Jissen | Taido/Blog

Bottom Eleven

28/12/2005 In Miscellany by andy

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[rant] Not to be negative, but these things bug me. I have compiled my list of the top eleven problems with Taido as things currently stand. This list is unique to me and represents my personal values for what Taido is and should become. I can cope if people don’t agree, but meanwhile, i’ll be working on moving things in a direction that I feel is healthier and more effective all around. Maybe I can change a few minds, and maybe I’ll change my mind too as things go forward. For right now, here (not really in any kind of order) are what I see as the eleven biggest things holding Taido back from its potential:

Read the full post. 2222 words. It'll take about 8:53 minutes.

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Why Kobo is Important

16/03/2006 In Experiments / Ideas, Practice / Training by andy

I love coffee. Always have, as far back as I can remember actually knowing what coffee tastes like. So when I was looking for a job during a “break” from school, it was only natural that I should apply at Starbucks. I did and was hired. Actually, I worked at Starbucks several times, as well as a few other coffee shops, but this story takes place at the Starbucks store at the perimeter pointe shopping center in north atlanta.

The last time I did a stint at Starbucks was the second half of 2001, and the manager of our store was a woman named Sherri. She was nice-ish, but the two of us had major problems getting along. Though we both had good intentions, we seemed to go about everything in totally different ways. Of course, my way was infinitely superior in every possible manner of judging.

Read the full post. 1964 words. It'll take about 7:51 minutes.

I love coffee. Always have, as far back as I can remember actually knowing what coffee tastes like. So when I was looking for a job during a “break” from school, it was only natural that I should apply at Starbucks. I did and was hired. Actually, I worked at Starbucks several times, as well as a few other coffee shops, but this story takes place at the Starbucks store at the perimeter pointe shopping center in north atlanta.

The last time I did a stint at Starbucks was the second half of 2001, and the manager of our store was a woman named Sherri. She was nice-ish, but the two of us had major problems getting along. Though we both had good intentions, we seemed to go about everything in totally different ways. Of course, my way was infinitely superior in every possible manner of judging.

Read the full post. 1964 words. It'll take about 7:51 minutes.

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Mits Uchida

08/06/2006 In People by andy

note: Some people didn’t understand this article the first time around and took parts of it as an attack on my teacher - a man whom I greatly admire. I have attempted to abate this somewhat by narrowing the focus of this article and dealing with tangential issues in separate posts. Some of the content originally included here has been moved, but I have not significantly altered my general tone or message. Please understand that I am a little sarcastic sometimes, and my humor is extremely dry. There is no venom here; just an honest look at a man few people really understand.

Mits Uchida is the founder and head instructor of the “United States Taido Association.” Much has been made in recent months over my apparent falling out with him (due in large part to misinterpretations of the first incarnation of this article), but I maintain that this is essentially one-sided. Though I cannot support certain aspects of the way he runs his business, I have a deep respect for his abilities, talents, and accomplishments.

Read the full post. 3608 words + 1 image. It'll take about 14:26 minutes.

note: Some people didn’t understand this article the first time around and took parts of it as an attack on my teacher - a man whom I greatly admire. I have attempted to abate this somewhat by narrowing the focus of this article and dealing with tangential issues in separate posts. Some of the content originally included here has been moved, but I have not significantly altered my general tone or message. Please understand that I am a little sarcastic sometimes, and my humor is extremely dry. There is no venom here; just an honest look at a man few people really understand.

Mits Uchida is the founder and head instructor of the “United States Taido Association.” Much has been made in recent months over my apparent falling out with him (due in large part to misinterpretations of the first incarnation of this article), but I maintain that this is essentially one-sided. Though I cannot support certain aspects of the way he runs his business, I have a deep respect for his abilities, talents, and accomplishments.

Read the full post. 3608 words + 1 image. It'll take about 14:26 minutes.

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tourney report: 2006 tama taikai

19/07/2006 In Event Log by andy

The annual Tama Taikai is a regional tournament held in Higashi-Kurume. Participants include much of West Tokyo and parts of Saitama, Kanagawa, and Yamanashi Prefectures. It’s one of the larger “local” events, and considered kind of a warm-up for more more serious events at the end of summer which determine the teams for the four national events held each fall. This year, the Tama took place on 25 June - one day after my birthday.

This was my second year representing the Yokohama dojo at the Tama Taikai, and I was determined to do better than I did my first time around.

Read the full post. 1212 words + 1 image. It'll take about 4:51 minutes.

The annual Tama Taikai is a regional tournament held in Higashi-Kurume. Participants include much of West Tokyo and parts of Saitama, Kanagawa, and Yamanashi Prefectures. It’s one of the larger “local” events, and considered kind of a warm-up for more more serious events at the end of summer which determine the teams for the four national events held each fall. This year, the Tama took place on 25 June - one day after my birthday.

This was my second year representing the Yokohama dojo at the Tama Taikai, and I was determined to do better than I did my first time around.

Read the full post. 1212 words + 1 image. It'll take about 4:51 minutes.

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Tourney Report: First Tokaido Regional Meet

25/07/2006 In Event Log by andy

August 2006

This past weekend, I participated in the first ever Tokaido Regional Meet, and I had a great time (but I’m almost always having a great time). This tournament very much resembled the 2nd Kanagawa Meet I wrote about in February in a number of ways. First, it was held in the same location - the Tokai University Budokan. Second, the competitors, judges, staff, and spectators looked suspiciously similar. In fact, it was almost the same competition all over again.

