And the hits just keep on comin'…

It always seems that when things start to go "wrong," they tend to form a mini avalanche of headaches that makes life even more challenging than normal. Just in the past 3 weeks, we've replaced or had to repair our dryer, our washing machine, our dishwasher and our microwave. The side view mirror on my wife's car was kicked off by a vandal. My Internet service provider reported that my emails are not reaching their intended recipients because their email server has been hacked into by spammers. The recent cold weather snap cracked two windows in our house. I could go on…

But my point is this: So long as we remember to count our blessings before we count our problems, the things that go wrong in our lives can't and won't overwhelm us. A sense of humor helps, too. I have my health, my family, and my community to be grateful for. I will eat something for dinner – even if the microwave doesn't work. I have clean clothes to wear – even though I had to haul them to the Laundromat down the street. I'm going to sleep in a warm bed tonight – unless, of course, the furnace blows.

Beyond the day-to-day headaches, training is going well. Working on groundwork, aiki, and focusing on proper body dynamics during striking drills. I've lost some weight and gained some muscle tone. We're running some testing in the dojo this weekend, and I'm looking forward to seeing my students perform. I'm hoping to see an improvement in their kata, to see if they can convey the "battle" that's going on in each form!

Another week gone by already?

Where does the time go?

Been working on developing grappling skills by trying to recall and practice the basic techniques and fundamentals I've been taught over the years (a mix of BJJ, aikido, jujitsu and aiki-jutsu), and then spending time on the mats with my BBC students. Life's too hectic right now to go out and get formal training, so this will have to do. Still, I'm enjoying doing what I can: groundwork is a nice compliment to my traditional karate background.

Had a great conversation with some of my students this week about the shocking amount of violence that youth in this city are facing. I'm looking to help in whatever small way that I can with the time I can make available. Can I be a visible and engaged, positive role model? Can I connect with "at-risk" youth in a meaningful way?

Trying to Look Beyond My Own Challenges

Things are simultaneously wonderful and stressful. Enrollments are up at the dojo, our prospects for growth and expansion look great, and the students continue to make excellent progress with their training. Some of my students are wrapping up dynamic service projects, including a successful holiday toy collection event and a blood platelet donation drive. I even took a bit of time to teach a kickboxing class as part of a fundraiser to benefit the Accelerated Cure Project for Multiple Sclerosis.

I'm a little concerned that our little dojo isn't big enough to handle the influx of new members, but I suppose it's an excellent sign that our "little goldfish" needs a bigger tank! Wonderful things are on the way!

Physical training is going well, and my students and I are all getting back into shape. Our dojo's Black Belt Club is focusing on groundwork this quarter, which provides and excellent opportunity to work with ju-jitsu drills and other mat training.

Looking at the paper today — and beyond my own immediate problems and challenges — I was saddened and frustrated to read that there have already been four homicides in the city of Boston this year. We're only two weeks into 2008! And tragically, the average age of the victims is only 19 years of age: Joseph Clarke, 23, was fatally shot on a Dorchester street on January 6; Darrion Carrington, 18, was shot at a Chinese restaurant in Dorchester on January 7; Tyrone Hicks, 20, was shot on a Dorchester street on January 12; a 16-year-old boy named Carlos Sierra was shot to death in Boston's Dorchester section last night. Sierra, pictured above, was reportedly shot 13 times.

As a martial artist, how can I help to stop this unimaginable violence from harming our city's youth? What tools can I provide to help people to resolve their disputes peacefully – or at least without GUNS? This year, our dojo's focus on "self-defense" must continue to push beyond punches and kicks to get to the heart of this matter.

Life is hard, but life is good!

I've been focusing on getting back into shape this past week, and I'm dragging my students with me — literally kicking and screaming. (But this IS karate after all, right? Kicking and screaming is normal!) I've posted the week's exercises on the "torture board" by the dojo entrance, and every week we add another drill, or increase the repetitions from the week before. Sometimes we do both. The way things are going, we'll all be lean and mean by mid-February!

Things are going great at our dojo. The senior students are working on advanced forms in preparation for Black Belt testing, and the intermediate students are developing, launching, and completing their service and leadership projects, which they must complete to advance in rank. The beginners are coming into their own, too, learning the fundamentals of the art and adjusting to traditional training. Everyone is having fun. And the dojo is growing, too — we're expecting 8 new students this weekend, which is a HUGE injection of new energy for our tiny school. I'm feeling pumped!

I'm continuing to learn about nutrition, Diabetes, and how to care for our little Ava. One of the local schools here is interested in having me be a presenter for Health Week. One of my potential topics: Diabetes awareness and prevention for at-risk youth. A whole different kind of "self-defense" training.

This week life is hard, but life is good!

On Holiday Gifts, Gratitude, and Goals

Folks, I've been offline and out of the loop for several weeks, as I've just endured a really rough December!

Back on December 12, during what I thought was going to be a routine pediatrician visit, we learned that my daughter Ava has Type I Diabetes! There's a whole lot more drama to tell than I'm going to share here in this blog entry, but last month my wife and I unexpectedly spent 8 days living at Children's Hospital here in Boston taking care of our daughter, and learning about diabetes. The irony of meeting Andy Mandell, Mr. Diabetes, in the past year is not lost on me… Andy – you're the best. Thanks for being a part of my life, and part of this UBBT!

Our time in the hospital was terrifying, stressful, and sleepless, but after crash courses in how to check blood sugar, measure foods, count carbohydrates, draw and inject insulin — and after surviving illnesses, complications, and three major snowstorms in a week's time — we finally left the hospital exhausted and overwhelmed on December 20. Just in time for the holidays, but totally lacking the holiday spirit, to be sure.

Family, friends, and my UBBT teammates have been a HUGE help during our little crisis. Everyone really stepped up with their gifts, offers to help, errands, kind words of support, ears to listen, shoulders to cry on, and prayers. My students really stepped up in my absence to make sure classes continued to run at the dojo, too. THANKS TO ALL OF YOU. My family and I are truly blessed!

I've easily spent more time on my knees in the past 3 weeks to ask for strength than I have in the past 30 years. And to spend time in Children's Hospital, seeing so many other children who are REALLY sick, REALLY injured, and REALLY challenged — well that was a real eye opener for me. I guess I could complain about my daughter's illness, but not after seeing so many other children and parents who are dealing with far greater challenges display such courage, resolve, and bravery. Now THAT was a gift. And at just 17 months old, Ava has been a real trooper through all of the drama. She is truly one of my living heroes!

We're all still extremely stressed, scared, and unsure of the way forward, but our little family is getting back to the "new" normal now. Life can and must go on!

So I'm 3 weeks behind on all of my UBBT training, and I'm getting sore all over again doing my pushups, crunches, and bag work. But this is my Black Belt Test. I've spent some time drawing up new, exciting, and challenging goals for 2008, including reducing my meat consumption, enforcing personal sleep discipline, laughing and playing more, and following my dreams.

I will serve as an example of the ultimate student. I will not quit and I will not fail. Nothing, and I mean nothing will keep me from becoming my best: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Watch me. Encourage me. Train with me.

Wishing you all peace, health, happiness, success, and abundance in the new year — with gratitude,

Jason Gould
Emerald Necklace Martial Arts
http://www.karateinboston.com/
(617) 230-1973