The System takes a back seat

I'm still having staff issues and the saga never seems to end.  Just as we think we’ve dotted all the “i’s” and “t’s” HR's minesweepers turn around and ask for a change of route to avoid incurring liability.  A Manager two levels up told me the story of his Manager having to hand deliver a letter from HR to one of his staff members. What HR didn’t think he needed to know before hand delivering this was the fact it was a letter of dismissal!  Tomorrow Gilbert want’s me to help him deliver a letter from HR and think's it’s a letter of suspension but can’t be sure…….

But I’m off on leave tomorrow!  Yipeeee!   Over 6 weeks ago Klara’s arranged to fly me off to Perth for some secret ninja training with an 8^th Dan this weekend.  Secret Ninja training being Jodo, that is.  From an 8^th Dan!!  As high as they get within Seitei Jodo circles.  I’m not particularly worried about my Seitei Jodo as I’ve worked hard for my 2^nd Dan, flown the airmiles, kissed Sensei ass, am absolutely anal about attention to detail and I’ll hold my own against other 2^nd Dans.  Where there is a fluttering swarm of  butterflies is in the Sensei’s old-style,  Koryu, practical, Jodo.  Otake Sensei is a Fukuoka style Shinto Muso Ryu Jodoka: characterised by short, stumpy, get-inside-and-be-violent techniques that are in some contrast to Seitei and a little bit different to my own Nishioka-Ha Shinto Muso Ryu style.  Sensei (plural of Sensei is Sensei) are very particular over what’s right and wrong.  It’s why there is so much dissension between styles, teachers and even different teachers within the same style.  Yes, this weekend is going to engaging and interesting.  I hope to learn heaps but I’ll have to “suck it up” and accept criticism of my teachers’ style (plus a few bruises).

Courtesy of Richard Stonnell, here’s a snap of Otake Sensei (the one in the black).  He’s one of the British Kendo Association’s “gods”.