BUDODAD

I have been working with Sensei Harris to develop a new website for the dojo in hopes of making the site more attractive and easier to navigate.  We want this site to be a place you visit often.  It is a work in progress so let me know what you think. The url is

http://huntsvilleaikido.weebly.com

I just passed my Blue Belt exam in Shin Nagare Karate this past Tuesday night!! It is funny, especially as long as I have studied various forms of martial arts, but I still get nervous before a test.  This test was a lot tougher than I thought it would be.  Within the first 10 minutes I was already smoked from the kick-punch drills!  Then we moved into our fighting katas and then right into our Judo throws!  But that wasn't the end, nope, we then moved to our formal Katas, which to me actually wear me out as much as randori.  I believe this is because I am really putting my all into making the movements crisp.  Lastly we tied everything together with a minute and a half sparing session complete with head, feet, and hand gear...with a mouth piece of course.  Needless to say, that was a lot of fun!! Thanks for being my uke Doug!  The test lasted over 2 hours!!! Man was I tired.  But all in all I was really happy with the exam....not just because I passed.

I have recently added a new Community Forum for fellow budokas to use to discuss various topics in more detail than is available in my blog.  It is my hope that this forum will foster some comradery between us and open our minds to the true path of budo.
 

To participate in the forum you must be invited by me.  If you would like to participate simply request an invitation through the community and I'll try to get you added as soon as possible.

I've recently add a Weekly Video section on the Home page.  This is where I will post interesting videos (mostly about budo) that I find around the web.  If you have any suggestions or links to some really cool videos please forward them to me via the contacts page and I will post them here for others to view (mind you that they are appropriate).  In the future as I build a library of video links I will create a video library where you will be able to view past video posts.  Hope you enjoy the vids.

I recently took my son to see his first WWE Raw live event.  In fact it was my first time too.  I have to tell you that we had an AWESOME time!!  The action was non stop and exactly like you see on tv.  My son was so excited because we managed to get seats only three rows back from the ring!!  I mean we could have reached out and touched the wrestlers we were so close.  Anyway, my son had the time of his life jumping and yelling at the wrestlers he doesn't like.  At one point he even stood on his chair so he could yell at Randy Orton when he was fighting his favorite wrestler John "You can't see me!" Cena.  I got so many great pics of the event too.  Any way, I wanted to mention here that one wrestler in particular showed great class in coming out before and after the event to sign autographs and take pictures with the fans and that was Paul London!  We truely appreciated it Paul.  It meant the world to the kids that you would take the time in the blistering heat (over 45 mins before and another 30 mins after the event) to give thanks to your fans when no other wrestlers made the effort.  For the rest of you I would highly recommend attending one of these events.  There is nothing quite like it.

My son with Paul Lodon.  Lots of class this guy has.

Paul London being a classy guy.

The champ John Cena!

"Fellow Budoka,

It is my pleasure to announce the schedule for the upcoming regional clinic to be held in Huntsville, Alabama on August 18-19th. Sensei Phil Farmer will be the instructor for this clinic. Farmer Sensei will be fresh off his recent trip to France and will likely have new material to share with those in attendance.

Students of all levels are encouraged to attend and hours will apply to the new testing requirements from gokkyu through the dan ranks.

The clinic schedule will be as follows:

Saturday August 18th

9am-12pm: Outdoor workout at Braham Spring Park

2:30-3:30: Instructor’s Session (students sankyu and higher may attend.)

3:30-5:30: Workout at North Alabama Yoseikan dojo.

Sunday August 19th

9am- 12pm: Workout at North Alabama Yoseikan dojo"

Qoute from: Sensei G.

All this will be a great opportunity to train with Sensei Farmer and Sensei Gillard.  This should be an awesome clinic.  Hope to see you there!

I just bought a brand new digital camera by Casio.  The Exilim 7.2 mega pixels with 3x optical zoom, continuous shots, and auto-stabilize.  I love this camera!  It's awesome and costs about $80 less than the Sony Cybershot with most of the same features.  Anyway, I took a bunch of pics of our Yoseikan class this Saturday.  Enjoy.

Besides this cool new News page (er..blog) I have recently added a page for My Resume (in case you might want to hire me :)) and a page on Shin Nagare Karate which is a style of karate that I have recently began studying.  Also, I have added some additional links to some cool sites on the Favorite Links page.  I hope you like.

 I just purchased a rare Japanese book written by Minoru Mochizuki  titled Nihon Budo ni katsu.  This is the only book written by Minoru Mochizuki that I know of.  If I am wrong, please email me at ashleylee.mcsd@gmail.com and let me know what other books he might have written.