No conflict allowed

Helen and I are about to come into conflict.

She needs the car every workday, and on Friday night. She would like to have it Tuesday evening, too, but I get it then. I drop her off at ukulele, and she bums a ride home off a friend. I get it after supper Wednesday and Thursday as well.

I am about to start needing wheels on Saturday morning. This is trouble, as Helen has gigs then more often than not.

Somebody it going to lose out.

Won't be a problem soon, as yesterday we ordered a new second car. It is such a new model that dealers didn't even have demos until after Xmas. We took one for a spin, let the idea sit for a couple of days and yesterday called the dealership.

Sounds like ours will be off the boat at the end of January.

I'll still be mister bike-to-work. The car will be a backup for really lousy weather, and also a conflict avoidance device. It means we can always do our separate activities with ease.

Likely I'll be driving the new one, as it is incredibly tiny. Helen hauls around violins, guitars, bags of sheet music, stools, ukuleles and accordions. She often also has friends to haul around and their gear as well.

My gear consists of a gym bag with a white suit in it, and I have no friends. None I need to drive around much anyway.

So the deposit is in, the salesman is excited, and our car is in the pipeline.

Vroom....vroom...

He's back....

I'm home.

I ran over the holiday...almost as much as I wanted to. The goal for was 6km per day with Friday's off, until I was back at work or back training.

That works out to 11 running days. That many days at 6km each was a total goal of 66km.

I actually did 51.42km. Not bad.

Didn't even bike one inch.

We got home yesterday. As it was Thursday, and a Jiu-Jitsu night I resumed my training. Only a few folks showed up. Besides the instructor there were 4 White Belts and 4 Blues. If we'd done the next class in the cycle it would have screwed most of the other ten White Belts. Instead, the instructor took us into slightly-more-advanced land. It was really fun, and good training, and much better for the Blue Belts than an ordinary night would have been.

Now it's morning, and a beautiful day. My weight is up 5.5 pounds from before the holiday started, but I'm content with that. Whenever I return to normal after gourging for a while, the first few pounds drop off really fast. I'll plug away on the rest later. Today is a big puffy chair day. My only exercise will be watching TV and playing video games.

I hope I don't sprain a thumb.

Aftermath

Christmas has happened.

I was the first one up, which is my norm. Did NOT run, just so I'd be here for the big unwrapping. I'd have felt bad if they'd all have had to wait for my return. Bad Christmas form.

After all that, it was over to mom's care home to be with her, and my sister and Al. Helen played a bit on her newest weird instrument. It was all lovely, and just a little sad.

Back to Oliver and Jen's for turkey cooked on the BBQ. Eight of us chowed well and fully.

Now the kids are quietly playing with loot. Helen is gently making music. Jen is resting in a corner. I am blogging.

My kilometer goal is only 9 down. Pretty sure I'll attack it early tomorrow, even though my belly is in no condition for activity.

I wouldn't even mind if it started to snow.

So who locks a university?

Today, so far, is not what I expected or wanted.

Off on my run in the morning dark. Hit the University grounds just as something internal hit me. No warning, then suddenly a desparate desire to have a little sit down on a porcelain chair, if you know what I mean. The kind where one dare not take a step, then it subsides a bit, a quick waddle, then have to freeze again....repeat many times.

All the usual always-open University doors were locked, it being both Saturday and Dec. 24th. After a bit I gave up on that. Luckily nature lightened her gut grip somewhat, and I ran on to the nearest Starbucks.

I must say that it felt very relaxing for me there, and there had been no poo-tastrophie.

From the Starbucks I felt like walking, and it was pleasant to do so. I felt like saying to the people I passed, "Look at me, walking like a normal person."

Hard at it

I am having a fab Christmastime so far. I know that for most folks it doesn't start until this weekend, but that just makes it better for me.

Helen and I have been in a ton of stores. Anything we like the other buys and adds to the gift pile.

Been eating like Santa himself. Meat on sticks, Neopolitan Pizza, and we discovered Taco Tuesday. Can one overdose on sushi?

My last bike ride was Friday. Today is Wednesday, and the only sweat I've broken was a single, solitary early morning run two days ago.

Today we go out with Oliver and Jen and their three young'uns. That will be workout free, and include another big pile of yummies.

My official pre-season weight was 178, and I have no reason to fear that will drop any.

Shopping

Christmas has gotten easier for me over the years. This is a good thing, as I am the world's worst gift shopper.

On my side of the family, the only gifts we get are for my sister and her husband. The rule there is we get each other thrift store gifts , with a maximum $5 value, and gags are fine. My lovely and talented shopper wife, Helen, has handled this to perfection.

On her side of the family, we get something for her brother and his wife, and we chip in for the three kids' gifts. That takes care of the kids, and the two adults are always quite happy getting gift certificate kind of things. Again, my wife organizes all this.

There is only one person I need to get gifts for, and that is Helen. She is one of those near-Christmas-birthday people, so I need two for her.

One is taken care of already, thank goodness. That leaves one gift to find in the coming week. Sounds easy to you? Not to me.

I can wander an entire mega-mall and come away empty handed. My wife can walk into any tiny shop of any kind and find the perfect thing for anyone. I am jealous of her gift at gifts.

Anyhow, I am optimistic. Surely there is something somewhere.

The danger is I'll walk right by with a stunned look in my eyes.

20110-2012

2011 is definitely winding down.

ISKF Karate ended for me three weeks ago. JKA Karate wound up last Saturday. My last Jiu-Jitsu class of the year was last night, and today is my last bike ride to work.

I haven't been running, and that will start soon to keep me active in lieu of all my usual stuff.

What can I look forward to in 2012, activity-wise?

Back on my bike, of course. In a few months I can start my final work year. That will be cool. As each day passes, I will not be working that date ever again.

In Jiu-Jitsu, I'll be progressing to the more advanced class soon. I am also look ahead at my Blue Belt exam. Passing that will gain me access to 3 more classes per week. Around here, the Blue Belts are the big shots.

I'll continue to train in Karate. The National Championship is being held at BCIT in the middle of March, and I'm going to go watch. Sakurai Sensei will be back once or twice, and there's a chance of a huge big shot instructor coming around April. I'd rather have another Sakurai Seminar, but what can you do?

I'll run when it fits in. Likely this will turn into once per weeks through the school year. In the summer it will be more.

When we visit Victoria in the summer, I'm off to train at the Victoria Judo Club. It's convenient, and I've wanted to try it for a long time. There is also a swell Karate club on alternating nights at UVic that I'm welcome at.

Should be a good year.

Conflicts

It sounds as if the more advanced Saturday Jiu-Jitsu class might be moving to Fridays. This would mean a double conflict for me.

Point one; Helen needs the car on Fridays. As we are getting a new car soon this likely won’t be an issue. If it is, it would only be temporary.

The other conflict will be with the Sunshine Coast Shotokan Karate Club, which trains twice a week. I’ve already given up the Tuesday class to attend Jiu-Jitsu. The remaining session that I attend is on Fridays. That one will go, too.

This is unfortunate, as I enjoy the Karate classes. However, I am not progressing there in any way, so losing them altogether will not be a real hardship.

It will also act as a kick in the butt to get me working on a project/idea I’ve been thinking about.

We have a truly excellent 5th Dan in our community. He works evenings and so cannot attend any night sessions. He also has no interest in joining the ISKF that our club is part of.

If I start a class on the weekend, I might be able to get Ogawa Sensei to come.

I would have to keep it outside of the ISKF, which means not linked to our club. There is a danger here of stepping on toes with the club’s instructor. I hope she’ll understand. She may forbid her students from attending.

I would want it to be a non-formal atmosphere. Well, as non-formal as Karate gets. It would be open to any who wish to attend. I would like to invite the Karate Club’s people, and also the nearby Shitu-Ryu club. I’d try and get my long-ago students to come, and even beginners would be welcome. Not really a class, but a training-together.

I currently pay $45 a month to be part of our Karate Club. If I can’t attend at all, that money could cover almost half what a small location’s rental would be. Would have to charge a small fee to people attending.

If it becomes necessary to run it as a real, separate club real fees will be necessary. To help low belts progress if they are not already part of another club we’d have to have at least one evening class a week. I could teach that. We’d also have to face the hurdle of membership in an association Ogawa Sensei would accept.

Luckily, the Karate Club meets north of town, and Ogawa Sensei lives south of town. If I could get space near his home we’d be physically located 10km from them. For something like this, a little distance might be good.

Bushed

At Jiu-Jitsu tonight, I'll have completed 28 classes. I will have done 5 of the classes twice, and all the rest once.

This should have taken 14 weeks. As I missed 3 classes due to illness, I could have reached this point exactly if I'd started on September 1st. I actually started three weeks later than that.

The difference has been the seven private lessons I've taken. If I hadn't taken advantage of this, I would only have completed 21 classes instead of 28. I would also have some holes in my list where some classes would have been done twice, most once, and some not at all.

One is also permitted to attend the more advanced Saturday class after one has completed any 40 classes. Without private lessons I'd be at 21 in this total as well. The private sessions count double towards this total, so I have accumulated 35. Almost there.

Tonight's class might be the toughest in a long time. I am not referring to what we will be covering, but to my current physical condition. I am bushed. I've been dancing all day, and would love to just sit in my chair and practice being a lump. I'll be fine once I get going.

I will get going, as I don't miss classes without a darn good reason.

Being bushed doesn't count.

Dancing, a meal, and a show

How does one celebrate the holidays around here?

There is a tradition at my school that goes back to before I started teaching there two decades ago. All the PE classes dance throughout the month of December.

