Banjo....

I got a banjo....and it is a lot of fun. You should try it sometime cause it is hard to not smile and play a banjo. :)

Monday is here. Happy mothers day.

Happy Monday and Happy Mothers day yesterday to all. We are almost to the end of school...and the summer is starting to fill up...wow. Hope to get in some fun time....get some fishing in with the buds and son.
Got to help my son train hard for karate and pass his black belt test in the fall....pray it works out. He is also involved in tutoring this summer...hope that helps him for the fall and school.
Kids are already heavy into swimming and things look good so far...meet in a couple weeks...
Had a good mothers day with my wife and my parents came over for dinner...got leftovers...which is a good thing. Anyhows....hope yall have a great week....
until later...

kendo

I have a bag full of kendo gear sitting in my office. Why? Because I am interested in learning. Learning what? As you may know I am a karate practitioner. Okinawan karate was based partially defending one's self against the guy with the sword and armor. So why not learn some of how that works and be able to understand the other side of it? Plus it is fun. I am excited about beginning this learning experience. More later. 

I got a viola for Christmas

So I got a viola for Christmas. Now I have to find some instructional materials and get the basics down and maybe get some lessons later...maybe. I figure I can learn a good bit on my own and have friends who are string players who I know can help me out. I already play mandolin, so I know a little about instruments tuned in 5ths. Viola just sounds interesting. It is pitched lower than a violin and generally plays harmonies. Strings are C G D A...and since I play guitar and sing baritone it should fit well in the range of stuff I do....even playing melodies. I tuned it up and bowed it some and it has a bigger sound than I expected. The low end resonates well...If I can learn to play it I think it will be a lot of fun. So we shall see how it progresses in 2014. My son takes strings at school and plays violin. May in the future we will be able to do some stuff together or with friends....here's hoping.

cleaning house..still

I know that sounds kind of redundant but we have been slowly cleaning out and redoing stuff for like 2 and a half months. What I have found is that we as people tend to hang on to things...for no reason. We went thru the game closet the other day and got ride of like 5 games and a bunch of puzzles. We never play them and the puzzles...well right now we just don't have the patience to put together a 500 piece or more puzzle. My daughter kept a couple of them to do later...but...the moral of the story is too much is too much.  I plan to work on the next closet this weekend....the hall closet with all the Christmas wrapping paper and bags in it. This ought to be fun...not.
I have learned something else too...if you go to clean up, clean up what you have already cleaned up first and then tackle something new so the stuff that was clean stays clean. I am trying to apply this at my work office too...which is presently better, but I have a work room that will need mega work.

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving....we have so much to be thankful for...

cleaning house

It is amazing how much junk you accumulate. Seriously. Clutter is not my friend. I bagged up two bags of stuff to go to Goodwill this morning. And I seriously think it will take me 6 more months of throwing stuff away to get rid of it all....argh!!

Sensei

Sensei Takashina passed away last week. I was out of town when I heard the news. I will miss seeing him. He was a good teacher. I am proud to see his name on my belt. I am proud to have trained with him. He was a very interesting man. It is hard to put into words what he meant to others. But to me I will always remember his joy in seeing people perform well. He loved kids and it was great to watch how much he enjoyed working with them.
His memorial service is the 28th of Sept in Ft. Lauderdale.  I doubt I will be able to go, but I signed his memorial page.
I wish much peace and comfort to his family, friends and fellow karatika at this time.