The official opening of the OB is tonight 3/3/08, and while we don't have everything we wanted hanging on the walls, we still are good to go.
Here's to a successful first year!
Monday, March 3, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Down to the wire
Two wires actually. We are now two weeks away from the official opening of the dojo. Everything's starting to pull together and thanks go out to Jerid and Mike for pitching in this weekend.
The second wire is Master Kise's visit. He will be flying in to Memphis on May 20 and we'll get his teaching for two days. Start spreading the word.
Also of note, Broadway Sensei (my teacher) has a new website up which you might like to visit.
You can find it here: www.broadwayshorinryu.com
More updates to come!
Dates City Host
May 8-10 Seattle, WA. Sensei Jay Gravelle
May 12-14 Yuma, AZ. Sensei Francisco Aguillar
May 16-19 C.S., CO Shihan Jeff Ader
May 21-22 Jonesboro, AR. Sensei K. Broadway
May 24-27 Atwater, MN, Sensei L. Engleby
May 29-June 1 Dover, N. H, Shihan Greg Lazarus
June 3-5 Maine Sensei Stan Wilbur
June 7-9 Nazareth, PA. Sensei Alick Smith
The second wire is Master Kise's visit. He will be flying in to Memphis on May 20 and we'll get his teaching for two days. Start spreading the word.
Also of note, Broadway Sensei (my teacher) has a new website up which you might like to visit.
You can find it here: www.broadwayshorinryu.com
More updates to come!
Dates City Host
May 8-10 Seattle, WA. Sensei Jay Gravelle
May 12-14 Yuma, AZ. Sensei Francisco Aguillar
May 16-19 C.S., CO Shihan Jeff Ader
May 21-22 Jonesboro, AR. Sensei K. Broadway
May 24-27 Atwater, MN, Sensei L. Engleby
May 29-June 1 Dover, N. H, Shihan Greg Lazarus
June 3-5 Maine Sensei Stan Wilbur
June 7-9 Nazareth, PA. Sensei Alick Smith
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
New Katas all around
Last night the Budokan relocated to join classes with the Central Baptist Church class.
The new blue belts were thrown into a new world with our two newest white belts not getting to stay for the whole 2 hours.
I got a refresher on the Eku kata and Soken Chinto, while the blue belts were taken through Bo Sho Dan and Pinan Sho Dan!
Hopefully it won't throw them off too much to learn two katas in a night.
Never forget what you see but remember it was someone else's class.
Lesson of the Week
Quotes:
“Any time you sincerely want to make a change, the
first thing you must do is to raise your standards.
When people ask me what really changed my life eight
years ago, I tell them that absolutely the most
important thing was changing what I demanded of
myself. I wrote down all the things I would no longer
accept in my life, all the things I would no longer
tolerate, and all the things that I aspired to becoming.”
- Anthony Robbins
“Technical knowledge is not enough. One must transcend
techniques so that the art becomes an artless art, growing out
of the unconscious." - Daisetsu Suzuki
“It's not the will to win, but the will to prepare to win
that makes the difference.” – Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant
"It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is
because we do not dare that they are difficult." – Seneca,
statesman, dramatist, philosopher
"Progress always involves risk. You can’t steal second base
and keep your foot on first." – Frederick B. Wilcox
Lesson:
Sempai and Kohai
In the dojo we use the Japanese concept of Sempai and Kohai
to designate your relationship with your fellow students.
A sempai is a student that is your senior by age, rank,
experience or title. By the very definition of the word sempai, this
person has the responsibility to help guide you along your path in
the martial arts. A sempai is there to be able to answer questions
about techniques, martial arts philosophy and even dojo rules and
regulations. This places a burden on senior students to always stay
informed and up to date with what is going on in the dojo and
association so as to become a better, more knowledgeable leader.
A kohai is a junior student and in their search of constant
and never ending improvement look to their sempai for advice and
help in order to reach their goals faster. A kohai always shows
respect to his seniors and therefore their sempai are always willing
to help in any way they can.
The sempai and kohai relationship is constantly changing.
