I'm pathetic.

I'm really, really pathetic. I mean, come on! I haven't posted for, like, months!
Pathetic. Pah-tooey.
Anyway, I have a Karate tournament. I'm going because, if I don't, I'm afraid I won't get my blackbelt. The head sensei that tests everybody and has the last say on giving you your blackbelt SAYS that going to tournaments 'gives you experience'.
Yeah, experience in LOSING!
What else will I get from tournaments than I can't get from class? We spar, like we do in tournaments. We do Katas and we practice our basic moves, like we do in tournaments. The only thing we do in tournaments is win or lose.
And trust me- all I do is lose.
So my prediction? When he sees two kids, equally the same skill level, and one goes to all of the tournaments and pays big bucks to get the kid to the nationals and get the fancy-dancy equipment, and the other kid is just fine and doesn't have the time or money to go to all of the tournaments, guess who he's going to pick for the blackbelt?
Most likely the fancy-dancy kid.
I'm not saying that I got cheated out of my blackbelt, but going to the tournaments, I feel, is just one more precaution I can take in order to ensure I will have a better chance at my blackbelt. What I am saying is that I believe that my senseis are doing the whole 'go to the tournament' thing just because they get our MONEY.
MONEY MONEY MONEY.
But hey, so would I. I don't condemn them.
Okay, maybe a little.