Summer is effectively here. Probably not helped by how I’ve been trying to lotion up and moisturize, the sweat sits like a slick a few minutes in, and my face is typically drenched in sweat. Not sure how the hair helps or hurts at this point, as at least it’s trimmed on the sides. Over the years, I’ve learned a lot of survival strategies, such as eating copious amounts of bananas, and prehydrating the entire afternoon leading up to practice, as well as perfect Sunday caffeination (around two large coffees do the trick, but they must be drunken before 1030!), but nothing can prepare you for 20 minutes of bonus-geiko when Sensei leads the class on Sunday. Redder than I was all afternoon, even after rehydration pints! But then again, I don’t need to go through the old analysis of whether this is renshu, keiko, or shugyo again, do I?

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