The last couple of days before Christmas, the PE teachers invite other classes to join them in the gym.

I am taking all my classes down to dance for the next two days. I force them to dance? No way. They have been begging to go.

I will have danced my legs down to the stumps by the time the last bell rings on Friday.

There will be times when there will be a hundred kids bopping away with remarkable skill.

Before school on Friday the staff sets up early and cooks a massive pancake breakfast for the students. This is a very popular event.

There is also a massive student talent show that occupies all of Friday afternoon. Some of the kids who voluntarily stand up before their peers are really amazing. They are jaw droppingly good.

Then I hop on my bike, and ride home to start the non-school part of Christmas.

Dying to travel

I love the website called Nationmaster.com.

It takes tons of statistics, and makes them accessible.

They have the murder rates for 124 countries.

The safest is the United Arab Emirates at 0.7 murders per 100,000 citizens.

Austria is second best at 0.8 per 100,000

Germany and Greece are tied at 1

Picking interesting ones much farther up the ratings we find Canada at 2 murders per 100,000.

Compare that to the worst of the first world nations, the USA at 5.9

Thailand is a popular holiday vacation, even with a murder rate of 9

Care for a sunny vacation closer to home? How about Mexico's 11.3 rate?

Many think of the Seychelles as being heaven on earth, with their 11.8 murder rate.

Puerto Rico is part of the USA, but somehow manages a rate of 20.3

Many in Florida like to visit the Bahamas, braving a 22.5 murder rate.

Understandably, a poor place like Haiti has a lot of murders, 33.9 in fact.

I felt uneasy when we visited Jamaica. Its murder rate is 55.2. I'd guess that the safest place in Jamaica is worse than the toughest neighbourhood in the USA.

For many years Colombia was the worst country on earth. It is now at 61.1, which leaves it only second worst these days.

South Africa's rate is the worst on earth at 69 murders per 100,000.

We often plan our next Summer vacation this time of year.

How about you?

Finish

This week is going unusually well. The last week before a major holiday always almost kills me, but not this time.

It seems like a race, and I normally struggle to reach the finish line. I make it, and then collapse totally spent.

So far I feel fine. I just might make it with juice to spare. That will make a nice change.

And Monday is already over. I have 4 days left, but not really.

Friday afternoon will be my school's annual student talent show. For some reason unknown to me, we still have four classes all smushed into the morning. This makes them all too short to do anything with. Therefore, let's call Friday a non-day, kinda.

So 3 days left.

On both Tuesday and Thursday, I only have three teaching blocks instead of a full day of four. Those days always feel wonderfully brief. They don't feel like work days at all, or at least I tell myself that. That leaves just Wednesday to be a full, grinding work day. Or it would, except I'm losing one class to our career preparation teacher. It will also be a three-block, wonderfully brief day.

So there are four days left, except for Friday, Tuesday, Thursday or Wednesday.

No wonder I'm not dragging myself to the finish line.

Year in Review

My Karate year of 2011 has come to an end, and I am very satisfied.

My return to training was late the year before, so 2011 can honestly be called my first year back.

In that time, our club has continued to thrive. We continue as part of the ISKF organization, and the benefits we get from that.

As a solo Karateka, I have also reconnected with the JKA, and with my old friends and Sensei. I have been welcomed back in a fashion beyond my expectations.

I have trained with my home club, and in Vancouver, and Port Moody, and Chilliwack, and Victoria. I have attended two major tournaments. I have helped friends successfully prepare for their rank exams.

I shall happily continue in 2012.

My Jiu-Jitsu year was much shorter, only starting in the fall, and ending this coming Thursday.

Again, I am pleased with my progress. At every class I learn an incredible amount.

This I shall also continue in 2012.

Title dominance

Jon Jones has had quite a year. He's an MMA fighter in the 205 pound division.

His career record coming into 2011 was 11 wins and one loss. His only loss came when he was disqualified for use of an illegal technique in a fight he was easily winning.

His first win last year came on February 5th, and put him into title contention.

He easily defeated the reigning champion, Mauricio Rua in the third round.

His third fight of the year was against former champion, Rampage Jackson. Jones choked him out in round four.

Finally, December. Jones faces another former champion in Lyoto Machida. Machida has a style almost perfectly designed to defeat Jon Jones. He is hard hitting yet is also highly elusive on his feet, and on the ground he's an expert in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

In the first round, Machida pulls ahead with a combination of his defence and his striking.

Round two; Jones chokes Machida into unconsciousness.

Not only has Jones defeated three champions in a row, he has effectively cleaned out the division.

Who is left?

Maybe Dan Henderson. He's a decent fighter with a 29-8 record and is currently rated as the top contender. Does this 40 year old stand much of a chance? I doubt it.

How about Rashad Evans? He is 16-1-1, but really brings nothing that Jon Jones hasn't already faced and crushed.

Phil Davis is an up-and-comer who is undefeated in 9 fights. However, on his resume there is only one big name, and that big name was well passed his prime when Davis beat him. I'd call Davis an extreme long shot.

The 205 pounders seem to have settled into the same situation as the next two lighter divisions. They also have incredibly dominant champions who have no serious challenges on the horizon. The only interesting event is in the 170 pound grouping.

The unbeatable champion, Georges St. Pierre has an injury that will have him out for at least six months. Other fighters will squabble over an interim title, and when St. Pierre comes back they'll face him. Barring unforeseens, he will obliterate the pretender.

Honour your elders...

It happened again.

There were about 20 Black Belts in my section of the line. I tried to get to my correct position by rank, near the left of the line. Aimed for a few from the low end, but they started stepping aside for me again, and bowing, and indicating I should move to the right of them. OK. Can't make a scene or waste time so I accepted, several times, and ended up in the middle again. Higher belts than me were standing junior to me.

After class it was worse. I started myself even closer to the lower/left end of the line, and after all the bowing and stepping aside I was only a couple of spots from the extreme right. I think it could become an association thing if I don't watch it.

I give up. I'll start closer to where they make me end up.

It's awful sweet of them.

In Japan, seniority/rank is a very tricky thing. Not for the Japanese, but it is for westerners.

The Japanese line up correctly by rank, but individual relationships also matter, as does age. In a way, I am afraid of claiming more status than I am entitled to by rank, but the others are honouring my age, and length of time in Karate.

Or I could confound them all by wearing a coloured belt.

That would fix them.

I can count to five

I am a disorganized guy. Often, I end up at work without an essential item. I don't mean school materials. Those I am able to take care of. It is me I can't get on top of.

There is now a five count checklist before I head out the door. I use the same list whenever I go out. Sometimes I leave an item behind, but doing so is always deliberate.

Item one is my keys. For work, this is my school key. For non-work it is usually a car key. If I don't need either, it's no key. Our house doors have combination locks.

Item two is glasses. No glasses equals can't read nothing. I have a pair of cheap reading specs at school, but my real ones are much better. Anywhere I go I want my good glasses.

Item three is hearing aids. Age sucks, but one mustn't deny its effects. If I won't be needing them, they can stay home, but not for work or social activities, except martial arts. Wouldn't want them getting smashed in deep by an accidental whack.

Number four is money. I like to carry enough money to do whatever I might decide to. Eat out, have a soda, buy some pants. I make sure I have enough to follow a whim. With no cash one feels very limited.

Lastly on the list is my iPod. When I have it I am not only carrying all my music, but also my audio books, podcasts, several movies, a couple of games, a memo pad, and my Kindle books. It's also a camera. Lately, my iPod has become item 5.1, while 5.2 is my phone. Must keep contact with my lovely wife.

That's it. That's me in organized mode. Think of the horrifying alternative. He arrives at work, unable to read or hear polite student's voices. He can't get into his classroom, or afford to buy a cup of coffee on the way to work. On top of all that he doesn't have his personal electronics.

I hate it when that happens.

Ice and Dark

Not a bad day for car people, but icy for two-wheeled folks.

This morning it was a handful of degrees below freezing. Frost all over, and wet looking pavement that couldn't possibly be wet. All sorts of ice.

Didn't do any slippin' and slidin', but worried about it.

On the after-school ride home, there were still patches of frost that had survived from the morning. That is cold.

Pretty dark in the morning, too. I have one more week of increasing dark ahead. After that, I don't ride until we are as far from the winter solstice as we are now, except passed and not before. That means when I ride in 2012, I'll be back to as much light as we had today. I'm glad it won't be darker. Only next week will be.

Every day after that, I gain some morning glow back.

The cold won't turn around quite that soon. Maybe a month later I can see the degrees sneaking upwards.

Maybe we won't get any serious cold. Sometimes we don't. The West Coast of Canada gets jokingly referred to as the Banana Belt for just this reason. Last year we had no snow at all. I didn't lose a single ride day to weather. Managing that again would be swell.

Firefly

Five bike lights. It might be an addiction.

There is a built-in rear light that I never liked. It stopped working a while back anyway. There is a small red light snapped on that is darn bright.

The main forward LED light uses a couple of penlight batteries and throws a surprising glow. Next to that is an almost-as-bright one that is rechargeable. The last of my forward white lights is strapped on my helmet. In morning's dark, I can see pretty well.

Some bikes have incredible set-ups that rival the headlight on a motorbike. They can cost as much as an entire bike. I'm too cheap for that.

I would like a few more of the tiny rechargeable LED dealies. They weight nothing and take no space. I'd look like the Disneyland Light Parade.

They are for safely, as they let me see and make me visible to cars. If I get enough, drivers will have to pull over and shield their eyes.

