Aikido Friday Night - 12/20/13 - Yondan

Aikido players:  Tim, Trey(!), Dan, Marvin, Gail, Mario, Julio, John, and Devin

Ukemi:

Watched over Gail, Dan, and Mario

The Walk:

Twice, per the usual routine

Releases:

Not .tonight

Techniques:

Watched over Mario and Julio as they worked on their demonstration stuff for this upcoming Friday.

Aftermath:

Trey was awarded his Nidan tonight.

I was awarded my Yondan.  Holy crap.  I have mixed emotions.  I would really like to have done the demonstration for it (that will come in the future), but I understand that the lack of qualified ukes (Trey and Troy have all sorts of issues keeping them from attending regularly recently) has put a crimp in my demonstration schedule.

I do feel kind of undeserving without doing the demonstration, but I will soldier on.

I was stunned when Sensei altered our usual evening schedule and my wife (!) showed up to see me get the promotion.  There was lots of subterfuge going on to make the evening what it was.