Goodbye 2018...Hello 4th Decade

Well, 2018 was a bit of a rough year.  Throughout most of it my geriatric cat - Tori - was very ill.  A liver condition that we knew she wouldn't recover from.  She kept going until August when it all became too much.  She followed my grandfather who also finally gave into his illness at the ripe old age of 97.  I'll admit that both of these instances left me emotionally drained and it is taking a while to build up those reserves again - but I'm working on it. 

I turned 40 at the beginning of 2019 - yeah, I can't quite believe it either.  Hopefully, my 4th decade will be as filled with growth and fun as my 3rd but I'm not quite sure it's sunk in yet (whatever "it" is - I still seem to have the mind of a teenager so I don't think I will ever grow up now!)

Anyway, to help me get back to being more...me, I have booked myself a trip to Japan and a holiday to a sunny spot with the lovely Mr B in the coming months. I know that getting back to Japan and some good training will be highly beneficial and a sunny holiday always does everyone good.  I just have to brush up on my Japanese and dig out my bikini!

I will likely have lots of upcoming ramblings about Japan after my trip - if the excitement gets to me you may get some pre-trip too! - and probably some photos of the sunny holiday (not of the bikini though - no one needs to see that)

Twisted Barbie: Karaoke Queen

I love singing.  It was my ambition to be fully professional when I was younger.  Unfortunately it didn't quite work out how my young brain had planned so the best I managed was a few support gigs and some local pubs - I still love to sing though. 

The only opportunity I get now is at Karaoke.  It's a marmite pastime, some love it some hate it, but thankfully I have a few local friends and a world full of fellow ninjas who also love it!  I occasionally drag along poor Mr B, who seems to enjoy the atmosphere but wouldn't get up to sing if I held him at gunpoint!  He claims to not be able to sing...I know differently, but to get any better he actually needs to do it more often!

Everywhere I go there seems to be karaoke arranged...

Ninjas in Berlin

Dentists in Hong Kong

Proof the Mr B does come along!

The home of Karaoke...

Proof that I do get up too!

One of the things that I enjoy about it most is the look of surprise on the face of people who don't know I sing.   I must have a terrible speaking voice as people do seem awfully shocked! The group in Hong Kong are even demanding my return simply so they can get me on the mic again...maybe I shouldn't give up on that dream after all...

2018. What happened?

Wow.  It's July in 2018 already.  Holy Cow! Where has the time gone? 

In short, I've been working. Mostly, and that doesn't really give me much to say (that I can say on the open web without getting my ass fired anyway!). 

Part of my work is a great deal of fun, I get to travel to cool and exciting places - we will get to that later - but it is also dreadfully boring on the day to day for anyone not involved so it spawns less posts (and takes up my time). 

So, since my trip to Japan, where have I been?  New Delhi, Chennai, Fuertaventura, Berlin(twice), London, Dublin, a second trip to Chennai, and Hong Kong...Phew! now I'm out of breath, that's some miles!

My family have given up on trying to work out where I am at any one time and a friend recently called and his first question was to ask if I was in Scotland...I have lived in Scotland for 13 years but he thought he should check first before driving the 500 or so miles to come see me.  

As you could guess I have tonnes of photos from all of these locations - except Berlin - Here's a whistle-stop tour...

The only two photos(publishable!) I have from two trips to Berlin...

Danish training buddies in Berlin

The Berlin Wall - it is there, honestly!

Chennai

Henna hand

Love my sari...how does it go on again?

Delhi

Big palace (it has a Name, I just can't remember!)

Fuertaventura

Dolphins from below

My new little friend

Hong Kong 

Glass bottomed cable car

Dancing lions

Hong Kong at night

See? that's a lot of travel...

I know I promise to start posting again at some point soon, maybe 2018 is the year for it huh?

Barbies Big Adventure: Godan Test

So as I mentioned, for quite a few years now I have studied a martial art.  I love it.  I can't explain why, or how it makes me feel but I really do love it. 

 I recently had the amazing opportunity to go to Japan and train.  It was my first trip over and I was excited, nervous and honestly a little apprehensive.  It was a bucket-list type of trip for me, one I've dreamed of since I started at 17.  My teacher was there for the first few days, he showed me where all the important places were and made sure I was generally settled in. 

This trip gave me the opportunity to take my godan test.  It is one of the few formal tests within the organisation and is the only way to obtain a 5th dan grade. The test itself involves being struck with - or dodging if you're doing it right - a padded sword that is being swung at you from behind.  I arrived on the Friday and made my first attempt that evening.  I think I was too amazed at simply being there to be nervous or as scared of performing badly as I was before my trip.  I and thought that failing would kill my confidence, but surprisingly, when I got hit I was okay about it. Apart from the burning line on my head!...The next day when I finally got up (my teacher had taken us all out and we didn't get home until the early hours of the morning) I realised that I needed to fail on that first attempt.  It taught me the most valuable lesson - what I was supposed to be feeling.

