Anniversary

June was a lean month in shodo. I go with my littlest to the classes on Saturday. Really just going to the sensei’s house around 10, writing, getting pointers and leaving around noon. But June was filled with events for both my girls. Chorus, piano, chorus again. I think I only went to shodo once the whole month.

Sensei wasn’t happy. Consistency is important, she says. And I agree. Half of succeeding in anything is just going there, being there, doing it. You do that enough and you get better. Witness my seemingly tortoisian progress thus far.

I’m proud to say that I’ve been practicing my own brand of hard fun for two years now. And I can safely say that I have made not insignificant progress. From 10th to 4th kyu in kana, and from 10th to 5th in kanji. That is an average of one level every quarter or so each, or once every two months combined.

I think that they must have some psych Ph.D. working in the shodo world headquarters, figuring out the best way to shoot dopamine into students brains.

Two years is a long time for me. Most hobbies last a couple of months. I go partly because it’s good education for my daughter. But that’s also the reason I go consistently. So Sensei is right. Just show up, and you’ll be fine.