Message and Poem

1. A message passed on by a friend of ours, USAF Maj. John Taylor

THINGS I HAVE LEARNED FROM KENDO:

Go forward fearlessly ;if you cannot go forward fearlessly, go forward wholeheartedly.
The same guy that is presently trying to kill you with a bamboo stick (and likely suceeding) is the same guy that after the end of practice, will be buying you a beer.

If you don't think an 70+ year old man can open up a can of blue-clad whoopass on you- you're in for a big surprise.

If you don't think a 7 year old girl can open up a can of blue-clad whoopass on you-you're in for a big surprise.

The kindnesses which you received as a beginner have been passed down a long line of teachers and students.
When you pass that kindness along to the beginners who come after you, it is a wonderful feeling.

Life is like hakama. Occasionally, it trips you up.
Like is like bogu. Occasionally it stinks.
Life is like bogu. Occasionaly, it stinks REALLY BAD.

If you are a man, you can put on a long blue skirt, blue pajama tops and run around waving a stick and yelling and no one thinks you're nuts.

If you are a woman, you can put on a long blue skirt, blue pajama tops and run around waving a stick and yelling and no one thinks you've PMS.

Do not try to iron hakama if you have no prior experience. Believe it or not, it is possible to accidentally iron away the pleats.

Don't ask for "Extra Heavy Starch" at the dry cleaners. You will end up with pleats hard and sharp enough to cut yourself on.

If you put hakama in the washer, they turn inside out. If you try to fool them by turning them inside out
FIRST, then putting them in the washer...they still end up inside out. So the absolute value of hakama is "inside out" -(thanks to engineer Bob Terry for this insight)

If your wife goes to Korea for one month for a work assignment, DO NOT leave her bogu "AIRING OUT" on the balcony, in the Maryland heat, in the direct sunlight, the rain, the wind and the occassional thunderstorm for the entire time she is gone. This will ruin her bogu -- and your sex life.

Everybody was once a beginner.
Everybody makes the same mistakes.
Everybody needs to practice their footwork (even Hachidans).

It's okay to struggle, that's part of the experience.
When overwhelmed, go back to the basics.
You will absolutely *know* when you have hit a perfect men (or kote or do). You just know. It's a fleeting, emphermal feeling -- and utterly astonishing.

Everybody looks much bigger in their bogu.
Everybody looks much fiercer in their bogu (except me. I look like a little blue fire hydrant, which is hardly intimidating)

Brand new bogu, keigogi and hakama are overdyed. The first several practices the dye will rub off onto your skin, staining it. This is called a "kendo tan" and unlike a real tan, it takes a while to fade!

If you haven't barfed or passed out (or both) during a practice, you probably haven't pushed yourself to the max (or you probably haven't eaten a Taco Bell 7 layer burritto 10 minutes prior to practice).

After you do barf, your Sensei will then introduce you to other Kendoka by saying "This is Jodi. I made her puke at practice last week." And then he will laugh.

Then the kendoka will laugh and then you will laugh.
And you will no longer eat Taco Bell 10 minutes before practice.

No Virginia, there is no Kendo Klaus, but there are a lot of friends to be found in the dojo.

2. 雨ニモマケズ This poetry is written in 1920s by the one of the famous Japanese poet, Kenji Miyazawa 宮沢賢治.

Strong in the rain (By Kenji Miyazawa, transrated by Rogger Palbuse)

Strong in the rain
Strong in the wind
Strong against the summer heat and snow
He is healthy and robust
Unselfish
He never loses his temper
Nor the quiet smile on his lips
He eats four go of unpolished rice
Miso and a few vegitable a day
He does not consider himself
In whatever occurs ... his understanding
Comes from observation and experience
And he never loses sight of things
In a field in the shadows of a pine tree grove
If there is a sick child in the east
He goes there to nurse the child
If there's a tired mother in the west
He goes to her and carries her sheaves
If someone is near death in the south
He goes and says, "Don't be afraid"
If there's strife and lawsuits in the north
He demands that the people put an end to their perttiness
He weeps at the time of drought
He plods about a loss during the cold summer
Everyone calles him "Blockhead"
No one sings his praises
Or takes him to heart ...

This is the sort of person
I want to be

雨ニモマケズ
風ニモマケズ
雪ニモ夏ノ暑サニモマケヌ
丈夫ナ体ヲモチ
慾ハナク
決シテ瞋ラズ
イツモシヅカニワラツテイル
一日ニ玄米四合ト
味噌ト少シノ野菜ヲタベ
アラユルコトヲ
ジブンヲカンジョウニ入レズニ
ヨクミキキシワカリ
ソシテワスレズ
野原ノ松ノ林ノ蔭ノ
小サナ萱ブキ小屋ニイテ
東ニ病気ノ子供アレバ
行ツテ看病シテヤリ
西ニ疲レタ母アレバ
行ツテソノ稲ノ束ヲ負ヒ
南ニ死ニソウナ人アレバ
行ツテコハガラナクテモイヽトイヒ
北ニケンクワヤソシヨウガアレバ
ツマラナイカラヤメロトイヒ
ヒデリノトキハナミダヲナガシ
サムサノナツハオロオロアルキ
ミンナニデクノボートヨバレ
ホメラレモセズ
クニモサレズ
サウイウモノニ
ワタシハナリタイ

3. Kendo Expo at Aichi, August 2005
www.kendo.or.jp/english-page/EXPO-kendo-festival.html
The first World Exposition in the 21st Century is opening from March 25 to September 25 at the near Nagoya area in Aichi Prefecture. All Japan Kendo Federation, in cooperation with the Aichi Kendo Federation, will hold as part of Expo’s official event, “The Expo Kendo Festival.” The event will try to introduce “Kendo” Japan’s traditional and representative culture in a modern and friendly manner through an assorted program to synergize with Expo’s main objective of “dispatching messages from Japan to the world” and “from the present to the future.” As shown on the theme poster designed by Ai Kaneko, we hope to convey widely the spirit of “Kokenchiai” (meaning that Kendo enables one to learn how to cherish one’ counterpart by engaging in shinai keiko) regardless of gender, age or nationality.
Date and Time: Wednesday August 31, 2005 12:30-16:30
Venue: Expo Dome, Nagakute in the World Exposition in Aichi (3,000 seats)