Family Reunion Time

One thing I love about being a martial artist and member of the UBBT is the sense of family. I just spent a week driving through Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah and Washington. Rather than sleep at hotels, I made arrangements to sleep at the homes of martial artists I know in the area. Some were good friends, others UBBT family. In each case, we sat at their table and talked story over beer and good fellowship.

The seminars I attend and especially the UBBT events feel like family reunions. Everybody hugs hello. Everybody's immediately talking like old friends. Coming from a big, loving and raucous family myownself, I find this wonderful.

I wonder if people from other hobbies/communities/lifestyles have this same experience. I hope so, for their sake. It would be a sad thing to miss out on.

Thanks for listening.

Mastery, Part Three

Many of my teammates know I do the ballroom dance thing. Well, to be honest, my wife does the ballroom dance thing. With grace, skill and style. I struggle with footwork that should come easy, considering. But I struggle often and with enthusiasm.

The other night, my wife and I went to a grange hall dance outside of our town. They'd had a dance there every Saturday night since 1956: waltz, foxtrot, drag and polka. Bev and I were the youngest folks in the room by fifteen years, and that couple was easily another fifteen younger than everybody else.

This was not only fun, but turned into a lesson in mastery. I danced with several women in their 90s...women who had been doing the foxtrot for over sixty years.

Effortless grace, kindness and patience. An understanding of give an take, of rhythm, or connection with a partner. These women taught me martial arts with every turn of the hall.

Thanks for listening.

Intermission Over

I took six months off after the October graduation for Team 5, but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy

For my own part, these past 6 months have been interesting. I am without the huge load of UBBT requirements to keep me busy, but the paradigm shift from having done the UBBT has forever altered what I consider a 'reasonable' amount of effort and accomplishment. I think I'm driving my wife a little crazy.

I'll talk a little more about such things as time goes by.

Thanks for listening.