Rory Miller's Blog, page 51

XPO

There's a movie, Galaxy Quest. One of the lines comes from the fanboy who thinks he is becoming part of a movie shoot but is actually going into space combat: "I'm just stoked to be on the show."
I was kind of stoked to be on the show.
The Crossing The Pond Martial Arts Expo somehow happened. It's one of those ideas that rarely get off the ground: "Let's get some of the good instructors from the Uk and the US and do one seminar in Seattle and one in Coventry". I suspect that one or two...

Meeting Devi

The more comprehensively you understand the game, any game, the better you can play. When the game is like life, where most of the rules are imaginary anyway (you bring theses rules to the table and you enforce them on yourself) there is immense freedom in seeing things as they are.
It's broad, too, and the second I wrote 'games' part of your brain locked in because games are defined by rules. If you break the rules you cease to be playing the game. Really? Always?
The ability to see the...

Homeward Bound

Tomorrow, it will be time to head home. Looking forward to seeing my lovely bride again. Actually counting the hours (23 hours, one minute right now).
Boston was a good time and my little notes haven't done it justice. The Uechi-ryu camp at Massachusetts Maritime Academy was the smallest crowd ever, and that is sad. there is a generation of extraordinarily skilled practitioners and gifted teachers who will start to pass someday. There wasn't enough time to talk with old friends, much...

North End

Twisty streets that would be alleys anywhere else, clearly designed (probably the wrong word, the streets look more like evolution than intelligent design) for something other than cars. Buildings of old brick tower on each side- you can't tell if the sun shines without going outside and looking up. Fire escapes don't go to the ground but to the next building. In case of fire, kick in your neighbor's window.
On the weekends, the place is thick with tourists-- wandering for the most part...

Play

Lise Steenerson (her link is down there on the side) is a student of Kasey Keckeisen. On paper, Kasey is the complete package. Respectable ranks in multiple arts, including sport arts (no, it's not combat, but if you don't DO combat there are things you will learn--mainly about yourself--in tournament that you won't get other places) and traditional arts. SWAT leader on top of that. On paper, Kasey is the complete package.
Turns out he holds up on the mat, too. And on the street. But...

Uechi and Emeralds

Too much to fill in right now. Bill Giovannucci had me down to his dojo in Quincy a few nights ago (blog review here), and Jason Gould had me out to his Emerald Necklace Dojo last night.
Different styles, different men, but I'm again impressed at how similar good dojo feel. The only real way to tell a good instructor is by the students and at both of these training halls the students were enthusiastic, hard working, and not afraid to try. Both Bill and Jason knew their stuff. They were...

Sunburned and Sleep Deprived

Happily, if a little sleepily settled into Boston's beautiful North End with Jeff and Jess.
Still processing the weekend. I loved the classes I took as well as the ones I taught..and regret the ones I missed. New friends, like Robb and Ben and Gary and Mia and Max and Sarah. Reconnecting with some old friends, like Roy andBruce and Bear and the old Lions and George, the Patriarch of this clan. Mulling over a compliment from Jim Maloney. Sunburned of course, and dehydrated. Tired.
Got...

Old Lions

I was invited along to a dinner last night. Not a special event in the normal sense of things, just a group of four old friends who wanted to get together and talk about the old times.
I'm not a karate guy. Not a Uechi-ka. But whenever I am in Uechi territory, they make me feel like family. This dinner of four old friends included Art Rabesa, Jimmy Malone, Bob Bethony and Van Canna. Two of them cops, all of them old battlers from the early karate tournament circuit. Legendary in this c...

All of Us

Sitting on a plane today next to a very lovely young woman. Looked across the aisle and saw an elderly woman...and they were the same. Sort of. In the elderly woman I could see the bones and carriage of a young lady who had been a knockout.
That's all of us. Born so small, I used to delight in holding my daughter in one hand. So tiny and fragile. Not human, really, except in potential. Precious, but when you make the list of things that define human, (reason and speech and manipulating ...

Stuff Coming Up

Boston is coming up very soon.Information is here.
The weekend before that (July 30 to Aug 1) George Mattson, grand old man of Uechi-ryu in the US will be holding his annual camp at Cape Cod. I'll be there to play with old friends. A huge mix of skills and insights will be available. It is something I always make when I can, not just for the considerable skill on display, but also for the family feeling of the Uechi community and watching how George deftly handles the personalities. he...