For example, in the dojo one of your peers may indeed be your
sempai, but outside the dojo in a different relationship you may
indeed be the sempai. It is the understanding of this relationship
and how it can be beneficial to your progress that is important. You
will soon recognize that even your Sensei has his or her own
sempai and kohai, and is working constantly on his/her growth and
development as they help you with yours.
When used well, the sempai and kohai relationship helps an
organization run smoothly and develops leadership qualities within
its members. This is an important process in the development of
“Black Belt Excellence.”
Eat like Okinawans for health.
The new blue belts were thrown into a new world with our two newest white belts not getting to stay for the whole 2 hours.
I got a refresher on the Eku kata and Soken Chinto, while the blue belts were taken through Bo Sho Dan and Pinan Sho Dan!
Hopefully it won't throw them off too much to learn two katas in a night.
Never forget what you see but remember it was someone else's class.
Lesson of the Week
Quotes:
“Any time you sincerely want to make a change, the
first thing you must do is to raise your standards.
When people ask me what really changed my life eight
years ago, I tell them that absolutely the most
important thing was changing what I demanded of
myself. I wrote down all the things I would no longer
accept in my life, all the things I would no longer
tolerate, and all the things that I aspired to becoming.”
- Anthony Robbins
“Technical knowledge is not enough. One must transcend
techniques so that the art becomes an artless art, growing out
of the unconscious." - Daisetsu Suzuki
“It's not the will to win, but the will to prepare to win
that makes the difference.” – Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant
"It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is
because we do not dare that they are difficult." – Seneca,
statesman, dramatist, philosopher
"Progress always involves risk. You can’t steal second base
and keep your foot on first." – Frederick B. Wilcox
Lesson:
Sempai and Kohai
In the dojo we use the Japanese concept of Sempai and Kohai
to designate your relationship with your fellow students.
A sempai is a student that is your senior by age, rank,
experience or title. By the very definition of the word sempai, this
person has the responsibility to help guide you along your path in
the martial arts. A sempai is there to be able to answer questions
about techniques, martial arts philosophy and even dojo rules and
regulations. This places a burden on senior students to always stay
informed and up to date with what is going on in the dojo and
association so as to become a better, more knowledgeable leader.
A kohai is a junior student and in their search of constant
and never ending improvement look to their sempai for advice and
help in order to reach their goals faster. A kohai always shows
respect to his seniors and therefore their sempai are always willing
to help in any way they can.
The sempai and kohai relationship is constantly changing.
For example, in the dojo one of your peers may indeed be your
sempai, but outside the dojo in a different relationship you may
indeed be the sempai. It is the understanding of this relationship
and how it can be beneficial to your progress that is important. You
will soon recognize that even your Sensei has his or her own
sempai and kohai, and is working constantly on his/her growth and
development as they help you with yours.
When used well, the sempai and kohai relationship helps an
organization run smoothly and develops leadership qualities within
its members. This is an important process in the development of
“Black Belt Excellence.”
Eat like Okinawans for health.
Okinawa
People on the Japanese island of Okinawa live the longest, healthiest lives of any single group on earth. In fact Okinawa has the highest prevalence of centenarians (people older than 100) in the world. Research shows that even their arteries stay young—and their diet is one of the biggest contributing factors.
Dr. Bradley Willcox, associate director of research on healthy aging at Pacific Health Research Institute and a co-principal investigator of the Okinawa Centenarian Study, says a major secret is in their diet. “Okinawans imported delectable dietary secrets from cultures they encountered in the spice trade. They eat a type of healthy East-West fusion diet that includes fish, green and yellow vegetables, legumes (esp. tofu), small amounts of lean meats (pork), sweet potatoes and utilizes spices such as ginger and garlic.”
Sweet potatoes are just one reason Okinawans have such young, healthy cardiovascular systems. They are loaded with heart-healthy antioxidants, carotenoids, vitamins E and B-6, copper and fiber. Various teas and immune-boosting tonics made from turmeric, mugwort, and other herbs provide potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory protection.
Willcox, a clinical assistant professor in the University of Hawaii’s Department of Geriatric Medicine, says fully embracing the Okinawa diet means eating fewer calories. “Their habit of ‘hara hachi bu’ (eating until 80 percent full), regular exercise and active social lives gives Okinawans the right formula for the world’s longest healthy lifespan.”
