A Brief Re-Introduction

It's been a really long time since I've posted.

So much has changed in the last 4 years. I've gotten married. I went back to school (again). I've semi-changed careers. I've had a life coach. Life is ever evolving and always changing. I don't feel like I'm  the same Samurai Girl who started this blog. I've grown up a bit more. I'm not as involved in the martial arts, but I've been exposed to all kinds of new activities like rock climbing, canyoning, aerial circus, and more. I would like to start blogging again, but I think in order to continue here the blog needed a bit of an update.

That being said, welcome to Breakfast at Fliffani's! (Ha. Get it? Well, so much for the being grown up part.)

I've been working through Kris Wilder's Musashi Field Manual and reading The Dokkodo. It's great stuff, but it leaves me feeling very introspective and wanting an outlet to share some of the thought processes I've been working through. I plan on posting some of those musings here.

In addition I have been re-focusing on my artwork lately. I have several projects I want to accomplish in the next year or two, so hopefully I'll be able to start posting some artwork and story ideas here.

Thanks for stopping by and I'll post more soon.

Breath of Fresh Air - Update

Long time no post.

I needed to take some time off. I have not felt very motivated to post or to read blogs for a few reasons. There has been a bit of a down period at the school and in my training, due to some health issues. I get tired of tedious arguments. Everything just felt like it was stagnating a bit and the same old things kept recurring. I haven't felt as though I have had anything pertinent to post about, and mainly I don't want to force it.

I think writing is best when you are writing about something you care about and have a vested interest in. To me, this blog should be something enjoyable, something I like doing and I look forward to and get excited about, and I wasn't feeling it. After my break, a breath of fresh air I am feeling good and ready to post and take up reading the blogs I follow regularly again.

I have been seeing a Chiropractor who specializes in Chiropractic and Acupuncture, eating better, going to a gym, and overall getting things back in order. I have to say, if your spine is messed up, your whole body is messed up. No joke. Things are back on track and moving in the right direction again. Good stuff. More to come.

Where does the time go?

So. Been a while. I have too much going on.

Sensei Nick is left the country today. It'll be down to just me and Musashi in the house. : /

I start my new job on Monday. I got some seasonal work to help pay the bills. Graphic Design freelance work is rather patchy lately...

I need to stay focused. I have a lot to do. Its really hard not to lose motivation when Sensei Nick is out of the country, but I need to make sure I stay motivated and on task because I really want to achieve my goal of being a Martial Arts Instructor someday. I feel like I never have enough time to work on stuff. And that kills me because the sad thing is, I don't watch T.V., I don't play video games very often (maybe once or twice a month at this point), I don't go clubbing or hanging out with friends very often, etc. Where the hell does all my time go???

Obviously, helping run a house, it goes to helping Sensei Nick with paperwork and errands, cooking, helping out with family needs like taking the kids to school, picking them up, etc. But still, I must say I am feeling very discouraged this afternoon.

Anyway, Here are some of the projects I currently have going on.

• Website stuff: 
• Updating the GMA website and making tweaks as necessary: Our updated information!
• Getting my own personal domain issues sorted out so I can get TiffaniSahara.com back up and running as well as TiffaniSaharaCreative. Effectively the same website, just different names. 
• The larger project here is really that I need to learn wordpress. T.T
• Working on PowerLineDesigns and Graphic Design
• coming up with new designs and ideas for merchandise on cafepress, zazzle, imagekind, etc. for Power Line Designs
• Design and make a new flyer for Main Street Martial Arts
• Design an identity and related materials for a potential project
• Continuing to fix up the house (lofty goals, but still, I like to aim high):
• Have most of, if not the entire, interior of the house painted by the time Sensei Nick gets back.
• Replace all interior doors and molding
• Martial Arts (last but not least)
• Do all my kata every day
• Reread and review "Way of Kata"
• Finish and review "How to Win a Fight"
• Watch the Bunkai DVDs regarding the Heian/Pinan kata by Abernethy.
• Continue to attend Aiki class twice a week
• Work out with and learn from instructor who runs the dojo that Nick is currently teaching out of after hours. 
• This will more or less function like an internship. While I am not intent on pursuing any ranks TaeKwonDo, the owner runs the entire school by herself and is need of a little bit of help. She is the only instructor and since Sensei Nick doesn't have an official school as such at the moment and I am in desperate need of teaching experience and more time in a dojo environment in general we talked to her about setting something up. She agreed to let me come in and shadow her for a few weeks and help her teach once I get some of the kata down and learn the ropes. It'll be a really sweet deal as long as my newly found seasonal work doesn't make that impossible. Which I will say I am very nervous about as I already told them I cannot work Monday or Tuesday evenings (as that is Aiki night) and they have already scheduled me for Monday close next week. :( 
• Homework from Sensei Nick (In addition to watching Abernethy's Bunkai DVDs and Reading "Way of Kata" and "How to Win a Fight" and "Teaching the Martial Arts" if I have time, write out several fight scenes. Starting small, with just a few exchanges here and there, and going up. What do I think two guys with no training would look like fighting each other on the street. How about a beginner rank and a guy with no training, intermediate? advanced? Two advanced fighters? etc. Which means I also probably need to get and read Miller's "Violence, a Writer's Guide." *sigh 

Anyway, overall I think I just need to try to stay very focused and motivated. I WANT my kata to look better by the time Sensei Nick comes back. I WANT to be in better shape by the time Sensei Nick comes back. I want to earn my next ranks and display proficiency, skill, and understanding that any Sensei would be proud of.

