Look - Hubby on Cover of a Magazine!!

Today, I dedicate the 300th blog post to my amazing hubby, Thomas Casale. Last month he was on the cover (and had a huge article inside) the Shotokan Karate Magazine! The Shotokan Karate Magazine, based in England and sent out all over the world to subscribers of this Traditional Martial Arts publication. SKM has been published since 1984, and prides itself on featuring the most senior and prominent Shotokan Karate masters and Sensei's in the world.

http://www.shotokanmag.com/

 

The response to this issue has been unbelievable. They are even thinking of doing another print of it! Hubby has been getting non-stop requests for a signed copy of the magazine, as well as invitations to do seminars all over the world.

Needless to say, I couldn't be prouder of him!

Quote of the Day

Just a little something for all the martial artists out there! This is so true!

JSKA Karate World Championship in Cancun - Album II

We're back home after a great tourrnament. I won 3rd place in kata and the rest of the tournament went great. Here are more pictures.



Team USA and family



Our littlest competitor on the team (8 yrs. old), Itzel

Some of the masters of the organization. From left: hubby (Thomas Casale), Abe Sensei (the head of the organization), Ricardo Galina (one of the organizers of the tournament), Nagaki Sensei and Teresa Orta (the other organizer and Galina's mother)

Itzel getting all serious for her kata competition

Itzel fighting (kumite)

Me on the podium to accept my bronze medal (left) for kata

Well, this was fun...now back to work. :)

JSKA Karate World Championship in Cancun - Album I

So we're half-way through the World Championship week and the actual tournament starts tomorrow. Today, I wanted to share a few of the pictures from this trip so far (hence, Album I). :)

First off, the resorts we're staying at where the World Championship 2012 is taking place - Iberostar Cancun, Golf & Spa Resort:



This is the view from our balcony

Here's the same view at sunset:

Another part of the resort:



Here's our team (minus one member). Hubby is the team's coach and the President of the organization in the Pan-Americas:

Another pic of the team, now minus the hubby but plus the member of the team who wasn't in the last pic :)

We had a great three hour training this morning with all the members of various teams. The first part of the seminar was with Abe Sensei, the head of our organization from Japan, and Nagaki Sensei, one of his senior students. Then we trained with other senior Senseis (teachers), including my hubby, Sensei Thomas Casale. Here are a few pics from that training.

Part of the training this morning. Hubby is on the right, teaching part of that seminar

Training hard

Kids having fun playing "zombies" :)

The hubby and I at dinner:

With a dear friend and the member of the Mexican karate team, Suzel (her husband is the organizer of 2012 Championship):

Lounging around

Well, that's it for Album I. Album II coming in a few days and will include the tournament pictures.

Contests and Giveaways in the Writing World - Week of July 16th (From Cancun)

Well, no Monday blues for me this week...Not while I'm writing this on a palatial balcony (with a Jacuzzi!) overlooking this  view:

I'm in Cancun, Mexico for the JSKA World Karate Championship and the resort is beautiful. Most of the competitors begin arriving today, but we're already been here for the last few days and they have been very restful. It'll probably get a bit more stressful and busy, but it should still be fun and hopefully we can continue to enjoy everything.

Also, met some of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders who were here for a camp and did a two day thing with kids here. I'll post those pics later this week.

I'll keep you updated on the hhappenings here throughout the week, but for today, let's get to the contests and giveaways in the Writing World!

First off, check out a contest from Lisa Burstein - enter to win a 3 chapter critique. But wait, there are three critiques for the taking - 1 from Lisa's editor, one from her agent and 1 from Lisa herself! Check out the rules here.

Enter on GoodReads to win Cyndi Tefft's book Between. Giveaway ends July 31st.

Shannon Stacey is part of the The Amazing, Fabulous PIMP MY READ Contest! She, along with three other writers, are giving away 4 - yes, you heard it right, 4 - e-readers! What can be better than that?! The giveaway lasts until July 22nd, so don't miss out.

Well, have to run and meet some of our US Team members who arrived today, so talk to you all soon!

Cancun - Karate World Championship - possible blog schedule changes

 I'm going to be away for two weeks in the sunny Cancun, Mexico at a World Karate Championship.

Hope to have wireless there - and if that's the case, I will keep posting.

Contests & Giveaways in the Writing World - week of April 2nd

Well, this is pretty much how I feel after a karate camp at our dojo this weekend with the organization's chief instructor and 9th degree black belt from Japan, Abe Sensei. (The training was great, but I haven't gotten much rest; I'm attaching a couple of pictures from the camp at the end of this post).

If you feel the same way, then some cheering up is in order. And what better way to cheer up than by checking out fun contests and giveaways in the writing world?

