Tag: Shingikan Dojo

Newsletter 20

This weeks newsletter, on loss, love and paths. The featured photo — a makeshift memorial at Mel Lastman Square in Toronto, January 9th, to honour all those who perished on the Ukrainian passenger flight 752. This week I received my bulk order of hardcover books and my paperbacks as well. Now I have to figure out how to sell them. I have started my marketing 101 course.

In this weeks newsletter I let you know about five things that interested me and I thought may be of interest to you too.

1.This week has been sad, downright heartbreaking. To all those who perished in the crash of Flight PS752 may they Rest In Peace and my prayers go out to the families and friends of the many victims. I am reminded of this profound quote and the beautiful prose that offers to me a sense of peace as I give thought and prayer to the events surrounding this tragedy.

“The consequences of our actions are always so complicated, so diverse, that predicting the future is a very difficult business indeed.” J. K. Rowling

“The Road Not Taken”
by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

2. Making a poster for my book, thinking about marketing and researching different book launch ideas, preparing a press release for the official launch of my book. Preparing an application to the Writers Union of Canada. I’m not sure why, but they likely won’t accept me anyway.

3. Sonically, I am interested in the 21C Music Festival. Some amazing musicians, Zakir Hussain, John Patitucci, Danilo Pérez, and Brian Blade will be performing together and in different configurations for the festival. Running from January 16 through to the 25th. And $21.00 for tickets to the shows, a fantastic price to witness great music.

Visually, I have started watching the 3rd season of the multi award winning, Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, funny, funny, funny.

4.Class started at Shingikan Dojo on Monday, children’s karate class. One of my students wanted to show me some poses – he was doing yoga but he didn’t call it that, only poses. Yoga and six year olds, movement, stretching and control of joints, ligaments and tendons, that is really what it is all about. Engagement of the mind, focus and balance, children are capable and motivated to make shapes and hold poses. Yoga or poses, yes it’s good for the children. Karate, punching, kicking and now poses too.

5. A book for the children in all of us, my book, Samba on a Snowy Day for you, or for your own children. I have joined a group of children’s book authors and I am sharing my book. Follow the link Children’s Books Give Away, it’s only available for a limited time.

Thanks for reading. If you like what you’ve read forward this to someone you think will enjoy it. Remember to check out my book, Samba on a Snowy Day available at your favourite book store. A fun children’s book for children to read to adults or the other way around. Check out my blog, follow the link, sign in. Get the weekly newsletter in your inbox, no spam I promise.

Tags Brian Blade, Danilo Pérez, JK Rowling, John Patitucci, Robert Frost, Shingikan Dojo, Zakir Hussain

Books Free E-Book illustrators New Year Reading

Newsletter 19

Newsletter 20/20

My first newsletter this year and I am offering you all a free gift. Happy New Year! In this weeks newsletter I let you know about five things that interested me and I thought may be of interest to you too.

1. Happy New Year to all, 2020 – and my prediction, I see a free E-Book in your Epiphany stocking. A book for the children in all of us, my book, Samba on a Snowy Day for you, or for your children. I have joined a group of children’s book authors and we are sharing our books. Follow the link Children’s Books Give Away and get my book, it’s yours – as simple as that.

2. I was asked to recommend books as a part of my author platform at BookBub. My recommended books, Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel) The Cat in the Hat and How The Grinch Stole Christmas. I shared my recommendations on my social media Facebook page. In this day and age of algorithms wouldn’t you know that by the next day I had this popping up on my Facebook page.

The algorithm worked I found out something that actually interested me and off I went to the Liss Gallery to check out the exhibit, the cat behind the hat. As a keepsake I picked up this beautiful coffee table book The Secret Art of Dr. Seuss. The exhibit at the Liss Gallery is excellent and I highly recommend it.

3. New years and resolutions, I’m sure the gyms and fitness places will be filling up with folks jumping on the resolution band wagon. Nothing wrong with that and I wish all those folks well. Resolution: a firm decision to do or not to do something. Goal: the object of a person’s ambition or effort; an aim or desired result. I have decided that for year 2020 I will be setting goals, there is a difference. Resolution is so final. I resolve to quit smoking by such and such a time. This resolution plan almost never works, you have set the bar too high. When you don’t reach your desired goal you get frustrated and likely give up. At least that’s what happened to me all those years ago when I tried to quit smoking. This year I have set goals in specific areas of my life. A financial goal, a health and wellness goal, a relationship goal, a spiritual goal and a personal goal.