That will work, too.

Crisis

I wonder why I'm so full-speed-ahead in my training at age 55.

Maybe it's a very late mid-life crisis. It is the kind of thing a mid-lifer might do. What are some of the symptoms?

According to wikipedia they are;

-abuse of alcohol (not me. Not even close)

-acquisition of unusual or expensive items such as motorbikes, boats, clothing, sports cars, jewelry, gadgets, tattoos, piercings, etc. (I bought my bike a couple of years ago and it's sort of a motorbike, if you close one eye and squint. No boat or expensive clothes. Am interested in a new car, but it's as un-sports car like as is possible. Helen makes me beaded jewelry, and I've always bought gadgets. I find tattoos and piercings hilarious and frightening)

-depression (I'm actually pretty giggly)

-blaming themselves for their failures (I'm a massive success)

-paying special attention to physical appearance such as covering baldness, wearing youthful designer clothes, etc. (I am bald and wear my remaining hair short to emphasize the gleam, and I dress like a hobo)

-entering relationships with younger people, either/or sexual, professional, parental, etc. (creepy or what? I have started training Jiu-Jitsu with a young crowd, but I like the adults best, and wish everybody were my age so I wouldn't be the most decrepit)

-placing over importance, and possibly a psychologically damaging amount, on their children (really can't be me, as I have no kids)

So not a late mid-life crisis. Maybe I'm just a keener. Maybe I'm just mental. Those both seem much closer to the mark.

Self congratulations

I love that I'm actually able to pull this off.

Tonight it was Jiu-Jitsu, and so is tomorrow. The day after? Jiu-Jitsu class again. Friday holds my regular Karate class. Saturday, a special 2 hour class in Vancouver. That's 5 days of a row of pretty intensive training.

After a couple of non-training days, it's back into the routine and 4 more days in a row of intensity.

Over Christmas, I won't be training at all. In Victoria, I switch back to running and will crank out kilometre distances every day in the double digits.

The effort doesn't slow me down. A few injuries have. A cracked rib in June, and an ankle strain this week are the worst. Neither has been a problem. There have been numerous toe injuries, including some breaks. I've barely noticed those.

I'm 55 years old, for Pete's sake. I'm supposed to be doing nothing, or perhaps the odd jaunty walk. People my age are considered active if they golf once a week, with an electric cart.

I've even toyed with the idea of organizing a weekend session to get in more Karate.

Maybe I'll explode.

Faux pas

I have committed a major faux pas.

When I have trained this year at the main Chilliwack dojo of the JKA BC, it has been necessary to figure out where to stand in the line.

People are supposed to line up by rank. Sounds simple enough. All I need to is line up with the Black Belts, sort of.

I don't know what ranks of Black Belt people hold. It's easy with the 4th Dans and above. They stand in a separate group to the far right, and a few steps ahead of the rest of the line.

I only have to stand far enough to the left to avoid mixing in with 3rd or 2nd Dans, and to be in with the other 1st Dans.

You might think I should just try and be the guy on the very left of the Black Belt section of the line, and I would. If I try that, people act shocked and insist on trying to move downrank to my left. I am too old, they think. They are trying to show respect, thinking I'm in the wrong spot.

It is necessary for me to stand sort of far left, but far enough to the right that I don't cause a left-shifting movement. I've been standing in the middle of the 1st to 3rd Dan area, thinking most Black Belts are 1st Dans. Should be fine there, right?

Just saw a list of Black Belts from the Chilliwack dojo. They have no 3rd Dans at all, but do have nine 2nd Dans. Nine! Add in the higher belts from the other clubs, and I've clearly been too far to the right, mixed in with ranks higher than mine.

Looking at their pictures, I see several that I've definitely stood to the right of. Error.

This has to be addressed. Next time I'm there, I'll be way down near the Brown Belts.

This will cause confusion in another way. There is no distinction in address for belt rank. The only title is one given to denote extreme respect. The highest belts, and the school leaders, and a very few others are addressed as Sensei. When I was re-introduced to the association, the head guy called me "Sensei Gordon." As a result, just about everybody has been calling me Sensei.

Very nice, but should a 2nd or 3rd Dan be calling a lower dude, Sensei? Not a chance.

So a guy addressed as Sensei is down there lining up almost with the Brown Belts.

To be correct, I have no choice. Left I shall stand.

Rate em

So I missed the big Yaguchi Sensei seminar in Vancouver on Saturday. Blame my ankle.

Not really bummed about it. I've attended a couple of classes with him before. He is certainly a fine instructor, but he hasn't clicked with me. Our club's instructor seems to have clicked. She speaks of him as if he were one of the finest teachers ever.

It's funny how some students match certain teachers.

I have trained with the following instructors who hold rank of 7th Dan or higher. Yaguchi, Yamaguchi, Sakurai, Enoeda, Nishiyama, Nakayama, Kim, and Swain. Several have already passed away.

One led his class, but taught nothing and mostly just seemed angry. One asked for questions, and proceeded to yell at the person who asked one. One got hung up on how many hand forms there are, and wasted 15 minutes of valuable seminar class time trying to come up with the correct number.

That's right. Out of 8 world-class masters, three taught crappy classes. If you ask, I'll tell you which ones.

Of the rest, three more taught good classes. Good, but not astounding or fabulous. I'd happily train with any of them again. To me, Yaguchi Sensei is in this category.

That leaves two who were fabulous. Nakayama Sensei failed me on my first Black Belt exam, but if he'd taught a class the very next day I'd have been there in a shot. He was a wonderful and inspiring teacher. Sakurai Sensei is the only on my list of 8 who is both alive and also a wonderful teacher.

So who am I to rate the greats' teaching ability? I am a full-time professional educator. I know good teaching when I see it, and I know lousy when I see it, too. In every case I was the customer, or student, in the line paying the bills. Of course I have a right to evaluate.

When I teach, I expect my students to decide if they like my style. I always hope I click for them. Evaluation is part of learning.

Ankle

Thursday I got a couple of nuttin' injuries. The first was purely cosmetic. It was a horizontal line across my face that faded in a couple of days. Maybe my head folded funny.

The other was the slightest twisting of my ankle. Barely noticed it.

Friday I joined one of the PE classes in the gym for over an hour of line dancing. That evening I trained at Karate. Right after class, put on my fancy clothes and we went out dancing.

Saturday morning, my ankle greeted me with a jaunty, "Good morning, and I'm a little cranky."

It felt twisted for real, or sprained, or something. I could walk with barely a limp, but anything more vigorous could cause real damage. The scheduled trip into the city didn't happen.

I was supposed to go train with Yaguchi Sensei, a ninth Dan and true master of Karate. Likely I could have made it through, but the damage would likely be an issue for a fair chunk of healing time.

There are still two training weeks before my two weeks off at Christmas.

A bit of a rest then will be my present to me.

Everything is dangerous

I like to analyze things with numbers. Recently I've run into a few such facts about Mixed Martial Arts.

MMA is often reviled as bloodthirsty and dangerous. Can't really argue with the bloodthirsty part, but dangerous?

Surely yes, but how dangerous?

Since the rules were formalized and matches became sanctioned in 2001, there have been two deaths in sanctioned matches. One was in 2010 and the other in 2007.

Let's compare this with boxing. Actually, that's harder than you'd think. The boxing statistics are not as conveniently recorded. According to the Manuel Valazquez Boxing Fatality Collection there were 56 deaths between 2001 and 2007 (the last year I could get data for).

Of course, MMA fights only happen in a small part of the world, while boxing is worldwide. However, we can infer somewhat from the 56 deaths listed. Overall, slightly over half of all boxing deaths occurred within the USA. If we apply that ratio to the 56 deaths, we can estimate that about 28 deaths happened in the USA over 7 years. That is about 4 deaths per year within the USA.

Matching this rate to the 11 year period related to the 2 MMA deaths a surprising fact emerges.

In the USA alone, boxing killed about 44 fighters. In the entire world, MMA killed 2 fighters.

So should we ban both boxing and MMA?

In the last 150 years, 850 people died either watching baseball, or participating. That is an average of almost 6 per year, the majority of those dying being under 14 years of age.

Football since 1991 has averaged 4.3 direct deaths per year, and about four times that many due to related causes like respiratory failure, or heat stroke that occurred while participating. It also has a very high number of catastrophic injuries, like spinal paralysis, at 16 per year. Interestingly, Football is the only sport reporting that separates direct and indirect deaths. All the others figure that if you die from any cause during an activity it counts. I agree.

In 2006 (the only year I have a number for) 42 people died skateboarding.

Please note, for all these sports the numbers are generated by only one country.

So, in the 11 year period that saw two MMA deaths in the entire world, we can also see the following estimations of death within the USA.

Boxing 44

Baseball 66

Football 220

Skateboarding 462

Why the moves to ban MMA events? I suggest we ban Football and Skateboards instead.

And don’t even get me started on cars.

Good Old Days

One of the things I liked about Karate in the old days was the slightly foreign formality.

For example, when fighting in a tournament you extended courtesy to your opponent with a bow before and after the match. The bow was exchanged when the competitors were at their start locations, 3 meters apart.

Things have changed a lot. Now, after the bow, competitors often step forward to shake hands, or to do the shake-hands-shoulder-hug. In the old days, any move forward before the referee's command to commence was considered a potential premature attack and would garner a warning, or even a loss of points for a foul. It could also be cause for disqualification. No more, although the rules haven't changed.

Sometimes, after the match starts the fighters do the one-handed touch gloves common in MMA. In a way they are ignoring the referee's command to start fighting.

