I will be joining my three highest ranking black belts, Gary Ellis, Graham Lelliott, and Steve White in Manchester, NH this weekend for a lineage camp. Steve and his crew do a great job of coordinating the event every year. This year will be the first time all of my 7th degrees will be on the mat with me simultaneously, and that's exciting.
I'n told there are people from all over registered, with over 80 last I checked. This is going to be fun!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Scholarships
I got this notice from Frank Shekosky at Cromwell Martial Arts, outside Hartford, CT. He's offering a scholarship and the local paper gave him some free PR.
http://martialarts.about.com/b/2009/04/17/cromwell-martial-arts-in-ct-offering-one-year-tuition-free-scholarship.htm
I've had scholarship programs and they're good. I've got one going now with a joint effort between myself and a local business called JetScape. It's owned by the parents of a student here. Here's how it works.
People bring empty ink and toner cartridges in to me. JetScape buys the usable ones from us and we put the money in a scholarship fund. I guess many people throw them away or bring them back to Office Depot or some place similar for a credit. Bringing them to us directly benefits local students. It's just getting off the ground, so we'll have to see how it works.
http://martialarts.about.com/b/2009/04/17/cromwell-martial-arts-in-ct-offering-one-year-tuition-free-scholarship.htm
I've had scholarship programs and they're good. I've got one going now with a joint effort between myself and a local business called JetScape. It's owned by the parents of a student here. Here's how it works.
People bring empty ink and toner cartridges in to me. JetScape buys the usable ones from us and we put the money in a scholarship fund. I guess many people throw them away or bring them back to Office Depot or some place similar for a credit. Bringing them to us directly benefits local students. It's just getting off the ground, so we'll have to see how it works.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Florida visit
Lance Soares was in Florida with his family over the weekend. Jan and I drove up to meet them at Siesta Key near Sarasota for dinner. I don't get to see the family much so it was good to see his parents, Rich (pictured) and Chris, his neice Destiny and wife Anne.
I really like his parents and Rich and I always have a few laughs. I have mentioned Rich in many seminars when I relate a story technique dynamics. I had taught a seminar at Lance's first school in New Bedford, MA. Afterward his dad told me I was the first instructor he heard say the other guy was going to fight back. That put me and the old Marine on the same wavelength and we have been every since.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Good old story
Ed Parker used to tell this joke at seminars when making a point about speed.
A lawyer runs a stop sign and gets pulled over by a sheriff's deputy. He thinks that he is smarter than the deputy because he is a lawyer from New York and is certain that he has a better education then any cop from Texas. He decides to prove this to himself and have some fun at the Texas deputy' s expense. The deputy says,' License and registration, please.' 'What for?' says the lawyer. The deputy says, 'You didn't come to a complete stop at the stop sign.' Then the lawyer says, 'I slowed down, and no one was coming.' 'You still didn't come to a complete stop, Says the deputy. License and registration, please.' The lawyer says, 'What's the difference?' 'The difference is you have to come to a complete stop, that's the law License and registration, please!' the Deputy says. Lawyer says, 'If you can show me the legal difference between slow down and stop, I'll give you my license and registration; and you give me the ticket. If not, you let me go and don't give me the ticket.' 'That sounds fair. Please exit your vehicle, sir,' the deputy says. At this point, the deputy takes out his nightstick and starts beating the daylights out of the lawyer and says, 'Do you want me to stop, or just slow down?
A lawyer runs a stop sign and gets pulled over by a sheriff's deputy. He thinks that he is smarter than the deputy because he is a lawyer from New York and is certain that he has a better education then any cop from Texas. He decides to prove this to himself and have some fun at the Texas deputy' s expense. The deputy says,' License and registration, please.' 'What for?' says the lawyer. The deputy says, 'You didn't come to a complete stop at the stop sign.' Then the lawyer says, 'I slowed down, and no one was coming.' 'You still didn't come to a complete stop, Says the deputy. License and registration, please.' The lawyer says, 'What's the difference?' 'The difference is you have to come to a complete stop, that's the law License and registration, please!' the Deputy says. Lawyer says, 'If you can show me the legal difference between slow down and stop, I'll give you my license and registration; and you give me the ticket. If not, you let me go and don't give me the ticket.' 'That sounds fair. Please exit your vehicle, sir,' the deputy says. At this point, the deputy takes out his nightstick and starts beating the daylights out of the lawyer and says, 'Do you want me to stop, or just slow down?
Trejo
Frank Trejo was back in the hospital over Easter. He's back home and resting. Ed Parker Jr. says he requests no phone calls. Just wanted to let you know and he appreciates everyone's concerns. Thanks to Sam Babikian for the notice and Ron Chapel, Ed Jr for the verifications.
Frank was one of my teachers at Pasadena. Rumors of this sort of thing get started and I like to check things out before I post. We got a phone call at my studio years ago, offering their condolences for my passing away. The instructor who answered the phone said "Well, he looks pretty good for a dead guy. He's teaching a class". Someone had told this person I'd had a heart attack and died. Maybe it was wishful thinking.