The Back-Story

To explain how this happens, I should mention a few things to which I alluded in my report on the Kanagawa meet. Specifically, it comes down to the fact that Honshu (the largest island in Japan, and coincidentally the one on which all but a handful of Taido clubs are located) is small and mountainous. The result of Honshu’s geography is that there are several distinct regions (each with its own subculture) in close proximity. Tohoku, Kanto, Kansai, etc each have their own Japanese dialects and ways of thinking. However, they are all crammed together on a piece of land about the size of California.

Read the full post. 2114 words + 1 image. It'll take about 8:27 minutes.

August 2006

This past weekend, I participated in the first ever Tokaido Regional Meet, and I had a great time (but I’m almost always having a great time). This tournament very much resembled the 2nd Kanagawa Meet I wrote about in February in a number of ways. First, it was held in the same location - the Tokai University Budokan. Second, the competitors, judges, staff, and spectators looked suspiciously similar. In fact, it was almost the same competition all over again.

The Back-Story

To explain how this happens, I should mention a few things to which I alluded in my report on the Kanagawa meet. Specifically, it comes down to the fact that Honshu (the largest island in Japan, and coincidentally the one on which all but a handful of Taido clubs are located) is small and mountainous. The result of Honshu’s geography is that there are several distinct regions (each with its own subculture) in close proximity. Tohoku, Kanto, Kansai, etc each have their own Japanese dialects and ways of thinking. However, they are all crammed together on a piece of land about the size of California.

Read the full post. 2114 words + 1 image. It'll take about 8:27 minutes.

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Of Course, I Can Do That…

10/08/2006 In Experiments / Ideas by andy

You never forget how to ride a bike - maybe I’m just extraordinarily stupid, but I’ve proven that one wrong.

I was spending the weekend with a girlfriend in a small Japanese village and had volunteered to make a conbini (a wonderful little Jap-English corruption of “convenience store”) run for some drinks. Since it was a nice day, I figured that, rather than drive the two kilometers to the 7/11, I would just borrow my girlfriend’s bike and enjoy some fresh air. Things were going well for a few minutes. Then, as I was coming down the hill toward the store I realized that I couldn’t remember how to stop. “Oh, shit!”

Read the full post. 1445 words. It'll take about 5:47 minutes.

You never forget how to ride a bike - maybe I’m just extraordinarily stupid, but I’ve proven that one wrong.

I was spending the weekend with a girlfriend in a small Japanese village and had volunteered to make a conbini (a wonderful little Jap-English corruption of “convenience store”) run for some drinks. Since it was a nice day, I figured that, rather than drive the two kilometers to the 7/11, I would just borrow my girlfriend’s bike and enjoy some fresh air. Things were going well for a few minutes. Then, as I was coming down the hill toward the store I realized that I couldn’t remember how to stop. “Oh, shit!”

Read the full post. 1445 words. It'll take about 5:47 minutes.

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Taido Holiday Wish List 2006

15/11/2006 In Miscellany by andy

With Thanksgiving next week, the winter holiday season is fast upon us. Every year around this time, I’m forced to wrestle with what I feel is a very stressful and difficult aspect of social membership in America - the giving of gifts.

I am terrible at gift-giving, and if I thought I could get away with it, I would boycott the holidays wholesale. The sad reality is that escaping the holidays is near-impossible; even in years when I’ve done my best to let friends and family know that I wasn’t planning to participate in the consumption frenzy, somebody always manages not to get the memo, and I’m stuck feeling guilty. The alternative, embracing the madness in the spirit of goodwill, just serves to remind me that I have absolutely no skill at choosing quality gifts for even my closest friends.

Read the full post. 1119 words. It'll take about 4:29 minutes.

With Thanksgiving next week, the winter holiday season is fast upon us. Every year around this time, I’m forced to wrestle with what I feel is a very stressful and difficult aspect of social membership in America - the giving of gifts.

I am terrible at gift-giving, and if I thought I could get away with it, I would boycott the holidays wholesale. The sad reality is that escaping the holidays is near-impossible; even in years when I’ve done my best to let friends and family know that I wasn’t planning to participate in the consumption frenzy, somebody always manages not to get the memo, and I’m stuck feeling guilty. The alternative, embracing the madness in the spirit of goodwill, just serves to remind me that I have absolutely no skill at choosing quality gifts for even my closest friends.

Read the full post. 1119 words. It'll take about 4:29 minutes.

3 Comments

Taido Holiday Wish List 2007

03/12/2007 In Miscellany by andy

Last year, I composed a sort of Christmas list for Taido. It’s been an eventful year, and some of the things on that list became reality. One of the really awesome things about Taido is that it’s always changing, and I’m pretty excited that most of these changes appear to be happening for the better.

I have a lot of dreams for the next year in Taido. Before I start listing off every conceivable wish I could have for Taido over the next year, I’ll review the items I posted in last year’s list. Here they are:

2006 List Recap

American-flag print, satin karate uniform - Nope! But I did get an awesome Gameness grappling gi this summer. I guess that’ll have to do for now.

Read the full post. 945 words. It'll take about 3:47 minutes.

Last year, I composed a sort of Christmas list for Taido. It’s been an eventful year, and some of the things on that list became reality. One of the really awesome things about Taido is that it’s always changing, and I’m pretty excited that most of these changes appear to be happening for the better.

I have a lot of dreams for the next year in Taido. Before I start listing off every conceivable wish I could have for Taido over the next year, I’ll review the items I posted in last year’s list. Here they are: