An Unlikely Master

Featured Posts

• Time to Change Modes

  One year ago was the point at which I’d planned to retire from teaching taekwondo. Earlier that year some students and I had begun discussing a transition of some sort to take place in our program beginning in June 2020. June 2020 would be the month in which I would turn 60 years old. Of […]

• When No One Volunteers

  For the first time, I’m going to essentially simply reblog someone else’s post. This post by Gaelynn Lea, titled An Open Letter to the Mayor of Duluth (and Mayors Everywhere) About COVID-19,  publicly brings forth many of the sentiments I’ve expressed to those around me these past few weeks, save for the recommendation to require […]

• Fighting a Much Smaller Opponent

  I started my Taekwondo training at age 33 (along with my not-quite five year old son, Robert). I was overweight, previously inactive, and had no real fitness, never mind athletic or competitive, background. Just a cream-puff dad starting martial arts so his son could start. Part of Taekwondo’s tradition is sparring. Sparring was not my […]

• How Does a Warrior Confront a Virus?

  What does the  concept of Warrior conjure up for you? Any of the following? Bravery. Courage. Strength. Action. Being willing to step up and fight. Volunteer to do the hard  thing. Lead in challenging times. Sacrifice for the greater good. Drop ego and selflessly serve others. What else? I’ve been told that the meaning of […]

• How Many Belts Per Minute Can You Tie?

  Hi, Transition Program students! I’m writing this for you, as well as for all of the other people who will look at this and read it. Hopefully lots of people read it because I need them to play along! So guys, all of the other people reading this are asking, “Who or what are transition […]