Friday, January 18, 2008
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Three Men and a Baby
Congratulations go out to Jerid Wooldridge, Mike Hamm, and Josh Turner who successfully tested for their 9th kyu rank last weekend. Each passed a rigorous testing of everything from the manual including kata (Fukyugata Ichi), Ippon kumite, kote-ate, and Tuite.
In other news, the newest Budokan student is not yet sleeping through the night. Emma Grace was born 11/16/07 and already has her double bone block down.
We are progressing on the opening of the new location of the Budokan, with grand opening date set for 3/1/08.
Stahl Sensei successfully gained about an inch in height after surgery on 1/9/08 and is recovering at home. He should be back at the dojo soon.
All members should look forward to a work day at the new dojo some upcoming Saturday to get things underway.
Ader Sensei from Colorado has a weekly newsletter which I will try to repost here. This weeks lesson is apropos considering Josh's conversation at lunch the other day. I hope some of everyone's anger at the Budokan can be redirected in this manner. Here is the latest issue:
Quotes:
"The mind is restless and goes wherever the attention is.
Control your attention and you control your mind." - The Daily
Guru
"The best use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts
it." - William James
"The majority of men meet with failure because of their lack of
persistence in creating new plans to take the place of those that
fail” – Napoleon Hill, author
"I do not believe in a fate that will fall on us no matter what we
do. I do believe in a fate that will fall on us if we do nothing."
– Ronald Reagan, 40th US president
"Somehow I can't believe that there are any heights that can't
be scaled by someone who knows the secrets of making
dreams come true. This special secret - curiosity, confidence,
courage, and constancy, and the greatest of all is confidence.
When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly
and unquestionable." - Walt Disney (1901-1966)
Lesson:
The Yin and Yang of Conflict
Most people learn to use the symmetrical response to conflict.
“Symmetrical response” is the psychological situation where when
someone pushes you then you push back, as forcefully or more
forcefully than the person pushed you. This concept is pretty basic;
it is the old “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” mentality. The trouble
with this is that each act of aggression leads to someone else trying
to even the score in a never-ending and increasing cycle of conflict.
This “eye for
an eye, tooth for a tooth” type of response may eventually lead us to
an eyeless and toothless society.
Even in self-defense situations it is not always the best solution
to react with the strongest response available. If the opponent
yields, then the attacker will actually throw himself off balance and
become a victim because of his own aggression.
Now don't get me wrong, this type of counter-attack need not be
totally dropped from one's arsenal of defense, but one should learn
other alternatives as well. As most of you have already noted, our
curriculum includes a range of responses that fall on the spectrum
from controlling to destroying.
If one is cornered then one needs to respond in order to
survive. But learning the “complementary response” expands your
arsenal of strategies and tactics. This type of reaction is based on
the theory that when your opponent pushes, you pull and when he
pulls you push. The real key is that what you do is usually the
opposite of what your opponent is expecting. This response moves
into the realm of the psychology and emotion of combat as well as
the physical.
This type of self-defense strategy is known as "the art of
fighting without fighting" or " using the attackers energy against
him." The more aggressively the opponent attacks, the sooner and
harder he will fall.
The ultimate in tactics is to yield to your opponent's attack and
yet position yourself so they do not have any options for
continuing the attack. This is called “kyo” in Okinawan martial arts.
The word actually means empty, motionless or void, (one of
the 9 elements of Chinese martial arts by the way) and indicates
that the opponent's attack came to a complete stop because he had
no other option available.
This ability to yield and yet maintain complete control of the
situation is the mark of a true warrior and his pursuit of “Black Belt
Excellence.”
Happy Training. Kyoshi Ader
Inspiration:
What would you do? You make the choice. Don't
look for a punch line. There isn't one. Read it
anyway. My question is: Would you have made the
same choice?
At a fund raising dinner for a school that serves
learning-disabled children, the father of one of the students
delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who
attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff,
he offered a question: "When not interfered with by outside
influences, everything nature does is done with perfection.
Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do.
