Black belt

Got my 1st dan in judo on last Sunday. \(^_^)/ After ten years continuous training of martial arts I got my first black belt. The test included 2x2min fighting where you had to show your fighting skills in order to get permission to proceed to the next phase, showing a kata for technical skills. The first step of the test was more exciting because here most of the guys have been doing judo since they were 5 years old. So their technical level is pretty high. However, when you are under great pressure of test situation everything is really hard. Familiar feeling from kick boxing rings. Getting points from my nervous opponents wasn't as hard as I had expected. Got even one "ippon". :) Kata we had trained hard in our dojo, so no problems with that one.

Funny is that the first martial art I did as a children was judo. Here I'm enjoying this magnificent martial art again! Hee, next step is to enter judo competitions...after all, judo is a sport. This is going to be fun...we'll see how it goes. :)


What comes to the other parts of my life, or should I say the biggest part of my life lately, the Master's thesis is finally moving forward with major steps. Last week I finished writing the literature part (which includes now about 140 references). Next have to write the experimental part and most importantly to start make conclusions of my research done so far. Phuuuuuuuuuuuh...what a summer, almost I have survived through it. Just to make sure it, next Friday I'll start my summer vacation. No lab/research/studying for 9 days. Quite exceptional for me but I have already plans for holiday: 1) get furnitures to the new apartment, 2) 4 days trip to Hokkaido, the northest main island of Japan.

...And from today it is time to start meeting all my, lately neglected, friends and have fun! A good start is get together with Finns and have a Finnish style drinking party. Kippis! \(^_^)/