At the Sunday class I tried again, this time knowing what I was looking for and I passed straight away.  I can't tell you what happened, it's honestly a complete blur, all I know was that I knelt, I moved when I felt I should, then there was a shout, some clapping and people congratulating me.

The rest of the trip I attended a large number of training sessions, often getting made to show techniques in front of the class by the teacher as the newest 5th dan in the dojo.  That bit was mortifying but everyone was very nice - I know I looked petrified.  Not as much as I did on the following Friday when the grand master himself pointed at me during class and beckoned me to punch.  I know I looked terrified because people told me so afterwards...but I did it and survived to tell the tale!  Students of my grade wouldn't normally be selected for that so I feel extremely honoured, I'm probably more proud of that experience than I am of getting my grade!

Barbie bucket-list trip ahoy!

We all have a bucket-list, not necessarily a physical one but a list of those things you would love to do...one day....well recently I fulfilled one of my items on this imaginary list and went to Japan.  It wasn't really for what most people would consider a holiday, I didn't do very many(or really any) of the standard tourist type activities because I was there for one reason.  Martial Arts. One in particular, that I have been training in for more years than I usually like to admit to (it makes me feel both old and like I should be better at it by now!)

So, I took a trip to what a friend described from my holiday photos as the ass end of Japan - not meant in a bad way but when you mention a trip to Japan people automatically imagine the bright lights of downtown Tokyo - I stayed mostly in a shopping district and travelled daily to small villages that often contained not much more that a few shops, houses and a dojo.  I have a fair number of photos but I spent quite a lot of time with Hiromi who is a selfie-obsessive so I also have lots of photos that look like this...

I have another post coming soon so I can ramble specifically about the martial art bit but here is the flavour of Japan as I saw it...

Dolls for Girls Day

buildings near Mabashi

Cute little box cars

Purple bunned burger...no idea why!

If you're going to groom dogs why not in a window?

Noda shrine

From what appeared to be the pork only restaurant - after some discussions with the waitress!

Typical breakfast in my hotel

"view" from my room, this summed up the oddity of Japan, the big highrises with the little shrine nestled between

More posts will follow about this trip...if only to make me stop talking about it constantly!

Firewalk with me...

No, this post is not about the twin peaks movie. Next Friday I will be walking over 15 feet of hot coals to raise money for char-ity (*cough* excuse the pun) I'm very excited, and as the day draws closer I'm also getting rather nervous!

Walking on hot coals is a massive challenge, and one that many people would shy away from (based on the reaction most people have given of asking if I'm completely insane) but I think my mind/body can hold up to it....If not this is going to hurt! I'll be getting as many photos and videos as possible as evidence of my trial, maybe more to prove to myself that I did it than for anyone else as I'm pretty sure it will all feel like a bit of a dream afterwards.

Wish me luck folks! (or if it goes wrong, send bandages!)

Ninja cake anyone?

Yes Ninjas.. y'know those guys in black who run around silently in the movies... I really enjoy Ninjutsu (or for those who wish to be picky, Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu) Its something I took up when I was younger (about 17) and studied for a few years but the class I was attending had a change in its dynamics so I stopped training. I took it up again about 18 months ago when I finally found a club here in Edinburgh. I was lucky enough to be allowed to keep my old grade and progress from there... sooo last night at the end of my class my sensei announced that I have now been awarded my 1st dan and I am finally a blackbelt.

I'm chuffed to bits! I kept my cool when he announced it and managed only to blush a little when really I wanted to jump up and down clapping my hands and squealing! (as a true barbie girl would of course!!)

New training room and a protest

My martial arts class has moved and I'm gutted. The new place (Commonwealth Pool) is far better and bigger than Meadowbank, but ITS ON A SUNDAY! evil evil people making me get up and do stuff on a Sunday. That's a day for not getting dressed and suffering hangovers isn't it???

Oh well, Up I got on Sunday and trundled off to training, I always enjoy it once I'm there even though I bitched and moaned about getting out of bed and wasting my day. It was a good session, especially as I was referred to as "Truly Terrifying" (That's a massive compliment and I have told everyone since!) The only downside of the new location was the heat - We were under a swimming pool so it was almost unbearably humid, I even took my T shirt off from under my Gi to stop myself turning into a puddle of sweat (ewww...I know!)

2 hours and 10 pints of water later I found myself on my way home, On the way down south bridge I noticed some guys handing out leaflets (Not that unusual as its coming up on the festival and theres lots of weirdos!) then I spotted some more just a bit further on, with placards and I realised that they were protesting opposite the Scientology building (Hubbards Academy) The Placard amusingly read "BEWARE Scientology wants your mind (and your money)"

It struck me as funny simply because all of the protesters were wearing masks and dancing about. I wasn't fast enough to take a photo though as the bus moved on! If they re there again next Sunday I might have to get off the bus and get them to pose for one though! ...watch this space...