He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is
the natural order of things in my son? "
The audience was stilled by the query.
The father continued. "I believe that when a child like
Shay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the
world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents
itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that
child."
Then he told the following story:
Shay and his father had walked past a park where some
boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, "Do you
think they'll let me play?" Shay's father knew that most of
the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team,
but the father also understood that if his son were allowed
to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging
and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his
handicaps.
Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field
and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy
looked around for guidance and said, "We're losing by six
runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be
on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth
inning."
Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a
broad smile, put on a team shirt. His Father watched with a
small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart. The boys saw
the father's joy at his son being accepted. In the bottom
of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was
still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay
put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no
hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in
the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his
father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the
ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs
and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base
and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.
At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away
their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given
the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible
because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly,
much less connect with the ball.
However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher,
recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside
for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob
the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact. The
first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The
pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball
softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at
the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.
The game would now be over. The pitcher picked up the
soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the
first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would
have been the end of the game.
Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first
baseman's head, out of reach of all teammates. Everyone
from the stands and both teams started yelling, "Shay, run
to first! Run to first!" Never in his life had Shay ever run
that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down
the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.
Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!"
Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second,
gleaming and struggling to make it to the base. By the time
Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the
ball ... the smallest guy on their team who now had his first
chance to be the hero for his team. He could have thrown
the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he
understood the pitcher's intentions so he too, intentionally,
threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head.
Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead
of him circled the bases toward home.
All were screaming, "Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way
Shay"
Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop
ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base,
and shouted, "Run to third! Shay, run to third!"
As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and
the spectators, were on their feet screaming, "Shay, run
home! Run home!" Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate,
and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won
the game for his team.
"That day", said the father softly with tears now rolling
down his face, "the boys from both teams helped bring a
piece of true love and humanity into this world".
Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that
winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his
father so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother
tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!
AND NOW A LITTLE FOOTNOTE TO THIS STORY:
We all send thousands of jokes through the e-mail without a
second thought, but when it comes to sending messages
about life choices, people hesitate. The crude, vulgar, and
often obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but public
discussion about decency is too often suppressed in our
schools and workplaces.
We all have thousands of opportunities every single day
to help realize the "natural order of things." So many
seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us
with a choice: Do we pass along a little spark of love and
humanity or do we pass up those opportunities and leave the
world a little bit colder in the process?
A wise man once said every society is judged by how it
treats it's least fortunate amongst them.
Belief Is All You Need
A man was lost while driving through the country. As he tried to
read a map, he accidentally drove off the road into a ditch. Though he
wasn’t injured, his car was stuck in the mud. So the man walked to a
nearby farm to ask for help.
“Warwick can get you out of the ditch,” said the farmer, pointing to
an old mule standing in a field. The man looked at the haggardly mule and
looked at the farmer who just stood there repeating, “Yep, old Warwick
can do the job.” The man figured he had nothing to lose. The two men
and Warwick made their way back to the ditch.
The farmer hitched the mule to the car. With a snap of the reins he
shouted, “Pull Fred! Pull Jack! Pull Ted! Pull Warwick!” The mule
pulled the car from the ditch with very little effort.
The man was amazed. He thanked the farmer, patted the mule and
asked, “Why did you call out all of those other names before you called
Warwick?”
The farmer grinned and said, “Old Warwick is just about blind. As
long as he believes he’s part of a team, he doesn’t mind pulling.”
In 2008, look for ways to give more!
Best wishes for happiness, health and great
training. In the way, JWA
***Those old cell phones in your junk drawer can be used to
help our deployed service men and women call home for free.
Each phone equals a 250-minute calling card that allows them to
call husbands, wives, parents and children. Please help us honor
those that are protecting our country, family and friends. You can
help. Please go through your junk drawers and turn in those
phones. Then ask your family, friends and coworkers to do the
same. For more information, click here or call Jodie Butler at 850-
485-4695. www.letthemcallhome.org ***
In other news, the newest Budokan student is not yet sleeping through the night. Emma Grace was born 11/16/07 and already has her double bone block down.
We are progressing on the opening of the new location of the Budokan, with grand opening date set for 3/1/08.
