She was a whirlwind of emotion and energy, difficult to live with and hard to live without . My solution was to live half a world away to no avail , her effect on me has always been profound, she instilled in me a deep sense of pride and passion in whatever I undertook .

In her own life time she was an academic with a deep appreciation for the arts, literature, music and theater, the Times crossword was one of those passions. Even at the end of her journey she was still able to make a statement, that life without dignity or pride is not life, it is just existence, she decided it was her time and  left on her own  terms, she will be loved , she will be remembered and she will be missed.

 Non est vivere sed valere vita est

 ”Life is more than just being alive it’s a life well lived”

The day began with exercises in basic movement, followed by the application of that movement to various assault scenarios.  Each participant had a chance to demonstrate a technique in front of the class and this was definitely the most rewarding (and entertaining) part of the day.  Despite some initial trepidation, almost everyone managed to show an effective application of at least one technique.  Many of the participants surprised themselves and it was awesome to see their smiles when something worked for them.  Those “AHA!” moments keep us coming back to our training!  To supplement Mark’s instruction, many of the participants asked thoughtful questions and presented ideas that were explored during the course of the seminar.  The day was ended with some “helping others” training scenarios. 

This seminar managed to incorporate some of the basics of Budo Taijutsu and effective body movement into practical, real world assault situations.  It is our intent to conduct these seminars on a regular basis so that the training is fresh in the participant’s minds, ideas can be explored and skills can be built upon and further honed.  More to follow on that. 

Perhaps the biggest success of the day was that we raised $450 for Safe Horizon.  This NYC based organization offers counseling, case management, shelters and support programs for victims of assault and domestic abuse.  Their website is www.safehorizon.org. 

Sincere thanks go out to all involved –

• Mark our fearless instructor
• Brayner for the awesome training space
• The guys (particularly Dan) who donated their bodies
• Everyone who donated money
• Everyone who attended

See you next time!

Mike

We now have classes twice a week Tue and Thurs evenings 8-9.30pm at the 53rd & 3rd location, also new members can avail of training mon to fri . We will also have the occasional sat morning seminar for those that request it.  The  fee structure for  students enrolling in the new year can be found at www.bwarrior.com or simply contact the dojo by email and they will answer all your questions , and dont forget to ask if there are any special offers for new students.

BWarrior NYC Martial Arts
230 E. 53rd Street, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10022
ph:  (212) 752-3810
email:  bwarriormartialarts@gmail.com
web:    www.bwarrior.com
  www.bwarrior.com 

 We have started the year with the basics and fundamentals of sword work if you have your own training equipment I strongly urge you to practice at home as often as possible, it is only thru constant practice that we can begin to improve,  and by developing an insight with which we can discern the change in ourselves, “Times they are a changin” lets make sure were ahead of the curve, train when you can , practice when you can, stay in contact and be supportive of friends and family on a regular basis, take nothing for granted and  live life to your fullest potential for as long as you can. Sadness and loneliness and feeling helpless are common emotions in hard times like these, what makes them bearable is knowing that your not alone. If you where wondering in the past why structure and the basics where/are so important, its not that they simply have to be able to support just you, they have to be strong enough and stable enough to support and protect everyone else you care about, good luck with that….M

On the day  Mr Hoban led the way with a espirit de corp and panache that he seems to embody so well. The day progressed in an informative and productive manner, with the level of complexity increasing through out the day, culminating in the now regular annual apprisal of what it is we do, and why we do it, but I feel more importantly why what we do, needs to be done in the first place.

So far we have raised about 2,600 dollars (nearly 13,000  to-date) and as soon as we have the final number we will post it. Thanks again to everyone for taking the time out of their busy schedules to come to our assistance, thank you to our families for supporting us. Thank you to Brynard for his continued support and for  the use of his Dojo.

Fundementally what we are attempting to do is re-connect with the rest of humanity by showing others  that  we care, to those of you that support us in our efforts thank you, to those that haven’t theres always next year….M

Thank you for you continued support, its because of this support that we have been looking for a more permanent home, and now we’ve found one. Current members/patrons and students that pay monthly will continue to have and maintain all the benefits and privileges, new students applying to the Dojo for membership will have a new option of pre-paying for 10 classes which will be valid for a certain period of time, there will also be a  separate fee for grades.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me, suggestions are always welcome and treated in the spirit in which they are offered;-).

I would just like to take this opportunity, to thank all the past, current patrons and friends of the Dojo for your continued support, without your kind donations and support we would not be able to continue to offer classes in the NY area, your efforts to keep training inspires me, to keep going myself.

 Thank you for the opportunity its been an honor and a privilege to be a part of your lives… and to the patrons of the past, I miss you to….M

The Fund is a 501(c)(3) charity and all donations to the Fund are tax-deductible. Donations can be earmarked specifically for any of the above-mentioned trusts or simply sent to the Fund in general by writing a check or money order payable to —

As with this and past events all monies raised go to the charity itself, we have streamlined all expenses to the point where there are virtually none, everything is a donation including the venue, the wrist bands andT-shirts. This yearly event has been and is an important part of the healing process that needs to happen so we as a city and a nation can move forward and heal.

The purpose of our fundraising efforts are to help others while trying not to reopen or renew painfull memories for those in our community that bore the brunt of the tragedies that befell us over the last decade.

Everybody has the right to go to and return home after a hard days work to their loved ones without fear or threat of harm, its is not until we become involved ourselves in an event, that we realize for the first time how many people are involved in keeping us safe and secure everyday. These are our Armed Services, the men and women of law enforcement, the fire department and corrections, the doctors and nurses that tend to us, and even the good Samaritans that happen to pass by unhailed and often remain anonymous.

Our Sept fundraiser is an attempt to acknowledge and say thank you to those that help us and protect us in our daily lives, their unselfish efforts and selfless devotion to our community should never be forgotten.

The daily actions and good deeds made by these brave individuals, whose sole drive is to help others, generally go unnoticed and even less often thanked. We the public are often too quick to remember the negative and slow to celebrate the positive.

This simple effort of ours is but a tear drop in an ocean of apathy, but an effort none the less, so let us open our hearts to those that have made the ultimate sacrifice for us, and keep the memory of their heroic deeds alive, we owe them so much more, they can never be replaced, and they should never be forgotten.