Last week ended up being incredibly and unexpectedly busy–and for a spectacular reason.

I found a new place to train.

This is not a small thing.

I moved to Colorado a year ago, mind.  Though I didn’t spend every moment of the last twelve months seeking out a new dojo-home, I invested a great deal of energy looking up schools and instructors online, asking around, and spending more than a few hours sitting or standing in parking lots watching classes through storefront windows.

That watching-classes part quickly became depressing.  I wasn’t looking at how marvelous the students were.  I was watching how instructors managed their class and interacted with students… and never once came away thinking, “I’m impressed!”  In fact, I never walked away thinking, “Wow, good job.”  I wasn’t looking for a school that taught the exact art I’ve learned for the last fifteen-ish years–that’s impossible for many reasons–but was looking for quality instruction and school community.

Yeah, I’m picky.  And I don’t apologize for it. Continue reading A New Martial Arts Home →