Just A Thought

Big Class / Small Class

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Apsokardu) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Our dojo opened in 1995. The building was a bar/restaurant which we converted into a house/dojo. The very first class had two students. Through the years, class sizes have varied from 1 person to 20+. When class size reached space capacity, we split up the kyu ranks and added more classes. If class size was too small, we consolidated the classes. The student population has varied over the last 16 years due to economics, trends, fads and interest.

There are advantages and disadvantages to a large class and a small class.

Large Class - Advantages
1. A lot of energy.
2. Good for certain training drills.
3. Variety of training partners available.

Large Class - Disadvantages
1. Reduced space on training floor.
2. May limit teaching opportunities. For examples, it is difficult to teach long range weapons due to space constraints.
3. Limited individual instruction.

Small Class - Advantages
1. Opportunity to work on material specific to each student.
2. One-on-one instruction.

Small Class - Disadvantages
1. Limited partner work.
2. Some students prefer a larger class setting.

As a class instructor/student, do you prefer big classes or small classes? What do you see as the advantages/disadvantages?

Discussion Topic: Training

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Apsokardu) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Is your training where you want it to be?

I was asked this question by a karate friend during an email exchange. I responded by talking about the dojo, a black belt student's recent testing and promotion, upcoming training camps and new students in the dojo.

A few hours after I sent the email, I realized I answered his question without answering the question.

Is your training where you want it to be?

I have fantastic instructors who guide and share their knowledge.
I have a great group of training partners.
We challenge each other to improve and grow in our practice.
We laugh.
I have good karate friends who ask me tough questions and offer assistance. :)
I believe I am on the right track but I know there is a lot of training/reading/studying/exploring to do.

Enjoy your training!

Relax

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Apsokardu) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

The movement of a karate student is tense and stiff. Movement is slow and transitions are difficult. The instructor tells the student that they need to relax. Sound familiar?

Two examples:

My tai chi instructor would take one look at my movement and identify where I was holding stress. It usually manifested in my right shoulder. My movement was stiff and restricted. At work, I notice the tension in my right shoulder when I sit at my desk. I relax my shoulder and step away from my desk for a few minutes.

In the mid 1990’s, a teenage boy was a student at the dojo. I was a new class instructor and I freely admit…he made me nervous. I was concerned he would get hurt. His movement was extremely tense and stiff. I cringed during breakfall practice. His whole body was rigid and he would fall to the mat like a plank of wood. I have never seen anything like it before or since. If I close my eyes, I can still visualize him falling on the mat. I even remember the sound he made as he smashed into the mat. Splat! Despite instruction and guidance from a group of instructors, he never was able to relax and perform a proper breakfall.

Relaxing the body and mind are important components of martial arts training. What advice would you give a new student who is tense and needs to relax their movements? How did you learn to relax?

Discussion Topic: Women's Self-Defense

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Apsokardu) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

A co-worker shared a story about advice she was given ten years ago on the topic of women's self-defense. At the time, my co-worker worked as an executive for a large retail department store chain. She would often travel to store openings and promotional events. She was given the following advice by a security professional:

You are a women and at the end of the day it doesn't matter. A man will overpower you. You have to remember...men are stronger than women. Regardless of size, a man can take a women down. It is the way men and women are designed.

Thoughts?

The Temporary Student

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Apsokardu) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

I think teaching a temporary student is challenging for the karate instructor. In the dojo, there were several occasions when students wanted to learn karate but only had a limited amount of time. It may be a parent who wants their teenager to learn basic self-defense before heading off to college. It could be something a person has always wanted to learn but never had the time and are able to give it a few months. The temporary student is usually forthcoming about their time constraints. "I want to learn karate but I only have X time. How much can I learn in X?"

Tough question to answer.

Answer Option 1: You can learn a lot about karate in six months. It ultimately depends on how much time you commit to practice and study.

Answer Option 2: Karate is a lifetime of learning. The more you learn the more you recognize how much more there is to learn. Six months would barely scratch the surface.

Thoughts? How would you answer the question?

Happy New Year!....Ten Days Late...

