Last Saturday, my students and I completed an "environmental self-defense" project by planting 15 trees and a bunch of new flowers to make a "Black Belt Garden" in the green space adjacent to our dojo. We had about 20 people from the dojo participate, and a few of the city councilors also dropped in to help.
It was wonderful to see members of the dojo of all ages and ranks working together — digging holes, spreading mulch, and smiling the entire time. When we were done, the area was transformed! I'm sorry to report, though, that less than 12 hours after our planting was completed, the flowers that we put in the ground had all been torn out by vandals/thieves.
No worries, we will rebuild!
We will show the community what Black-Belt-level determination looks like!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
This Week and Next
This coming Saturday is our "environmental self-defense" tree planting project. (You can read the press release here.) I'm looking forward to it, even though the forecast is for steady rain! Photos and video coming after the event!
Next week, I'll be in Canada at a weeklong martial arts conference. Ahh... three workouts a day, lectures at night, and lots of good old-fashioned martial arts camaraderie. I attend this conference every year. But this year is more special than most: three of my students who are coming with me will be testing for their Black Belts at the end of the week. They're the very first students in my young dojo to test for their Black Belts, so I'm not sure who's more excited – them or me!
Next week, I'll be in Canada at a weeklong martial arts conference. Ahh... three workouts a day, lectures at night, and lots of good old-fashioned martial arts camaraderie. I attend this conference every year. But this year is more special than most: three of my students who are coming with me will be testing for their Black Belts at the end of the week. They're the very first students in my young dojo to test for their Black Belts, so I'm not sure who's more excited – them or me!
Healthy Eating Is Self Defense
This morning, one of my students sent me a link to the website of a new movie, Food, Inc.
I'm going to check it out. But I'm already thinking of making watching this film "mandatory self-defense training" for the entire dojo.
I'm going to check it out. But I'm already thinking of making watching this film "mandatory self-defense training" for the entire dojo.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Building A Black Belt Garden
Here's a press release I sent out today:
Boston Karate Students to Help Build "Black Belt Garden" in Local Green Space
Boston (Allston) MA — June 10, 2009. As part of their karate school's "Environmental Self-Defense" initiative, students enrolled at Boston's Emerald Necklace Martial Arts will be pulling weeds and planting trees and flowers along the Everett Street embankment in Allston on Saturday, June 20. Gardening work is scheduled to commence at 10:00 am.
"This area has been in need of a serious overhaul for a very long time," says Sensei Jason Gould, Chief Instructor at the Emerald Necklace dojo (karate school). I've always wanted to do something to help improve this strip of green space, and the opportunity for my students and I to really pitch in is finally here."
Earlier this spring, the city cleared the Everett Street green space of weed trees, trash, broken glass, and spare tires. Now that the area is clear, new oak, maple, and tupelo trees for the site are being donated by the Grow Boston Greener Initiative. The Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation will be providing trash bags, shovels, rakes, and work gloves for the planting, and Braintree Street Realty has committed to assist with ongoing maintenance of the site once work is complete. In addition to providing the volunteers for the physical labor, Gould's karate school is donating flowers to be planted at the site.
"My ultimate goal is to make this area into a Black Belt garden — an extension of our dojo," Gould continues. "Using nature as both our teacher and classroom, we can learn more about leadership, project management, organic gardening, and the power of teamwork to make a positive difference in our community. I hope that we'll also learn to better respect and appreciate our unbreakable connection to the earth, and I'm looking forward to working with other members of the community to make and keep this area a pristine source of local pride long after the plantings are in the ground."
Emerald Necklace Martial Arts would like to invite all members of the Allston-Brighton Community to help with the planned cleanup and planting along Everett Street on June 20. For more information about the event, please contact Sensei Jason Gould at 617-230-1973 or Ava Chan of the Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation at 617-787-3874.
More information about Emerald Necklace Martial Arts can be found online at www.karateinboston.com. More information about the Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation can be found online at http://www.allstonbrightoncdc.org/.
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Boston Karate Students to Help Build "Black Belt Garden" in Local Green Space
Boston (Allston) MA — June 10, 2009. As part of their karate school's "Environmental Self-Defense" initiative, students enrolled at Boston's Emerald Necklace Martial Arts will be pulling weeds and planting trees and flowers along the Everett Street embankment in Allston on Saturday, June 20. Gardening work is scheduled to commence at 10:00 am.
"This area has been in need of a serious overhaul for a very long time," says Sensei Jason Gould, Chief Instructor at the Emerald Necklace dojo (karate school). I've always wanted to do something to help improve this strip of green space, and the opportunity for my students and I to really pitch in is finally here."
Earlier this spring, the city cleared the Everett Street green space of weed trees, trash, broken glass, and spare tires. Now that the area is clear, new oak, maple, and tupelo trees for the site are being donated by the Grow Boston Greener Initiative. The Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation will be providing trash bags, shovels, rakes, and work gloves for the planting, and Braintree Street Realty has committed to assist with ongoing maintenance of the site once work is complete. In addition to providing the volunteers for the physical labor, Gould's karate school is donating flowers to be planted at the site.
"My ultimate goal is to make this area into a Black Belt garden — an extension of our dojo," Gould continues. "Using nature as both our teacher and classroom, we can learn more about leadership, project management, organic gardening, and the power of teamwork to make a positive difference in our community. I hope that we'll also learn to better respect and appreciate our unbreakable connection to the earth, and I'm looking forward to working with other members of the community to make and keep this area a pristine source of local pride long after the plantings are in the ground."
Emerald Necklace Martial Arts would like to invite all members of the Allston-Brighton Community to help with the planned cleanup and planting along Everett Street on June 20. For more information about the event, please contact Sensei Jason Gould at 617-230-1973 or Ava Chan of the Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation at 617-787-3874.
More information about Emerald Necklace Martial Arts can be found online at www.karateinboston.com. More information about the Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation can be found online at http://www.allstonbrightoncdc.org/.
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Monday, June 8, 2009
Seeing With Fresh Eyes
Last week I and a few of my students did a short karate demonstration at a local elementary school. The demonstration was nothing out of the ordinary: a group of students performing karate basics, dynamic striking drills, forms, and weapons in front of a noisy crowd of strangers, followed by some board breaking, Q&A, and flyer distribution.
I've done events like this one a thousand times, so when we began the demonstration I was able to exude some enthusiasm, even though I was fairly sound asleep on the inside. My students, however, showed their nervousness, and that's what woke me up: I realized that this was their very FIRST public karate demonstration!
I began to watch and run the event with curiosity and fresh eyes, and I observed more closely how my students handled the performance anxiety, the reaction of the crowd, and – of course – the little mistakes that are a part of any karate demonstration. And instead of sleepwalking through the event, I began to enjoy it vicariously through the others!
I've done events like this one a thousand times, so when we began the demonstration I was able to exude some enthusiasm, even though I was fairly sound asleep on the inside. My students, however, showed their nervousness, and that's what woke me up: I realized that this was their very FIRST public karate demonstration!
I began to watch and run the event with curiosity and fresh eyes, and I observed more closely how my students handled the performance anxiety, the reaction of the crowd, and – of course – the little mistakes that are a part of any karate demonstration. And instead of sleepwalking through the event, I began to enjoy it vicariously through the others!
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