and not all that much thinking about becoming an "assistant instructor"

Then yesterday after practice, my sensei goes, "oh its in a year. You MUST test for sandan".



I'm not "magically" better, nor am I a "completely different person". I'm pretty much the same person I was a year ago.

The prospect of sandan pretty much all of a sudden went from a vague possibility of a uncertain future to "something I should plan and think of and pencil in for next October"

So I know that I'm not going to be a perfect shinpan and I'm going to probably make mistakes. As many mistakes as being a beginner. I'm pretty sure I'll be a beginner shinpan.

So, its gonna be rough for the guys I judge I guess.