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Apsokardu) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

My plan was to start off 2012 differently than prior years. My daughter and I were going on a trip over New Year's weekend. Our initial plan was to drive to Niagara Falls with my sister and her husband. After many phone calls and Internet searches, our New Year's destination changed to the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon is my sister's favorite place. We had a busy itinerary:

1. Fly from Philadelphia to Phoenix.
2. 1 night in Phoenix.
3. Visit Sedona/Montezuma's Castle/Tuzegoot
4. Drive to Flagstaff.
5. New Year's Eve in Flagstaff for Pine Cone Drop.
6. Drive to Grand Canyon and stay for 3 days.
7. Take the Red-Eye home on Wednesday.
8. Back to work/school on Thursday.

Our trip actually went something like this:

1. Fly from Philadelphia to Phoenix.
2. 1 night in Phoenix.
3. Visit Sedona/Montezuma's Castle/Tuzegoot
4. My daughter got sick (24 hr virus) on Saturday. Spent all day in our Flagstaff cabin.
5. Drove to Grand Canyon on Sunday. My daughter was still not feeling well.
6. I got sick on Sunday night.
7. Spent all day Monday in room.
8. Felt a little better Tuesday. Spent time at the Grand Canyon.
9. Drove back to Flagstaff.
10. Arranged for an earlier flight to Philadelphia on Wednesday.
11. Still not feeling 100% on Thursday.
12. Back to work/school on Friday.

I am planning on staying home in the near future. In a few days/weeks/months, I hope to only remember the 2 fabulous days of the trip and the breathtaking view of the Grand Canyon.

Happy New Year to the readers and followers of this blog!

Deer-Vehicle Collisions

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Apsokardu) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 22:28:00 +0000

My car stopped inches away from hitting a large deer this afternoon. I was taking a back road by the lake to avoid the holiday traffic. A deer jumped over the railing to cross the road. I slammed on my brakes hoping the truck travelling behind me would see the deer too. The deer ran across the road in a scattered manner. When my car was stopped, I noticed several more deer running away from the road. It was mid-afternoon on a cloudy day.

Most of the roads I travel are marked with deer crossing signs. Seeing deer crossing the road at night is a common occurrence. The deer usually are moving at dawn and dusk. I was surprised to see deer in the middle of the afternoon.

According to data from State Farm, the likelihood of a licenced driver hitting a deer in Pennsylvania is 1 in 86. State Farm offers tips in avoiding Deer-Vehicle collisions.

Here are tips on how to reduce the odds of a deer-vehicle collision involving your vehicle becoming part of the story we tell next year:

Be aware of posted deer crossing signs. These are placed in active deer
crossing areas.

Remember that deer are most active between 6 and 9 p.m.

Use high beam headlamps as much as possible at night to illuminate the areas from which deer will enter roadways.

Keep in mind that deer generally travel in herds – if you see one, there is a strong possibility others are nearby.

Do not rely on car-mounted deer whistles.

If a deer collision seems inevitable, attempting to swerve out of the way could cause you to lose control of your vehicle or place you in the path of an oncoming vehicle.

Be Safe!

Information Overload

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Apsokardu) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

When I was a brown belt student, the dojo offered Intro lessons to prospective students. The Intro was taught by a black belt or 1st kyu brown belt. I remember being asked to lead an Intro session as a brown belt. I was handed a clip board with a detailed sheet listing the items to be covered in each lesson. The instructions…

Stick to the list and try to resist offering too much information.

I followed the advice of the class instructor even though I did not understand it at the time. The sessions covered the basics of courtesy, dojo layout, punches, blocks and a few stances.

I was a class instructor before I truly understood the importance of the instructions. There is a danger of too much information. I also understand how easy it would have been to get carried away with the intro. As a 1st kyu or a new shodan, there is an exuberance and willingness to share. It takes time to learn how to break down information in digestible pieces depending on the experience level of the student.

As I mentioned to the beginner class last week, Karate and Shrek have something in common.

Karate and Shrek can both be described as being like an onion…layers.

