Thursday, January 13, 2005

   Orchestra and other stuff


The orchestra was divided into two seperate groups today, the advanced players into the symphonic orchestra, beginners into the concert orchestra.

Before the split, this class was the only one I had with Himura, not to mention a good number of other friends I already have little contact with after entering highschool. Now that they got deported, I dun have anymore classes with them.....which sucks.

Ever since our orchestra director moved away, the class's morale has been extremely low, almost to a mutinous level now that friends have been moved to other periods. The noob director doesn't hold the same respect that we give to the former.

Moving away from school, relations between students at the dojo is getting pretty tense. For once I'm not taking sides and am acting more or less as a neutral power (very unlike me considering my many feuds I've held with others)

Problems are arising from two of the students in the class. One holds the same belt as I but is of lower rank and the other a white belt. The problem is is that the higher ranked student doesn't show much respect for the white belt, on the grounds that the white belt doesn't openly show much respect for the art we're studying. However, the dislike is mutual between them since the white belt already dislikes the senior's somewhat stuck up personality.

This wouldn't be a problem since I was never involved in this fight to begin with, and this tension between them hasn't grown to the point where the teachers would take notice. Not to mention a fight so far away rank-wise from me wouldn't affect me and my friends much.

However the fact that the senior student (in relation to the white belt) is a junior at my highschool and the white belt is a sophomore that is also in my orchestra class complicates matters a bit.

The white belt is a closer friend to me and his popularity at school and his natural charisma can cause me problems if he turns against me (both classmates are vying for my support).

The green belt, however, is knowledgeable in our arts, more so in it's historical background and book studies than physical aspects.

I don't want either of them against me. But the green belt is driven by fanaticism and has the advantage through superior skill and higher rank. The white belt merely dislikes the green. No doubt the white will be driven under by the green. The white's rank test is also scheduled for next week. The senior student will never speak well of the new green belt.

This very likely will cause a division between the other students at the dojo since not only I am being forced to take sides. The green belt does not have as many friends as the white but as senior student of the class, I'd be expected to side with the one who is is frowning upon the rowdy white belt.

Personally I don't believe the level of respect that is being demanded by the green belt from the white is really necessary. It's almost to the point of near religious, open worship of the art.

Advice would be appreciated.
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