Shodo has a weirdly important place in my heart. I go with my daughter on Saturdays. My Sensei is a peach. I struggle and progress slowly, yet I look forward to it. I enjoy it because I get time together with the little one, but I also learn, and it is art. I have a need to produce something creative, even if it is pedestrian and simple.
In Japanese (and Chinese) the word for draw and write are the same. I could easily go down the rabbit hole that this linguistic aberration could take me, but I will resist the temptation. Or maybe I won’t. I think it is cool, and telling. It tells you that writing is an art. I want to have minimal proficiency in this art. Or maybe I just imagine it, like a mystery. If I only knew the truth then I wouldn’t think it was so amazing. I will keep it a mystery for as long as I can.
Please accept the following kana for October. I liked it when I wrote it. I don’t anymore, now that I look at it up close. 
And here is my kanji, which I like better than most. Sensei pushed me this month, correcting me again and again, pushing me to get my lines straight and my ink clear. It is better but not quite there.
B.S. Donovan 
Very beautiful 😊
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Tofu, you are too kind. Thanks for the encouragement.
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Keep up the good work!! 😊
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Tofu, you are the best. Thanks!
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You’re definitely making some good progress! I feel like this month you’ve taken a noticeable step up : )
Keep at it dude 👊🏻
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Thanks Bofu. I feel that way about my kanji. Kana is sitting still, but that’s ok.
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I wouldn’t say so, necessarily. I think that on the majority of your kana this time around the 脈 look like they’re headed in the right direction which is really important. And the shape on many of your characters is quite good! Drops in the bucket towards mastery, my friend. : )
Curious, where do you hold the small brush? Near the 穂先 or on the middle of the actual brush? I’ve been holding near the 穂先 for forever which gave me a lot of control, but I’ve recently started to hold the middle of the brush and man has the adjustment been brutal 😅
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Yeah, I hold near the tip, which gives control, but I have trouble when I connect more than two kana (if that makes sense. When they flow together).
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I understand you. When I grip near the tip I actually rest my hand lightly on the paper rather on the wrist which gives me a full range of motion. I definitely recommend that technique if you’re holding near the tip as it gives you a full range of movement.
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