How To Be A Good Customer

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Apsokardu) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:05:00 +0000

I am tired and grumpy. The "busy" season at work is soon over. I work for a company in the Christmas business. We distribute seasonal merchandise. Each year, I hire and train seasonal customer service representatives to work seven weeks in a demanding call center environment.

Overall, we have great customers. It is nice seeing our regular customers who stop in for their order. I am sad when I hear an "old timer" in the business has died. This year, a few of the customers have been especially challenging. In an effort to put this season behind me, I present suggestions on How To Be A Good Customer.

1. "What do you mean?!!!" is not an appropriate response when told an item is out of stock.

2. Please refrain from using "Gimme". Gimme a case of stands Gimme a box of rings.

3. It is really difficult to hear if you are on speaker phone.

4. Please do not call in with an order and put us on hold to answer your other line.

5. Please have your order ready. Going through the 30 page catalog...one page at a time should be done before you call.

6. Please do not swear at us when we tell you there are no parts available for an obsolete machine.

7. Know who you are. The database has over 10,000 customers....many with the name evergreen somewhere in the title. The call will be much smoother if you know your customer number or at least the name your account was set up in.

8. Freight charges are an expensive part of doing business.

9. If our published pick up hours begin at 8:30, please do not arrive early to get a "jump on your day".

10. Do not ask us to leave your order outside for you to pickup after hours. We cannot.

In other news, I should resume regular posting in a week. Thank you to the readers and followers of this blog for bearing with the lapse in posting.

What Makes A Good Training Partner?

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Apsokardu) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 11:00:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, I was at the Honbu for a kobudo training event. We worked weapon applications for about an hour before the group was split up. Hanshi sent the instructor level students to the first floor to train. There were six of us on the floor led by two Kyoshi.

The workout began....

The Kyoshi led us through material at a pace and intensity level I had not practiced at for a long time.

It was wonderful.

I watched how they trained together. They were great training partners. They pushed each other to move faster and conserve movement. They would stop briefly to answer questions or discuss a movement but would immediately resume the workout with intensity.

I returned to the dojo with a better understanding of what it means to be a good training partner.

In your opinion, what makes a good training partner?

I Don't Know

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Apsokardu) — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 12:18:00 +0000

It has been a while since I posted. I work for a company that specializes in Halloween and Christmas supplies. Halloween is over and we are heading toward 8 weeks of Christmas shipping. I am trying to juggle more than I can handle. One of the direct results from my schedule has been a temporary absence from the blogosphere. I would love to announce that "I'm Back!" but I foresee sporadic posting until the beginning of December.

The following topic has come up at work in the last few weeks. Often I overhear employees respond to questions from the boss with a shrug of the shoulders and "I don't know". When I hear the words I cringe. It is not because of the "I don't know" part. It is because the words are not followed by a "but..."

but I will find out.
but I will look into it.
but I will let you know.

Other responses could be...

Let me get back to you.
I will get you the information you need.

The same is true for the karate instructor. When students ask a question, it is ok not to know the answer. The amount of knowledge to acquire while learning a martial art is endless. There is always something to practice, read, learn and explore. Similar to my work example, "I don't know" could be followed with:

but let's find out.
but we can research the topic.
but let's explore the question.
and so on...

In fact, "I don't know" opens the door to new learning opportunities.

Enjoy your training!

Thank you to the readers and followers of this blog. I appreciate your comments!

Words of Advice for Beginner Karate Students

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Apsokardu) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 12:00:00 +0000

We have a small group of beginner students in the dojo. Everything in class is new and exciting. The group looks forward to each class. They are disappointed when they cannot attend a session.

My question: "What words of advice would you give to new karate students?"

In my experience, one of the most difficult concepts for new students to grasp is the cumulative nature of karate. The students learn material/basics/principals and are eager to move on to the next kata, the next weapon, the next self-defense technique. In the search for "the next", they often leave some material behind. Karate is a constant process of learning, refining, exploring, questioning and practicing. One piece of advice I offer beginner students...Karate is Cumulative.

Your advice?

Are You Through?