Before, during and after competition it used to be considered bad form to leave one's poker face.

There is now a lot of hooting, self-cheering, and even taunting. It used to be that such behaviour would annoy the referee, and he would tell competitor to stop. Failure to obey would earn the miscreant disqualification.

This doesn't even begin to take into account the amount of away-from-the-ring hugging that happens. Students hug instructors, and competitors hug each other. This did happen in the old days, but it was extremely rare, and therefore extremely special when it happened. In several decades of Karate, I was never hugged at a tournament. I saw my own instructor hugged exactly one time. That hug was a big deal, and the result of his student winning a Silver Medal at the Provincial level.

Competition in Karate did not have the feel of other sports. It was special. It was formal. It was always on the edge of violence, but controlled.

It was Karate.

Student

For the last couple of months I've only been able to attend my Karate club's Friday classes. Out of those 8 Fridays, the school needed their own gym twice.

That left 6 Fridays, I could attend. For the most recent two, the instructor was away, and I was elected. Tonight is Friday again, and I'm the teacher again.

I haven't been just a guy in the line for about a month.

No problem with that. I like teaching when it isn't all the time.

To help boost up my Karate student stature, it is off tomorrow to Vancouver for two-hour seminar with 9th Dan Yaguchi Sensei. Next week it's a seminar in Chilliwack. Have to keep being a learner. I like learning.

Last year I went to a session with Yaguchi Sensei on exactly the same day in December. I was newly back at training, and a tad unsure. It was also my first workout with the ISKF organization. As a result, I made sure I was nowhere near the front of the class. That made it a little hard to see or hear in such a crowded gym.

This time I'm headed for front-and-center.

Facebook

Today Facebook let me have a message it's been hiding in a weird spot for two weeks. It was from one of my Karate students from back in the 1990s. He was a kid back then.

He wants to establish contact, so I immediately shot him a friend request.

In his message he said the nicest things, including, "You were a huge part of my life growing up and partly the reason I am so successful today." How complimentary is that?

Martial Arts instructors play an unusual roll. More than any other activity, they become role models and mentors to their students. Think of Daniel-san and Mr. Miyagi from the original Karate Kid movies. It's a pretty accurate depiction.

I have felt that way towards my own Senseis, and I was an adult. The influence is greater on kids.

This can be good, or bad. I have always tried to be a positive, enthusiastic and encouraging presence at the head of the Dojo.

Today's communication made me feel both humble, and honoured.

Maybe I succeeded, at least sometimes.

Generations

The kind of Jiu-Jitsu I am learning comes from the Gracie family.

The founders' generation is gone, having passed away in the 1990s.

The torch was passed to their children. These are a bunch of people more-or-less my age.

They are the senior core, but most of the day-to-day running of things has been passed on again.

The third generation run a lot of the training, the main academy, and the distance program I am part of.

These guys were born in the early eighties. That's about when I started training in Karate. I was teaching it before these guys were in school. I'd headed two clubs, taught hundreds of students, and produced Black Belts who opened their own clubs before the young crop of Gracies ever got their own Black Belts.

By the time I entered Jiu-Jitsu, the young Gracies are about 30 years of age, and have held Black Belts for about ten years. Now I learn from them, via my own instructor.

They are the experts. I am the novice.

Wheels turn.

Little me

People lie.

In Martial Arts, it usually goes, "Size and strength doesn't matter."

What a load of crap. Admittedly, it isn't all that matters, but it is very important.

Imagine two equally skilled fighters, equal form, and equal speed. The only difference is one is twice the size of the other. Who wins?

At Jiu-Jitsu, I'm bigger than most of the people. A lot bigger than some. We practice with one another, and they get to try their moves out on somebody bigger. They do it on me, and maybe it will work. I do it on them, and they're doomed.

Last class we got a new beginner. He's about 6'5", and probably 300 pounds. We weren't working on size specific technique, so it didn't matter much. Tonight the technique is one that where size matters. As a result, the two biggest guys ended up partnered for most of the evening.

That mean the big guy was with me. I got to be the little one for a change. If he did something right, I flew. If he did something imperfectly, I still flew. If I did something imperfectly, and there was no reaction. If I did something moderately well, still no reaction. Even when I did something perfectly sometimes nothing happened. Not everything works with that big a difference is size.

I only had one of the small partners once last night, and only for a few minutes. Everything worked in my favour again. It felt like I was fighting a barbie doll.

I enjoyed my big partner, but I also like my smaller ones, too.

I wonder how one of the barbie dolls would fare with the new guy.

Variety is great.

Cruel Mistress

I am almost finished my first time through the cycle of Jiu-Jitsu classes. There are 23 lessons, and you have to do each 3 times before you can test.

I only need to complete lessons #14 and #15. Oh, and of course, #11 and #12 that I missed when I was sick. Stupid illness.

Tonight, it's #14, and on Thursday #15. If not for my absences, I'd be done the first cycle. No big deal, I knock off #11 and #12 at my private lessons tomorrow and a week from tomorrow. It is nice to be an adult with a few bucks to spend on extra lessons.

I want my Blue Belt, and have tried to get a clearer idea of how long it should take to earn. The theoretical quickest should be about 9 months. Many take as long as 3 years to get it.

My goal is to be on the lower end of the scale. I'll be theoretically able to take the exam early in May, or about 7 months. The private lessons make this possible.

No more sickness allowed. No injuries allowed.

What's the rush? I don't really know. I've set myself the goal of Blue by Summer. No reason for that, but goals are good. I've already trained my way passed a large number of people who started before me.

There's one young fellow in particular. He started at the beginning of September, and I started at the end of that month. He's only there about half the time, and has accumulated 10 of the 23 lessons. What's with that? I already have twice as many lessons as him.

I can't tell you how many people I've seen join Karate. They tried a class, and really seemed to love it. They pay their fees, all keen to come back. Sometimes they do. Sometimes they don't.

The couch and TV can be a cruel mistress.

One guy

Every so often my mind gets blown by something. I was sitting about, trying to think of a second blog entry related to the recent, big Karate tournament. While by brain was stewing, I discovered in my email a newsletter addressing Gracie Jiu-Jitsu topics.

There was a link to a video of a Gracie Black Belt talking about his personal journey. Who was this guy? It was Ed O'Neill. You might have heard of him. He's a successful Hollywood actor, best known for his roles as Al Bundy, and more recently as Jay Pritchett on Modern Family.

He got his Belt in 2007, at the age of 61. I know what you're thinking. This old actor shows up, so they feed him a fast-track Black Belt for the publicity. Wrongo. It took him 16 years or so of regular training to earn his rank. Not fake at all.

Funny I hadn't heard about this earlier.

Provincials

On Sunday, Helen and I got going early and headed into the city. I was going to watch the Karate BC Provincial Championship. The tournament runs over two days, but Sunday had the elite events.


I got to BCIT shortly after thing started. Kata competition was well underway. Helen barely let me get out of the car door before she zoomed off shopping. She came back mid-afternoon, and seemed to enjoy the part she watched.


The competitors were mostly Brown and Black Belts. The vast majority were teens, from 14 years old and up.


The standard was very high, but there are some people that just take Kata to another level. True art.


This went on for a few hours; five rings in operation. Division after division marched in, and later marched out with medals awarded.


Then it was time for the fighting. Every type of competitor was present from deadly sharp, to slow and shuffling.


Strangely, there were few adult categories. In Men’s Kata, there were only 6 competitors. A couple were normal Black Belts and did fine Katas. The others were these tournament-style performance artists. Their forms are a joy to watch. They also took all the medals. Maybe that’s why there are not more ordinary adults competing. Really no point.


In fighting, there were more adult, but still not a large number.


I got to see several acquaintances compete. I also got to see a young girl from a neighboring club throw her hat into the ring. She had done well at the zone tournament to qualify for the big one.


Her rank is only Blue Belt, which is only about half the way through the colored belts. In her class she was facing Brown and Black Belts. By luck of the draw, her first match was against an experienced Black Belt girl who is not only the defending Provincial Champion, but the Canadian Champ as sell. Hardly a promising start.


One cool thing about the current rules is that everybody wears a red or blue belt depending on which corner they are assigned. Nobody wears their real rank. As a result nobody really knows who they are facing.


So our local girl looked as deadly as anybody else.


Coming out, she was moving well. The experienced girl was cautious. In this case, what should our kid be out for? Winning? Not a chance. Close fight? Not a chance. How about managing to score one point? This is very unlikely, but theoretically possible. How about not being outscored 8-0, which would mean an automatic early win? Possible.


The final score ended up being 6-0, but it went the full time length. She managed to look good enough to keep the other girl from daring to go for the early kill. It it were me, I’d be pleased as punch.


We left after the final Men’s Open Weight category. Caught the 7:25pm ferry, and we were home by 8:45. It was a long day, but very interesting.


I even bought a T-shirt.

Big

At Jiu-Jitsu last night I was quite pleased. There were 7 Blue Belts present. That's just about all of the Blues I've ever seen there, all at once. Besides them knowing a lot more than us Whites, all of them but one are adults.

It is nice to roll with adults instead of the teenagers. They are bigger, meatier, stronger, and move more like somebody one might have to fight.

There was also a really good turn out of White Belts. The place was pretty crowded. One of the White Belts was there for his very first lesson. He was adult, too. Not only an adult, but a really big one. Up until now there have been only two adults in the White group other than me, and they are both quite slight in stature. The new guy was the biggest guy in the room by far. I like training with everybody, but the occasional big partner is wonderful.

