Aikidogi

Flick and I received our aikidogi (aikido clothes) today: all white and over-sized, they shrink in the wash. We are starting with white belts, though I don't know whether this is a generic colour as we are older, or really is the lowest belt level. We also paid our membership fees, though surprisingly I didn't feel anything parting with such a large amount of money!

The children in the first class that passed their examinations a fortnight ago received their certficates for the next level. Printed, but still a very nice calligraphic scroll with their name on it. Some got new belt colours as well. That did mean 10 minutes of constant seiza.

Some of the moves they try and teach us in the second class are difficult, especially for us beginners who have yet to master the basics. When your black-belted partner doesn't know what he's doing either, then you're in trouble! (I gave up with that move.)

In the afternoon I watched most of the film "Detroit Rock City" on TV with Rushen. It was about four teenagers trying to get to a KISS concert and was pretty bad, though after you get so far into a film, you feel you have to finish watching it. I watched "Kiki's Delivery Service" (魔女の宅急便 - Majyo no Takkyubin), which was rather lovely, uplifting, and relaxing. A lovely little film that also contains a character called "Tombo" who, I'm told, looks like me! Thus "Tombo" is one of the names they call me. Afterwards I filled in most of my employment application form, all 19 pages of it. Lovely.

In the evening we watched a film the Keiko and Brendan had watched: "Hitch," starring Will Smith. It was quite a good movie as well: nothing special, though calming and very watchable. Bed followed, after I spoke with Hannah, as I had a headache.