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Apsokardu) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 12:00:00 +0000

I was given a calender with daily quotes for my desk at work. Most days I forget about the calendar propped up in the corner of the table. I usually have to tear off several pages to get to the current date. The following quote caught my eye:

When you are through trying to improve, you are through. - Vince Lombardi

It is true with my karate practice. Each time I walk in the dojo, teach a class or read an article, my goal is to improve.

I am not through!

Sports Injury - Concussion

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Apsokardu) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 12:00:00 +0000

My daughter is playing softball this season. As I turned the corner to arrive at the field, I saw my daughter walking with a coach. She was holding an instant ice pack on her throat.  They saw me and walked over to the car.   The coach explained that a softball bounced off her glove and into her neck.   My daughter told me her neck hurt, it was hard to swallow and difficult to talk. The impact of the softball made it difficult for her to breath for 30 seconds.

We packed up her gear and drove away. Instead of heading home, I drove in the direction of her doctor's office. I called the doctor and a nurse answered. She told us to come to the office right away. The doctor checked her neck and throat. Her neck did not appear swollen. My daughter complained of a headache. The doctor tested her neurological symptoms and determined she had a concussion. Her head aches, eyes hurt and noise/light sensitivity. The doctor made arrangements for an X-ray of her vertebrae at the hospital as a precaution.

I sat in the office trying to stay calm.  I was doing fine until I heard about the X-ray for possible fractures to the spine. The doctor handed me the referral and we were on our way to the hospital. Two hours later, we left the hospital knowing the X-ray was negative for fractures. My daughter has a follow-up appointment this week. She is restricted from physical activity (sports and gym) until cleared by the doctor.

During the exam, the doctor discussed children athletes and injuries.  His first question before he examined my daughter..."Did you continue playing after the injury?".    The doctor explained that he sees many patients with sports injurys. The kids get hit and keep playing despite a headache or other symptoms. The kids who keep playing have a longer recovery time from a concussion than those who stop playing.

From the Mayo Clinic:

No one should return to play or vigorous activity while signs or symptoms of a concussion are present. Experts recommend that an athlete with a suspected concussion not return to play until he or she has been medically evaluated. Experts also recommend that child and adolescent athletes with a concussion not return to play on the same day as the injury.

10 Things I Learned from a Day Without Electricity

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Apsokardu) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Hurricane Irene spent some time in Pennsylvania this past weekend. We are 60 miles West of Philadelphia and the estimated rainfall was 3 inches. We lost power on Sunday at 2:00 am until 7:00 pm. The power returned as I was loading coolers full of food to transport to my parents freezer 20 miles away.

10 Things I Learned from a Day Without Electricity

1. It takes 2 gallons of water to flush a toilet.
2. Even though I knew the electricity was off...I kept automatically trying to turn lights and faucets on.
3. The first floor of the house is much darker than the second floor.
4. It is important to have a land line phone in addition to portable phones.
5. I missed the instant access to news and information from the TV and Internet.
6. However, I got a lot of work done around the house without the distraction of the TV and Internet.
7. I need to purchase a battery operated radio.
8. Peanut Butter sandwiches are yummy.
9. Kids can occupy themselves for several hours without being "plugged in". My daughter worked on a few crafts, completed her summer reading project and math worksheets.
10. It is easy to take things for granted. I am very thankful the electricity is back on!

Sending well wishes to all those who were in Hurricane Irene's path...

Do You Advertise?

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Apsokardu) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:00:00 +0000

On my way to work this morning, I was sitting in traffic at a congested intersection. If you are familiar with the road conditions in PA, you know sitting in traffic at a construction zone is a daily occurrence. A common joke among long distance truck drivers…There are two seasons in Pennsylvania….Winter and Construction.

I glanced at the license plate of the car in front of me. The first three digits were the abbreviation of a martial arts organization. The remaining digits were 7DAN. I understood the meaning of the vanity plate but am fairly certain people unfamiliar with karate/martial arts would not extract the message.

Before anyone gets angry, let me stop right here. I am not opposed to the license plate. People can have whatever license plate they want. However, the license plate got me thinking about my own circumstances. I wondered if I advertise that I am a karate practitioner.