One is rarely attacked by people half one's size, not that Martial Arts are only about self defence.

Last night I had five different training partners. By luck, I ended up with one White Belt and four Blues. All were more or less my size. It helped with the technique sequence we were working on.

The aggressor is on top, the defender does a twisting, leg grabbing thing and pushes up violently with legs and hips, ending with an armbar. With a small partner, the violent leg-hip thing would launch them to the moon. How can you practice the armbar if the other person is flying through the air?

We have a vibrant, healthy club. For a small town, it was remarkable that over twenty people were rolling around last night; both genders, and all ages between teenagers and....well...me.

Progress

I have been fortunate in my progression through the world of Martial Arts.

I started with Karate. To me, it was the perfect first step. Most of the time it is a solo activity, even in a crowded room. Everybody is doing their own punch, or kick. Nobody else matters. Occasionally, the instructor will correct something, and then move on. By the time one ever deals with a partner, one is already skilled enough to handle it. I’ve always been a solo kind of guy, especially when I’m learning.

My next step was into wrestling. Not usually considered a Martial Art, wrestling is really a martial sport. I became the assistant to a very skilled and experienced coach. Along the way, I learned to roll around, and became proficient at a basic level. I also became something that most Karate people are not; comfortable on the ground. In wrestling you always work with partners.

Now I am grappling again, in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The Gracie family version I’m learning is perfectly designed to add on to another art. No kicks, no strikes, no blocks. Everything is a grab, takedown, and submit sequence. The submissions are all chokes or joint locks. It is adding ground effectiveness on to my earlier wrestling comfort. It was a kick to find one of the rare certified schools near my rural home.

Does my Jiu-Jitsu training mean I would take an attacker down, and then submit him? Nope. I’m a much better whacker than I am a grappler. Besides, gravel or concrete is not something I want to roll around on if I don’t have to.

The weird thing is, I don’t really consider Martial Arts to have anything to do with self-defence. It does, but not for me. I have never been attacked, or been in a fight. I figure the chances of it ever happening are quite remote. I would be a pretty sorry and pitiful figure if I’ve spent most of my life training for an event that never occurs. For me, the self-defence part is just a bonus.

Some people get their activity from smacking round objects around. Think of golf. People devote a great deal of effort and expense into perfecting their ability to put a dimpled ball into a round hole. My sister does Yoga. People their do Yoga to get better at doing Yoga. I work at Martial Arts to get more skilful at violence. I think it’s cool. I think it’s an art.

Maybe I should take up golf.

Bully

Last Friday, I was the instructor at our Karate class. There were only 5 of us there.

That meant me and only 4 students. One is brand new, and was happy to practise a few simple things. The remaining three are all facing exams, so I focused on them.

One is going for his Orange Belt, one for Blue, and the third for his Purple.

The tests all have three parts.

The first part is called Kihon, which means basics. Candidates are asked to perform several repetitions of various techniques. Each single technique or combination has a number of sticking points that the examiner watches for. We do a lot of Kihon in our club, and the lads are all looking pretty good. They should be ready in time.

The last part of the test is called Kumite, which means sparring. This is somewhat a misnomer, as the techniques are all pre-arranged. Again, I see our people being fine by test time.

The middle part is called Kata. Each candidate performs a prescribed Kata or form. They consist of between 20 and 30 movements. The entire set is considered one item, and must be performed correctly, and with correct feeling, movement, and spirit.

Our Yellow Belt's Kata is looking acceptable, as we practise that one quite a lot in class.

The Green and Purple Belt's Katas did not look up to snuff. As we only have one Green and one Purple in the entire club, we only rarely work on those Katas.

I have been in that situation myself many times. When I was an Orange Belt, I was the only one in a class of about 40 Yellow and White Belts. One test later, I was the sole Green Belt in a class of many Orange, Yellow, and White Belts. This was true for all of my later ranks as well.

I think I will focus on my disadvantaged solo middle-Belt friends. I will grab them before class and do continuous repetitions of their Katas until the class begins. Sometimes we finish 5 or 10 minutes early. I shall grab them then, too.

Sort of helpful bullying.

Baby Cars

We need a second car. Work is no problem, as I ride my electric bike, and Helen drives our Toyota Prius.

However, it can get tricky to coordinate all our evening and weekend activities. We are just getting by now, but things won't fit at all in January.

The sticking points will be Tuesdays, as Helen will go to Sechelt for ukulele, and I will be off to Gibsons for Jiu-Jitsu. Friday will be tricky, too, as Helen goes to a folk music group and I go off to Karate. Saturday will see Helen either going to art or music, and me going to Gibsons for Jiu-Jitsu. This will be plain old ordinary weeks. I will also be having at least one Karate Seminar in Vancouver per month. If Helen wants to come along, fine, or even if she wants to stay home car less. If she want a car, or has a gig, or wants to go to any of there other weekend activities we're sunk.

Time for a new set of wheels. We are proud we've gone so long with only one car.

We prefer new cars and will be going that route. I haven't thrown out the idea of another Prius as a second car, but they are pretty pricey.

I am waiting until the ScionIq becomes available before making up my mind. It is likely down to the 2012 tiny Scion or the smallest Toyota, the 2012 Yaris Hatchback.

The Yaris is the smallest Toyota vehicle, and is counted as a subcompact. For one guy driving around it would be plenty of car, almost too much. The ScionIq is an altogether smaller beast. It is in the same tiny super-subcompact class as the Smart Car. Unlike the Smart Car, the ScionIq has 4 seats (the back two are teensy), better fuel economy, and is only 1 foot longer.

Can't decide until I can get my hands on both cars.

It sounds like I'm making the decision, but really it's up to both of us. Helen lets me do the research. If there is anything about either of my little candidates she doesn't like, it's out.

I'll only be sunk if both cars get rejected by either or both of us.

Picking on them

Every so often I rant about the weaknesses of various martial arts. I don't spare my own, Shotokan Karate.

I guess it's time to hit Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.

Lots of strengths. Great for a small person, and better for a big one. It wastes no effort on flashy techniques. There is also a lovely, programmed training system.

Weaknesses? Of course.

We practise on mats. This is great for training, but doesn't reflect the real world at all. We don't even use the lovely wooden floor under the mats ever, even briefly to see how incredibly different it feels.

The entire art is also predicated on the idea of a single attacker. None of it will work if the bad guy has a buddy kicking away as you wrestle his buddy on the ground.

There is also nothing like free-sparring, or randori. One of the best ways to make things natural is to have to use them against a determined opponent who doesn't want to let you.

These are minor problems. I find Gracie Jiu-Jitsu to be the perfect accompaniment to what I already do, and the training style is perfect for a slightly ancient guy like me.

UFC 205 pound guys

The light heavyweight division of the UFC is on fire.

When the sun came up over Montreal on May 1 of last year, everybody said that the champion was unbeatable. His name; Lyoto Machida. His record; 16-0. Most opponents couldn't lay a glove on him. On that day, he was fighting a rematch against a man he'd already defeated.

The unbeatable champion was knocked out, and the new King was Mauricio Rua.

In November Machida tried to work his way back towards a title shot, but lost to Quinton Jackson by a razor close decision. Bad for Machida, but great for Jackson.

Most of the fighters I am naming won other fights along the way, but I'm only including the key action.

In March of 2011, the new champion Rua faced this young hot-shot named Jon Jones. Rua was badly smacked around for a few rounds before being knocked out. A new Champion.

In September Jones faced Jackson, who had beaten Machida, and knocked him out, too.

Just yesterday, Rua fought a 40-year-old fighter from outside the UFC organization named Dan Henderson. After 5 brutal rounds, Henderson pulled out a points win. As a result, he gets a shot at the Champion at the next opportunity after the already scheduled December Title fight.

In early December the Champion Jones fights the former Champion Lyoto Machida. Vegas odds makers are calling Machida a long shot. I disagree. Their styles match up in a way that I'd say makes Jones a slight favourite.

If Jones wins, he's clearly king of the hill, and will face Henderson soon as the favourite.

If Machida wins, it's all up in the air. It will be Machida beating Jones, who beat Jackson and Rua, who both beat Machida. His next fight will be against Henderson, who beat Rua, who beat Machida. No clear king.

Compared to this, the other divisions are as dull as dish water.

Brandy

Wednesday was a normal day, but I was unusually tired after Jiu-Jitsu for the workout we did.

Thursday, nasty virus strikes. Called in sick, and knew it was bad enough to arrange for both that day and Friday at home. Stayed home from Jiu-Jitsu, which I really didn't want to do. For a while I figured I could go and watch, but gave up on that as the day rolled on.

Friday, watched TV, napped, and read with plenty of chest-cold symptoms to keep me entertained. Our Karate instructor is away, so I was committed to taking that evening's class. No problem. The teacher doesn't really have to do anything or sweat. All the boss has to do is tell others what to do, and count in Japanese. By the end of the class I was bagged, and could barely talk. Lovely.

Saturday is another quiet day. Helen and I have tickets to a dinner/dance and have been looking forward to it for weeks. I'm trying to get myself together enough to handle eating in a restaurant and doing a dozen dances.

I can always recover tomorrow.

The only problem is, I've been a bit worse each day. This stupid thing could slop over into next week.

Time for more TV and a snifter of brandy.

Sick

It's a crappy day to be sick. I know it's never great, but there are definitely better and worse times.

If I miss Jiu-Jitsu, I miss part of a 23 class cycle. Won't get the missed topic again for 11 1/2 weeks. Students need every class in the cycle 3 times before they can advance. As I am taking a few private lessons, I can fill in a hole here or there, but miss too many and I'll have to do an entire extra cycle.

