I took my first Krav Maga class the other day. It was fun, albeit a little simplistic. I have a background in Japanese jujitsu, and many martial art forms and self-defense classes borrow from Japanese jujitsu in some form or fashion. Krav Maga is no different. The names for stances and defenses may have been altered, but the techniques are similar, if not the same ones that are found in Japanese jujitsu.
writing
This is Sparta: Inspiration, Creativity, and the Writing Life
One of the most memorable scenes in 300 occurs when King Leonidas yells, “This is Sparta!” He then promptly kicks the Persian messenger down a cavernous well. Chaos ensues; the Spartans kill the remaining Persian messengers. The scene seems somewhat illogical unless one is a Spartan (Shouldn’t the Spartans have allowed one of the messengers to survive?), but the sentiment of the king’s cry and act is all too familiar.*
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Write What You Love
“Write what you love.” It seems like simple advice. It probably is, but people have a way of complicating the simplest things.
Writing during the Dark Times
When my world imploded on a personal level last September, I found myself incapable of writing about it. I had no words, just an ache that kept me awake at night and threatened to reduce me into a sobbing mess during the day. It took all my strength and energy not to think about that ache so that I could function like a normal human being.
When Words Are Both Too Much and Too Little
My status as a writer doesn’t mean that it’s easy for me to write. In fact, my ability to work with words sometimes makes the writing more complicated. It becomes encumbered with how I will say a thing and my responsibility to the words and to my audience. I find myself encountering the reality that words sometimes should not be said, that silence should be allowed to reign.
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Freelance Writers and Writing Coaches
I have the utmost respect for freelance writers. I’ve worked as a freelancer. I sometimes still do, but, lately, I’ve been contemplating how that role intersects with my role as a writing coach.