If I answer honestly, my answer has to be “Yes”. My karate training is personal but I also have a responsibility to the dojo.

I have more karate t-shirts than I can count acquired over the years at seminars and tournaments. I can think of at least one jacket and several gear bags. I have t-shirts advertising our dojo, business cards and a karate blog.

I don’t often wear karate t-shirts unless I am attending a karate event. I remember going to Hershey Park with Tom several years ago. He was wearing a dojo t-shirt. A young man, who was working at the park, stopped Tom and asked him if he took karate lessons. As soon as Tom told the man he owned the school, the conversation ended and the worker went on his way. It was an odd exchange and I always wondered why the man asked the question. At the time, it felt like the worker was looking to cause trouble.

Thoughts?

Interesting Article on Sports and Aggression

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Apsokardu) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Interesting article from Science Daily: "Leaving Anger on the Field: Statistics Show That Sports Help Ease Aggression in Boys"

A prescription for a healthier body and mind

"We set out to determine whether sports training would have a positive impact on these children by lowering aggression, and how this result can be achieved," explains Shahar. It would be more effective than verbal therapy, she says, because while verbal therapy encourages children to control their behavior, research indicates that it does not reduce negative emotions. The introduction of sport, however, is able to reduce aggressive behavior as a result of quelling negative emotions.

In 25 schools across Israel, Shahar and her fellow researchers analyzed a 24-week-long after-school program based on sports. Half the participants comprised a control group who did not receive sports instruction, and the other half were systematically introduced to a variety of sports for five hours a week. Three times a week, students ranging from grades 3-6 played group sports such as basketball or soccer. Twice a week, they participated in martial arts, including judo and karate.

After 24 weeks of programming, Shahar compared questionnaires and evaluations executed at the beginning of the program with the same tests administered at the end. Her results demonstrated an improvement in traits relating to participants' self-control, such as self-observation, problem-solving skills, and delayed gratification -- which ultimately led to a decrease in the incidence of aggression. Only those children who exhibited higher levels of self-control also demonstrated the decline in aggression.

Boys benefit most

Girls had a much weaker response to sports programming than their male classmates, Shahar's research showed. Statistically, there was little change in the female population. Shahar reasons that girls do not often suffer from the same aggression problems as boys, and are less likely to exhibit a passion for sport.

American Friends of Tel Aviv University (2011, July 7). Leaving anger on the field: Statistics show that sports help ease aggression in boys. ScienceDaily. Retrieved August 17, 2011, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2011/07/110706195908.htm

Discussion: Attack Scenarios

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Apsokardu) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 12:00:00 +0000

The following post describes a practice session/discussion on attack scenarios in our dojo.

Last night the dojo black belts had a discussion on attacks. Prior to class, each participant was to research possible street attack scenarios. The scenarios were from personal experience/concerns, newspaper articles, books, Internet searches and YouTube videos. Each person added a few items to the list for discussion.

1. Grab belt from behind in a workplace environment.
2. Grab neck with one hand.
3. Grab from behind in bear hug. Arms are pinned.
4. Blocking a door or entrance. (work cubicle, elevator, etc.)
5. Being followed.
6. Attacker charges and attacks with strikes.
7. Push...Push...Push.
8. Attack while at urinal or in bathroom stall.
9. Neck attack...hand hooking around back of neck.
10. Side by side contact when trying to leave an area.
11. Attacker throwing object to distract while charging.
12. Attacked when exiting or entering cars or homes.
13. Being jumped on while asleep.
14. Rear choke.

This list represents the items discussed in a dojo session. It is not a comprehensive list nor did we include weapons in this session. The group discussed each scenario and practiced defending against the attack. We only made it part way through our list and will have to revisit the session.

Personal Observations:
1. Often we practice linear attacks/grabs in the dojo. We need more practice in circular conflicts.
2. Blocked Entrance. I found this difficult. One participant described an actual situation which happened at work. A man stood at the cubicle entrance and would not let the person through the door.
3. Following. I had an immediate reaction when someone was following me.
4. Attacks not likely to be "karate" attacks. (technically correct punches with chambered fists)
5. We have more work to do.