Also, as a teacher, I have to prepare the day for the substitute. Right now the internet is down, and I can't get anything done. I used to have paper resources, but that was during the Dark Ages. No internet means I'm in the Dark Ages again, but with no paper resources.

When I'm sick, I have to go in to school to set the day up. After that I come home and sit in my chair with a few cinnamon muffins and fancy coffee. I watch TV, surf the net...that sort of thing. Did I mention that the internet is down? I'll still have TV, but the best part is gone. In fact I won't really have complete TV either, as about half of my viewing these days comes via the web.

I'm expecting two Xbox games. They might arrive today, or even be waiting in the mailbox. If they end up in my hot little hands, I'll pop them into the machine and off we go. Of course, they will check the internet for updates and download them automatically. Did I mention that the internet is down? They will try and check for updates, fail, and not work.

At least the coffee and muffins will still work.

71

Here I am, all worked up that I'll be the oldest Gracie Blue Belt in Canada when I finally attain that rank. I've been wondering how I stack up, worldwide, in terms of age.

Now I know.

In the Gracie newsletter, there is a guy in La Jolla, California who just got his Blue Belt at age 71. I'm guessing from the fuss they are making about it, that he's the oldest ever. At least the oldest in the start-from-beginner category.

I guess I won't make top ten, or even top 100.

I'd like to meet him. We could roll around on the mat together.

Mending

Was in Victoria for the long weekend. I made the decision to ignore all the fabulous runs over there, and did nothing physical at all.

Used the time to let my aches, pull, and pains fade away. It seems to have worked, and I feel marvellous.

Might do the same over Christmas. It all depends on how I'm holding together. Might ditch the weekend runs in the first part of the New Year, too.

I don't want to miss any Karate or Jiu-Jitsu, so the supplemental activates might have to take a step into the shadows.

Does this mean no half-marathon in April?

God, I hope so.

Thud

It finally happened. After Jiu-Jitsu last night I felt old.

We were doing a really spectacular technique where the guy on the bottom picks the guy on top with his legs and flips him over and lands on top.

Lot of effort when one is on the bottom, and a hard landing when one is on the top.

I did it all fine, but there are plenty of aches and pains now. Some are over-worked muscles, and some are pains from thump-down landings.

It would be no sweat, except I go again tonight, and tomorrow.

Luckily, tonight it will be low effort, and low impact. I can do that.

At least I think I can.

Goalie

When I started Karate, my first goal was to pass that first belt test. I didn't really see anything beyond that. There kept being short-term belt goals being thrown up.

I started leading half the club's classes (can I call that teaching?) when I was a lowly Green Belt. I felt I had to keep testing as quickly as I could to prevent any confusion. I was one rank above the next club members, and if they'd caught me it might have gotten in the way. Maybe not, but I kept it from happening.

There are 3 ranks of Brown Belt. Nobody can tell your rank within Brown. Many like slowing down at that time to solidify their confidence in their technique. I couldn't. My Sensei moved to Japan, and our club needed a Black Belt. I became Sensei and needed to keep gaining rank as quickly as I could.

After Black Belt I didn't feel any pressure to continue the rank game, and didn't face an opportunity to test even if I wanted to for the next few decades. Back then, we didn't get such exams in BC, and to get one would have involved major travel. Now we have high-belt exams frequently, but I feel no pressure.

As a Shodan, I have access to all the training available. No advantage to a higher rank.

In Jiu-Jitsu, I am climbing the ladder once again. Every ten weeks of attendance earns the White Belts a spiffy black stripe on their belt. The students covet them the same as I once did my Yellow Belt. I find the stripes irrelevant, but would never say so.

After 23 weeks of classes, one is permitted to attend an extra, slightly more advanced class held on Saturdays. I want to get into that. Goal one.

After 35 weeks of training one is theoretically able to test for Blue Belt. I don't care much about the Blue Belt, but getting one gets access to two evening classes with more advanced training. I want to get to that, too. Goal two.

To speed my way towards my two goals, I've been taking extra private lessons. These count towards the 23 and 35 week totals. They also count DOUBLE towards belt stripe totals, too. Don't care about that.

The White Belt in our class closest to testing for Blue was talking to another girl a few nights ago. She was excited to think that if she passed, she would become the 5th female Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Blue Belt in Canada EVER. I thought, "Cool."

If I reach my goals, I will become the oldest person EVER to earn a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Blue Belt in Canada.

How's that for cool?

Spending

Getting political. Feel free to ignore this one. No running, or Karate, or bikes at all.


1   USA                698.105billion
2   China               114
3   France               61.285
4   UK                    57.424
5   Russia               52.586
6   Japan                51.42
7   Germany          46.848
8   Saudi Arabia    39.2
9   Italy                 38.303
10 India               36.03
11 Brazil             27.12    
12 Australia        26.9
13 S Korea         26.55
14 Spain             25.507
15 Canada          21.8       
16 Israel            16
17 UAE             15.749
18 Turkey         15.634
19 Netherlands 11.604
20 Afghanistan 11.6


The above is a list of the top 20 countries in the world in terms of military spending in billions of dollars.

Back in the 1800s Britain was the premier world power. They had a policy that they would always keep their Navy powerful enough to match the second and third greatest powers should conflict ever occur. Perhaps the US should adopt something like this.

Clearly from the above chart they are overspending. In fact, if you add up all the others in the top 20, their total comes to 695.56, which is less than the USA's 698.195. You may also notice that Israel and Afghanistan are top-spending countries, too. A big part of their war chest is provided as "aid" from the USA.

Let's lower the USA from first place at 698.195 down to 175.285. This would match the spending of China and France combined. The USA would still be the number one super power by far.

This single act would cut US government spending by 15% without laying a glove on Social Security, Health Care, or Veterans Benefits.

Madness, you say? What about all the defence workers thrown out of work?

OK, if you're so worried about the resulting massive unemployment how about this? Don't cut spending. Take it from the military and spend it on things that actually generate wealth. In the 1950s and early 1960s the government spent its surpluses on things like building the freeway system. Remember rural electrification in the 1930s?

Take your pick.

Dark

It is 7:30am and Saturday. I am sitting in my chair, looking out into the pitch black. On a weekday I'd just be arriving at work now, after a lovely ride in the total dark.

Daylight Savings Time is about to end for the year, and we get back a bit of morning light. It makes a world of difference to me. It will vanish again slowly over about the next two weeks.

Then it is all black again.

The cold I can handle. The rain is not sweet, but acceptable.

I hate the black ride.

Runtime

It looks like a run-on-both-days weekend. Haven't had one of those in a while.

When something comes up, like a seminar, or like next week's visit to Victoria, I often let running slide.

Nothing special is happening, so I shall run to maintain my svelte figure. I'm doing pretty good on that front, as my weight is down to 177lbs. Anything under 180 is fine, but I'm shooting to crack 175.

That should happen soon.

Especially if I keep running.

Fold

Helen and I both really like our electric bikes. The ride is wonderful, but we have something new in mind.

We love to travel, and would like to have folding bikes to take along. There are millions of makes and models, and the shopping has begun.

It is hard to find a bike that fits Helen well. She has a shoulder problem that requires a very upright posture. Compounding this, she is not very tall. Most of the bikes we try cannot be adjusted to her needs.

She has tried many, and none worked until last weekend. We went to a big store in Vancouver that has many models. She looked them all over. I saw one that was by far the best for being upright. She finally got to that one after checking the entire inventory. She was dubious, as it was the cheapest one in the place.

When she got on, it was perfect. Nothing fancy about it, but the components are acceptable. It has eight gears, and is even a colour she likes.

Helen doesn't like to decide these things in haste, and might have left the bike in the store. I put whatever influence I have into the discussion. We bought it and brought that baby home. It was only $350, after all.

Now, I'm on the lookout for a folder of my own. I am easy to fit, so can get whatever model I fancy. A store near our home sells a fine bike, and I'll go try it again. I’ll buy one if it feels like I remember.

Then we need cases for air travel or cruises, and we're all set.

We might start a trend, especially with the cruise ship crowd.

Cheater with a goal

I'm cheating in Jiu-Jitsu. They have a system of rank for White Belts. Every 20 classes completed earns a stripe on the belt. That should take 10 weeks per stripe. By Christmas, I'll have completed 8 weeks of training, and will have earned my second stripe. How? I've been taking extra, private lessons.

I am not nuts, paying for extra lessons just for pieces of tape on my belt. I am trying to get to my Blue Belt. Blue Belts are allowed to attend advanced classes. I want to get to the advanced classes.

One must complete 69 specific lessons to be allowed to test. By Xmas, I'll be a little less than halfway there. In the new year, I may just stick to the regular lessons, and finish my total off in 5 months or so. I also might stay with the extra training and be done in 3 months. Could also do something in between.

None of this guarantees an exam pass, but it does get one the right to try.

I would like to be Blue Belt before summer. Two reasons.

One, I can start next fall in the advanced classes. I plan on training in Judo this summer in Victoria. Judo and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu are quite similar. It is possible that mixing the two while preparing for an exam could be detrimental. If I'm already tested, I don't need to worry about it. I can relax and let the Judo people toss me around.

Two, if we decide to do a Disneyland vacation at all this summer, I'd like to train at the main Gracie school, which is nearby. This is unlikely as we have not considered it a vacation possibility, but sometimes we do stuff like that on short notice. If it happened, I'd want to go as a Blue and not a White.

