So what's in your journal?

**Charlie** · 18th September 2002, 11:29 PM

I didn't want to take away from any of the other threads on kendo journals, but I was wondering: So, what kinds of observations are in your journal?

I said in another thread I write in mine too infrequently, but looking back over it this past weekend I found,

-Some thoughts on death, symbolic and literal,
-Notes on not raising the front foot too high when cutting,
-The observation that old bad habits can creep back in, even when you think you've purged yourself of them,
-Sketches of the difference between a big cut and a small cut
-Various notes on iaido kata
-Scraps of paper of things other people, mostly senseis, have written.

Would anyone else like to share?

**Charlie** · 20th September 2002, 11:15 PM

Dang, no replies! Ah, well. I thought some of us folks agreed journaling was this helpful thing?

**JSchmidt** · 21st September 2002, 01:19 AM

Sorry, missed this one:

Most of it related to changing to jodan:with:

More suburi!..left arm nowhere near strong enough. Control goes south after 1 hour ji-geiko.
Distance is very difficult. Need more kihon to learn it better. (Which, due to work and injury, I haven't been able to do).

Jakob

**Charlie** · 24th September 2002, 03:24 AM

Thanks, Jakob. So it's mostly technical stuff?

**JSchmidt** · 24th September 2002, 07:40 AM

Pretty much..the odd hint to mentality (ie, need 'spirit of raging fire' when fighting jodan), but that's about it.

Jakob

**Charlie** · 24th September 2002, 11:04 PM

Aweosme. Yeah, most of mine seem to be technical stuff combined with little aspects of reigi I've discovered or had pointed out to me. It's really a "budo journal" because I also write about judo and iaido and stuff in it.

**David J** · 25th September 2002, 03:32 AM

Hey Charlie

I think the reason you havent had much response may be that journals are so personal. I dont mean mine contains any great secrets - far from it - in fact I think that's the reason for the lack of response. My journal is fascinating and useful to me, I cant see it being the least bit interesting to anyone else though...

<rei>

Dave