Frank was one of my teachers at Pasadena. Rumors of this sort of thing get started and I like to check things out before I post. We got a phone call at my studio years ago, offering their condolences for my passing away. The instructor who answered the phone said "Well, he looks pretty good for a dead guy. He's teaching a class". Someone had told this person I'd had a heart attack and died. Maybe it was wishful thinking.
Women's self-defense
Tim Walker sent an article around that he had found on the subject. Here is the link.
http://brillianter.com/2009/04/real-self-defense-for-women/
It's unsigned but Ron Chapel found this on the site;
"I work as an independent contractor for training military, law enforcement, and private citizens in the US and internationally."
I like his perspective.
http://brillianter.com/2009/04/real-self-defense-for-women/
It's unsigned but Ron Chapel found this on the site;
"I work as an independent contractor for training military, law enforcement, and private citizens in the US and internationally."
I like his perspective.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
The doctor is in
Marc Rowe and I wrote an article about sleeper holds. One thing that popped up was that young people may have the arteries of much older people due to their diet. The article below seems to support that.
NEW ORLEANS (Reuters Health) - The neck arteries of obese children and teens look more like those of 45-year-olds, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's annual meeting."There's a saying that 'you're as old as your arteries,' meaning that the state of your arteries is more important than your actual age in the evolution of heart disease and stroke," Dr. Geetha Raghuveer noted in a written statement. "We found that the state of the arteries in these children is more typical of a 45-year-old than of someone their own age."In 70 children aged 6 to 19 years, Raghuveer of Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, and colleagues used ultrasound to measure the thickness of the inner walls of the neck (carotid) arteries that supply blood to the brain.Increasing carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) indicates the fatty buildup of plaque within arteries feeding the heart muscle and the brain, which can lead to heart attack or stroke.The investigators found that the children's "vascular age" -- the age at which the level of thickening would be normal for their gender and race -- was about 30 years older than their actual age."Vascular age was advanced the furthest in the children with obesity and high triglyceride levels, so the combination of obesity and high triglycerides should be a red flag to the doctor that a child is at high risk of heart disease," Raghuveer said.Further studies are needed to determine whether artery build-up will decrease if children lose weight, exercise, or are treated for abnormal lipids. Some studies have shown that artery build-up can be reduced when children at extremely high risk are treated with cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, and that exercise can improve blood vessel function in obese children."I'm optimistic that something can be done," Raghuveer said. "In children, the buildup in the vessels is not hardened and calcified. We can improve the vessel walls and blood flow in adults through treatment, and I'm sure we can help children even more."
© Copyright (c) Reuters
NEW ORLEANS (Reuters Health) - The neck arteries of obese children and teens look more like those of 45-year-olds, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's annual meeting."There's a saying that 'you're as old as your arteries,' meaning that the state of your arteries is more important than your actual age in the evolution of heart disease and stroke," Dr. Geetha Raghuveer noted in a written statement. "We found that the state of the arteries in these children is more typical of a 45-year-old than of someone their own age."In 70 children aged 6 to 19 years, Raghuveer of Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, and colleagues used ultrasound to measure the thickness of the inner walls of the neck (carotid) arteries that supply blood to the brain.Increasing carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) indicates the fatty buildup of plaque within arteries feeding the heart muscle and the brain, which can lead to heart attack or stroke.The investigators found that the children's "vascular age" -- the age at which the level of thickening would be normal for their gender and race -- was about 30 years older than their actual age."Vascular age was advanced the furthest in the children with obesity and high triglyceride levels, so the combination of obesity and high triglycerides should be a red flag to the doctor that a child is at high risk of heart disease," Raghuveer said.Further studies are needed to determine whether artery build-up will decrease if children lose weight, exercise, or are treated for abnormal lipids. Some studies have shown that artery build-up can be reduced when children at extremely high risk are treated with cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, and that exercise can improve blood vessel function in obese children."I'm optimistic that something can be done," Raghuveer said. "In children, the buildup in the vessels is not hardened and calcified. We can improve the vessel walls and blood flow in adults through treatment, and I'm sure we can help children even more."
© Copyright (c) Reuters
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
New tai chi site
My tai chi teacher, Tom Baeli, has started a brand new new site at www.stonemonkeytaichi.com. Take a look.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Promotion
My niece, Serena, was recently promoted to Cadet Major in the 
Civil Air Patrol. She's a member of the Charlotte County Composite Squadron located at the Punta Gorda airport just north of ft. Myers.
Civil Air Patrol. She's a member of the Charlotte County Composite Squadron located at the Punta Gorda airport just north of ft. Myers. I was privileged to be asked to put her rank epaulets on her for the first time. She was rubbing it in that she'd "caught up" to me in rank and the deputy commander for cadets asked me when I'd have as many ribbons as she.