An injury could render this all moot. I'm doing fine in that respect. No new pinky toe injuries this week, although one big toe took a bash. What's with Jiu-Jitsu and my toes?

The instructor seems to think my summer Blue goal is realistic. He was talking about a big Gracie seminar in May, and talked about how suitable it would be for Blue Belts. When he said it he was looking directly at me. Not that teachers can take time off in May, but he doesn't know that.

Funny, but if I make it and anybody asks me my martial arts rank I can say, "Black and Blue."

Cute, eh?

Missing in action

When I was a Karate student, long, long ago, I attended every class I could.

When I became an instructor, my presence was always required.

Of course, people have lives and often cannot attend every class. Other than that, or injury or illness why would one miss a session?

Our current club had a Saturday class for a while, but it folded due to lousy attendance. We don't get most people there in the evenings, either.

At Jiu-Jitsu, I keep seeing members that I've never seen before, and I've been there over a month. There are some regulars, but also many who are there half of the time or less.

I just don't get it. People always say they love their martial arts classes and yet many are irregular.

Maybe I'm just obsessive.

Foots

Just finished martial arts 5 days in a row. Now I get a couple to recover before any more training.

Darn tired and some stiff muscles, but nothing worse than that.

The only exception is my feet. Anytime there is intense training, my stupid toes get hurt.

They get caught on mats, bent the wrong way, it's always something. I think it's related to age. They don't bend as well or as far, and get repeatedly hurt. In the last year there have been quite a few breaks. The nails are starting to get weird.

If that's the worst thing, then I'm lucky.

It just isn't tough. "Man, you should have been there. The training was so intense I hurt my toe."

Nasty stubbings are just not what you think of when you think of unarmed combat.

How old?

In the last 3 days I've been to 3 Jiu-Jitsu lessons. My 55 year old body is feeling it some.

Last night did me in. The groundwork was particularly grinding. I've got some lovely stiff muscles. My neck feels fine, but is making crackling noises.

I came down the stairs this morning like a man twice my age.

No problem. Jiu-Jitsu now has a four day break.

However, tonight I'm off to a two-day Karate seminar.

By Sunday my walk should be more like a 10,000 year old man.

Private

Tonight was different. I've been kicking and punching and such for 3 decades, and tonight was my very first private lesson. I've given a few, but never received one.

Just me and an instructor, rolling around on the mat. No off time. No breathers.

The teaching was first rate, and the practise drills most useful. I could also ask lots of questions, which doesn't really work in a group setting.

I'll be doing this again, maybe every two weeks for a while.

I don't really have a long-term goal in Jiu-Jitsu, other than to go as far as I can. Short term, I want to get a Blue Belt, which is the lowest non-White rank. Upon reaching Blue, a student has access to twice as many classes each week.

I don't really covet the Blue Belt itself. I was a Blue Belt already, back about 1984 or so. Been there done that.

A Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt would be cool, but they are notorious for taking about a decade to achieve.

We'll see.

Week

This week I'm going to be busy.

Tonight it starts with Jiu-Jitsu.

Tomorrow, a private Jiu-Jitsu lesson. That might be intense.

Thursday for a change it's Jiu-Jitsu. If I am not dead tired afterwards, I'm going to train with the Roberts Creek Karate Club on the way home.

Friday, it's off to Chilliwack for an advanced Karate Class. Won't finish until the ferries are done for the night, so Helen and I will be staying over.

Saturday another class in Chilliwack. This time it's for all levels.

Sunday I don't think I'm going to leave my comfy chair.

Two

So Gracie Jiu-Jitsu came from Judo. How does it differ?

Judo’s big focus is in throws. Tons and tons of throws. To handle being thrown so much, students spend many hours practising how to fall. There are also arm bars, chokes, and groundwork, but the trademark is throws.

Jiu-Jitsu does not emphasize throw or falls. They put people down with non-throw takedowns. They also don’t practise taking falls.

Pretty much in Jiu-Jitsu, you want your opponent to go down and to go right along with him. You will try and go down on top, but are happy enough being underneath.

Judo is a martial art that is also a sport. The biggest score is to throw an opponent onto his back. The biggest thing a Judo person wants to prevent is being thrown onto their back.

They are different.

I am learning Jiu-Jitsu. This summer we’ll probably be in Victoria visiting family for the better part of two months. Victoria has an outstanding Judo club. I intend training there three times a week.

They are different, but both are fabulous.

And they use the same outfit.

It's Judo

The big rage these days in martial arts is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I thought I knew where it came from, but I was very wrong.

The version that became the most famous is the one showcased in the early days of Ultimate Fighting. A guy named Royce Gracie dominated all the early UFC tournaments, defeating vastly larger opponents with apparent ease (they have since introduced weight categories).

The branch of the Gracie family that he is part of therefore got the most publicity. They have since trademarked their system with the name Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Their founder was Helio Gracie, who trained well into his 90s, and passed away two years ago.

Most people assume from the name, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, that it came from Japanese Jujitsu. It did sort of.

Helio Gracie learned his art from his older brother Carlos. Carlos's side of the family has its own style.

Carlos learned it from Mitsuyo Maeda, who moved to Brazil from Japan. Maeda did not teach Jujitsu. He trained at the Kodokan in Japan, which is the home school of Jigoro Kano. Kano taught Judo, which he derived from Jujitsu. In the early years Judo was often called Kano Jujitsu. When Maeda moved to Brazil, the Brazilians already knew of Judo by the name Jiu-Jitsu.

So what we have is Helio created his own Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, after learning from Carlos who also created a type of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Carlos learned from Maeda, who was a Judo man. Maeda learned it in Japan at Kano's school, who created Judo from Jujitsu.

It's all really very simple.

Challenge

So I'm going nuts training in martial arts.

Why push so hard?

The fact is, I'm no spring chicken. I'll be fine in Karate. I already have some level of proficiency at it. There are tons of really old guys who excel at Karate very late in life. Like me, they started much younger.

In Jiu-Jitsu, I'm a brand-new beginner. The founder of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu trained well into his 90s, but he started when young. I'm starting very, very late. If I hadn't been involved in wrestling years ago, I probably wouldn't try.

I can learn a technique as fast or faster than the young students can, but will I ever be able to make it a part of what I do, or part of how I move? Can you imagine learning to ride a bike at the same time you plan on retiring? How hard would that be?

Martial arts involve knowledge, but also require that the techniques become a part of the practitioner. That will be my real challenge in my new martial art.

That, and the muscle pulls.

Busy

I think I was wrong.

In the summer, I work pretty hard at my physical activities. The expectation was that I'd slack off during my work year. Understandable, but not happy about it.

I think the opposite is happening.

Monday has nothing. Oh, well.

Tuesday, off to Jiu-Jitsu.

Wednesday half the time, nothing. Half of my Wednesdays have a Jiu-Jitsu session.

Thursday, more Jiu-Jitsu, and then Karate.

Friday has Shotokan Karate.

In a couple of months Saturday will have Jiu-Jitsu. Now on Saturday I run.

Sunday, I run, but I could go to Karate.

That's 1.5 days with nothing. There are 4.5 days with one workout. Tuesdays will have 2.

Six and a half workouts per week. That's about my limit, and could be well over it. I'll be watching closely for injuries. Last night a friend expressed an interest in full contact sparring. I did NOT offer to play.

I want to be able to do this week after week. There will be enough minor bumps and muscle pulls without taking risks. That must sound funny when almost all of the workouts are violent.

I don't mind reasonable risk.

Fate

Sometimes the universe just seems to want you to do something. The universe can be pretty patient, but it just doesn't give up.

When I was a little kid nobody had ever heard of Karate or Kung Fu. Aikido, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Sambo, Muay Thai? You've got to be kidding.

The only mysterious Asian fighting method that was in the Canadian consciousness was Judo.

I was a bookish kid, and had mastered Victoria's bus system to get to the main Public Library. The best place to catch the ride home had a bunch of doors nearby that had stairs inside that lead up to things like dance studios. One lead to the Victoria Judo Club.

While waiting, I often wondered about what when on up there. Once, I went up and peeked. Nothing came of it.

Years later, when in the Army, one of our Sergeants tried to get us involved in Judo training. He made it mandatory, and we quit as soon as we were permitted. He was a new Black Belt with the Victoria Judo Club.

My mom now lives in a care facility. I go there every day whenever I'm in Victoria. Right next to her building is the new home of the Victoria Judo Club.

Last summer I was thinking of training in Judo there. Unfortunately their website was down, and they had no information posted on their door. I let it slide.

In September I started attending Jiu-Jitsu classes here at home. It is quite Judo-ish.

Next summer, we will again be in Victoria. Today I looked up the Judo club's website again.

One of the club's high-level instructors has the same surname as the Sergeant who tried to get me started years ago. The club's chief instructor is the same guy who started things up back in 1957. If I'd signed up after wandering up those stairs as a little boy, he would have been my teacher.

Same club, same people. They tried to lure me up those stairs, and they've even followed my mom to her care home.

I don't see as how I have a choice.

Founder

When our club started, it was really due to the efforts of Athena McLash. She holds the rank of 1st Kyu, which is the level of Brown directly below Black Belt.

She wanted to train and eventually to get her Black Belt. To train, she needed a teacher. I agreed, and we started the club.

Athena set a realistic goal of testing for her Black Belt after training for a year. In the year since, the club has gone through many changes.

It just doesn't seem to be working out, at least not on schedule. Her attendance is spotty lately, and I don't see a successful exam for her before Christmas.

Not really a problem. Life's deadlines change all the time. She has a very busy life outside of Karate.

It would be sad if she stopped training altogether at the club she created.

