And Ryron?

One of my little priorities lately has been to complete the requirements for my next Jiu-Jitsu promotion as soon as possible.

My minimum time requirement will roll around on October 26, and I have been trying to collect all the attendance requirements by that date, or as close to it as possible. I've missed a lot of training, but it looked as if I would just make it on time with some extra effort, private lessons, and some juggled holiday dates.

It was a fragile construct at best; easy to damage with any sort of lost injury, or illness. The plan was as optimistic as possible, and had absolutely no slack in it whatsoever.

With all that in consideration, it was all going remarkably well.

Now, it has turned out to be impossible. Changes outside of my control in two upcoming circumstances will move my completion date back considerably.

The first is our school's annual summer closure week. The decision as to what the dates would be was very late in coming. My wife and I wanted to visit good friends up in Vernon, and had to commit to that several weeks ago. I put that trip into what I thought would be the most likely Jiu-Jitsu closure dates. It turns out, I guessed wrong. Now, I will be home when the school is closed, and away when it is open.

Suddenly, my completion date moved to November 17; a three-week difference.

The second changed circumstance is an upcoming Ryron Gracie seminar in Vancouver. It might still turn out OK. I had it all figured into my dates, but have been unable to reserve a spot.

The usual online booking system doesn't even mention the event, and several attempts to contact the hosting school have not been answered. If I cannot attend, my completion date moves even farther away to November 29.

What this all tells me is that I cannot lose focus, and must attend every possible class. A little more slippage, and my requirements won't be completed until into December. If something keeps me from finishing by the two-week Christmas closure, it means not being done until into the new year. That would be almost 3 months late.

What this also tells me is that I cannot let things get to this state again. If I'd figured it out a couple of months earlier, damage control could have handled things easily. Whatever my promotion date turns out to be, I will do a comprehensive prediction of the training situation leading to the one after. All known school closures, and holiday plans will be figured in. In fact, that is already done, except for knowing the precise dates involved. Within any likely range, it looks fine for an on-time next completion.

Of course, if I'm late a couple of months this time, the next will also finish late by a corresponding amount, and the next, and the next....