Empathy Training (Black belt requirement) – Some reflections The past week I have been going back through my personal training journal whereas I have kept tabs on my progress against my black belt requirements, j…

Ski Day is a good day! Being in the final stretch before testing for black belt, I decided to get a day trip in with my oldest son as to enjoy the snow and some slope time. I thought about the risks like twisting…

This Friday, November 4th, we had House Sorting Day at the dojo. As you might know the dojo consists of four different houses – Tatsu (dragon), Tenko (fox), Suzaku (phoenix), and Shisa (lion dogs). Each one of t…

Halloween is here. After two years of reduced Corona festivities we had an office party where all dressed up. My choice to go was as a Plague Doctor – kind of fitting after the pandemic. Plague doctors were m…

Before saying Good Bye to the Germans we attended one more American thing to do – a NBA game. We got tickets for the Memphis Grizzlies vs. our own Sacramento Kings. This basketball game was a first for all my v…