Boo boo

Bumps and bruises? A person in Karate can go months without having anything happen at all.

Doing partner work usually comes along with some kind of mark. Arms bang together. Usually nothing hurts, but wee bruises can happen. Sometimes big ones. Free sparring usually involves a few bumps. Normally nothing to worry about.

Jiu-Jitsu is harder on poor, old me. The grinding, the stretching under pressure, the strength against strength. Things bend funny, or too far, and there's always heavy abrasion against the mat.

I have a most interesting dark brown bruise thing on my hand. I have no clue how it happened. It doesn't hurt, and looks rather like a very small localized dark tan.

The toe I broke in the summer can't seem to decide if it wants a toenail or not. It feels fine, but looks a tad strange.

Martial arts people soon get over fear of pain. If you didn't, you wouldn't stay long. The pain is all pretty trivial. Most can't even be realistically described as pain at all. It is more a form of mild discomfort. Pretty wimpy if one quit training due to fear of discomfort.

The biggest problem an injury is likely to cause me would be if it were serious enough to interfere with training.

If my back gets injured, or my neck, or a hip, or a knee and I might be out for a while. I've never had a knee or hip injury. Sometimes my back goes out, but it's never been due to training. My neck sometimes feels fragile, but it's never cost me any training time.

At my age, an injury could mean more time off than a younger person would suffer.

But even so, I'm more likely to be out from flu or a bad cold.

Squish

The place that I go to for Jiu-Jitsu is interesting. It is an authorized Gracie Academy.

The place is run by a long-time Hapkido 4th Dan Black Belt. He teaches a lovely Hapkido class right before it is Jiu-Jitsu time. About half of the Jiu-Jitsu people are also in Hapkido.

In case you don't know, Hapkido is very similar to Jiu-Jitsu. Tons of take-downs, pins, locks, throws; that type of thing. The students doing this Korean art wear a rainbow of belt colours similar to Karate.

In the Jiu-Jitsu class, there are currently only two colours. Most wear White. A few, including the instructor, wear Blue. As a result, lots of people there have two ranks; Hapkido and Jiu-Jitsu.

The only two students about my size are both Blue Belts. One of these is also a Hapkido Black Belt. Neither is present all that often.

Usually, I get partnered with somebody smaller. Usually, this doesn't matter. Once in a while, it does.

Jiu-Jitsu, like Hapkido, Judo and Wrestling is mostly a grappling art. This means a lot of the time one is on the ground, either on top of a partner or underneath. When on top a basic tenant is to squish the person below. Body weight is pressed down onto the sucker on the bottom. Most people have inherent trouble doing this. It just seems so mean.

Imaging a guy like me, built to haul around 180 pounds, on his back, with a hundred pound person on top who doesn't apply much weight trying to hold him down. Sometimes I feel nothing, and have to keep saying, "weight off your knees. Bear down." Even when they do, it doesn't do much.

Now imagine me on top. One thing I took away from wrestling is an automatic ability to squish people. Even by holding back a bit, the person on the bottom breathes funny.

Last night the technique was particularly size specific. The instructor quickly paired people by mass and we stayed together all night. One of the big Blue Belts was there. We were put together. He was the Black Belt guy.

It was like getting a private lesson all night. I got to apply my full mass, and to receive all of his.

At the end of the class, the instructor took the three Blue Belt students, and put them under 3 of the beginners. I was on top of my Black Belt. In front of the class, we had to use the evening's mix of technique to keep the Blue Belt down. They could only use the escapes we'd been working on. The goal was to keep them down for 30 seconds.

When time was called, mine was still in place.

Subdued...

It was some time in 1983. We'd had several seminars with visiting high-level Black Belts before.

This time it was with some guy named Sakurai. All we knew was that he was Japanese, and was the chief instructor for eastern Canada.

We started arriving at the gym, and it all felt very different. The instructors weren't smiling. Sakurai Sensei was travelling with a one-man entourage who outranked our own instructor. Foster Sensei and Sakurai Sensei's travelling companion were having a quiet, serious conversation.

Across the room stood an Asian gentleman. That had to be him, except he was wearing what looked to be a white belt. Students began stretching; unusually subdued. We kept firing glances at the unknown man across the room. After a time somebody announced, "That belt isn't white. It's worn out".

Suddenly it made sense. The black satin on his belt was completely worn away, except for the tiniest shadow of black at either end. Holy crap.

The class began. Sakurai Sensei would later become an excellent speaker of English, but back then his speech was somewhat challenging to understand. There was no smiling.

We did our best. We pushed our hardest. Still, it was obvious that Sakurai Sensei less than impressed.

I have no recollection of what we worked on, but I do remember exhaustion. By the end people were ready to drop. I remember feet worn down to blisters. I remember sweat.

I remember he scared the hell out of us.

Big Breaker....

Tonight is my 7th class at Jiu-Jitsu. So far, I've only done one finishing move, an arm bar.

Tonight there will be another, called the Americana. It's a kinda shoulder popping thing.

Last class put me a quarter of the way through my first 23 class rotation. Tonight, I'll be almost 1/3 of the way along.

Maybe you can tell; I'm eager to do the entire set of classes. I won't be any good at it the first time through, but I want to see all that is there.

On another note, it might be hard to get partners tonight.

Most are sporting, and don't mind working with me. I'm one of the bigger people in the class. Some don't like big partners. Tonight I'll be even bigger than before.

I'll be wearing a brand new uniform. I look twice as big.

Godzilla in a judo suit, doing shoulder dislocations....

Maybe they are wise to avoid me.

I would if I could.

Sports

I only watch two sports these days.

If there is boxing on, I'll have a look see. It's been an interest since way back when Ali was fighting. Sadly, boxing has gotten pretty rare on TV, even though I have a zillion channels.

More often, I watch Mixed Martial Arts. I have several channels that offer quite a bit of this stuff. I love it.

A normal fighter in MMA punches like a boxer, kicks Muay Thai style, and grapples like either a wrestler or a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu guy.

There are variations of course. Not many have backgrounds in Karate, at least not amongst the sport's elite.

The most successful MMA athlete with a significant traditional Karate background is George St. Pierre. He is the current world welterweight champion, and has defended the title 6 times. He hasn't lost a match since 2007, and has a total record of 22-2. He has a background in Kyokushin Karate. More recently he has worked on boxing, Jiu-Jitsu, and especially wrestling. I love watching him fight, but can find no evidence of Karate in his style.

The other big MMA name that came from Karate is Lyoto Machida. His record is 17-2. He held the Light Heavyweight title for a while in 2009-2010. He is a JKA Shotokan guy. When he won the title, he famously yelled, "Karate is back."

Machida isn't only a Karate guy. He started at age 3, earning a Black Belt at 15. He has also trained in Sumo since he was a teenager, and also in Jiu-Jitsu. The special thing about him is that he was a successful international competitor in tournament Karate, and his movement, kicking and striking all reflect this.

Machida moves exactly like a tournament Karate guy should. In tournament fighting the first strike gets the point. He fights this way. He'll zip in, strike hard, and zip out. The boxer types are often willing to exchange. Machida isn't. A boxer is happy to take one punch to land two. Machida isn't. He wants to land one and receive none at all.

He is the only MMA athlete who fights as a Karate guy.

Pros and Cons

There are some advantages to being an old guy in martial arts. The first is that I am awarded respect all out of proportion to my rank. Old guy plus Black Belt must mean a true master. Well, I am pretty experienced, but not in anything like a master way. I guess I could do some Yoda quotes to foster this image.

The second advantage is that I have been at this a long time, and have picked up some stuff along the way. I'm a brand new beginner at Jiu-Jitsu, but people keep asking me if I've done it before. Some, who've been there longer, are already acting as if I'm the old hand. When they come by, the instructors and senior students mostly say I'm doing things right.

All the assorted workouts have helped get me in pretty good shape, and my weight is much easier to control.

Of, course, it isn't all gravy.

In our Karate club we have three Black Belts. The other two never were free-fighters, and have injuries that prevent them from doing it in any case. I'm the local sparring expert. I just can't react as quickly as I'd like. I never had a really sparkling reaction time, but it's slipped even farther. Aging can be annoying.

Then there are injuries. I don't thing I get hurt more than a younger guy would, but each bump takes longer by far to heal. Had a cracked rib at the beginning of July, and it still hurt into September. There have been several jammed toes, which never seemed to bother me beyond the day they happened. An aching foot now lasts me a week at least. There have been several muscle pulls with no apparent cause. They just spontaneously happen.

One really big plus is that my dear wife is more than 100% in favour of all this martial arts activity. She used to worry that I was going to wear my body out early. Now, even if I managed to wear the sucker out right now, there is no way it will have worn out early. I’m well past early.

People also worry about how I’m going to fill my time once I retire a couple of years from now.

I’ll fill my spare time practising how to beat people up.

Hug the cactus

We all get nervous about starting a new thing, especially if it seems hard. It can be particularly daunting if we think we won't be good at it.

I've gotten a few comments lately about how impressive it is that I went back to Karate after a long absence, and that I run, and that I bike to work, and that I've taken up Jiu-Jitsu.

Many people have something they'd like to do. It's available, but somehow they just never get started.

How do you avoid the cactus? It's just sitting there. It's in the way. How do you get yourself going? It looks so painful to touch. What if things are too hard? What if things are not like I hope? So many spines. How do you avoid the pitfalls? Simple.

Sometimes you just have to hug the cactus.

Grab that sucker and hold on tight.

It probably wasn't a cactus at all. You just thought it was.