Sandwich Night

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Apsokardu) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 11:23:00 +0000

Sandwich Night is our dojo name for karate training and dinner. We try to have a Sandwich Night once a month. It started with a teenage black belt's band fundraiser. He asked the group if we wanted to buy a hoagie to support the high school band. Everyone bought a sandwich. The sandwich delivery coincided with our black belt class.

Sandwich Night was born. We use this time to explore topics of interest. The sessions vary from kata/bunkai, knife throwing, improvised weapons, book reviews and video reviews. Tonight, we will be discussing attacks. The session was prompted by Journeyman's post Mind the Gap - Part III - Learn to Attack.

He suggests the following:

It's important to research realistic attacks. The internet can be a good source of information, just try to make sure that information you get are from a reputable sources. Read the news. Consider seeking out people who are exposed to real violence, most likely through profession, who offer seminars or courses on personal protection. Basically, find out what you actually might face, and practice responding, or defending, from that.

Should be a good night of training...
...and dinner. :)

Welcome new readers and followers of this blog!

A Rant to Parents

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Apsokardu) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 12:00:00 +0000

I don't like to rant on this blog. But every once in a while....

Parents...please watch your children.

Yesterday, I had jury duty in town. I reported to the courthouse at 8:00 a.m.   We waited 2 hours before we were called to the courtroom. The jury selection was for a civil case to award damages. The case involved a dog. I may have mentioned in previous post that I am afraid of dogs. When I was young, I was chased by a large German Shepherd at a playground. My sister was with me and we ran up a sliding board and stood on the top platform. The owner of the dog saw the whole thing but did not call off his dog. After a few minutes, the dog ran back to his owner. I logically know this situation was about more about the dog owner than the dog.  This event caused me to be afraid of dogs.  I was not picked for the jury.

I was dismissed from jury duty at lunch and headed to work. I was driving out of the city one traffic light at a time. I approached the city limits. There was a single lane of traffic in each direction.  There was parking permitted on each side of the street. To the left was a large cemetery and on the right a row of houses.   There was a man parking his car on the left across from the houses. A small toddler in a bright pink outfit was on the sidewalk to the right. I am driving slow and watching. The toddler ran out in the middle of the street toward the man. She had no concept of the danger. I hit my brakes and stopped a cars length from the toddler. The man came across the street and scooped up the child. The man gave me a dirty look.

Who was watching this child? She was standing alone on the sidewalk next to a busy street.

When my daughter was little, I made sure she held my hand. I tried to be diligent about parking lots and streets. There are no sidewalks in my neighborhood. The kids play in the street.   There are at least two portable basketball nets sitting on the edge of the street between parked cars. The kids like to wait until a car drives up the street. They shoot baskets over the moving car from across the street. The same unsupervised group of kids used to ride their Big Wheel on the street.

So parents...please watch your children in parking lots and near streets. This advice comes from a person who was run over by a car at 2 years old.  We were standing in front of an ice cream shop. I pulled away from my group and darted off the curb. My Mom told me there were tire tracks on my clothing. The doctor thought my arm was crushed. It healed completely.

I was very lucky.

Parking Garage Safety

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Apsokardu) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 12:00:00 +0000

I don't like parking garages.

There are too many places for people to hide - stairs, elevator or between cars. The parking garages I have seen are often poorly lit and dingy. Several years ago, a co-worker was attacked in a parking garage in broad daylight. She was the HR Manager and had to go to the courthouse for an unemployment hearing. A man approached her but she yelled and swung at him with her briefcase. He was surprised by her reaction and ran away.

This morning I had to drop my daughter off at the community college for play practice. I drove in the parking garage and there was a group of 4 men standing at the entrance. My daughter looked at me and told me to keep driving and find another entrance. I pulled in the nearest space because I was late for work and in a hurry. We got out of our car and one man walked away from the group. The remaining men stood at the entrance talking. We walked through the exit and went to the theater.

Everything was fine but I believe I made a mistake.