Stahl Sensei successfully gained about an inch in height after surgery on 1/9/08 and is recovering at home. He should be back at the dojo soon.
All members should look forward to a work day at the new dojo some upcoming Saturday to get things underway.
Ader Sensei from Colorado has a weekly newsletter which I will try to repost here. This weeks lesson is apropos considering Josh's conversation at lunch the other day. I hope some of everyone's anger at the Budokan can be redirected in this manner. Here is the latest issue:
Quotes:
"The mind is restless and goes wherever the attention is.
Control your attention and you control your mind." - The Daily
Guru
"The best use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts
it." - William James
"The majority of men meet with failure because of their lack of
persistence in creating new plans to take the place of those that
fail” – Napoleon Hill, author
"I do not believe in a fate that will fall on us no matter what we
do. I do believe in a fate that will fall on us if we do nothing."
– Ronald Reagan, 40th US president
"Somehow I can't believe that there are any heights that can't
be scaled by someone who knows the secrets of making
dreams come true. This special secret - curiosity, confidence,
courage, and constancy, and the greatest of all is confidence.
When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly
and unquestionable." - Walt Disney (1901-1966)
Lesson:
The Yin and Yang of Conflict
Most people learn to use the symmetrical response to conflict.
“Symmetrical response” is the psychological situation where when
someone pushes you then you push back, as forcefully or more
forcefully than the person pushed you. This concept is pretty basic;
it is the old “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” mentality. The trouble
with this is that each act of aggression leads to someone else trying
to even the score in a never-ending and increasing cycle of conflict.
This “eye for
an eye, tooth for a tooth” type of response may eventually lead us to
an eyeless and toothless society.
Even in self-defense situations it is not always the best solution
to react with the strongest response available. If the opponent
yields, then the attacker will actually throw himself off balance and
become a victim because of his own aggression.
Now don't get me wrong, this type of counter-attack need not be
totally dropped from one's arsenal of defense, but one should learn
other alternatives as well. As most of you have already noted, our
curriculum includes a range of responses that fall on the spectrum
from controlling to destroying.
If one is cornered then one needs to respond in order to
survive. But learning the “complementary response” expands your
arsenal of strategies and tactics. This type of reaction is based on
the theory that when your opponent pushes, you pull and when he
pulls you push. The real key is that what you do is usually the
opposite of what your opponent is expecting. This response moves
into the realm of the psychology and emotion of combat as well as
the physical.
This type of self-defense strategy is known as "the art of
fighting without fighting" or " using the attackers energy against
him." The more aggressively the opponent attacks, the sooner and
harder he will fall.
The ultimate in tactics is to yield to your opponent's attack and
yet position yourself so they do not have any options for
continuing the attack. This is called “kyo” in Okinawan martial arts.
The word actually means empty, motionless or void, (one of
the 9 elements of Chinese martial arts by the way) and indicates
that the opponent's attack came to a complete stop because he had
no other option available.
This ability to yield and yet maintain complete control of the
situation is the mark of a true warrior and his pursuit of “Black Belt
Excellence.”
Happy Training. Kyoshi Ader
Inspiration:
What would you do? You make the choice. Don't
look for a punch line. There isn't one. Read it
anyway. My question is: Would you have made the
same choice?
At a fund raising dinner for a school that serves
learning-disabled children, the father of one of the students
delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who
attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff,
he offered a question: "When not interfered with by outside
influences, everything nature does is done with perfection.
Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do.
He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is
the natural order of things in my son? "
The audience was stilled by the query.
The father continued. "I believe that when a child like
Shay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the
world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents
itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that
child."
Then he told the following story:
Shay and his father had walked past a park where some
boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, "Do you
think they'll let me play?" Shay's father knew that most of
the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team,
but the father also understood that if his son were allowed
to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging
and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his
handicaps.
Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field
and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy
looked around for guidance and said, "We're losing by six
runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be
on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth
inning."
Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a
broad smile, put on a team shirt. His Father watched with a
small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart. The boys saw
the father's joy at his son being accepted. In the bottom
of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was
still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay
put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no
hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in
the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his
father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the
ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs
and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base
and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.