Before he left Sensei Nick and I briefly discussed my current ranks. In Aikijutsu I am white belt with two stripes, effectively the equivalent of an orange belt as Nick's school only has two stripes till green belt. I am also an orange belt in Shotokan Karate. And soon to be learning TaeKwonDo. (I know, information overload right? Probably no the best way to study, but I need the teaching experience so I will take what I can get) I feel like every time I study Martial Arts I get RIGHT TO THIS POINT, and then either have to quit or start over. I have never been any higher than an orange belt. And I have been an orange belt many times. I am SICK OF IT. This is incredibly frustrating and upsetting to me. Granted, I know it isn't necessarily the color of the belt that denotes your skill/understanding/proficiency, etc. Nick and I have discussed several times that rank is only applicable from the school you received it from. A black belt from one school may not meet the same requirements or skill levels as a black belt from another school. In a way, its all very subjective. Either way, I WANT TO GET PAST THE BEGINNER RANKS! (And yes, I know, once you get your shodan it just means you have all the basics and you can really start learning, but you know what I mean, white through orange is generally considered beginner, then the next couple are intermediate and then brown is advanced, etc etc) I guess I want it as... as sort of a mile marker or something... something that means, YES, I am making progress, I am sticking with it, I do some understanding of what I am doing, etc.

I WANT to study and learn and be good. I want it desperately, but every time I get started down the Martial Path life comes along and throws a wrench in my spoke. Well, life, I've got news for you, NOT THIS TIME!

I don't want to say that I want a black belt, because I understand that the belt is not the goal, more so now than ever before, but I want to be skilled and proficient in Martial Arts. Particularly Aikijutsu and also Karate. I want it so bad I can almost taste it, I just have to make sure I stay focused and on task so that I can accomplish my goals. 

T.T I'm wearing myself out just thinking about all this stuff. More posts to come soon. 

~Samurai Girl Sahara

Updates and Upcoming Seminar

It's been a while since my last post. I have been feeling a little under the weather lately and have been having some back problems, but overall, things are busy and there has been quite a bit going on. There are a lot of things coming up and some good posts that I should be finishing up and posting in the next two weeks or so. Here is a quick update:

1) Musashi, the Great Dane samurai dog has settled in as an honorary Uchideshi. He is adorable and learning fast. He starts obedience classes later this month and is sure to do well. He is only 11 weeks old and already weighs more than 20lbs. Now that he has acclimated and his appetite is back, that should be skyrocketing. Sensei Nick and I ran into some people on our walk last night, they have a 7 month old Great Dane puppy who already weighs 120lbs. I cannot believe in another 4 months my dog will more than quadruple his weight. @.@

2) Working on both Aikijutsu and Shotokan Karate. Both are loads of fun and I am learning a lot. I received my 8th Kyu in Aiki last week. I am now a white belt with TWO green stripes! Hizzah! :D I'm not sure how close I am to testing for my yellow belt in Karate yet, but Sensei Nick says its not too far off. I am working diligently on both Heian Nidan and Heian Shodan as well as the Bunkai for these kata. In addition Sensei Nick and I are working on all our rank material and thinking about how we would like to set up the school once things get going, I have more training, we get our own facility, etc etc etc. Lots to think about. We also have new rank certificates! Congrats to Jared for achieving Nikyu and Caryn for Kukyu. I am excited to stream-line the look of our material and the school's identity. Graphic Design is so much fun, especially when you get to work on something you are really passionate about.

3) Preparation for Iain Abernethy's seminar in Missouri this weekend. I am really looking forward to meeting Mr. Abernethy and learning all about Bunkai and different techniques from different kata. Should be awesome. Sensei Nick is probably 10x more excited then I am as he has already had a chance to work with Abernethy. Should be all around a great weekend. I will post a review of the seminar and some of my thoughts and things I learned when I return. Probably Monday evening.

4) Almost done with "How to Win a Fight" by Kane the Wilder. Sensei Nick is about half way through it. I should be posting a review of this book soon, and I will make sure he does the same.

5) Working with Sensei Nick on getting PowerLine Designs up and running. We will offer a wide variety of T-shirts and related items (cups, coasters, clocks, backpacks, buttons etc.) Stay tuned for more information on this. Many of them will be Asian or Martial Arts related. Chinese Zodiac Signs, Elemental Kanji, etc etc. In addition to humors T-shirts and the like. I think some of the designs are sure to be really neat and most are turning out really well so far. Also, if anyone is need of any Graphic Design work, or knows of someone who is. Keep me in mind and/or send me a message if you are interested and would like to take a look at my portfolio.

I think that about covers it. Been very busy and have lots going on, but all good things. Hope everyone is doing well. Best wishes to everyone!