Tournament time

The tournament is only a week away and I'm really excited. I always love seeing what everyone has been working on over the year in the I Ho Chuan. There is always some new cool weapon form to see or an awesome fight choreography. The Becketts are back from China too, and I can't wait to see what they will be doing. I've seen a few people at open training and the stuff looks great. I think creative musical is going to be the division to watch this year.
The best entry I ever saw for creative musical was from a tai chi guy at an open tournament years ago. He started off slow with his tai chi sword to this slow music, but the music got faster and faster and he got faster and faster with it. By the end he was leaping around at top speed and blew everyone away. Coolest thing I've ever seen.
That's why creative musical is so difficult...not only do you have to have a great form with solid technique, but you have to marry it to music. But, when done well, it is by far the coolest thing ever.

Can't wait!

Hey! Just like I Ho Chuan....

           So lately I haven't been practicing as much as I'd like. The focus has been on my candidacy exam, an oral examination by a panel of professors to determine if I can continue on in my PhD program. Everyone doing a PhD has to do one. But preparing is difficult. I'm totally worried about failing. I can never seem to find enough time to study....work all day, come home and hang out with Julia then study before bed.
          This has reminded me about my I Ho Chuan year last year. It was a struggle to find time for everything. You had to make the time. I'm trying to apply the same principles. I may not have 2 hours to sit and study every day, but I have 5 minutes here and 10 minutes there to read my flashcards. Same as finding practice time. It will be nice when the test is over!