At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away
their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given
the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible
because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly,
much less connect with the ball.
However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher,
recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside
for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob
the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact. The
first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The
pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball
softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at
the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.
The game would now be over. The pitcher picked up the
soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the
first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would
have been the end of the game.
Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first
baseman's head, out of reach of all teammates. Everyone
from the stands and both teams started yelling, "Shay, run
to first! Run to first!" Never in his life had Shay ever run
that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down
the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.
Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!"
Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second,
gleaming and struggling to make it to the base. By the time
Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the
ball ... the smallest guy on their team who now had his first
chance to be the hero for his team. He could have thrown
the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he
understood the pitcher's intentions so he too, intentionally,
threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head.
Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead
of him circled the bases toward home.
All were screaming, "Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way
Shay"
Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop
ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base,
and shouted, "Run to third! Shay, run to third!"
As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and
the spectators, were on their feet screaming, "Shay, run
home! Run home!" Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate,
and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won
the game for his team.
"That day", said the father softly with tears now rolling
down his face, "the boys from both teams helped bring a
piece of true love and humanity into this world".
Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that
winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his
father so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother
tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!
AND NOW A LITTLE FOOTNOTE TO THIS STORY:
We all send thousands of jokes through the e-mail without a
second thought, but when it comes to sending messages
about life choices, people hesitate. The crude, vulgar, and
often obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but public
discussion about decency is too often suppressed in our
schools and workplaces.
We all have thousands of opportunities every single day
to help realize the "natural order of things." So many
seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us
with a choice: Do we pass along a little spark of love and
humanity or do we pass up those opportunities and leave the
world a little bit colder in the process?
A wise man once said every society is judged by how it
treats it's least fortunate amongst them.
Belief Is All You Need
A man was lost while driving through the country. As he tried to
read a map, he accidentally drove off the road into a ditch. Though he
wasn’t injured, his car was stuck in the mud. So the man walked to a
nearby farm to ask for help.
“Warwick can get you out of the ditch,” said the farmer, pointing to
an old mule standing in a field. The man looked at the haggardly mule and
looked at the farmer who just stood there repeating, “Yep, old Warwick
can do the job.” The man figured he had nothing to lose. The two men
and Warwick made their way back to the ditch.
The farmer hitched the mule to the car. With a snap of the reins he
shouted, “Pull Fred! Pull Jack! Pull Ted! Pull Warwick!” The mule
pulled the car from the ditch with very little effort.
The man was amazed. He thanked the farmer, patted the mule and
asked, “Why did you call out all of those other names before you called
Warwick?”
The farmer grinned and said, “Old Warwick is just about blind. As
long as he believes he’s part of a team, he doesn’t mind pulling.”
In 2008, look for ways to give more!
Best wishes for happiness, health and great
training. In the way, JWA
***Those old cell phones in your junk drawer can be used to
help our deployed service men and women call home for free.
Each phone equals a 250-minute calling card that allows them to
call husbands, wives, parents and children. Please help us honor
those that are protecting our country, family and friends. You can
help. Please go through your junk drawers and turn in those
phones. Then ask your family, friends and coworkers to do the
same. For more information, click here or call Jodie Butler at 850-
485-4695. www.letthemcallhome.org ***
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Nunchaku
I can't say it better than Wikipedia here, so a repost of the good parts:
The nunchaku (Chinese: 雙節棍, shuāng jié gùn; 兩節棍, liǎng jié gùn "Dual Section Staff"; 二節棍, èr jié gùn "Two Section Staff"; Japanese: ヌンチャク nunchaku 梢子棍, shōshikon "Boatman's staff"; 双節棍, sōsetsukon "Paired sections staff"; 二節棍, nisetsukon, also sometimes called "nunchucks", "numchuks", or "chain sticks" in English) is a traditional weapon of the Kobudo weapons set and consists of two sticks connected at their ends with a short chain or rope. A sansetsukon is a similar weapon with three sticks attached on chains instead of two.
