Goodbye! Oh goodbye!

So yes, tomorrow is the big day.
Its the first step along the road I've set out to conquer.
Tomorrow is the Australian Uni Games kendo squad tryouts.

Now, if you've been missing huge chunks of my life this year, what its really all about is each year, the universities in Australia gather to have a bunch of sporting competitions.

Obviously kendo is among those in the list.

So yes, I've been working on getting onto the squad ever since December, that makes it nearly 10 months of (wtf? 10 months? I didnt realise that) of training, and from what I can tell, I've definately made progress.

For our male kyu squad, there're 7 slots available, 9 applicants. Obviously if you do the maths, 2 persons arent going to make it. And I obviously have no intention of being that 2. Then again, obviously the tryouts will only be the beginning, seeing how there're still plenty of shiai to be fought during the actual competition day itself.

Ok, maybe I could have worked harder for the coming moment. Maybe I should have done 5 days of kendo instead of the 3 days I currently do. Maybe I should have went to other dojos to maximise my training options. But it doesnt matter, because currently at the position I am, I have to say I'm somewhat satisfied there has already been improvement.

Which leads me to the main topic of my post, and hence the title.

Yesterday *sob*, my shinai had a major fracture. Now judging by the looks, looks like its going into retirement only after 6 months of use. Which is damn sad, considering how my first shinai has yet to break. As for my 2nd, well, lets say it split along one slate 2 weeks into use.

So yes, as I bury my good trusty sword/friend/lover/mistress/stick in the depths of my wardrobe, I thank thee for the good times you've offered me. While I hated your hilt for being too thick for my short fingers to grasp comfortablely, you have overall been a great sword. I shall miss the fun times we had, the shit we've been through, and the great time at Otsuka, as well as the wonderful men cut on Oda sensei.

I'm so sorry you couldnt make it to the AUG.

But who knows, maybe I might do a transplant. :)
If I can get a donor.