A to Z Blogging Challenge (Rach's Writing Prompots Contest!!!) - This is a fun, creating way of participating in the A to Z Blogging Challenge as offered by Rachel Harrie. A definite "must" to check out!

Night Owl Reviews Spring Fling Web Hunt - This is a huge scavenger hunt with lots of amazing prizes, including Kindle Fire and Kindle Touch. Another "must" to check out!

An awesome photo contest by Julie Kagawa to celebrate the soon to be released The Immortal Rules! - This is such a fun contest. If I had just a little more time, I would definitely do this! There's some great entries already. The contest ends April 24th.


I heart Historical Romance Contest by Jennifer Haymore - the contest ends this week, so hurry!

And don't forget: A great giveaway to come in two weeks! Heather Webb of the Between the Sheets blog is all set for this giveaway to start on April 9th. Here's what's it's all about: "Pitchapalooza Blog Hop - Create your best novel pitch (any genre) and win a FREE CRITIQUE from yours truly (editor extraordinaire), and a WRITER'S WEBSITE from professional web designer and developer, Brian Mowell. Details coming soon. YES, this is a FREE setup of your author website or blog. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G PRIZE! Already have a site? No problem. Have your existing site revamped for FREE" 

More great Giveaways and Contests to come next week!

*As always, please contact me for the inclusion of your contests/giveaways into the Monday Contests and Giveaways in the Writing World posts.

Have fun and good luck!

And here are a few pics from the karate camp we had this weekend:

Doing kata Jiin with Abe Sensei (I'm the blond on the right :-) )

Me with Abe Sensei (in the middle), my hubby (on the left) and Sensei Galina.

My women's class training during the Women's Seminar (the two in front are my nieces)

More kata training with Abe Sensei

Abe Sensei is a legend in the karate world. He's in his 70s and still travels the world for seminars every month (he lives in Japan).

Lessons From Martial Arts for Writers

Wednesday Flash Fiction will return next week. Today, I had a strong inspiration to write on this topic, so I hope you enjoy it.

Two things have been constant in my life for the last few years - karate training and writing. I often think about how the two are similar in their philosophies and teachings, and in how a karate-ka and a writer develop themselves and their art. Here's a few of my thoughts on the topic.

Out of the 20 principles of Gichin Funakoshi (founder of modern karate), I believe the following apply beautifully to writing.

#5. Spirit first, technique second.

Writing application: As in martial arts, the spirit is of utmost importance to a writer. It is because we have the passion for writing and the spirit and discipline to actually sit down and write and to work at it that we begin to call ourselves "writers" in the first place. We may not know all the writer "techniques" or fine points of our craft when we start, but we're willing to try anyway - and we're willing to learn. We can teach ourselves certain aspects and techniques - but without the passion and the spirit for doing it, we will not produce good work. Clean technique will come with time and experience. Cultivate your spirit and passion for writing first.

#6. Always be ready to release your mind.

Writing application: If we don't open our mind and are not willing to experiencing and try new things, we become stuck, which makes us weaker and more vulnerable. We have to be able to let go of preconceptions and see new possibilities to become really good at what we do. We have to remain fluid and able to see everything in our environment, even as we focus on our opponent (or our writing, as the case may be).

There are many rules out there for writers - many of them are good, many are there to be broken. I would say they are more guidelines in most cases. We can't have develop a narrow vision of never straying away from them and trying new ways to improve our writing.

#8. Do not think that karate training is only in the dojo.

Writing application: Similarly, do think of writing as only something to be done at the desk. A writer's mind is always active. Even when we're not actually typing up the words, we are thinking about what we want to write. We should be keen observers of our environment, no matter where we are. There's a potentially limitless supply of inspiration out there in the world. Observe people in conversation or sitting in silence, observe animal behaviors, observe the rush of traffic and the beauty of a garden in the spring. Then go back to your desk and write.

#9. It will take your entire life to learn karate; there is no limit.

Writing application: This is one of my favorites. There really is no limit to studying martial arts - or to studying the writing craft. There's always something new to learn and there's always something new to try in our writing. Never forget that. You can never become complacent about what you know - always have the mindset that there's still much more to know. It makes life more interesting and it hones us into dedicated, disciplined and interesting writers.

#10. Put your everyday living into karate and you will find "Myo" (subtle secrets).

Writing application: Writing is very personal, no matter what we write about. We all bring a little bit (or a lot) of ourselves and our experiences into out writing. That is what makes each of our stories unique and different.

#11. Karate is like boiling water. If you do not heat it constantly, it will cool.