Although the certain origin of nunchaku is disputed, it is thought to come from China through the Japanese island of Okinawa[citation needed]; and according to the History Channel they were created in their current incarnation for the movies. The Japanese word nunchaku itself comes from the Hokkien (Min Nan) word ng-chiat-kun (兩節棍). When viewed etymologically from its Okinawan roots, nun comes from the word for twin, and chaku from shaku, a unit of measurement. The popular belief is that the nunchaku was originally a short flail used to thresh rice or soybeans (that is, separate the grain from the husk).
It is also possible that the weapon was developed in response to the moratorium on edged weaponry under the Satsuma daimyo after invading
Another popular theory is that the nunchaku originated from
The nunchaku as a weapon has surged in popularity since martial artist Bruce Lee used it in his movies in the 1970s. It is generally considered by martial artists to be a limited weapon, although it is also one of the least understood weapons. Complex and difficult to wield, the nunchaku lacks the range of the bo (quarterstaff) and the edged advantage of a sword. The nunchaku has a steep learning curve. It is also prone to inflicting injury on its user.
A nunchaku is two sections of wood connected by a cord or chain, though variants may include additional sections of wood and chain. Chinese nunchaku tend to be rounded, whereas the Japanese version has an octagonal cross-section (allowing one edge of the nunchaku to make contact on the target increasing the damage inflicted). The ideal length of each piece should be the length of the user's forearm; the bone between elbow and wrist. Traditionally both ends are of equal length, although asymmetrical nunchaku exist. The ideal length for the connecting rope/chain is just enough to allow the user to lay it over his or her palm, with the sticks hanging comfortably and perpendicular to the ground. Weight balance is extremely important; cheaper or gimmicky nunchaku (such as glow-in-the-dark ones) are often not properly balanced, which prevents the artist from doing the more advanced and flashier 'low-grip' moves, such as overhand twirls. The weight should be balanced towards the outer edges of the sticks for maximum ease and control of the swing arcs.
The traditional nunchaku is made from a strong, flexible hardwood such as oak, loquat or pasania. Originally, the wood would be submerged in mud for several years, where lack of oxygen and optimal acidity prevent rotting. The end result is a hardened wood. The rope is made from horsehair, and was traditionally claimed to be able to block a sword.[citation needed] Finally, the wood is very finely sanded and rubbed with an oil or stain for preservation. Today, such nunchaku are often varnished or painted for display purposes. This practice tends to reduce the grip and make the weapon harder to handle, and so is not advised in a combat weapon.
The modern nunchaku can be made from any suitable material: from wood, metal, or almost any plastic or fiberglass material, commonly covered with foam to prevent self-injury or the injury of others. It is not uncommon to see modern nunchaku made from light metals such as aluminum. Modern equivalents of the rope are nylon cord or metal chains on ball bearing joints. Simple nunchaku may be easily constructed from wooden dowels and a short length of chain.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Tonfa
(From Wikipedia) The tonfa's origin is found outside of Okinawa. Folklore says it was originally used as the wooden handle that fit into the side of millstones and was later developed into a weapon. In China, the tonfa is said to have developed from a crutch. Either way, it was also an early weapon of Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. A similar weapon is used in Thailand and called the mae sun sawk which had rope tying the elbow end of it to the arm.
The tonfa traditionally consists of two parts, a handle with a knob, and at 90 degrees to the handle, a shaft or board that lies along the hand and forearm. The shaft is usually 51-61 centimeters (20-24 inches) in length, and optimally extends about 3 cm past the elbow when held. Often the shaft has rounded off ends which may be grooved for a better grip.
There are numerous ways to defend and attack with the tonfa. Defensively, when holding the handle, the shaft protects the forearm and hand from blows, and the knob can protect from blows to the thumb. By holding both ends of the shaft, it can ward off blows. When holding the shaft, the handle can function as a hook to catch blows or weapons.
In attack, the shaft can be swung out to strike the target. By holding the handle and twirling the tonfa it can gain large amounts of momentum before striking. The knob can be used as a striking surface, either when held by the handle, or when holding the shaft, using it as a club. The shaft can also be maneuvered to stab at attackers. By holding the shaft and handle together, the tonfa can be used for holding or breaking techniques.
The tonfa is traditionally wielded in pairs, one in each hand, unlike the police nightstick which is a single-hand weapon.
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