2011-2012 the Year of the Vortex

It's been over a year since I have last posted on my blog, and I actually wondered if I should hang up my writing shoes and simply focus on the time I have to live my life and enjoy it. After all this blog is more for myself than anyone else.  As soon  as that thought crossed my mind, I started getting those guilty twinges, and feelings that if I didn't continue I would be letting myself down in some measure. So here I am, a few hours before my blue belt test, getting ready to take you into what I have been coining " The Year of the Vortex" 

vortex  (ˈvɔːtɛks)
— n  , pl -texes , -tices
1.	a whirling mass or rotary motion in a liquid, gas, flame, etc, such as the spiralling movement of wateraround a whirlpool
2.	any activity, situation, or way of life regarded as irresistibly engulfing Last year, my job consumed every facet of my life. Unfortunately it was not a good or healthy kind of consumption. I endured high stress, a failing body, and a mind that screamed at me every moment of the day asking me why I was doing this to myself. I, to this day, can't really answer that question. The only thing I can say is that once I commit to something I like to see it through to the end. Sometimes though, for your own sake it might be better to choose peace and happiness versus survival.  I do know, however, that last year taught me a great many things, and although I came out battered, bruised and thoroughly defeated, I surprised myself by the fact  that I was still standing. I did my best under the circumstances, to continue on with my training. Training was undoubtedly the only thing that helped keep the shreds of my sanity together. The dojo provided me with a safe haven to go mentally and physically, but even so I struggled every moment I was there. Over the year my health got poorer and poorer, to the point that my lungs became so inflamed  that I struggled to breathe through every movement I made. Warm ups left me exhausted and gasping for air, I could barely make it through my kata, and forget sparring entirely.  Physical health was not the only thing that  I suffered with.  I also had huge problems with learning and focus. Upon earning my green belt on Oct. 21 2011,  I was confident that I would be able to learn my new techniques as fast as I had on prior belt levels. Not so. It took me until this summer (as I was recuperating)  to properly learn my kata. It seemed to me to be a hopeless endever, but the one thing that really kept me going is the saying that, "quitters never win and winners never quit."  I continued to plow through, despite the fact that my confidence in myself  was hanging on by threads.  My Sensei's were so patient with me, and guided me through the frustration. They allowed me time to catch my breath and do as much as I could do. This year I truly discovered that the people I train with and learn from are as much as a family as my biological one is. I am so grateful to have them in my life. This past summer led to some radical new changes for me. I managed to get to see a new doctor who did a battery of tests on me. Turns out my asthma was not asthma at all. In fact all the prednisone, and cortical steroids that I had been taking were making my symptoms worse , and doing damage to my lungs. To top it all off, one of the tests required me to stand on the scale... When I saw the numbers, I knew immediately that something had to change. Karate and active living were not enough.  My best friend Daniel, and my Doctor persuaded me to really look at my eating habits. I even left the Dr.s office in tears at one point, but I really knew what I had to do. On August 27th I changed my life forever by going on the paleo diet. In three short months I have lost 54 pounds, and my asthma symptoms have decreased significantly. I feel great and I have noticed the impact its had on my training.  I had a rough November as I caught both the nasty stomach flu as well as the cold virus that knocked me on my back for over a week. I am still coughing due to it. I also dealt with a foot injury in September that really halted my training. I managed to tear  my metatarsal ligament as well as a tendon in my big toe. I blame the injury on the inherent klutz gene that runs very strongly in my family.  It took over two months to heal and I endured excruciating pain at the hands of my masochistic physio therapist several times before he pronounced my toe "ready for action"  again. I am looking forward to starting a new year, I have been learning the bo staff, and as the time narrows until my test to merely 2.5 hours, I am smiling in anticipation.  Plus I am really excited at the prospect of ordering a new gi, as my current one is ready to fall off me. It actually looks pretty bad now. So, Wish me luck folks. I am off on a new adventure. Lets hope I can keep my nerves under control. :) Anne.