Back....

It's been waaaay too long.

No drudgerous details about why I have not been writing.  Suffice to say, it's time to write again.

A few catch ups:

I was promoted to black belt!  A humbling experience.  Um.....looking for earth shattering wisdom to write....not there.....So we'll stay simple.  It's humbling.  You're being recognized as having achieved a certain skill level, but you are also being given a life long task of passing the torch, of developing your own game into a great ballet of refinement and finesse.  It's a beautiful burden.  The heaviest, most fragrant, most colorful, flowers.

I am still training Arnis-Eskrima.  Recently I had the opportunity to watch one of my sparring sessions on YouTube, and was very surprised to see that I sucked much less than I thought, and actually, looked like I had a modicum of skill.

A few little drama things:  you may remember I had designs on being on the swat team at work.  This has not happened.  I have tried out four times.  Each time, I have sailed through the first part of the tryout, only to fall at the last element, the obstacle course, which must be completed in under 4 minutes.  My best tryout time was a few years back, at 4:01.  I think I named a post after this time.  Not.  Frustrating.  at all.  Many things to say here....not the time.  In any event, I'm not doing it again.

I tried out for K9.  Passed the tryout.  Made the list of eligible people.  Made the academy.  Did not pass the academy.  Also not frustrating.

I took the sergeant's exam and passed, though did not land as high as I would have liked on the list, so now it's a waiting game...

So, here I am here again.  The last couple years I have put much effort and toil into work endeavors, and have come up just a little short each time.  I'm placing those work efforts on the back burner for now.  I am drained and tired of disappointment in a world in which there are factors beyond my control, factors which a reasonable person could expect to HAVE some semblance of control.

I'm shifting back to the good place of solid priorities:  training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Arnis-Eskrima, writing, good music, and reading travel narratives.

Good to be back, and I'll be changing the blog to my real name, maybe in a couple of posts.

Thank you for reading,

Deborah Clem

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