School is absolutely crushing my schedule, but I'm on spring break, so I thought I'd update y'all on the goings on in Stick Chicklandia.
THE BLOG
Yes, I fully intend on picking up the blog again, I promise. I'm training to become a Physical Therapist Assistant, which is a huge day-job career change and an intense program. Around that, I work part-time on breaks (during the semester I have zero time for anything else) and I of course still help run our martial arts school, Kindred Protective Arts.
It just leaves little time - or to be honest, mental bandwidth - to blog on the regular, too. So, if and when I can get a post done (I have some stuff in drafts that's been there for months and months), I'll post it. But I can't keep a schedule here until I'm out of school.
KINDRED PROTECTIVE ARTS
I'm writing this the week before we plant to promote the 2nd and 3rd Lakan Isa (black belt) students produced by Kindred Protective Arts.
We promoted our first black belt last July, and I can confirm it's still just as amazing a feeling.
We're very lucky to have the community we have. We are growing slowly but steadily, even though we lost some favorite students (mostly due to a schedule conflict and moving across the country) but we have gained new folks in our school that are wonderful additions to the sense of community we've built here.
We recently had the opportunity to move from our very small space to a much larger one in a better visible location. We chose to remain in our small space for the next three years.
Why? Honestly, the cost the first year in the new space was almost 3x what our current location costs, and the projection we did to decide to move or not showed that the nature and makeup of our school would have to change dramatically as a result.
To move the school, we'd have to change the make-up and orientation of it. While it's fine if you are a kid-oriented school and are good with the high turnover that all entails... it's just not for us. We like our community as it is - mostly grownups, a nice Family class, and growth is slower but a much lower turnover rate.
Plus, well... we believe the economy is going to get very, very rough. It's wise to stay in a space we can afford, and we're working with our landlord to help our signage problem.
In other KPA news, we're hosting several seminars & events. If you're interested in those, we put them up on our web site calendar page HERE. You can also find us on Instagram and Facebook.
You're welcome to come by for a visit!
PERSONAL MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING
Not to say there hasn't been personal growth. My activities with KPA - and the seminars we're able to host and camps/seminars I get to go to as a result - is my main personal training process right now.
As they say, "To learn, teach", and at least I get some of that on a weekly basis. I'm in that stage of development where things are getting simpler and I'm seeing connections I hadn't seen before, and that's fun.
But STUDY-study is out of the question right now.
OTHER STUFF
Mr. Chick and I traveled to Norway around Christmas and New Year's. It was a once-in-a-lifetime trip and I absolutely adore Norway with every fiber of my being. Saw the Northern Lights four times. Here's one of 8 billion photos we took.
Norway is literally the most beautiful place I have ever seen.
I got to attend one of the coldest NFL playoff games ever when we got back, watching my beloved Chiefs defeat the Miami Dolphins. Good thing I had Arctic-rated gear to wear (if you think I picked a red coat because of the outside chance I'd get to wear it to Arrowhead... maaayyybbee)
A few weeks after this photo was taken, the Chiefs won a 2nd consecutive Super Bowl for the franchise's fourth championship. Being a fan for about three decades is paying off.
Family is good, health is good, and overall, life is great.
I hope all of YOU are doing well, your training is going well, and that things are good in YOUR world.
Have fun and keep training!