HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?...

DAY 8 - ARHHHHH!!!!

Due to my closed up left ear (I can't hear out of it at the moment) and lack of alarm (never trust somebody else's alarm clock) I slept in late! By late I mean I literally woke up to Tadashi calling me asking where I was. I was supposed to be at Yoshida Dojo at 1pm but I was still in bed when he called at 1:20pm!!! Things have been going so well lately I knew something had to go wrong sooner than later. I wacked on some pants, grabbed my gear, and rode the bike as fast as I could to the train station.

Lesson #1 : NEVER be late for a meeting in Japan. NEVER! It's considered rude and just plain not done.

I felt SO bad turning up an HOUR late and after about a hundred "gomennasai"s I was in Yoshida Dojo setting up camera equipment at the fastest pace know to man. ALL the top pro's were there, Yoshida, Nakamura, Yokoi and more. They had just finished training and Omigawa and Murata were waiting to be interviewed.

I interviewed Omigawa first and he was a really cool guy. I kept wondering what he kept looking at off to the side of my head and when I turned my head..I noticed Yoshida beside me making all these moves to try and make Omigawa laugh. Yoshida's a funny guy...has the best sense of humour.

Omigawa is a wild guy..loves acting it up for a camera op.

I interviewed Murata next and man!..I thought Omigawa was funny..this guy is hilarious! Murata was having the same hard time with my questions too because Yoshida was doing the same routine behind me. Ha ha ha!

They were both very good to interview and professional but at the same time..it was good to see they all had a sense of humour and a relaxed atmosphere in their gym. A few pics later and I was out the door. I think I was there for like 40 minutes tops. Professionals guys...professionals.

I was feeling exhausted from being late and rushed, so I just went home for a night in. On a Friday night in Tokyo,...I should be ashamed of myself.

So,..

I noticed something about myself when I was at the Yoshida Dojo today. I was late and nervous because I thought I'd stuffed this great opportunity up but on the train ride there..I kept saying to myself.."You can do this Juggs!..you can do anything. Just go in there and show them that you're a pro."

And I did.

I felt like I really WAS doing what I'd always wanted to do,..and I was good at it too (apart from the being late bit)!! I'm not afraid of doing this now..I was a little bit unsure..kind of feeling out of my depth,..but..I'm in there doing it. And I'm succeeding.

Thanks to anyone whose helped so far...and the trips not near finshed yet.

To Be Continued,...

- Juggs (never late for a meeting again)