Department of variable reinforcement

I was the only brown belt in a small advanced kata class yesterday (brown and black belts only) and the instructor decided to focus on my kata, Bassai Dai. At the half-way point, he had everyone else step out and watch me do it, so they could all critique me. We do this occasionally, and it's not actually as horrific as it sounds, but is still nervewracking. So... I did the kata. Long silence. Finally:

Sensei A (rather grudgingly): Actually, that was pretty good.

I think the last time I heard that from him he was being encouraging because I was a white belt. I just about purred like a kitten. All the way through the ensuing critique, even.

In other news, I am now officially successful: I've been asked to meet a friend of a friend who's an aspiring writer to give her advice/a pep talk/living proof that it really can happen. I said sure.

This came about because of my lunch meeting yesterday, which got off to a refreshing start when Mr. Hollywood knocked his glass of iced tea into my lap. (It dried instantaneously.) It was a fun meeting, and tempting possibilities were dangled both by and before me. I also got an advance copy of Augusten Burroughs' latest book, MAGICAL THINKING.

When I met with a different Hollywood person, I got copies of Holly Black's TITHE and THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES. I hope that when I meet with... I guess it's OK to make a vagueish reference... a manga publisher, they don't stint the freebies.

Department of variable reinforcement

I was the only brown belt in a small advanced kata class yesterday (brown and black belts only) and the instructor decided to focus on my kata, Bassai Dai. At the half-way point, he had everyone else step out and watch me do it, so they could all critique me. We do this occasionally, and it's not actually as horrific as it sounds, but is still nervewracking. So... I did the kata. Long silence. Finally:

Sensei A (rather grudgingly): Actually, that was pretty good.

I think the last time I heard that from him he was being encouraging because I was a white belt. I just about purred like a kitten. All the way through the ensuing critique, even.

In other news, I am now officially successful: I've been asked to meet a friend of a friend who's an aspiring writer to give her advice/a pep talk/living proof that it really can happen. I said sure.

This came about because of my lunch meeting yesterday, which got off to a refreshing start when Mr. Hollywood knocked his glass of iced tea into my lap. (It dried instantaneously.) It was a fun meeting, and tempting possibilities were dangled both by and before me. I also got an advance copy of Augusten Burroughs' latest book, MAGICAL THINKING.

When I met with a different Hollywood person, I got copies of Holly Black's TITHE and THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES. I hope that when I meet with... I guess it's OK to make a vagueish reference... a manga publisher, they don't stint the freebies.