I should have went to another exit. I made assumptions about the group due to the time of day (8:00 a.m.). The men looked like college staff members because they were holding papers. The men were casually dressed. No one had an ID badge. My assumptions could have been incorrect.

Here are a few tips for parking garage safety.

1. Awareness. No headphones, cell phones or text messaging.
2. Know where you are going.
3. Park near a light.
4. Have your keys ready. Be ready to use your panic button alarm on your key chain.
5. Try not to be overburdened with packages or bags.
6. Lock your doors and keep your windows up.
7. Trust your instincts.

Please add to the list.

By Request

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Apsokardu) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 02:46:00 +0000

In my previous post, I mentioned somber posts written about my karate training during a rough year.

Caterina commented "Naturally, it's up to you what you choose to publish on your blog. But sometimes it can be helpful to know that other people have "somber" moments too."

The following post was in the draft folder since the Fall of 2010. My outlook has come full circle and I am enthused about training and teaching. I hope sharing this post will help someone else through a somber moment.

It's gone...

I wore a gi for the first time in three weeks. I reached for my uniform on the shelf and it was coarse and heavy. I looked at it for a minute and sighed. I put on my uniform and it felt wrong...uncomfortable. I slowly tied my obi around my waist.

Where did it go? Is it lost or was it taken? Is this feeling temporary? Could it be permanent? Where do I look for it? Will it ever be found?

I have written many posts on an important aspect of karate and training. I firmly believe that a person should enjoy what they are doing. I does not matter if it is karate, soccer, music or art.

At this moment, in regards to karate training...I can't seem to find the joy.

What helped me through the somber time?
1. Time
2. Karate Friends
3. Training Road Trips
4. Patience
5. Practice
6. Students

Refueling My Karate Spirit

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Apsokardu) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 12:00:00 +0000

This past weekend I attended the 27th IKKF Annual Training. The instructors included Hanshi C. Bruce Heilman, Kyoshi Ann-Marie Heilman, Hanshi Miguel Ibarra, Hanshi Jody Paul, Kyoshi Bill Hayes, Kyoshi Nancy Caliguri, Kyoshi Carla Molinaro and OKKKU Directors Hanshi Larry Isaac, Hanshi Victor Coffin, Hanshi Al Louis and Kyoshi George Epps.

The opportunity and wealth of information was endless. I was fortunate to attend sessions taught by seven of the guest instructors. The final hour of the event was a Question & Answer session. In each of the sessions, instructors shared their experiences and offered encouragement. I left the training knowing I witnessed/participated in a historic event.

Topics and teaching styles varied but there was a common theme which resonated through the sessions.

Karate is a Gift.

I would consider the past year a bumpy road along my martial arts journey. Regular readers may have noticed a reduction in the number of karate related blog posts. There are many posts in my draft folder with too somber a tone to publish. It was a year of questioning, doubt and searching.

It is time to put the bumpy year behind me.

Thank you to my instructors Hanshi C. Bruce Heilman and Kyoshi Ann-Marie Heilman for this training opportunity.

IKKF Website

OKKKU Website

HKA Website

Happy 4th of July!

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Apsokardu) — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 19:00:00 +0000

Happy 4th of July!

I wanted to share a few pictures from the 82nd Airborne Museum on Fort Bragg. I visited the Museum last month. My Dad was in the 82nd Airborne from 1948-1954. Check out the post Thanks For Serving, 82nd Airborne 1948-1954 - Photos I and Photos II.

19 Days

noreply@blogger.com (Michele Apsokardu) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Last night was my first night on the dojo floor in nineteen days. I was surprised when I checked my calendar and counted off the days. Has it really been that long?

June has historically been a slow karate month for me. The beginning of the month is busy with end of school activities for my daughter. In the middle of the month, we drove to Miami to go on the Cruise I won at the AAA travel show. During the past week, I was busy procuring items for a raffle to benefit a local children's theater.

Time flies...

There was a time when missing time in the dojo would make me feel bad or a bit guilty. I don't want to feel that way about karate. I accept there will be times when I am able to practice more....and sometimes practice less.