An Honor, Some Humor

I was recently contacted by Grand Master Ernest Dukes of the Black Warrior Martial Arts organization, who invited me to his Hall of Honors banquet to recognize me with a Silver Pioneer award for 25 years in the martial arts. I was surprised, honored, and flattered — after all, I kind of feel like I'm just getting started in the martial arts — but a quick look at the calendar verified the claim. I really have been at this a long time. I was unable to travel to North Carolina to receive the award in person, but I spoke with Master Dukes on the phone, and he graciously offered to send the award to me. Sheepishly, I looked forward to placing a plaque on the wall of the office of my new dojo.

The award arrived this week, and upon opening the package, I immediately discovered the following:

• Someone else's name was on the award
• The award was for a different achievement
• The award was broken

Clearly, this was a simple shipping error, but I immediately found the entire episode hilarious. I laughed out loud. And I suppose that's a good thing. For some reason, it reminded me of a story I once heard that during ancient times, when a conquering general returned to adoring and cheering crowds in Rome, a slave was assigned to continually whisper in his ear, "Remember, you're just a mortal. You're no better than anyone else."

I'm sure I can resolve this issue with a simple phone call... And, perhaps, some duct tape.

Every Little Stitch Helps

I love this picture of a knitted cap next to the weapons rack in our dojo. It was taken by my student, Linda, and it I captures, without using words or rhetoric, the power that the martial arts have to change the world. We use the bo, jo, sai, tonfa, kama, nunchaku, knife, techu, kai-bo, naginata, and other weapons at our dojo.

Now, please add knitting needles to the list.

My student Carolyn's community service project has really been taking off. She was featured in a local newspaper article just this past week. Ahh, the student becomes the teacher... how refreshing.

This month's Ode magazine features an article titled, "Every Little Stich Helps." I've ordered a copy of "Knitting for Good" to add to the dojo library. I'll place it right next to the books on weapons training.

MADDCAP

Last week, I taught my first MADDCAP class to two groups of kids during lunchtime at a local elementary school here in Boston. The group I spoke with were kids identified as being "at risk" for diabetes by the school staff — I was amazed to find that nearly 100% of the kids knew someone in their immediate family who had type II diabetes. Amazing.

I spent most of my time talking to the kids about adding color to their diet. And no, orange Powerade is NOT an orange food!

This has been quite a learning experience. I certainly now know more about the disease than I ever wanted to, but doing something about it is something that calls to me now... I briefly spoke with the principal, who was very grateful for my presentation — "It's absolutely necessary that we educate the whole child," she told me.

Healthy living as "self-defense." Planning to give more presentations to the community in 2009.

Semper Fi!

Happy Birthday to my Marine brothers and sisters — past, present, and future — for your service, courage, and dedication. And Happy Veterans Day, too.

Caps for Kids, and Other Stuff

I fanally got a hold of Last Child in the Woods at Coach Tom's suggestion. After "leafing" through it, I'm determined to take my daughter into the trees this weekend. Otherwise, I've been very busy (hey, when am I NOT busy?) planning for the new dojo opening. You can read all about the build out on our blog.

In the meantime, my students have been very busy serving the community and making me proud:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information, please contact:Sensei Jason Gould
Emerald Necklace Martial Arts
Jason.gould@karateinboston.com
(617) 230 1973

Punches, Kicks — and Knitting — at Local Karate School

Boston (Allston) MA — November 5, 2008. This fall, Allston's Emerald Necklace Martial Arts is participating in a "Caps for Kids" drive: Instead of punching and kicking, Karate students are knitting children's hats, scarves, mittens, and booties that will be donated to day care centers, elementary schools, housing shelters, and neighborhood health and community centers in Boston. Caps For Kids is a 100% volunteer organization affiliated with Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

The students at Emerald Necklace Martial Arts regularly participate in community service activities as part of their Black Belt training. The "Caps for Kids" knitting project is being led and organized by karate student Carolyn Conroy.

"Doing this project allows us to provide something that's needed in our local community, and it's also an opportunity to spend time together as friends outside of Karate class," she says.

Many Emerald Necklace Martial Arts members have been holding weekly knitting circles, either in the dojo (karate school) or in local coffee shops, to work on their projects together. Other members are learning to knit, or sponsoring knitters by purchasing yarn and other supplies. The box of items to be donated that sits in the dojo is steadily growing.

Although Conroy has already surpassed her goal of collecting 50 handmade items, she will continue to lead the project through November 24. Anyone wishing to contribute to the project may contact Sensei Jason Gould at 617-230-1973, and knitted items may also dropped off at Emerald Necklace Martial Arts: 129 Braintree Street, Suite 213, in Allston MA.

More information about Emerald Necklace Martial Arts can be found online at http://www.karateinboston.com/.

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Forgotten, But Not Gone!

Team, I'm swamped. Please forgive my lack of journaling recently. I've been invisible, but VERY busy...

My wife and I started our daughter on her insulin pump 2 weeks ago, and I don't believe she or I have slept more than 2 or 3 consecutive hours since then. That being said, things are going GREAT, and we're seeing better control of Ava's blood sugar levels than we have since her diagnosis last December. So, sleep can't be too far behind!

Lots of other stuff going on, too: I ran an anti-bullying seminar at one local grade school, where I'll also be doing some diabetes awareness training next month. At another local school, I'm seven weeks into an early morning, karate-based character education program, and my students there are giving their final performance this Friday. At still another school here in town, I'm working with a group of 6 Deaf teens, using martial arts principles to teach them confidence, discipline, self-respect, and mutual respect. Phew!


And still there's more: I'm smack dab in the middle of building out the new dojo — purchasing equipment, arranging for utility services, and planning for additional classes and programs. Couldn't do it without the help of key people on my mostly volunteer staff. Thanks, guys! More on the dojo expansion at: http://emeraldnecklacedojo.blogspot.com/

And more! A group of my new students — seven of them — just graduated from their White Belt course, and I have another 5 students starting their training this weekend. We're growing!

And more! One of my students is leading us in a "Caps of Kids" community service project. Our goal is to knit hats, gloves, and scarves, and to provide them to needy kids for the winter. We've completed over 50 items so far, and the project will continue for another month.


Did I mention I'm still holding down that pesky, full-time job where I manage a team of 25 people (20 of them are in India)? That's a whole other bucket of challenges I won't go into here except to mention that my senior students are writing papers on nonviolent conflict resolution for their Brown Belts. How do the two connect? One of the student papers I read this weekend had everything to do with learning to understand how our cultural lenses filter our reality and often contribute to conflict in the workplace.

See? I'm still learning!


Sorry to have been underground lately, team, but that's where all the growth occurs in a healthy plant before it breaks through the surface!

Service Nation

You all know by now (I hope!) that my students and I are committed to community activism through service projects and project-based leadership training, right? I've just discovered — and will continue to investigate — a new outlet and connection for our community service initiatives. Please take a few moments to check out Service Nation.

And, if you feel inspired to do so, sign their Declaration of Service. I did, and I challenge you to do the same!

Right now, some of my students are planning their community service projects. Right now, we are creating excitement and buzz in our community. Right now, we are, bit by bit, making the world a better place.

What more could I ask for?

This, I believe, is the ultimate expression of martial art!