Written by I’ve officially finished the first week of my black belt test! Honestly, it’s kind of crazy doing this. I’ve been in karate for 7 years, and truthfully, being a black belt always felt a bit unattainable, like something that only happens in movies or to the adults that teach class. But after I moved to … Continue reading “First Week Down”
Written by Gail Mader
So I began the One Heart Challenge on June 1. When Sensei Oliver invited me to join the challenge along with Elinor and Avi, I was grateful and yet scared. I know how much of my life I focused on preparing for my shodan test. It literally took an army of people to support me … Continue reading “The Journey Begins”
Written by Olivia Ford
I just wrapped up the donations part of my community service project, and I received so many donations. I knew that I was going to get a lot, but I never imagined the sheer numbers of things that I would receive. We have a spare room in my house and it has been absolutely taken … Continue reading “Community Service Project Progress”
Written by Olivia Ford
This past weekend I competed in NorCal. NorCal is a big drill competition for all of the JROTC units in northern California. This year my school competed in unarmed drill, armed drill with rifles, and color guard. I was a part of the unarmed drill divisions and I led the JV color guard team. We … Continue reading “NorCal”
Written by Olivia Ford
One of the requirements for my black belt test is to run a community service project. For my community service project I am working with a women’s center, called Wellsprings Women Center, to make care packages for women in need. Wellsprings helps women who have lived in bad environments get back on their feet by … Continue reading “Community Service Project”
Written by Olivia Ford
One of the ways that I have been getting my miles in is riding around my neighborhood. Specifically, going up and down parking garages. I am lucky enough to live just a block away from the UC Davis Medical Center, and there are three different parking garages within it. I have been going on my … Continue reading “More Mileage!”
Written by Olivia Ford
This test has obviously been a big part of my life recently, but another thing that has been a big part of my life in the last year or so is my involvement with teaching classes at the dojo. I help teach the Tuesday and Thursday core class every week, and I teach the Saturday … Continue reading “Teaching Classes”
Written by Olivia Ford
Today is February 24th, and nine years ago on this day, I started my training at Zen Martial Arts. It’s truly surreal to me that I have been here for nine years, especially considering that that is a little more than half of my life. Of course, I have changed a lot in the nine … Continue reading “Nine Years”
Written by Olivia Ford
Over this weekend, I participated in my JROTC’s Bataan Death March. Every year, we do the Bataan Death March in honor of the thousands of American and Filipino POWs who died during the Bataan Death March in 1942. In April of 1942, the Japanese forced 78,000 prisoners to walk 65 miles in brutal conditions. Thousands … Continue reading “Bataan Death March”
Written by Olivia Ford
I finished my second book for my black belt test! This book is called “The Laws of Simplicity.” The book is essentially about how you take your chaotic lives and try to make them simpler. It talks about how hard it is to drop old habits in order to create new ones, but how important … Continue reading “The Laws of Simplicity”