Serena has been doing well in their program, which I'd recommend to any youngster interested. I think it's been helpful in many ways for her and she's gotten to go to some schools out-of-state such as the Honor Guard Academy, where she and others from around the country were trained by the US Air Force Honor Guard members in flag ceremonies, etc.
That's Jan and I, congratulating the new major.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Maybe
This was sent to me by Si-bok Tom Kelly, who has been undergoing treatment for cancer. He says he's doing well and the doctor is happy.
MAYBE
Maybe. . we were supposed to meet the wrong people before meeting the right one so that, when we finally meet the right person, we will know how to be grateful for that gift. Maybe . . . when the door of happiness closes, another opens; but, often times, we look so long at the closed door that we don't even see the new one which has been opened for us.
Maybe . . . it is true that we don't know what we have until we lose it, but it is also true that we don't know what we have been missing until it arrives.
Maybe . . . the happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.
Maybe . . . the brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; after all, you can't go on successfully in life until you let go of your past mistakes, failures and heartaches.
Maybe . . . you should dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go, be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you dream of, and want to do.
Maybe . . . there are moments in life when you miss someone -- a parent, a spouse, a friend, a child -- so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real, so that once they are around you appreciate them more.
Maybe . . . the best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.
Maybe . . you should always try to put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel that something could hurt you, it probably will hurt the other person, too.
Maybe . . you should do something nice for someone every single day, even if it is simply to leave them alone.
Maybe . . giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they will love you back. Don't expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in their heart; but, if it doesn't, be content that it grew in yours.
Maybe . . . happiness waits for all those who cry, all those who hurt, all those who have searched, and all those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of all the people who have touched their lives.
Maybe . . . you shouldn't go for looks; they can deceive; don't go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile, because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright. Find the one that makes your heart smile.
Maybe . . you should hope for enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, and enough hope to make you happy
Maybe . . . you should try to live your life to the fullest because when you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling but when you die, you can be the one who is smiling and everyone around you crying.
Maybe . . . you could send this message to those people who mean something to you, to those who have touched your life, to those who can and do make you smile when you really need it, to those who make you see the brighter side of things when you are really down, and to all those whom you want to know that you appreciate them and their friendship. And if you don't, don't worry; nothing bad will happen to you. You will just miss out on the opportunity to perhaps brighten someone's day.
MAYBE
Maybe. . we were supposed to meet the wrong people before meeting the right one so that, when we finally meet the right person, we will know how to be grateful for that gift. Maybe . . . when the door of happiness closes, another opens; but, often times, we look so long at the closed door that we don't even see the new one which has been opened for us.
Maybe . . . it is true that we don't know what we have until we lose it, but it is also true that we don't know what we have been missing until it arrives.
Maybe . . . the happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.
Maybe . . . the brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; after all, you can't go on successfully in life until you let go of your past mistakes, failures and heartaches.
Maybe . . . you should dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go, be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you dream of, and want to do.
Maybe . . . there are moments in life when you miss someone -- a parent, a spouse, a friend, a child -- so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real, so that once they are around you appreciate them more.
Maybe . . . the best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.
Maybe . . you should always try to put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel that something could hurt you, it probably will hurt the other person, too.
Maybe . . you should do something nice for someone every single day, even if it is simply to leave them alone.
Maybe . . giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they will love you back. Don't expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in their heart; but, if it doesn't, be content that it grew in yours.
Maybe . . . happiness waits for all those who cry, all those who hurt, all those who have searched, and all those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of all the people who have touched their lives.
Maybe . . . you shouldn't go for looks; they can deceive; don't go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile, because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright. Find the one that makes your heart smile.
Maybe . . you should hope for enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, and enough hope to make you happy
Maybe . . . you should try to live your life to the fullest because when you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling but when you die, you can be the one who is smiling and everyone around you crying.
Maybe . . . you could send this message to those people who mean something to you, to those who have touched your life, to those who can and do make you smile when you really need it, to those who make you see the brighter side of things when you are really down, and to all those whom you want to know that you appreciate them and their friendship. And if you don't, don't worry; nothing bad will happen to you. You will just miss out on the opportunity to perhaps brighten someone's day.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Seminar at Brian Price's in Pennsylvania
I taught at Brian Price's studio in Leesport, PA last weekend. We did a solid day of seminars and private lessons. It was a full house in each session. Brian runs a tight ship up there and it shows in his students. Each group was a pleasure to work with.
After the classes on Saturday we went to a nice Italian restaurant where I got a chance to talk for a while with the troops. It's good to catch up on what's going on in various parts of the country.
I was able to work one-on-one with Mr. Price, who is working toward his next degree, and with Sam Babikian, also working toward a promotion. Both these gentlemen provide mental stimulation with the questions asked and I get as much from them as they get from me. Not to say that others I worked with don't, everyone up there is great to work with.
Keep up the good work there in Pennsylvania!
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