Writing application:This is another favorite of mine. This applies to writing so beautifully, and it's so simple! If we don't write all the time, it'll be harder and harder for us to get back to it. I'm sure many of you  have experienced this phenomena at some point or other. Keep writing. Even if you're really busy, even if something is taking you away from your writing for a period of time, write at least a little bit. Don't let your writing passion and spirit cool.

#13. Victory depends on your ability to distinguish vulnerable points from invulnerable ones.

Writing application: As with everything else we do, it is important to know what our weak and strong points are. If we know that, we can utilize our strong points to the best advantage, and we can work on making our weak points stronger. In martial arts, it is also about knowing your opponents vulnerable and invulnerable points to beat him. In writing, you and your writing are your opponent.

There's also a famous saying by Gichin Funakoshi:

"The ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory nor defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants"

Writing application: For writers, this applies as much! Yes, many of us want to be published and recognized for our work. However, for most of us, it's also not the end-all. We love writing - that's why we do it. Through writing, we find out more about ourselves, we figure out our strengths and weaknesses, and hopefully we become better people and writers.

Here's a couple more:

"A one sided martial artist is a blind martial artist." -unknown 
Writing application: A one sided writer is a blind writer. Learn from others. Read novels in your own genre, as well as others - you can find a wealth of techniques and inspiration in reading.

"Victory is reserved for those who are willing to pay it's price." - Sun Tzu

Writing application: Again, as in martial arts, writers have to be willing to pay the price to achieve success. We have to be disciplined, work hard and make certain adjustments in our life to do what we love.

What have you learned from being a writer? What advice would you give others about writing? Did you ever apply an advice from another area of your life to writing?
  

Friday Art & History Feature - Shotokan Karate

Dan Exam on March 23rd 2012 at JSKA-USA (Shodan, Nidan and Sandan)

 In honor of taking the Nidan (2nd degree black belt) exam last night and passing it, and as a tribute to my classmates who also earned their Shodan (1st degree black belt), Nidan or Sandan (3rd degree black belt) degrees with me, I'd like to tell you about Shotokan Karate - the style that I practice

Shotokan Karate

Shotokan Tiger

The founder of Shotokan Karate is Gichin Funakoshi (1868–1957). It is interesting to note that Funakoshi himself did not want different styles of karate to exist - he wanted karate to be united. The term Shotokan was coined by Funakoshi's students. This is what they called the first official dojo built by the their teacher in 1939. Funakoshi's pen name was "Shoto", which translates as "pine-waves". "Kan" means "hall". And so put together and loosely translated, Shotokan means "the hall of pine-waves". Funakoshi himself called the martial arts simply "karate" and never gave the style an official name. He also never created an organization. However, after his death in 1957, his students split into various organizations due to political and ideological conflicts.

Gichin Funakoshi - founder of Shotokan Karate

Shotokan Karate came out of a various martial arts that Funakoshi practiced as a child and as a young man in his native Okinawa. The practice of martial arts was forbidden in Okinawa starting in the 1400s. They were taught in secret through generations. The villagers developed various self-defense techniques and perfected the use of simple farming implements as weapons in order to protect themselves from the militarized and heavily trained samurai of Japan. The three main martial arts styles to develop in Okinawa were Naha-te, Shuri-te, and Tomari-te. However, collectively, they were mostly known as "te", which means "hand" in Japanese.

Gichin Funakoshi was a sickly child and his parents decided that martial arts will make him stronger. Among great masters of the time, he trained with Anko Azato. He trained mainly in two of the most popular styles of the time Shōrei-ryū and Shōrin-ryū. Shotokan combines both of these styles. Funakoshi became a teacher and his main mission in life eventually became the spread of karate onto the mainland of Japan and into the Japanese education system. He also changed the name to karate-te, meaning "empty hand".

Today, Shotokan Karate includes kihon (basics), kata (forms), kumite (fighting/sparring) and bunkai (applications - although not taught by everyone). While karate has become widely sports-oriented in our times, many people are still attracted to it for its original ideas and philosophies of budo (the martial way).

Dojo Kun

This dojo kun is recited in all Shotokan dojos:

•  Seek perfection of character
• Be Faithful
• Endeavor
• Respect others
• Refrain from violent behavior

Also, these  20 Precepts of Funakoshi should be familiar to all Karate practitioners:

1. Karate-do begins with courtesy and ends with rei (bow/respect)

2. There is no first strike in karate.

3. Karate is an aid to justice.

4. First know yourself before attempting to know others.

5. Spirit first, technique second.

6. Always be ready to release your mind.

7. Accidents arise from negligence.

8. Do not think that karate training is only in the dojo.

9. It will take your entire life to learn karate, there is no limit.

10. Put your everyday living into karate and you will find "Myo" (subtle secrets).

11. Karate is like boiling water, if you do not heat it constantly, it will cool.

12. Do not think that you have to win, think rather that you do not have to lose.

13. Victory depends on your ability to distinguish vulnerable points from invulnerable ones.

14. The out come of the battle depends on how you handle weakness and strength.

15. Think of your opponents hands and feet as swords.16. When you leave home, think that you have numerous opponents waiting for you.

