Cold?

It is my cunning plan to earn my Jiu-Jitsu Blue Belt by the end of June.

When it's not being worn it can hang out with my Karate Black Belt.

An admirable goal, but it's very fragile. In July and August my attendance will get too spotty to test due to travel. If I don't pass the test in June or July or August I won't be able to get it in September either. I will be too rusty and have to brush things up. Let's call it either June or October.

That's quite a difference.

I have two requirements to complete first. I have to have done 12 Saturday Reflex Development classes. Should have this completed by May 12th. Sounds good.

I also have to have completed 69 regular classes. The date for finishing these will be May 17th.

This leaves me about 6 weeks to brush up anything that looks shabby and to do the test itself.

The test consists of 5 parts. Each is recorded. The video is reviewed by our instructor, and if it looks good to him it is sent off to HQ where they do the actual evaluation. It takes several weeks to do all of this.

Here's why I say my plan is fragile. Yesterday Helen sounded all slushy, and announced that she, "had a cold". Today, I have it. Can't tell yet if it's a tiny one, or of a loss-or-workdays type. If it's bad, I could easily miss a week of training.

So what? Test a week later. Won't work. Miss any classes and they don't come around again for 4 months.

I can make up missed classes with private sessions, if I don't miss too many in the next few months.

I might not miss any classes at all. It might be a nothing cold. False alarm?

But a nasty flu, a busted toe, nasty sprain, or any of a number of things and I'm irrevocably behind.

Not an earth-shattering problem.

I'm lucky my concerns are so petty.