4. My favourite moments of 2019, finding a new dojo to practice and teach at, Shingikan Dojo. Connecting with old and new friends and spending quality time with family. Time spent surrounded by nature, up north in Gravenhurst, living off the land, exploring and swimming everyday. Continuing to pursue my dreams of writing and teaching martial arts and last but certainly not least, being with the one I love, Nina; Wife, partner, mother of our children and my best friend.

5. On the topic of love, I have been entertained recently by a show on Primevideo – Modern Love, it is an excellent show. I have only viewed the first three episodes, great story lines and wonderful acting in each of the episodes. And for your listening pleasure a little Wayne Shorter, Emanon. Wayne Shorter is one of my favourite musicians and someone whose performance I have been fortunate to have witnessed. I have also written about his performances on a couple of occasions under my pen name Paul J. Youngman, check out my take on his Toronto performance at Toronto Music Report.

Tags Dr. Suess, Emanon, Gravenhurst, Liss Gallery, Modern Love, Paul J. Youngman, Shingikan Dojo, Toronto Music Report, Wayne Shorter

Books Children Grammy Awards Karate kids Martial Arts Music

Newsletter 15

Hello all!

Some things that interested me this week, and I hope will be of interest to you too.

Here are my five items, links, or suggestions that should get you some inspiration and information.

Newsletter 15

1. I have been listening to Rodrigo y Gabriella and their new offering, nominated for a Grammy, Mettavolution – check it on youtube. My first exposure to this duo was on Ted Talks, and since that time I have been a fan.

Another artist in the same category; and I noticed he is getting more airplay this week, Theo Croker, an excellent trumpeter and bandleader. He’s been nominated in the best contemporary instrumental album category for Star People Nation, competition for Rodrigo y Gabriella.

I enjoy watching NPR Tiny Desk Concerts and it’s where I first came to hear Anderson Paak. He’s another Grammy nominee in the Best Traditional R&B Performance for “Come Home” featuring André 3000. Check out this fun 2006 musical movie, Idlewild for a good idea of what André 3000 is all about.

2. Yakumo Koizumi is the adopted Japanese name of author Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904). In his 54 years, he wrote 29 books in many different genres. “Kwaidan; Stories and Studies of Strange Things” is one of his books on Japanese myths and I started reading it this week. What piqued my interest is the number of listings with his English name on the gutenberg.org site under the heading: Japan. When you google this gentleman, a fascinating individual comes to life. My search brought me to this article in the Japan Times.

While searching that amazing Gutenberg site I happened upon another book I couldn’t resist “Bushido, The Soul of Japan” by Inuzo Nitobe (1862 – 1933). A book that explores the way of the Samurai spirit.

3. You may have noticed a strong Japanese thread runs through many of my newsletters, it’s true I have a great passion for all things Japanese. I have been studying Japanese on my own for many years. I recently started a new program to learn Japanese writing, Hiragana at a site named Tofugu.com, I feel encouraged to jump back into my studies.

The owner of the Shingikan dojo, where I teach Karate lived in Japan for 25 years. He is fluent in Japanese, both written and spoken. There is no excuse for me to not make the effort to communicate with him in Japanese.

4. Most of my instructing jobs are winding down now and I have only a couple of classes left, one is going to be a children’s karate grading – coming up this Saturday afternoon in Stouffville, Ontario.

The Shingikan dojo will stay open until December 16th and as with all my classes, will be resuming in January 2020. So much fun sharing my knowledge of martial arts and learning from the children.

“Spare no effort when you teach. You advance as your students advance. Perseverance is important in teaching, as are patience, kindness, and the ability to put yourself in your students’ place.” (Koichi Tohei 1920 – 2011.)

5. Reading to children, how long should you read to your children? This resource says as long as there is interest. Reading to children at age 4 – 5 every day has a significant positive effect on their reading skills and cognitive skills (i.e., language and literacy, numeracy, and cognition) later in life.

I found this reference at Scholastic Canada on the state of kids and reading. As someone who is soon to self-publish a children’s book, I need to know who my target audience is.

Thanks for reading. If you like what you’ve read forward this to someone you think will enjoy it.

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Tags Anderson Paak, Inuzo Nitobe, Koichi Tohei, Lafcadio Hearn, Rodrigo y Gabriella, Scholastic, Shingikan Dojo, Theo Crocker, Tofugu, Yakumo Koizumi

“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost

“The Road Not Taken”
by Robert Frost