17. Beginners must master low stance and posture, natural body positions are for the advanced.

18. Practicing a kata exactly is one thing, engaging in a real fight is another. 

19. Do not forget to correctly apply: strength and weakness of power, stretching and contraction ofthe body, and slowness and speed of techniques.

20. Always think and devise ways to live the precepts of karate-do every day.

I'm proud to be a part of the world-wide Shotokan Karate family!

Friday Art & History Feature - Geisha

I've always been interested in Japanese culture. Much of the interest comes from my practice of karate. Many Japanese cultural aspects seems very foreign and mysterious to the westerners. Japanese history is truly spectacular in many ways. Over the course of this blog, I will write a number of articles about various aspects of Japanese culture and history, including the samurai, ikebana, tea ceremony and much, much more.
Today, we'll take a look at another aspect steeped in mystery - geishas.

Geishas playing Shamisen (traditional Japanese instrument) today

Many have seen or read "Memoirs of a Geisha" and know of certain aspects of this profession.  Many recognize the white makeup a geisha wears.

Geisha playing Shamisen

There's many misconceptions and misunderstandings about what and who a geisha is. By definition, a geisha is an entertainer. Geishas are skilled in dance, playing traditional musical instruments, tea ceremony and the art of conversation. The word "geisha" comes from two kanji characters - 芸 (gei), which means "art" and 者 (sha), which means "person". Women have a choice of becoming a 'maiko" or apprentice geisha first or training for a year and becoming a full geisha right away. This was not the case in the past, when most girls who were to become geishas started their training very early and were apprenticed for years of training before becoming full fledged geisha.

Maiko (apprentices)

 There are different theories on the emergence of geisha culture in Japan historically. Some say that it came out of a practice by some young girls, whose families were misplaced. They would be entertainers, and many also sold their sexual services. The more traditional form of geisha entertainment began to emerge when the imperial court was moved to Kyoto in 794. However, these were still not the geisha culture we know of today. That is emerged much later on, during the 18th century. It's interesting to note that the first "geisha" were men who entertained wealthy customers while they waited for their courtesans and other forms of entertainment. One of the first famous known female geishas was actually a prostitute who also possessed many other skills, including dance and playing music. She became very popular and young girls followed in her footsteps. Soon, most of them were only doing performance art entertaining without the selling sex part. The line between courtesans and geishas was drawn, and a geisha was more valued for skills other than sex.

Geishas dancing

 Prior to WWII, it was commonplace for a maiko's virginity to be sold to the highest bidder, a process known as "mizuage". While outlawed after the war, the practice still has been known to exist well into our times. While a geisha is a single woman, she can chose to have a wealthy patron, whose courtesan she may become. This, however, is not a rule. Often, geishas have boyfriends, but once they marry, they have to leave the profession.

Maiko in Kyoto

 Kyoto still remains the most popular place to see where geishas live and to enjoy their performances.

Geisha entertaining today

Geishas entertaining in the 1950s

Geishas are a true art form. They are highly educated women who have achieved top skills in performance arts and the art of conversation. They study hard and long to become the best in their profession. That is their appeal, and their mystery.

Writer Wednesday Flash Fiction - Writer Campaign 2nd Challenge and General Updates

Please check out the flash fiction written earlier this week for the Writer's Campaign 2nd challenge here.

Meanwhile, I thought I'd update you on my projects, etc..

I've joined the WIP March Madness and listed my goals as follows:

1) Write for half an hour every night, even after karate training, no matter how tired.
So far I've been able to do this for about half of the March days that passed. Working on making it an
every day thing.
2) Write during lunch (that is when my work load allows me to take a full lunch, which lately it doesn't
always).
So far I've used three of my lunches during March to write, which is better than in the previous few moths.
3) Write and schedule blog posts the day before.
I've been fairly successful in doing this, although there were a couple of blogs in the past two weeks that I wrote the day of.

In other news:
1) I have submitted one of my flash fiction stories to a contest.
2) I am completely re-working my WIP and will probably end up scrapping that 4 chapters I already wrote and re-writing them. Right now I'm doing a lot of brainstorming and putting ideas on paper so I can then review all of the ideas and chose the best.
3) Started hashing out ideas of a "secret project" with my writing partner Tina Moss.

This is for my writing partner, Tina Moss, because she has a corgi :)

And just to make March more interesting, I'm training hard to test for my 2nd degree black belt in the near future. Yep, March is going to be fun.